The Milestone and the Rod of Leagues

What is it that every hero needs to complete a quest? Some would answer that
philosophically by saying bravery or determination. Others would be pragmatic and say a
sword or other weapon. Worshipers of Fharlanghn, though, will without hesitation tell you
that the answer is a road.

Whether it is literal or figurative, every quest follows a path, and the only way to
successfully complete the task at hand is to follow that path to its ultimate end. Of course,
the more significant the quest is, the more winding the road will be, and the more side
roads will lead away from the true goal. Correctly navigating these avenues and byways
is the key to success.

As the god of roads, Fharlanghn might also be considered the god of quests. Over the
years, his devotees have invented a pair of magic items designed to make it easier to find one's way along the road of life.

Milestone: This small pendant, worn around the neck, is shaped like a marker one might find at a crossroads. Made of
granite, each of its four sides is engraved with one of the cardinal compass points. By concentrating for 1 round, the
wearer can identify any compass direction she can name (examples include north, southwest, and east-northeast).

At will, someone wearing a milestone can find the shortest, most direct physical route to any location, as if she was the
target of a find the path spell. To begin this effect, the wearer must spend 1 minute concentrating on the intended location.
Once the stone is focused, it displays the current distance between the wearer and the intended locale. The distance
appears as a number apparently carved on the appropriate face of the milestone. If the locale lies two miles to the north, a
number 2 would appear on the side of the stone marked "North." Distance is measured in quarter mile units, and the
distance may appear on two separate faces. (For example, distance might appear on both the north and west faces if the
locale lies to the northwest).

Caster Level: 6th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, find the path; Market Price: 64,800 gp; Weight: --.

Rod of Leagues: This sturdy, 5-foot tall wooden rod looks like a walking stick (and can be used as one) and has the
names of various cities, villages, and historical sites carved across its length. Once per day the rod may be activated to
grant the wielder the benefits of an expeditious retreat spell; these effects last for up to 8 hours. If the wielder performs
any action other than a move or free action, the effect ends immediately. When the effect ends, the wielder is fatigued.

Additionally, if a character casts a teleport spell while holding a rod of leagues, he may consider any locale that appears
on the rod as someplace with which he is "very familiar." A rod of leagues can hold the names of up to 10 locales. When
the rod is created, the creator may inscribe any 10 locales with which she is already very familiar; thereafter, the wielder
may replace any of the existing locales with a locale of his choice. To do so, the wielder must currently be in the locale
that he is adding and must spend 10 minutes using a dagger or other blade to carve the name of that place onto the rod
on top of the locale that is being eliminated. Instead of wearing the rod away, the old locale name is magically erased and
replaced with the new name. Once completed, the locale name appears in the normal handwriting of the carver, as
though written with a fine pen rather than carved with a blade.

Caster Level: 10th; Prerequisites: Craft Rod, expeditious retreat; Market Price: 21,000 gp;Weight: 5 lb.

Using the Milestone and Rod of Leagues Together

The milestone and rod of leagues are remarkably useful items, and they were created to celebrate the glory of
Fharlanghn's providence. However, they have an additional function known only by the most faithful servants of the
Dweller on the Horizon. The following information will be common knowledge to any cleric of Fharlanghn who has
reached 8th level or higher. Other characters may discover it by succeeding at a bardic knowledge or Knowledge
(religion) check (DC 30) or through use of the legend lore spell.

If one person holds both a milestone and a rod of leagues, a new place name appears on the rod. A wielder who is
not specifically looking for this additional name must make a Spot check (DC 15) to notice it. The place name is
"Journey's End." Unless the character succeeds at one of the Knowledge checks described above, this name has
no meaning to him, and it cannot be found on any maps. Those who know say that Journey's End is a garden
favored by Fharlanghn -- a blessed place where a traveler can find comfort, rest, and safety.

The milestone reveals the distance and direction to Journey's End only to someone who wields arod of leagues.
And although the rod cannot be used as a focus to teleport there (it is the one locale that is exempt to the rod's
 power), a wielder who also has a milestone can double the rod's movement abilities when traveling to Journey's
End.

Bringing the Parts Together

Although random encounters usually happen by chance, some DMs may wish to tie these five parts together into
something that could lead to further adventures. Obviously, introducing both items into your campaign allows PCs to
venture forth on a journey to Journey's End!

The Eternal Pilgrimage

Devout followers of every religion will occasionally make pilgrimages, and worshipers of
Fharlanghn are no exception. In many religions, pilgrims travel to large temples dedicated
to their god or to particular spots where the deity is said to have trod the earth, but the
followers of the Dweller on the Horizon do not have such destinations.

Very few major temples are constructed in Fharlanghn's name -- every road, street, path,
and country lane are testaments to his majesty. And the god of roads prefers to be
worshiped at small shrines built along his domain so that the faithful may pay their
respects and then return to their journeys. Anyone who sets out on a holy journey in
Fharlanghn's name joins a tradition known as the Eternal Pilgrimage.

The Eternal Pilgrimage is a journey made for the simple sake of celebrating the bounty
provided by the god of roads. The trip has no prescribed beginning, destination, direction,
or even length -- it is simply an act of personal devotion and lasts as long as the individual pilgrim feels is appropriate.
The only duties a pilgrim has on his journey is to be a pleasant to those with whom he shares the road and to help other
travelers whenever and wherever possible.

To become a pilgrim on the Eternal Pilgrimage, the individual must first have prepared his or her body and mind for the
journey. Each aspirant must spend an entire year walking outdoors for at least 8 hours a day before going on the Eternal
Pilgrimage. An aspirant's travels during this period must not take any other form than walking, and he or she cannot pass
by the same locale more than once each month. Once a person becomes a pilgrim, he or she must continue walking at
least 8 hours each day, refrain from traveling by any other means, and avoid visiting a locale more than once a day.

Pilgrims offer to provide company to lonely wanderers -- it doesn't matter where they are headed because any
destination is fine for the pilgrim. They are also always willing to share a campfire with strangers and offer food to
anyone who looks hungry. They make it their business to become intimately familiar with the roads, towns, and customs
in the areas through which they travel, and they can always aid anyone who is attempting an Intuit Direction or
Knowledge (local) check (automatically providing the character with a +2 circumstance bonus to the roll). There is also a
40% chance that one of Fharlanghn's pilgrims can provide detailed knowledge of another, more distant location (their
travels take them all over the map). Most pilgrims have information about 1d4 different regions, although particularly
dedicated (and wide-ranging) pilgrims may have information about as many as 2d6 different locales.

Any adventurers who spend much time journeying from place to place soon come to recognize the gray robes and
decorative walking sticks common to many on the Eternal Pilgrimage. They should soon realize that these pilgrims truly
are good samaritans, and their offers of assistance and comfort can be accepted freely without fear of betrayal or
incurring an unexpected debt.

From time to time, bandits, outlaws, and other disreputable sorts have taken advantage of the pilgrims' good reputation.
They don the faithful's robes to outwit local constables and militia or, worse, to gain the trust of travelers and then rob or
murder them in their sleep.

Whenever word of such activities reaches participants in the Eternal Pilgrimage, they set their paths toward the affected
region, where they offer their assistance in capturing the perpetrators. Until the imposters are caught, they travel in pairs
whenever possible and greet one another with quotes from sacred texts. (Those participating in seeking imposters are
temporarily relieved of the requirements of their travels in terms of the Eternal Pilgrimage.)

Bandits who presume to use Fharlanghn's good name to hide their activities had better hope that representatives of the
law find them before the pilgrims do. Many incidents of "rogue pilgrims" end suddenly. The robberies cease, but the only
clue the local authorities find is a bloodstained set of gray robes hanging from a noose strung up in a roadside tree. The
owner of the robe is never found, and the actual pilgrims all disappear, seemingly overnight.
 Fharlanghn's Garden

Since those participating in the Eternal Pilgrimage are worshipers of Fharlanghn, adventurers may think to ask
them for information about Journey's End or Fharlanghn's Garden. Most of the pilgrims (70%) honestly never have
heard of any such place, although they say that it sounds marvelous and ask the adventurers for more details.

Other pilgrims (25%) say that they have heard stories about Journey's End, but that's all they are -- stories. They
happily share these tales with the adventurers in exchange for their own rumors. About half of the rumors say that
Fharlanghn's Garden lies in the middle of a vast desert. Other rumors place the garden in the heart of a fetid
swamp, in land recently ravaged by earthquakes and volcanoes, nestled in a hot spring fed arctic valley, or as the
only remaining habitable patch left after a devastating forest fire raged through the area. The two things that they
all have in common are that Journey's End is located in an otherwise completely inhospitable location, and that the
garden itself is the most beautiful, bountiful, idyllic patch of land in the world.

An extraordinarily small number of pilgrims (5%), though, respond to questions regarding Journey's End with
silence and a cold, hard glare. If pressed, they say something enigmatic and ominous such as, "If Fharlanghn
wanted visitors, he would place his front gate where all could see." Whatever the pilgrim says, the adventurers
should clearly get two messages: that Journey's End is a real place, and that the pilgrim is certain that they are not
welcome there.

Bringing the Parts Together

The PCs may find themselves assisting pilgrims as they seek to end a local bandit's life. The bandit and her group have
been emulating pilgrims near where the PCs are located, and now an influx of pilgrims has arrived to put a stop to the
bandit group's deception. Do the PCs help the pilgrims

Guardian of the Road

The worshipers of Fharlanghn believe that every road, street, and path is a precious gift
from their god. The Dweller on the Horizon, it is said, watches over those who travel for any
reason and gives his blessings to every journey. What's more, his faithful often wander the
world offering aid and comfort to any travelers they meet.

However, the devoted do not aid one excursion -- the quest to find Journey's End, which
some also know as Fharlanghn's secret garden that has been hidden from the eyes of the
world for centuries. In fact, an entire sect of Fharlanghn worshipers have made it their sworn
duty to prevent anyone from ever reaching Journey's End. This sect calls itself the
Guardians of the Road.

Guardian of the Road

Guardians of the Road are fanatical worshipers of Fharlanghn. They give up or sell their homes and any other property
they own and devote themselves completely to worshiping their deity, the god of roads. They permanently join the Eternal
Pilgrimage and spend their lives walking the roads of the world and helping fellow travelers. But members of this order
also have a second calling -- to protect the secret of Journey's End.

Journey's End is an idyllic garden created by Fharlanghn as the ultimate destination -- a literal paradise on earth.
Guardians of the Road believe that it is the holiest spot in the world -- a place that ordinary folk have no business sullying
with their worthless feet. The order is completely dedicated to preventing anyone other than high-ranking clerics of
Fharlanghn from ever finding the location of Journey's End. To this end, they use deception and trickery first, but if those
fail, they are willing to kill to keep their holiest site undisturbed.

Hit Die: d8.

Requirements

To qualify as a Guardian of the Road, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Deity: Fharlanghn
Skills: Knowledge (religion) 7 ranks, Wilderness Lore 7 ranks.
Spells: Ability to cast divine spells.

Class Skills

The Guardian of the Road's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy
(Cha), Heal (Wis), Intuit Direction (Wis), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int),
Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Wilderness Lore (Wis).

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

The Guardian of the Road

Base
Class Attack Fort Ref Will Special
Level Bonus Save Save Save
1 +0 +2 +0 +2 Find the path
2 +1 +3 +0 +3 False trail
3 +2 +3 +1 +3 Divine spellcasting
4 +3 +4 +1 +4 Obscure the path
5 +3 +4 +1 +4 Divine spellcasting

Class Features

All the following are class features of the Guardian of the Road prestige class.

Find the Path (Sp): A Guardian of the Road can cast the spell find the path a number of times per day equal to his level
in this prestige class. The spell functions as if cast by an 11th-level cleric.

False Trail (Su): At 2nd level, a Guardian of the Road gains the supernatural ability to make it difficult for others to follow
an existing trail or follow directions to a specific locale. Three times per day, he can target a creature that he can see and
is no more than 100 feet away. The target creature attempts a Will save (DC 15). If the save fails, the target creature and
any other creature within 30 feet of the target creature suffers a -10 penalty on Intuit Direction, Spot, and Wilderness Lore
checks made for the purposes of following a trail or tracking a creature. Instead of providing no information, failure on
these checks now provides erroneous data that causes the characters to follow a false trail. This effect lasts for 1 hour.

A Knowledge (nature) check (DC 20) allows the target or anyone else currently affected to realize that his senses are
being manipulated, but it does not allow him to cancel out the effect.

Divine Spellcasting: At 3rd level and again at 5th level, the Guardian of the Road gains new spells per day as if he had
also gained a level in cleric. For purposes of determining caster level, he is considered one level higher than before. This
does not, however, affect his ability to turn or rebuke undead.

Obscure the Path (Sp): At 4th level, a Guardian of the Road gains the ability to counteract some magical means of
finding an object, creature, or location. A number of times per day equal to his current level in this prestige class, a
Guardian of the Road may dispel the effects of all find the path, locate creature, andlocate object spells within 100 feet of
his current location. Items permanently enchanted with these spells have those abilities suppressed for 1d4 hours. The
targets of the dispelled effects are aware that the spells have stopped working, but they do not know why.

The only item that is immune to this ability is a milestone.

Bringing the Parts Together

Perhaps while the PCs are aiding the pilgrims with the bandit mentioned earlier, they stumble across both of the items
described in the first part of this series. When they do so, they may gain the attention of a Guardian of the Road, who
seeks to prevent the PCs from making the journey to Journey's End.

Journey's End
Many people believe that Fharlanghn's secret garden is only a myth -- a legend perpetuated by
those who worship the Dweller on the Horizon. After all, if one's god is known only for
something as mundane as roads and travel, some believe it is important to invent something
magical and idyllic for the faithful to believe in.

However, Journey's End is more than just a fairy tale -- it is a real place that a dedicated (or
extraordinarily lucky) traveler may one day find. It is not listed on any maps, and the few who
know the most about it, a fanatical group of Fharlanghn worshipers called the Guardians of the
Road actively discourage anyone from attempting to find the garden.

Journey's End is an oasis located in the center of the campaign world's largest desert (or, if that
spot is already occupied, in the center of another large desert of the DM's choosing) away from
trade routes, nomadic tribes, migrational paths, and all human or humanoid contact. In other
words, it is in a place where no one would go haphazardly.

The oasis is lower than the desert floor, so it is difficult to see from a distance. PCs can attempt Search checks if they are
actively looking for Journey's End, or the DM may allow them to make Spot checks if they just happen to be passing near
it (the DC for Spot checks is always 5 higher than for a Search check). The DC for Search checks is 30 if the PC is within
1,000 feet of the oasis, 40 if the PC is within half a mile, and 50 if the PC is within one mile. Characters flying over this
part of the desert may also attempt to find the oasis (Search check DC 25).

Journey's End

Fharlanghn's Garden is an oblong-shaped oasis, about 500 feet long and 200 feet across. The temperature inside the
oasis generally does not rise above 85 or fall below 65 degrees Fahrenheit -- a pleasant change from the extreme
temperatures typically found in the desert.

The boundaries of Journey's End are marked by gently sloping natural stone walls (this apparently is what holds the
desert back), and the floor of the oasis is covered with lush vegetation and a copse of trees so thick that one might call it a
small forest. From the north wall, a steady stream of water flows and creates a beautiful waterfall that flows into a large
pond. All of these features have been blessed by Fharlanghn in some way to make them boons to travelers who find
them.

The forest is home to birds and small lizards, and the pond is filled with fish. None of these are dangerous, and all are
delicious if caught and cooked.

Orpheus Grove

After spending days, and perhaps weeks, journeying across the scorching desert in search of the oasis, the cool shade
offered by the copse of trees should certainly appeal to most visitors. What's more, the soft, loamy, moss-covered ground
beneath the trees makes an inviting bed, and those who lay there find that sleep comes easily.

These are orpheus trees, which are magical plants that grant the gift of rest and recuperation. Anyone who sits beneath
an orpheus tree must make a Will save (DC 15) or fall into a deep, restful slumber that lasts for 1d4 hours. At the end of
this time, the person awakes fully refreshed having gained all the benefits of a full 8 hours of sleep.

Fruit of the Divine

The orpheus trees bear fruit. Throughout the grove, visitors find round, fist-sized fruits hanging from the branches. These
fruit can be picked, and their thick rind can be split and peeled by hand easily. Inside, the fruit is a bright blue reminiscent
of a clear sky, and the opened fruit drips with juice that smells sweet and promises to taste delicious.

Eating one orpheus fruit provides the equivalent of one full day's rations. A person can survive indefinitely eating nothing
but the fruit without risking any nutritional or other health side effects. More importantly, the fruit does not spoil -- a
successful Knowledge (nature) or Wilderness Lore check (DC 15) reveals no sign of fruit that have over-ripened and fallen
from the trees.

A visitor can pick as much fruit as she can carry and take it on her journey home across the desert. The fruit stays fresh
throughout the entirety of the trip. However, their magic is broken on the first day she does not spend at least 6 hours
traveling. At dawn following such a day, the fruit becomes desiccated. When a desiccated fruit is pried open, instead of
juicy pulp, the person finds a sweet smelling blue powder that is terribly bitter to the taste.
Cleansing Falls

The waterfall running down the north wall of the oasis is more than just a beautiful piece of scenery. It is Fharlanghn's way
to help visitors clean off the dust of the road and rejuvenate their bodies.

Standing under the falls is a pleasant experience. The water is cool (but not frigid) and causes the skin to tingle. Anyone
who stays under the waterfall for 1 minute gains the benefit of cure light wounds, and any equipment he carries gains the
benefit of mending. If the person remains in the water for 10 minutes, he gains the benefit of cure moderate wounds. After
1 hour, the person gains the benefit of cure serious wounds. Those who remain under the waterfall for 4 hours gain the
benefit of one of the following spells (their choice) cast as a 7th-level caster: cure critical wounds, neutralize poison,
or restoration.

A person may use the waterfall's magical properties only once per day -- once he steps out from under the flow, he gains
no further benefits until the next day. Staying in the pond does not count; the person must be directly under the waterfall.

Communing Pool

The waterfall flows into a large, crystal clear pond. Anyone who looks into the waters can see fish swimming to and fro.
The water is warmer than the waterfall and is heated by a combination of the sun's rays and Fharlanghn's grace. It feels
very much like a bath or run off from a hot spring.

While floating in it is comfortable and relaxing, the pool does not have the same magical healing properties as the
waterfall. It does, however, bring a profound sense of peace and belonging to whoever soaks there for an extended period
of time. Anyone who stays in the pool for 1 hour finds that Fharlanghn will answer any five "yes or no" questions the
soaker poses. This functions identically to the way acommune spell would if it were cast by a 5th-level cleric.

Bringing the Parts Together

Once the PCs find Journey's End, they may find one of the Guardians of the Road. What do the PCs do if the Guardian of
the Road demands that they leave?

Everyone is welcome in Journey's End, Fharlanghn's secret garden. The god of roads offers rest and succor to anyone
who makes the perilous journey. However, he does not want his favored spot to become a common tourist destination --
discovering the location and making the trip must remain a quest that only the heartiest souls can complete.

To maintain the air of mystery surrounding Fharlanghn's Garden, the Dweller on the Horizon relocates Journey's End after
each time someone visits. After a person has spent a day or more in Journey's End, the next time he steps out of the
oasis and into the desert he triggers Fharlanghn's Veil.

Fharlanghn's Veil

When someone triggers Fharlanghn's Veil, every character in or near Journey's End should attempt a Listen check (DC
10) to notice that the wind (which has blown coolly while they have been in the oasis) suddenly disappears, and the air
seems unnaturally still. This lasts for 10 minutes and continues even if the character steps back into the garden.

Then the wind begins to blow again. Characters who succeed at a Listen check (DC 10) think that the wind sounds almost
like the moan of a living creature. Those whose Listen check beats DC 15 believe they actually hear words in that moan.
And anyone whose check beats DC 20 can make out short phrases such as "the road awaits," "no respite lasts forever,"
and "a good guest knows when it is time to leave" -- all designed to give the impression that the PCs ought to leave the
oasis. This effect also lasts for 10 minutes, but all the while the wind increases in ferocity.

Finally, a full-fledged sandstorm begins to blow across the land surrounding Journey's End. For the first 5 minutes, the
storm blots out the sun (creating a twilight atmosphere even at midday) and the rising wind imposes a -5 penalty to all
Listen checks, but the storm does not disturb Journey's End itself.

After 5 minutes, the storm becomes even wilder and a vicious wind arcs over the north oasis wall and carries the storm
and sand into Journey's End.

Characters who have exposed skin suffer 1d3 points of damage every minute, and anyone who does not cover his mouth
and nose with cloth suffers an additional 1d3 points of damage every minute. All characters receive a -10 penalty on all
Spot, Search, and Listen checks while they are in the storm, and they cannot see anything that is more than 10 feet away.
It soon becomes clear that sand is quickly filling the oasis -- Journey's End is about to be swallowed by the desert. This
process will take a total of 30 minutes; any characters who remain in the oasis are buried alive.

Those who flee into the desert continue to take damage from the storm. Movement rates are reduced to one-quarter
normal while moving through the storm, and characters cannot run. Those who attempt to fly also have their movement
reduced to one-quarter normal, but the wind and sand make it impossible to navigate accurately. Each round they move in
a random direction (roll 1d8 with 1 being north, 2 being northeast, and so on around the points of a compass).

The storm is centered on Journey's End and has a radius of 1,000 feet. Anyone who moves beyond that radius steps out
of the storm and into typical desert conditions. The storm lasts for 2 hours and then dissipates over the course of another
half-hour. When it is done, no trace of Journey's End remains.

In truth, Fharlanghn has moved his garden to another location. No one knows where, but the Guardians of the Road will
endeavor to find out (possibly using milestones and rods of leagues), then protect it from all visitors.

Other Gardens, Other Veils

As hinted at in "The Eternal Pilgrimage", Fharlanghn does not always place his garden in a desert. Journey's End
can appear in any inhospitable, remote location, and it remains there until someone finds it.

The form of Fharlanghn's Veil differs from place to place. It would be silly, for example, if a sandstorm appeared to
destroy the garden when it was located in a swamp or on an arctic plane. The veil always appears to be a natural
disaster typical for the region. It may be a hurricane accompanied by a tidal surge, lava flow, blizzard, or tornado
depending on the current location. The one thing that will remain constant, though, is the wind and the messages it
carries. Fharlanghn will always provide his visitors with at least that subtle warning.

Bringing the Parts Together

If a Guardian of the Road is present when the Veil descends, he or she may reinforce the whole idea that the PCs need to
leave. Normally, a Guardian of the Road would assist the PCs out of the area, but if the PCs ruined their relations with the
Guardian of the Road beyond redemption, the Guardian of the Road may leave the PCs to their own devices.