Warning! Spoilers ahead for the Rise of the Runelords Adventure Path If you don't want to be spoiled on the details of the adventure path, you probably want to skip this preview post, or perhaps just scroll down and look at the pretty card art.

Very soon, the final chapter of our year-long Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Rise of the Runelords will be hitting shelves, stores, and front steps. In Rise of the Runelords Adventure Deck 6: Spires of Xin-Shalast, our heroes have mastered the lore and magic of the Runeforge, and are now ready to take the battle to the ultimate force behind their troubles to date: an ancient master of magic, the Runelord of Greed, somehow returned from the long-lost Thassilonian Empire. Armed now with Runeforged Weapons, you need but find the secret redoubt of the Runelord, and you will be able to end his threat once and for all.

Where might it be? I'll give you a hint.



When I said "scale the mountain face", that's not what I meant! When I said "scale the mountain face", that's not what I meant!

The legends say that Mhar Massif is the final resting place of a colossal entity that attempted to force his way into Golarion from some alien realm. Mhar was stopped, somehow—stories vary—but his titanic face still adorns the top of the great peak. Guess where you need to go?

Regardless of which parts of the story are true and which are fancy, one thing is certain: scaling the Mhar Massif is a deadly undertaking. There are many paths, but only one actual choice. Climb into and through the Death Zones, defeat or negotiate with the otherworldly creatures that dot the mountain, and reach the top... if you can.

I'm sorry, did someone say Death Zones? As you ascend, the air supply ranges from thin to non-existent, and soon enough altitude sickness will set in. Though heat and air may be in short supply, the other legacy of Mhar's petrified presence—the thin veil between Golarion and the nightmare realm of Leng—is all too present. In the Death Zones, the surreal spectacle of strange creatures and freak magical happenings is punctuated only by the occasional avalanche.



Well, it's not called the "Puppies and Sunshine Zone". Well, it's not called the "Puppies and Sunshine Zone".

Speaking of strange... Strange alliances abound, as these mammoth-sized spider creatures demand that you destroy the enigmatic Leng Device, or become spider food. They won't tell you exactly what the device does, but they do insist that its destruction will distress their enemies in a most pleasing way. Should you refuse the demand or negotiate badly, the Leng Spider's unnatural poison will cause terrible paranoia and hallucinations. Just ask your friends!



"I spy... something gigantic, 11-legged, and Not From Around Here!" "I spy... something gigantic, 11-legged, and Not From Around Here!"

Atop the Mhar Massif stands the ice-covered tower known as the Pinnacle of Avarice, seat of power for every Runelord of Greed in the ancient Thassilonian empire. Recently awakened from thousands of years of frozen stasis, the well-equipped denizens of the Pinnacle await the return of their master.



You climbed the great mountain, survived the Death Zones, and "convinced" the Leng Spiders to let you pass—and what do you find? Something else to climb! You climbed the great mountain, survived the Death Zones, and "convinced" the Leng Spiders to let you pass—and what do you find? Something else to climb!

Whether you negotiated through or negotiated with the Leng Spiders, your path forward will eventually cross the Leng Device. Constructed through an alliance between the immoral arcanists of Xin-Shalast and the inhuman denizens of Leng, this recently-reactivated device seems to be warping time—and something is coming through!



"The last one in is a rotten..." "Nope." "The last one in is a rotten..." "Nope."

An unearthly howl echoes around the Pinnacle as this enormous hound-shaped creature ripples in and out of reality. A malign intelligence peers out of bulging black eyes as the creature clacks forward on razor-sharp talons, and a long, tentacle-like tongue darts back and forth, tasting the minds nearby. Beware the Thing From Beyond Time, or you might find your own time running out!



No. Seriously. Bad Doggy! No. Seriously.

But wait, there's more! While it is certainly a threat, the Thing From Beyond Time is really more of a houseguest. Before you deal with the master of the house, you'll need to deal with the welcoming committee.

First up, the Wardens. These blue-skinned, rune-covered giants send arcs of lightning through the area before taking up titanic blades easily capable of slicing through the entire party at once.



It's got giants in it! You like giants! It's got giants in it! You like giants!

Only recently awakened from stasis, the First Apprentice of the Runelord of Greed has fallen out of favor. Destroying your party seems like just the opportunity he needs to remedy that situation!



Oi! Ten thousand years will give you such a crick in the neck! Oi! Ten thousand years will give youa crick in the neck!

The favored champion of the Runelord, Viorian Dekanti, has given herself over to the artifact weapon known as Chellan, Sword of Greed. If you can overcome their combined threat, perhaps you might take the sword for your own!

Finally, only one gatekeeper remains. Even the dreaded lamia matriarchs bow to the unholy oracle Ceoptra. Her strikes leave withered destruction which cannot be healed by normal methods, so we recommend that you not fail. Should your first attempt provide a worthy challenge, she will fully prepare for the second round.



"This better work, or there won't be enough left to heal ..."—Kyra "This better work, or there won't be enough left to heal ..."—Kyra

As we approach the final confrontation of the Rise of the Runelords adventure path, there are still some boons to go along with the banes. For example, our heroes are now powerful enough to invoke the aid of the gods directly against the advancing plots of their enemies (i.e. the blessings deck). In dire circumstances, the truly desperate—and the truly prepared—can call upon the power of the gods to give themselves that extra chance to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.



Turning "almost" into "just enough"! Turning "almost" into "just enough"!

You might find this buried amongst the trappings of the Pinnacle of Avarice, or worn on the finger of an opponent. Either way, this protective ring can prove a lifesaver when enduring the elements, be they natural or (more often) not.



Whether facing dragons (yes, plural), ancient Azlanti wizards, or rune-covered giants, this ring is sure to come in handy. Whether facing dragons (yes, plural), ancient Azlanti wizards, or rune-covered giants, this ring is sure to come in handy.

Even in these rarefied heights, it is possible to find help in unlikely places—or is that unlikely faces? Gyukak is a resident of Xin-Shalast who isn't exactly your friend or your enemy. Rather, this Oni has disguised and ingratiated himself with several stone giants in Xin-Shalast, with the goal of eventually leading them to greener pastures. A potent distraction like the PCs might be just the sort of thing Gyukak needs to make his move, so he's willing to help out—for a while.



"Very dangerous! You go first." "Very dangerous! You go first."

I hope you've enjoyed this peek ahead into Rise of the Runelords Adventure Deck 6: Spires of Xin-Shalast. If you can make it through this, there's only one place left to go: the Eye of Avarice, for the final confrontation with Karzoug the Claimer. Not far now.

Thanks for playing!

Chad Brown

Pathfinder Adventure Card Game Developer