TEXT: 1
  The Red King
  Derek Blakely
  
  2
  The Red King
  “His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle, and it 
  shall bring him to the king of terrors.”
  -Job (ch. XVIII, v. 14)
  Biography
  The Red King, known by no other name, is the dictato-
  rial ruler of the Northlands.  He is an intimidating and 
  charismatic figure, the sort that immediately commands 
  respect when he enters a room.  His sheer physical pres-
  ence masks a cunning and varied intellect.  Born of an 
  unholy union between an ogre mother and a red dragon 
  father, it is clear where this fearsome monster inherits 
  his brutal and aggressive mannerisms.
  Appearance
  The Red King is an ogre mage red half-dragon with a 
  single purple eye on the right-side of his face that seems 
  too large for his head.  He stands 10 feet tall, and his 
  red draconic wings span just as wide.  Both his yellow 
  and purple eyes give off an icy cold, intimidating stare.  
  He never smiles except when he’s condemning someone 
  to the gulag, which shows his sinister, and sharp fangs.  
  His trim goatee and slicked back raven hair each have a 
  single streak of white parting down the middle, giving 
  away his centuries long age.  The majority of his skin 
  is covered in red dragon scales save his face, palms, and 
  the soles of his feet which still show off their original 
  turquoise hue.  On his right hand, he wears a signet 
  ring of lordship.
     The Red King wears red dragonplate armor which 
  does not hide his massive and strong features.  His 
  greatsword, usually hanging at this side, glows a crim-
  son tinge, as if the molten steel was mixed with blood.  
  On his back he carries a large composite bow and three 
  quivers with 60 arrows at the ready.
     While rare to see, the Red King wears loose-fitting 
  aristocratic-like garments when he is not engaged in 
  battle.  Even during diplomatic affairs he will still wear 
  a leather tunic.
  Statistics
  When a red dragon nears the end of its life, then comes to 
  the time to challenge all within his sight, to purge, burn, 
  and claim.  I can see a lot from the top of this tower, Za-
  githi…
  The Red King (CR 22; XP 307,200)
  Male unique half-red dragon ogre mage cavalier (long-
  shanks/warlord) 6/inquisitor of Firelord Mal’Eket 5
  NE Large dragon (giant, native, oni, shapechanger)
  Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Per-
  ception +27
  Defense
  AC 48, touch 19, flat-footed 41 
  (+14 armor, +4 Dex, +14 natural, +5 deflection, +1 
  dodge, -1 size)
  hp 442 (14d10+5d8+329); regeneration 5 (acid, fire)
  Fort +37, Ref +14, Will +25
  Immune fire, paralysis, sleep; SR 33
  Offense
  Speed 40 ft., fly 60 ft. (good) or fly 80 ft. (average)
  Melee The Red King’s Judgment +39/+34/+29/+24 
  (3d6+30 plus 1d6 fire/18-20 plus 1d10 fire) and bite 
  +30 (1d8+9), or bite +35 (1d8+19) and 2 claws +35 
  (1d6+9)
  Ranged +3 adaptive composite longbow +24 (2d6+21)
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
  Special Attacks banner +2/+1, breath weapon 1/day 
  (30-ft cone, R-DC 36, 8d6 fire), cavalier’s charge, chal-
  lenge (+1, 2/day), glorious challenge, judgment 2/day
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 9th; concentration +17)
     Constant—fly
     At will—darkness, invisibility
     1/day—charm monster (W-DC 22), cone of cold (R-
  DC 23), gaseous form, deep slumber (W-DC 21)
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 3rd; concentration +11)
     Constant—endure elements (cold only)
  Spell-like Abilities (CL 19th; concentration +27)
     3/day—flame strike (R-DC 22)
     1/day—true seeing
  Spell-like Abilities (CL 5th; concentration +13)
     At will—detect alignment, discern lies
  Inquisitor Spells Known (CL 5th; concentration +11)
     2nd (4/day)—align weapon, bloodhound, cure moder-
  ate wounds
     1st (6/day)—divine favor, know the enemy, spiked 
  armor, unerring weapon
     0th (at will)—brand, create water, detect magic, guid-
  ance, read magic, sift
  Statistics
  Str 48, Dex 18, Con 44, Int 20, Wis 22, Cha 26
  Base Atk +17; CMB +37; CMD 57
  Feats Back-To-Back, Blind-Fight, Combat Expertise, 
  Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Greater Weapon Focus 
  (greatsword), Improved Critical (greatsword), Improved 
  Initiative, Intimidating Prowess, Iron Will, Leadership, 
  
  3
  Power Attack, Weapon Focus (greatsword)
  Skills Acrobatics +22, Bluff +18, Craft (armor) +16, 
  Craft (weapons) +14, Diplomacy +16, Disguise +16, Fly 
  +21, Handle Animal +27, Intimidate +57, Knowledge 
  (arcana) +15, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +13, Knowl-
  edge (local) +13, Knowledge (nature) +13, Knowledge 
  (planes) +14, Knowledge (religion) +16, Perception +27, 
  Sense Motive +29, Spellcraft +20, Survival +19, Use 
  Magic Device +18; ACP -1; Conditional Modifiers 
  Intimidate +3 (when hp equal or exceed maximum), +5 
  to all Knowledge checks to determine abilities and weak-
  nesses of creatures, +1 to all Charisma checks against evil 
  creatures.
  Languages Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Giant, Gob-
  lin, Infernal, Orc
  SQ change shape (Small, Medium, or Large humanoid; 
  alter self or giant form I), flight, cunning initiative, fear 
  me, inquisition (imprisonment), longshanks condition-
  ing (armor training +1), monster lore, order of the flame 
  (foolhardy rush), solo tactics, stern gaze, tactician (2/day, 
  6 rounds, standard action), track +2, tyrannical leader-
  ship (Leadership; use Str bonus, cohort), 
  Legendary Weapon-based Abilities (fiery discorpora-
  tion, forged in a dragon’s breath, made for kings, min-
  ions [Leadership +2 bonus, extra followers]).
  Gear The Red King’s Judgement (legendary item lvl 9; +2 
  impervious flaming burst porphyrite greatsword), +3 adap-
  tive composite longbow with 60 arrows, +5 grace moder-
  ate fortification dragonhide plate armor of determination 
  with ruby chip gemstone, amulet of natural armor +5, 
  belt of physical might [Str, Con] +6, boots of speed, cloak 
  of resistance +5, crown of conquest, efficient quiver, eyes 
  of truesight, headband of mental superiority [Acrobatics, 
  Handle Animal] +4, ring of protection +5, lavender and 
  green ellipsoid ioun stone (absorbs spells of 8th or lower; 
  14 spell levels remaining), manual of gainful exercise +5, 
  manual of bodily health +5, signet ring of the Red King
  Special Abilities
  Exceptional Stats (Ex) The Red King was destined from 
  birth to become one of the leaders of his age. As a result, 
  his ability scores were generated using 25 points, rather 
  than using the standard 15 point buy used to create 
  most NPCs. Additionally, The Red King has much more 
  gear than an NPC of his level would normally have, one 
  trait, and PC average hp. These modifications increase 
  his total CR by +2.
  Eyes of Truesight (Sp) After the Red King defeated his 
  father and stripped him of his scales, he also took one of 
  his father’s eyes and had a skin grafter use it to replace 
  one of the half-dragon’s normal eyes.
  Fear Me (Ex) At 4th level, the warlord can attempt 
  to use the Intimidate skill to improve the morale of a 
  shaken ally. The DC to improve an ally’s morale is equal 
  to the DC to demoralize that ally with the Intimidate 
  skill. If successful, the affected ally loses the shaken 
  condition. Using this ability is a standard action, but 
  any special ability or quality that reduces or changes the 
  action required for the warlord to attempt to demoralize 
  an opponent with the Intimidate skill also changes the 
  action required to use this ability in the same way. This 
  ability replaces expert trainer.
  Longshanks Conditioning (Ex) Through serious physi-
  cal conditioning, a longshanks gains the ability to move 
  quickly and with some strangely graceful agility in the 
  most cumbersome of armor.
     At 1st level, a longshanks reduces the armor check 
  penalty of his armor and shield by 1 and the maximum 
  Dexterity bonus of the same by +1. At 16th level, this 
  increases to 2 and +2, respectively.
     At 6th level, a longshanks can wear armor of any heft 
  without taking a penalty to his movement speed. Fur-
  ther, a longshanks may hustle without ever suffering any 
  adverse effects. Should a longshanks use a tower shield, 
  these benefits are negated.
     At 11th level, the longshanks gains Endurance as a 
  bonus feat.
  Tyrannical Leadership (Ex) At 6th level, the warlord 
  gains Leadership as a bonus feat. When determining his 
  leadership score, the warlord can use his Strength score 
  in place of his Charisma score. If the warlord has a nega-
  tive Charisma modifier, he must subtract that modifier 
  from his leadership score. This ability replaces the bonus 
  feat gained at 6th level.
  Purple Duck Note: See full entry of Red King’s Judgment
  Cohort
  NE Grand Marshal Redblade Zagithi na Ahruman the 
  Confirmer - stalker (judge) 7/sorcerer (crossblooded 
  [empyreal/red dragon] bloodline) 4/bladecaster 7
  Followers: LE The Red Host (cavalier: order of the 
  crimson lance); 4600-1st level, 460-2nd level, 230-3rd 
  level, 115-4th level, 57-5th level, 28-6th level, 14-7th 
  level, 8-8th level, 4-9th level, 4-10th level
  
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  5
  Grace (Armor Quality)
  Armor with this quality becomes more flexible. Grace 
  armor adds +2 to the maximum Dexterity bonus and 
  lowers the armor check penalty by 3 to a minimum of 
  zero.
     Aura moderate transmutation; CL 6th; Prerequi-
  sites Craft Magic Arms and Armor, cat’s grace; Price +1 
  bonus.
  Eye of Truesight
  Aura moderate divination; CL 11th
  Slot eyes; Price 38,600 gp; Weight none
  Description
  This vibrant purple eye replaces one of the host’s own 
  eyes. It functions like a normal eye but once per day the 
  host can use it to see things as they truly are as the spell 
  true seeing. The effect lasts for eleven minutes.
  Construction
  Requirements Graft Flesh, cure light wounds, flesh cul-
  ture, true seeing; Cost 26,400 gp
  Ruby Gemstones 
  Ruby gemstones are typically associated with fire magic. 
  Items set with a ruby are always warm to the touch and 
  seem to glow with an inner light (as a candle).  The Red 
  King’s armor contains a ruby gemstone chip, which 
  provides the wearer a constant endure elements effect, but 
  only against cold environments.
  Construction 
  Requirements Craft Gemstone, burning hands (chip); 
  Cost half price; [Ruby Chip (2,000 gp)]
  Background
  The Red King was born in the no-man’s land of the 
  Northlands known as The Wyrm’s Quarter.  It is a 
  porphyrite-barriered region on the border with the 
  Steppes that contains an enigmatic extinct volcano and 
  the surrounding hills, all containing clear deposits of 
  porphyrite.  The area is known as a territory claimed by 
  power dragon clans.  His ogre mother gave him a name, 
  but the combination of centuries passing and the Red 
  King’s influence, have made sure that his true name has 
  been erased from history.
     Growing up surrounded by so much porphyrite, the 
  young ogre mage spent much of his time pursuing the 
  secrets of the stone.  He couldn’t explain it with words, 
  but it was like he had a hunger to conquer the unknown.  
  His solidarity with the porphyrite caught the ire of many 
  of the young ogres and orcs of his tribe.  The Red King 
  was already intellectually superior to everyone, but his 
  strength and size didn’t match that of a regular ogre.    
  While they tried to intimidate him, and bully him, for 
  some reason no one could lay a finger on him.  They all 
  simply walked away.  It was if by magic or a curse.  This 
  caused even more of the tribe to ostracize him, but he 
  cared not for those who could not think on his level.  
  However, his mysteriousness managed to capture the 
  regard of the orc shaman’s daughter.
     She too was cursed, but with the power of being a seer.  
  She didn’t know how, but the ogre mage was some day 
  to become the fearsome lord of dread of the Northlands, 
  after he had been bathed in fire, and she wanted to part 
  of his legacy.  He accepted her as a kindred spirit, and 
  enjoyed the idea of being a ruler.  This spurred the unex-
  plainable desire he had to conquer.
     When the ogre mage was of age, he left the tribe settle-
  ment.  For too many years he felt that his skills were 
  being stifled by the low brow tribesman.  Their constant 
  bickering, and indifference to living in squalor, appalled 
  him.  It didn’t help that the limited resources at hand 
  inhibited him from learning more about the porphyrite 
  he studied.
     He traveled the Northlands until he came upon The 
  Breakers on the east coast.  It was a natural port located 
  among a set of vicious rocks and breakers, with two tall 
  lighthouses that helped guide ships.  Being of smaller 
  stature than most ogres, and not yet fully understanding 
  his capability as an ogre mage, he was able to pass him-
  self off as a half-orc with skin and facial disfigurement.   
  This enabled him to find work among the fishermen and 
  merchants with little to no problem.  Like more settle-
  ments, The Breakers had a seedy underbelly.  By the end 
  of his first year, the ogre mage was working for some of 
  the best smugglers in the port as their bodyguard and 
  muscle.  Pretending to be less intelligent than he actu-
  ally was, he was able to secretly learn how everything 
  worked and which lands and settlements were getting 
  certain goods.  They dealt with anything from weapons 
  to armor, from poisons to drugs, to special and rare 
  materials, and he knew all that was coming through.  He 
  wasn’t sure how yet, but he locked the information away 
  to somehow use in the future.
     While staying in The Breakers, and dealing with the 
  seedier residents of the port, he overheard rumours of 
  a sect of cultists.  It was said that they were remnants 
  of worshippers of the Elemental Lords.  Recalling the 
  orc seer’s words of needing to be bathed in fire before 
  he could conquer all, he sought them out, hoping the 
  gossip was no hoax.  During his search he spared no coin 
  
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  for information that would lead him to his possible des-
  tiny.  He didn’t know whom to trust, but he also didn’t 
  care.  Eventually one night, when he was nearly down 
  to his last copper, the ogre mage was brought to an alley 
  where he met a man that claimed to be a cultist leader 
  of the Firelord Mal’Eket.  However, the leader was not 
  alone.  A dozen cultists armed with falchions approached 
  from the shadows.  They were suspicious of the small 
  ogre who was looking so feverishly for them, and wanted 
  to know his reasoning.  The young ogre mage, unfazed 
  by the group, merely replied he was trying to understand 
  a seer’s words and fulfill what he claimed to be his birth 
  right.  At this, the cultists bowed, and the leader stepped 
  forward to welcome their new brother into the fold.  
  Their prophecy was coming to fruition. It was said that 
  a powerful being born of fire and strength would come 
  from the extinct volcano to bathe the lands in fire and 
  purify it, lording over all to make the Northlands safe 
  from raiders of fire and ice.  When he wasn’t working 
  for the smugglers, the ogre mage was performing rituals, 
  sacrificing slaves to the flames of Mal’Eket, and learning 
  the craft of the Firelord.  Using their resources, he was 
  able to discover even more about the porphyrite than he 
  thought imaginable.
     During his time with the cultist, the ogre mage dis-
  covered that his body was slowly starting to change 
  shape and colour.  His skin was growing red scales, and 
  his shoulder blades were protruding far more than they 
  should be.  As well, he felt himself grow unexplainably 
  stronger.  The cultist leader couldn’t explain it beyond 
  his assertion that the prophecy was at hand.
     A year later, when the ogre mage had reached full 
  maturity, his red scales and wings fully developed.  It 
  was then that he left The Breakers and returned home to 
  have his elderly ogress mother explain to him his origins.  
  He knew the rituals and religious teachings weren’t the 
  reason behind his transformation.  She revealed that he 
  was the son of a red dragon, known by others of the land 
  as the Red King.  She had been one of his concubines, 
  and the only one to survive having his child.  After hear-
  ing her story, he decided to visit his father, the Red King.  
  Seeking power, a title, and armor that would make 
  anyone second guess ever challenging him, he knew he’d 
  have to enter the dragon’s lair and challenge him to a 
  duel.
     Knowing that he would be no match against a dragon 
  with what was currently available to him, he turned 
  his attention to the porphyrite he’d been studying, and 
  fashioned it into a weapon.  Using his cunning intellect, 
  his new craft skills, and the power of the shaman of the 
  tribe, he experimented with the material trying to smith 
  a sword worthy of his grandeur, until finally he had cre-
  ated a greatsword that could pierce the scales of a drag-
  on.  The fact that it wasn’t a falchion confused him.  He 
  knew how to make one, but it was not what had come 
  out of the fire.  Still, the weapon matched his power 
  well, and he wondered if this too was not preordained.
     The Gods know history a little differently, but the only 
  story the people of Porphyra are allowed to know is that 
  on that great day, the ogre mage, now a full half-dragon, 
  ventured into his father’s lair, and slew the great dragon 
  without more than one word said between them.  For 
  the most part, this is true.  When the Red King saw his 
  son’s scales and wings, he knew who he was.  The ogre 
  mage declared that the elder dragon’s scales and title 
  belonged to him, as they were necessary to conquer the 
  lands and fulfill his destiny.  After the deed was done, 
  the new king bathed his sword in the fallen dragon’s 
  blood, then proceeded to breathe fire upon the doused 
  blade.  Returning with his father’s skinned hide, his 
  new glowing crimson sword, and taking the name of 
  the Red King, the ogre mage crafted a set of plate armor 
  out of the scales, and took the orc seer as his first lover. 
  With his birth right in hand, he returned to The Break-
  ers where he betrayed everyone that he had worked for, 
  or worked with, and took over the region as his base of 
  operations.
     Over the course of a decade, the Red King created an 
  army known as the Red Host, and set out to mercilessly 
  dominate the Northlands.  With the knowledge he had 
  gained from the smugglers, he systematically cut off 
  shipments and trades to every country, making it easier 
  to dominate and conquer them.  After only a decade, he 
  had laid claim to the rest of the Northlands.  If anyone 
  resisted, the mercenary warlord personally led the charge 
  to the settlement to slaughter and crush any form of 
  rebellion they might have feebly attempted, then pillage 
  the remnants.  However, the fire and frost Jarls fortresses 
  were the only ones to put up enough of a fight that the 
  Red King was forced to a stalemate in battle.  The only 
  other area, besides the thought to be lifeless North Polar 
  Region, of which the Red King is not terribly concerned 
  with, is the Wyrm’s Quarters where far more powerful 
  dragons than his deceased father reside.
     While the Red King has had many concubines, only 
  his first was able to successfully produce offspring.  
  Unfortunately, it was a half-orc female.  Unsatisfied, he 
  sent his daughter to the cultists where she and future 
  descendants would stay until such time that they pro-
  duced a male heir.  As the Red King’s hair started to 
  
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  whiten, he began to wonder if it he had been cursed to 
  be father to only daughters.  Finally, after a century of 
  sacrifice, pillaging, and ruling, the Red King was given 
  a vision that would finally given him the male heir he 
  had been longing for.  Going to Matafeyu al-Sereyah, 
  the new cult leader, he used his sword to cut himself 
  and drain enough blood to fill a goblet, and then set 
  it aflame.  When the fire died down, he gave it to his 
  newest concubine, an orc that was a descendent and 
  physical look-a-like of his first lover, to drink down.  Her 
  body was suddenly wracked with pain, and burst into an 
  intense flame.  Her death was almost immediate as she 
  turned to a pile of ash.  Sifting through the remains, a 
  male baby half-orc with red scales, immerged.  He was 
  named Zagithi na Ahruman, and for the following 15 
  years he was trained to be the Red King’s bodyguard, 
  and possible heir.
     Currently, the Red King resides in his Red Tower, 
  where only his most trusted advisors, and personal body-
  guard, Zagithi the Confirmer, are allowed to venture.
  Current Activities
  The Red King’s distant rule is absolute, and harsh if taxes 
  and proper respect are not paid.
     Azag-Ithiel, The Newlands brought forward a non-
  aggression pact to the Red King, and after meeting 
  Prime Minister Otag Nagen, he realized that the idea of 
  having an ally that was a half-orc/half-elf being in charge 
  of a country mildly amuses him.  The ogre mage is curi-
  ous as to which blood will be the most dominant in run-
  ning the diplomatic affairs.  For now, he is content with 
  leaving the area alone, or at least leave it until last.
     The Kingdom of Iskandar is currently in the middle 
  of negotiations for a lasting peace, but the Red King 
  knows well that they won’t do so without checking out 
  his intentions.  He also knows that their spies have been 
  sneaking into his country for some time, trying to find 
  information to report on his exploits.  With roads start-
  ing to be built of basalt and the nomadic Sikoy people 
  being suppressed, and no one capable of getting into 
  his Red Tower, he feels there is little to concern of them 
  finding out his true motives.
     The Lotus Blossom Steppes is of little threat to the 
  Red King.  His spies have informed him that the nation 
  has currently breaking down and the tribes are beginning 
  to squabble again.  Over the years, the Red King has 
  learned and taken account of what Khan Gengau “Fist 
  of Fire” plundered from Irontown.  The ogre mage war-
  lord fully intends to eventually get back everything, and 
  with a large amount of interest.  It’s no fun to slaughter 
  and pillage such a pitiful nation when they are not led 
  by a leader that he feels is worthy of his time, and the 
  people are fighting amongst themselves.  If the Steppes 
  are attacked quickly enough, perhaps they might put up 
  a decent fight before they are crushed and ruled over.
     As the Red King has finally seemed to age, after several 
  hundred years, he has begun to turn his eye outward 
  from his obsessive control of the Northlands to the Dry 
  Peninsula.  With Zagithi na Ahruman now the age of 
  inheritance, the Red King looks to show him the ways 
  of ruling the Northlands, and extend their kingdom to 
  envelop all.  He wants to show Zagithi the Confirmer, 
  what it takes to rule, and how to dominate the lands 
  through physical means.
     Spiritmaster Azraag, orc shaman of the Steaming Lava 
  Clan, has been frequently visiting the Red King.  Dur-
  ing his last visit, he met with the cultist leader, Matafeyu 
  al-Sereyah.  Knowing that the Red King had been get-
  ting in years, and what he had planned once Zagithi the 
  Confirmer was of age, the orc shaman and cultist leader 
  decided to work together on giving the ogre mage some 
  gifts.  When the shaman next came, he brought with 
  him a handful of porphyrite golems that the Red King 
  could do with as he pleased.  Two were meant to be used 
  as personal guards whenever Zagithi was away training, 
  or on patrol, and the others could be used as sentries.
      Captain Yrakan the Splendid, former General of the 
  Redblade squadron of personal bodyguards to The Red 
  King, is uneasy with his position and getting usurped by 
  Zagithi the Confirmer.  He would never betray the Red 
  King, but despite knowing the half-orc is a divine gift 
  from Elemental Lords themselves, he has been part of 
  the Order of the Crimson Lance for much longer.  He 
  feels cheated that the Confirmer’s supposed birthright 
  allows him special privileges.  Yrakan does not believe 
  everyone should be giving Zagithi special treatment so 
  easily, or openly, when everyone else has had to work so 
  hard for the same things.  However, if the Red King tells 
  him to protect the boy, he will do so grudgingly, and 
  without fail.  Yrakan knows that the cultists cannot be 
  approached about this issue, but hopes to have a private 
  discussion with Spiritmaster Azraag about it, if for no 
  other reason than to confirm the half-orc’s birthright.
  Tactics
  The Red King fears no creature, and will fight if ever 
  engaged in battle.  He believes himself to be the most su-
  perior fighter, having slain his own red dragon father in 
  
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  single combat.  Even without his vast amount of wealth, 
  weapons, and armor he knows well that he’s a force to be 
  reckoned with.
     The Red King enjoys the idea of letting his opponents 
  think they have the upper hand, even when it looks like 
  they have.  He also admires anyone who has the ability 
  to enter his tower uninvited, knowing full well what they 
  are likely to encounter once they get to the top.  The Red 
  King will stand, weapon drawn but used as one would 
  use a cane to rest his claws on, and await the intruders to 
  enter his chambers.  He is always interested to see how 
  they fair against his Red Host and bodyguard, and how 
  far they get.  Anyone who manages to make it to him is 
  acknowledged with respect.
     If given a chance to parlay instead of fight, he will 
  allow others to speak first.  If it is nothing more than 
  a declaration of battle, he uses his charm monster on 
  the weakest willed person he can see, in hopes of either 
  getting information out of them, or having them turn 
  on their own friends.  Once combat begins he will try 
  to intimidate his opponents and activate his father’s eye.  
  Afterwards, he will unleash his spells and spell-like abili-
  ties, and draw out the fight as long as possible so that he 
  can savour every moment.  Given the chance, if he sees 
  anyone who looks like they might be a worthy opponent 
  in single combat he will challenge and duel them head-
  on.  If anyone is foolish enough to group themselves to-
  gether in one spot, he will unleash the Red Judgement’s 
  flame strike, breathe his dragon’s breath, or unload a 
  cone of cold.  With his monster lore, if he detects mul-
  tiple people of the same race, he’ll activate his bane.
  If the battle starts to go against his favour, and his 
  regenration doesn’t seem to be working in his favour, he 
  will turn invisible, float in the air, and activate his heal-
  ing judgement.  If his opponents can still see him, he’ll 
  unleash a darkness spell to make it harder for them to 
  get to him.  If he finds himself below 50 hp, he will turn 
  gaseous and try to find his Red Host troops, or half-orc 
  bodyguard, to aid him in battle.
     The Red King will never surrender, and will fight until 
  the end, even if it means taking his own life.  With his 
  Red King’s Judgement in hand and a fire nearby, he 
  knows he has a good chance at cheating death.
  Adventure Hooks
  Below are several ideas for including The Red King into 
  your campaign, involving the NPCs mentioned in the 
  background material presented.
  Kidnap the Heir!
  Captain Yrakan the Splendid, deposed General of the 
  Redblades, has jealously plotted against the Red King’s 
  son, and has drafted a plan that can only be carried out 
  by outlanders that will not be subject to The Red King’s 
  spies.  He will take the Confirmer for a companionable 
  ride, whereupon the PCs will capture him-alive.  With 
  the leverage of the captured Zagithi na Ahruman (should 
  they be able to accomplish this) there is no telling what 
  price could be exacted.
  Diplomatic Games
  Negotiating peaceably with The Red King is like leaping 
  The Great Chasm; it can be done under certain circum-
  stances, but it is difficult.  Do the PCs dare to take on a 
  job as emissaries of a downtrodden or threatened people 
  of the North and parley with The Crimson Terror?  
  Some research on how The Red King thinks, and what 
  gifts to bring, would go a long way in succeeding at a 
  very difficult diplomatic mission. 
  Deist Incursion
  It has not been forgotten that The Red King pays hom-
  age, in one manner or another, the Elemental Lord 
  Mal’Eket, efreeti noble tyrant of the East, Immolator of 
  Virgins.  The credons of Sanctus Templum seethe at his 
  power and impunity, and would dearly desire to lay him 
  low.  Scout for the Deist Legions, and make thorough 
  plans for a strike force of paladins to strike at the heart 
  of the Red Tower, and remove this Elementalist-favoring 
  scourge forever!
  The Red King’s Judgement
  (Legendary Weapon)
  When the Red King ruled the Northlands all races 
  suffered. This fearsome monster, inherited the brutal 
  disposition of his ogre mother and the aggressive cun-
  ning and intelligence of his red dragon father. No other 
  tribal leader of humanoids could hope to challenge him. 
  He gathered under his banner the mountain clans of 
  goblins, bugbears and giants and waged a war of annihi-
  lation against the civilized lands.
     The sword he fashioned became known as the Red 
  King’s Judgement, for no one survived an encounter 
  with the blade. Along with a suit of armor made from 
  the hide of his deceased father (some say he slew the 
  dragon simply for its scales), the Red King used this 
  sword to gather a great host and drive men from the 
  Northlands. His reign ended two centuries later when 
  
  9
  a band of stalwart adventurers infiltrated his mountain 
  home and caught the ogre-dragon unaware and without 
  his battle dress. Currently, the sword sits buried in a sub-
  terranean vault to keep it out of the hands of individuals 
  who might use it to restart the Red King’s empire.
     The Red King’s judgement glows with a crimson tinge, 
  almost as if the molten steel was mixed with blood. The 
  weapon grants the wielder power over fire. Creatures 
  born of reptiles and dragons instantly recognize the 
  weapon as once belonging to the Red King and flock to 
  the side of the current wielder.
  Requirements 
  To unlock the full potential of the Red King’s Judge-
  ment, a character must fulfill the following require-
  ments.
  Skills Intimidate 4 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 4 ranks
  Saving Throws Base Fort Save +4
  Languages Draconic
  Weapon 
  Level 
  Wielder 
  Min Lvl 
  Abilities
  1 
  —
  +1 impervious porphyrite great-
  sword
  2 
  4th 
  Insusceptibility to flame
  3 
  6th 
  Minions
  4 
  8th 
  +1 impervious flaming porphyrite 
  greatsword
  5 
  10th 
  Made for kings
  6 
  12th 
  Flame strike (3/day)
  7 
  14th 
  +2 impervious flaming burst por-
  phyrite greatsword
  8 
  16th 
  Forged in a dragon’s breath
  9 
  18th 
  Fiery discorporation
  10
  20th 
  +3 impervious flaming burst por-
  phyrite greatsword
  Insusceptibility to Flame (Ex) The wielder gains fire 
  resistance 20. At level 4 this becomes fire resistance 40, 
  and at level 6 the wielder gain fire immunity but not 
  vulnerability to cold.
  Minions (Ex) The wielder gains the Vile Leadership feat 
  and evil subtype. If the sword’s wielder already possesses 
  the Leadership feat they instead gain a +2 to their Lead-
  ership score and suffer no penalties for cruelty, aloofness, 
  causing the death of a cohort or other followers as if they 
  had Vile Leadership, and are also granted the modifiers 
  that are normally gained from the feat. If the wielder has 
  a negative Charisma modifier, it does not get subtracted 
  from his score. As well, the wielder gains the Wicked 
  Leader social trait if he does not already have it.  At level 
  6, twice as many followers (as indicated by the Leader-
  ship score) join the fray.  At level 9, gain two additional 
  followers at the highest level available.  However these 
  followers must be of the same class as the wielder.  If the 
  wielder has more than one class, they instead share the 
  favored class.
  Made for Kings (Ex) The sword feels as if it was made 
  specifically for the wielder. The weapon sizes itself to 
  match the wielder’s size proficiency and grants them the 
  Weapon Focus (greatsword) feat. If the wielder already 
  has the feat, they instead gain Greater Weapon Focus 
  (greatsword) even if the wielder does not have the nor-
  mal prerequisites.
  Flame Strike (Sp) The wielder may use flame strike three 
  times per day. The damage dealt is half fire and half 
  unholy damage.
  Forged in a Dragon’s Breath (Su) The sword has been 
  exposed to fire for such a long period of time that it has 
  become hot enough to sear even the most resistant of 
  fiery opponents. When making any attack that deals fire 
  damage, the sword’s wielder is able to ignore any fire re-
  sistance as if none existed on the target creature(s). If the 
  creature has immunity, the attack still does half damage 
  (round up) to the target.
  Fiery Discorporation (Su) The sword’s wielder gains the 
  ability to cheat death. Any damage that would reduce 
  the bearer to 0 hit points or lower instead has a chance 
  to discorporate him. As an immediate action with a 
  successful Will save (DC 5 + damage dealt) the wielder 
  breaks apart into dozens of flitting tongues of flame and 
  vanishes along with all his gear and anything he holds 
  or carries. The wielder must be within 30 ft. of an open 
  flame for this power to work.
     One day later, the sword’s wielder reappears adja-
  cent to an open flame nearest to the place where he 
  discorporated, seeming to materialize from the fire (he 
  chooses where he appears along the perimeter of that 
  open flame). While discorporated, the wielder does not 
  exist—he can do nothing, nor can any of his enemies do 
  anything to him.
  
  10
  Weapon Properties
  Flaming Upon command, a flaming weapon is sheathed 
  in fire that deals an extra 1d6 points of fire damage on 
  a successful hit. The fire does not harm the wielder. The 
  effect remains until another command is given.
     Aura moderate evocation; CL 10th; Craft Magic Arms 
  and Armor, flame blade or flame strike or fireball; Price 
  +1
  Flaming Burst A flaming burst weapon functions as 
  a flaming weapon that also explodes with flame upon 
  striking a successful critical hit. The fire does not harm 
  the wielder. In addition to the extra fire damage from 
  the flaming ability (see above), a flaming burst weapon 
  deals an extra 1d10 points of fire damage on a successful 
  critical hit. If the weapon’s critical multiplier is x3, add 
  an extra 2d10 points of fire damage instead, and if the 
  multiplier is x4, add an extra 3d10 points of fire damage.
  Even if the flaming ability is not active, the weapon still 
  deals its extra fire damage on a successful critical hit.
     Aura strong evocation; CL 12th; Craft Magic Arms 
  and Armor, fireball, flame blade, or flame strike; Price +2
  Impervious An impervious weapon is warded from 
  damage and decay. A metallic weapon cannot rust and a 
  wooden weapon cannot rot or warp, even by magical or 
  supernatural means. An impervious weapon gains double 
  the normal bonus to its hardness and hit points for each 
  point of its enhancement bonus. The break DC for an 
  impervious weapon and the wielder’s combat maneuver 
  defense against sunder maneuvers against the impervious 
  weapon each gain a bonus equal to twice the weapon’s 
  enhancement bonus.
     Aura moderate transmutation; CL 7th; Craft Magic 
  Arms and Armor, fabricate, make whole; Price +3,000 gp
  Material - Porphyrite
  Porphyrite is a luminous purple stone that first appeared 
  on Porphyra during the NewGod wars. Porphyrite is 
  used to hold the newly reformed world of Porphyra 
  together, to restrict the movement of some forces, and 
  to act as a deterrent to elementals. Porphyrite has 20 hit 
  points per inch and hardness 12.
     Weapons: Porphyrite can be used to craft any sort 
  of weapon. Crystals of porphyrite respond to force as 
  though they were metal and can be treated as such. 
  Porphyrite weapons cost three times as much to make as 
  their normal counter parts. Also, adding any magical en-
  hancements to a porphyrite weapon increases its cost by 
  500 gp the first time it is enhanced. Porphyrite weapons 
  bypass the untyped damage reduction of creatures of the 
  elemental subtype.
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SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Pathfinder/1st Edition/3rd Party/Purple Duck Games/Porphyra Campaign Setting/The Red King.pdf