Nyrissa issues:

The duo Tyg Titter Tut and Pervilash pop into view. For once, you’re greeted with something other than a practical joke. The small grig and faerie dragon seem sad. In their tiny voices, they

speak. Tyg: ―We just wanted to say good bye.‖ Pervilash flaps his wings irritably. ―A war is coming.‖ If asked more, he only laughs nervously and says nothing more.

if asked any more, they are ―forbidden‖ to speak of it If pressed, Tyg rubs her cricket-sized legs together. ―The sleeper, she wakes.‖

Tyg states a friend, Limm Ticklewing, may seek them out for help. (Book #6 side quest).

o Limm will seek them later, a female pixie worried for her six sisters. A month ago they

were captured by a nasty man made out of worms. He and a scary witch put her sisters

into a magic cage and gave that cage to a mean troll. She escaped. She cannot say

where, simply “it’s forbidden.” But she says Tyg said to ask for help anyways.

If pressed, Pervilash hides his head and ducks out. ―Poluma no longer protects the woods. His horn was taken.‖

If seek out Tiressia, the dryad, she is tight-lipped as a tree-spirit can be. ―That is forbidden. She sleeps uneasy and to speak her name brings her closer to waking.‖ She will speak no further. If

asked about leaving, she looks shocked. ―Not yet.‖

Once Drelev is absorbed and a ceremony held in Fort Drelev to celebrate: in the midst of the dining hall

in Fort Drelev's keep, a chill wind blows a group of leaves through one of the windows. They reshape

into the visage of a thin-angled woman with not-quite elven features. Her ears arch back just a little

too far, her hair seems more cords of tentacles than real hair, her nose is just a bit too small to be

mortal, and her eyes are almond shaped. By all standards, she is unearthly beautiful by mortal

standards. “Mortal triumph is short-lived. Goliaths of war and madness shall descend upon those who

offend us, they will ravage your land with firestorms and crush your cities underfoot. The carnival

massacre shall be but a pleasant memory. You were given warnings to leave these lands: the

abomination that lumbered, the drunken fool, the dark trolls. Stay and your foolishness will be

legend!” The leaves explode outward and the food on the tables decays and rots in seconds, as if

having been left out for weeks.

Kesten Garess has announced his marriage to Tania Heuten, daughter of Belinda Heuten, a major

contributor to the arts. (Set 7/20/4715) Belinda is looking for a legacy to her family name. She

has told Kesten she possesses a book that a strange fortune-teller told her the leaders of the

Stolen Lands would someday need (before there was a kingdom). She requests a theater and 4

monuments (in different cities) be built in her family’s honor. (Reward: mint-condition copy of

Zuddiger’s Picnic worth 5,000gp). DC Knowledge 20: Zuddiger’s Picnic is a short picture book on wood, written in Pitax

42 years ago. Karn Zuddiger was a talented painter who spent 3 years crafting woodcut

illustrations and a story. A month after publication, he went on a killing spree, murdering

a new victim every week and using the remains to restage scenes from his illustrations for

the citizens of Pitax to find the next morning. He was caught and executed and the

majority of his books burned by shocked parents.

Since then, the book has become a highly-sought collectible. Copies go for 1500gp.

With the tourney set to begin in two weeks, the PCs are visited by Velemandr, a fleet-

footed Pitax herald and emissary from King Irovetti, bearing a document with his royal

seal, a stylized white morningstar in silver wax, tied with a burgundy ribbon.

Knowledge (nobility) or by use of Kingdom resources:

DC 10: Irovetti has been king of Pitax for only six years

DC 15: He apparently won the kingship and control of the Liacenza’s family’s assets in a card game

DC 15: The Tournament is an opportunity to meet notables of other River Kingdoms and

to present the party as the rulers of the Stolen Lands. Failure to appear could be

misinterpreted as a sign of weakness or even a deliberate insult or veiled act of

aggression.

DC 20: He is held in somewhat low regard by most of the other river kings

Knowledge (local) or by use of spy network:

DC 10: He is a great patron of the arts and music, founding the Academy of Grand Arts

shortly after ascending the throne

DC 15: His tastes are somewhat eclectic and avant garde and often unpopular with the

common folk, but he sees himself as an artistic visionary

DC 20: It is rumored that attendance at performances and exhibitions is mandatory and

Irovetti must personally approve every work; artists who object are punished or

sometimes disappear

DC 20: The Rushlight Tournament is one of King Irovetti’s most popular traditions, held

every year since he claimed the crown; it’s a popular event drawing most competitors from Pitax

Lord Terrion Numesti (or other NPC) suggests that Irovetti’s lavish festival may be an attempt to prove himself to the other river kings, and he may be reaching out to them in an attempt to

build alliances, especially to secure his borders, and the PCs might use it to do the same.

Upon arrival: The plains of eastern Pitax give way to wrinkled, terraced hills as the riverine heart of Pitax

draws nigh. Marshy dells and copses of larch and alder along the Sellen River give way to irrigation

canals and neatly pruned apple orchards, thick with fruit but not yet ready for the harvest pressing.

Along Cutter’s Creek, the pastoral scene has been overwhelmed by a veritable town of magnificent

particolored tents and pavilions. Country lanes from the River Road have been widened and festooned

with banners and bunting, and the smoke from hundreds of cookfires perfumes the air with aromas both

savory and exotic. The din of commerce is everywhere, hawking produce and pies, silks and velvets,

ribbons and wreaths, and festive tabards and tams, to say nothing of less prosaic goods from near and

far. Entire farms and their fallow fields and farmhouses have been commandeered, and a straggling

stream of horses, carts, carriages, and those afoot makes its dusty way from Pitax proper, looking to

enjoy the day’s entertainments and the delights of the night. The largest tent of all is a great purple pavilion south of the stream bearing a golden banner of a winged woman in black. The host’s own silver and white pavilion overlooks the bath houses erected around the Royal Blue, while across the creek lies

the Shadow Glen and beyond the grand tournament arena itself, where the greatest of the tourney’s

contests will be held. Wandering buskers jockey for space with ostlers crying their wares, whether hot

from a basket or cool from a cask. Stages with juggles, minstrels, mummers’ troupes, and trained animals dancing and leaping, all vie for the attention (and the coin) of the throngs reveling in King

Irovetti’s bounty.

Fiddler’s Knob: This flat-topped tor, fringed in trees, is a popular spot for nightly revels by

the wealthy who lack the title to claim one of the bathhouses on the Royal Blue, but the

right to host the Fiddler’s Knob for a knight is awarded by lottery. Anyone at the festival can buy a chance for 50 gp. The winner may wear the Crown of Holly for a night, inviting any

they wish to attend, but must provide music, food, and drink to all. PCs who bid for the

Crown of Holly may roll a d20. On a roll of 20, they win the crown and may host the

Fiddler’s Knob for a night. They may provide entertainment themselves (or may hire a bard, or use one of Irovetti’s heralds if they have his favor) and must provide 1d10 x 100 gp

worth of food and drink.

ENHANCING THE RUSHLIGHT TOURNAMENT

Part 1: The Tower of Jewels

Setup: Competitors have only a simple outfit of clothes and are forbidden from using magical abilities.

Event marshals use detect magic to enforce this (but see playtest notes). A contestant who wants to

bring in a weapon or tool must smuggle it in using Sleight of Hand or Stealth opposed by the event

marshals' Perception of +10.

Rules: Contestants must climb to the top of a 60-foot wooden column, painted to resemble a tower,

and retrieve a single gemstone of their choice from a turret-shaped box at the top, and climb back

down without falling. The pole itself has been sanded smooth (Climb DC 25), and the top 10 feet of

the pole have been greased as well (DC 30). A competitor may use Acrobatics to begin their climb

with a high jump, requiring a DC 20 Reflex save to grab onto the pole after their jump, but they may

not jump down. If they fall while climbing down, intentionally or not, they must climb back to the

point where they were when they slipped and climb down again. A competitor who wishes to climb

naked can take of their garment and improvise a climbing aid out of it (+2 bonus to Climb checks)

with a full round action and a DC 20 Craft (cloth) or Survival check. This can be used as a 10-foot-long

makeshift rope if tied to the box at the top of the pole (a standard action), reducing the Climb DC to

10 for that portion of the pole. A character who fails a Climb check by more than 5 slides 1d6 x 5 feet

down. If they fail by 10 or more they fall to the ground.

The box has a simple lock (Disable Device DC 20 if the competitor has smuggled in thieves’ tools, DC 30 without tools). A competitor can also try to smash open the box (hardness 5, hit points 15, break

DC 23); nonlethal damage does not affect objects, so a competitor must be able to inflict lethal

damage with unarmed attacks or have smuggled in or improvised a weapon.

The box contains 6 gems, one of each worth 5000, 1000, 500, 100, 50, and 10 gp. A DC 20 Appraise

check (full-round action) can determine which is of greatest worth. If the box is smashed open, the

gems will be knocked off the tower top – the PC can catch one of them with a DC 15 Reflex save, and

can make a DC 30 Appraise check as an immediate action to catch the most valuable one. Any jewels

which fall must make a DC 16 Reflex save (+0 save bonus) or shatter when they hit the ground

below. A competitor may palm an additional jewel with a Sleight of Hand check, or even more than

one, though each jewel after the first applies a -2 penalty to the check. If the event marshals notice

(+10 Perception), the competitor is disqualified; if not, they keep the extra loot.

Winning: There are two champions: The sharpest eye is given for bringing back the most valuable

jewel. If more than one person retrieves a 5000 gp gem, the one who brought it back first is the

winner. The sharpest eye keeps their jewel. The swiftest hand is given for coming back with any jewel

first, whatever its value. The swiftest hand keeps their jewel and the jewels brought back by of the

other competitors (except for the sharpest eye).

Competitors: Irovetti’s favored champion is given clues about the cut of the most valuable gemstone, granting a +2 circumstance bonus to Appraise checks to pick it out from the others.

Aliasghar Zirians (Mivon - half-orc male monk 10) Speed 60 feet, Attacks unarmed strike

+11/+11/+6/+6 (1d10+2), Reflex +10, hp 65, Skills Acrobatics +22 (+44 to jump, +64 to jump

when spending a ki point), Appraise +5, Climb +15, Strategy Aliasghar will spend his first round

doing a Dazzling Display (Intimidate +22; the other 3 NPC competitors have Intimidate DCs of 21) to

penalize other competitors’ skill and ability checks by 2. He will then make a running leap up the pole and climb as best he can, using slow fall to avoid damage if he falls. He will try to smash the box and

grab any jewel and get back to the finish as fast as possible.

Jas Heydari (Tymon - halfling male barbarian 10), Speed 40 feet, Attacks Strength check to burst

box +4 (+14 with strength surge), Reflex +7, hp 95, Skills Acrobatics +17 (+21 to jump), Appraise

+1, Climb +17 (+29 when raging), Strategy Jas will use accelerated climbing every round. He will

use strength surge to try to break the box in one blow and grab any jewel he can.

Valeda Karmakar (Gralton - human female barbarian 10) Speed 40 feet, Attacks bite +14/+9

(1d4+13 with Power Attack), Reflex +5, hp 105, Skills Acrobatics +10 (+14 to jump), Appraise +0,

Climb +18, Strategy Valeda will rage and double-move up the lower part of the pole. At the greased

area, she will make a bite attack tower to create a hand-hold (reducing Climb DC by 5) and single

move until she reaches the top.

Zuwa Odighi (Pitax - human female rogue 10), Speed 30 feet, Attacks improvised weapon (thieves’ tools) +8 (1d3+1), Reflex +12, hp 55, Skills Appraise +12, Acrobatics +18, Climb +15, Disable

Device +21, Sleight of Hand +19, Strategy Zuwa smuggles masterwork thieves’ tools (the event marshals will not see them but PCs with good perception might) and will try to climb carefully and

select the best quality gem she can.

Jousting: For the joust, competitors are matched in a random draw. Each is equipped with a heavy horse, military saddle, lance, and heavy wooden shield, with racks of extra lances and shields. Riders may provide their own nonmagical armor. Attacking a horse is grounds for disqualification.

Jousters can attempt to unhorse (bull rush) their opponent or attempt to shatter their shield (sunder). These can be done even though a lance normally cannot be used to bull rush; otherwise, these combat maneuvers work normally (including provoking attacks of opportunity if performed without the appropriate feat), with the following modifiers.

CMB: Competitors gain a +1 bonus to CMB for each mounted combat feat they possess, as well as for Weapon Specialization or Greater Weapon Specialization with the lance. The Unseat feat grants an additional +2 bonus when a competitor bull rushes.

CMD: Competitors gain a +1 bonus to CMD for every 5 ranks of Ride, for having evasion, improved evasion, uncanny dodge, and improved uncanny dodge, and for each of the following feats: Animal Affinity, Combat Expertise, Greater Shield Focus, Mobility, Shield Focus, and Skill Focus (Ride).

Tactics: Finally, a jouster can choose to charge, adding 2 to CMB and subtracting 2 from CMD, or to advance cautiously and ready an action to receive the charge, adding 2 to CMD and subtracting 2 from CMB. They may also use other feats or exceptional abilities that apply (e.g., Wind Stance, barbarian rage), though magic (including supernatural abilities) is forbidden.

Resolution: Contestants spur their mounts forward and meet in the center of the list and initiative is rolled; add

4 to this initiative roll for every 5 feet of extra reach a competitor possesses (including the Lunge feat). The winner strikes first. If her CMB check exceeds the target’s CMD, the opponent is unhorsed (bull rush) or their shield is struck (sunder). A rider unhorsed before their attack can attempt a DC 20 Ride check; success allows them to return the attack at a -4 penalty to CMB. If they unhorse their opponent as well, the pass is a draw. On any attack that hits, the lance breaks unless it makes a DC 20 Fortitude save.

The first rider to unhorse their opponent and stay mounted wins the match. If after three passes neither has done this, a point is scored for each shield broken and a point is deducted for each lance broken. If the match is still a draw, the contest continues until the tie is broken. After each pass, riders take 1 round to return to the end of the lists before charging again. Two squires at each end of the lists use their actions to replace a rider’s lance or shield as needed.

Competitors: PCs wishing to compete must best a hedge knight trainer in the practice lists to demonstrate their

basic competence. Success and a 100-gp entry fee grants a place in the 5-round, single-elimination tourney. To determine a PC’s opponent, roll 1d8 and add 1 per round.

1-2 Hedge Knight (human male fighter 5) CMB +16, CMD 20, Init +1, Perception +0, Ride +5, Fort +5, Strategy charge and bull rush (provokes attack of opportunity).

3-5 Tourney Knight (human male fighter 8) CMB +26 (+28 bull rush), CMD +26 (30 vs. bull rush), Init +3, Perception +4, Ride +10, Fort +8, Strategy charge and bull rush.

6 Sir Briannel Paulson (independent – human male ranger 5/fighter 5) CMB +26 (+30 bull rush), CMD 31 (33 vs. bull rush), Init +4, Perception +10, Ride +13, Fort +10, Special favored enemy (humans +4, elves +2), Strategy charge and bull rush.

7 Chantal Urena (Daggermark – human female ranger 10/barbarian 2) CMB +23 (+27 bull rush), CMD 36 (38 vs. bull rush), Init +7, Perception +15, Ride +15, Fort +12, Special favored enemy (humans +6, elves +2, dwarves +2 CMB), rage (+2 CMB, CMD, Fort), strength surge (+2 CMB or CMD), Strategy charge and bull rush, rage and add strength surge to CMB.

8 Damanjot (Tymon – male orc barbarian 11) CMB +20 (+24 sunder), CMD 33 (+35 vs. sunder), Init +0, Perception +8, Ride +5, Fort +10, Special greater rage (+3 CMB, CMD, Fort), strength surge (+11 CMB or CMD), Strategy charge and sunder shield, rage and add strength surge to CMD.

9 Khristian Cotoio (Mivon – human male fighter 11) CMB +26, CMD 37, Init +7, Perception +5, Ride +16, Special Blind-Fight, Strategy advance and ready, bull rush.

10 Villamor Koth (Pitax – human male barbarian 15) CMB +32, CMD 42, Init +1, Perception +14, Ride +15, Fort +15, Special hide in plain sight (Stealth +23), Wind Stance, Strategy Rage (counted in), Advance and ready, bull rush.

Additional: Aurex Thewsen (Book 6 side quest) from Pitax, a steel-jawed man, often brags about his

dragon-slaying skills when he was in the field. He challenges the leaders of the Stolen Lands to prove

themselves by slaying a dragon. How can one remain a leader if they cannot even slay a dragon?

The Attack:

A Sending from [Jhod] ―Drelev under attack! Pitax soldiers, barbarians, trolls, massive beasts, flying horrors, river-monsters! Captain Numesti says they can hold, but only a few days. Help!‖ PCs may respond to the sending per the spell.

Once the PCs arrive, they will find Drelev surrounded. Drelev’s boats have been torn loose and towed away by the scrags and its waterfront deserted, with improvised barricades blocking the streets and

occasionally being lit afire when trolls approach. Its walls are holed in several places, but two battering

rams lie in burnt ruins outside the gates. Two wyverns fly overhead at all times.

Further, threatening clouds have been gathering to the northwest, winds rising and the day darkening.

Flashes of lightning in the distance have given way to thunderclaps entirely too near. A funnel cloud

reaches down from swirling clouds like the finger of an angry god. It appears to distantly circle the city,

with an eerie intelligence (courtesy of Nyrissa, a tornado will hover on a major road and wreak havoc

through the battle).

Drelev Missions: Each victory gives the army +2 to OV and DV.

Breaching the Gate: A monstrous assault is underway against Drelev’s gates. Three pairs of trolls, each with a battering ram assault the walls and gates, guarded by a pair of menacing troll thunderlancers mounted on mastodons. The gates have

300 hit points and walls 540. Each hit of the Ram does 3d6 + (STR bonus of each creature, starting is +30) and only misses on a 20. It takes at least 2 large to man the ram. Any troll below 50% health will abandon his post on the ram.

(leader) Pitax herald, p11 2 troll thunderlancers, below

2 mastodons, hp 133, Bestiary. Masterwork studded leather barding 6 trolls, hp 63, Bestiary 268.

MASTODON CR 9

N Huge animal

Init +1; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +24

DEFENSE

AC 24, touch 9, flat-footed 23 (+1 Dex, +12 natural, –2 size, +3 armor)

hp 133 (14d8+70)

Fort +14, Ref +10, Will +7

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft.

Melee gore +21 (2d8+12), slam +20 (2d6+12)

Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.

Special Attacks trample (2d8+18, DC 29)

STATISTICS

Str 34, Dex 12, Con 21, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 7

Base Atk +10; CMB +24, CMD 35 (39 vs. trip)

Feats Endurance, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Iron Will, Iron Will, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Perception),

Weapon Focus (gore)

Skills Perception +24

Troll Thunderlancer CR 9 Male troll fighter 4 CE Large humanoid (giant) Init +2; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +3 DEFENSE

AC 28, touch 11, flat-footed 26 (+10 armor, +2 Dex, +5 natural, +2 shield, -1 size) hp 109 (6d8+4d10+60); regeneration 5 (acid or fire) Fort +15, Ref +4, Will +4; +1 vs. fear OFFENSE

Spd 20 ft. Melee lance +15/+10 (2d6+9); or bite +14 (1d8+6); 2 claws +14 (+13 with buckler hand) (1d6+6) Ranged sling +10 (1d6+6) Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. (15 ft. with lance) Special Attacks rend (1d6+9) TACTICS

During Combat When charging, Thunderlancers Power Attack with their lances (+14, 4d6+22, -2 AC), followed by a trample attack by their mount. They resort to natural weapons if disarmed or if enemies are inside the reach of their lance.

Morale Troll Thunderlancers fight to the death. They will use their potions if they see fire or acid magic being used. STATISTICS

Str 22, Dex 14, Con 23, Int 6, Wis 9, Cha 6 Base Atk +8; CMB +15; CMD 27 Feats Iron Will, Mounted Combat, Power Attack, Ride-by Attack, Skill Focus (Ride), Spirited Charge, Weapon Focus

(lance), Weapon Specialization (lance) Skills Perception +3, Ride +9 Languages Giant Combat Gear +1 full plate, +1 buckler, +1 lance, masterwork sling, 10 bullets, Other Gear potion of protection

from acid (60 hit points), potion of protection from fire (60 hit points)

TROLL CR 5

CE Large humanoid (giant)

Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +8

DEFENSE

AC 16, touch 11, flat-footed 14; (+2 Dex, +5 natural, –1 size)

hp 63 (6d8+36); regeneration 5 (acid or fire)

Fort +11, Ref +4, Will +3

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.

Melee bite +8 (1d8+5), 2 claws +8 (1d6+5)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

Special Attacks rend (2 claws, 1d6+7)

STATISTICS

Str 21, Dex 14, Con 23, Int 6, Wis 9, Cha 6

Base Atk +4; CMB +10; CMD 22

Feats Intimidating Prowess, Iron Will, Skill Focus (Perception)

Skills Intimidate +9, Perception +8

Languages Giant

Bombardment: There are six heavy catapults (Pathfinder RPG 434) spaced 50 feet apart bombarding Drelev. Each has a pile of 20 stones and 5 pitch bombs (treat as Huge alchemist’s fire). Each has a crew of:

2 Pitax soldiers, hp 8 2 human artillerist expert 3 (Profession (siege engineer) +10), hp 13. 1 troll, hp 63, Bestiary 268.

The real danger is from the aerial support. If she is alive, Minognos-Ushad has been lured from her lair to

lead her kin and to feast. (p23). She is accompanied at all times by 4 wyverns (Bestiary 282). If the

catapults are attacked, they swoop to intervene. If not alive, then an advanced wyvern leads the patrol.

After Drelev: As his armies move on Drelev, other armies circle around. Tusker Riders (area I)

moving at 2 hexes a day leave to skirt north of Drelev and circle down to Erastil Springs. The

Pitax Horde (area J), will move on Bein Ost at 2 hexes a day. The reserve wyvern flight (area K)

will join with the Catspaw Marauders (area O) and scout ahead (moving at 4 hexes) while the

Catspaws move at 2 hexes, all for Tatzleford. Once any town is secured, all forces coordinate for

an attack on Haven.

Afterwords, Spymaster approached by one of Irovetti’s tourney knights, Ambrose Pellicer, part

of Myr’s spy network:

See, here’s how it is, my lord. Risking my life and exposing my cover to bring you this. Look here, with my own eyes I saw a poisoner from Daggermark at the tournament; no great thing, they are usually around any great

gathering. But this man, Gaetane, I know him… hired him once upon a time, and he’s no small fish. A poisoner’s poisoner, if you mark me. A real scary spider, that one. My visor was down so he couldn’t see my face, but he seemed especially shifty somehow. I hired a lad to follow him, and he saw Gaetane turn into a rat—a rat!—and

sneak into Irovetti’s pavilion, then out again a few minutes later, meeting a partner taking a barrel wagon out of the grounds. I know them ratmen are thick in Daggermark, but that’s a strike against in my book.

So the lad caught me up and told me, and I slipped him a few silver and hired another man, woodcrafty he was, to

follow them into the hills over yonder. He comes back a few hours later and tells me they took their wagon up to

old Whiterose Abbey. You know that place? It used to be a winery, the finest in the valley, run by a bunch of silent

monks. All gone now, some say with a curse, but here’s the rub: Those monks had an altar to Cayden himself that made anything you brewed on it stronger… a lot stronger. You following me here? A master poisoner, an altar

what makes his brew a whole lot stronger.

My hired man was taken a day ago. He knows nothing other than I paid fer him to follow, but mighten he

described me enuf to blow my cover. Ifen I’m not careful, find myself drinking a special brew of Gaetane one night

and then no more. There’s more to this story than I have, but you need to know, something’s going on.

Party will capture a spy or enemy commander who believes (having been fed false information

specifically for this purpose) that Irovetti has developed means to convert Horns of Fog to

produce clouds of poisonous gas, that only a prototype exists at a secret facility, and the agent is

obligated to hire wizards or seize anyone capable of creating Horns of Fog.

Party can also confirm through additional network with Ilora Nuski (area H).

D6 (p30-32): Clustered around the stone altar, a group of cowled figures work around a large copper tank,

dropping coals from a covered brazier into the vat and draining the dark fluid within into a barrel.

Use Pitax stats for humanoid form of wererats. The wererats pretend to brew poisoned wine, but their

real function is to use lycanthropic empathy to calm the crates full of rats while they wait for the PCs to

arrive. As soon as the trap is sprung and the collapsing ceiling breaks open the crates, the wererats focus

their empathy to unite the rats (along with the native rats infesting the abbey) into a swarm of horrific

proportions. Discerning that the crates contain something moving and scratching requires a DC 30

Perception check.

When the building collapses, this area becomes a bury zone except for the shaded area astride the altar

(every square at the northern 2 pillars), which is a slide zone (DC 15 reflex or take 3d6 dmg and buried,

otherwise nothing). The wererats cluster here gain a +2 circumstance bonus to their Reflex saves vs. the

collapse due to knowing where the heaviest rubble should fall. Trap sense also applies to saves against the

collapse. D3, D4, and D5 also become a slide zone.

For the rest of D6, 8d6 and DC 15 Reflex for half, then buried. Characters take 1d6 points of nonlethal

damage per minute while buried. If such a character falls unconscious, he must make a DC 15

Constitution check each minute. If it fails, he takes 1d6 points of lethal damage each minute until freed or

dead.

Characters who aren't buried can dig out their friends. In 1 minute, using only her hands, a character can

clear rocks and debris equal to five times her heavy load limit. The amount of loose stone that fills a 5-

foot-by-5-foot area weighs 1 ton (2,000 pounds). Armed with an appropriate tool, such as a pick, crowbar,

or shovel, a digger can clear loose stone twice as quickly as by hand. A buried character can attempt to

free himself with a DC 25 Strength check.

The collapse may attract the will-o-wisps of D12 from downstairs, who will arrive in 2 rounds and begin

feeding on the fear of the trapped while attacking. Gaetane’s crew, following the collapse, will move to prevent anyone from escaping (while avoiding conflict with the will-o-wisps, if applicable.) The Heralds

will drink potions of fly and invisibility, waiting 60’ overhead for any targets. The Wardens will hold position, pushing the barrels as cover in the northern portion, venturing out if either the wisps are

destroyed or never arrive. Gaetane holds in the remaining intact rafters.

Gaetane will dip arrows in Purple Worm poison, DC 24, 1r for 6r, 1d3 Str, 2 consecutive saves.

If the rats are escaped, Gaetane has the shambling mounds of D7 under a pair of “command plants” spells. He has commanded them to feast on anyone except his crew that tries to leave D6.

HORRIBULOUS RAT SWARM CR 10 N Tiny animal (Colossal swarm) Init +3; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +5 DEFENSE

AC 16, touch 16, flat-footed 12 (+3 Dex, +1 dodge, +2 size); +2 vs. good hp 180 (24d8+72) Fort +17, Ref +17, Will +12; +2 vs. good Defensive Abilities swarm traits (half damage from weapons) OFFENSE

Spd 30 ft., climb 15 ft., swim 15 ft. Melee swarm (5d6 plus disease) Space 30 ft.; Reach 0 ft. Special Attacks disease, distraction (DC 27) TACTICS

Before Combat The rats are pacified by the wererats’ empathy until the collapse of the abbey is triggered. During Combat The swarm attacks all living things except wererats, climbing and even leaping to reach creatures

and crawling through the rubble to attack buried creatures (though buried creatures take only half damage). The swarm moves every round, using Lightning Stance (double move gets 50% conceal) and Wind Stance (if move get 20% conceal vs ranged).

Morale When the rat swarm is reduced to less than 30 hit points, the surviving rats break up into 1d4 normal rat swarms. They will continue to attack prone, stunned, helpless, or nauseated creatures but otherwise will flee.

STATISTICS

Str 2, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 2 Base Atk +18; CMB -; CMD -

Feats Ability Focus (distraction), Acrobatic Steps, Dodge, Fleet (x3), Iron Will, Lightning Stance, Nimble Moves, Mobility, Step Up, Wind Stance

Skills Acrobatics +22, Climb +14, Perception +5, Stealth +15, Swim +14 SPECIAL ABILITIES

Disease (EX) Filth fever: Swarm—injury; save Fort DC 25; onset 1d3 days; frequency 1/day; effect 1d3 Dex damage and 1d3 Con damage; cure 2 consecutive saves.