TEXT: by Mikko Kallio
  City in the  
  Lion’s Eye
  
  SUCCESSION LOYALTIES
  STARBORNE
  EUTROPIA
  NAZEZI
  VORT
  EUTROPIA
  PYTHAREUS
  EUTROPIA
  EUTROPIA
  
  Paizo Inc.
  7120 185th Ave NE, Ste 120
  Redmond, WA 98052-0577
  paizo.com
  ON THE COVER
  Foreword 
  2
  by Ron Lundeen
  City in the Lion’s Eye 
  4
  by Mikko Kallio
  NPC Gallery 
  56
  by Mikko Kallio
  Zimar Gazetteer 
  62
  by Mikko Kallio
  Rakshasa Threats 
  68 
  by Eleanor Ferron
  Lion Blades 
  74 
  by Liz Smith
  Bestiary 
  80
  by Mike Headley, Mikko Kallio, Joe Kondrak, and Kalervo Oikarinen
  REFERENCE
  This book refers to several other Pathfinder Roleplaying Game products using the following 
  abbreviations, yet these additional supplements are not required to make use of this book. Readers 
  interested in references to Pathfinder RPG hardcovers can find the complete rules of these books 
  available online for free at paizo.com/prd.
  Advanced Class Guide 
  ACG
  Advanced Player’s Guide 
  APG
  Occult Adventures 
   
  OA
  Ultimate Combat 
   
  UC
  Ultimate Equipment  
  UE
  Ultimate Magic 
   
  UM
  Ultimate Intrigue 
   
  UI
  This product is compliant with the Open Game License (OGL) and is suitable for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game or the 3.5 edition of the 
  world’s oldest fantasy roleplaying game.
  Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and 
  are not Open Game Content: All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper nouns (characters, deities, locations, etc., as well as all adjectives, names, 
  titles, and descriptive terms derived from proper nouns), artworks, characters, dialogue, locations, plots, storylines, and trade dress. (Elements that 
  have previously been designated as Open Game Content, or are exclusively derived from previous Open Game Content, or that are in the public domain 
  are not included in this declaration.)
  Open Game Content: Except for material designated as Product Identity (see above), the game mechanics of this Paizo game product are Open Game 
  Content, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(d). No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game 
  Content may be reproduced in any form without written permission.
  Pathfinder Adventure Path #130: City in the Lion’s Eye © 2018, Paizo Inc. All Rights Reserved. Paizo, Paizo Inc., the Paizo golem logo, Pathfinder, 
  the Pathfinder logo, Pathfinder Society, Starfinder, and the Starfinder logo are registered trademarks of Paizo Inc.; Pathfinder Accessories, Pathfinder 
  Adventure Card Game, Pathfinder Adventure Path, Pathfinder Adventures, Pathfinder Battles, Pathfinder Campaign Setting, Pathfinder Cards, 
  Pathfinder Combat Pad, Pathfinder Flip-Tiles, Pathfinder Flip-Mat, Pathfinder Legends, Pathfinder Map Pack, Pathfinder Module, Pathfinder Pawns, 
  Pathfinder Player Companion, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Pathfinder Tales, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Combat Pad, Starfinder Flip-Mat, 
  Starfinder Pawns, Starfinder Society, and War for the Crown are trademarks of Paizo Inc.
  Printed in China.
  The regal Maxillar Pyratheus graces the foreground of 
  Hugh Pindur’s magnificent cover art, while Quinn and 
  Rivani clash against night hags in the background.
  Development Leads • Crystal Frasier, Ron Lundeen,  
  and Joe Pasini
  Authors • Mikko Kallio, with Eleanor Ferron, Mike Headley, 
  Joe Kondrak, Kalervo Oikarinen, and Liz Smith
  Cover Artist • Hugh Pindur
  Interior Artists • Yanis Cardin, Miguel Regodón Harkness, 
  Oksana Kerro, Katerina Kirillova, William Liu, Firat Solhan, 
  and Allison Theus
  Page Border Design • Taylor Fischer
  Cartographer • Robert Lazzaretti
  Creative Directors • James Jacobs, Robert G. McCreary,  
  and Sarah E. Robinson
  Director of Game Design • Jason Bulmahn
  Managing Developer • Adam Daigle
  Development Coordinator • Amanda Hamon Kunz
  Organized Play Lead Developer • John Compton
  Developers • Eleanor Ferron, Crystal Frasier, Jason Keeley, 
  Luis Loza, Ron Lundeen, Joe Pasini, Chris Sims, and 
  Linda Zayas-Palmer
  Starfinder Design Lead • Owen K.C. Stephens
  Starfinder Society Developer • Thurston Hillman
  Senior Designer • Stephen Radney-MacFarland 
  Designers • Logan Bonner and Mark Seifter
  Managing Editor • Judy Bauer
  Senior Editor • Christopher Carey
  Editors • James Case, Leo Glass, Lyz Liddell, Adrian Ng,  
  and Lacy Pellazar
  Art Director • Sonja Morris
  Senior Graphic Designers • Emily Crowell and Adam Vick
  Franchise Manager • Mark Moreland
  Project Manager • Gabriel Waluconis
  Publisher • Erik Mona
  Paizo CEO • Lisa Stevens
  Chief Operations Officer • Jeffrey Alvarez
  Chief Financial Officer • John Parrish
  Chief Technical Officer • Vic Wertz
  Director of Sales • Pierce Watters
  Sales Associate • Cosmo Eisele
  Vice President of Marketing & Licensing • Jim Butler
  Marketing Manager • Dan Tharp
  Licensing Manager • Glenn Elliott
  Public Relations Manager • Aaron Shanks
  Organized Play Manager • Tonya Woldridge
  Accountant • Christopher Caldwell
  Data Entry Clerk • B. Scott Keim
  Director of Technology • Dean Ludwig
  Web Production Manager • Chris Lambertz
  Senior Software Developer • Gary Teter
  Webstore Coordinator • Rick Kunz 
  Customer Service Team • Sharaya Copas, Katina Davis, 
  Sara Marie, and Diego Valdez
  Warehouse Team • Laura Wilkes Carey, Will Chase, 
  Mika Hawkins, Heather Payne, Jeff Strand, and 
  Kevin Underwood
  Website Team • Brian Bauman, Robert Brandenburg, 
  Lissa Guillet, and Erik Keith
  CITY IN THE LION’S EYE
  ADVENTURE PATH 4 OF 6
  
  2
  I 
  think I know how time travelers feel. I’ve experienced 
  the steady, onward progression of time one way, 
  while the rest of the world saw time flow another. 
  This can create some weird discrepancies, like this: I 
  wrote the previous installment in the War for the Crown 
  Adventure Path, and now I’m writing the introduction 
  you’re reading now. In that time, I’ve gone from a being 
  Midwestern corporate attorney to a full-time developer 
  for Paizo in the Pacific Northwest. It all started when I 
  turned in my final text for Pathfinder Adventure Path #129: 
  The Twilight Child; at about the same time, I mentioned to 
  Adam Daigle that I’d love to join his team of developers at 
  Paizo. I politely lifted Adam’s dropped jaw from the floor 
  and assured him I was serious. (In this, I had practice: 
  I’d previously mentioned to my wife that I wanted to 
  try for a full-time job at Paizo, and I’d politely lifted 
  her dropped jaw from the floor and assured her I was 
  serious.) A few months of interviews and development 
  tests later, I moved my family from Chicagoland to 
  Seattleland to work at Paizo. Throughout this process, 
  my wife went from surprised to supportive so fast that 
  it reminded me—as do so many other things—that I 
  don’t really deserve her. I’ve now been working at Paizo 
  for over a month, hammering the articles in the back of 
  this very volume (and the next one) into shape, and I’m 
  putting pen to paper for this introduction now. For you, 
  it’s been only a month since our last chapter, but for me, 
  it’s been six very busy and exciting ones.
  Fellow developer Joe Pasini has been showing me the 
  ropes. His foreword in last month’s volume talked a lot 
  about what it is we do as developers, and as developers 
  for the supplemental material in the back of Pathfinder 
  Adventure Path volumes specifically. That was quite a 
  bit like the discussion Adam and Joe had with me when 
  I started, which I call What Developers Do, and How 
  There’s a Lot More to It Than You Expected, Ron. So, 
  that ground’s been covered for you. But since I’ve been 
  a freelance writer for Paizo for many years, I thought 
  I’d offer some insights into how the freelance writing 
  side works—questions about freelancing come up quite 
  frequently at conventions and on the forums, so let me 
  give you my insights.
  THE TALE OF THE TIME-
  TRAVELING WRITER
  
  3
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  WRITING FOR PAIZO
  The most common misconception is that freelancers 
  get to pick what to write. That’s not really true. Being a 
  freelancer isn’t like being an artist with a fresh palette, 
  able to paint whatever you envision. It’s more like 
  being a house painter; the boss wants this side painted 
  yellow with red trim, and if you paint it sea-foam 
  with mauve stripes, you won’t be asked back. Plenty of 
  writers don’t like those constraints, so they go write 
  their own thing and publish it themselves. I appreciate 
  that; I’ve done plenty of it myself (for adventures in 
  particular, which are my favorite thing to write). But if 
  you’re writing for a company freelance, you’ll need to 
  work within its parameters.
  It starts by getting noticed by the developers. 
  Participating in RPG writing and design contests is 
  a good way to do that, particularly when Paizo or its 
  developers are involved. If you have a consistent, public 
  portfolio of Pathfinder RPG–compatible work for 
  developers to look at, this will also help a lot (although 
  Paizo won’t accept unsolicited work for publication). 
  Polite inquiries regarding work availability are vital. 
  Good freelancers are professional. They keep emails 
  brief and to the point, and they work to answer their 
  own questions before coming to us by looking how 
  Paizo has handled a similar rule or issue in previous 
  products. They proofread, and ask others to proofread 
  as well (for myself, see above with regard to supportive 
  wife). They submit on time, and craft detailed comments 
  to liberally explain their decisions to the developer, 
  note gp cost calculations, and compare power levels to 
  other Paizo rules.
  For many of our new authors, the first writing 
  assignment you’ll get is a monster for an Adventure 
  Path bestiary, just like the ones I now develop. I’ll ask 
  you to pitch a few monster ideas within a narrow range 
  of CRs or in keeping with a few other parameters, and 
  then ask you to work up the most appropriate of your 
  pitches for that issue. You’ll get a contract that specifies 
  your total payment (which is a one-time, work-for-
  hire payment—no royalties), deadline, confidentiality 
  obligations, and other legal terms that I personally find 
  interesting, unlike nearly everyone else on the planet. 
  I’m looking for a solid monster turnover with clear rules 
  that doesn’t create new rules subsystems and doesn’t 
  pull from a myriad of different sources (a monster with 
  feats from seven different books, spell-like abilities 
  from a dozen other books, and a bunch of skill unlocks 
  doesn’t demonstrate rules mastery; it demonstrates lack 
  of focus). I have to order art to match your monster, 
  so having an evocative description is helpful. We 
  developers try to find the time to give feedback since we 
  understand that’s how writers improve, so if you haven’t 
  gotten any feedback after your work shows up in print, 
  don’t be shy about asking for it. 
  This is also the time to ask about the availability 
  of other work. Future requests for work might come 
  in an email query such as “Would you be able to 
  write about 2,000 words for an upcoming book about 
  jungles of Golarion, due the end of next month?” 
  This is where professionalism is again important. 
  You’ll have signed a nondisclosure agreement not to 
  talk publicly about unannounced projects or even the 
  content of announced projects, so this isn’t your cue 
  to take to Facebook announcing, “Hey, Paizo’s got a 
  jungles book coming up, y’all!” Just as importantly, you 
  should honestly consider whether you have the time 
  for the assignment. If you’re planning a wedding and 
  honeymoon for that same time period, you have more 
  important things to do. Developers don’t mind hearing, 
  “That timing doesn’t work for me. Can you please keep 
  me in mind for the next project?”
  If you say yes, you’ll get an outline. Sometimes, that 
  outline is just for your particular article, but usually 
  you’ll get an outline for a complete product, with your 
  name assigned to certain chapters or sections. This 
  lets you see everything that’s going into the book, and 
  how your section will fit into the larger picture. Stick to 
  your assigned word count and topic, do your research 
  into the applicable rules and canon, and cover the 
  topic fully. Communicating with other authors on the 
  project is just fine, and often very helpful.
  We developers talk and share names a lot; after a 
  few projects, you’ll build a reputation with us. That 
  reputation often has both positive and negative 
  components, such as, “great with evocative monster 
  design but struggles a bit with world lore,” or “can put 
  together great spells and magic items but tends towards 
  names that are too jokey.” This is good! It lets us know 
  how best to work with you and it lets you recognize 
  where we’d like you to improve. As you build a positive 
  reputation, you’ll receive a wider variety of projects 
  from us, up to and including high-profile projects like 
  Adventure Path adventures or hardcover books. You’ll 
  be a lot more trusted, and begin to exchange your 
  house painter overalls for an artist’s smock. We’ll still 
  tell you what colors we need, but how you paint them 
  will be up to you.
  Ron Lundeen
  Developer
  ron.lundeen@paizo.com
  
  4
  10
  11
  12
  CITY IN THE LION’S EYE
  PART 1: THE ROAD TO ZIMAR ...........................6
  The heroes learn the fundamentals of infiltration from the Lion Blades before 
  setting off for the militarized city of Zimar, now apparently poised for war.
  PART 3: ASSAULT ON ABADAR’S PILLAR ....39
  With sufficient evidence of Maxillar Pythareus’s violence against Taldan 
  citizens, the Lion Blades authorize the heroes to arrest—or eliminate—the 
  general in his stronghold.
  ADVANCEMENT 
  TRACK
  “The City in the Lion’s Eye” is 
  designed for four characters and 
  uses the medium XP track.
  The PCs begin this 
  adventure at 10th level.
  The PCs should reach 
  11th level shortly after 
  arriving in Zimar 
  and confronting Sir 
  Milon Jeroth.
  The PCs should reach 
  12th level before they 
  storm Abadar’s Pillar.
  The PCs should reach 13th level by 
  the adventure’s conclusion.
  PART 2: GAME OF MASKS ................................16
  The heroes learn the secrets of Zimar’s intelligence community, leaving them 
  with the difficult choice of either destroying that infrastructure and dismantling 
  the harm it can do or working alongside some of Taldor’s greatest monsters to 
  undermine Maxillar Pythareus’s support.
  
  5
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  ADVENTURE BACKGROUND
  For as long as Qadira has stood at Taldor’s southern 
  border, the nations have been rivals and intermittent 
  enemies, even as their peoples have traded or intermarried. 
  The Taldan city of Zimar embodies this juxtaposition, 
  blending Taldan traditions with Qadiran influences: 
  the city’s buildings are constructed in Keleshite styles, 
  most of its population bears Keleshite blood, and even 
  its food relies heavily on Qadiran spices. Yet, perhaps 
  nowhere in Taldor do the common citizens so hate 
  their southern neighbor and champ at the bit to pull 
  the whole of the empire back into war. Zimar has 
  been conquered and reconquered a dozen times in its 
  history, making it one of the most militarized cities in 
  the region, with formidable walls, a well‑drilled defense 
  force, and one of the wonders of Taldan engineering: 
  Abadar’s Pillar, a massive fortress rising above the city 
  skyline that has only ever been broken by duplicity and 
  espionage, never by strength of arms. Zimar now serves 
  as the stronghold of High Strategos Maxillar Pythareus, 
  supreme commander of Taldor’s military forces and, by 
  some estimations, heir to the throne of Taldor.
  Coming from a long line of military commanders, 
  Maxillar Pythareus knows in his heart that a weak ruler 
  like Eutropia—soft‑hearted and focused inward—would 
  doom Taldor, first as international laughingstocks and 
  then as subjects conquered by Qadira. Long ago, in 
  his optimistic youth, he sought to court the firebrand 
  princess and temper her overemotional leanings with 
  sound, military insight; were they to wed, the princess 
  could be allowed her social causes (within reason) 
  and Maxillar, as emperor, would see to Taldor’s safety 
  and future. But the impetuous Eutropia refused his 
  hand, and more insultingly spat in the eye of Taldor’s 
  glorious tradition by seeking the throne for herself—a 
  woman! Maxillar remained close to the royal family, 
  and as Stavian III began to suspect his daughter of 
  treason, Maxillar could not in good conscience deny 
  or refute his emperor’s fears. On the eve of Eutropia’s 
  political victory in abolishing primogeniture, Stavian 
  relented and named Maxillar Pythareus his heir. But 
  even with Grand Prince Stavian’s approval, Taldor 
  refused to recognize Maxillar’s claim to the throne and 
  Eutropia refuses to stand down, tearing the nation in 
  twain. Though the military overwhelmingly supports 
  Maxillar, he has been reluctant to plunge the nation 
  into civil war, and instead has relied on politicking and 
  blackmail to win support. 
  But every day Taldor spends without a leader is another 
  day closer to its conquest by jealous foreign  powers. 
  And  so it was that Maxillar’s intelligence advisor, Sir 
  Milon Jeroth, approached him with a plot to conduct 
  false‑flag attacks by fake Qadiran forces on Taldan 
  targets—especially those compromising the nation’s 
  safety by supporting Eutropia—coupled with overt 
  retaliations against Qadira. With minimal prodding, Sir 
  Jeroth assured him, the tense peace between Taldor and 
  Qadira would collapse and the nations would resume 
  the Grand Campaign. Once embroiled in war, Taldor 
  would rally to a strong military leader!
  Though Maxillar Pythareus foolishly thinks Milon 
  Jeroth is loyal to the Imperialist cause, the truth 
  is quite different. Unknown to Maxillar, Sir Milon 
  Jeroth is a rakshasa, and sits on the inner circle of the 
  Immaculate Circle secret society, which is led by the 
  immortal wizard Panivar Lotheed. The organization’s 
  goal is indeed to give Maxillar the throne, but to make 
  his victory a costly one that strains his credibility and 
  commits his strongest asset—the military—to another 
  front, leaving him vulnerable so that they can easily 
  topple him and replace him with their own puppet 
  ruler, allowing their mystery cult to expand. 
  This puppet is none other than the returned Prince 
  Carrius, whom the Immaculate Circle has forcibly 
  resurrected using sahkil servants to rip his reluctant 
  soul from Nirvana, heavily damaging it in the process. 
  To patch these holes in the reclaimed soul, the society 
  dispatched night hags to the Astral Plane to collect 
  bits of legends—the memories and assumptions about 
  major Taldan emperors created by the nation’s zeitgeist. 
  Panivar believes his amalgam, built with the willpower 
  of Cyricas, the charm of Stavian, and the bravery of 
  Taldaris himself, to be the perfect emperor, and one 
  brainwashed, drug‑addled, and dominated into utter 
  loyalty. Even Prince Carrius himself remains ignorant 
  of his recent past, his destiny, and the weighty legends 
  of Taldan history that have been unnaturally stitched 
  into his soul. 
  Yet whether the Immaculate Circle’s grand plan 
  succeeds or not, Pythareus’s conspiracy threatens 
  to cause deep rifts in Taldan society and ignite a war 
  Taldor cannot win in its current divided state. In Zimar, 
  Sir Jeroth presently leads a vast network of intelligence 
  assets, both those loyal to Maxillar and those loyal to 
  the Immaculate Circle. He counts three groups among 
  his closest allies: a faction of assassins splintered from 
  the Monastery of Seven Forms known as the Seven 
  Forms of Sin; a band of rakshasa spies he has recruited 
  over the centuries; and a night hag coven called the 
  Sisters of Indulgent Dreams, who pry secrets from 
  slumbering minds. This shadow network works hard 
  to allow Pythareus just enough rope to hang himself, 
  while positioning Taldor itself on a precarious enough 
  ledge that its citizens will flock to their one remaining 
  option: the twilight child, Carrius.
  
  6
  PART 1: THE ROAD TO ZIMAR
  The adventure begins at the Palace of Birdsong, Princess 
  Eutropia’s estate in the Tandak Prefecture. Having rescued 
  the resurrected Prince Carrius II from a cult in the 
  previous adventure, “The Twilight Child,” and delivered 
  him to Eutropia’s custody, the heroes are assumed to have 
  retired to their nearby estate to rest and recuperate. Once 
  the player characters are ready to begin this adventure, 
  read or paraphrase the following as they return to the 
  Palace of Birdsong and meet with Princess Eutropia.
  Princess Eutropia’s mutt, Taldogis, bounds forward in 
  greeting, wielding a deafening bark and nearly lethal 
  wagging tail. The princess gently shoos him away before 
  inviting you into her office.
  “I want to thank you again,” she begins, “both for your 
  loyal service and more personally for returning Carrius to me. 
  I don’t understand who would have the resources to raise him 
  from the dead after so many years, but it seems obvious the 
  plan is to disrupt both Pythareus’s and my own claims to the 
  throne. For now he’s safe and recovering. He seems to be 
  the same boy, but... haunted by this unfortunate transition. 
  Hopefully Carrius can provide us with additional details once 
  the cultists’ drugs wear off and he feels more comfortable 
  returned to his skin. In the meantime, it is an infinite kindness 
  to see my brother again.
  “I know normally Martella Lotheed would be offering you 
  assignments, but she is presently in Qadira trying to prevent 
  a war. After your encounter in Yanmass, you returned with 
  evidence that Maxillar is conducting false attacks on Taldan 
  border communities, disguising his soldiers as Qadirans. My 
  follow‑up investigations have revealed he has also conducted 
  ‘retaliatory’ attacks against Qadiran targets in response. He 
  seems to believe that a nation at war will select a general 
  as its emperor, and he’s probably right. But I don’t need to 
  remind you that the last time we went to war with Qadira, 
  it lasted 500 years and cost millions of lives, not to mention 
  half our empire.
  “There is some good news: we’re not alone in wanting 
  to prevent this. Up until now, the Lion Blades have been 
  reluctant to take a side in the succession debate, but with 
  Maxillar risking the nation’s safety, they have reached out to 
  me for assistance. It seems all their resources in Zimar have 
  suddenly gone dark, and they need new eyes in the city. 
  You’ve proven yourselves my most loyal and reliable agents; 
  I’d like you to proceed to the Kitharodian Academy in Oppara 
  to meet a woman named Kathann Zalar. She’ll provide you 
  additional information, training, and resources for this joint 
  venture. She also asked that you return an ocarina constructed 
  by a master artisan of the Kitharodian Academy that has been 
  housed here at the palace for the last few centuries, as a sign 
  of good faith.”
  Princess Eutropia can answer a few questions for the 
  PCs, but the Lion Blades have kept her at arm’s length 
  from their intelligence operations since the succession 
  crisis began.
  Why do we need more training? “As I understand it, 
  you’ll be infiltrating Zimar, a fortified city passionately 
  loyal to Pythareus and wary of outsiders. The Lion 
  Blades have done so many times before, and I presume 
  they have insights unknown to the general public that 
  may help you.”
  Are we attacking Pythareus? “I make no secret 
  of my displeasure with the man, and he’s certainly 
  overextended his internal defenses as he maneuvers 
  forces to the border, but it’s not in my nature to settle 
  disputes with assassination. Taldor is a nation of laws, 
  and to stop Pythareus we need iron‑clad evidence of his 
  crimes against the nation, not brutal violence.”
  Why don’t we make the evidence we found in 
  Yanmass public? “Just because you have proof of a 
  ZIMAR OPERATIONS
  PCs have a total of 8 persona phases over the course 
  of this adventure. One takes place before the PCs arrive 
  at the Kitharodian Academy, and another takes place 
  before they arrive in Zimar. You can divide the remaining 
  persona phases as you see fit, but it’s appropriate to 
  reward the players with a persona phase after significant 
  encounters. The PCs receive 2 additional persona phases 
  after the adventure’s conclusion. PCs can also assign 
  agents to the following new operations while in Zimar.
  Deflect Suspicion (Charm, Genius): Your agents sow 
  false rumors about your identity and activities. With a 
  successful DC 15 Operation check, reduce your Suspicion 
  Point total by 1. Reduce your Suspicion Point total by an 
  additional 5 for every 5 points by which you exceed the 
  DC. (See page 17 for the Suspicion Point system.)
  Reinforce Cover (Sacrifice, Sagacity, Persistent): 
  Your agents’ good work and sound advice help the locals 
  trust you more readily. While this operation remains in 
  effect, you gain a +2 bonus on Bluff and Disguise checks 
  to maintain a false identity. You can immediately end 
  this operation to reroll a single Bluff or Disguise check 
  and use the new result.
  Scout (Heroism, Subterfuge, Risky): You dispatch 
  agents to examine a location for you. Attempt an 
  Operation check with a DC equal to 8 + the highest 
  Perception bonus of any guards or defenders; if 
  successful, you learn of any obvious defenders and 
  hazards. For locations with multiple rooms, determine 
  the exact room scouted randomly.
  
  7
  CLOCKWORK SPY
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  major figure’s wrongs, it doesn’t mean they’ll suffer the 
  consequences. Defenders will claim the documents are 
  faked, or more likely, that I am attempting to smear 
  him. Some people, sadly, are entrenched enough that 
  accusations require a mountain of evidence before 
  decisive action can be taken.”
  Aren’t the Lion Blades your allies? “Though I enjoyed 
  a number of supporters within the Lion Blades’ ranks 
  during my crusade to overturn primogeniture—many 
  in the organization felt advancing Taldor’s internal unity 
  would strengthen our security as well —the organization 
  refuses to act beyond being an internal security force. 
  Even my closest allies among them have removed 
  themselves from me since the War for the Crown 
  began. It’s been frustrating, but I can appreciate their 
  perspective; to ensure the nation’s safety, they must be 
  loyal to that nation and its tenets, not any one politician.”
  Who is Kathann Zalar? “Kathann is one of my few 
  remaining contacts within the Lion Blades. She assisted 
  me in my campaign to overturn primogeniture, and 
  rushed to our defense during the Exaltation Massacre. 
  I’ve quite literally trusted her with my life, though her 
  sense of humor can be a bit... overbearing.”
  Why is this ocarina important? “I don’t think it is, 
  beyond serving as a gesture of trust. It seems one of 
  my ancestors borrowed the piece from the Kitharodian 
  Academy and it simply became part of the family 
  collection. A troubling habit in Taldan history.”
  Princess Eutropia has little additional information 
  as to the Lion Blades’ actual needs or plans. While the 
  organization has remained stubbornly neutral in the 
  conflict so far, she hopes they can at least work together 
  to prevent a war. The ocarina itself is remarkable in that 
  it is expertly crafted from porcelain and inlaid with silver 
  details, but it’s small and has no magical properties. 
  The remainder of the Blades’ letter requests only that 
  the PCs remain discreet in their association, and meet 
  Kathann in the Academy’s gardens, on a bench under the 
  administrator’s offices at sunset.
  The trip to Oppara proves a quiet week’s travel, 
  though PCs traveling by carriage pass the site of a 
  recent battle between Loyalist and Imperialist forces 
  that took place in southern Tandak while they were in 
  Yanmass. By this point the bodies have been cleared 
  from the impromptu battlefield, but the freshly turned 
  soil of recent graves remains visible from the road, and 
  the faint stink of death lingers.
  Treasure: Before the PCs depart, Princess Eutropia 
  presents them with a package Martella Lotheed left for 
  them. Inside is a clockwork spy (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 
  3 58), built in the shape of a large beetle with a single, 
  jeweled eye. The unique construct has a 10‑foot climb 
  speed in addition to its other abilities, and has been built 
  to obey the PCs’ commands, offering them the ability to 
  surveil targets and record short audio clips.
  THE KITHARODIAN ACADEMY
  Oppara’s largest bard college, the Kitharodian Academy, 
  is known for producing some of Taldor’s greatest 
  musicians and actors. What few locals know is that 
  the academy hosts a secret shadow school for the Lion 
  Blades, who walk among the faculty and recruit heavily 
  from the academy’s student body. 
  While the academy teaches the bardic arts to all its 
  students, the most charming, innocent‑seeming, and loyal 
  are inducted into the Lion Blades and taught to listen, 
  watch, and even kill for their country. Every lesson serves 
  a dual purpose; dance classes teach the fundamentals of 
  combat footwork and acting classes groom students to 
  read and manipulate others. Students selected for special 
  training by the Lion Blades see more advanced training 
  building off these universal foundations.
  Most of the events at the Kitharodian are conducted 
  in a montage: several short events reflect the highlights 
  of an intense week of study and training. The Lion 
  Blades are interested in the PCs’ ability to adapt and 
  think laterally to solve problems with a minimal amount 
  of attention, so you are encouraged to reward creative 
  solutions to these challenges.
  EVENT 1: INTRODUCTION, INTERRUPTED
  As Princess Eutropia mentioned, the Lion Blades 
  requested the PCs meet their representative discreetly 
  in the Academy’s gardens at sundown. The location is 
  easy to find; the administrators’ windows are a stained 
  glass affair, propped slightly open in the warm evening, 
  with a large, stone bench below. Kathann Zalar is late 
  in arriving, however. Soon after the PCs arrive at their 
  destination, two city guards approach them.
  Two men wearing blue‑and‑green guard uniforms and armed 
  with halberds approach. The taller of the two guards calls out, 
  “Good evening. Stay where you are. We have a few questions 
  for you.”
  The PCs can easily recognize these men as members 
  of the Opparan city guard; the taller of the two wears the 
  stripes of a sergeant. The sergeant is actually Kathann in 
  disguise, testing the PCs’ ability to remain discreet about 
  their intentions. She asks the following questions, trying 
  
  8
  KATHANN ZALAR
  to determine how easily the PCs break under pressure. 
  If the PCs try to ask questions, the disguised Kathann 
  interrupts them by stomping the ground and insisting, 
  “I’m asking the questions here.” 
  If the group as a whole fails a total of four 
  or more skill checks, the PCs fail the test.
  “Who are you?” Each PC must 
  succeed at a DC 20 Bluff check to tell 
  a convincing lie. Alternatively, a clever 
  PC can attempt a DC 20 skill check 
  using a skill related to the profession 
  of the person she claims to be; a PC who 
  tries to wave off her presence as a visiting 
  musician can attempt a Perform check, 
  while a PC pretending to be a noble visiting 
  the school can attempt a Knowledge 
  (nobility) check. If a PC’s clothes 
  and general appearance don’t 
  match her description, the DC 
  increases by 5. If the PCs give their 
  real names, they automatically fail 
  this test. 
  If the PCs’ purported identities are wildly different 
  from one another, the sergeant gives them an incredulous 
  look and says, “Really? Now this is a story I want to hear,” 
  and DC of the next check increases by 5.
  “Why are you loitering on the Academy grounds?” 
  One PC must succeed at a DC 25 Bluff check to give a 
  convincing excuse for being outside the academy.
  “Someone reported a break‑in at the Academy. 
  I’m sure you don’t mind if I have a quick look at 
  your belongings?” The ocarina the PCs return bears 
  iconography clearly associating it with the Kitharodian 
  Academy, which would give it the appearance of stolen 
  goods. The PC carrying the ocarina can attempt a quick 
  Sleight of Hand check (DC 20) to hide the instrument. 
  The PC can also object to being searched and convince 
  the guards not to do so by succeeding at a DC 30 
  Intimidate check, DC 30 Knowledge (local) check, or 
  DC 25 Profession (barrister) check. This part of the test 
  counts as a failure only if the PC fails both checks. If 
  the PC does fail both checks, increase the DC for the 
  character to talk her way out of the problem in the next 
  check by 5.
  “I’m going to have to take you in for questioning. 
  We’ll  sort this out in the morning.” Regardless of 
  whether the guards find the ocarina, the sergeant says he 
  wants to arrest the PCs. At this point, each PC can choose 
  whether to escape or talk her way out of the charges. To 
  escape, a PC must succeed at a DC 25 Acrobatics or Escape 
  Artist check, or a DC 20 Stealth check provided she can 
  create some kind of distraction. A PC who wants to talk 
  her way out of the charge must instead succeed at a DC 
  25 Bluff, DC 30 Diplomacy, or DC 25 Intimidate check. 
  Alternatively, a PC who succeeds at a DC 35 Perception 
  or DC 30 Sense Motive check realizes there’s something 
  strange about the guards. 
  Development: Regardless of how well or poorly the 
  PCs do with their skill checks, after the final question 
  or if the PCs attempt to resort to violence, the 
  guards break into laughter. The sergeant pulls 
  at his neck, peeling off a disguise and revealing 
  the face of a Vudrani woman the PCs may or 
  may not remember as the “guard” who waved 
  them through the search of the senate at the 
  beginning of “Crownfall”: Kathann Zalar. 
  She says, “My apologies for having a bit of 
  fun at your expense. We needed to test your 
  ability to deflect nosy authorities. Welcome 
  to the Kitharodian Academy, agents. 
  My name is Kathann Zalar.” If the 
  PCs struggled with her impromptu 
  challenge, Kathann offers them 
  a few notes about playing to their 
  strengths or else confusing curious 
  guards by taking control of the 
  conversation and asking leading 
  questions. She likewise praises the tasks they did well at, 
  and then invites them inside for coffee and a brief tour.
  More details on Kathann Zalar can be found in her 
  NPC entry on page 56.
  Story Award: If the PCs navigate their interaction with 
  the guards without resorting to violence (at least not 
  until the last question), award them 6,400 XP.
  EVENT 2: THE LION BLADES
  Kathann gives the PCs a quick tour around the campus 
  and allows them to sit in on classes as they wish, 
  introducing them to curious attendees as “visiting 
  scholars.” Once the PCs have seen the area, she escorts 
  them to the faculty lounge where another familiar face 
  awaits: Cassaranda Florint (NG female middle‑aged 
  human bard 3/rogue 3/Lion Blade 1; Pathfinder Campaign 
  Setting: Inner Sea Intrigue 36), who the PCs may have 
  discovered in a cell beneath the Encircling Bower in 
  Yanmass (Pathfinder Adventure Path #129: The Twilight 
  Child 50). If the PCs released her from the cult’s prison, 
  she greets them warmly like old friends, but if they 
  left her behind in their efforts, she is cold and critical, 
  insisting to Kathann that Eutropia’s chosen agents are 
  an arrogant, selfish pack of jackals and not to be trusted.
  Regardless of Florint’s impressions, Kathann pours 
  fresh cups of coffee, tea, or wine. PCs can attempt 
  opposed Perception checks against Kathann’s Sleight of 
  Hand as she slips elixir of truth into each cup.
  “Lady Lotheed seemed optimistic about your group back 
  during the Exaltation Gala. I’m pleased to meet you in a more 
  formal setting, and I’m quite pleased you didn’t die. So please 
  do tell me: what is your purpose in working for our princess?” 
  
  9
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  At this point, any PC who drank the spiked drink 
  offered by Kathann must succeed at a DC 13 Will saving 
  throw or be compelled to answer her honestly. This is 
  another test to see what information the PCs share 
  willingly, especially if unprepared or “encouraged” 
  magically. A PC succeeds at this challenge if he spots 
  Kathann spiking his drink and doesn’t partake, if he 
  succeeds at his saving throw to resist the elixir’s effects, 
  or if his magically compelled answers are phrased 
  diplomatically or creatively.
  Finally, Kathann reveals some of her motivation for 
  inviting the PCs to the Kitharodian Academy.
  “I apologize for the examination, but in my career, paranoia 
  is a survival trait. Normally, the Lion Blades would never 
  consider working so directly with strangers, especially those 
  with a political agenda, but recent events have forced our 
  hand and we need new eyes in Zimar quickly. I’ll happily 
  explain more... if you survive training.”
  Story Award: Award each PC who succeeds at this 
  challenge 1,200 XP.
  EVENT 3: TRAINING
  The PCs spend the next week undergoing intense training 
  under the tutelage of Lion Blades, focused not on combat 
  but on stealth, deflection, observation, and disguise. 
  While true Lion Blade training requires months or years, 
  the PCs’ training focuses solely on useful minutiae about 
  Zimar and its people, drilling in just enough information 
  for the PCs to get by for a few weeks.
  Have each PC select one Charisma‑based skill, 
  one Intelligence‑based skill, and three additional 
  skills (which can include additional Charisma‑ or 
  Intelligence‑based skills) to focus her training on. 
  Alternatively, combat‑focused PCs can opt to focus on 
  training their melee attacks or ranged attacks in place of 
  a skill. Each PC can attempt at a single DC 22 skill check 
  or an attack against AC 22 each day; success means that 
  the PC has achieved 1 week (7 days) of training in that 
  skill or type of attack. Once a PC succeeds at this check 
  with at least four of her chosen skills or types of attacks, 
  she succeeds at the training challenge.
  Story Award: Award each PC who succeeds at this 
  challenge 1,200 XP.
  EVENT 4: THE FINAL CHALLENGE (CR 14)
  After the PCs train for a week with different specialists, 
  Kathann Zalar gathers the heroes in the Kitharodian 
  Academy’s grand performance hall for one last test 
  to see what they’ve learned. As the PCs arrive, read or 
  paraphrase the following.
  A wave of Kathann’s hand encompasses an enormous 
  performance hall, which now stands empty and echoing. 
  “The instructors have praised your progress this past week, 
  so I believe it’s time for a final test of your skills.” She 
  gestures to several ornate, lion‑themed masks on the edge 
  of the stage. “These masks are tools the Lion Blades use to 
  discreetly simulate dangerous training scenarios. Once your 
  don them, you’ll be able to see, hear, and feel opponents 
  as if they were real. Your task is simple: eliminate the 
  witnesses. And please be careful with the masks, as they 
  are quite old.”
  The lion masks radiate magic thanks to a permanent 
  magic aura spell, but otherwise serve only as a focus for 
  a unique spell the Lion Blades employ that functions 
  as a combination of phantasmal killer and shadow 
  conjuration, creating a phantasm that looks and feels 
  real and reacts appropriately if attacked, but that can 
  be controlled by the spellcaster. The same phantasm is 
  shared by everyone who wears one of the focus masks, 
  for all intents and purposes creating a perfectly real 
  opponent as long as the characters continue to wear 
  the lion masks. Phantasms created by this spell cannot 
  reduce a target below –1 hit point, as once the target is 
  rendered unconscious, it automatically slips out of the 
  spell’s effect.
  Creatures: As the PCs don their masks, they can see 
  four guards milling about on the performance stage. 
  Once all the PCs are wearing their masks, one of the 
  guards points and shouts, “There! Arrest the traitors!” 
  and the guards rush to attack. Once again, this is a test of 
  the PCs’ ability to adapt and think laterally, and once the 
  PCs defeat two of the guards, the images from the mask 
  begin to swirl and heave. The remaining guards vanish, 
  and the PCs hear a bone‑chilling roar from behind 
  them, where a crag linnorm now stands. The phantasm 
  has statistics identical to those of a true crag linnorm, 
  but lacks the legendary beast’s Death Curse ability.
  If the PCs ask for assistance, Kathann simply says, 
  “Are they malfunctioning again? Last week Cassaranda 
  had to fight a two‑headed goat. Stay here and I’ll fetch 
  an artificer.”
  TRIUMPHS IN CITY IN THE 
  LION’S EYE
  If you are using the rules from the “Relics of Old Taldor” 
  article in Pathfinder Adventure Path #128 to add a 
  sense of historical weight to your campaign, “The 
  Twilight Child” introduces two new relics: the Band of 
  the Crusader’s Alliance, kept as a trophy by Milon Jeroth 
  and the Ovetrian’s Plate, worn by Maxillar Pythareus.
  This adventure also includes two triumphs for the 
  PCs: training with the Lion Blades and arresting or killing 
  Maxillar Pythareus. Each triumph allows a PC to unlock a 
  new tier of power in one relic she carries.
  
  10
  EXPERT BODYGUARDS (4) 
  CR 5
  XP 1,600 each
  hp 59 each (Pathfinder RPG NPC Codex 269)
  CRAG LINNORM 
  CR 14
  XP 38,400
  hp 202 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 190)
  Development: The easiest route to success for the PCs 
  is to simply remove their masks, eliminating the danger. 
  If the PCs instead remain within the phantasm and 
  actually defeat the linnorm, Kathann is too impressed 
  by their display or martial ability to criticize their lack 
  of subtlety or self‑preservation. Her only feedback is “No 
  one’s ever beaten the linnorm...”
  Story Award: If the PCs succeed at the challenge by 
  removing their masks, award them XP as if they had 
  defeated the linnorm in combat.
  EVENT 5: THE HAND OF THE BLADES
  Once the PCs have completed their final challenge 
  and received any necessary medical attention, Kathann 
  invites them to her office for a final briefing. She offers 
  drinks—this time free of any magical additives—and 
  says the following.
  “You’ve shown great promise, and I see why Eutropia relies 
  on you. I’m sorry that the question of succession has soured 
  the relationship between the princess and the Lion Blades, but 
  ultimately our loyalty must always be to the nation and the 
  Taldan people. To take sides in a political conflict is to dilute 
  our power and purpose. But now it seems that political conflict 
  is spilling over into national security. Lady Lotheed brought us 
  the documents you recovered in Zimar, and they corroborate 
  similar reports we’ve gathered from Sardis Township, Pol, and 
  Demgazi. Maxillar Pythareus is rattling his saber for war, and 
  he appears to be spilling Taldan blood to get it.
  “For a time we shared the same uneasy peace with Maxillar 
  Pythareus’s Imperialist faction that we share with Eutropia’s 
  Loyalists. But all at once, as we began to receive reports of 
  these ‘Qadiran’ attacks, our agents in Zimar were set upon 
  and eliminated in a single, coordinated attack. I barely made 
  it out of the city alive, and I appear to be the only one. Now 
  I’m too well known in the area to keep a low profile. You’ll be 
  the ones to continue the investigation in Zimar on behalf of 
  the Lion Blades.
  “This is not an easy task laid out before you. Many believe 
  Pythareus is the Grand Prince of Taldor, and he is defended 
  accordingly, not to mention that you will be attempting to 
  prove him guilty of high crimes. Furthermore, he is obviously 
  operating his own intelligence network, one run by Milon 
  Jeroth, a former associate of the Lion Blades and one of 
  the most ruthless and underhanded operatives I have ever 
  encountered. We believe one of our agents, Gannaius, may 
  have escaped the purge, and locating him will be your top 
  priority for now. We can provide you with false identities, and 
  I can accompany you as far south as Panemona to act as an 
  advisor, but you will be alone in the lion’s den. I cannot enter 
  the city to protect you without alerting Pythareus’s diviner and 
  bringing far more pain down upon you. Are you clear on what 
  your nation needs from you?”
  Before the PCs depart, Kathann can answer the 
  following questions about the mission.
  What happened to the Lion Blades in Zimar? “Most of 
  our safe houses were raided simultaneously, and many 
  of our agents and informants were killed before we knew 
  we were under attack. How they were able to acquire the 
  information on our safe houses is beyond me.”
  Why have you stayed neutral in the War for the 
  Crown?/Why are you aligning with Eutropia now? “Our 
  cause is to protect to people and state of Taldor from 
  outside threats, not to make emperors or decide the 
  future. Were our hands not bound as they now are in 
  Zimar, we would have preferred to remain neutral and 
  simply defend the nation against opportunists while the 
  people decide what they want.”
  What should we know about Zimar? “Zimar is 
  a fortified military city, more paranoid than most 
  after centuries on the front line between Taldor and 
  Qadira. Almost every citizen drills with the militia until 
  becoming  a parent, and almost everyone is fanatically 
  patriotic. However, Zimar is also the heart of Taldor’s spice 
  trade, and its people are happy to put their xenophobia 
  on hold to make money. There are lots of suspicious eyes 
  watching, but also lots of people coming and going.”
  What sorts of trouble can we expect to face? “In 
  southern Taldor, Maxillar Pythareus’s soldiers patrol 
  all major roads, so it’s absolutely necessary to avoid 
  them. I have a route planned that uses farm roads and 
  old hunters’ trails. Once inside the city walls, you’ll be 
  surrounded by soldiers, spies, and paranoid citizens who 
  will report you if you give them a reason to. Pythareus’s 
  personal support includes a powerful diviner named 
  Avenna who studied at the Magaambyan, his spymaster 
  Milon Jeroth, and his majordomo Baron Astor Roderus. 
  Zimar is also home to a sect of Abadar worshipers called 
  the Vault and Chain—law‑and‑order types who are 
  almost certainly loyal to him.”
  Who is Gannaius? “He’s a paranoid but very talented 
  Lion Blade who prefers to work alone. Our divinations 
  haven’t confirmed his death yet, so we’re hoping he 
  survived. One of his favorite drops is a warehouse for 
  Sunrise Spice Importers in the Adobe District, so we’ll 
  have you start your search there.”
  Who is Maxillar Pythareus? “Maxillar is the high 
  strategos—the 
  supreme 
  commander 
  of 
  Taldor’s 
  military—and according to him and a few select 
  witnesses, he was formally adopted by Stavian III hours 
  before the grand prince’s death. He comes from a long 
  
  11
  INFILTRATION INSPIRATION
  The intensive training received by the PCs is not merely 
  window dressing; it provides a real benefit to assist 
  them in their infiltration of Zimar. For every event at 
  the Kitharodian Academy a given PC succeeded at, that 
  PC gains two uses of inspiration. All PCs automatically 
  succeed at Event 5, giving each of them at least two uses 
  of inspiration over the course of this adventure. A PC can 
  expend one use of inspiration as a free action to add 1d6 
  to the result of a check he just made with one of the five 
  skills (or attack check) selected during Event 3, or he can 
  expend two uses of inspiration to add 1d6 to the result of 
  any other skill check, saving throw, or attack roll. 
  The inspiration PCs gain from this training is of limited 
  value—consisting of factoids, local names to drop, and 
  jargon—and can be used only in and around Zimar. Unlike 
  an investigator’s inspiration, these uses never replenish; 
  they are a one‑time boon to assist PCs in their adventure. 
  If a PC has additional inspiration from another source (such 
  as the Investigator class or the Amateur Investigator feat), 
  track these uses separately. If a PC has a larger inspiration 
  die from a class ability, she can roll that die instead of 1d6 
  for this adventure’s additional inspiration. This inspiration 
  otherwise functions identically to the ability granted by 
  the investigator class (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Class 
  Guide 30).
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  line of commanders and war heroes who’ve always made 
  Zimar proud, and he’s all but a god to the locals.”
  Who is Milon Jeroth? “Sir Jeroth has never formally 
  been a member of the Lion Blades, but he and his family 
  have worked with us on and off for decades, infiltrating 
  Qadira throughout the Grand Campaign. He’s a master 
  of disguise, an adept sorcerer, and an expert barehanded 
  combatant who studied with the monks at the Monastery 
  of Seven Forms, not to mention a stone‑cold killer. He’s 
  difficult to find or track, so if you have even the slightest 
  chance, hit him fast and hard.”
  Why do we need false identities? “Because I’m 
  afraid you’re too good at your jobs protecting Princess 
  Eutropia’s interests, and you’re well known to Pythareus’s 
  forces. They expect you to attack him any day now, and 
  they tell stories of you to frighten their children. Even 
  without your reputations, Zimar is a paranoid city, and 
  guards check identification regularly.”
  What was the Grand Campaign? “Basic Taldor history, 
  but I suppose not everyone benefits from an Academy 
  education. The Grand Campaign was a 524‑year‑long 
  conflict between Taldor and her neighbor to the south, 
  Qadira. Qadira has always coveted our southern lands 
  and trade routes, but its Padishah masters normally keep 
  it in check. During a succession dispute in the Padishah 
  Empire, Qadira seized the opportunity to quickly invade 
  Zimar and advanced all the way to the Porthmos River. It 
  took our nation centuries to retake the lost territories.”
  Treasure: Once the PCs complete their training, the 
  Lion Blades award them each a boon to help them in 
  their mission. Each PC can select one from the following: 
  a belt of giant strength +4, a belt of incredible dexterity +4, a 
  belt of mighty constitution +4, a headband of alluring charisma 
  +4, a headband of inspired wisdom +4, a headband of vast 
  intelligence +4, or a headband of mental prowess +2.
  TRAVELING TO ZIMAR
  Zimar lies about 210 miles southeast of Oppara. The 
  fastest way to get there is to travel 90 miles up the River 
  Porthmos to the newly revitalized city of Elsekulp, then 
  follow old trade roads across a vast expanse of grassland 
  and scrubland to the isolated artisan town of Ortalaca, 
  and finally press south 50 miles on the main highway or 
  75 miles on the winding back roads to reach Zimar.
  During the reconstruction era that followed the war 
  with Qadira, a paved road called the Zimar Highway was 
  built between Ortalaca and Zimar, but Kathann suggests 
  that the PCs use an older trade route once employed by 
  local woodcutters, farmers, and artisans. The old trade 
  route sees little use nowadays—not only has it fallen 
  into disrepair due to centuries of disuse, but the many 
  abandoned villages along the road have a reputation of 
  being haunted. Thanks to the lack of patrols along the 
  old trade route, more dangerous residents have claimed 
  stretches of road. The PCs have a 25% chance each day 
  while traveling of encountering a hostile creature, and a 
  10% chance each night while they rest; roll for random 
  encounters using Table 7–65: Temperate Plains in the 
  Pathfinder RPG GameMastery Guide.
  The trip from Oppara to Zimar takes 10 days on foot 
  or 6 days on horseback. Kathann warns against flying 
  because it is easier for Pythareus’s patrols to spot a flying 
  character, and they are likely to investigate or report any 
  such sightings.
  PANEMONA
  The tiny farming hamlet of Panemona lies 15 miles 
  northeast of Zimar and produces a great deal of the 
  grain and herbs the city uses. It’s important enough to 
  have a large inn but otherwise far enough out of the way 
  to be easily forgotten, making it a favorite watering hole 
  for spies and criminals. 
  Windmill Inn stands at the crossroads of four roads, 
  easily spotted thanks to its red tile roof and small 
  windmill, which operates a pump to supply water to the 
  guests and stables. In addition to two dozen cozy rooms, 
  it offers stables and a large tavern for locals and visitors 
  alike. A sign over the entrance reads, “Windmill Inn,” 
  and the four signs on a nearby signpost read, “Zimar 15 
  miles,” “Landarr 9 miles,” “Zimar Highway,” and “Old 
  Trade Road.”
  
  12
  Kathann says, “This is the place. Cyricus will be here 
  in a few hours. I need to push on to rendezvous with 
  a contact east of town, but I should be back here in a 
  few days. You should move on first thing in the morning. 
  Remember, this isn’t about any political agenda; it’s 
  about the security of Taldor. We need evidence of 
  Maxillar Pythareus’s wrongdoing. Gannaius at Sunrise 
  Spice should be able to get you started.”
  Treasure: Before she leaves, Kathann gives the PCs 
  a wand of sending and instructs them to not hesitate 
  in contacting her should they need advice or discover 
  anything important.
  Meeting with a Smuggler
  Ninety minutes after the PCs’ arrival, Cyricus arrives 
  and takes a seat in a worn old booth in the back of the 
  tavern. The stubbly, nervous half‑elf has been moving 
  goods and people through Zimar illegally since the Grand 
  Campaign, when he worked as a file clerk in the city’s 
  trade office, and he’s familiar with the ins and outs of the 
  city’s bureaucracy. Once the PCs join him, Cyricus begins.
  “You’re the ones? All right. I’m Cyricus. I just got here from 
  Zimar, and it’s a bad scene. Guards checking your papers at 
  the gates, more carefully than before. And there are lots of 
  patrols in the city—sometimes they stop you for no reason 
  and ask questions. Lots of people I know have been arrested 
  for having a fake set of documents, which means I had dig 
  up some genuine identification papers for you. These are the 
  closest I could find to the descriptions Zalar sent. Have a look 
  and see if there are any that are close enough. You’ll just have 
  to be creative with your disguises.”
  The smuggler has identification papers for the 
  identities in the table below. If there are more than four 
  PCs in the party, consider adding more options to the 
  table. To use the documents, the PCs need to disguise 
  themselves to look like the people described therein, 
  taking penalties for being disguised as a person of 
  different gender, race, age category, or size category 
  (Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook 95), as appropriate. 
  The people are relatively unknown in Zimar, so no 
  modifiers based on familiarity apply to opposed 
  Perception checks. Most citizens and visitors in Zimar 
  carry identification papers, so the PCs can later steal 
  more accurate documents from people they encounter 
  and assume new identities.
  Name 
  Identity 
  Notes
  Argentea 
  Female half‑elf 
  Traveling singer  
   
   
   
  from Oppara
  Basilia Aconian 
  Female middle‑aged 
  Baroness from  
   
   
  human (Taldan) 
  Oppara
  Cadonia 
  Female human 
  Merchant from  
   
   
  (Taldan) 
  Demgazi
  Karl Langbaen 
  Male old human 
  Farmer from  
   
   
  (Garundi) 
  Landarr
  Marozia 
  Female human 
  Healer from  
   
   
  (Vudrani) 
  Elbistan
  Zadim al‑Hadir 
  Male human 
  Blacksmith from  
   
   
  (Keleshite) 
  Zimar
  Zenobius Baccar 
  Male human (Taldan) Knight from  
   
   
   
  Lionsguard
  Zifer Arpador 
  Male halfling 
  Baker from  
   
   
   
  Ortalaca
  Cyricus is also able to answer a few questions about 
  the city for the PCs. He isn’t affiliated with the Lion 
  Blades, however, only working as a free agent from time 
  to time with Kathann Zalar personally, so he knows little 
  about the fate of the Lion Blades or the city’s intelligence 
  network.
  How do we get into the city? “Best way’s to walk through 
  the front door, I’ve found. Whole lot less suspicious than 
  climbing in a window. They’ll check your papers and ask 
  what you’re doing, but if you keep a cool head and don’t 
  have any obvious weapons or contraband—and you look 
  like your paperwork describes—you’ll be fine. Probably.”
  What sort of things do they check at the gates? “They 
  look at your documents and check that you match the 
  description. If you’re carrying a lot of valuables and 
  items that look magical, you’ll seem suspicious unless 
  you’re nobility or some kind of scholar. They also ask 
  questions, things like what business you have in Zimar 
  and if you’re loyal to Taldor and Grand Prince Pythareus.”
  Why can’t we just fly or teleport to Zimar? “They’ve 
  got hundreds of guards on the walls. You have to play 
  it cool. Besides, guards within the city might also check 
  your papers, and so you’re going to need them no matter 
  how you enter the city. Maybe once you know a quiet 
  ENTERING BY OTHER MEANS
  The adventure assumes the PCs use the identification 
  papers provided by Cyricus and walk through the 
  gates. However, there are a number of other ways to 
  get into Zimar.
  Zimar has a port on the Jalrune River, but anyone 
  arriving by boat has to go through checks similar to 
  those at the gates. Flying or climbing (DC 25) over 
  the 60‑foot‑tall city wall is possible, but with guards 
  stationed every 100 feet, it’s virtually impossible to 
  do so unnoticed. If the PCs teleport to Zimar, there is a 
  25% chance that a loyal citizen notices the PCs’ sudden 
  appearance and alerts the city guard, who report the 
  incident and start investigating.
  See the city gates encounter on page 14 for 
  guidelines on the response the PCs can expect if they 
  are careless or attract attention during their entry.
  
  13
  CYRICUS
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  corner or two inside the walls it’d be safe to teleport 
  in and out, but nothing looks more suspicious than a 
  bunch of well‑armed outsiders appearing in a 
  puff of smoke.”
  Why can’t we just use forged 
  documents with descriptions of people 
  who look like us? “Here, have a look: 
  silk thread and silver embedded in the 
  cloth stock. Very elaborate calligraphy 
  script. An official stamp from Demgazi. 
  Hard to make a good counterfeit. Six 
  months ago, a clumsy counterfeit wouldn’t 
  have raised an eyebrow, but since all this 
  squabbling started, every guard thinks they’re 
  going to be the one to catch one of 
  Eutropia’s 
  assassins, 
  and 
  they’re 
  looking closer than ever.”
  Can you help us with the 
  disguises? “Yeah, I can sell you 
  some things that’ll help. I have 
  disguise kits, some magic items, 
  and all kinds of outfits in my 
  saddlebags. The horse’s in the stable.”
  Once the PCs have selected identities and formulated 
  a plan—but before the PCs have a chance to test their 
  disguises—the meeting is interrupted as guards arrive 
  in the inn.
  Story Award: Once the PCs have arrived in Panemona, 
  received their new identities, and formed a plan to 
  infiltrate Zimar, award them 9,600 XP.
  THE INSPECTION (CR 11)
  Just as the PCs have finished conducting business with 
  Cyricus, a group of soldiers enters the inn’s tavern and 
  begins demanding traveling papers from the patrons. 
  The half‑elf immediately panics, whispering, “They’re 
  here for me! You have to help me hide! If they catch me, 
  they’ll torture the truth out of me!”
  Creatures: Four Zimar Sentinels—elite city guards 
  selected for their ferocious loyalty to Pythareus—
  have traveled to Panemona to confirm an anonymous 
  tip of a smuggler meeting with clients. Two of the 
  Sentinels check paperwork while the other two guard 
  the front door. After 3 rounds of the guards checking 
  other patrons, the inn’s owner, Papa Rasso (CN male 
  village elder; Pathfinder RPG NPC Codex 258), yells at the 
  soldiers for bothering his guests, creating a distraction 
  for 2 more rounds before the Sentinels by the door 
  escort Rasso back into the kitchen, leaving the front 
  door unguarded for another 2 rounds. The PCs can 
  clearly hear the sound of several punches.
  The guards aren’t necessarily looking for the PCs, just 
  Cyricus, so they perform only the most casual inspection 
  of the heroes’ traveling papers. The PCs can easily satisfy 
  the guards by handing over the panicked smuggler. 
  Barring that, they can quickly disguise the half‑elf, or use 
  the distraction created by Papa Rasso to sneak Cyricus 
  out through the kitchen or conceal or transport him 
  with a spell.
  If the PCs are questioned by the soldiers 
  (and Cyricus isn’t obviously present), they 
  can feign ignorance with a successful 
  Bluff check or growl off the soldiers with a 
  successful Intimidate check. However, the 
  guards aren’t easily swayed by Diplomacy, 
  and the PCs take a –5 penalty on Diplomacy 
  checks to convince the guards to simply 
  overlook their presence.
  If all else fails, the PCs can attack these 
  soldiers without the risk of drawing more 
  attention like violence in the streets 
  of Zimar would. If the PCs do 
  attack the soldiers, the sudden 
  disappearance of a patrol puts 
  other Sentinels on edge for 1d4 
  days, granting the soldiers a +2 
  circumstance bonus on checks 
  to see through disguises or spot false documents.
  ZIMAR SENTINELS (4) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  Human fighter 8
  N Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +0; Senses Perception +10
  DEFENSE
  AC 20, touch 10, flat‑footed 20 (+7 armor, +3 shield)
  hp 88 each (8d10+40)
  Fort +10, Ref +3, Will +7 (+2 vs. fear)
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee mwk longsword +14/+9 (1d8+4/19–20)
  Ranged mwk composite longbow +10/+5 (1d8+3/×3)
  Special Attacks weapon training (heavy blades +1)
  TACTICS
  During Combat Sentinels train to fight in pairs, covering one 
  another’s weak spots. Their teamwork feats improve their 
  AC and saving throw bonuses by 1 each while they’re 
  adjacent to another Sentinel. They use their Power Attack 
  feat whenever possible.
  Morale Sentinels fight to the death.
  STATISTICS
  Str 16, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 8
  Base Atk +8; CMB +11; CMD 21
  Feats Alertness, Iron Will, Paired OpportunistsAPG, Power Attack, 
  Shake It OffUC, Shield Focus, Shield WallAPG, Toughness, 
  Weapon Focus (longbow), Weapon Focus (longsword)
  Skills Handle Animal +8, Intimidate +8, Perception +10, 
  Profession (soldier) +7, Ride +7, Sense Motive +10
  Languages Common, Kelesh
  SQ armor training 2
  
  14
  Combat Gear potion of barkskin, potions of cure serious 
  wounds (2); Other Gear +1 chainmail, +1 light steel 
  shield, mwk composite longbow (+3 Str) with 20 arrows, 
  mwk longsword, bead of newt preventionUE, cloak of 
  resistance +1, guard whistle, silver Sentinel badge (worth 
  50 gp), 240 gp
  Treasure: Cyricus had planned to sell disguise 
  supplies to the PCs to accompany their paperwork, but 
  if they protect him from the Sentinels, he offers these 
  supplies freely: a disguise kit, a healer’s kit, four artisans’ 
  outfits, an entertainer’s outfit, a noble’s outfit, and three 
  pocketed scarvesUE, as well as a potion of invisibility and a 
  cloak of the hedge wizard (abjuration)UE.
  Development: Defeating the Zimar Sentinels offers the 
  PCs another option for sneaking into the city: disguising 
  themselves as Sentinels. The unit is large (more than 
  100 members), and contains a diverse array of genders 
  and human ethnicities, albeit with few nonhuman 
  members. If the PCs disguise themselves as Sentinels, 
  don’t need to try to match the descriptions in Cyricus’s 
  stolen paperwork, but other Sentinels gain a +4 bonus 
  on Perception checks to see through the PCs’ disguises, 
  given the Sentinels’ familiarity with one another.
  A. CITY GATES (CR 12)
  The massive wall surrounding Zimar has two large gates. 
  The outer gate at each gatehouse is a large wooden double 
  door (hardness 5, 40 hp, break DC 25) that can be barred 
  from the inside. At each end of the gateway is a strong 
  iron portcullis (hardness 10, 120 hp, break DC 30), which 
  can be raised using a winch inside the gatehouse. The 
  portcullis can be dropped as a move action by releasing 
  a lever at the base of the winch. During the day, the doors 
  are left open; they’re closed at sunset until the morning.
  There are many murder holes in the ceiling, allowing 
  guards inside the gatehouse to fire on attackers. Both 
  gates are closed from sunset to sunrise, and only military 
  units can pass during that time. At night, continual flame 
  spells illuminate the parapets atop the walls.
  Creatures: Four Zimar Sentinels inspect visitors’ 
  papers and are overseen by an inquisitor serving the 
  Vault and Chain sect of the church of Abadar. The Temple 
  of the Vault and Chain is an ultraorthodox offshoot of 
  the main church whose members believe that Taldor 
  is crumbling because its citizens have grown soft and 
  free willed, too obsessed with their personal causes and 
  social advancement to focus on recapturing the glory 
  and purity of their once‑great nation. The sect yearns to 
  return discipline and a strict social hierarchy to Taldan 
  society. While somewhat popular in hypernationalistic 
  Zimar, the cult has little sway beyond the city gates, but 
  that may change now that its interests align with those 
  of Maxillar Pythareus, and the templars have happily 
  embraced him as their new emperor.
  The templar is distracted by paperwork when the 
  PCs arrive, leaving only the Sentinels to inspect the PCs’ 
  identification papers. After viewing a PC’s documents, 
  a Sentinel checks that the PC looks like the person 
  described in the papers (+10 Perception modifier). 
  The Sentinel also looks for any obvious contraband 
  or unusual possessions, like obvious magic items or 
  weapons. Unless a PC acts suspiciously, the soldier takes 
  10 on his Perception check. 
  If two or more PCs approach the gates at the same 
  time, the guards ask if the PCs are traveling together. 
  Because of Zimar’s somewhat conservative gender roles, 
  if a woman is traveling with a man of similar social class, 
  the PCs gain a +2 circumstance bonus on their Disguise 
  checks, as the soldiers pay less attention. The same 
  applies to a child traveling with an adult.
  If a PC succeeds at her Disguise check, the guard 
  waves her through. If she fails by more than 5, the 
  guard tries to arrest her immediately. If a PC fails her 
  Disguise check by 5 or less, or if she acts suspiciously 
  or carries unusual goods for her cover identity (like a 
  healer carrying heavy weapons), the guard insists she 
  answer the following questions.
  “What’s the purpose of your travel?” The PC must 
  succeed at a DC 15 Bluff or appropriate Profession check 
  to improvise a believable excuse.
  “Are you carrying magic items or illegal or dangerous 
  goods?” If the PC’s obviously magical items are hidden 
  and the PC answers “no,” the soldier doesn’t inquire 
  further. If the PC looks suspiciously well equipped, the 
  soldier asks the Vault and Chain templar to use detect 
  magic to confirm any suspicions. If the PC is clearly 
  too wealthy for her false identity’s social class, the 
  guards attempt to arrest her. A PC posing as a noble, 
  however, can carry any number of magic items without 
  raising suspicion.
  If the PC’s appearance exhibits any aspects of Qadiran 
  culture, or if the PC wears Sarenite symbols, is not 
  human or half‑elven, or otherwise looks pro‑Loyalist, 
  the guards also ask the following question.
  “What is a citizen’s highest calling?” A PC who 
  succeeds at a DC 15 Knowledge (geography or local) 
  check remembers that in Zimar, defending Zimar and 
  the border are a citizen’s highest calling. Any other 
  patriotic or pro‑Imperialist answer also suffices. 
  If a PC fails any check during her questioning, the 
  soldiers opt to arrest her “and let a judge sort it out.”
  If combat breaks out, each Sentinel attempts to blow 
  his whistle to summon aid (a move action). If a Sentinel 
  raises the alarm, another group of four guards arrives 
  within 1d6 rounds from the other side of the gate. 
  ZIMAR SENTINELS (4) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  hp 88 each (see page 13)
  
  15
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  VAULT AND CHAIN TEMPLAR 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400
  Human inquisitor (heretic) of Abadar 10 (Pathfinder RPG 
  Advanced Player’s Guide 38, Pathfinder RPG Ultimate 
  Magic 45)
  LE Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +8; Senses Perception +15
  DEFENSE
  AC 20, touch 13, flat‑footed 18 (+7 armor, 
  +1 deflection, +2 Dex)
  hp 98 (10d8+50)
  Fort +11, Ref +6, Will +12
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. in armor)
  Melee mwk spear +8/+3 (1d8/×3)
  Ranged +1 called light crossbow +10 (1d8+1/19–20)
  Special Attacks bane (10 rounds/day), judgment 
  4/day (2 simultaneous)
  Domain Spell‑Like Abilities (CL 10th; 
  concentration +12)
  1/day—staff of order (5 rounds)
  5/day—touch of law
  Inquisitor Spell‑Like Abilities (CL 10th; 
  concentration +12)
  At will—detect alignment, discern lies (10 rounds/day)
  Inquisitor Spells Known (CL 10th; concentration +12)
  4th (1/day)—freedom of movement, order’s 
  wrath (DC 16)
  3rd (3/day)—cure serious wounds, invisibility purge, 
  prayer, searing light
  2nd (5/day)—castigateAPG (DC 14), detect thoughts 
  (DC 14), hold person (DC 14), knock, silence (DC 14)
  1st (6/day)—bless, forbid actionUM (DC 13), forced quietUM 
  (DC 13), interrogationUM (DC 13), shield of faith
  0 (at will)—brandAPG (DC 12), daze (DC 12), detect magic, 
  light, read magic, siftAPG
  Domain Law
  TACTICS
  Before Combat If a templar expects a fight, she casts prayer 
  to bolster herself and any nearby allies (not included in 
  this stat block).
  During Combat The templar activates her justice and 
  protection judgments to improve her attack bonus and 
  AC by 3; her vambraces extend this bonus to her CMD 
  and concentration checks. She uses Divine Interference to 
  protect soldiers in her charge and spells like silence and 
  hold person to shut down enemy spellcasters. Finally, she 
  activates her bane ability and opens fire with her crossbow.
  Morale A templar fights to the death.
  STATISTICS
  Str 10, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 10
  Base Atk +7; CMB +7; CMD 20
  Feats Divine InterferenceUM, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, 
  LookoutAPG, Paired OpportunistsAPG, Point‑Blank Shot, 
  Precise Shot, Swap PlacesAPG, Toughness
  Skills Acrobatics –1 (–5 when jumping), Bluff +10, Climb +5, 
  Diplomacy +13, Intimidate +18, Knowledge (nobility) +11, 
  Knowledge (religion) +14, Perception +15, Profession 
  (clerk) +10, Sense Motive +15, Stealth +9, Swim +5
  Languages Common, Kelesh
  SQ hide tracks, judgment of escape, solo tactics, stern 
  gaze +5, track +5
  Combat Gear elixir of dragon breathUE (blue); Other Gear 
  +1 breastplate, +1 called light crossbow with 30 bolts, 
  mwk spear, cloak of resistance +1, inquisitor’s bastion 
  vambracesUE, ring of protection +1, gold holy symbol of 
  Abadar (worth 100 gp), 450 gp
  ZIMAR SENTINEL
  
  16
  Treasure: Unknown to Cyricus, one of the identities he 
  stole (likely Baroness Aconian, Cadonia, or Sir Arpador, 
  but whoever seems most appropriate from the identities 
  your PCs select) for the Lion Blades left a wagon full of 
  trade goods in storage with the guards. Once all the PCs 
  pass through the gate—so long as combat didn’t break 
  out—a Sentinel runs after them, flagging them down and 
  insisting, “You’ve neglected to pay your storage fees, and 
  you’ll need to pay a fine and move your wagon elsewhere!” 
  The fine is 150 gp, and the wagon is a well‑built but 
  otherwise unremarkable cart with a canvas covering 
  strapped over it. It contains a large tent, a crate of rations, 
  a barrel of water, and two locked chests (Disable Device 
  DC 35). One chest holds several changes of clothing and 
  grooming supplies, but the other contains five bolts of 
  silk (10 gp each), a platinum ibex with ruby‑chip eyes (800 
  gp), three potions of gaseous form, an aegis of recovery, a candle 
  of invocation, a +1 holy short spear wrapped in a scorched bolt 
  of silk, and a strand of lesser prayer beads. The PCs windfall 
  is luckier than it seems, as the spear in the chest allows 
  them a way to penetrate Milon Jeroth’s damage reduction, 
  should they realize his true nature.
  Development: If the guards raise the alarm and the 
  PCs fight or escape the guards, the rest of Zimar is soon 
  alerted to the presence of suspicious outsiders, and 
  the PCs take a –5 penalty on all Bluff, Diplomacy, and 
  Disguise checks for 1d6 days.
  Story Award: If the PCs all enter Zimar without 
  fighting the soldiers, award them XP as if they had 
  defeated the group in combat.
  PART 2:  
  THE GAME OF MASKS
  While in Zimar, the PCs are on their own. Their task is 
  to investigate Maxillar Pythareus’s conspiracy and seek 
  evidence against him to expose his treachery. Initially, 
  their only clue is the location of the last Lion Blade safe 
  house in the Adobe District, which wasn’t compromised 
  during raids organized by Maxillar Pythareus. There, the 
  PCs may find clues that put them on a trail to find both 
  a missing Lion Blade agent and Maxillar Pythareus’s 
  spymaster, Sir Milon Jeroth.
  The PCs’ most obvious lead is the Lion Blade Gannaius, 
  yet to be reported dead and believed to be in hiding. 
  Kathann directed them to investigate one of his regular 
  haunts: the Sunrise Spice Importer warehouse in the 
  Adobe District. This course of action leads the PCs into a 
  dangerous trap. Unknown to the Lion Blades, Gannaius is 
  the cause of the recent purge, not a victim of it. Always 
  prone to paranoia and insecurity, Gannaius convinced 
  himself that his lack of progress in the recent upheaval 
  had negated his value to the Lion Blades and that they 
  would soon eliminate him. He planned to sell a few 
  secrets to Milon Jeroth in exchange for enough coin to 
  flee the city and start over in Absalom. However, Milon is 
  a man who takes rather than bargains; he kidnapped and 
  tortured Gannaius to learn everything about Lion Blade 
  operations in the city. Milon now leaves the Sunrise Spice 
  warehouse unraided and unguarded as a trap to lure in 
  any lingering agents who remain in Zimar or anyone the 
  Lion Blades dispatch to investigate.
  This section of the adventure pits the PCs against Milon’s 
  major assets within the city. His intelligence network 
  VAULT AND CHAIN TEMPLAR
  
  17
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  primarily consists of thousands of paid or blackmailed 
  informants across Taldor and Qadira who are low‑level 
  functionaries or servants with no role to play in combat or 
  this adventure. However, Milon’s core power structure is 
  tight‑knit. His primary agents are fellow rakshasas gathered 
  from across the region; their ability to shapeshift makes his 
  network of cutthroat spies—consisting of the half‑dozen 
  rakshasas currently staying at Waterhill Manor (see area 
  D) and another dozen spread throughout Taldor—seem 
  larger than it truly is. His enforcer arm is composed of the 
  monks of the Seven Forms of Sin (see area F), an offshoot 
  of the nearby Monastery of Seven Forms that Milon 
  himself helped found a century earlier; the monks quietly 
  assassinate his rivals and intimidate targets. Finally, it fell 
  on Milon to shelter and employ the Sisters of Indulgent 
  Dreams (see area E) on behalf of the Immaculate Circle 
  while the night hags plied the planes to gather the spiritual 
  flotsam the secret society needed to build its artificial 
  soul. The coven has since remained in Zimar to help sway 
  Pythareus’s heart and feed intelligence on his enemies to 
  Milon, though they grow increasingly ambitious in the city.
  One way or another, the PCs will eventually face 
  these forces, as Jeroth’s forces, if undefeated, will rush 
  to reinforce Maxillar Pythareus’s defenses in Abadar’s 
  Pillar. The PCs’ hopefully quiet presence in the city 
  should allow them to learn about, eliminate, or even 
  co‑opt some of these factions. Each of these factions 
  also holds scraps of intelligence about High Strategos 
  Maxillar Pythareus, enough to prove his guilt to the Lion 
  Blades and, ultimately, for the organization to ask the 
  PCs to arrest—or if necessary, kill—the general.
  The Lion Blades are wary of eliminating one of the 
  most powerful politicians and military leaders in Taldor, 
  both because it leaves the nation uniquely vulnerable 
  and because such an attack would likely turn the small 
  skirmishes of the current political situation into rioting 
  and full civil war. Because of that, they require at least three 
  strong pieces of evidence revealing the high strategos’s 
  treasonous behavior. The adventure provides several—
  Milon Jeroth’s letter to the Immaculate Circle (see area 
  C), the ledgers maintained by the Sisters of Indulgent 
  Dreams (see area E4), the assassination order held by 
  Sister Qan Dismaal of the Seven Forms of Sin monastery 
  (see area F10), and the dagger used to kill Tae Amalon (see 
  areas D12 and G)—but creative PCs may find additional 
  evidence, such as magically interrogating Milon Jeroth 
  after his death, spying directly on Maxillar and recording 
  his own admission of guilt, or persuading certain agents 
  like Baron Astor, Dame Avenna, or the deposed Stavian III 
  (see page 49) to switch sides and testify against the general. 
  Until the PCs secure at least three pieces of evidence of 
  crimes committed by Maxillar Pythareus, they should 
  understand that they are not authorized to take any direct 
  action against the high strategos, and that doing so will 
  make enemies of the Lion Blades.
  Story Award: Once the PCs collect at least three 
  pieces of evidence condemning High Strategos Maxillar 
  Pythareus, award them 25,600 XP.
  SUSPICION
  Zimar is a city of nosy neighbors and sideways glances, 
  where every action is viewed with suspicion—especially 
  in the wake of Taldor’s growing civil unrest. The PCs 
  need to navigate the lion’s den without attracting too 
  much attention to themselves. Every suspicious action 
  they take or question they ask in public raises eyebrows.
  As the PCs draw attention to themselves, they 
  accumulate Suspicion Points as a group. The group’s 
  Suspicion Point total imposes a penalty on all Bluff, 
  Diplomacy, and Disguise checks the PCs attempt in 
  and around Zimar as wary locals scrutinize them ever 
  more intensely. It also grants Zimar Sentinels and Vault 
  and Chain templars actively opposing or investigating 
  the PCs a bonus on initiative checks, as they become 
  increasingly on edge and reactionary. As the PCs’ aura of 
  suspicion increases, they also draw additional resistance, 
  investigations, and even assassins. The PCs’ Suspicion 
  Point total represents a general pall over the city, rather 
  than being tied to specific identities; the PCs maintain 
  their Suspicion Point total even if they swap identities.
  The activities listed in the table below add to the PCs’ 
  Suspicion Point total if they are public or otherwise 
  witnessed. At your discretion, if relatively discreet 
  activities are seen by only one or two witnesses, these 
  witnesses can be captured, bluffed, bribed, or intimidated 
  into silence before they can report the PCs’ activities. 
   
  Suspicion
  Points
  Activity 
  Earned
  Suspicious mundane activities (suspicious questions,  
  disrespect toward authorities, Imperialist sympathies) 
  1
  Suspicious nonviolent spellcasting (teleport, alter  
  self, illusions) 
  2
  Criminal activity (break‑ins, fighting in public) 
  3
  Fighting guards, Sentinels, or templars (provided  
  anyone witnesses the attack, survives to report  
  the crime, or discovers the bodies) 
  4
  Violent spellcasting 
  4
  Activity is witnessed by a guard, Sentinel, or templar 
  +2
  The group’s Suspicion Point total automatically 
  decreases by 1 every week. The deflect suspicions 
  operation (see the Zimar Operations sidebar on page 6) 
  can also reduce this total.
  As the PCs’ Suspicion Point total increases, they 
  experience the encounters in the table on page 18. The 
  PCs should encounter each entry from the table at most 
  once, even if they reach a given total multiple times. If 
  an increase in Suspicion points makes them subject to 
  multiple effects (such as if their total increases from 
  
  18
  4 to 8), space the encounters out over several hours. If the 
  PCs have already eliminated or co‑opted an organization 
  listed below, they suffer no effects for reaching that level 
  of suspicion.
  Suspicion 
  Point Total Response
  4 
   
  Five local toughs (use the statistics for a ruffian 
  on page 258 of the Pathfinder RPG NPC Codex) 
  don’t like the PCs’ accents, clothes, invasive 
  questions, or general attitude. These locals try 
  to intimidate the apparent foreigners. While 
  the PCs can likely dispatch the toughs easily, 
  resolving the situation with violence incurs 2 
  Suspicion Points.
  6 
   
  Two Zimar Sentinels (see page 13) stop and 
  question the PCs the next time they travel in 
  the streets, recognizing only that they match 
  the description of troublemakers. If the PCs 
  can’t deflect the guards’ suspicion with skills or 
  magic, the soldiers move to arrest them.
  8 
   
  Two Vault and Chain templars (see page 15) 
  and two Zimar Sentinels (see page 13) raid the 
  Sunrise Spice warehouse, regardless of where 
  the PCs are at the time.
  10  
  A Vault and Chain templar (see page 15) and four 
  Zimar Sentinels (see page 13) are dispatched 
  to arrest the PCs for thorough interrogation, 
  arriving to arrest them the next time the PCs 
  appear in public.
  12  
  Two of Milon’s rakshasa agents, Chandar and 
  Joneius (see area D8), are dispatched to attempt 
  to extract whatever intelligence they can from 
  the PCs.
  15  
  Four monks from the Seven Forms of Sin 
  monastery are dispatched to assassinate the PCs 
  (see page 33).
  18  
  Milon Jeroth marks the PCs for death and hunts 
  them personally, accompanied by his two marai 
  servants.
  20  
  Baron Astor Roderus (see page 53) accompanies 
  a unit of five Zimar Sentinels (see page 13) to 
  eliminate the PCs.
  B. SUNRISE SPICE IMPORTERS
  Kathann mentioned the Sunrise Spice Importers 
  warehouse in the Adobe District as the best place to 
  connect with a potential survivor of Zimar’s recent purge 
  of Lion Blades. The warehouse—used only seasonally—
  saw little use even by the Lion Blades except storing 
  emergency supplies there and occasionally using it as an 
  emergency safe house. Since the owners are in town for 
  only a few months every year, they weren’t aware of their 
  business’s double life.
  The large interior is left mostly empty in the off season, 
  with only a few barrels of ancient peppercorns and 
  allspice berries lying under a layer of dust in one corner 
  and a stack of large supply crates in another, as well as a 
  disused office filled with mundane ledgers and a calendar 
  marking the owners’ return from their trading expedition 
  in 4 months. A successful DC 25 Perception check while 
  searching the supply crates reveals that a few of the crates 
  each contain a bedroll, rations, water, maps, and a few 
  changes of clothes rather than goods. These are simple 
  hiding places for compromised agents, where they can 
  lie low or wait until dark before fleeing the city. Because 
  there has been little political trouble in Zimar until lately, 
  only one has ever been used, and that one disheveled unit 
  has obviously not been used for at least several days. 
  Development: When the PCs finish searching all 
  the rooms in the warehouse, they notice someone has 
  slipped a note under one of the exterior doors: “If you 
  and K are friends, meet me at her favorite place in two 
  hours. —G.”
  If the PCs contact Kathann, she can confirm the 
  intended location is probably a confection shop that she 
  and Gannaius had used many times as a meeting place. 
  If the PCs elect not to contact Kathann, they can instead 
  track whoever left the letter back to Honey Kunefe (see 
  area C) with a successful DC 25 Survival check.
  Treasure: A small, wax‑sealed cask next to the supply 
  crates contains dried dates, beef jerky, and other food 
  items. In a pouch inside the crate are a potion of vanish 
  and three potions of misdirection.
  C. HONEY KUNEFE (CR 13)
  This small coffeehouse and sweet shop is completely 
  ordinary; nothing distinguishes it from the many 
  similar shops in every neighborhood across the city. It is 
  precisely this anonymity that has made it popular with 
  several Lion Blades, and Gannaius and Kathann have 
  both used it for occasional meetings.
  The interior is small but cozy and warm. Both 
  owners—a halfling couple—lie dead in the kitchen, 
  hastily concealed beneath old flour sacks.
  Creatures: Milon Jeroth waits for the PCs, disguised 
  as Gannaius (the true Lion Blade remains imprisoned 
  in Milon’s interrogation room, area D3), updating a 
  portfolio and preparing a large pot of coffee. When the 
  PCs arrive, he nervously asks if they were followed, then 
  closes his portfolio, invites them to sit, and pours coffee 
  for everyone, himself included. Milon spiked the coffee 
  with a healthy dose of dark reaver powder (Pathfinder RPG 
  Core Rulebook 558), and hopes to extract as much useful 
  information as he can in the 10 minutes before the poison 
  begins to take effect. He takes the first sip himself, having 
  already consumed a potion of delay poison an hour earlier.
  “Gannaius” feigns outrage and terror if the PCs 
  attempt to cast any spells, insisting they’re going to 
  
  19
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  attack him—all to deflect any attempts to divine his true 
  motives or the poison in the coffee. He likewise acts 
  outraged if the PCs attempt to search the shop, worried 
  they’ll find the owners’ bodies.
  Milon asks pointed questions about the PCs’ 
  identities, what they’re doing in Zimar, and 
  Princess Eutropia’s involvement. The PCs’ 
  reputations are widespread enough at this 
  point that a man with Milon’s connections 
  can recognize them, though Gannaius 
  probably wouldn’t have, and there is certainly 
  no way Gannaius would have known that the 
  Lion Blades have agreed to start working with 
  Eutropia—having heretofore struggled 
  to stay out of the War for the Crown 
  and focused on defending Taldor 
  from foreign threats. A successful 
  DC 20 Perception check also 
  reveals a fine falcata under 
  Gannaius’s coat—an unusually 
  flashy weapon for a slight and 
  reclusive spy.
  Milon refuses to believe the 
  Lion Blades have no additional agents 
  in the city, and he becomes increasingly aggressive in his 
  questioning. Once the poison begins to take effect, or if 
  the PCs refuse to answer questions, he simply attacks, 
  expecting them to be no more prepared to defeat a 
  rakshasa than Gannaius was. Milon’s overconfidence and 
  lack of preparation mean he is uniquely vulnerable in this 
  encounter, even if the PCs are unprepared, and there’s a 
  good chance the PCs can end his threat here and now.
  MILON JEROTH 
  CR 13
  XP 25,600
  hp 200 (see page 60)
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Milon attempts to poison the PCs as 
  described, but he does not employ his usual preparatory 
  magic for fear that the auras will make his subjects 
  suspicious or scare them off.
  During Combat If the PCs have not yet succumbed to the dark 
  reaver powder in the coffee, he targets several of them 
  with castings of accelerate poisonAPG; otherwise, he casts 
  chain of perdition and closes in to melee combat with his 
  falcata. He doesn’t wish to reveal himself as a rakshasa yet, 
  and so he refrains from using his claws or bite attack or 
  assuming a new form unless the PCs deduce his true nature 
  (requiring a successful DC 25 Knowledge [planes] check).
  Morale Milon is cocky in this first encounter, but after 5 
  rounds he realizes the fight isn’t as easy as he anticipated. 
  At this point, he attempts to cast vanishAPG and flee. If 
  the PCs have dealt him at least 75 points of damage, he 
  leaves in such haste that he forgets his portfolio (see 
  Development below).
  Development: The portfolio Milon had been updating 
  contains his notes about the current operations in the 
  War for the Crown, including the identities of several 
  moles within Eutropia’s supporters, but it focuses 
  most heavily on his resources within Zimar and 
  how to find them, including his rakshasa agents 
  in Waterhill Manor (see area D), the Sisters of 
  Indulgent Dreams in the Sweet Dreams Tea 
  Shop (see area E), and the Seven Forms of Sin 
  and their undercity monastery (see area F), 
  providing the PCs with a list of targets. The 
  portfolio also contains a wealth of operational 
  passwords and code names, enough to grant 
  any PC who studies the paperwork for 
  at least 2 hours a +5 bonus on Bluff 
  checks to convince other agents 
  of Milon that she is part of 
  his organization.
  If the PCs kill Milon, he 
  reverts to his true form. They 
  can also find a letter in his 
  pocket, ready to be dispatched 
  to the Immaculate Circle (see 
  Player Handout on page 20). The 
  note details Milon’s assets just as his portfolio does, but 
  it also lists enemies of each faction who they can easily 
  be set against—the rakshasas are eager to target Baron 
  Astor, the Sister of Indulgent Dreams are prepared to 
  eliminate Dame Avenna, and the monks of the Seven 
  Forms of Sin are eager to assassinate Enumerator Iovinus. 
  If nothing else, it provides additional insight into the 
  forces Pythareus has arranged to protect him. A PC who 
  succeeds at a DC 20 Knowledge (local) check recognizes 
  the “King of Filth” as the title of a powerful otyugh 
  rumored to live beneath Zimar, who sells secrets and 
  lost treasures. A PC who succeeds at a DC 15 Knowledge 
  (local) or (geography) check knows the location of the 
  Sweet Dreams Tea Shop and Waterhill Manor mentioned 
  in both Milon’s letter and portfolio. Finally, a PC who 
  succeeds at a DC 20 Knowledge (religion) or (streetwise) 
  check recognizes the Seven Forms of Sin as a rumored 
  offshoot of the Monastery of Seven Forms dedicated to 
  perfecting its initiates’ physical form through indulgence, 
  and the sect operates as an assassins’ guild in Zimar.
  If the PCs report their encounter to Kathann, she 
  encourages them to follow up on Milon’s known 
  resources, saying, “Good work surviving. Follow up. 
  Milon keeps several homes, but puts his agents up in 
  a secret manor in the Golden District called Waterhill 
  Manor.” If the PCs mention the portfolio or the letter, 
  she says, “Excellent. Cracks are appearing that you can 
  exploit. Subtle trickery may win more battles than blades 
  here. No intel on this Immaculate Circle. Will research.”
  Story Award: If the PCs claim Milon’s portfolio after 
  the fight or manage to steal it during the encounter, 
  GANNAIUS
  
  20
  award them 9,600 XP. If they attend the meeting and 
  survive but don’t recover Milon’s portfolio, award them 
  4,800 XP instead.
  IMPERSONATING MILON JEROTH
  With the information in Milon’s portfolio, a reasonable 
  strategy for PCs for the rest of Part 2 is to either 
  impersonate Milon or pretend to be part of his 
  organization, allowing them to wield the rakshasa’s 
  influence against Pythareus or disband it from within.
  Disguising one of their number as Milon requires a 
  successful Disguise check opposed by the Perception 
  check of a given group representative’s (Oaca for the 
  rakshasas, Estella for the Sisters of Immaculate Dreams, 
  and Sister Dismaal for the Seven Forms of Sin) ; Milon’s 
  agents are considered friends or associates, granting 
  them a +6 bonus on Perception checks. Impersonating 
  Milon also requires a successful Bluff check opposed 
  by the representative’s Sense Motive check; if a PC fails 
  his opposed Disguise check, he can still attempt to 
  impersonate Milon with this Bluff check, but the lie is 
  considered impossible, imposing a –20 penalty.
  If the PCs simply wish to pretend they are part of 
  Milon’s organization, they must succeed at two Bluff 
  checks opposed by the group representative’s Sense 
  Motive check—one to convince the group that they are a 
  part of the organization, and one to convince the group 
  they speak with any authority. Both lies are considered 
  far‑fetched, imposing a –10 penalty on Bluff checks. If 
  the PCs recovered Milon Jeroth’s portfolio in Honey 
  Kunefe, they gain a +5 bonus on the check rather than 
  a penalty, and the second Bluff check is only considered 
  unlikely, imposing a –5 penalty. All PCs must succeed at 
  the first Bluff check, but only one needs to succeed at 
  the second.
  If the PCs fail their skill checks, Milon’s agents attack, 
  but they don’t automatically alert members of the other 
  two faction the rakshasa controls, which allows the PCs 
  to try again with different groups.
  Assigning tasks to any given agent requires an 
  additional Bluff check. Failing this check generates 1 
  Suspicion Point, but it can be attempted again.
  If the PCs assume control of at least two of Milon’s 
  factions, they have enough clout to call for a meeting 
  with High Strategos Maxillar Pythareus in Abadar’s 
  Pillar, though they will be searched for weapons, magic 
  items, and spell components beforehand and the general 
  will have his bodyguards on hand. Still, it provides the 
  Esteemed Brothers,
  The Immaculate Circle shall be victorious. The high strategos proves quite 
  pliable and receptive to ideas that sate his desperation and ambition in equal 
  measure. The citizens are ready to tear each other apart, and when Pythareus 
  emerges victorious, it will take only the gentlest shove to topple him, and 
  I have secured the ideal prod in my home, under guard of the Sarenites, with 
  the killing blow in the mitts of the grubby King of Filth himself.
  A few complications remain—agents loyal to Pythareus against all reason. 
  They must be dealt with.
  And there are still a few other hindrances on our path to victory. 
  Pythareus’s damnable diviner has blundered into the sisters’ dealings and 
  may soon locate the Sweet Dreams Tea Shop. Now that their research 
  is completed, we should focus our efforts on relocating them to a more 
  secure location. That diviner is too damned esoteric to give anyone her 
  true loyalties, and her second sight makes her near impossible to blackmail. 
  Perhaps it is better to simply let the sisters do as they will.
  My own personal agents in Waterhill have had difficulty in swaying 
  Pythareus’s majordomo, Baron Astor, and now stamp and fume to replace him 
  with one of my own. I feel the scrutiny the high strategos keeps him under 
  makes this hasty course seem childishly impulsive. We shall bide our time.
  Pythareus’s little cult and its enumerator, Iovinus, have likewise proved 
  intractable. Whoever would imagine an Abadaran would feel himself above a 
  bribe. So be it. The Seven Forms of Sin are eager enough for my coin instead, 
  and have places to stash his corpse. I await only your approval.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Immortally loyal,
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Milon Jeroth
  PLAYER HANDOUT
  
  21
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  PCs an opportunity to record a testimony of Pythareus’s 
  treason from his own mouth—enough to convince the 
  Lion Blades that he represents a threat to the empire.
  D. WATERHILL MANOR
  Milon Jeroth maintains several homes and apartments, 
  including his official residence—a townhouse in the 
  Scrolls District—but the spymaster spends most of his 
  downtime in an old manor in the Golden District called 
  Waterhill Manor. The luxurious, hillside manor serves 
  as a hostel and safe house for loyal rakshasa spies. The 
  house’s enchantments and traps allow inhuman spies 
  some freedom to doff their disguises while they rest.
  PCs who spend time gathering information about 
  the estate can learn rumors of its undercity entrance 
  (see area D13) with a successful DC 30 Diplomacy or 
  Knowledge (streetwise) check.
  Most of the manor has 9‑foot ceilings and lighting 
  provided by continual flame cast on sconces on the walls. 
  The interior doors are made of good wood (hardness 
  5, 15 hp) but generally kept unlocked unless otherwise 
  noted. The exterior doors are of strong wood (hardness 
  5, 20 hp, DC 25), with superior locks (DC 40) on the 
  downstairs doors but only average locks (DC 25) on the 
  balcony doors. Waterhill’s greatest feature, however, is its 
  privacy‑enhancing windows. The windows are as hard 
  as iron (hardness 10, 60 hp) and enchanted to make the 
  interior always appear empty.
  Use the Waterhill Manor map on page 23 for this location.
  D1. Living Room (CR 12)
  This large living room is built in three tiers, ascending from 
  the area adjoining the front door to a large, semicircular wall 
  of windows looking out over the city to the west. Plush blue 
  sofas line the walls, intermixed with statuary and potted 
  plants. A short flight of stairs rises to the north, steeper stairs 
  leading up to the south, and a hallway lies to east. An ugly, 
  gray ring sits on a red pillow under a bell jar between the two 
  uppermost couches.
  Each tier of the living room is 3 feet higher than the 
  one before, with railings to prevent accidents.
  Creatures: During the day, two servants and a 
  butler—a fidgety halfling named Oaca Key—spend 
  their time in the living room, chatting and exchanging 
  stories. In truth, these are several of Milon’s agents: two 
  studious marais and a dandasuka bard Jeroth considers 
  his current right hand, all between assignments. If the 
  PCs enter, the rakshasas spend a few awkward moments 
  staring before remembering their household roles, at 
  which point they inquire as to the PCs’ business and 
  insist they wait while they “contact the master of the 
  house.” The marais ask a few probing questions and offer 
  tea, and Oaca offers to entertain the PCs by playing the 
  flute—using a fascinate performance to put the PCs at 
  ease—but if it becomes evident that the PCs will not be 
  missed and aren’t anyone of note, the rakshasas simply 
  attack. Unlike Milon, these rakshasas are not shy about 
  assuming their true forms.
  If the PCs instead pose as Milon or his agents, the 
  rakshasas impatiently ask for news and developments 
  about the last of Zimar’s Lion Blades, and whether the 
  master spy has decided where to send them next, as they 
  grow increasingly bored confined to the house.
  MARAIS (2) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  hp 94 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 228)
  OACA 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600
  Agender dandasuka bard 8 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 225)
  LE Small outsider (native, rakshasa, shapechanger)
  Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +15
  DEFENSE
  AC 22, touch 18, flat‑footed 15 (+6 Dex, +1 dodge, 
  +4 natural, +1 size)
  hp 147 (14 HD; 8d8+6d10+78)
  Fort +9, Ref +17, Will +13; +4 vs. bardic performance, 
  language‑dependent, and sonic
  DR 5/good or piercing; SR 25
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft.
  Melee bite +15 (1d6+2 plus bleed), 2 claws +15 (1d6+2)
  Special Attacks bardic performance 27 rounds/day (move 
  action; countersong, dirge of doom, distraction, fascinate 
  [DC 17], inspire competence +3, inspire courage +2, 
  suggestion [DC 17]), bleed (1d4), detect thoughts (DC 16), 
  sneak attack +1d6
  Spell‑Like Abilities (CL 5th; concentration +8)
  1/day—clairaudience/clairvoyance
  Bard Spells Known (CL 8th; concentration +11)
  3rd (3/day)—clairaudience/clairvoyance, gaseous form, 
  jester’s jauntAPG (DC 16)
  2nd (5/day)—minor image (DC 15), mirror image, sound 
  burst (DC 15), whispering wind
  1st (5/day)—charm person (DC 14), lesser confusion (DC 14), 
  feather fall, hideous laughter (DC 14), unseen servant
  0 (at will)—dancing lights, detect magic, lullaby (DC 13), 
  read magic, resistance, summon instrument
  Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 2nd; concentration +5)
  1st (5/day)—shield, vanishAPG (DC 14)
  0 (at will)—bleed (DC 13), ghost sound (DC 13), message, 
  prestidigitation, ray of frost
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Oaca does everything to pass themself off as 
  a harmless and nervous halfling, not because they don’t 
  want a fight, but because they love the look of surprise 
  when they catch opponents unaware.
  
  22
  During Combat Oaca prefers to open any fight by using 
  jester’s jaunt to throw one enemy outside before beginning 
  their bardic performance of cruel jokes and barbs. The 
  dandasuka prefers to attack with tooth and claw, but casts 
  mirror image if reduced below 100 hit points.
  Morale Oaca fights to the death.
  STATISTICS
  Str 15, Dex 22, Con 20, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 16
  Base Atk +12; CMB +13; CMD 30
  Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Extra Performance, Improved 
  Natural Armor, Improved Natural Attack (claw), Mobility, 
  Skill Focus (Stealth)
  Skills Bluff +20, Climb +10, Disguise +11, Escape Artist +19, 
  Knowledge (local) +18, Perception +15, Perform (comedy) 
  +20, Perform (wind instruments) +20, Sense Motive +15, 
  Sleight of Hand +19, Stealth +29, Use Magic Device +16; 
  Racial Modifiers +4 Bluff, +8 Disguise
  Languages Common, Infernal, Undercommon
  SQ bardic knowledge +4, change shape (any humanoid; 
  alter self), lore master 1/day, versatile performances 
  (comedy, wind)
  Combat Gear silent metamagic rod, wand of acid arrow 
  (47 charges); Other Gear house keys, emerald brooch 
  (worth 400 gp)
  Treasure: The ring on display here is a minor piece 
  of Taldan history: the Band of the Crusader’s Alliance (see 
  “Relics of Old Taldor” in Pathfinder Adventure Path #128). 
  This impressive ring was designed by the dwarves of 
  Kraggodan and used as part of a wedding to secure an 
  alliance between their Sky Citadel and Taldor’s own forces 
  in the Shining Crusade, with mechanical bits for the 
  notoriously anxious General Shae Varitan to fiddle with 
  while she worked. The ring saved the bride’s life twice on 
  the day of the wedding: once when it caught on and tore a 
  would‑be enchanter’s scroll, and again when the General’s 
  fidgeting accidentally knocked over a poisoned wineglass. 
  Both the ring and General Varitan gained a reputation for 
  fortuitous accidents that day that followed both ever after.
  Development: Oaca carries the house keys, which 
  unlock the exterior doors and the doors to areas D3 and 
  D10, as well as deactivate the trap in area D9.
  If the PCs ingratiate themselves to Oaca here, as well 
  as to Chandar and Joneius in area D8, the PCs assume 
  control of the Milon’s rakshasa spy network in Zimar. 
  They can be used to gather information on the PCs’ 
  behalf or harass enemies, though they grow suspicious if 
  asked to risk their lives. The PCs can also set the network 
  on the task of undermining Pythareus’s defenses; while 
  the rakshasas can’t kill every guard in Abadar’s Pillar, 
  they can provide basic intelligence on the building’s 
  layout and defenders after 1 week, and assassinate Baron 
  Astor Roderus after 1d4 weeks of planning. The PCs must 
  maintain their deception for this entire time, meeting 
  with the rakshasas at least once per week.
  Story Award: If the PCs deal with the rakshasas with 
  disguise or guile, award them XP as if they slew them in 
  combat. If they usurp Milon’s spy network to assassinate 
  Astor Roderus, award them XP as if they killed the local 
  baron themselves.
  D2. Dining Room
  A large dining room overlooks the living room, separating 
  only by a wrought iron railing. A long table of purple wood is 
  set with porcelain tableware. Each plate is painted in intricate 
  geometric patterns.
  The dining room is used for gambling and conspiracy 
  as frequently as it is for meals.
  Treasure: The table itself is a treasure; worth 50 gp, 
  it’s made from a rich, purple wood from the Mwangi 
  Expanse and weighs 400 pounds. The porcelain is also 
  exquisite, and worth 300 gp as a set. An oil of arcane lock 
  sits on a shelf near the kitchen. 
  D3. Interrogation Room
  The door to this room is locked (Disable Device DC 30); 
  the rakshasa Oaca carries the key. The walls and stone 
  floor remain are and marred with dark stains from 
  various body fluids. Milon uses the room to interrogate, 
  torture, and finally kill captives.
  Creature: The rogue Lion Blade Gannaius is bound to 
  a simple wooden chair in this room, starved, beaten, and 
  covered in shallow cuts. He originally hoped to sell a few 
  Lion Blade secrets to Milon for the money to flee the 
  city—mistakenly believing the Lion Blades had already 
  marked him for execution—but he found himself 
  kidnapped and those secrets stolen by rakshasa magic.
  Gannaius initially assumes the PCs are the rakshasas 
  in disguise, torturing him with the hope of escape, 
  and he asks them to cease their cruelty, begging them 
  to simply kill him or let him go. If saved, he’s grateful 
  but wary. He tries to stay close to the PCs and remain 
  useful—possibly pointing them toward other elements 
  of Milon’s spy network if they haven’t recovered the spy’s 
  portfolio—and never willing admits that he was captured 
  while attempting to betray and flee the Lion Blades. His 
  paranoia remains unresolved, especially after his weeks 
  as Milon’s prisoner, and at some point before the PCs’ 
  assault on Abadar’s Pillar, he attempts to steal 4d6×10 gp 
  worth of valuables and flee the city.
  GANNAIUS 
  CR 6
  XP 1,600
  N male master spy (Pathfinder RPG Villain Codex 242)
  hp 49 (currently 3)
  Story Award: If the PCs rescue Gannaius, award them 
  1,600 XP.
  
  23
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  D. WATERHILL MANOR
  1 SQUARE = 5 FEET
  UP
  D2
  D7
  D7
  +3 ft.
  +6 ft.
  D6
  D4
  D3
  D5
  D1
  D1
  +3 ft.
  D1
  –3 ft.
  K9
  K9
  K9
  K9
  K9
  K9
  K9
  K9
  E4
  D10
  D9
  –5 ft.
  D11
  D12
  –10 ft.
  D7
  D7
  D8
  E5
  E3
  E1
  E2
  F6
  F7
  F8
  F10
  F9
  F3
  –10 ft.
  F2
  F5
  F4
  –5 ft.
  F. SEVEN FORMS OF SIN MONASTERY
  E. SWEET DREAMS 
   TEA SHOP
  LOWER LEVEL
  GROUND FLOOR
  UPPER FLOOR
  +6 ft.
  DOWN
  DOWN
  T
  T
  F1
  –10 ft.
  T
  UP
  D13
  
  24
  D4. Servants’ Quarters (CR 10)
  This room holds little more than a posh bunk bed 
  and stacks of books lining the walls covering subjects 
  that range from magical theory and biographies of 
  major spellcasters to astrology, astronomy, zoology, 
  philosophy, and political history.
  Creatures: By night, the two marais from area D1 retire 
  to this room to read until late. They despise intruders 
  and attack immediately if disturbed.
  MARAIS (2) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  hp 94 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 228)
  Treasure: The library here consists mostly of 
  interesting but readily available books, but a few stand 
  out as valuable, including Golden Blooms on Porthmos 
  Shores (150 gp), Kirran’s Alchemy in Theory and Practice 
  (200 gp), and a rare second printing of Gods and Kings: 
  A History of Taldor that contains the misprinted date 
  of Grand Prince Beldam I’s birth (600 gp), as well as a 
  greater book of extended summoningUE (lawful).
  D5. Kitchen (CR 10)
  Decorative blue and sienna tiles decorate the walls of 
  this large, well‑appointed kitchen. The hearth burns day 
  and night without the need for fuel, thanks to a bound 
  elemental spirit created with Keleshite magic centuries 
  ago, during the last Qadiran occupation. Milon normally 
  relies on unseen servant spells to handle the cooking and 
  cleaning, but increasingly the rakshasa Oaca can be 
  found here, puttering away as they hone their skills.
  The basement stairs here are unlocked, but using 
  Oaca’s key in the door lock deactivates the trap in area 
  D9 for 30 minutes.
  Creature: The rakshasa Oaca (see are D1) fancies 
  themself a chef and retires to the kitchen at night to 
  hone those skills.
  OACA 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600
  hp 115 (see page 21)
  D6. Bath (CR 10)
  Tiles decorated with colorful patterns line the 
  walls and floor of this exquisite bath, which 
  holds both a tepid cooling pool to the north 
  and a steaming‑hot pool to the south, 
  separated by a large planter of lush, tropical 
  blooms that flourish in the humidity.
  This elaborate bath sates the rakshasas’ need for luxury 
  like few other things can, and Milon spends much of 
  his free time lounging in the pools. Keleshite elemental 
  magic, similar to the effect binding the elemental spirit 
  in the kitchen, helps fill the pools and maintain their 
  respective temperatures—cool in the northern bath and 
  hot in the southern.
  The bath is also Milon’s favorite means of disposing 
  of failed agents and traitors. If the PCs fail to kill Milon 
  at Honey Kunefe and confront him in his home, he 
  begs them to parley and invites them to discuss the 
  matter “like civilized folk” in the bath, with no weapons 
  or armor or magic for anyone; he even offers to send 
  his servants away for the afternoon. Once comfortably 
  arranged in the bath, he casually activates the trap.
  Creature: Milon corrupted the magic maintaining the 
  southern bath, allowing him to transform its contents 
  JONEIUS
  
  25
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  into a greater water elemental at his command or 
  when strangers enter the room. This cobbled‑together 
  elemental is less aware than an average example of its 
  kind (Intelligence score of 5), but it understands the 
  traps in the northern pool well enough that it tries to 
  bull rush enemies back into the frigid waters.
  GREATER WATER ELEMENTAL 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400
  hp 123 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 127)
  Traps: Milon corrupted the magic in the northern 
  pool just as he did the southern, creating a magical trap 
  that draws the warmth from anyone in the pool, leaving 
  victims stiff and logy. A more recently added trap door 
  then flushes the pool and its contents down to area 
  D10 for Falak to deal with. The trap is activated by a 
  level concealed in the planter. Once activated, the pool’s 
  magic refills it over the next 10 rounds.
  NUMBING CHILL TRAP 
  CR 5
  Type magical; Perception DC 28; Disable Device DC 28
  EFFECTS
  Trigger touch; Reset automatic
  Effect spell effect (slow; Will DC 15 negates); multiple 
  targets (all targets in the northern pool)
  CONCEALED PIT TRAP  
  CR 4
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 25; Disable Device DC 25
  EFFECTS
  Trigger touch; Reset automatic
  Effect 20‑ft.‑deep pit (2d6 falling damage); Reflex DC 20 
  avoids; multiple targets (all targets in the northern pool)
  D7. Guest Rooms
  Four comfortable bedrooms serve the house’s rotating 
  residents as they come and go, with ornate beds, 
  carpeting, desks, and wardrobes. Each door has its own 
  simple lock, as well as a concealed trigger (Perception 
  DC 35) to release that lock from the outside, or secure it 
  and seal the room’s occupant inside.
  Currently the rakshasas Chandar and Joneius (see 
  area D8) claim the northern two, and their clothes, 
  blankets, rugs, and other comforts are scattered around 
  haphazardly, along with scattered notes from unwitting 
  admirers. They hide any genuine valuables elsewhere 
  in the city.
  D8. Master Suite (CR 12 or 13)
  A plush bed overflowing with pillows sits beneath a 
  half‑dome of windows looking west across the city. A 
  wardrobe, a desk, bedside tables, and an overstuffed sofa 
  fill out the rest of this massive bedchamber. Doors sit in the 
  north and east walls.
  Milon occasionally spends a night in this cozy suite, 
  though he deliberately keeps his schedule unpredictable. 
  The door to the north leads to a long, narrow balcony.
  Creatures: If he escaped the PCs at Honey Kunefe, 
  Milon spends time resting here, but he responds to any 
  violence he hears elsewhere in the house. In such an 
  event, the PCs instead encounter Chandar and Joneius 
  lurking in area D11.
  If Milon has been dispatched, two of his rakshasa 
  agents—Chandar and Joneius—lounge on the bed 
  here, awaiting his return. They appear as scantily clad 
  Qadiran dancing girls. They accidentally devoured 
  two of Milon’s favorite human informants, who 
  plied high‑profile admirers with liquor to extract 
  valuable secrets from them. Milon thought making 
  the rakshasas take the women’s place would teach the 
  upstarts a lesson in humility, but so far they find the 
  assignment uproariously fun. Joneius has the head of a 
  crocodile, while Chandar’s is that of a hyena, but both 
  otherwise look like slender human women.
  If strangers burst in, Chandar and Joneius pretend 
  to be captives and beg one or two of the PCs to escort 
  them to safety (separating the group and making victims 
  easier to pick off), but if pressed or insulted, they simply 
  drop their human guises and attack.
  CHANDAR AND JONEIUS 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600 each
  Rakshasas (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 231)
  hp 115 each
  Treasure: Spectacles of understanding sit on the bedside 
  table. A hidden wall safe (Perception DC 30), Disable 
  Device DC 40) holds a bag of holding (type II) with Milon’s 
  petty cash: 850 gp, 150 pp, and 5 small rubies (500 gp each).
  D9. Basement (CR 9)
  The kitchen stairs end in an unfinished basement stacked with 
  dusty crates and broken furniture. A chest devoid of dust rests 
  in an alcove by the stairs. The room is noticeably warmer than 
  the kitchen above.
  The crates contain nothing of value—old housewares, 
  cooking supplies, clothing, and forgotten knickknacks. 
  The heat comes from the adjacent enclosure (see area 
  D10), the concealed stone door to which requires a 
  successful DC 20 Perception check to discover. The door 
  is kept locked (Disable Device DC 35) to prevent Milon’s 
  pet from wandering. Oaca in area D1 carries the key.
  Trap: The locked chest (Disable Device DC 35) under 
  the stairs is bait to attract would‑be robbers and rivals, 
  triggering a fusillade of arrows if the lock or lid is 
  disturbed. Unlocking the already‑unlocked stairway 
  door in area D5 temporarily deactivates the trap.
  
  26
  HAIL OF ARROWS TRAP  
  CR 9
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 25; Disable Device DC 25
  EFFECTS
  Trigger visual (arcane eye); Reset repair
  Effect Atk +20 ranged (6d6); multiple targets (all targets in 
  a 20‑ft. line)
  Treasure: The chest contains 3,286 cp painted gold 
  (discernible with a successful DC 12 Appraise check) and 
  a flask of curses that appears to be an iron flask, all intended 
  to trick or weigh down thieves. Buried beneath the coins 
  is a flame tongue forged from a scimitar rather than a 
  longsword, taken from the fallen in the crypts (see area 
  D12) as punishment for disobedience.
  D10. Enclosure 
  A tropical jungle fills this large room, complete with thick 
  plants, loamy soil, and a large pool. The stone walls are 
  painted to appear as more jungle. Strange, white pebbles are 
  scattered across the soil.
  Milon created this chamber as a habitat for his beloved 
  pet, Falak, utilizing a variety of magic effects, including 
  continual flame spells in the ceiling and plates enchanted 
  with heat metal beneath the soil to maintain the warm 
  temperatures. The pond is only 5 feet deep. The white 
  pebbles on the ground are crushed shards of bone—
  leftovers from Falak’s meals—though their current state 
  makes it almost impossible to identify their origin.
  The secret door to D9 is obvious from this 
  side, and both it and the door to D11 are kept 
  locked (Disable Device DC 35)—more to prevent 
  Falak (see below) from wandering than to keep 
  intruders out. Oaca has the key (see area D1).
  Creatures: Milon acquired a young giant anaconda 
  decades ago on a mission in Sanmeshul, and named the 
  serpent Falak after a beast from Qadiran legend. She 
  spends most of her time sleeping in the warm waters 
  of her jungle pond. The snake adores Milon and easily 
  recognizes him regardless of his appearance thanks 
  to her scent ability (she recognizes impersonators the 
  same way). The snake immediately attacks strangers.
  FALAK 
  CR 11
  XP 12,800
  Advanced giant anaconda (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 292, 252)
  hp 150
  D11. Secret Sinkhole (CR 12)
  This old sinkhole opened as levels of ruins below 
  settled, and Milon discovered it while attempting to 
  tunnel from his basement to the undercity. The rocky 
  floor is largely backfill extracted while creating Falak’s 
  enclosure (see area D10). Milon uses this room, hidden 
  from public eye and accessible by the undercity tunnels, 
  as a storehouse for illegal goods and a temporary safe 
  house for compromised agents.
  Creatures: If Milon survives his encounter with the 
  PCs, he dispatches his rakshasa agents Chanda and 
  Joneius (see area D8) to guard this entrance to his lair; 
  otherwise, the room is unguarded.
  CHANDAR AND JONEIUS 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600 each
  Rakshasas (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 231)
  hp 115 each
  D12. Crusader Crypt (CR 11)
  Twenty‑six human‑sized niches run the perimeter of this dark, 
  sandstone chamber in thirteen stacked pairs, between defaced 
  carvings of the sun and a winged, feminine form. Nineteen 
  forms wrapped in muslin cloth sit quietly, largely faded and 
  covered in dust, but one is wrapped in colorful fabric and less 
  dusty than the others. A broad, rough tunnel exits to the east 
  and a double door seals the passage to the west.
  THE LIFE AND DEATH  
  OF TAE AMALON
  In life, Amalon was a noted scholar and tutor often 
  hired by noble families of Zimar to ready their children 
  for entrance exams for officer’s school. Most relevantly, 
  she helped tutor a teenage Maxillar Pythareus in 
  history and philosophy, and brought several concerns 
  about the boy’s moral compass to his father after the 
  lad assaulted a female peer. More concerned about 
  Maxillar’s future and the family reputation than the 
  woman’s safety, the elder Pythareus first ordered 
  silence from the tutor, and when that failed, he 
  attempted to bribe her. When she still refused, he 
  plunged a dagger into her back in a fit of rage.
  Maxillar helped his father bury the body in the 
  undercity and threw the now‑broken dagger 
  into the sewer. After a lifetime of war, Maxillar 
  rarely if ever thinks about the murder his 
  father committed and that he helped cover up. 
  Even Milon Jeroth, with his ability to detect 
  thoughts, learned about the murder only by 
  accident from the otyugh Gulreesh.
  Amalon’s husband died of a heart 
  attack 5 years ago, but their children still live: both 
  Aramatus and Quinn live in the city and work as tutors 
  in the Scrolls District, and know only that their mother 
  disappeared when they were young. They do recall 
  that the elder Duke Pythareus was very concerned, as 
  she was his son’s “favorite tutor”; he contributed many 
  guards to help search the city but they never found any 
  trace of her.
  
  27
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  When Grand Prince Stavian I outlawed the worship 
  of Sarenrae 200 years ago, a band of Sarenite paladins 
  called the Flame in Shadow secretly remained 
  within Zimar’s walls to help smuggle their 
  fellow faithful to safety beyond the nation’s 
  borders. The order interred their dead in 
  a secret crypt below the city they loved 
  so dearly. When Taldan inquisitors 
  uncovered the paladins, they put the 
  three remaining members to the 
  sword and defaced the crypt before 
  sealing it up. With a successful DC 
  15 Knowledge (religion) check, a PC 
  recognizes the marred carvings as 
  iconography of Sarenrae.
  Jeroth discovered the crypt during 
  his excavations, and trusts both its 
  unsettling atmosphere and undead 
  residents to guard his home.
  Creatures: The final three paladins—
  Zarya, Bek, and Akifayok—did not find 
  peace after their murder and the desecration 
  of their martyrs’ crypt, and have since risen as powerful 
  incorporeal undead fallen, hellbent on the destruction 
  of Taldor and especially the Stavian line. The spirits 
  are bound to this chamber, however, and cannot leave. 
  They reluctantly serve Milon Jeroth as guardians, 
  as he intends to end the Stavian line, but Milon has 
  disciplined the willful undead repeatedly, most recently 
  by taking their holy scimitar (the hidden blade in area 
  D9) and promising to return it only after they “prove 
  their commitment.”
  The fallen attack any creatures they do not recognize, 
  targeting divine spellcasters first. If offered their stolen 
  scimitar, the fallen cease their attacks and simply 
  stand aside, staring silently for 5 minutes before their 
  supernatural rage overcomes them once again.
  FALLEN (3) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  hp 93 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 6 126)
  Development: One body here is noticeably newer 
  than the others, and wrapped in an expensive curtain 
  rather than a muslin burial shroud. In her pocket are 
  identification papers for Tae Amalon, a scholar and 
  tutor born in 4,659 ar. With a successful DC 15 Heal 
  check, a PC recognizes that the body died around 30 
  years ago, rather than centuries earlier like the others, 
  while a successful DC 20 Heal or Perception check 
  reveals a knife wound in her back, with the tip of the 
  blade still lodged in her ribs. The blade tip seems to 
  be from a dagger of excellent quality, with a distinctive 
  curve, though identifying it is impossible without 
  tracking down the rest of the dagger.
  Amalon’s corpse is half of Milon’s damning evidence 
  against Pythareus. Her death was traumatic enough to 
  fracture her soul, binding part of it to her earthly 
  remains and part of it to her murder weapon. 
  Even if contacted via speak with dead and 
  similar magic, she is only vaguely aware 
  of her life and that she was murdered 
  after an argument, looking into a 
  teenage boy’s eyes as she bled out on 
  the floor. She recalls additional details 
  only if presented with the half of the 
  murder weapon now in the possession 
  of Gulreesh (see area G).
  Story Award: If the PCs manage 
  to deal with the fallen peacefully, 
  award them XP as if they 
  defeated the fallen in combat.
  D13. Undercity Tunnels
  These old tunnels weave in 
  and out of old city ruins now 
  long buried, and make up a part of the city’s 
  sewer system. Milon and many of his agents use the 
  tunnels to come and go unseen, and most notable is the 
  well‑trodden path leading to the secret Monastery of the 
  Seven Forms of Sin, a half mile away.
  E. SWEET DREAMS TEA SHOP
  Sir Milon Jeroth’s night hag allies, the Sisters of Indulgent 
  Dreams, use a tea shop as a front for their illicit activities, 
  which include scouring people’s dreams for useful 
  information and tormenting enemies of the Immaculate 
  Circle. Ironically, they sell charms, tea, herbs, and other 
  things that people buy in hopes of being able to sleep 
  better. The shop once belonged to Eudocia of Zeno, but 
  the sisters killed the owner and with Milon Jeroth’s help, 
  the ownership was transferred to the owner’s “niece,” 
  Estella, an identity Milon fabricated for one of the sisters.
  Recently, the three sisters studied the legends of the 
  Old Kings, the legends of six of Taldor’s most iconic 
  emperors, as part of the Immaculate Circle’s plot to 
  resurrect the long‑dead and unwilling Prince Carrius. 
  The Immaculate Circle was able to pluck Prince Carrius 
  from the afterlife and stitch his soul into an amalgam 
  of the Old Kings, who now dwell within the resurrected 
  prince and provide ready anchors for the inner circle’s 
  controlling magic. With the research concluded, the two 
  older sisters, Illumia and Magilla, are now spying on 
  Maxillar Pythareus in the castle of Abadar’s Pillar and 
  only Estella is at the tea shop.
  The tea shop also includes a large storage area Eudocia 
  used to rent out, as well as a small apartment. The doors 
  are all simple wooden doors (hardness 5, 10 hp, DC 15) 
  with good locks (Disable Device DC 30). Use the Sweet 
  Dreams Tea Shop map on page 23 for this area.
  ESTELLA
  
  28
  E1. Tea Shop (CR 10)
  The scents of dozens of tea varieties, herbs, and oils waft 
  out from the countless jars and bottles on the shelves in this 
  large room. A raised section of flooring near a sales counter 
  supports several worn, water‑stained tables and chairs. 
  Various kinds of poppets, wooden charms, and silver hoops 
  hang from the ceiling.
  The products sold in the tea shop generally range in 
  price from 1 gp to 10 gp. The teas, herbs, and oils are 
  harmless, but the phony protective charms that the 
  sisters make and sell, on the other hand, make it easier 
  for the Estella’s older sisters to locate possible victims 
  using the locate object spell.
  Creature: The youngest of the three night hag sisters 
  poses as a young Taldan woman named Estella. She 
  uses detect magic and her alignment detection abilities 
  to evaluate customers as potential targets for her sisters 
  or to detect threats. When Estella detects a chaotic or 
  evil alignment in her customers, she tries to sell them 
  charms, even giving charms away for free if necessary.
  Estella tries to avoid a fight in her shop, but if attacked, 
  she defends herself. If the PCs ask too many questions 
  or carry a large number of magic items, Estella becomes 
  suspicious but pretends to be oblivious to the threat 
  (Sense Motive DC 26 to notice). If the PCs leave without 
  incident, she informs her sisters about the PCs and 
  continues spying on them ethereally. If she considers 
  them her enemies and any PCs are chaotic or evil, she 
  uses her dream haunting on them.
  Estella is perhaps the most difficult of Milon’s agents 
  to fool with a disguise, thanks to her ability to recognize 
  alignments on sight. If a PC posing as Milon Jeroth 
  has an alignment other than his lawful evil nature, 
  Estella asks about it pointedly. She knows the rakshasa 
  has access to and must occasionally use alignment‑
  concealing means, but the effect still leaves her wary 
  and the PC must succeed at an additional DC 28 Bluff 
  check to convince Estella of his identity. If other PCs are 
  present, she demands that they leave before discussing 
  business matters. If any of the other PCs are 
  good‑aligned, she demands an explanation 
  once she is alone with the PC posing as 
  Milon; a successful DC 30 Bluff check is 
  enough to satisfy her.
  If the PCs simply attempt to pass 
  themselves off as Milon’s agents but have a 
  good alignment, they take a –5 penalty on their 
  Bluff checks.
  If attacked, Estella lashes out for 1 round before 
  realizing the danger the PCs present, at which point she 
  casts etherealness to escape to area E3 and wait alongside 
  the nightshade Shadowlass.
  ESTELLA 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600
  Advanced night hag (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 294, 215)
  hp 108
  Treasure: Most the of the tea sold at Sweet Dreams is of 
  average quality. The stock behind the counter includes a 
  small chest (Disable Device DC 40) of medicinal Red King 
  tea from Vudra, each cup of which acts as an antitoxin 
  and antiplagueUE. The chest contains enough loose tea 
  to prepare 15 cups, worth a total of 2,250 gp. The store 
  lockbox contains 35 gp, 816 sp, 12 cp, and a hexing dollUE.
  Development: If the PCs successfully pass off one of 
  their number as Milon Jeroth to Estella, they assume 
  control of the Sisters of Indulgent Dreams and can direct 
  SHADOWLASS
  
  29
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  them to perform arcane research or spy on people’s 
  dreams within the city. The sisters are also eager to kill 
  the diviner Dame Avenna, though they see any other 
  assignment to kill as an insult; they are powerful weavers 
  of fate, not petty assassins. Arranging for the diviner’s 
  death requires 1d3 weeks as the sister slowly unravel 
  her defenses and prognostications, during which time 
  “Milon” must meet with Estella at least once per week.
  Story Award: If the PCs deal with Estella through guile 
  and trickery, award them XP as though they had defeated 
  both her and Shadowlass in combat.
  E2. Storage
  While technically a loading dock, this wide hallway is also 
  used as a ready storage space for shop supplies, including 
  spare kettles and cups and barrels of loose tea and dried 
  herbs. The double door to area E3 is kept locked (Disable 
  Device DC 30), as the sisters and Shadowlass have little 
  trouble coming and going via the Ethereal Plane.
  E3. Warehouse (CR 11)
  Shelves line the walls in the large, dusty space. The Sweet 
  Dreams Tea Shop began long ago as a brewery and its 
  fermentation tanks once stood here, but Eudocia had no 
  need for the large vats and sold them off, instead renting 
  out the space as storage to different parties across the 
  city. After the sisters murdered her, they discovered 
  the room provided ample space for their nightmare, 
  Shadowlass, to live unseen, and so it has mostly become 
  a smoke‑choked stable. Soot from the supernatural 
  horse’s flames coats every surface and stains the clothes 
  and hair of anyone who enters.
  Creature: The Sisters of Indulgent Dreams work 
  alongside a powerful cauchemar nightmare, most 
  recently to travel across the Astral Plane to gather 
  psychic energies for the Immaculate Circle. But now 
  the sisters have found new tasks to occupy their minds 
  in Zimar, Shadowlass grows increasingly restless with 
  the restrictions placed upon her against killing or 
  terrorizing the city. She happily attacks anyone other 
  than the sisters who enter the warehouse, and uses her 
  ethereal jaunt spell‑like ability to join in on any fights she 
  hears elsewhere in the shop.
  SHADOWLASS 
  CR 11
  XP 12,800
  Cauchemar nightmare (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 216)
  hp 147
  Treasure: Searching the warehouse takes 6  hours 
  thanks to the mess created by Shadowlass’s soot, and 
  many of the items here are average items fashioned to 
  appear precious. With a successful DC 20 Appraise check, 
  a PC identities the valuables in the mess: six champagne 
  flutes carved from smoky quartz (100 gp each), three 
  golden bowls etched with falcon iconography (300 gp 
  each), a rose gold censer lined with a tarry residue of 
  lavender oil (400 gp), an oil painting of the late Grand 
  Prince Stavian II (1,500 gp), a music box carved from 
  darkwood and wound with a permanent prestidigitation 
  spell (3,000 gp), and waters of transfigurationUE.
  E4. Apartment (CR 9)
  A cozy two‑room apartment once housed the shopkeep 
  Eudocia. The Sister of Indulgent Dreams now use it to 
  hide their secrets and research. The outer room serves as 
  a living room, office, and small kitchen.
  Creatures: The sisters took a shine to four mangy 
  stray cats that prowled the alley behind the shop, and 
  they keep them here as pets and pest control. The cats 
  hiss and yowl at intruders, alerting Estella to intruders 
  (if she is still alive), but otherwise keep their distance. 
  They happily chase PCs transformed into rats, however.
  ADVANCED CATS (6) 
  CR 1/3
  XP 135 each
  hp 5 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 131, 294)
  Trap: The apartment door leading in from area E2 
  is unlocked, but magically warded. Anyone who enters 
  without first speaking the password “dreamless” triggers 
  a night hag’s curse, transforming intruders into rats.
  NIGHT HAG’S CURSE TRAP 
  CR 9
  Type magic; Perception DC 30; Disable Device DC 30
  EFFECTS
  Trigger proximity (alarm); Reset automatic (1 hour)
  Effect spell effect (baleful polymorph, Will DC 18 negates); 
  multiple targets (all targets within 10 ft. of the door)
  Treasure: There is also a dose of flying ointmentUE, 
  and an orb of heavenUE wrapped in three layers of black 
  sackcloth on a shelf, alongside various half‑burned 
  candles, cracked animal bones, and feathers.
  Development: Also on the bookshelf here are 
  meticulous ledgers maintained by the Sisters of Indulgent 
  Dreams on behalf of Milon Jeroth. The rakshasa still uses 
  the night hags and their magic to deliver instructions 
  and payments to Maxillar Pythareus’s various false‑flag 
  operations attacking Taldan targets and framing Qadira. 
  The ledgers on their own aren’t enough to damn 
  Pythareus—given their dubious origin—but provide 
  another strong piece of evidence of his wrongdoings. 
  If the PCs contact Kathann, she responds, “Excellent 
  find, though night hags may not be our most reliable 
  witnesses. Still, you’re doing excellent work.”
  E5. Bedroom
  The bedroom reeks of decay and incense. In the far 
  corner from the door lies a humanoid figure wrapped 
  
  30
  in sheets—the desiccated body of the former owner 
  Eudocia, dried by the desert heat. A desk near the door 
  includes writing implements and stationary, as well as a 
  massive tome bound in leather.
  Development: The tome is written in a curious 
  combination of Abyssal and Infernal, and illustrated 
  with terrifyingly vivid drawings of both great heroics 
  and atrocities. A PC who succeeds at a DC 25 Knowledge 
  (history or nobility) check recognizes that the book 
  contains extensive research on Taldor’s history and a 
  collection of stories—both true and larger‑than‑life 
  legends—surrounding various former kings; anyone 
  who can read both languages succeeds at this check 
  automatically. The book’s curious style seems intended 
  to serve as a focus for some kind of ritual, though no 
  magic remains in it now.
  If the PCs report their discovery to Kathann, she 
  congratulates the PCs but admits she is unfamiliar with 
  the book or its purpose.
  Story Award: If the PCs discover the night hags’ 
  research, award them 12,800 XP.
  F. SEVEN FORMS OF SIN MONASTERY
  Nearly 2 centuries ago, Milon Jeroth returned from 
  the Monastery of Seven Forms with a profound 
  understanding of combat and self‑discipline, as well 
  as a handful of eager followers who falsely believed 
  his strength and prowess extended from self‑mastery 
  rather than his hidden rakshasa nature. He preached 
  a self‑mastery that came not from denying worldly 
  pleasures, but from indulging them, and knowing how 
  your body responds to every joyous stimulus. Partnered 
  with an elf named Dismielle—who now calls herself 
  Sister Qan Dismaal—he honed these followers into 
  a martial cult, supplementing the traditional martial 
  training of the Monastery of Seven Forms with wanton 
  feasting, theft, and orgies, not to mention murder (at 
  Milon’s behest, of course) to help fulfill their path to 
  enlightenment. Calling themselves the Seven Forms of 
  Sin, the assassins have served Milon ever since, as he 
  rewards them with rare and wondrous luxuries.
  The Seven Forms of Sin maintain a secret monastery 
  in the undercity below the Adobe District, accessible 
  through the city’s sewer tunnels and easily located if the 
  PCs found the entrance to the undercity in Milon Jeroth’s 
  own estate (see area D13) or recovered the spymaster’s 
  portfolio in their first encounter. Failing these leads, 
  the PCs could instead learn of the monastery’s location 
  once Sister Dismaal dispatches assassins to eliminate 
  them (see Suspicion on page 17) or from a recovering 
  Gannaius, or Kathann could learn of the monks from 
  one of her informants outside the city and provide the 
  PCs with their location as an additional lead.
  The monastery is built into long‑buried basements 
  and carved from bedrock, and most of its walls are lined 
  with wood paneling to reduce the chill and dampness of 
  the city sewers. Its few doors are simple wood (hardness 
  5, 10 hit points) and unlocked. Lanterns with continual 
  flame cast on them illuminate the interior. Use the Seven 
  Forms of Sin Monastery map on page 23 for this area.
  If the PCs impersonate Milon, they must still negotiate 
  the hazards of the tunnel of death trap (see area F1) and 
  the slime naga Squelsh (see area F2), but the entothrope 
  guards and sin monks are accepting enough, provided 
  the PCs’ disguises and lies hold up, and they ask the 
  visitors to wait in the training hall while they fetch Sister 
  Dismaal. The elf alone holds any suspicions, having 
  known Milon for 2 centuries, and she asks that “Master 
  Jeroth” demonstrate his prowess by utterly humiliating 
  her two newest students (use the statistics for a Seven 
  Forms of Sin devotee on page 33) on the training mat. 
  If the PCs instead pose as Milon’s agents, she demands 
  they instead face her monks, one on one, in a practice 
  combat if they expect to work alongside her order. The 
  fight is unarmed and nonlethal, and while she refuses 
  to say so beforehand, she’s willing to work with these 
  new agents so long as they take their lumps without 
  complaint. The PCs can refuse these challenges, but 
  doing so increases the penalty for all future Bluff checks 
  against Sister Dismaal by an additional –5.
  If a PC posing as Milon loses the fight, Sister Dismaal 
  dismisses her students and any PCs accompanying 
  “Milon,” waiting only moments before demanding 
  to know what just happened. She is skeptical of most 
  explanations (–5 penalty on that PC’s Bluff check), but 
  finds any explanation related to overexertion or a recent 
  combat encounter (especially against the PCs) believable.
  Development: If the PCs successfully pass off one of 
  their number as Milon Jeroth to Sister Dismaal, they 
  assume control of the Seven Forms of Sin and can 
  dispatch the assassins to intimidate or kill members of 
  the Vault and Chain templars, with whom the order has 
  a growing rivalry. While they can’t destroy the entire cult, 
  the monks can assassinate Chief Enumerator Iovinus 
  after 1d4 weeks of planning. The PCs must maintain 
  their deception for this entire time, meeting with the 
  monks at least once per week.
  Story Award: If the PCs deal with the Seven Forms 
  of Sin with disguise or guile, award them XP as if they 
  had slain the monks and Sister Dismaal in combat. 
  If they usurp the Seven Forms of Sin to assassinate 
  Enumerator Iovinus, award them XP as if they had killed 
  the antipaladin themselves.
  F1. Sewer Tunnel (CR 10)
  A four‑foot‑wide stream of stinking effluent flows through a 
  deep channel in this ten‑foot‑wide tunnel, leaving a one‑foot 
  ledge to one side and a five‑foot‑wide walkway on the 
  other. Side tunnels—one a hand‑carved tunnel and the other 
  
  31
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  resulting from a collapsed wall—release more liquid from two 
  tunnels leading north, while moldering water drips from the 
  rough sandstone roof.
  Most of the entrances that access the monastery 
  (including Waterhill Manor) lie east of this stretch of 
  tunnels; the masonry tunnel leads to area F2, while the 
  actual entrance to the monastery lies beyond the collapsed 
  wall further west. The sewage is 3 feet deep, and wading 
  through it immediately exposes a character to filth fever.
  Trap: A 40‑foot stretch of hallway contains a 
  sophisticated series of slashing metal blades concealed 
  in the north and south walls, powered by submerged 
  waterwheels in the sewage. The trap springs once a 
  creature steps on the trigger plate halfway through 
  the area indicated on the map, and the mechanism 
  continues attacking all creatures in the affected area 
  for 1d4 rounds. The trigger plate covers only the 5‑foot 
  walkway and is not triggered by people balancing on the 
  smaller ledge or wading through the filthy water.
  Activating the trap immediately alerts Squelsh in area 
  D2 and the assassin entothropes in area F4 to intruders.
  TUNNEL OF DEATH TRAP  
  CR 10
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 25; Disable Device DC 20
  EFFECTS
  Trigger location; Duration 1d4 rounds; Reset repair
  Effect Atk +20 melee (3d8+3); multiple targets (all targets in 
  a 10‑ft.‑by‑40‑ft. tunnel)
  F2. Cesspool (CR 10)
  A huge pool of burbling, semisolid sludge fills most of the 
  collapsed basement, fed by water trickling in from broken 
  pipes. A mildew‑coated chest sits in the northeast corner.
  Once the basement of a fine tailor shop, this chamber 
  has been buried and forgotten for centuries. It has served 
  as a cesspit ever since a sinkhole partially collapsed the 
  floor and walls a hundred years ago. The sinkhole is 10 
  feet deep, and the concentrated effluent is completely 
  opaque. Creatures entering the pool are immediately 
  exposed to filth fever and slimy doom, and take a –2 
  penalty on Fortitude saving throws against these diseases 
  until they bathe thoroughly.
  A secret door in the east wall requires a successful 
  DC 30 Perception check to discover.
  Creatures: A slime naga named Squelsh lives in 
  the cesspool here, serving as a spy and occasional 
  drug dealer for the sin monks in exchange for their 
  protection. Squelsh maintains a few contacts in the 
  city as well —mostly addicts and suppliers—but she is 
  ultimately a monster and a flesh‑eater. She happily plays 
  the part of turncoat if the PCs attempt to parley with her, 
  feeding them misinformation and coaxing them closer 
  and closer to the edge of her pool before unleashing the 
  black pudding she maintains as a guardian.
  Squelsh knows she has the advantage in her pool, and 
  she tries to remain out of reach while using her spit and 
  
  32
  stinking cloud spell to sow chaos, or her hydraulic push 
  spell to knock anyone nearby into her pool, where she 
  can drag the victim into the depths to drown them and 
  eat them at her leisure.
  SQUELSH 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400
  Female slime naga (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 6 199)
  hp 115
  BLACK PUDDING 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200
  hp 105 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 35)
  Treasure: The treasure chest in the corner contains 
  a dozen moldering bolts of once‑fine silk. Squelsh hid 
  the chest’s original contents in her secret home at the 
  bottom of her pool: a lacquered box containing 371 pp; 
  1,163 gp; and a magic golden needle etched with creatures 
  of land, sea, and air. If a character spends 6 hours using 
  the needle to embroider an existing nonmagical cloak or 
  cape and succeeds at a DC 25 Craft (clothing) skill check, 
  the needle’s magic transforms the cloak into a cloak of 
  resistance +4 or else grants the cloak the abilities of any 
  two of the following simultaneously: eagle cape, cloak of 
  the manta ray, or cloak of the scuttling rat. Once the needle 
  has been used successfully, it loses all magic. 
  F3. Secret Passage
  The roughly carved stairs here wind up and around, 
  leading to an apparent dead end. The secret doors at 
  either end of the tunnel each require a successful DC 25 
  Perception to check to notice from this side.
  F4. Cistern (CR 12)
  Sturdy pillars support the arched ceiling twenty feet above the 
  mirror‑blue waters of this quiet cistern. Doors exit to the north 
  and east, while a gaping hole in the southern wall slopes 
  down to the reeking sewer tunnels beyond.
  This long‑forgotten water storage tank from a 
  previous incarnation of the city long ago collapsed the 
  southern wall, flooding the tunnels beyond. Today, the 
  cistern feels more like a temple thanks to its looming 
  ceiling and ominous silence. The water is just a foot 
  deep—enough to drown only characters who fall (or are 
  held) prone.
  Creatures: Three years ago, a band of hopeful Seven 
  Forms of Sin devotees crossed the Qadiran desert, 
  only to lose half their numbers to an attack by giant 
  assassin bugs—deadly, blood‑drinking desert predators. 
  Those who survived found themselves infected with 
  entothropy, changing uncontrollably into predatory, 
  insectoid monsters under the new moon. They sought 
  aid from Sister Dismaal, but she instead encouraged 
  the afflicted thieves to embrace this “gift” and use the 
  predatory instincts and abhorrent appetites they’d 
  gained to grow closer to their perfect selves. The four 
  remaining hunters serve the Seven Forms of Sin as 
  scouts, guards, and assassins for hire, and prefer to dwell 
  here next to the calm waters rather than with the fellow 
  members of the monastery.
  ASSASSIN BUG ENTOTHROPES (4, HYBRID FORM) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  Human afflicted wereassassin bug assassin 3/rogue 5 
  (augmented humanoid) (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 6 116)
  LE Medium humanoid (human, shapechanger)
  Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +11
  DEFENSE
  AC 23, touch 16, flat‑footed 17 (+4 armor, +5 Dex, +1 dodge, 
  +3 natural)
  hp 68 each (8d8+29)
  Fort +9, Ref +13, Will +7; +1 vs. poison, +4 vs. mind‑affecting
  Defensive Abilities evasion, improved uncanny dodge, 
  insect mind, trap sense +1; DR 10/silver
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (clumsy)
  Melee dagger +10 (1d4+2/×19–20) or
  bite +10 (1d6+2), 2 claws +10 (1d4+2)
  Special Attacks death attack (DC 13), poison, sneak 
  attack +5d6
  TACTICS
  Before Combat The entothropes spend most of their time 
  in their hybrid forms these days, training and communing 
  with their primitive insect instincts. If alerted to intruders, 
  they fly to the tops of the room’s pillars and study 
  newcomers for 3 rounds so they can attempt to use their 
  death attacks.
  During Combat The entothropes spit poison whenever 
  possible, but otherwise try and overwhelm one or two 
  targets at a time, preferring divine spellcasters.
  Morale The entothropes fight to the death.
  STATISTICS
  Str 15, Dex 21, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
  Base Atk +5; CMB +7; CMD 23
  Feats Dodge, Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Mobility, Spring 
  Attack, Weapon Finesse
  Skills Acrobatics +13, Bluff +7, Climb +10, Disguise +9, 
  Escape Artist +13, Fly +5, Linguistics +5, Perception +11, 
  Sleight of Hand +13, Stealth +15, Use Magic Device +9
  Languages Common, Kelish, Tien
  SQ change shape (human, hybrid, and giant assassin bug; 
  vermin shape II), curse of lycanthropy, entothropic 
  empathy (+4 with vermin related to entothropic form), 
  poison stream (ex), poison use, rogue talents (fast stealth, 
  finesse rogue), trapfinding +2
  Gear +1 studded leather, dagger, amulet of natural armor +1, 
  cloak of resistance +2
  
  33
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Poison (Ex) Bite—injury; save Fort DC 17; frequency 1/round 
  for 4 rounds; effect 1d4 Dex; cure 2 consecutive saves. The 
  save DC is Constitution‑based.
  Poison Stream (Ex) As a standard action usable every 1d4 
  rounds, an assassin bug can spray poison from its mouth 
  in a 15‑foot line. Any creature caught in this area must 
  succeed at a DC 19 Reflex save or be exposed to the 
  assassin bug’s poison. The save DC is Dexterity‑based.
  F5. Bunks
  Three bunk beds and a chest hold most of the entothrope 
  assassins’ worldly possessions.
  Treasure: Inside the treasure chest is a leather sack 
  containing 1,300 gp and three large green sapphires 
  (750 gp each).
  F6. Monastic Cells (CR 10)
  Five small cells—each with a feather bed and silk sheets—
  are accessible from this wide, stone hallway. A simple tunnel 
  leads south, while a rough‑hewn passage in the hallway’s 
  northeast corner heads east.
  Each monk’s cell is surprisingly lavish, with luxuries 
  rarely found in other monasteries, as the Seven Forms of 
  Sin laud indulgence. Only five monks at a time—usually 
  the newest recruits—live in the monastery itself at any 
  given time; the rest maintain homes in the city.
  Creatures: Two monks linger in the northernmost cell 
  in compromising positions.
  If the Seven Forms of Sin devotees in area F7 hear 
  the sounds of combat in this chamber, they drink their 
  potions, then rush to join their comrades.
  SEVEN FORMS OF SIN DEVOTEES (2) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  Human monk 8/rogue 1
  LE Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +6; Senses Perception +11
  DEFENSE
  AC 21, touch 18, flat‑footed 18 (+1 armor, +1 deflection, 
  +2 Dex, +1 dodge, +2 monk, +2 natural, +2 Wis)
  hp 88 each (9d8+44)
  Fort +11, Ref +12, Will +10; +2 vs. enchantments
  Defensive Abilities evasion; Immune disease
  OFFENSE
  Speed 50 ft.
  Melee unarmed strike +12/+7 (1d10+5) or
  unarmed strike flurry of blows +12/+12/+7/+7 (1d10+5)
  Special Attacks flurry of blows, sneak attack +1d6, stunning 
  fist (8/day, DC 16)
  TACTICS
  Before Combat If alerted to the presence of intruders, either 
  by the activation of the trap in area F1 or combat with the 
  entothropes in area F4, the Seven Forms of Sin devotees 
  drink their potions of barkskin and bear’s endurance and 
  prepare to ambush intruders.
  During Combat Seven Forms of Sin devotees prefer to strike 
  from hiding or flank opponents whenever possible to take 
  advantage of their sneak attack. They intermix flurry of 
  blows with stunning fist attacks, and if they manage to 
  stun a foe, they immediately redouble their efforts by 
  applying Power Attack to their flurry of blows attacks.
  Morale The devotees fight to the death.
  Base Statistics Without their potions, the Seven Forms of 
  Sin devotees’ statistics are AC 19, touch 18, flat‑footed 16; 
  hp 70; Fort +9; Con 12.
  STATISTICS
  Str 18, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8
  Base Atk +6; CMB +12; CMD 28
  Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Furious FocusAPG, Improved 
  Initiative, Improved Unarmed Strike, Mobility, Power 
  Attack, Spring Attack, Stunning Fist, Toughness, Weapon 
  Focus (unarmed strike)
  Skills Acrobatics +13 (+29 to jump), Climb +9, Disguise +10, 
  Perception +11, Sense Motive +11, Stealth +13, Swim +9, 
  Use Magic Device +11
  Languages Common
  SQ fast movement, high jump, ki pool (6 points), maneuver 
  training, slow fall 40 ft., trapfinding +1, wholeness of body 
  (8 hit points)
  Combat Gear potions of barkskin (2), potions of bear’s 
  endurance (2), potion of cure moderate wounds; Other 
  Gear amulet of mighty fists +1, bracers of armor +1, cloak 
  of resistance +2, ring of protection +1
  Treasure: A weapon rack in the north of the room holds 
  the following: five masterwork kama, six masterwork 
  quarterstaves, a +1 handaxe, and a +1 shortspear.
   F7. Training Hall (CR 12)
  Worn, red rugs crisscross this circular chamber, broken up by 
  wooden pillars wrapped in heavy padding. A pair of weapon 
  racks to the east hold a well‑used collection of unusual and 
  deadly weapons.
  The Seven Forms of Sin monks train here against one 
  another, but the monastery also uses the chamber for 
  mission briefings and various group indulgences. The 
  ceiling rises to a 30‑foot‑high dome at the very center.
  Creatures: Four monks train here at any given time. 
  If the Seven Forms of Sin devotees in area F7 hear the 
  sounds of combat in this chamber, they drink their 
  potions and then rush to join their comrades.
  SEVEN FORMS OF SIN DEVOTEES (4) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  hp 88 each (see above)
  
  34
  F8. Dining Hall
  Though this dining hall is far from clean or well appointed, 
  the rich scent of spices fills the air. An adjoining room to the 
  northeast serves as a kitchen.
  The Seven Forms of Sin devotees prepare exquisite 
  feasts using a wide assortment of expensive ingredients. 
  Treasure: The room contains a gilded porcelain tea set 
  worth 500 gp, and Qadiran, Taldan, and Tian vases worth 
  a total of 2,000 gp. The kitchen area contains rare spices 
  worth a total of 1,200 gp and seven bottles of Chelish red 
  wine vented in 4562 and worth 100 gp each.
  F9. Library (CR 12)
  A small library of scrolls of books includes volumes on 
  history, medicine, and philosophy, but also recipes for 
  preparing intelligent creatures and reams of erotica, 
  which one would not expect in a monastic collection.
  A secret door in the southern wall requires a successful 
  DC 30 Perception check to notice.
  Creatures: Sister Qan Dismaal, a forlorn elf who 
  hoped to find peace in the Monastery of Seven Forms, 
  spends most of her time reading and meditating in the 
  monastery’s library. Milon’s variant teachings didn’t 
  alleviate her depression, but at least the indulgences 
  it provided let her escape in short bursts, and her 
  newfound life as a killer for hire provides ample targets 
  to vent her frustrations on. 
  Two monk guards remain by Dismaal’s side almost 
  constantly. If the PCs reach the library first, via stealth or 
  the secret passage, any sounds of combat here draw the 
  monks from area F7 after 3 rounds, and the remaining 
  monks from F6 1 round after that.
  SEVEN FORMS OF SIN DEVOTEES (2) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  hp 88 each (see page 33)
   
  QAN DISMAAL 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600
  Elf monk (monk of the seven forms) 
  11 (Pathfinder Campaign Setting: 
  Inner Sea Combat 40)
  LE Medium humanoid (elf)
  Init +8; Senses low‑light vision; Perception +19
  DEFENSE
  AC 25, touch 23, flat‑footed 20 (+2 deflection, +4 Dex, 
  +1 dodge, +2 monk, +2 natural, +4 Wis)
  hp 108 (11d8+55)
  Fort +12, Ref +13, Will +13; +2 vs. enchantments
  Defensive Abilities improved evasion; Immune sleep, 
  disease, poison
  OFFENSE
  Speed 60 ft.
  Melee unarmed strike +14/+9 (1d10+2) or
  unarmed strike flurry of blows +15/+15/+10/+10/+5 
  (1d10+2) or
  mwk temple sword +10/+5 (1d8+1/19–20) 
  Special Attacks flurry of blows
  TACTICS
  Before Combat If she suspects trouble, Dismaal drinks her 
  potions of owl’s wisdom and barkskin.
  During Combat Dismaal immediately enters her sirocco 
  fury, adding +3 to her attack and damage rolls, Acrobatics 
  checks, and AC; she moves constantly, using her Punishing 
  Kick feat to knock down opponents for her guards to pick 
  off. If her guards fall, she switches to her flurry of blows 
  and lightning finish to focus on one foe at a time.
  QAN DISMAAL
  
  35
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  Morale Unlike her monks, Sister Dismaal is a practical 
  woman, and she attempts to flee if reduced below 20 hit 
  points. She can return to harry the PCs during their attack 
  on King’s Pillar at your discretion.
  Base Statistics Without her potions, Sister Dismaal’s statistics 
  are AC 21, touch 21, flat‑footed 16; Will +11; Skills 
  Perception +17, Sense Motive +15.
  STATISTICS
  Str 12, Dex 18, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 18, Cha 8
  Base Atk +8; CMB +9; CMD 32
  Feats Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows, Dodge, 
  Endurance, Improved Initiative, Improved Unarmed Strike, 
  Punishing KickAPG, Spring Attack, Toughness, Weapon 
  Finesse, Weapon Focus (unarmed strike)
  Skills Acrobatics +15 (+38 to jump), Climb +11, Intimidate 
  +10, Knowledge (religion) +12, Perception +19, Sense 
  Motive +17, Stealth +15; Racial Modifiers +2 Perception
  Languages Celestial, Common, Elven
  SQ elven magic, fast movement, high jump, ki pool (9 points 
  cold iron, lawful, magic, silver), lightning finish, sirocco 
  fury (dance of a hundred cuts), slow fall 50 ft., wholeness 
  of body (11 hit points)
  Combat Gear potions of barkskin (2), potions of cure serious 
  wounds (2), potions of owl’s wisdom (3); Other Gear 
  mwk temple swordAPG, amulet of mighty fists +1, belt of 
  physical might +2 (Dex, Con), cloak of resistance +2, ring 
  of protection +2
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Lightning Finish (Ex) As an immediate action, Dismaal 
  can make a single attack with a manufactured light or 
  one‑handed slashing weapon against any target she has 
  hit at least twice with her unarmed strike during her turn. 
  She can take a 5‑foot step before or after performing a 
  lightning finish so long as she ends adjacent to her target, 
  though if she takes this step, she cannot perform a 5‑foot 
  step during her next turn. Dismaal can use this ability a 
  number of times per day equal to her monk level, but no 
  more than once per round.
  Sirocco Fury (Su) Dismaal can spend 2 ki points as a full‑round 
  action to enter a meditative trance that replicates the spell 
  dance of a hundred cutsUM, using her monk level as her 
  caster level. Unlike for the spell, she must both move 10 
  feet and make a melee attack each round after she begins 
  this trance to prevent the effect from ending.
  Treasure: A successful DC 35 Perception check reveals 
  a manual of gainful exercise +1 tucked behind a shelf.
  F10. Sister Qan Dismaal’s Chambers (CR 12)
  Sister Qan Dismaal forbids all members of the order from 
  entering her personal chambers, a refuge she uses both 
  to escape the stunning rapidity of human aging and as a 
  place for her to review orders that other members of the 
  order might balk at. The room contains a luxurious bed 
  and desk, as well as an expansive wardrobe of exquisite 
  clothing reserved for evenings dining at high‑class 
  establishments, usually alongside Milon Jeroth.
  Trap: A magic trap keeps unwanted visitors out of 
  Dismaal’s private chambers. Built with the aid of a 
  long‑dead wizard and an enchanted emerald set in 
  pewter over the interior lintel, the mechanism triggers 
  only when a non‑elven humanoid crosses the room’s 
  threshold, and allows elves (such as Dismaal), outsiders 
  (such as Milon), and other creature types to pass 
  unharmed. The trap conjures a crushing hand spell that 
  grapples the first creature to trigger it and continues to 
  crush it for 5 rounds.
  Removing the emerald over the lintel disables the trap 
  but automatically triggers it if it has not already gone off, 
  regardless of the offender’s race.
  CRUSH THE LIFE TRAP 
  CR 12
  Type magic; Perception DC 34; Disable Device DC 34
  EFFECTS
  Trigger magic (blood biography); Reset automatic (24 hours)
  Effect spell effect (crushing hand, AC 20, 140 hp, CMB +30, 
  CMD 40, 2d6+12)
  Treasure: Dismaal’s wardrobe contains three noble’s 
  outfits and seven courtier’s outfits, as well as assorted 
  jewelry worth a total of 1,200 gp. The emerald set above 
  the door is worth 2,000 gp.
  Development: A pewter brazier on the desk holds a 
  half‑burned order from Maxillar Pythareus. This is a 
  vital piece of evidence for his illegal agenda: orders 
  to execute Princess Eutropia and frame the PCs. What 
  remains reads as follows.
  —ill comely, despite her advancing age, and still within her 
  childbearing years. I’d much prefer her argumentative nature 
  curbed. This entire conflict would be so easily resolved with 
  a wedding, were she not so demanding and selfish! It truly 
  pains me to do this, but for the sake of Taldor she must be put 
  down like the rabid animal she acts like. These new agents 
  her fawning assistant seems to prefer—they are relative 
  unknowns with a reputation for violence, are they not? Cut 
  her throat and put the dagger in their hands; perhaps that will 
  finally get the Lion Blades to obey. Return to me when the 
  deed is done and your payment will be enough to establish 
  your order as a legitimate force among the Taldan aristocracy.
  —Pythareus
  While certainly damning, the letter on its own isn’t 
  considered reliable enough evidence for the Lion Blades 
  to move against Pythareus. Combined with evidence 
  from other sources, however, it begins to form a pattern 
  that will convince the Lion Blades to act—or more 
  specifically, to allow the PCs to act.
  Story Award: If the PCs discover the burned letter, 
  award them 12,800 XP.
  
  36
  G. THE COURT OF FILTH (CR 13)
  One of Zimar’s strangest information brokers is the 
  otyugh Gulreesh, an atypically intelligent member of 
  his race who spends his days shifting through the odds 
  and ends people above throw away to learn of the city’s 
  secrets. The self‑proclaimed “Lord of Filth” trades his 
  secrets for information, treasure, and services, and over 
  the last century has grown into a fairly benign crime 
  lord. The PCs may learn of the otyugh’s presence and 
  secrets through Milon Jeroth’s portfolio, or they may 
  know a bit about the city’s underworld when they arrive, 
  and seek the otyugh out first.
  Locating Gulreesh’s lair, the Court of Filth, requires a 
  successful DC 25 Knowledge (local) check or Diplomacy 
  check to gather information from the city’s criminal 
  element. The ancient cistern is easy enough to reach, 
  thanks to a path cleared by decades of blackmailers, 
  rogues, and spies traversing to the otyugh’s realm.
  Stairs descend into shallow, stagnated water in this massive 
  underground reservoir, some eighty feet across, whose arched 
  brick ceiling is supported by rows of wide but badly eroded 
  columns. The air is thick with the smell of sewage and the 
  sounds of running, dripping, and splashing water.
  The cistern was built centuries ago under the Scrolls 
  District to store water for bathing, consumption, and 
  firefighting, receiving water from a branch of the Jalrune 
  Aqueduct. An earthquake in 2920 ar nearly cut off the 
  supply of water from the aqueduct, though smaller 
  amounts of water still seep into the cistern. Centuries of 
  neglect has turned the water filthy. Most of the chamber 
  waters are 10 feet deep, but a 10‑foot‑by‑10‑foot ledge sits 
  just a foot below the water by the entry.
  Creature: The self‑proclaimed otyugh king Gulreesh, 
  Lord of Filth, rules the undercity of Zimar and holds 
  court in the ancient cistern. Gulreesh has grown to 
  massive proportions, far exceeding others of his kind in 
  size. As soon as Gulreesh notices the PCs, he repeatedly 
  announces in his groaning, deep voice, “Come closer!” 
  until the PCs are within 20 feet of him. If the PCs 
  attempt to come within 10 feet of him, Gulreesh shouts, 
  “Stop!” and places one of this massive tentacles right in 
  front of a PC’s face.
  Gulreesh is accustomed to deferential treatment and 
  values the respect he feels he’s owed. He makes the 
  demands below before the PCs can ask him questions. 
  If the PCs disobey his commands or fail a skill check, 
  he asks once again more aggressively. If the PCs disobey 
  (or fail a skill check) twice, Gulreesh simply attempts to 
  devour them.
  “Do you know who I am?” Any PC can attempt a 
  DC 30 Bluff, Diplomacy, or Knowledge 
  (dungeoneering or local) check to 
  ingratiate herself with Gulreesh. 
  Mentioning his name or either of 
  his two titles (Gulreesh, Lord 
  of Filth, or Otyugh King) 
  grants a cumulative +4 bonus 
  (maximum +12) on the check.
  “Then prostrate yourselves before 
  Gulreesh!” Immersing themselves in 
  the sewage automatically mollifies 
  Gulreesh, but doing so exposes 
  any PC to a virulent strain of filth 
  fever (Fortitude DC 16 negates). 
  The PCs can refuse or beg off 
  this gesture with a successful DC 
  30 Bluff or Intimidate check; this DC 
  increases by 2 for every PC who refuses to bow in 
  the filth.
  GULREESH
  
  37
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  “You may stand. Why have you come to disturb 
  mighty Gulreesh?” If the PCs tell Gulreesh about their 
  task to look for evidence against Maxillar Pythareus, he 
  responds as follows.
  Inhaling deeply, then exhaling heavily, the giant otyugh says, 
  “Many kinds of things end up in my Undercity, and it is true 
  Gulreesh has found something that would harm General 
  Pythareus. But Gulreesh is king here! Gulreesh does not care 
  what happens to the little general from the wasteland above!” 
  After a pause, he continues. “Many souls seem interested in 
  my little trinket, offering glory and gold. What do you offer 
  Gulreesh for his favor?”
  Gulreesh won’t mention that Milon Jeroth offered 
  him 15,500 gp for the broken handle of a dagger (see 
  Development below) that once belonged to Maxillar 
  Pythareus’s father, Julian, hoping the PCs will massively 
  outbid the rakshasa in their ignorance. A successful DC 
  23 Appraise check or DC 33 Sense Motive check provides 
  some insight into Gulreesh’s expectation, placing the 
  item’s value somewhere between 10,000 and 20,000 gp; 
  succeeding at this check by 5 or more narrows the range 
  to 15,000 to 17,000 gp. He accepts coin, but also items at 
  their full value, as well as political secrets from the world 
  above (though evidence of a long‑concealed murder 
  by a prominent noble family is valuable indeed, so he 
  demands an equally damning secret about a different 
  noble). Gulreesh also accepts fine food, wine, and drugs 
  (as well as magical equivalents, or items that create 
  food) at twice their normal value, since these are rare 
  commodities in his soggy home.
  If the PCs don’t wish to exchange coin, a PC who 
  succeeds at a DC 25 Diplomacy check persuades 
  Gulreesh to offer to let her pay the PCs’ bid in services, 
  as he lacks the ability to cast spells. The otyugh feels his 
  lair must reflect his importance as king of the undercity, 
  and so it needs guardians and traps and ornamentation. 
  To appease the otyugh, the PCs must provide him with 
  a guardian, a magic trap, and some effect or trinket that 
  praises his glory and intellect.
  For a guardian, Gulreesh demands a long‑lived and 
  loyal monster. PCs with the appropriate feats may 
  construct a golem or similar construct guardian, or hunt 
  down a clay golem manual in the bazaar. Capturing and 
  training a giant crocodile from upriver (or any other 
  monster of CR 9 or above) also appeases the otyugh.
  For a trap, Gulreesh wants something deadly and 
  flashy. Almost any trap of CR 9 or greater sates him, but 
  creating a magic trap (via either the trap creation rules 
  or a permanent symbol spell) delights him and grants PCs 
  a +5 bonus on any future Diplomacy checks against him.
  To proclaim his glory, Gulreesh is satisfied with a 
  magic mouth or similar illusion with permanency, or a 
  permanent image spell, or jewelry worth at least 8,000 gp.
  Trying to use a spell that isn’t permanent requires 
  a successful Bluff check, or else Gulreesh becomes 
  enraged by the PCs’ trickery.
  GULREESH 
  CR 13
  XP 25,600
  Advanced otyugh (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 294, 223)
  N Gargantuan aberration
  Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent; Perception +23
  DEFENSE
  AC 28, touch 11, flat‑footed 27 (+4 deflection, +1 Dex, 
  +17 natural, –4 size)
  hp 175 (14d8+112)
  Fort +11, Ref +5, Will +14
  Immune disease
  OFFENSE
  Speed 20 ft.
  Melee bite +20 (3d6+14 plus filth fever), 2 tentacles +19 
  (2d6+7 plus grab)
  Space 20 ft.; Reach 20 ft. (25 ft. with tentacle)
  Special Attacks constrict (tentacle, 2d6+7)
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Gulreesh refuses to talk to any visitors 
  unless they are within 20 feet of him—if the visitors anger 
  Gulreesh, he can then reach them easily and use Combat 
  Reflexes to make attacks of opportunity against anyone 
  who acts before him.
  During Combat Gulreesh prefers not to move around a lot. 
  He prefers to use his bite to make attacks of opportunity 
  except when he can reach the target only with a tentacle. 
  When facing multiple creatures, Gulreesh usually releases 
  any creature he grabs after dealing constrict damage.
  Morale If the PCs attacked Gulreesh without provocation, he 
  fights to the death. If the PCs attempted to negotiate with 
  Gulreesh before the fight, he surrenders and agrees to 
  help the PCs when reduced to 40 or fewer hit points.
  STATISTICS
  Str 38, Dex 12, Con 25, Int 9, Wis 17, Cha 10
  Base Atk +10; CMB +28 (+32 grapple); CMD 42
  Feats Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Iron Will, Lunge, 
  Multiattack, Toughness, Weapon Focus (tentacle)
  Skills Intimidate +16, Perception +23, Sense Motive +20, 
  Stealth –5 (+3 in lair); Racial Modifiers +8 Stealth in lair
  Languages Common
  Gear ring of protection +4
  Treasure: Gulreesh’s special item for auction is a 
  broken +1 human‑bane dagger with a horsehead‑shaped 
  pommel, a symbol commonly associated with House 
  Pythareus. Unless Gulreesh gives it to the PCs, finding 
  it in its hiding place at the bottom of the pool requires 
  1d6 hours and a successful DC 20 Perception check.
  Development: The dagger is a valuable piece of 
  evidence; it was used by Maxillar’s father Julian 
  Pythareus to kill the family tutor, Tae Amalon, in a fit 
  
  38
  H. ABADAR’S PILLAR
  1 SQUARE = 10 FEET
  SOUTH AND EAST WING SECOND FLOOR
  KEEP SECOND FLOOR
  KEEP THIRD FLOOR
  KEEP FOURTH FLOOR
  KEEP BATTLEMENTS
  H19a
   JALRUNE RIVER
  H14b
  H11b
  H12a 
  H12b
  H8b
  H6b
  H9b
  H7b
  H5b
  H4b
  H25
  H24
  H26
  H27
  H17b
  H19b
  H11a
  H14a
  H15
  H13a
  H13b
  H10b
  H10a
  H8a
  H6a
  H9a
  H32
  H23
  H5a
  H7a
  H4a
  H1
  H22
  H21
  H20
  H17a
  H16
  H18
  H33
  H36
  H37
  H34
  H38
  H29
  H28
  H30
  H31
  H17c
  H40
  H39
  H35
  H2
  H3
  FIRST FLOOR
  
  39
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  of pique. Uniting the dagger with its broken‑off tip, still 
  lodged in her body (see area D12), is damning evidence 
  of the Pythareus family’s crimes, and while it doesn’t 
  condemn Maxillar personally—since he only helped his 
  father cover up the crime—it’s useful evidence against 
  him as far as convincing the Lion Blades and a damning 
  reminder of what he has compromised, should the PCs 
  engage him in debate rather than combat.
  Reuniting the dagger pieces restores the jumbled 
  memories of Tae Amalon, and the lingering magic in the 
  blade briefly animates her spirit as if the PCs had cast 
  speak with dead (CL 10th). In addition to recounting her 
  life and death (see the sidebar The Life and Death of Tae 
  Amalon on page 26), Amalon also knows of the secret 
  entrance into the King’s Pillar (see areas H2 and H3), if 
  the PCs think to ask about the fortress’s vulnerabilities.
  Story Award: If the PCs ally with Gulreesh, award 
  them XP as though they had defeated the otyugh in 
  combat. If they recover the dagger handle, connect 
  it to the Pythareus family, and learn anything about 
  the death of Tae Amalon, award them an additional 
  19,200 XP.
  INFILTRATION ORDER
  Once the PCs collect at least three pieces of evidence 
  against Pythareus, it is enough for the Lion Blades to 
  agree beyond a shadow of a doubt that Pythareus is a 
  threat to the nation’s safety. Kathann asks the PCs to meet 
  her again at Panemona’s Windmill Inn, outside the city. 
  Once they arrive, read or paraphrase her instructions.
  “Thanks to your efforts, we now have conclusive evidence 
  against Pythareus. His actions—ordering unlawful attacks on 
  Taldan settlements, murdering Taldan citizens, threatening 
  rivals, and trying to drag Taldor into a war—constitute treason. 
  He is unfit for command and must be arrested before he 
  causes more damage to our nation. You’ve already done so 
  much for the Lion Blades, but I must ask you for one more 
  task: place High Strategos Maxillar Pythareus under arrest! He 
  operates in the city’s most fortified stronghold: Abadar’s Pillar, 
  on the river.
  “If the situation demands it, you are authorized to kill him. 
  But if there’s a decent man left inside him, I hope you can 
  persuade him to surrender.”
  Before commencing the mission, the PCs may ask the 
  following questions about the stronghold.
  What’s the best way to get into the fortress unnoticed? 
  “There are a number of ways to infiltrate the fortress, 
  but none are easy. Disguise, perhaps, or cunning use of 
  magic. The walls are watched day and night.”
  What can we expect to face there? “Guards and 
  templars for the most part, but Pythareus has other 
  loyal allies and guardians, and trophies taken from his 
  campaigns abroad.”
  PART 3: ASSAULT ON 
  ABADAR’S PILLAR
  With a sufficiently damning pile of evidence and the 
  blessing of the Lion Blades, the PCs are free to move on 
  Abadar’s Pillar, an enormous spit of basalt jutting from the 
  sandstone bedrock of Zimar, which the Taldan army long 
  ago crafted into an impregnable fortress. Both Taldor and 
  Qadira further augmented the fortress’s defenses over the 
  centuries during their respective dominions over the city, 
  and it is now one of the most unassailable fortresses in 
  Golarion. (See area H on page 40 for further details.)
  The PCs can attempt to enter the stronghold in a 
  number of ways, each of which has both advantages 
  and disadvantages. The following are the most obvious 
  options, but at the GM’s discretion, the PCs can use 
  even more imaginative approaches. If the PCs spend 
  1d4  hours observing the stronghold and succeed at a 
  DC 20 Perception check, they learn the possible risks 
  involved with one of the following methods of entry.
  Disguises: The most obvious option is to wear 
  disguises and walk in (see area H1).
  Flying: There are many guards on the keep’s walls and 
  battlements, and careful observation also reveals that 
  birds in the area noticeably avoid the space above the 
  fortress thanks to unnaturally strong winds. (See Magical 
  Defenses on page 40.)
  Getting Arrested: While ordinary prisoners are rarely 
  held in Abadar’s Pillar, military prisoners are stripped 
  of any obvious weapons, armor, and magical gear and 
  escorted to the fortress’s oubliette to await questioning.
  Stealth: The PCs can attempt to sneak past the guards 
  using invisibility or similar abilities, though the fortress’s 
  magical defenses are designed to alert guards to such 
  attempts, including those at the main entrance (see 
  area  H1). There is no cover or concealment near the 
  entrance, so using the Stealth skill alone is impossible.
  Swimming and Climbing: The PCs can try to swim 
  across the moat (see area H2), though observation 
  reveals something large moving beneath the water. 
  After swimming, the PCs must climb the stronghold’s 
  outer wall (Climb DC 30), likely without the benefit of 
  magical enhancements due to the fortress’s defenses. The 
  stronghold’s outer walls are 40 feet high except for the 
  keep, which is 80 feet high. Depending on where the PCs 
  attempt to climb, they may have to simultaneously use 
  Stealth or similar abilities to remain hidden.
  Teleportation: The fortress is protected against 
  teleportation and scrying thanks to a series of wards placed 
  on the surrounding wall and the keep itself (see Magical 
  Defenses on page 40). Teleportation effects function only 
  if every creature to be transported carries a glyph attuned 
  
  40
  THE VAULT AND CHAIN
  to the keep, with the only glyphs currently in service 
  carried by Maxillar himself, Baron Astor Roderus (see area 
  H40), Dame Avenna (see area H38), and the two Sisters of 
  Indulgent Dreams currently staying in the keep (see area 
  H20). If the PCs recruit Milon’s rakshasa agents 
  and dispatch them to assassinate Baron 
  Astor, they can have the rakshasas steal 
  his glyph, allowing one among them to 
  teleport into Abadar’s Pillar (if they can 
  determine a location not observed 
  by guards). If they recruit the Sisters 
  of Indulgent Dreams, they can 
  commission the night hags to create 
  more teleportation glyphs; each glyph 
  takes 2 days to fashion and requires 250 
  gp in materials.
  Underground Passage: If the 
  PCs learned of the existence of the 
  secret passage from the spirit of Tae 
  Amalon, they can swim from the 
  moat (see area H2) through the passage to the stronghold’s 
  courtyard (see area H3), though the exit is in plain sight.
  H. ABADAR’S PILLAR
  Maxillar Pythareus’s stronghold stands at a bend of the 
  Jalrune River in the center of Zimar. The most striking 
  feature of the stronghold is its keep, standing over 80 feet 
  tall and carved from blue‑green basalt in stark contrast 
  to the limestone, marble, terra‑cotta, and sandstone used 
  in the rest of the city’s construction. Each room in the 
  keep and other buildings within the stronghold has an 
  18‑foot‑high ceiling. The fortress’s spiral staircases are 
  very steep; they count as difficult terrain, increasing the 
  DC of any Acrobatics checks by 8. The low marble stairs in 
  the courtyard (see area H3) do not affect movement. The 
  doors are iron doors magically protected from corrosion 
  (hardness 10, hp 60, break DC 28) except where otherwise 
  mentioned. The walls stand 40 feet high, are 3 feet thick, 
  and are magically treated (hardness 16, 1,080 hp, Climb 
  DC 30). The rooms are illuminated with continual flame 
  spells cast on various fixtures bolted to the walls.
  If guards or servants notice something suspicious, a 
  patrol (two to four Zimar Sentinels or Golden Templars) 
  is dispatched to investigate, while another patrol is kept 
  on standby, ready to respond if the first does not return 
  in 10 minutes. If the suspicion is confirmed to be an 
  infiltration attempt (or the patrol doesn’t report back in 
  10 minutes), an alarm is raised. All guards and servants 
  who hear the alarm are required to shout “Alarm!” to alert 
  others in the fortress. During an alarm, the drawbridge 
  is raised and the portcullises are lowered (see area H1). 
  All guards resting in the barrack (see area H6b) put on 
  their gear and start patrolling the stronghold in groups 
  of four. Servants seek a safe place to hide until the alarm 
  is over.
  MAGICAL DEFENSES
  Special wards set in the outer walls and the keep shield the 
  entire structure against extradimensional intrusions (as 
  per dimensional lock) and spells of the scrying subschool. 
  The effect has a caster level of 20th; only mage’s 
  disjunction, miracle, or wish can remove the 
  protection, though specially enchanted 
  glyph 
  necklaces 
  allow 
  specific 
  individuals to ignore the dimensional 
  lock effect for themselves (though 
  not for any additional creatures or 
  passengers). Manufacturing a new 
  glyph requires extensive notes kept 
  within Dame Avenna’s library (see 
  area H38) or assistance from the Sisters 
  of Indulgent Dreams (see area E1).
  The outer walls are enchanted 
  with an invisibility alarmACG spell, 
  and while they are not powerful 
  enough to dispel invisibility spells 
  or effects, it immediately alerts guards to invisible 
  intruders within 20 feet of the walls. Guards respond by 
  releasing smoke into the air and pouring oil down the 
  walls to locate trespassers.
  A later enchantment further added a permanent gust 
  of wind spell in the airspace over the fortress to rebuff 
  flying invaders and creatures, imposing a –4 penalty on 
  all Fly skill checks and ranged attacks from above, and 
  possibly pushing Medium or smaller creatures beyond 
  the edge of the moat.
  Dame Avenna has further augmented the fortress’s 
  defenses by warding it against intrusion by known Lion 
  Blade agents, alerting her immediately when and where 
  any such agents entire the complex. This ward identifies 
  the PCs only if Milon Jeroth still lives when they attempt 
  their infiltration.
  H1. Drawbridge and Gateway (CR 9)
  A sturdy wooden drawbridge reinforced with steel 
  provides access to the castle across a 15‑foot‑wide 
  section of the moat. When the drawbridge is raised, it 
  closes the entrance. Two portcullises can be dropped as 
  a move action, trapping any intruders in the gateway, 
  where the walls are lined with arrow slits and there are 
  murder holes in the ceiling. The drawbridge is raised 
  each evening at dusk, and lowered against dawn unless 
  the fortress expects a siege or riot.
  A permanent magical effect on the gatehouse causes 
  anyone affected by an illusion spell to glow softly when 
  passing through the gates.
  Creatures: Night and day, two Zimar Sentinels stand at 
  the entrance, examining paperwork and turning people 
  without proper authorization away. Various vendors, 
  servants, and staff work or make deliveries to the fortress 
  each day but live elsewhere. The guards recognize most 
  
  41
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  of the stronghold’s regular visitors on sight, while other 
  guards serving at Abadar’s Pillar count as associates, 
  increasing the guards’ Perception check bonus to see 
  through a disguise from +8 to +12 or +14, respectively.
  If the PCs are disguised as Zimar Sentinels or Vault 
  and Chain templars reassigned from elsewhere, the 
  guards receive no bonus and take 10 on their Perception 
  checks, but the PCs must also succeed at a DC 30 Bluff or 
  Linguistics check to convince the guards that they were 
  sent here to as reinforcements. If the PCs succeed, the 
  guards say that the new recruits should check in with the 
  sergeant in the guardhouse (see area H4a). 
  If the PCs attack the guards or attempt to enter the 
  stronghold without their permission, the guards raise an 
  alarm and order the portcullis closed. Four more guards 
  arrive from the guardhouse (see area H4a) in 1d6 rounds.
  Fresh guards relieve those stationed at the entrance 
  every 4 hours.
  ZIMAR SENTINELS (2) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  hp 88 each (see page 13)
  H2. Moat (CR 10)
  Abadar’s Pillar was built on the west bank of the Jalrune 
  River, and a moat was excavated around it and filled with 
  water from the river. The moat is 30 feet deep, and the 
  water is calm (Swim DC 10). The muddy water limits 
  visibility to just 5 feet; anyone beneath the surface is 
  virtually invisible to guards above the surface. The moat’s 
  width ranges from 30 feet to 60 feet. On the east side 
  of the fortress, the moat joins the river, and the water 
  flows faster (Swim DC 15). Long metal nets stretched 
  across this opening prevent creatures in the moat from 
  escaping into the Jalrune River or creatures larger than 
  a bass in the river from entering the moat. A 3‑foot cast‑
  iron railing surrounds the moat and the sides of the 
  bridge, preventing people from accidentally falling in.
  Twenty feet beneath the water’s surface near Arthune’s 
  Tower (see area H7), a secret 50‑foot‑long tunnel leads to 
  the stronghold’s drain (see area H3), blocked by a locked 
  iron grate (Disable Device DC 35).
  Creatures: The rulers of Abadar’s Pillar have 
  introduced various “moat monsters” to the waters here 
  over the centuries, to mixed effect. The most recent 
  resident—a bloodthirsty river drake—was slain and 
  devoured by one of Taldor’s most invasive plants: blood 
  algae. Now, two large swarms of the animate plants churn 
  through the moat, feeding on leftovers and sewage from 
  the fortress and aggressively attacking anything that 
  invades their feeding ground.
  BLOOD ALGAE (2) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  hp 97 each (see page 86)
  H3. Courtyard (CR 12)
  Gray granite paving laid in circular patterns covers the floor of 
  the stronghold’s central courtyard.
  A grate‑covered central drain in the courtyard plunges 
  down 30 feet into the darkness. Chamber pots and 
  garbage pails around the fortress are dumped down 
  this shaft, which empties into the moat (see area H2). 
  Climbing up or down the slick stone shaft requires a 
  successful DC 25 Climb check.
  Creatures: An honor guard of three Zimar Sentinels 
  stands at the keep’s entrance day and night, led by 
  Lieutenant Kane “Storm Bow” Phyros, the youngest son 
  of a nearby earl, who hopes military service will raise his 
  esteem in his father’s eye despite the “tainted blood” that 
  grants him his magical abilities. His fellow recruits in 
  basic training gave him the nickname “Storm Bow” once 
  they discovered his ability to infuse arrows with lighting, 
  and today Kane prides himself on showing off this talent 
  whenever possible.
  Every 10 minutes, another four Zimar Sentinels patrol 
  the courtyard, emerging from the gatehouse and walking 
  clockwise along the courtyard’s perimeter and checking 
  that doors are closed and nothing seems out of place. 
  The guards at the keep’s entrance let no one enter unless 
  a PC succeeds at a DC 35 Bluff check. If a fight breaks out 
  in the courtyard, Sentinels and templars pour out from 
  the gatehouse (area H4) and the templars’ quarters (area 
  H13) to join the fight.
  ZIMAR SENTINELS (3) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  hp 88 each (see page 13)
  KANE PHYROS 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600
  Half‑elf sorcerer 11
  LE Medium humanoid (elf, human)
  Init +10; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +15
  DEFENSE
  AC 24, touch 16, flat‑footed 17 (+4 armor, +6 Dex, +1 dodge, 
  +3 natural)
  hp 74 (11d6+33)
  Fort +10, Ref +12, Will +9
  Defensive Abilities stormchild; Resist electricity 5, sonic 5
  OFFENSE
  Speed fly 60 ft. (perfect)
  Melee shortspear +5 (1d6), slam +1 (1d6)
  Ranged +1 longbow +13 (1d8+1/×3)
  Special Attacks whirlwind (10–30 ft. high, 1d6 damage, 
  DC 10)
  Bloodline Spell‑Like Abilities (CL 11th; concentration +15)
  7/day—thunderstaff
  1/day—thunderbolt (11d6, DC 19)
  
  42
  Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 11th; concentration +15)
  5th (4/day)—elemental body II, lightning arcUM (DC 20), 
  overland flight
  4th (7/day)—ball lightningAPG (DC 19), ice storm, shout 
  (DC 19), solid fog
  3rd (7/day)—elemental auraAPG (DC 18), haste, hold 
  person (DC 17), lightning bolt (DC 18), wind wall
  2nd (7/day)—cat’s grace, elemental speechAPG, gust of 
  wind (DC 16), protection from arrows, resist energy, 
  see invisibility
  1st (7/day)—alter windsAPG (DC 15), comprehend 
  languages, mage armor, obscuring mist, shocking 
  grasp, vanishAPG (DC 15)
  0 (at will)—dancing lights, daze (DC 14), drenchUM (DC 14), 
  flare (DC 14), ghost sound (DC 14), joltUM, mage hand, 
  mending, prestidigitation
  Bloodline Stormborn
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Kane maintains his mage armor and 
  protection from arrow spells while on duty. If he expects 
  trouble, he casts haste on the honor guard and cat’s grace 
  and elemental body II on himself, transforming into a 
  darkly roiling air elemental.
  During Combat Kane flies into the skies and activates his 
  thunderstaff ability to grant his longbow the shocking 
  burst special ability, then attempts to pick off enemies 
  from the sky. Once this ability wears off in 2 rounds, he 
  switches to lightning arc, ball lightning, and lightning bolt 
  before reactivating it.
  Morale Kane attempts to flee if reduced below 20 hit points.
  Base Statistics Without his spells cast, Kane’s statistics are 
  AC 12, tough 12, flat‑footed 10; Ref +8; Speed 30 ft.; 
  Ranged +1 longbow +9 (1d8+1/×3); Special Attacks 
  loses whirlwind; Dex 22; CMD 17; Skills Fly +2.
  STATISTICS
  Str 10, Dex 22, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 8, Cha 18
  Base Atk +5; CMB +5; CMD 21
  Feats Eschew Materials, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, 
  Martial Weapon Proficiency (longbow), Point‑Blank Shot, 
  Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Skill Focus (Perception), Weapon 
  Focus (longbow)
  Skills Fly +14, Intimidate +17, Perception +15, Profession 
  (soldier) +9, Use Magic Device +13
  Languages Common, Elven, Kelish
  SQ bloodline arcana (+1 to save DC of spells with electricity 
  or sonic descriptor), elf blood
  Combat Gear pearl of power (2nd level); Other Gear +1 
  longbow, shortspear, cloak of resistance +3
  H4. Gatehouse (CR 12)
  The gatehouse’s lower floor (area H4a) is a guardhouse, 
  where a patrol of guards is always stationed. The upper 
  floor (area H4b) has two winches for operating the 
  drawbridge and two portcullises in the gateway below. 
  Fully raising the 20‑foot‑long drawbridge requires four 
  full‑round actions made by at least two creatures. The 
  portcullises also require four full‑round actions each to 
  raise, but they can be dropped as a move action. 
  Creatures: Sergeant Valania Goen—a renown fencer 
  and daughter of a prominent merchant family—oversees 
  the general gate security and city patrols. She hopes her 
  service will eventually lead to a title.
  Valania and three Sentinels mind the gatehouse and 
  supervise prisoners in the adjoining Azlanti Tower, 
  aiding guards on duty at the gates and the honor guard 
  in front of the keep according to schedule. At least one 
  guard stands at the portcullis controls at all times.
  VALANIA GOEN 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600
  Female human fighter (two‑weapon fighter) 11 (Pathfinder 
  RPG Advanced Player’s Guide 109)
  N Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +4; Senses Perception +7
  DEFENSE
  AC 25, touch 15, flat‑footed 19 (+4 armor, +1 deflection, 
  +6 Dex, +1 dodge, +2 natural, +1 shield)
  hp 109 (11d10+44)
  Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +7 (+3 vs. fear)
  Defensive Abilities defensive flurry (+2)
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee +1 rapier +17/+12/+7 (1d6+4/15–20), mwk rapier 
  +17/+12 (1d6+2/15–20)
  Ranged dagger +17/+12/+7 (1d4+1/19–20)
  Special Attacks doublestrike, improved balance, twin 
  blades (+2)
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Valania drinks her potions of barkskin and 
  cat’s grace if she suspects trouble.
  During Combat A master fencer, Valania closes to melee 
  with her twin rapiers, pushing the offense with her 
  twin blades attack and blending ordinary attacks with 
  disarm attempts.
  Morale Valania is fiercely loyal to Maxillar and Zimar, and 
  fights invaders to the death.
  Base Statistics Without her potions, Valania’s statistics are 
  AC 21, touch 16, flat‑footed 16; Ref +9; Melee +1 rapier 
  +15/+10/+5 (1d6+4/15–20), mwk rapier +15/+10 
  (1d6+2/15–20); Ranged dagger +15/+10/+5 (1d4+1/19–
  20); Dex 18; Acrobatics +11.
  STATISTICS
  Str 12, Dex 22, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 8
  Base Atk +11; CMB +12 (+14 disarm); CMD 28 (30 
  vs. disarm)
  Feats Combat Expertise, Dodge, Improved Critical (rapier), 
  Improved Disarm, Improved Two‑weapon Fighting, 
  Iron Will, Mobility, Toughness, Two‑weapon Defense, 
  Two‑weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus 
  (rapier), Weapon Specialization (rapier)
  
  43
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  Skills Acrobatics +11 (+7 to jump), Climb +7, Handle Animal 
  +12, Knowledge (engineering) +11, Perception +7, 
  Profession (soldier) +13, Sense Motive +6
  Languages Common, Halfling, Kelish
  Combat Gear potions of barkskin (2), potions of cat’s grace 
  (3), potions of cure moderate wounds (3); Other Gear +2 
  studded leather, +1 rapier, daggers (3), mwk rapier, cloak 
  of resistance +2, ring of protection +1, 360 gp
  ZIMAR SENTINELS (3) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  hp 88 each (see page 13)
  Development: A book lists all prisoners who have 
  been imprisoned and when (if ever) they were released. 
  According to the book, there are currently three prisoners 
  in the upper floor and one in the oubliette. The sergeant’s 
  key ring holds a key to each of the following: the manacles 
  in the upper tower and the oubliette’s trap door (both in 
  area H5), and all doors in the inner courtyard (area H18).
  H5. Azlanti Tower
  The Azlanti Tower, at the keep’s southwest corner, serves as 
  the stronghold’s prison. The tower’s lower level (area H5a) 
  contains the oubliette, a 20‑foot‑deep pit accessed through 
  a locked wooden trap door (Disable Device DC 30).
  The upper level of the tower (area H5b) also holds 
  prisoners. Ten sets of masterwork manacles are attached 
  to the walls. Guards stationed in the gatehouse feed the 
  prisoners and empty the waste bucket once per day.
  Creatures: Three citizens—Aran, Cadon, and Zora 
  (N human commoners 2)—were arrested earlier for 
  “subversion” during a pro‑Eutropia rally in the Rainbow 
  Bazaar and are manacled to the wall upstairs. The 
  protesters are worried the guards will hang them, and if 
  released, they quickly leave. Downstairs, Rafien, a member 
  of the Vault and Chain Templars, is imprisoned in the 
  oubliette. Rafien has the statistics of a Vault and Chain 
  templar (see page 15) except he has no gear and he has 
  only 13 hit points remaining. He seems calm despite many 
  bruises. If released, he tries to help the PCs. 
  Rafien was the lone dissenter among the templars 
  when they backed Pythareus. While he shares his 
  order’s commitment to social hierarchy and profit over 
  individual freedoms, he believes Maxillar Pythareus 
  has let his lust for power and the throne blind him to 
  choices to better the nation’s economy.
  Rafien can answer the following questions.
  Who are you? “Does a man have a name without a 
  people? Iovinus and my brothers once called me Rafien, 
  but now it seems I’m an embarrassment and trash, not 
  a man.”
  Are you a member of the Vault and Chain? Rafien 
  laughs. “It’s men like Maxillar Pythareus who taint that 
  name, placing his petty personal needs over the order 
  of society. I suppose that means I’ve left the order. Or 
  the order left me.”
  Do you know where Maxillar Pythareus is? “I see very 
  little, given the lack of windows in my pit. I’ve heard 
  rumors that he doesn’t get out a lot these days.”
  Can you help us? “If you release me, I’ll help you any 
  way I can.”
  H6. Great Hall (CR 14)
  The dining hall (area H6a) feeds the guards and servants, 
  each of whom have assigned dining hours to avoid 
  overcrowding the room. The upper floor (area H6b) 
  serves as a barrack, where guards can rest, socialize, and 
  play cards between shifts.
  Creatures: A dozen off‑duty guards rest in the upstairs 
  barrack at any given time, and are among the last forces 
  summoned to reinforce defenders in the event of an 
  attack. There is only a 20% chance any given Sentinel 
  wears his armor in the barrack. Guards summoned from 
  the barrack need 5  minutes to don armor and secure 
  their equipment, and generally serve only to replace 
  fallen soldiers or supplement existing forces once the 
  fort goes on alert, at your discretion.
  ZIMAR SENTINELS (12) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  hp 88 each (see page 13)
  H7. Arthune’s Tower
  The guards use the base of this tower (area H7a) to 
  store emergency supplies. From time to time, visiting 
  entertainers instead use is as a backstage, where they can 
  prepare for performances and enter the great hall without 
  having to move through the crowd. The upper level (area 
  H7b) serves as a guard tower for watching the river when 
  scouts have reported an incoming naval assault.
  H8. Smithy
  The smithy’s lower floor (area H8a) contains a forge, an 
  anvil, and shelves and cupboards full of blacksmith’s tools. 
  The upper floor (area H8b) is an armory, where armor and 
  weapons are stored on shelves and in weapon racks.
  Creature: The stronghold’s blacksmith Faradia (N 
  female human expert 4) works in the smithy alongside 
  a half‑dozen apprentices. If the PCs enter the smithy, 
  Faradia grunts, “Whaddye want?” but she otherwise 
  doesn’t pay too much attention to the PCs unless they 
  bother her or her staff.
  H9. Jalrune’s Tower (CR 11)
  The stronghold’s blacksmith, Faradia, lives in the tower’s 
  lower level (area H9a); the upper level (area H9b) is a 
  guard post.
  Creatures: A pair of Sentinels is stationed in the upper 
  level of the tower, led by a Vault and Chain templar 
  
  44
  named Bathmos. They patrol the ramparts on the 
  southern walls.
  BATHMOS 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400
  hp 98 (use the statistics for a Vault and Chain templar on 
  page 15)
  ZIMAR SENTINELS (3) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  hp 88 each (see page 13)
  H10. Kitchen
  This kitchen (area H10a) has a large oven, large tables for 
  preparing food, and many shelves full of utensils. The 
  kitchen’s large pantry (area H10b) contains many kinds 
  of salted meat and fish, smoked sausages, large jars full 
  of pickled fruit and vegetables, dozens of sacks of grain, 
  and barrels of ale.
  Creatures: The kitchen staff consists of a total of six 
  cooks and serving staff led by Chef Andarr (LN human 
  commoners 3). The kitchen is in use almost around the 
  clock, though only 1d3 people are working there at any 
  given time.
  H11. Falcon Tower
  The kitchen staff uses the lower level (area H11a) as a 
  storage room, while the upper level (area H11b) serves as 
  another guard tower for watching the river when scouts 
  have reported an incoming naval assault.
  H12. Servants’ Quarters
  The servants’ accommodations are in the upper floor of 
  the east wing. Male servants live in the southern room 
  (area H12a), while female servants live in the northern 
  room (area H12b).
  H13. Vault and Chain Headquarters (CR 11)
  Two statues sculpted to resemble centaur clerics of 
  Abadar stand at attention in the entrance hall (area 
  H13a). The adjacent barrack houses the fortress’s Vault 
  and Chain templars (area H13b).
  Creatures: The statues of centaur clerics are in 
  actuality two zelekhuts Enumerator Iovinus conjured 
  to help enforce Maxillar Pythareus’s will once he 
  was promoted to the general’s high priest. The 
  inevitables have scrutinized the adoption 
  papers drawn by Stavian II and have 
  committed themselves to remaining in the 
  high strategos’s service until he is crowned.
  ZELEKHUTS (2) 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400 each
  hp 115 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 167)
  H14. Porthmos’s Tower
  Templars use the lower floor of the tower (area 
  H14a) to train and drill with weapons 
  and spells, as the gouges and burns in 
  the plaster walls can attest. The upper 
  tower (area H14b) serves as both a guard 
  watch post and storage space for armor, 
  ammunition, and other supplies.
  H15. Enumerator’s Apartment
  Enumerator Iovinus of the Church of Abadar 
  resides in this sumptuously decorated apartment. 
  IOVINUS
  
  45
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  The enumerator also owns a large mansion in Zimar’s 
  Golden District, but he rarely leaves Abadar’s Pillar due to 
  the turbulent political situation in Taldor.
  Creature: Iovinus sleeps a few hours each night in 
  his apartment, but he can more often be found in the 
  chapel (see area H16), and after dinner, he visits Maxillar 
  Pythareus in the war room (see area H35), returning to 
  his apartment around midnight.
  PALO IOVINUS 
  CR 11
  XP 12,800
  hp 142 (see below)
  Treasure: A candle of invocation (lawful neutral) with 
  Abadar’s holy symbol sits on one shelf.
  H16. Abadaran Chapel (CR 14)
  This large chapel hosts religious services, and until recently 
  was overseen by Zimar’s church of Abadar. When the 
  church declared it would remain neutral in the question 
  of succession, Maxillar Pythareus cast the mainstream 
  branch out, and replaced it with a militant sect called the 
  Vault and Chain. The templars of the Vault and Chain 
  believe that true order comes from submission, deference 
  to a firm hand, and financial acumen. Wealth is power, 
  and so the god of wealth clearly rewards the righteous 
  with coin and influence; consequently, poverty is a sign of 
  personal failing and impropriety—a punishment meted 
  out for the unworthy. To the Vault and Chain, Eutropia’s 
  charity efforts are an affront to Abadar, and so its members 
  eagerly back the high strategos’s claim to the throne.
  In the daytime, the chapel receives abundant daylight 
  through a ring of 17 windows at the base of the dome, 
  shedding light on golden mosaics on the walls and floor. 
  The apex of the dome rises to a height of 25 feet.
  Creatures: A handsome and charming man, Palo 
  Iovinus founded the Vault and Chain as a reflection of his 
  family’s philosophy coupled with an insatiable inferiority 
  complex that demanded constant reassurance of his own 
  superiority. He spends hours in the chapel, advising 
  his templars and following business and political 
  developments from across the nation as he decides what 
  information warrants passing along to Pythareus. Four 
  templars remain by his side as bodyguards.
  VAULT AND CHAIN TEMPLARS (4) 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400 each
  hp 98 each (see page 15)
  PALO IOVINUS 
  CR 11
  XP 12,800
  Human antipaladin (tyrant) 12 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced 
  Player’s Guide 118, Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Intrigue 64)
  LE Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +3; Senses Perception +0
  WHAT HAPPENS IN AN 
  INVASION?
  The forces within Abadar’s Pillar are well drilled and 
  prepared to respond to intruders, rallying to support 
  their allies if obvious combat breaks out inside the 
  fortress. Ordinary soldiers attempt to blow their alarm 
  whistles—a standard action that alerts combatants in 
  adjacent areas, who usually split into two parties—
  one rushing to support the defenders while the other 
  moves throughout the fort to raise the alarm. Within 
  10 minutes, the dozen off‑duty Sentinels in area H6 
  distribute themselves among existing defense forces 
  while patrols—four Sentinels led by a single templar 
  or named NPC—begin searching the grounds.
  If the keep itself is invaded, Maxillar Pythareus 
  makes his way to the roof and leaps down to the 
  inner courtyard (area H18) to mount his horse, Honor, 
  and rally the guards. Thanks to Honor’s horseshoes of 
  the zephyr, the general can confront intruders on the 
  ground, as listed in the encounter The Final Showdown 
  (see page 54), or move to reinforce Dame Avenna and 
  the siege engineers on the battlements.
  Aura cowardice (10 ft.), despair (10 ft.), vengeance (10 ft.)
  DEFENSE
  AC 22, touch 10, flat‑footed 22 (+11 armor, +1 deflection, 
  –1 Dex, +1 shield)
  hp 142 (12d10+72)
  Fort +17, Ref +10, Will +13
  DR 3/—; Immune disease
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. in armor)
  Melee +1 light flail +17/+12/+7 (1d8+5)
  Special Attacks channel negative energy 5/day (DC 21, 6d6), 
  smite good 4/day (+5 attack and AC, +12 damage)
  Antipaladin Spell‑Like Abilities (CL 12th; concentration +17)
  At will—detect good
  Antipaladin Spells Prepared (CL 9th; concentration +14)
  3rd—bestow curse (DC 18), dispel magic
  2nd—bull’s strength, darkvision, eagle’s splendor
  1st—bane (DC 16), command (DC 16), protection from chaos
  TACTICS
  Before Combat If he detects trouble in the fortress, Iovinus 
  casts bull’s strength and eagle’s splendor on himself.
  During Combat Ever the egomaniac, the enumerator prefers 
  to lecture opponents about their moral and intellectual 
  inferiority as he delivers poison and staggered conditions 
  via his touch of corruption. After two solid blows from 
  opponents, however, he activates his diabolic boon to 
  transform his +1 light flail into a +3 vicious light flail (not 
  included in these statistics) and lashes out with his Vital 
  Strike feat, his overconfidence and lectures suddenly gone.
  Morale Iovinus attempts to flee if reduced below 20 hit 
  
  46
  points, using his cape of the montebank to withdraw to 
  Maxillar Pythareus’s side.
  Base Statistics Without his spells cast, Iovinus’s statistics 
  are Fort +15, Ref +8, Will +11; Melee +1 light flail 
  +15/+10/+5 (1d8+3); Special Attacks channel negative 
  energy (DC 21), smite good 4/day (+3 attack and AC); Str 
  19, Cha 20; Skills Bluff +14, Diplomacy +16; SQ cruelties 
  (DC 21); CMB +14; CMD 24.
  STATISTICS
  Str 19, Dex 8, Con 18, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 20
  Base Atk +12; CMB +16; CMD 26
  Feats Ability Focus (cruelty), Improved Initiative, Improved 
  Vital Strike, Lightning Reflexes, Toughness, Vital Strike, 
  Weapon Focus (heavy mace)
  Skills Acrobatics –6 (–10 when jumping), Bluff +16, 
  Diplomacy +18, Knowledge (religion) +14, Profession 
  (clerk) +8, Sense Motive +13, Spellcraft +9
  Languages Common, Kelish
  SQ cruelties (fatigued, poisoned, staggered, stunned; DC 23), 
  diabolic boon (weapon +3, 2/day), touch of corruption 
  11/day (6d6)
  Combat Gear oil of bless weapon, potion of protection from 
  fire, potions of shield of faith (3), wand of cure moderate 
  wound (22 charges); Other Gear +2 gold‑plated adamantine 
  full plate, mwk buckler, +1 light flail, belt of mighty 
  constitution +2, cape of the mountebank, ring of protection 
  +1, Iovinus signet ring, gold holy symbol of Abadar (100 gp)
  Treasure: A secret panel in the altar (Perception DC 30) 
  conceals a lockbox containing 2,185 gp.
  H17. Fletcher’s Tower
  This square tower serves as a storage space (area H17a), 
  fletchers’ workshop (area H17b), and residence (area H17c). 
  Creature: A fletcher named Batzas (LN male human 
  expert 4) lives in the tower along with three apprentices, 
  crafting ammunition for the stronghold’s defenders.
  H18. Inner Courtyard
  On the north side of the inner court, stairs lead up to the 
  parapets of the stronghold’s outer wall. The high‑quality 
  reinforced steel doors to the main courtyard (area H3) 
  and the Lion Tower (area H19) are locked (hardness 10, 
  hp 100, break DC 30, Disable Device DC 35). The fortress’s 
  riding animals are kept and exercised here.
  H19. The Lion Tower
  The Lion Tower serves as the fortress’s stable (area H19a), 
  with living quarters for attendants and farriers upstairs 
  (area H19b).
  H20. Reception Hall (CR 13)
  Royal lion emblems adorn the walls of this spacious ballroom. 
  Three crystal chandeliers hanging from the 20‑foot‑high 
  ceiling bathe the room in brilliant sparkling light. A fine 
  green‑and‑blue rug on the floor bears the embroidered image 
  of a large grimacing lion wearing the Primogen Crown.
  Maxillar Pythareus uses this large room for meetings 
  and large‑scale briefings, and to receive honored guests. 
  The room also serves as a ballroom for sumptuous 
  parties. The heavy double door can be barred from the 
  inside (hardness 10, hp 150, break DC 35).
  Creatures: Two courtiers lounge in the reception hall. 
  The women—Illumia and Magilla—are the older sisters 
  of the night hag Estella (see area E). The pair reside in 
  the keep in human guises and spy on Maxillar Pythareus. 
  Only Avenna suspects their true nature, but for now gifts 
  of magical knowledge and spells have kept her quiet.
  The sisters’ raven familiars keep them abreast of 
  Estella’s well‑being and activities, and so they know 
  whether the PCs allied with Estella or attacked her. If the 
  PCs allied with Estella, the sisters look surprised to see 
  the PCs in the keep. Illumia asks why they’ve come. The 
  PCs must succeed at a DC 30 Bluff check or the sisters 
  realize something’s wrong.
  If the PCs attacked Estella in the tea shop, the sisters 
  taunt the PCs, but they attack only if the PCs are alone 
  and unaccompanied by guards or officials. 
  ILLUMIA AND MAGILLA 
  CR 11
  XP 12,800 each
  Female night hag witch 5 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player’s 
  Guide 65, Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 215)
  NE Medium outsider (evil, extraplanar)
  Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +20
  DEFENSE
  AC 29, touch 14, flat‑footed 26 (+4 armor, +1 deflection, +3 Dex, 
  +11 natural)
  hp 144 each (13 HD; 5d6+8d10+83)
  Fort +13, Ref +8, Will +14
  DR 10/cold iron and magic; Immune charm, cold, fear, fire, 
  sleep; SR 24
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
  Melee bite +17 (2d6+7 plus disease), 2 claws +17 (1d4+7)
  Special Attacks dream haunting, hexes (cackle, evil eye, 
  flight, misfortune, tongues)
  Spell‑Like Abilities (CL 8th; concentration +13)
  Constant—detect chaos, detect evil, detect good, detect 
  law, detect magic
  At will—deep slumber (DC 18), etherealness, invisibility, 
  magic missile, ray of enfeeblement (DC 16), soul bind
  Witch Spells Prepared (CL 5th; concentration +11)
  3rd—bestow curse (DC 19), stinking cloud (DC 19)
  2nd—augury, blindness/deafness (DC 18), hold person 
  (DC 18), see invisibility
  1st—charm person, ear‑piercing screamUM (2, DC 17), 
  mage armor, obscuring mist
  
  47
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  0 (at will)—arcane mark, dancing lights, message, 
  read magic
  Patron deception
  TACTICS
  Before Combat The sisters cast mage armor and activate 
  their flight hex.
  During Combat The sister work in tandem: one targets a 
  single PC at a time with her evil eye hex while the other 
  casts spells such as bestow curse, blindness/deafness, or 
  hold person.
  Morale The sisters flee to the Ethereal Plane if reduced 
  below 25 hit points, reporting the PCs’ activities to 
  the Immaculate Circle’s inner circle, but otherwise 
  withdrawing from the adventure.
  Base Statistics Without mage armor, the sisters’ statistics 
  are AC 25, touch 14, flat‑footed 22.
  STATISTICS
  Str 24, Dex 17, Con 22, Int 22, Wis 18, Cha 21
  Base Atk +10; CMB +17; CMD 31
  Feats Ability Focus (slumber), Accursed HexUM, Extra HexAPG 
  (2), Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack
  Skills Acrobatics +16, Bluff +21, Disguise +21, Fly +23, 
  Intimidate +21, Knowledge (arcana) +22, Knowledge 
  (planes) +22, Perception +20, Perform (dance) +11, Sense 
  Motive +20, Spellcraft +22, Swim +11
  Languages Abyssal, Aklo, Ancient Osiriani, Azlanti, Celestial, 
  Common, Draconic, Infernal, Kelish, Sylvan
  SQ change shape (any humanoid; alter self), heartstone, 
  witch’s familiars (ravens named Glimpse and Whisper)
  Combat Gear potion of cure moderate wounds; Other Gear 
  ring of protection +1, courtier’s outfit, teleportation glyph, 
  ivory ring (200 gp)
  H21. Library
  The many bookshelves of fine oak in this room contain dozens 
  of leather‑bound books both new and old.
  For many centuries, the inhabitants of Abadar’s Pillar 
  have collected books on Taldan history in general, and 
  on Zimar and past wars against Qadira.
  Creature: A librarian named Loranus (NG male old 
  human expert 7) takes care of the library. Loranus secretly 
  loathes Maxillar Pythareus, but he still works for him 
  because his family has always served Zimar’s rulers. If 
  he realizes the PCs are infiltrators, he pleads, “Spare the 
  books! Please don’t destroy them!” If the PCs succeed at 
  a DC 20 Sense Motive check, they have a feeling that the 
  librarian is not very loyal to High Strategos Pythareus. 
  If a PC succeeds at a DC 20 Diplomacy or Intimidate 
  check, that PC can persuade Loranus to reveal that he 
  is sympathetic to Princess Eutropia’s cause and won’t 
  tell the guards about the PCs. Loranus can describe the 
  rooms on the second floor and their inhabitants, but he 
  has never been to the two upper floors.
  Treasure: The library contains the critically acclaimed 
  volumes The Lion and the Rose and The Land of Canals, 
  Mountains, and Scrublands. Consulting the books while 
  spending at least 10 minutes studying a subject grants 
  a +2 bonus on the following types of Knowledge checks 
  pertaining to Taldor: geography, history, nature, and 
  nobility. The books are worth 300 gp each.
  H22. Lounge
  Noble residents sometimes relax on the plush sofas in 
  the lounge before or after a bath, and guests attending a 
  social event in the Reception Hall (see area H20) can also 
  withdraw to the lounge to have a quiet conversation. A 
  statue in the room depicts a noblewoman in a toga with 
  a harp in hand and an ornate comb in her hair.
  The stairs lead up to the guard post (see area H24) on 
  the second level of the keep.
  H23. Bath
  The nobility of Zimar enjoy bathing, and through 
  incredible feats of engineering and architecture, the 
  luxurious bath in this room automatically fills with 
  heated water from the Jalrune River. The room’s walls 
  are nearly soundproof, allowing bathing nobles to 
  engage in conversations without having to worry about 
  eavesdropping—and allowing invaders to hide in 
  relative peace if they can conceal themselves.
  H24. Guard Post (CR 10)
  This room is a checkpoint for visitors, who are normally 
  not allowed to go beyond this point in the keep. The 
  statue in the room depicts a soldier wearing a breastplate 
  and taking aim with his crossbow. The door between this 
  guard post and the adjoining trophy room is kept open.
  Creatures: Two guards are stationed here. If a 
  visitor has been granted an audience with one of the 
  stronghold’s officials or the general himself, the guards 
  check the visitor’s documents and collect any weapons, 
  wands, and spell components. If someone attacks the 
  guards, the warden (see area H26) comes to their aid as 
  soon as he can. However, the royal guards upstairs (see 
  area H28) remain at their guard post.
  ROYAL GUARDS (2) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  hp 90 each (Pathfinder RPG Villain Codex 154)
  H25. Castellan’s Room
  Lavish tapestries line the wall in this large bedroom, 
  depicting wilderness scenes from across southern 
  Taldor. A large desk and various tomes of arcane lore 
  clutter one corner next to a large straw mat and armor 
  stand. The baron is rarely found here, however, instead 
  accompanying the high strategos or else drilling soldiers 
  on the battlements.
  
  48
  H26. Trophy Room (CR 10)
  Several magnificent beasts stand atop pedestals in this room: 
  a large bird of prey with a lion’s body, a gray winged horse, 
  a bear with an owl’s head, a dragon with a stinger‑tipped 
  tail, a large white wolf with ice‑blue eyes, a giant ape with 
  four arms, an armor‑plated creature with a huge maw, and 
  a lion‑bodied creature with a woman’s face. Save for their 
  perfect stillness, the creatures look incredibly lifelike.
  This room boasts an impressive collection 
  of exotic beasts that have been 
  preserved with magic that 
  keeps them looking as fresh 
  as they were while alive. 
  These creatures include 
  a griffon, a pegasus, 
  an owlbear, a wyvern, a winter wolf, a girallon, a bulette, 
  and a sphinx.
  Creatures: Sir Thrain Gavian is warden of Abadar’s 
  Pillar, and one of the few half‑orcs in Taldor to hold 
  a title—a legacy of his family’s bravery in the Grand 
  Campaign. He spends most of his time here sipping 
  tea, tracking prison records, and reviewing reports of 
  criminal activity throughout the city. He eagerly rushes 
  to the defense of the keep if he hears combat.
  THRAIN GAVIAN 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600
  Captain of the royal guard (Pathfinder RPG Villain 
  Codex 155)
  hp 109
  H27. Warden’s Quarters (CR 10)
  The stronghold’s warden resides in this relatively 
  modest room, maintaining a collection of mundane 
  weapons from across the world, though he spends most 
  of his time in the trophy room.
  H28. Guard Room (CR 12)
  This guard room wards the entrance to the king’s 
  apartments in the upper half of the keep. Only Maxillar 
  Pythareus’s most loyal servants and guards are permitted 
  to enter areas on the third floor beyond the guard room, 
  and no one is allowed to enter the fourth floor without 
  the general’s permission.
  A statue in the southern wall depicts an armored 
  knight with a large sword, and a painting on the wall 
  shows a battle scene from the Grand Campaign—a 
  unit of the Taldan Phalanx breaking through 
  Qadiran formations.
  Creatures: Four royal guards stand at attention 
  here, day and night. If the PCs attack the guards or 
  otherwise cause trouble, the captain of the guard 
  emerges from her room (see area H29) to sort out 
  the problem, and the guards downstairs (see 
  area H24) join the fray if still alive.
  ROYAL GUARDS (4) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  hp 90 each (Pathfinder RPG Villain 
  Codex 154)
  H29. Captain’s Quarters (CR 11)
  This room is a stylish but sparsely 
  furnished residence for the practical 
  captain of the guard.
  Creature: The captain of the guard, 
  Patrika Urba, is a taciturn engineer who 
  spends much of her time alone in her 
  room reviewing guard rotations, training 
  schedules, and intelligence reports.
  BARON ASTOR RODERUS
  
  49
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  PATRIKA URBA 
  CR 11
  XP 12,800
  Spellmaster (Pathfinder RPG Villain Codex 12)
  hp 117
  H30. Gallery
  Dozens of paintings adorn the walls of 
  this gallery. The biggest painting depicts 
  Maxillar Pythareus astride a white horse, 
  wearing full plate armor and wielding a 
  fine axe paired with a large steel shield.
  Treasure: Some of the art in the room 
  has great artistic and historical value. The 
  paintings are worth a total of 5,000 gp.
  H31. Servants’ Quarters
  Various cleaners and valets reside 
  in this room. Besides their 
  personal belongings stored in 
  the drawers beside the beds, some 
  cleaning equipment is stored in a 
  cabinet placed against the west wall.
  H32. Reluctant Guest Quarters (CR 6)
  The door to this room is locked; only Maxillar Pythareus 
  and Baron Astor Roderus carry a key.
  This large suite reeks of human body odor and 
  alcohol, and once‑fine clothes lie scattered about.
  Creature: Unknown to almost everyone, the former 
  emperor of Taldor, Grand Prince Stavian III, survived 
  the Exaltation Massacre despite his grievous injuries. He 
  spent weeks hovering at death’s door, due to his injuries 
  and withdrawal from several long‑standing addictions. 
  By the time he awoke, the war over succession had already 
  begun, and Pythareus found himself unable to reveal 
  the Grand Prince’s good fortune or presence to anyone. 
  The injuries and withdrawal have only exacerbated 
  Stavian’s paranoia and fits of rage, and, he has become 
  very unstable, finding solace only in wine—the lone vice 
  Pythareus allows the sad, deposed monarch. 
  Stavian spends several minutes berating anyone who 
  walks in, demanding they clean up his room and bring 
  him more wine, and occasionally asking questions like 
  where he is and where his children are. When he realizes 
  that Pythareus’s enemies have infiltrated Abadar’s Pillar, 
  he changes his tune, ordering the PCs to execute the 
  ingrate after they clean his room. If he sees any delay or 
  refusal, he throws his goblet before starting to cry and 
  finally charging at the PCs to club them with his cane.
  Stavian tries to attack, but lacks any of his equipment 
  or spellbooks; on his own, he’s barely a CR 6 threat.
  DEPOSED GRAND PRINCE STAVIAN III 
  CR 6
  XP 2,400
  hp 89 (Pathfinder Adventure Path #127: Crownfall 56)
  Development: Stavian is an angry, bitter, shell of a 
  man with the telltale signs of dementia setting in. He’s 
  no longer in a fit state to rule—and truthfully speaking, 
  hasn’t been in years—but he’s hardly a threat to the 
  PCs’ safety. How the PCs deal with the deposed 
  ruler is left up to them. If they return him to 
  Princess Eutropia, the reunion is bittersweet; 
  she is happy to see her father alive, but his 
  condition and his horrible crimes make him 
  a polarizing political figure.
  Story Award: If the PCs subdue Stavian 
  III without killing him and decide his fate 
  outside the heat of combat, award them 
  19,200 XP.
  H33. Upper Chapel (CR 13)
  Holy 
  symbols 
  of 
  Abadar, 
  Aroden, 
  Cayden 
  Cailean, 
  Norgorber, and Shelyn—
  the 
  so‑called 
  Taldan 
  pantheon—decorate 
  the 
  walls here, and a shrine with 
  elaborate brass statuary and filigree in the 
  room’s center serves as a place where commanders and 
  visitors can pray before battle.
  Creature: Maxillar Pythareus’s personal bodyguard 
  hides as part the shrine itself. This clockwork assassin 
  was a gift to his father—a peace offering from a visiting 
  Qadiran dignitary, ironically. The figure hides, draped 
  in gold cloth and looking penitent, in standby mode, 
  and awakens when strangers appear without the high 
  strategos or his other commanders. If no authorized 
  personnel arrive within 1 round, it launches a surprise 
  attack, opening with a volley of blades from its 
  wrist projector.
  CLOCKWORK ASSASSIN 
  CR 13
  XP 25,600
  hp 119 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 6 59)
  P34. High Strategos’s Chamber
  A statue of a knight astride a great stallion and a dozen marble 
  busts of ancient generals stare across this extravagantly 
  decorated room. A large four‑poster at the north end of the 
  chamber looks untouched, and books and other items sitting 
  on shelves are arranged meticulously.
  This room has served generations of high strategi, the 
  supreme military commanders of Taldor, dating back 
  millennia. It now houses Maxillar Pythareus, though on 
  the cusp of seizing the throne, he finds little time for 
  sleep. He normally meets with advisors in the war room 
  (see area H35) or walks the keep’s battlements (see area 
  H40) to gaze upon his city. He barely eats anymore and 
  STAVIAN III
  
  50
  usually retires to his chamber to sleep only 2 hours per 
  night, though thanks to his ring of sustenance, he remains 
  alert and energetic.
  Treasure: A mahogany display stand holds the 
  Primogen Rod, a unique rod of lordly might, but more 
  importantly a symbol of the Grand Prince’s office and 
  rulership immediately recognizable to every citizen of 
  Taldor (and impossible to sell inside the nation). The 
  Primogen Rod is considered a relic of Taldor (Pathfinder 
  Adventure Path #128 77), but because of its constant use 
  and evergreen fame, it has already absorbed all the 
  triumphs it can contain.
  H35. War Room (CR 14)
  Hanging from the ceiling, a black iron lantern shaped like the 
  head of a roaring lion sheds magical light on a large oaken 
  table in the center of the room. The table’s surface is uneven, 
  resembling a miniature landscape of plains, forests, rivers, 
  and mountains, where Taldor is in the middle and northern 
  Qadira, the Inner Sea, and Taldor’s lost provinces are closer 
  to the table’s edges. Exaggerated towers, castles, and domed 
  palaces carved from stone mark the locations of Zimar, Oppara, 
  Katheer, and other cities. Small figurines shaped like lions and 
  horses have been placed on various locations on the map.
  Any PC who succeeds at a DC 17 Knowledge (geography) 
  or Profession (soldier) check notices the positions of the 
  horse and lion figures arranged on the map correspond 
  to locations of units loyal to High Strategos Pythareus 
  and Princess Eutropia, respectively.
  Creature: Maxillar Pythareus can be encountered 
  alone in this room only if the PCs manage to bypass 
  all the keep’s guardians, alarms, and magical defenses 
  without alerting anyone. Otherwise, see the Final 
  Showdown on page 54.
  MAXILLAR PYTHAREUS 
  CR 13
  XP 25,600
  hp 165 (see page 58)
  Treasure: The figurines made of silver and gold are 
  worth a total of 800 gp. On the table, there is also a silver 
  raven figurine of wondrous power, which Maxillar Pythareus 
  uses to send messages to his allies.
  H36. Treasure Vault (CR 14)
  Maxillar Pythareus stores some of his personal wealth in 
  this treasure vault. The massive steel door to the vault is 
  locked (hardness 10, hp 120, break DC 30, Disable Device 
  DC 40). Maxillar Pythareus’s key opens the lock. Inside, 
  dozens of coffers sit on shelves lining the walls.
  Creature: A unique brass golem has been guarding the 
  vault for centuries—the golden key that controls it was 
  passed down from ruler to ruler, and Maxillar currently 
  has it. Constructed long ago by the church of Abadar 
  as a gift for a long‑dead Baron, the statue resembles a 
  massive, androgynous human with four arms, four legs, 
  and faces on the front and back of its head.
  The golem remains inanimate until someone who 
  doesn’t look like Maxillar Pythareus enters the vault, 
  at which point it animates to crush all intruders. The 
  golem does not willingly leave the vault, tries to return 
  immediately if removed, and moves to close and relock 
  the door if opponents step outside.
  GUARDIAN OF COIN 
  CR 14
  XP 38,400
  Unique brass golem (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 134)
  N Large construct
  Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low‑light vision; 
  Perception +2
  DEFENSE
  AC 32, touch 9, flat‑footed 30 (+1 Dex, +22 natural, –1 size)
  hp 140 (20d10+30)
  Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +8
  DR 15/adamantine; Immune construct traits, fire, immunity 
  to magic
  OFFENSE
  Speed 50 ft.
  Melee 2 claws +30 (2d6+11 plus 2d6 fire)
  Ranged coin shot +20/+15/+10 (4d6/19–20)
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
  Special Attacks breath weapon
  Spell‑Like Abilities (CL 20th; concentration +15)
  Constant—see invisibility
  TACTICS
  During Combat The Guardian is a straightforward and 
  brutal combatant, closing to melee with its claws while 
  unleashing bursts of shredded coins.
  Morale The Guardian fights until destroyed.
  STATISTICS
  Str 32, Dex 13, Con —, Int —, Wis 15, Cha 1
  Base Atk +20; CMB +32; CMD 43
  SQ coin shot, death throes
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Breath Weapon (Su) As a free action once every 1d4 
  rounds, the Guardian of Coin can expel a cloud of smoke 
  and cinders that fills a 20‑foot cube. This functions as an 
  incendiary cloud that persists for 1d6 rounds, dealing 6d6 
  points of fire damage (Reflex DC 20 half). The save DC is 
  Constitution‑based.
  Coin Shot (Ex) A spinning wheel in the Guardian’s chest can 
  shred silver and gold coins from an internal hopper and 
  project them at high speed. Once each round as a swift 
  action, the guardian can either fire a single ranged attack 
  at a creature within 60 feet or fire a spray of projectiles 
  that strikes all creatures in a 15‑foot cone. Resolve the 
  ranged attack normally. All creatures in the cone take 
  2d6 points of damage and are blinded for 1d6 rounds; 
  
  51
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  a successful DC 21 Reflex saving throw halves the damage 
  and eliminates the blinded condition.
  Death Throes (Ex) The Guardian melts into a pool of molten 
  slag when destroyed, dealing 15d6 points of fire damage 
  to all creatures within 30 feet of the golem (Reflex DC 20 
  half). The save DC is Constitution‑based.
  Treasure: The treasure vault contains 699 pp, 13,812 
  gp, and 45,827 sp.
  Development: A small, iron case contains a dozen 
  parchments with various legal documents, letters, 
  and historical records containing perhaps the most 
  dangerous weapon in Maxillar’s arsenal.
  One of Maxillar Pythareus’s personal duties—unknown 
  even to Milon Jeroth—has been the suppression of 
  unsavory rumors regarding Stavian III and the imperial 
  family. For a time, his work involved quieting talk about 
  Stavian III’s various dalliances and outbursts, as well as 
  the occasional assassination order. The most distressing 
  details of the Stavian line, however, came to light only 
  7 years ago, when a team of adventurers located and 
  plundered the Adella Necropolis. The burial complex, 
  concealed in the Headwater Gap of the World’s Edge 
  Mountains, held the worldly remains and records of the 
  now‑extinct Adella noble family, who dominated Taldan 
  politics for centuries until their internal squabbles lead 
  to bitter civil war and violence. The bloodshed they 
  engendered and their wanton indulgence alienated even 
  their fellow Taldan nobles. Rumors persist of corruption, 
  graft, murder, and devil‑worship. Grand Prince Beldam 
  II declared the family be stricken of their noble titles 
  and erased from the nation’s history, and by the dawn of 
  the 46th century, those few Adellas who had not killed 
  each other off were hunted down by rival nobles and put 
  to the sword.
  Except one.
  Lucretia Adella gave birth to the last Adella in 
  4497  ar—the illegitimate son of nobleman and 
  soon‑to‑be Grand Prince Micheaux I. Micheaux I 
  reluctantly adopted the boy in secret and named him 
  Stavian I, and in the process initiated the modern 
  Stavian line, including Grand Prince Stavian II and 
  Princess Eutropia. What this revelation means for 
  the legitimacy of the current imperial line is vague 
  at best—Micheaux was the adopted heir to Beldam 
  II, rather than a blood heir, and while his illegitimate 
  child still technically carries the mantle of rulership, 
  the taint of Adella blood remains strong in the public 
  zeitgeist. With most official records of them gone, the 
  Adellas have become urban legends and cautionary 
  tales, despised and not understood. While this 
  revelation doesn’t prove Stavian III or Eutropia unfit 
  to rule by default—to say nothing of Stavian’s adopted 
  heir, Pythareus—it throws enormous suspicion and 
  scandal on a family already under massive scrutiny.
  Maxillar Pythareus dispatched assassins to eliminate 
  the adventurers as soon as he caught rumor of their 
  discovery, but the very fact that rumors reached his ear 
  meant some of the information they uncovered had been 
  disseminated. For the 7 years since, the high strategos 
  has dispatched only his most trusted personal aides to 
  execute anyone carrying documents these adventurers 
  uncovered. All too aware of Stavian’s fickle nature, 
  Pythareus kept the documentation as leverage rather 
  than destroy them, even disseminating a few pieces to 
  loyal informants as a fail‑safe. Should he die, the Stavian 
  reputation dies with him!
  The PCs have no way of knowing about Maxillar’s 
  fail‑safe plan, but with a successful DC 25 Linguistics 
  check when reviewing the documents, a PC confirms 
  that Stavian I is indeed the son of Lucretia Adella—but 
  also notices that these papers are more recent copies, 
  suggesting that the originals may yet exist somewhere 
  else. A successful DC 25 Knowledge (history) or (nobility) 
  check reveals all the above details of the Adella family 
  (and any additional material you may choose to add; 
  see Pathfinder Module: Tomb of the Iron Medusa for the 
  full biography of the Adella Family), as well as the 
  damage this information could do not only to Princess 
  Eutropia’s bid for the throne, but Maxillar Pythareus’s 
  as well.
  H37. Wizard’s Antechamber (CR 12)
  Maxillar Pythareus’s court wizard Dame Avenna doesn’t 
  want anyone to disturb her work or rest, and a sign 
  in the stairwell leading up to the antechamber reads, 
  “Absolutely no admittance.”
  Creatures: Two tophets guard the antechamber. If 
  someone other than Avenna approaches, they assume a 
  menacing stance. If that isn’t enough to deter intruders, 
  the creatures attack.
  TOPHETS (2) 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600 each
  hp 107 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 271)
  Development: If Dame Avenna in area H38 hears 
  sounds of battle, she joins the fight in 1d4 rounds.
  H38. Wizard’s Quarters (CR 11)
  Placed against the walls of the chamber are six large 
  bookshelves, each bulging with tomes both old and new. 
  The only other furniture in the room is a modest bed 
  and a tidy table near an old fireplace.
  This is the chamber of Dame Avenna, the court wizard. 
  A ladder leads up to an observatory (see area H39).
  Creature: Dame Avenna serves the high strategos 
  as a diviner and seer, scrying on enemies and making 
  educated guesses about their next moves. She spends 
  hours studying the stars in her observatory each night, 
  
  52
  then poring over the results after waking up around 
  noon. If someone attacks her tophet guardians in the 
  antechamber (see area H37), she is joins the fight, all 
  too aware that she stands little chance if confronted by 
  assassins alone.
  Ultimately, Dame Avenna isn’t loyal to Maxillar 
  Pythareus or his politics; she considers herself an 
  academic and wants a luxurious enough life to pursue 
  her research. If overwhelmed or caught alone, she 
  asks to parley. Any mix of three successful DC 31 Bluff, 
  Diplomacy, or Intimidate checks out of five attempts is 
  enough to convince her to leave and lie low; otherwise, 
  she claims to be leaving, only to teleport immediately 
  to Maxillar Pythareus’s side.
  AVENNA 
  CR 11
  XP 12,800
  Female human diviner 12
  N Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +13; Senses Perception +7
  DEFENSE
  AC 25, touch 16, flat‑footed 21 (+5 armor, +2 deflection, 
  +3 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 shield)
  hp 92 (12d6+48)
  Fort +8, Ref +9, Will +9
  DR 10/adamantine
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee staff of authority +7/+2 (1d6+1)
  Arcane School Spell‑Like Abilities (CL 12th; concentration +17)
  Constant—detect scrying
  8/day—diviner’s fortune (+6)
  Diviner Spells Prepared (CL 12th; concentration +17)
  6th—disintegrate (DC 21), globe of invulnerability, true 
  seeing
  5th—contact other plane, interposing hand, lightning 
  arcUM (DC 22), overland flight, teleport
  4th—fire shield, greater invisibility, resilient sphere 
  (DC 21), scrying (DC 19), stoneskin
  3rd—arcane sight, clairaudience/clairvoyance, dispel 
  magic, fireball (DC 20), haste, protection from energy
  2nd—darkvision, glitterdust (2, DC 17), locate object, 
  scorching ray (2)
  1st—alarm, alter windsAPG (DC 16), identify, magic missile 
  (3), shield
  0 (at will)—detect poison, light, prestidigitation, 
  read magic
  Opposition Schools Enchantment, Necromancy
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Avenna casts protection from energy, 
  overland flight, see invisibility, shield, and stoneskin 
  on herself and her allies. Assume that her divinations 
  allow her to predict the PCs’ most commonly used 
  energy type.
  During Combat Avenna casts haste on herself and her 
  allies, then targets the largest opponents with interposing 
  hand before switching to offensive spells, starting with 
  disintegrate and lightning arc.
  Morale Not very loyal to the Imperialist cause, Avenna flees 
  if reduced to 25 hit points or fewer.
  STATISTICS
  Str 8, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 20, Wis 12, Cha 11
  Base Atk +6; CMB +6; CMD 22
  Feats Combat Casting, Craft Staff, Craft Wondrous Item, 
  Dodge, Great Fortitude, Greater Spell Focus (evocation), 
  Improved Initiative, Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus 
  (evocation), Toughness
  Skills Fly +18, Knowledge (arcana, engineering, nature, 
  planes) +20, Perception +7, Profession (astronomer) +16, 
  Sense Motive +7, Spellcraft +20
  AVENNA
  
  53
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  Languages Ancient Osiriani, Common, Kelish, Osiriani, 
  Polyglot, Sylvan
  SQ arcane bond (ring of protection +2), forewarned, scrying 
  adept
  Combat Gear scroll of dismissal, scroll of wall of fire, scroll 
  of wall of force, staff of authorityUE; Other Gear belt of 
  incredible dexterity +2, bracers of armor +5, headband 
  of vast intelligence +2, ring of protection +2, spellbook, 
  teleportation glyph, 25 gp
  H39. Observatory
  A large telescope mounted on a brass swivel stands at the 
  center of this domed room, under a shuttered opening. The 
  walls are covered in star charts, arcane diagrams, and maps, 
  and a stack of books sits on the floor near the telescope.
  A diviner and astronomer, the court wizard, Dame 
  Avenna, studies the secrets of the stars and planets in the 
  observatory. The books stacked on the floor each discuss 
  cataclysmic events, a topic that has consumed Avenna 
  ever since she learned about Earthfall as a child. A trap 
  door in the floor is a ladder that descends into Avenna’s 
  quarters (see area H38).
  Treasure: The telescope here is masterwork quality and 
  worth 4,500 gp, but weighs 800 pounds. Disassembling 
  it without destroying it requires a successful DC 25 
  Knowledge (engineering) check.
  H40. Battlements (CR 13)
  A circular stairwell leads up to an otherwise flat roof of 
  the keep. A 4‑foot‑tall defensive wall with rectangular 
  crenels surrounds the top of the keep. The iron stairway 
  door is kept locked (DC 40) in the event of infiltrators. 
  or aerial assault.
  Four ballistae are kept loaded and ready to fire atop 
  the tower, and are the weapon of choice for defenders 
  trying to deter flying attackers. The sentinels aren’t 
  trained siege engineers, and are more accustomed to 
  firing on large targets like ships.
  Creatures: The castellan of the fortress, Baron Astor 
  Roderus, conducts drills of his soldiers here on the roof, 
  or broods atop the wall while watching courtyard activity 
  80 feet below. Though a respected military commander 
  and warrior, as the second son of the Roderus family he 
  had tutored in arcane studies before his elder brother’s 
  death saw his family’s military legacy fall to him. Now 
  an eldritch knight, he uses his spellcasting ability—
  particularly abjurations—to shut down enemy defenses 
  before charging into battle.
  Baron Roderus is attended to by four Sentinels.
  ZIMAR SENTINELS (4) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  hp 88 each (see page 13)
  ASTOR RODERUS 
  CR 11
  XP 12,800
  Human eldritch knight 6/fighter 1/abjurer 5
  LN Large humanoid (human)
  Init –2; Senses Perception +11
  DEFENSE
  AC 25, touch 11, flat‑footed 24 (+10 armor, +3 deflection, 
  –2 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 shield, –1 size)
  hp 136 (12 HD; 5d6+7d10+78)
  Fort +14, Ref +7, Will +12
  Defensive Abilities resistance; DR 10/adamantine; Resist 
  fire 5
  OFFENSE
  Speed 50 ft. (40 ft. in armor)
  Melee +2 warhammer +17/+17/+12 (2d6+9/×3)
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
  Abjurer Spells Prepared (CL 10th; concentration +13)
  5th—break enchantment, teleport, wall of stone
  4th—detonateAPG (DC 17), lesser globe of invulnerability, 
  mass enlarge person (DC 17), stoneskin
  3rd—dispel magic (2), fly, haste, vampiric touch
  2nd—bear’s endurance, bull’s strength, false life, 
  glitterdust (DC 15), resist energy, see invisibility
  1st—alarm, feather fall, magic missile (2), shield, 
  shocking grasp
  0 (at will)—detect magic, mending, message, read magic
  Opposition Schools enchantment, illusion
  TACTICS
  Before Combat If he hears the sounds of combat, Baron 
  Roderus casts bear’s endurance, bull’s strength, false life, 
  shield, and stoneskin on himself, and haste and mass 
  enlarge person on himself and his allies.
  During Combat Roderus orders his Sentinels to attack, 
  but holds back himself, waiting to counterspell enemy 
  spellcasters. Afterward, he wades in with his warhammer, 
  using vampiric touch after he takes 30 points of damage.
  Morale Baron Roderus fights to the death.
  Base Statistics Without his spell, Baron Roderus’s statistics 
  are AC 22, touch 12, flat‑footed 22; hp 111; Fort +12; 
  Melee +2 warhammer +14/+9 (1d8+6/×3); Str 15, 
  Dex 8, Con 16; CMB +11; CMD 23.
  STATISTICS
  Str 21, Dex 6, Con 20, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 10
  Base Atk +9; CMB +16; CMD 27
  Feats Arcane Armor Mastery, Arcane Armor Training, 
  Arcane Strike, Combat Casting, Craft Magic Arms and 
  Armor, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Scribe 
  Scroll, Toughness, Weapon Focus (warhammer), Weapon 
  Specialization (warhammer)
  Skills Appraise +16, Fly +6, Intimidate +9, Knowledge 
  (history) +16, Knowledge (nobility) +12, Perception +11, 
  Sense Motive +14, Spellcraft +16
  Languages Common, Draconic, Elven, Kelish
  SQ arcane bond (ring of protection +3), protective ward 
  (+2 deflection, 10 ft., 3 rounds, 6/day)
  
  54
  Combat Gear potions of cure serious wounds (3), scroll 
  of interposing hand, scroll of lightning bolt, scroll 
  of polymorph; Other Gear +1 mithral full plate, +2 
  warhammer, cloak of resistance +3, ring of protection +3, 
  keys to keep, Roderus signet ring, spell component pouch, 
  spellbook, teleportation glyph
  THE FINAL SHOWDOWN (CR 15)
  Maxillar Pythareus is a mobile and tactically minded 
  figure who always seeks advantageous terrain. He is a 
  moving target as the PCs storm the keep at Abadar’s Pillar. 
  He most likely faces his opponents in the courtyard (see 
  area H3) or atop the battlements (see area H40), depending 
  on the adventure’s pacing and needs.
  Creatures: By default, four Zimar Sentinels and two 
  Vault and Chain templars accompany Maxillar Pythareus 
  to confront the PCs, but he also gathers his most loyal 
  supporters to his side, should they survive the PCs’ raid. 
  Dame Avenna (see area H38), Enumerator Iovinus (see 
  area H16), and Baron Roderus (see area H40) all join the 
  high strategos to confront the PCs if they have not been 
  compromised or dispatched before this final encounter, 
  potentially increasing the final challenge rating of this 
  battle to CR 17!
  Even at this late point in the adventure, the high 
  strategos is not beyond reason, and he lectures the 
  PCs for their naivete and betrayal of Taldor’s legacy. 
  The PCs can take this opportunity to engage Maxillar 
  Pythareus in a verbal duel, with both the high strategos 
  and his allies as separate audiences to win over. More 
  information for verbally dueling Maxillar Pythareus can 
  be found on page 59. As a multidirectional duel, PCs 
  must decide with each exchange whether they target 
  Maxillar’s determination or his soldiers’. The soldiers 
  have a bias against rhetoric and wit (–2) and a strong bias 
  against mockery (–5), as well as a strong bias for allegory 
  (+5), and a collective determination of 27, and the PCs 
  can use the edges described in Maxillar Pythareus’s NPC 
  entry against either the high strategos or his soldiers. If 
  the PCs eliminate the soldiers’ collective determination, 
  they withdraw their support and leave the general to 
  fight alone (note that this does not include the three 
  major NPCs who may join Maxillar Pythareus).
  MAXILLAR PYTHAREUS 
  CR 13
  XP 25,600
  hp 165 (see page 58)
  HONOR 
  CR —
  Horse animal companion
  N Large animal
  Init +4; Senses low‑light vision, scent; Perception +1
  DEFENSE
  AC 33, touch 14, flat‑footed 28 (+7 armor, +4 Dex, +1 dodge, 
  +12 natural, –1 size)
  hp 102 (12d8+48)
  Fort +12, Ref +12, Will +7 (+4 morale bonus vs. 
  enchantment spells and effects)
  Defensive Abilities evasion
  OFFENSE
  Speed 50 ft.; air walk
  Melee bite +14 (1d4+6), 2 hooves +12 (1d6+3)
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
  STATISTICS
  Str 22, Dex 18, Con 18, Int 3, Wis 12, Cha 6
  Base Atk +9; CMB +16; CMD 31 (35 vs. trip)
  Feats Blind‑Fight, Dodge, Iron Will, Medium Armor 
  Proficiency, Mobility, Multiattack, Spring Attack
  Skills Acrobatics +18 (+26 when jumping)
  SQ air walk, devotion
  Gear +1 mithral breastplate barding, horseshoes of a zephyr, 
  military saddle
  VAULT AND CHAINS TEMPLARS (2) 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400 each
  hp 98 each (see page 15)
  ZIMAR SENTINELS (4) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  hp 88 each (see page 13)
  Treasure: The most notable item among Maxillar 
  Pythareus’s possessions is a relic: Ovetrian’s Plate 
  (Pathfinder Adventure Path #128 81). The high strategos’s 
  own legendary deeds have already won the armor’s first 
  triumph for himself. However, anyone who claims the 
  armor does not share the high strategos’s triumph, and 
  must begin repowering it anew.
  Store Award: Once the PCs defeat Maxillar Pythareus 
  and dismantle the core of his political machine, award 
  them 76,800 XP.
  CONCLUDING THE 
  ADVENTURE
  Confronting Maxillar in his seat of power sends a 
  clear message across Taldor about Princess Eutropia’s 
  own extensive power and influence, but even with the 
  overwhelming evidence of Pythareus’s wrongdoing 
  the PCs accumulated, some supporters remain loyal to 
  the now‑defeated general—or at least remain opposed 
  to Princess Eutropia. Still, without the high strategos’s 
  overbearing personality to bind it together, his own 
  alliance of supporters begins to fracture, and the 
  members seek to separate themselves from rumors of 
  violence or preserve what power or wealth they threw 
  behind the adopted heir. Many of these supporters 
  
  55
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  reassert their own previous  claims to the throne—Cyris, 
  Phaeben, and Tarq in particular—but without a unifying 
  name or force, none show any real potential outside 
  their immediate spheres of influence.
  If High Strategos Pythareus survives his encounter 
  with the PCs, the Lion Blades take him into custody 
  and hold him while they continue gathering evidence 
  of his actions. Any trial will wait until after the War for 
  the Crown concludes, though if Eutropia succeeds in 
  winning the throne, she recuses herself from the trial 
  thanks to her own personal biases. Despite all he’s done, 
  however, Maxillar still has friends in high places, and 
  even supporters among the Lion Blades, and should he 
  survive the entire Adventure Path, his final punishment 
  is banishment to Absalom.
  If the PCs spare Stavian III’s life and deliver him to 
  Princess Eutropia, the reunion is bittersweet. Stavian 
  curses Eutropia, and her mother for bearing her; while 
  the princess is happy to see her father alive, she is deeply 
  wounded after years of neglect and his failed assassination 
  attempt. The PCs can affect Eutropia’s decision on what 
  to do with her aging, unstable father. The three most 
  likely options are to execute him, exile him from Taldor, 
  or imprison him for the remainder of his life. Whatever 
  their choice, Stavian III is no longer in a fit state to rule, 
  and returning him to the throne in his current state of 
  confusion and extreme emotional outbursts would be a 
  far greater disaster than his previous rule.
  One unresolved issue that grows to define the rest 
  of the War for the Crown Adventure Path is Pythareus’s 
  documents linking the Stavian family to the hated Adella 
  line (see area H36). Once Maxillar began collecting this 
  evidence, he spread much of it to trusted agents and 
  information brokers as a safety net, preventing Stavian 
  III from ever moving against him for fear that this 
  ugly bit of family history might be revealed. In the next 
  adventure, “The Reaper’s Right Hand,” the PCs discover 
  too late that the general’s defeat triggered a fail‑safe: 
  his various agents and provocateurs immediately begin 
  releasing those documents wherever they can do the 
  most damage!
  Even as the PCs leave Zimar and begin returning to 
  the Palace of Birdsong in the north, they may begin 
  hearing gossip that a hundred new claimants to the 
  throne have emerged, that the princess is not of royal 
  birth, or that Stavian III was only ever a pretender to the 
  throne, invalidating both his daughter’s and his adopted 
  son’s claims on the crown, though no one seems to have 
  details just yet.
  The damage grows far worse in the weeks leading 
  up to the next adventure, “The Reaper’s Right Hand,” 
  as Princess Eutropia struggles to discover whether she 
  truly is supposed to lead, and the Immaculate Circle 
  struggle to adapt their plots for control now that one 
  puppet is dispatched and their home‑spun heir, Carrius, 
  may no longer have a claim to the throne.
  
  56
  KATHANN ZALAR 
  CR 11
  XP 12,800
  Female vishkanya lion blade 7/rogue 5 (Pathfinder RPG 
  Bestiary 3 281, Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Inner Sea 
  Intrigue 36)
  LN Medium humanoid (vishkanya)
  Init +7; Senses low-light vision; Perception +18
  DEFENSE
  AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 17 (+6 armor, +1 deflection, +3 Dex)
  hp 74 (12d8+17)
  Fort +4, Ref +11, Will +8; +12 bonus vs. poison
  Defensive Abilities evasion, poison resistance, trap sense +1, 
  uncanny dodge; SR 17 (vs. divination)
  OFFENSE
  Speed 40 ft.
  Melee +1 glamered kukri +12/+7 (1d4 plus poison/18–20)
  Ranged mwk dagger +12 (1d4–1/19–20) or
  mwk wrist launcher +12 (poison)
  Special Attacks bardic performance 20 rounds/day (inspiring 
  poise, dirge of misfortune), sneak attack +5d6
  Lion Blade Spell-Like Abilities (CL 7th; concentration +11)
  1/day—unexpected suggestion
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Kathann avoids combat at all cost, knowing 
  that a fight means she has failed in her primary goals of 
  stealth and subterfuge.
  During Combat When she must attack, Kathann aims to 
  strike first, strike silently, and then immediately fall back.
  Morale Kathann is persistent in her goals, but she despises a 
  fair fight. She adopts a hit-and-run strategy and isn’t afraid 
  to fall back and regroup if outmatched.
  STATISTICS
  Str 8, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 18
  Base Atk +8; CMB +7; CMD 21
  Feats Combat Reflexes, Deceitful, Improved Initiative, Iron 
  Will, Skill Focus (Perform [act]), Weapon Finesse
  Skills Bluff +21, Climb +5, Diplomacy +12, Disguise +21, 
  Escape Artist +4, Linguistics +7, Perception +18, Perform 
  (act) +15, Sense Motive +16, Sleight of Hand +15, 
  Stealth +13, Swim +5; Racial Modifiers +2 Escape Artist, 
  +2 Perception, +2 Stealth
  Languages Common, Dwarven, Halfling, Hallit, Kelish, 
  Vishkanya
  SQ cloud the mind, crowd strike, hide in the crowd, master 
  of disguise, move with crowd, perfect surprise, poison 
  use, rogue talent (bardic pretender [see page 76], 
  coax informationAPG), secret step, slowing strike, toxic, 
  trapfinding +2
  Combat Gear potions of barkskin +2 (3), potion of heroism, 
  potions of invisibility (3), potion of neutralize poison, age 
  ointmentUI (2), blue whinnis (5), oils of taggit (3), smoke 
  pelletAPG (5); Other Gear +2 glamered chain shirt, +1 
  glamered kukri, mwk daggers (3), mwk wrist launcherUI 
  with 10 darts, cloak of resistance +1, quick-change 
  maskUI, ring of protection +1, slippers of spider climbing, 
  concealable thieves’ toolsUI, concealment coinUI, disguise kit, 
  pocketed scarfUE, reversible cloakUE, subversive vestUI, 550 gp
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Cloud the Mind (Su) When Kathann’s opposed Disguise 
  or Stealth check is exceeded by one or more observers’ 
  Perception checks, she can trick the observers into 
  thinking they imagined noticing anything wrong as an 
  immediate action. She attempts a Bluff check opposed by 
  the targets’ Sense Motive checks. Each target who fails 
  this opposed check ignores the fact that he saw her.
  Crowd Strike (Ex) All crowd squares count as enemies 
  threatening adjacent squares for the purpose of 
  determining whether Kathann is flanking an opponent. She 
  can use the Stealth skill to snipe even when making melee 
  attacks as long as she attacks from a square containing at 
  least one other creature within one size category of her.
  Dirge of Misfortune (Su) While maintaining this performance, 
  once per round as an immediate action Kathann can force 
  a creature within 30 feet to reroll any d20 roll it just made. 
  The opponent must use the result of the reroll, which takes 
  a –2 penalty. Dirge of misfortune is a mind-affecting ability 
  that relies on audible and visual components.
  Hide in the Crowd (Su) Kathann can use the Stealth skill 
  even when the only cover she has is that provided by 
  other creatures.
  Inspiring Poise (Ex) Kathann gains a +4 competence bonus 
  on checks with a skill of her choice for as long as she 
  maintains this bardic performance. The performance is 
  ended by any condition that imposes a penalty to her 
  Dexterity score or immobilizes her.
  Master of Disguise (Ex) Kathann takes no penalties on 
  Disguise checks to change the appearance of her age, 
  gender, or race.
  Move with the Crowd (Ex) When moving through groups of 
  intelligent Small, Medium, or Large creatures that would 
  One of the few ardent supporters of Eutropia within the Lion Blades, Kathann 
  Zalar ran covert operations in Zimar until the organization’s efforts recently 
  suffered a serious blow.
  KATHANN ZALAR
  
  57
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  normally count as difficult terrain, Kathann instead moves 
  normally. She gains a +5 competence bonus on Acrobatics 
  checks to avoid attacks of opportunity to move through an 
  enemy’s square when moving faster than half speed.
  Perfect Surprise (Ex) Whenever Kathann hits a foe with a 
  sneak attack at the end of a charge, she can make the 
  blow a perfect surprise as an immediate action. The target 
  must succeed at a DC 18 Fortitude saving throw or fall 
  unconscious for 7 rounds. Once targeted by this ability, a 
  victim is immune to perfect surprise for 24 hours.
  Secret Step (Ex) Kathann’s movement through crowds that 
  would normally be difficult terrain costs only half as many 
  squares of movement as normal. 
  Slowing Strike (Su) Once per round upon successfully hitting 
  a target with a sneak attack, Kathann can choose to deal 1 
  fewer die of sneak attack damage and instead reduce one of 
  the target’s speeds by 5 feet. Once any of the target’s speeds 
  have been reduced to 0 feet, the target is immobilized (but 
  not helpless). A target’s fly speed can be reduced this way 
  only if it uses wings to fly. The movement penalties imposed 
  by slowing strike can be removed by healing the affected 
  target to full hit points or by a lesser restoration spell.
  Unexpected Suggestion (Su) Once per day, a Lion Blade can 
  use suggestion on a flat-footed target. Her caster level is 
  equal to her Lion Blade level.
  Disguise and subterfuge came naturally to Kathann Zalar, 
  as a vishkanya daughter of immigrants in a land where 
  her people are unknown. In time, this gift led her to 
  the service of her homeland, though she remains tight-
  lipped as to how. Instead, she focuses on the present. 
  In Kathann’s estimation, the largest threats to Taldor’s 
  stability are internal: crumbling infrastructure, out-of-
  touch elites, and increasingly frustrated citizens who 
  turn to extreme measures to regain control in their lives. 
  While she specializes in targeting these elements when 
  they grow strong enough to threaten Taldor as a whole, 
  the Lion Blade also hopes for a day when the root causes 
  of these internal issues are finally addressed instead of 
  ignored. Kathann began supporting Eutropia’s reform 
  efforts nearly a decade ago—violating the Lion Blades’ 
  traditional stance of political noninvolvement—and 
  now that the War for the Crown has delivered a crushing 
  blow to the organization, many of her fellow agents are 
  reconsidering their dismissal of her efforts.
  While the Blades provide her with access to many 
  magical tools, Kathann prefers mundane disguises and 
  deceit. Too many high-profile targets know to watch out 
  for telltale magic auras, all while overlooking deceptions 
  as simple as a cloak and an affected limp.
  While she admits to being a cynical pragmatist, 
  Kathann dreams of a new, different Taldor where those 
  who stand outside of the human majority don’t need to 
  hide themselves in shame, though she worries she may 
  be too broken to live in such a world herself.
  CAMPAIGN ROLE
  The PCs first meet Kathann in War for the Crown’s 
  first adventure, “Crownfall,” when she ushers the PCs 
  inside the otherwise secure gala without a thorough 
  search, and later rushes in to stop Stavian’s massacre. 
  Revisiting them now, Kathann serves as guide and 
  advisor, offering the PCs hints or direction if their 
  investigations stall out.
  Kathann may decide to remain alongside the PCs 
  for the rest of this Adventure Path as a cohort for a 
  character with the Leadership feat, serving as an attaché 
  between these agents of Eutropia and the Lion Blades.
  
  58
  MAXILLAR PYTHAREUS 
  CR 13
  XP 25,600
  Male human (Taldan) cavalier 14 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced 
  Player’s Guide 32)
  LN Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +3; Senses Perception +15
  DEFENSE
  AC 30, touch 11, flat-footed 30 (+13 armor, +2 deflection, –1 
  Dex, +2 natural, +4 shield)
  hp 165 (14d10+84)
  Fort +17, Ref +9, Will +11; +4 morale vs. fear (+6 with 
  some abilities)
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. in armor)
  Melee +1 lance +23/+18/+13 (1d8+11/×3) or
  +2 battleaxe +23/+18/+13 (1d8+9/×3)
  Ranged +1 composite longbow +14/+9/+4 (1d8+5/×3)
  Special Attacks banner +3, cavalier’s charge, challenge 5/
  day (+14 damage, gain +4 AC), demanding challenge, for 
  the king, greater banner, greater tactician 3/day (Shake It 
  Off or Shield Wall, swift action, 10 rounds), mighty charge
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Maxillar seeks out his mount, Honor, and 
  consumes a potion of heroism before confronting enemies 
  (not included in these statistics).
  During Combat Maxillar opens combat with his banner 
  ability to rally all his allies, and activates his for the king 
  ability whenever he can spare a swift action. He leads 
  from the front, spurring Honor to charge opponents with 
  his lance or axe.
  Morale Maxillar fights to the death.
  STATISTICS
  Str 24, Dex 8, Con 18, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 12
  Base Atk +14; CMB +21; CMD 32
  Feats Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, 
  Lightning Reflexes, Lunge, Mounted Combat, Power 
  Attack, Ride-By Attack, Shake It OffUC, Shield WallAPG, 
  Toughness, Weapon Focus (lance)
  Skills Diplomacy +18, Intimidate +18, Perception +15, 
  Profession (soldier) +18, Ride +10, Sense Motive +18
  Languages Common, Kelish
  SQ expert trainer +7, lion’s call, mount (horse named Honor; 
  see page 54), order of the lion
  Combat Gear potion of cure serious wounds, 
  potions of feather fall (2) potions of heroism (3); 
  Other Gear Ovetrian’s Plate (see “Relics of Old Taldor” in 
  Pathfinder Adventure Path #128), +2 heavy steel shield, 
  +1 composite longbow (+4 Str), +1 lance, +2 battleaxe, 
  amulet of natural armor +2, belt of physical might +4 
  (Str, Con), cloak of resistance +4, headband of inspired 
  wisdom +2, ring of protection +2, ring of sustenance, keys 
  to keep,Pythareus family signet ring, teleportation glyph, 
  vault and golem keys (see area H36)
  Born into a long line of military commanders and war 
  heroes, Maxillar of House Pythareus grew up believing 
  himself destined for great things. As a boy, Maxillar 
  listened to his grandfather’s stories about Admiral 
  Arminus Pythareus, whose fleet attacked Absalom 800 
  years ago, and of Colonel Sarius Pythareus, who earned 
  the moniker “Lion of Zimar” when he led the attack 
  to liberate the oppressed people of Zimar during the 
  Grand Campaign.
  Maxillar’s father was a harsh man, and Maxillar’s 
  childhood was one of both luxury and severe discipline. 
  While some of Zimar’s best scholars saw to his education, 
  his father taught him to fight. But high expectations bred 
  a sense of entitlement, both for the career he should 
  have and the life he believed he was due. As a teenager, 
  Maxillar threw himself wantonly at female classmates, 
  insulting their ability while praising their beauty; he saw 
  their discomfort as a sign of victory. His increasingly 
  aggressive behavior stood out as a warning sign to his 
  tutors, particularly the military scholar Tae Amalon, and 
  when she brought the behavior to the senior Pythareus’s 
  attention and even threatened to withdraw her support 
  of Maxillar’s admittance to officers’ school, the old 
  man simply stabbed her and drafted his son to help 
  dispose of the body. The encounter shaped much of the 
  youth’s perspective on the world, and his response when 
  “servants” step out of line or speak above their station.
  Maxillar went on to excel in officers’ school, and as 
  a battlefield leader, culminating in his appointment to 
  the position of high strategos and nearly marrying the 
  young princess Eutropia, who found his opinions of 
  women, minorities, and foreigners odious, even if his 
  compassion for fellow Taldans mirrored her own. 
  While many of his recent moral compromises—egged 
  on by Milon Jeroth—have pushed him closer and closer 
  to evil, Maxillar’s nature is compassionate but heavily 
  High Strategos Maxillar Pythareus is handsome, charming, and fearless—
  everything Taldans believe an emperor should be. As Stavian III’s adopted 
  heir, he is Eutropia’s main rival for the throne.
  MAXILLAR PYTHAREUS
  
  59
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  colored by his staunchly traditionalist prejudices and 
  his father’s abusive discipline. He has refused orders 
  that would sacrifice his men and has donated vast sums 
  of gold to veteran groups, but he also relegates entire 
  classes of people to specific roles and sees nothing wrong 
  with responding violently when his “lessers” refuse to 
  defer. He believes Taldor owes its decline to certain 
  classes of people—commoners, foreign merchants, non-
  humans, and women—wielding too much social power, 
  and that society would be better for everyone, including 
  those “disruptive” classes, if all knew their proper places. 
  In short, he is selfish, arrogant, and paternalistic, but 
  infinitely capable of justifying those qualities and 
  assuaging any lingering guilt through charity.
  Now convinced of his own righteousness and that any 
  actions against him are conspiracy, Maxillar hopes to 
  rally and unify the nation—blind to the fact that he may 
  destroy it in doing so.
  CAMPAIGN ROLE
  Maxillar Pythareus serves as the primary 
  antagonist for the first half of the War for 
  the Crown Adventure Path. 
  Maxillar is not quite an evil man —
  though his recent actions have pushed 
  him far closer—just an arrogant one. 
  He is polluted by glorious purpose 
  and blinded by prejudice, and believes 
  he is the last and only hope for Taldor’s 
  future. The PCs can talk him back from his 
  dangerous course of events, especially if they 
  collect information about his spy network 
  or the sins of his past. If the PCs engage 
  Maxillar in a verbal duel (see Chapter 4 of 
  Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Intrigue particularly 
  Team Duels on page 181) as a team, either 
  by securing an audience with him through 
  trickery or by confronting him in their 
  assault on Abadar’s Pillar, they can 
  convince him that his fears for Taldor’s 
  future are unfounded, and that he’s 
  spent his entire life making moral 
  compromises for his own vanity and 
  for the glory of his family rather than 
  for the needs of the Taldan people.
  Maxillar has a determination of 
  27 and enters a verbal duel with 4 
  edges thanks to his confidence, 
  success, and the triumph won for 
  his relic, Ovetrian’s Plate. He has 
  a bias against baiting, logic, 
  and mockery (–2), and a 
  strong bias against 
  emotional 
  appeal 
  (–5), as well as a 
  bias for flattery and presence (+2). Each of the following 
  bits of information revealed to the soldiers or Maxillar 
  Pythareus grants the PCs 1 edge: Milon Jeroth’s nature 
  as a rakshasa, Milon Jeroth’s letter to the Immaculate 
  Circle, the Sisters of Indulgent Dreams’ identities as 
  night hags, the PCs’ training and blessing of the Lion 
  Blades, and Maxillar’s letter ordering the Seven Forms 
  of Sin to assassinate Princess Eutropia. Finally, if the 
  PCs reveal the dagger Maxillar’s father used to kill Tae 
  Amalon, they automatically reduce his determination by 
  8 by shaking Maxillar’s core confidence.
  If the PCs win this verbal duel, Maxillar 
  reluctantly stands down, calling off 
  his forces’ false-flag attacks and 
  ordering the PCs to leave Zimar, 
  he also agrees to abandon his 
  claim to the Primogen Throne, 
  though he refuses to surrender 
  or 
  acknowledge 
  Princess 
  Eutropia as the rightful 
  heir—both activities that 
  still embolden his allies’ 
  resistance and leave   the 
  military 
  largely 
  outside 
  Eutropia’s control. Winning 
  further 
  concessions 
  from 
  Maxillar 
  requires 
  additional 
  verbal 
  duels 
  or 
  winning 
  influence with him (see Chapter 
  3 of Pathfinder RPG Ultimate 
  Intrigue) as you see fit, though 
  convincing him to surrender 
  is a major coup, requiring 
  extraordinary events.
  When the PCs encounter the 
  general at the end of “City in the 
  Lion’s Eye,” his defeat appears 
  to determine who inherits 
  the throne of Taldor. But the 
  Stavian power base is built on 
  lies 2 centuries old: and unknown 
  even to Stavian and Eutropia, their 
  family 
  are 
  bastards, 
  descended 
  from the hated Adella family line, 
  and their ancestor Stavian I’s claim 
  to the throne is illegitimate. As one 
  of his duties, Maxillar Pythareus has 
  aggressively put down any such rumors 
  or evidence for decades—and quietly 
  stockpiled it as a political weapon. 
  Rumors of this should haunt the PCs 
  as hushed whispers even as they leave 
  Zimar, but the ramifications will be 
  fully explored in the next adventure, 
  “The Reaper’s Right Hand.”
  
  60
  MILON JEROTH 
  CR 13
  XP 25,600
  Male rakshasa ninja 6 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 231, 
  Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Combat 13)
  LE Medium outsider (native, shapechanger)
  Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +16
  DEFENSE
  AC 28, touch 18, flat-footed 20 (+7 Dex, +1 dodge, +10 natural)
  hp 200 (16 HD; 6d8+10d10+118)
  Fort +12, Ref +19, Will +12
  Defensive Abilities uncanny dodge; DR 15/good and 
  piercing; Resist acid 10; SR 28
  OFFENSE
  Speed 40 ft.
  Melee +1 flaming falcata +18/+13/+8 (1d8+3/19–20/×3 
  plus 1d6 fire) or
  bite +11 (1d6+1), 2 claws +11 (1d4+1)
  Special Attacks detect thoughts (DC 20), sneak attack +3d6
  Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 7th; concentration +12)
  3rd (5/day)—chain of perditionUC, suggestion (DC 18)
  2nd (7/day)—accelerate poisonAPG (DC 17), mirror image, 
  resist energy
  1st (8/day)—alarm, charm person (DC 16), hypnotism (DC 
  16), mage armor, vanishAPG (DC 16)
  0 (at will)—arcane mark, detect magic, detect poison, 
  mage hand, message, open/close (DC 15), read magic
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Milon prefers to strike from surprise, 
  poisoning or otherwise debilitating targets before drawing 
  his sword.
  During Combat Milon is overconfident and brutal in 
  combat, defending himself with spells like mirror image 
  and mage armor while coaxing enemies to defending 
  him with suggestion. He relies on chain of perdition to 
  distract enemies while he feints with his beloved falcata 
  whenever possible.
  Morale Milon attempts to flee and recuperate if reduced 
  below 30 hit points. If confronted in his home, he fights to 
  the death.
  STATISTICS
  Str 14, Dex 24, Con 24, Int 13, Wis 16, Cha 21
  Base Atk +14; CMB +16; CMD 34
  Feats Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Exotic 
  Weapon Proficiency (falcata), Improved Feint, Improved 
  Natural Armor, Mobility, Persuasive, Weapon Focus (falcata)
  Skills Acrobatics +7 (+11 to jump), Bluff +22, Diplomacy +22, 
  Disable Device +22, Disguise +28, Intimidate +22, 
  Knowledge (local) +14, Knowledge (nobility) +14, 
  Linguistics +8, Perception +16, Perform (oratory) +18, 
  Sense Motive +16, Sleight of Hand +20, Stealth +20; 
  Racial Modifiers +4 Bluff, +8 Disguise
  Languages Celestial, Common, Halfling, Infernal, Kelish, 
  Ulfen, Undercommon
  SQ change shape (any humanoid; alter self), ki pool (8 
  points), light steps, ninja tricks (charmerAPG, combat trick, 
  honeyed words 2/dayAPG), no trace +2, poison use
  Combat Gear potion of cure serious wounds (2), potion of 
  delay poison (3), potion of fox’s cunning (2), unfettered 
  shirtUE, hemlock (2), purple worm poison (3); Other 
  Gear +1 flaming falcataAPG, minor ring of acid resistance, 
  masterwork thieves’ tools, poison pill ringUE, poisoning 
  sheathUE, Jeroth signet ring, 300 gp
  As native outsiders, rakshasas live and dwell among 
  mortals, and must eat, sleep, and breed as mortals do. 
  The overwhelming majority of their kind are born from 
  one or more rakshasa parents, but on rare occasion a 
  particularly wicked human family may sire a rakshasa 
  spontaneously. Such was the case 200 years ago when 
  the wanton and corrupt Jeroth family found themselves 
  parents to a lion-headed infant. Young Milon’s features 
  quickly morphed to a more acceptable human form, but 
  his parents saw the birth as miraculous—the lion serving 
  as Taldor’s most divine symbol—and as proof of their 
  noble blood. They showered the lad with affection and 
  the best tutors even as they continued their cutthroat 
  politics and manipulation, and young Milon, a smart 
  child even as a toddler, watched and learned.
  When the child’s strength, temper, and unnatural 
  appetites finally became apparent, the Jeroths thought 
  to sweep their monster under the rug by sending him 
  to the Monastery of Seven Forms to learn discipline. 
  The Jeroths’ plan backfired, and Milon returned a man 
  with followers in tow: his Seven Forms of Sin disciples, 
  who, like their master, sought to embrace divine purpose 
  through overwhelming indulgence. Milon slew his 
  parents and took their faces for his own, laying the 
  foundation for his shadow empire in Zimar.
  The young rakshasa posed as generations of Jeroths 
  for 2 centuries—young and old, men and women—and 
  Handsome, charming, and sadistic, Maxillar Pythareus’s spymaster, Milon 
  Jeroth, wields his influence with the same grace and deadly effectiveness as 
  he wields a blade.
  MILON JEROTH
  
  61
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  his business dealings and growing influence attracted 
  the attention of many of Taldor’s elitist secret societies. 
  He found membership in many of these under various 
  names, taking what he needed and consuming those who 
  offended him. Only Panivar Lotheed’s Immaculate Circle 
  seemed to keep him content. Once he demonstrated his 
  “immortality”—a trait he claimed to have perfected by 
  mastering his own internal alchemy, but is in fact just 
  his natural longevity as a rakshasa—the inner circle 
  welcomed the schemer and manipulator who ruled the 
  seat of Taldor’s military.
  Though handsome, insightful, 
  dapper, and charming, Milon 
  Jeroth 
  is 
  above 
  all 
  a 
  predator, and he views 
  all of southern Taldor 
  as his savanna to stalk. 
  He 
  well 
  remembers 
  Maxillar 
  Pythareus’s 
  occasionally 
  troubled 
  childhood, and—posing 
  as the senior Jeroth—
  even 
  helped 
  encourage 
  the young man’s sense of 
  entitlement. He now sees 
  the current high strategos as a 
  beautiful rose whose thorns he has 
  diligently sharpened. 
  As a master of disguise and 
  deception, Jeroth is accustomed to making 
  do with a minute amount of force, applied 
  with careful consideration. His use of 
  shapeshifting 
  rakshasa 
  agents 
  only 
  magnifies this effect—just 24 direct agents 
  serve him, spread across southern Taldor 
  and maintaining a dozen identities apiece, 
  and each juggling a hundred informants, 
  loose-lipped lovers, and whistle-blowers. 
  He still maintains his cultlike following in 
  the Seven Forms of Sin, and he dispatches 
  them to behead those serpents he can’t 
  tame. After 2 centuries, Milon has come 
  back around to using his original name, 
  a sign of his supreme overconfidence 
  and comfort.
  CAMPAIGN ROLE
  Milon Jeroth serves as an early and 
  possibly recurring antagonist to the 
  PCs in their mission in Zimar, as well 
  as being the devil on Maxillar Pythareus’s 
  shoulder. He hopes to ambush any lingering 
  Lion Blades in the city, or any new agents the 
  organization dispatches to investigate, but his 
  excessive confidence often leads to overextending 
  himself or vastly underestimating his enemies. Cautious 
  PCs can take advantage of this trait by easily baiting the 
  rakshasa into traps that a warier opponent would easily 
  avoid. Milon sees himself as a lion in a land of gazelles, 
  but he has yet to learn that sometimes the gazelle wins.
  Should he escape, the rakshasa returns to the 
  Immaculate Circle to lie low, and PCs may encounter 
  him once again when they confront the secret society 
  in “The Six-Legend Soul.” His failure in this critical part 
  of the plan, however, means exile from the inner circle 
  and its luxuries. By the time the PCs 
  arrive, he may be relegated to leading 
  guardians to the Circle’s defense. At 
  your discretion, Jeroth may even serve as 
  an unexpected ally, as his bitterness over 
  his exile drives him to help destroy the 
  inner circle for his humiliation. Given 
  his shapeshifting nature, the PCs 
  may not even come to realize who 
  their benefactor is until after 
  the bloody work is complete.
  
  62
  “I marveled at the height of the city wall as I rode toward Zimar. I 
  was awed as I passed through the city gate: the sturdy doors, the 
  serious guards, and the heavy portcullis. I smiled when I saw dozens 
  upon dozens of houses with red clay tile roofs, domed palaces of 
  deep blue and white marble, and minarets nearly a hundred feet 
  tall. This city was bursting with life, and trade, and wonder. I adored 
  the painstaking detail in everything I saw: the lions emblazoned on 
  the soldiers’ uniforms, the bas-reliefs on the walls of the houses, 
  and the intricately carved fountains.
  “At the same time, I had an inescapable feeling that something was 
  terribly wrong with this city. Every word I heard felt calculated, every 
  smile seemed feigned, and everyone looked at me as though they 
  were sizing me up. I have never felt so alone as I did that day.”
  —Ulvar Bodilson, traveling merchant
  ZIMAR
  
  63
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  L
  ocated on the west bank of the Jalrune River and 
  a day’s ride from the Qadiran border, Zimar is 
  Taldor’s southernmost major settlement and 
  Taldor’s third largest city after Oppara and Cassomir. Also 
  known as the Aegis of Taldor, Zimar is a heavily fortified 
  garrison town, acting as Taldor’s first line of defense 
  against the threat of a Qadiran invasion. However, 
  during the centuries-long war commonly known as the 
  Grand Campaign, Zimar was intermittently occupied 
  by Qadiran forces, which left a lasting mark on Zimar’s 
  architecture—the cityscape dominated by Taldan-style 
  red clay tile roofs and columned halls of white marble is 
  interspersed by tall minarets, domed palaces, and tented 
  markets reminiscent of Qadiran cities.
  The long period of occupation also shaped the 
  attitudes of the people in Zimar. Even though 2 centuries 
  have passed since the end of the Grand Campaign, most 
  residents of Zimar hate Qadirans and are determined 
  never to let their southern foes humiliate Zimar again. It 
  is said that Zimar has enough supplies to last 5 years if 
  besieged, and it can field an army of nearly 10,000 soldiers 
  when necessary. Many units of the Taldan Phalanx and 
  the Taldan Horse are stationed in Zimar, and the city 
  has hundreds of men and women who belong to elite 
  paramilitary units—including the city watch called the 
  Zimar Sentinels and the Golden Templar inquisitors 
  of Abadar—who can bolster the ranks of the military in 
  times of war. Lastly, every adult citizen in Zimar is at least 
  nominally a member of the Blue Guard, Zimar’s militia.
  HISTORY
  Following the expansion of the satrapy of Qadira toward 
  Taldor’s southern border, the first clash between Taldor 
  and Qadira took place at the Battle of Urfa near the White 
  Pass in –4 ar. Alarmed by its neighbor’s expansionist 
  ambitions, Taldor began fortifying its southern border. 
  General Antilla Zimara, who commanded Taldor’s 
  southern army at the time, ordered her troops to build 
  a large garrison that would serve as a headquarters for 
  military operations in the south. Zimara chose a fertile 
  piece of land adjacent to a long-standing independent 
  city-state, whose craftspeople, laborers, and leaders 
  quickly realized the plentiful opportunities to support 
  the army—and the inevitable result if they resisted. The 
  Taldan garrison became so influential to the existing city 
  that the name for the garrison—Zimar—soon came to 
  refer to the entire settlement. 
  For over 4,000 years, Zimar stood unchallenged as the 
  indomitable aegis that Taldor relied upon to keep its 
  southern border secure while its Armies of Exploration 
  invaded and annexed land in the west, north, and east. 
  During this golden age of Taldor, many small villages 
  dotted the scrublands around Zimar, and trade was brisk 
  not only between these new communities but also with 
  settlements across the Qadiran border.
  When Qadira invaded southern Taldor in 4079 ar, 
  Zimar was one of the first Taldan settlements to fall into 
  Qadiran hands. In the following year, Qadiran invaders 
  burned most of the settlements surrounding Zimar 
  in the Ember Night, an event many modern Taldans 
  still bring up to justify anti-Qadiran sentiment. When 
  Taldans managed to turn the tide of the war and began 
  a counteroffensive in 4328, Zimar was liberated. A few 
  decades later, Qadiran forces recaptured the city with 
  reinforcements from the Padishah Empire of Kelesh. 
  In 4599, after a long siege, the city was finally returned 
  to Taldan control. This victory is often attributed to a 
  young captain named Sarius Pythareus, who led a group 
  of soldiers into Zimar during an armistice and opened 
  the gates for the Taldan army waiting outside. Taking 
  advantage of his newfound fame, the captain established 
  ZIMAR, AEGIS OF TALDOR
  LN large city
  Corruption +5; Crime –1; Economy +3; Law +7; Lore +4; 
  Society –2
  Qualities insular, memories of occupation, military base, 
  rumormongering citizens, strategic location
  Danger +10
  DEMOGRAPHICS
  Government overlord
  Population 17,540 (15,630 humans, 560 dwarves, 480 
  half-elves, 330 halflings, 540 other)
  NOTABLE NPCS
  Archbanker Iovinus (LE male human antipaladinAPG 
  [tyrantUI] of Abadar 11)
  Bazaar Master Miraia Idaican (CN female half-elf 
  mesmeristOA 7)
  Duchess Lenia Talviala (LN female middle-aged human 
  aristocrat 8)
  High Strategos Maxillar Pythareus (LN male human 
  cavalierAPG 14)
  Inquisitor General Feradica Torcamay (LE female aasimar 
  inquisitorAPG of Abadar 10)
  MARKETPLACE
  Base Value 9,000 gp; Purchase Limit 50,000 gp; 
  Spellcasting 7th
  Minor Items 4d4; Medium Items 3d4; Major Items 2d4
  SPECIAL QUALITIES
  Memories of Occupation Citizens of Zimar have lasting 
  memories for the many atrocities—some real, but many 
  exaggerated—of Qadiran occupation and therefore 
  reject most foreign cultural contributions. (Society –1)
  Military Base Many imperial troops are stationed in Zimar, 
  prepared for the threat of war. The soldiers frequent 
  the city’s vice dens and underground arenas when their 
  funds allow, but they also provide additional protection 
  to the city. (Corruption +1, Law +1)
  
  64
  0
  600 FEET
  Adobe 
  District
  15
  14
  9
  3
  2
  5
  13
  4
  1
  6
  12
  11
  10
  8
  7
  Anvil District
  Scrolls 
  District
  Golden District
  Pike
  District
  1. LION’S GATE
  2. FALCON’S BRIDGE
  3. FORTRESS ESTATES
  4. IRON GARRISON
  5. HOUSE OF GOLD
  6. QUARTER OF THE DEAD
  7. ZIMAR ARCHIVES
  8. GENNARIS ACADEMY
  9. DOCKS
  10. ABADAR’S PILLAR
  11. BATHS OF DIOCLYTUS
  12. SOVEREIGN SMITHY
  13. RAINBOW BAZAAR
  14. RUMSIDE
  15. ABADAR’S GATE
  ZIMAR
  
  65
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  House Pythareus as one of the wealthiest and most 
  influential families in post-war Zimar.
  After the Grand Campaign, Taldans spent a century 
  rebuilding and fortifying Zimar. Although the city 
  emerged stronger than ever before, the surrounding 
  region never fully recovered. Villages that were 
  abandoned or destroyed during the war were never 
  rebuilt, and trade in the region has greatly diminished. 
  Roads and bridges deteriorate as tax revenues no longer 
  flow in from once-prosperous outlying communities.
  DISTRICTS
  Zimar is located on the west bank of the Jalrune River, 
  deep in the scrublands of southern Taldor. The climate 
  is warm and semi-arid; save for the fertile banks of the 
  river, the terrain near Zimar is largely nutrient-poor and 
  flat. Tall, stone walls protect Zimar from all directions, 
  and the river forms a natural barrier that deters all but the 
  most determined attacks from the east. The Jalrune River 
  remains deep enough here for most Taldan merchant 
  ships coming from the Inner Sea, providing an expedient 
  method of travel. The roads that lead to Zimar, however, 
  are old and in poor condition, making travel through the 
  scrublands around Zimar an arduous endeavor.
  Zimar has five formal districts (although residents 
  recognize an unofficial sixth district), each with a 
  different character and architectural features.
  Adobe District: Named after the many houses in the 
  district made of mud-brick, the Adobe District is the 
  poorest district in Zimar. While foreigners are allowed 
  to own property in any part of Zimar, bloated property 
  prices, heavy taxation, and bureaucratic structures that 
  favor native Taldan humans encourage foreigners and 
  non-humans to settle in the Adobe District. Many of 
  the denizens of the Adobe District have lived in the 
  neighborhood for many generations; descendants 
  of poor laborers who helped rebuild the city after the 
  Grand Campaign. Roof-running is a popular pastime 
  along the flat roofs of the Adobe District; criminals also 
  take advantage of these navigable roofs to avoid capture. 
  The Zimar Sentinels largely turn a blind eye to crimes 
  in the Adobe District, so long as they don’t affect people 
  living in the wealthier parts of the city. Infrastructure 
  is poorly managed here as well, and it has many easily 
  accessible entrances to the Undercity.
  Anvil District: The majority of Zimar’s industry is 
  concentrated in the Anvil District, which is located in 
  the northeastern quarter of the city. Dozens of arsenals, 
  forges, and workshops make armor, arms, and other 
  equipment for the military and paramilitary units of 
  Zimar. Day and night, smokestacks spew thick black 
  smog, and the sound of hammering can be heard 
  throughout the district. The largest of Zimar’s districts, 
  the Anvil District houses roughly a third of the city’s 
  population in working-class residential areas.
  Golden District: The Golden District is primarily the 
  residential area for Zimar’s nobility and, as a consequence, 
  it’s the wealthiest of the six districts. The district is 
  famous for its gilded street lights, geometrically sculpted 
  gardens, opulent palaces, spacious plazas, and statues. 
  Gold, jewelry, silk, and spices are bought and sold in 
  luxury markets throughout the Golden District by those 
  who have—or can fake—appropriate credentials.
  Pike District: The Pike District is the location of the 
  original garrison founded by General Zimara. Although 
  it was long ago incorporated into the city, the Pike 
  District houses the thousands of soldiers who live in 
  Zimar. The district also has several training facilities 
  and numerous taverns. Many middle-class and working-
  class families live in the Pike District, particularly those 
  with a long Taldan pedigree who boast of living in the 
  most historically “Taldan” district of the city.
  Scrolls District: Known for its white marble houses 
  with magnificent columned halls, the Scrolls District 
  is located in central Zimar near Abadar’s Pillar. It is 
  the smallest of the city’s districts, but nonetheless 
  well known as the center of Zimar’s education and 
  lore. Administration buildings, archives, libraries, and 
  schools crowd in the district, although the majority of 
  the buildings are upscale residences for government 
  officials, nobles, and the upper-middle class. The 
  Scrolls District also includes several well-known shops 
  specializing in antiques. Buyers travel to Zimar from 
  afar to get their hands on artifacts dating back to Ancient 
  Osirion, the Jistka Imperium, or even Azlant, and 
  vendors pay well for items retrieved from ancient ruins.
  Undercity: Beneath the streets of Zimar lies the so-called 
  Undercity, which some citizens call “the sixth district.” 
  This labyrinthine network of underground tunnels and 
  chambers consists of abandoned basements, buried 
  buildings, catacombs, and sewer passages. Entrances to 
  the Undercity can be found hidden throughout all of 
  Zimar, though the government works to block as many 
  of the entrances as possible, particularly in the wealthier 
  districts, so that the people can conveniently forget these 
  place exists. Criminals, fugitives, monsters, and resistance 
  groups live in the Undercity, using the passageways 
  to store contraband and avoid the soldiers who patrol 
  the streets above. According to rumors, all residents of 
  the Undercity answer to a massive otyugh king named 
  Gulreesh (see page 36); in reality, though, the otyugh 
  wields relatively little power over the denizens here.
  NOTABLE SITES
  Information on key locations found throughout Zimar 
  follows, although many other sites of interest exist in 
  the city.
  1. Lion’s Gate: One of Zimar’s two massive city gates, 
  this gate and its stone frame are decorated with lion 
  motifs. The gate and gatehouse are described in further 
  
  66
  detail on page 14. The road that runs south from the 
  Lion’s Gate leads around the Border Wood to Demgazi, 
  40 miles southwest of Zimar.
  2. Falcon’s Bridge: This impressive arched bridge over 
  the Jalrune River is over 500 feet long. Farmers, travelers, 
  and Zimar’s patrols use the bridge to cross the river 
  without relying on rafts or ferries. At its apex, the Falcon’s 
  Bridge is high enough to allow the Taldan Imperial 
  Navy’s ships to pass beneath it, although the current 
  truce with Qadira forbids either nation from sailing its 
  military vessels on the Jalrune River. While sturdy in 
  its construction, the bridge was built so that engineers 
  who know its secret mechanisms can quickly collapse 
  the bridge to stymie an invasion from across the river. 
  The road beyond the bridge—the Lion’s Road—winds 
  its way through the farmlands to the east and leads to 
  the fortress and town of Lionsguard, approximately 100 
  miles east of Zimar.
  3. Fortress Estates: Outside Zimar stand heavily fortified 
  farms, manors, ranches, and wineries designed to keep 
  the inhabitants protected against bandit attacks or enemy 
  invaders. Most of the estates have hired guards, guard 
  dogs, traps, walls, and other defenses to make intruders 
  think twice about trespassing. These estates produce the 
  majority of the food sold in Zimar, and they protect their 
  shipments to and from the city from brigands and rivals. 
  Representatives of the Fortress Estates are some of the 
  loudest proponents for repairing the deteriorating roads 
  around Zimar, but none of the estate owners want to 
  fund repairs themselves, as road repairs benefit not only 
  themselves, but their competitors as well.
  4. Iron Garrison: Located in the Pike District, the 
  Iron Garrison is the sprawling complex of barracks and 
  training facilities where soldiers of the Taldan Horse, 
  Taldan Phalanx, and Zimar Sentinels eat, sleep, and 
  train. At least a thousand battle-ready troops can be 
  deployed from the Iron Garrison at a moment’s notice. 
  The taverns closest to the Iron Garrison are some of the 
  liveliest in all of Zimar, although non-military patrons 
  tend to stand out and are sometimes harassed by hard-
  drinking soldiers.
  5. House of Gold: By far the largest of Zimar’s houses 
  of worship, this gilded cathedral is surrounded by 
  the largest garden in Zimar. Although primarily the 
  center of Abadaran worship in the region, the House of 
  Gold is famous for training Golden Templars, an elite 
  paramilitary unit of Abadaran inquisitors informally 
  called “taxmasters.” The Golden Templars also work 
  alongside the Zimar Sentinels to maintain order in the 
  city and handle security in Abadar’s Pillar. Archbanker 
  Iovinus oversees the cathedral, but his tyrannical 
  subordinate Inquisitor General Feradica Torcamay 
  is responsible for training the Golden Templars, 
  organizing their day-to-day operations, and many other 
  responsibilities at the cathedral.
  6. Quarter of the Dead: This cluster of buildings 
  mainly consists of entrances to the catacombs beneath 
  the streets of Zimar. In Zimar, rotting in the ground is 
  considered vulgar, so it is customary for wealthy families 
  to own subterranean family vaults for their dead. A 
  network of tunnels connects the different parts of the 
  catacombs, and less wealthy families inter their dead in 
  niches along the tunnel walls. Most of the burial chambers 
  are protected with deadly spells, traps, or even guards to 
  keep grave robbers away. Amid the sepulchers stand a 
  few shrines dedicated to Abadar, Pharasma, Sarenrae, 
  Shelyn, and other deities. Although the Quarter of the 
  Dead was built separately from the Undercity, gradual 
  expansion of family vaults and occasional structural 
  damage from earthquakes has exposed new passages 
  into the Undercity. As a consequence, some family vaults 
  are now infested with criminals or monsters.
  7. Zimar Archives: City bureaucrats store official 
  records of all kinds in this aggregation of buildings in 
  the Scrolls District, where Zimar’s citizens must venture 
  to obtain permits for civic endeavors such as land sales 
  and filing tax disputes. The largest building is Zimar’s 
  High Court of Justice, a magnificent building of white 
  marble facing the Grand Plaza.
  8. 
  Gennaris 
  Academy: 
  The 
  most 
  prestigious 
  institution of education in Zimar, the Gennaris Academy 
  offers a wide range of subjects in its curriculum. Thanks 
  to its well-meaning but old-fashioned and stubborn 
  headmaster, Venarius Apillo (LG male old investigatorACG 
  9), the academy offers a far more comprehensive selection 
  of courses in history, law, and military science than any 
  other subject. Critics in other countries, particularly in 
  Cheliax and Qadira, maintain that the academy teaches 
  a one-sided version of history and that its lies and half-
  truths about Taldor’s rivals are not conducive to building 
  trust and revitalizing trade.
  9. Docks: A bristling bank of docks juts into the Jalrune 
  River from the western edge of the river near Abadar’s 
  Pillar. Piers intended for merchant ships and passenger 
  ferries stand alongside sturdy docks reserved for the 
  Zimar Corsairs, a fleet of “free” privateers that are known 
  to target non-Taldan vessels but retain just enough 
  independence that they don’t violate the restriction 
  against sailing Imperial Navy ships on the river. Many 
  Zimar Corsairs also function as smugglers, using the 
  docks to resupply and sell stolen goods between their 
  patrol runs and raids. At the base of the docks are several 
  warehouses where merchants can store their goods for a 
  fee. Zimar’s high wall separates the docks from the city 
  proper, and anyone entering Zimar through the docks 
  faces the same level of scrutiny as those who travel by 
  land. Duchess Lenia Talviala owns the docks and works 
  with trusted subordinates to ensure that goods move in 
  and out of the docks area without delay and no criminal 
  activities take place that can be tied to her.
  
  67
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  10. Abadar’s Pillar: High Strategos Maxillar Pythareus, 
  a descendant of the war hero Sarius Pythareus, rules 
  Zimar with an iron fist from the fortress known as 
  Abadar’s Pillar. Over 80 feet high, the fortress’s keep is 
  the tallest building in Zimar. Abadar’s Pillar was built 
  on a spot overlooking the Jalrune River, surrounded by 
  a moat filled by diverting water from the river. Abadar’s 
  Pillar is described in detail beginning on page 40.
  11. Baths of Dioclytus: Zimar is known for its many 
  bathhouses, and the citizens of Zimar consider luxurious 
  baths to have considerable health benefits. Some of the 
  city’s bathhouses cater only to the rich, while others are 
  open to visitors regardless of station. Zimar’s bathhouses 
  are generally built of marble and receive water through 
  an underground aqueduct heated with subterranean fire 
  pits. The wealthy and the poor alike enjoy discussing 
  politics and exchanging juicy gossip while relaxing 
  in baths and sweating rooms. Arraio Garicus (N male 
  human bard 7) runs the Baths of Dioclytus, the largest 
  and most famous of Zimar’s public bathhouses, which 
  incorporates many other services, including a cafe, a 
  massage parlor, and an upscale inn.
  12. Sovereign Smithy: This state-sponsored forge 
  employs the best blacksmiths in Zimar—perhaps in 
  all of Taldor. The Sovereign Smithy makes weapons 
  and armor for Zimar’s aristocrats, elite military units, 
  and even for Maxillar Pythareus himself. All weapons 
  crafted at the Sovereign Smithy are of masterwork 
  quality and etched with a sword-and-falcon 
  mark known as the Falcon Seal. To protect the 
  reputation of this elite mark, counterfeiters of the 
  Falcon Seal are punished harshly, losing their right hand 
  at the wrist; repeat offenders face the death penalty. 
  Some of the finest weapons produced at the Sovereign 
  Smithy are enchanted by clerics of Abadar at the House 
  of Gold and delivered to high-ranking members of 
  the imperial military. A small but well-trained force of 
  veteran fighters known as the Battlesmiths guards the 
  Sovereign Smithy and its valuable shipments, and a 
  grizzled army veteran named Hannicus (NG female old 
  human fighter 8) both runs the smithy and commands 
  the Battlesmiths.
  13. Rainbow Bazaar: Named after its colorful tents 
  and bazaar stalls that sell a staggering variety of goods, 
  the Rainbow Bazaar is located in the poorest part of 
  Zimar. The upper classes see the Rainbow Bazaar as a 
  cesspit of criminal activity, but a discerning shopper 
  can discover items here unavailable anywhere else in 
  Zimar, such as Qadiran antiquities, drugs, and magic 
  items. The bazaar’s unofficial manager is Miraia Idaican, 
  whose hired guards provide security for those vendors 
  who turn over a small percentage of their profits. While 
  it’s generally safe for anyone to browse the wares at the 
  bazaar, wearing expensive clothes or carrying a heavy 
  coin purse is certain to attract pickpockets or robbers.
  14. Rumside: Most of Zimar’s working-class pubs and 
  bars are located in a neighborhood called Rumside. As 
  beer, rum, and other cheap drinks are popular in this 
  part of town, anyone with more than a few coins to spend 
  on drink usually goes elsewhere. Rowdy entertainment, 
  such as boxing matches and gambling, are also available 
  in Rumside.
  15. Abadar’s Gate: Zimar’s north gate is nearly identical 
  to the Lion’s Gate at the south end of the city, except the 
  decorations depict cavalry soldiers bearing oversized 
  religious icons rather than depicting lions. Zimar 
  Highway, the road that extends north from Abadar’s 
  Gate, leads to the small but significant town of Ortalaca, 
  50 miles north of Zimar.
  ARRAIO GARICUS
  
  68
  “Ask yourself: If your eternal reward awaits you in the afterlife, 
  what is the purpose of this world? 
  “Ask yourself: If it is meant to be your choice that determines 
  your fate, why does fate exist? 
  “Labor for your promised paradise if you wish, knowing it can be 
  stripped from you by divine whim. Be slaves for your little gods, 
  or accept their punishments if you dare turn your back on their 
  decrees and their judgments. Play by their rules if you truly think it 
  fair. Not everyone is meant for more than servitude. 
  “But those of us who are willing to reach out and grasp what is 
  owed to us have no need to bow before others in hopes of divine 
  reward. Our rewards are ours to take. We carve our own eternity. 
  We have a greater fate. We are immune to punishments that small-
  minded creatures would thrust upon us. We do not serve—we rule.”
  —Narindal Nagaryana, rakshasa philosopher and recruiter
  RAKSHASA THREATS
  
  69
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  I
  f some creatures live virtuous lives to find paradise in 
  the world beyond, rakshasas might be said to have the 
  opposite philosophy. Reincarnated from the souls of 
  cannibals, manipulators, and tyrants, rakshasas seek to 
  debase themselves in such sin and excess that their souls 
  survive eternally. Weighed down by a lifetime of earthly 
  corruption, their evil spirits unable and unwilling to 
  find their way into the afterlife, rakshasas instead remain 
  bound to the material world after death. They are reborn 
  into mortal infants or the children of other rakshasas, 
  constantly reincarnating to continue their uncontrolled 
  consumption. All rakshasas, no matter their intelligence, 
  power, or status, are ruled by their insatiable desire for 
  more. Lower-caste rakshasas constantly strive to sate 
  their restless appetites. Higher-caste rakshasas are more 
  able to control their hunger, indulging it subtly so that 
  they might plot for decades or even centuries unnoticed. 
  Behind this facade of control, though, a rakshasa’s every 
  action serves its monstrous appetites. It is the nature of 
  these earthbound evils never to find true satisfaction, 
  and a rakshasa’s greed can override its natural caution, 
  luring it out to a violent death.
  Rakshasas adhere to a system of castes, though they 
  accept movement between castes upon being reborn as 
  a sign of ascending—or falling—to a creature’s destined 
  station in life. This social mobility exists as a result of 
  the rakshasa castes placing pragmatism over dogma, 
  with an individual’s caste serving as an indication of its 
  current power in rakshasa society. Castes apply to all 
  aspects of rakshasa life, encompassing rakshasas and 
  all other creatures likewise, from the lowest in status 
  (pagala, or rakshasa traitors) to the highest (samrata, or 
  rakshasa lords of lords). Rakshasas relegate most non-
  rakshasas to the caste of goshta, meaning food or meat, 
  though particularly powerful and crafty individuals may 
  rise in a rakshasa’s esteem and ranking. It is the worldly 
  right of all high-caste rakshasas to exploit those of lesser 
  caste for power or their own selfish whims, while lower-
  caste rakshasas are expected to gain as much influence 
  and rise in caste as quickly as possible. Truly potent 
  rakshasas ascend beyond the limitation of castes to skirt 
  the boundaries of divinity.
  The undying evil of a rakshasa grants it fearsome 
  abilities, from powerful magic to the ability to shrug off 
  physical blows. Holy arrows and other blessed weapons 
  can pierce through a rakshasa’s hide, however, and their 
  weaknesses are well known in the lands where these 
  creatures are most common. Concerned that their 
  enemies might learn of this vulnerability, rakshasas are 
  very careful to conceal their true natures, denying would-
  be monster hunters the advantage of knowing about this 
  common trait. Most rakshasas use their natural powers 
  of disguise and manipulation to avoid identification, 
  while others use illusion and misdirection to cast the 
  blame for their evil deeds onto scapegoats. 
  RAKSHASAS ON GOLARION
  Though rakshasas are most common in Vudra, their 
  long life spans and the nature of their reincarnation 
  mean they can be found almost anywhere on the face 
  of Golarion. They are scheming and patient, and their 
  powers of deception and disguise allow them to insinuate 
  themselves into whatever aspect of society best suits their 
  machinations. The most cunning rakshasas are master 
  manipulators, preying on victims’ desires and controlling 
  events from behind the scenes until their schemes come 
  to fruition. Since rakshasas are nearly guaranteed to be 
  reborn if slain, they often leave contingencies for their 
  future incarnations, hoping their reborn selves will be 
  able to recall enough dim memories of their past lives to 
  pick up old plans or reclaim influence or inheritance left 
  behind. Once a rakshasa has staked its claim over an area, 
  it is nearly impossible to uproot so long as any scrap of 
  the rakshasa’s power network remains. 
  Several prominent rakshasas and their plots are listed 
  below. The area where each rakshasa operates is noted 
  in parenthesis following each plot. Additional rakshasa 
  plots can be found on page 163 of Pathfinder RPG Book of 
  the Damned.
  Werebear of Wispil (Taldor): When the bear-headed 
  rakshasa Vakashtra (LE female rakshasa) was discovered 
  in Andoran and fled through the Verduran Forest to 
  escape retribution at the hands of her victims, she 
  had the ill fortune of running into a cabal of powerful 
  druids. Vakashtra assumed the form of a trapper to pass 
  by unnoticed, but the powerful druids saw through 
  the disguise and cursed Vakashtra to retain her true 
  shape for a year and a day. Having little experience at 
  surviving in the wild, yet unable to openly walk the 
  streets of any city, Vakashtra hovered at the edges of the 
  logging town of Wispil, waiting for her curse to expire. 
  The few woodcutters and explorers that caught sight of 
  the reclusive bear-headed woman came to call her the 
  Werebear of Wispil, and the exuberant gnomes of that 
  town consider such sightings to be good luck. Vakashtra 
  has recently let herself be seen by more travelers, some 
  of whom she charms into believing they’ve been aided 
  by the Werebear of Wispil. Vakashtra’s curse recently 
  expired, and she’s taken a cottage in Wispil in the guise 
  of a gnome historian named Ashtra. Ashtra actively 
  preaches about the good works of the Werebear of Wispil 
  and encourages troubled townspeople to seek out the 
  reclusive werebear’s aid. Vakashtra intends to manipulate 
  the town’s most influential citizens into seeking the 
  aid of her alter ego, then use them to drain the town’s 
  fortunes before returning to Andoran for revenge.
  Bound and Vengeful (Katapesh): The rakshasa Trishni 
  began her immortal existence with a great deal of 
  potential, but she quickly fell victim to the machinations 
  of her kin. Cunning, indulgent, and ruthless, Trishni 
  rose in power too quickly and too noticeably, attracting 
  
  70
  the attention of her fellow rakshasas and prompting 
  them to ally against her. The combined efforts of these 
  united rakshasas utterly humiliated Trishni, dropping 
  her to such depths of shame that she reincarnated in her 
  current life as a mere raktavarna rakshasa (Pathfinder RPG 
  Bestiary 3 229). One of the rakshasas who had engineered 
  Trishni’s ruin hunted her raktavarna incarnation down 
  and forced her into service, taking every opportunity to 
  add to her disgrace. After decades of suffering, Trishni 
  finally got her revenge: when her rakshasa master 
  invited himself into a noble household, fully intending 
  to indulge in the hospitality and then devour the hosts, 
  Trishni made her escape into the kitchens and warned 
  one of the cooks about the plot. The cook, a woman 
  named Pari, responded by poisoning Trishni’s rakshasa 
  master and all of his retainers; her erstwhile master’s 
  gluttony compelled him to devour enough poisoned food 
  to kill an elephant. Lacking a master and any power of 
  her own, Trishni pretended to be an intelligent magical 
  dagger and convinced the cook to wield her, intending to 
  dupe the mortal until she was no longer useful and then 
  discard her. To Trishni’s shock and secret delight, the 
  woman was as vengeful as she was resourceful. Pari left 
  the kitchen and began hunting other rakshasas, probing 
  her raktavarna companion for information and taking 
  outlandish risks to kill the monsters. Trishni gleefully 
  aided the cook-turned-warrior, as she harbored a long-
  standing grudge against many of her fellow rakshasas. 
  As the mortal woman eliminates more and more of the 
  earthbound evils, however, Trishni worries about the 
  destructive battle of wills likely to ensue if the hero 
  discovers her seemingly helpful dagger is actually 
  one of her vile foes.
  The Long Arc of History (Vudra): Every 1,000 
  years, the maharaja rakshasa (Bestiary 3 226) Vasilhara 
  rises to power, claims vast swaths of territory as her 
  empire, and then vanishes overnight along with all of 
  her subjects. Each time, Vasilhara rules in a different 
  guise, so her empires seem to have no connection to one 
  another. These disappearing kingdoms had remained 
  nothing more than a scholarly curiosity for many years, 
  particularly as most of the ancient records have been 
  lost to the vagaries of time. Recently, though, a small group 
  of archaeologists and academics stumbled upon the true 
  fate of the maharaja’s kingdoms: every single living 
  creature in the lands that Vasilhara claimed dominion 
  over, including Vasilhara herself, is sacrificed in a ritual 
  that utterly consumes their bodies and life forces. The 
  rakshasa maharaja has reincarnated every millennium 
  to continue her eons-long ritual, though to what end, 
  the scholars do not yet know. Without any firsthand 
  knowledge of the magic used in the ritual, the academics 
  have no means to determine the ritual’s purpose or 
  develop any way to stop it. Their only current lead lies 
  with Vasilhara’s rakshasa seneschal, Kalishpali (LE male 
  rakshasa rogue 6), who has personally witnessed—and 
  been killed by—every single sacrifice that Vasilhara 
  has performed. Whatever the ritual’s ultimate purpose, 
  it is extreme enough to frighten even a rakshasa, and 
  Kalishpali has indicated that he might be willing to defect 
  if it will stop Vasilhara’s millennia-long scheme. 
  The Reef Demons (Cheliax): The crumbling dockside 
  warehouses of Westcrown cast shadows that hide many 
  types of evil. A group of rakshasas called the Reef Demons 
  lurks in the city, hiring on to merchant ships in the guise 
  of veteran seafarers or able hands. With their peerless skill 
  at disguise and ability to read a captain’s mind to ascertain 
  PARI AND TRISHNI
  
  71
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  just what type of sailor she’s lacking, the Reef Demons can 
  infiltrate any crew. When their vessel makes the tricky 
  passage around the Rifardona, the massive sandbar that 
  shelters Westcrown from ocean tides, the Reef Demons 
  strike, killing everyone at the helm and running the ship 
  aground. The Reef Demons might butcher or spare any 
  surviving crew members at their whim, but in either case, 
  the rakshasas disappear after the ship runs aground. 
  Many sailors are thrown overboard during these wrecks, 
  their bodies washed out to sea and lost, so determining 
  which deckhands were disguised fiends and which were 
  simply lost is impossible. Facts about the Reef Demons 
  are difficult to discern from rumors—accidents on the 
  treacherous Rifardona are common, and drunken or 
  inattentive sailors at the helm might be tempted to blame 
  their own blunders on some outside villainy. Old sailors 
  assert that there are as many as nine Reef Demons, but 
  in fact there are only two: a pair of rat-headed rakshasa 
  siblings who plunder the choicest treasures from the 
  wrecks they cause and murder any witnesses to their 
  actions. The rakshasas enjoy the mounting paranoia and 
  fear around Westcrown docks, relishing it even more than 
  their growing cache of stolen treasures. 
  Tainted Wisdom (Jalmeray): The followers of 
  Irori rarely fight each other over divine philosophy, 
  understanding that the correct path for one adherent 
  may not be so for another. Yet a growing sect of Irorans 
  called the Exhaustive Path has begun causing concern 
  within the church; this new faction claims that in 
  order to truly free the self from all weakness and reach 
  perfection, a follower must first commit and experience 
  every sin possible. The Exhaustive Path has attracted 
  many students who were otherwise put off by Irori’s 
  strict tenets, leading to an influx of self-indulgent and 
  otherwise unsuitable acolytes into the church. Worse yet, 
  the leader of this new sect is secretly a tataka rakshasa 
  (Bestiary 3 230) named Ravtaki who encourages aimless 
  young recruits to flock to his banner. While critics of 
  Ravtaki’s sect claim it is a blatant ruse to draw weak-
  willed adherents away from the proper path and flood 
  the church’s training schools with unsuitable reprobates, 
  Irori’s most powerful clerics have yet to formally disavow 
  the new philosophy. In fact, many of the Exhaustive 
  Path’s members display divine powers that they attribute 
  to Irori, and Ravtaki skillfully mimics signs of Irori’s 
  divine favor and claims to be a faithful follower of 
  the god’s message of self-perfection. Some among the 
  church consider this a sign that Irori accepts this path to 
  enlightenment, no matter how distasteful it is to others, 
  and believe they should thus allow Ravtaki’s sect to fester 
  within the church. 
  Trapped with a Fiend (Mendev): The valiant crusader 
  Rella Nellevestor and her husband were well-known 
  demon hunters in Mendev. Rella’s brother, Hadledar—
  lame from birth—nevertheless served the crusaders as 
  their squire and friend. When Rella bore a son, Ostaric, 
  Hadledar cared for the boy as his parents made their 
  forays to the front lines. One such trip ended in tragedy, 
  as Rella and her husband were both slain holding a 
  pass against a demonic horde. Hadledar retreated to 
  the family estate outside of Egede to raise his nephew. 
  Overwhelmed with grief and dejection, Hadledar mostly 
  left the boy to fend for himself in the nearly empty manor. 
  As Ostaric grew, Hadeldar could not ignore troublesome 
  clues about his nature: the boy was relentlessly cruel to 
  local animals and displayed diabolical insights no child 
  could know. Hadledar has become convinced that his 
  nephew is a reborn fiend, and subtly seeks heroes to 
  unmask and redeem him. Meanwhile, Ostaric (LE male 
  young rakshasa) is now 9 years old and awaits the right 
  time to kill his uncle and assume the family fortune. 
  The question that weighs heaviest on Hadledar’s mind 
  is whether his sister was an innocent victim whose child 
  was corrupted by the wicked battlefields on which she 
  fought, or whether Rella made a horrific bargain with 
  some evil power.
  An Upstanding Merchant (Druma): The Aurora 
  Trading Guild has skyrocketed from obscurity to 
  prosperity in a few short years, leading to its fair share 
  of slander and rumors from rival trading companies. 
  Though most mean-spirited gossip about the trading 
  company’s meteoric success is eventually forgotten or 
  dismissed, one particularly tenacious rumor is that the 
  owner of the trade company, Suniti, is actually a rakshasa 
  in disguise. Suniti (LE female rakshasa) seems to almost 
  encourage these rumors, treating the suspicions as an 
  inside joke among her close associates and remaining 
  playfully mysterious about her uncanny ability to guess 
  what her business clients are thinking. Suniti is always 
  careful to ensure she never does anything to prove 
  the rumors true, however, always keeping a veneer of 
  plausible deniability about her true nature. Repeated 
  investigations by competitors and governments have 
  found the Aurora Trading Guild to be scrupulously 
  aboveboard in all business matters, with precise records 
  of every transaction and a solid history of leaving the 
  businesses and communities with which it interacts 
  enriched by its dealings. In fact, the most underserved or 
  oppressed trade partners seem to be those most enriched 
  by business with the guild. Those familiar with rakshasas 
  and their long-ranging schemes fear what Suniti might 
  be planning for the future by stockpiling these beneficial 
  relationships, but they have found little support in 
  their concerns among those who have benefited from 
  Suniti’s trades, while receiving too much support from 
  openly corrupt merchants hoping to destroy a powerful 
  competitor. Suniti plays the rumors masterfully while 
  carefully marshaling her influence, and she is amused 
  that no one can yet rightfully act against her business 
  since it has committed no wrongdoing.
  
  72
  The Void Star (Varisia): Rakshasas are bound by 
  material desires and seek to rule upon the Material 
  Plane, but there are those of their kind who dare to 
  dream even higher. Iksha had always held a fascination 
  with the night sky, from his original mortal life as 
  a bandit girl to his ascension to a rakshasa lord. 
  Infatuated by the endless stars and void, Iksha longed 
  for the power to possess and control the empty space 
  above. This untamed desire became something of a dark 
  spirituality for the fiend’s tainted soul. The rakshasa 
  turned to astrology and vision quests, aiming to walk 
  among the stars in his dreams since he could not do so 
  in his waking life. He even risked trespassing on sites 
  sacred to Desna, disguising himself as an acolyte and 
  seeking any scrap of knowledge that could file the edge 
  off of his obsession.
  On the night of a lunar eclipse, a meditating Iksha 
  inadvertently caught the trail of a divine current 
  and experienced a vivid dream of floating amid the 
  constellation known as the Stair of Stars. Mesmerized by 
  the sight before him, Iksha opened his jaws to grasp a 
  chunk of divine void and a single star, and then bit down. 
  This act of profound blasphemy drew quick 
  retribution from the powerful empyreal lord Black 
  Butterfly, who watches over the spaces between the 
  stars. Black Butterfly emerged from the dark spaces in 
  the Stair of Stars to strike down the intruder’s body, but 
  Iksha’s spirit avoided her grasp, plummeting back to the 
  waking world with his stolen prize in his gullet. When 
  the eclipse ended, one of the lights in the Stair of Stars 
  dimmed and vanished from the night sky. 
  Iksha no longer ventures outside except at night, 
  having gained an unwholesome rapport with the 
  darkened sky due to his blasphemous theft. After 
  that taste of divinity, all of Iksha’s machinations and 
  schemes have come to revolve around gaining more. 
  He frequently poses as a holy figure, using the oracular 
  powers gained during his dream quest and slipping in 
  and out of rival religions to further his own goals. In his 
  true form, Iksha is a panther-headed rakshasa with fur 
  so dark it resembles a hole cut in physical reality. His 
  teeth and nails shine bright gold against the void, and 
  his three opalescent eyes glow with power. 
  Iksha currently wanders Varisia, but he might be 
  found anywhere in his wide-ranging pilgrimages. He 
  seeks out any scrap of holiness, from sacred bloodlines 
  to religious relics; no hint of spiritual significance is 
  too small or too tenuous to be beneath his notice. Iksha 
  hoards within his underground palace those items he 
  thinks may prove useful later. Everything else he eats, 
  relishing the consumption and destruction of priceless 
  and irreplaceable sparks of the gods. While Iksha’s 
  fellow rakshasas find his obsession with divinity to be 
  somewhat bizarre, he nonetheless commands a strange 
  form of respect among his kin. It was a rakshasa samrata 
  who gave Iksha the title of Void Star, an honor to convey 
  the pride that one of their own could swallow a star 
  placed by the gods.
  Iksha knows he is bound to Black Butterfly by his 
  theft, and he knows it is his destiny to confront her 
  once more. He intends to devour as much of the Stair 
  of Stars as possible in preparation for this event, placing 
  him on even terms with the empyreal lord so that he can 
  ultimately consume her as well. Iksha’s schemes do not 
  end with confronting and consuming Desna’s Shadow—
  once the Black Butterfly is gone, Iksha plans to consume 
  Desna herself with his newfound power. Iksha will then 
  turn his greedy gaze toward the other gods who hold 
  dominion over the sky, glutting his hunger until only 
  the lightless void and his own invisible star hover over 
  the surface of Golarion.
  IKSHA	
  CR	15
  XP	51,200
  Male rakshasa oracle 5 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 231, 
  Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player’s Guide 42)
  LE Medium outsider (native, shapechanger)
  Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +20
  DEFENSE
  AC 30, touch 15, flat-footed 25 (+6 armor, +4 Dex, +1 dodge, 
  +9 natural)
  hp 217 (15 HD; 10d10+5d8+140)
  Fort +15, Ref +14, Will +15
  DR 15/good and piercing; SR 25
  OFFENSE
  Speed 50 ft.
  Melee +3 keen falchion +24/+19/+14 (2d4+13/15–20), 
  bite +18 (1d6+3 plus grab)
  Ranged mwk composite longbow +18/+13/+8 (1d8+7/×3)
  Special	Attacks detect thoughts (DC 22), grab (Small)
  Oracle	Spells	Known (CL 12th; concentration +19)
  6th (4/day)—harm (DC 23), mass inflict moderate 
  wounds (DC 23)
  5th (6/day)—flame strike (DC 22), mass inflict light 
  wounds (DC 22), plane shift (DC 22)
  4th (7/day)—cure critical wounds, divine power, freedom 
  of movement, inflict critical wounds (DC 21)
  3rd (8/day)—dispel magic, greater magic weapon, inflict 
  serious wounds (DC 20), magic vestment, protection 
  from energy
  2nd (8/day)—bear’s endurance, bull’s strength, graceAPG, 
  hypnotic pattern (DC 19), inflict moderate wounds (DC 
  19), oracle’s burdenAPG (DC 19), undetectable alignment
  1st (8/day)—bane (DC 18), color spray (DC 18), divine 
  favor, entropic shield, inflict light wounds (DC 18), 
  protection from good, shield of faith
  0 (at will)—bleed (DC 17), detect magic, detect poison, 
  guidance, light, purify food and drink, read magic, 
  resistance, sparkAPG
  Mystery heavens
  
  73
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  TACTICS
  Before	Combat Iksha casts freedom of movement on 
  himself and greater magic weapon on his falchion. He 
  uses his lesser extend metamagic rod to cast bear’s 
  endurance and bull’s strength. 
  During	Combat Iksha begins each combat with the sickened 
  condition, which is not reflected in his statistics above. 
  If Iksha has the opportunity, he casts divine power 
  and quickened shield of faith on himself at the start of 
  combat. He then casts quickened protection from good 
  and makes a full attack against any foe in melee range, 
  using his bite attack first to remove the sickened condition 
  caused by his oracle curse. If Iksha is caught off guard, 
  he instead attacks the most dangerous foe with harm 
  followed by quickened inflict light wounds.
  Morale Iksha casts plane shift to escape if reduced below 
  30 hit points.
  Base	Statistics Without bear’s endurance, bull’s strength, 
  and greater magic weapon, Iksha’s statistics are hp 187; 
  Fort +13; Melee +1 keen falchion +20/+15/+10 
  (2d4+8/15–20), bite +16 (1d6+2 plus grab); Ranged mwk 
  composite longbow +18/+13/+8 (1d8+5/×3); Str 20, 
  Con 24; CMB +18 (+22 grapple); CMD 33.
  STATISTICS
  Str 24, Dex 18, Con 28, Int 13, Wis 15, Cha 24
  Base	Atk +13; CMB +20 (+24 grapple); CMD 35
  Feats Combat Casting, Combat Expertise, Dodge, Improved 
  Initiative, Multiattack, Power Attack, Quicken Spell, 
  Weapon Focus (falchion)
  Skills Bluff +29, Diplomacy +20, Disguise +33, 
  Knowledge (religion) +14, Perception +20, Sense 
  Motive +20, Stealth +21; Racial	Modifiers 
  +4 Bluff, +8 Disguise
  Languages Common, Infernal, Undercommon
  SQ change shape (any humanoid; 
  alter self), oracle’s curse 
  (hunger), revelations (guiding 
  star, lure of the heavens), 
  speaker of the void
  Combat	Gear lesser extend 
  metamagic rod, scrolls of enter 
  imageAPG (3), wand of invisibility purge 
  (10 charges); Other	Gear mwk mithral breastplate, 
  +1 keen falchion, mwk composite longbow with 
  20 adamantine arrows, cloak of resistance +2, 
  headband of alluring charisma +2, boots of 
  striding and springing, royal outfit, 247 gp
  SPECIAL	ABILITIES
  Detect	Thoughts	(Su)	Iksha can detect thoughts as the spell 
  of the same name (CL 18th). He can suppress or resume 
  this ability as a free action. When Iksha uses this ability, it 
  always functions as if he had spent 3 rounds concentrating 
  and thus he gains the maximum amount of information 
  possible. A creature can resist this effect with a successful 
  DC 22 Will save. The save DC is Charisma-based.
  Hunger	Oracle’s	Curse	(Ex)	Iksha gains none of the benefits 
  from spells or magic items that provide nourishment, such 
  as goodberry, heroes’ feast, or a ring of sustenance. He 
  begins each combat with the sickened condition until he 
  deals damage with his bite attack. His bite attacks gain 
  the grab extraordinary ability, as the universal monster 
  rule, against any creatures smaller than he is. (The hunger 
  oracle’s curse appears on page 17 of Pathfinder Campaign 
  Setting: Inner Sea Monster Codex.) 
  Speaker	of	the	Void Iksha loses his racial sorcerer 
  spellcasting and instead treats his innate sorcerer levels as 
  oracle levels.
  IKSHA
  
  74
  We have our blades for war and our blades for kings, but Taldor 
  has its blades too. Lion Blades, they call them, made for death and 
  secrets. Spies, assassins that can walk up to a man in plain sight, 
  kill him, and vanish again. That was how they took out our captain 
  and left us back behind the border awaiting a replacement. First we 
  heard that no replacement was coming. Then we heard that a new 
  captain was coming to us, and we should wait for her arrival. Then 
  we heard the new captain has been killed, or captured, or possibly 
  defected. We had no way to separate truth from rumor, or to tell 
  messengers from spies. The worst part of it all is that you can’t 
  tell these so-called Lion Blades from normal people. Searching for 
  one is like trying to hold a fistful of dry sand and watching it slide 
  between your fingers. Still, if it pleases the high command, we’ll 
  keep trying.
  —Qadiran conscript, in a letter to her brother
  LION BLADES
  
  75
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  B
  orn and honed in the endless conflict with foreign 
  powers, the Lion Blades are a secret organization 
  dedicated to defending Taldor by subverting, 
  misdirecting, 
  or 
  eliminating 
  its 
  enemies 
  using 
  assassination (both reputational and physical), espionage, 
  and infiltration. Often, their devotion to Taldor means 
  defending the grand prince, but the Lion Blades hold that 
  the realm is more important than its ruler and have, in 
  the past, toppled emperors to save the empire.
  The Lion Blades recruit primarily from among the 
  bards at the Kitharodian Academy, finding the students 
  there smart and flexible enough to train, not to mention 
  inclined to the life of duplicity and danger that a Lion 
  Blade leads. Most of the teachers at the Kitharodian 
  Academy are retired Lion Blades who keep an eye open 
  for new talent, including the school’s administrator, Lord 
  Merriweather Stokes (N male human bard 4/rogue 3/ Lion 
  Blade 3; the Lion Blade prestige class is presented on page 
  36 of Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Inner Sea Intrigue). The 
  Lion Blades teach their recruits for a year in their own 
  secret academies, called Shadow Schools, and then turn 
  them loose with the tools they need for the tasks they 
  are assigned. One of the Shadow Schools’ top graduates 
  in recent years is Lenorilia Callatarro (N female human 
  bard 3/rogue 3/Lion Blade 3), who now keeps watch over 
  Oppara’s elite from the posh Porthmos Club.
  The Lion Blades have three general goals regarding the 
  imperial court and its bureaucratic machinery: preventing 
  political corruption from getting out of hand while 
  allowing just enough corruption to be useful to their 
  ends; keeping the factions of the imperial court in relative 
  balance to prevent any one faction from gaining more 
  power than the Lion Blades can rein in should it become 
  necessary; and preempting any attempts by Taldor’s 
  neighbors to destabilize the current regime. Because these 
  goals center on the imperial court and senate, most Lion 
  Blades are active in Oppara, but others operate in remote 
  regions of Taldor or even in neighboring countries in 
  order to control the flow of information, infiltrate enemy 
  networks, or work as double agents.
  HISTORY
  Grand Prince Goscelyn II (1597–1622 ar) fathered many 
  children, both legitimate and illegitimate, and had all 
  of his offspring inculcated in not only the niceties of 
  noble society, but also the desire to serve and defend 
  Taldor. Despite the even-handed education he provided, 
  the grand prince failed to offer any kind of career to 
  his children who couldn’t inherit by reason of gender, 
  illegitimacy, or both. Two of his children, Yanual (who 
  was legitimate but nonbinary) and Izora (who was both 
  illegitimate and female) lacked clear direction and 
  took to pranks and disguises to fill their time. When 
  one of Yanual’s tricks revealed a Qadiran spy before 
  an important diplomatic meeting, Yanual realized this 
  could be a way to defend the land they loved using the 
  skills they’d honed. Izora was just as enthusiastic when 
  they suggested it to her, and she proposed the name Lion 
  Blades for their clandestine defense operation. 
  At first, Yanual and Izora recruited only like-minded 
  siblings and cousins to their cause, but within a 
  generation the Lion Blades found they needed to recruit 
  from a broader swath of Taldan society. With that came 
  the problem of finding sufficiently trained actors and 
  spies. One of the pair’s half-sisters, Arime, had inherited 
  a small bard school from her mother, who had been 
  dedicated to producing theatrical plays to show off the 
  family’s elaborate costume collection. Arime was more 
  interested in music than theater, and she offered to 
  support the Lion Blades by recruiting skilled actors if 
  they would in turn support her in expanding the school 
  to include musical education. The aging Yanual and Izora 
  agreed immediately. The school moved to a new location 
  and eventually grew into the Kitharodian Academy, with 
  the first of the Lion Blades’ Shadow Schools built below it.
  For the next 1,500 years, the Lion Blades served both 
  Taldor and the emperor equally. Once the Ulfen Guard 
  formed, the Lion Blades began to leave the emperor’s 
  personal protection to the Ulfen Guard and focused on 
  preserving the country and thwarting its many enemies. 
  Late in 4081, a noble who had been provided an invitation 
  to join the Lion Blades but turned it down visited his 
  recruiter and requested her help in eliminating Grand 
  Prince Cydonus III before he bankrupted the entire 
  country. The senior Lion Blades were well aware of the 
  current financial crisis and thoroughly debated whether 
  they should support the grand prince or the nation. 
  After much deliberation, the Lion Blades came down on 
  the side of the nation. Six months later, Grand Prince 
  Cydonus was dead by poison, and his successor blamed 
  Qadiran agents.
  As the Even-Tongued Conquest shrank the size of 
  Taldor’s holdings, some Lion Blades became trapped in 
  rebellious nations declaring their independence from—
  and sometimes, significant hatred for—imperial Taldor. 
  Most Lion Blades retreated into their carefully crafted 
  disguises and eventually managed to return home, but 
  many realized the benefits of their suddenly foreign 
  posting and continued to protect Taldor’s interests from 
  abroad. A few Lion Blades, particularly those born and 
  raised in the now-independent nations, forsook the 
  organization to instead serve their new countries. 
  During these chaotic years, the Lion Blades and their 
  Shadow Schools were forced to repeatedly change their 
  codes, drop points, and safe houses to avoid discovery 
  by foreign agents. Compounding the organization’s 
  troubles, this period of imperial unraveling was followed 
  by the Yellowtongue Sickness, which killed more than 
  half of the Lion Blades, including many of its leaders. 
  Later Lion Blades had to reconstruct their operations 
  
  76
  and rediscover their deep-cover agents by piecing 
  together journals and reports from the time, stored in a 
  secret archive called the Library of the Lion.
  In time, the Lion Blades recovered to the same extent 
  that Taldor itself did, repositioning themselves as a 
  strong and secret defender of the empire. To this day, 
  the Kitharodian Academy remains the Lion Blades’ 
  most fertile source of new recruits. In recent years, the 
  academy has accepted many Taldan aristocrats seeking 
  to earn their fame and fortune, talented outsiders 
  seeking recognition, and penniless nobles fleeing the 
  ongoing revolution in Galt. The Lion Blades drawn from 
  these disparate sources have a wide array of skills and 
  backgrounds suitable for any task.
  CODES AND PHILOSOPHIES
  The Lion Blades observe, maintain, and defend Taldor 
  against those seeking to damage or destabilize it, 
  regardless of the enemies’ class, nationality, or title. 
  Most Lion Blades serve and protect the grand prince 
  from enemies; after all, losing a head of state is often 
  the most destabilizing event a nation can experience. 
  The charismatic leader of the Lion Blades’ Shadow 
  Schools, Dominicus Rell (N male human bard 3/rogue 3/
  Lion Blade 3), believes it is important to keep the current 
  monarch in power, but most other Lion Blades agree 
  that the emperor himself can be sacrificed, if necessary, 
  to preserve the nation as a whole. 
  Lion Blades choose the most expedient option that 
  suits their current mission. Sometimes, the best option 
  is to eliminate an enemy, but they are well aware that a 
  noble could be replaced by an even more unpalatable heir, 
  or a criminal overlord by a loyal lieutenant with an even 
  more malicious agenda. In these cases, a Lion Blade might 
  instead initiate several well-placed rumors to destroy the 
  target’s reputation. Lion Blades master disguises, learning 
  which persona is best suited to slide into a situation 
  without being noticed or stopped. The best disguises can 
  sometimes be the most bold or outré; a gaudily dressed 
  entertainer might stride confidently into a crowded salon 
  to reach a target when stealth would likely fail. For certain 
  infiltration missions, one gender might have an advantage 
  in access over others. As a result, the Lion Blades welcome 
  members of all genders, including nonbinary agents, and 
  the organization has a higher-than-average proportion of 
  nonbinary and gender-fluid members. Similarly, many 
  Lion Blades also develop a habit of using gender-neutral 
  speech, particularly when referring to other members or 
  past missions they’ve undertaken.
  The Lion Blades are strongly pragmatic and willing to 
  inflict collateral damage as necessary for Taldor to remain 
  strong and stable. They believe these ends justify the means 
  used to obtain them and see themselves as the agents 
  best poised to accomplish those ends. This same sense of 
  pragmatism also compels Lion Blades to help each other 
  in their missions as needed. Although Lion Blades in 
  the field supposedly know only what is necessary for the 
  task at hand and are expected to avoid other Lion Blades 
  engaged in separate tasks, most Lion Blades are canny 
  enough to identify other agents in the same area and reach 
  out for help if necessary. A Lion Blade won’t provide aid to 
  another agent if it would expose her ongoing mission, so 
  not all requests for help can be met, but most Lion Blades 
  strive to assist each other wherever possible. Even so, any 
  support provided is usually subtle and rendered in a way 
  that can’t be traced back to either agent.
  The Lion Blades are an egalitarian organization, with 
  decisions reached by discussion and eventual consensus. 
  However, most Lion Blades are strongly individualistic 
  and don’t hold with following rules and orders to the 
  letter. Even if a decision is backed by well-supported 
  compromise, individual Lion Blades might take 
  shortcuts or deviate from the decision to get the results 
  they deem necessary. The Lion Blade most notorious 
  for having this tendency is Dominicus Rell himself; 
  although the charismatic leader might voice support 
  for a broad decision or direction, he frequently gives his 
  trusted agents different orders from those agreed upon 
  by consensus. Other informal factions within the Lion 
  Blades include the South-Facing Eyes (which insists that 
  Taldor will never be safe until Qadira is eliminated as a 
  national power), the Inward Step (which advocates for 
  Taldan isolationism), and the Imperial Redeemers (which 
  believes that the Lion Blades should focus on helping 
  Taldor reunite the fragments of its empire and restore 
  itself to its former strength and glory).
  ROGUE TALENTS
  No two Lion Blades come at their training the same way. 
  The following rogue talents are designed specifically 
  for prospective members of the Lion Blades to reflect 
  the flexibility and ingenuity that the Lion Blades value 
  in new recruits.
  Bardic Pretender (Ex): The rogue knows enough 
  about music and performance to survive in a bardic 
  college and can fake what she doesn’t know. The rogue 
  qualifies as having the inspire competence bardic 
  performance class feature for the purpose of meeting 
  prestige class requirements, although this talent doesn’t 
  grant her the bardic performance ability.
  Sneak Training (Ex): The rogue counts as having 
  the sneak attack class feature of a rogue of her level 
  for the purpose of meeting prestige class requirements, 
  although this talent doesn’t improve the rogue’s existing 
  sneak attack ability or grant her the sneak attack class 
  feature if she doesn’t already have it. This talent is most 
  useful for rogues that lack the sneak attack class feature, 
  such as those with the phantom thiefUI archetype.
  
  77
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  BECOMING A LION BLADE
  In the first year at the Kitharodian Academy, students 
  dabble in varied schools of acting, disguise, music, public 
  speaking, and stagecraft; only in subsequent years can 
  students focus on more specific areas of performance. 
  This structured first-year curriculum allows the school’s 
  administrators to judge whether a student is worth 
  approaching for a private interview about joining the 
  Lion Blades (a handful of the best recruits infamously 
  came into this interview already aware of the Lion 
  Blades’ existence and insisted upon membership). Many 
  noble families take advantage of the broad, 1-year bardic 
  program to give their scions a basic artistic education 
  that will serve well in courtly circles; in fact, several 
  families fund studies for only the first year. The resulting 
  regular withdrawals from the academy help to provide 
  cover for those trainees who join the Lion Blades in the 
  Shadow Schools.
  Most students invited to join a Shadow 
  School do so. Those who do not—typically 
  due to familial obligations that prevent 
  a career as a spy—are sworn to secrecy 
  and inducted into an underground 
  network 
  of 
  support 
  nicknamed 
  the Lion Kith. The Lion Kith aren’t 
  required to undertake further training 
  or any life-threatening missions, 
  but they are often tapped to provide 
  assistance to Lion Blades in the 
  field, such as by providing a cover 
  identity, 
  sharing 
  information 
  about significant local figures, or 
  leveraging social connections to 
  obtain an invitation to an exclusive 
  local event. 
  Once recruited, a Lion Blade 
  transfers from the Kitharodian 
  Academy to a Shadow School for 
  training. Many trainees thrive 
  on the new challenge, but 
  some flounder when they find 
  themselves among dedicated 
  equals. Few of these trainees 
  know anything more than the location of 
  their own Shadow School and the identity 
  of a few mentors and fellow students, to 
  minimize the information they can give up 
  if they defect or are interrogated. Trainees 
  who can’t handle the curriculum of the 
  Shadow Schools are asked to leave 
  and offered three choices: return to 
  bardic training at the Kitharodian 
  Academy with the Lion Blades 
  paying their next year of tuition 
  fees, take employment in a permanent trade or position 
  arranged by the Lion Blades and join the Lion Kith, 
  or swear to silence and leave free of ties. Most failed 
  trainees choose the security of the first two options. 
  A typical week for a Lion Blade in training involves 
  the following lessons. 
  Ciphers: Trainees learn techniques for disguising, 
  encoding, and decrypting messages. More advanced 
  lessons include layering ciphers, creating an easier-to-
  break code with a false message and an actual message 
  coded within it. Trainees also learn how to set up 
  and operate dead drops, decoy messages, and other 
  communication systems intended to misdirect and 
  conceal actual information.
  Crowd Training: Trainees run obstacle courses set up 
  as crowd scenes, sometimes with mannequins standing 
  in for people in the crowd and other times with fellow 
  trainees and teachers forming a live, moving crowd. 
  More advanced versions of the obstacle 
  course drape the mannequins in 
  bells and challenge trainees to get 
  through the course without ringing 
  one, or to practice moving quickly 
  and surreptitiously while on an 
  actual city street.
  
  78
  Political Insight: All Lion Blades are taught Taldor’s 
  history from the organization’s perspective, which 
  involves a great deal of intrigue and secret histories of 
  foiled plots, misinformation campaigns, and would-be 
  assassinations. Lessons also cover political events of the 
  present day, centered in general trends seething around 
  the Lion Throne and other hotbeds of political intrigue. 
  These lessons are carefully structured to avoid revealing 
  any current Lion Blade activities, as such sensitive 
  information is provided to trainees only as needed to 
  assist with a specific mission. Experienced Lion Blades 
  returning to Taldor after a long tour outside its borders 
  regularly sit in on these political insight classes to 
  refresh their knowledge and bring themselves up to date 
  with current events.
  Practical Anatomy: Lessons in pain centers, pressure 
  points, and reflex responses allow trainees to hone their 
  combat abilities and strike quickly and decisively. Lion 
  Blades particularly value quick strikes that impede an 
  opponent’s movement, so this training focuses on joints 
  and large muscle groups. Lion Blades also learn how to 
  deliver debilitating strikes that slow a target’s movement 
  but do not cause lasting damage. Advanced lessons teach 
  specific techniques for disabling the most common 
  humanoid races.
  Practical Disguise: In disguise lessons overseen by 
  Chezi Baken (N gender-fluid human bard 5/rogue 3/Lion 
  Blade 3), trainees are given a scene (such as “court of 
  law,” “marketplace,” or “opera house”) and are expected 
  to turn up in a persona and costume that would be 
  unremarkable in such a setting. Chezi grills trainees on 
  their choices, with fine details presented for them to see 
  where they can improve. For advanced lessons, Chezi 
  identifies an actual location or social event, challenging 
  trainees to appear in appropriate attire on their own, 
  interact with a predetermined person or recover a 
  particular item, and then leave without anyone present 
  being aware that a stranger was among them.
  Rumor Debriefing: Trainees are quizzed on what 
  information they have picked up in the Shadow School 
  and the surrounding community over the last week. 
  Teachers spread false rumors throughout the Shadow 
  School every few days and test trainees on the accuracy 
  and thoroughness of the information they pick up. 
  These quizzes allow the entire school to keep a close 
  eye on local events, and they sometimes reveal genuine 
  problems in the community before they become larger 
  issues. Advanced lessons teach trainees how to start or 
  spread a rumor without being pinned as its source.
  Self-Hypnosis and Deprivation: Trainees learn 
  meditative techniques and quiet chants to provide focus 
  amid distracting crowds and to train their minds and 
  bodies to exceed their normal capacities. Trainees are 
  also taught techniques to handle fasting, pain, and sleep 
  deprivation, to better prepare for difficulties that might 
  arise in the field. As many trainees come from privileged 
  backgrounds, these lessons are often the hardest to 
  learn, and teachers carefully judge the pace at which each 
  trainee can handle these critical drills.
  OPERATIONS
  The Lion Blades maintain central leadership in the 
  Shadow Schools beneath Oppara, although the specific 
  members directing the organization’s various operations 
  change from year to year. The following examples show 
  the breadth of the Lion Blades’ operations inside and 
  outside of Taldor.
  Absalom: While the Lion Blades are not the only 
  Taldan agents active in the City at the Center of the 
  World, they form a good percentage of its spies and are 
  often in key positions to control cells of less well-trained 
  agents. Lion Blades operating secretly in Absalom 
  mainly take up positions as bathhouse attendants, 
  merchants, porters, or shopkeepers where a diverse 
  array of people can approach them without seeming out 
  of place. Although these agents transmit information 
  from Taldan agents back to Oppara, they also attempt to 
  intervene in other nation’s espionage endeavors in the 
  city, intercepting or redirecting vital communications.
  Aelhill: This small town in the southern foothills of 
  the Fog Peaks has, in recent years, given up on seeing 
  even the most scant support from Taldan nobles more 
  interested in court politics than in maintaining their 
  distant holdings. The town has pulled itself out of a 
  pit of heavy neglect by specializing in cleaning and 
  restoring artifacts of the past, but a Galtan sentiment 
  toward revolution has taken root there. The Lion Blades 
  are sliding in to investigate and prevent this sentiment 
  from turning to full-blown revolution, but as yet are not 
  fully integrated into the town.
  Cassomir: Every few years, the Lion Blades intervene 
  to prevent bureaucrats from “expediting” the steaming 
  process for timber to improve shipyard efficiency. 
  Experienced shipwrights know that shortcuts in this 
  process produce a ship that looks good but has flaws in 
  its planks likely to shatter upon the first major stress; 
  the Lion Blades heed this wisdom, whereas many 
  shortsighted managers do not. The organization keeps 
  an agent named Vorkala Nemmit (N female halfling 
  bard 3/rogue 3/Lion Blade 1) in Cassomir as contact 
  point and clerk handling the paperwork for Ethem 
  Baler, Chief Shipwright of the Imperial Naval Shipyards. 
  Sometimes Vorkala needs only a persuasive note to 
  make an overeager bureaucrat back down; for more 
  serious threats to Taldan shipping and defense, she 
  arranges a team to infiltrate and explain forcefully—or 
  even fatally—that producing ships quickly only to lose 
  them is not in Taldor’s best interests. Vorkala is perfectly 
  content with letting Ethem take the credit for Taldor’s 
  high-quality vessels.
  
  79
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  Cheliax: Long known for snapping up turncoat Lion 
  Blades for its own use, Cheliax is also one of the nations 
  the Lion Blades watch the most closely. To this end, 
  a handful of double agents operate within Cheliax’s 
  borders, actively working against House Thrune. These 
  brave agents pretend to be former Lion Blades, wait 
  for Cheliax spymasters to recruit them, and then feed 
  Chelish information back to Taldor. This is a particularly 
  dangerous role, as Cheliax is known to preserve exquisite 
  tortures for traitors.
  Jondale: Twelve years ago, Rytesh Cairnhand (N male 
  dwarf investigatorACG 7) earned a title through his 
  work for the Taldan senate, but he has recently started 
  ascending through courtly circles at a rate the Lion 
  Blades find suspicious. As Rytesh is a newcomer, the 
  Lion Blades have less information on him than they 
  do on more established nobles and families—an 
  imbalance they are correcting as quickly as they 
  can. While one aspect of the multi-pronged 
  investigation leverages court connections in 
  Oppara for more information, another team is 
  digging into Rytesh’s home and background in 
  Jondale, a village approximately 2 days’ travel 
  south of Dalaston, but residents 
  seem curiously unwilling to 
  speak of the dwarf ’s past.
  Maheto: 
  Years 
  ago, 
  a 
  feud 
  between 
  two 
  noble families abruptly 
  escalated from words to 
  weapons, requiring the Lion 
  Blades to set up a discreet chain of 
  assassinations and blackmail to contain 
  the conflict. The Lion Blades have since 
  maintained a large, secret presence in 
  Maheto, with agents in nearly every 
  forge and foundry of the city. These 
  agents primarily collect and transmit 
  shipment information; as Maheto is 
  the principal source of manufactured 
  weapons in Taldor, they track weapons 
  orders very carefully.
  Oppara, Imperial Square: Numerous 
  experienced Lion Blades constantly 
  circulate among the courts and salons 
  of the empire’s nobility, infiltrating 
  the social circles of junior members 
  in the various factions vying for 
  control. These junior members are 
  the principal sources of information 
  and influence that the Lion Blades 
  leverage, as faction leaders rely on their 
  trusted subordinates more often than 
  outsiders. The most resourceful and 
  talented of these junior faction members 
  often make good Lion Blades themselves, and these 
  promising recruits are encouraged to enroll for a year at 
  the Kitharodian Academy for surreptitious observation.
  Oppara, Westgate: The Lion Blades maintain a 
  constant presence in Oppara’s largest dock district, 
  keeping a particularly close eye on international 
  arrivals and departures. Lion Blades have infiltrated the 
  dockworkers’ and sailors’ taverns posing as information 
  brokers, sifting through the talk there for any hints of 
  foreign spies. Some spies coming through Westgate 
  simply vanish, others are warned away, and a rare few 
  are courted as double agents. Although the Lion Blades 
  don’t expect to catch every foreign spy or assassin 
  coming through the busy dock district, the information 
  trade is brisk enough that missing a spy is rare.
  Opparan 
  Rooftops: 
  The 
  Lion 
  Blades 
  maintain a constantly updated map of the 
  domes, rooftops, and spires of Oppara, 
  with markings that detail the best places 
  from which a spy can overhear private 
  conversations or strike at a target, such as 
  beside chimneys and below shadowed eaves. 
  The Lion Blades use this Topside Map 
  for their own missions, as well as to 
  locate rivals. New recruits are often 
  sent to survey and map a section of 
  rooftops without being seen, both 
  to hone their observational skills 
  and to keep the Topside Map 
  up to date.
  Zimar: 
  A 
  military 
  stronghold with a constant 
  eye on Qadira, Zimar is 
  also the control center of 
  the 
  Lion 
  Blades’ 
  border 
  operations. Tobeir Enodran 
  (NG nonbinary half-elf bard 
  3/ rogue 4/Lion Blade 2), has 
  made a friend and an ally of 
  Gulreesh, the “otyugh king” of 
  the city’s sprawling Undercity, 
  so that courteous message-
  couriers and spies have easy 
  access to most points in the 
  city. In addition to leading 
  the local Lion Blades, Tobeir 
  also serves as a high-ranking 
  clerk in the Taldan Phalanx, 
  giving the Lion Blades nearly 
  unlimited access to military 
  communiqués. Information from 
  Qadira and along the border is 
  channeled through Zimar, collated 
  and summarized by Tobeir, and 
  passed forward to Oppara.
  TOBEIR ENDORAN
  
  80
  “I didn’t know where Andra and Gammel had gone. They were 
  supposed to be on watch until midnight and then wake me up for 
  my shift. Midnight was two hours gone when I woke up myself, with 
  neither of them in sight. I assumed they’d snuck off somewhere 
  together and was glad the caravan master hadn’t been the first to 
  spy them gone or we’d all be in a world of trouble. I went off to 
  find them on my own, but it had turned cloudy and there wasn’t 
  much moonlight. I saw what looked like a faint blue glow from a 
  dense knot of vegetation, and then I heard a wailing cry of pain. I 
  wasn’t sure whether it was Andra or Gammel, but it sounded like it 
  could have been either of them. Something moved in front of the 
  light—something bigger than a horse, with a reflective black shell. 
  Whatever it was, it made the same chilling wail, and I knew it wasn’t 
  anything that was hurt, and it sure wasn’t either of my friends.”
  —Helgin Broadhand, caravan guard
  BESTIARY
  
  81
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  T
   he bestiary for this volume of the War for the 
  Crown Adventure Path details a monstrous 
  shrieking insect, an intellect-sapping aberration, 
  two kinds of dangerous flora, the ghost of a vengeful 
  arsonist, and a combat-hungry rakshasa.
  DANGEROUS CITY
   “City in the Lion’s Eye” has the PCs exploring a large, 
  fortified city at the border between Taldor and Qadira. 
  Although Zimar is currently under Taldan control, it 
  rests on a sprawling series of subterranean chambers 
  and passages that give assassins, monsters, and spies 
  access to the city. During their time in Zimar, the PCs 
  have a chance to encounter a number of enemies lurking 
  in the shadows of the city.
  The Zimar Encounters table presented here features 
  challenges the PCs might face beyond those in the 
  adventure. Each hour the PCs spend traveling around 
  Zimar during the day, they have a 30% chance of a 
  random encounter; at night, this chance increases to 
  40%. If a random encounter occurs, roll d% and run the 
  encounter listed for the result. The PCs should have at 
  most two random encounters in a 24-hour period.
  Since this adventure spans a range of character levels, 
  some random encounters might be too trivial or too 
  difficult for the PCs. In these cases, roll again or choose 
  a different encounter.
  Desperate Ratfolk (CR 11): A large clan of ratfolk has 
  been displaced from its warren in the undercity and 
  needs to relocate. The PCs spot a ratfolk expedition leader 
  (Pathfinder RPG Monster Codex 180), a ratfolk chemist 
  (Monster Codex 182), and four ratfolk troubleshooters 
  (Monster Codex 178) scouting for a new warren. The ratfolk 
  want to ensure they aren’t discovered and initially want to 
  eliminate the PCs as witnesses. The ratfolk aren’t evil; if the 
  PCs try to negotiate, the ratfolk break off their attacks but 
  insist the PCs keep the ratfolk migration to themselves.
  Incendiary Agitators (CR 12): A dilettante (Pathfinder 
  RPG NPC Codex 151) and two street artists (NPC Codex 31) 
  have been stirring up anti-Qadiran sentiment with hateful 
  graffiti in Zimar’s public spaces. The PCs encounter the 
  agitators defacing a historic Qadiran building with racist 
  caricatures. If the PCs intervene, the agitators become 
  violent, attempting to “make an example” of the PCs.
  Misinformed Assassins (CR 11): An operative (Pathfinder 
  RPG Villain Codex 229) and two rutterkins (Villain Codex 227) 
  are pretending to be a noble woman and her servants. 
  The three are assassins from Oppara who have come to 
  Zimar looking for their target, but the information they 
  received is incomplete, and the assassins aren’t certain 
  how to proceed with their mission. They mistakenly 
  assume the PCs either are agents of their target (a miserly 
  half-orc banker whose name is either “Pakk” or “Pokk”) 
  or know where their target is. They attempt to extract the 
  information from the PCs, with violence if necessary, and 
  they don’t believe any protestations that the PCs don’t 
  know who they’re talking about.
  Predator’s Ruse (CR 10): From a secluded lair in the 
  undercity, a masked murderer (Monster Codex 85) and her 
  two loyal ghoul stalkers (Monster Codex 82) sneak into 
  the more heavily trafficked areas of Zimar to kidnap 
  and devour the living. The masked murderer poses as a 
  clueless visiting aristocrat lost in the city after dark. He 
  offers 10 gp for getting him “un-misdirected” by helping 
  him retrace his steps. The meandering route passes an 
  isolated doorway where the ghoul stalkers lurk. The 
  PCs might be the ghouls’ next target, or they might 
  witness a kidnapping and pursue the ghouls through the 
  crumbling undercity back to their lair.
  Street Performers (CR 12): The PCs come across a group 
  of street performers plying their trade in front of a small 
  crowd; the performers have recently left a circus to embrace 
  a life of crime. The stage magician (NPC Codex 204) and 
  strongwoman (Villain Codex 34) work to keep the crowd’s 
  attention, six acrobats (Villain Codex 36) caper among the 
  distracted crowd, picking pockets. Recognizing the PCs as 
  capable and canny onlookers who might pose them trouble, 
  the stage magician and strongwoman incorporate the PCs 
  into the act, inviting feats of showy magic or brute strength. 
  These two grandstanding criminals try to keep the heroes 
  distracted while the pickpockets do their work. If the PCs 
  uncover the troupe’s crimes, the troupe becomes enraged 
  and attacks in retaliation.
  ZIMAR ENCOUNTERS
  d%	 	
  Result	
  Avg.	CR	 Source
  1–4	 	
  2	roofgardens	
  9	
  Taldor, the First  
   
   
   
   
  Empire	63
  5–9	 	
  1d3	denizens	of	Leng	
  10	
  Bestiary 2	82
  10–13	
  1	hyaleth	
  10	
  See	page	84
  14–17	
  1d3	ogre	mages	
  10	
  Bestiary	221
  18–23	
  1	pyrogeist	
  10	
  See	page	88
  24–28	
  Predator’s	ruse	
  10	
  See	below
  29–33	
  Desperate	ratfolk	
  11	
  See	below
  34–38	
  1	harionago	
  11	
  Bestiary 4	149
  39–43	
  1d3+1	lamia	matriarchs	 11	
  Bestiary 2	175
  44–48	
  Misinformed	assassins	 11	
  See	below
  49–53	
  1d6	xenopterids	
  11	
  Bestiary 4	283
  54–59	
  1d4	dark	nagas	
  11	
  Bestiary	211
  60–65	
  2d3	baetriovs	
  12	
  Taldor, the First  
   
   
   
   
  Empire	56
  66–70	
  Incendiary	agitators	
  12	
  See	below
  71–75	
  1	sayona	
  12	
  Bestiary 4	231
  76–81	
  Street	performers	
  12	
  See	below
  82–85	
  1d4+1	alps	
  13	
  Bestiary 6	7
  86–90	
  1	devilbound	sorcerer	
  13	
  Bestiary 4	56
  91–95	
  1	morrigna	
  13	
  Bestiary 4	219
  96–100	 1	zalyakavat	
  13	
  See	page	90
  
  82
  CHITIKIN
  Eighteen segmented legs support this long arthropod’s jet-black 
  carapace, the front two of which are scythe-like claws, and its 
  slender antennae end in glowing green bulbs.
  CHITIKIN	
  CR	4
  XP	1,200
  N	Large	vermin
  Init	+1;	Senses	darkvision	60	ft.;	Perception	+2
  DEFENSE
  AC	17,	touch	10,	flat-footed	16	(+1	Dex,	+7	natural,	–1	size)
  hp	32	(5d8+10)
  Fort	+6,	Ref	+2,	Will	+3
  Immune	mind-affecting	effects
  OFFENSE
  Speed	40	ft.,	climb	40	ft.
  Melee	2	claws	+6	(1d6+4),	sting	+6	(1d6+4	plus	paralysis)
  Space	10	ft.;	Reach	10	ft.
  Special	Attacks	paralysis	(1	round,	DC	14),	shriek
  STATISTICS
  Str	19,	Dex	13,	Con	14,	Int	—,	Wis	15,	Cha	10
  Base	Atk	+3;	CMB	+8;	CMD	19	(can’t	be	tripped)
  Skills	Climb	+12,	Perception	+2
  SQ	compression
  ECOLOGY
  Environment	temperate	or	warm	forests	or	underground
  Organization	solitary	or	pair
  Treasure	none
  SPECIAL	ABILITIES
  Shriek	(Ex)	As	a	standard	action,	a	chitikin	can	rub	its	
  antennae	together	to	emit	a	terrifying	scream.	Each	
  creature	within	50	feet	must	succeed	at	a	DC	12	Will	saving	
  throw	or	become	panicked	for	2d4	rounds.	Whether	or	
  not	it	succeeds	at	its	save,	the	creature	is	immune	to	the	
  chitikin’s	shriek	for	24	hours.	This	is	a	sonic,	mind-affecting,	
  fear	effect.	The	save	DC	is	Charisma-based.
  Stalking the edges of civilization, this chitinous 
  predator uses a unique strategy to attract prey: it mimics 
  the screams of its intended victims. When a curious 
  or valorous creature investigates, the chitikin erupts 
  in ambush, amplifying its shriek to terrify its meal. 
  Villagers near the Verduran Forest and World’s Edge 
  Mountains have countless stories revolving around a 
  lonely traveler who hears someone screaming in pain, 
  either in a cave or otherwise off the beaten path, only to 
  investigate and find this horror waiting for him. 
  At a glance, a chitikin might be mistaken for a giant 
  black centipede, with its 15-foot body resting on 18 
  spindly legs. But unlike its smaller, simpler cousins, 
  a chitikin also has a stinger dripping with venom and 
  two large scythe-like claws. Above its hinged jaw are two 
  glowing bulbs on constantly flicking antennae. 
  A full-grown adult chitikin is 15 feet long and weighs 
  2,000 pounds.
  ECOLOGY
  A larval chitikin at first appears to be nothing but a large 
  centipede. It grows quickly, and within a few weeks it 
  wraps itself in a cocoon-like casing, soon emerging 
  several times larger. This process repeats periodically 
  during a chitikin’s life cycle, and at later stages, its 
  cocoon might be mistaken for that of the rare giant blue 
  moth; a potent alchemical ingredient. An alchemist who 
  attempts to harvest such a chrysalis often finds he has 
  made a fatal mistake when the chitikins emerges from 
  its cocoon in a ravenous frenzy. The typical adult chitikin 
  molts four times in its life, but there are rumors of a 
  gargantuan specimen that underwent a fifth molting to 
  grow to a fearsome size.
  Chitikins lure their prey by rubbing their antennae 
  together, producing a sound not unlike the incoherent 
  wailing of an innocent in desperate pain. When their 
  prey gets closer, chitikins rise up and emit terrifying 
  screams intended to unnerve their victims. Sages debate 
  whether this behavior evolved naturally, but many layfolk 
  who have survived encounters with the monsters claim 
  they recognized their loved ones’ voices and therefore 
  suspect something more sinister at work. Some scholars 
  hypothesize that some of the folktales in small towns 
  warning travelers not to stop to help an injured stranger 
  are cautionary stories based on chitikin attacks.
  Chitikins are careful hunters, preferring to ambush 
  prey they have lured to their lairs. The creatures’ 
  multitude of legs and large claws grants them the ability 
  to climb with ease, and they use this mobility to their 
  advantage, clinging to cavern ceilings with most of their 
  legs and reaching down to slash at prey below. In forests, 
  chitikins scramble rapidly between tree trunks and 
  sting targets with their tails, paralyzing the victims long 
  enough to efficiently dismember them.
  Despite their brutal hunting methods, chitikins seem 
  to have a compulsion with cleanliness. They suck away 
  every trace of blood and entrails from their kills, leaving 
  bones that they then crush with their mandibles until 
  even the bones disintegrate. When not hunting or lying 
  in ambush, chitikins repeatedly groom their antennae, 
  claws, and mandibles, and polish their carapaces until 
  they are a bright, gleaming black. 
  This grooming behavior becomes more pronounced 
  when a chitikin is ready to lay its eggs. First, it lays them 
  on a wall, dangling off a tree, or in some other elevated 
  location where they remain in stasis. At this stage the 
  egg sac looks almost like a bag of marbles or gems, and 
  the eggs emit a faint blue luminescence. The chitikin 
  cleans the sac constantly, protecting it from scavengers 
  and hunters. If the egg sac touches the ground, the 
  chitikin flies into a rage, attacking any creatures nearby 
  and sometimes chasing them for several miles, her 
  brood forgotten. After this lengthy aerial incubation, the 
  chitikin brings freshly killed prey to its nesting site and 
  
  83
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  carefully implants its eggs in the corpse. After about a 
  month, the eggs hatch and the chitikin larvae feast on 
  the liquefied remains.
  HABITAT AND SOCIETY
  Chitikins lead mostly solitary lives at the fringes of 
  civilization, close enough to lure prey but not so close 
  that they attract undue attention. Their nests are often 
  in thick forest canopies, mountain crags, and shallow 
  caves. It’s not uncommon for towns near swaths of wild 
  territory to be terrorized by a chitikin for months as 
  it skitters around the periphery, luring unsuspecting 
  townspeople to their doom.
  While its appearance can be unsettling, the most 
  terrifying aspect of this predator is its ability to emulate 
  humanoid screams. The particular scream a chitikin 
  produces is influenced by what it hunts; a chitikin 
  that preys on human villagers sounds much different 
  from one that scours caves for goblin victims. On rare 
  occasions, chitikins living near larger cities learn to 
  mimic the cries of domesticated pets or livestock rather 
  than people, as imitating the latter has the undesirable 
  consequence of summoning city guards, who often 
  prove too troublesome as prey.
  While chitikins are rarely 
  found with others of their own 
  kind, except for brief encounters 
  to mate, they do appear to have 
  an odd fondness for the giant 
  spiders 
  that 
  frequently 
  share 
  their 
  environs. 
  Accounts exist of chitikins 
  grooming such spiders, 
  and the arachnids seem 
  to tolerate the attention. 
  Ettercaps have also been 
  known to share larger lairs 
  with a chitikin, though they 
  do not appear to get the same 
  attention—and when a chitikin is 
  ready to lay eggs, it drives away 
  or eats any ettercaps in the 
  vicinity. Likely thanks to these 
  uneasy 
  truces, 
  adventurers 
  have found webs so often in 
  chitikin lairs that it’s widely 
  believed the creatures are capable 
  of spinning the webs themselves, 
  but the closest a chitikin comes to 
  making a web is vomiting up the 
  sticky brown goo it uses to make its 
  cocoon just before molting. 
  Chitikins prefer damp, dark 
  places for their lairs. Caves 
  are preferable, but they also 
  live in forests and jungles under the darkest parts of the 
  canopy. The creatures’ restless pacing eventually reduces 
  any soil or dirt to very fine powder, and their fastidious 
  nature means there is no blood or gore to betray their 
  presence. A chitikin lair in a forest is often marked by a 
  copse of trees whose trunks are marred by rings gouged 
  into the wood at a variety of heights—a result of the 
  creature’s constant movement and a telltale sign of a 
  chitikin’s presence to the knowledgeable or wary. 
  Chitikin hunting methods inevitably cause the 
  vermin’s territory to become less and less fruitful as 
  locals learn to avoid the paths and places from which 
  few lone travelers return. As a result, chitikins move 
  their lairs every few years, migrating by night until 
  they find a suitable new location. Creatures sharing a 
  chitikin’s lair sometimes come along on these nocturnal 
  migrations, forming a nightmarish convoy with spiders 
  large and small that ride on the monster’s back or 
  scrabble alongside. It is often during these migrations 
  that chitikins encounter another of their kind. If the two 
  are not a mating pair, they fight to the death in a vicious, 
  screaming battle.
  
  84
  HYALETH
  This giant translucent leech has three squirming tentacles 
  around an orifice on one end and a stinger on the other.
  HYALETH	
  CR	10
  XP	9,600
  N	Large	aberration	(aquatic)
  Init	+6;	Senses	darkvision	60	ft.,	thoughtsense	60	ft.;	
  Perception	+20
  DEFENSE
  AC	23,	touch	12,	flat-footed	20	(+2	Dex,	+1	dodge,	
  +11	natural,	–1	size)
  hp	127	(15d8+60)
  Fort	+11,	Ref	+7,	Will	+11
  DR	10/slashing;	Immune	acid;	Resist	cold	10
  OFFENSE
  Speed	20	ft.,	burrow	20	ft.	(wet	earth	or	saturated	stone	
  only),	swim	30	ft.;	aquiferous	glide
  Melee	sting	+16	(1d8+5	plus	poison	and	probe	intellect),	
  3	tentacles	+14	(1d6+2	plus	grab)
  Space	10	ft.;	Reach	10	ft.
  Special	Attacks	adaptive	digestion,	engulf	(DC	22),	poison
  STATISTICS
  Str	21,	Dex	15,	Con	18,	Int	12,	Wis	14,	Cha	11
  Base	Atk	+11;	CMB	+17	(+21	grapple);	CMD	30	(can’t	be	
  tripped)
  Feats	Combat	Reflexes,	Dodge,	Great	Fortitude,	Improved	
  Initiative,	Multiattack,	Skill	Focus	(Stealth),	Weapon	Focus	
  (sting,	tentacle)
  Skills	Escape	Artist	+20,	Perception	+20,	Stealth	+22	(+26	
  when	swimming),	Survival	+20,	Swim	+31;	Racial	
  Modifiers	+4	Stealth	when	swimming
  Languages	Aklo,	Common;	telepathy	100	ft.
  SQ	compression
  ECOLOGY
  Environment	temperate	fresh	water	or	underground
  Organization	solitary,	squad	(2–9),	or	colony	(10–200	and	
  1	hyaleth	queen)
  Treasure	incidental
  SPECIAL	ABILITIES
  Adaptive	Digestion	(Ex)	A	hyaleth	can	alter	the	makeup	
  of	its	digestive	secretions	to	suit	one	of	two	different	
  purposes.	It	can	switch	between	secretions	as	a	swift	
  action,	and	each	secretion	has	a	different	effect	on	
  creatures	the	hyaleth	has	engulfed	with	its	engulf	
  extraordinary	ability.	The	hyaleth	can	choose	one	of	the	
  following	effects,	and	it	must	apply	the	same	effect	to	all	
  creatures	it	has	engulfed.	A	hyaleth	can	affect	engulfed	
  creatures	with	only	one	of	the	following	effects	per	round.
  Digest Body: Engulfed	creatures	take	2d6	points	of	acid	
  damage	and	must	succeed	at	a	DC	21	Fortitude	save	or	
  take	1d2	points	of	Constitution	damage.	A	creature	reduced	
  to	negative	hit	points	by	this	effect	is	dissolved	entirely.	
  Digest Thoughts:	Engulfed	creatures	that	are	awake	
  must	succeed	at	a	DC	21	Will	save	or	take	1d2	points	of	
  Intelligence	damage	and	fall	asleep	for	1	hour.	Each	time	a	
  creature	fails	its	save	against	this	effect,	as	a	free	action	the	
  hyaleth	can	retrieve	one	answer	to	a	specific	question	as	
  though	sifting	through	the	creature’s	surface	thoughts	with	
  detect thoughts.	Alternatively,	the	hyaleth	can	attempt	one	
  Knowledge	check	in	a	skill	in	which	the	engulfed	creature	
  has	at	least	1	rank,	using	the	creature’s	current	total	skill	
  modifier.	This	is	a	mind-affecting	effect.	The	secretions	used	
  to	digest	thoughts	are	foamy	and	oxygenated,	allowing	
  engulfed	creatures	to	breathe	normally	while	it	is	in	effect.	
  The	save	DCs	are	Constitution-based.
  Aquiferous	Glide	(Su)	A	hyaleth	can	travel	through	aquifers	
  and	sodden	earth	with	ease,	even	while	it	has	creatures	
  engulfed	within	its	body.	This	functions	like	the	earth	
  glide	universal	monster	rule,	except	the	hyaleth	can	move	
  through	only	earth	and	stone	saturated	with	water.	While	
  a	hyaleth	travels	in	this	manner,	creatures	it	has	engulfed	
  that	are	unable	to	burrow	cannot	escape	except	through	
  magical	means.
  Engulf	(Ex)	A	hyaleth	can	engulf	Medium	or	smaller	
  creatures,	but	it	loses	its	compression	special	quality	and	
  its	racial	bonus	on	Stealth	checks	when	it	has	a	creature	
  engulfed.	Engulfed	creatures	are	subject	to	the	hyaleth’s	
  adaptive	digestion.
  Poison	(Ex)	Sting—injury;	save	Fort	DC	21;	frequency	
  1/round	for	2	rounds;	effect	paralysis	for	1d3	rounds	(the	
  duration	of	the	paralysis	is	cumulative	with	each	failed	
  save);	cure	1	save.	The	save	DC	is	Constitution-based.	
  When	a	creature	fails	its	initial	saving	throw	against	the	
  poison	delivered	by	a	hyaleth’s	sting	attack,	the	hyaleth	
  learns	the	creature’s	Intelligence	score.
  Hyaleths are translucent, tubular aberrations hailing 
  from deep underground waters. They occasionally 
  travel to the surface, usually during heavy downpours, 
  emerging into lakes, streams, swamps, and sometimes 
  wells. Inquisitive and aggressive, hyaleths come to the 
  surface to explore and to hunt sentient humanoids. 
  Despite their large size, hyaleth can swim and hide in 
  surprisingly shallow waters, allowing them to remain 
  undetected while approaching their prey. Once it closes 
  in on a target, a hyaleth uses its stinger to deliver a 
  paralyzing neurotoxin before engulfing its victim within 
  its elastic body. Though hyaleths cannot breathe air, 
  they can leave the water and slither along the ground for 
  short periods of time. 
  An average hyaleth is 16 feet long and weighs about 
  1,300 pounds.
  ECOLOGY
  When not exploring the surface, hyaleths inhabit water-
  filled caverns and lakes deep underground. It is here 
  that the strange creatures are spawned, hatching from 
  soft-shelled eggs laid by hyaleth queens. In some ways, 
  these caverns are like the hives of social insects, with 
  
  85
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  numerous hyaleths coming and going in a constant 
  stream of activity. Some hyaleths are tasked with caring 
  for the eggs, while others defend the colony or gather 
  food and knowledge for their queen.
  Hyaleths share a rudimentary hive mind and prefer 
  to communicate telepathically, although other creatures 
  find their strange and erratic communications difficult 
  to comprehend. Hyaleths aren’t evil, but their little-
  understood motivations and aggressive behavior 
  frequently put them at odds with other races. 
  Hyaleths eat almost anything they can catch, as 
  their digestive acids can break down nearly any kind 
  of material. Even more than food, hyaleths desire 
  knowledge, which they most often acquire by absorbing 
  the thoughts of creatures they engulf. Hyaleths simply 
  digest any unintelligent or dim-witted creatures they 
  engulf, but they place intelligent creatures into a deep 
  sleep, reading the victim’s thoughts as it falls into 
  slumber. A hyaleth derives great pleasure from drawing 
  out this knowledge, and it subtly changes color while 
  doing so, its transparent body rippling through several 
  hues in delight. When a hyaleth identifies and engulfs a 
  creature with exceptional intelligence, it returns to the 
  deep to deliver the victim to a gigantic hyaleth queen.
  Hyaleths over 40 years old gradually lose their 
  flexibility, their translucent bodies becoming cloudy and 
  opaque. Most aging hyaleths return to their colony to 
  be devoured by their queen, but hyaleths prevented 
  from doing so gradually solidify, becoming 
  lifeless lumps of resinous flesh.
  HABITAT AND SOCIETY
  Hyaleths are social creatures, and few 
  hyaleths enjoy being away from the comfort 
  of a colony for long. Although hyaleth egg-
  tenders and guards are considered valuable 
  to a colony, the colony’s most successful 
  scouts and explorers enjoy the highest status, 
  second only to the queen. 
  When a thriving hyaleth colony grows beyond 
  a certain size, the colony’s queen lays a special 
  egg that will hatch and grow into another 
  hyaleth queen. A squad of specially appointed 
  hyaleths then takes the egg to a new location 
  many miles away to begin a new colony 
  and serve as the new queen’s guards 
  and scouts.
  Hyaleths have a strained relationship 
  with alghollthus. The two races aren’t 
  related, despite their similarities, and 
  hyaleths aren’t as tyrannical or scheming. 
  Although hyaleths are eager to acquire 
  even a fraction of the immense racial 
  knowledge all alghollthus share, aboleths are too 
  large for hyaleths to consume and too imperious to 
  share knowledge as equals. Alghollthus treat hyaleths 
  with the same disdain as they hold for all other races, 
  subjugating entire hyaleth colonies when it suits their 
  inscrutable purposes.
  HYALETH QUEENS
  Hyaleth queens are larger than normal hyaleths and 
  they have highly superior intellects. They can live for 
  hundreds of years, constantly harvesting vast amounts 
  of information from a continual stream of creatures 
  brought to them by hyaleth scouts. Hyaleth queens 
  are repositories of scattered bits of history and other 
  knowledge surpassing most mortal sages, but given their 
  species’ strange nature and remote habitats, learning the 
  secrets held by a hyaleth queen is extremely difficult. 
  A hyaleth queen is a Gargantuan hyaleth advanced 
  by adding a +8 racial bonus to all of its mental ability 
  scores, and at least 5 Hit Dice. A hyaleth queen can engulf 
  Large or smaller creatures and can automatically engulf 
  sleeping or helpless creatures expelled by an adjacent 
  hyaleth. A hyaleth queen can selectively apply either 
  option of its adaptive digestion ability to each creature it 
  has engulfed, judging whether each can add to its eclectic 
  store of knowledge or is suitable only as nourishment.
  
  86
  PLANT MONSTERS OF TALDOR
  Except for the Verduran Forest in northwestern Taldor, the 
  country is largely covered in scrublands. Grasses, shrubs, 
  and plants with underground stems, such as onions, 
  dominate the local vegetation. Taldor also has several 
  large rivers, with unique species of plants evolved to grow 
  in and alongside the water. The following monsters are 
  examples of dangerous plant creatures found in Taldor.
  BLOOD ALGAE SWARM
  An oily substance in the water surrounds this seething red mass 
  of wormlike lumps of algae.
  BLOOD	ALGAE	SWARM	
  CR	8	
  XP	4,800
  N	Diminutive	plant	(swarm)
  Init	+3;	Senses	low-light	vision;	Perception	+0
  DEFENSE
  AC	21,	touch	17,	flat-footed	18	(+3	Dex,	+4	natural,	+4	size)
  hp	97	(13d8+39)
  Fort	+11,	Ref	+7,	Will	+4
  Defensive	Abilities	swarm	traits;	Immune	weapon	damage,	
  plant	traits
  OFFENSE
  Speed	swim	20	ft.
  Melee	swarm	(3d6	plus	distraction)
  Space	10	ft.;	Reach	0	ft.
  Special	Attacks	algal	bloom,	cling	(DC	18),	distraction	(DC	18)
  STATISTICS
  Str	3,	Dex	16,	Con	16,	Int	—,	Wis	11,	Cha	5
  Base	Atk	+9;	CMB	—;	CMD	—
  Skills	Swim	+11
  ECOLOGY
  Environment	temperate	or	warm	rivers
  Organization	solitary	or	colony	(2–6)
  Treasure	none
  SPECIAL	ABILITIES
  Algal	Bloom	(Ex)	Once	every	2d4	rounds	as	a	standard	
  action	while	underwater,	a	blood	algae	swarm	can	release	
  a	cloud	of	red	pigment	in	a	10-foot	radius	centered	on	
  the	swarm.	In	this	area,	the	water	turns	blood	red	and	
  becomes	opaque,	blocking	vision	as	obscuring mist.	The	
  pigment	persists	for	3	rounds	before	dispersing.	The	
  pigment	colors	the	skin	and	clothes	of	any	creature	within	
  the	area	a	blood-red	color	for	1d4	hours,	at	which	time	
  the	pigment	fades.	Scrubbing	for	several	minutes	with	
  strong	alcohol	also	removes	the	pigment.
  Cling	(Ex)	If	a	creature	leaves	a	blood	algae	swarm’s	square,	
  several	of	the	squirming	creatures	continue	to	cling	to	the	
  victim.	A	creature	with	blood	algae	clinging	to	it	takes	2d6	
  points	of	damage	at	the	end	of	its	turn	each	round.	The	
  creature	can	remove	the	algae	with	a	successful	DC	18	
  Reflex	save	as	a	full-round	action.	Any	amount	of	damage	
  from	an	area	effect	destroys	all	clinging	algae,	and	the	
  clinging	algae	also	drop	off	automatically	if	the	victim	
  leaves	the	water	or	moves	more	than	30	feet	from	the	
  blood	algae	swarm.	The	save	DC	is	Dexterity-based.
  Blood algae evolved from a species of river algae in the 
  Jalrune River and has since spread to other rivers in 
  Taldor and Qadira by adhering to the hulls of sailing 
  ships. Individual creatures in a blood algae swarm 
  consist of cells within a fat, gelatinous, wormlike matrix 
  4 inches long. A swarm of blood algae is at least 10 feet 
  wide and consists of hundreds or thousands of these 
  wormlike organisms. 
  Blood algae colonies form in river bends and places 
  where the water flows slowly or forms stagnant pools 
  seasonally. Multiple swarms make up a blood algae 
  colony, which can spread across an entire river and 
  writhe along its banks. Individual swarms rarely travel 
  far from their colony unless flushed away by a flood or 
  drawn away by a large log or river vessel—although a 
  blood algae swarm may drift downstream when food is 
  scarce to find a more plentiful area of the river. 
  Blood algae swarms are diurnal, floating toward the 
  water’s surface in sunny weather and sinking to the 
  bottom at night. These creatures absorb some nutrients 
  directly from the water, but to survive longer periods 
  of time, they must feed on living creatures such as 
  crustaceans, fish, or mammals. Blood algae attach 
  themselves to their prey’s skin, inserting needlelike 
  protrusions in the flesh, through which they can feed.
  Blood algae reproduce both sexually and asexually—
  although a swarm usually uses the latter method only 
  when recovering from losses caused by environmental 
  dangers or predation. A swarm of blood algae consists of 
  a roughly equal number of male and female individuals, 
  but members of the same swarm don’t usually reproduce 
  with one another. Instead, a swarm seeks out another 
  swarm for a violent-looking mating ritual, which churns 
  the water with blood-red pigment.
  Because blood algae swarms can color the water red, 
  there are many superstitious beliefs in Taldor about evil 
  spirits that turn the water into blood to punish people.
  CARRION CREEPER
  This thick mass of vegetation has several sturdy tendrils 
  studded with long thorns and rippling with strength.
  CARRION	CREEPER	
  CR	10
  XP	9,600
  N	Large	plant	
  Init	+7;	Senses	low-light	vision,	tremorsense	30	ft.;	
  Perception	+9
  DEFENSE
  AC	24,	touch	16,	flat-footed	17	(+7	Dex,	+8	natural,	–1	size)
  hp	133	(14d8+70)
  Fort	+13,	Ref	+11,	Will	+5
  Immune	plant	traits
  
  87
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  OFFENSE
  Speed	30	ft.,	climb	30	ft.
  Melee	4	vines	+17	(2d6+4/19–20	plus	grab)
  Space	10	ft.;	Reach	15	ft.
  Special	Attacks	brutal	pull,	efficient	grappler,	whirlwind	
  of	thorns
  STATISTICS
  Str	19,	Dex	25,	Con	18,	Int	4,	Wis	12,	Cha	7
  Base	Atk	+10;	CMB	+18	(+26	grapple);	CMD	32	(can’t	
  be	tripped)
  Feats	Agile	Maneuvers,	Combat	Reflexes,	Improved	Critical	
  (vine),	Skill	Focus	(Stealth),	Toughness,	Weapon	Finesse,	
  Weapon	Focus	(vine)
  Skills	Climb	+16,	Perception	+9,	Stealth	+14
  Languages	Sylvan	(can’t	speak)
  SQ	freeze
  ECOLOGY
  Environment	temperate	forests	or	plains
  Organization	solitary	or	tangle	(2–4)
  Treasure	none
  SPECIAL	ABILITIES
  Brutal	Pull	(Ex)	When	a	carrion	creeper	successfully	initiates	
  a	grapple	and	moves	its	target	to	an	adjacent	space,	the	
  target	takes	2d8	points	of	bludgeoning	damage	for	every	
  5	feet	it	moves.
  Efficient	Grappler	(Ex)	A	carrion	creeper	takes	only	a	
  –10	penalty	on	its	combat	maneuver	check	to	make	and	
  maintain	a	grapple	on	a	foe	when	using	only	a	vine	rather	
  than	its	whole	body	to	grapple.	It	receives	a	+8	bonus	on	
  combat	maneuver	checks	to	maintain	a	grapple	rather	
  than	the	normal	+4	bonus	granted	by	the	grab	ability.
  Vines	(Ex)	A	carrion	creeper’s	thorny	vines	are	primary	
  natural	weapons	that	deal	piercing	and	bludgeoning	
  damage	and	have	a	reach	of	15	feet.
  Whirlwind	of	Thorns	(Ex)	Once	every	1d4	rounds	as	a	
  full-round	action,	a	carrion	creeper	can	shake	its	body	
  to	launch	thorns	in	a	20-foot-radius	burst	centered	
  on	itself.	All	creatures	within	the	burst	except	
  carrion	creepers	take	8d6	points	of	piercing	
  damage	(Reflex	DC	21	half).	As	part	of	
  the	full-round	action,	the	carrion	creeper	
  can	also	attempt	to	maintain	its	hold	on	
  a	creature	it	has	grappled.	The	save	DC	
  is	Constitution-based.
  These carnivorous plants developed 
  from ordinary creeping vines and can 
  scuttle along the ground or up trees and 
  walls. Carrion creepers grow up to 10 feet 
  long and weigh up to 500 pounds.
  Carrion creepers feed on decomposing 
  carcasses, sinking their tendrils into corpses 
  and leaching liquids and nutrients. When carrion 
  is unavailable, they set ambushes for living animals 
  and even intelligent creatures, seeing them as nothing 
  more than sources of nutrition. Carrion creepers don’t 
  maintain lairs; instead, these nomadic creatures find 
  trees, walls, or wells to cling to while resting or patiently 
  waiting in ambush. When on the ground, they move by 
  rolling along like a tumbleweed, and, when resting, they 
  resemble thorny shrubs rather than vines.
  Carrion creepers are genderless, which means they 
  don’t flower like many ordinary creeping vines do. 
  Instead, as a carrion creeper consumes carcasses, it 
  continues to grow until it splits into two or more smaller 
  carrion creepers, which usually hunt together until a 
  shortage of food forces them to separate. 
  Carrion creepers use their ability to sense vibrations 
  in the ground not only to detect prey but also as a 
  form of communication. Thanks to their rudimentary 
  intelligence, they are capable of using simple hunting 
  tactics, such as surrounding their prey. 
  Carrion creepers have little in the way of culture, but 
  they are sometimes inexplicably drawn to great stone 
  monoliths, jealously guarding them as if in some crude 
  form of religious veneration. Such carrion creepers 
  occasionally scratch symbols into nearby dirt or even 
  stone, forming basic Sylvan characters for “go away” or 
  “protected place,” but they seem otherwise unfamiliar 
  with the concept of writing.
  
  88
  PYROGEIST
  A malevolent face emerges from within this roiling mass of 
  ghostly fire. Several smaller faces writhe within the flames.
  PYROGEIST	
  	
  CR	10
  XP	9,600
  CE	Large	undead	(incorporeal)
  Init	+10;	Senses	darkvision	60	ft.;	Perception	+23
  DEFENSE
  AC	23,	touch	23,	flat-footed	16	(+7	deflection,	+6	Dex,	
  +1	dodge,	–1	size)
  hp	126	(11d8+77)
  Fort	+10,	Ref	+9,	Will	+12
  Defensive	Abilities	channel	resistance	+4,	incorporeal,	
  rejuvenation;	Immune	fire,	undead	traits
  OFFENSE
  Speed	fly	50	ft.	(perfect)
  Melee	incorporeal	touch	+13	(10d6)
  Space	10	ft.;	Reach	10	ft.
  Special	Attacks	breath	weapon	(30-ft.	cone,	10d6	negative	
  energy	damage,	Reflex	DC	22	half,	usable	every	1d4	
  rounds),	pyrokinetic	whirlwind	(3/day,	10–30	ft.	high,	
  10d6	negative	energy	damage,	DC	15),	soul	consumption
  Spell-Like	Abilities	(CL	11th;	concentration	+18)
  At	will—ghost sound	(DC	17),	hold portal,	mage hand
  3/day—major image	(DC	20)
  1/day—nightmare	(DC	22)
  STATISTICS
  Str	—,	Dex	23,	Con	—,	Int	17,	Wis	21,	Cha	24
  Base	Atk	+8;	CMB	+15;	CMD	33	(can’t	be	tripped)
  Feats	Alertness,	Combat	Reflexes,	Dodge,	Improved	Initiative,	
  Mobility,	Skill	Focus	(Intimidate)
  Skills	Bluff	+18,	Fly	+26,	Intimidate	+27,	Knowledge	
  (engineering)	+14,	Perception	+23,	Sense	Motive	+23,	
  Stealth	+16
  Languages	Common
  ECOLOGY
  Environment	any
  Organization	solitary
  Treasure	standard
  SPECIAL	ABILITIES
  Breath	Weapon	(Su)	A	pyrogeist	can	spit	a	cone	of	spectral	
  fire	that	damages	living	creatures.	When	a	creature	fails	a	
  saving	throw	against	the	pyrogeist’s	breath	weapon,	the	
  creature’s	flesh	ignites	in	ghostly	flames	for	2d6	rounds	
  or	until	the	pyrogeist	is	destroyed.	While	the	creature	is	
  affected	by	the	flames,	it	is	illuminated	as	though	under	
  the	effects	of	faerie fire	and	takes	1d6	points	of	negative	
  energy	damage	at	the	start	of	each	turn.	Subsequent	
  breath	weapon	attacks	don’t	increase	this	damage	but	can	
  extend	the	duration.	An	affected	creature	can	attempt	a	
  DC	22	Fortitude	save	as	a	full-round	action	to	quench	the	
  flames.	The	save	DC	is	Charisma-based.
  Pyrokinetic	Whirlwind	(Su)	A	pyrogeist	can	transform	into	
  a	spectral	whirlwind	(as	per	the	universal	monster	rule)	to	
  entrap	its	victims.	Creatures	caught	in	the	whirlwind	take	
  10d6	points	of	negative	energy	damage	each	round.	A	
  pyrokinetic	whirlwind	does	not	create	a	swirling	cloud	of	
  debris	when	it	touches	the	ground.
  Rejuvenation	(Su)	A	pyrogeist	that	is	destroyed	restores	
  itself	after	2d4	days,	forming	near	its	mortal	remains.	To	
  permanently	destroy	a	pyrogeist,	its	corpse	must	receive	
  proper	burial	rites,	including	a	sprinkling	of	holy	water.	
  Soul	Consumption	(Su)	The	spirit	of	a	creature	that	dies	
  while	subject	to	a	pyrogeist’s	pyrokinetic	whirlwind	is	
  trapped	within	the	pyrogeist	(as	per	soul bind)	until	
  the	pyrogeist	is	destroyed	or	chooses	to	set	it	free.	The	
  spirit	remains	trapped	whether	or	not	the	pyrogeist	is	in	
  whirlwind	form.
  Pyrogeists are the burning ghosts of arsonists and 
  pyromaniacs who were killed in the fires they started. 
  Whether the pyrogeists’ deaths were accidents or suicides, 
  the horribly painful and often humiliating deaths create 
  pyrogeists from the arsonist’s or pyromaniac’s soul. A 
  pyrogeist is a mass of spectral fire that emits no heat and 
  damages only living creatures. A large face floats upon 
  its surface, resembling a twisted mockery of the person 
  the pyrogeist was when alive. A pyrogeist haunts the area 
  surrounding its remains and is consumed with a desire 
  to immolate others. A pyrogeist most often haunts its 
  victims with terrifying illusions before engulfing them 
  and adding their souls to the creatures’ perpetual torment.
  ECOLOGY
  The form of a pyrogeist flows and roils, its large face 
  appearing and disappearing along with the faces of the 
  other souls the pyrogeist has consumed. The ghostly 
  inferno changes colors based on the pyrogeist’s mood. 
  Most often an angry red and orange, as of flickering flame, 
  the pyrogeist’s hues might shift to an envious green, 
  a calm blue, or a haughty violet at a moment’s notice. 
  Although a pyrogeist rarely chooses to communicate 
  with the living except when mocking or haunting them, 
  when it chooses to speak, its voice sounds like roaring 
  and crackling flames.
  Pyrogeists are obsessed with sharing their torment 
  with the living, but they are too clever and sadistic to 
  simply immolate their foes. Pyrogeists prefer to first 
  drive their victims into paranoia and insanity. When 
  feasible, they first start with minor events that could be 
  explained as accidents or unfortunate events, such as 
  by using mage hand to push flammable items near open 
  flames or ghost sound to emulate the crackling of a fire 
  in another room. When the pyrogeist’s victim starts to 
  doubt its senses, the pyrogeist inflicts increasingly horrid 
  nightmares that always involve fire. These nightmares 
  usually culminate in people or places the victim loves 
  being set ablaze, often by the victim’s own hand. The 
  pyrogeist then uses its major image spell-like ability 
  
  89
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  to bring these nightmares into the waking world, 
  causing its victim to see charred corpses or dancing 
  flames wherever it looks. Eventually, the pyrogeist 
  moves in for the kill, destroying its victim with 
  whirling spectral fire that annihilates flesh and 
  bone but leaves clothing and other items intact. 
  A pyrogeist can make its victim’s torment endless 
  by consuming the victim’s soul, creating another 
  face that flows across the pyrogeist’s churning 
  form. Pyrogeists are reluctant to release souls it 
  has entrapped, usually doing so only as part of 
  a bargain that ensures its ongoing existence or 
  promises additional souls in exchange.
  Pyrogeists draw pleasure from burning victims 
  with their ghostly fire, but they are aware that this 
  manner of death leaves distinctive clues for ghost 
  hunters. As the pyrogeist’s attacks deal negative 
  energy damage, they cannot harm objects, clothing, 
  or equipment. To cover its tracks, the most devious 
  pyrogeists—especially those that have been destroyed 
  and rejuvenated in the past—ignite normal fires to hide 
  their tracks. Although a pyrogeist might knock over an 
  oil lamp or shove a flaming fireplace log with its mage 
  hand spell-like ability, it prefers to have its victims set 
  the blaze on its behalf, perhaps promising an end to 
  their psychic torment in exchange for an act of arson. 
  Identifying a pyrogeist’s supernatural burn marks is 
  much more difficult after a mundane fire has swept 
  through a location. 
  Pyrogeists choose their victims based on their 
  proclivities in life and the circumstances of their death. 
  Some pyrogeists prefer to target victims of certain classes 
  or occupations, or by targeting buildings of specific 
  architectural styles or colors. Pyrogeists that formed 
  from murderous psychopaths often continue gruesome 
  trends in undeath, such as collecting trophies from their 
  victims or leaving certain calling cards at crime scenes. 
  Other pyrogeists spend their time forcing victims to 
  recreate the circumstances of their own deaths. 
  Putting a pyrogeist to rest permanently requires 
  burial rites be performed with at least some piece 
  of the pyrogeist’s mortal remains. As those remains 
  have usually been reduced to little more than ash 
  and bone fragments, they often go unnoticed among 
  the smoldering wreckage of a destroyed building. A 
  pyrogeist senses when its mortal remains are disturbed 
  and usually moves quickly to prevent anyone from 
  disturbing them.
  HABITAT AND SOCIETY
  Pyrogeists most often form in heavily populated 
  cities, where structure fires are more common and 
  the anonymity of crowded streets allow arsonists and 
  pyromaniacs to blend in as they do their wicked work. 
  These pyrogeists have no contact with their former 
  families or friends, but they sometimes seek out their old 
  acquaintances to become their first victims. Pyrogeists 
  can also originate in remote villages or in the wilderness, 
  usually during forest fires or other calamities triggered 
  with malicious intent. Recent rumors place a vengeful 
  pyrogeist along the Jalrune River in southern Taldor. 
  There, a saboteur set fire to a laden merchant vessel 
  belonging to a rival trade prince, only to be trapped 
  within the burning ship. This pyrogeist now haunts 
  passing ships, lairing in the blackened shipwreck that 
  rests at the bottom of the river. 
  Pyrogeists are almost always solitary creatures, so 
  consumed by their hunt for souls that they rarely 
  interact with anything else, living or dead. On rare 
  occasions, multiple arsonists die together and merge 
  into a single pyrogeist, sharing a morbid coexistence. 
  These pyrogeists are usually the most erratic, as different 
  personalities vie for control.
  Powerful necromancers sometimes attempt to create 
  or control a pyrogeist, in search of an incorporeal 
  assassin that prevents its targets from being brought 
  back to life. Pyrogeists resent these attempts, making 
  them highly dangerous minions; if the necromancer’s 
  control slips enough to allow the pyrogeist any amount 
  of freedom, the incorporeal horror would surely focus 
  its murderous attention on the one that enslaved them.
  
  90
  RAKSHASA, ZALYAKAVAT
  This sinewy humanoid with putrid green skin and a grotesque, 
  shrew-like snout wears little more than a colorful silk sarong 
  and a thin, flexible blade worn as a belt. 
  ZALYAKAVAT	
  	
  CR	13	
  XP	25,600
  LE	Medium	outsider	(native,	rakshasa,	shapechanger)
  Init	+10;	Senses	darkvision	60	ft.;	Perception	+24
  DEFENSE
  AC	28,	touch	17,	flat-footed	21	(+6	Dex,	+1	dodge,	
  +11	natural)
  hp	178	(17d10+85)	
  Fort	+15,	Ref	+16,	Will	+11
  DR	15/good	and	piercing;	SR	28
  OFFENSE
  Speed	40	ft.
  Melee	+2 urumiUE	+24/+19/+14/+9	(1d8+6/15–20)
  Space	5	ft.;	Reach	5	ft.	(10	ft.	with	urumi)
  Special	Attacks	detect thoughts	(DC	20),	urumi	forms
  Spells	Known	(CL	10th;	concentration	+12)
  5th	(3/day)—wall of stone	(DC	17)
  4th	(5/day)—dimension door,	ice storm
  3rd	(6/day)—dispel magic,	lightning bolt	(DC	15),	
  protection from energy
  2nd	(7/day)—blur,	darkness,	knock,	see invisibility
  1st	(7/day)—expeditious retreat,	identify,	mage armor,	
  magic aura,	ray of enfeeblement	(DC	13)
  0	(at	will)—acid splash,	bleed	(DC	12),	detect magic,	
  ghost sound	(DC	12),	mage hand,	mending,	message,	
  open/close,	read magic
  STATISTICS
  Str	19,	Dex	22,	Con	21,	Int	16,	Wis	18,	Cha	15
  Base	Atk	+17;	CMB	+21;	CMD	38
  Feats	Acrobatic	Steps,	Combat	Reflexes,	Dodge,	Improved	
  Critical	(urumi),	Improved	Initiative,	Iron	Will,	Nimble	
  Moves,	Quick	Draw,	Weapon	Focus	(urumi)
  Skills	Acrobatics	+26	(+30	when	jumping),	Bluff	+26,	
  Disguise	+30,	Knowledge	(arcana,	local)	+23,	
  Perception	+24,	Sense	Motive	+24,	Spellcraft	+20,	
  Stealth	+26;	Racial	Modifiers	+4	Bluff,	+8	Disguise
  Languages	Common,	Infernal,	Undercommon
  SQ	change	shape	(any	humanoid;	alter self),	inconspicuous	
  urumi,	urumi	affinity
  ECOLOGY
  Environment	any
  Organization	solitary,	pair,	or	muster	(3–6)
  Treasure	standard	(+2 urumiUE,	other	treasure)
  SPECIAL	ABILITIES
  Inconspicuous	Urumi	(Su)	A	zalyakavat	can	wear	an	
  urumi	in	its	belt	slot	and	draw	it	as	a	free	action.	While	
  wearing	an	urumi	in	its	belt	slot,	the	zalyakavat	gains	
  a	bonus	on	Bluff	and	Disguise	checks	equal	to	the	
  weapon’s	enhancement	bonus,	if	any.	If	the	urumi	has	
  an	enhancement	bonus	of	+2	or	higher,	the	zalyakavat	
  also	gains	the	benefit	of	nondetection	with	a	caster	level	
  equal	to	the	zalyakavat’s	caster	level	plus	the	weapon’s	
  enhancement	bonus.
  Spells	A	zalyakavat	casts	spells	as	a	10th-level	sorcerer.
  Urumi	Affinity	(Su)	A	zalyakavat	doesn’t	drop	its	urumi	
  when	panicked	or	stunned,	and	it	treats	its	reach	with	an	
  urumi	as	5	feet	greater	than	normal.
  Urumi	Forms	(Su)	When	holding	an	urumi	in	one	paw	and	
  carrying	nothing	in	its	other,	a	zalyakavat	can	expend	
  unused	spell	slots	to	activate	a	variety	of	special	abilities	
  and	weapon	modifications	known	collectively	as	urumi	
  forms.	Activating	an	urumi	form	is	a	swift	action,	and	
  the	zalyakavat	cannot	cast	spells	during	a	round	in	which	
  it	activates	one.	Whenever	the	zalyakavat	activates	an	
  urumi	form,	in	addition	to	the	other	effects	below,	the	
  zalyakavat	gains	the	benefit	of	freedom of movement	
  until	the	start	of	its	next	turn.	The	zalyakavat	can	select	
  from	the	following	urumi	forms,	each	of	which	last	until	
  the	start	of	the	zalyakavat’s	next	turn.
  Contingent Strikes: A	zalyakavat	can	expend	a	spell	slot	
  of	1st	level	or	higher	to	imbue	an	urumi	it	wields	with	
  a	single	magic	weapon	special	ability.	The	special	ability	
  is	added	to	any	the	weapon	already	has,	but	duplicate	
  abilities	do	not	stack.	The	zalyakavat	can	select	from	
  the	following	special	abilities.	1st-level	slot—corrosiveUE,	
  flaming,	frost,	ghost touch,	shock;	2nd-level	slot—
  axiomatic,	corrosive burstUE,	flaming burst,	icy burst,	
  shocking burst,	unholy,	wounding;	3rd-level	slot—speed;	
  4th-level	slot—brilliant energy;	5th-level	slot—vorpal.	
  Imbued	magic	weapon	special	abilities	do	not	function	for	
  any	creature	other	than	the	zalyakavat.
  Deft Strikes:	A	zalyakavat	can	expend	a	spell	slot	of	2nd	
  level	or	higher	to	gain	Improved	Disarm	and	Improved	
  Trip	as	bonus	feats,	as	well	as	a	competence	bonus	on	
  disarm	and	trip	attempts	equal	to	the	level	of	the	spell	
  slot	expended.
  Dispelling Strikes: By	expending	a	spell	slot	of	3rd	level	
  or	higher,	a	zalyakavat	can	disrupt	magic	with	an	urumi	
  it	wields,	causing	any	creature	struck	by	the	zalyakavat’s	
  urumi	to	be	the	subject	of	a	targeted	dispel magic	with	
  a	caster	level	equal	to	the	zalyakavat’s	caster	level	plus	
  the	level	of	the	spell	slot	expended.	A	creature	can	be	the	
  subject	of	only	one	such	targeted	dispel	per	use	of	this	
  ability,	but	if	the	urumi	strikes	more	than	one	creature,	
  each	creature	struck	is	subject	to	the	dispelling	effect.
  Garrote Whip:	A	zalyakavat	can	expend	a	spell	slot	of	
  4th	level	or	higher	to	make	an	urumi	it	wields	longer	and	
  more	flexible.	The	zalyakavat’s	reach	with	the	weapon	
  increases	by	5	feet,	and	the	zalyakavat	can	attempt	to	
  strike	and	strangle	a	single	target	as	a	standard	action.	
  The	zalyakavat	makes	a	melee	attack	at	its	highest	bonus.	
  On	a	successful	hit,	the	attack	deals	damage	as	normal,	
  and	the	zalyakavat	can	attempt	a	combat	maneuver	check	
  against	the	target’s	CMD	as	a	free	action.	This	combat	
  maneuver	does	not	provoke	attacks	of	opportunity.	
  
  91
  CITY  
  IN THE  
  LION’S EYE
  Foreword
  Part 1: 
  The Road to 
  Zimar
  Part 2: 
  Game of Masks
  Part 3: 
  Assault on 
  Abadar’s Pillar
  NPC 
  Gallery
  Zimar
  Rakshasa
  Threats
  Lion Blades
  Bestiary
  If	the	maneuver	succeeds,	the	target	takes	an	additional	
  1d8	points	of	damage	plus	the	zalyakavat’s	Strength	
  modifier	and	must	succeed	at	a	DC	22	Fortitude	save	or	
  fall	unconscious	for	1d4	rounds.	This	ability	works	only	on	
  creatures	that	breathe	and	have	a	discernible	neck.	The	
  save	DC	is	Strength-based.
  Whip of Many Blades:	A	zalyakavat	can	expend	a	
  5th-level	spell	slot	to	cause	extra	blades	to	sprout	from	
  the	hilt	of	an	urumi	it	wields.	When	the	zalyakavat	makes	
  a	full	attack	with	the	weapon,	it	can	make	two	extra	
  attacks	at	its	highest	base	attack	bonus.	This	benefit	is	not	
  cumulative	with	similar	effects,	such	as	haste.
  Shrew-faced rakshasas with a lust for physical combat, 
  zalyakavats are spiritually and magically bound to their 
  weapon of choice, the urumi. Fueling their whip-like 
  swords with arcane power, they perform astonishing 
  feats of martial prowess. To sate their lust for swordplay, 
  zalyakavats continually seek opponents to challenge. 
  A zalyakavat stands 6 and a half feet tall and weighs 
  around 170 pounds. 
  ECOLOGY
  When the most ruthless and dishonorable of warriors 
  dies in ignominy, their vile spirits are reborn as 
  zalyakavats, usually to a rakshasa mother. Even in 
  infancy, zalyakavats dream of slashing their enemies 
  and drawing blood. In these dreams, they always wield 
  an urumi, and zalyakavats become obsessed with the 
  flexible blades as they mature.
  As rakshasas, zalyakavats are selfish and power-
  hungry, but unlike many of their kind, they desire the 
  thrill and frenzy of violent combat more than material 
  wealth. They are not reckless, however, and use guile and 
  magic to stack the odds in their favor.
  HABITAT AND SOCIETY
  Zalyakavats typically reside in urban areas, often 
  maintaining homes or hideouts in several different 
  cities. Their lairs are less opulent than those of many 
  rakshasas, though still lavish by most humanoid 
  standards. Individual zalyakavats have different and 
  sometimes eccentric proclivities when it comes 
  to selecting opponents, and they plan their guises 
  accordingly. For example, a zalyakavat who prefers to 
  victimize haughty nobles might operate 
  as a silk merchant or purveyor of fine 
  jewelry, while one who favors dueling 
  with seasoned veterans might pose as a 
  traveling noble to employ such men-at-arms as 
  unsuspecting caravan guards. After slaying an 
  opponent, a zalyakavat often plucks a valuable 
  or gruesome trinket from the corpse to serve as a 
  reminder of the encounter and as a decoration for one 
  of its lairs.
  Zalyakavats rarely interact with other types of 
  rakshasas. When convenient or unavoidable, they 
  might serve maharajas or rakshasa immortals as 
  warriors or bodyguards, but a zalyakavat remains 
  forever preoccupied with its desire for melee combat 
  and is thus an unreliable soldier. On rare occasions, 
  zalyakavats gather to participate in prearranged contests 
  of arms. Zalyakavats almost never fight each other in 
  these events, instead coercing or tricking unfortunate 
  mortals into their hidden arenas to serve as opponents. 
  From plush divans surrounding the arena, zalyakavats 
  watch each other take turns fighting the unlucky souls 
  as entertainment.
  
  92
  Open Game License Version 1.0a
  THE REAPER’S RIGHT HAND
  By John Compton
  The War for the Crown has mutated into a war of mutually 
  assured destruction that may tear all of Taldor down. To 
  save the nation—and perhaps their own consciences—
  the heroes must slip their mortal bonds and find the First 
  Emperor of Taldor in the infinite planar city of Axis. But 
  things are not as they should be in the First Emperor’s 
  resplendent halls. Can the heroes save Taldor along with 
  the legend who founded it, or will they discover the hard 
  way that even a city of light casts long shadows?
  THAMIR GIXX
  By Jason Keeley
  Standing in Norgorber’s shadow, the wicked halfling 
  god of greed, opportunity, and thievery awaits his time 
  to strike. Learn how Thamir Gixx whispers in the ears 
  of the downtrodden, exhorting violence as the only way 
  to gain an upper hand over oppressors. Explore Thamir 
  Gixx’s mysterious realm, hidden in the alleys and byways 
  of the extraplanar metropolis of Axis. Watch the shadows 
  carefully and do not drop your guard, lest the followers 
  of the Silent Blade strike you down.
  SAYASHTO
  By John Compton
  Explore Sayashto, a large urban district in Axis and the 
  site of this volume’s adventure. Orderly canals, farms, 
  and markets present a regimented and serene landscape, 
  but there is more to Sayashto than meets the eye.
  NOBLE LINES OF TALDOR
  By Crystal Malarsky
  In Taldor, lineage and power are intertwined. This article 
  presents in-depth details about several of Taldor’s noble 
  families, providing their areas of influence, histories, 
  and prominent members. In addition, learn how your 
  PCs can claim a noble lineage. 
  SUBSCRIBE TO PATHFINDER 
  ADVENTURE PATH
  The War for the Crown Adventure Path continues! Don’t 
  miss out on a single exciting volume—head over to 
  paizo.com/pathfinder and subscribe today to have each 
  Pathfinder Adventure Path, Pathfinder Campaign Setting, 
  Pathfinder Module, Pathfinder Player Companion, and 
  Pathfinder Accessories product delivered to your door.
  The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is 
  Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. (“Wizards”). All Rights Reserved.
  1. Definitions: (a) “Contributors” means the copyright and/or trademark 
  owners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b) “Derivative Material” 
  means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations 
  (including into other computer languages), potation, modification, 
  correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, 
  abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast, 
  transformed or adapted; (c) “Distribute” means to reproduce, license, rent, 
  lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; 
  (d) “Open Game Content” means the game mechanic and includes the 
  methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content 
  does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the 
  prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content 
  by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including 
  translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically 
  excludes Product Identity. (e) “Product Identity” means product and product 
  line names, logos and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts, 
  creatures, characters, stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, 
  incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, 
  formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other 
  visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, 
  spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special 
  abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical 
  or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and 
  any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product 
  identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically excludes 
  the Open Game Content; (f) “Trademark” means the logos, names, mark, 
  sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its 
  products or the associated products contributed to the Open Game License 
  by the Contributor (g) “Use”, “Used” or “Using” means to use, Distribute, 
  copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative 
  Material of Open Game Content. (h) “You” or “Your” means the licensee in 
  terms of this agreement.
  2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that 
  contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used 
  under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a notice to any Open 
  Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from 
  this License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or 
  conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this 
  License.
  3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate 
  Your acceptance of the terms of this License.
  4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this 
  License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, 
  non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use, the Open 
  Game Content.
  5. Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original 
  material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions are 
  Your original creation and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights 
  conveyed by this License.
  6. Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE 
  portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of 
  any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You 
  must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder’s name to 
  the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you distribute.
  7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, 
  including as an indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in 
  another, independent Agreement with the owner of each element of that 
  Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability 
  with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work 
  containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, 
  independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered 
  Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not 
  constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner 
  of any Product Identity used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, 
  title and interest in and to that Product Identity.
  8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly 
  indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing are Open 
  Game Content.
  9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish 
  updated versions of this License. You may use any authorized version of this 
  License to copy, modify and distribute any Open Game Content originally 
  distributed under any version of this License.
  10. Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every 
  copy of the Open Game Content You distribute.
  11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open 
  Game Content using the name of any Contributor unless You have written 
  permission from the Contributor to do so.
  12. Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the 
  terms of this License with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content 
  due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regulation then You may not 
  Use any Open Game Material so affected.
  13. Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to 
  comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of 
  becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termination 
  of this License.
  14. Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, 
  such provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make 
  it enforceable.
  15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
  Open Game License v 1.0a © 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
  System Reference Document © 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors: 
  Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams, based on material by 
  E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
  Pathfinder Adventure Path #130: City in the Lion’s Eye © 2018, Paizo 
  Inc.; Authors: Mikko Kallio, with Eleanor Ferron, Mike Headley, Joe Kondrak, 
  Kalervo Oikarinen, and Liz Smith.
  NEXT MONTH
  
  Experience the wonders of the Pact Worlds in this definitive, 216-page hardcover campaign 
  setting for the Starfinder Roleplaying Game! The book contains detailed gazetteers for all worlds 
  of the Absalom Pact, as well as new character themes for each Pact World. Travel the galaxy with 
  the starships of Aballon, Verces, the Hellknights, the Iomedaeans, and the Xenowardens, or play 
  as a member of one of six new alien races: shapechanging astrazoans, rolling bantrids, undead 
  borais, plantlike khizars, robotic SROs, or winged strix. With tons of new archetypes, feats, spells, 
  equipment, and NPC stat blocks, Starfinder Pact Worlds reveals the secrets and mysteries of the solar 
  system and its inhabitants in all their science fantasy glory!
  Paizo, Paizo Inc., the Paizo golem logo, Starfinder, and the Starfinder logo are registered trademarks of Paizo Inc.; 
  Starfinder Roleplaying Game is a trademark of Paizo Inc. © 2018, Paizo Inc.
  AVAILABLE NOW!
  BRAVE 
  NEW 
  WORLDS!
  PACT WORLDS
  paizo.com
  
  PlaNar
  adveNTUres
  PlaNar
  adveNTUres
  PlaNar
  adveNTUres
  Paizo, Paizo Inc., the Paizo golem logo, Pathﬁ nder, and the Pathﬁ nder logo are registered trademarks of 
  Paizo Inc.; Pathﬁ nder Roleplaying Game is a trademark of Paizo Inc. © 2018, Paizo Inc.
  paizo.com/pathﬁ nder
  GO BEYOND GOLARION IN THIS COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO THE PLANES AND DIMENSIONAL REALITIES 
  OF THE PATHFINDER MULTIVERSE! EXPLORE ALL-NEW ARCHETYPES, FEATS, SPELLS, MAGIC ITEMS, 
  AND MORE TO TAKE YOUR GAME INTO THE BOUNDLESS WONDER OF THE GREAT BEYOND.
  AVAILABLE JUNE 2018
  ADD DIMENSION(S)
  TO YOUR GAME
  
  UlTImaTe wIlderNess
  UlTImaTe wIlderNess
  UlTImaTe wIlderNess
  Paizo, Paizo Inc., the Paizo golem logo, Pathﬁ nder, and the Pathﬁ nder logo are registered trademarks of 
  Paizo Inc.; Pathﬁ nder Roleplaying Game is a trademark of Paizo Inc. © 2018, Paizo Inc.
  paizo.com/pathﬁ nder
  THE NEWEST PATHFINDER RPG HARDCOVER GIVES YOU THE TOOLS TO SURVIVE IN THE 
  WILDERNESS, FROM NEW SPELLS, GEAR, ARCHETYPES, AND CHARACTER OPTIONS FOR 
  NATURE-LOVING (OR -FEARING) HEROES TO THE SHIFTER, A BRAND-NEW 20-LEVEL BASE 
  CLASS THAT PUTS ANIMALISTIC POWERS DIRECTLY INTO YOUR HANDS—OR CLAWS!
  AVAILABLE NOW!
  Where the
  Wild Things WAR!
  
  Paizo, Paizo Inc., the Paizo golem logo, Starﬁ nder, and the Starﬁ nder logo are registered trademarks 
  of Paizo Inc.; Starﬁ nder Roleplaying Game is a trademark of Paizo Inc. © 2018, Paizo Inc.
  paizo.com/starﬁ nder
  AVAILABLE NOW!
  
  CYRICAS
  Born 29 Calistril 2048 ar;
  Coronated 13 Rova 2087 ar;
  Felled by the Gorilla King 8 Arodus 2089 ar
  Born on the 29th day of Calistril—a day that 
  comes but once every 8 years—the Leaping 
  Lion was predestined for a greatness born of 
  exceptionalism. As a child, the noble-born 
  Cyricas suffered from a debilitating illness 
  that mystified even the most skilled healers 
  of the land, each summoned by his mother, a 
  prominent senator, who used her influence to 
  gain their services. Cyricas spent much of his 
  childhood in bed, reading about the great rulers
  of Taldor and dreaming about one day joining 
  their ranks. On his eighth birthday, Cyricas 
  leapt from his sickbed, proclaimed himself well, 
  and embarked on a life of adventure—as all 
  Taldans are told on their own eighth birthdays.
  Cyricas spent much of his young adulthood 
  traveling, taking special interest in the natural 
  world. His love of hunting in particular 
  eventually led him to the heavy jungle interior 
  of Garund. There, his guides had chained a 
  mighty gorilla, offering it as a trophy. Cyricas 
  was horrified, releasing the beast and chastising 
  his well-meaning hosts for debasing a free 
  creature. Though Cyricas left the ape behind, 
  it followed him for 8 days and nights, until the 
  great adventurer accepted his new companion 
  and named him Mardu.
  Back in Taldor and approaching middle 
  age, Cyricas held court with all manner of 
  Taldans, from senators to commoners. He 
  spoke to thousands in a series of popular public 
  lectures, regaling them with tales of adventure 
  and calling on all Taldans to overcome their 
  circumstances and achieve greatness. 
  Upon the death of his father (may his corrupt 
  and vile name remain ever struck from the 
  record), Cyricas won approval for corronation 
  over his elder brother, his will and abundant 
  allies making him a stronger candidate to lead 
  Taldor into a new era. The Leaping Lion could 
  not be contained, however, and no sooner was 
  he crowned—on the same day of the year as 
  Taldaris himself—than he made plans to join 
  the Sixth Army of Exploration in northern 
  Garund. Countless often-contradictory tales 
  tell of Cyricas’s many great deeds in the 2 short
  years that followed, but the accounts agree that
  at the end, the mighty Leaping Lion fell in 
  glorious battle with the vicious Gorilla King, 
  fighting alongside his people.
  
  THE WORST IN OTHERS
  paizo.com/pathfinder
  Printed in China. PZO90130
  A
  s the War for the Crown escalates, General Pythareus —Princess Eutropia’s rival 
  for the throne—plots to plunge the nation into war, threatening to kill thousands 
  of people to rally others to him. From the fortress-city of Zimar, he commands 
  the overwhelming army of Taldor, as well as one of the most ruthless spymasters the world 
  has ever known. Even with the resources of the legendary Lion Blades to aid them, can the 
  PCs hope to outmaneuver conspiracy and prevent the War for the Crown from becoming 
  a war between nations, or will Taldor again descend into a thousand years of violence?
  This volume of Pathfinder Adventure Path continues the War for the Crown 
  Adventure Path and includes:
  • “City in the Lion’s Eye,” a Pathfinder RPG adventure for 10th-level characters,
  by Mikko Kallio.
  • A gazetteer of the city of Zimar, the fortified heart of Taldor’s military,
  by Mikko Kallio.
  • A profile of the Lion Blades, masters of disguise and the most feared spies of
  the Inner Sea, by Liz Smith.
  • Eight of the deadliest rakshasas found within the Inner Sea region for use as
  an adventure supplement or in any campaign, by Eleanor Ferron.
  • A collection of strange beasts that prowl southern Taldor, from the invulnerable
  chitikin to the immolating pyrogeist, by Mike Headley, Mikko Kallio, Joe Kondrak,
  and Kalervo Oikarinen.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Pathfinder/1st Edition/Adventure Paths/PF127-132 - War for the Crown/War for the Crown - 04 - City in the Lion's Eye.pdf