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[decarabiacampaign]

The residence of Professor West Basement

Basement - Secret Lab

The lab contains homonculi, sauhagin in an aquarium, flesh golems, and other weird experiments. The party may also have to  deal with hostile Modrons.

The lab is divided into an east and west section, which connect at the rear. The western section has reinforced doors barred shut to prevent monster escape.

1 - Elevator

The brass elevator descends down many feet into an underground bunker, illuminated by a dim light that flickers on and off before eventually flickering off. The area rocks erratically as it descends.

2 - Entrance Hall (CR 2)

This spartan entrance hall is guarded by a two-headed and quadrupedal beast that looks stitched together and rotten (a Death Dog,) which rushes the party as soon as it detects an unfamiliar scent. The corridor is in darkness, the only light burned out, and only faint illumination from a far door's window. An arm of a strange fish-beast lies on the floor nearby a blanket, perhaps as a crude bed, and the floor has scattered flecks of blood

The doors split the path forward to the left and right; the right a metal door barred by wood on your side, and the right a glass and brass door with a golden light beyond.

(Right leads to the Aquarium, and left to the Greenhouse)

3 - Aquarium (CR 4)

This large aquarium is under a dim, red light. The water beyond the yellowed glass is murky and oceanic; any creatures inside hidden by seaweed.

Three Sahuagin experiments are inside the aquarium, though only two will attack; they are violent and hostile. A Perception of 16 reveals them inside, otherwise they attack as soon as they see the party. One will stick to the aquarium; using the glass as cover and tossing weapons overtop at the party, the other leaps out and attacks manually.

A rusty metal walkway (CR 2) stands above the aquarium, allowing access to it. The third Sauhaguin lurks far in the back of the aquarium, and will strike if the party enters the water; the rear of the walkway is only meant to support West's Skeletons and will drop any characters into the water as it breaks (CR 1/4, perception 15, disable device 20. Reflex 20 avoids) inflicting 1d6 nonlethal damage.

Inside the aquarium is a bit of random treasure the sauhagin have acquired

4 - Autopsy Room

A side room is refrigerated and misty, inside are two sauhagin bodies that have been cut open and with their flesh pulled back by tools; notes sit aside written in esoteric shorthand. One of the Sahuagin has a hand removed, and Masterwork Thieves Tools and a Healer's Kit can be found next to the bodies. The walls have shelves of malformed creatures pickled in brine, as well as several chemicals and potions.

A spellcraft check of 22 reveals that the on the False Life spell, which can be scribed into a book. The rest of the notes are dense on the study of organs and their functions; it seems the spell was used to keep these creatures alive during study.

The room also contains a Potion of Bull's Strength, Potion of Cure Light Wounds, Masterwork Thieves Tools, a Healer's Kit, and two doses of Drow Poison next to three empty vials.

5 - Disposal

The area contains stores of medical waste and cast-off corpses placed upon gurneys. It is kept cool by refrigeration, and so the area is misty and possesses the quiet hum of machinery buzzing nearby. Non-organic waste is stored in a nearby barrel, including broken tools, syringes, vellum sheets splattered with gore, and a shattered glass panel

A wall to the side contains a long, round tube leading to a cremation oven; a small side-panel allows access to the oven's mechanisms by crawling through a small hole. The temperature rises as you go father in, but although nerve-wracking, this is simply because of the lack of refrigeration. Amongst the soot is a charred ring that, if polished, is worth 250g

6 - Storage

A small hallway connects the operating room to the reinforced door to the Aquarium; beside it is a storage area.

The storage room contains a fridge, stacked texts, random furniture, and other items. On a wall is a Masterwork Handaxe next to a strange, bulky device crudely resembling a crossbow - West's Protector. A birdcage is also here, beaten with it's door broken open.

The refrigerator is full of body parts, including a still-fresh Hand of the Mage.

7 - Greenhouse CR 1 and CR 3

This room is wide and open, with a twisting path cresting around four terrariums. The air is moist and hot, water raining down from large sprayers at the high ceilings, and the spotlights above illuminate various plantlife with a dirty yellow aura. This seems to be a greehouse, albeit one where verdant wilderness is eschewed in favour of a dingy sterility that robs the plants of life.

The first terrarium contains a variety of tall-growing plants that bear wool and the half-formed faces of ewe. Periodically, you think you see the faces twitch. At least one has grown a full-size and complete sheep, periodically twitching as if ready to break off the stalk it's attached too. A label on the railing says "Barometz."

A homunculus hides among the plants here (Perception 22,) hostile to the unknown intruders and a former experiment in artificial humanoids by West. If not dealt with, it will open the second terrarium and unleash the Gas Spore on the party after they pass (assuming they don't trigger the encounter themselves!) to try and assist it's master

The second terrarium is hidden behind a crest of the wall, and surrounded by a yellow glass shutter that seems to obscure whatever is inside. You see a figure beyond, murky from the glass but casting a large roundish shadow that seems to hover above the ground. Beside this is a door with no windows, leading in.

The inside contains a Gas Spore (CR 3,) surrounded by poison mist and fungus. Because he uses undead servants, West has no issue with this but keeps it separate from the rest of the experiments to avoid contamination - And explosions. The Gas Spore looks like a beholder, but will explode violently if struck.

The Third terrarium is empty, but contains a wide steel pit sealed by a chipped glass ceiling; the spartan area has almost nothing inside it, as if whatever it is has been removed and the area is waiting new projects. It is labeled "Ochre Jelly"

The fourth terrarium contains one of the professor's experiments - A woman sits here unmoving and atop a pillow, surrounded by roses and plants. She has a glassy look in her eye, and moves in a slightly inhuman manner, but is courteous and friendly and will comment appropriately and kindly to whatever the players have just done. The railing says "Alraune Project"

The girl, called Alraune Project 15, uses the attributes of a Human Commoner. She knows almost nothing of the outside world or even the goings-on of this lab or her father. In truth, she is a plant-based clone and only a few months old, a prototype of her father's new body based on his studies of necromancy, human anatomy, and exotic plants. She knows little more than her immediate location, but she is tended to daily by skeleton servants and often finds companionship in the barometz growing nearby.

8 - Hallway

The hallway connects the operating theatre and study to the greenhouse and aquarium; the door the the Aquarium is barred from the hall, and the path to the greenhouse is locked

9 - Operation Theatre

This room is locked; West's skeletons come from this room a few times a day to check on plants and make notes on organ development.

The operation room itself is a wide, circular room with harsh light illuminating the center. Vines cover the room; at it's center is a partially-formed human torso sliced open and attached to various unknowable machines... It's eyes look out above, periodically blinking but responding to no stimuli.

The inside of the body’s chest contains a Healing Machine that glows with faint light; if hooked up to a creature using it’s wires, it casts Cure Light Wounds once/day and it’s light dulls until it can be used again.

10 - Study CR 4

The rear of the room is a study, but one indicative of a deranged mind. The walls are covered in occult imagery, notes on demons and angels, and multiple bulletin boards full of notes and obscure drawings detailing proposed conspiracies. The high-quality tables are covered in planar books, with various organs kept in bubbling jars nearby, and the floor is covered in tubing that pumps fluid about from a large device in the corner resembling a still. An area midroom is kept clear, with a table and couch sitting and gathering dust.

Two skeletons clad in long robes mill about, working silently at various tasks related to these bubbling jars. The scholar known as "West" is here - He has removed his brain and extended his life using advanced and arcane technology of his own design.

West attacks any intruders who make it this far, mistaking the party for "Worthless servants of Decarabia, Baphomet, Asmodeus, or Buer, that shall bend to my will." He will distract the party with his skeleton servants while dominating whoever looks the strongest physically and using his Telekinesis to pin whoever looks weakest. He can be talked out of attacking only with overwhelming proof that they are not part of a conspiracy, or if Elenor is mentioned.

The most valuable things in this room include West's spellbook, a revolver stored in a glass case on the closet, a library of notes that can be used to determine the clock issue if West is killed.

Afterward -

After West is calmed down or killed, the party can acquire the information they were looking for - Either collecting his esoteric planar notes, or the brain himself who will agree to visit the Academy. The information involves the goings-on of the blood war, and how the Black Lake area comtains a demonic power of significance that Decarabia is likely seeking.

The players may also have figured out that their choices are in some way tied into Decarabia's plans - Which Decarabia has deliberate kept secret. By clearing a path through the lab, they have also opened the path to Decarabia himself - And, the Rogue Modron can thus acquire certain secret information he needs because of this.

If the party has made allies with West, Decarabia attacks - He is a Pentadrone with a large group of Modrons. West will deal with the army, leaving the party to deal with Decarabia. Otherwise, Decarabia is content to leave the party to murder West.

Monsters -

Death Dog CR 2

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/magical-beasts/death-dog/

Homunculus CR 1

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/constructs/homunculus/

Sauhaguin CR 2

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/monstrous-humanoids/sahuagin/

Skeleton Servant CR 1/3rd

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/undead/skeleton-medium/

Ochre Jelly CR 5

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/oozes/jelly-ochre/

Brain In A Jar CR 4

Libris Mortis book, page 90

Gas Spore CR 3

Lords of Madness, Page 148

---

Alraune Project 13

Humanoid Commoner 1 (CR 1/6)

LG medium plant

Init -1, Perception +3 (Low-Light Vision)

AC 9

HP 2 (1d6-1)

Fort -1, Ref -1, Will -1

Immune: Plant Traits

Speed 30 feet

No weapons

Str 7 Dex 8 Con 9 Int 8 Wis 9 Cha 12

BAB 0 CMB -2 CMD 7

Skills: Craft: Wool +3, Handle Animal +3, Ride +1

Feats: Animal Affinity

Langauges: Common

Plant Traits: As a plant, Alraune Project 13 is immune to mind-effecting effects, paralysis, polymorph, sleep, and stunning. She breathes and eats, but does not sleep

---

Treasure -

Hand of the Mage

Pearl of Power 1

Potion of Bull's Strength

Potion of Cure Light Wounds

Masterwork Thieves Tools

a Healer's Kit

two doses of Drow Poison

Charred ring

West's spellbook

Masterwork Revolver

Healing Machine

Aura: Light Evocation (healing,) CL 1, slot: none Cost 400g, weight 2lbs Machine found in the chest of a half-formed clone. Supplies a life force. If hooked up to a target (a full-round action) and activated (a swift action,) it heals the target 1d8+1 damage 1/day.

As long as the machine has charges, it emits light from a torch from a small lightbulb

West's Protector

Aura: Light Evocation, CL 2, slot: none

Cost 4000g, weight 20lbs

Crossbow-shaped device found in West's laboratory, made using his strange and arcane technologies for defence against his sauhaguin and plant monsters.

It can be used to emit a wave of frigid ice in a 15 foot cone inflicting 2d4 cold damage (Reflex 11 halves) as a standard action

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Revenant (encounter)

Plot Seed - The party learns of a reclusive old man, said to be quite rich from his two business partners who have since moved away. He lives in a manor north of town.

1 - The man is not the scholar, but is terrified of the party investigating as he killed his two business partners to gain their wealth: One is stashed in the sewers, while the other haunts him as a revenant.

If the party can calm him down, and convince them they aren't enemies, he can let them inside - But perhaps under a mistaken identity.

The man is morose and haunted with regret, and quietly terrified.

2 - The recluse's manor is dusty and he lives in squalor, very wealthy but terrified to spend any. His house is the house of a person with a deranged and troubled mind. As the characters stay nearby, he encounters a terrifying revenant of his former business partner at his window - with rotten face, and ragged clothes.

The man tries to force it back with a holy symbol and unloads every shot from his revolver - But it seems not to work, and in a panic his gunfore shatters a window. It pushes in, and attacks - his malevolent death raising him as a  Ghast (CR2.) The ghoul targets the recluse first.

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/undead/ghoul/ghoul-ghast/

3 - The man thanks the party for their help (assuming they do,) but wistfully says that it will just be back tomorrow. He's at a loss for what to do, but does not admit to his murder

If presented by proof of his murderous ways, or appealed to with excellent RP, he will break down and admit to his deeds - Both partners, dead, and just for wealth, their bodied hidden in the sewers. 

If this happens, he will ask the players for advice, and offer them the last three doses of his flask (containing a Remove Fear potion) as a reward. If this is brought out, the players each gain 300xp - Otherwise, the man is found dead two days later. He has a safe containing 400g - The rest of his fortune was spent on divine wards that were now expended to protect himself - And he carries a Revolver on his person with 6 spare shots stored on his hip. His house, if searched, has a logbook of transactions hat prove he inherited a lot of money from his former business associates and a very old map of the sewers ---- Impoverished Recluse CR 1/4 XP 100 Male human Aristocrat 1 NE Medium humanoid (human) Init -1; Senses Perception +6 DEFENSE AC 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10

hp 4 (1d8) Fort +0, Ref +0, Will -1 OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee None Ranged Revolver -5 (1d8 /x4, six shots, 20ft range. Hits vs touch.) STATISTICSStr 7, Dex 9, Con 10, Int 11, Wis 5, Cha 9 Base Atk +0; CMB -2; CMD -3 Feats Awareness, Skill Focus: Perception Skills Perception +6, Bluff +3, Appraise +4, Sense Motive +3, Profession: Shopkeeper +1 Languages Common NPC Gear Revolver, Potions of Remove Fear (3, inside flask,) six bullets

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Shardmind

Plot Seed - One villager, upon being asked about a strange and reclusive petrel who moved in, says that that must be the strange woman who lives south of town

1 - On investigation, the party sees a woman playing with three children outside a large cottage by a well. Her skin is an odd shade of purply red, revealing her as something other than human - A Perception 15 check reveals her to be made of crystal, a fact mostly hidden by her housewife attire

As the party approaches, she freezes, and shoes the children inside. They walk into the cottage, watching through the windows. The woman stands at attention, walks cautiously over to a barrel, and grabs a longspear from a nestle of tools. She looks serious, and ready to fight, and asks the party why they sought her out.

Depending on the party's actions, the two groups may fight. Once she is hit three times, her children come out to shield her at the turn's end.

The woman is named Elinor. She is motherly and patient, but can be fiercely protective.

She is of a planar race, created from the shards of the barrier that protects the world from the far planes. Once, she was a warrior who assisted in hunting others of her kin - In killing each one, she would improve the barrier's power. She has since deserted; In her old age, she has tired of killing for the strength of a barrier that may never recover.

She is protective of her adoptive children, all orphans, and is willing to defend herself to make sure they have a good life as a sort of penance.

2 - The party should be able to speak with her afterwards; her children cooking them a delicious soup from a cauldron (Elinor can not eat.)

This encounter should be an introduction to the cosmic destinies, and the mortal's reactions to them, indicative of the Angelpoint setting. Ideally, it should also earn the party an ally with great knowledge of planar history.

On the scholar: Elinor knows of the scholar the party seeks, saying that he goes by West and he helped her through her thoughts 40 years ago. It was on his advice that she took up this life, though her adoption of the orphans was simply something that happened. As a Storm Petrel, West embraces the need to choose your own destiny - Not abide by the destinies that were chosen for you.

She knows he's still in town, but hasn't seen him in months... She bemoans that he has grown increasingly reclusive and paranoid, as he grows closer to death in a life that rejects the guidance of gods. She does not know his address, as she respected his desire for privacy too much. However, she says that he once mentioned a basement lab on the few occasions he visited; "knowing him, it's probably hidden."

Elenor (CR 2)

Shardmind Commoner 4

Str 16, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 13

HP 22 (4d6+8)

BAB 2 Fort 3 Ref 3 Will 3

AC 14 (Fighting Defensively 17)

Feats:

Weapon Proficiency: Longspear, Combat Reflexes, Dodge

Skills:

Acrobatics 6, Knowledge: Planes 6, Knowledge: History 6, Perception 9, Profession: Homemaker 9

Languages: Common, Deep Speech

Items:

+1 Deep Crystal Longspear // +6 1d8+5 20/x3, 2309g

Dusty Rose Prism Ioun Stone // +1 insight bonus to AC, 5000g

Shardmind racial stats:

Living Construct traits

+2 Intelligence and Wisdom

Crystalline Mind: +2 on saves vs psionics

Agreless: Shardminds are naturally immortal, and do not age

Telepathy: The shardmind can speak to others within 30 feet telepathically.

Shard Swarm: A shardmind can weaken the bonds holding their humanoid form together for a short time, becoming a cloud of crystals and then near-instantly reforming. Once per day, they can 'teleport' to a location up to 15 feet away as a move action that does not provoke Attacks of Opportunity; though this is not a true teleportation effect and cannot phase through solid objects or be stopped by spells such as Dimensional Anchor.

[decarabiacampaign]

Rat King (Dungeon)

Plot Seed - Investigating the monster, someone suggests they have heard rumors of sightings of the Rat King - A great and terrible beast. Perhaps the rats lead by him are what have been consuming people?

1 - The rat king is said to live in the sewers and storm drains below the town. The town is small, but the sewers quite advanced, and rumors of great boars and rat kings are known.

The sewers bear cramped hallways, sinkholes, and pipes that must be crawled through. The party will fight dire rats and a boar, including one encounter where they are attacked crawling through a pipe.

Dire rat (CR 1/3) - https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/animals/rat/dire-rat/

Boar (CR 2) - https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/animals/boar/boar/

Pit trap (CR 1) - https://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/traps-hazards-and-special-terrains/traps/pit-trap-cr-1/

2 - The party stumbles upon a body gnawed on by rats - It contains a large amount of treasure. Investigation reveals it's the former business partner of "Recluse," and a heal check shows the body was stabbed in the back, not eaten. The rat bites look nothing like the half-digested look of other bodies.

The body contains a signet ring of the business "Recluse" owns, ruined clothing with salvageable gems worth 50gp,

3 - Further investigation can reveal the Rat King, who knows why they have come but says there is no truth to the rats causing this turmoil. For a secret, he can offer a secret in return - "The butcher in town has some strange technology for storing his cow carcasses, and has been meeting with someone in secret. Seek him out, and you'll learn what you seek."

Rat king (cr5) - https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/magical-beasts/rat-king/

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Hill Giant (Monster encounter, RP-focused)

Plot Seed - "Warrior" blames the hill giant for the disappearances of the people and half-eaten. A notable and terrible glutton and man-eater, he is the obvious culprit

Part 1 - Investigate the hill giant.

A hill giant, Maneater, resides in the local area, occasionally stealing cattle and harassing caravans. Dumb, brutish, and gluttonous, he terrorizes the area with his fat and barely-mobile dire wolf companion (CR 3) which he feeds to the point that it is now barely-mobile.

The hill giant is overwhelmingly strong for the character's levels, but incredibly stupid and is easy to trick. He must be approached and defeated carefully and through an intelligent plan, and "Warrior" warns the party that the giant is incredibly strong and you can't expect to win in a straight fight.

With a clever plan, the party should be able to get the information they need - Or even slay the giant. Hostile actions will cause the wolf to attack, but he is slow to act due to being passive from gorging on food.

In truth, he is little more than a red-herring: He has nothing to do with the current problems in town, despite creatures being left half-eaten. The hill giant has no idea what's happening in the town, and always consumes how cows whole (except for the parts he feeds to his dog.) Even so, he is a threat to the town that has caused some deaths that the parties may feel they should deal with.

Hill giant: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/humanoids/giants/giant-true/giant-hill/

Dire wolf: Use these stats, except:

Dexterity of 3 (AC of 8, FF 8, Touch 8. CMD 14, vs trip 18. Reflex save of +0. Initiative -4)

5 ft movement speed

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/animals/canines/wolf/dire-wolf/

Part 2 - Return to "Warrior"

If the party seeks the warrior after recieving his tip about the giant, they hear him screaming from inside his home. The door is locked, and the screaming does not stop.

If the party is fast, they may him see being consumed by a shadowy and amorphous creature - He tries to fight back with his longsword, but it only slices off a chunk which consumes him. As they approach, the creature disappears through a partially-open window and disappearing into the sewers - Though the party stands a chance of saving Warrior from the chunk he sliced off, still animate and hostile

The Ochre Jelly chunk has only 15 HP, and begins distracted by attacking the warrior - He swiftly passes out, and his leg is dissolved to the bone. Victory can be accomplished by escaping with the man, not just killing the jelly

If he is saved, he describes the creature as best he can and helps the party. No longer able to fight, he offers his +1 Longsword and Masterwork Breastplate - Though cautions they were worse than useless against that "pulsating mass." The players also learn that it's grown to a huge size from feeding so much.

Ochre Jelly (CR 2 due to low HP, and a strategic advantage to the players) - http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/oozes/jelly-ochre/

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Mutilated Cattle (Mini-Dungeon)

Plot Seed - The party hears that a local farmer has been having some trouble with her cows dying. She might know about the monster. ---

1 - The party approaches the farm, and finds cattle left in advanced staged of decay on the ground - Or perhaps half eaten - beyond a fence. The barking of dogs can be heard far-off. An angry and furious Bull (CR 1) can be seen here. It is obvsiously deadly in melee, and a dog’s head can be seen hanging from a horn of the angry beast. Able to graze on the grass, it is still healthy evben standing among the decaying slabs of meat - But the pasture is contained inside a fence, which it must break through (taking one round)

Examining the cattle reveals that the flesh, partially dissolved, simply sloughs off with a horrid noise and worse stench. There are no bite marks nor identifiable markings, but the flesh is spongy and full of holes. Six Masterwork Crossbow Bolts can be gathered from the ground, as if shot at something Bull (CR 1 due to the player’s environmental advantage) uses auroch stats https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/animals/herd-animals/aurochs/

2 - As the party approaches her home, her two guard dogs (CR 2) rush out. They attack ferociously, but are scared and territorial, not evil. A Perception check of 15 will reveal their doghouse damaged and their water tray dirty and dry - as if they haven't been tended to in a while.

Depending on how the players act, and if anyone has Handle Animal, they can calm the creatures down Dogs (Two CR 1) https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/animals/canines/dog/riding-dog/

3 - The stables contain a neglected draft horse, injured and trapped. Tending to it and nursing it back to health bonds it to the party; it trusts them fully and all Handle Animal checks related to this horse are made at a +5 from then on

4 - The house itself is a disaster - Broken tables, scattered plates, and an axe impacts a wall - Telltale signs of a struggle. The floor is covered in human bones, with lumps of flesh and greasy fabric on the ground around. A skeletal hand grips a heavy crossbow.

There is also an unfinished letter in the study, talking about a strange order from the town butcher - More than double the typical amount of meat  at once. The letter speculates why, throwing out ideas such as dealing with the hill giant, or having some secret and reclusive buyer.

It seems the party found information about this beast... Albeit in a different manner than they may have expected.

[decarabiacampaign]

Primary Quest 2 - Digested Caravaner (CR 5)

1 - Investigate the deaths in town

As the party explores the town, the friendly merchant bids the party farewell and says he'll meet them in the tavern later. Shortly after, the party hears a horrified scream - And a crowd gathers around what used to be the man.

The caravaner lies dead, alongside a horse, both of spongy and mutilated flesh with bones remaining. An acrid scent fills the air. Words move about the crowd's lips, pondering what could have done this. There are no tracks, and no one around - Whatever did this is unknown.

The stables is not the most solidly built, and is certainly not airtight, but there are no large holes for a creature to sneak through.

The party should be spurred to find out about the monster from this. Investigating the Digested Caravaner gives information on the Rat King, Hill Giant, and Mutilated Cattle quests 1 Mutilated Cattle (CR 1): The party hears that a local farmer has been having some trouble with her cows dying. She might know about the monster.

2 Rat King (CR 2): Investigating the monster, someone suggests they have heard rumors of sightings of the Rat King - A great and terrible beast. Perhaps the rats lead by him are what have been consuming people? A DC 12 Knowledge check will also reveal that rats know and hear all; he may be willing to barter for information.

3 Hill Giant (CR 7): "Warrior" blames the hill giant for the disappearances of the people and half-eaten. A notable and terrible glutton and man-eater, he is the obvious culprit... Perhaps, now worshipping a god or demon of gluttony? Once the party knows of the monster’s identity, move on to part 2 below.

2 - Ochre Jelly

The Ochre Jelly disappears, it's tracks untraceable. The party knows it'll attack again, and must make a plan to defeat it. Soon it strikes suddenly, and preferably at a time when the party is not expecting pr only partially prepared for it.

Grown to a Huge size, it bubbles up from two sewer entranced and attacks the town in the open. Now too large to bother retreating, it lurches forward consuming as many people as it can. As the party approaches, it climbs the side of a house, 20 feet up, as the family inside screams.

A group of three guards arrives after a round, baffled, and with crossbows in hands - If the players don't interfere, they'll shoot a volley of crossbow bolts which deal no damage and split the creature into many smaller ochre jellies. The party has a round to act as the guards catch their bearings.

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/oozes/jelly-ochre/

[decarabiacampaign]

Main Quest 1 - Seeking a Scholar (CR 2-3)

Seeking the Scholar (Main quest)

1  - Investigate the location of the scholar

The party will eventually be led to the butcher as a potential lead, but must do sidequests to get to that point. The butcher will not reveal anything unless questioned.

Asking around about the scholar informs the players of the Revenant and Shardmind quests Revenant (CR 2):  The party learns of a reclusive old man, said to be quite rich from his two business partners who have since moved away. He lives in a manor north of town. Shardmind (CR 2):  One villager, upon being asked about a strange and reclusive petrel who moved in, says that that must be the strange woman who lives south of town

2 - Butcher/Modrons

A - The butcher is a fat and powerful man who has made a deal with the reclusive scholar known only as West, offering him animal body parts and carcasses in exchange for technology to cool his meat locker. He believes West to be a brilliant scientist who has overcome death itself - And has begun offering him human body parts to try and bring his wife back from the dead

He is canny, and knows that West has enemies (Especially the demon-aligned Decarabia,) and if the party confronts him about the scholar he leads them to the back of the store for "Privacy." The door cannot be opened from the inside without a key, kept inside his pocket.

Locked inside his meat locker, made cold with strange technology, and surrounded by hanging meat, and demands to know why they're looking for West. He accuses the party of being "followers of Decarabia," and attacks them with a butcher knife - But he can be talked down before he injects himself with the hypo. The area is covered in hanging meat, and misty with cold air, giving everyone a 20% miss chance and a penalty on attack rolls with one-handed and ranged weapons (The Butcher, working frequently in this environment, has Blind Fight

Butcher (CR 3, due to environment) Human Commoner 4Str 15 Dex 9 Con 18 Int 10 Wis 8 Cha 7 HP 33 (4d6+20) AC 10 (+2 armor, +1 dodge, -1 dex, -2 rage) Bab 2 Fort 5 Ref 2 Will 2 Feats:Blind Fight, Catch Off Guard, Skill Focus: Bluff Skills:Bluff +5, Profession: Butcher +6 Items:Butcher Knife // +4 1d4+2Iron Apron // +2 AC, ACP 0 Attack - Butcher Knife +7 1d4+3 Full Attack - Butcher Knife +7/+7 1d4+3 In combat: The butcher opens combat by stabbing himself with a hypo given to him by West as a move action (He prepared it ahead of time in case he had to do this.) The questionable potion bestows the spells Rage and Haste upon himself; this is included in the stat array above. He can move 60 feet.Due to the cramped meat locker he fights the party in, the party takes a -4 on attack rolls with one-handed, ranged, or non-peiricing weapons and everyone has a 20% miss chance due to the mist. This is an advantage to the Butcher, as he uses a meat clever that can be easily swung between the animal carcasses.

B-

If left alive, the Butcher can be spoken to and convinced that the party are not the followers of Decarabia. He explains that they are west's planar enemies and want him dead - Strange, otherworldly enemies that he can't understand. He suspects demon involvement, but does not know much

He eventually explains the location of West - At which point a deep and robotic voice speaks from a crystal, suddenly glowing red before shattering

"YOUR RELEVANT INFORMATION HAS BEEN ACQUIRED. YOU WILL NOW BE ELIMINATED."

The butcher, though injured, will assist the party as an NPC party member until they escape

If the butcher is killed, the party finds a logbook and can use that to track down the address. If read aloud, the crystal does the same as the scenario above

Decarabia’s plan here is twofold - Either the Butcher and the Party will die, or they'll be spurred to rush to West immediately. In the latter case, it allows Decarabia's forces to attack once the party has cleared out West's monsters and found the path inside. Decarabia himself is a chaotic "Viral Modron" dominated to serve the forces of chaos... Which he ironically does through ruthless, regimented and orderly tactics.

C - Modron Squad CR 2

A squad of Modrons slam open in the door, attacking the party: Three Monodrones (One flying,) lead by a Duodrone Commander who closes and blocks the door (The Duodrone can only command and prevent the door from opening; he can not attack unless a Tridrone commands him to.) This first encounter are especially weak for a modron squad, and are mere sacrifices summoned in and designed to distract the party while an identical squad sets the building ablaze outside.

D - Modron Squad CR 3

From behind the cover of the window crouch three Monodrones, one flying and hidden, lead by a Duodrone commander. When the Duodrone spots the party, he commands the monodrones to attack using crossbows, and commands the Flying Monodrone to report their status to Decarabia so he knows they are still alive.

The butcher shop, now ablaze, has one exit in a room that contains a counter and a large glass window with hanging meat (Which cooks in the fire.) The area around the shop is covered with a smokescreen to obscure the Modron's existence, and the squad will attack from range with crossbows once they see the party.

This, too, is simply a distraction to allow the messenger to escape. It can't be followed or properly attacked due to the smokescreen.

4 - Brain In A Jar (Arc Dungeon)

The party learns of his abandoned home, and must explore it to find evidence of the scholar - He resides in the cellar, life extended by strange technology.

The lab contains homonculi, sauhagin in an aquarium, flesh golems, and other weird experiments. Part dungeon, many are imprisoned. The party must also deal with hostile Modrons.

A dungeon to be detailed on a separate page.

[decarabiacampaign]

Synopsis

This module is for 1st level characters, in the Angelpoint setting. A major feel of the setting is that the gods and demons often have plans for people, and great destinies, which is not necessarily desirable - Especially if mortal lives are played with for the benefit of cosmic forces they don't understand.

The chapter is centred around two parallel mysteries - Tracking down a scholar, and solving the mystery of the monster killing people in the town the scholar hides in. Each lead will reveal a hint one way or the other, and will involve the characters in a story with various monsters, until the answers reveal itself. In truth, the scholar has become a brain-in-a-jar to avoid his death, and is currently hunted by the forces of Decarabia - A rogue and ruthless “Viral” modron who serves the forces of chaos. The murders in town are the result of an Ochre Jelly who has escaped his hidden lab, beneath his home’s floor. Various people know of him, and the reclusive scholar knows what’s happening, but has covered his tracks well...

[decarabiacampaign]

Opening Section

In short: The party is called to the Storm Petrel Academy, and are given a mission to seek out a Scholar-turned-recluse who knows much of esoteric planar lore. They travel there by train, and along the way a merchang gets to know the party and introduce themselves.

While the recruitment for this quest has happened off-screen, the party (or DM) may have a few questions about the background and nature of their mission. Offer some of the following information if the party is curious, or if their background would make it appropriate, and know it for the adventure

(Why us?) They're choosing the party because they're relatively unknown, and if this involves a demonic conspiracy, their anonymity will help. This is a low-risk quest, with a result not guaranteed, and if things get worse they can delegate more advanced people from the school and the Black Ravens.

(More information on the scholar) The professor is to be about 80 years old. He retired five years ago, and is lanky in build. He is reclusive and irritable, prone to be tied up in his studies

(Why isn't his name known?) All storm petrels operate under aliases to throw off demons, devils, and celestials. At the Academy, his alias was simply The Professor of Potions

(Why aliases?) The petrels operate under aliases to better avoid demons and devils - their notable enemies. It works less well on angels and gods, but any safety measure against them at all is desirable.

(If the party has a divine caster) The Academy will officially refuse to ask for divine help - They are opposed to guidance of the gods, not just demons. But their teachings say to use any advantage to succeed, and their enemies will not expect them to employ a divine spellcaster on even a temporary basis. Consider it an asset to your anonymity.

(Reward?) The professor will say that he can offer the party each 100g upfront, and 100g at the end

(Transportation?) A traincar is passing through there from Angelpoint. It is an obscure route, and will only arrive one a week.

(Danger?) It's a quiet town... But a hill giant lives nearby. Be careful of it - They're man-eaters

Scene 1 -

“The velvet chairs are plush beneath you, the intricate wooden interior of your traincar offering respite from the dour and overcast weather outside. The party each sits onboard a train to the seemingly-insignificant town of Diddbury; your employer, a professor of the notorious - and mysterious - Storm Petrel Academy of Demon Hunters going by the alias of “Null,” has arranged you passage to seek an old man here to help in matters of the “blood war.” 

Whatever the professor needed him for, it seemed important - Especially with the amount you’ll recieve if successful. But you have little to go on in your upcoming quest: Those involved with the storm petrels don’t want to be found, and adopt aliases to skirt their extraplanar enemies, so you do not know so much as a name to seek. But your search is not entirely without hints: You know that the retired Storm Petrel academian, now over 80, retired to this town 10 years ago...  And in a hamlet so small, someone must know something.

No matter the case, your time with your thoughts are broken as a man aproaches, bearing the garb of a travelling merchant... He introduces himself to your group”

The point of this little scene is twofold - To introduce the characters and get some roleplay down, and to make this character seem important as he will shortly die.

Make the merchant chatty, amenable, and memorable. He’ll note the user’s classes, and ask them to do something off-beat but related to that class - For instance, asking a barbarian to perform some of his traditional stories or a poem to the strength god Goliath.

He asks about their lives and histories and how they all met. He also cautions the party to be wary of the hill giant, and offers share his bread and smoked fish - Especially delicious, he promises to give them his recipe later. Here the players can also purchase any items they may require.

Once the players arrive at the town, the merchant says he’ll meet them later in the inn. She has to go set up in the meantime; she has rented an area in the stable as the town is small.

Diddsbury is a small, rural town primarily centered around farming. It possesses a moderately-sized town center consisting primarily of traders and shops, and the climate is often rainy or overcast. The town center contains a General Store, a Butcher Shop with hanging meat, a ratcatcher’s shop, a small Inn, a weapon and armor store, and a rotating store at the stables staffed by passing merchants. The Butcher Shop contains a great variety of meat, and the fat owner is proud of his selection. He’ll try and push the party to trying his prime cuts of boar, a rarity in these parts. The Ratcatcher’s Shop contains mancatchers, 10-ft poles, rat poison, healer’s kits, and Potions of Cure Light Wounds. The owner is a sketchy-looking halfing, who offers a +1 Kukri for 500g if the party shops from him a few times The General Shop contains basic adventuring goods The Weapon and Armor Store is owned by an average-looking man who is quiet and unsure of his skills. Everything bought has a 10% chance of being masterwork, though they all cost the standard amount

The Inn is the usual hangout of the town guard, and contains a bar/pub on it’s lower levels.

As the players get set in town, they soon hear a horrible scream from the direction of the stables - See Main Quest 2

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Archival: Old Scene 1 - (This was the original into, but skip it - It felt like there were two intros so I just edited the second part instead. I included this here, still, for posterity, in case I have to refer to it later.)

The party is given a summons from the Storm Petrel Academy, a school located in the capitol city of Angelpoint. A fiercely atheistic organization, the martial academy is dedicated to fighting demons despite eschewing the aid of the divine, and believes in the need for mortals to choose their own destiny. The school is expansive and full of arcane wards, and it’s expansive vault of magic items is well known.The party is brought in to an office full of many esoteric books. They are presented with a clock that, at irregular intervals no more than a minute apart, has a cuckoo spring put and cluck loudly. The professor here has a tired, half-dead look in his eyes... As if he has a splitting headache. As the clock clucks, the professor looks as though he's at his wits end. He introduces himself as “Null,” and implies this is an alias.He explains; "As you can see, I'm having a clock problem..." And looks over the party with dead eyes. An Engineering check of 15 tells the party that this shouldn't be happening outside of entirely re-engineering a typical clock, but the professor expects the party to react incredulously regardless. There he reveals with some anger in his voice the real reason he's annoyed - That clock was not a cuckoo clock a week ago."Right... This clock is a magic item. It's especially sensitive to cosmic changes. A canary in a coal mine, if you will"The cuckoo clucks loudly"Mmm. I think something out there finds this very amusing" he says, dead-eyed with pause."Ahem. It was in the vault, so no one should be able to get in... We've checked and nothing was taken, and none of the student body have come forward either. As such, I'm asking you all to seek out a particular" The cuckoo clock chirps harshly, dampening his mood "...expert."He explains further, "We must find a particular scholar and former professor, who retired many years ago... He is a scholar of esoteric lore, and other planes. If anyone knows what this means, it's him. We know of his last location, a small village up north called Lakeside Hill, but almost nothing else. He was always a bit of a recluse so he may have moved on, and, being a Storm Petrel, has operated under aliases for years to obscure his identity. In any case, we need you to go to that village, and track him down."