Aggah-Shan's journals and Pandemonium deck: Difference between pages

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[[Aggah-Shan]] kept detailed notes on his magical research, hidden in the accounting ledgers of his businesses. When a special leaded ribbon bookmark is placed in one of these ledgers the pages turn "inside out", revealing this research. Though the journals are organized chronologically, the following outlines what can be learned from them in a more organized fashion. Each category contains two columns, one with in-game facts found in the journals and one with metagame commentary on those facts. (The [[Dissolution Recap|campaign recap]] may shed more light on some of these references.)
''This is a magic item for [[system::Pathfinder]] based on P.D. Magnus' [http://www.decktet.com/ Decktet]. Though inspired by the ''[http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/artifacts/minor-artifacts/deck-of-many-things deck of many things]'' and its [http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/artifacts/minor-artifacts/deck-of-many-things-harrow harrow deck version], it alters the whole concept of the deck (roughly) following the model used by ''[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0786958723/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0786958723&linkCode=as2&tag=div05a-20 Madness at Gardmore Abbey]'' to make the deck a less destabilizing force (at least at first).''


== Path to Lichdom ==
'''Aura''' strong (all schools); '''CL''' 20th; '''Slot''' none; '''Weight''' —


{| class="wikitable"
This worn fortune-teller's deck bears an evocative image upon each of its forty-five cards. The deck contains six suits (in order: moons, suns, waves, leaves, wyrms and knots) with a complex structure. For each suit, there is an Ace and a Crown. Ranked between them are other cards numbered 2 through 9, each with two suits. Four Crowns each have three suits and are ranked beneath Crowns. Four Pawns each have three suits as well, ranked below Courts. The Excuse has no suit or rank. Suit combinations do not occur with equal frequency. All cards also have a theme or meaning, written on the face of the card.
|-
 
| style="vertical-align: top;" |
== Individual Cards ==
* While human, Aggah-Shan was a necromantic researcher in the land of Uraq.
 
* Originally, his research focussed on trying to understand the creation of the world.
Cards of this deck are almost never found assembled, as the deck has the ability to scatter itself at random under certain circumstances. Most who come across cards find them singly. Individual cards are no more or less durable than mundane cards, but should a card be destroyed, it disappears and reforms itself whole at some other random location in the world.  
* He started sliding into instability when he uncovered a hidden secret of the world: when creatures like demons or angels are summoned into this world, they never actually leave. Interviewing both demons and angels, he discovered that they ''can't'' leave. They are trapped here.
* He went a bit nuts when he uncovered the mechanism causing this: an uber god, Præmus, the Creator, constructed the entire world to be a prison.
* He became obsessed with finding out why Præmus did this and searched for decades, getting more senile as time went on. When magical means of extending his life to keep up the search began to fail, he became a lich in order to be immortal.
* Once a full lich, his thinking becomes a lot more clear, but it still takes him centuries to find the answer to his question.
* The entire world was created as a trap for a set of chaotic beings known as the Galchutt. Once lured to the world, the Galchutt found they could not leave. This really pissed them off, and they railed against their cage for quite a while.
* Præmus seems not to have cared that He sealed countless races of innocents in the prison with the Galchutt. This really pissed off Aggah-Shan, and colors everything he's done since.
| style="vertical-align: top; color: #005; width: 38.2%; font-family: serif;;" | '''Uraq''' is a desert land, with a feel similar to ancient Egypt or Persia.
Neither you, nor anyone you know, has ever even heard of '''Præmus'''.


Most have not heard of the '''Galchutt''', but you have. Raising them from sleep was the point of that ritual you stopped: the '''Night of Dissolution'''.
Individual cards make their presence known whenever combat begins. Whenever an initiative check is made, gather all of the cards possessed by any of the participants and draw one randomly. This card then exerts an influence on the battle. A spectral icon representing the card appears on the ground in a random square adjacent to the character who owns the selected card. Anyone standing in the square containing the icon gains the influence effect listed for that card so long as they remain in the same square as the icon. If the character moves out of the square (or the icon moves out from under the character) the influence effect ends immediately.
|}


== Ultimate Goal ==
At the start of each round, the icon moves 1d4-1 squares in a random direction (roll 1d8, with 1 indicating north and the other numbers indicating compass going clockwise). Any creatures standing in that square immediately gain the influence effect of the card.


{| class="wikitable"
Characters who own cards may spend a move action attempting to force a card they own to become the influencing card. Success on a Use Magic Item check (DC 18) causes any existing influence to vanish, and a new influence icon to appear at a random square adjacent to the card owner. Any character in that square immediately gains the influence effect of the new card.
|-
| style="vertical-align: top;" |
* The magic that keeps the world a prison is manifested as something called the Seven Chains. These chains are guarded by powerful angels on the Vallis moon.
* The point of the Night of Dissolution is thought to be that, once the Galchutt reawaken, they will break the Seven Chains and unlock the prison.
* Aggah-Shan has come to believe that this idea is nonsense. If the Galchutt could have broken the Seven Chains, they would have done it when they first arrived. Consequently, he views those obsessed with he Night of Dissolution as pawns and idiots.
* He was really stunned when the Valis moon reappeared, as he considered Wuntad to be a moron.
* Aggah-Shan really wants to kill Præmus.
* Aggah-Shan has come to believe (though, to an objective reader, his reasoning is a bit thin) that in order for the prison to be as strong as it is, it must be a part of Præmus. As such, if the world could be dominated by necromantic energy, the world (and, therefore, part of Præmus) would die.
* Only two beings have come close to dominating the world with necromantic energy: Eslathagos Malkith (the Dread One) and Ghul. While Aggah-Shan respects their power, however, he considers both of them fools, because they spent their efforts on military conquest. Still, while not rolemodels for how to use power, they certainly provide a good road map for ''acquiring'' it.
* The key to the Dread One's power was the ''book of inverted darkness'', which Aggah-Shan has been trying to find.
* The key to Ghul's power was the ''entropy sphere'', which Aggah-Shan has also been trying to find.
| style="vertical-align: top; color: #005; width: 38.2%; font-family: serif;;" | The '''Vallis moon''' is the magical moon that briefly reappeared during the ritual you stopped.
'''Wuntad''' is the demon-like boss guy running the ritual you stopped.


You will recall that '''Eslathagos Malkith''', before he became evil, created the '''Banewarrens'''.
The character who owns the influencing card may also spend a move action attempting to move its icon. Success on a Use Magic Item check (DC 20) allows the character to move the icon up to 15'. Any creatures standing in the destination immediately gain the influence effect of the card.


'''Ghul''' is a kind of "mini-me" version of the Dread One, who claimed to be his son (though he wasn't). He was still a badass, though. Among other things, Ghul twisted elder and shoal elves into harrow elves.
== Cumulative Effects ==
|}


== The Book of Inverted Darkness ==
As more of the cards come together, the deck gains potency. If a single character holds multiple cards, they bestow additional effects, depending on the number of cards and their suit combinations. All applicable effects from the following table apply if the character owns cards that qualify. All spell-like abilities function with a caster level equal to the character's level.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
| style="vertical-align: top;" |
! card combination
* The ''[[book of inverted darkness]]'' is responsible for corrupting the man who became Eslathagos Malkith (the Dread One).
! effect
* Aggah-Shan wants this book very badly, as he believes it was the key to the Dread One's power.
|-
* Aggah-Shan sent a team into the Banewarrens to find the book. They failed.
| any 6 cards
* Since it was not in the Banewarrens, Aggah-Shan is fairly certain the book must therefore be in Jabel Shammar (see below).
| You emit an aura of chaos as if you were a cleric of a chaotic deity.
| style="vertical-align: top; color: #005; width: 38.2%; font-family: serif;;" |Almost everyone knows that the '''Book of Inverted Darkness''' corrupted the Dread One, but no one you've ever met has much to say about what it actually does.
|-
| any 12 cards
| You are constantly ''protected from law''.
|-
| any 18 cards
| Your alignment shifts one step toward chaotic. You may cast ''magic circle of protection from law'' 3 times/day as a spell-like ability.
|-
| any 24 cards
| You may cast ''chaos hammer'' 3 times/day as a spell-like ability.
|-
| any 30 cards
| You may cast ''dispel law'' 3 times/day as a spell-like ability.
|-
| any 36 cards
| You may cast ''word of chaos'' 3 times/day as a spell-like ability.
|-
| any 42 cards
| You may cast ''cloak of chaos'' 3 times/day as a spell-like ability.
|-
| three moons + three suns
| You may cast ''flare burst'' at will as a spell-like ability, as a swift action.
|-
| three waves + three leaves
| You may cast ''endure elements'' at will as a spell-like ability, changing the range to medium.
|-
| three wyrms + three knots
| You may ''detect chaos'' at will as a spell-like ability, as a free action.
|-
| three moons + three wyrms
| You may cast ''deathwatch'' at will as a spell-like ability, as a swift action.
|-
| three suns + three leaves
| You may cast ''defoliate'' at will as a spell-like ability.
|-
| three waves + three knots
| You may ''detect law'' at will as a spell-like ability, as a free action.
|-
| four pawns
| You may cast ''suggestion'' at will as a spell-like ability.
|-
| four courts
| You may cast ''prayer'' at will as a spell-like ability.
|-
| six aces
| You may cast ''true seeing'' on yourself at will as a spell-like ability.
|-
| six crowns
| You may cast ''scrying'' at will as a spell-like ability.
|-
| one card of each rank + the excuse
| Once per day, you may broadcast a ''sending'' which is heard by any creature who owns six or more cards.
|-
| moons of each rank
| You may cast ''beast shape iv'' twice per day as a spell-like ability.
|-
| suns of each rank
| You may cast ''sunbeam'' twice per day as a spell-like ability.
|-
| waves of each rank
| You may cast ''seamantle'' twice per day as a spell-like ability.
|-
| leaves of each rank
| You may cast ''plant shape iii'' twice per day as a spell-like ability.
|-
| wyrms of each rank
| You may cast ''form of the dragon ii'' twice per day as a spell-like ability.
|-
| knots of each rank
| You may cast ''maze'' once per day as a spell-like ability.
|}
|}


== The Entropy Sphere ==
== Completing the deck ==
 
Should one character assemble the complete deck, the true power of the deck reveals itself. The owner of the deck may perform an hour long ritual culminating in the owner (or someone she designates) drawing one or more cards from the deck. If the one drawing is lawful, they may draw only one card. If the one drawing is chaotic, they may draw up to three cards. Otherwise the one drawing may draw up to two cards. Regardless of who draws, the owner of the deck chooses one of the drawn cards, and the major effect listed for that card activates (targeting the one who drew it, if applicable). Afterwards, each card drawn disintegrates and reforms at a random location (as mentioned above). The owner of the deck immediately becomes aware of the location of the card that was activated (but not the others, if any). No longer in possession of a complete deck, the owner must track down the lost cards in order to draw again.
 
== Card Effects ==
 
=== The Author ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Two (moons, knots)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect'''
 
=== The Bard ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Crown (suns)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect'''
 
=== Battle ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Four (wyrms, knots)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect'''
 
=== Betrayal ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Eight (wyrms, knots)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect''' The character's animal companion, familiar, cohort, or other NPC ally is alienated and forever after hostile. If the character has no such allies, the enmity of some powerful personage, community, or religious order can be substituted. This hatred remains a secret until such a time that it might be most dramatically and perilously revealed. Upon drawing this card, the character knows that someone or something will turn against him, but nothing more.
 
=== The Borderland ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Pawn (waves, leaves, wyrms)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect'''
 
=== Calamity ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Crowns (wyrms)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect'''
 
=== The Castle ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Seven (suns, knots)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect''' The character gains a personal demiplane, as per a permanent create demiplane spell.
 
=== The Cave ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Seven (waves, wyrms)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect'''
 
=== The Chance Meeting ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Seven (moons, leaves)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect'''
 
=== The Consul ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Courts (moons, waves, knots)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect'''
 
=== The Darkness ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Nine (waves, wyrms)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect'''
 
=== The Desert ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Two (suns, wyrms)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect'''
 
=== The Diplomat ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Eight (moons, suns)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect'''
 
=== The Discovery ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Five (suns, waves)
 
'''Influence Effect''' The character knows the exact identity and location of all cards from the ''pandemonium deck'' within 300', even if contained within extra-dimensional spaces or protected from divination.
 
'''Major Effect''' This card grants the character the one-time ability to call upon an omniscient spirit to fully answer any question or solve any single puzzle. Whether the information revealed can be effectively acted upon is another question entirely. The character may use this card's effect whenever he wishes, but only once.
 
=== The End ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Crowns (leaves)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect'''
 
=== The Excuse ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' None (none)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect''' the cards scatter.
 
=== The Forest ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Five (moons, leaves)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect'''
 
=== The Harvest ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Pawn (moons, suns, leaves)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect'''
 
=== The Huntress ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Crown (moons)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect'''
 
=== The Island ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Courts (suns, waves, wyrms)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect'''
 
=== The Journey ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Three (moons, waves)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect'''
 
=== The Knot ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Ace (knots)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect'''
 
=== The Leaves ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Ace (leaves)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect'''
 
=== The Light Keeper ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Pawn (suns, waves, knots)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect'''
 
=== The Lunatic ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Six (moons, waves)
 
'''Influence Effect''' For every five points of damage the character deals to a target with a melee attack, the target gains a +1 morale bonus to Strength and -1 AC penalty. Multiple attacks are cumulative (to a maximum of +7 Strength, -7 AC).
 
'''Major Effect''' The character gains the lycanthrope template, becoming a weretiger lycanthrope, and as such, remove disease and heal have no affect on this affliction.
 
=== The Market ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Six (leaves, knots)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect'''
 
=== The Merchant ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Nine (leaves, knots)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect''' The mysterious entity known as the Foreign Trader appears and offers the character any treasure he wishes in return for years of his life. If the character accepts, he must choose to age a number of age categories. The character takes all the ability score penalties for his new age, but gains none of the benefits. For each age category he advances, however, he gains 20,000 gp worth of credit with the Foreign Trader, which can be spent on any non-unique magic items. Any credit a character does not spend is lost. After the character is done spending his credit, the Foreign Trader vanishes. Years taken by the Foreign Trader cannot be restored by any means. The Foreign Trader does not trade with characters who cannot die of old age. If the character is immortal, the Foreign Trader vanishes, leaving behind another card. If the character declines to bargain with the Foreign Trader, the trader disappears in a puff of acrid yellow smoke.
 
=== The Mill ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Eight (waves, leaves)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect'''
 
=== The Moon ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Ace (moons)
 
'''Influence Effect''' If the character casts a spell of up to 4th level, it does not consume one of the character's spells per day.
 
'''Major Effect''' The character is granted a single wish. This wish functions similarly to the spell ''wish'' when it comes to affecting rules and statistics, but can also change reality in ways outside the bounds of the spell's effects—such as rerouting a river or ending a war. The GM decides what the wish can and cannot accomplish.
 
=== The Mountain ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Four (moons, suns)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect'''
 
=== The Origin ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Two (waves, leaves)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect'''
 
=== The Pact ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Nine (moons, suns)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect'''
 
=== The Painter ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Three (suns, knots)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect'''
 
=== The Penitent ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Six (suns, wyrms)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect'''
 
=== The Rite ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Courts (moons, leaves, wyrms)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect'''
 
=== The Sailor ===
 
'''Rank/Suits''' Four (waves, leaves)
 
'''Influence Effect'''
 
'''Major Effect'''


{| class="wikitable"
=== The Savage ===
|-
 
| style="vertical-align: top;" |
'''Rank/Suits''' Three (leaves, wyrms)
* Though Ghul harnessed the power of the ''entropy sphere'', it is unlikely he created it.
* Aggah-Shan wants the sphere badly. Not only is it powerful in its own right, Aggah-Shan is convinced it can be used to enter Jabel Shammar (see below).
* The sphere can be reached through Goth Gulgamel (see below).
* Access to the sphere is controlled by a powerful guardian, a sleeping [[pfsrd:bestiary/monster-listings/outsiders/thanatotic-titan|thanatotic titan]].
* Aggah-Shan discovered this titan is named Kadavalus, and was somehow pulled out of the Abyss by the Dread One, and bound to guard the ''sphere''.
* Knowing how potent titans can be, Aggah-Shan sent minons in as probes. They discovered that saying his name wakes him, but he goes out of his way to destroy the person who wakes him before even recognizing the presence of anyone else there.
* In order to use the ''entropy sphere'', Ghul must have come to some deal with Kadavalus, but Aggah-Shan has not figured out what that deal was. Knowing that titans sometimes crave worshippers, the lich sent envoys to offer creation of a cult to him, but they were all destroyed.
* Aggah-Shan's efforts have been somewhat hampered by the fact that Kadavalus seems to find the undead irritating.
| style="vertical-align: top; color: #005; width: 38.2%; font-family: serif;;" |The '''Entropy Sphere''' is said to be the creation of the Dread One.
|}


== Jabel Shammar ==
'''Influence Effect'''


{| class="wikitable"
'''Major Effect'''
|-
| style="vertical-align: top;" |
* Jabel Shammar was the fortress of Eslathagos Malkith (the Dread One).
* Aggah-Shan believes that using the ''banewarrens key'' and the ''entropy sphere'', he can get inside.
* Aggah-Shan is convinced the ''book of inverted darkness'' rests within.
* Aggah-Shan uncovered rumors of a magic item (or items) called an ''orrery'' which predicted the orbits of some type of invisible objects orbiting Jabel Shammar. He found one of these items at one point, but couldn't find these objects. He lost the ''orrery'' not long after.
* Later rumors suggest that these objects are gates of some kind, but not into Jabel Shammar itself. Suppposedly, they only become visible to those wearing a set of magic items called an ''illitor''.
| style="vertical-align: top; color: #005; width: 38.2%; font-family: serif;;" |Everyone knows that '''Jabel Shammar''' rests at the very top of the spire that overlooks Ptolus. It is a thoroughly evil place, said to be impenetrable. Even flying too close to it is considered a bad idea.
|}


== Goth Gulgamel ==
=== The Sea ===


{| class="wikitable"
'''Rank/Suits''' Crown (waves)
|-
| style="vertical-align: top;" |
* Goth Gulgamel was the fortress of Ghul (the Skull King).
* Aggah-Shan believes that the ''entropy sphere'' can be reached from here.
* Aggah-Shan has been inside Goth Gulgamel, which is not as impenetrable as rumors suggest.
* Goth Gulgamel is much larger inside that it looks from the outside. Aggah-Shan believes that once you pass through any of the main doors, you are actually inside an extra-dimensional space called the Utterdark.
* Other extra-dimensional spaces, such as ''bags of holding'', cannot be accessed within Goth Gulgamel.
* It is not possible to teleport into or out of the Utterdark, though you may teleport within it. From the outside, only some key outdoor landings are reachable though teleportation or flight.
* When Ghul was defeated, an elven wizard named Khelaeson helped clean out Goth Gulgamel, severing many of its connections to the Utterdark. This cast whole sections of the fortress adrift in the Utterdark, lost forever. Certain corridors inside lead directly into the cold pitch blackness of the Utterdark.
* Khelaeson claimed that he lacked the ability to sever all the connections to the Utterdark. Aggah-Shan found some of Khelaeson's personal letters proving that this was a lie. He had the ability to do so but, had he used it, the ''entropy sphere'' would have been lost and Khelaeson wanted it for himself.
* In the same letters, Khelaeson admitted that he later discovered that one of the chambers he cut loose into the Utterdark likely contained the ''[http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/artifacts/minor-artifacts/staff-of-the-magi staff of the magi]''. Aggah-Shan assumes the chamber still exists, adrift in the Utterdark.
* A big fan of gambling and dice games, Aggah-Shan is fairly certain that the [http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/artifacts/minor-artifacts/knucklebone-of-fickle-fortune knucklebone of fickle fortune] was possessed by Ghul and likely lost in the Utterdark as well.
* Aggah-Shan found one of the cards of the ''[[pandemonium deck]]'' in the remaining rooms of Goth Gulgamel. He suspects more cards may also be lost in the Utterdark.
* Most mentions of Goth Gulgamel are found in the most recent journal. It is clear that Aggah-Shan was spending a good deal of time there, some of it in the Utterdark itself.
* One of the rooms the lich discovered was a vault, containing lenses that allow him to see in the Utterdark, but blind him in any other light.
| style="vertical-align: top; color: #005; width: 38.2%; font-family: serif;;" |Everyone knows that '''Goth Gulgamel''' rests half-way up the spire that overlooks Ptolus. It is a thoroughly evil place, said to be impenetrable.
When you were in the Banewarrens, you were inside the spire, and managed to get almost half way up.


At the height of Ghul's power, the '''Utterdark''' had been drawn into the real world and covered Ptolus and beyond for two centuries.
'''Influence Effect'''


The name '''Khelaeson''' is revered even now in Ptolus as being instrumental to the defeat of Ghul.
'''Major Effect'''


The '''''staff of the magi''''' is a potent arcane artifact. You know that the Church of Lothian claimed they destroyed it during the inquisitions against arcane casters supporting the Edict of Deviltry.
=== The Soldier ===
|}


== The Dark Reliquary ==
'''Rank/Suits''' Five (wyrms, knots)


{| class="wikitable"
'''Influence Effect'''
|-
| style="vertical-align: top;" |
* Aggah-Shan spent lots of effort researching the Dark Reliquary and its inhabitants.
* His research suggests that the Dark Reliquary is built over the site of an ancient temple where some of the Galchutt actually rest.
* While powerful demons reside in the building, security of the catacombs underneath it are comparatively lax.
* The angel Raguel leads the demons and devils (who call themselves "the Fallen"). After the Galchutt were trapped, Præmus made him ruler of Hell. Eventually he balked at this and, two hundred years ago, ''voluntarily'' entered this prison world to escape his duties, bringing many demons and devils with him.
* Raguel is thought to possess ''Parnaith’s mirrored sphere''. Aggah-Shan doesn't know much about what this item does, but is certain it is connected to the ''entropy sphere'' in some way.
* Allied with the Fallen are "the Forsaken", a loose collection of people (mostly humans) with an unhealthy obsession with death and undeath.
| style="vertical-align: top; color: #005; width: 38.2%; font-family: serif;" |All Ptolus residents know to stay away from the '''Dark Reliquary''' in the Necropolis, as it is home to demons and devils.


You have heard some of the '''Knights of the Pale''' mention the '''Fallen''', who the Knights do not trust at all.
'''Major Effect'''


Pretty much everyone in the city hates the '''Forsaken''', considering them disgusting necrophiles, necrophages and necrophiliacs at worst or, at best, emo goths.
=== The Sun ===


The '''Keepers of the Veil''' (the anti-undead group who contributed many of the fighters for your raid on the White House) absolutely cannot stand the Forsaken.
'''Rank/Suits''' Ace (suns)
|}


== The Banewarrens ==
'''Influence Effect'''


{| class="wikitable"
'''Major Effect'''
|-
| style="vertical-align: top;" |
* Aggah-Shan discovered historical references to a ''banewarrens key'', which was capable of passing the seals of the Banewarrens.
* Many decades later, he learned that the key was actually the severed hand of the Dread One.
* Recently, he discovered House Vladaam held the severed hand of the Dread One, though they apparently didn't know exactly what it was.
* Aggah-Shan sent a team to recover this key.
* The team was then sent into the Banewarrens with a primary objective of locating the ''book of inverted darkness''. This failed.
* The team's secondary objectives were to recover three other items: the ''malady lock'', the ''osseous redoubt'' and the ''remnant crown''. They found all three.
| style="vertical-align: top; color: #005; width: 38.2%; font-family: serif;" |Most people (including [[Cassiadora]]) thought that the return of the Vallis moon is what caused the seals on the Banewarrens to fail. The journal makes it clear that Aggah-Shan entered even before that happened.


The team Aggah-Shan sent was the team you dispatched in the White House, led by that deathknight.
=== The Watchman ===


Aggah-Shan was wearing the ''remnant crown'' when you defeated him. The other items were nowhere to be found. Nor was the ''banewarrens key''.
'''Rank/Suits''' Pawn (moons, wyrms, knots)
|}


== The Remnant Crown ==
'''Influence Effect'''


{| class="wikitable"
'''Major Effect'''
|-
| style="vertical-align: top;" |
* The ''[[remnant crown]]'' was placed in the Banewarrens, held inside the ''osseous redoubt''.
* The crown is a potent magical item, capable of "branding" undead to gain control of them.
* The crown also enhances necromancy.
* Aggah-Shan was most interested in this item because it would allow him to control many more undead at once.
| style="vertical-align: top; color: #005; width: 38.2%; font-family: serif;" |You recovered this crown from Aggah-Shan's body.
|}


== The Malady Lock ==
=== The Wave ===


{| class="wikitable"
'''Rank/Suits''' Ace (waves)
|-
| style="vertical-align: top;" |
* This ''[[malady lock]]'' was placed in the Banewarrens, connected to a normal box.
* The lock has the ability to contain a necromantic disease called the [[Malady]].
* When infected with the Malady, a victim becomes nearly mindless, with a constant need to feed on the flesh of the living. Bites from such victims pass the disease to others.
* If the disease is locked up in a box by the ''malady lock'', anyone who opens the box will release the disease in a necromantic burst and is almost certain to die.
* Aggah-Shan fooled an ambitious member of his team into opening the box, getting rid of a potential threat and unleashing the disease onto the world at the same time.
* Aggah-Shan went out of his way to infect members of the Balacazar crime syndicate (which he can't stand) with the Malady.
| style="vertical-align: top; color: #005; width: 38.2%; font-family: serif;" |You quickly recognize the '''Malady''' as the zombie infection that is raging through Ptolus.
The description of the lock is very thorough, with detailed drawings.
|}


== The Osseous Redoubt ==
'''Influence Effect'''


{| class="wikitable"
'''Major Effect'''
|-
| style="vertical-align: top;" |
* The ''[[osseous redoubt]]'' was placed in the Banewarrens without a true understanding of its capabilities.
* The true purpose of this box is to hide and enhance a lich's phylactery, making Aggah-Shan's interest in it obvious.
* If his phylactery is within the box when the lich dies, he regenerates in a matter of hours instead of days. Further his new body is enhanced in various ways.
| style="vertical-align: top; color: #005; width: 38.2%; font-family: serif;" |Reading this, you realize it is likely that Aggah-Shan may have already regenerated and may be more powerful. (On the other hand, loosing the ''remnant crown'' and some of his other magical items will weaken him.)
|}


== The Pandemonium Deck ==
=== The Windfall ===


{| class="wikitable"
'''Rank/Suits''' Crown (knots)
|-
| style="vertical-align: top;" |
* Mentions of the ''[[pandemonium deck]]'' are scattered throughout the journals.
* Over his long unlife, Aggah-Shan has located twenty of the cards of this deck, the most recent one in Goth Gulgamel.
* Several centuries ago, Aggah-Shan's body was destroyed by another group of adventurers while in possession of 14 of the cards, which were taken by the adventurers and have since been scattered.
* The six cards he has left are: Diplomat, Soldier, Rite, Waves, Watchman and Windfall.
| style="vertical-align: top; color: #005; width: 38.2%; font-family: serif;" |The '''decktet''' is a deck of 45 cards used by fortune tellers, similar to the tarot deck. Nearly all such decks are perfectly mundane, but have a reputation for strange power (again, similar to tarot cards). Unlike tarot cards, the decktet is also widely used for numerous games, most favored by gamblers.
|}


== Phylactery ==
'''Influence Effect'''


{| class="wikitable"
'''Major Effect'''
|-
| style="vertical-align: top;" |
* Aggah-Shan's phylactery is a platinum amulet, depicting a planet in three dimensions, being crushed by a seven-fingered hand.
* Though extremely well crafted, the phylactery is not, in itself, magical.
| style="vertical-align: top; color: #005; width: 38.2%; font-family: serif;" |You didn't find this object anywhere in Aggah-Shan's sanctum under the White House.
|}


== Arcane Bond ==
=== The Window ===


{| class="wikitable"
'''Rank/Suits''' Courts (suns, leaves, knots)
|-
| style="vertical-align: top;" |
* Aggah-Shan has gone through a number of arcane bonds during his life and unlife. Some were made to replace those stolen, lost or destroyed, but some were intentional upgrades of earlier versions.
* Most recent versions have been amulets with a skull motif, enchanted to protect against spells and other effects.
* The journals make it pretty clear that Aggah-Shan stores a backup amulet with his phylactery, allowing a quick ritual to rebind to it once regenerated.
| style="vertical-align: top; color: #005; width: 38.2%; font-family: serif;" |Binding to an item like this is a choice all wizards can make. It provides benefits, but has drawbacks if lost.
You found the most recent arcane bond on Aggah-Shan's body (giving a +3 profane bonus to saving throws).
|}


== Chaositech ==
'''Influence Effect'''


{| class="wikitable"
'''Major Effect'''
|-
| style="vertical-align: top;" |
* The journals might be one of the largest libraries of information about chaositech in the world.
* Aggah-Shan clearly developed an large number of chaositech items.
* The full blueprints of the "Mrathrach Machine" fill a book. Its intent was to capture the randomness of the game Mrathrach in Aggah-Shan's casino, amplify and store the energy for later use.
* Aggah-Shan's most recent chaositech design was a set of strange, semi-organic chains, designed to feel around in the Utterdark and attach to what they find.
| style="vertical-align: top; color: #005; width: 38.2%; font-family: serif;" |You recognized designs of some the funky magical technology that has been grafted onto to the bodies of some of the people and creatures you have fought.
You recognize the multi-leveled machine as the one you destroyed.
|}


== The Rhodintor ==
=== The Wyrm ===


{| class="wikitable"
'''Rank/Suits''' Ace (wyrms)
|-
| style="vertical-align: top;" |
* In his research into the Galchutt, Aggah-Shan discovered that when they first arrived, they tried to summon large numbers of demons; however, since it had been demonstrated that, once summoned, the demons couldn't leave, most demons refused this summoning. To bolster their forces, the Galchutt created a race of "earthbound" demons.
* These rhodintor were thought to have been exterminated long ago, but recently some of them have been seen.
* A few rhodintor made contact with chaos cults and, through them, Aggah-Shan. From them Aggah-Shan learned that hundreds of the creatures sleep in a sealed vault under Ptolus, along with a huge storehouse of chaositech items.
* Aggah-Shan allowed the rhodintor to work on his multi-level chaos machine with the understanding that, when the rhodintor got what they wanted out of it, they would reveal the location of the vault. Unfortunately for Aggah-Shan, some of the living smashed the machine and killed the rhodintor.
* In trying to find out where the vault was on his own, the lich discovered that the rhodintor currently active in Ptolus may have been accidentally awakened by the pathetic Forsaken, of all people.
* The rhodintor follow two "spiritual" paths. The Kraven focus on the body and physicality, while the Sarycal focus more on external arcane force.
| style="vertical-align: top; color: #005; width: 38.2%; font-family: serif;;" |The '''rhodintor''' are the goat-headed demon-like creatures you have encountered several times, most recently during the fight in the '''White House'''. But you also killed a number of them on the chaos machine, as well as the one working with the '''Shuul''' team in the Banewarrens.
The rhodintor are not really demons, or even outsiders. In game terms, they are [[pfsrd:bestiary/monster-listings/monstrous-humanoids|monstrous humanoids]]. By default, they are roughly on par with sixth- or seventh- level characters, but may add additional class levels (usually in sorcerer or fighter).
|}


== Venom-Shaped Thralls ==
'''Influence Effect'''


{| class="wikitable"
'''Major Effect'''
|-
| style="vertical-align: top;" |
* Venom-shaped thralls are a by-product of chaositech, a process of Aggah-Shan's own discovery/invention.
* Aggah-Shan used the thralls to gain influence over the chaos cults. He gained a source of willing and unwilling subjects for chaositech experimentation, and the cults gained a weapon that would transform people that were in their way (or, really, anyone they didn't like) into strong, unquestioning soldiers to the cause.
* The original venom for the transformation comes from a tiny creature, the mutated result of Aggah-Shan's experimentation with chaotic energy. While existing venom-shaped thralls can infect others, the potency of the venom weakens with each generation.
* Recently, Aggah-Shan increased production of the thralls, particularly on large creatures (making them huge when transformed). The idea was to release them along with the malady, with the purpose of destroying barricades and other barriers separating the infected from healthy citizens.
| style="vertical-align: top; color: #005; width: 38.2%; font-family: serif;;" |You will recall the '''venom-shaped thralls''' as the creatures that came out of those cocoons, most recently in the raid on Aggah-Shan's sanctum, also previously in that apartment building and on the chaos machine.
You recognize the drawing of the source of the venom as the creature in the cage, killed almost as an afterthought during the fight in the cocoon room. Along with the destruction of the cocoons there, the death of this creature effectively dooms the venom-shaped thralls to extinction.
|}


== Chaos Cults ==
== Destruction ==


{| class="wikitable"
If the entire deck is assembled and then the cards ordered by rank, then the first suit on the card, a ''dispel chaos'' spell will cause the deck to disintegrate without regenerating.
|-
| style="vertical-align: top;" |
* Aggah-Shan hated the chaos cultists, considering their clumsy, brash efforts not only useless, but actually dangerous because it raised the attentiveness of authorities.
* While pretending to be an ally, he succeeded in intentionally making nearly all of the cultists the first victims of the Malady.
| style="vertical-align: top; color: #005; width: 38.2%; font-family: serif;;" |All of the chaos cults you have heard of (the '''Crimson Coil''', the '''Tolling Bell''', the '''Brothers of Venom''', the '''Ebon Hand''') have been basically wiped out, some by your efforts, but most because Aggah-Shan used them to spread the Malady.
|}


[[campaign::Dissolution| ]]
[[Category:Magic Item]]

Revision as of 16:24, 6 February 2013

This is a magic item for Pathfinder based on P.D. Magnus' Decktet. Though inspired by the deck of many things and its harrow deck version, it alters the whole concept of the deck (roughly) following the model used by Madness at Gardmore Abbey to make the deck a less destabilizing force (at least at first).

Aura strong (all schools); CL 20th; Slot none; Weight

This worn fortune-teller's deck bears an evocative image upon each of its forty-five cards. The deck contains six suits (in order: moons, suns, waves, leaves, wyrms and knots) with a complex structure. For each suit, there is an Ace and a Crown. Ranked between them are other cards numbered 2 through 9, each with two suits. Four Crowns each have three suits and are ranked beneath Crowns. Four Pawns each have three suits as well, ranked below Courts. The Excuse has no suit or rank. Suit combinations do not occur with equal frequency. All cards also have a theme or meaning, written on the face of the card.

Individual Cards

Cards of this deck are almost never found assembled, as the deck has the ability to scatter itself at random under certain circumstances. Most who come across cards find them singly. Individual cards are no more or less durable than mundane cards, but should a card be destroyed, it disappears and reforms itself whole at some other random location in the world.

Individual cards make their presence known whenever combat begins. Whenever an initiative check is made, gather all of the cards possessed by any of the participants and draw one randomly. This card then exerts an influence on the battle. A spectral icon representing the card appears on the ground in a random square adjacent to the character who owns the selected card. Anyone standing in the square containing the icon gains the influence effect listed for that card so long as they remain in the same square as the icon. If the character moves out of the square (or the icon moves out from under the character) the influence effect ends immediately.

At the start of each round, the icon moves 1d4-1 squares in a random direction (roll 1d8, with 1 indicating north and the other numbers indicating compass going clockwise). Any creatures standing in that square immediately gain the influence effect of the card.

Characters who own cards may spend a move action attempting to force a card they own to become the influencing card. Success on a Use Magic Item check (DC 18) causes any existing influence to vanish, and a new influence icon to appear at a random square adjacent to the card owner. Any character in that square immediately gains the influence effect of the new card.

The character who owns the influencing card may also spend a move action attempting to move its icon. Success on a Use Magic Item check (DC 20) allows the character to move the icon up to 15'. Any creatures standing in the destination immediately gain the influence effect of the card.

Cumulative Effects

As more of the cards come together, the deck gains potency. If a single character holds multiple cards, they bestow additional effects, depending on the number of cards and their suit combinations. All applicable effects from the following table apply if the character owns cards that qualify. All spell-like abilities function with a caster level equal to the character's level.

card combination effect
any 6 cards You emit an aura of chaos as if you were a cleric of a chaotic deity.
any 12 cards You are constantly protected from law.
any 18 cards Your alignment shifts one step toward chaotic. You may cast magic circle of protection from law 3 times/day as a spell-like ability.
any 24 cards You may cast chaos hammer 3 times/day as a spell-like ability.
any 30 cards You may cast dispel law 3 times/day as a spell-like ability.
any 36 cards You may cast word of chaos 3 times/day as a spell-like ability.
any 42 cards You may cast cloak of chaos 3 times/day as a spell-like ability.
three moons + three suns You may cast flare burst at will as a spell-like ability, as a swift action.
three waves + three leaves You may cast endure elements at will as a spell-like ability, changing the range to medium.
three wyrms + three knots You may detect chaos at will as a spell-like ability, as a free action.
three moons + three wyrms You may cast deathwatch at will as a spell-like ability, as a swift action.
three suns + three leaves You may cast defoliate at will as a spell-like ability.
three waves + three knots You may detect law at will as a spell-like ability, as a free action.
four pawns You may cast suggestion at will as a spell-like ability.
four courts You may cast prayer at will as a spell-like ability.
six aces You may cast true seeing on yourself at will as a spell-like ability.
six crowns You may cast scrying at will as a spell-like ability.
one card of each rank + the excuse Once per day, you may broadcast a sending which is heard by any creature who owns six or more cards.
moons of each rank You may cast beast shape iv twice per day as a spell-like ability.
suns of each rank You may cast sunbeam twice per day as a spell-like ability.
waves of each rank You may cast seamantle twice per day as a spell-like ability.
leaves of each rank You may cast plant shape iii twice per day as a spell-like ability.
wyrms of each rank You may cast form of the dragon ii twice per day as a spell-like ability.
knots of each rank You may cast maze once per day as a spell-like ability.

Completing the deck

Should one character assemble the complete deck, the true power of the deck reveals itself. The owner of the deck may perform an hour long ritual culminating in the owner (or someone she designates) drawing one or more cards from the deck. If the one drawing is lawful, they may draw only one card. If the one drawing is chaotic, they may draw up to three cards. Otherwise the one drawing may draw up to two cards. Regardless of who draws, the owner of the deck chooses one of the drawn cards, and the major effect listed for that card activates (targeting the one who drew it, if applicable). Afterwards, each card drawn disintegrates and reforms at a random location (as mentioned above). The owner of the deck immediately becomes aware of the location of the card that was activated (but not the others, if any). No longer in possession of a complete deck, the owner must track down the lost cards in order to draw again.

Card Effects

The Author

Rank/Suits Two (moons, knots)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Bard

Rank/Suits Crown (suns)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

Battle

Rank/Suits Four (wyrms, knots)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

Betrayal

Rank/Suits Eight (wyrms, knots)

Influence Effect

Major Effect The character's animal companion, familiar, cohort, or other NPC ally is alienated and forever after hostile. If the character has no such allies, the enmity of some powerful personage, community, or religious order can be substituted. This hatred remains a secret until such a time that it might be most dramatically and perilously revealed. Upon drawing this card, the character knows that someone or something will turn against him, but nothing more.

The Borderland

Rank/Suits Pawn (waves, leaves, wyrms)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

Calamity

Rank/Suits Crowns (wyrms)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Castle

Rank/Suits Seven (suns, knots)

Influence Effect

Major Effect The character gains a personal demiplane, as per a permanent create demiplane spell.

The Cave

Rank/Suits Seven (waves, wyrms)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Chance Meeting

Rank/Suits Seven (moons, leaves)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Consul

Rank/Suits Courts (moons, waves, knots)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Darkness

Rank/Suits Nine (waves, wyrms)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Desert

Rank/Suits Two (suns, wyrms)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Diplomat

Rank/Suits Eight (moons, suns)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Discovery

Rank/Suits Five (suns, waves)

Influence Effect The character knows the exact identity and location of all cards from the pandemonium deck within 300', even if contained within extra-dimensional spaces or protected from divination.

Major Effect This card grants the character the one-time ability to call upon an omniscient spirit to fully answer any question or solve any single puzzle. Whether the information revealed can be effectively acted upon is another question entirely. The character may use this card's effect whenever he wishes, but only once.

The End

Rank/Suits Crowns (leaves)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Excuse

Rank/Suits None (none)

Influence Effect

Major Effect the cards scatter.

The Forest

Rank/Suits Five (moons, leaves)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Harvest

Rank/Suits Pawn (moons, suns, leaves)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Huntress

Rank/Suits Crown (moons)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Island

Rank/Suits Courts (suns, waves, wyrms)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Journey

Rank/Suits Three (moons, waves)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Knot

Rank/Suits Ace (knots)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Leaves

Rank/Suits Ace (leaves)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Light Keeper

Rank/Suits Pawn (suns, waves, knots)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Lunatic

Rank/Suits Six (moons, waves)

Influence Effect For every five points of damage the character deals to a target with a melee attack, the target gains a +1 morale bonus to Strength and -1 AC penalty. Multiple attacks are cumulative (to a maximum of +7 Strength, -7 AC).

Major Effect The character gains the lycanthrope template, becoming a weretiger lycanthrope, and as such, remove disease and heal have no affect on this affliction.

The Market

Rank/Suits Six (leaves, knots)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Merchant

Rank/Suits Nine (leaves, knots)

Influence Effect

Major Effect The mysterious entity known as the Foreign Trader appears and offers the character any treasure he wishes in return for years of his life. If the character accepts, he must choose to age a number of age categories. The character takes all the ability score penalties for his new age, but gains none of the benefits. For each age category he advances, however, he gains 20,000 gp worth of credit with the Foreign Trader, which can be spent on any non-unique magic items. Any credit a character does not spend is lost. After the character is done spending his credit, the Foreign Trader vanishes. Years taken by the Foreign Trader cannot be restored by any means. The Foreign Trader does not trade with characters who cannot die of old age. If the character is immortal, the Foreign Trader vanishes, leaving behind another card. If the character declines to bargain with the Foreign Trader, the trader disappears in a puff of acrid yellow smoke.

The Mill

Rank/Suits Eight (waves, leaves)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Moon

Rank/Suits Ace (moons)

Influence Effect If the character casts a spell of up to 4th level, it does not consume one of the character's spells per day.

Major Effect The character is granted a single wish. This wish functions similarly to the spell wish when it comes to affecting rules and statistics, but can also change reality in ways outside the bounds of the spell's effects—such as rerouting a river or ending a war. The GM decides what the wish can and cannot accomplish.

The Mountain

Rank/Suits Four (moons, suns)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Origin

Rank/Suits Two (waves, leaves)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Pact

Rank/Suits Nine (moons, suns)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Painter

Rank/Suits Three (suns, knots)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Penitent

Rank/Suits Six (suns, wyrms)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Rite

Rank/Suits Courts (moons, leaves, wyrms)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Sailor

Rank/Suits Four (waves, leaves)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Savage

Rank/Suits Three (leaves, wyrms)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Sea

Rank/Suits Crown (waves)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Soldier

Rank/Suits Five (wyrms, knots)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Sun

Rank/Suits Ace (suns)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Watchman

Rank/Suits Pawn (moons, wyrms, knots)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Wave

Rank/Suits Ace (waves)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Windfall

Rank/Suits Crown (knots)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Window

Rank/Suits Courts (suns, leaves, knots)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

The Wyrm

Rank/Suits Ace (wyrms)

Influence Effect

Major Effect

Destruction

If the entire deck is assembled and then the cards ordered by rank, then the first suit on the card, a dispel chaos spell will cause the deck to disintegrate without regenerating.