TEXT: Forest of
  Spirits
  By Richard Pett
  
  In many of the nations and regions 
  that collectively make up the land 
  of Tian Xia, histories stretch back to 
  points so ancient that the distinction 
  between fact and myth blurs. From 
  the legendary past rise monuments 
  depicting fantastic heroes and strange 
  beings, personages none now living can 
  prove ever truly existed—yet who are 
  believed in all the same. In some places, 
  these figures are merely legends and 
  fairy tales told to children. In others, 
  evidence of wondrous deeds remains. 
  And in still others, these ancient beings 
  yet watch over their people, guarding 
  those with the faith to see past the veils 
  of time.
  Not all the creatures spoken of in the 
  tales of Minkai are as ferocious as the 
  dreaded oni or as protective as the 
  mysterious kami. Some exist merely 
  to exist, taking delight in life and all 
  the pleasures the world has to offer 
  while simultaneously accepting it as 
  it is. Among these are the raccoonlike 
  tanuki, jolly and clever creatures 
  equally as likely to wander the world in 
  search of new experiences as they are to 
  make someplace their home and enjoy 
  its comforts. Yet many stories warn 
  listeners to honor even such whimsical 
  creatures, as their powers make them 
  more than mortals, and those who 
  rouse their ire suffer terrible fates.
  Living Legendry
  Deserving of Honor
  
  Forest oF spirits
  ADVENTURE PATH • PART 4 of 6
  ®
  TM
  
  credits
  Creative Director • James Jacobs
  Senior Art Director • Sarah E. Robinson
  Managing Editor • F. Wesley Schneider
  Development Lead • Rob McCreary
  Editing • Judy Bauer, Christopher Carey, Patrick Renie, and James L. Sutter
  Editorial Assistance • Jason Bulmahn, Mark Moreland, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, and Sean K Reynolds
  Editorial Intern • Meredith Kniest
  Graphic Designer • Andrew Vallas
  Production Specialist • Crystal Frasier
  Cover Artist
  Wayne Reynolds
  Cartographers
  Jared Blando and Rob Lazzaretti
  Contributing Artists
  Eric Belisle, Jorge Fares, Mariusz Gandzel, Andrew Hou, Diana Martinez, Sara Otterstätter, Doug Stambaugh,  
  Sung Yoon Ko, Eva Widermann, and Kieran Yanner
  Contributing Authors
  Jesse Benner, Dave Gross, Richard Pett, Patrick Renie, Steve Russell, Mike Shel, and Mike Welham
  Publisher • Erik Mona
  Paizo CEO • Lisa Stevens
  Vice President of Operations • Jeffrey Alvarez
  Director of Sales • Pierce Watters
  Sales Assistant • Dylan Green
  Finance Manager • Christopher Self
  Staff Accountant • Kunji Sedo
  Technical Director • Vic Wertz
  Special Thanks
  The Paizo Customer Service, Warehouse, and Website Teams
  “Forest of Spirits” is a Pathfinder Adventure Path scenario designed for four 10th-level characters.  
   By the end of this adventure, characters should reach 12th level. 
  This product makes use of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player’s Guide, Pathfinder RPG Bestiary, Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2, 
  Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3, Pathfinder RPG GameMastery Guide, and Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Combat. These rules can be found online as part of the Pathfinder 
  Roleplaying Game Reference Document at paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd.
  This adventure is compliant with the Open Game License (OGL) and is suitable for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game or the 3.5 edition of the world’s 
  oldest fantasy roleplaying game. 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, etc.), dialogue, plots, storylines, locations, characters, artwork, and 
  trade dress. (Elements that have previously been designated as Open Game Content or are in the public domain are not included in this declaration.)
  Open Content: Except for material designated as Product Identity (see above), the game mechanics of this Paizo Publishing game product are Open Game 
  Content, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a Section 1(d). No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content 
  may be reproduced in any form without written permission.
  Paizo Publishing, LLC
  7120 185th Ave NE, Ste 120
  Redmond, WA 98052-0577
  paizo.com
  Pathfinder Adventure Path #52: Forest of Spirits © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
  Paizo Publishing, LLC, the golem logo, Pathfinder, and GameMastery are registered trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC;  
  Pathfinder Adventure Path, Pathfinder Campaign Setting, Pathfinder Module, Pathfinder Player Companion,  
  Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Pathfinder Society, and Pathfinder Tales are trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC.
  Printed in China.
  ®
  ™
  ®
  ™
  ®
  ™
  ®
  ™
  ®
  ™
  
  table oF contents
  Foreword 
  4
  Forest of Spirits 
  6
  by Richard Pett
  NPC Gallery 
  54
  by Richard Pett
  Jade Regent Treasures 
  60
  by Richard Pett
  Ecology of the Kami 
  62
  by Mike Shel
  Way of the Ninja 
  68
  by Jesse Benner
  Pathfinder’s Journal: Husks, 4 of 6 
  74
  by Dave Gross
  Bestiary 
  80
  by Patrick Renie, Steve Russell, and Mike Welham
  Preview 
  92
  
  44
  A
  t risk of drawing fire, I confess that I don’t see a 
  vast difference between the rogue and ninja, the 
  cavalier and samurai, or the bastard sword and 
  katana. Still, I find the superficial differences between 
  each of these pairs to be super cool, and sometimes I want 
  to be a samurai instead of a cavalier. So I was destined to be 
  a fan of this Jade Regent Adventure Path.
  When Fiction Editor James Sutter and I first discussed 
  the novel that became Master of Devils, we agreed that 
  showing Tian Xia through the eyes of Radovan and Count 
  Jeggare was a good idea for a couple of reasons. Some 
  readers don’t already love Asian fantasy the way I do, so 
  discovering it through the eyes of familiar characters 
  might ease their passage to this land. But even to those 
  of us who adore wuxia or samurai movies (which inspired 
  Master of Devils and “Husks,” respectively), showing the 
  collision of West and East is a good reminder that Tian Xia 
  and Avistan are both part of the larger world of Golarion.
  James and I weren’t the first to come to this conclusion: 
  the creators of the Jade Regent Adventure Path established 
  a similar approach by bringing the heroes from Sandpoint, 
  through the Lands of the Linnorm Kings, across the Crown 
  of the World, and finally to Tian Xia. In this volume, after 
  being harried by strange foes and enticed by foreign plots, 
  the heroes reach the far side of Golarion at last.
  They might be surprised by what they find there. So 
  might you.
  As those who read my blog already know, I love foreign-
  language films. At first they appealed to me because they 
  look so different from Hollywood movies. The language, 
  the clothes, the cars (or lack of cars), the architecture, the 
  food, the landscape, the gestures, even the odd figures of 
  Everywhere is Different,
  Everyone is the Same
  
  55
  Foreword
  speech that take a second or two to understand—all of 
  these only increase the sense of transportation I feel when 
  watching a movie (or reading a novel, or playing an RPG).
  After watching a few films from the same country, I 
  can’t help thinking that the people in the movies aren’t 
  so different from me after all. No change of language or 
  culture disguises the fact that characters in Chinese movies 
  have the same ambitions and desires as characters in French 
  films. People fall in love in Vietnam pretty much the same 
  way they do in Ireland. The Danes and Scots and Japanese 
  and Moroccans all want revenge when hurt, and know that 
  more retaliation will follow. We’re all essentially alike.
  Certain films underscore the superficial differences 
  and deep similarities between people of different cultures. 
  None make this point better than remakes of foreign films. 
  Consider Seven Samurai (1954). If you’ve seen one samurai 
  movie, this is probably the one—and that’s great, since it’s 
  arguably the best ever made. For this masterpiece, Akira 
  Kurosawa drew inspiration from, among other sources, 
  the American Western. While the story of Seven Samurai 
  comes from the historical conflict between peasant farmers 
  and masterless samurai fallen to banditry, it could just as 
  easily take place in Mexico—as John Sturges showed in his 
  remake, The Magnificent Seven (1960).
  Kurosawa also borrowed from Shakespeare, with Throne 
  of Blood (1957) adapting Macbeth and Ran (1985) retelling 
  King Lear. Apart from some minor changes to make the 
  story more culturally plausible (Lear’s daughters become 
  Ichimonji’s sons, for example), the stories remain the same 
  tragedy of paternal foolishness and filial betrayal. Another 
  Kurosawa classic, Yojimbo (1961), almost certainly borrowed 
  from Dashiell Hammett’s novel Red Harvest, although 
  Kurosawa said he drew inspiration from a different 
  Hammett story. Yet for every time Kurosawa borrowed a 
  story from a western source, more films borrow from his 
  Rashômon (1950), Yojimbo, or The Hidden Fortress (1958)—I’m 
  looking at you, Star Wars. The style changes from East to 
  West, but the motives of the characters remain the same.
  When I meet someone who refuses to watch a subtitled 
  film—“I don’t want to read a film” is the usual argument—I 
  usually realize it’s pointless to argue. What only a few will 
  admit is that they aren’t interested in stories set in foreign 
  lands. What can you say to that? Some simply prefer stories 
  told in a familiar language, concerning folks who act like 
  they do and live in a land that resembles theirs. If only I 
  could tempt them into watching a few foreign movies, I like 
  to think they’d change their minds. The same could be true 
  of our gaming friends who hesitate to play in a “foreign” 
  setting; now you have in your hands the perfect vehicle to 
  tempt them over the Crown of the World. The places are 
  different, but the people are really just the same.
  So to any of you reluctant to travel to Tian Xia, welcome to 
  the East! I hope you find it just as strange and familiar as I do.
  inspirations
  I’ve plenty of wuxia (kung fu) movies, books, and comics 
  to recommend at frabjousdave.blogspot.com, but here’s 
  a short list of some of the Japanese films that left the 
  strongest impression on me, all of them full of great ideas 
  for running a campaign set in Minkai.
  The Hakkenden aka The Legend of the Dog Warriors, 
  directed by Takashi Anno and Michael Dobson
  Based on the epic novel by Kyukutei Bakin, himself 
  originally of the samurai caste, this warring-states 
  animated series follows the fated lives of eight warriors all 
  linked to a tragic princess from a previous generation.
  13 Assassins (2010), directed by Takashi Miike
  Gonzo director Miike recently turned his attentions to 
  samurai, his first such treatment being a remake of the 
  1963 film of the same name. It’s one hell of film, featuring 
  a sadistic villain and a large team of heroes willing to 
  sacrifice their lives to stop him. The first half is all build-
  up, but the back half consists of one huge battle including 
  dynamite and, possibly, a demon.
  Dora-Heita (2000) and The Sea Is Watching (2002), co-
  written by Akira Kurosawa
  While he did not direct these films, these are two of the 
  last screenplays on which Kurosawa worked. The former 
  features a seemingly corrupt magistrate who is actually 
  under cover to clean up a rotten town. The latter can 
  help GMs depict brothels as more than just a result on a 
  random harlot table.
  The Twilight Samurai (2002), The Hidden Blade (2004), 
  and Love and Honor (2006), directed by Yôji Yamada
  All three films of this thematically linked trilogy 
  feature noble samurai facing crises of honor and duty. 
  They operate primarily as dramas with convincing details 
  of domestic life and political intrigue, but when the action 
  comes, it will blow your mind. If you watch only one, make 
  it The Twilight Samurai.
  on the cover
  The infamous Jade Regent reveals himself at last on the 
  latest incredible cover by Wayne Reynolds. Although the 
  PCs are not yet destined to face the tyrant who claimed 
  Minkai’s throne, they do get their first glimpse of his plans 
  for Minkai in this month’s adventure, “Forest of Spirits.”
  Dave Gross
  Pathfinder Tales Author
  
  6
  AdvAncement trAck
  PArt three: house of Withered Blossoms
  PArt one: ordu-AgAnhei
  PArt tWo: the forest of sPirits
  Leaving the Crown of the World, the PCs enter the city of Ordu-
  Aganhei in the Tian nation of Hongal, where they must impress their 
  royal host while fighting off attacks from the Five Storms.
  A mysterious new ally offers to guide the PCs to Minkai through the 
  strange and haunted Forest of Spirits. There, the PCs meet the kami 
  of the forest, who tell them of the House of Withered Blossoms, the 
  ancient fortress of the Five Storms.
  The PCs find themselves caught in the middle of an ongoing war 
  between the current inhabitants of the House of Withered Blossoms 
  as they search the ancient palace for clues about the nature and 
  weaknesses of their deadly foes, the Five Storms.
  PAge 8
  PAge 15
  PAge 21
  forest of sPirits
  “Forest of Spirits”  
  uses the medium XP track. 
  The PCs should be 12th level 
  by the adventure’s end.
  The PCs begin this 
  adventure at 10th level.
  10
  By the time the 
  PCs descend into 
  Munasukaru’s Penance, they 
  should be 11th level. If they 
  are not 11th level by this point, 
  consider placing a few random 
  encounters in the Forest 
  of Spirits or the House of 
  Withered Blossoms.
  11
  
  7
  Forest oF spirits
  Adventure BAckground
  Deep within the Forest of Spirits stands an ancient pagoda 
  called the House of Withered Blossoms. The palace of the 
  oni of the Five Storms, it also served as their prison. The 
  kami, the spirits of the forest outside, kept endless watch 
  over their enemies, but just as the oni were forbidden by the 
  gods to leave the House of Withered Blossoms, the kami 
  were not allowed to enter the pagoda. And so, for centuries, 
  the pagoda and its occupants were held in balance, even 
  stagnation. No mortal magic, no mere teleportation or gate 
  spell, could enable the Five Storms to escape their prison, 
  their sentence decreed by far more powerful beings. 
  Yet oni are not of mortal flesh; they are the heralds of 
  disaster, and the leader of the Five Storms, a powerful wind 
  yai oni named Anamurumon, vowed that he would not 
  spend his days in torpor, locked in his prison palace, when 
  outside, beyond the Forest of Spirits, there was flesh to flay 
  and covet and command. And one day, Anamurumon came 
  upon an ancient legend within his great library that brought 
  a smile to his scowling face for the first time in centuries.
  The legend told of a magical demon gate, or kimon, a way 
  unbound by mortal magic through which spirits can pass 
  and vanish like an echo. The creation of a kimon would 
  require the sacrifice of many souls, but Anamurumon was 
  not constrained by mortal timescales. The Five Storms 
  began a harvest that spanned generations. They sent 
  feelers out among the dark things of the Forest of Spirits, 
  and the twisted, evil hobgoblins inhabiting the forest 
  answered their call. Worshiping the oni almost as gods, 
  these hobgoblins acted as the hands of the Five Storms, 
  scouring the forest to gather souls for the kimon. While 
  the kami were able to kill many of the hobgoblins, they 
  could not kill them all, and slowly the harvest of souls 
  continued until there were enough.
  As Anamurumon worked to create the kimon and 
  engineer the Five Storms’ escape, he soon realized that 
  they would still be pursued by the kami, for as soon as the 
  Five Storms left the House of Withered Blossoms, the kami 
  would be able to enter the pagoda and learn what they had 
  done. So Anamurumon devised a plan. He would sacrifice 
  one of his own, the least of his commanders in fact, to 
  stay in the House of Withered Blossoms for all time. He 
  chose a ja noi, or hobgoblin oni, named Munasukaru as his 
  sacrifice. With Munasukaru still imprisoned within the 
  pagoda, the kami would be powerless to cross its threshold 
  and discover the oni’s treachery.
  At last the kimon was created, its surface writhing 
  with spirits and souls. As the Five Storms began passing 
  through the gate, Anamurumon stopped Munasukaru and 
  commanded her to stay. Unable to resist the command, 
  Munasukaru stayed behind with a few oni soldiers and 
  the Five Storms’ hobgoblin servants while the other oni 
  escaped to Minkai and beyond.
  Munasukaru’s imprisonment in the House of Withered 
  Blossoms soon drove her to madness. Believing that 
  Anamurumon had punished her for failing the Five Storms 
  somehow, she went into self-imposed exile in the dungeons 
  beneath the palace, which her hobgoblin followers named 
  Munasukaru’s Penance. As Munasukaru spiraled into 
  insanity, her warped will slowly but inevitably began twisting 
  her dungeon as well as the pagoda and its surroundings, 
  creating a blight in the middle of the Forest of Spirits. 
  Outside the House of Withered Blossoms, the kami grew 
  more and more concerned about the Five Storms’ harvest 
  of souls and subsequent silence, and soon realized that the 
  majority of the Five Storms had escaped their prison, though 
  how they had accomplished this feat remained a mystery. 
  Still unable to intervene directly, the kami had no choice 
  but to continue their vigil over the now-silent pagoda.
  When a tribe of araneas, under the leadership of a 
  sorcerer named Akinosa, came to the House of Withered 
  Blossoms 60 years ago, in search of great stores of wealth 
  and knowledge that Akinosa believed lay in the dungeons 
  beneath the palace, the kami allowed them to pass, hoping 
  that the araneas would drive out the last of the oni. Once 
  the kami were able to enter the pagoda, they could discover 
  the exact whereabouts of the Five Storms and the method 
  of their escape.
  While the araneas’ initial forays into the House of 
  Withered Blossoms were successful, Akinosa—a notorious 
  drunkard and opium addict—was unable to press his 
  advantage, and Munasukaru and her hobgoblins were 
  only driven into the dungeons beneath the pagoda. A long 
  war for control of the House of Withered Blossoms began 
  between Akinosa’s araneas and Munasukaru’s hobgoblin 
  followers. This war has lasted 60 years and is still at a 
  stalemate—Akinosa and Munasukaru always manage 
  to stay one step ahead of the other, always thwarting 
  each other’s plans for dominance, and the hobgoblins’ 
  fecundity more than makes up for the araneas’ sorcery. 
  Currently, the araneas inhabit the aboveground portions 
  of the palace, while the hobgoblins lurk in Munasukaru’s 
  Penance below, with the ground floor of the pagoda a no-
  man’s-land between the two opposing forces. 
  Outside, in the Forest of Spirits, the kami continue to 
  watch the House of Withered Blossoms, for as long as even 
  one oni remains inside, they must maintain their guard. 
  Meanwhile, the Five Storms grow in strength, and their ally, 
  the Jade Regent, tightens his grip on the empire of Minkai.
  Adventure summAry
  Concluding their epic journey across the Crown of the 
  World, the PCs finally reach the lands of Tian Xia and enter 
  the city of Ordu-Aganhei. As the PCs begin to explore this 
  strange city, they receive an invitation from Batsaikhar, 
  prince of Ordu-Aganhei, who wants to meet these visitors 
  
  8
  from the far-off lands to the west. The prince hosts a 
  variety of feasts for the PCs, giving them the opportunity 
  to impress their host while learning more about the current 
  situation in Minkai. If the PCs are successful, Batsaikhar 
  rewards them with gifts that will be useful for their journey, 
  but if they displease him, they soon find that trade without 
  the prince’s permission is impossible. 
  During the final festival, the PCs are attacked by agents 
  of the Five Storms, who are now aware of the PCs’ presence 
  in Tian Xia. The PCs receive aid in the battle from an 
  unexpected source—a kitsune named Miyaro, who has 
  been sent by the kami, the spiritual protectors of the 
  natural world. She tells the PCs that the road from Hongal 
  to Minkai is guarded by the Five Storms, but that the kami 
  will allow the PCs passage through the Forest of Spirits, the 
  vast, haunted forest that grows between Minkai and the rest 
  of Tian Xia, to bypass the heavily patrolled main road.
  Meeting the kami in their forest home, the PCs learn 
  of an ancient pagoda in the depths of the Forest of Spirits 
  called the House of Withered Blossoms. This palace once 
  served as a prison for the Five Storms, but the oni somehow 
  managed to escape. Unable to investigate directly, the kami 
  ask the PCs to search for clues as to how the oni escaped. 
  At the same time, the kami know that the Jade Regent of 
  Minkai is allied with the Five Storms, so any information 
  the PCs discover about the Five Storms while exploring the 
  pagoda and its dungeons can only help them in their fight 
  against the Jade Regent.
  Traveling through the wood, the PCs encounter several 
  of the spirits that give the forest its name. With the help 
  of Miyaro and the kami, the journey is swift, but still 
  dangerous. Entering the House of Withered Blossoms, the 
  PCs face both a tribe of araneas who have taken over the 
  aboveground levels of the pagoda and the hobgoblins who 
  still serve the last of the oni left behind to guard the palace 
  by the Five Storms. In the process, the PCs can learn much 
  about their enemies, as well as gain new weapons to aid in 
  them in their eventual showdown with the Jade Regent.
  PArt one: ordu-AgAnhei
  The adventure begins as the PCs complete their journey 
  over the Crown of the World and arrive at the city of Ordu-
  Aganhei—the gateway to the mysterious Dragon Empires 
  of Tian Xia, or, as Tians prefer to view it, the last outpost of 
  civilization before the wilds of the Crown of the World and 
  beyond. Named after the Tian explorer who first charted 
  the route over the Crown of the World, Ordu-Aganhei is the 
  primary trade hub on the Tian side of the Path of Aganhei, 
  and represents the first major outpost of civilization the 
  PCs have likely encountered since leaving Kalsgard. The 
  PCs can relax and recover from the rigors of their journey 
  in the city, as well seek out information on the current 
  situation in Minkai.
  The PCs enter the city through its north gate, a decorated 
  tower with a single 30-foot-high reinforced iron door 
  and some 30 guards inside. A caravan coming out of the 
  Crown of the World in the off-season is an almost unheard 
  of occurrence, and the gate guards examine the PCs with 
  barely hidden suspicion. The guards’ examination is strict 
  and thorough, dust swirling around them as they work. 
  Just as it looks like the guards won’t allow the PCs into the 
  city, however, a well-dressed man appears at the gate from 
  within the city, prostrates himself (quite literally) before 
  the PCs, and makes a speech.
  Honored guests! Welcome, welcome, and three welcomes more! 
  Please ignore these slithering worms beneath your feet—I assure 
  you they shall be punished for their insolence. Prince Batsaikhar, 
  golden orb of sunlight at the black portal of barbarism, bids you 
  welcome to Ordu-Aganhei, the City at the Edge of the World. My 
  most munificent lord invites his honored guests to his humble 
  palace to rest, dine, partake in polite conversation, and perhaps 
  indulge in some pleasure. The Golden One says he hopes you 
  will honor him with your clever speech from strange lands, a 
  speech that he of all men in Hongal has mastered. He is eager to 
  hear of your journey across the Crown of the World in this most 
  difficult time of travel.
  The man is Chua, the royal advisor to Prince Batsaikhar 
  of Ordu-Aganhei, and he has been ordered to bring the 
  PCs and their allies to the prince’s palace. To any women 
  in the party, Chua offers a special gift—a black rose—and 
  these words: “There is no fire like the fire in the souls of 
  the women of far lands. Beauty is the wisdom of women, 
  and wisdom is the beauty of men.”
  If the PCs accept the invitation, go to Meeting the Prince 
  on page 10. If the PC want to refuse the invitation, Ameiko 
  warns them that it would likely be unwise to turn down the 
  friendship of the prince. His palace might offer an excellent 
  place to rest and make ready for the next part of their journey, 
  and by talking with him, they could perhaps learn something 
  of Minkai and the road ahead. Nevertheless, Ameiko defers 
  tiAn equiPment
  Many of the characters and creatures encountered in this 
  adventure, and in subsequent volumes of the Jade Regent 
  Adventure Path, are equipped with armor and weapons 
  common in Tian Xia, but which may be unfamiliar to players 
  and GMs used to adventuring in the Inner Sea region. In 
  most cases, all of the information you need to run such 
  characters is already included in their stat blocks. To get 
  full descriptions and statistics for the Eastern weapons and 
  armor referenced here, check out Pathfinder RPG Ultimate 
  Combat, available at fine gaming stores and at paizo.com.
  
  9
  Forest oF spirits
  to the PCs, and if they turn down the invitation, the caravan 
  can camp in one of the caravansaries outside the city. If the 
  PCs choose not to meet Batsaikhar, the offended prince 
  effectively closes the city’s shops to them. The PCs will 
  have to bribe their way into shops to buy or sell equipment, 
  paying exorbitant prices for new items and receiving offers 
  far below market value for items they wish to sell. In this 
  case, run the Attack at the Steaming Lake Market encounter 
  (see page 13) as an ambush at a point of your choosing. The 
  kitsune Miyaro still joins the battle, and afterward offers to 
  lead the PCs through the Forest of Spirits.
  Ordu-Aganhei
  LN small city
  Corruption +3; Crime –1; Economy +4; Law +4; Lore +3; 
  Society –2
  Qualities prosperous, rumormongering citizens, strategic 
  location, tourist attraction
  Danger +5
  DEMOGRAPHICS
  Government overlord
  Population 8,227 (5,753 humans; 1,895 tengus; 202 elves; 187 
  dwarves; 103 samsarans; 57 kitsune; 17 gnomes; 13 halflings)
  Notable NPCs
  Prince Batsaikhar (LN male human aristocrat 8/fighter 5)
  Royal Advisor Chua (N male human expert 8)
  Royal Bodyguard Okimoto Izume (LN female human 
  samurai 11)
  MARKETPLACE
  Base Value 6,400 gp; Purchase Limit 37,500 gp; Spellcasting 6th
  Minor Items 4d4; Medium Items 3d4; Major Items 1d6
  ordu-AgAnhei feAtures
  The capital of the nation of Hongal, Ordu-Aganhei is also 
  the northernmost city in Tian Xia. It lies on the edge of 
  the Arctic Circle and is an oasis of luxury and hospitality 
  in an icy desert of despair. The city is famed for its thermal 
  hot springs, which have formed a sulfur-rimed lake in 
  the center of the city, frequented by residents and visitors 
  alike. Prince Batsaikhar, younger brother of the khan of 
  Hongal, rules Ordu-Aganhei. Called the Golden One 
  by his subjects, who live in both awe and terror of him, 
  Batsaikhar is a man known to smile and sing as he has 
  those who have angered him torn apart.
  Ordu-Aganhei is crammed between stout timber walls 40 
  feet high, topped with spikes replete with the severed heads 
  of bandits who preyed upon the Path of Aganhei. The city’s 
  layout is confusing, with narrow, winding streets. Buildings 
  are timber framed and have high, gabled roofs and ornate, 
  decorated eaves. A large, parklike garden surrounds Ordu-
  Aganhei’s central lake, which lies more or less in the middle 
  of the city. The park is flanked on one side by the Palace 
  of the Prince, a forbidden place guarded by hundreds of 
  soldiers, and on the other by the temple of Abadar, known 
  in Tian Xia as the God of Walls and Ditches.
  Paper lanterns light the streets of Ordu-Aganhei at night. 
  The streets are immaculately clean (Prince Batsaikhar hates 
  dirt) and regularly patrolled. Prayer flags of all colors dance 
  in the wind from every gable and roof. Everywhere one 
  turns a shop is selling something, and the heady scent of 
  incense mingles with the smell of unfamiliar cooked foods. 
  On the city’s outskirts, huge corrals contain herds of prized 
  Hongali horses, and numerous caravansaries cater to the 
  caravans coming down from the Crown of the World.
  culture shock
  Ordu-Aganhei should feel like a totally alien place to the 
  PCs—signs, faces, language, and culture are all totally 
  new. You can give your players a memorable experience not 
  only by emphasizing this strangeness, but by playing it up. 
  The food, the smells, the talk, and the architecture each 
  play a part in the dizzying new world the PCs have entered. 
  A few suggestions on how to subject your players to culture 
  shock are given below.
  Language: Tien, the “common tongue” of Tian Xia, is 
  not at all similar to Taldane, Avistan’s Common, nor are 
  its letters remotely related. Allow your players to have 
  fun making mistakes, but don’t let a session turn into 
  endless rounds of Linguistics checks to allow the PCs to 
  be understood. Simply have the locals smile when the PCs 
  make their first Diplomacy check to gather information, 
  have them point out a tea house when asked for an armor 
  shop, or have them smile and take what is proffered by the 
  PCs when asked for a similar object. 
  One easy way for the PCs to make themselves understood 
  is through pantomime. While overly complex conversations 
  are not possible, a DC 10 Linguistics check should allow 
  simple communication (such as buying something). More 
  complex communication (such as getting directions) 
  requires a DC 20 Linguistics check.
  Chopsticks: Everyone eats with chopsticks, and using 
  them incorrectly is a great insult to one’s host, adding +2 
  to the DC of any check made to impress that character or 
  gain her confidence that day. The PCs can attempt to use 
  chopsticks to eat with a DC 15 Dexterity check. After properly 
  using chopsticks at each meal for 1 week, a character has 
  mastered their use and no longer needs to make checks.
  Entertainment: Street performances are common 
  in Ordu-Aganhei, with dangerous acts being the most 
  popular—walking a tightrope over barrels of scorpions, 
  dodging arrows and other missiles, wrestling, and martial 
  arts displays (such as chopping through boards with hands 
  or feet, breaking stones with head butts, punching walls, 
  and balancing for hours over hot coals).
  Shopping: Ordu-Aganhei teems with pushy traders. 
  These merchants sell everything from porcelain to silk to 
  
  10
  tea to even stranger wares. Trade only takes place with the 
  prince’s permission, and if he is displeased, the PCs soon 
  find that shops are closed when they visit.
  Smiling Faces: Everywhere the PCs go, they pass smiling 
  locals, all of whom are so anxious to please the prince’s new 
  guests that they tell the PCs exactly what they think they 
  wish to hear. If the PCs want directions to the 
  nearest magic shop, and a local doesn’t know 
  the way, she is likely to make up directions so 
  as not to seem impolite.
  Street Food: As well as the standard rice, 
  noodles, and spicy soups commonly eaten 
  here, the PCs may come upon more unusual 
  feasts, such as horse sausages, fried milk 
  (stir-fried chicken liver and ham in egg 
  whites and curdled milk), fried rabbit 
  ears, tanghulu (skewers of candied fruit), 
  and wood ear (a type of local fungus dried 
  and eaten as a snack).
  Local Superstitions: Touching a person 
  with blond hair brings luck for a day; kissing 
  one brings luck for a year. Never let a foreigner’s 
  shadow fall across your own. Stepping on or 
  standing astride a threshold invites evil 
  spirits inside. He who smiles wins 
  smiles. A stranger does not wear 
  a sword indoors as decoration. All 
  strangers are relations to each other.
  gAthering informAtion
  Once in Ordu-Aganhei, the PCs will likely wish to find out 
  more information about the current situation in Minkai 
  and the road ahead. The PCs can make Diplomacy checks 
  to gather information or Knowledge (local) checks to hear 
  the following gossip about Minkai.
  DC 10: An ancient place called the Forest of Spirits 
  lies between Hongal and Minkai. The forest is known 
  to be haunted, so the main road to Minkai, called the 
  Spirit Road, skirts the forest to the south and west. Loyal 
  samurai of Minkai’s Jade Regent patrol the Spirit Road in 
  great numbers to keep it open and safe.
  DC 20: The Jade Regent’s samurai patrols are far more 
  likely to rob you than protect you, and many caravans have 
  disappeared on the Spirit Road. Although many people 
  blame the haunted Forest of Spirits for the disappearances, 
  others claim the Jade Regent’s troops, a small army of 
  whom patrol along the road, are responsible.
  DC 25: Whispers of rebellion or outright civil war are 
  coming out of Minkai. The emperor is in hiding and has 
  not been seen in public in years, and his appointed viceroy, 
  the Jade Regent, is far from a popular ruler. Many groups 
  oppose the Jade Regent, and they could topple him if they 
  ever joined together.
  If the PCs wish to know more about the Forest of Spirits, 
  they can learn the following information with Diplomacy 
  checks to gather information, Knowledge (geography) 
  checks, or Knowledge (local) checks.
  DC 5: The Forest of Spirits has existed since the dawn of 
  all things. It is not a place for people.
  DC 10: People do not live in the Forest of Spirits, 
  nor do they cross through it, as the place 
  is well known to be haunted. Only one 
  well-patrolled route leads from Hongal 
  to Minkai, called the Spirit Road, which 
  bypasses the forest rather than entering it.
  DC 20: The Forest of Spirits is not really 
  haunted. In fact, it is the birthplace of the 
  kami, spirits who protect the objects and 
  creatures of the natural world.
  meeting the Prince
  If the PCs accept the prince’s invitation, Chua 
  guides them through the streets of Ordu-
  Aganhei to the enormous wooden Palace of 
  the Prince. Chua hurries the PCs past countless 
  guards and groveling slaves to the palace’s central 
  courtyard, a vast chamber nearly 100 yards 
  across built around a steaming lake. 
  Orchids grow in gardens overlooking 
  the lake, while colorful herons swoop 
  through the air, all beneath a ceiling 
  hidden by prayer flags.
  On a huge bed surrounded by colorful silks, painted 
  screens, and beautiful white-painted women sits an 
  enormous, smiling man barely dressed in voluminous 
  robes—Prince Batsaikhar. Immediately behind him 
  stands his bodyguard Izume, a tall figure in full samurai 
  armor, carrying an enormous drawn sword.
  Batsaikhar is known for his perpetual smile: he smiles as 
  he eats, he smiles as he engages in polite conversation, and 
  he smiles as he amuses himself by personally beheading 
  seven people piled one on top of the other with one blow 
  of his katana, just to see if he can do so. Batsaikhar sees 
  himself as a very firm ruler, but fair, and he is renowned 
  for his etiquette, delicate words, and insatiable lusts. The 
  prince particularly loves foreign women, and is certain to 
  fixate on any such female character present.
  During the PCs’ stay in Ordu-Aganhei, Prince Batsaikhar 
  is an ever-smiling figure to fear. Although he needs great 
  provocation to kill strangers, he might behead a hundred of 
  his followers instead if the strangers insult him. He would 
  not dream of mentioning anything about the beheadings, 
  as criticizing guests would be the height of rudeness.
  When the PCs are brought into his presence, the prince 
  is almost unbearably polite, plying them with extravagant 
  food and drink. He is anxious to hear about their travels 
  Prince Batsaikhar
  
  11
  Forest oF spirits
  (which frankly bore him quickly, though he is good at hiding 
  his feelings) and their reasons for crossing the Crown of 
  the World at this time of the year. If the PCs are hesitant 
  to discuss such matters, the prince doesn’t press them, but 
  he does develop a fixation on one of the characters or one 
  of their possessions (see sidebar). As a result, Batsaikhar 
  announces that the PCs shall be afforded the status of royal 
  guests. He instructs his staff to provide them the best rooms 
  and begin preparations for the Five Feasts of Hongal in 
  their honor. The first feast will take place that very night; 
  the last will take place in 5 days’ time across the whole city. 
  The prince then dismisses the PCs to brood upon the 
  object of his desire. The Palace of the Prince is a large 
  and rambling structure, and as guests, the PCs have free 
  rein. However, there are so many guards, retainers, and 
  advisors in the palace that guests are hard pressed to do 
  anything without at least half a dozen people appearing 
  around them to help. The PCs’ rooms are luxurious, with 
  goose feather beds, warm fireplaces, access to steaming 
  lakes to bathe in, and endless assistants to pamper them.
  The PCs may also wish to visit the city, and may do 
  so at their leisure, though the prince will likely assign 
  several guards and servants to accompany and guide them 
  through the city.
  the five feAsts of hongAl
  Over the next 5 days, Prince Batsaikhar hosts five feasts 
  in honor of the PCs. The feasts are lavish affairs, and take 
  place in the prince’s throne room courtyard with over 300 
  guests, including Batsaikhar’s wives, courtiers, concubines, 
  subjects, and slaves, who all react in exactly the same way 
  that he does. Desperate to impress the PCs and thus obtain 
  the object of his fixation, the prince orders his chefs to create 
  the finest meals from only the rarest and most luxurious 
  foods imaginable, and the chefs take him quite literally.
  Each of the feasts is briefly detailed below, with a list of 
  food served and the entertainment for the feast. After the 
  entertainment, the prince challenges the PCs to show him 
  similar performances or skills from their own lands. The 
  PCs (or their NPC allies) must make a series of skill checks 
  or other checks to complete the challenges and impress 
  the prince. They cannot take 20 on these checks, but may 
  take 10 if they wish.
   If the PCs succeed at challenges, the prince is pleased 
  and presents them with gifts in appreciation of their 
  performance. However, the prince angrily chastises his 
  own performers in Tien for their lack of talent, and once 
  his guests leave, he broods over suitable punishments to 
  inflict upon his staff. The PCs also receive XP awards for 
  successfully completing each challenge.
  If the PCs fail at the required checks (or refuse to 
  perform), the prince politely ignores this, but the next day 
  the PCs find the shops in the city closed as the notoriously 
  mercurial prince does not wish his subjects to be corrupted 
  by the PCs’ lack of grace or talent. In this case, the DCs 
  for Diplomacy checks in the city increase by +10 as well, 
  as locals refuse to talk to them, under the prince’s orders.
  the feAst of three
  The Feast of Three takes place on the PCs’ first night in 
  Ordu-Aganhei as guests of Prince Batsaikhar.
  Feast: Spicy duck heads; ox forehead; turtle casserole; 
  pigeon brains; fried chicken feet; and tiger, dragon, and 
  phoenix soup (made with cat, snake, and chicken meat).
  Entertainment: The prince’s royal guards perform 
  an exhibition of the Three Games of Hongal: mounted 
  archery, bareback horse racing, and wrestling.
  Challenge: Prince Batsaikhar asks the PCs to show him 
  something similar from the magnificently verdant lands 
  of the west. Only one PC can attempt each challenge, and 
  other characters cannot use aid another to assist.
  fixAtions of A Bored ruler
  Prince Batsaikhar is used to getting what he wants, and once 
  he meets the PCs, he wants something from them. At their 
  initial meeting, Batsaikhar develops a fixation on the PCs’ 
  party—most likely a non-Tian female PC (or a significant 
  NPC such as Shalelu), or one of the PCs’ most valuable 
  magic items or possessions. During the PCs’ stay, the prince 
  arranges for the object of his fixation to be brought to him 
  often, by frequently summoning the PC he is fixated on 
  or the PC who possesses the object. Batsaikhar makes no 
  secret of his wonder and desire regarding the object of his 
  fixation, but he never takes his heart’s desire (that would 
  be impolite). He simply wishes the PC to give him what he 
  wants. He would never force the PCs to comply, though you 
  should make the players think he might. The prince is never 
  threatening or aggressive, but his desire is open and plain. 
  If the fixation is a woman, Batsaikhar makes a proposal 
  of marriage immediately before the Feast of the Honored 
  Visitors (see page 12) with a suitably flowery speech. 
  He promises the stars to the object of his desire, and a 
  place by his side forever. If he is fixated on an item, he 
  suggests the object of his desire would make a suitable 
  gift for his hospitality.
  Refusal angers the prince, and he retires to his chambers 
  and sulks for the remainder of the time the PCs are here. 
  If the PCs agree to his request, the overjoyed prince 
  presents them with a gift to match his happiness: the Ruby 
  of Hongal, a fabulously large, flawless gemstone worth at 
  least 10,000 gp. Needless to say, any woman who accepts 
  Batsaikhar’s offer of marriage soon discovers her new 
  husband’s incredibly short attention span and fiery temper.
  
  12
  For mounted archery, a PC must make a DC 5 Ride check 
  to guide his mount with his knees, a DC 10 Ride check 
  to fight from his mount, and then shoot at a target with 
  a ranged weapon while the mount is running (making a 
  bull’s-eye is AC 25, and the attack roll takes a –8 penalty 
  due to the mount’s speed).
  For horse racing, a PC must make a DC 20 Ride check 
  to fast mount her horse, a DC 15 Ride check to spur her 
  mount to greater speed, and a third DC 15 Ride check to 
  leap over obstacles. Each of these checks takes a –5 penalty 
  from riding bareback.
  For wrestling, a PC must grapple the prince’s champion 
  Huk (N male human fighter 8 with the Greater Grapple 
  feat; CMB +12 [+5 grapple]; CMD 25 [27 vs. grapple]). The 
  first one to pin his opponent wins the challenge.
  Story Award: For each challenge the PCs successfully 
  perform, award them 800 XP.
  Gift: If the PCs successfully complete at least two out of the 
  three challenges, the prince presents them with a masterwork 
  composite shortbow, an efficient quiver, and 10 +1 arrows.
  the feAst of the Ancients
  The Feast of the Ancients takes place on the second night.
  Feast: Steamed Hongali stone frogs, goose stomach, 
  goat’s feet tendons in wheat noodles, fish lips with celery, 
  solidified duck blood, and drunken shrimp (a delicacy in 
  which one dips live shrimp in alcohol before pinching off 
  their heads and eating their flesh).
  Entertainment: “Why the Marmot Doesn’t Have Thumbs,” 
  an ancient Hongali folk tale performed with pi ying xi 
  (shadow puppet theater using leather puppets) accompanied 
  by throat singing and music on the morin khuur, or horsehead 
  fiddle, a traditional Hongali stringed instrument.
  Challenge: Prince Batsaikhar asks to see something 
  similar from the young lands of beautiful women. The 
  PCs must make skill checks to impress the prince, from 
  the following performance types: a DC 35 Perform (act) or 
  Sleight of Hand check to perform using the pi ying xi, a DC 
  25 Perform (act) or Perform (oratory) check, a DC 30 Perform 
  (sing) check, or a DC 30 Perform (string instruments) check. 
  Only one PC can attempt each check, but other characters 
  can use aid another to assist their companions.
  Story Award: For each successful skill check made by the 
  PCs, award them 800 XP.
  Gift: If the PCs successfully perform using the pi ying 
  xi, or succeed at two out of three other performances, 
  the prince gives them a finely carved and decorated 
  masterwork morin khuur worth 500 gp.
  the feAst of fire
  Prince Batsaikhar hosts the Feast of Fire on the third night.
  Feast: Thousand-year-old eggs (duck eggs coated with 
  lime, ashes, and mud and soaked in horse urine for 100 
  days), cow’s lung soaked in chili sauce, pig face (made by 
  pouring hot tar on a pig’s head to remove the hair but leave 
  the skin intact), snake venom soup, deep fried bee larvae, 
  and duck’s feet marinated in blood.
  Entertainment: “The Taming of the Kirin,” a dazzlingly 
  dangerous display of fire breathing and swordplay while 
  dancing on hot coals.
  Challenge: Prince Batsaikhar asks the PCs if they can 
  amuse him with similar feats from the bountiful lands 
  of enlightenment to the west. The PCs must make a DC 
  30 Perform (dance) check, a DC 30 Acrobatics check, and 
  a DC 25 Intimidate check. Only one PC can attempt each 
  check, but other characters can use aid another to assist 
  their companions.
  Story Award: For each successful skill check made by the 
  PCs, award them 800 XP.
  Gift: The prince rewards the PCs with a case of elixir of fire 
  breath (two flasks of elixir for each successful skill check).
  the feAst of the honored visitors
  On the fourth night, the Feast of the Honored Visitors is 
  held. For this feast, the guests must advise the royal chefs 
  what to cook, and must provide the entertainment for the 
  feast. The prince’s advisor Chua wakes the PCs at dawn and 
  asks for instructions for the feast—the royal household is 
  ready to act under their direction. 
   Feast: The PCs have to feed the prince’s 300 guests, but all 
  dishes must be made from what is locally available—camel, 
  horse, mutton, and pork being the most obvious options. 
  Challenge: The prince’s chefs are totally unfamiliar with 
  Avistani cuisine, and unless the PCs personally intervene, 
  the cooks produce something that looks disgusting and 
  tastes vile, which displeases the prince. The PCs can 
  supervise the cooks and create a pleasing meal with a DC 
  25 Profession (butcher), Profession (cook), or similar skill 
  check, or by using magic.
  The PCs must also entertain the guests at the feast. They 
  must make two skill checks, one at DC 30 and one at DC 35, 
  using Perform or other skills (such as Acrobatics, Escape 
  Artist, or the like) to provide suitable entertainment. Only 
  one PC can attempt each check, but other characters can 
  use aid another to assist their companions.
  XP: For each successful skill check (for cooking and 
  entertainment) made by the PCs, award them 800 XP.
  Gift: If the PCs make all of their skill checks and the food 
  and entertainment are both good, the prince gives them 
  a beautiful +1 scimitar in a ceremonial scabbard decorated 
  with opals worth 1,000 gp.
  the feAst of the drAgon
  The prince’s final feast, the Feast of the Dragon, is an 
  evening of celebration that takes place across the city on the 
  fifth night. Prince Batsaikhar does not leave the palace, but 
  
  13
  Forest oF spirits
  he encourages and expects the PCs to do so. He has issued 
  instructions for his merchants to open up their warehouses 
  and show the finest wares of Tian Xia at a special market held 
  on the shores of the steaming lake in the middle of the city.
  Feast: In addition to the normal street food found in 
  Ordu-Aganhei, horse-hoof gruel, “household deer” (fried 
  rats), smells like fish pork (pork cooked with wood ear 
  mushrooms and green hot peppers), skewered roasted 
  sparrows, snakehead soup, and live scorpions doused in 
  potent liquor are all available during the Feast of the Dragon.
  Entertainment: The prince has instructed his subjects to 
  be happy for the evening, and to arrange a dragon parade in 
  honor of the visitors. Hundreds of brightly colored dragon 
  costumes are paraded through the streets, accompanied 
  by the staccato explosions of paper candles. The festivities 
  conclude at midnight with an incredible fireworks display 
  over the palace walls, with hundreds of Desnan candles, 
  skyrockets, and starfountains turning night into day.
  Challenge: There is no challenge for the PCs to perform 
  during the Feast of the Dragon, but their presence in 
  the city has not gone unnoticed by the Five Storms, who 
  quickly send agents racing to the city to attack the PCs.
  AttAck At the lAke mArket (cr 12)
  The vast market on the lakeshore forms a central part of 
  the evening. Market stalls stand close together, hawking 
  every sort of ware imaginable. Almost anything the PCs 
  might want to purchase can likely be found at the market, 
  up to the city’s base value.
  Creatures: A group of eight Five Storms ninja has been 
  dispatched to assassinate the PCs and Ameiko, the first of 
  potentially many to come. Six of the ninja approach the PCs 
  under a large golden dragon costume (a paper object held 
  aloft on bamboo struts) while the other two stand behind 
  beating heavy drums. As they pass the PCs, the ninja 
  throw off their dragon costume and attack. The ninja are 
  completely silent and do not speak, even if captured. All of 
  the ninja cut out their own tongues when they took their 
  oaths to the Five Storms to prevent them from speaking 
  truths, even after death.
  On the third round of combat, the PCs gain an 
  unexpected ally in their battle against the ninja, as a 
  woman runs out of the crowd and begins attacking the 
  ninja as well. This is Miyaro, one of the race of foxlike 
  shapechangers called kitsune, sent here by the kami of the 
  Forest of Spirits to assist and guide the PCs. Here in Ordu-
  Aganhei, Miyaro stays in her human form, that of a simple 
  peasant woman, and therefore loses her bite attack, but she 
  wields her kukri to devastating effect, flanking with the 
  PCs to make sneak attacks against the ninja.
  Five Storms Ninja (8) 
  CR 6
  XP 2,400 each
  Human ninja 7 (Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Combat 13)
  CE Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +8; Senses Perception +9
  DEFENSE
  AC 19, touch 15, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +4 Dex, +1 dodge)
  hp 56 each (7d8+21)
  Fort +6, Ref +9, Will +3
  Defensive Abilities uncanny dodge
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee mwk katana* +11 (1d8+1 plus poison/18–20)
  Ranged shuriken +9 (1d2+1 plus poison)
  Special Attacks sneak attack +4d6
  TACTICS
  Before Combat The ninja poison their katanas and shuriken 
  with shadow essence before combat, and drink their potions 
  of displacement.
  During Combat The ninja pair up against opponents, flanking 
  to make sneak attacks.
  Morale If reduced to 20 hit points or fewer, the ninja drink 
  their potions of cure serious wounds. If reduced to 8 hit 
  points or fewer after this point, the ninja commit seppuku 
  (ritual suicide by performing a self-inflicted coup de grace 
  with their katanas) rather than submit to capture.
  STATISTICS
  Str 12, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 13
  Base Atk +5; CMB +6; CMD 21
  Feats Dodge, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, 
  Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (katana*)
  Skills Acrobatics +13, Bluff +11, Climb +10, Disguise +11, 
  Escape Artist +13, Intimidate +8, Perception +9, Sleight of 
  Hand +14, Stealth +13, Swim +6
  Languages Tien (cannot speak)
  SQ ki pool (4), light steps, ninja tricks (fast stealth, finesse 
  rogue, smoke bomb), no trace +2, poison use
  Combat Gear potion of cure serious wounds, potion of 
  displacement, shadow essence (6 doses); Other Gear 
  masterwork chain shirt, masterwork katana*, shuriken (12)
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Fast Stealth (Ex) The ninja can move at full speed using the 
  Stealth skill without penalty.
  Ki Pool (Su) A ninja has a pool of ki points, supernatural energy 
  she can use to accomplish amazing feats. As long as she has 
  at least 1 point in her ki pool, a ninja treats any Acrobatics 
  skill check made to jump as if she had a running start. By 
  spending 1 point from her ki pool, a ninja can make one 
  additional attack at her highest attack bonus, but she can do 
  so only when making a full attack. In addition, she can spend 
  1 point to increase her speed by 20 feet for 1 round. Finally, 
  a ninja can spend 1 point from her ki pool to give herself a 
  +4 insight bonus on Stealth skill checks for 1 round. Each of 
  these powers is activated as a swift action.
  Light Steps (Ex) As a full-round action, a ninja can move 
  
  14
  up to twice her speed, ignoring difficult terrain. While 
  moving in this way, any surface will support her, no 
  matter how much she weighs. This allows her to move 
  across water, lava, or even the thinnest tree branches. 
  She must end her move on a surface that can support her 
  normally. She cannot move across air in this way, nor can 
  she walk up walls or other vertical surfaces. When moving 
  in this way, she does not take damage from surfaces 
  or hazards that react to being touched, such as 
  lava or caltrops, nor does she need to make 
  Acrobatics checks to avoid falling on slippery 
  or rough surfaces. Finally, when using light 
  steps, the ninja ignores any mechanical traps 
  that use a location-based trigger.
  No Trace (Ex) A ninja learns to cover her tracks, 
  remain hidden, and conceal her presence. 
  The DC to track a ninja using the Survival 
  skill increases by +2. In addition, her 
  training gives her a +2 insight bonus 
  on Disguise skill checks and on 
  opposed Stealth checks whenever 
  she is stationary and does not take 
  any action for at least 1 round.
  Poison Use (Ex) A ninja is trained in the use of 
  poison and cannot accidentally poison herself 
  when applying poison to a weapon.
  Smoke Bomb (Ex) As a standard action, a ninja 
  can throw a smoke bomb that creates a cloud of 
  smoke with a 15-foot radius. This acts like the smoke from 
  a smokestick. The ninja can center this smoke on herself, or 
  throw the bomb as a ranged touch attack with a range of 20 
  feet. Each use of this ability uses up 1 ki point.
  * See Ultimate Combat.
  Miyaro 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800
  hp 53 (see page 56)
  An unexPected Ally
  After the battle, Miyaro introduces herself to the PCs. She is an 
  ally of the kami of the Forest of Spirits and has walked a long 
  way to meet the PCs and offer Ameiko and her companions 
  safe passage through the forest. The kami are aware of the 
  PCs’ arrival in Tian Xia and the precious treasures they bear 
  with them—the Amatatsu Seal and a true Amatatsu scion. 
  The ancient nature spirits are anxious to see the Five Storms 
  destroyed and the rightful empress return to the throne of 
  Minkai, but the kami are bound by ancient agreements not to 
  directly interfere with the world of mortals, and so they have 
  sent Miyaro as their herald and ambassador. 
  Miyaro informs the PCs that the Five Storms control 
  much of Minkai, as well as the Spirit Road from Hongal to 
  Minkai. If the PCs wish to enter Minkai secretly, they need 
  a less obvious way to enter the empire than the main road. 
  Fortunately, however, the PCs have allies. Miyaro offers 
  to guide the PCs through the Forest of Spirits, the vast 
  “haunted” forest that grows between Hongal and Minkai, 
  via a secret route that bypasses the heavily patrolled Spirit 
  Road. Once there, she promises to introduce the PCs to 
  these mysterious allies and bring them to a place that may 
  aid them all in the battle to come.
  The PCs have likely already learned about the 
  existence of the Five Storms—whether from 
  defeated agents of the group, from Suishen, 
  or from visions received from the Amatatsu 
  Seal—but if they are still ignorant of their 
  foes, Miyaro can fill them in on exactly 
  who has been trying to stop them from 
  reaching Minkai.
  If pressed about the Forest of Spirits or 
  her unknown allies, Miyaro is reluctant to 
  give too many details, but she promises that 
  all will be revealed when the PCs reach the 
  forest. She is very anxious for the group to 
  leave as soon as possible—the following 
  morning at the latest—for if one group 
  of Five Storms agents is in the city, others are 
  sure to follow. Miyaro worries that the next attack 
  might be from a much larger group, or that the 
  Five Storms might use political pressure to 
  convince Prince Batsaikhar to take action against 
  the PCs himself.
  If the PCs seem reluctant to trust Miyaro, she does her 
  best to convince the PCs to go with her (as do the PCs’ NPC 
  allies), but ultimately it is their choice. If the PCs choose 
  not to go with Miyaro, they can attempt to take the Spirit 
  Road or make their own way through the Forest of Spirits, 
  but they will likely encounter more agents of the Five 
  Storms sent to stop them. In this case, Miyaro will attempt 
  to secretly follow the PCs’ caravan, aiding them when she 
  can, and hopefully convincing them at a later time to visit 
  the House of Withered Blossoms.
  If the PCs wish to know more about the kami who 
  inhabit the Forest of Spirits, they can learn the following 
  information with Diplomacy checks to gather information 
  or Knowledge (planes) checks.
  DC 10: Kami are spirits tasked with protecting parts of 
  the physical world that cannot defend themselves, in order 
  to protect the natural order of things.
  DC 15: Kami can manifest physical bodies, but doing 
  so makes them “mortal” and susceptible to being 
  killed—the price they must pay if they wish to physically 
  protect something.
  DC 20: A kami’s power depends upon the nature of its 
  ward—a rock kami or a frog kami might be weak, but a 
  blue whale kami or a mountain kami is quite powerful.
  Miyaro
  
  15
  Forest oF spirits
  DC 25: Although seen as good spirits, kami are not mortal 
  and thus think differently. Tales tell of kami tearing people 
  apart for felling trees while ignoring a raging murderer.
  leAving ordu-AgAnhei
  Whether or not the PCs go with Miyaro, they soon find 
  they have worn out their welcome in Ordu-Aganhei. News 
  of the ninja attack on the PCs soon reaches the ears of 
  Prince Batsaikhar, who is well aware of the Five Storms 
  and the danger they represent. Not wishing to anger 
  Minkai, the prince decides to have nothing more to do 
  with the PCs, and strongly encourages the PCs to leave. 
  It would be impolite to actually ask his guests to leave, 
  of course, but the prince no longer invites the PCs to 
  gatherings, and refuses to even see them (even the object 
  of his fixation). To drive the point home, the prince sends 
  one final gift to each of the PCs: a tooled, gold-filigreed 
  riding saddle worth 200 gp. Each saddle also comes with a 
  famed Hongali horse—a combat-trained light horse with 
  the advanced simple template—worth 300 gp.
  If the PCs fail to take the hint, they soon find themselves 
  ejected from their lodgings in the palace (accompanied by 
  the prince’s most profuse apologies, of course, delivered 
  through Chua). If the PCs remain in Ordu-Aganhei, 
  the prince orders all the shops and inns closed to them, 
  making it plain the PCs are no longer welcome in the city.
  Once the PCs leave the city, it is a 500-mile journey 
  southeastward through the steppes and outlying villages 
  of Hongal to reach the northern fringes of the Forest 
  of Spirits. You can enliven this journey with caravan 
  encounters, or keep up the pace of the chase by having 
  another group of Five Storms ninja attack the PCs en route.
  PArt tWo: the forest of sPirits
  The Forest of Spirits is a vast subarctic pine forest 
  separating Minkai from mainland Tian Xia. It is a dense 
  forest with massive trees and virtually no undergrowth, 
  almost continuously shrouded in snow. Beyond the outer 
  fringes, there is a paucity of human and other civilized life 
  in the forest, though it teems with animals and the spirits 
  that give the wood its name. Minkai lies over 1,200 miles 
  from the forest’s border with Hongal, though the PCs’ 
  journey will not take them straight through the forest.
  sPirits of the forest
  Countless incorporeal spirits wander the Forest of Spirits, 
  and are attracted to those living creatures that wander 
  inside the forest’s boundaries. Something between ghosts 
  and haunts, these spirits are actually neither, though they 
  have abilities similar to both. A spirit can possess a living 
  creature, but it cannot control the body as a ghost does. A 
  spirit does have an effect upon a body it possesses, however, 
  sometimes beneficial and sometimes detrimental.
  Spirits are incorporeal, but they are not creatures that 
  can simply be destroyed in combat. They function more 
  like haunts (Pathfinder RPG GameMastery Guide 242), but 
  are not limited to a specific location and are not necessarily 
  evil or vengeful. All spirits have a fly speed of 30 feet with 
  perfect maneuverability.
  Spirits are difficult to detect since they are typically 
  invisible until they manifest. Detect undead or detect 
  alignment spells of the appropriate type allow an observer 
  a chance to notice a spirit before it manifests (allowing 
  that character the appropriate check to notice the spirit, 
  but at a –4 penalty).
  A spirit manifests in a surprise round, rolling initiative 
  as normal (spirits have an initiative modifier of +0). All 
  characters in the spirit’s proximity can attempt to notice 
  the spirit at the start of this surprise round by making 
  a notice check. All spirits can detect life sources and 
  manifest as a result of the approach of or contact with 
  living creatures.
  Once it manifests, a spirit tries to possess a living host. 
  This is a supernatural ability. Spirits are drawn to similarly 
  aligned creatures, and attempt to possess those creatures 
  first, but if no such characters are available they go for the 
  next closest until they find a suitable host. Attempting to 
  possess a body is a full-round action, and the spirit must be 
  adjacent to the target. The target can resist the possession 
  with a successful Will save. A target can willingly fail 
  this save to allow possession by a spirit. A creature that 
  successfully saves is immune to that same spirit’s possession 
  for 24 hours. A protection spell of the correct alignment 
  prevents a spirit from possessing a creature’s body for the 
  duration of the spell. A possessed creature can make a new 
  saving throw each day to throw off the possession.
  Once it successfully possesses a host, a spirit has an 
  ongoing effect on its host. The spirit whispers in its host’s 
  mind, creates empathic urges and impulses, and appears 
  in daydreams or moments of slumber. In addition, a 
  spirit provides either a boon or a bane to its host. Unless 
  otherwise noted, these effects last as long as the spirit 
  continues to possess the host. A greater restoration, heal, or 
  miracle spell removes all permanent effects.
  Once a spirit manifests, it can be damaged by positive 
  energy (via channeled energy, cure spells, and the like). A 
  spirit never gains a Will save to lessen the damage done by 
  such effects, and attacks that require a successful attack 
  roll to work must strike AC 10 (modified by the spirit’s 
  size) in order to affect the spirit. Unless the spirit has an 
  unusual weakness, no other form of attack can reduce its 
  hit points. If the spirit is reduced to 0 hit points by positive 
  energy, it is destroyed.
  Once a spirit possesses a host, however, positive energy 
  no longer harms it. It must be driven out of its host, either 
  with a protection spell of the proper alignment (allowing 
  
  16
  the host a new saving throw to end the possession), or with 
  a dispel spell of the proper alignment, which destroys the 
  spirit (the spirit’s Will save modifier is equal to its CR + 3).
  More than one spirit can possess the same host, but 
  the more spirits a creature hosts, the more confusing and 
  distracting the babble of voices in the creature’s head is. 
  A possessed creature takes a cumulative –2 penalty on 
  Will saves and on all Wisdom-based checks for each spirit 
  possessing it beyond the first. 
  elements of A sPirit
  Spirits are presented in the following format.
  Spirit Name: The spirit’s name, followed by its CR.
  XP: This is the amount of XP to award the PCs for 
  destroying the spirit, as determined by its CR. The PCs 
  do not earn XP for destroying a good spirit or a spirit that 
  provides a boon.
  Alignment and Race: This line gives the spirit’s 
  alignment, gender, and race. A spirit is never simply 
  neutral in alignment; it always has at least one other 
  alignment component on either the good-evil and/or 
  lawful-chaotic axis.
  Notice: This indicates the skill check and DC required to 
  notice the spirit in the surprise round before it manifests. 
  The sensory input for what a successful check notices—
  such as a muted ghostly wailing, an almost imperceptible 
  wavering in the air, or the faint smell of decay—is listed in 
  parentheses after the DC.
  hp: This line lists the spirit’s effective hit points for the 
  purposes of resolving positive energy damage. A spirit’s hit 
  points are equal to its CR × 4.5 (round fractions down).
  Will Save: The DC of the Will save to avoid possession by 
  the spirit. The save DC is equal to the spirit’s CR + 9.
  Ongoing Effect: This line describes the ongoing effects 
  a host experiences while possessed by the spirit. These 
  effects last for as long as the spirit possesses the host.
  Boon or Bane: This describes the boon or bane the spirit 
  grants its host.
  Dismissal: If the spirit can be damaged or affected by 
  effects other than positive energy or dispel spells, those 
  effects are listed here.
  encounters in the forest of sPirits
  The PCs will encounter a number of spirits and other 
  denizens of the wood as they journey through the Forest of 
  Spirits. With the exception of the first and last encounters—
  Guardian of the Way, which takes place when the PCs first 
  enter the Forest of Spirits, and Ancestral Spirits, which 
  takes place just before the PCs reach the House of Withered 
  Blossoms—these encounters do not have set locations or 
  times. You should place these encounters at locations of 
  your choosing along the PCs’ route, in an order that best fits 
  the needs of your campaign. They should be used to enliven 
  the PCs’ journey and impress upon the PCs the unique 
  character of the Forest of Spirits and its inhabitants. 
  guArdiAn of the WAy
  A narrow dirt path disappears into the dark edge of the forest 
  ahead. The boughs of the trees hang heavy with fallen snow, 
  and an almost preternatural silence reigns over the area. Ahead, 
  a small stone pillar engraved with strange symbols has fallen 
  across the path, blocking the way forward.
  The fallen pillar is a waymarker, but also a warning to 
  those who would enter the Forest of Spirits naively. The 
  waymarker’s function can be easily determined by anyone 
  who speaks Tien, or with a DC 15 Knowledge (local) or 
  DC 20 Linguistics check. Although the fallen waymarker 
  is blocking the path, it is easy to simply go around it. 
  However, Miyaro informs the PCs that such markers often 
  have guardian kami who watch over them. If the PCs were 
  to set the waymarker back upright and leave an offering for 
  the kami, they might gain its blessing or favor.
  Creature: The waymarker is indeed the ward of a shikigami 
  kami named Shunkichi, who is currently invisible, watching 
  over his ward from behind a nearby tree. Shikigami kami 
  are the protectors of minor works of civilization, and though 
  the least of the kami, they are courageous and steadfastly 
  loyal. Should the PCs attempt to desecrate or destroy his 
  waymarker, Shunkichi leaps out of hiding to attack, even 
  though such an action is likely to be fatal for him. Otherwise, 
  Shunkichi watches the PCs without revealing himself. 
  If the PCs set the waymarker back into place (it weighs 
  only 100 pounds) and leave a small offering (a bit of food, a 
  few coins, or the like), they feel a sense of satisfaction and 
  well-being settle over them. A moment later, Shunkichi 
  comes out of hiding. He appears as a wizened, 2-foot-tall 
  man in homespun robes. He bows to the PCs and thanks 
  them in Tien (Miyaro offers to translate if none of the PCs 
  speak Tien), and informs the PCs that because they helped 
  him, they have earned the blessings of the local spirits—the 
  sense of gratification that they feel. Each of the PCs gains a 
  +1 luck bonus on all saving throws for the next week. Miyaro 
  then introduces the PCs to Shunkichi, and tells him of their 
  purpose in entering the Forest of Spirits. The little man 
  nods sagely, and offers his blessing for their journey, but 
  warns them that the wood contains many dangerous spirits 
  and creatures, and that mortals should not tread carelessly 
  beneath the forest’s boughs. Nevertheless, he promises to 
  inform the other kami of the PCs’ coming. With that, he once 
  more merges with his waymarker and disappears from view.
  Shunkichi  
  CR 2
  XP 600
  Male shikigami kami (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 163)
  
  17
  Forest oF spirits
  hp 19; fast healing 2
  TACTICS
  During Combat Shunkichi throws rocks at attackers, hoping 
  to drive them off. He knows he has little chance of 
  defeating a large group of foes in melee combat, but he 
  tries to do so anyway if he has no other choice, grabbing a 
  tree branch to use as an improvised club.
  Morale If reduced to fewer than 10 hit points, Shunkichi 
  merges with his ward. If enemies attack the waymarker 
  itself, Shunkichi manifests again, fighting to the death to 
  defend his ward.
  entering the forest
  Once the PCs enter the Forest of Spirits, they soon have 
  the feeling of being watched, though they can see no signs 
  of anything following them. Strange noises occasionally 
  ring out through the forest, though it’s impossible to 
  discover their source. These occurrences only increase as 
  the journey progresses.
  Spirit: Soon after entering the forest, the PCs 
  encounter the first of many spirits in the wood. 
  Li Xu was a young poet and lyricist who died 
  in her sleep while camping in the forest. She 
  does not realize she is dead, however, and 
  believes her entire existence as a spirit is 
  just a vivid dream.
  Li Xu, the Wandering Song
  NG female human spirit
  Notice Perception DC 15 (to hear a 
  tuneful humming)
  hp 22
  Will Save DC 14
  Ongoing Effect Epic songs. 
  Li Xu sings Tien epics and 
  recites complex poetry while 
  possessing a creature. These 
  tales grant the possessed 
  creature a +2 bonus on 
  Knowledge (history), Knowledge 
  (local), and Knowledge (nobility) 
  checks, and the possessed creature 
  can make such checks untrained.
  Boon Speak Tien. As soon as Li 
  possesses a creature, the host begins 
  to learn the Tien language. The process 
  takes 1 week, but if Li has not 
  been dismissed by the end of that 
  time, the creature learns to speak 
  Tien, and retains that knowledge 
  even if Li is later dismissed. If Li 
  possesses a creature for 1 month 
  or more, the creature permanently 
  gains a rank in Perform (sing). If the creature already has ranks 
  in Perform (sing), it instead gains a permanent +1 bonus on 
  Perform (sing) checks.
  Dismissal Magic only.
  AmBush At the ridge of chill Breezes 
  (cr 11)
  This encounter occurs as the PCs are following a line of 
  high tors that rear above the forest.
  Creatures: Three stone giant brothers have built a home 
  atop the tors, where they hunt great birds by hurling rocks. 
  The giants are loafing as the PCs approach, but they likely 
  hear the noises of the PCs’ caravan. If they detect the PCs, 
  one giant makes a strange bird call to alert his brothers. The 
  PCs can make a DC 10 Perception check to hear the call, but 
  DC 20 Knowledge (nature) check recognizes that the sound 
  was not made by an animal. The giants take up positions 
  flanking the PCs or their caravan; the biggest, Feng, marches 
  ahead of any opponents, while his brothers sneak up from 
  behind to hurl rocks with surprise. If not alerted, Feng 
  simply wanders into the PCs on the trail. He shouts to 
  alert his brothers, who come rushing to help him in 
  1d4 rounds, and he immediately attacks. 
  Yu, Ye, and Feng 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  Male stone giants (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 151)
  hp 102 each 
  TACTICS
  During Combat The giants are somewhat 
  simplistic in battle. They hurl rocks, then 
  move in to bash opponents with their clubs.
  Morale A giant flees to the brothers’ 
  house atop the tors if reduced to 20 hit 
  points or fewer.
  Treasure: The giants’ house is 
  built on top of a tor not far from 
  where they ambush the PCs. The 
  house is a crudely built mishmash of wood 
  and stone, but it offers the giants a warm 
  and dry place to sleep. There are six 
  comfortable rooms in the house, each 
  heated with a great fire. In addition to 
  plenty of salted meat and cured meat 
  (equivalent to 20 cargo units of caravan 
  stores), the house contains a 25-foot-
  long woven tapestry worth 300 
  gp, two white tiger skins 
  worth 250 gp each, two bolts 
  of fine silk worth 140 gp 
  each, and three barrels of very 
  good sake worth 50 gp each.
  Shunkichi
  
  18
  hongAl And the
  PAth 
  of
  AgAn
  hei
  sP
  iri
  t 
  ro
  Ad
  Ordu-Aganhei
  House of  
  Withered Blossoms
  hongAl
  minkAi
  hongAl
  minkAi
  forest of 
  sPirits
  forest of 
  sPirits
  WAl
  l of h
  eAv
  en
  song
  il
  hongAl And the
  forest of sPirits
  seA
  340 miles 
  forest of sPirits
  the Anger of storms (cr 8)
  Spirit: The spirit of an angry samurai named Onashi Taisuke 
  drifts into the area. Known for his cruelty to prisoners, 
  Onashi was killed by his escaped convicts during a revolt.
  Onashi Taisuke, the Anger of Storms 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800
  LE male human spirit
  Notice Perception DC 25 (to hear the crack of a whip)
  hp 36
  Will Save DC 17
  Ongoing Effect Disturbing dreams. The possessed creature 
  must make a DC 17 Will save each night to fall asleep, or 
  the creature is unable to get proper rest because of vivid 
  dreams of Onashi’s acts of rage and brutality against 
  prisoners. A creature that does not sleep properly is 
  fatigued the following day. Three or more days without 
  sleep make the creature exhausted.
  Bane The possessed creature must make a DC 17 Will save 
  when Onashi is dismissed, or his anger remains and the 
  dreams, albeit milder, continue. Although the creature no 
  longer wakes, it needs an extra hour’s sleep each night to 
  gain the full benefits of a night’s sleep.
  Dismissal Magic only.
  the Agony of grief (cr 8)
  A tiger kami named Gushiang recently died nearby, and 
  its death has driven its ward, an albino dire tiger of great 
  age named Tieqing, insane with grief. The huge tiger now 
  stalks the forest, attacking any who trespass on its former 
  kami’s territory.
  Creature: Tieqing simply appears out of the forest, 
  rushing toward the PCs from a distance of 300 feet away. 
  It roars at the PCs’ caravan, but it almost seems as if the 
  sounds contain half-formed words. A DC 20 Knowledge 
  (nature) or Sense Motive check reveals that the tiger is not 
  acting naturally (Miyaro can make this check for the PCs 
  if they are unable to), while a DC 20 Knowledge (planes) 
  check allows the PCs to realize that such tigers are sacred 
  to the kami of the Forest of Spirits. 
  The tiger charges the PCs, but suddenly halts and 
  sniffs at the air when it reaches them. Although it appears 
  hostile, Tieqing is considered unfriendly. It eyes the PCs 
  suspiciously for 3 rounds. During this time, the PCs can 
  attempt to improve the tiger’s attitude with wild empathy 
  or magic. If the PCs make Tieqing at least indifferent, 
  the tiger departs as suddenly as it arrived. If the PCs fail 
  to improve the tiger’s attitude, or if they do nothing or 
  attack the tiger, Tieqing immediately becomes hostile and 
  
  19
  Forest oF spirits
  attacks the PCs. The tiger fights until killed, an event that 
  has unforeseen consequences (see Development below). 
  Tieqing 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800
  Dire tiger (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 265)
  hp 105
  Development: If the PCs kill Tieqing, proceed to The 
  Consequences of Hasty Actions (see below).
  Story Award: If the PCs avoid killing Tieqing, award 
  them 9,600 XP.
  the consequences of hAsty Actions 
  (cr 8)
  This encounter only occurs if the PCs killed the dire tiger 
  Tieqing (see The Agony of Grief, above).
  Spirit: The death of Tieqing enrages the spirit of an ancient 
  hunter named Kungang. Kungang spent his years killing 
  tigers, until one day the hunter became the prey, and Kungang 
  finally understood the meaning of the proverb, “he who rides 
  a tiger is afraid to dismount.” Filled with regret for his actions, 
  Kungang’s spirit now wanders the forest admiring the tigers 
  that inherit the area, particularly Tieqing. Kungang tries to 
  possess the PC who struck the killing blow against Tieqing, or 
  who dealt the most damage to the tiger. He does not attempt 
  to possess any character who did not fight Tieqing, and he is 
  unable to possess a character who has no regrets about any of 
  her actions (such as a paladin, for example).
  Kungang, the Endless Hunt 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800
  LN male human spirit
  Notice Perception DC 27 (to catch a glimpse of a stalking tiger 
  through the underbrush)
  hp 36
  Will Save DC 17
  Ongoing Effect Regret hasty actions. The possessed creature 
  is racked with guilt about hasty actions that it now regrets. 
  The creature becomes indecisive, and takes a –2 penalty on 
  initiative checks.
  Bane The regret of hasty actions never leaves the creature. 
  The possessed creature must make a DC 17 Will save when 
  Kungang leaves or is dismissed, or it takes a permanent –1 
  penalty on initiative checks.
  Dismissal If the possessed creature truly regrets its actions 
  and atones for them (such as through an atonement spell), 
  Kungang is dismissed.
  the fire sPirit (cr 10)
  Spirit: A pyromaniac wizard named Mieko once tried to 
  burn down the Forest of Spirits, but was killed when her 
  own fires grew beyond her control. She now wanders the 
  forest looking for a host so she can burn again. Mieko 
  prefers to possess arcane spellcasters above all others.
  Mieko, the Arsonist 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600
  CE female human spirit
  Notice Perception DC 25 (to smell smoke on the wind)
  hp 45
  Will Save DC 19
  Ongoing Effect Pyromania. The possessed creature has the 
  urge to burn things, and the DC of all evocation spells cast 
  by the possessed creature increases by +1.
  Bane The possessed creature must make a DC 19 Will save 
  when Mieko is driven out, or the DC of all evocation spells 
  cast by the creature permanently decreases by –1.
  Dismissal Magic only.
  Berries of mAdness (cr 11)
  Spirit: An angry spirit named Bokeghan is drawn to the 
  PCs as they pass through this area. After eating poisonous 
  wild berries, Bokeghan went mad and killed his beloved 
  family with an axe. He now seeks to vent his rage on any 
  living creature he finds.
  Bokeghan, the Breaker 
  CR 11
  XP 12,800
  NE male human spirit
  Notice Perception DC 30 (to hear the sound of an axe 
  hitting flesh)
  hp 49
  Will Save DC 20
  Ongoing Effect Unfathomable anger. Bokeghan’s rage makes 
  it difficult to concentrate. The possessed creature takes a –2 
  penalty on all Charisma-, Intelligence-, and Wisdom-based 
  skill checks.
  Boon or Bane If the possessed creature identifies the berries 
  that drove Bokeghan mad (see Dismissal), the spirit leaves 
  a portion of his love for his family in the creature before 
  departing. Once per day, the creature can call upon this 
  love as a free action to gain the effects of a heroism spell 
  (duration 10 rounds). If driven away by magic before 
  identifying the berries, some of Bokeghan’s anger remains. 
  The possessed creature must make a DC 20 Will save when 
  Bokeghan is driven out, or every time that creature rolls a 
  natural 1 on a Will save it becomes confused for 2d4 rounds. 
  Dismissal Identifying the berries that drove Bokeghan mad. 
  The berries are not uncommon in the forest, and the 
  possessed creature can make a DC 30 Perception check each 
  day to spot some and realize that something is amiss with 
  the berries. A (DC 20) Knowledge (nature) check identifies the 
  berries as being poisonous (causing madness in some) but 
  very similar to a nutritious berry. If this knowledge is passed 
  along to the possessed creature, Bokeghan is dismissed.
  
  20
  AncestrAl sPirits
  After almost a month of travel through the forest, Miyaro 
  guides the PCs to the clearing where the kami are waiting 
  for them.
  The trees part to reveal a twilit clearing, the thick leaves 
  blocking most of the sunlight from the sky above. A giant, 
  wooden torii gate, unpainted and unvarnished, stands before 
  the entrance to the clearing.
  Creature: As the PCs approach the torii, an armored 
  figure appears beneath the gate, floating just a few inches 
  above the ground. This is Noburo, a zuishin kami— 
  guardians of gates and doorways and sworn enemies of the 
  oni. Noburo hails the PCs (using telepathy if necessary) 
  and demands they explain their presence in the Forest of 
  Spirits. Miyaro explains in hurried whispers that Noburo 
  is the guardian of this grove and that all must face him 
  before they are allowed to enter. He is not an enemy, but 
  the PCs must respectfully ask permission to enter.
  Allow the PCs to introduce themselves and state their 
  business. Noburo listens to them impassively, but if any 
  of the PCs are currently possessed by evil spirits, Noburo 
  can see them with his detect evil ability, and refuses to 
  allow them to pass while so possessed. Regardless of 
  whether or not they are possessed, the PCs must convince 
  Noburo to allow them to pass through the gate (Miyaro 
  can aid another to assist them, if necessary). Noburo has a 
  starting attitude of unfriendly. If he is made indifferent, 
  he grudgingly allows them through the gate, but keeps a 
  close eye on them while they are present. If made friendly, 
  he bids them welcome and steps aside, allowing them 
  to enter the clearing. If made helpful, Noburo welcomes 
  them and offers to dispel any evil spirits possessing them 
  (with dispel evil), or to use his spell-like abilities to heal 
  them or remove a spirit’s boon or bane from a character 
  (with heal).
  If the PCs decide to attack Noburo, the kami responds in 
  kind. Whether or not the other kami then approach 
  the PCs (as described in Development below) is left 
  to your discretion. If not, the PCs will have to make 
  their own way to the House of Withered Blossoms.
  Noburo 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600
  Male zuishin kami (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 165)
  hp 123; fast healing 5
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Noburo casts alarm on his torii every day. 
  While merged with his ward, Noburo casts true seeing when 
  the PCs approach his gate.
  During Combat Noburo prefers to make ranged attacks, 
  attacking evil characters or those possessed by evil spirits in 
  preference to other foes.
  Morale Noburo fights to the death to defend this sacred grove.
  Development: Once the PCs enter the clearing, the rest 
  of the day passes quietly until they make camp for the 
  night in the still air of the forest. Slowly, the kami begin 
  to arrive. The PCs gradually become aware that something 
  is gathering in the darkness—a family, an army, or 
  both. They can make out vague, strange shapes in the 
  shadows, and palpable sense of fear and curiosity 
  permeates the forest twilight.
  Gradually, a few kami hesitantly approach the 
  PCs to look upon them—most of these kami are 
  merged with their animal wards, but others inhabit 
  the trees, the rocks, or the snow, or simply manifest 
  in a variety of forms, both humanoid and other. If 
  the PCs earlier helped Shunkichi, they might catch 
  a glimpse of the little kami among his fellows. Miyaro 
  urges the PCs to remain still as they may terrify the 
  spirits into fleeing.
  Noburo
  
  21
  Forest oF spirits
  Be careful when handling this encounter—you should 
  try to create an atmosphere of mystery and wonder, while 
  impressing upon the PCs that they are gaining a rare glimpse 
  into what is almost another world. The kami are fascinated 
  by the PCs but also afraid of them, and stay at the edge of 
  sight at the fringes of the clearing. If the PCs make sudden 
  moves, the kami back away, then gradually creep forward 
  again. The intent is to make the PCs aware of the ancient 
  spirits’ numbers and power without frightening them.
  The kami begin whispering strange words, which 
  Miyaro translates for the PCs. She tells them that the kami 
  swore an oath long ago to guard the oni of the Five Storms, 
  who were imprisoned in a pagoda called the House of 
  Withered Blossoms. For centuries, the kami kept the Five 
  Storms contained, but one night, 160 years ago, most of the 
  oni somehow escaped their prison. The kami do not know 
  how, but they do know that at least one oni still remains 
  in the House of Withered Blossoms, for their oath forbids 
  them from stepping over the threshold while even one oni 
  remains inside, and the way is still barred to them.
  The kami ask the PCs to enter the pagoda to learn what 
  happened to the Five Storms and, if necessary, to defeat the 
  last oni within. They know that the PCs seek to depose the 
  Jade Regent, and that he is allied with the Five Storms—
  an exploration of the oni’s former prison might give them 
  information and weapons they can use against their enemies. 
  If the PCs agree to go to the House of Withered Blossoms, 
  an audible sigh passes through the kami gathered in the 
  clearing. At length, a single kami approaches the PCs, a tiny 
  ancient warrior with a tree branch growing from the top of 
  his head. This is Akumi, a fukujin kami (see page 84). He 
  bows to the PCs and introduces himself, and humbly asks 
  them for one more favor. Akumi’s ward, a small bonsai tree, 
  was recently stolen by hobgoblins who took it inside the 
  House of Withered Blossoms. Bound by his oath, Akumi was 
  unable to follow, but he can feel that his bonsai is still alive 
  somewhere within or beneath the pagoda. He has tended his 
  ward for centuries, and should it die, Akumi believes he will 
  die as well. He begs the PCs to go into the House of Withered 
  Blossoms and recover his precious tree for him.
  PArt three: house of Withered 
  Blossoms
  If the PCs agree to investigate the House of Withered 
  Blossoms on behalf of the kami, they may leave the next 
  morning. The pagoda stands in a blighted section of 
  the forest only a day’s travel from the kami’s clearing. 
  Miyaro agrees to guide the PCs to the House of Withered 
  Blossoms, but she refuses to go inside with them. Instead, 
  she promises to wait with the PCs’ caravan in the kami’s 
  clearing. She wishes the PCs luck, and if they did not 
  attack the tiger Tieqing, she gives them her magic fan, 
  Kikuya’s sensu, to help them inside the pagoda (see page 61).
  When the PCs are ready to enter the House of Withered 
  Blossoms, read or paraphrase the following.
  The animal calls soften to a whisper as the forest parts to 
  reveal a vast bowl, the ground sinking from the forest tangle 
  into descending rows of frozen terraces. At the center of the 
  depression stands a towering porcelain pagoda, its walls and 
  eaves smothered in thick, clinging vines and draped with heavy 
  webs, soaring to a golden rooftop. Stylized representations of 
  forgotten creatures and beasts dance upon the pagoda’s walls, 
  and a band of huge thorny spines juts from its midsection. A 
  decaying garden surrounds the pagoda, a frozen echo of past 
  magnificence. Broken statues litter the garden, and icy clouds 
  of violet blossoms drift through the ruin. The overpowering 
  scent of death and decay hangs in the air.
  The pagoda and its subterranean dungeons form the 
  House of Withered Blossoms, named for the strange, 
  flowering vines that cling to the structure. Currently, 
  two opposing factions vie for control of the ancient 
  palace: the aranea followers of the sorcerer Akinosa, and 
  the hobgoblin forces of the ja noi oni Munasukaru. The 
  araneas, most of whom are neutral evil in alignment, 
  inhabit the aboveground levels of the pagoda, while the 
  hobgoblins occupy the dungeons below.
  feAtures of the house of Withered 
  Blossoms 
  The House of Withered Blossoms has the following features.
  Exterior: The outer walls of the House of Withered 
  Blossoms are choked by the vines of the withered blossom 
  plant (see below). Many of these vines are covered in sticky 
  webs and several entrances into the pagoda are trapped. 
  The araneas frequently use the exterior walls as a way 
  of ingress and egress, however, and signs of this use are 
  plainly evident. The outer walls of the pagoda can be 
  scaled with a DC 15 Climb check.
  Interior: Each level of the pagoda is 20 feet high, with 
  stone ceilings supported by stone beams, though some 
  of these ceilings have been removed to create large, 
  multilevel chambers. Large portions of the pagoda have 
  been destroyed over the years during the war between 
  Akinosa and Munasukaru, but the pagoda’s four central 
  support pillars remain intact. These pillars, wreathed 
  in stylized pictures of dragons eating hosts of people, 
  are 5 feet in diameter. Even if these pillars are destroyed, 
  the pagoda is likely to remain standing, because of the 
  withered blossom vines encircling its walls (see below).
  Teleportation: Because of the strictures placed on the 
  House of Withered Blossoms by the gods, extradimensional 
  travel (such as dimension door, gate, plane shift, teleport, and 
  the like) into or out of the House of Withered Blossoms 
  or the Penance is impossible. Such movement within 
  
  22
  the confines of the pagoda or the dungeons below is 
  unaffected.
  Webs: The araneas have erected webs in several sections 
  of the pagoda to make progress more difficult and to 
  conceal the various traps they have set. Araneas can move 
  across the webs at their climb speeds and pinpoint the 
  location of any creatures touching the webs. As the web 
  from area A8a upward is essentially one large, single web, 
  the araneas in those areas can pinpoint the location of any 
  creature touching the web. Most of these webs are thick 
  and easy to spot, requiring no Perception check to see. 
  The webs are sticky, and any creature touching them or 
  attempting to move through them becomes entangled. 
  Entangled creatures can escape with a DC 14 Escape Artist 
  or Strength check. Each 5-foot-square section of web has 5 
  hit points and DR 5/—.
  Withered Blossoms: The thick, woody vines of the 
  withered blossom plant cling to every exterior wall of 
  the House of Withered Blossoms. These vines bloom 
  every night, bursting into life at sunset and growing 
  steadily until, by midnight, the pagoda is cloaked with 
  violet blossoms the size and shape of human hands. At 
  midnight, the blossoms fall from the vines, drifting in 
  great clouds through the garden surrounding the pagoda, 
  obscuring vision and providing concealment equivalent 
  to fog (Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook 439) in a 100-foot-
  radius area around the pagoda for 1d3 hours. During 
  that time, fleshy ochre fruits develop like cancers on the 
  vines, growing with alarming swiftness until they burst 
  1d3 hours later with a stench like honey and horse sweat. 
  Both the flowers and fruits of the withered blossom vine 
  are completely harmless.
  A1. rAin of flying dAggers (cr 10)
  The huge bronze door is marked with stylized pictures of 
  dueling dragons. Hundreds of open-mouthed dragon faces 
  surround the doorframe, all leering out hungrily.
  The paranoid aranea Akinosa has rigged up several 
  locations on this level with traps, including the main entry 
  to the pagoda.
  Trap: The stone door is barred on the inside (hardness 8, 
  hp 60, Break DC 30) and trapped. Anyone opening the door 
  triggers a spray of deadly flying daggers from the door.
  Rain of Flying Daggers Trap 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 29; Disable Device DC 29
  EFFECTS
  Trigger location; Reset manual
  Effect Atk +20 ranged (6d6); multiple targets (all targets in a 
  15-ft. cone)
  A2. floor of long knives (cr 7+)
  This corridor runs along the perimeter of the pagoda and 
  is choked with aranea webs. Stairs in the southeast corner 
  lead up to area A5 on the next level.
  Trap: Among the webs in the eastern corridor, the 
  araneas have set a trio of dangerous traps at the locations 
  marked T on the map. A creature that steps into one of 
  these squares is attacked by several long knives that jut up 
  from between the floorboards.
  Floor of Long Knives Traps (3) 
   CR 7 
  XP 3,200 each
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 29; Disable Device DC 20
  EFFECTS
  Trigger location; Reset manual
  Effect Atk +15 melee (3d4 long knives for 1d4+5 damage each)
  A3. the funnel (cr 8)
  The core of the pagoda on this floor has been gutted. The 
  few remaining walls in this area are crumbling, and only the 
  presence of four huge stone pillars, carved with pictures of 
  battling dragons, seems to keep the building up. Thick webs 
  fill the four corners of the room. The central section of the 
  pagoda has suffered the most, with a great rip in the floor 
  creating a steep-walled pit sloping down to a dark shaft 
  choked with webs.
  The Funnel marks the hinterland between the pagoda 
  and Munasukaru’s Penance below. As the main entrance 
  from the dungeons below, this area is seen by the araneas 
  as the frontier of their domain. The pit slopes down 10 feet 
  to the top of the Throat (area A4).
  Creatures: Four araneas watch the chamber at all times 
  from webs near the ceiling.
  Araneas (4) 
  CR 4
  XP 1,200 each
  hp 37 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 30)
  TACTICS
  Before Combat The araneas cast mage armor, renewing it 
  as needed. If alerted to intruders, they cast invisibility and 
  mirror image.
  During Combat The araneas are on guard against invaders 
  coming up the shaft, and generally keep their attention 
  on the Throat (area A4). Once they detect intruders, the 
  araneas raise the alarm by blowing their horns. They 
  prefer to attack using web-slinging (see sidebar) from their 
  high vantage point near the ceiling. If their webs seem 
  ineffective, the araneas cast attack spells (such as magic 
  missile) before entering melee combat.
  Morale Akinosa has assigned his most loyal and foolhardy 
  followers to watch the Throat, and they fight to the death.
  
  23
  Forest oF spirits
  A4. the throAt
  A warm breeze carrying the unpleasant smell of decay wafts 
  upward from this web-filled shaft.
  This long shaft is 100 feet deep, finally emerging in 
  area B1 in Munasukaru’s Penance. The top 20 feet of the 
  shaft has completely smooth sides, created by a stone shape 
  spell, making it impossible to climb by normal means, 
  and it is filled with aranea webs. Beyond that point, very 
  narrow, short stone steps have been carved in the walls of 
  the Throat over long years by the countless followers of 
  Munasukaru. These steps spiral down to the bottom of the 
  shaft, and require a DC 10 Climb check to descend.
  A5. WAlk of lAcquered screens  
  (cr 10+)
  Tall black lacquered screens with prancing dragon designs turn 
  this corridor into a twisting maze.
  The corridor that runs along the perimeter of this level 
  is divided into a maze by numerous lacquered wooden 
  screens (hardness 5, hp 10, Break DC 10). Each screen is 5 
  feet wide and 8 feet tall. Akinosa and the araneas find it 
  amusing to drop prisoners into this corridor and watch 
  as the creatures within stalk and devour them. For even 
  greater amusement, the araneas have built metal grilles 
  into the ceilings of this level so they can more easily view 
  the carnage below. These grilles are 3 feet in diameter, 
  blocked with four iron bars (hardness 10, hp 30, Break 
  DC 28). Small creatures can clamber through the gaps 
  between these bars with a DC 30 Escape Artist check. 
  Smaller creatures or those in gaseous form can pass easily 
  through the bars. Two of these grilles (to the east and 
  west) are also trap doors, and are locked with average 
  locks (DC 25 Disable Device check to open; Akinosa has 
  all the keys).
  Creatures: Two mohrgs stalk the screened corridor. 
  The mohrgs have become extremely adept at stealth, 
  sneaking up on their prey using the screens for cover.
  
  24
  T
  T
  T
  T
  T
  T
  C
  C
  T
  T
  T
  T
  T
  T
  T
  T
  T
  T
  T
  T
  T
  T
  T
  T
  T
  F
  F
  A1
  A2
  A3
  A4
  A5
  A6
  A7
  A8a
  A8b
  A8c
  A9a
  A9b
  A10a
  A10b
  A11
  
  25
  Forest oF spirits
  Mohrgs (2) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  hp 91 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 208)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The mohrgs stalk opponents using stealth, 
  and try to draw opponents into the raining shuriken traps to 
  weaken them.
  Morale The mohrgs withdraw to area A6 if reduced to fewer 
  than 45 hit points. 
  Traps: To add more amusement, and to create a more 
  effective attack deterrent, the araneas have rigged up traps 
  that launch poisoned shuriken when pressure pads on the 
  floor are triggered in several locations, marked T on the 
  map. The mohrgs know the location of the traps and avoid 
  them. Because of the large number of these traps, you should 
  no longer award XP for them once the PCs realize their 
  danger and are able to bypass them. Likewise, if the players 
  are getting bored with repeated encounters with these traps, 
  you can simply allow them to bypass the traps automatically, 
  unless they are lured into traps by the mohrgs.
  Storm of Raining Shuriken Trap 
  CR 6
  XP 2,400
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 25; Disable Device DC 25
  EFFECTS
  Trigger location; Reset manual
  Effect Atk +15 ranged (2d4 shuriken for 1d2+1 damage each 
  plus aranea poison [save Fort DC 15; frequency 1/round for 6 
  rounds; effect 1d3 Strength damage; cure 1 save])
  Treasure: Each of the 5-foot-by-8-foot black lacquered 
  screens is worth 20 gp, if undamaged and safely removed 
  from the pagoda.
  A6. hAll of unBreAkABle screens
  More screens fill this chamber, but they are made of metal, and 
  depict writhing dragons in bas-relief devouring hidden prey.
  The screens in this chamber are metal (hardness 10, hp 
  30, Break DC 26) and fixed to the floor with hefty bolts. 
  Noise within this room has the potential to alert the other 
  mohrgs on this level (see areas A5 and A7).
  Traps: Several storm of raining shuriken traps have 
  been rigged in this chamber as well. 
  A7. chAmBer of iron cAges (cr 10)
  Four great columns carved with depictions of dragons overlook a 
  gruesome scene in the center of the pagoda. Four gibbets hang 
  from an iron column in the center of the chamber, next to a 
  steep stone spiral stair that climbs to the ceiling.
  Recently, two Tian peasants, a man and a woman, had 
  the misfortune to wander near the House of Withered 
  Blossoms and were captured by the araneas. Finding the 
  peasants of little use in his war against the oni, Akinosa 
  released them into the Walk of Lacquered Screens, where 
  they were caught by the mohrgs and dragged here to be 
  imprisoned upside down in the cages in the middle of the 
  room. The spiral stairs lead to area A8a above.
  Creatures: Two more mohrgs lurk in this chamber, 
  tormenting their prisoners to madness until the undead tire 
  of them. If alerted to the presence of intruders in area A6, the 
  mohrgs split up—one stalking the intruders from the south, 
  ArAneA tActics
  The araneas in the House of Withered Blossoms use the 
  following tactics in battle.
  Sorcerer Spells Known: Unless otherwise noted, the 
  araneas know grease (DC 14) and magic missile instead of 
  silent image and sleep.
  Web-Slinging: A favored tactic of the araneas involves 
  creating a web and then using that web as a swinging rope 
  to fight from. Generally speaking, the aranea is considered 
  to be on higher ground for these attacks (+1 on melee 
  attacks). To use this tactic, an aranea must first throw a web 
  to a nearby fixed point (usually a ceiling or beam, both of 
  which are generally Large, with an AC of 9). The araneas 
  make one of three attacks using their webs in this way.
  Angry Falling Leaves: In this attack, an aranea uses its 
  web to break its fall as it suddenly drops up to 30 feet 
  downward into combat, treating itself as a falling object 
  that crashes into an opponent from above. This attack 
  requires a melee touch attack, and deals 3d6 points of 
  damage. The aranea itself takes 1d6 points of damage if 
  this attack is successful.
  Attack of the Lotus Whirlwind: In this attack, an aranea 
  puts itself into a spin as it descends from its web. If the 
  aranea descends 20 feet or more using this attack, its 
  descent counts as a charge.
  Graceful Descent of the Flying Blade: An aranea can 
  swing up to the web’s length (moving up to the aranea’s 
  speed) and make a single melee attack action without 
  provoking an attack of opportunity, similar to the Spring 
  Attack Feat. Doing so requires an Acrobatics check with 
  a DC equal to the opponent’s CMD. The aranea then 
  releases the web and drops to the ground.
  The araneas usually try to entangle opponents in their 
  webs and aim to capture rather than kill (a standard tactic 
  used against the followers of Munasukaru to learn more 
  about the Penance). Prisoners are taken to Akinosa to 
  decide what to do with them.
  
  26
  the other coming from the north—using stealth while trying 
  to draw opponents into the raining shuriken traps.
  Mohrgs (2) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  hp 91 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 208)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The mohrgs attacks with their tongues, 
  attempting to paralyze opponents. If successful, the 
  mohrgs drag their paralyzed victims to the gibbets, locking 
  them shut to play with their prisoners later.
  Morale If more than half of the mohrgs are killed, the survivors 
  attempt to escape so they can continue hunting their prey later. 
  If cornered in this room, the mohrgs fight until destroyed.
  Development: The gibbets are locked with average 
  locks, with the keys still in the locks, but the cage bars 
  are so tight that a DC 25 Escape Artist check is required 
  to unlock them from the inside. The two prisoners, Junzo 
  (N male human expert 1) and Udtsetseg (N female human 
  commoner 1), are obviously petrified, and if released, 
  prostrate themselves at their saviors’ feet. During their 
  captivity, the pair overheard frequent discussions between 
  Akinosa and his aranea followers, and have a reasonable 
  idea of the general layout of the pagoda on the levels above 
  this one. If freed, they happily share this information with 
  their rescuers.
  A8A. cArPet of sPines (cr 10)
  Hundreds of stone needles and spikes jut from the floor of 
  this large, open chamber. A row of iron grilles in the floor runs 
  around the perimeter of the room, providing views into the 
  level below. Thick webs sweep upward from the jagged floor 
  toward the roof some sixty feet above, ending in a dark and 
  shadowy funnel that slopes upward into the farther reaches of 
  the pagoda. On each wall, a round window surrounded by iron 
  barbs looks out over the garden surrounding the tower.
  Two floors of the pagoda were destroyed to form this 
  large area, leaving a single web-choked space 60 feet high. 
  Akinosa has created a floor of stone spikes using stone shape, 
  and the entire floor (with the exception of the immediate 
  5-foot-square sections around the grilles) is considered to 
  be covered with caltrops for the purposes of movement and 
  combat (Core Rulebook 155). Creatures falling onto the floor 
  of this chamber take normal falling damage, plus 1 point 
  of additional damage per 10 feet fallen from the spikes.
  Anyone attempting to climb the webs is automatically 
  entangled, but creatures can fly or levitate safely through 
  gaps in the webs or climb the walls. The walls are relatively 
  smooth, requiring a DC 25 Climb check to climb. However, 
  the dragon pillars in the center of the room are easier (DC 
  20 Climb check). See area A5 for details on the grilles. A 
  stone spiral stair leads down to area A7 below.
  The windows are circular openings 5 feet in diameter, 
  resembling open mouths with iron barbs that point 
  inward. A Medium or smaller creature can safely pass 
  through the windows to the east and west as a move action 
  that provokes attacks of opportunity.
  Traps: The north and south windows are trapped, and 
  bite down on any creature attempting to pass through them.
  Vicious Biting Iron Traps (2) 
   CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 25; Disable Device DC 25
  EFFECTS
  Trigger location; Reset automatic (immediate)
  Effect Atk +20 melee (8d6 damage)
  Development: Eight aranea guards dwell in the webs 
  20 feet above this room (see area A8b). Excessive noise 
  or touching the webs in this chamber alerts them to the 
  presence of intruders, and they lower themselves down 
  to attack.
  A8B. the oPen WeB (cr 10)
  The thick webbing continues to rise and expand through this 
  open space within the pagoda.
  Like the areas below and above, this floor has been 
  opened out to better suit the araneas. This area is 20 feet 
  above the floor in area A8a.
  Creatures: Eight araneas guard this chamber.
  Araneas (8) 
  CR 4
  XP 1,200 each
  hp 37 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 30)
  TACTICS
  Before Combat The araneas cast mage armor, renewing it 
  as needed. If alerted to intruders, they cast invisibility and 
  mirror image.
  During Combat These araneas attack intruders in both area 
  A8a and area A8b using web-slinging to move, attack, and 
  withdraw, attacking with bites and webs. The araneas prefer to 
  cast invisibility and mirror image before entering melee combat.
  Morale Once half their number are slain, the araneas retreat 
  to area A9b to guard Akinosa and defend him to the death.
  Treasure: Several cupboards and concealed storage 
  areas are hidden within the web on this level. A PC who 
  succeeds at a DC 20 Perception check discovers a hidden 
  shelf near the western ceiling containing a trio of small 
  bamboo chests. The first chest contains 3 flasks of elixir 
  of tumbling, the second is filled with saffron worth 200 
  
  27
  Forest oF spirits
  gp, and the third holds four simple opium pipes and 8 
  doses of opium, worth 25 gp each (GameMastery Guide 
  236). A PC who makes a successful DC 25 Perception check 
  locates a small hidden cupboard high on the south wall 
  containing an ancient string of coins worth 200 gp.
  A8c. the funnel
  The webbing rises to become a black curtain draping the ceiling 
  of the chamber, with only a single brooding funnel of webs 
  rising farther upward. Numerous humanoid bodies hang in the 
  webs here, shriveled and desiccated.
  The pagoda narrows at this level, which lies 40 feet above 
  the floor at area A8a. The desiccated bodies hanging in the 
  webs are former victims of the araneas, mostly unfortunate 
  travelers and hobgoblins. The web funnel is 10 feet across 
  and leads to area A9a above, passing through an opening 
  in the stone floor between the two levels. If the webs are 
  removed, a successful DC 30 Climb check is required to 
  climb along the overhang to reach the opening.
  Treasure: A DC 15 Perception check discovers the 
  following treasures among the various bodies: masterwork 
  nunchaku, a potion of cure serious wounds, a fine teak carving 
  of a Tian dignitary worth 75 gp, a battered breastplate, 
  and a pair of fine leather shoes, one of which contains a 
  small white opal worth 300 gp hidden in its toe (DC 10 
  Perception check to find).
  A9A. the first WeB (cr 9)
  The webs on this level appear older, more festooned with decay 
  and withered husks. The floor bristles with stone teeth. While 
  most of the ceiling has been destroyed, part of the level above 
  remains in place where the dragon pillars rise. 
  The spiked floor of this chamber is similar to that 
  found in area A8a. The ledge above (area A9b) lies 20 feet 
  up. Thick, ancient webs hang between the floor and the 
  ledge, created by Akinosa himself (DC 16 Escape Artist or 
  Strength check to burst).
  Creatures: Akinosa has encouraged a strain of giant spiders 
  native to the Valashmai Jungle to infest the webs here. These 
  large hunting spiders have blue-and-white bodies and bright 
  iridescent blue legs, and their venom is particularly toxic.
  Giant Sapphire Spiders (8) 
  CR 3
  XP 800 each
  Advanced giant spider (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 258)
  N Medium vermin 
  Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +5
  DEFENSE
  AC 16, touch 15, flat-footed 11 (+5 Dex, +1 natural)
  hp 32 each (5d8+10)
  Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +2
  Immune mind-affecting effects
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
  Melee bite +5 (1d6+3 plus poison)
  STATISTICS
  Str 15, Dex 21, Con 14, Int —, Wis 12, Cha 2
  Base Atk +3; CMB +5; CMD 20 (32 vs. trip)
  Skills Acrobatics +13, Climb +18, Perception +5, Stealth +9 (+13 
  in webs)
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Poison (Ex) Bite—injury; save Fort DC 16; frequency 1/round 
  for 6 rounds; effect 1d3 Str damage; cure 2 consecutive saves.
  Treasure: Various trivial oddments hang among the 
  hundred or so bodies in the webs here. A DC 25 Perception 
  check locates a beautifully delicate silver snuff box in 
  the shape of a turtle (worth 200 gp); a rhinoceros horn 
  drinking vessel depicting herons in flight (worth 90 
  gp); a jade belt hook (worth 300 gp); and a silver altar set 
  with lotus flower decorations in a leather traveling case, 
  consisting of a candle stand, flower vase, and incense 
  burner, each depicting a crane standing on a turtle’s back 
  (worth 500 gp in total).
  A9B. AkinosA’s PArlor (cr 11)
  The thick webs converge around the ceiling of this shattered 
  chamber. Ancient skulls grin down from their last, terrible 
  resting places, and skeletal arms seem to reach out for succor. 
  The sagging remnants of the floor hang over the rest of the 
  web below. A great ornamental palanquin stands on this dark 
  ledge, next to a huge war drum. Above, another webbed funnel 
  leads upward.
  Most of this level’s floor has been destroyed to create 
  a broad, open area, leaving only a ledge in the northwest 
  corner, 20 feet above the floor of area A9a, from which 
  Akinosa views his subjects and smites his enemies below. 
  The web funnel is 10 feet across and leads to area A10a 
  above, passing through another opening in the stone floor 
  between the two levels. If the webs are removed, a DC 30 
  Climb check is required to climb along the overhang to 
  reach the opening.
  Creature: The aranea leader Akinosa lives in this area. 
  In human form, Akinosa is a corpulent figure swathed 
  in filthy silk robes, which look as though they haven’t 
  been changed in decades. Insects and spiders scuttle 
  in and out of the folds of his robes and skin, and he 
  occasionally plucks one up to chew as a crunchy snack. 
  Akinosa spends much of his time lounging in the large 
  palanquin, sleeping, eating, and indulging in opium and 
  
  28
  sake, drawing the latter from his flask of endless sake (see 
  page 60).
  When intruders enter this level, Akinosa shouts for 
  his Gossamer (see area A10b) to defend him. If they don’t 
  respond (because the PCs have already defeated them), 
  he attempts to speak with the PCs. Although he 
  suspects any invaders are agents of Munasukaru, 
  he is always on the lookout for allies of his own. 
  If attacked, Akinosa fights to defend himself.
  Akinosa 
  CR 11
  XP 12,800
  hp 125 (see page 54)
  Trap: A secret door in the western 
  wall leads to Akinosa’s hidden treasure 
  vault (see Treasure below), but the door 
  is trapped with an insanity mist trap 
  that triggers when the door is opened.
  Insanity Mist Trap 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 25; 
  Disable Device DC 20
  EFFECTS
  Trigger touch; Reset repair
  Effect poison gas (insanity mist [save Fort DC 15; 
  frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d3 Wisdom damage; 
  cure 1 save]); never miss; onset delay (1 round); multiple 
  targets (all targets in a 10-ft.-by-10-ft. area)
  Treasure: Akinosa’s palanquin is an open, gilded, 
  thronelike litter with a silk roof and four poles for bearers, 
  worth 2,000 gp for its workmanship alone. Inside the 
  palanquin are a red lacquered wedding trunk containing 
  three bags of silver (250 sp in each) and two sacks of gold 
  (250 gp in each), a tooled leather document box containing 
  a scroll of blade barrier, a plain wooden box containing 10 
  doses of opium (worth 25 gp each; GameMastery Guide 236), 
  and an elaborately carved silver-and-jade opium pipe with 
  matching opium lamp (worth 225 gp as a set).
  Next to the palanquin is a huge drum the size of a 
  barrel, held on an iron stand. This Hongali war drum, or 
  guangu, functions as drums of panic, though it is a single 
  instrument that weighs 20 pounds.
  A DC 30 Perception check discovers the secret door 
  concealing Akinosa’s hidden treasure vault in the western 
  wall. The door is disguised as a feature of the wall and is 
  trapped (see above). The vault contains six strings of gold 
  coins (each containing 400 gp), a silk purse embroidered 
  with an arched bridge containing three diamonds (worth 
  600 gp each), a black lacquered opium box containing 
  32 doses of opium (worth 25 gp each), and a magnificent 
  bone-and-silver chalice set with jet (worth 900 gp) that 
  holds three handfuls of dust of disappearance.
  A10A. Weft of unseen Welcome
  The entirety of this level has been cleared of obstructions save 
  for the four dragon pillars, which rise upward into more webs 
  hanging in the rafters far above. More stone teeth cover the 
  floor here.
  The floor between two pagoda levels has 
  again been removed, creating a 40-foot-high 
  chamber. The spiked floor of this room 
  is similar to that found in area A8a. This 
  entire level is draped in sheer webs spun 
  by the Gossamer. Approaching creatures 
  must succeed at a DC 20 Perception check 
  to notice such webs; otherwise they 
  stumble into them and become 
  entangled. Entangled creatures 
  can escape these webs with a DC 16 
  Escape Artist or Strength check.
  Development: 
  Akinosa’s 
  honor 
  guard, the Gossamer, occupy the level 
  above, but keep a keen eye out for prey below. 
  Touching any of the webs in this chamber alerts 
  them to the presence of trespassers, and they 
  quickly attack such intruders.
  A10B. cAthedrAl of long shAdoWs 
  (cr 12)
  Thick webs cling like sinews among the roof beams above this 
  level. A narrow, jagged hole exits through the roof.
  This level is 20 feet above the floor in area A10a. The 
  central 10-foot-square portion of this level contains more 
  gauzy webs designed to trap the unwary (see area A10a). 
  The hole in the roof is 5 feet in diameter and requires a 
  DC 10 Escape Artist check to clamber through to reach the 
  pagoda’s roof (area A11). The hole in the roof illuminates 
  this area with only dim light. 
  Creatures: Akinosa’s personal elite guards, four aranea 
  shadowdancers known as the Gossamer, lurk in the webs 
  on this level, along with their four shadow companions. 
  Like their master, the Gossamer are addicted to opium, 
  and spend much of their time in indolent repose in their 
  webs. When alerted, the Gossamer languidly move to 
  engage intruders. The opium makes them listless, but 
  they are still Akinosa’s personal guards, and are ready to 
  fight to defend him. The Gossamer usually stay in spider-
  humanoid hybrid form, but the black porcelain masks 
  they wear completely cover their faces, preventing them 
  Akinosa
  
  29
  Forest oF spirits
  from using their bite attacks. The Gossamer attack anyone 
  entering areas A10a or A10b, or anyone they encounter if 
  sent elsewhere in the pagoda by Akinosa.
  The Gossamer (hybrid form) (4) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  Female aranea shadowdancer 4 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 30)
  LE Medium magical beast (shapechanger)
  Init +9; Senses darkvision 90 ft., low-light vision; Perception +10
  DEFENSE
  AC 23, touch 16, flat-footed 17 (+4 armor, +5 Dex, +1 dodge, 
  +3 natural)
  hp 75 each (9 HD; 5d10+4d8+32)
  Fort +9, Ref +11, Will +1
  Defensive Abilities evasion, uncanny dodge
  Weaknesses opium addict
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft. (cannot run or charge)
  Melee mwk dagger +14/+9 (1d4+1/19–20 plus aranea poison 
  [DC 14])
  Ranged mwk dagger +14 (1d4+1/19–20 plus aranea poison 
  [DC 14])
  Special Attacks web (+13 ranged, DC 16, 5 hp)
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th; concentration +8)
  2/day—shadow illusion (DC 15)
  1/day—shadow call (DC 18)
  Sorcerer Spells Known (caster level 5th; concentration +9)
  2nd (5/day)—false life, mirror image
  1st (7/day)—charm person (DC 15), mage armor, magic 
  missile, vanish*
  0 (at will)—bleed (DC 14), ghost sound (DC 14), mage hand, 
  message, resistance, touch of fatigue (DC 14)
  * See the Advanced Player’s Guide.
  TACTICS
  Before Combat The Gossamer cast false life and mage 
  armor before combat, and poison their daggers with their 
  own poison.
  During Combat The Gossamer initially use their shadow 
  call abilities to summon 1d3 shadowy giant spiders to 
  attack enemies, hoping to draw their opponents’ attention 
  while they try to outflank them. The Gossamer use their 
  shadowdancer abilities and spells such as mirror image and 
  vanish to confuse their enemies, always attempting to flank 
  their enemies with each other or their shadow companions. 
  They reserve their shadow jump abilities to escape if they 
  are cornered.
  Morale The Gossamer fight to the death to protect their lover 
  and master Akinosa.
  STATISTICS
  Str 12, Dex 20, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 19
  Base Atk +8; CMB +9; CMD 25
  Feats Ability Focus (web), Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Eschew 
  MaterialsB, Improved Initiative, Mobility, Weapon Finesse
  Skills Acrobatics +16, Bluff +11, Climb +8, Escape Artist +12, 
  Knowledge (arcana) +6, Perception +10, Perform (dance) +15, 
  Sleight of Hand +12, Stealth +16
  Languages Common, Minkaian, Sylvan, Tien
  SQ change shape (humanoid; alter self ), hide in plain sight, 
  rogue talent (finesse rogue), shadow jump (40 feet/day), 
  summon shadow
  Combat Gear potion of blur, potion of cure serious wounds; 
  Other Gear masterwork daggers (8), black porcelain mask, 
  black silk kimono embroidered with dark draconic figures 
  (worth 75 gp), necklace of Akinosa’s hair
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Opium Addict (Ex) The Gossamer are addicted to opium (see 
  the sidebar above). While under the effects of the drug, they 
  gain +1d8 temporary hit points and a +2 alchemical bonus 
  on Fortitude saves for 1 hour, but they are also fatigued. In 
  addition, they have taken 2 points of Constitution damage 
  and 2 points of Wisdom damage from the drug (already 
  reflected in the stat block).
  Shadow Companions (4) 
  CR —
  Female shadow (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 245)
  LE Medium undead (incorporeal)
  Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +8
  DEFENSE
  AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 12 (+2 deflection, +2 Dex, +1 dodge)
  hp 35 each (3d8+6)
  Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +3
  Defensive Abilities cannot be turned or commanded, channel 
  resistance +4, incorporeal; Immune undead traits
  OFFENSE
  Speed fly 40 ft. (good)
  Melee incorporeal touch +10 (1d6 Strength damage)
  oPium fiends
  Both Akinosa and his beloved Gossamer (see area A10b) are 
  severely addicted to opium, a highly addictive drug. While 
  under the effects of opium, they gain +1d8 temporary hit 
  points and a +2 alchemical bonus on Fortitude saves for 
  1 hour, but they are also fatigued during that time, and 
  take 1d4 points of Constitution damage and 1d4 points of 
  Wisdom damage. They must inhale opium every day, or 
  take a –2 penalty to their Dexterity, Constitution, Strength, 
  and Wisdom scores and be unable to heal ability damage 
  caused by the drug until they take another dose. While 
  the exact time the araneas take the drug is not detailed, 
  assume that they are under the effects of the drug during 
  any period of alarm. 
  Rules for drugs and addiction can be found on pages 
  236–237 of the GameMastery Guide.
  
  30
  STATISTICS
  Str —, Dex 14, Con —, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 15
  Base Atk +8; CMB +10; CMD 23
  Feats Dodge, Skill Focus (Perception)
  Skills Fly +11, Perception +8, Stealth +8 (+12 in dim light, +4 in 
  bright light)
   
  Treasure: The webs in the upper reaches of this level 
  contain many years’ worth of treasure and gifts from the 
  Gossamer’s beloved master Akinosa. A DC 30 Perception 
  check locates the main cache—a narrow wooden shelf 
  hidden just below the roof which holds a magnificent 
  small lacquered screen (worth 30 gp), a bolt of very fine 
  turquoise silk (worth 200 gp), an ancient tapestry depicting 
  a lion embroidered on blue silk (worth 100 gp), a pair of 
  embroidered silk lotus shoes set with opals (worth 750 gp), 
  a blue silk robe with a dragon figure embroidered in gold 
  thread (worth 95 gp), a porcelain tea set depicting eagles 
  with silver and platinum handles 
  (worth 450 gp), a carved jade 
  dragon brooch (worth 200 gp), 
  four jade hairpins (worth 20 
  gp each), a carved soapstone 
  pig (worth 25 gp), a jade belt 
  buckle depicting a demonic 
  face (worth 75 gp), and a jade belt hook in the shape of a 
  heron (worth 60 gp).
  A11. rooftoP
  The rooftop lies strangled in the grip of withered blossoms 
  but is clearly made of gold. A hole has been punched into one 
  section of the roof, opening into the pagoda’s dark interior.
  The hole in the roof leads to area A10b.
  Treasure: The roof is covered in gold leaf, though the 
  gold is so thin that even if it is all scraped off, it is only 
  worth 100 gp total.
  munAsukAru’s PenAnce
  Beneath the House of Withered Blossoms lies Munasukaru’s 
  Penance, the lair of the ja noi oni Munasukaru and her 
  hobgoblin followers, who have fought the araneas in the 
  pagoda above to a stalemate for 60 years. The Penance is 
  Munasukaru’s toil, her physical devotion to her demented 
  mind. Her insane thoughts and anger have not only been 
  vented upon those unfortunate enough to cross her, but on 
  the very fabric of the dungeon itself, a honeycomb of twisted 
  corridors, tortuous confines, and corrupted architecture. 
  These broken and convoluted subterranean chambers are 
  confusing to follow—their stone walls are cracked and 
  tilted, and the floors are ruptured and uneven, requiring 
  a DC 10 Acrobatics check to run or charge across 
  them. Unless otherwise noted, ceilings in the 
  Penance are 20 feet high, and all areas are dark.
  The entire dungeon area is carved and decorated in the 
  most unpleasant way. The most numerous images involve 
  themes of those pleasures of the flesh craved by all oni, 
  such as food, drink, sex, and violence. Several chambers 
  detail these insane glimpses of oni madness and desire, 
  giving an idea of Munasukaru’s deranged thoughts. Graven 
  images of oni—obvious from their huge size and twisted 
  shapes—are also present in many places, but each such 
  figure has been defaced and disfigured, reflecting 
  Munasukaru’s anger at her fellows who left her 
  here. You may add other descriptions to sections 
  of the dungeon as you wish. Remember that 
  Munasukaru has had a long time to inflict her insanity on 
  her surroundings, which she transformed into her own 
  personal work of art.
  The majority of the rank-and-file hobgoblins who 
  once served Munasukaru have long since been sacrificed 
  to the ongoing war effort against Akinosa’s araneas, as 
  the oni has proclaimed that any force leaving the Penance 
  returns in glorious victory, or not at all. As a result, only 
  Munasukaru’s best and most loyal warriors remain. If these 
  troops were to make an all-out offensive against the araneas, 
  they would likely prevail, but Munasukaru’s insanity does 
  Gossamer
  
  31
  Forest oF spirits
  not lend itself it to effective command. The oni is far more 
  concerned with keeping the araneas out of the Penance, and 
  is easily distracted by her madness, sometimes ordering her 
  troops to fight each other for her amusement while ignoring 
  the araneas above. The hobgoblins worship Munasukaru as 
  something akin to a god, however, and their fear of the oni 
  and her offspring keeps them from rebelling or striking out 
  on their own. The hobgoblins are extremely well organized, 
  and are constantly on guard, expecting attack at any 
  moment from their enemies in the pagoda above.
  secrets of the house of Withered 
  Blossoms
  As the PCs explore the House of Withered Blossoms and 
  Munasukaru’s Penance, they should discover a number of 
  clues about the nature of the Five Storms, their escape from 
  the House of Withered Blossoms, and their weaknesses. 
  Rather than identify specific locations for these clues in the 
  adventure, they have been left for you to place where you see 
  fit to best meet the needs of your group and your campaign. 
  The clues should be spread out, and the method of finding 
  them should vary (for example, the PCs could learn single 
  clues from piecing together notes in an old book, talking with 
  freed slaves, interrogating captured prisoners, deciphering 
  a wall carving, receiving warnings from spirits, and so on). 
  Some suggested locations and sources for this information 
  are in areas C5, D4, D6, D9, or E5; questioning the prisoners 
  in areas B1, E1, or E4; interrogating Buto Futotsu in area B12; 
  or interrogating any of Munasukaru’s Chosen or Spawn.
  The specific pieces of information the PCs can learn are 
  detailed below.
  •	 The	 Five	 Storms,	 while	 powerful,	 are	 disorganized	
  and easily distracted, and the oni who make up the 
  organization are constantly at odds with each other. Yet 
  despite these internal conflicts and disruptions, the 
  leader of the Five Storms has always been the same—a 
  powerful wind yai oni named Anamurumon, with 
  power over storms and lightning.
  •	 The	Five	Storms,	long	trapped	in	their	prison-palace	at	
  the heart of the Forest of Spirits, have always lusted over 
  the lands of Minkai, intending to remake that nation 
  into an empire of excess and horror in which to indulge 
  their twisted pleasures and appetites.
  •	 The	Five	Storms	can’t	just	simply	conquer	Minkai.	Just	
  like the kami, the gods set in place strict laws preventing 
  the oni from taking direct action to seize worldly power. 
  In order to create their private empire, the oni need to 
  do so subtly, infiltrating all levels of society.
  •	 The	linchpin	to	the	Five	Storms’	plan	is	the	extinction	
  of the five imperial families of Minkai. If no one can 
  claim descent from the divine line of emperors, then no 
  one can challenge the claim of the pretender the Five 
  Storms place on the throne.
  •	 Many	different	varieties	of	oni	make	up	the	Five	Storms,	
  but all of their best warriors escaped the House of 
  Withered Blossoms many decades ago, taking most of 
  their resources with them.
  •	 Munasukaru	 was	 one	 of	 the	 weakest	 oni	 of	 the	 Five	
  Storms, known as Munasukaru the Least among her 
  peers. To keep the kami in the forest outside from 
  learning their plans, Anamurumon commanded her 
  to stay in the House of Withered Blossoms while the 
  other oni fled using the kimon, a magical demon gate 
  powered by living souls.
  •	 While	 the	 oni	 of	 the	 Five	 Storms	 are	 powerful,	
  Anamurumon also commands mortal agents. The oni 
  often promise mortals great rewards for their service, and 
  the Five Storms are well known to honor those promises.
  •	 Beyond	relying	on	hired	mortal	agents,	Anamurumon	
  was also obsessed with siring half-human progeny. He 
  needed the “perfect” grandchild—a tiefling who would 
  not only be unquestioningly loyal to Anamurumon, 
  but could also pass as human. Such a child would be 
  the perfect agent to infiltrate the imperial families of 
  Minkai, but all of Anamurumon’s descendants were 
  deemed “unsuitable” and killed by the oni.
  •	 Despite	 his	 power,	 Anamurumon	 has	 an	 unusual	
  weakness to weapons imbued with royal honor—such 
  as the ancestral weapons of the five imperial families of 
  Minkai, including Suishen, Guardian of the Amatatsu.
  B1. the threshold
  After a dizzying descent, the seemingly endless shaft finally 
  ends. The tortuously narrow steps in the shaft broaden into 
  huge, stone-flagged stairs that descend sharply into a wide, 
  smooth-walled chamber. The room widens as it slopes upward 
  to the northeast, ending at a vast wall of huge stone blocks. 
  Rusting double iron doors, bristling with bloody spikes, offer 
  the only passage through the wall. The air is hot, and smells of 
  sweat and toil. 
  The frontier of Munasukaru’s Penance starts at the foot 
  of the 100-foot-deep shaft known as the Throat (area A4). 
  This area forms the first line of defense for the oni and 
  her followers, who lurk behind a fortified rampart known 
  as the Great Wall. The spiral stone stair from the Throat 
  opens directly into this chamber. The floor is made of 
  hefty stone slabs worn smooth, and rises a little over 5 feet 
  from the base of the stairs to the wall, and offers no cover 
  from defenders on the wall.
  The Great Wall is nearly 120 feet across and stretches 
  20 feet high from floor to ceiling. The lower 10 feet of the 
  wall is 10 feet thick, while the upper 10 feet is 5 feet thick. 
  Numerous arrow slits overlook this chamber from the top 
  10 feet of the wall (connecting to area B2). A creature at the 
  
  32
  Withered Blossom Warrior
  foot of the wall is out of sight of the arrow slits, but sloping 
  murder holes beneath the arrow slits still allow defenders 
  to pour boiling oil on attackers at the base of the wall.
  The iron doors in the wall are each 10 feet wide and 10 
  feet high, barred with iron (hardness 10, hp 60, Break DC 
  30). The outsides of the doors bristle with iron spikes caked 
  with dried blood, and open on a 20-foot-wide arched 
  passage through the wall.
  Creatures: Two Tian slaves (N human commoners 1) 
  hang impaled on the door spikes, close to death. The slaves 
  are both disabled with 0 hit points, and weakly twitch and 
  moan, unable to free themselves. If rescued and healed, 
  they can describe the layout and inhabitants of this level, 
  having worked here for some time before being chosen to 
  decorate the door.
  Development: The hobgoblin guards in area B2 are 
  always on alert, watching the approach to the wall and 
  taking 10 on their Perception checks at all times. The 
  watch is changed every 12 hours. If they detect intruders, 
  they immediately attack.
  B2. the shAdoW of the WAll (cr 11)
  A broad stone-floored courtyard lies on the other side of the 
  wall. A stone parapet runs behind the arrow slits atop the wall, 
  connected by a wooden bridge that crosses above the door.
  A 5-foot-wide walkway runs along the wall 10 feet above 
  the floor, with arrow slits and murder holes overlooking area 
  B1. Steep stone stairs lead up the parapet on both sides, and 
  a 4-inch-thick wooden bridge crosses the gap 10 feet above 
  the door. Four iron braziers with cauldrons bubbling atop 
  them lie on iron rails running the length of the walkway. 
  The cauldrons hold boiling pig fat and oil and 
  can be tipped through the murder holes onto 
  intruders on the other side of the wall. A pair 
  of hobgoblins can move a cauldron 30 feet per 
  round, and tipping a cauldron is a standard action 
  that provokes attacks of opportunity. Creatures 
  directly beneath a tipped cauldron take 6d6 points of 
  fire damage (DC 15 Reflex save for half). In addition, all 
  creatures within 5 feet of the target take 2d6 points of fire 
  damage from the splash (DC 10 Reflex save negates).
  Creatures: Four of Munasukaru’s guards, hobgoblin 
  sentries known as Withered Blossom Warriors, are on 
  watch on the wall’s battlements, and attack anyone 
  trying to breach the wall’s defenses.
  Withered Blossom Warriors (4) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  Hobgoblin fighter 5/rogue 3 (Pathfinder RPG 
  Bestiary 175)
  LE Medium humanoid (goblinoid)
  Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +11
  DEFENSE
  AC 20, touch 13, flat-footed 17 (+5 armor, +3 Dex, +2 shield)
  hp 82 each (8 HD; 5d10+3d8+37)
  Fort +10, Ref +7, Will +2; +1 vs. fear
  Defensive Abilities bravery +1, evasion, trap sense +1
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee mwk morningstar +13/+8 (1d8+6)
  Ranged mwk composite longbow +11/+6 (1d8+3/×3)
  Special Attacks sneak attack +2d6, weapon training (flails +1)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The hobgoblins on watch fire arrows at 
  intruders until the intruders reach the wall, at which point 
  they attempt to pour boiling oil on the attackers (see above). 
  The warriors are well organized and fight as a unit once their 
  defenses are breached, flanking with one another to make 
  
  33
  Forest oF spirits
  sneak attacks when possible. In combat, the hobgoblins 
  attack araneas and elves in preference to other creatures.
  Morale The hobgoblins worship and fear Munasukaru, and 
  they fight to the death, knowing that if they flee, their 
  treatment at her hands will be unimaginably brutal.
  STATISTICS
  Str 16, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 8
  Base Atk +7; CMB +10; CMD 23
  Feats Cleave, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Power 
  Attack, Toughness, Weapon Focus (morningstar), Weapon 
  Specialization (morningstar)
  Skills Acrobatics +11, Climb +11, Intimidate +10, Knowledge 
  (dungeoneering) +6, Perception +11, Stealth +15
  Languages Common, Goblin, Tien
  SQ armor training 1, trapfinding +1
  Combat Gear potion of cure serious wounds; Other Gear 
  masterwork do-maru*, masterwork heavy wooden 
  shield, masterwork composite longbow with 20 arrows, 
  masterwork morningstar
  * See Ultimate Combat.
  B3. fAlse chAmBer (cr 10)
  This chamber contains a false door built to lure the 
  unwary inside.
  Trap: The entire floor of the room is a pressure plate 
  that triggers a trap. One round after someone first 
  steps on the floor, the outer door slams shut and locks 
  (hardness 5, hp 20, Break DC 25, Disable Device DC 25) 
  and the room fills with whirling blades.
  Chamber of Blades Trap 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 25; Disable Device DC 20
  EFFECTS
  Trigger location; Duration 1d4 rounds; Reset repair
  Effect Atk +20 melee (3d8+3); onset delay (1 round); multiple 
  targets (all targets in 20-ft.-square chamber)
  B4. munAsukAru’s emBrAce (cr 12)
  Grotesque carvings of sex, gluttony, violence, and oppression 
  decorate the walls of this chamber, seeming to leap from the 
  walls. The broken bodies of half a dozen humans, their flesh 
  seared, hang among the vile imagery. 
  The bodies are the remains of human slaves tortured 
  and killed by Munasukaru’s hobgoblins. Eight arrow slits 
  are concealed among the horrible carvings on the walls, 
  noticeable with a DC 15 Perception check. The eastern 
  door is of strong wood and is barred on the opposite side 
  (hardness 5, hp 20, Break DC 25). 
  Traps: Four 5-foot-square spiked pit traps have been 
  constructed in the floor of this chamber.
  Camouflaged Spiked Pit Traps (4) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 25; Disable Device DC 20
  EFFECTS
  Trigger location; Reset manual
  Effect 50-ft.-deep pit (5d6 falling damage); pit spikes (Atk +15 
  melee, 1d4 spikes per target for 1d6+5 damage each); DC 
  20 Reflex avoids; multiple targets (all targets in a 10-ft.-
  square area)
  Development: The hobgoblin guards in area B5 fire arrows 
  through the arrow slits at any intruders in this room.
  B5. envious WAtchers (cr 11)
  More vile carvings and figures decorate this long corridor, this 
  time depicting acts of envy. To the east, stone stairs climb to a 
  balcony lined with pillars.
  Creatures: Four Withered Blossom Warriors stand on 
  guard in this corridor. They fire arrows at any intruders 
  in area B4 through the arrow slits overlooking that room. 
  Withered Blossom Warriors (4) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  hp 82 each (see page 32)
  Development: When intruders enter the room, the 
  hobgoblins join in melee combat, with the support of the 
  hill giants in area B6.
  B6. BAlcony of PillArs (cr 9)
  A stone-pillared balcony overlooks the room below, the 
  columns decorated with revolting scenes of vice and violence.
  Two large piles of rocks have been heaped up on the 
  balcony on either side of the stairs.
  Creatures: Two hill giants watch area B5 from the 
  balcony and throw rocks at anyone other than a hobgoblin 
  entering that room or approaching the stairs. The giants 
  give no consideration to hobgoblins in melee combat with 
  intruders, and fight until killed.
  Hill Giants (2) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  hp 85 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 150)
  B7. hAllWAy of endless Agonies
  Broken bodies, some of which seem to have died where they 
  were tormented, line the walls of this long, arched corridor 
  amid carvings and figures of torture and anguish.
  
  34
  B1
  B2
  B3
  B3
  B4
  B5
  B6
  B7
  B8
  B9
  B10
  B11
  B14
  B13
  B12
  This passageway links the Penance’s outer defenses 
  with the rest of the complex, and as such has been worn 
  smooth with the passing of feet. Much of the corridor’s 
  walls are smothered beneath more of Munasukaru’s twisted 
  thoughts given shape, mixed with the remains of the oni’s 
  tortured victims. These unfortunate victims have been 
  dismembered in such horrifyingly varied ways that anyone 
  closely examining the walls or bodies must make a DC 15 
  Fortitude save or be sickened for 1d10 rounds.
  A narrow metal grille (hardness 10, hp 30, Break DC 28) 
  sits in the wall at the southern end of the corridor. The 
  grille is only a foot wide, and sits some 60 feet above the 
  floor of area B9 below, but a Small creature could squeeze 
  through it with a DC 30 Escape Artist check.
  Spirit: The broken body of one of Munasukaru’s victims, 
  the monk Kusatsu Yuka, hangs mangled on the wall of 
  the corridor. Her restless spirit now haunts this corridor, 
  attempting to possess a similarly aligned creature.
  Kusatsu Yuka, The Soul of Unending Misery
  NG female human spirit
  Notice Perception DC 30 (to hear the sound of breaking bones)
  hp 49
  Will Save DC 20
  Ongoing Effect Seek vengeance. If, while possessing a creature, 
  Yuka sees her own mangled body, she begins to sob in grief, 
  and constantly urges her host to slay her killer Munasukaru. 
  If Yuka possesses a good-aligned creature, she grants 
  her host the use of her still mind monk class ability. The 
  possessed creature gains a +2 bonus on saving throws against 
  enchantment spells and effects for as long Yuka possesses it. 
  Boon If Yuka witnesses the death of Munasukaru, she offers 
  her host her blessings and knowledge before she departs. 
  The possessed creature gains Exotic Weapon Proficiency 
  or Martial Weapon Proficiency in a single Tian weapon as a 
  bonus feat.
  Dismissal Killing Munasukaru dismisses Kusatsu Yuka.
  B8. the ledge
  The corridor ends at a stone shelf perched above a large cavern. 
  A shaky-looking wooden ladder climbs down from the ledge to 
  the floor of the cavern. The overwhelming roar of a waterfall to 
  the east of the ledge echoes across the huge chamber.
  The ledge has no railings and stands 60 feet above 
  the floor of the great cavern below. The unstable ladder 
  requires a DC 5 Climb check to safely ascend or descend.
  
  35
  Forest oF spirits
  B9. the greAt cAvern (cr 12)
  Strange hovels constructed from assorted debris clutter the floor of 
  this vast natural cavern. A large waterfall crashes into a pool along 
  the north wall while a deep pit runs through the southern portion 
  of the cavern, bridged by two stone arches. So large is this chamber 
  that a small stone keep has been constructed far away in the gloom 
  to the south. Freshly fallen rocks litter the floor of the cavern, amid 
  a profusion of animal droppings and fungi.
  This cavern serves as the main living quarters for the 
  hobgoblins in the Penance, with the exception of their leader, 
  the Swine Shogun Buto Futotsu, who lives in the small keep 
  to the south (area B11). Dozens of pigs wander through the 
  chamber, feeding off the leavings of the hobgoblins.
  The cavern’s floor is uneven natural stone and liberally 
  sprinkled with pig manure, increasing the DC of 
  Acrobatics checks by 5. Some of this filth has been heaped 
  into piles to form a breeding ground for a particularly ugly 
  variety of fungus, which the hobgoblins (and their pigs) 
  eat. Between these piles, the hobgoblins have constructed 
  a cluster of unpleasant huts, each generally with a roof (to 
  keep out the dripping water and mist from the waterfall) 
  and a rudimentary door. A seam of coal follows the eastern 
  wall, and piles of coal lie throughout the cavern.
  The waterfall plummets 80 feet from the ceiling above 
  into a small, deep pool that quickly drains away. The large 
  pit crossing the cavern is 30 feet deep and filled with dirt, 
  filth, and rusted weapons. Creatures that fall into the pit 
  take falling damage as usual, and must make a DC 20 Reflex 
  save to avoid taking 2d6 points of additional damage from 
  falling onto rusting spikes and discarded metal, which 
  exposes them to filth fever as well (Core Rulebook 557). The 
  stone bridges over the pit are 3 feet wide, requiring a DC 10 
  Acrobatics check to cross at full speed. The cavern floor on 
  the south side of the pit rises in two shelves of stone, each 
  of which is 10 feet high (DC 15 Climb check to scale).
  Creatures: At any given time, half a dozen Withered 
  Blossom Warriors are resting in this area, usually in their 
  squalid huts. Six more hobgoblin fighters tend to loiter 
  in the area, idolizing the more powerful warriors. The 
  hobgoblins attack any intruders in the cavern. In addition, 
  the pit is home to countless rats, which form into swarms 
  and attack any creature that falls into the pit.
  Hobgoblins (6) 
  CR 1/2
  XP 200 each
  hp 17 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 175)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The hobgoblins support the Withered 
  Blossom Warriors with ranged attacks. 
  Morale If more than half of the warriors are killed, the hobgoblins 
  flee to the relative safety of Buto’s Keep (area B11).
  Withered Blossom Warriors (6) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  hp 82 each (see page 32)
  Rat Swarms (3) 
  CR 2
  XP 600 each
  hp 16 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 232)
  B10. kitchen (cr 6)
  A blazing fire pit burns in the middle of this chamber, which 
  smells of blood, sweat, and misery. Several dirty workbenches 
  stand around the pit.
  The hobgoblins’ food is prepared in this chamber—
  primarily pork, rats, stew made from the rather revolting 
  fungi that grow in the cavern outside, or rarely, slaves 
  captured from the forest above. The meat is crudely 
  slaughtered and smoked by hanging it from metal hooks 
  high above the fire pit. Much of the food here is edible, if 
  revolting. The chamber is crammed with cooking utensils, 
  most of which are bent and rusty.
  Creatures: A dozen hobgoblin drudges toil away in this 
  chamber working as butchers and cooks for the rest of 
  the hobgoblins. Many of the females are mothers as well, 
  their offspring playing and fighting at their feet, ready 
  to replace those warriors who fall fighting the araneas. 
  Nevertheless, these hobgoblins have still been trained for 
  war, and while they attempt to get out of the way of the 
  fighting, they fight back if attacked.
  Hobgoblins (12) 
  CR 1/2
  XP 200 each
  hp 17 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 175)
  TACTICS
  Morale As soon as any trouble starts, the hobgoblins attempt 
  to flee to Buto’s Keep (area B11).
  B11. Buto’s keeP (cr 10)
  A stone keep sits on an outcrop of rock in the belly of the huge 
  cavern. Several of its walls have clearly seen better days—the 
  structure sags in places, and heaps of rubble line the keep’s 
  flanks. From the building’s roof, which almost touches the 
  ceiling of the cavern itself, a stone bridge arches across to a 
  precarious rocky outcrop high above the cavern floor.
  This small keep is the home of the ostensible general 
  of Munasukaru’s hobgoblin followers, Buto Futotsu, who 
  has styled himself the Swine Shogun. Buto rarely sets 
  foot in the northern portion of the great cavern, for not 
  only would doing so sully his feet, but it would also invite 
  assassination from those who might seek to supplant him.
  
  36
  Buto’s keep is falling down—its 3-foot-thick masonry walls 
  are crumbling (hardness 8, hp 90, Break DC 35) and relatively 
  easy to climb (Climb DC 15). The keep has no windows, but a 
  great ironbound wooden door sits in the south wall, though 
  it is kept barred (hardness 5, hp 20, Break DC 25).
  The ground floor of the keep is squalid and foul, little more 
  than a sty for the Swine Shogun’s precious pigs. Three iron 
  cages and a wooden stall fill the rest of the chamber. Both the 
  cages and the stall doors are fairly well rotted (hardness 3, hp 
  10, Break DC 15), and held closed by a simple latch. Ordure 
  seeps though the stone floor of the Swine Court above (area 
  B12), creating a rain of foul smelling rot, and the floor is 
  covered in an unpleasant mix of filth and rolling pigs. This 
  layer is 3 feet deep and slippery. The entire floor is considered 
  difficult terrain, and the DC of Acrobatics checks is increased 
  by 5. A teetering stone spiral staircase climbs clumsily 
  upward out of the muck in the southwest corner.
  Creatures: Two hill giants, who switch shifts with those 
  on the Balcony of Pillars (area B6), sleep in the pigsty along 
  with a dozen or so squealing pigs. The wooden stall houses 
  Buto’s dire boar mount, Tonkatsu. The cages hold the 
  shogun’s three pet snow leopards, captured long ago. Buto 
  often takes the leopards with him when he leaves his keep, 
  chaining the animals to his saddle horn. The animals 
  break out of their stalls and attack if prolonged combat 
  (more than 6 rounds) occurs here.
  Hill Giants (2) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  hp 85 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 150)
  Tonkatsu 
  CR 4
  XP 1,200
  Dire boar (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 36)
  hp 42
  Snow Leopards (3) 
  CR 2
  XP 600 each
  Leopard (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 40)
  hp 19 each
  Treasure: Buto’s saddle hangs in the boar’s stall. The 
  saddle is huge and ornate, with a leather base and lacquer 
  overlay set with small bloodstones, and is worth 850 gp. 
  The three leopards wear collars that are inlaid with gold 
  and worth 75 gp each. Next to each cage hangs a 10-foot-
  long chain with a leather handle.
  B12. the sWine court (cr 12)
  The floor of this open chamber runs with filth and refuse and 
  swims with scores of cockroaches and rats, as well as over a 
  dozen pigs. A huge table rises crookedly from the waste, holding 
  the putrid remains of a huge feast on a tarnished silver salver, 
  including a half-devoured pig’s head with a hand thrust into 
  its mouth leering out from the center of the revolting meal. 
  Numerous war trophies hang from the walls, while countless 
  rusted weapons dangle on hooks from the ceiling above. The 
  stone stairs continue to stagger upward in the southwest corner.
  The Swine Shogun Buto Futotsu runs a bizarre court 
  where his word is law, and with every word, he sings the 
  praises of pigs and boars, who he believes provide for 
  the hobgoblins’ every need. The Swine Shogun rules his 
  hobgoblins with an iron fist, and his followers are careful 
  to keep on his good side, aware that the bullying shogun 
  has not only a terrible temper but also a copious appetite. 
  For all his strength and bluster, however, Buto is mortally 
  petrified of Munasukaru, who he believes is immortal. 
  He is aware that the oni has the ability to use scrying and 
  perpetually acts as though playing to an audience, singing 
  out the oni’s divine qualities and righteous justice.
  Creatures: The Swine Shogun is normally found in 
  this chamber, either eating or sleeping, guarded by three 
  Withered Blossom Warriors. Buto is a large hobgoblin with 
  a great belly and a cloak made from the sewn skins of piglets. 
  He wields a mighty greataxe and frequently carries a piglet 
  around with him. The swollen belly of the large hobgoblin 
  is matched only by his fury when crossed or disturbed. 
  When angry or in combat, Buto squeals and snorts like 
  the pigs he loves so much. The Swine Shogun occasionally 
  leaves his keep mounted on his dire boar Tonkatsu and 
  accompanied by his pet leopards, but only when he is very 
  angry and sure that it’s safe outside for him to administer 
  his own peculiar justice. In addition to Buto, his guards, 
  and over a dozen pigs, a harem of four female hobgoblins 
  inhabit this chamber to attend to Buto’s needs.
  Buto Futotsu, the Swine Shogun 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600
  Male hobgoblin fighter 11 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 175)
  LE Medium humanoid (goblinoid)
  Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +2
  DEFENSE
  AC 24, touch 14, flat-footed 21 (+10 armor, +3 Dex, +1 luck)
  hp 120 (11d10+55)
  Fort +13, Ref +7, Will +5; +3 vs. fear
  Defensive Abilities bravery +3
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee +1 thundering greataxe +21/+16/+11 (1d12+12/19–20/×3)
  Ranged mwk composite longbow +16/+11/+6 (1d8+4/×3)
  Special Attacks weapon training (axes +2, bows +1)
  TACTICS
  During Combat Buto assumes that Munasukaru is watching 
  him, so he tends to be flashy in combat, using his Dazzling 
  
  37
  Forest oF spirits
  Display feat before entering combat or when there is a lull 
  in the fighting.
  Morale Buto drinks his potion of cure serious wounds when 
  reduced to fewer than 30 hit points, but if he then reaches 
  10 hit points or fewer, the Swine Shogun screams an 
  oath to Munasukaru’s glory and commits seppuku (ritual 
  suicide by performing a self-inflicted coup de grace with 
  his dagger).
  STATISTICS
  Str 20, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 12
  Base Atk +11; CMB +16; CMD 29
  Feats Dazzling Display, Great Fortitude, Greater Weapon Focus 
  (greataxe), Improved Critical (greataxe), Improved Initiative, 
  Iron Will, Mounted Combat, Ride-By Attack, Shatter 
  Defenses, Toughness, Weapon Focus (greataxe), Weapon 
  Specialization (greataxe)
  Skills Handle Animal +6, Intimidate +15, Perception +2, Ride +10, 
  Stealth +5
  Languages Goblin, Tien
  SQ armor training 3
  Combat Gear potion of cure serious wounds; Other Gear +2 
  o-yoroi*, +1 thundering greataxe, dagger with gold hilt 
  (worth 400 gp), masterwork composite longbow (+4 Str) 
  with 20 arrows, belt of giant strength +4, cloak of resistance 
  +1 (made from the skins of 47 piglets), jingasa of the 
  fortunate soldier (see page 60), bronze rice bowl worth 15 
  gp, carved horn box with 6 spinels worth 100 gp each, horn 
  libation cup worth 75 gp, 22 gp
  * See Ultimate Combat.
  Withered Blossom Warriors (3) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  hp 82 each (see page 32)
  TACTICS
  Morale So close to their lord, the hobgoblins 
  dare not flee for fear of retribution, and fight to  
  the death.
  Female Hobgoblins (4) 
  CR 1/2
  XP 200 each
  hp 17 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 156)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The female hobgoblins 
  throw themselves at attackers to defend 
  their beloved shogun.
  Morale More sensible than the warriors, the 
  females flee when reduced to 5 hit points 
  or fewer.
  Spirit: Buto’s addled mind is possessed 
  by the spirit of a wereboar ranger cannibal 
  named Ha Jau. If the Swine Shogun is 
  slain, Jau looks for a new host.
  Ha Jau, The Wild Hog 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600
  NE male wereboar spirit
  Notice Perception DC 25 (to smell the aroma of roast pork)
  hp 45
  Will Save DC 19
  Ongoing Effect Gluttony. The cannibal Jau delights in 
  feasting on pork but is happy just to eat. The possessed 
  creature must make a DC 19 Will save every morning or 
  be compelled to immediately consume a meal of the most 
  unpleasant things available (rotten food, dirt, worms, or 
  slugs are a good start) and be sickened for 1d6 hours. At the 
  GM’s discretion, such meals might also expose the creature 
  to afflictions such as filth fever (Core Rulebook 557).
  Bane The unpleasant hungers continue even after Ha Jau is 
  dismissed, but the creature need only make a DC 19 Will 
  save to avoid the compulsion to eat once per week, rather 
  than every day.
  Dismissal Fasting for 3 consecutive 
  days dismisses Ha Jau.
  Treasure: The silver 
  salver and feasting set 
  on the table are worth 
  800 gp in total. Among 
  the trophies on the 
  wall are a foot-tall 
  Swine Shogun
  
  38
  C1
  C2
  C3
  C4
  C5
  C6
  C7
  C8
  C9
  C10
  C11
  C16
  C17
  C15
  C14
  C13
  C13
  C12
  gold-and-bronze dragon figure (worth 200 gp), a silver 
  inlaid box containing hobgoblin teeth (worth 200 gp), 
  a kukri inlaid with gold leaf decorated with superb 
  filigree depicting herons (worth 100 gp), and a fine silver 
  and copper candleholder (worth 65 gp). In addition, two 
  masterwork glaives hang among the many useless weapons 
  dangling from the ceiling.
  B13. rooftoP And Bridge
  The spiral stairs stumble to the roof of the keep, which lies 
  barely ten feet from the cavern ceiling. A narrow walkway 
  clings to the rooftop and eventually reaches a stone bridge that 
  gracefully arches from the roof of the keep to a small stone 
  balcony on the far cavern wall.
  The stone bridge is narrow and slippery, and rises to 
  within only a few feet of the cavern ceiling, requiring a DC 
  10 Acrobatics check to cross.
  B14. the Joining
  The bridge ends at a narrow shelf of rock high above the cavern 
  floor. At its rear, a corridor descends steeply into the rock.
  The stone shelf is barely 5 feet wide, but the corridor 
  beyond soon opens up. Crude stone steps have been worn 
  into the floor of the corridor, which descends over 200 feet 
  to arrive in the Mockery Pagoda (area C1).
  c1. the mockery PAgodA (cr 11)
  The thundering roar of another waterfall fills this chamber. The 
  water falls from a subterranean river some ninety feet above to 
  the north, plunging into a cold, deep lake. On the far side of the 
  lake stands a crooked pagoda, carved with the forms of twisted 
  animals, as if in mockery of the pagoda in the daylight high 
  above. A raised drawbridge hangs from the front of the pagoda.
  This pagoda serves as a temple to the worship of the 
  oni Munasukaru. The pagoda’s walls are easy to climb 
  (DC 15 Climb check) and are covered with obscene 
  representations of animals and creatures, caricatures of 
  those on the pagoda above. The drawbridge is currently 
  raised, blocking entry into the pagoda. It is only lowered 
  for groups returning from assaults on the araneas 
  above, but the PCs might be able to trick their way past 
  the guards in areas C2 and C6 by pretending to be a 
  returning team of combatants. The pool is 60 feet deep, 
  
  39
  Forest oF spirits
  with a swift current (DC 15 Swim check or DC 15 Strength 
  check to avoid going under).
  Creatures: Two greater water elementals are bound in 
  the waters of the lake, and attack anyone attempting to 
  cross the water.
  Greater Water Elementals (2) 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400 each
  hp 123 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 127)
  Development: The Withered Blossom Warriors in area 
  B6 fire arrows at any invaders attempting to cross the lake.
  c2. drAWBridge (cr 11)
  The walls of this room are carved with more obscenities: bas-
  reliefs of half-human, half-beast creatures copulating with 
  and feasting on each other, creating an endless panorama of 
  lust and gluttony.
  This square chamber contains the controls for lowering 
  and raising the pagoda’s drawbridge. The drawbridge 
  mechanism is old but kept in excellent condition by the 
  hobgoblins. The drawbridge can be lowered by means of 
  a simple lever that can be pulled as a move action that 
  provokes an attack of opportunity, but it takes 3 rounds 
  for the drawbridge to lower completely. Raising the 
  drawbridge requires three DC 25 Strength checks (up to 
  six creatures can grab the lever at once).
  Creatures: Four Withered Blossom Warriors stand 
  watch in this room, ready to raise or lower the drawbridge 
  as needed, or defend the pagoda against attack.
  Withered Blossom Warriors (4) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  hp 82 each (see page 32)
  c3. the fungAl Pile
  A repulsive pile of waste and rot fills this chamber, home to a 
  large number of ugly fungi.
  The fungi are a staple diet of the hobgoblins when they 
  can’t get fresh meat. Any creature searching in the pile 
  must make a DC 12 Fortitude save or contract filth fever 
  (Core Rulebook 557).
  c4. storeroom
  This well-stocked storeroom serves to feed the pagoda’s 
  occupants in case of emergencies or sieges.
  Treasure: The storeroom contains enough dried food 
  (mostly badly cured meat of dubious origin and dried 
  fungi) to feed 50 creatures for 10 days (equivalent to 50 
  cargo units of stores for a caravan), as well as mundane 
  materials such as backpacks, fishing nets, picks, poles, 
  spades, 12 flasks of oil, 100 feet of silk rope, and a small 
  crate holding 5 flasks of alchemist’s fire.
  In addition, one of the Withered Blossom Warriors has 
  been thieving from her companions for years. Hidden 
  behind a loose stone at the back of the room (DC 25 
  Perception check to discover) are a potion of invisibility, a fan 
  feather token, and 97 gp.
  c5. shrine of munAsukAru
  A revolting statue of a repulsive, strangely goblinoid creature 
  dominates this chamber.
  The hobgoblins worship their “goddess” Munasukaru 
  in this shrine. The statue depicts the ja noi oni in all 
  her glory, but the hobgoblins have embellished her 
  image. The statue stands on a bed of nails and has four 
  demonic heads—one smiling, one angry, one eating, 
  and one screaming. The statue is obscenely pregnant, 
  with multiple teats sagging over her swollen belly, and 
  is shown giving birth to monstrous creatures, some 
  humanoid with demonic goblinoid features, others 
  wormlike with human faces—Munasukaru’s children. A 
  DC 15 Knowledge (planes) check identifies the statue and 
  the humanoids as ja noi oni, while a DC 19 Knowledge 
  (dungeoneering) check recognizes the human-headed 
  worm creatures as spirit nagas. A set of stairs along the 
  east wall lead up to area C6.
  Treasure: A pile of offerings is heaped on the floor in 
  front of the statue, including the mummified arm and 
  head of an aranea, numerous dead giant spiders, a brooch 
  of shielding (that can only absorb 13 more points of damage 
  before melting), a scroll of spike growth, a set of masterwork 
  artisan’s tools (Craft [armor]), a pair of good locks with 
  keys, a gold-plated merchant’s scale worth 100 gp, 11 
  obsidians worth 10 gp each, 91 gp, and 203 sp.
  c6. lAke overlook (cr 11)
  A broad balcony with wide openings overlooks the lake 
  from the pagoda’s upper floor. The walls of this room are 
  covered with carvings of bound prisoners being subjected to 
  agonizing tortures.
  A barrel containing 100 arrows stands in the center of 
  the room. 
  Creatures: Four more Withered Blossom Warriors are 
  stationed here, watching the lake in case of attack. They 
  are particularly mindful of potential climbing attacks by 
  the araneas and have plenty of arrows on hand to repel 
  such assaults.
  
  40
  Withered Blossom Warriors (4) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  hp 82 each (see page 32)
  c7. guArdiAn of the stAirs (cr 10)
  A steep staircase climbs upward. Bas-reliefs of faces distorted 
  by pain cover the steps and walls.
  Creature: A clay golem sculpted in the form of a Tian 
  temple guardian guards this passage. The creature has 
  orders simply to watch the area for attack and defend it. 
  The golem fights until destroyed.
  Clay Golem 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600
  hp 63 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 159)
  c8. lePer colony (cr 10)
  A simple, bare chamber with an arched doorway depicting 
  tormented dragons opens into a wider area beyond.
  Creatures: To amuse herself and to ensure compliance 
  from her other followers, Munasukaru keeps a handful of 
  leprous hobgoblins within her Penance. Three of the lepers 
  reside in this chamber. Should any of the oni’s subjects fall 
  out of line or displease her, Munasukaru imprisons them 
  in this chamber with the contagious lepers. Always trying 
  to gain Munasukaru’s favor, the lepers attack anyone 
  entering the room.
  Lepers (3) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  Withered Blossom Warriors (see page 32, with the following 
  changes)
  hp 82 each 
  TACTICS
  During Combat The lepers try to afflict their enemies with 
  their disease, either as part of a successful melee attack or 
  with simple touch attacks. The lepers flank with each other 
  to make sneak attacks whenever possible.
  Morale The lepers believe that Munasukaru will cure their 
  affliction if they show proper devotion. Equally terrified and 
  worshipful of the oni, they do not flee combat.
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Disease (Ex) The hobgoblins are afflicted with leprosy (Core 
  Rulebook 557), and each has taken 1d6 points of Charisma 
  damage. Creatures making unarmed attacks or touch 
  attacks against the lepers, or who are injured or touched by 
  the lepers, must make an immediate DC 12 Fortitude save 
  to avoid contracting the virulent strain of leprosy afflicting 
  the hobgoblins.
  Development: Sounds of combat in this area have a 
  chance of alerting the monks in area C10, who move into 
  area C9 to face the invaders.
  c9. the lAttice (cr 10)
  A wide, open pit fills this chamber, with arched openings in 
  each wall above the pit. Six thick iron bars crisscross the pit, 
  from which a greenish-gray, bitter-smelling mist rises.
  The chamber serves two purposes—defense, and to 
  test the Sisters of the Broken Path (see page 41) on their 
  balance and concentration (one of the easier challenges the 
  monks must face in this chamber is standing with one foot 
  on one of the bars for 24 hours). When less agile troops 
  or important visitors must pass through this room, the 
  monks lay a bamboo floor across one section of the bars 
  (the floor is currently rolled up and stored in area C12). 
  The iron bars are each 6 inches wide (DC 15 Acrobatics 
  check to cross). The pit is 80 feet deep, with natural 
  rock walls (DC 25 Climb check), though the pit’s bottom 
  cannot be seen through the thick mist. The bottom of 
  the pit contains numerous petrified victims of the pit’s 
  inhabitants. All of the petrified corpses are female, both 
  hobgoblin and human, and the majority of them have been 
  trampled, shattered, and half-eaten.
  Creatures: Munasukaru’s firstborn son Ichirou (see area 
  C11) has trapped two gorgon bulls (offspring of the giant 
  gorgon in area D3) in the bottom of the pit. The mist rising 
  from the pit is the result of the creatures’ droppings and 
  breath weapons. This mist obscures sight as fog does, 
  granting the gorgons concealment from more than 5 feet 
  away. The gorgons attack any creatures falling into the pit, 
  fighting until they or their opponents are dead, petrified, 
  or both.
  Gorgons (2) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  hp 100 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 165)
  Development: If alerted to the sounds of combat in area 
  C8, the Sisters of the Broken Path in area C10 move onto 
  the iron bars in this chamber to attack intruders.
  c10. monAstic cells (cr 11)
  The northern portion of this simple chamber has been divided 
  into eight bamboo-walled cubicles.
  This chamber is the living quarters for Munasukaru’s 
  most devoted followers—an order of female hobgoblin 
  monks called the Sisters of the Broken Path. Utterly loyal 
  to Munasukaru, these monks have risen above their lesser 
  
  41
  Forest oF spirits
  kin through their dedication to the art of combat, seeking 
  to achieve purity through their art. The monks keep 
  nothing of value in their cells other than minor mundane 
  objects for basic living needs, such as clay water jugs, 
  sleeping mats, and spare clothes.
  Creatures: Three Sisters of the Broken Path meditate 
  in this chamber. All of the monks are heavily tattooed 
  with scenes of greed, and their skin displays numerous 
  piercings set with minor gemstones (mostly jet). If 
  alerted to combat nearby, the monks make their way into 
  the Lattice (area C9) to await intruders. Otherwise, they 
  leap to attack as soon as anyone enters this room.
  Sisters of the Broken Path (3) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  Female hobgoblin monk (hungry ghost monk) 9 (Pathfinder RPG 
  Bestiary 175, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player’s Guide 110)
  LE Medium humanoid (goblinoid)
  Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +14
  DEFENSE
  AC 21, touch 18, flat-footed 17 (+2 armor, +3 Dex, +1 dodge, 
  +2 monk, +2 Wis, +1 natural)
  hp 80 each (9d8+36)
  Fort +8, Ref +11, Will +8; +2 vs. enchantment
  Defensive Abilities improved evasion
  OFFENSE
  Speed 60 ft.
  Melee mwk nunchaku +10/+5 (1d6+3) or
  unarmed strike +9/+4 (1d10+3) or
  mwk nunchaku flurry of blows +11/+11/+6/+6 
  (1d6+3) or
  unarmed strike flurry of blows +10/+10/+5/+5 (1d10+3)
  Ranged dagger +9 (1d4+3/19–20)
  Special Attacks flurry of blows, life funnel*, punishing kick* 
  (9/day, DC 16), steal ki*
  TACTICS
  Before Combat The Sisters drink their potions of blur before 
  combat ensues.
  During Combat The monks work together, attacking as 
  a single group flanking one or two opponents if the 
  opportunity presents itself. They attempt to push enemies 
  into the pit in area C9 using their Punishing Kick feat, 
  or make flurry of blows attacks, using their nunchaku to 
  disarm opponents. If fighting on the Lattice (area C9), the 
  monks use their superior acrobatics skills to maneuver 
  around and outflank foes. The Sisters think nothing of 
  leaping the 10 feet between the iron bars.
  Morale Devoted followers of Munasukaru, the Sisters of the 
  Broken Path do not surrender, defending their living god to 
  the death. When a monk reaches 10 hit points or fewer, she 
  screams an oath to Munasukaru’s glory and commits 
  seppuku (ritual suicide by performing a self-inflicted 
  coup de grace with her dagger).
  STATISTICS
  Str 16, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8
  Base Atk +6; CMB +12; CMD 27
  Feats Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows, Dodge, Improved 
  Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Unarmed 
  Strike, Lightning Reflexes, Punishing Kick*, Skill Focus 
  (Acrobatics), Toughness
  Skills Acrobatics +18 (+39 jump), Climb +15, Intimidate +10, 
  Perception +14, Stealth +11
  Languages Goblin, Tien
  SQ fast movement, high jump, ki pool (6 points, magic), 
  maneuver training, slow fall 40 ft., still mind
  Combat Gear potion of blur; Other Gear daggers (4), 
  masterwork nunchaku, amulet of natural armor +1, bracers 
  of armor +2, 100 gp worth of jeweled studs for piercings
  * See the Advanced Player’s Guide.
  Sister of the Broken Path
  
  42
  c11. chAmBer of the lustful overseer 
  (cr 11)
  High black lacquer screens shield this chamber from view, 
  set between twin archways carved to resemble beheaded 
  humanoid figures.
  Beyond the lacquer screens lies a chamber wallowing in 
  excess, an extension of the vices and lusts of its occupant. 
  The walls are carved with explicit carnal scenes and a dozen 
  statues of similar nature stand throughout the room among 
  several lacquer and bamboo cabinets. A magnificent bed, 
  decorated with similar erotic carvings, dominates the room.
  Creatures: Munasukaru’s firstborn son, a ja noi oni 
  named Ichirou, oversees the Mockery Pagoda from his lair 
  in this chamber. As one of Munasukaru’s lesser spawn, 
  Ichirou has endured agonizing abuse and torture at the 
  hands of his mother and sisters. His body is disfigured with 
  countless scars, brands, and tattoos, but Ichirou’s twisted 
  mind views these savage mutilations as symbols of his 
  mother’s love and favor. Ichirou prefers to enjoy the fruits 
  of his position rather than exercise its responsibilities, 
  and spends most of his time indulging in dissolute vices in 
  this room, leaving the hobgoblins stationed in the pagoda 
  to oversee themselves. Currently, Ichirou shares his bed 
  with two Sisters of the Broken Path, who fight to the death 
  to defend the offspring of their living goddess.
  Ichirou, Spawn of Munasukaru 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400
  Male ja noi barbarian (scarred rager) 4 (see page 90, Pathfinder 
  RPG Ultimate Combat 29)
  LE Medium outsider (oni, goblinoid, native, shapechanger)
  Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +9
  DEFENSE
  AC 23, touch 14, flat-footed 18 (+5 armor, +1 deflection, +4 Dex, 
  +1 dodge, +4 natural, –2 rage)
  hp 123 (10 HD; 6d10+4d12+64); regeneration 3 (acid or fire)
  Fort +15, Ref +10, Will +7
  Defensive Abilities scarification*, tolerance*
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
  Melee +1 nodachi* +21/+16 (1d10+16/18–20)
  Ranged mwk composite longbow +15/+10 (1d8+6/×3)
  Special Attacks rage (14 rounds/day), rage powers (auspicious 
  mark*, roused anger)
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +10)
  3/day—command (DC 15), doom (DC 16), fly, magic weapon
  1/day—bull’s strength
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Ichirou has little interest in helping the monks 
  defend this area, but he casts bull’s strength, fly, and magic 
  weapon if alerted to the presence of intruders.
  During Combat Ichirou orders the two Sisters of the Broken 
  Path to engage opponents while he remains in the rear 
  watching the fray and using his spell-like abilities. If 
  enemies get past the monks, Ichirou rages and attempts to 
  bull rush foes into the pit in area C9.
  Morale A lustful coward, Ichirou withdraws from combat 
  once he is reduced to 60 hit points or fewer. He attempts 
  to bargain for his life with information, preferably with 
  an attractive female. Ichirou knows the general layout of 
  the Penance, although not many specifics (he’s far more 
  interested in sating his lusts than paying attention to such 
  mundane matters as personnel and staffing). If his parlay is 
  refused, Ichirou rages once more and fights to the death.
  STATISTICS
  Str 30, Dex 18, Con 22, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 19
  Base Atk +10; CMB +20 (+24 bull rush); CMD 34 (36 vs. bull rush)
  Feats Cleave, Dodge, Greater Bull Rush, Improved Bull Rush, 
  Power Attack
  Skills Acrobatics +17, Bluff +15, Climb +18, Fly +16, Intimidate 
  +17 (+19 vs. non-barbarians), Perception +9, Stealth +17
  Languages Goblin, Tien
  SQ change shape (Small or Medium humanoid; alter self ), 
  serene fighter, terrifying visage*
  Gear +2 studded leather, masterwork composite longbow (+6 Str) 
  with 20 arrows, masterwork nodachi*, ring of protection +1 
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Auspicious Mark (Su) Ichirou’s impressive scars and tattoos 
  mark him as touched by the spirits. Once per rage, as a 
  swift action that costs 2 rounds of rage, Ichirou can call 
  upon the spirits’ favor, granting him a +1d6 bonus on one 
  d20 roll he has just made. Ichirou can call on the auspicious 
  mark after seeing the result of the d20 roll.
  Scarification (Ex) Ichirou can ignore 1 point of bleed damage 
  per round.
  Terrifying Visage (Ex) Ichirou adds 1/2 his barbarian level (+2) on 
  Intimidate checks against humanoids who are not members 
  of barbarian tribes. When dealing with barbarians, Ichirou 
  may add this bonus on Diplomacy checks instead. The DC of 
  any fear effect created by Ichirou also increases by +1.
  Tolerance (Ex) If Ichirou fails a save against an effect that 
  causes him to become nauseated, sickened, fatigued, or 
  exhausted, he can make a second save to negate the effect 
  on the start of his next turn. Only one additional save is 
  allowed. If the effect does not allow a saving throw, its 
  duration is halved instead (minimum of 1 round).
  * See Ultimate Combat.
  Sisters of the Broken Path (2) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  hp 80 each (see page 41)
  Treasure: The three lacquer screens are bulky (each is 
  10 feet across and weighs 20 pounds) and worth 50 gp each, 
  
  43
  Forest oF spirits
  while the ornately carved bed is worth 150 gp. A DC 20 
  Perception check made while searching the cabinets in the 
  room locates a beautiful silver and enamel ring decorated 
  with the Tien characters for wealth and luck worth 110 gp, 
  a silver foo dog brooch worth 75 gp, a pendant made from 
  interlocking jade rings worth 60 gp, a silver hairpin with 
  a kingfisher feather worth 50 gp, a carved ivory-and-coral 
  bracelet worth 40 gp, and four silver wedding rings worth 
  10 gp each.
  c12. storAge
  This chamber is crammed with objects relating to combat, 
  including wooden practice weapons, wooden dummies, 
  breaking boards, and similar martial arts training 
  accessories. Two 12-foot-wide, 40-foot-long segments of 
  bamboo flooring are rolled up against the eastern wall. 
  Each weighs 30 pounds and can be unfurled across the 
  iron bars in area C9 to form a stable walkway across the 
  Lattice to area C8. It takes 3 full rounds to unfurl each 
  section of floor.
  Treasure: A DC 25 Perception check discovers a lacquer 
  box containing a set of silver acupuncture needles worth 
  50 gp beneath a pile of fighting equipment.
  c13. WAlk of Anger
  A short flight of stairs leads to a long corridor decorated with 
  scenes of anger, illustrating humanoid figures suffering in 
  scenes of shockingly brutal violence.
  The corridor is 200 feet long and leads to the Mockery 
  Pagoda’s barracks, and the passage to the next level of 
  Munasukaru’s Penance beyond.
  c14. hoBgoBlin BArrAcks
  This room was a barracks for hobgoblins in Munasukaru’s 
  service, but their last assault on the araneas was 
  unsuccessful, and none of the hobgoblin troopers returned 
  from the battle. The fur bedrolls scattered throughout 
  the room are currently unoccupied, and there is nothing 
  of value here. A dark hole in the corner, which serves as 
  a latrine and midden for the hobgoblins, drains into a 
  small cavern fed by an underground stream below.
  c15. Withered Blossom BArrAcks (cr 11)
  This barracks houses the Withered Blossom Warriors 
  stationed in the Mockery Pagoda. In the event of attack, 
  this unit is sent out to deal with threats, under the 
  command of the ogre mage Fujai (see area C16). There 
  are enough collapsible bamboo cots here for a score of 
  hobgoblins, though only 14 are in current use. Even so, 
  this chamber doesn’t see much use, as the Withered 
  Blossom Warriors are never off-duty.
  Creatures: Four Withered Blossom Warriors currently 
  rest in this room. They still wear their armor, and snatch 
  up their weapons to attack intruders.
  Withered Blossom Warriors (4) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  hp 82 each (see page 32)
  Treasure: Among the few mundane personal items 
  scattered throughout the room are 143 gp and 206 sp, 
  casually tossed about as if the coins had no value.
  c16. commAnder’s quArters (cr 11)
  Several trophies and art objects are proudly displayed in this 
  room. A simple military cot rests against the north wall. The 
  south wall opens into a broad natural cavern, through which 
  can be heard the sound of roaring water.
  This chamber is the quarters for the officer commanding 
  the hobgoblins of the Mockery Pagoda.
  Creatures: The ogre mage Fujai resides in this room. 
  He is one of Munasukaru’s Chosen, three ogre mage 
  samurai that serve as her generals. Fujai has been forbidden 
  by Munasukaru to keep his mount, as she delights in 
  placing her followers in such dilemmas. Fujai is a brutal 
  taskmaster, and ignores the sounds of combat from area 
  C15—his warriors should be able to handle themselves, but 
  he immediately attacks any intruders who make it past the 
  hobgoblins in that room. In addition to Fujai, two Withered 
  Blossom Warriors—Fujai’s lieutenants—are present in the 
  room, discussing strategy with their commander.
  Fujai, Munasukaru’s Chosen 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400
  Male ogre mage samurai 1 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 221, 
  Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Combat 18)
  LE Large outsider (giant, native, oni, shapechanger)
  Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +16
  DEFENSE
  AC 23, touch 11, flat-footed 21 (+7 armor, +2 Dex, +5 natural, 
  –1 size)
  hp 113 (9d10+64); regeneration 5 (acid or fire)
  Fort +15, Ref +6, Will +12
  SR 19
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft. (average)
  Melee mwk katana* +18/+13 (2d6+9/18–20) or
  mwk silver wakizashi* +18/+13 (1d8+13/18–20)
  Ranged mwk composite longbow +11/+6 (2d6+9/×3)
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
  Special Attacks challenge (+1, 1/day)
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 9th; concentration +12)
  
  44
  Constant—fly
  At will—darkness, invisibility
  1/day—charm monster (DC 18), cone of cold (DC 19), gaseous 
  form, deep slumber (DC 17)
  TACTICS
  During Combat Fujai lets the Withered Blossom Warriors 
  engage opponents first, while he assists with his spells 
  before joining in melee combat himself.
  Morale Fujai does not allow dishonor among those under 
  his command. If any hobgoblins attempt to flee combat, 
  he ignores enemies to slay them for their cowardice. Fujai 
  refuses to dishonor his living god and liege Munasukaru by 
  failing her or surrendering. He fights to the death, even if 
  he must commit seppuku with his wakizashi.
  STATISTICS
  Str 28, Dex 15, Con 25, Int 14, Wis 18, Cha 19
  Base Atk +9; CMB +19; CMD 31
  Feats Combat Reflexes, Critical Focus, Improved Initiative, 
  Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes
  Skills Bluff +16, Disguise +14, Fly +7, Intimidate +16, 
  Perception +16, Ride +9, Sense Motive +16, Spellcraft +14
  Languages Common, Giant, Goblin, Tien
  SQ change shape (Small, Medium, or Large humanoid; alter 
  self or giant form I), flight, mount (currently none), order of 
  the warrior*, resolve* 1/day
  Gear Large masterwork tatami-do*, Large masterwork 
  katana*, Large masterwork composite longbow (+9 Str) 
  with 20 arrows, Large masterwork silver wakizashi*, lacquer 
  opium box set with pearls (worth 40 gp) containing 2 doses 
  of opium (see page 29)
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Challenge (Ex) This functions as the cavalier ability of the 
  same name (Advanced Player’s Guide 32).
  Order (Ex) Fujai belongs to the order of the warrior. Whenever 
  Fujai declares a challenge, he receives damage reduction 
  1/— against attacks made by the target of his challenge.
  Resolve (Ex) Once per day, Fujai can call upon his resolve to 
  endure wounds and afflictions in a number of ways.
  Determined: As a standard action, Fujai can use his resolve 
  to remove the fatigued, shaken, or sickened condition. 
  Resolute: Whenever Fujai is required to make a Fortitude 
  or Will save, he can use his resolve as an immediate action 
  to roll twice and take the better result. He must decide to 
  use this ability before he rolls the saving throw.
  Unstoppable: When Fujai is reduced to fewer than 0 hit 
  points but not slain, he can use his resolve as an immediate 
  action to instantly stabilize and remain conscious. He 
  is staggered, but he does not fall unconscious and 
  begin dying if he takes a standard action. He does fall 
  unconscious if he takes additional damage from any source.
  * See Ultimate Combat.
  Withered Blossom Warriors (2) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  hp 82 each (see page 32)
  Treasure: Among the items displayed in the room are 
  a trio of very fine bearskins worth 100 gp each, a bronze 
  dagger set with jets worth 130 gp, a ceremonial elephant 
  dagger in a silver and lapis lazuli scabbard worth 250 gp, 
  and several bleached aranea skulls.
  c17. the drAin (cr 11)
  A stone walkway plunges into the heart of a large cavern that 
  is itself a roaring shaft of water, so that the steep and narrow 
  stone pathway descends like a corkscrew along the edges of the 
  shaft, with a waterfall roaring through the center. 
  Called the Drain, this cavernous shaft is 220 feet deep 
  and leads to a steppingstone in the Lake of Broken Stones 
  (area D1) below. The 5-foot-wide walkway was created by 
  several stone shape spells. Because of the cascade of water 
  all around it, the walkway is wet, slippery, and dangerous 
  to fight on, requiring a DC 7 Acrobatics check to descend 
  at full speed. The corkscrewing walkway descends 
  straight downward, making it difficult to see directly up 
  or down the path.
  munAsukAru’s sPAWn
  Over the years since she was trapped in the House of 
  Withered Blossoms, Munasukaru has repeatedly mated 
  with her hobgoblin followers, displaying a peculiarly swift 
  and particularly loathsome ability to reproduce. Most of 
  her spawn are twisted abominations that soon fall prey to 
  the oni’s prodigious appetites, but those that survive their 
  birth and subsequent tortures at their mother’s hands are 
  given positions of power and become her most devoted 
  disciples. Munasukaru’s offspring are not merely loyal to 
  her; they love her, hate her, worship her, and fear her. 
  Munasukaru’s spawn fall into two types—her sons and 
  her daughters. Like their mother, Munasukaru’s sons are 
  ja noi, fiery-skinned hobgoblin oni with ape-like arms. 
  The sons enjoy the respect and adulation of their mother’s 
  hobgoblin servants, but their standing is significantly 
  lower than that of Munasukaru’s favored and adored 
  daughters—horrid, wormlike spirit nagas, who occupy 
  positions of status second only to Munasukaru herself.
  Munasukaru’s violent method of reproduction has 
  resulted in only two such daughters, but she has given 
  birth to countless sons. Fortunately, so great is her 
  offspring’s hatred of each other that only a handful of her 
  sons remain alive today.
  
  45
  Forest oF spirits
  Creatures: Three Sisters of the Broken Path guard the 
  Drain, usually positioned halfway down the stone walkway. 
  The Sisters carry potions of levitate to use the nature of the 
  pathway to their advantage. When first entering combat, 
  the monks drink their potions, leaving one monk in front 
  of any attacking group while the other two Sisters levitate 
  to the rear, sandwiching attackers between them.
  Sisters of the Broken Path (3) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  hp 80 each (see page 41)
  Combat Gear In addition to their normal gear, each of the 
  Sisters carries two potions of levitate.
  d1. lAke of Broken stones (cr 12)
  The waterfall drops into an underground lake, its surface broken 
  by jagged boulders that form makeshift steppingstones from 
  the pathway to an arched doorway. Hundreds of screaming, 
  leering faces cover the walls of this cavern. 
  The path from the Drain above ends at the northernmost 
  boulder in the lake. The steppingstones are broad, but steep 
  and slippery, and Acrobatics checks to jump between the 
  stones are made with a –7 penalty. The lake is 60 feet deep; 
  its waters drain into four underground streams, creating 
  strong currents in the water (DC 15 Swim check). A narrow 
  side passage leads off of the north stream, connecting to 
  the water trough in area D6. A DC 30 Escape Artist check 
  enables passage between the two places.
  Creatures: Two Sisters of the Broken Path guard the 
  passage between the two levels, usually from area D2, where 
  it’s drier and safer, but they leap onto the steppingstones 
  to confront any intruders coming down the Drain. The 
  monks always plug their ears with melted wax to avoid 
  effects of the choir of screaming voices traps (see below). 
  In addition, Munasukaru has placed a pair of giant gars in 
  the lake. The gars attack anything edible and moving that 
  falls into the water, but ignore dead meat.
  Giant Gars (2) 
  CR 6
  XP 2,400 each
  hp 73 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 128)
  Sisters of the Broken Path (2) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  hp 80 each (see page 41)
  Traps: Anyone treading on the steppingstones marked 
  T on the map triggers a trap. The carved faces that cover 
  every wall of the cavern begin to scream (courtesy of a 
  major image spell), creating a confusion effect throughout 
  the whole chamber. The spell only affects those who can 
  hear it, and creatures who have plugged their ears (such as 
  the monks) or are underwater (such as the giant gars) gain 
  a +5 circumstance bonus on their saving throws.
  Choir of Screaming Voices Traps (3) 
  CR 5
  XP 1,600 each
  Type magic; Perception DC 29; Disable Device DC 29
  EFFECTS
  Trigger location; Duration 7 rounds; Reset none
  Effect spell effect (confusion, DC 16 Will save negates); 
  multiple targets (all targets in area D1)
  d2. WAtchWAy
  A low stone shelf forms a natural harbor carved with 
  screaming figures with distended jaws. Ten-foot-high 
  natural stone ledges rise in tiers to the southeast. A set of 
  stone steps climb from the middle ledge to the topmost 
  ledge and into area D3.
  Development: If the PCs somehow made it through area 
  D1 without being detected by the Sisters of the Broken 
  Path, the two monks are on guard here.
  d3. guArdiAn of the Bridge (cr 11)
  The natural stone walls of this chamber become worked stone 
  to the north, decorated with carvings of figures being torn 
  apart by beasts.
  Creatures: Another of Munasukaru’s Chosen, an ogre 
  mage named Ryosanjin, waits in this room, guarding the 
  approach to area D5. Ryosanjin has dwelt in the Penance since 
  before the Five Storms escaped 160 years ago, and he is clearly 
  very old. In those days, Ryosanjin was just a foot soldier, 
  but Munasukaru rewarded his unwavering loyalty over the 
  years by making him one of her Chosen. As Munasukaru’s 
  favorite, only Ryosanjin, alone among the other Chosen, has 
  a mount—a giant gorgon named Jiaogu—but the gorgon 
  was given to him by Munasukaru, not chosen by Ryosanjin. 
  As a result, Jiaogu does not gain the standard abilities of a 
  samurai’s mount, though Ryosanjin does not take an armor 
  check penalty on Ride checks while riding Jiaogu.
  Ryosanjin, Munasukaru’s Chosen 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400
  hp 113 (see page 43)
  Skills Ride +14
  TACTICS
  During Combat Ryosanjin forgoes using his invisibility and 
  enters combat mounted on Jiaogu. On the first round 
  of combat, Ryosanjin issues a challenge to an honorable 
  opponent—preferably another warrior—and charges. He 
  reserves his spells for spellcasters or rogues, rather than 
  sullying his honor by fighting such lowly opponents in hand-
  
  46
  to-hand combat. If Jiaogu is killed, Ryosanjin uses gaseous 
  form to honorably withdraw if the odds are greatly against 
  him (such as when he is outflanked or reduced to half his hit 
  points) so that he can take up a better defensive position. 
  Morale A haughty combatant, Ryosanjin fights with the 
  honor of his order. He would rather die than dishonor 
  Munasukaru, so he does not surrender.
  Jiaogu 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400
  Giant gorgon (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 165, 295)
  hp 116
  d4. ryosAnJin’s quArters
  A huge, lice-covered bed squats in the center of this chamber, 
  which is decorated with curious, somewhat disturbing objects. 
  Hundreds of beetles form a living carpet on the floor.
  When not on duty, the ogre mage Ryosanjin (see area 
  D3) resides in this room. The beetles on the floor are 
  disturbing, but harmless.
  Treasure: The chamber is cluttered with objects from 
  the oni’s past, all of which show signs of great age. A DC 
  10 Perception check discovers the following items of value 
  among the various aged figurines, statues, and other 
  curiosities: a headband of alluring charisma +2, an offering 
  bowl decorated with gold leaf and set with a pair of poor 
  quality rubies (worth 300 gp), a gilded elephant tusk (worth 
  125 gp), a fine jade and silver rooster funerary figure (worth 
  100 gp), and a superb 10-panel painted landscape screen 
  depicting the House of Withered Blossoms in its heyday, 
  weighing 30 pounds (worth 750 gp). 
  d5. Bridge of feAsting kirin
  This magnificent stone bridge is carved with enraged kirin 
  devouring a bridal feast. Swift, dark waters flow under the crossing.
  The bridge stands 20 feet above the river, whose waters 
  flow from area D1 toward area D8. The river is 20 feet deep 
  and fast-moving, requiring a DC 15 Swim check to navigate.
  d6. hAll of lost grAndeur (cr 11)
  The bridge leads to a stone ledge overlooking a cobbled stone 
  plaza in a huge chamber. Forty feet above the ledge, a vaulted 
  ceiling soars over the room, supported by great columns, some 
  of which have collapsed. At one time a stone bridge crossed 
  the chamber from the ledge to the opposite wall, but both 
  the span and the enormous archway it led to have collapsed, 
  leaving a pile of shattered rubble on the floor twenty feet below. 
  Frescoes depicting blinded ettins pulling obscene creatures on 
  vast golden wagons, surrounded by slaves averting their eyes, 
  cover the walls in a riot of extravagant colors.
  Long ago, during the heyday of the House of the Withered 
  Blossoms, this room was an antechamber to the central lair 
  of the Five Storms, a vast subterranean palace filled with 
  magnificent chambers and temples to the oni, maintained 
  by hundreds of slaves. After the Five Storms escaped, 
  leaving Munasukaru behind, the complex fell into disrepair 
  and eventually began to disintegrate, helped along at times 
  by Munasukaru’s insane rage. All that remains now is this 
  great anteroom, now fractured beneath the ledge where oni 
  masters once tormented their slaves.
  The wall frescoes depict the oni of the Five Storms, 
  Munasukaru clearly visible among them, nursing her two 
  naga daughters. The scenes are of luxury, extravagance, 
  triumph, and the deification of the oni.
  The wall beneath the ledge is very smooth (DC 25 Climb 
  check), but the rubble of the collapsed bridge forms a 
  sloping ramp down to the floor, and can be traversed with 
  a DC 10 Climb check. A huge stone trough sits against the 
  west wall in the plaza below, fed with cool water from area 
  D1. A DC 30 Escape Artist check enables passage between 
  the two places. At floor level to the east, a tunnel passes 
  beneath the walkway to the south, leading to area D8.
  Three huge grappling hooks attached to long chains 
  hang from hooks on the south wall along the ledge. 
  Dried blood still cakes the hooks, where victims in the 
  plaza below were once hooked like fish and tormented by 
  watching guards on the ledge above. 
  Creatures: Three Withered Blossom Warriors and a 
  hill giant have chosen this room as their resting place 
  when not guarding area D9 below. The hobgoblins stand 
  atop the ledge to the south, while the hill giant wanders 
  around in the plaza below, throwing rocks at any intruders 
  entering the chamber.
  Hill Giant 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200
  hp 85 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 150)
  Withered Blossom Warriors (3) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  hp 82 each (see page 32)
  d7. chAmBer of long regrets
  Water slowly drips onto the damp floor of this otherwise 
  completely bare chamber.
  The wooden door to this room is swollen shut with 
  dampness and age (hardness 5, hp 15, Break DC 16). This room 
  was used to carry out various torments, including the dreaded 
  
  47
  T
  T
  T
  D1
  D2
  D3
  D4
  D5
  D6
  D7
  D8
  D10
  D11
  D9
  Forest oF spirits
  water torture—an endless, slow drip of a water splashing on a 
  victim’s forehead to drive him mad. Rusted anchor points on 
  the walls and floor show where manacles and torture devices 
  once lay, but they have all since succumbed to rust and age. 
  Treasure: A small, wilted bonsai tree in a simple pot sits in 
  the middle of the floor. The ward of the fukujin kami Akumi 
  (see page 21), the bonsai was stolen from the Forest of Spirits 
  by one of Munasukaru’s Withered Blossom Warriors and 
  stashed here. When that hobgoblin fell in battle against the 
  aranea soon after, the bonsai was abandoned and forgotten. 
  The endless drip of water from the ceiling has kept the tree 
  barely alive thus far, but it will quickly wither and die without 
  sunlight. See page 60 for details on Akumi’s bonsai.
  Story Award: Award the PCs 12,800 XP for recovering 
  Akumi’s bonsai and returning it to the kami.
  d8. fAllen Bridge
  The remains of a broken bridge lie shattered in the waters of an 
  underground river. Across the torrent, an open archway beckons. 
  The river is 10 feet wide and 20 feet deep, its fast waters 
  (DC 15 Swim check) soon plunging into a shaft to the east, 
  and gradually draining through several narrow cracks.
  d9. the greAt Procession of mortAlity 
  (cr 11)
  Innumerable columns depicting writhing oni feasting upon 
  fleeing peasants support this magnificent arched corridor, 
  which vanishes into darkness to the east.
  The floor of this corridor is worn smooth with heavy 
  traffic, its walls covered in carvings by Munasukaru 
  depicting dragons punishing humans for their frailty and 
  mortality. The corridor runs 600 feet east to area D10.
  Recently, a quartet of destrachans has made its way 
  from the Darklands into this area. The cruel and cunning 
  creatures have taken great pleasure in hunting and 
  ambushing Munasukaru’s hobgoblin followers, and their 
  destructive harmonics have collapsed many of the columns 
  in the central portion of the corridor. Fortunately, movement 
  between the upper levels and Munasukaru’s lair below is rare, 
  so the destrachans have mostly been left to their own devices. 
  Creatures: Ryosanjin has set a watch here to guard 
  against the destrachans plaguing the area. Three Withered 
  Blossom Warriors and a hill giant keep a close eye along 
  the corridor east, but they attack any intruders coming 
  from the north as well.
  
  48
  E1
  E2
  E3
  E4
  E5
  E6
  E7
  Hill Giant 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200
  hp 85 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 150)
  Withered Blossom Warriors (3) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  hp 82 each (see page 32)
  TACTICS
  Morale If more than half their number are slain, the remaining 
  hobgoblins flee to area D6 to join their companions.
  d10. destrAchAn lAir (cr 12)
  The pillared corridor ends in a broad stone platform that overlooks 
  a series of crude stone steps descending to the southeast. The 
  mangled, rotting corpses of hobgoblins litter the floor.
  The destrachans plaguing this level have made their lair 
  in this chamber. The creatures bring their victims here to 
  torment, and the mutilated bodies of 12 hobgoblins lie in 
  ruin on the floor.
  Creatures: Four destrachans occupy this chamber, 
  toying with what remains of their victims. As soon as 
  they detect creatures coming down the corridor, the 
  destrachans prepare another ambush, lurking behind 
  pillars or on the first of the steps leading down to area D11 
  to take foes by surprise.
  Destrachans (4) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  hp 90 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 83)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The destrachans delight in causing fear and pain. 
  Attacking in pairs, the creatures try to split up their opponents, 
  either by stunning them with their pain harmonics or by 
  collapsing the ceiling (see Hazard below). The destrachans prefer 
  to use their destructive harmonics, but once a foe is stunned or 
  immobile, they enjoy attacking with their claws and bites.
  Morale The destrachans are cowardly, and an injured destrachan 
  (one that has taken 20 or more points of damage) backs away from 
  combat, only to return when it hears cries of pain or suffering 
  again. If two of the destrachans are slain, the survivors attempt to 
  retreat to area D9. If cornered, they fight to the death.
  Hazard: The damage caused by the destrachans’ 
  destructive harmonics has weakened the ceiling in this 
  chamber. A major impact (such as an area effect weapon 
  or a direct attack) that delivers 25 points of damage or 
  
  49
  Forest oF spirits
  more to the ceiling (beyond the stone’s Hardness of 8) has 
  a 25% chance of causing a collapse (Core Rulebook 415). The 
  destrachans know this and relish the possibility.
  d11. the fAll of soBs
  Water cascades from narrow openings in the walls down a 
  series of stone ledges or steps, each some twenty feet or so 
  apart. One hundred feet below, at the bottom of the steps, the 
  swirling waters drain into a deep black hole. 
  The floors are slippery but require no Acrobatics check 
  to cross. Simple, narrow steps carved in the sides of the 
  ledges can be traversed with a DC 5 Climb check. The 
  hole at the bottom of the steps is a shaft leading to area E1 
  some 100 feet below. Again, narrow stone steps have been 
  carved into the walls of the shaft, but the flow of water is so 
  great that a DC 10 Acrobatics or Climb check is required to 
  descend safely. Anyone passing through the hole triggers a 
  mental alarm spell cast by the naga Mei in area E2.
  e1. hAll of screAms (cr 11)
  The long stair leads to a flooded cavern devoted to anguish 
  and madness. Rusted iron cages hang from stone pillars and 
  screams of pain and anguish echo throughout the chamber.
  The shaft from area D11 ends in the west of this 
  chamber. The cavern’s floor is flooded to a depth of just 
  over 1 foot, and is treated as a shallow bog for the purposes 
  of movement (Core Rulebook 427). Two of Munasukaru’s 
  sons have constructed a living garden of pain in their lair, 
  delighting in inflicting mental and physical suffering on 
  the living. Each of the cages holds a human, captured long 
  ago in the forest above. The prisoners are pale from lack 
  of sunlight, malnourished, and quite insane after years of 
  torture. Even if freed, the prisoners are utterly unable to 
  interact with the world or even care for themselves, unless 
  cured. Greater restoration, heal, limited wish, miracle, or wish 
  immediately cures a person of all insanity.
  A hole in the floor in the southeast portion of the 
  cavern drops 20 feet to area E2. Anyone passing through 
  the hole triggers a mental alarm spell cast by the naga 
  Yasu in area E2.
  Creatures: Two ja noi oni, lesser spawn of Munasukaru, 
  named Jirou and Saburo lurk in this chamber, tormenting 
  their prisoners. Like their brother Ichirou (area C11), Jirou 
  and Saburo were scarred both physically and mentally by 
  their upbringing, but now wear their disfigurements as 
  badges of honor.
  Jirou and Saburo, Spawn of Munasukaru (2) 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400 each
  hp 123 (see page 42)
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Jirou and Saburo each cast bull’s strength and 
  magic weapon if alerted to the presence of intruders.
  During Combat The brothers rage and attempt to flank foes 
  with one another.
  Morale When reduced to 40 hit points or fewer, or if one of 
  them is slain, the other flees to their sisters’ lair in area E2 
  to make a final stand.
  e2. the gArden of eArthly suffering 
  (cr 11)
  The contaminated waters flooding this cavern lap against 
  natural stone walls and pillars, every inch of which are covered 
  with dreadful carvings and hung with burnt and mummified 
  aranea, hobgoblin, and human corpses.
  The charred and mummified remains of scores of 
  victims litter the cavern. The cavern’s floor is flooded to 
  a depth of 4 feet and strewn with rotting body parts from 
  the corpses on the walls. The entire cavern is treated as a 
  deep bog for the purposes of movement (Core Rulebook 427). 
  Munasukaru’s two daughters have created an homage to 
  mental anguish and terror, decorating their lair in their 
  own unique styles. In deference to her mother’s insane 
  devotions, Mei has decorated her half of the lair with 
  carvings of dislocations and dismemberings, while the 
  subtler Yasu prefers to decorate her half of the lair with 
  images of victims having their minds and internal organs 
  devoured. So disturbing are these vile carvings that the 
  PCs must make a DC 10 Will save when first confronted 
  with the images or be sickened for 1d3 hours.
  To the east, a hole in the floor drops 30 feet to area E3.
  Creatures: Munasukaru’s beloved daughters, the 
  wormlike spirit nagas Mei and Yasu, live in this cavern, 
  guarding the entrance to their mother’s sanctum. The 
  sisters cast alarm spells in areas D11 and E1 every day; 
  thus, they are likely to be aware of the PCs’ intrusion into 
  their lair, and use Stealth to hide beneath the water to take 
  the PCs by surprise. The nagas can swim through the 
  flooded cavern with ease, and creatures in the water do not 
  have cover against the nagas’ underwater attacks.
  Mei, First Daughter of Munasukaru 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400
  Female spirit naga (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 213)
  AC 27, touch 14, flat-footed 22 (+5 Dex, +9 natural, +4 shield, 
  –1 size)
  hp 95
  OFFENSE
  Spells Known (CL 7th; concentration +10)
  3rd (5/day)—dispel magic, fireball (DC 16)
  
  50
  2nd (7/day)—mirror image, scorching ray, silence (DC 15)
  1st (7/day)—alarm, cure light wounds, magic missile, shield, 
  shocking grasp
  0 (at will)—acid splash, bleed (DC 13), ghost sound (DC 13), 
  mage hand, ray of frost, resistance, virtue
  TACTICS
  Before Combat If alerted by her alarm spell, Mei casts shield 
  and mirror image.
  During Combat Far more haughty than her sister Yasu, Mei 
  attacks using brute force, throwing her most powerful spells 
  into combat, even if her sister would be caught in the effect. 
  She delights in casting destructive fireballs, and singles out 
  one enemy, preferably a spellcaster, to target with her magic. 
  Morale Cowardly and in love with her own skin, Mei retreats 
  every time she takes 20 or more points of damage. She 
  casts cure light wounds on herself before stealthily returning 
  to attack again with surprise. As Munasukaru’s favorite 
  daughter, Mei knows that she cannot fail her mother, and 
  fights to the death.
  Yasu, Second Daughter of Munasukaru 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400
  Female spirit naga (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 213)
  AC 27, touch 14, flat-footed 22 (+4 armor, +5 Dex, +9 natural, 
  –1 size)
  hp 95
  OFFENSE
  Spells Known (CL 7th; concentration +10)
  3rd (5/day)—bestow curse (DC 16), summon monster III 
  2nd (7/day)—acid arrow, blur, hideous laughter (DC 15)
  1st (7/day)—alarm, cure light wounds, mage armor, magic 
  missile, ray of enfeeblement (DC 14)
  0 (at will)—bleed (DC 13), flare (DC 13), ghost sound (DC 13), 
  guidance, mage hand, resistance, touch of fatigue (DC 13)
  TACTICS
  Before Combat If alerted by her alarm spell, Yasu casts blur 
  and mage armor.
  During Combat Yasu casts summon monster III to summon 
  a fiendish constrictor snake to aid her in combat. She 
  uses her charming gaze as much as possible to remove 
  troublesome spellcasters from the fray and casts spells 
  upon remaining opponents.
  Morale As cowardly as her sister, Yasu retreats every time 
  she takes 20 or more points of damage. She casts cure light 
  wounds on herself before stealthily returning to attack with 
  her spells once more. Like Mei, Yasu knows that retreat is 
  not an option, and fights to the death.
  Treasure: Mei wears a magnificent inlaid platinum-
  and-jade pendant of great size worth 800 gp. In addition, 
  a DC 10 Perception check finds three porcelain pots just 
  underneath the surface of the water in the north of the 
  cavern, containing a carved censer with a gold edge worth 
  200 gp, a pair of silver armbands worth 50 gp, a swan boat 
  feather token, and 1,012 gp.
  e3. the celeBrAtion of chAins (cr 11)
  Thick chains crisscross this chamber, attached to the walls 
  and hanging from the ceiling, their links clinking in the 
  fall of water from the shaft above. 
  The thick web of chains impedes movement 
  through the room, made even more slippery by the 
  constant rain of water dripping from cracks in the 
  ceiling. A creature can walk through the room with 
  a successful DC 12 Acrobatics check, or fly through 
  the chains with a DC 15 Fly check. Alternatively, a 
  creature can climb among the slippery chains with 
  a DC 10 Climb check. Failure at any of these checks 
  results in the creature being entangled for 1 
  round. The water eventually drains from the 
  room through numerous cracks in the floor.
  Mei
  
  51
  Forest oF spirits
  Creatures: Munasukaru’s major-domo and the last of her 
  Chosen—Ochiyo the Messenger—spends her days in this 
  chamber when not serving her mistress. If the PCs have made 
  it this far, Munasukaru realizes that she has underestimated 
  these strangers and orders Ochiyo to instead appeal to their 
  more base feelings. When the PCs enter the room, Ochiyo—
  in human form—kowtows to them and addresses them as an 
  ambassador with a traditional Tian greeting (recognizable as 
  such with a DC 20 Diplomacy check). The ogre mage then 
  explains that the PCs are most welcome in these lands, but 
  that what occurs in the House of Withered Blossoms is none 
  of their concern. Should the PCs continue to interfere, the 
  living god Munasukaru will see to it that they die, in a variety 
  of particularly unpleasant ways.
  Ochiyo adds that if the PCs were to turn their backs on 
  what does not concern them and return to the Forest of 
  Spirits, all their earthly pleasures will be indulged when 
  the storm breaks across Minkai and the rest of Tian 
  Xia. The living goddess offers this as her word of honor, 
  and will never betray that word. Ochiyo then goes on to 
  describe in explicit detail exactly what kind of pleasures 
  the Five Storms intend to indulge in within their earthly 
  garden of paradise. If the PCs refuse to leave, or attack, 
  Ochiyo assumes her normal form and attacks, rebuking 
  them for refusing such a generous reward.
  In addition to Ochiyo, two advanced kytons lurk among 
  the hanging chains. Longtime allies of the oni of the Five 
  Storms, the kytons remained in the House of Withered 
  Blossoms when the oni escaped, relishing Munasukaru’s 
  suffering from her abandonment and indulging in their 
  own sadistic pleasures.
  Ochiyo the Messenger, Munasukaru’s Chosen 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400
  hp 113 (see page 43)
  TACTICS
  During Combat Ochiyo flies through the chains, using invisibility 
  and darkness to surprise or flank enemies with the kytons. She 
  challenges the PC who refused her offer, targeting her attacks 
  and spells at that person, unless faced with a greater threat.
  Morale If reduced to 50 hit points or fewer, Ochiyo retreats in 
  gaseous form to area E7 to join her living goddess. Once at 
  Munasukaru’s side, she fights to the death.
  Advanced Kytons (2) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  hp 76 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 185, 294)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The kytons are unhindered by the chains in the 
  room, climbing through them at their normal speed without 
  the need for Climb checks. They use their dancing chains 
  ability to attack any opponents moving through the chains.
  Morale The kytons fight until killed.
  e4. hAll of hAnging giBBets (cr 11)
  A double row of columns runs down the center of this broad 
  chamber. Iron gibbets hang from chains along the walls, limp 
  forms visible through the bars of the cages.
  Creatures: Only half of the gibbets still hold living 
  prisoners (N human commoners 1); the rest have long 
  since succumbed to torture and disease contracted from 
  their captors, four hobgoblin lepers who torment their 
  caged victims while they guard against intruders.
  Lepers (4) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  hp 82 each (see page 40)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The lepers fearlessly engage opponents in 
  melee, confident that their living goddess will save them if 
  they fall in battle defending her.
  Morale In the divine temple of their living goddess, the 
  hobgoblins fight to death in honor of Munasukaru.
  Story Award: Freeing the eight surviving prisoners should 
  be an emotional moment, but nothing compared to seeing 
  their faces as they see daylight for the first time in months, 
  nPc relAtionshiPs
  If you’re using the relationship rules presented in the Jade 
  Regent Player’s Guide, the PCs have the opportunity during 
  this adventure to further increase their Relationship 
  Scores with the significant NPCs traveling with them. 
  The PCs can increase their Relationship Scores with 
  the following NPCs by the listed amount for taking the 
  following actions or completing the following tasks.
  Ameiko Kaijitsu: impressing Prince Batsaikhar enough 
  to receive at least three gifts during his feasts: +1 for each 
  gift; giving Ameiko the morin khuur won at the Feast 
  of the Ancients: +1; learning about Anamurumon in the 
  House of Withered Blossoms: +1
  Koya Mvashti: taking Koya to explore the city of Ordu-
  Aganhei: +1; resetting Shunkichi’s waymarker: +1; showing 
  Koya the Five Storms’ library (area E5): +1
  Sandru Vhiski: taking Sandru to Prince Batsaikhar’s 
  five feasts to sample new foods: +1; giving Sandru the 
  +1 scimitar won at the Feast of the Honored Visitors: +1; 
  getting the caravan through the Forest of Spirits without 
  losing a single wagon: +1
  Shalelu Andosana: giving Shalelu the efficient quiver 
  won at the Feast of Three): +1; killing the Swine Shogun 
  (area B12): +1; recovering Akumi’s bonsai tree (area D7): +1
  
  52
  or even years. If the PCs release the prisoners and take them 
  to the surface, award them 12,800 XP as the freed humans 
  fall to the ground sobbing and laughing at the sky in joy.
  e5. liBrAry of lost lore
  Long shelves filled with books and scrolls line the walls of this 
  dusty chamber. A score of carved figures scowl down on the 
  room from the walls above the shelves. Each of the images has 
  been defaced, but they are still clearly recognizable as oni.
  Treasure: This library details the history 
  of the kami and oni of the Forest of Spirits. 
  The collection includes carved stone 
  tablets, calligraphic writings on bone 
  and tortoise shell, rice paper journals 
  with bamboo covers, silk scrolls scores 
  of yards long, and countless other 
  tomes, some of huge size. The entire 
  library would fill multiple carts or 
  wagons. Scattered among the shelves 
  are a green jade plaque set in gold 
  worth 1,300 gp, a pair of antique gold 
  lions worth 3,500 gp, and a magnificent 
  hinged silver bracelet set with turquoise 
  and emeralds worth 6,100 gp.
  e6. guArdroom (cr 12)
  Detailed carvings and paintings of a powerful 
  female oni decorate the walls of this otherwise simple room. 
  Twenty feet high, the images loom over the chamber, a tribute to 
  monstrous domination.
  The illustrations on the walls depict the oni 
  Munasukaru, lovingly rendered by her most loyal 
  adherents, the Sisters of the Broken Path.
  Creatures: Munasukaru’s elite force of personal 
  bodyguards, four Sisters of the Broken Path, guard their 
  mistress’s sanctum. They allow no one to disturb their 
  living “goddess,” attacking anyone who enters the room.
  Sisters of the Broken Path (4) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  hp 80 each (see page 41)
  TACTICS
  Before Combat The Sisters drink their potions of blur.
  During Combat The monks work together to flank opponents, 
  using their nunchaku to disarm opponents. They use flurry 
  of blows to attack, and use their steal ki and life funnel 
  abilities against foes when possible.
   Morale Entrusted with Munasukaru’s life, the monks fight to 
  the death.
  e7. munAsukAru’s sAnctum (cr 13)
  This repulsive chamber is a charnel house of death and decay, 
  its glowering walls a vision of madness, sin, and unsated lusts. 
  Countless figures are carved into the walls, glaring, pleading, 
  and screaming in silence. But on closer inspection, the carved 
  figures are revealed to be the rotting corpses of araneas, 
  humans, hobgoblins, and more impaled on the walls, their 
  anguished features frozen at the moment of death. To the east, 
  a wide, open pit gapes in the floor. At the opposite end of the 
  room, a ragged spur of stone supports a bloodstained 
  iron frame above a bed of nails.
  A 20-foot-wide circular stone doorway 
  lies at the bottom of the open pit 30 feet 
  down, surrounded by a dozen golden 
  figurines. Contorted humanoid faces 
  and limbs lie frozen in stone within 
  the doorway. This was the kimon, the 
  demon gate created by Anamurumon 
  to allow the Five Storms to escape the 
  House of Withered Blossoms. The 
  portal is now sealed and inactive, but it 
  still radiates faint primal conjuration 
  magic (determined with a DC 25 
  Knowledge [arcana] check). Characters 
  studying the portal and making a DC 30 
  Spellcraft check understand that this is 
  clearly the violent remains of a magic portal 
  somehow powered by the souls of those 
  trapped within it, and that it provided the oni a means to 
  escape their imprisonment.
  Creatures: The broken and mutilated body of an 
  aranea hangs partially filleted on the iron frame in the 
  west of the room. Munasukaru has made the aranea pay 
  for Akinosa’s continual insults, and has done so for a 
  long, long time, keeping the creature alive with magic 
  so she can inflict repeated tortures on it. The aranea 
  is staggered, with 2 hit points remaining. It is in its 
  hybrid form, shackled to the frame with tight iron bonds 
  (hardness 10, hp 10, Break DC 26).
  When the PCs first enter Munasukaru’s sanctum, the 
  oni is in her human form—a wrinkled, ancient Tian 
  woman—next to the captive aranea. She cackles as the 
  PCs enter, tearing off a strip of the captive aranea’s skin 
  and noisily smacking her lips as she eats it. Lost in her 
  madness, Munasukaru ignores the PCs, focused on toying 
  with her captive until the PCs attack her or interfere with 
  her. At that point, she resumes her oni form and attacks.
  Munasukaru 
  CR 13
  XP 25,600
  hp 178 (see page 58)
  Munasukaru
  
  53
  Forest oF spirits
  Treasure: At the foot of the mangled aranea are 6 potions 
  of cure serious wounds that Munasukaru has been using to 
  keep him alive. The 12 golden figurines arranged around 
  the kimon at the bottom of the pit depict the figures of the 
  Tian zodiac, and are each worth 100 gp.
  concluding the Adventure
  With Munasukaru slain and the discovery of the kimon, 
  the kami are no longer barred from entering the House 
  of Withered Blossoms. When the PCs exit the pagoda, 
  the kami are waiting for them, eager to learn what they 
  discovered. If the PCs did not learn all of the information 
  in the pagoda about the Five Storms, the curious kami 
  who soon begin exploring the ancient prison discover 
  those clues and share them with the PCs. Now that they 
  have learned more about the Five Storms and their leader 
  Anamurumon, the PCs might wish to use methods such 
  as scrying to gather even more information. Unfortunately, 
  both Anamurumon and the Jade Regent are shielded by 
  the wards protecting the Imperial Palace in Kasai, and at 
  this point, such attempts fail automatically.
  If the PCs rescued Akumi’s bonsai, the diminutive kami 
  is overjoyed. Before merging with his ward, Akumi allows 
  the PCs to take the bonsai with them if they promise to 
  take good care of the little tree. If one of the PCs is a lawful 
  neutral spellcaster and the PCs helped Shunkichi earlier 
  in the adventure, the shikigami kami offers to serve as that 
  character’s familiar. The character must be lawful neutral, 
  have the Improved Familiar feat, and be an arcane caster 
  of at least 7th level to take Shunkichi as a familiar. As a 
  familiar, Shunkichi treats his master as his ward.
  Miyaro offers to guide the PCs through rest of the Forest 
  of Spirits and into Minkai. She believes that rebellion is 
  coming to Minkai, but that while many Minkaians might 
  wish to see the Jade Regent gone, those opposed to his rule 
  have no strong leadership, and many factions squabble 
  among themselves. Miyaro tells the PCs that they will emerge 
  from the Forest of Spirits in a rural area in northern Minkai, 
  where a large group of ronin are said to have retreated to. 
  These dishonored ronin, it is said, are ready to rebel against 
  the Jade Regent, but they cannot do so alone. If the PCs 
  can find the leader of the ronin, a man named Hirabashi 
  Jiro, and tell him what they have learned in the House of 
  Withered Blossoms, they might gain a powerful ally in their 
  future struggle against the Jade Regent. The PCs’ meeting 
  with Hirabashi Jiro, and with other factions that can help 
  them retake Minkai, is the focus of the next installment of 
  the Jade Regent Adventure Path, “Tide of Honor.”
  
  54
  Akinosa 
  CR 11
  XP 12,800
  Male aranea sorcerer 7 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 30)
  NE Medium magical beast (shapechanger)
  Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision;  
  Perception +10
  DEFENSE
  AC 26, touch 15, flat-footed 21 (+4 armor, +4 Dex, +1 dodge, 
  +3 natural, +4 shield)
  hp 125 (12 HD; 5d10+7d6+74)
  Fort +13, Ref +14, Will +9
  Weaknesses opium addict
  OFFENSE
  Speed 50 ft., climb 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (good) (cannot run or charge)
  Melee bite +12 (1d6–1 plus poison) or
  dagger of venom +13/+8 (1d4/19–20)
  Ranged mwk blowgun +13 (1d2 plus Medium spider venom)
  Special Attacks long limbs (+5 ft.), poison (DC 15), web (+12 
  ranged, DC 15, 5 hp)
  Bloodline Spell-Like Abilities (CL 12th; concentration +17)
  8/day—acidic ray (1d6+3 acid)
  Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 12th; concentration +17)
  6th (3/day)—chain lightning (DC 21)
  5th (6/day)—baleful polymorph (DC 20), interposing hand
  4th (7/day)—dimension door, scrying (DC 19), stone shape
  3rd (7/day)—fly, haste, lightning bolt (DC 18), slow (DC 
  18), tongues
  2nd (7/day)—acid arrow, blur, false life, mirror image, 
  scorching ray, see invisibility
  1st (8/day)—burning hands (DC 16), charm person (DC 16), 
  enlarge person, mage armor, magic missile, shield
  0 (at will)—acid splash, detect magic, ghost sound (DC 15), 
  mage hand, message, ray of frost, read magic, resistance, 
  touch of fatigue (DC 15)
  Bloodline Aberrant
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Akinosa casts false life and mage armor every 
  day. If alerted to the presence of intruders, Akinosa sends 
  out his guards from the Open Web (area A8b) and casts 
  scrying to determine the point of attack. He then positions 
  his elite defenders, the Gossamer (area A10b), between the 
  attack and himself. Before combat, Akinosa casts blur, fly, 
  mirror image, and shield. 
  AkinosA
  A drunk And An opium Addict, AkinosA leAds his ArAneA followers in A never-
  ending bAttle AgAinst the hobgoblin minions of the oni munAsukAru for control 
  of the house of withered blossoms.
  During Combat Akinosa casts haste on the first round of 
  combat. If encountered in his lair, Akinosa plays his drums 
  of panic (see area A9b) to scare away foes, then drinks from 
  his flask of endless sake in the hope of getting a beneficial 
  potion. Akinosa uses fly or dimension door to move around 
  in combat and avoid melee, instead using his wand of 
  lightning bolt and casting his toughest spells, including 
  chain lightning and baleful polymorph. Akinosa enjoys 
  polymorphing his enemies into rats, an animal considered 
  unlucky by many in Tian Xia. If engaged in melee combat, 
  Akinosa casts interposing hand for cover and attacks with his 
  dagger of venom.
  Morale Akinosa is likely to believe that any attackers are 
  agents of Munasukaru and fears capture accordingly. If 
  reduced to 20 hit points or fewer, Akinosa casts dimension 
  door to flee to safety, gathering whatever followers he has 
  left to launch a counterattack.
  STATISTICS
  Str 8, Dex 18, Con 18, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 21
  Base Atk +8; CMB +7; CMD 22
  Feats Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Eschew 
  Materials, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, 
  Toughness, Weapon Finesse
  Skills Acrobatics +13, Climb +14, Escape Artist +8, Fly +12, 
  Intimidate +12, Knowledge (arcana) +12, Knowledge 
  (dungeoneering) +5, Perception +10, Spellcraft +8, Stealth +9 
  Languages Common, Sylvan, Tien
  SQ bloodline arcana (+50% duration on polymorphs), change 
  shape (humanoid, alter self )
  Combat Gear wand of lightning bolt (23 charges), Medium 
  spider venom (4 doses); Other Gear dagger of venom, 
  masterwork blowgun with 10 darts, cloak of resistance +2,  
  flask of endless sake (see page 60), silver sake drinking 
  bowl (worth 110 gp), magnificently carved hardwood 
  ball medallion depicting the world being devoured by an 
  imperial dragon (worth 50 gp), silver mirror worth 1,000 
  gp (focus for scrying spell), 2 doses of opium (worth 50 gp 
  total), keys to all locks in the aboveground levels of the 
  House of the Withered Blossoms
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Opium Addict (Ex) Akinosa is addicted to opium (see the 
  sidebar on page 29). While under the effects of the drug, 
  he gains +1d8 temporary hit points and a +2 alchemical 
  
  55
  NPC Gallery
  bonus on Fortitude saves for 1 hour, but he is also fatigued. 
  In addition, he has taken 2 points of Constitution damage 
  and 2 points of Wisdom damage from the drug (already 
  reflected in the stat block).
  Once, Akinosa was content to roam the Forest of Spirits 
  with his band of aranea followers and his precious flask 
  of endless sake. A sorcerer with far greater talent than most 
  of his kind, Akinosa has always been fascinated with 
  the arcane, but his desire to learn more has become his 
  undoing. The rumors of dark secrets and forbidden texts 
  hidden beneath the House of Withered Blossoms proved 
  too much for him to ignore, and when news reached him 
  that the Five Storms had escaped their prison, Akinosa led 
  his followers to the pagoda to claim the oni’s knowledge 
  for himself. Unfortunately, Akinosa, a lazy drunkard at the 
  best of times, was unable to defeat Munasukaru’s forces, 
  and his obsession with the wealth of arcana that he still 
  believes is hidden in the House of Withered Blossoms has 
  driven him to carry on his war for the past 60 years. During 
  that time, a stalemate has existed between the aranea and 
  the oni, with neither able to gain the advantage over the 
  other, and Akinosa has added opium to his list of vices.
  The endless stalemate has worn on the aranea’s nerves, 
  however, and his days are now long. In his drug- and 
  alcohol-induced torpor, Akinosa is often unaware of 
  what is reality and what is dream. He spends his days 
  scrying on his enemy and making endless demands of his 
  followers for preparations of attack. Of late, Akinosa has 
  spent more time in indulgence than in strategy, and his 
  addiction to opium and endless supply of sake has 
  dulled his senses.
  In hybrid form, Akinosa looks like a vast spider 
  with a distended body and multi-jointed legs, 
  topped with a humanoid torso wearing soiled 
  robes. A disturbing cluster of arachnid eyes and 
  mandibles mar his only vaguely human head. 
  Swarms of spiders and insects crawl in and 
  out of the folds in his robes and skin.
  cAmpAign role
  Akinosa can fulfill a straightforward 
  role as the villainous boss of the 
  araneas, or he can be played as 
  a pathetic failure in the grip of 
  addiction. Obsessed with his 
  enemy Munasukaru, in part out 
  of fear and in part due to his 
  desire to become lord of the 
  House of Withered Blossoms, 
  he only struggles on because 
  of the oni. Akinosa can 
  certainly serve as a 
  villain for this adventure, but he could also be a potential 
  ally. If the PCs can convince Akinosa of their intentions 
  to kill Munasukaru, or if they offer to collaborate with 
  the aranea against the oni, Akinosa grants the PCs free 
  passage into Munasukaru’s Penance. Of course, any 
  agreements made between the aranea and the PCs are 
  likely to be viewed later by Akinosa as just another opium 
  dream, and he assumes anyone coming up from below are 
  agents of Munasukaru, ordering his followers to kill the 
  PCs as soon as they return from his enemy’s lair.
  Should Akinosa survive the adventure, he explores 
  Munasukaru’s Penance as soon as it is safe to do so. When 
  he finds that the arcane knowledge he has sought for so long 
  is not there, he assumes that any tomes were taken by the 
  PCs, and his obsession turns to them. The aranea’s change 
  shape ability makes him an easy pursuer to run. As the PCs 
  move through the next installment of the Adventure Path, 
  Akinosa can attempt to covertly attack the PCs on several 
  occasions to get hold of the arcane knowledge he is obsessed 
  with. If he finally discovers that such knowledge never truly 
  existed, Akinosa’s slender grip on reality finally vanishes 
  and he slips into madness. Unless stopped, he continues to 
  stalk the PCs until either they are dead, or he is.
  
  56
  Miyaro 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800
  Female kitsune rogue (swashbuckler) 9 (Pathfinder Campaign 
  Setting: Dragon Empires Gazetteer 9, Pathfinder RPG 
  Advanced Player’s Guide 135)
  N Medium humanoid (kitsune, shapechanger)
  Init +9; Senses low-light vision; Perception +11
  DEFENSE
  AC 20, touch 16, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +5 Dex, +1 dodge)
  hp 53 (9d8+9)
  Fort +3, Ref +11, Will +4; +3 vs. fear
  Defensive Abilities evasion, improved uncanny dodge
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee +1 kukri +12/+7 (1d4+1/18–20), bite +6 (1d4)
  Ranged mwk shortbow +12/+7 (1d6/×3)
  Special Attacks sneak attack +5d6
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 9th; concentration +12)
  3/day—dancing lights
  TACTICS
  During Combat Miyaro uses her mobility to move about the 
  battlefield, looking for the most advantageous position 
  from which to make sneak attacks and never staying in one 
  spot for long.
  Morale As a servant of a higher cause, Miyaro is unwilling to 
  throw her life away needlessly, and if a battle turns against 
  her, she almost always prefers to withdraw and fight another 
  day. She has been tasked with bringing the PCs to the kami of 
  the Forest of Spirits, however, and she will fight to the death if 
  necessary to ensure her charges safely reach their destination.
  STATISTICS
  Str 10, Dex 20, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 16
  Base Atk +6; CMB +6; CMD 22
  Feats Dodge, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mobility, Nimble 
  Moves, Spring Attack, Weapon Finesse
  Skills Acrobatics +22, Bluff +17, Diplomacy +17, Disguise +17 
  (+27 using change shape), Escape Artist +17, Knowledge 
  (local) +14, Perception +11, Sense Motive +11, Sleight of 
  Hand +17, Stealth +17; Racial Modifiers +2 Acrobatics
  Languages Common, Senzar, Sylvan, Tien
  SQ change shape (Medium humanoid; alter self ), daring*, 
  martial training* (kukri), rogue talents (charmer*, combat 
  trick, finesse rogue, offensive defense*)
  miyAro
  given to the kAmi to cleAnse her fAther’s dishonor, miyAro hAs long served As An 
  Agent And voice of the kAmi opposed to the five storms. with the ArrivAl of the 
  pcs, she hAs the chAnce to recruit more mortAl Agents to the kAmi’s cAuse.
  Other Gear +2 leather armor, +1 kukri, masterwork shortbow 
  with 20 arrows, belt of incredible dexterity +2, bird feather 
  token, Kikuya’s sensu (see page 61), wicker baskets (2), 
  peasant’s outfit
  * See the Advanced Player’s Guide.
  Born in northern Minkai, Miyaro was the daughter of a 
  notorious kitsune bandit chieftain. When she was just a 
  babe in arms, her father led his bandits into the southern 
  fringes of the Forest of Spirits while trying to escape 
  imperial troops. The bandits set up a defensive position 
  in a grove of ancient trees, but when the imperial troops 
  caught up to them, they found all of the bandits slain. 
  Fearing the spirits of the haunted forest, the Minkaians 
  quickly returned to their homeland.
  When Miyaro’s father did not return, her mother went 
  into the forest in search of him. There, she found the 
  kami of the forest, who informed her they had killed her 
  husband when he desecrated one of their most sacred 
  groves. Furthermore, as his widow, Miyaro’s mother had 
  inherited her husband’s dishonor, and unless she made 
  amends, the spirits would hold her accountable as well. 
  Miyaro’s mother, a traditional woman who had always 
  honored the kami, was horrified at this revelation. She 
  offered her daughter Miyaro to the kami, to be raised by 
  the spirits and taught to respect them. When the kami 
  accepted her gift, Miyaro’s mother committed suicide, 
  sealing the pact with her lifeblood.
  And so Miyaro grew up in the Forest of Spirits, a child 
  of the kami, but not one of them. As she grew older, she 
  became an agent of her adoptive family, going where they 
  could not and acting when they were forbidden to do so, 
  always in opposition to the oni of the Five Storms, who 
  had mysteriously escaped their imprisonment in the 
  Forest of Spirits before she was born.
  When the ripples of fate informed the kami that scions 
  of the Amatatsu family, the last surviving imperial 
  family of Minkai, were returning to Tian Xia, they sent 
  Miyaro to the city of Ordu-Aganhei in Hongal to wait for 
  the arrival of the strangers, and to verify that they bear 
  with them the true heir to the throne of Minkai.
  Like a fox prowling the edges of a farmyard, Miyaro 
  risks living on the borders of human lands to learn what 
  
  57
  NPC Gallery
  she can about the Five Storms. The kami she serves do 
  not leave the Forest of Spirits, so it is up to Miyaro to be 
  their eyes and ears in the lands outside. Ordu-Aganhei 
  offers Miyaro the chance to hear gossip about the Five 
  Storms, so she goes to great lengths to blend into the 
  villages near the city, passing as a simple peasant woman 
  of no consequence to do so. 
  Although her appearance is no more unusual than any 
  kitsune’s, Miyaro’s mannerisms seem odd at times, as if 
  she were just a visitor in this world. Although a living, 
  physical being, Miyaro feels more like a kami in her 
  heart, and she responds to the outside world much as a 
  kami would. She is strange and aloof, at times fascinated 
  by the colors of the carpet of pine needles under the trees, 
  at other times pausing for several minutes to admire the 
  way the sun dances along a mountain ridge. Miyaro is 
  not acquisitive—money and treasure do not interest her 
  in the slightest, other than as means to reach an end. She 
  is likely to walk past a jeweled sword to admire a flower 
  or put aside a magic staff to look at the lichen growing 
  behind it.
  Miyaro has to work at blending in with humanity, 
  and while she’s had plenty of experience, she is 
  not used to working closely with humans as 
  companions. Those who observe her intently soon 
  discover that Miyaro is a consummate actress—her 
  performance is almost flawless, but she is nonetheless 
  playing a role. Even so, with time, the PCs can truly 
  befriend Miyaro, and as she becomes more comfortable 
  in their company, so too does she warm to them and 
  become a loyal and steadfast ally, though her heart will 
  forever belong to the Forest of Spirits.
  cAmpAign role
  Miyaro serves as the PCs’ guide and counselor through 
  the Forest of Spirits, as well as their contact with the 
  mysterious kami of the forest. Even once she has led them 
  to the House of Withered Blossoms, Miyaro’s job is not 
  done. The oni still threaten Minkai and the natural order 
  of all of Tian Xia, so Miyaro continues to guide and assist 
  the PCs in the coming adventures.
  The kami cannot directly interfere with what is 
  happening in Minkai, but their mortal agents, such as 
  Miyaro and the PCs, have no such restrictions. However, 
  Miyaro is more kami than kitsune, at least in her heart and 
  mind, and might choose inaction over direct intervention. 
  But what happens if the PCs are down to their last 
  fighter when being attacked by giants? Does Miyaro 
  watch impassively or does she join in the fight? Try to 
  make Miyaro a valuable ally who offers needed help at 
  exactly the right moment, without being someone 
  the PCs can constantly count on. Miyaro 
  has her own masters, and their inscrutable 
  objectives might be more important than her aid in 
  a single battle, even if such a fact is not revealed until 
  much later.
  When playing Miyaro, be careful to balance these two 
  warring sides of her nature. If she is too neutral and aloof, 
  she can seem less than helpful and may alienate your 
  players. On the other hand, if she is too active, the players 
  might feel that they have nothing to fear, as Miyaro will 
  always be there to assist them. Even worse, they might 
  feel their own characters are taking a secondary role. 
  A subtle blending of both approaches probably works 
  best for most groups, with Miyaro guiding the PCs, but 
  actively helping them only when necessary, like a watchful 
  parent who guides a child in riding a horse without herself 
  taking the reins.
  
  58
  Munasukaru, the Least 
  CR 13
  XP 25,600
  Female ja noi fighter (polearm master) 8 (see page 90, 
  Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player’s Guide 106)
  LE Medium outsider (oni, goblinoid, native, shapechanger)
  Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +19
  DEFENSE
  AC 28, touch 17, flat-footed 23 (+7 armor, +2 deflection, +4 Dex, 
  +1 dodge, +4 natural)
  hp 178 (14d10+101); regeneration 3 (acid or fire)
  Fort +17, Ref +12, Will +8
  Weaknesses negative level
  OFFENSE
  Speed 20 ft., fly 40 ft. (good)
  Melee thundering blade +23/+18/+13 (1d8+14/19–20/×4)
  Ranged mwk repeating heavy crossbow with screaming bolt 
  +19/+14/+9 (1d10+2/19–20)
  Special Attacks pole fighting* –3, polearm training* +1, 
  steadfast pike* +2
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th; concentration +6)
  3/day—command (DC 12), doom (DC 12), fly, magic weapon
  1/day—bull’s strength
  * See the Advanced Player’s Guide.
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Munasukaru casts bull’s strength and fly 
  before combat.
  During Combat Munasukaru flies into combat, firing screaming 
  bolts from her repeating crossbow at approaching foes. Once 
  in melee combat, Munasukaru wields her stolen naginata 
  with precision, even though using it gives her a negative 
  level. A mighty combatant, Munasukaru believes herself to 
  be the progeny of the gods, and she attempts to intimidate 
  opponents by describing to them exactly what tortures she 
  plans to subject them to once she defeats them.
  Morale The least and last of the Five Storms, Munasukaru 
  considers it her sacred duty to guard the kimon and remain 
  in the House of Withered Blossoms so that the kami outside 
  cannot abandon their watch. If reduced to fewer than 50 hit 
  points, she retreats temporarily to activate her armor’s healing 
  ability or drink one of the potions of cure serious wounds in area  
  E7 before returning to the fray. Munasukaru does not surrender.
  STATISTICS
  Str 24, Dex 18, Con 24, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 12
  munAsukAru
  the leAst of the five storms, munAsukAru wAs left to hold the house of withered 
  blossoms when her comrAdes escAped. since then, she hAs fought A nonstop bAttle 
  AgAinst AkinosA And his ArAneA followers for control of the Ancient pAgodA.
  Base Atk +14; CMB +20; CMD 37
  Feats Combat Reflexes, Critical Focus, Deceitful, Dodge, 
  Exotic Weapon Proficiency (repeating heavy crossbow), 
  Improved Critical (naginata), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, 
  Lightning Reflexes, Vital Strike, Weapon Focus (naginata), 
  Weapon Specialization (naginata)
  Skills Bluff +17, Disguise +12, Fly +14, Intimidate +17, 
  Perception +19, Sense Motive +12, Stealth +10
  Languages Common, Goblin, Tien
  SQ change shape (Small or Medium humanoid, alter self ), 
  serene fighter
  Combat Gear screaming bolts (10); Other Gear, do-maru of broken 
  flesh (+2 do-maru; see page 60), thundering blade of the House 
  of Sugimatu (+1 thundering naginata; see page 61), masterwork 
  repeating crossbow, flawed crystal ball (the subject of the 
  scrying automatically notices the magical sensor created by the 
  crystal ball), clear spindle ioun stone, ring of protection +2
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Negative Level Wielding the thundering blade of the House of 
  Sugimatu gives Munasukaru a permanent negative level. This 
  negative level remains as long Munasukaru wields the naginata.
  Long ago, the ja noi oni Munasukaru wandered the Forest 
  of Spirits, leading a small band of goblinoid followers in 
  hunting and slaughtering the wood’s inhabitants, while 
  avoiding the kami that patrolled the forest looking for 
  her kind to eradicate. Eventually, she learned of other 
  oni in the forest, including the powerful wind yai 
  named Anamurumon who held court in the House of 
  Withered Blossoms. Rather than fight an endless—and 
  Munasukaru suspected, ultimately futile—battle against 
  the kami, Munasukaru resolved to find Anamurumon 
  and join forces with him. 
  Leading her hobgoblin followers to the House of 
  Withered 
  Blossoms, 
  Munasukaru 
  discovered 
  that 
  Anamurumon had more than enough allies and troops 
  of his own, and her own pitiful band was just that. 
  Nevertheless, in exchange for her fealty, Anamurumon 
  made Munasukaru a commander in the Five Storms, 
  though she was the least of his officers.
  In the great halls of the oni palace beneath the House 
  of Withered Blossoms, Munasukaru loyally served 
  Anamurumon and the Five Storms. Over time, and always 
  
  59
  NPC Gallery
  from afar, Munasukaru began to desire her beloved 
  leader. If not love—for such emotions are unknown to 
  the oni—it was lust, or desire, and Munasukaru did 
  everything she could to please Anamurumon.
  When the time came to harvest souls to power the 
  kimon, the demon gate that would allow the oni to escape 
  their imprisonment, it was Munasukaru’s hobgoblins who 
  first began the search, whispering to the other goblinoids 
  in the Forest of Spirits of the living gods who needed 
  mortal hands to assist them. Such helpers, they said, would 
  be greatly rewarded when these “gods” turned Minkai into 
  a playground of sin, lust, and wanton destruction.
  And when the souls had been harvested and the kimon 
  opened, Anamurumon repaid Munasukaru’s loyalty and 
  devotion by abandoning her and ordering her to remain 
  behind in the House of Withered Blossoms to further his 
  own ends.
  The long, lonely years in the company of only lesser 
  beings such as her hobgoblin followers have driven 
  Munasukaru to madness. In her boredom, she has 
  tried to lift her spirits by using her followers and their 
  aranea captives as playthings—both for breeding, 
  and for tortures—but they are never more than a 
  temporary diversion. And so Munasukaru sought a 
  different outlet for madness and anger, a record of 
  her experiments and amusements that became her 
  Penance, an ongoing work of art that reflects the 
  twisted, monstrous mind of its creator.
  cAmpAign role
  Munasukaru is the last remaining oni 
  of the Five Storms in the House of 
  Withered Blossoms, bound by an 
  oath to her leader Anamurumon 
  never to leave, and thus she 
  keeps the kami of the Forest of Spirits outside at 
  their eternal vigil over an effectively empty prison. Her 
  endless war with the aranea sorcerer Akinosa has filled 
  her endless lonely hours with purpose, and that purpose 
  has become her obsession. If that enemy no longer 
  threatened her, Munasukaru might soon turn on her own 
  loyal followers, if only to pass the time.
  If she somehow survives this adventure, Munasukaru 
  does not dare to contact Anamurumon or her oni kin, 
  at least not at first. Having failed at her task to hold 
  on to the House of Withered Blossoms, Munasukaru 
  must redeem herself first. She thus follows the PCs into 
  Minkai, certain that they are bound up with the fate of 
  the spirits. 
  Seeking to halt the PCs, who managed to obtain 
  information on how to defeat the Five Storms under her 
  watch, Munasukaru quickly gains followers, who rapidly 
  move through the lands of Minkai gathering more. 
  Eventually, this should result in a showdown between 
  the PCs and the followers of Munasukaru in the next 
  adventure. Like her forces in the House of Withered 
  Blossoms, Munasukaru’s new followers should be 
  predominantly goblinoid. She rebuilds the ranks of the 
  Withered Blossom Warriors with even more powerful 
  hobgoblin warriors, and inducts new, more highly trained 
  initiates into the order of the Sisters of the Broken Path. 
  Giants or even human ronin in search of a new master 
  might flock to her banner, as well as other oni, seeking 
  their own glory and power by allying themselves to 
  Munasukaru. Finally, if her spawn were slain beneath the 
  pagoda, Munasukaru swells the ranks of her army with 
  new monstrous children—ja noi, spirit nagas, or 
  perhaps something even more strange 
  and terrible.
  
  60
  Akumi’s Bonsai
  This small bonsai tree is the ward of the fukujin kami Akumi, 
  who has grown and tended the tree over many centuries. The 
  tree is nonmagical, but it is a magnificent representation of the 
  art of the bonsai master. Although battered and withered when 
  found, it can soon be brought back to strength with proper 
  care and nurture. A DC 15 Knowledge (nature) check is required 
  to correctly tend the bonsai each month. Only one character 
  can make the required Knowledge (nature) check and only one 
  check is made each month. If correctly tended and watered for 
  a period of 3 months, Akumi’s bonsai is rejuvenated.
  If the PC recover Akumi’s bonsai from the House of 
  Withered Blossoms and return it to the kami, Akumi allows 
  the PCs to take the bonsai with them, and as long as they 
  tend the tree and keep it in good health, he agrees to be at 
  their service once per day. Akumi merges with his ward, and 
  thereafter the PCs can call upon the kami to manifest once 
  per day. The kami is not interested in engaging in combat, 
  but he will use his abilities to aid the PCs as best as he is able. 
  In addition, while Akumi is merged with the bonsai, anyone 
  sleeping within 15 feet of the bonsai heals 2 hit points per 
  character level with a full night’s sleep.
  On a failed knowledge (nature) check to tend the tree, the 
  bonsai loses its enhanced healing property until a successful 
  check is made. If a second check is failed, Akumi no longer 
  manifests when called. A third failed check results in Akumi 
  leaving the PCs, and taking the bonsai with him. These 
  effects are cumulative. 
  Akumi’s bonsai weighs 5 pounds.
  Do-Maru of Broken Flesh
  Aura moderate evocation; CL 9th
  Slot armor; Price 20,550 gp; Weight 30 lbs.
  DESCRIPTION
  Once per day as a standard action, the wearer of this +2 do-
  maru armor (Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Combat 128) can activate 
  the armor to heal 4d8+9 points of damage and end any and 
  all of the following conditions affecting the wearer: ability 
  damage, blinded, confused, dazzled, deafened, diseased, 
  exhausted, fatigued, nauseated, poisoned, and sickened. In 
  addition, this effect functions as break enchantment upon a 
  single additional effect of the wearer’s choice that is affecting 
  the wearer and that can be legally affected by this effect.
  Such healing, however, comes at a cost. The do-maru of 
  JAde regent treAsures
  the following unique treAsures cAn be found in “forest of spirits.” plAyer-
  AppropriAte hAndouts AppeAr in the gAmemAstery JAde regent item cArd set.
  broken flesh creates vivid, ugly scars on the wearer, who takes 
  1d4 points of Charisma damage each time this ability is used. 
  Do-maru is medium armor that provides a +5 armor 
  bonus. The armor has an arcane spell failure chance of 25%, a 
  maximum Dexterity bonus of +4, and an armor check penalty of 
  –4. Do-maru costs 200 gp and weighs 30 lbs.
  CONSTRUCTION
  Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, cleanse (Advanced 
  Player’s Guide 211); Cost 10,450 gp
  Flask of Endless Sake
  Aura faint enchantment; CL 5th
  Slot none; Price 4,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.
  DESCRIPTION
  This simple ceramic flask looks like any other normal container 
  for serving sake, or rice wine. If the flask’s silver stopper is 
  removed and the command word spoken, up to 1 gallon of 
  sake can be poured from the flask per round. In addition, once 
  per day, a character can drink directly from the flask to gain 
  the effects of a potion, determined randomly. Roll 1d6 on the 
  following table to determine the type of potion.
  d6 Roll 
  Potion type
  1 
  heroism
  2 
  cure moderate wounds
  3 
  enlarge person
  4 
  reduce person
  5 
  lesser restoration
  6 
  rage
  This potion cannot be poured out or saved for later use; it 
  must be drunk, and the potion’s effects take place immediately.
  CONSTRUCTION
  Requirements Brew Potion, Craft Wondrous Item, create 
  water, cure moderate wounds, enlarge person, heroism, lesser 
  restoration, rage, reduce person; Cost 2,000 gp
  Jingasa of the Fortunate Soldier
  Aura strong divination; CL 15th
  Slot head; Price 5,000 gp; Weight 3 lbs.
  DESCRIPTION
  This conical iron jingasa, or war hat, bears the crest of an 
  ancient house of Minkai. The jingasa of the fortunate soldier 
  grants a +1 luck bonus to AC when worn. In addition, once per 
  day as an immediate action, the wearer can negate a single 
  
  61
  JAde regent treAsures
  critical hit or sneak attack. When a critical hit or sneak attack is 
  scored on the wearer, the critical hit or sneak attack is negated 
  and damage is instead rolled normally. 
  CONSTRUCTION
  Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, divine favor, moment of 
  prescience; Cost 2,500 gp
  Kikuya’s Sensu
  Aura moderate evocation; CL 11th
  Slot none; Price 30,840 gp; Weight 1 lb.
  DESCRIPTION
  This folding fan made from cypress wood and lacquered paper 
  is said to have belonged to Kikuya, a legendary Minkai oiran, 
  or courtesan. When held in the hand, Kikuya’s sensu grants a 
  +2 competence bonus on the bearer’s Charisma-based checks. 
  While held, the fan provides the somatic component for spells 
  cast by the bearer.
  Once per day on command, the bearer can use one face 
  of the fan to cast calm emotions. Also once per day, the fan’s 
  other face can create a forceful hand. In addition, the bearer 
  can whisper behind Kikuya’s sensu and send the words up to 
  3 miles away, as the whispering wind spell, once per day.
  CONSTRUCTION
  Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, calm emotions, cat’s 
  grace, forceful hand, whispering wind; Cost 15,420 gp
  The Thundering Blade of the House of Sugimatu
  Aura moderate evocation; CL 7th
  Slot none; Price 28,415 gp; Weight 9 lbs.
  DESCRIPTION
  Once per day as a standard action, the bearer of this +1 
  thundering naginata (Ultimate Combat 133) can strike the blade 
  against the ground, causing it to ring with a deafening clangor 
  that functions as the shout spell.
  Stolen by Munasukaru years ago, the thundering blade is 
  the ancestral weapon of the Sugimatu family, one of the five 
  imperial families of Minkai. The thundering blade is imbued 
  with royal honor, and bestows one permanent negative level 
  on any creature without honor that attempts to wield it (such 
  as oni, traitors, kinslayers, and the like). The negative level 
  remains as long as the weapon is in hand and disappears when 
  the weapon is no longer wielded. This negative level cannot be 
  overcome in any way (including by restoration spells) while the 
  weapon is wielded.
  A naginata is a two-handed martial melee weapon that 
  deals 1d8 points of slashing damage and has a critical modifier 
  of ×4. A naginata is a reach weapon. A naginata costs 35 gp 
  and weighs 9 lbs.
  CONSTRUCTION
  Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, blindness/
  deafness, shout; Cost 14,375 gp
  Akumi’s
  bonsAi
  do-mAru of 
  broken flesh
  JingAsA of the 
  fortunAte soldier
  kikuyA’s
  sensu
  flAsk of
  endless sAke
  the thundering 
  blAde of the house 
  of sugimAtu
  
  62
  Ecology of thE Kami
  “Know you nothing, farm boy? I am kami, and you need not flee, 
  or fear. I am wiser than the wind, steadier than the stone; I am 
  guardian of the innocent, protector of shrines that haven’t the 
  means to defend themselves. I am the voice of the sacred places, from 
  the highest mountain temple to the most hidden shrine of the valley, 
  and friend to all those who pay them respect.
  “Why do you scurry in alarm? Are you wicked? For only the wicked 
  need fear kami, who are the protectors of all works, the shields of 
  all creations.”
  —The character Teki, 
  from a play adaptation of the Tayagama
  
  63
  Ecology of thE Kami
  K
  ami are spiritual beings created by the gods 
  and tasked with maintaining the balance of the 
  natural world. This maintenance comes in the 
  form of protecting the various creatures and things on the 
  Material Plane that are often unable to protect themselves. 
  Each kami has a particular “ward” that it watches over, 
  such as an inanimate object, a plant, a creature, or even 
  a region. Intelligent beings (such as most humanoids) 
  and objects that exist outside of the natural order (such as 
  undead creatures and constructs) do not have kami. One 
  can predict the strength of a particular kami by the nature 
  of its ward: A rock or frog kami may be a relatively impotent 
  thing, but a redwood kami, a blue whale kami, or the kami 
  of a mountain often exercises massive power. The vast 
  majority of kami are good or neutral in alignment. Those 
  rare kami who fall to evil—usually after failing their ward 
  in some way—generally have their physical forms revoked 
  by the gods, and are condemned to become wandering 
  spirits who either perish in their aimless voyages or are 
  pushed to become hateful and vengeful oni.
  A kami forms an extremely intimate bond with its ward, 
  melding with the object or creature the majority of the time 
  and manifesting a physical body when it must protect the 
  thing or otherwise chooses. A kami prefers its spiritual 
  form more often than not, and assumes a physical form only 
  when necessary, such as when it must communicate with 
  mortals or shield its ward. While this manifestation leaves 
  a kami vulnerable to death like any other mortal creature, 
  the kami is almost always willing to make this sacrifice in 
  order to protect its ward. 
  Not everything in the world has a kami, as there aren’t 
  yet enough kami to represent every individual object, plant, 
  and animal; filling this gap, however, is their eventual 
  goal, and kami fervently spread themselves across lands 
  in hopes of pairing every creation with a kami spirit. This 
  grand design began in Minkai, and in the past several 
  thousand years the kami have proliferated across much of 
  Tian Xia. It is unclear exactly which regions the kami hope 
  to expand into next, though they can potentially exist in 
  any environment, and the other continents—including 
  those of the Inner Sea region—are clearly viable options.
  Kami and Wards
  The inanimate object, creature, plant, or region with which 
  a kami is paired is known as its ward. A kami does not 
  possess its ward and therefore does not control it. While the 
  relationship between kami and ward is a deeply intimate 
  one, it is perhaps more accurate to think of a kami as simply 
  inhabiting its ward. Once attached to one another, the two 
  develop a strong interdependence. A kami may leave its 
  ward in either its spiritual or physical form, but the kami 
  must eventually return to its ward to rejuvenate its strength, 
  and while immensely powerful magic can be called upon to 
  permanently separate kami and ward, nothing can break the 
  mystical connection between them. A kami estranged from 
  its ward for an extended period of time grows increasingly 
  erratic; its powers wane significantly, and it is at serious risk 
  of permanently losing its normally calm resolve, increasing 
  the likelihood of the kami devolving into an oni. Wards 
  whose kami have left them often show signs of premature 
  aging or wear—animals become listless and appear ill, 
  weak, or uncharacteristically skittish or aggressive; objects 
  become brittle, lose their luster, or appear to wear down 
  quicker; plants wither or lose their fragrance and potency; 
  and regions slowly degenerate into dilapidated, ruined 
  versions of their former selves. 
  Though kami are bound to defend their wards, this 
  defense is always secondary to their defense of nature as a 
  whole. Thus, a kami bound to a fox and a kami bound to a 
  field mouse do not battle to the death when the former kills 
  the latter. Predation, as well as death from old age, are part 
  of the natural cycles laid down by the gods, and to end life 
  in a matter fitting with one’s station is all any ward—or its 
  associated kami—can ask for. A kami whose ward dies in 
  such an honorable manner still suffers ill effects, but will 
  often either die itself shortly thereafter and be reborn as a 
  kami attached to a new ward, or else set out to find another 
  (and usually similar) ward to guard—in the aforementioned 
  example, perhaps as one of the field mouse’s offspring. 
  Kami history
  Created by the gods at the dawn of the Material Plane, 
  kami were tasked with the sacred duty to multiply and 
  shelter the gods’ creations. The gods also established 
  a set of labyrinthine rules known as the Laws of Golden 
  Perfection, which affect every aspect of the conduct of kami 
  and their interaction with the world and its inhabitants. 
  Beginning in Minkai (which accounts for their extensive 
  presence in that nation), kami have spread all over Tian 
  Xia in compliance with this divine directive.
  A kami who falls from grace or fails its ward because of 
  negligence is punished severely, and may lose its status as 
  a kami if the offense is serious enough. Most fallen kami 
  accept this terrible fate if it comes to pass, becoming 
  purposeless spirits who lack the ability to interact with the 
  Material Plane at all. However, those who come to resent 
  their status, or those driven mad by their homeless misery, 
  become oni, evil spirits in the flesh. Oni exist in endless 
  conflict with kami, resenting them for the favor the gods 
  show them and for what the oni see as their misguided 
  devotion to the divine directive to shield creation. (See “The 
  Ecology of the Oni” in Pathfinder Adventure Path #49 for 
  more details on these vicious beings.) In contrast, oni see 
  the world as a playground on which to indulge every base 
  whim and desire that might cross their selfish and venal 
  hearts. Though they often act in direct opposition to the 
  
  64
  kami, oni too must abide by the tangled and voluminous 
  Laws of Golden Perfection, but the cruel beings do their best 
  to bend and manipulate these strictures in their pursuit of 
  physical pleasures. Kami and oni recognize one another on 
  sight, regardless of the form each has taken. Kami find oni 
  to be dreadful embarrassments, or live in fear that they may 
  one day fail in their sacred responsibilities and become oni 
  themselves.
  thE tayagama
  This much-loved epic poem, written thousands of years ago 
  by bards whose names have been lost to history, prominently 
  features kami and oni. Like those creatures themselves, the 
  poem has crossed numerous national borders throughout 
  Tian Xia, becoming a shared touchstone for many different 
  cultures. While comic exaggeration and hyperbole is its 
  hallmark, the Tayagama also provides useful insight into 
  both those mystical beings and the Tian peoples as a whole, 
  as many varied cultural traditions often subtly tie back to 
  the saga in some way. For instance, the most beloved of all 
  kami presented in the poem is Teki, a fukujin who serves 
  as the protagonist’s guardian. As a consequence, Teki is a 
  favorite name for a beloved pet in Minkai and several other 
  nations. Several other cultural ties to the Tayagama include 
  the following.
  •	 It	is	considered	an	ill	omen	to	name	one’s	child	after	
  the protagonist of the Tayagama, Tayago, who in the 
  end is killed by a vengeful oni. Tians often warn foolish 
  children “not to follow in the path of Tayago.”
  •	 A	tree	or	bush	with	a	green	cloth	tied	to	it	found	along	
  a path indicates that a hidden source of drinkable 
  water or a plant bearing edible fruit lies nearby. This 
  is a reference to the Tayagama’s protagonist, who comes 
  upon a magic green scarf that guides him to that which 
  he seeks when he lets it blow in the breeze. (Of course, 
  in real life, bandits sometimes use this custom to trick 
  unsuspecting or superstitious travelers into ambushes.)
  •	 An	adult	who	claps	after	sneezing	reveals	that	she	is	a	
  very superstitious individual. In the Tayagama, Tayago 
  occasionally sneezes, blowing poor Teki away so that he 
  must summon him back for aid by clapping his hands. 
  This gesture, common among younger children, is 
  considered silly by most adults.
  Kami-humanoid rElations
  Humanoid communities in Tian Xia have many different 
  types of relationships with kami, and these variations are 
  often related to the way in which a community interacts with 
  its surrounding environment. Settlements that depend on 
  cooperation with nature, such as those of farmers and 
  herders, tend to coexist peacefully with kami. Citizens of 
  these cooperative settlements often construct roadside 
  shrines to kami, where they provide offerings of incense, 
  rice, wheat, milk, and so on. In these communities, nearby 
  areas of wilderness are frequently honored by the people 
  with celebrations and festivals intended to foster harmony 
  with the neighboring kami. Most such festivals occur at the 
  beginning of planting and harvest seasons. Cooperative 
  communities frown on outsiders who do not show proper 
  respect for the natural world or violate sacred areas, seeing 
  this as a direct assault on the safety of their homes and the 
  kami they live with.
  Communities that sap the land via exploitation or 
  extraction—such as through mining, fishing, or logging—
  tend to have tense relationships with neighboring kami. 
  In these locales, shrines are often forbidding places, 
  visited by designated representatives who bear offerings 
  composed of materials that were taken from nature. For 
  instance, those living near an iron mine may leave a dagger 
  or bowl of arrowheads. Local ceremonies are geared toward 
  appeasement of the spirits rather than thanking them, and 
  dour festivals are intended only to avert kami’s capricious 
  wrath. Outsiders who anger local kami are treated with 
  hostility for bringing misfortune upon a community, and 
  the communities often demand recompense.
  Places with naturally adversarial relationships with 
  their environments—most notably urban centers—have 
  difficulty maintaining relationships with kami. These 
  larger settlements often try to appease kami in little 
  ways, such as by constructing parks within city limits to 
  placate the spiritual beings. More often, however, such 
  communities resort to violence against kami, whom they 
  see as enemies of progress or their industrial efforts. 
  These settlements often place emphasis on setting up 
  barriers and protections against kami, characterizing 
  them as backward-minded monsters bent on destruction.
  Of course, even communities that have hostile relations 
  with kami of the forest, rivers, and hills may have better 
  connections with the kami of inanimate objects, such 
  as dosojins and zuishins. An urban scholar may have a 
  playful and cooperative relationship with a book kami or 
  the kami of a library, and a blacksmith might work closely 
  with a furnace kami.
  oraclEs, druids, and rangErs
  Typically, people dedicated to the preservation of some sort of 
  balance experience the greatest success in their interactions 
  with kami. Of these people, the Tian oracles have much 
  influence regarding the dealings of kami. Wealthier 
  societies usually employ these mystics for the purpose of 
  appeasing or wrestling with the neighboring kami. Many 
  such mediums, however, wander the continent as itinerant 
  priests who mediate on behalf of communities too small 
  to support a permanent oracle. For a price, these seers aid 
  settlers in mundane tasks to appease local kami, such as 
  identifying the right place to dig a new well or plant a crop, 
  
  65
  Ecology of thE Kami
  or how best to go about placating kami in potential mining, 
  fishing, and logging areas. Such oracles might demarcate 
  sacred regions of wilderness, establish and maintain kami 
  shrines, and educate residents on achieving harmony with 
  the spirits. Perhaps most importantly, these knowledgeable 
  oracles identify what must be done to heal the breach if local 
  kami have been severely agitated by humanoid activity. 
  These oracles generally have the haunted curse, and always 
  embrace a mystery that intersects with the natural world 
  (such as life, metal, nature, stone, waves, wind, or wood). 
  Most of these oracles are good or neutral in alignment, 
  and while they tend to be hired by humanoids, at times 
  they may actually side with kami to thwart unacceptable 
  encroachments on the natural world.
  The only reference to oracles in the famous poem cycle 
  known as the Tayagama is to a charlatan named Hema Ri. 
  Attired in clothes made of straw and owl feathers, with the 
  wishbone of a chicken through his nose, this ne’er-do-well 
  often contradicts Teki, the miniscule kami who serves 
  as the guardian of the poem’s hero. Without fail, hapless 
  Tayago follows Hema Ri’s advice, leading to comically 
  disastrous circumstances from which the stalwart Teki 
  must rescue him, only to have Tayago somehow attribute 
  the positive outcome to the charlatan’s supposed wisdom. 
  While Hema Ri’s role in the Tayagama is for 
  the most part purely comical, insightful 
  Tians know to garner important lessons 
  from this character, as there are many such 
  pretenders roaming the countryside. 
  These con artists are most often lowly 
  bards or sorcerers at best, swindlers who 
  use their magical abilities to fool credulous 
  country folk out of their money. True oracles 
  do not take kindly to the manipulative games 
  of these charlatans, revealing frauds with zest 
  and allowing the victims of their deceptions to 
  exact punishment.
  Druids are as rare in Tian Xia as in other 
  civilized parts of Golarion, though druidic 
  influence in the Dragon Empires’ rural communities 
  is strengthened because of druids’ peaceful relations with 
  the populous kami. Though Tian druids are often hermetic 
  and stick to the wilder regions within the nation, their 
  reputation for upholding the sanctity of nature at all costs 
  and steadfastly siding with kami in times of dispute makes 
  them a feared force among many Tians.
  Rangers, while typically associated with druids for their 
  similar fascination with the wilds, ride the line between 
  nature and society, and are more often seen as mediators 
  between the sometimes incomprehensible dealings of 
  kami and the acts of civilization. Though rangers are not 
  regarded as highly as oracles in this role, they are often 
  viewed as less cryptic and eerie, making them preferred 
  channels for Tians seeking immediate answers and aid in 
  regard to kami interactions. Rangers may be more closely 
  associated with animals rather than the land itself; such 
  rangers usually work in close cooperation with these 
  animals and their kami, whom they see as extensions of 
  the animals themselves.
  typEs of Kami
  The different types of kami exist in nearly endless variety. 
  Listed below are brief descriptions of nine of the most 
  common types of kami. Statistics for the jinushigami, 
  kodama, shikigami, toshigami, and zuishin can be found 
  in Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3, while the others are detailed 
  in the Bestiary of this volume.
  Toshigami
  
  66
  Dosojin (Travel Kami): Appearing at crossroads and 
  along vast highways, dosojins represent the efforts of 
  civilization to expand through travel and trade, taking 
  as their wards both trails and roads. While a dosojin’s 
  ward is often a remote road or far-off trail, these kami are 
  known for being particularly social as well as helpful in 
  regard to efforts toward humanoid expansion. Although 
  they condone the growth and spread of humanoid 
  settlements, dosojins also seek a balance, and are quick 
  to reprimand or outright abandon humanoid efforts if 
  such expansions disregard their effects on nature and 
  the wards of other kami.
  Fukujin (Bonsai Kami): Peaceful and resolute, fukujins 
  are small spirits that watch over the miniature trees of the 
  same name grown by humanoids. While it is the eventual 
  goal of many bonsai tree growers to attain a kami for her 
  shrub, only the most patient and skilled gardeners draw the 
  attention of such spirits. Those who garner the trust of a 
  fukujin are often rewarded with sound advice about many 
  different subjects, as the beings are exceedingly wise.
  Jinushigami (Land Kami): The most powerful of all kami, 
  these enormous spirits are the guardians of huge masses 
  of land such as volcanoes, glaciers, and forests. They tower 
  over most creatures, reaching heights of up to 40 feet and 
  seeming to be composed of all elements of nature at once, 
  including earth, stone, and plant matter. A jinushigami’s 
  ward is an entire region, and when it is melded with its 
  ward, the kami is able to see and touch all who traverse the 
  expanse. Normally benevolent, jinushigamis aid travelers 
  by manipulating the terrain around them as they travel 
  through the kami’s ward, clearing paths and diverting 
  disasters for those who respect the kami and their ways. 
  However, jinushigamis can just as quickly turn on those 
  who abuse their trust, bringing upon evildoers the wrath 
  of entire landscapes, with disasters such as flash floods 
  and rockslides punishing those who would seek to disrupt 
  the balance of nature. Still more powerful are the elder 
  jinushigamis, massive beings of legend who hold sway over 
  entire mountain ranges, great reefs, and vast deserts.
  Kaminari (Thunder Kami): These enormous kami dwell 
  within the hearts of powerful storms, constantly beating 
  upon their drums with bravado and boisterous glee. 
  Kaminaris are known for caring about only two things on 
  the Material Plane, their wards and their instruments, and 
  most are only too happy to submit to this stereotype, as long 
  as it allows them to play their music. While kaminaris often 
  care little for the dealings of mortals, they are known to take 
  great pleasure in conversing with bards, whom they see as 
  fellow appreciators of musical arts. In the Tayagama, Tayago 
  gains favor with a robust kaminari when he accompanies 
  the thunder kami’s drumming with the melodies of a 
  magical flute.
  Kodama (Tree Kami): The typical spirits of wild trees, 
  these kami appear as tiny bipedal humanoids. Usually a 
  single uniform color with nothing more than dark spots 
  denoting eyes and a mouth, these miniscule kami often 
  function as a cohesive group, relying on their numbers 
  to protect the forests they dwell in. The emergence of 
  numerous kodamas from their wards can be startling to 
  the uninitiated, but as long as trespassers don’t seriously 
  perturb the surrounding forest, they find the kodamas 
  Kami subtypE
  Kami are a race of native outsiders who serve to protect 
  what they refer to as “wards”—animals, plants, objects, 
  and even locations—from being harmed or dishonored. 
  All kami are outsiders with the native subtype. All kami 
  possess the following traits (unless otherwise noted in a 
  creature’s entry).
  •	 Immune	to	bleed,	mind-affecting	effects,	petrification,	
  and polymorph effects.
  •	 Resist	acid	10,	electricity	10,	fire	10.
  •	 Kami	sleep,	but	do	not	need	to	breathe	or	eat.
  •	 Telepathy.
  •	 Fast Healing (Ex)	As	long	as	a	kami	is	within	120	feet	
  of	its	ward,	it	gains	fast	healing.	The	amount	of	fast	
  healing it gains depends on the type of kami.
  •	 Merge with Ward (Su) As a standard action, a kami can 
  merge its body and mind with its ward. When merged, 
  the kami can observe the surrounding region with its 
  senses as if it were using its own body, as well as via 
  any	senses	its	ward	might	have.	It	has	no	control	over	
  its ward, nor can it communicate or otherwise take any 
  action other than to emerge from its ward as a standard 
  action.	To	merge	with	or	emerge	from	a	ward,	a	kami	
  must	be	adjacent	to	its	ward.	In	the	case	of	a	creature,	
  plant, or object, the kami can emerge mounted on the 
  creature if its body is at least one size category smaller 
  than	the	creature.	In	the	case	of	a	location,	the	kami	
  may emerge at any point within that location.
  •	 Ward (Su) A kami has a specific ward: a creature with 
  an	Intelligence	score	of	2	or	lower	(usually	an	animal	or	
  vermin), a plant (not a plant creature), an object, or a 
  location. Several of a kami’s abilities function only when 
  it	is	either	merged	with	its	ward	or	when	it	is	within	120	
  feet	of	its	ward.	If	a	kami’s	ward	is	portable	and	travels	
  with the kami to another plane, the kami does not gain 
  the extraplanar subtype on that other plane as long as 
  its	ward	remains	within	120	feet.	If	a	ward	is	destroyed	
  while a kami is merged with it, the kami dies (no save). 
  If	a	ward	is	destroyed	while	a	kami	is	not	merged	with	
  it, the kami loses its ability to merge with the ward and 
  its fast healing, and becomes permanently sickened.
  
  67
  Ecology of thE Kami
  no more than curious distractions. In fact, encountering 
  kodamas is often considered a good omen for travelers, as 
  they are indicators of a healthy, peaceful forest. However, 
  those who disrupt a wooded area will find kodamas capable 
  of causing considerable harm to interlopers, especially if 
  such miscreants are mounted. These kami have a great 
  deal of influence over the flora around them, and can 
  direct the foliage to hinder and trip foes when necessary, 
  shifting from tree to tree to hide their positions and using 
  the element of surprise to attack when they have to.
  Shikigami (Garden Kami): These fragile beings attach 
  themselves to small humanoid-made objects and works 
  of civilization: garden statuaries, stepping-stones, and 
  other minor works of art. Their physical form is in 
  some ways like that of kodamas—vaguely humanoid 
  in shape—but they resemble actual living beings even 
  less than the tree kami, and sometimes wear miniature 
  humanoid affectations like hats and jewelry made of base 
  materials such as straw and rope. A shikigami is about 
  2 feet tall and is marked with a single rune on its chest. 
  It is common to see stone statues in gardens and along 
  walkways that represent these quiet spirits, and some 
  Tian spellcasters manage to employ shikigamis 
  as familiars.
  Suijin (Water Kami): As the guardians of 
  lakes, ponds, springs, and other relatively 
  small bodies of water, suijins wield the 
  powers of water in their efforts to protect 
  their wards. Regarded as mystical and 
  mysteriously beautiful, these spirits 
  are known for their varying 
  temperaments as well as 
  their strange rituals in 
  the dead of night. Aloof as 
  far as kami go, most suijins 
  interact with humanoids only 
  when absolutely necessary, 
  preferring to let things run 
  their natural course, much like 
  the waterways which they steadfastly 
  watch over. But when a suijin’s ward 
  is endangered, it can prove a powerful 
  adversary, and those who live in concord 
  with other nearby water kami can call upon 
  the great koi-serpents in times of need.
  Toshigami (Blossom Kami): Toshigamis 
  are unique in their attachment to those places 
  and things related to the passage of time, and 
  are thus quite powerful. A toshigami’s physical 
  form is that of an old woman seemingly made out 
  of a cherry tree—half of the form blossoming, 
  the other half barren—and wielding a staff 
  that possesses the powers of both youth and 
  old age. These kami represent the beginnings and endings 
  of all things, and are often honored by spiritual Tians 
  through the celebration of cherry blossoms every spring. 
  Because of their relation to both birth and death, however, 
  most people have a very ambivalent response to these kami, 
  seeing them equally as bringers of life and harbingers of 
  death. Toshigamis are capable of manipulating the flow of 
  time, and can be quite dangerous if incited.
  Zuishin (Shrine Kami): Guardians of torii, gateways, 
  and holy places, zuishins are watchful stewards who see 
  themselves as the ultimate enemies of oni. Wielding 
  halberds for close-quarters fighting and bows to ward off 
  foes at a distance, zuishins take great pride in their weapons 
  and the art of combat. Appearing in their physical form as 
  floating, legless samurai, zuishins are always peaceable and 
  helpful to other kami, but non-kami must earn the trust of 
  these individuals before gaining their aid.
  Jinushigami
  
  68
  Way of the NiNja
  “Every city has thieves. Even within the most honorable society, 
  there will always be those who seek to better themselves through 
  illegitimate means. And where you have enough members of any 
  profession you will eventually have guilds, bound by shared profit.
  “In Minkai, however, there is a second type of thief: those who share 
  a greater purpose, and kill and steal for the collective. These are the 
  same cutthroats and second-story men, yet bound by a code of honor 
  that makes them both a threat to society and an integral part of it. 
  Some refer to themselves as sects, others as families, but regardless, 
  the ninja clans are unlike any criminals you have faced before.”
  —Inspector Takeda of Oda, to a foreign counterpart
  
  69
  Way of the NiNja
  H
  eavily shrouded in mystery and legend, the ninja 
  clan is portrayed in various lights throughout the 
  many lands of Golarion—most of which depict 
  these collectives of guileful individuals as collaborations 
  of violent rogues and assassins. Nowhere, however, is the 
  mythos of the ninja clan so prevalent as in the birthplace 
  of its tale, the nation of Minkai. Whether scheming within 
  the sewers beneath a booming metropolis or huddled in 
  the foothills of distant mountains, ninja hold sway in the 
  underbellies of even the most ostensibly lawful societies, 
  typically operating in shadows and under the guise of 
  unified structures with larger goals.
  NiNja ClaNs
  Ninja operate in a wide variety of circumstances, and 
  under an equally diverse array of banners and goals. While 
  many regard ninja as strictly evil entities who deal only 
  in shadows and deceptions, the truth is that ninja can do 
  as much to aid a society as to damage it, and that most 
  of the time a ninja’s motives are as elusive as the masked 
  individual herself. Tales abound of vigilante ninja who 
  assassinate corrupt dictators in the dead of night, yet more 
  often ninja act as merciless mercenaries killing for the 
  coin of powerful merchants and politicians. These masked 
  individuals do not usually construct such elaborate 
  schemes by themselves, however, and most subscribe to 
  familial structures known as clans, which house members 
  who share similar skills and motives. While ninja are 
  commonly feared as glorified assassins, murder is merely 
  a single facet of the shadow warriors’ array of expertise, 
  and they just as often possess the skills of spies, scouts, 
  and informants. Each clan specializes in certain aspects of 
  the ninja arts, such as espionage, kidnapping, or burglary, 
  and a clan’s particular realm of expertise is often a fair 
  indicator of its larger-scale intentions and dealings.
  The history of ninja clans in Minkai is almost as 
  ancient as the nation itself, for the rogue organizations 
  developed at the same time that Minkai warfare became 
  a prominent driving force in the expansion of the empire, 
  with small sects of shadowy warriors rising to power and 
  functioning as soldiers of fortune for the wealthy warlords 
  of the time. Clans’ presences within Minkai society grew 
  further as feudalistic principalities gave way to more 
  elaborate governing forces, and open warfare became less 
  viable than covert political dealings. As the Minkaians 
  became accustomed to peace and a sense of calm within 
  their governments, the need for ninja clans continued to 
  expand, taking the fights from the crowded battlefields to 
  the secluded shadows. While the samurai of Minkai—and 
  the rest of Tian Xia—continue the tradition of honorable 
  battle, no such over-arching strictures necessarily restrain 
  ninja, allowing these warriors of darkness to infiltrate and 
  thrive in countless communities.
  Belonging to a clan offers a number of benefits to 
  ninja characters, linking her to a cause and tradition. 
  Advancement within the ranks of a clan may grant a 
  character access to more tangible benefits such as the aid 
  of fellow ninja, access to unusual items, or other boons, all 
  subject to GM discretion. The following entries represent a 
  handful of the most prominent ninja clans within Minkai, 
  though other might exist in the country and elsewhere in 
  Tian Xia. Each entry details a clan’s founding, purpose, 
  symbol, important members, weapons clan members seek 
  to master, the clan’s characteristic teachings, and any 
  rivalries that may exist with other clans.
  the BlaCk lotus
  The Poison Ever Lethal
  Symbol: A partially open lotus flower with sable petals.
  Current Leader: Kinjo (LN male human ninja 7/ranger 2).
  Favored Weapons: Dagger, shuriken, sickle.
  Origin: The Black Lotus clan initially emerged within 
  the underworld of Minkai as a band of poisoners with no 
  alliances, willing to work for anyone and unified only under 
  the banner of money. The ancient group’s first leader, a 
  ninja of myth known only as the First Lotus, severed ties 
  to all patrons and rulers, knowing that the survival of his 
  clan depended on its being an impartial tool of war rather 
  than the captive weapon of one side or another. Now, the 
  Black Lotus clan’s connections and influences run deep in 
  all realms of Minkai society. Their schemes dip into the 
  affairs of every major city, though it is universally known 
  that their aid can be bought for the right price, the clan 
  pledging allegiance only to the highest bidder.
  Outlook: Ninja of the Black Lotus clan are almost 
  always lawful neutral, their morals dependent on what 
  profits are to be gained. As long as it pays, no job is too 
  despicable for the mercenaries, and when a sum is paid, 
  the task’s completion is assured. The only thing that 
  binds a ninja of the Black Lotus more than the payment 
  of a task is the pact itself, as each ninja stakes her honor 
  on the agreement when it is made. If a ninja of the Black 
  Lotus clan is paid to assassinate a wealthy lord, the ninja 
  will see that the job is done, regardless of how much 
  gold the sniveling victim offers the assassin to spare 
  his life. Only after the completion of the task will she 
  accept another mission. If this next task is the demise 
  of a former employer, it matters not to an operative of 
  the Black Lotus, for the members of the clan view each 
  assignment as a singular loyalty in and of itself. Beyond 
  this convoluted moral philosophy, the Black Lotus clan 
  as a whole distrusts the use of brute force and powerful 
  magic. A Black Lotus ninja may carry an enchanted sword 
  or quaff a restorative potion in the heat of an unexpected 
  battle, but will never stake the success or failure of a 
  mission on anything less than precision and guile, 
  
  70
  seeing one’s body and one’s skills as the only things that 
  are truly trustworthy.
  Members: Though the ninja of the Black Lotus clan are 
  often strictly devoted only to the accumulation of wealth 
  and power, members of this clan remain consistently loyal 
  to one another, knowing that dissent within the group is 
  a sure path to the clan’s demise. It is strictly forbidden 
  within the Black Lotus clan to accept a contract that targets 
  a member of the clan or would otherwise jeopardize the 
  success of the group, and the punishment for disobeying 
  this law is the swift and silent death of the disobeyer. 
  Recruits come to the Black Lotus through many channels, 
  and leaders of the clan themselves never have to search 
  for members. Black Lotus ninja often come from humble 
  origins, with apothecaries, street urchins, and con artists 
  being among the most common candidates. An initiate’s 
  ability to keep his word is more important than his history, 
  and few make it past the initial screening stages without 
  proving their undying allegiance to the clan.
  Black Lotus ninja sometimes take levels in the ranger 
  class, allowing them to learn the skills of a practiced 
  tracker without jeopardizing their abilities to remain 
  hidden. Of all the clans of Minkai, the Black Lotus has 
  the fewest spellcasters among its members. The current 
  leader of the clan, however, has broken with tradition, 
  and has begun recruiting alchemists for their knowledge 
  of magical elixirs and compounds, which he believes to 
  be the natural extension of the clan’s original focus on 
  poison, and necessary if his clan is to hold its own against 
  more overt magic.
  Tactics and Training: While most members of the Black 
  Lotus clan retain their traditional respect for poison, many 
  of them have moved beyond the subtlety of poisoned meals 
  or drinks and instead prefer to deliver poison directly via 
  blade or dart. The clan is also known for its impressive skills 
  in the art of infiltration, its members perfecting the arts of 
  infiltration and striking from the shadows of a victim’s own 
  home. Such ninja leave no evidence of their ever being in a 
  location, though the clan’s trademark memento is a petal 
  from a black lotus flower, a parting gift that every member 
  leaves in her wake upon successfully completing a mission.
  Rivalries: The mercenary stance of the Black Lotus clan 
  garners few rivalries from other clans, who often view the 
  members of the Black Lotus as simply dramatic blades for 
  hire. The one rivalry the Black Lotus clan does bitterly 
  carry is with the Ruby Crypt, who use dark magic to pry 
  secrets from the dead and even resurrect victims of Black 
  Lotus attacks, the latter acts often undermining the Black 
  Lotus’s reputation for effective assassination. With their 
  magic, ninja of the Ruby Crypt prove that even the most 
  potent venom can be reversed, and their dealings often 
  reveal the Black Lotus’s inexperience with magic to be a 
  crucial failing. Though Kinjo seeks to fix this shortcoming 
  within the strictures of the Black Lotus by making magic 
  a more prominent aspect of training, Black Lotus agents 
  still revel in accepting contracts that disrupt or otherwise 
  compromise the workings of the Ruby Crypt.
  the DragoNshaDoW
  Claws of the Dragon
  Symbol: A black silhouette of a dragon’s claw.
  Current Leader: Keirako (N male human fighter 2/ninja 7).
  Favored Weapons: Katana, tekko-kagi.
  Origin: The Dragonshadow clan boasts an expansive 
  network of ninja across Minkai whose agents are thought 
  to be in service to a powerful imperial dragon. Much of 
  the clan’s origins are as steeped in mystique as the ninja 
  themselves, and while many opposing factions regard 
  the rumor of an imperial dragon master to be nothing 
  more than a hoax, some are not so easily assuaged. Thus 
  the clan remains one of the most feared in the Dragon 
  Empires. Though leaders of the clan come and go with 
  some frequency, members of the clan swear allegiance to a 
  single imperial dragon known as Mikaruna, and it is said 
  that only the current leader of the clan may seek a direct 
  audience with the dragon, a tradition that has reportedly 
  led to many disputes and rivalries within the group.
  Outlook: The Dragonshadow clan is said to be heavily 
  influenced by the goals of its patron dragon, and the 
  actions of the clan often stem from obscure prophecies 
  spun by its leader. All of the clan’s activities work toward 
  strengthening their draconic leader and expanding his 
  horde, and so its members are often in search of powerful 
  artifacts and vaults of treasure. Particularly audacious 
  members of the Dragonshadow clan earn prestige and 
  power within their ranks by means of assassination and 
  subterfuge among their own kind, but most ninja in the 
  clan content themselves with elaborate schemes to grow 
  their master’s hoard.
  Members: Due to the sporadic and unpredictable bouts 
  of infighting within the ranks of the Dragonshadow clan, 
  turnover rates are often high, and new blood is continually 
  being introduced into the legions of ninja. Rumors abound 
  of Dragonshadow ninja having access to powerful spells and 
  intricate magical items, and these myths drive many fortune-
  seekers and treasure hunters to join the clan’s numbers. 
  Only the most dedicated candidates survive the rigorous 
  recruiting process, a series of trials whose specifics remain 
  among the clan’s best-guarded secrets. Dragonshadow 
  ninja are expected to utilize both physical and arcane 
  strength when completing contracts, and the most powerful 
  members are often individuals who have been trained from 
  childhood in the shadow arts. Sorcerers are prized among 
  the Dragonshadow clan—especially those whose bloodlines 
  hint at draconic origins—and the most powerful members 
  of the clan often train later as dragon disciples.
  
  71
  Way of the NiNja
  Tactics and Training: Members of the Dragonshadow 
  clan employ both sorcery and stealth on their missions, 
  increasing their intimidating reputation by barraging 
  their enemies with fearful illusions while they 
  silently destroy them. Using both magic and trickery, 
  Dragonshadow ninja use destructive abilities such as 
  alchemically produced breath weapons and enchanted 
  claw weapons to perpetuate the tales of their draconic 
  powers. While each member of the Dragonshadow clan 
  emulates one particular kind of dragon, all training 
  within the clan emphasizes speed and even flight (among 
  those capable). Those who master such abilities are highly 
  regarded within the clan’s ranks.
  Rivalries: Dragonshadow ninja possess a fierce pride 
  similar to the dragons they exalt. While infighting is 
  common enough, all members of the clan eagerly unite if 
  it means shaming another clan and proving superiority. 
  Few would call the Dragonshadow clan a direct rival, but 
  fewer still would consider the power-hungry group an ally.
  the emeralD BraNCh
  For the People
  Symbol: A cluster of bright green bamboo stalks.
  Current Leader: Asahina Zetsu-kai (CG female human 
  aristocrat 3/ninja 5/samurai 3).
  Favored Weapons: Kama, bo staff.
  Origin: Generally regarded as being composed of heroes 
  of the common folk, the clan of the Emerald Branch is 
  thought to have originally been founded by ronin. The 
  first members of the Emerald Branch are said to have been 
  honorable samurai who were duped by a manipulative and 
  evil lord into performing atrocities against innocents. When 
  the samurai discovered what horrors their master had made 
  them do, they slew their lord in stealth and rededicated their 
  lives to serving the common folk, renouncing their titles 
  as samurai as penance for their crimes. Using the skills of 
  deception and stealth they had gained while working for the 
  evil lord, the ex-samurai formed the clan of the Emerald 
  Branch, swearing to recruit any who prove themselves able 
  and who are dedicated to the pursuit of good at all costs. 
  Now, despite being labeled as instigators and rabble-rousers 
  by their detractors, ninja of the Emerald Branch are often 
  welcome in areas both rural and urban, and always sow 
  their seeds of justice among the poor and fragile before 
  lending any aid to the rich and powerful.
  Outlook: Most members of the Emerald Branch are 
  chaotic good, seeing the majority of laws—no matter how 
  well intentioned—as a stepping stone upon which greater 
  tyranny builds. Leaders among the Emerald Branch are 
  often high-ranking members of other philanthropic 
  organizations, using their influence to direct attention 
  away from the clan’s more questionable dealings. Their 
  opponents often consider the clan’s actions to be reckless 
  and without forethought, ideals which members of the 
  clan claim are at the heart of true freedom.
  Members: More than perhaps any other clan, the Emerald 
  Branch seeks to recruit members from the common folk. 
  While the Oni’s Mask clan trains ninja to pass as artisans 
  or laborers before dealing a deadly strike, most members of 
  the Emerald Branch actually are workers of this sort. In the 
  towns and villages where they operate, even the strongest 
  ninja of the Emerald Branch often practice a trade during 
  the day, using their earnings and materials to fund the clan 
  while maintaining a positive presence within the public 
  eye. While it may seem a life of tranquility, ninja of the 
  Emerald Branch are as prone to violent action as any other, 
  knowing the end of a blade is sometimes the swiftest way 
  to a desired result. Reflecting the story of its founders, the 
  clan of the Emerald Branch also counts many ronin among 
  
  72
  its numbers, embracing those who seek to pledge allegiance 
  to a valiant cause.
  The clan’s current head, Asahina Zetsu-kai, is a 
  matronly but strong leader who runs a network of garment 
  houses dealing in exotic silks. This cover allows Asahina 
  to dispatch her most trusted operatives to even the most 
  unlikely regions under the cover of textile merchants.
  Tactics and Training: While opponents of the Emerald 
  Branch do their utmost to spread rumors that the clan 
  is no more than a band of amateurs, training within 
  the Emerald Branch is as intense as any 
  other ninja clan. In addition to the 
  physical requirements placed upon 
  a potential ninja, an initiate must 
  prove apt at gathering the support 
  of the people and making 
  snap moral decisions under 
  stressful circumstances. The 
  use of symbols and signs is 
  an important skill among 
  members of the Emerald 
  Branch, as communication 
  between members is often 
  discrete and swift. Emerald 
  Branch ninja practice with a wide 
  variety of weapons, making many 
  members experts in using seemingly 
  mundane equipment for deadly purposes.
  Rivalries: The Emerald Branch usually 
  seeks to combat the wrongdoings of tyrannical warlords 
  and evil political figures rather than stimulate rivalries 
  with other clans. The malevolent Oni’s Mask clan often 
  proves a thorn in the side of the Emerald Branch, and the 
  two groups often find themselves on opposite sides of the 
  same issues. Whenever the Emerald Branch and Oni’s 
  Mask clans cross paths, conflict is brutal and swift.
  oNi’s mask
  Blood of the Fiend
  Symbol: A snarling crimson oni mask.
  Current Leaders: Genhara the Black-Winged (NE male 
  yamabushi tengu ninja 6).
  Favored Weapons: Katana, nodachi.
  Origin: The clan of the Oni’s Mask is a relatively new 
  contender in the realm of ninja clans, but its expansion 
  within Minkai has been swift, and those who know its 
  name do well to fear it. The leader of the clan, a monster 
  named Genhara the Black-Winged, formed the group after 
  slaying the master of the clan he previously belonged to, 
  an organization whose name the ruthless oni scoured 
  from history. The cause of this feud remains unknown, 
  but rumors suggest that the yamabushi tengu somehow 
  absorbed the power of his previous leader and used it to fuel 
  his own efforts. Genhara makes no attempts to hide his 
  ultimate goals, one of which is the death of a particularly 
  powerful zuishin against whom the oni has long held 
  a grudge. Using his highly skilled ninja to pursue and 
  eliminate kami and other enemies of onikind, Genhara 
  rules his clan mercilessly and with meticulous forethought. 
  While it is usually difficult for casual outsiders to hire 
  members of the Oni’s Mask clan, those whose contracts 
  involve the demise of significant kami may have an easier 
  time of it.
  Members: Genhara runs the Oni’s Mask 
  clan through precise and calculated 
  cruelty, 
  appointing 
  trustworthy 
  cronies to minor positions of 
  power 
  within 
  the 
  strictures 
  of the clan. Though a few 
  traitors have sought to oppose 
  the yamabushi tengu and 
  usurp his position of power, 
  none have succeeded, and 
  the punishment for dissent 
  is both brutal and final. 
  Lowly members rise among 
  the ranks of the clan through 
  unquestioning obedience and the 
  slaughter of kami. Although some 
  have thought to keep the skulls or 
  other trophies from slain kami as proof 
  of their annihilation, Genhara finds little 
  pleasure in such vanity, being happiest when no trace of 
  his enemies remain.
  Members of the Oni’s Mask clan value stealth above all 
  other things, and followers are trained to shed all forms 
  of pride in favor of fatal precision and skill. To leaders of 
  the clan of the Oni’s Mask, there is no room in a ninja’s 
  mind for what comes before or after a kill—only the kill 
  itself matters. Most of the clan’s recruits are abandoned 
  children taken from the streets and trained as assassins 
  from an early age. These recruits often prove the most 
  loyal and the most skilled, and so Genhara personally 
  sees to the capture of many orphans, urchins, and the 
  young offspring of their victims.
  Tactics and Training: Agents of the Oni’s Mask typically 
  target either kami or high-ranking government officials. 
  By cutting off the heads of well-meaning factions, Oni’s 
  Mask ninja sow discord and darkness everywhere they 
  strike, evils that Genhara assures are all part of his master 
  plan. Since almost all of the missions assigned to ninja 
  of the Oni’s Mask come straight from Genhara himself, 
  payment is distributed on a similar basis, riches acquired 
  in heists and high-profile burglaries going to the clan’s 
  treasury before being split among its deserving members. 
  Members of the Oni’s Mask are dedicated to their master’s 
  
  73
  Way of the NiNja
  cause, and all wear fiendish red masks to conceal their 
  identities. On the rare occasions where ninja of the clan 
  have been caught, witnesses have said that the faces 
  beneath the masks are those of monsters—disfigured 
  beyond recognition, leading many to believe that the clan 
  performs cultlike rituals of debasement upon its members 
  in addition to their other evils. 
  Rivalries: Genhara’s clan and its activities are known 
  and feared by nearly all kami within Minkai, who seek 
  mortal allies in their constant struggle against the 
  menacing force. Beyond these natural rivals, the rampant 
  fear spread by the clan has earned it the eternal enmity of 
  the benevolent Swallowtail Clan, and its violence against 
  peaceful and kind rulers also garners the scorn of the 
  Emerald Branch. However, try as they might, few—if 
  any—have ever pinpointed the hideout of the Oni’s Mask, 
  and the elusive ninja are known to seemingly disappear for 
  months or years before striking.
  the ruBy Crypt
  Fates Worse than Death
  Symbol: A ruby behind four vertical bars.
  Current Leaders: Ranessa (LE female human ninja 7/
  sorcerer 5).
  Favored Weapon: Kusarigama.
  Origin: Members of the Ruby Crypt embrace death in 
  all its forms, and its most zealous members maintain that 
  even death cannot accomplish what more sinister forms 
  of manipulation can reveal. The history of the Ruby Crypt 
  is cloaked by rumor and misinformation. Most origin 
  myths take the form of some kind of riddle, and suggest 
  that the Ruby Crypt clan was once no more than a small 
  collaboration of otherwise unaligned ninja. These ninja 
  joined together to accomplish the difficult mission of 
  silencing a rich noble. While the ninja had little trouble 
  completing the task, they found that the noble was so 
  powerful that he could resurrect himself, and did so every 
  morning after the ninja killed him. The ninja eventually 
  managed to capture the noble, and they imprisoned him 
  deep beneath this city so that though he lived, he was 
  silenced. This story, whether true or merely a fable, aptly 
  illustrates the Ruby Crypt clan’s most powerful ideology: 
  that death can be reversed, but imprisonment at the hands 
  of a patient and cunning captor can be made eternal.
  Outlook: The members of the Ruby Crypt are usually 
  neutral evil, and they excel at both abduction and torture, 
  performing such wicked deeds for anyone if the price is 
  right. Ninja of the clan maintain that the acquisition of 
  secrets and knowledge are tantamount to power, and that 
  both can be achieved far more readily through coercion 
  than murder. The merciless detachment clan members 
  must possess in order to perform their work usually 
  draws only the most wicked to their fold, with lawful 
  evil members rising to levels of leadership and others 
  mastering techniques of capture and restraint.
   Members: The clan’s current leader is a mysterious 
  woman named Ranessa, a ninja said to possess necromantic 
  powers and a diabolical bloodline. Using her abilities 
  to summon extraplanar allies and bend the will of even 
  fiends, the sorcerer encourages the use of magic to augment 
  the guile of individual clan members. Those who join 
  the ranks of the Ruby Crypt often possess magical talent, 
  encouraging numerous clerics, sorcerers, and wizards to 
  join the clan. Yet more valued than all other spellcasters 
  are inquisitors, those who perfectly blend magic and 
  martial ability with the unique skills and demeanors 
  required to wring valuable information out of victims. The 
  most powerful members of the Ruby Crypt are those with 
  the power to speak with the dead or even bring them back 
  to life, though these abilities are only used when the dead 
  in question possesses knowledge truly worth siphoning. 
  Often, agents of the Ruby Crypt seek such subjects in jails 
  and prisons, looking for magic users condemned for the 
  darkest workings of spellcraft. These recruiters offer such 
  criminals freedom in exchange for binding service to the 
  clan, an offer that most happily accept.
  Tactics and Training: The members of the Ruby 
  Crypt train in the shadow arts like all other clans, but 
  specialize in abduction over assassination, often using 
  sleep-inducing poisons or nonlethal weapons to knock 
  out targets before dragging them back to a designated 
  holding area. Later, a captured foe is usually imprisoned 
  more permanently within one of the myriad dungeons 
  the clan maintains throughout Minkai. Ninja of the 
  Ruby Crypt keep their prisoners alive as long as possible, 
  drawing secrets and potent knowledge from the victims 
  via prolonged torture, both physical and psychological. 
  Only those seeking extremely well-kept secrets or who 
  otherwise wish to see rivals suffer hire agents of the Ruby 
  Crypt, for its members demand exorbitant fees for their 
  intricate labors.
  Rivalries: Ninja of the Ruby Crypt primarily concern 
  themselves with individual targets of great importance that 
  provide access to equally important secrets. Benevolent 
  ninja clans abhor the doings of the Ruby Crypt, not only 
  for their crimes, but also their incessant meddling in 
  the affairs of mortality. More than once have the ninja of 
  other clans been hired to infiltrate Ruby Crypt bastions 
  in the hopes of freeing select prisoners, though few such 
  missions have ever succeeded. In addition to reviling 
  these good-natured clans, the members of the Black Lotus 
  hold particular hatred for the Ruby Crypt, as its dealings 
  often result in the undoing of previously settled contracts. 
  Although the two once fought much more fervently in 
  times long past, the smirch to the Black Lotus’s honor has 
  neither been forgiven nor forgotten.
  
  74
  The Raccoon Dog
  PaThfinDeR’s JouRnal: husks 4 of 6
  I
  t don’t have to be this way, doll face.”
  The first geisha threw her darts. I could have 
  sidestepped, but Kazuko stood behind me. If I moved, 
  she’d take the hit.
  Instead I leaned back, pushing Kazuko down as I swept 
  the big knife across what I was betting was the dart’s path.
  Desna smiled. Two darts missed me completely. The third 
  sang off the side of my knife. I felt it hit my jacket, but it caught 
  in the leather without scratching my pretty copper skin.
  Kazuko hustled away, not into the love house with its 
  bloody corpse, but toward the pond in the center of the 
  Flower and Willow Pavilion. I couldn’t decide whether that 
  was smart or stupid. The house was a dead end, but now 
  she was out in the open.
  The second geisha guard drew a dagger from her sleeve 
  and moved toward Kazuko. With my off hand, I flicked a 
  dart at her. It pierced her skirt and pinned it to the ground. 
  That was perfect. It wasn’t her blood I wanted. It was her 
  undivided attention.
  Her partner tumbled toward me, producing a couple 
  of daggers as she rolled up to strike. I saw it coming and 
  swept her ankles. She went down where I’d meant to put 
  her. I knelt hard on one wrist and grabbed the other to 
  control her blades. A little grinding and she let go.
  “Drop it,” I told the other geisha. I’d heard her rip free 
  the hem of her gown. Her shadow approached me, but I 
  didn’t look up. I leaned close to the one I’d caught, gave her 
  a good look at my teeth. Her sweat mingled with the smell 
  
  75
  The Raccoon Dog
  of jasmine, and I thought of a half-dozen other wrestling 
  moves I’d prefer to try out with her.
  “Izumi, do as he says.”
  The second geisha dropped her knives and stepped back. 
  Behind her, Kazuko looked on from the edge of the tiny 
  bridge. Her mouth formed an O of surprise or fear. I hoped 
  I hadn’t put her off with the big smile. After all that hard 
  work bringing her around, it would be a shame to waste it.
  I got up and offered a hand to the geisha I’d knocked 
  down. “I’m not here to hurt anybody. Call your madame. 
  She’s the one who’s got some explaining to do.”
  But Madame Chiyoko didn’t need calling. Before the 
  geisha could speak, her boss arrived with mine. Takeda, his 
  samurai, and four more pretty guards came with them.
  The geisha accepted my hand. I pulled her up into a 
  brief embrace. I whispered a sweet something to make her 
  blush and watched out of the corner of my eye for Kazuko’s 
  reaction. She didn’t like it one bit.
  I was in.
  “How dare you send this foreign devil to break into our 
  private garden?” Madame Chiyoko turned on Takeda, her 
  voice rising like a siren as she built up a good mad. The 
  inspector wasn’t looking at her, though. He looked past me 
  at the flayed corpse of Matano Hideo, the actor we’d come 
  to find.
  The guy Chiyoko told us wasn’t here.
  Takeda’s face remained calm. As the boss moved into the 
  love house for a look at the body, the inspector stood still. 
  His eyes focused past the crime scene. I’d seen that look a 
  thousand times before, usually on the boss’s face. Takeda 
  was looking back at a memory.
  Beside him, Chiyoko wailed more abuse until Osamu 
  whirled on her.
  “Be silent, you shameful woman!”
  His shout made her pause. When she opened her mouth 
  again, he raised his hand to strike her. Before the blow 
  could fall, she dropped to the ground, kowtowing at his feet.
  “You must show respect,” bellowed Osamu. “You have 
  no right—!”
  Shiro moved to one side, catching Osamu’s eye. Trembling 
  mad, Osamu glanced at his partner, who shook his head.
  Osamu lowered his hand and turned away, still shaking. 
  It had to be more than Chiyoko’s lie or her rudeness 
  that made him so angry, but I couldn’t figure it without 
  knowing more. And it didn’t seem the right time to ask.
  I retrieved the dart I’d thrown but kept one eye on the 
  samurai. Kazuko joined me in watching the others.
  Takeda conferred with the boss beside Matano’s body, 
  while Shiro stepped between Osamu and Chiyoko to 
  question the geisha madame.
  She confessed that she knew Matano was inside. Tonight 
  was the occasion of something called the water-raising 
  ceremony. In return for his financial sponsorship, the 
  wealthy actor had come to take the virginity of the house’s 
  newest geisha.
  At that bit of news, I raised an eyebrow at Kazuko. I 
  didn’t say “whorehouse,” but she read it on my face.
  “It is not the same.” She jutted her lip in defiance. I 
  wanted to bite it, nice and soft.
  “The honorable Matano was dead when the girl arrived,” 
  said Chiyoko. She had transformed since Osamu yelled 
  at her. Instead of avarice, fear colored her face. “The 
  reputation of the house was at stake! We dared not call for 
  the constables.”
  “You planned to cover it up?” said Shiro. The younger 
  constable sounded calm, but his lip twitched. “How?”
  Chiyoko pressed her forehead onto the ground at his 
  feet. She whimpered, “Please.”
  “Tell me,” Shiro insisted.
  “I dare not.”
  “Say it!” He scuffed his foot, threatening to kick her head.
  Chiyoko whispered, “The Kappas.”
  Osamu clutched the scabbard of his katana and charged 
  Chiyoko. He might have drawn the blade and beheaded 
  her, but Shiro stepped between them. The anger on his 
  own face told Osamu that he felt the same way, but he 
  wouldn’t let the older man kill the witness.
  The boss and Takeda finished in the love house. Osamu 
  opened his mouth to report, but Takeda beckoned him to 
  follow as he walked past Chiyoko. I fell in, Kazuko at my side. 
  As we wound through the inner and outer halls of the 
  Flower and Willow Pavilion, geisha knelt outside the door 
  to every room. They bowed low, turning as we passed. Not 
  at the group of us, I could tell.
  They bowed their heads toward Takeda.
  Even as we exited onto the street, more geisha emerged 
  to pay their respects. Takeda ignored them, or pretended 
  to. Arnisant joined us at the gate, heeling to me when I 
  gave him the sign. I fed him the rest of the sausage I’d 
  promised. The boss heard the hound’s jaws snap closed. 
  He looked back at us—he doesn’t like me feeding Arnisant 
  except for training—but Arni and I put on our innocent 
  faces. Arni’s is better than mine.
  Takeda didn’t stop until we reached the line of rickshaws. 
  When he turned, I could see he’d spent some effort 
  composing his face. Whatever the problem with Madame 
  Chiyoko, it bothered him more than he wanted us to know.
  “We were too late,” said Takeda. “I must inform Lord 
  Koga immediately of my failure.”
  Osamu said, “Sir, it is not your fault—”
  Takeda silenced him with a glance. 
  “In my absence, you must guide the honorable Count 
  Jeggare to the Seahorse to look for Square-Head. After 
  I report, I shall learn the address of this moneylender. 
  Theirs are the last of the six tattoos the Kappas seek. Shiro, 
  escort the housemaid to her home.”
  
  76
  He said a few more things, but they stopped making 
  sense, so I stopped listening.
  Instead, I tried to figure out a way to keep Kazuko with 
  us. I didn’t like the idea of her being out of sight. Even 
  forgetting my personal angle, these Kappas might want to 
  eliminate her as a witness to the murder of Yamana. 
  “Listen,” I said. “It’s probably better to keep Kazuko 
  nearby. Maybe we’ll find some clue that relates to whatever 
  she learned working for Yamana, and she can—what?”
  Everyone stared at me. I checked to see whether I had 
  something on my nose.
  “What?”
  “The language spell has expired,” said the boss. “None 
  of the others can understand you.”
  “All right,” I said. “Hit me with another one.”
  He shook his head. “Not yet. I have only one more prepared. 
  It is prudent to wait until you truly need to speak before 
  casting it. Who knows how long this investigation will last?”
  “But I want to say goodbye to Kazuko.”
  “A trifling matter compared with our pursuit of the 
  killer and the recovery of the pearl husk I have been sent 
  to recover,” he said. “Besides, past experience suggests you 
  needn’t speak the language to communicate with women.”
  He had a point, but I still didn’t like it.
  He spoke to the others in Minkaian. I saw from their 
  expressions that he’d explained what happened. They 
  finished their conversation without another look at me. It 
  was as if I had disappeared. I didn’t matter anymore.
  I sidled up to Kazuko, but Shiro abruptly led her away. She 
  glanced over her shoulder, and I saw the disappointment 
  on her face.
  “Me, too, sweetheart.” I blew her a kiss. She didn’t blush. 
  She didn’t look away.
  I was going to have to find out where she lived and pay a 
  visit when this was all settled.
  Takeda sat in a rickshaw and told the lackey to go, leaving 
  Osamu to lead the boss and me to the Seahorse district.
  We hustled down the hills of Oda toward the shore we’d 
  seen earlier. The boss filled me in on the way.
  “The man known colloquially as Square-Head is a well-
  known member of the Snake Gang. He often gambles well 
  into the night at an establishment called the Raccoon Dog. 
  I will renew the translation spell on you just before we 
  enter. You will take the lead.”
  “Got it.” The boss usually sent me into dives alone, but 
  sometimes he came along to observe in disguise. It was 
  best that I did the talking in those cases. Street and dive 
  were not, as the boss might say, foremost in his repertoire. 
  “While we’re talking Taldane,” I said with a nod at Osamu, 
  “what was all that between Chiyoko and Takeda?”
  The boss thought about the question for a moment as we 
  jogged behind the samurai. “It is difficult to explain.”
  “You’re always saying I’m smarter than I look.”
  “It is not a question of intelligence,” he said. “It is a question 
  of rank. There is an implied code of discretion among nobles, 
  even those of different lands.”
  I gritted my teeth. After our last caper, I didn’t think we 
  were going to have to do this again.
  “I know nothing concrete,” he added in a tone kind 
  of but not really like an apology. “Only conjecture 
  based on my observations filtered through my limited 
  understanding of the native hierarchy. Still, it is not my 
  place to discuss what might be Takeda’s secret outside of 
  our... that is, with a member...”
  “With a commoner.” Weeks ago he’d called me his 
  friend for the first time. I’d wondered how long that’d 
  last. Now I had my answer.
  He winced before correcting me, “With anyone outside 
  the samurai caste.”
  I’m the goddamned Prince of Wolves, I thought. But I 
  could never say it. It was a secret I had to keep. Still, it was 
  a hell of a lot more irritating for these counts and samurai to 
  look down on me when I knew that if things had gone down 
  different back in the bad old days, they’d be bowing to me.
   “No wonder the little guy’s 
  so happy.”
  
  77
  The Raccoon Dog
  We saved the rest of our breath for the run. The boss 
  was half winded by the time Osamu stopped at the end 
  of a narrow street filled with drunks, rickshaw porters, 
  and beggars. An old man pushing a cook-cart called out in 
  Minkaian. Everyone but the beggars ignored him, and he 
  swatted them away as they reached for bowls, hoping he’d 
  fill them out of charity.
  People streamed in and out of several of the buildings. 
  Music and laughter came from one. Shouts and the clatter 
  of dice echoed in another. Osamu pointed at that one. 
  Beside the entrance stood a statue of a comical animal. It 
  looked like a cross between a dog and a badger, but the stripes 
  painted on its smiling cheeks gave it a raccoon’s face. What 
  really made it stand out were a pair of giant testicles hanging 
  between its legs. They were so big the bottoms rested on the 
  ground. Those entering the house paused to rub the critter’s 
  balls, revealing bright brass underneath the paint.
  Lucky dog. I figured him for one of Desna’s and knelt 
  down to give his nuggets a good rub. Curious, Arnisant 
  came over and gave the brass balls a sniff.
  “Radovan!” The boss choked. “Some decorum, please.”
  “Just praying, boss.”
  He scowled until I stood again. When he turned back to 
  the samurai, I pointed at Arni.
  “Stop getting us in trouble.”
  The wolfhound planted his butt and looked up at me, 
  hoping for a treat. I was out of snacks.
  Osamu and the boss wrapped up their conversation. The 
  constable strolled casual-like down the street, pretending 
  to be out on patrol and putting on a brave face when some 
  of the bolder beggars heckled him. They weren’t afraid of 
  a lone constable. 
  “Where’s he going?”
  “There is an informal agreement between the 
  constabulary and the local gangs. Osamu cannot enter a 
  gambling den without permission from the gang chief.”
  “I like this town more and more.” Zandros the Fair could 
  never get a deal like that from the Hellknights in Egorian. 
  Either the samurai were weaker than I thought, or else the 
  gangs were stronger.
  “While I attempt to locate this Square-Head, you blend 
  in and distract any locals who take an interest in us.”
  “Which one you want? Blend in or distract?”
  “Time is of the essence, Radovan. Do as I say.”
  The hairs on my neck turned to needles.
  “Fine.”
  The boss riffled his scroll at me. My tongue tickled, 
  and I sneezed. He put away the expended scroll and gave 
  Arnisant the signal to stay. I pushed through the door to 
  the gambling den.
  Inside the place was thick with smoke. Some of it rolled 
  off braziers hanging from the ceiling. Some crawled up 
  out of long brass pipes a few of the players held close to 
  their mouths. I didn’t recognize the sweet smell, but I 
  could tell from the smokers’ half-lidded eyes that it was 
  some naughty stuff.
  There were no women inside. Most of the men went 
  shirtless or had their sleeves rolled up to show off tattoos. 
  I’d never seen so many before. They weren’t just simple 
  snakes and briars around the biceps or some girl’s name 
  inside Shelyn’s glaive. On all the exposed skin I saw a 
  regular menagerie of fierce animals and magical creatures, 
  along with knives, dice, chains, cards, darts, and all the 
  other tools of the trade. 
  One thing I saw a lot was snake tattoos. Each of the men 
  handling the dice and tiles had one, as did about half of the 
  gamblers and the thick-necked guys standing by the doors.
  Some of the older men stood around a couple of 
  tall square tables with edges a few inches high. There 
  they played some kind of tile game, with each gambler 
  concealing a dozen or so tiles and adding them one at a 
  time to a maze in the middle of the table. 
  The other tables were low ovals, and the younger players 
  knelt around them. These ones placed bets as a guy in the 
  middle dropped a pair of dice into a bowl and slapped it 
  onto the table’s surface before making a dramatic reveal. 
  He shouted, “Odd!”
  I had to be missing something, but there weren’t any 
  places painted on the table. I watched for another round 
  or two before deciding it was as simple as it looked. The 
  players were betting against each other, hoping to be in 
  the minority who came away with a pittance while the 
  house claimed the rest.
  And the house was raking it in.
  “You, foreign devil!” cried a man with copper skin even 
  darker than mine. He had no idea how right he was. “Show 
  your money or get the hell out!”
  Only then did I realize I didn’t have any of the local 
  coins. The ones on the tables were mostly copper and 
  silver, perforated with a square in the center. I made three 
  big gold coins appear between my knuckles.
  “Those shiny enough for you?”
  The glitter in the eyes of all the men at the table told me 
  they were.
  “What about the long-ears in the fancy clothes?”
  At my side, I felt the boss move in, ready to say something.
  “Never mind my servant. He’s mute.” I felt the count’s 
  eyes boring into my neck, but he deserved it after all 
  that samurai crap. The gamblers stared doubtfully, so I 
  sweetened the lie with shearing gestures at my mouth and 
  crotch. “A mute eunuch. Snip, snip!”
  At that they laughed. Between the joke and my gold, 
  we were going to be friends for a few throws. I grinned, 
  looking at the boss to see what he thought of my humor.
  Count Varian Jeggare raised his fist to his chin and shot 
  me the tines. 
  
  78
  It took all my will to keep a straight face while the 
  gamblers pulled me to the table. I watched as one of them 
  traded my gold for a double-handful of the local silver. I 
  couldn’t look back to see what the boss was doing, or else 
  I’d lose control. I’d never even heard him curse properly, 
  much less make the most vulgar gesture known in Egorian.
  “What is that sign?” asked the man beside me, trying 
  to imitate the boss. He was a wiry fellow with a couple of 
  missing teeth.
  “It’s for good luck.”
  “Like this?” He threw up his first and last fingers on 
  either side of his chin.
  “Perfect.”
  The houseman held up the dice and shouted out some 
  numbers, some kind of countdown. 
  The player whose turn it was made his bet, a stack of five 
  coins. All others would come after the throw of the dice.
  The houseman dropped the dice into the bowl before 
  slapping it down on the table.
  The players cocked their heads, trying to hear which way 
  the dice fell. That was impossible, but trying was another 
  way of praying to Lady Luck. I liked that. The old gal had 
  been pretty good to me.
  I tilted my head, too, but just for show. I wasn’t listening 
  to the dice but watching the houseman’s face. His eyes 
  scanned the bets. I laid down five coins of my own before 
  he called time. When everyone took their hands off the 
  table, he uncovered the dice.
  “Even!”
  The gamblers cheered. Those of us who’d bet took in a 
  modest win. That was no surprise on my first bet, me a 
  rich foreign devil and all. I expected I’d win a few more 
  before the dice turned.
  A serving boy came around with drinks. I bought one and 
  laid it on the back of my hand, slapping my palm on the table 
  to flip the tiny cup into my mouth, where I caught it in my 
  lips and let the liquor shoot down my gullet. It was a stupid 
  trick, but it broke the ice some more. The locals laughed. 
  Behind me, the boss sighed and kept watch on the door as 
  gamblers trickled in and out. He hadn’t spotted our man yet.
  By the time my turn came around, my coins had grown 
  into a healthy pile. I felt the mood of the table change. 
  Would the houseman put me out now? Or would he draw 
  me in to see how many more of those gold coins I had? 
  I bet half my stash. Everyone joined in after the roll, but 
  in modest amounts. They were bracing to see me busted.
  The houseman revealed the dice. “Even!”
  Clever lads. They were taking the long view.
  After a couple more turns, the boss brushed my sleeve. 
  I stretched my arms, turning to scan the room. A block-
  headed fellow had entered the den. He was built like a 
  shipping crate, barely over five feet tall but with shoulders 
  so wide that he had to turn to slip through the narrow 
  doorway. When he grimaced at the doorman, I saw his 
  teeth all had black gaps between them.
  I scratched my neck, the secret sign for “What now?”
  The boss scraped one foot across the floor. That meant 
  “Wait and watch.”
  Knowing he’d keep an eye on Square-Head, I put my 
  eyes back on the game. Before my turn came around, the 
  boss plucked at my sleeve. I glanced back to see Square-
  Head leaving through a side door. Time to go.
  “Thanks for the game, boys.” I scooped up my cash.
  “Where do you think you’re going?” One of the other 
  gamblers rose from his seat. 
  The houseman said, “You can’t leave until you’ve bet 
  everything you have on the table.”
  The cheerful atmosphere of the table changed. I’d 
  broken their etiquette. Any other time, I wouldn’t have 
  cared. But I was still hoping to wrap this case in time to 
  find Kazuko while the translation spell still worked. 
  “All right,” I said, pushing all my winnings forward. 
  “Make it snappy.”
  The houseman raised his hand to display the dice. I’d 
  seen his fingers dip below the table an instant earlier, so I 
  knew this was a different pair. 
  I should have let it go, lost the cash, and pushed away. I 
  could’ve spared us a lot of grief if I’d done that. I would’ve 
  done it, if the switch hadn’t been so damned obvious. 
  Should’ve, would’ve, could’ve. 
  But I was tired of being treated like a jerk. It was bad 
  enough the boss was talking down to me again. I wasn’t 
  going to let these mooks rip me and laugh about it.
  Nobody supported my bet. They knew better. When the 
  houseman lifted the bowl, his lips formed the word “Odd” 
  before he could even see the dice.
  I whipped out the big knife and brought it down like a 
  cleaver on the dice. Chips of bone flew away. The remains 
  of the dice lay on the table, the fat blob of their lead loads 
  exposed for all to see.
  “Radovan, don’t!” The boss knew it was no use, even as 
  the words came out of his mouth. At the same time, he 
  blew that nice cover I’d given him.
  “He’s no mute!” shouted the houseman. “You came to 
  cheat us!”
  The dog at the door wasn’t the only one with brass balls. 
  This guy had some pair to accuse us of cheating with his 
  loaded dice cut open on the table. But there was no point 
  arguing. They showed me their knives. I showed them mine.
  The boss drew his sword in one hand, a riffle scroll in 
  the other. 
  A gambler crept up on my left. I nicked him on the thigh 
  without turning to look at him. That was enough to make 
  him think twice. Two more moved in, but I chased them 
  off with a growl and a couple of feints. Behind me, the boss 
  parted the crowd with a flourish of his blade.
  
  79
  The Raccoon Dog
  “Rolling out,” I warned the boss.
  I snaked my arm around his waist and fell backward, 
  pulling him along. The boss folded his long body, rolling with 
  me. I set him back on his feet within a step of the threshold.
  Our quick retreat startled the gamblers long enough for 
  us to back out through the door. There the boss thumbed his 
  scroll. Thick white threads shot out from the riffled edge of 
  the paper. They fattened as they flew into the gambling den, 
  filling the place with a gooey network of webbing.
  “Nice,” I muttered. Until recently, he’d always been an 
  armchair wizard. It was great to see him cast the spells he 
  once only talked about.
  The gamblers screamed curses at us, but they hung like 
  trapped flies among their game tables. I shot them the tines.
  The boss brushed the dust off his sleeve and scowled at 
  me for the unwelcome hug. He hates close contact, but he 
  couldn’t complain. I’d gotten us out.
  I spied our guy strolling off the way we’d come, 
  pretending not to notice the commotion as he passed 
  Osamu, who jogged toward us. The boss made a stirring 
  motion with his thumb and pointed at Square-Head.
  Osamu glanced back at Square-Head before nodding at 
  the boss. He turned at the nearest street, waited a moment, 
  and began tailing him. The boss nodded at me, and we 
  followed, knowing we could afford to lose Square-Head as 
  long as we caught up with Osamu.
  Shouts erupted from a nearby alley. Those who’d escaped 
  the boss’s web streamed out of a side entrance. Seconds 
  later, more armed tattooed men burst out of nearby houses. 
  One look at us told them we were the cause of the trouble.
  The boss ran and I followed, tensing at the thought of 
  catching a blade in the back. Two axes whirled past us, one 
  sticking into the corner of a house as we turned down the 
  street Osamu had just left. We had to lead the gangsters away 
  from Osamu and Square-Head. That part was easy. The trick 
  was surviving to catch up with them.
  All along the street, shutters opened at our approach and 
  slammed shut as the mob followed. We dodged another 
  flurry of thrown weapons. I caught an axe meant for the 
  back of the boss’s head. I meant to throw it back as we 
  turned the next corner, but there we saw Takeda.
  The rickshaw that had returned him to the 
  Seahorse was already running away, but 
  the samurai strode forward. He frowned 
  at the sound of the mob behind us, but 
  when they came around the corner he 
  didn’t even flinch.
  “Too many to fight, Inspector,” called 
  the boss. “Come with us.”
  Takeda walked past us, his frown deepening. 
  He drew the wakizashi from his sash, still in its 
  scabbard. He held it above his head like a scepter 
  of office. 
  The boss slowed, touching the scrolls in his bandolier to 
  choose the right one. He loved the fireball, but he couldn’t 
  use that one around these wooden houses. Still, I couldn’t 
  think of another spell I’d seen him cast that would save our 
  skins. I prayed to Desna that he had another of those webs.
  The mob slowed at the sight of Takeda, those in the back 
  crashing into the ones up front until they too recognized 
  him. I counted maybe thirty men and didn’t like our chances.
  “Stand aside!” shouted an old gangster. His sagging 
  breasts made the demon tattooed on his chest look drunk 
  or sleepy. “Those foreign devils cheated us.”
  Takeda stood as still as a statue, his short sword held aloft.
  The gangsters shouted threats, their breath white in the 
  chill air. Little by little, their anger gave in to uncertainty. 
  The blades they held above their own heads began to droop.
  One young buck got tired of waiting. He pushed to the 
  front and thrust a shiny butterfly knife toward the inspector.
  Takeda put his hand on the grip of his wakizashi.
  The rest of the mob dissolved like sea foam, leaving the 
  belligerent young man alone. He looked at his fleeing 
  pals. He looked back at Takeda.
  The inspector exposed an inch of his blade.
  The young gangster tripped over his own feet and fled.
  “I don’t mind grifters. But if 
  you’re going to try to cheat me, 
  at least do it well.”
  
  80
  Bestiary
  Upon the plains of Mun roiled a sea of rage, an army of blood-skinned 
  villains more terrible than a yai of any shade. Tayago had faced the 
  slaves of the warlord Hu, dodged the razored hordes of Princess 
  Diamond, distracted the drowned fleet of the Bay of Thirsts, and 
  outsmarted more self-proclaimed oni emperors than he could count, 
  but here stood a new challenge. Ferocious, purposed, united, the 
  legions of ja noi were all three and more, and for the first time in 
  many seasons Tayago knew dread.
  —From the Tayagama
  
  81
  Bestiary
  T
  his month’s entry into the Pathfinder Bestiary 
  explores the world of the kami, creatures of the 
  spirit world and aloof defenders of nature. These 
  beings, ranging from whimsical to devastating, expand 
  upon the members of that race presented in Pathfinder 
  RPG Bestiary 3. More facts about these creatures—
  including their racial traits, referenced throughout these 
  descriptions—can be found on page 60 of this volume in 
  “Ecology of the Kami.” Additionally, continuing the series 
  running throughout the Jade Regent Adventure Path, a 
  new breed of oni, the ja noi, appears here as well, wildly 
  outnumbered by its race’s ancestral enemies. 
  Caravan enCounters
  As the caravan travels, there’s a 10% chance of an 
  encounter each day. Encounters marked with an asterisk  
  (*) have a 50% chance of occurring while the caravan is 
  camped, and those with double asterisks (**) have a 90% 
  chance of occurring while camped—all other encounters 
  occur while the caravan is on the move. Encounters 
  don’t occur if the caravan camps at a settlement. If an 
  encounter occurs, roll on the following table to see what 
  the PCs have encountered. Note that all of the following 
  encounters are caravan encounters and use the caravan 
  combat rules found in the free Jade Regent Player’s Guide.
  Hangman Grove (CR 9): The caravan comes across a 
  section of forest that contains several hangman trees (AC 
  21; hp 100; Attack +15; Damage 4d8+7) growing together. 
  The hangman trees release spores every round that force 
  the caravan to make a DC 19 Resolve check or take a –4 
  penalty on attacks and Security checks as some members 
  of the caravan become passive. Because the hangman 
  trees move so slowly, the caravan gains a +4 bonus on any 
  Security check made to escape combat.
  Monsoon (CR 9): A fantastically powerful storm brews. 
  Winds tear out trees and blow over wagons. Rain comes 
  in sheets, blinding those outside and reducing visibility 
  for those under cover. If this encounter happens during 
  the day, it reduces the caravan’s progress for that day by 
  6d6 miles. The monsoon lasts for 2d12 hours. Each hour, 
  the caravan must make a DC 18 Resolve check and a DC 18 
  Security check. Each failed check results in the caravan 
  taking 3d8 points of damage. The caravan can gain 
  bonuses to these checks by individuals using appropriate 
  spells, such as control winds, or making appropriate skills 
  checks, such as Craft (carpentry) to repair damaged 
  wagons, Knowledge (engineering) checks to lash wagons 
  and supplies together, or Profession (engineer) checks to 
  set the wagons in a line against the wind. Each skill check 
  is DC 18, and a successful check (or appropriate spell) 
  grants a +4 bonus on a single Resolve or Security check.
  Oni Assault* (CR 11): A patrol of oni warriors (AC 25; 
  hp 145; Attack +19; Damage 4d10+35), under orders to 
  investigate every group approaching from the north, 
  demands to search the caravan. Though the oni do not 
  expect to find much of interest, they need little excuse to 
  engage in violence and banditry. If the caravan surrenders 
  to the search, the oni steal 2d4 units of cargo and deal 
  4d10 points of damage as they rough up travelers, smash 
  open boxes, and rip apart satchels. If the caravan makes 
  a DC 20 Resolve check, the oni then leave. If the caravan 
  fails this Resolve check, one of the travelers fights back, 
  and the oni begin a full attack.
  Ninja** (CR 10): Black-clad humanoid assassins (AC 
  26; hp 105; Attack +16; Damage 5d8) appear within the 
  caravan, throwing poisoned shuriken and leaping from 
  wagon to wagon. In addition to the normal combat each 
  round, the caravan must make a DC 21 Security check each 
  round or take 5d8 points of damage from sneak attacks, 
  traps, poisonous clouds, and exotic chain weapons used 
  to strangle caravan guards. No ninja bodies are found 
  after the attack, even if the caravan wins the battle.
  If the caravan does win, there is a 50% chance the ninja 
  attack again the next night, though this time they flee 
  after taking 50 hp of damage. After the second attack, the 
  caravan must make a DC 25 Security check to find traps 
  the ninja placed during their feinted attack. If the check 
  is failed, the camp takes a –4 penalty on all attacks in 
  its next encounter, as the ninja traps distract and disable 
  members of the caravan.
  Colony of Giant Tarantulas (CR 11): A crawling colony 
  of Gargantuan tarantulas (AC 23; hp 160; Attack +21; 
  Damage 3d10+25) attacks the caravan. The tarantulas 
  begin by firing spear-like hairs from their bodies in a 
  fusillade of ranged attacks. The caravan must make a 
  DC 25 Security check or the tarantulas are allowed one 
  round of attack before the normal rounds of combat 
  begin. Since the tarantulas have large movement rates 
  and ranged attacks, it takes two DC 15 Security checks for 
  the caravan to successfully escape if it decides to flee, and 
  the tarantulas are allowed to make an attack for each such 
  check the caravan makes.
  Minkai Caravan
  enCounters
  d% Roll 
  Encounter
  01–15 
  Hangman Grove
  16–30 
  Monsoon*
  31–45 
  Oni Assault*
  46–85 
  Colony of Giant Tarantulas
  86–100 
  Ninja**
  
  82
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee 2 slams +13 (1d6+2)
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th; concentration +13)
  Constant—know direction, misdirection (DC 15), speak 
  with plants
  3/day—dispel magic, fog cloud, quickened invisibility, 
  longstrider, pass without trace, stone shape
  1/day—locate object, mirage arcana (DC 18), nondetection
  Special Attacks manipulate path, mimic statue
  STATISTICS
  Str 15, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 17
  Base Atk +10; CMB +12; CMD 25
  Feats Alertness, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Quicken Spell-
  Like Ability (invisibility), Weapon Focus (slam)
  Skills Bluff +16, Diplomacy +16, Disguise +16 (+36 as statue), 
  Handle Animal +16, Knowledge (nature) +14, Perception +4, 
  Sense Motive +19, Survival +15
  Languages Common; speak with plants, telepathy 100 ft.
  SQ merge with ward, ward (roads 
  or trails)
  ECOLOGY
  Environment any land
  Organization solitary, mated pair, or cloister (3–10)
  Treasure standard
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Manipulate Path (Su) As a standard action, a dosojin can 
  alter the structure and stability of its ward, making 
  travel along its road or trail either easier or harder 
  for specific groups of travelers. Helping travelers in 
  this way makes a dosojin’s ward sturdier and more 
  straightforward, allowing creatures to reach their 
  destination in half the time they would normally take 
  (though this does not grant a bonus to creatures’ 
  movement speeds in combat). If a dosojin instead 
  chooses to hinder travelers, it creates unexpected 
  twists and turns within its ward, turning the path into 
  difficult terrain and so causing travelers to take twice as 
  long as they normally would to reach their destination. 
  These effects last as long as the targets stay within the 
  boundaries of the dosojin’s ward.
  Mimic Statue (Su) As a standard action, a dosojin can 
  assume the appearance of any Medium-sized statue, 
  such as a stone marker, a religious icon, or a sculpture 
  carved into the side of a cliff. A dosojin’s body is hard 
  and has the texture of rough stone no matter what 
  appearance it takes. A dosojin gains a +20 racial bonus 
  on Disguise checks when imitating a statue in this manner.
  Dosojins are kami that take the form of stone icons 
  and watch over roads and trails. They are often found 
  in statue form at the edges of villages, along mountain 
  passes, at the beginnings of tunnels and other major 
  kaMi, Dosojin
  This ancient, weathered statue of a venerable monk with a 
  shaven head possesses an air of both reverence and patience.
  Dosojin 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200
  NG Medium outsider (kami, native)
  Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +4
  DEFENSE
  AC 20, touch 13, flat-footed 17 (+3 Dex, +7 natural)
  hp 85 (10d10+30); fast healing 4
  Fort +10, Ref +6, Will +11
  DR 5/cold iron; Immune bleed, mind-affecting effects, 
  petrification, polymorph; Resist acid 10, electricity 10, fire 10
  
  83
  Bestiary
  works of roadway construction, or at simple country 
  crossroads. In urban areas, dosojins can sometimes be 
  found on street corners and near bridges. They serve as 
  the guardians of travelers, keeping the malicious and 
  malevolent off the paths they diligently watch over. 
  Wise travelers know to seek a dosojin’s blessing before 
  traveling upon its ward, for falling out of favor with the 
  kami of travel is a sure way to become lost or hampered. 
  Pious mortal couples also seek out dosojin for their own 
  reasons, as the kami are often regarded as patrons of 
  fertility, and are known for their habit of choosing mates 
  and standing beside one another for their entire lives. 
  In many regions, the blessing of a dosojin is believed 
  to ensure a long and happy marriage, as well as many 
  healthy children. 
  The average dosojin stands about 4-1/2 feet tall and 
  weighs upward of 400 pounds.
  eCology
  As creatures that symbolize travel and connections, 
  dosojins straddle the line between the lands of the 
  civilized and the wild, often with one foot literally in 
  each. Dosojins spend most of their time guarding their 
  chosen sites in the form of nondescript statues and 
  way markers, meditating motionlessly for seasons at a 
  time. While semi-social dosojins within cities and other 
  settlements are not uncommon, the majority of these 
  kami stand along remote and secluded roads, going to 
  great lengths to ensure that their true identity is not 
  known. It is not uncommon for dosojins to create false 
  duplicates of themselves using their stone shape ability, 
  and these misleading markers inspire a certain amount 
  of faith among those who look out for the kami of roads, 
  as one can rarely tell if a sculpture is a dosojin by looks 
  alone. A dosojin requires no sustenance, but it is not 
  uncommon for travelers to leave offerings for a silent 
  watcher, usually tributes of fruits, nuts, and potables, 
  gifts that the kami gladly shares with hungry travelers, 
  happy to inspire such good faith among passersby and 
  to foster a system of give-and-take between strangers.
  Dosojins are fond of the creatures that traverse 
  their roads and trails, and maintain the roadways they 
  guard to ensure both the ward’s survival and the safe 
  travel of the voyagers that traverse it. Though they 
  have an affinity for the creatures that constructed 
  their roadways, dosojins still protect their wards 
  with the aggressive righteousness typical of all kami, 
  and scarcely hesitate when faced with an oni or other 
  evildoer seeking to disrupt the balance. Dosojin have 
  little patience for those who litter on their roadways or 
  unnecessarily obstruct the paths, and they take it upon 
  themselves to discipline those they deem worthy of 
  punishment. Rarely violent in an overt sense, dosojins 
  prefer to use their magic in order to trick travelers into 
  becoming lost, letting the wilds they travel through 
  become the primary instruments of their demise. 
  Dosojins prove quite deadly to those who fail to show 
  kami proper respect, as they use their powers of illusion 
  to lead troublesome caravans into impassible ravines 
  and destructive oni onto unsound, derelict bridges.
  HaBitat & soCiety
  Dosojins are odd among kami in that they are known 
  to select mates from among their own kind, and it is 
  not uncommon to see two seemingly redundant statues 
  standing next to one another near a trailhead or fork 
  in the road. While they do not reproduce in any typical 
  sense of the word, dosojins are nonetheless sought out 
  by mortal couples hoping to conceive, as many people see 
  the kami as symbols of fertility. However, most scholars 
  agree that dosojins do not collaborate in this way to foster 
  fecundity, but rather act as symbols of camaraderie and 
  companionship for travelers on their roads, encouraging 
  teamwork and cooperation among groups of diverse 
  individuals with a shared goal.
  While most dosojins are content to watch over 
  particular highways or roads for their entire existences 
  and act as helpful guardians for most passersby, some 
  choose instead to act as appraisers of travelers’ skills 
  and bravery. Cunning individuals that indulge in acts 
  of trickery more often than their tamer brethren, these 
  rogue dosojins craft obstacles and trials for travelers 
  they deem worthy of the challenge. The tests are not 
  meant to substantially impede voyagers, and are simply 
  forms of innocent fun that a dosojin uses to gauge the 
  strength and resolve of various wayfarers. Those who 
  surpass a dosojin’s challenges (which usually take the 
  form of puzzles or illusions) earn the kami’s respect and 
  the assurance of safe travel throughout the rest of its 
  domain, while those who avoid the obstacle or overcome 
  it through brutish and witless means garner only scorn. 
  Careful travelers know to watch out for the statuelike 
  kami when making their way along potentially protected 
  roads, as the guardians expect voyagers to act honorably 
  and respectfully while travelling upon their paths. Some 
  of the most important mandates to keep in mind when 
  interacting with dosojin and walking through their 
  territories are as follows.
  •	 Mortals	who	respect	the	land	and	its	laws	shall	know	
  no harm.
  •	 Mortals	who	fail	to	show	proper	reverence	for	tradition	
  shall not pass by a dosojin upon the first attempt.
  •	 Mortals	who	actively	harm	the	natural	world	shall	be	
  cursed to wander it.
  •	 Mortals	 who	 stray	 from	 a	 dosojin’s	 path	 to	 do	 harm	
  should not expect to find that path ever again.
  
  84
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th; concentration +6)
  Constant—speak with plants
  At will—mending, purify food and drink
  3/day—detect snares and pits, remove sickness*
  1/day—delay poison, goodberry, soften earth and stone
  STATISTICS
  Str 13, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 17, Cha 14
  Base Atk +4; CMB +5; CMD 16
  Feats Alertness, Improved Initiative
  Skills Appraise +7, Bluff +9, Diplomacy +9, Knowledge (nature) +7, 
  Perception +12, Sense Motive +12
  Languages Common; speak with plants, telepathy 100 ft.
  SQ merge with ward, ward (bonsai trees and small plants)
  ECOLOGY
  Environment any
  Organization solitary, garden (2–4)
  Treasure standard
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Aura of Luck (Su) A fukujin brings good fortune with it 
  wherever it goes. Any allied creature that begins its turn 
  within 15 feet of a fukujin gains a +2 bonus on skill checks.
  Precise Attacks (Su) A fukujin can detect weak points in a 
  foe’s defenses as an immediate action by succeeding at a 
  DC 15 Perception check. Once these weak points have been 
  determined, a fukujin gains a +2 bonus on attack rolls to 
  confirm critical hits against that creature for 24 hours. 
  A fukujin can inform a single ally within 30 feet 
  of its findings as a swift action, granting that ally 
  the same bonus. This bonus cannot be granted to more 
  than one creature, even if a fukujin attempts to point out a 
  weakness to another.
  * See Ultimate Magic.
  Spiritual guardians of ornamental shrubs and 
  miniature trees, fukujin are highly regarded among 
  Tians as bringers of good fortune and sound 
  wisdom. Fukujins are thought to only come to 
  goodhearted and devoted bonsai gardeners, 
  and since bonsai plants are often only cultivated 
  by astute and aesthetically minded humanoids, the 
  kami are usually of a similar nature, speaking to mortals 
  rarely and always cryptically. Regardless of how much of 
  their coveted knowledge they impart upon favored mortals, 
  however, fukujins always bring with them a sense of hope 
  and good luck, and almost all within close proximity of the 
  kami feel an instant sense of relief.
  Fukujins resemble humanoids with tree branches 
  protruding from their bodies, most often 
  their heads, and some fukujins possess 
  leafy hair or treelike limbs. A fukujin in 
  its physical form is only as tall as its bonsai 
  ward—usually only a foot or two—and weighs 
  less than 30 pounds.
  kaMi, Fukujin
  This diminutive humanoid looks like a truly ancient but proud 
  old warrior. A tiny tree branch juts from the top of his head.
  Fukujin 
  CR 3
  XP 800
  LN Tiny outsider (kami, native)
  Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +12
  Aura aura of luck (15 ft.)
  DEFENSE
  AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 12 (+3 Dex, +2 size)
  hp 30 (4d10+8); fast healing 3
  Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +7
  DR 5/cold iron or evil; Immune bleed, mind-affecting effects, 
  petrification, polymorph; Resist acid 10, electricity 10, fire 10
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee short sword +7 (1d3+1/19–20)
  Special Attacks precise attacks
  
  85
  Bestiary
  eCology
  While many see the art of bonsai gardening as humanoids’ 
  attempts at controlling or forming nature, fukujins reflect 
  the practice’s virtues of patience and nurturing. Fukujins 
  maintain that a moment of patience and study can reveal 
  multitudes more than years of trial and error, and the 
  diminutive beings spread this knowledge wherever they 
  go. While kami do not reproduce in any typical sense, 
  fukujins are known to sow seeds of bonsai plants in the 
  wake of their footsteps, further delighting communities 
  that appreciate such flora. Though assignment of kami 
  remains up to the mysterious will of the gods, fukujins 
  do their part in creating numerous hosts for these spirits.
  The health and strength of the tree branch protruding 
  from a fukujin’s head is often said to be a good indicator 
  of the skill of the warded bonsai tree’s caretaker. While 
  the aesthetic values of bonsai trees are often completely 
  subjective, the kami spirits are evidence that there is 
  perhaps a series of core doctrines bonsai farmers should 
  adhere to when taking care of their plants—ideals that 
  a gardener can strive toward to ensure he achieves 
  success in his maintenance of the small tree. A poorly 
  trimmed bonsai plant may sicken the spirit for a time, for 
  instance, while expert grafting can result in a strong or 
  knowledgeable kami. In most cases, however, a kami will 
  almost always leave its ward if a bonsai gardener neglects 
  the plant long enough or effectively ruins the effort, for 
  though fukujins are patient, they have little tolerance for 
  the virtues of negligence and wastefulness.
  While nearly all fukujins are calm, collected, and 
  patient spirits, the beings are by no means all the same, 
  as their physical appearances, predispositions, and 
  demeanors are just as often reflections of the particular 
  bonsai plant that they watch over. Fukujins who reside 
  within the hearts of deciduous trees, for example, tend 
  to be of lighter color as well as more airy and spirited 
  than the hardy and resilient fukujins of coniferous 
  shrubs, who take on a red, earthy hue. Plant type can 
  also hint at particular magical qualities the spirit might 
  have—white-trunked trees tend to attract gaunter, more 
  fatalistic individuals, while plants with brown or ebon 
  bark inspire kami that are more attuned to the energies 
  and mysteries of magic. The tree branch that sticks out of 
  a fukujin’s head while the spirit is in its physical form is 
  often of the same variety as the bonsai tree that the kami 
  protects, though exceptions have been known to exist 
  among particularly dual-natured spirits.
  HaBitat & soCiety
  Since their wards are by nature the direct result of 
  humanoid intervention, fukujins are naturally social 
  creatures, and most seek to assist their humanoid 
  partners in not only cultivating beautiful plants, but 
  in all spheres of life. Many bonsai gardeners are often 
  content to live in a permanent home, establish a family, 
  and live a life of tranquility, and fukujins happily provide 
  all manner of advice regarding these domestic issues. 
  In other instances, however, fukujins have been known 
  to travel alongside particularly adventurous cultivators, 
  humanoids who keep the shrubbery and kami spirit in 
  safe and comfortable packs or pouches and consult them 
  for wisdom in circumstances both dire and unusual. 
  The miniature kami’s insights and good luck prove as 
  useful in the heat of battle as in the hearthstone, and so 
  humanoids from nearly all walks of life seek the favor of 
  these beings.
  Bonsai trees are delicate plants and their kami reflect 
  this fragility. What they lack in physical defenses, 
  however, fukujins make up for in grace and keen insight, 
  using their natural acumen to avoid and deter hazards 
  before they’re even encountered. Some might mistakenly 
  see this expert passiveness as a manifestation of fukujins’ 
  philanthropic ideals and good intentions, but more often 
  than not their flightiness is simply what they deem to be 
  the wisest course of action. In situations where violence 
  is inevitable, fukujins seek the aid of stronger individuals 
  to help protect them, true to the tradition of their wards’ 
  reliance on humanoid intervention and maintenance. 
  Rather than view this reliance on humanoids as a 
  weakness, however, most fukujins accept it as part of a 
  long-lasting transaction between the two forces, each 
  providing unique benefits to the other throughout 
  the relationship. To bolster this partnership, fukujins 
  harness healing powers as well as the strength of their 
  insight, ensuring that their caretakers remain healthy 
  and able to protect the kami and their wards.
  While they almost always possess pertinent and useful 
  advice, fukujins are known for being reserved under 
  most circumstances, sharing what knowledge they have 
  only when it is absolutely necessary, and they never 
  share wisdom superfluously. Fukujins are normally 
  individualistic and solitary like the plants they watch 
  over, and when they interact with one another they 
  usually do so telepathically. What people often perceive 
  as the luck of fukujins is often merely the result of wise 
  advice garnered from the spirits, though when asked 
  if the kami really are bringers of fortune, fukujins are 
  known to remain even more tight-lipped than usual.
  Occasionally one might encounter a fukujin in the 
  wild, in lands far from the societies and plants where 
  they commonly make their homes. In such cases, these 
  miniature kami often claim shrubs, young plants, and 
  even whimiscal-looking mushrooms as their wards, 
  grooming nearby groves and glades into quiet meditation 
  gardens or into artistic shapes, inviting visitors to rest 
  and reflect.
  
  86
  storm clouds as its ward. This storm is about 1 mile in 
  diameter, and a kaminari can observe the world from 
  any point within its storm ward, whether merged with it 
  or in its physical form. A kaminari can only control the 
  movement of its ward to a minimal extent, willing it to 
  remain in one place or move in a cardinal direction for up 
  to 2d4 hours every day. After this time, the ward continues 
  on its natural course for 24 hours, after which the kaminari 
  may will it to remain stationary again. When a kaminari is 
  in its physical form and within its ward or within 120 feet of 
  its ward’s boundaries, it gains the power to call down bolts 
  of lightning. The kaminari can call up to a total of 15 bolts 
  of lightning each day, each of which deals 5d10 points of 
  electricity damage. This ability is otherwise identical to call 
  lightning storm.
  Vulnerable to Silence (Su) A kaminari constantly surrounds 
  itself with sound and music, and can’t stand any form 
  of silence. Whenever a kaminari is affected by a silence 
  spell or effect or is rendered deaf by any means, it loses 
  its cacophonous blow ability and its fast healing for the 
  duration of the effect. But because a kaminari possesses 
  incredible resilience to such effects, any silence or 
  deafening effect lasts only 2d4 rounds or as long as the 
  effect’s duration states, whichever is shorter.
  * See the Advanced Player’s Guide.
  Kaminaris are robust spirits of enormous size that watch 
  over the balance of weather, taking the form of violent 
  storms wherever they go. More monstrous-looking 
  and boisterous than most kami, kaminaris are often 
  mistaken for oni upon first glance, their unpredictable 
  natures furthering the confusion. Kaminaris care little 
  for most mortals, primarily concerning themselves 
  with the maintenance and protection of their wards—
  enormous storm clouds that represent the awesome 
  power of thunder and lightning. In addition to their 
  duties guarding their storm wards and the balance of 
  weather, kaminaris are endlessly fascinated with musical 
  instruments, particularly drums.
  Kaminaris have vibrant skin and equally colorful 
  features; the specific hues vary from kaminari to 
  kaminari. A kaminari stands roughly 25 feet tall and 
  weighs about 10 tons.
  eCology
  Though a kaminari commands the awe-inspiring powers 
  of lightning and thunder as though they were simply 
  extensions of itself, the kami of storms have limited power 
  over their wards. As dictated by the obscure and convoluted 
  Laws of Golden Perfection, a kaminari has only limited ability 
  to will its ward to travel in any particular direction or halt 
  its movement for a modest amount of time per day. Thus 
  it is often merely a passenger upon the clouds of a storm. 
  kaMi, kaMinari
  This enormous humanoid possesses vibrant green skin and 
  equally loud hair, and is surrounded by a ring of huge drums 
  and storm clouds.
  Kaminari 
  CR 17
  XP 102,400
  CN Huge outsider (air, kami, native)
  Init +9; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +29
  DEFENSE
  AC 32, touch 13, flat-footed 27 (+5 Dex, +19 natural, –2 size)
  hp 264 (23d10+138); fast healing 15
  Fort +19, Ref +12, Will +18
  DR 15/cold iron; Immune bleed, electricity, mind-affecting 
  effects, petrification, polymorph, sonic; Resist acid 10, 
  fire 10; SR 28
  Weaknesses vulnerable to silence
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (perfect)
  Melee 2 slams +30 (2d8+9 plus cacophonous blow)
  Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
  Special Attacks trample (2d8+13 plus cacophonous blow, DC 30)
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th; concentration +27)
  At will—invisibility (self only), shatter (DC 19), sound burst 
  (DC 19)
  3/day—control weather, deafening song bolt*, discordant 
  blast*, greater dispel magic, mass cacophonous call* (DC 22)
  1/day—empowered chain lightning (DC 23), greater shout 
  (DC 25), storm of vengeance (DC 26)
  STATISTICS
  Str 28, Dex 21, Con 22, Int 16, Wis 17, Cha 25
  Base Atk +23; CMB +34; CMD 49
  Feats Blind-Fight, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Empower 
  Spell-Like Ability (chain lightning), Great Cleave, Improved 
  Initiative, Improved Vital Strike, Iron Will, Power Attack, 
  Stand Still, Trample, Vital Strike
  Skills Bluff +33, Diplomacy +33, Fly +35, Intimidate +33, 
  Knowledge (nature) +29, Knowledge (planes) +29, Perception 
  +29, Perform (percussion) +30, Sense Motive +29
  Languages Auran, Common; telepathy 100 ft.
  SQ merge with ward, storm ward
  ECOLOGY
  Environment temperate skies, hills, and mountains
  Organization solitary, duet, or symphony (3–5)
  Treasure standard
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Cacophonous Blow (Su) Whenever a kaminari deals damage 
  with a slam or trample attack, it also deals 11d6 points of 
  sonic damage. In addition, a creature struck with this ability 
  is rendered permanently deaf. A creature that makes a 
  successful DC 27 Reflex save takes half damage and avoids 
  the deafening effect. The save DC is Constitution-based. 
  Storm Ward (Su) A kaminari treats a specific mass of transient 
  
  87
  Bestiary
  Though most storms collect and dissipate with some 
  frequency, a kami-inhabited storm is more permanent than 
  most weather patterns, and as long as both the kami and its 
  ward are neither destroyed nor corrupted, the storm could 
  exist for a potentially infinite amount of time.
  Kaminaris despise the use of magic to alter weather 
  patterns, and attempts to disrupt their storm clouds 
  often result in the enormous kami’s unabashed and 
  wrathful ire. A kaminari is as volatile as the storm it 
  protects, and the powerful spirit is quick 
  to exterminate any creature—mortal 
  or otherwise—it deems a threat 
  to the natural balance of weather. 
  Whether an evil sorcerer is trying 
  to bring devastation to a seaside town 
  by calling forth powerful hurricanes 
  or a benevolent wizard is summoning 
  rain to save a desert city in the midst of 
  a natural drought, if such manipulation 
  comes to the attention of the watchful 
  and wandering kaminaris, they find 
  little forgiveness. This is not to suggest 
  that the kami of storms are evil—their 
  threshold for nuisances is simply lower 
  than most kami, and their punishments 
  more destructive.
  HaBitat & soCiety
  Floating thousands of feet above most 
  civilizations, kaminaris are usually isolated 
  from other creatures, and this suits the 
  reclusive kami just fine. A kaminari does not 
  interfere with the matters of mortals beyond the natural 
  destruction caused by its storm clouds, and only aides 
  such diminutive creatures when the task would be 
  required of it because of some stricture of the Laws 
  of Golden Perfection. Once a kaminari has fulfilled its 
  required duty, it is only too happy to continue on its way, 
  where it can remain uninterrupted as it creates its music 
  and fills the air around it with thunder and lightning. 
  A kaminari is as devoted to its ward as it is to the 
  practice of music, and the intensity of the storm it sits 
  upon usually corresponds to the amount of aggression 
  with which it plays its instrument. While it rarely cares 
  to interact with mortals, tending first and foremost to its 
  ward, a kaminari may entertain the idea of interacting 
  with a fellow virtuoso. Kaminaris thus have a great 
  affection for bards who practice an instrument, and 
  will occasionally interrupt their diligent guardianship 
  of their storm if doing so allows them the opportunity 
  to play with a skillful accompanist. Amateurs need not 
  apply, as the immortal kaminaris are often among the 
  best players of their instruments, commanding powers 
  of music so stirring that even the most talented bard 
  might have trouble keeping up.
  A kaminari goes to great lengths to surround itself with 
  booming noise, and is rarely seen without its instrument 
  of choice. While most kaminaris prefer to use drums 
  and other percussion instruments to fill the air around 
  them with sound, rare individuals also adhere to the use 
  of keyboard, string, and wind instruments. The powers of 
  these kaminaris do not greatly differ, but their choice of 
  instrument is usually a fair indicator of their temperament 
  as well as the kind of storm they travel upon—those who 
  play keyboards are usually found amid desert-quenching 
  storms that wander arid environments, bringing with 
  them the power of tornadoes and dust storms; players of 
  string instruments tend toward oceanic environs, residing 
  within the hearts of devastating hurricanes of incredible 
  magnitude far out at sea; and kaminaris who use wind 
  instruments occupy blizzards, commanding the powers 
  of the ice and snow that constantly whip about them.
  
  88
  which a creature fails its saving throw, it is pushed back 
  an additional 5 feet. This effect also extinguishes any 
  normal fires within the line of effect, as well as magical 
  fires, which are dispelled as though by greater dispel 
  magic. A suijin can choose to have its breath weapon deal 
  nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage before using 
  this ability.
  Whitewater Barrier (Su) Three times per day as a standard 
  action, a suijin can create a wall of turbulent water. A 
  suijin can make this barrier however long it wishes, up to a 
  maximum length of 180 feet, and the wall is 20 feet tall. A 
  whitewater barrier acts as a sheet of stormy water, and any 
  Large or smaller creature that attempts to pass through 
  the barrier must succeed at a DC 26 Swim check or be 
  rushed to the top of the wave and pushed back to the 
  side it started on, taking fall damage as appropriate. It is 
  possible to create cylindrical or square whitewater barriers 
  to enclose specific points. This effect acts like wind wall 
  in regard to how ranged missiles, breath weapons, gases, 
  and creatures in gaseous form interact with it. The Swim 
  DC is Constitution-based.
  * See the Advanced Player’s Guide.
  Suijins are the kami of lakes, ponds, springs, and wells. 
  When they are not merged with their wards, these spirits 
  of nature resemble giant carp or sea serpents, usually 
  beautiful specimens with rainbow scales. While they are 
  as benevolent and well meaning as all other kami, suijins 
  are often mistaken for beasts of the waters they inhabit, 
  and are thus feared by superstitious or simple-minded 
  creatures. Those who encounter suijins know better than 
  to believe such unfounded fears, however, as the kami 
  often only emerge from their wards in order to protect 
  innocent creatures in trouble near its waters. Considered 
  reclusive even by other kami, a suijin usually tries to 
  protect creatures within its wards by covert means if at 
  all possible, slowing the flow of its waters’ currents or 
  pushing struggling creatures to shore via magic. Suijins 
  are infinitely patient, and though most enjoy helping 
  creatures, those in more remote regions are just as 
  content to simply exist among their waters, protecting 
  their wards from those who would seek to defile them. 
  The general attitude among most suijins is often one 
  of simple acceptance of things as they are, based on the 
  belief that all things are fluid and subject to change; 
  even the largest lakes are bound to recede or expand, and 
  even the most eternal kami are not entirely permanent, a 
  point proven by the vicious oni.
  In its true form, a typical suijin is 15 feet long and 
  weighs about 1,200 pounds, though numerous rumors 
  suggest that lesser and greater suijins do exist in some 
  parts of the world, typically residing in bodies of water 
  that are proportionate to the kami’s size and power.
  kaMi, suijin
  This massive, serpentine carp explodes forth from the water, its 
  rainbow-colored scales gleaming in the sunlight and glossy eyes 
  bright with good-natured intelligence.
  Suijin 
  CR 14
  XP 38,400
  N Large outsider (kami, native, water)
  Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +27
  DEFENSE
  AC 30, touch 12, flat-footed 27 (+2 Dex, +1 dodge, +18 natural, 
  –1 size)
  hp 207 (18d10+108); fast healing 7
  Fort +17, Ref +15, Will +12
  DR 10/cold iron and evil; Immune bleed, mind-affecting 
  effects, petrification, polymorph effects; Resist acid 10, 
  electricity 10, fire 10; SR 25
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (perfect), swim 60 ft.
  Melee bite +24 (2d8+7/19–20), tail slap +19 (1d8+3 plus grab)
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. (15 ft. with bite)
  Special Attacks breath weapon (80-ft. line, 9d6 bludgeoning 
  damage plus push, Reflex DC 25 for half, usable every 1d4 
  rounds), constrict (1d8+3), whitewater barrier
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 18th; concentration +22)
  Constant—freedom of movement, speak with animals
  At will—control water, create water, greater dispel magic, 
  modify memory (DC 18), slipstream*
  3/day—aqueous orb* (DC 17), quickened telekinesis (DC 19)
  1/day—break enchantment
  STATISTICS
  Str 24, Dex 15, Con 23, Int 18, Wis 22, Cha 19
  Base Atk +18; CMB +26 (+30 grapple); CMD 39
  Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Flyby Attack, Improved 
  Critical (bite), Improved Lightning Reflexes, Lightning 
  Reflexes, Mobility, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (telekinesis), 
  Stand Still
  Skills Bluff +25, Diplomacy +22, Fly +29, Handle Animal +25, 
  Intimidate +22, Knowledge (nature) +25, Perception +27, 
  Sense Motive +27, Survival +27, Swim +36
  Languages Aquan, Common; speak with animals, telepathy 
  100 ft.
  SQ merge with ward, ward (small body of water)
  ECOLOGY
  Environment any water
  Organization solitary
  Treasure standard
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Breath Weapon (Su) When a suijin uses its breath weapon, 
  it unleashes a pressurized blast of water that knocks over 
  and soaks everything in its line of effect. Any creature 
  that is struck by the blast and fails its saving throw is 
  pushed back 10 feet as though bull rushed. For every 5 by 
  
  89
  Bestiary
  eCology
  A suijin’s particular ward is usually a good indicator 
  of its temperament. A suijin residing in a secluded and 
  placid mountain lake is often more calm and forgiving 
  of trespasses than one dwelling in the heart of a 
  turbulent river, and though all suijins typically mean 
  well, those with more tumultuous wards are generally 
  less tolerant of intruders within their domains. For 
  instance, a suijin protecting a natural whirlpool within 
  a larger body of water may not help a passing boat of 
  traders that happens to start sinking into its depths, 
  viewing the ship as a disturbance to the forces of nature. 
  Those suijins who are used to seeing their waterways 
  casually abused by the forces of civilization—as almost 
  all cities in some way impose upon or corrupt the rivers 
  and streams that f low near them, and even farming 
  communities may pollute with manure and runoff—
  can be much more hard-hearted. 
  Suijins in isolated areas care far less about the mortal 
  world than those who interact with it on a daily basis, 
  so the attitude of a suijin dwelling within a mountain 
  stream is often far different than that of one residing in 
  a regularly visited pond. Travelers can earn the approval 
  of a suijin by placing minerals or gemstones within its 
  ward, and those who pollute the waters or use it for evil 
  (such as by executing innocents via drowning) are quick 
  to encounter a normally calm suijin’s fearsome wrath. 
  Unusual f loods and droughts are both signs of a suijin’s 
  displeasure with a nearby development’s effects on the 
  surrounding waters, and wary villagers are careful to 
  appease a suijin and change their destructive ways, lest 
  they feel the full brunt of the powerful water kami’s 
  righteous wrath.
  Those suijins who continually fail to protect their 
  waters from troublesome residents or visitors are often 
  quick to fall out of favor with their kindred, and the 
  wards of these kami often become treacherous during 
  the time in which a corrupted suijin makes its gradual 
  transition toward becoming an oni. 
  HaBitat & soCiety
  A suijin can occupy virtually any body of 
  water, whether it be a stream up to several 
  dozen miles long or a lake no more than a 
  single mile in diameter. A particularly social 
  suijin might choose to occupy the aqueduct of 
  an urban development if the inhabitants are 
  especially conscious of their impact on the 
  surrounding environs, and such settlements 
  recognize and appreciate the 
  blessing of the benevolent 
  resident, as a suijin cleans and 
  purifies the waters it inhabits.
  Suijins are solitary kami, and rarely go out of their way 
  to band with others of their kind, preferring instead to 
  protect isolated bodies of water. This form of aloofness 
  isn’t out of fear of or apathy for other kami; instead, 
  suijins merely adhere to a loosely established territorial 
  pact, knowing that their powers are more valuable when 
  spread throughout regions, rather than concentrated 
  on particular bodies of water. When suijins do interact 
  with one another, they do so at points where two bodies 
  of water meet, such as estuaries and deltas. If two 
  connecting bodies of water are especially healthy and 
  the suijins residing in them are entirely undisturbed 
  by forces of corruption, it is said that the water kami 
  celebrate nature in a sort of bonding ritual. The rare 
  event can be seen as motes of blue and green light 
  whirling in the shallows of the adjoining water, and 
  scholars speculate that this event may symbolize the 
  creation of a new suijin.
  
  90
  and bloodshed. The sensation of hot blood splattering 
  on a ja noi’s skin provokes an adrenaline rush that only 
  fuels its lust for the kill. Its broad, tightly muscled 
  physique and prowess in combat inspire awe within 
  typical hobgoblins, who see the ja noi as a leader who 
  ensures victory in their conquests.
  Towering over the hobgoblins it resembles, a ja noi 
  stands a little over 6 feet tall and weighs about 220 pounds.
  eCology
  All oni believe the Material Plane’s inhabitants fail to 
  take advantage of the wealth of sensations they have at 
  their disposal. While most of these evil spirits inhabit 
  shells and rise to power by working behind the scenes—
  manipulating others into doing most of their foul 
  deeds for them—ja noi take a more direct approach, 
  conquering and slaughtering any who would stand 
  against them and their armies. Ja noi embrace the carnal 
  joys of slaughter, and no situation is more pleasant to 
  a ja noi than the heat of combat upon a war-ravaged 
  battlefield. These hardened oni often recognize the 
  inevitable outcome of their warlike tendencies, knowing 
  that death could always be just around the corner; this 
  knowledge, however, only further stimulates their greed 
  for sensation, inspiring them to embrace every fight, as 
  they know it could be their last. A ja noi silences its mind 
  and ignores everything else while on the battlefield, 
  reveling in the current moment and the sensations of 
  combat: the crunch of bones beneath a worn club, the 
  spray of dying foes’ blood, and the scattered guts and 
  heads of fallen brawlers.
  Like other oni, ja noi possess the ability to change 
  shape, and often use this ability to confuse enemies in 
  the midst of battle, altering their appearances to look 
  like allies, only to bash in an unsuspecting foe’s head 
  before the victim knows what’s happened. This brutish 
  trickery is usually the extent of a ja noi’s guile, however, 
  as the hobgoblin oni are hardly known for their cunning. 
  Even in regard to tactics, ja noi usually implement 
  only the basest plans of action, simply relying on their 
  weaker minions to take the brunt of an opposing army’s 
  blow while they target the commanders, always seeking 
  the most worthy challenger and forever striving for 
  that feeling that comes just as one is fighting for one’s 
  life. The most powerful ja noi are exceptions to this 
  rule, however, and tales tell of expert ja noi leaders who 
  excel in both physical prowess and tactical wit. These 
  commanders quickly reach the status of generals, and 
  work alongside other oni to manipulate vast armies of 
  soldiers, both humanoid and goblinoid.
  Once they take physical form, ja noi rarely last more 
  than a couple years on the Material Plane, their deadly 
  lifestyle often a limiting factor in this regard. They either 
  oni, ja noi
  This hunchbacked, fiery-skinned humanoid possesses black 
  eyes beneath the bony ridges of its brow, wears elaborate heavy 
  armor, and wields an ornate metal club.
  Ja Noi 
  CR 5
  XP 1,600
  LE Medium outsider (goblinoid, native, oni, shapechanger)
  Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +10
  DEFENSE
  AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16 (+2 armor, +2 Dex, +4 natural)
  hp 57 (6d10+24); regeneration 3 (acid or fire)
  Fort +9, Ref +7, Will +3
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee mwk tetsubo +11/+6 (1d10+6/�4)
  Ranged longbow +8/+3 (1d8/�3)
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +8)
  3/day—command (DC 13), doom (DC 13), fly, magic weapon
  1/day—bull’s strength
  STATISTICS
  Str 19, Dex 15, Con 18, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 14
  Base Atk +6; CMB +10; CMD 22
  Feats Cleave, Outflank*, Power Attack
  Skills Bluff +11, Disguise +11, Fly +11, Intimidate +11, 
  Perception +10, Sense Motive +10, Stealth +11
  Languages Common, Goblin
  SQ change shape (Small or Medium humanoid, alter self ), 
  serene fighter
  ECOLOGY
  Environment temperate or warm hills
  Organization solitary, patrol (2–4), warband (5–7 plus 8–15 
  hobgoblins), or company (8–12 plus 20–50 hobgoblins, 
  1–2 lieutenants of 4th–5th level, and 1 general of 7th–
  10th level)
  Treasure standard (masterwork leather armor, masterwork 
  tetsubo**, longbow with 20 arrows, other treasure)
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Serene Fighter (Su) A ja noi is extremely disciplined and 
  maintains its focus even in the midst of combat. Once per 
  day as an immediate action, a ja noi may reroll a Will save.
  * See the Advanced Player’s Guide.
  ** See Ultimate Combat.
  A ja noi is an oni spirit that takes the form of a hobgoblin, 
  and differs physically from the hobgoblins in a variety of 
  ways, most notably its unearthly strength and distorted 
  appearance. A ja noi’s skin blazes a fiery red rather than a 
  drab gray, and the oni bears prominent ridges on its brow 
  and forehead.
  Ja noi live to fight. While not as physically powerful 
  as most oni, ja noi nonetheless have an insatiable thirst 
  for combat that drives them to pursue the trials of battle 
  
  91
  Bestiary
  die in battle or at the hands of mutinous troops or allies, 
  minions who realize that they are merely pawns in the 
  game of war that the ja noi is constantly playing. Thus, 
  most of these oni practice their battle skills constantly 
  against one another, their strongest hobgoblin followers, 
  and their adroit adversaries, always fighting and 
  becoming more powerful. While they care little for the 
  arcane, ja noi hone some magical abilities in order to 
  inflict maximum damage on the battlefield, and a few 
  even seek out magical items to bolster their strength.
  HaBitat & soCiety
  Whereas many oni prefer to act alone and 
  in secret, ja noi recognize the concept of 
  strength in numbers, and understand that 
  banding together is often a surer way to 
  glorious victories than lone pursuits. 
  The rare lone ja noi may seek out 
  renowned heroes and martial senseis 
  to challenge in one-on-one combat, 
  but most of these creatures know 
  the best way to demonstrate 
  their prowess is in the midst 
  of the chaotic battlefield 
  in front of other oni, 
  especially 
  fellow 
  ja 
  noi. Often, when ja noi 
  work together to bring 
  carnage to the field 
  of war, they keep 
  track of each other’s 
  kills, ranking one 
  another in terms of 
  strength and skill. An individual who 
  shows cowardice repeatedly or does 
  not prove a useful ally swiftly meets 
  the blade of a supposed comrade, 
  as ja noi have little patience for 
  weak accomplices.
  Ja noi are seen as lowly and 
  primal by other oni, but they 
  possess 
  immense 
  amounts 
  of authority among the lesser 
  hobgoblins around them, and 
  so they surround themselves 
  with these minions, viewing them 
  as useful fodder for the battles to 
  come. During the fight, a ja noi’s amateur 
  hobgoblin warriors combat the masses of 
  the opposing army, allowing the prideful 
  oni to engage the commanders. Having 
  found what they 
  consider an ideal 
  militaristic race, ja noi prefer to use hobgoblins for their 
  war campaigns if possible, though they settle for other 
  soldiers if doing so clearly benefits the oni and they have 
  the mortals’ unquestioning loyalty. More often, a ja noi 
  will employ non-hobgoblin minions to serve as slaves 
  or some other form of chattel, putting them to work 
  crafting armor and weapons or cleaning up during the 
  aftermath of a successful battle.
  In rare cases, more powerful oni ask ja noi to 
  lead armies against particularly stubborn groups of 
  opponents. Ja noi rarely refuse such requests, knowing 
  that much blood will be shed in the ventures—and that 
  denying the requests of stronger oni is a sure path to 
  a quick death. Like all oni, ja noi despise and seek out 
  kami, reveling in the destruction of minor spirits and 
  hunting the more powerful individuals for the sheer 
  challenge of it. Because of the strictures of the Laws 
  of Golden Perfection, ja noi cannot directly 
  slay kami, and so they work to direct their 
  vicious hobgoblin armies to complete the 
  task instead.
  In extremely rare cases, when 
  they have no campaigns to 
  wage and no humanoid 
  enemies to battle, ja noi 
  simply disappear into 
  the wilderness to fight 
  the mightiest creatures 
  they can find. Laying 
  waste 
  to 
  big 
  game 
  such as bulettes and 
  owlbears can distract a ja 
  noi 
  between 
  large-scale 
  battles, but it doesn’t take 
  long before the natural 
  warrior quickly feels the 
  lust 
  for 
  battle 
  surge 
  within it once again. 
  Given too much time 
  between 
  skirmishes, 
  a ja noi might turn its 
  violent attention toward 
  its followers, slaughtering 
  entire hobgoblin tribes out 
  of frustration and madness. 
  Canny hobgoblins in service 
  to a bloodthirsty ja noi 
  are wise to find opposing 
  groups for the oni to battle, 
  that the resulting conflict 
  might temporarily sate the 
  ja 
  noi’s 
  incessant 
  desire for war.
  
  as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions are Your original creation 
  and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License.
  6. Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion 
  of this License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game 
  Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the 
  copyright date, and the copyright holder’s name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any 
  original Open Game Content you Distribute.
  7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an 
  indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent 
  Agreement with the owner of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate 
  compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction 
  with a work containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, 
  independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. The 
  use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the 
  ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open Game 
  Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity.
  8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which 
  portions of the work that you are distributing are Open Game Content.
  9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions 
  of this License. You may use any authorized version of this License to copy, modify and 
  distribute any Open Game Content originally distributed under any version of this License.
  10. Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of 
  the Open Game Content You distribute.
  11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game 
  Content using the name of any Contributor unless You have written permission from 
  the Contributor to do so.
  12. Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this 
  License with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, 
  or governmental regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected.
  13. Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with 
  all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the 
  breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termination of this License.
  14. Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such 
  provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable.
  15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
  Open Game License v 1.0a © 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
  System Reference Document © 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc; Authors: Jonathan 
  Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
  Pathfinder Adventure Path #52: Forest of Spirits © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: 
  Richard Pett.
  OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
  The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 
  Wizards of the Coast, Inc (“Wizards”). All Rights Reserved.
  1. Definitions: (a) “Contributors” means the copyright and/or trademark owners who 
  have contributed Open Game Content; (b) “Derivative Material” means copyrighted 
  material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer 
  languages), 
  potation, 
  modification, 
  correction, 
  addition, 
  extension, 
  upgrade, 
  improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be 
  recast, transformed or adapted; (c) “Distribute” means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, 
  sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d) “Open Game Content” 
  means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines 
  to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement 
  over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content 
  by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations 
  and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity. (e) 
  “Product Identity” means product and product line names, logos and identifying marks 
  including trade dress; artifacts, creatures, characters, stories, storylines, plots, thematic 
  elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, 
  formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio 
  representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, 
  teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, 
  equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; 
  and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product identity by 
  the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; 
  (f) “Trademark” means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a 
  Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated products contributed to 
  the Open Game License by the Contributor (g) “Use”, “Used” or “Using” means to use, 
  Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of 
  Open Game Content. (h) “You” or “Your” means the licensee in terms of this agreement.
  2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice 
  indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this 
  License. You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms 
  may be added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. 
  No other terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed 
  using this License.
  3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your 
  acceptance of the terms of this License.
  4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the 
  Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with 
  the exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content.
  5. Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material 
  Tide of Honor
  by Tito Leati
  The seemingly endless journey across Golarion’s most 
  merciless wildernesses and through the territories of 
  fierce and ancient beings finally comes to an end as the 
  heroes reach the wondrous nation of Minkai. But here 
  new challenges and unspeakable dangers arise—the 
  heroes must confront not only the ancient mysteries and 
  traditions of the unfamiliar land, but also the minions of 
  the ferocious Five Storms, who have subjugated the empire 
  and once again stalk the PCs’ steps. Only by winning the 
  trust of Minkai’s people and liberating the prisoners 
  of the oni warlords do the heroes stand any chance of 
  rallying the people of this mystical land and striking back 
  against the Five Storms.
  Minkai GazeTTeer
  Discover the ancient realm of Minkai, a land of mysteries 
  and legends held within the grip of the infamous Jade 
  Regent. Learn of the brave people, magnificent cities, 
  and sites of wonder and adventure that permeate a realm of 
  legend forced to the brink of war. 
  irori
  Discover the philosophies and wisdom of Irori, god of 
  knowledge, history, and self-perfection. From hidden 
  monasteries and library vaults, his initiates seek to perfect 
  their bodies and minds, striving for understanding of 
  their place in existence. Learn the ways of these scholars of 
  mind and body and journey the path of perfect knowledge.
  and More!
  Proof that even powerful gangsters aren’t safe from ninja 
  attacks, in the next installment of Dave Gross’s newest 
  entry into the Pathfinder’s Journal. Also, deadly creatures 
  of Tian Xia rampage through the Pathfinder Bestiary.
  SubScribe To PaTHfinder advenTure PaTH!
  The Jade Regent Adventure Path continues! Don’t miss 
  a single volume—venture over to paizo.com/pathfinder 
  and subscribe today to have each Pathfinder Adventure 
  Path, Pathfinder Campaign Setting, Pathfinder Player 
  Companion, Pathfinder Module, and GameMastery 
  product delivered to your door! Also, download the free 
  Jade Regent Player’s Guide, available now!
  92
  Next MoNth
  
  Across the mystical lands of Tian Xia 
  there are places where the borders 
  between the world of mortals and 
  the realms of spirits have worn thin. 
  Among the greatest evidence of this 
  closeness between words is not a site, 
  but rather a people: those capricious 
  beings known as kitsune. Although 
  living creatures, the foxlike kitsune 
  are a race of legend and mystery, 
  and they have walked among the 
  other humanoid races of Tian Xia for 
  generations. Yet despite their long 
  history on Golarion, the eldest of their 
  kind hint at a shared insight into the 
  truths of life and reality that no mortal 
  should know. 
  The spirits of ancestors, the land, 
  and the cosmos pervade all things, 
  and blessed are those mortals who 
  recognize and protect these sacred 
  places where such beings congregate 
  and make their homes. Many of these 
  sacred objects are indistinguishable to 
  the untrained eye, and a wise traveler 
  thinks carefully before disturbing even 
  the most mundane stone or cutting 
  down a tree, as it may be more than 
  it seems. All across Minkai, braided 
  straw ropes called shimenawa encircle 
  specific trees, rocks, shrines, and other 
  blessed sites, either to ward off evil or 
  to indicate that a kami resides within 
  the sacred feature. 
  Torn between Worlds
  Homes to the Spirits
  
  A
  fter surviving one deadly wilderness, the heroes emerge into 
  another—a land of ancient mysteries and sacred secrets known 
  as the Forest of Spirits. But the forest knows how to defend 
  itself from strangers, and its powerful and aloof guardians, the kami, 
  brook no harm to their eldritch home. Those who would defy the spirits of the 
  land have little hope of survival. Yet those who prove themselves friends to this 
  mystical realm and its strange inhabitants stand to gain not just great allies, but also 
  knowledge of a secret evil that has long festered in the forest’s heart and now poisons 
  all of Tian Xia. 
  This volume of Pathfinder Adventure Path includes:
  •	 “Forest of Spirits,” a Pathfinder RPG adventure for 10th-level characters, by 
  Richard Pett.
  •	 An investigation of the mysterious creatures known as kami, honored defenders 
  of the land and nature, by Mike Shel.
  •	 Insights into the ways and deadly techniques of the ninja clans of Minkai, by 
  Jesse Benner.
  •	 Deadly guardian geisha and a journey into one of Oda’s seedier gambling houses 
  in the Pathfinder’s Journal, by Dave Gross. 
  •	 Five new monsters, by Patrick Renie, Steve Russell, and Mike Welham.
  Keepers of the Forest
  Printed in China. PZO9052
  paizo.com/pathfinder
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Pathfinder/1st Edition/Adventure Paths/PF049-054 - Jade Regent/Jade Regent - 04 - Forest of Spirits.pdf