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PZO1119D Relics
PZO1119D Relics
PZO1119D Relics
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there to discover the hidden cache beneath and retrieve the while speaking to a crowd of featureless faces. Behind
shepherd’s crosier they seek. As the PCs attempt to leave the the right throne is a relief of a thief who holds a knife to
chamber, however, the Bloody Knuckles gang ambush the PCs a featureless man’s throat while picking the pocket of a
to snatch the relic for themselves. nearby woman.
GETTING STARTED Trap: The 20-foot-by-40-foot pit in the center of the room is
Read the following to get the adventure underway: 40 feet deep. The 25 rune-topped columns arranged in the pit
are level with the floor, allowing the PCs to walk across with
“Ah, so you’re finally here,” grumbles Eberius Tauranor as a DC 5 Acrobatics check. Each time a rune column is stepped
you pile into a private dining room. As the caked mud on, the rune changes color. All runes begin inactive, but when
from your boots peels and flecks off, it disappears into a character steps on a rune it beings to glow. The runes first
the intricate pattern of the plush carpet in the private glow bright yellow, and change color each subsequent time
dining room. A pale reflection of the impatience that they are stepped on, moving from yellow to orange, to deep
flashes across Eberius’ bloodshot eyes sparkles in the crimson on the third activation. When a column turns crimson,
light from the common room as you close the door the entire pillar drops 20 feet straight down, shuddering the
behind yourselves. Although you are winded from your entire fall. A character standing on a crimson column can
hasty preparations at his request to see you immediately, attempt a DC 15 Reflex save to jump to safety before the pillar
Eberius gives you almost no time to rest before giving you begins descending. If the character is unable to jump to safety,
the lowdown. he must make an additional DC 15 Reflex save to avoid falling
“A business contact of mine has recently fallen on off the column when it suddenly stops after its rapid descent.
hard times, but he can’t risk letting his rivals perceive his Failing the save means the character falls into the pit below,
weakness. I offered him my assistance, and since then he taking 2d6 points of damage. The rune stops glowing after a
has been… all too eager to try and pay back the favor with column falls and all columns return to their unlit, raised state
a single item from his collection. A few hundred years after 1 hour.
ago, one of his ancestors rose rather high in the hierarchy
of Aroden—high enough to be granted a shepherd’s ANCIENT THRONES
crosier, a two-foot-long mithral rod covered in gold leaf At the far end of the room sit two dust-covered stone thrones,
and gems. My contact may not even be aware that he and ancient Azlanti words are carved into the stone walls.
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possesses such a treasure, and I’d rather you not jog his Many holes and gaps exist in suspicious places, but none
memory. Since we have so graciously been granted this bear traps. A successful DC 15 Perception check allows a PC
opportunity to explore his family’s property, I want you to to notice that the thrones can be lifted up (DC 20 Strength
recover that scepter. check), revealing hidden caches underneath. Religious
“Do this,” he purrs, pulling out a small sack that jangles scholars might note that one of the relief carvings does not
as it lands on the table, “and I’ll see you get your just depict an aspect of Aroden—a point that might help them
rewards. Just be mindful of the Bloody Knuckles; I identify which scepter is fake. PCs may make a Knowledge
understand several just arrived in town, and we can’t risk Religion check upon reaching the thrones and studying the
them sniffing out our find.” Pulling out a crumpled note, wall relief carvings.
he tosses it across the table. “This map will show you how
to reach the vault. From there, you’re on your own.” Check DC Details
10 Aroden—also known as the Last Azlanti—was a
The PCs have no difficulty traversing Sandpoint’s busy god of culture, humanity, and innovation, but he
streets, reaching the edge of town, and traveling to the nearby died around 100 years ago. It is said he walked
estate. Once there, they enter the ill-maintained mausoleum Golarion in several different guises.
and pass chamber upon chamber of crypts and memorials 15 Aroden’s 12 guises were the artist, beggar,
before coming across a secret door indicated on Eberius’s map. craftsman, farmer, fisherman, hunter, merchant,
As the PCs descend a narrow stairway, they enter the secret scholar, shepherd, soldier, tailor, and thief.
chamber rumored to hold the shepherd’s crosier.
Treasure: On the wall behind the right throne is carved
THE RUNE-COLUMN FLOOR a scene showing an artist, a beggar, a craftsman, a scholar,
a soldier, and a tailor. Beneath the throne is a small cache
Magical, flameless torches illuminate this massive stone containing the shepherd’s crosier, wrapped in a ceremonial
chamber, which features a strange series of columns cloth covered in holy sigils of Aroden, and 400 gp. The scepter is
rising from a deep chasm in the room’s center. The top approximately 2 feet long and 2 inches in diameter, is covered
of each column is flush with the surface of the floor and in gold leaf and small semi-precious gems, and terminates
features an arcane rune. At the far end of the room stand in a shepherd’s crook. Anytime the scepter catches the light,
two stone thrones on a raised dais. On the wall behind the bluish outline of a small winged eye framed by the hook
the left throne is a relief of a king signing a document shimmers into view.
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On the wall behind the left throne is carved a scene attitude of hostile); see page 36 of the Hero’s Handbook for
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showing a farmer, a fisherman, a hunter, a monk, a shepherd, information on NPC attitudes. The Bloody Knuckles use ranged
and a thief. The left throne hides a trove of holy texts, a scroll attacks to target foes on the far side of the chasm, and they
of daylight, and a fake shepherd’s crosier. This fake looks hope to hold the first PC to make it to their side hostage until
identical to the true scepter, which is located in the right they get the scepter.
cache. The false scepter has been altered by a permanent
magical effect to make it radiate magic like the true relic, but BLOODY KNUCKLES LEADER CR 3
a DC 15 Knowledge Arcana or Spellcraft check reveals it to be XP 800
a fake. The false scepter, while not genuine, is nevertheless Evil Cleric (Game Master’s Guide 67)
worth 150 gp. hp 32
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