All his life, people have told Zurnzal that he could never succeed, yet he has harnessed the anger he feels toward these critics and used it to break his enemies and impress the few allies he has. When those who doubted him stand broken and bloodied, he will know that he was right.
ZURNZAL
Male half-orc brawler 6/assassin 2 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Class Guide 23)
NE Medium humanoid (human, orc)
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +13
DEFENSE:
AC 19, touch 14, flat-footed 16 (+5 armor, +1 deflection, +2 Dex, +1 dodge)
hp 72 (8 HD; 2d8+6d10+22)
Fort +9, Ref +10, Will +7; +1 vs. poison
Defensive Abilities orc ferocity, uncanny dodge
OFFENSE:
Speed 30 ft.
Melee unarmed strike +16/+11 (1d8+8) or
Melee unarmed strike flurry of blows +14/+14/+9 (1d8+8) or
Melee mwk short sword +13/+8 (1d6+5/19–20)
Ranged mwk composite shortbow +10/+5 (1d6+5/×3)
Special Attacks brawler’s flurry, brawler’s strike (magic), close weapon mastery, death attack (DC 14), knockout 1/day (DC 18), maneuver training (dirty trick +1), martial flexibility (swift action)
6/day, sneak attack +1d6
STATISTICS:
Str 20, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 8
Base Atk +7; CMB +12 (+15 dirty trick, +14 disarm, +14 grapple, +14 trip); CMD 26 (29 vs. dirty trick, 28 vs. disarm, 28 vs. trip)
SQ brawler’s cunning, martial training, orc blood, poison use
Combat Gear Gaels’ revenge poison (2 doses), potion of cure serious wounds, potion of invisibility, quick runner’s shirtUE, sandals of the lightest stepUE, antitoxin, tanglefoot bags (2); Other Gear +2 brawling studded leather, mwk composite shortbow (+5 Str) with 40 arrows, 20 cold iron arrows, and 10 silver arrows, mwk short sword, amulet of mighty fists +1, belt of giant strength +2, cloak of resistance +2, ring of protection +1, disguise kit, bronze Aspis badge, 7 gp
SPECIAL ABILITIES:
+2 Brawling Studded Leather This armor grants Zurnzal a +2 bonus on unarmed attack and damage rolls, including combat maneuver checks made to grapple.
Brawler’s Flurry (Ex) When Zurnzal makes a full-attack, he has the Two-Weapon Fighting feat while using unarmed strikes, close weapons, and monk weapons, and he adds his full Strength modifier to all attacks.
Brawler’s Strike (Ex) Zurnzal’s unarmed attacks count as magic.
Close Weapon Mastery (Ex) Zurnzal can deal 1d6 damage with any weapon from the close weapon group (such as daggers) if he wants.
Desperate Assassination During the first part of this adventure, Zurnzal can attempt a desperate assassination to silence a witness and negate a strike against the party; he can only do this once, and it can only prevent the last strike that would call the guards. In order to negate this strike, Zurnzal must succeed at a DC 20 Stealth check.
Gael’s Revenge Poison Zurnzal can safely apply this contact poison (save Fort DC 18; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d3 Dex; cure 2 saves) to his glove or boot as a standard action and deliver it with an unarmed strike.
Improved Dirty Trick Zurnzal does not provoke an attack of opportunity when using the dirty trick combat maneuver. He gains a +2 bonus on combat maneuver checks to perform dirty tricks and to CMD to defend against them.
Knockout Strike (Ex) Once per day Zurnzal can attempt a one-hit knockout, declaring his attempt before rolling his unarmed attack roll. If he hits and deals damage, the target must succeed at a DC 18 Fortitude save or fall unconscious for 1d6 rounds. The target receives a new save each round to wake up. This ability doesn’t work if the target is immune to critical hits or nonlethal damage.
Martial Flexibility (Ex) Zurnzal can spend a move action to gain any two combat feats he doesn’t have, as long as he meets the prerequisites, or he can spend a swift action to gain any one combat feat. He keeps the feat for 1 minute. If he uses the ability again before that time, he loses all the feats from the previous use. If the feat has a daily limit and he picks it more than once, it doesn’t reset the limit. Good choices include Greater Trip and Power Attack.
Martial Training (Ex) Zurnzal counts his brawler levels as both fighter levels and monk levels for the purpose of qualifying for combat feats.
Quick Runner’s Shirt Once per day as a swift action, Zurnzal can activate this shirt to take an additional moveSandals of the Lightest Step In any round in which Zurnzal has moved at least 10 feet, he can activate these sandals as a swift action to walk on air (as air walk) until the end of the round. He can use the sandals five times per day, but no more than once every 5 minutes.
BIOGRAPHY:
Although some half-orcs born in Lastwall find acceptance, many green-skinned children raised in that border nation wither under the accusing gazes of warrior families that have lost loved ones to the orc hordes. Zurnzal grew up burdened by his neighbors’ assumptions, who often assumed he might yet become a feral beast, despite his gentle heart and service to the community. Even after leaving Lastwall, he has always strived to measure up to his old neighbors’ impossible standards. However, over the years his noble goal has twisted into barely controlled anger.
He first drew the Aspis Consortium’s attention while working the dangerous Umbral Basis caravan circuit between Molthune and Nidal, where he distinguished himself as a powerful combatant. The consortium seemed like an idea way to get ahead
in life and away from Lastwall, but the half-orc quickly realized that he was as typecast there as anywhere. Most bronze agents simply saw him as another orc-blooded brute to be unleashed at the enemy like an attack dog. Only Madreki Gael—an agent who later joined a faction called the Korholm Agenda—saw the half-orc as anything more than hired muscle, and he began grooming Zurnzal for full Aspis membership.
The half-orc distinguished himself during a raid on the Pathfinders’ Grand Lodge, earned his bronze badge, and traveled to Nirmathas to help his patron further. However, the Society was quick to follow and disrupt Madreki’s schemes. Furthermore, the Aspis Consortium deemed the Korholm Agenda traitors, including Zurnzal. Rather than hope for leniency, Zurnzal found it more profitable to betray Madreki Gael and traded intelligence of his patron in exchange for an official pardon. While the half-orc’s career still suffered a setback, he trusts that by accepting a dangerous mission he can regain the Consortium’s full trust.
