TEXT: A  GAMEMASTERY
  TM   ADVENTURE PATH
  Curse of the Crimson throne
  By Tito Leati
  Crown
  of Fangs
  
  Magistrates
  Arb iters
  Aristocracy
  Monarchy
  House 
  Arkona
  House 
  Leroung
  House 
  Ornelos
  House 
  Zenderhol m
  House 
  Jeggare
  Korvosan Hierarchy
  King Eodred
  Arabasti II
  Senrschal
  Neolandus Kalepo polis
  Queen Ileosa
  Arabasti
  Order of the Nail
  Sab ina 
  Merrin
  Lictor Severs 
  Diviri
  Mistress of Blades
  Maidrayne Vox
  Paravicar
  Acill mar
  Korvosan 
  Guard
  Sable 
  Company
  Field Marshall
  Cressida  Kroft
  Commandant
  Marcus T halassinus
  Commerce: Garrick Tann
  Expenditures: Syk Gar
  Regulation: Lolia Perenne
  T ourism: Mercer Cucuteni
  Senior Arb iter
  Zenob ia Zenderhol m
  Lesser Arb iters
  
  ADVENTURE PATH      PART 6 of 6
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  Crown 
  of 
  Fangs
  
  TM
  “Crown of Fangs” is a Pathfinder Adventure Path scenario designed for four 14th-level characters. By the end of this adventure, characters should reach 16th level. This adventure is compliant with the Open Game 
  License (OGL) and is suitable for use with the 3.5 edition of the world’s most popular fantasy roleplaying game. The OGL can be found on page 92 of this product.
  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 Content: All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper 
  names (characters, deities, artifacts, places, etc.), dialogue, plots, storylines, language, incidents, locations, characters, artwork, and trade dress.
  Open Content: Except for material designated as Product Identity (see above), the contents of this Paizo Publishing game product are Open Game Content, as defined in the Open Gaming 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. To learn more about the Open Game License and the d20 
  System License, please visit wizards.com/d20.
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  Paizo Publishing and the golem logo are registered trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC. Pathfinder, Pathfinder Chronicles, and GameMastery are trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC.
  All Rights Reserved. Printed in China. Sic semper tyrannis.
  Credits
  Editor-in-Chief • James Jacobs
  Art Director • Sarah E. Robinson
  Managing Editor • F. Wesley Schneider
  Editors • Mike McArtor and James L. Sutter
  Editorial Assistance • Jason Bulmahn and Vic Wertz
  Editorial Intern • Claudia Golden
  Graphic Design Assistance • Drew Pocza
  Managing Art Director • James Davis
  Production Manager • Jeff Alvarez
  Director of Sales & Marketing • Joshua J. Frost
  Online Retail Coordinator • Jacob Burgess
  Publisher • Erik Mona
  Cover Artist
  Wayne Reynolds
  Cartographer
  Rob Lazzaretti
  Contributing Artists
  Concept Art House, Julie Dillon, Andrew Hou, Imaginary FS, lker Serdar Yildiz,  
  Ben Wootten, Kevin Yan
  Contributing Authors
  Tito Leati, F. Wesley Schneider, James L. Sutter, J.D. Wiker
  Paizo CEO • Lisa Stevens
  Corporate Accountant • Dave Erickson
  Staff Accountant • Christopher Self
  Technical Director • Vic Wertz
  Vice President of Operations • Jeff Alvarez
  Special Thanks
  The Paizo Customer Service and Warehouse Teams
  
  Table of Contents
  Foreword	
  4
  Crown	of	Fangs	
  6
  by Tito Leati
  Relics	of	Kazavon	
  62
  by J. D. Wiker
  Harrow	Deck	of	Many	Things	
  68
  by F. Wesley Schneider and the Pathfinder staff
  Pathfinder’s	Journal	
  74
  by James L. Sutter
  Bestiary	
  80 
  by Tito Leati and F. Wesley Schneider
  Pregenerated	Characters 
  90
  Preview	
  92	
   
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  4
  T
  ito Leati’s been writing adventure path adventures 
  from the start—in fact, he’s one of the few authors 
  who’s written two episodes for the same adventure 
  path. His mapping chops are incredible—his sketches have 
  always been not only clear and concise, but his locations 
  actually feel like real locations. He always includes really 
  cool handouts—this adventure’s got a fun player’s map 
  and an infernal contract, for example. And on top of that, 
  he’s no slouch when it comes to designing storylines or 
  complex villains. All of which are great qualities in an 
  author you need to close out a campaign with something 
  really epic.
  When I first sent Tito the brief outline of “Crown of 
  Fangs,” I was looking forward to what he would accomplish 
  with the Sunken Queen. In the original draft, I envisioned 
  a lot less time spent in Castle Korvosa—I only thought 
  there’d be room for one level of the castle, in fact, and 
  told him not to worry about mapping out the rest of it. To 
  the adventure’s benefit, Tito went ahead and detailed the 
  entire thing anyway. Whereas my initial version would 
  have had a lot of “if the PCs go a floor up or down, you 
  have to improvise” garbage in it, the adventure now has 
  everything you need to run a full-on invasion of Korvosa’s 
  most iconic location.
  In order to fit in all those locations, though, we had to 
  get a bit spare on the details for a lot of the less-important 
  rooms. You won’t be seeing a 500-word encounter for the 
  castle laundry, in other words. Don’t let your players get 
  hung up on these unimportant rooms—since they likely 
  have access to a full map of the castle anyway, they don’t 
  need to scour these rooms for secrets. Nevertheless, each 
  floor has at least a few major encounters—feel free to have 
  the action in these encounters spill over into less important 
  chambers as necessary.
  In fact, as you’re running this adventure, here’s a good 
  thing to keep in mind: although Castle Korvosa and the 
  Sunken Queen might look like “dungeon crawls,” they’re 
  not. Certainly, in the case of Castle Korvosa, the PCs can 
  get a detailed copy of the structure before even setting 
  foot inside. The castle’s layout is no mystery—the focus 
  95 
  Encounter Areas
  
  Foreword
  5
  should be its occupants. Your PCs should think of both 
  Castle Korvosa and the Sunken Queen as extended 
  encounters with numerous bad guys. Let the walls serve 
  to keep the fights manageable, not just to funnel PCs 
  through specific routes. Don’t be too disappointed if 
  your group teleports into the throneroom and attacks the 
  queen but then never even bothers to explore the other 
  floors. Sure, they’ll miss clues and treasure here and 
  there, but you should let the PCs determine the course for 
  the castle’s exploration. Let them decide where and how 
  they’re going to achieve their list of goals. They’ve come 
  a long way from fighting against decrepit old crimelords 
  and running errands for the city guard—they’re heroes 
  now (hopefully), so don’t be afraid to let them take charge 
  of the plot.
  Fates of Friends and Foes
  This section was originally in the adventure itself, but 
  I kept moving it around—nowhere seemed to be the 
  “right place” to include the info, and as the adventure’s 
  length started increasing during development, I cut this 
  section two or three times, reinstating it later after I kept 
  realizing that it’s important information. And then I 
  realized I still had to write this foreword. SO! If you’ll 
  permit me a little bit of editorial laziness, I’ll just drop 
  that info in right now! 
  The PCs have made contacts and perhaps friends with 
  numerous NPCs in Korvosa over the campaign. Assuming 
  they still survive and didn’t perish during the course of 
  your game, the fate of these NPCs is summarized here, 
  should the PCs decide to seek out any of them.
  Amin Jalento: If the PCs escorted Amin out of Old 
  Korvosa, he is now among the rebels following Cressida 
  hiding under Gray District. If he was not escorted out of 
  Old Korvosa, Amin is now dead, the victim of a band of 
  murderous chokers.
  Devargo Barvasi: Devargo closed shop once Old Korvosa 
  went under quarantine, intending to “ride it out.” He didn’t 
  last long after things went sour with his ettercap ally—the 
  King of Spiders’s body now lies in the hold of Eel’s End, 
  wrapped in spider silk.
  Eries Yelloweyes: The worried wererat, along with most 
  of her kin, has totally abandoned Korvosa, sneaking out of 
  the city to seek better living conditions in Riddleport to 
  the northwest.
  Ishani Dhatri: Ishani Dhatri, dissatisfied with decisions 
  made by his superiors, abandoned the Church of Abadar 
  and foolishly attempted to secure an audience with Queen 
  Ileosa to confront her—she captured him and placed him 
  in torment in area A18. Before his audience, though, he 
  sent a message to Cressida explaining his plan, but she 
  has not been able to send anyone into the castle to seek 
  him out yet.
  The Mirukova Siblings: As with most of Korvosa’s 
  Varisian inhabitants, the Mirukovas have fled the city, 
  likely headed for new opportunities in Magnimar.
  Neolandus Kalepopolis: Neolandus has returned to 
  Korvosa after spending some time at Janderhoff, and is 
  now in hiding with Cresida Kroft under the Gray District.
  Pilts Swastel: If Pilts still lives, he continues to rule his 
  Empire in Old Korvosa.
  Salvator Scream: Salvator’s fate depends on if he was 
  escorted out of Old Korvosa. If he wasn’t escorted, he is 
  now dead, murdered by a thug. If he was escorted out of 
  town, he was contacted soon thereafter by Laori Vaus, who 
  put him in contact with several of her friends. They have 
  long since abducted him and taken him to Nidal, where 
  the Brotherhood hopes to rekindle his faint connection 
  to Kazavon.
  The Soldado Family: The Soldados have fled the city for 
  greener pastures. In fact, most of the city’s Varisian natives 
  have done so; the outlying area known as Thieves’ Camp is 
  all but deserted now.
  A Darkness on the Horizon
  You know… these past six months seemed to go by 
  even faster than those I spent working on Rise of the 
  Runelords. I’m sure that some of that can be blamed 
  on the fact that I’ve been a lot busier on this Adventure 
  Path, what with coordinating supplementary products 
  like the Harrow deck and Guide to Korvosa, but a part of 
  me thinks that some sort of sinister time manipulation 
  stuff’s going on too.
  If all that’s an indication, though, our next Adventure 
  Path’s going to go by just as quickly. Second Darkness 
  begins in Pathfinder #13, and it’ll be supported by the 
  first installment of an entirely new line of Pathfinder 
  products—the Pathfinder Companion, a bi-monthly 
  line of player-focused booklets with a different theme 
  each volume. Our first one is the Second Darkness 
  Player’s Guide. Later on, we’ll be supporting Pathfinder 
  Adventure Paths with even more products. I don’t want 
  to say too much about Second Darkness yet, though—
  we’ll have a campaign summary for GMs to check out in 
  Pathfinder #13. But I can say this: the drow are coming 
  to Golarion!
  James Jacobs
  Editor-in-Chief
  james.jacobs@paizo.com
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  6
  Crown of Fangs
  D
  espite the actions of a stalwart band of heroes, Queen Ileosa’s plans 
  for Korvosa have met, in large part, with grisly success. The military 
  is scattered, replaced by her loyal and cruel Gray Maidens. The city 
  government is in shambles, with the magistrates and arbiters who still 
  live cowering in their homes while they hope for things to get better. And 
  the people of Korvosa are shattered—the victims of riots, plagues, and 
  oppression. A resistance movement struggles to gain a foothold against 
  the queen, but with the introduction of devils and dragons to her legions, 
  Korvosa slips further and further from salvation. As it does, Queen Ileosa 
  draws closer to her goal—immortality.
  CURSE OF THE CRIMSON THRONE : CHAPTER SIx
  
  Crown of Fangs
  7
  Adventure BAckground
  Queen Ileosa has not been idle while the PCs have been gone 
  from Korvosa’s walls. Today, the city is under a chokingly 
  oppressive martial law, and great new statues of the city’s 
  vain queen are being raised in her honor via the sweat and 
  blood of an enslaved populace. Rumors that Magnimar 
  is preparing an intervention to stop the madness fall on 
  deaf ears—Ileosa won’t need Korvosa much longer, and 
  she plans on transcending into immortality well before 
  Magnimar can make a direct move to stop her. Dragons and 
  devils have joined the Gray Maidens on the streets and in 
  the skies above Korvosa, and what little resistance remains 
  is bottled up below Gray District, nervously awaiting the 
  return of the heroes who have pledged to rescue them all.
  Queen Ileosa’s unprecedented rise in power is 
  attributable to several factors, the key of which is the 
  Crown of Fangs. Fashioned from the Fangs of Kazavon with 
  the aid of powerful devils, the Crown of Fangs increases the 
  raw potency of the fangs themselves. Not only does the 
  Crown of Fangs protect Ileosa and strengthen her, but it 
  also allows fragments and shards of Kazavon’s memories 
  and experiences to empower her, resulting in a rapid rise 
  in level. Yet Ileosa hasn’t stopped there; she’s also secured 
  the aid of a powerful devil named Sermignatto, allowing 
  her, among other things, to bind the essence of an erinyes 
  devil to her to even further increase her power. Yet these 
  are little more than steps toward her true goal: to follow 
  in the footsteps of Runelord Sorshen and achieve eternal 
  youth and unlimited power from the blood of thousands.
  The final stage of Ileosa’s mad quest has taken her to 
  the Sunken Queen, a Thassilonian ruin in the Mushfens 
  some 160 miles west of Korvosa, where she must enact a 
  complex and lengthy ritual to link her soul to the souls 
  of her oppressed followers—loyal and downtrodden alike. 
  Yet she knows she cannot leave Korvosa unguarded during 
  this time, and  has left the city in the charge of her devilish 
  minion, Sermignatto, and her bodyguard, Sabina Merrin. 
  To further the illusion that she is still in Korvosa, Ileosa 
  used the magic of the Sunken Queen to create a simulacrum 
  of herself out of blood, then installed the false queen in the 
  Crimson Throne.
  Adventure Synopsis
  The PCs return to Korvosa, having retrieved the ancient 
  sword Serithtial from the caverns deep below Scarwall, only 
  to find the city has fully fallen to Ileosa. Gray Maidens police 
  the streets and devils patrol the sky above, while the citizens 
  hide in their homes or toil under increasingly difficult 
  conditions on a number of insane new projects Ileosa has 
  devised to fill her treasury or appeal to her vanity.
  The PCs’ first goal should be to re-establish contact 
  with allies inside the city. Cressida Kroft now heads up 
  the resistance, a group of rebels who hide in the catacombs 
  below Gray District and are protected by the priesthood of 
  Pharasma. With the PCs’ return, and with key figures like 
  Blackjack and Neolandus Kalepopolis going public once 
  again, the city of Korvosa wakens from its stupor and rises 
  in open rebellion, giving the PCs a perfect opportunity to 
  move against the castle itself.
  Castle Korvosa is no cakewalk, though—devils, Gray 
  Maidens, and others guard the place. In exploring it, the 
  PCs can learn much about what Queen Ileosa’s been up 
  to, what her plans are, and most importantly, where she is 
  now, for the PCs soon discover that the woman sitting on 
  the throne is but a simulacrum. The PCs finally learn that 
  Ileosa has relocated to a Thassilonian ruin known as the 
  Sunken Queen, where she hopes to complete an ancient 
  ritual perfected thousands of years before by Runelord 
  Sorshen. She has been sculpting Korvosa into a massive 
  component for this ritual—a ritual designed to remove 
  her from time itself and grant her everlasting youth. Only 
  with Serithtial can the PCs hope to disrupt the Crown of 
  Fangs and defeat Ileosa before she draws forth the lifeblood 
  of an entire city.
  PArt one:  
  return to korvosA
  During the PCs’ adventures in Scarwall, the situation in 
  Korvosa has stabilized somewhat, but not for the better. 
  With the Sable Company gone, the Korvosan Guard reduced 
  to little more than a shadow of its former glory, the silence 
  of the noble houses, the retreat of the Hellknights and the 
  wizards of the Acadamae into their respective fortresses, 
  and finally the Church of Abadar’s public declaration of 
  support of the city’s new ruler, the formerly vibrant city 
  has dulled. Merchants still come and go from Korvosa, 
  but they are taxed heavily and tend not to stay overnight. 
  Locals no longer have to fear riots, plagues, or even much 
  in the way of thievery, but the new lords of the streets, the 
  Gray Maidens, have little patience for lawbreakers of any 
  sort. Compounding this are Queen Ileosa’s numerous new 
  and often ridiculous laws that force the city’s citizens into 
  ever-increasing debt and despair. The section Korvosa 
  Today, on page 8, details how the city has changed from its 
  presentation in Pathfinder Chronicles Guide to Korvosa.
  Once the PCs have retrieved Serithtial and exited Castle 
  Scarwall, their goal should be to return to Korvosa to 
  confront Queen Ileosa. Yet they are not alone in their 
  quest—depending on whom the PCs have allied with over 
  the campaign, they might still have contacts in the city. This 
  adventure assumes that their primary contact is Cressida 
  Kroft, but if the PCs have a stronger bond with another 
  NPC, you should adjust things so that NPC becomes their 
  primary connection. If the PCs don’t think to use magic to 
  contact one of their NPC allies before they return to Korvosa, 
  Vencarlo takes care of that for them. He and the seneschal 
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  8
  of Castle Korvosa, Neolandus, have been hiding in the 
  dwarven city of Janderhoff, but have been in semi-regular 
  contact with Cressida Kroft for the past several weeks, and 
  the latest report has Vencarlo particularly worried. With 
  the aid of a dwarven wizard he hires, Vencarlo attempts to 
  contact one of the PCs via a dream spell—the contact occurs 
  the first time the PCs sleep after recovering Serithtial from 
  the caverns below Scarwall. The dream message is brief, 
  manifesting as a conversation between Vencarlo and the PC 
  that takes place at Vencarlo’s academy in Korvosa.
  “Greetings! I’ve secured the aid of one of Janderhoff’s sellspells 
  to contact you in this manner, for things grow dire in Korvosa. 
  Ileosa’s control over the city has grown, and now she holds all 
  of Korvosa in a vice of martial law. Cressida’s left the Guard—
  she’s gone underground to serve as the leader for a group of 
  rebels based in the catacombs under Gray District. While she’s 
  gathered a sizable force, it alone is not enough to dethrone 
  Ileosa. We must return at once; with Neolandus at our side, 
  and your strength and skill and, hopefully, that magic sword 
  you went looking for, Cressida and I believe we’ll be able to 
  ignite another attempt at rebellion. This should give you just 
  the opportuity you need to storm Castle Korvosa and confront 
  the usurper queen, don’t you think?
  “In any event, Neolandus and I are returning to Korvosa at 
  once. We have secured potions of invisibility and flying—we’re 
  planning on slipping over the southern wall into Gray District 
  at night and meeting Cressida at the Grand Cathedral of 
  Pharasma. Bishop d’Bear is an ally. I strongly urge you to do 
  the same—once we are all in place back inside the city walls, we 
  can only prevail! Contact me or Cressida if you can, but if you 
  cannot, I hope to see you in Korvosa soon.”
  The Final Harrowing
  In “Edge of Anarchy,” the PCs gained a powerful magic 
  item—Zellara’s Harrow Deck. As indicated in that adventure, 
  this Harrow deck plays a recurring role throughout Curse of 
  the Crimson Throne. “Crown of Fangs” is tied to the suit of 
  Crowns in a Harrow deck—and by extension, to Charisma. 
  This final harrowing should take place at any time before 
  the PCs return to Korvosa. Alternatively, it can occur after 
  they’ve reunited with Cressida in Gray District.
  The primary goal of this Harrowing is to encourage the 
  PCs to turn their attention toward Castle Korvosa and to 
  prepare them for the final confrontation against Queen 
  Ileosa. Cards that come up representing the past should 
  symbolize various important events that have occurred 
  during this Adventure Path. Cards representing the present 
  should speak to the oppression that currently stifles 
  Korvosa, of the growing presence of devils and the dragon 
  in the city, and of the Gray Maidens. Cards representing the 
  future should foreshadow encounters in Castle Korvosa or 
  the climactic battle with Ileosa; they should not indicate the 
  Sunken Queen, since you don’t want the PCs to skip straight 
  to the end of the adventure without first recovering several 
  important pieces of information and magic from Castle 
  Korvosa itself. Use these cards to imply to the PCs that force 
  of personality will be important in their immediate future, 
  and that they should embrace their hero status and become 
  figures to follow in battle.
  Korvosa Today
  The city of Korvosa is a different place than the one the 
  PCs left at the end of “Escape from Old Korvosa.” The 
  city is quieter, its streets calm and silent. Yet this is 
  not a healthy calm—it is the calm of utter oppression. 
  Where once throngs of traffic clogged busy streets, only 
  a few wagons clatter and furtive locals walk. Gone are the 
  sounds of merchants hawking their wares, the smells of 
  fresh-baked food, the clang of ships’ bells at the docks, or 
  the cry of a Sable Company hippogriff winging through 
  the sky. Ileosa and her Gray Maidens have been at work on 
  Korvosa, night and day, and the result is a city of broken-
  spirited citizens desperate for deliverance but too cowed by 
  the atrocities and cruelties witnessed in the streets to rise 
  up. The people of Korvosa need heroes.
  The following list calls out several specific changes 
  and events that have come to Korvosa of late. These 
  descriptions are kept brief—the focus of the PCs should 
  be on Castle Korvosa, after all —but the notes given here 
  should suffice if characters wish to further explore what 
  has become of their hometown.
  Ileosa’s Statues: Ileosa has commissioned the creation 
  of four immense statues of herself in Korvosa. The moving 
  of huge blocks of stone into position is a task she’s put 
  many of the city’s laborers to, under the watchful eye of 
  the Gray Maidens. On one level, this is a vanity project, 
  but on another, it is one of three ways she is secretly 
  preparing the citizens of Korvosa for sacrifice—their 
  sweat and blood providing the necessary mystic link to the 
  attunement process she’s undergoing in area B20 of the 
  Sunken Queen. Each statue is to be of stone with copper 
  Serithtial’S Bane
  The sacred sword Serithtial, recovered by the PCs in the 
  previous adventure, gains the bane weapon quality against 
  servants and worshipers of Zon-Kuthon. Serethtial’s bane 
  quality functions not only against Queen Ileosa, but also 
  against those who directly serve her. This includes the 
  vast majority of the foes encountered in this adventure, 
  even though the Red Mantises only serve Ileosa as paid 
  mercenaries, and the black dragon Zarmangarof serves 
  her only out of magical compulsion—in the end, they are 
  all still Kazavon’s pawns.
  
  Crown of Fangs
  9
  highlights. Every few days, new blocks of stone are hauled 
  in from the Great Tower in the Heights, and the locals are 
  tasked with maneuvering the blocks into place, joined by 
  several priests of Abadar commissioned to use stone shape 
  to make the blocks into one solid sheet. After this, a small 
  army of sculptors is brought in to chisel away at the blocks. 
  Starting with Ileosa’s feet, the projects have proceeded in 
  this manner from the ground up. So far, each statue is 
  complete up to Ileosa’s knees and stands twenty feet high. 
  Statues are being built in Endrin Square, Eodred’s Square, 
  Jeggare Circle, and South Shore Square.
  The Blooding: This sinister program is overseen by the 
  Temple of Asmodeus. Archbishop Ornher Reebs has been 
  tasked by Queen Ileosa with collecting a single vial of blood 
  from as many of Korvosa’s citizens as he can. His priests 
  are still collecting blood from the citizens of the Heights, 
  meticulously cataloging each “donor” and storing the vials 
  in the largest storeroom under Kendall Amphitheater, as 
  per Ileosa’s direction, where they are regularly collected 
  by her erinyes minions and brought back to the Sunken 
  Queen to further the ritual she is performing there. 
  Dismantling of the Great Tower: Numerous laborers and 
  engineers are picking apart this tower from the top down, 
  harvesting the stone that composes this famous Korvosan 
  landmark for the four statues Ileosa has requisitioned. 
  Many have perished at this task already, and the steadily 
  diminishing tower is a depressing symbol of the city’s 
  drastic decline to all who watch.
  Old Korvosa: The state of things in Old Korvosa largely 
  depends on how the PCs left it. If both the Arkonas and 
  the Emperor of Old Korvosa still live, the island remains 
  largely in the same state as it was presented in “Escape from 
  Old Korvosa.” If one of these two crimelords have been 
  destroyed, the other has expanded to fill the vacancy. If both 
  Pilts Swastel and the Arkonas were defeated, Old Korvosa 
  fell under the complete control of the Cerulean Society. 
  Korvosa’s thieves’ guild is ironically the best thing to happen 
  to the island for some time, as the guild quickly moved in 
  and claimed Arkona Palace as its new guildhall, bringing 
  some semblance of order to the beleaguered island. From 
  this position of power, Guildmaster Boule has slowly been 
  taking control of the island, yet his growing power has not 
  gone unnoticed by Ileosa—she plans on dominating Boule 
  as soon as she finishes her current tasks.
  Entering Korvosa
  Entrance into Korvosa is controlled, but not as tightly 
  as Ileosa would like. She’s been quite successful in her 
  program of indoctrinating women into the Gray Maidens 
  with a combination of torture, magic, and bribery, but 
  relatively few of them are truly capable fighters. Those who 
  are find themselves stationed in Castle Korvosa, with the 
  less capable Gray Maidens serving primarily as guards at 
  harrow Point USeS
  In “Crown of Fangs,” the PCs are faced with numerous 
  situations where leadership, diplomacy, and fast-talking 
  can determine destiny. This is a time when the luck of 
  heroes and force of personality must work together to 
  fight against a truly monstrous doom.
  Players receive a number of Harrow Points to spend 
  during “Crown of Fangs.” Rules for determining this 
  number as part of a Harrow reading appear in Pathfinder 
  #7’s “Edge of Anarchy.” If you don’t have this book, you can 
  determine how many Harrow Points each PC has to spend 
  during “Crown of Fangs” by simply rolling 1d10. During 
  this adventure, a character can spend his Harrow Points in 
  the following ways.
  Charisma Rerolls: Spend a Harrow Point to reroll any 
  one Charisma-based skill check or turn undead attempt. 
  You must abide by the new result (although if you have 
  additional Harrow Points remaining, you can use them to 
  attempt additional rerolls).
  Inner Strength: Spend a Harrow Point to draw a 
  card from a Harrow Deck. You gain a +4 bonus to the 
  card’s associated ability score for the duration of the 
  current encounter (the GM decides when an encounter 
  is officially over). If the card you draw matches your 
  alignment, the bonus increases to +6. If you don’t have 
  a Harrow Deck, determine the ability and alignment 
  randomly via a die roll.
  Destiny Shall Not Be Denied: Spend a Harrow Point 
  to force any one d20 die roll by the GM to be rerolled. 
  You must abide by the new result (although if you have 
  additional Harrow Points remaining, you can use them to 
  force additional rerolls). 
  the ChoSen
  In addition, the card a PC draws during the choosing has 
  special qualities during this adventure. Each of these cards 
  is tied to a specific encounter in “Crown of Fangs,” and when 
  a PC who drew that card reaches that encounter, he gains a 
  +2 bonus on all rolls modified by Charisma and all spell-like 
  abilities and turn undead checks (including spell-like abilities 
  of creatures he has summoned) manifest at +1 caster level. 
  These bonuses last for the encounter’s duration.
  The Empty Throne: Combat against the false Queen Ileosa 
  (area A52).
  The Marriage: Combat against Togomor (area A44).
  The Tyrant: Combat against Queen Ileosa (area B20)
  The Theater: Combat against Beirawash (area B1).
  The Twin: Combat against Yzahnum (page 13).
  The Betrayal: Combat against Zarmangarof (page 15).
  The Unicorn: Combat against Mistress Kayltanya (area A72).
  The Courtesan: Combat against Sabina (page 15).
  The Liar: Combat against Sermignatto (area A59).
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  Keppira  
  d’Bear
  10
  the city gates, patrolling the streets, or overseeing some of 
  the new “public works.” These Gray Maidens are all 2nd-
  level human fighters—statistics for them can be found on 
  page 42 of Pathfinder #8 if they become necessary. Typically, 
  an external gate is staffed by a group of four Gray Maidens, 
  while at any one time, 1d3 patrols of four are marching along 
  waterfront districts—enough to keep most locals in line, 
  but certainly not enough to challenge the PCs. Even 
  without options such as flight or teleportation, 
  the PCs should have relatively few problems 
  entering the city. The only difficulty could 
  well be remaining unnoticed.
  As long as the PCs wear disguises or 
  remain hidden or stealthy, they can 
  move about the streets of Korvosa 
  during 
  the 
  day 
  without 
  being 
  confronted. Each day, each PC must 
  make a DC 15 Disguise or Hide check 
  to remain unnoticed. At night, a city-
  wide curfew is in effect—at this time, 
  only Hide checks can keep the PCs 
  from being reported or confronted. 
  Failure to make these checks (or 
  failure to utilize stealth at all) quickly 
  results in the PCs’ presence in Korvosa 
  being reported to the Gray Maidens, who in 
  turn send one of Ileosa’s newest champions out 
  to confront the PCs—the efreeti Yzahnum. The Gray 
  Maidens themselves know that the PCs are dangerous and 
  do not directly confront them.
  Contacting The Rebels
  Just as infiltrating Korvosa should be a relatively simple 
  task for high-level characters, so should be an approach 
  to the Cathedral of Pharasma in Gray District. Vencarlo 
  and Neolandus have already arrived, and Cressida likely 
  expects the PCs’ arrival soon—as do the priests of 
  Pharasma who tend to the graveyard and the cathedral. 
  Soon after the PCs arrive and make their presence known, 
  they are greeted by none other than the high priestess of 
  the faith in Korvosa, Bishop Keppira d’Bear (N female 
  human cleric of Pharasma 13). Keppira tells the PCs that 
  she’s been expecting them, then bids them follow her. She 
  leads them down into the vast ossuary below the cathedral, 
  through an iron door, and into a subterranean complex 
  connected to several other tunnels that run under the 
  graveyard. The high priestess then excuses herself from 
  the party’s company, but they are just as quickly greeted 
  by a joyful and thankful Cressida Kroft, a bit more ragged 
  and rough-looking in her scavenged armor, but no less 
  friendly and supportive of the PCs than she has been 
  previously. Vencarlo, Neolandus, and perhaps others like 
  Amin Jalento and Grau Soldado reunite with the PCs as 
  well at this time. After the reunion, they ask for updates 
  on what the PCs have been up to—feel free to play this 
  scene out as much as you want. The goal here should be to 
  reinforce the PCs’ ties to Korvosa and her citizens and to 
  give them a chance to feel like what they’ve accomplished 
  so far is worthy of praise. In other words, they should feel 
  like heroes.
  Eventually, Cressida gets to the problem 
  at hand. She explains to the PCs how she 
  and her rebels are ready to make their 
  move into Korvosa to let their presence be 
  known to the Gray Maidens and Ileosa’s 
  other agents in the city. This includes 
  revealing that Neolandus still lives, and 
  that as a result, Korvosa’s government 
  has a legal option beyond open 
  rebellion to depose Ileosa. Cressida 
  hopes that this information will 
  rally the noble houses, arbiters, 
  and magistrates, but she also 
  fears that doing so will spur 
  Ileosa to step up the violence to 
  even greater levels than before.
  Therefore, before the rebels can 
  take to the streets and seek out the 
  support of the city, they need someone to 
  take the initiative against the monarchy. At 
  first, this means that they need intelligence from 
  the castle. Cressida has heard numerous rumors about 
  what has been going on inside it: that the Gray Maidens 
  are mind-controlled, that devils and a dragon dwell within 
  its walls, that the Red Mantis are now secretly in control of 
  it, and that Ileosa has herself transformed into a monster. 
  What Cressida needs are heroes willing to infiltrate Castle 
  Korvosa and not only find out what exactly they’re all up 
  against, but also to do their best to undermine and defeat 
  Ileosa and her minions. Leadership is the key to control, 
  after all, and without it, Ileosa can’t remain in power.
  Cressida has prepared a list of tasks for the PCs to 
  accomplish inside Castle Korvosa. She’s hesitant to make her 
  move with Neolandus to reclaim control until the majority 
  of these tasks are accomplished, but in the end listens to the 
  PCs as to when it’s safe to do so. The list of Cressida’s tasks is 
  presented as Handout 1.
  Finally, although Cressida is glad to see the PCs, she 
  does warn them that she doesn’t want to press the good 
  grace of their host too far. As a result, she would prefer 
  the PCs didn’t use this area as a base of operations once 
  they start their investigation of Castle Korvosa. If they 
  need to retreat from the castle to catch their breath before 
  attempting another infiltration, she’d rather they find a 
  different place to hide out. She leaves the choice of hideout 
  to the PCs (likely, the players will have favorite parts of 
  
  Crown of Fangs
  Handout 1
  11
  Korvosa of their own to serve as hideouts), but supplies 
  them with three scrolls of mage’s magnificent mansion she’s 
  gathered expressly for this purpose.
  If the PCs speak with Vencarlo or Grau about Sabina, both 
  men offer the same observation: the Sabina they knew loved 
  Korvosa and was honorable to a fault. It was her rigidity of 
  thought and personality, Vencarlo muses, that held back her 
  progress in the more fluid fighting style he attempted to 
  teach her back when she was his student. As a result, both 
  Grau and Vencarlo have a hard time believing Sabina could 
  condone what Ileosa has done to Korvosa. They suspect the 
  queen uses some sort of magic to control her, and urge the 
  PCs to try to use nonlethal methods in dealing with Sabina. 
  At the very least, a cooperative Sabina could be an excellent 
  source of information about Ileosa’s plans and what has been 
  going on in Castle Korvosa for the past several months.
  Korvosa’s New Hero (EL 15)
  Although Queen Ileosa is not actually in Korvosa, she’s left 
  the city in the charge of several powerful and dangerous 
  subordinates. Once it becomes obvious to them that the 
  PCs have returned to Korvosa, these subordinates swiftly 
  realize that they face their greatest challenge yet. Their 
  first reaction to this knowledge is to send one of Ileosa’s 
  most 
  recent 
  responses 
  to 
  growing rumors of rebellion: 
  the efreeti Yzahnum in the guise 
  of a new hero of the people, the 
  swashbuckler Trifaccia.
  In the form of a masked, 
  robed swordfighter, Yzahnum 
  has spent the last few weeks 
  engaged in a war of propaganda 
  and false information. Posing 
  as a Blackjack “replacement” 
  named Trifaccia, he has been 
  taking steps to protect and aid 
  the oppressed common folk, 
  helping them out where needed 
  against a small group of “rebels.” 
  Typically, 
  these 
  rebels 
  (actually 
  a particularly loathsome gang of 
  Sczarni thugs who sold out their 
  heritage for a semi-regular payday 
  from Ileosa’s coffers) move into a 
  region and cause trouble, robbing 
  citizens, beating them, and 
  worse. Just when things are 
  Listed here are several issues that need resolution before I’m comfortable revealing to Korvosa 
  that Neolandus still lives. I leave to you the methods for answering these questions, and also 
  solving these problems.
  1) A new “hero of the people” has been fighting rebels in the streets. These rebels are false; 
  they’re not my people, and I suspect that this hero, a man named Trifaccia, is false as well. 
  Find out who or what he is.
  2) I have it on good authority that the rumors of a black dragon taking nest in Castle 
  Korvosa are legitimate. If the rumors prove true, the dragon must be defeated.
  3) The role of castle seneschal is currently held by a bloated wizard named Togom0r. If you can 
  capture or defeat him, we’ll avoid a long legal complication over the revelation that Neolandus still lives.
  4) Ishani Dhatri, Abadarian priest and vocal opponent of his church’s public endorsement 
  of Ileosa, has vanished. My initial investigations indicate that he was last seen 
  approaching the castle——perhaps some clues to his fate lie hidden within?
  5) I suspect that there are Red Mantis agents sheltered in the castle. Proof of 
  the alliance between Ileosa and the Red Mantises would be very helpful; forcing 
  the Red Mantis to abandon Korvosa, perhaps by finding and defeating their local 
  leader, would be even better.
  6) The Gray Maidens are certainly a menace; they need to be 
  stopped. Sabina Merrin is the commander of the Gray Maidens—
  —find and defeat her, and you’ll throw the entire organization 
  into chaos long enough for us to reclaim the streets from them. 
  Vencarlo and Grau believe that she can be reasoned with, and that 
  she may not be as loyal a minion of the queen as she seems.
  7) Rumors of devils involved with the monarchy disturb me as 
  well. If you can find proof that Ileosa is trafficking with devils, 
  or that devils dwell within Castle Korvosa, that should significantly 
  help our case against her in the eyes of the city’s government.
  8) Ileosa must answer for her crimes. She hasn’t been seen 
  publicly recently but for brief appearances on the castle walls. If 
  we can capture her, a lot of our work will be easier.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  12
  watches the spectacle. When the thugs first confront the 
  PCs, he enhances his invisibility with a dose of dust of 
  disappearance, and as each of the thugs makes a wish, he 
  grants it for them, hitting the party with up to three 
  potent effects. Consult the Ill Wishes sidebar for several 
  example wishes.
  Once all three wishes have been used, or once the PCs 
  have either defeated the Sczarni thugs or have noticed 
  the invisible Yzahnum (who is in his Trifaccia disguise 
  even while invisible), the efreeti waits for his dust of 
  disappearance to fade before stepping out to confront 
  the PCs. He appears as a slender human man dressed 
  in black clothes and a long flowing hooded cloak. His 
  features are obscured by a brass mask that features three 
  faces in a row, the central one frontal and the side ones 
  in profile. He wields a golden scimitar that flickers with 
  fire. As he enters the conflict, his mocking laughter is 
  strong and clear.
  As soon as he has the PCs’ attention, the masked man 
  stops laughing and salutes the PCs by raising his scimitar; 
  at the same time, any surviving “rebels” cry out in panic and 
  flee into the city with cries of “It’s Trifaccia! Let’s get out of 
  here!” As they flee, the disguised efreeti addresses the PCs.
  about to pass the point of no return, Trifaccia swoops 
  in to “save” the commoners from the violent rebels, and 
  gives them small bags of gold and silver to help them 
  recover from these “trying times.” His goal is to bring the 
  common folk of Korvosa around to seeing the rebels as 
  violent thugs, and that Queen Ileosa might not be as bad as 
  they thought. Certainly, in areas where her Gray Maidens 
  patrol regularly, things are much safer!
  Creatures: This encounter can occur anywhere in 
  Korvosa, but should probably not occur until a bit after 
  the PCs have done something particularly obvious to 
  indicate their presence to the city; slaughtering a patrol 
  of Gray Maidens or openly demanding Ileosa show 
  herself in a public square would suffice. The encounter 
  begins as a group of about a dozen “rebels” —actually 
  Sczarni thugs—surround the PCs and begin shouting 
  taunts and flashing weapons. The thugs threaten the 
  PCs, insulting them and demanding that they leave 
  the city, that “if they truly were here to defend Korvosa, 
  they would never have left the city in the first place.” 
  As the thugs taunt them, they also make some of their 
  wishes known—unfortunately for the PCs, Yzahnum 
  waits invisibly nearby, hidden in an alleyway as he 
  
  Crown of Fangs
  13
  “Greetings, heroes of yesterday! My name is Trifaccia—have 
  you heard my name? No matter. I’m the true hero of the people 
  of Korvosa, for I defend the loyal citizens of our beloved queen 
  instead of fomenting chaos in the streets. As you can see, with 
  the exception of a few clots of filthy rebels, Korvosa is at peace 
  now, and soon prosperity and happiness will smile over it again. 
  I daresay that peace first began to return not long after you 
  vanished from our streets, and judging by the nature of the 
  divine retribution visited upon you just now, I would say that 
  even the gods might agree. We do not want further trouble 
  in our town, sirs, but since I know you mean to continue 
  disrupting the peace in my fair city, it looks like I’ll have to stop 
  you. But instead of a fight that would end in your humiliation, 
  perhaps you’ll agree to a duel? Myself against one of you, with 
  the winner agreeing to take himself and his allies away from 
  Korvosa for good?”
  Yzahnum is a potent foe, and certainly can give the entire 
  party a run for their money, but he’d rather face off against 
  one PC initially in a duel. His overall goal is to be able to 
  either defeat that PC, or force the other PCs to step in to 
  “save” their ally, therefore exposing their inherent lack of 
  honor before the gathering crowd of gawkers. He hopes to 
  make the PCs seem like part of the problem facing Korvosa, 
  rather than a solution. His great weakness is, of course, 
  his true nature; if the PCs can expose the efreeti for what 
  he really is (perhaps via antimagic, or using enchantment 
  magic to make him reveal his true form), much of his work 
  as Trifaccia will come crumbling down.
  Yzahnum 
  CR 15
  Male efreeti rogue 4/fighter 4
  LE Large outsider (extraplanar, fire)
  Init +10; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +18, Spot +18
  DEFENSE
  AC 27, touch 17, flat-footed 21
  (+4 armor, +2 deflection, +6 Dex, +6 natural, –1 size)
  hp 189 (18 HD; 10d8+4d6+4d10+108)
  Fort +18, Ref +18, Will +10
  Defensive Abilities evasion, trap sense +1, uncanny dodge; 
  Immune fire; Resist cold 10
  Weaknesses vulnerability to cold
  OFFENSE
  Spd 20 ft., fly 40 ft. (perfect)
  Melee +1 flaming scimitar +26/+21/+16/+11 (1d8+11/15–20 plus 
  1d6 fire) and
  slam +24 (1d8+4 plus 1d6 fire) or
  as Trifaccia +1 flaming scimitar +27/+22/+17/+12 (1d6+11/15–20 
  plus 1d6 fire)
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
  Special Attacks heat, plane shift (currently unable to use), 
  sneak attack +2d6
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 12th)
  At will—detect magic, produce flame, pyrotechnics (DC 15), 
  scorching ray (1 ray only)
  3/day—invisibility, quickened scorching ray (1 ray only), wall 
  of fire (DC 17)
  2/day—change size (DC 15)
  1/day—grant up to three wishes (to nongenies only), gaseous 
  form, permanent image (DC 19)
  TACTICS
  During Combat As Trifaccia, Yzahnum fights with a 
  swashbucker’s grace and avoids the use of his spell-like 
  abilities. Remember that as a Medium creature, his Armor 
  Class is one point higher. If exposed as an efreeti, however, 
  his tactics change; he uses flight to maintain distance and 
  relies on scorching rays, walls of fire, and change size to 
  shrink foes, reverting to melee only as necessary.
  Morale Yzahnum knows when he’s outmatched. If reduced to 
  50 hit points or less, he attempts to escape via invisibility 
  and flight back to Castle Korvosa—the terms of his current 
  bargain with Ileosa prevents him from using plane shift to 
  do so. If he escapes, the PCs might encounter him again 
  once they begin to explore the castle.
  STATISTICS
  Str 26, Dex 22, Con 22, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 16
  Base Atk +17; Grp +29
  Feats Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved 
  Critical (scimitar), Improved Initiative, Mobility, Quicken 
  Spell-Like Ability (scorching ray), Spring Attack, Weapon 
  Focus (scimitar), Weapon Specialization (scimitar)
  Skills Bluff +20, Concentration +19, Craft (weaponsmith) +22, 
  Diplomacy +19, Intimidate +26, Listen +18, Move Silently 
  +23, Sense Motive +18, Spellcraft +14, Spot +18
  ill wiSheS
  Yzahnum instructs his allies to express ill wishes on 
  opponents, and the foul-mouthed Sczarni are ideal 
  followers of such a suggestion. When the Sczarni produce a 
  suitable wish amid the inordinate host of their insults, pick 
  or roll from the results listed below, or feel free to come up 
  with your own insult wishes. A good guideline to follow: 
  have these wishes manifest as the effects of established 
  spells that don’t create an obvious link between the hidden 
  efreeti and the target. All spell effects from these wishes 
  function at Caster Level 12th.
  1.  “I wish you’d go to hell!”: A random PC is targeted 
  by a plane shift spell (Will DC 22) that, if successful, 
  transports that character to a random circle of Hell.
  2.  “I wish you looked more like the ungrateful pig you 
  are!”: A random PC is targeted by a baleful polymorph 
  (Fortitude DC 22) that, if successful, transforms that PC 
  into a small pig.
  3.  “I wish you’d just up and die!”: A random party member 
  is affected by a finger of death spell (Fortitude DC 22).
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  Yzahnum
  14
  Yet Sabina is not blind. As early as Ileosa’s attempt 
  to execute Trina Sabor for the assassination of Eodred 
  II, Sabina began to finally realize that something was 
  dreadfully wrong with her idol. Her fears were confirmed 
  after Ileosa began moving forward with the establishment 
  of the Gray Maidens. Sabina certainly didn’t object 
  to the foundation of a new military wing, but 
  she did object to the use of magic and torture to 
  force loyalty. Yet Sabina had seen enough to know 
  that openly opposing the queen was no solution 
  either—so instead of taking direct action against 
  Ileosa, Sabina accepted the charge of leading the 
  Gray Maidens. Where she could, she lessened the 
  impact of the queen’s cruel methods with secret 
  kindnesses. Ironically, it was these acts of kindness 
  that proved the most effective at 
  securing loyalty. Yet still, 
  many women who were 
  drafted into the service 
  proved too headstrong. 
  Ileosa executed some of 
  them until Sabina convinced 
  the queen that it would be better 
  to imprison them under Longacre 
  Building, “since some of them, given 
  time, might well realize that serving 
  as Gray Maidens is the better choice.” 
  Unable to authorize their release, Sabina 
  did the next-best thing—she made regular 
  secret trips to the Longacre dungeons to 
  ensure that the imprisoned women were 
  as comfortable as conditions would allow, and  
  that they weren’t being abused by the Gray 
  Maiden guards.
  Yet the forced recruitment of Gray Maidens 
  was only one of the ways that Ileosa had turned against 
  Korvosa. With each passing week, Sabina learned of a 
  new atrocity: Ileosa’s bargaining with devils to gain more 
  power, the appointment of Togomor as “seneschal,” the 
  murder of Marcus Thalassinus, and—most recently—the 
  enslavement of a hateful and destructive dragon. Sabina 
  long since realized that Ileosa never loved her—further, 
  that Ileosa has never loved anyone, with the possible 
  exception of herself. Yet by that point, Sabina was in too 
  deep. She felt powerless to change the unceasing brutality 
  on her own, but continued to use her close proximity to 
  temper the queen’s cruelty whenever she could. The stress 
  of the situation became nearly overwhelming, and when 
  she learns that the PCs returned to Korvosa—those same 
  heroes she met what feels like a lifetime ago on the eve 
  of Eodred II’s death—Sabina realizes they might be her 
  only chance for redemption and to save the city from the 
  woman she thought she loved.
  Languages Auran, Common, Ignan, Infernal; telepathy 100 ft.
  SQ trapfinding
  Combat Gear dust of disappearance (4 doses); Other Gear +1 
  flaming scimitar, amulet of health +4, bracers of armor +4, 
  ring of protection +2, minor ring of cold resistance
  The Gray Mistress (EL 16)
  The rumors of a dragon nesting in Castle Korvosa 
  are more than that—they’re fact. Queen Ileosa first 
  encountered the black dragon Zarmangarof nest-
  ing near the Sunken Queen, and after charm-
  ing the creature, she brought it back (under 
  cloak of invisibility) to Castle Korvosa to 
  serve as a guardian. Originally, Ileo-
  sa hoped to use the dragon to quell 
  uprisings and generally add to her 
  arsenal of terror to use against 
  Korvosa’s citizens, but Sabina 
  Merrin stepped in with a dif-
  ferent plan—she requested 
  the use of the dragon as 
  a mount, explaining to 
  Ileosa that with 
  such a creature 
  held in reserve, 
  she could quell 
  a large and or-
  ganized upris-
  ing 
  with 
  ease. 
  Ileosa agreed, and with her permission 
  (and magical compulsion via a geas) 
  Zarmangarof agreed to serve Sabina 
  as a mount. To date, Sabina’s been 
  careful to take the dragon out only 
  during the darkness of night—
  she’s been saving a public unveil-
  ing of her new mount for the right 
  moment where the additional men-
  ace of the reveal would grant her an 
  advantage. Her first confrontation with 
  the PCs is just such a moment.
  Yet there’s more to Sabina Merrin than 
  most of Korvosa suspects; she represents not 
  only one of Ileosa’s canniest methods of disguise but 
  also one of the queen’s greatest mistakes. While Ileosa 
  has been quick to secure the loyalty of her followers via 
  magic (charm monster and geas being favorite methods), 
  she knew that magic could be dispelled, and that true 
  loyalty was a much stronger bond. With Sabina, she 
  felt she had just such loyalty—furthermore, Sabina’s 
  devotion and honor, both to Korvosa and to the queen 
  herself, gave Ileosa a perfect creature to leech off of with 
  her misdirection spells.
  
  Crown of Fangs
  Sabina  
  Merrin
  15
  No more than half an hour after the PCs publicly defeat 
  Yzahnum (sooner, if they openly approach the castle), 
  Sabina mounts up and takes to the air. The sight of a Gray 
  Maiden mounted on a dragon in the skies above Korvosa 
  causes panic in the streets, and it shouldn’t be long before 
  the PCs hear. This is what Sabina wants—she doesn’t want 
  to spend too much time seeking the PCs out, and instead 
  hopes they’ll come to her. She never flies far 
  from the castle so that she’s fairly close if 
  she learns that the PCs have invaded the 
  stronghold. Once she spots the PCs, 
  she swoops down to confront them.
  Yet the battle with the dragon-
  mounted leader of the Gray Maidens 
  is destined to play out rather 
  differently than first impressions 
  might indicate—Sabina knows that, 
  on her own, she likely wouldn’t be 
  able to defeat the dragon Zarmangarof. 
  However, if she can recruit the PCs to 
  help her in that job, together they have a 
  hope of defeating one of the worst monstrous 
  creatures that has come to call Korvosa home.
  Sabina Merrin 
  CR 14
  Female human fighter 14
  LN Medium humanoid
  Init +5; Senses special senses; Listen –1, Spot +7
  DEFENSE
  AC 32, touch 13, flat-footed 31
  (+11 armor, +2 deflection, +1 Dex, +5 natural, +3 shield)
  hp 123 (14d10+42)
  Fort +14, Ref +9, Will +7
  OFFENSE
  Spd 20 ft.
  Melee +2 wounding falchion +23/+18/+13 (2d4+13/15–20)
  TACTICS
  Before Combat As she mounts up on her dragon, Sabina 
  drinks her potion of barkskin.
  During Combat Sabina does not directly attack the PCs; she 
  sees them as the best tool she has to save Korvosa (and 
  perhaps even Ileosa). Instead, she swoops low to confront 
  them with her dragon mount, urging him through her Ride 
  skill (since she and the dragon do not share a language) to 
  land amid the PCs rather than to pursue a more tactically 
  sound aerial assault. As the battle commences, Sabina 
  continues to use Ride to maneuver the dragon into awkward 
  positions; by making a DC 25 Ride check as a standard action, 
  her tugging and kicking essentially renders the dragon flat-
  footed against the PCs. Eventually, the dragon realizes what 
  she’s up to (see Zarmangarof’s tactics below) and begins 
  attacking her, at which point she dismounts (Ride DC 20 to 
  fast dismount) and cries out, “We need to kill this beast fast, 
  before it realizes it has an entire city at hand to destroy!” She 
  then focuses all of her attacks on the dragon, working with 
  the PCs as best she can to kill it.
  Morale Once Zarmangarof is defeated, Sabina casts aside 
  her shield and sword and removes her helm. The time has 
  come for her to choose sides—see “Sabina’s Redemption” 
  on page 16.
  STATISTICS
  Str 20, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 13
  Base Atk +14; Grp +19
  Feats Endurance, Diehard, Greater 
  Weapon Focus (falchion), Greater Weapon 
  Specialization (falchion), Improved Critical 
  (falchion), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, 
  Lightning Reflexes, Mounted Combat, 
  Power Attack, Ride-By Attack, Spirited 
  Charge, Weapon Focus (falchion), Weapon 
  Specialization (falchion)
  Skills Intimidate +18, Ride +18, Spot +7
  Languages Common
  Combat Gear potion of barkskin +5, potion of cure 
  serious wounds (2); Gear +3 full plate, +1 animated 
  heavy steel shield, +2 wounding falchion, belt of 
  giant strength +4, cloak of resistance +2, ring 
  of feather falling, ring of protection +2
  Zarmangarof 
  CR 11
  Male adult black dragon
  CE Large dragon
  Init +0; Senses blindsense 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., keen 
  senses; Listen +25, Spot +25
  Aura frightful presence (180 ft., DC 20)
  DEFENSE
  AC 31, touch 9, flat-footed 31
  (+4 armor, +18 natural, –1 size)
  hp 199 (19d12+76)
  Fort +15, Ref +11, Will +12
  DR 5/magic; Immune acid, paralysis, sleep; SR 18
  OFFENSE
  Spd 60 ft., fly 150 ft. (poor), swim 60 ft.
  Melee bite +24 (3d6+6/19–20) and
  2 claws +22 (1d8+3) and
  2 wings +22 (1d6+3) and
  1 tail slap +22 (1d8+9)
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with bite)
  Special Attacks breath weapon (80-ft. line, 12d4 acid, DC 25 half)
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th)
  3/day—darkness
  1/day—corrupt water
  Spells Known (CL 3rd, +18 ranged touch)
  1st (6/day)—grease (DC 12), mage armor, ray of enfeeblement
  0 (6/day)—detect magic, mage hand, message, open/close, 
  prestidigitation
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  16
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Just before Sabina orders him into flight, 
  Zarmangarof casts mage armor on himself.
  During Combat Zarmangarof has been geased to serve 
  as Sabina’s mount, and charmed to be an ally to Queen 
  Ileosa and her minions. These magical effects ensure 
  his cooperation, and he follows Sabina’s commands via 
  her Ride skill as demanded, but since he doesn’t speak 
  Common and Sabina doesn’t speak Draconic, they have 
  limited communication. While he’d rather stay in the air and 
  use magic and acid against foes on the ground, he lands as 
  directed by his rider. Once melee begins, each time Sabina 
  makes a Ride check to render Zarmangarof flat-footed, the 
  dragon gets to make a free Sense Motive check opposed 
  by the result of Sabina’s Ride check to realize what she’s 
  up to. In any event, once the dragon is reduced to fewer 
  than 100 hit points, his frustration gets the better of him 
  anyway and he turns on Sabina in anger. Once the dragon 
  lashes out at Sabina, he immediately takes 3d6 points of 
  damage from the geas and must make a DC 31 Will save to 
  avoid becoming sickened as well. If, at any time, the charm 
  monster and/or geas effect on the dragon are dispelled, 
  he immediately turns on Sabina in this manner. Once the 
  dragon does so, he takes to the air and uses breath weapons 
  and magic against the PCs and Sabina unless he feels 
  confident that he can finish the party off in melee without 
  putting himself in any great danger.
  Morale Zarmangarof is blinded by rage and frustration, and 
  fights to the death as a result.
  STATISTICS
  Str 23, Dex 10, Con 19, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 12
  Base Atk +19; Grp +29
  Feats Ability Focus (breath weapon), Flyby Attack, Hover, 
  Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Improved 
  Natural Attack (bite), Multiattack
  Skills Hide +18, Listen +25, Move Silently +22, Search +23, 
  Sense Motive +23, Spot +25, Swim +36
  Languages Draconic
  SQ water breathing
  Sabina’s Redemption
  After Zarmangarof is defeated, the PCs have a decision to 
  make. Sabina has surrendered to them, throwing herself 
  upon their mercy. If they give her a chance, she confesses 
  to the PCs the full extent of her participation in Queen 
  Ileosa’s cruelty, but begs them to give her a chance to undo 
  what she allowed to happen through her own inaction. 
  Her first request, though, is to relocate to somewhere 
  safer to speak. If the PCs suggest the rebel hideout, Sabina 
  furiously implores them to pick another site. There are 
  agents within Castle Korvosa still who know nothing of 
  kindness or pity, and if they don’t already know of Sabina’s 
  surrender (likely, especially if this event happens in a 
  public location after an eye-catching dragon fight), they 
  will soon enough when she doesn’t return to her quarters 
  in the castle.
  Assuming the PCs accept Sabina’s surrender and grant 
  her asylum, she has plenty to offer them. The start of the 
  next part of the adventure outlines the various ways she 
  can help prepare the PCs for an assault on Castle Korvosa. 
  Sabina would rather not accompany the PCs into Castle 
  Korvosa, however—she instead wants to move against 
  Longacre Building. While the Gray Maidens ensconced 
  in the castle are completely loyal to the queen, some of 
  those in the city itself still see Sabina as their commander. 
  If she can use this loyalty to get into Longacre Building, 
  release the imprisoned women below, and outfit them 
  with weapons and armor, the rebels suddenly gain a 
  potent fighting force on their side when the time comes to 
  retake the city. That said, if you feel that the PCs could use 
  some help, feel free to send Sabina with them into Castle 
  Korvosa; as detailed in the next part, her knowledge of the 
  castle itself isn’t as exhaustive as one might hope, but at 
  the very least, having one more strong sword and shield 
  could make the difference between success and failure.
  PArt two:  
  AssAult on cAstle korvosA
  While Castle Korvosa itself is only a few hundred years 
  old, the pyramidal foundation upon which it was built 
  is much older than that, dating back thousands of years 
  to the ancient empire of Thassilon when the city of Xin-
  Eurythnia sprawled at this location. Other remnants 
  of that time still stand in Korvosa as well; the strange 
  sculpture known today as Gatefoot is merely the tiniest 
  part of an immense statue of Sorshen, the Runelord 
  of Lust and ruler of the city, and the Pillar Wall once 
  supported a winding processional used by Sorshen on her 
  tours of her domain. In those days, the Grand Mastaba 
  served as her home. The deep chambers below were her 
  laboratory and, eventually, her crypt. Sorshen sleeps  
  still, unsuspected and unknown, in a deep vault under 
  Castle Korvosa.
  After Thassilon collapsed, much of Sorshen’s nation 
  sunk into the sea. Over the thousands of years to follow, 
  erosion saw to the destruction of much of Xin-Eurythnia, 
  and what erosion didn’t claim, the Shoanti did. They first 
  came to the area to ensure that all memory of the hated 
  Runelord remained buried, but did their job so well that 
  after several generations they forgot why they had chosen 
  this region as home. When one of the Shoanti shamans 
  returned from his crusade against Kazavon, the strange 
  chambers they had discovered under the central pyramid 
  seemed to be a perfect place to hide the Fangs of Kazavon, 
  for the Shoanti knew only that the structure served to 
  mark a site of ancient evil.
  
  Crown of Fangs
  17
  Preliminary Research
  Cautious PCs seek information about Castle Korvosa 
  before simply walking up to the front door. Unfortunately, 
  one of the tasks Ileosa set before Togomor soon after 
  she appointed him castle seneschal was to see to the 
  confiscation of all known maps of the castle, down to 
  the assassination of any retired servants or guards who 
  possessed extensive knowledge of the castle’s layout. While 
  Togomor did well enough at the task—making it all but 
  impossible to secure a map of the castle interior in Korvosa 
  (or even to get an accurate description from those who have 
  been inside)—three sources are likely to be available to the 
  PCs: Neolandus, Sabina, and Trinia.
  General Knowledge: It’s a relatively simple matter to 
  learn the information contained in the “Castle Grounds” 
  sidebar, as the areas surrounding the castle itself are open 
  to observe. Many of Korvosa’s citizens (including most of 
  the rebels) have a working knowledge of the castle’s second 
  floor, primarily the main stairway (area A12), the entrance 
  hall (area A46), the antechamber (area A51), and the throne 
  room itself (area A52); the PCs themselves have been here 
  at the start of “Edge of Anarchy.” Cressida and a few of the 
  guards are relatively familiar with the rest of the chambers 
  on the castle’s second floor, but have never been on any of 
  the lower or upper floors.
  Neolandus, Sabina, and Trinia: When Trinia was 
  commissioned to take King Eodred II’s portrait, she was 
  escorted up to the castle’s third floor; she can sketch for the 
  PCs the most direct route from the entrance hall (area A46) 
  to the art gallery (area A49) as a result.
  Neolandus and Sabina’s knowledge of the castle is 
  much greater; between the two of them, they can provide 
  a relatively detailed map of the castle for the PCs to use to 
  plan out their attack, including secret doors and hidden 
  chambers. Of course, knowing the castle’s layout is only 
  part of the solution. While Neolandus has been out of the 
  castle too long to be able to provide useful information 
  about its current guardians, Sabina can provide the PCs 
  with some information about a few of the major NPCs 
  they are likely to face inside the castle itself. Over the past 
  several months, she’s been spending more and more of her 
  time outside of the castle, as she’s been feeling increasingly 
  unwanted therein; she hasn’t ventured beyond the second 
  and third floors much at all. She knows that Ileosa’s been 
  recruiting devils to aid her, but isn’t sure how the queen’s 
  been able to pull this off—she suspected a link to the 
  Acadamae, but her investigations into that area have so far 
  shown no support. She knows Ileosa herself has some large 
  hell hound guards, that a horned devil named Mavrokeras 
  guards the towers (although she’s not sure where he lurks), 
  and that three barbed devils known as the Yallops have 
  been increasingly annoying and disruptive. Sermignatto 
  has concealed his presence from her entirely. Sabina also 
  knows that the Red Mantis moved in on the third floor, but 
  Sabina avoids contact with them and their leader (whom 
  Sabina hasn’t seen, but who she has heard speaking to the 
  Red Mantis minions a few times). Finally, she explains that 
  Ileosa has grown even more cold and grim of late, and for 
  the past several weeks she rarely left her bed chambers. She 
  certainly hasn’t called for Sabina’s companionship since 
  she started wearing that “ugly new crown,” and Sabina 
  has finally admitted to herself that Ileosa likely never 
  loved her—an admission that has gone a long way toward 
  pushing her to finally turn against the monarchy.
  The Castle
  The castle itself is built of black marble; the walls and 
  ceilings are made of stone, although a significant part of 
  the third floor and most of the attic level are made of wood. 
  Roofs are tiled with burnished brass shingles. Many rooms 
  feature both arrow slits and larger windows, although the 
  larger windows are protected by bars. Doors, where not 
  specified otherwise, are made of strong wood (hardness 5, 
  hp 20, Break DC 23) and can be locked (Open Lock DC 40), 
  although most of the doors remain unlocked. Ceilings are 
  typically 20 feet high.
  Getting Inside
  Castle Korvosa is a big structure, and there are numerous 
  methods to enter it, not all of which are under guard 
  (although most are). Sabina can provide the following list 
  of entrances for the PCs, although she warns them that 
  by the time they move on the castle, the inhabitants are 
  quite likely to have changed some guard patterns or traps 
  to account for her betrayal.
  CaStle GroUndS
  The close-up of the castle grounds on page 20 shows the 
  layout of the main features of the complex. These areas, 
  while constantly under the watch of guards in the castle 
  itself, are mostly abandoned today, and can provide cover 
  to parties seeking a stealthy approach to the castle.
  1. Castle: Castle Korvosa is presented in detail in this 
  adventure.
  2. Grand Mastaba: The ancient Thassilonian pyramid 
  that serves as the castle’s foundation.
  3. Public Courtyard: A large terrace for public festivals 
  and celebrations. This is where the climactic scene of 
  “Edge of Anarchy” occurred.
  4. Great Ramp: A relatively recent construction, the 
  Great Ramp was built to allow wagon and horse traffic to 
  the courtyard above.
  5. Gardened Terraces: Mature green areas of small 
  size but remarkable beauty, the Gardened Terraces were 
  commissioned by Queen Domina.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  18
  DEFENSE
  AC 23, touch 1, flat-footed 22
  (+10 armor, +1 Dexterity, +2 shield)
  hp 89 (10d10+30)
  Fort +10, Ref +4, Will +4
  OFFENSE
  Spd 20 ft.
  Melee +1 longsword +13/+8 (1d8+5/19–20)
  Ranged mwk composite longbow +10/+5 (1d8+2/×3)
  TACTICS
  During Combat Gray Maidens prefer to fight in melee, 
  but they are trained to support their sisters with ranged 
  weapons if no opportunity for melee presents itself.
  Morale Gray Maidens fight to the death.
  STATISTICS
  Str 14, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 14
  Base Atk +8; Grp +10
  Feats Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (longsword), 
  Iron Will, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Shot, 
  Quick Draw, Weapon Focus (longsword), Weapon 
  Specialization (longsword)
  Skills Climb +8, Intimidate +13, Jump +2
  Languages Common
  Gear +2 full plate, heavy steel shield, +1 longsword, mwk composite 
  longbow (+2 Str) with 20 arrows, cloak of resistance +1
  Red Mantis: All nine Red Mantises remaining in Korvosa, 
  including the cell’s leader (a woman named Kayltanya), 
  relocated to the castle at Ileosa’s invitation. They patrol the 
  castle’s third floor, keeping to the shadows and moving 
  stealthily. At any one time, five Red Mantises are at rest in area 
  A72. Each of the suspended bridges (areas A83a and A83b) are 
  patrolled by one assassin, as is the catwalk (area A71).
  Red Mantis Assassins 
  CR 8
  Human rogue 3/fighter 2/Red Mantis assassin 3
  LE Medium humanoid
  Init +5; Senses Listen +11, Spot +11
  DEFENSE
  AC 20, touch 16, flat-footed 14
  (+3 armor, +5 Dex, +1 Dodge, +1 shield)
  hp 50 (6d6+2d10+16); fast healing 2
  Fort +8, Ref +12, Will +5
  Defensive Abilities evasion, red shroud, trap sense +1
  OFFENSE
  Spd 60 ft.
  Melee mwk sawtooth sabre +11/+6 (1d8+1/19–20) and
  mwk sawtooth sabre +11/+6 (1d8/19–20)
  Ranged dagger +11 (1d4+2/19–20)
  Special Attacks prayer attack, sneak attack +3d6
  Spells Known (CL 3rd)
  2nd (1/day)—cat’s grace, hold person (DC 14)
  1st (3/day)— expeditious retreat, feather fall, spider climb
  Physical Entry: There are numerous physical entrances 
  into the castle via door, window, arrow slit, or even chimney 
  or soil pipes. Some of these might require characters to be 
  gaseous or to break bars—most of them have guards posted 
  nearby. Wise characters take the time to scout out physical 
  entrances before risking them. Sabina recommends the 
  secret entrance via the armory if the PCs ask her opinion, 
  although approaching via flight while invisible gives them 
  the option to enter the castle from any number of locations 
  (in which case Sabina’s recommendation changes to the 
  hole in the floor of area A79).
  Teleportation: With a map provided by allies, PCs 
  might wish to simply pick a room to teleport into. A map 
  provided by an ally like Sabina or Neolandus is enough 
  to allow blind teleportation via dimension door or greater 
  teleport—this method of entering the castle is in fact the 
  safest and most efficient.
  Ethereal Entrance: Although simply walking into the 
  castle via the Ethereal Plane might sound like a good plan, 
  it actually just forces an early encounter with Sermignatto, 
  a battle that the PCs might not be prepared for.
  Patrols
  Three types of guards make regular patrols through Castle 
  Korvosa: erinyes devils, Gray Maidens, and Red Mantises.
  Erinyes Devils: There are six erinyes stationed in 
  the guardroom (area A17) on the castle’s ground floor. 
  Periodically, the devils use greater teleport to pop into other 
  rooms on this floor, spending a few minutes in each room 
  to look it over and ensure that everything’s okay. Once an 
  erinyes spots intruders, she immediately begins alerting 
  all other devils, Togomor, and other castle guardians via 
  telepathy, raising the castle’s alarm to full readiness in a 
  matter of seconds. While the erinyes posted at the gate do 
  not abandon their post, the other six do teleport in to aid 
  any erinyes who spots the PCs and raises the alarm.
  Gray Maidens: There are 24 Gray Maidens active in 
  Castle Korvosa. Of those, 10 are always stationed at guard 
  posts, leaving the remaining 14 split between patrols and 
  rest in one of the two barracks (areas A30 and A38). A patrol 
  of Gray Maidens consists of two, with the patrols moving 
  in clockwise rotations through all unlocked areas of the 
  castle, remaining for a few rounds in each room to ensure 
  all is well. A patrol is active on the first floor, second floor, 
  and third floor at all times. You can either have the PCs 
  encounter a floor patrol when you feel the drama of the 
  game warrants it, or you can simply say that there’s a 10% 
  chance of encountering a patrol every 5 minutes.
  Gray Maiden 
  CR 8
  Female human fighter 8
  LE Medium humanoid
  Init +1; Senses Listen –1, Spot –1
  
  Crown of Fangs
  19
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Red Mantis assassins cast cat’s grace 
  and expeditious retreat and activate their mantis masks 
  (deathwatch at day or darkvision at night) before  
  entering combat.
  During Combat The assassins use prayer attacks if facing lone 
  targets. Otherwise, they team up to flank foes so as to make 
  the most of their sneak attacks. They activate their red 
  shrouds on the first round of combat in any event.
  Morale The assassins are fanatics, and fight to the death.
  Base Statistics Init +3; AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 14; Ref +10; 
  Spd 30 ft.; Melee mwk sawtooth sabre +9/+4 (1d8+1/19–20) 
  and mwk sawtooth sabre +9/+4 (1d8/19–20); Ranged dagger 
  +9 (1d4+2/19–20); Dex 16; Skills Balance +9, Hide +14, Jump 
  +12, Move Silently +14, Tumble +11
  STATISTICS
  Str 12, Dex 20, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 14
  Base Atk +6; Grp +7
  Feats Alertness, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (sawtooth sabre), 
  Stealthy, Two-Weapon Defense, Two-Weapon Fighting, 
  Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (sawtooth sabre)
  Skills Bluff +11, Climb +7, Hide +16, Intimidate +8, Jump +24, 
  Listen +11, Move Silently +16, Spot +11, Tumble +13
  Languages Common, Infernal, Varisian
  SQ trapfinding
  Gear +1 leather armor, 2 masterwork sawtooth sabres, 4 
  daggers, mantis mask, cloak of resistance +1
  SPECIAL ATTACKS
  Red Shroud (Su) A Red Mantis assassin can create a veil of 
  swirling red mist around himself twice per day as a move-
  equivalent action. The red shroud persists for 3 rounds. 
  As long as it is active, the Red Mantis gains a +1 dodge 
  bonus to his Armor Class and fast healing 2. The mist is 
  supernaturally resistant to wind, and cannot be dissipated 
  by such before its duration ceases.
  Prayer Attack (Su) A Red Mantis assassin must both be 
  within 30 feet of his victim and visible to his victim in 
  order to begin a prayer attack. He begins to sway in a 
  hypnotic pattern, drawing his arms upward and wielding 
  a sawtooth sabre in at least one hand as he attempts to 
  fascinate the victim. The victim can resist fascination 
  by making a DC 15 Will save. By concentrating, the Red 
  Mantis assassin can maintain this fascination, and after 3 
  rounds of fascination, might make a coup de grace attack 
  against the fascinated target. If the victim is slain by this 
  attack, he is typically beheaded. A victim who survives 
  the coup de grace is no longer fascinated by the Red 
  Mantis assassin, but the Red Mantis assassin can attempt 
  a new prayer attack against the victim if he so desires. 
  Activating or concentrating on maintaining a prayer 
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
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  Crown of Fangs
  21
  attack does not provoke an attack of opportunity. The 
  victim can escape fascination before this coup de grace 
  attack if the Red Mantis assassin ceases to concentrate 
  on maintaining the effect. Alternatively, the victim might 
  attempt a new saving throw to resist the fascination 
  every time a potential threat (other than the fascinating 
  Red Mantis assassin) approaches the victim. An obvious 
  threat other than the Red Mantis assassin automatically 
  breaks the victim’s fascination, as can a fascinated 
  creature’s ally who takes a standard action to shake the 
  victim free of the assassination.
  Venster: Although the ghost of King Eodred II’s bastard 
  half-brother is hardly a patrol, he does have a limited ability 
  to sense the arrival of new minds in the castle. Now and then, 
  he attempts to contact the PCs, guiding them as best he can 
  toward his prison in area A89, although his ability to do so 
  is limited to whispers (grant a PC a DC 20 Listen check to 
  hear a brief voice say something like “…save me…” or “…
  game room…”), minor illusions (such as those that take place 
  in area A69 or A88), or dream sendings (he can do so only if 
  the PCs actually sleep somewhere in the castle, and even then 
  his dreams are confusing in that they manifest so that the 
  sleeping PC dreams he is in Venster’s place as Ileosa comes to 
  seduce him into poisoning his brother, the king).
  Castle Korvosa Dungeon Features
  Very few know of the existence of this lowest level of Castle 
  Korvosa; traditionally, the secret of its existence was kept 
  to the royal family, the seneschal, and a few high-ranking 
  officers in the military. These chambers were held to be 
  unholy by the Shoanti, and more recently the builders 
  and dwellers of Castle Korvosa found the chambers to be 
  oppressive and grim. These chambers were used mostly 
  as vaults to store the castle’s wealth and dead, but today 
  relatively little of value remains here. After looting these 
  chambers, Ileosa had little use for the dungeons—most of 
  what remained of the Arabasti fortune has been relocated to 
  the Sunken Queen (see area B2). As a result, the dungeons of 
  Castle Korvosa are perhaps the safest place to hide. Ceiling 
  height ranges from 15 feet in the corridors to 30 feet in the 
  larger chambers. 
  A1. Vault of Fangs
  The secret door opening into this room hangs open, and the 
  air within feels cold and clammy. The ceramic floor, walls, 
  and ceiling are lined with light brown tiles that form gentle 
  geometric patterns. To the soutwest, an ancient coffer sits atop 
  a single low plinth of stone.
  This room served for many hundreds of years as the 
  repository for the Fangs of Kazavon. The chill in the air is 
  all that remains of the ancient relics. The coffer itself was 
  used to store the fangs, and while it is empty now, a glance 
  inside reveals several fang-shaped shadows burnt into the 
  bottom’s interior.
  A2. Emptied Treasury
  This huge chamber has a very high ceiling supported by pillars 
  decorated with a spike motif. The floor of the chamber itself 
  is a mess of empty treasure chests, upturned urns, and other 
  containers; here and there a single coin or tiny gem glitters.
  Treasure: In all, 53 gp, 23 pp, and 3 cracked garnets worth 
  30 gp apiece can be gathered from this chamber—the rest 
  of the castle’s treasury has been relocated to area B2 in the 
  Sunken Queen.
  A3. Royal Crypts
  Burial niches line the walls of this large crypt, but only five of 
  the seven contain sarcophagi.
  Originally a crypt for Sorshen’s favorite consorts, the 
  tomb also serves the Korvosan monarchy as a burial site. 
  Each of the five sarcophagi bears the name of a deceased 
  king or queen. Starting from the westernmost coffin, 
  in counterclockwise order, they are: Lord Arbust, King 
  Eodred I, Queen Domina, King Eodred II, and (far from the 
  others) King Cardraith. An inspection of each sarcophagus 
  reveals that all of them have been opened relatively 
  recently; Ileosa pried open each to plunder the valuables 
  the previous monarchs were buried with not long after her 
  husband, Eodred II, died. The bodies within the four older 
  repositories are leathery and long-dead, but should the 
  PCs investigate the contents of Eodred II’s sarcophagus, 
  they are in for a shock, for his body is not the only thing 
  within. Ileosa has placed dozens of dead stirges, their 
  bodies crushed and broken, throughout the coffin with his 
  body—a final insult to the man once known as the Stirge 
  King for his spendthrift ways. Attempts to speak with dead 
  do not reveal Ileosa’s role in the king’s death, as even as he 
  died he did not suspect his wife of ill-doing. Attempts to 
  resurrect the king are likewise fruitless, as Eodred II has 
  no wish to return to life—he has been judged by Pharasma 
  and gone on to his role in the Great Beyond, and is thus 
  beyond the reach of mortal magic.
  A4. Empty Vaults
  These seven rooms share similar dimensions and features 
  to area A1, save that the entrances to these vaults aren’t 
  secret doors. These chambers were used to store various 
  treasures, but each has long since been emptied by Queen 
  Ileosa to fund her various cruelties and projects.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  22
  The brick wall in the passageway leading to area A8 was 
  put in place after the Chelaxian conquerors of the region 
  encountered the deadly trap therein; unable to disarm 
  it and unwilling to risk more death destroying it, they 
  decided to wall up the passageway. Ileosa knocked the 
  passageway back down and wasted several servants and 
  minions investigating the chamber beyond, but eventually 
  decided to give up on the area when it became apparent 
  that there was nothing but death within.
  A8. Salt Statues (EL 13)
  The walls of this elongated chamber are decorated with bas-
  reliefs depicting a great market in a bustling city. The floor is 
  littered with debris and fragments of ceramic, glass and bronze, 
  as if hundred of containers were smashed to pieces a long time 
  ago. Four alcoves in the southwest wall each contain a statue of 
  a kneeling servant with an oversized head, but the statues are 
  too crumbled to be otherwise recognizable.
  This hallway served as the antechamber to the crypt 
  of Sorshen’s first consort. In a rare display of actual 
  devotion, Sorshen ordered the creation of these four 
  statues to serve as guardians to any who would attempt to 
  despoil the tomb beyond.
  Trap: Whenever any form of light is cast on the statues, 
  they begin shining with a phosphorescent effect. As the 
  glowing grows, any character in the room experiences dry 
  throat, an itching about the eyes, and the sudden taste of 
  salt. Two rounds later, the statues suddenly flash with 
  light, subjecting the entire room to a potent horrid wilting 
  trap. The round after this effect manifests, salt-encrusted, 
  androgynous figures seem to emerge from the statues: these 
  are summoned bodaks, and they attempt to slay anything 
  that still stands. 
  Dessication Pulse 
   
  CR 11
  Type magic (conjuration and necromancy)
  Search DC 33; Disable Device DC 33
  EFFECTS
  Trigger proximity (any light source); Onset Delay 2 rounds; 
  Reset automatic (after 2 minutes)
  Effect spell effect (horrid wilting, CL 18th, Fortitude DC 26 half, 
  affects all creatures in area A8) and summons four bodaks (the 
  summoned bodaks vanish in 18 rounds as the trap resets)
  Bodaks (4) 
   
  CR 8
  hp 58 each (MM 28)
  A9. Kusasfa’s Tomb
  The ceiling of this chamber is covered by mosaics depicting a 
  huge constellation of seven-pointed stars. A huge limestone 
  A5. The Hidden Way Below
  This circular chamber has a sixty-foot-high ceiling supported 
  by a huge greenish-gray pillar in the middle. Part of the 
  southeast wall has collapsed, obstructing one quarter of the 
  floor space with a ten-foot-high pile of rubble.
  An investigation of the huge central pillar reveals 
  that it is cooler to the touch than the surrounding walls. 
  A DC 30 Search check is enough to reveal something 
  unusual: the pillar seems to extend through the floor 
  into a recess. The pillar is in fact an immense plug that 
  seals the entrance to the deeper dungeons below—
  dungeons still haunted by the undead and immortal 
  slaves of Runelord Sorshen.
  A6. Secret Staircase
  This set of spiral stairs leads seventy feet up to area A24.
  A7. Ancient Guardroom
  A passageway leading to the southwest seems to have once 
  been closed off after only a few feet by an ancient brick wall, but 
  a man-sized hole has been smashed through it.
  delvinG deePer
  There are deeper dungeons below Castle Korvosa, unseen 
  by living outsiders since they were sealed 10,000 years 
  ago by Runelord Sorshen herself. Four dungeon levels 
  extend below this one, the topmost of which is 500 feet 
  below the ground (and 100 feet below the water table). The 
  primary inhabitants of these dungeons are several clans of 
  vampires, each of which once served Sorshen in a different 
  capacity in life. After she went into hibernation on the 
  deepest level, however, they fell to bickering and infighting. 
  The vampires are ancient now, and haven’t emerged (or 
  grown much in power) since Thassilon’s fall—they are all, 
  as a result, insane in one way or another.
  The dungeon itself is, in fact, a complex puzzle built to 
  someday awaken and begin siphoning blood down to the 
  lowest level to slowly rouse Runelord Sorshen from stasis. 
  One of the middle dungeon levels is a large menagerie 
  of strange and exotic beasts and creatures, each of 
  whose blood contains a different element of the required 
  combination needed to unlock Sorshen’s slumber. The 
  deepest dungeon is in many ways a huge magical machine 
  built to leech blood from this menagerie when the time is 
  right; bound demons and constructs toil here still to keep 
  the machinery and blood channels clear and ready for an 
  activation that might never occur.
  —James Jacobs
  
  Crown of Fangs
  23
  sarcophagus lies at the northeast end of the room. The 
  sarcophagus is open, its heavy lid on the floor, broken into 
  three pieces. On the lid is the carved image of a Thassilonian 
  noble with a drum-shaped hat.
  This was the tomb of Kusasfa, Sorshen’s first consort. 
  The limestone sarcophagus contains an inner coffin 
  of basalt, again anthropomorphic in shape. The inner 
  sarcophagus is open as well, and the lid lies shattered 
  in a multitude of fragments near the north corner 
  of the room. Investigation of the interior reveals 
  disconcerting evidence that the sarcophagus and basalt 
  coffin were broken from the inside. There is no sign of 
  the occupant.
  A10. Collapsed Passageway
  Three passages leading further out from these chambers 
  have long since crumbled to rubble; additional attempts 
  by previous monarchs to clear these passageways kept 
  ending in further collapse and tragedy, and eventually the 
  passages were left alone.
  A11. Venster’s End
  The entrance to this repository has been sealed shut by a 
  brand new brick wall. Breaking down the brick wall is 
  possible with a little work (Hardness 8, hp 60, Break DC 30). 
  Once the wall is down, a thick stench of decay erupts from 
  the opening.
  A partially decomposed corpse, mouth agape in a painful 
  death scream, lies slumped against the wall at the entrance 
  to this otherwise empty room. The corpse, clad in a rich, dark 
  purple outfit, is one of a thin, bearded humanoid with pointed 
  ears and a pair of vestigial horns sprouting from his brow.
  This is the body of Venster Arabasti, the late king’s 
  bastard half-brother and one of Ileosa’s first victims. True 
  to her nature, Ileosa robbed Venster before walling him 
  into this room so he’d die of thirst. Venster’s ghost haunts 
  area A89 of the castle above; the PCs will need to recover 
  his body if they wish to gain his aid and advice.
  Castle Korvosa: Keep Ground Floor
  The ground floor of the keep is encased in massive walls. 
  With the exception of the chapel, only a few arrow slits let 
  natural light inside, so most of the rooms are illuminated 
  by lamps containing continual flames. 
  A12. Main Entrance Stairs (EL 10)
  A wide flight of stairs trails upward along the side of the castle, 
  passing under the gatehouse archway and arriving at a square 
  landing before turning right to reach the main entrance gate.
  A direct approach up the main stairs is the best way to 
  ensure that the PCs attract the attention of numerous castle 
  defenders at once. Five Gray Maidens stationed in area A54 
  keep vigil at all hours of the day and night. In addition, 
  Togomor has placed a permanent alarm spell on the stairs 
  here. If either the alarm or the Gray Maidens raise the alert, 
  Togomor begins casting preparatory spells as detailed in 
  area A44 before he dimension doors into area A45 to “greet” 
  the PCs as detailed in that encounter area. The Gray 
  Maidens in area A54 wait for the PCs to enter A26 before 
  beginning their attack. If the PCs bypass A26, perhaps by 
  flying or climbing up to area A45, the Gray Maidens instead 
  begin attacking through the arrow slits at once. 
  A13. Chapel (EL 12)
  The large wooden doors that open into the chapel from 
  the exterior are locked with an arcane lock spell (CL 14th) 
  placed by Togomor.
  The decoration of this large chamber is dense and elaborate, with 
  numerous tapestries hanging from the walls and two long pews 
  facing a small pulpet. In a niche in the middle of the southwest 
  wall stands a marble statue of a tall man, arms held wide as if to 
  welcome his flock. The two windows are tall and large, and feature 
  stained-glass, full-figure images of the same man. Heavy layers of 
  dust cover everything, and cobwebs hang thick in the corners.
  The man in the stained glass and depicted by the statue 
  is the dead god Aroden. Originally meant to offer guidance 
  to lower-class postulants, this locale has seen less and less 
  use since several actual temples arose in the city proper. 
  With Aroden’s death, this chapel fell even further into 
  disuse, and with Ileosa’s claim as monarch, even the 
  monthly cleanings and airings have ceased.
  A14. Fountain Chamber
  Faded tapestries hang from the walls of this room. An empty, 
  semicircular stone basin stands against the southeast wall, 
  while a low bench sits against the southwestern wall.
  The door to the stairwell is locked; the stairs beyond 
  ascend to area A40.
  A15. Epochal Tower Stairs
  This major flight of stairs is the foundation of the castle’s 
  tallest tower. They ascend from this point all the way to the 
  fourth floor, with landings at every floor in between.
  A16. Laundry
  The air in this room smells of soap and lavender. A large 
  washbasin dominates the southeastern part of the room, while 
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  24
  elsewhere numerous benches, racks for drying clothes, and 
  chairs decorate the floor and walls. A cold fireplace sits against 
  the opposite wall.
  This room was used as a laundry (and occasionally as a 
  tailor/dressmaker’s shop), and contains all the tools and 
  raw materials of the trade.
  A17. Lower Guardroom (EL 13)
  This spacious guardroom contains a large fireplace, a central 
  table, and numerous armor and weapon racks (all of which 
  are empty). 
  Creatures: The guardians of this level of the castle, 
  placed here by Sermignatto at Ileosa’s request, are six 
  erinyes devils. The devils spend much of their time here, 
  idly chatting or tormenting poor victims given to them 
  by the Gray Maidens from the numerous dissidents, 
  vagrants, and other rabble-rousers taken off the streets 
  of Korvosa. The erinyes have become quite skilled at 
  preserving the lives of their victims, but invariably the 
  poor souls eventually expire, whereupon the remains 
  are fed to the dragon Zarmangarof. It’s been a few days 
  since the erinyes have had a plaything, and they are now 
  dangerously bored.
  Roll 1d6 to determine how many erinyes are in this 
  room when the PCs enter, adjusting the result as necessary 
  to account for devils the PCs might have defeated already. 
  Erinyes not present are patrolling this floor of the castle. 
  Once combat begins, the erinyes use telepathy to alert any 
  of their sisters, who arrive via teleport on their initiative 
  roll the next round. At the same time, the erinyes quickly 
  alert all other defenders in the castle in the same manner, 
  putting the entire structure on full alert.
  Erinyes (6) 
  CR 8
  hp 85 each (MM 54)
  A18. Justice Chamber (EL 14)
  This large chamber smells of seasoned, well-oiled wood. It 
  contains an elongated table with four wooden armchairs 
  on one side and a single stool on the other. Several torture 
  implements in good working order, including a rack, an 
  iron maiden, and a cumbersome pulley machine, are neatly 
  arranged near the walls, together with a wide range of crafty 
  restraining devices.
  Only with Togomor’s appointment as castle seneschal did 
  the justice chamber gain its macabre collection of torture 
  instruments. Before, this was a much more innocuous 
  
  Crown of Fangs
  25
  interrogation chamber, and Ileosa’s personal methods of 
  extracting information tend toward enchantment magic.
  Creature: One of Togomor’s triumphs guards this 
  chamber: a cruel and hateful construct known as an 
  akaruzug. This golem-like creature stands against the 
  southwestern wall, motionless and appearing to be little 
  more than a grisly frame for Ishani’s body, which is crucified 
  on the monster. The akaruzug begins to move once the PCs 
  enter the room, and as it lurches to life, Ishani’s dead body 
  begins to scream in mindless pain.
  Akaruzug 
   
  CR 14
  hp 176 (see page 82)
  Development: Ishani is quite dead, but if the PCs restore 
  the Abadarian priest to life, he has little to reveal to them 
  about the castle and its occupants that they don’t already 
  know, and asks only to be escorted back out of the castle so 
  he can start the process of recovering from his ordeal.
  Ad Hoc Experience Award: If the PCs raise Ishani from 
  the dead, award them experience points as if they had 
  defeated a CR 10 creature in combat.
  A19. South Prison Room
  Five cramped-looking cages stand in the northwest half of this 
  room. Each cage is empty.
  Each of the cages is empty and unlocked; Togomor has 
  the keys, and he might place PC or NPC prisoners in here 
  once he finishes torturing them for information. The cages 
  themselves are quite sturdy and well-constructed. Picking 
  the lock to a cage requires a DC 30 Open Lock check, while 
  breaking one open is a DC 28 Strength check.
  A20. North Prison Room
  Five cramped-looking cages stand in the northwest half of this 
  room. In one of them is a long-dead corpse of a man.
  This room is similar to area A19, but the cage containing 
  the body is locked. The body belonged to one Gaveten Veen, 
  the castle jailer. Ileosa found it amusing to keep him locked 
  up here, a victim of his own cages, for many months. The 
  man went insane and eventually starved here after he was 
  forgotten. In life, Gaveten was a 4th-level expert—if speak with 
  dead is used on his body (or if he’s brought back to life), he has 
  little he can tell the PCs that they don’t already know.
  A21. Jailer’s Room
  This room contains a bed, a chair, a desk, a chest of drawers, 
  and a lamp, and is in a pitiful state of disarray. 
  Once occupied by the keep’s jailer, this room hasn’t been 
  used in months.
  A22. Ground Floor Lavatory
  This lavatory was used by the jailer, the guards, and the 
  prisoners. It contains two latrines and a tub with water, 
  but is otherwise unremarkable. A gaseous or Fine creature 
  could enter this room via a soil pipe from area A23.
  A23. Garderobe Shaft
  Soil pipes from throughout the castle carry away waste from 
  various garderobes and deposit the waste in this shaft, which 
  is periodically cleaned from the outside by the castle servants. 
  The lead pipes that connect this shaft to the various toilets 
  on the floors above present a foul but unguarded entrance 
  into the castle, but their 2-inch diameter makes this route 
  unlikely for anyone not in gaseous form or of Fine size.
  A24. Wood Storage
  This storage room contains an orderly stack of firewood, a 
  dozen small kegs of tallow, and numerous flasks of oil.
  The secret door in the southeast wall can be discovered 
  with a DC 25 Search check; the stairs beyond lead down to 
  area A6 and up to area A34.
  A25. Cellar
  Mostly empty wine racks line the walls of this wine cellar, while 
  three large kegs sit on the floor.
  Treasure: While most of the wine once stored here is long 
  gone, a few samples of the finest Varisian and Chelaxian 
  spirits remain here, including three bottles of 20-year-old 
  “Cayden’s Gab” brandy. Each bottle is worth 200 gp.
  Castle Korvosa: First Floor
  The first floor of the castle is similar to the ground floor, 
  but somewhat richer in furnishing and details. External 
  light sources are still scarce. Unlike the lower floors, this 
  floor and those above remain relatively clean and dust-
  free; two dozen imps have been pressed into service to 
  keep the place tidy with promises from Sermignatto that 
  their work will not go unrewarded. The imps themselves 
  generally remain invisible and avoid accosting intruders 
  due to their cowardly natures, but whenever fights start, 
  feel free to have a couple of opportunistic imps flitter in to 
  take a few stings against distracted PCs if you wish.
  A26. Gatehouse Archway
  Anyone using the main stairs to approach the castle must 
  pass through this archway landing. This passage connects 
  
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  Crown of Fangs
  27
  two segments of ascending stairs to the keep’s main 
  entrance. The ceiling is 20 feet high and features four 
  murder holes and a portcullis. When the PCs approach, 
  the portcullis is down (hardness 10, hp 60; Lift DC 25). It 
  can be raised in area A54. The Gray Maidens in that area 
  wait for at least two PCs to come into range before they 
  upend their green slime through the murder holes.
  A27. Sentinel Post
  The door to this small room is not lockable but can be 
  bolted from the inside (Break DC 25, Open Locks DC 25). 
  The door has a shuttered eyehole. Inside are just a small 
  table and a chair; this post is currently unmanned.
  A28. Armory
  Wooden weapon racks, featuring an assortment of weapons 
  from longswords to daggers to maces, line the walls of this 
  armory. An elongated table sits in the middle of the room, and 
  a long wooden ladder is stowed below the table.
  A secret door in the southeast wall leads to the keep’s 
  postern, where a second secret door grants an escape route. 
  Both doors are kept locked (Open Lock DC 30) and can be 
  discovered with a DC 30 Search check. From the outside, 
  the door is 15 feet above ground (hence the ladder under 
  the table).
  The weapons stored on the racks here are mundane, 
  non-masterwork weapons. If the PCs are looking for a 
  particular type of weapon, any non-exotic weapon can be 
  found here with a DC 12 Search check.
  Togomor knows about the secret door here, and placed a 
  silent mental permanent alarm spell on the exterior door. 
  If this alarm goes off, he (and by extension Sermignatto) 
  immediately realize what’s going on and raise the castle’s 
  general alarm.
  A29. Seawatch Tower Stairs
  These stairs lead up to area A76; they bypass the second 
  floor of the castle entirely.
  A30. West Barracks (EL 12)
  This chamber seems to have once served as a food preparation 
  area, judging by the shelves lining the walls.
  Creatures: Before Ileosa closed off the castle to the public, 
  what few guards stayed on site took their rest in the guardroom 
  on the floor below (area A17). Recently, she’s ordered two full 
  platoons of Gray Maidens to take up residence in the castle, 
  placing their barracks here and in area A38. Twelve Gray 
  Maidens can rest here, although generally there are only four 
  in this room at a time while the other eight are on shift.
  Gray Maidens (4) 
  CR 8
  hp 89 (see page 18)
  A31. Kitchen
  This room is dusty with flour and contains a large oven built with 
  flint and clay. Flour has been scattered over several of the tables 
  here, and tiny clawed footprints crisscross through the white 
  mess. Two large fireplaces sit to the northeast, their stovepipe 
  chimneys angling up toward the wall to the northwest.
  There is a 30% chance of encountering a patrol of Red 
  Mantis assassins, a patrol of Gray Maidens, or Togomor’s 
  familiar Pudgyknuckles here (determine which type 
  randomly), all of them having come down to the kitchen 
  for a quick snack (or in the imp’s case, to fetch food for his 
  master) before returning to their proper floor.
  A32. Gray Tower Stairs
  These stairs lead up to area A61.
  A33. Pantry
  Shelves and crates stored here contain all manner of spices, 
  herbs, and preserved foodstuffs (spiced pork, salted meat, 
  smoked salmon, cheese, jams, honey, nuts, and dried figs).
  A34. Workshop
  This small workshop for wood-, wicker-, and leatherworking 
  is well-supplied with all the tools and equipment necessary to 
  create and repair objects for everyday use. 
  A35. Smithy
  A huge angular fireplace and two anvils create a compact but 
  well-equipped forge in this chamber. One of the anvils is a black 
  iron, ordinary-looking implement, while the other is made of 
  polished steel and shaped like a grotesque, squatting dwarf. 
  Smithy tools hang on the walls or line shelves.
  A36. Workshop Storage
  The secret door in the northeast wall can be discovered 
  with a DC 25 Search check; the stairs lead to area A24.
  A37. Mess Hall (EL 14)
  Four stone pillars support the ceiling of this large mess hall. 
  Between each pillar stretches a long table lined on either side 
  by high-backed chairs, although many of the chairs are slashed 
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  28
  and savaged, or in some cases little more than ruins heaped 
  on the floor. The table itself is piled with old pieces of rotting 
  meat, broken bones, shattered weapons, bits of armor, and 
  dozens of long barbs and quills. A fire in the large fireplace in 
  the west corner burns, slowly cooking what appears to be a 
  mostly plucked and mostly skinned hippogriff. The scent of the 
  cooking meat from the hippogriff isn’t quite enough to mask 
  the rancid stink of decay.
  Creatures: Recently, this mess hall became the 
  favored haunt of three barbed devils who collectively 
  refer to themselves as the Yallops. Unless specifically 
  ordered to come to the castle’s defense, these devils 
  ignore any telepathic alarms in favor of their slowly 
  cooking feast, passing the time by singing loudly and 
  using major image to create eerie visual and sound 
  effects for their own amusement, transforming much 
  of the room into a hellscape of burning pits of tar and 
  f lesh, cauldrons of tormented souls, and trenches of 
  the howling damned. As the PCs approach this room, 
  they can distinctly hear three voices singing a nearly 
  incomprehensible song in Infernal about the pleasures 
  of banqueting. The refrain, however, comes in the 
  Common tongue:
  “Who would say a single beast could give us such a double feast? 
  Yes, my friends, we’ve meat and fowl—cooking up from arse 
  to jowl!”
  The voices are off-key, at times guttural and deep, 
  at times jeering and squeaky. All the PCs can make out 
  from the appellatives that the voices share in casual bits of 
  conversation is that they belong to three fiendish brothers 
  named Frentes, Jhaun, and Peveer.
  The Yallops are a trio of barbed devils bound to 
  Sermignatto’s service since the bdellavritra hand-
  picked the tormented souls of the three brothers from a 
  trench of scalding lead deep in Hell. In life, the Yallop 
  brothers were cowardly opportunists who exploited 
  child labor and cared about nothing but their illicit 
  business. Sermignatto was taken by their camaraderie, 
  even in their torment, and cashed in several favors to 
  have them ascended from the damned into devils. The 
  Yallops remember their names and the brotherly bond 
  they shared as mortals, but have no actual memories of 
  their previous lives. The Yallops continue to prove their 
  usefulness, rising quickly through the infernal ranks 
  over the past several centuries to their current position 
  as hamatulas. The devils are quite excited by their recent 
  catch: hippogriffs have grown quite rare in the Korvosa 
  region of late, with so many of their kind having left the 
  city with their fleeing Sable Company masters to seek out 
  shelter in Palin’s Cove.
  Feel free to set up illusory trenches of burning damned 
  or other hellish obstacles in here as you see fit to add flavor 
  and perhaps opportunities for concealment against those 
  who don’t realize the images are illusory.
  The Yallops 
  CR 11
  Barbed devils (MM 51)
  hp 126 each
  TACTICS
  During Combat As with all the castle’s devils, the Yallops 
  know and recognize the PCs for who they are unless the 
  characters are disguised. If they aren’t, the barbed devils 
  yelp in shock, saying things like, “They’re here!” or “It’s 
  them!” Each Yallop attempts to summon 1d6 bearded 
  devils during the first round of combat, sending any devils 
  they summon into melee with the PCs to give the barbed 
  devils a chance to hang back and use their destructive 
  spell-like abilities.
  Morale As soon as one of the Yallops is reduced to 20 hit 
  points or less, or if one of them feels the holy bite of 
  Serithtial’s blade (“Yaaa! Yallops, it hurts like heaven!”), 
  the barbed devils’ bravery collapses and they teleport to 
  Sermignatto’s side in area A59.
  A38. North Barracks (EL 12)
  The room is fitted with six bunk beds, each one with a 
  wooden bedside table. Woolen tapestries hang on the 
  walls, and folding screens of wood and canvas are stacked 
  near the beds.
  Creatures: As in area A30, this room is used as a barracks 
  for 12 Gray Maidens, although generally there are only four 
  in this room at a time while the other eight are on shift.
  Gray Maidens (4) 
  CR 8
  hp 89 each (see page 18)
  A39. Public Parlor
  This small junction room contains a table with two stools 
  and a fine wooden cupboard. The cupboard contains a 
  reserve of candles, matches, torches, and oil lamps.
  A40. Old Tower Guardroom
  The stairs  in the northeast wall lead down to area A14.
  A41. First Floor Midden
  This midden is mostly used by the servants and soldiers of 
  the castle, but also by the seneschal. Its soil pipe discharges 
  waste in the garderobe shaft below (area A23).
  A42. Archive
  This small room seems to be some sort of archive; on the wall 
  opposite the door is storage for vellum, paper, and writing 
  
  Crown of Fangs
  29
  implements. The other two walls are fitted with shelves that 
  sag with rows of books and scrolls.
  These are some of the various archives of the Arabasti 
  family. More than a century of Arabasti rule of Korvosa is 
  recorded and arranged chronologically here. The documents 
  include decrees, acts, reports, and records of all kinds about 
  the city and the royal family. A search of the archive’s more 
  recent entries reveals that, after King Eodred II’s death, no 
  further documents have been stored here.
  A43. Scriptorium
  This room contains two well-equipped writing desks with 
  comfortable armchairs and matching lecterns. A large map of 
  Korvosa hangs on the southwest wall over a wooden box full of 
  rolled parchments.
  This room is used by the royal scribes to write documents 
  on the seneschal’s behalf. The map in the showcase is 
  marked with red ink in several areas to record the queen’s 
  ambitious building plans, including the creation of her 
  four statues throughout the city. The plans contain no 
  indication of her projects’ purpose, however.
  Treasure: The rolled parchments are all highly detailed 
  maps of Korvosa and Varisia (worth a total value of 400 
  gp). One of the maps is a detail of the eastern Mushfens 
  that provides an accurate marking of the Sunken Queen’s 
  position. The map was drawn by Togomor during his 
  Pathfinder days and indicates a path named “Trail of the 
  Frog” that leads to the Sunken Queen from a coastal site 
  named “Greenrust Reef.” With this map (reproduced as 
  Handout 2), the PCs should have no problem reaching the 
  secluded site in Part Three of this adventure.
  A44. Seneschal’s Apartment (EL 15)
  This room contains a canopied bed, a desk, a trunk, and a large 
  cupboard. Colorful woolen tapestries hang from the walls, 
  while exotic carpets decorate the floor. To the northeast, three 
  narrow barred windows have been covered with additional 
  tapestries. A standing lamp in a corner looks like a strange 
  swamp plant with wrought-iron leaves and a single, oversized 
  fruit of amber-colored glass. Bits of discarded food, from 
  bread crusts to chunks of moldy cheese to bones colored with 
  tattered remnants of meat, are scattered everywhere, but the 
  stink of rotting food can’t quite cover the stale smell of body 
  odor and sweat that fills this room.
  This room, furnished to a high standard by Neolandus 
  Kalepopolis, is now occupied by a foul and obese man 
  named Togomor. A continual flame spell cast within the 
  lamp’s globe illuminates the room with a soft orange glow 
  at all times. Togomor’s poor personal habits and hygiene 
  are the cause of this room’s nastiness.
  Creatures: If the PCs haven’t already encountered Castle 
  Korvosa’s current seneschal elsewhere, they find the 
  huge, bloated man here, sitting on the sagging bed amid 
  a collection of almost-burnt chickens, loaves of bread, 
  wheels of cheese, and a few large bottles of wine. Togomor’s 
  gluttony keeps the man quite busy in his off hours.
  A middle-aged obese man with a bald head, the wizard 
  Togomor was quite the adventurer in his youth. Hailing 
  from Magnimar, many of his early adventures took place 
  in the Mushfens—it was there that he first learned of 
  hemotheurgy from a group of bloatmages. Impressed 
  with the power of their magic, Togomor abandoned 
  his adventuring party and sought out the secrets of 
  hemotheurgy, a quest that eventually led him to the city of 
  Kaer Maga. There, Togomor found more than he bargained 
  for—while he learned the initial secrets of bloat magic 
  and even became a bloatmage initiate, he also came to the 
  attention of the devil Sermignatto, who had recently lost 
  interest in his then-current project (manipulating a violent 
  schism among the Brothers of the Seal). Sermignatto was 
  impressed with Togomor’s skills, possessed the man, and 
  sent him down to Korvosa to begin the long and delicate 
  process of investigating the true nature of the headmaster 
  of the Acadamae.
  Togomor hasn’t been under his own control for years. 
  Now that Sermignatto is firmly ensconced in Castle 
  Korvosa’s command structure, Togomor’s use to the devil 
  is little more than as a “public face” to show around the 
  city until Ileosa’s plans are complete. As such, Sermignatto 
  allows the bloated man more time to himself, as long as 
  he doesn’t leave this chamber save to defend the castle 
  from intruders. Togomor relies on his imp familiar, 
  Pudgyknuckles, a corpulent creature in its own right, 
  to keep him well-supplied with food and drink. Apart 
  from answering its master’s calls for food, though, 
  Pudgyknuckles spends little time with his master due 
  to a mixture of jealousy and disgust at Togomor’s girth. 
  Pudgyknuckles is a chubby, broad-grinned imp that roams 
  the castle halls in rat form or perches on its battlements in 
  raven form. It immediately returns to Togomor’s side as 
  soon as the castle alarm is raised.
  Togomor 
  CR 15
  Male human wizard 15
  LE Medium humanoid
  Init +3; Senses arcane sight, darkvision 60 ft., see invisibility; 
  Listen +0, Spot +0
  DEFENSE
  AC 19, touch 11, flat-footed 19
  (+4 armor, +2 deflection, –1 Dex, +4 shield)
  hp 114 (15d4+75)
  
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  Handout 2
  30
  Fort +9, Ref +4, Will +9
  Immune mind-affecting effects
  OFFENSE
  Spd 20 ft., fly 30 ft.
  Melee unarmed strike +8 (1d3 nonlethal)
  Spells Prepared (CL 15th, 16th with evocation, +6 ranged touch)
  8th—quickened dimension door
  7th—prismatic spray* (DC 24), project image (DC 23)
  6th—disintegrate (DC 22), greater dispel magic, quickened 
  invisibility, summon monster VI
  5th—cloudkill (DC 21), cone of cold* (DC 22), feeblemind (DC 
  21), quickened magic missile*, overland flight (already cast)
  4th—dimension door (2), fear (DC 20), greater invisibility, 
  illusory wall (DC 20)
  3rd—dispel magic, extended false life (already cast), lightning 
  bolt* (DC 20), nondetection (already cast), stinking cloud 
  (DC 19)
  2nd—bear’s endurance, blindness/deafness (DC 18), glitterdust 
  (DC 18), mirror image, scorching ray*, spider climb
  1st—charm person (DC 17), feather fall, magic missile*, grease 
  (DC 17), ray of enfeeblement, shield
  0—light, mage hand, prestidigitation, touch of fatigue (DC 16)
  *evocation spell
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Togomor casts extended false life, overland 
  flight, and nondetection on himself every morning. Once 
  the castle’s alarm is raised, Togomor takes the time to cast 
  shield, bear’s endurance, and spider climb as well before he 
  responds to the alarm.
  During Combat It’s unlikely for the PCs to actually encounter 
  Togomor here, unless this is their first target on visiting 
  the castle. If confronted here before he prepares a defense, 
  Togomor dimension doors to area A59, casts his preparatory 
  spells, and then either waits for the PCs to confront him 
  there or waits for them to trigger an alarm elsewhere, 
  whereupon he casts greater invisibility and then dimension 
  doors to that location to offer aid. See area A45 for sample 
  tactics tailored to that location; you can use most of these 
  tactics anywhere else in the castle with a little modification.
  Morale Togomor doesn’t have control of his actions as long 
  as he remains possessed, but Sermignatto doesn’t take 
  unnecessary risks with his puppet. If reduced below 30 hit 
  points, Togomor flees via dimension door to area A59, where  
  he makes his last stand.
  Base Statistics AC 15, flat-footed 15; hp 69; Fort +7; Con 14; 
  Skills Concentration +20
  STATISTICS
  Str 13, Dex 8, Con 18, Int 22, Wis 10, Cha 12
  Base Atk +7; Grp +8
  Feats Bloatmage Initiate (evocation), Craft Construct, Craft 
  Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Staff, Craft Wondrous Item, 
  Extend Spell, Improved Familiar, Improved Initiative, 
  Quicken Spell, Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus (evocation)
  
  Crown of Fangs
  31
  Skills Concentration +22, Craft (armorsmithing) +18, 
  Knowledge (arcana) +24, Knowledge (local) +24, Knowledge 
  (nobility and royalty) +8, Knowledge (the planes) +24, 
  Spellcraft +26
  Languages Common, Draconic, Infernal; tongues
  SQ contingency, permanent spells, possessed
  Combat Gear staff of evocation (32 charges); Other Gear 
  bracers of armor +4, handy haversack, headband of intellect 
  +4, necklace of adaptation, ring of protection +2, ring of keys 
  (opens all physical locks in the castle, unless a specific lock’s 
  description says otherwise)
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Contingency If Togomor snaps his fingers (a swift action as 
  long as he has a hand free), a stoneskin spell activates on 
  him.
  Permanent Spells Togomor made the following spells 
  permanent on himself: arcane sight, darkvision, see 
  invisibility, and tongues.
  Possessed (Ex) Togomor is possessed by the bdellavritra 
  devil Sermignatto. This grants the devil a constant status 
  effect and allows Sermignatto to control Togomor from any 
  distance as a free action, as if Togomor were dominated. 
  He can also experience Togomor’s surroundings via the 
  bloatmage’s senses by concentrating. The possession 
  cannot be ended by dispel magic, but a protection from evil 
  or similar effect cast upon Togomor disrupts the possession 
  as long as the protection effect persists, and a dispel 
  evil or dispel law cast on Togomor ends the possession 
  immediately. As long as the possession persists, Togomor is 
  immune to all other mind-affecting effects.
  Pudgyknuckles 
  CR —
  Imp familiar (MM 56)
  hp 34
  Treasure: Besides his equipment, Togomor keeps 
  his personal treasure hidden behind a secret panel 
  in the wall above his bed. It’s a DC 30 Search check 
  to locate this panel; inside is a pouch containing 70 
  pp, a scroll of greater teleport, and all of Togomor’s 
  spellbooks. These books contain all of his 
  prepared spells, plus 2d6 additional spells of 
  your choice for each spell level (including, of 
  course, arcane sight, darkvision, see invisibility, 
  tongues, contingency, permanency, and all 
  the spells necessary for the creation of 
  an akaruzug). The spellbooks contain 
  additional notes on topics such as 
  hemotheurgy, the creation of several 
  constructs (including the process of 
  creating an akaruzug), rejuvenating 
  blood baths, and other ways to achieve 
  immortality as a construct, an undead 
  creature, or an outsider. These last notes indicate that 
  Ileosa has some sort of plans to do just that, but to date, she 
  has not revealed to Togomor how she intends to achieve 
  immortality as an outsider. Finally, his books contain 
  scores of unfinished drawings of wormlike monsters with 
  three faces at one end and a fanged mouth at the other. 
  While not labeled, these sketches are a manifestation of 
  Sermignatto’s possession over the wizard, since whenever 
  Togomor began scribbling notes in his spare time on how 
  he might escape being possessed, Sermignatto took over 
  and Togomor later discovered what he thought he’d been 
  writing were only loving sketches of his tormentor.
  Development: If Togomor is slain, a strange smile of 
  relief spreads on his face—if able, he speaks a few dying 
  words: “Thank you.…” So long a slave of the devil, Togomor 
  doesn’t quite realize he’s only escaped one torment for an 
  eternity of another in Hell.
  If the PCs can remove Sermignatto’s possession without 
  killing Togomor, though, the man immediately ceases 
  fighting and drops to his knees, begging for mercy and 
  protection from “That horrible three-faced worm!” 
  Togomor is willing to say or do anything to aid the PCs in 
  togomor and 
  Pudgyknuckles
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  32
  killing Sermignatto—he knows if he simply flees, the devil 
  will eventually just track him down and capture him again. 
  After having been possessed for so long, Togomor learned 
  a lot about Sermignatto, and he can not only describe to 
  the PCs most of the devil’s history and the reasons for his 
  being here, but also much about Sermignatto’s strengths 
  and weaknesses. He can also verify that Queen Ileosa 
  signed some sort of pact with several devils to bind an 
  erinyes to her soul to gain additional power—Togomor was 
  present at the contract signing and knows that the contract 
  is kept in area A90. He can tell the PCs how to enter area 
  A90 using the phase door in area A77, and urges the PCs to 
  do so, since the contract might contain information they 
  can use, and destroying it is likely to cause the queen quite 
  a bit of trouble. Once the devil has been slain, however, 
  Togomor’s loyalty to the PCs dwindles fast; he attempts to 
  escape (likely via dimension door) as soon as he can. If the 
  PCs don’t have his spellbooks, he returns to his room to 
  collect them first—otherwise, he flees Korvosa as soon as 
  possible and does not return.
  Castle Korvosa: Second Floor
  This level of the castle is where the monarchy lives and 
  receives official visits. It is characterized by spacious and 
  luminous interiors decorated with magnificent tapestries 
  and other furnishings, although the only chair used on 
  the floor is the Crimson Throne itself. The floors and 
  pillars are made of polished marble and fine ceramics, the 
  wooden furniture is made of oak and mahogany, and the 
  ironware is made of silver and brass.
  A45. Main Entrance Landing (EL 18)
  This landing is where the stairway to the main entrance 
  of the castle keep turns to lead up to the main entrance 
  itself. This balcony is empty and uninhabited—at least, it 
  is as the PCs approach. If their approach is noticed by the 
  guardians (either by the Gray Maidens in area A54 or by 
  Mavrokeras from above), Togomor waits to greet them.
  Creatures: While the tactics presented here for the Gray 
  Maidens, Togomor, and Mavrokeras assume the PCs are 
  openly approaching the castle via the stairs, you can adapt 
  the tactics described here as needed to run a battle between 
  the PCs and the castle’s initial group of defenders at any 
  point during the PCs’ approach to the structure.
  Guarding this area are four Gray Maidens (stationed 
  in area A54). If the alarm is raised, Togomor is located in 
  area A54 as well, and the horned devil Mavrokeras waits 
  invisibly at area A67.
  Gray Maidens (5) 
  CR 8
  hp 89 each (see page 18)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The Gray Maidens take turns firing arrows 
  through the arrowslits in area A54 at the PCs below, taking 
  5-foot steps to let the others have shots as necessary.
  Morale The Gray Maidens fight to the death.
  Togomor 
  CR 15
  hp 114 (see page 30)
  TACTICS
  During Combat Togomor casts project image from area A54 
  to create an image of himself at the head of the stairs 
  here, and uses the image to order the PCs to abandon 
  their “foolish assault on enemies who vastly outstrip their 
  paltry capabilities.” If the PCs do not abandon the assault 
  immediately, he begins casting spells at them through the 
  image, beginning with a prismatic spray and a quickened 
  magic missile, and following up during the next rounds with 
  his other devastating spells. If the PCs discover his actual 
  location, he casts quickened invisibility and then dimension 
  doors to area A67. The next round he casts greater 
  invisibility, after which he flies up into the air and circles the 
  area, peppering the PCs with some more spells.
  Morale Togomor fights until he’s reduced to 30 hit points or less, 
  at which point he dimension doors to area A59 to recover.
  Pudgyknuckles 
  CR —
  Imp familiar (MM 56)
  hp 34
  BloatMaGe initiate [General Feat]
  Using elaborate rituals and gruesome rites, you increase 
  the amount of blood and lymph your body produces in an 
  attempt to increase your body’s natural reserves of magical 
  potential. Practitioners of this hideous type of magic are 
  known as bloatmages.
  Prerequisites: Spell Focus (any school)
  Benefit: When you gain this feat, you learn the ancient 
  secrets of hemotheurgy. By subjecting your body to various 
  rituals, imbibing strange elixirs, and focusing your mind, 
  you dramatically increase your body’s production of lymph 
  and blood and form a magical bond between these fluids 
  and your spellcasting powers. Pick one school of magic 
  you possess the Spell Focus feat in—you cast spells from 
  this school of magic at +1 caster level.
  Unfortunately, hemotheurgy’s benefits do not come 
  without a price. Your increased girth leaves you constantly 
  under the effects of a medium load—your maximum 
  bonus to Armor Class from Dexterity is +3, you gain an 
  armor check penalty of –3, and your speed decreases as 
  appropriate (generally from 30 feet to 20 feet for a Medium 
  creature). Bloatmages who delve deeper into this fringe 
  variant of magic eventually have to use external regulation 
  of their blood (traditionally via the use of dozens of leeches) 
  to avoid dangerous and deadly side effects.
  
  Crown of Fangs
  33
  TACTICS
  During Combat For this combat, Pudgyknuckles remains 
  perched on Togomor’s shoulder. He can’t cast spells through 
  Togomor’s projected image, but if any PC realizes where 
  Togomor is actually located, the imp uses suggestion on that 
  PC to suggest that he not speak until the next sunrise.
  Morale Pudgyknuckles flees when his master does.
  Mavrokeras 
  CR 16
  Horned devil (MM 55)
  hp 172
  TACTICS
  During Combat On the first round of combat, Mavrokeras 
  attempts to summon 1d6 bearded devils, placing them 
  among the PCs in melee if he’s successful. On the following 
  rounds, he uses persistent image to create illusions of more 
  devils (of increasing power) appearing to fight the PCs. He 
  waits to hit them with a fireball or lightning bolt when he 
  thinks the sudden blast of energy might kill a wounded 
  PC, then takes the next round to turn invisible again by 
  activating his ring. He doesn’t engage in melee unless a PC 
  discovers him hiding and confronts him.
  Morale Mavrokeras teleports to area A94 to recover from 
  his wounds if brought below 30 hit points. Once he 
  regenerates back to full, he begins flying in circles above 
  the castle, keeping an eye out for the PCs or waiting for a 
  telepathic call to come aid in a battle below.
  A46. Entrance Hall (EL 10)
  This entrance hall is furnished with several side tables on 
  which stand marble busts of previous seneschals, kings, and 
  queens of Korvosa. To a one, each has been defaced with 
  magic to make them appear hideous and foolish—oversized 
  noses, gaping snaggletoothed grins, and bulging eyes being 
  common insults. 
  Queen Ileosa used a wand of stone shape to alter these busts 
  not long after she ordered the castle closed to the public.
  Creatures: Two Gray Maidens guard this chamber at all 
  times, standing at attention before the southern doors. 
  They give cry to the alarm if they see anyone entering 
  this room, possibly bringing additional aid from the Gray 
  Maidens in area A54. They do their best to hold up the PCs 
  in this area as long as possible to give the castle more time 
  to react to the alarm.
  Gray Maidens (2) 
  CR 8
  hp 89 each (see page 18)
  A47. Cloakroom
  This room is furnished with fine wooden wardrobes, which 
  contain an assortment of cloaks, hats, and galoshes.
  A48. Second Floor Midden
  This midden is similar to area A41, but the interior is tiled 
  with fine ceramic and furnished to a higher standard.
  A49. Art Gallery
  The walls and ceiling of this room are plastered with fine 
  mortar and decorated with stucco works and frescoes. Portraits 
  of kings and queens hang on the walls as well. All of the works 
  of art have been defaced with magic to be rendered hideous 
  in some way or another—a particularly well-painted portrait of 
  King Eodred II has even been slashed to ribons.
  Once a harem, King Eodred II repurposed this room 
  into an art gallery once he married Ileosa. Of course, 
  Ileosa herself has been at work here defacing and ruining 
  the works of art as well; the shredded portrait of Eodred 
  II was Trinia’s work, and bears the girl’s signature in the 
  lower right corner.
  A50. Chair Storage
  This storeroom seems primarily used to store chairs—at least 
  two dozen of them, from plain stools to comfortable armchairs—
  some piled one atop the other and others draped with linen.
  The chairs have been removed from most rooms of 
  this floor on purpose, and testify to the humiliating 
  discipline Ileosa likes to foist on her subjects—the 
  Crimson Throne is the only chair used on this floor of 
  the castle.
  A51. Antechamber (EL 4)
  This room contains several memorabilia of the Arabasti family, 
  such as the battle standard of the five kings and a set of jousting 
  lances on a rack.
  Creatures: Two invisible cleaning imps always perch on 
  the lances here; if they see any intruders, they quickly flap 
  into area A52 to warn the false queen before hiding from 
  the battle to come.
  Imps 
  CR 2
  hp 13 each (MM 56)
  A52. Throne Room (EL 14)
  This magnificent room is lavishly decorated with frescoes, 
  mosaics, and hanging tapestries of gilt crimson silk. Three 
  colorful stained-glass panes on the windows present scenes 
  of past kings and queens. A huge fireplace stands in the 
  east corner, its mantle shaped like an enormous stone tree 
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  34
  that has spread its branches up to the ceiling. Against the 
  southwest wall, on a low dais of granite, sits the Crimson 
  Throne itself, an iron throne draped with deep red silks and 
  velvety crimson cushions.
  Creatures: Although Ileosa herself is not present in the 
  castle, only a few in the castle know that she is elsewhere, 
  for taking her role while she is gone is a cunning 
  simulacrum created from the queen’s own blood and the 
  potent magic hidden in the Sunken Queen. The false Ileosa 
  spends much of her time alone in the royal suite (areas 
  A57–A59). The simulacrum has, so far, done an excellent 
  job masquerading as the real Ileosa, primarily by avoiding 
  much extended contact with the Red Mantises, Togomor, 
  or the Gray Maidens, claiming variously to be working on 
  her memoirs, entertaining “special” guests, or finishing 
  her grand plan for Korvosa. In truth, the simulacrum is not 
  impeded by actual emotions or a sense of restlessness, and 
  is content to spend much of its time simply sitting in the 
  royal bedroom, venturing out only periodically to speak 
  with guests or to receive the increasingly few callers.
  When the castle alarm goes off, she swiftly relocates to 
  this chamber, taking her seat upon the Crimson Throne 
  and patiently awaiting the arrival of the intruders. Three 
  Gray Maidens and three black-furred flame-tongued 
  hounds the size of small horses (Nessian warhounds) 
  always stand guard in this chamber, despite the presence 
  or lack thereof of the false queen.
  When the PCs enter the room, the false Ileosa smiles 
  and greets them as if they were long-lost friends, thanking 
  them for finally seeking her out. She claims to have 
  been observing their progress over the past few months, 
  and thanks them for the assistance they have provided 
  the people of Korvosa before her demeanor turns cold. 
  She informs the PCs that their services are no longer 
  required, and that if they leave Korvosa immediately and 
  never return, she will not seek their execution as traitors 
  to the crown. If the PCs allow the false Ileosa this long to 
  speak, she weaves a bardic suggestion into her oration, 
  targeting the party’s strongest fighter with a suggestion 
  to drop his weapons and leave Korvosa.
  False Ileosa 
  CR 8
  Female human aristocrat 1/bard 8
  NE Medium humanoid simulacrum
  Init +3; Senses Listen +11, Spot –1
  DEFENSE
  AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 12
  (+2 deflection, +3 Dex)
  hp 38 (1d8+8d6+9)
  Fort +3, Ref +9, Will +7
  OFFENSE
  Spd 30 ft.
  Melee +1 returning dagger +10/+5 (1d4+1/19–20)
  Ranged +1 returning dagger +10 (1d4+1/19–20)
  Special Attacks bardic music 8/day (countersong, fascinate, 
  inspire competence, inspire courage +2, suggestion)
  Spells Known (CL 8th)
  3rd (2/day)—confusion (DC 18), displacement, slow (DC 17)
  2nd (4/day)—cure moderate wounds, detect thoughts (DC 16), 
  misdirection, suggestion (DC 17)
  1st (4/day)—cure light wounds, feather fall, grease (DC 15), 
  hideous laughter (DC 16)
  0 (3/day)—light, mage hand, mending, open/close, 
  prestidigitation, resistance
  TACTICS
  During Combat The false Ileosa starts combat by using inspire 
  courage and weaving the bardic oration with a displacement 
  spell via her Harmonic Spell feat. In each following round, 
  she attempts a bardic suggestion (combining each with 
  a spell, like confusion or slow) on one PC, suggesting he 
  abandon his weapons and leave Korvosa. She relies on 
  her six guardians to prevent anyone from engaging her 
  in melee, but if this tactic fails, she draws her dagger and 
  fights back as best she can.
  Morale The false Ileosa fights until destroyed. Once reduced 
  to 0 hit points, she suddenly becomes rigid and motionless. 
  A moment later, her features run red as she melts swiftly 
  into a pool of blood.
  STATISTICS
  Str 10, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 8, Cha 19
  Base Atk +6; Grp +6
  Feats Extend Spell, Greater Spell Focus (enchantment), 
  Harmonic Spell, Spell Focus (enchantment), Weapon Finesse
  Skills Bluff +16, Concentration +9, Diplomacy +20, Knowledge 
  (arcana) +9, Knowledge (history) +13, Knowledge (nobility 
  and royalty) +13, Listen +11, Perform (oratory) +16
  Languages Common, Thassilonian
  SQ bardic knowledge +9, redirection
  Gear +1 returning dagger, cloak of Charisma +2, gloves of 
  Dexterity +2, ring of protection +2, extravagant royal gown 
  worth 2,500 gp, crown (nonmagical duplicate of the Crown 
  of Fangs) worth 5,000 gp
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Redirection (Su) As long as this simulacrum lives, any 
  divination spell that attempts to locate or otherwise target 
  the real Queen Ileosa is instead redirected to target this 
  simulacrum. The caster of the divination spell has a small 
  chance to notice the redirection with a DC 40 Spellcraft 
  check as the divination spell is cast, but even if the 
  redirection is noted, it remains impossible to tell where the 
  effect was redirected from. This effect also affects long-
  distance spells like dream, nightmare, sending, and demand.
  Gray Maidens (3) 
  CR 8
  hp 89 each (see page 18)
  
  Crown of Fangs
  35
  TACTICS
  During Combat These Gray Maidens do not leave their positions 
  just before the Crimson Throne and do their best to prevent 
  anyone from entering melee with the false Ileosa. If the false 
  Ileosa is destroyed and her body melts, any surviving Gray 
  Maidens are shocked at the sight, losing a round of actions as 
  they try to cope with what they’ve just seen.
  Morale The Gray Maidens fight to the death. 
  Nessian Warhounds (3) 
  CR 9
  hp 114 each (MM 152)
  TACTICS
  During Combat Called by Togomor to serve as guardians with 
  planar binding spells, these three advanced hell hounds 
  move forward to engage any intruders immediately upon 
  the false Ileosa’s command. They’re smart enough to aim 
  their breath weapons to not catch the simulacrum or any 
  Gray Maidens when they breathe.
  Morale The warhounds fight to the death.
  Treasure: The tapestries in this room are magnificent 
  works of art—there are six in all, each worth 1,000 gp. The 
  Crimson Throne is itself a work of art worth 10,000 gp, but 
  finding a buyer willing to risk the wrath of a line of monarchs 
  should prove difficult. Those willing to pay for the throne 
  likely do not have Korvosa’s best interests at heart, and 
  certainly heroes who seek to loot the throne would be looked 
  upon almost as traitors by the citizens and nobles of Korvosa, 
  despite the cruelty and evil of the current queen.
  A53. Royal Reception Room
  The walls of this room are covered with tapestries and the 
  ceiling is embellished with florid fretwork. A long table, 
  perhaps a dining table, stands in the room, yet there are no 
  chairs to be seen. 
  This table was used as a meeting room when the 
  seneschal or other notables needed to meet; the lack of 
  chairs ensured meetings here were swift and to the point. 
  The stairs here lead up to area A64.
  A54. Gatehouse Lower Gallery (EL 13)
  This gallery contains a missile weapons rack and several baskets 
  full of ammunition.
  Four trapdoors in the floor cover murder holes that 
  overlook area A26. Near each murder hole are ceramic 
  urns, every one filled with a colony of green slime.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  36
  A58. Royal Baths
  This chamber is dominated by a large, lavishly decorated marble 
  bath. The water within steams with heat, while a large silver mirror 
  hangs on the southwest wall above a short counter covered with vials 
  of perfume, grooming tools, and other devices. To the northeast, a 
  long but shallow planterbox gives a leafy green vine a place to root—
  the vine itself grows along the walls of the chamber, its deep crimson 
  flowers filling the room with a sweet floral scent. A stained-glass 
  window featuring the Arabasti crest is in the wall to the southwest.
  This bathchamber served Queen Ileosa well over the 
  past several months, giving her a private place to relax 
  after long days of despotism and cruelty. The chamber 
  itself is protected by a permanent private sanctum effect (CL 
  15th). The marble bathtub is a magical item that cannot be 
  removed from the room without its destruction. The tub 
  remains full of water at all times, the temperature, scent, 
  and purity of which can be controlled by anyone within the 
  tub as a standard action.
  Treasure: The collection of exotic perfumes and grooming 
  devices on the counter is worth 1,200 gp in all.
  A59. Royal Bedroom (EL 16)
  The walls of this bedroom are paneled with darkwood planks 
  and decorated with elaborate tapestries and hanging silks. A 
  double canopied bed dominates the northeast, while to the 
  southwest stand a desk and a stuffed armchair. Stained-glass 
  windows along the southwest wall depict complex patterns of 
  swirling reds, fiery oranges, and bright yellows.
  A peephole on the wall over the bed (hidden by a hanging 
  crimson tapestry but obvious to anyone who moves 
  the tapestry aside) looks out over the stage in area A55. 
  Although the chamber appears lived in, Ileosa has moved 
  most of her personal effects to her temporary domicile in 
  the Sunken Queen. The bed here serves the false Ileosa as 
  a place to rest, yet the chamber is, in fact, the lair of a far 
  more dangerous menace.
  Creature: Sermignatto is the most insidious villain in 
  the castle. As detailed on page 84, the bdellavritra devil 
  patrols the keep from the Ethereal Plane, peering through 
  the veil into the Material Plane and periodically animating 
  objects to harass intruders. He also vents his will through 
  the actions of his favored minion, the wizard Togomor, 
  whom Sermignatto has possessed for nearly a decade now.
  Sermignatto prefers to watch the PCs battle and learns 
  their tactics before physically manifesting. If that means 
  they kill off several devils, the false Ileosa, or even Togomor 
  before he chooses to make himself known, the devil is fine 
  with that—better to know your enemies than to expose 
  yourself too early to unknown powers. He confronts the 
  Creatures: Five Gray Maidens are stationed here at 
  all times. Depending on the situation, they can support 
  Togomor in his battle before the keep’s main entrance 
  (area A45), the Gray Maidens stationed in the entrance hall 
  (area A46), or the false Ileosa in the throne room (area A52). 
  Against foes in the gatehouse below (area A26) they upend 
  the urns of green slime—rules for this deadly plant can be 
  found on page 76 of the DMG.
  Gray Maidens (5) 
  CR 8
  hp 89 each (see page 18)
  A55. Stage Hall
  The ceiling of this hall is open to reveal the balustrade of a 
  balcony thirty feet above and the interior of a lantern dome 
  some sixty feet above. A colonnade along the room’s perimeter 
  supports the balcony and casts a deep shadow on the walls. 
  Along the southwest side of the room is a theatrical stage built 
  on a wooden platform.
  This hall is used to host small, private shows in the 
  keep for standing guests or seated monarchs to enjoy. 
  The stage was also used as a place for musicians to 
  perform, their music welling up into the grand salon 
  above (area A72).
  A cleverly hidden peephole from the royal bedchamber 
  (area A59) looks out over the stage; the hole can be 
  discovered with a DC 30 Search check.
  A56. Deco Storage
  This storeroom is used to store dozens of curtains, props, 
  elaborate hangings, costumes, stage dressing, and other 
  material for the stage hall. There is nothing of any real 
  value stored here.
  A57. Royal Foyer
  The door to this room is made of strong wood and locked 
  with an arcane lock (CL 15th) that can be bypassed with 
  the passphrase, “Long live the queen!” The door itself is 
  decorated with the Arabasti crest.
  This cozy foyer is furnished with tapestries, carpets, and 
  a fine mahogany bench. A table near the bench displays 
  three silver platters of cheeses, fruits, and small loaves of 
  fresh bread. A crystal decanter of deep red wine sits next 
  to the platters.
  Treasure: The three silver platters are minor magical 
  items that keep any foodstuffs placed on them fresh and 
  unsoiled; each platter is worth 500 gp. The decanter of 
  wine is worth a further 500 gp, although the wine within 
  is unremarkable.
  
  Crown of Fangs
  37
  PCs early if they attempt to infiltrate the castle via the 
  Ethereal Plane (as detailed on page 18), but otherwise he 
  waits until either the PCs reach this chamber or they defeat 
  both the false Ileosa and Togomor before attacking. Since 
  an attack after the PCs defeat a minion could theoretically 
  take place anywhere in the castle, Sermignatto is presented 
  here; if the PCs fight the devil elsewhere, you can use his 
  tactics here as a baseline for running an encounter with 
  him elsewhere.
  Known in some dusty, moldering texts as the Lord 
  of Bloody Quicksands, Sermignatto is an ancient evil 
  indeed. As with many of his fellow devils, his name has 
  another meaning: just as Malacoda means “Bad Tail” and 
  Rubicante means “Red One,” Sermignatto means “Leech 
  Master.” As with most bdellavritra devils, Sermignatto 
  enjoys meddling with the mortals of the Material Plane, 
  and has done so for a very long time. Indeed, his interests 
  in this region date back to Thassilon, where he served 
  for a time at Runelord Sorshen’s side. The bloatmage 
  Togomor is Sermignatto’s latest “project,” a detestable 
  man already consigned to Hell. With a bit more idle 
  guidance, Sermignatto hopes to cultivate Togomor for a 
  particularly painful afterlife by encouraging him to make 
  certain horrific decisions. Encouraging the bloatmage 
  to approach Ileosa to offer her his services as seneschal 
  was Sermignatto’s latest influence, but now the devil is 
  far more entranced by Ileosa herself, seeing in her many 
  parallels with his ancient mistress, Sorshen.
  Sermignatto 
  CR 16
  Bdellavritra devil (see page 84)
  hp 195
  TACTICS
  During Combat Sermignatto remains hidden on the Ethereal 
  Plane until Togomor is slain, at which point he manifests 
  here in the Material Plane. As soon as he does, he remains 
  here until he receives telepathic word from another devil 
  that the PCs have been spotted again, at which point he 
  teleports into that area to attack. 
  Morale If reduced below 40 hit points, Sermignatto decides 
  it’s time to abandon the Material Plane for a time and 
  attempts to escape back to Hell. He does not consider 
  returning to Korvosa for many years to come—certainly 
  not as long as the PCs live.
  A60. Sabina’s Room
  This bedchamber seems almost clinical in its spartan decor. 
  A dressing table, empty armor stand, empty sword rack, and 
  narrow bed are the only furnishings here.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  38
  A65. Gatehouse Upper Gallery
  This long hall seems to have once been used as an armory, for 
  several empty weapon racks still stand along its walls in places. 
  Today, a huge, fetid heap of rags, marsh grass, and partially 
  eaten bodies fills the far end of the room. A large section of 
  ceiling over the heap has been ripped open.
  The mound of rags and filth served the black dragon 
  Zarmangarof as a lair. Much to the dragon’s impotent rage, 
  Ileosa did not allow him to keep any treasure here.
  A66. Trophy Hall
  The walls here are covered by dozens of trophies ranging from 
  deer and elk to aurochs and wyvern heads.
  A67. Main Entrance Balcony
  This large balcony overlooks the stairs to the gate and the northeast 
  side of the Grand Mastaba. Several large gargoyles crouch on the 
  battlements, looking down the walls like watchful sentinels. A 
  catapult sits near the battlement edge to the northeast.
  The catapult, as with those placed elsewhere on 
  balconies here, is fully functional and has a dozen rounds 
  of ammunition stacked nearby. This is where the horned 
  devil Mavrokeras lies in wait if the alarm is raised and the 
  PCs approach via the main stairs. If the PCs wander out 
  here without bothering to hide, the keen-eyed devil has a 
  relatively good chance to spot them if he’s on one of his aerial 
  patrols (20% chance whenever the PCs enter this area).
  A68. Empty Library
  The walls of this dusty room are lined with empty bookcases 
  of fine wood emblazoned with the crest of the Sable Company. 
  The room is half full of bales of straw, and two unhinged doors 
  lean on the northeast wall.
  A69. Game Room
  This polygonal room is illuminated by three windows set in deep, 
  tall niches. Beside each niche are two marble white statues on 
  high pedestals. The statues, a total of six, are all three-foot-tall 
  figures of women in the same pose, hands high above their 
  heads and each clutching an object. The statue on the left of the 
  northwest niche clutches a large key, while the one to the right 
  holds an open book. Proceeding clockwise in the room, the 
  statues near to the northeast niche hold a shield and a star, and 
  the ones near the southeast niche hold a hammer and a crown. 
  This chamber belongs to Sabina, although the leader of 
  the Gray Maidens did not spend much time here before her 
  “attack” on the PCs earlier. She only returned here to catch 
  a few fitful hours of sleep each night, spending the majority 
  of her days on patrol or at Longacre Building to ensure the 
  prisoners kept there were being treated fairly.
  The secret door in the west corner can be found with a DC 
  30 Search check.
  A61. Gray Tower Landing
  The stairs here descend to area A32 and ascend to area A76.
  A62. Gray Tower Oubliette
  The iron door to this cell features a shuttered eyehole that can 
  be opened from the outside. Inside, the nearly empty room is 
  decorated with a straw pallet, a small table, and a stool.
  Although currently empty, this oubliette was built to hold 
  special prisoners of the crown. Over the years, few of Korvosa’s 
  monarchs had reason to use this room, but Ileosa imprisoned 
  enemies she wished to keep close for personal torment many 
  times. If during the course of your particular game an NPC 
  has been captured by Ileosa, he could be found here, shaken 
  and on the verge of starvation.
  The room itself is warded by a permanent dimensional lock 
  (CL 15th). 
  A63. Reservoir
  A pool of water stands in the middle of this chamber. A pair of 
  stone basins stand in the west and south corners, and a large stone 
  cistern occupies most of the southeast wall.
  The well shaft is the castle reservoir, a shaft that drops 
  120 feet and remains filled with water. Numerous lead pipes 
  branch off from the shaft, leading to various chambers on 
  the lower floors to provide running water to kitchens, baths, 
  and other areas.
  Castle Korvosa: Third Floor
  The third floor features several large balconies that house 
  several siege machines and a fair amount of grotesque 
  statuary. The central portion, built entirely in wood, once 
  served as a barracks for the Sable Company and as a place 
  for the royalty to host gala events. Of late, this section of the 
  castle has been claimed by the queen’s Red Mantis allies. 
  A64. Breakroom
  This room is well-furnished with tables, chairs, and stools, 
  and was used as a place for servants to gather and rest while 
  serving events on either the second or third floors. The stairs 
  here lead down to area A53.
  
  Crown of Fangs
  39
  In the middle of the room is a round table with six chairs. On 
  the table sits a small wooden case.
  The statues symbolize the suits of a Harrow deck. This is 
  where King Eodred II often met with his half-brother Venster 
  to play cards or entertain each other by performing Harrow 
  readings. The small case on the table contains a simple 
  Harrow deck, much more worn with use than the PCs’ deck. 
  If the case is opened, a sudden wind blows through the room, 
  causing the cards to fly into a vortex near the ceiling in the 
  north corner of the room for a moment before they flutter 
  to the floor. All of the cards land face down except for the 
  Midwife card. A DC 20 Knowledge (arcana) check is enough 
  to recall that this card represents the revelation of new life 
  or information into the world. This strange manifestation is 
  created by Venster’s ghost in the room above in a desperate 
  attempt to get the PCs’ attention and lure them upward; see 
  areas A88 and A89 for more details.
  This room was once connected directly to Venster’s attic 
  apartment above via a ladder in the north corner. After 
  Venster’s “disappearance,” the ladder and the trapdoor in 
  the ceiling were removed and the resulting hole closed with 
  a stone shape spell. A DC 25 Search check notes the different 
  texture here, and a DC 23 Spellcraft check recognizes the use 
  of stone shape to close an opening in the ceiling.
  A70. Buttress Balcony
  This balcony lies atop the castle’s garderobe shaft. A 
  trapdoor in the middle of the floor allows waste to be 
  dropped down the shaft. One of the light catapults of the 
  castle is positioned here. The chances of being spotted by 
  Mavrokeras here are the same as for area A67.
  A71. Catwalk
  This open-topped catwalk overlooks a sloping section of roof. 
  The edge of the balcony is hedged by a brass railing.
  Creatures: A Red Mantis assassin is always posted here as 
  a guard; the assassin clings to the roof just seven feet above 
  the door in area A72 and, unless noticed, does not attack the 
  PCs as they pass through but rather stalks them, awaiting a 
  good chance to strike one character who becomes separated 
  from the group. If discovered, the assassin attempts to flee 
  to area A72 to join the group there.
  Red Mantis Assassin 
  CR 8
  hp 50 (see page 18)
  A72. Grand Salon
  The wooden floor, walls, and ceiling of this large hall present a 
  rich and harmonic scheme of decorations. The twenty-five-foot-
  high ceiling is supported by pillars inlaid with ivory and partially 
  hidden by a hanging forest of silk draperies in the colors of 
  autumn. Near the walls, these draperies reach down to the floor 
  in foamy cascades of deep red and yellow-orange silk. Crimson 
  circular couches sit around the base of the pillars, with matching 
  stuffed stools and low, ebony tea tables with stained glass tops. 
  In the middle of the hall are an empty space that serves as a dance 
  floor and a balustrade opening to the stage hall below. 
  This large space, once a mess hall and mustering area 
  for the Sable Company, was converted by Ileosa into a great 
  salon for private parties and celebrations. The opening in 
  the floor overlooks the stage hall below (area A55).
  Creatures: When Ileosa abandoned the castle, she 
  extended an invitation to her Red Mantis allies to take up 
  residence here. The assassins readily agreed, if only to have 
  a safer place in Korvosa to call home than their previous 
  lair. After losing several of their number (including the 
  second-in-command) to the PCs during “Escape from Old 
  Korvosa” and “A History of Ashes,” the Red Mantises have 
  been itching for a chance to exact revenge. Yet their current 
  leader, a woman named Kayltanya, has forbidden any such 
  action. The PCs have already proven adept at defeating Red 
  Mantis agents, and until Ileosa finishes her work in the 
  Sunken Queen and Kayltanya can secure from the queen 
  additional funds to justify calling in more assassins from 
  the south, Kayltanya ordered her subordinates to remain 
  patient. Of course, the PCs’ arrival in the castle changes 
  everything.
  The Red Mantises have arranged large hammocks high 
  in the ceiling, concealed by the hanging silks. If the castle’s 
  alarm has not been raised, 1d4 of the assassins are sleeping 
  in their hammocks, while the others stand against the 
  walls, hidden and observant. Otherwise, all five assassins 
  wait near the ceiling in their hammocks for the chance 
  to strike. Kayltanya herself waits in area A73, but once she 
  hears combat erupt here, she swiftly joins the battle.
  Kayltanya is a member of the Vernai, the ruling caste 
  of Red Mantises. Of Chelish descent, Kayltanya was the 
  third daughter of her parents, and despite being part of the 
  powerful Chelish House of Vyeron, she soon realized that 
  as third daughter, her opportunities for greatness were 
  limited. Not long after she came of age, she engineered the 
  deaths of her two older sisters, an act that caught the eye of 
  the Red Mantis assassin who had been tasked with doing 
  the same by one of Vyeron’s enemies, the Arvanxi family. 
  Rather than finish her task with Kayltanya’s assassination, 
  the assassin took Kayltanya under her wing and returned 
  to the Crimson Citadel, where Kayltanya absorbed the 
  indoctrination and training with a natural ease.
  The Red Mantis mistress has since accepted a post 
  in Varisia after the Red Mantis learned of the region’s 
  growing power and civilization. When Queen Ileosa 
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  40
  secretly contacted her to secure the allegiance and aid of 
  the Red Mantis, Kayltanya accepted the job at once. That it 
  was Ileosa’s family who originally hired the Red Mantis to 
  assassinate the Vyeron children has not escaped Kayltanya’s 
  notice, but she views the act not as one deserving of revenge, 
  but rather as thanks, for if the Arvanxis had not done so, 
  Kayltanya would have never been discovered by the Red 
  Mantis in the first place. As a result, Kayltanya feels a 
  strange sense of debt to Ileosa, and would never think of 
  betraying her trust.
  Red Mantis Assassins (5) 
  CR 8
  hp 50 each (see page 18)
  TACTICS
  Before Combat The assassins wait until the PCs are spread 
  throughout the room before using feather fall to drift down 
  among them to attack. The sound of combat alerts Mistress 
  Kayltanya in area A73 immediately. The assassins do their 
  best to fight in pairs, with the fifth assassin holding back 
  in hiding if possible to line up a sneak attack with a thrown 
  dagger at a spellcaster, timing the throw in an attempt to 
  disrupt the spell as it is being cast.
  Morale The assassins fight to the death.: 
  Mistress Kayltanya 
  CR 15
  Female human aristocrat 2/rogue 4/Red Mantis assassin 10 
  (Pathfinder #9 69)
  LE Medium humanoid
  Init +5; Senses Listen +14, Spot +14
  DEFENSE
  AC 33, touch 22, flat-footed 28
  (+5 armor, +5 deflection, +5 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 haste, +5 
  natural, +1 shield)
  hp 116 (16 HD; 6d6+10d8+48); fast healing 3
  Fort +7, Ref +16, Will +10
  Defensive Abilities evasion, fading 3/day, red shroud 3/day 
  (see page 19), trap sense +1, uncanny dodge
  OFFENSE
  Spd 60 ft., fly 60 ft.
  Melee +5 shocking burst sawtooth sabre +22/+22/+17/+12 
  (1d8+10/17–20 plus 1d6 electricity) and
  +5 shock sawtooth sabre +22/+17 (1d8+9/17–20 plus electricity)
  Ranged mwk dagger +18/+18/+13/+8 (1d4+1/19–20 plus poison)
  Special Attacks call mantis 1/day, death mantis form 1/day, 
  mantis doom 1/day, prayer attack (DC 23, see page 19), 
  sneak attack +6d6
  Spells Known (CL 10th)
  5th (1/day)—mark of justice, slay living (DC 18), word of recall
  4th (2/day)—dimension door, greater invisibility, modify 
  memory, phantasmal killer (DC 17)
  3rd (4/day)—clairaudience/clairvoyance, fear (DC 16), fly, 
  inflict serious wounds (DC 16)
  2nd (5/day)—darkness, hold person (DC 15), invisibility, keen 
  edge, see invisibility
  1st (5/day)—darkvision, feather fall, jump, spider climb,  
  true strike
  TACTICS
  Before Combat As soon as the castle alarm is raised, 
  Kayltanya casts keen edge on both sabers and applies her 
  oil of greater magic weapon to them as well. She drinks her 
  potion of barkskin at once, but waits to drink her potion of 
  shield of faith and to cast fly until she’s sure the PCs are only 
  a few minutes away.
  During Combat When combat begins, Kayltanya activates 
  her boots of speed, casts greater invisibility, then moves to 
  the closest door. On round two, she opens the door and 
  summons 1d3 half-fiend giant praying mantises into the 
  battle, placing them in flanking positions around intruders. 
  She joins the battle on round three, throwing poisoned 
  daggers if a PC is within 10 feet, or flying up to melee with 
  her sabres otherwise. She holds off using mantis doom until 
  she is sure she can use it to kill off a wounded PC. Likewise, 
  since she’s deadlier in her true form against most foes, she 
  doesn’t shift into death mantis form unless the size increase 
  and additional magical abilities give her a needed advantage 
  or unless she desperately needs the hit points from the 
  increased Constitution.
  Morale Kayltanya saves her one 5th-level spell as an escape 
  option. If brought below 30 hit points, she uses word 
  of recall to retreat to the Crimson Citadel on distant 
  Mediogalti Isle; the PCs aren’t technically contracts, so she 
  has no real compunction about fleeing a battle with them. 
  She does hold a grudge, though, and could become a real 
  thorn in the party’s side if she escapes, since she might 
  well use the resources of the Red Mantis to have the PCs 
  declared enemies of the organization.
  STATISTICS
  Str 12, Dex 20, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 16
  Base Atk +11; Grp +12
  Feats Alertness, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (sawtooth sabre), 
  Great Fortitude, Greater Weapon Focus (sawtooth sabre), 
  Greater Weapon Specialization (sawtooth sabre), Improved 
  Two-Weapon Fighting, Quick Draw, Two-Weapon Fighting, 
  Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (sawtooth sabre), Weapon 
  Specialization (sawtooth sabre)
  Skills Bluff +11, Concentration +10, Gather Information +13, 
  Hide +24, Intimidate +22, Knowledge (local) +6, Listen +14, 
  Move Silently +24, Sense Motive +5, Spot +14, Tumble +16 
  Languages Common
  SQ resurrection sense, trapfinding
  Combat Gear potion of barkskin +5 (2), potion of shield of faith 
  +5 (2), oil of greater magic weapon +5 (2), 10 doses Large 
  scorpion venom (Fort DC 14, 1d4 Con/1d4 Con); Other Gear 
  +3 leather armor, +1 shocking burst sawtooth sabre, +1 shock 
  sawtooth sabre, 6 masterwork daggers, cloak of Charisma +2, 
  boots of speed, gloves of Dexterity +4
  
  Crown of Fangs
  41
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Call Mantis (Sp) Kayltanya can perform a specialized version of 
  summon monster IV once per day to summon 1d4+1 fiendish 
  giant praying mantises or 1d3 half-fiend giant praying 
  mantises. Both are blood red and do not gain the typical 
  bonus on Hide checks in foliage.
  Death Mantis Form (Su) Once per day, Kayltanya can assume 
  the form of a blood red giant praying mantis as per the spell 
  polymorph. She does not gain the mantis’s bonus on Hide 
  checks in foliage, but does gain a +4 bonus to her Strength 
  and Constitution in this form. In death mantis form, she 
  gains three additional abilities: she might cast a quickened 
  still silent fear spell once per hour, she deals 2 points of 
  Constitution damage in addition to normal damage when 
  she makes a successful bite attack, and her first successful 
  attack in a round imparts a negative level (DC 23 Fortitude 
  save 24 hours later to remove this level). Each negative 
  level heals 5 points of damage for Kayltanya. While in death 
  mantis form, she gains DR 10/good. She can remain in 
  death mantis form for up to 10 hours.
  Fading (Su) As a free action up to three times per day, 
  Kayltanya can momentarily fade into the Ethereal Plane 
  when she is struck by a weapon or forced to make a Reflex 
  saving throw, granting a 50% chance for her to avoid being 
  hit or suffer the effects of whatever it was that forced a 
  Reflex save.
  Mantis Doom (Su) As a full-round action once per day, 
  Kayltanya can call forth a swarm of fiendish mantises 
  onto any one target within 100 feet. She rolls 10d8; if the 
  result equals or exceeds the target’s current hit points, 
  the target dies and his body (but not gear) 
  is devoured. Otherwise, the target 
  takes nonlethal damage equal to the 
  amount rolled and becomes panicked 
  for 1d4 rounds. The target can negate the panic and halve 
  the nonlethal with a DC 23 Reflex save. The swarm attack is 
  nonmagical, so spell resistance does not apply. The damage 
  penetrates damage reduction as if it were a magic and evil 
  weapon; any other form of damage reduction provides 
  complete protection to a mantis doom.
  Resurrection Sense (Su) Kayltanya automatically knows if a 
  creature she slew in the past year is brought back to life.
  A73. Bar (EL 15)
  The doors opening into this enclosed area are made of wood-
  framed stained glass. The room itself is furnished with sturdy 
  tables and high stools, with numerous bottles, crystal goblets, 
  mugs, and other drinking implements stored on shelves lining 
  the walls. The air here is strangely cool and moist. A hammock 
  hangs from the rafters of the chamber.
  The temperature and humidity of this room is regulated 
  by a minor but permanent magical effect designed to 
  keep things from becoming too hot; in a way, this small 
  room doubles as a wine cellar. Most of the good alcohol 
  once stored here is long gone. The hammock is where 
  Kayltanya sleeps.
  Mistress Kayltanya
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  42
  A79. Construction Storage
  This room contains several kegs full of tar, wooden planks, 
  metal roof plates, ceramic tiles, and other spare construction 
  material from the keep construction.
  A large section of floor at the far end of the room has 
  been torn away, leaving a gap that overlooks the main 
  entrance. This relatively recent modification allowed 
  the dragon Zarmangarof access to and from his lair in 
  area A65.
  A80. Wool Storage
  This room is stacked full of wool bales. There is also an elaborate 
  handloom and a wooden box with sewing equipment.
  A81. Empty Attic
  This attic contains only a sorghum broomstick, a couple of 
  upturned, empty kegs, and a pile of old mattresses infested 
  with lice.
  A82. Grain Storage 
  This room contains an emergency supply of grain (corn, wheat, 
  rye, and so on) for the keep.
  A83. Suspended Bridges (EL 8)
  These two identical wooden bridges (areas A83a and 
  A83b) are suspended 30 feet over the great balcony below 
  (area A76), and respectively connect the Gray Tower and 
  the Seawatch Tower to the castle’s main body.
  Creatures: A Red Mantis assassin is always posted at 
  each bridge, hiding in the shadows near the entrance to 
  the towers. Unless noticed, she attacks PCs as they pass, 
  instead stalking them and awaiting an opportune moment 
  to strike at a lone PC. If discovered, the assassin attempts 
  to flee to area A72 to join the group there.
  Red Mantis Assassin 
  CR 8
  hp 50 (see page 18)
  A84. Main Attic
  This large, pillared area under the keep’s roof is almost 
  empty. The excellent construction of the roof plating and 
  of the dormer windows guarantees a dry, airy environment. 
  Here and there lie heaps of leftover material from the nearby 
  storage areas.
  A74. Smoking Hall
  Two long benches face each other across this hall. Next to each 
  stands a pair of brass, ivory, and glass hookahs, although all of 
  them are empty.
  This section of the grand salon has been set aside for 
  smoking pleasures, although it hasn’t been used in months.
  A75. Sunset Room
  This room has three large fretwork windows opening on the 
  northwest wall. There are benches along the walls and a round 
  tea table in the middle.
  This room is where Eodred II observed the sunset 
  during his last days, unknowingly sipping more of his 
  wife’s poison in his final cups of tea.
  A76. Great Balcony
  The largest balcony of the castle, this L-shaped open space 
  connects the main towers of the keep with the great salon 
  of the third floor. Three of the keep’s catapults stand on 
  the balcony. The chances of being spotted by Mavrokeras 
  here are the same as for area A67.
  A77. Domina’s Tower Entrance
  An iron door blocks the entrance to this tower shack—the 
  door is kept locked with an arcane lock spell (CL 15th). The 
  room inside is empty, but is in fact the only easy way to 
  enter the hidden chamber above; a permanent phase door in 
  the ceiling 20 feet above acts as a hidden trap door. Anyone 
  touching the Arabasti family symbol (be it from a signet 
  ring, banner, scroll, shield, or other source) to the phase 
  door can use it to enter area A90 above.
  Castle Korvosa: Fourth Floor, Attic, and Towers 
  The attic of the keep is a huge structure of wood that was 
  rebuilt three times during the rule of the Arabasti dynasty. 
  Due to its dry and airy environment, the attic is used as 
  extra storage space for perishable raw materials.
  A78. Vinegar Attic
  This room smells of vinegar and herbs. Scores of wooden caskets 
  placed in rows on long wooden stands line the walls, along with 
  many glass bottles and ceramic jugs of various sizes.
  The caskets contain 10 gallons of balsamic vinegar, and 
  are marked with numbers from 1 to 25 (years of aging). 
  There’s nothing of any real value here, although the room 
  is rarely, if ever, patrolled, and makes a relatively good 
  hiding place.
  
  Crown of Fangs
  43
  A85. Pigeonry
  Half of this room is occupied by a large pigeon cage, although 
  the cages are all currently empty of life, with a thick layer of 
  rotted pigeons lining the floor.
  A86. Junk Deposit
  This room is packed with old and dusty odds and ends from a 
  century of history of the keep. The clutter in the room includes 
  old clothes, toys, tools, pieces of furniture, lamps, extra lumber, 
  and broken tools.
  The clutter in this room is heaped high against the 
  northeastern door, hiding it completely from view. A DC 
  20 Search check reveals the door’s presence; clearing the 
  junk away from the door takes 1 man-hour of work.
  A87. Low Ceiling
  The ceiling here is just 5 feet tall, and the room is full 
  of cobwebs and dusty, blackened beams from the older 
  structure that jut here and there from the walls.
  A88. Venster’s Apartment
  This room is dusty and has been abandoned for a while, but 
  it shows an unexpected level of comfort. A large bed sits in 
  a corner, and there are a nice table with two chairs, a desk 
  with a stuffed armchair, a lamp, and a stove. On the east 
  wall is a glass showcase full of rare card decks. Within the 
  showcase are at least fifty different decks, all displayed with 
  care and competence, usually with several pieces laid face up 
  and with a matching leather, ivory or wood case. What looks 
  like a partially melted stone trap door sits in the floor in the 
  northern corner, and a single toilet sits behind a partially 
  folded screen to the south.
  This room once served Venster Arabasti as home. The 
  shut-in typically left this room only to visit with his 
  brother in the game room below (area A69), which was 
  also where the servants generally left his meals. Venster 
  kept his own chambers clean and rarely, if ever, allowed 
  anyone into this room; it took Ileosa many months to 
  secure his trust enough that he allowed her to visit him 
  here, although even then he kept the existence of area A89 
  secret from her.
  The secret door leading to area A89 is very cleverly 
  hidden, requiring a DC 35 Search check to discover. Yet 
  only a few moments after the PCs arrive here, a furtive 
  scratching sound comes from this wall at the door’s 
  location. If the PCs don’t discover the door on their own, 
  Venster uses his telekinesis ability to open the door a crack, 
  hoping to lure them into area A89 where he can contact 
  them directly.
  Treasure: The card deck collection in the showcase is 
  worth 2,000 gp.
  A89. Venster’s Boxroom
  This dusty room contains a well-made bed, a large armchair, 
  a one-legged table, and a silver lantern. On the table, near the 
  lantern, sits a dusty Harrow deck in an elegant redwood case.
  As the PCs enter this cleverly hidden room, the 
  temperature drops by several degrees. A few moments later, 
  a strange, roiling mist seems to rise from the cards in the 
  case, causing them to flutter and dance on the table as if 
  in a small breeze. The mist takes on a vaguely humanoid 
  form—that of an older man with tiny horns on his brow. 
  This is the ghost of the tiefling Venster Arabasti.
  venster arabasti
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  44
  In particular, Venster knows that Ileosa plans on using 
  potent magic found in a place called the “Sunken Queen” 
  to achieve eternal youth. Although he doesn’t know exactly 
  what this entails, he does know that the ritual is based on 
  ancient magic indeed—ancient magic that requires the 
  lifeblood of an army of unknowing sacrifices. In short, 
  he fears that Ileosa has been grooming the citizens of 
  Korvosa to be the blood sacrifice she needs to achieve her 
  goal of eternal youth. He urges the PCs to seek her out at 
  the Sunken Queen, to stop her before she can complete the 
  ritual, and tells them that even now he can feel strange and 
  potent forces gathering in the spirit world as she makes 
  ready to take the final step.
  Venster quickly grows frustrated with himself if the 
  PCs begin asking more questions; his grief, madness, and 
  undead state have wreaked havoc on his mind, and he finds 
  it difficult to not only remember what he knew in life, but 
  also to speak aloud of what he’s learned by spying on what 
  few snatches of Ileosa’s desires and thoughts he’s been 
  able to “overhear.” He does suggest that the PCs seek out 
  his “Mother’s Tower,” a place where the monarchs of the 
  Arabasti line could go for peace and solitude. He has sensed 
  Ileosa in this location several times, and often her most 
  notable bursts of sudden inspiration and power occurred in 
  this chamber. He speaks of Domina’s Study, in area A90.
  The greatest gift that Venster Arabasti can offer the PCs 
  is the grace of the spirit world. He explains that many have 
  died in Korvosa due to Ileosa’s whim and cruelties, and that 
  each death has bolstered his grief and desire to set things 
  right. Further, the PCs themselves carry with them a spirit 
  of their own—Zellara. At this point, the owner of Zellara’s 
  Harrow Deck suddenly feels an empathic burst of excitement 
  and fear from Zellara, for she has suddenly realized her 
  final role in the protection of Korvosa. Venster explains 
  further that, by using Zellara’s Harrow Deck as a focus, he and 
  Zellara can siphon the spiritual power and energy of those 
  who have died at Ileosa’s hand or orchestrations into that 
  deck, transforming it into a powerful tool and method for 
  the spirit world to grant the PCs further insight and power.
  Venster goes on to warn the PCs that not all of the spirits 
  are kindly ones: many were insane or cruel in their own 
  lives, and there is, unfortunately, no way to exclude them 
  from this infusion of power. He and Zellara can, though, 
  moderate their influence by focusing them through the 
  traditions and mysticism of the Harrow itself. In effect, 
  Zellara and Venster are using their own undead nature 
  and the psychic energy of all those dead who blame Ileosa 
  for their fate to transform Zellara’s Harrow Deck into a 
  powerful and unique Harrow deck of many things.
  If the PCs agree to this, Zellara and Venster both manifest 
  in the room, and the cards of Zellara’s Harrow Deck fly out of 
  their container to spiral and spin in the air between them. 
  As the ghosts concentrate, the anger and wrath of the city’s 
  Creature: Tormented by guilt at his role in the death of 
  his half-brother, Venster’s spirit is unable to fully manifest 
  at this time because he is trapped here while his mortal 
  remains fester in the dungeons below. As he spies the PCs, 
  he reaches out to them and whispers in a gravely voice, 
  “Bring me my bones… they rot so far below… bring me my 
  bones… I can help you if you bring me my bones.…”
  Until the PCs gather Venster’s remains from area A11, 
  he can do little else. The strain of speaking (and possibly 
  of opening the secret door to this room) swiftly causes his 
  spirit to fade away, but after a few hours he can manifest 
  again for a similarly short time. Fortunately for the PCs, 
  Venster’s close ties to the Harrow and the mysterious forces 
  surrounding it allow Zellara a bit more insight into the 
  situation. She uses empathy to urge the PC who carries her 
  Harrow deck to seek out Venster’s bones; once Venster’s 
  manifestation here occurs, she can sense where those 
  bones lie, and if the PC follows her empathic urgings, she 
  can lead the party directly to area A11 (although this might 
  lead the PCs through other dangerous areas in the castle).
  Although Venster is a ghost, he does not intend to fight 
  for or against the PCs, and is likely destined to vanish 
  anyway during the creation of the Harrow deck of many 
  things. Thus, no statistics are given for him—if they for 
  some reason become important in your game, he was in 
  life a 6th-level tiefling aristocrat. You can generate his stats 
  by simply applying the ghost template to this character.
  Development: Once Venster’s remains are brought into 
  this room, the ghost manifests again, but this time not as a 
  vague misty outline. Venster can now appear as full ghost, 
  appearing as a translucent elderly tiefling man with a deck 
  of Harrow cards that periodically flies out of his hands to 
  spiral around him before returning to his clutches. He 
  regards the PCs with kind but sorrowful eyes before he 
  begins to speak. His first words are words of thanks for 
  taking his bones out of that “dreadful dark room below.” 
  He goes on to speak of Ileosa, of how she murdered his 
  half-brother with poison, and of his own shameful role in 
  that act. As long as Ileosa continues to live, he shall remain 
  bound here, unable to emerge from this room, imprisoned 
  here by his own shame and guilt and thus unable to directly 
  move against her.
  The PCs can be Venster’s salvation. While the ghost can 
  fill them in on how Ileosa murdered Eodred II, providing 
  proof to something the PCs likely already suspect anyway, 
  his true value is in what he knows of her plans. While he 
  is imprisoned here, he could sense the queen’s thoughts 
  and desires as long as she was in the castle. The knowledge 
  tormented him, but now he realizes that it was all simply 
  preparing him for this day, for his chance at redemption. 
  If what he can tell the PCs can undo what he helped set into 
  motion, he feels that he can move on to face Pharasma in 
  the afterlife and accept his fate.
  
  Crown of Fangs
  Handout 3
  45
  dead siphon through them to infuse the cards, which 
  begin glowing brighter and brighter. After only a few 
  rounds, with a final flash of light, the cards themselves 
  settle in a neat and tidy stack on the table and both ghosts 
  vanish.
  At this point, both Zellara and Venster have bonded 
  with the haunted Harrow deck, which has transformed 
  into a Harrow deck of many things. As detailed later in 
  this book on pages 68–73, each character can declare 
  up to four draws from the deck. Unlike the standard 
  Harrow deck of many things, though, Zellara and Venster’s 
  lingering presence stack the deck in the PCs’ favor. This 
  allows each PC one free redraw from the deck: if the PC 
  draws an undesirable card, he can choose to discard that 
  card and draw again from the deck. This redraw does not 
  reduce the total number of draws each PC decides to take, 
  but does help a little bit to mitigate the malevolent and 
  harmful influence of the evil cards in the deck.
  Once all of the PCs who wish to have drawn from the 
  deck, Zellara manifests one last time before them. Her 
  expression is one of hope as she smiles at each of the 
  PCs and gives the one who’s carried her deck through 
  the campaign a single ectoplasmic kiss before she fades 
  from view entirely. Her final purpose served, Zellara 
  finally moves on to her eternal rest. Her Harrow deck 
  is now nothing more than a standard, nonmagical deck 
  of cards. Unspent Harrow points from this adventure’s 
  initial reading remain available for the PCs, but the deck 
  itself can never again be used to perform a similar special 
  Harrow reading.
  A90. Domina’s Study (EL 16)
  This room contains a single large bookshelf filled with dozens of 
  books and scrolls. Nearby, a single desk and chair stand. Sitting 
  on the desk is a single large book with a black leather cover.
  This room has long served the Arabasti family as a 
  secret retreat—only a rare few knew the existence of this 
  place. Ileosa was fond of using this chamber’s remote 
  and secure nature as both a place to meditate on the 
  strange urges growing in her mind and a meeting room 
  where she could meet with infernal callers. It was here 
  that she first met with Sermignatto, where she (with 
  the bdellavritra and Togomor’s aid) bound the Fangs of 
  Kazavon into the Crown of Fangs, and where she signed 
  the contract to bind an erinyes to her soul. She first 
  developed her plans to poison the king here, drafted her 
  initial letter of contact to the Red Mantis here, and she 
  plotted out the use of blood veil to murder many of 
  Korvosa’s undesirables at this very desk. Many of 
  the scrolls and books here are on subjects connected 
  to Ileosa’s plans along these lines, and the PCs can 
  MATERIAL PLANE, Being the 
  FOURTH Incarnation of the THIRD Cycle 
  of Mortality, on file in Fallen Fastness 
  9485784,3728:7845,9888495.
  This is a lawful contract between 
  SERMIGNATTO, Lord of the Bloody 
  Quicksands, and ILEOSA ARABASTI, honored 
  Queen of the Mortal City of Korvosa. Their 
  names used for this pact only.
  HERETOFORE shall all agents of 
  SERMIGNATTO be consigned to the rule of 
  ILEOSA, such that the following agents of the 
  Nine be bound by her word: MAVROKERAS, 
  the brothers known as YALLOPS, the erinyes 
  VERASIA, DECABBARA, SUISHANI, 
  EVEANIE, and all Imps and Lesser Bodies who 
  report directly to the agents listed above.
  IN ADDENDUM shall the heretic 
  ZANZINARIA be BOUND body and mind to 
  ILEOSA, forthwith to augment her flesh and 
  spirit against all things vexing and unforeseen until 
  such time as she might wither and die, whereupon 
  such bondage shall be null and void.
  In recompense, shall all pending debts 
  held betwixt these agents of the Nine and 
  SERMIGNATTO be declared null and cancelled 
  by SERMIGNATTO in case of ILEOSA’S 
  successful commitment to perform the following 
  services on a forfeit basis:
  1) Support and preparation for future expansion 
  as deemed necessary and desirable to one whose 
  name shall be found on file in Fallen Fastness 
  4420,40200:0,88490 upon the Salt Towers 
  of Dis, whose name is struck from this contract 
  yet known by the undersigned to be one whose 
  hand guides these words.
  2) Pursuant to her own goals, ILEOSA 
  pledges the fundament and development of 
  Korvosa as open ground and fertile soil for 
  infernal use, as recorded by the Infinitium 
  Charters and the Voiceless Vexations of the 
  First-Flensed.
  In code 9485784,3728.7845,9888495. 
  Subject to Asmodeus’s veto, honor to his name.
  Signed in blood and bound by soul—
  Ileosa Arabasti
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  46
  Another piece of treasure here might go unseen. Sitting on 
  the top shelf of the bookcase inside a permanently invisible 
  gold and ruby scroll tube (the tube itself is worth 3,000 gp) 
  is an infernal contract between Ileosa and Sermignatto, 
  penned by a contract devil called up from Hell many months 
  ago to ensure that the contract was valid. It’s a DC 30 Search 
  check to find the scroll without using see invisibility or 
  similar methods. Inside the scroll tube is a sheet of human-
  skin parchment containing a contract written in blood. The 
  parchment is presented as Handout 3.
  While much of the contract is, by design, unknowable 
  by mortal minds, a DC 30 Knowledge (the planes) check is 
  enough to determine that, essentially, the devil Sermignatto 
  has agreed to provide Ileosa with infernal aid, minions, 
  and even a bound devil to augment Ileosa’s body and mind 
  in return for her promise to turn over part or all of Korvosa 
  to the bdellavritra and his unspecified superiors once she 
  has finished her current goals. Destroying the contract 
  has little impact on Ileosa, though, since the contract devil 
  who oversaw the contract’s creation retains his own copy.
  A91. Epochal Tower Clockworks
  This large, high-ceilinged room contains the mechanisms of the 
  tower clock. The main body of the mechanism hangs from the 
  middle of the ceiling and occupies most of the room’s space. At 
  floor level, the mechanism splits to join the gearboxes behind 
  the three clock faces. A ladder leads up to a trap door above.
  The wooden stairway runs down to the Epochal Tower 
  stairs on the fourth floor, while the ladder leads up to the tower 
  roof above (although the trap door is locked—see area A92). 
  The mechanism must be manually wound once a month. Of 
  late, that duty has fallen to the horned devil Mavrokeras.
  A92. Epochal Tower Roof
  The top of the Epochal Tower is a huge, unfinished space 
  built by Eodred II to accommodate a new, more grandiose 
  clock for the castle. This huge space is almost completely 
  bare. The walls are partially fitted with wooden scaffolds 
  and the floor is littered with construction materials and 
  tools. A trap door leads down to area A91; this trap door is 
  arcane locked (CL 15th).
  A93. Sable Company Guard Post
  This open area once served as a watch post for the Sable 
  Company. The stairs lead down to the tower at area A83b, 
  while a ladder leads up to the roof, accessible via trap door, 
  to area A94.
  A94. Seawatch Tower
  The top of the Seawatch Tower is the highest point in 
  Korvosa. Here, tall windows provide a panoramic view of 
  use this information to not only prove the depths of her 
  cruelty, but also to answer any yet-unanswered questions 
  about earlier events in the campaign as you see fit.
  The large book on the desk is an immense volume 
  titled, in Infernal, Truths of the Sihedron. Smelling faintly 
  of brimstone, the book’s contents (also written in Infernal) 
  were penned by none other than Sermignatto himself, 
  and chronicle the various cruelties and torments inflicted 
  upon the people of Thassilon by the runelords. The book 
  contains seven chapters, one for each Runelord, but the 
  chapter on Runelord Sorshen has been heavily glossed in 
  Ileosa’s delicate penmanship. In particular, Ileosa seems 
  to have been particularly obsessed with something called 
  the Everdawn Pool, a device she believes still exists today 
  in the ruins of the Sunken Queen. According to her notes, 
  the gathering of samples of blood from thousands of 
  “supplicants” is but the first step. Once the Everdawn Pool 
  is ready, it can draw forth the lifeblood of these thousands 
  to infuse a single creature with eternal youth. In short, 
  Ileosa intends to sacrifice many of Korvosa’s citizens to 
  attain immortality.
  Creature: If the PCs have not already defeated him, the 
  devil Sermignatto keeps a close eye on this room. If the 
  PCs come here while the bdellavritra still lives, he quickly 
  moves to the defense of this chamber, traveling ethereally 
  and then returning to the Material Plane in this room near 
  the ceiling 30 feet above to defend it from the intruders.
  Sermignatto 
   
  CR 16
  Bdellavritra devil (see page 84)
  hp 195
  Treasure: A search of the scrolls in this room turns up 
  several powerful magic spells, including a scroll of greater 
  planar ally, a scroll of greater planar binding, two scrolls of 
  binding, a scroll of banishment, a scroll of plane shift, a scroll of 
  etherealness, and a scroll of gate. 
  reBellion Point awardS
  Point totals should be awarded as follows for each of the 
  major tasks at hand:
  Blackjack returns and is involved publicly in defending 
  the city’s citizens: 2 RP
  Destroy the contract in area A90 and/or defeat all major 
  devils in the castle: 1 RP
  Defeat Sabina Merrin: 1 RP (increases to 3 RP if her life 
  is spared and she is recruited to the rebellion’s cause)
  Expose Trifaccia as an efreeti in Ileosa’s employ: 1 RP
  Force the Red Mantis to abandon Korvosa: 2 RP
  Publicly defeat the dragon Zarmangarof: 2 RP
  Secure proof that Togomor was not legally appointed to 
  the role of seneschal: 1 RP
  
  Crown of Fangs
  Mavrokeras
  47
  the surrounding city. The room contains a cumbersome 
  bullseye lantern used for visual signaling. The door that 
  opens onto the narrow, circular catwalk outside the tower 
  is arcane locked (CL 15th).
  Creatures: The landing itself is the favored perch of the 
  horned devil Mavrokeras, under command to remain invisible 
  via his ring of invisibility so as to not overly alarm the citizens 
  of Korvosa during his frequent airborne patrols of the castle 
  grounds. This cornugon serves Ileosa to pay an ancient 
  debt to Sermignatto. Mavrokeras belongs to the so-called 
  Needlehearted, a sect of philosophical devils that idealizes 
  the concept of pain as the “Great Goad,” the supreme urge 
  of existence. Mavrokeras sees his spiked chain as an artist’s 
  tool, and makes elaborate compliments to it during combat, 
  such as “Rip the veils of fasciae, Flesh Shredder! And flood 
  the way to truth with waves of healing blood!” Mavrokeras is 
  also the fiendish patron of the Black Horn, a cult of cannibals 
  in the distant nation of Ustalav, although he hasn’t had much 
  contact with this cabal as of late.
  Mavrokeras 
  CR 16
  Horned devil (MM 55)
  hp 172
  Gear adamantine spiked chain, ring of invisibility
  A95. Gray Tower
  The top of second-tallest tower of the keep is currently 
  abandoned. The door to the stairwell bears an arcane lock 
  (CL 15th); the stairs beyond lead down to area A83a.
  The Korvosan Rebellion
  As the PCs accomplish various goals in this part, they 
  accumulate Rebellion Points (RP)—see sidebar. These 
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  48
  bypassing the castle before assaulting the Sunken Queen 
  is a foolish tactical move, since Ileosa can (and will) call 
  upon her allies in the castle once she realizes the PCs 
  are after her. A fight against Ileosa and her few current 
  guardians at the Sunken Queen is tough enough, but add 
  in several other devils and Togomor and the battle there 
  quickly becomes impossible. Worse, such an attack enrages 
  Ileosa enough that she orders her remaining minions in 
  Korvosa to punish the citizens for the PCs’ moves. Waves 
  of executioners, be they Gray Maidens, Red Mantises, or 
  devils, begin an open pogram of murder and ruin that 
  ends only with the PCs’ death.
  A far better plan would be to neutralize her allies who 
  remain in Korvosa and return the city to the rule of her 
  nobles, arbiters, and magistrates; with things somewhat 
  stable again in Korvosa, the PCs effectively “corner” Ileosa 
  in the Sunken Queen. The amount of time she needs to 
  complete her ritual is left to you to determine, but it shouldn’t 
  be too long; the PCs should move against the Sunken Queen 
  shortly after their success against Castle Korvosa.
  The Mushfens are a wild and dangerous region, and 
  while the Sunken Queen is a relatively famous site, the 
  shifting waterways make the exact route to its location 
  difficult to track. The map drawn by Togomor found in the 
  keep’s scriptorium (area A43), however, puts it in relation 
  to a commonly known coastal landmark, the Green Reef. 
  Without the map, it’s a DC 30 Knowledge (geography) check 
  to know the way.
  The Green Reef is an odd, rocky formation on a sand 
  bank a few hundred yards from the swampy coast of the 
  Mushfens, 30 miles directly south of the Sunken Queen. 
  The path indicated on the map as the “Trail of the Frog” 
  is in fact a boggard route marked periodically by 18-inch-
  tall stones shaped like squatting, humanoid frogs. This 
  trail leads north through the swamp; following it requires 
  the use of Togomor’s map or hourly DC 25 Survival checks. 
  Again, you can use the table on page 81 to liven up this 
  journey as you see fit, but eventually the PCs should find 
  themselves drawing near to the ancient Thassilonian ruin 
  known as the Sunken Queen.
  The Sunken Queen
  In ancient times, the Thassilonian monument known 
  today as the Sunken Queen served Runelord Sorshen as 
  both a symbol of her enduring power and as the site for 
  one of her greatest triumphs; the Everdawn Pool, a magical 
  artifact that can grant eternal youth to those willing to sell 
  their souls to provide it with power.
  In Sorshen’s heyday, the majority of her realm of Eurythnia 
  was fertile farmland. With the fall of Thassilon, much of 
  her nation slipped into the sea, and most of what remained 
  above the surface became the vast wetland known now as the 
  Mushfens. Over the ages, the Sunken Queen began to sink 
  points track the city’s general malaise and her citizens’ 
  willingness to rise up against Ileosa’s regime. Korvosa isn’t 
  truly safe again until Ileosa herself is defeated, but since 
  she is currently not in the city, by accomplishing lesser 
  goals such as redeeming and recruiting Sabina Merrin 
  to their cause, the defeat of dragons and other dangerous 
  foes, and the driving of the Red Mantis from the city, they 
  work to start returning Korvosa to normal.
  0–2 RP: The rebels must continue hiding under Gray 
  District; the city remains under martial law; the PCs are 
  considered enemies of the city and cannot openly travel 
  the streets without being accosted.
  3–5 RP: Rebels stage swift strikes against Longacre 
  Building and other strongholds under Ileosa’s direct 
  control. At this stage, the key NPCs in the castle take 
  aggressive steps to attempt assassinations against the PCs 
  if their places of rest and recovery are known. Scrying and 
  other magical attempts to locate the PCs might be used, 
  depending on which key NPCs still survive. Ileosa is 
  contacted by surviving NPCs in the castle via magic, but 
  are told to “hold their ground” while she completes her 
  task in the Sunken Queen.
  6–7 RP: Rebellion! Riots and battle fill the streets as the 
  rebels begin taking back neighborhoods from remaining 
  Ileosan loyalists, Gray Maidens, and other holdouts. PCs 
  can show their faces publicly and don’t have to worry about 
  assassination attempts, as the remaining key NPCs in the 
  castle now switch to a defensive stance, intending to hold 
  out long enough for Ileosa to return.
  8+ RP: The rebellion is successful as long as Ileosa does 
  not return; agents of the queen are forced into hiding, but 
  until Ileosa is dealt with, the threat of civil war in the city 
  remains. The PCs can buy and sell gear and equipment 
  again, and do not need to fear assassination attempts or 
  other violence if they publicly walk the streets.
  PArt three:  
  legAcy of Blood
  Although victory in Korvosa can bring the heroes great 
  fame and the city’s support, the PCs know that Ileosa is 
  nearing her goal of immortality, and might even know 
  that the true threat to Korvosa has yet to be averted—if 
  Ileosa is allowed to finish her ritual, thousands in Korvosa 
  will die to grant her eternal youth. To stop this, the PCs 
  must travel into the swamplands known as the Mushfens 
  to confront Ileosa in a final battle at the Sunken Queen.
  Clues to Ileosa’s current plans, as well as to her current 
  location, are scattered throughout Castle Korvosa, but 
  the PCs could just as well learn of her plans and location 
  through the use of divination magic. Some of this magic 
  is blocked by the Sunken Queen’s magical properties, 
  but a tenacious or cunning party can still determine that 
  their true quarry isn’t in Castle Korvosa at all. Of course, 
  
  Crown of Fangs
  49
  into the Mushfens, tilting 20 degrees toward the southeast 
  before coming to rest on a shelf of solid bedrock under 
  the swampland. The magical reinforcements that girded 
  the structure kept it mostly intact—over the centuries, 
  only one of its three metallic horns has collapsed into the 
  surrounding swamp. As the PCs arrive at the site, read or 
  paraphrase the following to them.
  Surrounded by a grove of primeval mangroves and draped in 
  immense sheets of moss and vines, the horns of the Sunken 
  Queen seem to claw at the sky like the blind talons of an 
  immense monster drowned in an abyss of mud. On the east 
  side of the pyramid, which leans heavily into the marshy 
  slough, one of the three original horns has collapsed, leaving 
  a jagged, metallic stump. On the south side, barely dented 
  by the elements and millennia of neglect, is a giant relief of a 
  standing, naked woman, her lean, idealized figure immersed in 
  murky water up to the knees.
  The Sunken Queen is surrounded by a murky pond that 
  acts much like a castle moat; the water itself drops to a 
  depth of 40 feet along the deepest side of the structure. 
  When Ileosa first arrived, she found the site to be the 
  lair of an immense devilfish named Beirawash that had 
  grown too large to make it back to the sea. Trapped in the 
  waters surrounding the Sunken Queen, this devilfish had 
  long been worshiped as a god by a local tribe of frog-like 
  humanoids known as boggards. Ileosa used her magic 
  to charm the devilfish and several of the boggard tribe’s 
  champions, and in so doing became their new goddess. 
  The boggards have taken to calling her “Mother Queen” 
  and believe her to be the living incarnation of the figure 
  carved on the side of the Sunken Queen. With their aid, 
  Ileosa cleared away much of the undergrowth, mud, and 
  debris surrounding the Sunken Queen and managed to 
  find the original entrance about 40 feet underwater. Since 
  then, she’s had a smaller tunnel created to allow quicker 
  access to the interior, but also hides this entrance via a 
  permanent illusory wall (CL 15th) placed there months ago 
  by Togomor.
  Aside from the main entrance and this smaller hidden 
  side entrance, there are a few other methods the PCs 
  can use to enter the structure. Air vents allow gaseous 
  creatures to enter the upper floors. The structure’s walls 
  are enhanced via magic, increasing the stone’s hardness to 
  24 and tripling its hit points to 1,620 hp per 5-foot-square. 
  In addition, the walls themselves have a ghost-touch quality; 
  they cannot be bypassed by incorporeal creatures or via 
  passage through the Ethereal Plane. Finally, while teleport 
  spells function fine inside the structure as long as the 
  traveler is going from one room to another, any attempt 
  to teleport into or out of the Sunken Queen requires a DC 
  32 caster level check. With a successful check, the spell 
  functions normally. Otherwise, the spell fails and the 
  teleporting creature takes 20d6 points of damage as his 
  body is wrenched and twisted by the violently disrupted 
  magic (a DC 24 Fortitude save halves this damage).
  The Sunken Queen’s interior is made of hewn basalt 
  blocks. Floors, walls, and ceilings are finished in white or 
  green marble tile, and despite the structure’s age, they are 
  clean and uncracked. Unless otherwise indicated, there is 
  no lighting in the chambers, although some of the rooms 
  on the third and fourth levels receive natural lighting 
  during the day. While the steep angle of the chamber’s 
  floor is unlikely to matter much to flying characters or to 
  swimming characters in the flooded areas, it does make it 
  difficult to navigate on foot. The floor slopes down toward 
  the southeast at a 20-degree angle. Movement along the 
  floor requires a DC 15 Balance check—remember that 
  unless a creature has at least 5 ranks in Balance, it is 
  considered flat-footed while balancing. Anytime a Balance 
  check is failed by 5 or more, a walking creature falls and 
  slides to the southeast until he strikes a wall for 1d6 points 
  of damage.
  Unless otherwise noted, ceiling height in chambers 
  averages 50 feet, while ceiling height in passageways  
  averages 25 feet. The first level of the Sunken Queen is 
  completely flooded with swamp water, and the southeast 
  section is buried entirely under layers of mud and silt. The 
  second level is partially flooded, with non-flooded areas 
  being clammy and damp. The third and fourth levels are dry 
  and cozy areas, with temperature and humidity maintained 
  at comfortable levels by the structure’s ancient magic.
  Finally, Ileosa herself is currently undergoing a lengthy 
  attunement process in area B20; as long as this process 
  continues, her senses extend throughout the entirety of 
  the Sunken Queen; she effectively possesses an unlimited 
  number of clairaudience/clairvoyance sensors in all of the 
  complex’s chambers. She can still be fooled by stealth, 
  but her true seeing ability extends through these sensors. 
  As soon she notices the PCs inside the Sunken Queen, she 
  alerts her four erinyes minions, who in turn telepathically 
  rally the structure’s defenders. The primary guardians of 
  the Sunken Queen are six boggard champions, the most 
  powerful barbarians from several regional tribes, each 
  initially recruited to Ileosa’s cause via charm monster. The 
  boggards are now loyal to their new queen.
  Boggard Champion 
  CR 10
  Boggard barbarian 8 (Pathfinder #2 84)
  CE Medium humanoid (boggard)
  Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Listen +9, 
  Spot +11
  DEFENSE
  AC 19, touch 9, flat-footed 18
  (+7 armor, +1 Dex, +3 natural, –2 rage)
  
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  Crown of Fangs
  Boggard Champion
  51
  hp 142 (3d8+8d12+77)
  Fort +14, Ref +6, Will +6
  Defensive Abilities improved uncanny dodge, trap sense +2; 
  DR 1/—
  OFFENSE
  Spd 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
  Melee +1 thundering greatclub +18/+13 (1d10+10/19–20) or
  tongue +6 touch (sticky tongue)
  Special Attacks rage 3/day, sticky tongue, terrifying croak
  TACTICS
  During Combat The boggards use their terrifying croak as 
  soon as they encounter the PCs; the volume is enough to 
  alert all nearby areas to the event. They use their tongues to 
  keep archers, rogues, flying enemies, and spellcasters from 
  gaining ranged advantages, and generally focus on one 
  target per two boggards.
  Morale The boggard champions fight to the death.
  Base Statistics AC 21, touch 11, flat-footed 20; hp 120; 
  Fort +12, Will +4; Melee +1 thundering greatclub +16/+11 
  (1d10+7/19–20); Str 18, Con 20; Skills Jump +28
  STATISTICS
  Str 22, Dex 12, Con 24, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 10
  Base Atk +10; Grp +14
  Feats Improved Critical (greatclub), Improved Initiative, Power 
  Attack, Weapon Focus (greatclub)
  Skills Hide +1 (+9 in swamps), Jump +30, Listen +9, Spot +11
  Languages Boggard
  SQ fast movement, hold breath, swamp stride
  Gear +3 hide shirt, +1 thundering greatclub
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Hold Breath (Ex) A boggard can hold his breath for a number 
  of rounds equal to four times his Constitution score.
  Sticky Tongue (Ex) A creature hit by a boggard’s tongue cannot 
  move more than 10 feet away from the boggard and takes a –2 
  penalty to AC. The tongue can be removed with a successful 
  opposed Strength check (a standard action) or by dealing 2 
  points of slashing damage. The boggard cannot move more 
  than 10 feet away from the target while his tongue’s attached, 
  but can release it as a free action. Attaching his tongue 
  does not make either the boggard or his target considered 
  grappled. A boggard’s tongue is always a secondary 
  natural attack.
  Swamp Stride (Ex) A boggard can move through 
  any sort of natural, nonmagical difficult terrain 
  at his normal speed while in a swamp.
  Terrifying Croak (Su) Once per hour, a boggard 
  can, as a standard action, emit a loud croak. 
  Any non-boggard within 30 feet must make 
  a DC 13 Will save or become shaken for 
  1d4 rounds. Creatures that succeed at this 
  save cannot be affected again by the same 
  boggard’s croak for 24 hours. The save DC is 
  Charisma-based and includes a +2 racial bonus.
  B1. Entrance Hall (EL 15)
  A descending set of stairs leads to a submerged hall. Near 
  the bottom, the tilted stairway drops into a horizontal layer 
  of silt. The walls and pillars are decorated with hundreds of 
  stylized images of the same beautiful woman carved onto the 
  pyramid’s face.
  Creature: This large chamber is the lair of the devilfish 
  Beirawash. Washed deep into the Mushfens decades ago 
  by a winter storm, the already huge Beirawash ended up 
  lost in the swamp. After navigating the deeper waterways, 
  he eventually discovered the large pool at the base of 
  the Sunken Queen—and the boggard tribe that dwelt 
  nearby. After eating several boggards, Beirawash (being 
  unusually perceptive and smart for a devilfish) realized 
  that the surviving frog-folk were bowing down before 
  him in supplication. For the next several decades, 
  Beirawash lived as the god of this tribe, which 
  pleased him mightily.
  That arrangement is over now. When Ileosa 
  arrived, she swiftly charmed the devilfish 
  and several of the boggards, turning his 
  role in the region from living god to 
  guard dog.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  52
  Beirawash 
  CR 15
  Advanced elite devilfish
  Gargantuan magical beast (aquatic)
  Init +6; Senses see in darkness; Listen +1, Spot +14
  DEFENSE
  AC 24, touch 12, flat-footed 18
  (+6 Dex, +12 natural, –4 size)
  hp 356 (23d10+230)
  Fort +23, Ref +19, Will +8
  Resist cold 10
  OFFENSE
  Spd 10 ft., swim 40 ft.
  Melee tentacles +31 (8d6+18/19–20)
  Space 20 ft.; Reach 20 ft. (30 ft. with tentacles)
  Special Attacks Dagon’s blood, improved grab, jet, savage bite 
  +31 melee (4d6+18/18–20 plus poison)
  TACTICS
  During Combat Beirawash attacks intruders on sight, jetting 
  up to them if necessary to engage them. He pursues foes 
  throughout the Sunken Queen. He can squeeze through 
  15-foot wide areas, and with a DC 30 Escape Artist check 
  (normally an automatic success) he can even squeeze along 
  10 or 5-foot-wide tunnels—doing so reduces his swim 
  speed to 10 feet and 5 feet respectively, and he cannot use 
  his jet ability in such narrow confines. He does not pursue 
  foes out of the water or beyond 100 feet from the Sunken 
  Queen itself. 
  Morale Even after being subjected to countless charm monster 
  spells, the immense devilfish secretly rankles at the change; 
  if the PCs can dispel Ileosa’s current charm monster effect, 
  the devilfish breaks off combat and attempts to escape. 
  Barring that, he might try to bargain with the PCs, offering 
  up his treasure in area B2 as a bribe.
  STATISTICS
  Str 35, Dex 22, Con 31, Int 4, Wis 12, Cha 6
  Base Atk +23; Grp +47
  Feats Cleave, Dodge, Improved Critical (tentacles), Improved 
  Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (tentacles), Mobility, 
  Power Attack, Spring Attack
  Skills Escape Artist +32, Swim +20
  Languages Abyssal, Aquan, Common
  SQ water dependant
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Dagon’s Blood (Su) Once per day as a standard action, Beirawash 
  can create a 20-foot-radius cloud (or a 20-foot-radius burst on 
  land) of black blood. In water, this provides total concealment 
  (although Beirawash can see through the cloud with ease), 
  while on land, it creates a slippery coating that creates difficult 
  terrain. The cloud persists for 1 minute. Anyone who enters the 
  cloud or is within range on land when it initially bursts must 
  make a DC 31 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1d4 rounds. 
  The save DC is Constitution-based.
  Jet (Ex) Beirawash can jet backward once per round as a full-
  round action at a speed of 240 feet; he must move in a 
  straight line, but does not provoke attacks of opportunity. 
  He might activate his Dagon’s blood ability as part of his jet 
  if he hasn’t used the ability yet.
  Improved Grab (Ex) To use this ability, Beirawash must hit a 
  Huge or smaller creature with his tentacle attack. He can 
  then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without 
  provoking an attack of opportunity. If he wins the grapple 
  check, he establishes a hold and can attempt a savage bite 
  as a free action.
  Poison (Ex) Injury (savage bite), Fortitude DC 31, 1d6 Str/1d6 
  Str. The save DC is Constitution-based.
  Savage Bite (Ex) Beirawash can make a savage bite whenever 
  he grapples a foe.
  See in Darkness (Su) Beirawash can see perfectly in darkness 
  of any kind.
  Water Dependant (Ex) Beirawash can survive out of water for 
  1 hour, after which he becomes fatigued. After 2 hours he 
  becomes exhausted and begins to suffocate.
  B2. Treasury (EL 14)
  A fifteen-foot-diameter crystal globe hangs suspended between 
  two square pillars in this room. The sphere is connected to these 
  pillars by thousands of glittering crystalline filaments. A crystal 
  tube extends up from the eastern side of the sphere through a 
  hole in the ceiling. Inside the sphere is a staggering amount of 
  treasure: coins, gems, art objects, rolled-up tapestries, bars of 
  precious metal, and more.
  This globe is a sphere of magically enhanced crystal, 
  once the heart of the Sunken Queen but now its treasury. 
  When Ileosa arrived, this sphere was filled with bloodseed, 
  stored magical energy for the dormant Everdawn Pool in 
  area B20 above. After she re-awakened the Everdawn Pool, 
  the bloodseed drained into the chamber above. Realizing 
  that the crystal itself was both an excellent display and 
  a strong container, Ileosa filled it with the remaining 
  treasure stolen from Castle Korvosa’s treasury.
  Apart from being transparent, the crystal of the globe itself 
  is identical to the stone that makes up the Sunken Queen’s 
  walls. The only physical entrance is via several thin pipes that 
  lead down from area B20, pipes that eventually empty into 
  the central tube—a route requiring gaseous form or other 
  similar magic. Ileosa used dimension door to enter and exit the 
  treasury as needed, transporting the wealth via portable hole.
  Creatures: As soon as Ileosa senses anyone entering 
  the crystal globe, she reacts by releasing three restless 
  spirits from the blood that fills the Everdawn Pool. These 
  spirits, manifesting as blood-red dread wraiths, “drain” 
  down through the crystal tubes and into this chamber 2 
  rounds after Ileosa notices the first intruder. The wraiths 
  immediately attack anyone they encounter here, but due 
  
  Crown of Fangs
  53
  to the ghost-touch nature of the crystal, they cannot attack 
  foes who are outside of the globe.
  Dread Wraiths (3) 
  CR 11
  hp 104 each (MM 258)
  Treasure: The vast majority of the treasure in the globe 
  consists of art objects and coins—in all, the collection is 
  worth 215,000 gp. Of course, all of this treasure technically 
  belongs to the city of Korvosa; characters who abscond 
  with it are likely to find an entire city government or an 
  irate evil queen after them. The only magical item in the 
  collection is a single empty portable hole, folded and draped 
  over a crown near the southern edge of the area.
  B3. Beirawash’s Lair
  A five-foot-wide tunnel ends in a spherical chamber formed 
  from the surrounding mud, silt, and stone.
  Beirawash dug out this small area from the silt that 
  clogs the hallway to serve as a nest. The devilfish has 
  to squeeze to enter this room, but he finds the compact 
  area comforting.
  Treasure: A single gold statuette of Sorshen worth 
  2,500 gp lies buried in the silt here (DC 25 Search t 
  o locate).
  B4. Beirawash’s Larder
  This ancient chamber’s flagstone floor is almost completely 
  covered by a bed of rotting swamp algae, which piles up to a 
  ten-foot-high heap in the south corner. The mangled, rotting 
  carcass of a fifteen-foot-long alligator floats in the north corner 
  amid a huge pile of strange bones.
  The alligator and bones are remnants of Beirawash’s 
  last meals; the skeletons are all of boggards, their bones 
  crushed to splinters in many cases as if they had been 
  subjected to great pressure.
  B5. Chamber of the Lynx
  This ancient square room is littered with pottery shards and 
  fragments of rusted metal, which piled up in the eastern 
  portion of the chamber. The northwest wall is decorated with a 
  large mosaic depicting a lynx on a dark background surrounded 
  by floating globes of light.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  54
  This room was the lair of one of Sorshen’s favorite pets, 
  a hallowed lynx. The mosaic itself still retains a fragment 
  of the long-extinct magical beast’s power—anyone who 
  touches the mosaic immediately gains a +5 insight bonus 
  on all Charisma-based skill checks and Will saving throws 
  for 1 hour. The magic dissipates after one touch, but 
  replenishes itself naturally after 24 hours.
  B6. Second Level Access Shaft
  The walls and ceiling of this silt-floored chamber are crossed by 
  hairline cracks. An archway in the southwest ceiling opens into 
  a steeply angled shaft that leads upward.
  The shaft that opens in the ceiling southwest of this 
  chamber leads up 40 feet to area B10. In Sorshen’s time, 
  flight was required to navigate this shaft, but now that it is 
  flooded, swimming works as well.
  B7. Surface Entrance (EL 10)
  Partially concealed by mangrove shrubs, this entrance to 
  the Sunken Queen was created via disintegrate spells. The 
  entrance was then disguised by an illusory wall (CL 15th).
  Creatures: A single boggard champion stands in the 
  center of the hallway, here—if he sees PCs approaching, 
  he abandons his post to alert the other boggards who 
  wait in area B8.
  Boggard Champion 
  CR 10
  hp 142 (Pathfinder #2 84)
  B8. Boggard Quarters (EL 16)
  The northwestern portion of the sloping flagstone floor of 
  this chamber has been fitted with a crude horizontal wooden 
  platform. On the platform are nine filthy straw mats, leather 
  bags, and fishing rods.
  The wooden platform built by the boggards is 2 feet above 
  the stone floor at the edge. Movement on the platform is 
  not penalized by the structure’s slope.
  Creatures: The boggard champions recruited by Ileosa 
  dwell here. One of the six is stationed at area B7 to keep 
  watch on the entrance, but as soon as the alarm is raised, 
  they all seek out the PCs to attack them.
  Boggard Champions (6) 
  CR 10
  hp 142 each (Pathfinder #2 84)
  B9. Storage
  A horizontal wooden platform has been built into the 
  northwest portion of this chamber. On the platform are 
  a large barrel and a large wooden trunk. Several big fillets 
  of smoked, spiced fish hang from a row of pegs along the 
  wooden platform’s edge.
  The boggard champions store their food in this room. 
  The fish fillets come from a giant gar and are quite 
  delicious. The barrel contains boggard cranberry liquor 
  mixed with honey and foul-tasting herbs—any non-
  boggard who drinks it must make a DC 14 Fortitude save 
  or be nauseated for 1d10 rounds and then sickened for 
  2d6 hours. The trunk contains more than 100 pounds of 
  groundnut tubers and other swamp legumes, but there is 
  nothing of any real value stored here.
  B10. Shaft Down
  This shaft leads down to area B6. Beyond this point to the 
  southeast, the water is too deep for a Medium creature to 
  wade in.
  B11. Flooded Chamber
  The walls of this square flooded chamber are thick with reddish 
  algae. Dozens of light yellow tadpoles the size of a human hand 
  swim in all directions throughout the room.
  Neither the reddish mold nor the tadpoles are dangerous, 
  although boggards find both rather delicious. The water 
  level in this room is 35 feet deep in the deep end, leaving 15 
  feet of air above.
  B12. Crystal Tube
  A crystal tube emerges from a dark hole in the floor up to the 
  ceiling, where it splits into dozens of small tubes that wind 
  along the walls and ceiling above until finally sinking into the 
  stone, presumably burrowing upward to a level above.
  The crystal tube is connected to the larger sphere in area 
  B2 below, and is made of the same tough material. The 
  smaller tubes wind up through the stone to empty into the 
  rim of the Everdawn Pool in area B20 above. The water in 
  here is 15 feet deep at its deepest point.
  B13. Water Storage
  The east corner of this chamber is fitted with a wooden platform 
  that seems to float on the water’s surface. A few barrels sit on 
  the platform.
  Water levels in this room are the same as for area B11. 
  The platform itself contains three barrels of drinking 
  water (while the boggards are fine simply drinking swamp 
  water, Ileosa is not).
  
  Crown of Fangs
  55
  B14. Shaft Up
  A soft, purplish light illuminates the northeastern part of this 
  flooded chamber, where a large, square shaft opens in the ceiling.
  This shaft leads up 35 feet to area B15. The walls of the 
  shaft are very smooth—climbing them requires a DC 30 
  Climb check.
  B15. Great Hall
  The air in this large room is warm and pleasant. Floor, walls, 
  and ceiling are tiled with polished rose-colored marble slats, 
  and weaving in and out of the walls, climbing from the floor 
  to the ceiling above, are dozens of thin crystal tubes. A shaft 
  drops away in the floor to the southwest, while a second shaft 
  rises up through the ceiling to the northeast.
  The shaft to the southwest drops down to area B14, 
  while the one to the northeast rises up to B20. The tubes 
  in the walls lead up to the Everdawn Pool above.
  B16. Ileosa’s Furies (EL 16)
  The northwestern portion of this room is occupied by a 
  wooden platform. Several wooden chairs—the armrests, legs, 
  and back fitted with straps and buckles—sit on the platform. 
  At the northeast end is an empty weapon rack.
  The platform is 2 feet above the floor at the lowest edge.
  Creatures: Ileosa has taken to calling her four powerful 
  erinyes minions her “furies.” These four erinyes, 
  nominally the members of Sermignatto’s harem, were 
  gifts from the bdellavritra to Ileosa in return for allowing 
  Sermignatto such an open-ended free reign of Korvosa in 
  the contract they both signed once Ileosa loses interest 
  in the area. These four erinyes sit in meditation on the 
  chairs here when at rest; as soon as the Sunken Queen 
  goes on alert, the four of them wait for Ileosa to notify 
  them when the PCs reach this floor, or teleport to her side 
  if the PCs confront her in area B20.
  Decabbara, Eveanie, Suishani,   
  CR 12 
  and Verasia—Ileosa’s Furies (4)  
  Female advanced erinyes (MM 54)
  LE Medium outsider (evil, extraplanar, lawful)
  Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., see in darkness, true seeing; 
  Listen +25, Spot +25
  DEFENSE
  AC 31, touch 16, flat-footed 25
  (+7 armor, +6 Dex, +8 natural)
  hp 189 (18d8+108)
  Fort +17, Ref +17, Will +15
  DR 5/good; Immune fire, poison; Resist acid 10, cold 10; SR 20
  OFFENSE
  Spd 30 ft., fly 50 ft. (good)
  Melee +2 flaming burst returning trident +22/+17/+12/+7 
  (1d8+17/19–20 plus 1d6 fire)
  Ranged +2 flaming burst returning trident +27 (1d8+9/19–20 
  plus 1d6 fire) or
  rope +24 (entangle)
  Special Attacks entangle, summon devil
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 12th)
  At will—greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects 
  only), charm monster (DC 24), minor image (DC 22), unholy 
  blight (DC 24)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The erinyes furies prefer to fight in melee, 
  wielding their tridents two-handed and attacking with 
  a 4-point Power Attack. They generally use their rope 
  attacks against clerics or other healers. They avoid 
  using their summon devil spell-like ability, saving that for 
  emergencies (to call 1d4 bearded devils if an erinyes is 
  brought below 40 hit points) or for a fight at Ileosa’s side.
  Morale Bound by contract, the erinyes furies fight to the death.
  STATISTICS
  Str 21, Dex 22, Con 22, Int 14, Wis 18, Cha 20
  Base Atk +18; Grp +23
  Feats Dodge, Improved Critical (trident), Mobility, Point 
  Blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Shot, Shot on the Run, 
  Spring Attack, Weapon Focus (trident)
  Skills Concentration +27, Escape Artist +27, Hide +27, 
  Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +23, Knowledge (the 
  planes) +23, Listen +25, Move Silently +27, Search +23, Sense 
  Motive +25, Spot +25
  Languages Celestial, Draconic, Infernal; telepathy 100 ft.
  Gear +3 mithral shirt, +2 flaming burst returning trident, rope
  B17. Crystal Prison (EL 9)
  The western portion of this room is occupied by an L-shaped 
  wooden platform built on a pedestal. A small iron stand sits 
  on the platform—cradled in it is a dark blue gemstone the 
  size of a child’s fist.
  Trap: The gemstone is an immense sapphire on which 
  Ileosa used a scroll of trap the soul to lay an insidious 
  trap for one of the PCs, using the trigger object 
  variation of the spell to inscribe that PC’s name on the  
  crystal. Which PC she chooses for this doom depends 
  on whom, in your campaign, Ileosa has the biggest 
  grudge—this should be the PC who has claimed Serithtial 
  as his own.
  Soultrapping Gem 
  CR 9
  Type spell (Conjuration [summoning])
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  56
  B20. The Everdawn Pool (EL 21)
  This huge, very high chamber is illuminated by braziers at 
  the four corners. A soft light also filters from two very high 
  oval windows on the southwestern wall. The twin windows 
  are fitted with panes of blue crystal that filter some light from 
  outside. Below the crystal “eyes,” a band of mosaics on the 
  south wall forms a single, huge map of an ancient, unknown 
  land. The map features a river valley with many villages, each 
  one labeled with a long-forgotten, strange name. To the 
  northeast, a shaft drops away in the floor. Yet the most unusual 
  feature of the room floats and undulates at its center—here, 
  an amorphous blob of blood, over thirty feet wide, floats and 
  ripples in the air. Shapes seem to form periodically on its 
  rippling surface: faces, hands, buildings, and figures that last 
  only long enough to melt back into the horrific mass. Dozens 
  of thin crystal tubes extend from the upper walls of the room 
  to a point just above the shifting mass of blood.
  The oval windows in the wall correspond to the eyes of 
  the carving of Sorshen on the face of the Sunken Queen 
  outside. While from the outside her eyes are opaque, they 
  serve as windows here, allowing those within to look out 
  over the swamp. The mosaic map on the wall is an image 
  of the nation of Eurythnia at the height of Sorshen’s rule. 
  The depiction covers an arc of 30 degrees, with the eye 
  windows corresponding to the pyramid and the coastline 
  near the base of the wall. The map is extremely detailed, 
  but none of its features are recognizable today with the 
  exception of the Sunken Queen itself, although in the 
  map it is standing fully upright.
  The floating mass of blood is the Everdawn Pool, one of 
  Runelord Sorshen’s greatest creations. Fully glutted on the 
  blood of thousands of unknowing donors and by Ileosa’s 
  regular blood offerings (both from herself and various 
  sacrifices she’s taken here), the pool is a powerful tool 
  that can be used to shape and manipulate life and death. 
  Attuning it to a specific purpose requires long and complex 
  rituals; given enough time, the Everdawn Pool can be used 
  to create undead, spawn mindless automations of flesh 
  and blood, create simulacrums of those who bathe within, 
  heal wounds, restore life to the dead, or even grant eternal 
  youth. It is this final use that Ileosa has recently set the 
  Everdawn Pool to accomplishing, and as long as it remains 
  aimed at this purpose, its other functions are suspended.
  Creatures: Ileosa herself is here, suspended at the heart 
  of the Everdawn Pool in a state of semi-trance. Inside the 
  pool, she has no need to breathe or eat. As she is slowly 
  infused with magical power, her youth becomes more and 
  more locked in time. Each of her sessions in the Everdawn 
  Pool lasts for several days, after which she emerges 
  rejuvenated, spends a day or two allowing the Everdawn 
  Pool to build up a new “charge,” then re-enters the pool for 
  EFFECTS
  Trigger touch
  Effect spell effect (trap the soul, CL 20th)
  Treasure: The sapphire is worth 20,000 gp.
  B18. Ileosa’s Room
  Three globes of fire hang suspended from the ceiling to illuminate 
  this room with a soft, pleasant light. The southern portion of the floor 
  is occupied by an L-shaped wooden platform built on a pedestal. 
  The platform is furnished with a double bed, fine carpets, an angular 
  cupboard and a chest of drawers. Atop the chest of drawers stands 
  a crystal vase with fresh violets and lotus flowers. Next to the bed 
  stands a beautiful harp with a matching stool. 
  The globes that light this chamber are crystal spheres 
  containing continual flames. The furniture in this room is 
  used by Ileosa, although since she began her attunement 
  ritual in area B20, she hasn’t spent much time here.
  Treasure: The cupboard and chest of drawers contain 
  beautiful clothes and precious jewelry worth a total of 
  12,000 gp—Ileosa’s less favorite garments. The harp on 
  the platform is a magical harp that combines the powers of 
  a harp of charming and a pipes of sounding. The harp weights 
  65 pounds and is worth 9,000 gp.
  B19. Blood Repository
  This chamber smells of blood. The eastern portion contains a 
  large square basin, the rim of which is decorated with a convoluted 
  bas-relief texture that resembles a jumble of snakes and slugs. A 
  wooden platform to the southwest of the basin is cluttered with 
  various alchemical supplies and surgical tools. Within the basin 
  is a drop of three feet to the surface of a pool of what appears to 
  be blood. A network of thin crystalline tubes extend out of the 
  wall above the basin, pass through its rim, and emerge along the 
  inner rim, each one protruding like a tiny spigot over the pool 
  below. Something the size and shape of a human woman seems 
  to be floating face-down in the center of the pool.
  This pool of blood is “overflow” from the Everdawn Pool 
  above—in the event of an emergency shortage of blood, the 
  pipes and siphons in the Sunken Queen can replenish the 
  Everdawn Pool with blood drawn from here. The basin itself 
  radiates faint necromancy magic—this is from the basin’s 
  magical property that keeps blood held within fresh, warm, 
  and non-clotted. Ileosa hasn’t needed to use the blood here 
  for refilling the Everdawn Pool yet, but she has found another 
  use for it: as a place to cultivate and store blood simulacrums 
  that aren’t quite fully “grown” yet. The figure in the pool is 
  an almost-formed Ileosa simulacrum—all it lacks is skin. It 
  is not yet alive, and can be destroyed with ease.
  
  Crown of Fangs
  57
  another attunement session. It’s left up to you to decide 
  how much longer she needs to continue these sessions; 
  you should pick a duration that shouldn’t force the PCs to 
  rush through this adventure, but choose a timespan that 
  is short enough to preserve a sense of impending doom 
  for the PCs if they use spells like divination or commune 
  to determine how much time they have left. A good rule 
  of thumb is to assume that the PCs have enough time to 
  attempt to defeat Ileosa twice—if they confront her two 
  times and are forced to flee a second time before they 
  destroy her, she’ll finish her attunement and eternal 
  youth will be hers—and at a tragic price for the people of 
  Korvosa (see Concluding the Campaign on page 59).
  When the PCs enter this room, Ileosa takes note 
  immediately unless the PCs are particularly stealthy. If 
  the PCs can reach her at the center of the room without 
  her knowing they’re here, they get an automatic surprise 
  round at the start of combat. Once she notices them, the 
  Everdawn Pool shakes and rumbles. It ripples briefly into 
  a familiar shape—the Korvosa skyline—only to crumble 
  as if during an immense earthquake. A moment later, 
  Ileosa’s beautiful but furious face appears in the blood as 
  she shrieks in rage at the interruption —she has no speech 
  prepared for the PCs at this point. Only fury.
  Unfortunately for the PCs, Ileosa isn’t the only creature 
  in the Everdawn Pool. She already used it to create three 
  dread wraiths and six simulacrums of herself, and keeps 
  them “stored” in the pool until she needs them. As her 
  face shrieks at the PCs, she unleashes the three dread 
  wraiths on them (unless she already sent these three 
  against the PCs in area B2). On the next round, she 
  releases her six simulacrums; these false Ileosas drop 
  from the Everdawn Pool’s underside with feather fall and 
  move to attack the PCs. Any of her erinyes furies who 
  still live appear in the room at this time as well. Ileosa 
  herself emerges from the Everdawn Pool on the third 
  round to join the combat.
  Queen Ileosa Arabasti 
  CR 20
  Female devil-bound human aristocrat 2/bard 16
  NE Medium humanoid (evil)
  Init +9; Senses true seeing; Listen +22, Spot +22
  DEFENSE
  AC 43, touch 30, flat-footed 34
  (+8 armor, +5 deflection, +9 Dex, +4 dodge +5 natural, +2 
  profane)
  hp 230 (2d8+16d6+162); regeneration 20
  Fort +23, Ref +28, Will +23
  DR 10/adamantine; Immune fire, paralysis and other 
  movement-impairing effects, poison; Resist acid 10, cold 
  10; SR 22
  Weaknesses susceptible to Serithtial
  OFFENSE
  Spd 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (perfect)
  Melee +4 dancing icy burst adamantine rapier +26/+21/+16 
  (1d6+8/18–20 plus 1d6 cold)
  Special Attacks bardic music 16/day (countersong, fascinate, 
  inspire competence, inspire courage +3, inspire greatness, 
  inspire heroics, song of freedom, suggestion)
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 18th)
  At will—minor image
  3/day—quickened charm monster (DC 27)
  1/day—greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), 
  unholy blight (DC 27)
  Spells Known (CL 16th)
  6th (2/day)—geas/quest (DC 31), irresistible dance
  5th (5/day)—greater dispel magic, mind fog (DC 30), song of 
  discord (DC 30), shadow walk
  4th (6/day)—cure critical wounds, dimension door, freedom of 
  movement, hold monster (DC 29)
  3rd (6/day)—confusion (DC 28), displacement, gaseous form, 
  slow (DC 26)
  2nd (7/day)—cure moderate wounds, detect thoughts (DC 25), 
  misdirection, suggestion (DC 27)
  1st (8/day; 3 used)—cure light wounds, feather fall, grease 
  (DC 24), hideous laughter (DC 26), silent image (DC 24)
  0 (4/day)—light, mage hand, mending, open/close, 
  prestidigitation, resistance
  TACTICS
  Before Combat When Ileosa notices the PCs entering the 
  Sunken Queen, she casts freedom of movement on herself. 
  As the PCs draw near, she casts stoneskin from her ring of 
  spell storing and uses inspire heroics on herself, gaining a +4 
  dodge bonus to AC and a +4 morale bonus on saving throws.
  During Combat Ileosa’s first act in combat after she emerges 
  is to activate inspire courage; she uses Harmonic Spell to 
  weave a greater dispel magic spell into the activation as well. 
  On this and the two rounds to follow, she hits the PCs with 
  quickened charm monsters as well. On the second round, 
  she uses inspire greatness on herself and two remaining 
  allies, combining it with a mind fog on the PCs. On the 
  following rounds, she uses a bardic suggestion combined 
  with attack spells (common suggestions include, “Lay down 
  your arms and bow before me,” or “Return to Korvosa and 
  hide, you coward!” or (to the appropriate PC) “Return to 
  the floor below to find and take the largest purple gem you 
  see.” She releases her dancing rapier to attack foes as soon 
  as any good targets are within her reach—as she does, the 
  illusion that makes it appear to be a fan collapses, revealing 
  her weapon for what it truly is.
  Morale Although vain and egotistic, Ileosa knows when she’s 
  been beaten. If she reduced to 30 hit points or less, she 
  decides to abandon her goals and flees. Unfortunately for 
  her, the Sunken Queen’s qualities slow her flight somewhat. 
  She flees via dimension door to area B7, physically exits the 
  structure, and then uses greater teleport to flee to Cheliax. 
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  Queen  
  ileosa arabasti
  58
  If Ileosa escapes in this manner, see “Continuing the 
  Campaign” for some notes on what she might do next.
  STATISTICS
  Str 18, Dex 28, Con 28, Int 15, Wis 13, Cha 36
  Base Atk +13; Grp +17
  Feats Craft Wondrous Item, Extend Spell, Forge Ring, 
  Greater Spell Focus (enchantment), Harmonic Spell, 
  Quicken Spell-Like Ability (charm monster), Spell 
  Focus (enchantment), Weapon Finesse
  Skills Bluff +34, Concentration +24, Diplomacy 
  +19, Intimidate +19, Knowledge (history) +18, 
  Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +12, Listen 
  +22, Perform (oratory) +24, Perform (stringed 
  instrument) +20, Sense Motive +20, Speak 
  Language, Spot +6, Use Magic Device +34
  Languages Common, Draconic, Elven, 
  Infernal, Thassilonian, Varisian
  SQ bardic knowledge +17, 
  contingency, contract bound
  Combat Gear wand of 
  magic missile (CL 9th, 34 
  charges); Other Gear 
  +4 dancing icy burst 
  adamantine rapier (disguised as 
  a fan), Crown of Fangs, amulet 
  of natural armor +5, bracers of 
  armor +8, cloak of flight (as wings of 
  flying, save that the cloak does not 
  appear as wings when in use), gloves 
  of Dexterity +6, ring of major spell 
  storing (contains heal, stoneskin), ring of 
  splendid security
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Contingency Queen Ileosa used a scroll of 
  contingency to set up this effect—if she’s 
  ever brought below 10 hit points, cure 
  critical wounds (CL 16th) is cast on her.
  Contract Bound (Ex) Queen Ileosa has 
  forged a contract with an erinyes devil, 
  granting her the benefits of the devil-bound 
  template. Although she enlisted the aid 
  of a contract devil to get more out of the 
  contract than the erinyes bargained for, 
  Ileosa’s immortal soul remains just as forfeit 
  if she is slain. If this occurs, she cannot be 
  brought back to life without the permission of 
  Sermignatto; if that devil is slain, the contract 
  itself reverts to Sermignatto’s hidden master, 
  the Duke of Hell known as Lorthact.
  Exceptional Stats (Ex) Queen Ileosa was destined 
  from birth to achieve greatness and glory—it is to 
  Korvosa’s great misfortune that her path took her 
  along one of cruelty and arrogance. Her ability scores 
  were generated using 32 points, rather than the standard 
  25-point elite array. Additionally, she possesses a potent 
  artifact and her gear was determined as if she were a PC 
  rather than an NPC to account for her vast wealth. These 
  advantages increase her total CR by 1.
  Inherent Bonuses Strength +3, Dexterity +4, 
  Constitution +4, Intelligence +3, Wisdom +3, 
  Charisma +5; all gained at 14th level.
  Susceptible to Serithtial (Ex) The infusion of Kazavon 
  into Ileosa’s soul has given her an unsuspected 
  weakness. Against the weapon Serithtial, her 
  regeneration does not function. In addition, each time 
  she takes damage from Serithtial she must make a DC 
  25 Fortitude save to avoid gaining a negative level, as 
  the sacred blade carves away portions of the power 
  granted her over the past several 
  months by the draconic relics.
  True Seeing (Su) Queen Ileosa 
  continuously benefits from true seeing, 
  as the spell.
  Dread Wraiths (3) 
  CR 11
  hp 104 each (MM 258)
  False Ileosas (6) 
  CR 8
  hp 38 each (see page 34)
  Rise of the Dragon
  The process begun in the Everdawn Pool has 
  been building for weeks. Powerful magic 
  has been growing in the blood—the magic of 
  life and eternal youth. Ileosa can temporarily 
  leave the pool during an attunement ritual 
  for short periods of time (such as to combat the 
  PCs), but if she travels too far from the pool (say, 
  teleports to Cheliax), or worse, if she’s slain, the 
  building magic in the pool suddenly grows unstable. 
  Just as the Everdawn Pool was infusing Ileosa, so were 
  the Fangs of Kazavon reaching out to infuse the pool itself, 
  and when Ileosa’s attunement ritual ends prematurely, the 
  backlash of magic interacts with the fragment of Kazavon’s 
  soul in a horrifying way—it begins to do its best to rebuild 
  the dragon’s body from its own raw potential.
  
  Crown of Fangs
  59
  When this occurs, the blood of the pool shudders and 
  shakes. A draconic talon lances out from one side, an 
  immense skeletal wing from another. The entire room 
  shakes and shudders, and a growing roar fills the air, 
  quickly rising to deafening levels. With each passing 
  round, an immense shape of blood and darkness rises 
  from the puddle, assuming the form of a blue dragon 
  from the skeletal inside out. Lightning crackles and 
  chains of iron (identifiable with a DC 20 Knowledge 
  [religion] check as a manifestation of Zon-Kuthon’s 
  favor) writhe and snap through the room. Each round, 
  more and more of its body reforms as the chains seem to 
  wrap around its form and transform into flesh, organs, 
  and muscles. If nothing is done to prevent the growing 
  manifestation, the blood of the Everdawn Pool exhausts 
  itself and goes dormant once again as a new life—a great 
  wyrm blue dragon—appears.
  Each round, every PC in the room must make three 
  saving throws—a Fortitude save, Reflex save, and Will save. 
  The DC for each is 25.
  Fortitude: This save is to resist being stunned for 1 round 
  by the cacophonous noise echoing through the room.
  Reflex: This save is to avoid the blasts of lightning 
  and thrashing chains. Each round, PCs in the room 
  take 5d6 points of bludgeoning damage and 5d6 points 
  of electrical damage—a successful Reflex save halves the 
  damage taken.
  Will: This save is to avoid having fragments of thought 
  stolen by the growing magic; each failed saving throw here 
  results in 2 points of damage to Intelligence, Wisdom, 
  and Charisma.
  There are several ways the PCs can stop this event from 
  reaching its awful conclusion. A dispel evil or dispel law 
  spell cast on the dragon causes the process to suddenly 
  halt if the caster can make a DC 30 caster level check. 
  Antimagic can stop the effect, but only if the antimagic 
  field can encompass the entire Everdawn Pool. While 
  dispel magic has no effect, a disjunction disrupts the 
  effect immediately, as can a wish or miracle. Perhaps the 
  easiest method, though, is to plunge Serithtial into the 
  manifesting dragon—if this is done, the entire thing 
  suddenly explodes in a blast of gore that is just as quickly 
  consumed by nearly-blinding radiance. This deals no 
  damage, but all creatures in the room must make a DC 20 
  Fortitude save or be permanently blinded.
  The creation of the great wyrm takes only 10 rounds. If 
  the PCs haven’t stopped it by then, they have a CR 25 blue 
  dragon on their hands—see “Continuing the Campaign” 
  for more guidelines on what to do in this event.
  concluding the cAmPAign
  With the defeat of the manifestation of Kazavon, things 
  finally grow silent in the Sunken Queen. Likewise, 
  things quickly stabilize in the city of Korvosa, for the 
  PCs have been victorious! Ileosa has been vanquished, 
  and any remaining devils that linger in Castle Korvosa 
  swiftly depart, drawn back to Hell or into the Ethereal 
  Plane by Sermignatto if he still lives. Yet one thing 
  remains to be addressed.
  Although Ileosa has been defeated, the Crown of Fangs 
  remains, and Kazavon’s spirit is still strong in the evil 
  artifact. The Crown of Fangs can be sundered with a strong 
  blow from Serethtial, shattering it into splinters with a 
  flash of light, yet even then Kazavon’s  indestructible 
  Fangs of Kazavon lie cold and motionless on the stone 
  floor. The fangs themselves can only be truly destroyed 
  by the method given in the Relics of Kazavon article 
  later in this volume.
  When the PCs return to Korvosa, their success is 
  already known to the public, if only because Neolandus 
  and the rebels have likely reclaimed control of Castle 
  Korvosa. Cressida is able to bring the Korvosan Guard 
  back from the brink of death, and by the time the PCs 
  return, she’s already got things well under way toward 
  normalcy. Cheering crowds wait for the PCs’ return, and 
  where things go from here depends largely on the desires 
  of Korvosa’s newest heroes. Consult the “Continuing the 
  Campaign” section for several additional adventures 
  that still might await the PCs.
  What if Ileosa Wins?
  If the PCs fail to stop Ileosa before she finishes her 
  final attunement ritual in the Everdawn Pool, a horrific 
  tragedy strikes the city of Korvosa. As the ritual ends, 
  Ileosa draws upon the lifeblood of not only those who 
  have pledged their lives to her (including all of the Gray 
  Maidens), but also all of those who have been blooded 
  by the Temple of Asmodeus. Thousands of Korvosan 
  citizens are wracked with sudden pain. Blood pours 
  from their bodies and just as swiftly evaporates into 
  the air. Within a mere few seconds, these thousands lie 
  dead and bloodless on the ground, while in the Sunken 
  Queen, Ileosa enjoys her first taste of eternal youth.
  harMoniC SPell
  You can weave bardic music effects into your spellcasting.
  Prerequisite: Bardic music ability, Perform (any) 8 ranks
  Benefit: When you cast a harmonic spell, you can activate 
  one of your bardic music abilities as a free action. The 
  bardic music is incorporated into the spell’s casting time, 
  and the effect of the bardic music lasts for as long as the 
  spell’s casting time continues and for 5 rounds thereafter. 
  Activating a bardic music ability with Harmonic Spell 
  consumes an additional bardic music use per day, but does 
  not increase the effective level of the spell being cast.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  60
  Of course, the mad queen’s plans do not cease upon 
  gaining immortality. Ileosa has always viewed Korvosa 
  as a backwater, a fly-speck barely worth her attention. 
  Now that eternal youth is hers, she turns her attention 
  elsewhere—Cheliax is likely her first target, as she 
  uses her newfound powers to enslave an army from 
  Korvosan’s ragged survivors. Ileosa doesn’t seek the glory 
  of rulership as much as she does the blind adoration of 
  a captive nation; yet a creature as fickle and powerful as 
  she quickly grows bored. If not stopped, she might well 
  become one of Avistan’s greatest villains.
  In this case, if you wish to continue using Ileosa as 
  a villain, increase her level to aristocrat 2/bard 20. She 
  retains the benefits of the devil-bound template, but 
  she should also gain several new powers from her new 
  immortality. The type of powers she gains are left to 
  you, although if you use the Advanced Bestiary in your 
  campaign, 
  either 
  the 
  inveigler or suzerain 
  template would work 
  well to model her 
  newfound power. 
  Continuing the 
  Campaign
  Yet even if the PCs defeat 
  the Curse of the Crimson 
  Throne and Ileosa no longer poses a threat to Korvosa, 
  they might wish to continue adventuring. Ileosa might 
  be gone, but that hardly means that nothing remains 
  in Korvosa or the world beyond to challenge them. The 
  following campaign seeds can serve as starting points to 
  inspire numerous new adventures for your PCs.
  Ileosa’s Revenge: Great evil rarely seems to stay dead for 
  long. In Ileosa’s case, her death sends her soul spiraling 
  into the depths of Hell—her contract with Sermignatto 
  all but ensuring such a fate. Yet mythology is thick with 
  stories of souls who escape from Hell. If Ileosa manages 
  to do so, perhaps by using her silver tongue to bargain 
  with an archdevil for a second chance, revenge against 
  the PCs who disrupted her bid at immortality should 
  loom large in her mind. If you wish to use this plot, 
  you should probably hold off for a few levels. Let the 
  PCs think Ileosa is gone, and then have them learn of a 
  strangely familiar-sounding enemy who led an army of 
  devils against a distant town. Upon arriving, they might 
  find a resurrected Ileosa ready for a rematch!
  Lorthact’s Plot: Keen-eyed characters who study the 
  infernal contract found in Castle Korvosa doubtless note 
  that an unnamed individual seems to have had a role in the 
  matter of Ileosa’s rise to power. The “unnamed individual” 
  spoken of in the contract is none other than the exiled 
  Duke of Hell Lorthact, whose plans for Korvosa might 
  only be kicking into action with Ileosa’s defeat—perhaps 
  it is the evil queen’s soul that Lorthact requires to make 
  his bid to return to Hell. Of course, Lorthact’s unnamed 
  enemies are unlikely to want this to occur, and in true 
  wheels-within-wheels fashion, they might contact the PCs 
  to step in and defeat the hidden ruler of the Acadamae 
  before he can engineer his return.
  Sorshen Rises: Ileosa certainly isn’t the first mortal 
  in the region to seek eternal youth. In fact, her methods 
  follow almost exactly the routes laid out 10,000 years 
  before by Runelord Sorshen. Although the PCs have 
  defeated Ileosa, her reactivation of the Everdawn Pool 
  and other actions taken in Castle Korvosa have triggered 
  things in the deep and forgotten dungeons below the 
  Grand Mastaba. Dozens of Sorshen’s 
  vampiric 
  followers 
  remain there still, 
  and as she quickens 
  in her tomb, a plague of 
  bloodthirsty 
  undead 
  could rise in Korvosa. 
  Of course, in this case, 
  the undead are but 
  precursors 
  to 
  the 
  true danger brewing 
  deep below Korvosa. 
  In this adventure seed, the 
  Ring of Splendid Security
  Aura strong abjuration; CL 16th
  Slot ring; Price 180,000 gp; 
  Weight —
  DESCRIPTION
  This extravagant ring is heavy 
  with precious jewels. Even were 
  the ring itself not magical, it 
  would be worth thousands. 
  As fashions go in and out of style (or as your fancy 
  shifts), you can alter the appearance of your armor, 
  clothing, and even weaponry as you see fit at will as a 
  standard action; this change is illusory and does not 
  affect the actual abilities of gear or weapons (although 
  drastic changes in size are beyond the scope of  
  this ability).
  A ring of splendid security’s primary purpose, though, is 
  to grant you protection from harm. As long as it is worn, 
  the ring grants you a +5 deflection bonus to AC, a +5 
  resistance bonus on saving throws, and spell resistance 22.
  CONSTRUCTION
  Requirements Forge Ring, minor image, resistance, shield 
  or shield of faith, spell resistance; Cost 90,000 gp, 
  7,200 XP
  
  Crown of Fangs
  61
  PCs must delve into the dangerous dungeons below to 
  deactivate the blood-powered ancient magic before one 
  of the deadliest of all the runelords rises from her ages 
  of sleep.
  Kazavon Rises: Even if Ileosa is defeated and the Crown 
  of Fangs is destroyed, the Fangs of Kazavon remain—as do 
  the other six relics. Ileosa’s use of the fangs might have 
  set into motion a series of events that ripples across the 
  face of Avistan, causing the owners of the other six relics 
  to begin converging. Kazavon himself was a great wyrm 
  blue dragon, and who knows what strange and deadly 
  powers he might gain if his relics are brought together?
  Rulers of Korvosa: With the death of Queen Ileosa, 
  the city of Korvosa is without a monarch for the first 
  time in a century. The repercussions of this vacancy 
  quickly have unexpected effects on the city of Korvosa—
  in a time where the city should be spending its energy 
  recovering from recent events, the government instead 
  grows more unstable as various power factions vie for 
  control over the city or seek to place a new monarch 
  on the Crimson Throne. Neolandus Kalepopolis has 
  his hands full in tending to the day-to-day dealings of 
  restoring Castle Korvosa, and he might well turn to the 
  PCs for aid. Do they have any suggestions for who should 
  ascend to the throne? Does one of them want to be king 
  or queen? The political machinations of Korvosa’s 
  wounded government, noble houses, and power factions 
  could make for the basis of a very intriguing political 
  campaign for years to come.
  The Everdawn Pool: The Sunken Queen likely lies 
  empty of guardians after this adventure concludes, yet 
  the Everdawn Pool is likely to retain a fraction of power. 
  Charged with ancient magic by Ileosa, the pool itself 
  has many more uses than eternal youth, and while not 
  enough power remains in the strange magical device 
  to give anyone else the opportunity to follow in Ileosa’s 
  footsteps, there is certainly enough to activate the pool’s 
  other powers. Of course, determining what those powers 
  are and what rare components might be needed to activate 
  those powers are left to you to decide. Spells like legend 
  lore and vision might reveal some of these powers and 
  requirements, but others could well only be hidden in 
  places like the Jorgenfist Library (see Pathfinder #4). Two 
  possible Everdawn powers (and corresponding activation 
  requirements) are listed below.
  Inherent Bonuses: By infusing the blood of the Everdawn 
  Pool with ichor harvested from a fiendish or celestial great 
  wyrm dragon, a bather is granted a +5 inherent bonus to 
  an ability score.
  True Portal: Various rare gems can be used to 
  temporarily change the pool’s color—those who enter the 
  pool are then whisked away to any number of strange or 
  exotic realms to explore.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  62
  Relics of Kazavon
  “B
  orn of tainted womb and dragon lust, the Beast did crawl forth, 
  shrieking and spitting lightning and eating of its week-dead parent’s 
  flesh. Blood-born and twisted, terrible and enraged, even the promised 
  centuries of cruelties and slaughter would never quell the shattered 
  paragon’s bloodlust. And the Lord of Agonies smiled. Here was his will 
  made flesh. And so he gifted the Beast with two natures, to spread terror and 
  pain—shadow and suffering in mortal guise, mortal cunning in dragon 
  form, this despoiler, this abomination, this Beast called Kazavon.”
   
  —Seventh Chronicle of Saint Ferais, Dragon Slayer
  S e ve n  A rt i fAc tS  o f  At r o c i t y 
  
  Relics of Kazavon
  63
  F
  or centuries, the name “Kazavon” has conjured images 
  of violence and dread, a legend of cruelty rooted all 
  too firmly in truth. In 4043 ar, Kazavon, the savior-
  general of Ustalav, scattered the orcs of Belkzen and tamed 
  a frontier for sane and civilized men. In 4058, the hero 
  Mandraivus and an alliance of noble warriors cut down the 
  butcher Kazavon, beheading a fledgling nation of terrors 
  and putting an end to a time of bleakness and atrocity. 
  And for much of the world, so the age of a maniacal tyrant 
  came to a close. Yet for the scions of Mandraivus and his 
  allies—those left to watch in their forbearers’ wake—the 
  evil of Kazavon did not end there.
  The Seven RelicS  
  of Kazavon
  These artifacts comprise the remaining relics of the dreaded 
  wyrm Kazavon. All of the relics of Kazavon are powerful, 
  intelligent artifacts that bear 
  sentient fragments of Kazavon’s 
  foul spirit. Each piece subtlety 
  encourages its bearer toward 
  evil acts, inspiring its owner’s 
  darkest 
  desires 
  and 
  most 
  selfish dreams. Should one of 
  the artifacts be destroyed, 
  the relic still remains, 
  losing all of its powers 
  except for its lingering 
  consciousness.
  The Armor of Skulls
  Mandraivus charged the barbarian prince 
  Kuiragh with bearing away the most fearsome 
  of Kazavon’s remains: his skull. Upon 
  reaching his tribe’s home in the Ortwaar 
  Valley, Kuiragh rested but a single night 
  before trekking onward to the Mountain of 
  Frozen Echoes. Scaling the holy mountain, the noble 
  barbarian entered the ancient shrine of his people’s 
  ancestors and buried the Skull of Kazavon. Trusting in the 
  spirits of his people to guard the foul relic, Kuiragh returned 
  home a hero, but never did he speak of the indestructible 
  skull hidden atop the mountain.
  For nearly 600 years, the dragon’s skull lay entombed 
  in the icy shrine, until the warlike Jhodagarn frost giants 
  ventured into the Ortwaar Valley, intent on expanding 
  the domain of their feared jarl, Yensiir Rimeblood.  
  Slaughtering the barbarians, the Mountain of Frozen Echoes 
  fell under the frost giants’ control, and they soon discovered 
  the shrine at its summit. Posing as an ancient god of battle, 
  the skull ordered the giants to bring the greatest of their 
  number to the shrine. Soon, Jarl Rimeblood himself stood 
  atop the mountain and freed the Skull of Kazavon from the ice. 
  With dreams of ruling the Tusk Mountains, the frost giant 
  jarl took up the fearsome relic and crafted it into an armored 
  emblem of his growing empire.
  The Armor of Skulls (Major Artifact)
  Aura strong abjuration and transmutation; CL 20th
  Slot body; Price —; Weight 35 lbs.
  STATiSTiCS
  Alignment LE; Ego 10
  Senses 30 ft. vision and hearing
  int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10
  Communication empathy
  Spell-like Powers fear 3/day, freedom of movement 3/day, 
  protection from energy 3/day, shout 3/day
  DESCriPTion
  The Armor of Skulls is a Large intelligent +4 electricity resistant 
  breastplate. It grants its wearer a +4 enhancement bonus to 
  Strength and a +4 enhancement bonus 
  to Constitution. Once per day, the 
  wearer of the Armor of Skulls can 
  cause Kazavon’s skull to unleash 
  a 120-foot line of electricity—
  damage 24d8 electricity, Reflex 
  DC 37 for half. Alternatively, 
  the armor can release as a 
  burst of electricity affecting 
  everything within 30 feet—
  damage 6d8 electricity, 
  Reflex DC 37 for half. Using 
  either the armor’s line or burst 
  of electricity takes up the use of the 
  other for the day. 
  DESTruCTion
  One who has never killed another creature 
  must bind the Armor of Skulls in gold chains 
  (worth 100,000 gp), then slowly shatter the 
  armor by shortening the chain by one link 
  every day for 1,000 days.
  The Bound Blade
  Speaking not a word upon receiving Mandraivus’s charge, 
  the stern paladin of Abadar, Roianda, took up the Claws of 
  Kazavon, walked out of Scarwall and—as tales among her 
  order go—was never seen again. In truth, the fateful paladin 
  took her duty the most gravely of all her companions, leaving 
  Avistan and all she knew. 
  Through the deserts of Osirion, the arcane wonders of 
  Nex and Geb, and even farther south, Roianda wandered 
  endlessly, living far longer than any human naturally 
  could. In her 180th year, the Lawbringer, the herald of 
  Abadar, appeared to her bearing a massive tablet of gold, 
  steel, and adamantine. The metal bore a message warning 
  Roianda that, in one month, her life would end. Taking 
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  64
  hammer and chisel in hand, the ancient hero set to work, 
  knowing her time was short. Over the course of the next 
  month, Roianda forged chains of adamantine and a bier of 
  steel and gold. She bound the evil claws in the unbreakable 
  chains, filled the heavy stand with molten gold, and cast the 
  dragon’s remnants inside. Dragging her work deep into the 
  mountains, she found a lonely cave. Collapsing the entrance, 
  she trapped the bier and herself inside, and with a prayer to 
  Abadar she lay down upon her work and died.
  For long centuries the paladin’s resting place lay 
  undisturbed, and the Claws of Kazavon languished. Scant 
  decades ago, however, a lone choker slipped through a barely 
  perceptible crevice connecting deeper caves to Roianda’s 
  crypt. What it found was an ancient skeleton made from gold 
  atop a fantastic sword etched with perverted Abadarian runes, 
  wrapped in chains, and with a blade forged of adamantine 
  and the claws of a massive dragon. Lusting after the thing, 
  the depraved trespasser scattered the bones and stole the 
  sword, dragging it into the savage wilds of the Darklands.
  The Bound Blade (Major Artifact)
  Aura strong necromancy; CL 20th
  Slot —; Price—; Weight 6 lb.
  STATiSTiCS
  Alignment LE; Ego 10
  Senses 30 ft. vision and hearing
  int 10, Wis 10, Cha 12
  Communication empathy
  Spell-like Powers deathwatch continually active, deeper darkness 
  3/day, rage 3/day, slow 3/day
  DESCriPTion
  The Bound Blade is a +3 unholy adamantine bastard sword. 
  Particularly for worshipers of Abadar, the Bound Blade is heresy 
  made manifest. The sword grants the user a +6 enhancement 
  bonus to Strength. As a free action, upon striking a killing blow 
  upon an opponent, the Bound Blade can cast soul bind, forcing 
  the target to make a DC 25 Will save or have his soul trapped 
  within the sword. While there is a soul trapped within the sword, 
  the Bound Blade emanates a 50-foot aura of desecration, as per 
  the spell desecrate. This aura lasts for a number of days equal 
  to the number of Hit Dice the slain creature possessed. After a 
  number of days passes equal to the bound soul’s Hit Dice, the 
  soul within is destroyed and cannot be restored by any method 
  short of divine intervention. The user of the Bound Blade can 
  release a trapped soul by using the sword’s soul bind ability on 
  another creature.
  DESTruCTion
  The bound blade shatters if used by a paladin of Abadar to slay a 
  blackguard dedicated to Zon-Kuthon.
  The Crown of Fangs
  Upon Kazavon’s death, the wyrm’s skull was thoroughly 
  dismembered, leaving a noble Shoanti shaman of the Sklar-
  Quah, Coja Eyes-Aflame, with the burden of hiding the 
  dragon’s fangs for all times. Rather than traveling back to 
  his people, Coja journeyed among Varisia’s seven quahs, 
  seeking the council of his people’s oldest shamans and the 
  totem spirits of all the Shoanti. His journey took him more 
  than a year, but in the end he returned to his people in the 
  Varisian lowlands. Having thought much on the subject 
  and weighed the council of wise men and spirits, the brave 
  shaman went to the cliffs that kept the waters back from his 
  people’s lands. There, in an ancient, forsaken place, stood 
  one of the sacred sites of the Shoanti, the Grand Mastaba—a 
  great plateau-pyramid, a remnant from an age long ago.
  Into the monument the brave shaman went, but he 
  never emerged. To honor Coja Eyes-Aflame and keep his 
  promise to eternally guard his cursed charge, the shamans 
  of the Sklar-Quah protected the Grand Mastaba for many 
  centuries. Even when the armies of strangers from the south 
  came, the Shoanti fought tenaciously to keep them from the 
  sacred site. And even when they were ousted to the lands of 
  fire and ash, the Sklar-Quah watched from afar, wary of the 
  danger over which their enemies build their homes. 
  The Crown of Fangs (Major Artifact)
  Aura strong enchantment, illusion, necromancy; CL 20th
  Slot head; Price —; Weight 4 lbs.
  STATiSTiCS
  Alignment LE; Ego 10
  Senses 30 ft. vision and hearing
  int 10, Wis 10, Cha 12
  Communication empathy
  Spell-like Powers alter self at will, dominate person 3/day, major 
  image 3/day, mirror image 3/day, mislead 3/day
  DESCriPTion
  Donning the crown of fangs grants the wearer a +6 enhancement 
  bonus to Constitution and Charisma, as well as regeneration 20. 
  Only the blade Serethtial can inflict lethal damage on the wearer.
  In addition, the wearer gains the personal benefits of the 
  spell foresight. This spell grants the wearer a powerful sixth 
  sense, instantly warning him of impending danger. The 
  crown’s wearer is never surprised or flat-footed, and gains a +2 
  insight bonus to AC and Reflex saves. This insight bonus is lost 
  whenever the wearer would lose his Dexterity bonus to AC.
  DESTruCTion
  The Crown of Fangs is destroyed if struck by a holy sword 
  forged by a once-mortal god.
  The Howling Horn
  Mandraivus entrusted Kazavon’s Horns to the elven sorcerer 
  Laizuriel. On his journey back to Kyonin, Laizuriel was 
  attacked by the green dragon Cadrilkasta. Drained from his 
  past battles, Laizuriel fell and the dragon carried off the two 
  horns. Having sensed the power locked in Kazavon’s bones, 
  the ambitious dragon spent long years communing with 
  
  Relics of Kazavon
  65
  Kazavon’s intellect, once travelling briefly to Scarwall to seek 
  the tyrant’s remains, but finding only legions of the dead and 
  no trace of the dragon’s skeleton.
  For the seven centuries since Kazavon’s death, Cadrilkasta 
  has borne these horns, granting them a place of prominence 
  in her hoard hidden among the sea cliffs of Razmiran. Ages 
  of doting on her prized treasure and the efforts of dozens 
  of kidnapped mortal laborers have shaped the horns from 
  mere bones into a deadly instrument capable of sounding the 
  terrible roar of Kazavon himself. 
  The Howling Horn (Major Artifact)
  Aura strong evocation; CL 20th
  Slot —; Price —; Weight 12 lbs.
  STATiSTiCS
  Alignment LE; Ego 10
  Senses 30 ft. vision and hearing
  int 10, Wis 10, Cha 12
  Communication empathy
  Spell-like Powers circle of 
  death 3/day, repulsion 3/
  day, waves of exhaustion 
  3/day
  DESCriPTion
  The Howling Horn grants 
  the bearer a +4 enhancement 
  bonus to Dexterity and 
  Charisma. Sounding the 
  Howling Horn forces all non-evil 
  creatures within 40 feet to make a DC 25 Fortitude 
  save or be deafened for 2d6 rounds. A user who makes a DC 
  20 Perform (wind instruments) check while using the horn 
  summons forth the roar of Kazavon, a blast that deals 20d6 
  points of sonic damage to creatures within a 40-foot cone, stuns 
  the creatures for 1 round, and deafens them for 4d6 rounds 
  (a DC 25 Fortitude reduces the damage by half and negates 
  the stunning and deafening). Crystalline objects take double 
  damage with no save unless they’re held, worn, or carried by 
  creatures. In addition, any non-evil creature within 10 feet of the 
  horn’s bearer when he uses the roar of Kazavon must make an 
  additional DC 25 Will save or be affected as per the spell insanity.
  DESTruCTion
  A performer must use the howling horn to make a DC 40 Perform 
  (wind instruments) check to entertain a good-aligned deity.
  The Shredskin
  The shattered ribs of Kazavon fell to the Qadiran scholar-
  priest of Irori, Vahahn, to protect. Traveling back to his 
  home in Gurat, he meditated for months on how to hide 
  or destroy the relic. Unfortunately, days of pondering 
  the question led to a single answer: no power of mortals 
  could destroy the artifact, and no mortal vault could be 
  trusted to forever house such an evil. Accepting this grim 
  truth, Vahahn sought a way to journey beyond the bounds 
  of Golarion to find a reality where such vileness could be 
  reliably constrained for all time.
  Wise Vahahn traveled to countless worlds and impossible 
  realms, and several of his journals documenting his travels 
  eventually made their way back to Golarion where they are 
  held within the Monastery of the Setting Star in the Zho 
  Mountains. Soon after leaving Golarion, however, the priest 
  realized he had been followed. The Golarion-
  born priest fought chain devils on the streets 
  of Axis, escaped an ancient umbral dragon 
  in Elysium, and treated with the cunning 
  demon lord Abraxas in the Abyss, but in 
  the end, Vahahn’s fate is uncertain.
  What is said, however, is that the Ribs 
  of Kazavon now lie in the clutches of 
  the merciless god Zon-Kuthon. None 
  know how or when the god of pain 
  gained the artifact, but priests of 
  the foul deity claim the relic lies 
  within the vaults of Xovaikain on 
  the Plane of Shadow, twisted into a 
  mantle of bone fragments and hung 
  alongside the eternally tormented 
  soul of Vahahn. Whether the claims 
  of madmen can be trusted, or if Vahahn 
  and his unholy charge still elude Zon-
  Kuthon’s minions, none can truly be sure.
  The Shredskin (Major Artifact)
  Aura strong divination and illusion; CL 20th
  Slot shoulders; Price —; Weight 20 lb.
  STATiSTiCS
  Alignment LE; Ego 10
  Senses 30 ft. vision and hearing
  int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10
  Communication empathy
  Spell-like Powers deeper darkness 3/day, shadow walk 3/day, symbol 
  of pain 3/day
  DESCriPTion
  The Shredskin can be worn as a mantle and grants its wearer a 
  +6 enhancement bonus to Wisdom and a +5 resistance bonus to 
  saves. The mantle allows the user to speak with shadows, similar 
  to the spell stone tell. The shadows willingly tell the relic’s wearer 
  about any creature who has come in contact with them in the past 
  24 hours, and what dangers the shadows might hide. The shadows 
  can only relate information about creatures they have fallen across. 
  A creature bearing a torch or other open light source is usually not 
  touched by shadows cast by terrain, though shadows can tell when 
  they’ve been dispelled or moved by passing light. Shadows have 
  no knowledge of events that occur in complete light or darkness.
   In addition, the mantle’s wearer can use the Hide skill even 
  while being observed. As long as he is within 10 feet of some 
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  66
  sort of shadow, the wearer can hide himself from view without 
  anything to actually hide behind. He cannot, however, hide in his 
  own shadow.
  DESTruCTion
  The mantle must be taken to the Positive Energy Plane or 
  Sarenrae’s domain on Nirvana and be exposed to direct light 
  for 1 month.
  Staff of the Slain
  One of the survivors of the final battle with Kazavon 
  was a shrewd wizard named Kolwyddon. Even as 
  Mandraivus divided the dragon’s remains for disposal, 
  Kolwyddon guessed that, though Kazavon’s body lay 
  dead with his parts ready to be scattered across the face 
  of the world, the dragon’s evil spirit might endure. He 
  advised Mandraivus that someone should remain at 
  Scarwall to ensure that the dragon’s bones not find their 
  way back home, but although Kolwyddon volunteered for 
  the task, Mandraivus took the responsibility as his own.
  Sympathetic to Mandraivus’s sacrifice, Kolwyddon 
  sought to test his theory. Taking the Tailbones of Kazavon 
  with him back to his tower in Taldor, he conducted endless 
  experiments upon the remains. For months he attempted to 
  commune with whatever consciousness might lurk within 
  the bones, with no success. Working late into the night of the 
  winter solstice, Kolwyddon was caught off guard when the 
  bones tried to seize control of his mind. The wizard fought 
  back, but knew that he was too weak to best the ancient 
  draconic spirit. In desperation, he blasted his own body to 
  ashes, denying the fragment of Kazavon a physical vessel. In 
  doing so, however, his own intellect became forever ensnared 
  by the tailbones’ malicious spirit. 
  Staff of the Slain (Major Artifact)
  Aura strong evocation; CL 20th
  Slot —; Price —; Weight 6 lbs.
  STATiSTiCS
  Alignment NG (Kolwyddon), LE (Kazavon); Ego 10
  Senses 30 ft. vision and hearing
  int 12, Wis 10, Cha 10
  Communication empathy
  Spell-like Powers create/destroy water 3/day, detect magic at 
  will, dimension door 3/day (while Kolwyddon is dominant), 
  hallucinatory terrain 1/day, lightning bolt 3/day (while Kazavon is 
  dominant), major image 3/day, mirage arcana 1/day, veil 3/day, 
  ventriloquism at will.
  DESCriPTion
  The Staff of the Slain is an intelligent is a +5 spell-storing shock 
  quarterstaff that harbors two personalities: the dragon Kazavon’s and 
  the wizard Kolwyddon’s. The staff’s personalities and powers change 
  depending on the time of day. Once per day, Kazavon’s stronger 
  personality can attempt to take control of the staff by making a 
  DC 20 Will save (it has a +3 modifier to this roll). If it wins control, 
  Kazavon manifests and controls the staff for one daylight hour.
  The Staff of the Slain grants the wielder a +4 enhancement 
  bonus to Intelligence. In addition, the staff allows the wielder 
  to change the energy type of any spell he casts to electricity. For 
  example, the wielder of the Staff of the Slain could cast a fireball 
  that, instead of dealing fire damage, deals electricity damage.
  DESTruCTion
  Unknown to either personality, destroying the staff 
  requires it be submerged for 24 hours (from dawn until the 
  following dawn) in a pool of silver dragon tears.
  The Throne of Nalt
  The Wings of Kazavon fell to the honorable dervish, 
  Kallad of Rahadoum, to protect. On his travels back to 
  Azir, a powerful storm beset the desert wanderer and 
  Kallad and his ship were lost. 
  In 4618 ar, due west of the iniquitous city of Ilizmagorti, 
  the shiftless smuggler Nalt Tarbrow hauled a strange leather 
  sail from the sea and was instantly transfixed. Within a 
  year, nearly two hundred men and three ships served under 
  Admiral Nalt’s black-winged banner, unloading all manner 
  of treasures and ill-gotten gains onto their leader’s hidden 
  island refuge of Eel’s Skull. In his sea cave fortress, Nalt ruled 
  as a pirate prince, even crafting the wings that heralded his 
  change in fortune into an imperious throne, setting it with a 
  massive sea serpent’s skull and great horns of gold.
  The Throne of Nalt was occupied for but a brief time. The 
  would-be pirate lord’s swift ascent into infamy sparked the 
  ire of numerous other notorious villains. The loose tongue 
  of one of Nalt’s captains soon brought an armada of enemies 
  to the pirate lord’s doorstep. After weeks of siege by sea, an 
  increasingly unhinged Nalt—refusing to have his treasures 
  stolen away—set Eel’s Skull aflame, destroying the fortress 
  and burying his treasure vaults beneath tons of rock.
  Over the centuries, dozens of treasure hunters have 
  plumbed the ruins of Eel’s Skull, but the best-known 
  prize, Nalt’s grim throne, has never been reclaimed.
  The Throne of nalt (Major Artifact)
  Aura strong divination and enchantment; CL 20th
  Slot —; Price —; Weight 3,475 lbs.
  STATiSTiCS
  Alignment LE; Ego 10
  Senses 30 ft. vision and hearing
  int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10
  Communication empathy
  Spell-like Powers detect evil at will, detect good at will, discern lies at 
  will, dismissal 3/day, greater command 3/day, planar binding 1/day
  DESCriPTion
   Sitting on the Throne of Nalt grants the user a +6 enhancement 
  bonus to Charisma and a +4 bonus to Wisdom. In addition, when 
  the throne’s user uses an enchantment spell or special ability on 
  an evil creature, the user adds a +6 insight bonus to the spell’s 
  
  Relics of Kazavon
  67
  save DC. Once per day, the user can cast geas/quest, but may only 
  target evil outsiders. Evil outsiders take the throne’s normal penalty 
  against enchantment effects. You must be seated on the Throne of 
  Nalt to employ the throne’s powers.
  DESTruCTion
  The Throne of Nalt crumbles to dust if a man who wants nothing 
  sits upon it and bequeaths all he has to another.
  ReuniTing The RelicS
  Although the relics of Kazavon have no ability to unify 
  themselves, the servants of Zon-Kuthon have long sought 
  to restore the foul wyrm. While the artifacts currently lie 
  scattered across Golarion, should two pieces of Kazavon ever 
  be reunited, the dragon’s shattered spirit would increase in 
  power—a first step toward the tyrant’s resurrection.
  Should two of the artifacts (even just the bones) ever come 
  within 100 feet of one another, the fractured intelligences 
  instantly reconnect, forming a unified and more lucid facet 
  of the dragon’s scattered mind. At this point, the two relics of 
  Kazavon are treated as having the same ability scores, senses, 
  and methods of communication—essentially becoming one 
  intelligence controlling two items. In addition, the reunited 
  relics gain several increased benefits.
  United Abilities: Upon the reunion of his pieces, Kazavon’s 
  mental powers increase. For the purposes of determining 
  the unified relics’ ability scores, treat their base Intelligence, 
  Wisdom, and Charisma as 10. For each of the artifacts’ 
  mental scores that is higher than 10, add +2 to the combined 
  mental score of the relevant ability. If this is the same ability 
  for two reunited items, the increase stacks. For example, as 
  the Howling Horn has Charisma 12 and the Staff of the Slain 
  has Intelligence 12, their combined stats would be 
  Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 12. If the Crown of Fangs was to 
  joined with these two relics, their unified stats would 
  become Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 14.
  United Sense: When multiple pieces of Kazavon reunite, 
  the dragon’s spirit regains a portion of its sentience, 
  strength of will, and ability to influence the world. Thus, 
  the relics’ combined ego, methods of communication, and 
  senses increase as noted on the following chart (see page 
  269 of the DMG for full details).
  United Purpose: Upon the reunification of three pieces 
  of Kazavon’s remains, the wyrm has recovered enough of 
  its sentience and personality to realize its situation. At this 
  point, the artifacts gain a unified purpose: the recovery of 
  Kazavon’s remaining parts. Either through the domination 
  of bearers or subtle manipulations, the relics seek out their 
  brethren in an attempt to resurrect Kazavon.
  Scattering 
  the 
  Relics: 
  Although 
  the 
  relics 
  of 
  Kazavon gain significant powers upon being re-
  united, their bonds are tenuous. If a relic is ever 
  taken farther than 100 feet from the others, the relic  
  reverts to its normal statistics  and the group of as-
  sembled artifacts decreases in ability scores, communica-
  tion, senses, and ego.
  ReSuRRecTing Kazavon
  Even if all of the relics of Kazavon are reunited, the 
  dragon is still far from restored. To resurrect Kazavon, 
  his bones must be brought to a site holy to Zon-Kuthon 
  and, on the night of the winter solstice, be consecrated by 
  a powerful cleric of the god of pain as part of a lengthy, 
  blood-soaked ritual. This ceremony involves the torture 
  and sacrifice of several innocent mortals, a living adult 
  dragon, and a descendant of one of Mandraivus’s cabal. 
  At the completion of this three-hour-long ceremony, 
  the great wyrm Kazavon, the Champion of Zon-Kuthon, 
  is reborn. Only then can the relics of Kazavon and the 
  legendary dragon truly be destroyed.
  # of 
  Methods of
  relics Communication 
  Senses 
  Ego
  1  
  Empathy 
  30 ft. vision and hearing   
  10
  2 
  Empathy  
  60 ft. vision and hearing  
  12
  3  
  Speech 
  120 ft. vision and hearing 
  14
  4 
  Speech  
  120 ft. vision, 60 ft.  
  16
   
   
  darkvision, and hearing 
   
   
  5 
  Speech  
  120 ft. vision, 60 ft.  
  18
   
   
  darkvision, and hearing  
   
  6 
  Speech, telepathy  120 ft. darkvision and hearing  
  20
  7 
  Speech, telepathy  120 ft. darkvision, blindsense,  
  22
   
   
  and hearing 
   
   
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  68
  Harrow Deck of 
  Many 
  Things
  “S
  he told me not to look. But, of course, I was young and curious—what else could I do? 
  It was such a little thing, just a tiny box stained red—what could it hurt? So I peeked.
  “Cards. Just a set of Harrow cards—red and purple checked, wrapped in azure silk. 
  The same kind she used to tell her fortunes and bilk gadgies out of their silver. Nicer, 
  maybe, and definitely older, but still nothing special. I flipped over the top card mostly 
  out of disappointment.
  “It’s all a blur now, but with that first draw came beauty and wit. It was amazing! 
  I could feel myself and the world around me shift. Changing, like everything I thought 
  was real was just some twisted reflection—like the way life should actually be lay within 
  the cards. Impossible, I thought. So I drew again, and that card brought with it fortune 
  and fame. Incredible! It was like some gift from the gods!
  “Greedy. I took a third card… and threw it all away.”
  —Mirona the Accursed, meal-slave of the daemon Angorax
  
  Harrow Deck of Many Things
  69
  M
  ysterious and dangerous, powerful and fickle, the 
  deck of many things reigns as one of the most famed 
  and infamous magical items in existence. What few 
  know, however, is that the powers of that tempestuous 
  deck are not unique. Other similar magical decks—born 
  of exotic cultures and empowered with their own fate-
  altering magic—travel the realms of Golarion, leaving 
  miracles and misfortune in their wake. Among such 
  magical decks, however, none exhibit such variety, such 
  cryptic portents, such strange powers, and such danger as 
  the Varisian Harrow deck of many things.  
  To use a Harrow deck of many things, a character who wishes 
  to draw a card must announce how many cards he will draw 
  before he begins. Cards must be drawn within 1 hour of 
  each other, and a character can never draw more cards than 
  he announced. If the character does not willingly draw his 
  allotted number of cards, or if he is somehow prevented 
  from doing so, the cards flip out of the deck on their own. 
  The Harrow deck of many things radiates strong magic 
  from all schools and has a caster level of 20.
  GMs who wish to add the Harrow deck of many things to 
  their game but don’t own a Harrow deck can simulate the 
  experience using dice or playing cards. See Pathfinder #7 
  for further details on the Harrow, simulating the deck, 
  and the meanings of each card.
  EffEcts of thE harrow
  The 54 cards in the Harrow deck of many things all have wildly 
  differing powers. While many effects occur instantaneously 
  and are permanent, some can be delayed. Unless otherwise 
  noted, effects caused by the deck are permanent and can 
  only be undone by deific intervention, the powers of another 
  artifact, or a miracle or wish spell. Many effects change 
  elements of the game world, and as such are integrated 
  however the GM sees fit, with consideration to the alignment 
  and intention of each card.  
  The Avalanche: The character is imprisoned, either by 
  the imprisonment spell or some powerful being. 
  The Bear: The character gains the lycanthrope template, 
  becoming a werebear. This lycanthropy is considered to be 
  inherited for the purposes of curing the curse. 
  The Beating: While in combat, the character is always 
  considered to be flanked. Attackers gain a +2 flanking bonus 
  on the character and may sneak attack at will. 
  The Betrayal: The character’s animal companion, 
  familiar, cohort, or other NPC ally is alienated and forever 
  after hostile. If the character has no such allies, the enmity 
  of some powerful personage (or community, or religious 
  order) can be substituted. The hatred is secret until the 
  time is ripe for it to be revealed with devastating effect.
  The Big Sky: This card grants the character the one-time 
  ability to avoid any situation or effect—even an instantaneous 
  occurrence. The card cannot enable something to happen; it 
  can only stop something or reverse a recent occurrence. The 
  reversal is only for the character who drew the card; other 
  party members may still have to endure the situation.
  The Brass Dwarf: The character becomes immune to 
  one energy type of his choice. He also gains vulnerability 
  to another energy type of the GM’s choice.
  The Carnival: Upon drawing this card, The Carnival is 
  set aside and the GM draws additional cards until he has 
  one card of each alignment. These cards are laid face up 
  for the user to view. The cards are then flipped face down 
  and the GM quickly rearranges them. The user then selects 
  one card, taking that card’s effects as normal. 
  The Courtesan: The character’s favorite item—preferably 
  a magic weapon—becomes intelligent. Use the rules for 
  intelligent items on page 268 of the DMG to randomly 
  generate the item’s abilities. If the character has no items, an 
  intelligent item soon falls into the character’s possession. 
  The Cricket: Upon drawing this card, the character may 
  draw up to 3 additional cards. In addition to those cards’ 
  effects, the character’s base land speed increases by +10 
  feet for each card he draws. 
  The Crows: The character must make a choice between 
  his most valuable item or a major ally of the GM’s choice. 
  Whichever the character does not select is destroyed or 
  slain and cannot be restored by any mortal means.
  The Cyclone: An elder air elemental appears. The 
  character must fight it alone. If the character cannot defeat 
  the elemental in 1d6+1 rounds, he is transported to the 
  Elemental Plane of Air.
  The Dance: Whenever the character rolls initiative, he 
  now rolls 2d20 and selects whichever result he prefers.
  The Demon’s Lantern: An enemy gains a powerful 
  fiendish ally of the GM’s choice.
  Draws from the harrow
  As with the classic deck of many things, the Harrow deck of many 
  things is a powerful magical item with great potential to derail 
  an ongoing campaign. As with any artifact, the GM should 
  consider the possible ramifications of adding such a powerful 
  and potentially devastating element to the game. Fortunately, 
  the drawing mechanism of using a Harrow deck of many things 
  allows the GM to control any potential damage. At the GM’s 
  discretion, the players may each be limited to making a single 
  draw from the Harrow deck of many things, or the deck may 
  vanish after a certain number of uses—make sure the players 
  are aware of these changes to the usual rules. Alternatively, 
  if the GM fears a character being swept off by The Tyrant or 
  doesn’t want to add a holy avenger to his game via The Paladin, 
  he can merely take out the cards he doesn’t want to deal with. 
  The Harrow deck of many things has 54 effects—more than 
  double the standard deck of many things—so if the GM takes 
  out one or two cards, no one will notice.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  the bear
  Harrow Cards.indd   24
  1/14/08   12:13:19 PM
  the foreign trader
  Harrow Cards.indd   9
  1/14/08   12:13:02 PM
  the betrayal
  Harrow Cards.indd   1
  1/14/08   12:12:53 PM
  the eclipse
  Harrow Cards.indd   8
  1/14/08   12:13:01 PM
  the brass dwarf
  Harrow Cards.indd   3
  1/14/08   12:12:55 PM
  the hidden truth
  Harrow Cards.indd   10
  1/14/08   12:13:03 PM
  the carnival
  Harrow Cards.indd   38
  1/14/08   12:13:36 PM
  the idiot
  Harrow Cards.indd   44
  1/14/08   12:13:43 PM
  the avalanche
  Harrow Cards.indd   37
  1/14/08   12:13:35 PM
  the fiend
  Harrow Cards.indd   27
  1/14/08   12:13:22 PM
  the beating
  Harrow Cards.indd   25
  1/14/08   12:13:20 PM
  the forge
  Harrow Cards.indd   43
  1/14/08   12:13:42 PM
  the big sky
  Harrow Cards.indd   2
  1/14/08   12:12:54 PM
  the empty throne
  Harrow Cards.indd   42
  1/14/08   12:13:41 PM
  the courtesan
  Harrow Cards.indd   39
  1/14/08   12:13:37 PM
  the inquisitor
  Harrow Cards.indd   45
  1/14/08   12:13:44 PM
  the crows
  Harrow Cards.indd   5
  1/14/08   12:12:57 PM
  the juggler
  Harrow Cards.indd   46
  1/14/08   12:13:45 PM
  the dance
  Harrow Cards.indd   7
  1/14/08   12:13:00 PM
  the liar
  Harrow Cards.indd   47
  1/14/08   12:13:47 PM
  the cricket
  Harrow Cards.indd   4
  1/14/08   12:12:56 PM
  the joke
  Harrow Cards.indd   12
  1/14/08   12:13:05 PM
  the cyclone
  Harrow Cards.indd   6
  1/14/08   12:12:58 PM
  the keep
  Harrow Cards.indd   28
  1/14/08   12:13:24 PM
  the demon’s lantern
  Harrow Cards.indd   40
  1/14/08   12:13:39 PM
  the locksmith
  Harrow Cards.indd   13
  1/14/08   12:13:06 PM
  the desert
  Harrow Cards.indd   41
  1/14/08   12:13:40 PM
  the lost
  Harrow Cards.indd   14
  1/14/08   12:13:08 PM
  70
  The Avalanche 
  You are 
  imprisoned.
  The Bear 
  Gain werebear 
  lycanthropy.
  The Beating 
  You are always 
  flanked.
  The Betrayal 
  An ally betrays 
  you.
  The Big Sky 
  Avoid any 
  situation you 
  choose… once.
  The Brass Dwarf 
  Gain immunity 
  to one energy 
  type and 
  vulnerability to 
  another.
  The Carnival 
  Draw three 
  cards and 
  gamble for the 
  best.
  The Courtesan 
  Your favorite 
  item becomes 
  intelligent.
  The Cricket 
  Draw more 
  cards to 
  increase your 
  base land 
  speed.
  The Crows 
  Lose your most 
  valuable item or 
  a major ally.
  The Cyclone 
  Defeat an air 
  elemental or be 
  whisked off to 
  the Elemental 
  Plane of Air.
  The Dance 
  Choose 
  between two 
  initiative rolls 
  from now on.
  The Demon’s 
  Lantern 
  An enemy gains 
  a powerful 
  fiendish ally.
  The Desert 
  Travel to any 
  location on the 
  same plane.
  The Fiend 
  Gain the enmity 
  of a powerful 
  fiend.
  The Foreign 
  Trader 
  Trade years 
  of your life 
  for magical 
  treasures.
  The Forge 
  One of your 
  weapons 
  changes into 
  another.
  The Eclipse 
  Lose one level.
  The Empty 
  Throne 
  Inherit a noble 
  title and 25,000 
  gp.
  The Hidden 
  Truth 
  Know the 
  answer to 
  your next 
  conundrum.
  The Idiot 
  Your Charisma, 
  Intelligence, 
  and Wisdom are 
  each reduced 
  to 3.
  The Inquisitor 
  Force another 
  to answer 
  one question 
  truthfully.
  The Joke 
  Draw three cards; 
  first an ally and 
  then you pick 
  one.
  The Juggler 
  Gain a +2 bonus 
  to two ability 
  scores and swap 
  them.
  The Keep 
  Gain a keep.
  The Liar 
  Your most 
  powerful magic 
  item becomes 
  cursed.
  The Locksmith 
  Open any one 
  binding, door, 
  lock, or portal.
  The Lost 
  You cannot take 
  more levels in 
  your primary 
  class.
  
  Harrow Deck of Many Things
  the midwife
  Harrow Cards.indd   15
  1/14/08   12:13:09 PM
  the teamster 
  Harrow Cards.indd   53
  1/14/08   12:13:55 PM
  the mute hag
  Harrow Cards.indd   16
  1/14/08   12:13:10 PM
  the trumpet
  Harrow Cards.indd   30
  1/14/08   12:13:26 PM
  the paladin
  Harrow Cards.indd   18
  1/14/08   12:13:12 PM
  the peacock
  Harrow Cards.indd   19
  1/14/08   12:13:13 PM
  the tyrant
  Harrow Cards.indd   31
  1/14/08   12:13:28 PM
  the marriage 
  Harrow Cards.indd   48
  1/14/08   12:13:48 PM
  the tangled briar 
  Harrow Cards.indd   52
  1/14/08   12:13:53 PM
  the mountain man
  Harrow Cards.indd   49
  1/14/08   12:13:49 PM
  the theater
  Harrow Cards.indd   29
  1/14/08   12:13:25 PM
  the owl
  Harrow Cards.indd   17
  1/14/08   12:13:11 PM
  the twin 
  Harrow Cards.indd   54
  1/14/08   12:13:56 PM
  the publican 
  Harrow Cards.indd   50
  1/14/08   12:13:51 PM
  the unicorn
  Harrow Cards.indd   32
  1/14/08   12:13:29 PM
  the rabbit prince
  Harrow Cards.indd   21
  1/14/08   12:13:15 PM
  the vision
  Harrow Cards.indd   33
  1/14/08   12:13:30 PM
  the sickness
  Harrow Cards.indd   20
  1/14/08   12:13:14 PM
  the waxworks
  Harrow Cards.indd   35
  1/14/08   12:13:32 PM
  the queen mother
  Harrow Cards.indd   11
  1/14/08   12:13:04 PM
  the uprising
  Harrow Cards.indd   26
  1/14/08   12:13:21 PM
  the rakshasa
  Harrow Cards.indd   22
  1/14/08   12:13:16 PM
  the wanderer
  Harrow Cards.indd   34
  1/14/08   12:13:31 PM
  the snakebite 
  Harrow Cards.indd   51
  1/14/08   12:13:52 PM
  the survivor
  Harrow Cards.indd   23
  1/14/08   12:13:18 PM
  the winged serpent
  Harrow Cards.indd   36
  1/14/08   12:13:34 PM
  71
  The Marriage 
  Take a genie 
  spouse or gain 
  the wrath of 
  an elemental 
  court.
  The Midwife 
  Gain one level.
  The Mountain 
  Man 
  Your size 
  increases one 
  category.
  The Mute Hag  
  Your best-kept 
  secret becomes 
  known.
  The Owl 
  Scry one 
  target for 1 
  minute, but be 
  detected.
  The Paladin 
  Gain a holy 
  avenger.
  The Peacock 
  Your skin turns 
  to stone.
  The Publican 
  One GM-
  chosen enemy 
  becomes your 
  ally.
  The Queen 
  Mother 
  Gain several 
  formian 
  followers.
  The Rabbit Prince 
  All threatened 
  critical hits 
  made by or 
  against you 
  confirm.
  The Rakshasa 
  You are 
  dominated by 
  an unknown 
  enemy.
  The Sickness 
  Gain a 
  permanent 
  random 
  disease.
  The Snakebite 
  Your alignment 
  switches to the 
  diametrically 
  opposed 
  alignment.
  The Survivor 
  Next time you 
  die, you are fully 
  restored.
  The Tangled 
  Briar 
  One defeated 
  enemy returns 
  to life and 
  seeks revenge.
  The Teamster 
  You must 
  undertake a 
  dangerous 
  quest for a 
  great reward.
  The Theater 
  Steal an ability 
  score bonus 
  from the next 
  monster you 
  kill.
  The Trumpet 
  Summon 
  an outsider 
  of your 
  alignment 
  once per day.
  The Twin 
  Your gender 
  changes.
  The Tyrant 
  You are 
  enslaved by a 
  powerful evil.
  The Unicorn 
  Undo one past 
  mistake.
  The Uprising 
  Gain 3d6 
  unruly 
  commoner 
  followers.
  The Vision 
  You receive 
  two visions; 
  one is true, 
  one is false.
  The Wanderer 
  One mundane 
  object 
  becomes 
  magical.
  The Waxworks 
  1d6 vengeful 
  duplicates of 
  you appear 
  within 20 
  miles.
  The Winged 
  Serpent 
  You are 
  granted one 
  wish.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  72
  falsehood, and, if truly ignorant, informs the user that she 
  doesn’t know. 
  The Joke: Upon drawing this card, The Joke is set aside 
  and the user selects one of his allies. Three new cards are 
  then drawn by the GM. The user’s ally gets first pick of one 
  of these cards and gains the effects. The user then selects 
  one of the remaining two and gains that card’s effects. The 
  final card is discarded.
  The Juggler: The user gains a +2 bonus to two ability 
  scores of his choice, but must swap them with one another.
  The Keep: The user gains a castle. The castle appears in 
  any open area he wishes, but the decision where to place it 
  must be made within 1 hour of drawing the card.
  The Liar: The user’s most powerful, most valuable, or 
  favorite magic item (GM’s choice) manifests a curse. Roll on 
  the Cursed Item table on page 272 of the DMG to generate 
  this effect, re-rolling results for specific items.  
  The Locksmith: This card grants the character the one-
  time ability to open any one binding, door, lock, or portal, 
  or other locked barrier. This also includes magical gates or 
  portals that require specific objects to activate.
  The Lost: The user can never gain another level in 
  whichever class he currently has the most levels in.
  The Marriage: A comely genie of the user’s preferred 
  gender appears and proposes marriage. Should the character 
  accept, he must organize a lavish marriage ceremony by the 
  end of the week and ever after be bound to the exotic outsider. 
  If the user declines, the genie is heartbroken and returns 
  to her home plane, provoking the ire of her associated 
  elemental court. The genie’s type, personality, actions, and 
  possible retribution are determined by the GM. 
  The Midwife: The user gains exactly enough experience 
  to advance one level.
  The Mountain Man: The user grows one size category, 
  gaining all the benefits and penalties of increased size. His 
  equipment does not increase in size.
  The Mute Hag: The user’s most private secret—as 
  determined by the character and GM—becomes known by 
  anyone who sees him. If the character has no such secret, 
  an entirely believable lie is spread instead. 
  The Owl: This card grants the character the one-time 
  ability to scry on any target anywhere for 1 minute. The 
  target, however, is immediately aware that she is being 
  scryed upon by the character.
  The Paladin: The character is granted a holy avenger. This 
  weapon functions in all ways as a normal holy avenger except 
  that the character can choose to thrust the sword into the 
  ground, causing the weapon to transform into a paladin 
  two levels higher than him. The paladin wields her own 
  holy avenger and aids the character in any way her alignment 
  permits for either one battle or 30 minutes outside of 
  combat. Once this time is over, the paladin vanishes and the 
  holy avenger is forever reduced to a +2 cold iron longsword.  
  The Desert: The character and up to 10 allies or 2,000 
  pounds of goods may travel to any location on the same 
  plane instantly. The character must know exactly where he 
  wishes to travel, such as a place he has been or a location 
  on a map, but not a vague or hidden location, like the 
  richest dungeon in the world or the Lost City of Ird. The 
  transportation ignores all barriers against teleportation or 
  other magical effects. The character may use the effects of 
  this card whenever he wishes, but only once.
  The Fiend: A powerful evil outsider takes notice of the 
  character and sets plans in motion to destroy him.
  The Foreign Trader: The mysterious entity known as the 
  Foreign Trader appears and offers the character any treasure 
  he wishes in return for years of his life. If the character 
  accepts, he must choose to age a number of age categories 
  (see page 109 of the DMG). The character takes all the ability 
  score penalties for his new age, but gains none of the benefits. 
  For each age category he advances, however, he gains 10,000 
  gp worth of credit with the Foreign Trader, which can be 
  spent on any magic item in the DMG. Any credit a character 
  does not spend is lost. After the character is done spending 
  his credit, the Foreign Trader vanishes. Years taken by the 
  Foreign Trader can only be restored by deific intervention.
  The Foreign Trader does not trade with characters who 
  cannot die of old age. If the character is immortal, the 
  Foreign Trader vanishes, leaving behind another card.
  If the character declines to bargain with the Foreign 
  Trader, the trader disappears in a puff of acrid yellow smoke.
  The Forge: The character must choose one weapon or 
  piece of armor in his possession to be reforged into another 
  weapon or piece of armor of equal or lesser gp value. For 
  example, should a character choose to have a +3 longsword 
  reforged (18,315 gp), he could have it transformed into any 
  one of hundreds of items, like a +1 axiomatic scimitar (18,315 
  or a suit of +3 full-plate of silent moves (12,300 gp). Any gp 
  value not spent is lost. 
  The Eclipse: The character gains one permanent 
  negative level.
  The Empty Throne: The character inherits a noble 
  title and 25,000 gp soon after drawing this card. The GM 
  decides the particulars of when and how this occurs.
  The Hidden Truth: This card grants the character the 
  one-time ability to call upon a source of wisdom to solve 
  any single problem or fully answer any question upon 
  his request. Whether the information gained can be 
  successfully acted upon is another question entirely.
  The Idiot: The character’s Charisma, Intelligence, and 
  Wisdom are all reduced to 3.
  The Inquisitor: This card grants the character the one-
  time ability to force another creature to answer a single 
  question truthfully. The card does not grant the user or 
  creature questioned any special insight. Thus, a creature 
  might still answer a question falsely if she believes the 
  
  Harrow Deck of Many Things
  73
  The Peacock: The character’s skin hardens, becoming 
  rigid and pebbled. He gains a permanent +2 bonus to his 
  natural armor, but takes a –2 penalty to Dexterity.
  The Publican: The GM chooses one of the character’s 
  enemies. This enemy has a complete change of heart and 
  now favors the character.
  The Queen Mother: 1d4 formian warriors appear to 
  serve the character. These creatures eagerly seek to help 
  and protect the character, but likely don’t understand his 
  culture. Unless the character speaks Formian, he cannot 
  verbally communicate with these followers. If a formian 
  dies, a new formian appears to replace it a day later (this does 
  not penalize the character’s chances to attract followers).
  The Rabbit Prince: All attacks the character makes 
  that threaten to critically hit a foe automatically confirm. 
  Conversely, all attacks made against the character that 
  threaten to critically hit also automatically confirm.
  The Rakshasa: The character becomes the puppet of 
  a mysterious  enemy. The GM chooses how this card is 
  fulfilled—perhaps the character is possessed by a spirit, 
  perhaps he loses bodily control under certain circumstances, 
  perhaps some entity can choose when to manipulate him 
  from afar. The character gains no information on what 
  controls him or how unless the GM allows it.
  The Sickness: 
  The character becomes afflicted with 
  an incurable disease. Roll 1d10, comparing the results to 
  the table on page 292 of the DMG to determine the disease 
  (the GM may create his own chart if he wishes). While the 
  disease cannot be cured, the effects of the affliction can 
  be negated through the use of spells like restoration.
  The Snakebite: The character’s alignment switches to 
  the opposite alignment—lawful good characters become 
  chaotic evil, neutral good characters become neutral evil, 
  and so on. Wholly neutral characters get to choose their new 
  alignment. If the character fails to act according to his new 
  alignment, he gains a negative level.
  The Survivor: The next time the character is reduced to 
  –10 hit points, he is instantly restored to full hit points. If 
  he is killed by an effect that slays him without dealing hit 
  point damage (such as disintegrate), the effect fails to kill 
  him and he is restored to full hit points. If he is killed by 
  a hostile environment (such as a lava flow or teleportation 
  to a dangerous plane), he is transported to the last safe 
  place he occupied, and is restored to full hit points. This 
  card does not save the character from effects that would 
  permanently disable him, like petrification.
  The Tangled Briar: A slain enemy returns to life and 
  seeks vengeance. The GM decides how the enemy returns 
  to life and what form her retribution takes.
  The Teamster: Upon drawing this card, a powerful being 
  appears before the character and tasks him to undertake 
  a dangerous quest. If the character proves resistant to 
  undertaking the task, he is afflicted by geas/quest until the 
  quest is completed. Upon completing the quest, the powerful 
  being reappears, granting the character a lavish reward. 
  The specifics of the quest, the powerful being’s identity, and 
  the character’s reward are determined by the GM.
  The Theater: The next time the character kills a 
  creature, he is granted a +2 bonus to the same ability score 
  as the creature’s highest ability score.
  The Trumpet: This card grants the character the ability 
  to summon an outsider of his alignment once per day. 
  This outsider must be of a CR equal to or less than the 
  character’s level.
  The Twin: The character physically becomes a member 
  of the opposite gender.
  The Tyrant: Upon drawing this card, an incredibly 
  powerful evil entity appears, subdues the character, and 
  drags him off to its foul lair. The specifics of the evil 
  creature, its lair, and whether or not the PC is retrievable 
  are decided by the GM.
  The Unicorn: This card enables the character to undo 
  one past choice or regrettable action. The fabric of reality 
  is unraveled and respun, potentially restoring creatures to 
  life or altering the course of history depending on how the 
  character acted and how he wishes he would have acted. 
  The player chooses what situation he would have acted 
  differently in and how and the GM determines how reality 
  changes to reflect that act. The change primarily affects 
  the character, affecting others as little as possible.
  The Uprising: Instantly, 3d6 unruly, accident-prone 1st-
  level commoners appear and choose to serve the character 
  as followers. If these followers are killed, the character 
  takes the usual penalties to attracting further followers. 
  Knowledge of these commoners’ mistreatment or deaths 
  spreads far, with the GM determining any repercussions.
  The Vision: The character receives two visions, along 
  with the knowledge that one vision is true and the other 
  false, though he does not know which is which. The GM 
  determines the specifics of these visions. The visions may 
  be views of the past, present, future, cryptic symbols, or 
  complete fantasies.
  The Wanderer: One of the character’s mundane 
  possessions becomes a magical item worth 20,000 gp or 
  less. The GM determines which item manifests magical 
  properties and what those properties are.
  The Waxworks: Upon drawing this card, 1d6 exact 
  duplicates of the character appear within a 20-mile radius. 
  These duplicates have the alignment opposite the original 
  character’s and oppose his goals.
  The Winged Serpent: The character is granted a single 
  wish. This wish functions similarly to the spell wish when it 
  comes to affecting rules and statistics, but can also change 
  reality in ways outside the bounds of the spell’s effects—
  such as rerouting a river or ending a war. The GM decides 
  what the wish can and cannot accomplish.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  74
  17 Lamashan, 4707 ar
  Belkzen is a hard land, and each day I’m here, I grow harder 
  as well. A year ago, the sight of Joskan’s face as he lay pinned 
  beneath the burning timber, his screams as I turned my back, 
  would have haunted me, the guilt almost unbearable. Now his 
  name is already fading, erased further with each shuffling 
  footfall, buried beneath each puff of sun-scorched dust. It’s a 
  terrible thing for a man to grow cold. But I’m managing.
  For several days following the fire, I had walked east across 
  the Hold’s sparse fields, digging myself shallow trenches to 
  sleep in during the day and traveling by night, silent as a 
  ghost. With Joskan gone, there was no longer any need to 
  make noise. I ate, I slept, and I followed the wayfinder. That 
  was all.
  Now, however, things were changing. Looming out of 
  the rolling grasslands, a vast and white-walled city rose 
  from the earth like a many-layered cake, tier upon tier of 
  stone buildings and monuments forming a mountain that 
  glimmered in the morning sun. Once, I knew, this had been 
  Koldukar, one of the great dwarven Sky Citadels, massive 
  fortresses built when the stout folk first emerged onto 
  Golarion’s surface. Now it bore another name, one bestowed 
  by the great orc warlord Belkzen himself: Urgir, meaning 
  “First Home.” Several times during my approach, I curved 
  well out of my way in order to triangulate headings with 
  the wayfinder and see if there might be some way to avoid 
  passing through its walls, but all to no avail.
  Fortunately for me, most of the caravan traffic entering 
  and leaving the city appeared to be doing so to the north, via 
  the vast dried riverbed known as the Flood Road. Standard 
  or no, I didn’t trust the goodwill of the residents just yet, and 
  I kept well clear of the occasional dust cloud kicked up by 
  travelers as I skulked to within bowshot of one of the main 
  gates, breaking up my profile by keeping to the tallest grasses. 
  Finally, though, the ground turned to packed dirt, and I was 
  left with few options. Holding the tattered standard of the 
  Broken Spine clan crosswise above my head, I walked quickly 
  and purposefully toward the small group of orcs lounging 
  next to the monolithic stone doors of the gatehouse.
  It took a moment for them to register what they were seeing, 
  and I had covered half the ground between us by the time 
  they had pulled themselves upright on their spears, sneering 
  Pink Like Me
  
  Pathfinder’s Journal
  75
  and pointing. In terms of appearance, they were much the 
  same as the orcs of the Broken Spine clan, but their spears 
  and armor appeared to be in better repair—perhaps pickings 
  were better in the city. In addition, each bore a breastplate 
  adorned with a crude painting of a black fist. I approached 
  and stopped just short of skewering range.
  “Ho there! I am a trader and emissary seeking entrance 
  to the city,” I said, not caring that the claim was ludicrous, 
  given my meager pack.
  One of the orcs snorted.
  “In’s not the hard part, pinkskin,” he laughed. “Out’s 
  more’n your worry.”
  “Nevertheless, you will let me pass,” I said.
  His face hardened at my tone, and he started forward. 
  “Maybe a piece at a time,” he growled, but before he could 
  get farther, a shadow dropped over him, and a monster 
  stepped out from behind the curtain wall. 
  Now I could see why the orcs had seemed so lackadaisical 
  in their guard duty. The ettin that emerged from the 
  shadows of the gatehouse was nearly as tall as the 
  fortifications themselves, towering above its companions. 
  Almost completely naked, the shambling behemoth had 
  vaguely porcine features, seemingly a grotesque blending of 
  orc and giant. More disturbing than its stature, however, 
  were its two heads—one, apparently the dominant, stared 
  straight at me with rheumy eyes, while the other stared 
  off into space and drooled. Around the neck of the former 
  swung a pendant bearing the black hand symbol. The beast 
  hefted two spiked clubs, each thicker than my chest.
  “Whossat?” It gurgled.
  The orcs, who had been confident a moment before, were 
  still snickering, but now they backed slowly away to leave a 
  direct path between me and the giant.
  “Pinkskin come to make trouble, Wargus,” one of them 
  called. “Squish him, yeh?”
  The ettin looked back at me, obviously sizing up how 
  much trouble something my size could be. Taking the 
  initiative, I stepped forward.
  “I’m just a trader seeking entry. By the laws of your city, 
  you must let me pass.”
  The giant perked up. “Token?” it asked.
  I held up the broken standard, and the giant’s brows 
  furrowed like a stymied toddler.
  “Not token,” it grunted, raising its clubs to swing.
  “No,” I continued, striding boldly forward, bloodstained 
  banner raised. “And I don’t need one. You recognize this 
  banner, and you know what it means. To let it touch an enemy’s 
  hand would shame the entire Broken Spine clan, and they’d 
  all die to defend it. Yet here I am, unscathed. Obviously, I 
  have their blessing. Tokens would be redundant.”
  One of the orcs started to speak, but I ignored him and 
  pressed on, eyes still locked with ettin, who appeared 
  uncertain once more.
  “More importantly, you know what the penalty is for 
  disobeying the lord of Urgir. So as I see it, you have two 
  choices: You can let me pass, and get back to squeezing 
  travelers for bribes, or you can continue to stand in my way 
  and see what happens when the ones who gave you that,” 
  I used the standard to gesture at the badge around his 
  neck, “find out you waylaid a foreign emissary with official 
  business under the protection of the Broken Spine.” I stopped 
  moving, close enough now to smell the giant’s pungent reek 
  of sweat and livestock, craning my neck to look up at his two 
  heads. With both hands, I held the standard horizontally 
  between us, its haft flat against the ettin’s belly.
  “Now choose,” I said, and shoved.
  To my surprise, the mountain of greasy flesh fell back, 
  moving once more into the shadow of the gatehouse. 
  “Pass,” it growled. Behind me the orcs snorted in 
  astonishment, but seemed unwilling to contradict their 
  massive idiot guardian. Unhampered, I moved through the 
  gate and into the teeming streets of Urgir.
  One would have thought that passing through Urglin 
  would have prepared me for what I found, but in fact the 
  opposite was true. Whereas Urglin was squalid through 
  and through, a festering and fortified sore spreading from 
  the banks of the Ooze, this was for a short time one of the 
  greatest cities of the ancient world, and not even a hundred 
  generations of degenerate rule could tarnish it completely. 
  Before me stretched huge boulevards paved with marble fit 
  for a throne room, winding between breathtaking statues 
  and buildings that seemed to grow from the stone itself. 
  Supported by vast arches and buttresses, buildings crowded 
  one atop another in a seemingly endless heap, serviced by 
  soaring elevated avenues and thoroughfares that became 
  tunnels into the city’s heart, where the architecture was so 
  dense as to become subterranean. This was the lifework of 
  generations of the dwarves’ master builders, a triumph of 
  engineering and the imagination.
  And then it fell. After my initial moment of appreciation, 
  I began to notice the evidence of degradation. Here a statue 
  had been crudely defiled, there a line of crumbled buildings 
  sloughed down the urban mountain like a landslide. 
  Stonework meant to last millennia cracked and buckled 
  under the stress of ancient wounds. Sewage filled a cistern. 
  And everywhere—everywhere!—throngs of orcs milled and 
  shouted, fought and groped. This was their capital. This was 
  First Home. Gathering my nerve, I strapped the standard 
  securely to my back, gripped my sword, and plunged into 
  the crowd.
  I appeared to be in the market district, which I counted as 
  lucky. All around me, vendors hawked and haggled, the only 
  difference between here and other cities being the increased 
  violence—indeed, the best merchants seemed to be the 
  burliest and most scarred. Surprisingly, I saw a number of 
  fellow humans in the crowd, albeit keeping a relatively low 
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  76
  obeisance enough in this place. I was left standing alone, 
  unhindered, while the old orc fondled the banner and 
  chuckled to himself. After a moment, he looked at me again.
  “Tell me how you got this,” he demanded.
  “I’m an emissary and trader from lands west of here,” 
  I said. “The Broken Spine clan allows me to carry this to 
  prove I act with their blessings.”
  “Really,” the orc said, and the word was not a question. 
  Faster than I could blink, the old one scooped a dagger off 
  the table and whipped it overhand, sending it whistling past 
  my ear and burying it deep in the wooden door. Apparently 
  you don’t make it that long as an orc without quick reflexes.
  “Are you sure that’s your answer?” he asked, voice flat.
  As a rule, I don’t like to tell anyone more than they need to 
  know, but with the dagger still humming softly behind me, 
  this seemed like a good time to make an exception. Too tired 
  to lie, I told him the entire story of my travels since entering 
  Belkzen, leaving out only my quest with the wayfinder. The 
  old orc listened quietly, eyes shining with delight at my 
  description of Chief Kroghut’s humiliation and Joskan’s 
  betrayal. When I was finished, he chuckled again.
  “Another Pathfinder come to Urgir—Chief Uldeth’s dream 
  is coming true. Urgir will grow fat, and the Empty Hand 
  will be first among tribes.” He tapped the ornate black-fist 
  emblem that hung from a necklace of teeth and sinew.
  “Another?” I asked.
  “So you didn’t know,” the old one replied. “Interesting. 
  Yes, one of yours came through several months ago.”
  “Do you know where he went?” I pressed, thinking of my 
  wayfinder. The orc cackled.
  “Straight to the palace, upon order of Grask Uldeth 
  himself. He never came out.”
  I pondered that for a moment, while the orc stroked the 
  banner once again. Finally, he spoke.
  “Your tale is good, pinkskin,” he said. “If I didn’t know 
  better, I’d say you were one of us.”
  He hefted the banner. “This is not a token, manchild. 
  This is an insult to the entire Broken Spine clan. Which 
  is why I’m going to trade you a token for it. The Broken 
  Spine cowards are no friends of the Empty Hand, and 
  to see Kroghut shamed by a pinkskin is priceless. In 
  exchange, you will be free to wander Urgir as you see fit, 
  unmolested.  Agreed?”
  Seeing little choice, I nodded, and the old one tossed me 
  a thong bearing a horn plaque, different than his own but 
  still blazoned with the black fist. I slipped it over my head.
  “Thank you, constable…?” I ventured
  The orc snorted. “Just Ardax,” he said. “Ardax the White-
  Hair. Titles are for those without reputations.” Raising his 
  voice, he called out to the two guards who had brought me 
  in, who appeared immediately.
  “Take this one out to the street and release him into the 
  care of his own kind,” he ordered.
  profile and moving with purpose. I even saw a well-dressed 
  elven trader, his stall of magical curiosities flanked on 
  either side by two especially bestial orc guards. Definitely 
  no dwarves, though—I tried to imagine the shame one of 
  their kind would feel upon seeing a site of such historical 
  significance swarmed over by their ancient enemy, and failed. 
  Attachment to places is a liability in my line of work.
  Eager to replace the supplies lost in the ankheg stampede, 
  I searched in vain for a fellow human merchant, settling for 
  one of the smaller orc vendors. No sooner had I taken a step 
  that direction, however, than a hand closed on my shoulder.
  “Stop,” a deep voice barked, and I spun with one hand on 
  my sword, knocking away the offending arm.
  Before me, in a ragged semblance of military formation, 
  stood six orcs carrying spears, several of them pointed 
  casually in my direction. Upon all of their chests hung the 
  same black-fisted icon as the gate guards. The largest reached 
  up with casual disdain and grabbed my shoulder once more, 
  thick nails biting through my clothes.
  “You will come,” he grunted. “If you fight, you will be 
  broken, and then you will come.”
  There’s brave, and then there’s stupid. With odds like 
  these, in a city like this, the two look an awful lot alike. 
  Lifting my hand slowly away from my sword, I moved to the 
  center of the group and let the unit march me farther into 
  the city, the crowd parting around us.
  Before long we came to a squat, bunker-like building where 
  several similarly garbed orcs milled about throwing dice and 
  wrestling. Above the doorway, a shield bearing the black fist 
  hung above crossed spears. Beneath this awning we passed, 
  and the transition from bright sunlight to near-perfect 
  darkness left me blinking. Makes sense—having originated 
  underground, the orcs were undoubtedly adapted for it.
  Most of the guards—and here I made an assumption, for 
  despite their appearance, their actions bespoke authority—
  peeled off at this point to join their fellows, leaving only two to 
  guide me through the darkness to a heavy wooden door. Eyes 
  still straining, I was walked through it into a new chamber, 
  this one thankfully illuminated by a single candle and 
  unexpectedly furnished with a table, chairs, and a few pages 
  of parchment scattered across the table’s scarred surface.
  Looking up from his seat behind the desk was a bizarre 
  figure. While obviously once tall and broad-shouldered, the 
  orc’s thin frame was hunched and bent, and long, stringy 
  white hair hung around his face. I realized with a start that 
  this was the first truly aged orc I had ever seen—I suppose 
  their society isn’t conducive to long lifespans.
  “This him?” the old one inquired with a rasping wheeze.
  In response, one of my handlers pulled the Broken Spine 
  standard from my pack and tossed it on the table. The white-
  hair nodded in approval.
  “Good. Go.” The two guards turned and left without 
  any salute that I could notice—apparently obedience was 
  
  Pathfinder’s Journal
  77
  Grabbing my arms, the two guards marched me out to 
  the front of the building, then stopped and scanned 
  the crowds of bustling passersby until they saw the 
  telltale flash of pale flesh. With a whistle and a 
  gesture, they summoned over a slightly portly 
  man just shy of middle age, well dressed and 
  with his own token prominently displayed. 
  He bowed low as he approached, cringing.
  “Y-yes, lords?” he quavered.
  “Take this one,” they ordered, gesturing 
  for me to go with the newcomer. “Keep him 
  out of trouble.” I needed little urging, and 
  quickly moved to the man’s side, following 
  him as he backed away with another series of low bows.
  The stranger turned out to be a merchant of a fairly decent 
  sort, an antiquities trader from Nirmathas named Brunoe. 
  Once back in the markets where he felt more at home, he 
  lost some of his sheepish demeanor and explained 
  in low tones how things worked in the city. 
  Apparently Grask Uldeth, leader of the Empty 
  Hand tribe, had held the city unequivocally for 
  the last two decades, and had recently raised his 
  aim even higher. Envying the way monarchs in 
  human lands sat back and let wealth come to them 
  through taxes and trade, he began instituting a 
  series of heavy-handed policies designed to make 
  the city more appealing to foreigners. Chief 
  among these programs were the badges we 
  now wore—while human slaves might 
  be a hot commodity in Urgir, anyone 
  bearing a token was not to be touched 
  except by order of Uldeth himself.
  “And that actually works?” I asked, having difficulty 
  imagining the typically anarchic orcs succumbing to such 
  comparatively harsh restrictions.
  “See for yourself,” Brunoe replied, gesturing skyward. 
  For the first time I took a moment to stop and observe the 
  strange crenellations on many of the surrounding rooftops, 
  staring long enough to note they weren’t stonework at all, 
  but rather dozens of green-skinned orc heads impaled on 
  spikes. The grisly display continued all the way down the 
  central strip of the marketplace.
  “Comforting,” I said.
  “Isn’t it, though?”
  Unfortunately, Brunoe explained, just because the orcs 
  weren’t allowed to enslave and eat you didn’t mean life in 
  Urgir was all pie and roses. As with any city, foreigners were 
  a target. Merchants tried to cheat you. Thieves stole your 
  goods. Locals blamed you for their problems. And of course, 
  though you couldn’t legally be slaughtered, that didn’t mean 
  you were any less likely to be stabbed in the back and robbed, 
  just like any other citizen. Even as he accompanied me in 
  re-supplying, I began to see what he meant. Children threw 
  stones and then disappeared into allies. Passersby made 
  a point of slamming into me with their meaty shoulders, 
  several times almost sending me to the ground. After one 
  particularly obvious jostling, I turned to pursue the laughing 
  orc, but Brunoe’s hand stopped me.
  “Just keep your head down and don’t make trouble,” he said. 
  “This is what they do. Shrug it off.” I gritted my teeth, but said 
  nothing. Soon we came to a stall that sold some of the basics of 
  outdoor life—I could replace things like rope and tindertwigs, 
  which the giant insects had carried off and scattered—and 
  I waited patiently as an orc before me cursed, shouted, and 
  threatened violence before finally paying for his goods and 
  leaving, not appearing overly dissatisfied. Stepping up to the 
  counter, I had the surly shopkeeper lay out a nearly identical 
  package, for which he quoted me an outrageous price.
  “I’ll take the same price as the orc who just left,” I said.
  Two heads, and not half 
  a brain between them.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  Orcs rarely 
  live to reach 
  old age.
  78
  “Try it, runt,” the merchant countered. Before I could 
  go on, Brunoe stepped easily between us and took over 
  the bargaining. Though he was masterful—going from 
  pleasant tones to high rage and back again in instants—he 
  was unable to get the price lower than double what the orc 
  had paid. Reluctantly, I accepted, handed over the coins, and 
  turned to leave. Behind us, there was a hacking noise, and 
  something wet hit the back of my neck.
  “Pinkskins.”
  I turned back toward the grinning shopkeeper, my sword 
  halfway out of its scabbard, but again Brunoe stopped me.
  “Head down,” he said, his own eyes lowered and studiously 
  staring off into the distance as he wiped the greasy spittle 
  from his cheek. “Walk away.”
  It took every ounce of my strength, but finally my gratitude 
  to the little man won out and I did as he said. Together we 
  returned to Brunoe’s own stall, a display of rare and sometimes 
  magical works of art from throughout the ages, guarded by a 
  several silent but effective orc mercenaries. While there were 
  few in Urgir looking to buy such wares, numerous unsavory 
  characters found the city a treasure 
  trove of dwarven artifacts, and were 
  eager to unload such items for 
  coppers. Sharing a similar passion 
  for history, if not the adventurous 
  manner in which I pursued it, the 
  merchant was eager to hear stories of my 
  life as a Pathfinder, and I regaled him 
  gladly in exchange for lunch.
  At one point during our repast, 
  we were interrupted by a deep 
  rumble, a bass growl 
  that seemed to 
  come from the 
  stones themselves. 
  In the streets, people 
  stopped, many of them 
  taking cover in nearby 
  buildings as the ground 
  began to shake. After a 
  moment it passed, and 
  people resumed going 
  about their business as if 
  nothing had happened.
  “Earthquake,” Brunoe 
  explained. “Happens all 
  the time. Occasionally something 
  collapses, but for the most part, 
  they’re not dangerous.”
  He continued to press me 
  for stories of my wanderings, 
  but all the talk succeeded in 
  reminding me of my original 
  intentions in Urgir. Checking my wayfinder, I saw that it 
  pointed due east down the wide boulevard, past the market 
  strip and out of the light entirely, into the subterranean 
  warren of structures hidden by the rising towers. As he’d 
  already come in handy once that day, I asked Brunoe to be my 
  guide. He agreed readily, then promptly choked on his bread 
  and cheese as I pointed into the darkness.
  “You don’t know it, but you’re insane,” the merchant said. 
  “The outer city is bad enough, but to go inside the warrens—
  that’s their ghetto, where the orcs who don’t have the money 
  or temperament to interact with the rest of the world live. It’s 
  dark, it’s dangerous, and it’s absolutely out of the question.”
  “I’ll pay you,” I offered.
  “I appreciate the offer,” he replied, “but taking 
  you through there would be instant death, token 
  or no. I flatly refuse to die for anything less than 
  ten gold.”
  “Eight.”
  “Sold. I’ll get some torches.”
  Lights in hand, we walked east along the 
  broad street, quickly passing into the shadows 
  of the buildings above us. Before long, their 
  foundations arched over our heads and 
  met, turning the road into a massive tunnel 
  beneath the many layers of city above. Inside, 
  things were closely packed, dirtier, more like 
  Urglin. It was clear that this section was not 
  visited by outsiders often, and many were 
  the hard stares and catcalls we received as 
  we progressed. The architecture here was a 
  strange mishmash—obviously the dwarves, 
  being creatures of the earth themselves, had 
  built these tunnels with care, carving out 
  great vaulted halls and chambers that were 
  just as much part of the city as the sunlit 
  streets. Yet alongside the monuments sat 
  newer, ragtag constructions, lean-tos 
  and shanties assembled from broken 
  chunks of masonry and debris. Refuse 
  covered the streets, and at one point I 
  narrowly escaped a rain of offal from 
  an upper-story gallery, the contents of 
  someone’s chamber pot spattering my 
  shoes. Judging by the ensuing laugh, I 
  doubted it was an accident. Jaw tense, 
  I kept walking. Shortly thereafter, 
  Brunoe stopped at a crossroads where 
  several tunnels met, orcs traveling 
  this way and that with more purpose 
  than before. At the corners, vast spiral 
  staircases led up into the ceiling, 
  presumably to the other layers of city 
  I’d viewed from afar.
  
  Pathfinder’s Journal
  79
  “This is the central crossing for this level,” my guide 
  informed me. “Choose your direction—everything leads 
  back out into the light, and I could stand to be done with the 
  smell in here sooner rather than later.”
  Nodding my agreement, I withdrew my wayfinder and 
  checked the needle, which still pointed due east. “It seems 
  we may have passed through here for nothing,” I said. “We’re 
  still head—”
  A heavy shoulder slamming into mine combined with an 
  outthrust leg to knock me to the floor, my pack falling open 
  and disgorging some of its contents onto the filthy stone.
  “Watch it, pinkskin,” the orc snickered, not even 
  breaking stride.
  For a brief second, everything froze. Onlookers smirked 
  at my fall. Brunoe’s mouth was open, no doubt choked with 
  platitudes. My heart beat loud in my ears, pulse making the 
  veins in my temples throb. I took a single, deep breath. And 
  then I was on him.
  The orc didn’t expect it, and so he didn’t see it. Cocking 
  my legs, I launched myself at him, colliding with the 
  center of his back in a flying tackle that took us both to 
  the ground. His hands found my shirt and tore at me, but 
  I tangled my own in his long, greasy hair and began to 
  methodically slam his face into the stone floor, each hit 
  punctuating my fevered words.
  “That’s right,” I yelled. “That’s right, you son of a bitch! 
  That’s what you get for messing with a godsdamned 
  pinkskin.” With a heave I rolled him over and began to work 
  him with my fists, sending blow after blow into the bloody 
  ruin of his face as he wailed and attempted to choke me. 
  “Who’s the pinkskin now?!” I asked, smearing blood across 
  green skin with my knuckles. Then I found a rhythm and 
  settled into it, closing my eyes and seeing different faces. 
  Joskan. Devoren. The hellknight who killed Sascha.
  From behind me, Brunoe made a feeble cry, and I looked 
  up to see him standing off to the side with a hand over his 
  mouth. All around us, orcs were moving in toward the fight. 
  I paused in my pummeling long enough to rise up on my 
  knees, still straddling the orc’s waist, and lift the blood-
  spattered token from my chest.
  “You know what this means!” I roared. “It means you 
  can’t touch me!” I brandished it like a holy symbol, and 
  the onlookers fell back obligingly. I howled with pure, 
  animalistic delight, my rage and shame and frustration 
  with everything that had happened since leaving Magnimar 
  boiling out in that cry.
  “Diplomatic immunity, you bastards!” I screamed, and 
  slammed my fist home one last time, then knelt there 
  breathing heavily, head down and shaking. A moment later, 
  I felt Brunoe’s tentative hand on my shoulder.
  “Eando? You alright?” he asked.
  I sighed, one long breath of letting go.
  “Yeah,” I said. “Sorry. Bastard had it coming.”
  “Of course,” he replied. “And you certainly showed her.”
  My eyes flew open.
  “What did you say?” I asked, but even as I did, I was looking 
  down, past the green skin and armor, the bulky clothes and 
  corded muscle, seeking the telltale curves.
  “Just that I bet she’ll think twice before picking on a 
  pinkskin again.”
  A woman. Gods.
  Standing slowly, I moved away from the groaning form 
  on the ground, leaning on Brunoe for support.
  “Come on, Brunoe,” I said. “Let’s get out of here.”
  Walking quickly, heedless of the stares at my bloodied 
  clothes, the two of us followed the wayfinder’s heading east, 
  through another long tunnel. At last we emerged on the 
  other side of the city, stepping out into a wide plaza that 
  stretched for hundreds of yards before ending in a towering 
  keep, larger than any of the buildings I’d seen so far.
  “That’s the great palace, the chieftain’s seat,” Brunoe 
  said, gesturing at the structure. “That’s where Grask 
  Uldeth lives and rules. This,” he said, gesturing to the 
  immense stretch of flat marble, unbroken by so much as a 
  bench, “is the Plaza of Sky.” He pointed at my feet, and I saw 
  that though the entire thing could be called white, slight 
  gradations in the coloring formed a vast mosaic depicting 
  scenes of caverns and subterranean cities, dwarves and 
  other underground creatures. “This represents the past, 
  everything over which the dwarves triumphed to burst 
  forth and build this place.” He paused. “For a time, anyway. 
  The orcs have left it untouched, as in a way, it represents 
  their own struggle.”
  Fascinating as it was, I couldn’t quite bring myself to get 
  excited over the history. Instead, I pulled forth my wayfinder 
  to take another reading. And blinked.
  The needle was spinning free.
  “Impossible,” I breathed. While Brunoe looked on, I 
  scampered back and forth across the plaza like a madman, 
  attempting to get some sort of reading. Nothing. Not so 
  much as a quiver.
  “So what do I do now?” I asked nobody in particular. 
  Throwing my head back, I screamed at the sky. “I’m here!” 
  I announced. “Now what?” In response, I received only 
  Brunoe’s concerned expression.
  “Sorry,” I said, slumping back against the tunnel entrance 
  and letting the wayfinder drop, its thong swinging it against 
  my chest with a thump. “It’s just that I’ve just been following 
  this thing for so long.…”
  “Maybe you still can,” Brunoe offered. I glanced up, and 
  he gestured toward my chest.
  I looked down at the wayfinder, held vertical against my 
  shirt by the thong around my neck. From this angle, the 
  needle was indeed pointing again.
  Straight down.
  “Oh,” I said.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  80
  Bestiary
  Crown of fangs
  “L
  egend grows as wild as vipervine on the brink of Varisia’s most noisome wilderness. 
  Over algae-smelling tankards of bog grog and unhealthily marbled moss pig, the 
  swamp folk of Wartle spin yarns of the God of the Swamp. On his island of lily pads and 
  amaranth, King Frog, Lord of the Great and Dismal, presides over a realm of fenberries, 
  flies, and croaking princelings. His three bubbled eyes survey a nation of toads, and 
  his croak guides lost wanderers out of the muck. And to those who come to listen to his 
  baritone melody, the God of the Swamp grants wonders, wishes, and promises of peace.
  “Utter nonsense? Of course. But year after year the hopeful and the hopeless wander 
  into the Great Green Gamble, intent on finding the fabled Island of the Frog. Few return. 
  Perhaps some actually find the God of the Swamp… or, perhaps, he finds them.”
  —Cevil “Redwing” Charms Esq., Eidolon
  
  Bestiary
  81
  T
  his month’s Pathfinder Bestiary unleashes pure evil. 
  Dark things have taken up residence in Korvosa in 
  the wake of the Curse of the Crimson Throne. The 
  denizens of hell flock to the crumbling city, eager to treat 
  with its desperate citizens, but not to help. The works of 
  insane arcanists draw upon the lives of innocents to fuel 
  their own unnatural existences. And, in the depths of 
  the swamp, the croaking god-kings of the boggard race 
  lurch to life, hungering for meat more satisfying than 
  flies. Conspired against from within, the fall of Korvosa, 
  the Jewel of Varisia, might not come with a siege, but 
  with a whisper.
  Wandering Monsters
  Terrible things lurk in the Mushfens, Avistan’s largest 
  swamp. Aside from insects the size of bucklers, hungry 
  predators, and mires that can swallow wanderers whole, 
  some of the deadliest creatures in Varisia make their 
  homes among the stinking muck and brackish waters. Few 
  dare ply the reed-choked waterways or roam the overgrown 
  trails of the man-eating swamp, as for every terrible tale of 
  dripping terror that stumbles forth from the swamp, the 
  truth is far worse.
  The following descriptions present various encounters 
  in the Mushfens in more detail.
  Boggards: The swamps echo with the croaking warsongs 
  of frog-like boggards, the largest group of sentient creatures 
  to live in the Mushfens. Lone boggard hunters sometimes 
  wander the swamp (EL 2), but are more frequently found 
  in hunting bands of 2d6 (EL 8). As numerous tribes of 
  the swamp-dwellers battle for control of diverse marshy 
  territories, warbands comprised of 2d12 boggards and a 
  priest-king (EL 9) frequently roam the deepest depths of 
  the swamp. In the cases of these largest warbands, there is 
  also a 1 in 10 chance that the warriors go into battle with 
  one of their terrible god-kings, the mighty mobogo (see 
  page 88)!
  Dragon: None can say how many dragons make swampy 
  lairs within the depths of the Mushfens. Several black and 
  green dragons are known to hunt the mire’s depths, subtle 
  kings of the muck. Among the best known of these is the 
  young adult green dragon, Enderais Fogwing (EL 11), who 
  silently preys upon lone swampers and whole herds of 
  moss pigs—snapping up hairy sows unnoticed even under 
  the eyes of the most watchful swineherds. The withered 
  ancient black dragon, Ghradnorvaul the Black-Crowned 
  (EL 19), father of Ranavyced and Zarmangarof, has also 
  long haunted the fens, claiming a territory near the Lady’s 
  Light which no man, boggard, or other swamp-dweller 
  dares to trespass upon.
  Quicksand: Patches of quicksand can be found throughout 
  the Mushfens, frequently in beds roughly 5d20 feet in 
  diameter. See page 88 of the DMG for details on quicksand.
  Mushfens RandoM encounteRs
  d% 
  Monster 
  Avg. EL Source
  1–3 
  1 bat swarm 
  2 
  MM 237
  4–8 
  2d6 goblins 
  2 
  MM 133
  9 
  1d4 land lampreys 
  2 
  TOHR 253*
  10–11 
  1 Large monstrous spider 2 
  MM 288
  12–13 
  1d4 bonesnappers 
  3 
  TOHR 46*
  14–16 
  1d6 giant geckos 
  3 
  Pathfinder #1
  17–18  
  1d4 assassin vines     
  4 
  MM 20
  19 
  1 bunyip 
  4 
  TOHR 50*
  20 
  1 devilfish 
  4 
  Pathfinder #7
  21–22 
  1d12 giant flies 
  4 
  Pathfinder #8
  23 
  1d12 human zombies 
  4 
  MM 265
  24–27  
  1d4 moss pigs 
  4 
  MM 270**
  28 
  1 kelpie 
  4 
  TOHR 249*
  29–30 
  1d6 giant leeches 
  5 
  TOHR 255*
  31 
  2d6 goblin dogs 
  5 
  Pathfinder #1 
  32 
  1 forester’s bane 
  5 
  TOHR 204*
  33–35 
  1d4 mosquito swarms 
  5 
  W2: River Into 
   
   
   
  Darkness 29
  36–39  
  1 nightbelly boa** 
  5 
  MM 280
  40–43  
  2d12 stirges 
  5 
  MM 236
  44  
  1d4 amphisbaenas 
  6 
  TOHR 12*
  45–46  
  1d4 otyughs 
  6 
  MM 204
  47–48  
  1 shambling mound 
  6 
  MM 222
  49  
  1d4 tentamorts 
  6 
  TOHR 341*
  50–54 
  1d12 alligators** 
  7 
  MM 271
  55 
  1 black pudding  
  7 
  MM 201
  56 
  1d6 faceless stalkers 
  7 
  Pathfinder #2
  57–58  
  1d4 scrags 
  7 
  MM 247
  59–60  
  1d12 shocker lizards 
  7 
  MM 224
  61–62 
  1 giant slug 
  8 
  TOHR 232*
  63 
  3 green hags 
  8 
  MM 143
  64  
  1d4 tendriculoses 
  8 
  MM 241
  65–67  
  1d6 trolls 
  8 
  MM 247
  68–69  
  1d4 will-o’-wisps 
  8 
  MM 255
  70 
  1 wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing 8 
  TOHR 372*
  71–73  
  1d12 giant alligators** 
  9 
  MM 271
  74–76  
  1d12 giant dire frogs 
  9 
  TOHR 206*
  77–78  
  1d12 harpies 
  9 
  MM 150
  79–80  
  1d4 dark nagas 
  10 
  MM 191
  81 
  1d6 dracolisks 
  10 
  TOHR 161*
  82 
  1 mogobo 
  10 
  Pathfinder #12
  83–86 
  1d6 marsh giants 
  11 
  Pathfinder #5
  87  
  1 elder black pudding 
  12 
  MM 201
  88 
  1 froghemoth 
  13 
  TOHR 208*
  89–90 
  1d4 ten-headed hydras 
  13 
  MM 155 
  91–94 
  Quicksand 
  — 
  DMG 88
  95–99 
  Boggards 
  — 
  Pathfinder #2
  100 
  Dragon 
  — 
  see description
  * From the Tome of Horrors Revised.
  ** Local animals (use boar, crocodile, or giant constrictor snake).
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  82
  akaruzug
  A grim statue quietly hovers here, its slow, seemingly weightless 
  bobbing belying its obvious bulk. Sculpted in the shape of a grim, 
  horned angel, gigantic wings and terrible, long clawed arms jut 
  from a legless body that tapers into a blunt, blade-like trunk. 
  Upon the ominous form’s breast hang the fresh remains of a 
  crucified corpse.
  Akaruzug 
   
  CR 14
  LE Large construct
  Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Listen +1, 
  Spot +1
  Aura unhallow 40 ft.
  DEFENSE
  AC 29, touch 11, flat-footed 27
  (+2 Dex, +18 natural)
  hp 176 (32d10+30)
  Fort +10, Ref +12, Will +10
  DR 15/good; Immune construct traits
  OFFENSE
  Spd fly 40 ft. (perfect)
  Melee 2 claws +33 (1d8+10) and
   2 wing slams +28 (1d8+5) and
  body slam +28 (2d8+5)
  Special Attacks soul slave, soul steal 
  STATISTICS
  Str 30, Dex 14, Con —, Int —, Wis 12, Cha 1
  Base Atk +24; Grp +38
  SQ soul engine
  ECOLOGY
  Environment any
  Organization solitary
  Treasure none
  Advancement 33–36 (Large); 37–49 (Huge)
  Level Adjustment —
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Soul Engine (Su) An akaruzug draws the energy it 
  requires to function from a living creature crucified 
  upon its frame. An active akaruzug (or another 
  creature working with an inactive akaruzug) can 
  spend 1 minute to bind a helpless or willing creature 
  to the construct. Once the victim is restrained, the 
  akaruzug draws the creature’s soul into it, an effect 
  similar to the spell magic jar. While the soul remains 
  in the akaruzug, the construct remains active. If the 
  body crucified upon it is removed, the soul within the 
  construct is freed and the akaruzug deactivates after 1d4 
  rounds. An akaruzug’s victim cannot be resurrected while 
  its soul is still trapped within the construct.
  The most likely ways to free a body from an active akaruzug 
  are to pull it free or magically remove the body. A creature who 
  makes a grapple attempt against an akaruzug can target the 
  body hung on the construct. The akaruzug gains a +10 bonus 
  on the opposed grapple check to keep its victim in place. If 
  the akaruzug fails this check, its victim is freed. Casting a spell 
  like teleport object on an akaruzug’s victim can remove it from 
  its bindings. If a saving throw is allowed to resist the spell, the 
  akaruzug makes it for its victim. As an akaruzug’s victim is dead, 
  it no longer counts as a creature for the purposes of spells that 
  target individuals. An akaruzug’s victim cannot be targeted in 
  any ways besides these, and thus cannot be destroyed without 
  first destroying the construct.
  Destroying an akaruzug or removing its victim’s body 
  releases the soul restrained within. A released soul is not 
  returned to its body, however, and instead departs just as any 
  other slain soul. 
  Soul Slave (Su) Using the soul trapped within its frame, an 
  
  Bestiary
  83
  akaruzug can manifest ghostly representations of its victim 
  to attack its enemies as a standard action. These soul slaves 
  appear as the akaruzug’s victim did in life and wield a weapon 
  favored by that individual. Aside from this, the soul slave 
  functions similarly to the spell spiritual weapon cast by a 15th-
  level sorcerer (though with an AC adjusted by the victim’s 
  size). An akaruzug can use this ability up to three times a day.
  Soul Steal (Su) An akaruzug can attempt to draw additional 
  soul energy into it. Once every 1d4 rounds, the construct 
  can unleash a blast of soul essence that seeks to flense the 
  life force of any living creature within 20 feet. All living 
  creatures in the area must make a DC 26 Fortitude save or 
  gain 1d4 negative levels. The save DC is Constitution-based. 
  For each negative level bestowed, the akaruzug gains 5 
  temporary hit points.
  Unhallow (Sp) An akaruzug emanates a 40-foot aura of unholy 
  energy, as per the spell unhallow. The construct’s creator 
  determines what, if any, additional spell effects are tied to 
  the akaruzug’s unhallow aura at the time of its creation. The 
  construct benefits from any spell effects tied to its unhallow 
  aura. Common choices are darkness, detect good, freedom of 
  movement, and invisibility purge.
  Akaruzugs serve as temptations of the Lower Planes, 
  powerful, blasphemous constructs rarely used by fiends, 
  but whose designs are coveted by diabolical mortal magic 
  users. Crafted in the appearance of grim, towering angels 
  and creatures of warped beauty, these creations stand in 
  mockery of light, life, and all that is good. By their very 
  existence—powered by souls trapped in torment—they 
  spread death and despair, their every atrocity heaping 
  guilt upon the dark souls of their creators.
  Most akaruzugs are 15 feet tall or larger, and weigh 
  upward of 3 tons, depending on the materials used in 
  their creation. They commonly attack using claws, wings, 
  and the lashing of a broad sword-like tail, though some 
  akaruzugs have been created with multiple arms and 
  great impaling horns.
  ecology
  In an akaruzug’s creation process, a powerful warrior is 
  entombed alive within a massive sculpture of lead, granite, 
  or iron. As the statue’s shape is refined and empowered—a 
  process involving the efforts of a skilled artisan and a 
  magic-user adept at channeling diabolical powers—the 
  warrior inside slowly expires, her weakening screams and 
  futile struggles likely sounding through the sculpture as 
  it develops. As part of the rite to animate the akaruzug, 
  the body is washed over in hellfire, a process that reduces 
  the body inside into a substance similar to packed ash. 
  These remains and the magic woven over the construct 
  prevent the escape of the lingering warrior soul within. 
  At this point, the akaruzug’s “soul engine” is complete, 
  but the construct still requires spirit energy to animate. 
  Constructed with shackles upon its breast, the construct 
  requires a second creature to be sacrificed to activate it, the 
  unfortunate soul being drawn into the ash and smoldering 
  hellish cinders within the foul construct. This second 
  infusion of stolen life force activates the akaruzug, causing 
  it to rise into the air and spread its profane aura. From 
  then on, it is a grim slave to its creator’s perverse will.
  Although mindless, akaruzugs have an innate hatred 
  for the living. Terrible icons of evil, they typically remain 
  still, hovering ominously above the ground, bearing their 
  crucified burden and shedding their blasphemous aura. 
  Unless specifically forbidden by its master, an akaruzug 
  attacks any mortal creature that it detects, attempting to 
  consume ever more life force.
  With their ominous shapes, unsettling abilities, and the 
  corpse displayed upon their breasts, akaruzugs are often 
  used as terrifying messengers, blasphemous retaliations 
  against those who would stand against the constructs’ 
  creator. When the Taldan knight Arstlan besieged the 
  tower of Vodcross, the home of the cruel wizard Cheseive, 
  Poison Lady of Ganholm, he was not heard from for weeks. 
  When he reemerged, it was in rent armor, crucified upon 
  the breast of a serpent-winged akaruzug bearing his face. 
  The thing laid waste to Ganholm, and hovered soundlessly 
  above the ruins for thirteen years before finally being felled 
  by the adventurers known as the Order of Vermilion.
  Habitat and society
  As unthinking constructs, akaruzugs have no ways or 
  culture of their own. Rather, they are used by infernal 
  tempters to spread the dark works of devils and further 
  diabolical agendas. Due to the murder and dark spells 
  required to create an akaruzug, becoming the master of 
  one of these hellish creations is in itself a damning act. As 
  the plans for creating these creatures are well documented 
  in the libraries of the Nine Hells, watchful and conniving 
  devils often assure that these formulas fall into the hands 
  of cruel, ambitious, and desperate spellcasters in answer 
  to their Hell-bound wishes.
  construction
  An akaruzug is created from a 15-foot-tall hollow statue of 
  a fallen angel. More than 6,000 pounds of dark stone, iron, 
  or lead are utilized in the construct’s creation, along with a 
  variety of rare infernal admixtures and empowering agents 
  costing at least 15,000 gp. Assembling the body requires a 
  DC 24 Craft (sculpting) or Craft (armorsmithing) check. In 
  addition, a martially skilled humanoid of at least 5th level 
  must be trapped inside the sculpture.
  CL 15th; Craft Construct, enervation, magic jar, unhallow, 
  caster must be at least 15th level; Price 160,000; Cost 80,000 
  gp + 6,400 XP.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  84
  belier devil, bdellavritra
  An amphisbaenic monstrosity with the body of a mottled, slimy 
  slug slithers through the ether with a stomach-wrenching grace. At 
  one extremity of its body is the wormish mouth of a leech, while at 
  the other is a knot of three human heads, their features contorted in 
  expressions of incredible pain. Between the teeth of the creature’s 
  three human mouths lash three elongated, writhing tongues, each 
  slashing through the air like hair-thin, deadly blades.
  Belier Devil (Bdellavritra) 
  CR 16
  Always LE Large outsider (devil, evil, extraplanar, lawful)
  Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., see in darkness; Listen +28, 
  Spot +28
  DEFENSE
  AC 35, touch 15, flat-footed 29
  (+6 Dexterity, +20 natural, –1 size)
  hp 195 (17d8+119)
  Fort +17, Ref +16, Will +20
  DR 10/good and silver; Immune fire, poison; Resist acid 10, 
  cold 10; SR 30
  OFFENSE
  Spd 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (perfect)
  Melee 3 tongues +23 (1d6+7) and 
  1 bite +21 (2d6+3)
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. (20 ft. with tongues)
  Special Attacks attach, blood drain, constrict 1d6+7, 
  improved grab, possession, summon devils
  Spell-like Abilities (CL 16th; +22 ranged touch)
   
  At will—acid arrow, etherealness, greater dispel magic, greater 
  teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), magic circle 
  against good, persistent image (DC 22)
   
  3/day—acid fog (DC 23), dimensional anchor, 
  dominate person (DC 22), greater scrying (DC 24), mass 
  suggestion (DC 23)
   
  1/day—blasphemy (DC 24), demand (DC 25), plane 
  shift, waves of exhaustion (DC 24)
  TACTICS
  Before Combat A bdellavritra prefers to hide its presence, 
  achieving its goals through the use of its possession ability. If 
  it is detected, though, it uses the abilities of its possessed body 
  to dispatch its foes. If its possessed body is destroyed, it uses 
  its magic circle against good, persistent image, and enchantment 
  abilities to prepare for battle and confuse its foes.
  During Combat With the ability to move between 
  the Material Plane and the Ethereal Plane at will, a 
  bdellavritra delights in appearing upon the Material 
  Plane, attacking and grabbing an opponent, and 
  then shifting back to the Ethereal Plane, where 
  it can dispatch or possess its foe at its leisure. If it fears 
  pursuit, it uses it dimensional anchor ability to trap foes on 
  one plane—preferably the Ethereal Plane.
  Morale All bdellavritras are wildly protective of their true 
  forms. If a bdellavritra’s body is approached or damaged, 
  it immediately releases its possessed host and returns to 
  defend itself. If reduced to fewer than half of its hit points, a 
  bdellavritra uses greater teleport to flee.
  STATISTICS
  Str 24, Dex 22, Con 25, Int 25, Wis 26, Cha 24
  Base Atk +17; Grp +28
  Feats Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Improved Disarm, 
  Improved Trip, Iron Will, Multiattack
  Skills Bluff +27, Concentration +27, Decipher Script +27, 
  Diplomacy +33, Gather Information +27, Hide +22, Intimidate 
  +29, Knowledge (arcana) +27, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) 
  +27, Knowledge (the planes) +27, Listen +28, Move Silently 
  +26, Sense Motive +28, Spellcraft +27, Spot +28
  Languages Celestial, Common, Draconic, Infernal; telepathy 
  100 ft.
  ECOLOGY
  Environment The Nine Hells
  Organization solitary
  Treasure standard coins, double goods, double items
  Alignment lawful evil
  
  Bestiary
  85
  Advancement 18–26 HD (Large); 27–36 HD (Huge)
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Blood Drain (Ex) A bdellavritra drains blood for 1d4 points of 
  Constitution damage each round it maintains a hold with 
  its bite. The bdellavritra gains 5 temporary hit points every 
  round it deals Constitution damage.
  Constrict (Ex) A bdellavritra deals 1d6+7 points of damage 
  with a successful grapple check against a Huge or smaller 
  creature. Because it seizes its victim by the neck, a creature in 
  the bdellavritra’s grasp cannot speak or cast spells with verbal 
  components. While constricted by a bdellavritra, a creature is 
  considered to be suffocating (see DMG, page 304.
  Improved Grab (Ex) To use this ability, a bdellavritra must hit 
  with either its bite or tongue attack. It can then attempt to 
  start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack 
  of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes 
  a hold and can blood drain (if it hit with its bite attack) or 
  constrict (if it hit with a tongue attack).
  Possession (Su) To use this ability, the bdellavritra must be 
  on the same plane as the targeted creature and make 
  a successful grapple attempt against the victim. If the 
  bdellavritra can maintain a grapple with a creature for a 
  whole round, the target must make a DC 25 Will save to 
  resist being possessed. If the creature fails, the bdellavritra 
  possesses the creature, gaining control of the being and 
  shunting its own body to the Ethereal Plane. This ability is 
  similar to a magic jar spell (caster level 17th), except that it 
  does not require a receptacle. A creature that successfully 
  saves is immune to that same bdellavritra’s possession ability 
  for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based. A bdellavritra 
  cannot use this ability while on the Outer Planes or any other 
  area not connected to the Ethereal Plane.
  While possessing a creature, a bdellavritra can relinquish 
  or retake control of its host body whenever it pleases, without 
  leaving the host’s body. The host creature becomes immune 
  to all other mind-affecting effects while possessed. Even when 
  not in control, the devil can still sense the world by using its 
  host’s senses. Any attempt to detect thoughts or alignment, 
  or similar divination effects cast upon the host, detects only 
  the properties of the entity controlling the body at that time, 
  whether it be the host or the bdellavritra. If the bdellavritra 
  is forced from its host’s body, the host body is slain, or the 
  devil voluntarily gives up control, its consciousness instantly 
  returns to its body on the Ethereal Plane. A bdellavritra is 
  subconsciously aware of its body’s condition and immediate 
  surroundings on the Ethereal Plane. Should its body be 
  damaged or have a creature or threat approach within 5 feet, 
  the devil likely relinquishes control of its host and returns its 
  consciousness to its true body to defend itself.
  Summon Devils (Sp) Once per day a bdellavritra can 
  attempt to summon 1d6 barbed devils or a horned devil with 
  a 45% chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 
  4th-level spell.
  Masterful possessors and foul masterminds, bdellavritras 
  possess some of the most feared intellects in the Nine 
  Hells. Their sadistic genius and patient, calculating plots 
  prove all the more terrifying as the worm-like fiends care 
  little for the politics and backbiting of the Outer Rifts, 
  their divisive attentions favoring the unpredictability and 
  challenges of the Material Plane. With bodies like pale 
  worms or leeches grown to monstrous sizes, bdellavritras 
  are enigmatic horrors. Slick with greasy bile and with 
  mouths at both ends of their gut-churning bodies, the 
  fiends posses a grotesque kind of ambidexterity, favoring no 
  dominant end. As such, the creatures’ voices can emanate 
  from their wormlike maws, any one of their human-like 
  mouths, or all four orifices at once, as they choose. 
  Bdellavritras typically reach sizes of up to 16 feet from 
  worm-mouth to human heads, and weigh upwards of 
  2,000 pounds.  
  treasure
  Bdellavritras do not carry any gear, and rarely bring treasures 
  with them when they travel to the Material Plane. They often 
  hoard treasures belonging to their possessed hosts and to 
  the victims of their schemes. It’s not uncommon for the 
  fiends to create vast troves in ethereal lairs, each treasure 
  significant to a creature they’ve possessed, manipulated, 
  or damned. The value of such items is insignificant to 
  bdellavritras, though the troves of experienced devils can 
  reach thousands of gold pieces in worth.
  saMple bdellavritras
  Bdellavritras have long manipulated the powerful and 
  ambitious of Golarion, promising wealth and power to 
  those with the conviction to follow the fiends’ depraved 
  orders. Several famed historic manipulators are known or 
  suspected to have actually been bdellavritras in disguise.  
  Marvondo: The poet, prophet, and seer of secrets, 
  Marvondo the Mystic, has performed in the royal courts 
  and theaters of Avistan for nearly two centuries. Many 
  have tried to learn from the magician or debunk his 
  visions and marvels, yet most who do vanish forever. One 
  Andoren scholar who attempted to discredit Marvondo’s 
  performance disappeared, reappearing forty years later, 
  seemingly unaged but raving mad and uttering the semi-
  comprehensible words, “devil worm.”
  Eunecto-Vas: The Pale Visir, the bdellavritra known as 
  Eunecto-Vas, guided the meteoric rise in wealth and power 
  of the Thuvian Emir Cestesos of Pashow in the late 44th 
  century. For many years the emir was a captive of the devil’s 
  manipulations, until finally the hero known as Jadvist the 
  Rat-Catcher freed his lord by ensnaring the fiend in an 
  iron flask. The Iron Flask of Jadvist the Rat-Catcher is said 
  to still be tended by an order of Sarenrae’s priests, hidden 
  deep within the Barrier Wall mountains.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  86
   contract devil, 
  pHistopHilus
  Rust-colored flesh covers the stern, muscular features of this tall, 
  obviously devilish figure. Straight black hair sweeps back from a 
  high forehead ringed by sharp, crown-like ridges. A sharp goatee 
  and slender eyes frame the perpetual sly smile that angles across his 
  craggy features. Numerous curving black horns sprout from his back, 
  jutting high above his head and coiling around his sides. Unfurled 
  scrolls festoon these horns, every inch of their ancient lengths crowded 
  with jagged runes that seem to slither with diabolical meaning. 
  Contract Devil (Phistophilus)  
  CR 10
  Always LE Medium outsider (devil, evil, extraplanar, lawful)
  Init +9; Senses darkvision 60 ft., see in darkness; Listen +14, 
  Spot +21
  DEFENSE
  AC 21, touch 15, flat-footed 16
  (+5 Dex, +6 natural)
  hp 104 (11d8+55)
  Fort +12, Ref +12, Will +16
  DR 10/good; Immune fire, poison; Resist acid 10, cold 10; SR 22
  OFFENSE
  Spd 30 ft.
  Melee gore +14 (1d8+3) and
  2 binding contracts +9 (1d4)
  Special Attacks impale 2d8+4, summon devil
  Spell-like Abilities (CL 14th)
  At will—bestow curse (DC 19), detect thoughts (DC 18), 
  dimension door (DC 20), erase (DC 17), identify, major image 
  (DC 19), polymorph (DC 20), produce flame, sending
  3/day—arcane eye, break enchantment (DC 21), greater 
  teleport, hold person (DC 19), locate creature, private 
  sanctum, scorching ray, silence (DC 18), shield of faith, vision
  1/day—contact other plane, delayed blast fireball (DC 23), 
  dismissal (DC 21), plane shift, symbol of pain (DC 21)
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Contract devils abhor combat and 
  always teleport away before fighting begins. If an 
  opponent particularly frustrates one of these fiends, 
  it uses its summon devil ability to leave a fiercer devil 
  behind while it retreats. Should some effect prevent a 
  contract devil’s retreat, it casts shield of faith upon itself 
  and attempts to use detect thoughts on opponents, 
  seeking hidden desires that it might use to bargain its 
  way out of danger.
  During Combat If forced into combat, a contract 
  devil talks constantly, attempting to coax 
  its opponents into seemingly beneficial 
  bargains or using its enchantment 
  spell-like abilities while staying behind 
  summoned bodyguards. 
  Morale Contract devils find fighting—especially their own 
  battles—distasteful, seeing themselves as above such 
  uncouth brawling. If an interaction comes to violence, 
  most leave in frustration or boredom before the fighting 
  even begins. A contract devil never again treats with a 
  creature that has attacked it—that is, unless it’s paid a 
  sizable apology fee.
  STATISTICS
  Str 17, Dex 20, Con 21, Int 24, Wis 24, Cha 22
  Base Atk +11; Grp +14
  Feats Dodge, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mobility, 
  Negotiator*, Persuasive*
  Skills Appraise +21, Bluff +22, Concentration +12, Decipher 
  Script +21, Diplomacy +26, Forgery +21, Gather Information 
  +20, Intimidate +17, Knowledge (religion) +21, Knowledge 
  (the planes) +21, Knowledge (any two others) +14, Listen 
  +14, Profession (scribe) +21, Search +14, Sense Motive +23, 
  
  Bestiary
  87
  Sleight of Hand +14, Spellcraft +16, Spot +21
  Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Infernal, 
  Sylvan, Undercommon; telepathy 100 ft., tongues
  SQ infernal contract, infernal investment
  * bonus feat
  ECOLOGY
  Environment The Nine Hells
  Organization solitary, or court (2–12)
  Treasure standard
  Advancement by character class; Favored Class wizard
  Level Adjustment —
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Impale (Ex) A contract devil deals 2d8+4 points of piercing 
  damage to a grabbed opponent with a successful grapple 
  check.
  Improved Grab (Ex) To use this ability, a contract devil must 
  hit with a binding contract. It can then attempt to start 
  a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of 
  opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a 
  hold and can impale.
  Infernal Contract (Su) As a full-round action, a contract 
  devil can produce an infernal contract for a single living 
  mortal creature. This contract can grant a wide range of 
  abilities and effects. To receive these benefits, however, 
  the mortal must sign his true name to the document 
  of his own free will. Upon doing so the mortal’s soul is 
  foresworn to the contract devil, condemning him to an 
  eternity of servitude in Hell rather than whatever fate 
  would naturally befall him after death. Thus, should the 
  mortal die, no spell or ability short of divine intervention 
  can resurrect him.
  In return for a mortal soul, contract devils commonly 
  draft one of the following three contracts.
  Evil Wishes: Upon signing this contract, a mortal is 
  granted 3 wishes, as per the spell wish. He can use these 
  wishes immediately or at a point in the future by calling 
  upon the contract devil (see the devil’s infernal investment) 
  ability. While the mortal chooses the intention of the 
  wishes, the contract devil decides upon the specifics, 
  allowing for its own diabolical interpretation of the results 
  should the mortal imprecisely phrase his wish.
  Hellbound Heart: Upon signing this contract, a mortal is 
  bound to a specific willing devil, gaining the devil-bound 
  template (see the Advanced Bestiary). If the mortal does not 
  name a particular fiend or type of devil the contract devil 
  chooses one for him.
  Infernal Slave: A mortal can negotiate with a contract 
  devil for the lifelong service of a devil. The mortal chooses 
  any type of devil with Hit Dice equal to or less than his own 
  at the time of the bargain (except for a contract devil). Upon 
  signing the contract, the mortal’s infernal slave appears and 
  is bound to do him no harm and follow his orders for as 
  long as he lives. Although the devil must obey its master’s 
  commands, many devils delight in corrupting their orders’ 
  intentions in all manner of cruel or mischievous ways. 
  Breaking a Contract: An agreement with a contract devil 
  can only be broken in two ways. Upon a contract being 
  signed, two copies of the contract are made, one held by 
  the devil and one given to the mortal. Mortals are free 
  to do whatever they please with the lengthy, obviously 
  evil documents, and contract devils typically keep all of 
  their active contracts with them at all times. Should both 
  a mortal and a contract devil’s copies of a contract be 
  destroyed, any effects caused by the contract (spell effects, 
  granted templates, etc.) are canceled or reversed and the 
  mortal’s soul goes to its normal place of rest after death 
  and can be resurrected as normal. 
  Alternatively, a second mortal might be allowed to 
  adopt the terms of a contract—his soul replacing that of 
  the original contract signer after death. The mortal who 
  seeks to pay the debt of another must contact the contract 
  devil who holds the relevant contract. The contract devil 
  has a choice in whether or not to allow one mortal to pay 
  another’s debt, but value religious and good-aligned souls 
  over others. Shrewd manipulators, contract devils often 
  only agree to allow one mortal to pay another’s debt in 
  return for some service or proof of worth. If a contract 
  devil agrees to accept another soul in payment, the original 
  contract signer retains all of the benefits of his contract, 
  but is released from damnation and may be resurrected 
  as normal. The new signer, however, receives no benefits, 
  cannot be returned to life upon dying, and spends an 
  eternity in Hell after death.
  Infernal Investment (Su) As a sub-clause of all infernal 
  contracts, a contract devil can scry at will upon any creature 
  it has a contract with. The target creature always fails its 
  save against the devil’s scrying attempt. 
  Summon Devil (Sp) Once per day a contract devil can attempt 
  to summon 1d6 bearded devils or a bone devil with a 50% 
  chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 4th-
  level spell.
  Tongues (Su) Contract devils can speak with any creature that 
  has a language, as though using a tongues spell (caster level 
  14th). This ability is always active.
  Phistophilus, widely known throughout the planes as 
  contract devils, serve Asmodeus, archfiends, and the vast 
  bureaucracy of Hell as clerks, scribes, and bargainers in 
  mortal souls. They exist to keep track of the damned, 
  manage Hell’s endless ordinances, and, when time and 
  opportunity permit, to coax mortals into damnation. Most 
  phistophilus spend their eternities in the various courts 
  of Hell’s nine circles; the Fallen Fastness, Dis’s maze-like 
  fortress-library where all laws and oaths are recorded; and 
  occasionally on the Material Plane when summoned by 
  particularly desperate, arrogant, or foolish mortals.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  88
  Mobogo
  Of bulbous body and bizarre shape, this gigantic, toad-like beast 
  combines the most disgusting traits of dragon and amphibian. 
  Reptilian wings unfurl from its leaking corpulence, its frame 
  heaped with rolls of corded muscle and moist frog fat. Three 
  buckler-sized yellow eyes protrude above a wide, drooling maw 
  lined with teeth the size of daggers. From this cavernous hollow 
  echoing with deep croaking belches darts a thick tongue the color 
  of an angry bruise, darting forth to greedily snatch up flies, birds, 
  and anything else that comes too near.
  Mobogo 
  CR 10
  Always CE Huge magical beast (boggard)
  Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., lowlight vision; Listen +10, 
  Spot +17
  DEFENSE
  AC 24, touch 10, flat-footed 22
  (+2 Dex, +14 natural, –2 size)
  hp 138 (12d10+72); regeneration 5 (acid, cold, fire)
  Fort +16, Ref +10, Will +6
  OFFENSE
  Spd 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (clumsy), swim 40 ft.
  Melee slam +19 (1d8+9) and
  bite +14 (2d6+4)
  Ranged tongue +12 (1d6+4)
  Special Attacks crush 2d8+13, Gogunta’s song
  Spell-like Abilities (CL 8)
  At will—charm animal (DC 14), create 
  water, pass without trace, speak with 
  animals, water breathing
  3/day—control water, fog cloud, 
  gust of wind (DC 15), plant 
  growth, quench (DC 16), soften 
  earth and stone (DC 15), sound 
  burst (DC 15)
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Preferring to lair in the 
  deepest, muddiest, most overgrown 
  parts of the swamp, mobogos use 
  their plant growth and soften earth 
  and stone to assure that their 
  surroundings always suit their 
  simple, repulsive tastes. Should a 
  mobogo detect enemies, it croaks 
  loudly to summon any boggard allies 
  and hides amid nearby vegetation, preparing 
  to ambush its foes.
  During Combat Whenever possible, a 
  mobogo attempts to slow down its prey, 
  miring enemies with its plant growth 
  and soften earth and stone abilities. 
  It then makes great crushing leaps, 
  hopping clumsily into the air with the aid of its 
  broad wings and crashing down upon opponents. Using its 
  powerful tongue, it attempts to restrain any creatures that 
  survive to flee.
  Morale Savage and always hungry, a mobogo rarely flees from 
  creatures smaller than it. If reduced to fewer than a quarter of 
  its hit points, it makes use of its spell-like abilities to escape 
  into nearby water or overgrowth.
  STATISTICS
  Str 28, Dex 14, Con 22, Int 6, Wis 14, Cha 16
  Base Atk +12; Grp +29
  Feats Combat Reflexes, Great Fortitude, Improved Overrun, 
  Power Attack, Wingover
  Skills Hide –6 (+8 in swamps), Jump +17, Listen +10, Spot +17
  Languages Boggard
  SQ swamp stride
  ECOLOGY
  Environment temperate marshes
  Organization solitary, or lump (2–4)
  Treasure standard
  Advancement 13–24 HD (Huge); 25–30 HD (Gargantuan)
  Level Adjustment —
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Crush (Ex) As a standard action, a flying mobogo may land 
  
  Bestiary
  89
  on opponents of Medium size or smaller, using its terrible 
  girth to crush them. A crush attack affects as many 
  creatures as can fit under the mobogo’s body. Creatures in 
  the affected area must succeed on a DC 22 Reflex save or be 
  pinned, automatically taking 2d8+13 bludgeoning damage 
  during the next round unless the mobogo moves off them. 
  If the mobogo chooses to maintain the pin, treat it as a 
  normal grapple attack. Pinned opponents take damage 
  from the crush each round if they don’t escape. The save 
  DC is Constitution-based.
  Gogunta’s Song (Su) As a standard action, a mobogo can 
  unleash a thunderous croak. Any non-boggard within 50 
  feet of the mobogo must make a DC 17 Will save or become 
  shaken for 1d4 minutes. Creatures that succeed at this 
  save cannot be affected by the same mobogo’s croak for 24 
  hours. Creatures that are already shaken become frightened 
  for 1d4 rounds instead. The save DC is Charisma-based.
  In addition, creatures with the boggard subtype within 
  the area of Gogunta’s song are affected as per the spell aid.
  Regeneration (Ex) Fire, cold, and acid deal normal damage to 
  a mobogo.
  Swamp Stride (Ex) A mobogo can move through any sort of 
  natural difficult terrain at its normal speed while within a 
  swamp. Magically altered terrain affects a mobogo normally.
  Tongue (Ex) A mobogo can attack any creature within 40 feet with 
  its tongue. If a mobogo strikes a Medium or smaller creature 
  with this attack, the tongue latches onto the opponent’s body. 
  This deals 1d6+4 damage and drags the stuck opponent 10 
  feet closer each subsequent round (provoking no attacks of 
  opportunity) unless that creature breaks free, which requires 
  a DC 29 Escape Artist check or a DC 25 Strength check. The 
  check DCs are Strength-based, and the Escape Artist DC 
  includes a +4 racial bonus. Once a stuck creature is within 10 
  feet, the mobogo deals automatic bite damage. A mobogo’s 
  tongue has 20 hit points and can be attacked by making a 
  successful sunder attempt. However, attacking a mobogo’s 
  tongue does not provoke an attack of opportunity. If its 
  tongue is currently attached to a target, the mobogo takes 
  a –4 penalty on its opposed attack roll to resist the sunder 
  attempt. Severing its tongue deals no damage to a mobogo, 
  put prevents it from using its tongue attack for 1 week.
  Skills Mobogos have a +8 racial bonus on Jump and Spot 
  checks, and a +8 racial bonus on Hide checks made in a 
  marsh environment.
  The Brood of Gogunta,the Swamp Kings, mobogos are the 
  primeval paragons of boggard-kind. Huge and hungry, 
  merging the features of gigantic toads and swampy 
  dragons, mobogos lair in the deepest, oldest swamps of 
  Golarion, where whole tribes of boggards serve their fickle, 
  idiot whims. 
  Most mobogos stand approximately 18 feet tall and 
  weigh upward of 3 tons. A mobogo’s loudest croaks cut 
  through the humidity and underbrush of even the densest 
  swamps and can be heard up to a mile away. See Pathfinder 
  #2 for more details on boggards.
  ecology
  Mobogos reside in the most primal swamps of Golarion, 
  grotesque eldritch wildernesses unchanged for centuries. 
  The crude religion of boggard-kind says that when the 
  massive goddess Gogunta deposited her frogspawn in the 
  muddy morass of Golarion’s still-forming continents, the 
  mobogo were among the first creatures to emerge. Ever 
  since, these Swamp Kings have slept and fed, preying upon 
  the beasts of their fetid meres, growing huge and lethargic, 
  dreaming inscrutable amphibious dreams of their godly 
  mother’s return.
  Few mobogos exist even in the largest swamps. Although 
  boggards claim mobogos are immortal and divine, in 
  truth the creatures likely have lifespans measuring in 
  centuries. Most mobogos never meet another of their kind, 
  with the endless attentions of their boggard followers 
  assuring the corpulent creatures rarely have any need to 
  move from their sacred pools and marshy temples. Should 
  two mobogos actually meet, however, the result is either 
  a pitifully small cluster of frogspawn or a titanic battle of 
  thrashing flesh and deafening croaks. 
  Habitat & society
  Few mobogos exist that are not attended by tribes of 
  boggards. Whether the toad-men and mobogos are actually 
  related remains a widely debated question by scholars of 
  other races. Boggards don’t question the matter, however, 
  holding the massive, warty beasts as the holy offspring 
  of their foul swamp goddess, Gogunta. Mobogos remain 
  silent on the matter, their crude intelligences caring little 
  for matters of origins and philosophies. Instead, they care 
  only for the endless sacrifices of food, victims, and pleasing 
  swamp art brought to them by their obedient tribes. 
  While boggard tribes blessed by the presence of a mobogo 
  look to the fleshy beasts as leaders, the mandates of these 
  monstrosities rarely seem profound or divine—mostly 
  tending toward croaks for more food or sunnier throne-
  mounds. In many tribes, a cunning boggard priest-king takes 
  the role of liaison or attendant to the demigod and interprets 
  his own agenda amid the beast’s commands, croaks, and 
  belches, becoming the obvious power behind and before the 
  throne. On rare occasions, though—typically upon ingesting 
  copious amounts of strange, poisonous dragonflies—
  mobogos go into lengthy dazes that can last days or months. 
  Upon emerging, the Swamp Kings sometimes spout strange 
  demands or blaze a path of devastation as they bound into 
  the swamp. Boggards view these whims and migrations as 
  commands from Gogunta herself, and zealously obey or 
  follow the addled urges of their corpulent masters.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  90
  EzrEn
  SEElah
  Male HuMan Wizard 14
  FeMale HuMan Paladin 14
  str
  str
  defense
  HP 50
  AC 17
  touch 11, flat-footed 17
  Fort +9, Ref +7, Will +13
  defense
  HP 137
  AC 30
  touch 12, flat-footed 30
  Fort +16, Ref +7, Will +9
  offense
  Melee staff of evocation +7/+2 (1d6)
  Base Atk +7; Grp +7
  Spells (CL 14th, +6 ranged touch)
  7th—limited wish, prismatic spray 
  (DC 24), project image
  6th—disintegrate (DC 23), greater 
  dispel magic, mislead, stone to flesh
  5th—cone of cold (DC 22), 
  dismissal,  teleport, wall of force
  4th—dimension door, enervation, ice 
  storm, stoneskin, wall of fire
  3rd—dispel magic (2), fireball (DC 20), 
  fly, haste, ray of exhaustion
  2nd—bull’s strength, invisibility, mirror 
  image, scorching ray (2), web (DC 19)
  1st—alarm, magic missile (3), ray of 
  enfeeblement, shield
  0—daze (DC 15), detect magic (2), light
  offense
  Melee +2 holy cold iron longsword 
  +22/+17/+12 (1d8+7/17–20)
  Ranged +1 holy composite longbow 
  +15/+10/+5 (1d8+6/×3)
  Base Atk +14; Grp +19
  Special Attacks lay on hands (42 
  hp/day), smite evil 3/day, turn 
  undead 6/day (+4,  2d6+14, 11th)
  Spells Prepared (CL 7th)
  3rd—dispel magic
  2nd—resist energy, remove paralysis
  1st—bless, bless weapon, divine favor
  Special Qualities  aura of courage, 
  detect evil, divine grace, divine 
  health, remove disease 3/week, 
  special mount
  skills
  Appraise 
  +10
  Concentration 
  +18
  Knowledge (arcana) 
  +24
  Knowledge (geography) +24
  Knowledge (history) 
  +24
  Knowledge (the planes) +21
  Spellcraft 
  +26
  feats
  Combat Casting, Empower 
  Spell, Great Fortitude, Greater 
  Spell Penetration, Improved 
  Initiative, Quicken Spell, Scribe 
  Scroll, Spell Penetration, 
  Weapon Focus (ray)
  familiar
  Sneak (weasel, MM 282)
  skills
  Concentration 
  +7
  Heal 
  +6
  Knowledge (religion) 
  +6
  Ride  
  +10
  Sense Motive 
  +9
  feats
  Cleave, Improved Critical 
  (longsword), Power Attack, 
  Ride-By Attack, Mounted 
  Combat, Weapon Focus 
  (longsword)
  mount
  Aristide (heavy warhorse; 
  MM 273)
  Combat Gear rod of lesser quicken metamagic, staff of evocation (50 charges); Other Gear dagger, 
  light crossbow with 20 bolts, bracers of armor +4, cloak of resistance +2, headband of intellect +6, 
  ring of protection +2, ring of force shield, blessed book, rations (6), scroll case, diamond dust (250 
  gp), 100 gp pearls (2), 100 gp
  Gear +5 full plate, +3 heavy steel shield, +2 holy cold iron longsword, +1 holy composite longbow (+5 Str) 
  with 20 arrows, arrows of evil outsider slaying (2), amulet of health +4, cloak of Charisma +4, belt of giant 
  strength +4, phylactery of faithfulness, ring of protection +2, backpack, rations (4), gold holy symbol, 41 gp
  align NG 
  init +3 
  sPeed 30 ft.
  align LG 
  init +0 
  sPeed 20 ft.
  dex
  dex
  con
  con
  int
  int
  wis
  wis
  cha
  cha
  11
  20
  9
  10
  12
  18
  25
  8
  15
  14
  9
  17
  abilities
  abilities
  Seelah’s parents were slain by gnoll raiders within months of their settling in Solku. When a group 
  of Iomedae’s knights arrived to help defend the town, Seelah was taken with their beautiful, shin-
  ing armor. She stole a helm from one of the paladins, but became overwhelmed with guilt. Worse, 
  before she had a chance to return the helm, the paladin was herself slain. Wracked with guilt, Seelah 
  confessed her guilt and vowed her life to the paladins’ cause. A full paladin today, she values Ezren’s 
  wisdom and Harsk’s conviction, but it is irreverent Lem who Seelah is most amused by, even if she 
  sometimes feels his jokes go too far.
  Ezren’s pleasantly safe childhood changed when his father was charged with heresy by the church 
  of Abadar. Ezren worked to repair his father’s reputation, but when he discovered proof of his 
  father’s guilt he abandoned his family and set out into the world. He fell naturally into wizardry, 
  and while he often argues on the value of religion with Seelah, and his atrophied sense of humor 
  often makes him the butt of Lem’s jokes, his world experience and keen wit are quite valued by 
  his younger traveling companions.
  deity: Atheist  Homeland: Absalom
  deity: Iomedae Homeland: Katapesh
  
  Characters
  deity: Shelyn  Homeland: Cheliax
  91
  harSk
  lEm
  Male dWarF ranger  14
  Male HalFling Bard 14
  str
  str
  defense
  HP 108
  AC 29
  touch 18, flat-footed 24
  +4 against giants
  Fort +12, Ref +14, Will +5
  +2 against poison and 
  spells; evasion
  defense
  HP 65
  AC 27
  touch 20, flat-footed 21
  Fort +6, Ref +16, Will +9
  +2 vs. fear, evasion
  bardic music
  14/day; countersong, 
  fascinate, inspire 
  competence, inspire 
  courage +3, inspire 
  greatness, song of freedom, 
  suggestion
  offense
  Melee +2 greataxe +18/+13/+8 
  (1d12+5/×3)
  Ranged +3 flaming burst giant 
  bane heavy crossbow +22/+17/+12 
  (1d10+3 plus 1d6 fire/17–20) 
  Base Atk +14; Grp +16
  Special Attacks favored enemy (giants 
  +6; undead +4; dragons +2), +1 on 
  attack rolls vs. orcs and goblinoids
  Spells Prepared (CL 3rd)
  3rd—cure moderate wounds
  2nd—bear’s endurance
  1st—entangle (DC 12), longstrider, 
  resist energy
  Special Qualities camouflage, 
  darkvision 60 ft., stability, 
  stonecunning, swift tracker, 
  woodland stride
  offense
  Melee +1 short sword +11/+6 
  (1d4/19–20)
  Ranged +1 shock sling +19/+14 (1d3 
  plus 1d6 electricity)
  Base Atk +10; Grp +5
  Spells Known (CL 12th)
  5th (2/day)—mislead, shadow walk, 
  song of discord (DC 22)
  4th (4/day)—c. crit. wounds, dim. door, 
  hold monster (DC 21), shout (DC 21)
  3rd (5/day)—charm monster (DC 20), 
  dispel magic, haste, major image (DC 21)
  2nd (5/day)—alter self, c. mod. wounds, 
  mirror image, sound burst (DC 18)
  1st (5/day)—cure light wounds, feather 
  fall, hideous laughter (DC 18), silent 
  image (DC 19)
  0 (4/day)—detect magic, ghost 
  sound (DC 17), light, message, 
  prestidigitation, summon instrument
  skills
  Heal 
  +18
  Hide 
  +27
  Listen 
  +18
  Move Silently 
  +27
  Spot 
  +23
  Survival 
  +18
  Wild Empathy 
  +12
  feats
  Crossbow Mastery, Endurance, 
  Far Shot, Imp. Crit. (heavy 
  crossbow), Improved Precise 
  Shot, Point Blank Shot, Precise 
  Shot, Rapid Reload (heavy 
  crossbow), Rapid Shot, Track
  animal comPanion
  Biter (dire badger, MM 268)
  skills
  Bardic Knowledge 
  +15
  Bluff 
  +24
  Climb 
  +1
  Concentration  
  +18
  Diplomacy 
  +24
  Hide 
  +11
  Jump 
  –3
  Listen 
  +10
  Move Silently 
  +8
  Perform (comedy) 
  +24
  Perform (wind instruments) +14
  Tumble 
  +23
  Use Magic Device 
  +24
  feats
  Dodge, Improved Initiative, 
  Mobility, Quick Draw, Spell 
  Focus (illusion)
  Combat Gear potion of cure moderate wounds (2); Other Gear +5 studded leather armor, +2 greataxe, 
  +3 flaming burst giant bane heavy crossbow with 30 bolts, screaming bolt (3), masterwork silver dagger, 
  amulet of natural armor +3, eyes of the eagle, gloves of Dexterity +4, lens of detection, ring of protection +3, 
  boots of elvenkind, cloak of elvenkind, backpack, rations (4), signal whistle, tea pot, 40 pp
  Combat Gear rod of wonder, wand of cure moderate wounds (50 ch.), wand of lightning bolt (50 ch.); Gear +5 
  leather armor, dagger, +1 short sword, +1 shock sling (20 bullets), cloak of Charisma +6, gloves of Dexterity +4, 
  ring of evasion, ring of protection +3, backpack, masterwork flute, rations (6), spell component pouch, 40 pp
  align LN 
  init +5 
  sPeed 20 ft.
  align CG 
  init +10 
  sPeed 20 ft.
  dex
  dex
  con
  con
  int
  int
  wis
  wis
  cha
  cha
  14
  8
  20
  22
  16
  13
  10
  12
  13
  8
  6
  24
  abilities
  abilities
  Growing up a slave in the devil-haunted empire of Cheliax exposed Lem to a shocking range of decadence 
  and debauchery. Always quick to side with the underdog, Lem has learned that his most powerful trait is 
  his optimism and sense of humor—skills that almost make up for his small stature and impulsive nature. 
  Lem’s reasons for traveling with his current companions vary upon the day and his mood, but he certainly 
  values their strengths—and the never-ending supply of comedy material their antics provide him with.
  Harsk is, in many ways, not your standard dwarf. He prefers strong tea over alcohol (to keep his senses 
  sharp), the wildlands of the surface world (where giants can be found), and the crossbow over the axe 
  (which allows him to start fights faster). Much of his anger stems from the death of his brother’s war-
  band. Slain to a man by giants, Harsk came upon the slaughter moments too late to save his brother. His 
  companions value his skill at combat even if they’re somewhat afraid of him.
  deity: Torag  Homeland: Druma
  
  Preview
  Next Month  
  In Pathfinder
  92
  Shadow in the Sky
  by Greg A. Vaughan
  Strange things are happening in Riddleport. A dark 
  blot hangs in the sky over the city, and claims of bizarre 
  goings-ons and apocalyptic prophecies fill the streets. 
  Could these peculiar events be tied to the Golden 
  Goblin’s diabolically themed “Cheat the Devil; Take His 
  Gold” competition? Or are more nefarious works afoot in 
  the pirate’s paradise? Find out in the first adventure of 
  Pathfinder’s new Adventure Path: Second Darkness!
  RiddlepoRt
  by Greg A. Vaughan
  Dare to enter the cutthroat city of Riddleport, home to pirates, 
  criminals, and shysters of all sorts. From the choking smoke 
  of the Gasforges to the dizzying heights of the Cyphergate, 
  fortunes change swiftly in Varisia’s city of sin.
  GamblinG at the  
  Golden Goblin
  by Greg A. Vaughan and Mike Selinker
  Roll the bones and test your luck! Enter Riddleport’s premiere 
  gambling hall, meet its patrons, and learn its games—but 
  keep an eye on your coin purse. What Riddleport’s gamblers 
  can’t take by luck they often take by force!
  Set piece: thieveS’ den
  The first of Pathfinder’s new Set Piece adventures! An 
  unassuming chapel becomes a hideout for a gang of 
  local thugs and scheming thieves. Can your PCs discern 
  criminal from clergyman?
  pathfindeR’S JouRnal
  Eando Kline’s journey into the darkness begins. The 
  world of light has proven treacherous, but what new 
  terrors await the Pathfinder in the mysterious depths of 
  the Darklands?
  SubScRibe to pathfindeR!
  A whole new adventure path begins next months! Be sure 
  you’re there for the start of Second Darkness! Head on over to 
  paizo.com/pathfinder and set up a subscription today! Have 
  each Pathfinder,Pathfinder Companion, Pathfinder Chronicles, 
  and GameMastery product delivered to your door!
  Missing a part of Curse of the Crimson Throne? Pick up 
  every volume of past adventure paths online!
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  System Reference Document. Copyright 2000. Wizards of the Coast, Inc; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip 
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  Pathfinder 12: Crown of Fangs. Copyright 2008, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Tito Leati.
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  get harrowed
  All trademarks are property of Paizo Publishing®, LLC. ©2008 Paizo. All Rights Reserved
  ™
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  paizo.com/gamemastery
  $15.99 
  the marriage 
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  the beating
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  Designed for use in the second Pathﬁnder™ Adventure Path, Curse of the 
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  All trademarks are property of Paizo Publishing®, LLC ©2008 Paizo Publishing.  
  Permission granted to photocopy this page.
  
  The exciting world of the Pathfinder™ Adventure Paths and Pathfinder Modules comes alive in 
  this massive 256-page full-color hardcover tome primed and ready to go for your new campaign! 
  Detailed sections on more than 40 nations provide a full picture of the world of the Pathfinder 
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  Written by  
  Keith Baker, Wolfgang Baur, Jason Bulmahn, Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb, James Jacobs, Mike McArtor,  
  Erik Mona, F. Wesley Schneider, and more than twenty additional authors,  
  including mini-essays on world creation by R.A. Salvatore and Robert J. Kuntz.
  Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting
     
  August 2008  ◆  $49.99
  Golarion Needs Heroes
  paizo.com/pathfinder
  All trademarks are property of Paizo Publishing®,
   LLC. ©2008 Paizo. All Rights Reserved
  
  Enenmies of Korvosa
  Gray Maidens
  Erinyes Furies
  Zarmangarof
  Beira wash
  Boggard Champion
  T ogomor
  Sab ina Merrin
  Enchanted 
  Slaves
  False
  Ileosa
  Mistress
  Katltanya
  Red Mantis
  Assasins
  Sermignatto
  Yzahnu m
  Pudgyknuckles
  Mavrokeras
  T he Yallo ps
  Erinyes Guards
  Queen Ileosa Arabasti
  
  paizo.com/pathfinder
  Printed in China. PZO9012
  K
  orvosa withers in the grip of a mad monarch! Beaten down by 
  riots, disease, and the ironclad enforcers of a cruel despot, the 
  people shudder in their homes and pray for saviors. The time 
  has come to rise up against the crazed Queen Ileosa Arabasti and put 
  an end to her vicious rule. Yet within the walls of Castle Korvosa waits 
  an army of soldiers, bodyguards, and diabolical monstrosities—to say 
  nothing of the seemingly invincible queen herself. Can the PCs put 
  an end to a tyrant’s reign? Or will an ancient evil claim Korvosa once 
  and for all? All is decided in this, the fateful climax of the Curse of 
  the Crimson Throne Adventure Path!
  This volume of Pathfinder includes: 
  ►  “Crown of Fangs,” an adventure for 14th-level characters,  
  by Tito Leati.
  ►  Details on the relics of Kazavon, seven terrifying artifacts 
  possessed by the spirit of one of Golarion’s most notorious 
  dragons, by J.D. Wiker.
  ►  The mysteries of the Harrow deck of many things, 
  an artifact capable of reshuffling fate and 
  changing fortunes, by the Pathfinder staff.
  ►  Eando Kline’s trek to the orc city of Urgir 
  takes a turn for the impossible in the 
  Pathfinder’s Journal, by James L. Sutter.
  ►  Four new monsters by Tito Leati and 
  F. Wesley Schneider.
  Death to all Tyrants!
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Pathfinder/Adventure Paths/Curse of the Crimson Throne/Crown of Fangs 6.pdf