A Riddle Wrapped in Mystery

Friday, November 18, 2016

Illustration by Gintas Galvanauskas

Villain Codex is here! This week we're unveiling some of the hidden secrets of the last five remaining enigmatic organizations. Each one has its own mysteries and hidden agendas, either hiding in the shadows or in plain sight beneath another facade.

Secret Society

What could be more of an embodiment of secretive villain groups than a literal secret society? The group in this chapter maintains the facade of a harmless secret club for the wealthy and influential to engage in wild parties, but underneath is something far more sinister. Let's see if the High Talon, the group's official recruiter, can convince you to join the inner circle:

"Everyone who's anyone is, or was, a member, darling. I'm so glad you accepted our open invitation. We've had our minds on you for quite some time, you see, waiting for you to grow into the handsome young thing you've become. Now, see before you this quivering lowlife. Oh, yes, you once considered him your friend, I know. You must be pained to see him debased this way before you. But such is the natural order of things. He is weak, and you are strong. Do not consider this creature a person any longer. It is a base animal, and it is only right that you treat it as such. Show us exactly what such a simpering beast deserves. That's it! Yes, it's cowering now, so you can take your foot off its throat—it's already lost and the hunt hasn't even begun. Oh, we're going to have so much fun, my young friend. Take this—mind how sharp it is—a claw for you, my beauty, a claw to catch a mouse. See how it runs."

That's right, in secret, the society engages in hunts for the most dangerous game. But with a twist: these ailurophiles use magic to transform their victims into humanoid mice while hunting them in cat masks.

As the ritual commences, you can see the child leader of the organization, the Grand Dam, sitting on her throne. The society has three leaders: the High Sire, High Tom, and Grand Malkin. The High Sire is the Master of the Hunt and keeper of the Great Black Sphynx, the society's sacred beast and focus of many of its internal rites. The High Tom is Master of the Lodge, the public face of the society, and its primary vector of recruitment, propaganda, and internal control. The Grand Malkin is the Master of the Rites and holder of its occult mysteries and arcane methods. Despite having passed on several years ago, the Grand Malkin still jealously clings to power: his phantom is tethered to his granddaughter, known as the Grand Dam. The Grand Malkin's guidance has helped the Grand Dam become a powerful spiritualist early in life, and though he's a shade of his former self, he retains extensive knowledge of the society and guides the Grand Dam in the details of the society's tenets, organization, and sacred rituals.

Grand Dam

The Grand Dam is the anchor by which the Grand Malkin, a dead sorcerer, jealously clings to his leadership of the society.

Grand Dam CR 12

XP 19,200

Female young human spiritualist (haunted) 13 (Pathfinder RPG Occult Adventures 72, 110)

NE Small humanoid (human)

Init +2; Senses Perception +6

Defense

AC 23, touch 13, flat-footed 21 (+6 armor, +2 Dex, +4 shield, +1 size)

hp 90 (13d8+28)

Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +16 (+4 vs. mind-affecting effects)

Defensive Abilities greater spiritual interference

Illustration by Daniel Lopez

Offense

Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)

Melee mwk kukri +9/+4 (1d3-2/18-20)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 13th; concentration +23)

At will—detect undead

2/day—calm spirit^OA (DC 13)

1/day—see invisibility (10 min)

Spells Known (CL 13th; concentration +23)

5th (2/day)—dominate person (DC 21), shadow evocation (DC 23), telekinesis

4th (4/day)—entrap spirit^OA (DC 20), greater invisibility, phantasmal killer (DC 22), possession^OA (DC 20), shadow conjuration

3rd (5/day)—bestow curse (DC 19), ectoplasmic snare^OA (DC 19), fly, riding possession^OA, slow (DC 19), vampiric touch

2nd (7/day)—detect thoughts (DC 18), false life, invisibility, life pact^ACG, pilfering hand^UC, spectral hand

1st (7/day)—compel hostility^UC, obscuring mist, protection from law, psychic reading^OA, sanctuary (DC 17), shield, ventriloquism (DC 19)

0 (at will)—detect psychic significance^OA, mage hand, message, open/close (DC 16), read magic, telekinetic projectile^OA

Tactics

Before Combat The Grand Dam casts false life on herself and the Grand Malkin each day, and she casts fly and shield before summoning the Grand Malkin.

Base Statistics Without her spells in effect, the Grand Dam's statistics are hp 75 (13d8+13); AC 19, flat-footed 17; Skills Fly +11.

Statistics

Str 6, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 22, Cha 10

Base Atk +9; CMB +6; CMD 18

Feats Emotional Conduit^OA, Focused Phantom^OA, Greater Spell Focus (illusion), Phantom Fortification^OA, Shared Soul^OA, Skill Focus (Appraise, Bluff), Spell Focus (illusion), Spiritualist's Call^OA, Toughness

Skills Appraise +10, Bluff +22, Disguise +10, Fly +21, Knowledge (arcana, planes) +18, Knowledge (nobility, religion) +10, Linguistics +6, Sense Motive +16, Spellcraft +10, Stealth +18, Use Magic Device +9

Languages Abyssal, Common, Draconic, Ignan

SQ bonded senses (at will), etheric tether, fused consciousness, phantom (Grand Malkin, jealousy), phantom recall 2/day, shared consciousness 1/day

Gear +2 chain shirt, mwk kukri, cloak of resistance +2, hat of disguise, headband of inspired wisdom +4, society ring†, Book of the Black Sphynx (see below)

Grand Malkin

Male phantom (Pathfinder RPG Occult Adventures 78)

NE Large outsider (phantom)

Init +9; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +15

Aura resentful aura (20 ft., DC 19)

Defense

AC 28, touch 14, flat-footed 23 (+5 Dex, +14 natural, -1 size)

hp 103 (10d10+48)

Fort +6, Ref +14, Will +9 (+4 morale vs. enchantment)

Defensive Abilities fortification 50%, invisibility; DR 10/magic and slashing

Offense

Speed 30 ft.

Melee 2 slams +16 (4d6+2)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

Tactics

During Combat The Grand Malkin manifests using teleplasmic surge, before usurping greater invisibility. He focuses retributive slams on enemies who dare attack him or the grand dam.

Base Statistics Without his usurped manifestation and spells, the Grand Malkin's statistics are Size Medium; AC 27, touch 15, flat-footed 22; hp 88; Fort +4, Ref +12, Will +7; Melee 2 slams +15 (3d6+1); Str 12; CMB +11; CMD 26; Skills Appraise +12, Bluff +21, Disguise +6, Fly +10, Intimidate +17, Knowledge (arcana) +12, Knowledge (nobility, planes, religion) +5, Linguistics +1, Perception +13, Sense Motive +13, Stealth +18.

Statistics

Str 14, Dex 20, Con 13, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 18

Base Atk +10; CMB +15; CMD 28

Feats Deceitful, Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (slam), Power Attack, Toughness, Weapon Finesse

Skills Appraise +14, Bluff +23, Fly +10, Intimidate +19, Knowledge (arcana) +14, Knowledge (nobility, planes, religion) +7, Linguistics +3, Perception +15, Sense Motive +15, Stealth +36 (+56 when stationary)

Languages Abyssal, Common, Draconic, Ignan

SQ devotion, ectoplasmic phase lurch, jealous combatant, magic attacks, retribution (2d8), teleplasmic surge, usurp manifestation 16 rounds/day, usurp spell

The Grand Dam is the keeper of the Book of the Black Sphynx, which contains the occult rituals described in the New Rules section and grants a +2 competence bonus on those rituals' skill checks.

Carnival Troupe

"Step right up and see the world—yes, ladies and gentlemen, enjoy a show gathered from the disparate corners of the globe! For just a few shiny coins, see bravado and oddities heretofore unknown in your sleepy hamlet, too astonishing to speak of on public corners and within a sheriff's earshot! These canvas walls hide marvels beyond reckoning. Freakish forms cursed by nature! Toothsome young bodies guaranteed to delight! Within you'll find contortions and conjurations, mysteries and mesmerism, and sights to bewitch and delight! All that parts you from this life-changing extravaganza is the exchange of a cursory fee! Pay no attention, my friends, to hurtful rumors of malfeasance here. Our purpose is but to delight by bringing wonders, lessons, and dangers from across the lands to your profitable and trusting little community! Step right up and learn every conceivable meaning of awe!" —The ringmaster, as her eyes glow so hypnotically, so invitingly, so trustworthily…

Fang Monastery

A secret martial arts dojo hidden in the mountains where initiates must undergo rigorous physical and mental training? Sounds like part of a backstory for a PC monk, where the monk met a wise master and trained in secret techniques. But the Fang Monastery is more than just a training ground for martial arts; the First Fang is obsessed with the ancient empire of the serpentfolk and seeks nothing less than a return to a twisted order patterned off the serpentfolk of old.

Sinister Cult

What could be crazier than a secret cult so dedicated to the apocalypse that they worship daemons, or perhaps the Great Old Ones? Why, an apocalyptic cult that worships daemons and the Great Old Ones, of course! Of course, the Sinister Mastermind uses his powers of persuasion and raw charisma to delude the lower ranks who just want to belong from realizing this goal (yep, as the master of a cult, he's a cult master mesmerist!), but the upper echelons are full of insane prophets, daemonic agents, and more. Note the comedy mask on the front of the cult assassin's crossbow, the symbol of the cult. Once you have the book, if you look closely you can find one on each picture, and the Sinister Mastermind has the tragedy mask to complete the pair and usher in an incomprehensible tragedy.

Slayer's Guild

Speaking of assassins, last but not least is the slayer's guild, a religious order of assassins who believe in one simple truth: any assassination is just as long as it's paid for properly. There are assassins of all stripes, from those who use disguises to those who focus on beatdowns, from a vishkanya deadly courtesan (the second in command) to snipers of all stripes. The fact that several members use bows, like the ninja zen archer pictured below, means that they also have strong representation in the secret bonus groups (see below).

Illustrations by Ramon Puasa Jr., Richard Suwono, Bogdan Rezunenko, and Florian Stitz

Wait, did I just say secret bonus organizations? I sure did! In the back of the book, there are 22 write-ups of organizations that use members from across several of the chapters, either as an adventuring party of members all around the same level, a themed group, or a different sort of group entirely. Most of these are sort of alternate reality mix-ups of different ways to use the NPCs, like The Furies (and all-female adventuring group named for the erinyes), but some of my favorites are meta-groups that could exist in a world that contains all the groups in the book. For instance, the Legion of Dominion is a cabal of the most powerful villains in the book, banded together to help share information and protect against heroes by the Eminent Spellqueen, and the Chromatic College of the Atonal Arts is a bardic college where almost every faculty member is a secret recruiter, advocate, or spy for a different evil group. My favorite, however, is the Silent Oath, a sort of henchmen anonymous group, which I've included here to close out our final blog:

An order of minions working across various evil organizations, the Silence provides numerous benefits to its members, from a place to vent and share frustration at their overlords' demands to an avenue for the organizations to coordinate through even when their leaders are too publicly opposed to allow an official alliance. With the threat of retribution from their organizations' commanders, members swear a namesake oath of silence. The founder is a bearer who managed to find and reattune a number of society rings that the Secret Society had forgotten through the years. Other members include a cult librarian, the spellmaster, the stagecrafter, a shadowcaster, a fang monastery ascendant, the Renewer, a royal bureaucrat, and a guild operative.

I hope you enjoy Villain Codex as much as we enjoyed working on it!

Mark Seifter
Designer

I'm a Man of Wealth and Taste

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Illustration by Dimitri Sirenko

Last week we took a look at villains of the natural world, with an in-depth look at Nature's Scourge. This week we're headed back to civilization to shine a light on the corruption and excesses that make villains like Nature's Scourge want to just burn the whole thing down.

Regal Court

The Regal Court is a hotbed of intrigue and schemes. The king and queen, once young and in love, have grown bitter and distant, yielding a political situation loosely based on the court of Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine, with the queen locked away in a tower. With the King's supporters, the Queen's supporters, and several other opportunistic factions, the Regal Court provides numerous opportunities for the PCs to become embroiled in a major political conflict with no clear "good guy" to back. As the queen says to her champion:

"A marriage is much like an empire, my friend. I've come to understand this intimately ever since I spoke my own vows. In the beginning, it is full of promise, hope, and bounty. Love is its decree. Children and prosperity are its crop. Power and vitality are its commerce. Life is brimming with adventure and endless possibility, and the borders of the lands seem boundless—limited only by one's ambition and ability to grasp all within reach. And in those heady days, you think those things will last forever, but they never do. The decrees become rote. Most of the crop has been reaped and consumed; the last of it lies rotting in the ditch. Time takes vitality from us all, especially those who do nothing to defend themselves against the inevitable. The empire crumbles, and all that is left is to try to survive, despite the parasites that have latched on and will not let go."

Today, let's take a look at one of those other opportunistic players in the political game, ostensibly loyal to the King but truly loyal only to himself. I speak, of course, of the vizier, since what intrigue-ridden court is complete without an evil vizier?

Vizier

Always lurking in the shadows behind the throne, the vizier started serving the king just before the queen's rebellion. The vizier is a sly and treacherous fellow, and those who side with the queen see him as both the true power of the kingdom and the architect behind the court's strife.

Vizier CR 12

XP 19,200

Male human mesmerist (vizier) 13 (Pathfinder RPG Occult Adventures 38, Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Intrigue 38)

NE Medium humanoid (human)

Init +3; Senses Perception +16

Defense

AC 21, touch 14, flat-footed 18 (+6 armor, +1 deflection, +3 Dex, +1 natural)

hp 101 (13d8+39)

Fort +9, Ref +13, Will +10

Offense

Illustration by Florian Stitz

Speed 30 ft.

Melee mwk dagger +9/+4 (1d4–1/19–20)

Special Attacks bold stares (disorientation, sapped magic, susceptibility), hypnotic stare (–3), manifold tricks (4 tricks), mesmerist tricks 12/day (astounding avoidance, faked death, gift of will, meek facade, mesmeric mirror, misdirection, spectral smoke), painful stare (+6 or +4d6+6)

Mesmerist Spells Known (CL 13th; concentration +22)

5th (2/day)—foster hatred^OA (DC 23), possession^OA (DC 21)

4th (4/day)—dimension door, dominate person (DC 22), modify memory (DC 22), phantasmal killer (DC 20)

3rd (5/day)—confusion (DC 21), glibness, scrying (DC 19), synaptic pulse^OA (DC 21), witness^UM

2nd (7/day)—deflect blame^UI (DC 20), detect thoughts (DC 18), mirror image, rumormonger^UI, suggestion (DC 20)

1st (7/day)—beguiling gift^APG (DC 19), charm person (DC 19), deja vu^OA, expeditious retreat, memory lapse^APG (DC 19), mental block^OA (DC 17)

0 (at will)—daze (DC 18), detect magic, detect poison, ghost sound (DC 16), mage hand, message

Tactics

During Combat The vizier uses his power behind the throne ability to make it seem like his allies are the true threats to foes. He prefers to disable enemies before handing them over to the King's justice, but if in dire need, he will use phantasmal killer to make short work of his enemies.

Statistics

Str 8, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 22

Base Atk +9; CMB +8; CMD 22

Feats Deceitful, Great Fortitude, Greater Spell Focus (enchantment), Persistent Spell, Spell Focus (enchantment), Subtle Enchantments^UI, Third Eye^OA, Toughness

Skills Bluff +29, Diplomacy +25, Disguise +11, Intimidate +25, Knowledge (nobility) +17, Perception +16, Sense Motive +16, Spellcraft +17, Stealth +17, Use Magic Device +13

Languages Common, Elven

SQ glib lie (DC 28), insidious influence, power behind the throne (DC 22), touch treatment 8/day (greater)

Combat Gear potion of gaseous form, potion of shield of faith (CL 12th), potion of bear's endurance; Other Gear +2 mithral chain shirt, mwk dagger, amulet of natural armor +1, ring of protection +1, headband of alluring charisma +2, cloak of resistance +2, belt of incredible dexterity +2

Careful in word and action, the vizier plays the part of the king's most loyal servant and advisor, but his true demeanor is far more self-serving. He is slowly draining the kingdom's coffers through the embezzlement of the treasury, manipulation of the bureaucracy, and accumulation of a patchwork of petty titles of land that he plans to parlay into a large holding that will one day be independent from the kingdom. His manipulation of both the king and the prince has been masterful, and the only person who stands in his way is the queen, who thwarts some of his schemes (even as she assists others) and has much more power in court than anyone knows. The vizier suspects the identity of his rival, though not the extent of her influence, and has been subtly and carefully suggesting that the queen should be executed for the sake of the kingdom. Thus far, the king is still loath to do so, and the vizier has begun to exert pressure on other members of the court, such as the prince and the captain of the guard.

Corrupt Guard

The corrupt guard serve double duty in this book due to the way they're set up as an organization. Priding themselves on efficiency, fairness, and upholding the law, institutionally the corrupt guards are mostly lawful neutral (technically even the Guard Captain is lawful neutral, but only technically; you'll have to check out the book to find out way). The corruption in the guard's leadership is subtle enough that few rank-and-file members know about it, and they even have a paladin on staff. What this means is that not only do you have an organization set up for adventures full of conspiracies and corrupt law enforcement, but you also have stats you can easily use for the regular non-corrupt guard the next time your PCs roll a flaming sphere into a bar or whatever other mischief they get up to.

Cruel Musketeers

The Cruel Musketeers are the only direct tie-in between two villain organizations. Remember that queen locked away in a tower? Turns out her personal guard, the Queen's Musketeers, didn't take that too well. They were banished from the kingdom and are hoping for the day she calls for them to march back in and free her. Until then, however, they've been slowly descending into villainy just to survive adrift in foreign lands and keep up recruitment, making them one of the more tragic villain groups in the book. The Lord Marshal ostensibly in charge of the musketeers might be lawful neutral, but the decentralized organization of musketeers into fellowships mean that the cruel and ruthless captains find more recruits. Also, there's a foreign baroness trying to politically subvert the musketeers to add a Milady de Winter style character into the mix.

Merchant Caravan

The Merchant Caravan are an unusual group of villains in that very few of them can stand against combat-focused PCs for long in a fair fight. Instead, they focus on deception, shady deals, shifty tricks, and all sorts of scams. Bait-and-switch, shorting, smuggling, snake-oil, and confidence games of all sorts follow in their wake. Take a look at the petty fence: "Hey there, need any potions or scrolls?"

Thieves' Guild

What set of civilized villains is complete without a thieves' guild? These rogues are each specialists in particular criminal fields, including spying, safecracking, second-story work, gathering intelligence, fixing gambling, and more. Of course, every thieves' guild needs a wiseguy to crack a few skulls if necessary, but most of the thieves tend to be more combat-focused than the Merchant Caravan but most still prefer a proper heist where there's no need for a messy fight and there's always an escape plan.

Illustrations by Subroto Bhaumik, Tim Kings-Lynne, and Dimitri Sirenko

Stay tuned next week for the last installment, as we reveal the most secretive, enigmatic, and hidden groups of all!

Mark Seifter
Designer

The Stars Are Right

Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Dear Reader,

The light from Aldebaran and the songs from the Hyades fall upon our brittle planet, and I'm pleased to share with you that in the coming weeks the Strange Aeons Adventure Path will be slinking out of our warehouse and making its way into game stores, distributors' warehouses, and your homes. After much research and many an occult ritual, this Adventure Path steeped in the cosmic horror of the Elder Mythos has broken free from the Dreamlands and become a reality—a sentient thing, perhaps.

Now, this is no reason for concern. I assure you that the Strange Aeons Adventure Path is fairly benign. You will not go mad from reading it; the books won't flap themselves from your shelf and scuttle about your home in the stygian hours of the night while you slumber—dreaming of things far more horrific, no doubt. It will, however, provide hours and hours of creepy excitement for you and your friends.

Illustration by Caio Maciel Monteiro

While this Adventure Path is perfect for experts on the Lovecraft Mythos, don't feel like Strange Aeons isn't for you if you're not familiar with or well versed in the literature that provides the inspiration for this campaign. If you enjoy creepy cultists, bizarre monsters, forgotten lore, and accursed locations, Strange Aeons is a good fit for you.

I will, however, bestow upon you a small warning that this campaign starts off in an atypical way, perhaps our most non-standard Adventure Path opening to date. The characters wake up in an asylum with no memory of how they got there and only hazy recollections of who they are. This kind of start requires a fair amount of trust of the GM and of the Adventure Path. You can still create a character with a complete backstory, but know that some things happened in your character's past that are beyond his or her control. The upcoming Strange Aeons Player's Guide provides advice on how to make the best of this strange (but fun) situation.

If you are eager to play through or run the Strange Aeons and want to gather some associated materials to help spice up your campaign, consider checking out some of the following items. As this is a cosmic horror campaign, picking up the newly released Pathfinder RPG Horror Adventures is a great idea. In addition to great advice on running horror games, the book provides plenty of great character options for GMs and players both. I also advise using the new alternate fear rules included in this book, as I feel it will really help set the mood for the campaign. Similarly, grabbing a copy of Pathfinder RPG Occult Adventures provides plenty of character options and new rules that fit the tone and flavor of the Strange Aeons Adventure Path.

Illustration by Ramon Puasa Jr.

Strange Aeons kicks off with Pathfinder Adventure Path #109: In Search of Sanity by our own Editor-In-Chief F. Wesley Schneider, who puts his own brand of horror on the Adventure Path right out of the gate. I cornered him in his office and got him to jot down a few thoughts about his opening adventure.

"As soon as it was clear that we were returning to Ustalav, I was pretty vocal that I wanted in. Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Rule of Fear established Versex county as Lovecraft country, and Thrushmoor already had dozens of threads dangling for cosmic horror plots, so I was instantly stoked that Strange Aeons was going to be playing in that sandbox. The fact that the first adventure was set in an asylum was just icing on a really big pile of also icing (I might have written a couple of fictional asylums in past works).

Now, it's been nearly a year since I wrapped up work on In Search of Sanity. I wrote it on something of a binge after finishing my novel, Pathfinder Tales: Bloodbound (also set in Ustalav), and the first volume of Hell's Vengeance, "The Hellfire Compact." As a result, "In Search of Sanity" features as few subtle nods to both. I won't give away too much, but if you're interested in learning more about Ustalav's royal accusers or about the tribulations of Longacre's Lieklan family, the first Strange Aeons has more to say.

You'll also have the chance to join an asylum revolt, surf a blood tsunami and give a ghoul a shower.

I seem to remember that some Lovecrafty stuff happens too.

Y'all like bholes, right?"

If you're eager to get into the right feel for Strange Aeons and want to do some reading, I've compiled a brief reading list of some of the stories that capture the feel of and have inspired the Strange Aeons Adventure Path.

• "The Shadow Out of Time," by H. P. Lovecraft
• "The Dunwich Horror," by H. P. Lovecraft
• "At the Mountains of Madness," by H. P. Lovecraft
• "The Call of Cthulhu," by H. P. Lovecraft
• "Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath," by H. P. Lovecraft
• "The Doom that Came to Sarnath," by H. P. Lovecraft
• "The Repairer of Reputations," by Robert Chambers
• "The Yellow Sign," by Robert Chambers
• "The Great God Pan," by Arthur Machen
• "The Wendigo," by Algernon Blackwood
• "The Willows," by Algernon Blackwood
• "The House on the Borderland," by William Hope Hodgson

In a few short weeks the ritual to properly summon the Strange Aeons Adventure Path will be complete! Keep your eyes on this blog for the Strange Aeons Player's Guide, which you will see soon enough.

Adam Daigle
Developer

Look Into the Unknown

Friday, August 5, 2016

While our compliment of awesome Gen Con-bound comrades are steering the Paizo booth, running games, and working various panels, the Paizo skeleton-crew is continuing to assist customers, get packages out the door, and bringing you new content on paizo.com.

But, before everyone hopped on a plane, Adam Daigle sent over a few Pathfinder Adventure Path previews that I get to share with you all! In just a short time, the Strange Aeons Adventure Path will release. Until we get into the finer details that will be featured later this month on the blog, here's a sampling of art that is featured in the first volumes:

Illustrations by Michal Ivan and Damien Mammoliti

Illustrations by Damien Mammoliti, Crystal Sully, Caio Maciel Monteiro, Ramon Puasa Jr., and Kremena Chipilova

If you've been tracking #paizoatgencon, or following us on social media, you might have caught that we unveiled some pretty awesome images of the upcoming Curse of the Crimson Throne hardcover (and the limited edition version—details to come after Gen Con). Check 'em out!

Adam also just announced the Adventure Path following the Ironfang Invasion in this afternoon's Adventure Path panel. Look out for the Ruins of Azlant Adventure Path starting next summer! In Ruins of Azlant, PCs join an expedition to the shattered remains of old Azlant, explore its mysteries and dangers, and face a veiled master who wants to get its tentacles on an Azlanti doomsday device. Titles include (but are subject to change before release):

Spoilers!

• Pathfinder Adventure Path #121: The Lost Outpost by Jim Groves
• Pathfinder Adventure Path #122: Into the Shattered Continent by Robert Brookes
• Pathfinder Adventure Path #123: The Flooded Cathedral by Mikko Kallio
• Pathfinder Adventure Path #124: City in the Deep by Amber E. Scott
• Pathfinder Adventure Path #125: Tower of the Drowned Dead by Ron Lundeen
• Pathfinder Adventure Path #126: Beyond the Veiled Past by Thurston Hillman

More information about Strange Aeons, the Curse of the Crimson Throne hardcover, and Ruins of Azlant to come as we get closer to their release dates!

Chris Lambertz
Community & Digital Content Director

Invasion of the Pawn People!

Wednesday, January 7, 2014

Beware! A few days from now, an invasion of over 200 of the most notable denizens of the Pathfinder Campaign Setting will be flooding into game stores and subscribers' mailboxes. Cleverly hidden inside the Inner Sea Pawn Box like a modern-day, miniature Trojan Horse, these characters are set to assault game tables the world over. Check out the full list of included pawns, as well as a preview of several of the new pieces of art ordered for the set!

Inner Sea Pawn Box Set List:

Small
Aspis Consortium Spy (2) Balazar, Summoner Bellflower Tiller* (2) Bellflower Tiller* (2) Bleachling Lunatic	Charau-Ka Warrior (5) Chuffy Lickwound Daggermark Poisoner (2) Eagle Knight Halfling Enora, Arcanist	Mogmurch Okeno Liberator Pathfinder Loreseeker Poog of Zarongel Priest of Desna	Priestess of Nethys Priestess of Norgorber Priestess of Zon-Kuthon Reta Bigbad Usaro Rebel (3)
Medium
Absalom Guard (6) Adowyn, Hunter Adril Hestram Alahazra, Oracle Alain, Cavalier Aldori Swordlord* Aldori Swordlord* Alkenstar Shieldmarshal (4) Anaphexia Assassin (4) Android Monk (2) Android Warrior (2) Arcanamirium Sorcerer (2) Arclord of Nex Aspis Consortium Commander Aspis Consortium Soldier (3) Aspis Consortium Thug (3) Averaka Giant Slayer (2) Belkzen Warchief (2) Blackfire Adept Summoner (3) Blackraven Scout (4) Bloatmage* Bloatmage* Blue Warder (3) Chernasardo Sniper (3) Crowe, Bloodrager Cyphermage* Cyphermage* Daggermark Poisoner (2) Damiel, Alchemist Decemvirate Member Drow Matron Duergar Slaver (3) Duskwarden (3) Eagle Knight Commander (2) Eagle Knight Soldier (4) Eando Kline Feiya, Witch Fierani Demon Hunter (4) Geb Blood Lord Gillman Warrior (3) Gillman Wave Rider (2) Grandmaster Torch Gray Gardener (4) Gray Maiden (4) Gray Maiden Commander Green Faith Druid (4) Green Faith High Druid Hakon, Skald Half-Orc Pit Fighter (2) Harbinger Disciple (3)	Harrower* Harrower* Hayato, Samurai Hellknight Armiger (4) Hellknight Signifer* Hellknight Signifer* House of Perfection Monk (3) Imrijka, Inquisitor Ironmaster Ytharia Vulane Iroran Champion Jinx Eater (2) Jirelle, Swashbuckler Keleshite Entertainer Kess, Brawler Kitharodian Academy Bard Kitharodian Academy Performer Knight of Ozem* (2) Knight of Ozem* (2) Knight of the Ioun Star Kortash Khain Korvosan Shingles Runner (3) Kuru Cannibal (4) Lantern Bearer (3) Lion Blade of Taldor (4) Lirianne, Gunslinger Low Templar (3) Magaambya Arcanist (3) Magaambya Instructor Maurya-Rahm Advisor Mendevian Crusader* (3) Mendevian Crusader* (3) Molthuni Soldier (4) Mushfens Cabalist (3) Night Herald Cultist (3) Old Ones Cultist (3) Old-Mage Jatembe Oloch, Warpriest Order of the Chain Hellknight (3) Order of the Gate Hellknight (3) Order of the Godclaw Hellknight (3) Order of the Nail Hellknight (3) Order of the Pyre Hellknight (3) Order of the Rack Hellknight (3) Order of the Scourge Hellknight (3) Pactmaster of Katapesh (3) Padrig Pain Taster (2) Pathfinder Braggart Pathfinder Chronicler Pathfinder Explorer	Pathfinder Hunter Pathfinder Priest Pathfinder Sneak Pathfinder Spellcaster Pathfinder Venture-Captain Pathfinder Wanderer Pathfinder Warrior Pirate Marauder (4) Priest of Abadar Priest of Asmodeus Priest of Calistria Priest of Cayden Cailean Priest of Erastil Priest of Gorum Priest of Gozreh Priest of Iomedae Priest of Irori Priest of Lamashtu Priest of Nethys Priest of Norgorber Priest of Pharasma Priest of Rovagug Priest of Sarenrae Priest of Shelyn Priest of Torag Priest of Urgathoa Priest of Zon-Kuthon Priestess of Abadar Priestess of Asmodeus Priestess of Calistria Priestess of Cayden Cailean Priestess of Desna Priestess of Erastil Priestess of Gorum Priestess of Gozreh Priestess of Iomedae Priestess of Irori Priestess of Lamashtu Priestess of Pharasma Priestess of Rovagug Priestess of Sarenrae Priestess of Shelyn Priestess of Torag Priestess of Urgathoa Prophet of Kalistrade* Prophet of Kalistrade* Puddles Peddler Pure Legionnaire (4) Pure Legionnaire Commander Quinn, Investigator	Razmiran Cultist (4) Razmiran Priest (2) Red Mantis Acolyte (2) Red Mantis Assassin (5) Red Mantis Elite (3) Red Mantis Leader Reiko, Ninja Riftwarden (4) Risen Guard* (3) Risen Guard* (3) River Kingdoms Brigand (4) Rough Rampager (3) Sable Company Marine (3) Sczarni Crime Boss Sczarni Mystic (2) Sczarni Thief (4) Seltyiel, Magus Shackles Pirate* (4) Shackles Pirate* (4) Shackles Pirate Captain* Shackles Pirate Captain* Shardra, Shaman Shoanti Gladiator (3) Silent Enforcer (4) Sister of the Golden Erinyes (4) Sleepless Detective (3) Sodden Scavenger (4) Strix Warrior (4) Strix Witch Taldan Noble* Taldan Noble* Technic League Spellcaster (2) Thrune Agent* (2) Thrune Agent* (2) Tian Monk* (2) Tian Monk* (2) Tian Sage Ulfen Guard Commander Ulfen Guard of Taldor (2) Ulfen Hunter (2) Ulfen Longboat Captain Ulfen Raider (5) Usij Cabalist (3) Uskwood Druid (2) Ustalavic Duelist Varisian Merchant (2) Varisian Wanderer (3) Way of the Kirin Agent White Witch (2) Zadim, Slayer
Large
Absalom Wave Rider (3) Alain on Donahan God Caller with Eidolon	Jarl Gnargorak Knight of Ozem, Mounted (4) Mistress of Blades Maidrayne Vox	Mounted Hellknight (4) Qadiran Horselord (4) Ruthazek the Gorilla King	Sable Company Marine, Mounted (3) Shoanti Burn Rider (3)

* Indicates box includes multiple images for this character type.

Illustrations by Konstantinos Skenteridis, Mariusz Gandzel, and Alberto Dal Lago

Illustrations by Konstantinos Skenteridis, Ramon Puasa Jr., Chenthooran Nambiarooran, and Subroto Bhaumik

Mark Moreland
Developer