Part 2 of Book 3 of the ongoing Dark Sun conversion of Pathfinder's Kingmaker Adventure Path deals with the disappeared district of Dusthold, emptied of its inhabitants by the beast-headed giant, Vordakai.
The town was founded by Maegar Varn, third son of one of Balic's Patricians, at about the same time as the PCs arrived in the Verdant Belt. Dusthold is a plain little town with not much to show for its hundred or so inhabitants, but is peaceful and organized enough. The PCs' settlement may have had a contact or two with Dusthold's agents coming to explore the area and trade, but are unliely to have ventured out to find the town themselves. The town's trouble began perhaps a year ago, when a treasure-hunter named Uriusyne Ganus, another native of Balic, reached Dusthold. He possessed an ancient map claiming to lead to a long-forgotten crypt in the mountains southwest of the new colony. Yet, when he finally located the tomb, he gained naught but a single jade bracelet before awakening an ancient evil. Eager to cover up his foolish brush with death, Ganus adjusted his story and claimed he had found the jade bracelet abandoned in an desert grove while scouting the Tors. Lord Varn, being something of an amateur historian, took a great interest in the jade bracelet, and sent for one of Balic's philosopher-scholars (and a secret member of the Veiled Alliance), a man named Ervil Pendrod. This sage was able to recognize the bracelet by its description and the drawing sent as being a relic of the long-forsaken Wemic culture, thought to have been annihilated by the Sorcerer-King Tectuktitlay during the Cleansing Wars. However, he was not the only one to show an interest. In times long past, the beast-headed giants of the Tors of Levenies ruled this land unopposed, headed by the terrifyingly powerful Vordakai, whose psionic might threatened even a Sorcerer-King. He was trapped eventually by one of his own apprentices who lured him into a psionic torpor, and imprisoned him in a complex that Vordakai had built to help focus his mind. For thousands of years, his mind has wandered the planes, unattached to his physical body. However, the theft of the jade bracelet awakened him and returned the antediluvian psionic lich to his crumbling body, his powers significantly weakened by the vast stretches of time since he lived. Following his awakening, he armed many of the psionic enchantments guarding his complex, and then set out to learn about the changes to the world. Following his senses to the town of Dusthold, he unleashed ancient psionic power and emptied the settlement of its inabitants in a single night of horror, trapping them in obsidian orbs holding their soul energy. Now, Vordakai studies the lore he has learned from Dusthold's disappearance and draws up his plans to establish a new empire. The empty village has, in the meantime, been taken over by the Culchek tribe of Hej-Kin, and wil be dangerous for explorers to venture into. A flock of Kes-trekel can be seen over the town, circling the 1. The Kank Farm: The Kank farm here on the outskirts of Dusthold has been overrun by a dire Crodlu which has slaughtered all of the Kanks and made itself a nest within the farmhouse. It viciously lashes out at anyone approaching, guarding its valuable clutch of eggs. 4. The Selenford: A horrid Chuul dwells in the muddy oasis here, and has attacked several of the Hej-Kin which have approached already. 8. Outfitters: The long, low building in the middle of town has several slaughtered livestock, picked at by a vast flock of Kes'trekels. If disturbed, the hundreds of carrion-eaters rise in several swarms and descend on the unlucky explorers. 12. The Siltbeast: The town's inn has a 'door' of lizard scales threaded on string, half torn down. The inn's sign, on a ceramic shingle, hangs uneasily, and on the wall is carved a single word- "NOMEN". This is the last sign left by Ervil Pendrod before his mind failed to Vordakai's will. Inside can be found a single Hej-Kin that stands, silent and perfectly still, facing a paper-strewn desk in one corner of the common room, one hand clutching a book. This unlucky creature stumbled upon Pendrod's trapped spellbook which bore a Glyph of Warding, which slew it instantly. Among the scrolls and clay tablets which Pendrod had among his possessions can be found some writings about the Nomen wemics and some very slight details about the beast-headed giants who once lived in the area, and the name 'Vordakai'. 13. Sacred Spring: The sanctified spring has been thoroughly looted, and the waters muddied and befouled by the Hej-Kin. In a cask weighted with rocks and sealed with pitch can be found several recently-written parchment spell scrolls. 15. Grange: Since the disappearance, the beetles which have long plagued the town's grain storage have reached crisis level. Fiercely territorial and aggressive, the beetles swarm to attack anything they perceive as trespassing, pursuing foes outside the grange for 1d4 rounds before they return to continue their feeding. At this stage, the town's grain is hopelessly befouled without magical intervention. 18-37: Dusthold Stockade: The stockade and manor-house of Maegar Varn have been siezed by almost two dozen Hej-Kin of the Culchek tribe, including their skilled hunters and some skilled with clerical earthen magic. They are clearly uncomfortable making their home above the ground, but have found the lure of ready water and food just too good to resist. The Hej-Kin have a pack of four leashed Jhakar which they will loose on foes if threatened. Their chieftain Agai is a mighty cleric of the Earth, and has powerful magic which he will use to defend his tribe. Within the stockade can be found several magical items, including Agai's Bag of Holding, a magical ring matching the one on Vordakai's hand itself, and Skybolt- a beautifully-crafted longbow of incredibly heavy pull, inlaid with ivory panels. This was stolen from the Nomen wemics by the Hej-Kin many months ago, and they will recognize it and welcome its return. In Maegar Varn's quarters can be found a mosaic map built into the wall, detailing the area within around twenty to thirty miles of town, including the location of the Wemics' hunting grounds. From here, the clues point the PCs in search of the missing townsfolk towards the pridelands of the Nomen wemics, a race thought extinct. Coming soon in part 3! Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 13 November 2020. Comments are closed.
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