TEXT: YEAR OF ROTTING RUIN—ADVENTURE 3
  STORYBOOK: FORTRESS OF RUIN
  
  Read the Following Aloud:
  Lastwall is dying, and the Whispering Tyrant 
  has killed it. 
  A noble nation of paladins and knights, 
  Lastwall was created to watch over the 
  prison of the undead Whispering Tyrant. The 
  notorious lich was locked away 900 years 
  ago in the province of Virlych in neighboring 
  Ustalav. Ever vigilant for the lich’s return, 
  Lastwall also protected civilized lands from 
  orc hordes, roaming undead, and other evils. 
  Yet in his imprisonment, the Whispering 
  Tyrant planned for his freedom and his revenge. 
  Armed with a devastating superweapon of his 
  own design, the Whispering Tyrant obliterated 
  Lastwall’s capital of Vigil and blasted open his 
  prison. Now, the lich who tyrannized the Inner 
  Sea region a millennium ago has returned. 
  His undead minions and mortal cultists travel 
  freely through Lastwall, slaying its guardians 
  and shattering its castles. Lastwall’s final hope 
  is the white-walled city of Vellumis, a trading 
  port on Lake Encarthan. Lastwall’s remaining 
  bureaucrats organize fleets of evacuees from 
  Vellumis daily, shepherding people out of the 
  dying nation to safer lands.
  Yet hard times are times for heroes. The 
  Pathfinder Society, a world-spanning group of 
  treasure hunters and lore seekers, maintains a 
  presence in Lastwall. Few Pathfinders in Vigil 
  survived, and those who did rushed to Vellumis 
  to aid the evacuation efforts and rejoin with 
  Vellumis’s Pathfinders. From Vellumis, the 
  Pathfinders can coordinate rescue efforts in 
  the Lastwall countryside and take the fight 
  against evil into haunted Virlych itself.
  Some have given the dying nation of 
  Lastwall a new name: the Gravelands. Yet even 
  in the grim face of death, champions must rise.  
  Lastwall
  Ustalav
   • Vellumis
   • Boursonne
   • Vigil
  INNER SEA
  Scenario Design • Keith Richmond
  Story • Jennifer Povey
  Editors • Mike Selinker and Vic Wertz
  Graphic Designers • Sonja Morris and Tony Barnett
  Cover Artist • Yanis Cardin
  Interior Artists • Alexandur Alexandrov, Yanis Cardin, 
  Kyle Hunter, Jason Rainville, Wayne Reynolds, Bryan Sola
  Cartographer • Rob Lazzaretti
  Organized Play Manager • Tonya Woldridge
  Organized Play Lead Developer • Linda Zayas-Palmer 
  PACG Development Team • Chad Brown, Tanis O’Connor, 
  Paul Peterson, Keith Richmond, Aviva Schecterson, 
  Mike Selinker, Liz Spain, Gaby Weidling, and Skylar 
  Woodies, based on a game concept by Rian Sand 
  © 2019 Paizo Inc. Paizo, the Paizo golem logo, and Pathfinder are registered trademarks of Paizo Inc. Pathfinder Adventure Card Game, Pathfinder Adventure Card Society, and Curse of the 
  Crimson Throne are trademarks of Paizo Inc.
  
  COMPLETE THESE SCENARIOS IN ANY ORDER:
  Adventure Reward
  COMPLETE THESE SCENARIOS IN ANY ORDER:
  Adventure Reward
  Adventure 3—Fortress of Ruin
  Build the Vault: Start with all level 0, 1, 2, and 3 cards from the Core Set and the Curse of the Crimson 
  Throne Adventure Path, then remove all Level 0 non-Veteran banes and you may remove any Level 0 non-
  Veteran, non-blessing boons. 
  During This Adventure: When you close your location, before banishing its cards, search the location and 
  choose 1 highest-level monster, 1 highest-level barrier, and 1 highest-level boon; shuffle the chosen cards 
  into a random other location.
  DURING THIS ADVENTURE PATH:
  DURING THIS ADVENTURE PATH:
  ADVENTURE 3: FORTRESS OF RUIN
  3
  
  Scenario 3A: An Inauspicious Evening
  Read the Following Aloud:
  Back in Vellumis at last, you relax in a cozy tavern, 
  your drink of choice in hand. Suddenly, the front 
  door slams open. A young elf, thoroughly out 
  of breath, rushes in. His eyes flicker around the 
  room before he makes his way to your table. 
  “Venture-Captain Zongnoss needs to talk to 
  you.” After quickly paying for your drink, you 
  rush back to Uscalin Lodge to learn what new 
  emergency has befallen the region. You’re still 
  reasonably sober, and the cold drizzle tumbling 
  from the sky quickens your pace. 
  When you arrive at the lodge, you find 
  Venture-Captain Evni Zongnoss standing behind 
  a desk, next to a rain-soaked half-elf woman in 
  gleaming armor. The steady drip of water from 
  her armor forms a puddle on the floor, but she 
  seems entirely undaunted by the cold and the 
  damp. Venture-Captain Zongnoss holds a harrow 
  deck reverently in her hand. Nine of its cards form 
  a square on her desk. “In the past, The Tangled 
  Briar is perfectly aligned,” Evni intones, pointing 
  to the array. “The Tangled Briar represents the 
  return of an ancient and malevolent force. Since 
  the Tyrant’s return, this card has appeared in 
  many of my readings, and it suggests the work 
  of his agents. In the present, The Crows are also 
  perfectly aligned; expect loss of life, of treasure, 
  and of cohesion. And in the future, The Paladin 
  is aligned and The Publican misaligned. Secrets 
  play an important role in this matter: buried 
  secrets resurfacing in an inopportune moment, or 
  important secrets lost, leading to a tragedy that 
  could have otherwise been averted. Your road 
  ahead will be challenging, but your struggles will 
  end in triumph, should you persist.” 
  She looks up from the cards, gesturing toward 
  the half-elf woman. “This is Jayna Lemore. She 
  comes from the Fortress of the Quiet Shield. 
  They are under attack, and Vellumis doesn’t have 
  reinforcements to spare. The fortress guards a 
  holy relic of Iomedae, a piece from the very cloak 
  she used during her ascension to godhood.” 
  Lemore adds, “I’ve heard of your deeds in 
  Boursonne, and I trust your skill and your spirit. 
  Please, before it’s too late, ride with me and let us 
  save the fortress. 
  “The stable hands have already packed 
  provisions and prepared horses,” she says. “What 
  happens next is up to you.” You aren’t going to 
  stand by idly and let the undead forces have 
  their way.
  The rain stops shortly after you depart, 
  giving way to a clear and starry sky. You ride 
  through the night, reaching the Fortress of the 
  Quiet Shield just after dawn. The devastation is 
  apparent even from a distance, but you don’t 
  have much time to contemplate the situation. 
  An army of warriors clad in the holy standard of 
  Iomedae pours out of the fortresses’ shattered 
  gates, covered in blood and heedless of their 
  mortal wounds. With their longswords raised 
  and their cloudy eyes filled with malice, they 
  charge across the field to block your approach!
  4
  
  Development:
  With the undead defenders dispatched, you 
  pause to inspect the fallen.
  “Inheritor’s mercy!” Lemore’s voice quivers, 
  her expression caught between grief and 
  shock. Suddenly, a piercing shriek emerges 
  from within the fortress.
  When the living call for aid, the dead will 
  have to wait.
  STORY BANES
  STORY BANES
  Setup
  Setup
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  LOCATIONS
  DURING THIS SCENARIO
  DURING THIS SCENARIO
  Reward
  Reward
  5
  ADVENTURE 3: FORTRESS OF RUIN
  
  Scenario 3B: Fear and Flame
  Read the Following Aloud:
  The piercing shriek from the Fortress of the Quiet 
  Shield is followed by another terrified scream, 
  this one in a lower-pitched voice. The undead, so 
  far, have been silent. Could you be hearing the 
  voices of imperiled survivors? 
  The fortress’s courtyard is empty except 
  for blood, gore, and broken weapons of varied 
  designs. Some of each clearly belonged to the 
  defenders, some to the attackers. What seems to 
  have once been a lovely garden at the center of 
  the courtyard is filled only with fallen leaves and 
  blighted, decaying plants. Up on the ramparts, 
  a murder of crows surveys the devastation. 
  The fortresses’ sturdy timber buildings are only 
  lightly damaged, scarred with gouges from claw 
  and sword alike. 
  The maze of buildings is labyrinthine, probably 
  designed to confuse attackers. Right now, you 
  fear that the maze is confusing you. The crows 
  caw loudly, as if to lend their own voices to your 
  worries. 
  Pursuing the source of the cries of terror, you 
  step between two buildings. Something brushes 
  against your knee, and you instinctively flatten 
  yourself against the wall behind you for support. 
  Moments later, a shower of arrows rains down 
  from the roof above your head, impaling the 
  ground where you once stood as well as the rest 
  of the alleyway.
  One of the projectiles grazes Lemore’s leg, and 
  another slices through a thin wire strung across 
  the alleyway. Tripwires. Lemore uses a dagger to 
  slice a handkerchief from her pocket, wrapping 
  it as a makeshift bandage around her wound. 
  She curses under her breath, as the pain jolts her 
  out of her thoughts and into the well-rehearsed 
  rituals of her combat training. “Don’t worry 
  about me. Keep going. I’m right behind you. And 
  be careful—the invaders may have rigged up 
  more nasty surprises.” 
  Suddenly, an acrid new smell joins the miasma 
  of stale battle and blood. Smoke. As you look up, 
  you see flames licking around one of the wooden 
  buildings, and black soot rising up to foul the 
  formerly clear sky.
  The fortress is on fire! With a sinking 
  realization, it strikes that you were already 
  heading toward the burning building. To get to 
  the living voices you hear, you’ll have to pass 
  through traps, undead, and flames. And then 
  you’ll have to get everyone back out alive.
  6
  
  LOCATIONS
  LOCATIONS
  DURING THIS SCENARIO
  DURING THIS SCENARIO
  Reward
  Reward
  STORY BANES
  STORY BANES
  Development:
  Strangely, some undead you came across 
  seemed to be trying to fight the flames, rather 
  than fanning them—at least until they noticed 
  your presence and turned their attention to 
  you. Soon, you find the source of the cries for 
  help: a stone dungeon underneath one of the 
  watchtowers. The fire is still raging, but the 
  captives within seem to be unharmed.
  Fortunately, the dungeon’s keys hang from 
  a ring near the entrance, and it doesn’t take 
  long to open the doors to their cell. The smoke 
  hasn’t sunk to the dungeon level, so you have 
  no trouble freeing the captives: three humans 
  and a dwarf.
  They offer you their gratitude and join your 
  retreat from the flickering flames.
  Setup
  Setup
  7
  ADVENTURE 3: FORTRESS OF RUIN
  
  Scenario 3C: Inferno of Lies
  Read the Following Aloud:
  You flee the burning fortress, the smell of 
  smoke mingling with that of undeath. The 
  smoke is more pleasant in some ways, but it 
  tingles and tickles at your nostrils, causing 
  you to cough. Once clear of the flames, you 
  turn to the captives.
  There are four of them: two human men, one 
  human woman, and a male dwarf.  The woman 
  speaks in an unfamiliar accent, “Thank you. If 
  you hadn’t arrived when you did…” She tails 
  off, looking away. Her eyes seem haunted. It 
  is obvious to you what fate they feared in the 
  smoky dungeon. All four wear ragged clothing, 
  slashed in places, but their injuries are too 
  minor for them to have seen battle as brutal 
  as you witnessed outside—only a few small 
  bruises from what you can see. Their hair is 
  full of smoke and dust from the escape, but 
  they all appear to be in good health. Lemore 
  frowns at the group, deep in thought.
  The dwarf looks around, then grabs a 
  sturdy branch to use as a club. “We should do 
  something about what’s going on.”
  As you glance back, you realize that the fire 
  is out, or at least under control. This means the 
  undead that survived your attack will be free 
  to cause trouble.
  “Do you know who started the fire?” 
  you ask, wondering if they saw something. 
  Perhaps they have some insight into why 
  many of the undead you came across were 
  actively managing the flames.
  There’s a hesitation from the ragged four, 
  the dwarf tapping his club against 
  his hand. It’s clear that he’s quite 
  comfortable holding a weapon.
  You open your mouths to 
  confront them, sensing that they 
  may be part of a ruse. “What 
  exactly is going on here?” you 
  ask.
  The dwarf taps the club against his hand 
  harder. “What do you think?”
  This is looking more like a trap by the 
  second, but you have to be sure. “You know 
  what working for undead will gain you. Come 
  with us and we will help you get free of them.”
  The dwarf laughs. “It is far too late for that.”
  And the rest produce weapons hidden 
  under their rags. As they do, a keyring that 
  looks suspiciously similar to the one you found 
  in the dungeon clatters to the ground. 
  With a scream of pure rage, Lemore draws 
  her longsword and rushes forward at the 
  traitors.
  8
  
  LOCATIONS
  LOCATIONS
  DURING THIS SCENARIO
  DURING THIS SCENARIO
  Reward
  Reward
  STORY BANES
  STORY BANES
  Development:
  You have defeated the fake captives, who 
  proved surprisingly capable combatants, and 
  seized their weapons. Much of the fortress 
  is burned out, but the keep proper still 
  stands, thanks to the undead’s efforts at fire 
  suppression. The fire spread far too rapidly to 
  be wholly natural. Magic was almost certainly 
  part of this plot.
  Now to find the relic of Iomedae you came 
  for before the undead have the chance to run 
  away with it. You can only hope it’s not already 
  too late. Even if this is yet another trap, the 
  thought of letting them get away with their 
  schemes and escape with a holy relic is too 
  much to stomach. As tired as you are, you 
  steel your resolve for another battle.
  Setup
  Setup
  9
  ADVENTURE 3: FORTRESS OF RUIN
  
  Scenario 3D:  Master of Risen Flesh
  Read the Following Aloud:
  As the smoke dissipates, the stench of death 
  takes over again. Lemore informs you that 
  the relic of Iomedae you seek is normally kept 
  in the heart of the main keep. If the undead 
  haven’t absconded with it yet, it’s likely still 
  there, perhaps even guarded by hordes of the 
  risen. The door to the keep hangs ajar, but 
  undead flank it on both sides, as if daring you 
  to approach. Could this seem any more like a 
  trap? Perhaps not, but you have a mission, and 
  you intend to see it through. As you approach 
  the doors, a voice echoes from behind them, 
  gravelly and deep.
  “Let them in. I would see these brave... 
  heroes.”
  Standing just inside the keep, at the center 
  of the antechamber, is a man who seems to be 
  leather skin stretched over a skeleton. His eyes 
  are hollow orbs from which a bit of blue-white 
  flame emits. Around his neck is an ornate 
  necklace containing a gem showing the same 
  fire deep within it. From the man’s appearance 
  and smell you suspect he is most likely a lich, 
  and a fairly powerful one. He steps forward.
  “You will make fine additions to my army. 
  I am Trazavai, your new master.” He laughs 
  ringingly. “Thank you for being so very 
  predictable. You’ll be helping me gain more 
  followers soon. But don’t worry—I’ll teach 
  you a thing or two about subtlety before 
  sending you out to fend for yourselves. I’m 
  feeling merciful today, so I’ll give you a choice: 
  surrender to me willingly and become my 
  agents in life, or die here and rise again as my 
  pawns.”
  He may be powerful, but he’s also convinced 
  that you are slow-witted, that he has caught 
  you completely within his grasp. You can use 
  that arrogance against him. You scope out the 
  room as he continues his monologue, turning 
  to Lemore. His necklace catches your eye 
  again. Could he really be arrogant enough to 
  carry his phylactery—the magical anchor of his 
  unlife—around his neck?
  He bares his teeth in a grotesque parody 
  of a smile and turns to Lemore. “Do you think 
  your survival was an accident? My minions 
  could have prevented your escape. You were 
  bait, and you played that role brilliantly. These 
  Pathfinders you brought with you have shown 
  themselves more capable than the defenders 
  of this fortress. And where one Pathfinder 
  falls, others follow, scurrying like roaches 
  to recover their fallen compatriots. All. So. 
  Predictable.” His eyes glow brighter, the 
  flames dancing with glee. “And when I—”
  He’s too absorbed in his gloating to notice, 
  but your weapons are ready. You’re not going 
  to let him finish that sentence.
  10
  
  DURING THIS SCENARIO
  DURING THIS SCENARIO
  Reward
  Reward
  STORY BANES
  STORY BANES
  Development:
  Trazavai doesn’t go down easily, but you finally 
  manage to end him. The ornate necklace he 
  wore is tougher than steel. Eventually, you 
  manage to crack it open. As you smash the 
  black onyx at its heart, a blue mist filled with 
  tormented faces escapes, dissipating into the 
  air. 
  With his destruction, the remaining undead 
  prove little threat. After a quick search of 
  the keep, you find the Inheritor’s relic. At 
  first glance, it appears to be just a scrap of 
  red wool, but it glows with a holy radiance. 
  Trazavai lacked either the time or the power—
  or both—to desecrate it. You claim the relic and 
  return to Vellumis, leaving the ruined fortress 
  behind.
  LOCATIONS
  LOCATIONS
  Setup
  Setup
  11
  ADVENTURE 3: FORTRESS OF RUIN
  
  KOBOLD 
  VETERAN
  KOBOLD 
  VETERAN
  HUMAN
  PALADIN
  HUMAN
  PALADIN
  Please, before it’s too late, 
  ride with me and let us save 
  the fortress.
  Please, before it’s too late, 
  ride with me and let us save 
  the fortress.
  JAYNA LEMORE
  SUPPORTER 3
  Illustration by Alexandur Alexandrov ©2019 Paizo Inc.
  POWERS
  Display. While displayed:
  • On any combat check, after the 
  roll, you may bury to add 1d6 
  and the Magic trait.
  • □	 You may bury to allow a
   local character to ignore a 
  card’s before or after acting 
  power.
  12
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Pathfinder/2nd Edition/Adventure Card Game/Year of Rotting Ruins - Adventure 03 Fortress of Ruin.pdf