Meet the Iconics: Jirelle

Thursday, May 29, 2014


Illustration by Wayne Reynolds

Introducing the first of the Advanced Class Guide's new iconic characters, Jirelle the swashbuckler. While the complete rules for making your own swashbuckler characters debut in the Advanced Class Guide this August, Jirelle herself features in the our upcoming Free RPG Day adventure, Pathfinder Module: Risen from the Sands, available at participating game stores Saturday June 21st. Jirelle is also a playable character in the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game Skull & Shackles Base Set due in August.

Jirelle may have been born and raised on a ship, and she might call the Shackles her homeland, but she never considered herself a pirate, even if only to distance herself from the darkest part of her childhood: her mother.

Today, Jirelle is a friendly sort with a biting wit and a charming personality. She makes new friends as swiftly as she strikes with her rapier, and while she has a flair for the dramatic (why merely attack a foe when you can make a show of it with a twirl of the cape or a somersault or two?), she never favors ostentation or glory over the opportunity to help a friend in need. Jirelle understands that the strength of one's relationships with friends, allies, lovers, and family make one strong. It was her mother's failure to forge such bonds that allowed a young Jirelle to escape from a life that would have likely seen offered as sacrifice to the shark demon Ovonovo before the close of her thirteenth birthday.

On the subject of her mother or her ship, the Bloodcrow, the typically light-hearted half-elf grows serious. Jirelle does not share the secrets of her childhood with just anyone. As such, few know how she engineered the sinking of the Bloodcrow and the death of her wretched elven mother off the coast of Tempest Cay. Jirelle often jokes that she befriends for life, with the playful, only slightly malicious glint in her eyes implying what might happen to those who would betray such friendship.

After escaping the Bloodcrow, Jirelle spent some time surviving as a street rat in the alleys of Drenchport. Armed with a fine rapier and clad in her her mother's magical cloak (the only two things she managed to escape the Bloodcrow's wreckage with), Jirelle kept every coin and bauble she earned in a thrice-locked chest she keeps well hidden and protected. At first, she'd hoped to save enough money to afford a move from the Shackles to distant Taldor, drawn by tales of a land where duels and extravagance and civility promised a better life. But when rumors of a strange, ghostly ship plying the sea-ways of the Shackles reached her—fearful stories of a vessel commanded by an imperious banshee and bound by undeath—Jirelle realized that in sinking the Bloodcrow she'd done the exact opposite of what she'd intended. Rather than spare the Shackles of a brutal pirate queen, she'd unleashed an even deadlier scourge upon the Fever Sea.

Today, Jirelle seeks the funds to someday finance a ship and crew of her own. She plans not to become a pirate—for a life of plunder and cruelty holds no appeal for the daring swashbuckler—but to finish the job she started on the eve of her thirteenth birthday. Jirelle knows she can't do this on her own, though. So she seeks true and able allies, knowing that only with bravery and trust will the Bloodcrow's days be numbered.

James Jacobs
Creative Director

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Tags: Iconics Jirelle Meet the Iconics Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Swashbuckler Wayne Reynolds
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Lamontius wrote:
Gentleman Alligator wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
zergtitan wrote:
Actually does anybody know what her alignment and patron deity is?

Chaotic good.

Cayden Cailean.

I can already imagine Jirelle and Valeros being best friends, raising a toast to their shared patron god before going on wild and crazy adventures together.

how dare you

Bloodcrow 2015

Oh, I dare :)

I'd love to see Jirelle show up in the Pathfinder comic. I think she might be one of my new favorite Iconics (right up there with Valeros, Ezren, Kyra, and Merisiel).


James Jacobs wrote:
Lamontius wrote:

is she standing on Merisiel's throat in the full artwork or does that come later

No. Why would you even think that? You MONSTER!!!

New headcanon, Jirelle's mother is Merisiel's unknown evil twin sister.

Shadow Lodge

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Love the detail on the rapier basket.


James, what would be Jirelle's reaction to witnessing a sharknado?


4 people marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

WAR!
Good god!
What is he good for?
Super badass artwork!

I really like the story. It's shorter than the more recent Iconic stories, but the decreased description is appropriate here. Her mother was a demon worshiping pirate, so it's probably for the best that we don't know all the details.

Mikaze brought up Seltyiel, but I also see her contrasted with Alain (whom I she think she would especially loathe). She probably would best get along with Valeros and Lirianne, and I think she might stand on Merisiel's throat as part of some roleplay with Kyra playing the brave heroine to Merisiel's damsel and Jirelle's moustache twirling villain... and now I'm picturing Jirelle with a fake moustache.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

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Axial wrote:
James, what would be Jirelle's reaction to witnessing a sharknado?

Probably a lot of cheering. And then maybe some duck and covering.


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Yes yes, but does her rapier have +1 chandelier bane?

Bloodcrow 2015


James Jacobs wrote:
Axial wrote:
James, what would be Jirelle's reaction to witnessing a sharknado?
Probably a lot of cheering. And then maybe some duck and covering.

Heh, cool.

I figured because of the whole Ovonovo thing, she wouldn't be very pleased.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

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Axial wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Axial wrote:
James, what would be Jirelle's reaction to witnessing a sharknado?
Probably a lot of cheering. And then maybe some duck and covering.

Heh, cool.

I figured because of the whole Ovonovo thing, she wouldn't be very pleased.

Oh. Nah... Ovonovo wouldn't use a sharknado. She's weirdly subtle for a demon god of sharks and shipwrecks. Sharknados aren't her style at all. That's more a drunk angry Gozreh thing.

Silver Crusade

Tels wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Lamontius wrote:

is she standing on Merisiel's throat in the full artwork or does that come later

No. Why would you even think that? You MONSTER!!!
New headcanon, Jirelle's mother is Merisiel's unknown evil twin sister.

Or mother!


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James Jacobs wrote:
Axial wrote:
James, what would be Jirelle's reaction to witnessing a sharknado?
Probably a lot of cheering. And then maybe some duck and covering.

Bloodcrow would definitely punch a shark in the face

don't blame me
I voted for Bloodcrow


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She looks amazing.

And she's covered up. Color me surprised. I was starting to think that among the female iconics only the divine-spellcasters knew how.

EDIT: And Ameiko. But I heard our ninja only very narrowly escaped a cleavage window.


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James Jacobs wrote:
That's more a drunk angry Gozreh thing.

I'm saving this for later use.


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Sweet Barleybrew! I love your style Jirelle and I'm sure I'll love to hear more about your future exploits.

Dextrous scrappers with flair have always been favorite character type. I enjoyed playing a Swashbuckler in a oneshot playtest for the ACG. Can't wait to get my hands on the final version of the book.

Sczarni

Argh! First thing to really excite me about a new book in years! Love the art and the story background is superb!


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Dustin Ashe wrote:

She looks amazing.

And she's covered up. Color me surprised. I was starting to think that among the female iconics only the divine-spellcasters knew how.

EDIT: And Ameiko. But I heard our ninja only very narrowly escaped a cleavage window.

I'm allergic to arrows in my chest.


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Reiko of White Wave wrote:
Dustin Ashe wrote:

She looks amazing.

And she's covered up. Color me surprised. I was starting to think that among the female iconics only the divine-spellcasters knew how.

EDIT: And Ameiko. But I heard our ninja only very narrowly escaped a cleavage window.

I'm allergic to arrows in my chest.

Aren't most of us?


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Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
James Jacobs wrote:
zergtitan wrote:
Actually does anybody know what her alignment and patron deity is?

Chaotic good.

Cayden Cailean.

She was just upgraded for me from "awesome" to "extremely awesome". :)


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Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Lord Fyre wrote:
zergtitan wrote:
It has begun! And it is Beautiful! :}
Bah! Too much clothing. ;)

Well, her wearing sensible armor will make many people happy who are into that kind of stuff and dislike the "boob window" characters like our female iconic Inquisitor got saddled with. I certainly think that this full armor looks very fetching on her!


Rathendar wrote:
Reiko of White Wave wrote:
I'm allergic to arrows in my chest.
Aren't most of us?

Amiri doesn't appear to be, nor Sajan. Lucky. ಠ_ಠ


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Reiko of White Wave wrote:
Rathendar wrote:
Reiko of White Wave wrote:
I'm allergic to arrows in my chest.
Aren't most of us?
Amiri doesn't appear to be, nor Sajan. Lucky. ಠ_ಠ

Amiri could shrug them off and Sajan can at least can deflect them. Poor Seltyiel is constantly flashing his delicate skin.


James Jacobs wrote:
zergtitan wrote:
Actually does anybody know what her alignment and patron deity is?

Chaotic good.

Cayden Cailean.

Please tell me she's not as stupid as Valeros?

That aside. I like her. I like the cut of her jib as it were.

RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32

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Valeros would claim he isn't stupid, he's fearless. Or brave. Or drunk.

One of those.


Ross Byers wrote:

Valeros would claim he isn't stupid, he's fearless. Or brave. Or drunk.

One of those.

He could have Caramon syndrome - not be stupid, just hang out with MUCH smarter people.


Ahh, looks good. I await more Iconics, specifically the half-orc and the shoanti.

Especially the half-orc. Totally badass looking mofo.
Hopefully, there will be an upgrade to the feats from the Inner Sea Gods books to include warpriest and other religious classes.
I want my half-orc warpriest to have armor training like a cleric of Gorum! Wooo!

Paizo Employee Creative Director

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And in fact, Valeros is NOT stupid. He's actually rather smart. Smart enough to know that by acting foolish he can lure enemies and whatnot into underestimating his tactics and skill. (His Intelligence is, for what it's worth, 12.)

As for the sensible armor... yeah, I'm pretty stoked with how it turned out. But it's hardly something new. Kyra, Seelah, and Lini are pretty well armored, and Merisiel is as well (although she does have some cleavage).

Just a pet peeve of mine that folks accuse our iconics of always having "fantasy armor" when in fact we've tried hard to avoid that from the start—AKA from the first time we illustrated an iconic who actually has the ability to wear armor in the first place (Kyra... Seoni doesn't wear armor because she can't).

Sovereign Court Contributor

This character is someone I would really enjoy playing. Beautiful outfit, too.


James Jacobs wrote:
Just a pet peeve of mine that folks accuse our iconics of always having "fantasy armor" when in fact we've tried hard to avoid that from the start—AKA from the first time we illustrated an iconic who actually has the ability to wear armor in the first place (Kyra... Seoni doesn't wear armor because she can't).

THANK YOU! For what it's worth, I rather appreciate how much effort you guys put into decided what kind of art to put in your books. Seeing a larger, but still attractive Shelyn in the Inner Sea Gods and Faiths of Purity books really made me happy, as well as seeing my favorite goddess (Desna) depicted nude in an artistic and tasteful way.

And, for something more topic relevant, I love the new iconic. she seems to be a really fun and interesting character, and has a good outlook. sinking a ship in her preteen years is pretty awesome. She's got a really cool design, too.

Silver Crusade

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Yeah, secondi....sixthing(?) the coolness of that armor. I love how she could fit right in in both the Shackles and inland Taldor.

Evan Tarlton wrote:
but I also see her contrasted with Alain (whom I she think she would especially loathe)

BEST NEW CHARACTER OF 2014

Evan Tarlton wrote:
and I think she might stand on Merisiel's throat as part of some roleplay with Kyra playing the brave heroine to Merisiel's damsel and Jirelle's moustache twirling villain...

Go on....

Jeff Erwin wrote:
This character is someone I would really enjoy playing.

She also passes the test of "character is someone I would really enjoy playing beside". :)


Nthing/"O Captain! My Captain!"-ing the coolness, practicality, and extreme detail of her armor and her great backstory. Even better, I love her pose/body language and her confident expression.

And with that cloak, I really hope we see some art of her Ole!-ing a minotaur.

Silver Crusade

The minotaur thing needs to happen at some point.

A gorgon is fine too.

Also yeah, after really taking it all in, that has to be my favorite face and expression on any of the iconics' WAR portraits so far. Total CG face right there.


Very nice! I am wondering about the iconic arcanist.


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Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber

The boots, the cloak, the rapier, the outfit, the hair, the look, the flair! I can't take it *swoon*

But seriously, love this character. Perfect amount of the two parent classes while still being it's own class with tons of flavor. And dat backstory! Totally using that in my next campaign near the sea.

This came out really really good. Then again, the only ACG classes I'm worried about in any manner are the Investigator and the Slayer. And that's only because I plan to use them to fade the Rogue out of PC existence, becoming an NPC thieves/assassins guild class (poor Merisiel). And that's strictly mechanics.

Anyway, keep up the amazing work!


magnuskn wrote:
Lord Fyre wrote:
zergtitan wrote:
It has begun! And it is Beautiful! :}
Bah! Too much clothing. ;)
Well, her wearing sensible armor will make many people happy who are into that kind of stuff and dislike the "boob window" characters like our female iconic Inquisitor got saddled with. I certainly think that this full armor looks very fetching on her!

+1

I especially like the fact that the armor has a sort of Mariachi flavor to it. Something that I guess could be a homage to Zorro. The armor on the torso looks very much like a padded Mariachi vest.


Very nice...she is definitely now in my top five of the iconic characters.

So does this mean Tuesday preview will about the Swashbuckler? Or is there no link between what iconic you reveal and the following preview blog?

Liberty's Edge

Yay the iconics start!! And Jirelle looks awesome!! I like her a lot!


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I love the buckler on her waist.
A swashbuckler with an actual buckler!


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Hmm ... this background story looks like the perfect outline for a future Pathfinder Tale.

Liberty's Edge

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OOH they need to do a new subline for the Comics. They could even call in, Meet the Iconics. It could be little mini-series that tell these same stories in Comic form.


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James Jacobs wrote:
Just a pet peeve of mine that folks accuse our iconics of always having "fantasy armor" when in fact we've tried hard to avoid that from the start—AKA from the first time we illustrated an iconic who actually has the ability to wear armor in the first place (Kyra... Seoni doesn't wear armor because she can't).

Sorry my praise seemed like a backhanded compliment.

I really do like the artwork of Jirelle. She's a powerful, interesting, and attractive character that, judging from all the responses in this thread, fans seem to instantly adore.

off-topic:
Sensible armor (and clothing) just makes sense. I hope to see many more like Ezren, Kyra, Valeros, Seelah, Harsk, Lini, Alain, Reiko, etc., and now Jirelle in the future. And judging from what I've already seen of the ACG iconics, I think that's happening
.


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James Jacobs wrote:
Lamontius wrote:

is she standing on Merisiel's throat in the full artwork or does that come later

No. Why would you even think that? You MONSTER!!!

I imagine what Lamontius meant to imply is that the swashbuckler is a better rogue than the rogue?


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Hurrah for Jor-el!

Err, I mean Jirelle!


Well, damn. That's one of the best-looking iconics (and they're all top-shelf) and I think she has the best backstory.

Well done, Paizo!


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Mikaze wrote:
I love how she could fit right in in both the Shackles and inland Taldor.

I know, right. I love the slashed Elizabethan-ish leather puffed sleeve with the voluminous blouse underneath. And *swoon* the boots.

Dark Archive

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Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Valeros/Merisiel/Lem/Jirelle - putting the "party" in "adventuring party" since 2014.


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Ross Byers wrote:

Valeros would claim he isn't stupid, he's fearless. Or brave. Or drunk.

One of those.

Also to Valeros credit in my opinion, even is less virtuous attributes can often come off as more the "jerk with a heart of gold" variety. He strikes me as somebody that's probably a better man than most think of him and maybe even somebody better than he himself realizes. Contrast that with somebody like Alain who is just a huge jerk.

James Jacobs wrote:
Just a pet peeve of mine that folks accuse our iconics of always having "fantasy armor" when in fact we've tried hard to avoid that from the start—AKA from the first time we illustrated an iconic who actually has the ability to wear armor in the first place (Kyra... Seoni doesn't wear armor because she can't).

I mean no offense by this James, I really don't, and I'm not trying to take this thread away from talking about Jirelle, but looking over the list of iconics and who has armor that doesn't make sense I can make a case for Alahazra (who gets major bonus points because not only is she scantly clad and wearing a near stripperific outfit but she belongs to a class allowed to wear armor), Amiri, (pretty much no armor over her torso despite being allowed to wear it and being a raging front line combatant),Imrijka (cleavage window and boobplate armor), Lirianne (not only has no functional torso armor, but has both a sizeable cleavage window and shows her midriff. Her top almost looks like stylized lingerie., Merisiel (cleavage window), and Seltyiel (no armor over his torso despite being able to wear armor. I can also mention that while yes both Feiya and Seoni can't wear armor, they aren't exactly going out in classic mage's robes either. Feiya looks like half of what's exposed are tattered undergarments she's practically falling out of, and Seoni is, well, Seoni. She wears a downright stripperific outfit that would make most priestess of Calistra blush and it must be held on by a combination of magic and willpower for her not to be hauled off for indecent exposure in every city she enters. I'm also sure a large portion of men in the places she visits hope she has some reason to cast fly when she's near them.

The only one I might give a pass to is Sajan because he both can't wear armor and he looks like he's wearing at least an idealized version of what a lot of people think monks of the past might wear.

Sure there are people like Kyra and Seelah (assuming nobody minds her boobplate armor), but that doesn't discount all the others above who constitute the majority. It's not just the iconics either. It's across the entire line.

I can't reconcile that with the statement, "we've tried hard to avoid that from the start". Either that isn't true, or the artist you have working for you constantly choose to blatantly ignore the instructions you give them for their work with little consequences or repercussions. It's not like one iconic slipped by the cracks somehow. It’s even harder to not think that having sexualized women in the setting's artwork isn’t as least somewhat intentional given how progressive Paizo is as a company and tends to actually think about issues like this where others don’t. Not that I think there is never a place for stuff like that in Golarion or fantasy artwork, because sometimes there is, especially if done in moderation and where it makes sense in setting, but I can’t buy any notion that would say it’s not an intentional strategy Paizo has.

I can also point out that of the people above that have issues with what they are wearing only one is a man.

I can also point out that while your not as bad as some and the size is still somewhat in the rage of actual possibility if not plausibility that on the average whole the size of the iconic women’s' (and most of the other women in Golarion's artwork) breast are at least well above average. There is no reasonable chance a random sampling of women either in the real world or in the setting, unless there's something that hasn't been stated, would come out like the iconics have.

Now that I think about it I don't think there is a non-attractive female inconic or even an only average looking one for that matter with maybe the possible exception of Imrijka who still looks good despite being half orc. Again a pretty statistically improbable thing to occur unless bustiness and attractiveness have a direct correlation to being a good adventurer in the setting.

All this also hasn't taken into account how much the ten new iconics might add to the above when they come out.


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Ale for the ale god! Kegs for the keg throne of Cailean!

... wait that's not right. *hic*

Webstore Gninja Minion

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IxionZero wrote:

Ale for the ale god! Kegs for the keg throne of Cailean!

... wait that's not right. *hic*

I would totally have a throne of kegs.


3 people marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

To be honest, I totally wouldn't mind if Golarion were a space where outfits like Seoni's and mythic Seltyiels/Valeros were par-de-course. ^^

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