Th e. By Tim Hitchcock

Transcription

1 SKULL & SackleS T e Price of Infamy By Tim Hitccock

2 Te Sackles ever Sea Island of Empty Eyes Gannet Island Liecaller X Island of te Black Tower X Teroro and Ina Besmara's Trone Queen Bes X Mister Ripples Port Peril Dagon's Jaws X = Rumored Treasure ever Sea iregrass Isle Goatsead Skeletal Cutlass Hell Harbor X

3 SKU L & ADVENTURE PATH PART 5 of 6 SackleS Te Price of Infamy

4 SKULL & SackleS credits Creative Director James Jacobs Managing Editor. Wesley Scneider Development Leads Adam Daigle and Rob McCreary Editing Judy Bauer, Logan Bonner, Cristoper Carey, Patrick Renie, and James L. Sutter Editorial Assistance Jason Bulman, Mark Moreland, Stepen Radney-Macarland, and Sean K Reynolds Editorial Intern Jerome Virnic Senior Art Director Sara E. Robinson Grapic Designer Andrew Vallas Production Specialist Crystal rasier Cover Artist Daryl Mandryk Cartograper Robert Lazzaretti Contributing Artists Joewie Aderes, Jorge ares, Andrew Hou, Diana Martinez, Bryan Sola, Craig J Spearing, Doug Stambaug, and Kieran Yanner Contributing Autors Savanna Broadway, Ryan Costello, Tim Hitccock, James Jacobs, Robin D. Laws, Mark Moreland, and Sean K Reynolds Publiser Erik Mona Paizo CEO Lisa Stevens Vice President of Operations Jeffrey Alvarez Director of Sales Pierce Watters inance Manager Cristoper Self Staff Accountant Kunji Sedo Tecnical Director Vic Wertz Campaign Coordinator Mike Brock Special Tanks Te Paizo Customer Service, Wareouse, and Website Teams Tis product makes use of te Patfinder RPG Core Rulebook, Patfinder RPG Advanced Player s Guide, Patfinder RPG Bestiary, Patfinder RPG Bestiary 2, Patfinder RPG Bestiary 3, Patfinder RPG GameMastery Guide, and Patfinder RPG Ultimate Combat. Tese rules can be found online as part of te Patfinder Roleplaying Game Reference Document at paizo.com/patfinderrpg/prd. Tis product is compliant wit te Open Game License (OGL) and is suitable for use wit te Patfinder Roleplaying Game or te 3.5 edition of te world s oldest fantasy roleplaying game. Product Identity: Te following items are ereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in te Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not Open Content: All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper names (caracters, deities, etc.), dialogue, plots, storylines, locations, caracters, artwork, and trade dress. (Elements tat ave previously been designated as Open Game Content or are in te public domain are not included in tis declaration.) Open Content: Except for material designated as Product Identity (see above), te game mecanics of tis Paizo Publising game product are Open Game Content, as defined in te Open Game License version 1.0a Section 1(d). No portion of tis work oter tan te material designated as Open Game Content may be reproduced in any form witout written permission. Paizo Publising, LLC t Ave NE, Ste 120 Redmond, WA paizo.com Patfinder Adventure Pat #59: Te Price of Infamy 2012, Paizo Publising, LLC. All Rigts Reserved. Paizo Publising, LLC, te golem logo, Patfinder, Patfinder Society, and GameMastery are registered trademarks of Paizo Publising, LLC; Patfinder Adventure Pat, Patfinder Campaign Setting, Patfinder Module, Patfinder Player Companion, Patfinder Roleplaying Game, and Patfinder Tales are trademarks of Paizo Publising, LLC. Printed in Cina.

5 table of contents oreword 4 Te Price of Infamy 6 by Tim Hitccock NPC Gallery 54 by Tim Hitccock Skull & Sackles Treasures 60 by Tim Hitccock leet Battles 62 by James Jacobs Norgorber 70 by Sean K Reynolds Patfinder s Journal: Te Treasure of ar Tallai 5 of 6 76 by Robin D. Laws Bestiary 82 by Savanna Broadway, Ryan Costello, Mark Moreland, and Sean K Reynolds Preview 92

6 SKULL & SackleS Te Young Man and te Sea I ll admit, last year at PaizoCon 2011 wen it was announced tat a pirate Adventure Pat was on te scedule, I wasn t super-exited. I know, I know... to te las wit you! Keelaul te swab! But wait ear me out. Raised on te Texas Gulf Coast, I ad te opportunity to spend a good amount of time on te water. In some places it s not a particularly pretty body of water, but you can still easily get out tere on a small boat and sail far enoug away tat land fades into te orizon, leaving you alone on te water wit noting but te sky above. I grew up going fising wit my dad on te Gulf. Wile most of tat was just fising from piers or wade fising from te beac and watnot, every now and ten we d go out and do some deep-sea fising. You d get up before te sun and ead down to te coast, get some strong coffee in you, and look for a good spot to start dropping lines in te water. Turns out, all te offsore oil rigs out near tem pulling up redfis, snapper, dolpin, waoo, and oter tasty sea fare. It was on one of tese trips I spotted my first sark, and once witnessed a guy pulling one in tat was bigger tan me at te time. On one of te deep sea fising trips, one of te oter guys on te boat accidentally ooked an octopus. It was a fairly small one, wit a ead te size of a baseball, and before we trew it back tey let me old it. Its suckers felt weird on my skin, and it kept trying to crawl away, slitering its tentacles around my forearm. I even felt its beak drag against my open palm, and it was ten tat I announced I was done olding it. Back into te water it went. As I got older, I fised less, but my connection wit te Gulf of Mexico wasn t reduced. I merely transformed tat relationsip into oter activities. My friend Kyle s family owned a 30-foot single-mast sailboat, a 16-foot Hobie catamaran, and a small Laser sailing dingy. I d never sailed attract a lot of fis, so out in te Gulf you see boats camped before, but tey taugt me on te Laser before moving me 4

7 oreword up to te catamaran. Kyle s dad taugt me all te rigt terms (many of wic I ve since forgotten), and for tat entire season it seemed like we were out on te water every day. Te big boat named Si-Bui (wic tey joked meant stuck in te mud, because of its really long keel) ad a fiberglass ull and deck, but te mast, rails, and oter fixtures were wood. Te summer between my junior and senior year of ig scool, Kyle and I sanded and refinised te deck, rails, and all te fixtures. Wile working on te boat, we slept in te cabin every nigt, te gentle waves rocking us to sleep. Eac morning I d climb up te mast like a monkey and stand on te spreaders looking out over te marina. Toward te end of tat time, once we were mostly done wit te work, we took it out a few times. Te boat ad a diesel engine, but te wole time I spent wit tat family and tat boat, te engine never worked, so we d ave to raise te sail in te slip and pus off, ten strike te sail and coast into te slip wen we d return. Tis old salty sailor tat lived on is boat in te marina was extremely impressed watcing two skinny teenagers sail in and out of te slip witout te use of an engine, and would tell us so on every occasion we d run into im. We weren t going to spoil is pride in us by telling im we only did it because te engine was busted and we ad no oter coice. Tat busted engine ended up being a major source of stress one weekend wen we moved Si-Bui from Sabine Pass to Kema. Te trip sould ve been sort and sweet, but once we got fully out into te Gulf and started eading west, te wind died and we just bobbed tere for ours. After nigt fell, I started seeing ligts from te radio towers and realized we were drifting toward sore. Kyle and I stayed up all nigt doing wat we could to stay on course and not end up beacing te boat. We took a lot of small tacks, rowed for a bit, and even jumped in and swam beind te boat pusing it (until a porpoise startled us into realizing tat maybe it wasn t te best of ideas to be swimming a quarter-mile out into te Gulf at nigt.) So, yea, I ve spent some time on te water. Strangely enoug, toug, I d never been a uge fan of te pirate genre, and as a result I ad mixed feelings about tis Adventure Pat during my previous monts as a fan. But once I got ere and started working on te Skull & Sackles AP, all of te emotions and memories about being on te water wit te wind at my back came crasing back, and I fell in love. It was weird. I liked pirate movies well enoug, but I was never strongly connected to te genre. I guess I was aving a disconnect relating my actual experiences on te water to a roleplaying setup, but all it took was immersing myself in wat we were producing to rekindle my old romance wit te sea. Playing Admiral A couple of weeks ago, Rob, Wes, and I took a few ours out of our busy workdays to play a game. We weren t ON THE COVER Druvalia Trune, admiral of te Celis Imperial Navy and commander of te Celis armada sent to invade te Sackles, stands proud on tis mont s cover. Altoug te PCs will not face Druvalia and er armada until te final adventure, tey ll get teir first glimpse of te admiral and learn of er plans to annex te Sackles wen tey finally confront teir old nemesis, Captain Barnabas Harrigan, in tis mont s Adventure Pat installment, Te Price of Infamy. just goofing off on company time: we were playtesting te f leet battle rules you ll find if you keep turning pages. We crowded into Wes s office and read troug te rules James wrote, ten collected a few stacks of te sip counters from te free Skull & Sackles Player s Guide (available online at paizo.com), and got to work building our f leets. Rob (or Te Admiral, as e s sometimes called tese days) cose Tessa airwind as is f leet s admiral. (I tink e as a crus on er.) I named my f leet s fearless, generic leader Admiral Soandso. We cose our sips and built our squadrons. Rob s f leet skewed more toward te PCs side of tings, and I built my f leet based on wat te bad guys would be bringing to te battle. My f leet was weaker, but tat s okay you don t want to piss off Te Admiral. Wes acted as an impartial observer and made notes based on our experiences and te outcomes of te battles. Of course, as wit any playtest, we rewound a few times, replayed a round or two, and made less tan favorable decisions just to see ow it would play out. Wile we were playing, I realized tis would make a fine standalone game, and immediately wanted to find te constructible pirate sips I bougt last year at Gen Con. I could even play tis game wit my friends wo don t play RPGs but are fond of board games, since at its eart tis system is a set of simple, streamlined rules tat involves bits of cance and some strategy. So today I ll print up some sip counters to bring ome, and see if my lady would enjoy a quick pirate f leet battle. Enjoy te figts you ll find in te adventure tis time around, and good luck! Adam Daigle Developer adam.daigle@paizo.com 5

8 SKULL & SackleS Te Price of Infamy Part One: Blood in te Water After attending a meeting of te Pirate Council, te PCs get a grim warning tat teir old enemy Barnabas Harrigan is readying an attack, and tey must build a fleet to defend teir ome! Page 7 Part Two: Islands of te Damned An attempt to rescue one of Harrigan s former officers puts te PCs up against a ideous aquatic undead treat. Page 17 Part Tree: Te Black Tower A quest to retrieve an infamous sword requires a descent into a trapfilled tower once ruled by a legendary cultist. Page 25 Advancement Track Te Price of Infamy is designed for four caracters and uses te medium XP track. 11 Te PCs begin tis adventure at 11t level. Te PCs sould be 12 12t level by te time tey start exploring te Black Tower if tey re not close at tis point, consider aving tem go on a few additional side quests to earn more XP. Part our: Harrigan Must Die Harrigan s fleet attacks! Te PCs must defend teir ome, ten go on te offensive to get revenge against teir former captain! 6 Page 35 Te PCs sould be 13t level by te end of te adventure.

9 Te Price of Infamy Adventure Background Captain Barnabas Harrigan s loss to is upstart former crew members in te ree Captains Regatta curned in is craw like te fury of te Eye of Abendego itself. Robbed of is prize and disgraced by te defeat, e grew determined to avenge imself. Wile te PCs busied temselves wit te exploration and conquest of te Island of Empty Eyes, Harrigan got to te task of bolstering is f leet in order to sail against te PCs and take teir newly claimed prize by force. But revenge against te PCs is only te beginning of Harrigan s treacery. Meanwile, Tessa airwind continued er unt to root out traitorous pirate lords in te Sackles, possibly even witin te Pirate Council itself. Despite er work, er well-founded suspicions remain poorly placed, for te real traitor, Barnabas Harrigan, lurks outside te Council s inner circle. ew suspect tat Harrigan, believed by so many to be a scourge of te Celis navy, is in fact deep in Celiax s pocket and as been for several monts. After e was captured by Admiral Druvalia Trune of Celiax, craven Harrigan bartered for is life by offering to serve as er primary secret agent te Sackles. At present, Harrigan s forces now swell wit Celaxians disguised as ostages or low-life pirates. Wat most believe to be is recent spate of victories over Celis mercant sips are actually carefully orcestrated performances, fake battles wit dummy sips. Harrigan s seizures of Celis plunder and slaves allow is allies to covertly supply im wit men, sips, and funding wile bolstering is appearance as a sworn enemy of Celiax. As is apparent victories over Celiax bolster is infamy, Harrigan as come to realize tat wit suc notoriety comes unwanted attention, and in order to distract is enemies long enoug for Celiax s plans to play out, e s decided to create dissent and suspicion between te various ree Captains. Some of is agents scoured teir crews for stooges willing to sell teir captains secrets. In oter cases, e paid large sums in stolen Celis coin to ruin more powerful rivals by planting false evidence to imply teir own involvement in traitorous acts against te Pirate Council. Te most prominent of is brazenly selected targets was Arronax Endymion, te lord of Hell Harbor. Now, wit te Pirate Council fearfully rooting troug its ranks in searc of traitors, Harrigan as one last obstacle in is pat before e calls down te Celis Armada upon te Sackles is onetime swabs and riggers, te PCs. Adventure Summary After earning teir seats on te Pirate Council, te PCs attend teir first meeting of te council only to learn from a friend tat teir old nemesis Barnabas Harrigan ADDITIONAL RULES Te Skull & Sackles Adventure Pat makes use of several new rules subsystems. Plunder, Disrepute, and Infamy: Te rules for plunder and Infamy may be found in Te Life of a Pirate in Patfinder Adventure Pat #55: Te Wormwood Mutiny. Sip-to-Sip Combat: Sample sip stat bocks, as well as detailed rules for andling combat between sips, are presented in te Skull & Sackles Player s Guide, available for free at paizo.com. leet Battles: Rules for building fleets and figting massscale naval conflicts appear in tis volume on page 62. Te PCs must gater teir allies and recruit new ones to build a f leet of sips to protect teir island. In doing so, tey ave a cance to rescue several castaways wo once served under Harrigan, and to recover a powerful and infamous weapon from an eerie tower. Tey may even clear te name of one of te Sackles major pirate lords, wo is suspected of being a Celis sympatizer, and in so doing gain te support of anoter powerful ally. Harrigan s attack on te PCs island comes soon enoug, and after te PCs defeat Harrigan s f leet wit teir own, te time is rigt to finally strike back against Harrigan wit an attack against is own island fortress. Wen te PCs finally confront and defeat teir old enemy, toug, tey discover tat not only was Harrigan a Celis agent, but tat Celiax s f leet is fast approacing te Sackles and intends to conquer te pirate confederacy as a new colony! Part One: Blood in te Water Part One of Te Price of Infamy deals wit te PCs efforts to build a f leet to defend teir island ome, but Parts Two and Tree also provide opportunities for te PCs to increase teir infamy and attract new sips to teir f lag. As a result, you sould run Parts Two and Tree concurrently wit Part One, adjusting te timing of tese events as you see fit. Only after te PCs ave ad time to complete te encounters in Parts One, Two, and Tree sould you move into Part our. Te Pirate Council Among te prizes te PCs were promised for winning te ree Captains Regatta was a seat on te Pirate Council, and after teir (opefully) fine sowing at te climax of te previous adventure, tey sould ave earned at least a single seat on te Council, even if tey didn t earn te rigt to vote. Tis adventure begins wit te PCs attending teir first council meeting in Port Peril. is preparing for an all-out attack on teir new ome. 7

10 SKULL & SackleS IREARMS IN THE PRICE O INAMY irearms are rare on Golarion, and as a result, firearms do not appear in te Skull & Sackles Adventure Pat until te final adventure. If firearms play a more prominent role in your campaign, owever, you can use te following suggestions to modify Te Price of Infamy to incorporate tem. See Ultimate Combat for details on all of tese firearms and more. Te best opportunities to introduce firearms into Te Price of Infamy come in Part our (altoug you could certainly ave Barracuda Aiger s sips be outfitted wit cannon if you wis at te end of Part Tree). Consider giving Kipper a +1 flaming musket instead of a longbow; e may even ave taken a few levels of gunslinger rater tan rogue levels since te last time te PCs met im. Te ligt ballistae at Harrigan s fortress can easily be turned into cannons if you do so, make sure to give te fortress a supply of cannon balls and gunpowder (likely stored in area E2). Harrigan imself sould be given a pistol of some type e still prefers to figt wit is sword, but can start a battle wit a sot or two! Te Pirate Council meets in a large camber located in ort Hazard itself. Te Hurricane King typically sits at te ead of a long oaken table in an overly ostentatious cair wit a ig back carved wit images of sea monsters coiled around sips, wile 30 smaller, less extravagant but still rater comfortable cairs are positioned around te table (15 to a side). No one sits at te far end of te table, were a second enormous cair sits tis cair is reserved for Besmara erself, sould se ever decide to attend. ood and alcool are served in quantity during a Pirate Council te meal is quite fine, serving almost as a bribe to encourage te pirate lords to attend in te first place. Several oter, smaller tables sit against te walls of te room tese are for minor pirate lords wo do not actually ave votes, but wo are still welcome to provide feedback and opinions during te meeting. A typical council meeting begins a alf-our before te food and rum is served and typically lasts a alf-our after te meal begins and te effects of te ric repast and fine rum begin to ave teir effects. Eventually, te Hurricane King calls te council to an end by rising and declaring te meeting adjourned, usually leaving more tan a few agenda items on te table for te next meeting. During a Pirate Council, te cairs at te central table are reserved for pirate lords wo ave full votes. Depending upon te PCs success in Island of Empty Eyes, tey may ave one vote, no votes, or tey migt ave all earned voting rigts. If te PCs ave only one vote, only one of tem is allowed a seat at te table, wile all oters must sit at te smaller tables. or tis meeting, tere are only 11 pirate lords attending, leaving 20 cairs empty (some of wic may well be filled by PC pirate lords, of course). Tese include Tessa airwind, Arronax Endymion, and te Master of te Gales. In addition, te tree pirate lords wo were sent to te Island of Empty Eyes to observe te PCs are ere Avimar Sorrinas, Cerise Bloodmourn, and Mase Darimar. A few oter pirate lords te PCs may or may not know are in attendance as well: Delemona Burie, Hardluck Massey, Jolis Raff les, and Wide Olga. Hurricane King Kerdak Bonefist, of course, sits at te ead of te table. You can use te Scourges of te Sackles article from Patfinder #57 to round out wo is in attendance if you wis (all of te pirate lords listed in tat article ave votes on te council), altoug if you do, you ll need to adjust te vote counts as appropriate. Te issues up for vote are detailed below. Eac topic as a campion for and against, along wit arguments as to wy te council sould vote aye or nay on te topic. In eac case, you can allow te PCs to state teir opinions on te matter at and as tey wis in order to try to sway te voting. Once tey re done and all te pirates ave ad a cance to ave teir say, Bonefist calls for a vote of ayes and nays, wic are tallied and recorded by is first mate Tsadok Goldtoot. To inf luence a vote, a PC must make a Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate ceck. Te DC of tis ceck varies between issues, but wit a successful ceck, te PC can sway te votes by 1 in a direction of is coice (aye or nay), effectively moving one vote from one side to te oter. Eac issue may be inf luenced up to 3 times in tis manner (once wit a Bluff ceck, once wit a Diplomacy ceck, and once wit an Intimidate ceck) additional caracters can aid anoter on tese cecks. Te PCs can also rely upon teir reputations to inf luence te voting as well by spending a point of Disrepute, tey can sift a single vote from one side to te oter. Unlike te skill cecks, tere s no limit to te number of votes tey can adjust by spending Disrepute save for teir total Disrepute available to spend. Once te PCs ave made any attempts tey wis to inf luence votes, te actual voting takes place. Adjust te issue s votes by te total votes necessary (as determined by te results of inf luencing attempts), sifting votes from one side to te oter as appropriate, ten call for te voting PCs to cast teir votes before revealing te final results. Eac issue as an Aye/Nay result listed so you can track te repercussions of te voting over te rest of te Adventure Pat. 8

11 Te Price of Infamy VOTING PIRATE LORDS Name Stats Home Port Affectations Arronax Endymion NE male uman Hell Harbor Hates Celiax, paranoid, sullen, troubled Avimar Sorrinas CE male uman werewolf Ollo Bloodtirsty, blunt, lustful, sort-temper Cerise Bloodmourn CN female uman Quent Ambitious, clever, manipulative Delemona Burie CG female uman Lilywite Anti-slavery, entertaining, well-spoken Hardluck Massey CN male uman Pex Cigar smoker, quick-tempered, swaggers Jolis Raffles CN male alfling Slipcove Enjoys comfort, kind of lazy, reactionary Kerdak Bonefist NE male uman Port Peril Arrogant, bone and, carries pistol Mase Darimar CN male alf-aquatic elf Drencport Loves te sea, observant, quiet, secretive Master of te Gales CN male uman Drencport Eerie, middle-aged, mysterious Tessa airwind CN female alf-elf Quent lirty, friendly, stubborn, swasbuckler Wide Olga CN female uman Oyster Cay oul-mouted, stocky build, tooty grin Issue #1: Increased Sares for te Island of Empty Eyes Summary Normally, a new pirate lord earns only a quarter sare of te tites from Sargava, but some of te pirate lords (Arronax, Delemona, te Master of te Gales, and Tessa) are impressed enoug wit te PCs tat tey tink te PCs sould earn full sares. Campion Tessa airwind (believes te PCs are worty of a full sare of te tite, rater tan te standard quarter sare for new Lords) Opponent Kerdak Bonefist (isn t impressed wit te PCs and tinks tey sould go troug te same multiyear proving period as oter new pirate lords in order to earn a full sare) VOTING Influence DC 28 Initial Votes 4 aye/7 nay REPERCUSSIONS Aye Te PCs earn a full sare of te most recent Sargavan Tite (tis amounts to an immediate payment of 12,000 gp to te party). Nay Te PCs earn a quarter sare of te most recent Sargavan Tite (tis amounts to an immediate payment of 3,000 gp to te party). Issue #2: Use of Sargavan Tite for Public Works Summary Te bulk of te funds from te Sargavan Tite are supposed to go toward te improvement and port defense of Port Peril, as well as upgrading te Sackles fleet, but Cerise Bloodmourn, ever eager to curry favor, puses instead to ave a large amount of te funds go toward te creation of towering statues in all of te Sackles major ports in onor of te Hurricane King. Campion Cerise Bloodmourn (argues tat placing te visage of our tremendous leader in every port will only increase te infamy of te Sackles) Opponent Master of te Gales (te only pirate wo s not afraid enoug of te Hurricane King to openly point out ow ridiculous a waste of money suc a venture would be) VOTING Influence DC 32 Initial Votes 10 aye/1 nay REPERCUSSIONS Aye A fair amount of resources go toward te erection of several statues over te next several monts (te DC to increase sale of plunder increases by +5 for te remainder of te campaign, and all prices associated wit iring squadrons increase by +25%). Nay Spending of te tite is andled normally (no cange to resources). Issue #3: Declaration of Rigts of Salvage Summary Wit all te wispering and stories being told of te Isle of te Black Tower and te magical sword Aiger s Kiss tat is said to be lost inside, Avimar Sorrinas wants Ollo to be granted salvage rigts over te island and its waters, as Ollo is te closest significant settlement to te isle in question. Campion Avimar Sorrinas (asks for a 20% tite of all plunder taken from te isle over te next 12 monts) Opponent Jolis Raffles (still bitter about a similar request e made for a different island during te last council meeting being voted down, and doesn t tink it s fair for oter pirates to succeed were e did not) VOTING Influence DC 20 Initial Votes 6 aye/5 nay REPERCUSSIONS Aye Avimar earns is requested tite (if te PCs don t pay im 20% of te total value of treasure tey take from te Isle of te Black Tower in Part Tree, Avimar becomes teir bitter enemy and may even sail out to Gannet Island in Part our to join forces wit Harrigan against te PCs). Nay Te Isle of te Black Tower remains in a finders-keepers state and any plunder and loot taken from te isle requires no tite at all. 9

12 Issue #4: Declaration of Scags Rotgram as an Outlaw Summary Captain Barnabas Harrigan paid a efty bribe to Hardluck Massey to ave tis issue brougt to te table according to Harrigan, is former first mate Scags Rotgram as been engaging in unsanctioned piracy against Sargavan vessels. He wants Scags and is sip, te Devilis Ducess, to be declared outlaw. Campion Hardluck Massey (as no true loyalty to Harrigan, and only brougt tis before te council because e was bribed) Opponent Kerdak Bonefist (regards tis as merely te latest example of Harrigan s increasingly poor attitude and not worty of te council s time) VOTING Influence DC 22 Initial Votes 5 aye/6 nay REPERCUSSIONS Aye Scags Rotgram is declared outlaw a 5,000 gp bounty is placed on is ead (tis bounty can be collected at Port Peril if te PCs find Scags in Part Two and collect is ead). Nay No bounty is placed on Scags Rotgram s ead. Issue #5: unding and Support for Celis Investigations Summary Tessa airwind reveals to te council te results of er researc into te possibility tat tere s a Celis sympatizer and traitor among te pirate lords, based in large part on te clues and intelligence te PCs recovered for er during Tempest Rising. Campion Arronax Endymion (some migt tink e s a bit too quick to pus for an increase in te funding and support for finding a Celis spy, prompting several pirates to wryly observe, Well, ain t tat te pot calling te kettle black! or Don t tey call Hell Harbor Little Celiax? or te like comments tat put Arronax into a sullen and foul mood) Opponent Kerdak Bonefist (secretly would rater tose funds go to building statues for im, or barring tat, just padding is treasury e refuses to entertain te tougt tat Celiax onestly poses a treat to te Sackles) VOTING Influence DC 30 Initial Votes 4 aye/7 nay REPERCUSSIONS Aye Tessa gets te funding and support se needs to make it more difficult for Celiax to support teir agent by forcing tem to spend more time and effort on maintaining teir cover. Wen te PCs reac Part our of tis adventure, tey won t face additional Celis support in Harrigan s fleet or fortress. Nay Witout te council autorizing additional support and funding for te investigations, Celiax can supply Harrigan wit extra troops and sips, increasing is fleet and fortress SKULL & SackleS Story Award: Eac issue te PCs can get resolved in teir favor earns tem an award of 3,200 XP. Tessa s Warning After Issue #5 is voted upon, Kerdak Bonefist s patience for bureaucracy wears out. Altoug a dozen topics were on te agenda, te fift issue annoys Bonefist enoug tat e calls te meeting to a close, citing a desire to visit is lovely consort for some comfort in arms. Te oter pirates, already feeling te effects of te food and grog, are for te most part eager to comply, and quickly vacate ort Hazard, eading back to teir sips to return ome. As se leaves te arbor in er sip Luck of te Draw, Tessa airwind sends te PCs a silver raven figurine of wondrous power, wic is waiting for te PCs aboard teir sip wit a message from its mistress clenced in its beak. Tis message is reproduced as te Player Handout on page 11. Building a leet Te amount of time te PCs ave to build teir f leet is left to you Captain Harrigan s preparations for is attack on te PCs island are indered by is own bad attitude and te necessity of splitting is resources between serving is Celis masters, disciplining is crew, and enjoying bottles of fine brandy and rum. You sould let te players study te rules for f leet battles at tis point (found on pages of tis volume); tis will allow tem to plan for teir f leet and determine wo and wat tey want to recruit. Te PCs can eiter attempt to ire mercenary squadrons or recruit existing allies into teir f leet. Bot metods of building a f leet are detailed below. Keep in mind tat te maximum number of squadrons in a f leet is determined by te PCs Infamy score, modified by te Carisma modifier of te admiral put in command of te f leet. Mercenary Squadrons Hiring a squadron of mercenaries requires at least one PC to spend 1d4 days in a port no smaller tan a large town (wit a minimum population of 2,001) smaller settlements simply don t ave enoug mercenaries to round out an entire squadron of sips witout several weeks, or even monts, of work. Only five settlements in te Sackles meet tis requirement: Drencport, Hell Harbor, Ollo, Port Peril, and Quent, effectively giving te PCs a total of five opportunities to recruit mercenaries. Recruiting mercenaries requires a Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate ceck additional PCs can aid anoter wit DC 10 cecks of teir own to elp te primary recruiter s ceck. Te exact skill used to ire a mercenary sqaudron defenses as detailed in Additional Support on page 35. makes little difference stats for squadrons tat are 10

13 Te Price of Infamy Player Handout My friends! It pains me to darken your accomplisments, but I feel I must. Despite your triumps of late, tere remain tose wo do not accept you as deserving of te prize you ave been awarded. If you expect to keep your isle, you ll need to figt for it. Even as I pen tis warning, know tat your old nemesis Barnabas Harrigan is bolstering is own fleet, funded troug is recent spate of successes raiding te Celis sipping lanes. And e will come for you as soon as e is ready. War is coming to te Sackles, weter Bonefist wants to admit it or not. We ave a traitor, or peraps traitors, in our midst, and wen te Celis navy sails sout, it will divide us troug our own greed and betrayal if we are not ready. I intend to survive tis war and to do so, I need all te elp I can get. I ope to see you survive as well, but to do tat, you must gater a fleet. In time, I will join my resources to yours, but for te immediate future I must retain a low profile I fear I ave drawn too muc attention to my plans already. Hire mercenaries if you must, but seek out friends and allies if you can tey will serve better tan tose bougt wit coin. Bolstering your infamy can only elp as well some of te topics tat came up in te council meeting seemed to me good places to start. Looting te Black Tower and recovering te sword Aiger s Kiss from witin would certainly increase your fame, and if you can track down Scags Rotgram... well, an old mate of Harrigan s could be an invaluable ally, especially if e knows someting about Harrigan s weaknesses! Until I contact you again, keep te silver raven figurine as proof of my word. Sell it off if you wis... after tat party you trew at your fortress, I suspect you migt need te spare coin to elp pay for te fleet you ll soon need! Tessa tricked, sweet-talked, or press-ganged into service are all essentially te same. Te DC to recruit a mercenary squadron is 30. ailure brings no penalty oter tan time wasted. All squadrons recruited ave identical statistics wit average commodores (NPCs wit a Carisma modifier of +0, allowing a mercenary squadron to ave a maximum of 3 sips). Once a mercenary squadron is recruited from a port, a new mercenary squadron cannot be recruited from tat port for 1d4+4 weeks likely too long a wait for te PCs. A mercenary squadron expects to be paid for teir work. Hiring a mercenary squadron also involves paying for a significant part of te sips as well, be it repair work, bribes to te owners, or te outrigt purcase of sips. Paying for a mercenary squadron isn t ceap it costs eiter 40,000 gp or 40 points of plunder. If te PCs pay wit plunder, tey can also spend Disrepute to reduce te price 1 point of Disrepute lowers te price of a squadron by 5 points of plunder (to a minimum cost of 25 points of plunder). Even wen paid, a mercenary squadron takes a 2 penalty on morale cecks suc squadrons are notoriously prone to mutiny. A mercenary squadron remains part of a f leet only until te first significant battle if te PCs wis to keep tat f leet for a later battle, tey must pay te squadron s cost again. Statistics for a mercenary squadron are given below. If te PCs wis to increase te size of a squadron by adding a sip or sips of teir own, tey ll need to replace te squadron s commodore wit someone more carismatic, suc as a PC or an NPC ally. Adding sips, of course, increases te cost of a f leet as appropriate. Mercenary Squadron Configuration 3 sailing sips or 3 longsips (recruiter s coice) Commodore Mercenary Captain (Profession [sailor] +10, Carisma modifier +0) Hits 9; Morale 3 Defense Value 20 Attack Value +10; Damage 1d6+3 Morale Ceck 2 Story Award: Award te PCs 1,200 XP for successfully recruiting a mercenary f leet tis award may be earned up to five times (once per port). 11

14 Recruiting Allies Te wisdom of recruiting allies to build a f leet sould become clear to te PCs soon after tey learn about te prices for mediocre mercenary squadrons certainly, Tessa s advice for te PCs to do so is sound. Wic allies te PCs migt be able to turn to will vary from campaign to campaign tree sample allies are listed below. You can use tese allies as templates to generate additional recruitment opportunities as appropriate for your campaign. Recruiting an ally s squadron as two significant advantages over mercenary squadrons no ceck is needed to recruit tem, tey do not cost money to recruit or retrain, and tey ave stronger squadrons. Te only major disadvantage is tat an allied squadron, if destroyed, cannot be replaced. Eac entry below lists te NPC s current location te PCs must travel to tat location to recruit te NPC and er f leet. A successful DC 15 Knowledge (local) ceck or Diplomacy ceck to gater information is enoug to determine te current wereabouts of tese NPCs if te PCs aven t kept track on teir own. Te entries also include te name of te NPC s squadron and its statistics. In many cases, te Profession (sailor) skills of tese NPC commodores ave increased from teir original score, to ref lect teir experience since te PCs last encountered tem. Note tat if one of te NPCs on te list below as been traveling wit te PCs for te campaign, or if tat NPC perised earlier in te campaign, e or se cannot provide a f leet for te PCs. In tis case, you can replace one or more of suc caracters wit oter NPCs from earlier in te campaign, suc as Lady Agasta Smytee or oters. Merrill Pegsworty (iregrass Isle Goatsead): Still somewat bitter about is situation, Merrill Pegsworty was drawn to Goatsead on iregarass Isle after earing about ow igly freedom is valued tere. Since e last saw te PCs in Patfinder #56, e s become rater well liked, and can field a squadron of tree sailing sips (e sold one of te sips e originally ad) wit particularly ig-spirited crews tat gain a +4 bonus to teir initial Morale scores and a +2 bonus on morale cecks. Drale s Eagles Configuration 3 sailing sips Commodore Merrill Pegsworty (Profession [sailor] +12, Carisma modifier +0) Hits 9; Morale 7 Defense Value 22 Attack Value +12; Damage 1d6+3 Morale Ceck +2 Pierce Jerrell (Port Peril): Pierce Jerrell asn t gone far from were te PCs first encountered im in Patfinder SKULL & SackleS conveniently, as stumbled into a bit of good luck e recently won six fine Ulfen longsips in a ig-stakes game of towers, as well as a fair amount of gold more tan enoug to ire crews for tese sips. Lucky Gamble Squadron Configuration 6 longsips Commodore Pierce Jerrell (Profession [sailor] +11, Carisma modifier +3) Hits 18; Morale 3 Defense Value 21 Attack Value +11; Damage 1d6+6 Morale Ceck +3 Sandara Quinn (Besmara s Trone Queen Bes): Te PCs first encountered Sandara Quinn wile press-ganged aboard te Wormwood in Patfinder Adventure Pat #55. If se s not been traveling wit te PCs since ten, se s made te pilgrimage to Besmara s Trone and as risen quickly in te ranks of te curc. By te time te PCs contact er again, se as a squadron of five warsips under er command. Queen Bes s Own Squadron Configuration 5 warsips Commodore Sandara Quinn (Profession [sailor] +14, Carisma modifier +2) Hits 20; Morale 3 Defense Value 24 Attack Value +14; Damage 1d6+5 Morale Ceck +2 Story Award: Award te PCs 4,800 XP for successfully recruiting an ally s f leet. Clearing Endymion s Name As te PCs build teir f leet, word of wat tey re doing spreads troug te Sackles. At some point during te adventure before Part our (preferably after te PCs ave started recruiting squadrons but aven t yet filled up teir f leet), wen te PCs are visiting a port looking for recruits, tey are approaced by a well-dressed man wo introduces imself as Cambros Egrossa, first mate of te Tyrannous. A successful DC 12 Knowledge (local) ceck is enoug to recognize te Tyrannous as te f lagsip of Arronax Endymion, former admiral of te Celis navy and lord of Hell Harbor. Cambros apologizes for interrupting te PCs, ten informs tem tat is captain, Arronax Endymion, would like to speak wit tem aboard is sip, wic awaits tem in te port. If asked wy, Cambros apologizes again, saying Admiral Endymion didn t give im te details, only tat e wanted to speak to te PCs about a Adventure Pat #57. He is still in Port Peril, and even more mutually beneficial arrangement tat would see teir 12

15 Te Price of Infamy Teater of Corruption GameMastery lip-mat: Waterfront Tavern 1 square = 5 feet f leet gain some significant support. As a sow of good fait, Cambros presents te PCs wit a small wooden cest as a gift of solidarity, one tat te PCs can keep even if tey do not accompany im back to te Tyrannous. Inside te cest is 200 pp. Te implication is clear tat if te PCs accept te gift but do not go to te Tyrannous to ear Endymion out, tey ll lose an important potential ally. However, Endymion is eager enoug to meet te PCs tat e ll agree to meet tem aboard teir sip or on land if tey wis in suc a case e brings six stalwart pirates wit im as an onor guard (use te stats for smugglers on page 41 for tese pirates). Arronax Endymion is detailed on page 56. He greets te PCs wit a earty salutation, but seems worried and distracted. Neverteless, e gets rigt to te point. I know you and your ally Lady airwind ave been rooting about for Celis conspirators. You ve doubtless eard te rumors tat I m one of tose conspirators as a result. I assure of Celiax and er devil-besotted fools plumbs deeper tan any well of loating in te Sackles. But still, te rumors persist in fact, tey ve been spreading of late in my own ome port of Hell Harbor. I wis tese rumors squased, but to do so, I need your aid. I cannot directly move against te source of tis latest campaign of falseoods against me, but if you do tis for me if you teac tese slanderers a lesson, I ll reward you wit a squadron of my finest warsips. If te PCs express interest, Endymion goes on to explain tat te slanderers in question are a small group of exiled Celis performers wo ave purcased a seaside tavern and ave been using it as a cover for teir campaign against im. Teir performances are quite popular among te citizens of Hell Harbor, and by te time Endymion realized it was tey wo were slandering im, any overt move e made against te troupe would only martyr tem and prove is guilt, since it would look like e was attempting to crus tose attempting to you tat noting could be furter from te trut my atred get te trut out. But if an apparently nonallied group 13

16 were to infiltrate te teater and reveal te trut, is name would be cleared. If te PCs confront Endymion wit evidence tey may ave uncovered tat implicates im, e curses and denies any involvement, saying, Prime examples of teir work! You see te nature of te vilification I m up against! He wants te PCs to sail to Hell Harbor and to investigate te troupe and find proof of teir work against im, or at te very least, proof tat tey are Celis agents. If no suc proof can be found, ten no arm is done, for Hell Harbor as no sortage of entertainers. Assuming te PCs agree to do tis task, Endymion invites tem to visit is manor once te matter is settled and e ll reward te PCs wit te squadron of sips e promised. Te Teater of Corruption Endymion gives te PCs an address for te old waterfront tavern is enemies ave converted over to a makesift teater, but requests tat te PCs time teir investigation of te site for te late nigt or early morning. Not only does tis ave a good cance of catcing tose witin off guard, but it minimizes collateral damage Endymion does not want any locals armed in te pursuit of revealing te trut. Te tavern as been renamed te Teater of Corruption by te performers, wo are a trio of Celis expatriates sent to te Sackles by Admiral Druvalia Trune to wage a war of misinformation designed to draw attention away from Harrigan and is activities. Se carged te troupe (wic consists of te Celis diva Isawyn, a tief ling illusionist named Lady Nigtsade, and a sowboating barbarian named Gorebeard Trenc) wit coosing a ig-profile lord to target wit teir slander. Te troupe cose Endymion after discovering te pirate lord already ad a fair amount of rumors about supposed Celis sympaties. Te Teater of Corruption is bot a cover for te troupe s actual efforts and a way for tem to make a little extra money, wile protecting temselves from direct reprisal from Endymion in a cloak of popularity. Deliberately delving into abstract reworkings of ancient Celis teater, Isawyn creates disturbing operatic comedies featuring dark fiends as protagonists and mortal antagonists wo embroil temselves in sins and deviltry. As a result, te antagonist suffers ironic or tragic loss, deformity, and most commonly damnation. Isawyn s new teater as raised quite a stir, even witin te ardened port of Hell Harbor. As long as te PCs approac te tavern between te ours of 3:00 in te morning and noon, tey find te site to be relatively deserted. Altoug te tavern looks run down, te doors and windows are all kept locked, requiring a successful DC 25 Disable Device ceck to open. SKULL & SackleS A Devilis Deception (CR 11) Creature: Wile te troupe sleeps inside te Teater of Corruption, a barbed devil watces over te building, crouced atop te tavern under te cloak of invisibility granted by its ring. Te devil was called up via a planar binding spell cast by Lady Nigtsade and carged wit watcing over te tavern te troupe as been expecting Endymion to send mercenaries against tem for some time. If te devil notices anyone snooping around during te off ours, it uses major image to confront te PCs wit an illusion of a eavily armored guard wo steps out from beind a corner to accost tem loudly. Te illusory guard demands te PCs names, ten orders tem to move along stating tat tis building is under te personal protection of Lord Endymion imself. If te PCs persist, te guard calls out an alarm (wic does little more tan alert te troupe inside of trouble tey react as detailed in teir before combat tactics), and ten attacks. Te barbed devil opes to get te PCs to waste a few resources on te illusion, and once te PCs realize te trut, te devil attacks from te roof above wit unoly bligt. He cackles, and as ordered by Lady Nigtsade (in an attempt to furter confuse intruders wo se suspects will ave been sent by Endymion), srieks out in Common, Lord Endymion sends you is regards, fools... now die at is command! Te devil ten leaps down to attack, figting to te deat. Barbed Devil CR 11 XP 12,800 p 138 (Patfinder RPG Bestiary 72) Treasure: Te barbed devil wears a ring of invisibility. Te Troupe (CR 13) Creatures: Te troupe of performers at te Teater of Corruption consists of tree ardened adventurers wo ave been in te employ of Celiax s Trice-Damned House of Trune for many years, working as slanderers, destroyers of reputations, and spreaders of propaganda and misinformation. Tey prefer to undertake tese missions, wic can last monts or even years, under te cover of a performing troupe of actors, moving in muc as tey ave done in Hell Harbor: buying a small tavern or teater, and using tat to explain teir long-term presence in te region rater tan risk teir true purpose becoming known. Wen te PCs confront te tree, tey do not waste time trying to trick te PCs into tinking tey ve been duped te slanderers would rater press te advantage as best tey can and attack at once, opefully killing te PCs quickly so tat tey can loot tem and ave teir bodies disposed of before teir first sow of te day just after noon. 14

17 Te Price of Infamy Isawyn andles te directing of te troupe s performances and functions as its public face. As a result, se also considers erself te leader of te group, altoug se s always careful to frame tis role to te oters in a way tat makes tem feel more like equals tan minions. Isawyn is secretly somewat bitter about er role as te leader of te troupe se would muc prefer a role as a true Celis diva in a grand opera ouse in Egorian, and sees er current service to Trune as merely anoter stepping stone in tat direction. Lady Nigtsade serves as te troupe s magical support, be tat a need for special effects illusions or summoned monsters to play te role of victims in teir performances or a need for te same to play te role of tugs and minions in battle. Nigtsade s ancestry carries a strong dose of urdefan blood. Tese eerie, alf-daemonic creatures dwell in te deepest reaces of te Darklands, and se s inerited teir disturbing trait of transparent skin and musculature. Se appears as a skeleton wrapped in a woman s translucent fles, and as suc tends to stay beind te scenes during performances so as to not distract te audience. Gorebeard Trenc is te troupe s violent, murderous star. Many of te performances involve noting more tan tis savage barbarian mutilating imself, summoned creatures, or in rare cases, volunteers from te audience. In te latter cases, Isawyn does er best to prevent deat, but at times Gorebeard gets carried away. He ends most of is performances by soaking is scab-crusted beard in fres blood. Of te tree, Gorebeard is peraps te only one wo tends to get mixed up weter e s in caracter or not, and in figts tends to sowboat and revel in te carnage. His latest obsession is wit pirates e wears is pirate outfit all te time, and as been seriously considering self-amputation so e can wear a peg leg or a ook and. Isawyn CR 10 XP 9,600 emale uman bard (Celis diva) 10 (Patfinder Campaign Setting Inner Sea Magic 32) LE Medium umanoid (uman) Isawyn 15 Init +2; Senses Perception +0 DEENSE AC 22, touc 13, flat-footed 19 (+7 armor, +2 Dex, +1 dodge, +2 sield) p 108 (10d8+60) ort +7, Ref +9, Will +9; +4 vs. bardic performance, languagedependent, and sonic OENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee +1 keen rapier +10/+5 (1d6+2/15 20) Ranged mwk composite sortbow +10/+5 (1d6+1/ 3) Special Attacks bardic performance 26 rounds/day (move action, countersong, devastating aria, distraction, fascinate, inspire courage +2, inspire greatness, scating tirade, suggestion) Bard Spells Known (CL 10t; concentration +14) 4t (2/day) dimension door, dominate person (DC 18) 3rd (4/day) confusion (DC 17), crusing despair (DC 17), dispel magic, aste 2nd (5/day) cure moderate wounds, detect tougts (DC 16), invisibility, sound burst (DC 16), wispering wind 1st (6/day) animate rope, cure ligt wounds, disguise self (DC 15), unseen servant, ventriloquism (DC 15) 0 (at will) ligt, mage and, mending, open/close, prestidigitation, read magic TACTICS Before Combat Isawyn casts unseen servant at te start of every day. Se drinks a potion of bear s endurance just before combat. During Combat Isawyn activates er bardic performance to inspire courage, ten casts invisibility and uses aste and ealing magic to aid Gorebeard and any summoned monsters. Se uses er unseen servant to open and close doors, pick up fallen weapons, and oterwise do small tasks during combat to keep opponents on teir toes and force tem to waste time wit move actions to counter tese minor inconveniences. Se targets te most eavily armored foe wit dominate person and orders tat person to strip out of is armor, drop is weapons, and ten stand patiently in te corner of te room. If te battle turns bad, se risks ordering te dominated person to attack er enemies wit is bare ands. If a foe looks like e s only a few points away from being knocked unconscious, Isawyn uses devastating aria to try to knock im out wit te damage it causes.

18 Morale Isawyn doesn t want to die ere; se casts dimension door to escape into te surrounding slums if reduced to fewer tan 15 it points. Isawyn olds grudges, owever, and aving eard of te PCs infamous grudge against Harrigan, se seeks im out and joins im in defending is island if se can escape. STATISTICS Str 12, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 8, Wis 10, Ca 18 Base Atk +7; CMB +8; CMD 21 eats Arcane Strike, Dodge, Iron Will, Skill ocus (Perform [sing]), Tougness, Weapon inesse Skills Acrobatics +17, Bluff +23, ly +17, Diplomacy +17, Intimidate +17, Knowledge (local) +7, Knowledge (nobility) +7, Linguistics +6, Perform (dance) +17, Perform (oratory) +17, Perform (sing) +23, Sense Motive +23, Sleigt of Hand +11 Languages Common, Gnome, Goblin, Infernal, Polyglot SQ costume proficiency, famous, jack-of-alltrades (use any skill), prima donna, versatile performance (sing, dance, oratory) Combat Gear potions of bear s endurance (2); Oter Gear +1 glamered breastplate, +1 buckler, +1 keen rapier, masterwork composite sortbow wit 20 arrows, spell component pouc, 92 pp SPECIAL ABILITIES Bardic Performance Devastating Aria (Su) By spending 1 round of bardic performance as a standard action, Isawyn can direct a burst of sound at a target witin 30 feet. Tis deals 1d4+10 points of sonic damage to an object, or alf tis amount to a living creature. Bardic Performance Scating Tirade (Su) To affect a creature wit a scating tirade, Isawyn must be witin 30 feet of te target, wo must be able to see and ear er. Te targeted creature becomes frigtened (Will DC 19 reduces te effect to te saken condition) for as long as Isawyn continues te performance plus 1d4 rounds. Tis is a mind-affecting fear effect. Costume Proficiency (Ex) Isawyn is proficient wit medium armor and can cast bard spells wile wearing medium armor witout incurring arcane spell failure cance. amous (Ex) Isawyn gains a +3 bonus on Bluff and Intimidate cecks made in and around certain parts of central Celiax tis ability is of little use to er at tis time. Prima Donna (Ex) Isawyn can expend an extra round of bardic performance to gain a +2 bonus on Perform cecks or save DCs to er countersong, fascinate, and scating tirade bardic performances. SKULL & SackleS Lady Nigtsade Lady Nigtsade CR 10 XP 9,600 emale daemon-spawn tiefling illusionist 11 (Blood of iends 19) NE Medium outsider (native) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0 DEENSE AC 24, touc 16, flat-footed 20 (+4 armor, +2 deflection, +3 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 sield) p 107 (11d6+66) ort +11, Ref +8, Will +11 Resist cold 5, electricity 5, fire 5 OENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee mwk dagger +6 (1d4/19 20) Tiefling Spell-Like Abilities (CL 11t; concentration +10) 1/day deat knell (DC 11) Arcane Scool Spell-Like Abilities (CL 11t; concentration +15) At will invisibility field (11 rounds/day) 7/day blinding ray Illusionist Spells Prepared (CL 11t; concentration +15) 6t quickened mirror image, summon monster VI 5t persistent image (DC 19), quickened sield, summon monster V 4t dimension door, greater invisibility, pantasmal killer (DC 18), summon monster IV (2) 3rd dispel magic, fly, ligtning bolt (DC 17), major image (DC 17) (2), summon monster III 2nd acid arrow, bear s endurance, blur, glitterdust (DC 16), invisibility, minor image (DC 16) 1st disguise self (DC 15), floating disc, mage armor, magic missile (2), silent image (DC 15) 0 (at will) gost sound (DC 14), mage and, mending, open/ close, prestidigitation Opposition Scools encantment, necromancy TACTICS Before Combat Lady Nigtsade casts bear s endurance and mage armor. During Combat Lady Nigtsade angs back from combat, casting quickened sield and greater invisibility on te first round and ten using summon monster spells eac round tereafter. If er invisibility is countered, se casts quickened mirror image on te next round, snapping er fingers at te same time to also activate er contingency spell of displacement. Morale Lady Nigtsade abandons te troupe if reduced to fewer tan 15 it points, using dimension door to escape into Hell Harbor. After tat, se does er best to avoid te PCs and escape te Sackles. 16

19 Te Price of Infamy STATISTICS Str 10, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 18, Wis 10, Ca 8 Base Atk +5; CMB +5; CMD 21 eats Combat Casting, Dodge, Great ortitude, Iron Will, Mobility, Quicken Spell, Scribe Scroll, Silent Spell, Tougness Skills Disable Device +5, Disguise +10, ly +17, Knowledge (arcana) +18, Knowledge (istory) +8, Knowledge (local) +8, Knowledge (planes) +8, Perform (act) +7, Sleigt of Hand +16, Spellcraft +18 Languages Abyssal, Aquan, Common, Gnome, Goblin, Infernal, Polyglot SQ arcane bond (amulet), contingency (displacement on self if se snaps er fingers as a free action), extended illusions +5 rounds Combat Gear wand of grease (48 carges); Oter Gear masterwork dagger, cloak of resistance +2, ring of protection +2, ring of te ram (17 carges), spellbook, spell component pouc, ivory statuette of erself wort 1,500 gp, 328 gp Gorebeard Trenc CR 10 XP 9,600 Male uman barbarian (savage barbarian) 11 (Patfinder RPG Advanced Player s Guide 79) CE Medium umanoid (uman) Init +2; Senses Perception +15 DEENSE AC 25, touc 14, flat-footed 20 (+3 armor, +1 deflection, +2 Dex, +3 dodge, +4 natural, 2 rage, +4 sield) p 143 (11d12+66) ort +11, Ref +5, Will +9; +2 vs. fear Defensive Abilities improved uncanny dodge, naked courage +2, natural tougness +2 OENSE Speed 40 ft. Melee unarmed strike +20/+15/+10 (1d3+9) Ranged improvised weapon +13 (1d4+9) Special Attacks greater rage (25 rounds/day), rage powers (intimidating glare, powerful blow +3, raging leaper +11, rolling dodge +2, unexpected strike), stunning fist (2/day, DC 16) TACTICS Before Combat Gorebeard drinks a potion of barkskin +2. During Combat Gorebeard rages, ten carges te closest, tougest-looking target, using Power Attack to gain a +6 bonus on damage rolls at te cost of a 3 penalty on attack rolls. He uses Stunning ist in te first 2 rounds of combat. If e reduces a foe to fewer tan 0 it points, Gorebeard must make a DC 20 Will save to resist te compulsion to smear is beard in te victim s blood on is next turn as a move action tis provokes attacks of opportunity. Gorebeard Trenc Morale Gorebeard figts to te deat. STATISTICS Str 29, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 13, Ca 8 Base Atk +11; CMB +20; CMD 34 eats Dodge, Improved Unarmed Strike, Iron Will, Power Attack, Stunning ist, Trow Anyting, Tougness Skills Acrobatics +15 (+19 wen jumping), Intimidate +13, Perception +15, Perform (act) +10, Swim +22 Languages Common, Polyglot SQ fast movement Combat Gear potions of barkskin +2 (2); Oter Gear +2 eavy wooden sield, bracers of armor +3, ring of protection +1, 593 gp Treasure: Once te troupe is defeated, a searc of te tavern finds 4,800 gp in coin and jewelry (some of wic was earned onestly from patrons, but most of wic was pickpocketed by Lady Nigtsade). Te searc also turns up plenty of evidence proving tat te tree performers are Celis agents sent to te Sackles by House Trune specifically to discredit Arronax Endymion. If te PCs found evidence tat cast suspicion on Endymion in previous adventures, tey sould also find clues ere tat te evidence itself was created and set into motion by tese tree conspirators. Development: If te PCs deliver te proof of is innocence to Endymion, te pirate lord tanks te PCs profusely. Altoug someting of a sadist and a murderer, Endymion is as good as is word, and provides te PCs wit a squadron of warsips captained by a snarling, scruffy, but quite compelling commodore named Brok Madsanks Cordain. Madsank s Marauders Configuration 5 warsips Commodore Brok Madsanks Cordain (Profession [sailor] +15, Carisma modifier +2) Hits 20; Morale 3 Defense Value 25 Attack Value +15; Damage 1d6+5 Morale Ceck +2 Part Two: Islands of te Damned Beyond compelling tem to build a f leet, Tessa s initial missive to te PCs suggested tey seek out Barnabas Harrigan s former first mate, Scags Rotgram. Tis advice is sound, for Harrigan s metod of command relies on fear more tan devotion or trust, and once 17

20 SKULL & SackleS THE VANISHING O SCAGS ROTGRAM Looky mates, I know all about Scags Rotgram, and is sip, te Devilis Ducess. ell afoul o te curse of Dagon s Jaws, e did, or so everyone says. But see ere, te curse of Dagon s Jaws is all a bucket of sauagin piss! Te problem is, ain t too many know ow to navigate em. Tey re red isles, mates. Iron eavy. Tey ll kick yer compass off a little. Yellowbacks get scared wen teir needles start twitcin and ead for landmarks. Problem is, tere ain t none cept by traveling between te two isles. Tere s a quarter-mile strait between em called Dagon s Gullet. Wy? Cause it swallows sips. It s all sargasso and soals. Tose trying to soot te Gullet usually end up grounding out on te rocks. Bet tere s a dozen sips at te bottom of tat cannel. I d also bet te Devilis Ducess ain t one of em. Scags, e warn t fooled by old legends. He knew wat e was doing wen e eaded tat way knew tat if someone were casin im, te Jaws d be is best bet t scape pursuit. If Scags ain t back yet, I d wager tat s is own doing tat man s got a talent for dodgin Besmara s last kiss, e does. I m sure e s still kickin somewere on tat rock... an officer escapes from under te man s direct control, few remain loyal for long. Unfortunately, regardless of were te PCs start asking around for Scags, te answers seem to be te same none of Harrigan s old officers still live, for Harrigan is notorious for seeking out and making violent examples of tose wo dare turn against im muc as e is currently planning to do to te PCs, in fact. Every day, te PCs can attempt a DC 35 Diplomacy ceck to gater information about Scags Rotgram. Tis Diplomacy ceck gains a cumulative +1 bonus eac time it s made, but costs a PC 2d20 gp eac time in bribes and te like. Wit a failure, tey only find frustrating dead ends and doubtful leads but rumors tat Scags still lives persist. Once someone succeeds at te ceck, te work pays off, and te PCs learn about Scags Rotgram s last known wereabouts (see te sidebar, above). Scags s ate Scags Rotgram served as Harrigan s first mate aboard te Wormwood, but e gave Harrigan te slip only a few monts before te Wormwood was captured by Celiax. Tis gave Scags te time e needed to go to ground and ide out oterwise, Harrigan would certainly ave tracked im down by now and killed im twice over. or a time, Scags commandeered a sip called te Devilis Ducess, and made a quiet living for imself plundering sips along te soutern Mwangi coast under an assumed name. Wen Scags returned to te Sackles, owever, Harrigan was waiting for im. Scags only survived te ambus by sailing te Devilis Ducess toward a notoriously accursed pair of islands known as Dagon s Jaws. Trusting tat te cursed denizens of tat isle would do for Scags, Harrigan broke off pursuit, and to date it appears tat Harrigan made te rigt call, for no word of Scags or te Ducess as been eard since. In trut, Scags decided to soot te Gullet between Dagon s Jaws in an attempt to lose is pursuers, a decision tat cost im is life. Wile te advice on navigating te Jaws from Te Vanising of Scags Rotgram is mostly sound, te true danger in te region is far more sinister tan mundane navigation perils like seaweed and idden reefs. In fact, a colony of aquatic undead sapesifters known as brykolakases as long aunted Dagon s Jaws. Te brykolakases keep watc over te islands and attack sips tat pass troug Dagon s Gullet. After slaying and devouring sailors, te creatures dismantle te sips and ide teir ulks witin a massive cavern idden on te smaller island, oping to keep te Gullet clear of wrecks and lure in new prey. Tus, to te rest of te world, te sips seemingly disappear. Te brykolakases struck soon after te Devilis Ducess entered te strait. As te undead swarmed up over te sides of is sip, Scags swiftly realized wy Dagon s Jaws ad earned teir reputation, as well as just ow outclassed and outnumbered e was. Determined to save is crew, Scags desperately attempted to beac te Ducess on te western island so tat is crew could escape te water-dependent undead. Te captain and several of is officers eld te deck long enoug for two-tirds of te crew to abandon sip and make te mad das into te jungle to safety. Scags imself was not as lucky. He exists now in te brine below te Gullet as a lacedon minion of a brykolakas master (see area A1). Scags s only surviving officer is is first mate Alise Grogblud, wom e carged wit leading te crew to safety into te jungles of Dagon s Jaws, and wo remains in command of te remaining crew. And wile Scags is now dead (or, to be precise, undead), muc of is knowledge of Harrigan and is fortress lives on in certain documents tat, to Alise s knowledge, still reside aboard te wreck of te Devilis Ducess (see area A5). Exploring Dagon s Jaws Dagon s Jaws consist of a pair of rocky islands soutwest of Motaku Isle. Big Jaw, te larger western island as a peak elevation of almost 300 feet above sea level. Te smaller isle, Little Jaw, rises no more tan 60 feet above sea level (wit 50 feet of tat eigt consisting of te island s cliff soreline). A rocky, relatively sallow (never more tan 30 feet deep) tree-quarter-mile cannel known as Dagon s 18

21 Te Price of Infamy Dagon s Jaws A2 A3 A4 Big Jaw A1 Dagon s Gullet Little Jaw A5 A5 A5. Te Derelict Cave 1 square = 5 feet Gullet divides tem. All Profession (sailor) cecks made witin a mile of Dagon s Jaws take a 4 penalty due to te difficulty of navigating te area. Big Jaw: Te larger of te two islands, Big Jaw is covered by relatively dense jungle. A few small streams provide fres water as tey trickle down te illsides to te sea. Tropical birds, foul-tempered monkeys, snakes, and insects make up te primary forms of life on Big Jaw. Little Jaw: Little Jaw s soil is rockier and less fertile tan tat of Big Jaw no trees grow ere, and te place is dominated by tall, earty, yellow grass. Sea birds and tortoises are te primary inabitants of Little Jaw. No beaces welcome visitors ere, for 50-foot-ig cliffs surround te island. Dagon s Gullet: Navigating te Gullet requires intense concentration if a pilot fails a DC 25 Profession (sailor) ceck, te sip its a idden reef and becomes grounded. Tis deals 8d8 points of damage to te sip and prevents it from moving until te tide canges (roll 2d4 to determine te number of ours until te next ig tide). Te Drowned Dead (CR 12) Creatures: A frigtening number of te sapecanging brykolakases swim te waters around te Gullet and Little are patient, and do not immediately attack all sips tat sail near te sores, but it s only a matter of time before te brykolakases sow temselves. As tose slain by a brykolakas rise as undead temselves (goulis lacedons wit pale gray skin), te number of undead in te region is significant enoug tat te PCs could face as many waves of te undead as you wis. Listed below are te various ways in wic te PCs could find temselves faced wit a brykolakas attack. Running Aground in te Gullet: If te PCs attempt to sail troug Dagon s Gullet, tey won t be attacked unless tey run aground. In tis case, a raiding party of brykolakases clamber up onto te deck of teir sip at some point after te sip runs aground stage te timing of tis event so it s as sinister and creepy and tense as possible (peraps just after nigt falls, or as te sip is just about to float free of te reef). Spending te Nigt Offsore: If te PCs decide to spend te nigt ancored offsore, te brykolakases swim out to teir sip to attack tat evening. If te PCs leave teir crew alone on teir sip wile tey investigate te islands, you migt want to consider running a sort side adventure, in wic te PCs take on te roles of te NPCs tat tey left beind to try to defend te sip from Jaw, usually in te form of rays or dolpins. Te undead te attack. In tis event, cances are probably good tat 19

22 te brykolakases will defeat te crew, in wic case you sould allow te PCs to make DC 15 Perception cecks as soon as it s logical for tem to notice tat teir sip as gone adrift. If te PCs act quickly (likely wit te aid of teleportation or f ligt or oter magical means of travel), tey sould be able to reac teir sip before it runs aground, at wic point te PCs temselves will need to figt te remaining undead and retake teir sip. Rescuing te Castaways: If te PCs manage to avoid all encounters wit te undead, you sould ave te brykolakases attack te sip as tey re returning to teir sip wit te rescued castaways from area A3. Elder Brykolakas SKULL & SackleS All of te brykolakases in te area are particularly powerful elder versions of teir kind. In teir natural form, tey appear as tall, lanky umanoids wit rotting, gray fles, tangles of black air, and cold gray eyes, but tey do not assume tis frigtening form except wen attacking. Wenever a group of undead attacks, te force consists of tree brykolakases and 1d6 lacedons a CR 12 encounter on average. Elder Brykolakases (3) CR 9 XP 6,400 eac Variant brykolakas (Tome of Horrors Complete 85) CE Medium undead (aquatic, sapecanger) Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +24 DEENSE AC 21, touc 15, flat-footed 16 (+5 Dex, +6 natural) p 123 eac (13d8+65) ort +10, Ref +9, Will +12 DR 10/silver; Immune undead traits; SR 20 Weaknesses water dependency OENSE Speed 30 ft., swim 40 ft. Melee 2 claws +16 (2d6+6/19 20 plus disease) Special Attacks create spawn, deat troes TACTICS During Combat Te brykolakases let teir lacedon minions engage opponents first, using tem as sacrificial troops to distract enemies and peraps use up some resources before tey step in to focus teir attacks on te same foes. Morale A brykolakas figts until destroyed. STATISTICS Str 22, Dex 20, Con, Int 15, Wis 18, Ca 19 Base Atk +9; CMB +15; CMD 30 eats Great ortitude, Improved Critical (claws), Improved Natural Attack (claws), Power Attack, Tougness, Vital Strike, Weapon ocus (claws) Skills Acrobatics +18, Intimidate +20, Knowledge (nature) +15, Perception +24, Stealt +21, Swim +27 Languages Common SQ cange sape (dolpin or manta ray, beast sape I) SPECIAL ABILITIES Create Spawn (Su) A umanoid or monstrous umanoid killed by a brykolakas rises as a lacedon in 1d4 days under te control of te brykolakas tat created it. Deat Troes (Su) Wen reduced to 0 or fewer it points, a brykolakas is destroyed and its body canges into a pool of deadly poison tat quickly fills a 10-foot-radius spread (if underwater) or a 10-foot-diameter puddle (if on land) in 1 round. All creatures in tis area are exposed to tis foul venom. Te poison disperses in 1 round if underwater, or 1d2 rounds if on land. Brykolakas poison: Deat troes contact; save ort DC 20; onset 1 minute; frequency 1/round for 2 rounds; effect 1d6 Dex damage; cure 1 save. Te save DC is Carisma-based. 20

23 Te Price of Infamy Disease (Su) A brykolakas s claw attacks deliver a virulent disease tat breaks down te victim s internal organs, resulting in internal bleeding and a gradual darkening of te skin. Tis supernatural disease is called brykolakas fever. Te save DC is Carisma-based. Brykolakas fever: Claw injury; save ortitude DC 20 negates; onset 1 minute; frequency 1/day; effect 1d4 Con and 1d4 Dex damage; cure 1 save. Water Dependency (Ex) A brykolakas can survive out of te water for 6 ours. After tat, its body begins drying out, and witin 1 our, te brykolakas crumbles into dust (tis does not activate its deat troes ability) unless it can reac saltwater before te our passes. Lacedons (1d6) CR 1 XP 400 eac p 13 eac (Patfinder RPG Bestiary 146) A1. Te Beac (CR 11) Te waves ave gnawed great cunks from te eart tat edges te soreline along tis rocky beac. rom te water, te land slopes gradually upward into a series of rocky escarpments. Beyond, te terrain continues its ascent troug tangles of dense brus toward te igest point of te island. A game trail leads up into te jungle from te beac itself, wile fragments of wat appears to ave once been a sip s longboat lie strewn among te rocks along te sore. It was ere tat te castaways from te Devilis Ducess came asore. A searc of te wrecked longboat finds a plank bearing te Devilis Ducess s name upon it, confirming tat Scags s crew was indeed ere. Te game trail tat leads up te rocky slope into te jungle is te route te castaways took to f lee te beac. No Climb ceck is required ere to move inland. A successful DC 20 Survival ceck notes sets of umanoid tracks entering and returning along tis route barefoot tracks left by te castaways during teir periodic visits to te sore to confirm tat te undead still waited for tem in te waves of te Gullet. Creatures: As te surf rolls against te sore, te sapes of a alf-dozen sodden corpses bob face-down in te gentle waves. Tese are actually a number of lacedons, f loating in te surf and posing as te drowned corpses of Scags Rotgram s crew. Tey lie still in te water, letting te surf pus tem toward te intruders. Meanwile, teir brykolakas masters wait in deeper waters, still in dolpin form. Tese two brykolakases wait for teir lacedons to engage foes, ten swim up out of te waves, assume teir true forms, and attack any obvious clerics or oter caracters wo utilize positive energy, knowing tat tese foes are te most dangerous to tem. Altoug it s unlikely te PCs will recognize im, one of te lacedons ere is none oter tan Scags Rotgram imself. If te PCs rescue te castaways from area A3 and e remains in tis location, tey certainly recognize teir old captain and do teir best to put im out of is misery (or ask for is remains to be buried at sea). Elder Brykolakases (2) CR 9 XP 6,400 eac p 123 eac (see page 20) Lacedons (6) CR 1 XP 400 eac p 13 eac (Patfinder RPG Bestiary 146) A2. Te Sacred Spring A sizable clearing opens along tis ridge, te edge marked by rows of upturned boulders tat almost seem to be keeping te trees back. In te center, a bubbling spring breaks te surface, forming a small series of freswater pools dotted wit mountain lilies and swarming wit dragonflies. Along te west side, te spring waters race downill troug a series of rocky, moss-covered sluices cut into rock, eventually running down te illside toward te sea to te soutwest. After te cyclops empire of Gol-Gan collapsed, yet before te advent of te modern era, countless societies lived among te islands of te Sackles. Tese small populations came and went, often witout leaving any evidence of teir existence beind at all. Tis small spring is all tat remains of one suc culture tat dwelled upon Dagon s Jaws tousands of years ago. Te stones surrounding tis sacred spring bear faint carvings of tree entwined spirals, identifiable wit a successful DC 20 Knowledge (religion) ceck as an arcaic symbol of Parasma. Te waters from te sacred spring itself cannel into te rock, creating a sort of fres waterspout tat emerges off te western soreline. Despite te fact tat te brykolakases are powerful enoug creatures to witstand te spring s effects, tey tend to avoid te spring, as well as te water along te western sore. A successful DC 20 Survival ceck is enoug to note a large number of footprints around te spring te castaways come ere often for water. Treasure: Te spring s blessed waters are igly magical among oter tings, tey act as a bane against undead. Te waters temselves contain traces of positive energy, wic radiate outward from te source. A weapon anointed wit te waters of tis spring gains te benefit of te undead bane weapon special ability until sundown te pool s waters can anoint up to tree weapons per day in tis manner. A caracter wo drinks from te 21

24 fountain gains te effects of a cure moderate wounds spell (CL 10t) a single caracter may benefit from te waters in tis manner up to once per day. Water bottled from te spring becomes nonmagical, yet remains pure and delicious to drink. Te effects of te spring can be identified as if it were a magic item (CL 10t). A3. Te Crown (CR 11) A swat of barren soil stretces atop a forty-foot-ig cliff overlooking te ever Sea to te west of te isle, seltered from te sea winds by a lone massive boulder. Te boulder rises anoter tirty feet above te edge of te cliff, an almost pyramidal structure perced precariously at te edge. A alfdozen crude selters little more tan lean-tos uddle around a campfire in te lee of te stone. Creatures: Te survivors of te Devilis Ducess ave dwelled ere for several weeks now, and wile tey are in no danger of starvation or dying of tirst (tere s plenty of game and water available on Big Jaw, after all), teir morale is low. Originally numbering 18 strong, only nine castaways remain after several attempts to escape te island on rafts resulted in deat from undead talons. All of te castaways ave endured poisoning and disease from figts against te brykolakases, and wile tey ve recovered by now (due in large part to spending te last few weeks away from te dangerous beaces), tey ve all but given up on te opportunity for rescue. Eac time te PCs sail teir sip off te island s west sore, tere s a cumulative 10% cance tat te castaways (wo ave largely given up on watcing for sips) spot te sip. Te castaways immediately ligt a signal fire tat te PCs automatically notice. Te castaways, owever, are paranoid after aving been cased into te region by Harrigan, teir leader Alise Grogblud worries tat tis new sip isn t ere to rescue tem but to finis te job. As a result, se rallies te castaways into defensive positions, planning on attacking woever answers te signal so tat te castaways can take teir sip and escape te islands. Te castaways move into iding in te surrounding jungle, leaving te central campfire smoldering. Wen te PCs enter te campsite, te castaways step out of te surrounding brus, crossbows at te ready, as Alise demands te PCs drop teir weapons and gear and and over teir sip. How te PCs react to tese demands is up to tem. A successful DC 15 Perception or Sense Motive ceck is enoug for a PC to note ow desperate and ill-prepared te castaways are. If te castaways aren t aware of te PCs approac, tey are sprawled about te campsite, listless and depressed. Roll 1d6, wit te result indicating ow many of te castaways are asleep wen te PCs arrive. Alise is always SKULL & SackleS awake. In tis event, Alise commands te castaways to wake up in a frantic voice and does er best to demand te PCs surrender, despite er less-tan-prepared situation. Te simplest way to secure te cooperation of te pirates is to figt back and accept teir surrender, of course, but silver-tongued PCs may be able to use Bluff, Diplomacy, or even Intimidate to convince te castaways tat tey re ere to elp. Te castaways are initially ostile, but te PCs need only convince Alise of teir good intentions to secure te cooperation of te lot of tem. Alise Grogblud CR 7 XP 3,200 emale uman rogue 8 CN Medium umanoid (uman) Init +3; Senses Perception +10 DEENSE AC 18, touc 14, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +3 Dex, +1 dodge) p 71 (8d8+32) ort +4, Ref +9, Will +1 Defensive Abilities evasion, improved uncanny dodge, trap sense +2 OENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee +1 scimitar +11/+6 (1d6+4/18 20) Ranged mwk trowing axe +10 (1d6+3) Special Attacks sneak attack +4d6 TACTICS During Combat Alise makes good use of Spring Attack in combat, staying on te move so se can make flanking attacks wile minimizing full attacks on erself from enemies. Se avoids ending er turn standing witin 5 feet of any foe. Morale Alise surrenders if eiter se s brougt below 25 it points or at least four of te oter castaways are defeated. In tis event, Alise trows erself upon te PCs mercy, tearfully explaining tat se feared tey were assassins sent by Harrigan and begging tem to rescue er and er crew from tis cursed rock. If se finds out tat te PCs are Harrigan s enemies, se tells tem about te files er captain Scags kept on is old commander, stored in a watertigt cest on te Devilis Ducess, wic se knows as been claimed by te brykolakases and is in area A5. See Rescue and Repairs on page 25 for more details on ow Alise can elp te PCs against Harrigan. STATISTICS Str 16, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Ca 12 Base Atk +6; CMB +9; CMD 23 eats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Martial Weapon Proficiency (scimitar), Mobility, Spring Attack, Tougness, Weapon ocus (scimitar) Skills Acrobatics +14, Bluff +12, Climb +14, Intimidate +12, Perception +10, Profession (sailor) +10, Stealt +14, Survival +7, Swim

25 Te Price of Infamy Languages Common SQ rogue talents (bleeding attack +4, combat trick, stand up, weapon training), trapfinding +4 Gear +2 leater armor, +1 scimitar, masterwork trowing axe, ruby wort 1,000 gp Pirate Castaways (8) XP 1,200 eac of te Age of Destiny. Te stone eads are magically enanced to be as ard as iron in te time of teir construction, tese eads possessed magical auras tat allowed tose wo dwelled upon te island to use strange amulets to unerringly navigate teir way ome troug any storm or across any distance. Te eads retain an aura of divination, and teir original use can be determined wit a successful DC 25 Spellcraft ceck. Creature: Altoug te ancient tribe tat once lived upon tis island is long gone, one of teir legacies lives on ere a creature of gleaming black metal and ciseled stone, wrapped in a eavy cloak wit a deep cowl. Tis is Lakorian-Kriss, a kolyarut inevitable bound to te area CR 4 Human figter 2/rogue 3 CN Medium umanoid (uman) Init +5; Senses Perception +9 DEENSE AC 18, touc 12, flat-footed 16 (+4 armor, +1 Dex, +1 dodge, +2 sield) p 51 eac (5 HD; 2d10+3d8+23) ort +7, Ref +4, Will +2; +1 vs. fear Defensive Abilities bravery +1, evasion, trap sense +1 OENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee mwk cutlass +9 (1d6+3/18 20) Ranged mwk ligt crossbow +6 (1d8/19 20) Special Attacks sneak attack +2d6 STATISTICS Str 16, Dex 13, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Ca 8 Base Atk +4; CMB +7; CMD 19 eats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Tougness, Weapon ocus (cutlass) Skills Acrobatics +9, Appraise +6, Climb +11, Intimidate +7, Perception +9, Profession (sailor) +9, Swim +11 Languages Common SQ rogue talents (combat trick), trapfinding +1 Oter Gear +1 studded leater, +1 buckler, masterwork cutlass, masterwork ligt crossbow wit 10 bolts, 60 gp Story Award: or eac castaway te PCs manage to rescue alive from te island, award tem XP as if tey ad defeated tat castaway in combat. A4. Te Dusk Watcers (CR 12) Atop tis tirty-foot-tall sea cliff loom a alf-dozen towering, wood-carved eads peering out over te ocean. Eac ead stands ten feet in eigt, and bears a strangely curious expression. Altoug carved of wood, te eads seem not to ave weatered or become covered wit overgrowt eac appears to ave been carved as if only yesterday. Alise Grogblud Tese mysterious wooden eads, once known as te Dusk Watcers, date back into lost centuries and te mysterious tribe tat dwelled upon tis island in te dark years between te fall of Gol-Gan and te eigt 23

26 as a protector and guardian of te Dusk Watcers. Te inevitable as very little imagination and even less capacity for free tinking it was placed ere to guard te Dusk Watcers from any but te ancients temselves. As te PCs come witin 30 feet of te Dusk Watcers, te inevitable (wic spends its time invisible) speaks to tem in its booming voice: OUTLANDERS! STEP AWAY ROM THE DUSK WATCHERS OR BE JUDGED! Te kolyarut gives intruders 1 round to retreat beyond te 30-foot mark if tey do not, it immediately attacks. As long as te PCs remain respectfully distant, Lakorian-Kriss remains silent, but if te PCs can make te stoic (and unfriendly) inevitable at least friendly via Diplomacy or Intimidate, tey can carry on a sort conversation wit te guardian. Te inevitable unfortunately as little knowledge of te undead in te waters surrounding te island, apart from confirming tat it does not enjoy teir proximity. It knows about te castaways at area A3, and can direct te PCs tere if tey ask if anyone else lives on te island. Over te tousands of years it as stood vigil ere, Lakorian-Kriss as forgotten muc about te ancient tribe wo placed it on tis duty, save for te fact tat it must continue to guard te Dusk Watcers until tose ancients release it. Lakorian-Kriss only reveals te metod of its release if made elpful (somewat paranoid, te inevitable finds it easier to believe tat any promise to release it is merely a sneaky way to approac and damage te Dusk Watcers). To release Lakorian-Kriss from its bound duty, one need only anoint te six brows of te six wooden eads wit water taken from te sacred spring at area A2. Lakorian-Kriss CR 12 XP 19,200 Kolyarut inevitable (Patfinder RPG Bestiary 2 163) p 150 Treasure: If te PCs successfully dismiss Lakorian-Kriss from is no-longer-necessary duties, te grateful inevitable promises to reward te PCs at some future date. Te next time te PCs return to te Island of Empty Eyes, a delivery is waiting for tem a lacquered wooden box (itself wort 400 gp and delivered by a very busy and rused arbiter inevitable tat does not remain to engage in conversation) SKULL & SackleS Dusk Watcer VIII (CL 20t) tat can be used to summon Lakorian-Kriss for aid. Developments: Lakorian-Kriss s presence is te only ting maintaining te magic tat suffuses te Dusk Watcers and te pool at area A2. If te PCs defeat te kolyarut or dismiss it from its duty, a sligt tremor ruses troug te surrounding soil. Minutes later, te towering wood-carved eads crumble to as and blow away in te ocean winds. At te same time, te sacred spring in area A2 begins to lose its magical properties it only functions for anoter 24 ours before turning into nonmagical water. Story Award: If te PCs dismiss te inevitable, award tem XP as if tey ad defeated it in combat. A5. Te Derelict Cave (CR 13) Along te soutwest sore of Little Jaw lies a deep inlet tat cuts a narrow cleft deep into te stony cliffs. At low tide, te gaping mout into te cavern is quite navigable, climbing almost 10 feet above te water in a catedral-like arc, but at ig tide te waves move in, forcing DC 20 Swim cecks for tose wo wis to enter. Creatures: Beyond te cave entrance lies a vast cavern wit a natural catedral-like roof. Tis cave as long served as te primary brykolakas lair, toug at any one time, only a few of te total undead in te region can be found ere. Currently, tere are just four of tem present. Over te years, te brykolakases ave dragged dozens of sips into te cave, transforming te interior into a caotic graveyard of rotting derelicts draped wit sea kelp like fetid cocoons. Despite te canging tides, te sickly green water stinks of deat. During te day, only a few rays of sunligt penetrate from te outside world. At nigt, te cavern is pitc black. To fit te sips into te sea cave, te brykolakases break off te sips masts. Tey can only aul te sips in during ig tide, at all oter times, te sips keels ave too muc draw. Once inside, te creatures let te sips f loat and slos togeter so tey can use tem as macabre tenements. As older sips rot and fall apart, te brykolakases aul in new ones, and beneat te cavern waters rest te rotting remains of dozens of sips and tousands of bones. At present only four sips remain in good enoug sape to identify. All four are sailing sips te largest among tem being te Devilis Ducess. Te four elder brykolakases wo lurk amid te sips ere watc and wait for te PCs to start exploring te sips, lying in wait in te water below. Tey move to attack any target tat lets itself get separated from te main group, or all at once if tat contains a single and unusual scroll of summon monster te PCs attempt to loot any of te treasure tey find witin. 24

27 Te Price of Infamy Elder Brykolakases (4) CR 9 XP 6,400 eac p 123 eac (see page 20) Treasure: Muc of te cargo once carried by te sips ere as fallen into te water below and as been destroyed, but te PCs can still find a fair amount of plunder in te cargos of te four still-seaworty sips. In all, tere are 8 points of plunder to be ad from tese four sips. In addition, a successful DC 30 Perception ceck made wile searcing te captain s cabin of te Devilis Ducess reveals a small idden panel in a beam just above a slowly moldering ammock. Scags kept is small oard of private treasures in a ollow witin tis beam. Altoug Scags tougt none of is crew knew about tis secret stas, is first mate Alise Grogblud did, and if se tells te PCs about te idden cace, tey can locate it automatically. Scags s treasures consist of a leater pouc containing 120 pp, an exceptionally well-carved ivory statuette of two entwined succubi wort 500 gp, tree bottles of fine spiced Sargavan rum wort 250 gp eac, two potions of remove disease, a potion of cure serious wounds, and a bottle of air. In addition, a small leater journal is wedged in te ollow. Tis journal contains a detailed accounting of Scags s grievances against is former captain, Barnabas Harrigan. Te bulk of te journal is relatively useless, altoug te PCs may take some level of satisfaction at reading anoter person voicing teir complaints about teir sared enemy. Near te back of te journal, Scags makes clear is fears tat, as long as te bot of tem live, Harrigan will never cease in is attempts to track Scags down and kill im for daring to abandon te Wormwood. Te back of te journal contains numerous notes about ow Scags opes to some day invade Harrigan s fortress in te middle of te nigt and assassinate im. Wile Scags never ad te guts to carry out tese plans, is researc is solid e d visited Harrigan s fortress many times before e left te man s employ, and te PCs can use tese notes to great effect in Part our of tis adventure (see Planning Revenge on page 39 for more details). Te true treasures ere, owever, may well be te four derelict sips wile tey lack masts, te four sips are in remarkably good sape. If te PCs can salvage tem, tey ll gain four new sailing sips for teir f leet (see Rescue and Repairs below). Rescue and Repairs Te four sailing sips found in area A5 are badly damaged eac as only 400 it points remaining (wit 0 it points for te sails) and cannot sail at all until te masts are repaired. If te PCs coose to make repairs nigt (sometimes more tan once a nigt), but te PCs can tow te sips back to a safe port to repair tem. More importantly, if te PCs return from Dagon s Jaws wit four new sips and te rescued castaways, word quickly spreads. Te PCs gain 1 point of Disrepute and Infamy for tis accomplisment, but more importantly, te proof tat tey braved te so-called curse of Dagon s Jaws and not only survived, but returned wit additional sips and crew, quickly attracts enoug new sailors tat tey can crew te four sips recovered ere free of cost. Te Lost Squadron Configuration 4 sailing sips Commodore Alise Grogblud (Profession [sailor] +10, Carisma modifier +1) Hits 12; Morale 3 Defense Value 20 Attack Value +10; Damage 1d6+4 Morale Ceck +1 Part Tree: Te Black Tower In order to build a strong f leet in te Sackles, one needs more tan mere gold to pay for sips and crews. Tose wo would seek command must also bring a significant amount of Infamy to te table. During te Skull & Sackles Adventure Pat, te PCs sould ave been accumulating Infamy all along, yet tey may find tat tey re still sort of te maximum amount of Infamy tey could possess. Wile te PCs could certainly work to increase teir Infamy as tis adventure progresses, Tessa airwind s advice to seek out a particularly infamous treasure to claim as teir own represents te fastest way tey can gain a significant boost in a single dangerous mission. Her suggestion of seeking out te lost weapon Aiger s Kiss is an excellent one, and if te PCs ask around about te weapon, te rolling eyes, low wistles, and saking eads tey ll elicit from normally brave scallywags sould confirm te fact. Any group capable of retrieving Aiger s Kiss and wielding it in battle would be assured of a place in te oral istories of te Sackles. As wit gossip, tall tales, and bawdy jokes, te popularity of fabled and infamous treasures waxes and wanes as te years roll by. A successful DC 25 Knowledge (istory) or Knowledge (local) ceck or Diplomacy ceck to gater information confirms tat te mysterious legend of Aiger s Kiss currently dominates te curiosity and imaginations of te ree Captains of te Sackles. It s been 25 years since infamous pirate Captain Tevenida Aiger (known in te legends to ave been a powerful cleric of Norgorber) led a raid on te Isle of te Black Tower and its foul mistress, te Srouded Queen, wose mastery over ocean currents and strange monsters ad rendered ere, tey ll be attacked by groups of brykolakases every te nearby sea lanes dangerous for any pirates seeking a 25

28 sortcut into te lucrative sipping lanes. Captain Aiger lost er sword, er sip, and er life in tat raid, but te Srouded Queen was defeated and te sea lanes around er isle opened again. Yet wile te Srouded Queen no longer menaced te surrounding seas, someting remained active witin er Black Tower, for all attempts to retrieve Aiger s Kiss ave failed. Wit tis year being te silver anniversary of te Srouded Queen s defeat and te loss of Captain Aiger s magical sword, te tale seems to be on everyone s lips, along wit speculation about Captain Aiger s son, an unpleasant man wit te nickname of Barracuda, of wom very little as been eard of late. Many suspect Captain Aiger s son of being but te latest fool to go missing in te Black Tower, wile oters muse tat e s f led te Sackles completely, unable to bear te same of te loss of suc a potent eirloom. In any event, all agree tat te time is rigt for someone to seek out Aiger s Kiss and rescue te sword from te Black Tower! Isle of te Black Tower Te Isle of te Black Tower lies along te western edge of te Sackles arcipelago. Despite being near te Cannibal Islands, even te notorious f les-eaters give te isle wide birt, for it is commonly believed today tat te island is aunted by te gost of te Srouded Queen. In fact, te rumored dangers on te small isle are quite true, if inaccurate for someting worse tan a mere gost aunts te place. A mysterious slender tower of black stone sits at te small island s center. Standing over 400 feet in eigt but measuring only 30 feet in diameter, te tower looks more like an impossibly tall black pin sticking out of te center of te isle, as if some vengeful god ad pierced te island from above wit a gargantuan needle. In fact, te tower was te creation of a powerful mystic teurge and cleric of te demon lord Dagon er original name lost to te mists of time, se was known at te eigt of er power as te Srouded Queen, due to er pencant for dressing in funerary srouds, bound to er body by coils of rope. Se raised te Black Tower erself, coosing tis island as te site for er ome due to te tinness of te planar boundaries between te Material Plane and a deep, remote Abyssal realm known as Yad Iagnot te legendary entrance to te mind-sattering realm of te fiends known as qlippot. Te tower itself was grown more tan constructed te Srouded Queen tore a ole in reality and elped guide a tumorous lengt of Abyssal stone out of te ole, sculpting it into te 400-foot-tall tower before te artificial planar rift stabilized and closed. rom er new ome, te Srouded Queen began studying te Abyssal realm of Yad Iagnot and tose realms tat lay deeper still, in opes of finding a way to conjure and control one of te migtiest SKULL & SackleS Se turned to te surrounding sipping lanes to supply er ever-growing demand for live sacrifices necessary payments to te increasingly inuman monstrosities wit wic se trafficked for knowledge. Te Srouded Queen s reign ended wen a cabal of frustrated and frigtened pirate captains joined forces under te f lag of teir most powerful member, te Norgorberworsiping pirate priestess Tevenida Aiger. Armed wit te legendary sword Aiger s Kiss, se led er allies on a brazen assault on te Black Tower. Despite te facts tat no one rigtly knows wat appened to Captain Aiger or er sword, and tat not a single pirate returned from te mission, during te next few monts te seas calmed and te weater around te island returned to normal. Watever ad appened, it appeared tat te Srouded Queen ad perised. Soon after, many captains eagerly launced teir own expeditions to te island, determined to plunder te tower s supposed treasures and recover Aiger s Kiss for temselves, yet none of tem emerged from te mysterious edifice eiter. As te Black Tower s fame grew in te years to follow, increasingly few ave dared to set foot upon te island. Were it not for tis year being te twenty-fift anniversary of Aiger s assault on te Black Tower, few would be talking about te legend today at all. In trut, Captain Aiger and er allies underestimated te Srouded Queen s power, and were surprised to find tat te tower itself contained an almost fully functional portal to te Abyssal realm of Yad Iagnot, one troug wic te queen could pull an endless amount of qlippot minions to trow against te invaders. Captain Aiger and er allies breaced te tower and fougt teir way down troug te cambers witin. In te end, only Aiger erself survived long enoug to confront te Srouded Queen in er inner sanctum, and wen se realized se could not slay te queen, se did te next best ting se used Aiger s Kiss to destroy te Abyssal portal. Te resulting surge of magical backlas unleased raw Abyssal energy into te Black Tower, simultaneously transforming te Srouded Queen and cursing er. Se became a qlippot erself, a powerful augnagar, yet at te same moment se became bound to te sundered portal, unable to travel far from its fractured frame witout sickening and wasting away. Captain Aiger managed to escape as far as te f loor above, but perised from er wounds before se could make it out of te tower to report er Pyrric success. Te newly transformed Srouded Queen was unable to repair er portal or even touc Aiger s Kiss altoug se won te figt, se lost te battle, and for te quarter century to follow as remained imprisoned in er tower. Te island on wic te Black Tower is located was little more tan a nameless, jungle-covered rock before te Srouded Queen rose er ome from its eart. Today, te of te qlippot, a unique monster known as te Iatavos. island is known as te Isle of te Black Tower in onor of 26

29 Te Price of Infamy its most striking feature. Te island is rougly circular, about a alf-mile in diameter, covered wit dense jungle, and 120 feet above sea level at its igest point (were te Black Tower extends anoter 400 feet into te air). Te igest orders of life dwelling in te island s jungle are insects, spiders, and oter invertebrates even birds avoid te island, leaving te place an infested morass. Caracters wo travel troug te tick undergrowt do so as if troug trackless jungle. or eac full our spent in te umid, unpleasant tangle, a PC must make a successful DC 15 ortitude save to resist contracting red ace (Patfinder RPG Core Rulebook 557) from te countless insect bites tey must endure. Creature: As te PCs approac te Black Tower, tere s a 50% cance of encountering one of te nyogots from area B4 as it prowls te jungle. In tis case, te nyogot figts te PCs until reduced to fewer tan 60 it points, at wic point it fills te area wit acid fog, ten f lies back to te Black Tower until it is close enoug to use dimension door to return to area B4. Te Black Tower Te Black Tower is made of a strange, weirdly porous but fantastically strong dark stone wit a roug, grainy feel similar to pumice, yet wit te strengt of marble. Te slender tower is supported as muc by magic as its arcitecture, someting a successful DC 25 Knowledge (arcana) or Knowledge (engineering) ceck confirms. Te tower as no visible entrances in fact, only one entrance into te tower exists, located at its peak. Indeed, te bottom alf of te tower consists of solid stone (see te side view on te map on page 28). Te sides of te tower are overgrown wit tick, slippery vines a DC 10 Climb ceck is all tat s required to scale te tower s sides as a result. Te cambers inside te Black Tower are unlit unless oterwise indicated. Ceilings vary from 15 to 20 feet ig. B1. Te Crown Years of neglect and exposure to a quarter-century of storms ave apparently caused te tower roof to collapse in on 27

30 SKULL & SackleS Te Black Tower B1 1 square = 5 feet B2 B1 B3 B4 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6 B7 B5 B6 B7 itself, forming a bowl-saped, rubble-filled concavity at te tower s crown. Most of te stonework and rubble lies buried beneat tick blankets of moss, vines, and oter anging plants tat cling to te foot-deep layer of soil, composed entirely of te sodden, decomposing remains of over two decades of jungle growt. A successful DC 25 Perception ceck made wile searcing tis overgrown area reveals a section were te ground seems strangely sunken. Tis marks te point at wic an ancient trap door angs partially open, clogged wit rubble, soil, and roots. A few minutes of work clears te debris and reveals an old stone trap door opening onto te top of a curved fligt of stairs winding down into te tower. A successful DC 18 Strengt ceck is all tat s required to force te door open wide enoug to admit entry. Te walls of te curving stairway beyond are carved wit disturbing imagery of coils of tentacles seemingly witout end twisting downward into te darkness. Now and ten, te tentacles are sown crusing people, sips, and in more tan a few cases, entire cities or islands. Amid all of tese carvings is repeated an eerie symbol an octopus eye surrounded by sinister runes. A successful DC 25 Knowledge (religion) ceck identifies tis as te symbol of Dagon, te demon lord of deformity, te sea, and sea monsters. B2. Entrance Hall (CR 11) Patces of dull blue mold spot te walls of tis room, partially obscuring a faded mural tat depicts some sort of enormous amalgam of eel, fis, and cepalopod rising off te sore of an island. Opposite te entrance, a pair of patina-crusted iron posts suspend a massive gold-plated disc, etced wit elaborate runes. Witin te center of te disc stares a grayis and bulbous flesy eye wit a orizontally saped pupil. Beside eac post, a serpentine basin rests upon a sort, wooden pedestal painted wit flaking gold leaf. Witin a small alcove opposite te massive disc stands a wooden statue also painted in badly flaking gold leaf. Te statue depicts te same orrid creature as sown in te mural, and olds its ands in front of its cest to clenc a fist-sized cunk of serpentine carved in te sape of a uman eart. A reinforced wooden door stands to te soutwest, its inges and metal ardware forged in te sapes of fis fins and spiked gills. Iron spikes ave been ammered into te perimeter of te door, presumably to old it sut. Crudely scrawled graffiti mars te door s face. A successful DC 25 Knowledge (religion) ceck ties te decorative motifs to te worsip of Dagon. Te strange eye-disc is te demon s unoly symbol and te paintings and statuary represent is various cultural depictions. 28

31 Te Price of Infamy Te basins ave long dried out, leaving teir interiors ligtly crusted wit sea salt crystals. A successful DC 15 Perception ceck reveals a lump beneat te salt in one of te basins tat disguises a fist-sized cunk of serpentine. Tis cunk of stone is about te same size as te statue s serpentine eart and can be used as a replacement weigt to prevent te trap from triggering (see Trap below). Te graffiti on te door is written wit carcoal in te Common tongue and simply reads Se Lives. Beneat te inscription is a carcoal andprint wit wide splayed fingers. A successful DC 20 Knowledge (religion) ceck associates te andprint wit a sect of Norgorberite oly assassins wo refer to teir deity as Blackfingers te same sect tat Captain Aiger belonged to. Te door leads to area B3, and must eiter be forced open (ardness 5, p 35, Break DC 25) or its spikes removed wit a DC 20 Disable Device ceck to access te area beyond. Trap: Te serpentine eart in te statue s fists is far more tan a valuable work of art it s a key tat can be used to open te secret door in te adjacent room. Wile easily removed, an object of similar size and weigt must be placed witin te ands as quickly and gently as possible (requiring a DC 20 Dexterity ceck) to prevent triggering a deadly trap. One round after te eart is removed, te eye upon te great disc animates and begins sooting dangerous magical rays around te room, targeting living creatures at random. Te eye can be destroyed wit force (AC 15, ardness 8, p 130, ort +6, Break DC 34) altoug attacks against it trigger te trap as surely as removing te serpentine eart witout replacing it wit an identical weigt do. Once te trap is triggered, it continues firing rays eac round until an object of equal weigt to te serpentine eart is placed in te statue s ands. Eye of Dagon CR 11 XP 12,800 Type magic; Perception DC 32; Disable Device DC 32 EECTS Trigger touc; Reset automatic; Bypass replace serpentine eart wit equal weigt (DC 20 Dexterity ceck) Effect Once activated, te eye of Dagon fires a blast of vilesmelling water at a random creature in te room; te water evaporates as quickly as it strikes, making a +10 ranged touc attack. A creature struck takes 1d4 points of Wisdom damage and must make a DC 20 ortitude save to resist Eye of Dagon being transformed into some form of foul-looking but relatively armless sea creature (suc as an eel, an octopus, or a agfis) as if by baleful polymorp. A victim tat is so transformed automatically takes on te mental facilities of te new form, and is likely to aspyxiate due to te lack of water. Treasure: Te 6-inc-diameter serpentine eart is wort 750 gp and weigs 10 pounds. B3. Hall of Candles (CR 12) A guiding row of black iron candleolders protrudes from te curving soutwestern wall, teir candles long since melted into foulscented, yellowis tallow lumps. Beind te candles, flaking plaster laid in te sape of fis scales exposes a roug stone wall beneat. Witin a sallow alcove at te end of te all stands a serpentine statue carved in te sape of a naked male uman being devoured by tiny, fles-boring eels tat wind teir ungry way troug every part of is body save for an area over te center of is cest. Te statue is actually a magically warded secret door tat conceals a f ligt of steps leading to te level below. An examination of te statue (and a successful DC 20 Perception ceck) reveals tat te statue actually stands before a f ligt of stairs leading downward, and can be slid into te alcove to te nort. Unfortunately, te statue is also trapped someting tat may not be immediately obvious to te observer! On a result of 30 or iger on te Perception ceck, an additional interesting feature of te statue can be noted. Te section in te center of te statue s cest tat s devoid of eels can be rotated and ten pused into te statue to reveal a ollow sized to accept te serpentine eart from area B2. Placing te eart into tis ollow causes te statue to slide armlessly aside, providing access to te stairway beind witout triggering te trap. Trap: If te statue is forced aside, or if any attempt to bypass it via effects like gaseous form is made, te statue suddenly srieks in orrific pain as te burrowing eels seem to come to life. At te same time, f les-eating eels suddenly manifest on te bodies of all living creatures in area B3 or on te stairs leading down to area B4 (save for tose wo worsip Dagon) and begin cewing teir way into teir victims f les. Te curse activates eac time a new attempt to move or bypass te statue is made teleporting can bypass tis curse but only if te 29

32 SKULL & SackleS teleportation effect brings te traveler directly to area B4 and not to te stairwell leading down to it. Curse of te leseaters CR 12 XP 19,200 Type magic; Perception DC 30; Disable Device DC 30 EECTS Trigger touc; Reset automatic; Bypass place serpentine eart inside of statue Effect Wen tis trap is triggered, all creatures in area B3 or on te stairs leading to B4 wo do not worsip Dagon are immediately cursed to become infested wit fleseating eels. Victims must succeed at a DC 20 Will save or take 1d4 points of Constitution drain and be staggered for 24 ours from te pain. On a successful save, a victim is only sickened for 1 minute. Only tose under te effects of tis curse can perceive te burrowing eels, for tis is a mind-affecting curse, and te eels temselves are merely incredibly realistic allucinations. Te periodic bites tat open on a cursed victim s body are plainly visible to all. Curse of te leseaters: Curse trap: save Will DC 20; frequency 1/day; effect 1d4 points of Constitution drain plus staggered for 24 ours (or sickened for 1 our wit a successful save); cure (any effect tat eals tis Con drain also ends te staggered condition at least until te next time te victim fails is save against te curse s ongoing effect) B4. Crumbling Antecamber (CR 12) f loor automatically collapses if a Large or larger creature stands upon it. If a collapse occurs, te victim falls 20 feet into area B5 below, and also triggers te mold on te walls. Hazard: Te fungus growing on te walls, te statue, and across te room is a large colony of yellow mold. All surfaces in tis room are caked wit te stuff. Yellow Mold CR 6 XP 2,400 Patfinder RPG Core Rulebook 416 Creatures: Wile paranoid adventurers may fear tat te clay statue to te sout is a golem, it is, in fact, merely a statue. Te actual guardians of te room are a pair of orrific qlippot tat survived te original attack on te Black Tower by Captain Aiger and er allies. Tese qlippot are known as nyogots, rougly man-sized clots of wriggling intestines wrapped around a many-tooted maw. Some of te dangling intestinal lengts end in snapping mouts of teir own, and te wole dripping mass floats and wriggles in te air using a supernatural ability to fly (and tus te two nyogots do not run te risk of collapsing te floor in tis room). Bot nyogots are starving wile tey cannot actually die or even take damage from starvation, it as been so long since eiter as eaten tat tey attack on sigt and figt to te deat, driven by teir relentless unger. Note tat, as nyogots are immune to poison, tey need not fear te yellow mold s spores, and may well deliberately activate a patc of mold adjacent to a PC during te figt as a move action. Huge, once-lavis tapestries ang from tis circular camber s walls, altoug te curtains are now sodden and tick wit yellowis fungus. Te floor in te nortwest portion of te camber as crumbled away into a camber below, leaving beind a gaping ole and significant cracks and fissures in te remaining mold-encrusted floor. A few furnisings remain, including te moldering remnants of cairs decorated wit gold leaf and a wooden table, ornately carved wit ictyic motifs and draped wit rotting silken clot. A tall clay statue sculpted in te image of a bloated, fislike umanoid stands to te sout, also covered wit mold. A few feet aead, anoter fligt of stairs descends deeper into te lower camber exposed by te collapsed flooring. Te f loor in tis room is as unstable and dangerous as it looks, as a successful DC 15 Knowledge (engineering) ceck can confirm. Only te section of ground directly above area B6 is stable stepping on any of te f loor elsewere in tis room (including te landing between te stairs) brings a good cance of additional collapse. Ceck for a collapse at te end of eac round for eac creature standing in te room a Small creature as a 25% cance of causing a collapse wile a Medium one as a 50% Nyogots (2) CR 10 XP 9,600 eac p 125 eac (Patfinder RPG Bestiary 2 224) Treasure: A successful DC 20 Perception ceck reveals tat te clay statue s eyes glitter. Almost entirely crusted over wit yellow mold, eac of te statue s four eyes is in fact an emerald wort 1,000 gp. B5. Breat of Dagon (CR 12) Rubble from te collapsed ceiling fills te center of tis room, wic is saped like tree-quarters of a circle. Te walls bear scorc marks, and te plaster sows severe cracks. To te souteast, two eerie ivory statures stand on eiter side of a closed door. Tese statues are carved into te forms of andsome men tat ave been bound, gagged, and blindfolded, bot eads turned inward to face te oter. Te statues seem strangely moist, as if tey ave just been pulled from te sea. Te rubble on te f loor creates difficult terrain in tis room. Tis camber is were Captain Aiger and er cance. Tiny creatures do not raise te cance, and allies te clased wit te agents of te Srouded Queen. Te 30

33 Te Price of Infamy majority of tose invaders were defeated by te queen and er minions, but not before te queen was forced to f lee down to te portal camber (area B7). A successful DC 25 Knowledge (istory) or Knowledge (religion) ceck identifies te statues as depictions of Maok and Seft, twin sons of te fabled Mad Mwangi Priest-King Arot-Seb, as described in te epic poem Tides of Isiar. In te legend, Arot-Seb sacrificed is sons to Dagon by lasing tem to a drowning pole at low tide. Te following day, te Priest-King drank te seawater from is drowned sons lungs as part of an unoly ritual. Soon after, e received guidance from Dagon tat enabled im to not only conquer te fabled Crystal Isles of Zyracia off of Garund s western coast, but also to wisk tem away to Dagon s Abyssal realm of Isiar as offerings to te demon lord. Trap: Te two statues tat guard te door into area B6 are trapped. Any attempt to damage te statues or to pass between tem (even if only to attempt to open te door) triggers te trap, wic causes bot statues to weep and drool seawater from te eyes and mouts. A successful DC 20 Perception ceck made wile searcing te statues isn t enoug to notice te trap (tat requires a DC 30 Perception ceck), but is enoug to note tat te statue eads can be rotated. Turning bot eads so tey look away from eac oter instead of toward eac oter deactivates te trap, but te statues eads automatically turn back to face eac oter after a delay of 1 minute, wic may catc te PCs unawares as tey return from te cambers beyond! Breat of Dagon CR 12 XP 19,200 Type magic; Perception DC 30; Disable Device DC 30 EECTS Trigger proximity and visual (true seeing); Reset automatic; Bypass rotate eads to face away from eac oter Effect Wen tis trap is triggered, te creature between te statues becomes afflicted wit a potent curse te breat of Dagon. If only one of te statues eads is rotated away, te trap still triggers but te victim gains a +4 bonus on is initial saving trow to resist being affected by te curse. Breat of Dagon: Curse trap: save ortitude DC 20; frequency 1/minute; effect every round, te cursed victim s lungs fill wit water, and e must immediately old is breat or risk drowning. Every minute, te victim can attempt a new DC 20 ortitude save wit a successful save, e can expel te water from is lungs and breate normally for 1 minute. Tis condition is permanent until te curse is lifted but until tat time, te victim may find imself unable to sleep and tus grow increasingly fatigued or exausted, since aving one s lungs fill spontaneously wit water is a sure metod to wake you from even te deepest slumber! If te victim can breate water, tis curse as no effect. B6. Te Saft laking plaster speckled wit patces of mold crusts te walls of tis room. aded frescoes portray a strange, crystalline city rising out of a vast ocean beneat a gray sky. In several places, imposing iron ooks protrude from te wall, now rusted wit age. To te soutwest, a jumble of bones eld togeter by an aged suit of black leater armor slumps against te wall, wile in te middle of te room, a uge circular trap door sits in te floor. Tree lengts of cain ave been ammered over te atc, bound in place by iron spikes tat ave been ammered into te floor. A black andprint is on te wall next to te skeleton, along wit a few lines of scribbled text. Tis room was once te entrance to te Black Tower s portal camber, and now serves as te final ward preventing te Srouded Queen from escaping er prison. After se used er sword Aiger s Kiss to seal te Abyssal portal, Captain Aiger watced orrified as te Srouded Queen transformed into an augnagar qlippot. Te pirate priestess f led back up te saft using air walk, but as se f led, te augnagar got in one last strike at te pirate, biting er and aff licting er wit te rotting curse. Upon making it back up ere, Captain Aiger cast forbiddance on te camber below to prevent te augnagar from using planar travel to escape from te room, ten slammed te eavy door in place. Too large to fit troug te saft in pursuit, te augnagar was forced to rage impotently as Aiger ammered spikes into and troug te cains once used to raise and lower te trap door. Unfortunately, Aiger s wounds and te rotting curse ad left er in no condition to attempt an escape wit several more qlippot guardians still lurking in te tower s upper reaces. Se fell asleep against te wall, oping to survive troug te nigt and remove te rotting curse in te morning. But as fate would ave it, Aiger s magic failed er and te curse eventually overtook er. In er final agonizing ours, se used a stick of carcoal to scribble a warning on te wall next to wat would become er grave: Te Srouded Queen yet lives below, bound by Blackfingers forbiddance and Aiger s Kiss. Seek not entrance for naugt but er rotting curse awaits ye let te slumbering darkness lie! Captain Aiger s remains can be identified via speak wit dead note tat tis may also allow te PCs to learn some or all of te events tat led to Aiger s demise, depending on te questions tey ask. Opening te trap door leading to area B7 requires eiter several minutes of work undoing te spiked cains, or a single DC 30 Strengt ceck to wrenc te door open. Below, a 5-foot-wide saft drops down 50 feet into area B7 below. Te saft s walls are smoot and difficult to climb, requiring a successful DC 30 Climb ceck to safely scale. 31

34 SKULL & SackleS Treasure: Captain Aiger s remains are still clad in er +3 sadow studded leater armor. A ring of improved swimming sits on one finger, a ring of improved climbing on te oter. Her oter gear as long since rotted away. B7. Portal Camber (CR 14) Decorative stone rafters partition te ceiling of tis large circular camber. A frieze between te vaulted ceiling and lower portion of te camber depicts a cain of intertwining sea creatures and uman bones. In te camber beneat tis frieze, a large altar overlooks a fetid, brackis pool of stagnant water. At te bottom of te pool, wat appears to be a blackbladed sort sword is impaled in te stone. Once te camber in wic te Srouded Queen oped some day to conjure te Iatavos qlippot to serve er, tis room now serves as te queen s prison. Te entire camber is affected by a neutral evil forbiddance spell (CL 13t) placed 25 years ago by Captain Aiger, er last act against te Srouded Queen. Te pool once served as a portal capable of linking to Srouded Queen a number of vile bodies of water deep in te Abyss, but is now little more tan a pool of brackis water tanks to Aiger and er sword Aiger s Kiss. Creature: Wen Aiger destroyed te portal, te backlas of magic transformed te Srouded Queen from a beautiful wizard into a ideous monstrosity. Today, te monster se became remembers only fragments of er previous life as a uman, er current intellect barely capable of compreending anyting but er own frustration at being unable to escape tis room. A quartercentury of unger for rotted f les, as wit te nyogots above, as not armed te Srouded Queen but it as left er insensible wit rage and anger. As an augnagar, te Srouded Queen looks someting like a ideous mix of eel, octopus, bat, and spider, all melded togeter into a body te size of an elepant. Srouded Queen CR 14 XP 38,400 Augnagar qlippot (Patfinder RPG Bestiary 2 219) p 203 TACTICS During Combat Te Srouded Queen starts combat by casting waves of exaustion on enemies, ten switces to pysical attacks. Note tat wile se s too large to fit into te saft leading out of te room troug te ceiling, se can fly up tere and use er reac (up to 30 feet wit er claws) to attack foes wo attempt to flee via tat route. If te PCs remove te forbiddance spell, se can use dimension door to pursue foes trougout te tower, but te nature of te curse se suffers prevents er from leaving te structure for any reason. Morale Insane wit er ravenous unger, te Srouded Queen figts to te deat. Treasure: Strewn trougout te camber lie te Srouded Queen s most valuable items. Tese include a set of tiny but elaborate statuary of orrifying deep-sea creatures carved from walebone and coral wort 2,000 gp, 10 clay amporas filled wit assorted pearls and gold and silver ingots wort a total of 5,000 gp, and a crystalline case containing a collection of six ampoules filled wit blood samples from Azlanti kings wort 3,000 gp. One of te most valuable 32

35 Te Price of Infamy of er items, toug, is te golden tiara se wears upon er missapen ead an eldritc work of art wort 9,500 gp. ragments of er spellbooks lie strewn about te room tey are too damaged to be of any use. Te greatest treasure in te room, toug, is not one of te Srouded Queen s belongings, but te sword Aiger s Kiss (see page 60), currently embedded in te bottom of te destroyed portal pool. Te pool is only 3 feet deep, but pulling Aiger s Kiss out of te pool is a standard action tat requires a successful DC 28 Strengt ceck. Worsipers of Norgorber automatically succeed at tis roll, regardless of teir actual Strengt modifier. As Aiger s Kiss is removed, te pool s waters drain away mysteriously into te tiny ole tat remains from tat point on, eerie but unintelligible wispers seem to periodically well up from te ole, but te portal itself remains deactivated. Infamy: Once word spreads tat te PCs ave recovered Aiger s Kiss, tey gain 4 points of Disrepute and Infamy. Tey gain tis reward even if tey end up giving te sword to Aiger s eir, but not if e takes Aiger s Kiss from tem (see below). Aiger s Heir (CR 13) Altoug te defeat of te Srouded Queen and te reclaiming of Aiger s Kiss migt seem to te PCs to be te climax of tis part of te adventure, one final encounter awaits tem as tey emerge from te Black Tower. rom teir vantage point atop te tower, te PCs can see tat a second sailing sip f lying te Sackles f lag as come broadside to teir own sip. Tis second sip is te Wanton Wastrel, and er captain is te son of Captain Tevenida Aiger a man known as Valerande Barracuda Aiger. Barracuda earned is nickname for te fact tat e filed is own teet into a row of fangs reminiscent of te tooty fis. Never a particularly brave man, Barracuda as lived is life in te sadow of is famous moter. He became a pirate in an attempt to make is own name for imself, and te extreme steps e takes wit is persona (filing is teet, is outlandisly f lamboyant outfits, is srill voice) are all examples of im trying to sed te sade of is moter from is name. But wen te legend of Aiger s Kiss reemerged into popular catter at te seaside taverns, Barracuda realized ere was a cance to embrace is legacy if e could claim Aiger s Kiss for imself, no one would ever see im as a sadow of is moter again! Of course, e d eard te stories of te Black Tower, and ad no desire to risk is life in an attempt to explore it, but once e learned te PCs were going to try for it, e decided tat a group of fellow pirates, teir resources taxed by an exploration of te dangerous site, would make a muc easier target. In sort, e s waiting for te PCs to return wit Aiger s Kiss, ten plans on taking te sword from tem by force. At tis point in te adventure, te PCs current Infamy score determines wat Barracuda Aiger does. If te party s Infamy score is 40 or lower, Barracuda attacks and boards teir sip. Oterwise, e angs back and waits for te PCs to emerge from te Black Tower to bargain wit tem. Barracuda Attacks: If Barracuda attacks te PCs sip, you can assume e takes te sip wit little problem. (If you prefer, you can ave te PCs play out te battle between is sip and teirs, of course, but tis adventure assumes Barracuda as no problem taking a relatively undefended sip.) He ancors is sip, te Wanton Wastrel, nearby te PCs sip. He lowers te PCs f lag and f lies is own a barracuda on a blue field. rom te top of te tower, te PCs can make a DC 20 Perception ceck to see tat teir sip appears to ave been boarded. A successful DC 20 Knowledge (local) ceck identifies te f lag as belonging to Captain Valerande Barracuda Aiger. Barracuda as brougt alf of is crew over wit im to seize te PCs sip. Six of tese pirates are capable of elping Barracuda in battle; te oters are tere only to elp crew te PCs sip. Barracuda imprisons all of te PCs crew in te sip s old but doesn t kill any of tem e only wants Aiger s Kiss, after all, not te PCs sip or teir undying atred. If te PCs visibly approac, Barracuda ails tem and proposes a trade: teir sip and crew for Aiger s Kiss. If te PCs agree, Barracuda asks one PC to deliver te sword to im; e ten ties up tat PC and e and is crew leave for te Wanton Wastrel and try to escape into te open seas. Stealty groups can sneak on board teir sip to ambus Barracuda in tis case, or if te PCs decide not to bargain, Barracuda and is men figt te PCs on te deck of te PCs sip, or attempt to f lee wit te sip if attacked from range. Barracuda Plays It Safe: If te PCs sip is obviously powerful, or if Barracuda attacks and is defeated, ten e approaces te PCs wit a bit less confidence. If e s a prisoner, e only begs to be let go, explaining e came ere to retrieve is rigtful ineritance, Aiger s Kiss. If e s simply anging back and observing, e calls for parley wit te PCs, demanding tey turn over Aiger s Kiss lest tey face is wrat. Tis is mostly bravado and bluster if te PCs call im on is treats, e backs down immediately and asks for a private meeting wit te PCs, during wic e remains relatively well mannered as e tries to negotiate a deal for Aiger s Kiss. Barracuda may offer te contents of is sip s old for te sword (wort 8 points of plunder), and wile tis is not enoug to pay for as fine a weapon as Aiger s Kiss, e s not above offering one or two of is magic items to sweeten te deal if te PCs pus back. He ll certainly agree to join te PC s f leet wit te Wanton Wastrel if te PCs offer im te sword in excange (see Development, below). 33

36 SKULL & SackleS Captain Valerande Barracuda Aiger CR 12 XP 19,200 Male alf-elf rogue (pirate) 5/Inner Sea Pirate 8 (Ultimate Combat 72, Pirates of te Inner Sea 24) CE Medium umanoid (elf, uman) Init +5; Senses low-ligt vision; Perception +17 DEENSE AC 26, touc 17, flat-footed 20 (+7 armor, +1 deflection, +5 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 natural, +1 sield) p 76 (13d8+18) ort +5, Ref +13, Will +3; +2 vs. encantments, +1 vs. fear and mind-affecting Defensive Abilities evasion, uncanny dodge, unflincing* OENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee +2 rapier +15/+10 (1d6+4/18 20), +1 boarding axe +13 (1d6+2/ 3) Special Attacks sneak attack +6d6 plus trip TACTICS During Combat Barracuda uses is officers to set up flanking opportunities, barking orders to move tem around te combat as needed. He uses is swinging reposition ability to try to bull rus players over te side of te sip, ten moves closer to allies so e can make full attacks as soon as possible. He uses Combat Expertise if faced by particularly ard-itting foes. Morale If reduced to fewer tan 15 it points, Barracuda drops is weapons and surrenders, oping to appeal to te PCs sense of pity at tis point to claim is birtrigt. STATISTICS Str 14, Dex 20, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 8, Ca 10 Base Atk +9; CMB +14; CMD 28 eats Agile Maneuvers, Combat Expertise, Dodge, Improved eint, Sea Legs*, Skill ocus (Bluff), Two-Weapon Defense, Two-Weapon igting, Weapon inesse Skills Acrobatics +23, Appraise +14, Bluff +21, Climb +4, Intimidate +15, Perception +17, Profession (sailor) +15, Sense Motive +15, Swim +20 Languages Common, Elven, Osiriani SQ elf blood, pirate tricks (classic duelist, deep breat, defensive climber, foot sweep, rigging monkey), rogue talents (bleeding attack +6), swinging reposition* Gear +4 studded leater, +2 rapier, +1 boarding axe, amulet of natural armor +1, ring of protection +1 SPECIAL ABILITIES Pirate Tricks (Ex) Barracuda gains a +1 competence bonus on attack rolls wit a cutlass, rapier, or sort sword. He can old is breat for 36 rounds before risking drowning. He does not lose is Dex bonus to AC wen climbing. If e damages a foe wit sneak attack, e can try to trip tat foe as an immediate action. He gains a +2 bonus on Climb cecks wen using ropes, and wen e does so, climbs twice as quickly as normal. *See Ultimate Combat. Barracuda s Officers (6) CR 4 XP 1,200 eac Pirate castaways (see page 23) p 51 eac Captain Barracuda Aiger Development: Wile Aiger s Kiss is certainly a fine weapon, tis encounter gives te PCs te cance to not only earn te Infamy for recovering te legendary blade, but to gain an addition to teir fleet as well. Barracuda as several additional allied sips e can call to is side if need be and if te PCs offer Aiger s Kiss as a bribe of sorts, e swiftly pledges imself and is allied sips to te PCs fleet. Tis squadron of sips only works togeter as long as Barracuda imself serves as te squadron s commodore, toug. 34

37 Te Price of Infamy Barracuda s Raiders Configuration 3 sailing sips Commodore Valerande Barracuda Aiger (Profession [sailor] +15, Carisma modifier +0) Hits 9; Morale 3 Defense Value 25 Attack Value +15; Damage 1d6+3 Morale Ceck +0 Story Award: If te PCs manage to resolve tis encounter witout resorting to combat, award tem XP as if tey ad defeated Barracuda and is six officers in combat. Part our: Harrigan Must Die As tis adventure progresses, Captain Barnabas Harrigan is juggling two different and equally complex tasks. He s preparing for te imminent invasion of te Sackles wit is minions, working wit a small group of igly trained soldiers and scrags (many of wom ave been supplied by Celiax in te form of prisoners captured from sips) to prepare tem for a surgical strike against ort Hazard once te Celis armada attacks Port Peril. At te same time, e s preparing for a naval strike against is onetime swabs and riggers te PCs. Since Harrigan can only be in one place at a time, e s reluctantly ceded control of is f leet to is current first mate, Adelita Doloruso. ortunately for te PCs, te combination of Harrigan s meticulous preparations for tis private war and Admiral Doloruso s difficulties in getting er various commodores and squadrons to actually work togeter instead of bicker among temselves means tat it takes quite some time for Harrigan s f leet to get into sape. Te timing of te attack on te Island of Empty Eyes is tus left for you to decide. Tis adventure assumes tat te PCs are tere to take part in te defense of teir ome. If tey re avoiding (by cance or design) a return to teir ome, you sould consider aving tem overear a rumor tat te Island of Empty Eyes as been sacked and claimed by someone else tis someone else could be a f leet of Kuru cannibals, an attack by unknown raiders, or even an uprising of undead cyclopes. Te rumors could even be accurate wispers tat Harrigan is sending (or peraps as already sent) is f leet against te PCs island. A successful DC 20 Diplomacy ceck to gater information (or peraps te use of magic like sending to communicate wit an ally left at te isle) confirms te fact tat te island asn t actually been attacked, but te mere fact tat te rumors are f lying sould get te PCs eading ome soon enoug. Te Battle of Empty Eyes Before you begin te battle, make sure you re familiar wit te rules for f leet battles, as presented on pages If you wis, you can allow te PCs to play a few ADDITIONAL SUPPORT At te start of tis adventure, te PCs opefully elped pass Issue #5 during te Pirate Council, ensuring additional funding and support for te investigations into te Celis conspiracy in te Sackles. Te remainder of tis capter assumes te PCs got tis issue to pass, but if tey did not, ten Harrigan is able to focus less on covering up is treacery and more on bringing in Celis aid. Tis manifests in two ways a larger fleet and more defenses at is fortress. leet Support: Add an additional squadron of seven sailing sips (identical to Zura s Kiss Squadron) to te battle tis additional squadron does not count against te normal maximum of tree squadrons tat Adelita would normally be able to command. ortress Support: In every encounter tat includes clerics of Norgorber, add two bearded devils as loyal minions supplied by House Trune. In every encounter tat includes smugglers, add two additional smugglers. Harrigan imself as been granted an additional erinyes bodyguard as well. practice rounds wit te rules to do so, tey need merely split teir current squadrons into smaller f leets and run training missions in teir arbor attacks are all simulated in te training, but you can still use te f leet battles rules in tis simulation to give te players a cance to get used to te rules. Adelita Doloruso and er f leet arrive at dawn, and tey waste no time in sailing to te attack. You can allow te PCs to discuss pre-battle tactics as you wis, but since te f leet battle rules are abstract, actual preliminary tactics won t ave muc of an impact. If you judge te initial placement and defensive tactics te PCs come up wit to be particularly effective or inspiring, toug, feel free to give tem a +4 bonus on te first Profession (sailor) ceck made to determine initiative on te first round of f leet combat. Te enemy f leet consists of tree squadrons, altoug eac squadron is relatively large. As a result, wile te PCs are likely to ave more squadrons, and tus will ave more attacks during eac round, it ll be arder to bring down any one squadron under Doloruso s command. Te battle itself sould play out relatively quickly te fleet battle rules are designed for speed, after all. As eac battle pase plays out, you sould spice up te attacks and defenses Harrigan s leet makes wit exciting descriptions of sips coming up broadside, siege engines firing, near misses, and devastating damage to matc te results of te die rolls wit eac attack. Encourage te PCs to also do so, and assuming tey do well against te fleet, make sure to describe ow tey re getting closer and closer to te Wormwood itself for 35

38 if te PCs defeat Harrigan s fleet, tey ll ave a cance to board te Wormwood and take it as teir prize! Harrigan s leet XP 19,200 Admiral Adelita Doloruso (Profession [sailor] +17 [+25 to determine initiative]) lagsip Wormwood Significant Caracters Adelita Doloruso (Wormwood, Arcane Artillery) Kipper (Wormwood, Swift to Battle) Riaris Krine (Wormwood, Vengeance) Patc Patcsalt (Wormwood, Swift to Battle) SQUADRONS Duskwyrm Squadron Configuration 6 warsips Commodore Wordusk Ganderwal (Profession [sailor] +15, Carisma modifier +3) Hits 24; Morale 3 Defense Value 25 Attack Value +15; Damage 1d6+7 Morale Ceck +5 Zura s Kiss Configuration 7 sailing sips Commodore Delarie Listerveil (Profession [sailor] +13, Carisma modifier +4) Hits 21; Morale 3 Defense Value 23 Attack Value +13; Damage 1d6+8 Morale Ceck +6 Reefspider Squadron Configuration 5 galleys Commodore Lesik Witecap Biceroy (Profession [sailor] +11, Carisma modifier +2) Hits 20; Morale 3 Defense Value 21 Attack Value +11; Damage 1d6+6 Morale Ceck +4 Development: Altoug it s assumed te PCs defeat Harrigan s f leet, te adventure need not grind to a alt if tey lose. If tings look grim, te PCs can attempt to f lee te battle before te last of teir sips are destroyed (see leeing a Battle under Rout Pase on page 68). Even if te enemy entirely defeats teir f leet, te PCs still ave a cance to survive, for Adelita as strict orders from Harrigan to capture te PCs and teir sip. Wit teir defeat, Adelita and er crew immediately board te PCs sip. In tis case, you can run te Boarding te Wormwood encounter below but wit te battle taking place on te PCs sip instead of on te Wormwood itself. If te PCs lose tat battle, tey ll be captured, stripped of teir gear, bound and gagged, and SKULL & SackleS in area D5, storing teir gear in area E6. At tis point, you can continue wit te capter as a prison-break scenario. If te PCs manage to defend teir sip from te boarding of Adelita and er crew, te remains of er f leet are put into disarray long enoug tat te PCs can f lee, leaving teir island in te control of te enemy. If tey re quick, tey sould be able to make it to Gannet Island to strike against Harrigan before is f leet can return or tey can f lee and attempt to rebuild teir resources to try to retake teir ome from Harrigan. If te PCs defeat te enemy f leet, tey ave an option tey can eiter sink te Wormwood (te sip as been eavily damaged) wit relatively little worry, or tey can attempt to board it and seize te sip. Te former action earns tem no additional XP or Infamy and you sould warn te PCs as suc before tey follow troug on suc an act but it does represent te safest metod to deliver te deat blow to Harrigan s f leet. Infamy Award: Award te PCs 2 points of Disrepute and Infamy if tey defeat Harrigan s f leet witout losing more tan alf of teir own sips. Boarding te Wormwood (CR 14) Once te PCs break Harrigan s f leet, leaving sailing sips, galleys, and warsips foundering and sinking all about, te PCs spot te f leet s f lagsip, te Wormwood, damaged eavily by te battle, listing to port, and feebly trying to f lee for te open sea. Tere is no need to run sip-tosip combat at tis point, for approacing and boarding te damaged and demoralized Wormwood sould be cild s play. But once te boarding is accomplised, te remaining crew, led by Adelita Doloruso and consisting of several familiar faces from te PCs first days aboard te Wormwood, rise up in a last-ditc attempt to defend te sip and, if tey are lucky, take te PCs ostage. Wen tis part of te battle begins, you don t need to play out te actual grappling procedure you can simply describe te PCs grappling of te Wormwood, since te enemy sip is in no condition to resist, especially wit er crew preparing for battle. Creatures: Altoug te PCs may ope to face Captain Harrigan aboard te Wormwood, teir nemesis is in fact not present. Wit te deat of Mr. Plugg at te PCs ands, Harrigan as carged is newest first mate, Adelita Doloruso, wit te task of captaining te Wormwood as te f lagsip of is f leet. Te battle for te Wormwood is a significant conflict wit many enemies as wit all sipboard battles, you sould assume tat te PCs crew is figting against te Wormwood s crew, wile te PCs temselves focus teir attacks on Doloruso and er officers. In all, tere are 11 officers on te sip wo stand against te PCs Adelita Doloruso, brougt to Gannet Island were Harrigan imprisons tem seven officers, and tree oter NPCs te PCs will doubtless 36

39 Te Price of Infamy recognize from teir earlier time aboard te Wormwood. Te first of tese is te Wormwood s former master gunner, Riaris Krine. As foul-mouted as ever, Krine is now te sip s sailing master, and is eager to put te upstart PCs in teir place preferably in a watery grave. Krine s former gunner s mate, Kipper, is now te Wormwood s master gunner. Having survived te explosion of alcemist s fire on te Man s Promise, Kipper is badly scarred, but te accident did noting to curb is pyromaniac tendencies. Lastly, former boatswain s mate Patc Patcsalt rounds out tose officers from te Wormwood s original crew. Patc as replaced Cut- Troat Grok as te sip s quartermaster, and as er eye on te first mate s position, sould Adelita fail in er duties. Adelita Doloruso CR 12 XP 19,200 p 126 (see page 54) Kipper CR 8 XP 4,800 Male uman rogue 9 CE Medium umanoid (uman) Init +3; Senses Perception +13 DEENSE AC 21, touc 14, flat-footed 17 (+5 armor, +3 Dex, +1 dodge, +2 sield) p 89 (9d8+45) ort +6, Ref +11, Will +6 Defensive Abilities evasion, improved uncanny dodge, trap sense +3 OENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee mwk sort sword +9/+4 (1d6+2/19 20) Ranged +1 flaming composite longbow +11/+6 (1d8+3/ 3 plus 1d6 fire) or ligt ballista +9 (3d8/19 20) Special Attacks sneak attack +5d6 TACTICS Before Combat Kipper drinks a potion of invisibility as te PCs prepare to board. During Combat Kipper mans a ballista, oping to fire on a PC witin 30 feet so tat e can make one of te most memorable sneak attacks of is life. He ten drinks is second potion of invisibility, moves to an advantageous spot, and makes a second sneak attack against a foe wit is bow. He continues to snipe wit is bow until te PCs engage in melee, at wic point e moves to flank, if possible, wit is sword. Morale Kipper figts to te deat. STATISTICS Str 14, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Ca 8 Base Atk +6; CMB +8; CMD 22 eats Dodge, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (ligt ballista), Iron Init +2; Senses Perception Will, Ligtning Reflexes, Sield ocus, Sield Proficiency, Tougness, Weapon ocus (composite longbow) Skills Acrobatics +14, Bluff +11, Climb +13, Craft (alcemy) +12, Knowledge (engineering) +9, Perception +13, Profession (sailor) +13, Stealt +14, Swim +13 Languages Common SQ rogue talents (bleeding attack +5, combat trick, resiliency, weapon training), trapfinding +4 Combat Gear potions of cure moderate wounds (2), potions of invisibility (2); Oter Gear +1 cain sirt, masterwork buckler, +1 flaming composite longbow wit 20 arrows, masterwork sort sword Patc Patcsalt CR 7 XP 3,200 emale gnome figter 5/rogue 3 CE Small umanoid (gnome) Init +7; Senses low-ligt vision; Perception +11 DEENSE AC 18, touc 15, flat-footed 14 (+3 armor, +3 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 size) p 82 (8 HD; 5d10+3d8+37) ort +8, Ref +7, Will +5; +2 vs. illusions, +1 vs. fear Defensive Abilities bravery +1, evasion, trap sense +1 OENSE Speed 20 ft. Melee +1 uman bane sort sword +12/+7 (1d4+5/19 20) Ranged mwk dagger +13 (1d3+2/19 20) Special Attacks sneak attack +2d6, weapon training (ligt blades +1) TACTICS During Combat Patc focuses er attacks on umans, if possible, flanking were se can to maximize er damage. Se prefers to figt wit Riaris Krine at er side, bot of tem focusing teir attacks on te same foe at once. Morale Patc figts to te deat. STATISTICS Str 12, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Ca 10 Base Atk +7; CMB +7; CMD 21 eats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Improved Iron Will, Iron Will, Tougness, Weapon ocus (sort sword), Weapon Specialization (sort sword) Skills Acrobatics +11, Bluff +11, Climb +9, Perception +11, Profession (sailor) +11, Stealt +16 Languages Common, Gnome SQ armor training 1, rogue talents (combat trick), trapfinding +1 Gear +1 leater armor, +1 uman bane sort sword, masterwork dagger, 554 gp Riaris Krine CR 7 XP 3,200 emale uman figter 8 NE Medium umanoid (uman)

40 SKULL & SackleS attacks, or to use te aid anoter action to bolster te AC of one of te significant NPCs in te battle. Morale Te Wormwood officers figt to te deat as long as Adelita lives tey surrender if brougt below 10 it points once se s dead. If all four of te significant NPCs above are slain, all remaining Wormwood officers immediately surrender. DEENSE AC 21, touc 13, flat-footed 18 (+8 armor, +2 Dex, +1 dodge) p 80 (8d10+32) ort +8, Ref +4, Will +5; +2 vs. fear Defensive Abilities bravery +2 OENSE Speed 15 ft. Melee +1 boarding pike +14/+9 (1d8+8/ 3) or mwk dagger +12/+7 (1d4+4/19 20) Ranged mwk dagger +11/+6 (1d4+3/19 20) Special Attacks weapon training (polearms +1) TACTICS During Combat Riaris uses er boarding pike s reac to attack foes being ounded by Patc Patcsalt, using Power Attack to gain a +6 bonus on damage rolls (at a cost of a 3 penalty to it) to furter er blows. Se keeps an eye on spellcasters, and attempts to maximize er Disruptive feet by catcing as many enemy spellcasters in er weapon s reac as possible. Morale Riaris figts to te deat. STATISTICS Str 16, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Ca 8 Base Atk +8; CMB +11; CMD 24 eats Disruptive, Dodge, Greater Weapon ocus (boarding pike), Iron Will, Lunge, Power Attack, Tougness, Vital Strike, Weapon ocus (boarding pike), Weapon Specialization (boarding pike) Skills Climb +13, Perception +9, Profession (sailor) +12 Languages Common SQ armor training 2 Combat Gear potions of cure serious wounds (2); Oter Gear +2 breastplate, +1 boarding pike, masterwork daggers (5), grappling ook, rope, peg leg Wormwood Officers (7) XP 1,200 eac CR 4 Pirate castaways (see page 23) p 51 eac TACTICS During Combat Te officers do teir best against te PCs, but teir true value in te battle is to eiter provide flanking opportunities for sneak Riaris Treasure: Harrigan s f leet carries very little plunder, te sips olds mostly empty save for supplies for teir crews. Noneteless, 5 points of plunder can be gatered from te Wormwood and te oter sips once te Battle of Empty Eyes is over. Development: Once te battle is over, te Wormwood and any non-sunken sips among te enemy f leet can serve as replacements, after repairs, for sips lost by te PCs. Likewise, captured crew members can be recruited wit te exception of te Wormwood s significant NPCs, none of te crew or captains of tese sips are loyal enoug to Harrigan tat tey would not jump at te cance to save teir lives by joining te PCs f leet. All of tese crew members, officers included, are ignorant of Harrigan s true allegiance to Celiax, even toug te majority of te sips in te f leet are of Celis make. Harrigan cose tese crews specifically because tey don t know of is true allegiance, so tat if any of tem are captured tey cannot implicate im. or all tey know, te sips are te spoils of Harrigan s increasingly successful piracy campaigns in te Celis sipping lanes. Even Adelita, if se survives, knows little about Harrigan s treacery. Any of te crew members can confirm tat te f leet itself consisted of te bulk of te vessels Harrigan ad at is disposal e fully expected is f leet to crus te PCs, and as suc trew all of is available vessels into te assault. Several oter sips are still out to sea pirating, sceduled to return in a few weeks, but until tat point, Harrigan is stuck in is fortress wit no way to escape and wit little in te surrounding waters to defend its arbor. In oter words, te time to strike back at im is now! Infamy: Award te PCs 1 point of Disrepute Krine and Infamy if tey manage to capture te Wormwood, as stories of teir longlasting conf lict against Harrigan ave long awaited an end like tis! 38

41 Te Price of Infamy Planning Revenge If te PCs capture any living pirates during te Battle of Empty Eyes, or if tey rescued te castaways from Dagon s Jaws, or if tey recovered te documents from te Devilis Ducess in area A5, tey can determine te location of Harrigan s fortress wit ease oterwise, a successful DC 20 Knowledge (local) ceck (or a DC 20 Diplomacy ceck to gater information in a town or city) is needed to learn were Harrigan s lair is. Te pirate s fortress and ome port is located on a small isle located about 36 miles west of te Smoker called Gannet Island. Captured crew members from Harrigan s f leet ave very little intelligence to offer about Gannet Island or Harrigan s fortress tey know tat a sea serpent guards te waters surrounding te isle, and can provide a basic map of te outline of te fortress, but of te pirates, only Adelita as actually been inside te fortress. If se survives and te PCs can make er talk, se can warn of te scrags Harrigan as recruited, and tat e seems to ave someting secretive going on in te fortress, but can reveal little more. Te greatest boon te PCs ave wile preparing teir assault on Gannet Island is Scags Rotgram s diary from te Devilis Ducess. A study of te last few pages of tis diary not only provides te PCs wit a relatively accurate map of te first f loor of Harrigan s fortress (you sould sketc out a version of areas D1 D10 for your players), but also reveals te following key bits of information. Harrigan keeps a pet witc a foul, long-tongued man wo keeps a trained sea serpent in te reef-maze surrounding te isle. Scags s notes indicate tat wen Harrigan and is sips come and go troug te treacerous reefs, tey bang large gongs and drop a fresly butcered bull or oter large animal over te side as an offering to te serpent. Te monster s been trained not to attack sips tat use tis ritual as tey pass troug te reefs. A sea cave exists under te island tat serves as an escape route. Te cave is exposed at low tide, but even at ig tide te tunnel tat leads up into te island would provide a stealty entrance, especially if a force were able to approac te island underwater and enter te cave at ig tide. Harrigan s personal quarters are on te castle s tird f loor an attack against Harrigan from above would certainly be te fastest route, but Scags notes tat suc a foolis tactic would leave te entire complement of guards on te f loors below available as reinforcements to aid Harrigan. Scags ad planned on working is way up troug te lower f loors wit several of is allies, oping to use Harrigan s cowardice and arrogance against im so tat wen te final confrontation occurred, tere would be no reinforcements left to protect te man. Numerous oter entries trougout te diary provide smaller tips on ow to infiltrate te castle, wit notes on guard patrols, blind spots, and te like. If te PCs take a few ours to study tese pages in te diary, tey gain a +4 bonus on all initiative cecks made inside te fortress. Gannet Island Reefs (CR 12) Gannet Island consists of a rocky outcropping surrounded by smaller soals and rocks tat make navigating difficult to tose unfamiliar to te territory. Past tese soals lies a small bay ample enoug arbor Harrigan s growing fleet altoug now, wit te bulk of is f leet likely residing on te sea bed near te Isle of Empty Eyes, tis arbor is empty. It requires five DC 35 Profession (sailor) ceck to navigate te treacerous reefs tat surround Gannet Island, wit eac failure dealing 8d8 points of damage to te sip as it strikes a reef. Access to Scags s journal and te arbor carts e copied witin its pages grants a +20 bonus on Profession (sailor) cecks made to avoid tese idden perils. Creature: As te PCs approac te island, weter on a sip or attempting a stealtier infiltration via an underwater approac, tey run te cance of attracting te attention of te sea serpent tat Gilbrok te Tongue as carmed into guarding te island. Te sea serpent automatically notices te approac of a sip, but is relatively easy to slip by if te PCs decide to approac te island using stealt witout a sip or boat. Wile te serpent is carmed, it remains a relatively unintelligent beast. It does know, owever, tat wen passing sips ring a gong and dump fres food into te waters tat it s not supposed to attack tose sips. Te sigt of te tremendous monster coiling up from te waters below to gulp down a cow in a single bite migt be frigtening, but as long as te PCs don t attack it, te serpent allows teir sip to pass by unmolested. Tose wo do not perform tis ritual, on te oter and, are swiftly attacked. Sea Serpent CR 12 XP 19,200 p 187 (Patfinder RPG Bestiary 244) TACTICS During Combat Te sea serpent attempts to capsize te sip several times, violently slamming into te ull wit carge attacks before disappearing beneat te waves. As long as te PCs are in a Colossal sip, tey ave no fear of actually being capsized, but te attacks sould noneteless be frigtening. Te sea serpent remains out of sigt for 1d6 rounds before returning to attack again. At tis time (or if te PCs manage to arm te monster before ten), it abandons attempts to capsize a sip and rears from te waters, attempting to knock crew members from te deck by tail slapping tem into te water were it can easily devour tem. Morale Te sea serpent figts to te deat. 39

42 Gannet Island eatures Te majority of Gannet Island is dense jungle te island itself is ome to insects and tousands of sea birds, but very little else. Te sores tis U-saped consist almost entirely of ragged 30-foot-ig cliffs, save for a small beac tat lies near te nortern sore inside te island s natural arbor. No pier exists travel to and from tis beac from sips must be made via sip s boats or te like. A stone staircase winds up from te beac toward te fortress itself, wic is perced on te cliff edge and cut off from te island via a 20-foot-deep troug tat f loods on te stormiest of days. A drawbridge tat leads to area D1 allows for easy foot traffic from te stairs to te fortress itself. Harrigan s soldiers keep sarp eyes to sea, and if tey see te approac of any sip tat looks obviously like anyting oter tan one of teir own, tey do not esitate to open fire wit te ligt ballistae located at areas D1, E1, and E2 against incoming sips (tere are five ligt ballistae in all). Te fortress alarm is also raised as soon as any enemy sip is sigted. Note tat as soon as te fortress knows te PCs are approacing, te witc Gilbrok (in area ) begins to cast control weater, altoug it ll take an our after tis first sigting for te weater to turn truly foul. During tis our, toug, make sure to keep reminding te PCs of te gatering storm clouds and rising winds. See area for more details. C. Sea Cave (CR 13) About 200 feet sout of te beac, nestled at te base of te cliffs at te innermost curve of te island s arbor, lies a sea cave. During ig tide (noon and midnigt at tis time of year), tis sea cave is entirely submerged, wile at low tide (dawn and dusk) a few feet of air exist near te cave s ceiling between waves. Spotting te cave from above water requires a DC 30 Perception ceck (tis ceck gains a +5 bonus at low tide), but it is automatically visible from underwater. Te curning water can be navigated wit DC 20 Swim cecks. Te cave is 20 feet ig from floor to ceiling. At te far end, te ceiling rises an additional 10 feet above sea level, at wic point a narrow tunnel winds up into te rock, traveling for several undred feet before opening into te pit in area D9a. Creature: Harrigan knows about tis alternative route into te fortress, but asn t botered to do muc about protecting it since te cave is not only ard to see, but is also te den of a dangerous creature a giant deep tiger sea anemone, a muc more aggressive creature tan most sea anemones, eiter normal or oversized. Wen it retracts its tentacles, a deep tiger anemone is very difficult to detect among te surrounding rocks, but wen it attacks, it unfolds undreds of wriggling orange-and-black tentacles surrounding a cavernous, tooty SKULL & SackleS eastern portion of te cave near te tunnel leading up to te fortress. Normally a denizen of deeper aquatic reaces, te ting enjoys te dark of te cave and feeds well on te constant flow of smaller fis and sea life tat gets wased into tis cave. Tat said, it certainly won t esitate to attack anyting tat comes witin reac of its tentacles! Deep Tiger Anemone CR 13 XP 25,600 Variant giant sea anemone (Patfinder RPG Bestiary 3 238) N Colossal vermin (aquatic) Init +2; Senses blindsigt 30 ft.; Perception +0 DEENSE AC 19, touc 4, flat-footed 17 (+2 Dex, +15 natural, 8 size) p 275 (19d8+190) ort +21, Ref +8, Will +6 Defensive Abilities amorpous; DR 15/slasing; Immune gaze attacks, mind-affecting effects, poison, vision-based effects OENSE Speed 10 ft. Melee tentacles +20 (8d6+21 plus grab and poison) Space 30 ft.; Reac 30 ft. Special Attacks fast swallow, poison, swallow wole (4d6+21 bludgeoning damage, AC 17, 27 p), water jet TACTICS During Combat Te deep tiger anemone lases out at all available targets, using its Wirlwind Attack feat to great effect. It only attempts to grab and eat one target per round. Morale Te deep tiger anemone figts to te deat, but does not pursue foes. STATISTICS Str 38, Dex 14, Con 30, Int, Wis 10, Ca 2 Base Atk +14; CMB +36 (+40 grapple); CMD 48 (can t be tripped) eats Wirlwind Attack B Skills Stealt +10; Racial Modifiers +24 Stealt SQ ancored, sigtless SPECIAL ABILITIES Poison (Ex) Tentacle injury; save ort DC 29; frequency 1/ round for 6 rounds; effect 1d6 Strengt drain and 1d6 Dexterity drain; cure 2 consecutive saves. Water Jet (Ex) Once every 1d4 rounds as a swift action, a deep tiger anemone can draw large quantities of surrounding water into its body and ten expel te water at ig pressure. It makes a single combat maneuver ceck against all creatures witin 30 feet tose wose CMD tis roll equals or exceeds are pused back to a maximum distance of 30 feet from te anemone. Tis forced movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Treasure: Te cave f loor around te anemone s base is littered wit bones and fragments of rusted, encrusted gear left ere over te years by unfortunates wo attempted to maw. Te immense predatory creature fills muc of explore te te cave only to fall to its guardian. Te majority 40

43 Te Price of Infamy of te treasure as wased out to sea, but a searc of te nooks and crannies of te rocks reveals 534 gp, 22 pp, a circlet of persuasion, a minor ring of fire resistance, and a wand of f ly (11 carges). D1. Sentry Tower (CR 12) Tis octagonal tower rises 30 feet into te air. A pair of ligt ballistae loom on te roof above, wile cains descend from te tower s eastern face to attac to a drawbridge tat spans a dry gulc. Te roof of tis tower can be accessed via a rope ladder tat angs down from te nort wall; te ladder is usually kept pulled up wile guards are on duty above. Te doors in tis tower are generally kept barred from te west side eac set of doors is of reinforced oak (ardness 5, p 40, Break DC 27). Creatures: A group of six smugglers occupies te sentry tower, keeping watc over te winding patway and te surrounding seas alike for te approac of enemies, weter in sips or on foot. If te smugglers spot anyting suspicious, tey quickly raise te alarm. Of te six smugglers, two crew te ligt ballistae on te roof above, wile te remaining four old te line inside te tower after tey raise up te drawbridge and lock it in place. Depending on ow long te PCs take to get ere, tey may well face additional forces in tis room (smugglers, cultists, and scrags) or te courtyard beyond (area D2) as you see fit. Smugglers (6) CR 7 XP 3,200 eac Human rogue (smuggler) 8 (Pirates of te Inner Sea 23) LE Medium umanoid (uman) Init +4; Senses Perception +11 DEENSE AC 20, touc 15, flat-footed 15 (+5 armor, +4 Dex, +1 dodge) p 63 eac (8d8+24) ort +5, Ref +11, Will +5 Defensive Abilities improved uncanny dodge OENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee +1 sort sword +11/+6 (1d6/19 20) Ranged mwk sortbow +11/+6 (1d6/19 20) or ligt ballista +11 (3d8/19 20) Special Attacks sneak attack +4d6 Rogue Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8t, concentration +9) 3/day detect magic 2/day disguise self (DC 12) TACTICS During Combat Te smugglers on te roof use te ballistae against intruders tey can t target foes in area D2, toug, so if te PCs move te figt down tere or into te floor below, tey abandon te siege engines to join ORTRESS DEENSES In addition to a few unique guardians and NPCs, tree different types of minions currently defend Harrigan s fortress. Wile te named NPCs and specific guardians are generally only encountered in te rooms tey re listed in (exceptions are noted in te text as tey occur), te tree types of minions listed below are more mobile, and sould te fortress alarm be raised, tey can quickly mobilize to come to its defense. See te Additional Support sidebar on page 35 and te To Arms! sidebar on page 43 for more details on additional defenders and ow te fortress rises to meet a treat. Cultists: Tere are six clerics of Norgorber in te fortress all loyal to teir ig priestess Luccaria (see area D10), erself a Celis agent and te primary point of contact between Harrigan and is Trune andlers. If te alarm is raised, two clerics remain in te srine (area D9) wit Luccaria to defend it wile te oters quickly move to intercept intruders and provide support to scrags and smugglers as needed. Scrags: our scrag barbarians dwell in te fortress in area D4. oul tempered at aving to remain out of water for so long, tese aquatic trolls remain loyal as a result of carm monster spells cast by Harrigan s witc-man, Gilbrok te Tongue. Tey quickly move to oppose any attempt to enter te fortress once te alarm is raised. Smugglers: Wit te bulk of Harrigan s personal crew and followers out wit is fleet, te pirate captain as retained a large number of Celis smugglers ere for is fortress s defense. Tese men and women are loyal Celaxians wo ave been ordered to serve as Harrigan s guards and to aid in covering up and smuggling Celis support and supplies to te traitor. Tere are a total of 15 smugglers in te fortress tey move quickly to engage te enemy once te alarm is raised. te figt. Smugglers in melee combat work togeter to surround foes and flank, relying on teir sortbows only wen tey can t reac a foe in melee. Morale Te smugglers are igly trained Celis agents tey figt to te deat. STATISTICS Str 8, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 10, Ca 14 Base Atk +6; CMB +5; CMD 20 eats Dodge, Iron Will, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (ligt ballista), Mobility, Tougness, Weapon inesse Skills Acrobatics +15, Bluff +13, Diplomacy +13, Disable Device +15, Disguise +13, Knowledge (engineering) +12, Perception +11, Sense Motive +11, Sleigt of Hand +19, Spellcraft +9, Stealt

44 SKULL & SackleS Gannet Island. Ḍ C E2a E2 E4 E1 G1 G2 G3 E3 E6 E5 1 square = 5 feet D7 D9 D6 D10 D9a D8 D2 D1 D3 D5 D4 Harrigan s ortress 1 square = 5 feet C 1 square = 15 feet 42

45 Te Price of Infamy Languages Common, Polyglot SQ rogue talents (bleeding attack +4, finesse rogue, major magic, minor magic), smuggler abilities (bribery, conceal item, distraction) Gear +2 studded leater, +1 sort sword, masterwork sortbow wit 20 arrows, cloak of resistance +1 SPECIAL ABILITIES Smuggler Abilities Tese smugglers gain a +2 bonus on Diplomacy cecks made to smuggle contraband troug a ceckpoint and a +4 bonus on Sleigt of Hand cecks. In addition, a smuggler can make a Bluff ceck opposed by a searcer s Perception ceck wen a searcer looks for items te smuggler as concealed if te smuggler makes tis ceck, te searcer must roll a second Perception ceck and take te worse of te two rolls as is actual result. Development: If te proper questions are asked of a smuggler prisoner (and e s made elpful), e could reveal te trut about Harrigan s alliance wit Celiax. Tis counts as aid tat could result in punisment, and tus increases te Diplomacy DC to earn tat information by +15, making it a DC 42 Diplomacy ceck to convince a ostile smuggler to come clean. D2. Outer Yard Tis weed-coked courtyard features little more tan a filty trail leading from te outer sentry tower to a sort tunnel tat passes troug te main wall of te fortress. If te alarm is raised, tis yard can serve as a marsaling area or a staging ground for defense. Oterwise, te area remains empty. D3. Lift Hard-packed eart covers te ground of tis courtyard. To te souteast, a wooden platform sits on te ground, nestled in te corner of te surrounding wall. A winc and crane nearby provides te mecanism to raise and lower te lift to te walkway twenty feet above. Te lift can be operated from ground level or te walkway above. A single person can operate te winc, but it takes a full minute for te slow-moving lift to make a complete journey. Te lift can support up to 1,500 pounds before collapsing. A successful DC 20 Climb ceck is required to scale te walls to te parapets above. D4. Scrag Pen (CR 12) Tis large room as a floor of ard-packed eart. Numerous open windows along te walls give te place a drafty feel, wile TO ARMS! Once te alarm is raised in Harrigan s fortress, te option to explore te castle at a leisurely pace vanises te denizens of te fortress quickly rise up to figt against te PCs, including te named NPCs. Only Gilbrok te Tongue (area ) doesn t immediately join te figt if e s still using is weater control ex to call up a storm. How you run tis battle depends on your preferences. Not only is it unfair to force te PCs to figt every one of te fortress s denizens at te same time, it s not particularly fun or realistic. Wen te alarm is raised, te rest of te fortress reacts in waves. Rater tan forcing te PCs to take on all of te fortress s defenders at once, simply ave new groups of defenders arrive as te previous wave is defeated. By trowing multiple CR encounters at te PCs, you ll wear down teir resources and force tem to figt smarter and use better tactics tan tey migt oterwise. eel free to ave significant NPCs sow up early in tis figt, but you sould save Harrigan for some point near te end of tis long, multi-wave figt. Consider aving Harrigan flee back to is bedroom (area G3) wit Gilbrok and peraps an erinyes or two once it looks like te PCs are about to win. Wit Harrigan barricaded in is room as e tries to recover, te PCs can take a bit of a breater before recovering to attack teir nemesis one final time. te ceiling above is supported by a network of rafters and wooden beams, all tick wit cobwebs. Creatures: Harrigan as kept scrags as guardians for is fortress for years, relying upon te magic of is pet witc Gilbrok to keep te aquatic trolls in line wit carm monster. Traditionally, Harrigan as used te scrags as guardians for is fortress s jail (area D5), but of late, wit so many of is regular guards out on te seas, e s relied more and more on te scrags to serve as primary guards. Tey ve been ordered to immediately move to aid battles if te alarm is raised. Scrag Savages (4) CR 8 XP 4,800 eac Scrag barbarian (sea reaver) 3 (Patfinder RPG Bestiary 268, Patfinder RPG Ultimate Combat 29) CE Large umanoid (aquatic, giant) Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., eyes of te storm*, low-ligt vision, scent; Perception +6 DEENSE AC 18, touc 11, flat-footed 14 (+4 Dex, +7 natural, 2 rage, 1 size) p 127 eac (9 HD; 6d8+3d12+81); regeneration 5 (acid or fire, wen in contact wit water) 43

46 SKULL & SackleS ort +17, Ref +7, Will +7 is released from a carm monster effect, it immediately realizes it s been tricked and flees into te ocean at once, abandoning its duties. OENSE Speed 25 ft., swim 40 ft. Melee mwk andaxe +14/+9 (1d8+9/ 3), mwk andaxe +14/+9 (1d8+9/ 3), bite +10 (1d8+4) or 2 claws +15 (1d6+9), bite +15 (1d8+9) Space 10 ft.; Reac 10 ft. Special Attacks rend (2 claws, 1d6+10), rage (15 rounds/day), rage powers (swift foot +5 feet) STATISTICS Str 29, Dex 18, Con 29, Int 6, Wis 11, Ca 4 Base Atk +7; CMB +17; CMD 29 eats Double Slice, Improved Two-Weapon igting, Intimidating Prowess, Iron Will, Two-Weapon igting Skills Acrobatics +5, Climb +16, Intimidate +12, Perception +6, Profession (sailor) +7, Survival +6, Swim +22 Languages Giant SQ ampibious, marine terror*, savage sailor* Gear masterwork andaxes (2), amulet of natural armor +2 * See Ultimate Combat. TACTICS During Combat Even toug teir regeneration doesn t work out of water, te scrags are rutless and aggressive in battle. Te scrags do more damage wit teir axes, but if a scrag consistently misses foes, it trows te axes aside in disgust to switc to biting and clawing. Morale Altoug te scrags are carmed, tis doesn t make tem foolardy. A scrag panics if brougt below 25 it points, and immediately attempts to flee te castle and into te ocean to activate its regeneration ability. If a scrag D5. Prison Te entrance to tis area is blocked by an iron-sod door eld fast wit a metal drop bar, cains, and two masterwork good locks (ardness 8, p 40, Break DC 28; Disable Device 35). Te key to te locks is carried by Jakaw Razorbeak, Harrigan s current master-at-arms and jailer (see area E3). Tis dark, filty camber as been split into five cells four small cramped ones to te nort and sout wit a larger cell to te west. Manacles ang from te walls, and te floor is strewn wit filty, moldering straw. Creatures: Tis room is were Harrigan keeps is favorite prisoners enemies e s captured or crew member wo tried to defy im and failed. Te current occupants of tis camber are two familiar faces from te PCs days on te Wormwood former sailing master Peppery Longfarting (CN female uman sorcerer 8) and exsip s surgeon Habbly Stitcman Quarne (N male uman figter 4/expert 3). Wen word reaced Harrigan of te loss of te Man s Promise during te PCs mutiny, is anger was staggering and te Wormwood s crew took te brunt of it. Some of tem managed to stay in is good graces, but a few crew members, suc as te two imprisoned ere, became te unfortunate targets of is wrat. Harrigan merely lopped off one of Habbly s feet and put out an eye wit a ot iron before trowing im into tis prison cell e got off easy, compared to Peppery Longfarting. Once a close friend of Harrigan, se miscalculated is loyalty wen se dared to suggest tat te PCs mutiny could be an object lesson for Scrag Savage 44

47 Te Price of Infamy Harrigan Maybe if you kept your officers on a sorter leas tey d inspire more loyalty among teir crews, se d said. Se s ad te monts since to regret tose words, for Harrigan cut off bot er ands, put out bot of er eyes, and cut out er tongue to teac er a lesson and ensure tat se could tell no one wat se knew of Harrigan s association wit Celiax. Se s still alive only because of er long friendsip wit Harrigan an ironic fate, peraps, since in er current state se s all but elpless. If oter significant crew members remained wit te Wormwood in your campaign, feel free to ave tem found ere in similar dire straits. Witout at least a few regenerate spells, none of te prisoners found ere can be of muc use in elping te PCs, but if tey can be communicated wit, you can use tem to fill te PCs in on wat Harrigan s been up to of late. However, te prisoners refuse to talk until tey ve been rescued and are far away from tis island or alternatively, until tey re sure Harrigan is dead. Story Award: If te PCs sow mercy to teir old enemies and rescue te prisoners, award te PCs 4,800 XP. D6. Torture Pit Te door to tis tower is carved wit lines of prayers to Norgorber. A successful DC 18 Knowledge (religion) ceck identifies te prayer as te Psalm of te Splintered Spine, an unoly psalm dedicated to te revelation of idden truts. Tis psalm inspired an entire sect of Norgorberites devoted entirely to te art of forcing individuals to reveal teir secrets troug te manipulation of bot mind and f les. Te door is of reinforced iron and is locked (ardness 8, p 40, Break DC 28, Disable Device DC 40). Te key can be found in area D9. Beyond te door, a narrow walkway encircles a wide stonelined pit just deep enoug to trap a uman. Mounted to te pit walls ang alf a dozen pairs of iron manacles, all spattered wit dried blood. Around te ledge, metal racks old a bizarre array of vicious-looking torture implements, including barbed wips, bone cisels, metal piercing spurs, flasks wit strange colored liquids, and coal-filled braziers. Creature: Te cultists of Norgorber use tis room to practice teir torture tecniques teir current victim lies tigtly bound in cains laced wit ooks in a coffin-saped cage in te pit below. As wit te prisoners in area D5, te PCs are likely to recognize te Wormwood s former quartermaster, Cut-Troat Grok (N female alf-orc figter 5), even witout er arms and legs or ears and nose (all of wic ave been expertly and surgically removed over te past several monts). Grok as long since fallen into insanity from te orror and pain of te torture, and te Norgorberites ave for te moment suspended teir work until tey can arrange to ave a greater restoration spell cast on er to restore er awareness. 28, Disable Device DC 30). 45 or now, Grok is lost in a permanent state of catatonia and must be cared for lest se die of tirst or starvation a task te torturers are disturbingly diligent about. Treasure: Items stored in tis room include a +2 wip, a masterwork scourge, 10 f lasks of acid, six branding irons, eigt masterwork manacles, a case of candles, a set of masterwork bone cisels wort 350 gp, a set of adamantine torture needles wort 500 gp, and a cabinet containing 15 potions of cure ligt wounds and a rusty metal funnel wit a strap tied to it so it can be affixed in place around a person s mout and ead. Development: As wit te prisoners in area D5, feel free to replace Grok wit anoter NPC te PCs may ave inadvertently befriended and left aboard te Wormwood. If te PCs can get troug to Grok by ealing er, se can, like te oter prisoners, inform te PCs about wat Harrigan s been up to. Story Award: If te PCs rescue Grok, award tem 4,800 XP. If tey cure er madness and restore er limbs and facial features wit regenerate spells, se immediately pledges er life to te PCs, effectively serving te party as a loyal minion or coort for as long as tey will ave er. D7. Tower Storeroom Witin tis tower ang several sanks of dried, salted meat, wile crates and oter selves old barrels of drinking water and oter food stores. Tere s enoug food and water stored ere for te occupants of te fortress to last for 2 weeks, toug in practice, te presence of so many clerics in te fortress (and ence access to spells like create water, purify food and drink, and create food and water) means tat tey can last a lot longer tan tat. Stairs ere lead up to te watcpost at area E2. D8. Entrance Hall Over a dozen battle-scared flags decorate te walls of tis room. A fligt of stairs to te east leads up to an upper floor, wile a strange sigil of a faceless black mask marks a door at te nort end of te room. Te f lags on te walls are various tropies claimed by Harrigan over te years nearly two-tirds of tem are from Celis vessels. Te sigil on te nortern door can be identified as a symbol of Norgorber (specifically, in is aspect as te Reaper of Reputation, patron of secrets) wit a successful DC 12 Knowledge (religion) ceck. Te stairs lead up to area E3. If te alarm is raised, te soutern iron and oaken door is double barred from inside (ardness 5, p 30, Break DC

48 D9. Srine of Norgorber (CR 13) Te walls of tis long all are lined wit complex tapestries depicting crowds of faceless people going about teir daily tasks in an unrecognizable but sprawling city. Hammocks suspended from ooks driven into te ceiling ang near te nort walls to te east and west, wile in te center, te long all opens to te nort into an upraised pulpit featuring a circular black altar stone. Directly opposite tis pulpit, a railing replaces te soutern wall, wic looks out over a large sinkole in te floor to te sout. Wile Harrigan imself isn t a very religious man, e understands te value of aving clerical allies. He s long kept secrets (is allegiance to Celiax merely being is greatest secret), and as found tis plus is pencant for taking wat e wants to matc well wit te dogma of Norgorber. But wen Celiax sent down a secretive group of Norgorber cultists, ostensibly to serve as allies and agents, Harrigan was rigt to suspect more. In fact, tese cultists are ere as muc to keep an eye on Harrigan as tey are to provide support. Te srine itself is a relatively mundane affair, altoug it does bear an unallow effect (CL 12t) tat fills all of area D9, D9a, and D10 wit its effects. Tis unallow also carries a silence effect tat targets all non-worsipers of Norgorber. Te railing to te sout looks out over a large room wose f loor as fallen away into a large sinkole (area D9a). It s a 10-foot drop to te sinkole, wic opens into a large cavern below tat is filled wit water. Te tunnel from area C leads to tis cavern climbing up troug te ole in te cave roof (wic is about 5 feet from te surface of te water) requires a successful DC 25 Climb ceck. Creatures: our of te Norgorber cultists are present in te srine, all followers of a woman named Luccaria (see area D10). All of tem follow strict rules and interpretations of te Reaper of Reputation s oly texts, and are muc more rigid and pedantic in teir readings. Wile tey work well togeter, teir metods would certainly amuse or even annoy most oter worsipers of Norgorber. An additional treat lies in te cavern below te sinkole an enormous spiny eurypterid (also known as a spiny water scorpion) dwells in te water. Captain Harrigan considers te eurypterid a pet, and calls it by te name Mr. Clack. Harrigan keeps te ting fed (including wit body parts or entire bodies from is enemies) and it remains ere as a guardian of te back way into te fortress. Norgorber Cultists (4) CR 6 XP 2,400 eac emale uman cleric of Norgorber 7 LE Medium umanoid (uman) Init +1; Senses Perception +4 DEENSE AC 20, touc 11, flat-footed 19 (+7 armor, +1 Dex, +2 sield) SKULL & SackleS p 63 eac (7d8+28) ort +9, Ref +3, Will +9 OENSE Speed 20 ft. Melee +1 sort sword +7 (1d6+1/19 20) Special Attacks cannel negative energy 4/day (DC 14, 4d6) Domain Spell-Like Abilities (CL 7t; concentration +11) 7/day copycat (7 rounds), touc of evil (3 rounds) Spells Prepared (CL 7t; concentration +11) 4t confusion D (DC 18), cure critical wounds, poison (DC 18) 3rd bestow curse (DC 17), cure serious wounds, dispel magic, magic circle against good D 2nd cure moderate wounds (2), deat knell (DC 16), invisibility D, silence (DC 16) 1st bane (DC 15), cure ligt wounds (2), disguise self D (DC 15), divine favor, sanctuary (DC 15) 0 (at will) bleed (DC 14), guidance, read magic, stabilize D Domain spell; Domains Evil, Trickery TACTICS During Combat Te cultists prefer playing support roles, anging back in a battle wit sanctuary or invisibility spells in effect so tey can move to and fro casting ealing spells on tose better suited for combat. If directly confronted, tey rely eavily upon teir ability to cannel negative energy and confusion spells. Morale Te cultists are fanatic and figt to te deat. STATISTICS Str 10, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 18, Ca 13 Base Atk +5; CMB +5; CMD 16 eats Combat Casting, Great ortitude, Selective Canneling, Tougness, Weapon ocus (sort sword) Skills Heal +10, Knowledge (arcana) +4, Knowledge (religion) +6, Profession (torturer) +9, Sense Motive +10 Languages Common Combat Gear potions of cure moderate wounds (2), potions of invisibility (2); Oter Gear +1 cainmail, +1 ligt wooden sield, +1 sort sword, spell component pouc, silver unoly symbol of Norgorber wort 25 gp Mr. Clack CR 12 XP 19,200 Advanced spiny eurypterid (Patfinder #37 78) N Huge vermin (aquatic) Init +6; Senses low-ligt vision, tremorsense 30 ft.; Perception +3 DEENSE AC 27, touc 10, flat-footed 25 (+2 Dex, +17 natural, 2 size) p 184 (16d8+112) ort +17, Ref +7, Will +8 Defensive Abilities spiny carapace; Immune mind-affecting effects OENSE Speed 10 ft., swim 40 ft. Melee 2 claws +20 (2d6+10/19 20), sting +20 (1d6+10 plus poison) 46

49 Te Price of Infamy Space 15 ft.; Reac 15 ft. (20 ft. wit sting) Special Attacks rend (2 claws, 2d6+15) TACTICS During Combat Mr. Clack attacks anyone it notices approacing its den. Note tat anyone wo climbs down into te sinkole (or, for tat matter, bumps te edge of te railing) is in reac of te eurypterid s sting attack. Wit its tremorsense, Mr. Clack can las out troug te ole at anyone in or adjacent to area D9a. Morale Mr. Clack is too big to pursue foes out of it den. It figts to te deat. STATISTICS Str 30, Dex 14, Con 24, Int, Wis 17, Ca 6 Base Atk +12; CMB +24; CMD 36 (48 vs. trip) eats Improved Critical (claws) B, Improved Initiative B, Improved Natural Attack (claws) B Skills Swim +18 SQ ampibious SPECIAL ABILITIES Poison (Ex) Sting injury; save ort DC 25; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d4 Con and 1d2 Dex; cure 2 consecutive saves. Spiny Carapace (Ex) Any creature tat attacks Mr. Clack wit a ligt weapon, unarmed strike, or natural attack takes 1d6 points of piercing damage from te eurypterid s spiny carapace. A creature tat grapples or is grappled by Mr. Clack takes 2d6 points of piercing damage per round te grapple is maintained. Treasure: A small nice on te nort side of te altar contains a few objects of interest: two blocks of incense of meditation, two scrolls of restoration, and an iron key to te door to area D6. D10. Mistress of Revelations (CR 12) Along one wall of tis elegantly appointed room, selves old a collection of ominous looking tomes. Near te self rests a bed wit black silk seets. A uge red-and-black banner depicting a spiked cross in a circle angs above te bed. Along te far wall stands a stone masked-saped font, filled wit a dark liquid. A successful DC 10 Knowledge (local) or Knowledge (nobility) ceck identifies te banner as tat of te House of Trune and te nation of Celiax. Te tomes consist mostly of religious works dedicated to Norgorber, but several focus on Celis istory and genealogy instead. Te strange font on te far wall is filled wit 10 doses of unoly water. Sacred to Norgorber, tis magical font also allows for communication wit Trune agents far to te nort (see Development, below). Creatures: Te ig priestess of te Norgorber cultists, and te primary point of contact between Harrigan and Luccaria. Se s occupied tis camber since Harrigan s return from is capture, wen se replaced te previous cleric of Norgorber Harrigan kept. Luccaria is a muc more powerful priestess, and Harrigan as left er to er own devices as a result. Luccaria spends te majority of er time scrying upon various people of interest to er Harrigan, low-ranking agents of te Hurricane King, even some of te PCs followers. Se takes care not to ever directly scry tose wom se is interested in, knowing tat suc actions could reveal er interest. It s up to you to determine ow muc se knows about te PCs, but if tey possess any secrets, feel free to ave Luccaria reveal some of tem before te oter players after all, se also as access to spells like commune and divination in order to learn more! Luccaria prefers to appear dressed in formal black gowns, wen in fact even er cloting as secrets it is in fact a magical glamered cain sirt. Se is attended at all times by two cultists of Norgorber loyal followers wo do teir best to protect er. Luccaria CR 11 XP 12,800 emale uman cleric of Norgorber 12 NE Medium umanoid (uman) Init +3; Senses Perception +4 DEENSE AC 25, touc 17, flat-footed 22 (+7 armor, +4 deflection, +3 Dex, +1 sield) p 117 (12d8+60) ort +11, Ref +7, Will +12 OENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee +3 grayflame sort sword +14/+9 (1d6+3/19 20), +3 sort sword +14/+9 (1d6+3/19 20) Special Attacks cannel negative energy 5/day (DC 18, 6d6) Domain Spell-Like Abilities (CL 12t; concentration +16) At will carming smile (12 rounds, DC 16), master s illusion (12 rounds/day) 7/day copycat (12 rounds), dazing touc Spells Prepared (CL 12t; concentration +16) 6t blade barrier (DC 20), eal, mislead D (DC 20) 5t carm monster D (DC 19), quickened divine migt, flame strike (DC 19), quickened sield of fait 4t air walk, eroism D, greater magic weapon (2), spell immunity 3rd bestow curse (DC 17), cure serious wounds, contagion (DC 17), dispel magic, magic vestment, suggestion D (DC 17) 2nd bear s endurance, cure moderate wounds (2), deat knell (DC 16), old person (DC 16), invisibility D 1st carm person D (DC 15), cure ligt wounds (3), deatwatc, obscuring mist 0 (at will) bleed (DC 14), guidance, read magic, stabilize is Celis mistress Druvalia Trune, is a woman named D Domain spell; Domains Carm, Trickery 47

50 TACTICS Before Combat Luccaria casts greater magic weapon on er swords and magic vestment on er armor. As soon as se ears er cultists in area D9 souting, se casts air walk, bear s endurance, and invisibility on erself. Se also casts spell immunity, coosing spells se knows te PCs favor. During Combat Once combat starts in area D9, and once se is invisible, Luccaria sends er two attendant cultists into area D9 as well to join te figt. Se follows, casting quickened sield of fait and eroism as se enters te room. If te opportunity presents itself, se casts blade barrier to block escape routes. Once se s visible, Luccaria casts er ranged attack spells. If se s engaged in melee se casts quickened divine migt before attacking, ten cannels negative energy as a swift action te following round to activate er grayflame sort sword (wic increases te weapon s enancement bonus by +1 and deals +1d6 points of damage for 6 rounds). Luccaria casts eal on erself if se ever drops below 40 it points. Morale If dropped below 15 it points, Luccaria casts mislead and attempts to escape to Harrigan s side (in area G3) to inform im of te PCs and to aid im in combat. Se does not abandon Harrigan as long as e lives, but if e is slain, se attempts to flee te Sackles entirely. STATISTICS Str 10, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 19, Ca 14 Base Atk +9; CMB +9; CMD 26 eats Combat Casting, Quicken Spell, Tougness, Two-Weapon Defense, Two-Weapon igting, Weapon inesse, Weapon ocus (sort sword) Skills Diplomacy +9, Heal +11, Intimidate +6, Knowledge (religion) +6, Profession (torturer) +11, Sense Motive +11 Languages Common Combat Gear wand of cure serious wounds (14 carges), unoly water (2); Oter Gear +1 glamered cain sirt, +1 grayflame* sort sword, masterwork sort sword, eadband of inspired wisdom +2, ring of mind sielding, spell component pouc, silver unoly symbol of Norgorber wort 25 gp * See te Advanced Player s Guide. Norgorber Cultists (2) CR 6 XP 2,400 eac p 63 eac (see page 46) SKULL & SackleS Luccaria 48 Treasure: Te books kept ere range from te mundane to te truly rare: 10 of te tomes ere are particularly scarce editions wort 200 gp eac. Development: or a cultist of Norgorber, Luccaria keeps very few pysical valuables se values er secrets muc more tan wealt. Te most valuable object in te room is er scrying font for wen it is filled wit oly or unoly water, it allows er to establis a two-way communication link wit a second font located in te captain s cabin of Abrogail s ury, te flagsip of te Celis armada under Admiral Druvalia Trune s command. If te PCs interact wit te font in any way, including simply toucing te font or examining it wit detect magic (it radiates strong divination), Druvalia notices and activates te font from er end. Tis causes te water in te font to rise up and form a miniature version of te woman at te same time, an image of wicever PC activated te font appears in te oter one aboard te Abrogail s ury. Admiral Trune looks surprised for a moment, but quickly recovers wit a self-assured smile. Se ten delivers te following message to te PCs (a message tat te PCs can interrupt at any moment by emptying te font or tipping it over if tey wis). So you must be one of Harrigan s pests. I ve been curious about you! Hopefully, wen we next meet, you will ave a cange of eart. Submit to Trune, and peraps we may bargain my tralls are well kept, after all. Peraps you would enjoy a magistrate s position witin our new colony? I suppose by te time you ve finised wit Harrigan, e won t be needing it. A same, really... e was suc a good puppet. If your pride prevents you from bending te knee to me, no matter. Tere are plenty among te ree Captains wo will gladly serve us once Bonefist falls and te Sackles break beneat my armada. In any event, I ll see you soon, so be sure to ave an answer for me. Druvalia punctuates er final sentence by blowing a kiss, after wic er image quickly winks out. As it does, se destroys er font, causing te font ere to explode, sending stone and metal srapnel out in a 5-foot-radius burst tat deals 3d6 points of slasing damage (DC 15 Ref lex alf ) to anyone in tis area.

51 Te Price of Infamy E1. ortress Battlements (CR 11) Wide parapets atop te fortress walls allow guards to walk its perimeter. Te battlements provide partial cover against foes on te ground below. Te drop from te parapets to te ground is 20 feet. A single ligt ballista sits at te location marked E1 on te map. Creatures: A group of four smugglers patrols te parapets at all times. As soon as tey spot intruders, tey raise te alarm and attack wit ranged weapons (including te ballista ere), or move to engage in melee if te PCs ave managed to gain te parapet walls witout being noticed. Smugglers (4) CR 7 XP 3,200 eac p 63 eac (see page 41) E2. Watcpost (CR 9) A few empty crates provide makesift furniture in tis room. A trap door accessible via a rope ladder sits in te ceiling above, wile a fligt of stairs winds down to te nortwest. Te trap door above leads to te roof of te tower (area E2a), atop wic sit a pair of ligt ballistae. Te stairs lead down to te tower storeroom (area D7). Creatures: A pair of smugglers is stationed on te roof above. Tey keep te trap door open so tey can descend as needed once foes move out of easy range of te two ballistae. Smugglers (2) CR 7 XP 3,200 eac p 63 eac (see page 41) E3. Barracks (CR 12) A total of eigt bunk beds, along wit a few foot lockers, furnis tis room. A fligt of stairs leads down to te east. Te stairs lead down to area D8. Creatures: Originally a barracks for Harrigan s guards and some of is officers, tis room now serves as a barracks for te Celis smugglers. Only one of te denizens of tis room remains Harrigan s man a tengu named Jakaw Razorbeak. Harrigan recruited Jakaw to serve as is master-at-arms after e lost Master Scourge, but kept Jakaw back from te f leet, reasoning tat e needed at least a few people at is side wom e could trust to be loyal to im first and Celiax second. Harrigan placed Jakaw in command of te smugglers, but Jakaw knows tat te smugglers answer first to Celiax. Te tengu doesn t trust te smugglers all tat well as a result, but admires Harrigan bot for is brutality and for te Jakaw Razorbeak CR 10 XP 9,600 Male tengu ranger 11 (Patfinder RPG Bestiary 263) NE Medium umanoid (tengu) Init +3; Senses low-ligt vision; Perception +16 DEENSE AC 25, touc 15, flat-footed 21 (+6 armor, +1 deflection, +3 Dex, +1 dodge, +3 natural, +1 sield) p 120 (11d10+55) ort +10, Ref +10, Will +5 Defensive Abilities evasion OENSE Speed 40 ft. Melee +1 scimitar +15/+10/+5 (1d6+5/18 20), +1 kukri +15/+10/+5 (1d4+5/18 20), bite +12 (1d3+4) Ranged mwk sortbow +15/+10/+5 (1d6/ 3) Special Attacks favored enemy (aquatic umanoids +2, elves +2, umans +6) Ranger Spells Prepared (CL 8t; concentration +10) 3rd greater magic fang 2nd barkskin, bear s endurance 1st carm animal (DC 13), longstrider, resist energy TACTICS Before Combat Jakaw casts barkskin, bear s endurance, greater magic fang, and longstrider if te alarm is raised. During Combat Jakaw uses is unter s bond to grant bonuses to te smugglers in te area on te first round of combat, wile declaring te tougest-looking uman enemy as is quarry. If te alarm is raised, Jakaw can establis one of te PCs as is quarry early by watcing tem from afar if e gets te cance. Jakaw leaps into battle wit a cackle once e s establised quarry and granted is companions is unter s bond, focusing is attacks on is quarry before moving on to oter umans or elves if possible. Morale If reduced to fewer tan 40 it points, Jakaw attempts to retreat to Harrigan s side (area G3) to report is failure and ten elp protect is captain. He figts to te deat oterwise. STATISTICS Str 18, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 14, Ca 8 Base Atk +11; CMB +15; CMD 30 eats Dodge, Double Slice, Endurance, Improved Natural Attack (bite), Improved Two-Weapon igting, Tougness, Two-Weapon Defense, Two-Weapon igting, Weapon ocus (scimitar), Weapon ocus (kukri) Skills Acrobatics +13, Bluff +10, Intimidate +13, Linguistics +6, Perception +16, Profession (sailor) +16, Stealt +18 Languages Aquan, Common, Elven, Osiriani, Polyglot, Tengu SQ favored terrain (urban +2, water +4), gifted linguist, unter s bond (companions), quarry, swift tracker, swordtrained, track +5, wild empaty +10, woodland stride Gear +2 cain sirt, +1 kukri, +1 scimitar, belt of giant strengt +2, simple fact tat Harrigan never treats Jakaw as a mascot. ring of protection +1, keys to areas D5 and E5, 78 gp 49

52 SKULL & SackleS Smugglers (3) CR 7 XP 3,200 eac p 63 eac (see page 41) Treasure: Tere are eigt footlockers in tis room, eac containing a small stas of assorted coins, gems, and jewelry wort 500 gp. E4. Office Tis small room contains a single wooden table wit a few cairs around it. A sort stack of papers is pinned to te table wit a bejeweled dagger. Stairs lead up from tis camber to area above. Treasure: Harrigan and oters meet in tis office to plan raids or oter senanigans. Te papers tacked to te desk include all te plans for assaulting te PCs fortress. Te dagger is a masterwork dagger fitted wit garnets and ametysts, wort 800 gp. E5. Wareouse (CR 12) Te doors leading into tis area are kept locked. Jakaw Razorbeak (area E3) and Harrigan (area G3) bot carry keys to unlock te iron doors (ardness 10, p 60, Break DC 28, Disable Device DC 40). Numerous crates, boxes, barrels, and cests lie scattered about tis large room, interspersed among sails, timber, figureeads, bolts of clot, ballista bolts, and oter various forms of plunder. Two staircases along te sout wall climb to te fortress s tird f loor. Te western stairs lead to area G1, wile te eastern steps lead to te allway between areas G2 and G3. Creature: Tis room is off-limits to most of te fortress s denizens, and Harrigan tus employs a different guardian ere a dergodaemon called in and bound ere at great expense using a scroll of greater planar ally and a scroll of binding, cast courtesy of is current first mate, Adelita Doloruso. Te dergodaemon is under orders to attack and kill anyone wo enters te room tat it doesn t recognize as an ally of Harrigan s. Te daemon communicates telepatically wit Harrigan if it attacks, warning im of intruders. Dergodaemon CR 12 XP 19,200 p 161 (Patfinder RPG Bestiary 2 66) Treasure: Te goods stored in te crates in tis room are wort 12 points of plunder. Jakaw Razorbeak E6. Treasury (CR 13) Te stout iron door to tis room is kept locked at all times (ardness 10, p 60, Break DC 28, Disable Device DC 40). Harrigan as te only key. Tose witout te key must force te door or pick te lock, but doing so activates a trap on te door. Trap: If te door to tis treasury is opened witout key, or if it s merely jostled rougly (as in an attempt to break te door down), six poisoned spikes jut up out of te walls and f loor, all pointing inward to impale te target. 50

53 Te Price of Infamy Poison Spikes CR 13 XP 25,600 Type mecanical; Perception DC 35; Disable Device DC 35 EECTS Trigger touc; Reset automatic Effect Atk +20 melee (4d8+16 plus deatblade poison) Treasure: Harrigan s treasury is somewat sparse at tis point, despite te fact tat, according to rumor, e s been looting countless Celis sips. In fact, Harrigan s ad to use most of is significant treasure to pay to is Trune andlers, to build is f leet and secure te loyalty of is new crews, and in is pursuit of te PCs. As a result, most of te cests in tis room lie empty, but enoug coins, jewelry, and te like remain for a total aul of 6,500 gp.. Te Tongue (CR 12) Tis ligtly furnised room contains little more tan a modest sleeping pallet, a writing desk and cair, and a tin candleolder wit a drippy candle stub. Near te foot of te pallet rests a small sea cest filled wit various old, worn burlap robes. Ligt enters from a pair of window slits cut into te curved outer wall. To te east, a fligt of stairs descends to a lower level. Te stairs lead down to area E4. Creature: Tis drafty room is te ome of one of Harrigan s own retainers is pet witc, Gilbrok te Tongue. So called for is unusually protuberant and rater ideous tongue, Gilbrok te Tongue as long served Harrigan, even before te pirate captain s capture by Celiax. Alone among Harrigan s crew, Gilbrok as never served aboard one of Harrigan s sips, instead remaining ere as a defender of te fortress. Te old witc and is filty, mangy monkey familiar Maka-ruku are someting of an institution on te isle. Gilbrok considers imself Harrigan s man viewing imself almost as a lifelong slave after Harrigan rescued im from a particularly ideous fate at te ands of a tribe of Kuru cannibals many years ago. Gilbrok lives simply. His small writing table is rimmed wit waxy candle stumps tat surround piles of weatered tomes mostly obscure istories, almanacs, tide readings, calendars, and weater logs, along wit lunar, solar, and star carts. Gilbrok spends most of is time alone in is quarters, and for te first our of te PC s invasion of Gannet Island, tat remains te case as e capers and Gilbrok te Tongue is weater control ex. At te culmination of tis our, assuming te PCs do not reac im in te meantime to interrupt te ex, te weater in a 2-mile-radius surrounding te island becomes a powerful windstorm (Core Rulebook ) for 4d12 ours. Gilbrok te Tongue CR 12 XP 19,200 Male old uman witc 13 (Advanced Player s Guide 65) NE Medium umanoid (uman) Init +0; Senses Perception +15 DEENSE AC 10, touc 10, flat-footed 10 p 74 (13d6+26) ort +6, Ref +4, Will +12 OENSE Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft. (good) Melee mwk quarterstaff +5/+0 (1d6 2) Special Attacks exes (agony [13 rounds], bligt [130 feet], carm [2 steps, 6 rounds], evil eye [ 4, 9 rounds], ealing [cure moderate], misfortune [2 rounds], weater control) Witc Spells Prepared (CL 13t; concentration +19) 7t eal 6t cone of cold (DC 22), fles to stone (DC 22), mass suggestion (DC 22) 5t baleful polymorp (DC 21), dominate person (DC 21), geyser* (DC 21), overland fligt 4t black tentacles, control water, carm monster (DC 20), dimension door, pantasmal killer (DC 20) 3rd bestow curse (DC 19), dispel magic, ligtning bolt (DC 19), suggestion (DC 19), vampiric touc 2nd blindness/deafness (DC 18), detect tougts (DC 18), fog cloud, glitterdust (DC 18), old person (DC 18), pox pustules* (DC 18) 1st burning ands (DC 17), command (DC 17), cure ligt wounds (2), ill omen*, ray of enfeeblement (DC 17) 0 (at will) bleed (DC 16), dancing ligts, message, stabilize Patron water * See te Advanced Player s Guide. TACTICS Before Combat Gilbrok casts overland fligt on imself every day. During Combat Once Gilbrok finises is weater control ex, or once e s confronted in combat, e uses a dose of dust of disappearance at once e knows e s close to elpless in direct melee combat, and relies upon te greater invisibility afforded by te dust to survive, using fligt to stay mobile and cange position eac round wile e arries foes wit is ranged attacks. Eac time is dust wears out, e uses a new dose to maintain invisibility. dances wit is monkey to call up a powerful storm wit Morale If reduced to fewer tan 30 it points or if is 51

54 SKULL & SackleS invisibility tactics aren t working (or if e runs out of dust of disappearance), Gilbrok flees to Harrigan s side in area G3 to cower beind im for protection. He won t surrender or flee at tis point, but if Harrigan is slain, e immediately surrenders and begs te PCs for mercy, promising to serve tem well if tey spare is miserable life. STATISTICS Str 7, Dex 10, Con 11, Int 22, Wis 14, Ca 10 Base Atk +6; CMB +4; CMD 16 eats Arcane Strike, Combat Casting, Escew Materials, Great ortitude, Improved Great ortitude, Iron Will, Skill ocus (Spellcraft), Tougness Skills Craft (alcemy) +22, ly +26, Handle Animal +13, Knowledge (arcana) +22, Knowledge (nature) +22, Perception +15, Spellcraft +28, Survival +15, Swim +11 Languages Aklo, Aquan, Boggard, Common, Cyclops, Osiriani, Polyglot SQ witc s familiar (monkey named Maka-ruku) Combat Gear dust of disappearance (4 doses), potions of cure moderate wounds (3), potion of gaseous form, wand of cure moderate wounds (24 carges); Oter Gear masterwork quarterstaff, necklace of adaptation G1. Guard Room (CR 11) Creatures: As part of its commitment to support Harrigan, House Trune used some of its vast resources to assign four erinyes devils to im to serve as bodyguards. Te erinyes are dreadfully bored wit tis duty, but serve witout complaint, for in fact tey are ere to keep an eye on Harrigan for Admiral Druvalia Trune. Once se s arrived and te Sackles are under Celis control, te erinyes ave been promised Harrigan and is remaining loyal crew as sacrifices to take back to Hell. Of te four erinyes, two are always located in tis room, standing by until Harrigan calls for teir aid. A tird patrols te allway to te nort, wile te fourt is stationed as a stoic guardian in te war room (area G2). As soon as any one of tem spots foes, toug, se telepatically alerts te oters. Erinyes Devils (3) CR 8 XP 4,800 eac p 94 eac (Patfinder RPG Bestiary 75) G2. War Room (CR 8) Tis room is decorated wit tropies (mostly flags and figureeads) taken from a wide variety of sips. A round table surrounded by cairs sits in te room s center. te Inner Sea region and beyond but tere is no incriminating evidence ere of Harrigan s alliance wit Celiax. Te cupboard is in fact a closed bar stocked wit crystal decanters and a wide selection of brandies and rums. Creature: One of te four erinyes devils guards tis room. Se remains in telepatic contact wit er sisters elsewere on tis f loor at all times. Erinyes Devil CR 8 XP 4,800 p 94 (Patfinder RPG Bestiary 75) Treasure: Te six crystal decanters in te bar are wort 250 gp eac, but te collection of fine alcool is muc more valuable. In all, tere are two dozen unopened bottles, eac wort 500 gp. G3. Harrigan s Bedroom (CR 15) Tis moderately sized room is furnised wit a dresser and some selves. A uge four-poster bed occupies te soutern end of te room, wile bookselves along te walls old a few dust-covered leater journals, strange coral-encrusted skulls, sips in bottles, nameplates from sips, and oter nauticaltemed treasures and tropies. Creature: Tis room is were Captain Barnabas Harrigan as been spending muc of is time of late wit te Celis invasion of te Sackles looming on te orizon and is own f leet at sea attacking te PCs, Harrigan as been particularly stressed of late, and as found relief in is fine rum and long, drunken slumber. Wen te alarm is raised, e wakes quickly, but is fatigued at least until e downs one of te potions of lesser restoration in is nigtstand. How quickly Harrigan prepares for battle is left to you. If te PCs manage to confront im ere witout raising te alarm, Harrigan fell asleep on is bed fully equipped after a drunken binge. If te alarm is raised elsewere, ten te amount of time Harrigan takes to prepare to join te battle sould be a variable amount so tat is appearance on te field of battle is dramatic as possible after te PCs ave already cut teir way troug several waves of cultists, smugglers, scrags, and pirates. Captain Barnabas Harrigan CR 15 XP 51,200 p 204 (see page 58) Harrigan uses tis room as a study as well as to ost private conferences. Open boxes old rolls of carts, Treasure: Wile most of te tropies on te selves are of sentimental value only to Harrigan, five of te objects blank cart paper, and pirate maps of seas trougout are in fact valuable treasures. Tese valuable prizes are a 52

55 Te Price of Infamy skyrocket crossbow (see page 61), a rod of splendor incorporated into a arness for use as a peg leg, a mitral masterwork cutlass wit a gem-studded ivory ilt wort 7,000 gp, a darkwood sip s weel bearing carvings of wrestling sauagin and mermaids wort 4,500 gp, and a skull wit a jaw full of gold teet, eac carved wit a different demonic rune tis is te skull of a notorious pirate named Wretced Baxus wose fate as, until now, remained unknown. Te skull is wort 2,500 gp. In addition, a drawer in Harrigan s nigtstand contains six potions of lesser restoration, tree potions of remove disease, and a potion of cure serious wounds. Concluding te Adventure After defeating Harrigan, a searc sould soon reveal te bag of olding e keeps in is glove of storing and inside tat bag, all te evidence te PCs need to not only prove tat Harrigan was te traitor Tessa airwind was seeking, but also all te intelligence tey need to locate te approacing details on a secret entrance to ort Hazard created (and subsequently forgotten) by a previous Hurricane King Harrigan s notes indicate e plans to escort te Celis admiral and several of er more powerful captains into tis tunnel to finis off Kerdak Bonefist once Port Peril is taken. Of particular note to te PCs is te timetable on one of tese documents, for if tis cart is to be believed, te Celis armada is not far from launcing its assault on te Sackles! Tere sould be just enoug time for te PCs to travel to Port Peril and call for an emergency meeting of te Pirate Council if te oter pirate lords act quickly, tey can organize teir combined f leets into an armada tat can meet te Celis f leet just nort of te Sackles. Unfortunately for te PCs and te Sackles, Hurricane King Kerdak Bonefist is a more stubborn and arrogant leader tan anyting else, and as te final adventure in te Skull & Sackles Adventure Pat begins, te PCs soon find temselves at te vanguard of te Sackles defense, wit only tem and wat allies tey can gater standing Celis armada. Also included among te papers between are Celiax and teir omeland! 53

56 SKULL & SackleS Adelita Doloruso Wile Adelita serves as first mate to Barnabas Harrigan, er alliance is merely one of temporary convenience. Only a fool would fail to recognize er true ambition to become a ree Captain in er own rigt. Adelita Doloruso CR 12 XP 19,200 emale uman evoker 13 NE Medium umanoid (uman) Init +6; Senses Perception +14 DEENSE AC 23, touc 15, flat-footed 20 (+4 armor, +2 deflection, +2 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 sield) p 126 (13d6+78) ort +12, Ref +10, Will +11 OENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee wizard ook +6/+1 (1d4) Ranged mwk silver dagger +9 (1d4 1/19 20) Special Attacks intense spells (+6 damage) Arcane Scool Spell-Like Abilities (CL 13t; concentration +17) At will elemental wall (13 rounds/day) 7/day force missile (1d4+6) Evoker Spells Prepared (CL 13t; concentration +17) 7t quickened fireball, prismatic spray (DC 21) 6t cain ligtning (DC 20), quickened scorcing ray, repulsion (DC 20) 5t cone of cold (DC 19), quickened sield, telekinesis (DC 19), teleport 4t bestow curse (DC 18), dimension door, ice storm (DC 18), pantasmal killer (DC 18), sout (DC 18), wall of fire 3rd dispel magic, fireball (2; DC 17), eroism, vampiric touc (2) 2nd arcane lock, flaming spere (DC 16), goul touc (DC 16), gust of wind, invisibility, mirror image 1st burning ands (DC 15), mage armor, magic missile (2), socking grasp (2; DC 15) 0 (at will) dancing ligts, detect magic, flare, ligt, read magic Opposition Scools encantment, transmutation TACTICS Before Combat Adelita casts mage armor every day. During Combat Adelita angs back at first, letting er crew move forward wile se supports tem wit spells. Se casts quickened sield on te first round, along wit invisibility so se can prepare a few oter spells (mirror image and eroism) before se joins in wit er attack spells. Se casts repulsion if too many enemies are reacing er. at wic point se attempts to teleport back to Harrigan s fortress to warn im of te fleet s failure. If se escapes in tis manner, feel free to eiter ave er join forces wit Harrigan (if your PCs could use a bigger callenge) or join te oter prisoners in te prison (area D5) after some unfortunate mutilations to er ands and tongue. STATISTICS Str 8, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 18, Wis 13, Ca 10 Base Atk +6; CMB +5; CMD 20 eats Arcane Strike, Craft Wondrous Item, Dodge, Escew Materials, Great ortitude, Improved amiliar, Improved Initiative, Ligtning Reflexes, Quicken Spell, Scribe Scroll, Tougness Skills Acrobatics +10, Intimidate +13, Knowledge (arcana) +20, Knowledge (geograpy) +13, Knowledge (istory) +13, Knowledge (nature) +13, Perception +14, Profession (sailor) +17, Spellcraft +20 Languages Common, Cyclops, Infernal, Osiriani, Polyglot SQ arcane bond (cacodaemon familiar), contingency (stoneskin activates as soon as se takes any pysical damage) Gear wizard ook (+1 ook and; see page 61), masterwork silver daggers (6), belt of migty constitution +4, cloak of resistance +2, mutineer s bane earring (see page 60), ring of protection +2, jewelry wort 1,200 gp, spellbook Adelita Doloruso was born in Galt, daugter to a usband and wife wo ad collaborated on more tan just er tey were te autors of a particularly scandalous underground series of capbooks tat saw circulation trougout te city of Isarn. Her parents were always careful to cover teir tracks, but one day, a week after Adelita s 11t birtday, er fater was captured and taken to te final blades. earing for er daugter, Adelita s moter disguised er and put er aboard a mercant vessel bound for distant Sargava, a scant few ours before te noble parent was captured and executed erself. Adelita was discovered alfway to Sargava, but rater tan trow er overboard, te cruel captain merely smased er and wit a mallet as punisment. Adelita bore te pain stoically and witout a cry, and te sip s crew began to grow worried about te young girl wo was Morale Adelita figts until reduced to 40 it points or fewer, immune to pain. Wen a terrible storm struck several 54

57 NPC Gallery days later, tey blamed te girl and cast er adrift in a small rowboat. It would be 2 days before er boat wased asore on te wild coast of te Kaava Lands. Se was badly sunburned and alf-dead from tirst, but still lived, toug er and ad turned gangrenous. Adelita was rescued by a Zenj wizard a man wo saved er life not only by giving er food and water, but also by amputating er and and preventing te gangrene from spreading. or te next decade, Adelita lived wit er savior s tribe, learning te ways of te wizard and is people. Ten pirates came, seeking fres slaves. Many of tose strong enoug to resist were slain in combat, te weak and infirm were butcered, and te prisoners (Adelita among tem) were taken aboard te Wormwood to te slave markets of Port Peril. Te sip s captain, a f lorid man named Alaster lint, took a liking to Adelita, and kept er as is own prize. In a matter of weeks, se was wit cild. Once er pregnancy was obvious, Captain lint quickly lost interest in er and planned to sell er off at teir next port if e could find no buyers for a pregnant slave, e d just toss er overboard. Always a fool, Captain lint made te mistake of openly bragging about is plans in front of Adelita. On te nigt before tey were to sail into Bloodcove, Adelita snuck into lint s cabin and slit is troat. Rater tan attempt to f lee te Wormwood, se instead made a canny move, confessing er crime to te first mate, a young man named Barnabas Harrigan, wo ad been more tan vocal about is desire to seize te Wormwood for is own command. If Harrigan promised to let er go free in Bloodcove, se would back im up on is claim of aving murdered Captain lint. Harrigan agreed, and took command of te Wormwood at dawn. He onored is promise to Adelita, granting er freedom and dropping er off in Bloodcove. It would be several years until te two spoke again. In Bloodcove, Adelita sougt watever menial work se could find. Se saved any extra coin se scrounged in order to acquire a spellbook, determined to continue te studies se once pursued wit te old Zenj wizard. Hoping to make a better life for erself, se eventually took a job as a weaterwitc aboard a small vessel eaded back to Absalom, were se tougt se migt start er life anew. After a week at sea, tragedy struck again wen a drunken crew member made unwanted advances and attacked Adelita. Toug se was able to defend erself, Adelita suffered several roug blows during te figt tat caused er to miscarry later tat evening. After tis loss, se spiraled into darkness and violence. Instead of continuing on to Absalom, Adelita jumped sip at Ollo, were se fell in wit tugs and cuttroats, and se convinced tem to let er join teir crew after promising victory on teir next raid. Good to er word, se elped tem bring down a small mercant vessel by torcing its sails wit er magic. Having earned teir respect, se stayed aboard as a battlemage, and troug er fierce use of evocation magic, se quickly gained a reputation for rutlessness. In 6 monts, se elped seize seven mercant vessels, including two Celis galleons. Her growing reputation caugt te attention of an older and more notorious Barnabas Harrigan, wo upon meeting and recognizing er as te woman wo ad elped win im te Wormwood, immediately offered er te recently opened position of first mate aboard is sip. Adelita is in er late twenties. Se dresses like a male pirate and favors traditional Zenj jewelry, wearing tiger fang plugs in er earlobes. Still, er most identifiable feature is te cruel metal ook fastened to te stump of er left forearm a weapon se recently paid to ave turned into a wizard ook. Campaign Role Adelita is te admiral of te f leet tat Barnabas Harrigan sends to attack te PCs, and is te primary antagonist of te naval Battle of Empty Eyes. If se survives te battle and escapes back to Harrigan s side only to be trown in prison for er failure, se may well ave a cange of eart if te PCs rescue er, and would likely join tem in seeking revenge for tis latest mistreatment. 55

58 SKULL & SackleS Arronax Endymion Lord of Hell Harbor and captain of te former imperial frigate Tyrannous, tis disgraced Celis admiral is one of te leading lords of te Pirate Council. Arronax Endymion CR 11 XP 12,800 Male middle-aged uman aristocrat 6/figter 6 NE Medium umanoid (uman) Init +5; Senses Perception +10 DEENSE AC 24, touc 13, flat-footed 23 (+8 armor, +2 deflection, +1 Dex, +3 sield) p 94 (12 HD; 6d10+6d8+30) ort +8, Ref +7, Will +7; +2 vs. fear Defensive Abilities bravery +2 OENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee +1 keen longsword +16/+11 (1d8+7/19 20) Ranged mwk dagger +12 (1d4+3/19 20) Special Attacks weapon training (eavy blades +1) TACTICS During Combat Endymion prefers to avoid combat wenever e can by bluffing or intimidating foes into standing down before a figt begins, but if battle is inevitable, e figts wit Combat Expertise and attempts to disarm is foes as quickly as possible. Once combat begins, Endymion rarely, if ever, as an interest in taking ostages or prisoners e kills is foes as quickly and rutlessly as possible. Morale Endymion figts to te deat. STATISTICS Str 16, Dex 13, Con 13, Int 13, Wis 10, Ca 14 Base Atk +10; CMB +13 (+17 disarm); CMD 26 (28 vs. disarm) eats Alertness, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Greater Disarm, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Ligtning Reflexes, Sield ocus, Tougness, Weapon ocus (longsword), Weapon Specialization (longsword) Skills Bluff +15, Climb +9, Intimidate +15, Knowledge (geograpy) +8, Knowledge (nobility) +8, Perception +10, Profession (sailor) +15, Sense Motive +10, Swim +9 Languages Common, Infernal SQ armor training 1 Combat Gear potions of cure serious wounds (2); Oter Gear +2 breastplate, +1 keen longsword, masterwork dagger, belt of migty constitution +2, boots of speed, feater token (ancor), ring of force sield, ring of protection +2, bicorne at, Celis admiral s coat, 682 gp Arronax Endymion was born in Westcrown. A military brat and second son to famed Commodore Arrodius Endymion, Arronax was quick to follow in is fater s footsteps, enlisting in te Celis Imperial Navy at te young age of 16. His fater used is position and inf luence to ave is young son stationed at a relatively safe and small port in te Bay of Solva, but Arronax lusted for te cance to prove imself in battle, and switced is paperwork wit anoter new conscript. He was soon off to guard te Arc of Aroden at Corentyn. Arronax stayed on at te Arc for te next 5 years, attaining te rank of captain and taking a wife soon after. Te promotion placed im in command of a small sip wit a letter of marque granting im permission to raid te sips of rival nations, a task at wic Arronax proved most adept. After numerous successes, te young captain caugt te eye of Lyserius Trune, a wealty noble wo offered to sponsor im. Wit Lyserius s support, Arronax swiftly acieved te rank of admiral, in command of te ourt Celis leet. During tis time, e spent monts at sea casing down enemies of te House of Trune trougout te entire Inner Sea region, traveling as far nort as te Steaming Sea, east to te isle of Jalmeray, and sout to te waters of Desperation Bay. Troug is exploits, Arronax grew ric and became quite te toast of Corentyn society. Still, wile Arronax s successes grew, te monts at sea gnawed teir way troug is personal life. His many triumps brougt significant attention to is ouse and is beautiful young wife Adelise. Te Endymions were often expected to attend important social affairs, but wit Arronax usually at sea and unable to attend, Adelise went to tese events in er usband s stead. An excellent conversationalist, se grew quite versed in culture and current politics, and transformed into a budding socialite. As se became more of a scene fixture, se started squandering te family s considerable finances, and eventually fell into a sordid and very public affair wit Lyserius Trune, te very nobleman wo ad sponsored Arronax s ascension to te admiralty. Wen Arronax returned to Corentyn and learned of te affair, e marced straigt into Lyserius s court and demanded a duel. Lyserius responded by ordering a guard to soot Arronax 56

59 NPC Gallery in te knee wit an arrow and ad te wounded admiral trown out into te street. Wit great effort, Arronax staggered back to is f lagsip Tyrannous and, after ealing is injury, retaliated by plundering Lyserius Trune s sipping ouses and burning tem to te ground. Tis triggered a rapidly escalating clas tat, in te end, Lyserius Trune won. Wit an Imperial warrant issued for is arrest, Arronax ad no coice but to abandon is wife and oldings forever and f lee sout to te Sackles. His crew remained loyal, and wen te Tyrannous finally sailed into Hell Harbor wit a boatload of rices ransacked from Trune wareouses and sips, f lying an upside down Celis f lag wit a wite skull painted over te sield, tey found a place more welcoming of plunder and treacery. Arronax purcased te service of several moderately talented captains and went on a piratical rampage, principally targeting Celis trading vessels. Wit is knowledge of Celis tactics, trade routes, and te weaknesses of te sips and teir captains, e proved to be a igly efficient scourge indeed. Witin a mont, e d seized more tan a dozen vessels, enoug to make a name for imself as a ree Captain. Over te following years, Endymion acquired a sizable fleet and reputation. His crew swelled wit mutineers from te Celis navy, wo soon became known trougout te Sackles as te Devils Own. Endymion continued to operate out of Hell Harbor, and purcased large cunks of property witin te port, building imself a great manse overlooking te arbor. Endymion s reputation for swift and creatively cruel punisment earned im loyalty as surely as is reputation for crusing Celis sips, and soon, Endymion found imself referred to as Lord of Hell Harbor. He did little to stif le te use of tis title. Arronax Endymion is a powerfully built, middle-aged man wit pale skin and strong, ciseled Celis features. His sort-cropped black air is only beginning to gray at te temples, and is eyes sine an icy blue. He takes great pride in is appearance, and e wears only te finest cloting, custom tailored in te style of te pre-trune Celis naval uniforms. He wears dozens of medals, presumably from is navy days, toug e as ad all of tem re-cast in te sape of is jolly roger, a croucing imp skeleton run troug wit a spit. He retains te use of is previous rank of admiral, but e deliberately wears is admiral s stripes upside down on is sleeves. To tis day, Arronax continues to nurture is atred for te House of Trune, its lower ouses and families, and te Celis aristocracy in general. He despises implications tat e someow played a role in is wife s infidelity or tat e is at fault for wat appened to is personal life. He doesn t actually dislike Celiax, and still olds its culture and people in te igest regard rater, e views te House of Trune as te true traitors to is nation and its people. He maintains tat is exile wasn t forced e imposed it upon imself as a statement of defiance and rebellion. Campaign Role Te PCs ave collected tiny bits of evidence trougout te Skull & Sackles Adventure Pat tat a traitor sits upon te Pirate Council, and tus far, all of it points toward Arronax Endymion. Of course, tis evidence is falsified, and as te PCs learn in tis adventure, tere are few more loyal to te concept of te Sackles tan Arronax. If te PCs gain is support, e can provide tem wit significant aid, bot politically and financially, for as te lord of one of te Sackles largest ports e wields a good deal of power and as many friends upon te Pirate Council. He may even prove to be a key figure in te final defense of te Sackles in rom Hell s Heart. But Endymion is also a bitter man wo rarely forgets an insult, weter real or perceived. If te PCs get on is bad side, tey may find temselves pitted against te former Celis admiral at te end of te campaign. In tis event, you can ave Endymion side wit te Hurricane King at te Adventure Pat s end, and wen te PCs make teir final moves against Kerdak Bonefist, tey ll ave to face off against te Lord of Hell Harbor as well. 57

60 SKULL & SackleS Barnabas Harrigan ew suspect tat Captain Barnabas Harrigan olds a secret pact wit Celiax to sell out is pirate bretren. In excange, te infernal nation as promised Harrigan a position as te new governor of te Sackles once te arcipelago become a new Celis colony. Barnabas Harrigan CR 15 XP 51,200 Male uman figter 5/rogue 11 NE Medium umanoid (uman) Init +9; Senses see invisibility; Perception +20 DEENSE AC 30, touc 16, flat-footed 24 (+6 armor, +5 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 natural, +4 sield) p 204 (16 HD; 5d10+11d8+123) ort +16, Ref +16, Will +10; +5 vs. fear Defensive Abilities bravery +1, evasion, improved uncanny dodge, trap sense +3 OENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee +3 sort sword +23/+18/+13 (1d6+8/17 20) Ranged +1 returning andaxe +19 (1d6+3/ 3) Special Attacks sneak attack +6d6, weapon training (ligt blades +1) TACTICS Before Combat Once Harrigan knows combat is near, e drinks a potion of barkskin +4, a potion of cat s grace, and a potion of invisibility. He also activates see invisibility from is eye patc. During Combat If e starts a battle invisible, Harrigan drinks is potion of aste on te first round of combat, ten positions imself to block te most obvious escape route. On te next round, e activates is owling skull armor to attempt to frigten is foes. In succeeding rounds, e focuses is attacks on frigtened targets, using Dazzling Display to sake more foes wenever necessary so e can make sneak attacks against suc victims tanks to is Satter Defenses feat. Morale Harrigan figts until reduced to 30 it points or fewer, at wic point e attempts to escape battle. He figts to te deat only wen cornered. STATISTICS Str 14, Dex 20, Con 22, Int 8, Wis 12, Ca 10 Base Atk +13; CMB +15; CMD 31 eats Combat Reflexes, Dazzling Display, Dodge, Improved Critical (sort sword), Improved Initiative, Improved Iron Will, Iron Will, Satter Defenses, Sield ocus, Tougness, Weapon inesse, Weapon ocus (sort sword), Weapon Specialization (sort sword) Skills Acrobatics +24, Appraise +10, Bluff +11, Intimidate +19, Knowledge (local) +11, Perception +14, Profession (sailor) +20, Stealt +14, Swim +14 Languages Common SQ armor training 1, rogue talents (bleeding attack +6, crippling strike, defensive roll, finesse rogue, ledge walker), trapfinding +5 Combat Gear potions of barkskin +4 (2), potions of cat s grace (3), potion of aste, potions of invisibility (2); Oter Gear owling skull armor (+3 studded leater; see page 60), +2 ligt steel sield, +3 sort sword, +1 returning andaxe, belt of migty constitution +4, cloak of resistance +3, glove of storing, mariner s eye patc (see page 60), bag of olding (type IV), Celis invasion plans (kept in bag of olding), key ring Originally ailing from te port city of Sengor, Barnabas Harrigan was born Dwali Kepu, te fift cild to a poor family of Bonuwat fiserfolk. As a young cild, e accompanied is moter to er job as a fis-gutter. Tere, e listened to te stevedores tell romantic tales of pirates and plunder, and e became seduced by tougts of living a life of freedom, rices, and infamy. Wen e turned 13, as is moter lay dying of blood poisoning from an infected cut se suffered on te job, Dwali left ome and took a job on a mercant vessel eaded to Bloodcove, were e oped to seek a new destiny as a pirate. Upon arriving, is fantasies were quickly sattered wen e discovered te pirates e d romanticized were little more tan lice-infested drunks wo d cut a boy s troat over a few gold pieces. Wit little money and fewer prospects, Dwali lurked around te docks, pickpocketing sailors and stealing stray crates from mercant sips. Eventually, e ran afoul of te autorities, and for is crimes e was pressed into te service of Bloodcove. He served most of is 2-year stint in te militia, during wic e received martial training and made numerous contacts wit local pirates. Only 2 monts before completing is sentence, e abandoned te Bloodcove militia and joined te crew of te pirate sip Sea Wasp. As a pirate, Dwali canged is name to Barnabas Harrigan, and over te next 5 years, slowly rose to te rank of first mate, toug e lost one of is eyes in te process. 58

61 NPC Gallery Te Sea Wasp mostly targeted mercant vessels off te sympaty for is failure. He as indeed made a deal wit coast of Sengor, but eventually worked its way up te a devil, and te devil olds te contract. Instead, e seeks coast to Port Peril. Tere, Harrigan jumped sip in searc out a safe spot to ide out on is island until te PCs leave. of is own vessel to command. Unfortunately, e learned Ten e attempts to stow away on one of te oter sips in tat tere were few opportunities to immediately start as is arbor, oping to catc a ride to some oter port. He a sip captain, and so e pledged imself to te service still as a few allies witin te Sackles tat e can call of Captain Alaster lint of te Wormwood. Harrigan soon on for elp, so getting a new sip won t be an impossible found imself eaded sout again, but after enduring a task for te clever captain. Once e gets a new sip, e few monts of slim pickings at sea, Captain lint looked also takes on a new identity. Calling to sore for easier bounty slaves. Te Wormwood s first imself Dwali te Bloodcove raid was quick and brutal, and in one strike against a Zenj Butcer, e disguises imself village, te sip s old was full of living plunder. Among by donning a long powdered tese slaves was te young Adelita Doloruso, a wild girl wig and a frigtful Tian demonfaced mask. Tracking down te PCs and wo eventually slit lint s troat and anded Harrigan is sip in excange for er freedom. murdering tem becomes is obsession Now finally in command, Captain Harrigan one tat could well last beyond te climax of spent te next few years developing a fearsome te campaign. reputation. But Harrigan s fortunes would not last, for just as is star seemed to be on te rise, e fell into te clutces of te Celis navy. Altoug most believe tat Harrigan was able to escape te Celaxians, is greatest secret is tat e turned to teir side and now serves te Celis admiral Druvalia Trune as a pawn wo will lead er to te conquest of te Sackles. Captain Harrigan is a tall, muscular man, wit skin te color of fertile eart. His ead is saved, and e keeps is long black beard twisted and waxed into a single lock bound wit gold rings. Years of practice ave made Harrigan an accomplised commander. He s edgy enoug to pus is crew, toug e isn t a cruel leader. In is eyes, abusiveness sows weakness. He would ave been a campion pirate ad is luck not ran out wen Druvalia Trune caugt im. Harrigan appears confident, but wile e attempts to bolster is ego wit Trune promises, ultimately e realizes e s a pawn and as been for some time. Tis sense of lost destiny feeds is anger and is mania. Campaign Role Captain Barnabas Harrigan as plagued te PCs from te very beginning of te Skull & Sackles Adventure Pat. At tis point in te campaign, Harrigan serves as a transition between a speculated danger and te final treat of actual war. He alone as done more tan anyone to empower Celiax s presence in te Sackles. Even dead, is plans cannot be defeated, for tey now belong to Druvalia Trune. If Harrigan escapes te PCs at te end of tis adventure, e as few coices for survival. He knows is game as ended, for e is no Celaxian, and te House of Trune will sow im no 59

62 SKULL & SackleS Skull & Sackles Treasures Te following unique treasures can be found in Te Price of Infamy. Player-appropriate andouts appear in te GameMastery Skull & Sackles item card set. Aiger s Kiss (Minor Artifact) Aura strong abjuration and evocation; CL 20t Slot none; Weigt 2 lbs. DESCRIPTION Te Sackles are rife wit tales of legendary treasures, but te story of te loss of Aiger s Kiss as seen a resurgence of late, it being te 25t anniversary of te blade s loss in te Black Tower near te Cannibal Isles. Wielded before tat loss by Captain Tevenida Aiger and rumored to ave been given to er by Norgorber s erald as a reward for an unknown task Aiger s Kiss is said to ave been a particularly potent weapon against outsiders. In addition to being a notorious pirate captain, Tevenida Aiger was a priestess of Norgorber, and er specialty was te capture of Celis warsips, particularly tose employing devils or oter extraplanar defenses. Some wisper tat Captain Aiger and er sword vanised in te Black Tower due to a Celis trap set in te structure, but in fact er fate was muc grimmer tan tat (see Part Tree of Te Price of Infamy for details). Aiger s Kiss is a sort sword of te planes (Patfinder RPG Core Rulebook 477). Tree times per day, it can be used to cast dimensional ancor on a creature te sword as just struck activating tis effect is a swift action for te sword s wielder. If te strike is a critical it, te effect gains a +10 bonus on its caster level ceck to penetrate te target s spell resistance, if any. Te weapon s greatest power, toug, is its ability to destroy portals or seal planar rifts. Once per year, Aiger s Kiss can be plunged into an extraplanar portal as a standard action doing so immediately results in two effects. irst, it targets te portal wit a mage s disjunction (tis effect lasts for as long as te sword remains in te portal). Second, as long as te sword remains lodged in te portal, it becomes affected by an antipaty effect against all outsiders. Once removed from a portal, it takes te sword a year to build up its magic to be able to use tis ability again. Howling Skull Armor Aura moderate necromancy; CL 7t Slot armor; Price 20,375 gp; Weigt 20 lbs. DESCRIPTION Tis suit of +3 studded leater armor is decorated wit metal skulls. Once per day as a standard action, te wearer can command te skulls to unleas a cacoponous corus of owls, causing all creatures witin a 30-foot spread to make a DC 16 Will save to avoid becoming frigtened for 1d4 rounds. Te wearer can coose up to tree targets (plus imself) in te area of effect to be exempt from te effect. Te wearer of a suit of owling skull armor gains a +4 bonus on all saving trows against fear effects. Eac time te wearer of owling skull armor succeeds at a saving trow against a fear effect created by someone oter tan imself, e gains a +2 bonus on Will saves for 1 round. CONSTRUCTION Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, fear; Cost 10,275 gp Mariner s Eye Patc Aura faint evocation and divination; CL 5t Slot eyes; Price 12,000 gp; Weigt DESCRIPTION Tis pirate s eye patc typically features at least one jewel set into a leater patc. Upon uttering a command word as a standard action, te eye patc allows te wearer to use te following abilities once per day eac: compreend languages, scorcing ray, and see invisibility. Te mariner s eye patc originally appeared on page 73 of Necromancer Games Dead Man s Cest. CONSTRUCTION Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, compreend languages, scorcing ray, see invisibility; Cost 6,000 gp Mutineer s Bane Earring Aura moderate divination; CL 7t Slot none; Price 4,000 gp; Weigt DESTRUCTION DESCRIPTION If Aiger s Kiss is used to attempt to seal a planar rift from te Tis magic earring grows warm wenever a sip s crew begins Material Plane to an extraplanar realm under Norgorber s muttering of mutiny, granting te wearer of a mutineer s bane control, te sword is immediately destroyed and te planar earring a +5 bonus on all Sense Motive cecks made wile on a rift is unarmed in fact, doing so immediately summons te sip under suc conditions of poor morale. erald of Norgorber to te site to claim te fragments of te A mutineer s bane earring as additional effects if worn sword and punis tose wo destroyed it. by a commodore or admiral. If worn by a commodore, tat 60

63 Skull & Sackles Treasures Skyrocket Crossbow Wizard Hook Howling Skull Armor Mariner s Eye Patc Aiger s Kiss Mutineer s Bane Earring commodore s squadron gains a +3 bonus on morale cecks in fleet battles. If worn by an admiral, all squadrons in te admiral s fleet gain a +1 bonus on morale cecks in fleet battles. CONSTRUCTION Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, clairaudience/ clairvoyance, doom, flare burst (Advanced Player s Guide 223); Cost 5,400 gp CONSTRUCTION Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, detect tougts; Cost 2,000 gp Wizard Hook Aura moderate necromancy; CL 6t Slot none; Price 4,310 gp; Weigt 1 lb. Skyrocket Crossbow Aura moderate divination and evocation; CL 6t Slot none; Price 10,400 gp; Weigt 2 lbs. DESCRIPTION A wizard ook is a +1 ook and (Pirates of te Inner Sea 19) and a useful item for any arcane spellcaster. Altoug a wizard ook does not allow for fine manipulation, it is infused wit magic tat bolsters somatic components you can use a and stump outfitted wit a wizard ook to fulfill any somatic components for casting arcane spells. A wizard ook also grants proficiency in its use as a weapon. You can make touc attacks wit spells using a wizard ook, eiter by making a normal attack wit te ook (in wic case it deals normal ook and damage plus te spell effect), or by making a touc attack wit te ook (in wic case you gain a +4 bonus on te attack roll and te save DC of te spell increases by +1, but you do not do ook and damage). DESCRIPTION Te stock and bow of tis +1 distance and crossbow are decorated wit te golden ead of an osprey, sea eagle, or oter avian creature. Tree times per day, a skyrocket crossbow can imbue one of two special abilities on its ammunition. Te first causes a bolt fired from te crossbow to explode in a dazzling burst of colored ligt wen it its a creature or object, or if it reaces its maximum range increment (600 feet). Creatures witin a 10-foot radius of te target point are blinded for 1d4+1 rounds. A successful DC 13 Will save means a creature is dazzled for 1 minute instead. Sigtless creatures, or tose witout line of sigt to te target point, are unaffected. Te second ability causes a bolt fired from te crossbow to function as a screaming bolt (Patfinder RPG Core Rulebook 475). CONSTRUCTION Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, spectral and; Cost 2,310 gp 61

64 SKULL & SackleS leet Battles I was just a cabin boy on old Captain Gresam s sip back wen we fougt te Celis fleet at Desperation Bay, but let me tell you, tat was some battle. Tat Trune fleet came at us, but I ll bet tey didn t know wat to expect. Hundreds of us Sackles pirates set up at te mout of te bay and waited for tem. Te wole bay was awas in rippling sails and taut lines, and te creak of dozens upon dozens of masts and booms filled te air before te figting started. Wen tat first wave came, te sips at te front launced teir ballistae before sailing full aead to ram. Oter sips in our fleet circled around to flank tem, firing all te weapons we ad, launcing flaming pots and burning teir sails away. It was a glorious day, I ll tell you, and not one tat s been repeated since. 62 Blind Krauss, Sackles pirate Old

65 leet Battles Trougout muc of te Skull & Sackles Adventure Pat, te PCs come into conf lict wit oter sips on te ig seas weter tese conf licts arise as te PCs seek to seize plunder or are forced to defend temselves from attack, te sip-to-sip rules presented in te Skull & Sackles Player s Guide are meant only to suffice for small-scale naval battles between just a andful of sips at most. But in Te Price of Infamy, and ten again in te final adventure, rom Hell s Heart, te PCs are destined to find temselves involved in some muc larger naval conf licts involving dozens of sips at once. Rater tan playing out suc large, complex battles sip by sip, you can use te following rules for f leet battles to determine te results of tese mass conf licts. Note tat wile te rules presented ere are specifically tailored for individual naval battles tat occur in te last tird of te Skull & Sackles Adventure Pat, tey can serve to resolve large-scale naval battles in oter campaigns as well. leet Basics A f leet consists of multiple sips organized under a single admiral. Eac individual sip in a f leet is crewed by a captain and er crew. Tecnically, it only takes two sips to constitute a f leet for te purposes of tese rules, but in te battles tat occur in te last two installments of Skull & Sackles, te number of sips involved will always be quite a bit iger (if you re just doing a battle between a couple of sips, it s generally better to simply use te sip combat rules from te Skull & Sackles Player s Guide). leets consist of a number of squadrons of sips. All of te sips in a squadron must be of te same type of sip (longsip, junk, sailing sip, warsip, etc.). Eac squadron involved in a f leet battle is commanded by a single commodore. A squadron consists of at least one sip, and can consist of a maximum number of sips equal to 3 + te commodore s Carisma modifier. A caracter wose Carisma modifier is 3 or worse cannot serve as a commodore. Te f leet as a wole is commanded by a single admiral. An NPC f leet consists of a number of squadrons equal to 3 + te admiral s Carisma modifier. A PC f leet can ave a number of squadrons equal to te party s Infamy score divided by 10 (round down) tis base number is ten increased by te admiral s Carisma modifier. A caracter wose Carisma modifier is 3 or worse cannot serve as an admiral. Reading a leet Stat Block A f leet is represented in text as a stat block (see, for example, Harrigan s f leet on page 37). Alternatively, you can record all of a f leet s relevant numbers on te f leet seet presented on page 69. Wat follow are notes on ow to read f leet stat blocks. Name: Tis lists te f leet s name. XP: Tis lists te number of experience points earned by te PCs for defeating te fleet. See page 68 for rules on determining a fleet s XP value. Admiral: Tis lists te name of te f leet s admiral, followed by te admiral s Profession (sailor) skill modifier and te f leet s initiative modifier. lagsip: Tis lists te name of te f leet s f lagsip. Significant Caracters and Boons: Tis lists te f leet s significant caracters, teir location in te fleet, and te boons tey provide to te fleet. Squadrons: Te second alf of a f leet stat block lists te f leet s individual squadrons. Te entries below are repeated for eac of te f leet s squadrons. Some f leets may ave all unique squadrons (tis is likely to be te case for te PCs f leet) wile oters migt simply ave multiple essentially identical squadrons (as far as game statistics go). Configuration: Tis lists te number and type of sips in te squadron. Commodore: Tis lists te name of tat squadron s commodore, te commodore s Carisma modifier, and er Profession (sailor) skill modifier. Hits: Te amount of damage a squadron can take before all of its sips sink. Morale: Tis lists te squadron s morale score. Defense Value: Tis lists te squadron s Defense Value (DV) essentially, te DC of any attack against te squadron in order to cause significant damage. A squadron s Defense Value is equal to 10 + te commodore s Profession (sailor) modifier + any miscellaneous modifiers granted by f lagsip boons. Attack Value: Tis lists te squadron s attack roll modifier. Damage: Tis lists te damage te squadron deals on a successful it. Morale Ceck: Tis lists te squadron s morale ceck modifier. Terminology Listed below are key terms for describing f leet battles. Admiral: Commander of a single f leet. An admiral inf luences a f leet s morale score and determines te f leet s maximum size. Battle Pase: Period during wic eac squadron attacks te enemy f leet. Captain: Commander of a single sip. Commodore: Commander of a single squadron. A commodore primarily inf luences a squadron s Attack Value and Defense Value. Disabled: A sip tat as taken an amount of damage equal to its its is disabled. A disabled sip does not count toward its squadron s damage rolls or te squadron s number of its. A sip tat takes furter damage wile it is disabled sinks. lagsip: Te sip in a f leet on wic tat f leet s admiral is located. 63

66 SKULL & SackleS leet: A number of squadrons tat are commanded by a single admiral. Hits: Every sip in a squadron takes up a certain number of squares tis number represents te number of times te sip can be damaged during f leet combat before becoming disabled, and is referred to as its its. As long as te amount of damage a sip as taken does not equal its number of its, te damage is automatically repaired at te end of te f leet battle. A squadron as a number of its equal to te sum of its sips its. Morale: Every squadron as a morale score ranging from 1 to a maximum of 10. Wen a squadron s morale score drops to 0, tat squadron mutinies and is lost. Morale Ceck: Tis ceck is made during te rout pase of a f leet battle, and requires rolling a d20 and adding te squadron s morale ceck modif ier. Tis ceck determines weter a squadron mutinies and is removed from play. Round: A round consists of a battle pase and a rout pase. A single round of mass naval conf lict generally accounts for 10 minutes of open warfare in game time. Rout Pase: Period after a battle pase wen eac squadron must make a morale ceck to avoid mutiny. Sip: A single sip in a f leet, wic is commanded by a single captain. Significant Caracter: A PC (in te case of a player f leet) or a named unique NPC (in te case of a GM-controlled f leet) wose presence in a f leet grants additional boons and bonuses. Squadron: A number of similar sips commanded by a single commodore. Sunken: Wen a sip sinks, it is removed entirely from a f leet. A new sip must be purcased or recruited to replace it. Survival of any caracters on a sunken sip is subject to te GM s discretion and ow quickly and successfully te PCs undertake rescue attempts (in te case of a player f leet). Creating a leet Wen te PCs begin gatering allies for teir f leet at te start of Te Price of Infamy, you sould provide tem wit a blank copy of te f leet seet on page 69. Wile tey won t be able to fill in te information about teir squadrons until tey start recruiting commodores during te adventure itself, tey can start filling in basic information about teir f leet at te start. (Te point of tese rules is not to create multiple small f leets under PC control, but rater to create one single large f leet as suc, any one party can only ever control a single f leet at a time in a Skull & Sackles campaign.) Te PCs sould follow te following steps to build teir f leet. Step 1 leet Name, Home Port, and lagsip: Te name te PCs coose for teir f leet and te names of teir ome port and te f leet s f lagsip ave no effect on te f leet s statistics tese are purely f lavor elements. Step 2 Select an Admiral: A f leet can ave only one admiral. Weter tis is a PC or an NPC ally 64

67 leet Battles is in large part irrelevant, but you sould explain to te PCs tat a f leet admiral sould ave a ig Carisma score and possess many ranks in Profession (sailor). Note tat nonadmiral PCs can still bolster a f leet by granting f lagsip boons (see Step 4). Record te admiral s name and is or er Profession (sailor) bonus on te seet. Step 3 Determine Maximum Squadrons: A single f leet can consist of a maximum number of squadrons equal to te party s Infamy score divided by 10 (rounded down) tis initial value is increased or decreased by te admiral s Carisma modifier. or NPC f leets, tis maximum is 3 + te admiral s Carisma modifier. Step 4 Assign Significant Caracters: Eac f leet possesses a number of significant caracters eiter PCs (in te case of a player-controlled f leet) or unique, named NPCs (in te case of a GM-controlled f leet). Record te names of te significant caracters ere, as well as teir location in te f leet (eiter on te f leet s f lagsip, or in a squadron). If a significant caracter is an admiral, e must be located on te f lagsip if a significant caracter is a commodore, se must be located in te squadron se commands. inally, eac significant caracter grants te f leet a boon record tat significant caracter s boon ere. See lagsip Boons on page 66 for more details. Step 5 Begin Recruiting Squadrons: Witout squadrons, a f leet is merely teoretical. A large portion of tis adventure covers te steps necessary to recruit squadrons of vessels to a f leet. Eac squadron recruited as its own statistics to go along wit it, but if te PCs wis to build up teir own squadrons from scratc, tey can do tat as well (altoug tis is fantastically expensive it s generally faster and easier to recruit existing squadrons see page 10 of te adventure for details). Creating a Squadron A squadron consists of a number of individual sips, eac commanded by a captain. Te squadron (and its captains) are in turn commanded by a single commodore. A squadron can ave no more sips tan its commodore s Carisma modifier + 3. Eac squadron and its statistics is listed in its f leet s stat block under a separate subeading. On te f leet seet, eac squadron is recorded in its own squadron box. ollow te steps below to fill out a squadron box. Step 1 Name te Squadron: Record te squadron s name at te top of te box tis name can be watever you want. Step 2 Determine te Configuration: Record te number of sips in te squadron, along wit te type of sips in te squadron. Record ow many its eac sip contributes to tat squadron s total its. Sip type determines ow many its eac sip contributes. All of te sips in a squadron must be te same type of sip. Te types of sips available for use in a f leet are listed on HITS PER SHIP A sip possesses a number of its equal to te number of squares it takes up in te sip-to-sip combat rules presented in te Skull & Sackles Player s Guide. Tose totals are reprinted ere for sake of ease in determining a squadron s its. 1 Hit per Sip: Raft, rowboat, sip s boat 2 Hits per Sip: Keelboat 3 Hits per Sip: Junk, longsip, sailing sip 4 Hits per Sip: Galley, warsip pages of te Skull & Sackles Player s Guide. Te its per sip for tese sips are listed in te Hits per Sip sidebar on tis page. Step 3 Select Commodore: List te name of te squadron s commodore, along wit er Carisma modifier and Profession (sailor) skill modifier. An admiral can never serve as a commodore. If a commodore is also a significant caracter (eiter a PC or a significant named NPC), tat squadron gains a +2 bonus on all attack rolls, damage rolls, and morale cecks. (As a general rule, most NPC f leets sould ave 2 4 significant named NPCs serving as commodores.) Step 4 Determine Hits: A squadron s its equals te number of sips in te squadron multiplied by te number of its eac sip contributes. or example, a squadron of five rafts would ave only 5 its (since a raft is only a 1-it sip), wereas a squadron of five warsips would ave 20 its (since a warsip is a 4-it sip). Tis number is temporarily reduced by disabled sips and permanently reduced by sunken sips. Step 5 Determine Morale: Morale for eac squadron f luctuates during a battle. A newly consigned squadron s starting morale score is equal to te party s Infamy score divided by 10 (round down), wit a minimum morale score of 1 and a maximum score of 10. An NPC f leet s squadron as a starting morale score of 3 points. If a squadron s morale score is ever reduced to 0, te squadron mutinies and is lost it cannot be repaired in tis case, and can only be replaced by a new squadron. A single squadron s morale score can never be iger tan 10. Step 6 Determine Defense Value: A squadron s Defense Value (DV) is equal to 10 + te commodore s Profession (sailor) skill ceck modifier, furter increased by some flagsip boons. Step 7 Determine Attack Value: A squadron s Attack Value is equal to its commodore s Profession (sailor) ceck. Tis value can be increased by f lagsip boons or te presence of a significant commodore. 65

68 Step 8 Determine Damage: A squadron deals 1d6 points of damage to a f leet on a successful attack, plus an additional point of damage per sip in te squadron. Tis damage can be furter modified by f lagsip boons and te presence of significant commodores. Step 9 Determine Morale Ceck: A squadron s base morale ceck is equal to its commodore s Carisma modifier, furter modified by flagsip boons and te presence of significant commodores. Eac time tat squadron as a sip become disabled, add +1 to its loss count. Eac time a squadron as a sip sink, add +1 to its loss count. Eac time an entire squadron is destroyed or mutinies, add +1 to eac surviving squadron s loss count. A squadron s total morale ceck is equal to its base ceck minus its loss count. lagsips and Significant Caracters A f lagsip is te sip on wic te f leet s admiral is located. A f lagsip moves around during a f leet battle, issuing orders and providing support as needed, but does not itself belong to a specific squadron. A f lagsip cannot be damaged or sunk during a f leet battle, and is generally regarded as a prize or tropy of any conf lict. See te Victory section on page 68 for more details on te fate of a f lagsip once a f leet battle is resolved. A f lagsip s primary purpose in a f leet is to grant boons to te f leet. Boons are advantages granted by te f leet s significant caracters. or a party-controlled f leet, eac PC counts as a significant caracter. A GM-controlled f leet s significant caracters are unique NPCs a GMcontrolled f leet generally as four significant caracters. A f leet gains one boon for eac significant caracter wo travels wit te f leet. If te significant caracter associated wit a particular boon is not present in te f leet (eiter because tat caracter was elsewere at te time of te battle or because tat caracter s squadron was destroyed), te f leet does not gain tat boon. lagsip Boons lagsip boons must be cosen wen te f leet is created, and once cosen, tey cannot generally be canged. Adding a new significant caracter to te group allows a new boon to be selected, but oterwise, you must decommission te current f lagsip and place a new f lagsip in command of te f leet in order to be able to pick different boons. Decommissioning a f lagsip in tis way deals 1d4 points of damage to eac squadron s morale score wic can result in te need to replace squadrons if mutinies result from tis morale damage. Te available flagsip boons are as follows. A boon cannot be taken more tan once for a fleet unless oterwise noted. Advanced Tactics: At te start of a battle pase, select a squadron. Tat squadron gains a +2 bonus to its Attack SKULL & SackleS tat battle pase, you can determine wic enemy sips take te damage, rater tan te damaged f leet doing so. Requirement: Significant caracter wit at least 11 ranks eac in at least 5 different skills. Defensive Tactics: At te start of a battle pase, select a squadron. Tat squadron gains a +2 bonus to its Defense Value for tat battle pase. Requirement: None. Special: Tis boon may be taken multiple times. Eac time it is taken, you may add a +2 bonus to a different squadron at te start of te battle pase. (Tis bonus does not stack if it is placed on te same squadron.) Divine Protection: At te start of a battle pase, select a squadron in te f leet. Tat squadron takes 1 fewer point of damage tan it normally would wen attacked by a squadron in te oter f leet. Requirement: Significant caracter wit te cannel energy class feature. Special: Tis boon may be taken multiple times. Eac time it is taken, it must be applied to a different squadron at te start of te battle pase. (Tis bonus does not stack if it is placed on te same squadron multiple times.) Loyalty: Wenever you recruit a new squadron, all squadrons gain a +2 bonus on morale cecks (tis bonus does not stack if multiple squadrons are recruited). Requirement: Significant caracter wit a Carisma score of 15 or iger. Magical Artillery: All squadrons gain a +1 bonus on damage rolls and a +1 bonus on morale cecks. Requirement: Significant caracter capable of casting at least one 6tlevel spell. Overwelming: Te f leet s maximum number of squadrons increases by 1. If tis boon is lost, te squadron wit te lowest morale (determined randomly if multiple squadrons ave equally low morale) immediately mutinies. Requirement: Significant caracter wit te Leadersip feat. Special: Tis boon may be taken multiple times its effects stack. Reckless Maneuver: At te start of a battle pase, select a squadron in te fleet. Tat squadron gains a +4 to its Attack Value for tat round, but tese maneuvers leave it open to attacks. Te selected squadron takes a 2 penalty to its Defense Value until it acts in te next battle pase. Requirement: None. Special: Tis boon may be taken multiple times. Eac time it is taken, it must be applied to a different squadron at te start of te battle pase. (Tis bonus does not stack if it is placed on te same squadron multiple times.) Remorseless Advance: At te start of a battle pase, select a squadron. Tat squadron gains a +2 bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls for te duration of tat battle pase. Its morale increases by +1 at te start of te battle pase. Requirement: Significant caracter wit a base attack bonus of +11 or iger. Swift Repairs: At te end of a battle pase, roll 1d6. You Value. Wenever tat squadron deals damage during may remove tis amount of damage from any combination 66

69 leet Battles of non-sunken sips from any single squadron. Requirement: Significant caracter capable of casting at least one 4t-level spell. Swift to Battle: Te admiral gains a +4 bonus on all Profession (sailor) cecks made to determine initiative. Requirement: None. Special: Tis boon may be taken multiple times its effects stack. Vengeance: Te first time one of te f leet s sips sinks in a battle pase, all allied squadrons become overwelmed wit a need for vengeance and gain a +2 bonus on attack rolls and morale cecks for te rest of tat battle pase. Requirement: None. Running Mass Naval Combat A f leet battle begins as a result of two f leets encountering eac oter on te ig seas. During a mass naval conf lict, players do not draw upon teir caracters abilities instead, tey use teir f leet s squadrons to make attacks against te enemy, wit teir caracters serving as commanders on te sips. A mass naval combat plays out over te course of multiple rounds, wit eac round consisting of a battle pase and a rout pase. At te start of a combat, place eac f leet s sips on te table as representations for te attack tis works best if you use potocopies or printouts of te sip counters from te Skull & Sackles Player s Guide. or eac squadron, place a number of appropriately sized sip counters on te table so tat tey are adjacent to eac oter. Actual placement on te table is irrelevant; since tese f leet battle rules are streamlined and simplified, te allocation of damage represents te sips maneuvering and sifting position during te battle. Battle Pase At te start of a battle pase, eac f leet s admiral makes a Profession (sailor) ceck to determine initiative. Te admiral wose result is iger gains te upper and in tat battle pase, wic grants all of is squadrons a +1 bonus on attack rolls. Tis Profession (sailor) ceck is made at te start of eac battle pase. Eac f leet ten takes turns making attacks wit teir squadrons. Te winner of te initiative roll gets to make te first attack, using any one of is squadrons. Te oter f leet ten makes its first attack, using any one of its squadrons. Attacks wit squadrons go back and fort during te battle pase until all squadrons able to attack ave done so a single squadron can only attack once per battle pase. If one f leet as more squadrons tan te oter, te additional squadrons attack at te end of te battle pase after te oter f leet as used up all of its attacks for tat round. Attacking: Wen you attack wit a squadron, pick one of te enemy f leet s squadrons as your target. Roll 1d20 and add tat squadron s attack value. If te result equals or exceeds te enemy squadron s Defense Value, you deal damage as appropriate for your squadron. If you miss, you still deal 1d4 1 points of damage (damage from a miss can never be increased by any oter effect). Tis damage 67

70 is an abstract combination of siege weapons, ramming, spellcasting, missile fire, and even boarding actions against enemy crews. Assigning Damage: Te damaged f leet normally gets to assign its damage by marking (eiter by crossing out of by placing a marker suc as a die, penny, or some oter counter) te amount of damage on te targeted squadron. Tis damage doesn t all ave to be on te same sip you can spread it out in any way you wis among all of te nonsunken sips in your squadron. Critical Hits and umbles: A natural 20 on an attack roll always its and allows you to assign damage to te enemy as you wis, rater tan allowing te defender to allocate it (you do not deal double damage wit a critical it, toug). A natural 1 always misses entirely (and results in no damage at all to te enemy f leet). Every time a squadron scores a critical it, its morale score increases by 1; eac time it rolls a fumble, its morale score decreases by 1. Effects of Damage: Eac point of damage reduces a squadron s total its. Wen a particular sip takes an amount of damage equal to its its, it becomes disabled. A disabled sip does not count toward its squadron s damage rolls, and increases tat squadron s loss count by +1. A sip tat takes damage wile it is disabled sinks and is removed entirely from te f leet, increasing tat squadron s loss count by +1. Losing a Squadron: Eac time you lose an entire squadron (as a result of eiter damage or mutiny), increase te loss count for eac surviving squadron by +1. Abandoning Sip: or simplicity s sake, you can assume tat a commodore s sip is te last to sink in any squadron. Note tat not all caracters on a sinking sip automatically peris. Typically, a sip sinks slowly enoug tat officers and crew can abandon sip, and tere s usually sip s boats and oter pieces of wreckage to grab onto. Once a battle is over, you can assume tat any significant caracters wo were on a sinking sip survive, eiter by escaping in a boat, by clinging to f lotsam, or by f leeing via magical means. Te ultimate fate of a significant caracter on a sunken sip depends more on te results of te actual battle itself. If te imperiled caracter s f leet wins, se can be rescued after te battle, but if er f leet loses, te best se may be able to look forward to is capture by te enemy more often, suc victims are merely left to peris via te countless metods te sea presents for deat. Rout Pase A rout pase occurs after eac battle pase. At tis point, eac surviving squadron must succeed at a DC 10 morale ceck by rolling 1d20 and adding its morale ceck modifier. ailure indicates tat te squadron takes 1d4 SKULL & SackleS morale score is reduced to 0 immediately mutinies and is removed from play. leeing a Battle: At te end of a rout pase, an admiral can attempt to f lee te battle entirely. Wen e does so, te oter f leet immediately gets one free attack using any one of its squadrons and can target any one of te f leeing f leet s squadrons. Te f leeing admiral makes a Profession (sailor) ceck at a 4 penalty, opposed by te oter admiral s Profession (sailor) ceck. If te f leeing admiral s ceck result is iger, is f leet escapes; oterwise, every squadron in te f leeing admiral s f leet takes 1 point of morale damage and te battle continues into a new round. Victory A f leet wins a battle once all of te enemy s sips are removed from play, eiter by disabling or sinking all te sips in play or by causing squadrons to mutiny. Wen victory is secured, te enemy f leet s f lagsip is rendered defenseless, allowing te victors to board te f lagsip at once. PC Defeat: If te PCs are defeated, te repercussions of tat defeat are described in te text of te adventure. In general, te enemy captures and/or executes te PCs, resulting in a loss as if te PCs ad all been defeated in regular combat. A defeated f leet generally disbands. In te unusual case of a PC f leet managing to surrender or even escape before it is destroyed, every squadron takes 1d8 points of damage to its morale score. PC Victory: If te PCs win te battle, tey capture te enemy f lagsip. In most cases, te f leet s commanders refuse to go down witout a figt. At tis point, te PCs resolve te conf lict by engaging in sipboard combat against te enemy, but because of teir recent triump, all PCs gain a +2 morale bonus on attack rolls, skill cecks, and saving trows made during tis sipboard combat. All surviving squadrons gain 1d4 points of morale wit a f leet victory, minus 1 point for every sip in tat squadron tat was sunk during battle (minimum 0 morale gain). After a battle, any damage to non-disabled sips are repaired at te rate of 1 it per our as te crew works to recover from te battle. Disabled sips must be towed back to a arbor, were repairs can be made at te normal cost (see page 16 of te Skull & Sackles Player s Guide). A disabled sip is reduced to 5% of its total it points. Sunken sips and sips tat fled a battle after teir squadron was reduced to 0 morale cannot be repaired tey must be replaced. Experience point awards for defeating a f leet sould be tailored to be a CR award rougly equal to te party s average party level at te time te battle took place. or particularly toug or easy battles, te GM can adjust tis points of damage to its morale score. A squadron wose award upward or downward as se sees fit. 68

71 leet Battles leet Name leet Seet ADMIRAL Home Port lagsip CHA MOD PRO. (SAILOR) INIT. MOD. MAX. SQUADRONS SIGNIICANT CHARACTERS NAME LOCATION BOON NAME LOCATION BOON NAME LOCATION BOON NAME LOCATION BOON NAME LOCATION BOON NAME LOCATION BOON NAME LOCATION BOON NAME LOCATION BOON SQUADRON 1 SQUADRON 2 SQUADRON 3 NAME NAME NAME HITS MORALE HITS MORALE HITS MORALE CONIGURATION sip type # of sips its per sip CONIGURATION sip type # of sips its per sip CONIGURATION sip type # of sips its per sip COMMODORE carisma mod. profession (sailor) COMMODORE carisma mod. profession (sailor) COMMODORE carisma mod. profession (sailor) COMBAT defense value attack value damage morale + = NAME HITS base loss count total ceck SQUADRON 4 MORALE CONIGURATION sip type # of sips its per sip COMMODORE carisma mod. profession (sailor) COMBAT defense value attack value damage morale + = base loss count total ceck COMBAT defense value attack value damage morale + = NAME HITS base loss count total ceck SQUADRON 5 MORALE CONIGURATION sip type # of sips its per sip COMMODORE carisma mod. profession (sailor) COMBAT defense value attack value damage morale + = base loss count total ceck COMBAT defense value attack value damage morale + = NAME HITS base loss count total ceck SQUADRON 6 MORALE CONIGURATION sip type # of sips its per sip COMMODORE carisma mod. profession (sailor) COMBAT defense value attack value damage morale + = base loss count total ceck 2012 Paizo Publising, LLC. Permission granted to potocopy for personal use only. 69

72 SKULL & SackleS Norgorber Norgorber (NOR-GOR-ber) is one of te Ascended, a mortal wo became a god troug te power of te Starstone. Little is known of is life as a mortal, for e conceals tis information or as murdered tose wo knew im so oters may not use it against im. He is a mysterious deity wo rarely lets anyone learn muc about is goals or interests. Only is most favored worsipers know more tan te most general information about im so tey may elp bring about is plans in te world, and sometimes e wipes te knowledge from teir minds wen te job is done to better preserve is secrets. Beyond tese basic ideas, e says little, as e does not want to disclose anyting useful to is enemies. Some sages believe tat if Norgorber s true nature were discovered, e would be undone peraps as a side effect of is passing te Test of te Starstone, or peraps from some sacrifice e as made for greater power. He is also unique among te Ascended in tat e is te only evil one, toug e is not overtly malicious like Lamastu or Rovagug, for is power relies on te manipulation of oters, not teir destruction. 70

73 Norgorber Norgorber as four aspects, all of tem sinister. Tose wo call im te Reaper of Reputation venerate im primarily as te god of secrets and are typically spies or politicians. Tieves guilds often revere im as te Gray Master, and look to is skills as a tief more tan anyting else. Many alcemists, erbalists, and assassins know im as Blackfingers and see is work in every poisoned meal and venomous beast. His most notorious and dangerous cultists, toug, are te madmen, murderers, and maniacs wo call im ater Skinsaw, and believe tat wit every murder, te future is sculpted according to teir dark god s unknowable plan. In artwork, Norgorber is sown only as a featureless, polised black mask, or sometimes as an invisible man dressed in te garb of a tief. Oter depictions sow im as a spectrelike figure wit an obscured face and sinister black gloves. Tose wo try to paint or sculpt im as a recognizable figure, even if te image is purely from te artist s imagination and not based on any knowledge or insigt, find teir ands fumbling and teir work increasingly erratic if tey persist, until teir motor control is permanently aff licted. Wiser priests of is curc say tis is because if te god only blotted out accurate depictions of im, mortals could deduce is true appearance by determining wat tey are not allowed to paint, so instead e simply inders all attempts to portray is visage. Te Reaper of Reputation cares little for f lasy displays of power. Wen e manifests to mortals, e appears to be a normal uman dressed in brown and black, of average eigt and build, always wit is face concealed or entirely invisible. Mortals in is presence always ave te impression tat e s actually beind tem, even wen e stands in full view of a crowd, and e is vaguely treatening even wen speaking pleasantly. Norgorber treasures secrets like misers oard gold, weter te secret is is own or belongs to a mortal or supernatural creature. He counts and catalogs tese secrets, and measures tem by teir value based on weter tey are totally idden, known to a few, in te ands of an enemy, or open secrets. He trades tem for more valuable secrets, gives tem away if suc knowledge serves is longterm goals, and takes tem from volunteers wo can t trust temselves not to speak of wat tey know. He modifies memories or kills to preserve secrets. It is important to note tat e is not a god of lies, but sometimes finds lies useful in particular, if a secret is actually a lie and its existence protects te trut of te matter or makes it more Tere is value in te tings tat oters sun or conceal. A secret is an intangible coin wort more tan a noble s murder. Te Words Beind te Mask 71 valuable. Still, e dislikes altering knowledge or fact to make a true ting false or a false ting true. Norgorber understands tat controlling someting is aving power over tat ting, and aving power leads to wanting more power. Tis desire can motivate people to commit illicit or immoral acts to obtain wat tey seek. Because e is subtle rater tan overt, Norgorber knows tere may be negative consequences for acting directly against woever controls te ting you desire, wic leads to deceptive, circumspect, and insidious metods like blackmail and poisoning rivals. Of course, some poisons are merely an inconvenience to te target, and some targets are easier to eliminate tan to accommodate. Togeter, tese ideas make Norgorber te god of secrets, greed, poison, and murder four pernicious traits interwoven to create a treacerous wole. Norgorber s realm in te Great Beyond is a network of sprawling tunnels and caverns beneat te perfect city of Axis. Its sadows and dark inabitants um silently wit secret intent, bending te letter and spirit of Axis s laws but never going so far as to disrupt te armony upon wic it feeds. Te domain connects to various points in Axis, not always in a conventional manner or relying on normal perceptions of time and space. Norgorber s presence and tat of is followers is like te grease in a complex mecanism: dirty, messy, and idden away, but crucial to its overall function. Like a tief in te nigt, Norgorber is subtle in is direct intervention. Wen e is pleased, a pickpocket finds a gold coin in an oterwise poor man s purse, a spy overears a juicy bit of information from an unexpected source, a poisoned weapon retains its coating for a second attack, or a slain guard dies wit merely a quiet gurgle. Wen roused to anger, owever, is ire is carefully measured and meted out suddenly. A tief finds se s lost te jewel se was supposed to steal, a speaker completely forgets watever important topic e was talking about, an envenomed blade nicks te and of even a master assassin, or a skilled murderer finds imself downed by a lucky blow from an alley tug. Norgorber is disinclined to kill is own useful followers, even if tey know far too muc, and prefers to instead punis tem wit umiliation, sickness, or a crippling injury for a time, wiping key information from teir minds to preserve is master plan. However, e as been known to kill tose wo are of no furter use to im, especially tose wose lives could be a treat to is objectives, and even more so if teir deats also serve as a lesson to surviving members of te cult.

74 Norgorber is neutral evil and is portfolio is greed, secrets, poison, and murder. His weapon is te sort sword and is oly symbol is a featureless black mask, sometimes polised to a mirror-seen. Some cults represent is presence as a black masklike badge or an empty black glove, and are known to nail a black glove to a door as a warning to someone wo as offended te cult. His domains are Carm, Deat, Evil, Knowledge, and Trickery. His fait is outlawed or at least persecuted in most civilized lands. ortunately, te cult s reliance on secrecy allows it to trive under tese conditions, weter operating beind a facade of legitimate business or literally working underground wit lairs and meetingplaces in a city s sewers and basements. Many citydwelling members of te cult lead double lives, reputable by day and murderous at nigt. Some gifted priests pretend to be members of a different religion, speaking false prayers and making false offerings to a different god wit laypeople none te wiser, and only sowing teir true colors and allegiance wen in te company of te Sons and Daugters of te Mask. A few particularly among te crazed worsipers of ater Skinsaw take tis abitual dual identity to suc an extreme tat tey develop a form of psycosis, living two lives separated by nigtfall and sunrise, completely forgetting te existence of te oter self except for brief moments of transition. Norgorber s primary worsipers are tieves, assassins, and murderers, wit alcemists, spies, and politicians a minority among te faitful. Common folk are rigtfully suspicious of any wo openly worsip Norgorber, fearing tem for being tieves, bandits, and liars at best and assassins or serial killers at worst. Ceremonies to Norgorber are quiet, even in cities were is fait is tolerated. Typically, a masked senior priest leads a prayer, pausing for murmured assent from te faitful. Ceremonies avoid singing or using musical instruments, toug some rituals are accompanied by te saking of coins in a cup or te sarpening of a blade wit a wetstone. Norgorber as no opinion about marriage or families. He recognizes tat some cults and guilds ave strong traditions of marriage, forming powerful crime families tat vie for control of a city s business, but doesn t care weter tese marriages are political, romantic, barren, or fruitful. He does, owever, recognize tat marriage often leads to infidelity and secrecy, and relises te opportunities tis gives mortals to manipulate eac oter, for even an onest man can be corrupted if is lover puts is arranged marriage at risk. Most of Norgorber s cults are associated wit or run a tieves guild, and te guildlike traditions ave carried over into temple practices, even for te oter tree aspects of te god. Once a new member of te cult as establised SKULL & SackleS relating to te cult s more nefarious activities. Successfully completing tis mission is a rite of passage witin te cult and elevates te member to full (journeyman) status witin te organization. or example, a cult of te Gray Master may require a person to steal goods of a certain minimum value, recruit an especially attractive person into prostitution, get a gambler into a specified amount of debt, or use violence to extort a significant protection payment from a mercant. In te cult of Blackfingers, membersip is attained upon te syntesis of a particular poison, reverse-engineering a drug s components from its final product, or discovering a new alcemical use for an animal gland. or followers of te Reaper, typical initiations involve liberating a coice secret, defaming or defeating a key rival outside te organization, or accomplising a political goal of value to te cult. Unsurprisingly, te callenges of te cult of ater Skinsaw involve murder, eiter of a ig-profile target or a specific number of people in a sort period of time. Te our Aspects Members of Norgorber s cult usually align temselves to one of is four aspects and ignore te oters. Toug te faitful are all Sons and Daugters of te Mask and te different brances of te curc migt work togeter toward some secret plan orcestrated by te god and is direct agents, in many respects tey operate like four distinct curces of different deities. Blackfingers In is alcemist and poisoner aspect, Norgorber represents unetical experimentation for te sake of knowledge and te use of alcemical knowledge to arm oters. His alcemists breed spiders and scorpions wit stronger venom, invent paralytics and memory-fogging drugs to aid criminal activity, and practice vivisection and surgery witout anestetic to discover secrets of te f les or create ybrid or altered monsters. By mastering te use of exotic drugs and toxins tat duplicate te effects of food poisoning, dropsy, and dyspepsia, is assassins engineer deats easily attributed to accidents. Te god s followers prefer masks of smoked glass, ostensibly to protect te wearers faces from cemical spatters but also concealing teir identity wen meeting wit oter cultists. Disciples of Blackfingers are not kindly folk and rarely use teir knowledge for benign purposes. Good- and neutralinclined alcemists usually worsip Abadar, Gozre, or Netys instead, toug all ave at least eard of te secrets taugt by Blackfingers. ater Skinsaw Te most dangerous branc of Norgorber s curc is te Skinsaw Cult. It attracts te most extreme and dangerously competency at basic tasks, se is usually given a mission insane folk, from bloodtirsty bandits to unabased serial 72

75 Norgorber killers. Many of tem wear magical masks made of uman skin tat allow tem to detect te most vulnerable parts of teir targets (see page 426 of Patfinder Adventure Pat: Rise of te Runelords Anniversary Edition). or tese evil men and women, every murder is a prayer to teir dark god and a step toward completing is mysterious plan. Teir killings are not clean or gentle; bodies are mutilated and te scene of te crime left bloody. No good or neutral person worsips ater Skinsaw. Tose wose onest work is killing (suc as executioners, mercenaries, or soldiers) normally serve Abadar, Gorum, or Iomedae instead. Te Gray Master Just as a predator unts te weakest prey animal in a erd, worsipers of Norgorber s tieving aspect target te weakest and most vulnerable citizens in a society. Weter troug burglary, gambling, prostitution, extortion, blackmail, or selling illegal materials, te guild profits at te expense of oters and usually outside te allowances of te law. Individual tieves guilds vary from evil tugs wo would disfigure a mercant or is family members for not paying protection money to nearly legitimate organizations tat don t allow drugs or te mistreatment of prostitutes in teir territory. Masks of tis cult are usually simple strips of gray or black clot tat create anonymity by concealing te face below te eyes, often a scraps of clot or scarves tat are easily discarded after a crime. Neutral and evil tieves worsip te Gray Master; good individuals wo like te idea of liberating wealt from evil folk usually prefer Cayden Cailean or Desna. Te Reaper of Reputation Peraps te most benign (if tat is te word) aspect of Norgorber is is guardiansip of idden information, wic makes im a favorite of politicians and spies. Secrets and manipulation are bread and butter to tese folk, and even te most amiable politician or good-earted spy is wise to master teir use. Of course, most of te Reaper s followers ave selfis interests at eart, using teir knowledge or influence for personal gain, but tose interests migt benefit oters as well. or example, te guildmaster of a crafting guild wo manipulates market prices to drive out foreign competition enrices te wealt of te artisans e represents as well as is own. However, most of te Reaper s followers are simply corrupt politicians and informants for powerful tyrants or despots. Some followers of te Reaper take a more aggressive route to gatering information, most notoriously te mysterious Ustalavic assassins known as te Anapexia, wo collect esoteric secrets and slay all oters wo possess suc knowledge. A typical mask for a worsiper of te Reaper is a domino or masquerade mask or a spiral tat covers te mout. Good folk interested in politics usually flock to Abadar and Iomedae instead, and nonevil spies usually follow Cayden Cailean, Iomedae, or Torag. 73

76 SKULL & SackleS Temples and Srines Norgorber s temples are organized like tieves guilds. A guildmaster (usually a rogue, assassin, or cleric) runs eac temple, wit lieutenants and lesser bosses in carge of various plans and controlling teams of followers. Temples to Blackfingers sometimes operate more like a mercant s guild wit a legitimate front selling exotic substances. Ceremonial cloting for te curc is predominantly black and brown. Attracting attention to te cult by standing out from local fasion is frowned upon, so te cloting styles usually follow current trends to allow te wearer to blend in wit tose outside te fait. Srines are uncommon in te fait. Any place wit a large populace supports a temple tat operates in secrecy, leaving little need for anoter location tat te public could discover. Te Skinsaw cult may secretly bury te remains of murdered victims in public places and treat suc sites as srines, albeit srines wit no obvious markings. ollowers of Blackfingers migt designate one place in town as teir dumping-ground for dangerous alcemical leftovers, creating a bligted space were noting grows and treating it as a srine to te god s secrets. A Priest s Role Norgorber welcomes people from all walks of life into is priestood. Most are rogues, clerics, bards, assassins, or alcemists, but inquisitors, sadowdancers, illusionists, encanters, and even more exotic types are not uneard of. A few druids and witces serve Blackfingers for is patronage of poisonous creatures, and particularly einous barbarians venerate te brutal teacings of ater Skinsaw. Depending on wic aspect teir temples favor, priests usually ave some skill in tievery, information-gatering, poison, or stealt. Tievery, weter common or elaborate, is a typical profession for priests. Some are master imitators, stealing oters identities and using tem to cover up dark deeds or simply take teir valuables from omes and vaults. Oters use teir knowledge of alcemy, poisons, and potions to keep villains supplied in deadly goods wile keeping public personas of armless apotecaries. More sociable priests work as diplomats, spies, or negotiators, buying and selling information and contracts. ollowers beave according to teir cosen aspect of te god. Tose wo worsip te Reaper of Reputation are coy and secretive, followers of Blackfingers tend to be bookis, tose of te Gray Master are greedy and covetous, and tose of ater Skinsaw are antisocial. Of course, tese traits color rater tan define a worsiper, and wile some are caricatures of tese qualities, most ave te good sense to rein in teir urges and present a normal demeanor to te outside world. 74 Holidays Norgorber s followers celebrate is Ascension in midwinter by snatcing a random person from te street, bringing er to teir temple, quietly murdering er wit poison, ten iding te body were it will never be found. Cults tat avoid killing migt plant incriminating evidence on a target, drug a target and place im in a compromising position, or steal someting valuable in a way tat embarrasses its owner. Aporisms Wit four different aspects and countless individual organizations scattered across te Inner Sea region, only two prases stand out as common to te entire religion. Wit One Hand I Give: Used as a salutation, tis is also a warning te speaker s true motivations remain secret, and a gift in one and may be offset by a treat in te oter. I Wait for a air Price: Someting of little apparent value may be wort someting in te rigt ands or wispered in te proper ear. A person wo says tis possesses some item or knows some secret tat as not yet its full potential. reaced

77 Norgorber Holy Text At least 17 sort texts are associated wit te fait, all given innocuous code names and often disguised as mundane books or encoded to prevent easy scrutiny. Among te faitful, te collected teacings of Norgorber are called Te Words Beind te Mask, toug any two cults may ave very different ideas about ow te capters are organized, te specific wording of certain prases, or wic sections are te most important. Relations Wit Oter Religions Norgorber is careful to maintain civil relations wit most deities. Wen e must act against anoter deity, e does so troug intermediaries or in ways tat obscure is involvement, allowing im to appear innocent even under great scrutiny. As a master of secrets, e is often able to use is knowledge to leverage assistance out of tose wo dislike im, usually for te purpose of striking a common enemy. He as been known to unexpectedly assist tose wo dislike or oppose im, most likely to acieve a secret goal. Of all te major deities, only six refuse to speak wit Norgorber. Abadar opposes im, as te god of tievery represents an aversion to te idea of laws benefiting a society, and is actions directly undermine mercants and te acquisition of onest wealt. Cayden Cailean considers im a coward and a villain and peraps some of teir rivalry is due to tem being te only surviving males among te Ascended. Erastil as seen im and is followers ruin enoug lives weter troug criminal activity or familydamaging secrets to never trust im. Iomedae steadfastly believes Norgorber as evaded justice for far too long, and tinks te dark god was someow involved in te deat of Aroden. Sarenrae as given im enoug cances to redeem imself and as been burned many times by Norgorber using false repentance to furter some evil plot. Torag ates im because e is te cancer tat destroys a city from witin, despite te migtiest walls to keep out dangerous foes. Despite teir enmity, even tese deities ave dealt wit Norgorber in te past troug intermediaries to obtain some of is valuable secrets. ater Skinsaw as a unique relationsip wit Acaekek. Bot love te conception, planning, and execution of a murder, and te two cults ave been known to work togeter. He as been known to consort wit Gyronna and Sivana as well, calling upon teir aid directly or manipulating tem for is own purposes, and witdrawing in silent amusement wen tey manage to manipulate im in turn. New Spell Te unique magical abilities of a priest of Norgorber depend on wic aspect is te priest s patron. Clerics and druids of Blackfingers may spontaneously cast poison as CUSTOMIZED SUMMON LIST Norgorber s priests can use summon monster spells to summon te following creatures in addition to te normal creatures listed in te spells. Summon Monster III Human natural wererat rogue 2* Summon Monster IV Coker* Summon Monster V Sadow mastiff (Bestiary 3) * Tis creature as te extraplanar subtype but is oterwise normal for its kind. a 3rd-level spell. Clerics of te Reaper of Reputation may prepare nondetection as a 3rd-level spell. Clerics of ater Skinsaw may spontaneously cast slay living as a 5t-level spell. Clerics of te Gray Master may spontaneously cast clairaudience/clairvoyance as a 3rd-level spell, and is antipaladins may prepare it as a 2nd-level spell. In addition to poison egg (see Patfinder Campaign Setting: Gods and Magic), is priests ave access to te following spell, wic tey often cast on patsies to wipe teir memories after tey ve magically compelled tem to commit a crime. alse Alibi Scool encantment (compulsion) [mind-affecting]; Level bard 3, cleric 3, inquisitor 3 (Norgorber) Casting Time 1 round Components V, S, M (100 gp of emerald dust) Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target one living creature Duration permanent; see text Saving Trow Will negates; Spell Resistance yes Tis spell functions similar to modify memory, except you can modify te target s memory only in a specific way. In response to a triggering condition you determine, up to te last 5 minutes of te target s memory are eliminated and replaced wit a memory of your coosing (or no memory at all). or example, you could cast tis on an assassin, set it to trigger wen e completes is kill, and replace is memory of te murder wit te memory of im discovering te body and picking up te murder weapon. You can cast tis spell multiple times on te same target, even wit te same trigger, affecting different memories. A single casting of false alibi affects a creature only until te specified condition as been triggered; once a condition as been triggered and te target s memory altered, tat condition no longer triggers tis spell unless te victim is subject to anoter casting of false alibi tat specifies te same trigger. 75

78 SKULL & SackleS Becalmed Patfinder s Journal: Te Treasure of ar Tallai 5 of 6 T e arpies ad strewn an assortment of bones around teir nest, mostly uman, all well gnawed. As my adjutants stripped te monstrous corpses of teir jewels, tey tripped over rib cages and tumbled skulls from teir resting places. Among te gruesome litter I spotted also te skeletons of elves and alf lings. Not all of tem ad been adults. Te large bones ad been cracked open to get at te marrow. I wised one of te arpies would rise back to life, so I could send it rigt back to Hell. A burlap sack, blotced wit rusty stains, eld a mansized form. A dirty lengt of cord tied its mout sut. I stepped my way troug te pile of bones and slain arpies to tear loose te cord and open te sack. My soulders slumped in frustration te pot-bellied, wite-aired man inside appeared to be dead. Ten came a f lutter of movement. A blue tinge below te eyes told te tale: He d been dosed wit a sedative. I waved Otondo over and dug into te supply pack e carried on is back. Toug te ealers back on te sip likely ad a ceaper remedy, I uncorked a ealing potion and dribbled its contents onto is lips. Te man awoke wit a start. Goggling in terror, e scuttled back, clutcing at is ip and finding only an empty scabbard. His frantic effort to free is legs from te sack entangled im furter. I knelt down, placing a foot on te burlap to elp im work imself free. Gently taking old of is rigt arm, I pulled it clear of te sack. Te forefinger was missing. We d found Twill Ninefingers. My name is Callys Argent, I said. Compreension eluded im; it would take im a few more moments to sake off te mind-dulling effects of te sleep draugt. He eld out is ands, as if afraid I was about 76

79 Becalmed to run im troug. A sadow passed over my soulder: it was Otondo. Wat ave I told you about looming? I said. Te ogre retreated, smirking. Twill s expression veered from abject dread to mere appreension. We came ere to rescue you, I told im. W-wy? e managed. Like te nest around im, e stank of carrion. A general pallor, coupled wit inf lammation of te eyelids, sowed tat e ad not been properly fed in a good long time. Judging from is sagging ceeks, e d begun is recent misadventures as a muc portlier man. You are Twill Ninefingers, te famous lockbreaker? Wo wants to know? As I said, I am Callys Argent, captain of te Aspidocelone. If you are se... He swiveled is gaze to eac of my adjutants in turn....ten tese are te Devil s our! Otondo cortled at te term, wic I ad not eard before. If you ave eard tat muc about tem, I told Twill, you are also aware tat tey now atone for teir past crimes. No one believes tat will last, e wispered. Se does, said Aspodell. I moved to block Twill s view of te oters. Weter you tink tey serve me or te devil, you ll ave to admit we re preferable to a nest of ravening arpies. Tey weren t going to eat me. No, tey were olding you for Kered irsk. Wo do you prefer to sail ome wit? Him or us? Do not tink me ungrateful. He finally made is way fully out of te sack, leaving it in a bundle at is feet. But I m not opening no treasure box for you. We don t ave a treasure box. No, but te Monster Captain as te Treasure of ar Tallai, and you want it. I m not getting mixed up in no set-to between te two of you. Just drop me someplace secluded, and you can tell watever fool god you serve tat you ve added anoter good deed to your ledger book. I eld out my and to im. Peraps we ll do exactly tat. It s true I seek te treasure, but I won t force you to open anyting. Did you ear te arpies say wat tey were supposed to do wit you? He took my elp, wobbling to is feet. Tey were waiting for someone to arrive. Wo? Someone tey didn t muc like. Tere was a lot of squabbling over weter tey d go down to meet tem, or would make tem come up to te nest. Tey called tem nyoggot, or some suc. Any meaning in tat? I scribbled te word in my small carry-diary, for later transcription into a logbook proper. Harpy slang, I suppose, or a fragment of some long-lost tongue. Watever a nyoggot is, te arpies didn t trust tem. destination temselves. But tat wasn t wat irsk told tem, and tey feared im. Destination? Tey mentioned Dead Slave Cove. Tat s on Raptor Island, Seagrave said. Sout side. He ll slay me if e finds me wit you, Twill said. You re worried tat e ll do it anyway, once you ve opened te Tallai case, or you wouldn t ave f led Moonplum to escape im. You eard e was coming? Twill tottered to te edge of te volcanic crater, were e surveyed te formidable slope below. A spice trader putting in at Moonplum said e d eard tat irsk ad te Tallai case but needed someone to open it. I needed to ear no more tan tat. Sooner or later word would get back to im I was living tere. So you sougt te protection of a cyclops? Easy enoug now to call me a fool. I tougt even Kered irsk migt tink twice before raiding an island teeming wit one-eyes. And watever Megeus s faults, I d dealt wit im in te past. It was a point of lunatic pride wit im, ow e d never violated an oat. And e swore up and sideways e d never betray me to irsk. He didn t. But te gosts... Tey weren t working for irsk. Tey wanted you for temselves. I don t understand. Your broter is now a grandee of Drowningtide. He misses you. And would like you at is side, forever. Geor? Twill grimaced. He never cared for me in life. Deat exists, for some, as an eternity of pondering and regret. At any rate, tey weren t delivering you to te arpies. Te bird-bitces intercepted you. Twill leaned against te crater s edge. Tat explains it. Tey were all set to open me up and feast on my liver, till tey saw my face and counted my fingers. irsk as more tan one set of monstrous allies scouring te Sackles for you. If we drop you off on a lonely atoll, ow long do you tink it will be before you re sniffed out by a sea drake, draugr, or someting worse? Te lockbreaker noticed an overlong fingernail and commenced to neatly clip it off wit is teet. I see your point. And, in a more urgent vein, ow long before more arpies return to tis nest? Even in te best of ealt, no one would mistake Twill for a climber. We nearly lost im twice on te way down Sarenvent s slopes. Noneteless we conveyed im to te boat, and from tere to te Aspidocelone. After turning im over to te ministrations of te ealers, Jeffret and Cold Bendani, I consulted wit Old Hallegg. Any trouble? I asked im. Tey argued about weter tey sould just f ly me to Sapes te move beneat te waters, captain. 77

80 Haul ancor and ready te sails. Were to? Tat s te question, isn t it? I met wit te Devil s our a term tat lodged itself in my ead, despite its idiocy in my quarters. Were do we take im? I asked. At first I d tougt we ide im inland, at Neruma. Seagrave s beard appeared to write wit disapproval. An overland journey? As toug on us as it would be on irsk. Rigt. Oter suggestions? We re using Twill as bait, yes? Rira asked. Well-protected bait. Ten nort, to te edge of te Abendego storms? Seagrave twitced. irsk s crew is as able tere as we. If we re to figt an even battle, let s not do it on te skirts of a urricane. We take im to Port Peril, ten, said Aspodell. irsk doesn t dare invade te very city of te pirate king. He d ave to come at us by stealt, alone or wit a andful of crew. And wen it comes to subtlety, my wager s on us. By wic I mean, me. I left a moment s pause for objections, nodded my assent, and left te cabin to order a course for Port Peril. A good wind cleared te sky and filled our sails. As te Aspidocelone bore down on te Terwa coast it grew stronger. Te sip s ull and decks sang in armony as we cut te water, carried on te waves. Seagrave took te elm, belting out a ribald santy about a sip besotted wit a mermaid. I d eard te song before, but never so many verses of it. Te crew bellowed te corus and left te verses to im. I joined im on te aft deck, not to better ear wat rymed wit weaterduck, but to scan te orizon for signs of Kered irsk s vessel, te Slicer. rom my eavesdropping on te arpies before we slew tem, it seemed more tan likely tat tey d already alerted te Monster Captain to Twill s presence. His dark sip could be waiting for us beind any island. Twill stumped up beside me. Te set of is brow suggested tat e d also mulled te cances of an ambus. You look aler already, I said. Salt cod and ardtack. Now I remember wy I promised myself never to sail again. Wen we get to Port Peril, we ll feed you better tan tat. Your ealers say you re a Patfinder. Tat I am. So you care more about discovering facts to put down in your little books tan you do about te fates of oters. Tese goals are one and te same. Te soul needs knowledge like te belly needs food. Tere s nary a lesson I ve learned tat I don t wis I adn t, e said, almost to imself. How to break locks SKULL & SackleS tat s wat I ve discovered. Best to leave secret doors secret and closed cests sut. Ain t noting I e er opened wasn t more trouble tan good. It s a curse, a punisment for curiosity and greed. or caring more about ill-got rices tan my own kinfolk and comrades. Tey say I m among te best in te world. Near as good as Vitta of Mendev, tey say. And wat s it got me? Bad company and worse grub. Wat s money? It runs troug your fingers. Wat s lore? A bunc of words. Dead tougts about dead men. Men prosper wen tey learn, and suffer wen old truts are lost. How many truts are my life wort? Before I could answer im, te sip lurced. I f lew against te rail, catcing myself just in time to avoid a nasty bang on te ead. Twill landed face-first on te deck. rom te corner of my eye I saw a sailor plummet from te rigging. A loud splas announced is fall into te sea. I looked to te ancor, wondering if some fool ad let it drop. But it remained in place, drying and swinging, its cain still well secured. Te Aspidocelone continued to slow until finally we were becalmed altogeter. Te winds blew as powerfully as ever, rattling in te sails to no effect. It seemed like magic, so I called for Rira. In te meantime, men leaned over te port rail, looking for te fallen sailor. Tey cried is name. It was eddick, a recent recruit wo signed on wit us at Hell Harbor, bringing wit im a aunted look and a istory of aving been press-ganged. We waited for im to break up troug te waves. Tey ran fast, so e could easily ave been pulled out aead of our inexplicably alted sip. Old Hallegg took command of te detail, leaving me to deal wit watever ad stopped us. Wat is tis? I asked Rira. I don t like it, se said. I m not asking you to like it, I m asking you to account for it. Tis outburst I immediately regretted. An angry captain is a weak captain. I wondered wat sly expression id beind Rira s mask. Se wove a looping pattern in te air wit te fingers of er left and wile muttering a barely audible arcane formula. A faint um followed er movements. It stopped wen er ands did. Watever it is, it s not a spell. Te work of an encanted object? Not tat, eiter. Battle stations! I called. Te crew broke from te searc for eddick to take up te cry. Soon tey were arrayed wit swords in and, or beind ballistae or fire-trowers. Te waves broke into a wite frot. Creatures bubbled up from below te waves. isy eads appeared, framed by fans of red gill-fins. Some were drably colored, oters splendid. It was te sea devil war-party we d outdistanced on our way to Sarenvent, back to greet us again. How ad most of all. Tings are put beind lock and key for a reason, tey stilled our sip, if not by magic? 78

81 Becalmed Te most outrageously patterned of te sea folk, wom I took to be a queen or te like, rose up from te water, eld aloft by two lesser subjects. Droplets of water fell from te tips of er face-spines, some of wic extended to a yard in lengt. Her enormous sark and its aquatic owda were nowere in evidence. We d last seen te sea devils as tey fougt off a squid-ting; presumably er mount and its apparatus were now in its gullet. Wo leads you greasy airbreaters? te sea devil queen called, er voice a distorted burble. I swept to te rail. I am Callys Argent, captain of te Aspidocelone. Your appearance disgusts me. Te sound produced by your useless lungs and lips is like unto te coupling of clawfis. To address you is to demean myself. So I sall merely specify my name, wic is Kless of milting Snasn, breeding Salligilat, lineage So-ese. Te remainder of tis parley sall be undertaken by one of lesser wort, te erald Drid, of milting Lellij, of breeding unspecified. As captain of a pirate vessel, I sould ave peraps interrupted er insults and asserted my autority. As a Patfinder, I d won a priceless opportunity to observe te speec patterns of soutern sea devil royalty, and to record tem accurately for future posterity. A mottled specimen, its eaddress of fins tin and punctured, bobbed up in te waves aead of Kless. Toug I am but a worm, I am still of te true race, and tus infinitely superior to all else wo swim te waves, and, it need not be said, landwalking nonentities suc as yourselves. Yet at te beest of te great and merciless Kless, I command you to obey. Tis ad gone far enoug. Sow respect, sea-tras, or I ll boil te water around you wit our battery of fire-trowers. Te drab fis-people darkened; te vivid ones grew even more so. Let me demonstrate, said te erald Drid. Te prow of te Aspidocelone rose into te air, seemingly pusing itself up out of te water. Sailors tumbled down from te fore deck to te aft. Tey dangled from te rigging. A few tudded to te deck. Te prow ten fell, abruptly released. A sockwave ran up troug te sip and into our bones. Loosened nails jutted up troug te planking. A fire-trower fell from its ousing to clatter and roll. Rira stopped it wit er foot. Were it our desire, patetic motes, continued Drid, we could, wit a srug, tear your sip to sreds. Tis will become our desire sould you make any untoward or ostile motion, or speak in suc a way as to offend te supremacy of our race. Is our position clear, ape-spawn? You ave articulated it precisely, I replied, ands curled tigtly around te rail. In te ilt of my cutlass, a crystal pulsed wit cold blue ligt. Of te five stones, it was te one tat eld Rira s geas. Its sudden gleam meant tat se was figting its old over er. My adjutants always cose inopportune moments to test teir magic bonds. Tis struck me as particularly ill-timed. Drid gurgled on: Be it also clear tat te true race never acts out of mercy toward inferiors. I caugt Rira in a sidelong glance. Her position mimicked mine spine straigt, gripping te rail as if to strangle it, quaking wit contained rage. Was er rebellion aimed at me? Was it even conscious? As fully intent as I sould ave been on Drid s demands, I couldn t elp but consider er mask. Of its origins, Rira refused to speak. Its metal lips and f laring gills certainly bore a striking resemblance to te creatures below. If we do not destroy your sip, Drid said, it is merely because we do not wis unnamed oters to count temselves over-pleased by our cooperation. It appears te lockbreaker as a sense of onor. 79

82 SKULL & SackleS You mean Kered irsk. If you ate all umans, wy do Do not inquire of us! Te queen f lared er face-spines. In response, te prow of te sip again pused itself up, toug not quite so ig or for as long as before. Te crew let me see its collective fear. If it were only me in danger, I d ave restated te question. Instead I fell silent. Inutile landwalker Callys Argent, you will do as we command. We intuit tat on board your laugable vessel quivers a contemptible bag of f les known by your people as Twill Ninefingers. or reasons we do not deign to enumerate, we demand tis cattel. It will be surrendered to us fortwit. We will ten depart, witout feeding any of you to our sarks. Toug you migt be inclined to fall to your knees and weep wit gratitude, we escew suc displays. Give us te Ninefingers, and consider our business transacted. At some point during te parley, Aspodell ad eased up next to me. Tey can t tell one inutile f lesbag from anoter. Tell tem I m Twill. I can t let you sacrifice yourself. Nor am I suggesting it. Tat queen s last meal will be te steel of my rapier. Even you can t take an entire sea devil war party. Never argue wit a sea devil especially not a queen. Twill Ninefingers appeared at my oter elbow. Nobody s going in my stead. Twill Tis is my doom. Tat s plain to see. I sould never ave opened tat first lock. Anybody taking my place dies for noting. He leapt up on te railing. I m Twill Ninefingers! You want me? I grabbed for im, but Aspodell pulled me back. You got me, you rotten nyoggot! Twill leapt from te rail into te sea below. Unprepared for tis, te sea devils swam in a confused pattern. Ninefingers it te waves on te outer peripery of teir formation. One of teir great wite sarks lunged at im. Sea devil soldiers leapt on it, grappling its slippery ide. It bucked and snapped at tem. A soldier cried out in trumming tones, te underside of is arm stripped to te ulna. Blood pooled in te water, sending te oter sarks into frenzy. Te sea devils fell on tem, auling on reins of seaweed, or prodding tem wit long poles. Te ends of tese devices glowed wen tey made contact, and seemed to exert a pacifying magic. One by one te sarks succumbed to docility. In te meantime, Drid and several oter of te queen s attendants ad plucked Twill from below te surface. Tey yanked is ead up and back as still oters produced a drinking vessel fasioned from te ornate sell of some deep-sea mollusk. Holding is mout open wit teir webbed claws, te attendants poured a saffron-colored liquid. It spilled across Twill s face and into te water. Having tus dosed im undoubtedly wit waterlung tey ducked is ead down and out of sigt. Still working to calm teir sarks, te entire party disappeared into te depts. Te crew eld its collective breat, waiting for te force olding our sip to release it. Toug fres gusts rattled te Aspidocelone s sails, it did not budge. Pressure built in te masts and booms; tey groaned as if ready to crack. Lower te sails, I souted. Te crew rused to seize te alyards. A yell from te aft deck sent me running, to see eddick s upper alf bobbing in te waves below. Sark bite? I asked Seagrave. 80

83 Becalmed If so, it s no sark I ve ever seen. See ow te bite is saped like a narrow V? I nodded, toug in trut I could make out noting more precise tan a gruesome smudge of severed entrails. Wat did tis was more beak tan sarky jaw, Seagrave said. Giant squid? Kraken? Or te like. A dark mass snaked under te surface of te water. eddick s remains jerked and were gone, pulled below. I ordered Old Hallegg to fetc our own supply of waterlung. We d liberated several doses from Megeus te cyclops, and so ad draugts to spare. Wen e came back wit te cest containing te potions, e said, You wouldn t be going yourself, would you, captain? Otondo growled over Old Hallegg s soulder. We don t need you talkin er out of tings. Do we? Hallegg witdrew a step. I need one to come wit me, I said. Rira stepped forward. It sould be me. Wen Hallegg offered er te potion cest, se waved it away. In response to my questioning stance, se tapped er mask. Wat do you tink tis does? Wo do you tink put it on me? Before I could turn tese retorical questions into an occasion for furter inquiry, se plucked up one of te specialized crossbowlike weapons te crew sometimes used for spearfising, strode to te rail, and jumped over. I quaffed te waterlung potion and followed er, doffing superf luous items of cloting along te way. An instant of vertiginous suspension followed. Ten I angled my body to mimic a knife, and in tis sape sliced down troug te waves. I rode te force of my dive until it dissipated, ten curled around to view te underside of te sip from a vantage dozens of yards below te surface. An enormous creature, alf fis, alf octopus, dangled below te sip, seven spined tentacles wrapped around our rudder and muc of te ull s aft section. Its skin, mottled and fibrous, was te color of a blood blister. Bony projections protected its glowing cerulean eyes. Muscular, elongated f lippers extended past its vestigial tail. Tese f luttered in tandem wit a prominent anterior dorsal fin, olding our sip in place. Tey would ave worked arder still wen te sails were up. My memory f lased to a page from a long-destroyed copy of te second folio of te Abyssal Synoptic. Te autor, Praligeus, called it a devilfis. He identified te term as a misnomer, owever: It was an escapee not from one of te layers of Hell, but from te aquatic regions of te demon-aunted Abyss. Praligeus also claimed for it te rudiments of a mind. But ten, e also assured readers tat it grew no larger tan a orse. Tis specimen was nearly as large as my sip. If it was capable of tougt, it could ave received and carried out instructions from its sea devil masters or reckoning it wit Kered irsk. 81 could coose to disobey tem. However, I ad no means of divining wat its instructions were, or plumbing te extent of its loyalties. Nor could I communicate wit it wile underwater. We would ave to dislodge it te simple way. Rira, a string of bubbles pouring from er mask, directed a barrage of complex gestures at me. Se swam toward te devilfis, enacting a spell. A pulsing, wite energy rippled from er fingertips. Tey traveled outwards in a series of expanding circles. As eac ripple struck me, my muscles spasmed in agony. Se was trowing ligtning bolts beneat te water. Rira ad been struck by te force of er own spell, and seemed worse off tan I. Se f loated in te water as if stunned. Te first of te wite circles reaced te devilfis. Energy danced along its rugose f les. Instantly, it released te sip s ull. It collapsed into a defensive ball, wit its tentacles wrapped protectively around its body. Eac time an electric ripple struck it, te beast suddered. As badly as it ad urt us, Rira s spell ad clearly done greater arm to te creature. It remained in its ball as te last ripple wased over it. Wit sluggis movements, Rira seized te crossbow se d slung across er back. I swam fort, cutlass ready. As I neared it, te first of Rira s projectiles struck te creature. Guided by encantment, te spearlike bolt omed in on a spot between tentacles, lodging in te devilfis s eye. Te beemot uncurled itself from its ball, emitting a black liquid. Tis billowed out to fill a sizeable volume of water centered around te nexus of its tentacles wat would ave been its nose, ad it been configured like an ordinary fis. I reversed course too late; clouds of te dark substance wased over me. As soon as it made contact wit my f les, my gut erupted wit te urge to vomit. igting tis wit all my will, I swam back, out of te cloud. Concentrating my strengt into my legs, I dove beind and beneat te devilfis. Above me Rira ad done muc te same, avoiding te cloud. A succession of bolts already pierced te ting s spine. I stabbed my cutlass into te muscle fixing its f lipper to its body. Te creature rolled over, grazing me wit its alfsevered f lipper. It skittered troug its inky cloud and made a foolis attempt at f ligt. In te panicked effort, it caused its f lipper to detac entirely from its side. Only a treaded cord of nerves connected te creature to it. Gouts of blood blackened te water. Te devilfis pitced onto its side and bobbed to te surface. Rira and I clambered onto te sip to te ceers of te crew. Se leaned against te rail. I lay on te deck, gasping. My next command was issued f lat on my back and eedless of my dignity. We would make speed to Dead Slave Cove, and a decisive

84 SKULL & SackleS Bestiary We eard te beast before we saw it. A long, low groaning rumbled troug te air, suddenly rising in pitc to become a keening wail. Half of te crew stood transfixed in fear and awe, unsure wat to do as te rotting creature erupted from te water in an attempt to dive onto te sip. Witout a second tougt, I ordered te crew wo still ad teir wits about tem to take evasive measures, only narrowly avoiding te skeletal wale. Wit its second leap, we were not so lucky. Half of us managed to swim asore, but now we re stuck on tis blasted island. rom te journal of Captain Rory Nigtgull of te Dreaming Dryad 82

85 Bestiary Te warm seas surrounding te Sackles teem wit life bot benign and malevolent. Tose sailing tese waters must keep a keen eye on te orizon for any signs of approacing danger. Better yet, a clever captain employs submerged scouts to warn of te even greater treats tat may surge up from te dark waters below. Sips, Sailors, and Oter Victims Myriad sips cross te Arcadian Ocean and ever Sea every day, and any one of tem can serve as easy prey for pirates or as dangerous foes for tose wo attempt to board te vessels. GMs looking to callenge teir PCs on te ig seas migt ave any of te following sips serve as treats. Eac of te following sip entries provides information on a particular pirate sip and describes its place in te Sackles. GMs looking for more tools to elp tem conduct teir boarding raids and sipboard battles sould also ceck out GameMastery lip-map: Pirate Sip and GameMastery Map Pack: Sip s Cabins. Te Dark Sword: Runaway criminals and indebted stowaways alike know to fear Derin Skallas, an accomplised bounty unter (use te bounty unter statistics on page 283 of te Patfinder RPG GameMastery Guide), wo teamed up wit Captain Clanston Arrento (use te first mate statistics on page 295 of te GameMastery Guide) to sail te seas and unt down tose wo ve f led teir responsibilities. Te Sackles are ripe for tis kind of work, since people from all over ope to ide in tis pirate paradise. In teir first year operating in tis way, tey brougt nearly a dozen outlaws and runaways back to face teir crimes and swelled teir coffers to fund future endeavors. Celiax pays te greatest bounties, and te two frequently make trips back and fort to Egorian to claim teir prizes and obtain new targets for teir enterprise. Te Dark Sword is crewed by 24 additional sipmates (GameMastery Guide 294) and a trusted sellsword (GameMastery Guide 283), making tis a CR 13 encounter. Te Dying Moon: Tis dilapidated barkentine carries a cult of Groetus making teir way around te Inner Sea preacing apocalypse and spreading teir niilistic pilosopy. A figure of a full, pale moon wit a faint skull graces te sip s black sails, and te sound of te crew s feveris canting swells as te sip approaces. Tese followers of te God of te End Times are fanatical in teir beliefs and torougly mad, and boldly commandeer oter vessels tey come across, eiter converting or sacrificing te crews. Sometimes te sip and crew practice less violent metods, making a sow of peace in order to gain access to anoter sip in order to proselytize about teir grim patron s ultimate goal of total apocalypse. ew care to ear teir mad ravings, toug, and tese evangelical missions often end in bloodsed. Te Dying Moon s crew consists of 30 working believers (use te vagabond HIGH-LEVEL OCEAN ENCOUNTERS % Result Avg. CR Source 1 9 1d8 giant jellyfis 11 Bestiary clockwork leviatan 12 Bestiary d4 gawwas 12 Bestiary d8 saltwater merrows 12 Bestiary sea serpent 12 Bestiary carybdis 13 Bestiary d4 lukwatas 13 Bestiary d4 basilosaurus 14 Bestiary old brine dragon 14 Bestiary great wite wale 14 Bestiary d6 ezrou demons 14 Bestiary d8 sappire jellyfis 15 Bestiary sea bonze 15 Bestiary d12 siyokoys 15 Bestiary scylla 16 Bestiary bakekujira 17 See page kraken 18 Bestiary deep sea serpent 19 Bestiary talassic beemot 20 Bestiary 3 38 statistics on page 291 of te GameMastery Guide), 13 cultists (GameMastery Guide 278), 2 mercenaries providing muscle (use te sellsword statistics on page 283 of te GameMastery Guide), and one cult leader (GameMastery Guide 279). If tings get violent, all crew members fanatically figt to te deat, making tis a CR 14 encounter. Te Salty Gear: Captain Crissa Serucest keeps a sip crewed by only er constructs. Perfectly content living witout any oter uman contact, se talks to er constructs at lengt and treats tem as if tey were er cildren, giving eac of te golems and animated objects names and assigning personalities to te creatures. To keep from losing any of tese mindless servants, se prefers to use wood golems tat will remain af loat if tey fall overboard. Tis strange pirate captain and cleric of Brig also secured te services of a master artisan to elp er permanently animate te siege weapons aboard te Salty Gear. Some say se resorted to piracy in order to save up to fully animate tis sturdy sailing junk. Captain Crissa (use te ig priest statistics on page 305 of te GameMastery Guide but cange er spells and domains) maintains a crew of eigt wood golems (Patfinder RPG Bestiary 164) and eigt Large animated objects (Bestiary 14). If attacked, tey all join in te figt, making tis a CR 15 encounter. 83

86 Bakekujira Tis ulking, rotted mass of pale blubber and bone looks like it was once a wale. Gostly f lames glow in eac of its eye sockets. Bakekujira CR 17 XP 102,400 NE Colossal undead (aquatic) Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +20 Aura undead parasites (30 ft., DC 28) DEENSE AC 32, touc 2, flat-footed 32 (+30 natural, 8 size) p 262 (25d8+150) ort +14, Ref +10, Will +14 Defensive Abilities cannel resistance +4; DR 15/bludgeoning; Immune undead traits OENSE Speed 15 ft., swim 60 ft. Melee bite +27 (6d6+16/19 20), tail slap +21 (4d6+8) Space 30 ft.; Reac 30 ft. Special Attacks capsize, leviatan s call, resonant song, smasing breac STATISTICS Str 42, Dex 10, Con, Int 2, Wis 11, Ca 23 Base Atk +18; CMB +42 (+46 bull rus); CMD 52 (can t be tripped) eats Awesome Blow, Combat Reflexes, Critical ocus, Greater Bull Rus, Improved Bull Rus, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Improved Ligtning Reflexes, Ligtning Reflexes, Power Attack, Staggering Critical, Stunning Critical, Weapon ocus (bite) Skills Intimidate +16, Perception +20, Swim +28 ECOLOGY Environment any ocean Organization solitary Treasure none SPECIAL ABILITIES Leviatan s Call (Su) Te tone of a bakekujira s eerie song varies from tat of a wistful memory to a burning, painwracked atred. As a standard action, a bakekujira can alter its song to make creatures eiter fascinated or frigtened. All living creatures witin a 120-foot radius must succeed at a DC 28 Will save or gain one of te conditions (bakekujira s coice) for as long as te bakekujira sings. Te bakekujira can maintain te song using a standard action eac round, toug affected creatures receive a new save eac round to end te effect. Any creature tat succeeds at tis save cannot be affected by te same bakekujira s leviatan s call ability for 24 ours. Tis is a sonic mind-affecting effect. Te save DC is Carisma-based. Resonant Song (Su) As a standard action once every 1d4 rounds, te bakekujira can release a single pure note tat causes a damaging resonance, dealing 12d8 points of sonic damage to all creatures in a 60-foot cone (ortitude DC 28 alves). Te save DC is Carisma-based. SKULL & SackleS Smasing Breac (Ex) As a full-round action, a swimming bakekujira can make a special carge attack against creatures on te surface of te water. At te end of its carge, te wale breaces, ten slams down onto te target wit incredible force. Any Huge or smaller creatures in te bakekujira s space must succeed at a DC 28 Reflex save or take 4d8+24 points of bludgeoning damage and be forced into te nearest empty square adjacent to te bakekujira. Any umanoid creatures killed by tis ability rise as draugr (Patfinder RPG Bestiary 2 110) in 1d6 ours. Animals or vermin killed by tis attack rise as eiter skeletons (Bestiary 250) or zombies (Bestiary 288) in 1d6 ours. A bakekujira can use its capsize special attack in conjunction wit tis ability. Te save DC is Carisma-based. Undead Parasites (Su) A bakekujira s rotting fles is infused wit necromantic energy. Creatures feeding on te beast s carcass (suc as fis, insects, and sea-going birds) sicken and die, later rising as undead tralls. Tis ost of carrion eaters manifests itself as a sickening cloud of sea birds and fis curning witin 30 feet of te bakekujira in bot air and sea. Any creatures coming witin 30 feet of te bakekujira must succeed at a DC 28 Will save or be nauseated for 1 round as per te distraction special ability. In addition, tose entering tis area take 6d6 points of damage as tis undead swarm pecks, claws, and cews on living fles. Any animal, umanoid, or vermin killed by tese parasites rises as a skeleton or zombie in 1d6 ours. Creatures wit te ability to cannel positive energy can suppress tis aura by using one of teir uses of cannel energy. Te bakekujira receives a Will save against tis effect. Te save DC is equal to /2 of te caster s level + te caster s Carisma modifier. If te bakekujira fails tis save te undead parasite aura is suppressed for 1 minute. Cannel energy used in tis way as no oter effect (it does not arm te bakekujira or any oter undead in te area.) Te seas of Golarion are ome to many legends bot living and undead, but te bakekujiras is peraps one of te largest among tese latter orrors. Some ave trouble believing te old stories, but woe to anyone tat discovers te trut. Tese embodiments of corrupted majesty prowl te seas, along wit teir f locks and scools of pestilent parasites. A bakekujira weigs about 50 tons, toug sometimes less, depending on ow long it as been decomposing. Bakekujiras are as large as tey were in teir former lives, measuring from 50 to 60 feet long. Ecology Toug te exact circumstances vary, te story of eac bakekujira is similar: It was noting more tan an ordinary wale wen walers attacked. Te wale managed to escape, but sustained a grievous wound from a waler s arpoon. It died after days of anger and pain, only 84

87 Bestiary Habitat & Society to arise as an undead monstrosity bent on taking revenge for its demise. As a bakekujira goes about its new, corrupted existence, it continues to rot until all te f les is stripped from its bones, leaving beind only an immense skeletal wale. Te decomposition process draws all sorts of sea scavengers to te rotting wale, from gulls to fis. However, te f les of a bakekujira is not only rotten it is also toxic and deeply infused wit negative energy. Any creature tat eats of tis f les sickens and dies, only to rise sortly tereafter and continues its existence as an undead trall inexplicably bound to te bakekujira. Normally tese creatures take up residence in and around te putrefied body of te bakekujira, swarming trougout te creature and only emerging to pus back any wo would seek to do arm to teir rotting ost. Te bakekujira is relentless in its mission to upset and capsize any vessels reminding it of its descent into unlife, toug because of te vastness of te sea, its quarry can be scarce. Wen a bakekujira does come across a sip, its rage is suc tat te beast cares little weter te vessel is an actual waler or just a f ising sloop. Te wale pits its full power against te sip, and is capable of capsizing all but te luckiest of sips wit te most skilled captains. Bakekujiras are also able to affect te minds of te sips crews. Teir usual song is gentle, evoking tougts of peaceful days in te sea. However, bakekujiras are able to cannel teir fury troug teir music, transferring to teir victims te terror and elplessness te bakekujiras temselves experienced in teir last moments of life. Using it jaws, tail, and enormous girt, a bakekujira attacks relentlessly until its angry spirit is laid to rest. Wile tere are stories about pods of bakekujiras collaborating to lay waste to f leets and port towns, it is unlikely tat te massive undead beasts would even notice eac oter. Tey are creatures of destruction and see oter creatures, even teir own kind, as mere obstacles in teir pursuit to wreak as muc avoc as possible. Tis doesn t mean tat multiple bakekujiras never attack te same target; rater, tey simply attack independently, motivated by teir own individual anger. On rare occasions, large creatures suc as giant vultures and dire sarks feed alongside te bakekujira s undead parasites. Tese creatures frequently succumb to tese parasites and join te trong, swimming or f lying alongside te bakekujira and taking a more active role tan te wale s aura suggests. A GM can enance encounters wit bakekujiras by providing oter undead creatures as auxiliary foes. Below is a list of appropriate animals typically encountered among a bakekujira s larger undead parasites, eiter wit te skeleton or zombie template applied. Creature Base CR Hit Dice Albatross (use vulture stats) 1/2 1 Eagle 1/2 1 Electric eel 2 2 Manta ray 1 3 Seagull (use raven stats) 1/6 1 Sark 2 4 Stingray 1/2 2 Vulture, giant Source Bestiary Bestiary 118 Bestiary 119 Bestiary Bestiary 133 Bestiary 247 Bestiary Bestiary 3 284

88 CETACEAN Among te largest animals on Golarion, cetaceans are as varied as te seas in wic tey make teir omes. rom te deadly wite wale to te often-friendly dolpin, tese air-breating aquatic mammals are perfectly adapted to life on te open ocean, and aside from teir need to occasionally surface to breate air, tey are as versatile swimmers as te fis upon wic tey feed. Cetaceans are split into two categories: tooted wales and baleen wales. Tooted wales eat fis, scooping up wole scools in teir wide mouts, wile baleen wales filter teir tiny-sized food troug a comb-like structure. Only tooted wales use ecolocation; tey possess a lumpy organ on te front of teir ead called a melon tat aids in tis ability. Walers often unt cetaceans for teir blubber, wic walers render down into oil. Walers also prize cetaceans bones and teet, wic artisans use to craft weapons and art objects using a metod of carving called scrimsaw. Despite teir massive size, cetaceans can be relatively docile, but predatory species or treatened members of any species make formidable foes in combat, as teir size, speed, and relative intelligence make tem more of a callenge tan most mundane sea creatures. Blue Wale Tis massive aquatic mammal as bluis-gray coloration, a wide f luke tail, and a wide mout filled wit layers of baleen. Blue Wale CR 12 XP 19,200 N Colossal animal Init 1; Senses low-ligt vision; Perception +27 SKULL & SackleS DEENSE AC 26, touc 1, flat-footed 26 ( 1 Dex, +25 natural, 8 size) p 184 (16d8+112) ort +17, Ref +9, Will +8 OENSE Speed swim 40 ft. Melee tail slap +21 (8d6+24 plus stun) Space 30 ft.; Reac 30 ft. Special Attacks capsize, swallow wole (4d6+16 damage, AC 22, 18 p) STATISTICS Str 42, Dex 8, Con 25, Int 2, Wis 13, Ca 6 Base Atk +12; CMB +36; CMD 45 (can t be tripped) eats Awesome Blow, Dieard, Endurance, Improved Bull Rus, Iron Will, Power Attack, Skill ocus (Perception), Weapon ocus (tail slap) Skills Perception +27, Swim +35; Racial Modifiers +12 Perception SQ old breat ECOLOGY Environment any ocean Organization solitary, pair, or pod (3 18) Treasure none SPECIAL ABILITIES Hold Breat (Ex) A blue wale can old its breat a number of rounds equal to 10 times its Constitution score before it risks drowning. Powerful Tail (Ex) A blue wale s massive tail deals more damage tan a normal tail slap. Te blue wale s tail slap is a primary attack and applies 1-1/2 times its Strengt bonus to its tail slap damage. 86

89 Bestiary Stun (Ex) A blue wale s fluke can deliver a powerful stunning blow. A creature struck by tis attack must succeed at a DC 34 ortitude save or be dazed for 1 round. If te strike is a critical it and te target fails its save, it is instead stunned for 1d4 rounds. Te save DC is Strengt-based. Te imposing blue wale is one of te largest animals in te sea, toug it is generally docile toward anyting it doesn t perceive as a treat. A filter-feeder, te blue wale does not look at umans or sips as potential meals, instead preferring to eat millions of tiny invertebrates known as krill, wic it sucks troug its baleen in massive gulps. Te most dangerous ting about a blue wale, oter tan its seer size, is its powerful tail, wic can capsize boats and kill umanoids. Tese enormous mammals can be found in all of Golarion s oceans and seas. An adult blue wale is 100 feet long and weigs 200 tons. Crimson Wale Similar to oter wales in many ways, tis giant aquatic beast is notable for its enormous teet, menacingly strong jaws, and blood-red skin. Crimson Wale CR 8 XP 4,800 N Gargantuan animal Init 2; Senses blindsense 120 ft., low-ligt vision; Perception +21 DEENSE AC 22, touc 4, flat-footed 22 ( 2 Dex, +18 natural, 4 size) p 105 (10d8+60) ort +12, Ref +7, Will +6 OENSE Speed swim 40 ft. Melee bite +17 (2d8+26 plus grab) Space 20 ft.; Reac 20 ft. Special Attacks swallow wole (4d6 damage, AC 19, 10 p) STATISTICS Str 36, Dex 7, Con 21, Int 2, Wis 13, Ca 6 Base Atk +7; CMB +24 (+28 grapple); CMD 32 (can t be tripped) eats Iron Will, Ligtning Reflexes, Power Attack, Tougness, Weapon ocus (bite) Skills Perception +21, Swim +29; Racial Modifiers +12 Perception SQ old breat, powerful bite ECOLOGY Environment any ocean Organization single, pair, or pod (3 8) Treasure none SPECIAL ABILITIES Hold Breat (Ex) A leviatan can old its breat for a number of rounds equal to 6 times its Constitution score before it risks drowning. Powerful Bite (Ex) A leviatan applies twice its Strengt modifier to bite damage. Wile many cetaceans are docile, te crimson wale is an aggressive unter tat evolved to quickly kill even te largest and most powerful of prey. It sports a full set of deadly teet tat average between 1 and 2 feet in lengt, and its powerful bite can tear troug f les and crus bone. A typical adult crimson wale is 45 feet long and weigs 30 tons. Narwal Tis small wale lacks a dorsal fin and as pale, mottled skin, but its most notable feature is te single tusk protruding from its nose, easily as long as a uman. Narwal CR 3 XP 800 N Large animal Init +3; Senses blindsigt 120 ft., low-ligt vision; Perception +12 DEENSE AC 16, touc 12, flat-footed 13 (+3 Dex, +4 natural, 1 size) p 30 (4d8+12) ort +6, Ref +7, Will +3 OENSE Speed swim 80 ft. Melee bite +7 (1d8+7) Space 10 ft.; Reac 10 ft. Special Attacks tusk STATISTICS Str 21, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 15, Ca 6 Base Atk +3; CMB +9; CMD 22 (can t be tripped) eats Skill ocus (Swim), Tougness Skills Perception +12, Swim +20; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception SQ old breat ECOLOGY Environment cold oceans Organization solitary, pair, or pod (3 18) Treasure none SPECIAL ABILITIES Hold Breat (Ex) Narwals are expert deep divers, and a narwal can old its breat a number of minutes equal to 2 times its Constitution score before it risks drowning. Tusk (Ex) A carging narwal can make a single gore attack wit its tusk in place of its normal bite attack. If it its, te tusk deals 2d6+14 points of damage wit a 3 critical multiplier. Te narwal is a skilled unter in arctic waters, and as been known to dive deeper tan even muc larger cetaceans bot in open water and beneat tick seets of waterborne ice. Male narwals possess a single, 6-footlong tusk extending from just above te mout tat serves to impress females during mating season, toug in times of need te tusks may be used to break troug tick ice or even in self-defense. A typical narwal is 14 feet long (not including te tusk) and weigs 3,200 pounds. 87

90 Galvo Tis creature is constantly crackling wit blue energy, and appears to be composed of dozens of undulating electric eels tigtly knotted into a slitering, umanoid sape. Galvo CR 9 XP 6,400 NE Medium magical beast (aquatic) Init +4; Senses blindsense 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft., low-ligt vision; Perception +10 DEENSE AC 23, touc 15, flat-footed 18 (+4 Dex, +1 dodge, +8 natural) p 127 (15d10+45) ort +12, Ref +13, Will +6 Defensive Abilities swarmlike; DR 10/slasing; Immune electricity OENSE Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft. Melee bite +19 (1d6+3 plus 2d6 electricity), 2 slams +19 (1d6+3 plus 2d6 electricity) Ranged eel dart +19 (1d6+3 plus 1d6 electricity) Space 5 ft.; Reac 5 ft. (10 ft. wit slam) STATISTICS Str 17, Dex 19, Con 16, Int 7, Wis 12, Ca 8 Base Atk +15; CMB +18; CMD 33 eats Blind-igt, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Point Blank Sot, Power Attack, Precise Sot, Vital Strike, Weapon inesse Skills Perception +10, Stealt +15, Swim +15 Languages Aquan (can t speak) SQ ampibious, compression, varied attack ECOLOGY Environment any aquatic Organization solitary, pair, or tangle (3 9) Treasure none SPECIAL ABILITIES Eel Dart (Ex) A galvo can launc one of its component eels like a dart up to 30 feet as a ranged touc attack. An eel dart deals 1d6+3 points of damage plus 1d6 points of electricity damage. Swarmlike (Ex) A galvo as no discernible anatomy, and is not subject to critical its or flanking. It is also immune to any pysical spell or effect tat targets a specific number of creatures (including single-target spells suc as disintegrate). Mind-affecting effects tat target a single creature function normally against a galvo, since te creature s individual components sare a ive mind. A galvo takes alf again as muc damage (+50%) from damaging area effects suc as fireball and splas weapons. Varied Attack (Ex) A galvo s slam attack deals bot bludgeoning and slasing damage since te creature is formed completely of biting eels. In a sunless trenc in te Arcadian Ocean, deep siyokoy f lescrafters created te first galvos to serve as soldiers SKULL & SackleS in teir war against te sauagin and skum. Since tose days, galvos ave moved beyond teir darkened trences, breeding and expanding into sallower, warmer waters. In recent years, tey ave begun to come closer to civilizations, preying on coastal communities. A true orror to look upon, a galvo averages 7 feet tall and weigs around 300 pounds. Ecology Direct sunligt dries out a galvo s ide. Tis does not arm te galvo in te sort term, but it causes discomfort. As a result, galvos prefer to stay deep underwater during te day and stalk te sadows by docks and riverbanks at nigt. A galvo can live bot in te water and on land, and frigtening stories tell of galvos springing up from te water to strike at prey bot on sips and on beaces. Wile an electric eel s diet of invertebrates and fis would easily sustain a galvo pysically, it would not satisfy te sadistic creature s appetite for terror. Invertebrates and fis accept deat too easily; galvos prefer prey tat screams. Galvos do not wear armor or wield weapons. Tey attack wit teir natural weapons wic are augmented wit potent electrical carges. Muc like te electric eels tat form teir bodies, galvos focus teir energy into concentrated electricity, and discarge it wit a touc. Even witout teir formidable electric powers, galvos are dangerous creatures. Te eels tat make up teir bodies tear at teir victims wit biting mouts. To attack opponents outside teir reac, galvos launc component eels from teir swarming bodies. Wen a galvo kills a target, it feasts as soon as it safely can, usually after bringing te victim back to its underwater cave lair. Te victim is stripped of any bulky metal armor and weapons, ten subsumed into te galvo s writing body, wic peels apart and engulfs te corpse to swiftly and brutally devour its prey. A galvo discards te bones of its victims from its swarming body as tey are picked clean. If te meal is small enoug, a galvo can maintain its normal activities wile it digests, cewing and tearing apart one meal as it unts for anoter. Galvos defend temselves wit a greater fervor wen digesting, but do not attack as aggressively, as tey are not usually in te abit of killing more tan tey can consume at one time. Habitat & Society Tere is no true galvo society. Galvos sometimes work togeter, but tese alliances often are sort and last only troug a single unt and feeding. Te strange creatures make exceptions during teir two-mont mating season, wen spawned and fertilized eggs require additional protection in order to survive. 88

91 Bestiary Despite teir propensity to work togeter during Galvos do not use items nor intentionally collect mating seasons, galvos do not actually require oter wealt. However, wen tey consume a victim, galvos galvos to reproduce. As galvos are composed of eels of indiscriminately eat its belongings during teir asty bot sexes, all eels forming a galvo are attracted to one meal. Watever gear on te corpse of a victim was too anoter during tese two monts and te creatures big to be eaten is expelled nearby, most often in te galvo s appear more tigtly wound, reducing teir size sligtly. underwater lair. Reports tell of undigested gems and Instead, te female component eels lay eggs witin te oter valuables being found in te gutted component eels swarm, wic are inseminated by te male component of a fresly killed galvo. In extremely rare circumstances, eels. Wen te eggs atc it appears as toug a tiny traditionally worn wondrous items (like a eadband of swarm of eels simply emerges from te larger parent inspired wisdom or a belt of migty constitution) caugt witin galvo, leading many observers to incorrectly assume component eels sometimes convey teir magical effects to galvos reproduce asexually. te galvo. Tere is no sexual interaction between separate galvos. Tey instead come togeter in coabitation, working togeter to attack prey and feed. Typically eac galvo birts tree to 10 infant tangles during tis time. Adult galvo coabitants care for te entire nest, not caring to keep track of wic galvo birted wic tangle. As te mating season ends, te galvos find temselves less interested in one anoter. Tey drift apart towards te end of tis ormonal pase, and eac returns to its own lair. At tis time, te infant tangles are expected to leave as well and fend for temselves. Only about alf of all galvo infants survive to reac adultood. Wen a galvo reaces adultood, it claims a permanent lair. Ideal lairs are underground caves, altoug any large clearing between rocks and out of direct sunligt is satisfactory. A galvo primarily unts te area near its lair, specifically te land above, were prey is plentiful and one catc makes a large enoug meal to sustain it for several days. Te magically enanced galvo ive mind develops a iger intellectual capacity tan individual electric eels ever could, sowing a level of intelligence approacing tat of a below-average uman. Galvos cannot speak, but tey learn to understand languages wen living among or near creatures tat communicate verbally. If teir need to cause arm is met and tey are provided an aquatic living space, galvos sometimes even come to be loyal followers of more powerful creatures. Tis is especially true for siyokoys, wo keep large stables of galvos at te ready in teir endless figt against te sauagin and skum. Underwater, electric eels are irresistibly drawn to galvos out of a mix of familiarity and curiosity. Galvos, for teir part, typically tolerate suc followers for sort periods of time before spurning te pests. Tere as never been a recorded case of a stray electric eel being absorbed into te swarm, altoug tere ave been many cases of galvos tiring of mundane eels company and cannibalizing tese followers. 89

92 SKULL & SackleS Te Stabbing Beast Tis cottage-sized scorpion-man moves wit an eerie grace and an intelligent, murderous intent. Stabbing Beast (Humanoid orm) CR 15 XP 51,200 NE Medium outsider (evil, extraplanar, sapecanger) Init +16; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-ligt vision, see in darkness, see invisibility; Perception +27 DEENSE AC 35, touc 23, flat-footed 22 (+12 Dex, +1 dodge, +12 natural) p 225 (18d10+126) ort +18, Ref +18, Will +15; +4 vs. mind affecting Defensive Abilities all-around vision, scorpion mind; DR 10/good and magic; Immune poison; Resist acid 30, cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10; SR 26 OENSE Speed 50 ft. Melee +1 sort sword +20/+15/+10/+5 (1d6+4/17 20 plus bleed), +1 sort sword +20 (1d6+2/17 20 plus bleed), sting +22 (1d6+5 plus bleed and poison) Ranged poison stream +30 touc (blindness) Special Attacks bleed 2d6, scorpion strike, sneak attack +5d6, sudden strike Spell-Like Abilities (CL 18t; concentration +20) Constant see invisibility At will absorbing touc*, alcemical allocation*, carm person (DC 13), keen edge, poison (DC 16), true strike 3/day false alibi (DC 15, see page 75), greater teleport (self only plus 50 lbs.), invisibility, modify memory (DC 16), suggestion (DC 15), summon (level 6, 1 fiendis deadfall scorpion**, 100%) * See te Advanced Player s Guide. ** See Patfinder RPG Bestiary 3. STATISTICS Str 16, Dex 35, Con 24, Int 13, Wis 15, Ca 14 Base Atk +18; CMB +21; CMD 44 eats Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows B, Dodge, Greater eint B, Improved eint B, Improved Initiative, Improved Iron Will, Iron Will, Mobility, Skill ocus (Stealt), Spring Attack, Two-Weapon igting B Skills Appraise +13, Bluff +22, Climb +12, Craft (alcemy) +13, Knowledge (arcana) +10, Knowledge (local) +13, Knowledge (nature) +10, Knowledge (planes) +13, Knowledge (religion) +13, Perception +27, Sense Motive +14, Stealt +39; Racial Modifiers +8 Bluff, +4 Perception Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Infernal, Protean; telepaty 100 ft. SQ cange sape (Huge scorpion or scorpion-tailed uman), murderer s reward ECOLOGY Environment any land or urban Organization solitary Treasure standard SPECIAL ABILITIES Murderer s Reward (Su) If te Stabbing Beast s attack reduces a target to fewer tan 0 it points, te Beast immediately gains 2d6 temporary it points. If te attack kills te target, te Beast immediately gains 3d8 temporary it points. Neiter aspect of tis ability can eal te Stabbing Beast more tan te maximum it points of te target. Te temporary it points last for 1 our. Poison (Ex) Sting injury; save ort DC 26; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d6 Str; cure 2 consecutive saves. Te save DC is Constitution-based. Poison Stream (Ex) Te Stabbing Beast can force a stream of from its stinger at a target as a ranged attack. 90 poison

93 Bestiary Te target must make a successful DC 26 ortitude save or be blinded for 1d4+1 rounds. Tis attack as a range of 180 feet wit no range increment. Te Beast can make tis attack in place of a melee sting attack (for example, attacking twice wit its weapons or claws and once wit its poison stream). Scorpion Mind (Ex) Toug te Stabbing Beast is an intelligent outsider, its mind functions muc like an augmented vermin s brain, granting it a +4 bonus on all saving trows against mind-affecting effects. Scorpion Strike (Ex) Te Stabbing Beast can make a single melee attack as a standard action. If tis attack its, it deals damage normally, and te target s base land speed is reduced to 5 feet for 2 rounds unless it succeeds at a DC 21 ortitude saving trow. Sudden Strike (Ex) Te Stabbing Beast is adept at moving quickly wen its foes are surprised. During a surprise round, it may act as if it ad a full round to act, rater tan just one standard action. Stabbing Beast (Scorpion orm) CR 15 XP 51,200 NE Huge outsider (evil, extraplanar, sapecanger) Init +14; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-ligt vision, see in darkness, see invisibility; Perception +27 DEENSE AC 31, touc 19, flat-footed 20 (+10 Dex, +1 dodge, +12 natural, 2 size) p 225 (18d10+126) ort +18, Ref +16, Will +15; +4 vs. mind affecting Defensive Abilities all-around vision, scorpion mind; DR 10/ good and magic; Immune poison; Resist acid 30, cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10; SR 26 OENSE Speed 50 ft. Melee 2 claws +27 (2d6+12/19 20 plus bleed and grab), sting +27 (2d6+12/19 20 plus bleed and poison) Ranged poison stream +26 touc (blindness) Space 15 ft.; Reac 15 ft. Special Attacks bleed 2d6, constrict (2d6+12), scorpion strike Spell-Like Abilities (same as umanoid form) STATISTICS Str 32, Dex 31, Con 24, Int 13, Wis 15, Ca 14 Base Atk +18; CMB +31 (+35 grapple); CMD 52 (64 vs. trip) eats Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows B, Dodge, Greater eint B, Improved eint B, Improved Initiative, Improved Iron Will, Iron Will, Mobility, Skill ocus (Stealt), Spring Attack, Two-Weapon igting B Skills Appraise +13, Bluff +22, Climb +20, Craft (alcemy) +13, Knowledge (arcana) +10, Knowledge (local) +13, Knowledge (nature) +10, Knowledge (planes) +13, Knowledge (religion) +13,Perception +27, Sense Motive +14, Stealt +37 (+45 in forests); Racial Modifiers +8 Bluff, +4 Perception, +8 Stealt (+16 in forests) Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Infernal, Protean; telepaty 100 ft. SQ cange sape (Huge scorpion or scorpion-tailed uman), murderer s reward Te Stabbing Beast is te erald of Norgorber, te god of greed, murder, secrets, and poison. It is an incredibly dangerous predator, a creature of immense strengt tat uses its keen intellect and deadly poison to stalk and kill its prey. Its natural form is tat of an uge scorpion, but it can also assume an armored umanoid sape suitable for stealt or interacting wit Norgorber s followers. Toug its main purpose for coming to Golarion is to kill, it as also been called to aid great tefts and bury terrible secrets. Te Stabbing Beast enjoys te company of mortals in te same way tat a well-fed barn cat enjoys te company of mice. It sometimes plays wit tese toys, teacing tem secrets of alcemy or assassination, toug it just as often maims or kills tem as it sees fit or according to Norgorber s greater plans. It ignores most creatures as if tey were unimportant or not even alive, bowling over tese irrelevant people in its way and casually murdering tose wo make nuisances of temselves. Ecology Te Stabbing Beast is guilty of tousands of killings and as no fear of deat. It does not believe tat anyting oter tan its master can kill it, despite mortal records sowing tat it as been killed in te past; Norgorber wiped its memory of tese failures wen e resurrected is erald. Norgorber s erald is normally emotionless and cold, sowing no remorse or regret for any deat or injury. Wen te cult of Norgorber summons te Stabbing Beast, te mortals may present it wit several coice targets to unt and slay, toug predicting its interests is difficult and te Beast may select its own target or none at all in excange for its services. Te Beast keeps tropies of its kills by covering te corpses in a preservative bile, swallowing tem in its scorpion form, and regurgitating tem wen it returns to its lair deep beneat te planar metropolis of Axis. Habitat & Society Te erald of Norgorber lives only to serve is dark master, wose mandates may come to te Stabbing Beast in a steady stream of evil deeds or sporadically and wit long periods of dormancy between. Wen idle for too long, it tends to turn off its mind and simply waits in stasis, completely inert like a clockwork device tat as run down. It reacts to prayers to Norgorber as if tey were ecoes of its master s voice, drawing its attention witout violence and bringing it to full alertness. 91

94 Next Mont rom Hell s Heart By Jason Nelson Wit an enemy f leet intent on conquering te Sackles looming on te orizon, te adventurers must launc teir own f leet of pirates and buccaneers to defend against te invaders, culminating in an epic naval battle against te forces of Celiax in te middle of te terrifying Eye of Abendego. Will te adventurers defeat te invading navy and save te Sackles from becoming just anoter Celis colony? Or will te independence of te ree Captains be eradicated forever? Continuing te Campaign Te Skull & Sackles Adventure Pat now draws to a close, but tat s no reason to swallow te ancor and remain at port. rom searcing for lost and legendary caces of treasure to facing ancient orrors risen from te sea and defying foul gods, te Sackles can provide many more adventures for your campaign before it sails off into te sunset. Sea Monsters More tan just sea serpents, killer wales, and sinister fis people, te most notorious sea monsters of Golarion find teir way out of te depts and into your game. And More! A final sowdown and legendary loot in Robin D. Laws s Patfinder s Journal, Te Treasure of ar Tallai. Also, undersea nigtmares to treaten even te ardiest of sailors. SUBSCRIBE to pathinder ADVENTURE path! Te Skull & Sackles Adventure Pat concludes! Don t miss out on te exciting climax oist sails and ead over to paizo.com/patfinder to subscribe today to ave eac Patfinder Adventure Pat, Patfinder Campaign Setting, Patfinder Player Companion, Patfinder Module, Patfinder Tales, and GameMastery product delivered to your door! Also, download te free Skull & Sackles Player s Guide, available now! Open Game License Version 1.0a Te following text is te property of Wizards of te Coast, Inc. and is Copyrigt 2000 Wizards of te Coast, Inc ( Wizards ). All Rigts Reserved. 1. 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() You or Your means te licensee in terms of tis agreement. 2. Te License: Tis License applies to any Open Game Content tat contains a notice indicating tat te Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of tis License. You must affix suc a notice to any Open Game Content tat you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from tis License except as described by te License itself. No oter terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using tis License. 3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using te Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of te terms of tis License. 4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use tis License, te Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license wit te exact terms of tis License to Use, te Open Game Content. 5. 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COPYRIGHT NOTICE Open Game License v 1.0a 2000, Wizards of te Coast, Inc. System Reference Document 2000, Wizards of te Coast, Inc; Autors: Jonatan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams, based on material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. Te Book of iends 2003, Green Ronin Publising; Autors: Aaron Loeb, Erik Mona, Cris Pramas, and Robert J. Scwalb. Dead Man s Cest 2005 Necromancer Games, Inc.; Autors: Lance Hawvermale, Rob Mason, Robert Hunter, Patrick Goula, Greg Ragland, Matt McGee, Cris Bernardt, Casey W. Cristofferson, Cad Coulter, Skeeter Green, and Travis Hawvermale, wit additional contributions by Erica Balsley, Lindsey Barrentine, Jay Decker, Racel Mason, and Nadine Oatmeyer. Brykolakas from te Tome of Horrors Complete 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., publised and distributed by rog God Games; Autor: Scott Greene. Daemon, Dergodaemon from te Tome of Horrors Complete 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., publised and distributed by rog God Games; Autor: Scott Greene, based on original material by Gary Gygax. Patfinder Adventure Pat #59: Te Price of Infamy 2012, Paizo Publising, LLC; Autor: Tim Hitccock. 92

95 Explore New Horizons Amazing Stories Set in te Patfi nder Campaign Setting warrior aunted by is past, Salim is a problemsolver for a curc e ates, bound by te deat A goddess to unt down tose wo would rob er of er due. Suc is te case in te desert nation of Tuvia, were a mercant on te verge of acieving eternal yout via a magical elixir is mysteriously murdered, is soul stolen from te afterlife. Te only clue is a magical ransom note offering to trade te mercant s spirit for is dose of te fabled potion. But wo could steal a soul from te boneyard of Deat erself? Enter Salim, wose unique skills sould make solving tis mystery a cinc. Tere s only one problem: Te investigation is being financed by te dead mercant s stubborn and aristocratic daugter and se wants to go wit im. Togeter, te two must embark on a tour of te Outer Planes, were devils and angels rub soulders wit fey lords and mecanical men, and noting is as it seems. ISBN 13: Paperback $9.99 rom noted autor and game designer James L. Sutter comes an epic mystery of murder and immortality, set in te award-winning world of te Patfinder Roleplaying Game. ISBN 13: Paperback $9.99 To an experienced tief like Krunzle te Quick, te mercant nation of Druma is full of treasures just waiting to be liberated. Yet wen te fast-talking scoundrel gets caugt stealing from one of te most powerful propets of Kalistrade, te only option is to undertake a dangerous mission to recover te mercant lord s runaway daugter and te magical artifact se took wit er. Armed wit an arsenal of decidedly unelpful magical items and caperoned by an intelligent snake necklace appy to coke im into submission, Krunzle must venture far from te cities of te mercant utopia and into a series of adventures tat will make im a ric man or a corpse. rom veteran autor Hug Mattews comes a rollicking tale of captive trolls, dwarven revolutionaries, and serpentine magic, set in te award-winning world of te Patfinder Roleplaying Game. paizo.com Paizo Publising, LLC, te golem logo, and Patfinder are registered trademarks of Paizo Publising, LLC. Patfinder Tales and Patfinder Roleplaying Game are trademarks of Paizo Publising, LLC. 2012, Paizo Publising, LLC.

96 Lord Over Your Hoard Ultimate equipment 400 PAGES THOUSANDS O ITEMS $44.99 August 2012 Paizo Publising, LLC, te Paizo golem logo, and Patfi nder are registered trademarks of Paizo Publising, LLC, and te Patfi nder Roleplaying Game is a trademark of Paizo Publising, LLC Paizo Publising, LLC. paizo.com

97 ind Your Pat Patfinder Adventure Pat is your montly Patfinder campaign resource. Eac volume explores new locations, unveils new monsters unique to Golarion, and gives Game Masters anoter entry in a complete campaign. Adventures, wealt, and fame await witin! Patfinder Adventure Pat #49: Te Brinewall Legacy (Jade Regent 1 of 6) $19.99 Patfinder Adventure Pat #50: Nigt of rozen Sadows (Jade Regent 2 of 6) $19.99 Patfinder Adventure Pat #51: Te Hungry Storm (Jade Regent 3 of 6) $19.99 Patfinder Adventure Pat #52: orest of Spirits (Jade Regent 4 of 6) $19.99 Patfinder Adventure Pat #53: Tide of Honor (Jade Regent 5 of 6) $19.99 Patfinder Adventure Pat #54: Te Empty Trone (Jade Regent 6 of 6) $19.99 Patfinder Adventure Pat #55: Te Wormwood Mutiny (Skull & Sackles 1 of 6) $19.99 Patfinder Adventure Pat #56: Raiders of te ever Sea (Skull & Sackles 2 of 6) $19.99 Patfinder Adventure Pat #57: Tempest Rising (Skull & Sackles 3 of 6) $19.99 Patfinder Adventure Pat #58: Island of Empty Eyes (Skull & Sackles 4 of 6) $19.99 Patfinder Adventure Pat #59: Te Price of Infamy (Skull & Sackles 5 of 6) $19.99 Patfinder Adventure Pat #60: rom Hell s Heart (Skull & Sackles 6 of 6) $19.99 Golarion is te world of Paizo s Patfinder campaign setting. Tese evocative accessories give Game Masters exciting new looks into exotic adventuring locales, previously only explored via Patfinder Adventure Pats and te Patfinder Modules. Don t miss out on a single one it s your world now. Patfinder Campaign Setting: Te Inner Sea World Guide $49.99 Patfinder Campaign Setting: Inner Sea Poster Map olio $19.99 Patfinder Campaign Setting: Lands of te Linnorm Kings $19.99 Patfinder Campaign Setting: Mytical Monsters Revisited $19.99 Patfinder Campaign Setting: Jade Regent Poster Map olio $19.99 Patfinder Campaign Setting: Distant Worlds $19.99 Patfinder Campaign Setting: Isles of te Sackles $19.99 Patfinder Campaign Setting: Giants Revisited $19.99 Patfinder Campaign Setting: Lost Kingdoms $19.99 Patfinder Campaign Setting: Skull & Sackles Poster Map olio Patfinder Campaign Setting: Magnimar, City of Monuments $19.99 $19.99 Eac Patfinder Player Companion explores a major teme in te Patfinder campaign setting, wit expanded regional gazetteers, new player caracter options, and organizational overviews to elp players fles out teir caracter backgrounds and provide players and Game Masters wit new sources for campaign intrigue. Patfinder Player Companion: Inner Sea Primer $10.99 Patfinder Player Companion: Dragon Empires Primer $10.99 Patfinder Player Companion: Pirates of te Inner Sea $10.99 Patfinder Player Companion: Blood of iends $10.99 Patfinder Player Companion: Blood of Angels $10.99 Patfinder Player Companion: Varisia, Birtplace of Legends $10.99 Every good Game Master needs good accessories, and Paizo s GameMastery line as exactly wat you need to enance your Patfinder Roleplaying Game experience! GameMastery Combat Pad $19.99 GameMastery Condition Cards $10.99 GameMastery Item Cards: Skull & Sackles $10.99 GameMastery lip-mat: Pirate Sip $12.99 GameMastery Map Pack: Sip s Cabins $12.99 GameMastery lip-mat: Urban Tavern $12.99 GameMastery Map Pack: Lost Island $12.99 GameMastery lip-mat: Town Square $12.99 All trademarks are property of Paizo Publising, LLC 2012 Paizo Publising, LLC. Permission granted to potocopy tis page.

98 OR MORE INORMATION, VISIT US ONLINE AT PATHINDER is a registered trademark of Paizo Piazo Publising, LLC. Dynamite, Dynamite Entertainment and te Dynamite Entertainment colopon are and 2012 DI. All Rigts Reserved.

99 Teroro and Ina one Captain Malago first found tis carved cup near of te outer isles of te Sackles, and e's been s looking for its mate ever since. Tese paired cup represent two figures from ancient kuru tales; one suc, wo gave life, and anoter wo took it away. As t, one of tese cups provides constant nourismen wile te oter leaves te drinker endlessly tirsty. Poor Captain Malago possesses te latter. Skeletal Cutlass Gregsly One-Arm found tis str ange cutlass in a tidepool on a remote island. As te tale goes, te blade belonged to a pir ate captain wo, wen pressed to surrender, said is attacker would ave to pr y it from is de ad fingers. Te curse worked, and is entire for ear m ad to be removed to take te weapon. Gr egsly is now looking for a way to fuse te old cutlass wit is stump. Liecaller Ever fearful of leaked secrets, Captain Marissa Gabrelle commissioned tis amulet to ensure no one would ever be able to use magic to speak wit er corpse upon er deat. Te sea witc wo made it claimed tat after wearing te device for a year, Marissa would be protected from suc divinations. urtermore, Captain Gabrelle learned tat se could use te liecaller to point to any lies or secrets nearby, making it an invaluable tool in keeping er crew onorable. Mister Ripples que mummified Mascot of te Briney Blade, tis grotes s and barely tropy steers te sip away from storm s it talks submerged rocks. Some of te crew say ing te to te captain; oters claim it sings dur nsaw nigt. No one knows were Captain Cre longgot te blasted ting. Some tink it's a ved dead ningyo, wile oters claim it's a sa is tat selkie. Eiter way, te important ting safe. Mister Ripples keeps te sip and crew

100 Assemble te leet Te adventurers now ave teir own island and port, but tey ll need more tan one sip to defend it. Wen a past rival sends a fleet to attack tem, tey re forced to pull out all te stops to defend teir island ome, scouring te arbors and docks of te Sackles in order to recruit more sips and crews to teir flag. Yet wen tey sail to te attacker s own island to get teir revenge, te adventurers discover a traitor one wose betrayal treatens not only teir own fleet, but te very islands of te Sackles temselves. Tis volume of Patfinder Adventure Pat includes: Te Price of Infamy, a Patfinder RPG adventure for 11t-level caracters, by Tim Hitccock. leet battle rules tat allow players to stand as admirals and commodores directing teir own armadas against enemy fleets in large-scale naval warfare, by James Jacobs. A glimpse beind te gray veil of Norgorber, Golarion s most secretive deity, by Sean K Reynolds. Lock-breakers and sea-devils in te Patfinder s Journal, by Robin D. Laws. our new monsters, by Savanna Broadway, Ryan Costello, Mark Moreland, and Sean K Reynolds. paizo.com/patfinder Printed in Cina. PZO9059