ADVENTURE BACKGROUND same place: an enraged burgomaster and an empty

vault.
The Free City of Hordenheim is not a happy place.
Situated at a natural crossroads, all manner of
undesirables roll through town; marauding armies,
half-mad wizards, and monstrous folk of all
descriptions can be found on the streets and in the
taverns. If Hordenheim is not a peaceful sort of
place, it is at least a profitable one. The wealth of
several neighboring kingdoms flows through the
city, and everybody wants a share of the profits.
This is especially true of Pollard Varice,
Burgomaster of Hordenheim. A resourceful fellow
with a shrewd sense for business, Varice hit upon a
brilliant plan early last year: if folk of unusual
ability and indifferent morals are going to be here
anyway, why not put them to use? After all, the
Watch and the Border Guard were expensive to
maintain, while the living dead do not require a
living wage. Appointing upright citizen and noted
necromancer Findle Stirr to the position of High
Sheriff seemed like an excellent idea at the time.
Unfortunately, Stirr is as power hungry as he is
xenophobic, and now that tax season is come the
necromancer's longplanned coup is coming to
fruition.
Swarms of his undead rats have secretly pillaged
the city's strong boxes and coin purses for the past
few months. Finding themselves unable to pay, the
populace is rising as never before against the
burgomaster's taxes. As Stirr prepares an undead
colossus to scour the city of the ‘lesser races,'
Pollard Varice has no choice but to send for
adventurers to quell the rabble and restore order.
ADVENTURE SUMMARY
Answering the burgomaster's call, the PCs take on
the role of tax collectors in the great trade city of
Hordenheim, but as any of the junior clerks can
attest, it's been an exceptionally tough year for
gathering tariffs. The mostly honest officers of the
Watch are doing what they can but whole
neighborhoods are in open revolt, counterfeit coins
have been found in the returns, and the Lord
Assessor's household guard are turning up dead
with astonishing regularity.
The PCs can solve these three problems in any
order they choose. Whether they silence the
ringleaders in The Trots, raid the lair of the
alchemist counterfeiters, or track down the angry
aurumvorax mother who's been trying to retrieve
her kit from the Lord Assessor, it will all lead to the
Findle Stirr's plans are nearing completion, and
he's grown bold enough to steal from Hordenheim's
treasury.
Following the trail of Stirr's undead rats back to the
Watch House, the PCs will uncover the Sheriff 's
evil plot. They will have to work quickly to keep the
necromantic lawman from unleashing his colossal
golden undead, and they'll have to do it before the
very people they are trying to save run them out of
town.
ADVENTURE HOOKS
• The expected hook of the scenario is the
burgomaster's summons for a team of enforcers to
help solve his problems. The PCs are travelling to
Hordenheim in answer to his call.
• Alternatively, the party might start at odds with
the burgomaster. Times are lean in Hordenheim
after all, and if the group wants to play as
Hordenheim natives, nothing could motivate
adventurers more than seeing their guild hall
repossessed. If using this hook, ignore the opening
scenes on the road. Instead, begin play with your
PCs relaxing in their guild hall when the dwarven
tax collector Bisley Billetpole shows up with an
enormous stack of paperwork and an outrageous
demand for back taxes. If the party agrees to do a
few favors for the good of the city, they might be
granted a waiver on this year's taxes.
• It's also possible to begin with the party working
as sailors on the barges or guards attached to one of
the city's many caravans. • In this case, replace the
encounters on the road with a scene of your pig-
headed ship's captain or cheapskate merchant
refusing to pay the customs duty at the border. He
demands to see the burgomaster, storms off into
the city, and leaves the party scratching their heads.
When word comes back that he's been tossed into
debtor's prison and that no one is getting paid until
he's freed, the road to the burgomaster's office is
clear: help out with a few local issues, and the
greedy merchant goes free.
• A final option is to run a monstrous party. If the
PCs are looking to play immigrant goblins or
harpies hoping to take a stab a civilized life,
Hordenheim is the place to do it. What better way
to start a new life than helping out the most
powerful man in the city? For this hook, run the
adventure as normal but offer full citizenship as a
reward for helping the burgomaster.
THE RED HERRING
As the adventure plays out, the Thieves Guild may
become a target of PC suspicion. After all, when
money goes missing, who would make a more likely
culprit? However, while something is indeed
stealing from the people of Hordenheim, it's not the
Thieves Guild, even though all the clues point
towards it. Finding the thieves is easy; their
guildhall is an opulent timbered affair, and the sign
of a gloved hand in gold leaf hangs above their
doors. Located near the the Street of Nobles, it is
clear that this is a group which holds itself in high
esteem. • When the PCs are talking to Boss Belle
(see part A), or overhear her later discussions with
the burgomaster, it's clear the minotaur believes the
Thieves Guild is unfairly targeting her people.
• Along the Godsway some of the panhandling
clergymen may be overheard to say, "It's not so
lucrative as Thieves Guild work, but it's a living."
• As the party approaches the Lord Assessor's
estate, simply pointing out the nearby guild hall
and the conspicuously roguish characters hanging
about may be enough to rouse the party's
suspicions.
• Hordenheim robberies are surprisingly civil
affairs. It all starts with pleasant men in dark gray
cloaks asking if the victim has been robbed yet this
fiscal quarter. A few such men may well cross the
party's path one night.
Regardless of how you introduce the Guild to the
PCs, their arrival at the guildhall should play out as
an understated social call. They will be admitted
freely by liveried servants and after a lengthy wait
will gain entry to the Guildmaster's offices. A kindly
old halfelf named Anrin the Jeweler, the master
thief will show the PCs every courtesy. He is
entirely blameless in the current rash of thefts, as
his ledgers will prove. His tight regulation of the
city's cutpurses and cat burglars results in a lower
overall crime rate, so he is indeed a pillar of the
community. Should the PCs push the issue, they
may well make enemies of the Guild, in which case
they will possibly find themselves targeted by the
cutpurses of the city. If, on the other hand, they
ingratiate themselves with the Guild, they may find
a ready source of information and pilfered magical
baubles... for a modest fee of course. Generate 2d4
random wondrous items, each worth 1,000 GP or
less, whenever the party visits. The thieves will offer
to sell them at a 50% discount.
FORESHADOWING
The Rats of Hordenheim should seem little more
than a background detail. Slip them in along with
other descriptions of the city, and never make their
presence too overt. Over the course of the
adventure, certain clues should point to the gradual
disappearance of rats in the city.
• As the PCs arrive in Hordenheim, they see rats
jumping onto barges as they dock. • Rat is a popular
street food in Hordenheim, but there's no more to
be had as the adventure progresses. Closed vendor
stalls or wildly increased prices provide a clue.
• The party hears rats in the walls of their sleeping
quarters. The scratching goes quiet after a few days.
• The burgomaster is happy about the ‘minimal
impact on municipal granaries' from vermin this
year.
• A sign out front of a pest control company
advertises an ever-increasing sale.
THE ROAD TO HORDENHEIM
The Border Guard
It has been a long few days on the trade road, but
at last you are standing atop a hill, looking down
upon the great trade city of Hordenheim. Barges
ply the waters of the River Yuen, their goods
destined for the famed bazaars, their crews for the
infamous taverns. Hordenheim is not much to look
at: a few squat gray towers beside the road and
the river, an assemblage of outlying farms and
hamlets, and the dirty warren of streets and alleys
that make up the city proper. Hordenheim has a
reputation as a rough and tumble city, but also a
rich one. With any luck, it will line your pockets
well. As dusk settles over the countryside, the
lights of the city and outlying settlements twinkle
in the distance. Much closer at hand, another light
burns beside the road: a lantern, held aloft by a
grinning man in a black cloak. A death's head
brooch sparkles at his neck, and a small troop of
similarly attired figures stand beside him. He
squints into the gloom and calls, "Who's there?"
Though friendly and informative, the border guard
is a necromancer. Ask for a DC 19 Spellcraft
check to identify the necromantic nature of the
brooch. Allow a DC 19 Perception check for any
party members curious about the silent troop at the
necromancer's back: they're zombies. And while
their undead nature isn't precisely hidden, it is at
least obscured in the dim of twilight.
Spellcraft DC 19 Necromancer Deputy CR 3 XP 800
Success identifies the necromantic nature of the
border guard's brooch. Male human necromancer 4
LN Medium humanoid (human)
Perception DC 19 Init +0;
The silent troop behind the guard are zombies, their Senses Perception +0
nature obscured in the dim of twilight.
DEFENSE
The deputy will ask for a toll from the PCs -- five AC 11, touch 10, flat-footed 11 (+1 armor)
gold apiece, plus one for each weapon. He will hp 30 (4d6+16)
attempt to search the PCs and their goods; it's his Fort +5, Ref +1, Will +5
job after all. Whether the party decides to fight or
talk, the necromancer's position as a city official OFFENSE
should give them pause. Speed 30 ft.
Melee mwk quarterstaff +4 (1d6+1)
(6) Zombie CR 1/2 Special Attacks channel negative energy 5/day
(6) Zombies CR 1/2 XP 200 (DC 13, command undead only)
NE Medium undead Arcane School necromancy
Init +0; Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th, conc +6)
Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0 5/day grave touch

DEFENSE Wizard Spells Prepared (CL 4th; conc +6)

AC 12, touch 10, flat-footed 12 (+2 natural) 2nd — command undead,
hp 12 (2d8+3) detect thoughts (DC 14),
Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +3 false life,
DR 5/slashing; Immune undead traits spectral hand
1st — chill touch (DC 13),
OFFENSE feather fall, obscuring
Speed 30 ft. mist,
Melee slam +4 (1d6+4) ray of enfeeblement,
shield
STATISTICS 0 (at will) — bleed (DC 12), detect magic, light, ray
Str 17, Dex 10, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 10 of frost, touch of fatigue (DC 12)
Base Atk +1; CMB +4; CMD 14 Opposition Schools conjuration, illusion
Feats Toughness
SQ staggered STATISTICS
Str 12, Dex 10, Con 15, Int 15, Wis 13, Cha 10
SPECIAL ABILITIES Base Atk +2; CMB +3; CMD 13
Staggered (Ex) Zombies have poor reflexes and Feats Command Undead, Great Fortitude,
can only perform a single move action or standard Improved Channel, Scribe Scroll, Toughness
action each round (it has the staggered condition.) Skills Appraise +8, Diplomacy +3, Intimidate +4,
A zombie can move up to its speed and attack in the Knowledge (Arcana) +9, Knowledge (History) +8,
same round as a charge action. Linguistics +8

Languages Common, Draconic, Goblin, Infernal

SQ arcane bond (amulet), power over undead
Gear bracers of armor +1, wand of magic missile
(CL 3rd, 25 charges), medal of the deputy,
masterwork quarterstaff, officer's robes, bonded
amulet, government credentials, spellbook
INTO TOWN
Passing on into the strip of tiny hamlets and
outlying farms that surrounds the city proper, the
party encounters a roadside argument. An unhappy
young dwarf is trying to make himself heard over a
gaggle of angry farmers:
As you come into earshot, you hear the dwarf say,
"...with me or with the Guard. I sympathize, really
I do. But the law is the law, and every man of us
has to pull his weight.” This pronouncement elicits
angry shouts from the farmers, as well as a
barrage of turnips and offal. The dwarf stumbles
to the road and falls at your feet.
The dwarf is a tax collector named Bisley Billetpole.
When questioned, he will explain that the farmers
are refusing to pay their taxes. They blame thieves
and extortionate rates, but the dwarf insists that the
law is the law.
Should the party elect to help him, he will gladly
accompany them to the burgomaster's office, acting
as something of a guide to the city. However, he will
excuse himself before going inside - the
burgomaster is none too pleased with his tax agents
at the moment.
HORDENHEIM
N Large city
Corruption +3; Crime +3; Economy +6;
Law +2; Lore +4; Society +2
Qualities financial, notorious, prosperous,
strategic location
Danger +20
DEMOGRAPHICS
Government Autocracy
Population 25,000 (5,000 humans; 2,000
dwarves; 2,000 halflings; 1,000 elves; 15,000
other)
NOTEABLE NPCS
 Burgomaster Pollard Varice (LN male
ancient brine dragon)
 Sheriff Findle Stirr (NE male human
necromancer 6)
 Political Boss Belle Greencud (CG
female minotaur urban barbarian 1)
 Lord Assessor Bors Jaulich (LN male
half-orc aristocrat 4)
MARKETPLACE
Base Value 16,000 gp; Purchase Limit 125,000
gp;
Spellcasting 7th
Minor Items 4d4; Medium Items 3d4; Major
Items
2d4
THE BURGOMASTER
Burgomaster Pollard Varice can be found at Center
Bridge, the great stone span that links the two
halves of Hordenheim across the River Yuen. His
offices are perched high atop the northern bridge
tower, and are accessed by a long sloping climb up
the support cable stairs.
The offices themselves look rather like an eagle's
nest, extending out on either side far wider than the
tower itself. Yet despite their precarious rocking,
they are a palatial affair constructed of glass and
carven wood.
THE BURGOMASTER'S SECRET
Although Varice's heritage should not come into
play in this adventure, it is nevertheless worth
noting. The burgomaster is actually an Ancient
Brine Dragon named Varicienthirax, and
Hordenheim is his responsibility in more ways than
one. When the idea of a monstrous free city
occurred to him some 500 years ago, the small
fishing village of Horden seemed as good a place as
any to start. Posing as a civic-minded fishmonger, it
was a simple affair to win the office of mayor. Using
his spell-like abilities to net a profit and his
diplomatic skill to net a constituency, the founding
of the great trade city was surprisingly easy. Posing
as the son, grandson, and now great-great-
grandson of the original Mayor Varice, the
burgomaster continues to amuse himself by
keeping the powder keg of racial tensions and
competing interests from exploding.
While the great wyrm could doubtless destroy Stirr,
save his city, and be home in time for tea, he
chooses to govern as the simple halfling he appears
to be. Any dragon might rule through raw power,
but Varicienthirax prefers subtlety. So far as ‘Mayor
Varice' is concerned, the governing of Hordenheim
is the greatest challenge a brine dragon could wish
for. The PCs are simply the latest pieces upon his
game board.
MEDAL OF THE DEPUTY
Aura faint conjuration; CL 5th
Slot neck; Price 5,000 gp; Weight —.
DESCRIPTION
This shiny brass medal bears the arms of
Hordenheim: a human hand shaking a monstrous
claw, surmounted by a sack of coins. While worn,
the medal renders all damage dealt by the wearer
non-lethal. This includes damage from magical and
non-magical sources. However, the magic is tied to
the city of Hordenheim, and will not work beyond
its walls.
As you step inside the office you see a quartet of
paintings lining the walls, each depicting a male
halfling, and all bearing an uncanny family
resemblance. The rugs are woven rich and red.
The furniture is fine dark wood and sumptuous
upholstery. The cloud of smoke that hangs thick on
the air smells of the finest pipe weed. And behind a
massive oak desk, feet upon the table, cigar
clenched firmly in his jaws, sits the burgomaster
himself. He looks more than a little like the
portraits on the walls, all heavy eyebrows and
outsized mutton chops. He says:
Come in, come in. Close the door. You're letting all
the smoke out. You folks have something of a
martial air about you. Adventurers I'd wager. Yes,
good, excellent. And no doubt you're here to help
with our little tax problem. Even better.
Now I sympathize with the plight of the common
man. Times are lean -- dad gets injured on the job,
mom's pocket gets picked at market -- but we've all
got to pay our due, don't we? The Trots is close to
open revolt, counterfeit coins have been found in
the returns, and the Lord Assessor's household
guard are turning up dead with astonishing
regularity. Our local constabulary is good enough
for standing on corners and looking mean, but
given the recent unpleasantness your particular
expertise will be most welcome.
So what do you say? A fat sack of gold and a place
of civic responsibility?
Assuming the party agrees, the burgomaster will
reach into his desk and produce a set of keys and a
fistful of medals identical to the ones worn by the
border guard. These are all medals of the deputy.
Once the PCs accept the medals, the burgomaster
announces:
It is at this point that Sheriff Findle Stirr will storm
into the office. His men spotted the party on their
way into town, and they've just informed their boss
that adventurers have answered the burgomaster's
summons. As is the case with all unasked-for help
in all police departments in all cities, Sheriff Stirr
will not be pleased with these new deputies (and
doubly so if the party fought the border guard).
Despite all evidence to the contrary, he will stoutly
maintain that his necromancers are enough to keep
order within the city. An argument between the the
sheriff and the burgomaster is appropriate here.
However, Stirr will eventually bow to pressure from
Burgomaster Varice, and ultimately agrees to brief
the PCs on the many problems they've inherited. It
is up to the PCs to decide what order they will take
on the challenges.
THE LAW IN THESE PARTS
Sheriff Stirr is the villain of this adventure, but that
should not be obvious. Certainly he should come off
as an unlikable bigot, but his relationship to the PCs
should seem more of a jurisdictional resentment:
These out of town hotshots think they can do better
than my department? I'll show them. His role
throughout the adventure is to act as guide, provide
commentary on the city, and to try and make the
party seem incompetent in front of the
burgomaster. If the party abuses their power as Tax
Inspectors, killing too many citizens for example,
he may even try and convince the burgomaster to
arrest them.

I hereby deputize you in the name of the free city of

Hordenheim. Omet lagro dapet um. That's on the
coat of arms, you know. Means ‘all things in
balance.' City motto. Now aside from those medals
being recognizable badges of office, they'll also
prevent you from killing any citizens in the line of
duty. Very solid magic. The keys go to your
quarters in Crook's Tower. That's the south tower
of Center Bridge, just a short walk through the
backdoor of the office. I hope you aren't afraid of
heights. There you'll find the city treasury and the
Revenue Department, the former of which is
accessible through the latter. Now my fine Tax
Inspectors--
THE STRANGENESS OF HORDENHEIM
Hordenheim is a free city, a melting pot and a
haven for criminals and monsters. Presented below
are a number of oddities that can be seen in and
around the city. Feel free to add your own.
Downspout Couriers Wherever stone spires
reach skyward or temple vaults arch into the gloom,
gargoyles are sure to follow. But where other cities
treat these winged monsters as pests, Hordenheim
treats them as a postal service. Should a citizen
wish to mail a letter, he has only to tie a bit of meat
to his missive and toss it skyward. One of the
countless courier gargoyles -- equal parts postman
and mailbox -- will catch and deliver, usually in a
matter of minutes. Consequently, Hordenheim is
one of the few places in the multiverse where
residents paint their addresses on their roofs.
The Guild of Sweeps As with so many of their
civic problems, the citizens of Hordenheim have hit
upon a unique solution to sanitation: slime. The
Guild of Sweeps set out early each morning,
specially treated alchemical salts at the ends of their
prod sticks, a veritable army of small slimes driven
before them. The slimes sop up the city's night soil,
while the sweeps collect wages from a grateful (and
surprisingly fresh-smelling) city.
Immigration Services New citizens may take
some time to adjust to civilization and many of the
traditionally evil races need a special hand
transitioning - that's where the mentors at
Immigration Services come into play. It's not
unusual to see a third generation Hordenheim orc
touring his just-down-fromthe- hills cousins about
town, explaining the finer points of self restraint
(not eating the halflings is usually the first step.)
Only by submitting to such programs can the
monstrous immigrants of Hordenheim gain full
citizenship.
Smoke Shops Ale is for dwarves. Wine is for
elves. Herbal tea is for unwashed druids. But it is
the rare creature who doesn't appreciate a well-
packed bowl at one of Hordenheim's famed smoke
shops. With flavors for all palates, a centaur may
enjoy "Feedbag Blend" while a gnoll at the next
table blows rings of "Yesterday's Carcass." While
restaurants must cater to the tastes of specific
ghettos and races, tobacconists find it relatively
easy to stock a bit of pipe weed to please all comers,
making the cigar shops and hookah bars the true
melting pots of Hordenheim.
The Avenue of Exotic Pleasures As surely as
cities need news criers, chimney sweeps, or well-fed
innkeepers, they need their red light districts. Yet
with so many different races in residence, the
madams and flesh-peddlers of Hordenheim face a
bit of a staffing problem. Fortunately for all hot-
blooded humanoids heavy on coin and light on love,
the city's doppelganger community provides a
solution. There are, of course, specialty houses that
cater to one or two species, but all the really
successful brothels employ at least a few shape
changers of easy virtue. Such houses prominently
display their star employees in street front
windows, where they put on transformational
shows to tempt all passersby. An Arm and a Leg
Given the eating habits of certain monstrous
citizens, it's surprising that there aren't even more
murders on the streets of Hordenheim. This
problem is at least partially assuaged by the city's
specialty butchers. Any creature desperate enough
for coin can submit himself for amputation,
garnering a tidy profit with which to buy a new
hook or peg leg. Of course, even the poorest of the
poor are often loathe to part with (ahem) a part, so
the city's tough penal code will often make up the
demand. The result is a city of well-fed monsters
and left-handed pickpockets.
A. TROUBLE IN THE TROTS (4) Centaur CR 3 XP 800
The mills and factories of Hordenheim are run by N Large Monstrous humanoid
treadmills, and the treadmills of Hordenheim are Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +7
run by the centaurs, satyrs, and minotaurs of The
Trots. A neighborhood at the city's southeast DEFENSE
corner, just downwind of the industrial quarter, AC 20, touch 11, flat-footed 18 (+6 armor, +2 Dex,
The Trots is a labyrinthine mass of converted +1 natural, -1 size)
hp 30 (4d10+8)
tenements inhabited by blue collar ungulates of
Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +6
every description. Of course, being the hardworking
sort, these folk are poorly paid. And being poorly OFFENSE
paid, tax season has hit them especially hard. Speed 50 ft.; 35 ft. in armor
Melee longsword +5 (1d8+2/19-20), 2 hooves +0
The Sheriff's Role Being a racist, the Sheriff will
(1d6+1)
give a brief history of The Trots en route, referring
Ranged composite (+2) longbow +5 (1d8+2/x3)
to the inhabitants of the neighborhood as overpaid Space 10 ft., Reach 5 ft.
work horses and draft animals. Once the fighting
starts at the barricade, he whisks the tax collectors STATISTICS
to safety while "calling for backup." When the Str 15, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 11, Wis 14, Cha 12
Sheriff returns with his deputies at the end of the Base Atk +4; CMB +7; CMD 19 (23 vs. trip)
encounter, he will be flabbergasted to see the PCs Feats Improved Initiative, Run
still alive. Later, he will tell the burgomaster that Skills Diplomacy +5, Intimidate +6, Knowledge
they were "fomenting ethnic unrest." (nature) +4, Perception +7, Survival +9
Languages Common, Elven, Sylvan
1. THE BARRICADE SQ undersized weapons
Stretching across the Street of Provender, SPECIAL ABILITIES
overturned carts, dust bins, and piles of refuse Undersized Weapons (Ex) Although a centaur
block the narrow cobblestone lane. On the near is Large, its upper torso is the same size as that of a
side, a trio of cowering tax collectors ducks the Medium humanoid. As a result, they wield weapons
garbage and rocks hurled by the citizens on the far as if they were one size category smaller than their
side. These centaurs are shouting slogans like, "Not actual size (Medium for most centaurs).
your beast of tax burden!" and, "Shake the yoke of
oppression!"
The party may attempt to talk the rioters down, but
that could prove difficult. If the PCs are openly
wearing their badges of office then the cries will
redouble, and a number of arrows will join the
volley of stones. If combat is joined, most of the
protesters will run for it. However, a quartet of
burly centaurs will remain to offer battle.
During Combat The barricade is six feet high, five
feet wide, and stretches thirty feet across the whole
street. It counts as difficult terrain. During combat
the centaurs will stick to cover behind their barrier,
firing their bows at the advancing PCs.
Once the party makes it past the barricade, they still
have a bit of investigating to do. Whether they
question a still-conscious captive, gather clues from
graffiti, or are approached by a shifty-eyed satyr
informant, rumors of Boss Belle will point them
towards the rabblerousing minotaur behind the
Trots' unrest.
2. URBAN LABYRINTH
Finding a minotaur in the urban maze of The Trots
is easier said than done. It will take a series of
Knowledge (Local) checks at DC 21 to navigate the
neighborhood and find the ringleader. At every
failed check, a blind alley or double back street will
result in taunts and further missiles from gangs of
street urchins. When the PCs give chase, they will
find themselves led into the trap of the Meeting
Hall. Should they ignore the taunts and succeed at
three checks total, they will arrive at the meeting
hall in less of a hurry and may choose to enter by
the main door or take the stairs to the loft.
3. THE MEETING HALL
The Trots meeting hall is a large converted barn,
strung up with pro-labor posters. A small stage
stands at the far end of the room. Overhead is a loft
where a number of desks are occupied by an equal
number of satyr scribes, each creating more posters
and handbills by hand.
If the party enters through the main door -- where
they will be led if chasing a street urchin here -- the
barn door will slam shut behind them. If they enter
through the loft and are noticed by the satyr
scribes, they will be viewed with suspicion. If they
state their business openly, the scribes call for Belle.
Boss Belle stands at a podium on the stage, small
glasses perched on her bovine muzzle, a sheaf of
papers in one hand. It appears that the enormous
black and white spotted minotaur is practicing a
speech.
Belle Greencud is a political activist and lifelong
factory girl. She's spent the past several years
lobbying for better wages for her fellow workers,
and more than a few law zombies have been gored
and trampled in her "protest marches." These
activities have earned her a number of arrests, but
the community sees her as something of a hero, and
always posts bail.
If the party chased the urchins here, her starting
attitude will be Hostile, though it will merely be
Unfriendly if the PCs found the location
themselves. If the PCs try to arrest her, she will
resist with all the resources at her disposal, but if
they can convince her to plead the Trots's case
before the burgomaster (A DC 21 Diplomacy
check if Unfriendly, or a DC 26 check if Hostile),
she will come along quietly.
Diplomacy Check
If the PCs try to arrest Boss Belle and can convince
her to plead the Trots's case before the burgomaster
she will come along quietly.
 If Belle is Unfriendly the check is DC 21.
 If Belle is Hostile the check is DC 26.
Sample Quotes for Belle:
• You soft feet are all the same, always
stealing from a hardworking ‘taur.
• You work hard all month for a slave wage,
and all year for an unfair tax.
• Feel like a big man taking oats off our
tables?
• We'll pay what's fair. But what you're asking
for ain't fair. Not with the Thieves Guild
over quota.
During Combat
While Boss Belle is a straightforward combatant,
the satyrs offer a bit more versatility. They do their
best to avoid melee combat, and will harass the
party as best they can. Only one of the scribes
brought his pipes to work, and he will try to use
them at the earliest opportunity, avoiding targeting
Boss Belle if at all possible. The other satyrs will
hurl insults, arrows, and ink pots down at the party
(treat ink pots as splash weapons that blind the
target for 1 round on a hit). Once Boss Belle is
defeated, the satyrs will give up the fight at once.
4. WRAPPING UP
When Belle exits The Trots, either in the paddy
wagon or of her own free will, the rioting will die
down. The tax men, no longer stymied by a manned
barricade, are free to go about their duties.
However, as the PCs leave the neighborhood,
resentment of the residents should be palpable, and
it's obvious that few doors will open for the hapless
collectors.
Satyr Scribe CR 3 XP 800
Young Satyr
CN Small fey
Init +3;
Senses low-light vision.; Perception +18
DEFENSE
AC 20, touch 15, flat-footed 16 (+3 Dex, +1 Dodge,
+5 natural, +1 size)
hp 28 (8d6)
Fort +3, Ref +9, Will +8
DR 5/cold iron
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft.
Melee dagger +5 (1d3/19-20) , horns +0 (1d6-1)
Ranged short bow +8 (1d4/x3)
Special Attacks pipes
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8th)
At Will – charm person (DC 13), dancing lights,
ghost sound (DC 12), sleep (DC 13), suggestion (DC
15)
1/day – fear (DC 16), summon nature's ally III
STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 19
Base Atk +4; CMB +6 CMD 17
Feats Dodge, Mobility, Skill Focus (Perception),
Weapon Finesse
Skills Bluff +15, Diplomacy +15, Disguise +9,
Intimidate +9, Knowledge (nature) +10, Perception
+18, Perform (wind instruments) +19, Stealth +17,
Survival +7; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception, +4
Perform, +4 Stealth
Languages Common, Sylvan
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Pipes (Su) A satyr can focus and empower his
magic by playing haunting melodies on his
panpipes. When he plays, all creatures within a 60-
foot radius must make a DC 16 Will save or be
affected by charm person, fear, sleep, or
suggestion, depending on what tune the satyr
chooses. A creature that successfully saves against
any of the pipes' effects cannot be affected by the
same set of pipes for 24 hours, but can still be
affected by the satyr's other spell-like abilities as
normal. The satyr's use of his pipes does not count
toward his uses per day of his spell-like abilities,
and if separated from them he may continue to use
his standard abilities. The pipes themselves are
masterwork, and a satyr can craft a replacement
with 1 week of labor. The save DC is Charisma-
based.
Boss Belle CR 5 XP 1,200
Female minotaur urban barbarian 1
CG Large monstrous humanoid
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +10
DEFENSE
AC 16, touch 9, flat-foot 16 (+5 Nat, -1 size, +2
Arm)
hp 57 (1d12+6d10+12)
Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +5
Defensive Abilities natural cunning
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee greataxe +10/+5 (3d6+6), gore +4 (1d6+2)
or greataxe +8/+3 (3d6+12), gore +2 (1d6+4)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks powerful charge (gore +11,
2d6+6)
STATISTICS
Str 19, Dex 10, Con 15, Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 8
Base Atk +7; CMB +12; CMD 22
Feats Great Fortitude, Improved Bull Rush, Power
Attack, Minotaur's Charge, Power Attack -2/+4
Skills Climb +4, Diplomacy +5, Intimidate +5,
Perception +10, Stealth +2, Survival +10; Racial
Modifiers +4 Perception, +4 Survival
Languages Giant, Common
SQ Rage (6 rounds/day)
Gear Greataxe, Leather Apron (counts as leather
armor), Dagger
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Controlled Rage (Ex) When an urban barbarian
rages, instead of making a normal rage she may
apply a +4 morale bonus to her Strength, Dexterity,
or Constitution. This bonus increases to +6 when
she gains greater rage and +8 when she gains
mighty rage. She may apply the full bonus to one
ability score or may split the bonus between several
scores in increments of +2. When using a controlled
rage, an urban barbarian gains no bonus on Will
saves, takes no penalties to AC, and can still use
Intelligence-, Dexterity-, and Charisma-based skills.
This ability otherwise follows the normal rules for
rage.
Crowd Control (Ex) At 1st level, an urban
barbarian gains a +1 bonus on attack rolls and a +1
dodge bonus to AC when adjacent to two or more
enemies. In addition, her movement is not impeded
by crowds, and she gains a bonus equal to 1/2 her
barbarian level on Intimidate checks to influence
crowds.
Natural Cunning (Ex) Although minotaurs are
not especially intelligent, they possess innate
cunning and logical ability. This gives them
immunity to maze spells and prevents them from
ever becoming lost. Further, they are never caught
flat-footed.
THE BARN
B. MAKING MONEY
A certain Patrolman Pitwood has shown a
surprising amount of initiative, and has
apprehended a member of a counterfeiting ring.
The counterfeiter is awaiting the burgomaster's
pleasure at the Center Bridge Station House, and is
in the meanwhile being questioned by
Hordenheim's finest. This portion of the adventure
will take the PCs behind the doors of a corrupt
church, and may turn a tidy profit besides.
The Sheriff's Role
Stirr has only a minor part to play here. He will
praise his officer's initiative in detecting criminal
activity, and then laugh as he leaves the PCs to
"interrogate the mute." If the PCs successfully break
up the forgery ring, he will refer to it as a "police
activity in collaboration with my department."
Dropping a few slurs against "shifty-eyed
leprechauns" is also in character.
1. THE TONGUELESS MAN & THE
CLINKING COAT
Once the party decides to take on the counterfeiting
ring, Stirr will lead them to Center Bridge Station
House, a small brick and mortar building that
serves as a holding cell. Inside they will find
Patrolman Pitwood, a stout dwarven necromancer
eager to show off his catch.
As you make your way inside the small station
house, a cheerful little dwarf looks up from his
magazine, then springs to his feet. He's wearing
the black cloak and death's head brooch of the
watch, and it seems he's been expecting you.
Snapping off an enthusiastic salute, he nods to the
shabby looking fellow behind bars.
We found ‘im clinking up ‘round Crier's Square,
m'lords. He could not produce his thieves' papers,
so we apprehended him as an suspicious
character. His coat were stuffed full o' these,
m'lords." The deputy produces a small chest of
scrap metal: copper plates, silverware, broken
pipes, and other oddments.
I read ‘bout these sorts o' scrap collectors in the
latest ‘Astonishing Detectives' story, out 30th of
last month if memory serves. And thought I to
myself, forgery is afoot! He don't have no tongue,
so we have been unable to ascertain his motives.
His name neither, come to think of it.
If questioned on the subject of forgery, Pitwood will
confess that upon examination of the most recent
tax returns, nearly one in five were found to contain
magical forgeries. The high denomination coins
disappeared entirely, while the silver and copper
pieces were found to contain telling imperfections.
This particular problem is fairly open-ended. The
tongueless man is a simple fellow, and more
properly named Ilek the Silent, bell-ringer of the
Temple of Wealth. A penitent man and a true
believer, Ilek is well-meaning, but slow of thought.
He is susceptible to the usual means of
interrogation: diplomacy, intimidation, and
bribery. He is illiterate, and so cannot write, but can
answer questions with affirmative grunts or shakes
of the head.
Ilek has a small token of the God of Wealth about
his neck: a miniature set of brass scales. A DC 21
Knowledge (Religion) check is enough to put
the PCs on the right path. If they instead decide to
investigate the scrap metal, the halforc junkyard
owner Snurr Brickshed should not be too hard to
find (DC 17 Diplomacy check). He deals in
refuse of all kinds, and is known as the cheapest
scrapper on Slag Row. Should the PCs find him, he
will admit to selling the metal easily enough, and
may even be persuaded to show the party the as yet
uncashed check signed by Father Gleam of the First
Church of Wealth (DC 21 Diplomacy or
Intimidate check).
Knowledge (Religion) DC 21
The party identifies the symbol of the God of
Wealth about Ilek's neck, a fruitful line of inquiry.
Diplomacy DC 17
If the party investigates the scrap metal they will
have to find the seller. With a successful check the
party learn of Snurr Brickshed, a half-orc junkyard
owner, known as the cheapest scrapper on Slag
Row.
Diplomacy or Intimidate DC 21
Snurr Brickshed deals in refuse of all kinds, and will
admit to selling the metal easily. With a successful
check, he will be persuaded to show the party an as
yet uncashed check signed by Father Gealm of the
First Church of Wealth.
2. THE GODSWAY
Once the party finds the connection to the Temple
of Wealth, Ilek will make signs to show his
eagerness to lead them to his master. Following the
mute, it will be a short walk through the streets to
the Godsway, a row of shrines, churches, and
roadside confessionals perched atop a low cliff
overlooking the north bank of the River Yuen.
There are a few run-of-the-mill citizens here, but a
great many clergymen fill the yards and doors of
each church.
Once they spot the PCs coming, they will
immediately swarm them, crying their wares as
shamelessly as any market huckster:
• Blessings of the war god upon you! Glory in
battle, only 50 gold!
• A prayer for luck. Very auspicious. For you a
mere 30 gold!
• Meet your true love today! A poxy 100 gold
pieces for the kiss of the goddess!
These and other promises all pour from the
assembled altar boys, vestal virgins, and pulpiteers,
though none of them confer a mechanical benefit.
Instead, if a PC shells out for an amulet or a
blessing, she will precipitate a street brawl as the
preachers -- all working for commission -- go for
the gold. These are not clerics in the true sense, but
the nonmagical members of the various religions,
all tasked with shaking down donations from
passersby.
The brawl has a 20 foot radius centering on the
donating party member, counts as difficult terrain,
and will move along with her. It lasts for 1d4 + 2
rounds, and deals 2d4 bludgeoning damage per
round to all party members caught in the area.
Fortunately, the crowd is easily distracted by the
promise of riches, and can be dispersed easily by a
fistful of thrown coins. An area damage spell is also
effective.
3. THE FIRST CHURCH OF WEALTH
The church is a run-down stone and mortar affair
with the scales of the God of Wealth hanging in
flaked gold paint above the door. A long queue of
locals stretches from the door, and as they spot
your badges of office they begin to hurriedly
disperse.
The inside of the temple looks more like a counting
house than a church. A small humanoid creature,
with a wizened face and roguish smile, eyes you
from the other side of a wooden divide. His teller
window is tiny, and provides little view into the
back of the church. He says, "Welcome to the house
of Wealth, officers. How may we be of assistance?"
There is some information to be gleaned from this
simple question. Ask for a DC 21 Sense Motive
check to notice the emphasis on "officers." Then
ask for a DC 26 Perception check to hear the
whispers and the panicked clinking sounds from
‘round back.
Sense Motive DC 21
A successful check indicates noticing the particular
emphasis on "officers" in the leprechaun's greeting
Perception DC 26
A successful check notes the sound of panic 'round
back, a mixture of whispers and clinking.
The leprechaun at the window is none other than
Father Gleam, priest of Wealth and head of the
forgery ring. He will refuse to let the PCs inspect the
inner chapel, claiming that it is a holy place.
Forcing their way in requires either going through
the heavy wooden door in the partition (DC 25
Disable Device check to unlock), or squeezing
through the teller window (a DC 21 Escape Artist
check), and in either case they will find an empty
back room and a slamming trapdoor. A quick trip
down the trapdoor will take them to a hole in the
riverside cliff, about 10 feet above a small boat filled
with leprechauns, each staring back at them, sacks
of coins bulging at their feet.
Disable Device DC 25
A successful check is required to unlock the heavy
wooden door (Hardness 5, 20 hp, break DC 25) in
the partition, to inspect the inner chapel.
Escape Artist DC 21
A successful check allows a character to squeze
through the teller window in the partition to inspect
the inner chapel.
During Combat
This is not an especially large boat, and it's already
weighed down with several thousand gold pieces
and four extremely agitated leprechauns. Jumping
down will require the standard DC 15 Acrobatics
check, but a failure will result in normal damage, a
good bit of boat rocking, and a plunge into the
water. Furthermore, only two PCs can fit on the
boat safely. As soon as the third manages to board,
the boat will begin to take on water. If a full round
passes with three or more PCs aboard, the boat will
sink.
(3) Leprechaun Forger CR 2 XP
600
CN Small fey
Init +7; Senses low-light vision; Perception +17
DEFENSE
AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 11 (+3 Dex, +1 size)
hp 18 (4d6+4)
Fort +2, Ref +7, Will +6
DR 5/cold iron; SR 13
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft.
Melee +1 club +7 (1d8-1)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th; concentration +7)
Constant – shillelagh
At will – dancing lights, ghost sound (DC 15),
invisibility (self only), mage hand, major image
(visual and auditory elements only, DC 18),
prestidigitation, ventriloquism (DC 16)
3/day – color spray (DC 16), fabricate (1 cubic foot
of material only)
1/day – major creation
STATISTICS
Str 7, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha 16
Base Atk +2; CMB -1; CMD 12
Feats Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse
Skills Bluff +10, Escape Artist +10, Knowledge
(nature) +9, Perception +17, Perform (comedy) +8,
Perform (dance) +8, Sense Motive +9, Sleight of
Hand +14, Stealth +14; Racial Modifiers +8
Perception, +4 Sleight of Hand
Languages Common, Elven, Halfling, Sylvan
SQ leprechaun magic
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Leprechaun Magic (Sp) When a leprechaun
uses any of its spell-like abilities to deceive, trick, or
humiliate a creature (at the GM's discretion), the
spell-like ability resolves at caster level 8th rather
than 4th. If a leprechaun uses its spell-like abilities
in this manner, it has a bonus of +11 on
concentration checks.
A small fortune in coins appears to line the boat,
some 80,000 GP. Only 4,000 GP of that is real. The
vast majority of the coins are the product of the
leprechauns' major creation ability, and will
disappear in a little under three hours (a DC 21
Spellcraft check reveals this information.) Back
inside the church, the party will find a masterwork
alchemist's lab as well as one pair of goggles of
minute seeing.
Father Gleam CR 3 XP 800
Advanced Leprechaun
CN Small fey
Init +9; Senses low-light vision; Perception +19
DEFENSE
AC 18, touch 16, flat-foot 13 (+5 Dex, +1 size, +2
nat)
hp 26 (4d6+12)
Fort +4, Ref +9, Will +8
DR 5/cold iron; SR 13
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft.
Melee +1 club +9 (1d8+3)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th; concentration +7)
Constant – shillelagh
At will – dancing lights, ghost sound (DC 15),
invisibility (self only), mage hand, major image
(visual and auditory elements only, DC 18),
prestidigitation, ventriloquism (DC 16)
3/day – color spray (DC 16), fabricate (1 cubic foot
of material only)
1/day – major creation
STATISTICS
Str 11, Dex 20, Con 17, Int 18, Wis 19, Cha 20
Base Atk +2; CMB 1; CMD 16
Feats Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse
Skills Bluff +12, Escape Artist +12, Knowledge
(nature) +11, Perception +19, Perform (comedy)
+10, Perform (dance) +10, Sense Motive +11,
Sleight of Hand +16, Stealth +16; Racial
Modifiers +8 Perception, +4 Sleight of Hand
Languages Common, Elven, Halfling, Sylvan SQ
leprechaun magic
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Leprechaun Magic (Sp) When a leprechaun
uses any of its spell-like abilities to deceive, trick, or
humiliate a creature (at the GM's discretion), the
spell-like ability resolves at caster level 8th rather
than 4th. If a leprechaun uses its spell-like abilities
in this manner, it has a bonus of +11 on
concentration checks.
C. THE EATER OF GOLD
At this time of year, the most important official in
Hordenheim is not, in fact, Burgomaster Varice.
Nor is it Sheriff Stirr, though he has his emaciated
hands full containing the unrest of the citizenry.
Rather, it's the Lord Assessor Bors Jaulich, a
powdered priss of a half-orc with unlimited
authority to enforce the tax code. His infamous
audits are known to send even the most fastidious
of accountants into fits of anxiety, and he has a
fearsome reputation for squeezing every last coin
from those unfortunate souls who rouse his ire.
Where in years past the Lord Assessor made
himself conspicuous at tax time -- riding about
town in his gilded carriage with clipboard in hand,
his high white wig trailing a cloud of powder behind
-- this year he is nowhere to be seen. Guardsmen
have been turning up dead near the Assessor's
mansion with astonishing regularity, and Bors
Jaulich is convinced that he's been targeted for
assassination.
The Sheriff's Role
If there is an orc or half-orc PC in the party, Stirr
will use euphemisms for the Lord Assessor (e.g.
"non-traditional background" or "savage
disposition."). Otherwise he will let fly with enough
anti-greenskin sentiment to make a dwarf blush.
Thus far he's refused to risk too many men
protecting the assessor, and will evince a disregard
for the lordling's safety. Any deputies that die in the
process of tracking the aurumvorax are, "The direct
responsibility of these fools' incompetence."
1. ALONG THE STREET OF NOBLES
Past the opulent Thieves Guild and winding up
Nob Hill, the Street of Nobles climbs towards the
Lord Assessor's mansion. This part of the city is
vastly different than the others: the sewers are
belowground, the streets are clear of beggars, and
deputies patrol more thickly than in other parts of
Hordenheim. It's as if you're in a different city - it's
nice.
The assessor's mansion is among the richest of all
the dwellings in the neighborhood. Iron fences
surround the property, and the main gate is set
with an oversized gold coin with the likeness of the
Assessor stamped onto it. A golden carriage is
parked in its carriage house. The fine gardens are
neatly raked.
As you knock upon the door, you hear a high
pitched scream from the other side. Almost
immediately a kobold in an immaculate butler's
uniform opens the door. He says, "Please excuse
the shrieking. The master suffers from a nervous
disposition. Follow me.”
The kobold leads you through well appointed
corridors to a plush drawing room. Before you sits
Bors Jaulich, Lord Assessor of Hordenheim. His
tea cup is shaking in his hands. He turns as you
enter, his eyes go wide, and he shouts, "Who are
they? Oh gods, they're armed!"
Again, his high pitched scream sounds throughout
the hall.
Crooked Cops
Particularly brash PCs may attempt to steal the
Lord Assessor’s golden carriage or gate decoration.
Patrolling necromancers and zombies (same stats
as the border guard above) will not take kindly to
robbery, but the real challenge lies in the sheer
weight of the the potential loot.
The Coin
The coin is solid iron plated in gold, about five ft. in
diameter, and weighs 1,000 lbs. Attempting to drag
the coin will reduce a PC’s movement to 5' per
round. Rolling the coin, on the other hand, allows a
movement speed of 15' per round. You may wish to
request a DC 18 Strength Check to prevent the coin
from rolling out of control as the party moves down
Nob Hill.
The Carriage
The carriage presents its own set of problems.
There’s little chance that the party will be able to
drive out of Nob Hill without notice, so a few Bluff
checks (DC 20 for nosy neighbors, DC 25 for a
necromancer patrol) will likely be necessary.
Failure will result in a high speed chase as
necromancers pursue in their own patrol wagon.
Opposed Handle Animal checks are a good
foundation for this sort of chase, with ranged
attacks or relevant spells providing penalties and
bonuses according to their type.
Even if the party manages to get away cleanly, the
carriage is well-known about town as the assessor's
property. Attempts to sell it in Hordenheim will
lead to instant recognition, a flat refusal from even
the seediest pawnbrokers, and the enmity of the
Thieves Guild at the very least. Some arduous
public punishment from the burgomaster could
easily result as well.
If the party manages to scrape off all the
gold leaf, they can get a total of 2,500 GP for
the coin and 2,500 GP for the carriage.
As the PCs question the clearly terrified taxman, a
few of the details of the "assassination plot" will
come to light:
• The point of entry is obvious. A mangled
section of the iron fence is visible from the
window.
• The "assassin" only comes at night.
• The undead patrolmen are always found
mangled beyond recognition
However, the real clue comes as the Lord Assessor
is ringing his hands and recounting the ‘dreadful
experience'.
It's horrible. You can hear a snarling and a
gnashing every time. The noise scares poor little
Truffle half to death. He cries so pitiably it would
break your heart. Yes he does. Oh yes he does.
Truffle is an aurumvorax kit. He is golden furred,
eightlegged, and otherwise like a badger in
appearance. He is also the cause of all the trouble.
Purchased on a whim from a poacher just one
month ago, Jaulich's exotic pet cries each night for
its mother. He quiets only when the Assessor stuffs
a golden pacifier into his mouth.
Aurumvorax calls are exceptionally loud, so of
course the mother comes. Rising from her den at
the base of Nob Hill, she crawls through the sewers
and straight towards her baby, tearing through
barriers and guards with equal ease. It's fortunate
for Jalich that he purchased that golden pacifier: as
soon as the cries stop, the mother aurumvorax loses
the trail and wanders away.
2. THE MONSTER IN THE FOG
Jaulich will of course ask the party to stand guard.
It will be an eventful night.
Developer's Note On Tone
Pacing is critical in this scene, as you want your
players to feel like they're in a slasher film.
Something out there wants them dead, and they're
vulnerable in the fog and dark. Try to play up the
"assassin" angle. Refer to the aurumvorax as "them"
rather than "it." Reference the "clash of steel"
rather than "snarling and ripping." When the PCs
finally discover the nature of their prey, it should
come as a surprise.
1. It will require no check to hear Truffle crying: the
sound can be heard halfway across the city. The
noise lasts for some few minutes before the party
hears the shushing noises of Jaulich and a gnawing
sound from Truffle.
2. A few hours pass, and several patrols of undead
guards pass by. They and their necromantic
minders are the only ones out and about in this
place. It is a fearful sort of night, dark and
moonless. Fog creeps up from the Yuen, and
visibility is reduced to 30 feet. All quiet. All
watchful. Until, from out of the gloom, the sound of
battle erupts through the night.
3. The party arrives at the scene simultaneous with
a deputy-led patrol of skeletons. The necromancer's
face is pale as she surveys the scene. Bits of rotten
limb and gristle lie strewn about the street. She asks
in a tremulous voice: "Did you see anything?"
4. After the investigation, the necromancer and her receive two small vials, each containing an elixir of
undead horde will shamble off down the street. Few hunter & prey.
lights are lit in the surrounding estates, but the
illumination does little to pierce the fog. Any
attempted search by the party will be cut short, as a
scream comes from out of the night, from the
direction of the necromancer's patrol.

When the party arrives, it is already too late. The

scene is a repeat of the last slaughter, but this time
there is still movement:

Perception DC 25
Success: "You get a brief glimpse of a dark form
with many legs scuttling close to the ground. You
can discern little else before it disappears down a
sewer grate”

3. INTO THE SEWERS

A pitch black passage leads off before and behind

you. A filthy, knee-deep sludge blankets the floor.
There is no sign of the "assassin" but a faint
snuffling before you. For the first 100 yards there
is only one direction, and you half expect glowing
eyes and flashing steel at every turning of the
passage.
After a hundred yards, a light becomes visible
ahead revealing a cavernous chamber, with
multiple passages leading off into the gloom. In
the center, a rickety shack stays out of the sludge
by means of stilts, a torch burning outside the
front door. There is no trace of the assassin, and
tracking them through the stinking sludge would
be no better than a guessing game. As you take in
the room, the lean face of a hag peers out of the
hut's window at you. "What is it you be seeking?"
she calls.

Once the PCs explain their pursuit, the hag will

invite them up and offer her aid. Her name is Aunty
Scrounge, and her one-room shack is an ugly
structure of scavenged lumber held together by
moldy rope. Arcane reagents hang on the walls and
ceiling: chicken feet, luminous things crawling in
dirty jars, finger bones, and colored powders, while
countless rats peer from every nook and cranny.
Aunty herself is quite a lot younger than she
originally appeared, and prettier too: tangled
mouse brown hair, large dark eyes, and slim
fingered hands, virtually always occupied toying
with a mortar and pestle. The hag persona and
speech are for purely business reasons, and she
drops it altogether when agitated.
Being a businesswoman first and foremost, she will
only offer her help if the PCs agree to perform an
unspecified service in return. If they agree, they will
NEW MAGIC ITEM
ELIXIR OF HUNTER & PREY
Aura moderate divination; CL 6th
Slot none; Price 1,500 gp; Weight —

DESCRIPTION
This watery brown elixir is something of a
doubleedged sword, and is used almost exclusively
by large parties of mounted hunters in pursuit of
valuable trophies.
This draught of liquid lets the drinker see through
the eyes of his quarry as if standing where it is (no
saving throw). When perceiving through the target,
the drinker uses its normal and special senses (such
as darkvision), not his own. However, while under
the effects of the elixir the drinker is considered
blind. To find a creature with the spell, you must
have seen the creature or have some item that once
belonged to it. The effect ends at the next sunrise or
sunset, or after the drinker physically touches his
prey.

CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
Craft Wondrous Item, locate creature; Cost 750 gp

Through Different Eyes

If a PC drinks the elixir of the hunter & prey, she
will immediately get a view of Aunty Scrouge's hut
from the outside. The implications are clear: the
"assassin” is still lurking in the tunnels. As the party
chases the aurumvorax it will immediately flee,
letting the PCs follow without need for Survival
checks.
As the adventure progresses, describe the
aurumvorax's journey down the rancid slope and
towards the fountain as if the drinker were seeing
it. Likewise, the aurumvorax will watch the otyugh
battle from the safety of her den, allowing the
drinker to watch that combat from a distance.

If the party elects not to use the elixir, it will be

nearly impossible to track their prey through the
sewer by normal means. In that case, their best bet
may be to try again on another night. If they go this
route, simply ignore the otyugh encounter and the
fountain. Instead, let the party confront the
aurumvorax as it tears its way into the Lord
Assessor's house the following evening.
4. DOWN THE RANCID SLOPE
Like so many of the affluent places of the city, the
Street of Nobles sits perched atop its own hill. This
is for two reasons. Firstly, it allows the upper crust
of Hordenheim to look down upon the city's peons
(i.e. everyone else). Secondly, it allows their
excrement to flow downhill.
The sewer exits dump down onto a singularly
unpleasant hillside, slick and rancid. Small hillocks
of dried filth mark the slope, and two of them are
coming closer: a pair of otyughs ready to defend
their territory.
(2) Otyugh CR 4 XP 1,200
N Large aberration
Init +0;
Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent;
Perception +9
DEFENSE
AC 17, touch 9, flat-footed 17 (+8 natural, -1 size)
hp 39 (6d8+12)
Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +6
Immune disease
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft.
Melee bite +7 (1d8+4 plus disease), 2 tentacles +3
(1d6+2 plus grab)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. (15 ft. with tentacle)
Special Attacks constrict (tentacle, 1d6+2)
The otyughs, typical of their kind, have a mound of
useless items hidden nearby. It is a DC 20
Perception check to find. Among the broken
lengths of chain, human skulls, and the collection of
soiled left socks, the party will find a pair of boots
of the hinterlands left behind by an unfortunate
plumber who is now, most likely, one of the nearby
skulls.
NEW MAGIC ITEM
BOOTS OF THE HINTERLANDS
Aura faint abjuration and transmutation; CL 5th
Slot feet; Price 3,500 gp; Weight 1lb.
DESCRIPTION
These grimy leather boots confer a number of
benefits upon the wearer. First, he is able to travel
through swampy terrain at his normal speed,
leaving no tracks. Second, the wearer remains
warm and dry in mires, bogs, sewers, and similar
environments as if he were affected by an endure
elements spell. Finally, the wearer receives a +2
resistance bonus on all saves made against poison
and disease.
CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
Craft Wondrous Item, endure elements, pass
without trace, resistance; Cost 1,750 gp

STATISTICS
Str 18, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 5, Wis 13, Cha 6
Base Atk +4; CMB +9 (+13 grapple); CMD 19 (21
vs. trip)
Feats Alertness, Toughness, Weapon Focus
(tentacle)
Skills Perception +9, Stealth +2 (+10 in lair);
Racial Modifiers +8 Stealth in lair
Languages Common

SPECIAL ABILITIES
Disease (Ex) Filth fever: Bite Injury; save
Fortitude DC 14; onset 1d3 days; frequency 1/day;
effect 1d3 Dex damage and 1d3 Con damage; cure 2
consecutive saves. The save DC is Constitution-
based.
5. ONE ANGRY MOTHER
The aurumvorax has made her way back to her den
by this point. She will defend it with tooth and claw.
The den in question lies beneath a fountain in a city
park. The park exists to act as a screen to the
unsightly sewage runoff. The fountain depicts a
cherubic version of the burgomaster pissing into an
overflowing chalice.
As the party draws near, the aurumvorax mother
will once more rouse and investigate. She will not
attack immediately, but will crouch in the mouth of
her den with teeth bared.
Once the PCs get a good look at her, describe her as
a "larger version of Truffle, the Assessor's pet."
Most parties will make the logical connection, but
you may ask for a DC 20 Knowledge (arcana)
check as a means of providing additional details.
This section of the adventure can be concluded with
a difficult fight or by returning baby Truffle to his
mother. Of course, the Lord Assessor may take
some convincing to give up his pet.
If the party manages to slay the aurumvorax, the
Lord Assessor will reward them with a letter of
credit in the amount of 5,000 GP, redeemable at
any shop in the city. If the party manages to return
Truffle to his mother, the Assessor will not be in an
especially generous mood. He will however forget to
take the golden pacifier, which is itself worth 5,000
GP.
Aurumvorax CR 9 XP 6,400
N Small magical beast
Init +8;
Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light
vision, scent; Perception +13
DEFENSE
AC 23, touch 15, flat-footed 19 (+4 Dex, +8 nat, +1
size)
hp 114 (12d10+48)
Fort +14, Ref +12, Will +7
Defensive Abilities ferocity; DR 10/piercing or
slashing; Immune poison; Resist fire 10
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., burrow 10 ft.
Melee bite +18 (1d6+5 plus grab), 4 claws +18
(1d4+5 plus grab)
Special Attacks rake (4 claws +18, 1d4+5)
STATISTICS
Str 21, Dex 18, Con 18, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 11
Base Atk +12; CMB +16 (+24 grapple); CMD 30
(42 vs. trip)
Feats Bleeding Critical, Critical Focus, Great
Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Iron, Skill Focus
(Perception)
Skills Perception +13, Stealth +17
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Grab (Ex) An aurumvorax can grab a foe of up to
one size category larger than itself (Medium size for
most aurumvoraxes). It gains a +8 racial bonus on
grapple attempts rather than the normal +4 racial
bonus afforded by the grab ability.
THE RATS OF HORDENHEIM
Once the PCs conclude the third encounter, allow
them some time to celebrate. Give them free rounds
of ale, have Burgomaster Varice present them the
keys to the city, put a pouting and resentful Sheriff
Stirr in the corner for them to crow over. However,
say it will take time to assemble the gold for the
party to get paid - it will make it that much sweeter
when you take it all away from them.
Overnight -- and from under the party's noses – the
treasury of Hordenheim is emptied. With so much
gold in one place, the necromancer could not resist.
It is enough to conclude his arcane experiments,
and his golden monstrosity is nearly ready to march
on the neighborhoods and tenements of the city's
monstrous citizens.
The next morning, when he discovers what
happened, the burgomaster will be furious. He will
insist that the party recover his lost gold, and he
promises they'll get not so much as a copper piece
until they do. In the meantime he will be forced to
raise taxes yet again to make up for the shortfall.
This pronouncement will have a profound effect
upon this last part of the adventure. As the PCs
search for the lost gold, the city is in a state of near-
riot, with Center Bridge and the Thieves Guild
under siege by angry protesters and rioters.
1. THE INVESTIGATION
Any investigation will doubtless begin with the
scene of the crime. If the party searches the empty
vault for clues:
The door is closed and locked, no magical residue
is in evidence, and the bare stone walls look solid.
The thieves did not bother with the small
denomination coins: all of the copper and silver
are still in place. It's only the gold that's missing.
Perception DC 26
A successful check will reveal small cracks and
crevices in the masonry, about the width of a
halfling's hand.
Let the party wander around for a while. If they
somehow hit upon the truth, so much the better.
But if they stake out another vault, round up the
usual suspects for questioning, or attempt
Diplomacy checks to gather information, they will
come up empty. After all, this crisis stems from one
careful man, and the PCs won't stumble upon his
plot by accident.
Rather, it's Aunty Scrounge that will put them on
the right track. A small black and white rat will find
the PCs, a tiny scroll tube attached to its back. The
note reads:
Can you help a poor old woman? Please, for the
little ones' sake, come see me at your earliest
convenience.
–Aunty Scrounge
2. DIRTY ROTTEN COPPERS
If the PCs move about town with their badges on, it
will only invite trouble. Where before the medals
may have served to intimidate the disenfranchised
poor of Hordenheim, now it's an invitation to
violence.
During Combat
Unlike the beggars on the Godsway who simply
wanted money, the riot is a mob that universally
hates the PCs for being police. United by a single
violent purpose, they are presented here as a single
creature.
This could be a tough fight for an unprepared party,
and may end disastrously if the riot grapples one or
more of the PCs. As such, you should give them
plenty of opportunity to run from the angry mob,
requesting various Climb, Acrobatics, and Strength
checks as the PCs shinny up fire escapes, leap fruit
stands, and smash through wooden fences in their
attempt to escape. Likewise, you should be
prepared to accept creative solutions like
improvised disguises or especially well-acted Bluff
checks.
Hordenheim Riot CR 8 XP 4,800
CN Medium humanoid (swarm)
Init +4; Senses Perception +4
DEFENSE
AC 6, touch 6, flat-footed 6 (+0 size)
hp 135 (30d6)
Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +17
Defensive Abilities swarm traits
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft.
Melee swarm (5d6)
Space 20 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks overrun
STATISTICS
Str 11, Dex 11, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10
Base Atk +22; CMB 22; CMD 22
Feats Improved Initiative, Great Fortitude,
Improved Bull Rush, Improved Overrun
Skills Perception +4
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Overrun (Ex) If the mob moves over a creature
but does not end its move in it, the victim takes 2d6
points of bludgeoning damage. The victim may
choose to take an attack of opportunity against the
mob or attempt a Reflex save (DC 25) to take half
damage.
Mass Grapple (Ex) The riot is able to maintain a
grapple without penalty and still make attacks
against other targets (normally, attacking other
targets while grappling imposes a –20 penalty on
grapple checks). The riot is never considered
flatfooted while grappling.
Anatomy of a Riot (Ex) Unlike swarms, the riot
is made up of comparatively small numbers of
individual creatures. As such, melee attacks affect
riots normally, and the riot loses the Distraction
special ability. Furthermore, effects that target
specific numbers of creatures can have an effect on
a riot. For every individual creature that is
incapacitated by spells or effects that target specific
creatures, the riot gains two negative levels. A mob
that gains negative levels equal to its Hit Dice
breaks up as if reduced to 0 hit points. Negative
levels gained in this manner are not the result of
negative energy (and thus cannot be blocked by
death ward or removed by restoration), but never
result in permanent level loss.
3. A RETURN TO THE SEWERS
Back at Aunty Scrounge's sewer hovel, the witch
will explain the task. Gesturing at her rats she says:
"The small folk are afraid. Can you not feel it?
Their whiskers twitch in abject terror. They do not
know what is happening. They do not know why.
But something there is that takes them away, that
moves and flows through the deep places of the
city. Many of the small folk leave, though a few of
the brave remain.”
(The messenger rat looks absurdly proud at this
last remark.)
"Find the thing responsible. Kill it. Save the small
folk of the city. The last stronghold of the rats of
Hordenheim lies near their best exit from it: the
barge docks along the River Yuen. Watch that
place. Guard it well. And surely you will find your
quarry"
Scrounge can tell the party the way to the docks,
but she knows little more. The rats can convey
simple concepts like "danger near the water,” but
they lack the ability to describe any specifics.
4. DOWN AT THE DOCKS
As the party approaches the barge docks, one PC
chosen at random will feel a slight stirring in a
pocket or pouch. Upon investigation, they will find
the messenger rat squirreled away there, a straight
pin for its sword and a walnut shell tied on as a half
helm. This is Cheapwick, familiar to Aunty
Scrounge, and he clearly wants to go adventuring
with the PCs.
As they move along the docks, their newfound
companion will attempt to direct them to his
brethren's most populated
hiding spots. Unbeknownst to them, there is
another entity waiting at the city's water gates: the
undead rat swarm of Sheriff Stirr. Designed as an
ingenious method of stealing small amounts in
huge supply, the swarm has only three instructions:
to go unseen; to gather gold; and to slay the city's
rats for new recruits.
A number of barges are tied to the dock, and as the
PCs walk among them they can hear the movement
of countless tiny creatures. Dozens of tiny eyes peer
out from every shadowy corner, and for every rat
within the party's sight, a hundred more sit beneath
stones or in midden heaps. Then all goes still. DC
20 Perception check to note the single rat
crossing an anchor rope to a barge. It will require
only DC 15 to get a good look at the wave of
scurrying undead that close around the poor
rodent.
Perception DC 20 Undead Rat Swarm CR 2 XP 600
A successful character will spot a single rat crossing
an anchor rope to a barge. NE Tiny undead (swarm)
Init +6;
Perception DC 15 Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +8
A successful check gives the character a good view
of the scurrying undead rats that swarm over the DEFENSE
poor lone rodent. AC 13, touch 13, flat-footed 11 (+1 Dex, +2 size)
hp 16 (3d8+3)
Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +5
The swarms will defend themselves if attacked, but Defensive Abilities half damage from piercing
if reduced to 9 HP will attempt to break from and slashing;
combat and return to the Sheriff. Note that, if the Immune swarm traits, undead traits
party has Medals of the Deputy equipped, the non- Weaknesses swarm traits
lethal damage they deal will be unable to harm the
rats. OFFENSE
After the fight, ask for a Perception check. The Speed 15 ft., climb 15 ft., swim 15 ft.
PC with the highest check result will note Melee swarm (1d6 plus disease)
something odd in the dead bodies of the rats: all of Space 10 ft., Reach 0 ft.
the skulls are perfectly aligned. A DC 16 Special Attacks disease, distraction (DC 12)
Knowledge (Arcana) check reveals that they act
as a sort of necromantic compass, always pointing STATISTICS
back to the source of the ritual that spawned them. Str 4, Dex 13, Con –, Int –, Wis 10, Cha 10
Base Atk 2; CMB 0; CMD 0
Feats Toughness
Perception check Skills Stealth +9; Racial Modifiers +8 Stealth
The character with the highest check result will
note something odd in the dead rats: all of the SPECIAL ABILITIES
skulls are perfectly aligned. Disease (Ex) Filth fever: Swarm- injury; save Fort
DC 12; onset 1d3 days; frequency 1/day; effect 1d3
Knowledge (Arcana) DC 16 Dex damage and 1d3 Con damage; cure 2 con
Success indicates the skulls of the undead rats are
acting as a sort of necromantic compass, pointing
back to the source of the ritual that spawned them.
5. THE STATION HOUSE
Shouts echo through the streets as the protests
continue. Crowds rush by at random, waving fists
and crying slogans. And all the while the rat skull
compass points the way, pulling the party through
the twisted streets of Hordenheim.
Ask for a DC 16 Perception check. Those PCs
who succeed will note a golden glimmer from the
sewers; from between cracked flagstones; in the
underbrush of city parks: coins, Golden Nobles in
fact, as well as the white, emaciated forms of the
vermin that carry them. A legion of undead rats is
returning like worker ants, bearing loads of plunder
to... where?
Perception DC 16
Any character who succeeds notices a golden
glimmer from the sewers; from between cracked
flagstones; in the underbrush of city parks: coins,
Golden Nobles in fact, as well as the white,
emaciated forms of the vermin that carry them. A
legion of undead rats is returning like worker ants,
bearing loads of plunder.
It will not take long for the party to arrive at their
destination: a walled compound in the City Center
District. A yellow lamp burns above the door,
illuminating a sign: FIRST MUNICIPAL STATION
HOUSE. Necromancers rush in and out of the door,
and a tower stands glowering down from the the
courtyard.
The necromancers are not hostile. If the PCs
approach and ask questions, the death mages will
answer respectfully. Sheriff Stirr, as any deputy
might tell them, is sequestered in his study -- the
tower -- and is under no circumstances to be
disturbed.
Should the party try and explain the situation –
thieving rats, dire suspicions, a veritable river of
gold flowing towards the station house, etc., -- they
will be met with a polite but firm, "We don't have
time to go playing rat catcher. The city is in riot!"
Further reasoning with the necromancers will be
impossible. They're far too concerned with the city-
wide chaos to listen. If the PCs try and force their
way inside, they will have to deal with a cadre of
low-level necromancers, along with their patrols --
a total of 24 zombies -- waiting to be called in from
the courtyard.
(4) Necromancer Deputy CR 3 XP 800
hp 30 (4d6+16)
(24) Zombie CR ½ XP
200
hp 12 (2d8+3)
If the PCs opt for stealth, passing over the
compound's wall should be a simple affair: a DC 16
Climb check. If everyone succeeds they make it over
without any problem. If anyone fails, give any
nearby necromancers a Spot/Perception Check
(with their Spot/Perception of -5) vs the offending
PC's Hide/ Stealth. They are, after all, distracted by
larger matters.
Climb DC 16
A successful check allows a character to climb over
the compound's wall.
If any character fails, any nearby necromancers get
a Perception check (made with a -5 Perception
total) vs. the failing character's Stealth check.
Once the PCs have made it inside, they are in for a
surprise. The good constables of Hordenheim keep
their patrols here in "undead stables," roofed
pavilions designed to keep the worst of the weather
from rotting the corpses further. Several fresh
cadavers are piled in carts near the station house
door.
The undead do not attack the PCs. They have, in
effect, been "parked" here. However, they do turn
their heads to follow the party's movements.
Needless to say, this is a somewhat unnerving
situation, and will prompt a DC 16 Will Save vs.
fear. Players who fail gain the shaken condition
until they are out of sight of the undead.
Will Save vs. fear DC 16
The undead stand here watching any passing
characters. The spectacle is unnerving, and a failed
saved causes the character to become shaken until
they are out of sight of the undead.
As you approach the tower, a portly necromancer
pokes his head out of the station house door and
shouts, "Eleven through sixteen, fall in!" A nearby
troop of skeletons animates and obeys. As they
walk towards the station house door, the
necromancer's squinty eyes come to rest upon you.
"What are you lot doing out of file? Raw bloody
recruits. Can't park their zombies properly."
He waddles up to you, squinting myopically over
the rims of his glasses. "Hmmm. Damn good work
though. Barely rotten."
Should the party decide to take action, the
necromancer is caught flat-footed and will not act
in the surprise round. Should the PCs attempt to
play along, every PC must succeed at a DC 10
Bluff check to fool the necromancer. Should they
fail, it's time to roll initiative.
Necromancer Deputy CR 3 XP 800
hp 30 (4d6+16)
6. THE SHERIFF'S TOWER
The sheriff trusts that his deputies are sufficiently
cowed to not to disturb his work, and he knows that
only a fool would attempt to break into a guard
station. As such, the tower door is only reinforced
wood with a simple lock (DC 20 Disable Device
check to unlock). If any of the PCs think to check,
the stream of rats makes its furtive way through a
pile of crumbled masonry at the back of the tower,
entering in through a crack near the base of the
wall. Once the party gets inside, they will see where
that masonry came from.
Disable Device DC 20
The tower door is reinforced wood with a simple
lock (Hardness 5, 20 hp, break DC 25).
The tower has been hollowed out so that only the
top floor remains intact. The other floors have been
stripped away and discarded, save for stairs that
run from the door up towards the upper floor,
making room for the chains that run to the ceiling.
A pair of undead mules turn the mechanism that
drives the chains, along with the attached ladles.
One by one, the rats toss their coins into a hopper,
where the gold is melted and poured before rising
in the ladles to the ceiling. By far the most arresting
feature of the room lies imbedded in the floor. It is
a mold, like a man in shape but more crude. Some
20 ft. tall and nearly as wide, it is made entirely of
gold.
A steady trickle of molten metal falls the length of
the tower, glowing redly and hissing as it drops into
the mold. From overhead, a familiar voice comes
out of the gloom, chanting eldritch syllables that
echo through the tower. At the top, standing on a
platform some 40 feet above the tower's floor, the
necromancer Findle Stirr chants. His top floor is
little more than a platform thrust out into space,
filled with arcane equipment, including a runed
hoop through which the gold is poured. The stairs
end abruptly some 10 feet below this platform. Stirr
gets to the top with a rope ladder, which is now
rolled up near the edge of the platform.
Nothing short of magic will allow the party to take
Stirr by surprise. He has an unobstructed view of
the stairs and will automatically spot the PCs as
they round the final bend in the stairwell. If they do
somehow manage to disrupt the Sheriff, he should
get some last lines before the start of the battle:
"You're too late. Even in death I will cleanse this
city of its inferior filth." Then proceed with the
golden monstrosity. If he spots the party as
expected, Stirr will launch into his villainous
monologue:
You are but new to this city. Yet I was whelped
here. I've seen the neighborhoods crumble beneath
the weight of orcs and harpies, centaurs and
gargoyles. These inhuman freaks are the source of
all Hordenheim's degeneracy, and our lackwit
burgomaster encourages it! ‘We all benefit from a
diverse community?' Pah! These monsters cannot
be permitted to destroy my city. I won't let them.
And I will not let you stop me.
With a final incantation, the Sheriff will finish his
spell. The tower rocks as an enormous golden figure
rises from its mold at the tower base.
A SHORT CLIMB UP, A LONG WAY DOWN
It will take a DC 20 Climb check to scale the
walls from the top of landing to Stirr's platform.
However, it will take only a DC 15 Acrobatics
check to ride the chain and ladles up to Stirr's
platform. Especially clever adventurers may try
mage hand or a grappling hook to knock Stirr's rope
ladder over the side.
It's a 30 foot drop down to the floor from the top of
the stairs, and 40 feet down from Stirr's platform.
Stirr's Back Taxes CR 6 XP 2,400
Unique ogre skeletal champion
LE Huge undead
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +10
DEFENSE
AC 22, touch 6, flat-footed 21 (+6 armor, -2 Dex,
+10 natural, -2 size)
hp 55 (6d8+28)
Fort +7, Ref +2, Will 10
Defensive Abililties channel resistance +4, light
fortification; DR 5/bludgeoning; Immune cold,
fire, undead traits
Weaknesses vulnerability to electricity
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft.
Melee 2 claws +14 (1d8+12)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
STATISTICS
Str 35, Dex 6, Con –, Int –, Wis 12, Cha 17
Base Atk +4; CMB +16; CMD 24
Feats Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning
Reflexes, Toughness
Skills Climb +11, Intimidate +12, Perception +10
Languages Giant, Common
Gear breastplate
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Light Fortification (Ex) Whenever a sneak
attack or critical hit is scored against a gold leaf
creature, there is a 25% chance the extra damage is
negated and damage is rolled normally
Sheriff Findle Stirr CR 5 XP 1,600 The golden undead climbs ponderously, and will
Male human necromancer 6 take a full three rounds to reach the tower top.
NE Medium humanoid (human) When Stirr is defeated, the creature will go berserk,
Init +6; Senses Perception +6 relentlessly attacking until destroyed, paying
especial attention to the monstrous humanoids
DEFENSE among the party.
AC 22, touch 14, flat-footed 20 (+4 armor, +4
shield, +2 dex, +2 deflection)
hp 39 (6d6+15)
Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +6 TACTICS
Before Combat Stirr casts mage armor and
OFFENSE shield. The power of his ritual gives him control
Speed 30 ft. over the undead rats inside the tower including a
Melee mwk dagger +4 (1d4) swarm at the ready, waiting to do the
Special Attacks channel negative energy 6/day necromancer's bidding (same stats as the undead
(DC 13, command undead only) rat swarm above).
Arcane School necromancy
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th, concentration +6) During Combat The swarm will do its best to
6/day grave touch slow the party down, allowing the golden
monstrosity the time it needs to join the battle. Stirr
Wizard Spells Prepared (CL 6th; conc +9) will start combat by trying to catch as many of his
3rd – vampiric touch, enemies as possible within his stinking cloud spell,
stinking cloud (DC 16), and in later rounds will target anyone who tries to
lesser animate dead climb into melee range. If engaged in melee, he will
2nd – command undead (DC 15), use vampiric touch or attempt to leap from the
levitate, false life, platform, relying on feather fall or levitate to save
summon swarm him.
1st – chill touch (DC 14),
feather fall, Base Statistics Without mage armor and shield,
mage armor(cast), the wizard's statistics are AC 14, touch 14, flat-
shield (cast), footed 12.
ray of enfeeblement (DC 14)
0 (at will) – bleed (DC 13), detect magic, ray of
frost, touch of fatigue (DC 13)
Opposition Schools enchantment, illusion

STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 17, Wis 13, Cha 10
Base Atk +3; CMB +3; CMD 20
Feats Combat Casting, Command Undead, Forge
Ring, Defensive Combat Training, Improved
Initiative, Scribe Scroll, Toughness
Skills Appraise +7, Bluff +4, Diplomacy +6,
Intimidate +6, Knowledge (Arcana) +12, Linguistics
+9, Perception +5, Sense Motive +3, Spellcraft +12
Languages Common, Draconic, Gnoll, Infernal
SQ arcane bond (ring of counterspells), power over
undead

Gear ring of protection +2, bonded ring of

counterspells (magic missile), wand of magic
missile (CL 3rd, 25 charges), medal of the deputy
(not equipped), masterwork dagger, officer's robes,
government credentials, spellbook
CONCLUSION
If the PCs survive, a group of slack-jawed deputies
will be waiting outside. After seeing the remains of
the tower they'll be willing to believe the party's
story, and will behave as any good group of
policemen in a strange situation: containing all
participants and keeping things calm.
The solution to the tax crisis lies in ruins in the
tower. Burgomaster Varice will arrive upon the
scene quickly, and taking one look at the huge pile
of gold will reverse his previous decision and
declare a tax holiday. At long last, the party will get
some appreciation from the citizenry, and may even
be hailed as heroes.
More to the point, they will receive their promised
payment in the form of a large chunk of golden
undead monstrosity worth 12,000 GP.

GOLD LEAF
An acquired template for constructs, undead, and
outsiders with the fire or earth subtype, gold leaf
creatures have been covered over with a gleaming
shell of gold. The molten metal bonds with such
creatures’ exterior, and when mixed with the proper
arcane rituals it confers a number of interesting
effects.

Size and Type

Size remains unchanged. The creature gains the
gold leaf subtype, in addition to any other subtypes
it may have.

Hit Dice: Same as base creature.

Speed
A gold leaf creature’s speed is slower by 10 feet than
the corresponding speed of the base creature
(minimum 5 feet).

Armor Class:
The base creature receives a +3 nat armor bonus.

Special Qualities

Light Fortification (Ex) Whenever a sneak

attack or critical hit is scored against a gold leaf
creature, there is a 25% chance that the extra
damage is negated and damage is rolled normally.

Immunity to Fire (Ex) A gold leaf creature is

immune to fire damage.

Abilities
Dex -6 (min 1), Int +2, Wis -2 (mini 1), Cha +6

Challenge Rating: Same as base creature +1.