paizo.com Recent Blog Posts in Kyrapaizo.com Recent Blog Posts in Kyra2020-06-24T17:43:45Z2020-06-24T17:43:45ZIconic Encounter: Of Wasps and Whispershttps://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo6sh9v?Iconic-Encounter-Of-Wasps-and-Whispers2020-06-24T17:30:00Z<article>
<h1 itemprop="headline">Iconic Encounter: Of Wasps and Whispers</h1>
<p class="date" style="margin-bottom:1rem !important;">Wednesday, June 24, 2020</p>
<div itemprop="articleBody">
<div class="blurbCenter" style="display: none;"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/Blog/062320_HeartbondPreview.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/Blog/062320_HeartbondPreview_500.jpeg"></a></div>
<blockquote>
<p itemprop="description">Merisiel took a deep breath, held it, then let it out slowly as she tried to relax, her arms balanced, palms up, along the chair’s slender armrests. It wasn’t working. Her belly remained tight and crawling with gutwasps—the nervous feeling in the pit of your stomach that the church of Calistria called “the tingle you get ‘fore the trick is all set.” But this was no complex prank or long-planned vengeance that had the wasps doing their thing. It was something, Merisiel forced herself to remember, that she’d brought entirely upon herself.</p>
<p>Not that bringing nerve-wracking situations on herself was anything new either. </p>
<p>There was the time she’d crawled head-first into that narrow crevice at the base of that giant anvil-altar after Harsk had mentioned how worshipers of Droskar supposedly stashed treasures under the immense shrines. </p>
<p>Or the time that Valeros had challenged her to a drinking contest on that long trip to Absalom. And who could forget Lem’s face when she took him on with that dare to climb to the top of a Hellknight castle’s tower to swap out its flag for a set of ogre undergarments? </p>
<p>And of course, there was that stunt she’d pulled when she’d first met that cute cleric up in Sandpoint; when Merisiel had thrown herself into the thick of a fight against a pack of ghouls in order to show off that there was more than one way to destroy undead uprisings.</p>
<p>Thinking back on those antics did the trick, and Merisiel sighed in relief as the gutwasps settled down. After all, the cache of magic potions, scrolls, and talismans she’d recovered from the under-anvil stash ended up saving the day not long thereafter when those smoke-bearded undead guardians had risen up against them, hadn’t they? (Never mind the fact that it was the pilfering of the temple treasury that likely got their attention in the first place.)</p>
<p>And good, old Valeros sill thought she’d won the drinking contest fair and square and bragged about her fortitude to anyone who’d listen. (As far as Merisiel was concerned, some quick sleight of hand on the drinks was only playing to her strength anyway—it was only cheating if you got caught!)</p>
<p>And those insufferable Hellknights had the heraldry redecoration coming. (More to the point, everyone she told the story to agreed that ogre garments looked better on a Hellknight flagpole than any dull, old flag!)</p>
<p>And as for that ghoul-slaying gambit, the fact that Merisiel knew those filthy, old ghouls wouldn’t be able to paralyze her didn’t make the stunt any less risky. She’d managed to avoid any serious bites, but after finishing off the last of them with a dagger to the dome, she’d emerged completely covered with claw marks and a bit dizzy from blood loss. Of course, the dizzy only got worse when the cute cleric swooped in to catch her as she stumbled and began to heal up her wounds. Merisiel had been tempted to kiss her there and then, but those pesky gutwasps had gotten in the way. Still, she must have made an impression on Kyra, since that first kiss came not so long after. Better than the dragon’s whole treasure horde, that moment!</p>
<div class="blurbCenter"><a href="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/062320_Heartbond.jpg"><img style="max-width:100%" src="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/062320_Heartbond.jpg" alt="" /></a><p style="font-size: 13px;">Illustration by Valeriya Lutfullina. The heartbond ritual and a dozen more can be found in the <a href=“https://paizo.com/products/btq023ih?Pathfinder-Advanced-Players-Guide”>Pathfinder Advanced Player’s Guide</a>, available July 30, 2020.</p></div>
<p>And just like that, all the work she’d done to banish her jitters went out the window. Just thinking of Kyra had brought back the gutwasps. Merisiel couldn’t help but wonder, was the woman she loved experiencing the same jitters herself, one room over? She couldn’t imagine it. Kyra was always so calming, so stable, so confident. And for that matter, the church of Sarenrae probably didn’t call it gutwasps anyway. Maybe… sun-gut? Angel ache? Dawnflower jitters? The healy heaves? The last notion brought a giggle to the elf’s lips, and the nervousness in that titter startled her. She reached down to give her weal ribbon a rub, but of course that didn’t help; she’d given the yellow and black Calistrian ribbon over to the high priestess for use in the ritual.</p>
<p>Merisiel was out of the chair then, pacing the length of the room as she ran over her part in the ritual in her head. Here, surrounded on all sides by Sarenite art and iconography, she couldn’t help but feel inadequate. What place did an elf with no family, a thief and a smuggler, a part-time worshiper of the goddess of trickery, vengeance, and pleasure, have in a place as beautiful as this? What place did she have at the side of one of the most kind-hearted and understanding people she’d ever met? Merisiel pushed those doubts aside, reminding herself that, while she’d spent most of that night a week ago building up her courage to suggest she and Kyra take part in a heartbond, Kyra had surprised her by making the suggestion herself. This whole plan wasn’t technically Merisiel’s own, despite the months she’d taken researching the ritual and preparing for it. Kyra had been the first to suggest it, after all.</p>
<p>Merisiel’s nervous thoughts kept returning to the what-ifs of the pending rite. She and Kyra, as the focus of the magic, would only be secondary performers in the ritual, but that didn’t mean that their part in activating the magic wouldn’t be important. She knew that Kyra would be performing her part of the ritual using her knack at knowing the right thing to say, but Merisiel had to rely upon her skill at knowing the ins and outs of society as a whole. As with any ritual, there was a potential for backlash, but the descriptions of the jitters and shakes and dulling of wits that struck those who failed to perform a heartbond properly didn’t seem all that much worse than the gutwasps she was already dealing with.</p>
<p>And of course, if all went according to plan, they’d have more than a cherished memory of the declaration of their love for each other—they would be connected on a level even deeper than before, able to sense each other’s proximity, to share their thoughts and hopes, and would never feel alone. Merisiel had assumed Kyra would want to seal the ritual with traditional matched rings. In preparation, she had actually purchased jewelry for the first time she could remember (plundered or stolen rings just seemed wrong in this case), only for Kyra to suggest using Calistrian weal ribbons to symbolize the bond. Kyra must have taken Merisiel’s shock for something other than speechless love, since she’d hastened to add, “Since you’ve pushed to have the ritual performed by my church, it just made sense for there to be an element of yours involved.” Or at least, that’s how Merisiel assumed the sentence would have ended if she hadn’t stopped it with an impulsive kiss.</p>
<p>A knock on the door brought her pacing feet and her racing thoughts to a standstill. “The high priestess is ready for you,” came the acolyte’s voice.</p>
<p>“Okay!” Merisiel answered, blushing as she heard that nervous tremble in her own voice. She took a breath and stepped toward the door. She could already hear the music swelling, could even hear Seoni chiding Valeros to “Quiet down—here they come” from the far side of the door. The gutwasps were back and worse than ever, and as Merisiel opened the door, she marveled at how her hand, normally so steady, so precise, was shaking.</p>
<p>And then, as she stood at the edge of the room, only vaguely aware of her friends gathered (mostly) silently along the walls, she saw Kyra framed in the opposite doorway. And a moment later, as Kyra’s lips moved, Merisiel heard her beloved’s voice whisper in her ear. If the ritual was truly successful, they’d both be able to speak to each other with their thoughts, but for the moment, Merisiel knew that Kyra had cast the cantrip herself.</p>
<p>“Here we go, Meri! You look amazing! Hope I don’t mess this up—I’ve got a raging case of gutwasps!”</p>
<p>With those words, Kyra effortlessly soothed Merisiel’s nerves, and with her whispered reply, words meant for Kyra alone, they strode into the room together.</p>
</blockquote>
<p style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 14px">About the Author</p>
<p>James Jacobs is the Creative Director for Pathfinder. He's been helping to shape and create the world of Golarion and the Pathfinder RPG from the very start, with his adventure, "Burnt Offerings," introducing gamers around the world to the joys of goblin songs, the lurking menace of the runelords, and the dangers of drinking hagfish water. James maintains an ongoing <a href="https://paizo.com/threads/rzs2l7ns?Ask-James-Jacobs-ALL-your-Questions-Here#1">AMA thread</a> on the paizo.com forums which currently contains more than 75,000 posts.</p>
<p style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 14px">About Iconic Encounters</p>
<p>Iconic Encounters is a series of web-based flash fiction set in the worlds of Pathfinder and Starfinder. Each short story provides a glimpse into the life and personality of one of the games’ iconic characters, showing the myriad stories of adventure and excitement players can tell with the Pathfinder and Starfinder roleplaying games.</p>
</div>
<!— tags: Web Fiction, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Pathfinder, Pathfinder Second Edition, Iconic Encounters, Iconics, Pathfinder Iconics, Merisiel, Kyra, —>
</article>
<p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconicEncounters">Iconic Encounters</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics">Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/merisiel">Merisiel</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinder">Pathfinder</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderRoleplayingGame">Pathfinder Roleplaying Game</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderSecondEdition">Pathfinder Second Edition</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderTales/webFiction">Web Fiction</a></p><article>
<h1 itemprop="headline">Iconic Encounter: Of Wasps and Whispers</h1>
<p class="date" style="margin-bottom:1rem !important;">Wednesday, June 24, 2020</p>
<div itemprop="articleBody">
<div class="blurbCenter" style="display: none;"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/Blog/062320_HeartbondPreview.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/Blog/062320_HeartbondPreview_500.jpeg"></a></div>
<blockquote>
<p itemprop="description">Merisiel took a deep breath, held it, then let it out slowly as she tried to relax, her arms balanced, palms up, along the chair’s slender armrests. It wasn’t working. Her belly remained tight and crawling with gutwasps—the nervous feeling in the pit of your stomach that the church of Calistria called “the tingle you get ‘fore the trick is all set.” But this was no complex prank or long-planned vengeance that had the wasps doing their thing. It was something, Merisiel forced herself to remember, that she’d brought entirely upon herself.</p>
<p>Not that bringing nerve-wracking situations on herself was anything new either. </p>
<p>There was the time she’d crawled head-first into that narrow crevice at the base of that giant anvil-altar after Harsk had mentioned how worshipers of Droskar supposedly stashed treasures under the immense shrines. </p>
<p>Or the time that Valeros had challenged her to a drinking contest on that long trip to Absalom. And who could forget Lem’s face when she took him on with that dare to climb to the top of a Hellknight castle’s tower to swap out its flag for a set of ogre undergarments? </p>
<p>And of course, there was that stunt she’d pulled when she’d first met that cute cleric up in Sandpoint; when Merisiel had thrown herself into the thick of a fight against a pack of ghouls in order to show off that there was more than one way to destroy undead uprisings.</p>
<p>Thinking back on those antics did the trick, and Merisiel sighed in relief as the gutwasps settled down. After all, the cache of magic potions, scrolls, and talismans she’d recovered from the under-anvil stash ended up saving the day not long thereafter when those smoke-bearded undead guardians had risen up against them, hadn’t they? (Never mind the fact that it was the pilfering of the temple treasury that likely got their attention in the first place.)</p>
<p>And good, old Valeros sill thought she’d won the drinking contest fair and square and bragged about her fortitude to anyone who’d listen. (As far as Merisiel was concerned, some quick sleight of hand on the drinks was only playing to her strength anyway—it was only cheating if you got caught!)</p>
<p>And those insufferable Hellknights had the heraldry redecoration coming. (More to the point, everyone she told the story to agreed that ogre garments looked better on a Hellknight flagpole than any dull, old flag!)</p>
<p>And as for that ghoul-slaying gambit, the fact that Merisiel knew those filthy, old ghouls wouldn’t be able to paralyze her didn’t make the stunt any less risky. She’d managed to avoid any serious bites, but after finishing off the last of them with a dagger to the dome, she’d emerged completely covered with claw marks and a bit dizzy from blood loss. Of course, the dizzy only got worse when the cute cleric swooped in to catch her as she stumbled and began to heal up her wounds. Merisiel had been tempted to kiss her there and then, but those pesky gutwasps had gotten in the way. Still, she must have made an impression on Kyra, since that first kiss came not so long after. Better than the dragon’s whole treasure horde, that moment!</p>
<div class="blurbCenter"><a href="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/062320_Heartbond.jpg"><img style="max-width:100%" src="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/062320_Heartbond.jpg" alt="" /></a><p style="font-size: 13px;">Illustration by Valeriya Lutfullina. The heartbond ritual and a dozen more can be found in the <a href=“https://paizo.com/products/btq023ih?Pathfinder-Advanced-Players-Guide”>Pathfinder Advanced Player’s Guide</a>, available July 30, 2020.</p></div>
<p>And just like that, all the work she’d done to banish her jitters went out the window. Just thinking of Kyra had brought back the gutwasps. Merisiel couldn’t help but wonder, was the woman she loved experiencing the same jitters herself, one room over? She couldn’t imagine it. Kyra was always so calming, so stable, so confident. And for that matter, the church of Sarenrae probably didn’t call it gutwasps anyway. Maybe… sun-gut? Angel ache? Dawnflower jitters? The healy heaves? The last notion brought a giggle to the elf’s lips, and the nervousness in that titter startled her. She reached down to give her weal ribbon a rub, but of course that didn’t help; she’d given the yellow and black Calistrian ribbon over to the high priestess for use in the ritual.</p>
<p>Merisiel was out of the chair then, pacing the length of the room as she ran over her part in the ritual in her head. Here, surrounded on all sides by Sarenite art and iconography, she couldn’t help but feel inadequate. What place did an elf with no family, a thief and a smuggler, a part-time worshiper of the goddess of trickery, vengeance, and pleasure, have in a place as beautiful as this? What place did she have at the side of one of the most kind-hearted and understanding people she’d ever met? Merisiel pushed those doubts aside, reminding herself that, while she’d spent most of that night a week ago building up her courage to suggest she and Kyra take part in a heartbond, Kyra had surprised her by making the suggestion herself. This whole plan wasn’t technically Merisiel’s own, despite the months she’d taken researching the ritual and preparing for it. Kyra had been the first to suggest it, after all.</p>
<p>Merisiel’s nervous thoughts kept returning to the what-ifs of the pending rite. She and Kyra, as the focus of the magic, would only be secondary performers in the ritual, but that didn’t mean that their part in activating the magic wouldn’t be important. She knew that Kyra would be performing her part of the ritual using her knack at knowing the right thing to say, but Merisiel had to rely upon her skill at knowing the ins and outs of society as a whole. As with any ritual, there was a potential for backlash, but the descriptions of the jitters and shakes and dulling of wits that struck those who failed to perform a heartbond properly didn’t seem all that much worse than the gutwasps she was already dealing with.</p>
<p>And of course, if all went according to plan, they’d have more than a cherished memory of the declaration of their love for each other—they would be connected on a level even deeper than before, able to sense each other’s proximity, to share their thoughts and hopes, and would never feel alone. Merisiel had assumed Kyra would want to seal the ritual with traditional matched rings. In preparation, she had actually purchased jewelry for the first time she could remember (plundered or stolen rings just seemed wrong in this case), only for Kyra to suggest using Calistrian weal ribbons to symbolize the bond. Kyra must have taken Merisiel’s shock for something other than speechless love, since she’d hastened to add, “Since you’ve pushed to have the ritual performed by my church, it just made sense for there to be an element of yours involved.” Or at least, that’s how Merisiel assumed the sentence would have ended if she hadn’t stopped it with an impulsive kiss.</p>
<p>A knock on the door brought her pacing feet and her racing thoughts to a standstill. “The high priestess is ready for you,” came the acolyte’s voice.</p>
<p>“Okay!” Merisiel answered, blushing as she heard that nervous tremble in her own voice. She took a breath and stepped toward the door. She could already hear the music swelling, could even hear Seoni chiding Valeros to “Quiet down—here they come” from the far side of the door. The gutwasps were back and worse than ever, and as Merisiel opened the door, she marveled at how her hand, normally so steady, so precise, was shaking.</p>
<p>And then, as she stood at the edge of the room, only vaguely aware of her friends gathered (mostly) silently along the walls, she saw Kyra framed in the opposite doorway. And a moment later, as Kyra’s lips moved, Merisiel heard her beloved’s voice whisper in her ear. If the ritual was truly successful, they’d both be able to speak to each other with their thoughts, but for the moment, Merisiel knew that Kyra had cast the cantrip herself.</p>
<p>“Here we go, Meri! You look amazing! Hope I don’t mess this up—I’ve got a raging case of gutwasps!”</p>
<p>With those words, Kyra effortlessly soothed Merisiel’s nerves, and with her whispered reply, words meant for Kyra alone, they strode into the room together.</p>
</blockquote>
<p style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 14px">About the Author</p>
<p>James Jacobs is the Creative Director for Pathfinder. He's been helping to shape and create the world of Golarion and the Pathfinder RPG from the very start, with his adventure, "Burnt Offerings," introducing gamers around the world to the joys of goblin songs, the lurking menace of the runelords, and the dangers of drinking hagfish water. James maintains an ongoing <a href="https://paizo.com/threads/rzs2l7ns?Ask-James-Jacobs-ALL-your-Questions-Here#1">AMA thread</a> on the paizo.com forums which currently contains more than 75,000 posts.</p>
<p style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 14px">About Iconic Encounters</p>
<p>Iconic Encounters is a series of web-based flash fiction set in the worlds of Pathfinder and Starfinder. Each short story provides a glimpse into the life and personality of one of the games’ iconic characters, showing the myriad stories of adventure and excitement players can tell with the Pathfinder and Starfinder roleplaying games.</p>
</div>
<!— tags: Web Fiction, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Pathfinder, Pathfinder Second Edition, Iconic Encounters, Iconics, Pathfinder Iconics, Merisiel, Kyra, —>
</article>
<p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconicEncounters">Iconic Encounters</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics">Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/merisiel">Merisiel</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinder">Pathfinder</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderRoleplayingGame">Pathfinder Roleplaying Game</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderSecondEdition">Pathfinder Second Edition</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderTales/webFiction">Web Fiction</a></p>2020-06-24T17:30:00ZCore Design: Kyrahttps://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo6sh7l?Core-Design-Kyra2020-05-01T18:29:00Z<article>
<h1 itemprop="headline">Core Design: Kyra</h1>
<p class="date" style="margin-bottom:1rem !important;">Friday, May 1, 2020</p>
<div itemprop="articleBody">
<div class="blurbCenter" style="display:none;"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20190326-Preview.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20190326-Preview_500.jpeg"></a></div>
<blockquote>
<div class="blurbCenter"><a href="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20190326-Kyra.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="max-width:40%" src="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20190326-Kyra.jpg" alt=""></a><p style="font-size: 13px;"></p></div>
<p itemprop="description">We’ve been talking about the design of the <a href=https://store.paizo.com/pacg><i>Pathfinder Adventure Card Game Core Set</i></a> characters, including <a href=https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo6sh2m?Core-Design-Amiri>Amiri</a>,
<a href=https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo6sgy0?Core-Design-Lini>Lini</a>,
<a href=https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo6sgw0?Core-Design-Sajan>Sajan</a>,
<a href=https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo6sh11?Core-Design-Seoni>Seoni</a>, <a href=https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo6sh4m?Core-Design-Valeros>Valeros</a>, and <a href=https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo6sh5s?Core-Design-Lem>Lem</a>. Today, we’re going to talk about a character that is Melee-capable, good with armors, a top-tier Divine spellcaster, a strong healer, and especially good versus undead. We’re talking about <a href=https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo5la5u?Meet-the-Iconics-Kyra>Kyra</a>, cleric of Sarenrae.
</p>
<div class="blurbCenter"><a href="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/042720_RoRKyraFront.png" target="_blank"><img style="max-width:40%" src="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/042720_RoRKyraFront.png" alt=""></a>
<a href="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_RoRKyraBack.png" target="_blank"><img style="max-width:40%" src="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_RoRKyraBack.png" alt=""></a><p style="font-size: 13px;">The original, excellent, and slightly too wordy PACG cleric.</p></div>
<p>Because it was our first Adventure Path, <em>Rise of the Runelords</em> was establishing baselines both for iconic characters and also for character classes. Anyone who’s played the Pathfinder RPG for a while knows that the cleric is a very versatile class; to translate to the PACG, that meant giving Kyra both a d12 Wisdom and a good Divine bonus, making her a very competent spellcaster. To distinguish her from other primary spellcasters like Ezren, her cards list is more varied. In practice, Kyra’s d12+2 can cast and recharge spells as effectively as Ezren, but with 3 to 5 spells in her deck, she’s going to use a variety of methods to solve problems, including skills, powers, and cards of all types.</p>
<p>We also give her the original built-in healing power (thankfully, we were eventually able to clarify the wording). In this case Kyra can spend her explorations to heal someone (including herself) at her location. This became the fundamental cleric-healing power, later used by several characters. While keeping healing “local” seems obvious to people familiar with Pathfinder, in PACG it adds a subtle, important effect: when people get low on “health” (cards in their deck), on their turns, they come to Kyra for help. In practice, this often means negotiating where they want to take their turns so that they can be in the right place—i.e. Kyra’s—on her turn. Since Kyra has a large number of blessings in her deck, she can choose when to use them to help herself, to help others, and also when they can allow her to both heal vulnerable party members and still make progress exploring the scenario. As players gain mastery with the game, they learn that it’s important to figure out when to ask for help, and also how to not waste Kyra’s entire turn keeping them alive—classic shorter-term to longer-term systems mastery.</p>
<p>Kyra is also especially good against Undead, as you might expect from a devotee of the sun god. Her second power makes her better at defeating Undead (with weapon, spell, or raw skill), and also helps her avoid nasty effects from before- and after-acting powers. Adding the Magic trait is important for dealing with Incorporeal Undead. Early in her adventuring career, this can be especially helpful when big weapons fail to get rid of pernicious undead such as Ghosts and Shadows. When she gets a role card, Kyra could choose to focus on various aspects of Sarenrae as either a Healer, focusing on keeping everyone (including herself) going, or an Exorcist, leaning more into the smashy-smitey side of things.</p>
<p>During <em>Skull & Shackles</em>, we rested Kyra (be honest, if you had to choose a character to “go piratical” for a bit, would you pick Kyra over <a href=https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo5lg6s?Meet-the-Iconics-Oloch>Oloch</a> or <a href=https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo5lcs8?Meet-the-Iconics-Feiya>Feiya</a>? Neither did we.) The next version of Kyra was in the <a href=https://paizo.com/products/btpy97ia><em>Cleric Class Deck</em></a>, where she strikes a strong balance between martial and magical. As such, her skills and powers are quite different.</p>
<div class="blurbCenter"><a href="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_ClericKyraFront.png" target="_blank"><img style="max-width:40%" src="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_ClericKyraFront.png" alt=""></a>
<a href="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_ClericKyraBack.png" target="_blank"><img style="max-width:40%" src="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_ClericKyraBack.png" alt=""></a><p style="font-size: 13px;">Same great cards list, brand new sword flex.</p></div>
<p>Class Deck Kyra is notably better with weapons, especially Swords, while she’s still able to marshal some potent divine impact. If you wanted to bring her into Skull & Shackles, she’s also pretty capable with navigation and swimming via her Survival skill. Her healing power takes a small hit in flexibility, but clever players can usually work around it. When she gains a role card, she can choose between Fireflower and Wastelander. The former focuses on the more aggressive aspects of the Church of the Dawnflower, while the latter helps Kyra and her companions get around in the world.</p>
<p>When it came time to put together a group of characters for <a href=https://paizo.com/products/btpy9a46><em>Wrath of the Righteous</em></a>, we (okay, I) wanted Kyra to be involved in the adventure into the Worldwound for two big reasons: one, I thought it was an excellent fit for the character; and two, I wanted to try a new approach to healing. For facing off against lots of demons, we built a Kyra who is expert at dealing with Undead and Demons, and a master at wielding the Healing Flame. She’s still capable of wading into melee with sword and armor, but she has a larger selection of spells than previous versions. </p>
<div class="blurbCenter"><a href="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_WRKyraFront.png" target="_blank"><img style="max-width:40%" src="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_WRKyraFront.png" alt=""></a>
<a href="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_WRKyraBack.png" target="_blank"><img style="max-width:40%" src="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_WRKyraBack.png" alt=""></a><p style="font-size: 13px;">Bringing the Everlight into the demonic darkness.</p></div>
<p>In this incarnation, rather than spending her explorations healing people, Kyra instead adds a small bit of healing to her divine channeling. This changes up the play dynamics of groups facing a significant challenge, which is something that Wrath of the Righteous <a href=https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo5lhm4?How-Hard-Should-it-Be-Adventure-Card-Game>definitely can bring to the table</a>. People who were big fans of Kyra gave me a pretty wide array of reactions at first, but as they gained more experience with her, they usually found her to be effective and fun. When she gains a role card, you can choose between Dawnflower’s Flare, which focuses on the offensive power of divine fire, and Everlight’s Grace, which focuses on the healing and protective elements of Sarenrae’s church.<p>
<p>For the <a href=https://paizo.com/products/btq01ws7><em>PACG Core Set</em></a>, we wanted to return to the “core” expression of the cleric. We adjusted to some of the changes from the Second Edition of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, but also brought the things we’d learned from publishing roughly a dozen different clerics for PACG (and at least twice that many “healer type” characters). We struck a middle ground between her strongest and weakest melee prowess, alongside a very strong divine spellcasting ability and a strong personality. Her built-in healing power still requires that you be in the same place, for a small healing effect that doesn’t consume your ability to progress through the scenario. If your situation requires bigger healing effects, you can invest in boons that provide them. </p>
<div class="blurbCenter"><a href="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_CoreKyraFront.png" target="_blank"><img style="max-width:40%" src="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_CoreKyraFront.png" alt=""></a>
<a href="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_CoreKyraBack.png" target="_blank"><img style="max-width:40%" src="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_CoreKyraBack.png" alt=""></a><p style="font-size: 13px;">These two images need to be remade, as the set icon in the placed images above is messed up.</p></div>
<p>She retains a version of her offensive channeling power against Outsiders and Undead, but this version can be used to help herself and others, again reflecting a change in approach from Pathfinder. The other skills that seemed especially appropriate were moved to a power feat, making them a player choice. Her deck list is adjusted slightly, but still represents a fairly even spread across all card types—Kyra has weapons and armor, spells and blessings, and items and allies. (And introducing the terms “heal” and “local” let us slash the word count of her second power.)</p>
<div class="blurbCenter"><a href="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_DawnSeeker.png" target="_blank"><img style="max-width:40%" src="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_DawnSeeker.png" alt=""></a>
<a href="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_Smiter.png" target="_blank"><img style="max-width:40%" src="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_Smiter.png" alt=""></a><p style="font-size: 13px;">Friendly friend, or fighter of foes.</p></div>
<p>When she gains a role card (level 3 in the Core Set), she can choose between Dawnseeker and Smiter, effectively gaining a greater specialization in either the helpful or aggressive aspects of her faith. As a Dawnseeker, Kyra helps everyone local (including herself) with desirable boons, and is effective against more kinds of harm. Kyra the Smiter instead is helpful and effective against a larger variety of foes, including using Core’s new avenge mechanic and helping make sure that Kyra is nearly always ready for battle.</p>
<p>That’s it for Kyra today. This post is longer and more detailed than some of the others I’ve done lately. I’m curious if people are interested in the extra depth, if there are other topics they’d like to see (either in addition or instead), and if, like me, you all correctly believe that clerics are the best. :-)</p>
<p>Thanks,</p>
<p style="margin-left: 20px; font-weight: bold;">Chad Brown<br />
<em>Adventure Card Game Lead Developer</em></p>
</blockquote>
</div>
<!— tags: Pathfinder Adventure Card Game, Iconics, Kyra, —>
</article>
<p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics">Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderAdventureCardGame">Pathfinder Adventure Card Game</a></p><article>
<h1 itemprop="headline">Core Design: Kyra</h1>
<p class="date" style="margin-bottom:1rem !important;">Friday, May 1, 2020</p>
<div itemprop="articleBody">
<div class="blurbCenter" style="display:none;"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20190326-Preview.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20190326-Preview_500.jpeg"></a></div>
<blockquote>
<div class="blurbCenter"><a href="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20190326-Kyra.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="max-width:40%" src="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20190326-Kyra.jpg" alt=""></a><p style="font-size: 13px;"></p></div>
<p itemprop="description">We’ve been talking about the design of the <a href=https://store.paizo.com/pacg><i>Pathfinder Adventure Card Game Core Set</i></a> characters, including <a href=https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo6sh2m?Core-Design-Amiri>Amiri</a>,
<a href=https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo6sgy0?Core-Design-Lini>Lini</a>,
<a href=https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo6sgw0?Core-Design-Sajan>Sajan</a>,
<a href=https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo6sh11?Core-Design-Seoni>Seoni</a>, <a href=https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo6sh4m?Core-Design-Valeros>Valeros</a>, and <a href=https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo6sh5s?Core-Design-Lem>Lem</a>. Today, we’re going to talk about a character that is Melee-capable, good with armors, a top-tier Divine spellcaster, a strong healer, and especially good versus undead. We’re talking about <a href=https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo5la5u?Meet-the-Iconics-Kyra>Kyra</a>, cleric of Sarenrae.
</p>
<div class="blurbCenter"><a href="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/042720_RoRKyraFront.png" target="_blank"><img style="max-width:40%" src="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/042720_RoRKyraFront.png" alt=""></a>
<a href="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_RoRKyraBack.png" target="_blank"><img style="max-width:40%" src="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_RoRKyraBack.png" alt=""></a><p style="font-size: 13px;">The original, excellent, and slightly too wordy PACG cleric.</p></div>
<p>Because it was our first Adventure Path, <em>Rise of the Runelords</em> was establishing baselines both for iconic characters and also for character classes. Anyone who’s played the Pathfinder RPG for a while knows that the cleric is a very versatile class; to translate to the PACG, that meant giving Kyra both a d12 Wisdom and a good Divine bonus, making her a very competent spellcaster. To distinguish her from other primary spellcasters like Ezren, her cards list is more varied. In practice, Kyra’s d12+2 can cast and recharge spells as effectively as Ezren, but with 3 to 5 spells in her deck, she’s going to use a variety of methods to solve problems, including skills, powers, and cards of all types.</p>
<p>We also give her the original built-in healing power (thankfully, we were eventually able to clarify the wording). In this case Kyra can spend her explorations to heal someone (including herself) at her location. This became the fundamental cleric-healing power, later used by several characters. While keeping healing “local” seems obvious to people familiar with Pathfinder, in PACG it adds a subtle, important effect: when people get low on “health” (cards in their deck), on their turns, they come to Kyra for help. In practice, this often means negotiating where they want to take their turns so that they can be in the right place—i.e. Kyra’s—on her turn. Since Kyra has a large number of blessings in her deck, she can choose when to use them to help herself, to help others, and also when they can allow her to both heal vulnerable party members and still make progress exploring the scenario. As players gain mastery with the game, they learn that it’s important to figure out when to ask for help, and also how to not waste Kyra’s entire turn keeping them alive—classic shorter-term to longer-term systems mastery.</p>
<p>Kyra is also especially good against Undead, as you might expect from a devotee of the sun god. Her second power makes her better at defeating Undead (with weapon, spell, or raw skill), and also helps her avoid nasty effects from before- and after-acting powers. Adding the Magic trait is important for dealing with Incorporeal Undead. Early in her adventuring career, this can be especially helpful when big weapons fail to get rid of pernicious undead such as Ghosts and Shadows. When she gets a role card, Kyra could choose to focus on various aspects of Sarenrae as either a Healer, focusing on keeping everyone (including herself) going, or an Exorcist, leaning more into the smashy-smitey side of things.</p>
<p>During <em>Skull & Shackles</em>, we rested Kyra (be honest, if you had to choose a character to “go piratical” for a bit, would you pick Kyra over <a href=https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo5lg6s?Meet-the-Iconics-Oloch>Oloch</a> or <a href=https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo5lcs8?Meet-the-Iconics-Feiya>Feiya</a>? Neither did we.) The next version of Kyra was in the <a href=https://paizo.com/products/btpy97ia><em>Cleric Class Deck</em></a>, where she strikes a strong balance between martial and magical. As such, her skills and powers are quite different.</p>
<div class="blurbCenter"><a href="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_ClericKyraFront.png" target="_blank"><img style="max-width:40%" src="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_ClericKyraFront.png" alt=""></a>
<a href="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_ClericKyraBack.png" target="_blank"><img style="max-width:40%" src="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_ClericKyraBack.png" alt=""></a><p style="font-size: 13px;">Same great cards list, brand new sword flex.</p></div>
<p>Class Deck Kyra is notably better with weapons, especially Swords, while she’s still able to marshal some potent divine impact. If you wanted to bring her into Skull & Shackles, she’s also pretty capable with navigation and swimming via her Survival skill. Her healing power takes a small hit in flexibility, but clever players can usually work around it. When she gains a role card, she can choose between Fireflower and Wastelander. The former focuses on the more aggressive aspects of the Church of the Dawnflower, while the latter helps Kyra and her companions get around in the world.</p>
<p>When it came time to put together a group of characters for <a href=https://paizo.com/products/btpy9a46><em>Wrath of the Righteous</em></a>, we (okay, I) wanted Kyra to be involved in the adventure into the Worldwound for two big reasons: one, I thought it was an excellent fit for the character; and two, I wanted to try a new approach to healing. For facing off against lots of demons, we built a Kyra who is expert at dealing with Undead and Demons, and a master at wielding the Healing Flame. She’s still capable of wading into melee with sword and armor, but she has a larger selection of spells than previous versions. </p>
<div class="blurbCenter"><a href="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_WRKyraFront.png" target="_blank"><img style="max-width:40%" src="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_WRKyraFront.png" alt=""></a>
<a href="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_WRKyraBack.png" target="_blank"><img style="max-width:40%" src="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_WRKyraBack.png" alt=""></a><p style="font-size: 13px;">Bringing the Everlight into the demonic darkness.</p></div>
<p>In this incarnation, rather than spending her explorations healing people, Kyra instead adds a small bit of healing to her divine channeling. This changes up the play dynamics of groups facing a significant challenge, which is something that Wrath of the Righteous <a href=https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo5lhm4?How-Hard-Should-it-Be-Adventure-Card-Game>definitely can bring to the table</a>. People who were big fans of Kyra gave me a pretty wide array of reactions at first, but as they gained more experience with her, they usually found her to be effective and fun. When she gains a role card, you can choose between Dawnflower’s Flare, which focuses on the offensive power of divine fire, and Everlight’s Grace, which focuses on the healing and protective elements of Sarenrae’s church.<p>
<p>For the <a href=https://paizo.com/products/btq01ws7><em>PACG Core Set</em></a>, we wanted to return to the “core” expression of the cleric. We adjusted to some of the changes from the Second Edition of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, but also brought the things we’d learned from publishing roughly a dozen different clerics for PACG (and at least twice that many “healer type” characters). We struck a middle ground between her strongest and weakest melee prowess, alongside a very strong divine spellcasting ability and a strong personality. Her built-in healing power still requires that you be in the same place, for a small healing effect that doesn’t consume your ability to progress through the scenario. If your situation requires bigger healing effects, you can invest in boons that provide them. </p>
<div class="blurbCenter"><a href="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_CoreKyraFront.png" target="_blank"><img style="max-width:40%" src="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_CoreKyraFront.png" alt=""></a>
<a href="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_CoreKyraBack.png" target="_blank"><img style="max-width:40%" src="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_CoreKyraBack.png" alt=""></a><p style="font-size: 13px;">These two images need to be remade, as the set icon in the placed images above is messed up.</p></div>
<p>She retains a version of her offensive channeling power against Outsiders and Undead, but this version can be used to help herself and others, again reflecting a change in approach from Pathfinder. The other skills that seemed especially appropriate were moved to a power feat, making them a player choice. Her deck list is adjusted slightly, but still represents a fairly even spread across all card types—Kyra has weapons and armor, spells and blessings, and items and allies. (And introducing the terms “heal” and “local” let us slash the word count of her second power.)</p>
<div class="blurbCenter"><a href="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_DawnSeeker.png" target="_blank"><img style="max-width:40%" src="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_DawnSeeker.png" alt=""></a>
<a href="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_Smiter.png" target="_blank"><img style="max-width:40%" src="https://cdn.paizo.com/image/content/Blog/043020_Smiter.png" alt=""></a><p style="font-size: 13px;">Friendly friend, or fighter of foes.</p></div>
<p>When she gains a role card (level 3 in the Core Set), she can choose between Dawnseeker and Smiter, effectively gaining a greater specialization in either the helpful or aggressive aspects of her faith. As a Dawnseeker, Kyra helps everyone local (including herself) with desirable boons, and is effective against more kinds of harm. Kyra the Smiter instead is helpful and effective against a larger variety of foes, including using Core’s new avenge mechanic and helping make sure that Kyra is nearly always ready for battle.</p>
<p>That’s it for Kyra today. This post is longer and more detailed than some of the others I’ve done lately. I’m curious if people are interested in the extra depth, if there are other topics they’d like to see (either in addition or instead), and if, like me, you all correctly believe that clerics are the best. :-)</p>
<p>Thanks,</p>
<p style="margin-left: 20px; font-weight: bold;">Chad Brown<br />
<em>Adventure Card Game Lead Developer</em></p>
</blockquote>
</div>
<!— tags: Pathfinder Adventure Card Game, Iconics, Kyra, —>
</article>
<p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics">Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderAdventureCardGame">Pathfinder Adventure Card Game</a></p>2020-05-01T18:29:00ZIconic Encounter: To the Last Breathhttps://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo6sgk5?Iconic-Encounter-To-the-Last-Breath2019-03-28T19:00:00Z<article>
<h1 itemprop="headline">Iconic Encounter: To the Last Breath</h1>
<p class="date" style="margin-bottom:1rem !important;">Thursday, March 28, 2019</p>
<div itemprop="articleBody">
<div class="blurbCenter" style="display: none;"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20190327-Preview.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20190327-Preview_500.jpeg"></a></div>
<p itemprop="description">Glory to the Dawnflower! Today, Sarenrae answered the prayers of fans of <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo5la5u">Kyra, the iconic cleric</a>! Enjoy the following piece of short fiction from James L. Sutter in the next entry into our series of Iconic Encounters—brief vignettes of the iconic characters showcasing the myriad stories you can tell with Pathfinder Second Edition.</p>
<div class="blurbCenter"><a href="https://paizo.com//cdn.paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20190327-Kyra.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com//cdn.paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20190327-Kyra_500.jpeg"></a>
<p><i>Illustration by Matteo Spirito</i></p></div>
<blockquote>
<p>The doors of the refuge shuddered as the monstrosity slammed against it once more. Wood that had protected the townsfolk faithfully for generations cracked and split, the stout timbers no match for the strength of a full-grown troll.</p>
<p>Kyra moved through the cave, tending to the injured in the light of ancient glowworms. She'd long since used up the last of her magic, and now had little more to offer than a kind word and a gentle hand. Yet still she walked among them, head held high—a symbol of Sarenrae's salvation.</p>
<p>"Why don't you fight it?"</p>
<p>The child was small and shoeless, with the unflinching boldness of the very young. Kyra seethed at the question, yet knelt to look him in the eye, careful to keep her voice calm. "We have no fire. Without it, my sword is useless. And I have no magic left."</p>
<p>The child frowned. "But Sarenrae has fire <i>and</i> magic. Shouldn't we pray?"</p>
<p>"Aren't we?" Kyra smiled, reaching out to cup the child's cheek. "Sometimes the best prayer is helping others."</p>
<p>The child opened his mouth, but any further questions were cut off by a final, fatal crunch from the doors as the crossbeam gave way. Kyra turned and drew her scimitar, waving aside the townsfolk who were frantically pressing their backs against the ruined wood.</p>
<p>The doors exploded open, slamming into the unfinished rock of the stronghold's walls. The soft glow of the cave worms spread gentle, syrupy light over the hulking shoulders and shovel-sized claws of the murderous troll.</p>
<p>Kyra stepped forward. Despite her wounds, despite the heaviness of her sword arm, her heart felt lighter than it had since the whole nightmare had begun. She was out of tricks, out of any real hope of defeating the beast—yet here she was, placing herself between the predator and the innocent. Right where she was supposed to be.</p>
<p>As she'd told the child, sometimes that was prayer enough.</p>
<p>"Again, priest?" Wet lips smacked around protruding tusks as the troll chuckled. He spread his enormous arms, showing thin lines of scar tissue that had been gaping wounds an hour ago. "So be it. I'm ready. But are you?"</p>
<p>Kyra said nothing, only angled her blade and slid her rear foot back into Sunrise Wakes the Mountain.</p>
<p>He was right, of course. She'd been outmatched even when she'd been fresh, when her heart-fires had roared with the spells of her faith. Yet the stance still came easily, muscles trained by countless morning prayer forms. Her mind might know she was beaten, but her body didn't.</p>
<p>"You're out of magic." The troll grunted—a boar's wet snort. "Your goddess has abandoned you. But die how you like." He shrugged and reached for her.</p>
<p>That's when she felt it: the familiar warmth, waiting like a hot coal in her chest. She breathed in, letting the embers flare, and sank into the heat like the embrace it was. She raised her holy symbol.</p>
<p>The troll's tiny, piggish eyes shot wide, and then the flames engulfed him, searing green flesh black. He roared, falling backward as he burned.</p>
<p>Kyra let the goddess's symbol fall back against her chest, pain flooding back in as the magic receded.</p>
<p>From the cave floor, the charred mess of the troll glared up with agonized incredulity. His croak was as cracked as his flesh. "How?"</p>
<p>"You were wrong." Kyra stood over him, looking down calmly. "Whatever happens, the goddess never truly leaves us. She'll walk with me until my last breath."</p>
<p>She raised her sword in both hands.</p>
<p>"Or until yours..."</p>
</blockquote>
<p>If you liked this week's Iconic Encounter, you won't want to miss next week's exciting entry. Until then, Pathfinders, may you walk in the light and heat of the sun!</p>
<p>Mark Moreland<br />
<i>Franchise Manager</i></p>
</div>
<!— tags: Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Kyra, Clerics, Iconics, Pathfinder Second Edition, Iconic Encounters —>
</article><p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/clerics">Clerics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconicEncounters">Iconic Encounters</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics">Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderRoleplayingGame">Pathfinder Roleplaying Game</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderSecondEdition">Pathfinder Second Edition</a></p><article>
<h1 itemprop="headline">Iconic Encounter: To the Last Breath</h1>
<p class="date" style="margin-bottom:1rem !important;">Thursday, March 28, 2019</p>
<div itemprop="articleBody">
<div class="blurbCenter" style="display: none;"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20190327-Preview.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20190327-Preview_500.jpeg"></a></div>
<p itemprop="description">Glory to the Dawnflower! Today, Sarenrae answered the prayers of fans of <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo5la5u">Kyra, the iconic cleric</a>! Enjoy the following piece of short fiction from James L. Sutter in the next entry into our series of Iconic Encounters—brief vignettes of the iconic characters showcasing the myriad stories you can tell with Pathfinder Second Edition.</p>
<div class="blurbCenter"><a href="https://paizo.com//cdn.paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20190327-Kyra.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com//cdn.paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20190327-Kyra_500.jpeg"></a>
<p><i>Illustration by Matteo Spirito</i></p></div>
<blockquote>
<p>The doors of the refuge shuddered as the monstrosity slammed against it once more. Wood that had protected the townsfolk faithfully for generations cracked and split, the stout timbers no match for the strength of a full-grown troll.</p>
<p>Kyra moved through the cave, tending to the injured in the light of ancient glowworms. She'd long since used up the last of her magic, and now had little more to offer than a kind word and a gentle hand. Yet still she walked among them, head held high—a symbol of Sarenrae's salvation.</p>
<p>"Why don't you fight it?"</p>
<p>The child was small and shoeless, with the unflinching boldness of the very young. Kyra seethed at the question, yet knelt to look him in the eye, careful to keep her voice calm. "We have no fire. Without it, my sword is useless. And I have no magic left."</p>
<p>The child frowned. "But Sarenrae has fire <i>and</i> magic. Shouldn't we pray?"</p>
<p>"Aren't we?" Kyra smiled, reaching out to cup the child's cheek. "Sometimes the best prayer is helping others."</p>
<p>The child opened his mouth, but any further questions were cut off by a final, fatal crunch from the doors as the crossbeam gave way. Kyra turned and drew her scimitar, waving aside the townsfolk who were frantically pressing their backs against the ruined wood.</p>
<p>The doors exploded open, slamming into the unfinished rock of the stronghold's walls. The soft glow of the cave worms spread gentle, syrupy light over the hulking shoulders and shovel-sized claws of the murderous troll.</p>
<p>Kyra stepped forward. Despite her wounds, despite the heaviness of her sword arm, her heart felt lighter than it had since the whole nightmare had begun. She was out of tricks, out of any real hope of defeating the beast—yet here she was, placing herself between the predator and the innocent. Right where she was supposed to be.</p>
<p>As she'd told the child, sometimes that was prayer enough.</p>
<p>"Again, priest?" Wet lips smacked around protruding tusks as the troll chuckled. He spread his enormous arms, showing thin lines of scar tissue that had been gaping wounds an hour ago. "So be it. I'm ready. But are you?"</p>
<p>Kyra said nothing, only angled her blade and slid her rear foot back into Sunrise Wakes the Mountain.</p>
<p>He was right, of course. She'd been outmatched even when she'd been fresh, when her heart-fires had roared with the spells of her faith. Yet the stance still came easily, muscles trained by countless morning prayer forms. Her mind might know she was beaten, but her body didn't.</p>
<p>"You're out of magic." The troll grunted—a boar's wet snort. "Your goddess has abandoned you. But die how you like." He shrugged and reached for her.</p>
<p>That's when she felt it: the familiar warmth, waiting like a hot coal in her chest. She breathed in, letting the embers flare, and sank into the heat like the embrace it was. She raised her holy symbol.</p>
<p>The troll's tiny, piggish eyes shot wide, and then the flames engulfed him, searing green flesh black. He roared, falling backward as he burned.</p>
<p>Kyra let the goddess's symbol fall back against her chest, pain flooding back in as the magic receded.</p>
<p>From the cave floor, the charred mess of the troll glared up with agonized incredulity. His croak was as cracked as his flesh. "How?"</p>
<p>"You were wrong." Kyra stood over him, looking down calmly. "Whatever happens, the goddess never truly leaves us. She'll walk with me until my last breath."</p>
<p>She raised her sword in both hands.</p>
<p>"Or until yours..."</p>
</blockquote>
<p>If you liked this week's Iconic Encounter, you won't want to miss next week's exciting entry. Until then, Pathfinders, may you walk in the light and heat of the sun!</p>
<p>Mark Moreland<br />
<i>Franchise Manager</i></p>
</div>
<!— tags: Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Kyra, Clerics, Iconics, Pathfinder Second Edition, Iconic Encounters —>
</article><p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/clerics">Clerics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconicEncounters">Iconic Encounters</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics">Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderRoleplayingGame">Pathfinder Roleplaying Game</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderSecondEdition">Pathfinder Second Edition</a></p>2019-03-28T19:00:00ZIconic Evolution: Kyrahttps://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo6sgk3?Iconic-Evolution-Kyra2019-03-26T19:00:00Z<article>
<h1 itemprop="headline">Iconic Evolution: Kyra</h1>
<p class="date" style="margin-bottom:1rem !important;">Tuesday, March 26, 2019</p>
<div itemprop="articleBody">
<div class="blurbCenter" style="display: none;"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20190326-Preview.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20190326-Preview_500.jpeg"></a></div>
<div class="blurb360"><a href="https://paizo.com//cdn.paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20190326-Kyra.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com//cdn.paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20190326-Kyra_360.jpeg"></a>
<p><i>Illustration by Wayne Reynolds</i></p></div>
<p itemprop="description">It's Tuesday, and that means it's time for our weekly Iconic Evolution! In this weekly video series, artist Wayne Reynolds takes Paizo's publisher and chief creative officer, Erik Mona, through his creative process in updating Pathfinder's iconic characters for the game's Second Edition, coming out this August. Check out this short video of their conversation for a glimpse into the mind of Pathfinder's most iconic visual artist and the first official look at the new version of Kyra, the iconic cleric!</p>
<iframe style = "width: 560px; height: 315px; display: block; margin: 0 auto;" src = "https://www.youtube.com/embed/zbw-9oLDyho" frameborder = "0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p>Each week, we'll take a look at a different updated iconic with Erik and Wayne, so stay tuned.</p>
<p>Mark Moreland<br />
<i>Franchise Manager</i></p>
</div>
<!— tags: Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Kyra, Clerics, Iconics, Wayne Reynolds, Pathfinder Second Edition, Iconic Evolutions —>
</article><p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/clerics">Clerics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconicEvolutions">Iconic Evolutions</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderRoleplayingGame">Pathfinder Roleplaying Game</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderSecondEdition">Pathfinder Second Edition</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/wayneReynolds">Wayne Reynolds</a></p><article>
<h1 itemprop="headline">Iconic Evolution: Kyra</h1>
<p class="date" style="margin-bottom:1rem !important;">Tuesday, March 26, 2019</p>
<div itemprop="articleBody">
<div class="blurbCenter" style="display: none;"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20190326-Preview.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20190326-Preview_500.jpeg"></a></div>
<div class="blurb360"><a href="https://paizo.com//cdn.paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20190326-Kyra.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com//cdn.paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20190326-Kyra_360.jpeg"></a>
<p><i>Illustration by Wayne Reynolds</i></p></div>
<p itemprop="description">It's Tuesday, and that means it's time for our weekly Iconic Evolution! In this weekly video series, artist Wayne Reynolds takes Paizo's publisher and chief creative officer, Erik Mona, through his creative process in updating Pathfinder's iconic characters for the game's Second Edition, coming out this August. Check out this short video of their conversation for a glimpse into the mind of Pathfinder's most iconic visual artist and the first official look at the new version of Kyra, the iconic cleric!</p>
<iframe style = "width: 560px; height: 315px; display: block; margin: 0 auto;" src = "https://www.youtube.com/embed/zbw-9oLDyho" frameborder = "0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p>Each week, we'll take a look at a different updated iconic with Erik and Wayne, so stay tuned.</p>
<p>Mark Moreland<br />
<i>Franchise Manager</i></p>
</div>
<!— tags: Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Kyra, Clerics, Iconics, Wayne Reynolds, Pathfinder Second Edition, Iconic Evolutions —>
</article><p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/clerics">Clerics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconicEvolutions">Iconic Evolutions</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderRoleplayingGame">Pathfinder Roleplaying Game</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderSecondEdition">Pathfinder Second Edition</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/wayneReynolds">Wayne Reynolds</a></p>2019-03-26T19:00:00ZCleric Class Previewhttps://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo5lkqb?Cleric-Class-Preview2018-04-23T23:00:00Z<blockquote>
<br />
<div class = "blurbCenter"><a href = "/pathfinderplaytest"><img src = "//cdn.paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PlaytestLogo.png" style = "width: 500px; height: 132px;"></a></div>
<h1 itemprop="headline">Cleric Class Preview</h1>
<p class="date">Monday, April 23, 2018</p>
<div itemprop="articleBody">
<div class="blurbCenter" style="display: none;"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20180423-Card.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20180423-Card_360.jpeg"></a></div>
<p itemprop="description">Clerics are the first spellcasters to get a preview, so you might want to look at <a href = "/community/blog/v5748dyo5lkpv?All-About-Spells">the blog about spells before you proceed</a>! We have a lot to say about this class, so let's cut to the chase!</p>
<h2>Cleric Features</h2>
<p>Clerics' key ability score is Wisdom. This means that they get an ability boost to Wisdom at 1st level, increasing their Wisdom score by 2. They also use this key ability to determine the DC of their spells. Like other things in the Playtest, spells are also affected by your proficiency. Clerics are trained in divine spells, so they add 10 + their level + their Wisdom modifier for their spell DC. They use this same proficiency for touch attacks of their spells and for spell rolls.</p>
<p>At 1st level, clerics get several class features, including their deity and domain, anathema, channel energy, and of course, divine spellcasting (which we'll talk more about in a bit). Your deity has a major impact on your character, and you'll see a lot of similarities to Pathfinder First Edition, such as being trained in your deity's favored weapon and getting access to one of their domains. (Come back on Friday for a ton of detail about those parts of your character!) Your choice of domain gives you a unique domain power. Powers are a special type of spell that come only from your class, and are cast with Spell Points—think of things from Pathfinder First Edition like domain powers or a wizard's school powers. Powers are stronger than cantrips, but not as strong as your best spells. A cleric's initial power costs 1 Spell Point to cast. She gets a starting pool of Spell Points equal to her Wisdom, and can increase this by taking feats later on. If she gets other ways to cast powers of a different type, she combines all her Spell Points into one pool.</p>
<div class = "blurb360"><a href = "//static1.paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20180423-Kyra.jpg"><img src = "//static1.paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20180423-Kyra_360.jpeg"></a>
<p><i>Illustration by Wayne Reynolds</i></p></div>
<p>A cleric's deity also imposes some restrictions on her, collectively called anathema, representing acts that go against her deity's will and teachings or violate their alignment requirements. Though we give some examples of anathemic acts for the various gods and goddesses—like how it's anathema for a cleric of Sarenrae, goddess of honesty, to cast a spell that would help her lie better—we wanted to leave this broad enough that the GM and player can make the final say in how these work in their games. Many other classes that follow similar restrictions have their own anathema. Care to guess which ones those might be?</p>
<p>As you go up in level, you'll increase your proficiency rank with divine spells to expert at 12th level, master at 16th level, and legendary at 19th level.</p>
<h2>Divine Spellcasting</h2>
<p>Of course, the cleric's main feature is her divine spellcasting! At 1st level, you can cast two 1st-level spells each day, which you prepare from the selections on the divine spell list. Every time you gain an even level, you get one more spell slot per day of your highest level of spells (so at 2nd level, a cleric has three 1st-level spells per day). At every odd level, you get access to a new level of spells. You'll always be able to cast two or three spells of your highest level and three spells of every lower level, plus your cantrips and powers. Like your other spells, your 9th-level spells cap out at three spells, so at 19th level you become legendary in spellcasting instead. So what about your 10th-level spells? We'll talk about those in a future blog!</p>
<p>We made your number of spells more straightforward by eliminating Pathfinder First Edition's bonus spells granted for having a high ability score. Your Wisdom still matters greatly for your spell DC and other things important to clerics, but giving it slightly less weight makes it more practical now for you to play a cleric of Gorum who focuses on Strength and uses spells that don't involve your spell DC or that have decent effects even if your enemy succeeds at its save.</p>
<p>Now, it's not quite true to say those are all the spells you get. Remember channel energy from earlier? This feature lets you cast <i>heal</i> or <i>harm</i> an additional number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier! Moreover, these spells are heightened to the highest level of spell you cast, so as soon as you hit 3rd level, all those <i>heal</i> or <i>harm</i> spells become 2nd-level spells. This replaces the Pathfinder First Edition cleric's spontaneous healing, which required her to sacrifice her prepared spells to make room for a <i>heal</i> spell. Now, you can use your channel energy to cast these extra <i>heal</i> spells, and if you think you'll need more <i>heal</i>ing than this provides, you can always prepare more <i>heal</i> spells using your normal spell slots (in fact, this can be a good use of some of your lower-level slots as you go up in level). Your choice of deity determines which spell you can cast with channel energy. Pharasma lets you cast <i>heal</i>, Rovagug makes you cast <i>harm</i>, and someone like Abadar or Lamashtu lets you choose your path at 1st level.</p>
<h2>Cleric Feats</h2>
<p>As we've mentioned before, we always wanted Pathfinder Second Edition to provide all classes with a sizeable number of options for customization. The cleric was one of the classes that had the most to gain, since a cleric got a bunch of class features at 1st level, then crickets for the rest of her career. The cleric's new class feats give her all sorts of new flexibility, so let's look at some of those!</p>
<p>At 1st level, you might pick Communal healing so when you cast <i>heal</i> to tend to a creature other than yourself, you regain some Hit Points too, or you might take Turn Undead, which forces undead that critically fail their saves against your <i>heal</i> spells to flee from you. (This works great with the 3-action version of <i>heal</i>!) You could also pick Expanded Domain to explore your deity's domains further, gaining the initial power from a different domain than the first one you chose. You can select this feat twice, letting you delve into a maximum of three domains!</p>
<p>At higher levels, you gain new cleric feats at every even level, except levels 12 and 16, when you increase your spell DCs instead. At 4th level, you might pick up Advanced Domain to gain the advanced power from one of your domains. At 8th level, if you channel positive energy, you could take the Channeled Succor feat so you can cast <i>remove curse</i>, <i>remove disease</i>, <i>remove paralysis</i>, or <i>restoration</i> with your channeled energy spells instead of just <i>heal</i>.</p>
<p>Let's take a look at a category of feats clerics have plenty of: metamagic! You can activate a metamagic feat when you cast a spell. This increases the number of actions required to cast the spell and modifies the spell in some way. At 1st level, for example, you could select Reach Spell to let you add a Somatic Casting action to a spell and increase its range by 30 feet (or to make a touch spell into a ranged touch spell with a 30-foot range). This is a metamagic feat lots of spellcasters can take, but the cleric gets some others that are more specific to her as well. Command Undead, a 4th-level feat, lets you change the effects of any <i>harm</i> spell you cast to instead take control of an undead creature. Heroic Recovery, an 8th-level feat, adds a powerful buff to <i>heal</i> spells: you can target one creature at range using 3 actions (the 2-action version of <i>heal</i>, plus another action to activate the metamagic) to <i>heal</i> them for a solid number of hit points and also give them a bonus to attack and damage rolls and a 5-foot increase to its speed for 1 round. And if you use a lot of metamagic, the 20th-level cleric feat Metamagic Channeler is a great choice—it lets you apply a metamagic feat to a <i>harm</i> or <i>heal</i> spell without adding an action to its casting!</p>
<p>So what are your favorite parts of the new cleric? Any builds you're itching to try out? How about concepts you made in Pathfinder First Edition you'd like to take another shot at?</p>
<p>Logan Bonner<br />
<i>Designer</i></p>
</div>
<!— tags: Pathfinder Playtest, Clerics, Kyra, Wayne Reynolds —>
</blockquote><p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/clerics">Clerics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderRoleplayingGame/playtest">Pathfinder Playtest</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/people/artists/wayneReynolds">Wayne Reynolds</a></p><blockquote>
<br />
<div class = "blurbCenter"><a href = "/pathfinderplaytest"><img src = "//cdn.paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PlaytestLogo.png" style = "width: 500px; height: 132px;"></a></div>
<h1 itemprop="headline">Cleric Class Preview</h1>
<p class="date">Monday, April 23, 2018</p>
<div itemprop="articleBody">
<div class="blurbCenter" style="display: none;"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20180423-Card.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20180423-Card_360.jpeg"></a></div>
<p itemprop="description">Clerics are the first spellcasters to get a preview, so you might want to look at <a href = "/community/blog/v5748dyo5lkpv?All-About-Spells">the blog about spells before you proceed</a>! We have a lot to say about this class, so let's cut to the chase!</p>
<h2>Cleric Features</h2>
<p>Clerics' key ability score is Wisdom. This means that they get an ability boost to Wisdom at 1st level, increasing their Wisdom score by 2. They also use this key ability to determine the DC of their spells. Like other things in the Playtest, spells are also affected by your proficiency. Clerics are trained in divine spells, so they add 10 + their level + their Wisdom modifier for their spell DC. They use this same proficiency for touch attacks of their spells and for spell rolls.</p>
<p>At 1st level, clerics get several class features, including their deity and domain, anathema, channel energy, and of course, divine spellcasting (which we'll talk more about in a bit). Your deity has a major impact on your character, and you'll see a lot of similarities to Pathfinder First Edition, such as being trained in your deity's favored weapon and getting access to one of their domains. (Come back on Friday for a ton of detail about those parts of your character!) Your choice of domain gives you a unique domain power. Powers are a special type of spell that come only from your class, and are cast with Spell Points—think of things from Pathfinder First Edition like domain powers or a wizard's school powers. Powers are stronger than cantrips, but not as strong as your best spells. A cleric's initial power costs 1 Spell Point to cast. She gets a starting pool of Spell Points equal to her Wisdom, and can increase this by taking feats later on. If she gets other ways to cast powers of a different type, she combines all her Spell Points into one pool.</p>
<div class = "blurb360"><a href = "//static1.paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20180423-Kyra.jpg"><img src = "//static1.paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/20180423-Kyra_360.jpeg"></a>
<p><i>Illustration by Wayne Reynolds</i></p></div>
<p>A cleric's deity also imposes some restrictions on her, collectively called anathema, representing acts that go against her deity's will and teachings or violate their alignment requirements. Though we give some examples of anathemic acts for the various gods and goddesses—like how it's anathema for a cleric of Sarenrae, goddess of honesty, to cast a spell that would help her lie better—we wanted to leave this broad enough that the GM and player can make the final say in how these work in their games. Many other classes that follow similar restrictions have their own anathema. Care to guess which ones those might be?</p>
<p>As you go up in level, you'll increase your proficiency rank with divine spells to expert at 12th level, master at 16th level, and legendary at 19th level.</p>
<h2>Divine Spellcasting</h2>
<p>Of course, the cleric's main feature is her divine spellcasting! At 1st level, you can cast two 1st-level spells each day, which you prepare from the selections on the divine spell list. Every time you gain an even level, you get one more spell slot per day of your highest level of spells (so at 2nd level, a cleric has three 1st-level spells per day). At every odd level, you get access to a new level of spells. You'll always be able to cast two or three spells of your highest level and three spells of every lower level, plus your cantrips and powers. Like your other spells, your 9th-level spells cap out at three spells, so at 19th level you become legendary in spellcasting instead. So what about your 10th-level spells? We'll talk about those in a future blog!</p>
<p>We made your number of spells more straightforward by eliminating Pathfinder First Edition's bonus spells granted for having a high ability score. Your Wisdom still matters greatly for your spell DC and other things important to clerics, but giving it slightly less weight makes it more practical now for you to play a cleric of Gorum who focuses on Strength and uses spells that don't involve your spell DC or that have decent effects even if your enemy succeeds at its save.</p>
<p>Now, it's not quite true to say those are all the spells you get. Remember channel energy from earlier? This feature lets you cast <i>heal</i> or <i>harm</i> an additional number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier! Moreover, these spells are heightened to the highest level of spell you cast, so as soon as you hit 3rd level, all those <i>heal</i> or <i>harm</i> spells become 2nd-level spells. This replaces the Pathfinder First Edition cleric's spontaneous healing, which required her to sacrifice her prepared spells to make room for a <i>heal</i> spell. Now, you can use your channel energy to cast these extra <i>heal</i> spells, and if you think you'll need more <i>heal</i>ing than this provides, you can always prepare more <i>heal</i> spells using your normal spell slots (in fact, this can be a good use of some of your lower-level slots as you go up in level). Your choice of deity determines which spell you can cast with channel energy. Pharasma lets you cast <i>heal</i>, Rovagug makes you cast <i>harm</i>, and someone like Abadar or Lamashtu lets you choose your path at 1st level.</p>
<h2>Cleric Feats</h2>
<p>As we've mentioned before, we always wanted Pathfinder Second Edition to provide all classes with a sizeable number of options for customization. The cleric was one of the classes that had the most to gain, since a cleric got a bunch of class features at 1st level, then crickets for the rest of her career. The cleric's new class feats give her all sorts of new flexibility, so let's look at some of those!</p>
<p>At 1st level, you might pick Communal healing so when you cast <i>heal</i> to tend to a creature other than yourself, you regain some Hit Points too, or you might take Turn Undead, which forces undead that critically fail their saves against your <i>heal</i> spells to flee from you. (This works great with the 3-action version of <i>heal</i>!) You could also pick Expanded Domain to explore your deity's domains further, gaining the initial power from a different domain than the first one you chose. You can select this feat twice, letting you delve into a maximum of three domains!</p>
<p>At higher levels, you gain new cleric feats at every even level, except levels 12 and 16, when you increase your spell DCs instead. At 4th level, you might pick up Advanced Domain to gain the advanced power from one of your domains. At 8th level, if you channel positive energy, you could take the Channeled Succor feat so you can cast <i>remove curse</i>, <i>remove disease</i>, <i>remove paralysis</i>, or <i>restoration</i> with your channeled energy spells instead of just <i>heal</i>.</p>
<p>Let's take a look at a category of feats clerics have plenty of: metamagic! You can activate a metamagic feat when you cast a spell. This increases the number of actions required to cast the spell and modifies the spell in some way. At 1st level, for example, you could select Reach Spell to let you add a Somatic Casting action to a spell and increase its range by 30 feet (or to make a touch spell into a ranged touch spell with a 30-foot range). This is a metamagic feat lots of spellcasters can take, but the cleric gets some others that are more specific to her as well. Command Undead, a 4th-level feat, lets you change the effects of any <i>harm</i> spell you cast to instead take control of an undead creature. Heroic Recovery, an 8th-level feat, adds a powerful buff to <i>heal</i> spells: you can target one creature at range using 3 actions (the 2-action version of <i>heal</i>, plus another action to activate the metamagic) to <i>heal</i> them for a solid number of hit points and also give them a bonus to attack and damage rolls and a 5-foot increase to its speed for 1 round. And if you use a lot of metamagic, the 20th-level cleric feat Metamagic Channeler is a great choice—it lets you apply a metamagic feat to a <i>harm</i> or <i>heal</i> spell without adding an action to its casting!</p>
<p>So what are your favorite parts of the new cleric? Any builds you're itching to try out? How about concepts you made in Pathfinder First Edition you'd like to take another shot at?</p>
<p>Logan Bonner<br />
<i>Designer</i></p>
</div>
<!— tags: Pathfinder Playtest, Clerics, Kyra, Wayne Reynolds —>
</blockquote><p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/clerics">Clerics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderRoleplayingGame/playtest">Pathfinder Playtest</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/people/artists/wayneReynolds">Wayne Reynolds</a></p>2018-04-23T23:00:00ZA Terrible Fate Awaits You in Horror Adventureshttps://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo5livn?A-Terrible-Fate-Awaits-You-in-Horror-Adventures2016-06-17T18:30:00Z<blockquote>
<br />
<div class = "blurb180" style = "float: left; padding: 0 10px 0 0;"><a href = "/products/btpy9n5a"><img src = "//static4.paizo.com/image/product/catalog/PZO/PZO1135_180.jpeg"></a></div>
<h1 itemprop="headline">A Terrible Fate Awaits You in Horror Adventures</h1>
<p class="date">Friday, June 17, 2016</p>
<div itemprop="articlebody">
<p itemprop="description">Nothing can prepare your characters for the nightmares that will be unleashed with <a href = "/products/btpy9n5a"><em>Horror Adventures</em></a>, set to release in just under two months. In the following weeks we will be looking inside this terrifying tome, giving you just a glimpse at the madness.</p>
<div class="blurb180"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO1135-KyraVampirism.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO1135-KyraVampirism_180.jpeg"></a><br />
<i>Illustration by Hazem Ameen</i></div>
<p><em>Horror Adventures</em> is a 256-page hardcover addition to the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, giving both players and GMs all the tools necessary to take their game to the dark corners of the world, to places where the living fear to tread, and where madness and death lurk around every corner! Inside you will find rules for sanity and madness, fear and terror. There are feats and spells for GMs to menace their players, as well as gear and magic items to help PCs fight back against the darkness.</p>
<p>This damnable tome also features new curses, haunts, and diseases, including ways to use these hazards in new and horrifying ways. You will also find new environment rules, hazards and an expanded system of fleshwarping. What look at the horror genre would be complete without new rules for monsters. While there are plenty of monster only feats in the book, there are also a number of new templates to add to existing creatures to make them even more menacing and a better fit for the mood of your game. The implacable stalker, for example, turns a monster into a relentless hunter, constantly tracking down your heroes, while making him nearly impossible to kill!</p>
<p>Of course, this book also features new rules to make the horror all the more personal for you characters in the form of corruptions. These foul afflictions taint the souls of those who they touch, tempting them into darkness and damnation. Inside <em>Horror Adventures</em> you will find 11 corruptions just waiting to infest your game. From blood-thirsting vampirism to the truly alien hive corruption, there is something here for any story. Each corruption features a variety of manifestations, each with a beneficial gift and a malevolent stain. Taking the gift is a choice, but it is one that will lead you further into darkness.</p>
<p>In future blogs we will take a closer look at these corruptions and what they mean for your game. Come back next week to learn about how you can use <a href = "/products/btpy9n5a"><em>Horror Adventures</em></a> to make a truly terrifying experience.</p>
<p style = "clear: both;">Jason Bulmahn<br />
<i>Lead Designer</i></p>
</div>
<!— tags: Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Hazem Ameen, Kyra —>
</blockquote><p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/hazemAmeen">Hazem Ameen</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderRoleplayingGame">Pathfinder Roleplaying Game</a></p><blockquote>
<br />
<div class = "blurb180" style = "float: left; padding: 0 10px 0 0;"><a href = "/products/btpy9n5a"><img src = "//static4.paizo.com/image/product/catalog/PZO/PZO1135_180.jpeg"></a></div>
<h1 itemprop="headline">A Terrible Fate Awaits You in Horror Adventures</h1>
<p class="date">Friday, June 17, 2016</p>
<div itemprop="articlebody">
<p itemprop="description">Nothing can prepare your characters for the nightmares that will be unleashed with <a href = "/products/btpy9n5a"><em>Horror Adventures</em></a>, set to release in just under two months. In the following weeks we will be looking inside this terrifying tome, giving you just a glimpse at the madness.</p>
<div class="blurb180"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO1135-KyraVampirism.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO1135-KyraVampirism_180.jpeg"></a><br />
<i>Illustration by Hazem Ameen</i></div>
<p><em>Horror Adventures</em> is a 256-page hardcover addition to the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, giving both players and GMs all the tools necessary to take their game to the dark corners of the world, to places where the living fear to tread, and where madness and death lurk around every corner! Inside you will find rules for sanity and madness, fear and terror. There are feats and spells for GMs to menace their players, as well as gear and magic items to help PCs fight back against the darkness.</p>
<p>This damnable tome also features new curses, haunts, and diseases, including ways to use these hazards in new and horrifying ways. You will also find new environment rules, hazards and an expanded system of fleshwarping. What look at the horror genre would be complete without new rules for monsters. While there are plenty of monster only feats in the book, there are also a number of new templates to add to existing creatures to make them even more menacing and a better fit for the mood of your game. The implacable stalker, for example, turns a monster into a relentless hunter, constantly tracking down your heroes, while making him nearly impossible to kill!</p>
<p>Of course, this book also features new rules to make the horror all the more personal for you characters in the form of corruptions. These foul afflictions taint the souls of those who they touch, tempting them into darkness and damnation. Inside <em>Horror Adventures</em> you will find 11 corruptions just waiting to infest your game. From blood-thirsting vampirism to the truly alien hive corruption, there is something here for any story. Each corruption features a variety of manifestations, each with a beneficial gift and a malevolent stain. Taking the gift is a choice, but it is one that will lead you further into darkness.</p>
<p>In future blogs we will take a closer look at these corruptions and what they mean for your game. Come back next week to learn about how you can use <a href = "/products/btpy9n5a"><em>Horror Adventures</em></a> to make a truly terrifying experience.</p>
<p style = "clear: both;">Jason Bulmahn<br />
<i>Lead Designer</i></p>
</div>
<!— tags: Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Hazem Ameen, Kyra —>
</blockquote><p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/hazemAmeen">Hazem Ameen</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderRoleplayingGame">Pathfinder Roleplaying Game</a></p>2016-06-17T18:30:00ZThe Origins of Originshttps://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo5lhca?The-Origins-of-Origins2015-04-09T00:30:00Z<blockquote>
<br />
<h1 itemprop="headline">The Origins of Origins</h1>
<p class="date">Wednesday, April 8, 2015</p>
<div itemprop="articleBody">
<p itemprop="description">Of the many pleasant surprises we at Paizo have run into since Pathfinder's inception, one of the biggest remains the popularity of our iconic characters. Perhaps we shouldn't have been surprised—after all, when Wayne Reynolds is doing the art, it's hard to not fall in love with whoever's getting painted. But when you get right down to it, the iconics were created to be tools. (And one might argue that some of them still are—we're looking at you, Alain!) The whole reason for their existence was to keep us from having to explain to each new artist what made a ranger a ranger and a rogue a rogue—we could just hold up Merisiel and say "draw her." But people started asking questions about the backstories, and before long we were writing Meet the Iconics blogs and seeding little bits of iconic fiction in the hardcover chapter introductions. Yet we held off on doing more, always feeling like the time wasn't yet right.</p>
<p>Then came Pathfinder comics. Before the contract with Dynamite even hit the table, we knew that we'd found our chance to bring the iconics to life. With Jim Zub as our writer, we knew the iconics were in good hands, and it was a thrill to sit back for a change and watch them go.</p>
<p>But we still had far more iconics than just that core team, and after several story arcs, we really wanted to tell more tales from the main series characters' early lives. So Erik Mona came up with the idea of <a href = "/store/byCompany/d/dynamiteEntertainment/pathfinderComics/pfComicsOrigins">Pathfinder Origins</a>, a place for us to explore how our heroes got to be who and where they are, as well as introduce some of our other favorite iconics. With Jim busy on other projects, it was up to three of us Paizo staffers—Publisher Erik Mona, Editor-in-Chief F. Wesley Schneider, and Executive Editor James L. Sutter—to chart the course.</p>
<p>Since Erik's already spoken at length about the first issue, we brought in Wes and James to talk about issues two and three, both available now!</p>
<blockquote>
<div class="blurb180"><a href="https://paizo.com/products/btpy9ch5"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/product/catalog/DYN/DYN0020-A_180.jpeg"></a></div>
<h2><em>Pathfinder Origins #2</em></h2>
<p>I think it's no secret that getting to write for comics is something of a dream come true for all three of us. While we'd all written our share of art orders, to be able to see an entire story come to life in the hands of a talented artist is a special kind of thrill, and it still hasn't worn off. (As everyone who sits near me in the office can attest, I still can't help but crack up every time I look at Vint the ratfolk from issue #2.)</p>
<p>For me, there was never any question of which characters I most wanted to write—a Kyra and Seelah team-up was simply too good to pass up, for a number of reasons. It's <a href="http://paizo.com/products/btpy8oda?Pathfinder-Tales-Deaths-Heretic">well</a> <a href="http://paizo.com/products/btpy94r3?Pathfinder-Tales-The-Redemption-Engine">established</a> that I like writing about religion in Pathfinder, and here was an opportunity to show interactions between two characters of different good-aligned faiths. I wanted to show that paladins don't have to be gruff hard-liners or sticks-in-the-mud, and to explore that interplay between righteousness and redemption. And most of all, I wanted a cover that was two badass women-of-color warriors in sensible armor—which Stjepan Sejic (of Rat Queens, Witchblade, and more) delivered and then some.</p>
<p>Many thanks to everyone who's already picked up the issue (and double thanks to anyone who's reviewed it!). I can't wait to come back and show you all issue #4, in which the torturers of Nidal learn why locking up Merisiel causes more problems than it solves... </p>
<p>James Sutter<br />
<i>Executive Editor</i></p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<h2><em>Pathfinder Origins #3</em></h2>
<p>Seoni got short shrift. Being the second character to get a <a href = "/paizo/blog/v5748dyo5la75">Meet the Iconics</a> blog in Pathfinder's earliest days, her write-up lacks much of the in-world detail of those that came later. While we got a bit more on Seoni's background in scattered pre-generated character write-ups and in the <a href = "/products/btpy8sdq"><em>NPC Codex</em></a>, details on her remained pretty thin for a long time. That changed a bit with issue 5 of <a href = "/products/btpy921r"><em>Pathfinder Dark Waters Rising</em></a>. In there, Jim Zub presented a grim flashback to Seoni's youth—the manifestation of her magic, getting her tattoos, and interactions with other Varisians. It was more than we'd seen before, but also raised several even more tantalizing questions.</p>
<div class="blurb180"><a href="https://paizo.com/products/btpy9cvj"><img src="https//paizo.com//static2.paizo.com/image/product/catalog/DYN/DYN0021-B_180.jpeg"></a></div>
<p>Hazy details weren't the only complexity we had with Seoni, though. Over the years, we heavily detailed the Varisian people and their culture—Seoni's culture. Gradually, a bit of a gulf formed between Seoni's appearance and what we'd defined as the Varisians' traditional look. So what's the deal?</p>
<p>Then, atop that heap of quandaries, there was the ever-popular question: Why's Seoni dress like that?</p>
<p>Mysterious history, atypical appearance, distinctive dress—oh, and did I mention she's lawful neutral too? Despite being one of our most popular iconics, Seoni sure seemed to present more questions than answers. So, when the chance to work on the Pathfinder Origins series came up, I knew I wanted a crack at figuring some of those mysteries out!</p>
<p>As a result, <em>Pathfinder Origins #3</em> reveals more about Seoni than we've ever seen before. Want to know about her life exploring Varisia? There's a good bit of that. Want to know about her family? Turns out Seoni looks a lot like her mom and has a little brother. How'd she wind up with her robes? Well, they didn't look like that to begin with. What's the real story with her tattoos? That's exactly what she's trying to find out.</p>
<p>For all the details about Seoni's past, though, the real story's about her early days learning what it means to be an adventurer and a leader. She's not taking the easy road either, navigating the rigid city of Korvosa, dealing with Hellknights, and reawaking ancient Thassilonian magic. Fortunately, in the course of things, she learns something her magic's really good for and that her strength comes from more than just slinging spells. The comic presents the perfect medium not just to show off more of Varisia, but also to highlight Seoni's personal brand of explosive problem solving. Overall, I think folks are really going to dig learning about one of Pathfinder's most dynamic characters, while still wanting to know more about the leader of the iconic team.</p>
<p>Oh, and my personal favorite iconic, Seltyiel, shows up. I figured that if we're showing some skin, we'd better make sure there's something for everyone.</p>
<p>F. Wesley Scheider<br />
<i>Editor-in-Chief</i></p>
</blockquote>
<p>There's still time to get in on the action! Be sure to pick up the first three issues of Pathfinder Origins, available right here on paizo.com or in comic shops everywhere. Also, check out the awesome Paizo Exclusive covers for issues <a href = "/products/btpy9ap0"><em>Origins #1: Valeros</em></a>, <a href = "/products/btpy9ch4"><em>Origins #2: Kyra</em></a>, and <a href = "/products/btpy9cvj"><em>Origins #3: Seoni</em></a>, only available here on paizo.com!</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<!— tags: Pathfinder Comics, Iconics, Seoni, Kyra —><p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics">Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderComics">Pathfinder Comics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/seoni">Seoni</a></p><blockquote>
<br />
<h1 itemprop="headline">The Origins of Origins</h1>
<p class="date">Wednesday, April 8, 2015</p>
<div itemprop="articleBody">
<p itemprop="description">Of the many pleasant surprises we at Paizo have run into since Pathfinder's inception, one of the biggest remains the popularity of our iconic characters. Perhaps we shouldn't have been surprised—after all, when Wayne Reynolds is doing the art, it's hard to not fall in love with whoever's getting painted. But when you get right down to it, the iconics were created to be tools. (And one might argue that some of them still are—we're looking at you, Alain!) The whole reason for their existence was to keep us from having to explain to each new artist what made a ranger a ranger and a rogue a rogue—we could just hold up Merisiel and say "draw her." But people started asking questions about the backstories, and before long we were writing Meet the Iconics blogs and seeding little bits of iconic fiction in the hardcover chapter introductions. Yet we held off on doing more, always feeling like the time wasn't yet right.</p>
<p>Then came Pathfinder comics. Before the contract with Dynamite even hit the table, we knew that we'd found our chance to bring the iconics to life. With Jim Zub as our writer, we knew the iconics were in good hands, and it was a thrill to sit back for a change and watch them go.</p>
<p>But we still had far more iconics than just that core team, and after several story arcs, we really wanted to tell more tales from the main series characters' early lives. So Erik Mona came up with the idea of <a href = "/store/byCompany/d/dynamiteEntertainment/pathfinderComics/pfComicsOrigins">Pathfinder Origins</a>, a place for us to explore how our heroes got to be who and where they are, as well as introduce some of our other favorite iconics. With Jim busy on other projects, it was up to three of us Paizo staffers—Publisher Erik Mona, Editor-in-Chief F. Wesley Schneider, and Executive Editor James L. Sutter—to chart the course.</p>
<p>Since Erik's already spoken at length about the first issue, we brought in Wes and James to talk about issues two and three, both available now!</p>
<blockquote>
<div class="blurb180"><a href="https://paizo.com/products/btpy9ch5"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/product/catalog/DYN/DYN0020-A_180.jpeg"></a></div>
<h2><em>Pathfinder Origins #2</em></h2>
<p>I think it's no secret that getting to write for comics is something of a dream come true for all three of us. While we'd all written our share of art orders, to be able to see an entire story come to life in the hands of a talented artist is a special kind of thrill, and it still hasn't worn off. (As everyone who sits near me in the office can attest, I still can't help but crack up every time I look at Vint the ratfolk from issue #2.)</p>
<p>For me, there was never any question of which characters I most wanted to write—a Kyra and Seelah team-up was simply too good to pass up, for a number of reasons. It's <a href="http://paizo.com/products/btpy8oda?Pathfinder-Tales-Deaths-Heretic">well</a> <a href="http://paizo.com/products/btpy94r3?Pathfinder-Tales-The-Redemption-Engine">established</a> that I like writing about religion in Pathfinder, and here was an opportunity to show interactions between two characters of different good-aligned faiths. I wanted to show that paladins don't have to be gruff hard-liners or sticks-in-the-mud, and to explore that interplay between righteousness and redemption. And most of all, I wanted a cover that was two badass women-of-color warriors in sensible armor—which Stjepan Sejic (of Rat Queens, Witchblade, and more) delivered and then some.</p>
<p>Many thanks to everyone who's already picked up the issue (and double thanks to anyone who's reviewed it!). I can't wait to come back and show you all issue #4, in which the torturers of Nidal learn why locking up Merisiel causes more problems than it solves... </p>
<p>James Sutter<br />
<i>Executive Editor</i></p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<h2><em>Pathfinder Origins #3</em></h2>
<p>Seoni got short shrift. Being the second character to get a <a href = "/paizo/blog/v5748dyo5la75">Meet the Iconics</a> blog in Pathfinder's earliest days, her write-up lacks much of the in-world detail of those that came later. While we got a bit more on Seoni's background in scattered pre-generated character write-ups and in the <a href = "/products/btpy8sdq"><em>NPC Codex</em></a>, details on her remained pretty thin for a long time. That changed a bit with issue 5 of <a href = "/products/btpy921r"><em>Pathfinder Dark Waters Rising</em></a>. In there, Jim Zub presented a grim flashback to Seoni's youth—the manifestation of her magic, getting her tattoos, and interactions with other Varisians. It was more than we'd seen before, but also raised several even more tantalizing questions.</p>
<div class="blurb180"><a href="https://paizo.com/products/btpy9cvj"><img src="https//paizo.com//static2.paizo.com/image/product/catalog/DYN/DYN0021-B_180.jpeg"></a></div>
<p>Hazy details weren't the only complexity we had with Seoni, though. Over the years, we heavily detailed the Varisian people and their culture—Seoni's culture. Gradually, a bit of a gulf formed between Seoni's appearance and what we'd defined as the Varisians' traditional look. So what's the deal?</p>
<p>Then, atop that heap of quandaries, there was the ever-popular question: Why's Seoni dress like that?</p>
<p>Mysterious history, atypical appearance, distinctive dress—oh, and did I mention she's lawful neutral too? Despite being one of our most popular iconics, Seoni sure seemed to present more questions than answers. So, when the chance to work on the Pathfinder Origins series came up, I knew I wanted a crack at figuring some of those mysteries out!</p>
<p>As a result, <em>Pathfinder Origins #3</em> reveals more about Seoni than we've ever seen before. Want to know about her life exploring Varisia? There's a good bit of that. Want to know about her family? Turns out Seoni looks a lot like her mom and has a little brother. How'd she wind up with her robes? Well, they didn't look like that to begin with. What's the real story with her tattoos? That's exactly what she's trying to find out.</p>
<p>For all the details about Seoni's past, though, the real story's about her early days learning what it means to be an adventurer and a leader. She's not taking the easy road either, navigating the rigid city of Korvosa, dealing with Hellknights, and reawaking ancient Thassilonian magic. Fortunately, in the course of things, she learns something her magic's really good for and that her strength comes from more than just slinging spells. The comic presents the perfect medium not just to show off more of Varisia, but also to highlight Seoni's personal brand of explosive problem solving. Overall, I think folks are really going to dig learning about one of Pathfinder's most dynamic characters, while still wanting to know more about the leader of the iconic team.</p>
<p>Oh, and my personal favorite iconic, Seltyiel, shows up. I figured that if we're showing some skin, we'd better make sure there's something for everyone.</p>
<p>F. Wesley Scheider<br />
<i>Editor-in-Chief</i></p>
</blockquote>
<p>There's still time to get in on the action! Be sure to pick up the first three issues of Pathfinder Origins, available right here on paizo.com or in comic shops everywhere. Also, check out the awesome Paizo Exclusive covers for issues <a href = "/products/btpy9ap0"><em>Origins #1: Valeros</em></a>, <a href = "/products/btpy9ch4"><em>Origins #2: Kyra</em></a>, and <a href = "/products/btpy9cvj"><em>Origins #3: Seoni</em></a>, only available here on paizo.com!</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<!— tags: Pathfinder Comics, Iconics, Seoni, Kyra —><p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics">Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderComics">Pathfinder Comics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/seoni">Seoni</a></p>2015-04-09T00:30:00ZKyra's Helmethttps://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo5leul?Kyras-Helmet2013-06-08T17:00:00Z<blockquote>
<br />
<h1 itemprop="headline">Kyra's Helmet</h1>
<p class="date">Saturday, June 8, 2013</p>
<div itemprop="articleBody">
<p><span itemprop="description">At the conclusion of every costume production course at UWM, students are assigned a choice project that will fully illustrate the variety of techniques that they have learned throughout the semester, and explore techniques that they have not yet learned about in order to create a project that is uniquely tied to their interests. My interest in costuming is directly tied to my love of gaming and fantasy, so naturally I decided to build Kyra’s helmet.</span></p>
<p>Building the helm was a trial and error process, as I was trying to replicate a metal object using plastic, fabric, and acrylic paints. We had three weeks to work on the project, and I used every last second. The final process involved shaping foss-shape over a clay covered head block to provide the foundation (with some changes to the shape, as I liked the longer Persian helms better), painting several dozen layers of gesso and sculpt-or-coat, creating the headpiece by sculpting and casting it (with a couple of failed casts!), painting the helm after sanding it fairly smooth, and wrapping a dipped-down fabric filled with battering to make the turban.</p>
<div class="blurbCenter"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/Blog/20130608-Photo3.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/Blog/20130608-Photo3_120.jpeg" border="0"></a>
<a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/Blog/20130608-Photo4.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/Blog/20130608-Photo4_120.jpeg" border="0"></a></div>
<p>While the result looks far more weathered than I originally planned, it was a favorite among my classmates and my teacher, so it was a huge success for me!</p>
<div class="blurbCenter"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/Blog/20130608-Photo1.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/Blog/20130608-Photo1_120.jpeg" border="0"></a>
<a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/Blog/20130608-Photo5.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/Blog/20130608-Photo5_120.jpeg" border="0"></a>
<a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/Blog/20130608-Photo2.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/Blog/20130608-Photo2_120.jpeg" border="0"></a></div>
<p>...Now I just have to make Kyra’s robes and I can show up to PaizoCon as everyone’s favorite cleric!</p>
<p>Levi Miles<br />
<i>Contributor</i></p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<!— tags: Kyra, Costume, Iconics, Clerics —><p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/clerics">Clerics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/costume">Costume</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics">Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a></p><blockquote>
<br />
<h1 itemprop="headline">Kyra's Helmet</h1>
<p class="date">Saturday, June 8, 2013</p>
<div itemprop="articleBody">
<p><span itemprop="description">At the conclusion of every costume production course at UWM, students are assigned a choice project that will fully illustrate the variety of techniques that they have learned throughout the semester, and explore techniques that they have not yet learned about in order to create a project that is uniquely tied to their interests. My interest in costuming is directly tied to my love of gaming and fantasy, so naturally I decided to build Kyra’s helmet.</span></p>
<p>Building the helm was a trial and error process, as I was trying to replicate a metal object using plastic, fabric, and acrylic paints. We had three weeks to work on the project, and I used every last second. The final process involved shaping foss-shape over a clay covered head block to provide the foundation (with some changes to the shape, as I liked the longer Persian helms better), painting several dozen layers of gesso and sculpt-or-coat, creating the headpiece by sculpting and casting it (with a couple of failed casts!), painting the helm after sanding it fairly smooth, and wrapping a dipped-down fabric filled with battering to make the turban.</p>
<div class="blurbCenter"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/Blog/20130608-Photo3.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/Blog/20130608-Photo3_120.jpeg" border="0"></a>
<a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/Blog/20130608-Photo4.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/Blog/20130608-Photo4_120.jpeg" border="0"></a></div>
<p>While the result looks far more weathered than I originally planned, it was a favorite among my classmates and my teacher, so it was a huge success for me!</p>
<div class="blurbCenter"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/Blog/20130608-Photo1.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/Blog/20130608-Photo1_120.jpeg" border="0"></a>
<a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/Blog/20130608-Photo5.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/Blog/20130608-Photo5_120.jpeg" border="0"></a>
<a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/Blog/20130608-Photo2.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/Blog/20130608-Photo2_120.jpeg" border="0"></a></div>
<p>...Now I just have to make Kyra’s robes and I can show up to PaizoCon as everyone’s favorite cleric!</p>
<p>Levi Miles<br />
<i>Contributor</i></p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<!— tags: Kyra, Costume, Iconics, Clerics —><p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/clerics">Clerics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/costume">Costume</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics">Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a></p>2013-06-08T17:00:00ZUltimate Campaign: WAR! What is it Good For?https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo5leqz?Ultimate-Campaign-WAR-What-is-it-Good-For2013-05-16T17:00:00Z<blockquote>
<br>
<div style="float: left; padding: 0 1em .5em 0;"><a href="https://paizo.com/products/btpy8vdl"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/product/catalog/PZO/PZO1125_120.jpeg" border="0"></a></div>
<h1 itemprop="headline">Ultimate Campaign: WAR! What is it Good For?</h1>
<p class="date">Thursday, May 16, 2013</p>
<div itemprop="articleBody">
<p><span itemprop="description">Sometime in the next week or so, <a href="https://paizo.com/products/btpy8vdl"><i>Ultimate Campaign</i></a> will be shipping out to a game store or mailbox near you. In anticipation of the release of this 256-page hardcover, we are taking a look at what you can expect to find inside. In the past three weeks, we have looked at character backgrounds, the downtime system, and rules for the GM to add to their campaign. This week, we are looking at the final chapter of the book, Kingdoms and War!</span></p>
<p>Built from the popular rules found in the <a href="https://paizo.com/pathfinder/adventurePath/kingmaker"><i>Kingmaker Adventure Path</i></a>, this chapter takes those rules to the next level, giving you new options to allow your PCs to conquer any part of the world (or at the very least, declare war on the parts they cannot conquer). First up are rules for building and expanding a kingdom. These rules are a refined version from those in Kingmaker, but if you used those rules, these will be very familiar to you. The big thing we added here was a variety of new rules and options for your kingdom. We expanded just about everything from rulership types to buildings that you can construct in your cities. Here are just a few examples.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><b>Bank 28 BP, 1 Lot</b><br />
<b>Kingdom</b> Economy +4<br />
<b>Special</b> Base value +2,000 gp<br />
A secure building for storing valuables and granting loans.</p>
<p><b>Palace 108 BP, 4 Lots</b><br />
<b>Kingdom</b> Economy +2, Loyalty +6, Stability +2; Fame +1<br />
<b>Discount</b> Mansion, Mint, Noble Villa<br />
<b>Special</b> Base value +1,000 gp; you may make two special edicts per turn (see page 229), but take a -2 penalty on kingdom checks associated with each special edict<br />
<b>Settlement</b> Law +2<br />
A grand edifice and walled grounds demonstrating one's wealth, power, and authority to the world.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>What good is a kingdom if you can't declare war on your neighbors? To that end, we added the war rules from Kingmaker and expanded upon them. This system is not a tactical war simulation, but it works perfectly in a narrative game, with quick and simple resolution with meaningful results. We greatly expanded the sample units and armies in this section of the book as well. Take a look at a few of these stat blocks!</p>
<div class="blurb180"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO91125-Troops.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO91125-Troops_180.jpeg" border="0"></a><br />
Illustration by Jim Nelson</div>
<blockquote>
<p><b>Drow Army XP 400</b><br />
CE Medium army of drow (warrior 3)<br />
<b>hp</b> 3; <b>ACR</b> 1<br />
<b>DV</b> 11; <b>OM</b> +3, ranged<br />
<b>Tactics</b> dirty fighters, false retreat, sniper support, spellbreaker<br />
<b>Special</b> darkvision, light sensitivity, poison, spell resistance<br />
<b>Speed</b> 2; <b>Consumption</b> 1<br />
<b>Note</b> +2 OM due to spell-like abilities</p>
<p><b>Tarrasque XP 102,400</b><br />
N Fine army of one tarrasque<br />
<b>hp</b> 93; <b>ACR</b> 17<br />
<b>DV</b> 27; <b>OM</b> +21, ranged<br />
<b>Tactics</b> defensive wall, relentless brutality, siegebreaker, spellbreaker, withdraw<br />
<b>Special</b> cannibalize; fear; grab; immune to ability damage, bleed, disease, energy drain, fear, paralysis, petrification, and poison; low-light vision; regeneration 40; scent; significant defense; spell resistance<br />
<b>Speed</b> 2; <b>Consumption</b> 8<br />
Note +4 OM due to feats and monster special abilities</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Well, that about wraps up our look at <a href="https://paizo.com/products/btpy8vdl"><i>Ultimate Campaign</i></a>. You should be able to find this book in stores very soon. Pick it up and expand your campaign!</p>
<p>Jason Bulmahn<br />
<i>Lead Designer</i></p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<!— tags: Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Jim Nelson, Iconics, Kyra, Imrijka, Inquisitors, Clerics —><p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/clerics">Clerics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics">Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/imrijka">Imrijka</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/inquisitors">Inquisitors</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/people/artists/jimNelson">Jim Nelson</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderRoleplayingGame">Pathfinder Roleplaying Game</a></p><blockquote>
<br>
<div style="float: left; padding: 0 1em .5em 0;"><a href="https://paizo.com/products/btpy8vdl"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/product/catalog/PZO/PZO1125_120.jpeg" border="0"></a></div>
<h1 itemprop="headline">Ultimate Campaign: WAR! What is it Good For?</h1>
<p class="date">Thursday, May 16, 2013</p>
<div itemprop="articleBody">
<p><span itemprop="description">Sometime in the next week or so, <a href="https://paizo.com/products/btpy8vdl"><i>Ultimate Campaign</i></a> will be shipping out to a game store or mailbox near you. In anticipation of the release of this 256-page hardcover, we are taking a look at what you can expect to find inside. In the past three weeks, we have looked at character backgrounds, the downtime system, and rules for the GM to add to their campaign. This week, we are looking at the final chapter of the book, Kingdoms and War!</span></p>
<p>Built from the popular rules found in the <a href="https://paizo.com/pathfinder/adventurePath/kingmaker"><i>Kingmaker Adventure Path</i></a>, this chapter takes those rules to the next level, giving you new options to allow your PCs to conquer any part of the world (or at the very least, declare war on the parts they cannot conquer). First up are rules for building and expanding a kingdom. These rules are a refined version from those in Kingmaker, but if you used those rules, these will be very familiar to you. The big thing we added here was a variety of new rules and options for your kingdom. We expanded just about everything from rulership types to buildings that you can construct in your cities. Here are just a few examples.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><b>Bank 28 BP, 1 Lot</b><br />
<b>Kingdom</b> Economy +4<br />
<b>Special</b> Base value +2,000 gp<br />
A secure building for storing valuables and granting loans.</p>
<p><b>Palace 108 BP, 4 Lots</b><br />
<b>Kingdom</b> Economy +2, Loyalty +6, Stability +2; Fame +1<br />
<b>Discount</b> Mansion, Mint, Noble Villa<br />
<b>Special</b> Base value +1,000 gp; you may make two special edicts per turn (see page 229), but take a -2 penalty on kingdom checks associated with each special edict<br />
<b>Settlement</b> Law +2<br />
A grand edifice and walled grounds demonstrating one's wealth, power, and authority to the world.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>What good is a kingdom if you can't declare war on your neighbors? To that end, we added the war rules from Kingmaker and expanded upon them. This system is not a tactical war simulation, but it works perfectly in a narrative game, with quick and simple resolution with meaningful results. We greatly expanded the sample units and armies in this section of the book as well. Take a look at a few of these stat blocks!</p>
<div class="blurb180"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO91125-Troops.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO91125-Troops_180.jpeg" border="0"></a><br />
Illustration by Jim Nelson</div>
<blockquote>
<p><b>Drow Army XP 400</b><br />
CE Medium army of drow (warrior 3)<br />
<b>hp</b> 3; <b>ACR</b> 1<br />
<b>DV</b> 11; <b>OM</b> +3, ranged<br />
<b>Tactics</b> dirty fighters, false retreat, sniper support, spellbreaker<br />
<b>Special</b> darkvision, light sensitivity, poison, spell resistance<br />
<b>Speed</b> 2; <b>Consumption</b> 1<br />
<b>Note</b> +2 OM due to spell-like abilities</p>
<p><b>Tarrasque XP 102,400</b><br />
N Fine army of one tarrasque<br />
<b>hp</b> 93; <b>ACR</b> 17<br />
<b>DV</b> 27; <b>OM</b> +21, ranged<br />
<b>Tactics</b> defensive wall, relentless brutality, siegebreaker, spellbreaker, withdraw<br />
<b>Special</b> cannibalize; fear; grab; immune to ability damage, bleed, disease, energy drain, fear, paralysis, petrification, and poison; low-light vision; regeneration 40; scent; significant defense; spell resistance<br />
<b>Speed</b> 2; <b>Consumption</b> 8<br />
Note +4 OM due to feats and monster special abilities</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Well, that about wraps up our look at <a href="https://paizo.com/products/btpy8vdl"><i>Ultimate Campaign</i></a>. You should be able to find this book in stores very soon. Pick it up and expand your campaign!</p>
<p>Jason Bulmahn<br />
<i>Lead Designer</i></p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<!— tags: Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Jim Nelson, Iconics, Kyra, Imrijka, Inquisitors, Clerics —><p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/clerics">Clerics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics">Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/imrijka">Imrijka</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/inquisitors">Inquisitors</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/people/artists/jimNelson">Jim Nelson</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderRoleplayingGame">Pathfinder Roleplaying Game</a></p>2013-05-16T17:00:00ZBeginner Box Sneak Previewhttps://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo5lcm1?Beginner-Box-Sneak-Preview2011-09-06T17:00:00Z<blockquote>
<br>
<h1>Beginner Box Sneak Preview</h1>
<p class="date">Tuesday, September 6, 2011</p>
<div class="blurb180"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/product/catalog/PZO/PZO1119.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/product/catalog/PZO/PZO1119_180.jpeg" border="0"></a></div>
<p>Learning to play the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game is about to get easier than ever before, as in just a few short weeks the <a href="https://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/v5748btpy8kgt"><i>Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Beginner Box</i></a> hits the shelves of a game store near you! With the imminent release of this mighty boxed set—filled to bursting with easy-to-master rules, multiple adventures, creature tokens, dice, a Flip-Mat play surface, pregenerated character sheets, tons of tools to start building your own campaign, and much, much more—here's the first of several previews to whet your appetite for innovative new ways to tell the stories you've always wanted to tell and bring the adventure of tabletop roleplaying to whole new audiences.</p>
<p>To start things off, check out a few pages from the Bestiary chapter of the new <i>Game Master's Guide</i>, or one of the four pregenerated character sheets included in the set, this one detailing everything you'll need to play the dauntless cleric Kyra.</p>
<p><b>Game Master's Guide Bestiary Preview</b>: From the heart of the <i>Beginner Box's</i> 94-page Game Master's Guide, here are eight fearsome and familiar foes, exhibiting just a hint of their streamlined rules, and proving that easy to use doesn't mean any less deadly. <a href="https://paizo.com/download/pathfinder/PZO1119-Monsters.zip">Download the PDF preview (1.6 MB zip/pdf)</a></p>
<p><b>Cleric Pregenerated Character Sheet Preview</b>: What good is a pregenerated character if you don't know how to use it? Check out a complete <i>Beginner Box</i> pregenerated character sheet, designed to not only allow players to dive into the action immediately, but also explain each key ability and character feature at a glance, making sure players are spending their time adventuring, not looking up rules. This sample sheet is only one of four included in the <i>Beginner Box</i>. <a href="https://paizo.com/download/pathfinder/PZO1119-Kyra.zip">Download the PDF preview (1.8 MB zip/pdf)</a></p>
<div class="blurbCenter"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO1119-Monsters.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO1119-Monsters_180.jpeg" border="0"></a><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO1119-Kyra.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO1119-Kyra_180.jpeg" border="0"></a></div>
<p>The <a href="https://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/v5748btpy8kgt"><i>Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Beginner Box</i></a> releases this October, but be sure to check back right here in the coming weeks for more details, discussions, and exciting revelations about the newest and most exciting way to learn and play the Pathfinder RPG!</p>
<p>Wes Schneider<br>
<i>Managing Editor</i></p>
</blockquote>
<!— tags: Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Clerics, Kyra, iconics, monsters, ogres, orcs, undead, preview —><p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/clerics">Clerics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics">Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/monsters">Monsters</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/monsters/ogres">Ogres</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/monsters/orcs">Orcs</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderRoleplayingGame">Pathfinder Roleplaying Game</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/monsters/undead">Undead</a></p><blockquote>
<br>
<h1>Beginner Box Sneak Preview</h1>
<p class="date">Tuesday, September 6, 2011</p>
<div class="blurb180"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/product/catalog/PZO/PZO1119.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/product/catalog/PZO/PZO1119_180.jpeg" border="0"></a></div>
<p>Learning to play the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game is about to get easier than ever before, as in just a few short weeks the <a href="https://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/v5748btpy8kgt"><i>Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Beginner Box</i></a> hits the shelves of a game store near you! With the imminent release of this mighty boxed set—filled to bursting with easy-to-master rules, multiple adventures, creature tokens, dice, a Flip-Mat play surface, pregenerated character sheets, tons of tools to start building your own campaign, and much, much more—here's the first of several previews to whet your appetite for innovative new ways to tell the stories you've always wanted to tell and bring the adventure of tabletop roleplaying to whole new audiences.</p>
<p>To start things off, check out a few pages from the Bestiary chapter of the new <i>Game Master's Guide</i>, or one of the four pregenerated character sheets included in the set, this one detailing everything you'll need to play the dauntless cleric Kyra.</p>
<p><b>Game Master's Guide Bestiary Preview</b>: From the heart of the <i>Beginner Box's</i> 94-page Game Master's Guide, here are eight fearsome and familiar foes, exhibiting just a hint of their streamlined rules, and proving that easy to use doesn't mean any less deadly. <a href="https://paizo.com/download/pathfinder/PZO1119-Monsters.zip">Download the PDF preview (1.6 MB zip/pdf)</a></p>
<p><b>Cleric Pregenerated Character Sheet Preview</b>: What good is a pregenerated character if you don't know how to use it? Check out a complete <i>Beginner Box</i> pregenerated character sheet, designed to not only allow players to dive into the action immediately, but also explain each key ability and character feature at a glance, making sure players are spending their time adventuring, not looking up rules. This sample sheet is only one of four included in the <i>Beginner Box</i>. <a href="https://paizo.com/download/pathfinder/PZO1119-Kyra.zip">Download the PDF preview (1.8 MB zip/pdf)</a></p>
<div class="blurbCenter"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO1119-Monsters.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO1119-Monsters_180.jpeg" border="0"></a><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO1119-Kyra.jpg"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO1119-Kyra_180.jpeg" border="0"></a></div>
<p>The <a href="https://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/v5748btpy8kgt"><i>Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Beginner Box</i></a> releases this October, but be sure to check back right here in the coming weeks for more details, discussions, and exciting revelations about the newest and most exciting way to learn and play the Pathfinder RPG!</p>
<p>Wes Schneider<br>
<i>Managing Editor</i></p>
</blockquote>
<!— tags: Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Clerics, Kyra, iconics, monsters, ogres, orcs, undead, preview —><p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/clerics">Clerics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics">Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/monsters">Monsters</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/monsters/ogres">Ogres</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/monsters/orcs">Orcs</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderRoleplayingGame">Pathfinder Roleplaying Game</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/monsters/undead">Undead</a></p>2011-09-06T17:00:00ZGen Con Facebook Rounduphttps://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo5lch8?Gen-Con-Facebook-Roundup2011-08-05T16:00:00Z<blockquote>
<br>
<h1>Gen Con Facebook Roundup</h1>
<p class="date">Friday, August 5, 2011</p>
<p>In addition to the <a href="https://paizo.com/paizo/blog/tags/conventions/genCon">live blog coverage</a> of Gen Con, our intrepid staff has been posting photos to the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/paizo" target="_blank">official Paizo Facebook page</a> to the delight of fans everywhere (as well as those of us stuck back at the office!)</p>
<p>We've rounded up some of their pictures from the show (so far) to show off for today's blog.</p>
<div align="center"><table border="0" cellpadding="3"><tr><td align="center"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/Conventions/GenCon/GenCon2011-PopeTable.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/Conventions/GenCon/GenCon2011-PopeTable_180.jpeg" border="0" /></a></td><td align="center"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/Conventions/GenCon/GenCon2011-DaveSigning.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/Conventions/GenCon/GenCon2011-DaveSigning_180.jpeg" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tiny" width="200px"><center>Mark Moreland and the Pathfinder Society Venture-Captains dine at the aptly-named "Pope Table."</center></td><td class="tiny" width="200px"><center><a href="https://paizo.com/paizo/blog/tags/people/authors/daveGross">Dave Gross</a> signs copies of the new Pathfinder Tales novel <a href="https://paizo.com/store/pathfinder/tales/v5748btpy8mfm"><i>Master of Devils</i></a> at the Paizo Booth.</center></td></tr></table></div>
<p>Of course, they haven't just been sharing snapshots from Gen Con, they've been showing off samples of <a href="https://paizo.com/store/byCompany/w/wizKids/byProductType/pathfinderMiniatures/">Pathfinder Battles</a> miniatures from WizKids:</p>
<div align="center"><table border="0" cellpadding="3"><tr><td align="center"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/Conventions/GenCon/GenCon2011-DragonMaster.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/Conventions/GenCon/GenCon2011-DragonMaster_180.jpeg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/Conventions/GenCon/GenCon2011-DragonMasterSide.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/Conventions/GenCon/GenCon2011-DragonMasterSide_180.jpeg" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tiny" width="360px"><center>Unpainted sample miniature for the Black Dragon promo miniature for <a href="https://paizo.com/store/v5748btpy8mq6"><i>Heroes and Monsters</i></a> (for more information on <i>Heroes and Monsters</i> or future Pathfinder Battles releases, see our <a href="https://paizo.com/paizo/v5748eaic9oam">press release</a>).</center></td></tr></table>
<table><tr><td align="center"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/Conventions/GenCon/GenCon2011-StarterMinis.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/Conventions/GenCon/GenCon2011-StarterMinis_180.jpeg" border="0" /></a></td><td align="center"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/Conventions/GenCon/GenCon2011-BeginnerBoxRecap.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/Conventions/GenCon/GenCon2011-BeginnerBoxRecap_180.jpeg" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tiny" width="200px"><center>Painted samples of the <a href="https://paizo.com/store/v5748btpy8l52">Beginner Box Heroes</a> minis.</center></td><td class="tiny" width="200px"><center>Ezren and Merisiel face off against the Black Dragon in a recreation of the <a href="https://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/v5748btpy8kgt">Beginner Box</a> <a href="https://paizo.com/paizo/blog/v5748dyo5lc6c">cover art</a>.</center></td></tr></table></div>
<p>As you can see, we're as excited about Pathfinder Battles as all of you are.</p>
<p>Ross Byers<br>
<i>Assistant Software Developer</i></p>
</blockquote>
<!— tags: Gen Con, dragons, elves, rogues, clerics, wizards, fighters, valeros, merisiel, ezren, kyra, dave gross, pathfinder society, master of devils, miniatures, Pathfinder Battles —><p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/clerics">Clerics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/people/authors/daveGross">Dave Gross</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/monsters/dragons">Dragons</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/races/elves">Elves</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/ezren">Ezren</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/fighters">Fighters</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/conventions/genCon">Gen Con</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderTales/novels/masterOfDevils">Master of Devils</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/merisiel">Merisiel</a></p><blockquote>
<br>
<h1>Gen Con Facebook Roundup</h1>
<p class="date">Friday, August 5, 2011</p>
<p>In addition to the <a href="https://paizo.com/paizo/blog/tags/conventions/genCon">live blog coverage</a> of Gen Con, our intrepid staff has been posting photos to the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/paizo" target="_blank">official Paizo Facebook page</a> to the delight of fans everywhere (as well as those of us stuck back at the office!)</p>
<p>We've rounded up some of their pictures from the show (so far) to show off for today's blog.</p>
<div align="center"><table border="0" cellpadding="3"><tr><td align="center"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/Conventions/GenCon/GenCon2011-PopeTable.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/Conventions/GenCon/GenCon2011-PopeTable_180.jpeg" border="0" /></a></td><td align="center"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/Conventions/GenCon/GenCon2011-DaveSigning.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/Conventions/GenCon/GenCon2011-DaveSigning_180.jpeg" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tiny" width="200px"><center>Mark Moreland and the Pathfinder Society Venture-Captains dine at the aptly-named "Pope Table."</center></td><td class="tiny" width="200px"><center><a href="https://paizo.com/paizo/blog/tags/people/authors/daveGross">Dave Gross</a> signs copies of the new Pathfinder Tales novel <a href="https://paizo.com/store/pathfinder/tales/v5748btpy8mfm"><i>Master of Devils</i></a> at the Paizo Booth.</center></td></tr></table></div>
<p>Of course, they haven't just been sharing snapshots from Gen Con, they've been showing off samples of <a href="https://paizo.com/store/byCompany/w/wizKids/byProductType/pathfinderMiniatures/">Pathfinder Battles</a> miniatures from WizKids:</p>
<div align="center"><table border="0" cellpadding="3"><tr><td align="center"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/Conventions/GenCon/GenCon2011-DragonMaster.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/Conventions/GenCon/GenCon2011-DragonMaster_180.jpeg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/Conventions/GenCon/GenCon2011-DragonMasterSide.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/Conventions/GenCon/GenCon2011-DragonMasterSide_180.jpeg" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tiny" width="360px"><center>Unpainted sample miniature for the Black Dragon promo miniature for <a href="https://paizo.com/store/v5748btpy8mq6"><i>Heroes and Monsters</i></a> (for more information on <i>Heroes and Monsters</i> or future Pathfinder Battles releases, see our <a href="https://paizo.com/paizo/v5748eaic9oam">press release</a>).</center></td></tr></table>
<table><tr><td align="center"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/Conventions/GenCon/GenCon2011-StarterMinis.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/Conventions/GenCon/GenCon2011-StarterMinis_180.jpeg" border="0" /></a></td><td align="center"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/Conventions/GenCon/GenCon2011-BeginnerBoxRecap.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/Conventions/GenCon/GenCon2011-BeginnerBoxRecap_180.jpeg" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tiny" width="200px"><center>Painted samples of the <a href="https://paizo.com/store/v5748btpy8l52">Beginner Box Heroes</a> minis.</center></td><td class="tiny" width="200px"><center>Ezren and Merisiel face off against the Black Dragon in a recreation of the <a href="https://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/v5748btpy8kgt">Beginner Box</a> <a href="https://paizo.com/paizo/blog/v5748dyo5lc6c">cover art</a>.</center></td></tr></table></div>
<p>As you can see, we're as excited about Pathfinder Battles as all of you are.</p>
<p>Ross Byers<br>
<i>Assistant Software Developer</i></p>
</blockquote>
<!— tags: Gen Con, dragons, elves, rogues, clerics, wizards, fighters, valeros, merisiel, ezren, kyra, dave gross, pathfinder society, master of devils, miniatures, Pathfinder Battles —><p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/clerics">Clerics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/people/authors/daveGross">Dave Gross</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/monsters/dragons">Dragons</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/races/elves">Elves</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/ezren">Ezren</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/fighters">Fighters</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/conventions/genCon">Gen Con</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderTales/novels/masterOfDevils">Master of Devils</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/merisiel">Merisiel</a></p>2011-08-05T16:00:00ZIconic Lovehttps://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo5lbw6?Iconic-Love2011-02-14T08:00:00Z<blockquote>
<h1 itemprop="headline">Iconic Love</h1>
<p class=date>Monday, February 14, 2011</p>
<div itemprop="articleBody">
<p>For some of us, Valentine's Day is just another day. We go to work, come home, maybe hang out with our significant others a bit or send the kids off to the sitter for a rare night out. For other people, however, Valentine's Day carries more significance, and flat-out demands acknowledgement. They see it as an excuse to truly cut loose, to go all-out with the romance and treat it like a real holiday.</p>
<p>And then, apparently, there's a third type of person: the type for whom Valentine's Day means a chance to go <i>totally insane</i>. Such appears to be the case with Pathfinder Tales author Kevin Andrew Murphy. How else can you explain the fact that he chose the occasion to, without any prompting or warning, write us an entire <i>heroic crown</i> of sonnets immortalizing the iconic characters' backgrounds in prose. (For those of you who've forgotten your 400-level literature classes, a "heroic crown of sonnets" is a specialized form of poetry in which you have 14 sonnets, each linked by their first and last lines, plus a fifteenth which is made up exclusively of the previous sonnets' linking lines, in order. Needless to say, it's incredibly difficult to do well.)</p>
<p>I'd say more, but I'm still processing the whole thing, so I think it's better to just post the sonnets in their entirety. Happy Valentine's Day!</p>
<blockquote>
<p><h2>The Fifteen Loves of Golarion</h2>
<br>A Heroic Crown of Sonnets for Valentine's Day 2011
<br>by Kevin Andrew Murphy</p>
</blockquote></blockquote>
<div align="right" style="clear:both;"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO1115-Alain.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO1115-Alain_180.jpeg" border=0 align=right></a></div>
<blockquote><blockquote>
<p><b>1. Alain, the Cavalier, "For Love of Glory"</b>
<br>I am the one who lives to tell the tale.
<br>The victor is the braggart of his fame,
<br>The first to know the glory of his name
<br>But not the last. The bards now all regale
<br>The common folk with ballads of my deeds,
<br>The battles won by force of my prowess,
<br>The ransomed kings who've bowed to my duress,
<br>And Donahan, the noblest of steeds.
<br>Sometimes I think he is my only friend.
<br>The men I ride with? Those I can replace.
<br>The maids I bed? Each just a pretty face.
<br>Yet Donahan is mine till journey's end.
<br>If he falls first, then part of me is dead.
<br>I've said the words that needed to be said.</p>
</blockquote></blockquote>
<div align="right" style="clear:both;">
<a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO1115-Alahazra.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO1115-Alahazra_180.jpeg" border=0 align=right></a></div>
<blockquote><blockquote>
<p><b>2. Alahazra, the Oracle, "For Love of Truth"</b>
<br>I've said the words that needed to be said,
<br>For Truth is blind, and I am blind in truth.
<br>My clouded eyes see little but forsooth
<br>My inner eye sees clearly. I have read
<br>The fates of men with but the barest glance.
<br>I know the future as I know the past,
<br>Which seeds will sprout and which of them will last,
<br>For Destiny leaves nothing up to Chance.
<br>It was not Chance that burned me with its fire.
<br>The simoom's breath is but the Wind of Fate
<br>That claimed me with its Flame. I now relate
<br>The Fate of Love, if that is your desire:
<br>All present loves become in days ahead
<br>Mementos kept in memory of the dead.</p>
</blockquote></blockquote>
<div align="right" style="clear:both;">
<a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder7_Paladin.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder7_Paladin_180.jpeg" border=0 align=right></a></div>
<blockquote><blockquote>
<p><b>3. Seelah, the Paladin, "For Love of Those Now Gone"</b>
<br>Mementos kept in memory of the dead,
<br>Reminders of what nothing can restore.
<br>The wingéd helm that dead Acemi wore
<br>Now hides my face and my unworthy head.
<br>I feel its weight: part guilt, part gift, part theft.
<br>Part love. She saw and yet forgave her thief,
<br>The child who stole her helm. Ergo, my grief.
<br>Acemi is still dead and I am left.
<br>I have no words to say in my defense.
<br>I know my deeds. I must have faith in grace
<br>So now I wear her helm and take her place.
<br>What Iomedae learned: Inheritance,
<br>A gift of trust from those you must not fail
<br>Now silent in the realm beyond the pale.</p></blockquote></blockquote>
<div align="right" style="clear:both;"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Harsk-DwarfIconic.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Harsk-DwarfIconic_180.jpeg" border=0 align=right></a></div><blockquote><blockquote>
<p><b>4. Harsk, the Ranger, "For Love of Solitude"</b>
<br>Now silent in the realm beyond the pale,
<br>My brother lies–and those who took his life.
<br>I ended theirs with crossbow quarrel and knife.
<br>The giants dead, now I alone prevail.
<br>My kin who dwell below with bended backs
<br>To toil at the forge or in the mines,
<br>Or worshiping our gods at dwarven shrines,
<br>Have my regard, and yet my brother's axe
<br>Is all I bear away from whence I hail.
<br>A hunter's life is love of solitude.
<br>A Spartan camp, a pot of tea fresh-brewed
<br>Will keep him more alert than mugs of ale.
<br>My quarry's tracks are runes left for the sage.
<br>I know the letters written on this page.</p></blockquote></blockquote>
<div align="right" style="clear:both;"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder5-Wizard.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder5-Wizard_180.jpeg" border=0 align=right></a></div><blockquote><blockquote>
<p><b>5. Ezren, the Wizard, "For Love of Scholarship"</b>
<br>I know the letters written on this page,
<br>My father charged with some impiety
<br>Against our god, some awful blasphemy
<br>Too dire for words, and nothing can assuage
<br>The gossips' tongues, for rumor needs no proof.
<br>And Abadar? The merchant god cares not
<br>Who prospers or who fails nor what is bought.
<br>The Golden One stays in his Vault, aloof.
<br>I spent my youth to clear my father's name,
<br>In quest to save the business that he built,
<br>But in the end I only proved his guilt.
<br>Now scholarship's the only love I claim.
<br>Yet law for arcane law can be exchanged.
<br>Old orders sometimes must be rearranged.</p></blockquote></blockquote>
<div align="right" style="clear:both;"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/CrimsonThrone/PZO9009-Monk.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/CrimsonThrone/PZO9009-Monk_180.jpeg" border=0 align=right></a></div><blockquote><blockquote>
<p><b>6. Sajan, the Monk, "For Love of a Sister"</b>
<br>"Old orders sometimes must be rearranged."
<br>So said the monks when taking twin from twin.
<br>My sister Sajni's gone. I should begin
<br>Describing how we came to be estranged.
<br>We were conceived. Our lives were intertwined
<br>Like threads of web and woof strung on a loom,
<br>So were our limbs locked in our mother's womb.
<br>Though born as two, we're more when we're combined.
<br>We trained with temple swords and so time passed
<br>Till at twelve years we each were sent away
<br>And battle woes lost her to Jalmeray.
<br>I left, deserting all I knew, my caste,
<br>To seek my sister. Far too far I've ranged.
<br>I've changed some facts which never should be changed.</p>
</blockquote></blockquote>
<div align="right" style="clear:both;">
<a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO1115-Damiel.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO1115-Damiel_180.jpeg" border=0 align=right></a></div>
<blockquote><blockquote>
<p><b>7. Damiel, the Alchemist, "For Love of Change"</b>
<br>I've changed some facts which never should be changed
<br>And yet that is the goal of alchemy:
<br>Quicksilver shifting, mutability.
<br>The philosophic art just seems deranged
<br>To those too dull to grasp aetheric heights
<br>Or dream of fixing one's perfected form,
<br>Not living with the dull and banal norm.
<br>You reach out when the stars are in your sights,
<br>Yet what you grasp may be the fulgent dark
<br>For nightmares ride as well between the stars.
<br>Like Shelyn's smile can hide Zon-Kuthon's scars,
<br>The bright quicksilver sea conceals a shark,
<br>And from the left the villain steps onstage
<br>To let men feel the battle fury's rage.</p></blockquote></blockquote><div align="right" style="clear:both;">
<a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/CrimsonThrone/PZO9010-Barbarian.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/CrimsonThrone/PZO9010-Barbarian_180.jpeg" border=0 align=right></a></div>
<blockquote><blockquote>
<p><b>8. Amiri, the Barbarian, "For Love of Oneself"</b>
<br>To let men feel the battle fury's rage,
<br>The Six Bears tribesmen donned the skins of bears
<br>They'd taken from our totems in their lairs.
<br>Each boy was sent to do it at an age.
<br>We girls were told to sit inside and spin,
<br>Awaiting a barbarian's return.
<br>This never was a name that women earn.
<br>I brought a she-bear's hide back to my kin.
<br>The time came that a warband of my clan
<br>All dared me to bring back a giant's blade.
<br>When I returned, they mocked me as a maid.
<br>The blood rage came. I slew them to a man.
<br>That bastard blade I bear with me. Beware
<br>To taste the kiss of malice and despair.</p>
</blockquote></blockquote><div align="right" style="clear:both;"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO1117-IconicMagusSketch.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" hspace=9 src="/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO1117-IconicMagusSketch_180.jpeg" align="right" /></a></div><blockquote><blockquote>
<p><b>9. Seltyiel, the Magus, "For Lack of Love"</b>
<br>To taste the kiss of malice and despair,
<br>One needn't know the touch of love or hope–
<br>At very least, not of an equal scope–
<br>And pain is seldom more than one can bear,
<br>And when it is? Well, there is always death.
<br>My mother died the moment I was born.
<br>My sister's cries, those spared my life that morn.
<br>I often think she should have saved her breath.
<br>Sioria, oh how could you divine
<br>The babe you saved would still be here alive
<br>Or on a feast of wormwood one could thrive.
<br>I'll kill your father once I first kill mine.
<br>Foul Lairsaph was a fool to teach his spawn
<br>To walk the road with weapons sheathed or drawn....</p>
</blockquote></blockquote>
<div align="right" style="clear:both;"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/product/secondary/Pathfinder/Pathfinder1_Fighter.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/product/secondary/Pathfinder/Pathfinder1_Fighter_200.jpg" border=0 alt="Valeros!" align=right></a></div><blockquote><blockquote>
<p><b>10. Valeros, the Fighter, "For Love of Adventure"</b>
<br>To walk the road with weapons sheathed or drawn
<br>Is how a sellsword passes most his days.
<br>That much at least is truthful in bards' lays.
<br>The rest? Well yes, there is a need for brawn–
<br>The same goes for an ox that pulls a plow–
<br>But when your sword-arm makes some villain yield,
<br>That's better than some plowshare in a field.
<br>At least it's more exciting anyhow.
<br>One day I may retire to a farm,
<br>Grow beans and beets or brew a bit of beer,
<br>But now I love my freedom and I hear
<br>A distant village sounding the alarm.
<br>If there's adventure calling, I'll be gone
<br>To greet the hope that rises with the dawn.</p></blockquote>
</blockquote><div align="right" style="clear:both;">
<a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder4_Cleric02.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder4_Cleric02_180.jpeg" border=0 align=right></a></div>
<blockquote><blockquote>
<p><b>11. Kyra, the Cleric, "For Love of Hope"</b>
<br>To greet the hope that rises with the dawn,
<br>The Crown of Our Beloved Sarenrae
<br>Who cast the Beast below to Asmodae,
<br>Is how a priestess prays for I'm Her pawn.
<br>Whate'er the Dawnflower wishes I will do.
<br>When bandits burned my village and Her shrine,
<br>That's when I saw the face of the divine.
<br>Through streaming tears the sun shone and I knew
<br>The Everlight had filled me with Her power
<br>To heal the sick and ailing with Her light
<br>And cleanse those past redemption of their blight
<br>By scimitar, like Dawn's Eternal Flower.
<br>One day I'll join my goddess in the air
<br>To live a life of joy and forswear care.</p>
</blockquote></blockquote>
<div align="right" style="clear:both;"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder3_Rogue.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder3_Rogue_180.jpeg" border=0 align=right alt="WAR hottie!"></a></div><blockquote><blockquote>
<p><b>12. Merisiel, the Rogue, "For Love of Freedom"</b>
<br>To live a life of joy and forswear care
<br>Is what I always felt the world should be.
<br>See something that you like? Then take it. Free!
<br>If you don't like your lot, then folk should share.
<br>They call it thievery, who gives a fig?
<br>My knives can teach their tongues to be polite,
<br>And while some think I could be more contrite
<br>It's not like they're not working the same gig.
<br>This knife I got from some Azlanti queen.
<br>This one? From Galt. Belonged to some coquette
<br>And these? From Geb. But most I just forget.
<br>I only care if I can keep them keen.
<br>You make life up like some bard's folderol.
<br>I sing the songs that rise up from my soul.</p>
</blockquote></blockquote>
<div align="right" style="clear:both;">
<a href="https://paizo.com/image/product/secondary/Pathfinder/Pathfinder2_Sorceress03.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/product/secondary/Pathfinder/Pathfinder2_Sorceress03_200.jpg" border=0 align=right></a></div>
<blockquote><blockquote>
<p><b>13. Seoni, the Sorcerer, "For Love of Magic"</b>
<br>I sing the songs that rise up from my soul
<br>And write the runes appearing in my dreams.
<br>The ones I walk with talk about my "schemes,"
<br>If schemes they are, or just an unknown goal.
<br>I'd like to say I like just who I am,
<br>Yet who can say just who they are? Not I.
<br>Or what I am, or how I am, or why.
<br>That statement just might be my epigram.
<br>I only know when spells wish to be wrought,
<br>The way they say that love pulls at the heart.
<br>Just so I feel the call of arcane art.
<br>It springs to mind like any other thought.
<br>I'd work alone, but I lack that control
<br>For love and friendship are what make one whole.</p></blockquote></blockquote>
<div align="right" style="clear:both;"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/CrimsonThrone/PZO9011-Druid.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/CrimsonThrone/PZO9011-Druid_180.jpeg" align=right border=0></a></div><blockquote><blockquote>
<p><b>14. Lini, the Druid, "For Love of a True Companion"</b>
<br>"For love and friendship are what make one whole."
<br>So spake the norn who whispered in the wood.
<br>She vanished but her fey advice is good
<br>And with it I can talk to mouse or mole.
<br>The purest love is love you get from beasts.
<br>My friend Droogami taught me this is true.
<br>It's something though that I already knew.
<br>I never bought the nonsense from the priests
<br>About the love of gods as the most pure.
<br>Who can believe a love you never see?
<br>My love is for the leopard next to me
<br>And she for me and that's what shall endure.
<br>She's great and strong where I am small and frail.
<br>I am the one who lives to tell the tale.</p></blockquote></blockquote>
<div align="right" style="clear:both;"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/CrimsonThrone/PZO9007-Bard.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/CrimsonThrone/PZO9007-Bard_180.jpeg" border=0 align=right></a></div><blockquote><blockquote>
<p><b>15. Lem, the Bard, "For Love of Happy Endings"</b>
<br>I am the one who lives to tell the tale.
<br>I've said the words that needed to be said,
<br>Mementos kept in memory of the dead
<br>Now silent in the realm beyond the pale.
<br>I know the letters written on this page.
<br>Old orders sometimes must be rearranged.
<br>I've changed some facts which never should be changed
<br>To let men feel the battle fury's rage,
<br>To taste the kiss of malice and despair,
<br>To walk the road with weapons sheathed or drawn,
<br>To greet the hope that rises with the dawn,
<br>To live a life of joy and forswear care.
<br>I sing the songs that rise up from my soul
<br>For love and friendship are what make one whole.</p>
</blockquote>
<p style="clear:both;">James Sutter
<br>Fiction Editor</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<!— tags: community, Iconics, Kevin Andrew Murphy, Pathfinder Tales, Web Fiction, meet the iconics, wayne reynolds, alain, cavaliers, alahazra, oracles, seelah, paladins, harsk, rangers, dwarves, ezren, wizards, sajan, monks, damiel, elves, alchemists, amiri, barbarians, seltyiel, magi, valeros, fighters, kyra, clerics, sarenrae, merisiel, rogues, seoni, sorcerers, lini, druids, gnomes, animals, lem, halflings, bards —>
<p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/alahazra">Alahazra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/alain">Alain</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/alchemists">Alchemists</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/amiri">Amiri</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/animals">Animals</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/barbarians">Barbarians</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/bards">Bards</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/cavaliers">Cavaliers</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/clerics">Clerics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/community">Community</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/damiel">Damiel</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/druids">Druids</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/races/dwarves">Dwarves</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/races/elves">Elves</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/ezren">Ezren</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/fighters">Fighters</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/races/gnomes">Gnomes</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/races/halflings">Halflings</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/harsk">Harsk</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics">Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/people/authors/kevinAndrewMurphy">Kevin Andrew Murphy</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/lem">Lem</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/lini">Lini</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/magi">Magi</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/meetTheIconics">Meet the Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/merisiel">Merisiel</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/monks">Monks</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/oracles">Oracles</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/paladins">Paladins</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderTales">Pathfinder Tales</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/rangers">Rangers</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/rogues">Rogues</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/sajan">Sajan</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/deities/sarenrae">Sarenrae</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/seelah">Seelah</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/seltyiel">Seltyiel</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/seoni">Seoni</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/sorcerers">Sorcerers</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/valeros">Valeros</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/people/artists/wayneReynolds">Wayne Reynolds</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderTales/webFiction">Web Fiction</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/wizards">Wizards</a></p><blockquote>
<h1 itemprop="headline">Iconic Love</h1>
<p class=date>Monday, February 14, 2011</p>
<div itemprop="articleBody">
<p>For some of us, Valentine's Day is just another day. We go to work, come home, maybe hang out with our significant others a bit or send the kids off to the sitter for a rare night out. For other people, however, Valentine's Day carries more significance, and flat-out demands acknowledgement. They see it as an excuse to truly cut loose, to go all-out with the romance and treat it like a real holiday.</p>
<p>And then, apparently, there's a third type of person: the type for whom Valentine's Day means a chance to go <i>totally insane</i>. Such appears to be the case with Pathfinder Tales author Kevin Andrew Murphy. How else can you explain the fact that he chose the occasion to, without any prompting or warning, write us an entire <i>heroic crown</i> of sonnets immortalizing the iconic characters' backgrounds in prose. (For those of you who've forgotten your 400-level literature classes, a "heroic crown of sonnets" is a specialized form of poetry in which you have 14 sonnets, each linked by their first and last lines, plus a fifteenth which is made up exclusively of the previous sonnets' linking lines, in order. Needless to say, it's incredibly difficult to do well.)</p>
<p>I'd say more, but I'm still processing the whole thing, so I think it's better to just post the sonnets in their entirety. Happy Valentine's Day!</p>
<blockquote>
<p><h2>The Fifteen Loves of Golarion</h2>
<br>A Heroic Crown of Sonnets for Valentine's Day 2011
<br>by Kevin Andrew Murphy</p>
</blockquote></blockquote>
<div align="right" style="clear:both;"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO1115-Alain.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO1115-Alain_180.jpeg" border=0 align=right></a></div>
<blockquote><blockquote>
<p><b>1. Alain, the Cavalier, "For Love of Glory"</b>
<br>I am the one who lives to tell the tale.
<br>The victor is the braggart of his fame,
<br>The first to know the glory of his name
<br>But not the last. The bards now all regale
<br>The common folk with ballads of my deeds,
<br>The battles won by force of my prowess,
<br>The ransomed kings who've bowed to my duress,
<br>And Donahan, the noblest of steeds.
<br>Sometimes I think he is my only friend.
<br>The men I ride with? Those I can replace.
<br>The maids I bed? Each just a pretty face.
<br>Yet Donahan is mine till journey's end.
<br>If he falls first, then part of me is dead.
<br>I've said the words that needed to be said.</p>
</blockquote></blockquote>
<div align="right" style="clear:both;">
<a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO1115-Alahazra.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO1115-Alahazra_180.jpeg" border=0 align=right></a></div>
<blockquote><blockquote>
<p><b>2. Alahazra, the Oracle, "For Love of Truth"</b>
<br>I've said the words that needed to be said,
<br>For Truth is blind, and I am blind in truth.
<br>My clouded eyes see little but forsooth
<br>My inner eye sees clearly. I have read
<br>The fates of men with but the barest glance.
<br>I know the future as I know the past,
<br>Which seeds will sprout and which of them will last,
<br>For Destiny leaves nothing up to Chance.
<br>It was not Chance that burned me with its fire.
<br>The simoom's breath is but the Wind of Fate
<br>That claimed me with its Flame. I now relate
<br>The Fate of Love, if that is your desire:
<br>All present loves become in days ahead
<br>Mementos kept in memory of the dead.</p>
</blockquote></blockquote>
<div align="right" style="clear:both;">
<a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder7_Paladin.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder7_Paladin_180.jpeg" border=0 align=right></a></div>
<blockquote><blockquote>
<p><b>3. Seelah, the Paladin, "For Love of Those Now Gone"</b>
<br>Mementos kept in memory of the dead,
<br>Reminders of what nothing can restore.
<br>The wingéd helm that dead Acemi wore
<br>Now hides my face and my unworthy head.
<br>I feel its weight: part guilt, part gift, part theft.
<br>Part love. She saw and yet forgave her thief,
<br>The child who stole her helm. Ergo, my grief.
<br>Acemi is still dead and I am left.
<br>I have no words to say in my defense.
<br>I know my deeds. I must have faith in grace
<br>So now I wear her helm and take her place.
<br>What Iomedae learned: Inheritance,
<br>A gift of trust from those you must not fail
<br>Now silent in the realm beyond the pale.</p></blockquote></blockquote>
<div align="right" style="clear:both;"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Harsk-DwarfIconic.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Harsk-DwarfIconic_180.jpeg" border=0 align=right></a></div><blockquote><blockquote>
<p><b>4. Harsk, the Ranger, "For Love of Solitude"</b>
<br>Now silent in the realm beyond the pale,
<br>My brother lies–and those who took his life.
<br>I ended theirs with crossbow quarrel and knife.
<br>The giants dead, now I alone prevail.
<br>My kin who dwell below with bended backs
<br>To toil at the forge or in the mines,
<br>Or worshiping our gods at dwarven shrines,
<br>Have my regard, and yet my brother's axe
<br>Is all I bear away from whence I hail.
<br>A hunter's life is love of solitude.
<br>A Spartan camp, a pot of tea fresh-brewed
<br>Will keep him more alert than mugs of ale.
<br>My quarry's tracks are runes left for the sage.
<br>I know the letters written on this page.</p></blockquote></blockquote>
<div align="right" style="clear:both;"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder5-Wizard.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder5-Wizard_180.jpeg" border=0 align=right></a></div><blockquote><blockquote>
<p><b>5. Ezren, the Wizard, "For Love of Scholarship"</b>
<br>I know the letters written on this page,
<br>My father charged with some impiety
<br>Against our god, some awful blasphemy
<br>Too dire for words, and nothing can assuage
<br>The gossips' tongues, for rumor needs no proof.
<br>And Abadar? The merchant god cares not
<br>Who prospers or who fails nor what is bought.
<br>The Golden One stays in his Vault, aloof.
<br>I spent my youth to clear my father's name,
<br>In quest to save the business that he built,
<br>But in the end I only proved his guilt.
<br>Now scholarship's the only love I claim.
<br>Yet law for arcane law can be exchanged.
<br>Old orders sometimes must be rearranged.</p></blockquote></blockquote>
<div align="right" style="clear:both;"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/CrimsonThrone/PZO9009-Monk.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/CrimsonThrone/PZO9009-Monk_180.jpeg" border=0 align=right></a></div><blockquote><blockquote>
<p><b>6. Sajan, the Monk, "For Love of a Sister"</b>
<br>"Old orders sometimes must be rearranged."
<br>So said the monks when taking twin from twin.
<br>My sister Sajni's gone. I should begin
<br>Describing how we came to be estranged.
<br>We were conceived. Our lives were intertwined
<br>Like threads of web and woof strung on a loom,
<br>So were our limbs locked in our mother's womb.
<br>Though born as two, we're more when we're combined.
<br>We trained with temple swords and so time passed
<br>Till at twelve years we each were sent away
<br>And battle woes lost her to Jalmeray.
<br>I left, deserting all I knew, my caste,
<br>To seek my sister. Far too far I've ranged.
<br>I've changed some facts which never should be changed.</p>
</blockquote></blockquote>
<div align="right" style="clear:both;">
<a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO1115-Damiel.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO1115-Damiel_180.jpeg" border=0 align=right></a></div>
<blockquote><blockquote>
<p><b>7. Damiel, the Alchemist, "For Love of Change"</b>
<br>I've changed some facts which never should be changed
<br>And yet that is the goal of alchemy:
<br>Quicksilver shifting, mutability.
<br>The philosophic art just seems deranged
<br>To those too dull to grasp aetheric heights
<br>Or dream of fixing one's perfected form,
<br>Not living with the dull and banal norm.
<br>You reach out when the stars are in your sights,
<br>Yet what you grasp may be the fulgent dark
<br>For nightmares ride as well between the stars.
<br>Like Shelyn's smile can hide Zon-Kuthon's scars,
<br>The bright quicksilver sea conceals a shark,
<br>And from the left the villain steps onstage
<br>To let men feel the battle fury's rage.</p></blockquote></blockquote><div align="right" style="clear:both;">
<a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/CrimsonThrone/PZO9010-Barbarian.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/CrimsonThrone/PZO9010-Barbarian_180.jpeg" border=0 align=right></a></div>
<blockquote><blockquote>
<p><b>8. Amiri, the Barbarian, "For Love of Oneself"</b>
<br>To let men feel the battle fury's rage,
<br>The Six Bears tribesmen donned the skins of bears
<br>They'd taken from our totems in their lairs.
<br>Each boy was sent to do it at an age.
<br>We girls were told to sit inside and spin,
<br>Awaiting a barbarian's return.
<br>This never was a name that women earn.
<br>I brought a she-bear's hide back to my kin.
<br>The time came that a warband of my clan
<br>All dared me to bring back a giant's blade.
<br>When I returned, they mocked me as a maid.
<br>The blood rage came. I slew them to a man.
<br>That bastard blade I bear with me. Beware
<br>To taste the kiss of malice and despair.</p>
</blockquote></blockquote><div align="right" style="clear:both;"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO1117-IconicMagusSketch.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" hspace=9 src="/image/content/PathfinderRPG/PZO1117-IconicMagusSketch_180.jpeg" align="right" /></a></div><blockquote><blockquote>
<p><b>9. Seltyiel, the Magus, "For Lack of Love"</b>
<br>To taste the kiss of malice and despair,
<br>One needn't know the touch of love or hope–
<br>At very least, not of an equal scope–
<br>And pain is seldom more than one can bear,
<br>And when it is? Well, there is always death.
<br>My mother died the moment I was born.
<br>My sister's cries, those spared my life that morn.
<br>I often think she should have saved her breath.
<br>Sioria, oh how could you divine
<br>The babe you saved would still be here alive
<br>Or on a feast of wormwood one could thrive.
<br>I'll kill your father once I first kill mine.
<br>Foul Lairsaph was a fool to teach his spawn
<br>To walk the road with weapons sheathed or drawn....</p>
</blockquote></blockquote>
<div align="right" style="clear:both;"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/product/secondary/Pathfinder/Pathfinder1_Fighter.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/product/secondary/Pathfinder/Pathfinder1_Fighter_200.jpg" border=0 alt="Valeros!" align=right></a></div><blockquote><blockquote>
<p><b>10. Valeros, the Fighter, "For Love of Adventure"</b>
<br>To walk the road with weapons sheathed or drawn
<br>Is how a sellsword passes most his days.
<br>That much at least is truthful in bards' lays.
<br>The rest? Well yes, there is a need for brawn–
<br>The same goes for an ox that pulls a plow–
<br>But when your sword-arm makes some villain yield,
<br>That's better than some plowshare in a field.
<br>At least it's more exciting anyhow.
<br>One day I may retire to a farm,
<br>Grow beans and beets or brew a bit of beer,
<br>But now I love my freedom and I hear
<br>A distant village sounding the alarm.
<br>If there's adventure calling, I'll be gone
<br>To greet the hope that rises with the dawn.</p></blockquote>
</blockquote><div align="right" style="clear:both;">
<a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder4_Cleric02.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder4_Cleric02_180.jpeg" border=0 align=right></a></div>
<blockquote><blockquote>
<p><b>11. Kyra, the Cleric, "For Love of Hope"</b>
<br>To greet the hope that rises with the dawn,
<br>The Crown of Our Beloved Sarenrae
<br>Who cast the Beast below to Asmodae,
<br>Is how a priestess prays for I'm Her pawn.
<br>Whate'er the Dawnflower wishes I will do.
<br>When bandits burned my village and Her shrine,
<br>That's when I saw the face of the divine.
<br>Through streaming tears the sun shone and I knew
<br>The Everlight had filled me with Her power
<br>To heal the sick and ailing with Her light
<br>And cleanse those past redemption of their blight
<br>By scimitar, like Dawn's Eternal Flower.
<br>One day I'll join my goddess in the air
<br>To live a life of joy and forswear care.</p>
</blockquote></blockquote>
<div align="right" style="clear:both;"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder3_Rogue.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder3_Rogue_180.jpeg" border=0 align=right alt="WAR hottie!"></a></div><blockquote><blockquote>
<p><b>12. Merisiel, the Rogue, "For Love of Freedom"</b>
<br>To live a life of joy and forswear care
<br>Is what I always felt the world should be.
<br>See something that you like? Then take it. Free!
<br>If you don't like your lot, then folk should share.
<br>They call it thievery, who gives a fig?
<br>My knives can teach their tongues to be polite,
<br>And while some think I could be more contrite
<br>It's not like they're not working the same gig.
<br>This knife I got from some Azlanti queen.
<br>This one? From Galt. Belonged to some coquette
<br>And these? From Geb. But most I just forget.
<br>I only care if I can keep them keen.
<br>You make life up like some bard's folderol.
<br>I sing the songs that rise up from my soul.</p>
</blockquote></blockquote>
<div align="right" style="clear:both;">
<a href="https://paizo.com/image/product/secondary/Pathfinder/Pathfinder2_Sorceress03.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/product/secondary/Pathfinder/Pathfinder2_Sorceress03_200.jpg" border=0 align=right></a></div>
<blockquote><blockquote>
<p><b>13. Seoni, the Sorcerer, "For Love of Magic"</b>
<br>I sing the songs that rise up from my soul
<br>And write the runes appearing in my dreams.
<br>The ones I walk with talk about my "schemes,"
<br>If schemes they are, or just an unknown goal.
<br>I'd like to say I like just who I am,
<br>Yet who can say just who they are? Not I.
<br>Or what I am, or how I am, or why.
<br>That statement just might be my epigram.
<br>I only know when spells wish to be wrought,
<br>The way they say that love pulls at the heart.
<br>Just so I feel the call of arcane art.
<br>It springs to mind like any other thought.
<br>I'd work alone, but I lack that control
<br>For love and friendship are what make one whole.</p></blockquote></blockquote>
<div align="right" style="clear:both;"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/CrimsonThrone/PZO9011-Druid.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/CrimsonThrone/PZO9011-Druid_180.jpeg" align=right border=0></a></div><blockquote><blockquote>
<p><b>14. Lini, the Druid, "For Love of a True Companion"</b>
<br>"For love and friendship are what make one whole."
<br>So spake the norn who whispered in the wood.
<br>She vanished but her fey advice is good
<br>And with it I can talk to mouse or mole.
<br>The purest love is love you get from beasts.
<br>My friend Droogami taught me this is true.
<br>It's something though that I already knew.
<br>I never bought the nonsense from the priests
<br>About the love of gods as the most pure.
<br>Who can believe a love you never see?
<br>My love is for the leopard next to me
<br>And she for me and that's what shall endure.
<br>She's great and strong where I am small and frail.
<br>I am the one who lives to tell the tale.</p></blockquote></blockquote>
<div align="right" style="clear:both;"><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/CrimsonThrone/PZO9007-Bard.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/CrimsonThrone/PZO9007-Bard_180.jpeg" border=0 align=right></a></div><blockquote><blockquote>
<p><b>15. Lem, the Bard, "For Love of Happy Endings"</b>
<br>I am the one who lives to tell the tale.
<br>I've said the words that needed to be said,
<br>Mementos kept in memory of the dead
<br>Now silent in the realm beyond the pale.
<br>I know the letters written on this page.
<br>Old orders sometimes must be rearranged.
<br>I've changed some facts which never should be changed
<br>To let men feel the battle fury's rage,
<br>To taste the kiss of malice and despair,
<br>To walk the road with weapons sheathed or drawn,
<br>To greet the hope that rises with the dawn,
<br>To live a life of joy and forswear care.
<br>I sing the songs that rise up from my soul
<br>For love and friendship are what make one whole.</p>
</blockquote>
<p style="clear:both;">James Sutter
<br>Fiction Editor</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<!— tags: community, Iconics, Kevin Andrew Murphy, Pathfinder Tales, Web Fiction, meet the iconics, wayne reynolds, alain, cavaliers, alahazra, oracles, seelah, paladins, harsk, rangers, dwarves, ezren, wizards, sajan, monks, damiel, elves, alchemists, amiri, barbarians, seltyiel, magi, valeros, fighters, kyra, clerics, sarenrae, merisiel, rogues, seoni, sorcerers, lini, druids, gnomes, animals, lem, halflings, bards —>
<p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/alahazra">Alahazra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/alain">Alain</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/alchemists">Alchemists</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/amiri">Amiri</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/animals">Animals</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/barbarians">Barbarians</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/bards">Bards</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/cavaliers">Cavaliers</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/clerics">Clerics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/community">Community</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/damiel">Damiel</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/druids">Druids</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/races/dwarves">Dwarves</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/races/elves">Elves</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/ezren">Ezren</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/fighters">Fighters</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/races/gnomes">Gnomes</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/races/halflings">Halflings</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/harsk">Harsk</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics">Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/people/authors/kevinAndrewMurphy">Kevin Andrew Murphy</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/lem">Lem</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/lini">Lini</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/magi">Magi</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/meetTheIconics">Meet the Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/merisiel">Merisiel</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/monks">Monks</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/oracles">Oracles</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/paladins">Paladins</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderTales">Pathfinder Tales</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/rangers">Rangers</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/rogues">Rogues</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/sajan">Sajan</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/deities/sarenrae">Sarenrae</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/seelah">Seelah</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/seltyiel">Seltyiel</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/seoni">Seoni</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/sorcerers">Sorcerers</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/valeros">Valeros</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/people/artists/wayneReynolds">Wayne Reynolds</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderTales/webFiction">Web Fiction</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/wizards">Wizards</a></p>2011-02-14T08:00:00ZSnakes, I Hate Snakes!https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo5lbtc?Snakes-I-Hate-Snakes2011-01-28T08:00:00Z<div align="center"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/SerpentsSkull/PZO9042-CoverWallpaper.jpg" target="_blank" ><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/SerpentsSkull/PZO9042-CoverWallpaper_360.jpeg" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td align="center" class="tiny" width="360px">Illustrations by Kerem Beyit. Wallpaper design by Crystal Frasier. Widescreen version <a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/SerpentsSkull/PZO9042-WideCoverWallpaper.jpg" target="_blank">here.</a></td></tr></table></div>
<blockquote>
<h1><br>Snakes, I Hate Snakes!</h1>
<p class=date>Friday, January 28, 2011</p>
<p>I've been in the gaming industry for a decade now and I still get a smile on my face when new product arrives from the printer and I get to thumb through it for the first time. This week was a banner week as I got preview copies of <a href="https://paizo.com/store/gameAids/gamingMats/steelSqwire/v5748btpy8g3k"><i>Flip-Mat Village Square</i></a>, the new Pathfinder Tales novel <a href="https://paizo.com/pathfinder/tales/v5748btpy8g7p "><i>Plague of Shadows</i></a> from sword and sorcery master Howard Andrew Jones, and the theme for this week's wallpaper: <a href="https://paizo.com/pathfinder/adventurePath/theSerpentsSkull/v5748btpy8g3i"> "Sanctum of the Serpent God,"</a> part 6 of the Serpent Skull Adventure Path. This awesome piece showcases</p>
<div style="margin-bottom:2px"><b>Spoiler:</b> <input type="button" value="Show" style="width:45px;font-size:10px;margin:0px;padding:0px;" onclick="var s=this.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[0].getElementsByTagName('div')[0];if(s.style.display!=''){s.style.display='';this.value='Hide';}else{s.style.display='none';this.value='Show';}"><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 6px;"><div style="display: none;" align="center">
<p> Vyr-Azul, the High Priest of Ydersius, the insidious villain of Serpent Skull who plans to restore his god and usher in a new Age of Serpents. You'll finally meet him at the heart of the serpent-god's sanctum, and the fate of Golarion hangs in the balance!</p>
</div></div></div>
<p>Hyrum.
<br>Marketing and Organized Play Manager</p>
</blockquote>
<!— tags: Crystal Frasier, GameMastery, Maps, Plague of Shadows, Howard Andrew Jones, Kerem Beyit, Pathfinder Tales, Serpent's Skull, Wallpapers, Pathfinder Adventure Path, Iconics, Monsters, Serpentfolk, Clerics, rogues, elves, mersiel, kyra —><p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/clerics">Clerics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/people/artists/crystalFrasier">Crystal Frasier</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/races/elves">Elves</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics">Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/people/artists/keremBeyit">Kerem Beyit</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/merisiel">Merisiel</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/monsters">Monsters</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderAdventurePath">Pathfinder Adventure Path</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/rogues">Rogues</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderAdventurePath/serpentsSkull">Serpent's Skull</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/monsters/serpentfolk4souc">Serpentfolk</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/wallpapers">Wallpapers</a></p><div align="center"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/SerpentsSkull/PZO9042-CoverWallpaper.jpg" target="_blank" ><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/SerpentsSkull/PZO9042-CoverWallpaper_360.jpeg" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td align="center" class="tiny" width="360px">Illustrations by Kerem Beyit. Wallpaper design by Crystal Frasier. Widescreen version <a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/SerpentsSkull/PZO9042-WideCoverWallpaper.jpg" target="_blank">here.</a></td></tr></table></div>
<blockquote>
<h1><br>Snakes, I Hate Snakes!</h1>
<p class=date>Friday, January 28, 2011</p>
<p>I've been in the gaming industry for a decade now and I still get a smile on my face when new product arrives from the printer and I get to thumb through it for the first time. This week was a banner week as I got preview copies of <a href="https://paizo.com/store/gameAids/gamingMats/steelSqwire/v5748btpy8g3k"><i>Flip-Mat Village Square</i></a>, the new Pathfinder Tales novel <a href="https://paizo.com/pathfinder/tales/v5748btpy8g7p "><i>Plague of Shadows</i></a> from sword and sorcery master Howard Andrew Jones, and the theme for this week's wallpaper: <a href="https://paizo.com/pathfinder/adventurePath/theSerpentsSkull/v5748btpy8g3i"> "Sanctum of the Serpent God,"</a> part 6 of the Serpent Skull Adventure Path. This awesome piece showcases</p>
<div style="margin-bottom:2px"><b>Spoiler:</b> <input type="button" value="Show" style="width:45px;font-size:10px;margin:0px;padding:0px;" onclick="var s=this.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[0].getElementsByTagName('div')[0];if(s.style.display!=''){s.style.display='';this.value='Hide';}else{s.style.display='none';this.value='Show';}"><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 6px;"><div style="display: none;" align="center">
<p> Vyr-Azul, the High Priest of Ydersius, the insidious villain of Serpent Skull who plans to restore his god and usher in a new Age of Serpents. You'll finally meet him at the heart of the serpent-god's sanctum, and the fate of Golarion hangs in the balance!</p>
</div></div></div>
<p>Hyrum.
<br>Marketing and Organized Play Manager</p>
</blockquote>
<!— tags: Crystal Frasier, GameMastery, Maps, Plague of Shadows, Howard Andrew Jones, Kerem Beyit, Pathfinder Tales, Serpent's Skull, Wallpapers, Pathfinder Adventure Path, Iconics, Monsters, Serpentfolk, Clerics, rogues, elves, mersiel, kyra —><p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/clerics">Clerics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/people/artists/crystalFrasier">Crystal Frasier</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/races/elves">Elves</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics">Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/people/artists/keremBeyit">Kerem Beyit</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/merisiel">Merisiel</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/monsters">Monsters</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderAdventurePath">Pathfinder Adventure Path</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/rogues">Rogues</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderAdventurePath/serpentsSkull">Serpent's Skull</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/monsters/serpentfolk4souc">Serpentfolk</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/wallpapers">Wallpapers</a></p>2011-01-28T08:00:00ZIt's a Bug Hunthttps://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo5lbo5?Its-a-Bug-Hunt2010-12-01T08:00:00Z<div align="center"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderCampaignSetting/PZO9229-Cover.jpg" target="_blank" ><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderCampaignSetting/PZO9229-Cover_360.jpeg" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td align="center" class="tiny">Illustration by Daren Bader</td></tr></table></div>
<blockquote>
<h1><br>It's a Bug Hunt</h1>
<p class=date>Wednesday, December 1, 2010</p>
<p>When we ordered art for <a href="https://paizo.com/pathfinder/campaignSetting/v5748btpy8dda"><i>Lost Cities of Golarion</i></a>, I criticized the wisdom of ordering a cover that was just "Kyra fighting some bugs?"</p>
<p>Thanks to Daren Bader, I stand thoroughly corrected.</p>
<p>Wes Schneider
<br>Managing Editor</p>
</blockquote>
<!— tags: Daren Bader, Monsters, Vermin, Iconics, Clerics, Kyra —><p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/clerics">Clerics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/people/artists/darenBader">Daren Bader</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics">Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/monsters">Monsters</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/monsters/vermin">Vermin</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/wallpapers">Wallpapers</a></p><div align="center"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderCampaignSetting/PZO9229-Cover.jpg" target="_blank" ><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderCampaignSetting/PZO9229-Cover_360.jpeg" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td align="center" class="tiny">Illustration by Daren Bader</td></tr></table></div>
<blockquote>
<h1><br>It's a Bug Hunt</h1>
<p class=date>Wednesday, December 1, 2010</p>
<p>When we ordered art for <a href="https://paizo.com/pathfinder/campaignSetting/v5748btpy8dda"><i>Lost Cities of Golarion</i></a>, I criticized the wisdom of ordering a cover that was just "Kyra fighting some bugs?"</p>
<p>Thanks to Daren Bader, I stand thoroughly corrected.</p>
<p>Wes Schneider
<br>Managing Editor</p>
</blockquote>
<!— tags: Daren Bader, Monsters, Vermin, Iconics, Clerics, Kyra —><p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/clerics">Clerics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/people/artists/darenBader">Daren Bader</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics">Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/monsters">Monsters</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/monsters/vermin">Vermin</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/wallpapers">Wallpapers</a></p>2010-12-01T08:00:00ZOh Look, More Venture-Captains!https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo5lbk1?Oh-Look-More-VentureCaptains2010-10-27T07:01:00Z<div align=center><a href="http://paizo.com/pathfinderSociety"><img src="http://paizo.com/image/content/Logos/PathfinderSocietyLogo_360.jpeg" border=0></a></div>
<blockquote>
<h1><br>Oh Look, More Venture-Captains!</h1>
<p class=date>October 27, 2010</p>
<p>A few weeks ago we <a href="https://paizo.com/paizo/news/v5748eaic9nci">announced 13 Regional Coordinators</a> that we're calling Venture-Captains. Since then, Mark and I have been going through the entire Pathfinder Society program and starting the process of making sure Season 2 ends with a bang you'll all remember, making plans for Season 3 (which will be awesome, trust me), and going through all of the rules for the Society program itself. In between all of that, I've reviewed a number of Venture-Captain applications and chosen a few new Coordinators. We're still not finished naming new Venture-Captains, but rather than sit on these names I thought it was more important to get them announced and out there building the Society in their area. And so, without further ado, here are your new Venture-Captains!</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Arizona (Phoenix)<br>
Rene Ayala<br>
pfscoordinatorphx@gmail.com</p>
<p>California (San Francisco)<br>
Michael Azzolino<br>
pathfinder@justiceradio.net</p>
<p>Colorado (Denver)<br>
JP Chapleau<br>
jp@chapleau.us</p>
<p>Nevada (Las Vegas)<br>
Issak Haywood<br>
PFSTheocrat@gmail.com</p>
<p>Canada – Ontario (Toronto)<br>
Neil Shackleton<br>
VCNeilOnt@gmail.com</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Oh, before you head over to the messageboards, you should scroll down a little to check out what my new desktop image is. Isn't it amazing? It's the cover to Matt Goodall's RPG Superstar adventure <a href="https://paizo.com/pathfinder/modules/v5748btpy8dv6"><i>Cult of the Ebon Destroyers</i></a> done by a good friend of mine, Kieran Yanner. And speaking of RPG Superstar, we're hard at work preparing for the 2011 round, so start getting ready for it. Who knows, this time next year I could be putting the cover to <b>your</b> adventure on my desktop.</p>
</blockquote>
<div align="center"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" ><tr><td><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderModules/PZO9529-CoverArt.jpg" target="_blank" ><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderModules/PZO9529-CoverArt_500.jpeg" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td align="center" class="tiny">Illustration by Kieran Yanner</td></tr></table></div>
<blockquote>
<p>Hyrum Savage
<br>Marketing and Organized Play Manager</p>
</blockquote>
<!— tags: Kieran Yanner, Pathfinder Society, RPG Superstar, Pathfinder Modules, wallpapers, rakshasas, iconics, clerics, monks, kyra, sajan, monsters, Asuras —>
<p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/monsters/asuras">Asuras</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/clerics">Clerics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics">Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/people/artists/kieranYanner">Kieran Yanner</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/monks">Monks</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/monsters">Monsters</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderModules">Pathfinder Modules</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderSociety">Pathfinder Society</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/rPGSuperstar">RPG Superstar</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/sajan">Sajan</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/wallpapers">Wallpapers</a></p><div align=center><a href="http://paizo.com/pathfinderSociety"><img src="http://paizo.com/image/content/Logos/PathfinderSocietyLogo_360.jpeg" border=0></a></div>
<blockquote>
<h1><br>Oh Look, More Venture-Captains!</h1>
<p class=date>October 27, 2010</p>
<p>A few weeks ago we <a href="https://paizo.com/paizo/news/v5748eaic9nci">announced 13 Regional Coordinators</a> that we're calling Venture-Captains. Since then, Mark and I have been going through the entire Pathfinder Society program and starting the process of making sure Season 2 ends with a bang you'll all remember, making plans for Season 3 (which will be awesome, trust me), and going through all of the rules for the Society program itself. In between all of that, I've reviewed a number of Venture-Captain applications and chosen a few new Coordinators. We're still not finished naming new Venture-Captains, but rather than sit on these names I thought it was more important to get them announced and out there building the Society in their area. And so, without further ado, here are your new Venture-Captains!</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Arizona (Phoenix)<br>
Rene Ayala<br>
pfscoordinatorphx@gmail.com</p>
<p>California (San Francisco)<br>
Michael Azzolino<br>
pathfinder@justiceradio.net</p>
<p>Colorado (Denver)<br>
JP Chapleau<br>
jp@chapleau.us</p>
<p>Nevada (Las Vegas)<br>
Issak Haywood<br>
PFSTheocrat@gmail.com</p>
<p>Canada – Ontario (Toronto)<br>
Neil Shackleton<br>
VCNeilOnt@gmail.com</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Oh, before you head over to the messageboards, you should scroll down a little to check out what my new desktop image is. Isn't it amazing? It's the cover to Matt Goodall's RPG Superstar adventure <a href="https://paizo.com/pathfinder/modules/v5748btpy8dv6"><i>Cult of the Ebon Destroyers</i></a> done by a good friend of mine, Kieran Yanner. And speaking of RPG Superstar, we're hard at work preparing for the 2011 round, so start getting ready for it. Who knows, this time next year I could be putting the cover to <b>your</b> adventure on my desktop.</p>
</blockquote>
<div align="center"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" ><tr><td><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderModules/PZO9529-CoverArt.jpg" target="_blank" ><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderModules/PZO9529-CoverArt_500.jpeg" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td align="center" class="tiny">Illustration by Kieran Yanner</td></tr></table></div>
<blockquote>
<p>Hyrum Savage
<br>Marketing and Organized Play Manager</p>
</blockquote>
<!— tags: Kieran Yanner, Pathfinder Society, RPG Superstar, Pathfinder Modules, wallpapers, rakshasas, iconics, clerics, monks, kyra, sajan, monsters, Asuras —>
<p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/monsters/asuras">Asuras</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/clerics">Clerics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics">Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/people/artists/kieranYanner">Kieran Yanner</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/monks">Monks</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/monsters">Monsters</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderModules">Pathfinder Modules</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderSociety">Pathfinder Society</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/rPGSuperstar">RPG Superstar</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/sajan">Sajan</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/wallpapers">Wallpapers</a></p>2010-10-27T07:01:00ZPathfinder Roleplaying Game Preview #5https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo5lacj?Pathfinder-Roleplaying-Game-Preview-52009-06-10T07:00:00Z<a href="https://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/v5748btpy8255" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/product/catalog/PZO/PZO1110_180.jpeg" hspace=9 border=0 align=right></a>
<blockquote>
<h1><br>Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Preview #5</h1>
<p class=date>Wednesday, June 10, 2009</p>
<p>The <a href=http://paizo.com/store/byCompany/p/paizoPublishingLLC/pathfinder/pathfinderRPG/v5748btpy8255><i>Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook</i></a> is set to release on August 13th, 2009, and in anticipation, we are releasing a preview of the game each week until the game hits store shelves. This week, we are taking a look at Kyra, the iconic cleric.</p>
<blockquote><p><b>Kyra</b><br>
Female human cleric of Sarenrae 8<br>
NG Medium humanoid (human)<br>
<b>Init</b> +3; <b>Senses</b> Perception +5<br>
<b>Aura</b> good<br>
<b>DEFENSE</b><br>
<b>AC</b> 19, touch 9, flat-footed 19 (+8 armor, –1 Dex, +2 natural)<br>
<b>hp</b> 55 (8d8+16)<br>
<b>Fort</b> +10, <b>Ref</b> +5, <b>Will</b> +13<br>
<b>Resist</b> fire 10<br>
<b>OFFENSE</b><br>
<b>Speed</b> 20 ft.<br>
<b>Melee</b> <i>+1 flaming scimitar</i> +9/+4 (1d6+3 plus 1d6 fire/18-20) <br>
<b>Special Attacks</b> channel positive energy (4d6, 4d6+8 vs. undead, DC 17, 4/day), fire bolt (+5 ranged touch, 1d6+4 fire, 8/day), nimbus of light (8 rounds/day)<br>
<b>Cleric Spells Prepared</b> (CL 8th):<br>
4th—<i>death ward, divine power, fire shield</i>•, <i>holy smite</i><br>
3rd—<i>dispel magic, fireball</i>•, <i>prayer, remove curse, searing light</i><br>
2nd—<i>bull's strength, heat metal</i>•, <i>silence, spiritual weapon</i> (2)<br>
1st—<i>bless, burning hands</i>•, <i>divine favor</i> (2), <i>protection from evil</i> (2), <i>shield of faith</i><br>
0 (at will)—<i>detect magic, light, read magic, stabilize</i><br>
• Domain spell; <b>Domains</b> Fire, Sun<br>
<b>STATISTICS</b><br>
<b>Str</b> 14, <b>Dex</b> 8, <b>Con</b> 14, <b>Int</b> 10, <b>Wis</b> 20, <b>Cha</b> 12<br>
<b>Base Atk</b> +6; <b>CMB</b> +8; <b>CMD</b> 17<br>
<b>Feats</b> Improved Channel, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Selective Channeling, Turn Undead<br>
<b>Skills</b> Diplomacy +12, Heal +16, Knowledge (religion) +11, Spellcraft +11<br>
<b>Languages</b> Common<br>
<b>SQ</b> sun's blessing<br>
<b>Combat Gear</b> <i>wand of cure light wounds</i> (50 charges), <i>pearl of power</i> (2nd level), <i>scroll of flame strike</i>; <b>Other Gear</b> <i>+1 flaming scimitar, +2 chainmail, amulet of natural armor +2, cloak of resistance +2, headband of inspired wisdom +2</i></p>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder4_Cleric02.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder4_Cleric02_180.jpeg" border=0 align=right></a>
<blockquote>
<p>Kyra is a relatively straightforward cleric, worshiping Sarenrae, the fiery goddess of the sun. While much about the cleric is unchanged, there are a number of notable alterations.</p>
<p>First off is a change to how domains work. In the Beta version of the rules, the domains lost their bonus spells and gained a host of special abilities that were gained when the cleric reached certain levels. For the final version of the game, we went back to bonus spells, but we altered the spell lists a bit (you might notice <i>fireball</i> in her 3rd-level list of spells prepared). In addition, we kept some of the special abilities, replacing many of the granted powers. Kyra receives fire bolt and sun's blessing at 1st level. Fire bolt allows her to shoot rays of fire a limited number of times per day. The sun's blessing power adds to Kyra's channel energy ability and prevents undead from adding their turn resistance to their saves to resist her channeled energy (but more on how this works in a bit). At 6th level, the fire domain grants Kyra fire resistance (that increases as she gains levels). At 8th level she gains the nimbus of light ability from the sun domain. This powerful ability allows her to shed light like <i>daylight</i> for a number of rounds per day equal to her cleric level. This dispels any darkness effect and deals damage to undead in the area at the beginning of Kyra's turn (1 point per cleric level per round). The light spells themselves got a bit of an overhaul. There are now four levels of illumination: darkness, dim light, normal light, and bright light. Spells like <i>light</i> shed normal light in a set radius and increase the light level by one step in a set area beyond that. Spells like <i>darkness</i> reduce the light level in a set radius. <i>Deeper darkness</i> can actually make an area so dark that not even darkvision can penetrate it.</p>
<p>In addition to the changes to domains, the turn undead rules have been revised as well. Now called channel energy, this ability releases a wave of positive or negative energy in a 30-foot radius. When Kyra uses this ability she much choose to heal living creatures or to harm undead creatures (in the Beta rules, she could do both simultaneously). If she chooses to heal, all living creatures in the area are healed the listed amount (4d6 in this case). If she chooses to harm undead, all undead in the area take the listed damage (4d6+8 in this case, due to her sun's blessing domain ability), but they receive a save for half damage. Evil clerics can use this power in reverse, to harm living creatures or heal undead creatures. Kyra also has a few feats to enhance her channel energy ability. Improved Channel adds +2 to the DC to resist the channel and Selective Channel allows Kyra to exclude a number of targets in her area equal to her Charisma modifier. The big change here though is the Turn Undead feat. This feat allows Kyra to spend one use of her Channel Energy ability to force undead to flee from her unless they make their save. This version does not deal damage, but it can turn the tide in a battle. </p>
<p>There have also been a number of changes to cleric spells. Many of these were made to balance the cleric with some of the other classes or to otherwise simplify a confusing spell. <i>Death ward</i>, for example, no longer grants blanket immunity to death effects. Instead it grants bonuses to resist such affects and gives you a save even if one is not normally allowed. It also removes the penalties from negative levels while it lasts. <i>Divine Power</i> was significantly altered to prevent the cleric from becoming a better melee fighter than the fighter with just a spell or two. Now the spell grants a bonus to attacks and damage rolls, temporary hit points, and an additional attack whenever the cleric makes a full attack (just like <i>haste</i>). While it is still a good spell, it is no longer overpowering. <i>Remove curse</i> also deserves a bit of inspection. This spell (and those like it that remove ailments) is no longer automatic. When casting one of these spells, Kyra must succeed at a caster level check to remove the condition (using the ailment's DC). The goal here was to add some bite back into curses, diseases, and poisons, which have been a trivial concern past 5th level.</p>
<p>Last, but not least, it is time to talk about casting on the defensive. The Concentration skill was removed from the game in one of the early versions and there have been a number of systems proposed to replace it. In the final game, whenever a spellcaster is called upon to make such a check, he adds his caster level and whatever ability score is used to determine his spell DCs. To avoid confusion, we kept the old name, calling it a concentration check. This really is the simplest solution that avoids a skill tax on all spellcasters and does not favor one class over another (due to the variable ability score modifier that is added). When casting on the defensive, the DC is equal to 15 + double the spell's level. This makes it a little harder to cast on the defensive than it was, but that works to help balance out the spellcasters a bit (especially when you consider new feats that allow enemies to move with you if you attempt to 5-foot step away to cast a spell). </p>
<p>That is about all there is to show here on Kyra. Next week we are laying our hands on the mighty and powerful Seelah, the iconic paladin.</p>
<p>Jason Bulmahn<br>
Lead Designer</p>
</blockquote>
<!— tags: Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Iconics, Clerics, Wayne Reynolds —>
<p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/clerics">Clerics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics">Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderRoleplayingGame">Pathfinder Roleplaying Game</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/people/artists/wayneReynolds">Wayne Reynolds</a></p><a href="https://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/v5748btpy8255" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/product/catalog/PZO/PZO1110_180.jpeg" hspace=9 border=0 align=right></a>
<blockquote>
<h1><br>Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Preview #5</h1>
<p class=date>Wednesday, June 10, 2009</p>
<p>The <a href=http://paizo.com/store/byCompany/p/paizoPublishingLLC/pathfinder/pathfinderRPG/v5748btpy8255><i>Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook</i></a> is set to release on August 13th, 2009, and in anticipation, we are releasing a preview of the game each week until the game hits store shelves. This week, we are taking a look at Kyra, the iconic cleric.</p>
<blockquote><p><b>Kyra</b><br>
Female human cleric of Sarenrae 8<br>
NG Medium humanoid (human)<br>
<b>Init</b> +3; <b>Senses</b> Perception +5<br>
<b>Aura</b> good<br>
<b>DEFENSE</b><br>
<b>AC</b> 19, touch 9, flat-footed 19 (+8 armor, –1 Dex, +2 natural)<br>
<b>hp</b> 55 (8d8+16)<br>
<b>Fort</b> +10, <b>Ref</b> +5, <b>Will</b> +13<br>
<b>Resist</b> fire 10<br>
<b>OFFENSE</b><br>
<b>Speed</b> 20 ft.<br>
<b>Melee</b> <i>+1 flaming scimitar</i> +9/+4 (1d6+3 plus 1d6 fire/18-20) <br>
<b>Special Attacks</b> channel positive energy (4d6, 4d6+8 vs. undead, DC 17, 4/day), fire bolt (+5 ranged touch, 1d6+4 fire, 8/day), nimbus of light (8 rounds/day)<br>
<b>Cleric Spells Prepared</b> (CL 8th):<br>
4th—<i>death ward, divine power, fire shield</i>•, <i>holy smite</i><br>
3rd—<i>dispel magic, fireball</i>•, <i>prayer, remove curse, searing light</i><br>
2nd—<i>bull's strength, heat metal</i>•, <i>silence, spiritual weapon</i> (2)<br>
1st—<i>bless, burning hands</i>•, <i>divine favor</i> (2), <i>protection from evil</i> (2), <i>shield of faith</i><br>
0 (at will)—<i>detect magic, light, read magic, stabilize</i><br>
• Domain spell; <b>Domains</b> Fire, Sun<br>
<b>STATISTICS</b><br>
<b>Str</b> 14, <b>Dex</b> 8, <b>Con</b> 14, <b>Int</b> 10, <b>Wis</b> 20, <b>Cha</b> 12<br>
<b>Base Atk</b> +6; <b>CMB</b> +8; <b>CMD</b> 17<br>
<b>Feats</b> Improved Channel, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Selective Channeling, Turn Undead<br>
<b>Skills</b> Diplomacy +12, Heal +16, Knowledge (religion) +11, Spellcraft +11<br>
<b>Languages</b> Common<br>
<b>SQ</b> sun's blessing<br>
<b>Combat Gear</b> <i>wand of cure light wounds</i> (50 charges), <i>pearl of power</i> (2nd level), <i>scroll of flame strike</i>; <b>Other Gear</b> <i>+1 flaming scimitar, +2 chainmail, amulet of natural armor +2, cloak of resistance +2, headband of inspired wisdom +2</i></p>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder4_Cleric02.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder4_Cleric02_180.jpeg" border=0 align=right></a>
<blockquote>
<p>Kyra is a relatively straightforward cleric, worshiping Sarenrae, the fiery goddess of the sun. While much about the cleric is unchanged, there are a number of notable alterations.</p>
<p>First off is a change to how domains work. In the Beta version of the rules, the domains lost their bonus spells and gained a host of special abilities that were gained when the cleric reached certain levels. For the final version of the game, we went back to bonus spells, but we altered the spell lists a bit (you might notice <i>fireball</i> in her 3rd-level list of spells prepared). In addition, we kept some of the special abilities, replacing many of the granted powers. Kyra receives fire bolt and sun's blessing at 1st level. Fire bolt allows her to shoot rays of fire a limited number of times per day. The sun's blessing power adds to Kyra's channel energy ability and prevents undead from adding their turn resistance to their saves to resist her channeled energy (but more on how this works in a bit). At 6th level, the fire domain grants Kyra fire resistance (that increases as she gains levels). At 8th level she gains the nimbus of light ability from the sun domain. This powerful ability allows her to shed light like <i>daylight</i> for a number of rounds per day equal to her cleric level. This dispels any darkness effect and deals damage to undead in the area at the beginning of Kyra's turn (1 point per cleric level per round). The light spells themselves got a bit of an overhaul. There are now four levels of illumination: darkness, dim light, normal light, and bright light. Spells like <i>light</i> shed normal light in a set radius and increase the light level by one step in a set area beyond that. Spells like <i>darkness</i> reduce the light level in a set radius. <i>Deeper darkness</i> can actually make an area so dark that not even darkvision can penetrate it.</p>
<p>In addition to the changes to domains, the turn undead rules have been revised as well. Now called channel energy, this ability releases a wave of positive or negative energy in a 30-foot radius. When Kyra uses this ability she much choose to heal living creatures or to harm undead creatures (in the Beta rules, she could do both simultaneously). If she chooses to heal, all living creatures in the area are healed the listed amount (4d6 in this case). If she chooses to harm undead, all undead in the area take the listed damage (4d6+8 in this case, due to her sun's blessing domain ability), but they receive a save for half damage. Evil clerics can use this power in reverse, to harm living creatures or heal undead creatures. Kyra also has a few feats to enhance her channel energy ability. Improved Channel adds +2 to the DC to resist the channel and Selective Channel allows Kyra to exclude a number of targets in her area equal to her Charisma modifier. The big change here though is the Turn Undead feat. This feat allows Kyra to spend one use of her Channel Energy ability to force undead to flee from her unless they make their save. This version does not deal damage, but it can turn the tide in a battle. </p>
<p>There have also been a number of changes to cleric spells. Many of these were made to balance the cleric with some of the other classes or to otherwise simplify a confusing spell. <i>Death ward</i>, for example, no longer grants blanket immunity to death effects. Instead it grants bonuses to resist such affects and gives you a save even if one is not normally allowed. It also removes the penalties from negative levels while it lasts. <i>Divine Power</i> was significantly altered to prevent the cleric from becoming a better melee fighter than the fighter with just a spell or two. Now the spell grants a bonus to attacks and damage rolls, temporary hit points, and an additional attack whenever the cleric makes a full attack (just like <i>haste</i>). While it is still a good spell, it is no longer overpowering. <i>Remove curse</i> also deserves a bit of inspection. This spell (and those like it that remove ailments) is no longer automatic. When casting one of these spells, Kyra must succeed at a caster level check to remove the condition (using the ailment's DC). The goal here was to add some bite back into curses, diseases, and poisons, which have been a trivial concern past 5th level.</p>
<p>Last, but not least, it is time to talk about casting on the defensive. The Concentration skill was removed from the game in one of the early versions and there have been a number of systems proposed to replace it. In the final game, whenever a spellcaster is called upon to make such a check, he adds his caster level and whatever ability score is used to determine his spell DCs. To avoid confusion, we kept the old name, calling it a concentration check. This really is the simplest solution that avoids a skill tax on all spellcasters and does not favor one class over another (due to the variable ability score modifier that is added). When casting on the defensive, the DC is equal to 15 + double the spell's level. This makes it a little harder to cast on the defensive than it was, but that works to help balance out the spellcasters a bit (especially when you consider new feats that allow enemies to move with you if you attempt to 5-foot step away to cast a spell). </p>
<p>That is about all there is to show here on Kyra. Next week we are laying our hands on the mighty and powerful Seelah, the iconic paladin.</p>
<p>Jason Bulmahn<br>
Lead Designer</p>
</blockquote>
<!— tags: Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Iconics, Clerics, Wayne Reynolds —>
<p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/clerics">Clerics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics">Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderRoleplayingGame">Pathfinder Roleplaying Game</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/people/artists/wayneReynolds">Wayne Reynolds</a></p>2009-06-10T07:00:00ZPathfinder #4 Cover... and Desktop!https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo5la56?Pathfinder-4-Cover-and-Desktop2007-08-31T00:00:00Z<div align=center><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/PathfinderDesktop-4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/PathfinderDesktop-4_360.jpeg" border=0 hspace=12></a></div>
<blockquote>
<h1><i>Pathfinder</i> #4 Cover... and Desktop!</h1>
<p class=date>Thursday, August 30, 2007</p>
<p>In the past, each time we've shown off the cover to a new volume of <i>Pathfinder</i>, we've been immediately deluged with requests for it as a downloadable desktop background, which we inevitably put up a few days later. This time we figured: why wait? After all, there's a long weekend coming up, and we wouldn't want your monitor to have to go without new Wayne Reynolds art for all that time. So here it is: the cover to <a href="https://paizo.com/store/v5748btpy7xpu"><i>Pathfinder</i> #4</a>, featuring everyone's favorite butt-kicking cleric of Sarenrae, Kyra. Looking at the stone giants Wayne's dreamed up for us, it's kind of amazing the heroes ever win, isn't it?</p>
<p>Click <a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/PathfinderDesktop-4.jpg" target="_blank">here</a> to download the image at desktop size.</p>
<p>James Sutter
<br>Assistant Editor, <i>Pathfinder</i></p>
</blockquote>
<!— tags: Clerics, Kyra, Iconics —><p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/clerics">Clerics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/community">Community</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/freeStuff">Free Stuff</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics">Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderAdventurePath/riseOfTheRunelords">Rise of the Runelords</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/wallpapers">Wallpapers</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/people/artists/wayneReynolds">Wayne Reynolds</a></p><div align=center><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/PathfinderDesktop-4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/PathfinderDesktop-4_360.jpeg" border=0 hspace=12></a></div>
<blockquote>
<h1><i>Pathfinder</i> #4 Cover... and Desktop!</h1>
<p class=date>Thursday, August 30, 2007</p>
<p>In the past, each time we've shown off the cover to a new volume of <i>Pathfinder</i>, we've been immediately deluged with requests for it as a downloadable desktop background, which we inevitably put up a few days later. This time we figured: why wait? After all, there's a long weekend coming up, and we wouldn't want your monitor to have to go without new Wayne Reynolds art for all that time. So here it is: the cover to <a href="https://paizo.com/store/v5748btpy7xpu"><i>Pathfinder</i> #4</a>, featuring everyone's favorite butt-kicking cleric of Sarenrae, Kyra. Looking at the stone giants Wayne's dreamed up for us, it's kind of amazing the heroes ever win, isn't it?</p>
<p>Click <a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/PathfinderDesktop-4.jpg" target="_blank">here</a> to download the image at desktop size.</p>
<p>James Sutter
<br>Assistant Editor, <i>Pathfinder</i></p>
</blockquote>
<!— tags: Clerics, Kyra, Iconics —><p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/clerics">Clerics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/community">Community</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/freeStuff">Free Stuff</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics">Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/pathfinderAdventurePath/riseOfTheRunelords">Rise of the Runelords</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/wallpapers">Wallpapers</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/people/artists/wayneReynolds">Wayne Reynolds</a></p>2007-08-31T00:00:00ZMeet the Iconics: Kyrahttps://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo5la5u?Meet-the-Iconics-Kyra2007-07-31T01:00:00Z<a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder4_Cleric02.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder4_Cleric02_360.jpeg" border=0 align=right></a>
<br><br><br><blockquote>
<h1 itemprop="headline">Meet the Iconics: Kyra</h1>
<p class=date>Monday, July 30, 2007</p>
<div itemprop="articleBody">
<p>The priests of Sarenrae lead double lives. Known to her faithful as the Dawnflower, the Healing Flame, and the Everlight, she teaches temperance and patience in all things. Compassion and peace are her greatest virtues, and if enemies of the faith can be redeemed, they should be. Yet there are those who have no interest in redemption, who glory in slaughter and death. From the remorseless evil of the undead and fiends to the cruelties born in the hearts of mortals, Sarenrae's doctrines preach swift justice delivered by the scimitar's edge. To this end, she expects her faithful to be skilled at swordplay, both as a form of martial arts promoting centering of mind and body, and so that when they do enter battle, their foes do not suffer any longer than necessary.</p>
<p>Her priests are often categorized into these two camps—those who favor redemption as a method to defeat the enemy, and those who favor the blade. Kyra is certainly one of the latter. Born in a small farming town to loving parents, Kyra grew up in the shadow of one of the Dawnflower's shrines. She was taken at a young age with the beauty of the shrine's stained glass, and the grace of the three priestesses who practiced swordplay on the nearby hill each dawn as they offered their morning prayers. When bandits attacked her small town, Kyra watched as the priestesses did their best to reason with them—and when that came to naught, to end them before they could do more damage. Unfortunately, the bandits were too strong, and the village burned. Kyra was one of the few survivors, and on the smoking ruins of the shrine she swore her life and sword arm to Sarenrae, swore to protect those who could not protect themselves and to not spare the blade when the time for redemption passes.</p>
<p>Possessed of a fierce will and pride in her faith and skills with the scimitar, Kyra has traveled far since her trial by fire. She lost her family and home that fateful day, yet where another might be consumed by anger and a thirst for revenge, Kyra has found peace in the Everlight, and in the belief that, if she can prevent even one death at evil hands, her own losses will not have been in vain.</p>
<p>Kyra, along with the rest of the first four iconics, makes her debut as a pregenerated character in <a href="https://paizo.com/store/v5748btpy7xpr">volume 1 of <i>Pathfinder</i></a> and <a href="https://paizo.com/store/v5748btpy7yqz"><i>D1: Crown of the Kobold King</i></a>.</p>
<p>James Jacobs
<br>Editor-in-Chief, <i>Pathfinder</i></p>
</div>
</blockquote><p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/clerics">Clerics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics">Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/meetTheIconics">Meet the Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/portraits">Portraits</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/people/artists/wayneReynolds">Wayne Reynolds</a></p><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder4_Cleric02.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder4_Cleric02_360.jpeg" border=0 align=right></a>
<br><br><br><blockquote>
<h1 itemprop="headline">Meet the Iconics: Kyra</h1>
<p class=date>Monday, July 30, 2007</p>
<div itemprop="articleBody">
<p>The priests of Sarenrae lead double lives. Known to her faithful as the Dawnflower, the Healing Flame, and the Everlight, she teaches temperance and patience in all things. Compassion and peace are her greatest virtues, and if enemies of the faith can be redeemed, they should be. Yet there are those who have no interest in redemption, who glory in slaughter and death. From the remorseless evil of the undead and fiends to the cruelties born in the hearts of mortals, Sarenrae's doctrines preach swift justice delivered by the scimitar's edge. To this end, she expects her faithful to be skilled at swordplay, both as a form of martial arts promoting centering of mind and body, and so that when they do enter battle, their foes do not suffer any longer than necessary.</p>
<p>Her priests are often categorized into these two camps—those who favor redemption as a method to defeat the enemy, and those who favor the blade. Kyra is certainly one of the latter. Born in a small farming town to loving parents, Kyra grew up in the shadow of one of the Dawnflower's shrines. She was taken at a young age with the beauty of the shrine's stained glass, and the grace of the three priestesses who practiced swordplay on the nearby hill each dawn as they offered their morning prayers. When bandits attacked her small town, Kyra watched as the priestesses did their best to reason with them—and when that came to naught, to end them before they could do more damage. Unfortunately, the bandits were too strong, and the village burned. Kyra was one of the few survivors, and on the smoking ruins of the shrine she swore her life and sword arm to Sarenrae, swore to protect those who could not protect themselves and to not spare the blade when the time for redemption passes.</p>
<p>Possessed of a fierce will and pride in her faith and skills with the scimitar, Kyra has traveled far since her trial by fire. She lost her family and home that fateful day, yet where another might be consumed by anger and a thirst for revenge, Kyra has found peace in the Everlight, and in the belief that, if she can prevent even one death at evil hands, her own losses will not have been in vain.</p>
<p>Kyra, along with the rest of the first four iconics, makes her debut as a pregenerated character in <a href="https://paizo.com/store/v5748btpy7xpr">volume 1 of <i>Pathfinder</i></a> and <a href="https://paizo.com/store/v5748btpy7yqz"><i>D1: Crown of the Kobold King</i></a>.</p>
<p>James Jacobs
<br>Editor-in-Chief, <i>Pathfinder</i></p>
</div>
</blockquote><p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/clerics">Clerics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics">Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/meetTheIconics">Meet the Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/portraits">Portraits</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/people/artists/wayneReynolds">Wayne Reynolds</a></p>2007-07-31T01:00:00ZThe New Kidshttps://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo5la65?The-New-Kids2007-07-14T01:00:00Z<a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder3_Rogue01.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder3_Rogue01_180.jpeg" border=0 align=left hspace=12></a>
<a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder4_Cleric01.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder4_Cleric01_180.jpeg" border=0 align=right hspace=12></a>
<blockquote>
<h1>The New Kids</h1>
<p class=date>Friday, July 13, 2007</p>
Readers who've had a chance to check out <a href="https://paizo.com/store/v5748btpy7yqz"><i>D1: Crown of the Kobold King</i></a> have doubtless noticed the pre-generated characters at the back. But whereas Valeros and Seoni both had pictures... we didn't have illustrations for our human cleric of Sarenrae, Kyra, or our stabby short-tempered elven rogue, Merisiel. Look for each of these two to get their own "Meet the Iconics" entries in our blog in a few weeks, but for now, these awesome sketches from Wayne Reynolds give us a great preview of our next two heroes.</p>
<p>James Jacobs
<br>Editor-in-Chief, <i>Pathfinder</i></p>
</blockquote><p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/clerics">Clerics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics">Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/merisiel">Merisiel</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/portraits">Portraits</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/rogues">Rogues</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/people/artists/wayneReynolds">Wayne Reynolds</a></p><a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder3_Rogue01.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder3_Rogue01_180.jpeg" border=0 align=left hspace=12></a>
<a href="https://paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder4_Cleric01.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https//paizo.com/image/content/RiseOfTheRunelords/Pathfinder4_Cleric01_180.jpeg" border=0 align=right hspace=12></a>
<blockquote>
<h1>The New Kids</h1>
<p class=date>Friday, July 13, 2007</p>
Readers who've had a chance to check out <a href="https://paizo.com/store/v5748btpy7yqz"><i>D1: Crown of the Kobold King</i></a> have doubtless noticed the pre-generated characters at the back. But whereas Valeros and Seoni both had pictures... we didn't have illustrations for our human cleric of Sarenrae, Kyra, or our stabby short-tempered elven rogue, Merisiel. Look for each of these two to get their own "Meet the Iconics" entries in our blog in a few weeks, but for now, these awesome sketches from Wayne Reynolds give us a great preview of our next two heroes.</p>
<p>James Jacobs
<br>Editor-in-Chief, <i>Pathfinder</i></p>
</blockquote><p><a href="https://paizo.comcommunity/blog/tags">Tags</a>: <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/clerics">Clerics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics">Iconics</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/kyra">Kyra</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/iconics/merisiel">Merisiel</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/portraits">Portraits</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/classes/rogues">Rogues</a>, <a href="https://paizo.com/community/blog/tags/people/artists/wayneReynolds">Wayne Reynolds</a></p>2007-07-14T01:00:00Z