Return of the Pharaohs

Chapter 11 – The Temple of Desna’s First Dream

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The Search for the Temple of Desna’s First Dream

Today, the only remains of Belimarius’ infamous magical storehouse of her most prized possessions, the Temple of Desna’s First Dream, are the legends and scarce writings with obscure references to it. The most common rumor among the select few sages who study this ancient civilization is that the Temple disappeared during Earthfall at the end of the Thassilonian Empire. It may reside somewhere on the plane of Dreams or maybe even a pocket dimension in between.

The majority of the region known as Edasseril now lies beneath the seas surrounding the Ironbound Archipelago, having suffered great losses when the Starstone struck the continent. It is believed, however, that the capital city of the realm, Xin-Edasseril may still be accessible above sea level.

White Estrid knows and recognizes the potential value of Thassilonian artifacts and knowledge. While her Linnorm King peers may keep a mighty sword or suit of armor, most of the other Kings discard out of hand anything that seems like the dealings of magic or useless ancient knowledge. But Estrid has carefully preserved many discoveries and finds within her realm. Some of her more trusted advisors know of her secret stash even though they have no idea what she intends to do with it.

If the party seeks her out and makes their quest clear, she will tell them that she has the information that they seek, but it will come at a price – the price of loyalty and worthiness. She will require the group to join a flotilla of her raiders and sack a local port on the coast of Nidal. She warns that Nidal is rife with undead and that they will be in mortal peril – this is not a pleasure cruise. But if they are successful (in the opinion of the fleet leader), she will grant them access to her maps and information.

The Sage of Sandpoint

The group must find a way to get to Sandpoint on their own. Teleportation would be the easiest way, and they would easily be able to port to Korvosa since they have been there before. They could also use Greater Teleport to get directly to Sandpoint if they wish to invest in the scroll.

When the group arrives in Sandpoint, they will be met by the local sheriff Belor Hemlock, a serious but amiable Shoanti. He asks about their business and if he can direct them anywhere in particular. If they ask about accommodations, he will recommend #3 The White Deer, run by Garridan Viskalai.

Other places that may be of interest:

#8 Brodert’s House – local sage

#4 The Way North – cartographer

#11 Town Hall – Mayor Kendra Deverin often found here

#13 Risa’s Place – tavern run by mostly blind Risa Magravi

#17 Bottled Solutions – sketchy alchemist

#18 Cracktooth’s Tavern – run by Half-orc, lots of theater types

#26 General Store

#33 The Hagfish

#37 The Rusty Dragon – oldest inn run by Ameiko Kaijitsu

The resident sage of Sandpoint has been a popular person for the past couple years, ever since there were many rumors of ancient Thassilonian creatures marching down to wreak havoc in Varisia. Only through the heroic assistance of a group of strangers, the region survived intact. Apparently, the group of heroes uncovered a plot to destroy all life in Varisia that originated right in Sandpoint. So, when the group asks for him by name, he will impatiently yell through his closed door to go away. He has been interrupted too many times in the past couple months and wants to get back to his studies, especially some new books loaned to him by a most powerful group of adventurers.

Once the group convinces Brodert to open his door, he will listen reluctantly at first, but if anyone mentions a compelling story about Thassilon, Brodert just cannot avoid getting excited about his life’s work and soon he will be chatting away, telling them about all of his findings, both past and present.

If the group divulges their true mission (travel back in time to the height of Thassilon) Brodert will beg them to let him come with them. He will go to any extent for the chance even if it costs his life. If they accept this request, he will promptly faint.

If asked about Edasserill, he will tell them that the very first Runelord of Envy, whose name has been lost to time, was jealous of a nearby elven nation, so she stole the elven princesses name, Edasseril to name her new kingdom. He will point out that the ruins of Xin-Eddaseril have never been found, but they are rumored to lie somewhere on an island in the Ironbound Archipelago. He tells them also what they may already know, that the Temple of Desna’s First Dream was located somewhere within the capital and that Belimarius used to keep her most prized possessions within it, including the captured, live body of her former master and previous Runelord of Envy, Phirandi. But the Temple disappeared about the same time as Earthfall. Some references postulate that the Temple now resides somewhere on the Plane of Dreams.

At this point, the sage will get very business-like and speaking quickly, will set to work at the group’s current task.

“So, the first thing you will need to do is make some acquaintances in the Islands. There are ancient ruins all over the place, but you need to find out specifically about the Temple. Get your hands on any maps, scrolls, tomes, or whatever may still exist that describes the region back in the day. Yes, your best bet will be to explore some of the ruins. I’m pretty sure that anything that has been uncovered by now has come before me. I have quite a sizable bounty set on any Thassilonian artifacts or writings that are found there. I get so many fakes though that I am getting good at spotting them!

My suggestion is for you to make your way to White Estrid.”

They may ask where this is, but he will correct them

“White Estrid is not a place, but a person – and a marvelous leader. Why, White Estrid is the only Linnorm King to not kill her beast! Estrid will surely be able to help you with your research. I hear she is a more civilized barbarian than her fellow Kings.”

(if asked, Brodert will tell them about the tradition of the Linnorm Kings and the general background of the Land of the Linnorm Kings)

• Ulfen people have lived there for over 5000 years
• Towns, heroes and civilizations rise and fall in the harsh land
• Much history has been lost, not much written; stories, songs and myths used to keep history
• Coming of the Linnorm Kings – seven regions/kingdoms, only four actively ruled right now
• Legend that one day a powerful Linnorm king will unite the lands, but must slay Fafnheir the most powerful Linnorm in the world
• Oracles, seers and witches used to be plentiful but most died when Aroden’s death shattered their prophesies (about 100 years ago)
• Broken Bay, Hagreach, Ironbound Islands, Southmoor?, Thanelands are lands with rulers
• To become a King the leader must singlehandedly kill a powerful dragon-like creature called a Linnorm and bring its severed head back as proof
• Estrid bucked the system by subjugating her Linnorm which now works for her (and makes her very powerful and feared)
• Estrid is rumored to be very clever and rather than raiding the coastal towns near the Islands, she has set up very profitable trade routes.

“So, get yourselves to Magnimar as quick as you can and find that Venture-Captain. She’ll get you to the ruins.”

Again, Brodert’s brain has leaped ahead of his story and he has to back up and explain. He seems a little annoyed at having to tell them again…

“Oh, yes, did I forget to mention Venture-Captain Benarry?”

“Hmm… about a week ago, a Venture-Captain – you know, one of those Pathfinders? Well, she was quite a woman… she was of your blood (gestures to Balen and Tark), her name was Calisro Banarry. Of course I’ve heard of her before, but had not had the pleasure of meeting her. She frequents the coastal areas looking for whatever those Pathfinders seek and passed through here about a week ago to ask me for information about rumors of newly discovered ruins in the Ironbound Islands. She said she was going to look for a group to assist her with something her fellow Pathfinders had discovered. We don’t typically get that caliber of adventurer here in Sandpoint… well, except now, I guess. But I suggested she look in Magnimar. Mind you, I get people like that knocking on my door a couple times a month, but I like these Venture-Captains. They always seem to be good at finding what they set out to find. Yes, I think you should head on over to Magnimar and see if you can catch up to that green lady.”

Brodert does have a serious warning at the end though:

“One warning, though. I have heard many stories from explorers who have gone to the Islands seeking treasure from ancient Edasseril. You must always keep in mind that the runelords of Edasseril were envious, powerful wizards who specialized in defensive magic. You may encounter potent magical and deadly mechanical traps like you have never seen before.”

The Ironbound Schism

The group should make its way to Magnimar shortly after the neeting with Brodert. The party will need to ask for the whereabouts of Venture-Captain Calisro. Someone will direct them to the wharf where she will be found haggling with a man on a ship called “The Grinning Pixie”. When the group tells her that they are interested in learning about her mission in the Ironbound Isles, she will request that the group meet her that evening at a rough dockside drinking hall called “The Whale’s Belly”

See page 4 of the module “The Ironbound Schism” for the next part of the adventure.

Further Exploration

Once the group has removed their enemies and successfully entered the last cavern, they will find the Staff of Edasseril’s Denial (they cannot figure out the functions of these ancient spells yet) next to a portion of an opaque white sphere that has been unearthed. See the module for interaction effects of the sphere. At this point, the group will not be able to bypass the sphere, but the Averakans will help establish a base of operations for them or the Pathfinders to begin studying it.

When the group gets back to Averaka, the conclusion of the adventure is detailed in the module. The council will offer a ship to take them wherever they would like to go. Brodert will suggest (if the group doesn’t think of it on their own) that they may seek out White Estrid for more information regarding ancient Edasseril.

Councilor Bravok will also volunteer to accompany the group and serve the introductions.

Arrival at Halgrim

The trip from Averaka to Halgrim takes about 3 days through somewhat treacherous waters where a spotter is placed on the bow and both sides to call out nearby reefs or other hazards. The island of Battlewall is about 80 miles long and 50 miles wide, steep with terraced farmlands along the coasts.

As you pass the northern-most tip of Battlewall, your ship glides through a harbor mouth about 1000 feet across that opens into a sheltered harbor. You get your first look at the sprawling capital port of Halgrim, seat of power for the Linnorm King known as White Estrid. It is immediately apparent that the people of these lands are a maritime-based society; scores of ships, some as small as 8 foot dinghies and others as large as 200 foot war longboats are neatly moored at well-maintained docks bustling with workers, sailors and marines. Your vessel is greeted by a pilot boat and after a brief discussion between the captain and the harbormaster it is escorted along a wide canal on the northern section of the town to a vacant slip near the city proper.

Meeting White Estrid

The party will be escorted to the large white granite building known as Estrid’s Palace. If Councilor Bravok is with the group, they will have a much easier time gaining an audience with the King.

Your party is escorted through the narrow, cramped streets of Halgrim to an immense white granite building, constructed to resemble the shape of an ancient longhouse. The steeply rising roof has a carved dragon’s head rearing out from the top most beam and all the windows have blue-hued accent stones surrounding them, creating a stark contrast to the dull, gray squat buildings in the rest of the city. A dozen guards stand watch at the main doors, dressed in white tunics with blue sashes. Each guard has some sort of mail armor and carries a 7’ halberd.

If the party requests an audience with the King, they will be escorted into an antechamber where they will be required to relinquish their weapons.

“All citizens are allowed entrance to this palace, but your weapons must stay with me.”

In an antechamber, numerous empty weapon racks line the walls, but a few have sword belts, axes and one has a lance placed upon them. Anyone who does not relinquish their weapons will not be allowed further into the Palace. Those that have removed their weapons are escorted into the large, dim, smoky hall with dark wood walls and marbled floors. A long central hearth burns with a low fire and a man can be seen at the far end of the hearth sitting at a small desk. In the back of the hall, a raised chair sits upon a white stone dais. The chair is positioned about 20 feet from the back wall of the hall however, which strikes the party as odd.

“Please enter strangers and tell me why you are here.” The man (Gandri Valdison, steward) has a gray beard and is dressed in a black doublet with blue and silver piping, denoting his station. They can see that although the man is hunched over, scrawling at the desk, that his broad shoulders identify him as a warrior, not a scribe. He will listen to their story, but if they request audience with Estrid, and if they convince his of their sincerity (DC33 Diplomacy – DC28 if accompanied by Councilor Bravok) he will thumb through his calendar which rests on the desk before him and will block out a time at mid-morning the following day.

If anything goes wrong or if the group causes trouble, they will be quickly surrounded by Estrid’s highly experienced guards (twelve Level 12 Warriors) and escorted to the local dungeons. If they group begins to lob magic or gets out of hand, the head guard will activate an amulet with an anti-magic field to even the odds.

The group can find lodging, mundane and low-cost magic (<2000gp) in town if they desire. The choices of lodging are: The Broken Shield (good), The Flying Serpent (common) or The Broken Dagger (poor)

The following morning, if the party keeps their appointment, they will need to go through the same ritual with their weapons, however, they will also be scrutinized by a sorcerer with True Seeing and Detect Magic. Anything unusual is not mentioned to them immediately but will be reported to Estrid before their meeting so she can assess their worthiness.

The same man in the black doublet will escort the group up a set of stairs to a spacious, but comfortable room on the second story. A large painting hangs over the mantle of a fireplace and a tray with a decanter and glasses sits upon the mantle. (show picture of Estrid fighting Boiltongue)

“Please help yourselves to some Schnapps if you wish. I will announce your arrival.”

The steward will leave and about 5 minutes later, Estrid will enter:

About five minutes pass and finally the door opens again and one of the tallest, most well-built women you have ever seen enters the room. She looks surprisingly young, however, probably in her early 30’s or so. She greets Bravok warmly then takes a seat at one of the other comfortable chairs in the room.

“Bravok, you old hellhound! Good to see you again my friend. Well, I suppose we should hear your tale. What can a humble King like myself do for such able warriors as you?”

After hearing their tale, she will be quiet for a minute or two, rising to pace in front of the fireplace. She idly twirls one of her long braids between her fingers as she sizes up the party one by one, then pulls down a scroll from one of the shelves lining the walls.

“I believe that I may have what you are looking for, but you will need to prove your worth to me before I part with some of my hard-earned knowledge and treasures. Do you claim to be worthy of my trust?”

If the group agrees or asks what she has in mind, she will unroll the scroll in her hands. The vellum parchment shows an unfamiliar coastline with several cities highlighted; Nisroch, Albatross, Orolo’s Quay. (A DC15 Local Knowledge or Geography check will identify this as Nidal)

“For millennia, my people have stayed strong and vital by warring and raiding on our own countrymen. But I think they are shortsighted in their ambitions. We need to eventually unite the Linnorm Lands in order to gain the respect of the rest of the world. Although we have seldom needed trade with outsiders, it has been my experience that other lands have much to offer and we could make a profit from opening up trade alliances. For the most part, my fellow Kings do not share this enlightened view. But I am moving forward and have already established contacts and trade deals in Varisia. However, I am also not a weakling merchant – I am a warrior and conqueror, but I have started to aim my forces at the perverse nation of Nidal. The bastards tried to invade Jol a few centuries ago and we have long memories. I can tell you that when my longboats raided and sacked Nisroch, I raised eyebrows and even a few grins among the other Kings.”

“To get right to the point, I want you to accompany my forces on our next raid on Nidal.”

“Before we get into details, what do you know about… Zon-Kuthon?”

Zon-Kuthon Knowledge (Religion):

DC15 – heard of him, called the Midnight Lord, lawful evil god

DC20 – god of Darkness and Pain, followers are sadists and masochists to an extreme degree, active in Hold of Belkzen, Cheliax, Geb, Irrisen, Varisia, but mostly in Nidal. Most countries exists as secret cult, but more open in Nidal

DC25 – Legends sat that he came from Plane of Shadow during the Age of Darkness as plea to those who were afraid after Earthfall, mainly in Nidal.

DC30 – Although his clergy is not really interested in organizing, they are known to summon shadow-related servants (shadows, bats, kytons & Erinyes devils) Followers are mortal enemies of Desna especially in Nidal.

Estrid will evaluate the group, seeking out any who may have divine capabilities. Since the group is limited in that area she will suggest an alternative function:

”I have been informed that my raiding party may encounter minions of Hell or possibly undead. That is why I am sending a contingent of battle-priests with you. If you can punch your way through their defenses, my battle-priests can offer divine support both defensive and offensive. However, be aware that these priests are trained in battle and are not field nurses.”