TEXT: 1
  Vathak
  Times
  Vol. 1 Issue:3 Shadows over Vathak - Septembrie 27th, 2012
  Published by Fat Goblin Games: Jason Stoffa and Rick Hershey
  Your no. 1  source for all 
  news on the
  War Against the 
  Old Ones!
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  Vathak Weather
  This week expect a cold chill in 
  the air with a high chance of rain. 
  Harvest season is coming to an 
  end, looks to be a hard winter 
  around the corner.
  From the Front Lines
  Gaining a foothold south of the Eisenstrat, the soldiers 
  of the Grigorian Grand Army have begun the push into 
  enemy territory, intent on taking the recently lost Vathin 
  Fields back into control of the church despite the heavy 
  infestation of spawn emerging from the area. Lead by 
  esteemed General Wilford Ves Haddon, a thrice awarded 
  paladin in the service of The One True God, the grand army 
  has taken the first steps of a long-expected advance into the 
  regions. Under the waning warmth of the late Septembrie 
  sun, the 2nd corps broke camp nearly an hour before dawn 
  five days ago and have covered nearly 25 miles by foot. The 
  Salzulfin River ford was reached, and with the help of a small 
  platoon loaned from of the 29th Engineer’s Devison of 
  Darmsadt and commanded by Major Althson Brainard, the 
  construction of two bridges in the course of five hours time, 
  saw the immediately passing of our troops to the south bank 
  of the river and into held enemy territory. 
  Expected to be under heavy watch, but met with 
  surprisingly little resistance, the soldiers reached the old 
  battle field of Chancellors Hold by noon of the following 
  day. Evidence was visible of the great battle which occurred 
  less then a year ago, as the open graves of our men, their 
  rotting bodies intermixed and haphazardly strewn among 
  the immense trenches in which they once so valiantly fought. 
  Left open to the ravages of Vathak’s harsh climate, the open 
  graves are visible for as far as the eye can see, and in many 
  places scores of skulls could be seen, each of them seeming 
  to grin horribly at each of our still living soldiers.        
  Taking stock of dwindling supplies, the decision to 
  salvage the weapons, armor and any unspoiled goods was 
  soon reached despite the pending danger. Nearly an hour 
  after the first corpse was disturbed, many of our troops 
  reported a low rumbling, a sound described as distant 
  thunder,  heard from beneath our feet. Before the salvage 
  and recovery could be completed, the sounds of the 
  “thunder” became audible to us all, and within moments 
  the ground began to shake. General Haddon gave call for 
  formation, yet before we could properly assemble into rank 
  and file, the land buckled and collapsed, consuming nearly 
  half of our unit. Described in detail by all, the emergence 
  of the  massive snake-like head of a creature began to 
  consume our men whole. The battle stood as a true test of 
  the mettle and level of our training and lasting the better 
  half of an hour, the creature’s assault nearly claimed our 
  troop. Victory was only won by a final blow delivered by an 
  ambitious caviler belonging to the lesser vindari house of 
  the Acienionic Order, who pierced the horror’s brain with 
  the tip of an iron lance.
  As of  19th of Septembrie, our unit has returned to 
  the eastern bank of the river and now awaits the arrival of 
  reinforcements to deliver medical aid and to bolster our 
  numbers to a respectful fighting force. 
  Barthow Birney
   Former 4th commanding officer of the Headathan’s 
  38th division.  
  Iron Lance Charge 
  Once your mount gains enough momentum, very few 
  foes, if any will remain standing upon impact. 
  Prerequisites: base attack bonus +3, Ride 4 ranks, 
  Weapon Focus (lance)  
  Benefit: During a charge action while mounted and 
  wielding a lance, if the distance moved in reaching the 
  target of the charge exceeds your mount’s base speed, you 
  gain a bonus to the damage inflicted by your lance. During 
  this reckless charge you and your mount both suffer an 
  additional -2 penalty to Armor Class that lasts until the 
  beginning of your next turn.
  DISTANCE   MOVED
   DAMAGE  BONUS
  60 ft
   +1d8
  80 ft
   +2d8
  100 ft or greater
   +3d8
  
  2
  NEWS  ACROSS  THE  LANDS
  Negoiulath Mountains: At least 23 tradesmen from 
  Sileasia were killed in a freak rock slide in the early morning 
  of the 19th of Septembrie. Caused by the collapse of an 
  ancient statue dedicated to the Old Ones, the massive 
  monolith toppled into cliff face and shattered. Tons of 
  sundered stone rained down atop the terrified men, burying 
  the group of workers under an avalanche of cold black stone. 
  While some were pulled from the rocks, many of those 
  rescued perished from internal injuries only hours later.  
  Arkos: The annual appearance of strange lights has 
  once again come to Arkos. These bothersome lights take 
  the form of tiny disks smaller than a copper. Travelling in 
  groups of thirty or more, these creatures appear each night 
  an hour after sundown and disappear before dawn. Causing 
  injury in the from of superficial burns, the arrival of the 
  “Arko’s Wisp” has lead to a seasonal decline in the local 
  economy, and as with previous years, a strict curfew has 
  been enforced.  
  Edhelion: The attendees of a public execution received 
  a shock last Sambata as dozens died and over 15 prisoners 
  escaped during a localized riot, a Church Official reported 
  last week. The head of the Edhelion Guard and 5 city 
  guardsmen have been removed from their positions and 
  are under investigation for the events that lead up to the 
  escape of the murderous prisoners. Authorities of the town 
  and Church of The One True God are offering a reward of 
  100 Krown for any information leading to the escapees’ 
  capture. Preliminary reports have confirmed that three of 
  the escapees are lower ranking members of a strange cult 
  known as the Order of the Screaming Star.
  Mad Beasts of Rotkerh
  by Andrew Hellsworth
  In a small village called Rotkerh, located in southwest 
  Khrota, the native bhriota have always lived in retaliative 
  tranquility with the wild animals of Vathak’s southern 
  lands. This peace was shattered last Marti, as an seemingly 
  unprovoked attack resulted in the fatal mauling of a high 
  druid during a seasonal festival. The culprit? The druid’s 
  own animal companion, a once loyal Kodak bear of massive 
  proportions called Dor’gotruath’ia.
   Once thought to be friends of the mad savages, the 
  large breeds of Kodak and Grizzly, have been driven into 
  shocking acts of unprovoked and unnatural violence. While 
  the increased reports of natural animal attacks in the region 
  have seen a dramatic spike in the last ten years, local bhriota 
  seemed particularly shocked that the druids own companion 
  could be behind such an assault.    
  The mauled body of the slain druid, a bhriota male in 
  his early thirties, will be on display for the next twenty four 
  hours, the standard time before the worldly remains of the 
  druid’s body are consumed by his fellow clansmen.   
  “It’s scary. People are afraid,” said Vort’thin , an elderly 
  vindari man residing in a small hamlet ten miles outside 
  of Karka. “It’s just something we’re just going to have to 
  adjust to, but the sense of trust with any animal is going to 
  be different.”
  Mindfire
  Mindfire is a strange disease spread from drinking 
  the tainted water ebbing from cursed locations and from 
  underground wells used as the nesting places of aberrations. 
  Many times the foul bodily fluids of these creatures saturates 
  the water used for livestock and farming. While the disease 
  acts slowly, it greatly erodes the afflicted mind, as the brain 
  of the still living creature begins to decay. In the full grip 
  of the disease a creature will begin to make human-like 
  screaming noises, as if it is trying to speak tortured words. 
  In the final days before it’s death, the decomposition of 
  the brain matter releases a constant stream of adrenalin into 
  the failing body, making the creature extremely aggressively 
  and causing it to blindly assault others until its death. 
   
  Type disease, ingested; Save Fortitude DC 17
  Onset 1 day; Frequency 1/day
  Effect 1d4 Wis damage and 1 Dex damage; Cure 2 
  consecutive saves
  For some unexplained reason, the tainted water which 
  initially causes the disease seems only to cause extreme 
  intestinal distress to a human, but cannot manifest as 
  MindFire unless the potential host consumes infected meat 
  harvested from a diseased animal.
  New Creature Template: 
  MindFire Template +0
  As their brains succumb to decay, these animals become 
  fiercer than they otherwise normally would.
  Quick Rules: +2 to all attack and damage rolls; +2 hp/
  HD; +2 to CMB and Fort Saves; -2 to AC, Reflex and Will 
  Saves*
  Rebuild Rules: Ability Scores +4 to Strength and 
  Constitution; -4 to Dexterity and Wisdom.
  *Handle Animal and Ride skill checks suffer a negative -4 
  to all rolls when dealing with a creature under these effects. 
  The animal is always considered hostile when checking for 
  it’s initial attitudes. In addition, spells like calm animals 
  no longer have an effect when used on a creature with the 
  Mindfire template. end the effect.
  
  3
  Sir Timothy Charles’s Emporium
  Due to the recently documented lycanthrope attacks, with almost all reports originating near the boarders of the Vanturarita 
  Forest, each recognized dealer and carrier of Sir Timothy Charles’s Emporium goods has marked down all werewolf hunting 
  gear by 25% until the end of Septembrie!  This weeks sales are:
  Collection of Old Scrolls Found  
  High in the Gray Peak Mountains, the discovery of 
  a hidden cave has yielded an insight into what vindarian 
  scholars are calling the first “key”in possibly unlocking an 
  understanding of Vathak’s mysterious past. Entitled the 
  Cogekorth Scroll, the search to find this ancient parchment 
  began almost thirty years ago from clues gathered in an 
  underwater cavern located along the Khrotaian coast.   
  The first mention of the Cogekorth scrolls came from 
  the assembled pieces of a broken tablet and a strange metal 
  disk covered in symbols, the two objects were unearthed 
  from an underwater cave near the town of  Gyorok. Another 
  similar piece of antiquity was recovered eight years later, 
  and another found in trenches near the Vathin Fields, a 
  formal inquiry was issued by the Grand Church as to the true 
  significance of the objects. It was only after numerous failed 
  attempts to translate their meaning, that the persistence of 
  famed archeologist Louis D. Gall’oly found a breakthrough. 
  Gall’oly discovered that when combined, the two disks 
  served as a key in unlocking and translating the previously 
  undecipherable text, it’s message pointing to the hidden 
  location of the Cogekorth Scrolls.
  Over the last two years Gall’oly, along with his team, 
  campaigned among Grigoria’s wealthy seeking the needed 
  funding to mount an expedition into a secluded area of the 
  Gray Peak Mountains, the group seeking a high summit 
  that straddles along the border of Sileasia. Heading the 
  expedition himself, Gall’oly’s group discovered a series 
  of caverns along the western portion of the peaks. Inside 
  there awaited a collection of oversized graves and statues, 
  all of which are covered in runes that seem to predate those 
  SILVER SMOKE
  Use of this item is considered a boon to most druids and rangers who hunt such beasts, who view the expensive 
  ingredients and time to make such items, as well worth the cost.  
  Slot —; Price 50 gp ; Weight —
  This powder appears to be a very fine, very light metallic dust. This finely powdered silvery substance is the bane 
  of all lycanthropes  and were-cursed creatures. A single handful is enough to create a hazy, lingering cloud of powdery 
  vapor that fills a 10’-radius square and that remains for 1d4 rounds. Any creature that enters the area, and who has a 
  damage reduction which can be overcome with silver weapons,  immediately begins to choke and cough as they inhale 
  the thinly ground shards of  blessed metal. While simply an irritant to the eyes and lungs of others, a creature’s which 
  meet the criteria described above, must make a DC 13 Fortitude save when first entering, and at the beginning of each 
  of it’s rounds, or suffer 1d3 damage and become sickened until the start of it’s next turn. This powder can also be sealed 
  in a small, brittle glass globe that can be used as a thrown splash weapon. A direct hit with a flask causes 1d6 points of 
  damage to the target creature, and other affected creatures caught in the splash area take a single point of damage. A 
  creature directly struck suffers a -2 to their initial Fortitude saving throw.
  found adorning the Dre’uyn Monuments. Unsealing only 
  a single tomb, they found the mummified remains of a yet 
  to be determined creature of impossible size along with a 
  vast collection of badly weathered and nearly destroyed 
  scrolls. The recovered document, along with Gall’oly and 
  his team, have now reached the town of  Seca, the first stop 
  in returning the documents to Eisin’Dorf. The journey 
  wasn’t without hardship however, as the team’s return 
  trip has been sidelined for the time being, as both Gall’oly 
  and several team members, have suddenly taken ill and are 
  awaiting recovery before resuming their journey.  
   New Spell:
   
  Lashing Sickness  
  School necromancy; Level cleric 3, sorcerer/wizard 3
  Casting Time 1 standard action
  Components V, S, DF
  Range 120 ft. Area 120-ft. line
  Duration instantaneous 
  Saving Throw Reflex partial (see text); 
  Spell Resistance yes 
  As you cast this spell, a line of sickening, neon brown 
  energy shoots from your fingertips dealing 1d4 points of 
  negative energy damage per caster level (maximum 15d4). 
  Creatures caught in this spell’s area of effect are allowed a 
  Reflex save for half damage. 
  In addition to the full damage, a creature which fails their 
  Reflex saving throw also becomes sickened for a number of 
  rounds equal to the caster’s level.  
  
  4
  Bone Gorger
  BONE GORGER 
  CR 6
  2400 XP 
  N Huge undead
  Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +4
  DEFENSE                                                                                                          
  AC 18, touch 8, flat-footed 18 (+10 natural, –2 size)
  hp 76 (9d8+36)
  Fort + 8, Ref + 3, Will + 6
  Defensive Abilities channel resistance +4, undead traits
  OFFENSE                                                                                                          
  Speed 40 ft., burrow 20 ft.
  Melee bite +12 (1d8+8/ 19-20 plus disease and paralysis ), 
  2 claws +8 (1d8+4 )
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. (20 ft. with bite)
  Special Attack: paralysis (1d4+1 rounds, DC 18), swallow 
  whole (2d6+8 bludgeoning damage, AC 15,  7 hp)
  STATISTICS                                                                                                        
  Str 26, Dex 11, Con -, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 18
  Base Atk +6; CMB +16; CMD 30
  Feats  Awesome Blow, Critical Focus, Improved Bull Rush, 
  Improved Critical (bite), Power Attack
  Skills Perception + 12, Swim + 20, Survival + 12  
  ECOLOGy
  Environment underground 
  Organization solitary, pair, or colony (3–6)
  Treasure incidental
  Disease (Su) Wasting Rot: Bite—injury; 
  save Fort DC 18; onset 1 day; frequency 1 
  day; effect 1d4 Con and 1d4 Dex damage; 
  cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is 
  Charisma-based.
  A humanoid  who dies of wasting rot and is 
  not given a proper burial rises as a standard ghoul 
  24 hours after the disease consumes them. A 
  humanoid who becomes a ghoul in this way 
  retains none of the abilities it possessed in 
  life, regardless of the base creature’s hit 
  dice. It is not under the control of any 
  other ghouls, but it hungers for the 
  flesh of the living and behaves like a 
  normal ghoul in all respects. 
  These worms are the bane of both the 
  living and undead alike, as these giant 
  creatures seek to fill their unending hunger with the bones 
  of creatures still living or long since dead. Drawn to mass 
  graves, crypts and burial sites they gorge themselves, 
  consuming the remains along with any organic material that 
  they encounter. When drawn into the act of feeding, the 
  creature will set aside it preference to dead flesh and devour 
  anything that stands between it’s hunger.  
  It is not an uncommon tale to hear of individuals or 
  groups of adventurers vanishing while exploring graveyards, 
  old battle fields and other places these creatures inhabit. A 
  ghoul worm  usually  claims  a  large  underground cavern 
  near it food source as its  den, returning to rest only after 
  gorging itself. These hibernation are lengthy, and can last 
  for a period of weeks or months, depending solely upon the 
  size of it’s consumption.
  Although  not mindless, a bone gorger rarely is driven 
  by anything except its hunger. Hard to control by even the 
  most powerful of necromancers and undead, they make for 
  dangerous guardians for those who are willing to suffer 
  the risk of having such a creature possibly break from it’s 
  magical bonds. 
  Although reports of them are rare,  the existence 
  of variants of these subterranean creatures have been 
  encountered. Sometimes possessing two heads or more, 
  the terrifying form of these bone gorgers are of even greater 
  than the size of the standard version presented above (these  
  variants are never less than Colossal in size). 
  
  5
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  15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
  Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
  System Reference Document. Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; 
  Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on material by E. 
  Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
  Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook. Copyright 2009, Paizo Publishing, LLC; 
  Author: Jason Bulmahn, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and 
  Skip Williams.
  The Book of Experimental Might. Copyright 2008, Monte J. Cook. All 
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  Tome of Horrors. Copyright 2002, Necromancer Games, Inc.; Authors: 
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  Christofferson, Lance Hawvermale,Travis Hawvermale, Patrick Lawinger, and 
  Bill Webb; Based on original content from TSR.
   
  Shadows over Vathak, Copyright 2012, Fat Goblin Games. Jason Stoffa, 
  Rick Hershey
  Vathak Times issue 3. Copyright 2012, Fat Goblin Games. Rick Hershey, 
  Jason Stoffa.
  
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