Chasing the Skinsaw, Part 1 (Thursday, Neth 7th-14th, 4707 AR)

The rest of the heroes' trip to Magnimar was uneventful. Although the Lost Coast is remote and quiet, news traveled fast. Word of the murders in Sandpoint quickly reached Magnimar. Magnimar has had trouble with killings of late as well. The murders of Sandpoint were indeed linked to the killings that have recently plagued Magnimar.

Merchants, nobles, bankers, have been slain, and it's no longer possible to discount theories that an entire cult of madmen might be involved. Angry demands to stop the slaying filled the streets and taverns by day. Just as fast as news of the Sandpoint murders traveled to Magnimar, so too did news of heroes standing against and defeating Aldern Foxglove.

Welcome to Magnimar

Magnimar was a sprawling city. The heroes, being what they were, got distracted by the sights and sounds of the city.

Alabaster District: Home to many of Magnimar's finest and richest aristocrats, the Alabaster District's skyline was dominated by the towers of Fort Indros and the sprawl of the Serpent's Run (the city's largest arena for public events).

Capital District: Perhaps the largest of Magnimar's districts, the Capital District housed the majority of the city's government buildings, including Usher's Hall and the Pediment Building. This district of fine stone structures also held other notable sites, such as the Golemworks (a school and industrial workshop dedicated to the crafting of constructs) and the eclectic collection of beasts on display at the Lord-Mayor's Menagerie.

Dockway: Magnimar's merchants' district also contained the largest free market in Varisia - the Bazaar of Sails, a sprawling set of buildings and streets ruled by the so-called Princess of the Market, Sabriyya Kalmeralm.

Lowcleft: This is Varisia's entertainment district, a neighborhood that only fully came to life after sunset. Here visitors could find distractions and diversions among numerous game halls, taverns, brothels, theaters, and similar means of relaxation.

Naos: The majority of Varisia'a upper class dwelt in this district, amid elegant stone townhouses or small villas. The tallest building in Magnimar, the Arvensoar, rose above this district, and the largest temple in Magnimar, the cathedral of Abadar, could be found here as well.

As the heroes explored Magnimar, they heard rumors and news about a disturbingly familiar spate of murders plaguing the City of Monuments. Stories of merchants, politicians, crooked guards, and moneylenders showing up dead - their bodies mutilated, faces missing, and chests carved with seven-pointed stars - seemed to be on everyone's lips, and it seemed that every week brought a new victim to light. The crime scenes were tightly controlled by the city government - the heroes had little chance of getting access to one of them to investigate.

Following the Leads

While defeating Aldern Foxglove put an end to the murders in Sandpoint, the heroes found numerous clues in the Misgivings that indicated Foxglove was not acting alone - that he had allies and perhaps even a superior in Magnimar. The discovery of these links to Magnimar compelled the heroes to visit the larger city out of curiosity.

The discovery of the "Pug's Contraptions" maker's marks on the cages in Vorel's workshop and the letter form Xanesha in Vorel's laboratory compelled the heroes to make a trip to Magnimar. The more direct clue from Xanesha's letter (a name, at this point, the heroes didn't have any luck in finding more information about), spurred the heroes into investigating Foxglove's Magnimar home.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Races of Varisia

From the reclusive elves of the Mierani Forest to the orc-blooded interlopers from the Hold of Belkzen to the Varisian wanderers from whom the region takes its name, diversity and conflict characterize the varied cultures that make Varisia their home. Height and Weight Although the races of Golarion are fundamentally the same as those presented in D&D, there are some slight differences in height and weight. Most notably, those of elven blood are taller in Golarion, and the fey-kindred gnomes are lighter. The details of all races are presented  online  for ease of reference. Humans Three distinct human societies dwell in Varisia: the expansionist colonists of Cheliax, the tempestuous tribes of the Shoanti barbarians, and the enigmatic Varisians. Chelaxians: Beyond the Mindspin Mountains and far to the south lies the cosmopolitan heresy of Cheliax. Once an empire of unquestioned might, the death of the empire's god Aroden allowed the rise of a diabolical aristocracy
Read more

Dog, Riding

Image
Riding dogs s are animals. An animal is a living, nonhuman creature, usually a vertebrate with no magical abilities and no innate capacity for language or culture. Animals have low-light vision. Animals breathe, eat, and sleep. Larger dogs (known to Small races like halflings and gnomes as riding dogs) include hardier breeds such as huskies, mastiffs, and wolfhouds. A riding dog can fight while carrying a rider, but the rider cannot also attack unless he is a skilled rider. Riding dogs can detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell. Riding dogs can identify familiar odors just as humans do familiar sights. Riding dogs can detect opponents by sense of smell. If the opponent is upwind, the range increases; if downwind, it drops. Strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, can be detected at longer range. Overpowering scents, such as skunk musk or troglodyte stench, can be detected at even longer range. When a rid
Read more

Undead Lords

For every type of undead, there exists an undead lord, a being of great power that commands the lesser of its kind. They are powerful creatures that inspire awe and fear in those they rule. Undead lords constantly project an aura that functions as a permanent desecrate spell. In addition, channeling energy is harder. Undead lords ignore damage from most weapons and natural attacks. Wounds heal immediately, or the weapon bounces off harmlessly. They can take normal damage from energy attacks (even nonmagical ones), spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities. Magic weapons can damage undead lords normally. Undead lords are extremely dangerous opponents. They are stronger, tougher, and more intelligent than the ones they command. As such, they are rarely encountered by chance (and rarely encountered alone). Most maintain a lair far away from civilization where they plot and plan, sending their minions on missions to further their goals. Undead lords are less easily a
Read more