Session 17 - The Runecarved Key

General Summary

  After burying the Shard of Pride in his cave, Grog confessed to the Saviors of Sandpoint that he felt as though he was being watched when he hid it. They decided it would be best to keep the shard with them rather than leaving it unattended. The party returned to the cave and conducted a preliminary search outside. Fresh footprints were found in a few spots outside the cave, mainly in locations that provided a cover of some kind. Kilgor suspected that whoever made the footprints could have been planning to use the cover for keeping watch or setting up an ambush. Kilgor and Grog went inside the cave and found the ground undisturbed. They dug up the shard and put it in Kilgor's backpack.   Brodert Quink let the party know that Torabor Gustavos would be sending a skiff to take them all to Magnimar. Shortly after sunrise, the party made their way to the dock. They came across Ven Vinder arguing loudly on the street with his oldest daughter Katrine, who looked as if she had been out the night before and had slept in her clothes. His younger daughter Shayliss Vinder stood off to the side, looking embarrassed as people gave them side-eyed glances as they passed. Angry veins bulged in Ven's neck as he demanded to know where Katrine had been. Shayliss noticed Jayvielle and hid her face, now fully embarrassed.   The party could hear Katrine tell her father that she was a grown woman and didn't need to check in with him every time she wanted to do something. He replied that as long as she lived under his roof, she'd abide by his rules. That meant no disappearing in the middle of the night!   Ven noticed the SoS nearby and regained his composure. He feigned politeness briefly, but Katrine continued her rant and claimed that she wasn't the one being taken advantage of. Maybe she was the one taking advantage! She was free to kiss anyone she wanted! With that, she walked over to Kilgor and kissed him on the mouth! She then stormed off, Ven and Shayliss following after her.   The skiff named "The Whirlwind" took the party and Brodert aboard, and by sunset, they had arrived in Magnimar. Torabor met them there and took them to his estate, dropping them off at their own villa (which may have once been a large workshop or toolshed.) Jayvielle went to the Deverin Estate and visited with grandpa Hobart Deverin, and collected his noble clothes for the dinner the following evening.   After buying a Bag of Holding from a magic shop, the heroes assembled for dinner. The dinner guests included Sir Canayven Heidmarch, a fellow User and compatriot of Torabor's, Sheila Heidmarch, Canayven's wife and new Pathfinder Venture-Captain with an active interest in ancient Thassilon, particularly Sihedron lore, Mors Cavanaugh a Stone Seer, Wyatt of Wartle a traveling minstrel who often stopped in Magnimar and of course, the surprise attendance of the stoic Justice Ironbriar. Ironbriar knew of the Saviors of Sandpoint as Ameiko and Sheriff Hemlock gave Tsuto over to him, as well as the evidence the party has gathered.   The group told the guests how they came into possession of Torabor's new helmet, and mentioned several other Thassalonian items they came across. Jayvielle displayed the Sihedron ring of force, which impress Sheila. She asked if the party would come to Heidmarch Manor the following day to discuss things further.   The next day, Brodert returned to Sandpoint while the party went to speak with Sheila Heidmarch. The Venture-Captain told the group that her Pathfinder lodge was new in Varisia, and while she loved Magnimar, she had many enemies. She hoped to gain favor with the political powers and cement her Pathfinder lodge's status. Sheila revealed that an ancient key called the Runecarved Key had been discovered by the Golemworks during a dig. They sold it to the Lord-Mayor, who in turn wanted to auction it off and use the proceeds for many municipal projects. Sheila wanted the key, both to gain favor with the Lord-Mayor and for its potential Thassalonian heritage. She asked the party to attend an auction and gain the key for her. "In my line of work, I've learned to quickly be able to tell if someone is trustworthy. I met you less than a day ago and I'm handing you ten thousand gold coins to place as a deposit on my behalf. Clearly I feel I can trust you."   The party attended the auction at the Cathedral of Abadar, bumped into the cleric Ottman Jalstin, and met a few of the other bidders:

• Maiveer Sloan, a gaunt, fashionably dressed Chelaxian, accompanied by a half-dozen followers who appear to be equal parts attendant and bodyguard.
• Falrig Sneve, an eclectic, wealthy, and extremely superstitious merchant and artifact collector.
• Doctor Ernst Landis, curator of Magnimar’s publically funded Museum of Ages.

The auction began, and within short order, most of the bidders had bowed out. The final two left were Maiveer Sloan and the heroes. Fate shined on them and the Saviors of Sandpoint won the Runecarved Key with a bid of 9500gp.   Without warning, a tremendous flash of light and smoke appeared behind the auctioneer, and the very fabric of reality sliced open. Seconds later, a black-robed figure stepped through the rift and pulled a jagged black-bladed dagger across the auctioneer’s throat sending a shower of blood into the screaming crowd of bidders. The remorseless assassin snatches the Runecarved Key and in a fit of mad laughter bursts into dozens of shadowy black forms, each fleeing from the cathedral in a different direction.   At the same time, the cathedral’s tall stained-glass windows suddenly shattered, and, with little warning, a horde of mysterious dark-robed cultists burst into the room and begin attacking from all sides. The party quickly fought them off and gave chase to the assassin. Truett and Gallious gave chase through the streets of Magnimar and found the assassin. Rather, the assassin found Gallious and ambushed him. He survived the attack, then used his magic to prevent the assassin from escaping. The rest of the party caught up and, unable to escape, the assassin was quickly dispatched.   With her dying breath, the assassin spit out an ominous curse. "For ten thousand years we have slept, awaiting this day. Think not that you shall take it from us. You and I are merely pawns in a far greater game with a far greater purpose. In the name of the Dark Triad to whom all fates are known, I damn you and all your descendants! May the Overgod take my spirit to pay for my vengeance!"   Sheila and Canayven Heidmarch rode up with four Pathfinders and thanked the heroes for obtaining the key. Sheila told them she would let the Pathfinder's governing body, the Decemvirate, know what had happened here and that she would get to the bottom of what these cultists were trying to do. But now, it was time to celebrate.

Rewards Granted

• Purchased a Bag of Holding (I)

Missions/Quests Completed

• Attended dinner at the Gustavos Estate.
• Met with Pathfinder Venture-Captain Sheila Heidmarch.
• Attended an auction and obtained the Runecarved Key.
• Fought off cultists who referenced a Dark Triad and an Overgod.

Character(s) interacted with

• Brodert Quink - a balding, abrasive scholar of Varisian history and engineering. Brodert claims to have spent two decades of his youth studying with dwarven engineers at Janderhoff and three decades as a cataloger at the Founder’s Archive in Magnimar, and he’s continually baffled and enraged that his learning and obvious intelligence haven’t afforded him more prestige. Brodert has been studying ancient Thassilonian ruins for the past several years and has recently become obsessed with the Old Light in Sandpoint.
• Ven Vinder - Owner of the General Store, short-tempered father of Katrine and Shayliss Vinder.
• Katrine Vinder - Eldest daughter of Ven Vinder, older sister to Shayliss. A bit of a rebellious streak.
• Torabor Gustavos - Mid-60's former merchant, now a member of the Council of Ushers. Husband of Seraphina.
• Seraphina Gustavos - Wife of Torabor. A beautiful half-elf who appears to be in her late 30's. It gives the appearance of an age gap between her and her husband that may not actually exist. She works at the museum in Magnimar.  
• Sir Canayven Heidmarch - Sheila's husband, a compatriot of Torabor's who also sits on the Council of Ushers. Retired adventurer/Pathfinder along with his wife.
• Sheila Heidmarch - Canayven's wife and new Pathfinder Venture-Captain with an active interest in ancient Thassilon, particularly Sihedron lore. Funds the Pathfinder lodge in Magnimar out of her own pocket.
• Justice Ironbriar - stoic elf, member of Magnimar's Justice Council. Tried Tsuto using the evidence the party collected from Nualia.
• Ottman Jalstin - a cleric of Abadar who often visits Sandpoint with his wife Kaylee Jalstin. He will assist Father Zantus with the occasional sermon but is more interested in the status of the Cathedral, which the Church of Abadar in Magnimar helped finance. Also suspected of having a gambling problem.
• Proctor Jyronn Imikar - leads the Cathedral of Abadar in Magnimar. Prior to taking this assignment and becoming a force throughout the church of Abadar, he was an acolyte serving the Ruby Prince of Osirion.

Notes

The following is information obtained through investigation of the cultist's bodies, as well as some Knowledge (Religion) checks.  

The Cultists

 

• Cultist Apprentice (3) - Each carries a scroll of expeditious retreat, scroll of sleep, scroll of summon monster III; dagger, spell component pouch, spellbook (contains all prepared spells as well as all 1st-level conjuration spells), 13 gp, ring bearing the symbol of the Ebon Triad (revealed via Knowledge - Religion check).
• Cultist Adept - potion of cure light wounds, wand of acid arrow (5 charges), tanglefoot bag; dagger, cloak of resistance +1, spell component pouch, spellbook (contains all prepared spells as well as all 1st- and 2nd- level conjuration spells), 23 gp, ring bearing the symbol of the Ebon Triad (revealed via Knowledge - Religion check).
• Cultist Assassin - potion of blur, potion of cure moderate wounds, potions of invisibility, potion of protection from good, tanglefoot bag; +1 chain shirt, masterwork short sword, cloak of resistance +1, handy haversack, 30 gp, ring bearing the symbol of the Ebon Triad (revealed via Knowledge - Religion check).

 

Dark Triad

  Astronomers became aware of a region of space that is otherwise dark and void of stars. It is a triangular-shaped area in the night sky, lying between three constellations representing minor gods of destruction upon Golarion: the gods Zon-Kuthon, Urgathoa, and Lamashtu. The dark triangular area of space which their constellations form has become known as the "Dark Triad".  

The Ebon Triad and the Overgod

  The return of the Overgod of Destruction is prophesied to occur from the merger of the minor gods of destruction. The cult of the Ebon Triad believes this prophecy refers to an Overgod which results from a fusion of the gods of Zon-Kuthon, Urgathoa, and Lamashtu. It is their belief that each of the minor gods are fragments of a previously unheard of Overgod, and by bringing them together they will herald the return of the Overgod of Destruction.   The churches of the gods Zon-Kuthon, Urgathoa, and Lamashtu believe the cult of the Ebon Triad are fools. They maintain that not only are their theories complete nonsense, but they are also insulting and blasphemous. Much harder to explain is the fact that divine worshippers and clerics of the Ebon Triad seem to be receiving blessings and abilities from someone. Someone, or something, is hearing their prayers.