Adventure: Frozen Wolves Legacy - Society Adventure Level 7
The Kitsune language is probably an editing mistake in Fists of the Ruby Phoenix adventure path, and normally, kitsune shouldn’t have a racial language. This adventure is going to retroactively fix that by saying that kitsune did have an ancient language that was abandoned. In that case, the language should be considered Rare and not Uncommon.
Adventure Background
The
adlets’ creation myth attributes their origin to a mighty hunter who married a woman clad in white frost furs. Five of their children were born with the legs and tails of wolves, and the other five with the legs and tails of foxes. Modern-day adlets rarely share their views about their lost cousins to outsiders, or speak of who they once were, though they consider them traitors that have forgotten their past.
Those fox-children are the modern-day kitsune, and another adlet myth tells that the fox-tailed and wolf-tailed children once aided one another during the harsh winters. But when war broke out between the wolf-tailed and the humans, the foxes wavered between the two sides. In time, they saw that the humans were more numerous, that their forms were easily assumed, and they were blinded by human riches, and so they abandoned the wolf-tailed adlets. The adlets say this betrayal led to their militaristic society.
As the fighting continued, the adlets suffered more and more losses. Enraged and wounded by the betrayal, they roared and cried out for the kitsune to hear, and the winter winds carried their words to the fox-tailed people. So painful were their cries that they haunted the frozen frostlands’ winds for years to come. Unable to bear it any longer, the kitsune decided to abandon their old language completely, hoping to escape the consequences of their actions.
Whether this myth is true or not, ages have passed, and the kitsune language was nearly forgotten. Nearly. A few lone kitsune scholars and clerics of Daikitsu found remnants of the language in ancient structures and recovered enough of it to speak it again and decipher its texts. Yet their old connection to the adlets was forgotten.
Now, a sage dragon named
Salpheorix (dedicated male
adult sage dragon linguist 13), has recently begun the daunting task of researching the languages of Golarion and uncovered a clue pointing to the old truth. He seeks to confirm it. He contracted his research colleague,
Malori of Aktun (rebel nonbinary
aeonbound nephilim linguist 11) to secure adventurers for the mission. After a difficult experience with the Aspis Consortium and its mercenaries, Malori instead contacted the Pathfinder Society to uncover an ancient frozen structure that houses the spirits of adlets who died in their wars against humans.
Unbeknownst to both the Pathfinder Society and Malori, the Aspis Consortium continued to follow Malori’s research in hopes of stealing their findings and treasures. Upon hearing about the new contract with the Society, they approached the ancient dragon
Balfarnias (vain nonbinary
ancient rime dragon collector 15), an old ally of the Consortium, promising the prize of frozen scholars with unique knowledge in exchange for a chance to rob the Pathfinder Society of its treasures.The dragon agreed and intends to follow the group on their mission.
Where on Golarion?
Frozen Wolves Legacy starts at Iceferry Lodge in Iceferry, but quickly takes the Pathfinders to the
Crown of the World, its west-southern part that borders the Lands of the Linnorm Kings. You can read more about the Crown of the World in the
1e AP Jade Regent 3 - The Hungry Storm and in
Lost Omens World Guide page 7.
Adventure Summary
After being summoned to the Iceferry Lodge, the Pathfinders are sent north to lead a group of researchers working for Malori across the frozen expanse toward the Crown of the World, sneaking through adlet territory along the way. They must keep a low profile to avoid being hunted by local tribes.
When they arrive at the temple, the researchers appoint Sohiro, a young kitsune who learned the ancient Kitsune language, to enter the temple buried in ice. Deep within, they hear wails in an unknown language, and they must overcome guardians and traps to reach the burial chamber. There, they must fight an undead creature formed from the restless souls of the adlets and allow Sohiro to recite an ancient verse to lay the spirit to rest.
Once they leave, they discover that their outside camp has been ambushed by the Aspis Consortium and Balfarnias, who freezes the researchers and carries them off to its lair. A small group of Consortium agents then attacks the Pathfinders.
The Pathfinders must fight the Consortium agents to protect Sohiro and safeguard the information they have recovered, returning to the Iceferry Lodge in one piece.
Getting Started
If a canon source would confirm Lidall and Bjersig levels, the canon source’s levels take priority.
The Pathfinders are summoned to the Iceferry Lodge in Iceferry, a small town in the Lands of the Linnorm Kings across the river from Kalsgard. At the entrance, they are greeted by
Lirall (enthusiastic female gnome Pathfinder agent 4), a chipper gnome with brilliant blue-violet hair and ink-stained hands, who is Venture-Captain Bjersig Torrsen’s right hand.
Just inside the double doors of the large home, Lirall moves to a panel of pulleys near the entrance, each color-coded and labeled with a tag. She sorts through them for a moment before pulling the purple one labeled “office,” causing several small flags in that room to flap and signal the Venture-Captain that he has guests.
His dog, a friendly husky named Mahki, cheerfully howls and rushes ahead to the room to inform Bjersig of the Pathfinders’ arrival. From inside, the Venture-Captain’s throaty voice calls to them: “Please come in, Mahki and I have expected you.” The Pathfinders are welcomed into a comfortable office, with Lirall following close behind.
Bjersig Torrsen (confident male dromaar human Venture-Captain 10) wears a black tunic and breeches and sits at his desk, leaning over a collection of scrolls and maps, with a note written in Draconic displayed above them. Bjersig is deaf but was raised orally and can read lips and speak clearly. He punctuates his speech with Napsu-sign language (a sign language developed by the Pathfinder Society that every agent is at least partially familiar with) and keeps a constant eye on the Pathfinders to see if any of them can speak. If he misses someone, his service dog, Mahki, nudges him to look the other way. If any Pathfinder wears a face mask or otherwise covers their mouth, Lirall translates for Bjersig.
Read the following paragraph:
Venture-Captain Bjersig Torrsen greets you as you stand in line next to Lirall. “Welcome to Iceferry Lodge, friends! Enjoy the warmth while you can, soon you’ll depart farther than most Pathfinders reach in their careers.”
“We were recently contacted by an individual named Malori of Aktun, an aphorite representing the interests of a reclusive sage studying the linguistics of Golarion. They had been disappointed working with local mercenaries until now, and the Society hopes to impress them enough to gain an exclusive contract.”
“They are researching a possible connection between the language of the adlets, militaristic wolf-people living in the far north, and the ancient kitsune language, which remains a mystery. They want us to lead their explorers through the frozen north and adlet territories to investigate a historical adlet burial site believed to exist under the ice.”
“After consulting with Svala Ice-Rider, I have managed to find a route for you to the edge of the Crown of the World. There, you will connect with Malori’s researchers and navigate through the adlet territories unnoticed to the site. Malori has requested that one of the researchers enter the site itself, so ensure that happens.”
“We want you to complete the mission as smoothly as possible. If Malori and the sage find our work satisfactory, we might gain access to their research, which, according to our intel, encompasses many contacts throughout the Inner Sea and beyond. We also hope to remain unseen by the local adlets, who can pose serious problems if angered and may demand substantial compensation—or worse—if they discover us in their territory. To return, we have prepared scrolls of Umbral Journey so you can quickly get back to this lodge once the mission is complete.”
Bjersig gives the scroll of
Umbral Journey to the party, then answers any question the Pathfinders might have.
What are adlets? “A race of lupin-people living in the Crown of the World and other frozen regions. They are highly militaristic and fiercely protective of their territories, believing themselves the rulers and guardians of the far north. Their ability to withstand extreme cold and summon icy storms only reinforces this. The Society doesn’t have much experience with them, but we hope to one day establish friendly connections.”
What are we expecting to find on the site? “We don’t know for certain, but based on what we’ve gathered, we expect an age-old adlet tomb, a remnant of a long-forgotten war. We cannot predict what lies inside, so be prepared for possible haunts or undead. In terms of discoveries, we are likely to find records of the ancient adlet language, and if Malori is correct, possibly material related to the Kitsune language as well.”
Research team? Bjersig nods as he answers, “Yes, researchers working on behalf of Malori. They can fend for themselves, she promised me, but they still need our protection on the journey. They should be proficient in both the Adlet language and the ancient Kitsune language, and they also bring some assistants to help with excavating the site.”
Who is Svala Ice-Rider? “One of my trusted agents, who recently published her volume of
Pathfinder Chronicles on her expedition to the Crown of the World. I consulted her before deciding the route you would take.”
Kitsune and Adlets? What? “The only adlet legend known to the Society is their creation myth. It tells of a mighty hunter wounded in the frost who was rescued by a woman wearing furs. She nursed him back to health, and together they had ten children: five with the legs and tails of wolves, and five with the legs and tails of foxes. The wolf-tailed children left with the father, while the fox-tailed children stayed with the mother.”
“The adlets see themselves as the wolf-tailed children of the hunter, and some believe that the woman in the story is the Tian goddess
Daikitsu, with the fox-tailed children being the kitsune themselves. Kitsune myths do not mention this, so the connection remains a mystery.”
Why can’t we use the scroll to get there? “Travelling through the Netherworld is inaccurate, and we need you to follow our specific landmarks to ensure you stay on course. It’s excellent for getting you out, but not for getting you in. In the worst-case scenario, you could end up in the middle of an adlet settlement, which they won’t appreciate, to say the least.”
Before departure, Lirall strongly advises the party to prepare for the harsh cold. The Iceferry Lodge can provide
cold-weather clothes for all, to be returned at the end of the mission. However, Lirall cautions that even these measures may not be sufficient.
Recall Knowledge (Arctic Lore or Nature)
A pathfinder who succeeds in DC 23 Arctic Lore or Nature check can gain the following information.
Critical Success Adlets have protected the Crown of the World for ages, believing themselves the rightful rulers of these lands. In addition to them, many other dangers haunt the frozen north, including undead and rime dragons.
Success The Crown of the World is an ice-covered region connecting Avistan and Tian-Xia over Golarion’s northern pole. Even during the summer, temperatures remain near freezing or lower. Travelers should prepare accordingly and expect snowstorms along their journey.
Getting to the Crown
Leaving the warm and cozy Iceferry Lodge, the Pathfinders embark on a week-long journey to the edge of the Lands of the Linnorm Kings. The trek through the icy tundras proceeds smoothly thanks to the careful road planning of Svala and Bjersig, provided someone in the group is trained in Survival. If the party lacks such expertise, they can hire a guide in Iceferry for 15 gp. The guide will lead them to the Crown and depart once they connect with the research team.
The journey through the Lands of the Linnorm Kings experiences mild cold weather, which will only worsen upon reaching the Crown of the World. Lirall’s warning before departure was not without reason - they are heading to the coldest region on Golarion.
Meeting the Research Team
The research team consists of five individuals: three scholars and two workers whose job is to excavate the ruins once the party reaches the site.
The mission is led by
Rolijath (inquisitive male gnome adventuring scholar 4), who has bright green hair and is almost swallowed by his heavy winter clothes. Rolijath loves to ask questions, particularly about the languages the party can speak. If any of them know a rare or very uncommon language for the region, he becomes visibly excited and asks them to teach him phrases in that language.
Gertho (adventurous female Triaxian adlet scholar-hunter 5) is fascinated by her people’s history. She willingly answers questions about adlets and their culture, but she is not knowledgeable about the adlets of Golarion, as she comes from the planet Triaxus. If asked how she arrived on Golarion, she explains that her employer helped her, but cannot provide further details. Gertho also assists with navigation and provides the effects of
Environmental Guide to the group as they travel.
Sohiro (eager male kitsune linguist 4) is a young kitsune with gray fur streaked with orange. Keen to prove himself, he practices the ancient kitsune language whenever he can. His family did not even know the language existed, and he believes he is the first in ages to speak it. Sohiro is eager to teach it to the Pathfinders, particularly to any kitsune among them.
Finnur and
Olai (hardworking Ulfen human laborers 2) were recruited from the Lands of the Linnorm Kings and are citizens of Halgrim. While they are curious about the Pathfinders’ adventures, they struggle to understand the scholars, including Gertho. They focus on performing the bulk of the physical work for the scholars and are well compensated by Malori.
Note: If using the 3rd Party Kitsune of Golarion, then Sohiro is a Shanko kitsune.
Designer’s Note: Adlets from Triaxus, like Gertho, are canonical and appear in the 1e AP Reign of Winter 4 - The Frozen Stars.
Encounter 1: Through the Adlet Territories
After leaving the camp, the party must undertake a ten-day journey through adlet territory to reach the site. The temperature in the Crown of the World is
severe cold weather, but Gertho’s
Environmental Guide effect allows the Pathfinders to treat it as mild.
The journey follows the Infiltration rules, with the Pathfinders needing to overcome all obstacles in sequence to progress. Overcoming each obstacle takes several hours.
PCs who achieve a Critical Success on an Infiltration check can either earn 2 infiltration points for a group obstacle, or gain 1 point for themselves and 1 for another character in the party, provided they explain how they assisted that character.
The GM may award automatic successes or substitute alternative checks for obstacles if the Pathfinders are demonstrating sufficient creativity or resourcefulness.
Slippery Ice Ridges - Obstacle
Infiltration Points 1 (individual);
Overcome Acrobatics DC 23, Athletics DC 24, Crafting DC 21 (requires
climbing kit) or Arctic Lore DC 20.
Steep and dangerous ice ridges must be traversed with extreme care. Pathfinders can use their athleticism to cross them, or employ ropes, pitons, and grappling hooks to create safer routes. Alternatively, those trained in Arctic Lore can detect the safest paths across the ice and navigate accordingly.
Adlet Patrols - Obstacle
Infiltration Points 5 (group);
Overcome Deception DC 22 (requires a
disguise kit), Perception DC 25 or Stealth DC 23.
The adlet patrols are far off, but they can spot the party from a distance if the group is careless. The Pathfinders may choose to move stealthily, follow less visible routes, or disguise themselves as adlets (though Gertho need not disguise herself).
Blizzard - Obstacle
Infiltration Points 1 (individual);
Overcome Arctic Lore DC 21, Nature DC 25 or Survival DC 23.
A powerful blizzard strikes the Pathfinders, forcing them to overcome the storm in order to continue their journey. Careful observation, survival knowledge, or understanding of Arctic conditions can help them navigate the storm safely.
Finding the Entrance - Obstacle
Infiltration Points 6 (group);
Overcome Athletics DC 25, Religion DC 24, Occultism DC 22, Perception DC 24 or Survival DC 23.
As the party nears the site, the entrance is hidden beneath layers of ice and snow, obscured by the recent blizzards. Pathfinders may attempt to shovel snow from likely locations using Athletics, Search for the entrance with Perception or Survival, or listen for the spirits of the dead adlets, who, according to Rolijath, may still wail beneath the snow with Occultism and Religion.
Treasure: If the Pathfinders traverse the adlet territories without accumulating 10 awareness points, Malori’s contract grants them payment of 300 gp. If the party exceeds 10 awareness points, the Pathfinder Society must bribe the adlets to pacify them, costing the payment the Pathfinders should’ve had.
Encounter 2: Night Under the Northern Lights
Once the party locates the Frozen Wolves Tomb and identifies the entrance beneath the ice, Finnur and Olai begin excavation during daylight hours. As night falls, the research team and the Pathfinders have one last opportunity to converse and share insights before entering the tomb.
Rolijath opens up to the Pathfinders about their previous experience with the Aspis Consortium mercenaries, who stole from their prior excavation site and sold their research notes to other scholars. Malori, Rolijath explains, decided to sever all ties with the Consortium. Rolijath holds particular disdain for one mercenary named Erjed, who treated them with blatant disrespect during their collaboration.
Most of the research team remains outside during the investigation, unwilling to enter the tomb with the party. However, Sohiro must delve inside to complete his mission. Equipped with his journal to record any discoveries, he is visibly excited for the adventure. The researchers thank the Pathfinders for their assistance and express hope to collaborate with them in the future.
When the tomb is finally opened, a hole in the roof of the icy structure, the party can begin their descent and exploration.
If any Pathfinders assist Finnur and Olai with excavation, the laborers express their gratitude, and the work is completed more quickly (this accelerated pace does not alter the overall timeline of the adventure.)
Frozen Wolves Tomb
The Frozen Wolves Tomb is a compact site, barely spacious enough for large Pathfinders. Its narrow, dark corridors require either carried light sources or natural darkvision to navigate.
The walls are adorned with images depicting both kitsune and adlets in a variety of artistic styles. Several large murals honor the goddess Daikitsu, prominently featuring her symbol, the nine-tailed fox. The stone walls exude an air of stillness and dryness, preserved after centuries of burial.
Originally, the tomb served as an adlet temple dedicated to Daikitsu, for adlets who believed that, though they chose to follow their father, their mother’s love still endured. After the kitsune betrayed and abandoned them, the temple was converted into a tomb for the priests who fell in battle.
The tomb is slightly warmer than the exterior environment but remains Severe Cold Temperature. Pathfinders should be prepared for the harsh conditions, though their time inside will likely be brief.
Structurally, the tomb is simple. It consists of one large entrance chamber, a long corridor leading inward, and the burial chamber itself as another sizable room.
Encounter 3: Wails of Lost Battles - Moderate 7
Read the following paragraph when the Pathfinders enter the tomb and use something for light. Even if all of the Pathfinders have darkvision, Sohiro needs light and asks the characters for it.
The air inside is dry and still, a place that hasn’t been opened in centuries. Your light reveals intricate walls. First, you notice depictions of the adlets, lupin warriors shown as guardians and protectors. Between them, fox-tailed figures appear, just as the old legends describe.
Sohiro gasps, looking at the murals. “The legends were true!” he exclaims, as the light falls on a huge mural of a nine-tailed fox. Beneath it, inscriptions in two languages catch his eye. He leans closer to copy and read them: “It’s in Old Kitsune and Adlet, it says: For the Mother of Foxes and Wolves.”
You hear a faint sound, at first seeming like wind from outside. But as you listen, it becomes clear: a deep, monotone wailing rises from far within the tomb. The mournful sound is steady, unending, and chills you to the bone.
Characters who succeed on a DC 21 Religion check recognize that the “Mother of Foxes” is the Tian goddess Daikitsu, deity of agriculture, craftsmanship, kitsune, and rice. Her sacred symbol is the nine-tailed fox, consistent with the murals in the tomb.
As the party moves through the tomb, Sohiro trails behind the group, carefully copying the murals and inscriptions into his journal. He is visibly aware of the faint wailing echoing from deeper within the tomb.
Sohiro remarks that the sound could indicate unrested spirits, and he urges the party to document everything while they still have the opportunity, before anything might be disturbed by their intrusion.
Travel through the tomb is slow due to narrow corridors and careful examination of walls. This can serve as a natural pacing tool for the GM while the Pathfinders make skill checks or prepare for upcoming obstacles.
Haunt: Once they get deep enough, about halfway through the narrow passage leading into the temple, the pictures on the walls suddenly shift, transforming into scenes of battles, humans and adlets fighting for dominance in bloody combat, as the haunt of the temple activates.
Spirit Cyclone - Hazard 9
Book of the Dead 68
Stealth +20
While attacking, the haunt changes the wall pictures to show the events that led to its creation. It depicts the adlets fighting humans in a great war, howling for the kitsune to join them - only for the kitsune to side with the humans and ignore the adlets, covering their ears as one. The spirits wail in anger, and while Sohiro stays back, they call to him in the Adlet language, seeking to exact revenge on the kitsune through him.
Encounter 4: Wolves Laid to Rest - Severe 7
As the Pathfinders advance in the tomb, read the following passage:
You reach the end of the hallway, which opens into a large room adorned with the same religious symbols as before, along with intricate murals covering the stone walls. In the center of the room, several stone tombs sit, and a low, mournful wailing rises from them. They seem out of place, as if placed here after the room was originally designed.
Before you can react, two of the tombs burst open, revealing skeletal remains that were likely the clerics of this temple. The lupin features of their skulls and skeletons suggest they were adlets in life. The bones seem to speak to Sohiro in a language you cannot understand.
“They tell me I’ll regret abandoning them, in… Kitsune,” Sohiro whispers, his face going pale. “They want me to remember - and to suffer.” The undead slowly advance from the tombs, ready to exact their revenge after all these years.
The room was originally the main prayer chamber dedicated to Daikitsu. After the adlet clerics fell in battle, it was converted into a burial chamber for them.
Creatures: The undead here are the former adlet clerics of Daikitsu, who once served as intermediaries between the kitsune and the adlets. After the kitsune abandoned the adlets, these clerics died feeling forsaken. In their dying breaths, they turned away from their goddess, which caused them to rise as herexens, their spirits twisted by betrayal and anger.
2 Adlet Fallen Champions of Daikitsu - Creature 8
Variant Fallen Champions of Daikitsu
[Rare]
Languages Adlet, Kitsune, Necril
Skills Acrobatics +14, Athletics +19, Intimidation +19, Religion +17, Adlet Lore +16, Daikitsu Lore +16
Items +1 scale mail, defiled religious symbol of Daikitsu, steel shield (Hardness 5, HP 20, BT 10), +1 striking
flail.
Immunities cold, death effects, disease, paralyzed, poison, unconscious.
Remove attack of opportunity, add avenging bite.
Avenging Bite [Reaction] Trigger A creature within reach of an adlet's jaws Strike attacks one of the adlet's allies;
Effect The adlet makes a jaws Strike against the triggering creature.
Melee [Action] flail +20 [+15/+10] (disarm, magical, sweep, trip), Damage 2d6+11 bludgeoning.
Melee [Action] jaws +19 [+14/+9] (unarmed), Damage 2d8+7 piercing plus 1d6 cold
Heretic’s Armaments Daikitsu favored weapon is the flail.
Heretic’s Smite deals unholy damage.
Reap Faith deals void damage.
During the second round of combat, the tomb suddenly shakes. The Pathfinders have no way of knowing the source at this time, but the tremors and rumbling are the result of the rime dragon Balfarnias attacking their camp outside.
Development: Once the fallen champions are defeated, Sohiro opens his notebook and begins reciting a prayer in the Kitsune language. If asked what he is reading, he explains that his employer specifically instructed him to recite this in case undead were found here, to allow their souls to move on. The text is an ancient love song in the old Kitsune language, written for an adlet.
As Sohiro finishes the song, the party feels a sudden sense of relief. The wailing of the dead ceases, and the tomb feels eerily empty, the spirits of the departed having finally moved on.
Treasure: The temple contains a secret compartment, long forgotten by time, which holds some of its hidden treasures. Among the items, the Pathfinders can find a
beastmaster’s sigil and a
stalwart’s ring, and the personal prayer books of several clerics. These books are key to deciphering the connection between the adlets and kitsune.
While the Pathfinder Society will return these items to their employer, the characters will be updated on the findings of the research.
Encounter 5: Draconic Ambush - Severe 7
Once the battle inside concludes, the party climbs the ropes they left behind to exit the tomb. Once they reach the surface, read the following:
When you emerge from the tomb, a chaotic scene greets you. Your camp has been completely destroyed in an attack, and you are surrounded by people, agents of the Aspis Consortium, identifiable by their badges. Behind them, you see blocks of ice holding the scholars you left behind: Rolijath, Gertho, and even the two workers, Finnur and Olai. All are frozen and floating some distance away by magic, being led off by the Consortium agents.
Above this chaos, a dragon dominates the scene: white as snow, massive, and flying over the entire area.
One of the agents, a black-haired Kellid man wearing a bronze Aspis badge and wielding a large axe, speaks: “Your so-called ‘employer,’ the sage dragon Salpheorix and their agent Malori, thought they could bypass the Aspis Consortium and work with our enemies - you pathetic Pathfinders. They probably didn’t realize we also have a dragon on our side, very interested in acquiring your scholars for its hoard. Now, if you want to escape with your lives, drop the treasures you found and walk away. The dragon has no use for you, so we could kill you, but let’s make this easy, shall we?”
You look at Sohiro, frozen in fear. His eyes dart between Erjed, the rime dragon in the sky, and his fellow scholars being taken away. Overwhelmed, he drops his journal into the snow, too shocked to act.
The man speaking,
Erjed (cocky male Kellid human Aspis bronze agent 8), previously worked with Malori of Aktun and knows the true identity of their mysterious employer. He has trailed the Pathfinders the entire way, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. The dragon
Balfarnias (vain nonbinary
ancient rime dragon collector 15) allied with the Aspis Consortium, drawn by the opportunity to add the brilliant scholars to their hoard. While the dragon also compensated the Consortium, Erjed’s mission is specific: to humiliate the Pathfinder Society and seize their findings.
Balfarnias and the frozen research team are already far away. Even if the Pathfinders wanted to pursue them, it would be a fool’s errand, as the dragon and the spellcasting Consortium agents are far beyond the party’s capabilities. If any Pathfinder fell unconscious during the mission and remained with the research team outside, they are likely still hidden in the camp. Rolijath and Gertho concealed them carefully, and Erjed did not search further, believing all Pathfinders had left to explore the tomb.
If the party refuses to surrender all their belongings and findings to Erjed, including wayfinders, treasure, and Sohiro’s items, combat will immediately ensue.
Creatures: Erjed and his gang are here to confront the party and defeat them, by any means necessary.
Erjed - Creature 8
Elite Gang Leader
Initiative Perception +16, Intimidation +19 (can roll intimidation in that situation)
Aspis Bronze Agents - Creature 8
Elite Bandit Gang
Initiative Perception +17, Intimidation +18 (can roll intimidation in that situation)
Development: During the fight, the characters can see that Sohiro is frozen, unable to process what is happening. If someone takes an action to help him, perhaps by speaking to him or trying to uplift his spirits, they can attempt a DC 23 Diplomacy check (or another appropriate skill at the GM’s discretion) to snap him out of it. Using
No Cause for Alarm counts as an automatic success. Each time a character succeeds, Sohiro can cast Guidance on them. Once
Guidance has been cast on three different actions, Sohiro is able to snap out of his shock and act. He will then cast
Bless on himself, followed by 3rd-Rank
Protection, and will attempt to distribute the bonuses to the party. On his remaining actions, he will continue casting Guidance on any allies who are not yet affected and are not immune.
Other than his spellcasting, you can use the statistics for
Pathfinder Field Agent if needed for him, without the actions (other than unarmed strike), reactions and sneak attack, and of course with the Kitsune trait instead of Elf and Human.
If Sohiro is not engaged or consulted during the fight, the traumatic experience will haunt him for a long time afterward. However, if he actively participates, he will have a much easier time processing the events.
Treasure: In addition to the items listed in their statblocks, the agents carry a dozen Aspis Bronze badges, each worth 1 gp. Erjed also possesses a
staff of phantasms he stole from Rolijath.
Conclusion
Once the fight concludes, the Pathfinders (or Sohiro), can use the Umbral Journey scroll to return quickly to the Lands of the Linnorm Kings and report their findings. Malori is deeply disappointed by what happened to the rest of the research team and vows to rescue them as soon as possible. Bjersig congratulates the party for their efforts despite the unfortunate outcome of the quest and offers the Pathfinder Society’s assistance in recovering the scholars. Malori does not provide an immediate answer but seems open to the option.
Both Sohiro and Malori are now more forthcoming about the identity of their employer, the sage dragon Salpheorix, who studies the languages of Golarion and hopes to develop a unifying theory on the matter. Sohiro, of course, remains shaken by the traumatic events, and how well he copes depends on whether he received support during the final encounter.
Ultimately, satisfied with the Pathfinders’ performance, this mission likely marks the beginning of a new collaboration between Malori and the Pathfinder Society.
Primary Objectives
If the Pathfinders successfully explored the tomb, laid the spirits of the adlet dead to rest, and escaped with all of their findings, they have accomplished their primary objective.
Secondary Objectives
If the Pathfinders successfully avoid the adlets, so the Pathfinder Society does not need to bribe them, and help Sohiro overcome his shock and participate during the final encounter, they have accomplished the adventure’s secondary objectives.
