Demons and Sins

Sheila Heidmarch has given you a small pouch of Ioun stones, and a note summarizing her researches into the Sihedron Rune and the Sihedron Shards that make it up. There are 7 shards that the Sihedron Rune artifact broke apart into, one for each Sin.  Sins here correspond to schools of magic, mostly.  Each shard should have an affinity for the next.  Each shard is cursed, but connecting the correct Ioun stone should mitigate the curse (and activate the powers of the shard).  Each is a major artifact - the way to destroy them is by connecting the seven shards into the Sihedron Rune.  Sheila's not sure where to go from there - she's got more research to do.  She'll get back to you; if you find any Thassilonian texts that could help her researches. The Sihedron rune is thought to be quite powerful, as both a symbol of office of the High Archmage Xin, and a focus of much of his magical energies. Each shard also resonates with the 'next' shard in the Sihedr...

In a room with 30 faces, skinned and mounted to plaques, you found a journal and ledgerbook, probably from Ironbriar.  It's written in code, using Elvish, Draconic, and Infernal alphabets, and Kendra has a deuce of a time translating.  But she's getting some stuff from it: Ironbriar's been a worshiper of Norgorber for a long while - at the start, in His aspect of secrets and espionage, but a few years ago he started hearing Norgorber speak to him as The Skinsaw Man - the aspect of Norgorber most extreme, the God of ritual murders and serial killers. It seems like also, over the last several years, Ironbriar plotted against and murdered the other Six that made up the Brotherhood of the Seven. Several months ago he met with - and was seduced by - Xanesha, who taught him the Sihedron ritual. Ironbriar's visited "Lovely Xanesha" at a site in the Underbridge called "The Shadow Clock". Ironbriar received 1200 gp from the Red Mantis (?) for delivery...

This burnt scrap of paper was found in a tower bedroom in the Chemical Works.  It looks like whoever was staying there burned a small book in a brazier, but one of the pages flew away and fell behind the dresser. "... Tsuto's deluded.  The perversion of lust into love, I suppose.  I took what I needed and gave him to his father.  Too hot in Mag now - turning the Sheriff in Sandpoint will have to suffice... FOR NOW! X sending me to Turtleback to meet her sister.  Another boat scheme I suppose.  X seems angry with..."

In The Misgivings, one of the defeated ghouls had a crumpled note in a pocket of its tattered black robes: Stephane - Head to Misgivings and investigate.  Capture anything useful, if possible, but investigation / information primary goal. Wait in Magnimar over winter - research other potential sites and lay low.  Perhaps the Irespan? Meet in TB Ferry in April.                                  -A. V.

Just for some Sihedron References. Here is what one form of the Sihedron Rune looks like: And here is the version that you might carve into someone's chest, were you performing a kind of Sihedron Ritual upon them: And here is a piece of greenish crystal that the party found in the basement of Foxglove Manor, that has a very Sinful kind of feel to it (Envy, in this case):

Vorel Foxglove was married to Kasanda Foxglove and their daughter Lorey.  Vorel built the house, and then 20 years later Vorel died, when his lich ritual was disrupted by his wife; his spirit infused the house and killed his wife and daughter. 43 years after that, Vorel's great-nephew Traver took possession of the house.  Its evil infused Traver, and when his wife Cyralie tried to burn the house down Traver (possesed by the spirit of Vorel) turned the fire on her, burning her and causing her to jump to her death out of the window.  His grief and horror caused Traver to break free of his possession long enough to kill himself. That was bad times for their children, Sendeli, Zeeva, and Aldern.  The three were taken in by family in Korvosa, but Aldern returned with his wife Iesha a year ago.

After some discussion, Our Heroes decide to head to Aldern Foxglove's manor, several hours north of Magnimar, on the coast.  It is a dark and forbidding place, and as The Party nears the plants turn to nettles and thorns, and a storm threatens to come from over the sea: Foxglove Manor - the Misgivings Spooky!  There is a carriage house that's been burnt down many years ago, with only blackened timbers and stones for a foundation, and a murder of crows several hundred strong flies about, occasionally landing to stare silently at Our Heroes. Three bodies lay in the ruins of the carriage house - all in black robes, with Urgathoan amulets.  The bodies look a week or so old, Kendra says - starting to rot and in just that perfect state of horrible odor and... juiciness.  Ick. The house has two stories and an attic, and The Party is confronted by several Haunts along the way.  It's scary and disturbing, but Our Heroes are, for the most part, able to shake...

Here are the Haunts in several rooms of the Misigivngs (Foxglove Manor). ((Hey - Real Talk.  I didn't write these, but I adapted them from someone else's campaign, and mostly left them as-is.  Unfortunately, I can't seem to track down who wrote them originally - if it was you then Thanks!  My players had a blast with these!  Let me know and I'll take them down or give you credit or whatever works best.)) Burning Manticore:   As you enter the foyer again, the smell of smoke is heavy in the air. Before your very eyes, the stuffed manticore's mane bursts into flame, quickly engulfing the centerpiece in a massive conflagration. It roars in pain with a hoarse, painful voice, and turns to face you with its cold, glassy eyes. By this time, the entire beast is engulfed in the flame, and you can feel the heat upon your skin as it leaps for you. The creature is loathsome to your eyes, but no more so than its face, a twisted and cruel visage of humanity, but with ...

Kendra Lorrimor – Human Oracle of Pharasma – Level 5 / Tier 1 – NG   ST: 8                             DX: 14                           CN: 12                       HP: 31 IN: 16                            WS: 10                          CH: 22 AC: 20 (Touch: 14    FlatFooted: 18)     Init: +2             BAB:...

Shayliss – Human Sorceror  – Level 4 – CG   ST: 8                              DX: 16                            HP: 29 CN: 14                           IN: 12                             Init: +7 WS: 10                           CH: 22 AC: 14 (18) (Touch: 14 (18)     FlatFooted: 11 (15))    ...

Hello. First off, my apologies.  Several elements of Our Heroes' recent adventures in Magnimar were left out of the previous chronicle.  I would hate for you to think that Your Humble Narrator was, in truth, Your Unreliable Humble Narrator!  So for full disclosure - someone on my staff spilled their mead on my scrying notes, and then they were dissolved in a pool of demonic ichor.  These things happen, you know?  It is unfortunate, but we carry on as best we can. So. There are a few more notes from Our Dynamic Duo's adventures, thusly: Vig hired a priest of Desna to cast Commune for him.  Vig got half of the questions, and the priest the others.  He discovered that Desna either did not know or was unwilling to tell him his true name, and confirmed that Auren Vrood killed Petros Lorrimor.  He was also informed that Nualia would be in the boneyard in a month - but was then cautioned by the Desnan priest that after Aroden's death, any prophec...

Torvan and Nod have both apparently gotten into the grapes.  Mmmmm - grapes are delicious!  But when you eat to many of them you get the tummy rumbles and have to stay away from adventuring. First, Our Duo heads to the docks to speak with Becktilda (the police officer in charge of patrolling the docks).  She tells Our Heroes that the team finally got its act together and dove into the sunken party ship - to find both gamblers and crew locked in, and the money and any papers taken.  The name of the boat appears to be The Lamia's Choice , and it was owned by Affiliated Gambling Incorporated, an outfit that appears to have only owned that one vessel, and whose address of record is an abandoned building in the Underbridge. The next morning - Xanesha comes to visit!  She and Frogmouth have a conversation where Frogmouth rolls over right quick on The Party - but still gives Vig and Antwon time to get set up for an ambush!  Xanesha - still looking like Iesha -...

Below are two of the documents found in Aldern's safe: the last page from his ledger, and a deed to Foxglove Manor.  There were also several legal documents about the Magnimar Townhouse, and a pouch of 200 platinum pieces in said safe. 'Iesha' is a Varisian name; 'Aisha' is an alternate spelling in Taldane (the languages have different alphabets).