TEXT: A  GAMEMASTERY
  TM   ADVENTURE PATH
  Curse of the Crimson throne
  By Michael Kortes
  A history
  of Ashes
  
  Magistrates
  Arb iters
  Aristocracy
  Monarchy
  House 
  Arkona
  House 
  Leroung
  House 
  Ornelos
  House 
  Zenderhol m
  House 
  Jeggare
  Korvosan Hierarchy
  King Eodred
  Arabasti II
  Senrschal
  Neolandus Kalepo polis
  Queen Ileosa
  Arabasti
  Order of the Nail
  Sab ina 
  Merrin
  Lictor Severs 
  Diviri
  Mistress of Blades
  Maidrayne Vox
  Paravicar
  Acill mar
  Korvosan 
  Guard
  Sable 
  Company
  Field Marshall
  Cressida  Kroft
  Commandant
  Marcus T halassinus
  Commerce: Garrick Tann
  Expenditures: Syk Gar
  Regulation: Lolia Perenne
  T ourism: Mercer Cucuteni
  Senior Arb iter
  Zenob ia Zenderhol m
  Lesser Arb iters
  
  ADVENTURE PATH      PART 4 of 6
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  A 
  History 
  of 
  Ashes
  
  TM
  “A History of Ashes” is a Pathfinder Adventure Path scenario designed for four 10th-level characters. By the end of this adventure, characters should reach 11th level. This adventure is compliant with the Open Game 
  License (OGL) and is suitable for use with the world’s most popular fantasy roleplaying game. The OGL can be found on page 92 of this product.
  Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not Open Content: All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper 
  names (characters, deities, artifacts, places, etc.), dialogue, plots, storylines, language, incidents, locations, characters, artwork, and trade dress.
  Open Content: Except for material designated as Product Identity (see above), the contents of this Paizo Publishing game product are Open Game Content, as defined in the Open Gaming License version 1.0a 
  Section 1(d). No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content may be reproduced in any form without written permission. To learn more about the Open Game License and the d20 
  System License, please visit wizards.com/d20.
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  All Rights Reserved. Printed in China.
  Credits
  Editor-in-Chief • James Jacobs
  Art Director • Sarah E. Robinson
  Managing Editor • F. Wesley Schneider
  Editors • Mike McArtor and James L. Sutter
  Editorial Assistance • Jason Bulmahn, Jeremy Walker, and Vic Wertz
  Graphic Design Assistance • Drew Pocza
  Managing Art Director • James Davis
  Production Manager • Jeff Alvarez
  Director of Sales & Marketing • Joshua J. Frost
  Publisher • Erik Mona
  Cover Artist
  Wayne Reynolds
  Cartographer
  Rob Lazzaretti
  Contributing Artists
  Andrew Hou, JZConcepts, Ben Wootten, Ilker Serdar Yildiz, Kevin Yan
  Contributing Authors
  Eric L. Boyd, Jacob Frazier, Michael Kortes, Richard Pett, J. D. Wiker
  Paizo CEO • Lisa Stevens
  Corporate Accountant • Dave Erickson
  Staff Accountant • Christopher Self
  Technical Director • Vic Wertz
  Vice President of Operations • Jeff Alvarez
  Special Thanks
  The Paizo Customer Service and Warehouse Teams
  
  Table of Contents
  Foreword	
  4
  A	History	of	Ashes	
  6
  by Michael Kortes
   
  The	Cinderlands	
  58
  by Jacob Frazier
  People	of	the	Storval	Plateau	
  66
  by Eric L. Boyd and Michael Kortes
  Pathfinder’s	Journal	
  74
  by Richard Pett
  Bestiary	
  80 
  by Michael Kortes and J. D. Wiker
  Pregenerated	Characters 
  90
  Preview	
  92	
   
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  4
  O
  f all the adventures in Curse of the Crimson Throne, 
  this one, “A History of Ashes,” is the one I was the 
  most worried about—this is the adventure where we 
  ask the PCs to abandon their home. Even though Korvosa’s 
  in bad shape by the end of the previous adventure, it’s also 
  the place where the PCs have spent their first 10 levels. 
  They’ve likely come to love parts of the city, have made 
  friends and alliances, and have favorite places to shop and 
  eat and sleep. That’s a lot to ask someone to abandon. But 
  at the same time, the hope is that by 10th level, the PCs 
  are ready for a bit of a change. They’ve been embroiled 
  in politics and fighting in alleys and coping with the 
  collapse of their hometown for so long, a trip outside of 
  the city walls might almost feel like a vacation. That’s the 
  hope, at least.
  I assigned “A History of Ashes” to Michael Kortes 
  because of the work he’d done for me in Dungeon magazine. 
  Of course, his first Dungeon adventure landed a few issues 
  before I joined the staff here at Paizo, but even then, issue 
  100’s “Beast of Burden” caught my eye. A castle built on the 
  back of a giant monster? Awesome!
  Each of Michael’s adventures since then has featured 
  similarly creative and unusual situations, be they requests 
  to rescue a corpse from a tribe of mutant troglodytes, an 
  underground cattle drive (but with giant beetles in place 
  of cows), or a war in the streets between two factions 
  of intelligent weapons. And, of course, his module J1: 
  Entombed with the Pharaohs has turned out to be one of 
  the more popular adventures in that line. I was hoping 
  for some more unusual stuff from him in “A History of 
  Ashes,” and as it turns out, he delivered. In this volume’s 
  adventure, you can look forward to barbarian games of 
  strength, the Trial of the Totems, a “get swallowed by the 
  giant worm on purpose” quest, and more! But that’s not 
  all. Michael also had an additional task of juggling a huge 
  number of factions as well. Three Shoanti tribes, the Red 
  Mantis, and the Brotherhood of Bones would have been 
  enough to paralyze most writers, I suspect, but Michael 
  Run 
  for the Hills
  
  Foreword
  5
  didn’t even flinch. Even better, he added in some more as 
  well—the Cinderlander is all Kortes, and once I’d read his 
  write-up, I sort of wish we’d had time to foreshadow him in 
  previous adventures. He’s a really interesting character—
  on one hand, he’s a bad guy, but on the other, he’s not so 
  different from the PCs themselves. 
  The ShoanTi Source
  Back when we were launching Pathfinder, we knew that, 
  eventually, we wanted to have an adventure in which the PCs 
  interact with various barbarian tribes. Unfortunately, there 
  wasn’t really an opportunity during Rise of the Runelords 
  to get that adventure in print. Yet we didn’t want Varisia’s 
  barbarians to be so minor an element in the region that they 
  were ignored until we finally got around to that adventure. 
  As a result, we made sure to introduce the Shoanti right 
  at the start, both in Pathfinder #1 (Sandpoint’s sheriff is an 
  ex-Shoanti tribe member, after all) and in the Rise of the 
  Runelords Player’s Guide. We put in enough information so 
  readers would know that the Shoanti were out there, but 
  that was about all we had room for.
  And as it turned out, people noticed. We had a small 
  flood of messageboard posts and emails requesting more 
  information about the Shoanti. We knew that, eventually, 
  this volume you’re holding in your hands right now would 
  be around, and we’d have a big article about them and an 
  adventure featuring them, but for a few months we didn’t 
  quite know when that issue would get around to seeing the 
  light of day. Fortunately, I already knew a fair amount about 
  the Shoanti. I made them up back in college when I was 
  running a campaign set in the frozen lands of the north. 
  The players were all members of various Shoanti tribes who 
  had to learn to settle their differences and work together 
  to fight against a violent attempt by a civilized nation to 
  colonize their tribal lands. With all this knowledge, I was 
  able to answer some of those questions here and there, but 
  it never seemed like it was enough.
  So, for all of the Shoanti fans out there who’ve been 
  waiting so long for more information, thank you for being 
  patient! Between this volume’s adventure and the article 
  on page 64 about the Shoanti themselves (brought to you 
  by Eric Boyd and Michael Kortes), you should finally have 
  enough information about these exciting nomads.
  Double DigiTS!
  Which brings me to my third topic. Check out the spine 
  of this volume of Pathfinder. Up near the top. That’s right! 
  We’ve hit volume #10! Double digits! I was a tiny bit worried 
  that we weren’t going to have the room to keep running 
  the numbers vertically on the spine, but our awesome art 
  director Sarah Robinson apparently wasn’t.
  So, as is the case whenever you have a numerically 
  significant anniversary, now’s a good time to glance into 
  the future to talk a bit about where Pathfinder’s heading. For 
  the most part, that’s going to remain six-part Adventure 
  Paths. We’re starting our third one in only two months, 
  with Second Darkness, an adventure path that reveals the 
  role of the drow in Golarion and presents the first official 
  “save the world” campaign for Pathfinder.
  Starting with Second Darkness, you’ll also see a few 
  changes to the contents of Pathfinder, though. For one, 
  the adventures themselves are going to be about 10 pages 
  shorter. In working on Runelords and Crimson Throne, 
  we’ve discovered that there’s probably too much going on 
  in each adventure, and that the sheer size of each adventure 
  was making it tough for us to do what we wanted to do 
  with the support articles to aid GMs in the event that their 
  players go off the adventure’s rails.
  The total amount of adventure excitement you’ll get in 
  Pathfinder won’t really be changing all that much, because 
  those 10 pages we’re saving in the primary adventure 
  are going to get rolled right into a secondary one—we’re 
  calling these Set Piece Adventures right now, though that 
  name’s still subject to change. These short adventures 
  present a single location that’s tied thematically to that 
  volume’s main adventure, yet isn’t tied directly into the 
  plot. You can use a Set Piece as a one-shot game, as part 
  of a campaign of your own design, or as an expansion to 
  the current Adventure Path. If we were doing Set Pieces 
  in this volume, for example, I suspect that we’d probably 
  take the encounters in the Temple of the Moon out of the 
  adventure, then present them as a Set Piece featuring a 
  “wilderness temple beset by a monster” short adventure. 
  One that you could, of course, insert into “A History of 
  Ashes” and run as it’s presented here, or that you could 
  simply run on its own. Even more exciting—the inclusion 
  of Set Piece adventures gives us a great place to try out new 
  adventure writers, and gives aspiring freelancers a new 
  place to see their work in print!
  In the meantime, I wonder if it’s too early to start 
  worrying about how we’re going to fit a triple-digit 
  number on the spine?
  James Jacobs
  Editor-in-Chief
  james.jacobs@paizo.com
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  6
  A 
  History of Ashes
  S
  everal hundred years ago, a brutal warlord of Zon-Kuthon named Kazavon 
  conquered much of the Hold of Belkzen. His violent expansion and assaults 
  against the neighboring countries of Ustalav and Lastwall quickly became far 
  more deadly and horrific than petty skirmishes against orcs. From his castle, 
  Scarwall, Kazavon threatened to engulf all who dared rise against him. His 
  tactical brilliance, combined with his savage armies of orcs and barbarians, 
  continuously broke every army Lastwall and Ustalav could throw against him. 
  With none able to withstand his power, it seemed as if his reign of murder and 
  blood would last forever.
  CURSE OF THE CRIMSON THRONE : CHAPTER FOUR
  
  A History oF Ashes
  7
  Adventure BAckground
  Kazavon’s defeat was not on the field of battle, but in his own 
  throne room. It was there that a secret cabal of heroes and 
  mercenaries managed to do what armies could not. Using 
  power and stealth and led by a hero of Lastwall named 
  Mandraivus, they infiltrated Scarwall. The atrocities they 
  found there tested them to their limits, and when they 
  reached Kazavon’s throne room, a terrific battle took place. 
  It was during this battle that they stripped away Kazavon’s 
  human disguise, revealing the champion of Zon-Kuthon to 
  be a blue dragon. In the end, Mandraivus managed to lay 
  Kazavon low with his legendary weapon, a magic bastard 
  sword named Serithtial. Yet even in death, Kazavon’s body 
  shuddered and grasped. Fire and acid destroyed much of 
  the dragon’s corpse, yet seven fragments proved impossible 
  to destroy. These grisly relics were so suffused with evil 
  and malignancy they refused to burn or melt—even as the 
  heroes watched, the bones twitched and writhed as they 
  tried to return to life.
  Mandraivus ordered his surviving brothers and sisters 
  to each take one of these seven relics out into the world 
  and go into hiding. None would know where the other 
  members went, least of all their leader, who would remain 
  in Scarwall with Serithtial to guard against it ever being 
  used by Kazavon or his minions again.
  One of the heroes Mandravius called to join his cabal 
  was a powerful Shoanti cleric. When the surviving 
  members of the band each took a relic, this Shoanti 
  cleric chose the Fangs of Kazavon as his responsibility. 
  He returned to his homeland in Varisia, opting to hide 
  the fangs in an ancient Thassilonian monument on the 
  shore of his people’s ancestral lands. He spent the rest of 
  his life guarding the monument, seeking to ensure that 
  nothing dared enter the hidden chambers within, and 
  before he died, he passed the task down to his son. And 
  so, for hundreds of years, the descendants of this now-
  forgotten Shoanti priest guarded and protected the Fangs 
  of Kazavon from discovery. Eventually, they forgot what 
  exactly it was they were guarding, knowing only that they 
  were bound by tradition and honor to continue the task.
  When Cheliax founded Korvosa and warred with the 
  Shoanti, driving them north into the Cinderlands, many of 
  the guardians of the Fangs of Kazavon perished. Few Shoanti 
  shamans survived the decades of war, and they watched 
  with fear from afar as the invaders built a castle atop the 
  hidden chambers. Yet as the years wore on, the world didn’t 
  end, and the Shoanti began to hope that the time of the evil 
  hidden inside the pyramid had passed. Recently, Shoanti 
  ambassadors have attempted to entreat Korvosa for peace, 
  but these reconciliations are little more than an excuse to 
  get the line of guardian shamans a place back near the seat 
  of their traditional charge, so they can watch and wait and 
  be on hand should the unthinkable occur.
  When it did, the change was so small that it went all but 
  unnoticed, overshadowed as it was by riots and disease. 
  Queen Ileosa’s discovery of the Fangs of Kazavon and 
  the ancient warlord’s spirit infused her with incredible 
  power. The scenario the ancient shamans feared has 
  come to pass, yet none remain nearby to move against 
  it. Their words are ignored and their warnings fall on 
  deaf ears. Now, sensing weakness in the city as it reels 
  from riots and plague and staggers under the despotic 
  rule of a new tyrant, the Shoanti are preparing for war. 
  By driving out the invaders, they hope to return to their 
  traditional role of guardians over the ancient evil—yet 
  little do they know that the time for guarding has long 
  passed. If they are allowed to march on Korvosa, the 
  resulting slaughter on both sides of the conflict will 
  surely be a crowning glory for Queen Ileosa and her 
  newfound patron Kazavon.
  Adventure Synopsis
  The PCs flee the city of Korvosa to seek shelter in the village 
  of Harse, where they learn that Queen Ileosa has fallen 
  under the influence of an ancient evil known as Kazavon. Yet 
  few remember much about Kazavon—and unfortunately, 
  the only ones who might know how to defeat the evil are the 
  Sun Shamans of the Sklar-Quah. Unfortunately, because 
  the Sklar-Quah are readying for war on Korvosa, getting 
  them to share this information won’t be easy.
  The PCs must travel into the Cinderlands and seek out 
  the Skoan-Quah shaman Thousand Bones—a man they 
  first met during “Edge of Anarchy.” With his advice, the 
  PCs undertake a series of trials and tasks of increasing 
  difficulty, culminating in the Trial of the Totems which, 
  if they prevail, will grant them membership in the Sklar-
  Quah Shoanti tribe. Along the way, the PCs encounter 
  several people who can help or hinder their goals, from 
  suspicious local barbarians to sinister cultists of Zon-
  Kuthon to a band of assassins sent into the Cinderlands 
  by the queen herself to see that the PCs’ meddling ways 
  are put to an end once and for all. The adventure comes to 
  its climax during an all-out assault on the Shoanti of the 
  Flameford camp by these assassins—an assault with the 
  PCs caught in the middle.
  PArt one: the roAd north
  As this adventure begins, the assumption is that the 
  PCs are accompanying Vencarlo Orisini and Neolandus 
  Kalepopolis as they flee from the city of Korvosa, bound 
  for the town of Harse and Orisini’s allies there. Neolandus 
  might have mentioned that he suspects some of the Shoanti 
  know more about what has happened to Queen Ileosa and 
  how to deal with the Crown of Fangs, but as he and the PCs 
  head north to safety, he prefers to stay quiet, promising 
  more information once they’re safe.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  8
  If the PCs chose instead to send Vencarlo and Neolandus 
  up to Harse alone while they remain in Korvosa, let them. 
  They should find the city to be increasingly hostile to 
  them, though, and what allies they do have who remain in 
  the city (Grau, Cressida, or Ishani, for example) take every 
  opportunity they can to try to convince the PCs to leave 
  town before Queen Ileosa grows tired of toying with them. 
  Assassination attempts by Red Mantis agents and increasing 
  raids on their known hideouts and safe houses by patrols of 
  Gray Maidens should hopefully encourage the PCs to leave 
  town and seek answers elsewhere. If your PCs resort to spells 
  like divination or commune to learn more about how they can 
  defeat Queen Ileosa, try to use the answers you provide 
  to steer the PCs toward Harse and the Cinderlands to get 
  them back on track. Sticking around Korvosa and becoming 
  resistance fighters against an invincible evil queen and her 
  steadily growing army certainly has the makings for an 
  exciting campaign, but it’s not the campaign that Curse 
  of the Crimson Throne is presenting. If you’d like to try 
  your hand at such an adventure, the Guide to Korvosa and 
  a hefty dose of imagination should be all you need to start. 
  Eventually, Curse of the Crimson Throne returns to Korvosa 
  in Pathfinder #12’s “Crown of Fangs”—this adventure gives 
  additional details on how Korvosa changes over the course 
  of the next few months, and includes full stat blocks for 
  Queen Ileosa and all of her minions.
  Harse
  Harse is a narrow village located on a strip of land at the 
  point where Sarwin River empties into Falcon River. 
  The village itself consists of only a few dozen buildings, 
  including a church dedicated to Erastil, two groceries, two 
  taverns (the Spotted Pony and the somewhat dingier Nag 
  Bag), a large inn, and a bustling ferry service—this has been 
  a traditional river-crossing site since as far back as Shoanti 
  times. The northeastern edge of Harse features a large 
  collection of stables and other buildings around an open 
  field—the Harse Market, one of the most popular places to 
  buy and trade livestock in the region, and the site of a yearly 
  rodeo designed to single out the best animals and riders. 
  The majority of Harse’s citizens don’t live in the village 
  proper, but on one of the dozens of ranches and farms that 
  dot the surrounding countryside. It is one of these, the 
  Blackbird Ranch, that is owned by Vencarlo’s friends, and it 
  is here that he leads Neolandus and the PCs. 
  There isn’t much for the PCs in the village itself; 
  Harse’s gp limit is too low to support most magic items, 
  and the villagers themselves have little to offer high-level 
  characters apart from rumors. Times aren’t quite bad in 
  Harse, but neither are they great—the village, as with all of 
  the Korvosan holdings in the region, rely upon trade from 
  the city as well as regular support of patrols and the like 
  from the Korvosan Guard and the Sable Company. With 
  the city falling on such hard times, few merchants are 
  coming to and from the city, and patrols have all but ceased. 
  Highwaymen, bandits, and even goblins have become 
  increasingly problematic on the roads. Whispers of what’s 
  going on in Korvosa are on everyone’s lips, especially since 
  the number of refugees who have fled the city seems to be 
  growing. Word is that the majority of these refugees are 
  traveling to Palin’s Cove or Veldraine, and that recently 
  (with Queen Ileosa’s closing of the city and institution 
  of martial law) the flow of refugees, and thus news, from 
  Korvosa has all but ceased. If locals become aware of the 
  fact that the PCs are recently fled from Korvosa, word 
  spreads quickly and the PCs find themselves the center of 
  attention. While this might appeal to egos, word gets back 
  to Korvosa relatively quickly, and if the PCs don’t move 
  on soon, feel free to have a group of Red Mantis assassins 
  show up in town looking for them.
  Harse
  Village conventional (mayor); AL NG
  GP Limit 200 gp; Assets 8,280 gp
  DemoGrAPHics
  Population 828
  Type mixed (81% human, 10% halfling, 4% dwarf, 3% half-elf, 
  1% gnome, 1% other)
  Blackbird Ranch
  A short 15-minute ride north from Harse along the Sarwin 
  River, a moderately-sized horse ranch sits comfortably in 
  the cleft of two low hills topped with small copses of fir 
  trees. This is Blackbird Ranch, a horse ranch currently 
  owned by a barrel-chested man named Jasan Adriel. Living 
  here with his wife, three sons, and two daughters, Jasan 
  is one of the two surviving members of an adventuring 
  party that made a small fortune exploring the Storval 
  Rise and the Mindspin Mountains. That adventuring 
  party was known as the Blackbirds, and the only other 
  surviving member is Vencarlo Orisini.
  The Blackbirds broke up more than 2 decades ago over an 
  unfortunate conflict involving the rights to treasure looted 
  from a dwarven tomb—Jasan and Vencarlo wanted to return 
  the weapons recovered from the haunted tomb to Janderhoff, 
  but the others in the group wanted to sell the weapons in 
  Korvosa. The argument came to blows, and in the end Jasan 
  and Vencarlo opted to retire from the adventuring business 
  entirely. The remaining Blackbirds vanished without a 
  trace in the dungeons below Kaer Maga not one season later, 
  and both Jasan and Vencarlo counted themselves lucky at 
  the time to have gotten out when they did.
  Although both men took wildly separate paths in life, 
  they remained good friends, periodically exchanging 
  correspondence using a code they’d developed in their 
  adventuring days, more out of novelty at first than any real 
  
  A History oF Ashes
  9
  desire to obscure their connection. But as the two men’s 
  letters grew increasingly political and critical of Korvosa’s 
  government, they grew more clandestine and conscious of 
  keeping their code. The system finally paid off recently, for 
  there are no obvious written records of Vencarlo and Jasan’s 
  friendship—no links agents of the queen could use to track 
  down Jasan and use him against Vencarlo. So when Orisini 
  needed a safe place for Trinia to hide, he wrote Jasan a brief 
  coded letter and got an even briefer reply: “Yes.”
  When the PCs arrive at Blackbird Ranch with Neolandus 
  and Vencarlo, Jasan greets them as if they were long-lost 
  family members. Although the meeting is good-natured, 
  and Jasan’s booming voice and ready grin are infectious, it 
  should be apparent to the PCs that Vencarlo and Neolandus 
  remain nervous. Trinia Sabor is here as well, eager to 
  reunite with Vencarlo and the PCs (see below), and Jasan 
  invites everyone to join his family for dinner.
  After the pleasant and filling dinner, Jasan leads the 
  PCs, Neolandus, Vencarlo, and possibly Trinia down into 
  his basement, a place he uses to brew his own beer. His 
  home-grown hooch is a bit rough, but the true reason he 
  relocates down here is so he and the others can talk frankly 
  without worrying his family. When Vencarlo introduces 
  Neolandus by name, Jasan’s eyes widen and he whistles 
  in admiration at the audacity of his home becoming the 
  hideout of Korvosa’s seneschal.
  Blackbird Ranch is a large place, but not large enough to 
  comfortably accommodate an entire party of adventurers 
  for long. Worse is the unspoken worry on Vencarlo’s and 
  Neolandus’s minds—that they are known fugitives, and 
  that Queen Ileosa will spare little expense in tracking 
  them down. Her Red Mantis agents were close to 
  discovering Neolandus in Old Korvosa, and it shouldn’t 
  take them long to sift through the recent events there and 
  to piece together what happened. If the PCs recovered 
  his Blackjack gear, Vencarlo requests the amulet of proof 
  against detection and location, intending to have Neolandus 
  wear it to help hide him, but even then it is only a matter 
  of time before the Red Mantis tracks them all down if 
  they stay in one spot for too long.
  Jasan takes the news pretty well, and is the first to suggest 
  that it’s about time for a move. By next morning, he has 
  his worried but trusting family packing up all of their 
  belongings for a move west to Magnimar, while Vencarlo 
  and Neolandus decide to seek asylum at the dwarven 
  city of Janderhoff. Before then, though, there is much to 
  discuss. During the late-night meeting in Jasan’s basement, 
  Neolandus outlines everything he knows (see The Kazavon 
  Situation section) to the PCs, Vencarlo, and Jasan. If Queen 
  Ileosa is to be defeated, someone has to travel into the 
  Cinderlands and contact the Shoanti to find out what they 
  know of the Fangs of Kazavon, and how best to defeat the 
  ancient evil. If the PCs don’t suggest it themselves, Vencarlo 
  points out that keeping Neolandus safe is important, but 
  that that’s hardly even a one-man job. He volunteers to stay 
  with the seneschal to help Jasan keep things under wraps 
  until the time to strike at Ileosa is nigh, then bluntly (but 
  with a twinkle in his eye) asks the PCs if they’re ready to 
  leave for the Cinderlands in the morning.
  Trinia Sabor
  One other person waits to be reunited with Vencarlo and 
  the PCs at Blackbird Ranch—Trinia Sabor. The PCs last 
  saw her when they escorted her out of Korvosa to escape 
  the possibility of a second capture and execution, and 
  while she enjoyed her time in the country, she’s very much 
  an adventurer and city girl at heart. Trinia has grown 
  consumed with wanderlust ever since coming to Blackbird 
  Ranch, and for several weeks she even took up adventuring 
  with a band of Varisians and halflings exploring several 
  Shoanti cairns. After a close call in a cairn infested with 
  ettercaps she left the group. That was several days ago, and 
  her wanderlust has already started to build up again. When 
  the PCs arrive, Trinia is ready to leave Blackbird Ranch to 
  seek adventure anew.
  Trinia Sabor’s statistics are presented below for you to 
  make use as you see fit. If during the first few adventures she 
  struck up a friendship with a PC, she might simply announce 
  that she’s going to come with them into the Cinderlands. 
  Even if the PCs rebuff her, she might still follow along in 
  secret, revealing herself to them, perhaps, to come to their 
  aid against an unexpectedly tough encounter. Alternatively, 
  if a PC has recently taken the Leadership feat, Trinia could 
  make an excellent cohort. Finally, Trinia’s interest in the 
  Shoanti has bloomed after her experiences exploring their 
  cairns, and she’s recently picked up the language. If the 
  PCs need someone to come along with them as a translator, 
  Trinia fits that role perfectly.
  Trinia sabor 
  cr 7
  Female human bard 7
  CG Medium humanoid
  init +2; senses Listen –1, Spot –1
  DeFeNse
  Ac 18, touch 13, flat-footed 16
  (+5 armor, +1 deflection, +2 Dex)
  hp 34 (7 HD; 7d6+7)
  Fort +3, ref +7, Will +4
  oFFeNse
  spd 30 ft.
  melee mwk rapier +8 (1d6/18–20)
  ranged +1 shortbow +8 (1d6+1/×3)
  special Attacks bardic music 7/day (countersong, fascinate, 
  inspire competence, inspire courage +1, suggestion)
  spells Known (CL 7th)
  3rd (1/day)—confusion (DC 17), haste
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  10
  2nd (3/day)— cure moderate wounds, invisibility, minor image 
  (DC 15), suggestion (DC 16)
  1st (4/day)—charm person (DC 15), cure light wounds, feather 
  fall, hideous laughter (DC 15)
  0 (3/day)—daze (DC 14), light, mage hand, mending, message, 
  prestidigitation
  TAcTics
  During combat Trinia activates her inspire courage 
  bardic music ability on the first round of 
  combat, then spends the next 4 rounds 
  casting spells (confusion if she can catch a 
  lot of enemies at once, haste otherwise, 
  followed by glitterdust, hideous laughter, 
  and suggestion) and reactivating her 
  inspire courage every few rounds if the 
  combat lasts that long.
  morale Trinia attempts to flee combat 
  if brought below 10 hit points, unless a 
  good friend or ally is still in danger, in which 
  case she’ll do everything in her power to try to 
  save him before she runs.
  sTATisTics
  str 10, Dex 14, con 13, int 12, Wis 8, cha 16
  Base Atk +5; Grp +5
  Feats Acrobatic, Shingle Runner, Spell Focus 
  (enchantment), Weapon Finesse
  skills Balance +11, Bluff +13, Climb +12, Craft 
  (painting) +11, Jump +16, Knowledge (local) +11, 
  Perform (comedy) +13, Tumble +16
  Languages Common, Elven, Shoanti
  sQ bardic knowledge +8
  combat Gear wand of glitterdust (33 charges); other Gear 
  +1 mithral shirt, masterwork rapier, +1 shortbow with 20 
  arrows, ring of protection +1, two bronze bracelets worth 50 
  gp each, copper necklace worth 100 gp
  sPeciAL ABiLiTies
  shingle runner This feat (from the Curse of the Crimson Throne 
  Player’s Guide) grants Trinia a +2 bonus on Climb and Jump 
  checks and allows her to take 10 on Climb checks even 
  when she’s distracted. If she falls, she reduces the total 
  damage taken from the fall by 1d6.
  The Kazavon Situation
  What Neolandus knows about Kazavon is summarized 
  here—you can have the seneschal simply list the facts 
  for the PCs, or you can use the following as talking 
  points and answers in reply to questions the PCs might 
  have for him.
  •	 When	 Neolandus	 confronted	 Queen	 Ileosa	 about	
  King Eodred II’s death, her response was to send Red 
  Mantis assassins after him—proof enough of guilt 
  to Neolandus. Through a combination of luck and 
  knowledge about the castle’s layout, Neolandus barely 
  managed to escape with his life and went into hiding 
  with his friend Salvator Scream in Old Korvosa.
  •	 After	he	recovered	from	the	attack	but	before	Salvator	
  handed him over to the Arkonas, Neolandus spent much 
  of his time in Old Korvosa researching the situation 
  by interviewing key people, poring through records in 
  Endrin Academy, and piecing together information 
  and rumors he heard to try to determine what 
  caused Queen Ileosa’s sudden personality 
  change from a petulant spoiled queen to a 
  scheming murderous tyrant.
  •			Neolandus’s	suspicions	grew,	but	until	
  Queen Ileosa’s first public appearance 
  after the plague, he tempered his 
  suspicions with hope. He knew that 
  Queen Ileosa had been “borrowing” the 
  treasury key to look through Korvosa’s 
  holdings. Neolandus was also familiar 
  with several old and obscure legends 
  about the chambers below Castle Korvosa—
  chambers, it was whispered, that were old even 
  when the Shoanti dwelt here, and that used to 
  hide something of great power or evil. There 
  was little more information to go on, but he 
  did uncover mention in some documents 
  from Korvosa’s earliest days of something 
  called Midnight’s Teeth, and that these teeth 
  were believed to be some sort of sacred relic 
  of great import to the Shoanti. Circumstantial 
  evidence indicates that the Shoanti kept these 
  teeth in the chambers inside the pyramid that now 
  serves as Castle Korvosa’s foundation.
  •	 Neolandus’s	further	research	uncovered	an	old	legend	
  that chilled his soul. Several hundred years ago, a 
  powerful blue dragon and agent of Zon-Kuthon named 
  Kazavon brought the orcs of Belkzen to their knees and 
  began conquering the neighboring nations of Ustalav 
  and Lastwall, until he was finally defeated and his 
  remains scattered. Some of these remains, according to 
  certain Zon-Kuthonic scriptures, contained fragments 
  of Kazavon’s essence. One of these relics was the Fangs 
  of Kazavon.
  •	 By	piecing	together	his	evidence,	Neolandus	suspects	
  that Midnight’s Teeth were none other than the Fangs 
  of Kazavon. The description of the queen’s new crown 
  sounds to Neolandus as if she now wears the Fangs 
  of Kazavon on her brow, the implications of which 
  troubles him greatly.
  •	 Neolandus	wasn’t	able	to	gather	much	more	information	
  before the Arkonas took him, but he doesn’t suspect 
  there was much more to learn. Hard facts about 
  Midnight’s Teeth were sparse to begin with—Korvosa’s 
  founders didn’t think it important to preserve much in 
  Trinia Sabor
  
  A History oF Ashes
  11
  the way of Shoanti culture. Yet there is still some hope. 
  The Shoanti have very strong oral traditions, and if 
  anyone knows the truth behind Midnight’s Teeth, that 
  truth is doubtless hidden among their historians up in 
  the Cinderlands.
  Armed with this information, the next step should 
  be clear. The PCs must travel to the Cinderlands and 
  establish a rapport with the Shoanti to discover what they 
  know about Korvosa’s earliest days and what they kept so 
  hidden deep inside the pyramid. Unfortunately, rumors 
  that the Shoanti are preparing to launch an attack on 
  Korvosa and her holdings seem to be true—emboldened 
  by the news that Korvosa is buckling under the effects of 
  riots and plagues, word from the Storval Rise is that the 
  largest Shoanti tribe, the Sklar-Quah, is preparing for war. 
  Neolandus has a bit of advice here on where to start—the 
  Skoan-Quah, the Tribe of the Skull.
  Of all the Shoanti tribes, it has been the Skoan-Quah 
  who have been most open to talk of peace between Korvosa 
  and the tribes. Until recently, a large number of Skoan-
  Quah ambassadors dwelt near Korvosa, and peace talks 
  between the two factions were slowly but surely heading 
  in the right direction. Neolandus recalls one old shaman 
  in particular as being level-headed and friendly, a man 
  named Thousand Bones. One of the last things Neolandus 
  tried before the Arkonas got hold of him was to arrange a 
  meeting with the old shaman, but unfortunately, shortly 
  after an event involving one of the Shoanti braves during 
  the riots, the Shoanti abandoned Korvosa. Thousand 
  Bones and his people have returned to a place east of Kaer 
  Maga in the Cinderlands known as the Kallow Mounds, 
  and their reports on the tumult and chaos in Korvosa 
  very likely fueled the neighboring tribe’s sudden need to 
  strike while the enemy was wounded.
  Yet Neolandus doubts that Thousand Bones has 
  abandoned hopes for peace. The PCs encountered Thousand 
  Bones themselves near the end of “Edge of Anarchy,” and 
  assuming they returned Gaekhen’s body to the Shoanti, 
  their memories of how the old shaman remained calm 
  and composed even in the face of such atrocities against 
  one of his own should support Neolandus’s belief. 
  Neolandus knows that Thousand Bones’s tribe dwells in 
  the southeastern portion of the Cinderlands; he believes 
  the best course of action now is for someone to travel to 
  this tribe, find Thousand Bones, and learn from him any 
  information about what Midnight’s Teeth actually were. 
  And if they do know more—perhaps they know how to 
  fight against an evil that apparently grants Queen Ileosa 
  the ability to survive a mortal wound.
  If the PCs seek to verify Neolandus’s theories, either by 
  magic or by traveling to other locations to do research on 
  Korvosa’s history on their own (Palin’s Cove is the best 
  place to go for this, as a DC 15 Knowledge [history] check 
  can verify), or by making their own DC 25 Knowledge 
  (history) check to confirm that his research is accurate, let 
  them. This adventure’s not on a timer—the Sklar-Quah 
  and Queen Ileosa need plenty of time to prepare for their 
  next steps, after all. Use the results of the PCs’ research and 
  spellcasting to both encourage them to seek out Shoanti 
  advice and to discourage them from returning to Korvosa 
  to tackle the queen immediately. If your players seem hell-
  bent on returning to Korvosa nonetheless, Pathfinder #12’s 
  “Crown of Fangs” presents the information you’ll need to 
  run such an ill-advised gambit.
  The Fourth Harrowing
  In “Edge of Anarchy,” the PCs gained a powerful 
  magic item—Zellara’s Harrow Deck. As indicated in that 
  adventure, this Harrow deck plays a recurring role 
  throughout Curse of the Crimson Throne. “A History of 
  Ashes” is tied to the suit of Hammers in a Harrow deck—
  and by extension, to Strength.
  Zellara’s spirit haunts her Harrow deck, and at several 
  points during this Adventure Path, she can perform a 
  special Harrow reading to grant her chosen heroes, the 
  PCs, advantages over what is to come in the adventure. 
  Soon after the PCs finish speaking with Neolandus, 
  Vencarlo, and the rest, about when they decide they must 
  travel to the Cinderlands to seek out Thousand Bones, 
  Zellara uses her empathic link to instill an urge to 
  perform a Harrow reading in the mind of the PC who 
  carries her deck. If that PC doesn’t comply soon by using 
  her cards to perform a reading, Zellara takes matters into 
  her own hands once she sees the PCs are alone by creating 
  a major image of herself who then performs the reading.
  You can use the results of this Harrowing to further 
  encourage the PCs to travel to the Cinderlands to seek out 
  advice from the Shoanti. Cards that come up representing 
  the past should symbolize the early days of Korvosa’s 
  founding and the fact the Shoanti dwelt there before the 
  place was colonized by the Chelaxians. Cards representing 
  the present should be metaphors for the PCs now being 
  fugitives, perhaps enforcing their now homeless state and 
  that they have been turned into nomads; you can even draw 
  parallels between the PCs’ forced flight from Korvosa 
  and the Shoanti’s expulsion centuries ago, and that by 
  following in the footsteps of those Shoanti and heading 
  up to the Cinderlands, the route to resolution should be 
  clear. Cards representing the future should paint Korvosa 
  as a dangerous place, one that isn’t safe for the PCs for 
  some time to come, but imply that when they are ready, 
  they will return to liberate it. You can also foreshadow 
  certain events in this adventure, especially the encounter 
  with Cindermaw, the emberstorm, the Moon Temple, or 
  their trials on Bolt Rock. Use these cards to imply to the 
  PCs that strength will be important in their immediate 
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  12
  future, but that they are not yet strong enough to face 
  Queen Ileosa herself. Finally, you can use these readings 
  to not only foreshadow the coming conflict with the Red 
  Mantis (implying that the PCs are being hunted or chased 
  by murderous insects, for example), but to hint to them 
  that other forces they will encounter in the Cinderlands 
  who might at first seem enemies could be powerful allies 
  (foreshadowing the Brotherhood of Bones).
  Three cards in particular should have increased 
  importance in this reading, as detailed below.
  The Mountain Man: This card represents the Shoanti; 
  play it up if it appears in your reading. If the card is in 
  a favorable position, it indicates that the Shoanti are 
  powerful allies who can help the PCs. If the card is in 
  an unfavorable position, it should warn the PCs that 
  while the Shoanti can be allies, they must be treated with 
  respect and that they are perilously close to war.
  The Uprising: If this card appears as part of the future, 
  suggest that the PCs have a role to play in a future uprising, 
  and that its appearance in this part of the reading implies 
  that now is not the time for direct action against the queen. 
  If it appears in the past or present, downplay its presence, 
  explaining it as simply representing the unquiet times the 
  PCs find themselves in and move on to the next card.
  The Big Sky: This card represents the Cinderlands. 
  In the past, it symbolizes how the Shoanti fled here and 
  found a new life. In the present, it symbolizes the PCs 
  having emerged from the city and their journey into the 
  wilds. In the future, it predicts that the PCs will find 
  salvation in open lands—the Cinderlands.
  Into the Cinderlands
  When it comes time for the PCs to leave, Vencarlo and 
  Neolandus (and Trinia, if the PCs have made it clear that 
  she shouldn’t accompany them) see them off, wishing 
  them luck and praying for their safety. Jasan can provide 
  them with a few weeks’ worth of trail rations and enough 
  light warhorses for them all (including a few pack horses 
  if they need them) if they wish to ride. The actual journey 
  north to the Cinderlands should pass relatively quickly. 
  Pathfinder #3’s gazetteer of Varisia presents information 
  on the villages the PCs might pass through on their 
  journey, as well as a wandering monster chart, but overall, 
  little should occur until the PCs reach the Storval Rise.
  The easiest way to navigate the towering cliffs that 
  separate Varisia from the Cinderlands is to pass through 
  the anarchic city of Kaer Maga. Additional details on 
  this unusual city of merchants and thieves can be found 
  in Pathfinder #3 or D2: Seven Swords of Sin. Kaer Maga is 
  perched on the edge of the Storval Rise, and the majority 
  of the traffic across the cliffs winds through it. There’s 
  no official toll for passing through the city, but the 
  sheer number of beggars and cutpurses the PCs brush 
  Harrow PoinT USeS
  In “A History of Ashes,” the PCs are faced with numerous 
  situations where might and muscle determine destiny. 
  Impressing savage barbarians, wrestling with enormous 
  monsters, and lifting impossibly heavy objects can 
  make all the difference. 
  Players receive a number of Harrow Points to spend 
  during “A History of Ashes.” Rules for determining this 
  number as part of a Harrow reading appear in Pathfinder 
  #7’s “Edge of Anarchy.” If you don’t have this book, you 
  can determine how many Harrow Points each PC has 
  to spend during “A History of Ashes” by simply rolling 
  1d10. During this adventure, a character can spend his 
  Harrow Points in the following ways.
  strength rerolls: Spend a Harrow Point to reroll 
  any one Strength-based skill check. You must abide 
  by the new result (although if you have additional 
  Harrow Points remaining, you can use them to attempt 
  additional rerolls).
  mighty Thews: Spend a Harrow Point to be treated 
  as a creature one size category larger than your normal 
  category for the purposes of making grapple checks, 
  lifting heavy objects, or determining if a hungry 
  monster can swallow you whole; this adjustment lasts 
  for one encounter (but no more than 10 minutes at the 
  very most). 
  Brutal strike: Spend a Harrow Point to gain a +5 
  bonus on all melee or natural weapons for the duration 
  of one combat. Alternatively, brutal strike allows you to 
  ignore an object’s hardness for 1 round.
  The Chosen
  In addition, the card a PC draws during the choosing has 
  special qualities during this adventure. Each of these cards 
  is tied to a specific encounter in “A History Of Ashes,” and 
  when a PC who drew that card reaches that encounter, he 
  gains a +2 bonus on all rolls modified by Strength and 
  an additional +4 bonus on Grapple checks and Strength 
  checks made to break objects. These bonuses last for the 
  encounter’s duration.
  The Paladin: All conflicts with thr Shoanti Krojun-Eats-
  What-He-Kills
  The Forge: Battle against the Cinderlander
  The Fiend: Battle against Cinnabar
  The Keep: Battles that occur in the House of the Moon
  The Bear: Battle against Cindermaw
  The Beating: All sredna matches
  The Big sky: The Trial of the Totems (including battle 
  against the bulettes)
  The Uprising: Battles against Red Mantis assassins that 
  don’t include named NPCs
  The cyclone: Battle against the havero
  
  A History oF Ashes
  13
  shoulders with could easily take an unofficial toll of 3d6 
  gp. A DC 20 Diplomacy or Intimidate check is enough to 
  bypass this event.
  Flight and teleportation, of course, allow for much 
  swifter routes up and over the cliff to the lands above, 
  but apart from Kaer Maga, there aren’t many easy land 
  routes available. Climbing up the cliffs is a formidable 
  task, as the cliff averages 1,000 feet in height. Hand- and 
  footholds are plentiful, making it a DC 15 Climb check, 
  but the sheer number of checks required should make 
  this option a poor one. It’s also possible to navigate the 
  numerous cave systems that riddle the cliffs, but these 
  areas are home to trolls, ettins, wyverns, gargoyles, 
  harpies, and other dangerous monsters.
  Of course, once the PCs surmount the Storval Rise and 
  enter the Cinderlands themselves, the peril increases. 
  The article on the Cinderlands that begins on page 58 
  gives full details on this rugged, hostile region. To the 
  uninitiated, the Cinderlands are arid, barren, and silent. 
  It is not a true desert, however—weed-like grasses grow 
  in abundance wherever they can, as the great Yondabakari 
  River and its tributaries feed any soil they can reach.
  Also, remember that the Cinderlands were once part 
  of Thassilon, an ancient civilization which built great 
  monuments of a size and scope unknown today. As such, 
  even in these hellish wastes in the middle of nowhere, 
  the PCs might suddenly come across the ruin of an 
  ancient temple, a forgotten statuary, or even a previously 
  undiscovered monolith.
  During “A History of Ashes,” the PCs travel widely 
  across the Cinderlands, a region well known for its 
  dangers and hostile inhabitants. The wandering monster 
  table provided on page 81 presents several possible 
  encounters the PCs can have as they travel though this 
  perilous land. They’ll also interact with several different 
  groups—the Shoanti, the Red Mantis, the Brotherhood 
  of Bones, and the Cinderlander. All four of these are 
  summarized on the following pages, as their roles in this 
  adventure are dynamic and can influence multiple parts 
  in different ways.
  The Shoanti
  There are three tribes of Shoanti dwelling in the 
  Cinderlands, each of which have distinct traditions and 
  lifestyles. Additional information about the Shoanti can 
  be found in “People of the Storval Plateau” on page 66, but 
  the tribes that play the primary role in this adventure are 
  summarized here.
  Sklar-Quah (Clan of the Sun): The largest of the 
  Shoanti tribes in the Cinderlands, the Sklar-Quah are 
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  14
  also the most warlike. Sklar-Quah braves endure a large 
  number of dangerous trials before they become warriors, 
  including the infamous Burn Runs. The only shamans 
  who retain any lore about the Fangs of Kazavon are all 
  Sklar-Quah shamans. The majority of Shoanti the 
  PCs might encounter during their exploration of the 
  Cinderlands are Sklar-Quah.
  Skoan-Quah (Clan of the Skull): The Skoan-Quah dwell 
  in the easternmost regions of the Cinderlands. Many of 
  their shamans, including Thousand Bones, have worked 
  with Korvosa to try to build peace between their people, a 
  trait that has seen the Skoan-Quah increasingly shunned 
  by the other Shoanti. Yet since the Shoanti believe that 
  the Skoan-Quah have the closest connection to the land 
  of the dead, and that they guard Shoanti ancestors from 
  evil spirits, the other clans have begrudgingly refrained 
  from truly ostracizing the Skoan-Quah.
  Lyrune-Quah (Clan of the Moon): The Lyrune-Quah 
  are nomads and, unlike their Shoanti kin, worshipers 
  of Desna. Currently, a large group of Lyrune-Quah are 
  visiting an ancient shrine to Desna called the House of 
  the Moon, yet their traditional campsite has become the 
  lair of a dangerous local predator.
  The Red Mantis
  In “Escape from Old Korvosa,” the PCs first crossed paths 
  with the Red Mantis. Even if that initial encounter didn’t 
  result in the death of any Red Mantis assassins, the group 
  nevertheless targets the PCs for death in this adventure 
  at the request of Queen Ileosa, who has finally realized, 
  just too late to take action against them directly, how 
  dangerous the PCs are to her.
  That changes with “A History of Ashes.” Queen Illeosa 
  has her own concerns to keep her attentions focused on 
  Korvosa, but at the start of this adventure she charges 
  the Red Mantis cell operating in her city with the task 
  of not only finishing the assassination of Neolandus 
  Kalepopolis, but also with hunting down and murdering 
  the PCs. The queen has already moved so far beyond the 
  city charter that Neolandus isn’t as much of a threat to her, 
  but the PCs are. Within the Red Mantis, responsibility for 
  the assassination of the PCs falls upon one of the region’s 
  most deadly assassins: a woman named Cinnabar. It takes 
  Cinnabar a few days to organize her crew of killers, but 
  once she moves out, she does so with speed.
  The sole child of the notorious Red Mantis cultist 
  Carmine the Lustful Feaster, Cinnabar was an egregious 
  disappointment to the family tradition—her meek 
  manner left her ill-suited to be a killer. Carmine, however, 
  had Cinnabar “fixed” at the age of eight by placing a geas 
  upon her, compelling the young girl to kill at least one 
  living creature each week without assistance or suffer 
  wracking pain and potential death. Out of necessity, 
  shoanti War Paint
  Aura moderate (school 
  varies); cL 7th
  slot special; Price 
  900 gp, 1,800 gp; 
  Weight —
  DescriPTioN
  The Shoanti have 
  developed numerous 
  variations of magical 
  war paint, each providing 
  a specific benefit to aid their 
  hunters, warriors, and heroes in 
  a variety of tasks. Shoanti war paint 
  can be applied to any visible part of the body—typically 
  the face, shoulders, legs, or arms. Applying a dose of 
  war paint is a full-round action that provokes an attack 
  of opportunity. Shoanti war paint does not take up a 
  magic item slot, but you can only benefit from one 
  color of Shoanti war paint at a time—applying a dose 
  of a different color replaces the effects of the previous 
  application. Once applied, the effects granted by the war 
  paint last for 24 hours. 
  The eight most common colors and their effects are 
  listed here.
  Black (1,800 gp): You become cloaked in shadows and 
  smoke, gaining the effects of a blur spell.
  Blue (900 gp): You gain a 30-foot enhancement bonus to 
  your base move speed.
  Green (900 gp): When you use bardic music to inspire 
  courage, the morale bonus you grant increases by 1; this is 
  treated as an enhancement bonus.
  orange (900 gp): You gain damage reduction 1/—. This 
  effect stacks with the damage reduction granted by the 
  barbarian class.
  red (900 gp): You gain fire resistance 10.
  silver (900 gp): You gain a +3 deflection bonus to AC.
  White (1,800 gp): You gain a +4 resistance bonus on all 
  saving throws against level drain and negative energy. As 
  soon as you receive a negative level from an energy drain 
  attack, the white war paint absorbs the effect and then 
  fades away, ending the ongoing duration of the paint’s 
  effect immediately.
  Yellow (900 gp): Grants a +5 competence bonus on 
  Listen and Spot checks.
  coNsTrUcTioN
  requirements Craft Wondrous Item; blur (black), 
  expeditious retreat (blue), heroism (green), stoneskin 
  (orange), resist energy (red), shield of faith (silver), death 
  ward (white), clairaudience/clairvoyance (yellow); cost 
  900 gp, 72 XP (black and white paints); 450 gp, 36 XP (all 
  other paints)
  
  A History oF Ashes
  15
  Cinnabar swiftly grew to become a dispassionate and 
  self-reliant killer. As a result, she took to her Red Mantis 
  training with a level of dedication previously unseen 
  in any other initiate. She finally came of age when her 
  mother perished on a job, leaving Cinnabar alone in the 
  world. With the death of her mother, though, came an 
  unforeseen development. Hatred of her mother was all 
  Cinnabar had to cling to, and with her mother dead and 
  the regular geas now removed, little remained but loyalty 
  to the Red Mantis. Emotionless and hollow, Cinnabar’s 
  chilling lack of passion makes her a truly effective killer, 
  yet also robs her of the drive to climb the ladder of the 
  Red Mantis society. She has stagnated, in effect, in the 
  role of commander, something her superiors hope to 
  cure her of by giving her an important task—something 
  that will return her inner fire and make her fit for true 
  leadership within the society.
  Although Cinnabar has had the inconvenience of the 
  geas removed, she continues to slay with her trademark 
  dispassion and frequency. Most within the lower-echelon of 
  the Red Mantis believe that Cinnabar’s geas remains in effect 
  and that to displease her is to become her weekly sustenance. 
  This false belief has enabled Cinnabar to command a loyalty 
  of fear unrivaled by her Red Mantis peers. 
  Although she conceals her face with the traditional 
  mantis mask when in battle, Cinnabar is in fact quite 
  beautiful, with strawberry hair and what was once a kind 
  face. Her loveliness, however, is marred by the fact that she 
  has long since ceased to smile.
  As the adventure progresses, Cinnabar sends small 
  groups of assassins after Vencarlo and Neolandus, but 
  you should assume they reach safety in Janderhoff—the 
  true focus should remain the PCs. It’s easiest to assume 
  that as long as the PCs survive the assassination attempts 
  that occur at times during this adventure, Vencarlo and 
  Neolandus do as well. The Red Mantis track the PCs 
  through a combination of mundane and magical means, 
  by following eyewitness accounts, footprint trails, and 
  divination magic. Once she discovers the PCs are heading 
  into the Cinderlands, one of Cinnabar’s coups is to swiftly 
  secure the aid of a local legend—a Shoanti-hunting 
  ranger known only as the Cinderlander. With his intimate 
  knowledge of the Cinderlands at Cinnabar’s side, the Red 
  Mantises should have little problem heading off the PCs 
  when necessary to make their strikes as scheduled in the 
  adventure. You should periodically have Cinnabar use 
  scrying on the PCs during this adventure—chances are 
  that the characters won’t notice, but if they do, they can 
  perhaps do something to prevent the Red Mantis from 
  gaining too much of an advantage over them.
  red mantis Assassins 
  cr 8
  Human rogue 3/fighter 2/Red Mantis assassin 3
  LE Medium humanoid
  init +5; senses Listen +11, Spot +11
  DeFeNse
  Ac 20, touch 16, flat-footed 14
  (+3 armor, +5 Dexterity, +1 Dodge, +1 shield)
  hp 50 (8 HD; 6d6+2d10+16); fast healing 2
  Fort +8, ref +12, Will +5
  Defensive Abilities evasion, red shroud, trap sense +1
  oFFeNse
  spd 60 ft.
  melee mwk sawtooth sabre +11/+6 (1d8+1/19–20) and
  mwk sawtooth sabre +11/+6 (1d8/19–20)
  ranged dagger +11 (1d4+2/19–20)
  special Attacks prayer attack, sneak attack +3d6
  spells Known (CL 3rd)
  2nd (1/day)—cat’s grace, hold person (DC 14)
  1st (3/day)—expeditious retreat, feather fall, spider climb
  TAcTics
  Before combat A Red Mantis casts cat’s grace and expeditious 
  retreat before entering combat, and activates her mantis 
  mask (deathwatch at day or darkvision at night).
  During combat The assassins use prayer attacks if facing lone 
  targets. Otherwise, they team up to flank foes so as to make 
  the most of their sneak attacks. They activate their red 
  shrouds on the first round of combat.
  morale The assassins are fanatics and fight to the death.
  Base statistics init +3; Ac 17, touch 13, flat-footed 14; ref +10; 
  spd 30 ft.; melee mwk sawtooth sabre +9/+4 (1d8+1/19–20) 
  and mwk sawtooth sabre +9/+4 (1d8/19–20); ranged dagger 
  +9 (1d4+2/19–20); Dex 16; skills Balance +9, Hide +14, Jump 
  +12, Move Silently +14, Tumble +11
  sTATisTics
  str 12, Dex 20, con 14, int 8, Wis 10, cha 14
  Base Atk +6; Grp +7
  Feats Alertness, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (sawtooth sabre), 
  Stealthy, Two-Weapon Defense, Two-Weapon Fighting, 
  Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (sawtooth sabre)
  skills Bluff +11, Climb +7, Hide +16, Intimidate +8, Jump +24, 
  Listen +11, Move Silently +16, Spot +11, Tumble +13
  Languages Common, Infernal, Varisian
  sQ trapfinding
  Gear +1 leather armor, 2 masterwork sawtooth sabres, 4 
  daggers, mantis mask, cloak of resistance +1
  sPeciAL ATTAcKs
  red shroud (su) A Red Mantis assassin can create a veil of 
  swirling red mist around himself twice per day as a move-
  equivalent action. The red shroud persists for 3 rounds. 
  As long as it is active, the Red Mantis gains a +1 dodge 
  bonus to his Armor Class and fast healing 2. The mist is 
  supernaturally resistant to wind, and cannot be dissipated 
  by such before its duration ceases.
  Prayer Attack (su) A Red Mantis assassin must be within 30 
  feet of his victim and visible to said victim in order to begin 
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  16
  a prayer attack. He begins to sway in a hypnotic pattern, 
  drawing his arms upward and wielding a sawtooth sabre in 
  at least one hand as he attempts to fascinate the victim. The 
  victim can resist fascination by making a DC 15 Will save. By 
  concentrating, the Red Mantis assassin can maintain this 
  fascination, and after 3 rounds of fascination, may make a 
  coup de grace attack against the fascinated target—if the 
  victim is slain by this attack, he is typically beheaded. A victim 
  who survives the coup de grace is no longer fascinated by 
  the Red Mantis assassin, but the assassin can attempt a new 
  prayer attack against the victim if he so desires. Activating 
  or concentrating on maintaining a prayer attack does not 
  provoke an attack of opportunity. The victim can escape 
  fascination before this coup de grace attack if the Red Mantis 
  assassin ceases to concentrate on maintaining the effect. 
  Alternatively, the victim may attempt a new saving throw 
  to resist the fascination each time a potential threat (other 
  than the fascinating Red Mantis assassin) approaches the 
  victim. An obvious threat other than the Red Mantis assassin 
  automatically breaks the victim’s fascination, as can a 
  fascinated creature’s ally who takes a standard action to shake 
  the victim free of the fascination.
  cinnabar 
  cr 12
  Female human rogue 4/ranger 2/Red Mantis assassin 6
  LE Medium humanoid
  init +2; senses Listen +1, Spot +8
  DeFeNse
  Ac 21, touch 16, flat-footed 16
  (+5 armor, +1 deflection, +5 Dex)
  hp 76 (12 HD; 4d6+8d8+24)
  Fort +6, ref +12, Will +6
  Defensive Abilities evasion, red shroud 2/day, trap sense +1
  oFFeNse
  spd 30 ft.
  melee +1 sawtooth sabre +14/+9 (1d8+3/17–20) and
  +1 sawtooth sabre +14 (1d8+3/17–20)
  special Attacks call mantis, favored enemy (human +2), 
  mantis form 1/day, prayer attack (DC 19), sneak attack 
  +4d6
  spells Known (CL 6th)
  3rd (2/day)—fear (DC 16), fly, scrying
  2nd (3/day)—blur, invisibility, see invisibility, summon swarm
  1st (4/day)—darkvision, expeditious retreat, jump, true strike
  TAcTics
  Before combat Prior to facing the PCs, Cinnabar casts 
  darkvision, expeditious retreat, and see invisibility. She also 
  activates her red shroud ability.
  During combat On her opening strike, she transforms her 
  sawtooth sabre into a mantis claw, gaining a further +2 to 
  hit. She channels her stunning fist through her sabre until 
  her uses are exhausted, holding nothing back. Once injured 
  and in need of healing, she changes into a blood mantis (+13 
  hit points from the healing accompanying the polymorph 
  plus an additional +26 hit points from the enhanced 
  Constitution of her new form). This also enables her to pick 
  up two extra uses of her fading ability. See below for her 
  new statistics block.
  morale Although tactically-minded, Cinnabar secretly harbors 
  a death wish and does not flee from her destiny. Moments 
  before a PC can connect with a final attack, she closes her 
  eyes and enjoys her first moment of true peace.
  sTATisTics
  str 10, Dex 20, con 14, int 13, Wis 8, cha 17
  Base Atk +9; Grp +9
  Feats Alertness, Combat Expertise, Exotic Weapon Proficiency 
  (sawtooth sabre), Improved Critical (sawtooth sabre), 
  TUrning THe TableS on THe aSSaSSinS
  It’s possible that the PCs decide to take matters into their 
  own hands during the adventure and set aside their other 
  tasks to focus on tracking down Cinnabar and her Red 
  Mantis minions in an attempt to strike at them before they 
  can make additional assassination attempts. As written, 
  the PCs get their chance for revenge in the final encounter, 
  where they help defend a Sklar-Quah camp from Cinnabar 
  and her minions. If the PCs manage to track down the 
  assassins before this event and confront them, you 
  can just as easily have this encounter occur earlier than 
  scheduled. Without the aid of the Sklar-Quah, though, a 
  direct confrontation against Cinnabar and her assassins 
  is a deadly fight, one that might well kill the entire party. 
  You can try to discourage this distraction by portraying the 
  Red Mantis attacks during Part Three as this adventure’s 
  natural climax with the mantises, playing down their 
  further attempts to catch the PCs until the end.
  If the PCs insist on tracking down the Red Mantis, 
  you’ll need to do some quick planning. Within a few days 
  of arriving in the Cinderlands, the Red Mantis secure 
  the aid of both the Cinderlander and a tribe of gargoyles 
  called the Ashwings. The Ashwings are a nomadic tribe, 
  moving from rookery to rookery on a nightly basis as they 
  swoop along a particularly large territory encompassing 
  much of the Ash-Blown lands. Cinnabar has many 
  assassins working for her, and at any one time, keeps a 
  group of four nearby—it is this group she uses to strike 
  against the Sklar-Quah at the end of this adventure. Other 
  groups of assassins prowl the Cinderlands as directed by 
  her, eventually ambushing the PCs at the Acropolis of the 
  Thrallkeepers. If the PCs track down the mantises, they 
  find Cinnabar, her four assassins, and the Cinderlander 
  taking shelter in a small five-room cave system, one of 
  dozens of rookeries used by the Ashwings. A group of 2d6 
  gargoyles are on site as well, providing what could be a 
  dangerous battle indeed.
  
  A History oF Ashes
  17
  Improved Disarm, Track, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon 
  Finesse, Weapon Focus (sawtooth sabre), Weapon 
  Specialization (sawtooth sabre)
  skills Balance +18, Bluff +16, Concentration +15, Hide +19, 
  Intimidate +18, Jump +9, Move Silently +19, Search +14, 
  Sense Motive +6, Spot +8, Survival +6, Tumble +20
  Languages Common, Infernal
  sQ resurrection sense, trapfinding, wild empathy +4
  combat Gear potion of cure serious wounds, potion of haste, 
  wand of hold person (19 charges), large scorpion venom 
  (4 doses); other Gear +2 studded leather armor, two +1 
  sawtooth sabres, cloak of Charisma +2, gloves of Dexterity +2, 
  amulet of health +2, ring of protection +1, mantis mask, elixir 
  of shadewalking (3)
  sPeciAL ABiLiTies
  Call Mantis (sp) Cinnabar may cast a specialized version of 
  summon monster IV once per day to summon 1d4+1 fiendish 
  giant praying mantises or 1d3 half-fiend giant praying 
  mantises. Both types are blood red in hue, and thus do not 
  gain the typical bonus on Hide checks in foliage.
  mantis Form (su) Cinnabar can change into a giant praying 
  mantis, as per the spell polymorph. She may make this 
  change once per day. The mantis form is blood red in 
  hue, and as such does not gain the bonus on Hide 
  checks in foliage. While in mantis form, she may cast 
  a quickened still silent fear spell once every hour. 
  She may remain in mantis form a number of 
  hours equal to her class level.
  red shroud (su) Cinnabar can activate 
  her red shroud two times per day. It 
  persists for 6 rounds and grants fast 
  healing 2. See page 15 for more 
  details on this special attack.
  Prayer Attack (su) Cinnabar’s prayer 
  attack can be resisted with a DC 
  19 Will save; see page 16 for 
  more details on this special 
  attack.
  resurrection sense 
  (su) Cinnabar is supernaturally sensitive to the movement 
  of souls she has killed. If anyone she slew is brought back 
  to life, she notices the resurrection unless the event takes 
  place in an area that prevents scrying effects, and even 
  then, she can sense the previously assassinated life the 
  instant it steps out of that area. The sensation lasts only 
  for a moment—not enough to tell the mantis where the 
  resurrected victim is located, only that a specific previous 
  victim has returned to life. If Cinnabar confronts this victim 
  again, she gains a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls to hit the 
  victim, and her prayer attack save DC increases by 1 when 
  used against that victim.
  The Brotherhood of Bones
  The Brotherhood of Bones consists of a group of 
  Zon-Kuthonites from across Avistan, fanatics 
  who seek a singular goal: the gathering of 
  the relics of Kazavon so that the ancient 
  warlord can be reborn. The Brotherhood 
  of Bones has long suspected that one 
  of these relics was located in Varisia, 
  and with Kazavon’s recent awakening 
  in Korvosa, the closest Brotherhood 
  agent, Laori, came to investigate the 
  signs and portents. Her interactions 
  with the PCs in “Escape from Old 
  Korvosa” were the first time 
  the Brotherhood learned of 
  the characters and realized 
  that their goals—to remove 
  the power of Kazavon from 
  Ileosa—are more similar 
  than they might 
  at first appear.
  Taking Laori’s 
  words 
  under 
  advisement, the Brotherhood 
  elected to send one of their star 
  agents to observe the PCs, both 
  to learn what their eventual goals 
  regarding the Fangs of Kazavon 
  could be, and to determine how 
  much aid the PCs can be to the 
  Brotherhood in wrestling the 
  fangs away from Queen Ileosa 
  when the time comes. Laori 
  seethes at being passed over for 
  the job, since she feels the glory 
  should be hers—she “found” 
  the PCs, after all. Instead, the 
  Brotherhood 
  awarded 
  the prestigious task 
  to a Chelaxian man 
  Cinnabar
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  18
  was put in contact with the Brotherhood of Bones. 
  Within weeks, Sial’s knowledge of devilbinding and all 
  things infernal markedly increased that area within 
  the Brotherhood, and his swift rise in the ranks to the 
  vaunted title of Shadowcount made him the pride of the 
  church. Over the following years, Sial swiftly became one 
  of the Brotherhood’s most trusted agents and now acts as 
  an elderly mentor to many within the Brotherhood. He 
  has since re-established his name in Cheliax after several 
  tense summits with the church of Asmodeus, and he now 
  serves as an ambassador and diplomat when needed.
  Sial comports himself with an air of superiority, always 
  walking with his chin held high and his expression one 
  of knowing disdain. When interacting with those outside 
  the Brotherhood, Sial typically speaks slowly and softly, 
  as though addressing small children. To those in service 
  to him, though, such as lower-ranking members of the 
  Brotherhood of Bones, Sial is harsh and biting, a leader 
  who brooks no dissent. Sial is a fastidious dresser, wearing 
  all jet-black, layered with a spotless hakama. 
  When Sial learned that a lead on the true fate of 
  Kazavon, one of the church’s most important prophets, 
  had been discovered in Korvosa, he volunteered to lead 
  a team but understood when Laori Vaus was assigned as 
  a solo operative instead. Now that she’s returned and the 
  Brotherhood has chosen him to locate the PCs, observe 
  them unseen, and analyze their use, he has been gifted 
  with two important tools: First is the servitude of a 
  charming but deadly chain devil named Asyra, who 
  serves him as a bodyguard and companion. Second, he has 
  been given charge of a bone house, a portable fortress that 
  comes with its own small army of undead servants. Sial’s 
  use of divination and commune has pointed him toward the 
  Acropolis of the Thrallkeepers, and by the time the PCs 
  reach this area, he and his agents are already within, set 
  to watch and observe.
  shadowcount sial 
  cr 11
  Male human cleric 7/thaumaturge 4
  LE Medium humanoid
  init +1; senses Listen +4, Spot +4
  DeFeNse
  Ac 19, touch 13, flat-footed 18
  (+6 armor, +2 deflection, +1 Dex)
  hp 65 (11 HD; 7d8+4d4+11+9 temporary)
  Fort +9, ref +4, Will +15
  immune fear, poison
  oFFeNse
  spd 30 ft.
  melee +2 guided spiked chain +14/+9 (2d4+6)
  special Attacks death touch 1/day, rebuke undead 5/day (+2, 
  2d6+9)
  spells Prepared (CL 11th, law spells CL 12th, ranged attack +9)
  MaSk of THe ManTiS
  As much as they are veils to hide the 
  assassins’ identities, the insectile 
  masks of the Red Mantis are 
  tools of murder and symbols 
  of dread to those they hunt. 
  The equally distinct weapon of 
  the Red Mantis, the sawtooth 
  sabre, appears in the Curse of the 
  Crimson Throne Player’s Guide.
  mantis mask
  Aura faint divination; cL 3rd
  slot head; Price 6,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.
  DescriPTioN
  Upon becoming a Red Mantis assassin, a new recruit is 
  granted his mantis mask by his superior. These masks cover 
  the entire face, and give the assassin the well-known look 
  fostered by the organization over the years—an assassin is 
  expected to wear his mask at all times while on a job.
  A mantis mask has three daily charges. The wearer can 
  spend a charge to gain darkvision to a range of 60 feet, the 
  effects of see invisibility, the effects of deathwatch, or a +5 
  competence bonus on Spot checks. Once a charge is spent, 
  the effect granted persists for 30 minutes before fading. 
  Multiple effects can be active simultaneously. Charges used 
  replenish after 24 hours.
  coNsTrUcTioN
  requirements Craft Wondrous Item, darkvision, see 
  invisibility, deathwatch; cost 3,000 gp, 240 XP
  named Sial, one of the priesthood’s most famous and 
  well-known philosophers.
  Sial didn’t start his priestly career in the service of the 
  Midnight Lord. Instead, he entered the priesthood of 
  Asmodeus at a young age, eager to leverage the political 
  capital it would provide him in his native Cheliax. A 
  gifted academic, Sial quickly became an accomplished 
  devil binder, but slowly drifted from the church as his 
  use for the connections of organized religion began to 
  wane. Sial’s outlook changed drastically, however, after 
  he listlessly undertook a 1-year assignment to serve as an 
  ambassador on the Cheliax/Nidal border at a monastery 
  dedicated to the teachings of Zon-Kuthon. Sial took the 
  post hoping to further his knowledge of the complex 
  but poorly understood relationship between devils and 
  undeath, but quickly became enraptured by the rituals he 
  saw performed there. Here was the song of faith that had 
  so long eluded him in the service to Asmodeus.
  Sial’s defection was swift, and not the first of its kind. 
  The church of Zon-Kuthon faked his death and whisked 
  him away to the heart of its shadowy nation, where he 
  
  A History oF Ashes
  19
  6th—heroes’ feast, hold monsterD (DC 20)
  5th—extended greater magic weapon, scrying (DC 19), slay 
  livingD (DC 19)
  4th—air walk, extended magic vestment, order’s wrathD (DC 
  18), spell immunity, summon monster IV
  3rd—cure serious wounds, extended death knellD (DC 16), 
  dispel magic, extended hold person (DC 16), protection 
  from energy, summon monster III
  2nd—align weapon, calm emotionsD (DC 16), cure moderate 
  wounds, lesser restoration, resist energy, silence (DC 16)
  1st—comprehend languages, cure light wounds (2), divine 
  favor, endure elements, protection from chaosD, sanctuary 
  (DC 15)
  0—create water, cure minor wounds, detect magic, light (2), 
  mending
  D domain spell; Domains Death, Law
  TAcTics
  Before combat Sial has a strict regimen of daily spellcasting. 
  Each morning, he casts extended magic vestment on his 
  chain shirt and extended greater magic weapon on his +1 
  guided spiked chain. He also casts endure elements on himself 
  each morning as long as he remains in the Cinderlands. 
  Now and then, as necessary, he uses scrying to spy on the 
  PCs’ progress. Each evening, before he sets out on the 
  night’s duties, Sial casts heroes’ feast, sharing his banquet of 
  bland gray wafers and bitter wine with Asyra. In anticipation 
  of combat, he prepares by casting protection from chaos, 
  align weapon, resist energy (fire), protection from energy 
  (electricity), air walk, and spell immunity (favoring suggestion 
  and charm monster as his immune spells if no more logical 
  choice is obvious).
  During combat Sial lets his foes come to him, casting his 
  ranged spells while his minions engage in melee. Once 
  his opponents close, he casts divine favor and relishes the 
  chance to fight with his guided spiked chain.
  morale If Sial’s hit points fall below 15, he uses his scroll of 
  word of recall to flee back to his home in Nidal. He then 
  uses spells like sending to re-establish contact with the 
  PCs, if they were allied, to arrange a place where they can 
  reconnect, traveling via wind walk if necessary to reach 
  them swiftly.
  sTATisTics
  str 8, Dex 12, con 14, int 10, Wis 18, cha 14
  Base Atk +7; Grp +6
  Feats Augmented Summoning, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, 
  Extend Spell, Great Fortitude, Improved Turning, Scribe 
  Scroll, Spell Focus (conjuration)
  skills Concentration +12, Diplomacy +14, Knowledge (religion) 
  +10, Knowledge (the planes) +4, Sense Motive +12
  Languages Common, Infernal
  sQ contingent conjuration, extended summoning, improved 
  ally, mark of Zon-Kuthon, spontaneous casting (inflict spells)
  combat Gear wand of cure moderate wounds (45 charges), scroll 
  of death ward, scroll of dimensional anchor, scroll of discern 
  lies, scroll of dispel magic, scroll of leser planar ally, scroll of 
  summon monster V, scroll of tongues, scroll of word of recall; 
  other Gear +1 chain shirt, +1 guided spiked chain, bone house, 
  periapt of Wisdom +2, ring of protection +2
  sPeciAL ABiLiTies
  contingent conjuration (su) If Sial ever takes damage, his 
  contingent conjuration triggers a summon monster VI spell, 
  summoning a chain devil to aid him.
  mark of Zon-Kuthon As a member of the Brotherhood of 
  Bones, Sial is the willing recipient of an invisible mark of 
  justice. If he ever denounces the faith of Zon-Kuthon he 
  is inflicted with a brand of disloyalty, a bestow curse spell 
  which causes his eyes to glaze over with a hardened metallic 
  film resulting in a permanent (and painful) blindness. 
  Asyra 
  cr 10
  Female chain devil fighter 4
  LE Medium outsider (evil, extraplanar, lawful)
  init +7; senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +10, Spot +10
  Aura unnerving gaze (30 ft., DC 18)
  DeFeNse
  Ac 25, touch 15, flat-footed 22
  (+2 deflection, +3 Dex, +8 natural, +2 shield)
  hp 127 (12 HD; 8d8+4d10+60+9 temporary); regeneration 2 
  (silver or good)
  Fort +15, ref +10, Will +9
  Dr 5/silver or good; immune cold, fear, poison; sr 18
  oFFeNse
  spd 30 ft.
  melee 2 chains +18 melee (2d4+6/19–20)
  space 5 ft.; reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with chains)
  special Attacks dancing chains
  TAcTics
  elixir of shadewalking
  Aura moderate illusion; cL 11th
  slot —; Price 3,500 gp; Weight 1 lb.
  DescriPTioN
  Typically kept in a small bone flask, a 
  draught of this potent elixir is enough 
  to catapult the drinker and up to 11 
  additional creatures the drinker is in 
  contact with at the time of imbibing 
  into the Shadow Plane. Once there, the 
  affected creatures are under the effects 
  of a shadow walk spell and may travel 
  at an effective speed of 50 mph over 
  land for up to 11 hours.
  coNsTrUcTioN
  requirements Craft Wondrous Item, 
  shadow walk; cost 1,750 gp, 140 XP
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  20
  During combat Asyra seeks out opponents who wear lockets 
  or amulets, or anybody with chains around their necks. 
  She then closes within 20 feet and uses her dancing chains 
  ability to cause the chains to enlarge and grow spikes, 
  strangling her victims with their own baubles. In melee 
  combat, she grows the tiny chain adorning her wrist to 
  full size and attacks. Anyone drawing aside her shawl is 
  subjected to her unnerving gaze ability.
  morale Asyra knows that if killed or banished she merely 
  returns to the realm of the Midnight Lord, where her 
  torment continues. She fears nothing.
  sTATisTics
  str 18, Dex 17, con 20, int 6, Wis 8, cha 14
  Base Atk +12; Grp +16
  Feats Ability Focus (unnerving gaze), Dodge, Improved Critical 
  (chain), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mobility, Spring 
  Attack, Weapon Focus (chain), Weapon Specialization (chain)
  skills Climb +15, Escape Artist +14, Intimidate +17, Listen +10, 
  Spot +10, Tumble +8
  Languages Common, Infernal
  Gear amulet of health +2, ring of protection +2, ring of force shield
  The Cinderlander
  Sklar-Quah raiders have long descended the Storval 
  Rise in raiding bands to strike at locations like Sarwin 
  and Abken, but these raiders typically target the smaller 
  farming thorps that can be found in the verdant farmlands 
  between Ashwood and the Yondabakari River. After one 
  such thorp was wiped out by Sklar-Quah raiders, the man 
  who would become the Cinderlander abandoned his name 
  and took up hunting Shoanti full time—a particularly 
  dangerous occupation. Notorious amongst the Quahs of 
  the Cinderlands, the Shoanti refer to the Cinderlander 
  as the “devil tshamek,” with many Shoanti believing that 
  the Cinderlander can’t be a living man, but rather a spirit 
  of wrath fueled by men slain during these raids into the 
  southern lowlands.
  After years of hunting and killing Shoanti, the 
  Cinderlander gradually achieved two cynical epiphanies—
  first, no matter how many Shoanti he killed in his lifetime, 
  there would always be more; and second, that the Shoanti 
  were already a doomed culture, gradually being crushed 
  between civilization to the south and more brutal orcs 
  to the north. His righteous fury largely exhausted, the 
  Cinderlander now rents himself out as a guide for those 
  who seek to cross the Cinderlands in safety, facilitating 
  the inland travel of southerners. He secretly resents the 
  paradox that over the years he has gradually become 
  far more like the Shoanti he hunts than the Chelaxian 
  heritage he thought he was defending, yet he knows little 
  else. Grisly trophies of his victims periodically appear in 
  the landscape—typically the heads of Shoanti braves who 
  sought him out. These heads are left mounted on sticks 
  
  A History oF Ashes
  21
  with crossbow bolts lodged in the eyes—an implied 
  threat that those slain by the Cinderlander are robbed of 
  the ability to find their way to their afterlife.
  Cinnabar of the Red Mantis hires the Cinderlander 
  through some agents in Kaer Maga, and before long, 
  the sour, embittered loner is making more money than 
  he has in years leading a strange and sinister group of 
  assassins into the Cinderlands. In true cynical style, the 
  Cinderlander doesn’t care that the ones the assassins 
  hunt are probably his countrymen—he tells himself that 
  their payments might finally net him enough money to 
  return to the lowlands and build a new thorp to replace 
  the one the Shoanti destroyed so long ago. Yet in his heart, 
  the Cinderlander knows that these rugged lands are his 
  home now, and that he has become as much a product of 
  this harsh realm as the Shoanti he so despises.
  The cinderlander 
  cr 12
  Male human ranger 10/horizon walker 2
  CN Medium humanoid
  init +3; senses Listen +21, Spot +6
  DeFeNse
  Ac 19, touch 13, flat-footed 16
  (+6 armor, +3 Dex)
  hp 105 (12 HD; 12d8+48)
  Fort +14, ref +10, Will +5
  Defensive Abilities evasion
  oFFeNse
  spd 30 ft.
  melee mwk handaxe +14/+9/+4 (1d6+1/×3) and
  mwk handaxe +14 (1d6/×3)
  ranged Vindicator +18/+13/+8 (1d10+2/19–20 plus screaming 
  bolt)
  special Attacks favored enemy (humans +6, giants +4, magical 
  beasts +2)
  spells Prepared (CL 5th)
  2nd—barkskin, wind wall
  1st—charm animal (DC 13), pass without trace
  TAcTics
  Before combat The Cinderlander casts pass without trace 
  before going on any scouting missions. Before engaging in 
  combat, the Cinderlander casts barkskin on himself.
  During combat The Cinderlander prefers to fight at range 
  with Vindicator, targeting Shoanti to the exclusion of 
  all other foes if given a choice. A favorite tactic against 
  mounted enemies is to cast charm animal on the mount 
  to lessen his foe’s mobility. Against foes who bring 
  superior firepower, he uses a wind wall to create cover 
  from their archers. He resorts to a pair of masterwork 
  handaxes only when forced. His animal companion 
  Neverfar remains at his side—the Cinderlander prefers 
  to use the firepelt cougar as a guardian while he sleeps 
  rather than as a bodyguard or assassin.
  Bone House—minor 
  Artifact
  Aura strong conjuration and 
  necromancy; cL 17th
  slot —; Weight 2 lb.
  DescriPTioN
  A bone house is a variant of the 
  instant fortress developed by the 
  Brotherhood of Bones. Only a few 
  of these items exist, and they are 
  granted only to the Brotherhood’s 
  favored agents. Each bone house 
  appears as a fist-sized bone carving 
  of a skull-topped fortress. When 
  activated by speaking a command 
  word, it grows to form a tower 
  20 feet square and 30 feet high, 
  with arrow slits on all sides and a 
  crenellated battlement atop it. The 
  bone walls extend 10 feet into the 
  ground, rooting it to the spot and preventing 
  it from being tipped over. The fortress has a small door 
  that opens only at the command of the owner of the 
  fortress—even knock spells can’t open the door.
  The bone walls are magically enhanced to be as hard as 
  stone, and have 100 hit points and hardness 10. The bone 
  house can be repaired by casting inflict spells on the walls, 
  with each 10 points of negative energy repairing 1 point of 
  damage. A bone house springs up in just 1 round, with the 
  door facing the device’s owner. The door opens and closes 
  instantly at his command. People and creatures nearby 
  (except the owner) must be careful not to be caught by the 
  fortress’s sudden growth. Anyone so caught takes 10d6 
  points of damage (Reflex DC 19 half). The interior of a 
  bone house is under the constant effects of a desecrate spell 
  (the bone house itself is considered an altar to Zon-Kuthon 
  for the purposes of determining the desecrate’s modifiers).
  Once a bone house is expanded into tower size, its 
  owner can create up to four mummies per month 
  from the drifts of bone ash and detritus that litters the 
  inner rooms. Creating a mummy in this manner takes 
  10 minutes, and the owner must be inside of the bone 
  house the entire time. Mummies created gain +2 hit 
  points per HD (thanks to the desecrate effect), and guard 
  the contents of the bone house without needing to be 
  commanded. If the owner wishes to command these 
  mummies to perform other tasks, he must use other 
  means to do so. No more than four mummies may be 
  active at one time.
  A bone house is deactivated by speaking a command 
  word (different from the one used to activate it). It cannot 
  be deactivated unless it is empty.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  22
  skills Concentration +17, Hide +18, Knowledge (geography) 
  +15, Listen +21, Move Silently +18, Search +13, Survival +15
  Languages Common, Giant, Shoanti
  sQ animal companion (Neverfar), swift tracker, terrain mastery 
  (hills, plains), wild empathy +9, woodland stride
  combat Gear potion of haste, wand of cure moderate wounds (22 
  charges); other Gear +2 mithral shirt, Vindicator (+1 human 
  bane repeating heavy crossbow) with 20 screaming bolts in 
  four pre-loaded clips of five, masterwork handaxes (2), 
  amulet of health +2, gloves of Dexterity +2, pouch of 80 pp
  Neverfar 
   
  cr —
  Firepelt cougar animal companion
  hp 19; MM 174 (leopard)
  Meanwhile, In Korvosa
   “A History Of Ashes” assumes that the PCs do not return 
  to Korvosa at all, that they remain focused on the task at 
  hand and, more or less, follow the series of quests as 
  outlined in the rest of the adventure. Of course, 
  once PCs have reached 10th level, 
  many have access to a wide range of 
  spells and abilities that allow them 
  to teleport, scry, communicate, or 
  otherwise interact with contacts 
  over vast distances. In case your 
  party decides to take a quick break 
  from the Cinderlands to check 
  up on how things are going back 
  home, you can use this section to 
  answer their questions.
  As 
  this 
  adventure 
  begins, 
  Queen Ileosa has reached the 
  height of her power through the 
  infusion of Kazavon’s essence via the 
  Crown of Fangs, an artifact she fashioned 
  with infernal aid from the Fangs of Kazavon. In 
  addition to advancing her to an aristocrat 2/bard 
  17, the Crown of Fangs grants her additional powers, 
  the most potent of which may be the capability to 
  survive mortal wounds. Commandant Marcus 
  Thalassinus 
  Endrin’s 
  dramatic 
  but 
  failed 
  assassination attempt at the start of “Escape 
  from Old Korvosa” marked the first public 
  manifestation of this power, and it alone 
  would have been enough to convince much of 
  the city to bow before Ileosa.
  Yet she has more tools at her disposal. During 
  this adventure, the balance of military power 
  in Korvosa shifts rapidly. The Sable Company 
  is officially disbanded, the Hellknights of the 
  Order of the Nail abandons the city and begin a long 
  (and ultimately fruitless) campaign to attempt to bring 
  Guided Weapon
  Aura moderate evocation; cL 7th
  slot weapon quality; Price +1 bonus
  DescriPTioN
  A weapon with the guided property allows its wielder to use 
  his instinct when striking blows with it. Attacks from a guided 
  weapon generally don’t strike hard, but they strike at precisely 
  the right moment to maximize damage if in the hands of 
  a particularly wise wielder. A character who attacks with a 
  guided weapon modifies his attack rolls and weapon damage 
  rolls with his Wisdom modifier, not his Strength modifier. 
  This modifier to damage is not adjusted for two-handed 
  weapons or off-hand weapons—it always remains equal to 
  the wielder’s Wisdom modifier. A guided weapon may be 
  wielded as a normal weapon, using Strength to 
  modify attack and damage rolls, but this goes 
  against the weapon’s nature and 
  imparts a –2 penalty on all attack 
  rolls made in this manner.
  coNsTrUcTioN
  requirements Craft 
  Magic Arms and Armor, 
  spiritual weapon
  morale Although far from cowardly, the 
  Cinderlander does not particularly like the 
  Red Mantis. He can certainly be bought, 
  and for a bribe of no less than 500 gp, he 
  abandons Cinnabar and the assassins to their 
  fate. He’s seen what they’re capable of, though, 
  and isn’t particularly interested in taking up a 
  fight against them. In any event, he attempts to flee if 
  brought below 20 hp.
  sTATisTics
  str 12, Dex 17, con 18, int 10, Wis 14, cha 8
  Base Atk +12; Grp +13
  Feats Diehard, Endurance, Exotic Weapon Proficiency 
  (repeating heavy crossbow), Improved Two-Weapon 
  Fighting, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Track, Two-
  Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus 
  (repeating heavy crossbow)
   The  
  Cinderlander
  
  A History oF Ashes
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  23
  in reinforcements from Cheliax to oppose the queen, 
  and the Korvosan Guard, already shattered by riots and 
  plague, becomes little more than a mockery of its former 
  glory. After some rough moments, the Temple of Abadar 
  even announces its support of Queen Ileosa, Archbanker 
  Darb Tuttle officially recognizing her as Korvosa’s greatest 
  opportunity for recovery. That her methods are seated in 
  cruelty and tyranny doesn’t matter to the church, in light 
  of the obvious effects her rule is having in squelching 
  civil unrest. Of course, this decision plants the seeds of a 
  growing schism in the church, with many of its younger 
  members seeking a way to oppose the queen legally while 
  maintaining their good standing with the church. The 
  Temple of Asmodeus has fewer qualms supporting the 
  queen—only the Temple of Pharasma remains apart, but 
  they have their own problems in helping to organize the 
  city’s recovery from the plague and riots.
  True power in Korvosa now lies with the Gray Maidens, 
  ruthless and brutal warrior women who patrol the streets 
  in increasingly larger patrols. At the same time, the Red 
  Mantis supports the queen from the shadows—there is 
  no official announcement of the Red Mantis’s support, 
  but after several prominent nobles and even a few 
  magistrates and arbiters meet with savage and public 
  assassinations, no formal announcement is necessary. As 
  a result, Korvosa is firmly in Queen Ileosa’s control by the 
  time the PCs are wrapping up this adventure.
  If the PCs contact allies in Korvosa during this 
  adventure, they receive worried reports about the 
  direction the queen is taking the city. Martial law is in 
  full effect, limiting certain kinds of communication, and 
  rumors of the queen’s supposed allegiances with devils, 
  dragons, and worse are growing. Field Marshal Cressida 
  Kroft keeps her head down during these troubling times, 
  maintaining her role as commander of the Korvosan 
  Guard and doing what she can on the side to protect the 
  city’s citizens (including anyone the PCs were forced 
  to leave behind when they fled the city), but it’s getting 
  tough. Whispers of rebels and a burgeoning underground 
  resistance against the queen increasingly tempt Cressida 
  to take a more direct role in opposing the throne, but for 
  now, she stays her hand.
  If the PCs decide to return to Korvosa, they should face 
  little opposition as long as they maintain low profiles. 
  Their primary concerns in Korvosa at this time should be 
  patrols of Gray Maidens (each group of six female human 
  fighter 2 soldiers is led by a fighter 7 commander), and if 
  anyone recognizes them and word gets out that they’ve 
  returned, assassination attempts from the Red Mantis 
  (typically carried out by a group of four Red Mantis 
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  24
  assassins; see page 15 for their statistics). Try to impress 
  upon the PCs the fact that there’s little they can do in 
  Korvosa at this time to save the city—that their skills are 
  more useful in the Cinderlands. Until they learn from the 
  Sun Shamans of the Sklar-Quah precisely what it is that’s 
  granted Ileosa such power, skirmishes and other actions 
  taken in Korvosa itself are little more than a waste of 
  time and resources, and only serve to give Ileosa and her 
  draconic patron more time to cement their rule.
  PArt two:  
  clAn of the Skull
  By the time the PCs venture into the Cinderlands, they 
  should know that their first target is a place called the 
  Kallow Mounds, the heart of Skoan-Quah territory and the 
  home of Thousand Bones, one of the few Shoanti willing 
  to speak with tshamek (oustiders). Neolandus knows that 
  the Kallow Mounds are located about 50 miles east of Kaer 
  Maga, as does any PC who can make a DC 25 Knowledge 
  (geography) check.
  The Kallow Mounds
  Although the Skoan-Quah are not as warlike as the Sklar-
  Quah, they still remain distrustful of strangers, particularly 
  when tshamek encroach upon the ancestral burial grounds at 
  the Kallow Mounds. The Skoan-Quah mark their territories 
  with large rock cairns topped with animal skulls—markers 
  that double as both signposts and warnings to deter 
  strangers. As the PCs approach the Kallow Mounds, these 
  cairns grow more and more frequent.
  As soon as the PCs get within a half-mile of the 
  Kallow Mounds, they are intercepted by a group of four 
  Skoan-Quah boneslayers—warriors who patrol Shoanti 
  burial mounds and are trained from an early age to 
  be particularly effective against the undead. The four 
  boneslayers are somewhat surprised to see tshamek, but 
  greet them nonetheless. Their demands for what the PCs 
  are doing approaching their campsite aren’t completely 
  rude and hostile, and as long as the PCs state their desires 
  plainly, the boneslayers agree to lead them into their 
  camp. Mentioning Thousand Bones or Gaekhen sets them 
  at ease, for the old shaman has told his people of how the 
  PCs retrieved the young warrior’s body for him.
  The Kallow Mounds themselves are a collection of 
  hundreds of cairns, the burial sites for all three Cinderlands 
  Shoanti tribes for the past 300 years. The Skoan-Quah 
  are the caretakers of these cairns, and typically camp at 
  a small dale on the westernmost edge of the mounds. At 
  any one time, approximately 75 Skoan-Quah barbarians 
  dwell in this camp, with a constant influx of new nomads 
  maintaining this level as smaller tribes move on. Most of 
  these nomads are 1st-level barbarian humans, but there’s 
  always at least a dozen boneslayers in camp as well.
  The chieftain of the Kallow Mounds, and of all the 
  Skoan-Quah, is a quiet and gaunt man named One-Life (CN 
  male human ranger 9). He has lived in the Kallow Mounds 
  for his entire adult life—unlike his tribe, who remain 
  nomadic, Chief One-Life dwells permanently in this small 
  camp with his direct family. Another permanent resident 
  of the camp is an elderly woman known as Ash Dancer (CN 
  female human ranger 2/cleric 9), the tribe’s eldest and most 
  experienced shaman and the leader of the boneslayers. The 
  Kallow Mounds are further protected by a crippled dragonne 
  named Wicked-Claws (N 12 HD dragonne, no fly speed). 
  The dragonne lost his wings to a bulette some years ago, 
  and Chief One-Life saved the proud creature from certain 
  death. No longer able to soar the skies above, Wicked-Claws 
  has adopted the Skoan-Quah and can often be seen sunning 
  atop a cairn not far from Chief One-Life’s tent. Finally, the 
  inTeraCTing wiTH THe SHoanTi
  This adventure assumes that the PCs follow the path 
  of least resistance as they attempt to earn the trust and 
  assistance of the Shoanti. When they first enter the 
  Cinderlands, chances are good that they have limited 
  knowledge about the territorial tribes, but their earlier 
  interaction with Thousand Bones gives them an advantage, 
  especially if they use magic like sending or dream to contact 
  the shaman beforehand. Even if they arrive at the Kallow 
  Mounds unannounced, Thousand Bones quickly learns 
  of their arrival and welcomes the PCs into the camp with 
  open arms—assuming the PCs helped recover Gaekhen’s 
  body in “Edge of Anarchy.”
  Attempting to contact the Lyrune-Quah or the Sklar-
  Quah before the PCs have made peaceful contact with the 
  Skoan-Quah dramatically increases the difficulty of the 
  adventure, since the Sklar-Quah react to intruders with 
  violence and the Lyrune-Quah are quite adept at avoiding 
  encounters entirely. In this event, divination spells and 
  wandering monsters can be your friend. Use the results of 
  spells like divination or commune to guide the PCs toward 
  the adventure’s next part. If they wander too long, they 
  could encounter a band of Skoan-Quah boneslayers who 
  can serve as guides to the Kallow Mounds—if it’s not too 
  heavy-handed for your taste, these boneslayers could even 
  have been sent out to find the PCs after their shaman 
  Thousand Bones received a vision of their coming.
  Of course, if the PCs seem bent on remaining hostile with 
  the Shoanti (or if they failed to deliver Gaekhen to Thousand 
  Bones), you can run this adventure in a more straightforward 
  manner—give the Sun Shaman of Fireford an ancient scroll 
  or stone tablet that contains the required information the 
  PCs need to send them on to Scarwall to retrieve the sword 
  Serethial, at which point they’ll be able to win this information 
  after a long and bloody battle against the Shoanti tribes.
  
  A History oF Ashes
  25
  Kallow Mounds are also the current home of Thousand 
  Bones (CG male human cleric 8), one of the Skoan-Quah 
  historians. Since he and his followers withdrew from 
  Korvosa in the face of increasing hostility, Thousand Bones 
  has become more and more concerned with the future. He 
  knows that the trouble in Korvosa has weakened the city, 
  and he knows his Shoanti kin (particularly those among the 
  Sklar-Quah) are eager to strike when they perceive Korvosa’s 
  defenses are down, but he also knows that—even crippled—
  Korvosa can field a potent army. If the Shoanti declare war 
  now, there will be no victors, only tragedy on both sides of 
  the Storval Rise.
  Although the initial contact with the Skoan-Quah 
  could be tense, these tensions fall away once Thousand 
  Bones arrives on the scene. His ready smile and 
  welcoming calls do much to set the other Shoanti at ease, 
  and their initial hostility gives way to curiosity—many of 
  the Skoan-Quah have never seen an honest-to-goodness 
  tshamek before. Thousand Bones waves aside any talk of 
  Queen Ileosa or Kazavon for now, telling the PCs that he 
  has similar worries of his own but that such a discussion 
  should be held at the proper location and time—in this 
  case, Thousand Bones suggests, during the evening’s 
  Bone Council fire.
  Until evening, Thousand Bones arranges for a guest 
  yurt for the PCs to rest in. He has plenty of food and water 
  delivered to the tent, and even visits the PCs himself for 
  some time—he’s eager to hear about their adventures 
  since they recovered Gaekhen’s body, and if he learns 
  that the man who dishonored the young brave has been 
  punished, he nods in appreciation of the justice. If the 
  PCs ask, Thousand Bones is willing to guide them to the 
  cairn in which Gaekhen’s ashes now rest.
  Feuding Guests
  The PCs are not the only guests destined to visit the Kallow 
  Mounds this day. At some point after the PCs have arrived 
  and are at rest in their yurt, or perhaps as they are returning 
  from Gaekhen’s cairn, another visitor arrives—a brash 
  young hero of the Sklar-Quah named Krojun Eats-What-
  He-Kills. Krojun, along with an honor guard of a half-dozen 
  Burn Riders, arrives at the Kallow Mounds for the same 
  reason every other Shoanti visits—someone important has 
  died. In this case, they bring the body of Berak, a Sklar-
  Quah hero known for leading many successful attacks 
  against orc aggressors from Urglin. Krojun was no friend 
  of Berak, but he was asked to bring the hero’s body south 
  to the Kallow Mounds to join with the other heroes by his 
  chieftain. Krojun knew better than to speak ill at the time, 
  but the journey has left him bitter and cranky.
  When Krojun arrives at the Kallow Mounds, the Skoan-
  Quah silently accept Berak’s body and begin preparing 
  it for interment. Krojun has little interest in staying for 
  the ceremony, but before he leaves he notices that the 
  Skoan-Quah have other visitors, either by seeing the PCs 
  directly or simply by noticing that the guest yurt has 
  been prepared and is in use. He quickly seeks out Chief 
  One-Life and demands to know who visits, and when he 
  discovers the visitors are the PCs, he seeks them out, his 
  rage and indignation growing.
  Thousand Bones is quick to come to the PCs’ side before 
  Krojun confronts them. He warns the PCs that Krojun 
  is a hero to the Sklar-Quah, and that blood spilt here 
  would undermine the already shaky situation between 
  the tribes. When Krojun does arrive, he spends a few 
  moments sizing up the PCs with a sneer before turning to 
  address Chief One-Life: “Why do the Skoan-Quah harbor 
  tshamek trespassers?”
  As Chief One-Life struggles to find an explanation that 
  won’t further enrage the towering visitor, Thousand Bones 
  nods at the giant’s words as though considering them 
  carefully, but then responds sharply, “Tell me, Krojun, 
  when did the Sklar-Quah become judges of who trespasses 
  on the Kallow Mounds where the ashes of our fathers lie?”
  “Your words change the question, Thousand Bones,” 
  answers the Shoanti hero with a snort. “These ones bring 
  trouble to the Cinderlands, and you know it. The coming 
  days shall reveal to us all who is right about them.”
  “Perhaps,” answers Thousand Bones. “But not today, 
  and not here. Would you have word of Berak’s burial 
  tainted by bloodshed get back to your Sun Shaman?”
  Krojun pauses, the cords in his neck straining, but then 
  he exhales and grins. “You misunderstand me, Thousand 
  Bones. My grief has wounded my words. But see to it 
  that no tshamek defiles our memories here.” His smile 
  broadens as he pulls a thin leather loop from one of his 
  packs. “Certainly, though, guests of the Skoan-Quah must 
  be brave to come this far. You wouldn’t mind if I tested the 
  courage and strength of your guests, would you?”
  A DC 25 Knowledge (local) check is enough to recognize 
  that the leather loop is a prop for a Shoanti game known as 
  “sredna.” Thousand Bones looks to the PCs with a shrug, 
  indicating that this choice is theirs. Only one PC need 
  SHoanTi PCS
  It’s possible that some of the PCs are Shoanti. It’s even 
  possible they might have chosen to be members of one 
  of the Cinderlands tribes. In this case, that the PC has 
  spent so much time in the company of tshamek means the 
  Sklar-Quah are likely to see him as tshamek as well. Being 
  accepted back into a Shoanti tribe could add an interesting 
  layer to such a PC’s quest, but it shouldn’t suffice as a 
  shortcut to avoid having to earn the Sklar-Quah’s respect.
  Nevertheless, if there is at least one Shoanti character in 
  the party, the group gains one respect point (see page 26).
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  26
  accept the challenge—if none do, Krojun laughs heartily 
  and returns his loop to his pack. “It is a wonder they made 
  it here at all, Thousand Bones,” he says, and with one final 
  glance at the PCs, he turns to join his fellow braves while 
  they see their brother off before they leave for Sklar-Quah 
  lands themselves.
  A “Friendly” Game of Sredna
  In sredna, two opponents face one another on their 
  hands and knees with their foreheads spaced just over 
  a foot apart. The contest requires a thin cord of leather 
  tied in a loop. One end of the loop is placed behind the 
  ears of each competitor so that the players are bound 
  to one another. When the game begins, each player 
  stares his opponent in the eye while slowly attempting 
  to crawl backwards. The resulting tug-of-war results 
  in extreme pain as the leather digs into the soft part of 
  the back of the neck and skull. At some point, one of the 
  competitors relents, acknowledging defeat by bowing his 
  head, causing the strap to roll over the top. Sredna games 
  typically only last for seconds, but two evenly matched 
  opponents might duel much longer. In such cases, 
  standoffs and ties are frequent.
  When a sredna match begins, each player must spend 
  three “breaths” (3 rounds) staring into each other’s eyes 
  before attempting to pull. Pulling before the 4th round is 
  an immediate disqualification. Intimidation and patience 
  are almost as important tools to win sredna matches as is 
  strength. During these initial 3 rounds, the players make 
  opposed Intimidate checks by growling, gnashing teeth, 
  and spitting insults. Each time a player wins one of these 
  checks, he gains two sredna points, and in the case of a 
  tied Intimidate check, both players gain one sredna point.
  On the 4th round, each character makes an Initiative 
  check to determine when he moves. On his turn, a 
  character may opt to tug or dig in.
  Tug: The characters make opposed Strength checks. 
  A defending character who dug in on his previous turn 
  receives a +4 bonus on this check. If the tugging character 
  wins the check, he gains two sredna points. If he fails (or 
  if the results are evenly matched), his opponent gains two 
  sredna points instead.
  Dig In: The character readies himself to withstand his 
  opponent’s tug, he gains a +4 bonus on his next Strength 
  check to resist a tug.
  At the end of each round, total up each player’s sredna 
  points. This is the DC each player must make on a Fortitude 
  save to continue the match. A player who fails this save 
  collapses and loses the match. If both players fail their saving 
  throw, the match is declared a draw. Characters who possess 
  the Endurance feat gain a +4 bonus on this saving throw.
  If the match lasts longer than 6 rounds, Krojun 
  activates his greater rage to give himself an additional 
  edge over the PC; he also activates his rage in response to 
  any PC doing the same.
  Krojun respects bravery, and even if he beats his 
  opponent, he good-naturedly claps the PC on the shoulder 
  and proclaims, “Almost as good as an aurochs calf. Nothing 
  to be too ashamed about.” With a hearty laugh, he reclaims 
  his strap and returns to his kin to see to their brother’s 
  burial. The party earns one respect point for this feat.
  If, on the other hand, the game is a draw, Krojun says 
  nothing. He regards his competitor with narrowed eyes, 
  then with a curt nod returns to the funeral. The party 
  earns two respect points.
  If the PC beats Krojun, he topples to the ground with a 
  roar of rage and rolls about in the dust for a moment. By 
  the time the barbarian has regained his feet, his roar has 
  turned to laughter. “You pull like an aurochs dam in heat, 
  little tshamek. Well done!” He finishes his compliment with 
  a quick nod of the head and another grin before rejoining 
  his brothers. The party earns three respect points.
  Krojun Eats-What-He-Kills
  Krojun is a symbol and hero of the Sklar-Quah. As a young 
  brave, Krojun sought the means to enact revenge upon an 
  orc champion named Kyrust Chiefkiller, a Rotten Tongue 
  marauder from Urglin who had long organized brutal raids 
  upon Krojun’s tribe. Desperate, Krojun sought the aid of 
  a reclusive Shoanti sorcerer who lived alone deep in the 
  Mindspin Mountains. The hermit sent Krojun on several 
  punishing tests, promising him that if he succeeded he 
  would earn the power he needed to defeat Kyrust. The tests 
  were harrowing indeed, designed in part to train Krojun 
  in the ways of the Thunder and Fang fighting style, and it 
  took Krojun many months to complete them. In the end, 
  he stood before the sorcerer in triumph. When Krojun 
  demanded his reward, however, the sorcerer responded 
  only that he had no reward to give and vanished. Krojun’s 
  rage was great, and when he returned to his people 
  empty-handed, he found that his entire tribe had been 
  enslaved by Kyrust. Krojun tracked the slave caravan for 
  days, finally catching up to it a few miles from Urglin’s 
  gates, and in a fantastic display of rage and power, single-
  handedly defeated the orcs and their leader Kyrust. It was 
  only as Krojun claimed the orc’s belt of giant strength as both 
  a trophy and a symbol of the Sklar-Quah’s power over the 
  orcs that he realized the truth—that strange old sorcerer 
  reSPeCT PoinTS
  This adventure is all about earning the respect of the Sklar-
  Quah. As the PCs accomplish goals during this adventure, 
  they are awarded respect points. Keep a tally of these 
  points, as at the adventure’s end, this total will determine 
  the degree of their success or failure.
  
  A History oF Ashes
  krojun
  27
  had indeed given him a gift: the gift of rage. Without the 
  skills and strength Krojun honed in completing the tasks 
  the sorcerer had set him to, he would surely have fallen in 
  such a combat as he had just won.
  Today, Krojun is at the forefront of the Sun Clan’s 
  efforts to strike back at the orcs and tshamek who have 
  hammered away at the Shoanti for centuries. The little 
  remaining space upon his rippling muscles that has not 
  already been tattooed or branded is frequently plastered 
  with war paint in symbols of Shoanti pride.
  When Krojun learns of the PCs’ entry into the Cinder-
  lands, he quickly becomes obsessed with them. In his in-
  teractions with the orcs of the north and the tshamek of the 
  south, Krojun has noted that, despite his tribe’s teachings, 
  the tshamek are not as savage or cruel as the orcs. He has 
  seen much of his own people reflected in the workings of 
  tshamek bravery, tenacity, and strength, but he has not yet 
  been fully convinced that they deserve his respect. With 
  the PCs, he hopes to test them, to learn more about 
  their ways, and to hopefully prevent what he be-
  lieves will be a disastrous war, should his 
  people march on Korvosa.
  If Krojun survives to the end of the 
  adventure, and the PCs pass their 
  initiation into the Sun Clan, 
  Krojun becomes a lifelong 
  friend and ally, calling 
  the PCs his nalharest 
  (brothers). 
  This 
  will be difficult to 
  achieve, however, as 
  Krojun seeks to challenge the PCs 
  several times during the adventure, and he 
  does not pull his punches. 
  Krojun eats-What-He-Kills cr 12
  Male human barbarian 12
  N Medium humanoid
  init +1; senses Listen +0, Spot +0
  DeFeNse
  Ac 18, touch 10, flat-footed 16
  (+6 armor, +2 Dex, –2 rage, +2 
  shield)
  hp 155 (12 HD; 12d12+72)
  Fort +14, ref +6, Will +7
  Defensive Abilities improved 
  uncanny dodge, trap sense +4; 
  Dr 3/—
  oFFeNse
  spd 50 ft.
  melee +1 thundering earth breaker 
  +18/+14/+8 (2d6+7/×3) and
  +1 klar +18 (1d6+4)
  special Attacks greater rage 4/day
  TAcTics
  Before combat Only if Krojun knows he is about to face great 
  opposition does he apply his orange Shoanti war paint.
  During combat Krojun charges fearlessly into battle, 
  preferring to fight toe-to-toe against foes to make full use 
  of his Thunder and Fang fighting style. Krojun is fond of 
  screaming his own name whenever he lands a critical hit 
  against a foe.
  morale Headstrong, Krojun has courage to spare. He is not 
  a fool, however, and withdraws if vastly outnumbered or 
  overmatched, or upon being reduced to 20 hit 
  points or less. Only when raging does he 
  fight to the death.
  Base statistics Ac 20, touch 12, flat-
  footed 18; hp 119; Fort +12, Will +4; 
  Melee +1 thundering earth breaker 
  +15/+10/+5 (2d6+4/×3) and +1 klar 
  +15 (1d6+2); str 16, con 16; Grp 
  +20; skills Climb +15, Jump +30
  sTATisTics
  str 22, Dex 15, con 22, int 8, Wis 
  10, cha 12
  Base Atk +12; Grp +19
  Feats Endurance, Thunder and 
  Fang, Track, Two-Weapon Fighting, 
  Weapon Focus (earthbreaker), 
  Weapon Focus (klar)
  skills Intimidate +16, Jump +32, 
  Ride +17, Survival +15
  Languages Common, 
  Shoanti
  sQ fast 
  movement, 
  illiteracy
  combat Gear 
  potion of cure 
  serious wounds (2); 
  other Gear +2 hide shirt, 
  +1 thundering earth breaker, 
  +1/+1 klar, belt of giant 
  strength +4, boots of striding  
  and springing, orange Shoanti war  
  paint (3 doses)
  The Bone Council Fire
  As night falls, Thousand Bones 
  invites the PCs to join him at 
  the center of the camp. The 
  majority of the other Skoan-
  Quah retire early to their tents 
  out of respect for the Bone 
  Council 
  Fire—the 
  only 
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  28
  people present are the PCs and their allies, Thousand 
  Bones, Chief One-Life, and Ash Dancer. During the 
  council, both One-Life and Ash Dancer remain quiet, 
  letting Thousand Bones do all the talking. As Thousand 
  Bones speaks, Ash Dancer sprinkles the fire with a 
  greenish-brown herbal dust from a weathered pouch. A 
  few moments later, the fumes encapsulate anyone who 
  remains by the fire; the effects cause a slight blurring of 
  the vision and a feeling of ease, but have no actual game 
  effects. Thousand Bones’s speech to the PCs is short and 
  direct, as is his way.
  “You have already done my people a great favor by returning 
  the body of one of our warriors. I sense now you come to me 
  to ask a favor in return, yet know that by doing this favor, you 
  are helping us all. The Skoan-Quah are a peaceful people, 
  yet we are also all but shunned by our kin. Our willingness 
  to mix with tshamek shames many of my brothers and sisters 
  in the other quahs. Only their respect for our tradition of 
  guarding and protecting the dead of all Shoanti keep them 
  from open hostility against us. My words do not reach their 
  ears when I advise against war on Korvosa. They hear tales 
  of the city in flames, of its king dead, of disease ravaging 
  its people, and they see this as the time foretold. A time 
  when the Shoanti can ride down from these burning lands 
  and reclaim greener lands to the south, lands that were once 
  ours. Yet war is not good for us. My brothers do not see that, 
  even crippled, Korvosa remains a powerful enemy. It is best 
  to make your enemies your friends, do you not think? Yet my 
  brothers do not listen to these words. They see weakness, 
  they demand action.
  “Yet you could not know of the coming war. You come to 
  me with a different favor. Speak of what you wish of me, and 
  perhaps we may find our needs are the same.”
  Thousand Bones listens to the PCs’ tale quietly and 
  somberly, answering questions they might pose him as 
  detailed below.
  Tell us about the Shoanti who dwelt by the river before 
  Korvosa was founded. “This was many generations ago, 
  yet it is a wound that has never healed. My brothers 
  among the Skoan-Quah have forgiven, but our numbers 
  are small. We were once a part of the Sklar-Quah, yet 
  our readiness to forgive marked us traitors and we were 
  exiled from that clan. In the generations that passed we 
  grew more at peace with our role here—there is beauty 
  in the Cinderlands, if you know where to look. We have 
  abandoned our memories of lives below the rise in a way 
  the Sklar-Quah have not. Those memories poison them. 
  They do not see that this land is theirs. They only see 
  lands that their ancestors called home. If you seek more 
  wisdom of those times, you must seek out the keepers of 
  words among the Sklar-Quah. You must seek the words 
  of a Sun Shaman.”
  What can you tell us of Midnight’s Teeth? Thousand 
  Bones’ brow furrows at this question and he appears to 
  be deep in thought for a moment before answering. “The 
  name is not unfamiliar, yet I know little more than that 
  I have heard it mentioned but twice by Sun Shamans of 
  the Sklar-Quah. Always in reference to the past, and to 
  what you now call Korvosa.”
  Can we simply walk into a Sklar-Quah camp and ask them 
  for aid? “Sadly, no. You are tshamek. Outlanders. Rightful or 
  not, the Sklar-Quah will see you as the children of those 
  who murdered their ancestors and drove them from the 
  green lands. The Sun Clan does not like outsiders at the 
  best of times. And less so now that war against Korvosa is 
  on every brave’s lips.”
  Tell us more of this talk of war on Korvosa. “It pains 
  my heart. Many will die, Shoanti and tshamek alike, if 
  such a tragedy comes to pass. The Sklar-Quah talk of a 
  great Burn Run from the Storval Rise all the way to the 
  heart of tshamek lands, to Korvosa. The Sklar-Quah’s 
  mood is very dark. This is hard for the Skoan-Quah. We 
  have made paper with Korvosa, agreeing that we will not 
  make war. Yet after the Sklar-Quah raid, the tshamek will 
  come north, led by your new queen. They will kill many 
  Shoanti brothers and sisters, including Skoan-Quah. 
  The winter will be harsh and many giants will be coming 
  south to take advantage of the loss of braves.
  Can you talk to the Sklar-Quah for us? You’re not 
  tshamek. “Alas, this will not work. They would ask us why 
  we want to know of such things. We would have to tell 
  them. They will not give us secrets to tell tshamek.”
  Is there any way the Sun Clan will stop treating us as 
  tshamek? “You must understand. The Sklar-Quah are very 
  certain of these things. They may come to respect lone 
  tshamek after many days of seeing them act honorably, but 
  new feaT: THUnder and fang
  You have mastered the ancient Shoanti fighting style of 
  Thunder and Fang, allowing you to fight with increased 
  effectiveness when wielding an earth breaker and a klar. As 
  you swing at foes with Thunder (your earth breaker), you 
  slash at them with the Fang (your klar).
  Prerequisites: Str 15, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon 
  Focus (earth breaker), Weapon Focus (klar)
  Benefit: As long as you are fighting with an earth 
  breaker and a klar (and you make attacks with your klar as 
  your offhand attack), you can fight with both weapons as if 
  you were wielding a double weapon, and retain your shield 
  bonus to your Armor Class granted by your klar. Treat your 
  klar as a light weapon for the purposes of determining 
  your total penalty to attack.
  special: A fighter may select Thunder and Fang as one 
  of his fighter bonus feats.
  
  A History oF Ashes
  29
  what you ask is for the Sun Shaman to lay bare his quah’s 
  heart. The deepest memories of his clan. These memories 
  are not for tshamek. Not since Skurak the Reborn have 
  the members of the Sklar-Quah unbanished a man and 
  welcomed him into their quah.
  Skurak? How did he manage it? Thousand Bones 
  smiles enigmatically for a brief instant before going on. 
  “The legend of Skurak is of a great warrior and greater 
  traitor to the Sklar-Quah. He slew his brother, a brave 
  of even greater courage. To the Sklar-Quah, family is 
  purity—crimes against the family are the greatest a man 
  can commit. Although Skurak claimed the death was an 
  accident as he and his brother were hunting, others spoke 
  of murder spawned of jealous rage. Skurak was declared 
  a tshamek by the Sun Shaman and cast out. But before 
  Skurak left he said he would be born again and return 
  to his tribe. This he did. He went to the killing grounds 
  of the great Cindermaw the Clan-Eater. Skurak walked 
  up to the beast carrying only his dagger. Without fear he 
  dove inside the beast and cut his way out. He returned to 
  the clan and declared he had been reborn, and had left his 
  misdeeds behind in the cleansing fire of Cindermaw’s 
  belly. The legend says the Sun Shaman accepted this and 
  Skurak’s time as a tshamek was spoken of no more.”
  What is Cindermaw? “A legend, yet one of flesh and 
  blood. Cindermaw dwells on the northernmost edge of 
  Shoanti lands, in the place where Shoanti and orc and 
  giant vie for life and water. His hunting grounds are 
  known as the Feeding Grounds of the Quah-Kael, 
  the land of the Clan Eater. The orcs of Urglin avoid 
  this region; the giants of the north hunt only on its 
  edges. Within, few have returned to tell tales, but 
  those who do speak of a mountain that crawls and 
  of fire that roars.”
  So this is a way for us to earn the Sklar-Quah’s 
  favor? To be eaten by and then escape from 
  Cindermaw? “Perhaps. Yet this route is more complex 
  than you suspect. The Sklar-Quah would never 
  believe the words of tshamek on such a matter, nor 
  would they risk travel to the Feeding Grounds just 
  to see foolish outlanders attempt to recreate legends.  
  I could come with you, if my bones were not so tired, yet I 
  am Skoan-Quah. My words would hold little light with the 
  Sun Shaman, I fear.”
  Here Thousand Bones grows silent for a moment, and 
  Ash Dancer speaks for the first time. “They could bring a 
  Truthspeaker, Thousand Bones.”
  What is a Truthspeaker? “There are those among 
  our people who, after living lives without lie and never 
  speaking falsehood, have earned the title of Truthspeaker. 
  It is a rare honor, one that requires many years of chastity, 
  of self-control, of introspection. There are Truthspeakers 
  among the Sklar-Quah, yet that does not help you. Were 
  that the Skoan-Quah had one. Yet The Skoan-Quah and the 
  Sklar-Quah are not the only Shoanti in the Cinderlands. 
  I have heard tell that the Lyrune-Quah, who dwell in the 
  shadow of the Wyvern Mountains far to the northwest, 
  have Truthspeakers among them. If you could perform 
  the ritual of rebirth at the Feeding Grounds of the Quah-
  Kael in the presence of a Truthspeaker, his words would 
  be all the proof you need to secure an audience with the 
  Sklar-Quah.”
  Where do we even find the Moon clan? “The Lyrune-
  Quah are nomads. This time of year, they gather at a place 
  sacred to them, a place called the House of the Moon at 
  the northeasternmost edge of the Wyvern Mountains. Yet 
  I fear that they will distrust you as tshamek as well, unless 
  you bring to them proof of your honesty and need.”
  Thousand bones
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  30
  What can we bring them to secure their aid? “The 
  Lyrune-Quah are unusual among the Shoanti. They do 
  not seek enlightenment through our ancestors, but from 
  the Song of the Spheres. They are devotees of Desna, and 
  they trust those who worship her. Yet that trust is, alone, 
  not enough to earn the aid of a Truthspeaker to be witness 
  to your heroics against Cindermaw. The faithful of Desna 
  have a tradition of exploring distant and dangerous 
  places as a way to honor their deity, who watches over all 
  who travel. When they reach the goal of their pilgrimage, 
  a priest leaves a found-mark to honor his journey. One of 
  the Lyrune-Quah’s greatest ancestors was a priest of Desna 
  named Tanjah—their legends speak of her pilgrimage 
  into an ancient ruin and her discovery of a potent relic 
  sacred to Desna, a stone globe held deep within a place 
  called the Acropolis of the Thrallkeepers. Those who 
  follow Tanjah’s footsteps and seek her found-mark upon 
  this globe are said to be given the Spherewalker’s Mark, 
  and with this mark, the Lyrune-Quah would welcome 
  into their camp even their most bitter rivals.” 
  What is the Acropolis of the Thrallkeepers? Where 
  is it? “It is a ruin left over from an ancient time, a time 
  when great powers ruled over this land. We speak of these 
  ancient lords only in whispers today, but you may know 
  their mark by the Sihedron, the seven-pointed star. I 
  know not what perils await you within the Acropolis, but 
  its location is not unknown to the Skoan-Quah. When you 
  are ready to leave, I shall send with you four boneslayers 
  to lead you there.”
  How can we repay you for your help? “By convincing the 
  Sklar-Quah you are friends, that you represent Korvosa, 
  and that war is not in anyone’s best interest. This will 
  save both our peoples needless pain and grief. If you can 
  earn their trust and respect enough to learn from them 
  the secret of what their ancestors watched over before 
  the outlanders drove them away, they will listen to your 
  words and see the wisdom there. This is all I ask, and it 
  benefits you as well.”
  Once the PCs have asked their questions and are sure 
  of their goals, Thousand Bones tells them that he will not 
  send them into the Cinderlands on their quest alone or 
  unarmed. He calls forth four brave young Skoan-Quah 
  boneslayers, introducing them as Ahalak, Hargev, Nalmid, 
  and Shadfrar. These four are the PCs’ guides through the 
  Cinderlands, and lead them where they need to go. Further, 
  he presents some gifts to the PCs: five potions of cure serious 
  wounds, a wand of create water (44 charges), a wand of endure 
  elements (23 charges), and five pots of Shoanti war paint (three 
  red and two silver). If asked about these gifts, Thousand 
  Bones smiles and says, “I had suspected for some time you 
  would need my help. These gifts are nothing to me, but 
  they may be everything to you.”
  skoan-Quah Boneslayers (4) 
   
  cr 4
  Human ranger 2/cleric 2
  CN Medium humanoid
  init +1; senses Listen +3, Spot +3
  DeFeNse
  Ac 15, touch 11, flat-footed 14
  (+4 armor, +1 Dex)
  hp 25 (4 HD; 4d8+4)
  Fort +7, ref +4, Will +6
  oFFeNse
  spd 30 ft.
  melee mwk earth breaker +6 (2d6+3/×3)
  ranged mwk composite longbow +5 (1d8+2/×3)
  special Attacks favored enemy (undead +2), feat of Strength 1/
  day, greater turning 1/day, turn undead 6/day (–1, 2d6+2)
  spells Known (CL 2nd)
  1st—detect undead, hide from undead, sanctuary (DC 14)
  0—create water, detect magic, mending, purify food and drink
  D domain spell; Domains Strength, Sun
  TAcTics
  Too Many CHained QUeSTS?
  Warning! The structure of this adventure may not be to 
  the liking of some groups. “A History of Ashes” is designed 
  both to introduce several NPCs and to show off the Shoanti 
  and the Cinderlands, but some players get annoyed by 
  overly complex quests. In this adventure, your players need 
  to secure an audience with a Sklar-Quah Sun Shaman to 
  learn what he knows about Kazavon. But in order to do 
  that, the PCs are expected to undertake a large number of 
  preliminary quests, each one granting a reward that allows 
  the next stage in the chain of quests to occur.
  You know your group better than I do. If your players 
  balk or resist the concept of being forced to undertake 
  a specific line of quests in a specific order, you might 
  want to consider removing a stage or two from the 
  quest chain in “A History of Ashes,” or perhaps changing 
  the order around. For example, rather than asking the 
  PCs to go to the Acropolis of the Thrallkeepers to get 
  the Spherewalker’s Mark just so they can prove to the 
  Lyrune-Quah that they can be trusted, perhaps Thousand 
  Bones simply sends the PCs directly to the Lyrune-Quah. 
  Once the PCs get there, Truthspeaker Akram can agree to 
  witness the PCs’ encounter with Cindermaw only if they 
  first do him a favor by escorting one of his nephews to 
  the acropolis so he can receive the Spherewalker’s Mark. 
  You can even just skip the acropolis entirely, setting it 
  aside as an extended encounter for the PCs to explore 
  along the way—perhaps the acropolis is nothing more 
  than the closest shelter at hand when an unexpected 
  emberstorm strikes.
  —James Jacobs
  
  A History oF Ashes
  31
  During combat The boneslayers prefer to fire their bows from 
  covered positions, but if one of them is attacked in melee, 
  the others quickly come to his aid.
  morale Boneslayers fight to the death.
  sTATisTics
  str 14, Dex 13, con 12, int 10, Wis 16, cha 8
  Base Atk +3; Grp +5
  Feats Extra Turning, Improved Turning, Totem Spirit (Skoan-
  Quah), Track
  skills Concentration +6, Handle Animal +4, Heal +10, Hide 
  +4, Knowledge (nature) +5, Knowledge (religion) +6, Move 
  Silently +4, Survival +8
  Languages Common, Shoanti
  sQ spontaneous casting (cure spells)
  combat Gear potion of cure moderate wounds, potion of delay 
  poison, potion of lesser restoration; other Gear masterwork 
  hide shirt, masterwork earth breaker, masterwork 
  composite longbow (+2 Str), white Shoanti war paint, holy 
  symbol
  sPeciAL ABiLiTies
  Totem spirit This feat (described in the Rise of the Runelords 
  Player’s Guide) grants the Boneslayer a +2 bonus on weapon 
  damage against undead and a +2 bonus on Heal checks.
  PArt three: AcroPoliS of 
  the thrAllkeePerS
  With the gifts given by Thousand Bones and the 
  assistance of four reliable guides, the journey to the 
  Acropolis of the Thrallkeepers should be relatively safe, 
  depending on how often you wish to liven up the trip 
  with wandering monsters. At times during the journey, 
  feel free to have the PCs make Spot checks; whoever 
  rolls the highest catches a glimpse of what seems to be 
  another small group of riders on a distant outcropping. 
  A DC 40 Spot check confirms that the man at the head 
  of this group is Krojun—the Sklar-Quah is keeping an 
  eye on the PCs as they travel, waiting for an opportunity 
  to test them further. If the PCs attempt to confront him, 
  he easily avoids them unless the PCs teleport directly 
  to his location, a display of power that spooks his men 
  but simply makes Krojun smile. In such an event, he 
  points out that the Cinderlands are a dangerous place, 
  and if the PCs die, someone needs to carry their bodies 
  back to the Kallow Mounds, lest they rise as lost souls. 
  He lets lie the implication that he also wouldn’t pass 
  up the opportunity to loot the PCs’ dead bodies if the 
  opportunity arose.
  You can heighten the tension caused by the war party’s 
  presence by drawing out this distant game of cat and mouse, 
  perhaps to the point of where it becomes unclear who is 
  hunting whom. Until the PCs actually reach the Acropolis 
  of the Thrallkeepers, however, try to avoid having too 
  many direct confrontations with Krojun’s band.
  A Grim Warning
  As the journey progresses, the PCs should come upon 
  at least one grisly totem—the rotting head of a Shoanti 
  man mounted on a sharp wooden pole, the other end of 
  which has been jammed into a cleft between two rocks so 
  that the head hangs out almost like a flag on the side of a 
  building. Bright red crossbow bolts have been driven into 
  each of the head’s eyes.
  The boneslayers accompanying the PCs mutter and 
  whisper at this discovery. If asked about it, one of the 
  Skoan-Quah says the head belonged to a Sklar-Quah, but 
  was placed here by a “tshamek devil” the Shoanti call the 
  Cinderlander. The brave goes on to explain that, for the 
  past several years, this mysterious figure has stalked the 
  Cinderlands. He never attacks large groups—targeting 
  only lone braves with a strange “sideways screaming 
  bow.” There are plenty of legends and tales about the 
  Cinderlander, who he is, where he’s from, and why he 
  hunts the Shoanti. The Skoan-Quah believe he is the 
  unquiet ghost of a Korvosan general who stalks these 
  lands and will continue to slay Shoanti until his victims 
  equal those the Shoanti took from him. Two crossbow 
  bolts in the eyes have become the Cinderlander’s calling 
  card, but the aged condition of the head implies that the 
  mysterious killer is long gone from the region. In any 
  event, one of the bonecallers scrambles up to retrieve the 
  decapitated head. Without knowing the Shoanti’s identity, 
  his ashes cannot be interred in the Kallow Mounds, so 
  instead, that evening, the boneslayers hold a short service 
  of their own, burning the head, scattering the ashes, and 
  burying the skull under a cairn of rocks.
  More information about the Cinderlander and his role 
  in this adventure can be found on page 21.
  Arrival at the Acropolis
  As the PCs approach the acropolis, the sky on the horizon 
  begins to darken alarmingly. A DC 20 Knowledge (nature) 
  check or a quick warning from one of their boneslayer 
  guides confirms the worst—an emberstorm is brewing. 
  Powerful duststorms filled with blasts of burning ash 
  and cinders, these devastating storms are feared by 
  the Shoanti for their swift speed and terrible fury—
  known as Black Blizzards to most tribes, the advent of 
  an emberstorm could be taken as a bad omen, as the 
  boneslayer companions are quick to point out. The PCs 
  should have plenty of time to find the entrance to the 
  acropolis before the storm strikes, though—see page 74 
  of Pathfinder #7 for rules if the PCs get caught unprotected 
  in the emberstorm itself.
  The Acropolis of the Thrallkeepers sits atop a raised 
  area in the shadows of the Wyvern Mountains. Built 
  originally by an order of Thassilonian wizards known 
  as the Thrallkeepers (a competing order against the 
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  32
  Therassic Monks who built the Black Tower and 
  the Library under Jorgenfist—see Pathfinder #4), the 
  acropolis’s true grandeur lies hidden underground. Eager 
  to prove their value and use to Runelord Karzoug, they 
  turned increasingly to the teachings of the rune goddess 
  Lissala, and through those meditations, they sought a 
  method to duplicate the great works of Thassilon’s most 
  powerful conjurers. The acropolis was a place where they 
  could perfect their conjurations and study the strange 
  and horrific monstrosities like scarlet walkers, shining 
  children, and other malignancies from beyond the stars, 
  ever seeking ways to call down larger and more dangerous 
  minions to present to Karzoug. The most arrogant of 
  the order hoped one day to call upon a creature like the 
  Oliphaunt of Jandelay, yet they never quite reached such a 
  level of power before they overstepped their own ability.
  Following forbidden runes and methods stolen 
  from dubious sources (perhaps from strangely-garbed 
  merchants visiting from Leng), the Thrallkeepers set 
  about the conjuration of a gigantic entity from a distant 
  corner of the universe—a monster referred to as the 
  havero, or the Arms and Eyes of Forever. They managed 
  to pull down a havero from these distant unknown places 
  and imprisoned it in the vast summoning chamber below, 
  but the havero was too powerful for the Thrallkeepers to 
  fully control. Its body trapped in the conjuration chamber, 
  the havero sent its countless appendages up through the 
  surrounding structure and, in a matter of minutes, had 
  sought out and murdered every single Thrallkeeper 
  within the acropolis.
  The Therassic Monks attempted several times to move 
  in and claim the vacated structure, yet it soon became 
  obvious that the havero would allow none to dwell in the 
  acropolis—even those who sought nothing more than 
  to release it from its prison. When Thassilon crumbled, 
  visits to the acropolis ended, and in time, all but one of 
  the once-mighty buildings that stood atop it crumbled. 
  The ageless havero itself fell into hibernation, and 
  now only wakes when intruders explore the ruins of 
  the acropolis—even then, only a few of the creature’s 
  twitching limbs awaken at a time to defend the place. The 
  Shoanti have learned to avoid the ruins, but worshipers of 
  Desna can sense the presence of a creature from beyond 
  the stars here, and as such it has become a sacred place to 
  her worshipers. They know that the havero is a dangerous 
  creature that must remain imprisoned, yet the secrets of 
  what it has seen in the places at the edge of the universe 
  are a lure to their inquisitive minds.
  
  A History oF Ashes
  33
  Above ground, all that remains today is a partially 
  collapsed tower bearing the mark of the seven-pointed 
  star—the Sihedron Rune. Just to the side of the mark, a 
  pair of 20-foot-wide stone doors stand ajar (having already 
  been opened by the Brotherhood of Bones), leading down 
  to a dusty flight of stairs descending to area A1.
  Unless otherwise specified, the acropolis is lightless. 
  Walls are composed of black granite flecked with blood-
  red deposits of rock crystal. Intricate rune patterns of 
  Thassilonian writing extolling the virtues of Runelord 
  Karzoug and the power of Lissala decorate the walls at 
  regular intervals, as does the ubiquitous seven-pointed 
  Sihedron. Each stone door bears a bas relief of the 
  Sihedron on its face as well. If the symbol is pressed, it 
  clicks and the door slowly grinds up into the ceiling the 
  following round, granting access beyond. The door then 
  descends on its own accord 1 minute later. The door’s 
  mechanism may be jammed, keeping the door open (or 
  sealed) with a successful DC 15 Disable Device check. 
  A similar check from either side restores the door to 
  functionality. A creature that is unable to step out of a 
  descending door’s slow path is crushed for 3d6 points of 
  damage and becomes pinned in place until he can escape 
  with a DC 25 Strength or Escape Artist check.
  A Crowded Dungeon
  While the PCs are just here to receive the blessing of the 
  Desnan found-mark in area A11, they aren’t the only group 
  exploring the acropolis. Three other groups are destined 
  to clash in the acropolis as well—the Brotherhood of 
  Bones, Krojun and his Thundercallers, and a group of 
  Red Mantis assassins. Each group is summarized below, 
  and in every room description, the group’s actions (and 
  when it enters that room) are detailed. In addition, the 
  havero itself still lives, and its countless limbs slowly 
  awaken as the four groups explore.
  Brotherhood of Bones (EL 12): The first group to arrive 
  in the acropolis is Shadowcount Sial and his chain devil 
  companion Asyra. Sial’s divinations have led him here, 
  and he makes his way to area A3 hoping to observe the 
  PCs and follow them quietly once they arrive. He would 
  prefer to remain unseen, but if his hand is forced, he allies 
  with the PCs unless they wish otherwise. The boneslayers 
  object loudly to such an alliance, and Sial has little but 
  disdain for the local “primitives.”
  If the PCs discover the priest, he abandons his pretense 
  of silent observation and greets the PCs, explaining 
  that he has been watching them for some time. He 
  introduces himself and Asyra as accomplices of Laori 
  Vaus, explaining that she had reported the PCs’ efforts 
  in Old Korvosa to the organization that he and she both 
  belong to. Sial attempts to remain as mysterious as he 
  can, asking only leave of the PCs to accompany them and 
  observe their methods. He understands full well that 
  he’s given the PCs little reason to trust him, and offers 
  his spells as support for their exploration as needed. If 
  combat with the havero or Red Mantis occurs, he even 
  joins in on the PCs’ side to aid them.
  Although Sial admits to belonging to the Brotherhood 
  of Bones (a DC 25 Knowledge [religion] check reveals only 
  that this is a mysterious order of scholars and historians 
  that operates inside of the church of Zon-Kuthon), he would 
  rather avoid mentioning anything else about his actual 
  interests at this time, promising only that, once they’re out 
  of this ruin, he’ll explain himself more fully. If the PCs 
  still don’t want his company, he nods in understanding and 
  withdraws to area A1 to await the end of the emberstorm, 
  approaching the PCs at a later date to ask again if they will 
  allow him to accompany them on their travels.
  shadowcount sial
  hp 56 (see page 18)
  Asyra
  hp 118 (see page 19)
  Red Mantis (EL 12): A group of four Red Mantis 
  assassins enters the acropolis not long after the PCs 
  arrive. Cinnabar doesn’t honestly expect these four to be 
  able to slay all of the PCs—their primary job is to engage 
  the PCs so that Cinnabar, who is scrying on one of the 
  assassins, can observe the PCs in combat and therefore 
  prepare her assault with more accuracy later in the 
  adventure. If the PCs have taken pains to ensure that the 
  Red Mantis can’t track them easily, Cinnabar gives one of 
  the assassins an elixir of shadewalking so he can travel to the 
  acropolis in about an hour from their Ashwing gargoyle 
  base of operations—assuming at least that she’s able to 
  scry upon the PCs or knows that’s where they’re going. 
  Unless the PCs have already noticed the Red Mantises, it’s 
  simplest to assume that these four assassins are on top 
  of their game and enter the acropolis about 10 minutes  
  after the PCs (or at about the time the PCs move on 
  beyond area A2).
  Once the PCs discover the assassins, the mantises 
  attack at once—they have little interest in talking.
  red mantis Assassins (4)
  hp 50 each (see page 15)
  Sklar-Quah (EL 13): When the emberstorm picks up, 
  Krojun sends most of his war party away to seek safety 
  elsewhere. He keeps three of his thundercallers at his 
  side and watches the acropolis entrance from a distant 
  crag, local stories and legends about the region staying 
  him from following. Just as he’s about to abandon his 
  
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  34
  vigil, though, the Red Mantis enters. This event intrigues 
  Krojun enough that he leads his three thundercaller 
  braves down to the acropolis to enter as well. The Sklar-
  Quah enter about 15 minutes after the PCs do (or at about 
  the time the PCs have explored three areas on the main 
  level or are about to move into the lower level).
  Once the PCs discover that Krojun and his 
  thundercallers have followed them into the acropolis, 
  Krojun’s demeanor is brisk. He greets them with a stoic 
  nod, explaining that he and his braves decided to take 
  shelter in here while the storm raged outside. He then 
  goes on to warn the PCs that this place is bad, and that 
  they shouldn’t be here. If the PCs explain that they’re 
  seeking the Desnan found-mark, he snorts derisively, 
  saying that the PCs are no better than those “stargazing 
  Lyrune-Quah,” but he doesn’t take action to prevent their 
  exploration. He does, however, demand to know what 
  the PCs are doing in the Cinderlands. He meets most 
  answers with non-committal grunts, but if the PCs say 
  that they seek an audience with a Sun Shaman, he laughs 
  loudly (add two noise points in this event—see page 36 
  for further details) and says that such a thing will never 
  happen—that the Sun Shamans of the Sklar-Quah have 
  nothing to say to tshamek.
  Krojun accompanies the PCs for a short time, 
  explaining only that he finds them to be entertaining 
  while he waits out the emberstorm, when in fact he’s 
  simply sizing them up and trying to figure them out. 
  He doesn’t aid them in a fight against the Red Mantis 
  unless the assassins harm him or one of his braves, but 
  he does aid the PCs in any fight against the havero. He 
  doesn’t follow the PCs into the lower level—once they 
  head down there, he takes his leave of the PCs to finish 
  waiting out the storm at area A1. He is gone by the time 
  the PCs complete their business here.
  Krojun eats-What-He-Kills 
   
  cr 12
  hp 155 (see page 27)
  sklar-Quah Thundercallers (3) 
  cr 7
  Human barbarian 1/bard 6
  N Medium humanoid (human)
  init +7; senses Listen +9, Spot –1
  DeFeNse
  Ac 16, touch 11, flat-footed 13
  (+5 armor, +3 Dex, –2 rage)
  hp 61 (7 HD; 1d12+6d6+28)
  Fort +8, ref +8, Will +6
  
  A History oF Ashes
  35
  oFFeNse
  spd 40 ft.
  melee +1 totem spear +10 (1d10+7/×3)
  ranged +1 totem spear +9 (1d10+5/×3)
  special Attacks bardic music 6/day (countersong, fascinate, 
  inspire courage +2, inspire competence, suggestion), rage 1/day
  spells Known (CL 6th)
  2nd (3/day)—pyrotechnics, shatter (DC 15), sound burst (DC 15)
  1st (4/day)—cure light wounds, expeditious retreat, feather 
  fall, lesser confusion (DC 14)
  0 (3/day)—detect magic, light, mage hand, mending, message, 
  summon instrument
  TAcTics
  Before combat If time permits, the thundercallers first 
  prepare their war band with war paint.
  During combat One thundercaller initiates his inspire 
  courage bardic music ability while the others attack. In 
  melee, the thundercallers rage and then move in to flank 
  foes with their totem spears 
  morale Thundercallers never flee unless called away by their 
  chief or another authority figure, such as Krojun.
  Base statistics Ac 18, touch 13, flat-footed 15; hp 47; Fort +6, 
  ref +6, Will +4, str 14, Dex 12, con 14; skills Concentration 
  +12, Jump +13
  sTATisTics
  str 18, Dex 16, con 18, int 10, Wis 8, cha 16
  Base Atk +5; Grp +7
  Feats Combat Casting, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (totem 
  spear), Improved Initiative, Iron Will
  skills Concentration +14, Intimidate +7, Jump +17, Knowledge 
  (history) +10, Listen +9, Perform (wind instrument) +13, Ride 
  +7, Survival +3, Tumble +12
  Languages Common, Shoanti
  sQ bardic knowledge +8, fast movement
  combat Gear barbarian chew, wand of cure light wounds (30 
  charges), wand of cat’s grace (15 charges); other Gear +1 hide 
  shirt, +1 totem spear, green Shoanti war paint
  A1. Thrallkeeper’s Walk
  The stone stairs end at a twenty-foot-wide and twenty-
  foot-tall hallway that leads to the east, opening into a large 
  chamber. The floor is cluttered with dust and tiny mounds of 
  ash that look to have been recently disturbed in places, but 
  signs of the trail vanish to the east once the stones become 
  clear of debris.
  It’s only a DC 10 Survival check to note that two human-
  sized creatures seem to have moved through this area recently, 
  traveling from the stairs toward the room to the east. Within 
  10 feet of area A2, though, the ground is clear, and continuing 
  to follow the trail requires a DC 25 Survival check. Doing so 
  leads the PCs to the door from area A2 to area A3.
  Brotherhood of Bones: Sial and Asyra enter the 
  ruins before the PCs arrive but don’t spend much time 
  in this area.
  Red Mantis: The Red Mantis assassins cast spider climb 
  at this point. If there’s activity in area A2, two remain 
  in hiding here near the ceiling while two sneak into A2. 
  Otherwise, the assassins break into two groups of two 
  and move into A2 under stealth.
  Sklar-Quah: The Sklar-Quah enter the area but pause 
  for a few rounds before entering area A2 if there’s no 
  activity there. Any Red Mantis assassins hidden above 
  remain hidden; the Sklar-Quah aren’t observant enough 
  to notice them.
  A2. Pool of the Havero (EL 10+)
  The air in this massive cathedral-like space seems strangely 
  cool. The ceiling vaults into the shadows above to a height 
  of nearly sixty feet, while the walls are carved with vertical 
  ridges that rise to support the arch above. A five-foot-wide 
  balcony rings the room, the floor of which drops fifteen feet 
  into a pool of dark water. A bridge crosses the pool down the 
  room’s center, and two large stone doors stand in the walls 
  to the south and east. Smaller doors sit in the walls to the 
  northwest and northeast—all four doors bear depictions of 
  seven-pointed-stars.
  The dark water in the pool is cold and stagnant, 
  clogged with silt and a thick upper layer of dark algae. 
  The “pool” was once a vast chamber that once served as 
  the acropolis’s primary summoning chamber, but anyone 
  who investigates the foul water finds that something cold, 
  ToTeM SPear
  The shaft of this traditional Sklar-Quah spear is 
  carved with sacred symbols, and its wide head is 
  drilled with cunning holes that create a loud whistling 
  when the weapon is hurled or used in combat—by 
  turning the spear so that the wind blows over its holes 
  in different orientations, or by varying the speed at which 
  it is swung, a character can create mournful dirges using 
  Perform (wind instrument). Totem spears can be used by 
  bards to create bardic music effects in this manner if the 
  user is trained in the spear’s use. The spear itself has a 
  strong, flexible shaft, and in the hands of one trained in its 
  use, grants a +2 circumstance bonus on Jump and Tumble 
  checks. The spear’s relatively wide head allows it to be used 
  as a slashing weapon, swung side to side, or as a piercing 
  weapon in a more traditional spear-fighting technique.
  Totem spear (Two-Handed exotic Weapon): Cost 25 gp; 
  Dmg (S) 1d8; Dmg (M) 1d10; Critical ×3; Range Increment 
  10 ft.; Weight 6 lb.; Type piercing or slashing.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  36
  rubbery, and immense fills most of this chamber to an 
  uneven depth ranging from 10 to 30 feet.
  Narrow gaps along the north and south walls allow 
  creatures in the passageways beyond the luxury of 
  observing events in this room from there, but are difficult 
  to notice from inside area A2. It’s a DC 20 Search check to 
  locate these cleverly hidden gaps.
  Creature: The pool is far from empty—it contains 
  the slumbering havero conjured so long ago by the 
  Thrallkeepers. Their magic holds the creature still, 
  suspending it in a trance-like state analogous to what 
  mortals would understand as a form of hibernation. In 
  this form of stasis, its body lies immense but immobile 
  under the dark waters of the pool, a vast tangle of tentacles 
  and coils. Close inspection reveals a dark-colored mass 
  of thick, rubbery material that heals all damage done 
  to it in a single round. Here and there, strange bulbous 
  protrusions (closed eyes) stud the uneven ropey mass. The 
  exact conditions required to waken the havero have yet to 
  occur, and whatever these conditions are should be outside 
  of the capability of the PCs to accomplish—the havero itself 
  is a CR 25 creature, and should not be unleashed on a 10th-
  level party. Yet while the havero dreams away the ages, its 
  countless limbs do not sleep as deeply as its colossal body, 
  and if intruders are loud or destructive enough, some of 
  these unquiet limbs could awaken.
  As the PCs explore the ruins, track their “noise points” 
  to determine how many of the havero’s tentacles awaken. 
  Award noise points as follows:
  Action 
  Noise Points Awarded
  Combat 
  5 points per round
  Yelling 
  1 point
  Casting a spell with a verbal 
  component 
  1 point
  Running 
  1 point
  Utilizing a sonic effect 
  10 points
  Noise occurs in area A2 
  Double the points awarded
  Swimming in the pool 
  2 points per round
  Directly attacking the havero’s body awards a number of 
  noise points equal to the amount of damage dealt (attacking 
  a tentacle does not award any additional points beyond those 
  normally awarded for combat). Every minute that passes in 
  which no new noise points are awarded, the current total of 
  noise points drops by 1d10.
  The number of noise points determines how many 
  of the havero’s arms waken and investigate. Use the 
  following chart to determine when the arms awaken and 
  what actions they take; the effects of each level of noise 
  occur on the round after the noise point total reaches 
  the indicated level (note that reductions to noise points 
  cannot trigger a new havero reaction).
  Noise
  Point Total 
  Havero reaction
  10 
  Twitch: The havero’s tentacles writhe and twitch.   
  The entire ruin shakes slightly, and the waters 
  of the pool in area A2 slosh and churn as if 
  something large just shifted below the surface.
  20 
  investigate: One havero tentacle emerges from 
  the water of area A2 to investigate that room. 
  It investigates for 1d4 rounds before slumping 
  back into the water—if it encounters any 
  creatures, it attacks.
  30 
  seek: Two havero tentacles emerge from the pool 
  in area A2 to investigate the room for 2d4 rounds, 
  slithering outward into surrounding rooms as 
  time permits. If they encounter any creatures, all 
  other tentacles quickly move to aid the fight as 
  soon as it begins.
  40 
  Assault: As “seek” above, save that four tentacles 
  emerge to investigate the ruins. The tentacles 
  continue to investigate until the noise point 
  TenTaCle CoMbaT
  The easiest way to represent the havero’s tentacles on a 
  battlemat is with a large number of pennies and dimes (or 
  similarly-sized tokens). When a tentacle emerges, it may 
  do so at any pool square in area A2. Use a dime to note the 
  current position of the tentacle’s tip—this is the part of the 
  tentacle that “moves” when the havero explores. Whenever 
  you move this dime out of a square, leave a penny in the 
  square it vacates; this indicates the length of the tentacle 
  itself as it trails from the tip back to the pool.
  The tentacle itself can attack any target within 20 feet 
  of its tip, and threatens any creature in this range. Any 
  creature that wishes to move through a square marked by 
  a penny can do so, but treats that square as difficult terrain 
  as he is forced to clamber or jump over the writhing 
  tentacle length.
  A character can attack a tentacle at any point along its 
  length. Attacking a tentacle while out of reach of the tip is 
  a relatively safe way to combat a havero tentacle, but it is 
  certain to call the tip back to the current location.
  Once multiple tentacles emerge, it might be easiest to 
  use additional markers as well, if you wish to keep clear 
  which trail of pennies is “attached” to which tip. You can 
  also use different colored lengths of string or yarn to track 
  the location of each tentacle if you wish, using pennies 
  at points along its length to weight down the string so it 
  doesn’t slide all over the battlemat.
  The havero’s tentacles are treated as Huge creatures for 
  the purposes of determining attack rolls, Hide checks, and 
  grapple checks.
  
  A History oF Ashes
  37
  total drops below 40.
  50 
  Wrath: As “assault” above, save that six tentacles 
  emerge. A new tentacle emerges to replace 
  one forced to withdraw on the round after that 
  tentacle’s withdrawal, up to a maximum of 
  six active tentacles at a time. Tentacles continue 
  to emerge to replace withdrawn ones as long as 
  the noise point total remains at 50 or higher.
  When the havero’s tentacles emerge, treat each one as 
  its own, unique creature. The tentacles present a unique 
  situation on a battlemat, since they don’t really conform 
  to standard rules for creature space. Although each of the 
  havero’s tentacles are long enough to reach anywhere on 
  the main level, they never get much thicker than about a 
  foot or two in diameter, no matter how long they stretch. 
  See the Tentacle Combat sidebar for rules on how these 
  limbs work on a battlemat.
  Havero Tentacle 
  cr 6
  NE Huge aberration
  init +1; senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +5, Spot +5
  DeFeNse
  Ac 19, touch 9, flat-footed 18
  (+1 Dex, +10 natural, –2 size)
  hp 66 (7 HD; 7d8+35)
  Fort +7, ref +3, Will +10
  Dr 5/slashing; immune cold, inhaled effects, mind-affecting 
  effects, poison; resist acid 10, fire 10
  oFFeNse
  spd 30 ft.
  melee tentacle +12 (2d6+13)
  space 5 ft. (special); reach 20 ft. (special)
  special Attacks constrict 2d6+13, improved grab
  TAcTics
  During combat The havero’s tentacles attack the closest 
  visible target, switching to attack other targets only to 
  defend themselves as necessary.
  morale Once a havero tentacle is reduced to 0 hit points, it 
  stops attacking and withdraws back into the pool in area A2 
  at a speed of 60 feet.
  sTATisTics
  str 28, Dex 12, con 20, int —, Wis 20, cha 10
  Base Atk +5; Grp +22
  sQ mindless, no breath
  sPeciAL ABiLiTies
  constrict (ex) On a successful grapple check, a havero tentacle 
  deals 2d6+13 points of damage.
  improved Grab (ex) To use this ability, a havero tentacle 
  must hit a target of any size with its tentacle attack. It can 
  then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without 
  provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple 
  check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.
  mindless (ex) Although the havero itself is fantastically 
  intelligent, its is currently slumbering, leaving its tentacles little 
  more than instinct to operate on. The tentacles are effectively 
  mindless, and thus immune to mind-affecting attacks.
  No Breath (ex) A havero tentacle does not breathe, and as 
  such is immune to inhaled toxins and odor-based effects.
  Brotherhood of Bones: Sial and Asyra didn’t investigate 
  this room much, and chose area A3 as their observation 
  point. It’s a DC 25 Survival check to track their progress 
  across the floor to this room. If they observe the PCs’ fight 
  in this room, they come to the party’s aid if things start to 
  look dire but otherwise simply observe the battle.
  Red Mantis: If the Red Mantis find the PCs here, they 
  clamber up onto the ceiling stealthily so they can feather 
  fall down to attack with surprise. If the PCs are fighting 
  the Havero, the mantises watch quietly, entering the fray 
  only if noticed or to strike while the PCs are wounded as 
  soon as the tentacles withdraw. If there are no PCs here 
  when the mantises arrive, they avoid the pool. One pair 
  remains hidden on the roof above the eastern doors while 
  the other moves south to investigate area A5.
  Sklar-Quah: The Sklar-Quah are somewhat nervous 
  about the ominous water in the pool, and while none 
  of them enter the slime, a few toss rocks into it while 
  Krojun walks the perimeter of the place, looking for the 
  PCs’ trail. Each round, Krojun attempts a DC 25 check 
  to pick up the PCs’ trail on the stone floor; each round 
  he fails, add 3 noise points as his thundercallers throw 
  rocks into the water. Eventually, he picks up the trail or 
  his thundercallers rile the havero to life. If the Sklar-
  Quah start to fight the havero here, give the PCs Listen 
  checks to hear the combat (DC –10 check, modified as 
  appropriate for barriers and distance); you don’t need to 
  run the combat between the Shoanti and the tentacles if 
  you don’t want. If the PCs don’t come to investigate, the 
  Shoanti retreat from the acropolis to take their chances 
  with the emberstorm after 5 rounds of battle and are not 
  encountered again until Part Five. If the PCs come to 
  investigate, they find the Shoanti battling the appropriate 
  number of tentacles. Each combatant has taken 5d6 points 
  of damage already.
  A3. Brotherhood Observation Point
  One wall of this otherwise plain hallway features several long 
  narrow gaps that open into the room beyond.
  At the time of the acropolis’s construction, the 
  Thrallkeepers naively intended to use these gaps to view 
  summoned creatures from a point of safety. Treat the 
  gaps as arrow slits.
  Brotherhood of Bones: Sial and Asyra choose this 
  area as their observation point. Once the PCs move 
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  38
  that once made life within the temple more comfortable. 
  Millennia later, this gem-encrusted carving of Alahaniss 
  is all that remains of her shrine.
  Treasure: The sapphire and emerald slivers in the 
  statue’s tail collectively total 3,175 gp in value.
  Sklar-Quah: If the Sklar-Quah enter this room while 
  they track the PCs, the thundercallers hoot in appreciation 
  at the mermaid’s feminine beauty (add 2 noise points) 
  while they wait for Krojun to pick up the trail again.
  A5. The Illumacone
  The floor of this otherwise empty chamber contains a five-
  foot-diameter hole in the center, surrounded by a ring of wavy 
  runes. Inside the hole, a shaft filled with brilliant emerald light 
  drops into the depths.
  The glowing shaft is an arcane elevator called an 
  illumacone. A traveler who steps into the ring receives the 
  benefit of a feather fall spell and gently floats down the shaft 
  of light for 70 feet into area A9. Once there, a traveler who 
  crosses the matching ring of ruins on the floor and enters 
  the shaft is affected by a levitate, allowing him to gently 
  ascend back to this chamber. The spell effects terminate 
  each time the traveler steps out of the shaft.
  Red Mantis: If a pair of assassins moves through the 
  double doors into this room in search of the PCs, they 
  out of area A2, Sial casts scrying to attempt to continue 
  observing them as they explore this complex. If this fails, 
  he casts silence on a pebble and attempts to follow them 
  unnoticed.
  Sklar-Quah: The Sklar-Quah pass through the 
  northern areas only if they’re following the PCs’ route. 
  They make enough noise in their approach that Sial and 
  Asyra have time to move ahead of them through A5, to 
  area A8, and then back around through the northern 
  hallways by area A4 if necessary to avoid a confrontation.
  A4. Shrine to Alahaniss
  The curved northern alcove of this chamber displays a 
  brilliantly colored bas-relief carving of an alluring mermaid. 
  The figure lounges upon a bed of stone seaweed while the 
  cunning sculpt creates the illusion that her luxurious tresses of 
  long hair float around her body in swirling rings. Tiny shards 
  of gemstones embedded in her tail make it appear as though 
  her scales glisten with moisture.
  This room was once a shrine dedicated to one of 
  Lissala’s now-forgotten lesser heralds, a water elemental 
  named Alahaniss the Haven-Bringer, giver of boons to 
  servants who toil in the heat and drowning death to the 
  indolent. The Thrallkeepers had called upon Alahaniss 
  to assist in the creation of the oasis outside the acropolis 
  
  A History oF Ashes
  39
  spend 2d4 rounds investigating the illumacone before 
  determining what the device is for, at which point they 
  descend down into area A9.
  Sklar-Quah: The Sklar-Quah don’t know what to make 
  of the light-filled shaft. If Krojun determines that the 
  PCs’ trail leads down here, his curiosity wanes—he’s not 
  willing to dig that deep into these notorious ruins just to 
  see what the PCs are up to.
  A6. Image of Lissala
  A strange bronze statue stands in the center of the room. 
  The statue depicts a half-snake, half-human creature with the 
  lower body of a serpent coiled about a stand and the upper 
  torso of a slender human woman. Her hands are crossed 
  over her chest to clutch two objects at her shoulders—the 
  right hand holds a large quill, while the left holds a 
  jade-handled whip. Six birdlike wings emerge from the 
  torso’s shoulders, and instead of a head, it has a disk 
  bearing a seven-pointed star. A line of jade runes runs 
  down the statue’s belly and along the length of its snaky 
  lower body.
  This statue depicts Lissala, the 
  now-dead goddess of runes and 
  fate. Tradition dictated that the 
  Thrallkeepers ensure that a map 
  of their complex was accessible to 
  visiting members of the order. These 
  maps, however, were usually obscured 
  to prevent lowly thralls from educating 
  themselves 
  and 
  becoming 
  tempted to explore forbidden 
  areas of the complex. The 
  statue here conceals one such 
  map.
  The statue’s base contains a wide 
  but shallow drawer, noticeable on a DC 20 
  Search check. Inside is a 4-foot-diameter circular 
  frame containing several wedge-shaped metal plates, 
  each punched with its own intricate design. Each plate 
  slides perfectly over or under the two adjacent plates 
  along the outer ring. The ring itself fits perfectly over the 
  entrance to the illumacone in area A5; if placed there, light 
  from the shaft below shines through the openings in the 
  plates to create a pattern of lines on the ceiling above. 
  By correctly aligning the wedges (with a DC 20 Disable 
  Device check), the markings line up to create a huge map 
  of what the Acropolis once looked like during the height 
  of the Thassilonian empire. A few rounds of study should 
  allow a character to note that the few rooms that remain 
  extant today are but a small fraction of the chambers that 
  once sprawled here.
  Treasure: The jade-handled whip the statue holds 
  can be removed with a little bit of work—it is a +2 
  axiomatic whip but carries with it a potent curse. Each 
  day someone maintains ownership of the whip, he takes 
  1 point of Wisdom damage—this damage manifests 
  as vague visions of menacing but indistinct shapes 
  covered with runes lurking now and then at the edge of 
  vision. Further, Thassilonian runes become harbingers 
  for great menace and fear to the cursed PC—even if 
  he can read Thassilonian, he believes the runes hold 
  some deeper threat to him and his loved ones. As long 
  as Thassilonian writing is visible, the cursed character 
  suffers a –6 penalty on all Will saving throws. This 
  curse can be lifted only by returning the whip to the 
  statue’s hand, or by a remove curse or break enchantment 
  effect against CL 18th magic.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  40
  A7. Eternal Glyphs (EL 9)
  The walls of this chamber are decorated with six life-sized bas-relief 
  carvings that depict a diverse collection of priests, each adorned in 
  billowing robes draped in Thassilonian runes. An intricate scripture 
  winds around each carving, coiling around them and along the 
  walls like an immensely long tangle of ribbons.
  A DC 35 Knowledge (religion) check identifies that the 
  carvings portray upper-tier clergy of Lissala. The tiny 
  coded lettering on the walls can be deciphered with a 
  DC 30 Decipher Script check made by someone who 
  understands Thassilonian or by comprehend languages. 
  Although the script purports to be a dire warning of life-
  threatening perils in the acropolis beyond, the text is 
  actually a trap to thwart unwanted visitors.
  Trap: The glyphs compel their readers to refrain from 
  any other activity until the entire text has been finished. 
  This task is impossible, since portions of the text that 
  have already been studied change and alter themselves 
  slightly to create different nonsense meanings that 
  nonetheless seem incredibly important while they are 
  being studied.
  To simulate the full extent of the trap’s allure, GMs 
  are encouraged to hoodwink players into having their 
  PCs read the text for as long as possible before even 
  requiring a saving throw. For example, should a player 
  ask how long it takes his PC to decipher the script, 
  answer, “Approximately 5 minutes.” After the time 
  expires, explain that the PC is almost done but the 
  writing is denser than anticipated, requiring perhaps 
  an hour. After an hour, explain the first statue is now 
  complete but there are five more that need to be read 
  to piece together all the information. This takes just 6, 
  maybe 7 hours. Only when a player has caught on and 
  insists on tearing away his PC should you ask for a Will 
  save. Those who fail become obsessed with the carvings, 
  and find that they cannot stop reading. A new save can 
  be attempted each day to pull away, but each save comes 
  with a cumulative –2 penalty to escape. A character 
  who is not under the influence of the eternal glyphs 
  can manually drag an entranced ally out of the room, 
  at which point he recovers immediately, but characters 
  under the influence resist such an act, requiring 
  successful grapple checks to save them in this manner.
  eternal Glyphs 
   
  cr 9
  Type magical; search DC 33; Disable Device DC 33
  eFFecTs
  Trigger when read; reset automatic
  effect suggestion effect (heightened to 8th level) to continue 
  reading glyphs (Will DC 23 negates, new save may be 
  attempted each day at a cumulative –2 penalty)
  A8. Collapsed Corridors
  This corridor ends abruptly, choked off by thousands of tons 
  of collapsed rock and sand.
  These sections of the complex were damaged during the 
  Havero’s initial rampage, and over the centuries to follow, 
  erosion finished the job. The corridors to the north once 
  led to the Thrallkeepers’ opulent living quarters as well 
  as several chambers which housed a number of smaller, 
  less ambitious summoning projects. The corridor to 
  the south once led to the Thrallkeepers’ slave pens and 
  common rooms for their thralls.
  A9. Lower Level
  This wide corridor, composed of polished black granite, runs 
  north-south. A blue stone disc sits on the floor to the south, a 
  glowing column of blue light rising up from the disc through 
  a hole in the ceiling. To the north, a five-foot-wide circular 
  opening in the wall opens into a smaller chamber. The ceiling 
  here is only fifteen feet high. 
  This level is beyond the reach of the havero’s arms—
  likewise, noise created here has little effect on the 
  slumbering creature above.
  A huge stone plug blocks a hidden hallway to the east 
  from this passage—it can be discovered with a DC 22 
  Search check. In its current position, the plug bars entry 
  to area A10. When the Thrallkeepers required entry, the 
  plug was removed by a huge team of servants, or with 
  the use of Strength-enhancing magic. The plug itself 
  is 15 feet long and weighs 120 tons—it cannot be pulled 
  out of place without fantastic strength (a single Medium 
  humanoid would need a Strength of 55 to perform this 
  stunt)—but enough of a gap exists that gaseous form can 
  be used to enter area A10. The stone itself has hardness 8 
  and 1,800 hp per 5-foot-square.
  Red Mantis: If the assassins reach this far, they set up 
  an ambush for the PCs, hiding on the ceiling as long as 
  their spider climb spells last. Once the spells expire, they 
  return to join their kin in area A2 to wait in ambush until 
  they’re sure that the PCs have gone for good. 
  A10. The Fallback Vault
  A jumble of five humanoid skeletons lie in the southeast corner 
  of this chamber. Stone niches in the southern wall contain a 
  few pieces of clutter. 
  This vault was used by the Thrallkeepers as a panic 
  room, a common emergency defense saved for the 
  event a conjured creature should ever manage to break 
  
  A History oF Ashes
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  41
  free of containment. The more powerful Thrallkeepers 
  used teleportation to transport themselves into this 
  chamber, leaving no way for their thralls to follow. Once 
  inside, the Thrallkeepers used their magic to contact 
  another outpost for aid and wait for their colleagues to 
  unseal the vault once whatever crisis that had arisen was  
  safely contained.
  When the havero escaped its bonds, five Thrallkeepers 
  fled here, just as they had been taught. The havero, 
  however, was able to slide its tentacles between dimensions 
  and reach the Thrallkeepers even here. The skeletons are 
  all that remain of their bodies. Unlike elsewhere in the 
  acropolis where scavengers and explorers have looted and 
  scavenged most objects of value, the gear on these dead 
  bodies remains for the taking. The bones themselves 
  crumble to dust if touched, as does much of what remains 
  of their non-magical clothing, but there are plenty of 
  valuable items here.
  Treasure: The shelves contain several ancient magic 
  items designed to sustain a Thrallkeeper until whatever 
  crisis which might lurk outside could be quelled. Among 
  a collection of exotic cups, bowls, and silverware worth 
  75 gp in all are a bottle of air, a decanter of endless water, 
  and a sustaining spoon (with an abnormally spicy taste). 
  The Thrallkeepers also kept two scrolls of clairvoyance, 
  two scrolls of sending, and two scrolls of dimension door here, 
  enabling any members who sought sanctuary to evaluate 
  how safe it was outside the vault.
  This treasure scattered among the skeletons consists 
  of a crystal locket depicting a two-headed dove worth 
  325 gp, a pair of sapphire cufflinks worth 435 gp, and a 
  bejeweled holy symbol of Lissala worth 2,000 gp. Also 
  scattered among the bones are three magic items: a bright 
  orange cloak of resistance +3, a scabbard of keen edges, and a 
  +1 magical beast bane dagger.
  A11. The Golarion Globe (EL 8)
  The walls, ceiling, and floor of this chamber have been painted 
  to resemble a starry sky, giving the illusion of walking through 
  space. Here and there between the stars are painted small 
  blue butterflies. A ten-foot-diameter stone sphere floats near 
  the room’s southern wall. Three short metal rods protrude 
  from the lower hemisphere, radiating outward like the legs of 
  a tripod, only the rods rest on empty air rather than a solid 
  surface. The sphere itself appears to have been carefully carved 
  with drawings of tiny rivers, mountains, oceans, and forests.
  This stone globe represents the world of Golarion 
  more than 10,000 years in the past. A DC 20 Knowledge 
  (geography) check is enough to reveal that the sphere is 
  indeed a map of the world, yet there are many features 
  on the globe that seem inaccurate—characters who seek 
  out Varisia, for example, find that the nation is mostly 
  landlocked except for a narrow southern coastline. Other 
  features are missing as well, such as the Inner Sea, while 
  in some places entire islands or continents appear where 
  none appear today. Further casting the globe’s accuracy 
  into suspicion are the vast swaths of blank surface in 
  some regions, where only vague outlines of continents 
  and oceans appear.
  Although the globe seems incomplete, it is in fact 
  merely out of date. Crafted by Thassilonian explorers 
  who were able to cast their minds out into the gulfs of 
  space so they could then look back upon the world, the 
  globe was created before the Starstone fell and reshaped 
  much of the world.
  The globe itself is hollow—a 1-foot-thick shell of stone 
  surrounding a spherical chamber that contains a magical 
  space that the Thrallkeepers could use to cast their minds 
  out into the depths of space to explore and meditate. The 
  globe itself radiates strong divination magic. Anyone who 
  touches the globe and concentrates on the stars or sky 
  is immediately teleported inside of the globe and placed 
  into a state of suspended animation as his mind is cast 
  out into the distance to see strange and alien worlds and 
  to float in the spaces between the stars.
  Originally, 
  this 
  magical 
  device 
  allowed 
  the 
  Thrallkeepers to seek out strange new creatures to 
  attempt to call into the acropolis, but over the years, 
  the magic of the globe has faltered. Today, it does little 
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  42
  Mark); the PCs don’t encounter Krojun and the Sklar-
  Quah again until Part Six.
  Finally, if the PCs encountered and allied with the 
  Brotherhood of Bones, Sial proposes a longer-term 
  alliance. At this point, he admits that his organization 
  feels that the PCs are inexorably tied to matters of great 
  interest to the church of Zon-Kuthon, and if the PCs don’t 
  mind, Sial would like to accompany them as an observer. 
  In return for this, he offers chambers in his bone house 
  to the PCs as a place for them to rest as they need, and 
  also offers his services as a spellcaster. If the PCs ask 
  nicely (and if you feel that they could use the extra aid), 
  he even deigns to provide support in combat, allowing 
  his chain devil minion to fight alongside the PCs and 
  supporting them from the back ranks with magic. Of 
  course, he remains unapologetically evil and disturbing, 
  and PCs are right to feel ill at ease in his presence. If the 
  characters don’t want Sial accompanying them, the cleric 
  nods in understanding and retreats to some other point 
  in the Cinderlands, intending to continue his observation 
  of the PCs from afar via scrying whether they like it or not. 
  Sial and the Brotherhood of Bones have a more important 
  role to play in the next adventure, but for now, all you 
  need to really do is make sure the PCs know about him to 
  foreshadow the role he is destined to play in “Skeletons 
  of Scarwall.”
  PArt four:  
  clAn of the Moon
  Once the PCs have gained at least one Spherewalker’s 
  Mark, the next stage of their journey should be to seek 
  out the Lyrune-Quah and to try to secure the aid of a 
  Truthspeaker. As Thousand Bones has told the PCs, 
  the nomadic Lyrune-Quah spend this part of the year 
  camped near an ancient Desnan temple called the 
  House of the Moon —a place known to some simply as 
  the Moon Ruin.
  The House of the Moon is unlike most of the ruins 
  that dot the Varisian landscape, for it was not built 
  by the Thassilonians. Worship of Desna dates back 
  further than Thassilon—before the minions of First 
  King Xin arrived in the region, the Varisians already 
  dwelt here. At that ancient time, they were all nomadic, 
  and they also worshiped Desna. As Thassilon rose, 
  though, the runelords saw open worship of the gods as 
  a distraction, and they destroyed most of the Desnan 
  shrines that dotted the land. The House of the Moon 
  was no exception. Yet when Thassilon fell and the Age 
  of Darkness rose, this mysterious building reappeared 
  on the site of one of those destroyed shrines. It gave the 
  people who would become the Lyrune-Quah a place of 
  shelter in that deadly age, and today it has become one 
  of the anchors of their culture.
  more than provide a strange series of visions to the 
  user that, over prolonged exposure, can cause madness. 
  Every minute a character remains inside the globe, he 
  must make a DC 15 Will save to avoid taking 1d4 points 
  of Intelligence damage. A character can exit the globe at 
  any time by concentrating on Golarion or any part of the 
  world (including creatures that live on the planet)—once 
  a character is reduced to 0 Intelligence, he is shunted out 
  of the globe automatically.
  When the globe was discovered by the Lyrune-Quah 
  priestess Tanjah, she interpreted the visions granted by 
  the globe as sendings from Desna. It was she who added 
  the stars and butterflies to the room’s walls, transforming 
  the chamber into a shrine of sorts dedicated to Desna. A 
  DC 15 Knowledge (religion) check reveals the religious 
  connotations of the room. Ever since, handfuls of Lyrune-
  Quah followers of Desna make the yearly pilgrimage to 
  this chamber to spend a few minutes inside the globe and 
  to retouch the murals as necessary. After decades of this 
  attention, Desna herself noticed the shrine. Pleased with 
  what her followers had done with the globe, she invested 
  a small amount of her divinity into the device—now, any 
  creature who spends any amount of time inside of the 
  globe gains the Spherewalker’s Mark. This is a light blue 
  tattoo-like marking of Desna’s holy symbol on the back of 
  the left hand. The Spherewalker’s Mark lasts for a week, 
  and can only be granted to a specific creature once per 
  year. As long as the mark persists, that creature gains a +4 
  bonus on Listen and Spot checks.
  Treasure: The globe is held in place from the bottom 
  by a triangle of three immovable rods. Removing a rod is a 
  simple matter of pressing the button at the rod’s base, but 
  since the hollow stone globe is balanced on the three rods, 
  removing even one causes the globe to roll off and fall 
  crashing to the floor 5 feet below. This sends thunderous 
  echoes up through the ruins (add 10 noise points) and 
  cracks the globe’s surface—sinister GMs can pick Varisia 
  as the part of the world to suffer this indignity, even 
  though the damage is superficial and meaningless. A 
  creature under the globe when it falls takes 5d6 points of 
  damage from the sphere unless it makes a DC 15 Reflex 
  save to avoid the damage.
  A Parting of Ways
  Once the PCs complete their business in the acropolis, 
  the other three groups gathered in the area depart, each 
  in their own way. The Red Mantis depart only through 
  death and defeat—if the PCs haven’t had a decisive conflict 
  with the assassins by the time they make to leave the 
  ruins, they should encounter the Red Mantis then. The 
  Sklar-Quah, if they haven’t left already, do so soon after 
  the emberstorm ends (which should coincidentally be 
  about the point at which the PCs gain the Spherewalker’s 
  
  A History oF Ashes
  43
  Currently, very few Lyrune-Quah have gathered at 
  the House of the Moon. It is still early in their season, 
  and the bulk of the tribe has yet to arrive in the area. 
  Unfortunately, as is sometimes the case, they arrived 
  to find that a local predator took up the ruins as its 
  territory—in this case, a dangerous creature known as 
  a red reaver. In these situations, the first tribe to arrive 
  in the region is responsible for driving out the monsters 
  and making the House of the Moon safe for the tribes 
  yet to arrive. Unfortunately, the red reaver is proving to 
  be a bit more trouble than a pack of gargoyles or a few 
  hungry ankhegs, and already several Lyrune-Quah moon 
  maidens have perished at the monster’s talons.
  The Lyrune-Quah have sent many of their warriors 
  into the House of the Moon to try to slay or at least drive 
  out the red reaver. Unfortunately for them, the reason 
  for the reaver’s interest in the House of the Moon is that 
  the monster has bonded with the site and now views the 
  structure as its territory.
  When the PCs approach, they are swiftly intercepted by 
  a patrol of six moon maidens, the traditional honor guard 
  and protector caste of the Lyrune-Quah. Each moon maiden 
  bonds with a wolf upon being accepted into the guard, at 
  which point the two are rarely seen apart from each other. 
  The patrol’s leader is a woman named Tekra’Kai (CG female 
  human barbarian 1/ranger 5), and she has grown increasingly 
  worried and distracted at the red reaver’s presence in the 
  House of the Moon. Having already thrown nearly a dozen 
  of her warriors at the problem, she has consigned herself to 
  the inevitable humiliation of admitting to the main body of 
  the Lyrune-Quah, scheduled to arrive in the area at the rise 
  of the next moon, that she was unable to secure the House 
  of the Moon.
  Tekra’Kai’s initial reaction to the PCs is one of distrust—
  her upbringing has taught her to view all tshamek as the 
  enemy, yet she also knows that many tshamek worship 
  Desna. If the PCs have the Spherewalker’s Mark and show 
  it to Tekra’Kai, though, her initial distrust transforms 
  into relief—she immediately comes to see the PCs as 
  saviors sent by Desna to help take care of the problem 
  in the House of the Moon, and quickly explains to them 
  what the problem is, presuming the PCs are just as eager 
  as she is to deal with the red reaver. If the PCs don’t have 
  the mark, they need to make Tekra’Kai helpful before 
  she listens to their requests. Diplomacy and magic can 
  achieve this result (her initial attitude toward unmarked 
  PCs is unfriendly), but so can taking the initiative and 
  dealing with the red reaver. Killing it or driving it off 
  ensures the moon maidens’ cooperation, even if the PCs 
  don’t have a Spherewalker’s Mark to vouch for them.
  If the PCs secure her cooperation and ask for the use 
  of a Truthspeaker, Tekra’Kai admits that her tribe does 
  indeed have one—his name is Akram, and he is scheduled 
  to arrive with the rest of her tribe at the rise of the next 
  moon. Yet as long as the red reaver remains in the House 
  of the Moon, she warns the PCs that her fellow tribesmen 
  will have little time to talk about anything else. At the 
  same time, she indicates that if the PCs help in getting 
  rid of the unwelcome monster, the tribe will be much 
  more disposed toward helping them in return.
  Assuming the PCs help, Tekra’Kai beams in relief and 
  tells them that she and three of her remaining moon 
  maidens are prepared to assault the House of the Moon 
  immediately—if the PCs are ready, she leads them to the 
  structure’s entrance at once.
  Lyrune-Quah moon maidens (4) 
  cr 6
  Female human barbarian 1/ranger 5
  CG Medium humanoid
  init +1; senses Listen +12, Spot +1
  DeFeNse
  Ac 17, touch 12, flat-footed 15
  (+5 armor, +3 deflection, +1 Dex, –2 rage)
  hp 64 (6 HD; 1d12+5d8+30)
  Fort +11, ref +5, Will +5
  oFFeNse
  spd 40 ft.
  melee +1 starknife +10/+5 (1d4+5/×3) and
  +1 starknife +10 (1d4+3/×3)
  ranged starknife +8/+3 (1d4+4/×3)
  special Attacks favored enemy (giants +4, magical beasts +2), 
  rage 1/day
  spell Prepared (CL 2nd)
  1st—longstrider
  TAcTics
  Before combat All of the moon maidens have used a dose of 
  their war paint.
  During combat Moon maidens rage on the first round of 
  combat, but focus on hurling starknives at their enemies for 
  the first few rounds of combat. Once they’re down to only 
  their magic starknives, they rush in to engage foes in melee.
  morale A moon maiden fights until brought below 10 hit 
  points, at which point she flees to recover and plan her 
  second assault on the enemy. A moon maiden who is raging 
  does not flee—she fights to the death.
  Base statistics Ac 19, touch 14, flat-footed 17; hp 52; Fort 
  +9, Will +3; melee +1 starknife +8/+3 (1d4+3/×3) and +1 
  starknife +8 (1d4+2/×3); str 14, con 16; Grp +8; skills Climb 
  +11, Jump +13
  sTATisTics
  str 18, Dex 12, con 20, int 8, Wis 13, cha 10
  Base Atk +6; Grp +10
  Feats Endurance, Quick Draw, Stealthy, Track, Totem Spirit 
  (Lyrune-Quah), Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus 
  (starknife)
  skills Climb +13, Hide +6, Jump +15, Listen +12, Move Silently 
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
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  44
  +6, Survival +10
  Languages Shoanti
  sQ animal companion (wolf), fast movement
  Gear +1 hide shirt, +1 starknives (2), starknives (6), silver Shoanti 
  war paint (2)
  The Red Reaver
  The red reaver is not an intrinsically evil creature, but 
  neither is it a particularly peaceful creature. Like its gray 
  render cousins, the reaver bonds to a particular site and 
  then protects that place from intruders with a singular 
  devotion. Until recently, its territory was higher up in the 
  Wyvern Mountains, but after a large flock of particularly 
  tough night wyverns descended on the region (the flock 
  itself having been displaced by giant activity deeper in 
  the mountains), the red reaver was forced to abandon its 
  lair. After roving through the mountains and down into 
  the Cinderlands, it came upon the House of the Moon—
  as with all reaver locations, something in the terrain and 
  structure itself clicked, and the red reaver adopted the 
  site as its own.
  red reaver 
  cr 13
  hp 184 (currently 151; see page 88)
  TAcTics
  During combat The red reaver spends the majority of its time 
  in area B3, which it finds to be the most comfortable site in 
  the House of the Moon. As soon as it notices intruders, it 
  swiftly moves to confront them.
  morale The red reaver fights until brought below 20 hit 
  points, at which point it loses its bond to the House of the 
  Moon and flees to find another site.
  The House of the Moon
  A silvery tower stands atop a low promontory in the foothills 
  here. The surrounding stone has been smoothed by ages of 
  wind, but the tower itself remains as stark and crisp as the 
  day its final block was set in place. The structure shimmers 
  with a slightly reflective sheen, as if an almost invisible layer 
  of silver covered it. A thirty-foot-tall opening allows access to 
  the tower interior at ground level, the curving sides framed by 
  the long peacock tailfeathers of an immense butterfly or moth 
  that has been carved into the building’s facade. The creature’s 
  wings furl to the left and right, fanning over two side towers 
  attached to the central spire, which rises to a height of a 
  hundred feet. Above, a silvery sphere caps the tower’s peak, as 
  if the moon itself had fallen out of the sky to become impaled 
  upon the structure’s steeple.
  The House of the Moon is an ancient structure, built 
  (according to legend) by an army of lyrakiens (see Pathfinder 
  #2 page 83) to serve Desna’s faithful as a place of shelter 
  
  A History oF Ashes
  45
  during the Age of Darkness. The stone that comprises the 
  sacred site’s walls is certainly unusual, featuring many 
  of the qualities of magically treated superior masonry 
  (hardness 16, 180 hp per inch). In addition, the stone walls 
  repair damage to themselves at the rate of 5 hp per round 
  as long as the moon is visible. The stone itself resists 
  magical manipulation and effects with spell resistance 
  26. At night, the walls of the House of the Moon glow 
  with soft moonlight.
  The entire building is suffused with Desna’s grace. 
  Any worshiper of Desna who enters the House of the 
  Moon feels welcome. Worshipers who sleep inside the 
  building at night are always visited with dreams in which 
  a birdlike humanoid with jet black feathers engages the 
  dreamer in conversation. This is a visitation from one of 
  Desna’s favored agents, an avoral named Nightspear (see 
  Pathfinder #2, page 75). The conversation itself functions 
  as a commune spell (five questions) followed by a divination 
  spell (on any one topic of concern to the dreamer). This 
  dream vision can occur only once per year, and is one of 
  the primary reasons the worshipers of the Lyrune-Quah 
  come back to the House of the Moon each year.
  Ceiling heights inside of the structure average 25 
  feet. The House of the Moon consists of six locations, as 
  detailed below.
  B1. Entrance: The central area of this room contains 
  three 10-foot-square areas on the ground. A character 
  who stands upon one of these darker-colored areas and 
  concentrates on an image of the moon being obscured by 
  clouds activates the square, creating an extradimensional 
  dwelling similar in nature to that created by a secure 
  shelter spell (CL 12th), save that each can only contain one 
  person at a time. 
  B2. Lower Rooftops: These open-air rooftops provide 
  majestic views of the stars. Stairs lead down to the ground 
  floor below, and the entrances into area B3 are open 
  arches. A ladder ascends along the sides of each of these 
  arches to smaller balconies (area B5) above.
  B3. Gathering Hall: The walls here have been painted 
  with symbols and imagery sacred to the worship of 
  Desna. A massive starknife is affixed to the ceiling above. 
  Visiting priests rotate the starknife on its central axis to 
  reflect the changes in the four seasons. With its constant 
  need for updating, this primitive proto-calendar enables 
  a visitor to determine how long it had been since the 
  House of the Moon was last visited by a worshipper. 
  This room is also the chosen lair of the red reaver, 
  and a formidable stack of animal carcasses (remnants 
  from the beast’s meals) and seven dead moon maidens 
  are heaped in the southwest corner as a result. Much of 
  the moon maidens’ gear is intact, but the Lyrune-Quah 
  would like to keep the gear in the clan and frown upon 
  PC requests to loot it.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  46
  responsibility the PCs shoulder as soon as they leave 
  with their new Truthspeaker ally—it’s dishonorable for 
  the Lyrune-Quah to send additional members along on a 
  Truthspeaker’s mission simply to support the man, since 
  that implies that the Truthspeaker alone isn’t enough to 
  witness the required event.
  Akram himself is a quiet man, content for the most 
  part to watch and observe. He finds the PCs endlessly 
  fascinating—you should select one PC in particular (the 
  character who is the most out-of-place and awkward in a 
  wilderness environment works best) for him to become 
  particularly interested in. Akram is never too far from 
  this character, and often asks him to explain the choices 
  he made in a combat or conflict. You can use Akram as a 
  voice to make the PCs examine their tactics and methods 
  and goals, or you can keep him in the background as a 
  resource that needs to be protected from peril—whatever 
  works best for your game.
  Truthspeaker Akram 
  cr 7
  Male old human cleric 7 (Desna)
  LN Medium humanoid (human)
  init –1; senses discern lies; Listen +5, Spot +5
  DeFeNse
  Ac 10, touch 9, flat-footed 10
  (+1 armor, –1 Dex)
  hp 28 (7 HD; 7d8–7)
  Fort +6, ref +2, Will +13
  Defensive Abilities freedom of movement 7 rounds/day, luck 
  reroll 1/day
  oFFeNse
  spd 30 ft.
  melee mwk starknife +3 (1d4–3/×3)
  special Attacks turn undead 5/day (+4, 2d6+9)
  spells Prepared (CL 7th)
  4th—dimension doorD, sending, tongues
  3rd—dispel magic, flyD, magic vestment, prayer
  2nd—aidD, calm emotions (DC 17), enthrall (DC 17), spiritual 
  weapon, zone of truth (DC 17)
  1st—command (DC 16), endure elements, longstriderD, 
  obscuring mist, protection from evil, sanctuary (DC 16), 
  shield of faith
  0—create water (2), light (2), mending, purify food and drink
  D domain spell; Domains Luck, Travel
  TAcTics
  Before combat Akram casts magic vestment on his robes 
  every day after breakfast.
  During combat Akram prefers to save his spells for healing 
  or support. He generally casts prayer on the first round of 
  battle, followed by spiritual weapon and then sanctuary, so 
  he can move about the fringe of combat to heal allies in 
  relative safety.
  morale Akram has little interest in combat, and dimension doors 
  B4. Upper Walk: Once the Lyrune-Quah settle in 
  the area, this chamber is set aside for their resident 
  Truthspeaker to use as a home. Currently, the chamber 
  is empty.
  B5. Upper Rooftops: Smaller versions of the open lower 
  rooftops below.
  B6. The Sky Well: A circular dome in the ceiling of 
  this room casts down a shimmering curtain of shadow 
  below. The area encompassed by this shadow acts as a 
  scrying device that can be used to scan the stars of the 
  night sky. At night, the pool reflects the constellations 
  above, but by moving hands in different patterns while an 
  observer is within the shadow, the image can be shifted 
  to bring specific constellations or heavenly bodies into 
  sharper focus. This chamber functions in many ways as 
  an observatory, allowing the faithful of Desna to stargaze 
  even on stormy nights.
  After the Battle
  Although the Moon Clan is a terse and gritty clan of 
  warriors, their xenophobia pales in comparison to that of 
  their brothers in the Sun Clan, particularly if the PCs have 
  Spherewalker’s Marks to indicate they’ve already gone on 
  a pilgrimage. Once the red reaver is slain or driven off, 
  the Lyrune-Quah become even friendlier, and invite the 
  PCs to stay with the tribe for a few nights, if they wish. 
  If the PCs still have Skoan-Quah guides, these Shoanti 
  prefer to avoid too much interaction with the Lyrune-
  Quah—certainly, if Shadowcount Sial is still with the 
  PCs he politely refuses the invitation, opting instead to 
  erect the bone house out of sight in a nearby vale until the 
  PCs decide to move on.
  The rest of the Lyrune-Quah tribe arrives, as scheduled, 
  one night after the PCs arrive. Tekra’Kai introduces the PCs, 
  and once the PCs explain that they seek a Truthspeeker to 
  witness their journey to the Feeding Grounds of the Quah-
  Kael, the Shoanti become rather impressed. The tribe’s 
  only current living Truthspeaker is an aged man named 
  Akram, and assuming the PCs have established a friendly 
  relationship, he readily agrees to travel with the PCs—if 
  only so he can witness the fury of Cindermaw himself. 
  The Lyrune-Quah are not at war with the Sklar-Quah, but 
  neither do the two tribes particularly enjoy each other’s 
  company—Akram sees this as an opportunity to speak 
  with a Sun Shaman to attempt to strengthen allegiances 
  between the two tribes.
  In any case, once Akram agrees to accompany the PCs on 
  their journey, he can be ready to go at a moment’s notice. 
  The old man presents an additional level of complexity 
  to the PCs—Akram remains relatively spry for man of 68 
  years and his mind and vision remain sharp, but he’s also 
  quite frail and feeble. Keeping him alive when faced with 
  wandering monsters or other concerns is an unspoken 
  
  A History oF Ashes
  47
  to safety and then casts fly to escape peril if confronted while 
  alone, or if reduced to less than 10 hit points.
  sTATisTics
  str 5, Dex 9, con 11, int 12, Wis 20, cha 15
  Base Atk +5; Grp +2
  Feats Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wand, Iron Will, Track
  skills Diplomacy +10, Knowledge (religion) +7, Survival +13
  Languages Common, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Shoanti
  sQ spontaneous spellcasting (cure spells), Truthspeaker
  combat Gear wand of cure moderate wounds (32 charges), wand 
  of lesser restoration (29 charges); other Gear masterwork 
  starknife, cloak of resistance +1, periapt of wisdom +2
  sPeciAL ABiLiTies
  Truthspeaker (su) Akram has undertaken a lifelong quest of 
  fasting, meditation, exploration, and prayer to achieve the 
  status of Truthspeaker. This has granted him immunity 
  to all charm and compulsion effects. Furthermore, he is 
  constantly under the effects of discern lies (CL 7th).
  PArt five: Belly of the BeASt
  Cindermaw is one of the deadliest predators of the 
  Cinderlands, an ancient purple worm changed and 
  transformed into a unique creature infused with 
  elemental fire after it devoured a malfunctioning portal 
  to the Elemental Plane of Fire that stood inside a partially 
  collapsed Thassilonian ruin the creature blundered into. 
  The infusion of fire not only granted Cindermaw a host 
  of unique fire-based abilities, but awakened its intellect 
  as well, granting it the ability to understand its place in 
  the world. Cindermaw knows that the Shoanti regard it as 
  a sort of god, and it has taken this notion to an extreme. 
  For an immense worm, Cindermaw is surprisingly vain 
  and egocentric.
  Cindermaw is a fiercely territorial hunter. Shoanti 
  myth portrays the worm as a demon-like creature capable 
  of consuming entire tribes. The creature’s exceptionally 
  long lifespan (another side effect of consuming the portal 
  to the Elemental Plane of Fire) has only further cemented 
  its position in Shoanti myth. Although it is a challenge 
  tracking a creature that can burrow, Cindermaw generally 
  sticks to one large hunting ground in particular. Thousand 
  Bones can tell the PCs that their best chances of finding 
  one of Cindermaw’s current feeding grounds is to explore a 
  region in the extreme west portion of the Ash-Blown Lands; 
  it is said that the cindercones and other volcanic activity 
  common in this area soothe the beast’s troubled spirit. 
  As the PCs approach the worm’s killing ground, 
  they should increasingly become aware of the beast’s 
  presence. Encounters with other creatures grow less and 
  less frequent, and what at first might seem like hills are 
  in fact mounded burrows left behind by Cindermaw’s 
  tunneling. You can heighten the excitement of tracking 
  down Cindermaw by confronting the PCs with some of 
  the environmental hazards common to the Ash-Blown 
  Lands, such as earth tremors or even cindercones.
  Cindermaw Rising (EL 14)
  In the end, the PCs don’t have to find Cindermaw—if they 
  spend enough time exploring its feeding grounds, the 
  immense worm finds them. Build tension by having the 
  creature surface in the distance, arc, and then dive below, 
  as if it were an immense whale swimming through the 
  ground, showing the PCs its massive segmented body. Have 
  the worm erupt in front of the PCs, then behind them, and 
  then to the side, and so on—Cindermaw enjoys showing 
  off and intimidating prey before it attempts to feed. 
  In order to fulfill the ancient tradition’s requirements 
  and properly display bravery, only one PC needs to be 
  eaten by the worm. How he emerges from within the 
  worm is irrelevant, as long as Akram sees (and believes) 
  a character swallowed, and then later sees that character 
  alive and outside of the worm (and is given a believable 
  story as to how that character escaped). The character’s 
  tale will hold water when the PCs approach the Sklar-
  Quah later. Slaying Cindermaw isn’t recommended, and 
  can ironically undermine the PCs’ story. After all, if the 
  worm they fought could be killed, it obviously wasn’t that 
  tough of a foe.
  The simplest method of fulfilling the goal is to allow 
  the worm to swallow a character whole, and then that 
  character simply cuts his way out of the beast’s belly. 
  Of course, this is a dangerous stunt, and fire and acid 
  resistance is a good way to prepare for it. Paralyzing the 
  worm (with hold monster, for example) is an acceptable 
  way to simplify the situation, as is charming or 
  otherwise magically controlling the worm. If a PC can 
  handle the Concentration check required to spellcast 
  while inside of a monster, he can even dimension door 
  or otherwise teleport out of the beast’s belly once he’s  
  been swallowed.
  Illusions are another option—since the PCs only really 
  require Akram to truthspeak to the Sun Shaman for them, 
  they could use illusions to trick Akram into believing 
  they have completed the deed. Fooling Akram in this way 
  requires an illusion capable of replicating a Gargantuan 
  creature visually and audibly—since Cindermaw radiates 
  heat, the illusion must also be capable of radiating 
  warmth as well. Major image (or a more powerful illusion) 
  can create a believable scene, but Akram still gets a Will 
  save against the spell’s DC to determine if he believes it 
  enough to truthspeak the tale later. Of course, in order 
  for such a deception to function, he also needs to believe 
  he is in Cindermaw’s hunting grounds in the first place.
  If the PCs succeed in recreating the legend but do not 
  slay Cindermaw in the process, they gain one respect 
  point when Akram tells the tale to the Sklar-Quah.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
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  48
  cindermaw the clan eater 
   
  cr 14
  Elite fire-infused purple worm (MM 211, Advanced Bestiary 111)
  N Gargantuan magical beast (fire)
  init +1; senses tremorsense 60 ft.; Listen +17, Spot –2
  DeFeNse
  Ac 22, touch 7, flat-footed 21
  (+1 Dex, +15 natural, –4 size)
  hp 216 (16 HD; 16d10+128)
  Fort +18, ref +13, Will +5
  Defensive Abilities elemental body, fire healing; immune fire
  Weaknesses vulnerable to cold
  oFFeNse
  spd 20 ft., burrow 20 ft.
  melee bite +24 (2d8+12 plus 1d6 fire) and
  sting +19 (2d6+6 plus 1d6 fire plus poison)
  space 20 ft.; reach 15 ft.
  special Attacks breath weapon, heat, improved grab, 
  swallow whole
  TAcTics
  During combat When the beast eventually tires of toying 
  with the PCs, it attempts to burrow up directly in their 
  midst by making a Move Silently check. Unfortunately 
  for the PCs’ particular objective, Cindermaw has recently 
  fed. On the first round of combat, the worm breathes 
  fire on the most densly packed group of PCs, only 
  attacking with its bite and sting on the second round 
  of combat. It does not attempt to swallow foes whole 
  immediately—instead, it simply bites and moves on. 
  Once the PCs deal more than 100 points of damage to 
  the worm (or once it has breathed fire twice), it abandons 
  this tactic and begins attempting to swallow victims. 
  Alternatively, a character can challenge the worm into 
  swallowing him by attempting a Bluff check to appear 
  appetizing—Cindermaw resists this check with a Sense 
  Motive check, but the character making the Bluff check 
  suffers a –10 penalty to the role for the difficulty of the 
  check in the first place.
  morale Cindermaw retreats if it takes more than 80 points 
  of damage in all from cold attacks, or as soon as it is 
  reduced below 50 hit points.
  sTATisTics
  str 35, Dex 12, con 27, int 6, Wis 6, cha 8
  Base Atk +16; Grp +40
  Feats Awesome Blow, Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Iron Will, 
  Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack
  skills Listen +17
  sQ firewalk, heat
  Languages understands Shoanti (cannot speak)
  sPeciAL ABiLiTies
  Breath Weapon (su) Once every 1d4 rounds, Cindermaw can 
  
  A History oF Ashes
  akram
  49
  breathe out a 30-foot cone of fire that deals 8d6 points of 
  damage (DC 26 Reflex half).
  elemental Body (ex) Cindermaw has a 25% chance to ignore 
  extra damage from critical hits and sneak attacks, poison, 
  paralysis, sleep, and stunning effects.
  Fire Healing (ex) Cindermaw gains fast healing 1 when in 
  contact with fire. When struck by a magical fire attack, it 
  is healed 1 point of damage per 10 points of damage the 
  attack would otherwise deal.
  Firewalk (su) Cindermaw can climb burning 
  objects as if it had a climb speed of 10 feet. 
  It can fly at a speed of 20 feet (perfect 
  maneuverability) as long as it’s in contact 
  with fire, and can walk on flames or lava 
  at its base land speed.
  Heat (su) Cindermaw deals an additional 
  1d6 points of fire damage when it hits 
  with any attack. A swallowed creature 
  takes an additional 1d6 points of fire 
  damage each round he remains swallowed.
  PArt Six:  
  clAn of the Sun
  Having done their best to shed their 
  tshamek 
  status 
  by 
  recreating the ancient 
  Q u a h-K ae l 
  Shoanti legend, all 
  that in theory 
  remains for the 
  PCs is to track down a tribe of Sklar-Quah 
  and allow Akram to truthspeak the story of the 
  PCs’ bravery against Cindermaw. Akram knows of several 
  Sklar-Quah camps scattered throughout the central 
  Cinderlands, but he recommends that the PCs approach 
  one of the oldest campsites, a place called Flameford. 
  Moreso than most of the more recent camps, Flameford 
  is steeped in Sklar-Quah tradition, and therefore these 
  Shoanti are much more likely to honor and respect what 
  the PCs have done to impress them.
  As the PCs delve deeply into Sklar-Quah territory, it’s just 
  a matter of time before they are intercepted by a patrolling 
  war party of six burn riders, Sklar-Quah horsemen who 
  have trained their mounts to no longer fear fire. The burn 
  riders are headstrong and quick to anger, but as long as 
  the PCs are in Akram’s company, they stay their hands and 
  do not attack on sight. Akram greets the burn riders and 
  explains quickly how the PCs seek to divest themselves 
  of their tshamek status, a comment that elicits a round 
  of laughter from the burn riders. Yet as soon as Akram 
  mentions the PCs have recreated the Legend of Skurak and 
  Cindermaw, they grow serious. The patrol swiftly agrees 
  to escort Akram and the PCs to Flameford at the very heart 
  of Sklar-Quah lands. The Sklar-Quah do not attempt to 
  disarm the PCs, though the PCs are effectively surrounded 
  by hundreds of Shoanti who are ready at an instant to 
  defend their home from the outlanders.
  Flameford
  The camp of Flameford is in a very defensible spot, 
  nestled in the middle of a field of razor-sharp slash 
  rock at the edge of an 80-foot-high cliff. The 
  campsite consists of 17 yurts, two larger 
  tents, and a stable for the tribe’s horses. 
  In all, 52 Shoanti dwell here under 
  the watchful guidance of Chief 
  Ready-Klar (CN male human 
  barbarian 10), the aging and 
  well-respected uncle of the 
  tribe’s greatest living hero, 
  Krojun Eats-What-He-Kills. 
  The camp is also the home of 
  a wizened old druid, one of the 
  Sun Shamans of the Sklar 
  Quah (N male human 
  druid 16). The majority 
  of 
  the 
  remaining 
  Shoanti 
  who 
  dwell 
  in the camp are 1st to 3rd 
  level 
  barbarians, 
  although 
  there are six thundercallers and 
  eight burn riders dwelling here as well. 
  The tents that comprise the camp are 
  wood-framed portable structures called 
  yurts—weatherproof constructions with aurochs-
  hide walls and roofs. The six points of interest to the 
  PCs in Flameford are described below.
  C1. The Approach: Like all Sklar-Quah encampments 
  fortunate enough to be accompanied by a full-fledged Sun 
  Shaman, the outer rim of the encampment is blanketed 
  by layers of permanent spike stone spells (CL 16th) known 
  as slash rock. The spells are set to leave unmarked zigzag 
  paths between the slash rock to permit safe passage to 
  those who know the way. In this way, the Sklar-Quah 
  control the entrance and egress from the camp and the 
  Sun Clan need to post few guards. The map of the camp 
  shows the safe paths through the fields of slash rock, but 
  these paths are all but undetectable to visitors, who must 
  navigate the approach very carefully if they wish to avoid 
  the dangerous hazard.
  C2. War Council Fire: Flameford’s heart is a massive 
  fire at which the tribe gathers each night to discuss their 
  coalescing plans of war upon Korvosa. Often, the Sun 
  Shaman takes a position in the fire in fire elemental form, 
  from which he can observe the surrounding proceedings 
  with ease.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  50
  C3. Stables: The tribe’s eight horses (all light warhorses) 
  are kept here—each belongs to one of the camp’s eight 
  burn riders.
  C4. Sun Shaman’s Yurt: The Quah-Chief takes counsel 
  from the Sun Shaman, the clan’s spiritual leadership. When 
  a male Sklar-Quah druid has seen sufficient winters, 
  he is invited to abandon his name and take 
  on the mantle of a Sun Shaman. Hence, 
  Sun Shaman is both a name as well as a 
  title. While the Sun Shamans are able to 
  distinguish amongst themselves, they 
  discourage the rest of the tribe from 
  doing so. This yurt is the home of 
  Flameford’s Sun Shaman.
  C5. Chieftain’s Yurt: Chief 
  Ready-Klar’s home is the 
  largest yurt in the camp 
  (only slightly larger than 
  the 
  Sun 
  Shaman’s). 
  A large portion of 
  this yurt contains a 
  communal 
  feasting 
  hall, with the chieftain’s 
  personal quarters taking 
  up 
  the 
  northeasternmost 
  quarter of the yurt.
  C6. Guest Yurt: This unused yurt 
  is given to the PCs as a place for them to 
  stay during their visit. Apart from a few furs and 
  a single small fire pit, the yurt contains no furnishings 
  at all.
  At the Foot of the Fire
  As the PCs are led through the slash rock into the heart 
  of Flameford, the entire camp, Chieftan and Sun Shaman 
  included, come to see. The PCs’ burn rider escort leads 
  them to the War Council Fire and bids them be seated. 
  The PCs might be dismayed or heartened to see that 
  Krojun is in attendance as well. Akram then entreats the 
  Sun Shaman on the PCs’ behalf. He formally requests 
  that the Sklar-Quah accept the PCs as Shoanti with full 
  entitlement to walk the Cinderlands. To do so, he first 
  recites the Ritual of Cycles—a long, convoluted story of 
  the never-ending relationship between the sun and the 
  moon. Once tradition has been appeased, Akram boldly 
  announces that he is a Truthspeaker and demands that 
  any who challenge his standing speak now. A lengthy 
  period of uncomfortable silence hangs in the air. A PC 
  who succeeds on a DC 15 Sense Motive check can tell 
  that Krojun seems to be thinking long and hard as to 
  whether to speak, but in the end he does not. The silence 
  is eventually followed by a patient nod of approval from 
  the Sun Shaman. Akram then breaks into a tale of the 
  PCs’ recent deeds, tying them to the legend of Skurak. 
  Should Akram’s report include a description of a PC 
  cutting his way out of the Quah-Kael, Krojun and a few 
  others make guffawing noises in disbelief, but they are 
  silenced by a glare from the Sun Shaman. Feel free to 
  roleplay Akram’s recitation and permit the PCs to 
  intervene as they see fit, but if the PCs do not 
  speak Shoanti or employ magic, they are 
  limited to gesturing.
  After Akram’s tale is complete, the 
  Sun Shaman retreats to his tent with 
  Chief Ready-Klar to further discuss 
  the implications of what the PCs seek in 
  private. An uncomfortable silence looms 
  while the crowd waits. Krojun crosses 
  his arms and stares at the largest PC 
  (or alternatively, one he has faced in 
  melee). Akram quietly explains to 
  the PCs that if the Sun Shaman 
  rejects his petition and decides 
  the PCs are still tshamek, they 
  (Akram included) will be dis-
  emboweled for trespassing on 
  Sklar-Quah land.
  An hour later, the shaman and 
  chieftain return to the fire. He 
  asks each of the PCs to stand before 
  him and speak their names. The Sun 
  Shaman repeats the names in sequence, 
  and then tersely announces that henceforth the PCs are 
  to be considered tshamek no more. They are free to come 
  and go among the lands of the Sklar-Quah, as long as 
  they maintain peace and honor and respect Sklar-Quah 
  tradition. Many of the Shoanti, Krojun included, struggle 
  to contain their fury but none openly reject the Sun 
  Shaman’s proclamation.
  The gathering begins to break-up, and the Sun Shaman 
  grants the PCs a yurt (area C6) to use during their stay in 
  Flameford. No word is mentioned of how long the PCs are 
  allowed to stay—in fact, they can stay as long as they wish. 
  At this point, or possibly later, the PCs might beseech 
  the Sun Shaman for the information they came for. The 
  Sun Shaman patiently listens until it becomes clear the 
  PCs are asking about the Fangs of Kazavon. At this point 
  he shakes his head and refuses to hear anything more, 
  explaining that while the PCs are no longer tshamek, 
  neither are they Sklar-Quah, and this deep history of his 
  people is not for other tribes to know.
  If the PCs do not think of it, Akram suggests at this 
  point that the PCs should further petition the Sun 
  Shaman to join the Sklar-Quah. After all, now that 
  they are no longer tshamek, there is no real reason why 
  they couldn’t. Of course, word of such a request spreads 
  Sun Shaman
  
  A History oF Ashes
  51
  quickly through the camp, and the initial shock that the 
  PCs have become Shoanti is replaced by this new scandal. 
  Only the great respect the Sklar-Quah have for the Sun 
  Shaman prevents an uprising.
  If the PCs make such a request, a DC 20 Sense Motive 
  check allows them to note a look of amusement on the 
  Sun Shaman’s face. In his ever-patient voice, he explains 
  that if the PCs can pass the Trial of the Totem, they can be 
  acknowledged as honorary members of the Sklar-Quah, 
  but that is the best he can offer them. He does confirm 
  that if they pass the trial, he can speak to them of the 
  tribe’s past.
  At the mention of the trial, Krojun can take no more. 
  He shouts in protest and then storms off with several 
  burn riders to take a long ride through the Cinderlands 
  to cool off. If the PCs agree to accept the Sun Shaman’s 
  nebulous offer, the Sun Shaman advises that it begins 
  after dawn and motions for everyone to disperse from 
  the council fire. For his part, Akram explains that his 
  traditions preclude him from sharing a sunrise with 
  the Sklar-Quah and so he intends to depart before 
  dawn—if the boneslayers are still accompanying the 
  PCs, they volunteer to escort the old Truthspeaker back 
  to the Lyrune-Quah, otherwise an honor guard of three 
  burn riders takes up the charge. Akram wishes the PCs 
  luck in their trial, and as he leaves offers one final bit 
  of advice—Krojun is an important member of the tribe, 
  and anything the PCs can do to win his respect can only 
  help them.
  Gaining the right to undertake the Trial of the Totem 
  earns the PCs one respect point.
  Trial of the Totem
  Early the following morning, about an hour before dawn, 
  the PCs are awakened by the Sun Shaman, who asks them 
  to follow him. He, along with a trio of thundercallers, 
  escorts the PCs out through the slash rock in silence and 
  takes them east across the Cinderlands on a 20-minute 
  walk to a site known as Bolt Rock—a small mesa of 
  spiritual significance to the Sun Clan.
  A single ledge winds up to the westernmost flat-topped 
  area of Bolt Rock, a plateau that sits about 30 feet above 
  the surrounding plain. A second ledge leads up higher to 
  a second mesa, this one 40 feet above the ground. During 
  storms, the large quantities of iron ore in the rock here 
  attract numerous lightning bolts, and as a result the 
  place has become one of particular obsession for the Sun 
  Shamans, who often ascend Bolt Rock during storms to 
  experience the fury.
  Atop Bolt Rock stand several fired-clay pylons known 
  as sun totems. Each totem is 10 feet tall, and the sides are 
  decorated with numerous sigils sacred to the Sklar-Quah. 
  The lower portion of each totem is rounded. When not in 
  use, they are stored in an upright position in square stone 
  pods at the base of Bolt Rock.
  The Sun Shaman explains that during the Trial of the 
  Totems, each prospective clan member is represented by 
  a specific sun totem. He directs the PCs to each select one 
  totem as their own, then explains that, as a group, they 
  must carry these totems up to the lower tier of Bolt Rock, 
  where they must be balanced in circular depressions 
  and kept upright for a day. He explains further that the 
  PCs have until the shadow of the upper tier is no longer 
  cast upon the lower tier to erect the totems. At the next 
  sunrise, the PCs must then move all of their totems up 
  to the highest mesa (again, before the lower tier is in 
  full sunlight) and keep them upright in another set of 
  depressions found there for an additional day. When the 
  sun rises on that second day, any totem still standing 
  grants its PC equivalent Sklar-Quah citizenship.
  The Sun Shaman goes on to explain that while no food 
  or water are brought to the PCs for the 2 days they must 
  remain atop Bolt Rock, they are welcome to provide their 
  own. Likewise, they are welcome to use magic or whatever 
  means they have at their disposal to aid in keeping their 
  sun totems upright for the 2 days, as long as the magic 
  does not change or damage the totems themselves or the 
  structure of Bolt Rock in any way. Bolt Rock is clearly 
  visible from Flameford, and the Sun Shaman explains 
  that many eyes will be turned eastward for the next 2 
  days. At night, the totems glow with their own radiance, 
  an effect of minor magical enhancements placed on the 
  totems that allows those in Flameford to see even on 
  darkest nights if the totems still stand.
  The trial explained, the Sun Shaman transforms into 
  a crow and returns to Flameford to rest—the PCs are on 
  their own.
  if akraM failS
  As written, Akram is automatically successful in convincing 
  the Sun Shaman that the PCs deserve to be freed of their 
  tshamek stigma. If the PCs weren’t able to replicate the 
  legend of Skurak and Cindermaw to Akram’s requirements, 
  though, he is unable to lie on the PCs’ behalf. In this case, 
  the adventure takes a horrific turn as the PCs suddenly find 
  themselves surrounded by the full might of the Flameford 
  Gathering. Throw waves of burn riders, thundercallers and 
  even the powerful Sun Shaman at the PCs as the Shoanti 
  attempt to capture the outlanders for execution—the only 
  real option for the PCs at this point is swift escape (likely via 
  flight or teleportation). If they escape, the PCs’ reputations 
  with the Sklar-Quah is permanently damaged and the 
  adventure is effectively over. Concluding the Adventure 
  contains several tips on how to continue the campaign in 
  this event.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  52
  sun Totem
  hp 40; hardness 6
  Raising the Totems
  As soon as the sun rises, the PCs have only an hour 
  to select their totems and carry them up onto the 
  westernmost tier of Bolt Rock above. Even though each 
  totem is hollow, they’re still quite heavy at 500 pounds 
  apiece. A character with a Strength of 10 can barely 
  manage to drag one of these totems; a character with a 
  Strength of 17 or higher can lift the totem off the ground 
  and stagger around with it at a speed of 5 feet. Chances 
  are good that most PCs will need to work together to 
  place their totems atop Bolt Rock. A character can seat a 
  totem and push it into an upright position as long as he 
  can drag 500 pounds.
  Once a totem is upright, the shallow concavity 
  and rounded base of the totem help to stabilize 
  it, but without someone on hand at all times 
  to keep the totems balanced, they eventually 
  topple. Holding a totem in place requires a DC 
  12 Strength check every 6 hours. A character can 
  take 10 on this check, but on a failed check the 
  totem begins to lean precariously. At this point, 
  a DC 16 Strength check is required to stabilize 
  the totem. If this second check fails, the totem 
  topples and takes 5d6 points of damage. As 
  long as the totem isn’t broken, it can be lifted 
  back into place, but once a totem shatters, 
  that character can no longer become one of 
  the Sklar-Quah.
  Keeping the totems upright for 2 days is a 
  perilous task in and of itself, but unfortunately 
  for the PCs, several other factors combine to 
  make the trial even more arduous. 
  Exhaustion: The top of the Bolt Rock is 
  dangerously exposed to the elements. It’s 
  assumed that “A History of Ashes” occurs 
  during late spring, but if in your campaign 
  the adventure takes place in the summer, 
  daytime temperatures can rise into hot 
  conditions, forcing characters to make 
  Fortitudes saves to avoid taking nonlethal 
  damage (see page 303 of the DMG). 
  Furthermore, once the PCs head into  
  the second day, they are operating 
  on no sleep and become fatigued, 
  making the prospect of another 
  day’s worth of Strength checks 
  more 
  difficult. 
  Remember, 
  lesser restoration and more 
  powerful magic of this 
  sort can remove fatigue.
  Thirst: As detailed on page 304 of the DMG, a character 
  can go without water for 1 day plus a number of hours 
  equal to his Constitution score. After this time, a PC 
  must make a Constitution check each hour (DC 10, +1 
  for each previous check) or take 1d6 points of nonlethal 
  damage. Once a PC has taken nonlethal damage, he 
  becomes fatigued. Since a character can go without food 
  for 3 days, he need not fear starvation during the Trial of 
  the Totems. If characters bring food with them, they can 
  certainly take short 5-to-10-minute breaks to drink and 
  eat, as long as they remain on Bolt Rock and can hasten 
  back to their totem’s side in an emergency, but taking 
  longer breaks (such as to go hunt or seek water) quickly 
  results in a fallen totem.
  Magic: While it is against the spirit of the trial to use 
  spells like stone shape to fix the totems in place, the 
  PCs can attempt such subterfuge if they wish. 
  When the trial ends, the Sun Shaman inspects 
  Bolt Rock and the totems for damage. He 
  automatically notices evidence of stone shape 
  and similar spells if the PCs took no action to 
  hide their trickery—if the PCs try to disguise 
  this evidence, they must make a DC 20 Survival 
  check for each totem so disguised to make the 
  site appear to be unaltered and natural. Each 
  totem site (or totem) the Sun Shaman detects 
  magical alterations to is disqualified.
  Sun Vision of the Aurochs
  The true purpose of the trial is not just to 
  test the limits of the PCs’ stamina, but also 
  to weaken the body so that the mind is open 
  to a vision from the Sun. Any character who 
  becomes fatigued during the trial has a 10% 
  cumulative chance per hour of receiving 
  such a vision. The chance of having a vision 
  increases by 30% per hour if the character 
  becomes exhausted. 
  If a PC receives a vision, he first notices 
  shimmering waves of heat rising from 
  the stone around him. The shimmers 
  begin to cloud his vision, and a 
  moment later the character sees a 
  crystal-clear pool of water has seeped 
  into an empty totem depression. If 
  the character is quick, certainly 
  he can steal a drink from the 
  pool before returning to his 
  totem. If he attempts this, he 
  sees the face of a massive 
  horned aurochs staring 
  back at him from 
  the water. With a DC 
  
  A History oF Ashes
  53
  10 Wisdom check, the character understands that he is 
  the aurochs, primal and proud.
  No sooner does the character appreciate his new sense 
  of self than he catches the scent of his natural enemies: 
  the beasts with claws are nearby. Although he cannot see 
  them, he senses they are moving in unison, seeking to 
  surround him. Yet just as his pulse begins to race and 
  he is sure his unseen enemies close in, suddenly the sun 
  beams down upon him. As its light hits him, the character 
  can attempt a second DC 10 Wisdom check to achieve a 
  moment of deep clarity in which he realizes that he is not 
  the prey, but the protector of the Cinderlands. As he feels 
  his enemies begin to quail at his newfound strength, the 
  vision abruptly ends.
  This Sun Totem’s vision is meant to signify that it is 
  time for the PCs to stop waiting for the Red Mantis to 
  attack them and to turn and face them with full fury. The 
  next time a PC who has received the Sun Vision of the 
  Aurochs faces the Red Mantis, he receives a +1 insight 
  bonus on attack rolls and weapon damage rolls.
  Krojun’s Acknowledgement
  On the morning of the second day, Krojun returns from 
  his therapeutic ride through the wilds and pays the PCs 
  a visit. Although initially enraged that invading tshamek 
  were given the opportunity to join the Sklar-Quah, he 
  calmed down considerably when he learned that the Sun 
  Shaman selected a particularly grueling challenge to 
  properly test their mettle and climbs Bolt Rock to see how 
  the PCs are doing. He is especially impressed by scrawny 
  PCs (such as elves) whom he suspects would have a harder 
  time enduring the trial. Krojun stares at the PCs silently 
  for a few minutes and then begrudgingly compliments 
  them by suggesting they are lucky to have one another as 
  nalharest (brothers and sisters).
  As long as at least half of the PCs still have intact 
  totems, this visit earns them one respect point.
  Hungry Visitors (EL 11)
  Play up the difficulty of the trial, and never let the PCs 
  forget how excruciatingly exhausted they are from 
  balancing the massive totems. Toward the afternoon of 
  day two, their predicament gets worse.
  Creatures: A pack of bulettes have noticed the PCs, 
  and as the afternoon of the second day of the trial draws 
  toward night, these six bulettes begin circling the 
  ground around Bolt Rock. The sound of the burrowing 
  creatures and their dorsal fins periodically protruding 
  above the ash and gravel of the surrounding ground is 
  unmistakable, giving the PCs 2d4 rounds to prepare for 
  the assault.
  When it comes, the six bulettes leap out of the ground 
  and scramble up onto the lower mesa. Note that the 
  creatures can leap up onto the upper mesa from the lower 
  one pretty much automatically, hopping up onto the 
  higher level by spending 10 feet of movement.
  A character can continue to hold up his totem while 
  fighting as long as his totem remains in his reach and he 
  devotes one hand to steady it. Characters who choose to 
  fight in this manner take a –4 penalty on all attack rolls 
  as a result.
  Bulettes (6) 
  cr 7
  hp 94 (MM 30)
  TAcTics
  During combat The bulettes spread out when they attack, 
  each seeking its own target and doubling up on prey only 
  if there are more bulettes than targets. There’s not enough 
  room atop Bolt Rock for all six at once, so any bulettes 
  unable to fit pace angrily about on the lower tier or the 
  surrounding ground, eager to snap at anyone who leaves 
  the upper tier or to run up and replace a bulette that is slain 
  or driven off. Although the monsters don’t particularly care 
  about the totems, each time a bulette passes through a 
  square that’s adjacent to a totem, the character holding the 
  totem must make a DC 15 Strength check to keep the totem 
  upright. If a bulette attempts to attack a character engaged 
  in holding up a totem but misses the character by no more 
  than 3 points, the creature’s attack has a 50% chance of 
  striking the totem instead and dealing the appropriate 
  amount of damage. Desperate PCs can attempt to drop a 
  totem on a bulette—the bulette can avoid the totem with a 
  DC 15 Reflex save, taking 5d6 points of damage on a failure. 
  In any event, a dropped totem takes 3d6 points of damage.
  morale A bulette flees if reduced to less than 15 hit points.
  The Third Dawn
  With the third dawn, the Trial of the Totems ends. The 
  Sun Shaman leads the entire tribe from Flameford up to 
  Bolt Rock in the pre-dawn hours, and as the sun rises, 
  any totems still intact and standing are greeted with a 
  rousing cheer. These totems represent new brothers 
  and sisters in the Sklar-Quah, an event that is cause for 
  great celebration. Before the jubilation gets too out of 
  hand, the Sun Shaman holds high his hands for silence, 
  then personally welcomes each PC whose totem remained 
  standing and intact into the Sklar-Quah. Yet he goes even 
  further—he acknowledges those PCs whose totems toppled 
  and broke as nalharest to those whose totems survived, and 
  while these folk are not considered full-blooded members 
  of the Sklar-Quah, they are welcome at Flameford as guests 
  as long as their allies remain as well.
  The PCs are likely exhausted after their trial, and the 
  Sun Shaman suggests that they return to their yurt in 
  Flameford to rest and recover from their ordeal atop Bolt 
  Rock. As the Shoanti and the PCs make their way back to 
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  54
  Flameford, the Sun Shaman quietly tells the PCs that he 
  is nearly ready to speak with them about the information 
  they seek regarding Midnight’s Teeth and the great evil 
  that the Shoanti once guarded so long ago. Before he does, 
  however, he must seek out the wisdom of his ancestors by 
  traveling to the Kallow Mounds to commune with them. 
  As tradition demands, the Sun Shaman is accompanied 
  on this trip by Chief Ready-Klar and four of the tribe’s 
  thundercallers—the journey is made via wind walk. The 
  Sun Shaman estimates that they will return to Flameford 
  in but a day, and suggests that the PCs take that day to 
  rest, recover, and relax. While they are gone, Krojun is 
  given command of the tribe, a responsibility he accepts 
  with pride and honor.
  In any event, for each surviving totem, the PCs receive 
  one respect point. If no totems remain standing, the 
  Shoanti come to Bolt Rock not to welcome new brothers 
  and sisters, but to drive out the outsiders by force. In this 
  event, consult the start of the next adventure for advice 
  on how to continue the campaign.
  The Flameford Assault
  Once the PCs have passed the Trial of the Totems, they 
  have accomplished their goals—they have befriended the 
  Sklar-Quah, and now need only wait for the Sun Shaman 
  to finish his communion with his ancestors to learn 
  about the truth of what afflicts Queen Ileosa. Yet one 
  more hurdle lies between the PCs and this triumph—the 
  Red Mantis.
  Frustrated that the PCs have found sanctuary among 
  the Sun Clan and sensing that her window of opportunity 
  to eliminate the PCs is quickly vanishing, Cinnabar 
  organizes her allies in preparation for an all-out assault. 
  With her remaining assassins, her well-paid Ashwing 
  gargoyle allies, and the Cinderlander, Cinnabar’s spies 
  and scrying reveal that the Sun Shaman, Chief Ready-Klar, 
  and several burn riders are going to be gone for a day, 
  making this her best opportunity. That evening, as dusk 
  approaches, she and her allies stalk toward Flameford 
  with ill intent.
  Creatures: While the Ashwing gargoyles have the 
  same statistics as regular gargoyles, their appearance 
  is slightly different than the more common, craggy 
  gargoyles. Like the wind-blasted surrounding rock 
  of the Cinderlands, the Ashwing gargoyles’ bodies are 
  smooth and polished. Their stone frames have been 
  worn in rippling patterns. In this way, the gargoyles’ 
  racial Hide bonus is preserved, enabling them to 
  camouflage themselves against the rock formations of 
  the Cinderlands even though the natural stone differs 
  
  A History oF Ashes
  55
  greatly in texture from the hewn stone walls which their 
  cousins might hide against.
  In order to avoid the slash rock, the gargoyles each 
  carry one human with them as they approach Flameford 
  from the west. When they reach the campsite, they swoop 
  up the cliff-side and drop off their deadly passengers 
  amid the westernmost yurts. Unless Cinnabar knows 
  exactly which yurt belongs to the PCs, the assassins and 
  gargoyles simply start tearing into the tents with shrieks 
  and roars. Flameford awakens quickly to the assault, but 
  with the village’s chieftain and Sun Shaman not present, 
  the Red Mantis have a deadly advantage.
  The best way to run this battle is to hit the PCs in several 
  waves. The following series of attacks present a good way 
  to confront the PCs with increasing dangers, finally 
  culminating in a battle against Cinnabar herself. As the 
  PCs move from one battle to the next, feel free to augment 
  them with one or two burn riders or thundercallers. As 
  the PCs face their own battles, describe to them how 
  gargoyles and Red Mantis assassins attack the Shoanti 
  elsewhere. The assault should carry with it a definite 
  feeling of chaos. 
  Gargoyle Strike (EL 8): The PCs are attacked by four 
  Ashwing gargoyles in their tent.
  Assassins (EL 11): As the PCs emerge from their 
  tent, they are spotted by two Red Mantis assassins. The 
  Mantises recognize the PCs at once and swiftly move to 
  engage the characters—as they do, they’re joined by four 
  gargoyles eager to impress their new allies.
  The Cinderlander (EL 14): Not long after the PCs defeat 
  the assassins, the tell-tale sound of Krojun’s indignant 
  roar fills the air. The burly barbarian has challenged 
  the Cinderlander to a battle, and the haunting sound of 
  the Cinderlander’s shrieking bolts fills the night with 
  screams. By the time the PCs reach the War Council Fire, 
  both the Cinderlander and Krojun have taken 3d6 points 
  of damage. Unfortunately for Krojun, the Cinderlander 
  has just been joined by four Red Mantises—if the PCs 
  don’t come to his rescue, he is swiftly overwhelmed.
  The Final Strike (EL 14): The battle against the 
  Cinderlander quickly turns into a focus for the rest of 
  the Shoanti and gargoyles, and as this battle plays out, 
  the surrounding skirmishes come to a close while both 
  sides watch in awe, eager to join in once the battle ends. 
  Yet once it does end, Cinnabar steps into the fray. She 
  calls out the PCs by name, accusing them of consigning 
  these proud Shoanti to death—she had no wish to kill 
  this many, but the PCs leave her no choice. She offers the 
  Shoanti an out—if they turn over the PCs to her, or better, 
  aid her in slaying them, she’ll call off her minions and 
  leave the survivors alone. Of course, by this point, the 
  Shoanti likely see the PCs as their own. Krojun certainly 
  does—his response to Cinnabar is a roar and an attack. 
  In this battle, the PCs face Cinnabar and four Red Mantis 
  assassins. Feel free to augment the PCs with Krojun or 
  other Sklar-Quah burn riders or thundercallers. As soon 
  as Cinnabar is defeated, the Ashwing gargoyles realize 
  their allies aren’t as potent as they hoped, and as one they 
  take wing and flee to the west back to their rookery. The 
  four assassins who fight at Cinnabar’s side represent the 
  last of the Red Mantises active in the Cinderlands—once 
  this battle is concluded, the PCs are safe from the Red 
  Mantis until they return to Korvosa in the last adventure, 
  “Crown of Fangs.”
  If the PCs aid in protecting the Sklar-Quah in this 
  battle, they gain 4 respect points.
  Ashwing Gargoyle 
  cr 4
  hp 37 each (MM 113)
  TAcTics
  During combat The gargoyles trust in their damage 
  reduction, capitalizing on the Sklar-Quah’s relative lack of 
  magic to overcome it. On their initial pass, they land in the 
  clan’s corrals and terrify the horses with thunderstones, 
  causing them to stampede fatally into the slash rock. 
  Once the air is filled with the panic of the horses’ death 
  throes, the Ashwings leverage the confusion to continue 
  their assault. When they face significant opposition, the 
  gargoyles take to the air and employ their longbows. Where 
  possible, they use the slash rock against the Sklar-Quah, 
  flying over it to prevent dangerous opponents from getting 
  too close to them.
  morale An individual gargoyle flees if reduced to 5 hit points 
  or less.
  red mantis Assassins 
  cr 8
  hp 50 each (see page 15)
  The cinderlander 
  cr 12
  hp 105 (see page 21)
  cinnabar 
  cr 12
  hp 76 (see page 16)
  sklar-Quah Burn rider (4) 
  cr 4
  Human barbarian 4
  CN Medium humanoid
  init +1; senses Listen +3, Spot +3
  DeFeNse
  Ac 14, touch 9, flat-footed 13
  (+4 armor, +1 Dex, –2 rage, +1 shield)
  hp 51 (4 HD; 4d12+20)
  Fort +9, ref +2, Will +4
  Defensive Abilities uncanny dodge, trap sense +1
  oFFeNse
  spd 40 ft.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  56
  melee mwk short spear +9 (1d6+4/×3) or
  mwk klar +9 (1d6+4)
  ranged mwk composite longbow +6 (1d8+2/×3)
  special Attacks rage 2/day
  TAcTics
  During combat The burn rider patrol does not parlay or give 
  warnings. If their enemies are armed, the burn riders fire 
  a volley of arrows at long range, retreat out of range and 
  wait to fire another volley. If their foes are unarmed, riders 
  gallop in to run them down. In melee, burn riders often 
  seek to catch their opponents off-guard by attempting a 
  fast dismount in conjunction with their Tumbling skill to 
  suddenly leap off their horses and flank an opponent from 
  the opposite side. When fighting dangerous opponents 
  whom they outnumber, half of the burn riders set their 
  spears to deal double damage against a charge while the 
  other half fire their short bows from behind the protective 
  wall set by their Quah-brothers.
  morale If their foes display magic or other signs of powerful 
  opposition, the burn riders send a scout to alert their 
  champion, Krojun Eats-What-He-Kills, and his war party 
  (see Part Three). The burn riders have heard many tales of 
  unusually powerful tshamek and know better than to try and 
  take down tshamek champions unaided.
  Base statistics Ac 16, touch 11, flat-footed 15; hp 43; Fort +7, 
  Will +2,  melee mwk short spear +7 (1d6+2/×3) or mwk klar 
  +7 (1d6+2); Str 14, con 16; skills Jump +11
  sTATisTics
  str 18, Dex 13, con 20, int 10, Wis 12, cha 8
  Base Atk +4; Grp +6
  Feats Burn Rider, Mounted Combat, Ride-By Attack
  skills Handle Animal +6, Intimidate +6, Jump +13, Ride +10, 
  Survival +8
  Languages Common, Shoanti
  sQ fast movement, illiteracy
  combat Gear barbarian chew (2), potion of cure serious wounds 
  (2); other Gear masterwork hide shirt, masterwork short 
  spear, masterwork klar, masterwork composite longbow (+2 
  Str) with 20 arrows, yellow Shoanti war paint, flask of oil (2), 
  flint and steel, torch 
  sPeciAL ABiLiTies
  Burn rider This feat is from Pathfinder #7. As long as the burn 
  rider is mounted and travels at least 40 feet in a round, he 
  gains fire resistance 3, a +4 bonus on Reflex saves to avoid 
  catching fire, and a +4 bonus on Fortitude saves against 
  choking on smoke. He can confer these bonuses to his 
  mount as a free action with a DC 20 Ride check.
  sklar-Quah Thundercallers (6) 
  cr 12
  hp 61 each (see page 35)
  Krojun eats-What-He-Kills 
   
  cr 12
  hp 155 (see page 27)
  concluding the Adventure
  As the Flameford assault draws to a close, the Sklar-Quah 
  send up a cheer. The Shoanti are hardy folk, and as long 
  as the PCs deal with their enemies swiftly, the people of 
  Flameford come through the assault with relatively few 
  casualties—certainly not enough to dull the sense of 
  triumph. From now until the point when the Sun Shaman 
  returns to Flameford, the campsite becomes a victory 
  party. PCs are asked to share tales of their adventures 
  with the Shoanti, and Krojun might challenge a PC to 
  a sredna rematch. Try to involve each PC in some sort of 
  celebration during this time. A cleric PC might be called 
  upon to tend to the wounded or to help bury the dead. A 
  barbarian PC might be given the opportunity to receive a 
  Sklar-Quah tattoo. A bard PC might be asked to recount 
  the tale of the party’s encounter with Cindermaw. A rogue 
  might be asked by a beautiful Shoanti woman to share 
  her bed for the night (but only if he agrees to shave his 
  unsightly mop of hair beforehand).
  When the Sun Shaman, Chief Ready-Klar, and the other 
  Shoanti braves return to Flameford the next day, they find 
  the camp in a shambles from the previous night’s battle 
  and celebration. It takes some time for things to get back 
  to normal in Flameford, but the Sun Shaman doesn’t 
  wait. He invites the PCs into his home to speak to them 
  personally—what he has to reveal to them is detailed at 
  the start of the next adventure, “Skeletons of Scarwall.”
  At this time, total the number of respect points the PCs 
  have accumulated during the adventure and consult the 
  list below to see the results.
  5 or fewer Respect Points: Although the Shoanti 
  are thankful the PCs were on hand to help defend 
  Flameford, they cannot help but recall that the assault 
  would never have happened if the PCs had never come 
  to their camp. The plans to wage war on Korvosa 
  continue unabated, with repercussions as detailed in 
  “Crown of Fangs.”
  6 to 11 Respect Points: The Shoanti respect the PCs, but 
  not necessarily who and what they represent. Still, as word 
  spreads of their heroics, the Shoanti of the Cinderlands 
  slowly begin to question their ideas about the tshamek of 
  the lowlands, enough so that the talk of war on Korvosa 
  never quite moves beyond the planning stages. Given 
  time, forward-thinking diplomats like Thousand Bones 
  might well be able to forge peace between their people 
  and the lowlanders, but for now, even though tensions 
  remain, war does not come.
  12 or more Respect Points: Word of the PCs’ heroics and 
  bravery spreads quickly through the Cinderlands, and as 
  the Shoanti realize that even tshamek can become heroes 
  of their people, the concept of waging war against them 
  starts to seem more and more ridiculous. Talk of war on 
  Korvosa swiftly comes to a halt, and assuming that the 
  
  A History oF Ashes
  57
  trouble with Queen Ileosa can be resolved, a lasting peace 
  between the two peoples might be closer than ever.
  If the PCs Fail
  Completing this adventure hinges on the successful 
  completion of a complex, multi-stage quest. Since 
  there are so many stages to this adventure, with each 
  building off of the previous section’s events, there are 
  many points where the PCs can simply fail without 
  suffering a total loss of all life. If the PCs aren’t able 
  to secure Akram’s aid (or worse, if he’s killed and they 
  can’t bring him back to life); if they fail to pass the Trial 
  of the Totem or the attempt to recreate the Cindermaw 
  legend; or if they incite the anger and wrath of the 
  Sklar-Quah, they’ll have lost the opportunity to speak 
  with the Sun Shaman and learn what he knows about 
  Kazavon, and in so doing, they’ll lose their lead into 
  the next adventure.
  In this case, you’ll need to recognize the fact that, for 
  your group, “A History of Ashes” has ended, even if they 
  haven’t made it through every encounter. But that doesn’t 
  mean that they can’t go on. Players are notoriously adept 
  at recovering from dire situations such as these, so if you 
  come to a point where things look grim, let the PCs try to 
  work things out. Perhaps they can smuggle Akram’s body 
  back to Korvosa and secure the aid of Bishop Keppira 
  d’Bear of Pharasma in restoring the Truthspeaker to life. 
  A PC with a particularly well-spoken appeal to the Sklar-
  Quah (and a good Diplomacy check) might be able to 
  stall for enough time after failing the Test of the Totems 
  that the Red Mantis attack gives them an unexpected 
  opportunity to prove themselves to the Sklar-Quah 
  again—if they can defend the tribe, certainly that show 
  of solidarity and good faith can overshadow earlier bad 
  luck on Bolt Rock.
  And if worst comes to worst, there’s always the 
  Brotherhood of Bones. If the PCs seem ready to give up, 
  you can have Shadowcount Sial approach them. He’s 
  continued to observe the PCs via scrying and other 
  methods, but has recently received permission from 
  his organization to open up a little more to the PCs. 
  He apologizes for not being so forthright before, but 
  explains that he had to be sure the PCs were trustworthy 
  before he explains to them how Queen Ileosa has fallen 
  under Kazavon’s sway. He and the PCs want the same 
  thing—to free the queen from this influence. That he 
  wants the power of the Crown of Fangs for his church he 
  leaves unsaid. Unfortunately, the means to divorce the 
  queen from Kazavon lie hidden in the ancient warlord’s 
  citadel, and for reasons Sial is now prepared to expain 
  (as detailed in the next adventure)—he can’t quite take 
  care of this problem on his own. He needs the PCs aid if 
  Scarwall’s secret is to be recovered.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  58
  THE CINDERLANDS
  T
  he Cinderlands play host to a desolate backdrop of scrubland and drought, 
  famine and death. As hot as a forge and dry as a desert, the broken flats 
  radiate a hazy, wavering heat so tangible that it robs the body of precious 
  moisture in mere hours. What beasts make their homes there are deceptive 
  and violent, while what few plants claw their way through the cracked ground 
  are as nourishing as rocks. It is the next best thing to Hell on Golarion. 
  Gozreh swelters in this parched place, repeatedly venting his fury against the 
  unsuspecting lands in cleansing baptisms of fire.”
  —The Cinderlands Expeditions, Preface
  T h e  F i r e s  o F  T h e  s To rva l  P l aTe au
  
  The Cinderlands
  59
  By far the least hospitable landscape in Varisia, the 
  Cinderlands have been written off by most of the region’s 
  residents as worthless—fit only for the crazed Shoanti 
  barbarians displaced over the centuries by immigration 
  from Cheliax. Yet such views are shortsighted, for within 
  the Cinderlands’ borders lurks a surprising display 
  of life and geologic diversity. What follows is an in-
  depth, ecological examination of this charred and bitter 
  land—a synopsis of its violent origins, an assessment of 
  its outwardly inhospitable environment, an inspection 
  of its unstable natural resources and irregular weather 
  patterns, and a fascinating look at the unusual plants 
  and creatures that are as callous and unforgiving as the 
  fuming landscape they call home.
  Natural History of tHe 
  CiNderlaNds
  As one stands in the Cinderlands and gazes across 
  a terrain that occasionally belches flames across its 
  breadth, driving panicked creatures before it, it is hard 
  to imagine this place as anything but a wasteland. Yet 
  this inhospitable land was not always so bleak. During 
  the early chapters of Golarion’s natural history, the 
  Cinderlands were actually a prehistoric coral reef system 
  which rested beneath a primordial sea.
  Far below the sea floor of those ancient times, the 
  world’s bowels shifted and caused two tectonic plates 
  to collide. The impact of that convergence was so great 
  that the rocks in the lithosphere compressed together, 
  forcing the oceanic plate to slide beneath the continental 
  plate to relieve the pressure. This subduction gave rise 
  to a reverse fault that uplifted a large section of the sea 
  floor—a landmark that would one day be dubbed the 
  Storval Plateau. As the waters of that doomed sea drained 
  away and the lands saw their first rays of sunlight, magma 
  rose to the surface and formed a volcanic arc—a belt of 
  cinder cone volcanoes that runs parallel to the trench of 
  the Arcadian Ocean. Today, the ejecta those cones spew 
  into the environment blankets the ground, and when 
  environmental conditions are favorable, emberstorms—
  impenetrable blizzards of ash and cinders—rumble 
  across the southern portion of the plateau.
  The fate of the now-extinct prehistoric reef was to form 
  an extraordinary deposit of organic peat that settled 
  deep into the ground. Layer upon layer of sediment 
  formed atop that living graveyard, and the resulting heat 
  and compression squeezed out all of the moisture. This 
  fossil fuel became so deeply entrenched that it reached 
  a breaking point of extreme temperature and pressure, 
  triggering a reaction that converted solid fuel to natural 
  gas. A massive cap rock held these flammable vapors in 
  check for ages, but when Bakrakhan sank into the sea, the 
  rock splintered and the trapped gas that had remained 
  buried for centuries suddenly had a route to the open air, 
  encouraging a land already besieged by wildfires to burn 
  faster and hotter.
  The natural history of the Cinderlands has been one 
  of violent upheaval. As it stands today, the Cinderlands 
  are still in the process of change. By all accounts the 
  Storval Fault is yet rising, driven ever upwards by the 
  innards of Golarion.
  By far the most exasperating aspect of the badlands is the 
  wind—ceaseless, unrelenting wind. To say it has played havoc 
  with our research material is an understatement. Just yesterday, 
  we lost an entire month’s worth of geological notes. If it were 
  constant, the wind wouldn’t be quite as much of a nuisance, but 
  the continuous pattern of extreme buffeting followed by a few 
  seconds of stillness is maddening. The dust and ash get into 
  everything: backpacks, canteens, boots, eyes, nostrils—you name 
  it, sand gets into it.
  —The Cinderlands Expeditions, 
  Chapter 2: The Blistering Wind
  GeoGrapHy of tHe 
  CiNderlaNds
  The Cinderlands rest on the southern Storval Plateau, 
  bounded by the banks of the Kazaron River and the Kodar 
  Mountains in the north, the Storval Deep and Wyvern 
  Mountains in the west, the Mindspin Mountains in the 
  east, and the Storval Rise in the south. The Kazaron 
  flows from the Kodars following the southwest tilt of 
  the plateau, meanders through the broken foothills 
  and grasslands, and eventually empties into the Storval 
  Deep. The Yondabakari flows south from the Mindspins 
  and cuts a stubborn path right through the heart of the 
  Cinderlands, providing the lands just enough water to 
  prevent desertification.
  The badlands are rugged, inhospitable terrain formed 
  by long periods of drought and heavy wind erosion and 
  make up the majority of the Cinderlands, particularly 
  near the mountain chains and east of the Yondabakari. 
  Odd rock formations, canyons, gullies, and hoodoos fill 
  the landscape, separated by twisting valleys and crags. 
  Deep gorges create natural wind tunnels, and their 
  howling can carry for miles. Many of the rock formations 
  have alternating tiers of sandstone and ash rock, creating 
  a stark, contrasting ambience of red and black layers. The 
  wind’s effect is everywhere—the rocks and formations 
  are smooth and curved, mimicking the sand dunes of a 
  desert. Large areas are solid rock, but other areas have 
  stretches of leached soil and silt. A short, weedy scrub 
  grows in patches throughout the badlands, offset by 
  succulent plants.
  Just north of the Storval Rise are the galtroot flats, a land 
  of short, red galtroot bushes that grow in deposits of red 
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  60
  clay. Also residing in this region are the squat and menacing 
  cinder cones that produce the ever-present volcanic ash that 
  blankets the ground. The extreme winds here make any travel 
  through this land treacherous, as the airborne ash creates a 
  gray, impenetrable haze and an occasional ash devil.
  In the northern Cinderlands, the waters of the Kazaron 
  make the ground rich in soluble nutrients, producing 
  soil that is more fertile for producing areas of grassland. 
  Because there are no trees to rob the sunlight, the topsoil 
  is rich with life, and the vast majority of northern plant 
  species take the form of grass or scrub. 
  GeoloGy of tHe 
  CiNderlaNds
  Due to the enormous amount of geological activity in 
  the crust, many different rocks and minerals exist in 
  the Cinderlands. Blood-red charstone, composed of 
  black granite speckled with potash feldspar gemstones, 
  is much prized among the Shoanti. Rocks that form 
  within copper ore, such as azurite and malachite, are 
  useful as pigments when ground into a paste. Ash rock 
  is similar to sandstone; it forms when layers of volcanic 
  basalt particles accumulate through sedimentation and 
  pressure, eventually forming unique black-tinged cliffs, 
  eroded hoodoos, and other formations.
  Copper and iron are plentiful—in particular, the 
  foothills of the Mindspins dump massive amounts of 
  copper ore onto the banks of the Yondabakari. Many 
  crystal veins in the crust contain electrum in addition 
  to small traces of other metals, such as copper, gold, and 
  zinc—all of which make the area valuable to dwarven 
  miners from Janderhoff. 
  During the convergence of the tectonic plates, 
  chunks of diamond broke free from underground 
  veins and rose to the surface, and now lie buried 
  beneath the grounds of the cinder cones, waiting 
  to be easily extracted by those willing to work so close 
  to violent geologic activity. Deposits of coal, hidden just 
  below the surface, rest near the mountain chains that 
  bound the Cinderlands. Some of the deposits near the 
  Wyvern Mountains have been burning for decades, due 
  to the sheer amount of coal concentrated there.
  Cinder Cones
  The Cinderlands are spotted with cinder cones—hills of 
  volcanic fragments built up around volcanic vents. The 
  larger ones near natural gas seeps are capable of lava 
  flows and extreme explosive eruptions. Seismic activity 
  accompanies these magma fountains, and the small 
  volcanoes vent incredible amounts of ash through their 
  flanks and summit craters.
  The majority of the material expelled by cinder cones 
  is miniscule particles of ash, although the immense 
  amount spewed into the environment invades every aspect 
  of the Cinderlands. Infrequently, magma explodes from 
  one of these small volcanoes (see page 304 of the DMG 
  for details on lava effects). After an eruption, shelves of 
  black volcanic glass sometimes form, which the Shoanti 
  frequently harvest to make knives many times sharper 
  than the keenest steel.
  Sarenrae’s Tears (CR 5): Large cinder cones can produce 
  deadly debris known locally as Sarenrae’s Tears—
  buckler-sized globs of half-cooled molten basalt and 
  trapped volcanic gases—that eject with enormous force, 
  potentially shooting great distances. Cooling as they fly 
  through the air, the volatile rock solidifies into elongated 
  tear-shaped rocks, making them aerodynamic enough 
  to travel up to a mile. The impact of one of Sarenrae’s 
  Tears often causes it to shatter explosively, dealing 3d6 
  points of piercing damage and 3d6 points of fire damage 
  to everything within 15 feet of the point of impact (DC 
  20 Reflex, save for half). 
  Hundreds of these natural powder kegs litter the 
  grounds surrounding cinder cones. If damaged 
  or disturbed, these deadly rocks can still explode 
  (hardness 7, 1 hit point), blowing glass shrapnel 
  in all directions just as the airborne variety. 
  Sarenrae’s Tears the size of wagons with 
  proportionately scaled destructive capabilities 
  have been recorded, but are fortunately rare.
  Sarenrae’s Tresses (CR 4): During periods of 
  heavily sustained wind, long strands of glass fibers 
  form when wind picks up the magma of a fountain 
  eruption and carries it downwind, cooling it in the 
  process and ripping  to shreds anything in its path. 
  Named Sarenrae’s Tresses by the Shoanti, the glass 
  strands bear a strong resemblance to hair or straw 
  and litter the ground miles downwind of the cones 
  in long, jumbled heaps. During the Cinderlands’ 
  
  The Cinderlands
  61
  occasional windstorms, Sarenrae’s Tresses are kicked into 
  the air, flensing anything unfortunate enough to be nearby. 
  Anyone within a quarter mile of a cinder cone during a 
  windstorm suffers not only the effects of the high winds 
  (see page 95 of the DMG) but takes 2d6 points of piercing 
  damage per round.
  Emberstorms
  During the peak of summer, when the wind is at its 
  driest, an emberstorm can form in the aftermath of a 
  particularly large wildfire. Because the generated heat 
  is so great, the surrounding oxygen burns instantly, 
  creating inward-facing wind currents. Once this occurs, 
  a perpetual cycle of oxygen, ash, and embers feeds the fire 
  and intensifies its heat, giving it its own renewable source 
  of fuel. The winds produced by this phenomenon can 
  reach hurricane-force gales that cause the emberstorm to 
  grow to devastating sizes. With a good wind behind it, the 
  storm can travel hundreds of miles, appearing from afar 
  like a black blizzard that flickers with fire.
  Emberstorms are massive areas of moving, deadly 
  weather, easily measured in miles. There are two parts 
  to the storm: the edge (up to 100 feet inside the storm’s 
  borders) and the heart (the area more than 100 feet into 
  the storm). Within the edge, creatures are subjected to the 
  effects of strong winds (see page 95 of the DMG), take a –10 
  penalty on Spot, Listen and Search checks as well as missile 
  attacks beyond 10 feet, and gain concealment.
  Within the heart of an emberstorm, the wind increases 
  to severe or even windstorm levels. The scouring ash and 
  grit in the air also creates all the effects of a duststorm, 
  save that they normally leave behind only 1d4–1 feet of dust 
  and ash in their wake (see DMG page 94). Additionally, 
  whenever a character takes nonlethal damage from  
  an emberstorm, he also takes 1 point of fire damage 
  from the cinders and hot ashes. An emberstorm is a CR 
  4 encounter.
  We have been experimenting with a deep crack in the ground that 
  we located today. If you look at it from a certain angle, you can 
  almost see invisible vapors emanating from it. After much debate 
  over our next course of action, we agreed to set it on fire—in 
  retrospect, this was not the wisest choice. Even our guide seemed 
  shocked when it combusted with a loud popping sound, followed by 
  an intense shaft of blue flame. All of our attempts at extinguishing 
  it have been unsuccessful. Minch has been trying to come up 
  with a proper term for this phenomenon. God’s Pyre, Tinderbox 
  Geyser, and Cerulean Scorch (of which I was particularly fond) all 
  met with playful derision and were vetoed by the majority. For 
  lack of a better term, we have settled for calling this blue flame 
  rockfire for the remainder of this research.
  —The Cinderlands Expeditions,  
  Chapter 3: The Fields Will Burn
  Methane Seeps
  Gas seeps emit odorless, volatile organic compounds 
  that the naked eye cannot perceive. While these vapors 
  are non-toxic, they are composed of a highly flammable 
  compound that combusts in the presence of any heat 
  source. These methane seeps fuel the Cinderlands’ 
  natural wildfires and keep them burning even in areas 
  of sparse vegetation. A methane seep might take the form 
  of an isolated gas vent or an entire gas field hundreds of 
  feet in diameter.
  Some of the larger geysers have depleted their gas 
  stores, leaving sprawling caverns deep below the surface. 
  What creatures inhabit these murky cavities is unknown, 
  but extensive veins of raw diamond and underground 
  lakes of crude petroleum draw prospectors from all over. 
  Attempts at mining are fraught with peril, however, as 
  the underground passages interconnect, comprising 
  a vast network of tunnels, tubes, oil reservoirs, and gas 
  chambers that permeate the entire shelf. If a combustive 
  chain reaction were set off, it is unlikely that anything 
  would survive.
  Rockfire (CR 6): When the rare summer thunderstorm 
  travels into the central areas of the Cinderlands, lightning 
  can combust an entire gas field and set it ablaze, producing 
  what is known as rockfire—large sheets of blue flame that 
  PEoPLE of tHE CINDERLANDS
  As inhospitable as the burning plains of the Storval Plateau are, 
  several species actively seek to claw a life from the hard clay and 
  lifeless ash. 
  Gargoyles: Bands of savage gargoyles have long made their 
  home on the Storval Plateau. In the Cinderlands particularly, the 
  ashen and brick-colored gargoyles of the Ashwing tribe soar from 
  aerie to aerie, snatching up whatever meals they can and taking 
  wing when the fires of the land grow too near.
  Orcs: Raiders from the Hold of Belkzen and brutes from 
  Urglin frequently prey upon the same animals as the native 
  Shoanti, and upon the Shoanti themselves. Fearful of the 
  deadly land, they rarely linger for long, yet it’s not uncommon 
  to fine the charred remains of orcs who were unable to outrun 
  an emberstorm.
  Shoanti: The Shoanti tribes of the Sklar-Quah wander the 
  Cinderlands, preying upon the lands’ deadly predators and 
  following migrating aurochs. The flames of the land have long 
  held a place in the faith and traditions of these warlike barbarians, 
  most noticably in the fearless charges of the burn riders and in 
  the rite of passage all quah members must face: the Burn Run 
  (see “People of the Storval Plateau” and the Pathfinder’s Journal 
  in Pathfinder #7).
  Varisians: The wandering cousins of the Shoanti occasionally 
  make their way through the Cinderlands, always either on their 
  way somewhere else, or just to say they’ve been.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  62
  whoosh through gas fields in the blink of an eye. Any 
  creature in a gas field set alight—either by lightning or 
  open flame—takes 8d6 points of fire damage (DC 25 Reflex 
  save for half).
  ClimatoloGy of tHe 
  CiNderlaNds
  The climate of the Cinderlands is hot and dry, seeing 
  little in the way of moisture and precipitation. Although 
  the environment meets the requirements for desert 
  classification, it contains few of the geographical 
  features often associated with deserts. Still, the stifling 
  air of the plateau makes it one of the driest places  
  on Golarion.
  The Cinderlands boil during the summer and freeze 
  during the winter, although the low precipitation (as little 
  as 8 inches of rainfall per year) makes snow practically 
  unheard of. Any serious study of the plateau shows its 
  weather patterns to be unpredictable, and the only real 
  constant is the drought brought on by rain shadows. 
  Because mountain chains bound the Cinderlands on 
  three sides, only the southern monsoon winds bring the 
  Cinderlands any significant precipitation. Under these 
  conditions, the vegetation becomes dry and brittle—
  perfect tinder for wildfires.
  eColoGy of tHe 
  CiNderlaNds
  The Cinderlands contain hundreds of different species 
  of animals and insects of all classifications, including 
  numerous creatures not found anywhere else in Varisia. 
  The harsh environment has forever left its mark on the 
  organisms that live there, and many of its plants and 
  animals have adapted to the hot and dry conditions in 
  unique—and sometimes startling—fashions.
  Flora
  The local flora must employ exceptional methods for 
  gathering moisture and surviving the regular wildfires, 
  giving rise to three major groupings of florae—water 
  hoarders, drought tolerators, and fire adaptors. 
  This morning, we took turns counting lightning strikes, but 
  we lost count around 50 or so. There are just too many to 
  count effectively. Suffice to say, a good thunderstorm can 
  produce strikes numbering in the hundreds. With all of this 
  activity, it still doesn’t seem to rain here. We see the dark 
  clouds gathering in the mountains, and they produce fantastic 
  lightning displays, but they never seem to progress down into 
  the Cinderlands.
  —The Cinderlands Expeditions, Chapter 4: Gozreh’s Wrath
  
  The Cinderlands
  63
  Water hoarders are succulent plants capable of storing 
  water during periods of rainfall that sustains them 
  through droughts. They gather moisture via shallow roots 
  and store water in membranes composed of expandable 
  tissue, which swell noticeably when full. Since they are 
  targets of thirsty animals, most hoarders have developed 
  defense mechanisms, such as poisonous thorns, to keep 
  potential water poachers at bay. Cacti comprise the 
  majority of this group, although some bushes and trees 
  can hoard water as well.
  Drought tolerators have learned to use what water 
  they need when it is available, and then enter dormant 
  states during periods of drought. A resinous substance 
  coats their seeds and washes off when it rains, allowing 
  germination to occur only in the presence of water. To 
  bear the lack of hydration, many have evolved small leaves 
  that require little water, which they shed during periods 
  of extreme drought. Common tolerators include bushes, 
  scrub, and grass.
  Fire adaptors have changed to survive fire through 
  various techniques. The majority of them grow reserve 
  buds and branches at root level, which burgeon after a fire 
  has burned the plants’ leaves. Some exotic plants display 
  a trait known as fire-induced germination—the seeds 
  remain dormant until the presence of heat opens the fire-
  resistant seedpods, allowing them to take over an area 
  quickly after a fire has reduced the competition to fertile 
  ash. The more ruthless adaptors even encourage fire by 
  exuding flammable oil from their leaves. Fire adaptors 
  contain all manner of flora, found in the hottest areas 
  and those that sustain wildfires.
  Basilisk Barrel: An 8-foot-tall barrel capable of storing 
  2 tons of water makes up the bulk of this purple-mottled 
  cactus. Because the large amount of water it holds makes 
  it a prime target, it has developed sensitive, bright red 
  pods that cover its exterior. When disturbed, the pods 
  discharge a cloud of paralytic droplets affecting a 10-foot 
  area around the perimeter of the plant. Some of the 
  more enterprising predators have learned to patrol these 
  barrels, hoping to make an easy meal of any creature 
  paralyzed by these dangerous cacti, and particularly deft 
  shoanti sometimes harvest the pods for use in potions.
  Ember Poppy: A waxy substance that reacts with 
  combustion coats the seed banks of the ember poppy, 
  and once a fire passes through an area it sprouts and 
  germinates. Its seeds remain buried in the soil for years, 
  awaiting the next fire.
  Flask Tree: At first glance, flask trees appear to be dead, 
  but upon closer inspection one learns that this is simply 
  a surprisingly successful camouflage system—many 
  creatures walk right past a substantial store of water 
  thinking the trees to be just burnt chunks of wood. A flask 
  tree gets its name from the shape of its trunk—enlarged at 
  its base from the water store giving it the appearance of a 
  potion bottle.
  Galtroot Bush: This short bush grows in red clay and 
  often sheds its crimson leaves during drought periods 
  to tolerate the loss of water. Containing a powerful 
  narcotic, the galtroot has many uses, both medicinal and 
  recreational. The Shoanti tribesmen mix the dried leaves 
  with wood ash to create barbarian chew, which invigorates 
  their warriors’ ferociousness during battle.
  Lotra Tree: These short trees have adapted tough, thick 
  barks laced with oil that is resistant to fire. Younger trees 
  burn in severe blazes, but the mature trees survive relatively 
  unscathed, showing at most only bole scorching.
  Scrub: This short, stunted vegetation grows in patches 
  throughout the Cinderlands. While scrub refers primarily 
  to dry, straggly weed, the term encompasses much of the 
  vegetation, including trees and bushes.
  Fauna
  Many creatures in the Cinderlands have had to make 
  special accommodations simply to survive. A mammal 
  grows longer eyelashes than usual and has the ability 
  tHE ANgEL of StoRmS
  Windstorms are common during all seasons, but on hot 
  days, whirlwinds have the potential to materialize from the 
  overheated air above the ground. While these dust devils are 
  typically only a few hundred feet high and move erratically, 
  the more violent whirls can reach heights of several thousand 
  feet. During particularly large wildfires, firespouts appear 
  when warm updrafts coalesce into a vertical cone of rotating 
  fire. Once this tornado-like phenomenon is born, it can 
  travel on its own or move within the existing wildfire, making 
  it that much more deadly.
  These tornadoes are known collectively by the Shoanti as 
  Yayoncha, the Angel of Storms, and are viewed with both 
  fear and awe. Several stories in their oral tradition culminate 
  in shamans calling Yayoncha from the brooding skies in 
  order to tear through battlefields and scatter enemies.
  Devoid of foliage and permanently blackened by the barrage 
  of flames, flask trees offer up one of the gloomiest sights in the 
  Cinderlands. At dusk this evening, as we sat in hushed silence, 
  their bloated, misshapen figures surrounded us on the orange-
  blasted horizon, creating an eerie landscape of squat, dejected 
  husks reaching their withered branches toward the sky. We 
  would have given the dismal trees a wide berth if it weren’t for 
  our always-resourceful Shoanti escort. To our astonishment, he 
  pulled out a tap, promptly hammered it into the base of one of 
  those charred stumps, and proceeded to fill 20 of our canteens.
  —The Cinderlands Expeditions, 
  Chapter 5: Flowers in an Ashen Land
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  64
  to close its nostrils—two traits that keep dust and ash 
  out of its system. A predator lies in wait in a burn zone 
  until the approaching wildfire drives fleeing prey into 
  its hungry maw. An animal that is diurnal in most other 
  environments becomes nocturnal to avoid the blistering 
  winds and heat. The underlying theme is one of survival, 
  and this mind-set radiates throughout the Cinderlands, 
  from the massive storm roc to the lowly scrub rat.
  Akyrak: These large arachnid predators have remarkable 
  camouflage abilities—their quivering, translucent bodies 
  blend in so well with the surrounding heat waves that they 
  appear invisible to the naked eye. More akin to a scorpion 
  than a spider, these creatures hunt large game.
  Ankheg: This massive, burrowing insect thrives in the 
  Cinderlands. Many ankheg burrows rest in areas that 
  regularly sustain wildfires, and these oversized, well-fed 
  insects are surprisingly adept at darting out of the safety 
  of their holes and snatching fire-fleeing prey.
  Aurochs: These herd animals can reach weights of 
  2,600 pounds and heights of 80 inches at the shoulder. 
  While the females have smaller horns, the horns of a 
  bull can reach 2-1/2 feet in length and have ridges at 
  their bases and edges, which they whet on large boulders 
  until razor sharp.
  When herding, female aurochs, their calves, and 
  young males travel at the center, and the bulls patrol the 
  perimeter. During the mating season, sparring matches 
  erupt as the bulls contend for the females in heat. The 
  males often hold their heads low and swing their massive 
  horns from side to side while sizing up their competitors. 
  These clashes, which involve head butting and rending, 
  are vicious and sometimes fatal.
  Basilisk: These reptiles cluster together in considerable 
  numbers deep in the wind tunnels of the eastern 
  badlands. Existing almost entirely on a diet of ash rock 
  and minerals, the basilisks keep to themselves unless 
  disturbed, which is a rare event.
  Bulette: Found in the areas devoid of rock formations, 
  bulettes keep to the hills for the most part and tunnel 
  into the loose soil. These burrowing creatures sense 
  minute vibrations in the ground and attack from below 
  without warning, and travelers seeking to avoid their 
  wide territories are advised to keep an eye out for their 
  distinctive temporary dens, called drifts.
  Bush Tiger: These powerful hyenas have oversized 
  heads and necks and underdeveloped hindquarters 
  that give them arched spines. Their front feet are 
  larger than their back feet, making their tracks easily 
  distinguishable. They are consummate scavengers and 
  form ranging circles around feeding predators, waiting 
  for the sated beasts to leave before moving in and taking 
  over the carcass. Bush tigers have the ability to digest 
  bones, giving them a source of marrow nutrients that 
  other carnivores leave behind.
  Cindersnake: This reddish-patterned snake is one of 
  the deadliest in Varisia, and has little to fear from most 
  other predators. It spends its hunting hours buried in the 
  silt lying in wait, and holds the tip of its tail erect from its 
  burrow to attract prey. Unlike other snakes, it stands its 
  ground if a larger creature approaches it.
  Ember Scorpion: The exoskeleton of an ember 
  scorpion is composed of several layers—the soft 
  epidermis, two chitinous layers (one flexible, one 
  rigid), and a tough external layer coated with a 
  waxy substance. They often hunt actively in the 
  open in addition to the proven method of lying 
  in wait. Ember scorpions display the bone-
  chilling trait of sucking all of the nutrients 
  For many years, we scholarly types assumed the crustaceous 
  fossils found in the Cinderlands to be the remains of gigantic, 
  prehistoric crabs. Nevertheless, as I sit here in the shadow of 
  one of those half-buried colossal beasts, I fear I can no longer 
  say with any certainty that these were sea creatures. Minch 
  was the first to point it out, but it looks rather look like a giant 
  insect. Yet if we were to propose that these remnants are, in 
  fact, fossilized exoskeletons of some long-gone giant bug, we 
  would be outright ridiculed.
  —The Cinderlands Expeditions, 
   Chapter 6: Shadows of the Past
  
  The Cinderlands
  65
  and marrow from their kills, leaving behind only hollow 
  bones and loose skins of internal organs, making them 
  efficient scavengers as well as ruthless predators.
  Horned Spirestalker: The scales of the giant geckos of the 
  Cinderlands, the horned spirestalkers, display many grooves 
  and channels that lead directly to the lizards’ mouths. By 
  passing through condensation-gathering vegetation, the 
  spirestalkers are able to extract the necessary moisture 
  for hydration. Many of these lizards dwell on crags and 
  hoodoos, snatching prey from the rocky floor below. The 
  rare black-scaled spirestalkers live in harmony in the wind 
  tunnels alongside the basilisks, and blend in well with the 
  basalt-tinted rock walls and formations found there. The 
  basilisks ignore them, as the geckos keep the tunnels devoid 
  of insects, small mammals, and other nuisances.
  Jewel Beetle: A jewel beetle is an offshoot of the more 
  common fire beetle but has adapted its receptor glands 
  to detect infrared radiation produced by large fires. The 
  annual mating migration occurs during the peak of 
  summer when the chance of fire is at its greatest. Once 
  the beetles locate a suitable heat source, a mating frenzy 
  occurs within the flames. Afterwards, the females lay their 
  eggs in the dead wood of the burnt trees and continue 
  on their way. Since most of the consumers of beetles flee 
  from wildfires, the eggs are safe from predation and, as a 
  result, the jewel beetle population is high.
  Purple Worm: These gargantuan worms live beneath the 
  Cinderlands, feeding on the plentiful minerals and gems. 
  While hundreds of these creatures exist below ground, 
  only occasionally will one grub its way to the surface. 
  Purple worms’ diets consist of rocks and minerals, and 
  they are especially fond of diamonds. Organic material is 
  a delicacy—a purple worm sometimes surfaces to snack 
  on large concentrations of living organisms such as an 
  aurochs herd. The innards of a purple worm consist of a 
  pharynx for pulling in food, an esophagus where the food 
  travels to the gizzard that breaks it down, and sprawling 
  intestines where digestion occurs.
  Ko-Minka: These blink dogs rove the fringes of the 
  badlands in wild packs. Other creatures in their domain 
  have learned some of the meanings behind their barks—
  mostly predator warnings and yelps of impending bad 
  weather. This symbiosis has served the Ko-Minkas well, 
  for they understand that strength in numbers is a key to 
  survival. They forage during the day, rooting for insects 
  and lizards, using their large ears to locate underground 
  vibrations and movement.
  Redback Rattlesnake: Most active in the morning when 
  temperatures are at their lowest, the redback spends the 
  hottest part of the day underground in its burrow or 
  hidden away within deep scrub. During the winter, when 
  temperatures are lower, the redback hunts actively during 
  the daytime.
  Scrub Rat: These rats live in almost any terrain 
  that displays loose scrub covering. Building extensive 
  underground warrens just beneath the ground, large 
  colonies congregate together for mutual protection. Scrub 
  rats are a constant feature of the terrain, and provide a 
  steady food supply for many of its predators.
  Storm Roc: Invading the lowlands from their mighty 
  nests high up in the Wyvern Mountains, these birds of 
  prey sit unchallenged at the apex of the food chain. Storm 
  rocs have compact bodies with short but extremely strong 
  necks. Short legs with long toes and sharp claws allow 
  them to grasp creatures of substantial size. The full-
  grown storm rocs hunt the aurochs herds, and often drive 
  them to panic and stampedes.
  Tube Centipede: These curiosities use the red clay 
  common to their environment to construct hollow 
  tubes that rise above ground level, serving as entrances 
  to their underground tunnels. Centipede tubes often 
  cluster together with various diameters and heights, 
  and winds blown across their jagged tops produce a 
  ghastly, dissonant screech that carries for miles. This 
  cacophony achieves two goals—it warns predators away 
  and attracts the jewel beetles that are a staple of the 
  centipedes’ diet. Any slight variation in the vibrations 
  of the tubes alerts the centipedes to the presence of 
  potential prey.
  Wyvern: Occasionally flights of wyverns make 
  their way down from the mountain range that bears 
  their name to hunt aurochs. Amazingly, these lizards 
  successfully compete with the storm rocs over the same 
  hunting grounds, and conflicts between the two groups 
  often arise.
  CINDERLANDS CREAtuRES
  The Cinderlands are home to a wide variety of creatures, 
  many unique to the region. Listed below are the game 
  statistics and sources for use in constructing encounters 
  with species not listed in the MM or presented here under 
  an alternate name.
  Akyrak: See page 80
  Aurochs: Advanced 7 HD bison
  Bush Tiger: Advanced 5 HD hyena
  Cindersnake: Tiny viper
  Ember Scorpion: Large monstrous scorpion
  Horned Spirestalker: Giant gecko, see Pathfinder #1
  Jewel Beetle: Giant fire beetle with immunity to fire, and 
  only glows within 1 mile of a substantial heat source
  Ko-Minka: Blink dog
  Redback Rattlesnake: Large viper
  Scrub Rat: Badger
  Storm Roc: Roc
  Tube Centipede: Medium monstrous centipede
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  66
  People of the Storval Plateau
  “A
  ll right now, gather round—in a moment the Axe Clan will round the cliff side and be 
  right upon us. This better go off without a hitch, so let’s all review the rules one more 
  time. First: no staring at their tattoos. Get over it and be man enough to look them in the 
  eye. But for gods’ sake, don’t try to stare them down. We’re here to deliver the grain, say 
  ‘thanks for your efforts,’ and get the hell out. In the unlikely event one of them is interested 
  in talking, keep it light and simple—follow my lead. Don’t act like you’re shocked that some 
  of them speak Common—that’s why it’s called the common tongue. Absolutely no religion. 
  Don’t ask about their spirit totems; that’s their private business. And no politics. For gods’ 
  sake, if anyone even so much as mentions Bloodsworn Vale I will kill you where you stand 
  and spare them the trouble!”
  —Tors Kaiman,  
  agent of Magnimar’s Council of Ushers at the annual delivery of the Calvatarium 
  T h e  S h o a n T i  Way  o f  L i f e
  
  People of the Storval Plateau
  67
  T
  he seven quahs (clans) of the Shoanti roam the harshest 
  environments of Varisia, from the Cinderlands to the 
  Calphiak Mountains and from the Curchain Hills to 
  the Storval Plateau. Known for their warlike nature and 
  proud traditions, the Shoanti claim all of Varisia as their 
  own, although they have been forced to cede its southern 
  lands to waves of Chelish conquest. A disparate people, 
  bound together by honor and tradition, the Shoanti share 
  a history steeped in conflict, from their brutally heroic 
  legends to the defeats of the recent past and the harshness of 
  their modern lives. Shaped by strife, the Shoanti are stalwart, 
  tenacious, and suspicious people, oath-sworn to regain all 
  that was once theirs and honor-bound to avenge themselves 
  against all schemers who would dare call them barbarians.
  The essence of “Shoanti” is more of a set of warrior 
  traditions than it is a true racial group. While by and 
  large most Shoanti are humans, some quahs have 
  adopted foreigners and exiles from other races. Among 
  individual, open-minded tribes, those who demonstrate 
  that they share Shoanti ideals and face the trials of their 
  adoptive quah find themselves welcomed after a measure 
  of persistence. As such, a small number of dwarves, half-
  elves, and non-native humans on occasion live among the 
  Shoanti. Indeed, in many ways, demihumans have a much 
  easier time overcoming the Shoanti’s ingrained mistrust 
  of outsiders than Chelaxians.
  Shoanti possess widely varying skin tones, reflecting the 
  broad diversity of their ancestry from the time of the Azghat, 
  the cruel gods their lore claims carried them to the Storval 
  region in the time before time. Regardless of pigmentation, 
  almost all Shoanti are vigorous, with powerful builds. Most 
  adult males are more than 6 feet in height and adult females 
  are only slightly shorter. Hair is considered a dangerous 
  weakness in hand-to-hand combat, and both men and 
  women typically shave their heads, save for shamans or 
  the elderly. This practice is more pronounced among the 
  eastern tribes, who are typically born with straight hair, 
  and less so amongst the westernmost Shadde-Quah. Some 
  young Shoanti men and women forgo this practice as a sign 
  that they are not bound to another and seek a companion.
  Their culture besieged, their world changing, the 
  Shoanti fiercely struggle to hold onto the traditions of their 
  people and fight against a world seemingly intent on their 
  destruction. Yet, having survived against the giants of the 
  Kodar Mountains, the predators of the wastes, drought, 
  starvation, and lands that burn for centuries, the people of 
  the Storval Plateau alone will decide when their time is at 
  an end—and that time is not now.
  “And So It Was” 
  by Angmack the Destrier
  “Stand ready for the campaign at all times,” the Azghat said. 
  And so it was. The Azghat brought order to the world and we 
  were their Shoanti, their blades. Where there was dissension, 
  the Shoanti brought order and peace in the name of the 
  Azghat. To be Shoanti was the greatest of honors, for the 
  Shoanti were selected by the Azghat from those of the greatest 
  skill, speed, strength, and honor. The Azghat’s gift to us was 
  to organize us into quahs and unto each quah was given 
  purpose, a commitment unique to its gifts. And so it was.
  Then came the time of the Hollow Sky. The forces of 
  those who rebelled against the will of the Azghat rose so 
  great that the Shoanti began to dwindle in number. In 
  response, the Azghat took it upon themselves to share 
  their honor with the Shoanti so as to renew our battered 
  resolve. But this was a terrible misstep. With their honor 
  diminished, the Azghat fell into a spiral of evil, and with 
  each passing year the Azghat grew closer to becoming one 
  with the very enemies that moved against them. In time, 
  with the heaviest of hearts, the Shoanti were forced to turn 
  on the great Azghat and with their defeat, the kingdom of 
  the Azghat finally crumbled into dust. And so it was.
  To this day, we as Shoanti carry not only our own honor, 
  but the remains of the gift of the Azghat. It is said that 
  those warriors who continue to conduct themselves with 
  honor slowly restore the Azghat’s memory and resurrect 
  the glory of their land. One day, perhaps, the Shoanti debt 
  will be repaid. Until that day, the Shoanti’s enemies will 
  always remain many. Always will our enemies seek to 
  purge us and the memory of the Azghat from the land. 
  But we will not allow this. We will remain here, where the 
  Azghat first brought us together and shaped each quah, in 
  honor of their gift to us. And so it shall be.
  “The Tale of the Seven Klars” 
  by Razilk of the Skoan-Quah
  After the battle of Angraysan, each of the seven quah-jothka 
  came together to praise one another for their role in the 
  victory. Lajtru of the Spire Clan snapped the blade off of his 
  klar and laid it upon the ground so that it pointed at Halrik 
  of the Hawk Clan. “Your horsemen turned the tide of the 
  battle,” said Lajtru. “No,” answered Halrik, “it was the Wind 
  Clan who showed us the way and where to begin our charge. 
  This battle was over before it began.” And with that Holrik 
  snapped off the blade of his klar and placed it on the ground 
  pointing at Churtan, Quah-Jothka of the Wind Clan. The 
  mute Churtan shook his head and silently arranged his klar 
  blade so that it faced Myton of the Skull Clan. As he did, the 
  remaining quah-jothka each began to place their klars as 
  well, each one giving due to the other quah they thought 
  contributed the most to the victory. When each was done, 
  the quah-jothka looked down and saw that the klar blades 
  were arranged in a seven-pointed star, with each quah 
  recognized by another. When the Azghat came and saw the 
  star upon the ground, the Azghat nodded with approval. 
  “This is the symbol of victory,” said the Azghat.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  68
  use coins amongst themselves, but recognize the value of 
  such objects when trading with other cultures. Aside from 
  weapons and armor, the Shoanti own most items (such as 
  yurts) collectively and gladly share within their tribe.
  Enemies and Outsiders
  The Shoanti are typically unwelcoming of outsiders and 
  more inclined to fight than trade. If a member of a tribe 
  offers sanctuary to an outsider (the act of “Ortak-Hurong”), 
  however, then the entire tribe is obligated to respect the gift 
  until such time as the tribe’s jothka or shaman intervenes. 
  The Shoanti’s enemies are numerous and include the giants 
  of the Kodar, the orcs of the Hold of Belzken, raiders from 
  the Lands of the Linnorm Kings, and Chelish immigrants. 
  In the latter case, few Shoanti care to differentiate between 
  true Chelaxians, the disparate non-native residents of 
  southern Varisia, and travelers from the southeast—all are 
  considered invaders. While no armies currently muster at the 
  foot of the Storval Rise, the nomads still consider themselves 
  besieged, as every year more and more foreigners trod upon 
  their tribal lands and many communities hold Shoanti as 
  dangerous primitives. Although few communities murder 
  Shoanti outright, within recent memory the Korvosan 
  government paid bounties on Shoanti scalps. The Order of 
  the Nail Hellknights also see the barbarians as threats to law 
  and peace in southern Varisia and actively—and sometimes 
  violently—seek to dissuade Shoanti from traveling beyond 
  the Storval Plateau. Both affronts remain sore subjects in 
  the Shoanti mind, and many still seek revenge for countless 
  specific dishonors.
  Religion
  The Shoanti belief system heavily incorporates the 
  notion of spiritual totems: natural spirits that watch 
  over and guide warriors who have the wisdom to accept 
  their protection and influence. It is said that spirits first 
  identify themselves to warriors in the form of a vision 
  at the precipice of adulthood, typically during a sacred 
  but dangerous rite of passage organized by the clan’s 
  shaman and unique to each quah (see The Seven Quahs). 
  The various quahs each hold particular totems as sacred, 
  and their members find themselves guided by these 
  forces more often than those of other quahs. While most 
  totems are the spirits of animals or magical beasts, some 
  Shoanti claim to have instead been gifted with revelations 
  from powers that guide natural forces such as rivers, the 
  rarely glimpsed Athaureon (northern lights), or even the 
  Cinderlands’ deadly emberstorms.
  While the Shoanti are well aware of the roles of the gods 
  of Golarion—and worship is not unheard of by Shoanti who 
  leave their people—among the various quahs, shamans 
  practice a combination of animism, ancestor worship, and 
  druidism, revering the often violent spirits of the natural 
  Shoanti Society
  The Shoanti people are divided into seven distinctive 
  nations called quahs. The seven quahs share a common 
  heritage, culture, and way of life. Although there are many 
  societal variations between the quahs, the gulf between 
  the quahs and other cultures is much larger. Each quah is 
  further subdivided into tribes of varying sizes. Each tribe 
  or sub-clan is lead by its own war-chief, called a jothka. 
  Each tribe’s jothka in turn answers the call of the quah-
  jothka, the military and political leader of the entire clan. 
  Together, the jothkas of every tribe form the quah-jothka’s 
  counsel of war that the quah-jothka calls together in times 
  of need. All jothka are advised by their tribes shamans and 
  thundercallers—wise storytellers and performers who 
  pass on the lessons of ages past.
  By tradition, the Shoanti are seasonally nomadic hunter-
  gatherers, with most tribes following the Storval Plateau’s 
  great herds of aurochs, although some quahs engage in 
  subsistence farming or a small amount of trade in favored 
  lands. In centuries past, several Shoanti quahs established 
  fixed settlements in southern Varisia, but such outposts 
  served as forts, not centers of trade. Since their defeat by 
  Chelish colonizers, most Shoanti have eschewed fixed 
  settlements, seeing a need to defend a particular piece of 
  land as an invitation to their many enemies.
  The Shoanti do not recognize the concept of personal 
  property when it comes to land, although they do define 
  territories as belonging to one quah or another. They do not 
  Shoanti ShamanS
  The spiritual leaders of the Shoanti, shamans guide their 
  peoples, grant them hope, protect them in battle, and offer 
  balm for their many wounds. Clan shamans (typically adepts, 
  clerics, or druids) exhibit broader connections with totem 
  spirits than everyday warriors. They speak with their tribe’s 
  totems and entreat the spirits on behalf of their people. Their 
  rituals and ceremonies are largely unfathomable to those 
  uninitiated in their ways, with long meditations influenced by 
  the consumption of poisonous herbs; interpretations of cloud 
  shapes, rock structures, and animal behavior; and dreams 
  sent from the ancestors being integral to their perception of 
  the spirits’ will. A tribe only ever has one shaman, though he 
  typically has as many as four young apprentices who learn the 
  history of the quah and aid him in safeguarding the ancient 
  knowledge of the spirits.
  Clerical Shoanti shamans worship their clan’s totems, 
  which are typically of neutral alignment and grant domains as 
  noted in the descriptions of each quah. The favored weapon of 
  Shoanti totems is either the klar or the longbow.
   Many Shoanti shamans—as well as those under their 
  protection—take the Totem Spirit feat described in the Rise of 
  the Runelords Player’s Guide.
  
  People of the Storval Plateau
  69
  world and heroes of the past. While individuals are not 
  worshiped, the feats of dead warriors and tendencies of 
  great beasts or powerful natural events are often invoked, 
  particularly in inspirational ceremonies before hunts and 
  battles. All Shoanti revere those who came before them and 
  respect the powers of the land that—while often cruel—
  still supports their people.
  the SeVen QUahS
  The Shoanti are not one people but many—seven nations 
  united by heritage and lifestyle. The various quahs 
  largely respect one another and their lands, making 
  disagreements over resources, territory disputes, and other 
  politics—widely held as distasteful and duplicitous—few. 
  When conflicts do arise, small skirmishes and individual 
  battles between champions quickly determine whom the 
  spirits favor. 
  Although it is said there were once as many as nine 
  clans, there are currently seven Shoanti quahs—the same 
  number Shoanti lore says were forged in the distant past. 
  While certain quahs are respected for different reasons 
  and each has its own ways and traditions, among their 
  people all are accorded the respect of honored warriors.
  Lyrune-Quah (The Moon Clan)
  Known to be expert bowmen and hunters, the swift-footed 
  and keen-eyed warriors of the Lyrune-Quah hunt by dusk 
  and travel by the light of the bright Storval moon. The 
  Clan of the Moon embraces wisdom as much as strength, 
  knowing that one arrow loosed from a precisely aimed 
  bow can fell a giant more effectively than a band of wildly 
  swinging brawlers.
  The Moon Clan’s true traditional rivals are the Sun 
  Clan, and centuries ago the two quahs fought bitterly to 
  establish the borders of their respective territories. The 
  two quahs are far more alike than each cares to admit, 
  though, and each quah respects the martial prowess of the 
  other. Now that both have become irrevocably invested in 
  battling their own separate wars with outsiders, they are 
  far more frequently riding to each other’s aid as allies than 
  as enemies. Warriors of the two quahs value nothing more 
  than bragging rights gained by helping members of the 
  other quah out of a tough scrape.
  Territory: The Clan of the Moon traverses the open 
  lands east of the Wyvern Mountains, ranging between the 
  Kazaron River and the Yondabakari River.  
  Rite of Passage: The Black Walk. On a moonless night, 
  the young brave must find the entrance to an underground 
  cave complex in the Wyvern Mountains. He must then 
  traverse the dangerous caverns and emerge on the other 
  side, a feat typically lasting several days. It is during the 
  Black Walk that many Lyrune-Quah braves first receive a 
  vision from their future totems. 
  Common Totems: Bat, cave bear, field mouse, moon, 
  mountain lion, mountains, owl, rainstorm, stars, wolf.
  Totem 
  Domains: 
  Animal, 
  Darkness, 
  Strength, 
  Weather, War.
  Shadde-Quah (The Axe Clan)
  The warriors and hunters of the Axe Clan are expert divers 
  and harpooners, and their people subsist on a diet of 
  fish, crustaceans, and black abalone. In lieu of yurts, the 
  Shadde-Quah dwells in sea caves scattered along the coast, 
  many of which are now linked by narrow twisting passages 
  hand-dug by the Shoanti. They are one of the few Shoanti 
  quahs who enjoy permanent settlements.
  The Shadde-Quah are quite isolated, largely cut off from 
  their Shoanti brethren to the east. Despite their isolation, 
  the Shadde-Quah play an important role in the defense of 
  coastal Varisia. The Lands of the Linnorm Kings mount 
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  70
  the bonds and then swimming up a fjord against the 
  outgoing tide.
  Common Totems: Cave bear, cliff, dire bear, eagle, sea, 
  squid, water elemental.
  Totem Domains: Animal, Destruction, Strength, Water, 
  Weather.
  Shriikirri-Quah (The Hawk Clan)
  The Shriikirri-Quah reveres the animals with which it 
  shares the land. It is the Hawk Clan, more so than any other 
  clan, that believes the study of the nature’s beasts holds 
  the key to victory against its foes. Both predators and prey 
  have much to teach to a Shoanti who watches and listen. As 
  such, the Hawk Clan swells with both expert hunters and 
  animal trainers. The quah’s braves’ skill as horsemen is 
  rivaled only by the riders of the Velashu Uplands.
  Although they retain many of the traditional cultural 
  prejudices against Chelaxians, the Shoanti of the Hawk 
  Clan are also the most likely of the seven quahs to interact 
  with other peoples. For many generations, the Clan of the 
  Hawk has been the face of the Shoanti to the people of 
  southwestern Varisia. Chelish inhabitants of Magnimar’s 
  holdings and Ravenmoor regularly trade with emissaries 
  from the Clan of the Hawk, falsely assuming that the 
  other Shoanti tribes of the Storval Plateau are much the 
  same.  The other Shoanti quahs have begun to look down 
  upon the “soft” members of the Shriikirri-Quah who have 
  grown too friendly with their land’s invaders. 
  Territory: The Clan of the Hawk ranges far in its travels, 
  from the Gnashers to the Churlwood, claiming much of the 
  Curchain Hills between the Chavali River and Lampblack 
  River as its demesne. Members of this tribe regularly camp 
  at the bottom and top of the Storval Stairs, keeping this 
  important trade artery open to passage. 
  Rite of Passage: The Plummet. Shriikirri braves undergo 
  many tests, the culmination of which is the Plummet: 
  a leap of faith off of the Storval Rise. The brave is saved 
  from certain death by a hawk shaman who wildshapes 
  into a giant raptor and swoops down to snatch the brave 
  just before he hits the ground. It is said that the rush and 
  trauma of the impending doom has attracted many a spirit 
  to grant a fleeting vision. 
  Common Totems: Air elemental, cloud, firepelt, forest 
  grove, hawk, horse, hippogriff, and wind.
  Totem Domains: Animal, Air, Liberation, Strength, 
  Weather.
  Shundar-Quah (The Spire Clan)
  The Shundar-Quah see themselves as the diplomats and 
  storytellers of the Shoanti people, smoothing tensions 
  between the various clans. Their tribes travel far and 
  continually remind the other quahs that every clan is 
  first and foremost Shoanti, and that brotherhood and 
  regular nautical incursions along the western shores of 
  Varisia in hopes of establishing an outpost on the Varisian 
  Gulf. The Axe Clan views such incursions as a threat to 
  its domain and posts hawk-eyed spotters on the seaward 
  peaks of the western Calphiaks. When a northern fleet 
  is spotted, word quickly spreads throughout the tribe, 
  and the warriors of the Clan of the Axe sail out in their 
  wavecutters—fast-moving 
  outriggers—to 
  attack 
  the 
  raiders. In recent decades, Magnimar’s Council of Ushers 
  has dispatched what has become known as the Calvitarium, 
  a fleet of caravels laden with harvested grains as payment 
  and thanks to the Clan of the Axe for its efforts in guarding 
  the northern approach to the Varisian Gulf. 
  Territory: The Clan of the Axe claims the coastal valleys 
  of the Calphiak Mountains.
  Rite of Passage: The Return. This harsh ritual requires 
  a young warrior to be bound and dropped into the ocean 
  depths. Survival requires bursting oneself free from 
  Common Shoanti EXPRESSionS
  The Shoanti are a proud and aloof people. When dealing with 
  outsiders, their words are likely to be colored by the basic 
  greetings and most fiercely held truths of their people.
   
  Storval dharanok ekbit roark Shoanti. 
  Our thunder rolls across the Storval Plateau. 
  (The Shoanti defend the Storval Plateau.)
  Kel-grish!
  Greetings! 
  (A common welcoming.)
  Sharatok… tshamek. 
  Be received… stranger. 
  (A colder, more formalized greeting for outsiders.)
  Ferik niklit forenk skoans.
  Until our skulls are gathered. 
  (We fight until our death.)
  Ahk Storval—rel abeshk! 
  Away from our lands! 
  (A final territorial warning.)
  Irok devit fendrik swork.
  By blood it is sworn. 
  (An iron-clad vow.)
  Storval ekbitel nalharest!
  We walk the land as brothers! 
  (An oath accepting someone not of one’s quah as a brother.)
  
  People of the Storval Plateau
  71
  bringing honor to their people must be the ambition of 
  every warrior.  
  Members of the Shundar-Quah hold the monolith 
  wonder Spindlehorn sacred. Once a decade, the shamans 
  of the Shundar-Quah perform a pilgrimage to the shadow 
  of Spindlehorn, on the eastern shore of the Storval Deep. 
  There, they commune with their totems, share what they 
  have learned, and discuss matters that concern their quah 
  and all others.
  Because the Shundar-Quah see the welfare of all Shoanti 
  as their sacred trust, by necessity they must also have an 
  interest in each clan’s warfare. Whenever a quah loses ground 
  to a significant foe, it is the Spire Clan that is first to bring 
  offers of reinforcements. To this end, Spire Clan braves train 
  to duplicate the tactics of their fellow quahs so that they can 
  swell their brethren’s ranks as seamlessly as possible.
  Territory: To this day, the Clan of the Spire wanders 
  across the northern Storval Plateau, ever seeking to unite 
  the Shoanti tribes into a single people. They fend for 
  themselves in the custom of the local Shoanti tribes in 
  whose territory they wander.
  Rite of Passage: The Journey. Young members of the 
  Shundar-Quah must journey into the world and spend 3 
  years among the members of another quah. There, they 
  learn of the differing ways of their people, their problems 
  and their strengths. At the end of this tenure—easily the 
  longest rite of passage of any of the quahs—they return to 
  their clan more experienced, world-wise, and informed. 
  Common Totems: Earth elemental, mountain spire, rock 
  fall, spirestalker, storm roc. Although rare, some Spire Clan 
  warriors are adopted by a totem of their host tribe.
  Totem Domains: Animal, Knowledge, Protection, Rune, 
  Weather.
  Sklar-Quah (The Sun Clan)
  More so than any other clan in recent memory, the Sklar-
  Quah find themselves embattled by their foes. Since its 
  retreat over the Storval Rise from southern Varisia, the 
  Sun Clan has found itself in a vise between orc marauders 
  from the Hold of Belkzen and foreign invaders. The Sklar-
  Quah now acts as an unwitting buffer, protecting its two 
  enemies from one another, a reality that has cost the blood 
  of countless sons and daughters. 
  Sun Clan youth are taught to hate tshamek (non-Shoanti) 
  at an early age. Their day-to-day prejudice is viewed 
  as a necessary component of their well-honed survival 
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  72
  instincts. Indeed, the xenophobia is clan-deep; the Sklar-
  Quah’s shamans are the most warlike among the shaman 
  of any quah.
  Many Sklar-Quah warriors aspire to join the ranks of 
  the Sklar-Quah’s famed burn riders, their elite mounted 
  cavalry who are able to coax their horses to race through 
  the flames and wildfires of the Cinderlands. Burn riders 
  frequently shave much more than just their heads to 
  protect themselves from the flames, and tend to wear 
  minimal armor and clothing.
  The quah’s oral history claims that its ancestors once 
  inhabited the fertile lands east of the Fenwall Mountains, 
  and honored their totems from a sacred site upon a massive 
  pyramid (now the site of the city-state of Korvosa) but that they 
  were driven into the Cinderlands by Chelish colonists after 
  decades of battle (see Pathfinder Chronicles: Guide to Korvosa).
  Territory: The warlike Clan of the Sun inhabits the 
  eastern and central reaches of the Cinderlands, both south 
  of the Kazaron River as well as the plains south and east of 
  the Yondabakari River.
  Rite of Passage: The Burn Run. While there are several 
  variations among Sklar-Quah tribes, in its most common 
  form, a brave must outrace a wildfire, bolting for the shelter 
  of a river or fire break before he is overcome by smoke and 
  consumed by the flames.
  Common Totems: Aurochs, cindersnake, emberstorm, 
  fire elemental, fire pelt, sun.
  Totem Domains: Animal, Fire, Strength, War, Weather.
  Skoan-Quah (The Skull Clan)
  All six of the other quahs still shudder on occasion 
  when they deal with the enigmatic Skull Clan and its 
  impenetrable skull shamans. Warriors of the Skoan-Quah 
  cake their bodies with a mixture of mud and ash, making 
  their skin smoky white. This ritual is said to give them 
  protection against the walking dead, whom they are sworn 
  to destroy. 
  The Skull Clan is zealous in its protection and honoring 
  of the dead. Many Skull Clan tribes sojourn far to consecrate 
  the burial sites of their fellow Shoanti. This service is 
  grudgingly appreciated by the other clans, who respect 
  the power of the Skull Clan and their totems, even if their 
  morbid shamans quietly unnerve them. The most honored 
  dead of each tribe are entrusted into the Skull Clan’s care, 
  leaving the guardians of the dead to transport such heroes 
  to the Shoanti’s most honored burial grounds—the Kallow 
  Mounds to the east and the Life Falls to the west. The Skoan-
  Quah also shoulders the duty of acting as the historians of 
  the Shoanti as a whole. In this way, the memories of many 
  Shoanti live on with the Skoan-Quah, long after their own 
  quah might have forgotten. 
  Territory: The Skull Clan keeps to the ancestral burial 
  lands of their people, primarily surrounding the Kallow 
  Mounds of the southeastern Cinderlands and the Life 
  Falls northeast of the Stony Mountains.
  Rite of Passage: The Yawning Cave. The final test a 
  Skoan-Quah brave must undergo is to enter a tight cave 
  complex within the Mindspin Mountains and exit after 
  retrieving an animal skull (usually signifying the young 
  brave’s future totem). The skull shaman, however, wards 
  the cave with glyphs laced with fear-inspiring magic, 
  making progress within the cave extremely challenging. 
  Common Totems: Ancestor spirit, earth elemental, 
  giant scarab beetle, vulture, will-o’-wisp, wolf.
  Totem Domains: Animal, Darkness, Earth, Protection, 
  Repose.
  
  People of the Storval Plateau
  73
  Tamiir-Quah (The Wind Clan)
  Cloaked in the skins and feathers of mountain lions, 
  Lurkwood bears, and storm rocs, the Tamiir-Quah know 
  the hardship of their Sklar-Quah brothers to the east 
  and stand determined not to lose their mountainous 
  homes. While not utterly murderous like the savages of 
  the Nolands, they have little patience for trespassers and 
  sternly—even violently—warn off any who come too near.
  During the winter months, the Tamiir-Quah take 
  shelter in a multitude of caves along the western fringe of 
  the Storval Plateau. Once winter gives way to the spring 
  thaw, the tribe moves up into small, lush mountaintop 
  valleys fed by cold mountain springs that are carefully 
  tended. From these high gardens, the Tamiir-Quah mount 
  lightning raids down onto the plateau, attacking any who 
  dare trespass in their domain.
  The Clan of the Wind occasionally attacks travelers in 
  the western Curchain Hills and even as far south as the 
  road between Riddleport and Roderic’s Cove—driving 
  much traffic between those two communities onto the 
  waters of the Varisian Gulf. 
  Territory: The secluded Clan of the Wind pervades the 
  Stony Mountains, claiming all territory within sight of the 
  mountains as their land. In truth, though, most tribes of 
  the Tamiir-Quah keep to within 50 miles of the mountains’ 
  eastern and southern hills.
  Rite of Passage: The Longest Cross. The final test for 
  a Tamiir-Quah brave is a marathon-style race through 
  the mountains, lasting several grueling days. Exhausted 
  and weak, the young Shoanti are often vulnerable to 
  predators.
  Common Totems: Air elemental, cloud, griffin, storm, 
  storm roc, wind.
  Totem Domains: Animal, Air, Earth, Protection, War.
  Shoanti tattooS
  Upon completing their quah’s rite of passage, both male 
  and female Shoanti receive their first tattoo. These 
  designs sometimes wrap around the newly accepted 
  adult’s torso and limbs, and even up the neck and 
  across the face. Chosen and traced by a tribe’s shaman 
  or thundercaller, hundreds of different tattoo designs 
  exist, each being drawn from an expansive traditional 
  assortment of symbols with their own varied meanings 
  and implications. These tattoos are typically inked with 
  pigments created from clay and vegetation native to the 
  lands a quah inhabits, giving the symbols of each clan 
  distinctive colorations. While a Shoanti receives his 
  tattoo as part of the celebration marking his survival 
  of his quah’s rite of passage, this mark is only the basis 
  of a design that expands and evolves over the course of 
  the wearer’s life. With each decade and every significant 
  accomplishment, the tribe’s shaman or a thundercaller 
  embellishes upon an adult’s tattoo, adding flourishes 
  and elaborations, each of which alters the meaning of 
  the base rune. While specific meanings are often vague, 
  quah members can always identify the symbols of their 
  tribes, and a tattoo’s wearer can proudly account for every 
  specific mark.
  For example, upon being accepted as an adult, the Sklar-
  Quah warrior Ardirik receives the rune known as Cidir, a 
  mark meaning “power through wrath.” Upon aiding his 
  fellow hunters in the defeat of a particularly destructive 
  orc raiding band, Ardirik is called upon by his tribe’s 
  shaman, who elaborates upon his tattoo with numerous 
  vaguely klar-shapped protrusions, suggesting his role as 
  defender. Upon attaining his 40th summer, Ardirik is 
  again summoned, receiving new lengths to his tattoo that 
  creep farther across his arms and neck, suggesting growth 
  and a deepening of the core symbol’s meaning.  
  tattooS of thE QuahS
  Each Shoanti quah has its own styles of tattooing and symbols 
  that are either favored or particularly pertinent to their 
  people. While these runes might appear among members of 
  other clans, for warriors of certain quahs they hold particular 
  prestige. 
  Lyrune-Quah: Hunters of the Clan of the Moon tend to 
  favor symbols suggestive of the night, sight, and wisdom. The 
  runes Navrik (Eyeless Sight), Iyon (The Great Moon), and Vinic 
  (Piercing Stone) hold particular prestige.
  Shadde-Quah: Among the Axe Clan, runes that suggest 
  vitality, endurance, and traits of the ocean and its beasts are 
  greatly desired, among them Vonark (Many Arms), Donark 
  (The Long Armed), and Eanaw (The Endless Journey).
  Shriikirri-Quah: The Clan of the Hawk favors symbols 
  suggestive of travel, the wilds, and animals—particularly the 
  horse. The symbols Rotomo (Headwind), Ingir (Beast Heart), 
  and Iyavak (The Pack) are among the most desirable.
  Shundar-Quah: Unity, watchfulness, and the ability to lead 
  are all vaunted virtues of the Clan of the Spire. For them, the 
  runes Drimiil (Guardian Heart), Kokip (Sentinel), and Klartitil 
  (Broad Klar) carry extra weight.
  Sklar-Quah: The fires of their land and way of the warrior 
  fill the hearts of the Clan of the Sun. Among the Sklar-Quah, 
  the greatest warriors bear the runes Damkil (Orc Skull), Akmiz 
  (Fire Hand), and Razkiv (Emberstorm).
  Skoan-Quah: Members of the Clan of the Skull adorn their 
  bodies with symbols of bones and skulls, their favored patterns 
  creating the symbols Sosmo (Forever Dead), Eiril (Duty), and 
  Graxt (Eternity).
  Tamiir-Quah: The raiders of the Wind Clan often bear 
  symbols related to speed, freedom, and their mountain 
  homes. The runes Dra (Mist), Cilvat (Wind Soul), and Sovola 
  (The Roc King) bring particular honor.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  74
  03 Lamashan, 4707 ar
  There comes a point in any climb where mountain and man 
  become one, where the landscape finally dominates your 
  senses and there is only you and it, nothing more. 
  Our miserable trek across the lesser peaks in the 
  Mindspin Mountains tested my faith in the wayfinder 
  once more, but despite each gully, scree slope, and cliff 
  we had to cross on its whim, I continued to follow its 
  unwavering needle.
  We had been climbing all day, and even though we had 
  started at dawn, I hesitated to think we’d make the ridge by 
  nightfall. The pathway (if such a perilous ledge deserves the 
  name) seemed to be without end, and I wondered if I would 
  come across the gods themselves at the summit. At last, the 
  wind picked up and I could hear the roar of it crossing the 
  ridge above. With renewed energy, I jogged the last few steps 
  onto the crest. From my vantage point, I could see a huge 
  bowl of land below, a massive cauldron of dust and stone 
  cowering under a sky thick with the threat of storms. Yet it 
  was not the landscape that held my view.
  It was the armies.
  A black stain filled the valley, stretching from side 
  to side. Row upon row of dark figures huddled in tight 
  clusters around high banners, too distant for me to make 
  out their emblems. Yet there were other rallying points 
  as well—the lines of severed heads held aloft on spears, 
  or a man-shaped tower of metal cages filled with impaled 
  figures and gibbeted prisoners screaming for mercy 
  while crows swooped and pecked at them. Huge ogres 
  clad in rusted steel wheeled the iron man on the edges 
  of the battlefield, for battlefield it was, or would be when 
  these sickened ants set about each other.
  Joskan trudged up toward me. “Resting already?” he 
  asked. Then his eyes fell on the sight ahead and his jaw 
  dropped visibly. “Great. Just great,” he said.
  “Looks like there’s trouble ahead for us,” I said, 
  surreptitiously checking the wayfinder, which pointed 
  straight through the valley, with its brooding clouds and 
  teeming hordes. I could see that any deviation would take 
  us onto jagged drops and peaks around this bowl.
  “You mean to go straight, don’t you?”
  I nodded.
  “And let me guess—nothing I could tell you about the 
  journey ahead will stop you.”
  “Correct.”
  “You do realize that going ahead is certain death?”
  The Storm Breaks
  
  Pathfinder’s Journal
  75
  “We’ve been through worse.”
  “Believe me, we haven’t.”
  I shrugged. “Maybe, but straight is the way we go.”
  “You’ve spent too much time amongst the orcs,” he 
  growled. “Do you even know what ‘trouble’ means?”
  “I think so.”
  “I’ll ask you that question again, later.” He hooked his 
  thumbs in his pack straps and gazed across the valley. “I 
  can see several tribal banners. And there’s a stench like war 
  rhino, unless I’m mistaken.” He tossed his head back and 
  gulped at the air.
  “War rhino?” Cries of beasts and orcs echoed up to our 
  lofty perch.
  “Let’s just hope you only get to imagine what they look 
  like.” He set down his pack, drew out an empty ration sack, 
  and cut two holes in it.
  “So, you’re the guide—can we do it?”
  He sniffed again and stared at me earnestly. “If we can 
  cross before the battle starts—maybe. But there are two 
  problems.”
  “Which are?”
  “Well, first things first—they’ll scent your stink a mile 
  away. Rub this on yourself.” He tossed me a small, hard 
  toadstool which, when I did as I was asked, made me reek 
  like the grave.
  “I’ll not ask what you use this for. And second?”
  “Put this on.” He threw the sack at me, the rough burlap 
  now complete with two tiny eye-holes.
  The sack was tight, and there was a strong smell of 
  oilskins and onions that made my eyes run. The two holes 
  barely allowed me to see anything, and I became instantly 
  afraid of suffocating.
  “Good enough, though you’ll want to rub soil into your 
  skin and gear to darken it as much as possible. And for the 
  love of the gods, don’t say anything—nobody down there 
  will be speaking your tongue, and besides, your reedy 
  voice sounds like a woman’s.” He had a point about my 
  voice, so I refrained from mentioning that I was actually 
  fluent in Orc, and instead set to work rolling in the dirt, 
  grinding the dark dust into my pores. Finally I stood up, 
  disheveled and reeking.
  Joskan looked me up and down. “Good enough,” he said. 
  “It’ll have to do.”
  Was that a smile?
  We watched the forces below as we ate our meager meal, 
  cutting thin slivers of meat from our rations and savoring 
  each sip of water.
  “How soon will the battle start, do you think?” I asked.
  “This is no battle,” he said. “This is merely a squabble.”
  I looked at the orcs, hundreds of them, and wondered what 
  sort of disagreement had brought this situation about.
  “Very well then, how long before this ‘squabble’ 
  becomes nasty?”
  He sniffed at the air. “I can smell meat roasting,” he said, 
  inhaling greedily. “They’re preparing the Last Feast—
  what some orcs call the Gorging. They will not fight until 
  sundown tomorrow.”
  “And who is fighting who, exactly?”
  “That won’t be easy to tell until we get down there and I 
  talk, although I have a nasty feeling that this is a kresk.”
  “A kresk?”
  “A general free-for-all, winner takes all.”
  “You mean they’ll fight until only one tribe is left?”
  “Or one orc. We should go.”
  Descending a mountain is almost as hard as climbing one, 
  and it was dark before we reached the valley. Taking those 
  last few steps very cautiously, we began to close in on the first 
  group of orcs—the perimeter of their camp surrounded by 
  lines of severed heads on crude poles.
  “Well, that’s good news for a start—the Cleft Head 
  tribe.” Joskan’s dirty teeth flashed in the collective glow of 
  campfires springing up across the valley, slowly being joined 
  by orc music—a mixture of grunts, shouts, and swearing.
  “And it’s good news because...?”
  “They’re wimps, well known for being last into battle 
  and first out. Just thank your puny gods that we didn’t 
  have to meet the Defiled Corpse orcs. Now, let’s just try 
  to mix in with the group and make our way through as 
  inconspicuously as possible.”
  Joskan led me through the drunken rabble that formed 
  the Cleft Head tribe. I caught site of at least two giants and 
  a half-dozen ogres as we walked cautiously through the 
  camp. The smell and smoke of charcoal concealed much of 
  the goings-on, but I saw a lot in that first walk. Several orcs 
  charged at each other across a long field and butted each 
  other in a game called “rutt.” Others were eating or playing 
  a dangerous gambling game with woodaxes and blindfolds, 
  or else dallying with their grotesque mates in full view of 
  the others. Many of the orcs dragged long lines of heads 
  and skulls behind them, and I was reminded of the daisy 
  chains children on the edges of Barrowood make to ward 
  away wights.
  We passed a battle-menagerie, which Joskan whispered 
  was a common enough sight in orc battles: cages of weird, 
  deformed, or just plain violent monsters. I saw tar-daubed 
  griffons and howlers, wolves and scorpions, and several 
  huge creatures for which I had no name.
  So taken was I with the sights and smells of the orc camp 
  that I failed to look properly as I was walking and clattered 
  into a huge, brutish orc. I tried to think of the Orc word 
  for “apologies,” then realized that there was no such thing. 
  I muttered something under my breath, hunched my 
  shoulders, and attempted to carry on.
  Trust me to pick the biggest thug in the camp to bump 
  into—this orc was huge, with a train of eight human heads 
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  76
  “You’d make a good brood-mother.” Slit-Face eyed me 
  with his one good eye, the other lolling blindly whilst his 
  hand fumbled for my shoulder.
  “You’re not her type.” Joskan said, placing a bloody arm 
  between us. Slit-Face paused, obviously considering the 
  odds, then shrugged and moved away.
  “That was lucky,” said Joskan. “Next time we won’t be. 
  Don’t let it happen again.”
  We moved quickly on, trying to mingle with the revelers, 
  who variously staggered and sang and cheered. We were 
  cutting quietly behind a line of jeering orcs when their 
  noise suddenly stopped. The bag over my head left little 
  visibility, but I could tell they were watching something 
  with rapt attention.
  “Warriors!” A booming voice split the air above. 
  “Tomorrow we go to victory! Any insult must be avenged, 
  and I, K’zaarg the Drover, will feast on succulent flesh, and 
  the cracklings will be the finest we ever tasted!”
  A roar struck up around us, the orcs slapping and 
  grabbing each other, clanging weapons and swearing 
  oaths, headbutting each other and biting their arms until 
  they bled. I was pinched and pushed and prodded until 
  I lost sight of my companion. Suddenly, a massive fist 
  grabbed me from behind. I was carried aloft and turned, 
  coming face to face to bag with an ettin of great size, 
  one head spilt by a terrible wound, the other missing an 
  eye. On its back it had an iron cradle in which stood an 
  enormous orc, his chest bare above rolls of fat and his 
  body so huge that his legs could barely support it. He 
  pointed one thick finger at me.
  “Will you kill tomorrow?” the chief shouted.
  I nodded.
  “Will you rend and bite and gouge?”
  I nodded again, gasping as the fist tightened.
  “Good, my mighty one.” The chief looked away and the 
  ettin lowered its hand, still gripping me tight. “Bring out 
  the Forsaker!” the orc ordered.
  A great drum struck up and a pair of mammoths came 
  shuffling slowly through the crowd, driven by a dozen whip-
  wielding orcs. They dragged a colossus of iron and timber, 
  spikes and corpses into the clearing before the chief—a siege 
  machine of such size as I had never seen. An orc dressed 
  in violet robes and carrying rolls of parchment stood at its 
  summit, surrounded by a dozen ballistae and catapults of 
  enormous size.
  “Behold,” proclaimed Violet Cloak, “the Forsaker!”
  The Forsaker came to a stop with a tremendous grating 
  sound. I could see timbers straining and iron bolts close to 
  popping. From my vantage point, I caught sight of Joskan 
  once more in the crowd, signaling me to remain still.
  “Inventor, you have done well. Let us send our enemies a 
  little starting gift!” The chief waved and the orc in the violet 
  robes pushed a lever.
  behind him and a ridiculously large weapon in an oiled sack. 
  Worse, half his face was missing, no doubt the result of a 
  previous battle. Half-Face walked quickly after me, his train 
  of heads bouncing and dragging as he hobbled. A group of 
  smaller but equally ugly orcs followed in the wake of his 
  head-chain, snarling insults. I noticed the head of one lay 
  at right angles to his shoulders, and one side of his face was 
  flat, as though he’d been run over by a cart. A giant, meaty 
  hand landed on my shoulder, spinning me around.
  “You smell bad,” Half-Face grumbled in Orc. He 
  pinched me hard, then sniffed me again and murmured, 
  “You smell... strange....” 
  Suddenly Joskan was at my side, breaking the huge 
  orc’s grip on my shoulder. “Back off,” he snarled. “This 
  one’s mine.”
  “A female!” Half-Face grinned broadly. He stepped back 
  and reached into his sack, drawing forth a ridiculously large 
  three-headed meat cleaver. “I call my weapon Fleshwrecker,” 
  he said, eyeing me lasciviously.
  “Why?” Joskan asked. 
  The giant looked momentarily stunned by the question, 
  and I took the confusion as my signal to strike. I stepped 
  forward and punched him hard in the gut, twisting to put 
  my whole body into the blow. He staggered back, and within 
  a second my sword was in my hand. Around us, a space was 
  rapidly clearing. Half-Face eyed my weapon with a mixture 
  of amusement and disgust.
  “My brood-mother used to sew clothes with something 
  like that,” he chuckled. Then he swung his cleaver 
  heavenward and roared, “Fleshwrecker!”
  “Come on, woman!” An orc with a huge slit across his face 
  shouted at me.
  “Woman! Woman! Woman!” The orcs around us began to 
  chant, happy for the entertainment. Money changed hands, 
  hands changed hands, heads changed hands as we circled 
  around, eyeing each other, Joskan and I trying to get on 
  either side of Half-Face.
  I began to work defensively for position, sure that the 
  cleaver would soon tire its wielder. I dodged several arcing 
  blows before ducking and tumbling past my opponent, 
  who swung one last time and missed, his cleaver sticking 
  into the ground. I turned and thrust my sword into the 
  orc, who merely stared at me, his mouth parting again 
  in that sickening grin. He began to pull the sword out 
  of his wound, yelling and laughing as he did so, only to 
  have Joskan reach around from behind and slit his throat 
  neatly, kicking his feet from under him. Before Half-Face 
  even hit the ground, his kin were falling on the corpse 
  to rob it. 
  “Beaten by a woman!” a tall brutish orc cried out in 
  laughter. Another orc—one without a nose, ears, or a 
  lower jaw—tried to say something and failed, much to the 
  amusement of the others.
  
  Pathfinder’s Journal
  77
  For a moment, nothing happened, then the heavy 
  catapults arced upwards, flinging their loads high into the 
  sky. The crowd cheered.
  “Reward the inventor!” the chief yelled.
  Then something within the straining mass of 
  timbers gave way. In a matter of seconds, the mighty 
  siege weapon—made by orcs who are, on the whole, not 
  noted for their engineering skills—began to unravel. 
  The collapse of the towering weapon took less than a 
  minute—a minute of chaos, splintering wood, and 
  screams. When it finished, the Forsaker lay in ruins, with 
  orcs dying beneath its broken limbs. The orc in violet 
  was dragging himself from the wreckage in terror.
  Mocking cries and jeers came from across the valley.
  “Take the inventor to the Wheel of Unending Woe!” 
  roared the chief, urging his ettin mount through the 
  crowd. The giant cast me casually aside and I fell heavily 
  on the ground.
  I took the momentary confusion as my signal to leave and 
  dashed through the crowd, soon locating my companion, 
  who’d had the good sense not to move in the chaos. Fatigue 
  was taking its toll on me now, and I found my eyes growing 
  heavy. “I’m exhausted,” I said.
  “We can’t be far from the edges of the first camp,” 
  Joskan replied, “and I saw signs of the Defiled Corpse 
  tribe ahead. I’ll ask around, you rest here.” He indicated 
  a large timber crate filled halfway with strange, warm 
  globes. I climbed in and presently found myself 
  drowsing. 
  Joskan returned shortly.
  “So what did they say? Is it the Defiled Corpse tribe?” I 
  asked, anxiously.
  “Yes.”
  “And what did the Cleft Head orcs say about them?”
  Joskan made a dismissive gesture. “They said they’re 
  crazy.”
  “Crazy? They’re crazy?!” 
  “That’s what they said.”
  “Any chance we can go through tomorrow? I’m not sure 
  how much more of this I can take tonight.”
  Joskan nodded and joined me in the hefty crate, half-
  burying himself in the globes and shutting the lid. Together 
  we fell into an uneasy sleep, surrounded by the sounds 
  of the orc camp, the growl of the thunderclouds, and the 
  voices of orc mothers telling tales to their young about the 
  Happy Fellow—the elf who comes to eat children who smile 
  in their sleep .
  I was moving as I woke. My guide had a look of concern as 
  he peered from a crack beneath the crate’s lid, his face lit by 
  the drab gray of day.
  “This is bad,” he said. He looked worried, and I became 
  aware that we were being pulled by something.
  “Has battle been joined?”
  Orcs love big weapons.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  78
  “Yes, but that’s not the bad thing.” He hauled me upright 
  to the crate’s edge, and through the narrow crack I saw 
  that we were being pulled by a great horned beast—a war 
  rhino. Other animals flanked us, some pulling catapults, 
  some simply cavalry, with orcs on their broad backs. The 
  beasts were as big as houses—things of war clad in spikes 
  and leather and whirring blades, great howdahs lashed 
  to the backs of some by tight leather and iron straps that 
  had become part of the creature itself. Others were like 
  living siege engines, with rams and towers and ladders. On 
  each screamed orcs, some firing great ballistae at will and 
  laughing as they did. A huge windmill spun at the top of one 
  howdah, a mass of black ragged sails spinning in the storm, 
  skulls and fleshy heads spiked on its ends.
  “What’s the windmill for?” I asked, gaping.
  “Decoration.”
  I kept scanning the field and noticed that several 
  beasts pulled catapults with wooden crates loaded and 
  ready to be flung. 
  Wooden crates like ours. I mentioned as much to Joskan.
  “Yes, but that’s not the bad thing, either.”
  “No?”
  “No. Now that it’s daylight, I’ve noticed that these globes 
  are full of rockwasps.”
  “Rockwasps?”
  “Hornets about the size of a rat. Sometimes shamans 
  catch ’em and seal them in wax with tiny air holes. They 
  catapult these into battle, and they burst on impact and 
  cause havoc.”
  “Great.”
  “Oh, and the sting is fatal.”
  “Pity you didn’t see them last night.”
  Joskan shrugged. “It was night.”
  “I thought orcs were good in the dark.”
  “I was tired, and I’m only half an orc. I have my 
  mother’s eyes.”
  I grimaced and picked up one of the waxy 
  globes very carefully. I could see dark shapes 
  within now, and faintly heard their angry buzzing.
  “This, by the way, is what I would define as 
  ‘trouble,’” Joskan said.
  So there we were, trapped in a crate of rockwasps 
  about to be catapulted into the air to land, 
  broken, amongst an army of orcs, surrounded 
  by swarming insects whose sting is death.
  “Any reason why we aren’t even now 
  sprinting for freedom?” I asked.
  “Can’t,” he said, thumping on the roof of the crate, which 
  rose just enough to reveal the weighty padlock thrust 
  through its latch. “They must have locked it sometime 
  during the night, probably to prevent accidental opening 
  during launch.”
  “I thought you said they wouldn’t fight until 
  sundown.”
  “I guess I was wrong.”
  “K’zaarg!” A cry came up from the catapult next to us, 
  and the crate on its platform was hurled skyward. I glanced 
  hopefully at my companion, who shrugged his shoulders.
  “K’zaarg!” Another crate flew, and another. 
  The sky broke above us and thunder roared.
  “K’zaarg!” an orc voice nearby screamed, and I saw a hand 
  reach for the rope to fire us heavenward. 
  I closed my eyes.
  There was a second yell and a deafening crack as a ball 
  of fire broke above us. An orc fell, screaming as he was 
  crushed under the wheels of our catapult. We saw more 
  bodies fall from the burning howdah. I slapped Joskan’s 
  back and laughed, enjoying a moment’s relief before the 
  jostling increased and I understood our new fate: our 
  driver dead, the catapult thundered forward into the heat 
  of battle, towed by an out-of-control war rhino.
  Joskan began to batter himself against the crate, to 
  little effect. The globes clattered ominously as we crossed 
  the rough terrain. Ahead, through the rain, I could see a 
  cliff approaching. I fumbled in my pockets.
  Joskan’s definition of “trouble.”
  
  Pathfinder’s Journal
  79
  “Keep still, damn it,” I said. “I need to concentrate.”
  “Of course!” Joskan grinned. “A spell for the warping 
  of wood!”
  I shook my head, fumbling deeper into my pockets.
  “A spell to open locks?”
  I sighed.
  The rhino sped on, the drop closing.
  “A spell for—”
  “Shut up!” I yelled, and triumphantly pulled out a tiny 
  piece of shiny stone.
  “A pebble to the rescue. Great.” Joskan began punching at 
  the crate once more, yelling as he saw the drop closing.
  Lifting up the lid of the crate as much as I could, I yelled 
  as I touched the piece of mica to the lock’s haft. There was 
  a resounding crack, and then it sundered and split. With a 
  bound, I burst open the lid and leapt for safety, rolling as I 
  hit the ground. I looked back just in time to watch helplessly 
  as Joskan, attempting to do the same, had his axe snag on 
  the lid. He was halfway out of the crate when the catapult 
  vanished over the drop.
  I heard a distant crash, followed by the sound of buzzing.
  I picked myself up and dashed to the edge, now visible as a 
  low stone cliff some fifty feet high. At its foot lay the crushed 
  remnants of the catapult, pinning the rhino to the ground. 
  Several huge black hornets flew into the air, eager to join the 
  battle. Nearby orcs began to run.
  “Lift me up, gods damn it!” My companion clung to the 
  cliff beneath my feet.
  “How did you...?”
  “I prayed to an orc god at the last moment. Orc gods 
  always listen. Now stop talking and start lifting.”
  I laughed as I leaned over and pulled him up. The 
  sound of battle intensified all around us, and through the 
  driving rain we could see combat joined on all flanks. I 
  pulled my wayfinder from my shirt and checked it again, 
  then followed its course away from the cliff and into the 
  gray murk ahead.
  The smoke and rain turned the battlefield into a muddy 
  swamp in moments, blood mingling with rain and flashing 
  lightning. We fought orcs where we had to and ran past them 
  where we could, our stealth forgotten in the press of bodies. 
  Arrows flew randomly, a burning head sailed past, and a huge 
  rock crashed near us. At last we came out on top of a low hill, 
  from where we could make out our situation better. 
  The clouds above were almost touching the ground now, 
  so heavy were they with the storm. Lightning flashed down 
  into the battle, some of it no doubt called by orc shamans, 
  and the rain pelted the chaos until it was impossible to 
  pick out who was fighting who.
  Then something incredible happened. As Joskan and I 
  looked on in awe, the sky above the battle suddenly howled, 
  and a wavering finger descended from above, a needle of 
  cloud that tore at the ground it touched, dancing across 
  the land and consuming everything in its path. Bellowing 
  its fury, it began to spin, flashes of lightning dancing with 
  it as it rotated faster and faster.
  The finger of the gods had come to the battle, a thing the 
  Shoanti have a whispered name for: Yayoncha, the Angel 
  of Storms. The tornado grew in noise and fury as it tore 
  through the battle, lifting orcs and steeds as it raced, an 
  inescapable scream of crushing wind.
  Below us, the orcs were laughing. Laughing as the storm 
  tore through their armies, picking up great rhinos and siege 
  machines and bending them like corn in a breeze. Laughing 
  as the roar burst their ears, as weapons and debris—given 
  insane speed by the tornado—flew with terrible effect 
  through weak flesh. Laughed as they rode into battle in a 
  world gone mad with noise and anger and hate.
  “Nozalu’rg! Nozalu’rg!” they screamed.
  I asked Joskan what it meant.
  “Apocalypse,” he answered.
  I realized that the orcs must think that the world 
  was ending.
  And they were laughing.
  Our flight from the battle was one that gives me uneasy 
  sleep. After what seemed an eternity, the noise became calm. 
  As distance lost the battle behind us, the blood and combat 
  became merely an uncomfortable memory.
  Yet something remains with me still. Something that is 
  beyond explanation.
  The laughter of the orcs as they thought their world 
  was ending.
  Orc Siege engineS
  The orcs of Belkzen are fond of using bizarre war machines 
  in their battles, many of them as much deranged works of art 
  as effective weapons. While most of these are designed by the 
  clan-neutral Steeleaters of the Foundry, occasionally orc leaders 
  commission independent designs, with mixed results. A few 
  common types are listed below.
  Battle Barrow: This metal-shielded wheelbarrow provides 
  complete cover for the archer hidden inside. The orc conscripted 
  to push it is rarely as lucky.
  Crushing Wheel: In close-packed battles, few weapons are as 
  feared as this massive steel rolling pin. Whether pushed by orc 
  or beast, it can be counted on to flatten everything in its path.
  Earthmaul: This enormous hammer functions like a 
  sideways-mounted catapult, and is capable of clearing wide 
  swaths of enemies.
  Harvester: This aurochs-pulled threshing machine is a long 
  line of whirling blades that can be pulled through battle with 
  great effect.
  Manticore’s Tail: This massive ballista fires a dozen or more 
  spears at once in a devastating, if wildly inaccurate, rain of steel.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  80
  Bestiary
  A History of AsHes
  “O
  ur fathers didn’t name this place the Cinderlands just for its fires. Plenty of places 
  burn, but none in so many ways as here. 
  “In the Cinderlands, the land burns: scorched by a sun that draws too close, charred 
  by fires from the belly of the earth, parched by the rains that rarely come, and lashed 
  by lightning when they do.  
  “In the Cinderlands, the wind burns: howling in waves of smoldering ash and black 
  smoke, dancing with fires set by the heavens, and scouring flesh as sure as any flame.
  “In the Cinderlands, the beasts burn, their skin like blisters, their teeth like stone, 
  and their hunger like fire.
  “In the Cinderlands, we burn, and it proves our mettle to all the world.”
  —Nol Ashes-For-Eyes, Thundercaller of the Sklar-Quah
  
  Bestiary
  81
  T
  he Pathfinder Bestiary heads into the burning 
  wastes of Varisia’s Cinderlands this month—a 
  parched, barren region home to all manner of deadly 
  beasts and fiery foes. Of these fierce predators, several are 
  unique to this burning region of Varisia’s Storval Plateau: 
  magical beasts with flaming maws, the raging remnants 
  of the dead, and some things drawn to Golarion long ago 
  that are best left buried. Not that a land known for plains 
  of flaming gas, miniature volcanoes, and blizzards of 
  burning ash really needs more ways to kill.
  Wandering Monsters
  Well known as one of the deadliest expanses in Varisia, 
  the Cinderlands are a place of stifling heat, flash fires, and 
  endless ash. More than just the land’s natural inhospitality 
  makes these angry plains dangerous. Among the cracked 
  clay, parched dust, and scorched bones, countless tenacious 
  beasts make their homes. Yet for all its danger, several 
  peoples seek to carve lives from the burning earth. Savages 
  like orcs, gargoyles, and giants endlessly hunt for food 
  and water, but also among them are the hardy Shoanti, 
  unwavering human tribes determined to survive despite 
  all with which their neighbors, nature, and the gods 
  themselves confound them.
  While braving the Cinderlands, travelers have much to 
  dread. Characters forced to wander these blasted lands 
  during the course of “A History of Ashes” might find 
  their travels interrupted by any number of deadly beasts, 
  murderous weather, or lethal terrain. Here are a few 
  encounters from the Cinderlands Random Encounters 
  table that warrant further details.
  Dangerous Lands: The volatile nature of the 
  Cinderlands produce a variety of deadly natural features. 
  From sprawling gas fields to volcano-like cinder cones, 
  these unpredictable terrains can kill as effectively as 
  any wild beast. See “The Cinderlands” on page 58 of this 
  volume for more details.
  Emberstorm: Windstorms of ash and flame that sweep 
  across the Cinderlands, emberstorms scour the land and 
  char all in their path. See page 61 for full details on these 
  black blizzards. 
  Orcs: Raiders from Urglin or the Hold of Belkzen 
  frequently wander from their despoiled refuges to pillage 
  Shoanti settlements and prey upon the beasts of the 
  Cinderlands. While an orc hunting party of 1d12 typical 
  orcs is EL 4, a fully armed raiding party of a dozen or 
  more classed orcs might be significantly higher.
  Shoanti: Any who roam the Cinderlands eventually 
  encounter the land’s fierce barbarians. An encounter 
  with Shoanti can take a variety of forms, from a run-in 
  with a lone Shoanti brave (EL 1), to a confrontation with 
  a band of 6 Sklar-Quah Burn Riders (EL 9; see page 55) to 
  happening across an entire tribe of migrating nomads.
  Cinderlands random enCounters
  d% 
  Encounter  
  Avg. EL 
  Source
  1–6 
  1 cindersnake* 
  1/3 
  MM 279
  7–11 
  1d4 horned  
  2 
  Pathfinder #1
   
  spirestalkers*
  12–14 
  1 ember scorpion* 
  3 
  MM 287
  15–17 
  Emberstorm 
  4 
  See description
  18–22 
  1d4 redback  
  4 
  MM 279
   
  rattlesnakes*
  23–26 
  1d6 hippogriffs 
  5 
  MM 152
  27–29 
  1 basilisk 
  5 
  MM 23
  30–35 
  1d6 bush tigers* 
  5 
  MM 274
  36–39 
  1 bulette 
  7 
  MM 30
  40–45 
  1d12 cinderwolves 
  7 
  Pathfinder #10
  46–51 
  1d12 ankhegs 
  8 
  MM 14
  52–56 
  2d12 aurochs* 
  9 
  MM 269
  57–59 
  1d4 chimeras 
  9 
  MM 34
  60–63 
  1d6 wyverns 
  9 
  MM 259
  64–67 
  2d6 gargoyles 
  10 
  MM 113
  68–70 
  1d4 stone giants 
  10 
  MM 124
  71–72 
  1 bonestorm 
  11 
  Pathfinder #10
  73–75 
  1d4 storm rocs 
  11 
  MM 215
  76–77 
  1 purple worm  
  12 
  MM 211
  78–80 
  1d6 dragonnes 
  12 
  MM 89
  81–83 
  1 red render 
  13 
  Pathfinder #10
  84–88 
  Orcs 
  — 
  See description
  89–95 
  Shoanti 
  — 
  See description
  96–99 
  Dangerous lands 
  — 
  See description
  100 
  1 adult red dragon 
  15 
  MM 75
  * Native Cinderlands creature, see page 65 for stat details.
  truly random enCounters
  When designing a random encounter table, there are generally 
  two ways to go about it. You can create a list of encounters 
  specific to the adventure you’re preparing, or you can create a 
  more organic list, choosing encounters and creatures likely to 
  populate an adventure site regardless of your PCs’ levels. 
  While the first method assures you’ll get an encounter of 
  an adequate EL every time, the convenience of that fact might 
  detract from some GMs’ feelings of verisimilitude. Using the 
  other method, though, the PCs have a good chance of being 
  under- or overmatched by the result.
  In the cases of unbalanced encounters, GMs are encouraged 
  to make such match-ups less combat based. Using this month’s 
  table as an example, waking up one morning and finding a 
  cindersnake in one’s boot isn’t much of a threat per se, but it  
  helps drive home the wild feel of the Cinderlands. Alternately, 
  even the distant silhouette of a red dragon is probably enough 
  to make unprepared parties run for cover and make them feel 
  like they’re part of a world that’s populated by more creatures 
  than just those within an encounter level or two of their level.
  —Wes Schneider
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  82
  BonestorM
  A swirling, 15-foot-high, funnel cloud composed of thousands of 
  jagged human bones whirls in an uncontrolled vortex of death. 
  From it, the air splits with the deafening grind of bone-on-bone. 
  Bonestorm 
  CR 8
  Always CE Diminutive undead (swarm)
  Init +6; Senses darkvision 60; Listen +1, 
  Spot +1
  Aura unholy winds 10 ft. (DC 18) 
  DEFENSE
  AC 23, touch 20, flat-footed 17 
  (+6 Dex, +3 natural, 
  +4 size)
  hp 104 (16d12) 
  Fort +5, Ref +11, 
  Will +11 
  Immune cold, 
  swarm traits, 
  undead traits, 
  weapon damage; 
  SR 20
  OFFENSE
  Spd fly 50 ft. 
  (perfect)
  Melee swarm  (3d6 plus 3d6 unholy) 
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 0 ft. 
  Special Attacks wrath
  TACTICS
  Before Combat Unliving and 
  unthinking, a bonestorm does 
  not prepare before combat, it 
  simply turns and speeds toward 
  living creatures as soon as it 
  detects their presence, intent 
  on adding their bones to itself. 
  During Combat A bonestorm does 
  not preferentially select opponents, 
  rather just seeking to encompass as many living creatures 
  as possible. If injured, however, it does pause to suck up the 
  bones of any convenient skeleton.
  Morale Completely devoid of fear or sense of self, a 
  bonestorm fights until destroyed.
  STATISTICS
  Str 3, Dex 23, Con —, Int —, Wis 12, Cha 10
  Base Atk +8; Grp —
  SQ gather bones
  ECOLOGY
  Environment any
  Organization solitary
  Treasure none
  Advancement none
  Level Adjustment —
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Distraction (Ex) Any living creature that begins its turn 
  with a bonestorm in its space must succeed on a DC 18 
  Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is 
  Charisma-based.
  Gather Bones (Su) By spending a full-round 
  action in the same square as a dead creature, 
  a bonestorm can shred the flesh from the 
  corpse and absorb the bones into 
  its swarm. The absorption 
  grants the bonestorm 
  healing (or temporary hit 
  points if it is unwounded). 
  The amount of healing 
  depends on the size of the 
  body absorbed. A Small 
  creature grants 2 points of 
  healing. A Medium grants 
  5 points, Large grants 10 
  points, and Huge grants 
  20 point. A bonestorm gains 
  no benefit from collecting the 
  skeletons of creatures smaller 
  than Small or larger than Huge.
  Unholy Winds (Su) A bonestorm 
  is surrounded by fierce netherwinds, the howls 
  and raging essences of souls forever trapped 
  within a whirlwind of death. As such, the area 
  within 10 feet of a bonestorm is affected by winds of 
  windstorm force (see page 95 of the DMG or the summary 
  of these effects on the following page). Creatures that 
  enter this area must make a DC 18 Fortitude save or be 
  affected by the high winds as dictated by their size: Small 
  or smaller creatures are blown away, Medium creatures 
  are knocked down, Large creatures are checked, and 
  larger creatures are unaffected. In addition, these winds 
  are responsible for a bonestorm’s movement and protect 
  it from the damage and dispersal Diminutive swarms 
  typically face when affected by powerful winds.
  Wrath (Su) A bonestorm cuts apart creatures occupying 
  the same space as it, not just with splintered bones and 
  bludgeoning skulls, but with the unholy energies of the 
  damned souls that make up the undead whirlwind. Thus, 
  3d6 points of the damage dealt by a bone swarm is physical, 
  and 3d6 points are untyped damage, resulting directly from 
  unholy power.
  Bonestorms are the charnel offspring of vast battlefields, 
  the wrathful resurrections of legions of the fallen unwill-
  ing to let go of their wrath and unable to accept defeat. 
  Amid violent currents of tormented souls, the rent corpses 
  of the fallen rise again, formless masses of marrow and 
  splintered bone that know only revenge.
  
  Bestiary
  83
  While bonestorms can spontaneously form—typically 
  days or weeks after a particularly violent or meaningful 
  battle—they have also been known to be created by 
  malicious necromancers and arcane warlords. Brought 
  into being to serve as lifeless engines of war or to 
  wreak havoc upon their creators’ enemies, bonestorms 
  purposefully brought into existence have slightly more 
  direction than their spontaneously forming counterparts. 
  Upon completing a task, however, its not uncommon for 
  one of these cyclones of bones to indulge its motivating 
  rage, attacking and destroying living things far in excess 
  of its creator’s wishes.
  A bonestorm typically rises to about 10 feet tall, though 
  it has no weight besides the hundreds of pounds of bones 
  caught up in its macabre vortex.
  ecology
  Bonestorms are wholly unnatural creations, formed of 
  tortured souls and rage. As mindless undead, they exist 
  only to serve their creators or, in the cases where these 
  horrors come into being of their own accord or escape a 
  master’s control, blindly wreak their formless rage upon 
  the living. 
  Bonestorms cannot be conversed with: they have no 
  intellect of their own. If successfully rebuked, one of 
  these undead swarms can be directed to follow simple 
  commands, though once its instructions are exhausted, 
  it goes back about its assault on the living 
  HaBitat & society
  Bonestorms are most commonly found wherever residual 
  ill will and a sufficient supply of raw bone material 
  permits them to subsist: graveyards, battlefields, and 
  catacombs being most common. While bonestorms often 
  rise from the corpses of defeated armies—especially 
  those defeated while defending their countries, on 
  religious crusades, or fighting for other strongly held 
  beliefs—such grim sites are by no means the only places 
  these horrors form. In some cases, bonestorms have 
  been known to rise from trash mounds piled high with 
  the discarded bones of wasted or maltreated animals, 
  from the catacombs of the dishonored dead, from 
  shipwreck sites on lonely desolate coastlines, and even 
  from the ashes of unjustly burned outcasts. Wherever 
  the lingering wrath of numerous souls and a large 
  number of bones come together in one place, there 
  might a bonestorm form.
  Although mindless, bonestorms do seem to be drawn 
  to burial grounds, ossuaries, and similar areas of death. 
  With their ability to gather up the remains of the dead 
  to fuel their revenge, this draw seems to be less a matter 
  of morbid affinity and more an instinct to sustain their 
  existence and continue on their vengeful rampages.
  creating a BonestorM
  A cleric, wizard, or sorcerer may create a bonestorm by 
  casting create greater undead, if the caster possesses the 
  required caster level of 19th or higher. In addition to the 
  material components required by the spell, the caster also 
  requires 16 Hit Dice worth of unanimated corpses within 
  100 feet to use as raw material. These corpses may be 
  separated from the caster by earth or walls, allowing the 
  creator to animate the buried or entombed.
  Although mindless, and even when animated by magic, 
  bonestorms are creatures of rage. This makes them 
  relatively difficult to control. Whenever a bonestorm 
  completes a task given it by its creator or other caster 
  who has gain control of it, there is a 10% chance that 
  the undead swarm breaks away from its controller and 
  goes berserk, rampaging of its own accord. While a caster 
  can regain control of a berserk bonestorm, it requires an 
  additional control undead check.
  tHe Bones of BloodsWorn
  In 4396 ar, Chelish victory at the Battle of Bloodsworn 
  Vale paved the way for southern colonization of the 
  Varisian wilderness. This path, however, was opened 
  with the bones of thousands of Shoanti warriors who, 
  for all their ferocity and bravery, could not stop the 
  march of Chelish imperialism. From the battlefields 
  of Bloodsworn Vale rose one of the largest and most 
  famous bonestorms in existence, simply called the 
  Bones of Bloodsworn by those forced or frightened 
  to travel the valley. Spontaneously formed from the 
  corpses of thousands of Shoanti warriors determined to 
  defend their lands even after their ignominious deaths, 
  the incredible bonestorm was destroyed by a band of 
  heroic early Korvosans known as the Watchers of the 
  Way in 4411 ar. More than a dozen times in the past 
  few centuries, however, bonestorms of terrible size and 
  destructive power have spawned from Bloodsworn Vale’s 
  thorn-tangled earth, wreaking havoc and brutal revenge 
  upon Varisia’s invaders anew.
  Wind effeCts
  The bonestorm makes use of a variety of conditions typically 
  caused by weather and high winds. For ease of reference, the 
  most pertinent of these conditions are detailed here.
  Checked: Creatures are unable to move forward against the 
  force of the wind. Flying creatures are blown back 1d6×5 feet.
  Knocked Down: Creatures are knocked prone by the force of 
  the wind. Flying creatures are instead blown back 1d6×10 feet.
  Blown Away: Creatures on the ground are knocked prone and 
  rolled 1d4×10 feet, taking 1d4 points of nonlethal damage per 10 
  feet. Flying creatures are blown back 2d6×10 feet and take 2d6 
  points of nonlethal damage due to battering and buffeting.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  84
  cinder Wolf
  This wolf-like beast has a charred and blackened hide, its flesh 
  split in places and seeping a fiery red ooze. The slaving creature 
  stalks closer, snarling gutturally as cinders flicker from its maw.
  Cinder Wolf 
  CR 2
  N Medium magical beast
  Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Listen +4, 
  Spot +4
  DEFENSE
  AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 15
  (+1 Dex, +4 natural)
  hp 15 (2d10+4); fast healing 3 (in fire)
  Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +1 
  Resist fire 10
  Weakness vulnerable to cold
  OFFENSE
  Speed 50 ft. (10 squares)
  Melee bite +5 (1d6+4 plus 1d4 fire)
  Special Attacks trip
  TACTICS
  During Combat When encountered alone, a cinder wolf 
  attempts to run down its prey, attacking only once its 
  victim is too tired to put up a fight. In packs, they circle 
  prey, trapping their victims between multiple pack 
  members. Once the prey slows down, the cinder wolves 
  surround their target and close in, setting themselves up 
  to receive flanking bonuses. When fighting an opponent of 
  its size or larger, a cinder wolf tries to trip its foe and attack 
  it on the ground, giving itself and any pack members a 
  better chance to bite.
  Morale An individual cinder wolf breaks off the 
  attack if reduced to fewer than 5 hit points. A 
  group of cinder wolves retreats if more than 
  75% of their original number are slain or have 
  already fled.
  STATISTICS
  Str 17, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 12, 
  Cha 10
  Base Atk +2; Grp +5
  Feats Track
  Skills Listen +4, Spot +4, Survival +3 
  (+7 when tracking living creatures)
  SQ fiery body 
  ECOLOGY
  Environment temperate or warm deserts
  Organization solitary, pair (2), or 
  pack (5–24)
  Treasure none
  Advancement 3–4 HD (Medium); 5–7 
  HD (Large)
  Level Adjustment +2 (cohort)
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Fast Healing (Ex) A cinder wolf heals 1 point of damage every 
  round that it resists a point or more of fire damage, so 
  long as it has at least 1 hit point. This fire must be from an 
  external source, not from a cinder wolf’s fiery bite.
  Fiery Body (Su) A cinderwolf inflicts 1d4 points of fire damage 
  when it bites a foe in addition to the normal bite damage. 
  In any round that the cinderwolf resists at least one point of 
  fire damage, it gains fast healing 3.
  Trip (Ex) A cinder wolf that hits with a bite attack can attempt 
  to trip the opponent (+3 check modifier) as a free action 
  without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of 
  opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react 
  to trip the cinder wolf.
  Skills Cinder wolves have a +2 racial bonus on Listen, Spot, 
  and Survival checks. *The Survival bonus increases to +6 
  when tracking living creatures.
  Vicious predators and tireless trackers, cinder wolves are 
  a relentless threat to the travelers and native tribes who 
  make the Cinderlands their home. Ravenous creatures 
  that endlessly hunt to fuel their fiery metabolisms, cinder 
  wolves attack nearly any creature, from well-armored horned 
  spirestalkers and ember scorpions to Shoanti barbarians 
  and even stone giant warriors. Fleet footed and fearsome in 
  appearance, these tenacious pack hunters thrive amid the 
  flames of the Cinderlands, their fiery bites and relentless 
  hunger embodying the deadliness of the burning plains.
  
  Bestiary
  85
  An adult cinder wolf stands just over 3 feet tall and 
  weighs up to 200 pounds. What little fur they have is 
  often singed and black, but can also be ash-gray. Their 
  eyes are frequently bloodshot red with yellow irises.
  ecology
  Sages widely hold that cinder wolves were originally 
  the offspring of the Kodar crag wolf—now found 
  almost exclusively along the western and northern 
  faces of the mountain range—and hell hounds kept by 
  ancient wizards and their minions. Although countless 
  generations have bred the outsider nature out of modern 
  cinder wolves, the fiery connection to their distant 
  relatives remains readily apparent in their dark fur and 
  flaming breath.
  Cinder wolves are unfortunate creatures, as even after 
  centuries of survival, the blood of natural creatures and 
  their hellish ancestors does not mix well. Although the 
  species breeds true and is more than capable of survival, 
  the life of a cinder wolf pup is often short and painful. 
  Unborn cinder wolves do not gain their resistance to flame 
  until late in their mothers’ pregnancies, developing it as a 
  reaction to the intense heat of their mothers’ metabolism 
  and countless burns while still being carried. Thus, of 
  the dozen or so pups a mother typically births, more than 
  half are stillborn, and even those that do survive bear 
  lifelong scars.
  While the infernal fires of a hell hound are a product 
  of its connection to the Lower Planes, in a cinder wolf 
  they rely upon an unnatural quick metabolism for fuel. 
  As such, cinder wolves are constantly hungry, needing 
  to eat several times their weight each week—a particular 
  difficulty in a region as harsh as the Cinderlands—lest 
  the flames within them run low. When these fires gutter 
  out completely, the cinder wolf dies as well. 
  Cinder wolves are somewhat short-lived, as they are 
  only resistant to the Cinderlands’ annual firestorms 
  and not immune. While their resilience and instincts 
  allow most to weather or avoid the worst emberstorms 
  or volcanic events, a sizable portion of the cinder wolf 
  population is culled every year when particularly deadly 
  storms blow through.
  A cinderwolf’s vision is remarkable in its ability to 
  view heat to a limited extent. By following the lingering 
  heat left by a creature’s passage, cinderwolves are adept at 
  tracking live prey. This heat sight proves limited beyond 
  its usefulness in tracking, though, and too weak for the 
  hunters to glimpse prey through solid barriers.
  HaBitat & society
  A typical cinder wolf den might have as many as a dozen 
  adults, with as many as double that number adolescents 
  and cubs. When threatened, all but the cubs fight, the 
  older wolves doing all they can to bring down or lead 
  off danger.
  Cinder wolves build their lairs in hot places: near gas 
  fields, on the edges of cinder cones, and within rocky 
  outcroppings exposed to the midday heat and frequent 
  emberstorms. The predators favor such lairs as they 
  suffer near constant pain from their skin splitting and 
  rupturing in cool air. Aside from finding smoldering 
  dens, their only relief from this pain comes from licking 
  themselves—thus exposing their skin to their fiery 
  breath—but it is a very small comfort at best.
  The Shoanti of the Cinderlands hunt cinder wolves 
  when their numbers become too great for the local 
  wildlife to support—usually just prior to significant 
  annual firestorms—and the predators begin turning their 
  attention to the humanoid tribes. Many barbarian tribes 
  hold annual hunts specifically to thin the numbers of the 
  cinder wolves and reduce the predators’ depredations on 
  their tribes. Experienced hunters who have slain more 
  than one cinder wolf usually sew the pelts together to 
  make hide armor and blankets. 
  training cinder Wolves
  The constant hunger and pain cinder wolves endure make 
  them hard to manage and even more difficult to tame. 
  Taming a cinder wolf requires 6 weeks of work and a DC 
  25 Handle Animal check. This DC decreases to 20 if the 
  beast is trained in an area that is constantly 100 degrees 
  or hotter. Even after this initial training, though, the 
  DCs of all attempts to further train a cinder wolf are 5 
  higher, unless they’re again made in areas of extreme heat. 
  Although difficult to teach and quick to disobey, cinder 
  wolves make excellent trackers and are widely coveted by 
  hunters on the Storval Plateau and beyond.
  Cinder Wolf Pelts
  The hides of cinder wolves prove exceptionally useful in the 
  creation of heat resilient armors. By making a DC 16 Survival 
  check, one can successfully skin a cinder wolf, leaving its 
  coarse pelt in quality good enough to work into armor or 
  other goods. Should this pelt be used later in the creation of a 
  suit of hide armor (in addition to all the normal materials, DC 
  13 Craft [armorsmithing]), that armor can be enhanced with 
  the fire resistance, improved fire resistance, or greater fire 
  resistance special abilities at 75% of the normal price. 
  A cinder wolf pelt is an uncommon commodity and can 
  rarely be found for sale, the bristly fur being uncomfortable and 
  hard to work with and the demand—despite their usefulness 
  in magic—is limited. Even when found in Varisian markets, the 
  cost is typically upwards of 600 gp. Thus, most who desire a 
  cinder wolf pelt are forced to either find and skin a cinder wolf 
  himself, or trade with Shoanti native to the Cinderlands.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  86
  Havero 
  This massive mound of tentacles rises and falls, hinting at 
  the breathing of a great slumbering beast below. Every so 
  often, the tip of one of the glistening filaments twitches to life, 
  spontaneously growing a razor-like feeler, horrible eye, or other 
  alien appendage. The creature’s body is a looming clot of these 
  appendages, a twitching knot of wriggling matter.
  Havero 
   
  CR 24
  NE Colossal aberration
  Init +5; Senses darkvision 100 ft.; Listen +9, Spot +46
  DEFENSE
  AC 43, touch 3, flat-footed 42
  (+1 Dex, +40 natural, –8 size)
  hp 459 (34d8+309); fast healing 25
  Fort +20, Ref +12, Will +28 
  Defensive Abilities alien mind; DR 20/—; Immune cold, 
  inhaled effects, mind-affecting effects, Resist acid 30, fire 
  30, electricity 30; SR 34
  Weaknesses light sensitivity
  OFFENSE
  Spd 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (clumsy)
  Melee variable (see below)
  Space 60 ft.; Reach 120 ft. 
  Special Attacks appendages
  TACTICS
  Before Combat As most haveros are deep in hibernation upon 
  being encountered, the creatures often take 1d3 rounds to 
  rouse themselves to action.
  During Combat Haveros manufacture appendages as 
  needed to respond to their environment and enemies, 
  generally fighting with two tentacles, two ocular tentacles, 
  two slashing tentacles, two armored tentacles, and an 
  acid spewer.
  Morale Haveros understand the concepts of fear and 
  flight but such ideas do not apply to their existences. 
  Thus, haveros fight until destroyed.
  STATISTICS
  Str 38, Dex 12, Con 28, Int 5, Wis 29, Cha 30
  Base Atk +25; Grp +55
  Feats Alertness, Awesome Blow, Blind-Fight, Cleave, Combat 
  Reflexes, Great Cleave, Great Fortitude, Improved Bull 
  Rush, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, 
  Power Attack.
  Skills Spot +46
  Languages telepathic savant
  SQ no breath
  ECOLOGY
  Environment any (usually outer space)
  Organization solitary
  Treasure none
  Advancement 35+ (Colossal)
  Level Adjustment —
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Alien Mind (Ex) Anyone who attempts to link minds with a 
  havero (such as via detect thoughts or telepathy) risks the 
  trauma associated with tapping into its raw alien thoughts. 
  Such an act forces the character to make a DC 36 Will save. 
  Those who fail are permanently affected by a feeblemind 
  spell (CL 20th). The save DC is Wisdom-based.
  Light Sensitivity (Ex) Haveros despise sunlight. Even when 
  it lacks an ocular appendage, a havero is dazzled in the 
  presence of natural sunlight or when within the radius of a 
  daylight spell.
  Appendages (Ex) A havero can alter the shape of any of its 
  hundreds of squirming appendages, specializing them into a 
  variety of tentacular tools. A havero has 20 appendage points, 
  which it can spend as a full-round action to create a number 
  of specialized appendages not exceeding this point total. As 
  another full-round action, it can withdraw its tentacles back 
  into itself, dissolving them and regaining the points spent 
  to create them. If one of a havero’s tentacles is destroyed in 
  combat, it immediately regains the points used to create it. 
  
  Bestiary
  87
  For example, a havero could use its 20 points to create 6 
  slashing tentacles, a grasping tentacle, and an incorporeal 
  tentacle; 4 brilliant energy tentacles; 20 reaching tentacles; or 
  any other number of tentacles whose sum total is 20 points. 
  Haveros typically manifest the following tentacles, although 
  some might have the ability to create more more. The point 
  cost of each tentacle is listed after each name.
  Tentacle (1): Grants the following attack—tentacle +23 (2d6+14).
  Ocular Tentacle (2): Grants +8 bonus on Spot checks per ocular 
  tentacle.
  Slashing Tentacle (2): Grants the following attack—claw +23 
  (2d6+14/18–20).
  Armored Tentacle (3): Increases the havero’s total natural armor 
  bonus by +2 per armored tentacle.
  Grasping Tentacle (3): Grants the following attack—tentacle +23 
  (2d6+14); constrict (2d6+14), improved grab.
  Reaving Tentacle (3): Grants the following attack—tentacle 
  +23 (2d6+14), rend 4d6+21; requires two reaving tentacles, 
  both of which must hit the same target in the same round 
  in order to rend.
  Acid-Spewer (4): 30-ft. cone, damage 6d6 acid, Reflex DC 36 
  half; each additional 4 points spent adds +6d6 acid damage 
  and 10 feet to the cone’s length.
  Poison Stinger (4): Grants the following attack—sting +23 
  (2d6+14 plus poison); havero poison: injury; Fortitude DC 
  36; initial and secondary damage 3d6 Wisdom drain. The 
  save DC is Constitution-based.
  Incorporeal Tentacle (5): Grants the following attack—
  incorporeal touch +23 (2d6 negative energy plus 1d10 
  Charisma drain, can attack targets through walls and other 
  solid barriers).
  Vorpal Tentacle (10): Grants the following attack—pincer +23 
  (4d6+14; on a successful critical hit, target is beheaded as 
  per the vorpal weapon quality).
  No Breath (Ex) A havero does not breathe, and as such is 
  immune to inhaled toxins and odor-based effects.
  Telepathic Savant (Su) A havero can transmit vague 
  impressions of its thoughts across limitless distances 
  to any creature it is aware of. A havero does not 
  communicate using language and its thoughts are 
  limited and often unintelligible to mortal minds. A havero 
  contacting a creature using this ability does not subject 
  the target to its alien mind. 
  The word “havero” has its roots in ancient Thassilonian, 
  roughly translating into “smothering arms.” The creature 
  itself was first described in notes and theories postulated 
  by ancient students of the stars and delvers into dark lore. 
  Horrifically, haveros are not the mere imaginings of those 
  sages who chronicle the heavens. They are entities of deepest 
  blackness, and on terrible occasions a lone havero has been 
  drawn to Golarion, putting all the races of the world into 
  reach of its endless, ruinous arms.
  History
  The existence of haveros was first discovered accidentally 
  through the course of divination magics in the ancient 
  empire of Thassilon. Ever seeking larger, more potent 
  beasts to conjure and command, Thassilonian sages 
  gradually uncovered the existence of a massive creature 
  capable of spawning unlimited clawed horrors that dwelt 
  far beyond the range of most remote viewing devices. 
  Intrigued by a new potential source of military power 
  buried somewhere in the night sky, the Thrallkeepers 
  of Thassilon engaged in a race to be the first to secure 
  a havero. When their wizards’ long-range spells of 
  communication at last tapped the creatures’ minds and 
  confirmed the existence of dark, maddening intelligences, 
  the wizards’ desire to possess one only intensified. 
  Methods of conjuring or otherwise leading the creatures 
  to Golarion through the span of space were devised in 
  haste. Eventually, coaxed by fathomless desires, a number 
  of haveros ultimately permitted themselves to be drawn 
  to Thassilon, but not to become pawns: the haveros came 
  to kill.
  ecology
  Although their thought processes are too alien to permit 
  interpretation, haveros are decidedly malevolent. They 
  have no need for sustenance of any kind, yet they consume 
  living creatures with mouths buried beneath their 
  mounds of tentacles. Haveros do not age, nor do they die 
  of any known natural cause. Beyond these apparent facts, 
  though, exceedingly little rational knowledge has been 
  gleaned about these unearthly horrors.
  A havero’s telepathy is theoretically limitless in range, 
  although when sending its mind across galaxies, even 
  its thoughts require considerable time to travel. The 
  Thrallkeepers theorized that the accidental interception 
  of a havero’s stray thought might be a cause for some 
  forms of madness and inexplicable genius. One sage 
  even hypothesized that the ancient Thrallkeepers were 
  able to transport haveros to Golarion not because of 
  their own discoveries, but because the haveros quietly 
  sent them the necessary ideas as to how they might 
  accomplish the feat.
  HaBitat & society
  The ancient tome of starry observations and occult lore, On 
  Verified Madness, refers to the havero’s home as the farthest 
  corner of “The Dark Tapestry,” a place that includes the 
  blackness blotting the space between the stars. Haveros 
  have no natural niche in Golarion and they exist only by 
  the machinations of those who once possessed both the 
  power and recklessness to transport them to this world. 
  No one knows how many of these horrors lurk in the 
  silent, lightless depths of the universe.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  88
  red reaver
  This hulking humanoid towers at a height of ten feet. Its body 
  is thick and hairless, its gray hide flushing with crimson along 
  the arms and legs. Strangely tiny bat-like jut from its shoulder 
  blades while its gangly claws swing down to its ankles. Three 
  separate pairs of crimson eyes hint at the creature’s crude 
  intellect, but its powerful jaws and razor-sharp talons dismiss 
  any suggestion of docility.
  Red Reaver 
  CR 13
  Usually N Large magical beast
  Init –2; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen +9, Spot +9
  DEFENSE
  AC 29, touch 9, flat-footed 29 
  (+22 natural, -1 Size, -2 Dex)
  hp 184 (16d10+96) 
  Fort +16, Ref +8, Will +6
  OFFENSE
  Spd 30 ft., fly 20 ft. (clumsy) 
  Melee 2 claws +23 (1d8+8) and 
  bite +18 (2d6+4) 
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. 
  Special Attacks rend, roar
  TACTICS
  During Combat Red reavers are moody, volatile creatures 
  that put no thought into tactics, relying on their brute 
  strength to overcome any danger. Whenever possible, red 
  reavers roar and then charge into battle, making use of 
  their Improved Bull Rush and Awesome Blow feats. 
  Morale A red reaver withdraws if it believes its bonded site 
  is in danger and in need of protection. A reaver confronted 
  at its bonded site sometimes abandons the site and flees if 
  severly damaged.
  STATISTICS
  Str 28, Dex 6, Con 23, Int 3, Wis 12, Cha 12
  Base Atk +16; Grp +28
  Feats Awesome Blow, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Improved 
  Bull Rush, Power Attack, Track 
  Skills Listen +9, Spot +9, Survival +4
  Language understands a few simple words of Giant
  SQ distracted, flight
  ECOLOGY
  Environment temperate deserts and hills
  Organization solitary
  Treasure standard
  Advancement 17–25 HD (Large), 26–34 (Huge)
  Level Adjustment —
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Distracted (Ex) Red reavers are easily distracted 
  by beautiful sights and sounds. Any successful 
  Perform check of DC 30 or higher has the 
  additional effect of placating the creature, causing it 
  to stop whatever it’s doing and stand still to enjoy the 
  performance. The red render remains stationary and 
  calm until the performance stops or it takes damage. 
  A performer can only take advantage of a red render’s 
  distraction ability once per hour. At the GM’s discretion, a 
  red reaver might also be affected by scenes of particular 
  beauty, although they are usually only distracted by a 
  static view or work of art for 5 minutes. It generally isn’t 
  distracted by beautiful creatures, but it could be distracted 
  by particularly eye-catching apparel worn by a creature.
  Flight (Su) A red reaver’s ability to fly is partially 
  supernatural. In areas where supernatural abilities do not 
  function, a red reaver can only fly for short distances, and 
  must land at the end of each turn or it falls.
  Rend (Ex) A red reaver that hits a single opponent with both 
  claw attacks latches onto the opponent’s body and tears 
  the flesh. This attack automatically deals 2d6+12 damage.
  Roar (Su) A red reaver can loose a devastating roar every 1d4 
  rounds. All creatures except red reavers within 120 feet 
  must succeed on a DC 20 Will save or become shaken. 
  Those within 30 feet who fail their saves become panicked. 
  Creatures who successfully save cannot be affected by the 
  same red reaver’s roar for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting 
  fear effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.
  
  Bestiary
  89
  Slow-witted but possessed of a dangerous temper, massive 
  red reavers are violent forces of nature. With weights of 
  almost 4,500 pounds, they often leave sizeable depressions 
  in the ground when they crash to earth upon their 
  disproportionately small wings. While red reavers do 
  not seek out creatures to battle and are rarely aggressive 
  at first, these simple creatures’ territorial natures and 
  tendency to misinterpret threats make approaching one 
  an exceedingly dangerous proposition.
  ecology
  Red reavers are omnivorous. They spend days at a time 
  hunting along rivers and secluded shorelines for fish and 
  larger creatures that come to the water to drink. While 
  red reavers often seek out caves in foul weather, most of 
  the time these brutes merely collapse where they stand 
  when overcome by slumber. 
  Simple in both heart and mind, red reavers are often 
  transfixed by the natural beauty of random curiosities. On 
  occasion, red reavers have been spotted standing as still 
  as statues watching multi-colored sunsets. Others might 
  be beguiled for hours when they spy their own reflection 
  in a clear pool of water. Tales are told of red reavers drawn 
  to traveling bards, the reaver listening to the minstrel’s 
  music with fascination but then unintentionally tearing 
  the hapless performer to shreds after the exhausted bard 
  at last puts down his instrument.
  HaBitat & society
  Red reavers prefer to live among mountain ranges, particularly 
  those with an abundance of rivers and streams or near the 
  sea. The massive brawlers are almost always solitary, save for 
  a brief frenetic mating season every 6 years. Following its live 
  birth, a reaver infant grows swiftly and leaves home within 
  months, eager to claim its own territory.
  Red reavers do not get along with gray renders. A chance 
  passing between the two invariably results in an immediate 
  brawl. Each brute clamps its jaws on the other’s neck and 
  the pair rolls around on the ground as each tears away at its 
  opponent’s flesh, completely oblivious to its surrounding 
  environment. Although these battles are often long and 
  vicious, they are rarely fought to the death.
  Bonded site
  Like their gray render cousins, red reavers possesses the 
  curious habit of bonding, although red reavers typically 
  become the stalwart guardians of places or particular 
  things. Red reavers imprint themselves with a unique 
  natural structure, such as unusual outcroppings of rocks, 
  pristine waterfalls, or even elaborately grown, solitary trees. 
  In more unusual cases, though, the brutes might find a 
  discarded piece of art, a statue in a ruined temple, or even 
  an ornate monument or road post to fixate on.
  Upon finding a location or beautiful work, a reaver 
  usually stays in close proximity to the site. A red reaver 
  guards its bonded site from a distance, content to simply 
  check in from time to time and stare in wonderment. When 
  its favored site is approached by other creatures, though, a 
  red reaver rushes in to guard its charge, roaring at the first 
  whiff of danger.
  If a red reaver’s bonded site is ever moved or destroyed, 
  the brawler flies into a vengeful rage, wrecking whatever it 
  comes across and slaying everyone it believes responsible—
  typically the first living creatures it encounters after 
  finding its charge damaged. After its spat of mournful 
  revenge is complete, the reaver collapses and blubbers for 
  days on end. It takes 1d4 days before a red reaver who has 
  lost its bonded site spontaneously brightens and wanders 
  off to find a new locale to adopt.
  saMple red reavers
  Although red reavers in Golarion are rare overall, their 
  savagery is usually sufficient to leave a lasting impression.
  Auger: The sleepy village of Caldamin, along Andoran’s 
  Verduan Forest, has long enjoyed the protection of an old 
  gray render called Shepherd Graygulp, a name chosen for 
  the beast’s habit of adopting lambs within Caldamin’s 
  herds as its bonded companions. Within the same 
  territory is a wild red reaver known to the Caldaminians 
  as Auger, who occasionally comes to feed upon the sheep 
  under Graygulp’s protection. The titanic battles that ensue 
  when these monstrous brutes encounter one another is 
  the stuff of legend. As such, much to Caldamin’s dismay, 
  the village has now begun to attract foreigners known as 
  “Auger Watchers,” who make the trip to Caldamin in hopes 
  of witnessing or—in a recent unfortunate case—eliciting 
  the famous brawl.
  The Ripper: On a journey 3 years ago, Free Captain 
  Kelsin Southmoore, in command of the frigate Hurassa 
  III, captured a slumbering red reaver from the West 
  Bandu Hills of Sargava on the beach of Desperation Bay. 
  After his men amputated the creature’s wings, he entered 
  it in the infamous Viper Cage, Ilizmagorti’s bestial pit-
  fighting competition. The enraged reaver, nicknamed 
  “The Ripper,” was the first beast to ever survive and go on 
  to win two consecutive tournaments and has been a local 
  favorite ever since.
  The Red Warden: The Lastwall village of Roslar’s Coffer, 
  just east of the Mindspin Mountains, was overrun by orc 
  raiders several seasons ago, driving off the local residents. 
  Although the rampaging orcs were eventually put to the 
  sword, in the survivors’ absence a red reaver wandered into 
  the area and become infatuated with the striking façade of 
  the village’s burnt shrine of Sarenrae. The villagers have 
  tried to return to their homes, but every time anyone gets 
  too close, the reaver chases them off.
  
  Curse of the Crimson Throne
  Deity: Iomedae  HomelanD: Katapesh
  90
  EzrEn
  SEElah
  Male HuMan Wizard 10
  FeMale HuMan Paladin 10
  str
  str
  Defense
  HP 36
  AC 15
  touch 11, flat-footed 15
  Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +10
  Defense
  HP 89
  AC 24
  touch 10, flat-footed 24
  Fort +12, Ref +5, Will +7
  offense
  Melee cane +5 (1d6)
  Ranged light crossbow +4 (1d8/19–20)
  Base Atk +5; Grp +5
  Spells (CL 10th, +4 ranged touch)
  5th—cone of cold (DC 20), teleport, 
  wall of force
  4th—dimension door, enervation, ice 
  storm, stoneskin
  3rd—dispel magic, fireball (DC 17), 
  fly, haste
  2nd—bull’s strength, invisibility, mirror 
  image, scorching ray, web (DC 17)
  1st—alarm, magic missile (3), ray of 
  enfeeblement, shield
  0—daze (DC 15), detect magic (2), light
  offense
  Melee +1 holy cold iron longsword 
  +16/+11 (1d8+5/19–20)
  Ranged mwk composite longbow 
  +11/+6 (1d8+4/×3)
  Base Atk +10; Grp +14
  Special Attacks lay on hands (20 
  hp/day), smite evil 3/day, turn 
  undead 5/day (+4, 2d6+9, 7th)
  Spells Prepared (CL 5th)
  2nd—resist energy, remove paralysis
  1st—bless weapon, lesser restoration
  Special Qualities  aura of courage, 
  detect evil at will, divine grace, 
  divine health, remove disease 2/
  week, special mount
  skills
  Appraise 
  +9
  Concentration 
  +14
  Knowledge (arcana) 
  +18
  Knowledge (geography) +18
  Knowledge (history) 
  +18
  Knowledge (the planes) +13
  Spellcraft 
  +20
  feats
  Combat Casting, Empower 
  Spell, Great Fortitude, Greater 
  Spell Penetration, Improved 
  Initiative, Quicken Spell, Scribe 
  Scroll, Spell Penetration
  familiar
  Sneak (weasel, MM 282)
  skills
  Concentration 
  +6
  Heal 
  +6
  Knowledge (religion) 
  +6
  Ride  
  +7
  Sense Motive 
  +8
  feats
  Combat Reflexes, Power 
  Attack, Ride-By Attack, 
  Mounted Combat, Weapon 
  Focus (longsword)
  mount
  Aristide (heavy warhorse; 
  MM 273)
  Combat Gear potion of cure moderate wounds, scroll of dispel magic, wand of magic missile (CL 9th, 
  50 charges); Other Gear cane (as club), dagger, light crossbow with 20 bolts, bracers of armor +4, 
  cloak of resistance +1, headband of intellect +2, ring of protection +2, blessed book, rations (6), scroll 
  case, diamond dust (250 gp), 100 gp pearls (2), 100 gp
  Combat Gear wand of cure moderate wounds  (50 charges); Other Gear +2 full plate, +2 heavy steel 
  shield, +1 holy cold iron longsword, mwk composite longbow (+4 Str) with 20 arrows, amulet of health 
  +2, cloak of Charisma +2, gauntlets of ogre power, phylactery of faithfulness, backpack, rations (4), silver 
  holy symbol, 64 gp
  align NG 
  init +3 
  sPeeD 30 ft.
  align LG 
  init +0 
  sPeeD 20 ft.
  dex
  dex
  con
  con
  int
  int
  wis
  wis
  cha
  cha
  11
  18
  9
  10
  12
  16
  20
  8
  15
  14
  9
  14
  abilities
  abilities
  Seelah’s parents were slain by gnoll raiders within months of their settling in Solku. When a group 
  of Iomedae’s knights arrived to help defend the town, Seelah was taken with their beautiful, shin-
  ing armor. She stole a helm from one of the paladins, but became overwhelmed with guilt. Worse, 
  before she had a chance to return the helm, the paladin was herself slain. Wracked with guilt, Seelah 
  confessed her guilt and vowed her life to the paladins’ cause. A full paladin today, she values Ezren’s 
  wisdom and Harsk’s conviction, but it is irreverent Lem who Seelah is most amused by, even if she 
  sometimes feels his jokes go too far.
  The son of a successful spice merchant, Ezren’s childhood was pleasantly safe. This changed when his 
  father was charged with heresy by the church of Abadar. Ezren spent much of his adult life working to 
  repair his father’s ruined reputation, but when he discovered proof of his father’s guilt he abandoned 
  his family and set out into the world. Lacking the spry limbs of youth, Ezren fell naturally into the 
  ways of wizardry, swiftly becoming a gifted self-taught spellcaster. While he often argues on the value 
  of religion with Seelah, and his atrophied sense of humor often makes him the butt of Lem’s jokes, his 
  world experience and keen wit are quite valued by his younger traveling companions.
  Deity: Atheist  HomelanD: Absalom
  
  Characters
  Deity: Shelyn  HomelanD: Cheliax
  91
  harSk
  lEm
  Male dWarF ranger  10
  Male HalFling Bard 10
  str
  str
  Defense
  HP 78
  AC 22
  touch 16, flat-footed 18
  +4 against giants
  Fort +10, Ref +11, Will +4
  +2 against poison and 
  spells; evasion
  Defense
  HP 47
  AC 22
  touch 18, flat-footed 17
  Fort +6, Ref +14, Will +8
  +2 vs. fear
  offense
  Melee +2 greataxe +14/+9 (1d12+5/×3)
  Ranged +1 flaming burst heavy 
  crossbow +15/+10 (1d10+1 plus 
  1d6 fire/17–20) 
  Base Atk +10; Grp +12
  Special Attacks favored enemy (giants 
  +6; undead +4; dragons +2), +1 on 
  attack rolls vs. orcs and goblinoids
  Spells Prepared (CL 3rd)
  2nd—bear’s endurance
  1st—entangle (DC 12), resist energy
  Special Qualities darkvision 60 
  ft., stability, stonecunning, swift 
  tracker, woodland stride
  offense
  Melee +1 short sword +8/+3 (1d4/19–20)
  Ranged +1 shock sling +15/+10 (1d3 
  plus 1d6 electricity)
  Base Atk +7; Grp +2
  Special Attacks bardic music 10/day
  Spells Known (CL 7th)
  4th (1/day)—cure critical wounds, 
  dimension door
  3rd (3/day)—charm monster (DC 16), 
  dispel magic, haste, major image (DC 17)
  2nd (4/day)—alter self, c. moderate 
  wounds, mirror image, sound burst 
  (DC 15)
  1st (5/day)—c. light wounds, feather 
  fall, hideous laughter (DC 14), silent 
  image (DC 15)
  0 (3/day)—detect magic, ghost 
  sound (DC 14), light, message, 
  prestidigitation, summon instrument
  skills
  Heal 
  +14
  Hide 
  +22
  Listen 
  +14
  Move Silently 
  +17
  Spot 
  +14
  Survival 
  +14
  Wild Empathy 
  +8
  feats
  Crossbow Mastery, Endurance, 
  Imp. Crit. (heavy crossbow), 
  Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, 
  Rapid Reload (heavy crossbow), 
  Rapid Shot, Track
  animal ComPanion
  Biter (badger, MM 268)
  skills
  Bardic Knowledge 
  +11
  Bluff 
  +18
  Climb 
  +1
  Concentration  
  +14
  Diplomacy 
  +20
  Hide 
  +10
  Jump 
  –3
  Listen 
  +4
  Move Silently 
  +7
  Perform (comedy) 
  +18
  Perform (wind instruments) +12
  Tumble 
  +18
  Use Magic Device 
  +18
  feats
  Dodge, Mobility, Quick 
  Draw, Spell Focus (illusion)
  Combat Gear potion of cure moderate wounds (2); Other Gear +2 studded leather armor, +2 greataxe, +1 
  heavy crossbow with 30 bolts, screaming bolt (3), mwk silver dagger, amulet of natural armor +1, gloves of 
  Dexterity +2, ring of protection +2, cloak of elvenkind, backpack, rations (4), signal whistle, tea pot, 40 pp
  Combat Gear wand of cure moderate wounds (CL 2nd, 50 charges); Gear +2 leather armor, dagger, +1 
  short sword, +1 shock sling with 20 bullets, cloak of Charisma +4, gloves of Dexterity +2, ring of protection 
  +2, backpack, masterwork flute, rations (6), spell component pouch, sunrods (3), 40 pp
  align LN 
  init +4 
  sPeeD 20 ft.
  align CG 
  init +5 
  sPeeD 20 ft.
  dex
  dex
  con
  con
  int
  int
  wis
  wis
  cha
  cha
  14
  8
  18
  20
  16
  13
  10
  12
  12
  8
  6
  21
  abilities
  abilities
  Growing up a slave in the devil-haunted empire of Cheliax exposed Lem to a shocking range of decadence 
  and debauchery. Always quick to side with the underdog, Lem has learned that his most powerful trait is 
  his optimism and sense of humor—skills that almost make up for his small stature and impulsive nature. 
  Lem’s reasons for traveling with his current companions vary upon the day and his mood, but he certainly 
  values their strengths—and the never-ending supply of comedy material their antics provide him with.
  Harsk is, in many ways, not your standard dwarf. He prefers strong tea over alcohol (to keep his senses 
  sharp), the wildlands of the surface world (where giants can be found), and the crossbow over the axe 
  (which allows him to start fights faster). Yet few dare to mock him for his choices, for if there’s anywhere 
  that Harsk is dwarven, it is in his gruff and offputting attitude. Much of his anger stems from the death 
  of his brother’s warband. Slain to a man by giants, Harsk came upon the slaughter moments too late to 
  save his brother. Harsk’s hatred of giants has fueled him and shapes his life. His companions value his 
  skill at combat even if they’re somewhat afraid of him.
  Deity: Torag  HomelanD: Druma
  
  Preview
  Next Month  
  In Pathfinder
  92
  SkeletonS of Scarwall
  by Greg A. Vaughan
  The secret of the evil festering in Korvosa’s heart leads 
  to the dreaded castle Scarwall, a haunted citadel deep 
  in the orc-ravaged wasteland of Belkzen. Once home to 
  a murderous warlord, the castle halls resound with the 
  skeletal footfalls and agonized howls of the unquiet 
  dead—horrors still obedient to their lost master even 
  after centuries. Can the PCs find the key to Korvosa’s 
  salvation? Or are they doomed to join the ranks of 
  Scarwall’s skeletal armies?
  Zon-kuthon
  by Sean K Reynolds
  Gaze into the endless void of Zon-Kuthon, deadly god of 
  darkness, envy, pain, and loss. Shudder at the sights and 
  screams of his eternally tortured victims, cringe at the 
  secrets of his tragic immortal corruption, and partake of 
  the ecstatic torments of his pain-addicted church. 
  the hold of BelkZen
  by James L. Sutter
  Bloodshed and brutality rule in the rugged, monster-
  infested Hold of Belkzen. For centuries, armies of 
  orcs have stamped the land into a sprawling, broken 
  battlefield. Yet, surviving the endless warfare, the ruins 
  of past empires, remnants of lost peoples, and evidence of 
  dark secrets lie hidden in the dust.
  Pathfinder’S Journal
  Pathfinder Eando Kline discovers that there’s more 
  to Belkzen’s savagery then howling orcs and hungry 
  monsters. Savages turn sinister in the next entry in the 
  Pathfinder’s Journal.
  BeStiary
  The dead don’t just walk, they dance! Light-footed 
  undead, the herald of Zon-Kuthon, Pathfinder’s first new 
  dragon, and more!
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  System Reference Document. Copyright 2000. Wizards of the Coast, Inc; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte 
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  Advanced Bestiary. Copyright 2004, Green Ronin Publishing, LLC; Author Matthew Sernett.
  OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
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  get harrowed
  All trademarks are property of Paizo Publishing®, LLC. ©2008 Paizo. All Rights Reserved
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  plagued by unrest. In the face of anarchy, new heroes gather at the call of a mysterious patron which sets them on a 
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  Shoanti
  Outlanders
  Into the Cinderlands
  Shado wcount Sial
  Laori Vaus
  Skoan-Quah
  Chief One-Life
  Chief Ready-Klar
  T housand Bones
  Ash Dancer
  Wicked Cla ws
  Boneslayers
  Burn Riders
  T hundercallers
  Sklar-Quah
  Lyrune-Quah
  Asyra
  Mu mmies
  Krojun 
  Eats-What- He- Kills
  Sun
  Shaman
  T era’Kai
  Akram
  Moon Maidens
  Truthspeakers
  T he Cinderlander
  Neverfar
  Assassins
  Cinnabar
  Ash wing
  Gargoyles
  Brotherhood of Bones
  Red Mantis
  
  paizo.com/pathfinder
  Printed in China. PZO9010
  T
  he path to save Korvosa leads far beyond the ravaged city’s 
  walls. In the burning plains of the Cinderlands the tenacious 
  tribes of the Shoanti barbarians protect an ancient secret that 
  might be the only way to save the Jewel of Varisia from ruin, but 
  Korvosa has been their enemy too long for the proud natives to 
  give up their knowledge freely. Only by learning the ways of the 
  barbarians and facing their sacred trials can the PCs hope to save 
  their city, but are the savage warriors’ ordeals impossible? Especially 
  when the PCs already have angry natives, evil priests, and deadly 
  assassins hot on their trail?
  This volume of Pathfinder includes: 
  ► 
   “A History of Ashes,” an adventure for 10th-level 
  characters, by Michael Kortes.
  ►  
  An exploration of the Cinderlands, a 
  scorched wasteland where nature is as 
  deadly as the monsters that 
  stalk its blistered ground, 
  by Jacob Frazier.
  ►  
  Learn the trials and traditions of 
  the Shoanti, Varisia’s fierce barbarian 
  natives, by Eric L. Boyd and Michael Kortes.
  ►  
  Eando Kline finds himself caught in the middle  
  of an all-out orc war in the Pathfinder’s Journal,  
  by Richard Pett.
  ► 
  Five new monsters by Michael Kortes  
  and J.D. Wiker.
  Face the Fire!
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Pathfinder/Adventure Paths/Curse of the Crimson Throne/A History of Ashes 4.pdf