TEXT: The Empty
  Throne
  By Neil Spicer
  
  Even	more	so	than	the	chromatic	and	
  metallic dragons familiar to the people 
  of the Inner Sea region, the imperial 
  dragons	of	the	Dragon	Empires	cleave	
  to philosophies and agendas distinct 
  to each serpentine breed. Not wholly 
  allied with the forces of good or evil, 
  law or chaos, the imperial dragons 
  represent the balance of life, nature, 
  and the cosmos. With draconic 
  representatives embodying cavern 
  and sky, land and sea, these potent 
  forces endlessly dance, attacking 
  and defending, wheeling on and on, 
  as members of their kinds have for 
  countless ages, around an axis of perfect 
  neutrality in endless, savage harmony. 
  Not	all	residents	of	Golarion	are	natives	
  to its reality’s bright and substantial 
  shores. In an age of night, members 
  of a furtive people slipped the borders 
  of shadows and emerged in a realm 
  not	wholly	unlike	their	own.	But	as	
  generations passed, the darkness lifted 
  and the paths between their umbral 
  realm and this brightening land faded 
  with a worldwide dawn. None can 
  say how many of this aloof race were 
  stranded, made victims of a harsh and 
  unrelenting	sun.	Even	today,	ages	later,	
  these castaways cling to the shadows 
  of a world not quite their own, where 
  the	gigantic,	day-stalking	natives	know	
  them as wayangs. 
  Coils of the Dragon
  Denizens of Shadow
  
  The empTy
  Throne
  ADVENTURE PATH • PART 6 of 6
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  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
  Graphic Designer • Andrew Vallas
  Production Specialist • Crystal Frasier
  Cover Artist
  Wayne Reynolds
  Cartographers
  Jared Blando and Rob Lazzaretti
  Contributing Artists
  Noah Bradley, Alberto Dal Lago, Mariusz Gandzel, Sara Otterstätter, Roberto Pitturru,  
  Chris Seaman, Craig J Spearing, Doug Stambaugh, and Kieran Yanner
  Contributing Authors
  Jesse Benner, Frank Carr, Dave Gross, Patrick Renie, Tork Shaw, Neil Spicer, Owen K.C. Stephens, and Michael Tumey
  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
  Campaign Coordinator • Mike Brock
  Special Thanks
  The Paizo Customer Service, Warehouse, and Website Teams
  “The Empty Throne” is a Pathfinder Adventure Path scenario designed for four 13th-level characters.  
   By the end of this adventure, characters should reach 16th 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, Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Combat, and Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Magic. 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 #54: The Empty Throne © 2012, 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. Hide a stone among stones and a man among men.
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  Table of conTenTs
  Foreword 
  4
  The Empty Throne 
  6
  by Neil Spicer
  NPC Gallery 
  50
  by Neil Spicer
  Jade Regent Treasures 
  60
  by Neil Spicer
  Continuing the Campaign 
  62
  by Patrick Renie
  Kasai 
  70
  by Frank Carr and Michael Tumey
  Pathfinder’s Journal: Husks, 6 of 6 
  76
  by Dave Gross
  Bestiary 
  82
  by Jesse Benner, Tork Shaw, and Owen K.C. Stephens
  Preview 
  92
  
  44
  I
  t all comes down to this. With “The Empty Throne,” 
  the destiny not just of the PCs’ friends and allies, but 
  of an entire nation as well, lies in the PCs’ hands. Will 
  they be able to topple the Jade Regent from his stolen 
  throne? Can they restore their companion Ameiko’s 
  birthright? Will their journey of countless miles and 
  through unspeakable dangers be validated at last? Or will 
  it all have been for naught?
  That’s all for the players to worry about. GMs who got 
  this far should be turning their attention to an impending 
  concern: what’s next?
  After all, what do you do at the end of a campaign that’s 
  likely taken months of real-world time and perhaps years 
  of in-game time to complete? Does the final sword stroke 
  fall, the final spell blast clear, and then the credits roll? 
  What’s next for your campaign?
  Well, this time around, GMs have more options than 
  ever. In the past, we’ve tried to leave GMs with plenty of ideas 
  on where their games might go next. The “Continuing the 
  Campaign” series was born from the fact that we always 
  scheduled our highest-level content to go in the final 
  volume of an Adventure Path. The article “Mammon” in 
  Pathfinder Adventure Path #30 was the first time we fired off 
  a wide variety of new items, plots, and villains that might 
  turn into new motivations for a campaign continuing 
  past the pages of the final adventure. Since then, these 
  “Continuing the Campaign” articles have set the stage for 
  revolution in Brevoy, a serpentfolk invasion of the Inner 
  Sea, a vampiric shadow war in Ustalav, and dozens of other 
  plots. With the conclusion of the Jade Regent Adventure 
  Path, GMs will again find a “Continuing the Campaign” 
  article in this volume, but this time around the options 
  for what the PCs might do and where a campaign might 
  go are broader than ever before. In the past, there have 
  been new threats to nations and agitators that might draw 
  out a campaign’s plot, but this time GMs don’t just have a 
  corner of the world to chart the fate of—Jade Regent ends 
  with the PCs at the edge of two continents, the Crown of 
  Ninja vs. Pirates
  
  55
  Foreword
  the World and Tian Xia, practically two new campaign 
  settings’ worth of countries, races, cultures, and creatures 
  to encounter and explore. Page 62 presents an overview of 
  the new lands beyond Minkai, a region larger than even 
  that detailed in the Inner Sea World Guide. To support and 
  fire the imaginations of GMs who might want to take 
  their Jade Regent campaign beyond the borders of Minkai, 
  we’ve thoroughly detailed this land, its peoples, its deities, 
  and more in Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Dragon Empires 
  Gazetteer. GMs of the Jade Regent Adventure Path who want 
  to keep rolling with their campaign should consider that 
  book a gigantic “Continuing the Campaign” article and 
  indulge in the limitless dangers therein. Alternatively, like 
  so many great fantasy and science fiction tales, the PCs’ 
  next great goal might be a simple one: to go home.
  Whatever you as GM decide to do, it’ll be a surprise to 
  us, as in just a few dozen more pages we turn this entire 
  campaign over to you. Will the rise of an untested new 
  empress provoke a warlike nation such as Chu Ye to attack? 
  Could offended powers of the north seek revenge upon 
  those who trod across their icy realm? Might the strange 
  kami of the Dragon Empires draw the PCs into a battle 
  against the powerful oni race? It’s all up to you. Best of luck, 
  and be sure to tell us about it and share your great ideas on 
  the Jade Regent Adventure Path forums at paizo.com.
  But handing over a campaign’s reigns entirely to GMs 
  is only one of two major changes that come about at this 
  point in an Adventure Path’s life. Next month marks 
  the launch of the Skull & Shackles Adventure Path, a 
  campaign full of danger, deceit, and fantastic treasure in 
  the lawless island chains known as the Shackles. For that, 
  I’ll step aside and let this campaign’s infamous architect 
  and lead designer, Rob McCreary, give you a quick preview 
  of what’s in store.
  avasT, me hearTies!
  Did you want to be a pirate when you grew up? Have 
  you longed to sail the briny deeps of Golarion’s oceans? 
  Have you ever wanted to be master of your own ship and 
  commander of a scurvy crew of pirate cutthroats? You’ll 
  get the chance next month, when Pathfinder Adventure 
  Path sets sail for the pirate isles of the Shackles, in the 
  Skull & Shackles Adventure Path!
  The Skull & Shackles Adventure Path gives PCs a 
  chance to play pirates of the Shackles, first as a crew of 
  press-ganged captives on a pirate ship, then as captains 
  of their own ship of buccaneers and freebooters. Expect 
  swashbucklers and mutineers, parrots and monkeys, and 
  eye patches and peg legs, as well as opportunities to follow 
  treasure maps, explore mysterious islands, dig for buried 
  treasure, investigate sunken ships, and of course attack and 
  plunder ships to fill your hold with pirate booty. Along the 
  way, the PCs face rival pirates, haunted ghost ships, deadly 
  underwater menaces, and even the treacherous winds and 
  currents of the Eye of Abendego, as they race through the 
  fringes of the hurricane in the Free Captains’ Regatta.
  As the PCs gather more plunder and infamy, they become 
  true Free Captains of the Shackles, and have the opportunity 
  to acquire new allies and more ships under their flag. They 
  also become embroiled in the politics of the Shackles, 
  dealing with wealthy and powerful pirate lords and the 
  Hurricane King himself. By the end, the PCs need to prove 
  their worth by defending the pirate isles from an invading 
  fleet bent on the destruction of the Shackles and all that the 
  Free Captains hold dear.
  Throughout the Adventure Path, the PCs must track 
  their Plunder and Infamy scores, which detail just how 
  much wealth they have stolen and how much influence 
  they have acquired among the other Free Captains of the 
  Shackles. In addition, we present rules for naval combat, 
  with mechanics for both combat between single ships and 
  clashes between entire fleets.
  Skull & Shackles also features articles detailing 
  Golarion’s oceans and the sea monsters that inhabit them, 
  the mysteries of the Shackles, and the ecology of the cyclops, 
  as well as a gazetteer of Port Peril, the freewheeling and 
  dangerous capital of the Shackles. More articles explore 
  the faiths of Norgorber, Torag, and the Pirate Queen 
  Besmara, goddess of piracy, sea monsters, and strife. As 
  usual, each volume of the Skull & Shackles Adventure Path 
  presents several new monsters that you can add to your 
  own campaign, whether it’s full of swashbuckling corsairs 
  or more traditional heroes.
  So hoist the mainsail and batten down the hatches, 
  because the Skull & Shackles Adventure Path is heaving 
  into view next month!
  on The cover
  On this month’s cover, Ameiko Kaijitsu dons the imperial 
  raiments and ascends to the Jade Throne of Minkai. But 
  is this wardrobe change premature? It’s up to the PCs to 
  determine whether or not Minkai gets a new ruler in this 
  month’s conclusion to the Jade Regent Adventure Path, 
  “The Empty Throne.”
  F. Wesley Schneider
  Managing Editor
  wes@paizo.com
  Rob McCreary
  Developer
  rob@paizo.com
  
  6
  AdvAncement trAck
  PArt One: the ImPerIAl cIty
  Entering Kasai ahead of the advancing rebel army, the PCs must win 
  the hearts and minds of Minkai’s people while avoiding capture at the 
  hands of the Jade Regent’s inquisitors.
  PAge 8
  PArt twO: hOnOrIng the PAst
  The PCs and Ameiko travel to the mysterious island called the 
  Imperial Shrine to receive the blessings of Minkai’s past emperors, but 
  the PCs must first face the incarnations of Minkai’s most evil rulers.
  PAge 14
  PArt three: hOnOrIng the Future
  As their army engages the usurper’s forces outside the city, the PCs 
  must enter the Imperial Palace to confront the Jade Regent and 
  Anamurumon, leader of the Five Storms, and place Ameiko on the 
  Jade Throne of Minkai.
  PAge 33
  the emPty thrOne
  “Tide of Honor”  
  uses the medium XP track. 
  The PCs should be 16th level 
  by the adventure’s end.
  The PCs begin this 
  adventure at 13th level.
  13
  By the time they leave 
  the Well of Demons 
  and the Imperial Shrine, the 
  PCs should be 14th level.
  The PCs should be 
  15th level before the 
  final showdown with the Jade 
  Regent and his allies.
  14
  15
  
  7
  The empTy Throne
  Adventure BAckgrOund
  Minkai has had its fair share of dark times that have left 
  their stains on the empire’s long, proud history. But one 
  period in particular was darker than most. An age of 
  fear, blood, and steel—a time when a single charismatic 
  warlord named Anamurumon rose to power among the 
  bandits of the Minkai countryside and terrorized the 
  entire nation. In direct defiance of the emperor and the 
  will of the gods, Anamurumon foolishly sought what his 
  lowly birthright denied him—the very seat of power in 
  Minkai, the Jade Throne.
  Anamurumon’s rise came about during the reign 
  of Emperor Shojinawa Kenshiro. The warlord’s forces 
  raided and burned several cities, abducted and ransomed 
  important diplomats, and slew many of the emperor’s 
  best samurai. At the height of his power, Anamurumon 
  had seized the largest farms and threatened every trade 
  route around the imperial capital of Kasai, all in an 
  effort to starve the capital and force Emperor Kenshiro’s 
  capitulation. In 4247 ar (6747 by the Tian Imperial 
  Calendar), Anamurumon managed to draw out the emperor 
  and strike a mortal blow against him on the battlefield. 
  But the warlord was unable to claim his stolen throne, 
  for Anamurumon had underestimated the power and 
  favor invested in the imperial families by the gods. With 
  his dying breath, Kenshiro called upon the power of the 
  Shojinawa Seal, one of the five Imperial Seals that symbolized 
  the goddess Shizuru’s blessing and the imperial families’ 
  divine mandate to rule Minkai. Anamurumon was struck 
  down and fell victim to a terrible curse. With their leader 
  rendered impotent, Anamurumon’s forces were routed 
  by the emperor’s reinforcements, thereby preserving the 
  empire even as Kenshiro passed away.
  Anamurumon’s soul was ripped from his body and cast 
  into the void, a disembodied spirit cursed to wander the 
  Great Beyond for eternity. Seething with jealousy and 
  rage, Anamurumon’s spirit appealed to Fumeiyoshi, god 
  of dishonor and envy and patron of the oni. Ever jealous of 
  Shizuru and those blessed with her favor, Fumeiyoshi heard 
  Anamurumon’s plea and answered the former warlord’s 
  prayers by returning him to the Material Plane as a wind 
  yai oni. But Fumeiyoshi’s gift proved to be a curse as well 
  as a boon, for as an oni, Anamurumon was now bound by 
  the Laws of Golden Perfection—the complex compendium of 
  rules put in place by the gods that prevents the oni from 
  taking direct action to seize control of the mortal world 
  and rule over mankind. And though his new oni form 
  was much more powerful than his previous human body, 
  that very form now forever prevented Anamurumon from 
  claiming the Jade Throne he so craved.
  In addition, when he manifested in his new form on the 
  Material Plane, Anamurumon found himself trapped in 
  the House of Withered Blossoms in the Forest of Spirits. 
  This ancient pagoda was both a palace and a prison for 
  the oni inside, a tenuous brotherhood of cruel, corrupted 
  spirits clothed in flesh, who only grudgingly accepted 
  Anamurumon’s arrival in their midst. Anamurumon 
  devoted the next 4 centuries of his unnatural life to 
  maneuvering for power among their ranks and planning 
  an escape from the House of Withered Blossoms, still 
  powerfully driven to strike back at those who defeated 
  him. He established a single identity for those oni who 
  rallied to his cause, thenceforth known as the Five Storms, 
  and slew all who opposed him.
  When the Five Storms finally broke free of their prison 
  in 4651 (7151 ic), Anamurumon directed them to insinuate 
  themselves into every segment of Minkai society. This 
  painstaking process took 50 years of deception, bribery, 
  and blackmail. The kuwa oni found it particularly easy 
  to pass as humans, and many took human wives, gaining 
  access to every industry and faction, making it possible 
  to manipulate Minkai’s economy, politics, and cultural 
  traditions. At the same time, the Five Storms focused their 
  efforts on infiltrating or destroying the five imperial 
  families of Minkai, thus paving the way for the Five 
  Storms’ eventual takeover of the empire.
  Meanwhile, some oni—Anamurumon in particular—
  sought the means to sire half-fiend children and tiefling 
  grandchildren, correctly deeming that oni-blooded 
  tieflings would fall outside the Laws of Golden Perfection, 
  and could thereby further his goal of taking the Jade 
  Throne through subterfuge rather than direct action. 
  The Five Storms took special care to conceal the nature of 
  these children whenever possible, hiding any superficial 
  evidence of their oni heritage behind armored masks, 
  long kimonos, or the face paint of geisha as necessary. 
  The more monstrous offspring were spirited away to serve 
  the Fire Storms more openly. The Five Storms sent many 
  of these more overt half-fiends and tieflings into the 
  wilderness, encouraging and supporting them in forming 
  bands of allied brigands. They then called upon these 
  unconscionable misfits to manufacture external crises 
  to occupy the emperor—a member of the Higashiyama 
  imperial family—while their more hidden members 
  continued the steady infiltration of his inner circle.
  To this end, Anamurumon raised and trained his most 
  promising grandchild, a young boy named Soto Takahiro. 
  The boy’s mother died during childbirth, courtesy of a 
  poisoned cup of medicinal tea arranged by Anamurumon 
  himself to ensure that his grandson would bond only with 
  him. As Takahiro grew up, so too did he grow in power 
  and status, his mind constantly shaped and hardened by 
  Anamurumon to suit the oni’s plans. Eventually, at his 
  grandfather’s urging, Takahiro joined an order of samurai 
  devoted to protecting the Higashiyama clan, and was 
  assigned to protect one of their younger scions, Shigure, 
  
  8
  who Anamurumon planned to elevate to the Jade Throne 
  by arranging the deaths of his elder siblings in the line of 
  succession. When Shigure finally became emperor in 4708 
  (7208 ic), he brought Takahiro with him as his personal 
  bodyguard—all according to Anamurumon’s plan.
  The days of Emperor Higashiyama Shigure proved short-
  lived, however. Just a week later, Takahiro manufactured a 
  ruse with the assistance of the emperor’s closest advisor—a 
  young oracle named Renshii Meida, whom Takahiro had 
  seduced. Takahiro and Meida claimed her divinations had 
  revealed that there would soon be an attempt on Shigure’s 
  life, and convinced the emperor of the truth of these 
  allegations with evidence taken from the assassinations 
  of his predecessors. Rightfully alarmed, Shigure agreed to 
  go into hiding at the Imperial Shrine—a magical island 
  in Kasai Harbor where only those of imperial blood or 
  their chosen guardians can set foot, making it a perfect 
  location for the emperor to hide while others rooted out 
  the assassins.
  Upon taking the emperor to the island, Takahiro 
  further convinced Shigure to give him the Higashiyama 
  Seal and invest him with the regency of Minkai in the 
  emperor’s name, so that Takahiro could serve as temporary 
  ruler in Shigure’s absence. However, as soon as Shigure 
  performed the ceremony to bequeath this power, Takahiro 
  slew the emperor, thus fulfilling Meida’s prophecy, and 
  Takahiro and Meida threw Shigure’s body into the Well of 
  Demons at the island’s heart. Returning to the mainland, 
  Takahiro, now calling himself the Jade Regent, selected 
  his grandfather Anamurumon as an advisor to the throne. 
  Meanwhile, the Five Storms spread stories that the 
  emperor had gone into hiding while the unnamed threat 
  against his life remained.
  Without the divine mandate to rule granted to the five 
  imperial families by Shizuru, the Jade Regent can never 
  become the legitimate emperor of Minkai. But over time, 
  with no true heirs to claim the throne, the Jade Regent 
  will become the de facto emperor, and Minkai will pass 
  irrevocably into the hands of the oni, ushering in a new 
  dark age of terror, blood, and excess.
  But all hope is not yet lost. In the imperial capital of 
  Kasai, people whisper of a lost princess, a daughter of the 
  Amatatsu family and true heir to the Jade Throne, who 
  has returned to Minkai. Rumors of her approach have 
  caused the Jade Regent to withdraw to his palace, jealously 
  guarding the seat of power while his agents actively seek 
  her out. Dragging forth those charged with conspiracy, 
  the Jade Regent’s minions threaten to execute them one 
  by one unless the heir reveals herself. But before she can 
  claim her birthright, the princess must first receive the 
  blessings of the former emperors of Minkai. Only then—
  with her champions by her side—can she finally challenge 
  the Jade Regent and reclaim the empty throne.
  Adventure summAry
  Having gained support for Ameiko’s claim to the Jade 
  Throne from many different factions in Minkai in 
  “Tide of Honor,” the PCs finally turn their attention to 
  infiltrating the imperial capital of Kasai and directly 
  challenging the Jade Regent. The people of Kasai are 
  suffering myriad hardships under the Jade Regent’s rule, 
  and the PCs have an opportunity to intervene in some of 
  these affairs, winning the support of the common people 
  as they try to conceal Ameiko’s identity from the Jade 
  Regent’s inquisitors.
  To obtain the blessings of Minkai’s former emperors and 
  legitimize Ameiko’s claim, the PCs must escort Ameiko to 
  the fabled offshore island known as the Imperial Shrine, 
  an otherworldly place where Minkai’s emperors go to 
  commune with their ancestors for advice. There, they 
  encounter the ghost of Emperor Higashiyama Shigure 
  and learn the full extent of the Jade Regent’s betrayal. 
  But Shigure withholds his approval of Ameiko until the 
  PCs recover his body from the Well of Demons. These 
  horrifying, half-flooded caverns lie steeped in the evil of 
  Minkai’s past, and the PCs must do battle against the dark 
  powers of that domain to fulfill the emperor’s wish.
  Once they’ve secured the blessings of the past emperors, 
  the PCs return to Kasai, ready to confront the Jade Regent 
  in the Imperial Palace. While their allies occupy the bulk 
  of the Jade Regent’s forces outside the city, the PCs must 
  infiltrate the palace and navigate its many traps and 
  defenders, including an honor-bound guardian of the 
  imperial line who possesses powerful artifacts that can 
  aid the PCs in their upcoming showdown with the Jade 
  Regent. Upon finally reaching the throne room, the PCs 
  must battle not only the Jade Regent, but also his closest 
  advisors and the leader of the Five Storms, the wind yai 
  oni Anamurumon. With the Jade Regent’s defeat, Ameiko 
  can claim her rightful place upon the Jade Throne and 
  establish a new dynasty to rule the empire of Minkai!
  PArt One: the ImPerIAl cIty
  “The Empty Throne” begins with the PCs having forged 
  alliances with Minkai’s criminal, mercantile, and martial 
  elements, represented by the ninja, the geisha, and Jiro’s 
  ronin and the samurai in “Tide of Honor.” With these 
  supporters in place, the time finally arrives to strike 
  directly against the Jade Regent. The ronin Hirabashi 
  Jiro advises the PCs and Ameiko to make their way to the 
  imperial capital of Kasai, where they should make contact 
  with an old man named Asachi Isao, the leader of a group 
  of sympathizers to Ameiko’s cause in the city. Isao can 
  provide them with a safe base of operations in Kasai, where 
  the PCs can learn the current situation in the capital and 
  prepare for Ameiko to receive the blessings of the previous 
  emperors before claiming her throne. Jiro and the PCs’ 
  
  9
  The empTy Throne
  other allies will follow with the rebel army, intending to 
  draw the majority of the Jade Regent’s forces away from the 
  city so the PCs and Ameiko and can strike the final blow 
  against the usurper.
  Through their own network of spies, however, the Five 
  Storms already know of these developments and the PCs’ 
  intentions, prompting the Jade Regent to retreat into the 
  Imperial Palace in Kasai. The Regent has already put the 
  city under martial law, claiming that the same assassins 
  who once threatened Emperor Higashiyama are now 
  spreading rumors of an Amatatsu heir to destabilize his 
  regency and sow further chaos in the capital.
  As a result, the Jade Regent’s agents execute citizens who 
  speak out against his rule, claiming that such criminals 
  are conspiring with foreigners to put an outsider on the 
  Jade Throne. The Jade Regent further decrees that he’ll 
  continue to kill such traitors until Ameiko and her allies 
  turn themselves over for execution. This environment 
  has created a tense situation in Kasai. Most of the city’s 
  inhabitants fear the Jade Regent and his soldiers, and are 
  afraid to call attention to themselves lest they be targeted. 
  Others believe his lies and actively turn over anyone acting 
  suspiciously to the Jade Regent’s Typhoon Guard. Into this 
  environment, the PCs must escort Ameiko and keep her 
  identity secret until all their allies are in place.
  Read or paraphrase the following introduction as the 
  PCs approach Kasai.
  A long line of peasants, pilgrim monks, and arriving merchants 
  extends from the guarded gates of Kasai, the capital city of 
  Minkai. Above the din of the noisy crowd, guards question—
  and in some cases aggressively interrogate—each visitor 
  before allowing him or her into the city. Some have their goods 
  confiscated, and are led away in tears under the harsh glare of 
  suspicious eyes. Others seemingly satisfy their examiners with 
  honeyed words or surreptitious bribes as they pass inside.
  InFIltrAtIng the cIty (cr 15)
  Since becoming aware of Ameiko’s survival and her presence 
  in Minkai, the Jade Regent has put his private mercenary 
  army, the Typhoon Guard, on high alert. The PCs must 
  come up with a viable plan to make their way past these 
  troops if they want to avoid undue scrutiny when entering 
  the city. More information on the imperial capital of Kasai 
  can be found in the Kasai gazetteer on page 70.
  Creatures: Each gate into the city is guarded by an ogre 
  mage commander and four kuwa oni Typhoon guards. 
  Similar forces also regularly patrol the city’s streets, 
  and invisible flying oni patrol the skies over Kasai as 
  well. The Typhoon commanders are also capable of 
  perceiving invisible creatures. Anyone attempting to 
  enter the city invisibly or by flying over the outer walls 
  will be met by a patrol of four Typhoon guards led by a 
  Typhoon commander. Even if the PCs teleport into Kasai 
  or find some other way to enter the city undetected, most 
  crossroads and major public areas are also closely watched 
  by oni patrols, who accost the PCs at some point while they 
  travel through the city.
  If the PCs openly enter the city through one of its gates, 
  they can attempt to disguise themselves to escape the oni’s 
  notice. Each character must make a DC 26 Disguise skill 
  whAt ABOut AmeIkO?
  Up to this point, the PCs have likely left Ameiko and other 
  significant NPCs safely behind with their caravan during 
  most of their adventures in the campaign. In “The Empty 
  Throne,” however, Ameiko and the other NPCs have 
  a more active role to play. Ameiko, in particular, must 
  receive the blessings of the previous emperors of Minkai, 
  and refuses to sit idly by while others risk their lives for 
  her legacy, especially once the PCs finally face the Jade 
  Regent. Having Ameiko take a more active role at this 
  point serves to build credibility as she wins the hearts and 
  minds of the people of Minkai in becoming their empress. 
  And if Ameiko is going to put herself into danger, it is 
  unlikely that many of the other significant NPCs will be 
  willing to let her do so alone.
  The encounters in “The Empty Throne” assume that 
  some or all of the significant NPCs whom the PCs have 
  befriended over the course of the campaign will be 
  accompanying the PCs throughout the adventure. As a 
  result, these encounters are significantly more difficult 
  than an average party of four characters would normally 
  expect to face. You should adjust the encounters in 
  this adventure to provide a challenge for your group, 
  depending on which NPCs accompany them. If the PCs 
  only take Ameiko with them, you might want to make the 
  encounters easier by reducing the number of foes or their 
  levels. On the other hand, if several NPCs are with the 
  party, you might need to increase the difficulty of some 
  encounters to match the larger party’s Average Party 
  Level (see page 397 of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook).
  At the same time, you should ensure that the NPCs have 
  leveled up to a point close to the PCs, perhaps just a level 
  or two behind. Ameiko might take levels in bard, rogue, or 
  even aristocrat to reflect her advancement over the course 
  of the campaign. In any case, you should use this not as a 
  method for Ameiko and the other NPCs to steal the show 
  and upstage the PCs in their shared task, but rather in 
  order to further the roleplaying opportunities among your 
  group and develop the characters the PC have most likely 
  grown somewhat attached to.
  
  10
  check to safely pass through the gate without arousing 
  suspicion (the oni are assumed to be taking 10 on their 
  opposed Perception checks). Any female characters 
  (including Ameiko) take a –4 penalty on this check, as the 
  oni are specifically looking for a daughter of the Amatatsu 
  family. As long as no one pierces their disguises, the PCs 
  are free to enter.
  Alternatively, the PCs can also bluff their way inside by 
  answering the guards’ questions. Feel free to roleplay this 
  interrogation by making the players sweat it out, but in the 
  end, each character must make a successful Bluff check, 
  opposed by the guards’ Sense Motive checks. 
  Other PCs may use aid another 
  actions to help with the deception. If 
  a PC’s Bluff check fails, the Typhoon 
  commander gets involved with the 
  interrogation, using its inquisitor 
  abilities to detect alignment and 
  discern lies to further test the PCs.
  Failure at any of these approaches 
  escalates into a confrontation. The oni 
  guards seek to take the PCs into custody 
  and deliver them to a holding station 
  deeper in the city. There, multiple 
  Typhoon commanders deepen the 
  interrogation, liberally casting 
  detect thoughts and confess in 
  order to force the truth out 
  of the PCs. The PCs can try 
  to fight their way out of this 
  situation, but more patrols of 
  oni guards may arrive to join 
  the battle if they linger 
  too long. Regardless, 
  this encounter should 
  not be a dead end 
  for the PCs should 
  they fail to use guile 
  or 
  subterfuge; 
  it 
  should merely help 
  illustrate the chaotic 
  and oppressive state of 
  the capital.
  The commanders are all inquisitors of Fumeiyoshi, the 
  Tian god of dishonor and envy and patron of the oni. All of 
  the Typhoon guards are samurai of the order of the Black 
  Daimyo (see page 11). They wear green armor that emulates 
  the Jade Regent’s own and carry vertical banners called 
  sashimonos emblazoned with the white dragon of Minkai 
  on a green field. Both the commanders and the guards 
  keep their human forms unless attacked, at which point 
  they revert to their true oni forms.
  Typhoon Commander 
  CR 13
  XP 25,600
  Ogre mage inquisitor of Fumeiyoshi 5 (Pathfinder RPG 
  Bestiary 221, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player’s Guide 38)
  LE Large outsider (giant, native, oni, shapechanger)
  Init +11; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, see 
  invisibility; Perception +18
  DEFENSE
  AC 28, touch 15, flat-footed 24 (+8 armor, +2 deflection, +4 Dex, 
  +5 natural, –1 size)
  hp 188 (13 HD; 8d10+5d8+122); regeneration 5 (acid or fire)
  Fort +19, Ref +9, Will +15
  SR 19
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft. (average)
  Melee +2 naginata** +22/+17/+12 (2d6+15/×4)
  Ranged mwk composite longbow +15/+10/+5 (2d6+9/×3)
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. (20 ft. with naginata)
  Special Attacks bane (5 rounds/day), destructive smite (+2, 6/day)
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 9th; concentration +11)
  Constant—fly
  At will—darkness, invisibility
  1/day—charm monster (DC 16), cone of cold (DC 17), deep 
  slumber (DC 15), gaseous form
  Inquisitor Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th; concentration +8)
  At will—detect alignment, discern lies (5 rounds/day)
  Inquisitor Spells Known (CL 5th; concentration +7)
  2nd (3/day)—confess* (DC 14), detect thoughts (DC 14), 
  see invisibility
  1st (5/day)—command (DC 13), cure light wounds, divine favor, 
  shield of faith
  0 (at will)—acid splash, bleed (DC 12), brand* (DC 12), detect 
  magic, resistance, sift*
  Domain Destruction
  TACTICS
  Before Combat A Typhoon commander always casts see 
  invisibility before going on its guard shift, making sure to 
  renew it every hour. Before combat, a commander also 
  casts shield of faith.
  During Combat Each commander generally relies on 
  charm monster or deep slumber to subdue most would-be 
  troublemakers. Against stronger opponents, a commander 
  turns invisible, flying above combat if necessary, and 
  Typhoon Guard
  
  11
  The empTy Throne
  invokes its justice judgment ability, granting itself a +1 
  profane bonus on attack rolls before imbuing its naginata 
  with the bane weapon special ability.
  Morale A Typhoon commander fights to the death, unwilling 
  to face the wrath of Anamurumon or the Jade Regent 
  should it flee.
  STATISTICS
  Str 28, Dex 19, Con 28, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 15
  Base Atk +11; CMB +21 (+23 trip); CMD 37 (39 vs. trip)
  Feats Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, 
  Improved Trip, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Outflank*, 
  Weapon Focus (naginata**)
  Skills Bluff +18, Disguise +18, Fly +14, Intimidate +20, 
  Knowledge (arcana) +10, Knowledge (local) +10, Knowledge 
  (planes) +10, Perception +18, Sense Motive +18, Spellcraft +10, 
  Stealth +8, Survival +10
  Languages Common, Giant, Minkaian, Tien
  SQ change shape (Small, Medium, or Large humanoid; alter 
  self or giant form I), cunning initiative, flight, judgment 2/day, 
  monster lore +3, solo tactics, stern gaze, track +2
  Gear +3 do-maru**, +2 naginata**, masterwork composite 
  longbow (+9 Str) with 20 arrows
  * See the Advanced Player’s Guide.
  ** See Ultimate Combat.
  Typhoon Guards (4) 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600 each
  Kuwa oni samurai 6 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 208, Pathfinder 
  RPG Ultimate Combat 18)
  LE Medium outsider (human, native, oni, shapechanger)
  Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +16
  DEFENSE
  AC 23, touch 13, flat-footed 20 (+8 armor, +3 Dex, +1 natural, 
  +1 shield)
  hp 121 each (11 HD; 5d10+6d10+61); regeneration 5 (acid or fire)
  Fort +14, Ref +8, Will +9
  Defensive Abilities resolve 3/day; SR 15
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee mwk katana* +17/+12/+7 (1d8+6/18–20) and mwk 
  wakizashi* +16/+11/+6 (1d6+3/18–20) or
  mwk katana* +19/+14 (1d8+9/18–20) or
  2 claws +17 (1d6+6)
  Ranged mwk composite longbow +17/+12/+7 (1d8+6/×3)
  Special Attacks banner +2/+1, challenge (+6 damage, DR 2/—, 
  2/day)
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th; concentration +7)
  3/day—darkness, fly
  1/day—charm person (DC 13), deep slumber (DC 15), 
  invisibility (self only)
  TACTICS
  During Combat Typhoon guards are well trained in cooperative 
  combat tactics. One of them always takes to the air to 
  support the others with archery. The others attempt to flank 
  opponents, attacking with both katanas and wakizashi.
  Morale Typhoon guards fight to the death.
  STATISTICS
  Str 22, Dex 20, Con 20, Int 12, Wis 17, Cha 15
  Base Atk +11; CMB +17; CMD 32
  Feats Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Improved Two-Weapon 
  Fighting, Power Attack, Two-Weapon Defense, Two-
  Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (katana*)
  Skills Bluff +10, Disguise +10, Fly +8, Intimidate +15, Knowledge 
  (arcana) +7, Knowledge (local) +6, Perception +16,  
  Ride +10, Sense Motive +16, Spellcraft +6, Stealth +10
  Languages Giant, Minkaian, Tien
  SQ change shape (any human; alter self ), mount, mounted 
  archer, order of the Black Daimyo (honor in all things 2/day), 
  weapon expertise (katana)
  Gear +2 steel lamellar*, masterwork composite longbow  
  (+6 Str) with 20 arrows, masterwork katana*, masterwork 
  wakizashi*, banner
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Order of the Black Daimyo (Ex) A samurai of the order of the 
  Black Daimyo follows the teachings of General Susumu, the 
  Tian god of war and patron of evil samurai. A samurai of 
  the order of the Black Daimyo functions as a samurai of the 
  order of the warrior, simply replacing the pursuit of honor 
  with the pursuit of glory.
  * See Ultimate Combat.
  Story Award: If the PCs manage to enter the city while 
  avoiding combat with the guards, award them 51,200 XP.
  A FrIendly FAce
  After winning their way into Kasai, the PCs should make 
  contact with their sympathizers in the city, a group led by 
  a frail, almost ancient man named Asachi Isao (LG male 
  venerable human aristocrat 9). An old friend of Jiro’s, Isao 
  has taken it upon himself to prepare rooms at his family 
  compound to safely and secretly house Ameiko and the PCs. 
  Isao’s family is also one of the few who remember and honor 
  the Amatatsu family. Isao knew Ameiko’s great-grandfather, 
  who left him much of the wealth the Amatatsus couldn’t 
  take with them when they fled. Isao sold many of their lesser 
  art items over the years, reinvesting the money from each 
  transaction and elevating his own family in status. Even so, 
  he only views himself as a caretaker of the original funds, 
  and can provide Ameiko and the PCs with additional funds 
  to use against the Jade Regent should they need them. It will 
  take Isao several days to liquidate his investments into cash, 
  however. You can use these funds to make up any shortfall in 
  the PCs’ wealth or provide them with an additional reward 
  for safely getting Ameiko to Kasai, but the PCs should 
  probably remain close to their recommended wealth by level 
  (Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook 399).
  
  12
  In addition, Isao can provide a great deal of information 
  to the PCs. Thanks in large part to the Amatatsu family, 
  the Asachis are now wealthy nobles. As such, Isao is in 
  tune with much of the current happenings in the city as 
  well as the more recent actions of the Jade Regent. In their 
  conversation with him, Isao answers the PCs’ more likely 
  questions as follows.
  Who is the Jade Regent? “A man named Soto Takahiro. 
  He’s a lifelong friend and former bodyguard of Emperor 
  Higashiyama Shigure. They grew up together as 
  children. Since taking the throne, however, he’s 
  changed. His hand falls heavy upon Minkai. His 
  regency is not at all what the people expected.”
  Where is the Jade Regent? “Since learning 
  of your arrival in Minkai, he’s hidden 
  himself in the Imperial Palace, under 
  the protection of his Typhoon Guard 
  and surrounded by his closest, most 
  trusted allies—Anamurumon, his 
  chief magistrate; Renshii Meida, 
  his seer and lover; and his chief 
  assassin, known as the Raven 
  Prince. For now, the Jade Regent 
  issues all of his edicts through his 
  chief magistrate, Anamurumon.”
  How did the Jade Regent come 
  to claim the throne? “Emperor 
  Shigure must have granted him the 
  right of regency. The Jade Throne would 
  accept no other. Without the emperor’s blessing, Takahiro 
  would have no mandate to rule. But because the throne 
  accepts him, so too do the people. For now.”
  If things are so bad, why don’t the people rise up against 
  him? “They have much greater problems worrying them. 
  I suspect Anamurumon has devised many of these to keep 
  the people occupied and ensure their complacency.”
  What kind of problems are facing the city? “Starvation for 
  one. The Typhoon Guard collect a heavy rice tax, taking food 
  from farmers and storing it in a large granary in the city. 
  The soldiers gorge themselves on what others have labored 
  to produce, leaving too little to feed the people. They claim 
  this keeps the army well fed and ready to defend Minkai, but 
  it also weakens those who might take up arms against him.
  “The Jade Regent also holds many of our daughters 
  captive. His guards accost women at the city gates and in 
  the marketplaces. Surely you’ve seen them? That’s because 
  the Regent’s seer, an oracle and diviner named Renshii 
  Meida, foresaw your coming. They know that a daughter 
  of the Amatatsu family holds the last of the Imperial Seals. 
  And that’s why they search for you in the city and across 
  Minkai—to deny Ameiko her birthright, for it would end 
  his reign. My own daughter, Harumi, is held somewhere 
  in the palace, along with daughters from many other 
  prominent families. Officially, they are ‘wards’ of the Jade 
  Regent, but they no doubt face nightly interrogations at 
  the hands of their captors.
  “Lastly, the people are afraid. The Jade Regent’s 
  inquisitors are everywhere. They know our thoughts when 
  we conspire against him, and they drag off any who might 
  stir rebellion, torturing them for information before 
  staging public executions in the marketplace. He’d have us 
  believe that Ameiko is an imposter, that the Amatatsu 
  family died out long ago. But I knew the Amatatsus. 
  I know the truth. Ameiko’s return is the will of the 
  gods. Your destiny is to make things right again.”
  How do we overthrow the Jade Regent? “Jiro 
  tells me you have an army. You’ve done well to 
  seek the support of so many—and even more 
  will join your cause here in the city, once you 
  make your presence known. If you can, 
  sow distrust between the Jade Regent 
  and his allies to pit them against one 
  another and weaken their resolve. 
  “But all of that will mean nothing 
  if you don’t first seek the blessings 
  of the emperors of the past. There is 
  a magical island in Kasai’s harbor, 
  known as the Imperial Shrine. Only 
  those of imperial blood, or their 
  sworn guardians, may set foot on the 
  island where they can commune with 
  their ancestors. Some say that Emperor 
  Shigure fled there. If so, you must convince him to return 
  or ask his blessing for Ameiko’s ascension. Only then can 
  she claim the Jade Throne.”
  settIng thIngs rIght
  The Jade Regent and the Five Storms have created a 
  variety of problems in Kasai, and after talking to Isao, 
  the PCs might wish to look into some of the grievances he 
  described. Solving and exposing some of these situations 
  helps the PCs undermine the Jade Regent’s control and 
  win more of the people to their cause. Isao certainly 
  encourages them to do something about each problem. 
  Feel free to run any of these encounters in any order, 
  either before or after the PCs go to the Imperial Shrine in 
  Part Two. Until all of these situations have been remedied, 
  however, for every day in which the PCs fail to resolve at 
  least one of these situations, reduce their total Rebellion 
  Points by 1 (see the sidebar on page 13).
  FOOd shOrtAge (cr 15)
  Since secretly taking over the capital of Minkai, the 
  more gluttonous members of the Five Storms have seized 
  most of the nation’s food supply. Feasting upon whatever 
  bounty the outlying farms have produced, they’ve left 
  Asachi Isao
  
  13
  The empTy Throne
  little for anyone else. As a result, starvation has become a 
  real problem in Kasai—those in the Imperial Palace hoard 
  all the food and the citizens waste away.
  Presumably, the PCs (and especially Ameiko) will want to 
  resolve this situation, both to save the people they intend 
  to rule, and also to start winning the hearts and minds of 
  Minkaians by undoing some of the depredations the people 
  have suffered at the hands of the Jade Regent. The easiest 
  way to complete this mission is to sneak into the city’s main 
  granary at night, defeat the guards, and steal the rice.
  Creatures: The Jade Regent has stationed four taotiehs at 
  the granary to guard his hoarded rice. The taotiehs resemble 
  large marble statues of tigers, but they are actually gluttonous 
  constructs built around pockets of extradimensional space, 
  enabling them to swallow creatures of almost any size. The 
  taotiehs attack any creatures other than oni entering the 
  granary and attempt to swallow them whole. The constructs 
  fight until destroyed.
  Taotiehs (4) 
  CR 11
  XP 12,800 each
  hp 107 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 260)
  Treasure: One of the taotiehs has swallowed a stone of good 
  luck, which is disgorged when the construct is destroyed.
  Development: Provided the PCs win their way past the 
  taotiehs, they must still transport the heavy bags of rice 
  back to Isao for distribution to the people. If the PCs don’t 
  come up with a way to do this themselves, a successful DC 
  28 Diplomacy check is required to convince Isao’s allies to 
  manually load the rice onto carts in the middle of the night 
  and distribute it throughout the city. Award the PCs +3 
  Rebellion Points for successfully ending the food shortage.
  Story Award: If the PCs successfully raid the granary and 
  distribute the rice, award them an additional 51,200 XP.
  cAPtIve heArts
  While diligently searching for Ameiko, the Typhoon Guard 
  have instituted a policy of checking all female newcomers 
  at the city gates, holding them under the auspices of 
  determining any claim they might have on the throne as 
  the lost Amatatsu heir. In reality, they’re attempting to 
  identify Ameiko and eliminate her before she can openly 
  identify herself and oppose the Jade Regent. The oni have 
  also taken daughters from several important families as 
  hostages and imprisoned them in the Imperial Palace, 
  separating them from their families to deter their relatives 
  from siding with a challenger to the throne.
  If the PCs wish to take away this leverage and gain the 
  support of Kasai’s nobles, they’ll need to find these women 
  and free them. The women are being held in the Imperial 
  Palace’s Hall of Meditation. See area H25 for details on the 
  prisoners and their captors.
  A PuBlIc executIOn (cr 15)
  Habesuta Hatsue, the sohei who the PCs befriended in “Tide 
  of Honor,” took it upon herself to infiltrate the capital ahead 
  of Ameiko’s arrival. Her efforts to rally the citizens into 
  opposing the Jade Regent did not go unnoticed, however. 
  She was captured by the Typhoon Guard, who used torture 
  and magical compulsions to draw out information about 
  Ameiko and the PCs. Now, the oni plan to publicly execute 
  her, both to serve as an example to the people of Kasai and to 
  hopefully draw out her allies in a rescue attempt. If Hatsue 
  is accompanying the PCs or died in the previous adventure, 
  you should replace her with another minor ally of the PCs, 
  perhaps another ronin from Jiro’s band.
  When Ameiko learns of the planned execution, she urges 
  the PCs to act, believing they must demonstrate support 
  and concern for their allies if they’re to win the people to 
  their cause and motivate their followers to strike against 
  the Jade Regent. The execution is scheduled to occur in the 
  reBellIOn POInts
  Throughout “The Empty Throne,” the PCs have a 
  chance to earn Rebellion Points (RP) to build support for 
  Ameiko’s claim to the Jade Throne while subverting the 
  Jade Regent’s authority. Most of these scenarios involve 
  undoing the damage caused by the Five Storms and 
  impressing the citizens of Kasai, but the PCs also gain 
  or lose Rebellion Points for the allies they acquired (or 
  failed to acquire) during the previous adventure, “Tide 
  of Honor,” as follows. If the PCs defeated the bandits 
  of Seinaru Heikiko, award them +1 RP. For each ninja 
  clan the PCs hired, award them +1 RP. If the PCs instead 
  ensured the ninja’s noninterference, award them +0 RP. 
  For each ninja clan the PCs failed to either hire or ensure 
  the noninterference of, they lose 1 RP. If the PCs rescued 
  the geisha O-Sayumi, award them +1 RP. Finally, if the PCs 
  killed Sikutsu Sennaka, award them +1 RP.
  As this adventure progresses, you should track the total 
  number of Rebellion Points accumulated by the PCs to 
  determine how well the transition of power goes and how 
  stable the empire is when Ameiko takes the throne (see 
  Concluding the Adventure on pages 48–49). 
  In addition, the PCs’ Rebellion Points undermine 
  the trust and cooperation between the Jade Regent’s 
  supporters. The Jade Regent and his primary allies each 
  have a Teamwork Score that represents the strength of 
  their alliances with one another (see the NPC Gallery on 
  pages 50–61). The Rebellion Points the PCs accumulate in 
  this adventure lower each major NPC’s Teamwork Score 
  on a one-for-one basis, determining how united these 
  individuals remain in the final battle against the PCs.
  
  14
  Imperial Market (area H3) just outside the Imperial Palace, 
  where a large crowd has gathered to witness the event.
  Creatures: A Typhoon commander named Katasho 
  commands the four Typhoon guards tasked with carrying 
  out the execution. Katasho hovers invisibly above the 
  crowd, using detect thoughts and detect alignment to identify 
  those who might be sympathizers. If he picks out Ameiko 
  or one of the PCs, he uses his scroll of follow aura to make 
  sure he doesn’t lose them in the crowd, then calls them 
  to the attention of the guards, who move to attack the 
  PCs. Note that the large crowd in the marketplace counts 
  as difficult terrain and provides cover for anyone on the 
  ground (Core Rulebook 436).
  As part of the execution ceremony, the guards read 
  aloud the victim’s crime of conspiracy against the throne 
  and deride the existence of a supposed Amatatsu heir. 
  They implore the crowd to turn in any such imposter. If 
  you wish, Ameiko could reveal herself at this time in an 
  attempt to challenge the guards and save Hatsue’s life, but 
  this also ensures that Katasho targets her over anyone else. 
  Katasho 
  CR 13
  XP 25,600
  Male Typhoon commander (see page 10)
  hp 188
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Anticipating sympathizers intervening in the 
  execution, Katasho casts see invisibility and shield of faith.
  During Combat Katasho stays in the air to assess his adversaries. 
  From there, he targets at least one opponent with his wand 
  of dimensional anchor to ensure it won’t escape by magical 
  means. Thereafter, he invokes his justice judgment ability and 
  imbues his naginata with the bane weapon special ability.
  Morale If anyone uses fire or acid against Katasho, he switches 
  his judgment ability to resist the appropriate energy type. 
  Although eager to capture the Amatatsu heir, he realizes 
  when he’s been overmatched. If reduced to fewer than 50 hit 
  points, Katasho casts darkness, invisibility, or gaseous form to 
  escape back to the Imperial Palace and alert the Jade Regent, 
  even going so far as to take a hostage from the crowd to 
  prevent the PCs from stopping his retreat, if necessary.
  STATISTICS
  Additional Combat Gear scroll of follow aura* (CL 10th), wand 
  of dimensional anchor (7 charges)
  * See the Advanced Player’s Guide.
  Typhoon Guards (4) 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600 each
  hp 121 each (see page 11)
  TACTICS
  During Combat Two of the Typhoon guards take to the air 
  while the other two remain with their prisoner.
  Morale Typhoon guards fight to the death.
  Development: If the PCs successfully rescue the 
  condemned sohei, award them +2 Rebellion Points. If they 
  also publicly reveal Ameiko’s presence to the crowd, award 
  them an additional +2 Rebellion Points.
  PArt twO: hOnOrIng the PAst
  Sometime after arriving in Kasai, the PCs should heed Isao’s 
  advice by seeking out the Imperial Shrine. Isao discourages 
  them from attempting to fly or teleport to the island, 
  explaining that its unusual wards make it impossible to 
  find unless they observe the proper ceremonies and travel 
  there by boat. Isao tells them they must first pass through 
  the island’s five torii gates before the island’s true nature is 
  revealed to worthy visitors. He directs them to a trustworthy 
  fisherman named Kadei Ejigoro (N male venerable human 
  expert 5), who can take them to the island of the Imperial 
  Shrine. The crusty boat captain proves just as ancient as 
  Isao, looking like he might fall down from a stiff wind. 
  His harbor boat, the Weeping Willow, makes frequent forays 
  to check lobster traps in the bay, and Ejigoro is more than 
  willing to drop the PCs off at the island, telling them they 
  can signal him from shore when they’re ready to leave.
  the ImPerIAl shrIne
  The Imperial Shrine is a mysterious island off the coast 
  of Kasai that serves as a cemetery for Minkai’s imperial 
  families. When Shizuru, goddess of ancestors, honor, 
  and the sun, created the Imperial Seals, she also created a 
  magical conduit to the Great Beyond, allowing those in 
  possession of an Imperial Seal to make contact with the 
  ancestral spirits of those laid to rest on the island who 
  were once ordained by the seals as well.
  When an emperor dies and is interred in the Imperial 
  Shrine, his soul passes on to Pharasma’s Boneyard, where 
  he becomes a petitioner and is sent to his ultimate fate. 
  Unlike most petitioners, however, the souls of Minkai’s 
  emperors retain memories of their former lives because of 
  Shizuru’s conduit, even as they transform into outsiders. 
  This connection with the Material Plane allows Minkai’s 
  former emperors to guide their successors with lifetimes 
  of knowledge and wisdom, even beyond death. 
  Unfortunately, Emperor Shigure’s death and the 
  treachery of the Jade Regent have left the island in 
  disarray. Many of its guardians have activated and the 
  wards that once protected the shrine against the influence 
  of Minkai’s evil emperors have failed. These malevolent 
  spirits now hunger to extend their reach beyond the 
  island’s shores, and they pose a significant threat to the 
  PCs’ goals while there.
  reAchIng the ImPerIAl shrIne
  Not just anyone can access the Imperial Shrine and seek 
  out the ancestral spirits of Minkai’s emperors. Shizuru’s 
  
  15
  C1
  B1
  A
  B
  C
  D
  E
  F
  G
  A
  A
  A
  A
  B2
  B3
  D1
  D2
  D3
  D4a
  D4b
  D6
  D7
  D5
  C2
  C3
  C4
  C5
  The empTy Throne
  conduit keeps the island “out of phase” with the rest of the 
  Material Plane. Anyone traveling to the Imperial Shrine 
  without an Imperial Seal finds the island uninhabited, 
  home to only a handful of birds and other wildlife.
  Only a scion of one Minkai’s five imperial families, or 
  their chosen guardians, can set foot on the true interior of 
  island. Five distinctive torii gates rise from the shallows 
  surrounding the island, and those wishing to visit the true 
  Imperial Shrine must pass through each of these gates 
  while in possession of an Imperial Seal. Doing so allows 
  such scions to actually access the island’s otherworldly 
  shrine and cemetery.
  Those who go around the gates or reach the shore 
  without an Imperial Seal can sense something unnatural 
  and eerie about the otherworldly island with a successful 
  DC 23 Wisdom check, but success doesn’t allow them to see 
  or interact with the island’s shrine or cemetery.
  A. tOrII gAtes
  Twin vermilion posts rise from the shallow water here, about 
  twenty feet apart and fifteen feet high, joined together by an 
  upper lintel painted black.
  Five of these torii gates stand in the waters surrounding 
  the Imperial Shrine. Together, they ward the island from 
  unauthorized visitors by keeping it slightly out of phase 
  with the rest of reality. Only an Imperial Seal passing 
  through all five gates can activate them, enabling those in 
  possession of the seal to reach the island’s true interior.
  B. shIzuru’s temPle
  A single stone dock juts into the water from the island’s shore. 
  A rectangular wooden building stands on the shore just behind 
  the dock.
  This small temple is dedicated to Shizuru, the goddess 
  of ancestors, honor, and the sun, the patron goddess 
  of Minkai and creator of both the Imperial Seals and the 
  island’s magical conduit to the afterlife.
  B1. entrAnce
  Exits lead east and west from this wide room. Two small shrines 
  sit on either side of the double doors to the west, and artistic 
  tapestries of the celestial realm adorn the rest of the walls.
  
  16
  The shrines are dedicated to Pharasma and to Tsukiyo, 
  the Tian god of spirits and the moon. Mourners offer up 
  prayers here to prepare themselves before laying the dead 
  to rest, or when seeking guidance from their ancestors.
  B2. ceremOny rOOms
  Four small sitting rooms branch off this long hallway. Low 
  wooden tables, seating cushions, and sleeping pallets stand on 
  the tatami mats covering their floors.
  These chambers provide all the necessary facilities to 
  house and comfort the grieving families and servants of 
  any emperor being laid to rest at the Imperial Shrine. The 
  mourners typically gather here before journeying through 
  the cemetery and across the bridge to the Shrine of the 
  Heavenly Sovereigns (area D).
  B3. medItAtIOn shrIne (cr 14)
  A huge statue of a golden-scaled dragon dominates the west 
  wall of this chamber, towering almost to the top of the twenty-
  foot-high ceiling. Small shrines sit to the north and south. 
  In the corners flanking the room’s only entrance, two large 
  braziers scent the air with the tang of sandalwood incense.
  This shrine is dedicated to Shizuru. A successful DC 15 
  Knowledge (religion) check identifies the dragon statue as a 
  representation of the goddess. The two smaller shrines are 
  dedicated to the ancestors of Minkai’s imperial lines.
  Creature: In addition to the island’s normal defenses, 
  the Jade Regent has left behind a guardian of his own, a 
  rokurokubi—a haglike creature with an elongated neck 
  and sorcerous powers—named Kiyomi. Kiyomi has agreed 
  to guard the island for a period of 5 years to prevent any 
  remaining imperial scions (such as Ameiko) from visiting 
  the Imperial Shrine and discovering the true fate of 
  Emperor Shigure. Using the power of the Higashiyama Seal, 
  the Jade Regent made Kiyomi one of the emperor’s chosen 
  guardians, thus allowing her to freely travel throughout 
  the island. In exchange for her stewardship, the Jade 
  Regent promised to sire a child with Kiyomi at the end of 
  her period of service, and the thought of such a powerful 
  and unabashedly corrupt figure to father her child far 
  outweighed any concerns Kiyomi might have had about the 
  deal. For his part, Takahiro has no intention of living up to 
  his end of the bargain, for without an Imperial Seal in her 
  possession, Kiyomi is effectively imprisoned on the island, 
  and the Jade Regent has no fear of reprisals at her hands.
  When not skulking about the cemetery or Shrine of the 
  Heavenly Sovereigns, Kiyomi lives here in Shizuru’s shrine, 
  daydreaming of sitting next to the Jade Regent as his 
  empress, with all of Minkai hers to do with as she pleases. If 
  alerted to the PCs’ arrival on the island, Kiyomi hides herself 
  to trail after them and kill them one by one. If encountered 
  here, Kiyomi has her neck retracted, appearing as a human 
  woman wearing a long, hooded robe that conceals her 
  gnarled, clawed hands and otherworldly skin tone. She 
  attempts to pass herself off as a priestly monk of Shizuru 
  and caretaker of the cemetery, and is more than willing to 
  guide the PCs to the Shrine of the Heavenly Sovereigns (area 
  D), only to lead them to the cemetery’s guardians instead. If 
  discovered or attacked, Kiyomi elongates her neck to make 
  the most of her monstrous powers in battle, throwing off 
  any pretense of disguise.
  Kiyomi 
  CR 14
  XP 38,400
  Rokurokubi (see page 90)
  hp 195
  TACTICS
  During Combat Kiyomi activates her nightfall aura and attacks 
  foes caught within it with her bite and claws, focusing her 
  attacks on attractive characters or those with high Charisma 
  scores in an attempt to afflict them with her rokurokubi’s 
  curse. She casts spells to further hinder her opponents, 
  using her elongated neck to deliver touch spells from 
  outside melee range.
  Morale Kiyomi has no wish to sacrifice herself for the Jade 
  Regent, and flees deeper into the island’s interior if reduced 
  to fewer than 75 hit points, only to return to get her 
  revenge, perhaps as the PCs are exiting the Well of Demons 
  (area G). Unable to escape the island itself, Kiyomi fights to 
  the death if cornered.
  Treasure: Kiyomi has gathered a significant amount 
  of treasure here, stolen from the graves and tombs on the 
  island. Her horde includes a +3 light steel shield, a tree feather 
  token, a lesser strand of prayer beads, and assorted jewelry and 
  art objects worth a total of 5,000 gp.
  c. mIkAdO cemetery
  Minkai’s former emperors are laid to rest in the Shrine of 
  the Heavenly Sovereigns (area D); the cremated remains of 
  their trusted guardians and advisors, and the lesser scions 
  of the imperial lines are interred in this cemetery, which 
  takes up most of the southern half of the island.
  c1. Incense kIOsk
  A lonely kiosk stands at the entrance to this crowded cemetery.
  Treasure: Among the buckets, brushes, and incense 
  burners stored in this simple caretaker’s kiosk lies a single 
  block of incense of meditation left there by a visiting priest of 
  Shizuru many years ago.
  
  17
  The empTy Throne
  c2. yuA’s lAst Act (cr 14)
  The path through the graveyard ends abruptly before a cluster 
  of obelisk-shaped tombstones.
  Haunt: Many years ago, two evil samurai named Akio 
  and Yua fell in love with each other while serving an equally 
  malign emperor. Jealous of their love, the emperor arranged 
  Akio’s death to have Yua for himself. After interring Akio’s 
  ashes in the Mikado Cemetery, Yua finally learned of the 
  emperor’s treachery. When the emperor approached her 
  that night in her bedchamber, Yua slew him and stole his 
  family’s Imperial Seal, taking it with her to the Imperial 
  Shrine so she could grieve once more over Akio’s grave. The 
  chosen guardians of the other imperial families came after 
  her and the seal, but rather than fight them, Yua committed 
  ritual suicide with her own sword. Because of her perceived 
  betrayal of the emperor, Yua’s body was never cremated, nor 
  were her ashes interred next to Akio’s. Instead, her spirit 
  has lingered on, festering for many years until the Jade 
  Regent’s betrayal of Emperor Shigure echoed her own, at 
  which point Yua’s spirit manifested as a haunt at the site 
  where she committed suicide while grieving over her lost 
  love. The haunt manifests as an overwhelming sense of 
  sadness coupled with the vision of a lovely female samurai 
  taking her own life, compelling those who visit Akio’s grave 
  to repeat Yua’s sacrificial act.
  Suicide Compulsion 
  CR 14
  XP 38,400
  LE persistent haunt (20-ft.-radius centered on area C2)
  Caster Level 14th
  Notice Perception DC 29 (to feel a sudden rush of sadness, 
  loneliness, and regret)
  hp 63; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 hour
  Effect When triggered, the haunt compels creatures to 
  commit ritual suicide as Yua did. Each round, a random 
  creature in the haunt’s area must succeed at a DC 22 Will 
  save or draw its weapon and attempt a coup de grace action 
  on itself. This action deals the creature’s normal weapon 
  damage for an attack. An affected creature must make a 
  Fortitude save with a DC equal to 10 + the damage dealt 
  to avoid being immediately slain by the suicide attempt. 
  If anyone tries to prevent this self-inflicted attack, the 
  haunted creature makes a single attack against that person 
  with its weapon as an immediate action. If the attack is 
  successful, the supernaturally guided strike automatically 
  scores a critical hit. The haunt targets a new creature each 
  round while it persists.
  Destruction To permanently destroy the haunt, the PCs must 
  recover Yua’s remains from the pauper’s grave in Kasai 
  where she was buried, cremate them in the crematorium 
  (area D2), and inter them properly next to Akio’s grave.
  c3. shAdOwy crOssIng (cr 13)
  A soft wind blows through the gathered leaves covering this 
  intersection of paths. 
  Creatures: Because of the powerful turmoil created by 
  the Jade Regent’s betrayal of Emperor Shigure, several evil 
  spirits have manifested throughout the Imperial Shrine. 
  This includes six greater shadows of former nobles from 
  Minkai’s imperial families, who have risen from their 
  nearby graves. None of these nobles ever ascended to the 
  Jade Throne, but much like the Jade Regent, they coveted 
  its power and that of the elder siblings who outlived them. 
  In addition, a side effect of the island’s turmoil has created 
  an unhallow effect (CL 15th) around the shadows’ gravesites. 
  The shadows lash out at anyone who comes near.
  Greater Shadows (6) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  hp 58 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 245)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The shadows rely on the unhallow effect 
  to protect them from channeled positive energy, never 
  straying more than 20 feet from their cremated remains. 
  They attack from below ground or from just within the 
  various gravestones, using them for cover.
  Morale The shadows fight until destroyed.
  c4. the guArdIAn grAve (cr 14)
  A strange dust hangs in the air among the gravestones here, 
  swirling in small eddies amid the light.
  Creature: One of the more potent guardians of the 
  cemetery resides here—a gravebound warden, a construct 
  created from a collection of small tombstones and shrines 
  containing the urns of cremated samurai. Each of the 
  warriors whose remains make up the body of the warden 
  were once loyal servants of sitting emperors of Minkai, 
  interred here not so much to lay them to rest, but to allow 
  their enduring spirits to continue watching over the final 
  resting place of those they protected in life. The death of 
  Emperor Shigure, however, has the warden on high alert. 
  No longer capable of knowing who to trust, it views all 
  newcomers to the island as enemies. 
  The warden lies hidden here in its alternate form, 
  appearing as part of the crowded cemetery (the shaded 
  portion on the map). When a living creature enters the 
  40-foot-radius area of the hallow effect created at the time 
  of its construction, the warden animates and transforms 
  into its bipedal form, attacking and pursuing anyone in 
  the area. The warden is limited in its movement, however, 
  confined to the same 40-foot radius of the hallow effect.
  
  18
  Gravebound Warden 
  CR 14
  XP 38,400
  N Gargantuan construct 
  Init –1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +14
  DEFENSE
  AC 29, touch 5, flat-footed 29 (–1 Dex, +24 natural, –4 size)
  hp 164 (19d10+60)
  Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +8
  DR 10/adamantine; Immune construct traits
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee 2 slams +24 (2d10+13/19–20)
  Space 20 ft.; Reach 20 ft.
  Special Attacks breath weapon (60-ft. cone, blinded and 
  sickened for 1d6+1 rounds, DC 21 Fortitude negates, usable 
  every 1d4 rounds), powerful blows
  TACTICS
  During Combat The gravebound warden charges into 
  opponents to attack with its slams. It uses Bull Rush, Cleave, 
  and Overrun attacks as often as possible, pausing only to 
  employ its breath weapon before renewing its assault.
  Morale The gravebound warden fights until destroyed.
  STATISTICS
  Str 28, Dex 9, Con —, Int 4, Wis 15, Cha 1
  Base Atk +19; CMB +32 (+36 bull rush or overrun); CMD 41 (43 
  vs. bull rush or overrun)
  Feats Ability Focus (breath weapon), Awesome Blow, Cleave, 
  Great Cleave, Greater Bull Rush, Greater Overrun, 
  Improved Bull Rush, Improved Overrun, Intimidating 
  Prowess, Power Attack
  Skills Disguise +15 (to imitate a cemetery), Intimidate +11, 
  Perception +14
  Languages Minkaian (cannot speak)
  SQ alternate form, gravebound
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Alternate Form (Su) A gravebound warden can transform 
  itself into a field of gravestones, miniature shrines, or stone 
  coffins. While in this form, the warden gains a +20 racial 
  bonus on Disguise checks to imitate a crowded cemetery. It 
  requires a full-round action to change forms.
  Breath Weapon (Su) Once every 1d4 rounds, a gravebound 
  warden can exhale a 60-foot cone of ash and grave dust. 
  Any creatures within this area must succeed at a DC 21 
  Fortitude save or be blinded and sickened for 1d6+1 rounds. 
  The save DC is Constitution-based.
  Gravebound (Su) A gravebound warden is assigned a specific 
  site sacred to the dead to guard. This site is always 
  marked by either a permanent hallow or unhallow effect, 
  determined at the time of the warden’s construction. 
  The warden cannot willingly leave this area and defends 
  it against all intruders except those named during the 
  casting of the spell. This gravebound warden is bound to a 
  40-foot-radius emanation from a hallow spell (CL 15th). 
  Powerful Blows (Ex) A gravebound warden adds 1-1/2 times 
  its Strength modifier on damage rolls with its slam attacks 
  and threatens a critical hit on a 19–20.
  c5. BrIdge OF celestIAl InsIghts (cr 14)
  Past an archway inscribed with Minkaian characters, a bridge of 
  luminescent light stretches across the silver waters of a moat. 
  The bridge leads from the cemetery to a long, tombstone-
  shaped island. A large torii gate stands at the opposite end of 
  the bridge, opening into a courtyard surrounded by several 
  stone structures peeking above the trees.
  This bridge serves as the only means for the living to access 
  the Shrine of the Heavenly Sovereigns. An effect similar 
  to a permanent antilife shell rebuffs anyone attempting a 
  different crossing to the island, but those who pass 
  under the archway to cross are unaffected.
  Trap: The archway bears a sign in Minkaian 
  indicating that only those close to death may visit 
  the spirits of the former emperors of Minkai. While 
  Gravebound Warden
  
  19
  The empTy Throne
  the arch was originally meant as a symbolic, ceremonial 
  gesture, anyone passing under it triggers a greater glyph of 
  warding that delivers a harm effect, putting visitors close 
  enough to death to make it easier for them to commune 
  with the spirits on the other side. Now, given the many 
  dangers set loose on the island, it simply adds to the perils 
  of the Imperial Shrine.
  Greater Glyph of Warding 
  CR 14
  XP 38,400
  Type magic; Perception 31; Disable Device 31
  EFFECTS
  Trigger location; Reset automatic
  Effect spell effect (harm, 130 damage, DC 19 Will save half, 
  cannot be reduced below 1 hit point)
  d. shrIne OF the heAvenly sOvereIgns
  The emperors of Minkai refer to this tombstone-shaped 
  islet as the Shrine of the Heavenly Sovereigns. Reserved 
  only for those who have held the Jade Throne, it is 
  much more expansive than the narrow confines of the 
  neighboring Mikado Cemetery. Quiet groves and gardens 
  occupy the islet, as well as a small pond surrounded by 
  several shrines and tombs.
  d1. PerFOrmer’s stAge
  This covered stage sits three feet off the ground, its roof held 
  up by four cedar columns. Low-lying hedges and flowering 
  shrubs decorate its base with several trails connecting it to the 
  structures and gardens on either side. The imperial families of 
  Minkai use this stage for elaborate ceremonies before laying 
  deceased emperors to rest in one of the many shrines or tombs 
  on the islet.
  Treasure: The masterwork musical instruments on the 
  stage—a biwa mandolin, a tsuzumi drum, a shakuhachi 
  flute, and a samisen—are magical, enabling players to 
  summon an unseen servant to play a routine performance on 
  the instruments. The instruments are worth 400 gp each.
  d2. cremAtOrIum (cr 14)
  The air is hot and dry in this stone chamber. Doors lead both 
  east and south out of the room.
  Creatures: This crematorium is occupied by a furnace 
  golem, a humanoid-shaped furnace of black iron 
  with a roaring magical fire in its belly. Under normal 
  circumstances, the golem follows a very strict procedure 
  to complete the rites to cremate the remains of deceased 
  emperors within its body and inter the subsequent ashes 
  in properly prepared urns. Now, however, the dishonor the 
  Jade Regent committed by throwing Emperor Shigure’s 
  body into the Well of Demons has caused the elemental 
  spirits animating the golem to go berserk. The golem 
  activates as soon as anyone opens the crematorium’s door, 
  attempting to grab them and cremate them in its furnace 
  interior. The golem fights until destroyed.
  Furnace Golem 
  CR 14
  XP 38,400
  Tome of Horrors Complete 333
  N Huge construct 
  Init –1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +0
  DEFENSE
  AC 29, touch 7, flat-footed 29 (–1 Dex, +22 natural, –2 size)
  hp 144 (19d10+40)
  Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +6
  DR 15/adamantine; Immune construct traits, fire, magic; 
  Resist cold 20
  OFFENSE
  Speed 20 ft.
  Melee 2 slams +28 (4d6+11 plus 2d6 fire and grab)
  Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
  Special Attacks breath weapon (50-ft. line, 10d6 fire damage, 
  Reflex DC 19 half, usable every 1d4 rounds), furnace interior, 
  grab (Medium or smaller), heat (2d6 fire)
  STATISTICS
  Str 32, Dex 9, Con —, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 1
  Base Atk +19; CMB +32 (+36 grapple); CMD 41
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Furnace Interior (Ex) A furnace golem can try to shove a 
  grabbed opponent up to two sizes smaller than itself 
  into its interior by making a successful grapple check. 
  An opponent thrown into the furnace golem’s interior is 
  trapped as a metal grating closes over the opening in the 
  same round. A trapped creature automatically takes 2d6 
  points of fire damage each round. Escaping the creature’s 
  interior requires a successful DC 30 Strength check to bend 
  the bars. Alternatively, a trapped creature can escape by 
  dealing at least 25 points of damage to the bars (AC 22; the 
  golem’s damage reduction applies to attacks against the 
  bars as well). A Huge furnace golem’s interior can hold two 
  Medium, eight Small, or 16 Tiny or smaller creatures.
  Immunity to Magic (Ex) A furnace golem is immune to spells 
  or spell-like abilities that allow spell resistance. Certain spells 
  and effects function differently against it, as noted below.
  •	 A	magical	attack	that	bypasses	a	furnace	golem’s	cold	
  resistance slows it (as the slow spell) for 3 rounds, with no 
  saving throw.
  •	 A	magical	attack	that	deals	fire	damage	breaks	any	slow effect 
  on the golem and heals 1 point of damage for each 3 points 
  of damage the attack would otherwise deal. If the amount of 
  healing would cause the golem to exceed its full normal hit 
  points, it gains any excess as temporary hit points.
  
  20
  d3. stOrerOOm
  A multitude of clay urns, cremation trays, and iron brushes 
  lie scattered about this storeroom, which houses all of the 
  necessary supplies for the crematorium next door.
  d4. stAndIng tOmBs
  The ceiling of this low tomb reaches only eight feet in height. 
  Its anteroom is dry and dusty, while an ornate bronze door seals 
  off an adjoining sepulcher.
  In addition to the numerous shrines and graves on the 
  islet, the Shrine of the Heavenly Sovereigns also holds two 
  aboveground tombs for honored emperors.
  Creature: The easternmost tomb (area D4b) contains 
  the remains of Empress Amatatsu Onoko, one of the 
  few good-aligned former rulers of Minkai to return to 
  the Imperial Shrine since the Jade Regent’s treachery. 
  Although her ashes lie within a bejeweled urn in the 
  sepulcher, Onoko now leads a new existence as a trumpet 
  archon in service to Shizuru. Like all emperors interred 
  in the Imperial Shrine, Onoko retains her memories of 
  her past life, and the goddess of ancestors and honor 
  sent her to assess the turmoil left behind on the island 
  by Emperor Shigure’s death. While she recognizes 
  the torment suffered by Shigure’s ghost, the archon is 
  powerless to help him, as she is unable to penetrate the 
  Well of Demons to seek out his body. 
  If the PCs come here before speaking to Emperor 
  Shigure in area D7, the tomb is uninhabited. If the PCs 
  come here to commune with the Amatatsu ancestors after 
  talking to the emperor’s ghost, the archon soon makes 
  an appearance. Onoko appears as a marble-skinned 
  Tian-Min woman with white-feathered wings, wearing a 
  beautiful cloth-of-gold kimono and carrying a traditional 
  Minkai conch shell horn called a jinkai. Onoko represents 
  a potential ally for the PCs on the island. She can converse 
  with them about the shrine’s purpose and history, as 
  well as the events she’s managed to piece together from 
  Shigure’s rants. She can also fill in any gaps in the PCs’ 
  knowledge if they were unable to get answers to all of their 
  questions before enraging Shigure.
  Although she was a former empress of Minkai, Onoko 
  cannot give her blessing to Ameiko until the handmaiden 
  devil Amatatsu Maemi is defeated in the Well of Demons 
  (see area G10). However, if the PCs succeed at a DC 23 
  Diplomacy check while conversing with her, Onoko 
  agrees to aid them however she can, including casting 
  raise dead or other healing spells should any of the PCs fall 
  victim to the island’s dangers. A character in possession 
  of either the Amatatsu Seal or the sword Suishen (Pathfinder 
  Adventure Path #50 61) gains a +4 circumstance bonus on 
  the Diplomacy check.
  Amatatsu Onoko 
  CR 14
  XP 38,400
  Female trumpet archon (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 21)
  hp 175
  TACTICS
  During Combat If attacked, Onoko teleports into the sky 
  outside her tomb so she can release a blast from her jinkai 
  trumpet to paralyze her foes. She casts divine power and 
  changes her jinkai into a greatsword so she can attack foes 
  with her Power Attack. 
  Morale Onoko doesn’t wish to fight the PCs. If reduced to 
  fewer than 50 hit points, she uses plane shift to return to the 
  celestial realm and report to Shizuru.
  d5. kOI POnd
  Dozens of orange and gold fish float lifeless at the surface of 
  this small pond, some half-covered by lily pads, water grass, 
  and cattails. A small footpath follows a zigzag pattern along 
  wooden planks to a small gazebo to the east.
  Since returning as a ghost, Emperor Shigure has 
  inadvertently killed all the koi fish in this decorative, 
  peaceful pond by passing through it.
  d6. rOjI gArden
  Two cherry trees and the life-sized jade likeness of a grieving 
  maiden occupy this sandy garden. Alternating rocks of pink 
  and white granite mark the boundary of the garden, where a 
  smooth path circles around to a stone mausoleum flanked by 
  twin golden statues of kirin.
  The emperors of Minkai established this quaint roji 
  garden as a place for peaceful meditation before the 
  mausoleum of their predecessors.
  d7. ImPerIAl mAusOleum (cr 14)
  Behind the immense double doors of this mausoleum lie five 
  chambers, four at each point of the compass and one smaller 
  square chamber joining them. Each chamber holds a small 
  shrine decorated with Minkai heraldry, bowls of incense, and 
  dried flowers, and contains carefully stacked urns of gold, 
  silver, and bronze.
  This stone mausoleum holds the physical remains of 
  Minkai’s former emperors, mostly in the form of ashes 
  contained in ornate urns. Emperor Higashiyama Shigure 
  came here to be close to his ancestors when he fled to the 
  Imperial Shrine, but he never found the safety he sought—
  he was brutally murdered in the mausoleum by Soto 
  Takahiro and Renshii Meida.
  
  21
  The empTy Throne
  Creature: Despite the fact that his physical body lies at the 
  bottom of the Well of Demons, the ghost of Emperor Shigure 
  has chosen this place—the site of his murder at the hands 
  of his chosen guardians—as his retreat. When the PCs first 
  arrive, Shigure remains hidden to observe them, but he 
  soon detects the presence of the Amatatsu Seal and manifests 
  before them. He introduces himself as the rightful emperor 
  of Minkai, and demands to know who the PCs are and what 
  they are doing in the Imperial Shrine.
  Shigure has an initial attitude of unfriendly toward 
  the PCs, but he is eager to gain their help in recovering 
  his body and laying his remains properly to rest, so he is 
  willing to hear them out. Each round, the PCs may ask him 
  one question by making a Diplomacy check. However, the 
  longer Shigure is faced with the PCs’ living presence, the 
  more intense his anger and frustration grows, manifesting 
  as a trembling of the urns upon the stone shelves and 
  pedestals around the room. On the first round, the PCs 
  must make a DC 25 Diplomacy check to ask their question. 
  Each subsequent round, the DC of the Diplomacy check to 
  ask a new question increases by 5. A character in possession 
  of the daikyu of commanding presence (Pathfinder Adventure Path 
  #53 60) gains a +4 circumstance on the Diplomacy check. If 
  the PCs fail a Diplomacy check, Shigure’s anger overcomes 
  him and he lashes out at the living in blind, impotent rage.
  Emperor Shigure’s responses to the PCs’ likely questions 
  are outlined below.
  How did you die? “I was betrayed by my childhood 
  friend and bodyguard, Soto Takahiro, and my closest 
  advisor, Renshii Meida. They told me I would be safe here, 
  away from the assassins who killed so many of my family. 
  But they lied. The only threat to my life came from their 
  honeyed words and poisoned blades.”
  Can you give us your blessing? “I’ll give my blessing 
  to no one while my body lies with the disgraced and the 
  dishonored! I have only curses now for those who survive 
  me! I cannot rest! I cannot find peace! And I won’t give 
  peace to anyone else while I’m denied it!”
  Where is your body now? “They cast it into the Well of 
  Demons, a great chasm in the hills of this island. The holy 
  waters of Shizuru pour down into the well to drown the 
  sins of my wicked predecessors. But after the treachery and 
  dishonor enacted here upon a living emperor of Minkai, not 
  even the Empress of Heaven can contain their evil, which 
  extends farther beyond the well with each passing day. Soon 
  the spirits of the evil emperors will broaden their reach into 
  Kasai and beyond into my stolen empire. And I may as well 
  join them if it means I can face my murderer again. But I 
  fear that outcome, for I know I’ll lose myself to it, becoming 
  as much a monster as the ones who took my life.”
  If we retrieve your body, will you give us your blessing? 
  “Yes. If you recover my remains from the Well of Demons, 
  and properly inter them by cremating them and placing 
  the ashes in one of the urns here, I’ll grant you the blessing 
  of the Higashiyama family. But my blessing alone won’t be 
  enough. You must obtain blessings from the ancestors of 
  all five of the imperial families.”
  How can we get the blessings of the imperial families? 
  “Normally you could commune with the spirits here, in the 
  Imperial Mausoleum, but Takahiro’s crime has severed the 
  connection and driven most of the goodly spirits away. You’ll 
  have the Higashiyama blessing if you recover my murdered 
  remains. It’s been a long time since an Amatatsu held the 
  throne, but the tomb of Empress Amatatsu Onoko lies just 
  west of here in one of the standing tombs—perhaps you can 
  commune with her or one of your other ancestors there to 
  request their assent. But you must still gain the blessings 
  of the Shojinawa, Sugimatu, and Teikoku families, and I 
  fear your only choice is to seek their blessings inside the 
  Well of Demons. Those within represent the most evil and 
  depraved of Minkai’s emperors, but the Jade Throne will 
  still honor their blessings, provided you can bargain for 
  them. Otherwise, you must set things right by recovering 
  my body and destroying those inside the Well. Once the 
  sanctity of the Imperial Shrine is restored, you can properly 
  commune with the ancestors to receive their blessings.”
  Emperor Higashiyama Shigure 
  CR 14
  XP 38,400
  hp 161 (see page 52)
  Development: If Shigure is slain, his rejuvenation 
  brings him back 2d4 days later. By that time, his anger has 
  cooled somewhat, reducing the DC of the initial Diplomacy 
  check to question him to 20 (though his anger, and the DC, 
  once again increases each round).
  e. eternAl sPrIng
  When Shizuru created the conduit of power connecting the 
  Imperial Shrine to the Great Beyond and the ancestral spirits 
  of Minkai’s emperors, she also created a magical spring on 
  the island and placed a suijin kami (see Pathfinder Adventure 
  Path #52 88) to act as guardian of its sanctity. The waters of 
  this spring flow out of the island’s western hills to fill the 
  Lake of Tears (area F), surround the Shrine of the Heavenly 
  Sovereigns (area D), and contain the malevolent influence of 
  Minkai’s most evil emperors by washing away their sins into 
  the Well of Demons (area G). Since Shigure’s assassination, 
  however, the kami of the spring has lost focus. The waters 
  have grown less potent and the evil emperors of Minkai have 
  begun to taint them with their wicked influence.
  F. lAke OF teArs
  The people of Minkai named this body of water the Lake 
  of Tears, believing that Shizuru herself cries over it with 
  each fallen emperor. During imperial funerals, hundreds 
  
  22
  G1
  G2
  G3
  G4
  G5
  G6
  G7
  G8
  G9
  G10
  G12
  G13
  G14
  G17
  G18
  G19
  G14
  G15
  G16
  G14
  G11
  G4
  G1
  G2
  G11
  G12
  of floating lanterns are released across the lake’s surface. 
  The lake is actually formed from the cascading waters of 
  the Eternal Spring (area E). Two torii gates stand where the 
  waters empty from the lake’s basin to the north and south. 
  The southernmost stream fills the moat surrounding 
  the Shrine of the Heavenly Sovereigns (area D), while the 
  northern flow pours into the Well of Demons (area G).
  g. well OF demOns
  When Shizuru opened the conduit between the Imperial 
  Shrine and the Great Beyond, she couldn’t limit the access 
  to just the celestial realms. Instead, anyone interred in the 
  Imperial Shrine would have the means to connect with 
  the island, including those who passed on to Abaddon, the 
  Abyss, Hell, or beyond. To minimize the influence these 
  creatures might exert over sitting emperors, she created a 
  massive chasm that opened into natural caverns beneath 
  the island’s northern reaches, which soon became known as 
  the Well of Demons, and she used the sacred waters of the 
  Eternal Spring to contain the spirits of those evil emperors 
  and cleanse their sins from the island. While Minkai’s 
  good former emperors can be contacted from the Shrine of 
  Heavenly Sovereigns, one must go to the edge of the Well of 
  Demons to commune with the spirits of these evil emperors. 
  Into this maelstrom of iniquity, the Jade Regent and 
  his accomplice Renshii Meida cast the body of Emperor 
  Higashiyama Shigure. The sheer potency of their betrayal 
  sent a ripple through the Well’s waters and across the 
  planes, attracting the attention of foul devils, demons, 
  daemons, and evil spirits, each one an exceptionally 
  malevolent scion of an imperial family who once sat upon 
  the Jade Throne. Many of these former emperors had long 
  hungered to return to the Material Plane and use their 
  fell powers to usher in a new age of evil in Minkai, and 
  Shigure’s death provided them with the opportunity to do 
  so via Shizuru’s conduit. Upon their return to the Imperial 
  Shrine, however, these fiends found themselves physically 
  trapped within the Well of Demons. The sacred waters of 
  the Eternal Spring bar dimensional travel into or out of the 
  Well. Spells of the teleportation subschool and spells that 
  allow astral or ethereal travel work normally within the 
  confines of the Well, but they cannot be used to enter or 
  exit the Well. Summoning magic is unaffected. As a result, 
  any former emperors who enter the Well finds themselves 
  trapped there, both physically and magically, and those 
  emperors who now reside in the Well work feverishly 
  to figure out a means of escape so they can spread their 
  influence into Minkai and the greater world beyond.
  
  23
  The empTy Throne
  In actuality, the Well of Demons holds a variety of evil 
  outsiders and undead, not simply demons, who have carved 
  out their own miniature fiefdoms in the caverns of the 
  Well. These “domains” are veiled with illusions similar 
  to mirage arcana that respond to their inhabitants’ wishes, 
  enabling them to change the appearance of the caverns 
  to reflect their individual characters and personalities. 
  These illusions are divine in nature and cannot be 
  dispelled. The former rulers of Minkai inhabiting the 
  Well continually plot and scheme against one another 
  while they struggle to find a means of escape. The upper 
  caves have become a battleground between the forces of the 
  Abyss and Hell, with the demons of the nalfeshnee Shogun 
  Teikoku Sokai set against the devils of the handmaiden 
  devil Empress Amatatsu Maemi. Below, the lower caves 
  are disputed between the minions of the thanadaemon 
  Emperor Sugimatu Nobinoru and the undead spirit of 
  Emperor Shojinawa Ito, who currently holds Emperor 
  Shigure’s body.
  Emperor Shigure and Amatatsu Onoko can explain the 
  origin and function of the Well of Demons to the PCs. Onoko 
  was unable to enter the Well to recover Shigure’s remains, 
  lest she be trapped there herself. Shigure feels drawn to the 
  Well, and every day, his predecessors imprisoned there call 
  for him to join them. So far he’s resisted their taint, but it’s 
  only a matter of time until his undead condition drives him 
  to evil and his spirit is drawn into the Well.
  g1. descent OF the dePrAved (cr 14)
  High hills stand above a gaping chasm in the ground. A narrow, 
  muddy path descends into the abyss, winding in a spiral as it 
  passes multiple times under a cascading waterfall from the 
  small stream rushing down the cliffs.
  The spiraling path descends 150 feet to the fiendish pool 
  in area G2.
  Haunt: A fiendish influence permeates the entrance 
  to the Well, manifesting as a haunt beckoning visitors to 
  willingly jump from the cliffs.
  Vertigo Drop 
  CR 14
  XP 38,400
  NE persistent haunt (5-ft.-by-70-ft. upper portion of the path)
  Caster Level 14th
  Notice Perception DC 30 (to feel a momentary falling sensation)
  hp 28; Trigger proximity; Reset 1 day
  Effect Anyone spending more than 1 round looking into the 
  Well of Demons experiences an overwhelming sense of 
  vertigo and feels irresistibly drawn to the bottom of the 
  chasm, as if subject to a sympathy spell. All creatures on 
  the path must succeed at a DC 22 Will save or lean forward 
  until they fall into the pit. Anyone who falls takes 11d6 
  points of lethal falling damage plus 2d3 points of nonlethal 
  damage as they plummet into the fiendish pool (area G2).
  Destruction Destroying all of the inhabitants in the Well of 
  Demons and performing a ceremony of renewal at the 
  Eternal Spring (area E) destroys this haunt.
  g2. FIendIsh POOl (cr 15)
  The roar of falling water fills this massive cavern, echoing off 
  the stone walls. The water floods the cavern before falling into 
  a second chasm on the north side of the chamber. Several 
  passageways exit the cavern, leading to higher ground.
  The muddy path from area G1 ends at a sandy beach to 
  the south. The outer fringes of the muddy pool are 4 feet 
  deep, and are considered a deep bog (Core Rulebook 427). 
  The depth increases to 15 feet in the center of the cavern. 
  A strong current pulls toward the chasm to the north, 
  requiring a DC 15 Swim check to move through the water.
  Hazard: Despite the kami-influenced spring emptying 
  into this pool, the waters have become tainted by the demons 
  of the Well. Anyone venturing into the water is subjected to 
  a strain of demon fever far more virulent than the norm.
  Greater Demon Fever
  Type disease, contact; Save Fortitude DC 22
  Onset 1 day; Frequency 1/day
  Effect 1d6+2 Con damage, target must make a second Fort 
  save or 2 points of the damage is drain instead; Cure 2 
  consecutive saves
  Creatures: Three omox demons occupy the pool, serving 
  as sentinels for their demonic shogun Teikoku Sokai. 
  The tainted water grants any demon fast healing 10 while 
  immersed in it—a fact that makes the omoxes the undisputed 
  masters of this primary cavern. The omoxes keep primarily 
  to the deeper waters in the center of the cavern, and keep 
  careful watch for any duplicity from the devils in the upper 
  caverns (areas G7 through G10). The demons attack any 
  interlopers traveling through their domain.
  Omoxes (3) 
  CR 12
  XP 19,200 each
  hp 162 each; fast healing 10 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 79)
  TACTICS
  During Combat Each omox takes turns slinging slime to 
  entangle victims. The demons use telekinesis to pull 
  opponents into the water, making frequent use of their 
  liquid leap ability to close on foes and attempt to smother 
  them. If necessary, they use acid fog and stinking cloud to 
  block off exits and keep the PCs in the water.
  Morale The omoxes rely on the fast healing properties of the 
  pool to keep them going as they fight. If reduced to fewer 
  
  24
  than 50 hit points, they temporarily retreat into the depths 
  to restore themselves. Once one of the demons is slain, 
  one of the others teleports to warn the hezrous in area G5 
  before rejoining the battle.
  g3. sIde cAvern
  The ceiling of this sand-filled cavern is only 5 feet high. It 
  is currently unoccupied.
  g4. OverlOOks
  A rocky escarpment runs the length of the cavern’s western 
  wall here, forming two ledges that overlook the fiendish 
  pool from the south and west. These ledges stand 70 feet 
  above the pool, opening into a series of side caverns.
  g5. the demOns’ PlAygrOund (cr 14)
  Three tunnels open into this sunken cavern where a cloying 
  mist seeps from the moist rocky walls, hiding most of the 
  chamber floor. Fifty feet overhead, giant stalactites hang from 
  the ceiling, resembling enormous teeth stretching within ten 
  feet of the ground. Some of their ends have broken off, and now 
  lie scattered amid the rubble at the edges of the mist.
  Creatures: More loyal demon servants of Emperor 
  Sokai live within this cramped hall, normally occupying 
  themselves with some new scheme to spread the 
  demonic taint of the water in area G2. The demons have 
  determined that if they can corrupt and redirect the 
  Eternal Spring so that it pours into the bay of Kasai, it 
  will enable them to escape the Well of Demons and enter 
  the Material Plane unchallenged. So far, however, the 
  suijin kami’s influence continues to linger. Sokai has 
  tasked the hezrous here with finding a way to entice the 
  kami into manifesting so they can slay it and take over 
  the island.
  Hezrous (3) 
  CR 11
  XP 12,800 each
  hp 145 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 62)
  TACTICS
  Before Combat If warned of the PCs’ approach, the hezrous all 
  assume gaseous form to hide and drift among the noxious 
  vapors in the center of the cavern, then circle behind each 
  of the PCs to attack from surprise.
  During Combat After returning to solid form, the hezrous 
  attempt to grapple their opponents so they can nauseate 
  them. They make liberal use of their chaos hammer and 
  unholy blight abilities, even invoking them in mid-grapple, if 
  necessary. If prevented from using this tactic, they rely on 
  their claws and teeth to deal as much damage as possible.
  Morale Any hezrou reduced to fewer than 50 hit points 
  teleports to area G6 to join Sokai.
  g6. demOnIc thrOne rOOm (cr 15)
  The natural caverns give way to an opulent throne room, 
  paved with golden tiles joined together by fist-sized rubies. A 
  magnificent bower of silk cushions sits atop a dais at the far 
  eastern end of the chamber.
  All of the decorations in this chamber are the result of 
  the Well’s mirage arcana effect, which conceals the bare 
  stone of the cavern.
  Creature: This region of the Well is home to the tainted 
  soul of Shogun Teikoku Sokai. In life, he ruled the First 
  Kingdom of Minkai, known as the Teikoku Shogunate, 
  taking the title of shogun rather than emperor. Sokai 
  ushered in an age of unparalleled eugenics in Minkai, 
  attempting to elevate certain bloodlines above all others—
  specifically, the five imperial families of Minkai, but most 
  especially the Teikoku line. He subjugated lesser noble 
  lines by seizing their property and enslaving their scions 
  to enrich himself and his cronies. After Sokai lost his life 
  in a violent uprising against his decadent rule, his most 
  loyal followers transported his remains to the Imperial 
  Shrine. When his soul passed into the Great Beyond, the 
  powers of the Abyss welcomed him and reforged him into 
  a nalfeshnee. Since then, Sokai has focused his efforts on 
  returning to Minkai with the help of his demonic allies. If 
  alerted to the PCs’ presence, Sokai uses his robe of blending to 
  appear as he did in life: an imposing Tian-Min man with 
  the samurai’s traditional chonmage hairstyle—shaved on 
  top with an oiled topknot in back. Once in combat, however, 
  he returns to his natural form, that of a bloated fiend with 
  tiny black wings and a tusked boar’s head.
  To secure the Teikoku blessing, the PCs must either 
  destroy Sokai and his demonic minions, or alternatively, 
  they can negotiate with the nalfeshnee. In exchange for his 
  blessing, Sokai requests that the PCs tear down the torii 
  gate north of the Lake of Tears (area F). The demon claims 
  this will allow him and his minions to vacate the crowded 
  Well of Demons for the greater freedom of the open 
  waters. While this is true, Sokai has an ulterior motive. If 
  allowed to gain direct access to the Lake of Tears, he and 
  his demons will ensure the destruction of the suijin kami 
  at the Eternal Spring (area E), thereby allowing them to 
  redirect its waters to spill down the hillside and into the 
  bay of Kasai. This would expand Sokai’s influence enough 
  to create a direct portal to Golarion from the Abyss. Sokai 
  does everything he can to convince the PCs that he only 
  wants to access to the lake so he can put aside his rivalry 
  with the devils, daemons, and Emperor Shojinawa’s ghost. 
  If necessary, Sokai offers to sweeten the deal by offering 
  the PCs information about his rivals, which they can use to 
  defeat them or force their acceptance of Ameiko as well. If 
  the PCs rebuff his offer, Sokai roars and attacks.
  
  25
  The empTy Throne
  Teikoku Sokai 
  CR 15
  XP 51,200
  Male advanced nalfeshnee (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 65, 294)
  hp 231 
  TACTICS
  During Combat Sokai immediately invokes his unholy nimbus, 
  then casts slow and unholy aura to hinder any would-be 
  attackers. He relies on feeblemind and greater dispel magic 
  to combat spellcasters and uses Awesome Blow against 
  anyone who gets close to him, trying to knock them 
  into the northern passageway and off the escarpment. 
  Otherwise, he fights with tooth and claw.
  Morale If reduced to fewer than 50 hit points, Sokai teleports 
  to the fiendish pool in area G2. After the waters heal him, 
  he attempts to summon 1d4 hezrous and plans an ambush 
  for the PCs when they return from the upper caverns. Sokai 
  commands his hezrous to rise from the pool and grapple 
  foes in the water while he casts call lightning to electrocute 
  those in their grasp. Trapped in the Well of Demons, Sokai 
  fights to the death.
  Treasure: In addition to wearing his robe of blending, 
  Sokai carries an obsidian steed figurine of wondrous power (his 
  mount when he was a mortal samurai) and wears an ornate 
  gold and jade ring worth 100 gp.
  Development: If the PCs accept Sokai’s offer to receive 
  his blessing, deduct 2 Rebellion Points from their total.
  g7. devIl’s BeAch
  A sandy beach leads to a wide cavern where a passage climbs 
  to the north.
  This cavern marks the boundary of the region ruled by 
  the handmaiden devil Amatatsu Maemi. She and the demon 
  Sokai do not get along, fighting a proxy war through their 
  hellish and abyssal allies to control this level of the Well. 
  While Maemi and her erinyes have taken the high ground, 
  the demons control the pool and waterfalls. More recently, 
  the two have entered into a shaky truce as they consider the 
  growing threat of rivals in the deeper levels of the Well.
  
  26
  g8. the hAndmAIden’s hAndmAIden 
  (cr 14)
  High rock shelves line this narrow passageway, marred by a 
  forest of stalactites and stalagmites that resemble nothing 
  less than the narrow bars of a cage in the ebbing glow of the 
  luminescent lichen growing upon them.
  Creature: In life, Empress Amatatsu Maemi eschewed 
  the company of men, always preferring women as her 
  closest confidantes. Since becoming a handmaiden devil 
  in Hell, Maemi has continued that trend, taking an evil 
  outsider named Shiori Heikkaki as her own handmaiden 
  and consort. Heikkaki is a shiko me, a Tian fiend 
  personifying the corruption of death, and 
  serves her empress as bodyguard, assassin, and 
  lover. Heikkaki wears a featureless porcelain 
  mask to conceal her fiendish features. Long, 
  twisting horns grow from her head, and a 
  hairless rat’s tail pokes out from beneath 
  the skirts of her blood-spattered kimono. 
  Maemi has commanded Heikkaki to guard 
  this approach to her territory. Heikkaki stands 
  motionless here in her wind stance, making 
  her effectively invisible while she studies the 
  strongest-looking PC for 3 rounds in preparation 
  for a death attack.
  Shiori Heikkaki 
  CR 14
  XP 38,400
  Female advanced shiko me assassin 6 (Jade 
  Dragons and Hungry Ghosts 42)
  LE Medium outsider (evil, extraplanar, lawful)
  Init +12; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +20
  DEFENSE
  AC 28, touch 19, flat-footed 19 (+3 armor, +8 Dex, 
  +1 dodge, +6 natural)
  hp 205 (19 HD; 13d10+6d8+110)
  Fort +11, Ref +19, Will +11; +3 vs. poison
  Defensive Abilities improved uncanny dodge; 
  Immune ability damage, ability drain, cold, 
  electricity, energy drain, negative energy
  OFFENSE
  Speed 40 ft.
  Melee +1 naginata* +23/+18/+13/+8 (1d8+6/19–20/×4 
  plus poison) or
  2 claws +22 (1d4+5)
  Ranged mwk composite shortbow +26/+21/+16/+11 
  (1d6+5/×3)
  Special Attacks Black Lotus sorcery, death 
  attack (DC 18), elemental stance, quiet 
  death, sneak attack +3d6, true death 
  (DC 21)
  Sorcerer Spells Known (caster level 12th; concentration +18)
  6th (4/day)—mislead (DC 22)
  5th (6/day)—dispel good, waves of fatigue
  4th (7/day)—enervation, phantasmal killer (DC 20), unholy 
  blight (DC 20)
  3rd (7/day)—displacement, major image, ray of exhaustion 
  (DC 19), vampiric touch
  2nd (8/day)—blindness/deafness (DC 18), false life, ghoul 
  touch (DC 18), misdirection (DC 18), spectral hand
  1st (8/day)—chill touch (DC 17), disguise self, protection from 
  good, ray of enfeeblement (DC 17), ventriloquism
  0 (at will)—bleed (DC 16), disrupt undead, ghost sound (DC 16), 
  touch of fatigue (DC 16)
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Heikkaki casts false life every day and 
  poisons her naginata with black lotus extract.
  During Combat Heikkaki begins combat in wind 
  stance by making a death attack with her poisoned 
  naginata, then flies into the air to cast displacement 
  and dispel good. She stays out of melee reach to 
  attack foes with her spells, combining normal 
  spellcasting with quickened spells such as blindness/
  deafness and touch spells delivered with spectral 
  hand. If forced into melee combat, Heikkaki 
  switches to fire stance and attacks with her 
  naginata, casting mislead to maneuver around 
  her opponents and make sneak attacks.
  Morale If reduced to fewer than 50 hit points, 
  Heikkaki casts quickened false life or vampiric 
  touch to regain hit points. She fights to the 
  death to keep intruders from trespassing in her 
  mistress’s domain.
  STATISTICS
  Str 20, Dex 27, Con 20, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 22
  Base Atk +17; CMB +22; CMD 41
  Feats Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, 
  Dodge, Eschew MaterialsB, Improved Critical 
  (naginata*), Improved Initiative, Mobility, 
  Quicken Spell, Spring Attack, Stand Still, 
  Whirlwind Attack
  Skills Acrobatics +25 (+29 when jumping), Bluff +20, 
  Disguise +20, Escape Artist +25, Fly +24, Perception +20,  
  Perform (string) +20, Sense Motive +18, Sleight of 
  Hand +25, Spellcraft +19, Stealth +25
  Languages Auran, Common, Ignan, 
  Infernal, Minkaian, Tien
  SQ hidden weapons, poison use
  Combat Gear black lotus extract 
  (3 doses); Other Gear +2 silken 
  ceremonial armor*, +1 naginata*, 
  masterwork composite 
  shortbow (+5 Str) with 20 arrows, 
  masterwork samisen
  Shiori Heikkaki
  
  27
  The empTy Throne
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Black Lotus Sorcery Shiko me practice a dark form of magic 
  called Black Lotus sorcery that depends on human blood 
  and bone, black lotus powder, and the secretions of demons 
  and oni for its efficacy. This blood magic allows Heikkaki to 
  cast illusion and necromancy spells, as well as spells from 
  the Evil cleric domain, as a 12th-level sorcerer. Cleric spells 
  from the Evil domain are considered arcane spells for a 
  Black Lotus sorcerer.
  Elemental Stance (Su) Most shiko me can assume one of three 
  elemental combat stances, but Heikkaki has mastered two of 
  these stances. In fire stance, Heikkaki gains the burn ability 
  (2d6, DC 21) and immunity to fire, and can cast burning hands 
  as a spell-like ability at will (CL 7th). In wind stance, Heikkaki 
  becomes effectively invisible while motionless, gains a 
  fly speed of 80 feet (good maneuverability), and can cast 
  glitterdust and gust of wind as spell-like abilities at will (CL 
  7th). Heikkaki may switch between stances as a swift action.
  * See Ultimate Combat.
  g9. the devIl’s cOurtyArd (cr 13)
  Huge basalt columns hold up the ceiling of this mammoth 
  courtyard. A balcony to the southwest and two elevated platforms 
  to the east look down upon the room’s ivory-tiled floor. Imperial 
  tapestries of green and gold hang from their edges. To the south, 
  a decorative overlook provides a breathtaking view of a waterfall 
  as it pours into the misty depths.
  Empress Maemi has manipulated the Well’s mirage 
  arcana effect here to make this cavern look like her favorite 
  courtyard in the Imperial Palace where she once ruled. 
  The raised platform and ledge to the east and the balcony 
  to the west stand 40 feet above the floor, while the ceiling 
  rises to a height of 80 feet.
  Creatures: Maemi has garnered the support of an entire 
  aerie of erinyes, taking these devils as trusted consorts. 
  These winged devils prove exceedingly loyal guardians 
  for their empress’s lair. They attack anyone who intrudes 
  upon their domain, binding and dragging them before 
  their mistress.
  Erinyes (6) 
  CR 8
  XP 4,800 each
  hp 94 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 75)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The erinyes use group tactics to bring down 
  opponents, three of the devils targeting foes with their 
  entangling ropes while the others fire flaming arrows or 
  use their spell-like abilities. If entangled victims continue to 
  struggle, the erinyes lift them to the ceiling to drop them 
  to the floor. Dropped creatures take 8d6 points of damage 
  from such a fall.
  Morale Once half their number are slain, the remaining 
  erinyes flee to area G10 to join Maemi, using greater teleport 
  if necessary to disengage from the fight.
  g10. the emPress’s BOudOIr (cr 15)
  An ornate railing lines a stone balcony that opens into a small 
  cavern. Delicate silk curtains hang from a forest of stalactites 
  on the ceiling, and plush carpets cover the floor. A huge bed 
  draped in satin sheets and a multitude of pillows occupies the 
  rear of the chamber, behind a regal throne of carved jade. The 
  stirring scent of jasmine and lotus blossoms fills the air.
  The Well’s mirage arcana effect makes this cavern appear 
  as a comfortable and elaborately furnished bedchamber. 
  Amatatsu Maemi treats this entire rocky shelf as her 
  boudoir, often stealing away here with Shiori Heikkaki or 
  a favored erinyes when not overseeing their attacks against 
  her demonic rivals. 
  Creatures: Empress Amatatsu Maemi sat on the 
  Jade Throne of Minkai for over 200 years, though she 
  remained childless for the entirety of her reign. She 
  lobbied the powers of Hell to extend her life and beauty 
  as long as possible, pledging her soul to them in return. 
  Eventually, Maemi died childless and alone, and the 
  Amatatsu Seal and the Jade Throne passed to another 
  branch of the Amatatsu line. The devils of Hell held her 
  to her contract, and accepted Maemi into their ranks, 
  transforming her into a gylou, or handmaiden devil. Now 
  granted a true eternity to perpetuate her evil, Maemi 
  has gathered more handmaidens to her side, intent on 
  returning to Kasai and retaking the Jade Throne for her 
  own selfish pursuits.
  Maemi sits upon her regal throne here, an illusory 
  replica of Minkai’s Jade Throne, while two of her erinyes 
  handmaidens attend to her every whim. If any of the 
  erinyes from area G9 escaped, they are also found here, 
  eager to repay the PCs for their defeat. Maemi appears 
  much as she did in life, courtesy of an alter self spell—a 
  beautiful, ageless Tian-Min woman dressed in Minkai 
  imperial regalia, though her head tentacles are visible, 
  writhing about her elaborate coiffure. To receive the 
  Amatatsu blessing from Onoko (see area D4), the PCs must 
  slay Maemi and her erinyes playthings. Maemi offers to 
  give the PCs the blessing herself if they spare her, however, 
  but only to Ameiko or another female Amatatsu scion. She 
  speaks of the glory that will return to the empire when an 
  Amatatsu daughter once more rules Minkai, and promises 
  to share her knowledge and advice with the new empress. 
  Of course, Maemi wants nothing more than to sit on 
  the Jade Throne again herself, and if the PCs accept her 
  offer, she does everything in her power to manipulate and 
  corrupt her descendant.
  
  28
  Amatatsu Maemi 
  CR 14
  XP 38,400
  Handmaiden devil (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 86)
  hp 187
  Weaknesses vulnerability to ancestral weapons
  TACTICS
  During Combat Maemi casts black tentacles to 
  occupy opponents on the ground while she 
  flies into the air. She targets those 
  unaffected by the black tentacles 
  with charm monster, directing 
  charmed victims to defend her 
  before she closes to attack any 
  remaining foes with her claws and 
  tentacles. Upon grabbing a victim, 
  she immediately transfers it into her 
  tentacle cage to keep it occupied.
  Morale If her current handmaidens 
  fall in battle, Maemi attempts 
  to summon more erinyes. Once 
  they’re all eliminated or if she’s 
  reduced to fewer than 60 hit points, 
  she tries to capture a victim in her 
  tentacle cage and hold it hostage 
  to negotiate. If she has no other 
  option, she fights to the death.
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Vulnerability to Ancestral Weapons 
  (Ex) Maemi is vulnerable 
  to ancestral weapons of the 
  Amatatsu family, such as the sword Suishen 
  (Pathfinder Adventure Path #50 61). Against Maemi, Suishen 
  functions as an outsider (devil) bane weapon.
  Miu and Ume (2) 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400 each
  Advanced erinyes (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 75, 294)
  hp 112 each
  Treasure: Maemi’s elaborate headdress functions as a 
  major crown of blasting. In addition, her jewelry and rich 
  clothing are worth a total of 5,000 gp. 
  Development: If the PCs accept Maemi’s offer to receive 
  her blessing, deduct 2 Rebellion Points from their total.
  g11. lOwer FAlls
  The waters of the fiendish pool in area G2 drain through 
  this chasm, plunging 150 feet into area G12 on the lower 
  level of the Well of Demons. The noise of the waterfall 
  drowns out any other sounds. The omoxes in area G2 
  tend to avoid the falls, preferring not to antagonize the 
  daemons and undead below, while the erinyes in area G9 
  keep a close eye on the chasm from their aerie.
  g12. lOwer POOl
  Behind the rushing falls, a small skiff floats in the water, 
  tethered to a stone ledge. The ledge climbs the cavern wall to 
  the east and west before ending at two overlooks about fifty 
  feet above the basin. The pool stretches farther south, where a 
  handful of small, sandy islets dot the water’s surface.
  The islands and lower pool of the Well 
  belong to a group of daemons allied with 
  the former emperor Sugimatu Nobinoru. 
  The daemons care little for the conflict 
  between the demons and devils of the 
  upper caverns, focusing instead on 
  corrupting the Imperial Shrine into a 
  secret repository of souls they can abduct 
  and usher into Abaddon. To accomplish this, 
  the daemons have transmuted the demon-
  tainted water flowing down from area G2. 
  If they can replace the waters in 
  the moat around the Shrine of 
  the Heavenly Sovereigns (area D) 
  with this daemon-blighted water, 
  it would alter Shizuru’s conduit to 
  trap the souls of anyone interred in the 
  Imperial Shrine, allowing the daemons to 
  harvest the souls at their leisure.
  The ledge to the west ends before an 
  illusory wall (DC 25 to disbelieve), placed 
  there by the dread ghost of Emperor 
  Shojinawa Ito (see area G19) to mark his 
  territory and keep the incarnations of other former 
  emperors from disturbing his plans.
  A skiff belonging to the thanadaemon Nobinoru is 
  moored against the north wall of the cavern. If the PCs 
  board the skiff, it steers itself across the pool, bringing 
  them directly to the daemon’s landing (area G15) so that 
  Nobinoru can speak with them.
  Hazard: Just as in area G2, anyone venturing into the 
  tainted water here is subjected to a disease—in this case a 
  daemonic wasting plague.
  Daemonic Wasting
  Type disease, contact; Save Fortitude DC 23
  Onset 1 day; Frequency 1/day
  Effect 1d4 Con damage and 1d4 Cha damage; Cure 2 
  consecutive saves
  g13. Isle OF skulls (cr 14)
  A collection of stark-white skulls lies piled upon this sandy 
  shore, each glowing from within with a soft white light, 
  illuminating its unseeing eyes.
  Amatatsu Maemi
  
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  The empTy Throne
  Creatures: Several hydrodaemons have taken over the 
  lower pool, slipping between the islands as they work to 
  transmute the tainted waters. Any living creature that 
  crosses the pool or approaches the island quickly attracts 
  their attention, as the daemons seek to harvest more souls.
  Advanced Hydrodaemons (6) 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400 each
  hp 115 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 67, 292)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The hydrodaemons cast summon monster V to 
  summon Large water elementals, then attack with a barrage 
  of acid arrows and sleep spittle before using their glide 
  ability to rise out of the water and pounce upon the PCs. 
  They grapple foes in an effort to hold them under the water 
  and drown them, or use summoned elementals to create 
  vortexes under anyone pulled into the water.
  Morale The hydrodaemons fight to the death.
  g14. cAves
  These caves are generally uninhabited and left alone by the 
  daemons. If the PCs have not yet encountered them, there’s 
  a 30% chance of encountering one of the hydrodaemons 
  from area G13 in one of these caves at any given time.
  g15. dAemOn’s lAndIng
  A long cavern extends off this wide sandy beach, supported 
  by three columns of water-carved rock. A single passageway 
  leads west.
  If the PCs boarded Nobinoru’s skiff in area G12, it 
  brings them here, making landfall on the beach.
  g16. mIAsmA OF sOuls (cr 15)
  This long cavern is deathly silent. To the north, a wall of eldritch 
  blue light flickers from floor to ceiling.
  Emperor Nobinoru has not bothered to manipulate the 
  Well’s mirage arcana effect to hide or cloak this cavern in 
  any way, preferring the dead black natural stone.
  Creatures: In life, Emperor Sugimatu Nobinoru 
  survived to the venerable age of 110, resembling a withered 
  ghoul more than a man when he finally passed away. His 
  last act as emperor was to command his loyal samurai 
  to put every remaining member of his family to death 
  so none could ever surpass his accomplishments. Before 
  all of his kindred were slain, one of the other imperial 
  families stepped in and stopped the slaughter, but so 
  decimated was the family line that it would be several 
  centuries before another Sugimatu again sat upon the 
  Jade Throne. Nevertheless, Nobinoru almost succeeded in 
  destroying his family, and his heinous crime brought his 
  soul to Abaddon, where the fell powers of that realm both 
  rewarded and punished him by transforming his soul into 
  a thanadaemon. 
  Unlike the demons and devils of the upper caverns, 
  Nobinoru has little desire to reclaim the Jade Throne or 
  his former life. Instead, he hungers after the souls laid 
  to rest in the Imperial Shrine. To that end, Nobinoru has 
  opened a tiny conduit to Abaddon, connecting this cavern 
  to a complex weave of necromantic energies on that plane 
  called the miasma of souls. Once the moat around the 
  Shrine of the Heavenly Sovereigns has been tainted by 
  the daemons, Nobinoru can use the power of the miasma 
  of souls to trap the spirits of anyone laid to rest in the 
  Imperial Shrine, enabling the thanadaemon to shunt 
  those souls directly to Abaddon rather than to whatever 
  realms they normally would have reached. To complete the 
  miasma of souls’ activation, Nobinoru needs a soul already 
  attuned to one of the Imperial Seals. For months now, the 
  thanadaemon has tried to lure the ghost of Emperor 
  Shigure into the Well of Demons to complete the ritual, 
  but Shigure’s will remains too strong. 
  Nobinoru appears as a horned skeletal figure wearing 
  a dark kimono and carrying an ornate staff. He is 
  accompanied by his majordomo, a piscodaemon named 
  Ikku. When the PCs arrive, Nobinoru eagerly turns his 
  attention to them, for any soul attuned to an Imperial 
  Seal will serve his purposes. He is more than willing to 
  negotiate and avoids combat if possible, preferring to 
  speak with the PCs telepathically. Nobinoru offers to give 
  the PCs the Sugimatu blessing in exchange for a piece of 
  one of their souls—a soul attuned to one of the Imperial 
  Seals. The daemon refuses to explain how it will be used, 
  but he assures them it will cause no permanent damage, 
  nor obligate them in any way to him, either in life or death. 
  In exchange for this gift, he offers not only his approval 
  of Ameiko’s ascension, but also the location of Emperor 
  Shigure’s remains—Nobinoru is fully aware that Emperor 
  Shojinawa Ito (in area G19) is the keeper of Shigure’s body, 
  and directs the PCs to Ito’s domain to the north.
  If the PCs accept Nobinoru’s offer, the daemon holds 
  up his end of the bargain. A character that parts with a 
  piece of her soul automatically gains two permanent 
  negative levels (no save), but these negative levels can be 
  removed normally with restoration. If the PCs refuse to 
  meet Nobinoru’s terms, Ikku attacks while Nobinoru 
  telepathically contacts any remaining hydrodaemons in 
  area G13, ordering them to cut off the PCs’ retreat before 
  attacking the PCs himself.
  The conduit to the miasma of souls manifests as the 
  wall of light to the north, pulsating with an overwhelming 
  aura of necromancy and conjuration. The effects of the 
  miasma extend throughout the entirety of this cavern. 
  
  30
  Any living creature that falls below 0 hit points within 
  this area is targeted with a death knell effect that transfers 
  the dying creature’s power to Nobinoru (DC 13 Will save 
  negates). In addition, once per day, Nobinoru can use the 
  miasma of souls to target a single individual with a trap 
  the soul effect (caster level 20th, DC 22 Will save negates). If 
  possible, Nobinoru attempts to learn such an individual’s 
  name during their conversation so he can include it when 
  he invokes this power, thereby increasing the DC by +2.
  Ikku 
  CR 11
  XP 12,800
  Male advanced piscodaemon (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 72, 292)
  hp 159
  TACTICS
  During Combat Ikku casts stinking cloud before attacking 
  opponents with his constricting tentacles and claws.
  Morale Ikku fights to the death.
  Sugimatu Nobinoru 
  CR 14
  XP 38,400
  Male advanced thanadaemon (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 74, 292)
  hp 202
  Weaknesses vulnerability to ancestral weapons
  TACTICS
  During Combat Nobinoru activates the miasma’s trap the 
  soul power on the first round of combat. He then uses air 
  walk to get above the PCs, summoning 1d4 hydrodaemons 
  to aid him before launching enervation rays at anyone the 
  daemons fail to bring down. He uses his fear gaze on any 
  warriors who get close to him and makes full attacks with 
  his energy-draining quarterstaff.
  Morale Upon reaching 100 hit points or fewer, Nobinoru uses his 
  soul crush ability to crush a cacodaemon’s soul gem (see page 
  64 of Bestiary 2) to gain fast healing 15 for 15 rounds. Unable 
  to leave the Well of Demons, Nobinoru fights to the death.
   SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Vulnerability to Ancestral Weapons (Ex) Nobinoru is vulnerable 
  to ancestral weapons of the Sugimatu family, such as 
  the thundering blade of the House of Sugimatu (Pathfinder 
  Adventure Path #52 61). Against Nobinoru, the thundering 
  blade functions as an outsider (daemon) bane weapon.
  Development: If Nobinoru is killed, his power no longer 
  holds the portal to Abaddon open. The conduit to the 
  miasma of souls closes, and the effects of the miasma end. 
  If the PCs accept Nobinoru’s offer to receive his blessing, 
  deduct 2 Rebellion Points from their total.
  g17. vestIBule OF the undyIng (cr 14)
  Two exits lead from this large cavern, one to the southwest and 
  another that rises fifteen feet to the northwest.
  Creature: Emperor Shojinawa Ito was a master of both 
  necromancy and illusion, commanding legions of undead 
  raised from his own slain troops. He often disguised these 
  undead soldiers to make them indistinguishable from 
  his regular, living troops to unnerve and intimidate his 
  enemies. When his own commanders questioned the rapid 
  growth of his undying army, the emperor had them ritually 
  slain to ensure their eternal unquestioned obedience as 
  undead. One of these champions, a graveknight named 
  Akatsuka Katsumoto, occupies this cavern, bound to defend 
  his emperor in death as well as life. Katsumoto appears as 
  a desiccated corpse wearing bloodstained o-yoroi armor of 
  ancient make, his piercing eyes glowing red from within 
  the shadows of his kabuto helm. He attacks any creatures 
  who venture into his master’s domain.
  Akatsuka Katsumoto 
  CR 14
  XP 38,400
  Male human graveknight fighter 13 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 138)
  LE Medium undead (augmented humanoid)
  Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +24
  Aura sacrilegious aura (30 ft., DC 20)
  DEFENSE
  AC 29, touch 15, flat-footed 26 (+10 armor, +2 deflection, +2 Dex, 
  +1 dodge, +4 natural)
  hp 180 (13d10+104)
  Fort +17, Ref +9, Will +12; +3 vs. fear
  Defensive Abilities bravery +3, channel resistance +4, 
  rejuvenation; Immune acid, cold, electricity, undead traits; 
  SR 25
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee +2 katana* +28/+23/+18 (1d8+19/18–20 plus 3d6 acid) or
  mwk wakizashi* +24/+19/+14 (1d6+10/18–20 plus 3d6 acid) or
  slam +22 (1d4+12)
  Ranged +1 composite longbow +20/+15/+10 (1d8+12/×3)
  Special Attacks channel destruction, devastating blast (8d6 
  acid, DC 20), undead mastery (DC 20), weapon training 
  (heavy blades +3, bows +2, light blades +1)
  TACTICS
  During Combat Katsumoto unleashes a devastating blast 
  on the first round of combat, then focuses his attacks 
  against any obvious champion of faith (e.g., a cleric or 
  paladin), seeking to eliminate that foe first. Against grouped 
  opponents, he releases another devastating blast.
  Morale As in life, Katsumoto fights until destroyed to protect 
  his emperor, though he rejuvenates in 1d10 days unless his 
  armor is completely destroyed as well.
  STATISTICS
  Str 25, Dex 14, Con —, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 18
  Base Atk +13; CMB +20; CMD 35
  Feats Combat Reflexes, Critical Focus, Dazzling Display, 
  Disruptive, Dodge, Great Fortitude, Improved InitiativeB, 
  
  31
  The empTy Throne
  Improved Iron Will, Iron Will, Mounted CombatB, Ride-By 
  AttackB, Spellbreaker, Spirited Charge, Step Up, Strike Back, 
  ToughnessB, Vital Strike, Weapon Focus (katana*), Weapon 
  Specialization (katana*)
  Skills Climb +21, Intimidate +28, Perception +24, Ride +24
  Languages Infernal, Minkaian, Tien
  SQ armor training 3, phantom mount, ruinous revivification (acid)
  Other Gear +2 o-yoroi*, +2 katana*, +1 composite longbow 
  (+7 Str) with 20 arrows, masterwork wakizashi, cloak of 
  resistance +1, ring of protection +2
  * See Ultimate Combat.
  g18. wIngs OF dArkness (cr 14)
  This dark cavern is utterly silent, and shadows lie thick around 
  the edges of the chamber. Sloping passageways descend to the 
  east and west.
  Creature: When Emperor Ito first manifested in the 
  Well of Demons, he explored all of the Well’s caverns in 
  his ghostly form. In this chamber, he discovered the body 
  of a void yai oni, bound here centuries earlier by a previous 
  emperor. Ito used a foul necromantic ritual to transform 
  the corpse of the fiend into an undead nightwing that 
  would do his bidding once he broke free of the Imperial 
  Shrine. The undead abomination lurks in the shadows 
  near the 50-foot-high ceiling. It swoops down to attack any 
  living creature entering the chamber, but it is unable to fly 
  effectively in the tight space of the cavern, and must land 
  at the end of every turn. The nightwing chases fleeing 
  opponents throughout the Well (squeezing to exit this 
  cavern), but is unable to leave the confines of the Well of 
  Demons. It fights until destroyed.
  Nightwing 
  CR 14
  XP 38,400
  hp 195 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 203)
  g19. the emPerOr’s retreAt (cr 16)
  Starry patterns grace the ceiling of this long cavern, dimly 
  illuminating a shadow-filled hall of decorative sculptures 
  below. A black throne rests against the west wall, below long 
  banners depicting the Tien characters for sacrifice and death. 
  A regal crown of black and gold sits on the throne’s massive 
  seat. A discernible chill fills the air, and the sour stench of 
  death emanates from a long-dead corpse lying on the 
  chamber floor.
  The banners, crown, throne, and other decor in this 
  room are all illusions, courtesy of the Well’s mirage arcana 
  effect. A passage to the south leads to area G12, hidden 
  behind an illusory wall placed there by Ito. The only thing 
  that isn’t an illusion is the decayed corpse on the floor—
  the bodily remains of Emperor Higashiyama Shigure.
  Creature: Emperor Shojinawa Ito represents one of 
  the greatest of Minkai’s evil rulers. Descended from a 
  bloodline steeped in necromancy and dark magics, his 
  reign mars the history of the Jade Throne, prompting 
  the keepers of imperial records in Kasai to all but purge 
  his name from their scrolls. Only a handful of historians 
  know that Emperor Ito unnaturally extended his life by 
  becoming a lich, disguising himself with magic so no 
  one would realize his undead nature. He even formed an 
  undead army to defend him and expand Minkai’s borders. 
  Eventually, however, his people questioned his unnaturally 
  long lifespan, and Ito finally met his end when the ancient 
  sovereign dragon Daidorei, disguised as a peasant, traveled 
  to the Imperial Palace and slew the undead emperor in 
  a conflagration of magical fire. Daidorei also correctly 
  divined the location of Ito’s phylactery on the Mount of 
  Seven Shrines, and destroyed it as well.
  But Ito’s legacy did not end with the destruction of his 
  body and phylactery. Rather than craft a single phylactery, 
  Ito had harnessed the energies of the Imperial Shrine to 
  craft a second phylactery, splitting his soul as a safeguard 
  against those who would try to remove him from the Jade 
  Throne. The second phylactery could not return him as a 
  lich, however, and his physical remains crumbled to ash, 
  leaving only his spirit intact. Ito returned as a dread ghost, 
  and because his second phylactery was hidden among 
  his family’s funerary urns in the Shrine of the Heavenly 
  Sovereigns, his spirit became confined to the Imperial 
  Shrine. In time, the other imperial families removed the 
  Shojinawa urns, dumping them into the Lake of Tears. 
  Although Ito’s phylactery still rests at the bottom of the 
  lake, the sacred waters of the Eternal Spring drew his 
  spirit into the Well of Demons, where he is now confined.
  Over the centuries, Ito has searched for a way to break 
  free of the Well of Demons and the Imperial Shrine so 
  he can return to Minkai and reclaim the Jade Throne. 
  But bodiless spirits cannot pass the torii gates ringing 
  the island, so he’s spent countless decades trying to lure 
  visitors into the Well so he can possess them and depart 
  the island inside a physical body. Ito thought he had found 
  his ideal answer when the Jade Regent hurled Emperor 
  Shigure’s body into the Well, believing he could use 
  Shigure’s corpse to deceive Minkai and assume the throne 
  again. But Ito hasn’t yet been able to adapt his malevolence 
  ability to possess a dead body, and he grows frustrated as 
  his reanimation experiments continually end in failure.
  When the PCs arrive, Ito manifests over Shigure’s 
  remains to defend them. Ito looks much as he did in 
  life before his transformation into a lich. He still wears 
  his imperial crown and regalia, but they are burnt and 
  blackened, reflecting the manner of his death. Ito refuses 
  
  32
  to give up Shigure’s corpse until the PCs explain who 
  they are and why they need the body. Once Ito realizes 
  that Ameiko seeks to wrest the throne away from the Jade 
  Regent, he agrees to part with Shigure’s remains, but only 
  if she (or another Amatatsu scion) lets him possess her 
  until they leave the island. In truth, Ito has no intention of 
  returning Ameiko’s body if she agrees. Instead, he plans 
  to use her to put himself on the throne again. If the PCs 
  refuse his offer, Ito attacks. If he gets the upper hand and 
  defeats the PCs, he doesn’t slay them, but rather focuses 
  all of his attention on possessing Ameiko or another 
  Amatatsu scion with his malevolence ability and escaping 
  the Well of Demons and Imperial Shrine.
  Shojinawa Ito 
  CR 16
  XP 76,800
  Male human dread ghost sorcerer 14 (Advanced Bestiary 72)
  NE Medium undead (augmented humanoid, incorporeal)
  Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +22
  DEFENSE
  AC 30, touch 22, flat-footed 27 (+4 armor, +9 deflection, +2 Dex, 
  +1 dodge, +4 shield)
  hp 206 (14d6+155)
  Fort +13, Ref +8, Will +12
  Defensive Abilities channel resistance +8, incorporeal, 
  rejuvenation; Immune undead traits; SR 24
  OFFENSE
  Speed fly 60 ft. (perfect)
  Melee corrupting touch +9 (16d6, Fort DC 26 half)
  Special Attacks corrupting gaze (DC 26), it was meant to be 
  1/day, malevolence (DC 26), power over undead, spectral 
  flame strike
  Bloodline Spell-Like Abilities (CL 14th; concentration +23)
  12/day—touch of destiny (+7)
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 14th; concentration +23)
  3/day—spectral flame strike (DC 24)
  Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 14th; concentration +23)
  7th (4/day)—finger of death (DC 26)
  6th (6/day)—create undead, disintegrate (DC 25), mislead 
  (DC 27), veil (DC 27)
  5th (8/day)—break enchantment, cone of cold (DC 24), feeblemind 
  (DC 24), shadow evocation (DC 26), waves of fatigue
  4th (8/day)—animate dead, bestow curse (DC 23), enervation, 
  freedom of movement, illusory wall (DC 25), phantasmal 
  killer (DC 25)
  3rd (8/day)—dispel magic, fireball (DC 23), protection from 
  energy, ray of exhaustion (DC 22), vampiric touch
  2nd (8/day)—acid arrow, blindness/deafness (DC 21), blur, 
  false life, mirror image, scorching ray 
  1st (9/day)—alarm, disguise self, mage armor, magic missile, 
  ray of enfeeblement (DC 20), shield
  0 (at will)—acid splash, bleed (DC 19), dancing lights, detect 
  magic, ghost sound (DC 21), mage hand, prestidigitation, 
  read magic, touch of fatigue (DC 19)
  Bloodline Destined
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Ito casts blur, false life, mage armor, and shield 
  before any fight, doing so from within the safety of the 
  cavern walls or floor, if necessary.
  During Combat Ito uses his spectral flame strike and spells 
  such as cone of cold, fireball, scorching ray, and waves of 
  fatigue to target massed foes. Against individuals, he 
  casts spells like bestow curse, disintegrate, enervation, 
  finger of death, and phantasmal killer, or attacks with his 
  corrupting touch. If his enemies seem able to hit him with 
  any frequency, he casts mirror image and uses vampiric 
  touch along with his corrupting touch to replenish his lost 
  Shojinawa Ito
  
  33
  The empTy Throne
  hit points. If Ito seems too powerful for your PCs, reduce 
  the speed with which he attacks them. Have him waste 
  every other round, as necessary, to convey the emperor’s 
  arrogance and disdain for his opponents.
  Morale Ito fights until destroyed, knowing full well that he’ll 
  re-form in just a few days. Of more concern to him is 
  the loss of Emperor Shigure’s corpse, which he strives at 
  all costs to protect as a bargaining chip. The only way to 
  permanently destroy Ito’s ghost is to destroy his second 
  phylactery, a funerary urn that lies at the bottom of the Lake 
  of Tears (area F).
  STATISTICS
  Str —, Dex 14, Con —, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 28
  Base Atk +7; CMB +9; CMD 29
  Feats Combat Casting, Command Undead, Dodge, Eschew 
  Materials, Expanded Arcana* (2), Iron Will, Lightning 
  Reflexes, Quicken Spell, Skill Focus (Knowledge [history]), 
  Spell Focus (illusion), Toughness
  Skills Bluff +18, Fly +19, Intimidate +18, Knowledge (arcana) 
  +10, Knowledge (history) +13, Knowledge (nobility) +7, 
  Knowledge (religion) +10, Perception +22, Sense Motive +10, 
  Spellcraft +10, Stealth +19
  Languages Draconic, Minkaian, Tien
  SQ bloodline arcana (gain luck bonus to saves when casting 
  personal-range spells), fated (+3)
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Power Over Undead (Su) Ito gains Command Undead as a 
  bonus feat, and can channel energy 12 times per day, but 
  only to use that feat (DC 26).
  Spectral Flame Strike (Sp) Ito can cast flame strike three times per 
  day as a spell-like ability. Unlike normal flame strike, however, 
  the spectral flames are infused with negative energy. Half the 
  damage is fire damage, but the other half is negative energy 
  damage and is therefore not subject to fire resistance.
  * See the Advanced Player’s Guide.
  Development: If the PCs accept Ito’s offer to receive his 
  blessing, deduct 3 Rebellion Points from their total.
  the BlessIngs OF the emPerOrs
  Once the PCs have recovered Emperor Shigure’s remains 
  and defeated or gained the blessings of the denizens of 
  the Well of Demons, they can return to the Shrine of the 
  Heavenly Sovereigns. Emperor Shigure is true to his word, 
  and gives Ameiko his blessing if the PCs recovered his 
  body from the Well. If the PCs defeated Amatatsu Maemi, 
  the trumpet archon Amatatsu Onoko gives her blessing as 
  well. In addition, once the PCs properly inter his remains 
  in the Imperial Mausoleum, Emperor Shigure rewards 
  them with a potent spiritual elixir called seishinru (see 
  page 61) to aid them in their coming conflict with the Jade 
  Regent. He also tells the PCs to “look behind the dragon” 
  to find the treasure vaults below the Imperial Palace 
  (areas H16 through H21), where they should seek out the 
  sovereign dragon Teikono. According to Shigure, Teikono 
  is honor-bound to serve the Jade Throne, and the PCs 
  might be able to secure his aid as well.
  If the PCs did not bargain with the inhabitants of the 
  Well of Demons for their blessings, they can now contact 
  the ancestral spirits of the Shojinawa, Sugimatu, and 
  Teikoku families, thus gaining the blessing from all five 
  imperial families. The ancestors have one final task for 
  Ameiko and the PCs, however. With four out of the five 
  imperial families of Minkai destroyed, the new emperor 
  must protect the lines of succession to the Jade Throne. 
  The families’ Imperial Seals were stolen when the Five 
  Storms eradicated the family lines, but the ancestors can 
  still sense them, hidden somewhere deep beneath the 
  Imperial Palace. If the PCs can recover these lost seals, the 
  four extinct imperial families can be rebuilt by using the 
  seals to invest new scions with the right to rule Minkai.
  Development: Once all of the inhabitants of the Well 
  of Demons have been destroyed, the waters of the Eternal 
  Spring eventually wash away the fiendish taints in the 
  pools within the Well, and the Imperial Shrine returns 
  to normal. Although no demons, devils, or other fiends 
  physically remain within the Well of Demon, an evil 
  presence can still be detected within its caverns—the 
  spirits of Minkai’s evil emperors. With the Imperial 
  Shrine again in balance, Shizuru’s conduit once more 
  reestablishes contact with the spirits of the goodly 
  emperors, and anyone in possession of an Imperial Seal can 
  once again commune with them at the Imperial Shrine. If 
  the PCs failed to get one or more of the blessings from the 
  ancestors of the five imperial families, deduct 1 Rebellion 
  Point from their total for each missed blessing.
  Story Award: If the PCs successfully recover Emperor 
  Shigure’s remains and lay them properly to rest, thus 
  restoring the equilibrium of the Imperial Shrine, award 
  them 38,400 XP and +1 Rebellion Point.
  PArt three: hOnOrIng the Future
  Once Ameiko obtains approval for her ascension, the 
  PCs can finally turn their attention to deposing the Jade 
  Regent. The rebel army assembled by the PCs in “Tide of 
  Honor,” commanded by Hirabashi Jiro and Sikutsu Itsuru, 
  approaches Kasai, and the Jade Regent sends his Typhoon 
  Guard to meet them outside the city. News of the arrival of 
  a rightful Amatatsu heir to the Jade Throne spreads quickly 
  through streets of the imperial capital, and the people of 
  Kasai rise up against the Jade Regent’s rule. This adventure 
  assumes that the PCs were able to build a strong alliance 
  between the different factions in “Tide of Honor,” such that 
  the Jade Regent pulls the majority of his forces out of the 
  city and the Imperial Palace to face the rebel army. If this is 
  not the case, you may want to increase the number of guards 
  
  34
  in Kasai and inside the palace, though you should be aware 
  that this will make the PCs’ task even more difficult.
  Against this backdrop of rebellion, the PCs must secure 
  the Jade Throne for Ameiko. With the knowledge gained 
  from Emperor Shigure and the imperial ancestors, the PCs 
  will likely want to seek out the treasury below the palace 
  along the way in search of the stolen Imperial Seals. These 
  potent artifacts could greatly enhance the PCs’ chances 
  against the oni. The PCs face the choice of seeking out 
  these vaults first, or heading directly to the throne room to 
  confront the Jade Regent. Either way, they face a harrowing 
  series of challenges as they proceed.
  enterIng the PAlAce
  The Imperial Palace is more than just a stately residence 
  for the emperor of Minkai—it is also a fortified, multi-
  level castle, designed with a number of tactical and 
  magical defenses built into the grounds of the palace. A 
  series of moats, bridges, and causeways controls access to 
  the Imperial Palace, all under the watchful eye of archers 
  in the palace and surrounding towers.
  It is up to the PCs how they wish to enter the palace. 
  Openly approaching the castle through the outer gate, 
  parks, and causeways to the palace’s main gate opens the 
  PCs to attack from the guards posted to defend these areas. 
  The PCs might try to enter the castle stealthily, but the 
  guards are watchful, and the Typhoon commanders can see 
  invisible creatures. A DC 10 Swim check is required to swim 
  any of the moats surrounding the palace, and DC 30 Climb 
  checks are necessary to scale the castle’s smooth walls.
  Those using magic to bypass the normal approaches to 
  the palace face a different array of countermeasures. While 
  nothing prevents PCs from flying over the palace grounds, 
  the Typhoon guards can also take to the air, and guard patrols 
  are quickly ordered to attack such intruders in the air while 
  archers target them from the palace’s windows and towers. 
  While nothing blocks teleportation or extradimensional 
  travel into or within the palace walls, the Imperial Palace is 
  warded against spells and effects of the scrying subschool, 
  making teleportation a risky means of gaining entrance.
  Once inside the palace, the PCs will have to face a series of 
  guardians and traps. It is up to them how they move through 
  the palace, and whether they try to avoid the guards or defeat 
  the palace’s defenders before their meeting with the Jade 
  Regent. Because of the large number of guards present in the 
  palace, try not to throw all of them at the PCs at once. The 
  PCs are here to fight the Jade Regent, not get bored slogging 
  through his lower-level guards. Remember that most of the 
  guards are selfish oni who won’t necessarily rush to their 
  fellows’ aid immediately. If the entire palace is alerted to the 
  PCs’ presence, the guards can respond in waves, interspersed 
  with other encounters to keep things interesting. Regardless 
  of the PCs’ actions, the Jade Regent and his allies should 
  probably remain in the throne room (area H33). To claim 
  Ameiko’s title, she and the PCs must come to the Jade Throne, 
  and the Jade Regent is more than willing to wait for her there 
  rather than risk falling prey to an ambush. 
  As they explore the Imperial Palace, the PCs might be 
  tempted to loot it for treasure, but they should keep in mind 
  that most of the palace’s riches belong to the emperor of 
  Minkai—meaning that if they are successful, that wealth 
  should belong to their friend Ameiko. As a result, many 
  of the palace’s rooms do not have any treasure listed, even 
  though those rooms likely contain a wide variety of valuable 
  furnishings and decorations, as befits the palace of an 
  emperor. Of course, any treasure or gear carried by the 
  palace’s oni defenders may be looted by the PCs as normal.
  h. the ImPerIAl PAlAce
  The grounds of the Imperial Palace constitute an entire 
  island dominated by a massive, man-made plateau upon 
  which the fortified palace rests. Two moats separate the 
  island from the rest of Kasai, and are kept free of boat 
  traffic by aggressive patrols of the Typhoon Guard. Within 
  the grounds themselves, the island includes both a public 
  marketplace and several interconnected parks. The people 
  are granted access to these locations during the day, but 
  the guard maintains an unyielding curfew at night.
  h1. mArket BrIdges
  A stone bridge crosses the lower moat of the castle grounds, 
  leading to a vast marketplace somewhat overshadowed by the 
  massive plateau supporting the nearby Imperial Palace.
  These two bridges connect the imperial grounds to the 
  rest of the city, bridging the moat that separates the palace 
  from the more affluent neighborhoods of Kasai.
  h2. guArd tOwers (cr 14)
  This small stone tower bears a lacquered roof supported by 
  wooden beams. Green banners depicting the imperial dragon 
  of Minkai hang from the upper stories.
  Two of these 20-foot-tall towers overlook the Imperial 
  Market. A wooden stairway connects to the lookout post on 
  the second floor, which is equipped with arrow slits. The 
  towers’ outer doors are made of strong wood and barred 
  from the inside (hardness 5, hp 20, Break DC 25).
  Creatures: Four Typhoon guards are posted in each of 
  these small towers. Two of these guards usually remain in 
  the lookout post while the other two stay on the ground 
  floor, watching over the outer door. During the day, there 
  is a 50% chance that the latter two guards are patrolling 
  the market outside (see area H3).
  
  35
  H1
  H2
  H2
  H3
  H4
  H5
  H6
  H7
  H8
  H9
  H15
  H12
  H11
  H14
  H13
  H10a
  H10a
  H10a
  H10a
  H3
  H1
  The empTy Throne
  
  36
  Typhoon Guards (4) 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600 each
  hp 121 each (see page 11)
  h3. ImPerIAl mArket (cr 14)
  Dozens of open-air stalls and tents crowd the edges of this 
  main thoroughfare, following a long path between the two 
  moats surrounding the Imperial Palace. A red torii gate stands 
  in the middle of the marketplace.
  During the day, street vendors crowd this avenue, 
  offering everything from food and clothing to jewelry and 
  fine-crafted weapons to palace residents and commoners 
  alike. At night, however, the marketplace lies deserted, dark, 
  and silent under the watchful eyes of the tower guards.
  Creatures: While the market is open, guards routinely 
  patrol the stalls of the market, typically shaking down 
  vendors for extra coin or some merchandise that catches 
  their eye. The locals bear these indignities without 
  complaint, as many who have voiced their dissent have been 
  led into the guard towers never to be heard from again. 
  During the day, there is a 50% chance of encountering a 
  patrol of four Typhoon guards (two from each of market’s 
  guard towers) in the market.
  Typhoon Guards (4) 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600 each
  hp 121 each (see page 11)
  h4. Outer gAte (cr 14)
  A stone gatehouse and matching tower block the way forward, 
  the massive gates sealed from within. Several birds roost atop a 
  bell tower rising from the middle of the structure.
  This small gatehouse controls the flow of people from 
  the marketplace to the parks outside the palace and also 
  serves as the outermost defense of the approach to the 
  castle. To the east, wooden stairways provide access to 
  a 30-foot-tall bell tower and 20-foot-tall guard tower. 
  When closed, the wooden gates are barred from the inside 
  (hardness 5, hp 40, Break DC 30).
  Creatures: Four Typhoon guards typically stand watch 
  here, ushering visitors through during the day and 
  guarding the gate at night. The guards use the bell tower 
  to capture the attention of market-goers during the day 
  to make public announcements to make. If attacked, the 
  guards ring the bells to warn the palace of an assault.
  Typhoon Guards (4) 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600 each
  hp 121 each (see page 11)
  h5. sAtOmI PArk
  Peach trees line this thoroughfare leading beyond the outer 
  gate. To the north, a gentle hill climbs its way to a park filled 
  with stone monuments.
  The first of three parks within the grounds of the 
  Imperial Palace, this garden was named for Empress 
  Amatatsu Satomi, who favored the shade and refreshing 
  fruit of the meticulously groomed peach trees here when 
  she wished to escape the heat of the summer sun.
  h6. mOnument PArk (cr 14)
  Brightly lacquered statues watch over this wide, tiled plaza 
  from atop stone pedestals. Carved in the likeness of samurai 
  warriors, each stands at attention with a katana and wakizashi.
  Emperor Teikoku Kenshiro commissioned this park as 
  a tribute to the many samurai who have served the Jade 
  Throne since the founding of Minkai. Small placards at 
  the base of each statue identify the name of the Minkai 
  hero or legend it represents.
  Creatures: The 12 statues are ceramic constructs crafted 
  to defend the Imperial Palace. These advanced terra-cotta 
  soldiers are armed with katanas and wakizashi, and gain 
  Exotic Weapon Proficiency (katana) as a bonus feat. During 
  the day, the soldiers remain still so residents of the palace 
  may enjoy the park. At night, however, or if the alarm bell 
  in area H4 has been rung, the soldiers animate and attack 
  any intruders in this area, unless they are accompanied by 
  Typhoon guards. A character in possession of the Amatatsu 
  Seal (or other Imperial Seal) can make a DC 15 Charisma check 
  to command the soldiers and order them to halt their attack, 
  but they will not leave their posts in the park.
  Advanced Terra-Cotta Soldiers (12) 
  CR 7
  XP 3,200 each
  hp 80 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 262, 290)
  Melee katana* +10/+5 (1d8+3/18–20) and wakizashi* +10 
  (1d6+1/18–20)
  * See Ultimate Combat.
  h7. tAIrAkA PArk
  A wooden bridge crosses a shallow creek in the center of this well-
  maintained park. To the east, the creek widens into a small pond 
  surrounded by cattails and long-stemmed flowering plants.
  Empress Sugimatu Yoshie instituted this natural park 
  hundreds of years ago. A devoted gardener, she often 
  looked after this park, and legends claim that the plants 
  she grew here granted a variety of healing effects.
  
  37
  The empTy Throne
  h8. cAusewAy
  The road to the palace takes on a noticeably steeper grade 
  here, rising as it doubles back toward the outer gate. This 
  steep hill has seen the deaths of thousands of soldiers, 
  both defenders falling back to Imperial Palace and those 
  attackers cut down by the archers defending its walls.
  h9. enPerAshII BrIdge (cr 15)
  An arched bridge crosses an elevated moat here. Surrounded 
  by three towers, it opens onto a wide road that winds up to the 
  Imperial Palace following the plateau’s ledge.
  This well-defended bridge lies within the field of fire 
  of archers in three guard towers (areas H4 and H10). It 
  provides the only access to the Imperial Palace from the 
  castle’s surrounding grounds.
  Creatures: Two earth yai, oni who have taken stone 
  giant form, stand on the far side of the bridge. The oni are 
  invisible, and they defend the bridge against any invaders 
  approaching the palace.
  Earth Yai (2) 
  CR 13 
  XP 25,600 each
  Pathfinder Adventure Path #53 88
  NE Large outsider (giant, native, oni, shapechanger)
  Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +17
  DEFENSE 
  AC 29, touch 15, flat-footed 23 (+6 Dex, +14 natural, –1 size)
  hp 184 each (16d10+96); regeneration 5 (acid or fire)
  Fort +16, Ref +11, Will +14
  SR 24
  OFFENSE 
  Speed 50 ft., fly 50 ft. (good)
  Melee greatclub +23/+18/+13/+8 (2d8+12) or
  2 slams +23 (1d10+8)
  Ranged stony missile +21 (3d6 plus Awesome Blow) 
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
  Special Attacks spiky skin
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 16th; concentration +18) 
  Constant—fly
  At will—darkness, invisibility (self only), passwall (stone only)
  3/day—spike stones (DC 16), stone shape, stone tell
  1/day—earthquake, repel metal or stone, transmute mud to 
  rock (DC 17), transmute rock to mud (DC 17)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The earth yai cast earthquake to collapse the 
  bridge, dropping attackers into the moat and burying them 
  beneath the rubble. If enemies attempt to fly over the moat, 
  the yai cast repel metal or stone to drive them back, and fire 
  stony missiles at any remaining foes.
  Morale If one of the earth yai is slain, the other takes to the air 
  and flees the city.
  STATISTICS 
  Str 27, Dex 22, Con 23, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 15
  Base Atk +16; CMB +25; CMD 41
  Feats Combat Reflexes, Improved Precise Shot, Intimidating 
  Prowess, Iron Will, Pinpoint Targeting, Point-Blank Shot, 
  Power Attack, Precise Shot
  Skills Bluff +21, Fly +27, Intimidate +29, Knowledge (arcana) +20, 
  Perception +21, Sense Motive +21, Stealth +21 (+29 in rocky 
  terrain); Racial Modifiers +8 Stealth in rocky terrain
  Languages Common, Giant
  SQ change shape (Medium or Large humanoid; alter self or 
  giant form I)
  SPECIAL ABILITIES 
  Spiky Skin (Ex) An earth yai may grow spikes from its stony 
  skin at will as a free action. These spikes are treated as 
  armor spikes that deal 1d10 points of damage. 
  Stony Missile (Su) As a swift action, an earth yai can fire an 
  incredibly dense stone from its third eye. This attack has a 
  range of 200 feet, with no range increment, and deals 3d6 
  points of bludgeoning damage. Upon striking the target, 
  the stone immediately makes an Awesome Blow attempt 
  against the target using the earth yai’s CMB.
  Treasure: Each of the earth yai is carrying 2,000 gp worth 
  of coins, gems, and jewelry stolen from the Imperial Palace. 
  In addition, one of the earth yai carries a fire elemental gem.
  ImPerIAl PAlAce grOund FlOOr
  The ground floor of the Imperial Palace normally receives 
  guests and petitioners on a daily basis, either seeking an 
  audience with the Jade Regent or reporting for duty. Since 
  the arrival of Ameiko and the PCs in Minkai, however, 
  Anamurumon has forbidden anyone from visiting, turning 
  away foreign dignitaries and supplicants alike. Within the 
  palace halls, the servants are no longer allowed to leave for 
  fear someone may assume their identities to gain access 
  to the palace. The oni have already subjugated most of the 
  servants with charms or intimidation, confining them to 
  their quarters when they aren’t otherwise occupied with 
  their daily routines.
  Most of the chambers on the ground floor are 20 feet 
  high, unless indicated differently in their description. 
  Doors are made of strong wood (hardness 5, hp 20, Break 
  DC 23). Continual flames in shaded lamps provide light in 
  most rooms and corridors.
  h10. PAlAce tOwers (cr 14)
  Four guard towers are incorporated into the castle’s walls. 
  These towers are 50 feet tall and rise a full three stories, 
  all connected by wooden stairs. The lookout posts on the 
  third floor of the towers are only accessible by ladders 
  on the second floor. The tower doors are made of strong 
  
  38
  wood, and those leading into the palace proper are barred 
  from the inside (hardness 5, hp 20, Break DC 25).
  Creatures: Four Typhoon guards are usually posted in 
  each of these towers. Usually, at least half their number 
  take up archery positions in the lookout posts (H10c), 
  while the others guard the towers’ lower levels (50% chance 
  of being in either area H10a or H10b).
  Typhoon Guards (4) 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600 each
  hp 121 each (see page 11)
  h11. entry hAll (cr 16)
  Jade tiles decorate the dark stone walls of this long hallway, 
  hung with banners, tapestries, and small shelves filled with 
  porcelain urns and vases. Three large doorways open to the 
  south, while a smaller adjoining passage leads west.
  The main doors to the palace are made of strong wood 
  and are barred with iron (hardness 5, hp 20, Break DC 30).
  Creatures: Four clockwork golems were brought to 
  the palace centuries ago by an adventurous member of 
  the Amatatsu family, who found the constructs in the 
  clockwork necropolis of Pan Majang and exorcised the evil 
  spirits possessing them. The golems are stationed here to 
  hold the main doors against intruders. One of the golems 
  stands near the entrance to the guard tower (area H10a), 
  while the others maintain positions to the east near the 
  entrances to the inner sanctum (area H12).
  Clockwork Golems (4) 
  CR 12
  XP 19,200 each
  hp 118 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 137)
  TACTICS
  During Combat Two of the golems seal off the ends of the 
  corridor with their wall of gears ability while the others 
  charge forward to grapple and grind opponents. When 
  the two attacking golems are destroyed in a death burst of 
  shrapnel, the remaining golems re-form and attack.
  Morale The golems fight until destroyed.
  h12. Inner sAnctum
  Massive wooden pillars support the ceiling above this immense 
  chamber. Four statues stand in the corners of the room, reaching 
  nearly as high as the ceiling, each depicting a different creature—a 
  brightly scaled carp, a sly fox, a leaping hare, and a coiled imperial 
  dragon. Small flights of steps provide access to corridors to the 
  south and east, while three alcoves extend into the west wall.
  The alcoves to the west contain small shrines dedicated 
  to three of the most popular gods in Minkai: Daikitsu, 
  goddess of agriculture and rice; Shizuru, goddess of 
  ancestors and the sun; and Tsukiyo, god of jade and the 
  moon, represented by the statues of their sacred animals—
  the fox, the carp, and the hare. 
  The fourth statue, the dragon, stands in the southwest 
  corner before a secret door. Emperor Shigure hinted at the 
  existence of this door when he gave the PCs his blessing. 
  The door opens upon a spiraling stairway leading to the 
  vaults below the palace (area H16), and can be located with a 
  DC 30 Perception check (or automatically, if the PCs follow 
  Shigure’s clue and specifically look behind the statue).
  h13. the wIndIng gAllery
  Priceless art adorns the walls and alcoves of this series of small 
  parlors. Exits lead both north and south.
  The emperors of Minkai display a small portion of the 
  imperial art collection within this hall, often changing 
  out the exhibits with each change in the season.
  h14. IwAku gAllery (cr 12)
  Velvet ropes close off this long gallery. It appears to be 
  undergoing renovation, as several tapestries, urns, and 
  decorative statues lie piled upon the floor.
  The wall hangings and sculptures filling this long 
  hall normally tell the history of Minkai and the various 
  imperial families who have held the Jade Throne. With 
  the Jade Regent’s ascendancy, however, Anamurumon has 
  roped off the gallery and started removing these priceless 
  relics to make room for the trappings of a new age. 
  Traps: Anamurumon forbade the servants from entering 
  this gallery, and placed two magical tapestries from the 
  House of Withered Blossoms here to ensure they would 
  obey his command. The tapestries hang at either end of the 
  gallery beside the stairways leading to the upper levels (area 
  H22). All of the oni in the palace know to avoid gazing at the 
  tapestries, as anyone looking upon them triggers the traps, 
  which summon the shades of multiple dire tigers into the 
  hall. They immediately attack anyone before them.
  Shadow Tiger Traps (2) 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600 each
  Type magic; Perception DC 34; Disable Device DC 34
  EFFECTS
  Trigger visual (looking at the tapestry); Reset automatic (10 
  minutes)
  Effect spell effect (shades [summon monster VIII], summons 
  1d4+1 quasi-real fiendish dire tigers for 17 rounds, deals 
  only 80% damage to nonbelievers, DC 28 Will save to 
  disbelieve [if interacted with])
  
  39
  The empTy Throne
  h15. trAInIng hAll (cr 16)
  An elevated wooden stage fills the center of this large ballroom, 
  approximately two feet off the floor. Several exotic weapon 
  displays line the partitioned walls around the stage, and the 
  musty smell of sweat hangs heavy in the air.
  The weapon racks around the perimeter of the room 
  contain a bewildering variety of weapons, mostly monk 
  weapons and more exotic arms, all of masterwork quality. 
  You can use this area to introduce your players to many 
  new exotic Eastern weapons (such as those found in 
  Ultimate Combat), but the weapons are all part of the 
  Imperial Palace’s collection.
  Creatures: 
  The 
  chamber 
  belongs 
  to 
  one 
  of 
  Anamurumon’s most loyal supporters among the Five 
  Storms, a kuwa oni named Sudoshi Sento. A master of 
  the martial arts, Sento devoted his time away from the 
  Forest of Spirits into developing a fighting style called 
  the Iron Tempest, based on his own personal philosophy 
  of measured hate and superiority. Obsessed with the 
  sensations of physical exertion and pain, Sento created 
  a fighting school within the Imperial Palace, where he 
  seeks to twist and pervert the minds of his students, 
  turning them into nothing but devoted killing machines 
  for their sensei.
  Sento and his followers abhor the raging conflict 
  outside the city, viewing war on the battlefield as a crude 
  and inefficient means of personal combat unworthy of 
  their participation. When the PCs arrive, Sento and four 
  Iron Tempest monks are all engaged in spars with one 
  another, but Sento pauses their workout when presented 
  with visitors to the school. He greets the PCs by 
  complimenting them on the honorable choice they’ve 
  made to test themselves individually against the Iron 
  Tempest. He then suggests they start by dueling 
  with his students in hand-to-hand combat one at 
  a time to take their measure. If the PCs refuse 
  the honor of such a challenge, he directs his 
  students to surround them and attack as one.
  Initially, Sento holds himself aloof from 
  the fighting, declining to participate unless 
  someone attacks him directly. He prefers to 
  stand aside and assess the performance of his 
  students before committing himself to the 
  fray. But once the PCs slay or incapacitate at least two of 
  his students, Sento leaps into the middle of combat to 
  show them what a true master can do. If anyone offers 
  to personally duel Sento alone, he calls off his 
  students and has them stand aside while 
  he meets the challenge. If the challenger 
  defeats Sento, the remaining monks 
  scatter in fear.
  Sudoshi Sento 
  CR 14
  XP 38,400
  Male kuwa oni monk (martial artist) 12 (Pathfinder RPG 
  Bestiary 3 208, Ultimate Combat 59)
  LE Medium outsider (human, native, oni, shapechanger)
  Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +20
  DEFENSE
  AC 29, touch 25, flat-footed 22 (+3 armor, +7 Dex, +4 monk, 
  +4 Wis, +1 natural)
  hp 195 (17 HD; 5d10+12d8+114); regeneration 5 (acid or fire)
  Fort +17, Ref +16, Will +16 
  Defensive Abilities improved evasion, physical resistance*  
  (2 points); Immune exhaustion, fatigue; SR 15
  OFFENSE
  Speed 80 ft.; fly 60 ft. (good)
  Melee +2 unarmed strike +24/+19/+14 (2d8+11/19–20) or 
  +2 flurry of blows +25/+25/+20/+20/+15/+10 (2d8+11/19–20)
  Sudoshi Sento
  
  40
  Special Attacks exploit weakness*, flurry of blows, pain 
  points*, stunning fist (14/day, DC 21)
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th; concentration +8)
  3/day—darkness, fly
  1/day—charm person (DC 14), deep slumber (DC 16), 
  invisibility (self only)
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Sento casts fly before fighting to maximize his 
  movement options.
  During Combat On the first round of combat, Sento attempts 
  to demoralize his opponents with his Intimidate skill. Once 
  he enters combat, Sento uses his flurry of blows to attack 
  any enemies within reach, spending a swift action each 
  round to exploit an enemy’s weakness. Against a single foe, 
  Sento uses Spring Attack to make a stunning fist attack and 
  attempt to stagger his opponent, before closing in to attack 
  with flurry of blows.
  Morale If seriously injured, Sento uses a withdraw action 
  to fly upward, quickly casting darkness to hide until 
  his regeneration restores his lost hit points. Defeat is 
  inconceivable to Sento, so he fights until slain.
  STATISTICS
  Str 24, Dex 24, Con 20, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 17
  Base Atk +14; CMB +24 (+26 bull rush); CMD 46 (48 vs. bull rush)
  Feats Combat Reflexes, Critical Focus, Deflect Arrows, 
  Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (unarmed strike), 
  Improved Unarmed Strike, Intimidating Prowess, Mobility, 
  Power Attack, Spring Attack, Staggering Critical, Stunning 
  Fist, Toughness, Weapon Focus (unarmed strike), Weapon 
  Specialization (unarmed strike) 
  Skills Acrobatics +24 (+56 when jumping), Bluff +16, Disguise 
  +16, Fly +15, Intimidate +23, Perception +20, Sense Motive +16, 
  Stealth +17, Use Magic Device +10
  Languages Minkaian, Tien
  SQ change shape (any human; alter self ), extreme 
  endurance*, fast movement, high jump, maneuver 
  training, martial arts master*
  Other Gear amulet of mighty fists +2, belt of physical perfection +2, 
  bracers of armor +3, monk’s robe
  * See Ultimate Combat.
  Iron Tempest Monks (4) 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600 each
  Human fighter 3/monk (hungry ghost monk) 8 (Pathfinder RPG 
  Advanced Player’s Guide 110)
  LE Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +3; Senses Perception +15
  DEFENSE
  AC 25, touch 20, flat-footed 21 (+2 armor, +3 deflection, +3 Dex, 
  +1 dodge, +2 monk, +1 Wis, +3 natural)
  hp 98 each (11 HD; 3d10+8d8+41)
  Fort +13, Ref +12, Will +10; +1 vs. fear, +2 vs. enchantment
  Defensive Abilities bravery +1, evasion
  OFFENSE
  Speed 50 ft.
  Melee +1 unarmed strike +15/+10 (1d10+5/19–20) or
  +1 flurry of blows +15/+15/+10/+10/+5 (1d10+5/19–20)
  Special Attacks flurry of blows, life funnel*, punishing kick* 
  (8/day, DC 16), steal ki*
  TACTICS
  Before Combat The monks drink potions of barkskin and shield 
  of faith prior to combat.
  During Combat Sento orders his students to attack the strongest-
  looking opponents first, urging them to gang up while he 
  deals with enemy spellcasters. Whenever possible, the monks 
  flank with each other and make punishing kick attacks to knock 
  enemies prone. The monks use their steal ki and life funnel 
  abilities to replenish their ki pools and hit points as needed.
  Morale The monks battle to the death, pausing only to drink 
  their potions of cure moderate wounds before fighting on.
  STATISTICS
  Str 18, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
  Base Atk +9; CMB +15 (+17 grapple); CMD 33 (35 vs. grapple)
  Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Great Fortitude, Improved 
  Critical (unarmed strike), Improved Grapple, Improved 
  Unarmed Strike, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Power 
  Attack, Punishing Kick*, Step Up, Toughness, Vital Strike, 
  Weapon Focus (unarmed strike)
  Skills Acrobatics +17 (+33 when jumping), Climb +12, Intimidate 
  +10, Perception +15, Sense Motive +8, Stealth +16
  Languages Minkaian, Tien
  SQ armor training 1, fast movement, high jump, ki pool (5 points, 
  magic), maneuver training, slow fall 40 ft., still mind
  Combat Gear potions of barkskin (CL 6th; 2), potions of cure 
  moderate wounds (2), potions of shield of faith (CL 6th; 2); 
  Other Gear amulet of mighty fists +1, belt of giant strength +2, 
  bracers of armor +2
  * See the Advanced Player’s Guide.
  the lOwer hAlls
  This portion of the castle lies deep within the raised plateau 
  supporting the Imperial Palace, and contains the vaults 
  of the imperial treasury. While the vaults still hold much 
  of value, they have been depleted far below their normal 
  levels since the Jade Regent took the throne. Except where 
  otherwise noted, the ceilings reach a height of 40 feet. The 
  doors are always locked and made of iron (hardness 10, hp 
  60, Break DC 28, Disable Device DC 28). Permanent continual 
  flames fully illuminate each room and hallway.
  h16. stOne lAndIng
  The spiral steps give way to a short stone landing before a set of 
  iron double doors to the south. To the north, steps descend to 
  a ten-foot-deep alcove, its rough alabaster walls decorated with 
  frescoes of imperial dragons and menacing samurai.
  
  41
  The empTy Throne
  The palace’s more obvious treasure vaults lie behind 
  the double doors to the south, but a secret door (DC 30 
  Perception check to notice) in the mouth of the largest 
  dragon fresco along the northwestern wall leads to the 
  palace’s hidden treasuries. Only the Jade Regent and 
  Anamurumon carry the keys, which fit between the 
  dragon’s claws. Both keys must be turned simultaneously 
  to open the door, though two DC 30 Disable Device checks 
  or a single knock spell can gain entry as well.
  h17. wArdrOBe vAult
  Dozens of elaborate costumes and armored suits hang from 
  wooden racks and mannequins throughout this chamber. Many 
  appear far more decorative or ceremonial than functional.
  The emperors of Minkai have created and collected a 
  number of priceless robes, kimonos, headdresses, and 
  armors over the years. Many of these outfits date back 
  centuries, and are preserved here for their historical value.
  h18. jAde vAult
  Hundreds of gemstones lie separated into individual piles 
  throughout this vault. Rubies, emeralds, diamonds, and other 
  more exotic stones create a scintillating array of colors.
  This vault contains all of the gemstones in the imperial 
  treasury. Most of the gems are of lesser value, but a few 
  larger jewels can be found here as well.
  h19. cAtwAlk (cr 14)
  A narrow catwalk winds along the wall of this odd-shaped 
  chamber. Below, a deep pit falls away into darkness.
  Trap: Midway along this narrow walkway, a trap awaits 
  the unwary. When it activates, multiple ghostly hands 
  emerge from the walls, attacking and shoving intruders off 
  the catwalk and onto the poisoned spikes in the pit below.
  Hands of the Many 
  CR 14
  XP 38,400
  Type magic; Perception DC 31; Disable Device DC 31
  EFFECTS
  Trigger visual (true seeing); Duration 17 rounds; Reset 
  automatic (1 round); Bypass hidden lock (DC 25 Perception 
  to locate, DC 30 Disable Device to open)
  Effect spell effect (multiple forceful hands, CL 17th, bull rush 
  into poisoned pit trap, CMB +26); 50-ft.-deep pit (5d6 falling 
  damage); pit spikes (Atk +20 melee, 1d4 spikes per target for 
  1d6+5 damage each plus poison [shadow essence]); multiple 
  targets (one forceful hand for each creature on the catwalk)
  h20. gOld vAult (cr 16)
  Thousands of golden coins fill this chamber, some scattered 
  and others neatly stacked upon the floor. Among them, golden 
  scepters, crowns, and other jewelry also glitter in the light.
  This vault contains all of the gold in the palace treasury. 
  Besides the vast array of coins, the vault contains several 
  items of gold jewelry, as well as other more mundane items 
  such as place settings, all of gold.
  Trap: A nefarious trap also runs throughout this 
  chamber. When anyone passes the initial alcove to enter 
  the vault without using the hidden bypass, the iron doors 
  shut and lock themselves as the floor begins to thrum with 
  electricity, frying anyone still in contact with it.
  Lightning Bolt Gallery Trap 
  CR 16
  XP 76,800
  Type magic; Perception DC 33; Disable Device DC 33
  EFFECTS
  Trigger proximity (alarm); Duration 1d4 rounds; Reset none; 
  Bypass hidden lock (DC 25 Perception to locate, DC 30 
  Disable Device to open)
  Effect spell effect (heightened lightning bolt, 8d6 electricity 
  damage, DC 22 Reflex save for half); multiple targets (all 
  creatures in area H20)
  h21. ImPerIAl vAult (cr 15)
  Several columns support the ceiling of this half-sunken chamber. 
  Pairs of stone sentinels stand in alcoves lining the north and 
  south walls, watching over the treasure heaped across the floor.
  The impressive art in this vault, with several pieces 
  dating back to the founding of Minkai and beyond, would 
  command a hefty price from any collector.
  Creature: A sovereign imperial dragon named Teikono 
  lairs within this immense treasure vault, honor-bound to 
  serve the holder of the Jade Throne as a guardian for the next 
  100 years. Upon the PCs’ arrival, Teikono is in his human 
  form, appearing as an unassuming monk meditating amid 
  a collection of priceless urns and other art. Like any samurai 
  serving an emperor, Teikono views his duty as part of his 
  personal honor and cannot step aside, even if he disagrees 
  with the current ruler, the Jade Regent (which he does). 
  When the PCs first enter the chamber, Teikono greets 
  them courteously and asks them their business. He 
  introduces himself and explains his duty here. If asked 
  about the Imperial Seals, Teikono confirms that they are 
  here and that they are under his protection. Teikono 
  willingly admits that he does not agree with the Jade 
  Regent, but his oath is to the Jade Throne, and the Jade 
  Regent now sits upon that throne. If the PCs want the 
  
  42
  H21
  H20
  H19
  H16
  H17
  H18
  H10b
  H10c
  H10c
  H10c
  H10c
  H22
  H23
  H24
  H23
  H24
  H25
  H26
  H27
  H27
  H28
  H33
  H34
  H35
  H37
  H37
  H36
  H38
  H39
  H29
  H30
  H30
  H31
  H30
  H32
  H32
  H32
  H32
  H10b
  H10b
  H10b
  
  43
  The empTy Throne
  seals, they must either take the seals from him, or come 
  back with a new emperor. If the PCs tell Teikono that they 
  intend to overthrow the Jade Regent, the dragon wishes 
  them luck, but says that he can take no part. However, if 
  the PCs were to have the seals in their possession when 
  they faced the Jade Regent, these symbols of the true rulers 
  of Minkai might give them a small advantage in their 
  efforts to remove the usurper.
  If the PCs attempt to take the Imperial Seals or steal any of 
  the room’s other treasures, Teikono attacks them, as he is 
  sworn to guard everything in the chamber. However, savvy 
  PCs should be able to subdue the dragon rather than kill 
  him outright, if they wish. Once combat begins, Teikono 
  assumes his natural form, that of a horned, serpentine 
  dragon with shining golden scales.
  Teikono 
  CR 15
  XP 51,200
  Male adult sovereign dragon (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 100)
  hp 225
  TACTICS
  During Combat On the first round of combat, Teikono 
  unleashes his sonic breath weapon. Between uses of 
  this ability, he attacks with spells or his natural attacks, 
  whichever will be most effective. He targets any raging 
  barbarians or bards using inspire courage with calm 
  emotions. If an opponent falls in combat, Teikono ignores 
  that character—the dragon bears the PCs no ill will, and he 
  fights only those who are fighting him.
  Morale Bound by his honor, Teikono fights until slain or knocked 
  unconscious. If the PCs heal or return him to life afterward, 
  he is forced to renew his attack. If the PCs wish to save the 
  dragon’s life, they must leave him unconscious or subdue him 
  in some other way. Only after Ameiko has successfully claimed 
  the throne can Teikono be released from his oath.
  Treasure: The four remaining Imperial Seals—the 
  Higashiyama Seal, Shojinawa Seal, Sugimatu Seal, and Teikoku 
  Seal—lie scattered among the other treasures in this vault. 
  Anyone casting detect magic or using arcane sight can readily 
  pick out the intensity of the seals’ auras. Otherwise, a 
  DC 25 Perception check made while searching the room 
  reveals them as well. See the sidebar on this page for more 
  information on the Imperial Seals and how the PCs can use 
  them against the Jade Regent.
  Development: If the PCs subdue Teikono rather than 
  kill him, award them +3 Rebellion Points, as this preserves 
  the dragon’s oath to serve the empress of Minkai once 
  Ameiko claims the throne. If the PCs manage to recover 
  all four of the lost Imperial Seals, award them +2 additional 
  Rebellion Points.
  Story Award: If the PCs subdue Teikono rather than kill 
  him, award them 76,800 XP. 
  the uPPer hAlls
  The second level of the Imperial Palace holds most of 
  the facilities necessary for day-to-day living in the castle. 
  Unless stated otherwise, all of the ceilings on this level are 
  15 feet high. Doors are made of strong wood (hardness 5,  
  hp 20, Break DC 23), except for the barracks (area H23), where 
  the doors are sliding rice paper shoji panels (hardness 0, hp 
  2, Break DC 10). Small lamps provide dim light for interior 
  rooms and hallways, while rooms with an outside window 
  have normal light.
  h22. kABukI theAter (cr 15)
  An elevated stage with an ornate backdrop stands along the 
  north side of this chamber. The hall before it is strewn with 
  sitting cushions. Wide stairways lead up to the east and west.
  Creatures: The Jade Regent made sure to keep some of 
  his more powerful oni in the palace while the rest of his 
  forces meet the rebels outside Kasai. As a result, five ogre 
  mages have been stationed here to guard the stairs to the 
  palace’s throne room and living quarters. Bored and in 
  the ImPerIAl seAls OF mInkAI
  Each of the five Imperial Seals not only invests a family with 
  the divine right to rule Minkai, but can also attune itself to 
  a new bloodline, thereby establishing new heirs to the Jade 
  Throne. As such, when the Five Storms assassinated and 
  corrupted the existing imperial families—the Amatatsus, 
  Higashiyamas, Shojinawas, Sugimatus, and Teikokus—the 
  oni also secured their family seals and locked them away 
  in the imperial vault, counting on the dragon Teikono to 
  safeguard them so they wouldn’t fall out of the oni’s hands 
  and create new heirs to challenge the Jade Regent’s rule.
  The PCs have likely already been chosen as scions of the 
  Amatatsu family by the Amatatsu Seal, so they cannot invest 
  themselves as new heirs using the other seals. Nevertheless, 
  the four other seals can still be of use to them in the battle 
  against the Jade Regent. The very presence of the seals in 
  the hands of the PCs is enough to send shivers of doubt 
  straight through the Jade Regent and Anamurumon. If the 
  PCs openly display the Imperial Seals when they confront 
  the Jade Regent and his allies, reduce all of the foes’ 
  Teamwork Scores by 5 for each seal in the PCs’ possession. 
  In addition, if the PCs received the blessings of an imperial 
  family, that family’s Imperial Seal can be used to cast one 
  of the following spells once during the battle with the Jade 
  Regent and his allies: cure serious wounds, remove curse, 
  remove disease, or restoration. The seals have other powers, 
  but these are only accessible to scions of a seal’s family line.
  
  44
  need of entertainment, the oni have pressed three geisha, 
  Harumi, Tomiku, and Wakani (N female human bards 
  6; use minstrel statistics, Pathfinder RPG GameMastery 
  Guide 273) into performing for them on the stage. The oni 
  commander, a thuggish brute named Roka Kozu, has a 
  particularly strong obsession with the sense of hearing, 
  and finds the geisha’s melodies far more soothing than 
  silence as the oni wait for some danger to present itself. 
  Any incorrect note or off-key tune is like a dagger in 
  Kozu’s ears, however, and she is quick to chastise—and 
  beat—the geisha if their performance 
  is not perfect.
  When the PCs arrive, Kozu 
  demands the geisha play for the 
  ogre mages and inspire them as 
  they fight. The geisha use their bardic 
  performance ability to inspire courage, 
  granting the oni a +2 competence bonus on 
  attack and weapon damage rolls as well 
  as a +2 morale bonus on saving throws 
  against charm and fear effects. One of 
  the geisha, Harumi, is Asachi Isao’s 
  daughter. Eager to escape the oni’s 
  cruelty, she uses her bardic performance 
  to inspire courage in the PCs instead, 
  granting them the bonuses above. The 
  geisha are unarmed noncombatants 
  and cower if anyone attacks them, which 
  disrupts their individual performances 
  whether supporting the oni or the PCs.
  Advanced Ogre Mages (4) 
  CR 9
  XP 6,400 each
  hp 180 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 221, 294)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The ogre mages cast charm monster, then 
  draw their weapons and turn invisible so they can attack 
  from surprise. When Kozu joins the fray, each of the 
  ogre mages takes turns launching a cone of cold at their 
  opponents, caring little if they catch any of the geisha in 
  the spell’s area of effect. 
  Morale The ogre mages fight to the death. Each time the PCs 
  kill one of the ogre mages, another geisha stops playing for 
  the oni, and Harumi encourages them change their tune to 
  support the PCs instead.
  Roka Kozu 
  CR 13
  XP 25,600
  Female Typhoon commander (see page 10)
  hp 188
  TACTICS
  During Combat Kozu turns invisible and flies upward so she 
  can cast shield of faith and divine favor. She then imbues her 
  naginata with the bane weapon special ability and flies back 
  down to attack. If the geisha turn against her by changing 
  their performance (see below), Kozu wastes at least every 
  other round attempting to demoralize the geisha with 
  Intimidate checks, as the new tune hurts her ears.
  Morale Kozu fights to the death.
  Development: If the geisha survive, they offer to heal 
  the PCs’ wounds with their spells. In addition, award the 
  PCs +1 Rebellion Point for rescuing Harumi.
  h23. BArrAcks (cr 15)
  Rice paper shoji screens line both sides 
  of this long hall, opening onto small 
  cells. Sleeping pallets line the floor of each 
  chamber, with various personal effects 
  scattered about.
  These barracks were designed to 
  house the samurai of the palace’s guard 
  contingent, but the Jade Regent dismissed 
  these loyal samurai when he took the 
  throne. The smaller alcoves across the 
  hall are storerooms for the guards’ arms 
  and armor, but they are now empty.
  Creatures: 
  Five 
  Typhoon 
  guards 
  currently occupy the barracks along the 
  southern hall, one to each of the larger 
  rooms. With the paper-thin shoji doors, the 
  oni can hear and respond to all but the most silent battles 
  that might break out here. If attacked, they swiftly raise 
  the alarm, sending one of their number to alert the guards 
  in the dining hall (area H26), who send reinforcements  
  4 rounds later.
  Typhoon Guards (5) 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600 each
  hp 121 each (see page 11)
  h24. BAthhOuses
  Several wooden tubs filled with water sit in this chamber, half-
  hidden by long, white sheets hanging from the ceiling. Next to 
  each window is a fire pit that holds several hot stones among 
  its smoldering coals.
  The soldiers stationed at the castle use these rooms 
  as bathhouses, placing heated stones in the wooden 
  tubs to heat the water. Several oni have found this place 
  an absolute delight, and spend a good deal of time here 
  reveling in the sensation of hot water against the flesh 
  that clothes their evil forms.
  Roka Kozu
  
  45
  The empTy Throne
  h25. hAll OF medItAtIOn (cr 15)
  An aura of restfulness permeates this carefully partitioned hall. 
  Paintings of tranquil nature scenes and a variety of flowering 
  plants and greenery add to its ambience.
  Residents of the palace normally use this peaceful hall 
  for meditation and relaxation, but it currently serves as a 
  prison for hostages of the Jade Regent.
  Creatures: Nine daughters of various merchants and 
  nobles of Kasai (N female human aristocrats 3) are held 
  in this chamber, hostages to ensure the loyalty of their 
  families to the Jade Regent (see Captive Hearts on page 13). 
  The women sleep in the smaller chambers to the north 
  and south, but are otherwise confined to the central room, 
  where their days alternate between fear of their oni captors 
  and mind-numbing boredom. Three jorogumos watch over 
  the captives, serving as both chaperones and jailers. The 
  jorogumos seem to be beautiful human women, but they 
  are actually monstrous spider-creatures. Natives of the 
  Forest of Spirits, the jorogumos agreed to serve the Jade 
  Regent in exchange for a supply of male human “mates” in 
  whom the jorogumos can lay their eggs. The prisoners are 
  all noncombatants, but the jorogumos attack any intruders.
  Jorogumos (3) 
  CR 12
  XP 19,200 each
  hp 161 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 156)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The jorogumos immediately extend their 
  spider legs once combat is initiated, and summon ogre 
  spiders or giant black widow spiders to aid them in combat. 
  The jorogumos use their webs or spell-like abilities to 
  attempt to capture male humanoids for use as mates, and 
  attack female opponents, flanking with their summoned 
  spiders or one another to make sneak attacks.
  Morale The jorogumos are not loyal servants of the Jade Regent, 
  and attempt to flee if reduced to fewer than 80 hit points.
  Treasure: One of the jorogumos wears a minor cloak of 
  displacement, and another wears a necklace of adaptation. 
  The third jorogumo wears a jeweled spider pendant on a 
  mithral necklace, worth 1,000 gp.
  Development: Award the PCs +3 Rebellion Points if 
  they successfully rescue all of the noble daughters held 
  captive here.
  Story Award: If the PCs successfully free all of the 
  captives, award them 38,400 XP.
  h26. dInIng hAll (cr 15)
  More than a dozen low tables surrounded by small cushions 
  take up the floor of this spacious dining hall. Several doors line 
  the south and west walls, while more exits lead north. To the 
  east, three stone charcoal ovens stand near open windows.
  Creatures: An off-duty Typhoon commander named 
  Bogo-Na and the four Typhoon guards under his charge 
  have stationed themselves here to harass the servants still 
  working in the dining hall. Corpulent and gluttonous to 
  the extreme, Bogo-Na has a fondness for overeating, and 
  demands the servants cook him meals five times the size 
  of those a normal man might eat. Although he professes 
  loyalty to the Five Storms, Bogo-Na actually loathes 
  fighting, as it takes him away from his favorite pastime. 
  He takes any interruption of his meals quite angrily, 
  preferring to send two of his guards to reinforce anyone 
  seeking his aid rather than go himself. In addition, 12 
  cooks (N human commoners 2) scurry about the hall 
  serving the oni. When combat breaks outs, they flee the 
  room or cower beneath the tables.
  Bogo-Na 
  CR 13
  XP 25,600
  Male Typhoon commander (see page 10)
  hp 188
  TACTICS
  During Combat Bogo-Na turns invisible and flies upward with 
  the rest of his food, leaving the Typhoon guards to deal 
  with any attackers first. Only after they’ve been slain does 
  he commit to the battle as well. Even then, he does so in 
  the least strenuous manner possible, always staying aloft. 
  From the air he casts charm monster to get someone else to 
  do his fighting for him or hits as many attackers as possible 
  with his cone of cold before striking from a distance with his 
  bane-empowered naginata.
  Morale Bogo-Na has no desire to die, preferring to live so he 
  can continue to indulge his prodigious appetites. If reduced 
  to 60 hit points or fewer, Bogo-Na assumes gaseous form 
  and flees through the open windows, following the smoke 
  from the room’s ovens.
  Typhoon Guards (4) 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600 each
  hp 121 each (see page 11)
  h27. PrIvy
  An unpleasant stench emanates from this closed chamber. 
  Along the north wall, a row of open holes fall away in what can 
  only be a cesspit or open latrine.
  Normally kept much cleaner than their current sad state, 
  these privies have fallen into poor condition since the oni 
  killed off most of the staff responsible for their maintenance. 
  No one else has volunteered to take over the task.
  
  46
  h28. servAnts’ QuArters
  Twin stairwells ascend into this humid upper attic space. 
  Between the musty rafters, wooden partitions block off sleeping 
  cells and workrooms.
  The palace servants live in these rooms, which also contain 
  various tools for household maintenance and laundry. 
  Altogether, 15 servants (N human commoners 2) currently 
  reside here, hiding away from the oni until called upon. 
  the PAlAce levels
  The third and fourth floors of the palace’s main keep 
  include both the throne room and the imperial family’s 
  living quarters. The ceilings are 15 feet high throughout 
  both levels. All doors are locked and made of strong wood 
  (hardness 5, hp 20, Break DC 25, Disable Device 25) unless 
  specified otherwise. The living quarters on the fourth 
  floor use sliding rice paper shoji panels instead (hardness 
  0, hp 2, Break DC 10). Portable lamps with continual flames 
  sit in small wall sconces to provide normal light in every 
  room and corridor.
  h29. Archers’ gAllery (cr 16)
  This long corridor turns at a right angle, 
  following the north and west walls of the 
  palace. Small windows are regularly spaced 
  along the walls.
  This is one of the major defensible 
  areas of the castle, as the narrow 
  windows located every 25 feet or so 
  in the outer wall overlook the main 
  approaches to the castle below, from 
  which archers can fire on any attackers 
  attempting to breach the castle.
  Creatures: A contingent of eight 
  Typhoon guards keeps watch from 
  the windows. They fire on anyone who 
  approaches, whether from below the 
  castle walls, through the air, or up 
  the stairs from area H22 below.
  Typhoon Guards (8) 
  CR 10
  XP 9,600 each
  hp 121 each (see page 11)
  h30. guest rOOms
  The emperors of Minkai 
  maintained these rooms for 
  important guests visiting 
  the Imperial Palace. Each 
  one contains a small bed, table, and sitting area, and is 
  decorated according to a unique theme. Currently, they all 
  lie in tatters from the abuse of the Typhoon commanders 
  entrusted with them. Nothing of value remains in any of 
  these rooms.
  h31. teA rOOm
  This sitting room is well lit with natural light, and normally 
  provides a space for private meetings, strategy sessions, and 
  tea ceremonies between the emperors and their guests. The 
  Jade Regent and his allies use it for much the same purpose, 
  only they’re more likely to argue among themselves than 
  build alliances with diplomats of neighboring countries 
  over tea. The oracle Renshii Meida spends more time here 
  than anyone, taking tea with her handmaidens or using the 
  room to commune with her ancestors, seeking their help in 
  guiding her steps to become the next empress of Minkai.
  h32. stOrerOOms
  All the collected furnishings of generations of ruling 
  families are stored throughout these chambers, stacked on 
  top of one another in layers until the oldest have become 
  almost irretrievably buried. Occasionally, someone 
  tasks the servants with rooting out some 
  collection to redecorate a guest room or gallery. 
  The easternmost chamber shows heavy signs 
  of such an effort—Anamurumon had the 
  palace servants search for something from 
  Minkai’s ancient past that would be more 
  appealing for his personal quarters.
  h33. the jAde thrOne 
  (cr 19)
  Six stone columns of solid jade flank the 
  approach to an ornate jade throne atop 
  a short dais in this massive chamber. 
  Banners hang along the walls above 
  detailed frescoes of mountains; forests; 
  and samurai engaged in the arts of 
  archery, swordplay, calligraphy, and 
  flower arranging.
  For over a thousand years, the 
  emperors of Minkai have ruled 
  their empire from this 
  room, seated upon the 
  Jade Throne. Said to have 
  been created by the 
  goddess Shizuru’s 
  lover, the moon 
  god Tsukiyo, the 
  Jade Throne is in 
  The Jade Throne
  
  47
  The empTy Throne
  fact a powerful artifact, both a symbol of the emperor’s 
  divine right to rule and the guardian of that right. Only 
  a member of one of Minkai’s imperial families, bearing 
  one of the Imperial Seals and the blessings of the previous 
  emperors, can claim the title of emperor and utilize the 
  full powers of the Jade Throne. Although he currently 
  sits upon the Jade Throne, the Jade Regent cannot access 
  its powers or claim the title of emperor for himself. 
  His power derives from the regency invested in him by 
  Emperor Shigure, and only once there are no longer any 
  rightful claimants to the throne and all five Imperial Seals 
  are in his possession can the Jade Regent seize the true 
  power he craves.
  Creatures: The Jade Regent and his closest allies, those 
  most instrumental in his rise to power, await Ameiko and 
  the PCs in this room, the sovereign center of the empire 
  of Minkai. Only two actually belong to the Five Storms—
  the Jade Regent Soto Takahiro and his grandfather 
  Anamurumon. The others are Renshii Meida, the haunted 
  advisor to former emperor Higashiyama Shigure, and Giras 
  Notori, a famed tengu assassin locally known as the Raven 
  Prince. They’ve all convened in the palace throne room to 
  ensure Ameiko can’t present herself as the rightful heir to 
  the Jade Throne. The Jade Regent currently sits upon the 
  throne, patiently waiting for the Amatatsu heir to arrive 
  and try her hand at facing him. The others have positioned 
  themselves elsewhere in the room. Anamurumon stands 
  alone in the center of the main approach, as eager as his 
  grandson to finally put the last of the imperial families 
  to death and collect the remaining Imperial Seal. Notori 
  hides behind the jade column just west of the throne, while 
  Meida lingers at the foot of the throne’s dais, seated upon 
  its bottommost step and prepared to shield the Jade Regent 
  from those who would do him harm.
  The PCs must face all four of these characters together. 
  They are used to working together, and support each other 
  in battle, as outlined in their descriptions, but depending on 
  how fractured their alliance has become based on the actions 
  of the PCs (see the Sowing Discord sidebar on this page), 
  their level of cooperation with may vary, giving way to selfish  
  goals that might make it easier for the PCs to triumph.
  Anamurumon 
  CR 16
  XP 76,800
  hp 230 (see page 50)
  Giras Notori, the Raven Prince 
  CR 14
  XP 38,400
  hp 101 (see page 56)
  Renshii Meida 
  CR 14
  XP 38,400
  hp 131 (see page 58)
  Soto Takahiro, the Jade Regent 
  CR 15
  XP 51,200
  hp 207 (see page 54)
  Development: If the PCs defeat the Jade Regent and his 
  allies here, award them +5 Rebellion Points for deposing 
  the usurper.
  Story Award: Once the PCs defeat the Jade Regent, 
  the ascension of Ameiko (or of another Amatatsu scion) 
  to the Jade Throne of Minkai is all but assured. Award 
  the PCs 51,200 XP for accomplishing this feat, and see 
  Concluding the Adventure on page 48 for the results of 
  their efforts.
  h34. gAtherIng hAll
  Four solid columns hold up the ceiling of this square hall, 
  and the smell of new lacquer rises from the freshly polished 
  wooden floor. Stairways descend to the north and south, 
  while multiple corridors lead to other areas of the palace.
  This chamber serves as a mustering area for imperial 
  processions down to the throne room. Since claiming 
  the Jade Throne, the Jade Regent has renovated this hall 
  and the attached living quarters to better accommodate 
  himself, his allies, and his favored minions. The fresh 
  lacquer upon the floor and paint on the walls are 
  evidence of this work, and extend into all the hallways 
  and chambers on this level.
  h35. rOyAl seer’s BedchAmBer
  This small chamber is richly decorated with thick carpeting, 
  elaborate silk hangings, and small items of beautifully 
  wrought furniture. A sleeping pallet scented with lavender oil 
  lies in one corner, next to a small table holding a variety of 
  perfumes and cosmetics.
  sOwIng dIscOrd
  Throughout “The Empty Throne,” the PCs have the 
  opportunity to undermine the trust of the Jade Regent’s 
  inner circle. They can do so not only by amassing Rebellion 
  Points, which causes the Jade Regent and his allies to argue 
  among themselves, but also through subtler methods, 
  perhaps by planting evidence or spreading information 
  designed to tear down their alliance. Each of the NPCs 
  in the NPC Gallery on pages 50–61 contains details on 
  the information that can sow such discord and reduce 
  their Teamwork Scores, thus affecting these characters’ 
  individual tactics and morale. 
  
  48
  When Anamurumon claimed the sleeping quarters 
  closest to the Jade Regent, Renshii Meida had to make 
  do with this small room. She rarely stays here, however, 
  sharing the Jade Regent’s bed more often than not. A 
  cabinet in one wall holds a selection of amazingly elaborate 
  and expensive silk robes, headdresses, and shoes, all new 
  outfits for her position as the Jade Regent’s consort.
  h36. rOyAl AssAssIn’s BedchAmBer
  This spartan chamber contains nothing beyond a simple 
  sleeping pallet on the floor. The wooden paneling on the walls 
  is marred with numerous tiny holes and scratches.
  These quarters have been given over to the Jade Regent’s 
  royal assassin, Giras Notori, the self-styled Raven Prince. 
  The tengu ninja rarely spends any time here, however, 
  preferring to sleep in various secret bolt-holes throughout 
  Kasai. When he is present here, he spends most of his time 
  engaging in target practice with his shuriken or bow, the 
  source of the damage to the room’s walls. There is nothing 
  of value here.
  h37. BOdyguArds’ QuArters
  A simple sleeping pallet and small storage locker sits within 
  each of these small chambers. In times past, these rooms 
  served as sleeping quarters for the emperor’s bodyguards, all 
  trained and loyal samurai. The Jade Regent’s abandonment 
  of his samurai order to become a ronin left him far less 
  concerned about maintaining the samurai’s service, 
  viewing them as potential troublemakers more than trusted 
  allies. As such, he sent most of them on various missions 
  throughout Minkai to keep them away from the palace. A 
  few favored Typhoon guards have claimed some of these 
  rooms for their personal quarters, but none are currently 
  here—all are currently off putting down the uprising  
  outside the city or defending other parts of the palace.
  h38. chIeF mAgIstrAte’s BedchAmBer
  An oversized sleeping pallet, seemingly designed more for a 
  giant than a man, takes up almost all of the floor space in this 
  chamber, leaving little room for anything else.
  This room typically housed the wife and children 
  of a sitting emperor. Anamurumon has claimed it for 
  himself, even though Renshii Meida lobbied strongly for 
  it. Because of his great size when not in his human form, 
  Anamurumon had the servants remove all of the furniture 
  from the room and replace it with additional sleeping 
  pallets so that he can rest in his oni form.
  h39. emPerOr’s BedchAmBer
  A sumptuous rug decorated with imperial dragons and dire 
  tigers stretches across the floor of this chamber. Rumpled silk 
  sheets cover the stuffed mattress of its sleeping pallet.
  Normally reserved for the emperor of Minkai, the Jade 
  Regent Soto Takahiro has taken this room as his personal 
  bedchamber, which he usually shares with Renshii Meida. 
  He keeps nothing of importance here except a small 
  memento that Anamurumon claims belonged to his 
  mother—actually just a cheap necklace the oni took from a 
  merchant caravan the Five Storms raided nearly a century 
  ago before Takahiro was even born.
  cOncludIng the Adventure
  With the defeat of the Jade Regent, Ameiko (or one of the 
  PCs, if Ameiko was replaced in the campaign) can finally 
  present herself as the legitimate heir to the Jade Throne. 
  Provided Ameiko has the Amatatsu Seal and received the 
  reBellIOn POInt tOtAl
  RP Earned Result
  1–9 
  Disastrous: The empire of Minkai remains 
  in shambles. A new oni arises as leader of the 
  Five Storms, who continue their depredations. 
  Emperor Ito’s ghost re-forms and finds a way to 
  escape the Imperial Shrine, striking a new reign 
  of terror across Minkai and presenting a new 
  challenge to the empire.
  10–15 
  Mild Success: The spirit of Minkai remains 
  broken by the atrocities its people endured 
  under the Jade Regent. The people acknowledge 
  Ameiko as their empress, but struggle to accept 
  her as one of their own. It takes many years for 
  Minkai to once more establish itself as a power 
  in Tian Xia.
  16–24 
  Success: The people rejoice at the fall of the 
  Jade Regent and embrace Ameiko as their 
  new Empress, ready to usher in an age of 
  hope, renewal, and prosperity. Minkai takes 
  only a few years to recover from the tyranny 
  it endured, and any remaining oni of the Five 
  Storms are soon driven from the empire.
  25+ 
  Great Success: The turnaround is dramatic 
  as Ameiko enacts sweeping changes not only 
  to put Minkai back together, but to position 
  it as a leading force in the region for years to 
  come. Minkai enters a golden age of peace and 
  prosperity. The people hail the PCs as national 
  heroes and Empress Ameiko is beloved by all.
  
  49
  The empTy Throne
  blessings of the past emperors, the Jade Throne accepts 
  her as the rightful empress of Minkai. She gains full access 
  to the throne’s powers, and can begin to heal Minkai of the 
  damages inflicted upon it by the Jade Regent and the oni 
  of the Five Storms.
  In addition, the number of Rebellion Points the 
  PCs have amassed during the course of the adventure 
  determines the state of the empire that Ameiko inherits. 
  Total the PCs’ final Rebellion Point score and consult the 
  sidebar on page 48 to tailor the ending of the adventure 
  accordingly. Ameiko rewards the PCs generously for their 
  part in defeating the usurper and restoring her throne; 
  besides a monetary award, Ameiko might also give each 
  PC a powerful or expensive magic item from the imperial 
  treasury, or she might grant the PCs land and noble titles 
  in Minkai. The exact nature of the reward is up to you, but 
  they should be tailored to fit your players’ desires and the 
  end of an epic campaign.
  If the PCs fail to defeat the Jade Regent, then Minkai 
  enters a new dark age. If Ameiko and the PCs were all slain, 
  then there are no longer any rightful heirs to the imperial 
  families of Minkai. The Jade Regent places the Amatatsu 
  Seal in the imperial vault with the other Imperial Seals, thus 
  preventing the spirits of the seals from investing new scions 
  with the right to rule. With no legitimate heirs left to claim 
  it, the Jade Throne accepts Takahiro as the ruler of Minkai, 
  and the Jade Regent becomes the Jade Emperor—with the 
  helpful advice of Anamurumon, of course. This perversion 
  of Shizuru’s divine mandate to rule corrupts the Jade 
  Throne, and Takahiro uses the throne’s power to spread 
  evil throughout the land. Minkai becomes the garden 
  of excess and depravity that Anamurumon and the Five 
  Storms sought to create, a blight on the lands of Tian Xia. 
  Oni and other monstrous creatures run freely throughout 
  the empire, and the common people of Minkai cower in  
  fear and terror, and pray for an end to their suffering.
  But even in this case, all is not lost. The Jade Emperor 
  rules only because there are no other legitimate heirs to 
  the Jade Throne. The Imperial Seals still lie beneath the 
  palace in Kasai, waiting for worthy heroes to find them 
  and become scions of new imperial lines. If all of the PCs 
  were killed, perhaps new characters can arise to take their 
  place, recover the Imperial Seals, and save Minkai from the 
  depredations of the Jade Emperor.
  
  50
  Anamurumon 
  CR 16
  XP 76,800
  Male wind yai (see page 88)
  LE Huge outsider (air, giant, native, oni, shapechanger)
  Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +20
  DEFENSE
  AC 32, touch 11, flat-footed 29 (+5 armor, +3 Dex, +16 natural, 
  –2 size)
  hp 230 (20d10+120); regeneration 5 (acid or fire)
  Fort +18, Ref +9, Will +19
  Resist electricity 10, sonic 5; SR 27
  Weaknesses vulnerability to royal weapons
  OFFENSE
  Speed 40 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
  Melee Ikarikurusai +33/+28/+23/+18 (3d8+21/19–20 plus 1d6 
  electricity) or
  2 slams +30 (2d6+12)
  Ranged shocking missile +21 touch (4d6 electricity plus deafen)
  Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
  Special Attacks roaring gale
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 16th; concentration +21)
  Constant—cloak of winds*, fly
  At will—darkness, gaseous form, invisibility (self only), levitate
  3/day—control weather, quickened shout (DC 19), wind wall
  1/day—chain lightning (DC 21), whirlwind (DC 23)
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Anamurumon always shields himself with 
  cloak of winds before a fight.
  During Combat Anamurumon reveals his true form to 
  intimidate and demoralize opponents. He then unleashes 
  a powerful spell like chain lightning or whirlwind, or his 
  roaring gale ability, together with quickened shout. 
  Thereafter, he wields his three-section staff, Ikarikurusai, 
  in melee combat while firing shocking missiles from his 
  third eye. He attempts to disarm anyone wielding a royal 
  weapon. If surrounded, Anamurumon flies into the air and 
  casts invisibility, then makes Flyby Attacks coupled with 
  Awesome Blows, knocking foes into a whirlwind, if possible.
  Morale If reduced to fewer than 100 hit points, 
  Anamurumon casts invisibility or gaseous form until 
  his regeneration restores his hit points. Anamurumon 
  refuses to give up his plans for the Jade Throne and fights 
  to the death.
  AnAmurumon
  once A humAn wArlord, the wind yAi AnAmurumon is the true power behind the 
  JAde throne, sAcrificing his honor, his humAnity, And even his own grAndson, the 
  JAde regent, in his covetous pursuit of dominion over All minkAi.
  STATISTICS
  Str 35, Dex 16, Con 22, Int 15, Wis 20, Cha 21
  Base Atk +20; CMB +34 (+36 bull rush or disarm); CMD 47 
  (49 vs. bull rush or disarm)
  Feats Awesome Blow, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, 
  Flyby Attack, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Disarm, 
  Intimidating Prowess, Iron Will, Power Attack, Quicken 
  Spell-Like Ability (shout)
  Skills Bluff +28, Diplomacy +15, Disguise +18, Fly +12, 
  Intimidate +32, Knowledge (arcana) +25, Knowledge 
  (history) +17, Perception +20, Perform (wind) +15, Sense 
  Motive +20, Spellcraft +22, Stealth +9
  Languages Common, Giant, Minkaian, Tien
  SQ change shape (Medium, Large, or Huge humanoid, alter 
  self or giant form II)
  Other Gear +1 leather lamellar**, Ikarikurusai (+3 shock 
  sansetsukon**; see page 60), key to secret door in area H16, 
  gold-and-jade necklace worth 500 gp, 35 pp, 46 gp
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Roaring Gale (Su) See page 88.
  Shocking Missile (Su) See page 88.
  Vulnerability to Royal Weapons (Ex) Anamurumon is 
  vulnerable to weapons imbued with royal honor, such 
  as the ancestral weapons of the five imperial families of 
  Minkai—including the daikyu of commanding presence 
  (Pathfinder Adventure Path #53 60), the sword Suishen 
  (Pathfinder Adventure Path #50 61), and the thundering blade 
  of the House of Sugimatu (Pathfinder Adventure Path #52 61). 
  Against Anamurumon, these weapons function as outsider 
  (oni) bane weapons. In addition, Suishen automatically 
  confirms all critical hits made against Anamurumon.
  * See the Advanced Player’s Guide.
  ** See Ultimate Combat.
  Nearly 500 years old, the wind yai Anamurumon was born 
  as a human in 4219 ar (6719 ic) and raised among the 
  savage brigands of northern Minkai. A powerful warlord, 
  Anamurumon eventually sought to defy the divine laws of 
  Minkai and place himself on the Jade Throne, and even slew 
  Emperor Shojinawa Kenshiro, but not before the emperor 
  used the power of the Shojinawa Seal to call down a terrible 
  curse upon the warlord. Anamurumon’s soul was ripped 
  from his body, only to be reborn as a hideous wind yai.
  
  51
  NPC Gallery
  Anamurumon’s transformation ensured that he would 
  never claim the Jade Throne, but ever savvy, he spent the 
  next 3 centuries contemplating how to skirt the Laws of 
  Golden Perfection so he could strike back at the empire in 
  a way the gods would be powerless to deny. Anamurumon 
  carefully orchestrated the eradication of Minkai’s 
  imperial families and enacted a plot to sire oni-blooded 
  offspring capable of bypassing the divine laws. Eventually, 
  Anamurumon was rewarded with a tiefling grandson 
  named Soto Takahiro, who could pass as human and seize 
  the throne in his stead. Positioning Takahiro as one of 
  Emperor Higashiyama Shigure’s bodyguards, grandfather 
  and grandson succeeded in betraying the emperor and 
  Takahiro became the Jade Regent of Minkai. 
  Anamurumon wields his power like a blade, having 
  commanded the trust and loyalty of the Five Storms oni 
  for over 3 centuries. In his human guise, Anamurumon 
  publicly acts as a middle-aged, imperial magistrate 
  and close advisor to the Jade Regent. Anamurumon is 
  the true villain of “The Empty Throne,” serving as the 
  mastermind behind the rise of the Jade Regent and 
  perhaps the single biggest threat of the campaign. 
  The rest of the Five Storms look to him for leadership, 
  and if he is slain, the coalition of oni crumbles.
  teAmwork
  Anamurumon’s Teamwork Score represents the 
  strength of his alliances with the Jade Regent 
  and his allies. As long as these alliances 
  are intact, Anamurumon cooperates 
  with and aids his companions, but should 
  his Teamwork Score drop to a level that 
  breaks his alliance, his individual tactics 
  and morale are affected. The following section 
  details how Anamurumon’s cooperation affects his 
  allies, as well as how the PCs can further reduce his 
  Teamwork Score by sowing discord.
  Teamwork Score: 50
  Alliance Intact: As long as Anamurumon’s 
  Teamwork Score is greater than 0, he and his 
  allies are treated as if they had the Paired 
  Opportunists teamwork feat (Pathfinder RPG 
  Advanced Player’s Guide 166). This remains in 
  effect for the duration of the final battle with the PCs.
  Alliance Broken: If Anamurumon’s Teamwork 
  Score is reduced to 0 or lower, he no longer goes out 
  of his way to avoid catching his erstwhile allies in his 
  area effect spells and abilities. In addition, if one of his 
  allies falls below 20 hit points, Anamurumon takes the 
  opportunity to unleash a shocking missile and finish 
  that ally off, thereby eliminating any 
  perceived treachery that might to 
  deny him control of the Jade Throne.
  Sowing Discord: If the PCs somehow inform the Jade 
  Regent of his origin as Anamurumon’s descendant and 
  the oni’s complicity in his mother’s death (see page 55), the 
  Jade Regent confronts Anamurumon with this revelation, 
  leading to a bitter argument between the two. If the 
  PCs are successful in this ploy, reduce Anamurumon’s 
  Teamwork Score by 10.
  In addition, if news of Renshii Meida’s pregnancy (see 
  page 59) reaches Anamurumon’s ears, the oni does not 
  look kindly upon this development, having assumed 
  that Takahiro had merely seduced Meida for the 
  purposes of betraying Emperor Shigure. Anamurumon 
  had been planning to edge her out of the picture, but 
  a new heir adds too many unwanted complications. If 
  this information comes out, reduce Anamurumon’s 
  Teamwork Score by 10.
  
  52
  Emperor Higashiyama Shigure 
  CR 14
  XP 38,400
  Male human ghost aristocrat 14 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 144)
  LN Medium undead (augmented humanoid, incorporeal)
  Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +15
  DEFENSE
  AC 16, touch 16, flat-footed 15 (+5 deflection, +1 Dex)
  hp 161 (14d8+98)
  Fort +9, Ref +7, Will +11
  Defensive Abilities channel resistance +4, incorporeal, 
  rejuvenation; Immune undead traits
  Weaknesses vulnerability to ancestral weapons
  OFFENSE
  Speed fly 30 ft. (perfect)
  Melee corrupting touch +11 (14d6 plus vorpal touch, Fort DC 
  22 half)
  Special Attacks frightful moan (DC 22), telekinesis
  TACTICS
  During Combat After making his presence known, Shigure 
  initiates combat with a frightful moan. He attacks those 
  who don’t flee with his corrupting touch, using his Combat 
  Expertise feat to increase his Armor Class if opponents are 
  able to successfully hit him too easily. Against more powerful 
  opponents—particularly those channeling positive energy 
  against him—he uses his telekinesis ability to hurl them out 
  of the Shrine of the Emperors and into the surrounding moat, 
  where he holds them under until they drown, if necessary.
  Morale If confronted with positive energy damage or 
  reduced to 50 hit points or fewer, Shigure flees into the 
  relative safety of the walls or floor of the Tomb of the Past 
  Emperors. If slain, he simply re-forms again 2d4 days later. 
  Only the proper ceremony and cremation of his physical 
  remains can grant him peace.
  STATISTICS
  Str —, Dex 12, Con —, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 20
  Base Atk +10; CMB +11; CMD 26
  Feats Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, 
  Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Persuasive, Toughness, 
  Weapon Finesse
  Skills Craft (calligraphy) +11, Diplomacy +22, Fly +15, Intimidate 
  +22, Knowledge (geography) +11, Knowledge (history) +14, 
  Knowledge (local) +11, Knowledge (nobility) +14, Perception 
  +15, Perform (oratory) +11, Sense Motive +10, Stealth +18
  emperor higAshiyAmA shigure
  the lAst legitimAte emperor of minkAi, higAshiyAmA shigure trAgicAlly lingers on 
  As A vengeful ghost, seething in Anger over his betrAyAl And murder At the hAnds 
  of the JAde regent And renshii meidA.
  Languages Celestial, Minkaian, Tien
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Vorpal Touch (Su) Shigure was beheaded by the Jade Regent, 
  and his severed head now floats above his incorporeal body. 
  If Shigure makes a successful critical hit with his corrupting 
  touch, the target is decapitated and immediately slain 
  (creatures without a head are immune to this effect).
  Vulnerability to Ancestral Weapons (Ex) Shigure is vulnerable 
  to ancestral weapons of the Higashiyama family, such as the 
  daikyu of commanding presence (Pathfinder Adventure Path 
  #53 60). Against Shigure, the daikyu of commanding presence 
  functions as an undead bane ghost touch weapon.
  The ghost of Emperor Higashiyama Shigure now haunts 
  the Imperial Shrine of his forebears, lost and forlorn in 
  a web of deceit perpetrated by his most trusted advisors. 
  Slain by his bodyguard Soto Takahiro and the oracle 
  Renshii Meida, he rages at his own blindness to their 
  duplicity, lashing out at any who come near him. His short 
  reign as emperor of Minkai shames him nearly as much 
  as how easily he fell for his advisors’ lies, and he further 
  torments himself with the knowledge that his ineptitude 
  now threatens to undo the centuries-long mandate of 
  divinely appointed rule in Minkai—forsaking the sanctity 
  of the Imperial Seals to hand the Jade Throne over to the 
  oni of the Five Storms, thereby ushering in a new age of 
  tyranny and evil for his people.
  Since his untimely death, Shigure has grown 
  increasingly filled with rage, dismayed and angered by 
  the defilement of his corporeal remains, which rest at the 
  bottom of the Well of Demons. It’s a place even his restless 
  spirit fears to tread, for having ventured there at least 
  three times already, he feels an unnatural pull from the 
  collected evil of his predecessors. Their sins call out and 
  mock his naive stewardship of Minkai’s throne. Some even 
  encourage him to join their miserable company—a fate he 
  almost believes he deserves. Despite, or perhaps because of 
  this constant lure, Shigure clings desperately to the site of 
  his murder in the Shrine of Heavenly Sovereigns.
  history
  Higashiyama Shigure lived his entire childhood in the 
  shadow of his older siblings. As he had seven brothers 
  
  53
  NPC Gallery
  and four sisters ahead of him in the line of succession, 
  he never expected to one day sit upon the Jade Throne. 
  Instead, he happily consigned himself to more studious 
  and scholarly pursuits than the art of governing and 
  politics. So, too, did he eschew physical activity, never 
  taking his mandatory training as a warrior seriously 
  enough to learn to avoid scrapes and bruises during 
  practice, unlike his more martial-minded siblings.
  In his youth, Shigure also developed an admiring 
  friendship with his bodyguard, Soto Takahiro. Growing 
  up together, Shigure thought of Takahiro as more of 
  a brother than his actual siblings, always closer in age 
  to him than the rest of his family. They often trained 
  together, helping one another dupe their instructors 
  into believing they had mastered their lessons. In truth, 
  Takahiro would intentionally lose some of their sparring 
  matches while Shigure completed Takahiro’s assignments 
  on Minkai history and culture. The pair were inseparable 
  until they became young men, when Renshii Meida made 
  her first appearance into their lives. Shigure spent many 
  months trying to make himself appealing to the beautiful 
  oracle, hoping that he might convince his father to let 
  them marry, despite her role as a tutor and advisor to the 
  throne. Unfortunately, the haunted young woman spared 
  little time for him, lavishing her infrequent attentions 
  upon Takahiro instead.
  Meanwhile, a series of tragedies were befalling 
  Shigure’s siblings. A bandit attack claimed the lives of 
  three of his brothers on a hunting trip in the wilderness. 
  One of his sisters committed suicide over the loss of her 
  child. Another died when she took ill during the winter. 
  Two more brothers perished at sea in a terrible storm, 
  and another froze to death on an ill-fated attempt to cross 
  the Crown of the World. One by one, the Higashiyama 
  clan died out, until Shigure’s father finally passed away 
  of old age, leaving Shigure the heir to the throne. 
  Unwilling and unready for the responsibility, 
  Shigure began questioning the will of the 
  gods as he fell into a deep depression. Only 
  Takahiro and Meida sought to lift his spirits, a 
  ruse that sealed the young emperor’s doom when 
  he ascended to the throne.
  cAmpAign role
  Shigure plays a vital role in the culmination of 
  the Jade Regent Adventure Path. Perhaps 
  the most significant casualty in the Five 
  Storms’ plot to take over Minkai, Shigure 
  can be both a source of information to the PCs and a 
  potential mentor for Ameiko. Even more importantly, 
  Ameiko or another heir in possession of an Imperial 
  Seal cannot make a legitimate claim to the Jade 
  Throne without Shigure’s spiritual blessing. His 
  assistance is crucial to the PCs’ efforts to end the Jade 
  Regent’s reign.
  Even after their final confrontation with the Jade Regent 
  and his allies, the PCs could continue to find Shigure a 
  valuable source of knowledge and support in establishing 
  a new dynasty. Through his scholarly pursuits, Shigure 
  knows much about Minkai’s ancient history, the function 
  of the Imperial Seals, and the various alliances established 
  between Minkai and the other nations of Tian Xia. Even 
  after laying his body to rest, the PCs can come back to the 
  Imperial Shrine to commune with Shigure’s spirit and 
  seek his counsel. Unlike many of his predecessors, Shigure 
  feels honor bound to assist Ameiko and the PCs in any 
  endeavor, seeing such assistance as a form of atonement 
  for his brief, ill-fated reign.
  
  54
  Soto Takahiro, the Jade Regent 
  CR 15
  XP 51,200
  Male oni-spawn tiefling samurai 15 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 264, 
  Ultimate Combat 18)
  LE Medium outsider (native)
  Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +10
  DEFENSE
  AC 30, touch 15, flat-footed 28 (+12 armor, +3 deflection, +2 Dex, 
  +3 natural)
  hp 207 (15d10+120)
  Fort +19, Ref +12, Will +11
  Defensive Abilities evasion, greater resolve, honorable stand 
  1/day, resolve 8/day; DR 3/—; Resist cold 5, electricity 5, fire 5
  OFFENSE
  Speed 20 ft.
  Melee Karusetsu +24/+19/+14 (1d10+10/15–20)
  Ranged +1 composite longbow +19/+14/+9 (1d8+6/×3)
  Special Attacks banner +4/+3, challenge (+15, +4, 5/day), 
  demanding challenge, greater banner +2
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 15th; concentration +15)
  1/day—alter self
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Takahiro readies an action to absorb the first 
  spell thrown his way with his ioun stone.
  During Combat At the beginning of combat, Takahiro 
  executes a flourishing slash with Karusetsu before issuing 
  a demanding challenge and charging forward to attack. 
  Takahiro holds his chosen destiny ability in reserve until 
  he needs to make a saving throw against a particularly 
  powerful effect. Once his o-yoroi of imperial rule has 
  absorbed 15 points of damage, he releases the stored 
  energy against his foes. Takahiro uses his greater banner 
  ability to help free his allies from harmful effects.
  Morale Takahiro always uses his resolve to negate critical hits 
  against him and to roll twice on saving throws. He keeps 
  at least one use in reserve to stabilize himself and remain 
  conscious so he can buy himself enough time to drink a 
  potion of cure serious wounds. If reduced to fewer than 60 
  hit points, Takahiro makes an honorable stand against the 
  target of his challenge and fights to the death.
  STATISTICS
  Str 20, Dex 17, Con 22, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10
  Base Atk +15; CMB +20; CMD 36
  the JAde regent
  secretly trAined from birth to usurp the JAde throne of minkAi, the JAde regent 
  soto tAkAhiro sees himself As A sAmurAi without peer, though his oni heritAge 
  forces him to hide behind A mAsk of duplicity.
  Feats Blind-Fight, Blinding Critical, Combat Reflexes, 
  Critical Focus, Fiendish Facade (human), Improved Critical 
  (nodachi*), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Toughness, 
  Weapon Focus (nodachi*)
  Skills Bluff +13, Disguise +20 (+23 to appear human), 
  Intimidate +15, Knowledge (local) +8, Knowledge (nobility) +5, 
  Perception +10, Ride +6
  Languages Giant, Minkaian, Tien
  SQ mount (horse), mounted archer, ronin (chosen destiny, self 
  reliant, without master), weapon expertise (longbow)
  Combat Gear potions of cure serious wounds (3); Other Gear 
  o-yoroi of imperial rule (+4 adamantine glamered o-yoroi*; see 
  page 60), Karusetsu (+3 nodachi*; see page 60), +1 composite 
  longbow (+5 Str) with 20 arrows, amulet of natural armor +3, 
  belt of physical perfection +4, cloak of resistance +4, lavender 
  and green ioun stone (27 spell levels remaining), ring of evasion, 
  ring of protection +3, key to secret door in area H16, gold 
  bracelet (focus for Renshii Meida’s sacred bond, worth 100 gp)
  * See Ultimate Combat.
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Exceptional Resources (Ex) As the Jade Regent of the Minkai 
  Empire, Takahiro has access to the vast wealth of a PC. This 
  increases his CR by 1.
  Fiendish Facade Unlike most tieflings, Takahiro appears 
  mostly human. As a result, he gains a +5 racial bonus on 
  Disguise checks to appear as a normal human. This feat 
  appears in Pathfinder Player Companion: Blood of Fiends.
  Oni-Spawn Tiefling An oni-spawn tiefling has the following 
  racial traits, which replace those for a normal tiefling: +2 
  Strength, +2 Wisdom, –2 Charisma; +2 racial bonus on 
  Disguise and Intimidate checks; and alter self as a spell-like 
  ability once per day. All other racial traits are the same as for 
  a normal tiefling. Complete rules for oni-spawn tieflings can 
  be found in Pathfinder Player Companion: Blood of Fiends.
  At the young age of 26, Soto Takahiro rules over one of 
  the most powerful empires of Tian Xia. His short reign 
  as Jade Regent has already ushered in an age of excess and 
  debauchery almost unrivaled by the emperors preceding 
  him, and whispers of rebellion and civil uprising spread 
  throughout the streets.
  Once just a member of the Imperial Guard, Takahiro 
  now has everything his heart desires—but the power and 
  
  55
  NPC Gallery
  prestige of his success has fully corrupted him, and he 
  chafes under his grandfather’s control. No longer satisfied 
  as Anamurumon’s puppet, Takahiro plans to rule Minkai 
  at his own direction.
  Considered heavy-handed at best and rapacious at worst, 
  the Jade Regent cuts a tall, imposing figure, standing 
  almost 7 feet tall. His glamered o-yoroi of imperial rule, 
  seemingly crafted of heavy sheets of jade, only enhances 
  his imperious image.
  teAmwork
  The Jade Regent’s Teamwork Score represents the strength 
  of his bonds with his allies. As long as these alliances are 
  intact, Takahiro cooperates with and aids his companions, 
  but should his Teamwork Score drop to a level that breaks 
  his alliance, his individual tactics and morale are affected. 
  The following section details how the Jade Regent’s 
  cooperation affects his allies, as well as how the PCs can 
  further reduce his Teamwork Score by sowing discord.
  Teamwork Score: 50
  Alliance Intact: As long as the Jade Regent’s Teamwork 
  Score is greater than 0, he and his allies are treated as if 
  they had the Outflank teamwork feat (Advanced Player’s 
  Guide 165). This remains in effect for the duration of the 
  final battle with the PCs.
  Alliance Broken: If the Jade Regent’s Teamwork Score 
  is reduced to 0 or lower, he becomes verbally abusive and 
  dismissive of his allies, and refuses to assist them in 
  combat. In addition, if Anamurumon falls below 20 hit 
  points, Takahiro seeks to finish him off. If Takahiro’s 
  alliance is broken, he flees combat once reduced to 60 hit 
  points or fewer, or if all of his allies are killed.
  Sowing Discord: If the PCs learn of the Jade Regent’s 
  origin in “Forest of Spirits” (and especially the manner of 
  his mother’s death, perhaps 
  through divination magic), 
  and make this information 
  available to Takahiro, it will 
  seriously damage his relationship 
  with his grandfather. How the 
  PCs deliver this insight is up 
  to them. A friendly geisha 
  could 
  volunteer 
  to 
  share such evidence 
  during a trip to the 
  palace (though doing so would 
  likely ensure that she will remain 
  there as a prisoner), or an allied ninja 
  or rogue could infiltrate the palace 
  and leave such information behind where 
  Takahiro would be sure to find it. Regardless, a DC 
  30 Diplomacy check is required to secure 
  the cooperation of any of these individuals. 
  If successful, Takahiro confronts Anamurumon with this 
  revelation, driving a wedge between them, and Takahiro’s 
  Teamwork Score is reduced by 10.
  In addition, it’s no secret among the geisha that the Jade 
  Regent has a lustful appetite for female companionship. 
  Though everyone knows of his involvement with Renshii 
  Meida, few realize how often he steps outside their 
  relationship—something made all the easier now with the 
  power he commands from the throne. Publicly revealing 
  Takahiro’s secret affairs by spreading gossip among the 
  citizens of Kasai with a DC 30 Bluff check would tarnish 
  the Jade Regent’s image and cause a 
  lover’s quarrel. If successful, reduce 
  Takahiro’s Teamwork Score by 10.
  Finally, 
  if 
  Anamurumon 
  learns 
  of Renshii Meida’s pregnancy (see 
  page 59), the oni and Meida get into a 
  heated argument, requiring Takahiro’s 
  intercession. In this case, reduce Takahiro’s 
  Teamwork Score by 5.
  
  56
  Giras Notori, the Raven Prince 
  CR 14
  XP 38,400
  Male tengu ninja 15 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 263, Ultimate 
  Combat 13)
  NE Medium humanoid (tengu)
  Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, see invisibility; 
  Perception +23
  DEFENSE
  AC 26, touch 21, flat-footed 18 (+5 armor, +3 deflection, +7 Dex, 
  +1 dodge)
  hp 101 (15d8+30)
  Fort +8, Ref +18, Will +8
  Defensive Abilities evasion, improved uncanny dodge
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee Tsuruhashi +23/+18/+13 (1d4+4 plus poison) and bite +15 
  (1d3+1)
  Ranged mwk shuriken +21/+16/+11 (1d2+2) or
  poisoned sand tube* (nightmare vapor, 15-ft. cone)
  Special Attacks sneak attack +8d6 (+8 bleed)
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Notori prepares his sai, Tsuruhashi, with 
  dragon bile and drinks his potion of heroism before any 
  anticipated fight.
  During Combat On the first round of combat, Notori drinks 
  his potion of haste and uses his invisible blade ninja trick to 
  disappear from sight. He then studies a single opponent 
  in preparation for an assassinate attack. Once in position 
  to execute a sneak attack, Notori deals a deadly blow while 
  activating Tsuruhashi’s silence effect on his victim. He feints 
  to make repeated sneak attacks coupled with bleeding attack. 
  Against grouped attackers, Notori uses his poisoned sand 
  tube to disperse nightmare vapor in their midst. If seriously 
  injured, he uses his cape of the mountebank to escape, 
  preferably to seek healing from one of his allies. Thereafter, 
  he relies on Combat Expertise and Spring Attacks to limit his 
  opponents’ opportunities to strike back at him.
  Morale A paid assassin, Giras Notori feels little loyalty to 
  Anamurumon and the Jade Regent. Because of this, he 
  always holds 1 ki point in reserve to turn invisible or hurl 
  a smoke bomb and slip away undetected if things go bad. 
  He implements this strategy as soon as the PCs succeed in 
  slaying both the Jade Regent and Anamurumon.
  the rAven prince
  As the JAde regent’s royAl AssAssin, the renowned tengu ninJA girAs notori comes 
  And goes As he pleAses Across minkAi, A legendAry killer seen only when it’s fAr 
  too lAte by those he comes to slAy.
  STATISTICS
  Str 14, Dex 24, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 8
  Base Atk +11; CMB +15; CMD 34
  Feats Combat Expertise, Dodge, Greater Feint, Improved Feint, 
  Martial Weapon Proficiency (poisoned sand tube), Mobility, 
  Spring Attack, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (sai)
  Skills Acrobatics +27, Bluff +19, Climb +17, Disable Device +22, 
  Escape Artist +22, Knowledge (local) +14, Knowledge (nobility) 
  +12, Linguistics +12, Perception +23, Sense Motive +12, 
  Sleight of Hand +20, Stealth +29, Use Magic Device +19
  Languages Common, Draconic, Giant, Minkaian, Tengu, 
  Tien, Wayang
  SQ gifted linguist, ki pool (6), light steps, ninja tricks 
  (assassinate [DC 17], bleeding attack +8, combat trick, 
  evasion, invisible blade, smoke bomb, vanishing trick), no 
  trace +5, permanent spells, poison use, swordtrained
  Combat Gear potion of haste, potion of heroism, dragon bile  
  (3 doses), nightmare vapor (3 doses); Other Gear +4 padded 
  armor, Tsuruhashi (+2 adamantine sai; see page 61), poisoned 
  sand tube*, masterwork shuriken (6), belt of incredible 
  dexterity +6, cape of the mountebank, ring of protection +3, 
  pouch of brass crowned raven coins
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Permanent Spells (Sp) Notori has made darkvision and see 
  invisibility permanent on himself by casting the spells from 
  scrolls with his Use Magic Device spell.
  * See Ultimate Combat.
  Few know the true identity of the tengu Giras Notori, but 
  everyone in Minkai recognizes his handiwork. Those with 
  secrets to hide or debts to repay simply refer to him as the 
  Raven Prince, a renowned ninja employed by commoners 
  and emperors alike to retrieve lost goods or assassinate 
  their greatest enemies. He works for anyone capable of 
  meeting his price—whether they pay in coin or by piquing 
  his interest with a task deemed worthy of his skill. People 
  rarely see Notori on such missions, but they always know 
  his visits by the shiny brass coins stamped with the image of 
  a crowned raven that he leaves behind to mark his victims.
  history
  Giras Notori studied with several prestigious ninja clans, 
  excelling in the arts of deception and assassination, but 
  
  57
  NPC Gallery
  never joining their ranks as a full member. Nevertheless, 
  he soon began accepting assignments from both the ninja 
  who trained him and members of Minkai’s noble and 
  imperial families. These contracts were often against 
  enemies of the Jade Throne, both within Minkai’s borders 
  and without. As Notori’s legend grew, so too did his skills, 
  and eventually he found fewer and fewer challenges 
  worthy of his talents.
  Not long after, Anamurumon contacted Notori with 
  an especially intriguing idea—nothing less than the 
  assassination of each imperial bloodline down to the 
  last remaining heir to the Jade Throne. Seeing this as a 
  crowning achievement for any ninja, Notori took the oni’s 
  coin and accepted the contract, and as a result, nearly a 
  hundred members of Minkai’s imperial families have met 
  their ends at his hands. 
  Now the Jade Regent sits upon the Jade Throne and 
  the Raven Prince enjoys a steady supply of challenges, 
  thanks to his position as the Jade Regent’s royal assassin. 
  As the inquisitors of the Typhoon Guard identify possible 
  enemies to the throne, the Jade Regent sends Notori to 
  either eliminate them or deliver a message to ensure their 
  continued intimidation. While the tengu excels in this role, 
  he is beginning to find such tasks routine, but he has found 
  a new distraction in the tales and rumors of the approaching 
  Amatatsu heir. Notori looks forward to the day when he can 
  either test his skills against her or offer up his services to 
  Minkai’s new emperor, following her ascension.
  teAmwork
  Giras Notori’s Teamwork Score represents 
  the strength of his alliances with the 
  Jade Regent and his allies. As long as 
  these alliances are intact, the Raven Prince 
  cooperates with and aids his companions, but 
  should his Teamwork Score drop to a level 
  that breaks his alliance, his individual 
  tactics and morale are affected. 
  The following section details how 
  Notori’s cooperation affects his allies, as well as 
  how the PCs can further reduce his Teamwork 
  Score by sowing discord.
  Teamwork Score: 32
  Alliance Intact: As long as Notori’s 
  Teamwork Score is greater than 0, he 
  and his allies are treated as if they had the 
  Feint Partner and Improved Feint Partner 
  teamwork feats (Pathfinder RPG Ultimate 
  Combat 100, 105). This remains in 
  effect for the duration of the final 
  battle with the PCs.
  Alliance Broken: If Notori’s Teamwork 
  Score is reduced to 0 or lower, he refrains from trying 
  to assassinate the PCs, switching instead to nonlethal 
  sneak attacks designed to merely debilitate them—all so 
  he can survive and break off combat once the PCs defeat 
  Anamurumon and the Jade Regent. If one of his allies 
  gains the upper hand against a PC, Notori throws a smoke 
  bomb to aid the PC and forestall his ally’s victory.
  Sowing Discord: Although a loyal ally of the Jade 
  Regent, Notori seeks a challenge worthy of his skills, and 
  he retains a sense of honor even as he faces Ameiko and the 
  PCs. Savvy PCs can exploit this sense of honor by exerting 
  their influence with Minkai’s ninja clans, as Notori still 
  feels a responsibility to abide by many of their codes and 
  strictures. If the PCs successfully gained at least one ninja 
  clan as an ally in “Tide of Honor,” they can use their 
  contacts to deliver a message and influence Notori, either 
  by shaking his confidence through the knowledge that 
  the ninja have united behind Ameiko, or by persuading 
  him to withhold his full participation in any conflict 
  against the Jade Regent. Demoralizing him requires a 
  DC 30 Intimidate check. Making him indifferent to the 
  PCs’ opposition to the Jade Regent requires a DC 29 
  Diplomacy check. If the PCs succeed at either 
  check, reduce Notori’s Teamwork Score by 10.
  
  58
  Renshii Meida 
  CR 14
  XP 38,400
  Female human oracle 15 (Advanced Player’s Guide 42)
  NE Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +1; Senses true seeing; Perception +6
  DEFENSE
  AC 29, touch 15, flat-footed 28 (+10 armor, +4 deflection, +1 Dex, 
  +4 shield)
  hp 131 (15d8+60)
  Fort +11, Ref +10, Will +15
  Resist fire 10
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee +2 ancestral ghost touch katana* +12/+7/+2 (1d8+1/18–20) or
  +1 fighting fan* +11/+6/+1 (1d4/×3)
  Ranged mwk dart +13/+8/+3 (1d4–1)
  Oracle Spells Known (CL 15th; concentration +26)
  7th (5/day)—destruction (DC 24), ethereal jaunt, mass cure 
  serious wounds, reverse gravity, summon monster VII 
  6th (7/day)—blade barrier (DC 23), greater dispel magic, 
  greater heroism, heal, mass cure moderate wounds
  5th (7/day)—cleanse**, flame strike (DC 22), mass cure light 
  wounds, slay living (DC 22), telekinesis (DC 22), true seeing
  4th (7/day)—air walk, cure critical wounds, divination, freedom 
  of movement, spiritual ally**, unholy blight (DC 21)
  3rd (8/day)—bestow curse (DC 20), borrow fortune**, cure 
  serious wounds, dispel magic, heroism, sacred bond**
  2nd (8/day)—aid, augury, cure moderate wounds, levitate, 
  minor image (DC 19), resist energy, silence (DC 19), spiritual 
  weapon, status
  1st (8/day)—bless, cure light wounds, divine favor, doom (DC 18), 
  sanctuary (DC 18), shield of faith, unseen servant
  0 (at will)—bleed (DC 17), detect magic, detect poison, ghost 
  sound (DC 17), guidance, light, mage hand, mending, purify 
  food and drink, read magic, stabilize
  Mystery ancestor***
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Meida activates her spirit shield revelation 
  and casts status to monitor her allies every day. Prior to 
  battle, she casts shield of faith and shield from her wand 
  (using Use Magic Device). She further prepares for battle 
  by casting true seeing and resist energy (fire) on herself, and 
  sacred bond on the Jade Regent. 
  renshii meidA
  the sole survivor of A disgrAced clAn, renshii meidA is the JAde regent’s Advisor, 
  seer, And lover. An opportunist to the core, she now obsessively plots to seize 
  the empire for herself And her unborn child.
  During Combat Meida casts air walk on the first round of 
  combat. She summons a spiritual ally to attack anyone 
  targeting her while she casts battlefield control spells 
  such as blade barrier or reverse gravity. She monitors her 
  allies closely with status, casting mass cure spells or dispel 
  magic as needed. If the Jade Regent is attacked, she casts 
  summon monster VII to add 1d3 shadow demons to the fight. 
  Meida targets enemy healers with her otherworldly kimono’s 
  maze effect to keep them from aiding their companions. 
  If necessary, she opposes spellcasters with her Improved 
  Counterspell feat and either greater dispel magic or quickened 
  dispel magic.
  Morale If severely hindered by magic or reduced to fewer than 
  50 hit points, Meida casts sanctuary and retreats to restore 
  herself with cleanse, greater dispel magic, or a cure spell. If the 
  Jade Regent is slain, Meida reacts by invoking her ancestral 
  weapon and spirit of the warrior abilities to avenge him, 
  launching herself into the melee with wild, furious abandon 
  and fighting to the death. 
  STATISTICS
  Str 8, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 24
  Base Atk +11; CMB +10; CMD 29
  Feats Combat Casting, Defensive Combat Training, Exotic 
  Weapon Proficiency (fighting fan*), Extra Revelation**, 
  Improved Counterspell, Iron Will, Quick Draw, Quicken 
  Spell, Toughness
  Skills Bluff +17, Diplomacy +20, Knowledge (arcana) +10, 
  Knowledge (history) +10, Knowledge (local) +10, Knowledge 
  (nobility) +10, Knowledge (planes) +8, Knowledge (religion) 
  +10, Perception +6, Sense Motive +13, Spellcraft +14, Use 
  Magic Device +17
  Languages Draconic, Minkaian, Tien
  SQ oracle’s curse (haunted), revelations (ancestral weapon*** 
  [+2 ghost touch, 15 minutes/day], sacred council*** 7/day,  
  spirit of the warrior*** 7 rounds/day, spirit shield*** 
  [+10 AC, 50% ranged miss chance, 15 hours/day], storm 
  of souls*** [7d8, Fort DC 24 half, 3/day], wisdom of the 
  ancestors*** [commune 1/day])
  Combat Gear wand of hold person (17 charges), wand of shield 
  (33 charges); Other Gear +1 fighting fan*, masterwork darts 
  (6), otherworldly kimono (see page 60), ring of counterspells 
  (harm), rod of splendor, gold bracelet (focus for sacred bond, 
  worth 100 gp)
  
  59
  NPC Gallery
  * See Ultimate Combat.
  ** See the Advanced Player’s Guide.
  *** See Ultimate Magic.
  Loyal allies of the human warlord Anamurumon, the 
  Renshii clan goes back several centuries. But when 
  Anamurumon’s barbarian army was defeated, the victors 
  put most of the Renshiis to the sword. Only a handful of 
  women managed to flee the emperor’s samurai, escaping 
  vengeance by marrying into other families, until the 
  hidden clan all but disappeared. Renshii Meida was 20 
  years old when the spirits of her ancestors contacted her 
  and whispered of her origins, and their desire to take 
  vengeance on the imperial families who had erased 
  all memory of them from Minkai. To this end, 
  Meida offered her services to the Higashiyama 
  family as a seer and advisor to interpret the 
  will of the gods and ancestral spirits alike.
  Behind Renshii Meida’s outward demeanor 
  of a tradition-bound geisha hides the soul of a 
  deceitful snake, ready to lash out at the merest 
  slight. In truth, there’s a measured intelligence 
  behind her submissive eyes—something others 
  only discover long after falling victim to her 
  schemes and machinations, if at all. 
  She and Soto Takahiro, the Jade Regent, 
  developed a lasting love affair with each 
  other, but regardless of her feelings for 
  him, Meida is aggressively opportunistic, 
  constantly plotting and scheming to gain 
  further influence over Takahiro 
  while secretly undermining 
  Anamurumon’s control over 
  him. Now that she’s pregnant 
  with Takahiro’s child (a secret 
  she 
  has 
  only 
  shared 
  with 
  her handmaiden), Meida is 
  determined to establish a new 
  dynasty, and will stop at nothing to place 
  her own child on the Jade Throne.
  teAmwork
  Renshii 
  Meida’s 
  Teamwork 
  Score 
  represents the strength of her alliances 
  with the Jade Regent and his allies. As 
  long as these alliances are intact, Meida 
  cooperates with and aids her companions, 
  but should her Teamwork Score drop 
  to a level that breaks her alliance, 
  her individual tactics and 
  morale are affected. 
  The 
  following 
  section 
  details 
  how Meida’s cooperation affects her allies, as well as 
  how the PCs can further reduce her Teamwork Score by 
  sowing discord.
  Teamwork Score: 40
  Alliance Intact: As long as Meida’s Teamwork Score is 
  greater than 0, she and her allies are treated as if they had 
  the Shake It Off teamwork feat (Ultimate Combat 118). This 
  remains in effect for the duration of the final battle with 
  the PCs.
  Alliance Broken: If Meida’s Teamwork Score is reduced 
  to 0 or lower, she refuses to cast healing spells on her 
  allies. In addition, she sees weakness in Anamurumon 
  or the Jade Regent as an opportunity to seize the throne 
  for herself. If either of them falls below 20 hit points, she 
  directs her attacks at them to remove any competition 
  for her unborn child. If she survives, Meida might 
  even try to strike a deal with the PCs, all in hopes of 
  maneuvering her child closer to the Jade Throne.
  Sowing 
  Discord: 
  Always 
  ambitious, 
  Renshii Meida has her 
  own designs on the Jade 
  Throne. Secretly pregnant 
  with the Jade Regent’s child, 
  she intends to marry Takahiro, 
  elevating herself to empress and 
  presenting their child as heir to the 
  throne. The PCs can learn about Meida’s 
  secret from one of her handmaidens, 
  who happens to be the daughter of one of 
  the PCs’ samurai allies. This ally could 
  bring his daughter to the PCs to tell 
  them her story, but the young woman 
  proves reluctant to betray her mistress. 
  The PCs must make a DC 30 Diplomacy 
  check or DC 20 Intimidate check to 
  interrogate the girl and learn the full story. 
  Alternatively, they might learn of Meida’s 
  pregnancy through divination magic. If 
  the PCs send inquiries to the palace about 
  Meida’s need for a midwife (thus ensuring 
  that Anamurumon learns the news), the 
  oni becomes angry, and the two get into a 
  heated argument. In this case, reduce 
  Meida’s Teamwork Score by 10.
  In addition, if the PCs spread 
  rumors about the Jade Regent’s 
  illicit affairs with other women (see page 
  55), this does untold damage to Meida’s 
  honor, causing a lover’s quarrel 
  between her and Takahiro, which 
  reduces Meida’s Teamwork 
  Score by 15.
  
  60
  Ikarikurusai, the Raging Cyclone
  Aura moderate evocation; CL 9th
  Slot none; Price 90,308 gp; Weight 3 lbs.
  DESCRIPTION
  Ikarikurusai is an ornate +3 shock sansetsukon (Ultimate Combat 
  134) that automatically resizes itself to match the size of its 
  wielder. The chains joining the segments of this three-section 
  staff crackle with arcs of electricity, and while held in at least 
  one hand, the weapon acts as a lightning rod, drawing away 
  incoming electrical attacks and granting its wielder electricity 
  resistance 10. Upon striking a successful critical hit, Ikarikurusai 
  explodes with electricity. In addition to the electricity damage 
  from the shock ability, the target of the attack is struck by a 
  stroke of lightning, which then arcs to other targets, as chain 
  lightning. The bolt deals 5d6 points of electricity damage to the 
  primary target (Reflex DC 19 for half damage). After it strikes, 
  the lightning can arc to up to five secondary targets within  
  30 feet of the primary target. The secondary bolts each strike 
  one target and deal as much damage as the primary bolt (Reflex 
  DC 17 for half damage). The chain lightning effect only triggers 
  on the first critical hit confirmed in a round, regardless of how 
  many critical hits are made by the weapon that round.
  CONSTRUCTION
  Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, call lightning or 
  lightning bolt, chain lightning, resist energy; Cost 45,308 gp
  Karusetsu, the Cutting Light
  Aura strong evocation; CL 13th
  Slot none; Price 67,500 gp; Weight 8 lbs.
  DESCRIPTION
  This exquisitely detailed +3 nodachi (Ultimate Combat 133) comes 
  sheathed in a black-lacquered scabbard with gold filigree. Its 
  hilt is wrapped in red dragonhide, and a single golden feather 
  hangs from the pommel. Karusetsu enables its wielder to execute 
  a flourishing slash three times per day in the direction of a 
  single distant opponent (i.e., one not already engaged in melee 
  combat with the wielder) up to 60 feet away. This flourishing 
  slash projects a plane of scintillating force across the intervening 
  distance, functioning as a ranged attack with a thrown weapon 
  using the wielder’s highest base attack bonus. On a successful 
  hit, the blade’s cutting light deals 4d6+3 points of force damage 
  to the target, with a threat range of 18–20 and a critical multiplier 
  of ×2. In addition, a creature struck by the cutting light must 
  succeed at a DC 14 Reflex save or be blinded for 1d4 rounds.
  JAde regent treAsures
  the following unique treAsures cAn be found in “the empty throne.” plAyer-
  AppropriAte hAndouts AppeAr in the gAmemAstery JAde regent item cArd set.
  CONSTRUCTION
  Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, mage’s sword, 
  searing light; Cost 33,930 gp
  Otherworldly Kimono
  Aura strong conjuration; CL 15th
  Slot body; Price 67,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.
  DESCRIPTION
  Embroidered images of cherry blossoms and cranes in 
  flight adorn this blue silk kimono. The wearer can move and 
  reposition these images on the kimono at will. The kimono 
  grants its wearer a +4 resistance bonus on all saving throws and 
  a +4 bonus on all caster level checks. Once per day, the wearer 
  can draw a single creature within 60 feet into the kimono (no 
  save), effectively shunting the victim into an extradimensional 
  space, similar to a maze spell. Inside this otherworldly prison, 
  the maze appears as an apparently endless cherry orchard filled 
  with “walls” of windblown cherry blossoms and cranes flying 
  overhead. Each round on its turn, the victim inside the kimono 
  may attempt a DC 20 Intelligence check to escape the kimono 
  as a full-round action. If the victim doesn’t escape, it is released 
  after 10 minutes, returning to where it had been before the 
  kimono drew it in. If this location is filled with a solid object, the 
  subject appears in the nearest open space.
  Whenever a creature is drawn inside the kimono, the victim’s 
  image temporarily manifests as another embroidered design 
  among the kimono’s other images. While a victim is trapped 
  inside, the kimono’s bonuses on saving throws and caster 
  level checks are increased by 2 (to +6). The kimono’s increased 
  bonuses return to normal when the victim is freed or released.
  CONSTRUCTION
  Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, Heighten Spell, maze, 
  resistance; Cost 33,500 gp
  O-Yoroi of Imperial Rule
  Aura strong evocation; CL 13th
  Slot armor; Price 68,400 gp; Weight 45 lbs.
  DESCRIPTION
  This distinctive +4 adamantine glamered o-yoroi (Ultimate 
  Combat 128) was designed for scions of Minkai’s imperial 
  families and their highest-ranking and most loyal samurai, 
  providing its wearer with DR 3/—. In addition, the armor stores 
  the kinetic energy from blows made against it. Once the armor 
  has negated 15 total points of damage, the wearer can release 
  
  61
  JAde regent treAsures
  the stored energy as a swift action against a single creature 
  within 10 feet. This energy takes the form of a force effect, and 
  the wearer must make an attack roll at his base attack bonus 
  +10. The energy deals 15 points of force damage to the target, 
  and the target must make a DC 22 Fortitude save or be stunned 
  for 1 round. If the wearer chooses not to release this energy, 
  the armor still provides damage reduction but absorbs no more 
  energy until the stored energy is released. 
  CONSTRUCTION
  Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, clenched fist, 
  disguise self; Cost 42,550 gp
  Seishinru, Spirit Elixir
  Aura moderate evocation; CL 10th
  Slot none; Price 5,500 gp; Weight —
  DESCRIPTION
  This potent elixir has the consistency and color of pomegranate 
  juice, and a tart taste with a faint aroma of fresh fruit. Usually 
  found in bamboo containers decorated with images of carp, the 
  sacred animal of the goddess Shizuru, the elixir within contains 
  the distilled spiritual essence of the most honorable guardians 
  who died in service to Minkai’s emperors. Each time the 
  character drinking the elixir makes an attack roll, ability check, 
  or skill check, it rolls two d20s and takes the better result, as 
  these spiritual guardians offer their advice and encouragement. 
  This effect lasts for 10 rounds, but it immediately ends if any 
  roll is a natural 20. If the character drinking the elixir is a scion 
  of one of Minkai’s five imperial families (including anyone 
  invested as such by an Imperial Seal) and is reduced to fewer 
  than 0 hit points during the duration of the elixir’s effects, the 
  elixir also immediately cures the drinker of 5d8+10 points of 
  damage, which can bring a recently slain character back to life. 
  This healing immediately ends any of the elixir’s other effects. 
  CONSTRUCTION
  Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, breath of life, brilliant 
  inspiration (Advanced Player’s Guide 207); Cost 2,750 gp
  Tsuruhashi, the Silent Crane
  Aura moderate necromancy; CL 9th
  Slot none; Price 16,101 gp; Weight 1 lb.
  DESCRIPTION
  The cross-guard and tines of this +2 adamantine sai are crafted 
  of a mysterious red metal, adorned with grinning skulls. The 
  haft is wrapped with delicate white crane feathers. Only a 
  handful of tsuruhashi are known to exist, each one crafted 
  as a silent killer. The weapon grants a +1 bonus to the DC of 
  Fortitude saves made against an assassin’s death attack or 
  ninja’s assassinate ability. In addition, while executing such 
  an attack, the wielder of a tsuruhashi may cast silence upon his 
  victim as a swift action. This ability can be used once per day 
  and affects only the victim of the attack.
  CONSTRUCTION
  Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, silence, slay living; 
  Cost 9,551 gp
  kArusetsu, the 
  cutting light
  otherworldly 
  kimono
  o-yoroi of 
  imperiAl rule
  ikArikurusAi, the 
  rAging cyclone
  tsuruhAshi, the 
  silent crAne
  seishinru, 
  spirit elixir
  
  62
  Continuing the Campaign
  Most who cross the Crown of the World take but a glimpse at the 
  lands beyond, deem themselves explorers, and promptly return 
  home. But the wonders of Tian Xia don’t array themselves along the 
  northlands like some sort of arctic menagerie. Beyond lie nations 
  and mysteries it would take more years than the gods grant us upon 
  this world to even hear of, much less to explore. Peoples and races 
  wondrous beyond your imagining live as plainly as the common folk 
  of the smallest Inner Sea village, ignorant of their remarkableness. 
  Those who would discover the true wonders of the Dragon Empires 
  find that their journeys, their dangers, and their rewards do not 
  end in the shadow of the pole but, rather, have just begun.
  —Milrissa “Misuzu” Retobarri, Varisian Caravaneer
  
  63
  Continuing the Campaign
  a Continent to explore
  While most Pathfinder Adventure Paths are relatively small in 
  scope—remaining fixed in a single region, country, or even 
  city—by the end of the Jade Regent Adventure Path players 
  will have passed through several countries and crossed an 
  entire icy continent to reach a new land of adventure. While 
  this article presents an overview of the Dragon Empires, 
  a number of comprehensive supplements detail these 
  lands and suggest a host of adventures that might unfold 
  within. Any GM seeking to explore this realm beyond the 
  Jade Regent Adventure Path should check out Pathfinder 
  Campaign Setting: Dragon Empires Gazetteer for an in-depth 
  look at Tian Xia’s myriad countries, races, and religions. 
  Players hoping to get their feet wet in the vast continent 
  and make a character suitable for play in a Dragon Empires 
  campaign need look no further than the Pathfinder Player 
  Companion: Dragon Empires Primer, which features a variety 
  of traits, feats, archetypes, and more to bring your character 
  to life. To round all this out, the Jade Regent Poster Map Folio 
  brings your game to the next level with large-scale maps of 
  Tian Xia, the Crown of the World, and the huge city of Kasai!
  T
  he defeat of the Jade Regent need not end 
  your adventures in Tian Xia. Beyond Minkai, 
  innumerable wonders and dangers await in the 
  vast and varied countries collectively known as the Dragon 
  Empires. The following presents numerous new plots 
  and perils GMs might delve into with the completion of 
  the Jade Regent Adventure Path. While not complete plots 
  or adventures, these new villains, stat blocks, maps, and 
  suggestions should serve as tools and idea generators for 
  new adventures of your devising, keeping your Dragon 
  Empires campaign running for numerous sessions to come.
  ConsequenCes of glory
  Presented here are just some of the possible plot hooks 
  you could use to integrate further adventures into your 
  campaign after the finale of the Jade Regent Adventure 
  Path. Depending on how the PCs fared in garnering 
  Achievement Points while placing Ameiko (or one of 
  themselves) at the throne of Minkai, they can continue 
  their journeys in a number of directions. Several of these 
  plots focus on rooting out the new leader of the Five Storms 
  and gathering more support from the people of Minkai to 
  rebuild, while others make use of the PCs’ newly acquired 
  positions of imperial power and push them out of Minkai 
  to further establish prosperity throughout Tian Xia.
  Rebuilding an Empire: If the PCs earned fewer than 10 
  Achievement Points, then there is still much to be done if 
  Minkai is to recover from its recent tragedies. Along with 
  the regular governmental duties that befall Ameiko and 
  the PCs, they will need to travel to various power centers 
  within Minkai such as Akafuto, Shogokabe, and Sakakabe 
  to quash dissent and make sure all is well among the 
  people, possibly gaining support from the powerful elite 
  or doing favors for the regions’ lords to impress upon these 
  important vassals their worth as leaders.
  Dismantling the Five Storms: If the PCs were unable to 
  fully destroy the presence of the Five Storms in Minkai, 
  then tracking them down and putting an end to their 
  corrupt organization should be a good motivator for PCs 
  to continue their quest, especially if the Five Storms have 
  appointed a new leader among their ranks. If the PCs 
  killed the most powerful members of the Five Storms, then 
  the oni will seek a new leader from outside their ranks—
  perhaps the powerful cave giant Hikutsuo, who has risen 
  to become a warlord in nearby Chu Ye but has become 
  bored with his station, yearning for the destruction of 
  another nation. Yet another viable candidate can be found 
  in the depths of neighboring Xidao, however, where an 
  infamous water yai by the name of Lerrasuwa dwells in the 
  enormous Aya-Maru trench; though she does not yearn for 
  power, she takes great pleasure in acquiring treasures and 
  wealth, and would love to sink her teeth into the sacred 
  artifacts rumored to be guarded in Kasai’s great vaults.
  Obliterating the Oni Presence: Even if the oni of the Five 
  Storms are banished from Minkai, the threat of invading 
  oni still looms over the Empire of Dawn, as the oni-ruled 
  kingdom of Chu Ye lies just beyond the Xidao Gulf, and its 
  leaders are continually seeking to expand their territory. 
  Should the stalwart PCs attempt to save the enslaved peoples 
  of Chu Ye from their demonic despots by taking on the role 
  of war generals or vigilante assassins, their efforts would 
  no doubt lead to freedom for countless innocents as well as 
  unknowable treasures hidden within the oni ranks.
  The Imperial Seals: The Jade Regent kept the Imperial 
  Seals heavily guarded during his rein, but with his defeat, 
  the sacred items can once again perform their duties and 
  locate the most worthy individuals to rule Minkai. Since the 
  oni of the Five Storms supposedly killed off all of the royal 
  heirs, the seals must now be used to locate worthy citizens 
  who have proven themselves to the gods and would make 
  suitable rulers. Can the PCs locate such noble individuals? 
  They’ll have to travel to regions in Minkai both heavily 
  populated and remote. The next heirs to the throne could 
  be anywhere—they could be tribesmen dwelling in the 
  primitive lands of the ninth province in the northern 
  reaches of the nation, or perhaps a hermit dwelling in the 
  crags of the treacherous trio of volcanoes that run along the 
  Kamifushi and Kyojin Mountains is destined to eventually 
  rise to the ranks of royalty. The PCs must travel far and wide 
  to discover the whereabouts of these potential rulers, and 
  their journeys will no doubt be filled with danger and peril.
  
  64
  the oni threat
  Even after the defeat of the Five Storms and the Jade Regent, 
  the threat of oni invasion remains very real within Minkai, 
  as an entire nation plagued with such monsters lies just 
  over the Xidao Gulf. When Chu Ye was besieged by the oni 
  lurking within its own borders and the voidlord void yai 
  Tsuneni claimed the title of shogun, an entire nation was 
  forced to succumb to the oni’s depredations and whims, and 
  the monstrous new rulers enslaved the peaceful healers that 
  made up most of the country’s population.
  The oni of Chu Ye have doubtless taken notice of the 
  political upheavals that have befallen Minkai, and are also 
  privy to the resolution of the PCs’ attempts to restore the 
  rightful ruler to the throne. Shogun Tsuneni in particular 
  kept track of these events; always interested in expanding 
  the boundaries of his newly risen empire, Tsuneni knows 
  that if he is to strike at Minkai, he should do so soon, 
  for each day he waits is a day that the nation’s unsteady 
  government and military can rebuild. At the same time, 
  the oni ruler knows that his own dominion is still in its 
  early stages, and that a failed assault on Minkai may spell 
  the end of his rule.
  The shogun has determined a course of action 
  comprising two parts. First, he has decided to infiltrate 
  Minkai with small groups of spies that can integrate 
  themselves into the nation’s major cities little by little, 
  much like they did within Chu Ye itself. In this way, these 
  oni can attack from the inside when the main force of 
  oni in Chu Ye launch an all-out attack, overwhelming 
  Minkai’s people from both within and without. The 
  second part of Tsuneni’s plan is to send squads of oni into 
  the smaller farmlands and villages of Minkai to eradicate 
  any potential militia members who could rise from the 
  rural folk should the oni decide to attack.
  These smaller raids are meant to be as discreet as 
  possible, and the oni ideally hope to destroy the outlying 
  farmlands and villages with little to no resistance, using 
  their most powerful yai to ensure that they leave virtually 
  no traces of their attacks. Should the newly instated ruler 
  of Minkai ever hear of these attacks, the PCs would no 
  doubt be an apt choice for military resistance against these 
  monstrous invaders, having dealt with similar monsters 
  numerous times in the past. Adventures in which the PCs 
  defend Minkai can be as complex or simplistic as you deem 
  necessary, as the oni’s attacks within the country’s borders 
  can undoubtedly spark the flames of political intrigue or  
  go completely unnoticed by the nation’s populace.
  Shogun Tsuneni 
  CR 24
  XP 1,228,800
  Male voidlord void yai
  LE Huge outsider (oni, giant, native, shapechanger)
  Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, true seeing; 
  Perception +37
  DEFENSE
  AC 41, touch 9, flat-footed 40 (+14 armor, +1 Dex, +18 natural, 
  –2 size)
  hp 462 (28d10+308); regeneration 15 (fire or good spells)
  Fort +27, Ref +11, Will +22
  Immune cold; SR 35
  OFFENSE
  Speed 60 ft., fly 60 ft. (good); 40 ft., fly 40 ft. 
  (good) with armor
  Melee +5 speed katana +50/+45/+40/+35 
  (3d6+22/15–20) or
  2 slams +43 (2d6+17)
  Ranged void missile +28 (6d6 plus energy drain) or
  +4 composite longbow +32/+27/+22/+17 (3d6+21/×3)
  
  65
  Continuing the Campaign
  Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
  Special Attacks commanding voice, energy drain (2 levels, 
  DC 31), void trap
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 22th; concentration +29)
  Constant—fire shield (chill shield), fly, true seeing
  At will—deeper darkness, gaseous form (self only), greater 
  dispel magic, greater teleport (self plus 50 lbs. of objects 
  only), invisibility (self only), minor creation, vision
  3/day—blade barrier (DC 23), cone of cold (DC 22), demand 
  (DC 25), dominate person (DC 22), keen edge, mage’s sword, 
  major creation, mass charm monster (DC 25), polar ray, 
  teleport object (DC 24)
  1/day—implosion (DC 26), plane shift (DC 24)
  STATISTICS
  Str 44, Dex 15, Con 32, Int 18, Wis 23, Cha 25
  Base Atk +28; CMB +47; CMD 59
  Feats Awesome Blow, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Great Cleave, 
  Greater Weapon Focus (katana), Improved Bull Rush, 
  Improved Critical (katana), Improved Initiative, Improved 
  Overrun, Improved Vital Strike, Power Attack, Staggering 
  Critical, Vital Strike, Weapon Focus (katana)
  Skills Acrobatics +25 (+29 when jumping), Bluff +38, Diplomacy 
  +35, Fly +28, Intimidate +38, Knowledge (nobility) +35, 
  Perception +37, Sense Motive +37, Spellcraft +35, Use Magic 
  Device +38
  Languages Aklo, Common, Draconic, Giant, Goblin
  SQ change shape (Large, Huge, or Gargantuan humanoid, 
  giant form II), void form, voidlord focus (swordplay)
  Gear +5 full plate, +4 composite longbow (+17) with 10 brilliant 
  energy arrows and 40 adamantine arrows, +1 speed katana
  frontal assault
  Rather than encountering the oni within Minkai, the PCs 
  might choose to confront the oni forces head-on, nipping 
  the impending problem in the bud. Such a venture could 
  undoubtedly constitute an entire campaign of its own, 
  though the most straightforward approach to dismantling 
  the oni empire would be by infiltrating the capital and 
  slaying the despot in charge of the entire operation. 
  Giants from the Nightford Mountains and the wilds of 
  northern Zi Ha act as Shogun Tsuneni’s private military 
  force, and would prove formidable foes should the PCs 
  attempt any sort of attack against the monsters Chu Ye. 
  Among his most valiant supporters are the chaotic taiga 
  giants who occupy many of the northern highlands of Zi 
  Ha—superstitious barbarians who find the destructive 
  nature of Tsuneni’s rule to their liking—as well as legions 
  of different oni, including ja noi, yamabushi tengus, and 
  yai of all sorts.
  Should the PCs decide to lead the newly invigorated 
  Minkai in a war against the evil beings of Chu Ye, the 
  quick-play rules for fast-paced mass combat from 
  Pathfinder Adventure Path #35 can easily be adapted to 
  accommodate a militaristic campaign of this sort. While 
  you as the GM can certainly calculate the exact number 
  of armies Chu Ye and Minkai could accommodate by 
  determining their Build Points and other statistics, 
  such details are beyond the scope of this article, and it 
  can be just as fun to run through the military campaign 
  in a much simpler fashion that allows you to quickly get 
  back to small-scale battles, roleplaying encounters, and 
  personal interactions for the PCs. For instance, the PCs 
  may accumulate a modest army of Minkai samurai, battle 
  a number of Chu Ye’s own monstrous armies, and finally 
  encounter the ruler of the oni nation and his favored 
  lieutenants in a traditional, individual-level battle (after 
  the PCs gain a few levels, of course!).
  In addition to the example armies found in Pathfinder 
  Adventure Paths #35, #36, and #42, the following armies 
  may prove suitably fearsome opponents in the PCs’ 
  campaign against the wicked oni.
  Ice Yai Mercenaries 
  CR 12
  XP 19,200
  LE Small army of ice yai (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 207)
  COMBAT
  hp 66; DV 31; OM +20, ranged
  Tactics False Retreat, Taunt
  Special Abilities mobility advantage, regeneration 5 (acid or 
  fire), spellcasting
  LOGISTICS
  Speed 4; Moral +4; Consumption 6
  Leader Tsuliwa, ice yai monk 12 (+4 Cha)
  Ja Noi Horde 
  CR 11
  XP 12,800
  LE Gargantuan army of ja noi (Pathfinder Adventure Path #52 
  90)
  COMBAT
  hp 55; DV 19; OM +11
  Tactics Cautious Combat, Expert Flankers
  Special Abilities regeneration 3 (acid or fire)
  LOGISTICS
  Speed 2; Moral +4; Consumption 5
  Leader Akarahei, ja noi fighter 11 (+3 Cha)
  Taiga Giant Warband 
  CR 14
  XP 38,400
  CE Large army of taiga giants (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 131)
  COMBAT
  hp 63; DV 20; OM +18, ranged
  Tactics Relentless Brutality, Spellbreaker
  Special Abilities rock throwing
  LOGISTICS
  Speed 2; Moral +4; Consumption 7
  Leader Telkorruske, advanced taiga giant (+4 Cha)
  
  66
  agents of the empress
  Although freeing Minkai from the tyranny of the Jade 
  Regent is a step in the right direction for the troubled 
  nation of Minkai, the country is still far from being a 
  safe haven for its citizens, and the PCs have much work 
  ahead of them if they are to serve as agents of Ameiko’s 
  fledgling rule. The new empress still has a lot to learn if 
  she is to govern Minkai effectively, and she makes good 
  use of her adventurous allies while she gets her feet wet in 
  the political realm.
  The PCs function better as an elite strike team for 
  Ameiko rather than as political leaders (though they 
  may fill this role as well if one of the PCs ends up as 
  emperor or empress of Minkai in place of Ameiko). The 
  empress may have any number of missions for the PCs 
  in her efforts to restore the empire to its former glory. 
  The Jade Regent’s increasingly expensive whims nearly 
  ran Minkai into the ground, tapping into the coffers of 
  every city in the nation with reckless abandon, and so the 
  capital’s treasure is in dire need of revival, something the 
  PCs may be able to accomplish should they locate valuable 
  treasures either within Minkai or in other lands, such as 
  the pirate coves of Minata or the rich and perilous depths 
  of the Valashmai Jungle.
  In addition to its lost wealth, Minkai is also in need 
  of a resource even more valuable than a treasury: food. 
  With the decline of the empire under the rule of the Jade 
  Regent, many of its people felt the sting of famine. Some 
  farmers’ croplands were ignored by the corrupt rulers of 
  Minkai and thus exposed to the depredations of nearby 
  beasts; other farmers’ harvests were forcibly confiscated 
  by the voracious oni of the Five Storms. In addition, 
  monstrous carnivores such as trolls and giants were able 
  to emerge from seclusion during the reign of the Jade 
  Regent, and ravaged the wildlife in the forests and hillocks 
  of Minkai—wildlife that used to feed the citizens of the 
  nation. While the farmlands and forests around Minkai’s 
  cities and villages will no doubt recover in time alongside 
  the empire, PCs seeking to expedite the process must find 
  ways to help feed the starving parts of the country. Of 
  course, the PCs might be able to locate any number of food 
  sources within or around Minkai, and a well-timed attack 
  on a kraken or another marauding sea creature could feed 
  an entire seaside village for weeks.
  flames from Within
  Of course, not all of Minkai’s various denizens appreciate 
  the efforts of the new empress and her adventurous 
  helpers to restore prosperity to the realm. Among such 
  discontented creatures are undoubtedly twisted oni, as 
  well as the other dangerous beasts that lurk in places 
  both dark and damp.
  The infamous underworld dragon Jirukarakaza is one 
  such rival to the empire, making his lair deep 
  in the hot underbelly of the cavernous Three 
  Fires, the trio of active volcanoes spanning the 
  Kamifushi and Kyojin Mountains. Jirukarakaza 
  has dwelled in his molten den for eons, and has borne 
  witness to the numerous emperors and empresses who 
  have reigned over Minkai. While he is far from the only 
  underworld dragon to make its home in the vast and 
  winding caves below the Three Fires, he is certainly one 
  of the most powerful to lair there, and has established a 
  formidable reputation among the other creatures that 
  dwell within the underground passages twisting beneath 
  the tempestuous volcanoes.
  While he has so far remained removed from the 
  politics of Minkai, the imperial dragon was relying on 
  the extended dominion of the Jade Regent in order 
  to establish his own domain within the empire, 
  
  67
  Continuing the Campaign
  seeking to rule over the lands surrounding the extensive 
  realm of fire he and his other igneous brethren dwell in. 
  In particular, Jirukarakaza had his eye on the trade city 
  of Hiyosai, a successful mining town whose vast treasures 
  have long tempted the underworld dragon to prey upon 
  its people. Now, with his plans in utter ruin, the enraged 
  dragon is enlisting any allies he can find beneath and 
  near Mount Yogan, knowing that the longer he waits, the 
  stronger Hiyosai’s military defenses will be when he and 
  his fellow raiders arrive.
  While it is true that Hiyosai is rich (it is often called the 
  eastern treasury of Minkai), the city’s wealth is far from 
  what it used to be, having been practically drained by the 
  Jade Regent’s insatiable gluttony. Jirukarakaza scarcely 
  realizes that there is far less to steal from Hiyosai now, 
  but there is no dissuading the enraged imperial dragon 
  at this point. Despite his own fortune, a treasure horde he 
  amassed over the centuries by raiding countless caravans 
  on their way through the mountains, he still desires 
  more. Should a band of heroes beat Jirukarakaza to the 
  chase and attack him in his home beneath Mount Yogan, 
  they would certainly locate the dragon’s massive treasure 
  horde as well, a haul which might just be enough to 
  reignite Minkai’s badly damaged economy. Nevertheless, 
  as Jirukarakaza’s impending siege draws ever closer to the 
  oblivious town of Hiyosai, less and less is certain, though 
  it is almost guaranteed that the unprepared town will be 
  in dire need of heroes if and when peril strikes from above.
  Jirukarakaza 
  CR 19
  XP 204,800
  Great wyrm underworld dragon
  LE Gargantuan dragon (fire)
  Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, smoke 
  vision; Perception +35
  Aura frightful presence (360 ft., DC 29)
  DEFENSE
  AC 41, touch 4, flat-footed 41 (–2 Dex, +37 natural, –4 size)
  hp 377 (26d12+208)
  Fort +23, Ref +13, Will +21
  DR 20/magic; Immune dragon traits, fire, magical paralysis 
  and sleep; SR 30
  Weaknesses vulnerability to cold
  OFFENSE
  Speed 40 ft., burrow 60 ft., fly 250 ft. (clumsy)
  Melee bite +37 (4d6+14/19–20), 2 claws +38 (2d8+14/19–20), 
  gore +36 (2d8+14), tail slap +31 (2d8+7)
  Space 20 ft.; Reach 15 ft. (20 ft. with bite)
  Special Attacks adamantine claws, breath weapon (140-ft. 
  line, 24d6 fire, Reflex DC 31 half, usable every 1d4 rounds), 
  crush (DC 31, 4d8+14), lava eruption, tail sweep (DC 31, 
  2d6+21)
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 26th; concentration +32)
  At will—clashing rocks*, repel metal or stone, soften earth 
  and stone, spike stones (DC 20), stone shape, wall of stone
  Spells Known (CL 17th; concentration +23)
  8th (4/day)—greater shout (DC 25), wall of lava*
  7th (6/day)—delayed blast fireball (DC 24), rampart*, reverse 
  gravity
  6th (7/day)—disintegrate, flesh to stone, move earth
  5th (7/day)—fire snake* (DC 22), passwall, transmute rock to 
  mud, waves of fatigue
  4th (7/day)—enervation, shout (DC 21), solid fog, stone 
  shape
  3rd (7/day)—displacement, fireball (DC 20), protection from 
  good, rage, slow
  2nd (8/day)—acid arrow, daze monster (DC 18), flaming 
  sphere (DC 19), scorching ray, stone call*
  1st (8/day)—burning hands (DC 18), cause fear (DC 17), 
  magic missile, ray of enfeeblement (DC 17), true strike
  0 (at will)—acid splash, bleed (DC 16), detect magic, flare 
  (DC 16), ghost sound, mage hand, read magic, resistance, 
  touch of fatigue (DC 16)
  * See the Advanced Player’s Guide.
  STATISTICS
  Str 39, Dex 6, Con 27, Int 22, Wis 23, Cha 22
  Base Atk +26; CMB +44; CMD 52 (56 vs. trip)
  Feats Greater Weapon Focus (claws), Improved Bull Rush, 
  Improved Critical (bite), Improved Critical (claws), 
  Improved Initiative, Improved Vital Strike, Lunge, Power 
  Attack, Skill Focus (Stealth), Spell Focus (evocation), Vital 
  Strike, Weapon Focus (bite, claws)
  Skills Acrobatics +24 (+28 when jumping), Appraise +35, 
  Bluff +35, Climb +43, Fly +13, Intimidate +35, Knowledge 
  (dungeoneering, geography, planes) +35, Perception +35, 
  Spellcraft +35, Stealth +21
  Languages Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Giant, Ignan, 
  Terran, Undercommon
  SQ change shape, underworld burrower
  unexpeCted heirs
  Although the campaign assumes that at its conclusion, 
  Ameiko ascends to the throne of Minkai, both fate and PCs 
  are fickle forces. As such, there’s a possibility that one of the 
  PCs’ number now sits on the Jade Throne. For some parties, 
  claiming an empire of their own is as close to “winning” as 
  possible, and might make a satisfying end to the campaign. 
  GMs who wish to carry on the adventure, though, might 
  summon up any number of opponents to challenge such 
  undestined rulers. Any of the high CR threats in this article 
  make fine rivals for would-be kings and queens, as would the 
  nation’s kami, shinigami concerned with the cosmic balance, 
  and emissaries of Shizuru, patron goddess of Minkai. 
  
  68
  nations of the dragon empires
  The Jade Regent Adventure Path spans but a small fraction 
  of the vast continent of Tian Xia, and while there is certainly 
  enough going on in both Minkai and the Forest of Spirits 
  to provide countless material for further adventures, 
  there’s no reason to limit you or your players to one region 
  within an entire continent full of excitement and wonder. 
  Below are brief descriptions of the other nations of Tian 
  Xia, all of which are described in full detail in Pathfinder 
  Campaign Setting: Dragon Empires Gazetteer.
  Amanandar: The city of Kamikobu was once a major 
  trade city, but the fall of Imperial Lung Wa led to the 
  victimization of this settlement until Taldor’s Eighth 
  Army of Exploration saved the city and restored peace to it 
  and the outlying regions, renaming the area Amanandar.
  Bachuan: This nation was once governed by the altruistic 
  Grandfather Pei, but the death of Bachuan’s leader has 
  given rise to the harsh and zealous rule of his young wife.
  Chu Ye: After the collapse of Imperial Lung Wa, the 
  oni of this nation of renowned healers shed their masks, 
  overthrew the government, and enslaved the populace 
  they had hid among for so long.
  Darklands: There are three main entrances to the 
  Darklands of Tian Xia, which are plagued not by drow and 
  duergar, but rather by clockwork warriors, cave-dwelling 
  hobgoblins, and countless other horrors.
  Dtang Ma: The kingdom of Dtang Ma is best known for 
  the sorcerous powers of its citizens, who are governed by a 
  council of the nation’s most powerful mages.
  Goka: The largest city in all of the Dragon Empires, Goka 
  is situated in the only significant break in the Wall of Heaven, 
  and boasts a thriving economy based heavily on gambling.
  Hongal: Upon frigid plains, the nomadic Hongali 
  live in harmony with their horses and brave the region’s 
  harsh elements on a daily basis.
  Hwanggot: Known as the Kingdom of Flowers, the 
  nation of Hwanggot handles every political conflict 
  peacefully and with grace, as its people adhere to strictly 
  philanthropic ideals.
  Jinin: After Earthfall devastated the Inner Sea region, 
  some of the elves of that land went underground instead of 
  through the gates to Sovyrian, emerging centuries later in 
  what became the elven nation of Jinin.
  Kaoling: When the empire of Lung Wa fell, the hobgoblins 
  to the north of Kaoling quickly overwhelmed the land’s 
  human residents, and established a brutal government of 
  their own in place of that which they had destroyed.
  Kwanlai: Populated mostly by tengus, the newly 
  independent nation of Kwanlai still faces political 
  challenges in the form of constant infighting between 
  numerous rival tengu clans.
  Lingshen: Lingshen is one of the most powerful Successor 
  States left in the wake of Lung Wa’s collapse. Its armies are 
  the mightiest in part because the soldiers fight at first in 
  bodily form, and then, upon dying, their souls are encased 
  in terra-cotta statues and enter battle once again.
  Minata: The Wandering Isles of Minata are inhabited by 
  numerous peoples, including the diverse Tian-Sings and 
  shadowy wayangs, and comprise several island regions.
  Nagajor: Populated entirely by nagas and their servitor 
  race of nagaji, the unforgiving jungle realm of Nagajor has 
  yet to see successful human colonization.
  Po Li: Po Li is home to what was once the capital of all of 
  Lung Wa. It forbids the worship of any deity other than the 
  Eternal Emperor, who it is believed will reincarnate in time 
  and once again ascend to the sacred Five Dragon Throne.
  Quain: The nation of Quain boasts thousands of martial 
  artists and hundreds of different schools of training. Once 
  every 12-year cycle, the ruler of Quain sacrifices his royal 
  daughter’s heart to the legendary Celestial Dragon to 
  ensure the future prosperity of the nation.
  Shaguang: The vast wasteland of Shaguang is inhabited 
  by numerous nomadic tribes who live in fear and awe of the 
  mysterious sky spirits that dwell above. Near the Wall of 
  Heaven, the ancient city of Yjae floats ominously overhead.
  Shenmen: Spirits and terrible beasts from the dark forests 
  curse the land of Shenmen, whose rulers now consist of 
  evil jorogumos (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 156) who demand 
  periodic sacrifices from the region’s various townships.
  Shokuro: Once inhabited solely by helpless farmers and 
  artisans who sought to rebel against the ruling nation 
  of Lingshen, Shokuro is now a potent military nation of 
  samurai led by a benevolent ronin.
  Tianjing: Celestials tasked the aasimars who dwell in 
  Tianjing to protect the land from an evil extraplanar menace, 
  and the half-celestials bravely continue this mission.
  Valashmai Jungle: Deep in the untameable Valashmai 
  Jungle lurk monsters few can fathom; fewer still dare 
  challenge the vast and unforgiving wilderness.
  Wall of Heaven: With numerous peaks that tower well 
  over 30,000 feet high, the mountain range known as the 
  Wall of Heaven spans nearly the entire continent of Tian 
  Xia. Some regions, however, are plagued by monstrosities 
  from the nightmare realm of Leng.
  Wanshou: Ruled by an immensely evil elder kraken 
  known as Zhanagorr, Wanshou’s human citizens are now 
  slaves to the region’s monstrous denizens.
  Xa Hoi: Justice in Xa Hoi is nothing if not fair, and the 
  sovereign imperial dragons that rule the nation ensure 
  this remains the case.
  Xidao: Locathahs make up the majority in Xidao, an 
  aquatic nation with a treacherous, monster-filled trench 
  splitting it down the middle.
  Zi Ha: Spiritual enlightenment is valued above all 
  other things in the peaceful mountains of Zi Ha, whose 
  inhabitants include the benevolent samsarans.
  
  69
  Wall 
  of Heaven
  SHaguang
  Hongal
  foreSt 
  of SpiritS
  Minkai
  CHu Ye
  Xidao
  Zi Ha
  Jinin
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  lingSHen
  Quain
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  dtang Ma
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  Tian Xia
  1,000 miles
  Continuing the Campaign
  
  70
  Kasai
  “I’ve never seen another place quite like Kasai. They make much of 
  honor there, of tradition and minding yourself, but really, it’s all 
  about making sure the city gets its cut of you before you head on. It’s 
  all contradictions. On the surface everything’s beauty and delicate 
  ideals, but you don’t even have to dig to find the darkness and ugly 
  truths. You can be as polite as your mother taught you and still 
  find out you’ve offended someone for life. But it can go the other 
  way too. Sometimes you go looking for something ugly but turn up a 
  treasure of the sweetest sort. I suppose that’s the real reason why I 
  keep coming back.”
  —Iozif the Dour, Ulfen Trader
  
  71
  Kasai
  P
  owerful warlords, fickle crime bosses, ingenious 
  generals, and goddess-graced emperors have all 
  had their glorious ambitions and insidious plots 
  tested in the golden city of Kasai. The city’s ageless, 
  shining walls have seen the rise and fall of empires as 
  its own influence withstands the test of time. Kasai has 
  existed since before the foundation of Minkai, becoming 
  the capital of the new empire after the old capital of 
  Uddo was razed at the end of the Teikoku Shogunate. 
  Since then, the city has flourished as the favored seat 
  of the nation’s imperial families, growing in influence 
  and power, its prosperity mirroring that of the empire. 
  But despite recent troubles, Kasai remains the treasure 
  of Minkai, a gate for traders from across the world, the 
  throne-city of an ancient empire, and the site of treasures 
  and adventures untold.
  Kasai
  LN metropolis
  Corruption +6; Crime +1; Economy +7; Law +6; Lore +6; 
  Society +1
  Qualities holy site, prosperous, notorious, rumormongering 
  citizens, strategic location, tourist attraction
  Danger +20
  DEMOGRAPHICS
  Government overlord
  Population 164,200 (163,394 humans, 380 tengus, 112 kitsune, 
  97 wayangs, 217 other)
  MARKETPLACE
  Base Value 30,400; Purchase Limit 200,000; Spellcasting 10th
  Minor Items all available; Medium Items 4d4 items; Major 
  Items 3d4 items
  Kasai Culture
  A strict social hierarchy divides Kasai’s populace, one 
  determined by tradition and family heritage rather than 
  material wealth. At the top of this order is the nobility, 
  consisting of the imperial family, the clan lords and their 
  families, and trusted retainers. Next come the samurai 
  and lesser nobility of the empire. Commoners and free 
  people such as farmers, artisans, and merchants follow—
  merchants actually being considered socially inferior in 
  status to farmers and artisans as they do not create any 
  goods. The final, lowest members of this social hierarchy 
  are the hinin, meaning “non-persons.” This group comprises 
  hereditary outcasts, itinerant entertainers, beggars, 
  professional gamblers, and members of those professions 
  that involve butchering animals and handling dead flesh.
  Outside of this social hierarchy are the ronin and many 
  religious figures such as monks and clerics. Because they 
  exist outside of the hierarchy, their positions are less 
  clear. Usually, it is safe to say that ronin rank somewhere 
  between samurai and farmers. Clergy and monks should 
  always be shown respect, though they hold little sway over 
  the secular lives of commoners. 
  Life is a struggle, and the people Minkai know this all too 
  well. Sometimes all one can count on having is pride, and 
  it can become as important to a person as his own life. In 
  order to best maintain this pride, Minkai’s culture insists 
  that it be acknowledged in others, constantly giving them 
  the opportunity to maintain their own dignity. Causing 
  embarrassment for others can become cause for shame 
  for oneself or one’s family. Displaying negative emotions 
  toward others is regarded as both a sign of weakness and 
  an undignified act. Separation of personal life and public 
  life is very important to the people of Minkai and serves 
  as a means of preserving pride and propriety while 
  maintaining hierarchical demands. As a result, strangers 
  to Kasai often view residents’ behavior as remorseless or 
  aloof, but the passions of the locals are neither fewer nor 
  cooler than those of any other race or culture; the people of 
  Kasai are merely adept at the elaborate social interplay that 
  weaves through every element of their daily lives.
  Kasai Gazetteer
  The city of Kasai is a huge metropolis, and any gazetteer 
  can only briefly touch upon the wonders of this beautiful 
  and inscrutable city. Beyond the city proper, three outlying 
  areas that are not considered to officially be part of the 
  city support it from across the Hebigawa River: the Hitsugi 
  District, controlled by the local yakuza; the Red Lantern 
  District, which serves as the entertainment district; and 
  the Reeds, a shantytown sprawl of hinin families.
  Badger’s Folly Bathhouse: The bathhouse of Yu and 
  Otaru (NG female and male human expert 3) has long been 
  known for its clean facilities, its attentive hosts, and the 
  three stuffed badgers overlooking its main tub. A natural 
  hot spring fuels the bathhouse, inviting guests to ascribe 
  all manner of restorative properties to its salty waters. The 
  Badger’s Folly had enjoyed good business until Yu woke 
  one morning to find a young guest disemboweled and 
  floating in the bubbling water. Since then, it’s rumored 
  that the ghost of the victim boldly rises from the tub each 
  night, hunting for the killer among the patrons and staff.
  Baku Theater: Named for a mythical creature that eats 
  nightmares, this theater hosts performances in a variety 
  of styles from across Tian Xia, from recitals of traditional 
  music and kabuki plays to wayang shadow puppetry and Po 
  Lian throat singing. However, what sets the performances 
  of this theater apart from others is its use of illusions and 
  subtle magic to enhance shows. Daichi (CN male wayang 
  summoner 8) owns and manages the theater, and he 
  and his son Dijo (CN male wayang sorcerer 3) create the 
  majority of the magical effects the place is known for. The 
  wayangs tend to keep backstage, letting their human staff 
  deal with the audience and most business partners. Twice 
  
  72
  a year, the pair invite the city’s small wayang community to 
  the theater for major cultural holidays involving elaborate 
  shadow plays, festivities, and, some say, a strange blurring 
  of the boundaries between the Material Plane and the 
  Plane of Shadow. 
  Flying Leopard Dojo: This immaculately maintained 
  dojo has few students. The harsh, lone instructor, Chen Lau 
  Wan (LE male human monk 8), teaches a variety of martial 
  arts and archery, but also serves as an agent of the Kusari-
  Gama. He goes out of the way to create friction between his 
  two chief rival dojos, the Jade Mantis Dojo and the Rising 
  Dragon Dojo, using such conflicts as a crucible in which 
  to test potential students—and taking note of those who 
  show promise with the intention of recruiting them into the 
  Kusari-Gama. Lately, he has been attempting to recruit Saeko, 
  mistress of the Jade Mantis Dojo, and orchestrated a recent 
  attack by the Rising Dragon that left her school disgraced. 
  He hopes shame and desperation will help bring her into the 
  arms of the Kusari-Gama. (The Kusari-Gama are described  
  in detail in Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Faction Guide.)
  Fox’s Grove: The walled structures in this neighborhood 
  serve as homes to some of the most desirable courtesans 
  in the city. The courtesans living here serve as mistresses 
  and escorts to the senior members of the military and the 
  lesser nobility. They will not serve anyone of lesser status 
  and are treated as near nobility. One such courtesan of note 
  is Shimada Mari (N female human witch 6), who secretly 
  holds the reigns of the Hitsugi Gumi yakuza group. The 
  leader of the Hitsugi Gumi, Eguchi Zoisaito, is so besotted 
  with Mari that he willingly does anything for her. Mari 
  is often secretly visited by Zoisaito, whom she believes 
  she controls through a combination of spells, hexes, and 
  drugs. The yakuza boss is among the youngest and most 
  effective leaders the Hitsugi Gumi has ever had, largely 
  thanks to the sound strategies and covert mystical support 
  that Mari provides. 
  Golden Ghost Pagoda: Once the pride of the city, the gold-
  plated Kourin Pagoda now looms as a tower of terrors in the 
  heart of Kasai. Locally known as the Golden Ghost Pagoda, 
  it only appears on nights when no natural light shines 
  upon its surface. Formerly, this pagoda was a monument 
  to Setsuna Kuga of the Perfected Blade, who established 
  Kasai in ages past. Four centuries ago, the remains of 
  many interred in the pagoda were stolen by a mysterious 
  band of thieves, driving the spirits of the desecrated bodies 
  mad. Not long after, the priests of the Temple of the Sun’s 
  Blade moved to seal the unquiet spirits in the pagoda, but 
  their exorcism failed spectacularly. After this attempt, the 
  pagoda withdrew from the heavens’ light, only to appear 
  on moonless and cloud-covered nights. Since then, none 
  have been able to successfully abate the anger of the spirits 
  resting here, and its grounds remain closed and guarded—
  against both those who would enter, and anything that 
  might attempt to leave.
  Imperial Garden: The imperial garden is the largest 
  maintained garden in the city, with a wide variety of ornate 
  ponds, meditation gardens, and rarified plant life not found 
  anywhere else in Tian Xia. Rumors hold that strange fey 
  and spiritual beings traverse this sacred garden and have 
  had pleasant discourse with numerous past emperors. 
  These stories have largely faded in local memory, though, 
  as no new tales of such encounters have occurred in years.
  Imperial Jade Eye Academy: The imperial academy of 
  mysticism teaches the arcane arts to those with the talent 
  and wealth to attend. While the school teaches a variety 
  of classes on divination and elemental control, it also 
  holds classes on herbalism, alchemy, and various ancient 
  medical traditions. Soseki (CG male human wizard 10) is 
  the court-appointed head of the academy. He is said to have 
  been raised in the wilderness by a kitsune woman and is 
  regarded as both a trickster and something of a problem-
  solver. A frequent attendant of the imperial court, Soseki 
  cultivates the appearance of a corrupt bureaucrat for the 
  benefit of the Jade Regent and his minions, but is popular 
  with his school’s students for his wisdom and subtle sense 
  of humor. Those who encounter him quickly notice his 
  jade eye, a potent magical object passed down among the 
  school’s masters that supposedly grants the ability to see 
  anything within the academy grounds.
  loCations in Kasai
  1 
  Inu Island
  2 
  Golden Ghost Pagoda
  3 
  The Reeds
  4 
  Red Lantern Row
  5 
  Jade Mantis Dojo
  6 
  Baku Theater
  7 
  Sorrowful Tiger Sake House
  8 
  Offices of the Hitsugi Gumi
  9 
  Badger’s Folly Bathhouse
  10 
  Setting Sun Cemetery
  11 
  Temple of the Sun’s Blade
  12 
  Monastery of the Thunderous Cricket
  13 
  Rising Dragon Dojo
  14 
  Tortoise Feather Stable
  15 
  Temple of Woe
  16 
  Imperial Jade Eye Academy
  17 
  Tree of Souls
  18 
  Flying Leopard Dojo 
  19 
  Imperial Garden
  20 
  Teardrop Teahouse
  21 
  Fox’s Grove
  22 
  Imperial Palace
  
  Kasai
  73
  22
  19
  16
  21
  20
  18
  17
  15
  12
  14
  13
  7
  8
  9
  4
  5
  3
  6
  2
  1
  10
  11
  Kasai
  
  74
  Jade Mantis Dojo: The instructor of this dojo, Saeko 
  (CG female human monk 4), teaches kenjutsu, the art of 
  the sword. She has only been running the dojo for a few 
  months after her father died and left it to his only child. 
  Until recently, the dojo had been faring well under her 
  supervision, and though the students are few in number, 
  they showed promise and were doing well in competitions. 
  Lately, however, members have been afflicted with an 
  illness that has kept them incapacitated and incapable of 
  protecting their dojo’s honor. During a challenge from 
  the Rising Dragon dojo, they were incapable of effectively 
  defending their dojo. As a result, their dojo’s sign was 
  taken, leaving them humiliated.
  Monastery of the Thunderous Cricket: This monastery 
  is dedicated to seeking the perfection of mind and body 
  under the guidance of the god Irori, yet many of the monks 
  here are deaf or hard of hearing. The giant, golden bell 
  in this monastery is a well-known magical landmark 
  capable of amplifying the voice of any who speak into it 
  by a hundredfold. An old story about the bell tells how it 
  was once used by a lowly initiate of the order to awaken 
  everyone in the city when the inhabitants were overcome 
  by magical slumber. Supposedly, the young monk had 
  discovered the bell’s properties when she was nearly 
  deafened by the chirping of a cricket within. The monks 
  guard the bell jealously, ensuring that no one uses it for 
  selfish or mischievous reasons.
  Offices of the Hitsugi Gumi: The Hitsugi Gumi control 
  both the law and the crime in the three districts that fall 
  outside the walls of Kasai. Members of the yakuza group all 
  have some degree of tattooing that serves as an indication not 
  only of service, but also of rank, and a few higher-ranking 
  members even have spell tattoos granted to them by yakuza 
  sorcerers (see Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Inner Sea Magic for 
  details). Eguchi Zoisaito (LE male human rogue 4/samurai 
  3) currently serves as the head of the family, his rise over his 
  sisters after their father’s death proving as meteoric as it was 
  unexpected. He is a man of few vices, but the one he indulges 
  in too frequently is visiting the Fox’s Grove, which he does 
  almost nightly. From the Hitsugi Gumi’s public office, 
  which operates as a legitimate importer of clay and building 
  supplies, Zoisaito and his followers uphold the traditions of 
  the Eguchi family and maintain law and order in the Hitsugi 
  District, the Red Lantern District, and the Reeds.
  Red Lantern Row: Much of Kasai’s entertainment and 
  adult recreation can be found along this main thoroughfare 
  through the Red Lantern District, where patrons come to 
  relieve stress and let themselves forget their worries for 
  a little while. Large brothel facilities are located just off 
  of Red Lantern Row, as are numerous theaters, inns, sake 
  taverns, teahouses, and gambling dens, as well as a rather 
  vigorous black market. This part of town is surrounded by 
  the Hebigawa River and the canal system on all sides. The 
  only way into or out of the Red Lantern District is over one 
  of the seven bridges crossing the river and canals. Members 
  of the Hitsugi Gumi stand guard upon these bridges, and 
  all who enter the district must leave any weapons they 
  might have in their care, so as to prevent the district’s varied 
  conflicts from becoming deadly. However, those willing to 
  pay an “exception tax” can purchase a wooden token to tie to 
  their weapons, which permits such weapons to be carried in 
  the district so long as they are kept sheathed. 
  The Reeds: The only part of Kasai that might be 
  considered a slum, the Reeds are where the vast majority 
  of the city’s hinin population lives. Numerous families 
  live in cramped, interconnected houses, where crime and 
  poor sanitation prove to be constant dangers. Despite 
  the residents’ low status, most accept their lot in life, but 
  this isn’t always the case. The irascible Mother Mariku 
  (LG female human bard 3), a 72-year-old widow who has 
  only left Kasai once in her life, vocally disapproves of the 
  Hitsugi Gumi, the increasing influence of the Temple of 
  Woe, and—in quieter tones—the Jade Regent. While she 
  would never do anything more provocative than giving a 
  yakuza tough a public tongue-lashing or grumble about 
  the Jade Regent, most know that she’d open her home and 
  cook at least one fine meal for any who did.
  Rising Dragon Dojo: Instructor Isamu (LN male human 
  monk 7) is flush with pride after his dojo’s recent victory 
  over the Jade Mantis Dojo, with which the Rising Dragon 
  has harbored a decades-long feud. The surprising thing 
  is that the Jade Mantis traditionally offered significant 
  competition, but the Rising Dragon’s recent victory was so 
  complete that Isamu’s students brazenly stole the opposing 
  school’s sign. Currently, the Rising Dragon students 
  proudly display the Jade Mantis Dojo’s sign upside down 
  beneath their own outside their dojo. 
  Setting Sun Cemetery: For centuries most locals have 
  believed this ancient cemetery is haunted, and residents 
  of the surrounding neighborhood built a small shrine to 
  appease the restless dead here. The Setting Sun Cemetery 
  was once a part of a larger temple’s grounds before the canal 
  system was installed. Since the waterways were constructed—
  over 200 years ago—the cemetery has been cut off from 
  the sacred temple grounds, insulting the souls laid to rest 
  here to the point that some make their displeasure known 
  in and around the graveyard’s grounds. Bodies are still 
  occasionally buried here, typically by the Hitsugi Gumi, who  
  do so to purposefully dishonor fallen enemies and traitors. 
  Sorrowful Tiger Sake House: This sake house is a 
  favorite hangout of ronin and disenfranchised samurai, 
  as well as the local constabulary, who frequently visit to 
  stop drunken brawls. The owner and operator, Arundo (LN 
  male human samurai order of the ronin 10), is a tough old 
  warrior whom his guests know well enough to understand 
  that if they ruin his sake house, he will ruin them. Arundo 
  
  75
  Kasai
  also runs an employment service of sorts for warriors in 
  need of work. He has contacts in the city’s import office, 
  the yakuza, and several lesser noble families as well, doing 
  his best to match warriors in need with tasks suited to 
  their skills.
  Teardrop Teahouse: This teahouse is considered to have 
  the most talented geisha in the city and is frequented by some 
  of Kasai’s most notable clientele. The Teardrop Teahouse 
  is actually a base of operations for a quiet congregation 
  that worships Lady Nanbyo, goddess of suffering. Shura 
  (CN female human cleric 5), the teahouse’s night manager 
  and leader of Lady Nanbyo’s local flock, downplays the 
  wantonly destructive elements of her goddess’s faith in 
  favor of propagating or soothing sorrows. For some, she 
  and her geisha offer a soothing balm to the trials of a hard 
  life; for others, the geisha’s subtle advice and seductions 
  encourage strife. Shura seeks to balance the pains 
  of those who come through her teahouse’s doors, 
  doing her best to alleviate the pains of 
  the undeserving while increasing the 
  suffering of the wicked—all as she 
  and the house’s icy geisha judge.
  Temple of the Sun’s Blade: Devoted 
  to Kasai’s patron Shizuru, goddess of 
  ancestors, honor, swordplay, and the sun, 
  this temple is the largest and oldest in the 
  city. The temple grounds and the nearby 
  homes of its priests and significant support 
  staff are surrounded on all sides by Kasai’s 
  canal system, with the only access being via 
  ornate bridges. This temple and its faith, 
  though popular with the masses, are currently 
  in disfavor with the Jade Regent. In the past, 
  many of the temple’s clergy were entrusted 
  with important positions in the city’s 
  constabulary and judiciary administrations, 
  but now rumors grow that Shizuru’s faithful 
  will be lucky to retain possession of their 
  temple, as new laws impose heavy taxes on 
  both religious structures and canal-front 
  properties, and the public’s faith has been 
  shaken since the priests’ failed exorcism of 
  the Golden Ghost Pagoda.
  Temple of Woe: Worship of Yaezhing—god 
  of harsh justice, punishment, and murder—
  was never popular in Kasai before the rise of 
  the Jade Regent, but it has grown considerably 
  in recent years. Since then, many of the city’s 
  judges have been appointed from the temple’s 
  growing priesthood, while the ranks of the 
  city’s constabulary are recruited from 
  the temple’s flock and attendant monks. 
  With the backing of some of the nobility, 
  the head priest of the Temple of Woe, Tsunan (LE male 
  human cleric 11), has petitioned for an audience with the 
  Jade Regent, intending to request that he be allowed to seize 
  the Temple of the Sun Blade’s grounds and repurpose the 
  site for the worship of Yaezhing. The petition claims that 
  Shizuru has abandoned the city and her clergy are no longer 
  capable protectors. It goes on to assert that the faithful of 
  the Temple of Woe can maintain order in Kasai with the 
  protective authority of Yaezhing guiding them.
  Tortoise Feather Stable: The stable and livery of 
  Aburatsubo (NG male human monk 4) houses and protects 
  the personal steeds of some of the city’s wealthiest 
  and most esteemed residents. Aside from providing 
  unparalleled care, the stable also once served as a strange 
  sort of dojo, where Aburatsubo trained some of 
  the best sumo wrestlers in the nation. Today, 
  Aburatsubo is retired, having left the world 
  of competitive wresting after his last protege 
  embarrassed and betrayed him. He still 
  maintains a fighting ring within one of 
  his barns, as some part of him refuses to 
  abandon the passions of his youth even if 
  he says he’s completely retired.
  Tree of Souls: An order of priestesses devoted 
  to Tsukiyo protect this giant cherry tree, 
  treating it and every foot of earth within 121 
  steps of its boughs as sacred ground. The 
  faithful claim that the tree is immortal 
  and its precious sap possesses incredible 
  healing properties—though tapping the 
  tree for this fluid would be considered the 
  ultimate sacrilege. Some tales refer to the 
  tree as the soul of the very empire of Minkai, 
  going so far as to even claim that the empire 
  cannot fall until the great tree of souls does. 
  But worryingly, the tree has not bloomed 
  in 3 years. During this period the tree has 
  suffered from an infestation of oversized 
  cicadas that appear to be slowly eating away 
  at its roots. All attempts to heal the tree have 
  only slowed the infestation’s damage, as 
  the insects prove highly resistant to both 
  physical and magical means of removal 
  and spawn at an impossible rate. Osuzu 
  (NG female human druid 11) is the 
  head priestess tending the tree and 
  has requested the assistance from 
  followers of Tsukiyo and druids 
  from across the country. Despite 
  the urgency of her call for 
  aid, few—and none 
  of especial talent—
  have answered.
  
  76
  Mantle of Stolen fleSh
  Pathfinder’S Journal: huSkS 6 of 6
  I
  ’m going in.”
  “Wait.” The boss put a hand on my arm, pulling me 
  away from the warehouse window.
  Takeda made a sound deep in his chest, barely audible 
  over the drumming from inside the building. He didn’t 
  like what we saw in there any better than I did. Still, 
  he crouched beside the slit I’d cut through the paper 
  window—someone had boarded the place up, but there’d 
  still been enough space between the planks for my knife 
  to do its work. He glanced back at the lane curving down 
  to the three gray wooden buildings that formed Tatami 
  House. There was still no sign of Shiro, Osamu, or the 
  reinforcements they’d been sent to fetch.
  I hoped we could trust the men. If even one of them was 
  a Kappa agent, we were in a deep pile.
  We’d ignored the other two buildings when we heard 
  the rhythmic chanting from the one farthest from the 
  street. It was a nice place for a murder, I thought. Or for 
  some infernal ritual, which is what it looked like they 
  were having tonight.
  “Look at what they’re doing to her,” I said. “I was wrong, 
  all right. Kazuko isn’t a Kappa.”
  Beside me, Arnisant shifted but kept quiet. His eyes 
  were locked on the boss, waiting for instructions. He’s a 
  better dog than I am.
  “You were not wrong,” the boss said. “Watch.”
  I gritted my teeth and peered back inside.
  The building was tall but only one floor, with high 
  ceilings. Heavy wooden beams supported a system of 
  rolling chains and pulleys near the rafters. From some 
  
  77
  Mantle of Stolen fleSh
  of the chains hung stacks of thick reed mats, too heavy to 
  move by hand. When I looked at the mats, the spell that 
  let me understand the local language brought the word 
  “tatami” to my mind. For once during this crazy night, 
  the name of the joint we were visiting wasn’t some kind 
  of poem.
  Tall stacks of finished mats formed mazes at the far 
  ends of the building. Against the walls stood low tables 
  piled one atop the other, some with thin, half-woven 
  tatami still pinned in place. Crammed between them 
  were bundled reeds, bolts of cords, and toolboxes.
  The big frames sat up on their sides at an angle. Dozens 
  of thin wooden legs stuck up from their faces. On one lay 
  the beginnings of an extra-thick mat. Six of these frames 
  stood end-to-end on the far wall. Together, they looked 
  like a giant centipede curling up to die.
  In the middle of it all, thirty or forty men knelt and 
  beat hand drums in time to their chanting. From their 
  dark clothes, I knew they were the Kappas, a gang of 
  killers known in these parts as ninja. They surrounded 
  a cleared space lit by red and yellow lanterns hanging 
  from the rafters. Around their waists they wore hooked 
  chains and short swords. On their faces were dark masks. 
  We’d been watching long enough that I recognized the 
  material: stained human flesh.
  I didn’t like that, and not because I hadn’t seen it 
  before.
  The cultists had peeled down their robes to the waist, 
  revealing their tattoos. Some were covered everywhere 
  but their hands. Others had only two or three tattoos, 
  but all wore the same figure on the right sleeve: a sort 
  of goblin with a turtle’s shell and, atop its skull, a bowl-
  shaped dent sloshing with water. Kazuko had told me the 
  creature was called a kappa.
  In the center of the kneeling men capered a brown 
  skeleton of a man with a strip of dirty cloth slung between 
  his legs. He also wore a mask, only his wasn’t dyed black. 
  It was stitched together from the faces of five or six 
  different guys, each with a different color skin. Weedy 
  patches of hair stuck out here and there. I made out a blob 
  of a nose on one cheek, a withered ear on the other. The 
  gaunt man jabbered as he danced around a wicker basket 
  set on a low table. He shook a bloody knife above his head, 
  yawping as he speckled the faces of the nearest Kappas. He 
  turned to the first of his captives and grinned.
  Bound by his wrists and ankles to one of the large 
  tatami frames, the naked young man could barely stand 
  up straight. He jutted his chin, but fear gnawed at his 
  eyes. He kept glancing down at a heavy wooden mallet on 
  the floor beside him. Like the kneelers, he had a kappa 
  tattooed on his right sleeve. 
  On the legs of the next frame hung dripping hunks 
  of human flesh, draped open to show off their tattoos. 
  I recognized the dragon from the chest of Hiroshi the 
  moneylender. Beside it hung the skin of an arm tattooed 
  with an octopus with wicked hooks at the end of its 
  tentacles. Beneath the dragon hung a phoenix tattoo cut 
  from someone’s back. Beneath them were two long strips 
  of flesh, one with a yeti, the other a tengu. 
  They were all but one of the tattoos from Ichisada’s 
  secret book. They’d have been beautiful on living skin. 
  But it was what hung from the third rack that turned my 
  guts to ice.
  The gaunt man had already done his work on Kazuko. 
  He’d flayed the skin of her torso, legs, and left arm. She 
  should have been dead, but she arched her back and 
  craned her neck. The twine binding her to the tatami 
  frame creaked. The only mercy was that her long black 
  hair covered her features, sparing us the sight of her 
  agonized face.
  “We can still save her,” I insisted. “Get her to a healer. 
  I’ve got a healing potion right here.”
  “It’s no use,” said the boss. “There are too many Kappas 
  to fight.” 
  “You could drop a great big fireball on them.”
  “No,” hissed Takeda. “You will burn down half the city.”
  “Understood,” said the boss. “Notice the woman’s right 
  arm.”
  I’d seen it. Kazuko had a kappa on her right arm, a 
  fancier version of the monster tattooed on all the ninja 
  and the man bound across from her. I’d seen it before in 
  Ichisada’s book. I’d also had a good enough look at the 
  bound man’s face to notice the family resemblance. He 
  had to be Kazuko’s brother.
  “It need not be this way!” he cried. “We can rule the 
  Kappas together.”
  The gaunt man cackled. 
  “No, you alone will be Master Kappa,” whined the 
  bound man. “I will be your servant. Just let me live!”
  The gaunt man covered the man’s mouth with his palm 
  and uttered a few words. He removed his hand to reveal 
  a festering wound where the brother’s lips had been. His 
  jaws worked, but I could barely hear his muted grunts.
  “Monsters,” muttered Takeda. “All of them.”
  “I don’t care if Kazuko’s one of them,” I said. I couldn’t 
  look away from her ruined body. “The kid doesn’t deserve 
  to die like that.”
  Takeda looked up the street again, but there was 
  nothing to see. From the look on his face, I wondered 
  whether he was questioning the loyalty or competence 
  of his men. Even if I wasn’t wrong about Kazuko, that 
  didn’t mean she was the only Kappa who’d fooled us. 
  Takeda returned his gaze to the ritual. “We must wait for 
  reinforcements. The three of us cannot—”
  The gaunt man removed the lid of the basket to reveal 
  a pearl the size of his head. It wasn’t actually a pearl, I 
  
  78
  realized, but an eggshell-thin globe of the iridescent 
  colors you see inside an oyster shell. The gaunt man 
  reached for the mallet.
  “No,” said the boss. “Not the husk!”
  He yanked a board away from the window with a squeal 
  of old nails. The sound turned the heads of the Kappas 
  toward us.
  Without hesitating, Takeda pulled away another board. 
  I cut away the last of the paper window with three quick 
  strokes of the big knife. Before I could stop him, the boss 
  clambered through.
  Takeda bumped into me as we both tried to get through 
  the window at once. I growled him off and shoved my  
  way through. 
  The Kappas shrugged their arms back into their sleeves 
  and scattered toward the dark corners of the room. A 
  few flung chains toward the rafters and floated up like 
  spiders, snuffing out half the lights as they went. 
  That was all right by me. The boss had keen eyes 
  on account of having an elf for a father, and I could 
  practically see in the dark thanks to whatever the hell it 
  was my ancestors took to bed. I avoided looking directly 
  at the ninja creeping along the stacks of tatami mats, 
  hoping they’d think I couldn’t spot them. 
  What they didn’t know could definitely hurt them. 
  Two Kappas rolled a couple of eggs across the floor. 
  They wobbled like skittles, only we were the pins.
  I pulled the boss out of their path. As the grenades burst 
  against the wall, I squeezed my eyes shut, expecting a 
  blinding flash or pepper. Instead, the eggshells exploded 
  into sickly sweet clouds. I caught a snootful before I could 
  hold my breath. The stuff made me woozy, even after I 
  staggered out of the cloud. 
  A couple of smart slaps helped shake off the sleep 
  powder. I returned the favor until the boss said, “Enough! 
  We must prevent—”
  The sound of the mallet crushing the husk cut him 
  off. The sleep powder cleared, and we saw the gaunt man 
  raise a double handful of iridescent dust from the basket. 
  He held it before Kazuko and blew. The cloud glittered 
  around her, and shining motes clung to her raw flesh. 
  Her shriek pierced my ears like broken glass.
  I filled my hands with knives.
  The boss drew his sword in one hand, a riffle scroll 
  in the other. He pointed the little sheaf of paper at the 
  gaunt man and thumbed the edge. The face of each page 
  glimmered with a fraction of an arcane rune, and four 
  bolts of energy shot from his hand. 
  The gaunt man stared down at the oozing wounds on 
  his chest and drew a few symbols of his own in the air. 
  A ninja rushed the boss. I stepped in to take that dance. 
  The Kappa didn’t waver when I threw him the big smile, 
  so I drew one just like it under his chin. 
  The boss threw another volley of magic at the gaunt 
  man, but the bolts splashed and vanished against an 
  invisible barrier.
  “Hit him,” said the boss.
  I threw the little knife. It struck just as the masked man 
  finished casting another spell. The blade glanced off his 
  body, like the ninja’s stars had bounced off the boss. The 
  gaunt man turned away to reach for the stolen tattoos.
  Nearby, Takeda moved in. Before he’d gone two steps, 
  a blur shot down from the rafters. He flicked his wrist, 
  barely moving his sword. Throwing stars glanced off his 
  blade and stuck in the wall.
  The floor creaked behind me. I whirled to the side. 
  My spur caught a ninja’s sleeve and pulled his sword a 
  few inches out of line, sparing me a real bad haircut. I 
  followed with the big knife, cutting deep into his kidney. 
  A warm spray wet my hand as I jerked the blade free. The 
  body sagged to the floor.
  The boss parried a slash from a Kappa I’d missed. I 
  moved to help, but one I hadn’t spotted swept my legs. I 
  twisted my fall into a roll. The heavy blade of one of those 
  scythe-weapons stabbed the floor where my neck would 
  have been if I were a little slower. In the time it took the 
  Kappa to tug it free, I put the big knife in his neck. My 
  hands were getting slippery.
  The boss retreated from three Kappas. The newcomers 
  bound up his blade with their chains while the third 
  raised his sword. I lunged toward him, but there wasn’t 
  time. “Boss!”
  A dark blur passed over his head, knocking the 
  swordsman to the ground. The man uttered a strangled 
  cry as Arnisant’s jaws closed on his throat.
  Good boy.
  I went for one of the ninja with the chains. They both 
  saw me coming and skipped away like kids at a ribbon 
  dance, their chains winding around the boss.
  The boss caught my eye and signaled, Stand clear.
  I faded back as he riffled another scroll. He grabbed 
  a chain. 
  Sparks danced across the metal links. His hair lifted 
  as if he were underwater, and his jaws clenched in an 
  agonized rictus. The Kappas dropped their chains and fell 
  back, bodies jerking in shock. I finished one and moved in 
  to kill the other, but Arni had already taken him out.
  Very good boy.
  Takeda gutted two of his attackers with a sweep of his 
  blade. When the third raised a grenade to hurl in his face, 
  the inspector cut off his hand before he could release it. 
  The Kappa wailed and clutched his stump.
  I stopped worrying about Takeda and stuck close to the 
  boss. He staggered from the shock of his own spell, but 
  kept on his feet as he shrugged off the slack chains. He 
  paused to fetch another scroll. 
  
  79
  Mantle of Stolen fleSh
  “Keep moving, boss.” I took my own advice and 
  tumbled forward as several throwing stars sank into the 
  floor behind me.
  The boss thumbed his riffle scroll. Before he finished, 
  a throwing star caught him in the back. He set his jaw 
  and kept the small sheaf of paper in hand. As the last page 
  snapped free, two more throwing stars hit him. They 
  bounced off his shoulder and neck, repelled by magic.
  “You got one of those for me?” I asked.
  He grimaced an apology.
  We kept moving toward the gaunt man. The Kappas 
  showered us with steel. They leaped from every shadow, 
  but I saw them, Arnisant smelled them, and Takeda had 
  lightning in his veins. Between us, we stopped the ninja 
  from reaching the boss, giving him time to snap off a few 
  more scrolls. I felt the prickly energy of his magic settle 
  into my body, making me stronger, faster. Maybe even 
  prettier, I don’t know.
  Kazuko screamed louder than ever. The pearl dust 
  sparkled on her exposed muscle. I couldn’t help thinking 
  the stuff must have felt like salt on an open wound. The 
  gaunt man tossed a piece of the tattooed skin toward her. 
  It floated through the shimmering cloud to settle on her 
  raw chest, its edges settling neat against the border of 
  skin at her throat. In an instant, the magic of the pearl 
  dust sealed the flesh in place. The dragon I’d seen on 
  Hiroshi now coiled between Kazuko’s breasts.
  Her cries grew louder, but they weren’t screams of 
  agony. She threw back her head in ecstasy.
  “More!” she wailed. “Give me the entire mantle!”
  The gaunt man raised his arms above his head. The 
  remaining tattoos rose off the tatami rack, floating like 
  jellyfish on the tide. They moved onto Kazuko’s body and 
  fixed there, edges sealing with a sucking sound.
  Takeda cut his way free and went straight for Kazuko. 
  The gaunt man stepped into his path, raising his hand 
  as if to command the samurai to halt. Whatever magic 
  protected him earlier did nothing against Takeda’s 
  wakizashi. Half the man’s hand hit the floor moments 
  before his masked head joined it.
  Takeda raised his sword to strike Kazuko. She kicked 
  him in the belly, the rope bonds around her ankle 
  snapping like thread. The samurai flew back, crashing 
  against the man bound to the opposite table. The slender 
  legs of the rack impaled Kazuko’s brother, but his body 
  spared Takeda the same fate.
  Kazuko held up her foot for a second, like an acrobat 
  showing off after a smart move. I saw the yeti tattooed 
  on that leg and figured that one gave her strength. With 
  a shrug, she snapped her remaining bonds. Smiling, she 
  turned toward us. 
  She brought her foot down, smashing the wooden floor. 
  The force of her step shook the building. I let myself fall 
  and rolled with it, heading for the shadows. I wouldn’t be 
  the only one in the darkness, but I was betting I’d be the 
  only one who could see in there.
  The boss fenced with another ninja while Arnisant 
  protected his back. Takeda stood, raising his sword once 
  more.
  As if they’d been waiting for the dramatic moment, the 
  city constables broke in through the doors and windows. 
  Osamu was one of the first in. He shouted, “In the name 
  of Lord Koga, I order you to surrender!”
  Naked but for her stolen tattoos, Kazuko stood without 
  a trace of fear or shame. “No. Throw down your weapons, 
  or suffer the same fate as your commander.”
   She thrust her left arm toward Takeda. The tentacles 
  of the octopus tattoo shot out of her flesh, swelling to 
  the size of mooring ropes. One encircled the inspector’s 
  blade. The others arched around him, their hooked ends 
  tearing through his clothes.
  “No!” Shiro screamed as he rushed forward. He hadn’t 
  made it halfway across the floor before a pair of Kappas 
  intercepted him. In an instant, Osamu was by his side. 
  Their katanas flashed against the ninja’s blades.
  Constables rushed in to fight the rest of the Kappas. 
  Now it was the ninja who were outnumbered, but the first 
  wave of police fell back before a flurry of throwing stars 
  and flash grenades. Two or three screamed as hooked 
  chains caught them around the neck and pulled them 
  toward the ceiling. 
  The boss fumbled with his scrolls again, hesitating 
  before he triggered one. I saw his lips form an apology 
  as a stream of fire roared from the riffling pages toward 
  Kazuko.
  “Fire!” yelled the constables. They showed less fear of 
  the ninja than of the flame.
  They didn’t need to worry. As the ray of flame reached 
  Kazuko’s body, the dragon on her chest opened its jaws 
  and sucked down the fire, leaving only a trail of smoke.
  “No fire!” cried Takeda. Two of Kazuko’s tentacles 
  held him high off the floor. He twisted his wakizashi, 
  slicing through the tentacle that tried to steal his blade. 
  He reversed his grip and threw the blade like a spear. It 
  shot down toward Kazuko’s breast, impaling her through 
  the heart.
  I felt a pang of regret as I saw his blade emerge from 
  her back. Then the phoenix tattoo glowed like the sun at 
  dawn, dazzling my eyes. I heard another sucking sound. 
  My vision returned just as Kazuko hurled Takeda’s sword 
  to the floor. In the waning glow of the phoenix, I saw her 
  flesh heal around the wound.
  “I cannot die,” she said, bringing Takeda closer. “The 
  same is not true of you.”
  Five of the tentacles arched up like serpents. Their 
  razor hooks sliced through his skin. At the first cuts, 
  
  80
  Takeda set his jaw in silence, but as the hooks tore away 
  his flesh, he could not help but scream.
  “Of all the samurai in Oda,” said Kazuko, “only you are 
  worthy of admiration. You are the sacrifice I must make 
  before assuming the mantle of leadership.”
  She flayed him before our eyes. A mist of blood 
  obscured his body, but as it cleared I saw that all the 
  skin on his torso was gone. Kazuko cast him away, her 
  tentacles reaching for the nearest constables.
   “Inspector!” cried Shiro. He overran his opponent, 
  trampling the ninja even as his foe stabbed him in the 
  thigh. Osamu dispatched Shiro’s attacker with a thrust 
  to the heart. As he opened his guard, Osamu’s own foe 
  slashed him across the belly. The samurai fell to his knees.
  Shiro hesitated, torn between helping his master and 
  his friend. Osamu waved him forward.
  “Go,” he wheezed. 
  It didn’t matter. Shiro could never have gotten back 
  in time. The ninja raised his blade to decapitate Osamu. 
  Before letting the mortal strike fall, the masked man 
  looked to Kazuko.
  Kazuko smiled, pleased that the man awaited her 
  permission before executing an officer of the law. She flung 
  away the constables in her tentacles. Their bodies crashed 
  into the walls and slumped to the floor. As if we’d all 
  received the same unspoken command, everyone stopped 
  fighting and looked at the woman clothed in monsters.
  There was no magic in it. I could have moved, but I 
  froze, waiting for the right moment. It would be a simple 
  thing to move forward and put the big knife in her spine. 
  But after seeing the phoenix tattoo save her life from 
  Takeda’s mortal blow, I didn’t think I could put her down 
  for good.
  Not by myself, anyway. 
  I had an inkling of what might do the trick, but I didn’t 
  want to give away my position. When the boss stood up 
  and sheathed his sword, I hoped he was thinking the 
  same thing. He likes to say I’m smarter than I look. The 
  question was whether I was just smart enough that he 
  could guess what I was thinking.
  He walked toward Kazuko, Arnisant at his heel. I 
  reckoned he could see me, but he didn’t so much as glance 
  in my direction.
  “Mistress Kappa,” he said. “I see that your clan’s 
  symbol lends you great cunning. Rarely have I witnessed 
  such daring manipulation of unwitting allies. And yet 
  you are bold. Not only did you use the inspector for your 
  own ends, but you also dared to put a count of Cheliax to 
  your service.” 
  “You think much of yourself, foreigner,” she said. 
  “But it is true, Takeda’s investigation foundered after I 
  allowed him to find the bodies of the first few victims. 
  He worked day and night, returning home only to care 
  for his motherless children. In his fatigue, he began to 
  fail me.”
  “How dare you speak of the inspector!” Shiro shouted 
  as he cradled Takeda’s head on his knees. The inspector 
  moaned as his man tried to cover his flayed body with his 
  own outer robe.
  Kazuko’s tentacles twitched, eager to strike. She eyed 
  Shiro.
  “What caused you to act in such haste?” said the boss. He 
  laid a hand on Arnisant’s head. “Was it simply the impatience 
  of youth? Did you yearn to take your father’s place?”
  Kazuko scowled, but she took the bait. “My brother 
  learned of my designs, so I visited Yamana this evening. 
  Like the inspector, he is a man who deserves respect. As I 
  apologized for the need to take his life, he tried to bargain 
  with me. He told me of your reputation as an investigator, 
  and I agreed that your arrival might serve to reinvigorate 
  the search for the other tattoos. Before you appeared, I 
  barely had time to disguise myself as a servant.”
  “And to instruct your men to flay the skin from 
  Yamana’s arm. Yet this petty cruelty puzzles me. If you 
  wished me to find the other tattoos, why attempt to 
  mislead me with a false clue?”
  “To inspire you!” she said. “Yamana told me of your 
  vanity. He said you had a weakness for spectacle. Do not 
  deny it. I saw your eyes fill with excitement at the sight 
  of the corpse.”
  She wasn’t wrong, I thought. And she reminded me how 
  happy I’d been to see a pretty girl to comfort at the scene 
  of the crime. She’d played the boss, and she’d played me.
  “Is it too much to hope that your respect for the 
  honorable Inspector Takeda is sufficient to allow us to 
  remove him to safety?”
  Kazuko laughed. “It is far too much.”
  “Very well,” said the boss. He waved his hand in what 
  you might mistake for a helpless gesture. I read it for the 
  signal that it was: Cut her.
  I’m more of a stabbing fellow, ordinarily. But I can cut 
  a straight line.
  Or the rough outline of a phoenix.
  It took me three strokes. The first made a clean arc over 
  the bird’s raised wings. The wound sagged open, making 
  me think that the magic sealing the stolen skin together 
  hadn’t yet bound it to the flesh below. Two more strokes 
  joined the ends of the first cut to a point beneath the 
  phoenix’s blazing claws. 
  The tattoo lit up like molten gold, but only for a second. 
  I grabbed it by the edge and tore it away.
  The point of the boss’s sword emerged from her back. 
  He’d struck so quickly, she hadn’t had time to scream.
  Above us, the tentacles swelled and rose toward the 
  ceiling before sinking down again. They withered and 
  fell slack as a snake’s shed skin.
  
  81
  Mantle of Stolen fleSh
  The rest of Kazuko’s tattoos stretched like 
  living things away from her body. The yeti was 
  the first to break free, its straining muscles 
  bursting like inflamed boils. Once 
  ruptured, the stolen flesh collapsed 
  on the floor, flaccid and unmoving.
  All around us, the Kappas resumed 
  their attack, but the sight of their defeated 
  leader drained their courage even as it 
  emboldened the samurai. The rest of the fight 
  was noisy, bloody, and already decided.
  The morning light shone bright on the waves, 
  and I could barely make out the sandbar of 
  the Seahorse from across the bay. At least for a 
  while, the Kappas weren’t the most feared gang 
  in Oda. The old rivals went back to war less 
  than an hour after the news of Kazuko’s death 
  and that of her brother. From the Seahorse all 
  the way up to the eleventh precinct, the constables 
  would be picking up more bodies this morning. 
  But they’d be doing it without Inspector Takeda.
  “So he sold his sword to marry a prostitute.”
  The boss frowned. And I thought I’d used the polite 
  word. “She was a prostitute only on the night he paid for 
  her water-raising ceremony. Purchasing her contract 
  from the Flower and Willow Pavilion cost far more than 
  a public official could afford. Thus, for love, he sold his 
  family sword. When his wife died bearing their second 
  daughter, he was father by day, mother by night. He 
  could no longer afford all of his servants. His appearance 
  suffered. Soon his peers shunned him.”
  “But all the girls at the whore—I mean, at the flower 
  place,” I said. “They all bowed to him. Even Kazuko said 
  she respected him.”
  “Where a noble finds disgrace, the common man sees 
  honor.” The way he said it, I guessed he was quoting 
  something from a book. Either that or he was getting 
  poetical on me again.
  I patted Arnisant on the shoulder. You and me, I 
  thought. We’re the common men.
  We boarded the ship that would take us to mainland 
  Tian Xia. Somewhere in the middle of it all we’d find a 
  country called Quain. If the boss’s information was right, 
  the king there had a line on another one of these magic 
  husks. I’d tried talking him out of it, but it was no use. In 
  his mind, it’d be some kind of disgrace to return without 
  the thing the Decemvirate had sent him to find. 
  Inspector Second Class Uchida Osamu, newly appointed 
  to lead investigations in the eleventh precinct, had 
  wangled not only our passage but also a pretty good reward 
  for our help in the investigation. His report painted our 
  help in such a good light that the city leaders considered 
  us honored visitors rather than foreign devils, a phrase I 
  heard every time I walked the streets alone. That was good 
  luck for us, since the body count was sure to grow in the 
  weeks ahead. Osamu and Shiro were going to have their 
  hands full as the gang war heated up.
  So it was a surprise when I saw both men ride toward 
  the docks. A third man sat between them, a little stiff 
  in the saddle. I thought it was a good thing they hadn’t 
  arrived earlier. Horses don’t much fancy me, and I’d hate 
  to see them throw the newly anointed Lord Takeda, Chief 
  Inspector of all of Oda.
  At first the phoenix tattoo wouldn’t stick to him, even 
  after the boss had blown the pearly dust all over Takeda’s 
  weeping wounds. But he wouldn’t give up. At last Shiro 
  charged over to behead the dying Kazuko, and the magic 
  took on Takeda’s ravaged body. One customer at a time, 
  I guessed.
  Takeda and his men raised their hands in salute as 
  our ship left dock. The boss returned the gesture with a 
  Chelish flourish I’d seen him use in fancy company.
  Arni just sat at attention, but I lifted his paw to help 
  him wave back. The boss shot me a look like I was 
  embarrassing him, but I didn’t care. I wasn’t making fun 
  of the samurai, even if they were all above me. I was just 
  helping Arnisant tell them how we both felt, common 
  fellows that we were.
  It’d been an honor.
  “Who says tattoos are forever?”
  
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  Bestiary
  A terrible, piercing wail rang out, like that of an infant stung 
  by a wasp, but shrieked at such an ear-splitting pitch it seemed 
  to shake the leaves of the wild orchard. Disgust and wine-
  colored juice covered Suou’s face as he spat wildly, choking to 
  an extent that vomiting would have been a mercy. His wide, 
  pleading eyes jolted up to meet mine. Unable to speak, he 
  looked down intensely, bringing up trembling hands. In them 
  rocked the same pink, peach-like fruit I held in mine, but his 
  bore double horrors—both a tiny, wrinkled face from which 
  issued the terrible wail, and the mark of a single deep bite.
  —Izumi Kayoya, Tea from the Garden of Tears
  
  83
  Bestiary
  C
  reatures from the fears and legends of Minkai 
  fill this entry of the Pathfinder Adventure Path. 
  Whether monstrous titans, like the gashadokuro 
  or the wind yai, or more subtle terrors, like the jinmenju 
  tree or rokurokubi, these ancient of monsters eagerly seek 
  the blood of strangers from distant lands.
  Special Thanks: Veteran game designer Owen K.C. 
  Stephens deserves a special mention here alongside the 
  final caravan encounters, the vast majority of which he’s 
  been designing since the first volume of this Adventure 
  Path. Thanks again to Owen for populating the path from 
  Sandpoint to Kasai and for all his fantastic work!
  Caravan enCounters
  As the caravan makes its final travels across Minkai, 
  there’s a 10% chance of an encounter each day. Encounters 
  indicated with an asterisk (*) have a 50% chance of occurring 
  at night while the caravan is 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 Jade Regent Player’s Guide.
  Forest of Statues (CR 1): The caravan comes upon a 
  small clearing just off the road, which contains dozens 
  of fine stone statues of humanoids in simple dress. 
  Each statue includes a small plate next to an inscription 
  asking strangers to leave offerings to help the poor. If 
  offerings totaling at least 1 gp per person in the caravan 
  are left (regardless of who leaves them), the caravan finds 
  an abandoned masterwork wagon (detailed below) just 
  as it reaches its camp for the night. The statues are not 
  encountered again, even if the caravan backtracks to the 
  clearing where they were found. If this result is rolled a 
  second time, it counts as no encounter.
  Masterwork Wagon
  Cost 1,200 gp; hp 40
  Traveler Capacity 6, Cargo Capacity 6
  Limit none; Consumption 1
  Special Benefit +1 bonus to caravan AC
  Origami Crafter (CR 1)*: The caravan encounters an 
  old woman traveling alone (N female human commoner 
  6). She offers to fold paper cranes for the caravan, at 1 cp 
  each, as tokens of good luck. If the members of the caravan 
  buy at least 1 origami crane from her, they gain a +3 luck 
  bonus on Security checks on the next caravan encounter. 
  The origami crafter is not encountered again; if this result 
  is rolled a second time, it counts as no encounter. 
  Earthquake (CR 10): A considerable amount of geological 
  activity roils beneath Minkai, causing irregular but 
  dangerously destructive tremors throughout the area. 
  The caravan finds itself near the epicenter of one such 
  unpredictable tremor—possibly a natural occurrence, 
  possibly an attack by deadly oni spellcasters. The caravan 
  must make a DC 25 Resolve check each round for 1d6+1 
  rounds as tremors, unpredictable fissures, and jets of 
  volcanic gas tear through the earth. For every failed check, 
  each wagon takes 4d6 points of damage. The caravan can 
  gain bonuses on these checks by casting individual spells, 
  such as transmute rock to mud to cushion the caravan from the 
  shaking land or teleport object to remove wagons from danger, 
  though casting the latter only protects wagons affected by the 
  spell; unaffected wagons are damaged as normal.
  Company of Hobgoblins (CR 15)*: A company of 60 
  hobgoblins led by a dozen ja noi oni (AC 26; hp 240, Attack 
  +20/+20/+20/+20/+20/+20; Damage 2d6+6) attacks the caravan. 
  The company comprises six patrols of 10 hobgoblins and two 
  ja noi each; for every 40 points of damage the company of 
  hobgoblins takes, it loses one attack (five attacks from 161–200 
  hit points, four attacks from 121–160 hit points, and so on). If 
  the company loses 120 or more hit points, the survivors try to 
  flee, and the caravan must succeed at a DC 25 Resolve check 
  to prevent the foe from escaping. If the caravan manages to 
  defeat all of the hobgoblins, its members find 1d4+1 units of 
  cargo among the hobgoblins’ equipment and past plunder.
  If the company does escape, there is a 10% chance each 
  day for the next 2 weeks that a random caravan encounter 
  is another company of hobgoblins, called by the survivors 
  of the first attack to attempt a second assault. 
  Imperial Dragon (DR 15): An imperial dragon (AC 30; 
  hp 220; Attack +24; Damage 5d8+50) lands in the center of 
  the caravan, and demands to be told why the presence of 
  foreigners is good for the lands it protects. If any character 
  in the caravan makes a DC 30 Knowledge (arcane, history, 
  local, or religion) check, she can explain the benefit of the 
  caravan to the dragon’s satisfaction. Otherwise, the dragon 
  demands reparations for potential damage the caravan 
  may cause (2,000 gp, or 1 wagon, or 2 horses, or 10 cargo 
  units), or insists the caravan takes a new route (costing 3d6 
  days of travel). Failure results in the dragon attacking for 
  2d4 rounds, after which time it flies away.
  Minkai Caravan 
  enCounters
  d% Roll 
  Encounter
  01–15 
  Forest of statues
  16–55 
  Origami crafter*
  56–75 
  Earthquake
  76–90 
  Company of hobgoblins
  91–00 
  Imperial dragon
  
  84
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee bite +22 (2d8+10 plus grab), 2 claws +23 (2d6+10/19–20)
  Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
  Special Attacks breath weapon (30-ft. cone, 12d6 bludgeoning 
  damage, Reflex DC 24 half, usable every 1d4 rounds), corpse 
  consumption, swallow whole (6d6 bludgeoning damage, 
  AC 20, 18 hp)
  STATISTICS
  Str 30, Dex 11, Con —, Int 6, Wis 17, Cha 21
  Base Atk +14; CMB +26 (+30 grapple); CMD 36
  Feats Awesome Blow, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, 
  Improved Critical (claws), Improved Initiative, Intimidating 
  Prowess, Power Attack, Vital Strike, Weapon Focus (claws)
  Skills Climb +23, Intimidate +32, Perception +20
  Languages Common (cannot speak)
  ECOLOGY
  Environment any
  Organization solitary
  Treasure standard
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Breath Weapon (Su) A gashadokuro can expel a blast of jagged 
  bone shards from its maw as a standard action. In addition 
  to tearing through any creatures within range, the shards 
  from this attack cover the ground in a thick layer of bone and 
  detritus, causing the affected area to become difficult terrain.
  Corpse Consumption (Su) If a gashadokuro kills a creature 
  by using its swallow whole special ability, the gashadokuro 
  automatically consumes its victim’s body, gaining a number 
  of hit points equal to the victim’s Constitution score. This 
  ability cannot heal a gashadokuro beyond its maximum 
  number of hit points. Consumed creatures cannot be 
  resurrected by any effect short of a miracle or wish spell until 
  the gashadokuro that devoured them is destroyed.
  Starvation Aura (Su) A gashadokuro emits a powerful 
  aura that causes all creatures within range to feel the 
  intense pains of starvation. Every creature within 
  60 feet must succeed at a DC 24 Fortitude save or 
  become fatigued and succumb to the supernatural 
  starvation of the gashadokuro, taking 2d6 points 
  of nonlethal damage at the end of its turn each 
  round if it remains in the area at this time. Even 
  after leaving the area or slaying the gashadokuro, 
  an affected creature continues to starve and 
  cannot heal from the nonlethal damage dealt by 
  this ability until it gets food (see page 444 of the 
  Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook for rules on starvation).
  Gashadokuros are enormous skeletons that come into 
  being as a result of mass starvation, the countless 
  victims of such a tragedy fusing together into 
  an undead colossus that continues to hunger 
  even in death. Although a gashadokuro may 
  Gashadokuro 
  This massive skeleton appears to be the animated bones of some 
  giant humanoid. As it lumbers forward, the bones and skulls of 
  countless smaller creatures rattle inside its massive rib cage and 
  fall from the intersections of its joints.
  Gashadokuro 
  CR 13
  XP 25,600
  NE Huge undead
  Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +20
  Aura starvation aura (60 ft., DC 24)
  DEFENSE
  AC 28, touch 8, flat-footed 28 (+20 natural, –2 size)
  hp 180 (19d8+95)
  Fort +11, Ref +6, Will +14
  Defensive Abilities channel resistance +4; DR 10/
  bludgeoning; Immune undead traits
  
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  Bestiary
  at first appear to be the skeleton of some giant humanoid, 
  the detritus sifting through its joints and its deadly ability 
  to absorb creatures quickly reveal that the animated horror 
  is something far more terrible.
  A gashadokuro’s size depends on the scale of the famine 
  that caused its emergence, with more devastating food 
  shortages resulting in larger gashadokuros. A typical 
  gashadokuro is 30 feet tall and weighs up to 5,000 pounds.
  eColoGy
  Gashadokuros usually form in the wake of horrible natural 
  disasters such as floods, droughts, or destructive storms that 
  destroy crops and leave thousands without food. As hunger 
  turns into famine and famine turns into death, the spirits 
  of the dying sometimes leave a fragment of their pain and 
  hunger embedded in their physical bodies. When the haunted 
  corpses begin to decompose and sink into the ground, the 
  bones do not fertilize the nearby grubs and plants as would 
  normal bone meal, but instead become the devourers, 
  absorbing countless vermin and showing the first sparks of 
  undead energy as the bone shards and bits of marrow begin 
  to move through the dirt of their own accord. The cursed 
  bones of the starved victims congregate beneath the soil, and 
  when they finally stitch themselves together and take the 
  form of a gashadokuro, the undead monstrosity bursts forth 
  and begins an endless search to satisfy its unearthly hunger.
  Although its body is composed mostly of bones and other 
  organic material that never fully decomposed, a gashadokuro 
  is far from mindless, and still possesses a flicker of 
  intelligence. The combined intellects of so many once-
  living creatures weave together into a rudimentary but dark 
  cunning, and the undead colossus uses its feral instincts to 
  hunt living creatures, forever seeking to sate its ineradicable, 
  collective memory of starvation. A gashadokuro’s tombstone-
  sized teeth and jagged claws are more than capable of 
  destroying most foes, but it wields simple tools—such as an 
  unearthed tree trunk used as a club—when it needs some 
  sort of weapon to crush its opponents.
  In a grisly mockery of human digestion, a gashadokuro 
  may capture a dead victim in its jaws and incorporate the 
  corpse into the innumerable bodies that churn within its 
  massive chest cavity. In a matter of seconds, the corpse 
  begins to turn into bleached, brittle bones, its indigestible 
  possessions falling through the gaps in its skeletal frame 
  as the giant lumbers on. Only when the gashadokuro’s rib 
  cage is completely filled with the bones of victims does its 
  terrible hunger subside. But as the creature wanders and 
  small vestiges of its meals tumble slowly from within, a 
  gashadokuro starts to know hunger once again, and it 
  resumes its hunt for new prey. A gashadokuro will hunt and 
  kill anything, its appetite knowing no bounds. Nonetheless, 
  it prefers larger creatures in the hope that such food will 
  end its perpetual craving. Tales tell of ranchers who 
  unknowingly raise their livestock in a gashadokuro-
  plagued area, awaking to find all of their cattle gone, a trail 
  of prematurely bleached bones leading into the distance 
  their only clue as to their animals’ whereabouts.
  Although the bones cradled within a gashadokoru’s 
  torso serve to abate the creature’s hunger, the behemoth 
  also uses them as deadly weapons against more formidable 
  prey. In combat, a gashadokuro sprays a wicked blast of 
  fragmented bone shards at its foes, the deadly shrapnel 
  flaying skin from enemies, stripping bark from trees, and 
  punching through plate mail. After it has slaughtered its 
  opponents, the gashadokuro picks up the bloody bodies 
  and consumes them in its gruesome fashion, converting 
  its victims’ bones into additional fuel for its deadly attacks.
  haBitat & soCiety
  Gashadokuros can arise from almost any terrain, although 
  they are most common in harsh, resource-strapped lands 
  like scorching deserts or icy tundra. However, even urban 
  areas can give rise to one of these predatory horrors if its 
  people succumb to the right mix of hunger and despair. 
  Once formed, a gashadokuro’s ability to range knows no 
  bounds, and such terrors often travel hundreds of miles 
  beyond their place of emergence to feed.
  Despite its ability to understand the common tongue of 
  the starved individuals who make up its bulk, a gashadokuro 
  cannot be bargained with and does not make allies, even 
  among its own kind. Its voracity drives it ever onward, and 
  it knows no distinction between good and evil victims, 
  wreaking havoc wherever it goes with no regard for the 
  target of its endless craving. A gashadokuro’s single-minded 
  destructiveness can often unite even the bitterest and 
  most ancient of rivals in tenuous pacts to rid the land of its 
  monstrous presence. Occasionally, evil clerics and powerful 
  necromancers can bend a gashadokuro to their will and, if 
  successful, unleash the monster as a scourge against their 
  enemies. Few risk such an attempt, however, as most evil 
  spellcasters know that should they lose control over such a 
  powerful minion, the consequences would be dire. 
  The intentional creation of a gashadokuro is almost 
  unheard of, as the drawn-out suffering and deprivation 
  required to create such mass starvation require time and a 
  concerted effort few can muster. However, there have been 
  instances of particularly heinous rulers who have sought the 
  power of such an undead goliath, starving their people to 
  death in order to use the ensuing monster as a weapon in war 
  or for some other detestable purpose. More often, though, 
  cruel warlords and merciless generals who wish to create 
  such a horrific beast take the opposite route and attempt to 
  cut off their enemies’ access to food, effectively striking the 
  targeted nations twice when the famished citizens starve, 
  then rise from the earth as gashadokuros eager to destroy 
  those whom they may have once called allies and kin.
  
  86
  possible. This is a mind-affecting compulsion effect. A 
  creature that successfully saves is immune to that jinmenju’s 
  enticing head-fruits for 24 hours. A head-fruit removed 
  from a jinmenju’s branch retains some of the tree’s magic 
  and maintains its shape for 1d3 hours before reverting to its 
  natural form. The save DC is Constitution-based. In addition 
  to tasting terrible, a jinmenju’s head-fruits are incredibly 
  poisonous, and anyone who takes a bite out of one suffers 
  from the following effect.
  Head-Fruit Poison: Head-fruit—ingested; save Fort 
  DC 22; frequency 1/round for 6 round; effect 1d3 Wisdom 
  damage and confused for 1 round; cure 2 consecutive saves. 
  The save DC is Constitution-based.
  Intoxicating Stench (Su) Once per day as a swift action, 
  a jinmenju can cause its fruit to immediately begin to 
  ferment, emitting an unnaturally sweet aroma in a 60-
  foot spread that draws creatures toward the tree. Once 
  activated, the aroma persists for 6 rounds unless dispersed 
  by moderate or stronger wind. All creatures within the area 
  must succeed at a DC 22 Will save each round or become 
  captivated. Once a creature becomes captivated, it takes no 
  actions save to approach the jinmenju via the most direct 
  route possible. If this path leads it into a dangerous area, 
  such as through fire or off a cliff, that creature receives a 
  second saving throw to end the effect before moving into 
  peril. A victim that is attacked by the jinmenju gets a new 
  saving throw as a free action during each of the jinmenju’s 
  attacks to overcome the effect. This is a mind-affecting 
  effect. The save DC is Constitution-based.
  Unsettling Drone (Su) A jinmenju’s numerous head-fruits 
  emit a low, persistent hum that unnerves any living creature 
  who hears it. Any creature within 30 feet of a jinmenju must 
  succeed at a DC 18 Will save or become shaken until it leaves 
  the affected area and for 1d4 rounds thereafter. A creature 
  that successfully saves is immune to that jinmenju’s unsettling 
  drone for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based.
  One of the more disquieting plants native to Tian Xia, the 
  jinmenju is an eerie tree that grows in hilly regions far 
  from civilization. While a jinmenju otherwise appears to 
  be nothing more than a twisted, gnarled cherry tree, the 
  fruit that hangs from its branches makes it impossible to 
  mistake for any other flora, for each fleshy melon possesses 
  the semblance of a human head.
  In their natural form, a jinmenju’s head-fruits—which 
  sag from the branches and look entirely too heavy for the 
  short, stringy vines they hang from—resemble dark brown 
  melons with vaguely humanoid facial features. A jinmenju 
  can alter these head-fruits to resemble virtually any form, 
  making the rotting melons attractive or at least intriguing 
  to potential prey. Using its ability to delve into nearby 
  creatures’ memories, a jinmenju simulates the appearance 
  of whichever creature (or fruit) will draw prey within 
  JinMenJu
  A low hum surrounds this huge, gnarled tree. The rotten fruits 
  that hang from its sickly branches look vaguely like human 
  heads, and each fleshy melon drips with a thick rope of ooze.
  Jinmenju 
  CR 11
  XP 12,800
  N Huge plant 
  Init +3; Senses all-around vision, blindsight 60 ft., low-light 
  vision; Perception +17
  Aura unsettling drone (30 ft., DC 18)
  DEFENSE
  AC 25, touch 7, flat-footed 25 (–1 Dex, +18 natural, –2 size)
  hp 136 (13d8+78)
  Fort +14, Ref +5, Will +5
  Immune poison, plant traits
  OFFENSE
  Speed 10 ft.
  Melee bite +15 (2d6+8/19–20), 2 slams +16 (1d8+8)
  Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
  Special Attacks enticing head-fruits, intoxicating stench
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 13th; concentration +15)
  At will—reach share memory* (DC 14)
  3/day—sculpt sound (DC 15), shout (DC 16)
  * See Ultimate Magic.
  STATISTICS
  Str 27, Dex 8, Con 22, Int 7, Wis 12, Cha 15
  Base Atk +9; CMB +19; CMD 28
  Feats Combat Reflexes, Improved Critical (bite), Improved 
  Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Lunge, Reach Spell** (share 
  memory), Weapon Focus (slam)
  Skills Perception +17
  Languages Common
  ** See the Advanced Player’s Guide.
  ECOLOGY
  Environment temperate hills or mountains
  Organization solitary
  Treasure incidental
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Enticing Head-Fruits (Su) A jinmenju’s head-fruits produce 
  powerful toxins that cause hallucinations and compel nearby 
  creatures to eat the rotten melons. As a swift action, a 
  jinmenju can alter the appearance of any of its head-fruits to 
  take on the particular face of any creature the tree has seen 
  or has memory of. If it cannot determine what kind of face 
  or form would be most appealing to a particular target by 
  using its share memory spell-like ability, a jinmenju makes its 
  head-fruit take the appearance of a delicious-looking melon. 
  A jinmenju can alter its head-fruits into any combination 
  of up to a maximum of six faces or shapes at one time. Any 
  creature that begins its turn within 5 feet of a head-fruit 
  must succeed at a DC 22 Will save or be magically compelled 
  to immediately grab the head-fruit and eat it as soon as 
  
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  Bestiary
  range of its branches, which it uses to pummel enraptured 
  creatures to unconsciousness before devouring them. A 
  jinmenju’s head-fruit retains a magical connection to the 
  tree that bore it, so even after it is lopped from its branch, 
  a transformed melon still bears the likeness chosen by the 
  jinmenju, though the tree’s compulsion effects remain 
  distinctly tied to the tree itself.
  eColoGy
  A jinmenju’s head-fruits are covered in a thick skin 
  that is easy to bite into, with an outmost layer similar 
  in texture to that of a lumpy peach. Whenever potential 
  prey nears a jinmenju, it wills its fruit to prematurely 
  begin the rotting process. In addition to enticing its prey 
  with hallucinations, a jinmenju can instantly ferment 
  its head-fruits, emitting a sweet, intoxicating odor  that 
  lures creatures to the tree and captivates them. Those who 
  have tasted a head-fruit and lived to tell of the experience 
  claim that the fruit’s flesh has a mushy consistency that 
  makes it hard to hold in one’s hands, and as it slips from 
  one’s grip, the world seems to melt away as well.
  Jinmenjus are remarkably intelligent and versatile 
  plants, and can augment their illusions by creating sounds 
  to further convince creatures that the false images they 
  are seeing are real as they near the trees’ head-fruits. By 
  making minute alterations to the structure of its dense 
  but flexible bark, a jinmenju can produce a series of 
  cracks, shudders, and pops that can be combined to 
  imitate almost any sound, including a creature’s 
  voice or bursts of noise capable of damaging and 
  deafening the tree’s enemies. While a jinmenju 
  can communicate in the common language of 
  those it most often encounters, it rarely does 
  so unless it has been given a suitable gift or 
  is forced to speak by some other means.
  haBitat & soCiety
  Jinmenjus are found primarily in 
  hilly and mountainous regions, 
  far from any civilization whose 
  residents might seek to put 
  an end to such a deceptive and 
  ravenous creature. Eternally patient, 
  jinmenjus usually reside in the same spot 
  for hundreds of years, only changing locales 
  if their current location runs out of food for 
  an extended period of time.
  While most jinmenjus are simply 
  hungry predators that have no 
  interest 
  in 
  interacting 
  with 
  other intelligent creatures, some 
  will communicate with others if 
  given payment in the form of food, 
  though many jinmenjus also desire particular magical 
  or mundane objects they have learned of while scanning 
  their targets’ memories throughout the years. Once it has 
  been befriended, a jinmenju may provide creatures with 
  some of its vast wealth of acquired memories, though such 
  a relationship is tenuous in the extreme, and only the 
  most hardy creatures can withstand a jinmenju’s magic 
  long enough to provide the tree with an offering and ask 
  for its knowledge. Brave or foolhardy adventurers seeking 
  knowledge of their ancestors or perhaps lost loved ones 
  may seek a jinmenju, hoping its expansive collection of 
  memories might contain clues or information about the 
  person they seek. Even if such folk do manage to convince 
  the fickle tree to share some enlightening memory, 
  they are often heartbroken when the jinmenju callously 
  informs the memory-seekers afterward that it killed and 
  devoured their sought-after friend, and so those who dare 
  seek a jinmenju’s knowledge should be careful of what 
  questions they ask.
  
  88
  wind yai) against all creatures in a 10-foot-radius burst. 
  Any creature with a CMD score lower than the result of this 
  check is hurled 1d6 × 10 feet straight up, and lands prone in 
  a spot 1d4 × 5 feet from its original position. The wind yai 
  selects the direction it wishes to throw its victims, and may 
  select a different direction for each victim, though each 
  must be thrown in a straight line. Creatures take falling 
  damage for any impacts while traveling up or down in this 
  way; if a creature collides with an object during its sideways 
  movement, both the creature and the object take 1d6 points 
  of damage and the creature is knocked prone in the space 
  adjacent to the obstacle.
  Shocking Missile (Su) As a swift action, a wind yai can fire a bolt 
  of electricity from its third eye as a ranged touch attack. This 
  attack has a range of 180 feet with no range increment, and 
  deals 4d6 points of damage. If the creature struck is wearing 
  metal armor or is made of metal, it instead takes 4d8 points 
  of damage. Upon being struck by this attack, the victim must 
  make a DC 25 Fortitude save or be deafened for 1d4 rounds. 
  The save DC is Charisma-based.
  Wind yai may take after the graceful cloud giants in 
  general appearance, but given their hard, icy stares and 
  the brooding manner in which they carry themselves, 
  observers may not immediately relate the two races. 
  Whereas cloud giants wear their finely made robes 
  and ornate jewelry with an air of regality and serenity, 
  their oni imitators manage to make even the humblest 
  garments and adornments seem ostentatious, and are 
  always shrouded in an air of darkness that many liken to 
  an ill omen. Though wind yai look as though they have 
  one foot in the light of day and the other in the darkness 
  of night, the shadow that perpetually swirls about the 
  otherworldly beings is not the result of any natural source; 
  in actuality, the supernatural night that constantly 
  follows wind yai is a raw magical manifestation of their 
  foul intentions and evil nature.
  Wind yai do not shape the winds—they force their will 
  upon them, commanding the powers of the sky to commit 
  acts of domineering brutality with none of the natural 
  grace normally associated with the element. Whereas a 
  cloud giant is always accompanied by a gentle breeze, the 
  malicious wind yai brings with it only furious storms, the 
  chaotic winds tossing its hair about and blowing dust into 
  its unblinking triad of eyes.
  A wind yai is 20 feet tall and weighs over 5,000 pounds.
  eColoGy
  A wind yai does not appear to walk upon the ground so 
  much as glide across it—but even then, its exaggerated 
  movements and overbearing demeanor make every footstep 
  a thunderous stomp. An unexpected wayward breeze is 
  enough to throw a stony-faced wind yai into a fit of rage, 
  oni, Wind yai
  A third eye rests on the forehead of this ornately robed giantess, 
  her figure half-shrouded in the darkness of a starry night that 
  swirls continuously about her.
  Wind Yai 
  CR 16
  XP 76,800
  LE Huge outsider (air, giant, native, oni, shapechanger)
  Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +28
  DEFENSE
  AC 31, touch 11, flat-footed 28 (+4 armor, +3 Dex, +16 natural, 
  –2 size)
  hp 230 (20d10+120); regeneration 5 (acid or fire)
  Fort +20, Ref +9, Will +17
  Resist sonic 5; SR 27
  OFFENSE
  Speed 40 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
  Melee mwk morningstar +32/+27/+22/+17 (3d6+12) or
  2 slams +30 (2d6+12)
  Ranged shocking missile +21 touch (4d6 electricity plus deafen)
  Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
  Special Attacks roaring gale
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 16th; concentration +21)
  Constant—cloak of winds*, fly
  At will—darkness, gaseous form, invisibility (self only), levitate
  3/day—control weather, quickened shout (DC 19), wind wall
  1/day—chain lightning (DC 21), whirlwind (DC 23)
  * See the Advanced Player’s Guide.
  STATISTICS
  Str 35, Dex 16, Con 22, Int 15, Wis 20, Cha 21
  Base Atk +20; CMB +34; CMD 47
  Feats Awesome Blow, Cleave, Combat Casting, Combat 
  Reflexes, Great Cleave, Great Fortitude, Improved Bull 
  Rush, Power Attack, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (shout), 
  Weapon Focus (morningstar)
  Skills Bluff +28, Disguise +28, Fly +25, Intimidate +28, 
  Perception +28, Perform (string) +28, Sense Motive +28, 
  Stealth +17
  Languages Common, Giant
  SQ change shape (Medium, Large, or Huge humanoid; alter 
  self or giant form II)
  ECOLOGY
  Environment temperate mountains
  Organization solitary, gang (2–4), or storm (5–8)
  Treasure standard (masterwork chain shirt, masterwork 
  morningstar, other treasure)
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Roaring Gale (Su) As a standard action three times per day, a 
  wind yai can select a point within sight on which to conjure 
  a violent updraft, violently flinging its opponents into the 
  air. When it uses this ability, the wind yai must make a 
  single bull rush combat maneuver check (CMB equal to 
  the wind yai’s caster level + its Cha bonus; +21 for most 
  
  89
  Bestiary
  the delicate motions of nature an ever-present reminder of 
  the wind yai’s own blustering presence and lack of grace. 
  Thus are wind yai desperate to gain some semblance of 
  control over the capricious winds, and they use their sheer 
  might and monstrous resolve to bend that untamable force 
  to their will, taking pleasure in not only controlling nature, 
  but also using it for unnatural acts of destruction.
  Wind yai tend to wear thick, showy robes and heavy 
  jewelry, though their great strength still allows them 
  to move swiftly and with ease. Like all yai, wind yai 
  each possess a third eye through which they can emit 
  rays of destructive energy. In the case of wind yai, this 
  powerful beam takes the form of a lightning bolt, as 
  the oni channel the very essence of the storm into their 
  attacks, simultaneously electrocuting their opponents 
  while rendering them deaf with the cacophonous boom 
  of thunder that follows the attack. They also possess 
  the unique ability to send their foes flying into the air, 
  commanding bursts of wind to carry their enemies aloft 
  and bring them crashing back to the earth.
  haBitat & soCiety
  Cloud giants possess one other thing wind yai yearn 
  to claim mastery over—their instruments. But rather 
  than use such delicate tools to create melodious works 
  of art, wind yai are interested in their more destructive 
  properties, and have a particular respect for bards, 
  especially those who bend others to their will with their 
  music. Thus do they tend to seek out such rhythmically 
  inclined individuals, and when faced with a foe who 
  possesses musical skill, wind yai will invariably seek 
  to keep that individual alive, so they can force 
  it to serve as the wind yai’s enslaved jester 
  and musician. An ensnared performer is 
  usually forced to entertain its master until 
  its fingers are cracked and raw and it 
  inevitably falters while playing. Wind 
  yai are hardly patient creatures, but 
  nothing sets them off in quite the same 
  way as a weak or inept musician, and 
  even the most innocent mistake can 
  mean the fatal end for an indentured 
  bard. When wind yai  are not presented 
  with a suitable performer to capture 
  and dominate, they seek out magical 
  instruments, having a particular 
  affection for rare, magical instruments, 
  especially those with strings. A wind 
  yai takes great pride in its musical 
  possessions, and also finds a 
  unique pleasure in assembling 
  masses of enslaved musicians to 
  perform thunderous symphonies.
  Wind yai also take great pleasure in dominating cloud 
  giants, perhaps even more so than bards, as they revere 
  cloud giants’ heavenly melodies above all others. Rather 
  than apprehend these giants one by one, however, wind yai 
  seek to dominate entire tribes of such beings, using their 
  powers over the skies to trick particularly superstitious 
  groups into thinking the oni are earthbound demigods or 
  celestial messengers sent from on high. Groups of wind 
  yai can be an even fiercer force, gathering entire legions 
  of cloud giants under their command and leading them 
  in aerial campaigns against helpless creatures on land. 
  Evil cloud giants tend to make the best soldiers for wind 
  yai leaders, though if the oni can manage to sway good-
  aligned cloud giants under their banner, the subsequent 
  wars they wage are all the more satisfying.
  
  90
  rokurokuBi
  This human-sized woman is dressed in simple peasant clothing. 
  From her shoulders sprouts a grotesquely long neck that coils 
  about like a snake, and razor-sharp teeth fill her gaping maw.
  Rokurokubi 
  CR 14
  XP 38,400
  LE Medium monstrous humanoid 
  Init +10; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +21
  Aura nightfall aura (15 ft.)
  DEFENSE
  AC 28, touch 16, flat-footed 22 (+6 Dex, +12 natural)
  hp 195 (17d10+102)
  Fort +11, Ref +16, Will +13
  DR 5/cold iron; Immune sleep effects; SR 25
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee bite +24 (2d6+4/19–20 plus rokurokubi’s curse), 2 claws 
  +23 (1d6+4)
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (20 ft. with bite)
  Special Attacks elongate neck
  Spells Known (CL 12th; concentration +17)
  6th (3/day)—permanent image (DC 21)
  5th (6/day)—feeblemind (DC 20), nightmare (DC 20)
  4th (7/day)—charm monster (DC 19), confusion (DC 19), 
  locate creature
  3rd (7/day)—dispel magic, fly, keen edge, wind wall
  2nd (7/day)—ghoul touch (DC 17), invisibility, knock, touch 
  of idiocy
  1st (8/day)—charm person (DC 16), disguise self, obscuring 
  mist, shocking grasp, sleep (DC 16)
  0 (at will)—arcane mark, detect magic, detect poison, 
  ghost sound (DC 15), mage hand, message, open/close, 
  prestidigitation, read magic
  STATISTICS
  Str 18, Dex 23, Con 22, Int 15, Wis 12, Cha 21
  Base Atk +17; CMB +21; CMD 37
  Feats Combat Casting, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, 
  Deceitful, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Iron 
  Will, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (bite)
  Skills Bluff +26, Climb +24, Disguise +26, Intimidate +25, 
  Perception +21, Stealth +26
  Languages Aklo, Common, Tien
  ECOLOGY
  Environment any ruins
  Organization solitary, pair, or harem (3–6)
  Treasure standard
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Elongate Neck (Ex) A rokurokubi can stretch her otherwise 
  normal-looking neck up to 20 feet in length, giving her 
  reach with her bite attack and allowing her to threaten all 
  foes within this range. In addition, she can deliver touch 
  spells with her head.
  Nightfall Aura (Su) A rokurokubi can choose to surround itself 
  with an aura that simulates the most terrifying aspects 
  of night, creating a sphere of darkness and silence (as the 
  spells) with a radius of 15 feet. A rokurokubi is immune 
  to the effects of her own nightfall aura, and can activate 
  or suppress this ability as a free action. The darkness and 
  silence effects can each be dispelled; if either of these effects 
  is dispelled, a rokurokubi can reactivate her nightfall aura as 
  a free action on her next turn.
  Rokurokubi’s Curse (Su) Curse of Silence: save Will DC 23; 
  effect the target takes 1 point of Charisma damage per day, 
  and its throat gradually closes in on itself, until the creature 
  becomes permanently silenced after 1d4 days.
  Spells A rokurokubi casts spells as a 12th-level sorcerer.
  Rokurokubis 
  are 
  evil, 
  sorcerous 
  humanoids 
  with 
  malevolent origins and even viler intentions. Always 
  taking the form of women, rokurokubis seek to spread as 
  much mayhem and despair as possible, using their wicked 
  magic to ruin lives, tear families apart, and at worst, maim 
  and murder innocents. Such monsters make their homes 
  within civilized societies and disguise themselves as simple 
  commoners, but they take the form of monstrous hags with 
  serpentine throats during the night (and even in the shadow 
  of daylight should the mood strike them), and delight in the 
  taste and feeling of warm blood running down their gullets.
  At first glance, a rokurokubi looks much like any 
  ordinary human woman. Upon closer inspection, however, 
  her frail appearance and sickly hued skin begin to hint at 
  the being’s true nature. When a rokurokubi reveals her 
  monstrous ability to stretch her neck to inhuman lengths 
  or begins to weave her arcane sorcery, there can be no 
  doubt as to her sheer otherworldliness. When she wills 
  it, a rokurokubi may snake her long, rubbery neck up to 
  20 feet from her body. Down the length of this otherwise 
  smooth, fleshy appendage, evenly spaced vertebrae show 
  as sickening knobbles, lending further grotesqueness to 
  the creature’s already disturbing appearance.
  While most prefer to utilize their dark magic to 
  devastate enemies from the shadows, rokurokubis are far 
  from helpless when forced to face foes head-on, and can 
  be exceptionally canny combatants if cornered, using 
  their long necks to deliver devastating bites to short-
  limbed foes at a distance. The aura of darkness and silence 
  that surrounds a rokurokubi makes combating the fiend 
  difficult for creatures that rely on melee attacks to damage 
  or disable their foes but lack the ability to see in the dark.
  When her neck is not distended from her body, a 
  rokurokubi is 5-1/2 feet tall and weighs 150 pounds.
  eColoGy
  Rokurokubis’ wan skin ranges in hue from pale blue to 
  muted green, and thus most cover up their flesh with 
  
  91
  Bestiary
  makeup or wear concealing robes and gowns to disguise 
  their identities. Their gnarly hands and fingers are 
  perhaps the most difficult traits to hide, and thus many 
  rokurokubis take to wearing loose-fitting gloves or clothes 
  with oversized sleeves to mask their hands while in public. 
  They use their bites in combat to gruesome effect, and their 
  jagged teeth are like the creatures’ necks in that they can be 
  shortened and lengthened at will.
  Rokurokubis are born and raised by their mothers. 
  In order to reproduce, a rokurokubi must seek an 
  unsuspecting humanoid male as her partner, though 
  she may also occasionally copulate with more monstrous 
  creatures—race matters not to a rokurokubi, whose savage 
  and rapacious nature knows no bounds. Regardless of her 
  partner’s race, the offspring of a rokurokubi is always a 
  rokurokubi, and rarely do such monstrous children bear 
  any resemblance to the father, instead acquiring almost 
  all their features from the mother who bore them, though 
  they undoubtedly carry a spark of the father’s nature 
  within them as well, usually manifesting as odd 
  quirks or obsessions with particular hobbies 
  or activities. A rokurokubi’s sire rarely has the 
  chance to see his child come into being anyway, 
  however, as the man is usually slain immediately 
  after he has fulfilled his purpose and his vile 
  partner has tired of his presence.
  A rokurokubi’s bizarre anatomy allows her 
  to carry a child without her belly broadening 
  noticeably, and she can even host multiple 
  children of different fathers simultaneously, 
  though with a third or fourth simultaneous 
  pregnancy she does begin to show signs of fatigue 
  as well as a widening girth, her already fragile 
  body pushed to its absolute limits.
  Unlike most other monstrous humanoids, 
  rokurokubis have no need for sleep, and are thus 
  immune to magical effects that would cause them 
  to do such. Nonetheless, they understand that 
  other creatures require such rest and utilize this 
  weakness, shaping their magic to render victims 
  unconscious, at which point they cause their targets 
  further harm in the form of relentless nightmares. 
  As most other creatures sleep at night, rokurokubis prey 
  upon unsuspecting victims during this time 
  more than any other.
  haBitat & soCiety
  Rokurokubis tend to make their homes 
  in dark, dank, secret places, far from 
  settlements and the activities of what 
  they deem to be lesser races. Caves, long-
  forgotten burial mounds, and deserted or 
  crumbling homesteads are all likely hideouts 
  for these dangerous creatures. Solitary creatures by nature, 
  rokurokubis leave their mothers shortly after they are old 
  enough to survive on their own. When they do congregate, 
  they usually do so only to execute complex, sinister plans 
  that would be impossible to enact by themselves.
  Rokurokubis’ affinity with the night and their unusual 
  physiology make them natural rogues and hunters, apt as 
  they are at peering around corners and through windows 
  as well as trapping victims in clouds of inky blackness 
  and silence. While some rokurokubis seek no allegiances 
  and only wish to kill for the sheer sport of it, others see 
  the advantages in forming tentative alliances and making 
  themselves available as assassins and spies, and thus sell 
  their services to those foolish or desperate enough to 
  seek them out. The cost of such a monstrous mercenary 
  is usually exorbitant; rokurokubis have been known to 
  strike deals with those customers who can’t afford to pay 
  them but who still entice them with a particularly 
  interesting or challenging job. Such bargains are 
  usually for something even more valuable 
  to the asker than money, often something 
  tangible such as a first-born son or daughter 
  (to later be stripped of flesh and eaten), ashes 
  of a loved one, or even one or more of the hirer’s 
  limbs. Those who refuse such offers are met with 
  either amused indifference or unforgiving 
  hatred, the latter almost inevitably resulting in 
  the offender’s immediate death.
  
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  15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
  Open Game License v 1.0a © 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
  System Reference Document © 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc; Authors: Jonathan 
  Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams, based on material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave 
  Arneson.
  Advanced Bestiary © 2004, Green Ronin Publishing, LLC; Author: Matthew Sernett.
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  Neil Spicer.
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  The WormWood muTiny
  The adventurers wake up in the hold of a ship at sea, 
  only to discover they’ve been press-ganged into a crew of 
  scoundrels, thieves, and buccaneers from the pirate isles 
  of the Shackles. When they’re assigned to a captured ship 
  as part of a skeleton crew, the adventurers finally have a 
  chance to stage a mutiny, but a sudden storm strands 
  them on an isolated island inhabited by strange monsters. 
  Can the adventurers survive the dangers of the island to 
  overthrow their cruel captors and take control of their own 
  destinies? Will they become feared pirates with their own 
  ship, or will they meet their ends in a watery grave?
  Way of The PiraTe
  Learn how to become the most famed and feared pirate in 
  the Inner Sea with this guide to the piratical way of life. 
  A new rules system for plunder and infamy allows GMs 
  to track their PCs’ rise among the ambilitous scallywags 
  of the Shackles, tracing their path from landlubbers to 
  pirate lords.
  Besmara
  Join the crew of Besmara the Pirate Queen, goddess of all 
  who seek fame and riches upon the sea. Learn about her 
  freedom-loving faithful, the Shackles’ most ribald rites, 
  and what it’s like when pirates get religious.
  and more
  Robin D. Laws begins a new tale of adventure on the high 
  seas in the Pathfinder’s Journal. Also, terrors from the tides 
  begin washing up in this entry into the Pathfinder Bestiary.
  suBscriBe To PaThfinder advenTure PaTh
  The Skull & Shackles Adventure Path begins next 
  month! Don’t miss out on the start of this exciting 
  new campaign—venture over to paizo.com/pathfinder 
  and subscribe today! Have each Pathfinder Adventure 
  Path, Pathfinder Campaign Setting, Pathfinder Player 
  Companion, Pathfinder Module, Pathfinder Tales, and 
  GameMastery product delivered to your door! Also, watch 
  for the free Skull & Shackles Player’s Guide, coming soon!
  92
  Next MoNth
  
  The sails of Minkaian traders are 
  among those most welcome in ports 
  across	the	Dragon	Empires.	Junks	
  laden with the treasures of that 
  country command attention wherever 
  they might land, their finely crafted 
  goods and curiosities highly coveted 
  among the rich and prestigious of 
  dozens	of	nations.	But	such	attention	
  isn’t always welcome. Pirates of the 
  surrounding seas mark Minkai’s ships 
  as priority targets, with seafaring 
  bandits hailing from Minkai itself, as 
  well as from lands across the waves—
  and even more sinister thieves that 
  rise from the depths below, and care 
  little	for	the	lives	of	air-breathers.	
  The recent decades have not been 
  kind to Minkai’s warrior class. The rise 
  of the Jade Regent meant the fall of 
  several of the nation’s most influential 
  families, and with them, the duties 
  and prestige of serving such nobles. 
  Many of the samurai who once enjoyed 
  respected positions found themselves 
  dismissed, hunted, or forgotten. While 
  many hung up their blades to find 
  more common work, others forsook 
  their honor to become petty bandits. 
  Still others, however, seek only a 
  spark to rekindle their fighting spirit 
  and take up their blades against the 
  enemies of their nation, restoring their 
  tarnished honor at last.
  On the Dragon Seas
  Tarnished Steel
  
  Revolution brews in the empire of Minkai as the people take up arms to throw off 
  the yoke of their unnatural oni masters. With the populace rising, the heroes 
  lay siege to the capital of the empire, the ancient city of Kasai. There, they 
  must discover the secrets of emperors past and seek the aid of ageless beings, 
  gathering all the allies they can for a final assault on the bastion of the 
  murderous Jade Regent. Will the heroes and their companions be able 
  to bring an end to the warlord’s tyranny? Or will Minkai remain locked 
  in the grip of true evil? Confront the powers of destiny and shape the fate of a 
  nation in this, the exciting final chapter of the Jade Regent Adventure Path.
  This volume of Pathfinder Adventure Path includes:
  •	 “The	Empty	Throne,”	a	Pathfinder	RPG	adventure	for	13th-level	characters,	
  by Neil Spicer.
  •	 A	gazetteer	of	the	city	of	Kasai,	capital	of	the	mysterious	nation	of	
  Minkai, by Frank Carr and Michael Tumey.
  •	 Plots	and	high-level	threats	to	continue	your	Jade	Regent	campaign,	
  by Patrick Renie.
  •	 Deceit	and	revelation	in	the	Pathfinder’s	Journal,	by	
  Dave	Gross.
  •	 Four	new	monsters,	by	Jesse	Benner,	Tork	Shaw,	and	
  Owen K.C. Stephens.
  Death to the Tyrant
  paizo.com/pathfinder
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Pathfinder/1st Edition/Adventure Paths/PF49-54 Jade Regent/Jade Regent - 06 - The Empty Throne.pdf