The Zyphus Stone is a terrible artifact and the heroes, as future Pathfinders, immediately knew that its acquisition would be both a boon and a terrible burden to the Society. They were unable to destroy the stone, in order to rid the world of its potent necromantic magic, so they returned it to the Pathfinder Lodge in Oppara for safekeeping. While they were attempting to destroy it though, Hrol's corpse rose as a zombie, foiling any plans they had of bringing their friend back from the dead.
The heroes extensively searched the House of the Immortal Son for Wuthers, and found his zombie corpse among the dead in the opera house. In his belt pouch was a draft of the final letter he wrote to Luna Aldred, wherein he detailed the final stages of the dig and the strange character of his companion - noted as "cleric of Irori" but clearly Bustrani. His pouch also contained a personal journal, a shorthand record of his many adventures as a Pathfinder.
Surprisingly, more than half of the theatergoers survived the zombie onslaught by gathering together and fighting off the undead menace. Because the heroes dealt with Quinn's roving band bent on stamping out resistance as well as defeating Bustrani himself, the wealthy socialites and nobility of Oppara now have several dinner parties' worth of sordid stories with which to frighten and awe their friends.
The heroes subsequently joined the Pathfinder Lodge in Oppara for training. They also had the opportunity to participate in a number of major and minor holidays in the region:
Neth 23rd. Seven Veils: Celebration of brotherhood between all civilized races, marked by interracial masquerade balls.
Second Week of Kuthona. Winter week: Traditional feast; time for courting and spending time with friends.
Kuthona 11th. Ascendance Day: Cayden's divine ascension.
Kuthona 31st. Night of the Pale: Night of morbid revelry, as people wait indoors for the ghosts of last year's dead to pass by their homes.
Abadius Full Moon. Longnight: Tradition in which the revelers defy the long winter nights by staying up all night to greet the dawn.
Calistril 2nd. Merrymead: Commemorates coming spring with the distribution of the last of the previous season's alcohol.
The late evening messengers pulled the heroes awake from their tasks and ordered them to appear before the steward Muesello by midnight. There they met a new companion, an elf called Aranthor. Muesello, ever presenting the appearance of the doddering, decrepit old man, met them behind the greasy bait and tackle shop that serves as the facade of the Oppara Lodge. Dressed only in tattered night clothes complete with a faded yellow sleeping cap, the youthful excitement in Muesello's eyes bellied his elderly appearance.
"We've found them!" he declared, the moment the heroes arrived in the Lodge. "Those pitiful bastards who murdered Pathfinder Boddrigan Wuthers in Oppara those many months ago - you know, the Zyphus-worshiping fools who tried to turn Oppara into a zombie-filled nightmare? After all this time, we finally tracked their remnants to a burned-out temple in the vagabond camp across the river from the capital. You will set out for there at once and meet a man named Sevastus Hustavan outside the burned-out temple. Once a man of great importance, he seems to have fallen on hard times - fallen so hard as to join those Zyphus fiends. But he's redeemed himself by telling us their location! Find Hustavan - it can't be hard, there's only one burned-out temple to Sarenrae in the vagabond camp - learn all you can about the cult's hideout, and then cleanse it of their presence. Cultists across Golarion must know they may not use the Society to fulfill their horrid glories - so too will they know that the Society will not stand by and watch its members murdered!"
Muesello cleared his throat then, his posture losing the sudden youthful fire and passion, his shoulders hunching once more, his face pinched and tired. "Of course, while you are there," he rasped, "do your duty as Pathfinders and seek anything they may have that the Society would need in the vaults."
So, after a hurried early morning rush to gather supplies, the heroes find themselves walking through a chilly, early morning rain storm and approach what the vagabond locals say is the location of the burned-out temple to Sarenrae.
Sunday, April 30, 2017
Monday, April 3, 2017
Goodbye Hrol...? (Neth [November] 4707 AR)
While the heroes were on the main floor, they heard from nearby a voice cry out, "For Father Grim, for Fel Bustrani, consume them and multiply!"
When they investigated the voice above, they found a pack of theatergoers, backed into a room, frightened and pushing those at the front towards a Zyphus cleric and her pack of zombies. The room was tight, with the intended victims tightly packed and the zombies closing in.
When the heroes arrived, the cleric ordered the zombies to attack them instead, screaming, "Kill the usurpers, my minions, for the glory of Zyphus and the glory of Fel Bustrani!" Zyphus is an evil (but minor) god of accidental death and his followers keep to themselves, guarding forgotten graveyards and abandoned barrows.
One of the cowering opera aficionados was none other than Emperor Stavian III's consul for the Fourth District of Oppara Prefecture, Magistros Sebastus Hustavan. Hustavan is a tall, frighteningly thin man of advanced age. His short, gray hair stuck to his head as if it were bathed in cooking oil and his thick, white beard, meticulously trimmed and braided, positively glistened with wax. He wore the finery of his office, a blue silk shoulder sash over long white robes, and his fingers were encrusted with bejeweled rings. In short, Hustavan felt he had a lot to live for and begged incessantly during the battle for the heroes to save his life. He didn't get anywhere near the zombies or their insane cleric master, but he moved closer to the heroes when he could, shouting out such niceties as, "I outrank everyone in the room, your Emperor requires you to save me!" and "A glorious strike, peasant! The divine hand of Emperor Stavian has guided you here to save me!" and "For the glory of Taldor, you must free me from the bowels of Hell!"
The cleric of Zyphus used cause fear immediately to scare away Hrol, not knowing he was immune to fear. She preferred to keep the zombies between herself and the heroes and to fight with her heavy pick at close range. She used inflict light wounds to heal the zombies during the fight. A fierce and devoted loyalist, the cleric of Zyphus fought to the death.
After the heroes managed to slay the cleric and her minions, they found a holy symbol of Zyphus and a letter from Fel Bustrani to all of his followers in the cleric's belt pouch:
"Loyalists of the Grim Harvestman, our time has come!
My plan to recover the stone, blessed by our beloved Harbinger of Unexpected Tragedy Himself, has succeeded beyond my wildest hopes. The fool Pathfinder I convinced to journey here has fed the strength of our Lord by encountering an unexpected tragedy of his own. His hard work for Grim was not in vain! Come to me at once, at the appointed hour and place, and we shall lay out a bounty for mighty Zyphus that He will not soon forget. When Pharasma, hated cretin, lies slain in the bowels of Hell and out mighty Harbinger rules the afterlife, He will reward His faithful few with everlasting life and power of unspeakable might! Come to me, brothers and sisters, come to me!
Fel"
Since Hustavan managed to survive the encounter, he latched onto the heroes like a lost puppy and he spent the rest of the day equally declaring them his saviors and reminding them that he is their superior. The rest of the theatergoers rushed off into other parts of the opera house, seeking an exit - or perhaps hoping to rid themselves of Hustavan's company.
The heroes continued their exploration of the main floor. On the marble floor lay the entwined bodies of multiple combatants. The hands of noble corpses gripped daggers, makeshift clubs, and even a gem-encrusted rapier. Mixed in were the twice dead bodies of zombies, their gray skin fetid and rotting.
Deanaris Quint, loyal follower of Zyphus, led a small band of warriors in a meandering circuit of the opera house, looking for anyone brave enough to put up a fight. The heroes heard Quint's band ahead of time.
Quint and her boys had already put down a couple of resistances and sought another to slay in the name of their grim lord. The heroes found slain bodies gripping makeshift weapons and torn by the puncture wounds of a heavy pick throughout the rest of the day. The heroes and Quint's band run into each other near an open door.
Deanaris Quint drank a potion on her first round of combat. Quint and her band worked well together and focused on one target at a time. Fierce and devoted loyalists, they fought to the death. All of the cultists carried a copy of the letter found previously.
As the heroes continued exploring the main floor, they found various parts of a dozen corpses lying strewn across the floor. Blood and gore stained everything, making the floor slick and filling the room with a metallic aroma. Bodies lay askew, mouths hanging open in silent screams, faces contorted in fear.
Immediately upon finding the scene described above, the heroes saw the human zombies among the carnage before they rose and acted as the zombies struggled to stand up. All of the zombies were freshly risen members of Taldor's nobility. Another humanoid zombie was not mixed into the carnage, but instead wandered in from another area during combat. The heroes defeated the zombies and moved on.
The heroes eventually descended to the basement on the opera house. Used primarily to store larger set pieces, this musty basement was now the home to a dig project that extended into the bedrock east of the room. This room was well lit by standing lamps.
Glistening with water, the slick walls and floor of the cavern were recently carved from the thick bedrock beneath Oppara. Well lit by standing lamps, the tunnels stretched into an adjacent chamber, seemingly carved form the bedrock as well. However, the adjacent chamber was made of smooth walls, covered in strange glyphs, and also lit by the same standing lamps. At the center of that chamber stood a tall stone dais. In the middle of the dais was a huge boulder which, by all appearances, fell a great distance before crashing here. The boulder glowed with an eerie green light.
In the room was a cleric of Zyphus and his giant zombie minion. Once the cleric saw the heroes, he immediately ordered his minion to attack anyone entering the room and positioned himself on the dais next to the stone. He fought to the death to protect it.
When the cleric saw the heroes coming, he cast desecrate to strengthen the giant zombie, drank his potion of invisibility, and cast divine favor on himself. He cast cause fear on Hrol, not knowing he was immune, and then waded into combat, breaking away and drinking potions as needed. Throughout combat, he was mindful of how hurt either himself or his giant were and used the appropriate spells to heal himself or the zombie. He fought to the death, but not before his zombie killed Hrol.
When they investigated the voice above, they found a pack of theatergoers, backed into a room, frightened and pushing those at the front towards a Zyphus cleric and her pack of zombies. The room was tight, with the intended victims tightly packed and the zombies closing in.
When the heroes arrived, the cleric ordered the zombies to attack them instead, screaming, "Kill the usurpers, my minions, for the glory of Zyphus and the glory of Fel Bustrani!" Zyphus is an evil (but minor) god of accidental death and his followers keep to themselves, guarding forgotten graveyards and abandoned barrows.
One of the cowering opera aficionados was none other than Emperor Stavian III's consul for the Fourth District of Oppara Prefecture, Magistros Sebastus Hustavan. Hustavan is a tall, frighteningly thin man of advanced age. His short, gray hair stuck to his head as if it were bathed in cooking oil and his thick, white beard, meticulously trimmed and braided, positively glistened with wax. He wore the finery of his office, a blue silk shoulder sash over long white robes, and his fingers were encrusted with bejeweled rings. In short, Hustavan felt he had a lot to live for and begged incessantly during the battle for the heroes to save his life. He didn't get anywhere near the zombies or their insane cleric master, but he moved closer to the heroes when he could, shouting out such niceties as, "I outrank everyone in the room, your Emperor requires you to save me!" and "A glorious strike, peasant! The divine hand of Emperor Stavian has guided you here to save me!" and "For the glory of Taldor, you must free me from the bowels of Hell!"
The cleric of Zyphus used cause fear immediately to scare away Hrol, not knowing he was immune to fear. She preferred to keep the zombies between herself and the heroes and to fight with her heavy pick at close range. She used inflict light wounds to heal the zombies during the fight. A fierce and devoted loyalist, the cleric of Zyphus fought to the death.
After the heroes managed to slay the cleric and her minions, they found a holy symbol of Zyphus and a letter from Fel Bustrani to all of his followers in the cleric's belt pouch:"Loyalists of the Grim Harvestman, our time has come!
My plan to recover the stone, blessed by our beloved Harbinger of Unexpected Tragedy Himself, has succeeded beyond my wildest hopes. The fool Pathfinder I convinced to journey here has fed the strength of our Lord by encountering an unexpected tragedy of his own. His hard work for Grim was not in vain! Come to me at once, at the appointed hour and place, and we shall lay out a bounty for mighty Zyphus that He will not soon forget. When Pharasma, hated cretin, lies slain in the bowels of Hell and out mighty Harbinger rules the afterlife, He will reward His faithful few with everlasting life and power of unspeakable might! Come to me, brothers and sisters, come to me!
Fel"
Since Hustavan managed to survive the encounter, he latched onto the heroes like a lost puppy and he spent the rest of the day equally declaring them his saviors and reminding them that he is their superior. The rest of the theatergoers rushed off into other parts of the opera house, seeking an exit - or perhaps hoping to rid themselves of Hustavan's company.
The heroes continued their exploration of the main floor. On the marble floor lay the entwined bodies of multiple combatants. The hands of noble corpses gripped daggers, makeshift clubs, and even a gem-encrusted rapier. Mixed in were the twice dead bodies of zombies, their gray skin fetid and rotting.
Deanaris Quint, loyal follower of Zyphus, led a small band of warriors in a meandering circuit of the opera house, looking for anyone brave enough to put up a fight. The heroes heard Quint's band ahead of time.
Quint and her boys had already put down a couple of resistances and sought another to slay in the name of their grim lord. The heroes found slain bodies gripping makeshift weapons and torn by the puncture wounds of a heavy pick throughout the rest of the day. The heroes and Quint's band run into each other near an open door.
Deanaris Quint drank a potion on her first round of combat. Quint and her band worked well together and focused on one target at a time. Fierce and devoted loyalists, they fought to the death. All of the cultists carried a copy of the letter found previously.
As the heroes continued exploring the main floor, they found various parts of a dozen corpses lying strewn across the floor. Blood and gore stained everything, making the floor slick and filling the room with a metallic aroma. Bodies lay askew, mouths hanging open in silent screams, faces contorted in fear.
Immediately upon finding the scene described above, the heroes saw the human zombies among the carnage before they rose and acted as the zombies struggled to stand up. All of the zombies were freshly risen members of Taldor's nobility. Another humanoid zombie was not mixed into the carnage, but instead wandered in from another area during combat. The heroes defeated the zombies and moved on.
The heroes eventually descended to the basement on the opera house. Used primarily to store larger set pieces, this musty basement was now the home to a dig project that extended into the bedrock east of the room. This room was well lit by standing lamps.
Glistening with water, the slick walls and floor of the cavern were recently carved from the thick bedrock beneath Oppara. Well lit by standing lamps, the tunnels stretched into an adjacent chamber, seemingly carved form the bedrock as well. However, the adjacent chamber was made of smooth walls, covered in strange glyphs, and also lit by the same standing lamps. At the center of that chamber stood a tall stone dais. In the middle of the dais was a huge boulder which, by all appearances, fell a great distance before crashing here. The boulder glowed with an eerie green light.
In the room was a cleric of Zyphus and his giant zombie minion. Once the cleric saw the heroes, he immediately ordered his minion to attack anyone entering the room and positioned himself on the dais next to the stone. He fought to the death to protect it.
When the cleric saw the heroes coming, he cast desecrate to strengthen the giant zombie, drank his potion of invisibility, and cast divine favor on himself. He cast cause fear on Hrol, not knowing he was immune, and then waded into combat, breaking away and drinking potions as needed. Throughout combat, he was mindful of how hurt either himself or his giant were and used the appropriate spells to heal himself or the zombie. He fought to the death, but not before his zombie killed Hrol.
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