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At the
Heart of Evil

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By K. Axel Carlsson

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At the
Heart of Evil
Credits
AUTHOR
K. Axel Carlsson
C OVER ARTIST
Felipe Gaona
LAYOUT
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K. Axel Carlsson 571157

INTERIOR ARTISTS
Gary Dupuis and Marc Rødskov
C ARTOGRAPHY
Butch Curry

A very special thanks to Morten and some of the guys from

ØLSTYKKE ROLLESPILS KLUB!

Compatibility with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game requires the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game from Paizo Publishing, LLC. See
http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG for more information on the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.
Paizo Publishing, LLC does not guarantee compatibility, and does not endorse this product. Pathfinder is a registered trademark
of Paizo Publishing, LLC, and the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Compatibility Logo are
trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC, and are used under the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Compatibility License. See
http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/compatibility for more information on the compatibility license.

OPEN C ONTENT: All magic items in this product are considered OPEN GAME CONTENT.
PRODUCT IDENTITY: All other material - proper names, settings, characters, story hooks and author's notes - are considered
PRODUCT IDENTITY.

At the Heart of Evil (c) 2011 HEADLESS HYDRA GAMES, All Rights Reserved.

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Introduction
For years, the Order of the Sanguine Star ruled Kelennor,
until one day, the paladins stopped patrolling the borders.
It was whispered that a great evil had entered the old
keep, and when Sir Gareth Strongfist, a blackguard,
entered the town of Kelen, he was accompanied by
skeleton warriors. A new era was upon the people of
Kelennor, and this time their saviors had vanished
completely.
This Pathfinder Roleplaying Game adventure is
designed to challenge four 6th to 8th level characters. It
takes place in the barony of Kelennor, and especially in
the old keep outside Kelen, the barony’s largest town.
Adventure Background
Ten years ago, the baron of Kelennor succumbed to
madness following the death of his wife and child. They
had been attacked in the northern borderlands while
traveling to Terevar, and only a single soldier returned to
tell the tale. He spoke of dark fiends attacking them in the
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woods, but that did not ease the baron’s mind. He sent
away all his friends and soldiers, and for years, lived
alone at the keep.
Then one day, a cloaked stranger arrived at his door. It
was a young mage, who claimed that he could bring back
the baron’s family, if only the baron would help him in
return. How could the baron not believe in the mage’s
lies, and short after the barony entered the darkest year in
its history. Some people fled to the surrounding lands, but
most people did not have the means to leave their homes
and were forced to stay and serve the necromancer. His
name was Azaelorr Karn and it was soon whispered that
demons danced at his table every night.
The keep became a place to fear.
Finally, one day a group of paladins arrived at the
border. They had heard the fell stories and wanted only to
free the dark barony from its terrible curse. The paladins
carried a mighty banner displaying the Sanguine Star,
which was also the name of their order. A battle was
fought at the keep, and in the end, the paladins proved
victorious. The necromancer was slain and his dark
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minions banished.
It was a joyous time for the free people, and when the
body of the dead baron was retrieved from the keep, a
tomb was erected in the nearby town of Kelen, to remind
them of what a great man the baron had been before
madness took him.
With no heir to the barony, the keep was given into the
care of the Order of the Sanguine Star, thereby starting a
new and prosperous age for Kelennor. The paladins
would rule for five long years, guarding the borders, until
a new threat arose, this time from within…
THE NEW THREAT
Before the necromancer died, he was able to plant a
single seed of evil in the weakest of the paladins, a man
named Sir Gareth Strongfist. Every night, the paladin had
terrible nightmares, but instead of telling his brothers of
these, he kept them to himself. They festered like a bad
wound, until one day he left the keep. The paladin had
seen a place in the northern mountains; a ruined tower,
and knew that it was there that he would find the reason
for his nightmares.
Sir Gareth Strongfist found more than he had
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bargained for, and when he left the ruined tower of
Azaelorr Karn, he was a changed man with a new cause.
He understood that all these years he had been following
the wrong path and now was the time to rectify his old
mistakes.
With the aid of a dark scroll found among the ruins,
the fallen paladin was able to capture the spirits of his
brothers and trap them in the tomb below the keep.
Those who came to the keep did not leave, and soon the
borders started to weaken, allowing bandits and terrible
creatures to enter.
Darkness was once again upon Kelennor…
Adventure Synopsis
The first part of this adventure takes place at the old keep
of Kelennor. The PCs explore the keep, finding several
threats inside. One of the wraiths is located in the
watchtower, another in the library. The remaining two are
found downstairs, at the heart of the dark keep. Each
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THE OLD KEEP
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time one of these wraiths is killed, they drop a black
onyx, which must later be used to free the spirits of the
paladins. When freed the paladins are grateful, but there
is little time to share stories.
In the second part of this adventure, the blackguard,
Sir Gareth Strongfist, return to the keep followed by an
army of undead. He is disappointed to find that his
brothers have been released from their prison, but really
doesn’t care. This time, he will just destroy anyone who
stands in his way.
Adventure Hooks
While traveling the road, the PCs encounter a ragged
group of fugitives, who tell them of the state of Kelennor.
The town of Kelen is no longer a safe place, and the
undead skeletons of Sir Gareth Strongfist patrol the
outskirts, controlling who exits and enters. It was only by
chance that this group escaped in time, and now there is
no going back. He has proclaimed himself the ruler of the
barony and demand that the people serve him, and only
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If the PCs need another reason to enter the dark
barony, seeking out the blackguard at the old keep, use
one of the following hooks;
THE RELATIVE: The news of Kelennor’s new ruler has
reached the neighboring duchy and the nobleman,
Tristram Aedaril is looking for someone to enter Kelen
and bring back his sister who lives there. He will gladly
pay the PCs a large sum of money, if only they bring her
back alive. When they reach Kelen, they learn that she
went to the keep, begging for the lord’s mercy.
THE ORDER OF THE SANGUINE STAR: When the six
paladins left their order in the nearby duchy, the order
dwindled in power. With the rumors of their lost
brothers, they are looking for someone to enter the old
keep in Kelennor and retrieve the magical banner of their
order.
A BARD’S TALE: While staying at a wayside inn, the PCs
hear a bard tell a tale of a barony called Kelennor. There
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is sadness in his voice and from his song; it seems that he
knows something more than just rumors. The bard was a
friend of the paladins, but was forced to leave Kelennor
when Sir Gareth proclaimed his brethren dead. He went
to the keep one last time, where he saw dark creatures
move across the courtyard. The creatures were wraiths,
and when he saw them, the bard knew that his friends
were lost forever.
The Old Keep
The keep is located half a day’s travel outside Kelen, on a
small hillside. It is surrounded by light forest, but from
the watchtower, the nearby town is easily visible,
especially on a clear day. The keep was built to withstand
outside attacks, and bears the scars of many battles, but it
has not yet fallen.
An old trail leads from Kelen to the front entrance in
the southern part of the keep, where the courtyard can be
accessed through a gate in the wall.
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meal consisting of a dead human they attacked on the
trail. They dragged him back, leaving an obvious trail
outside the keep. There is a chance that they will notice
any intruders on a Perception check DC 15, in which
case they will drop their meal and attack. These ghastly
creatures wear ragged clothing, and smell of rot and
death. Sir Gareth summoned them from another scroll
found in the ruined tower. He allows the ghasts to roam
the countryside around the keep, where they attack
unwary travelers and fugitives.
GHASTS (2): 24 hp each (advanced ghouls)
See the Pathfinder roleplaying Game Bestiary
B. WATCHTOWER (EL 6)
The old watchtower rise high above the courtyard, its
stone as gray and worn as those of the main keep. A
banner may have once crested the top, but now only a
single lonely pole thrusts towards the blue sky.
The watchtower is a strong building with only a few
arrow slits along the outer wall. It reaches 10 ft. higher

A. C OURTYARD (EL 3) 571160

The years have been unkind to this keep, allowing old

vines and roots to slowly break down the walls of the
buildings. But those are not the first things you notice,
when approaching the gate; a couple of ghastly undead
are feasting on a dead body near the well, and in fact,
you hear them long before ever seeing them.

A couple of stairs are located to the left and right of the

gate, leading to the battlements. However, more
importantly, the body the two ghasts are feasting on looks
like one of the local villagers. He is missing most of the
lower body and legs. While the ghasts are enjoying their
meal, they sometimes push each other out of the way,
wanting the meal for themselves, but are obviously more
intent on eating than fighting.
A stairwell leads up to the watchtower, and the
entrance to the keep itself is located straight ahead at the
top of a set of stairs, with a balcony above. From the
courtyard, the stables and old guard barracks are easily
accessible.
C REATURES: The two ghasts are currently eating a

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than the main keep building and is only accessed from a
small door in the courtyard. The strong wooden door is
locked with an average lock (DC 25) and has a break DC
of 23.
The inside of the watchtower is sparsely furnished with
a few swords and bows hanging on the wall, and a single
shield lying on the floor. Two old torches grace the wall,
but are not currently lit. A stairwell leads upstairs, but
when the PCs enter this room, a wraith can be seen
coming down from above. It seems to be wearing heavy
armor underneath ragged clothing that float in the air,
even though there is no wind inside the tower. The wraith
is even wielding a greatsword, which seem as spectral as
the wraith itself.
C REATURES: When the blackguard trapped the four
paladins in the chamber beneath the keep, he cursed their
spirits to a life as wraiths. This is one of them, a human
named Keldaron Greatshield. The wraith will not
hesitate, but attacks the characters as they enter the tower.
It fights fiercely and with a passion, but while it wears
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armor and wields a greatsword, this does not seem to
affect the way it fights.
When the wraith is killed, something odd happens.
The spectral body dissipates slowly, and when the last of
the spirit leaves this world, a black onyx (125gp) drops
to the floor, unharmed. This gemstone actually contains
the soul of the paladin and when inserted into the right
body (see area 19), will release it from its prison,
destroying the wraith forever.
If the onyx is not used within an hour, the wraith will
once again take shape, and attack the PCs.
ADVANCED WRAITH
(KELDARON GREATSHIELD): 57 hp
See the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary
TREASURE: The shield lying on the floor is in fact a
magical +1 light steel shield, which was wielded by Sir
Keldaron when he lived. It even bears the mark of the
Sanguine Star, painted on the front. A Perception check
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DC 20 also reveals a small cache hidden behind one of

the swords, containing two small potions of cure light
wounds.

C. STABLES (EL 7)
You hear something coming from the stables, a guttural
throaty sound, and when you open the gate, a strange
plant creature reach out in your direction. Its tendrils
are thorny and highly deadly, but there is more to this
creature, shadows lurk everywhere and open wounds
can be seen on its body.

Strange sounds come from the stables, but not the sound
of horses and other domestic animals. When the wooden
gate is opened, it reveals pure carnage. The bones of
several horses are littered across the floor, and in the
middle of it all sits a strange plant dripping slime on the
floor. This is a fiendish shambling mound that will attack
anything or anyone who comes near its lair.
Several items hang on the wall, among them a glowing
saddle on the wall behind the fiendish creature.
C REATURE: This beast was also summoned by the
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and is happy that it keeps to the stables. To satisfy its
hunger, he has given it several villagers and horses,
whose bones can also be found on the floor. The beast
will attack anyone that comes near it, especially any
good-aligned creatures.
FIENDISH SHAMBLING MOUND: 67 hp
See the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary
TREASURE: If the PCs search the stables, they will find
several items on the floor. A Perception check DC 15
reveals 25gp, 16sp and a holy symbol. A Perception
check DC 20 reveals all of the above, plus a +1
longsword and a masterwork glaive. The magical saddle
is a saddle of good hope, which was once used by the
paladins when they patrolled the borderlands.
DEVELOPMENT: If the characters managed to sneak
past the ghasts to the stables, they are discovered as the
gate is opened. The ghasts will attack together with the
fiendish shambling mound, adding vastly to the challenge
(EL 8).
D. OLD GUARD BARRACKS (EL 4)
The walls of this building are thick, but even though;
you can hear faint sounds of rattling bones and armor
from within. When the door is opened, you see the
white bones of the enemies that await you, and then
their cold iron blades.
There is not much in this building except the skeletons
that Gareth Strongfist summoned to fight for him. He
took most of the skeletons with him when he left, but left
these for later use.
C REATURES: There are ten skeletons trapped here
behind a strong wooden door. It is locked with a good
lock (DC 30) and has a break of DC 23.
They wear chain shirts (AC 17) and wield cold iron
longswords (1d8+1/19-20), adding a bit to the challenge.
HUMAN WARRIOR SKELETONS (10): 8 hp each
See the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary

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E. MAIN KEEP
This large building seems barren, showing only a few
windows on the 1st floor. It was built for defense, but
now, as you approach the front entrance, you find the
door slightly ajar as if someone passed through it
recently. Old vines hang from the balcony above, but do
not hinder your entrance into the old keep.
The balcony is located 10 ft. above the main entrance,
and while the vines is actually a fiendish assassin vine
(see area 8) it will only attack anyone who enters the
balcony. No sounds seem to come from this building and
it gives the PCs an eerie feeling.
E1. E NTRANCE HALL
Entering the keep leaves you with an eerie feeling.
Something dark lurks here, but you cannot see it. The
only things in the old hallway are a round carpet
bearing the mark of the Sanguine Star and a huge
chandelier above.
There are four possible exits from the hallway. The
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double doors to the right leads to the Longtable Hall in
area 4, and the small door ahead leads the PCs to the
kitchen in area 5. The strong wooden door to the left will
take the PCs into the old parlour in area 2, while the
stairwell opposite the entrance takes the PCs into the 1st
floor.
E2. PARLOUR
This was once a parlour in the days when the baron
lived here, but has clearly not been used in a while.
Dust and dirt cloud the floor and old furniture, while
old cobwebs decorate the broken chandelier hanging
from the ceiling.
The paladins of the Sanguine Star had no use for the
parlour, except to store old and useless furniture. Chairs,
tables and old chests are located along the walls, leaving
just enough space for someone to reach the door in the
back. This is a strong wooden door, but is not locked or
stuck.
A heavy search of this room will not end up anything,
except signs of a few rats and hundreds of spiders.
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E3. ABANDONED OFFICE
You see a few silhouettes in the darkness beyond the
door, of a large office table and a few empty shelves.
This place seems as abandoned as the old parlour you
just passed through.
Needing only one real office, the paladins chose the one
upstairs. This meant abandoning this one, and a heavy
search will end up nothing, except perhaps a few old
coppers (1d6+3) on the floor. There is a few old
paintings hanging on the walls, and a Knowledge (local)
check DC 15 informs the PCs that the middle-aged man
depicted on both paintings are indeed the old baron of
Kelennor.
E4. LONGTABLE HALL
A great hearth and Longtable dominates this hall,
which must have been used as a dining hall until
recently. Broken clayware litter the floor, together with
a few tankards and broken flasks. A trail of blood leads
toward a small door in the back, which is halfway open.
The blood has not yet had the chance to dry.
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The baron used this hall to dine in and so did the
paladins. It is a magnificent hall, with tall ceilings and
lots of open space. There are eight chairs around the
table, some of which has been broken not long ago, but
nothing of value can be found here.
E5. KITCHEN (EL 2)
Before you open the door, you realize that some
creature is lurking on the other side. Ghastly noises are
coming from the kitchen, as if someone or something is
eating heavily. When the door opens fully, you spot
another ghast in the middle of the room, eating a leg
from some poor human.
The kitchen is just that. It has a stove, earthenware and a
long and useful table with hundreds of scars. The ghast
dominates the room, but will turn towards the PCs as
soon as they open the door fully.
C REATURES: The ghast here is just another one of
Gareth’s creatures, summoned to protect the keep. It will
attack anyone on sight; bend on destroying and eating
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them.
GHAST: 24 hp (advanced ghoul)
See the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary
TREASURE: The victim of this ghast was an unlucky
cleric wearing a ring of protection +1, which the PCs can
easily retrieve when they have killed the ghast.
E6. STORAGE
Several shelves, crates, sacks and barrels line these
walls, easily identifying it as nothing more than a
simple storage room. There are obviously a few things
to eat here, but not enough for a feast. There is a small
hatch in the floor in the back of the room, probably
leading to a cellar below the keep.
This room is mostly empty. If searched properly (DC 18),
it reveals enough food to satisfy the hunger of five people
in three days. The hatch is easily opened, revealing the
cellar below. A ladder takes the PCs down into the
darkness.
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DEVELOPMENT: This food might be a crucial point later
on in the adventure, as the forces of Sir Gareth Strongfist
lay siege to the keep. That is, if the PCs bar the gate.
E7. HALLWAY
The stairwell ends in a broad hallway, branching off to
several doors. There is not much here, except the door
to the balcony, which lies, broken on the floor. A cold
wind blows from outside.
The doors here branch off to almost every room on the
1st floor, with the exception of the small scribe’s room
and secret room found in the library. The door to the
balcony was destroyed by the assassin vine, allowing it to
move freely inside the keep.
E8. BALCONY (EL 3)
Old vines seem creep into every nook and corner of the
balcony. As you enter, they start to move and then you
realize, they are alive!
There is nothing on the balcony, except the fiendish
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assassin vine. It will attack when someone come within
reach, trying to grab hold of them.
C REATURE: The fiendish assassin vine was summoned
by Sir Gareth to guard the entrance to the keep, but while
the blackguard is away, the vine seem to move about at
its own will, breaking and destroying the walls, doors
and windows.
FIENDISH ASSASSIN VINE: 30 hp
See the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary
E9. OLD LIBRARY (EL 5 AND 1)
Old books fill the shelves of this library, only broken by
the occasional item. The dust is thick, and you feel it as
if you are the only one who has entered this library for
the last five years, which is probably true. Then a
spectral shadow form ahead of you, seemingly wearing
armor and wielding a greatsword. The strange thing is,
the wraith does not seem hostile.
The wraith was once a paladin named Eldrek Karishan, a
member of the Sanguine Star. In many ways he was more
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library, reading every book available. He is not hostile to
begin with, though he will attack the PCs eventually, but
instead float around the room, whispering. He wants to
know what the PCs are doing here and will ask them
outright. When he is satisfied that they will tell him no
more, he attacks.
The secret door can be found on a Perception check DC
22, but when the PCs try to open it, the shield hanging
above the door animates and attacks the intruders. This
means that there are essentially two encounters in this
room, as the PCs probably won’t activate this second
encounter after having killed the wraith.
The animated shield holds the ancient spirit of the old
baron, who worried endlessly of his treasure, which he
hid in the secret chamber. He continues to protect his
treasure in the afterlife, but will appreciate being
released. His spirit is seen departing the shield when
killed, whispering “finally…”
C REATURE: The wraith here is one of the captured
spirits of Gareth Strongfist, and when killed, leaves
behind a black onyx (125gp). This onyx has the power to
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release his spirit from the bound prison below the keep.
WRAITH (E LDREK KARISHAN): 35 hp
SMALL ANIMATED OBJECT: 17 hp
See the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary
TREASURE: There are plenty of books here for the scholar
and bard, but if searched completely will reveal a few
interesting items worth 2,500gp. These items are not
magical, but could be a small figurine created by a master
artisan, a golden and gem-encrusted knife and several
small gems.
E10. SECRET C HAMBER
This small chamber contains a small table and several
locked chests. It is sparsely furnished for a reason,
which is that there isn’t a lot of room for more items. A
single book is located on the table, closed and bearing
the crest of the baron of Kelennor.
This chamber holds the treasure of the old baron, which
includes several magical potions and lots of gold and
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silver. However, to true adventurers, the most important
treasure is the tome on the table, which is in fact the diary
of the dead baron.
The journal allows the PCs to discover, not only the
history of Kelennor and the baron, but also insight into
the necromancer, Azaelorr Karn and possibly the location
of the ruined tower in the northern mountains.
TREASURE: The following potions can be found in one
of the chests; potion of cure moderate wounds, 2 potions
of cure light wounds and 3 oils of light. There is 1,500gp
and 2,000sp in the other chest along with a few
gemstones worth 500gp.
E11. SCRIBE’S ROOM
A scribe’s table dominates this room, with only a few
bottles of ink and a couple of pens resting on its scarred
surface.
This room is almost empty. A Perception check DC 22
reveals a small hidden chamber beneath the table, easily
opened once found. A single scroll of hide from undead
was hidden here by the old cleric who served the baron as
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his scribe.
E12. SERVANT’S QUARTERS (EL 3 AND 3)
This room was obviously occupied by the paladins,
whose armor and weapons rest against the far wall. You
have barely noticed these when something rises from
behind the beds. It’s another undead, but this time it’s a
wight!
These rooms are sparsely furnished, with only two beds
and two chests. The chests hold simple clothing and a
few personal items from each of the paladins, but the real
treasure here are the masterwork arms and armor.
C REATURES: There is a wight in each of the rooms,
who attacks the intruders as soon as they enter. These
wights are somewhat intelligent and roam the keep
freely, which means that if the PCs make too many
noises, the undead may be prepared, gaining a surprise
attack.
WIGHTS (2): 30 hp each
See the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary
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E13. BARON’S OFFICE (EL 7)
Strange babblings can be heard from this room, as if
someone was speaking to himself. A large desk and
chair is located in the southern part of the room, near
the big window. This was clearly an office once. A
tapestry bearing the Sanguine Star hangs opposite the
hallway door, looking very much like an old banner.
This room was used by the leader of the order, Alaran
Shieldworth, but while the other members of his order
were trapped by the blackguard, Alaran was forced to
jump out of the window and kill himself. He has become
a creature of madness, doomed to stay here forever.
C REATURE: Alaran has been turned into a spectre, but
is less powerful than most spectres. He is hiding behind
the big desk as the PCs enter, but attacks fiercely.
SPECTRE (ALARAN SHIELDWORTH): 40 hp
See the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary
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TREASURE: The blade of Alaran Shieldworth has never
left this chamber, and can be found behind the desk. A
Perception check DC 15 reveals the blade from the
doorway. The blade is a +1 axiomatic longsword called
Justiceweaver.
Besides the magical sword, there is a small chest in
one of the desk’s drawers containing 250gp and 100sp.
This chest has an good lock (DC 30).
The tapestry is in fact the ancient banner of the Order
of the Sanguine Star (see page 15), a unique item the
paladins valued highly. It has a few blood stains and
appears to have seen more than one battle.
E14. MASTER BEDROOM
A bed rests by the wall opposite the door and behind it;
a couple of crossed blades hangs on the wall. This is
where the leader of the paladins slept, but it has long
since been cleaned out and left empty.
A thorough search ends up nothing. There is another door
here, which opens up to the hallway outside. A key rests
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in the lock and it is indeed locked.
E15. GUEST ROOM
This chamber is nothing more than a simple bedroom,
with a large closet lying broken on the floor. Someone
obviously fought here and the old blood stains on the
sheets bears testimony to this.
Much like the master bedroom, a thorough search ends
up nothing except a +1 dagger kept in a piece of cloth
covered in dried blood. This dagger was actually carried
by Gareth Strongfist, but has long since been abandoned.
E16. C ELLAR (EL 4)
You enter the dank cellar below the keep, seeing
nothing around you except darkness and shadows. This
place may once have smelled of old wood and wine, but
now it smells only of death and decay, leaving no doubt
that a necromancer once lived here.
The cellar is reached by climbing down a ladder from
area 6. It has a few old barrels in the northern part of the
chamber, and a couple of broken bottles litter the floor 571167
near the door, making it dangerous territory. The door is
closed, but not locked, but not long after the PCs enter
the cellar, do they face a new threat.
C REATURE: Gareth summoned another creature to
protect the tomb. He used one ofAzaelorr Karn’s scrolls,
but has managed to control this one, who serves him
well. The creature is a fiendish phantom fungus, another
plant creature transformed by the fiendish powers of the
necromancer. The phantom fungus is invisible and gains
a surprise attack on the PCs.
FIENDISH PHANTOM FUNGUS: 30 hp
See Tricky Owlbear's Forgotten Foes
E17. HALLWAY (EL 3 AND POSSIBLY 5 OR 7)
The hallway outside the door from the cellar is wide
enough to allow two creatures to walk side by side, and
turns south after a few feet. A door rests in the wall
opposite the cellar door, looking very much like a
barred prison door.
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The hallway is lighted by a few everburning torches
hanging on the wall of the tomb door. The light source is
not directly visible from the cellar door, but is obviously
torchlight. There is one danger here, the trap on the
prison door and a puzzle, which opens the tomb door.
ACID ARROW TRAP: CR 3; magic device; touch
trigger; no reset; spell effect (acid arrow, Atk +2 ranged
touch, 2d4 acid damage for 4 rounds); Perception DC 27;
Disable Device DC 27.
THE PUZZLE: The tomb door has no keyhole and no
handle, but is a heavy stone door with a break DC of 35.
On each side of the door stand two statues of warriors
wearing full-faced helmets. They each carry a drawn
longsword that carries a few arcane markings. Anyone
speaking draconic is able to decipher these markings. The
right statue reads; “We see beyond the door and protect
the lord of the keep!” while the left statue reads; “None
may intrude upon the rest of our lord!” To open the door,
two PCs have to put their fingers into the eyes of the
statues at the exact same time. If they don’t solve the
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puzzle, but instead decide to break down the door,
another trap is activated. If the PCs manage to break the
puzzle, award them XP as if they had defeated a level 7
encounter.
MOVING SWORDS TRAP: CR 5; mechanical; location
trigger; repair reset; hidden switch bypass (Perception
DC 25); Atk +16 melee (1d8+10/19-20, longsword);
multiple targets (both statues attack at the same time);
Perception DC 25; Disable Device DC 18.
E18. PRISON C ELL
Gentle sobs can be heard from behind this wooden
door, of a woman crying. When you open the door, a
creature shrinks back from the light against the far
wall. It is a young woman, covered in bloody clothing.
When the sister of Tristram Aedaril came to the keep
begging for the lord’s mercy, she was led inside and
down here by Gareth Strongfist. He cared little for the
woman, but wanted to keep her beauty for himself, at
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At the Heart of Evil

least for a little while. She has been raped a few times,
but the blood on her clothes is not her own. She has been
fed, but is very frightened when the PCs find her. She
does not trust them to begin with, but wants only to get
out of here and return to the mansion of her brother. If the
PCs can do this for her, she will reward them dearly,
which is no empty offer. Her family is quite wealthy.
WYSHAEL AEDARIL (FEMALE HUMAN ARI3): 5 hp
E19. TOMB (EL 8)
The huge stone door moves upwards, revealing a large
chamber with several heavy sarcophaguses adorning
deep alcoves. This is where the old lords buried their
family members, and a heavy stone slab in the middle of
the chamber marks the mass grave below. You have
barely begun exploring this chamber when you see the
depictions of four paladins carved from the stone wall.
They are placed in each of the chamber’s four corners.

This is where Gareth managed to capture the spirits of his

brothers. They are trapped within the four wall statues,
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and only one thing will free them; placing the gemstones 571169

in the pommel socket of each warrior. The graves have

no lids and when the wraiths start to attack, the skeletons
animate and attack 1d4 rounds later.
C REATURES: The remaining two wraiths keep to the
tomb attacking any intruders. They fight relentless, until
their foes are killed or they themselves are destroyed. The
skeletons will fight anyone of good alignment first and
then those of neutral alignment second, never harming
any evil PC of the party. Like the other wraiths, if these
are killed a black onyx drops to the floor.
WRAITH (TOREN SHIELDWORTH): 42 hp
WRAITH (WYRRON THROMAHL): 45 hp
HUMAN WARRIOR SKELETONS (8): 8 hp each
See the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary

TREASURES: The blackguard left most of the items he

recovered from the ruined tower ofAzaelorr Karn in this
room. Among these items is a blacksteel ceremonial
dagger, a few scrolls of summon monster II and III and
13 black onyx gemstones worth 125gp each. A scrollcase

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also hides the research notes of the necromancer, telling
of his dark experiments; how he came to find the secret
of trapping the human soul.
Concluding the Adventure
When the PCs have found the four wraiths in the keep
and watchtower, they must slay them to gain the black
gemstones. These must then be used to free the spirits of
the fallen paladins, concluding the first part of the
adventure. By this time, the PCs have possibly been
through most of the rooms in the keep, leaving only a
few monsters to be slain, but is essentially ready for the
next part.
They have possibly found the baron’s journal or the
necromancer’s notes, which helps to give them a better
understanding of what has happened at the barony. They
may be ready to rest, but as soon as they exit the keep,
turning their heads to the surrounding lands, the next part
of the adventure starts.
1980970
Further Adventures
Sir Gareth Strongfist has been away from his keep,
leaving the PCs to explore his riches and secrets, but now
he returns with an army of undead. This army is much
greater than any army the PCs could have hoped for and
may leave them dismayed.
At this point in the adventure, the characters are
possibly spell depleted and weakened from the many
encounters, but if they bar the gate of the keep, they may
buy themselves some time to rest and regain their
strength. They have found enough interesting items and
the DM may yet hide a few more items in the keep, such
as a cache of healing potions or a wand of cure light
wounds. Adventurers who flee the keep, taking to the
surrounding lands may not survive and the DM may hint
this in a subtle way, especially by describing the army of
the blackguard.
The party has done a great deed, but has yet to defeat
the real enemy, the blackguard who carry on the legacy
of the necromancer Azaelorr Karn. They are strong, but
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the undead army may be too much. If they are smart
adventurers, they will plan their escape from the keep,
fleeing to the town of Kelen where they can possibly
raise a small army of their own.
New Magic Items
SADDLE OF GOOD HOPE
Aura moderate enchantment; CL 7th
Slot body (see below); Price 23,625 gp; Weight 30 lbs
DESCRIPTION
This military saddle has a golden glow about it that
easily marks it as magical. The saddle must be worn by a
horse, yet, its powers are granted to whomever is sitting
on the saddle. The user is able to cast good hope three
times per day. The spell affects both the user and the
horse.
C ONSTRUCTION
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, good hope; Cost
11813 gp 571170
BANNER OF THE SANGUINE STAR
Aura strong abjuration; CL 14th
Slot -; Price 111,084 gp; Weight 4 lbs
DESCRIPTION
The Banner of the Sanguine Star is old and worn from
hundreds of battles, yet has not been shredded or torn.
Bloodstains mark the lower part and this banner has
clearly never been cleaned. It carries a single golden star
on a crimson field, woven in thick cloth meant to last
through the centuries. Celestial words mark the lower
edge of the banner, reading; “Hope is everything!”
Carried by a paladin, this banner offers tremendous
power in the form of spell-like abilities, but it also
protects anyone of good alignment, offering a bonus on
their saving throws.
Only corporeal creatures of good alignment receive
the benefit of the resistance bonus and only paladins can
use the spell-like abilities, and only when holding the
banner on a pole above their heads.
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 At the Heart of Evil
The resistance bonus always applies to creatures
within range, but the spell-like abilities must be activated
as a standard action. These spells are cast as if enhanced
by the still spell metamagic feat.
Any corporeal creature of good alignment within 50 ft.
of the banner, receives a +3 resistance bonus to all saves.
Furthermore, if the banner is wielded by a paladin, it
offers him the following spell-like abilities; at will –
bless, comprehend languages, deathwatch and entropic
shield. 3/day – consecrate, cure moderate wounds,
protection from evil, shield other, status and zone of truth.
1/day – cure serious wounds, daylight and invisibility
purge.
C ONSTRUCTION
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, bless, comprehend
languages, consecrate, cure serious wounds, daylight,
entropic shield, invisibility purge, protection from evil,
resistance, shield other, status, zone of truth; Cost 55,542
gp
Open Game License
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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
Buhlman, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.
ADVANCED PLAYER'S GUIDE. Copyright 201 0, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Jason Bulmahn.
THE BOOK OF EXPERIMENTAL MIGHT. Copyright 2008, Monte J. Cook. All rights reserved.
TOME OF HORRORS. Copyright 2002, Necromancer Games, Inc.; Authors: Scott Greene, with
Clark Peterson, Erica Balsley, Kevin Baase, Casey Christofferson, Lance Hawvermale, Travis
Hawvermale, Patrick Lawinger, and Bill Webb; Based on original content from TSR.
AT THE HEART OF EVIL. Copyright 2011, Headless Hydra Games. Author K. Axel Carlsson