TEXT: BY LANDON WINKLER
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  
  OPULOS AMBASSADOR  
  TIER 11
  Medium transport
  Speed 12; Maneuverability average (turn 2); Drift 2
  AC 31; TL 29 
  HP 100; DT —; CT 20 
  Shields heavy 360 (forward 90, port 90, starboard 90, aft 90) 
  Attack (Forward) particle beam (8d6; 20 hexes)
  Attack (Aft) particle beam (8d6; 20 hexes)
  Attack (Turret) maser (6d10; 20 hexes)
  Power Core Pulse Prismatic (300 PCU); Drift Engine Signal Booster; Systems advanced long-range sensors, crew quarters (luxurious), mk 
  4 duonode computer, mk 10 armor, mk 10 defenses; Expansion Bays cargo hold, escape pods, medical bay, passenger seating, smuggler 
  compartment (DC 30)
  Modifiers +4 to any 2 checks per round, +4 Computers (sensors only), –1 Piloting; Complement 6 (minimum 1, maximum 6)
  CREW 
  Captain Diplomacy +25 (11 ranks), Engineering +20 (11 ranks), gunnery +16 (11th level), Intimidate +20 (11 ranks), Piloting +20 (11 ranks)
  Engineer Engineering +20 (11 ranks) 
  Gunners (2) gunnery +15 (11th level)
  Pilot Piloting +20 (11 ranks) 
  Science Officer Computers +20 (11 ranks)
  The Opulos Ambassador embodies three ideals: luxury, privacy, and security. The ship’s interior is a masterpiece of understated elegance, 
  intended to impress influential guests and keep the ship’s inhabitants in the lap of luxury wherever they go, while the ship’s powerful weapons 
  and cutting-edge defenses serve as deterrents against those who might mistake a luxury ship as an easy target. Top-of-the-line power cores and 
  thrusters place the ship among the fastest in its class, easily able to escape from threats that prove too powerful for shipboard weapons. In the 
  event of disaster, the ship’s fully stocked medical bay ensures that an on-staff doctor can take care of any emergencies—and allows the crew to 
  avoid visiting a hospital, should they want to stave off leaving a trail of records. Boardroom-style passenger seating allows for discreet meetings 
  where conversations of a sensitive nature can be conducted outside of planetary jurisdiction. Opulos also offers its customers customization 
  services for modular bays based on client specifications, allowing the Ambassador to fit any customer’s needs—assuming they have the credits 
  to afford this boutique service. Popular customizations include, but are not limited to, vidstreaming studios, private sports training facilities, and 
  even weapon testing ranges.
  While the Ambassador is marketed to diplomats, businesspeople, and interplanetary jetsetters, the starship’s privacy and safety features 
  make it popular among a certain class of highly successful criminals—particularly those who provide clandestine services to the ultra-wealthy. 
  The Stewards have issued multiple statements condemning the Ambassador’s “privacy suite” as encouraging illegal transport of dangerous 
  goods and individuals throughout the Pact Worlds. Opulos maintains that the smuggler-style compartment is necessary for diplomats and elite 
  executives who wish to maintain their privacy—and Opulos’s lawyers have thus far kept any prying eyes from acquiring client records that would 
  reveal the identity of those who have purchased these ships. Still, savvy captains encountering an Ambassador in transit might think twice 
  before scanning the ship—they may find themselves privy to knowledge the ship’s crew is willing to fight to keep secret.
  
  On the Cover
  30
  BY LANDON WINKLER
  PUPPETS WITHOUT STRINGS
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  PUPPETS WITHOUT STRINGS
  PART 6 OF 6
  Puppets Without Strings 
  2
  by Landon Winkler
  Continuing the Campaign 
  40
  by Kendra Leigh Speedling
  Magic Academies 
  46
  by Hilary Moon Murphy
  Alien Archives 
  54
  by Alexander Augunus, Anthony Bono, and Landon Winkler
  Codex of Worlds: Nerralen 
  62
  by Jessica Ross
  Starship: Opulos Ambassador 
  Inside
  by John Curtin 
  Covers
   
  This book refers to other Starfinder products using the following abbreviations, yet these additional supplements are not required to make use 
  of this book. Readers interested in references to Starfinder hardcovers can find the complete rules of these books available online for free at 
  paizo.com/sfrd.
  Alien Archive  
  AA 
  Character Operations Manual 
  COM
  Alien Archive 2 
  AA2 
  Pact Worlds 
  PW
  Armory 
  AR 
  Artist Tomasz Chistowski provides a glimpse of 
  Mysteriarch Zaxo, the mastermind gray who has been 
  pulling the PCs’ strings for the entire campaign.
  Paizo Inc.
  7120 185th Ave NE, Ste 120
  Redmond, WA 98052-0577
  paizo.com
  AUTHOR
  Landon Winkler
  ADDITIONAL WRITING
  Alexander Augunas, Anthony Bono, John Curtin, 
  Hilary Moon Murphy, Kendra Leigh Speedling, and 
  Jessica Ross
  DEVELOPERS
  Jason Keeley and Jason Tondro
  EDITING LEAD
  Leo Glass
  EDITORS
  Judy Bauer, Leo Glass, Avi Kool, Kieran Newton, 
  Lu Pellazar, and Eric Prister
  COVER ARTIST
  Tomasz Chistowski
  INTERIOR ARTISTS
  Javier Charro, Michele Giorgi, Marko Horvatin, 
  Sammy Khalid, Pixoloid Studios (Mark Molnar, 
  David Metzger, Gaspar Gombos, Zsolt ‘Mike’ Szabados, 
  Janos Gardos, Laszlo Hackl, Orsolya Villanyi), 
  Ramon Puasa Jr, and Sebastian Rodriguez
  PAGE BORDER DESIGN
  Tomasz Chistowski
  CARTOGRAPHERS
  Robert Lazzaretti and Damien Mammoliti
  ART DIRECTION AND GRAPHIC DESIGN
  Adam Vick
  CREATIVE DIRECTOR
  Robert G. McCreary
  MANAGING DEVELOPER
  Amanda Hamon
  STARFINDER LEAD DESIGNER
  Joe Pasini
  PUBLISHER
  Erik Mona
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  2
  PART 3: MEETING YOUR MAKER 
  30
  The PCs are called to a starship invisibly lurking just outside Absalom Station’s Armada, where 
  they confront the gray leader who was ultimately responsible for their creation as clones! 
  PART 2: NO MORE MASKS 
  22
  With the help of the Stewards, the PCs can expose a number of reptoid infiltrators and put an end 
  to their power-grabbing schemes.
  PART 1: ABSALOM’S SHADOW 
   3
  The PCs must undertake an investigation into several nominees for the Pact Council’s Directorate 
  to discover which might be reptoids in disguise.
  PUPPETS WITHOUT STRINGS
  ADVANCEMENT TRACK
  “Puppets Without Strings” is designed for 
  four characters.
   
  The PCs begin this adventure at 11th level.
   
  The PCs should reach 12th level after they  
  defeat the reptoid infiltrators.
  .
   
  The PCs should be 13th level before  
  confronting Mysteriarch Zaxo.
  11
  12
  13
  
  Reptoids living within the Pact Worlds desire to secretly 
  control the system. To that end, their agents have infiltrated 
  various governments and other powerful organizations, 
  including the Pact Council, but their grasp is not unbreakable.
  Meanwhile, a faction of grays under the leadership of 
  Mysteriarch Zaxo created the PCs as clones, hoping to 
  train and use them to root out and—at least temporarily—
  replace some of these covert reptoids. The grays intended 
  to study the value of such direct infiltration; while most 
  believe this sort of interference is unnecessary and makes 
  objective observation impossible, they also consider the 
  reptoid presence equally disruptive, and so the plan was 
  put in motion. 
  The reptoids quickly threw the grays’ scheme into 
  disarray with their attack on Outpost Omicron, where the 
  clones were created. With few other options, Zaxo altered 
  the parameters of the experiment, instead observing 
  the newly freed clones to evaluate the effects of their 
  initial training. At first, the PCs were remarkable subjects, 
  defeating a cell of reptoids on their own, allying with the 
  Stewards, and uncovering a dycepskian plot. Now that the 
  PCs have destroyed an important observation post at Laoe 
  Araae, however, Zaxo has decided to eliminate the PCs and 
  their allies, but not before giving them the chance to finally 
  serve their intended purpose and further disrupt a major 
  reptoid plot aboard Absalom Station.
  Three reptoids posing as members of the Pact Council—
  including one from whom one of the PCs was cloned—have 
  been nominated for seats on the Directorate, a committee 
  that plays a major role in governing the Pact Worlds. No one is 
  aware of their true natures, and if elected to these positions, 
  the reptoids would be able to influence the system’s politics 
  for years to come.
  One reptoid secretly replaced a popular Pact Council 
  member named Erem years ago by sneaking into their 
  apartment and killing them in their sleep. The reptoid version 
  of Erem slowly gained power, earning a seat on the Directorate 
  2 years ago (as a representative of Absalom Station) and is 
  seeking reelection. Erem is aware of the other two reptoids 
  among the nominees but hasn’t played more than a subtle role 
  in helping them get elected as well.
  The second reptoid replaced noted stream host Thylas 
  Starhammer when the dwarf started publicly asking 
  questions about shapechanging infiltrators within the church 
  of Iomedae. Soon after, the reptoid version of Thylas officially 
  moved his residence to the poisonous Liavaran moon of 
  Osoro (though his holovid studio is on Absalom Station) and 
  eventually became that moon’s representative on the Pact 
  Council. The original Thylas was a proponent of studying 
  the history of Lost Golarion, but his reptoid replacement 
  has turned into an outspoken demagogue of racial politics, 
  spreading misinformation about many of the unliving and 
  nonhumanoid species of the Pact Worlds. Though he still 
  has a loyal audience, many believe he is a long shot to gain a 
  Directorate seat.
  The third reptoid replaced wealthy ryphorian Vora 
  Rinn during her campaign to become one of Triaxus’s 
  representatives. A former athlete in a niche sport called 
  bondracing who then became a club owner, Vora purchased a 
  great deal of political collateral that her reptoid replacement 
  has leveraged in her pursuit of a Directorate seat. Earlier this 
  year, she convinced a reptoid ally to assassinate the Triaxian 
  ambassador (and member of the Directorate) Balam Dori. The 
  Triaxian government decided that another representative, 
  Zia Choh, who also killed Dori’s assassin, would serve out 
  the rest of their term. Zia is looking to keep this position, 
  but since only one Triaxian council member can serve on 
  the Directorate, the reptoid Vora has been attempting to 
  secretly discredit the true ryphorian. The PCs must wade 
  into this tangled snare of politics and conspiracies if they 
  wish to save the Pact Worlds.
  After investigating Observation Post Zairx in the previous 
  adventure, the PCs have uncovered proof that they are, in fact, 
  clones, and have located the original versions of themselves—
  including a member of the Pact Council’s Directorate who is 
  actually a reptoid in disguise. The exact species and gender 
  of this councilor, named Erem, will depend on the PCs of your 
  campaign. See the Choosing Erem sidebar on page 4 for tips 
  on how to make this decision.
  The PCs are likely eager to head to Absalom Station 
  from Laoe Araae to confront Erem. If they haven’t already 
  contacted Xych Vorsen and Ephecta, their Steward allies, the 
  two agents reach out to them before the PCs’ ship enters the 
  Drift, reminding them that they are still wanted criminals. 
  Ephecta transmits a Stewards-approved docking code to 
  the PCs that will get them through Absalom Traffic Control 
  without scrutiny. She then tells them to meet the agents at an 
  address in the Ring neighborhood of Drifter’s End, where they 
  can plan their next move. Xych says that they will be speaking 
  with Director-General Lin Camulan to earn his support. In the 
  meantime, the shirren advises the PCs to keep a low profile.
  The trip from Bretheda is uneventful, taking 1d6 days 
  of Drift travel or 1d6+2 days by conventional thrusters; 
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  3
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  ADVENTURE 
  BACKGROUND
  PART 1:  
  ABSALOM'S SHADOW
  
  remember to divide this result by the PCs’ Drift engine rating. 
  If PCs need to craft, retrain, or perform other downtime 
  activities (see page 150 of the Starfinder Character Operations 
  Manual), they have some time to do so.
  BROADCAST NEWS
  By looking up Erem on the local infosphere, the PCs learn 
  about the upcoming election for Directorate members in 
  the Pact Council. Erem, as an incumbent member of the 
  Directorate, appears on many news vidstreams explaining 
  how the process works (while the actual nominations and 
  voting are internal to the Pact Council, some members 
  take time to solicit support from their respective planets’ 
  governments and populaces) and explaining their vision for 
  the next 2 years, should they be reelected.
  At least 1 day after the PCs leave Laoe Araae, Erem gives an 
  interview to an Absalom Station reporter that mentions the 
  PCs. Read or paraphrase the following.
  The lashunta reporter leans over and gives a lively grin. 
  “So, do you have anything to say about your body double 
  rampaging around Gamut Bio and Laoe Araae?”
  Erem gives a practiced laugh in response. “Oh, Laoe Araae 
  now? I clearly get around.”
  “Absolutely. Let me show some of the exclusive new 
  footage we just received.” She gestures off screen. The 
  promised footage rolls, showing a fight within the hospice. It 
  has been carefully edited to make it look like a professional 
  attack on the site.
  Erem laughs again. “Good thing I haven’t left the station 
  or citizens would think I’d taken up a life of crime.”
  The reporter turns to the camera with a smile. “We’d like 
  to remind everyone that, despite the sizable bounty on these 
  criminals’ heads, you shouldn’t try to haul in councilor Erem. 
  And,” she adds, tapping a datapad on the table, “we have a 
  statement from the Brethedan entity of Confluence saying 
  the footage from the hospice is fake. So maybe it was a 
  smear all along.”
  “Well, I have no reason to think Confluence would lie 
  about something like that. And I trust my political opponents 
  could have done better than those gods-awful disguises.” 
  Erem chuckles as the interviewer signs off.
  EVENT 1: A FIGHT OF ANGELS (CR 13)
  The PCs complete docking procedures at the arm closest to 
  the Lorespire Complex with no difficulty. They disembark 
  from their starship to find a couple of bored-looking security 
  guards and other travelers milling about the docking bay. 
  Neither pay any real attention to the PCs unless the PCs do 
  something to draw attention to themselves. Cautious PCs 
  might even be in disguise.
  A tram regularly runs from these docking bays to Drifter’s 
  End; the PCs don’t need to wait more than a few minutes for 
  the next tram. A PC who succeeds at a DC 32 Perception 
  check notices that the only other passenger boarding the 
  tram with them is a sarcesian woman wearing flexible armor. 
  Less than a minute after the tram leaves the docking bay, it 
  comes to a slow stop within a dark stretch of tunnel.
  Creatures: The sarcesian woman is Jynma, a prominent 
  bounty hunter, who has used her glimpse the truth operative 
  exploit to see through any of the PCs’ methods of staying 
  unnoticed. When the tram stops, she announces who she 
  is and her intent to bring in the PCs. She asks the PCs to 
  surrender peacefully, but she expects them to fight back. A 
  pair of her associates are hiding in the tunnel to assist if the 
  situation escalates to combat. Jynma attempts to stall the PCs 
  until her associates are in position (a PC who succeeds at a DC 
  26 Perception check notices the sound of something landing 
  on the tram’s roof during their conversation) and then attacks 
  if the PCs haven’t yet given themselves up. If the PCs attack 
  immediately, it takes the other sarcesians 2 rounds to arrive. 
  In either case, the two cybercommandos come crashing 
  through the windows as soon as they are in position. Jynma 
  also has access to the tram’s security systems (see Trap on 
  page 5).
  If the PCs don’t take the tram with Jynma, she still 
  ambushes them in the tunnel. If the PCs get to Drifter’s End 
  by other means, Jynma continues to track them and can show 
  up at the KSN Interstellar offices (page 15).
  SARCESIAN CYBERCOMMANDOS (2) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  HP 110 each; RP 4 each (Starfinder Alien Archive 98)
  TACTICS
  During Combat After they each throw a screamer 
  grenade at the PCs, one cybercommando engages the 
  toughest-looking PC in melee while the other stays back 
  and fires their laser rifle at spellcasting PCs.
  Morale The cybercommandos follow Jynma’s lead.
  CHOOSING EREM
  Ultimately, picking which of your PCs is a clone of 
  Erem, the Pact Council member replaced by a reptoid, 
  is your decision. Erem is a popular and compelling 
  politician, so you might consider choosing the PC 
  with the highest Charisma bonus, a PC with the icon 
  theme, or the PC who has been the most diplomatic 
  during the campaign. Alternatively, you can select a 
  gruff and laconic PC as an interesting counterpoint, 
  showing that experience shapes people beyond their 
  genetics. Though Absalom Station is a very diverse 
  location, most of its population is human, which means 
  its leading representative likely would be as well. 
  However, if none of the PCs are human, you don’t need 
  to jump through hoops to explain why Erem isn’t either. 
  Erem is also equally likely to be any gender.
  4
  
  JYNMA 
  CR 11
  XP 12,800
  Female sarcesian operative (Alien Archive 98)
  LN Large humanoid (sarcesian)
  Init +10; Senses low-light vision; Perception +26
  DEFENSE 
  HP 170 RP 5
  EAC 24; KAC 25
  Fort +10; Ref +13; Will +14
  Defensive Abilities improved evasion, uncanny agility
  OFFENSE
  Speed 50 ft.
  Melee heavy sap +21 (2d8+11 nonlethal B)
  Ranged LFD sonic pistol +21 (2d8+11 So; critical deafen 
  [DC 20])
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
  Offensive Abilities debilitating trick, trick attack +6d8, 
  triple attack
  TACTICS
  During Combat Jynma uses Sense Motive to perform trick 
  attacks with her heavy sap, attempting to capture the 
  PCs alive if possible.
  Morale Jynma will flee if an ally is killed and surrender if 
  one of them is held hostage. In either case, she might 
  reappear later in the adventure at your discretion.
  STATISTICS
  Str +0; Dex +8; Con +0; Int +3; Wis +5; Cha +1
  Skills Acrobatics +26, Culture +21, Diplomacy +21, Sense 
  Motive +26, Survival +21
  Languages Common, Dwarven, Eoxian, Sarcesian, Ysoki
  Other Abilities detective’s insight, operative exploit 
  (glimpse the truth), specialization (detective), void flyer 
  Gear kasatha microcord IV, heavy sapAR, LFD sonic pistol 
  with 2 high-capacity batteries (40 charges each), 
  secured comm unit, credstick with 25,000 credits
   
  Trap: The tram’s automated security system is set to stun 
  participants whenever a fight begins, but has been modified 
  by one of Jynma’s contacts to recognize Jynma and her allies 
  as law enforcement. As such, it ignores them when targeting 
  hostile combatants.
  TRAM SECURITY 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200
  Type technological; Perception DC 30; Disable Computers 
  DC 25 (add additional individuals as law enforcement 
  personnel) or Engineering DC 25 (disconnect sensors)
  Trigger proximity (auditory); Reset 1 round
  Effect pacifying pulse +12 ranged (4d10 nonlethal So); 
  multiple targets (each creature in tram that has attacked 
  someone recognized as a law enforcement official in the 
  previous round); Fortitude DC 17 half
  Development: Jynma’s comm unit is well-secured, 
  requiring a successful DC 26 Computers check to hack; after 
  three failed attempts, the comm unit wipes all of its data. 
  The comm unit contains several folders of documentation, 
  including Jynma’s research into the PCs’ actions at Gamut Bio 
  and Laoe Araae (much of which the PCs know is fabricated). 
  The contact that is supposed to pay her for the bounty is 
  KSN Interstellar (page 15). In addition, there is a message 
  from someone calling themselves “TERM1NAL” (page 14) 
  that provides the PCs’ arrival time and docking bay, as well 
  as assurances for Jynma that the tram’s security system has 
  “been modified per your request.”
  If Jynma surrenders and a PC succeeds at a DC 30 
  Diplomacy check or DC 34 Intimidate check, the bounty 
  hunter can tell them the above information.
  A PC who attempts to disable the tram’s security 
  system using Computers finds an electronic calling card for 
  TERM1NAL—including a pixelated image of a sword piercing 
  a datapad.
  THE SAFE HOUSE
  At the address they were given, the PCs find a dreary gray 
  structure with a commanding view of the Lorespire Complex. 
  A holographic sign on the exterior names the building 
  Orphys Tower. A PC who succeeds at a DC 5 Culture check 
  knows that Orphys is the largest city on the undead planet 
  of Eox. The connection to Eox is confirmed when a ghoul in a 
  finely tailored doorman’s outfit opens the front door for the 
  PCs and invites them inside. If any PCs seem reluctant to 
  enter, the ghoul—who identifies himself as Khade—tells them 
  that Xych Vorsen and Ephecta are awaiting them upstairs. 
  Khade also explains that the building is indeed owned by the 
  Eoxian government.
  Khade directs the PCs to a set of chambers near the 
  tower’s top floor. The suite is decorated in tones of ashen 
  gray and black, but someone has added several lamps, a 
  range of instant beverages, and vases of fresh flowers to 
  EVENT 1: A FIGHT OF ANGELS
  EVENT 1: A FIGHT OF ANGELS
  1 SQUARE = 5 FEET
  1 SQUARE = 5 FEET
  N
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  5
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC 
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  
  make the place a bit more homey. The PCs’ Steward allies 
  wait in the common room; Xych paces in front of a window, 
  its shades drawn, and Ephecta sits in an overstuffed black 
  easy chair.
  Xych begins by apologizing for the suite’s dreariness, 
  explaining that Confluence called in a favor with the Eoxian 
  embassy to use the building off the books. Since reptoids can’t 
  easily disguise themselves as undead, this serves as a safe 
  place for the PCs to be in their current situation (as safe as 
  possible, at least). After the PCs have had a chance to settle 
  in—each of them is given use of a room—read or paraphrase 
  the following.
  After a muted conversation on their comm unit, Xych Vorsen 
  turns to address the room, their eyes gleaming and fists 
  balled. “He believes us!”
  “Director-General Lin Camulan,” Ephecta clarifies.
  “Yes! He agrees that Erem is definitely suspicious 
  and might even be a reptoid. If we can expose 
  them, it will deal a serious blow to the reptoid 
  conspiracy.” Their excitement wanes a little. “The 
  director-general is even more cautious than my 
  partner here and has some concerns, however. He 
  said that if Erem is indeed a reptoid, there’s likely 
  to be more, particularly in the pool of Directorate 
  nominees. And he has a point. One reptoid in the 
  Directorate is a disaster, but even more would 
  grant them total control.”
  “Sounds like the reptoid MO,” Ephecta 
  states dryly. 
  Through 
  the 
  PCs’ 
  previous 
  actions, 
  the 
  director-general is aware that the Stewards have been 
  compromised. He would like to know whether that 
  corruption has spread to (or originated from) the Pact 
  Council, but he is aware of the political issues at play. 
  Acting against Pact Council members is a tremendous 
  risk and—even if successful—will have long-ranging 
  consequences. He believes the threat of having 
  reptoids as members of the Directorate merits those 
  risks, but any plan to stop them must go perfectly; 
  there aren’t second chances. Xych relates all this to 
  the PCs.
  For the purpose of this adventure, you will track 
  Trust Points, an abstracted score that represents 
  the director-general’s confidence in the proof the 
  PCs uncover. He agrees to provide covert search 
  warrants that won’t arouse the suspicions 
  of the reptoid infiltrators at 3 Trust Points, 
  and approves the PCs to act against 
  the reptoid nominees after they 
  accumulate 6 Trust Points. However, if 
  the players are enjoying turning over 
  every rock, you might have him 
  wait until they have uncovered everything; conversely, if the 
  players have run out of patience investigating, you can allow 
  things to move more quickly.
  Story Award: For each Trust Point the PCs gain, award them 
  6,400 XP, to a maximum of 38,400 XP.
  A TANGLED WEB
  The PCs have several days to perform their investigations 
  before the Pact Council votes on Directorate members. While 
  the vote is officially scheduled in five days, there is often 
  wheeling and dealing behind the scenes. If the PCs are making 
  progress but need a little extra time, powerful allies like the 
  Brethedan Pact Council delegation and the director-general 
  can slow down the process.
  The sections that follow are divided into public knowledge, 
  sources, locations, and events. Public knowledge represents 
  information that can be obtained from the infosphere or by 
  talking to everyday citizens. Sources are individuals, groups, 
  or other pools of information the PCs can contact to learn 
  more. Locations are specific places to investigate. 
  Events occur when noted or when you need to 
  move the investigation along.
  PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE
  The following information can be discovered 
  on the infosphere or by asking around 
  Absalom Station, presented from easiest to 
  acquire to the most difficult.
  INFOSPHERE NEWS
  Just by watching news vids, the PCs 
  can learn the list of nominees and 
  some basic information about 
  them. This list can be found in 
  Handout: Directorate Nominees 
  on page 7, which can be given to 
  your players as a resource (though you 
  should first fill in any relevant information 
  about Erem).
  There is a bit of turnover in the 
  five-member Directorate this year. Erem 
  and the shirren Klendalikh are looking to 
  maintain their seats, while Zia Choh believes 
  they should continue representing Triaxus after 
  they replaced the ryphorian Director Balam 
  Dori, who was assassinated under mysterious 
  circumstances earlier this year. Two members are 
  not seeking to retain their seats. Avarak Plutas 
  of Eox served their maximum of three terms, but 
  has declared their support for Gevalarsk Nor. 
  In addition, a barathu collective known as 
  Outreach has recently stepped down from 
  the Pact Council entirely and dissolved 
  following allegations that several of its 
  6
  jynma
  
  constituent parts had been involved in a radical branch 
  of Oras’s faith; the Brethedan government is focusing its 
  efforts on replacing this representative.
  Meanwhile, much of the news coverage is focusing on the 
  clash between two representatives from Triaxus—Vora Rinn 
  and Zia Choh—who each seek to represent Triaxus on the 
  Pact Council (a world can have only one director at a time). 
  Both were respected athletes in the past—Zia competed as 
  a battleflower and Vora became famous in the relatively 
  obscure Triaxian sport of bondracing (which the news 
  anchors discuss in detail). As usual for Absalom Station news, 
  more time seems to be spent on clips of them competing than 
  their political records. 
  GATHERING INFORMATION
  The Directorate nominees are rather public figures and 
  it’s not terribly difficult to collect information about them. 
  A PC who succeeds at a DC 15 Diplomacy check to gather 
  information (which takes 1d4 hours) learns the following 
  about a candidate of their choosing; if the result of the check 
  exceeds the DC by 10 or more, the PC finds a particularly 
  talkative crowd who will also provide information on 
  another nominee.
  Remember that the PCs are wanted criminals, and so 
  canvassing Absalom Station for information might expose 
  their presence. Generally speaking, a PC who succeeds at 
  a DC 20 Disguise check can attempt one Diplomacy check 
  to gather information without being recognized. This DC is 
  increased by 5 for the PC who looks like Erem and by 5 for 
  asking questions about Erem, as both encourage more acute 
  observation; these DC increases stack.
  Each piece of information represents the most prominent 
  public opinion about that candidate. Whether or not each 
  opinion is based in fact is noted in parentheses.
  Erem: It’s easy to find an Absalom Station native willing to 
  talk about Erem. “Ah, yeah, everybody knows Erem. Spends 
  more time on the news than in the council chamber but keeps 
  an eye on our interests and does a good job keeping the 
  barathus from gaining too much influence. Maybe too good 
  a job, if you can believe the news from Gamut Bio and Laoe 
  Araae.” (The general public is unaware that Erem is a reptoid, 
  and that their efforts to stall barathu political influence are 
  rooted in the fact that reptoids can’t replace them.)
  Gevalarsk Nor: As a resident of Absalom Station and the 
  go-to suspect whenever a local controversy involves Eox, 
  Gevalarsk Nor is well-known among the populace. “I don’t 
  know if he’s working with the Corpse Fleet or what, but he’s 
  definitely up to something. He’s probably got something 
  on Avarak Plutas to get their endorsement, but don’t mess 
  around with Eoxian business unless you want to end up as 
  dead as them.” (Gevalarsk Nor received Tovas’s endorsement 
  because he is a skilled diplomat and politician, though most 
  people’s prejudices against the undead mean they don’t trust 
  the necrovite.)
  Haussill Hau: The aging human of Hylki ethnicity faded 
  from public view after he stepped down from the Pact 
  Council decades ago, so most of those who remember 
  him are from an older generation. “Haussill Hau? Pfft. He 
  ‘stepped down’ right after the Swarm War without giving 
  a reason. But I heard he was involved in some shady deals 
  trying to sell bits of Swarm corpses to biotech companies! 
  And now he comes back like nothing ever happened?!” (This 
  HANDOUT: DIRECTORATE NOMINEES
  NOMINEE
  REPRESENTS
  BASIC FACTS
  NOTES
  Erem 
  Absalom Station
  Current director, popular
  Gevalarsk Nor 
  (male undead elebrian)
  Eox
  Has been linked to the 
  Corpse Fleet
  Haussill Hau  
  (male human)
  Akiton
  Hylki ethnicity, former 
  Director, left Pact Council for 
  personal reasons
  Klendalikh  
  (female shirren)
  Verces
  Current director, proponent of 
  cybernetic research
  Losifaran  
  (male elf)
  Castrovel
  Laconic, past is unknown
  Milgan Nivaris Katchal Andar of House 
  Hadulan (female kasatha)
  Idari
  Vocal devotee of Talavet
  Thylas Starhammer  
  (male dwarf)
  Osoro
  Host of Lorecast stream
  Uvali Rycast 
  (female drow)
  Apostae
  Noble of House Rycast
  Vora Rinn  
  (female transitional ryphorian)
  Triaxus
  Former bondracer and 
  club owner
  Zia Choh 
  (nonbinary winterborn ryphorian)
  Triaxus
  Former battleflower of Ning
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  7
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC 
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  
  particular rumor is true, but Haussill recently returned to 
  the Akitonian government’s good graces after spending 
  some time off-planet.)
  Klendalikh: Even among political enthusiasts, Klendalikh is 
  the Director they’re most likely to forget. “Yeah, she doesn’t 
  show up in public a lot. They say it’s because she’s focused 
  on external issues: the Swarm, the Azlanti, and all that. But 
  I heard it’s actually because she’s got too much experimental 
  cyberware.” (Though Klendalikh is a proponent of cybernetic 
  enhancements, her augmentations haven’t affected her 
  attention span. She is indeed interested in protecting the Pact 
  Worlds from outside threats.)
  Losifaran: Although Losifaran’s name has come up a great 
  deal recently, most of the conversation has been around 
  how little people actually know about him. “All I’ve heard 
  are these weird baseless theories—he’s a pawn of Morgebard 
  of the Thousand Spines or a reptoid or whatever. But most 
  of his life occurred during the Gap, so he probably doesn’t 
  even know himself.” (None of the theories circulating about 
  Losifaran are true. Unlike many of the other isolationist 
  elves of Castrovel, Losifaran is actually interested in the 
  future of the system. He just doesn’t have the charisma or 
  political acumen of some of the other nominees.) If pressed 
  for information about reptoids, the source looks deeply 
  disappointed in the PC but provides a link to ConSpire 
  (page 11).
  Milgan Nivaris Katchal Andar: Most of those who have 
  heard of Andar are kasathas. “I’m not really sure why she’s the 
  Idari’s choice for Director. She’s got the experience, but she’s 
  really old-fashioned. Listen to Talavet’s teachings, sure, but go 
  to a real doctor. And who knows why she sticks up for people 
  like Allish Fluerasik?” (Milgan, a vocal devotee of Talavet, 
  believes the church is sufficient for her medical treatments 
  after they discovered she contracted a rare kasathan nerve 
  disease. Milgan has kept this health news a secret from even 
  the Pact Council, with the help of Allish Fluerasik.) Pressing 
  for information about Allish Fluerasik reveals that he is a 
  prominent power broker in the station who is very close to 
  becoming the head of a crime syndicate, and that Milgan 
  helped block legislation that would hurt his family’s business.
  Thylas Starhammer: Humans, dwarves, and others whose 
  ancestral homes vanished with the disappearance of the 
  planet Golarion are likely to have heard of Thylas. “Ah, yeah, 
  have you seen his stream, the Lorecast? You should totally 
  give it a watch. I learned way more about Golarion from his 
  vids than in school, but I was surprised when he officially 
  moved to Osoro to become a Pact Council representative. 
  The Knights of Golarion won’t officially endorse anyone, but 
  I’m sure they all want him to win.” (Starhammer began his 
  political career after he was replaced by a reptoid.) Although 
  the Lorecast stream (page 14) is easy enough to find, the 
  source will also enthusiastically provide a link.
  8
  
  Uvali Rycast: Merchants and pilots are likely to know about 
  Uvali. “She’s a real rising star among House Rycast. They’ve 
  been keeping her away from the shadier side of things, so 
  she looks pretty innocent... for a drow noble.” (Though she 
  knows generally how her house operates, Uvali isn’t aware of 
  its manipulation of Pact Council medical records.)
  Vora Rinn: Rinn has a number of fans among older 
  Triaxians. “I remember watching her race with her dragonkin 
  partner. Exciting stuff. Then they retired, opened up a club 
  in the Drakelands or some such, and got into politics. 
  Don’t know if she’s fit for a Directorate seat, but she’s been 
  saying someone should look at her fellow council member 
  Zia Choh’s involvement in Director Dori’s assassination. I 
  don’t know what to believe.” (The reptoid Rinn is the one 
  actually responsible for the director’s murder and is trying 
  to discredit Choh.)
  Zia Choh: The ryphorian is best known among political 
  enthusiasts and battleflower viewers. “Seems like most 
  Triaxians support them after they stepped in to fill Director 
  Dori’s seat—even after that interview where they said that 
  crazy stuff about reptoids.” The source can point to an 
  interview on the infosphere where Zia mentions that the 
  director’s assassin returned to their scaled, reptoid form after 
  being killed. (Choh was telling the truth.)
  SOURCES
  At the beginning of the adventure, the PCs may want to look 
  for information from certain sources (such as their Steward 
  and barathu allies) and will discover more potential sources 
  as they investigate. Each source generally presents only 
  the information the PCs ask about. The PCs might need to 
  revisit sources as their investigations proceeds. The sources 
  below are listed in the most likely order the PCs would 
  contact them.
  THE STEWARDS
  The PCs have two staunch allies in Xych Vorsen and Ephecta, 
  who can provide them with much of the information the 
  Stewards have collected on certain topics. Meeting directly 
  with Director-General Lin Camulan risks exposing the PCs, but 
  Xych and Ephecta can act as go-betweens. In general, Xych 
  is excited that most of their conspiracy theories have proven 
  true and that they are finally able to fight “the good fight.” 
  Ephecta provides periodic reality checks and is recognized as 
  the more responsible party by the director-general.
  Bounty/Criminal Records: The Stewards have substantial 
  files on the PCs. The director-general is willing to share these 
  files as a sign of good will once the PCs have gained 1 Trust 
  Point, or after they’ve convinced Ephecta the information is 
  vital to their investigation with a successful DC 30 Bluff or 
  Diplomacy check.
  The files include a variety of conflicting reports from 
  Stewards who turned out to be reptoids and those the 
  PCs have befriended. Most relevant to their investigation, 
  however, is the information that the old bounty on them—held 
  by Gamut Bio—has been withdrawn, and that a new bounty 
  for nonlethal apprehension has been placed anonymously. The 
  Stewards have traced that bounty back to a small Absalom 
  Station company named KSN Interstellar (page 15).
  Director Balam Dori: The Stewards’ investigation into the 
  director’s death discovered that the disguised assassin, who 
  was killed by Zia Choh on the scene, was a member of an 
  extremist group within the Veskarium; both the Veskarium 
  and the Pact Worlds have agreed to downplay the death to 
  reduce tensions. In the early days of the investigation, both 
  Vora Rinn and Zia Choh were cleared of suspicion. The file 
  contains a pair of shockingly grainy images of two dead 
  bodies: a ryphorian and a vesk. (If these images are compared 
  to the video from ConSpire or Vora’s datapad, it’s obvious they 
  were pulled from that doctored video.) 
  The PCs’ Steward allies can’t explain why the information 
  is so limited. A PC who succeeds at a DC 30 Computers check 
  or a DC 26 check with an appropriate Profession skill (such 
  as bureaucrat) discovers that the file was altered through an 
  account linked to the Stewards’ Roselight base, a fact that 
  should arouse the PCs’ suspicions as to its veracity.
  Directorate Nominees: The Stewards keep some basic 
  records on the council members, which Xych and Ephecta 
  can provide to the PCs. In addition, while medical records 
  are handled by an individual’s home government, they are 
  audited by the Pact Council medical review board (page 12). 
  Ephecta claims that if any of those records found that anyone 
  was a reptoid, that information would already have been 
  released, but Xych says that they might be worth taking a 
  look at regardless.
  What information the Stewards do have focuses on 
  finances and connections with extremist groups. The 
  financial information is mostly a list of secret accounts, with 
  frustratingly little information on individual transactions. 
  Erem and Haussill Hau each have over a dozen known 
  accounts collected over years on the Pact Council. Of 
  particular note in Haussill’s files are repeated covert 
  transfers of funds to a company called KSN Interstellar 
  (page 15). Losifaran is the only nominee who doesn’t have 
  any secret accounts. 
  Only a few files mention extremist ties, but those that do 
  go into substantial detail. Gevalarsk Nor has been responsible 
  for leading negotiations with the Corpse Fleet on a number of 
  occasions and maintains a level of contact with the group that 
  makes the Stewards uncomfortable. Milgan Nivaris Katchal 
  Andar is tied to a few ultra-conservative groups aboard the 
  Idari. Thylas Starhammer’s stream has spread widely among 
  factions in the church of Iomedae and the Knights of Golarion, 
  who often clash with everyday Eoxians.
  Fluerasik Family: The Stewards recognize the Fluerasik 
  family, and its head Allish Fluerasik, as important power 
  brokers on Absalom Station. The public side of the family 
  donates money and other resources to various political 
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  9
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC 
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  
  campaigns, and the Stewards believe Allish has blackmail 
  material on a number of Pact Council members—but can’t 
  prove it. The director-general is particularly worried that 
  Milgan Nivaris Katchal Andar has been compromised by the 
  family, since she once helped block legislation that would 
  limit political contributions (including those made by the 
  Fluerasiks). Several investigations into the family have stalled. 
  Outreach: The collective stepped down before a formal 
  inquiry could be held, but Steward records show that the 
  identity and earlier ties of its members were disclosed to 
  the Stewards when the collective first earned a spot on the 
  Pact Council. It wasn’t flagged as a security risk at the time, 
  but the status of the collective was changed to “high risk” 
  several months ago by Legate Tavin Arill.
  A PC who succeeds at a DC 20 Culture check knows that 
  the legates are a group of veteran and retired Stewards 
  without official power, but that hold deep respect and 
  wide-ranging access within the organization (Ephecta can 
  also explain this to the PCs). Most legates are well known 
  within the organization, but Tavin Arill isn’t particularly 
  prominent, suggesting he worked in either logistics or 
  intelligence. Any Steward can pull Tavin Arill’s contact info 
  from the database, but should also know not to investigate 
  a legate unless it’s a very serious matter.
  CONFLUENCE AND THEIR AGENTS
  Verifier Ki and the rest of the Confluence agents who serve as 
  Bretheda’s delegation on the Pact Council arrive on Absalom 
  Station shortly after the PCs. They are more than happy 
  to provide any information they have—but prefer to meet 
  anywhere but Orphys Tower. Thanks to their telepathy, such 
  an interview can be clandestine even in a public space. 
  Bounty/Criminal Records: The barathus are aware that 
  Gamut Bio has withdrawn their bounty and know about 
  the new bounty placed on the PCs’ heads. They don’t know 
  much about KSN Interstellar, meaning it is unlikely to be a 
  barathu company. However, their computer experts noticed 
  a skilled hacker also snooping around for more information 
  about the organization. They haven’t been able to track 
  a physical location more accurately than “somewhere on 
  Absalom Station.” 
  Directorate Nominees: The barathus consider Erem an 
  enemy and Klendalikh a close ally. The deceased Director 
  Balam Dori was an ally, and both Vora Rinn and Zia Choh have 
  made good-faith efforts to secure the Brethedan delegation’s 
  votes. The barathus don’t trust Gevalarsk Nor at all, but don’t 
  think he’s a reptoid. The barathus have no strong opinions 
  about the other nominees.
  Outreach: The barathus naturally have a great deal of 
  information on Outreach and can even arrange for a meeting 
  with some of Outreach’s former members, if the PCs would 
  like. Either can confirm that Erem was largely responsible 
  for stirring up the controversy and was probably the original 
  source of the leak. Klendalikh argued in Outreach’s favor, but 
  was largely ignored. Haussill Hau helped spread the rumor 
  and Thylas Starhammer gave it substantial airtime on his 
  channel, but neither worked directly with Erem.
  Outreach’s former members have formed a smaller barathu 
  collective that is still looking for a new purpose and name 
  and can provide some additional information about Erem, 
  a fragment of memory from the larger collective. Outreach 
  hired a detective to dig into Erem’s medical records held by 
  Dr. Gircix (page 13), hoping to find dirt, but the detective 
  disappeared. As hectic as the time was, the barathus don’t 
  believe Outreach was able to follow up on the matter before 
  the split. If asked about Legate Tavin Arill, Outreach’s former 
  members don’t have a strong memory of the man, suggesting 
  he worked in the background, investigating their political 
  enemies and performing background checks. They aren’t 
  aware of the man’s new job.
  THE DIRECTORATE NOMINEES
  The director-general advises the PCs not to speak directly 
  with any of the nominees. If any of them are reptoids, they 
  might recognize the PCs and ruin the investigation. Ephecta 
  notes that the quietest way to discover the truth would be to 
  look into any of their associates.
  LEGATE TAVIN ARILL
  The PCs can learn Legate Tavin Arill’s name and contact 
  information through the Stewards, Confluence, or other 
  sources. He’s actually been a reptoid for years.
  A PC who succeeds at a DC 25 Diplomacy check to gather 
  information about Tavin finds that he’s an older damaya 
  lashunta who was decorated for intelligence work, but retired 
  a few years ago to freelance in high-end private security. He 
  worked for a brief period on Outreach’s security team, but 
  now leads Director Erem’s security detail.
  At first, Arill communicates only through electronic 
  message, feeding the PCs the disinformation presented below. 
  He doesn’t hesitate to arrange for a face-to-face meeting if the 
  PCs want to discuss things that are too sensitive (see below) 
  and particularly if they offer to obtain a warrant. He then tries 
  to kill the PCs as described in Event 2 (page 18).
  Directorate Nominees: The legate has a fair amount of 
  experience with the various nominees. He says he trusts Erem 
  with his life and has had good relations with Haussill Hau 
  before, but has his suspicions about Gevalarsk Nor and Zia 
  Choh (the former because he likely has ties with the Corpse 
  Fleet and the latter because “nobody is that clean.”)
  He admits that Losifaran is something of a enigma but 
  jokingly floats the idea that he might be a reptoid to test the 
  PCs’ response. If the PCs show any knowledge of reptoids, 
  he’s more likely to arrange a direct meeting.
  Outreach: Tavin is extremely aware of Outreach’s 
  situation, but refuses to discuss further without a warrant 
  because he’s signed all sorts of paperwork. He does admit, 
  however, that Outreach’s situation weighs on his mind, 
  10
  
  bemoaning how a few bad barathus in a collective entity can 
  cause an insidious descent. If presented with a warrant, he 
  asks to meet in person.
  HOUSE RYCAST
  If the PCs send a request for information to 
  the public face of House Rycast on Absalom 
  Station, within 24 hours they receive a 
  polite refusal to talk about Uvali Rycast 
  (or any of the nominees) from local family 
  head Timaran Rycast (LE female drow). 
  Shortly after that, the PCs are contacted 
  anonymously by Mersadask Rycast (see 
  Event 4 on page 20).
  Lin Camulan will provide the PCs 
  with an official warrant that requires 
  House Rycast to speak with them as long 
  as they have 3 Trust Points. In that case, 
  Timaran Rycast agrees to meet with 
  the PCs in a plush café attached to 
  House Rycast’s offices in the Nyori 
  Palisades. The older drow woman 
  is polite but cagey, not revealing any 
  information the PCs don’t already 
  have. However, a PC who succeeds at a DC 25 Sense Motive 
  check determines the drow might be amenable to a trade 
  of information. If the PCs broach this topic of conversation, 
  Timaran indicates that she is curious what the PCs have to 
  offer, hinting that she might know something of great interest 
  to them.
  Timaran Rycast is mostly interested in the other nominees’ 
  secrets, though she is aware of many of them herself. A PC 
  who succeeds at a DC 26 Bluff or Diplomacy check gets 
  Timaran to admit that she wants to know why the traditional 
  Milgan Nivaris Katchal Andar once helped block legislation 
  that would hurt Allish Fluerasik. She is aware of most other 
  candidates’ dirty laundry, but doesn’t let on that she knows 
  any of it if the PCs tell her, and asks for more. While Timaran 
  doesn’t really care that there might be reptoids on the Pact 
  Council (beyond the fact that such a secret makes them easy 
  to manipulate), she is unaware that Erem and Vora Rinn have 
  been replaced. 
  If the PCs provide Timaran with proof of Milgan’s secret 
  medical problems or that both Erem and Vora Rinn are 
  reptoids, she tells them that House Rycast discovered 
  Thylas Starhammer’s reptoid identity after he came to them 
  looking for a way to weaponize Osoro’s poisonous gas against 
  nonhumanoids. She strung him along while drow diviners 
  looked into his past and learned of his replacement.
  Breaking into House Rycast’s offices is possible, but quite 
  dangerous. The building is staffed with dozens of drow, 
  including several noble arms dealers (Starfinder Alien Archive 
  42). Xych and Ephecta caution the PCs against this tactic, 
  which would be beyond the scope of this adventure. However, 
  if the PCs capture Timaran alive, she will give the PCs her 
  information about Thylas if they agree to let her go. 
  Learning that Thylas is a reptoid by dealing with Timaran 
  Rycast earns the PCs 1 Trust Point.
  THE INFOSPHERE AND CONSPIRE
  Finding conspiracy theories on Absalom Station’s 
  infosphere is upsettingly easy, but finding facts 
  among the noise is not. A PC who spends 1d4 
  hours searching the infosphere about any of 
  the topics below and who succeeds at a DC 25 
  Computers check discovers ConSpire, a site 
  where much of the more reliable (though 
  still fringe) information about Absalom 
  Station’s strange goings-on is aggregated. 
  Of course, the PCs might hear about 
  ConSpire through other means.
  Director Balam Dori: 
  The 
  Director’s 
  assassination 
  is 
  a huge topic of discussion 
  on the site, even though it 
  happened nearly a year ago. 
  A shockingly low-resolution 
  video, claiming to show the 
  assassin transforming into a reptoid after his death, is one of 
  the most viewed and discussed on the site. However, most of 
  the users believe it to be a clumsy fake.
  The vid shows the director exiting the Plenara and being 
  struck by a ray of green light from off-screen. Zia Choh rushes 
  to his side as he collapses and begins to turn to ash, a look of 
  terrible grief on Zia’s face. The camera swings wildly to show 
  the assassin: an unarmed male winterborn ryphorian whose 
  shouts remain unheard over the panic of the surrounding 
  crowd. Zia appears, their face now still and stoic, and they 
  proceed to pummel the assassin to death. The assassin’s body 
  morphs into a reptilian form after it hits the ground, just 
  before the vid ends.
  Any PC who succeeds at a DC 25 Life Science check or 
  who has seen a reptoid before can tell that the dead assassin 
  transforms into a vesk, not a reptoid. A PC who analyzes 
  the video and succeeds at a DC 30 Computers or relevant 
  Profession check discovers that the vesk corpse is of slightly 
  higher quality than the rest of the scene, indicating it was 
  edited in. A PC who succeeds at a DC 21 Mysticism check can 
  identify the ray as a disintegrate spell.
  Beyond the video itself, substantial conversation exists on 
  the site regarding the motives of both the assassination and 
  the doctored vid. The most popular theory is that someone—
  possibly reptoids—was trying to push the Veskarium and Pact 
  Worlds closer to war. Other theories suggest that Balam was 
  involved in a love triangle with Vora Rinn and Zia Choh and 
  was killed when one of them got jealous, or that the director 
  was actually a reptoid and that Zia released the fake video to 
  stop investigators from finding out the truth.
  Timaran Rycast
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  11
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC 
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  
  Presenting evidence to the director-general that this vid 
  was doctored earns the PCs 1 Trust Point.
  Grays: Grays are another popular topic on ConSpire, with 
  discussion focused mostly on abduction reports. Finding 
  information about the nominees in relation to grays requires a 
  successful DC 25 Computers or Society check. 
  One theory posits that Erem disappeared during a 
  long trip several years ago and was replaced by a 
  gray clone. A commenter by the name of TERM1NAL 
  (page 14) claims to have hacked into the security of 
  the vessel and verified that Erem did disappear for 
  several hours before reappearing in his quarters. 
  The appearance of the PCs has brought new life to 
  this theory, with commenters referring to the current 
  Erem as Erem-2 and the PC as Erem-3.
  If a PC fails the check to find information 
  connecting the nominees to grays, they 
  only find a much-discussed theory 
  that Eoxians actually control the 
  grays and that Gevalarsk Nor 
  is a member of a ruling class 
  of grays called a mysteriarch. 
  Outreach: 
  The 
  scandal 
  around Outreach, tying them 
  to radical believers of the church of Oras, is considered to be a 
  smear campaign by the few users who comment on it. Among 
  them, the most popular theory is that Erem is normalizing 
  blaming barathu collectives for the actions of their parts to 
  weaken barathu political strength.
  Another theory is that the Stewards intentionally took down 
  Outreach for threatening their control of the Pact Worlds.
  Reptoids: ConSpire has a substantial database of reptoid 
  theories, including accusations against every one of the 
  Directorate nominees, several entire species, and the PCs 
  themselves (especially after their role in “the attack on Gamut 
  Bio”). The most prominent reptoid discussion on the site 
  revolves around the director’s assassination video.
  Beyond that, there is a long history of accusing Haussill Hau 
  of being a reptoid, from his earlier days on the Directorate. 
  Losifaran, as an elf, is also commonly accused. Some theories 
  even charge Losifaran and other elves of being a reptoid cabal 
  who use the “hoax of the Gap” to cover their tracks.
  PACT COUNCIL MEDICAL REVIEW BOARD
  Members of the Pact Council are usually given regular medical 
  exams by doctors in the employ of their world’s government, 
  but these records are reviewed by an independent board. This 
  board also has the power to call for additional screenings if 
  they have sufficient cause (such as if they believe a member 
  is under magical control). All records are kept confidential, 
  released only on a need-to-know basis when action 
  is warranted. 
  The board will allow the PCs to examine specific records 
  if they have a warrant from the director-general (which can 
  be acquired when the PCs earn 3 Trust Points). However, 
  using such an official channel alerts Dr. Gircix and, through 
  her, Allish Fluerasik; he responds violently (see Event 3 on 
  page 19). A PC who succeeds at a DC 30 Diplomacy check to 
  gather information about the review board learns 
  of a young clerk named Nadhu Laste (N male 
  human) with a considerable amount of 
  debt; if contacted, he is willing to leak 
  whichever records the PCs want in 
  exchange for 10,000 credits. However, 
  Nadhu has his own secrets, which the PCs 
  can uncover if they dig (see below).
  The board’s servers are connected to the 
  infosphere, but they are behind several layers 
  of encryption and require three successful DC 
  30 Computers checks to hack into. The board is 
  alerted to each failed attempt, and two failed 
  attempts within 1 hour cause the servers 
  to disconnect from the infosphere 
  for 24 hours. If this happens, an 
  alerted board member reports 
  the matter to the Stewards 
  (leading to the PCs receiving a 
  stern lecture from Ephecta), but 
  more importantly, Dr. Gircix notifies Allish Fluerasik, leading 
  to Event 3 (page 19).
  Nadhu Laste: This young human clerk is a recent university 
  graduate, enjoying his first job and spending far beyond his 
  means. A PC who succeeds at a DC 24 Computers check to 
  research him online discovers that the largest of his debts—
  several hundred thousand credits worth of student loans—
  was forgiven for unknown reasons nearly 1 year ago, right 
  after he took the job as a clerk with the medical review board. 
  Since then, he has racked up other debts.
  If asked, Nadhu is reluctant to explain what happened with 
  his student loans, but a successful DC 26 Intimidate check 
  causes him to admit to taking bribes, even as he whines 
  that Dr. Gircix takes way more bribes and changes far more 
  records than he does. However, he realizes his slipup and 
  claims to know nothing more, unless the PCs either threaten 
  to get a warrant and succeed at a DC 28 Bluff or Intimidate 
  check, or get an actual warrant from the director-general.
  Once pressured, Nadhu explains that House Rycast 
  offered to take care of his largest loan in exchange for a 
  series of favors. The first of these was entering false 
  records for Haussill Hau, Losifaran, and a handful of Pact 
  Council members who aren’t nominees, presumably to 
  use that information in the future to benefit Apostae and 
  House Rycast itself. Nadhu dreads the next time the drow 
  approaches him for more favors. 
  Reporting Nadhu to the director-general earns the party 1 
  Trust Point.
  Director Balam Dori: The board wasn’t responsible for 
  the inquest into Balam’s disintegration, but do note that his 
  Nadhu Laste
  12
  
  records were released by special order from the Directorate 
  so that a body could be fabricated for his funeral. The 
  included records show a ryphorian in relatively good health, 
  with the exception of a mild addiction to legal stimulants and 
  a propensity for heat exhaustion.
  Directorate Nominees: Being undead, Gevalarsk 
  Nor doesn’t have medical records as such, but his 
  documents still include regular checks by the 
  board to ensure he isn’t under any enchantment 
  or compulsion. A somewhat cryptic note in the 
  records reads, “Despite claims on ConSpire 
  forums, Nor’s body certainly isn’t of gray stock,” 
  which may lead characters to investigate 
  ConSpire (page 11).
  The medical records of the other nominees 
  are from their respective government’s official 
  doctors and all of them look clean 
  at first glance. However, a PC 
  who succeeds at a DC 35 
  Computers check or DC 
  32 Medicine check notices 
  some unusual discrepancies 
  in both Haussill Hau’s and 
  Losifaran’s 
  records; 
  they 
  appear to have been altered on the same 
  day and indicate that both nominees show the first signs of 
  the same immunodeficiency. Further inspection reveals the 
  last clerk to access these records is named Nadhu Laste.
  In addition, Erem, Klendalikh, Vora Rinn, and Zia Choh 
  have each been personally examined by the board’s head 
  doctor, Dr. Gircix. None of these examinations found anything 
  strange, though Zia Choh’s records include a few notes about 
  old scars from their battleflower days.
  Turning these records over to the director-general, 
  regardless of how they were obtained, earns the PCs 1 
  Trust Point.
  Dr. Gircix: The host shirren is the Medical Review Board’s 
  preferred doctor. For the past several years, they have 
  performed the required medical examinations of Pact Council 
  members. The board knows their credentials (they graduated 
  from a prestigious Vercite medical academy) and the address 
  of their practice, Spectrum Clinic (on the top floor of an office 
  building near the Plenara and overlooking Jatembe Park), but 
  doesn’t keep other information on the doctor.
  DR. GIRCIX 
  If the PCs try to contact Dr. Gircix, they are told that Spectrum 
  Clinic isn’t accepting any new patients. A PC who succeeds 
  at a DC 30 Bluff or Diplomacy check while speaking with 
  the receptionist learns that Dr. Gircix plans to soon take an 
  extended vacation. A PC who succeeds at a DC 22 Computers 
  check while trying to hack into the clinic’s records quickly 
  discovers they aren’t connected to the infosphere. See area B 
  (page 16) for more information.
  ALLISH FLUERASIK
  There is no easy way to directly contact Allish Fluerasik (NE male 
  human), as the family head keeps his information private. A PC 
  who succeeds at a DC 32 Computers check can send a message 
  to his comm unit, but receives only a curt “no thank you” 
  in response. Repeated attempts to contact Allish 
  Fluerasik leads to Event 3 (page 19). A PC who 
  succeeds at a DC 26 Diplomacy check to gather 
  information is directed to the Fluerasik family 
  home, a small compound-like estate in Nyori 
  Palisades. The security in front of the building 
  doesn’t tolerate any unknown visitors. See 
  area C on page 17 for more information on 
  how the PCs can find a way to sneak inside.
  However, if the PCs get an official 
  warrant from the director-general 
  to 
  speak 
  with 
  Allish 
  Fluerasik (after earning 
  3 Trust Points) and one 
  PC succeeds at a DC 
  30 Intimidate check to 
  compose 
  a 
  strongly 
  worded message to him, 
  Allish agrees to meet. He 
  chooses a fancy restaurant he owns in 
  Parkside as “neutral” ground and arrives with four of his 
  enforcers (page 19). Allish Fluerasik is brusque, beginning 
  the conversation by saying, “You have 10 minutes.” He gives 
  his opinions about the candidates if asked (mostly positive 
  for anyone he believes he can manipulate or make deals 
  with, such as Milgan Nivaris Katchal Andar, Erem, Haussill 
  Hau, Vora Rinn, and Uvali Rycast; mostly negative for the 
  others, except for Gevalarsk Nor, whom he hasn’t be able 
  to figure out yet). However, he answers “No comment” to 
  questions involving his business dealings (especially in 
  relation to the nominees).
  The PCs won’t be able to get Allish to admit to anything 
  unless they have copies of the files from Spectrum Clinic (see 
  area B on page 16). A PC who shows Allish these files and 
  succeeds at a DC 32 Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate check 
  elicits an angry bark of “How did you get those?” The PCs 
  can lie or tell the truth as they see fit, and Allish denies any 
  wrongdoing for a few moments. If the PCs keep the pressure 
  on him, he realizes he’s been beat. He admits that he has indeed 
  been blackmailing Milgan to not reveal her health problems and 
  plans to do the same to Vora if she manages to get a seat on the 
  Directorate. He actually dares the PCs to arrest him, noting that 
  he has the best lawyers in the Pact Worlds.
  If asked about Erem’s file, Allish flinches for the first time. 
  When Dr. Gircix noted a few anomalies in Erem’s medical 
  records, Allish saw this an opportunity to get another 
  powerful politician in his pocket. He sent a messenger with 
  the details of a deal to the reptoid, but Erem didn’t take kindly 
  to being pressured and the messenger never returned—not 
  Allish Fluerasik
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  13
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC 
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  
  whole, anyway. A day later, Allish received a small unmarked 
  package containing his messenger’s heart and a note that 
  read “Leave it be.” 
  Allish will relate all this to the PCs if they promise to take 
  down Erem and succeed at a DC 30 Diplomacy check. He 
  won’t admit to being scared of Erem, but it’s clear from the 
  look in his eyes that he is. He can give the PCs Dr. Gircix’s 
  full report on Erem, which shows signs of Erem being some 
  type of cold-blooded shapeshifter. A PC who succeeds at a 
  DC 26 Life Science check identifies Erem as a reptoid with 
  this information.
  If the PCs don’t have (or don’t want to show) the files from 
  Spectrum Clinic and have been generally polite with Allish, 
  he ends the conversation with a smile. He invites the PCs to 
  a “little shindig” at his estate, looking to flaunt his wealth and 
  power over them. See area C on page 17 for more information.
  Acquiring Dr. Gircix’s files on Erem from a meeting with 
  Allish Fluerasik earns the PCs 1 Trust Point.
  THE LORECAST
  It’s a simple matter to find Thylas Starhammer’s vid stream, the 
  Lorecast, particularly with how shamelessly he plugs it during 
  political interviews. It purports to be an objective discussion 
  of historical matters relating mainly to Lost Golarion. Since 
  Thylas joined the Pact Council as a representative of Osoro, 
  most of the content on the stream has been hosted by a 
  variety of other presenters, but the dwarf still appears at least 
  once a week, increasingly focused on politics rather than the 
  usual topic of history. 
  The stream generally expresses a positive message of 
  rebuilding the ways of life for Lost Golarion’s many species, 
  though the hosts (including Thylas) staunchly believe the 
  world was destroyed during the Gap. The content displays a 
  bias against Eox, often conflating the planet with the Corpse 
  Fleet or making leading statements like “three planets in our 
  solar system have been destroyed. And we already know 
  who’s responsible for two.”
  Although the PCs can directly ask questions through the 
  stream’s chat, they can more easily find relevant answers by 
  searching the archive.
  Director Balam Dori: Thylas touched on the director’s 
  assassination for a few weeks after it occurred. He speaks 
  prudently about the matter, only subtly speculating about 
  the assassin’s motivations. The closest he comes to outright 
  blaming someone comes after news that the Castrovelian 
  government chose not to use magic to restore Balam’s life. 
  After suggesting that Balam must have then been killed 
  by a powerful spellcaster, Thylas goes on to talk about the 
  necromantic skill of the Corpse Fleet.
  Directorate Nominees: Thylas’s latest vids have focused 
  more and more on Gevalarsk Nor, even before their 
  respective nominations were announced. The dwarf skirts 
  the line of calling Gevalarsk an acting member of the Corpse 
  Fleet. Among the other nominees, the only one Thylas has 
  commented on positively is Milgan Nivaris Katchal Andar, 
  claiming the shared suffering of having their home worlds 
  destroyed gives them common ground.
  Outreach: When the scandal was fresh, Thylas talked about 
  Outreach only once on his stream. At that time, he didn’t go 
  into great deal about the barathu entity, but he brought the 
  topic of conversation around to suggest that residents of the 
  Pact Worlds need to be careful around religious fanatics and 
  the Corpse Fleet. 
  TERM1NAL
  TERM1NAL is an Absalom-based freelance hacker with little 
  in the way of a physical presence. With a successful DC 25 
  Computers check, a PC who researches TERM1NAL on the 
  infosphere finds their posts on ConSpire (page 11), as well 
  as theories from other users speculating that TERM1NAL is 
  an artificial intelligence or machine spirit, which the hacker 
  never denies. This search alerts TERM1NAL that the PCs are 
  looking for them, and the hacker contacts them via a text 
  message a few hours later. 
  TERM1NAL prefers to communicate only though text, and 
  their writing style consists mostly of jargon and infosphere 
  slang. At first, TERM1NAL offers to perform any research or 
  online hacking that requires a Computers check for 10,000 
  credits per job. However, if the PCs share their actual goal or 
  concoct a plausible conspiracy-related story with a successful 
  DC 30 Bluff check, TERM1NAL agrees to work in exchange 
  for information.
  Bounty/Criminal Records: TERM1NAL is aware of the 
  bounty on the PCs’ heads, having aided Jynma in her pursuit 
  of them. They admit they were curious to know more about an 
  Erem clone (pointing to their posts about grays on ConSpire; 
  see page 12). They looked into KSN Interstellar before 
  accepting the work but found nothing suspicious. If pressed, 
  TERM1NAL believes there might be more useful information 
  located on the company’s internal servers. However, they 
  aren’t interested in breaking and entering.
  Director Balam Dori: The controversy around the 
  director’s death intrigues TERM1NAL, but they believe the 
  waters have been intentionally muddied to defame Zia Choh. 
  For their normal fee or if angered by enough trash-talking 
  of Zia with a successful DC 28 Bluff or Intimidate check, 
  TERM1NAL provides the hacked audio from one Zia’s calls to 
  the nominee’s sister. Although the audio is in Triaxian, even 
  nonspeakers can detect Zia’s distress with a successful DC 
  28 Sense Motive check.
  “They say the vid shows it was a vesk agent. But I’ve met 
  with Veskarium ambassadors. I know what a vesk looks 
  like!” Zia’s sister hesitantly asks if they have seen an 
  illusion, to which Zia shouts, “The vid’s a fake! Not even a 
  good one! But they’ll sign off on whatever makes them not 
  look like fools . . .” After an awkward pause, Zia disconnects 
  the call.
  14
  
  This audio is a new piece of evidence in Balam’s case. If the 
  PCs share it with the director-general, they earn 1 Trust Point.
  Directorate Nominees: TERM1NAL is happy to discuss 
  the nominees. In addition to their beliefs about Balam Dori’s 
  assassination (page 14), they can also reveal any information 
  the PCs might not have yet found through their attempts to 
  gather information or on ConSpire.
  However, for their normal fee, they also offer a possibly 
  important lead. TERM1NAL notes that during the course 
  of their “normal online surveillance,” they discovered that 
  several pieces of Klendalikh’s cybernetics were pulled from 
  the market due to serious side effects. TERM1NAL admits 
  that this seems suspicious, since the shirren has continually 
  received clean bills of health from the Pact Council Medical 
  Review Board.
  Grays: Most of TERM1NAL’s information about grays is 
  focused on disappearances. If the PCs share even a part of 
  their experiences with grays, TERM1NAL is eager to listen and 
  share their own collection of hundreds of hours of footage 
  that forms an extended montage of individuals disappearing 
  off security footage, personal comm unit vids, and even a 
  live stream.
  The majority of this footage is credible, as TERM1NAL has 
  weeded out most of the questionable disappearances and 
  those explainable through normal technological or magical 
  means. If the PCs scrub through the vids over the next several 
  hours, they can discover the abductions of Erem and the 
  other people the PCs are copied from (though these are of the 
  lowest quality of his collection).
  Outreach: TERM1NAL has largely ignored the scandal with 
  Outreach, but will look into it for their normal rate. They’re 
  able to obtain the Stewards’ records on the matter (page 9), 
  including Legate Tavin Arill’s note and contact information.
  Reptoids: Confident that reptoids were responsible for 
  Director Balam Dori’s assassination, TERM1NAL also believes 
  that Vora Rinn is most likely a reptoid. However, they reiterate 
  that Erem, as an obvious gray already in the Directorate, is a 
  greater threat.
  TERM1NAL also warns the PCs about seeing reptoids where 
  there aren’t any. “Reptoids are mysterious and power-hungry, 
  but most elves are mysterious, and they can’t all be reptoids. 
  And if all scheming, power-hungry people are reptoids, I don’t 
  know how you explain Gevalarsk Nor.”
  LOCATIONS
  The PCs will learn throughout their investigations about 
  certain locations they might want to search to find more 
  information about certain nominees. Most of these aren’t 
  meant to be areas where combat occurs, so detailed maps 
  aren’t provided. The places where the PCs confront the 
  suspects they believe are reptoids are detailed in Part 2. 
  The locations are presented in the likely order the PCs will 
  visit them, and any location not listed here is unimportant to 
  the investigation.
  A. KSN INTERSTELLAR
  Looking into the new bounty on their heads may lead the PCs 
  to a company that’s barely more than a shell, KSN Interstellar. 
  It has an extremely basic infosphere site, explaining the 
  company is an “Exclusive firm that invests in the Pact Worlds 
  and beyond!” and listing its street address as a unit in a large 
  office block in Drifter’s End. It is secretly owned by Haussill 
  Hau and was once used as his front to sell Swarm genetic 
  material. More recently, it hired investigators to perform 
  clandestine opposition research on the other Directorate 
  candidates. Before the PCs arrive on Absalom Station, 
  Haussill dismissed the staff but hasn’t had time to sweep the 
  office clean.
  A PC who succeeds at a DC 22 Computers check can 
  examine the site’s code to see that it hasn’t been updated 
  in over a decade, except for regular software updates and 
  a digital calling card left behind by the mysterious hacker 
  TERM1NAL. The business’s servers, if there are any, aren’t 
  connected to the infosphere.
  Physically breaking into the office is potentially more 
  fruitful. Canvassing the building over the course of a day 
  shows no one entering or leaving at any point. A PC who 
  succeeds at a DC 25 Perception check notices the trio of 
  security cameras watching over the exterior. A PC can disable 
  one of the cameras with a successful DC 26 Engineering 
  check, providing a safe window for the group to enter (the 
  door’s buildings have Hardness 10, 50 Hit Points, and can be 
  opened with a successful DC 30 Engineering check). If the PCs 
  don’t spot or disable at least one camera, Haussill is alerted. If 
  the PCs didn’t defeat Jynma, the Directorate candidate points 
  her to the office. Otherwise, he contacts House Rycast and 
  asks for their help, triggering Event 4 (page 20).
  Inside is little more than a large conference room with a 
  long table and over a dozen chairs. A screen integrated in the 
  table’s surface rotates between scenes of the different Pact 
  Worlds from orbit. Paintings on one wall depict similar views 
  of Absalom Station and Akiton. A well-stocked liquor cabinet 
  stands near the open door of the attached bathroom.
  The table contains a basic computer that’s used to display 
  information during meetings. It’s not supposed to store 
  anything, but a successful DC 30 Computers or Engineering 
  check can bring up the display last in its memory. It shows 
  pictures of several nominees: Gevalarsk Nor, Klendalikh, 
  Losifaran, Thylas Starhammer, and Zia Choh. A red line 
  labeled “Corpse Fleet” connects the images of Gevalarsk and 
  Thylas, while Zia’s has the words “Dori’s murderer?” written 
  next to it. A few notes about her augmentations accompany 
  Klendalikh’s image, while Losifaran’s picture is simply circled. 
  This is the list of nominees Haussill wants to knock out of 
  the running.
  The paintings aren’t worth anything, but a PC who 
  succeeds at a DC 26 Perception check discovers a small 
  niche behind the Akitonian landscape. It contains a glowing 
  crystal sphere the size of a grapefruit. This hybrid item is 
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  15
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC 
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  
  a telepathic data storage device attuned to Haussill Hau’s 
  mind. Though it can be accessed by anyone with telepathy 
  or limited telepathy, anyone other than Haussill who uses 
  it must succeed at a DC 20 Will save or gain 1 temporary 
  negative level.
  The sphere’s records contain a ledger of KSN Interstellar’s 
  incoming and outgoing funds. A PC who succeeds at a DC 
  28 Computers check and does a bit of forensic accounting 
  learns that most of the company’s capital comes from Haussill 
  Hau through other shell companies and anonymous political 
  donations. Most of the payments seem to have been paid 
  onto untraceable credsticks, with the largest earmarked for 
  the current bounty on the PCs. It includes a note emphasizing 
  that “Erem’s impostor” must be brought in alive to “discover 
  what they know about Erem.” While these records could be 
  potentially damning for Haussill, they don’t contain anything 
  that directly links him to the reptoids.
  Treasure: The niche also contains a pair of mk 2 holding 
  gloves (Starfinder Armory 122) and two mk 3 serums 
  of healing.
  Development: Turning over the crystal sphere or the 
  information within it to the director-general earns the PCs 1 
  Trust Point.
  B. SPECTRUM CLINIC
  Spectrum Clinic is on the top floor of an office block 
  overlooking Jatembe Park. It’s an expensive area that caters 
  to high-end clients, but Dr. Gircix only rents a single floor. 
  The building is owned by the Fluerasik family through a shell 
  company, which can be learned through a successful DC 30 
  Computers check to search the infosphere or Diplomacy check 
  to gather information.
  During the day, the building is a constant buzz of activity. 
  Getting legitimate access to the building requires an 
  appointment with one of the businesses there, but with over 
  20 floors containing a range of entertainment, health, legal, 
  and trading companies, this is a trivial matter. Alternatively, 
  the PCs can bluster their way into the building with a 
  successful DC 30 Bluff or Intimidate check. After business 
  hours, the building is virtually empty, and the PCs need only 
  worry about the watchful security cameras in the corridors 
  (which can be avoided with a successful DC 30 Stealth check 
  or disabled with a successful DC 28 Engineering check). The 
  feed from these cameras is monitored by security personnel 
  on the building’s first floor. Use the statistics for a Fluerasik 
  enforcer (page 19) for these guards, who are on the family’s 
  payroll. They attempt to capture intruders to hand them 
  over to station security, though they inform their boss if the 
  situation seems out of the ordinary.
  Regardless of the time, a pair of human security guards 
  watches over the lobby. Like the other security guards, they 
  work for Allish Fluerasik and use the statistics for a Fluerasik 
  enforcer (page 19). They move to intercept anyone they notice 
  trying to sneak past them.
  The clinic’s commanding view also leaves it quite exposed to 
  characters who can fly. A flying PC must succeed at a DC 25 
  Stealth check to reach one of the clinic’s windows during the 
  night without drawing attention to themself; they are spotted 
  by eagle-eyed security on a failure, drawing a response from the 
  Fluerasik family (see Event 3 on page 19). These enforcers arrive 
  at the building 15 minutes later. A PC can open a locked window 
  from the outside with a successful DC 26 Engineering check. 
  The clinic consists of a waiting room, which has a window 
  onto the receptionist’s desk, and a hallway that connects 
  the records room, a pair of exam rooms, and the doctor’s 
  office. A secret door behind a bookcase in Dr. Gircix’s office 
  (which can be discovered with a successful DC 30 Perception 
  check) leads to a hidden security room. Concealed cameras 
  in the exam rooms record footage of the patients, which is 
  sometimes used by Allish Fluerasik to blackmail the doctor’s 
  patients (who often don’t want people to know about their 
  embarrassing or compromising medical conditions). An 
  exam room’s camera can be spotted with a successful DC 33 
  Perception check.
  If the PCs show up to the clinic during the day, they are 
  promptly turned away by the ysoki receptionist, as they don’t 
  have an appointment. The receptionist calls building security 
  on a PC who makes too much of a fuss. At your discretion, 
  this could provide enough of a distraction for another PC to 
  sneak into Dr. Gircix’s office, but that PC will have to deal 
  with the shirren doctor. Gircix immediately contacts security 
  unless the PCs have a way to stop them. The doctor doesn’t 
  reveal the existence of their secret room, even if subjected 
  to intimidation (the threat of Allish Fluerasik outweighs any 
  of the PCs’ attempts). However, PCs can search the doctor’s 
  office if they restrain them. If the PCs break into the office at 
  night without being spotted, they find no one inside and can 
  explore at their leisure. 
  Not much of interest can be found within the clinic’s 
  computerized records, other than the names and personal 
  information of some of Dr. Gircix’s most famous clients. A PC 
  who succeeds at a DC 24 Medicine check notices that none 
  of these patients have any serious issues; the most serious 
  medical condition the PC can find record of is the occasional 
  case of influenza, which they realize is statistically unlikely.
  The tier 4 computer in the hidden security room can 
  be hacked with a successful DC 29 Computers check. It 
  contains the true records of any of the clinic’s patients with 
  medical secrets. When any of these records are accessed, 
  Allish Fluerasik receives an alert on his computer unless a 
  PC succeeds at another DC 29 Computers check to disable 
  this alarm countermeasure. While the information on other 
  Absalom Station luminaries is interesting, only the secret 
  records of four of the Directorate nominees—Erem, Klendalikh, 
  Milgan Nivaris Katchal Andar, and Vora Rinn—are relevant to 
  this adventure.
  Upon examining Erem’s file, the PCs find it blank except 
  for note that reads, “I’ll take care of this one. AF.” Klendalikh’s 
  16
  
  records show that she has more problems with her 
  cybernetics than has been reported publicly, but can confirm 
  that she is definitely shirren. Milgan’s records indicate she has 
  a rare kasathan degenerative nerve disease, but claims she 
  is getting treatment from priests of Talavet aboard the Idari. 
  Finally, Dr. Gircix notes in a report that dates back several 
  years that Vora Rinn is a reptoid, revealing that she has been 
  one since early in her political career. A message accompanies 
  Vora’s file that reads, “Let’s sit on this one until she tries to 
  make a move. AF.”
  Treasure: The clinic’s exam rooms are well stocked with 
  medical supplies, including several copies of everything that 
  can be found in a medkit. In addition, each room contains two 
  purple hypopens and one white nanite hypopen (Starfinder 
  Armory 106) for emergencies. 
  A PC who succeeds at a DC 24 Perception check while 
  searching Dr. Gircix’s office finds a fancy silver credstick with 
  120,000 credits on it, a recent blackmail payment that the 
  doctor has yet to hand over to Allish Fluerasik.
  Development: Turning over Dr. Gircix’s secret records to 
  the director-general, which prove that Vora Rinn is a reptoid, 
  earns the PCs 1 Trust Point.
  C. FLUERASIK ESTATE
  Like many other personal residences in Nyori Palisades, the 
  Fluerasik Estate has an extremely high level of security. There 
  is only one way in or out of the complex, and it is guarded 
  by a pair of Fluerasik enforcers (page 19), two laser turrets, 
  and several cameras monitored by more guards within the 
  house. The family strictly controls who is allowed to enter the 
  estate, even their own employees (which the PCs can easily 
  see by staking out the entrance for a few hours). Deliveries 
  are simply left at the front gate and fetched by a servant 
  from inside. Allish Fluerasik rarely leaves the complex and is 
  accompanied by four enforcers when he does. Other members 
  of the Fluerasik family come and go more regularly but don’t 
  reveal anything about the ongoing investigation if the PCs 
  follow or accost them.
  If the PCs are persistent, however, they can find a way 
  inside. A PC who succeeds at a DC 24 Diplomacy check to 
  gather information hears about a party happening at the 
  estate that evening. The event is invite-only, and many of 
  Absalom Station’s richest and most influential people are 
  going (as it is usually in their best interest not to turn down 
  an invite from Allish Fluerasik). A PC who succeeds at a DC 
  26 Computers check can forge an invitation for the group. 
  The PCs should wear formal clothing if they want to blend in.
  Arriving at the estate for the party, the PCs can see that 
  security has increased, as many of the guests have brought 
  their own personal bodyguards. The PCs are asked to 
  surrender over any obvious weapons (such as two-handed 
  melee weapons, longarms, heavy weapons, and sniper rifles) 
  at the gate with the promise they will be returned; this 
  includes any small arms and basic melee weapons that a PC 
  doesn’t take pains to hide with a successful DC 26 Sleight of 
  Hand check.
  Inside the estate, the PCs can wander freely through the 
  front garden (which is lit with hundreds of strands of lights) 
  and the downstairs dining room, library, den, and bathrooms. 
  The kitchen and the upstairs are off-limits to the guests (as 
  noted by temporary signage). Wait staff from the caterer 
  (mostly human and all dressed similarly) circulate among the 
  guests with trays of canapes, other finger food, and glasses 
  of sparkling wine.
  Allish Fluerasik mingles with his guests, talking and 
  laughing loudly, occasionally clapping someone on the back 
  hard enough to spill their drink. He likely doesn’t recognize 
  the PCs (who may be in disguise) but doesn’t go out of his 
  way to call them out as party-crashers. He speaks with them 
  only perfunctorily, unless a PC charms him with a successful 
  DC 28 Bluff or Diplomacy check. In such a case, that PC can 
  keep his attention for as long as they want. At your discretion, 
  the other guests might include certain Directorate nominees 
  (such as Haussill Hau) or important movers and shakers on the 
  station, such as Timaran Rycast (page 11). The nominees have 
  Stewards protecting them and aren’t particularly interested in 
  talking to the PCs, though a clever group might find a way to 
  get information out of them.
  Allish Fluerasik’s study is upstairs, and the PCs can assume 
  that it might be a good starting place to find the information 
  they’re seeking, though they will need a way to get upstairs 
  without being seen. They can attempt this however they like, 
  but the most obvious route is to sneak away when no one 
  is looking, which requires a successful DC 30 Stealth check 
  from each PC going upstairs. A PC can stay downstairs and 
  provide a distraction (by spilling a tray of food or otherwise 
  being very disruptive) to provide a +2 circumstance bonus to 
  this Stealth check. Alternatively, a PC can use illusion magic 
  to make themself invisible or disguise themself as a member 
  of the wait staff. PCs can also attempt to steal the uniform 
  of a member of the wait staff, either demanding the clothes 
  with a successful DC 28 Intimidate check or by knocking the 
  server unconscious with a nonlethal melee attack against a 
  KAC of 18.
  Once upstairs, the PCs will have to avoid the notice of a 
  Fluerasik enforcer (page 19) patrolling the floor, requiring a 
  successful DC 26 Bluff (if in disguise) or Stealth check (if not). 
  They can then locate Allish’s study with a successful DC 24 
  Perception check; failure means they spend too much time 
  bumbling around and need to avoid the enforcer again.
  The study is appointed with dark wood paneling, several 
  shelves holding paper books, and a sturdy mahogany desk. 
  There are no obvious signs of any electronic devices, but if a 
  PC succeeds at a DC 31 Perception check, they find a false row 
  of books that folds down to reveal a tier 4 computer console 
  (Computers DC 29 to hack). The computer contains the quasi-
  legal dealings of the Fluerasik family, none of which could 
  easily bring them down; a thorough investigation of this info 
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  17
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC 
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  
  would be needed to even acquire a warrant to examine related 
  business’s accounts (however, turning the files over to the 
  Stewards does grant the PCs an award; see Treasure below). 
  The PCs can spot a data module labeled “Spectrum”—the name 
  of Dr. Gircix’s clinic—which holds copies of the secret medical 
  records of their patients (those the PCs might have found on 
  the doctor’s own secret computer). If the PCs don’t yet have 
  this information, it is detailed on page 16.
  Allish Fluerasik’s personal computer also holds Erem’s 
  medical files. In addition to Dr. Gircix’s notes that say 
  Erem appears not to be human, but rather some kind of 
  cold-blooded shapeshifter, the file contains a photograph 
  of what appears to be a human heart in a box packed with 
  straw accompanied by a note that reads, “Leave it be” in 
  simple block letters. Allish received the image in a message 
  from one of his enforcers that read, “Erem is legit crazy, boss! 
  How are we getting back at this bastard?” Allish responded, 
  “We’re leaving it be. For now.” A PC who succeeds at a DC 26 
  Life Science check identifies Dr. Gircix’s notes as referring 
  to a reptoid.
  If the PCs are spotted in an area of the estate where they 
  don’t belong, they are firmly asked to leave. A Fluerasik 
  enforcer isn’t above threatening violence against interlopers 
  or informing station security, whichever they think will 
  best motivate the PCs. If a fight does break out, an enforcer 
  retreats to get backup, which could lead to the PCs being 
  overwhelmed by other enforcers, who either kill the PCs 
  or turn them over to station security, depending on how 
  violently the PCs have acted (and if the enforcers suspect the 
  PCs have information on their boss).
  Treasure: If the PCs turn over the many files detailing the 
  internal workings of the Fluerasik family to the Stewards, 
  they are awarded 100,000 credits by the director-general.
  Development: Turning over a copy of Erem’s medical 
  records to the director-general earns the PCs 1 Trust Point. 
  EVENTS
  The following events occur in response to the PCs’ 
  investigations and can be used to increase the tension of the 
  adventure or to nudge the PCs back in the right direction if 
  they start getting off track. You should strive to present each 
  of these encounters, no matter how they come about, so that 
  the characters receive the XP they need to be prepared when 
  they eventually face off against Mysteriarch Zaxo. The events 
  are listed in the approximate order they occur, with Event 5 
  (page 21) happening only when the PCs are ready to confront 
  the reptoid infiltrators.
  EVENT 2: LEGATE’S LEGACY (CR 13)
  When Legate Tavin Arill calls for a direct meeting with the 
  PCs, he asks to meet with one of them alone at a relatively 
  private location (such as a level on the Spike), though he will 
  compromise on both of these requests if the PCs push back. 
  Regardless of the location, Tavin sneaks to the meeting point 
  early, hides, and attempts to assassinate the PCs as they arrive.
  This event can also occur at some point when Erem 
  believes the PCs are drawing too close to the truth. 
  He sends Tavin out to locate the PCs, kill them 
  quickly, and then quietly dispose of their 
  bodies.
  Creature: The reptoid disguised as Legate 
  Tavin Arill has the benefit of both his reptoid 
  infiltrator training and the tactics he learned in his many 
  years spent masquerading as a Steward.
  TAVIN ARILL 
  CR 13
  XP 25,600
  Male reptoid operative (Starfinder Alien Archive 2 92)
  LE Medium humanoid (reptoid, shapechanger)
  Init +12; Senses low-light vision; Perception +29
  DEFENSE 
  HP 210 RP 6
  EAC 27; KAC 28
  Tavin Arill
  18
  
  Fort +12; Ref +15; Will +16; +2 vs. mind-affecting effects 
  and poisons
  Defensive Abilities evasion, uncanny agility
  OFFENSE
  Speed 50 ft.
  Melee ultrathin dagger +24 (4d4+19 S)
  Ranged elite shirren eye rifle +24 (4d10+13 P) or 
  paragon semi-auto pistol +24 (4d6+13 P)
  Offensive Abilities debilitating attack, quad attack, trick 
  attack +7d8
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Tavin puts his operative training to good 
  use before combat, finding a hiding place and settling in 
  with his cloaking field.
  During Combat From long range, Tavin uses his sniper rifle 
  and his debilitating sniper ability to keep anyone who 
  can fire back off-target. At closer range, he keeps to the 
  shadows, relying on trick attack and his pistol. 
  Morale If his targets disappear or he’s reduced to fewer 
  than half his Hit Points, he tries to withdraw. After a 
  failed attempt on the PCs’ lives, he ambushes them 
  again at a later date. During that encounter, he 
  fights to the death.
  STATISTICS
  Str +6; Dex +8; Con +0; Int +2; Wis +1; Cha +4
  Skills Acrobatics +29, Disguise +24, Life Science 
  +24, Sense Motive +24, Stealth +29
  Languages Brethedan, Common, Reptoid
  Other Abilities change shape (any 
  specific humanoid), operative 
  exploits (cloaking field, debilitating 
  sniper), phase shift escape, 
  specialization (ghost)
  Gear d-suit IV, elite shirren-eye rifle with 
  12 sniper rounds, paragon semi-auto pistol with 
  32 small arm rounds, ultrathin dagger 
  Development: If the PCs defeat Tavin Arill  or 
  otherwise prove he’s a reptoid, they earn 1 
  Trust Point.
  EVENT 3: FLUERASIK RESPONSE 
  (CR 12)
  If the PCs’ investigations come to the attention 
  of the Fluerasik family, mostly likely by asking 
  too many questions or snooping around Dr. 
  Gircix’s office, Allish Fluerasik sends a group of 
  enforcers to deal with the PCs. This event can 
  occur just about anywhere on Absalom 
  Station that’s secluded, such as a 
  rarely traveled corridor or alley 
  behind a building.
  Creatures: The four Fluerasik 
  enforcers expect to beat the PCs 
  into submission and leave them unconscious somewhere 
  relatively safe as a warning. 
  FLUERASIK ENFORCERS (4) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  Human soldier
  N Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +8; Perception +16
  DEFENSE 
  HP 125 EACH
  EAC 20; KAC 22
  Fort +10; Ref +8; Will +9 
  OFFENSE
  Speed 40 ft.
  Melee amperometric neural lash +19 (3d4+14 E; critical arc 
  2d4)
  Ranged snub scattergun +16 (1d12+11 P) or
  screamer grenade II +16 (explode [20 ft., 2d10 So plus 
  deafened 1d4 minutes, DC 16])
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with amperometric neural 
  lash)
  Offensive Abilities charge attack, fighting style 
  (blitz), gear boosts (electric arc [9 E])
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Enforcers that are watching 
  a public area generally stash their 
  scatterguns somewhere nearby 
  but retrieve them if combat 
  seems imminent. When acting 
  in groups, they keep their 
  allies nearby appraised of 
  their situation with their 
  mindlink circlets.
  During Combat The enforcers 
  use their neural lashes 
  in stun mode whenever 
  possible, preferring 
  to capture opponents 
  rather than kill them. If 
  outnumbered and attacked 
  with lethal force, they 
  don’t hesitate to use their 
  scatterguns and grenades.
  Morale The enforcers flee when more 
  than half their number have been 
  defeated. They only surrender if they 
  are alone and unable to flee.
  STATISTICS
  Str +6; Dex +4; Con +1; Int +0; 
  Wis +0; Cha +2
  Skills Culture +16, Intimidate +21, 
  Sense Motive +16
  Feats Step Up
  Languages Akitonian, Common; 
  limited telepathy 30 ft.
  Fluerasik Enforcer
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  19
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC 
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  
  Gear silver AbadarCorp travel suit, amperometric neural 
  lashAR with 1 battery (20 charges), snub scattergun 
  with 8 scattergun shells, screamer grenades II (2), mk 1 
  mindlink circlet, credstick with 220 credits
  Development: Any captured guards can be coerced 
  into revealing that their boss is Allish Fluerasik with a 
  successful DC 27 Intimidate check. Otherwise, the PCs can 
  take descriptions of their attackers and ask around; with a 
  successful DC 26 Diplomacy check to gather information, they 
  identify the guards as known associates of Allish Fluerasik.
  Presenting evidence that they were attacked by associates 
  of the Fluerasik family earns the PCs 1 Trust Point and allows 
  them to acquire a warrant for Allish’s residence without 
  needing 3 Trust Points.
  EVENT 4: HOUSE RYCAST NEGOTIATOR 
  (CR 12)
  House Rycast is likely to become aware of the PCs’ 
  investigations, but—unlike the Fluerasik Family—
  Absalom Station is not their home territory. 
  Instead of immediately resorting to violence, 
  Mersadask Rycast is tasked with reaching 
  out to the PCs to see if they can come 
  to a mutual accord. He first contacts 
  the PCs anonymously, claiming 
  to have insider information from 
  House Rycast. A PC who succeeds at 
  a DC 26 Computers check can trace 
  the message back to House Rycast’s network. 
  Mersadask invites the PCs to meet him at a public 
  study lounge in the Arcanamirium in the evening.
  Creatures: Mersadask Rycast is a well-dressed 
  and composed drow. His prized assassin robot hides 
  nearby, camouflaged but ready to respond if the 
  meeting goes poorly. After greeting the PCs (but not 
  identifying himself), Mersadask advises the PCs 
  that Haussill Haul, Thylas Starhammer, and Uvali 
  Rycast are under House Rycast’s protection. He 
  doesn’t know why Haussill and Thylas are being 
  shielded from scrutiny, but suspects they are 
  probably paying the house blackmail money. 
  Uvali Rycast is obviously a member of the 
  drow house. 
  Mersadask informs the PCs that he has been 
  authorized to give them access to an anonymous 
  account containing 75,000 credits if they promise to 
  drop their investigations into these three. Like the rest 
  of House Rycast, he has no interest in 
  interfering with an official investigation 
  and will step back if shown a warrant.
  If a PC succeeds at a DC 25 Diplomacy 
  or Intimidate check while speaking with 
  Mersadask, he offers his suspicion that 
  Dr. Gircix on the medical review board is corrupt and backed 
  by Allish Fluerasik. While true, this is also an attempt to direct 
  the investigation away from Rycast assets. If asked about any 
  of the other candidates, Mersadask says he’d least want to 
  be on Gevalarsk Nor’s bad side and admits that Losifaran is 
  probably the most dangerous to House Rycast’s interests.
  Mersadask isn’t interested in a fight and doesn’t hesitate 
  to warn the PCs that he isn’t alone if they grow aggressive. 
  However, he will defend himself if attacked.
  ASSASSIN ROBOT 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400
  HP 135 (Starfinder Alien Archive 2 108)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The assassin robot emerges from hiding 
  to attempt a holographic trick with its retractable 
  longsword against the PC that started the fight. It 
  continues to attack that target until the target 
  is killed.
  Morale The assassin robot is programmed to 
  fight until destroyed.
  MERSADASK RYCAST 
  CR 11
  XP 12,800
  Male drow noble arms dealer (Starfinder 
  Alien Archive 42)
  HP 170; RP 6
  TACTICS
  During Combat Mersadask uses his 
  envoy improvisations to aid his 
  assassin robot. He attempts to 
  stay out of melee.
  Morale When reduced to 100 Hit 
  Points or fewer, Mersadask 
  uses create darkness to 
  attempt an escape.
  Development: If the PCs fight 
  Mersadask Rycast and manage to take him 
  alive, they can still get information from him 
  (as noted above) with a successful DC 28 
  Intimidate check. Otherwise, they will have 
  to speak to the head of House Rycast to 
  learn anything (page 11).
  Learning that House Rycast is protecting 
  certain candidates without resorting to 
  violence or accepting Mersadask’s bribe earns the 
  PCs 1 Trust Point. However, if the director-general 
  learns that the PCs took Mersadask’s bribe, 
  they lose 1 Trust Point.
  Story Award: If the PCs deal peacefully 
  with Mersadask Rycast, award them XP 
  as if they had defeated him and his robot 
  in combat.
  20
  Mersadask Rycast
  
  EVENT 5: CONFLUENCE AND CLONES 
  (CR 14)
  As the PCs reach the end of their investigation, they receive 
  a strange communication from Xych Vorsen. The shirren 
  warns them not to travel so openly, especially when meeting 
  with Verifier Ki and the rest of the barathu delegation. The 
  existence of this meeting should be a surprise to the PCs, 
  and if they ask where the meeting is, Xych is confused 
  and explains that they received a report that the PCs were 
  already in attendance, but gives the group the location of a 
  docking bay in Fogtown, where more agents of Confluence 
  are scheduled to arrive.
  Assuming the PCs hurry, they have plenty of time to get to 
  the site before the barathu ship docks. The supposed meeting 
  place is a public docking bay with a thin layer of multicolored 
  mist—pumped in to make visitors from the Pact Worlds’ gas 
  giants feel more at home—swirling across the floor. This fog 
  doesn’t hinder vision in any way.
  If the PCs elect not to investigate, the barathu delegation 
  is killed and images of the PCs performing the terrible act are 
  publicized; they will need to be extra careful moving around 
  the station if that occurs.
  Creatures: The PCs see clones of themselves—wearing 
  strangely formal armor—standing on the opposite side of 
  the bridge and waiting motionlessly. These clones were 
  grown quickly by Mysteriarch Zaxo on board his ship and 
  sent to further test the PCs. The gray leader believes they 
  will have to be ready for anything when they confront the 
  reptoid infiltrators, so these clones are his way of keeping 
  the PCs sharp, but they are relatively simple-minded and 
  can only follow orders. There are two combat clones and 
  two telepathic clones, but you can alter the numbers to 
  better fit the composition of the player characters. While 
  the statistics of these clones list them as humanoids, you 
  should be sure to describe them as near-exact duplicates of 
  the PCs, though because of their rushed creation, they don’t 
  have many of the major benefits or drawbacks a PC’s species 
  might confer.
  COMBAT CLONES (2) 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600 each
  LN Medium humanoid
  Init +5; Perception +19
  DEFENSE 
  HP 165 EACH
  EAC 23; KAC 25
  Fort +12; Ref +14; Will +9
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee comet hammer +22 (4d6+18 B)
  Ranged yellow star plasma rifle +19 (2d10+10 E & F line; 
  critical burn 1d8) or
  cryo grenade II +19 (explode [15 ft., 2d8 C plus staggered, 
  DC 17])
  Offensive Abilities duplicate fury
  TACTICS
  During Combat The combat clones have very simple 
  programming. They are designed to kill their assigned 
  targets and haven’t lived long enough to develop any real 
  personalities of their own. 
  Morale The clones fight to the death. If captured, they 
  willingly describe who they’ve been assigned to kill, but 
  are very confused by questions outside of that. 
  STATISTICS
  Str +8; Dex +5; Con +3; Int –2; Wis –1; Cha –3
  Skills Acrobatics +19, Athletics +24
  Languages Aklo, Common; telepathy 100 ft.
  Gear specialist defiance series, comet hammer with 1 battery 
  (20 charges), yellow star plasma rifle with 1 high-capacity 
  battery (40 charges), cryo grenades II (3); Augmentations 
  gray transponder (see Development on page 22)
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Duplicate Fury (Ex) When faced with a duplicate grown 
  with more care (such as a PC with the same appearance), 
  the clones are inspired to an anger they don’t fully 
  understand. Once a day, the clone can reroll one attack roll 
  against their duplicate.
  PSYCHIC CLONES (2) 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600 each
  LN Medium humanoid
  Init +5; Perception +19
  DEFENSE 
  HP 140 EACH
  EAC 22; KAC 23
  Fort +9; Ref +11; Will +13
  EVENT 5: CONFLUENCE AND CLONES
  EVENT 5: CONFLUENCE AND CLONES
  1 SQUARE = 5 FEET
  1 SQUARE = 5 FEET
  N
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  21
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC 
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee power battleglove +16 (2d8+13 B)
  Ranged hailstorm-class zero pistol +18 (2d6+10 C; critical 
  staggered [DC 19])
  Offensive Abilities duplicate fury
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th; ranged +18)
  1/day—overload systems (DC 22), resistant armor
  3/day— dispel magic, explosive blast (DC 21), haste, slow 
  (DC 21)
  At will—caustic conversion (DC 20), see invisibility
  TACTICS
  During Combat The telepathic clones aren’t much more 
  complex than their combat kin. After one casts haste 
  to assist their allies and the other casts resistant armor, 
  they focus on their duplicates whenever possible.
  Morale The clones fight to the death. If captured, they 
  willingly describe who they’ve been assigned to kill, but 
  are very confused by questions outside of that. 
  STATISTICS
  Str +3; Dex +5; Con +0; Int –2; Wis –1; Cha +8
  Skills Intimidation +24, Mysticism +19
  Languages Aklo, Common; telepathy 100 ft.
  Gear white carbon carbon skin, power battleglove with 1 
  battery (20 charges), hailstorm-class zero pistol with 1 
  high-capacity battery (40 charges); Augmentations gray 
  transponder (see Development below)
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Duplicate Fury (Ex) As combat clones (page 21).
  Development: After defeating the clones, a PC 
  who examines their bodies and succeeds at a DC 30 
  Medicine check finds the gray transponders: pea-sized 
  technological devices implanted at the base of their 
  skulls. A PC who then succeeds at a DC 28 Engineering 
  check can tell the augmentation allows for long-range 
  telepathic communication with a specific receiver. Though 
  the augmentation no longer emits a signal after a clone’s 
  death, a PC can analyze the device with a successful DC 
  32 Engineering or Mysticism check to trace the origin of 
  the transmissions it receives to an empty area of space just 
  outside Absalom Station’s Armada. This is the general location 
  of Mysteriarch Zaxo’s ship, which the PCs will visit in Part 3.
  If the PCs need help finding or identifying these 
  augmentations, Verifier Ki can do so.
  Defeating the clones and saving the barathu delegation 
  earns the PCs 1 Trust Point (if they still need it).
  Once the PCs have discovered the reptoid infiltrators among 
  the Directorate nominees and earned at least 6 Trust 
  Points, they can ask the director-general to act. Though 
  each nominee is being protected by a small Steward detail, 
  Lin Camulan doesn’t feel comfortable moving against the 
  infiltrators, worried by the possibility that more reptoids have 
  replaced other Stewards, especially those close to known 
  reptoid agents.
  Instead, the director-general authorizes the PCs to make 
  the busts. He would prefer not to have them make any arrests 
  while the suspects are engaged in Pact Council business, so 
  he directs them toward their homes or personal haunts—Vora 
  Rinn at a club called the Phantom Wing in Kemanis, Thylas 
  Starhammer at Lorecast Studio on the outskirts of Olensa, 
  and Erem within their penthouse apartment near the Plenara. 
  The PCs can choose the order in which they approach the 
  targets, and as they do, Lin will quietly pull back the Steward 
  guards at each location as the PCs approach and try to feed 
  the target false information to keep them off guard. Groups 
  that move on a target without the director-general’s support 
  will find they have to deal with up to a dozen high-ranking 
  Steward officers in addition to their primary targets. You can 
  use the statistics for the reptoid Steward found on page 28 
  if necessary, but the PCs should quickly realize that such 
  battles are losing propositions.
  If they act quickly, the PCs should have a few days to 
  complete their raids. After that, the director-general will have 
  to start explaining things to the Pact Council and it will soon 
  become apparent that they’re hunting reptoids. The Stewards 
  would prefer if the suspected reptoids are brought in alive, 
  but will accept reptoid corpses if necessary.
  Xych Vorsen and Ephecta explain all this to the PCs, 
  warning them that if they fail in an attack, a reptoid might 
  escape to warn the others (though it doesn’t seem like they 
  currently have much contact with one another). Such a result 
  PART 2:  
  NO MORE MASKS
  THE WRONG REPTOIDS
  It is also possible (though unlikely) that the PCs will 
  decide to go after the wrong nominees. You can try to 
  steer them in the right direction by having Xych and 
  Ephecta express doubts about their conclusions, or you 
  can simply let them perform a mistaken raid on someone’s 
  quarters. The accused nominee protests greatly and 
  threatens to publicly denounce the Stewards for working 
  with “known terrorists.” Luckily, Lin Camulan is able to 
  smooth over any hard feelings, but he has some harsh 
  words for the PCs and revokes any other warrants he has 
  issued. The PCs will need to investigate any leads they 
  left untouched. Once they have some solid proof and 
  succeed at a DC 34 Diplomacy check, they regain the 
  director-general’s trust.
  22
  
  could be disastrous, but would at least force the reptoid to 
  adopt a new identity, preventing them from gaining any more 
  power on the Pact Council.
  D. PHANTOM WING (CR 14)
  Phantom Wing is a private club themed around Triaxus’s 
  long summers. Because of its exclusivity, most guests are 
  rich enough to bring their own security with them. There is 
  rarely an incursion from the outside, but the eccentric club 
  owner sometimes imports Triaxian creatures as temporary 
  attractions, and they’ve been known to get out of hand.
  Throughout the day, at least a dozen members and 
  employees are in the club. Guests may include nominees like 
  Haussill Hau or other influential people that the PCs might 
  have already encountered like Allish Fluerasik. Although the 
  front door requires a membership card to open, picking the 
  lock (Engineering DC 25) or convincing a member to allow 
  guests in (Diplomacy DC 25) isn’t particularly difficult. All 
  guests are asked to sign a waiver that they’re responsible for 
  their own injuries if they disturb the elmeshras.
  Phantom Wing’s atmosphere is humid, with steam constantly 
  pumped in through the vents. Fern-like plants droop over 
  bar stools and private booths alike. A pair of creatures that 
  look like many-legged salamanders lounge in a large central 
  pool. Smaller furry creatures scurry among the ferns and 
  two smaller pools, chittering.
  D1. Central Pool: The main area of the club features a large 
  pool that varies between 5 and 10 feet deep, with several 
  planters hanging from the ceiling. Some fronds even reach 
  the floor. A smaller pond (only 3 feet deep) occupies the 
  southwest corner. The water of both pools is uncomfortably 
  warm but not hot enough to be dangerous.
  D2. Main Bar: Several shelves of high-quality liquor are 
  hung behind the long pine bar (which has been treated with a 
  veneer that protects it from the club’s humidity). Most of the 
  bartenders are summerborn ryphorians, though occasionally 
  a cheery android modified to look more like a ryphorian 
  serves drinks.
  D3. Booths: Several booths line the western wall of the club.
  D4. Restrooms: These restrooms are just large enough to fit 
  most of Phantom Wing’s dragonkin customers.
  D5. Private Party Room: An area in the back is generally 
  reserved for private parties, with its own bar, booth, restroom, 
  and shallow pool.
  D6. Kitchenette: The Phantom Wing has a menu featuring 
  small appetizer plates, but few patrons order from it, so this 
  small kitchen sees very little use. 
  D7. Storage Room: This room is used to store extra crates 
  of liquor, cleaning and gardening supplies, and elmeshra food.
  D8. Employee Break Room: The club’s employees take their 
  breaks at this small table. A locked door (Engineering DC 24 
  to disable) leads out to an alley. 
  D9. Owner’s Office: The club owner, Graketh Sel (N male 
  summerborn ryphorian) keeps the Phantom Wing’s books 
  here on a tier 1 computer. If the PCs look, they find the club’s 
  finances are generally spotless.
  Creatures: Most nights, Vora Rinn can be found at the club 
  with her dragonkin partner Phixara, who is unaware that Vora 
  was replaced by a reptoid. The nominee is usually at the bar 
  or in a booth, while Phixara feeds the amphibious elmeshras.
  Vora isn’t expecting the PCs, but tries to play it cool. She 
  invites the PCs to drink with her, hoping to trick them into 
  letting their guard down. When the PCs attempt to arrest her, 
  she pretends to agree to come quietly, though she does ask 
  if she can retrieve a datapad she left with the club owner. If 
  allowed to approach the northern door, she presses a button 
  on a device that emits a high-pitched noise, which drives the 
  elmeshras into a frenzy. She then yells for Phixara to cover 
  her escape as she makes for the back door, grabbing her 
  advanced cryopike from the kitchenette along the way.
  When a fight breaks out, the noncombatant patrons run 
  for the exits, while the employees move toward the storage 
  room or break room. At your discretion, this rush of people 
  can cause the space around the central pool to be difficult 
  terrain for the first 2 rounds.
  ELMESHRAS (2) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  HP 105 each (see page 56)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The frenzied elmeshras attack the closest 
  non-elmeshra.
  Morale The elmeshras fight to the death.
  D. PHANTOM WING
  D. PHANTOM WING
  1 SQUARE = 5 FEET
  1 SQUARE = 5 FEET
  N
  D5
  D5
  D8
  D8
  D9
  D9
  D4
  D4
  D6
  D6
  D7
  D7
  D4
  D4
  D4
  D4
  D3
  D3
  D3
  D3
  D3
  D3
  D3
  D3
  D1
  D1
  D2
  D2
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  23
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC 
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  
  PHIXARA 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400
  Male dragonkin (Alien Archive 40)
  HP 125
  TACTICS
  During Combat Phixara attacks anyone attempting to 
  restrain or hurt Vora, even using his breath weapon 
  with little concern for collateral damage. The 
  dragonkin doesn’t listen to any accusations against 
  his partner.
  Morale Phixara surrenders immediately when he sees 
  Vora return to her true reptoid form upon her death. 
  Otherwise, he is an unrelenting combatant. 
  VORA RINN 
  CR 13
  XP 25,600
  Female reptoid (Alien Archive 92)
  LE Medium humanoid (reptoid, shapechanger)
  Init +6; Senses low-light vision; Perception +23
  DEFENSE 
  HP 210
  EAC 27; KAC 28
  Fort +12; Ref +14; Will +16; +2 vs. mind-affecting effects 
  and poisons
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee advanced cryopike +22 (2d8+17 C; critical 
  staggered [DC 21]) or
  claw +22 (6d4+17 S)
  Ranged perihelion laser pistol +24 (4d4+13 F; 
  critical burn 2d4)
  Offensive Abilities controlled dragonkin
  TACTICS
  During Combat While in the same room as 
  Phixara, Vora Rinn maintains her disguise. 
  If prevented from fleeing, she stays close 
  to Phixara. Otherwise, she makes a 
  fighting retreat.
  Morale Vora would rather die than betray the 
  reptoid cause, though fleeing is her first 
  order of business.
  STATISTICS
  Str +4; Dex +6; Con +0; Int +2; Wis +0; 
  Cha +8
  Skills Acrobatics +23, Athletics +23, Bluff 
  +28, Diplomacy +28, Disguise +28, 
  Sense Motive +23
  Languages Common, Draconic, 
  Reptoid, Triaxian
  Feats Mobility
  Other Abilities change shape (any 
  specific humanoid)
  Gear estex suit IV, 
  advanced cryopike with 
  1 high-capacity battery 
  (40 charges), perihelion laser pistol with 2 high-capacity 
  batteries (40 charges each), datapadAR, credstick 
  (22,000 credits)
  OTHER ABILITIES
  Controlled Dragonkin (Ex) The reptoid version of Vora 
  Rinn has warped the bond the real ryphorian had with 
  Phixara. As a move action when in line of sight of the 
  dragonkin, she can grant Phixara an additional move or 
  standard action.
  Treasure: The club has a substantial amount of alcohol 
  and decorations, but most of those aren’t worth carrying 
  off. The director-general allows the PCs to take the reptoid 
  Vora’s gear if they want. He also looks the other way if the 
  PCs poke through the club’s lost-and-found cabinet (which 
  can be located with a successful DC 22 Perception check); it 
  holds a yellow star plasma pistol with no battery.
  If the PCs share evidence that Vora ordered the 
  assassination of Director Balam Dori (from her 
  datapad; see Development below) either with 
  the public or with Zia Choh personally, the 
  ryphorian is grateful. Within the next day, they 
  send the PCs their illuminating merciful competitor 
  plasma ribbon (Armory 12) , the weapon they 
  famously used as a battleflower, as a 
  gift. As a piece of popular culture, the 
  weapon can be sold for 97,500 credits 
  to the right collector.
  Development: 
  Vora 
  Rinn’s 
  datapad can be accessed with 
  a successful DC 30 Computers 
  check. It contains evidence of 
  several reptoid operations on Triaxus 
  (though none intersect with those 
  occurring on Absalom Station), including 
  the assassination of Director Balam 
  Dori and the subsequent discrediting 
  of Zia Choh. One particular file provides 
  proof that Vora altered the footage of 
  the assassination.
  E. LORECAST STUDIO (CR 14)
  When not in the Plenara, Thylas Starhammer 
  spends a lot of his time in the studio from 
  where the Lorecast is streamed. Although 
  he has an apartment, he hasn’t visited it in 
  several weeks, instead preferring to crash in 
  the studio’s green room.
  E1. Entryway: The entryway to the studio is 
  a niche containing an abandoned desk crowded 
  with Lorecast pamphlets. Both the main door 
  and the one behind the desk are locked 
  (Hardness 15, 60 Hit Points, DC 30 
  Engineering to open). 
  Vora Rinn
  24
  
  E2. Security Post: A pair of chairs face the one-way glass 
  that looks out onto the entryway. The fragile glass shatters if 
  it takes any damage. The hidden entrance to this room from 
  the outside can be spotted with a DC 30 Perception check, 
  though it is locked (Engineering DC 30 to open).
  E3. Conference Room: Several chairs surround a long table, 
  where the Lorecast streamers plan their next shows. A large 
  whiteboard on the southern wall displays a programming 
  schedule, which is focused primarily on the upcoming 
  Directorate election.
  E4. Archives: The room is locked (Engineering DC 30 to 
  open) and has several data storage servers that hold all of the 
  Lorecast’s streams.
  E5. Green Room: Guests and stream hosts wait in this room 
  when not in the studio. A locked display case (Engineering 
  DC 24 to open) on the western wall holds supposed pieces 
  of Golarion history (see Treasure on page 27). A light above 
  the northern door indicates when recording is happening in 
  the studio.
  E6. Equipment Storage: This area holds parts for repairing 
  the studio’s cameras and lighting rigs, as well as endless coils 
  of cables. A light above the northern door indicates when 
  recording is happening in the studio.
  E7. Control Room: A large control panel stretches along 
  the western wall, under a soundproof transparent aluminum 
  window that looks out onto the studio. The computers here 
  capture the feeds of the studio’s cameras, which are then 
  edited in real-time and streamed out to the infosphere.
  E8. Restroom: This restroom is austere and practical, with 
  a single toilet and a sink.
  E9. Studio: This is where Lorecast is brought live to 
  Absalom Station (and beyond). Sound baffling covers 
  the walls and a lighting rig hangs from the ceiling. Three 
  hovering cameras all point toward a stage area, which 
  features a desk, several chairs, and a backdrop with the 
  Lorecast logo painted in white and blue.
  Creatures: With the Steward officers called away, the 
  studio is temporarily defended by Thylas’s guests from the 
  Knights of Golarion. Two knights wait in the security post, 
  watching over the front door, while another pair wait in the 
  green room. If the knights see the PCs breaking into the 
  building, they move to protect Thylas. Otherwise, they do 
  their best to pull attackers into the studio so that the Pact 
  Worlds can see the attack. These Knights of Golarion believe 
  that Thylas is being targeted due to his outspoken opposition 
  to Eoxian interests. A PC can convince a knight that Thylas is 
  a reptoid by presenting evidence (as a standard action) and 
  succeeding at a DC 32 Diplomacy check, causing that knight 
  to stand down.
  Meanwhile, when the PCs arrive, Thylas is live on his 
  stream, explaining to his audience how the Stewards pulled 
  his guards as part of their ongoing collusion with the Eoxians. 
  He refuses to go quietly, especially if the PCs are already 
  attacking his Knights of Golarion “allies.”
  Five noncombatant staff members operate the control 
  room. The PCs can stop the feed by destroying the cameras 
  in the main studio or convincing the staff to turn it off with a 
  successful DC 28 Intimidate check.
  KNIGHTS OF GOLARION (4) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  Human soldier
  LG Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +8; Perception +16
  DEFENSE 
  HP 125 EACH
  EAC 20; KAC 23
  Fort +10; Ref +8; Will +9
  Defensive Abilities guard’s protection
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. in armor)
  Melee microserrated longsword +19 (2d10+17 S; critical 
  bleed 2d6)
  Ranged light machine gun +16 (2d10+8 P) or
  holy water grenade II +16 (explode [20 ft., 4d6 B holy 
  water, DC 16])
  Offensive Abilities fighting styles (guard)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The knights focus their attacks on those 
  that seem the most likely to be undead and shout about 
  how the living shouldn’t bend the knee to the dead. 
  During the fight, they try to draw enemies into the studio 
  to expose their crimes and keep near their allies.
  E. LORECAST STUDIO
  E. LORECAST STUDIO
  1 SQUARE = 5 FEET
  1 SQUARE = 5 FEET
  N
  E9
  E9
  E5
  E5
  E6
  E6
  E7
  E7
  E8
  E8
  E1
  E1
  E3
  E3
  E2
  E2
  S
  E4
  E4
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  25
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC 
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  
  Morale The knights fight to the death but surrender 
  immediately in shame if they are convinced Thylas is a 
  reptoid (see page 25) or if they see him return to his true 
  reptoid form upon death.
  STATISTICS
  Str +6; Dex +4; Con +2; Int +1; Wis –1; Cha +0
  Skills Athletics +23, Culture +16, Mysticism +16 
  Languages Celestial, Common
  Other Abilities armor training
  Gear commander ceremonial plate, light machine gun with 
  100 heavy rounds, microserrated longsword, holy water 
  grenade IIAR
  THYLAS STARHAMMER 
  CR 12
  XP 19,200
  Male reptoid technomancer
  LE Medium humanoid (reptoid, shapechanger)
  Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +24
  DEFENSE 
  HP 170 RP 5
  EAC 25; KAC 26
  Fort +11; Ref +11; Will +15; +2 vs. mind-affecting effects and 
  poisons
  DR 5/—
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee ultrathin dagger +21 (4d4+12 S)
  Ranged perihelion laser pistol +21 (4d4+12 F; critical burn 2d4)
  Technomancer Spells Known (CL 12th, melee +19)
  4th (3/day)—greater invisibility, rewire flesh (DC 23)
  3rd (6/day)—arcing surge (DC 22), dispel magic, entropic 
  grasp, explosive blast (DC 22) 
  2nd (at will)—caustic conversion (DC 21), mirror image
  TACTICS
  During Combat If the battle takes place in front of the 
  cameras, Thylas pushes his message that the PCs were 
  sent by the Eoxian government to silence him. Otherwise, 
  he attempts to move the fight back toward the cameras. 
  He focuses on flashy attacks, using seeking shot and 
  spellshot. If he cannot find a way to move the combat on 
  camera, he casts greater invisibility on himself. 
  Morale When reduced to fewer than 15 Hit Points, Thylas 
  tries to catch himself in the area of his most damaging 
  remaining spell, intentionally failing the save in an 
  attempt to render his body unrecognizable as a reptoid. 
  The Stewards will be able to verify his true form from 
  the remains, but Thylas hopes to foster conspiracy 
  theories even after his death.
  STATISTICS
  Str +0; Dex +4; Con +1; Int +8; Wis +1; Cha +5
  Skills Bluff +22, Computers +27, Culture +22, Diplomacy +22, 
  Disguise +27, Mysticism +22, Profession (vidcaster) +27
  Languages Brethedan, Common, Dwarven, Reptoid
  Other Abilities cache capacitor (keen senses, lesser 
  resistant armor), change shape (any specific 
  26
  
  humanoid), magic hacks (seeking shot, spellshot), spell 
  cache (datapad)
  Gear platinum AbadarCorp travel suit, perihelion laser 
  pistol with 2 high-capacity batteries (40 charges 
  each), ultrathin dagger, keys to studio and archive 
  room, datapadAR
  Treasure: The director-general allows the PCs to take the 
  reptoid Thylas’s gear if they want, though he requests that 
  any defeated Knight of Golarion’s equipment be returned to 
  that organization. If a PC succeeds at a DC 28 Diplomacy 
  check while explaining to the personnel why they started a 
  fight in their studio, one of the engineers thanks the group 
  and offers them one of the more valuable relics from the 
  green room: a set of chaotic good mk 3 planar runeplates 
  (Armory 115) engraved with the butterfly symbol of Desna.
  If the PCs discredit Thylas on air, Gevalarsk Nor sends 
  them a bouquet of beverages to their safe house with 
  a hand-written note saying, “Thanks for the show!” The 
  bouquet includes four bottles of Eoxian wine each worth 
  1,500 credits, eight mk 3 serums of healing, and four 
  close-quarters serums (Armory 116).
  Development: If the identity of any of the other reptoid 
  infiltrators is revealed on air, that reptoid fakes their own 
  death and disappears within the next day. Otherwise, even 
  if Thylas is revealed to be a reptoid on air, the others hunker 
  down and hope they weren’t also discovered.
  Story Award: For each Knight of Golarion the PCs manage 
  to talk down, grant the PCs XP as if they had defeated the 
  knight in combat.
  F. EREM’S PENTHOUSE (CR 14)
  Erem 
  is 
  extremely 
  careful, 
  even 
  during 
  normal 
  circumstances, spending basically all of their time in their 
  penthouse at the top floor of a Plenara-adjacent high rise. 
  Long ago, Erem replaced some of their Steward detail with 
  reptoids, so when the director-general orders them to leave 
  their posts for an emergency reassignment, he gets word 
  that a pair of the agents refused. The director-general 
  informs the PCs of this, suspecting that these two have 
  been replaced by reptoids. He asks the PCs to confirm this 
  suspicion, but if he is wrong, the PCs should try to not kill 
  these misguided Stewards.
  The PCs can approach Erem’s penthouse either by 
  accessing the private elevator or via the roof. While the 
  Stewards should have access to the elevator, Erem changes 
  the passcode as soon as their detail is recalled. A PC can 
  override the elevator security with a successful DC 30 
  Engineering check or revert the code with a successful 
  DC 30 Computers check. The elevator leads to area F1. 
  Alternatively, if the PCs have access to flight, they can 
  head directly to area F10; the locals are used to tenants 
  flying to the tops of various buildings nearby and 
  don’t report anything to station security unless 
  a flying PC begins bombarding Erem’s penthouse with 
  obvious spells or heavy weapons fire. In either case, Erem 
  can tell the PCs are coming for them and prepares for their 
  arrival (see Creatures on page 28).
  F1. Elevator: The tastefully decorated elevator opens 
  directly onto Erem’s plush penthouse.
  F2. Bathrooms: Both of Erem’s bathrooms are clean and 
  well-decorated, but don’t hold any particular secrets.
  F3. Stairs: Two wide sets of stairs connect the main 
  penthouse with the rooftop pool area.
  F4. Kitchen: An open kitchen looks out over the rest of the 
  penthouse and features the latest appliances.
  F5. Living Room: This expansive living room has a long, 
  comfortable couch, a few chairs around a side table, and a 
  state-of-the-art tri-vid display on the northern wall.
  F6. Sauna: After replacing the real Pact Council member, 
  the reptoid Erem had this sauna installed. Wooden benches 
  and a stone heater fill up most of the room. 
  F7. Bedroom: Erem’s bedroom more closely resembles an 
  L-shaped hallway. A plush bed is in the northwest corner, 
  while a wardrobe stands against the eastern wall.
  F8. Office: The wedge-shaped office contains a desk with a 
  tier 3 computer, a few bookshelves, and other necessities. A 
  Thylas Starhammer
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  27
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC 
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  
  map of the Armada surrounding Absalom Station is attached 
  to one wall, with a few sections highlighted and pictures of 
  the PCs pinned beneath. The contents of the computer are 
  described in Development on page 29.
  F9. Rooftop: A 3-foot wall topped with a small bit of 
  shrubbery keeps people from falling off the roof. Four small 
  spotlights pointing straight up to the sky occupy the roof’s 
  corners. A shimmering pool of water takes up most of the 
  space here, lit from within. Several deck chairs sit on one 
  side of the pool opposite a cabana with an attached bar.
  Creatures: Erem and their two reptoid guards, disguised 
  as Steward agents, await the PCs inside the penthouse. Erem 
  is sure that their time in the spotlight is over and doesn’t 
  expect the encounter to end peacefully.
  If the PCs enter by elevator, the three reptoids take up 
  defensive positions on the rooftop, with Erem attempting 
  to taunt the PCs into the line of fire once they arrive. If 
  the PCs fly onto the roof, the reptoids make their stand 
  in the living room, using the couch and chairs for cover. 
  Erem puts a recording of one their interviews on the tri-vid 
  display and cranks up the volume in hopes of distracting 
  the PCs.
  REPTOID STEWARDS (2) 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600 each
  Reptoid soldier (Alien Archive 92)
  LE Medium humanoid (reptoid, shapechanger)
  Init +12; Senses low-light vision; Perception +19
  DEFENSE 
  HP 165 RP 5
  EAC 23; KAC 26
  Fort +15; Ref +10; Will +11; +2 vs. mind-affecting effects and 
  poisons
  Defensive Abilities guard’s protection
  OFFENSE
  Speed 40 ft. (30 ft. in armor)
  Melee numbing taclash +19 (5d4+15 S)
  Ranged white star conqueror +22 (3d12+10 E & F; critical 
  wound [DC 17]) or
  frag grenade IV +22 (explode [15 ft., 6d6 P, DC 17])
  Size 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with numbing taclash)
  Offensive Abilities gear boost (plasma immolation), fighting 
  styles (blitz, guard)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The reptoids in Steward disguises are 
  primarily concerned with protecting Erem, their leader 
  here on Absalom Station. They stay behind cover for 
  as long as possible. If Erem is nearby, they use guard’s 
  protection to shield him.
  Morale The reptoids fight to the death, knowing their plans 
  are forfeit if they fail to defeat the PCs. 
  STATISTICS
  Str +5; Dex +8; Con +3; Int +1; Wis +0; Cha +1
  Skills Acrobatics +24, Athletics +19, Disguise +19
  Languages Common, Reptoid
  Other Abilities change shape (any specific humanoid), rapid 
  recovery
  Gear specialist defiance series, numbing taclash with 2 
  batteries (20 charges each), white star conquerorAR 
  with 2 high-capacity batteries (40 charges each), frag 
  grenades IV (2)
  F. EREM'S PENTHOUSE
  F. EREM'S PENTHOUSE
  1 SQUARE = 5 FEET
  1 SQUARE = 5 FEET
  N
  F3
  F3
  F2
  F2
  F6
  F6
  F8
  F8
  F7
  F7
  F5
  F5
  F1
  F1
  F2
  F2
  F3
  F3
  F3
  F3
  F3
  F3
  F4
  F4
  F9
  F9
  28
  
  EREM 
  CR 12
  XP 19,200
  Nonbinary reptoid (Alien Archive 92)
  LE Medium humanoid (reptoid, shapechanger)
  Init +8; Senses low-light vision; Perception +22
  DEFENSE 
  HP 185
  EAC 26; KAC 27
  Fort +11; Ref +11; Will +17; +2 vs. mind-affecting effects and 
  poisons
  Defensive Abilities pawn sacrifice
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee claw +21 (2d12+16 S plus rend mind [DC 21])
  Ranged aurora arc pistol +23 (3d6+12 E; critical arc 2d6)
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 12th)
  1/day—hold monster (DC 21)
  3/day—charm monster (DC 20)
  at will—inflict pain (DC 19)
  TACTICS
  During Combat As a rare reptoid with more experience 
  fighting in their natural form, Erem drops their disguise 
  to use their claws. They stick close to their false 
  Steward guards, using pawn sacrifice as often 
  as possible. Erem focuses their attacks 
  on their duplicate, snarling that the 
  PCs are just gray pawns and will be 
  discarded once this is all over. 
  Morale Erem knows this can all be 
  swept under the rug or even played 
  to their advantage as long as the 
  reptoids are victorious. As such, Erem 
  refuses to surrender.
  STATISTICS
  Str +4; Dex +8; Con +0; Int +1; Wis +2; Cha +5
  Skills Bluff +22, Culture +27, Diplomacy +27, 
  Disguise +27, Stealth +22
  Languages Common, Reptoid
  Other Abilities change shape (any specific humanoid)
  Gear platinum AbadarCorp travel suit, aurora arc pistol 
  with 1 high-capacity battery (40 charges)
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Pawn Sacrifice (Ex) As a reaction when they are hit with an 
  attack, Erem can redirect that attack to automatically hit 
  an adjacent ally instead.
  Rend Mind (Su) Erem has learned to focus a fraction of 
  their psychic power into their claws. A creature hit with 
  their claw must succeed at a DC 21 Will saving throw 
  or have their sense of self temporarily eroded. The 
  target takes a –2 penalty to Intelligence-, Wisdom-, and 
  Charisma-based checks, their spell save DCs, and their 
  Will saving throws for 1d4 rounds. 
  Treasure: Lin Camulan doesn’t care if the PCs want to take 
  the reptoids’ equipment or any portable valuables inside the 
  penthouse if they wish. Since the reptoid Erem has been 
  entrenched in this penthouse for so long, the director-general 
  doesn’t think anyone will miss the items.
  Erem keeps a mind scour (Starfinder Adventure Path 
  #27: Deceivers’ Moon 44) in the wardrobe in their bedroom 
  behind a false panel that can be spotted with a successful 
  DC 30 Perception check; the Stewards aren’t comfortable 
  having such a device show up in a random marketplace, so 
  they offer to buy it from the PCs for 50% of its price. A PC 
  who succeeds at a DC 28 Perception check while searching 
  the sauna finds a zero-edge switchblade (Armory 8) hidden 
  under the bench. Finally, the PCs can find a number of 
  starmetal serums (Starfinder Adventure Path #27: Deceivers’ 
  Moon 45) within the pool’s cabana area, including two vials 
  of djezet draught, a vial of horacalcum mélange, a vial of 
  inubrix brew, three vials of noqual elixir, and three vials of 
  siccatite tonic.
  Development: The tier 3 computer in Erem’s office has 
  a security II module attached but can be hacked with a 
  Erem
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  29
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC 
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  
  successful DC 27 Computers check. The data contained 
  within seems to only relate to Erem’s work on the Pact 
  Council, including proposals from other members and 
  requests for interviews from various Absalom Station 
  news feeds. However, there is a hidden data module behind 
  a firewall that the PCs can find and gain access to with a 
  successful DC 29 Computers check. 
  The hidden module contains correspondence with 
  reptoid masters from an unknown location outside of the 
  Pact Worlds. These conversations include discussions of 
  further plans to be carried out once they gain control of a 
  majority of the Directorate (focused primarily on furthering 
  dissension among the Pact Worlds for an unstated purpose), 
  requests from Erem to learn the identity of other reptoid 
  agents within the Pact Council (which are denied, but 
  accompanied by calls for patience), and screeds about the 
  danger posed by the grays, who are undoubtedly watching 
  over Absalom Station. 
  Since their abduction by grays months ago, Erem has 
  quietly railed against the gray threat to their commanders. 
  It seems as though their warnings have gone unheeded, 
  especially the most recent messages, which become nearly 
  apoplectic about certain gray-created clones (the PCs) 
  “rampaging across the Pact Worlds.” Nevertheless, Erem’s 
  paranoia has paid off—their search for the gray puppet 
  masters might be able to help the PCs. The files, accompanied 
  by the map on their office wall, mark an area of space just 
  outside the Armada that might hold a cloaked ship. See Part 
  3 for more details.
  If need be, Steward analysts (or even TERM1NAL, for a fee) 
  can find this information on Erem’s computer for the PCs.
  THE END OF THE INVESTIGATION
  Once the reptoids among the Directorate nominees are all 
  unmasked and dealt with, Director-General Lin Camulan 
  thanks the PCs and assures them they will be cleared 
  of all criminal charges. He notes that the Stewards will 
  handle any media backlash that will inevitably come from 
  Pact Council members who are arrested or revealed to be 
  reptoids (especially if the PCs’ fight with Thylas Starhammer 
  occurred during a live broadcast) and that he is personally 
  going to speak with the governments those candidates 
  represent. For now, the director-general suggests the PCs 
  take a well-deserved break.
  How long the PCs can relax is up to you; they should have 
  time for at least a full 8 hours of rest, but if you like, you can 
  give them time to shop for new equipment or craft items. 
  Soon, though, they receive a psychic transmission from 
  Mysteriarch Zaxo—his final attempt to reestablish control 
  over his clones. His calm voice echoes in their minds: “This 
  completes the test. Please return to the ship to report your 
  findings.” Each PC also receives a momentary psychic flash: 
  with Absalom Station in the distance, an empty patch of 
  space briefly shimmers.
  The last leg of the PCs’ personal journey is to confront their 
  creator, Mysteriarch Zaxo, and free themselves once and 
  for all. His ship lurks invisibly at the edge of the Armada to 
  monitor the station. 
  The PCs can confront Zaxo as soon as they learn the 
  location of his vessel (which they might want to try to do 
  after Event 5), but they should feel the pressure to first 
  unmask all the reptoids among the Directorate nominees. 
  Use Xych Vorsen, Ephecta, and even Director-General 
  Lin Camulan to steer the PCs back to the task at hand, 
  warning them that the grays and the reptoids are unlikely 
  to be working together and that leaving Absalom Station, 
  even for a few hours, might provide the reptoid agents an 
  opportunity to escape.
  FINDING THE MYSTERIARCH
  Mysteriarch Zaxo’s unnamed ship floats at the very edge 
  of the Armada, cloaked and just barely in phase with the 
  Material Plane. The PCs likely learned its general location 
  from Erem’s office (page 28) or else reverse-engineered the 
  signal from the clones’ transmitters (page 22).
  If neither of these happen, the Stewards can track 
  security footage of the attacking clones (page 21) to a small 
  shuttlecraft that seems to appear in an empty section of 
  space outside of the Armada. However, they’re reluctant to 
  do this before the matter with the Directorate nominees is 
  resolved; the search will require a great deal of resources and 
  would be apparent to any infiltrators within the Stewards.
  Any of these approaches lead the PCs to an area of 
  space just at the edge of the Armada. Ships fly through that 
  area regularly without running into anything or noticing 
  anything out of the ordinary, but Zaxo’s ship responds if the 
  PCs approach. The PCs can take their own vessel or borrow 
  one from a friendly force on the station. Read or paraphrase 
  the following.
  The space in front of your ship shimmers with countless 
  colors as though something is emerging from the Drift. A 
  small vessel shaped like a pair of conjoined discs suddenly 
  appears—as though it’s always been there.
  The PCs then receive direct contact from Zaxo, his voice 
  echoing telepathically in their heads.
  “Well done. Your mission is complete. Enter and prepare 
  for processing.” A beam of bright light emanates from the 
  underside of the starboard disc.
  PART 3:  
  MEETING YOUR MAKER
  30
  
  Once the mysteriarch’s ship has appeared, the PCs 
  might want to try to destroy it, and the Stewards are more 
  than happy to help them drive it off. However, a PC who 
  succeeds at a DC 22 Culture check knows that almost 
  all encounters with gray starships result in the vessels 
  successfully fleeing to evade capture. If the PCs wish to 
  gain an opportunity to deal with Zaxo permanently, they 
  need to accept his invitation.
  The mysteriarch’s ship doesn’t have a traditional 
  docking setup, but once the PCs enter the beam of light 
  coming from the starboard side of the vessel (either 
  maneuvering their own ship into it or by taking a brief 
  spacewalk), they are rendered partially out of phase and 
  drawn into the mysteriarch’s ship (in a similar fashion to 
  their abduction from the Voidcrier in Starfinder Adventure 
  Path #28: Deceivers’ Moon. No NPCs are brought with 
  them (though, of course, any of the PCs’ drones or animal 
  companions are).
  G. THE MYSTERIARCH’S SHIP
  Though Zaxo is a gray leader and mastermind, his vessel 
  is relatively small and crewed by only a handful of gray 
  officers. Zaxo eschews the gargantuan size of a gray 
  mothership (Starfinder Adventure Path #28: Deceivers’ 
  Moon 51), trading its size and complement for stealth and 
  maneuverability. Zaxo’s vessel is built for both observation 
  and experimentation.
  The lighting within the mysteriarch’s ship is bright light 
  (the gray crew doesn’t need it, but they have found that 
  stark lighting unsettles their experiments and abductees), 
  and the artificial gravity is normal. The ceilings rise to a 
  height of 15 feet, the doors are all airlock door quality, 
  and the walls are all starship interior quality. However, 
  a high-tech gray laminate gives the walls and fixtures a 
  hardness of 40. The gray crew can pass through the walls 
  and doors using their phase ability and only use the doors 
  when moving material or abductees.
  The walls are also psychically tagged with information 
  about what lies on the other side of each. Characters with 
  limited telepathy or telepathy can sense this naturally as 
  part of searching a room, but another character can also get 
  the flash of the same information by touching a wall and 
  succeeding at a DC 30 Mysticism check.
  Thanks to his abilities, Zaxo can speak telepathically 
  to anyone onboard the vessel wherever they are, and 
  he constantly orders the PCs to “report for processing.” 
  He gives them no further instructions, but his incessant 
  commands don’t allow the PCs to get a full night’s rest while 
  they are aboard the ship. Zaxo can also project holographic 
  illusions of himself anywhere in the ship. These illusions 
  watch the group’s progress with great interest and can 
  project an audible voice for Zaxo, although he generally 
  finds this distasteful and only does so if the PCs have 
  somehow blocked his telepathic transmissions.
  G1. Sample acquiSition Bay (cR 12)
  The room’s high, domed ceiling and single door shimmer with 
  a strange luster. A central dais glows with an otherworldly 
  light and a raised walkway encircles the chamber. A pair of 
  consoles flank the dais.
  The PCs are brought into this chamber from their ship 
  (or from space) and float gently above the dais. The nearby 
  equipment renders the area of the dais as zero-g; this can be 
  altered by a PC who accesses one of the consoles and succeeds 
  at a DC 32 Engineering check, reverting the gravity to normal.
  A holographic illusion of Zaxo appears on the front of the 
  door to telepathically greet the PCs, advising them to follow 
  his researchers and begin their final debriefing.
  Creatures: Six gray researchers are spaced evenly around 
  the walkway, staring down at the PCs with blank eyes. On 
  Zaxo’s orders, they aren’t immediately hostile; they are 
  prepared to lead the PCs through the door into the medical 
  lab (area G2), examine their memories, and perform a range 
  of exploratory surgeries that will likely kill the PCs. See the 
  description of that area for more information on how PCs 
  submitting to this process are restrained.
  Gray Researcher
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  31
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC 
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  
  If the PCs strike out against the grays, they chastise the 
  clones to calm down and complete the mission while they 
  defend themselves. 
  GRAY RESEARCHERS (6) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  NE Small humanoid (gray)
  Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +14
  DEFENSE 
  HP 90 EACH
  EAC 18; KAC 19
  Fort +6; Ref +6; Will +12
  Defensive Abilities phase
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee touch +11 (puppeteer’s touch [DC 17])
  Ranged reality pistol +13 (1d10+7 E; critical confuseAR [DC 17])
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 7th)
  1/day—dispel magic, mind thrust (3rd level, DC 20), 
  modify memory (DC 22)
  3/day—force blast (DC 19), inflict pain (DC 19)
  At will—command (DC 18), mind thrust (1st level, DC 18)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The researchers use their spells to damage 
  and control the PCs, eventually resorting to their reality 
  pistols. If engaged in melee, a gray researcher uses their 
  puppeteer’s touch ability to move their opponent away. 
  Morale If half of the researchers are killed, the rest withdraw 
  through the walls to area G7 to fetch the clones there. 
  Together, they make a final stand in area G5.
  STATISTICS
  Str +0; Dex +2; Con +1; Int +5; Wis +1; Cha +4
  Skills Life Science +19, Medicine +19, Physical Science +14
  Languages Aklo (can’t speak any language); telepathy 100 ft.
  Gear gray flightsuit (functions as silver AbadarCorp travel 
  suit), reality pistol (Starfinder Adventure Path #26: Flight 
  of the Sleepers 45) with 2 high-capacity batteries (40 
  charges each)
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Phase (Su) Grays exist slightly out of phase with the 
  Material Plane. A gray can pass through walls or 
  material objects (but not corporeal creatures) as long 
  as they begin and end their turn outside of any wall or 
  obstacle. In addition, a gray always benefits from a 20% 
  miss chance against attacks and effects targeting them 
  directly and takes only half damage from area effects. 
  Force effects, however, function normally against 
  a gray.
  Puppeteer’s Touch (Su) A gray researcher can touch a 
  character within their reach as a melee attack against 
  KAC. A touched target must succeed at a DC 17 Will save 
  or be staggered for 1 round. At the end of the target’s 
  next turn, the target moves up to their speed, directed 
  by the gray researcher. If the gray researcher is knocked 
  unconscious or can no longer see the target before the 
  G. THE MYSTERIARCH'S SHIP
  G. THE MYSTERIARCH'S SHIP
  1 SQUARE = 5 FEET
  1 SQUARE = 5 FEET
  FORWARD
  FORWARD
  G3
  G3
  G2
  G2
  G1
  G1
  G4
  G4
  G5
  G5
  G6
  G6
  G7
  G7
  G9
  G9
  G8
  G8
  S
  32
  
  target’s next turn, the target is still staggered but the 
  gray researcher can’t direct them.
  Development: If the PCs subdue a gray researcher, the 
  alien will grudgingly escort the PCs toward the security 
  checkpoint (area G6) but doesn’t participate in any encounters 
  the PCs might have along the way, perhaps even using one 
  as a distraction to escape. On the other hand, if the PCs are 
  all knocked unconscious by the grays, they find themselves 
  restrained on the examination tables in area G2.
  G2. medical laB (cR 11)
  Austere slabs resembling operating tables are spaced 
  throughout the room, each with several attached mechanical 
  articulators. Three doors are set in the lustrous metallic walls.
  If the PCs as a group agree to be experimented on or are 
  rendered unconscious, they are brought into this chamber and 
  laid out on the cold examination tables. Force fields restrain 
  each PC’s appendages, though a PC can escape from them 
  with a successful DC 30 Acrobatics check. An adjacent PC 
  can also disable these force fields as a standard action with 
  a successful DC 28 Engineering check or by commanding the 
  table to do so (see below).
  The examination tables can be controlled telepathically to 
  perform a wide variety of operations. They respond only to gray 
  thoughts, but a PC with telepathy or limited telepathy can fool 
  a table into obeying one command by succeeding at a DC 31 
  Bluff check. A table can diagnose a living creature on it by using 
  detect affliction, install an augmentation, paralyze a creature on 
  it (using an ability equivalent to a gray’s sleep paralysis ability), 
  gather information from a paralyzed subject’s mind (using an 
  ability equivalent to a gray’s probe ability), or modify a target’s 
  memory by using modify memory. Any of these effects that 
  requires a check has a DC of 24. Also, once per day, a table can 
  heal a creature as per psychic surgery.
  Creatures: A pair of small, colorful oozes hide within the 
  machinery of the operating tables. Known as memory mucks, 
  these pests have an instinctive fear of grays, but will attack 
  PCs that are more than 30 feet from the nearest gray. If the 
  PCs have allowed themselves to be brought into this room, the 
  memory mucks stay hidden while procedures are performed.
  MEMORY MUCKS (2) 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400 each
  HP 180 each (page 59)
  TACTICS
  During Combat Each memory muck teleports into the space 
  of a different PC, drawn to their manufactured memories. 
  Morale The memory mucks fight to the death.
  Treasure: A drawer hidden inside each slab (Perception 
  DC 35 to notice) can be opened by anyone with telepathy 
  or limited telepathy. Although each slab has one of these 
  drawers, only two drawers contain anything of note. One 
  contains a memory expunger (Alien Archive 103), two gray 
  nanite hypopens (Armory 106), a red nanite hypopen (Armory 
  106), and two mk 3 serums of healing.
  The other drawer contains a mk 3 synaptic accelerator 
  and a parallax optical laser (Armory 89). Both of these 
  augmentations include a gray transponder similar to the 
  one found within the clone attackers (see Event 5 on page 
  21), noticeable with a successful DC 38 Perception or DC 33 
  Engineering check. A transmitter can be removed with 10 
  minutes of work and a successful DC 35 Engineering check. A 
  PC who has an augmentation with an active gray transmitter 
  still installed takes a –4 penalty to their saving throws against 
  effects produced by grays.
  G3. Radiation laB (cR 14)
  The radiation in this chamber produces a force field effect 
  that prevents phasing through the walls, primarily to keep 
  the chamber’s inhabitant captive. The grays tend to avoid this 
  area as a result.
  Complex machinery along the wall hums quietly, filling the 
  chamber with a psychic thrum. Doors stand at both ends.
  The machinery here is linked to the ship’s thrusters and 
  Drift engine, though it can’t be used to control those systems. 
  Instead, it harnesses and amplifies the radiation produced 
  by them. A PC who studies the equipment and succeeds at 
  a DC 33 Engineering check notices the energy signature it 
  gives off has a complex—almost musical—rhythm and that it 
  forms a semi-permeable force field effect that can’t be phased 
  through. A PC who then succeeds at a DC 35 Mysticism 
  check knows that such radiation could be used to attract a 
  garaggakal—an outsider sometimes called a “Drift wraith”—
  looking to reproduce through cytogenesis.
  Hazard: As long as the machinery is operational, this 
  area is filled with high radiation (Core Rulebook 404). If 
  the machinery is destroyed (Hardness 40, 200 Hit Points), 
  the area is flooded with severe radiation for 1d4 rounds 
  before fading away. A character with telepathy or limited 
  telepathy can turn off the machines with a successful DC 
  30 Mysticism or Physical Science check; in this case, the 
  radiation dissipates immediately with no harmful effects. 
  Shutting down the radiation also allows the garaggakal 
  polymath to escape into space.
  If the PCs begin damaging the equipment, Zaxo appears to 
  telepathically admonish them for disrupting an experiment 
  in progress, though he doesn’t inform the PCs of the full 
  nature of the experiment.
  Creature: Several weeks ago, Zaxo and his crew lured 
  a garaggakal polymath to this chamber with the unusual 
  Drift radiation produced by the machinery. The grays then 
  altered the radiation to form a force-field effect that trapped 
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  33
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC 
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  
  the creature inside. Zaxo visits the chamber occasionally, 
  attempting to imprint psychic commands on the garaggakal 
  and turn it—and any of its offspring—into loyal minions.
  The garaggakal is understandably upset, not to mention 
  quite hungry. Before it attacks the PCs, it offers them a deal: 
  if they allow it to use its leech life ability three times on 
  three different living targets, it will allow the group to pass 
  through the chamber. The garaggakal knows that the 
  machinery is responsible for its captivity, but it is too proud 
  to share that information with the PCs. If the PCs take the 
  creature up on its offer, Zaxo telepathically tells them, “Your 
  brains are fascinating. I can’t wait to study them.”
  GARAGGAKAL POLYMATH 
  CR 14
  XP 38,400
  HP 255; RP 5 (Alien Archive 2 54)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The garaggakal makes full attacks against 
  any PC it begins its turn adjacent to, unless that PC has 
  demonstrated an ability to use melee attacks that deal 
  electricity damage; if a PC uses melee attacks that deal 
  electricity damage, the garaggakal stays as far away 
  from that PC as it can. It uses leech life when it is first 
  reduced to 200 Hit Points or fewer and again when 
  reduced to 100 Hit Points or fewer.
  Morale If it remains trapped in this chamber, the 
  garaggakal fights to the death. However, if the 
  machinery has been destroyed, the garaggakal flees the 
  ship when reduced to fewer than 50 Hit Points.
  G4. plaSma laB (cR 12)
  A series of crystalline pylons decorate this chamber, the 
  largest rising above the others in the center. The air is thick 
  with a mixed odor of ozone and smoke. Doors stand on both 
  ends of the room.
  Gray engineers use this lab to research new plasma-based 
  starship weapons they hope will allow them to fire from 
  the Drift into the Material Plane. The experiments are not 
  proceeding as expected, making this chamber a dangerous 
  place for non-gray creatures. 
  Each of the crystalline pylons in this room contains 
  technology that generates plasma energy, along with 
  emitters that release that energy. The central pylon holds 
  a console that collects and analyzes the experimental data. 
  Like most gray computers, the console in the central pylon 
  has a psychic interface, but a PC need not understand Aklo 
  to glean information from and manipulate the computer. 
  This is a tier 5 computer, requiring a successful DC 33 
  Computers check to hack. The research data within is 
  interesting, but likely of little use to the PCs at the moment. 
  However, after gaining access, a PC can attempt additional 
  DC 33 Computers checks each round in place of either an 
  Engineering or Physical Science check to disable the 
  trap here (and when using the computer, the PCs 
  don’t need to be adjacent to the emitter they 
  are attempting to knock out or realign to 
  disable it). 
  Trap: When a non-gray creature enters 
  this room, a security program powers up 
  the pylons, causing them to throw plasma 
  energy throughout the chamber. A non-gray creature 
  takes increasing amounts of damage as they move through 
  the room each round; calculate the total amount of damage 
  a PC would take before having them attempt the Reflex 
  saving throw to reduce it. A PC can also avoid the arcs of 
  plasma by attempting a DC 30 Acrobatics check as a move 
  action. On a success, they can move 5 feet without taking 
  damage, and an additional 5 feet for every 5 their result 
  exceeds the DC.
  34
  Garaggakal Polymath
  
  A PC must be adjacent to a pylon to attempt the Engineering 
  or Physical Science check to disable part of the trap. Each 
  pylon has hardness 20 and 50 Hit Points, though destroying 
  one doesn’t reduce the amount of damage dealt by the trap. 
  The trap automatically shuts down when there are no more 
  targets in the room.
  As the PCs deal with this trap, Zaxo appears as a holograph 
  to comment on their actions, remarking in particular on any 
  PCs who are exceptionally nimble.
  PLASMA ARCS TRAP 
  CR 12
  XP 19,200
  Type technological; Perception DC 38; Disable Engineering 
  DC 32 (knock out emitter, which reduces the Reflex save 
  DC by 2 each time and completely disables the trap if 
  the DC is reduced to 11 or less) or Physical Science DC 32 
  (realign emitter, which excludes one 5-foot square in the 
  room from the trap)
  Trigger location; Reset instant; Bypass gray telepathy
  Effect plasma arc (2d12 electrical and fire damage for every 
  5-foot square a creature moves through or ends their 
  turn in); Reflex DC 21 for half; multiple targets (each non-
  gray target in area G4)
  G5. data StoRaGe
  Two of the walls of this chamber are lined with tall racks 
  stacked to the ceiling with high-tech equipment. Hundreds 
  of lights blink in a seemingly random pattern along the 
  machinery. Three doors lead in and out of this chamber.
  Mysteriarch Zaxo has been in charge of the gray faction 
  watching over the Pact Worlds (and Absalom Station in 
  particular) for decades, and the information they have 
  collected is stored within these telepathic servers. In addition, 
  these computers constantly run stochastic programs 
  attempting to predict the results of gray activity throughout 
  the system. The grays check these predictions regularly, 
  adjusting the parameters to reduce the margins of error. 
  Like most gray computers, these servers have a psychic 
  interface, but a PC need not understand Aklo to glean 
  information from and manipulate the computer. Taken 
  together, the servers function as a tier 7 computer, requiring 
  a successful DC 41 Computers check to hack. If the PCs 
  gain access, they can learn about any of the gray’s plans 
  and experiments (most of which are outside of the scope of 
  this adventure, but can lead to further escapades), including 
  anything related to the PCs that they don’t already know 
  (including the reason for their creation). The latest stochastic 
  simulation, which is currently running, aims to predict the 
  Pact Council’s next few years of decisions in light of the PCs’ 
  recent actions.
  If the PCs hack into the data servers here, Zaxo 
  telepathically congratulates them, sounding impressed. He 
  then informs the PCs that they “can help shape the future of 
  this system” if they submit to him.
  G6. SecuRity checkpoint
  This cramped circular chamber has several computer 
  consoles against the walls, dispersed between the 
  three doors.
  The telepathic computer consoles here (similar to the 
  one in area G4) allow the gray crew to monitor other parts 
  of the ship. A PC can hack this tier 5 computer with a 
  successful DC 33 Computers check. Gaining access allows 
  a user to perceive psychic flashes of an area of their choice 
  within the vessel, including the bridge, which shows 
  Mysteriarch Zaxo waiting by himself. A PC who looks in 
  on the bridge sees the gray leader acknowledging them 
  with a slight nod. A PC who succeeds at another DC 33 
  Computers check while interfacing with a console is made 
  aware of the emergency entrance to the bridge and how to 
  open it (see below).
  Though the gray crew doesn’t require doors to move from 
  one chamber to the next, there is an emergency entrance 
  to the bridge hidden here in the starboard wall. A PC can 
  spot the faint outline of the portal with a successful DC 38 
  Perception check, but it can’t be opened from this chamber. 
  To open it, the two emergency telepathic switches in areas G7 
  and G8 must be activated simultaneously. 
  G7. cloninG chamBeR (cR 14) 
  Four sterile coffin-shaped containers line the walls here, with 
  a few tall cabinets between them. A silver table, attached to 
  a series of medical monitoring devices, occupies the center 
  of the room.
  The four devices in this room can grow basic clones with 
  just a sample of DNA. Using data scavenged from the remains 
  of Outpost Omicron, Zaxo has been able to grow more clones 
  of the PCs, some which the PCs have already encountered. 
  The tables here are used to examine newly made clones 
  (the tables function as a regeneration table), and clones are 
  outfitted with armor and gear found in the cabinets.
  Creatures: As the PCs approached the ship, Zaxo created 
  four more clones of the PCs in case things went poorly. 
  These clones have already been outfitted with gear but 
  stand silently in this room until either fetched by gray crew 
  members (see area G1) or the PCs enter. Zaxo telepathically 
  orders the clones to attack, while simultaneously telling the 
  PCs, “By simple chance, these poor castoffs could have been 
  you. Appreciate the full sentience you have been given and 
  submit to debriefing.”
  Like the clones the PCs fought in Event 5, the statistics 
  of these clones list them as humanoids, but you should be 
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  35
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC 
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  
  sure to describe them as near-exact duplicates of the PCs. 
  Similarly, because of their rushed creation, these clones don’t 
  have many of the major benefits or drawbacks a PC’s species 
  might confer.
  COMBAT CLONES (2) 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600 each
  HP 165 each (see page 21)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The combat clones have very simple 
  programming. They seek out their duplicates to attack 
  them with reckless abandon. 
  Morale The clones fight to the death.
  PSYCHIC CLONES (2) 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600 each
  HP 140 each (see page 21)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The telepathic clones aren’t much more 
  complex than their combat kin. After one casts haste to 
  assist their allies and the other casts resistant armor, they 
  focus attacks on their duplicates whenever possible.
  Morale The clones fight to the death.
  Development: A PC with telepathy or limited telepathy can 
  sense the presence of an invisible psychic switch by the door—
  this is one of the two switches required to open the emergency 
  door to the bridge in area G6. The switch can be activated with 
  a simple touch, but both this switch and the one in area G8 
  must be activated simultaneously for either to function.
  G8. expeRimental laB (cR 13)
  Liquid-filled vertical tubes are spaced along the room’s walls 
  between other complex machinery. A humanoid form floats 
  in each tube, some small, withered, and lifeless, while others 
  look quite vital, though their eyes are perhaps too large and 
  their skin too smooth.
  Formulating countless plans, Zaxo and other gray 
  mysteriarchs studying other systems have recently started 
  to test a hypothesis that clones (such as the PCs) would be 
  easier to control if animated by a more loyal force. To that end, 
  they have been accumulating incorporeal gray life energy 
  (souls, to some) and inserting it into clone templates.
  When the PCs enter this chamber, Zaxo invites them to 
  admire his new creations.
  Creatures: While most of the subjects have either perished 
  in their tubes or have yet to fully mature, a single gray shell 
  is functional. Shortly after Zaxo introduces his experiment, 
  he activates it to test its capabilities. This gray shell—who 
  looks like the PC cloned from Erem—phases out of its tube 
  and attacks. (Note: If you are running this encounter with 
  miniatures or pawns, you might want to first use one that 
  resembles a clone from the previous encounters to represent 
  the gray shell until the incorporeal force animating it 
  erupts forth.)
  GRAY SHELL 
  CR 13
  XP 25,600 
  HP 190 (see page 57)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The gray shell fights with its weapons at 
  first, but when reduced to fewer than half its Hit Points, 
  the incorporeal animating force within bursts out. This 
  “gray ghost” relies on its spell-like abilities.
  Morale The gray shell fights to the death.
  Development: A PC with telepathy or limited telepathy 
  can sense the presence of an invisible psychic switch by the 
  door—this is one of the two switches required to open the 
  emergency door to the bridge in area G6. The switch can be 
  activated with a simple touch, but both this switch and the 
  one in area G7 must be activated simultaneously for either 
  to function.
  G9. BRidGe (cR 16)
  The only way to access the bridge is by phasing through the 
  walls or by finding and opening the emergency entrance in 
  area G6.
  A large crystal chair faces a curved screen flickering with 
  scenes of both the inside of Absalom Station and surrounding 
  space. Other stations have their own, smaller seats.
  Creatures: When the PCs enter, Mysteriarch Zaxo is 
  sitting in the larger chair, turned toward the viewscreen. 
  He slowly spins around to telepathically say to them, “You 
  have performed... adequately. The final test is complete. Now, 
  report your experiences.”
  Zaxo allows, even encourages, his clone subjects to speak 
  for as long as they’d like. He introduces himself if he hasn’t 
  already done so through his holographic illusions, and answers 
  the PCs’ questions, as he expects to erase their memories 
  later; you can use this opportunity to fill in any blanks in the 
  players’ knowledge about the campaign. His statement about 
  the PCs completing their “final test” is a bluff; he is slightly 
  worried that the PCs have breached the bridge. He doesn’t 
  ignore hostile actions taken by the PCs but doesn’t attack first 
  unless they simply attempt to leave.
  Zaxo communicates telepathically with the PCs even in 
  a fight, asking them to explain what they learned during 
  their exploits. He summons projections of creatures from 
  their experiences to see how they react, and if insulted 
  or threatened, he presses them to determine what led to 
  each outburst.
  Only once seriously injured does Zaxo realize that he’s 
  created something that could be a danger to himself. 
  36
  
  He becomes incredulous, even going so far as to tear chunks 
  out of his ship to destroy his failed experiments at any cost.
  ZAXO 
  CR 16
  XP 76,800
  Male gray (Alien Archive 56)
  NE Small humanoid (gray)
  Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +28
  DEFENSE 
  HP 250 RP 6
  EAC 29; KAC 30
  Fort +14; Ref +14; Will +21
  Defensive Abilities phase
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (jetpack, average)
  Melee touch mind +24 (4d8+16 plus probe memory [DC 24])
  Ranged glacier subduer +26 (3d10+16 C; critical staggered 
  [DC 24])
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 16th)
  1/day—gravitational singularity (DC 26), regenerate
  3/day—crush skull (DC 25), dominate person (DC 25), 
  greater command (DC 25) 
  At will—mind probe (DC 24), mind thrust (4th level, DC 
  24), modify memory (DC 25)
  Offensive Abilities debris strike, silverlight summon
  TACTICS
  During Combat Zaxo summons a silverlight construct 
  to occupy the PCs while he casts spells, starting with 
  dominate person and gravitational singularity. He 
  summons a new construct each time one is reduced 
  to fewer than half its Hit Points. If he can safely get 
  close to a PC, he uses his touch mind ability to gain 
  information the PCs seemed reluctant to divulge. When 
  Zaxo is reduced to fewer than half his Hit Points, he 
  begins tearing the ship apart with debris strikes. Zaxo is 
  wary of spellcasters but will only use his pulsar skullcap 
  against the most powerful spells or when he’s on the 
  brink of death. 
  Morale Zaxo has nowhere to flee and so fights to the death, 
  trusting the ship’s automated systems to get his data to 
  a gray mothership.
  STATISTICS
  Str +0; Dex +5; Con +2; Int +10; Wis +4; Cha +7
  Skills Life Science +33, Mysticism +28, Physical Science +33
  Languages Aklo, Common (can’t speak any language); 
  telepathy 100 ft.
  Gear gray silversuit (functions as elite hardlight series 
  with jetpack upgrade), glacier subduerAR with 3 
  batteries (20 charges each), pulsar skullcap (functions 
  as pulsar captive-star amuletAR), identification bracelets 
  (see page 38)
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Debris Strike (Su) Zaxo has the ability to telekinetically tear 
  apart his ship. As a standard action, Zaxo can rip up the 
  flooring from a 10-foot square and throw it at another 
  10-foot square in the same chamber. This deals 4d10 
  slashing damage (Reflex DC 24 half) to any creatures 
  either in the area it was pulled from or in the area it was 
  sent to. Both areas become difficult terrain. 
  Silverlight Summon (Su) As a swift action, Zaxo can spend 
  a Resolve Point to create a silverlight construct (see 
  below). Each construct takes the form of a different 
  NPC the PCs have faced earlier in the campaign and 
  acts independently. A construct lasts for 16 rounds, 
  until it is destroyed, or until Zaxo summons a different 
  silverlight construct.
  Touch Mind (Su) As a melee attack that targets EAC, Zaxo 
  can attempt to touch a creature. On a successful attack, 
  the target takes 4d8+16 damage, as if affected by a mind 
  thrust spell. In addition, Zaxo can extract a memory from 
  the target as though they answered one simple question 
  truthfully, unless they succeed at a DC 24 Will save. This 
  is a mind-affecting divination effect.
  SILVERLIGHT CONSTRUCT 
  CR —
  N Medium construct (technological)
  Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +20
  DEFENSE 
  HP 180
  EAC 24; KAC 26
  Fort +13; Ref +13; Will +10 
  Immunities construct immunities 
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee slam +23 (4d6+19 B)
  Ranged holographic laser +20 (3d8+11 F)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The constructs have only a very basic 
  grasp of tactics, though they try to mimic what Zaxo has 
  learned about the NPCs they represent. 
  Morale The constructs fight until destroyed. 
  STATISTICS
  Str +8; Dex +5; Con —; Int –1; Wis +3; Cha +0
  Skills Acrobatics +20, Athletics +25
  Other Abilities holographic form, unliving
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Holographic Form (Ex) Each construct is meant to 
  represent a particular previous encounter from the PCs’ 
  past. Each of these forms grants special abilities.
  Barathu: The construct is Large and has a reach of 10 feet. 
  Its slam deals an additional 8 damage.
  Gray: The construct is Small and gains Zaxo’s phase ability.
  Reptoid: The construct gains a claw attack that deals 
  2d8+19 slashing damage. It also gains the triple attack 
  operative ability with these claws.
  Development: Once Zaxo is defeated, the display screen 
  goes blank. A few moments later, a telepathic (but otherwise 
  automated) voice echoes through the PCs’ heads: “Uploading 
  research data to mothership. Self-destruct upon completion.” 
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  37
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC 
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  
  The image of a purple progress bar appears on the screen. A 
  PC who succeeds at a DC 25 Computers check recognizes that 
  Zaxo’s ship has some sort of dead-man’s failsafe and that the 
  upload signal could be designed to piggyback on regular Drift 
  beacon communication, meaning that the mothership could 
  be anywhere.
  At the end of each round, the progress bar fills up by 10%. A PC 
  who succeeds at a DC 40 Computers check to hack the telepathic 
  interface here (a full action) can introduce a crude virus that 
  stalls the download’s progress by 1d4+1 rounds. Unfortunately, 
  the download can’t be stopped. A PC with telepathy or limited 
  telepathy or who succeeds at a DC 28 Mysticism check can 
  sense that the bracelets Zaxo wears act as a kind of identification 
  badge, and these bracelets grant a PC a +10 circumstance bonus 
  to Computers checks to hack the download.
  SELF-DESTRUCTION
  Even if they slow the download, the PCs have a limited 
  amount of time to escape the mysteriarch’s ship. Depending 
  on their previous actions, they might even have a dangerous 
  foe or a deadly trap in their way back to area G1, the sample 
  acquisition bay. However, if the PCs left any gray crew alive, 
  the aliens stare eerily as they pass by, quietly awaiting 
  their fate.
  Once in area G1, the PCs can reverse the process that 
  brought them onto the ship by activating one of the consoles 
  (which requires only a standard action) and stepping onto 
  the glowing dais. The process that transported them onto 
  the vessel is reversed, and the PCs are phased through the 
  bulkheads. They find themselves back aboard their ship or 
  floating in space (if they were brought here by a vessel that 
  left in the meantime) a safe distance from the gray starship. 
  Moments later, the mysteriarch’s vessel crumples in on itself 
  in a violent but oddly beautiful implosion that seems to tear 
  through planar barriers.
  Anyone onboard the gray ship when it implodes takes 
  30d6 damage (which has the force descriptor) with no 
  saving throw. Creatures killed by this damage are absorbed 
  into the implosion, and no trace of their bodies can be 
  found. However, a creature that survives this damage 
  is shunted fully back into the Material Plane, left adrift 
  in space. Any PCs who escaped can easily rescue these 
  unfortunate victims or, if no PCs made it out, the Stewards 
  find and quickly recover any survivors. In such a case, the 
  PCs awaken several days later in a Steward medical facility 
  with many of their wounds tended to and Xych Vorsen and 
  Ephecta waiting anxiously by their beds. The agents smile 
  when they see their friends returning to consciousness, 
  though their relief may be tinged with sadness if any PCs 
  perished in the blast. 
  Whether or not the PCs escape the mysteriarch’s ship with 
  their lives, they have significantly impeded both reptoid and 
  gray activity in the Pact Worlds... for now. 
  If the PCs did make it out alive, they will eventually have 
  to contend with the fact that they are clones (of some fairly 
  prominent people, in some cases). However, considering the 
  incredibly formative experiences they’ve had up to this point, 
  they’ve probably become more assured of their own identities 
  and recognize themselves as independent personalities from 
  those that share their DNA. Luckily, in the Pact Worlds, there 
  are plenty of opportunities for the PCs to permanently alter 
  their appearances if they desire. The Stewards are more than 
  CONCLUDING  
  THE ADVENTURE
  38
  silverlight construct
  
  happy to provide such PCs with serums of appearance change 
  (or similar magic) and aid them with the legal processes of 
  changing their names. Other PCs might not want to alter their 
  looks, instead preferring to start new lives somewhere outside 
  of the Pact Worlds, where there will be less of a chance of 
  being mistaken for their doppelgangers. The Stewards also aid 
  those characters with the costs and logistics of, for instance, 
  heading out into the Vast and living on a colony world.
  In addition, the current situation with the Directorate 
  election could still be fraught with political intrigue. If the 
  PCs were successful in unmasking the reptoid nominees, 
  Gevalarsk Nor, Klendalikh, Losifaran, Milgan Nivaris Katchal 
  Andar, and Zia Choh are elected to the Directorate. Despite 
  their maneuvering (and perhaps because the PCs disclosed 
  their political secrets), Haussill Hau and Uvali Rycast are 
  viewed as too tarnished and don’t receive the support they 
  need, even though they remain on the Pact Council for 
  the time being. However, it is also possible the PCs might 
  want to influence the election result, perhaps favoring a 
  different non-reptoid nominee than the ones listed above. 
  The character who resembles Erem may even want to take 
  that candidate’s place and try to retain Erem’s seat on the 
  Directorate. That PC will have to do a lot of explaining to 
  resolve any discrepancies between their personality and 
  that of the reptoid Erem’s. If the PCs’ goal in this partial 
  deception is to help maintain order or defend against future 
  threats, they might receive assistance from the Stewards in 
  smoothing over these bumps. Director-General Lin Camulan 
  is a bit uncomfortable with harboring this secret, though, 
  and he advises that the PCs take the other members of the 
  Directorate into their confidence and explain the situation to 
  avoid any future scandals or political maneuvering. In such 
  a case, either Losifaran or Zia Choh loses.
  No matter the election result, the Stewards issue a 
  statement that Erem, Thylas Starhammer, and Vora Rinn 
  were taken into custody (even if the PCs were forced to kill 
  them), noting that these infiltrators were a “serious threat 
  from forces outside the Pact Worlds,” without directly 
  mentioning reptoids. The director-general names the PCs 
  as important factors in wrapping up the case, unless they 
  prefer to keep their involvement quiet. In that case, he 
  publicly thanks the agents Xych Vorsen and Ephecta for 
  their efforts.
  The Stewards reward the PCs as publicly as the group 
  desires. They may be granted honorary positions as legates, 
  sizable rewards, or endorsements to run for the Pact Council. 
  The Stewards also grant the PCs a great deal of latitude with 
  what to do with any Unseen data they have recovered over 
  the course of the campaign. The Stewards would be happy 
  to have it, but admit that they will continue to keep the 
  truth of the Unseen a secret. The PCs might want to release 
  it to the public, though they will have to struggle to make 
  sure it’s noticed among the other conspiracy theories across 
  the infosphere.
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  39
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC 
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  
  40
  “I’m telling you, there’s something off about all of this. 
  One of those people who supposedly attacked Laoe 
  Araae looks just like my cousin, except I know for a fact 
  my cousin’s been studying on Castrovel and hasn’t left 
  the planet in three years. I bet ‘they’re’ trying to replace 
  all of us eventually, and we’re the only ones with our eyes 
  open and willing to speak up before it’s too late. But ‘they’ 
  seem to be fighting one another, too. My friend’s sister 
  works as an assistant for a member of—well, never mind 
  who—and she said... wait, how up-to-date are this server’s 
  security protocols?”
  —JadeStar22, Mysteries Among Us message board
  CONTINUING THE CAMPAIGN
  
  T
  he defeat of Mysteriarch Zaxo marks the end of The 
  Threefold Conspiracy Adventure Path, but the PCs’ 
  adventures need not end there. Though the PCs have 
  uncovered the truth about their origins and stopped the 
  mysteriarch’s schemes, along with the reptoid infiltration of 
  the Pact Council, their discoveries likely only lead to further 
  questions. Many of the Unseen’s plots are still a mystery, and 
  enterprising heroes may want to find out just how far these 
  conspiracies spread.
  A Cryptid for All Seasons: Regardless of whether or not 
  the PCs keep their identities out of the public eye, they are 
  contacted by a reality-vid producer looking to offer the PCs the 
  “deal of a lifetime.” The executive wants to create a show that 
  follows the PCs’ exploits as they search the galaxy for the truth 
  behind mysterious monsters and urban legends. The producer 
  promises the group fame and fortune and asks to meet on a 
  secluded moon base in Near Space. The PCs are likely wary of 
  such a proposition, and research turns up no information about 
  the producer. Days later, they receive another transmission, 
  including coordinates and a plea for help, as the executive 
  claims that “the star of the first episode got loose!” Traveling 
  to the provided coordinates leads the PCs to find a seemingly 
  abandoned film set marred by the signs of a vicious attack. As 
  they explore, the PCs start to suspect they are being watched. 
  Is there a cryptid loose in the corridors? Or are the PCs 
  being recorded for an elaborate prank show? And who is the 
  mysterious producer behind it all?
  Cleaning House: From reptoid replacements to dycepskian 
  infestations, the Stewards are reeling from recent events. 
  Unfortunately, unscrupulous elements within the law-
  enforcement organization take this opportunity to gain 
  power and call for an agency-wide purge of “untrustworthy” 
  personnel, targeting anyone who doesn’t agree with their 
  politics. Foremost on the chopping block are agents Xych 
  Vorsen and Ephecta, who call upon the PCs once more to 
  speak on their behalf and investigate the corrupt officials 
  in hopes of ousting them from the Stewards. While the PCs 
  might suspect further interference from the Unseen, these 
  rotten agents aren’t under anyone’s control, but they still 
  threaten the Stewards from within. 
  Doctor Zero: A Diorama R&D researcher studying the 
  Brethedan blight and the aftermath of the dycepskian attack on 
  Laoe Araae discovers the connection between the disease and 
  a fungicide treatment created at the very same facility decades 
  earlier. Shortly thereafter, she claims to have fashioned an 
  actual cure and boards a transport ship, the Myrmidon, bound 
  for the hospice facility. However, the transport mysteriously 
  disappears during the brief trip, and the news reaches the PCs. 
  They find the vessel floating in deep space in the Vast, but the 
  decks are deserted except for hostile robot guardians. The 
  crew and passengers seem to be missing, though no escape 
  pods have launched. It’s up to the PCs to discover who or what 
  kidnapped the doctor, whether she can be rescued, and if it’s 
  possible to bring her cure back to the Pact Worlds.
  Faces in the Mirror: After realizing they are actually clones 
  of other people, the PCs might have a difficult time going 
  back to normal life. Some may wish to seek out the beings 
  they were cloned from; but not all of those the grays selected 
  for cloning are benevolent. One of them has learned of their 
  clone and wishes to capture the clone for their own purposes, 
  whether to eliminate a potential threat or to use the clone 
  as a handy replacement should anything go wrong with 
  their own body. Not only that, but more clones resembling 
  the PCs begin appearing all over the Pact Worlds. Did these 
  clones also escape from a different gray facility or was their 
  release deliberate?
  The Gray Cabal: Although the PCs have stopped Mysteriarch 
  Zaxo, they find alarming hints that his was not the only group 
  of grays active in the Pact Worlds system, and that Zaxo may 
  have been following someone else’s orders. Once the PCs 
  begin investigating these leads, they are targeted by masked 
  assassins who seem to break the laws of physics, phasing in 
  and out of locations, appearing in multiple places at once, and 
  reshaping their surroundings to suit their needs. In order to put 
  an end to these assassination attempts, the PCs must delve 
  into the mysterious grays’ origins, find a way to travel to the 
  alternate dimension from which they originated, and survive as 
  interlopers as they track down the grays in charge.
  The Simulation Enigma: Soon after Mysteriarch Zaxo’s 
  death, the PCs’ reality seems to blur and fracture. The heroes 
  wake up in an empty room, hooked up to strange machines 
  that appear to be VR simulators, though the machines use a 
  type of technology they’ve never seen before. As they make 
  their way out of the facility, they find themselves on a strange 
  planet seemingly devoid of any other sentient life. At your 
  discretion, the PCs can even wake up without their abilities 
  and gear and be forced to survive using only their wits. Who 
  created the simulation the PCs experienced, and why? Or is 
  this experience the simulation, a contingency set up by the 
  grays to contain the PCs for further experiments? Unable to 
  trust even their own memories and senses, the PCs must find 
  the truth or never see home—wherever that may be—again.
  What If the PCs Lose?: If the PCs are defeated by 
  Mysteriarch Zaxo, he subdues them and ensures they are 
  captured alive (or at least fit enough to be returned to life). 
  Although the clones have fought against their assigned 
  roles, he recognizes they have learned many skills during 
  the experience and may be even more useful now. The PCs 
  are kept unconscious until they are brought to a secure 
  gray facility and thoroughly brainwashed, making them 
  completely loyal agents. They are then sent to replace their 
  “originals.” Throughout the Pact Worlds system, many such 
  replacements occur unnoticed. The PCs’ actions have shifted 
  the balance of power between the factions of the Unseen; 
  their interference in the plots of the reptoids and dycepskians 
  has given the grays an advantage for the time being. Life goes 
  on as usual, but conspiracy theorists start to notice disturbing 
  patterns of behavior among many of the Pact Worlds’ elite... 
  41
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC 
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  
  T
  he elimination of the gray leader Mysteriarch Zaxo 
  tips the balance of power among the factions of the 
  Unseen, exposing some of their plots, but providing 
  a distraction from others. As the grays stationed within 
  the Pact Worlds attempt to adjust from this setback, other 
  players among the Unseen are quick to take advantage of 
  the situation. One of these individuals is a reptoid known 
  as Tlodech, who has assumed the identity of General 
  Etralashka “Chitinsnapper” Korovisant in the Army of the 
  Veskarium. Before she was replaced by Tlodech, the real 
  General Korovisant earned her rank through her heroics 
  in the Swarm War. Though lauded in the Veskarium for 
  her strong leadership and combat skill, her talents did 
  not protect her from Tlodech’s midnight infiltration of 
  her quarters and subsequent assassination. For the past 
  8 years, Tlodech has bided her time while using General 
  Korovisant’s honored reputation to try to nudge the 
  Veskarium and the Pact Worlds toward war with one 
  another once again.
  With the grays in disarray and unable to interfere, Tlodech 
  seizes the opportunity to make an open assault on the Pact 
  Worlds colony world of Bluewillow in Near Space. Bluewillow 
  is an agrarian “greenhouse colony,” taking advantage of the 
  planet’s temperate climate and fertile soil to grow a wide 
  variety of crops. Disguised as General Korovisant, Tlodech 
  directs a small fleet to attack Bluewillow without informing 
  the rest of the Veskarium. Though unexpected, troops had no 
  reason to doubt her orders. After a brief initial bombardment 
  against Bluewillow’s major settlements, the Veskarium 
  forces landed at Parthis, the planet’s primary trade hub. 
  The city’s defenses, more equipped to take on individual 
  pirate ships than a military fleet, were rapidly overwhelmed, 
  and Tlodech’s forces took the city in a matter of hours. She 
  hopes to reignite the war between the Pact Worlds and 
  the Veskarium, using the conflict as an opportunity for the 
  reptoids to gain more power.
  The attack on Bluewillow shocks the Pact Worlds and the 
  Veskarium alike, and tensions are rapidly escalating. The 
  Veskarium denies responsibility for the operation, claiming 
  (truthfully) that General Korovisant has gone rogue. 
  The Pact Worlds, meanwhile, are unwilling to trust the 
  Veskarium’s word and many of the planets begin preparing 
  for skirmishes both local and afar. 
  Fortunately, the hacker TERM1NAL followed the exploits 
  of the PCs quite closely after they got in touch and managed 
  to partially intercept the signal transmitted from Mysteriarch 
  Zaxo’s starship before it imploded. Decrypting the information, 
  TERM1NAL discovered evidence that the vesk general might 
  not be what she claims. TERM1NAL contacts the PCs and hands 
  over this data, figuring the Pact Council will listen to them over 
  a faceless hacker. Though TERM1NAL isn’t the biggest fan of 
  government, they like interstellar wars even less.
  To prevent the loss of countless lives and a treaty that 
  has served both the Pact Worlds and the Veskarium well 
  for decades, the PCs must convince the Pact Council to 
  temporarily stand down. The recent revelation that the 
  Directorate had been infiltrated by reptoids lends more 
  credence to what once would have been considered an 
  outlandish conspiracy theory. However, some councilors 
  have secretly never trusted the Veskarium (or stand to profit 
  from a possible war) so the PCs must use all their guile and 
  cunning to navigate this political mine field.
  Once the PCs are successful within the chambers of the 
  Plenara, the Pact Council decides that they should fully 
  investigate the situation. The PCs are tasked with finding 
  absolute proof of their claims and even eliminating General 
  Korovisant if necessary. The Pact Council could even 
  authorize new technology or starship upgrades to help the 
  PCs get the job done. Though vesk forces have spread out 
  across the world of Bluewillow, the more military-minded on 
  the Pact Council recommend heading straight for Parthis, 
  where the faux general is headquartered.
  Before they can continue, the Pact Council is contacted by 
  a similar task force within the Veskarium from Directive 9, 
  the empire’s military intelligence branch. Since both sides 
  have a vested interest in getting to the bottom of things, 
  the Council advises the PCs to work with these allies, but 
  it quickly becomes clear that personality conflicts exist 
  between the two groups. Even if the PCs are honest about 
  their motives and where they received their information, 
  several of the Directive 9 agents are suspicious of the PCs 
  and make no attempt to hide it. The other agents recommend 
  mercy in dealing with the soldiers who are simply following 
  orders, which could complicate things if the PCs disregard 
  this request. 
  The general’s fleet has multiple starships still stationed in 
  orbit around Bluewillow, and the PCs have to fight some of 
  them on their way in, breaking through enemy lines to land 
  on the planet. Once they land at Parthis, they discover the 
  city has become a bombed-out war zone, and that most of its 
  residents have fled or been killed. Still, fragments of the city’s 
  law enforcement remain who could prove to be potential 
  allies. The PCs will likely need to operate as a guerilla strike 
  force, as they are vastly outnumbered. They can make 
  hit-and-run assaults against the Veskarium forces as they 
  work their way toward Parthis City Hall, which General 
  Korovisant has commandeered as a base. Interrogation of 
  enemy soldiers proves to be less than fruitful; they all seem 
  fanatically devoted to the general, even more so than would 
  be expected of Veskarium troops. None of the rank-and-
  GRAY SCALES
  42
  
  file soldiers are aware that their general is a reptoid. The 
  Directive 9 agents suspect some kind of brainwashing.
  Once the PCs reach city hall, they must face the general’s 
  elite forces, either defeating them in combat or convincing 
  them that General Korovisant has been replaced. However, 
  the general isn’t the only one who has been replaced by a 
  reptoid, and these disguised officers will do everything they 
  can to discredit the PCs if they attempt to convince the 
  other soldiers of a reptoid plot. At this point, one of the more 
  distrustful Directive 9 agents might buy into the lies, forcing 
  the PCs to deal with dissension in their own ranks. 
  Alternatively, the PCs might be able to sneak into city 
  hall and go directly for Tlodech. Defeating Tlodech will 
  provide the proof they need that the decorated vesk soldier 
  is actually a reptoid. But if she escapes, she takes on a new 
  identity and makes it her top priority to kill the PCs for 
  disrupting her plans.
  TLODECH 
  CR 16
  XP 78,800
  Female reptoid soldier (Starfinder Alien Archive 92)
  LE Medium humanoid (reptoid, shapechanger)
  Init +10; Senses low-light vision; Perception +28
  DEFENSE 
  HP 300 RP 6
  EAC 30; KAC 32
  Fort +18; Ref +16; Will +16; +2 vs. mind-affecting effects and 
  poisons
  Defensive Abilities shatter morale
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee claw +27 (6d10+23 S) or 
  storm shock truncheon +27 (3d12+23 E; critical arc 3d4)
  Ranged shock parallax laser rifle +30 (8d6+16 E & F; critical 
  burn 4d6) or 
  mk VI frag grenade +30 (explode [15 ft., 12d6 P, DC 23]) 
  Offensive Abilities debilitating attack (DC 22, 7 rounds), 
  fighting styles (arcane assailant, bombard), gear 
  boosts (anchoring arcana [DC 22], powerful explosive), 
  grenade expert (55 ft.), heavy fire (+7 damage), 
  soldier’s onslaught
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 16th)
  1/day—charm person (DC 17), command (DC 17)
  At will—daze (DC 16), telepathic message
  STATISTICS
  Str +7; Dex +10; Con +4; Int +5; Wis +3; Cha +3
  Skills Bluff +33, Disguise +28, Intimidate 
  +28, Sense Motive +28
  Feats Quick Draw
  Languages Common, Reptoid, Vercite, Vesk
  Other Abilities change shape (any specific 
  humanoid), explosives acumen (–7 
  damage), rune of the eldritch 
  knight, secret of the magi
  Gear vesk monolith II, parallax laser 
  rifle with 1 ultra-capacity battery (100 charges), storm 
  shock truncheon with 2 high-capacity batteries (40 
  charges each), mk VI frag grenades (2)
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Shatter Morale (Su) As a reaction, when Tlodech is targeted 
  with a melee or ranged attack or a spell requiring an 
  attack roll, she can mentally assault her attacker, 
  attempting to break their focus. The attacker must 
  succeed at a DC 22 Will save or be unable to attack 
  Tlodech for that round as their resolve momentarily 
  falters. This costs the target their action but does not 
  expend a spell slot if the target was casting a spell. Once 
  a creature succeeds at a save against this ability, they 
  are immune to its effects for the next 24 hours.
  43
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC 
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  tlodech
  
  T
  he PCs’ recent encounters with the Unseen have 
  likely made them uneasy about the extent of the 
  conspiracies crossing the galaxy and how deep some 
  of them might run, but they seem to have dealt with the most 
  pressing threats for the time being, giving them time to relax 
  and recover. Their vacation is cut short, however, when they 
  receive a distress call originating from the Vast. This call asks 
  for the PCs help by name but has no other identifiers. The PCs 
  can trace this call to an asteroid orbiting a dying sun. Faint 
  signs of life from the asteroid appear on scans, though they 
  are oddly indistinct, and none of the other planetoids in the 
  system seem to show any such signs. If the PCs are reluctant 
  to heed the call, they receive more and more insistent pleas 
  for aid, some perhaps promising a great deal of wealth or 
  answers to their most pressing questions.
  Upon exploring the asteroid, the PCs begin hearing strange 
  whispers in their minds, beckoning them, and feel a pull 
  toward the asteroid’s largest crater. At the bottom of the 
  crater, a cave leads to multiple tunnels winding through the 
  asteroid, far deeper than should be possible. After several 
  hours of walking, a PC who succeeds at a DC 40 Mysticism 
  check realizes they’ve stumbled into an extradimensional 
  space. If the PCs attempt to leave, however, they cannot find 
  the way out; every time they believe they’re making progress, 
  the tunnels twist and wrap in on themselves, leading the PCs 
  further into the asteroid. The PCs also start to get the sense 
  they’re being watched and experience hallucinations of their 
  fears, dreams, and even loved ones, though none of these 
  hallucinations last longer than a few minutes. Along the way, 
  they must contend with various creatures—both humanoid 
  and otherwise—infested with the dycepskian mycelium who 
  appear to attempt to capture them alive, rather than kill them. 
  By this point, the PCs can recognize the telltale signs of the 
  infection immediately, but there appears to be no rhyme or 
  reason to the types of hosts they encounter.
  Unknown to the PCs, this twisted space within 
  the asteroid is the product of a creature known as a 
  dycepskian elder brain. In rare cases, when a vast number 
  of dycepskian-infested creatures congregate, the psychic 
  energies from the fungal mass mind can spark the creation 
  of a dycepskian elder brain, a massive fungus with psychic 
  abilities. Unlike most dycepskians lacking a host, elder brains 
  are fully sentient and seek to create more dycepskians by 
  using their victims as a vector. This elder brain, aware that 
  its home system’s star is dying, heard of the PCs through 
  its psychic communications with other dycepskians and 
  decided to lure them to its lair. It intends to take over the 
  body of one of the PCs and infest the rest so that it can 
  depart the system safely, reforming as another elder brain 
  once its previous body dies.
  As the PCs wind their way through the maze toward 
  the asteroid’s center, the elder brain puts them through a 
  variety of psychic trials to weaken their minds, hoping to 
  break the PCs’ mental defenses so that by the time they 
  reach it, they will be easy prey for its spells and abilities. 
  These trials could include forcing the PCs to confront their 
  regrets, beckoning them deeper into the maze with visions 
  of their loved ones, tempting them with things they have 
  always wanted to achieve, or even making them believe for a 
  time that they’ve escaped. Consult the “Mindscapes” article 
  in Starfinder Adventure Path #23: Hive of Minds for more 
  information on how such mindscapes work.
  To make their way through the ordeals with their minds 
  intact, the PCs must learn not to trust their senses and to 
  be wary of anything they see or hear. As they get closer to 
  the dycepskian elder brain, the hallucinations become more 
  intense and the host creatures deadlier. Some hosts begin to 
  speak for the elder brain, telling the PCs to let themselves be 
  overwhelmed to serve as the new leader of all dycepskians, 
  even going so far as to suggest that a PC that helps defeat 
  their allies will gain this utmost honor. The dycepskian hosts 
  fail to mention that this will, of course, kill that PC.
  When the PCs reach the center of the maze, they must 
  confront the dycepskian elder brain and destroy it, fighting 
  off its attempts to take over their bodies and minds. Only 
  once the elder brain is destroyed will they be freed from its 
  multidimensional space and be able to return to their starship 
  to fly home.
  However, one of the PCs might end up infected with elder 
  spores, the symptoms of which might not present themselves 
  for several days. The PCs will likely be able to purge this 
  affliction easily, but a psychic shard of the elder brain remains 
  in that character’s mind, causing the unsettling sensation that 
  nothing is quite real. 
  DYCEPSKIAN ELDER BRAIN 
  CR 18 
  XP 153,600
  NE Gargantuan plant (dycepskian)
  Init +0; Senses blindsight (thought) 60 ft., low-light vision; 
  Perception +31
  Aura dimension warp (5 miles)
  DEFENSE 
  HP 320
  EAC 31; KAC 32
  Fort +18; Ref +14; Will +20
  Immunities disease, plant immunities
  OFFENSE
  Speed 10 ft.
  Melee tendril +28 (8d8+18 B plus elder spores)
  Ranged fungal pod +26 (8d6+18 A & B; critical confuseAR 
  [DC 25])
  MAZE OF MOLD
  44
  
  Space 20 ft.; Reach 20 ft.
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 18th; melee +28, ranged +26)
  1/day—mind thrust (6th level, DC 27), unwilling guardian 
  (DC 26)
  3/day—feeblemind (DC 26), greater command (DC 26), 
  modify memory (DC 26), synapse overload (DC 26)
  At will—confusion (DC 25), mind probe (DC 25)
  Constant—detect thoughts (DC 22)
  STATISTICS
  Str +6; Dex +0; Con +4; Int +11; Wis +4; Cha +8
  Skills Bluff +36, Life Science +31, Sense Motive +36
  Languages Aklo, Common (can’t speak any language); 
  telepathy 200 ft.
  Other Abilities fungal mass mind nexus, lesser mindscape
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Dimensional Warp (Su) A dycepskian elder brain’s psychic 
  energies warp the 5-mile radius around itself. Though 
  not strictly extra-dimensional, the area within seems 
  far larger than it actually is. Creatures can enter this 
  area normally but can’t leave unless the elder brain is 
  killed or they cast a spell such as plane shift.
  Fungal Mass Mind Nexus (Ex) A dycepskian elder brain 
  can communicate telepathically with any creature that 
  has the dycepskian subtype within 1 mile, even if they 
  don’t share a common language. If any creature that has 
  the dycepskian subtype within 1 mile of the dycepskian 
  elder brain is aware of a combatant, the elder brain is 
  also aware of this combatant. As a standard action, a 
  dycepskian elder brain can project its senses 
  into any creature with the dycepskian 
  subtype, allowing it to observe from 
  its host’s point of view. It can use the 
  host as an origin point for casting 
  spells, using the host’s physical 
  ability score modifiers and its own 
  mental ability score modifiers. While 
  projecting its senses, an elder brain’s 
  body is helpless. It can end this 
  effect as a swift action.
  Lesser Mindscape (Su) A dycepskian 
  elder brain can induce hallucinations 
  in living or undead creatures within 
  100 feet of itself or a creature that is 
  part of its fungal mass mind. As a full 
  action, it can create an illusion in the 
  minds of up to eight targets, covering an 
  area up to twenty 20-foot cubes. It shapes 
  the illusion as it wishes as per holographic 
  terrain and a 5th-level casting of holographic image. 
  A target interacting with the illusion can attempt a 
  DC 25 Will saving throw to disbelieve the effect. A 
  creature that fails this initial save takes 1 Wisdom 
  damage, though subsequent failed saves from 
  the same mindscape don’t deal more ability damage. 
  Those affected by the same mindscape all view the same 
  illusion. This lesser mindscape lasts for 5 minutes or until 
  dismissed. This is an illusion effect.
  ELDER SPORES
  Type disease (injury); Save Fortitude DC 25
  Tracks physical and mental (special); Frequency 1/day 
  (special)
  Effect The latent state lasts 1d4 days; the victim takes all 
  penalties from progressing on both the physical and 
  mental disease tracks, though instead of a dead end 
  state, each track has the transformed end state; when 
  the victim reaches the impaired state, they exhibit 
  faint yellowish-green veins around the eyes, which 
  are noticeable with a successful DC 25 Perception 
  check; when the victim reaches the transformed state, 
  their body turns into an dycepskian elder brain; only 
  miracle, warp realityCOM, or wish can restore the victim at 
  that point.
  Cure The victim must benefit from two successful castings 
  of remove affliction within 1 minute.
  45
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC 
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  dycepskian elder brain
  
  46
  MAGIC ACADEMIES
  “So, you want more in-depth magical theory and spellwork? 
  Fine. Here’s a hypothesis for you: If you don’t use your 
  magic to kill your enemy, he will he shoot you in the face! 
  Care to test that one in the field? Look, you want to 
  waste months fine-tuning a bit of spellcode? Go to the 
  Arcanamirium, SENOT, or the Prit. If you wash out, maybe 
  Nerundel Halls will let you bask in First World auras. But 
  you’re here, where my job’s to teach you to kill and survive, 
  and that’s what you will learn!”
  — Spell Sergeant Vaya Bodgusk, Karchizara Battle Magic 
  Academy on Vesk Prime
  
  WHERE MAGIC IS TAUGHT
  A magic academy is an educational institution where 
  spellcasters learn to harness their innate gifts and employ 
  magic for the benefit of society. Some schools explore magical 
  theory and develop new spells, while others emphasize 
  practical skills more useful in a professional or military 
  career. But a magic academy is more than just a place to hone 
  mystical skills; for students and alumni, the academy brings 
  with it a lifestyle and an extended family. An academy’s 
  philosophy often shapes a student’s future and their 
  perspective on the universe. Years after a student graduates, 
  the friends and contacts they made in school remain relevant, 
  providing career opportunities, research assistance, and 
  lasting friendships.
  THE ARCANAMIRIUM
  Nestled prominently in the Eye, the Arcanamirium’s metallic 
  dome and soaring archways make it one of the most iconic 
  locations in Absalom Station. The Arcanamirium merges 
  cutting edge engineering with in-depth magical theory. 
  Here, science is the gateway to truth, and the mystic arts 
  unlock the underpinnings of the universe. The university’s 
  vaults can be its most unique institutional asset; containing 
  alien artifacts, ancient magical items, and pre-Gap writings, 
  the vaults are a treasure trove for esotericists and other 
  scholars of magic untouched by technology. 
  Though the Arcanamirium’s facilities are top-notch, 
  advanced students are encouraged to seek lab space 
  elsewhere. Labs in the Arcanamirium proper have to be 
  shared, so renting private lab space allows a student to 
  focus full-time on a thesis project. Fortunately, the Brainery, 
  Freemarkets, and Lorespire all offer inexpensive rentals, and 
  grants to fund lab space are available for applicants that can 
  convince a review committee their project is worthwhile.
  Collaboration is a key principle at the Arcanamirium. 
  Faculty and students note with pride how much of an 
  Arcanamirium education takes place beyond its walls. 
  Intense classroom discussions spill out into Jatembe Park, 
  coffee shops, and magical clubs like the Brainery. Students 
  test out their ideas in late-night debates with their peers 
  before bringing the best theories back to the laboratory for 
  eventual development into new spells, fusions, and other 
  magical effects. To keep up with the curriculum’s crushing 
  pace, Arcanamirium students band together into study 
  clubs so intense that participants end up either closer than 
  family or bitter enemies. Some students swear it’s better 
  to share a study club with rivals than with friends; there’s 
  less danger of distraction, and your relationship with your 
  fellow scholars can’t possibly get worse.
  While most other institutions have job fairs and 
  showcases to help their students find careers, the 
  Arcanamirium places most of its students into jobs in 
  academia or industry even before they graduate. Promising 
  students intern with AbadarCorp and other corporations 
  that have a presence on the station, many of whom endow 
  scholarships for their student workers. Bolder graduates 
  set up a stall in Freemarkets to become entrepreneurs. 
  Collaborations and cross-disciplinary studies are not 
  just 
  encouraged 
  but 
  required. 
  Engineering-focused 
  technomancers are encouraged to work with mystics, 
  esotericists, and witchwarpers. Above all, students 
  interact with colleagues from other species, genders, and 
  worldviews, broadening their experience and challenging 
  their preconceptions.
  ECLIPSE ACADEMY
  Few outside of Apostae have even heard of Eclipse 
  Academy, one of the most secretive institutions in the Pact 
  Worlds. Eclipse draws its students not from admissions 
  applications, but from a list of nominees drafted by 
  prominent drow houses. All accepted students swear a 
  strict oath of secrecy enforced by powerful magic. While 
  most students are drow, Eclipse Academy also admits 
  a small percentage of talented half-orcs, free orcs, and 
  off-worlders. These “non-traditional students” are each 
  sponsored by a member of a drow house, earning the 
  privilege by performing a service, agreeing to act as a 
  house agent, or simply demonstrating unusual potential. 
  Some whisper that an invitation to enter the academy is not 
  just a reward for clever and magically talented individuals; 
  it’s also a way to remove someone who knows too much—
  while simultaneously indebting them to your house. Those 
  who receive a letter of admission to Eclipse Academy find 
  the offer all but impossible to refuse, as nominating houses 
  and sponsors are quick to take offense. 
  A single black tower 80 feet high and made of a 
  ceramic-like substance marks the entrance to Eclipse 
  Academy. The rest of the campus is underground, and 
  anyone without darkvision who must rely on a light source 
  to navigate the campus is mercilessly hazed by students, 
  professors, and staff. Professors expelled from other 
  institutions for ethical violations and dangerous magic have 
  been welcomed to and celebrated at Eclipse, so long as 
  their work yields results. The academy’s curricula are cruel, 
  experimental, and unrelenting; classes push students to 
  their mental and physical limits, and injuries and accidents 
  are routine. 
  Only one in five Eclipse students graduates. Those that 
  fail in the first year are sent to careers of hard physical 
  labor unless they have a powerful protector. As the program 
  progresses, many students actually die of literal exhaustion, 
  or survive with severe mental stress and trauma. While 
  those who endure such abuse graduate and often go on to 
  become unparalleled masters of their craft, the emotional 
  and physical damage they suffer usually presents challenges 
  later. Much to the consternation of drow supremacists, 
  Eclipse’s highest graduation rate comes from its handful 
  of half-orc students. Although these students are hazed by 
  47
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC 
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  
  fellow students and continually harassed by faculty and 
  staff, they have learned to trust and rely on one another, 
  banding tightly together to help each other succeed.
  KARCHIZARA COMBAT 
  COLLEGE
  Located on the plains just outside the Veskarium’s capital, 
  Karchizara Combat College is a private military academy 
  with a long and honorable tradition that was founded 
  by Karzai Karchizara—a long-dead vesk war hero and 
  witchwarper. Housed in a soaring black fortress, the college’s 
  walls encompass parade grounds, magical and technological 
  laboratories, barracks, obstacle courses, and much more. 
  Tuition is free to those who agree to serve a term of service 
  in the Veskarium upon graduation, while others must pay 
  annual tuition. Most of the college’s students are vesk, 
  pahtra, and skittermanders, but student exchanges bring a 
  smattering of students from the Pact Worlds and beyond. 
  New arrivals hone mind and body with an exhausting 
  eight-week boot camp meant to instill them with loyalty to 
  their military unit and a willingness to sacrifice themselves 
  for others. Vesk—who undergo basic training at the age of 
  10—can secure a waiver exempting them from this training. 
  As a result, the college’s boot camp is almost entirely 
  populated by non-vesk students who inevitably bond with 
  each other and resent the proud vesk who think themselves 
  too good to train alongside other species.
  Karchizara instructors emphasize a highly structured 
  routine and a team approach to problem-solving. After 
  students finish boot camp, each day begins with calisthenics 
  combining weapon training with spell practice. Advanced 
  coursework includes a focus on military strategy and field 
  exercises, and in their final semester all students act as 
  embedded magic specialists for Veskarium units engaged in 
  war games. Students and instructors go through exercises 
  side by side, and groups that train together often take 
  leave time together, drinking all evening while listening 
  to battle marches and inspirational music they’ve learned 
  in the academy. Despite the emphasis on group training, 
  instructors embrace every form of magic as useful in 
  war, and they recognize that every student brings unique 
  strengths and weaknesses to the field. While it’s true that 
  vesk military mages prefer to use their skills in personal 
  combat, some support front-line fighters with healing or 
  magical enhancements, while others specialize in battlefield 
  control and artillery strikes. Karchizara faculty keep a very 
  close eye on their students, “volunteering” experienced 
  soldiers to act as mentors for rookies, providing personal 
  attention to the most promising candidates, and arranging 
  additional support for those who are falling behind.
  Unsurprisingly, Karchizara holds a long tradition of 
  dueling over affairs of honor, but students are expected to 
  show self-control. Deaths or serious injuries can result in 
  expulsion. Nevertheless, the camaraderie built at Karchizara 
  lasts a lifetime, and graduates who don’t immediately enter 
  the Veskarium military can expect prestigious offers from 
  other organizations in Near Space and the Pact Worlds.
  NERUNDEL HALLS
  Understanding Nerundel Halls first requires an understanding 
  the gnomish city of Nerundel itself. Located high in Castrovel’s 
  Korinath Mountains, Nerundel is known for its perilous 
  cliffside architecture and for Greengate, a permanent portal 
  that enables trade with fey of the First World. Primal fey 
  magic permeates Nerundel and the entire ecosystem for miles 
  around, and the city blooms with a diverse array of magical 
  species, making it a place of pilgrimage for biotechnicians 
  and xenodruids and home of one of the university’s oddest 
  professors, the Oracle of Nerundel (CN xenodruid oracle of 
  Oras [Alien Archive 3 74]). The Oracle of Nerundel is one of the 
  sacred trees and spends its time cataloging rare species and 
  genomes. The tree is also Dean of Students, and its treehouse 
  serves as a popular, if highly exclusive, campus dormitory.
  The Nerundel Halls campus lies on both sides of the 
  Korinath divide, with stonework balconies, hanging gardens, 
  and tiled public squares throughout. The students, faculty, 
  and staff cross the East Campus to the West Campus via zip 
  lines, intricately carved gondolas, personal gliders, or other 
  methods of flight. Although computer science and engineering 
  are taught at Nerundel Halls, the constructs made here tend to 
  be overly intricate clockwork creations designed for whimsy 
  more than function. 
  Fey students comprise a full third of the student body, and 
  another third come from Castrovel: gnomes, elves, lashuntas 
  and even some formians. Most of the other students hail from 
  other Pact Worlds. Witchwarpers and mystics abound, but 
  other spellcasters and devotees of magic in its purest form 
  also choose Nerundel Halls. With such a chaotic group of 
  students, pranks on the campus are legendary. The most 
  imaginative of these are immortalized as stories passed down 
  UNIVERSITY OF QABARAT
  The chaos of Nerundel Halls isn’t for everyone. 
  Castrovelian technomancers and lashunta who wish 
  to develop their psionic talent often seek a more 
  traditional academic experience and enroll within 
  the University of Qabarat’s Psionics Extension. This 
  facility, located on the U of Q’s main campus, offers 
  graduate programs to dedicated students of the mind 
  who have already earned an undergraduate degree. 
  Most of their students come from other institutions—
  such as the Arcanamirium or the Prit—but U of Q grads 
  are also accepted. The current headmaster, Raylund 
  Farsig (LN male korasha lashunta phrenic adept) is 
  devoted to recovering lost psychic knowledge through 
  expeditions and research.
  48
  
  from one generation to the next, and graduating seniors vie 
  to outdo their predecessors. By tradition, the most highly 
  esteemed pranks involve high-level magic and well-considered 
  consequences that include everyone in the joke. Some senior 
  pranks are so detailed that they serve as graduate theses in 
  their own right.
  PREITA INSTITUTE OF 
  TECHNOLOGY
  The Preita Institute of Technology, known universally as “the 
  Prit,” prides itself not just on being the best technomancy 
  school on Triaxus, but also one of the best in the Pact Worlds. 
  Here, scholarly enlightenment and career advancement are 
  twin ideals, and students are taught that the only way they 
  can secure their own financial future is by developing their 
  own magical potential. The Prit has deep ties to corporate 
  interests, and students who excel here can expect lucrative 
  offers upon graduation. Scholarship sponsors include draconic 
  corporations, the Oligarchy of Ning, the Skyfire Legion, and a 
  wide range of off-world business concerns.
  Upon enrollment, new students face a panel of advisors 
  that assigns them to a clutch. More than a mere dormitory, 
  each clutch attaches a family of students to an experienced 
  mentor. Most of these mentors have a strong connection 
  to a draconic bloodline, and some are even actual dragons, 
  whose clutches are always the most sought-after. Draconic 
  clutches compete intensely with each other; the academic 
  prestige earned by each student contributes to a clutch’s 
  honor, but scandal, disgrace, and failure are viewed as 
  shames for the clutch that should embarrass its members. 
  Because dragons can remember glories and humiliations 
  that go back many hundreds of years, rivalries between 
  clutches date back to Triaxus’s emergence from the Gap. 
  Clutches work on projects together, sabotage rivals, 
  and scheme for excellence. The intensity of the clutch 
  experience ensures that most humanoid students seek 
  relationships, alliances, and friendships outside their 
  clutch, just to have something other than clutch business 
  to talk about.
  Prit culture also values astute risk taking. Gambling 
  is common, and debts of honor are sacred. Spell dueling 
  takes place both in private and as part of elaborate public 
  technomancy duels, a scheduled part of clutch challenges. 
  These duels draw on technical and magical aptitude, cunning, 
  and subterfuge. However, Prit rules prohibit deadly duels; 
  instead, competitors trap or trick their rivals. Nevertheless, 
  sometimes injuries or even deaths do occur. Many consider 
  dueling scars from the Prit, especially when linked to victory, 
  as a fashion accessory and mark of honor.
  SENOT (SPELL EDUCATION 
  NETWORK OF TELATERANOS)
  The city of Telateranos on Arkanen hosts more than a 
  hundred elite magical universities and mystical academies, 
  making it a unique concentration of institutions unlike 
  anything else in the Pact Worlds. The students and faculty 
  here are cosmopolitan, drawing from all of Near Space. 
  Each school is small enough that students generally work 
  with only a single professor, who mentors a handful of 
  students over the course of their entire time at the school. 
  Distinguished professors who have made significant 
  contributions to their field are often revered as academic 
  celebrities who broadcast well-watched lectures over the 
  infosphere and appear in SENOT’s famous spell showcase, 
  Shockwave. The competition to secure these professors as 
  mentors is good-natured, but it was not always so collegial.
  In the first decades after the Gap, the academies in 
  Telateranos competed so fiercely that magical brawls broke 
  out in the streets. The exasperated city council appointed a 
  dirindi mediator, Annel Watts, to solve the problem. Annel 
  proposed SENOT: a confederation that would allow schools 
  to keep their independence while sharing resources on a 
  scale never before seen. Schools that joined SENOT agreed 
  to a unified credit system, schedule, and basic general 
  requirements in return for government funding. Each 
  college retained its own specialties, culture, quirks, and 
  curriculum. Students would enroll in courses throughout 
  the network, reserve laboratories, and have access to 
  shared libraries and a host of other facilities. The ability 
  to outsource general requirements and language classes 
  made SENOT appealing to smaller specialty schools in the 
  network, including Priggs, Muser, and the Institute for 
  Extraordinary Minds. But even larger institutions in the 
  city, such as the Polymath School and Telateranos Tech, 
  soon joined the network for a chance to compete in the 
  prestigious Shockwave event. All interschool competition 
  now funnels into Shockwave, a biannual fundraiser 
  broadcast throughout the Pact Worlds. 
  The schools of SENOT claim to offer everything a potential 
  student could want: the intense study, personal attention, 
  and cozy community of a small school alongside all the 
  amenities offered by larger institutions. Facilities vary from 
  small manor-style houses to ultra-modern labs nestled 
  among tall pylons that absorb energy from the electrical 
  storms that roll over the city. Linking all the schools is the 
  lightning rail, a subterranean shuttle system that provides 
  rapid transportation throughout Telateranos. The students 
  here work hard and play hard, and SENOT has a reputation 
  as the Pact Worlds party school. When everyone goes on 
  recess for the Fullbreath Festival during Arkanen’s dive into 
  Liavara, drunken parades, lewd dancing, magical fireworks, 
  and illusions erupt to a background of actual thunder and 
  lightning. Once their general requirements are completed, 
  however, most SENOT students put such behavior behind 
  them and concentrate on coursework. Each year, a few 
  maverick students compete to become Watts Fellows, an 
  elite scholarship track that allows a custom course of study 
  assembled from schools all over the network.
  49
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  
  CLASS OPTIONS
  Students who attend a magic academy have the opportunity 
  to learn many new and unusual abilities.
  MYSTIC EPIPHANY
  The epiphany alternate class feature is described on page 76 
  of the Starfinder Character Operations Manual.
  Mystic Flare (Su)
  In your studies, you have benefited from a solarian tutor, who 
  taught you how to draw power from the foundational forces 
  of the universe. For you, a star’s corona or a black hole’s event 
  horizon is a source of infinite energy. You gain a solar flareCOM, 
  as the solar manifestation ability of a solarian with a class 
  level equal to your mystic level. If you have levels in both 
  classes, you add them together to determine the effectiveness 
  of your solar flare. You do not gain any other solar-flare 
  solarian abilities from mystic class levels.
  TECHNOMANCER CACHE HACKS
  The cache hack alternate class feature is described 
  on page 92 of the Character Operations Manual. 
  If you select one of the cache hacks described 
  below, your cache capacitor holds the listed 
  spells instead of those described on page 120 
  of the Core Rulebook. Some of the cache hacks 
  described below allow you to place spells with 
  targets into your cache capacitor; these spells 
  are marked with an asterisk (*).
  Officer’s Cache
  An officer draws on their cache to satisfy a 
  variety of tactical options in the field. 
  First Slot (6th Level): comprehend languages, 
  junksword*PW (1st level), summon creatureAA  
  (1st level), or supercharge weapon*
  Second Slot (12th Level): invisibility*, 
  junksword*PW (2nd level or lower), school 
  spirit (see page 53), or summon creatureAA 
  (2nd level or lower)
  Third Slot (18th Level): junksword*PW (3rd level 
  or lower), summon creatureAA (3rd level or lower) 
  or tongues*
  Scholar’s Cache
  The scholar uses their spell cache to further 
  their studies. 
  First Slot (6th Level): Akashic download 
  (Starfinder Adventure Path #23: Hive of Minds 
  50), 
  comprehend languages, 
  identify*, 
  or 
  unseen servant
  Second Slot (12th Level): Akashic tutor (2nd level or 
  lower), hoverdiskCOM, instant upgrade*COM, or school spirit 
  (see page 53)
  Third Slot (18th Level): arcane sight, handy junkbot, mind of 
  three (Starfinder Adventure Path #22: Forever Reliquary 52), 
  or tongues
  WITCHWARPER PARADIGM SHIFT
  You must be 5th level or higher to choose this paradigm shift.
  Alternative Curricula (Su)
  As a move action, you can spend 1 Resolve Point to envision 
  an alternate reality in which you trained differently, took 
  different coursework in school, or just paid more attention in 
  the classes you did take. Choose a skill to acquire; for 1 minute, 
  all the ranks you have in the skill to which your compound 
  sight feature applies, as well as the compound sight feature 
  itself, instead apply to the skill you are acquiring. This skill 
  also becomes a class skill for you, so you receive a trained 
  class skill bonus when making checks with it. However, 
  you have 0 ranks in the skill to which your compound sight 
  usually applies for the duration of this ability.
  This effect lasts for 1 minute, though you can dismiss 
  it at any time. If you use this ability to acquire a skill 
  that requires you to make choices—such as Culture, 
  which grants an additional language for every rank—
  you make those choices when you spend the Resolve 
  Point to activate this ability.
  MAGIC ACADEMY 
  STUDENT (ARCHETYPE)
  The magic academies in the Pact Worlds, 
  Near Space, and the Vast take many forms, 
  and each has a distinct culture. Some, like 
  the Arcanamirium or the Eclipse Academy, 
  emphasize time-honored traditions that 
  have lasted for centuries or even millennia. 
  Others, like the Preita Institute of Technology, 
  are quicker to embrace new ways to teach, 
  learn, and work magic. A prospective student 
  of one of these schools has a hard decision to 
  make: they might choose a campus based on 
  family history and connections, the chance 
  to work with a famous faculty member, job 
  placement rates after graduation, or the 
  financial scholarship help an academy can offer. 
  Some students, of course, throw all academic 
  qualifications out the window and just pick a 
  school where they can have a good time—like 
  SENOT or Nerundel Halls.
  An academy student must balance the demands 
  of classroom instruction and homework with the need 
  for a personal life. There are always new books to 
  read, new assignments to complete, and a new 
  round of examinations. But for many students, 
  this is the first opportunity they’ve had to live on their 
  own, apart from family, and the temptation to ignore 
  50
  
  all rules and regulations can be difficult to resist. They’re 
  assisted by academy staff, who watch over and nurture 
  students, ensuring that day-to-day operations of the academy 
  run smoothly, and by faculty, who challenge students every 
  day and prepare them for an unpredictable future. At a good 
  magic academy, even the most wayward student is exposed 
  to a galaxy’s worth of new ideas, experiences, and methods.
  The career of an academy student ends relatively quickly; 
  some programs last less than a year, though most continue 
  for two or four. Typically, a student authors a final thesis 
  that leads to graduation. Some alumni, however, choose to 
  continue their research even after graduation.
  PREREQUISITE
  Only characters who have the spells class feature can take 
  this archetype.
  ALTERNATE CLASS FEATURES
  This archetype grants alternate class features at 2nd, 4th, and 
  6th level.
  Cram (Ex) 
  2nd Level
  You’re a quick study when you have to be. Spend 1 Resolve 
  Point and 10 minutes in study, meditation, or practice, then 
  choose one spell you know. You swap out that spell for a 
  single new spell of the same level from the same class spell 
  list. After 1 hour, you lose the new spell from your known 
  spells and regain the original spell.
  Interdisciplinary Studies (Ex) 
  4th Level
  Training in a magic academy has exposed you to students and 
  professors outside your spellcasting tradition. Select one spell 
  from a spell list other than your own. It must be of a level no 
  greater than 1 lower than the highest level spell you can cast. 
  Add this to your list of spells known. Each time you gain the 
  ability to cast a higher level of spells, you can swap out the 
  spell gained with this alternate class feature for a new spell 
  of a maximum level no greater than 1 lower than the highest-
  level spell you can cast. 
  Spell Thesis (Ex) 
  6th Level
  You have researched a single spell in great detail. Select 
  a single spell you know. When you cast this spell, its DC is 
  increased by 1 and you have a +1 bonus to caster level checks 
  to overcome a creature’s spell resistance. In addition, once per 
  day, you can cast this spell without expending a spell slot. 
  Each time you gain the ability to cast a higher level of spells, 
  you can swap out the spell associated with this ability for a 
  new spell that you know.
  SPELL SERGEANT (ARCHETYPE)
  The spellcasters who teach at military magic academies such 
  as the Karchizara Combat College are known as spell sergeants, 
  a title that is also extended to their trainees, students who 
  specialize in integrating magic with high-intensity personal 
  combat. Spell sergeants lead the way in hand-to-hand combat, 
  supplementing their chosen weapon with potent spells; their 
  mobility allows them to penetrate enemy lines or quickly fall 
  back to rescue an ally in trouble.
  It’s easy to dismiss spell sergeants as brutal thugs, 
  uninterested in the finer points of magical theory and 
  practice, but this is untrue. In fact, spell sergeants prize their 
  own education and are voracious consumers of information, 
  constantly seeking out and evaluating the latest tactical 
  innovations in magical military combat. When off duty, a spell 
  sergeant might be practicing or carousing at a military bar, 
  but they’re just as likely to be found buried in a book.
  PREREQUISITE
  Only characters who have the spells class feature can take 
  this archetype. 
  ALTERNATE CLASS FEATURES
  The spell sergeant grants alternate class features at 2nd, 4th, 
  6th, 9th, and 12th levels.
  Military Training (Ex) 
  2nd Level
  You underwent basic training and have spent time in the 
  field. You gain one of the following feats: Advanced Weapon 
  Proficiency, Great Fortitude, Heavy Armor Proficiency, or 
  Longarm Proficiency. At 7th level, you gain an additional 
  bonus feat depending on your initial feat choice; if you chose 
  Great Fortitude, you gain Improved Great Fortitude. If you 
  chose Heavy Armor Proficiency, you gain Powered Armor 
  Proficiency. If you chose Advanced Weapon Proficiency or 
  Longarm Proficiency, you gain Versatile Specialization. If 
  you already have one of these bonus feats, you can choose a 
  different combat feat for which you qualify.
  Spellstrike (Su) 
  4th Level
  A spell sergeant trains with weapons as much as with spells, 
  and you’ve learned to combine the two. You can cast spells 
  with a range of touch into a melee weapon you hold. The 
  spell is held within your weapon for up to one minute; if 
  you successfully hit an enemy with the weapon, the spell 
  discharges, targeting that enemy. If you are no longer holding 
  the weapon, the spell dissipates harmlessly. Spell damage 
  and weapon damage affect the target separately. If the spell 
  you cast allows an attack as part of casting the spell (such 
  as jolting surge), you can cast the spell into your weapon 
  and attack in the same turn. In addition, for the purpose of 
  meeting feat prerequisites, you treat your class level as your 
  base attack bonus.
  Cantrip Specialization (Su) 
  6th Level
  Casters who find themselves behind enemy lines must 
  conserve their most potent spells, making use of what they 
  have at hand. You can cast a cantrip that deals damage and 
  51
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  
  has a casting time of 1 standard action as a full action; when 
  you do, add your caster level to the cantrip’s damage.
  Flash Flourish (Su) 
  9th Level
  The ability to change your position, even across short 
  distances, can bring victory from sure defeat. After you 
  make a successful melee attack, you can teleport up to 
  10 feet. This movement does not provoke an attack of 
  opportunity. Once you’ve used flash flourish, you can’t do 
  so again until after you take a 10-minute rest to recover 
  Stamina Points, though you can spend 1 Resolve Point to 
  recharge the ability immediately.
  Flash Stab (Su) 
  12th Level
  When you make a full attack in melee against a single 
  opponent, you can teleport up to 20 feet to an unoccupied 
  space between your attacks; the target of your melee 
  attacks must be within your reach at both the beginning 
  and end of this teleport. When you do so, you flank the 
  opponent with your final attack. Once you have used flash 
  stab, you can’t use it again until after you take a 10-minute 
  rest to recover Stamina Points, though you can spend 1 
  Resolve Point to recharge the ability immediately. In 
  addition, the range of your flash flourish teleport increases 
  to 20 feet.
  SPELLS
  The following new spells are most frequently used by the 
  students, faculty, and staff of magic academies.
  AKASHIC TUTOR 
  1–3
  1–3
    
  1–3
  School divination
  Casting Time 1 round
  Range personal
  Duration 1 minute/level
  You communicate with the Akashic Record of one of your 
  classmates or former instructors, asking them to assist you 
  in a task. When you cast this spell, select two skills; if you 
  cast Akashic tutor more than once a day, you must select 
  different skills each time. The tutor can provide you with aid 
  another benefits for the two skills you have selected, and 
  always succeeds at the check to aid you. Alternatively, you 
  can instead choose to let the Akashic tutor instruct you on 
  how the task should be performed, substituting the tutor’s 
  skill modifier for your own.
  1st: When you cast Akashic tutor as a 1st-level spell, your 
  Akashic tutor has a total skill modifier equal to your level + 2.
  2nd: When you cast Akashic tutor as a 2nd-level spell, your 
  Akashic tutor has a total skill modifier equal to your level + 4.
  3rd: When you cast Akashic tutor as a 3rd-level spell, your 
  Akashic tutor has a total skill modifier equal to your level + 6.
  ECLIPSE TOUCH 
  1–6
    
  School evocation (force) 
  Casting Time 1 standard action 
  Range touch 
  Targets one creature or object
  Duration instantaneous 
  Saving Throw partial (see text); Spell Resistance yes
  In the darkened halls of the Eclipse Academy, only the 
  most ruthless students survive. By touching the target 
  (usually requiring a melee attack roll against the target’s 
  EAC, but you can add your key ability score modifier 
  instead of your Strength modifier if it is higher), you 
  inflict bludgeoning damage that has the force descriptor 
  to your opponent. Casting this spell does not provoke an 
  attack of opportunity.
  52
  
  The spell deals force damage and has additional effects on 
  a critical hit, depending on the spell’s level. Staggered and 
  wound effects allow a saving throw.
  1st: 3d6 B; critical staggered
  2nd: 4d6 B; critical staggered
  3rd: 6d8 B; critical staggered
  4th: 8d8 B; critical wound
  5th: 11d10 B; critical wound
  6th: 16d10 B; critical wound
  ELECTRIC LIGHT SHOW
  1
     
  School transmutation (electricity, light)
  Casting Time 1 standard action
  Range long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
  Area 5-ft.-diameter burst 
  Duration 1 minute
  Saving Throw Reflex partial; Spell Resistance yes
  A favorite among SENOT students, this spell lets you create 
  a charming electrical light show that can mimic fireworks, 
  skywrite a message or logo, or depict anything—from birds 
  and butterflies to a colorful dragon or starship. Once per 
  round as a move action, including on the round you cast this 
  spell, you can target a 5-foot-square within range and launch 
  a spark in that direction. The spark takes a zigzag path from 
  you to that square, missing all creatures and objects in its 
  path, and detonating in the target square with a loud noise 
  and a colorful burst of electricity and light. Creatures in the 
  target square take 1d6 electricity damage and are dazzled 
  for 1 round (a successful Reflex save reduces damage by half 
  and negates the dazzled condition). If you attack in the same 
  round as you launch a spark, that attack has a –4 penalty.
  FEY PRANKSTERS 
  3   
  School conjuration (summoning)
  Casting Time 1 round 
  Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) 
  Effect 1 predator swarm (tiny rainbow-colored fey) 
  Duration 1 minute
  Saving Throw partial (see text); Spell Resistance no 
  This spell was created and used to win a Nerundel 
  Halls prank challenge a few years ago. You summon a 
  10-foot-by-10-foot swarm of mischievous fey creatures 
  armed with various tiny weapons who fly around chaotically. 
  The swarm understands and obeys your commands, and has 
  the statistics of a predator swarmAA2 with the exceptions 
  noted below.
  The swarm has the fey type (instead of animal) and an 
  Intelligence modifier of +0. Each round, the swarm deals 
  1d6 nonlethal slashing damage to creatures in its squares. If 
  the swarm damages a target, it grants the benefit of harrying 
  fire to the next creature that attacks that target. A swarm 
  of fey pranksters does not have the usual distraction ability 
  of a predator swarm; instead, all creatures sharing spaces 
  with a swarm of fey pranksters must attempt a saving throw 
  against a fey prank. The exact nature of the prank, and the 
  required saving throw, is determined randomly:
  d6 
  Prank 
  Saving Throw Effect
  1–2 
  Earworm 
  Will 
  Target is deafened  
   
   
   
  for 1 minute.
  3–4 Pie in the Face 
  Reflex 
  Target is blinded for 1  
   
   
   
  minute, but can remove  
   
   
   
  this condition with a full  
   
   
   
  action.
  5–6 Tickle Attack 
  Fortitude 
  Target drops held item,  
   
   
   
  chosen randomly.
  Creatures who save against a fey prank are immune to fey 
  pranks for 1 day. If the swarm is killed, all fey prank effects end.
   
  SCHOOL SPIRIT 
  2
  2
   
  2
  School enchantment (emotion, fear, mind-affecting)
  Casting Time 1 standard action
  Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./level)
  Area 30-ft.-radius spread
  Duration 1 minute
  Saving Throw Will negates, Spell Resistance yes
  In your time of need, you call upon a spirit of your school 
  to help you. The spirit might manifest as a famous graduate 
  of your school, your school’s mascot, your school’s symbol, 
  or just the specter of a terrifying professor; regardless, the 
  spirit’s ghostly appearance demoralizes your foes. Enemies 
  who begin their turn within the effect or who enter it must 
  succeed at a Will saving throw or be shaken for 1 minute.
  53
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  
  54
  ALIEN ARCHIVES
  “Don’t you hear it? The Drift beckons me to it. The songs 
  of a million fractured planes roughly pulled together to 
  form the patchwork quilt of another. Their cries as they die 
  are like music. A swirling tune encompassing everything 
  and everyone. Don’t you hear it? A voice of possibilities 
  from the reality next door. Whispering the secrets of the 
  multiverse so loud the gods can hear. It calls me to come 
  and see, come and see infinity. Don’t you hear it? The 
  rushing of the wind in the airless void. The crashing of 
  a waterfall of subatomic particles. The rumbling of the 
  tectonic plates under your skin. Don’t you hear it?”
  —last words of Chei Ollura
  
  55
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC 
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  DRIFTLURE
   
  CR  
    14
  XP
  38,400
  CE Huge outsider (extraplanar) 
  Init +25; Senses darkvision 60 ft., sense through (life) 
  60 ft.; Perception +25
  DEFENSE 
  HP 250
  EAC 28; KAC 30
  Fort +18; Ref +16; Will +12
  Defensive Abilities grisly armor, void adaptation
  OFFENSE
  Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft., fly 60 ft. (Su, perfect)
  Melee pincer +28 (4d6+22 P plus grab) 
  Multiattack 4 pincers +22 (4d6+22 P plus grab)
  Ranged fling body +28 (5d10+14 B plus off-kilter [DC 20])
  Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
  Offensive Abilities call of the void (DC 22)
  STATISTICS
  Str +8; Dex +3; Con +6; Int +2; Wis +3; Cha +4
  Skills Acrobatics +30, Athletics +25, Intimidate +25
  Feats Improved Combat Maneuver (grapple)
  ECOLOGY
  Environment any (the Drift)
  Organization solitary or pair
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Call of the Void (Su) Once per day as a standard action, a 
  driftlure can psychically cause all creatures within a radius 
  of 120 feet to be compelled to immediately seek exposure 
  to the Drift by the most direct means available, such as 
  an airlock (DC 22 Will negates). This effect penetrates 
  all barriers, including starship hulls and force fields. An 
  affected creature acts too hastily to use safety precautions 
  (such as activating environmental protections), but any 
  attempt to block the creature’s progress or convince it to 
  take an alternative action grants it a new saving throw 
  (maximum one new attempt per round). The effect persists 
  for 1 hour, during which time the creature’s attempts 
  to reach the Drift become more and more frantic. 
  An affected creature that reaches the Drift 
  becomes fascinated for 1d4 rounds, and 
  the effect ends. This ability has no 
  effect on creatures not within the Drift.
  Fling Body (Ex) Once per round as a 
  standard action, a driftlure can transfer 
  a creature ensnared in its cilia to a free 
  pincer and hurl it at a target up to 
  60 ft. away as a ranged attack 
  that deals 5d10+14 bludgeoning 
  damage to both the target and 
  the flung creature. If a driftlure 
  hits or throws a creature that is 
  in zero-g with this attack, that 
  creature must succeed at a DC 20 
  Reflex save or be knocked off-kilter. A driftlure must have 
  at least 1 creature ensnared in its cilia to use this ability.
  Grisly Armor (Ex) If a driftlure begins its turn grappling 
  a creature that is Large or smaller, it can attempt a 
  grapple combat maneuver as a move action to ensnare 
  the creature in the cilia that cover its shell. Alternatively, 
  the driftlure can use a swift action to ensnare a corpse 
  within its reach. A creature ensnared in these cilia has the 
  grappled condition. A driftlure can have up to 4 Medium or 
  smaller creatures or corpses ensnared in its cilia at a time. 
  If a driftlure has at least 2 creatures or corpses ensnared 
  in its cilia, it gains partial cover; if it has more, it gains 
  normal cover. Whenever an attack targeting the driftlure 
  misses due to its cover bonus, one creature or corpse 
  ensnared in its cilia is knocked free and deposited in an 
  adjacent square. When encountered, a driftlure typically 
  has 2 Medium corpses already ensnared.
  The coarse cilia that cover this large, pale crustacean undulate 
  with bioluminescence. A driftlure attacks by attaching to the 
  hull of a starship, where it emits a powerful psychic blast, luring 
  the crew into space. The driftlure then collects the choicest 
  specimens (often still clawing for breath in the vacuum) and 
  nestles them amongst its cilia as macabre decorations. Its 
  motivations remain unknown.
  
  56
  ELMESHRA
   
  CR
    7
       XP
   3,200 
  N Large animal (aquatic)
  Init +2; Senses blindsight (heat) 60 ft., low-light vision; 
  Perception +14
  DEFENSE 
  HP 105
  EAC 19; KAC 21
  Fort +11; Ref +11; Will +6
  Resistances fire 10
  Weaknesses hot-blooded
  OFFENSE
  Speed 40 ft., swim 40 ft.
  Melee bite +17 (2d6+12 P plus swallow whole) or
  claw +17 (1d6+12 S)
  Multiattack 4 claws +11 (1d6+12 S)
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
  Offensive Abilities swallow whole (2d6+12 A, EAC 19, KAC 
  17, 21 HP)
  STATISTICS
  Str +5; Dex +2; Con +4; Int –4; Wis +1; Cha –2
  Skills Athletics +19 (+27 to swim)
  Other Abilities amphibious
  ECOLOGY
  Environment temperate aquatic and marsh (Triaxus)
  Organization solitary or pair
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Hot-Blooded (Ex) All cold damage the elmeshra takes is 
  nonlethal damage. Each time it takes cold damage, the 
  elmeshra is staggered until the end of its next turn.
  Elmeshras are large six-legged amphibians native to Triaxus. 
  They are omnivorous, eating fish, smaller aquatic animals, and 
  fruit in equal quantity. While elmeshras might seem lethargic, 
  floating calmly with their eyes just above the surface, they 
  are surprisingly quick to act, especially if provoked or when 
  a tempting bit of prey swims too close. Elmeshras tend to eat 
  close to their weight in food every day. They spawn in shallow 
  pools and marshes during Triaxus’s summer, and the handful 
  that survive to reach the winter hibernate through it, storing 
  fertilized eggs to release as the weather improves. A typical 
  elmeshra is over 12 feet long and weighs 3,000 pounds.
  Before the Gap, it was common for dragons and 
  rhyphorians to dig up the massive amphibians throughout 
  the winter. Their carcasses provided meat for lean winter 
  days, but also elmeshra oil—originally drained 
  from the creature’s flesh and extracted 
  chemically—which 
  protected 
  against 
  fatal freezing. Triaxians no longer rely 
  on elmeshras for survival, but elmeshra 
  steaks are still considered a delicacy by 
  certain long-lived dragons, and  the oil is often 
  used as an ingredient in high-end perfumes.
  On Triaxus, hibernating elmeshras can 
  occasionally be found buried in ice floes, 
  but it’s more common to find living versions 
  on other planets. The ease of shipping 
  frozen elmeshras makes them a common 
  animal attraction in zoos and a popular 
  quarry in hunting expeditions across 
  many systems. However, outside of their 
  natural environment, elmeshras engage 
  in frequent cycles of spawning that can 
  rapidly cause ecological blight.
  Elmeshra eggs are found clustered in 
  spheres up to 10 feet in diameter and 
  hatch based on the weather. When 
  they finally spring forth, hundreds 
  of elmeshra spawn surge across 
  land and sea alike. These spawn 
  sometimes overwhelm larger animals, 
  especially those still adjusting to the 
  changing season.
  
  57
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  GRAY SHELL
   
  CR
   13
     XP
  25,600 
  NE Medium humanoid (gray)
  Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +23
  DEFENSE 
  HP 190
  EAC 26; KAC 27
  Fort +12; Ref +12; Will +18
  Defensive Abilities incorporeal rider
  Weaknesses vulnerable to acid
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee HFD pulse gauntlet +20 (5d6+14 B & So; critical 
  knockdown)
  Ranged LFD sonic rifle +22 (2d10+13 So; critical deafen [DC 21]) 
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 13th; ranged +22)
  1/day—dominate person (DC 24), modify memory (DC 24)
  3/day—confusion (DC 23), discern lies (DC 23), hold 
  monster (DC 23), mind probe (DC 23)
  At will—deep slumber (DC 22), mind thrust (4th level, DC 22)
  STATISTICS
  Str +1; Dex +4; Con –1; Int +8; Wis +1; Cha +6
  Skills Bluff +28, Disguise +28, Sense Motive +23
  Languages Aklo, Common; telepathy 100 ft.
  Other Abilities concealing shell, partial phasing
  Gear platinum AbadarCorp travel suit, HFD pulse gauntlet 
  with 1 battery (20 charges), LFD sonic rifle with 2 
  high-capacity batteries (40 charges each)
  ECOLOGY
  Environment any
  Organization solitary, pair, or conspiracy (4–8)
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Concealing Shell (Ex) A gray shell appears as a member 
  of a humanoid or monstrous humanoid race, gaining a 
  +10 racial bonus to Disguise checks to appear as that 
  type of creature. However, a creature that succeeds at 
  a DC 30 Medicine check when providing long-term care 
  or long-term stability to a gray shell notices the strange 
  hollowness of many of its internal organs.
  Incorporeal Rider (Ex) When a gray shell is reduced to fewer 
  than half its Hit Points, its corporeal exterior falls away, 
  revealing the incorporeal gray-shaped animating 
  force within. The gray shell’s size is reduced to Small, 
  it loses its vulnerability to acid and the ability to 
  use its gear, gains the incorporeal subtype, and gains a 
  supernatural fly speed of 30 with perfect maneuverability.
  Partial Phasing (Su) The animating force within a gray 
  shell can pull its body out of phase temporarily. A gray 
  shell can pass through walls or material objects (but 
  not corporeal creatures) as long 
  as it begins and ends its 
  turn outside of any wall 
  or obstacle.
  As part of their continued efforts to observe other species, 
  a symposium of gray mysteriarchs collaborated to create 
  a clone controlled by a more loyal force than is typical, a 
  creature they call a gray shell. A gray shell has an exterior 
  made of partially living organic material but is animated 
  by an incorporeal gray-shaped being drawn from whatever 
  world or dimension grays call home. These gray shells 
  can be produced to look like nearly any humanoid form 
  in the galaxy and, like the clones grays can engineer, are 
  able to speak languages and exhibit cultural knowledge 
  appropriate to whatever area they are meant to infiltrate. 
  However, to keen onlookers, a gray shell’s skin is too 
  smooth, their eyes slightly larger than normal for the 
  species they are imitating.
  Gray shells are still mostly experimental and haven’t seen 
  much use outside of carefully monitored testing grounds.
  
  58
   
  CR
    14
   
  XP
    38,400
  GUARDIAN RHINO
  LN Medium monstrous humanoid (shapechanger)
  Init +4; Senses blindsight (scent) 30 ft.; Perception +25
  DEFENSE 
  HP 215
  EAC 27; KAC 28
  Fort +12; Ref +14, Will +18
  Defensive Abilities magic warrior, regeneration 5 (fire and 
  unholy); DR 10/–; Immune sleep, stunned; SR 25
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee unarmed strike +23 (6d6+20 B)
  Multiattack 4 unarmed strikes +18 (3d6+20 B)
  Ranged magic ray +21 (5d4+14; see text)
  Mystic Spells Known (CL 14th)
  5th (3/day)—baleful polymorph (DC 24), crush skull (DC 24)
  4th (6/day)—cosmic eddy (DC 23), death ward, mystic 
  cure, reincarnate
  3rd (at will)—bestow curse (DC 22), dispel magic
  Offensive Abilities ferocious charge
  STATISTICS
  Str +6; Dex +4; Con +3; Int +2; Wis +3; Cha +8
  Skills Athletics +25, Mysticism +30, Sense Motive +30, 
  Survival +25
  Languages Common; telepathy 30 ft.
  Other Abilities change shape (rhino), park guardian
  ECOLOGY
  Environment any (Jatembe Park)
  Organization solitary
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Change Shape (Su) When in rhino form, Guardian Rhino’s size 
  increases to Large and his speed increases to 40 ft.; his 
  unarmed strike damage changes to inflict bludgeoning 
  and piercing damage and gains the critical effect 
  2d6 bleed; he also gains the trample ability 
  (4d6+22 B and P, DC 22).
  Magic Ray (Su) Guardian Rhino’s magic ray has a 
  range of 100 feet and a maximum of five range 
  increments, and does not provoke attacks of 
  opportunity. Each time Guardian Rhino attacks 
  with his magic ray, he chooses whether the ray 
  deals acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic damage. 
  When Guardian Rhino takes a full action to multiattack, 
  he can replace any number of his melee attacks with 
  magic ray attacks that have an attack bonus of +16.
  Magic Warrior (Ex) Guardian Rhino does not provoke attacks 
  of opportunity when he casts spells.
  Park Guardian (Sp) While within Jatembe Park, Guardian 
  Rhino can cast clairaudience/clairvoyance, commune with 
  nature, and teleport as spell-like abilities at will (CL 14th). 
  When he casts clairaudience/clairvoyance or teleport, the 
  range for these spells is anywhere within Jatembe Park.
  Among the greatest of Absalom Station’s landmarks, Jatembe 
  Park is known for its many oddities and is the subject of 
  countless ghost tales. Among these is the story of Guardian 
  Rhino, an ancient and immortal creature who is said to have 
  lurked within the park since Absalom Station’s construction. 
  Legend states that Guardian Rhino served Old-Mage Jatembe 
  on lost Golarion during the Age of Legends; he appears as a 
  powerfully built man with dark umber skin, archaic clothing, 
  and a ritual mask built from wood and bone to resemble a 
  rhinoceros. Guardian Rhino is said to stalk the park at night, 
  punishing the wicked. When trespassers defile the park or 
  threaten those who belong there, he punishes them with a 
  powerful curse that transforms them into trees.
  
  HUNGERER FROM THE DARK  
  CR
    13
   
  XP
    25,600
  59
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  CE Large aberration
  Init +4; Senses blindsight (thought) 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft.; 
  Perception +23
  Aura frightful presence (30 ft., DC 19)
  DEFENSE 
  HP 225 RP 5
  EAC 27; KAC 29
  Fort +15; Ref +15; Will +14
  Defensive Abilities void adaptation; DR 10/—
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (Ex, average)
  Melee claws +27 (3d8+21 S; critical severe 
  wound [DC 21] plus consume flesh) or 
  horns +27 (3d12+21 P; critical bleed 2d8) or
  jaws +27 (3d10+21 P; critical wound [DC 21] 
  plus consume flesh)
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
  Offensive Abilities predatory instincts
  STATISTICS
  Str +8; Dex +4; Con +6; Int +0; Wis +2; Cha +3
  Skills Acrobatics +28, Athletics +23, Intimidate +23, 
  Stealth +23
  Languages Aklo
  Other Abilities spaceflight (Acrobatics)
  ECOLOGY
  Environment vacuum
  Organization solitary
  SPECIAL ATTACKS
  Consume Flesh (Ex) When a creature attempts a saving 
  throw against a hungerer from the dark’s wound or 
  severe wound critical effect and fails, the hungerer 
  in the dark can spend 1 Resolve Point as a reaction to 
  consume the wounded body part. Upon doing so, the 
  hungerer in the dark heals 9d8+6 points of damage. 
  If this healing exceeds the total amount of Hit Point 
  damage that the hungerer from the dark has taken, 
  it also gains the benefits of a haste spell (CL 13th).
  Frightful Presence (Ex) When a creature fails a 
  saving throw against the hungerer from the 
  dark’s frightful presence, the hungerer can spend 
  1 Resolve Point as a reaction. If it does, the creature is 
  also paralyzed for 1 round.
  Predatory Instincts (Ex) As a swift action, a hungerer from 
  the dark can designate any one humanoid or monstrous 
  humanoid as its prey. Against its prey, a hungerer from 
  the dark can multiattack, making a claws, horns, and jaws 
  attack, each at a –6 penalty. If the hungerer rolls a natural 
  19 on any of these attacks and hits, it applies its critical 
  hit effect to the target, but does not roll damage twice 
  and add the results together, nor does it double the static 
  damage bonus, as it would on a critical hit. A hungerer 
  in the dark can only designate one target as its prey at 
  a time.
  At home in the depths of space where starlight is but a memory, 
  creatures known as hungerers from the dark soar from world 
  to world on bat-like wings, driven by their insatiable appetites 
  for humanoid flesh. While intelligent, these creatures are so 
  spurred by their incessant cravings that they care little for 
  tactics or subtlety, preferring violent ambushes that quickly 
  overwhelm their prey.
  
  60
   
  CR
    9
      XP  
  6,400 
  MEMORY MUCK 
  CN Tiny ooze
  Init +6; Senses blindsight (emotion) 60 ft., sightless; 
  Perception +17
  DEFENSE 
  HP 165
  EAC 19; KAC 21
  Fort +13; Ref +9; Will +8
  Immunities ooze immunities
  Weaknesses vulnerable to modify memory
  OFFENSE
  Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft.
  Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
  Melee slam +21 (2d6+12 A plus memory residue [DC 16])
  STATISTICS
  Str +3; Dex +6; Con +4; Int —; Wis +0; Cha +1
  Other Abilities compression, mindless, recall
  ECOLOGY
  Environment any
  Organization solitary or story (2–5)
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Memory Residue (Su) A memory muck’s strikes are 
  charged with hundreds of memory fragments from 
  dozens of minds. A creature struck by a memory muck’s 
  slam attack must succeed at a DC 16 Will saving throw 
  or be overwhelmed by these sensations, becoming 
  confused for 1 round. During this time, attacks from 
  the memory muck that imparted this confusion don’t 
  cause the confused target to automatically attack the 
  memory muck. This is a mind-affecting effect.
  Recall (Su) As a move action, a memory muck can 
  momentarily slip through the Astral Plane to 
  materialize in a creature’s space. The target must have 
  an Intelligence score and be within the range of the 
  memory muck’s blindsight. As a reaction, the target 
  can attempt a DC 28 Bluff check to imagine false 
  memories, redirecting the memory muck to a random 
  empty adjacent square; use the rules for missing with 
  a thrown weapon (Starfinder Core Rulebook 245) 
  to determine this square. This is a mind-affecting 
  teleportation effect.
  Vulnerable to Modify Memory (Su) A memory muck can be 
  targeted by modify memory despite being mindless. If a 
  memory muck fails its saving throw against this spell, it 
  is instantly destroyed.
  When a creature’s memories are removed or altered, a faint 
  psychic residue forms on the Astral Plane. Normally, such 
  small deposits are of little note, eventually dissipating 
  harmlessly. However, in places where minds are violated 
  regularly (such as in the operating theaters of gray 
  facilities), this residue can build up and push its way onto 
  the Material Plane to form colorful, unthinking oozes known 
  as memory mucks.
  These tiny creatures often have an instinctive fear of 
  the beings whose memory-modifying magic or technology 
  created them. Thanks to their size and composition, they 
  can easily hide in the shadows and even slip through small 
  cracks in the walls to move between chambers like vermin. 
  Grays, for example, take little notice of memory mucks, only 
  exterminating those oozes that become a large nuisance or 
  damage abductees. 
  Occasionally, a gray scientist will capture a handful of 
  memory mucks to study their formation and their connection 
  to the Astral Plane, attempting to separate out a specific 
  creature’s memories with complex centrifuge-like machines. 
  Invariably, this leads to the memory mucks’ destruction, 
  leaving behind only a faint shimmering film of concentrated 
  psychic energy that the grays have yet to find a use for, 
  though some believe it could be weaponized.
  The clergy of certain deities (such as Eloritu, Talavet, and 
  Yaraesa) pay more attention to memory mucks, sometimes 
  deliberately seeking out what others would consider living 
  waste. They too believe that if these oozes are properly 
  examined, important historical facts can be gleaned from 
  their makeup. Some fringe archaeologists even go so far as 
  to use memory-altering magic on themselves while camped 
  out at sites they are studying in the hopes of creating 
  memory mucks that are infused with the thoughts of the 
  area’s previous inhabitants. These scholars believe they 
  can unlock important mysteries of the past in this way, but 
  many end up damaging their minds instead and ending up 
  in sanatoriums. 
  Certain mystics have theorized the existence of 
  a star-sized memory muck somewhere in the 
  universe that holds those memories lost due 
  to the Gap, and have spent their lives chasing 
  rumors of this titanic ooze. Others scoff at 
  such obviously doomed endeavors, as most 
  calculations suggest the muck’s mass would cause 
  it to collapse into a black hole.
  
  61
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  SPOOKFISH SWARM 
   
  CR
    16
  XP 
  76,800
  NE Tiny undead (incorporeal, swarm)
  Init +10; Senses blindsense (scent) 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft.; 
  Perception +28
  DEFENSE 
  HP 275
  EAC 30; KAC 32
  Fort +18; Ref +18; Will +16
  Defensive Abilities incorporeal, swarm defenses; 
  Immunities undead immunities
  OFFENSE
  Speed fly 40 ft. (Su, average)
  Melee swarm attack (3d10+15 C)
  Space 20 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
  Offensive Abilities distraction (DC 22), whelming curse (DC 22)
  STATISTICS
  Str –1; Dex +10; Con —; Int –4; Wis +7; Cha –2
  Skills Acrobatics +28, Stealth +28, Survival +28
  Other Abilities unliving
  ECOLOGY
  Environment warm land (Akiton)
  Organization solitary or school (2–4)
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Whelming Curse (Su) As a standard action, the spookfish 
  swarm lashes out into a disorienting frenzy of flashing 
  fins and ghostly currents around a creature within its 
  space. That creature must succeed at a DC 22 Will save 
  or be afflicted by the curse of the depths (see below). A 
  creature that has a swim speed or that doesn’t need to 
  breathe gains a +2 circumstance bonus on this save.
  CURSE OF THE DEPTHS
  Type curse; Save Will DC 22
  Effect The victim feels as though they are standing in 
  chest-high water, no matter their current environment. 
  The victim counts all terrain as difficult terrain and 
  must spend 20 feet of movement to move 5 feet (and 
  the victim can’t attempt to swim through this illusory 
  water). When the victim rolls a natural 1 on an attack 
  roll, they feel as though they have been fully submerged 
  in water and must hold their breath or begin drowning 
  (regardless of the availability of breathable air or any 
  equipment that would normally allow them to breathe 
  underwater); creatures that don’t need to breathe are 
  immune to this effect. At the start of each subsequent 
  round, the victim can attempt a Will saving throw to end 
  the drowning effect of this curse. 
  Cure The victim must spend 1 week fully submerged 
  underwater; they can use equipment to breathe, but 
  spending time in a submersible vehicle or domed 
  underwater facility or settlement does not meet 
  this requirement.
  Explorers and wanderers sometimes return from their 
  ventures in the galaxy’s wild and lonely places with chilling 
  ghost stories or wondrous “big fish” tales. Prospectors 
  and outlaws brave enough to travel the ancient seabed 
  of Akiton’s arid Irkonian Sea sometimes come back with a 
  bit of both. They speak of dreamlike beings that haunt the 
  barren gorges and desert flats, apparitions from the bottom 
  of a prehistoric ocean who drift and swim through the air. 
  The most terrifying of these marine phantasms is known 
  simply as the spookfish; though individually tiny, they rise 
  from the sand in bloodthirsty swarms of flashing scales 
  and serrated teeth. Each spectral fish is dotted with false 
  eyespots along its flanks; this defensive camouflage has 
  proven utterly disorienting to those hapless souls caught in 
  a spookfish swarm.
  Akitonian archaeologists have unearthed fossils of 
  creatures with a physiology that matches the spookfish, and 
  some speculate that the impact of a meteor evaporated the 
  Irkonian Sea and obliterated the entire species in one fateful 
  instant. Some victims relate a strange curse inflicted by these 
  swarming aquatic ghosts. Innocent travelers report feeling 
  slowly engulfed by steadily rising (though unseen) water—as 
  though an entire spectral ocean was rising up in retribution.
  
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  NERRALEN
  Technologically Advanced Satellite 
  Diameter: x1/5; Mass: x1/10
  Gravity: x1/2
  Location: Mobile
  Atmosphere: Normal
  Day: 24 hours; Year: variable
  This large satellite is often found near planets whose populations 
  are in the process of making a significant technological innovation. 
  While it usually appears as a normal moon of lifeless rock, scans 
  of Nerralen suggest it to be hollow. Most sensors cannot probe 
  beneath the surface, and few know its true nature: Nerralen 
  is home to a vibrant community of advanced technomancers 
  who use their arts to teleport the moon throughout the galaxy, 
  moving from the orbit of one world to another. Through their 
  magic, these technomancers can give Nerralen any appearance 
  they desire, fooling even technologically advanced cultures.
  The technomancers who guide Nerralen keep to small or 
  less-traveled star systems, usually in the Vast. Their own magic 
  is amplified by hybrid technology deep within the moon itself, 
  teleporting Nerralen from one orbit to another as necessary. 
  The guides who steer Nerralen seem to pick worlds where 
  technology is making a dramatic leap forward, or where a new 
  innovation is changing lifestyle and culture. 
  Most of Nerralen’s inhabitants dwell in its hollow interior, 
  provided with light, heat, and power by a tiny artificial sun. 
  Aqueduct systems redirect water from a small inner sea. Indeed, 
  everything required to sustain life is provided by Nerralen itself, 
  which also houses a menagerie of alien life collected from the 
  worlds it has visited, many of which have gone extinct in their 
  original habitat. Vast halls and a maze of smaller chambers and 
  corridors cover the rest of the moon, filled with technology 
  acquired from countless worlds, each used in innovative ways 
  to create devices and capabilities found nowhere else. Powerful 
  sensors enable the inhabitants of Nerralen to closely observe 
  the world they are orbiting, as well as monitor other planets 
  they’ve visited or might return to.
  When Nerralen arrives in orbit around a planet, the 
  inhabitants of the target world often send exploratory vessels 
  to learn more about the new satellite. If these explorers are 
  deemed worthy, they are brought aboard Nerralen and offered 
  a chance to join the cabal of technomancers, military leaders, 
  and agents who investigate target worlds in deep cover. Many 
  visitors accept this offer, and the population of Nerralen is 
  now highly diverse, made up of inhabitants from all the worlds 
  it has visited over many years. Those who refuse, or who are 
  judged unworthy of a meeting, are returned home with 
  their memories of Nerralen erased. A few worlds, home 
  to regular scientific advancements and frequently 
  visited by Nerralen, believe it to be native to the 
  Astral or Ethereal Plane, a malevolent harbinger 
  that captures scientists and inventors.
  Nerralen avoids close inspection from the 
  populations it visits by obscuring itself with 
  high-technology screens; when anyone truly 
  threatens it, the cabal of technomancers who 
  guide the moon simply teleport it to a new 
  orbit around a distant world. Nerralen rarely 
  comes anywhere near the Pact Worlds or 
  other highly-developed star systems, since 
  these societies pose a reasonable threat to 
  its way of life. A century ago, it appeared 
  around Verces, and many scientists from 
  Kashak joined Nerralen’s community at 
  that time; soon thereafter, Nerralen’s range 
  expanded significantly, and it was spotted 
  orbiting planets where it had never been seen 
  before. The guides of Nerralen have not since 
  risked a visit to such a large, populous, and 
  well-trafficked planet, and now the moon only 
  visits worlds far from most Drift beacons. 
  62
  
  ADVENTURE PATH
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
  THE THREEFOLD CONSPIRACY
   
   
  PUPPETS WITHOUT 
  STRINGS
  PART 1: 
  ABSALOM’S 
  SHADOW
  PART 2: 
  NO MORE MASKS 
   
   
  PART 3: 
  MEETING 
  YOUR MAKER
  CONTINUING THE 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
  MAGIC
  ACADEMIES
  ALIEN
  ARCHIVES
  CODEX OF WORLDS
  WAKING THE WORLDSEED
  By Jenny Jarzabski
  The heroes are asked to rescue a xenoarcheological team 
  from an ancient ruin on the frozen world of Jedarat. In doing 
  so, they kick off a series of events that could change the 
  face of the galaxy forever. Among the secrets of a long-dead 
  civilization, they discover technology somehow connected to 
  a Liavaran moon called Hibb. Returning to the Pact Worlds, 
  the heroes explore a previously unseen facility under Hibb’s 
  surface that threatens to overheat and melt the moon. As 
  they attempt to shut down the facility, the PCs learn that 
  the moon is calling out to another craft quickly approaching 
  the system that might contain members of an ancient evil 
  empire in stasis!
  HIBB
  By Mikhail Rekun
  This seemingly uninteresting moon orbiting Liavara was the 
  focus of attention when spiraling towers rose from the surface 
  and released the wheeled creatures known as bantrids. Learn 
  more about this strange moon and its amnesiac inhabitants.
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  NEXT MONTH
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  1 SQUARE = 5 FEET
  1 SQUARE = 5 FEET
  FORWARD
  FORWARD
  OPULOS AMBASSADOR  
  1. Bridge
  a. Captain’s chair
  b. Pilot’s station
  c. Gunner stations
  d. Science officer station
  e. Engineer station
  2. Medical bay
  3. Restrooms
  4. Escape pods
  5. Crew quarters
  6. Captain’s quarters
  7. Smuggler’s 
  compartment
  8. Engineering
  9. Power core
  10. Elevator
  11. Cargo hold
  12. Passenger airlocks
  13. Cargo airlock
  14. Meeting room
  MAP KEY
  2
  1
  D
  C
  C
  E
  14
  14
  10
  10
  B
  3
  5
  5
  4
  4
  A
  4
  4
  4
  4
  5
  5
  6
  5
  8
  9
  10
  10
  11
  11
  13
  13
  12
  12
  12
  12
  7
  
  The heroes must root out the duplicity that goes to the top of the Pact Worlds government. 
  Their only hope is to face off against the architect of this vast conspiracy before it’s too late!
  This Starfinder Adventure Path volume concludes The Threefold Conspiracy Adventure 
  Path and includes:
  • “Puppets Without Strings,” a Starfinder adventure for 11th-level characters, by Landon Winkler. 
  • Advice on how you can continue your campaign past the final encounter and details on 
  how the Pact Worlds change if the heroes fail, by Kendra Leigh Speedling.
  • A look at schools across the galaxy that teach magical traditions, by Hilary Moon Murphy.
  • An archive of alien creatures, including an accretion of stolen memories and an immortal being who 
  punishes the wicked, by Alexander Augunas, Anthony Bono, and Landon Winkler.
  • Statistics and deck plans for a luxury transport, by John Curtin, plus a glimpse at a wandering moon, 
  by Jessica Ross.
  DON’T TRUST YOUR GOVERNMENT
  paizo.com/starfinder
  Printed in China. PZO7230
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Starfinder [multi]/Adventure Paths/SF25-30 The Threefold Conspiracy/PZO7230 Starfinder AP #30 - The Threefold Conspiracy - Part 6 of 6 - Puppets Without Strings.pdf