When we first came up with the outline for a typical volume of Pathfinder, there were several key things we wanted to make sure made it into every book. There had to be an adventure, of course, and several supporting articles giving background material that specifically expanded the adventure. There had to be an introduction that gave people a look behind the scenes, pregenerated characters, and numerous new monsters that could be easily dropped into that volume's adventure or a homebrew campaign. But there was still something missing—a space for us to shade in more of our world beyond just the current adventure's location. A narrative that would help get people invested and allow us to explore and expand, reconcepting established monsters for our setting and breathing that much more life into the world as a whole.
To this end, we created the Pathfinder Journal. Each month in Rise of the Runelords, we'll follow the journal of Eando Kline, a neophyte member of the Pathfinder organization, as he adventures through the region of Varisia, recording the knowledge he uncovers and sending it back to his venture-captain superior in hopes of one day being deemed worthy of publication in the illustrious Pathfinder Chronicles.
While Pathfinder Journals will normally be presented in-character as musings and naturalist-style sketches from Kline's logs, "Opening Moves," the initial installment that appears in "Burnt Offerings" breaks the mold before its even been established. In this first taste, Erik Mona sets the scene by presenting an in-depth background of the Pathfinder organization—its goals, leadership, and place in the myriad societies of Golarion. Steal a taste of the hidden knowledge that rests inside the much-coveted chronicles, and study the creeds by which all pathfinders must abide.
All of which will prepare you for volume two, in which Jason Bulmahn presents the first chapter in the wanderings of Eando Kline, pathfinder extraordinaire....
