GM Erich's 7-98 Serpent's Ire (January Start) (Inactive)

Game Master Thereus, Silver Crusader

ERAMAY
Female half-elf cavalier (constable) 8 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player’s Guide 32, Pathfinder Player Companion: Heroes of the Street 17)
LE Medium humanoid (elf, human)
Init +1; Senses low-light vision; Perception +17
DEFENSE
AC 24, touch 12, flat-footed 22 (+8 armor, +1 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 shield)
hp 80 (8d10+28)
Fort +10, Ref +5, Will +8; +2 vs. enchantments
Immune sleep
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. in armor)
Melee +1 corrosive scimitar +13/+8 (1d6+5/18–20 plus 1d6 acid) or
unarmed strike +12/+7 (1d3+4)
Ranged javelin +9 (1d6+4)
Special Attacks challenge 3/day (+8 damage), tactician 2/day (swift action, Escape Route)
STATISTICS
Str 18, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 12
Base Atk +8; CMB +12 (+14 disarm, +14 grapple, +14 trip); CMD 24
Feats Dodge, Escape RouteUC, Improved Unarmed Strike, Iron Will, Power Attack, Shield Focus, Skill Focus (Knowledge [religion]), Toughness
Skills Bluff +7, Climb +4, Diplomacy +7, Intimidate +10, Knowledge (arcana) +5, Knowledge (religion) +15, Linguistics +10, Perception +17, Sense Motive +13; Racial Modifiers +2 Perception
Languages Celestial, Common, Elven, Infernal, Undercommon
SQ apprehend, badge, elf blood, order of the tomeUC, powerful knowledge, quick interrogator, specialized knowledge,
squad commander
Combat Gear scroll of breath of life, scroll of bull’s strength, scroll of cure light wounds (6), scroll of cure moderate wounds, scroll of divine favor, scroll of divine power, scroll of faerie fire, scroll of owl’s wisdom, scroll of remove fear (CL 4th), scroll of remove paralysis, scroll of spider climb; Other Gear +2 dastardAPG chainmail, +2 buckler, +1 corrosive scimitar, javelins (2), cloak of resistance +2, headband of inspired wisdom +2, flint and steel, hemp rope (50 ft.), torches (3), silver Aspis badge, 51 gp
SPECIAL ABILITIES
+2 Dastard Chainmail See Eramay’s challenge ability.
Apprehend (Ex) Eramay gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat and can attempt a grapple combat maneuver check instead of an attack at the end of a charge. She also gains a +2 bonus on Perception checks and on some combat maneuver checks, included in her statistics. She does not treat crowds as difficult terrain.
Badge (Ex) As long as Eramay wears her Aspis badge prominently, allies within 30 feet who can see her gain a +3 morale bonus on saving throws against charm, compulsion, and fear effects and a +2 morale bonus on attack rolls against her challenge target.
Challenge (Ex) Three times per day, Eramay can challenge a foe she can see as a swift action. She deals an additional 8 points of damage to her target with melee attacks, but she takes a –2 penalty to her AC against all other creatures. Thanks to her +2 dastard chainmail, she also gains a +2 profane bonus to her AC against the target of her challenge. The challenge lasts until the target is unconscious or dead, or when the combat ends.
Escape Route Any character with this feat provokes no attacks of opportunity for moving through squares adjacent to or within the space of any ally who also has this feat.
Favored Class Bonus Eramay has a unique option for her favored class bonus, which she uses to augment her badge ability.
Order of the Tome (Ex) Eramay gains a +4 bonus on Linguistics checks. When she issues a challenge, she receives a +2 bonus on saving throws against the target’s spells and spell-like abilities, and she receives a +2 bonus on Bluff and Sense Motive checks against the target. She must protect written knowledge (or at least approved written knowledge) at all costs. If she fails to uphold this edict, she loses this ability’s benefit to her challenge ability for 24 hours.
Powerful Knowledge (Ex) Eramay can read and activate divine spell scrolls as if she were a 4th-level divine spellcaster, and she treats her Wisdom as 15 for the purpose of activating scrolls. She must attempt a caster level check to use the following powerful scrolls or suffer a mishap: breath of life (DC 9) and divine power (DC 7).
Quick Interrogator (Ex) Eramay can attempt a Diplomacy check to gather information in 1d6 × 5 minutes and attempt a Diplomacy or Intimidate check to change someone’s attitude in 5 rounds.
Specialized Knowledge (Ex) Eramay gains a +4 bonus on Knowledge (religion) checks. This ability has been factored into her statistics.
Squad Commander (Ex) Eramay can spend 1 minute laying out a plan to activate her tactician ability without having it count against her number of uses per day. She must trigger this ability within 1 hour of making the plan, and the benefits last for 8 minutes. She can have only one plan at a time; making a new plan negates the old one.
Tactician (Ex) Eramay receives Escape Route as a bonus feat. Twice per day as a standard action, she can grant this feat to all allies within 30 feet who can see and hear her; this lasts for 7 rounds.
Eramay proudly graduated as part of Erages Academy’s first class with a focus in esoteric religions and swordplay—training that caught the Pathfinder Society’s attention and earned her accelerated admission. Her faith in the Society diminished over time thanks to the unpolished leadership of venture-captains and the Grand Lodge’s often irresponsible mishandling of dangerous artifacts. The last straw was when she uncovered the identity and shameful secret of a member of the Decemvirate while during an adventure in Absalom.

Appreciating the comparably honest underhandedness of the Aspis Consortium, she defected and offered her valuable intelligence in exchange for fair treatment and fair wages. So far the Consortium has earned her loyalty, and she is now a silver agent entrusted with salvaging delicate operations. At least on paper, she is the team leader for this operation, though she recognizes that with such a diverse array of experts and bullheaded agents, she is better off inspiring action than mandating orders.

FALTH
Male tiefling inquisitor of Zyphus 8 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 264, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player’s Guide 38)
NE Medium outsider (native)
Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +14
DEFENSE
AC 20, touch 15, flat-footed 15 (+5 armor, +5 Dex)
hp 59 (8d8+16)
Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +10
Resist cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee mwk heavy pick +9/+4 (1d6+2/×4), gore +3 (1d6+1) or
gore +8 (1d6+3)
Ranged +1 cruel composite longbow +12/+7 (1d8+3/×3)
Special Attacks bane (8 rounds/day), destructive smite (+4, 6/day), judgment 3/day
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8th; concentration +7)
1/day—improve trapARG
Inquisitor Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8th; concentration +11)
At will—detect alignment, discern lies (8 rounds/day)
Inquisitor Spells Known (CL 8th; concentration +11)
3rd (3/day)—burst of speedUC, keen edge, litany of entanglementUC (DC 16)
2nd (5/day)—invisibility, see invisibility, spiritual weapon, unholy ice weaponACG
1st (5/day)—comprehend languages, divine favor, doom (DC 14), ear-piercing screamUM (DC 14), shield of faith
0 (at will)—acid splash, bleed (DC 13), brandAPG (DC 13), detect poison, guidance, read magic
Domain Destruction (Catastrophe subdomainAPG)
STATISTICS
Str 14, Dex 20, Con 12, Int 11, Wis 16, Cha 8
Base Atk +6; CMB +8; CMD 23
Feats Deadly Aim, Enfilading FireUC, LookoutAPG, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Toughness
Skills Bluff +1, Climb +6, Craft (traps) +9, Diplomacy –1, Intimidate +18 (+22 to influence evil outsiders), Knowledge (arcana) +4, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +4, Knowledge (planes) +11, Knowledge (religion) +4, Perception +14, Sense Motive +18, Stealth +18; Racial Modifiers +2 Bluff, +2 Stealth
Languages Abyssal, Common
SQ deadly weather, monster lore +7, solo tactics, stern gaze +4, track +4
Combat Gear mandate of misfortune, screaming arrows (2), scroll of heroism, scroll of lesser restoration, searing arrowAPG, wand of cure moderate wounds (15 charges); Other Gear +2 studded leather, +1 cruelUE composite longbow (+2 Str) with 40 arrows, mwk heavy pick, belt of incredible dexterity +2, cloak of resistance +1, darksire amuletARG, mwk artisan’s tools (Craft [traps]), tindertwigs (5), iron unholy symbol of Zyphus, 60 gp
SPECIAL ABILITIES
+1 Cruel Composite Longbow When Falth strikes a creature that is frightened, shaken, or panicked with his bow, the creature becomes sickened for 1 round. If he uses the bow to knock unconscious or kill a creature, he gains 5 temporary hit points that last for 10 minutes.
Bane (Su) Falth can imbue one of his weapons with the bane weapon special ability as a swift action. He must select one creature type when he uses this ability (and a subtype if the creature type selected is humanoid or outsider). Once selected, the type can be changed as a swift action. This ability only functions while Falth wields the weapon, and he can use it for up to 8 rounds per day; these rounds do not need to be consecutive.
Darksire Amulet This iron locket contains a fragment of Falth’s daemonic ancestor, increasing his energy resistances to 10 each. In addition, he gains a +4 insight bonus on Intimidate checks (rather than Diplomacy checks) to influence evil outsiders.
Detect Alignment (Sp) Falth can cast detect chaos, detect evil, detect good, or detect law as a spell-like ability at will.
Discern Lies (Sp) Falth can discern lies, as per the spell, for 8 rounds per day. These rounds do not need to be consecutive. Activating this ability is an immediate action.
Domain Zyphus grants Falth the Catastrophe subdomain, which gives his the following two abilities.
Deadly Weather (Su) Falth can summon an ever-changing 40-foot-radius storm of destruction for 8 rounds per day. Each round, the storm has one of the following effects: driving rain (–4 on all Perception checks and ranged attack rolls), heavy snow (all terrain is considered difficult), howling winds (–8 on Fly skill checks and ranged attack rolls), or lightning bolts (as call lightning). Other effects depending on the weather might also apply (at the GM’s discretion). You choose which effect takes place each round, but no effect may be repeated on the following round. These rounds do not need to be consecutive.
Destructive Smite (Su) Falth can use this ability up to six times per day before making a melee attack. If he hits, he gains a +4 morale bonus on the damage roll.
Enfilading Fire Falth receives a +2 bonus on ranged attacks made against any foe flanked by his allies.
Judgment (Su) Three times per day, Falth can pronounce judgment upon his foes as a swift action, granting him any two of the benefits listed below; as a swift action, he can change one of the benefits to a different option. Once activated, this ability lasts until the combat ends, at which point all of the bonuses immediately end. Falth must participate in the combat to gain these bonuses. If he is frightened, panicked, paralyzed, stunned, unconscious, or otherwise prevented from participating in the combat, the ability does not end, but the bonuses do not resume until he can participate in the combat again.
Destruction: Falth gains a +3 profane bonus on weapon damage rolls.
Healing: Falth gains fast healing 3.
Justice: Falth gains a +2 profane bonus on attack rolls.
Piercing: Falth gains a +3 profane bonus on concentration checks and caster level checks to overcome a target’s spell resistance.
Protection: Falth gains a +2 profane bonus to AC.
Purity: Falth gains a +2 profane bonus on saving throws.
Resiliency: Falth gains DR 2/magic.
Resistance: Falth gains acid or sonic resistance 6.
Smiting: Falth’s weapons overcome damage reduction as if they were magic and evil.
Lookout Whenever Falth is adjacent to an ally, he may act in the surprise round as long as the ally would normally be able to act in the surprise round. If he would normally be denied the ability to act in the surprise round, his initiative is equal to his initiative roll or the roll of the ally – 1, whichever is lower. If both he and his ally would be able to act in the surprise round without the aid of this feat, he may take both a standard and a move action (or a full-round action) during the surprise round.
Mandate of Misfortune This decaying parchment acts as a scroll of lesser planar ally with three exceptions. First, Falth can activate it despite not having lesser planar ally on his spell list. Second, the scroll is reusable once per month. Third, it summons an emaciated, vulture-headed ceustodaemon named Hsakorkinath who serves Zyphus and requires no payment. However, the ceustodaemon is only willing to cause property damage, slay relatively defenseless creatures, and spread terror—acts it sets off to perform immediately unless Falth can cow it with a successful DC 30 Intimidate check, in which case he can dictate when and where it strikes. After 1 hour, Hsakorkinath returns to Abaddon.
Monster Lore (Ex) Falth gains a +7 bonus on Knowledge checks to identify creatures’ abilities and weaknesses. This bonus includes an extra benefit from his favored class bonus.
Screaming Arrow This arrow functions as a screaming bolt.
Searing Arrow This +1 flaming arrow continues to burn its target each round, dealing 1d6 fire damage on the attacker’s turn for the next 3 rounds. Removing the arrow requires a DC 10 Heal check and prevents any further damage from the arrow (the DC increases to 15 if the target tries to remove the arrow from itself). Removing the arrow destroys it, and it burns up after 3 rounds pass.
Solo Tactics (Ex) Falth benefits from his teamwork feats (Enfilading Fire and Lookout) as though his allies also had those feats.
Stern Gaze (Ex) Falth gains a +8 bonus on Intimidate checks and +4 on Sense Motive checks. These are already incorporated into his stat block and include an extra benefit from his favored class bonus.
Teamwork Feat Falth can switch his Enfilading Strike feat into another teamwork feat up to 3 times per day. However, Enfilading Strike is particularly effective for his fighting style and the composition of his team in this adventure.
Track (Ex) Falth gains a +4 bonus on Survival checks to track creatures (+7 total).
Variant Tiefling (Ex) Falth possesses a gore attack as a primary attack. He also is able to cast improve trap once per day as a spell-like ability. These replace his fiendish sorcery and spell-like ability racial traits.
Spells Falth can cast the following spells.
Brand: Falth marks a creature he touches with a brand or mark consisting of no more than six characters (Fortitude DC 13 negates). This deals 1 point of damage to the target.
Burst of Speed: As a swift action for 1 round, Falth gains a +20-foot bonus to his speed, his movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity, and he can move through Large and larger creatures’ spaces.
Ear-Piercing Scream: Falth can unleash a powerful scream that only one target within 45 feet can hear. The target takes 4d6 points of sonic damage and is dazed for 1 round. On a successful DC 14 Fortitude save, the target takes half damage and is not dazed.
Improve Trap: This spell takes 1 minute to cast and improves one trap within 45 feet. It increases the Perception DC to find the trap by 5, the Disable Device DC to disable it by 5, or the trap’s attack bonus or saving throw DC by 2. During this scenario, this spell can instead grant Falth a +5 bonus on Craft (traps) check to set up a trap.
Litany of Entanglement: As a swift action, Falth entangles one creature within 45 feet that is standing on solid ground for 1 round (DC 16 Will negates).
Unholy Ice Weapon: Falth creates a masterwork heavy pick out of frozen unholy water for 8 minutes. This uses the melee entry of his own heavy pick but deals an additional 8 points of cold damage on each hit.
Falth’s life has been a string of unfortunate accidents. He was born with fiendish features to human parents in Korvosa.An accident. His mother left him behind at a dingy orphanage after he was born. It could only be an accident. The orphanage “ran out of beds” and kicked him to the streets. Pray it was an accident. Some nicely dressed gentlemen kidnapped him and sold him to Nidalese researchers. An accident, of sorts. While under the blade of hateful surgeons in a facility deep underground, he heard the call of Zyphus, the Grim Harvestman and patron of unhappy accidents. Falth raised his hand in a plea to the dark god, but when his eyes focused he found his arm covered in blood and the researchers dead at his feet—surely an accident.

Ever since leaving that foul laboratory behind, he has been a force of misfortune posing as a simple tracker and hunter. The Aspis Consortium made the mistake of hiring him 2 years ago but discontinued the relationship after the targets he was supposed to bring back alive consistently showed up dead following “unfortunate accidents.” Now it is no accident that the Consortium has decided to employ him once more; he hears someone has angered the organization greatly, and his unique penchant for collateral damage will send an unmistakable message to the rebels known as the Korholm Agenda.

RATAJI
Male human enchanter 8
LE Medium humanoid (human)
Init +5; Senses Perception +2
Aura despair (30 ft., 8 rounds/day)
DEFENSE
AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10 (+1 Dex)
hp 58 (8d6+24)
Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +10
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee staff of caustic fury +3 (1d6–1)
Ranged light crossbow +5 (1d8/19–20)
Arcane School Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8th; concentration +13)
8/day—dazing touch
Wizard Spells Prepared (CL 8th; concentration +13)
4th—confusion (DC 20), crushing despair (DC 20), greater invisibility, telekinetic chargeUC
3rd—dispel magic, haste, heroism, inflict painOA (DC 19), lightning bolt (DC 18), suggestion (DC 19)
2nd—bear’s endurance, silent charm person (DC 17), hideous laughter (DC 18), invisibility, scorching ray
1st—charm person (DC 17), disguise self, ear-piercing screamUM
(DC 16), magic missile (2), shield, unprepared combatantUM (DC 17)
0 (at will)—detect magic, light, message, ray of frost
Opposition Schools conjuration, necromancy
STATISTICS
Str 9, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 21, Wis 14, Cha 14
Base Atk +4; CMB +3; CMD 14
Feats Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Scribe Scroll, Silent Spell, Skill Focus (Bluff, Spellcraft), Spell Focus (enchantment), Toughness
Skills Bluff +19, Diplomacy +16, Disguise +5, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (arcana, local, nature, planes) +16, Linguistics +16, Spellcraft +19
Languages Abyssal, Aklo, Auran, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Elven, Halfling, Infernal, Kelish, Orc, Osiriani, Polyglot, Sylvan, Undercommon
SQ arcane bond (amulet of spell cunning), enchanting smile
Combat Gear pearl of power (1st level), potion of cure serious wounds, scroll of dispel magic (CL 12th), scroll of fly, scroll of glitterdust, scroll of hold monster, scroll of mage armor (CL 6th), scroll of stoneskin, staff of caustic fury (5 charges); Other Gear light crossbow with 10 bolts, amulet of spell cunningAPG, circlet of persuasion, cloak of resistance +2, headband of vast intelligence +2, diamond dust (worth 250 gp), spell component pouch, spellbook, bronze Aspis badge, 47 gp
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Amulet of Spell Cunning This silver locket allows Rataji to prepare an additional 3 levels of spells per day. He has used it to prepare an additional 3rd-level spell.
Arcane Bond Rataji can use his arcane bond to cast any spell in his spellbook once per day, which includes all prepared spells as well as the following spells: 1st—expeditious retreat, silent image, ventriloquism; 2nd—resist energy, see invisibility, touch of idiocy; 3rd—deep slumber, displacement; 4th—fire shield, lesser globe of invulnerability, stoneskin.
Aura of Despair Rataji can emit an aura that imposes a –2 penalty on ability checks, attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, and skill checks to all of his enemies within 30 feet. This aura is a mind affecting-effect.
Staff of Caustic Fury This staff allows Rataji to use the following spells, dealing acid damage instead of fire damage: burning hands (1 charge), fireball (2 charges), wall of fire (3 charges).
Spells Rataji can cast the following spells.
Ear-Piercing Scream Rataji unleashes a scream that only one target within 45 feet can hear. The target takes 4d6 points of sonic damage and is dazed for one round. On a successful DC 16 Fortitude save, the target takes half damage and is not dazed.
Inflict Pain Rataji inflicts wracking pain on a target with 45 feet, imposing a –4 penalty on attack rolls, skill checks, and ability checks for 8 rounds (Will DC 19 reduces duration to 1 round).
Telekinetic Charge Rataji can telekinetically launch an ally within 45 feet to any other location within 45 feet. This movement provokes no attacks of opportunity. If he causes the ally to land adjacent to an opponent, the ally can spend an immediate action to make a melee attack against that opponent with a +2 bonus on the attack roll.
Unprepared Combatant Rataji causes one target within 45 feet to take a –4 penalty on initiative checks and Reflex saves for 8 minutes (Will DC 17 negates).
The affable Rataji entered the prestigious Magaambya academy of arcane knowledge at a young age. There he amazed both his instructors and his classmates with his mastery of subtler spells, and few doubted that he might one day enter the ranks of the honored Tempest-Sun mages. However, the flood of successes and praise gave Rataji the impression that he was extraordinary and somehow above the rules. When a daring compulsion leveled at one of his teachers failed, he earned the sharp rebuke of the school’s headmaster, as well as a lesson in humility. A Tempest-Sun mage is a force for good, he was told, and only by witnessing the darker elements of humanity can one understand true compassion.

The headmaster sent Rataji to the cutthroat city of Bloodcove, a coastal city populated by pirates, owned by the Aspis Consortium and made rich by the exploitation of the Mwangi Expanse. What he experienced there was not revulsion but admiration, for the Consortium were unabashed artists of propaganda. Impressed, he signed on as a contractor. He served with distinction for 4 years before being offered a promotion to silver agent if he led an assault on the Pathfinders’ Grand Lodge. He has since learned that a rogue faction known as the Korholm Agenda engineered the attack in defiance of the Consortium, and by participating, he had become a traitor. His newfound status as a silver agent quickly vanished, and his future in the consortium became uncertain.

An Aspis representative has since contacted the disgraced Rataji, offering to wipe his record clean if he participates in an especially risky and secretive mission.

SHOHIRAJ
Human unchained rogue 8 (Pathfinder RPG Pathfinder Unchained 20)
N Medium humanoid (human)
Init +5; Senses low-light vision; Perception +15
DEFENSE
AC 20, touch 15, flat-footed 15 (+5 armor, +5 Dex)
hp 51 (8d8+8)
Fort +4, Ref +12, Will +7
Defensive Abilities danger sense +2, evasion, improved uncanny dodge
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 menacing sap +12/+7 (1d6+6 nonlethal) or
mwk rapier +12/+7 (1d6+1/18–20)
Ranged +1 light crossbow +12 (1d8+1/19–20)
Special Attacks debilitating injury, sneak attack +4d6
STATISTICS
Str 12, Dex 21, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 12
Base Atk +6; CMB +7; CMD 22
Feats Deft Hands, Extra Rogue TalentAPG, Iron Will, Quick Draw, Sap AdeptUC, Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +16, Bluff +12, Climb +7, Diplomacy +7, Disable Device +24, Disguise +12, Escape Artist +9, Knowledge (local) +12, Perception +15, Sense Motive +13, Sleight of Hand +18 (+22 to conceal a weapon), Stealth +16, Swim +5, Use Magic Device +12
Languages Common, Kelish
SQ rogue talents (deft palm, fast stealth, ninja trick [wall climber], trap spotter, underhanded), trapfinding +4
Combat Gear potion of cure moderate wounds, potion of displacement, potion of invisibility, wand of true strike (5 charges), alchemist’s fire (2), antitoxins (2), smokesticks (2), tanglefoot bags (2); Other Gear +2 glamered studded leather, +1 light crossbow with 20 bolts, +1 menacing sap, mwk rapier, belt of incredible dexterity +2, cloak of resistance +1, eyes of keen sight, handy haversack, climber’s kit, crowbar, disguise kit, grappling hook, hammer, masterwork thieves’ tools, pitons (4), silk rope (100 ft.), tindertwig (5), 13 gp
SPECIAL ABILITIES
+1 Menacing Sap When Shohiraj is wielding her sap and adjacent to an enemy, the bonus on attack rolls that she and her allies gain from flanking that enemy increases by 2 (for a typical total of +4).
Danger Sense (Ex) Shohiraj gains a +2 bonus on Reflex saves to avoid traps and a +2 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps. She also gains a +2 bonus on Perception checks to avoid being surprised by a foe.
Debilitating Injury (Ex) Whenever Shohiraj deals sneak attack damage to a target, she can also apply one of the following penalties for 1 round.
Bewildered: The target takes a –2 to AC against all attacks, and an additional –2 penalty to AC against Shohiraj’s attacks.
Disoriented: The target takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls, and an additional –2 penalty on all attack rolls against Shohiraj.
Hampered: All of the target’s speeds are reduced by half (minimum 5 feet), and the target cannot take a 5-foot step.
Deft Palm (Ex) Shohiraj can make a Sleight of Hand check to conceal a weapon in plain sight, even while she is being observed.
Eyes of Keen Sight These lenses grant Shohiraj low-light vision and a +2 bonus on Perception checks. These effects are already included in her stat block.
Fast Stealth (Ex) Shohiraj can move at full speed while using the Stealth skill without penalty.
Rogue’s Edge (Ex) Shohiraj can use the Disguise skill to create a disguise in 1d3 minutes.
Sap Adept Whenever Shohiraj uses a nonlethal bludgeoning weapon, such as a sap, to deal nonlethal sneak attack damage, she gains a +8 bonus on her damage roll.
Sneak Attack As the Core Rulebook rogue ability of the same name, except Shohiraj can sneak attack creatures with concealment, but not creatures with total concealment.
Trap Spotter (Ex) Whenever Shohiraj comes within 10 feet of a trap, she can attempt an immediate Perception check to notice the trap. The GM should roll this check in secret.
Underhanded (Ex) Shohiraj gains a +4 bonus on Sleight of Hand checks to conceal a weapon. Once per day, when she makes a sneak attack on the surprise round using a concealed weapon that her opponent did not know about, her sneak attack dice automatically deal maximum damage.
Wall Climber (Ex) Shohiraj gains a 20-foot climb speed, but only when moving along vertical surfaces; she cannot use it to scale perfectly smooth surfaces or the underside of horizontal surfaces. While climbing in this way, she can choose to take 10 for a result of 25. She does not lose her Dexterity bonus to AC when climbing vertical surfaces.
Danger was always a girlish fancy for the young sisters Aima and Halna Deschamp, who grew up just outside Oppara. There the two were never far from the bardic colleges and their students, who gushed odes of great heroes and dashing duelists to any who cared to listen. The older Aima gradually outgrew these stories, but Halna longed to live a life of swashbuckling adventure. This left the younger sister vulnerable when a charming adventurer swept Halna off her feet and promised her the world if she would be his bride. As the two sailed away from Taldor, Aima could only hope that her sister’s dreams might come true.

It was not to be. Her husband’s idea of adventuring involved little profit and a lot of petty larceny and sleeping under bushes. The law eventually caught up with them in a lethal way, but not before Halma had given birth to fraternal twins. When one of the younger sister’s associates brought children and news of Halma’s death to Aima (who had since moved to Cassomir), there was no question in the elder’s mind as to whether she would accept her orphaned niece and nephew. Her only question was how she would afford to raise them. The answer came in the form of a Kelishite man named Kafar, who offered Aima training and a steady job with the Aspis Consortium.

Unlike her deceased sister, Aima approached the dangerous work with the Aspis Consortium as a job, not an adventure. Every
time an associate dies due to a simple mistake or a moment of arrogance, it drives her to be even more coldly professional on the job. Every resulting precaution is another step toward surviving a mission and returning home to raise her adopted children, whom she loves as her own. However, feeding and clothing the two is not enough, for Aima is intent that they never idolize the dangerous life that she leads and then chase whimsical dreams like their biological mother did. As a result, few know anything of the trapsmith who calls herself Shohiraj beyond her calculating mind, skill with traps, and undeniable ability to just get the job done.

Since helping the Consortium raid the Grand Lodge a year ago, Shohiraj has learned that her employer Kitio Aspenthi was heading a rogue faction known as the Korholm Agenda, which had never received official Consortium approval to launch the unprovoked attack against the Pathfinder Society. Aspis agents have hounded her and her family since, forcing them to relocate numerous times to dodge the Consortium’s thugs. She has assisted Kitio several times since, but her patience with him has waned quickly. She recently met with her friend Kafar to find some way to escape this cycle, and he has offered her new hope. However, the way forward requires that she accept one more dangerous mission from the Consortium under the guise of making amends.

THESTIL SHADOWTONGUE
Female doppelganger mesmerist (toxitician) 4 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 89, Pathfinder RPG Occult Adventures 38, 98)
N Medium monstrous humanoid (shapechanger)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +12
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 12, flat-footed 17 (+3 armor, +1 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 natural)
hp 72 (4d8+4d10+24)
Fort +7, Ref +9, Will +13
Immune charm, sleep
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 bladed belt +13/+8 (1d12+8/×3) or
2 claws +12 (1d8+5)
Ranged dart +8 (1d4+5) or
injection dart +8 (1d4+5)
Special Attacks mesmerist tricks 6/day (compel alactrity, gift of will, mesmeric mirror)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 18th; concentration +22)
At will—detect thoughts (DC 16)
Mesmerist Spells Known (CL 4th; concentration +8)
2nd (2/day)—glitterdust (DC 16), tongues
1st (4/day)—burst of adrenalineOA, doom (DC 15), murderous commandUM (DC 15), ray of enfeeblement (DC 15)
0 (at will)—detect poison, ghost sound (DC 14), mage hand, message, prestidigitation, read magic
STATISTICS
Str 20, Dex 13, Con 16, Int 15, Wis 12, Cha 18
Base Atk +7; CMB +12; CMD 24
Feats Dodge, Great Fortitude, Mobility, Vital Strike
Skills Bluff +15 (+19 while using change shape), Climb +10, Diplomacy +11, Disguise +15 (+35 while using change shape), Knowledge (arcana, local, nobility) +9, Perception +12, Sense Motive +12, Sleight of Hand +14, Stealth +12, Swim +10; Racial Modifiers +4 Bluff, +4 Disguise
Languages Common, Undercommon, Vudrani
SQ change shape (alter self), deft fingers, injection improvement (natural armor decreaseOA), injections, mimicry, painful injection, perfect copy, touch treatment 7/day (minor), treatment vials
Combat Gear +1 bladed beltUE, cape of the mountebank, scroll of strong jaw, scroll of vampiric touch (CL 10th), wand of cure moderate wounds (5 charges), wand of magic missile (CL 5th, 5 charges), acid (2), alchemist’s fire (2); Other Gear +1 malleable armor, longarm bracersUE, darts (6), injection darts (3), grappling hook, silk rope, sunrods (2), ornate bronze Aspis badge, 46 gp
SPECIAL ABILITIES
+1 Bladed Belt On command, Thestil can transform this belt into a single slashing and/or piercing melee weapon of her choice; the weapon has a +1 enhancement bonus. As long as she is holding the weapon, she can also revert it back to belt form with a command. Her Melee entry above assumes she wields the belt as a +1 greataxe.
Change Shape (Su) Thestil can change her form to that of any Small or Medium humanoid as if using alter self; however this does not adjust her ability scores. She can remain in this form indefinitely.
Deft Fingers (Ex) Thestil gains a +2 bonus Sleight of Hand checks. This bonus is already applied to her stat block.
Injections (Su) Thestil creates eight psychic injections each day. She can activate one as a swift action, after which she can apply it by touching a creature as a standard action. The target takes a –2 penalty on Will saves and to its natural armor bonus for 2 minutes. When applying an injection, Thestil can attempt a DC 20 Sleight of Hand check to apply it without the target noticing; the target can spot the attempt with an opposed Perception check. If secretly applied, Thestil can choose to delay the injection’s effects until she triggers them as a free action while within 140 feet of the target. The effects of multiple injections do not stack.
Injection Dart This behaves like a normal dart but stores a dose of Thestil’s psychic injection. If she hits, she can choose to affect the target with her injection. The dart breaks after being thrown.
Longarm Bracers Three times per day as a swift action, Thestil can stretch her arms beyond their normal limits, increasing her reach by 5 feet until the start of her next turn. Her weapon attack rolls take a –4 penalty, but her attack rolls with her claws take no penalty.
Malleable Armor Thestil wears special armor that behaves like +1 leather armor. She can change the armor’s appearance whenever she uses her change shape ability, and when doing so, she can choose to increase the armor’s thickness and flexibility. Doing so increases the suit’s total armor bonus to +7 (increasing her AC to 23), decreases her speed to 20 feet, and imposes a –4 armor check penalty until she uses her change shape ability again and reverts the armor to its original composition.
Mesmerist Tricks (Su) Thestil can create hypnotic bonds with an ally she can touch as a standard action up to six times per day. She can have only one trick implanted at a time, and implanting a new trick ends the previous trick. Thestil can trigger the implanted trick as a free action, even if it isn’t her turn. She must be within 140 feet of the ally, and triggering the trick expends it.
Compel Alacrity Thestil can trigger this trick when the subject begins his turn within an enemy’s reach. The subject can move 10 feet as a free action without provoking attacks of opportunity. The movement from this trick doesn’t count against the subject’s movement speed for that round.
Gift of Will Thestil can trigger this trick when the subject attempts a Will saving throw or a Sense Motive check, or is targeted by an Intimidate check to demoralize him. For a saving throw, the subject uses Thestil’s Will saving throw bonus instead of his own. For a Sense Motive check or Intimidate check, he adds Thestil’s Charisma bonus as a morale bonus on the check or to the DC. Thestil can’t implant this trick on herself.
Mesmeric Mirror This trick creates a decoy duplicate of the subject when the subject is attacked or becomes the target of a spell that requires an attack roll. The triggering attack has a 50% chance of striking the decoy rather than the intended target. Once hit, the image disappears; otherwise, it lasts for 1 minute. This is an illusion (figment) effect.
Mimicry (Ex) Thestil is proficient in all weapons, armor, and shields. In addition, she can use any spell-trigger or spell-completion item as if the spells were on her spell list, with an effective caster level of 4. She must attempt a caster level check to use these scrolls or suffer a mishap: strong jaw (DC 7) and vampiric touch (DC 10).
Painful Injection (Su) Once per round, when an attack that deals damage hits the target of Thestil’s injection, she can cause the creature to take 2 additional points of damage. If Thestil uses this ability to increase her own damage, it instead takes 1d6 extra points of damage.
Perfect Copy (Su) When Thestil uses her change shape ability, she can assume the appearance of specific individuals.
Touch Treatment (Su) Four times per day as a standard action, Thestil can touch a creature and remove the fascinated or shaken condition. This ability is a swift action if she uses it on herself.
Towering Ego (Su) Thestil adds her Charisma bonus to her Will saving throws. This is already applied to her stat block.
Treatment Vials (Su) Every day Thestil prepares three tonics that apply the benefits of her touch treatment ability when imbibed as if they were potions.
Psychic Spellcasting As a mesmerist, Thestil casts psychic spells that lack somatic and verbal components. Instead, her spells have emotion (in place of somatic) and thought (in place of verbal) components. It is impossible to cast a spell with an emotion component while Thestil is under the influence of a non-harmless effect with the emotion or fear descriptor. Thought components are so mentally demanding that they make interruptions and distractions extremely challenging. The DC for any concentration check for a spell with a thought component increases by 10. When casting a spell with a thought component, Thestil can take a move action before beginning to center herself; she can then use the normal DC instead of the increased DC.
Spells Thestil can cast the following spells.
Burst of Adrenaline As an immediate action when she is about to make a d20 roll based on Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution, Thestil gains a +8 enhancement bonus to that ability score for that roll. Afterward, she is fatigued for 1 round.
Murderous Command Thestil can command one living creature within 35 feet to attack its nearest ally for one round with a melee weapon or natural weapon (DC 15 Will negates). If necessary, it moves toward the ally to attack.
Consortium leadership sometimes pokes fun at what they perceive as Thestil’s overdramatic “mysterious stranger” shtick, but they cannot doubt her effectiveness. She has twice turned down promotion to silver agent, so her superiors have instead issued her an elaborate bronze badge to recognize her feats without imposing further responsibilities. She approves; it lets her continue to act as the power behind the figurative throne without risking the scrutiny that would pierce her disguise. Ever since Pathfinders interfered with her operations in Magnimar and framed her for treason during the Lissalan campaign—for which she was acquitted long ago—she has been itching for a chance to face a true challenge and reestablish her credentials.

ZURNZAL
Male half-orc brawler 6/assassin 2 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Class Guide 23)
NE Medium humanoid (human, orc)
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +13
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 14, flat-footed 16 (+5 armor, +1 deflection, +2 Dex, +1 dodge)
hp 72 (8 HD; 2d8+6d10+22)
Fort +9, Ref +10, Will +7; +1 vs. poison
Defensive Abilities orc ferocity, uncanny dodge
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee unarmed strike +16/+11 (1d8+8) or
unarmed strike flurry of blows +14/+14/+9 (1d8+8) or
mwk short sword +13/+8 (1d6+5/19–20)
Ranged mwk composite shortbow +10/+5 (1d6+5/×3)
Special Attacks brawler’s flurry, brawler’s strike (magic), close weapon mastery, death attack (DC 14), knockout 1/day (DC 18), maneuver training (dirty trick +1), martial flexibility (swift action)
6/day, sneak attack +1d6
STATISTICS
Str 20, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 8
Base Atk +7; CMB +12 (+15 dirty trick, +14 disarm, +14 grapple, +14 trip); CMD 26 (29 vs. dirty trick, 28 vs. disarm, 28 vs. trip)
Feats Combat Expertise, Improved Dirty TrickAPG, Improved Disarm, Improved Trip, Improved Unarmed Strike, Toughness, Weapon Focus (unarmed strike)
Skills Acrobatics +13, Climb +11, Disguise +10, Intimidate +9, Perception +13, Sense Motive +13, Stealth +13; Racial Modifiers +2 Intimidate
Languages Common, Giant, Orc, Varisian
SQ brawler’s cunning, martial training, orc blood, poison use
Combat Gear Gaels’ revenge poison (2 doses), potion of cure serious wounds, potion of invisibility, quick runner’s shirtUE, sandals of the lightest stepUE, antitoxin, tanglefoot bags (2); Other Gear +2 brawling studded leather, mwk composite shortbow (+5 Str) with 40 arrows, 20 cold iron arrows, and 10 silver arrows, mwk short sword, amulet of mighty fists +1, belt of giant strength +2, cloak of resistance +2, ring of protection +1, disguise kit, bronze Aspis badge, 7 gp
SPECIAL ABILITIES
+2 Brawling Studded Leather This armor grants Zurnzal a +2 bonus on unarmed attack and damage rolls, including combat maneuver checks made to grapple.
Brawler’s Flurry (Ex) When Zurnzal makes a full-attack, he has the Two-Weapon Fighting feat while using unarmed strikes, close weapons, and monk weapons, and he adds his full Strength modifier to all attacks.
Brawler’s Strike (Ex) Zurnzal’s unarmed attacks count as magic.
Close Weapon Mastery (Ex) Zurnzal can deal 1d6 damage with any weapon from the close weapon group (such as daggers) if he wants.
Desperate Assassination During the first part of this adventure, Zurnzal can attempt a desperate assassination to silence a witness and negate a strike against the party; he can only do this once, and it can only prevent the last strike that would call the guards. In order to negate this strike, Zurnzal must succeed at a DC 20 Stealth check.
Gael’s Revenge Poison Zurnzal can safely apply this contact poison (save Fort DC 18; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d3 Dex; cure 2 saves) to his glove or boot as a standard action and deliver it with an unarmed strike.
Improved Dirty Trick Zurnzal does not provoke an attack of opportunity when using the dirty trick combat maneuver. He gains a +2 bonus on combat maneuver checks to perform dirty tricks and to CMD to defend against them.
Knockout Strike (Ex) Once per day Zurnzal can attempt a one-hit knockout, declaring his attempt before rolling his unarmed attack roll. If he hits and deals damage, the target must succeed at a DC 18 Fortitude save or fall unconscious for 1d6 rounds. The target receives a new save each round to wake up. This ability doesn’t work if the target is immune to critical hits or nonlethal damage.
Martial Flexibility (Ex) Zurnzal can spend a move action to gain any two combat feats he doesn’t have, as long as he meets the prerequisites, or he can spend a swift action to gain any one combat feat. He keeps the feat for 1 minute. If he uses the ability again before that time, he loses all the feats from the previous use. If the feat has a daily limit and he picks it more than once, it doesn’t reset the limit. Good choices include Greater Trip and Power Attack.
Martial Training (Ex) Zurnzal counts his brawler levels as both fighter levels and monk levels for the purpose of qualifying for combat feats.
Quick Runner’s Shirt Once per day as a swift action, Zurnzal can activate this shirt to take an additional move action to move and then immediately end his turn, losing any unspent actions.
Sandals of the Lightest Step In any round in which Zurnzal has moved at least 10 feet, he can activate these sandals as a swift action to walk on air (as air walk) until the end of the round. He can use the sandals five times per day, but no more than once every 5 minutes.
Although some half-orcs born in Lastwall find acceptance, many green-skinned children raised in that border nation wither under the accusing gazes of warrior families that have lost loved ones to the orc hordes. Zurnzal grew up burdened by his neighbors’ assumptions, who often assumed he might yet become a feral beast, despite his gentle heart and service to the community. Even after leaving Lastwall, he has always strived to measure up to his old neighbors’ impossible standards. However, over the years his noble goal has twisted into barely controlled anger.

He first drew the Aspis Consortium’s attention while working the dangerous Umbral Basis caravan circuit between Molthune and Nidal, where he distinguished himself as a powerful combatant. The consortium seemed like an idea way to get ahead
in life and away from Lastwall, but the half-orc quickly realized that he was as typecast there as anywhere. Most bronze agents simply saw him as another orc-blooded brute to be unleashed at the enemy like an attack dog. Only Madreki Gael—an agent who later joined a faction called the Korholm Agenda—saw the half-orc as anything more than hired muscle, and he began grooming Zurnzal for full Aspis membership.

The half-orc distinguished himself during a raid on the Pathfinders’ Grand Lodge, earned his bronze badge, and traveled to Nirmathas to help his patron further. However, the Society was quick to follow and disrupt Madreki’s schemes. Furthermore, the Aspis Consortium deemed the Korholm Agenda traitors, including Zurnzal. Rather than hope for leniency, Zurnzal found it more profitable to betray Madreki Gael and traded intelligence of his patron in exchange for an official pardon. While the half-orc’s career still suffered a setback, he trusts that by accepting a dangerous mission he can regain the Consortium’s full trust.

The gist my missive is to lay waste to this place. I take it I will soon learn how this is possible?