PATHFINDER: PFSociety OpenPlay

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Guide to Pathfinder Society

orGanized Play

By Joshua J. Frost and nicolas logue


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Guide to

Pathfinder Society

orGanized Play

VerSion 1.18/11/08

Designers: Joshua J. Frost and Nicolas Logue

Development: Jason Bulmahn, Joshua J. Frost, and Sean K Reynolds

Editors: James Jacobs and Erik Mona

Managing Art Director: James Davis

Cover Artist: Warren Mahy

Interior Art: Wayne Reynolds

Organized Play Coordinator: Nicolas Logue

Publisher : Erik Mona

Paizo CEO: Lisa Stevens

Vice President o Operations: Je Alvarez

Director o Marketing: Joshua J. Frost

Corporate Accountant: Dave Erickson

Sales Manager: Chris Sel

Technical Director: Vic Wertz

Online Retail Coordinator: Jacob Burgess

The OGL can be ound on page 29 o this product.

Paizo Publishing, LLC

2700 Richards Road, Suite 201

Bellevue, WA 98005paizo.com/pathndersociety

Product Identity: The ollowing items are hereby identied as Product Identity, as dened in the Open Game

License version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not Open Content: All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper names

(characters, deities, artiacts, places, etc.), dialogue, plots, storylines, language, incidents, locations, characters,

artwork, and trade dress.

Open Content: Except or material designated as Product Identity (see above), the contents o this Paizo

Publishing ga me product are Open Game Content, as dened in the Open Gaming License version 1.0a Section

1(d). No portion o this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content may be reproduced inany orm without written permission. To learn more about the Open Game License and the d20 System License,

please visit wizards.com/d20.

The Guide to Pathnder Society Organized Play is published by Paizo Publishing, LLC under the Open Game License

v 1.0a Copyright 2000 Wizards o the Coast, Inc. All other trademarks are property o Paizo Publishing, LLC.

2008 Paizo Publishing. All Rights Reserved.


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by the Societ y wherein only the most impressive nds

and bravest exploits o the Pathnders are immortalized.

Pathnders also ollow a loose code that governs their

actions: Explore, Report, and Cooperate (more on this

later.)

Pathnders are a diverse bunch o scoundrels and

wanderers. Beyond their adventures as Pathnders, theyoen nd themselves mixed up in the murky politics

o Absalom and the ve nations who seek to control the

City at the Center o the World rom behind the scenes.

The campaign centers on the sprawling city o Absalom,

where ve actions engage in a shadow war or control

o the citys politics and economy (more on Factions in

Chapter 3.) As you play, the outcome o your adventures,

your actions, and your deeds aect events on a global

scale, turning the tide o secret wars between some o

Golar ions most powerul nations.

In Pathnder Society Organized Play, you play a member

o the Pathnder Society, seeking ortune and glory all

over the ace o Golarion. At the same time, your characterworks or one o the ve competing nation-based actions,

all with their own motivations and secret agendas.

Pathnder Society Organized Play is a constantly

evolving mega-campaign played by thousands o players

and the adventures you experience are shared by players

around the world. Play is organized into Seasons,

throughout which the actions and achievements o you

and your ellow Pathnders create an ongoing storyline.

Season 0 launches at Gen Con in 2008 . Season 0 is Paizos

playtest season, a chance or us to explore possibilities

and determine the best structure or our organized play

system. This allows us to perect Pathnder SocietyOrganized Play or Season 1 launch at Gen Con 2009,

when we will begin using the Pathnder Roleplaying Game

as the ocial roleplaying game o the Society. For more

inormation on the Pathnder Roleplaying Game, visit

paizo.com/pathnderRPG.

Each season consists o dozens o Pathnder Scenarios

(short, 4-hour adventures). Some o these take place in the

teeming city o Absalom, while others range all across

Golarion. Throughout the course o a season, the exploits

introduction

As to your lie and limb, I make you nopromises, novice. Rest assured, you shallnever succumb to boredom and your eatsand exploits will be sung and scripted or thecommon olk to marvel. The time to nd your

path is at hand.Venture-Captain Alissa Moldreser va

Welcome to the Guide to Pathnder Society Organized

Play! Within these pages you will nd everything you

need to bring your very own Pathnder character to lie.

Whether you are new to the 3.5 edit ion o the worlds most

popular roleplaying game, or a veteran o pen & paper

roleplaying games, the answers to your questions about

Pathnder Society Organized Play are right here! Beyond

this guidebook you will need the core 3.5 rulebooks (PH,

DMG, and MM), since this document reerences the 3.5

rules on numerous occasions.

chaPter 1the Pathfinder Society

On Golarion, the world o the Pathnder Chronicles

campaign setting, the Pathnder Society is an

organization o explorers, vagabonds, sages, and treasure

hunters determined to plumb the depths o the darkest

tombs and collect relics and lore rom bygone ages.

They travel the world braving traps, monsters, assassins,dangerous natives, and worse, all in order to discover

the secrets o the past and to advance understanding o

Golar ions many cultures. Some Pathnders are dedicated

explorers who risk lie and limb in the pursuit o ancient

lore or lost relics. Just as many Pathnders are litt le more

than eckless mercenaries, glory hound adventurers, and

gold-hungry tomb raiders. Regardless o their intentions,

every member shares one common dream: to contribute

to the Pathnder Chronicles, printed edit ions o lore coveted

Guide to

Pathfinder SocietyorGanized Play

By Joshua J. Frost and nicolas logue

Version 1.18/11/08


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Guide to Pathfnder Society Organized Play

o you and your ellow Pathnders help shape the story o

our campaign. Pathnder Society Scenarios are threads in

a tapestry, and the tale they weave is entirely up to you.

The Pathnder Society on GolarionThe Pathnder Society has existed since the ounding o

Absalom 400 years ago. Its history, raught with the daringexploits o brave heroes, has long enchanted the populace

o the Inner Sea. Members include treasure hunters,

explorers, tomb raiders, historians, and vagabonds who

roam the arthest reaches o the world seeking lost relics

o world-shattering power and answers to riddles older

than the gods. These heroes brave vine-choked jungle

ruins, ascend snow-capped peaks, and comb sun-seared

desert sands in search o buried tombs and monuments

o bygone ages.

Upon the completion o a particularly notable discovery

or journey, society members send a record o their

exploits to their venture-captain superior, who in turnreviews it or accuracy beore orwarding the manuscript

to the masked leaders o the Pathnder Society, the

cryptic Decemvirate, an inner circle o 10 experienced

Pathnders who guide the Societys activities. This

guidance is quite subtle, allowing individual Pathnder

agents to believe they act o their own accord when they

are actually doing the bidding o the Ten.

The Society recognizes no ormal bylaws, but adherence

to a general code o behavior is expected o all members,

and reports o activity in contrast to this code are

grounds or removal rom the organization. The three

most important member duties are as ollows:

Explore: Pathnders are expected to urther theknowledge and reputation o the Society by traveling to

distant lands, unearthing orbidden secrets, and piecing

together the secret history o the world. Agents are

encouraged to travel uncharted lands in search o ever-

more-antastic mysteries.

Report: In the course o their adventures, Pathnders

are expected to keep detailed journals, maps, and accounts

o their exploits. At t he conclusion o a successul mission,

the agent sends a copy o his notes to his immediate

superior, a regional venture-captain, who makes a

ull analysis (oen involving divination). Especially

noteworthy exploits make their way to Absalom and theDecemvirate, who compile the best tales into irregularly

published editions o the Pathnder Chronicles, which

make their way back to venture-captains or distribution

to Pathnder agents in the eld.

Cooperate: The Society places no moral obligations

upon its members, so agents span all races, creeds, and

motivations. At any given time, a Pathnder lodge might

house a end-summoning Chelaxian , an Andoren reedom

ghter, an antiquities-obsessed Osirian necromancer,

and a riendly Taldan raconteur. Pathnder agents are

expected to respect one anothers claims and stay out o

each others aairs unless oering a helping hand.

The Pathnder LodgeMost Pathnders wander the world in search o riches

and adventure, settling down only long enough to plantheir next caper or ully exploit an ancient ruin o its

treasure and secrets.

But another class o Pathnder exists, a group unknown

to the populace at large yet integral to the success o the

organization. These are the venture-captains who manage

regional aairs and their at-times-considerable cadres

o cohorts, retainers, menials, and guardians. Venture-

captains generally stat ion themselves in Pathnder lodges,

unassuming locales meant to house the paperwork, plans,

and inrastructure o the society while also occasionally

serving as temporary residences or wandering Pathnder

agents. The Grand Lodge o Absalom stands aloneamong its ellows. Unlike lesser chapter houses in towns

throughout the continent, which oen mask their purpose

behind acades o commerce or domesticity, the Grand

Lodge wears its aliation proudly. The Glyph o the

Open Road, so oen hidden in a maps compass rose or a

books embellishment to show the covert approval o the

Pathnder Society, blazes above the gate o a sheer-walled

redoubt at the heart o Absalom. The wall circles seven

sturdy ortresses that date back to the citys ounding,

perhaps the estate o a long-dormant noble house or the

one-time bastion o a orgotten government. For the last

400 years this has been the stronghold o the Pathnders,

the seat o the Decemvirate, and the legendary repositoryo the orders treasures and legends.

The Pathnder ChroniclesLesser scholars and tomb-robbers unaliated with the

Pathnder Society are crass villains who contribute

nothing to the greater understanding o the world, selling

o their treasures without bothering to record the stories

behi nd them or urther understanding o lost races,

cultures, and times. This is what sets the Pathnders

apart. The Chronicles , gathered over centuries o daring

work, records the Societys exploits and shares them

with the entire organization. Most volumes come packedwith maps, trap diagrams, and detailed explanations

leading to highly protable and extraordinarily ragile

locales. Common treasure-hunters, bizarre cultists, and

wealthy artiact collectors do their best to acquire copies

o the journals, and a multi-volume set can oen etch

thousands o gold pieces in the right markets. It is the

burning dream o every Pathnder to someday see t heir

own exploits immortalized in the ultra-exclusive pages

o the Pathnder Chronicles.


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In Pathnder Society Organized Play, experience is

streamlined. When you complete a scenario you gain 1

XP. For every 3 XP you earn your character gains one level.

Experience points are no longer an expendable resource

(there are no item creation rules, and spells that normally

require XP to cast are either rebuilt so as to no longer

utilize XP as a component or have been excluded romthe campaign completely). Anytime you would normally

receive an XP penalty or a multiclassing choice, you are

instead prohibited rom making that choice in Pathnder

Society Organized Play.

Beyond XP, you will also gain Prestige Awards (PA)

based on the number and diculty o action missions

you complete while playing through scenarios. PA not

only earns you special rewards rom your action, but

its also added to your actions total Prestige Score. Your

actions Prestige Score is a measure o their inuence in

the Inner Sea region and their level o control over the city

o Absalom. The PA you earn is pooled with PA earned byother members o your action, together contributing to

the increased power o said action. Factions and PA are

covered in greater detail in Chapter 3.

chaPter 3:factionS

At present, ve shadowy, nation-based actions struggle

or secret and subtle dominance o Absalom Andoran,

Cheliax, Osirion, Qadira, and Taldor. These ancient

and powerul nations have long been major players inAbsaloms aairs, each waxing and waning with the

sands o time. Now, in the year 4708, they nd themselves

on equal ooting in the City at the Center o the World,

each poised to seize control o the city through political

and economic maneuvering. They have their own unique

reasons or wanting to control Absalom, but they all

share one goal in common: they hope to one day turn this

secret war into open and total control o the Inner Seas

most strategically located mercantile metropolis.

The actions o Absalom have long despised one another.

History is raught with their bloody euds, brutal wars,

and oppressions. At the end o Season 0, one action shal lstand higher than the others, their talons sunk deep into

Absaloms aairs reaping grand rewards. With each new

season, though, come new opportunities. The winds o

Absalom blow hot and erce and they change direction

without warning. Will you be a devil scholar o Cheliax,

a brave Andoren reedom ghter, a veiled vagabond o

Qadira, an Osirian with pharaohs blood running in your

veins, or a secret blade o Taldor? Choose wisely, or your

actions may change the ace o Golarion.

chaPter 2:Pathfinder Society

orGanized Play baSicS

Joining Pathnder Society Organized Play is easy! Firs t,create a Paizo account by visiting paizo.com, clicking on

the Sign-In link at the top o the page, and then clicking

on the Create a New Account button. Then, ollowing

the guidelines in Chapter 4, create your very own 1st level

Pathnder character and register him or her at paizo.

com/pathndersociety by clicking on the My Pathnder

Society link. Here, you can also set up an optional

prole or your character, talk to other Pathnder Society

members, and download and print your membership

card. In the uture, youll be able to use the Pathnder

Society website to locate nearby Pathnder Society events

run at conventions, game stores, or other sanctioned play.Youll even be able to even organize events on your own

with a group o your riends.

You can play your Pathnder Society Organized Play

character in any sanctioned Pathnder Society Scenario,

and you can play with a wide variety o players by

attending conventions and playing in events anywhere

in the world. You can even make multiple Pathnder

Society characters i you like and play them in dierent

adventures, though you cannot play the same scenario

twice (more on this later.)

The special nature o this campaign means a couple

o changes rom the home games you are accustomed to.

For one, your Pathnder Society character cannot earnexperience or treasure rom any adventure, scenario,

or event outside o the campaign. Pathnder Society

Scenarios may only be run by an ocial Game Master

(dened as someone who has registered as a Pathnder

Society member, has a membership number, and wishes

to GM), who is then responsible or insuring the accuracy

o each players chronicle or that scenario as well as

reporting the tracked results to a coordinator (at a

convention) or reporting them to us on paizo.com (or in-

store and home play).

For each scenario, players wi ll receive a chronicle sheet

that theyll need to ll out in order to accurately tracktheir progression and there are three spots on that sheet

that need to be signed o on by their GM. At conventions,

there will also be a small, additional convention tracking

sheet that the GM has to ll out or each player and then

turn in to Pathnder Society HQ so the convention

coordinator can upload the inormation tracked online

at paizo.com. For non-convention play, the GM is

responsible or uploading the inormation tracked onli ne

(see Chapter 9).


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Missions and Prestige

You do honor to your action by succeeding in specic

missions. Each scenario contains one or more missions

dedicated to your specic action, all tasks that, i

completed, give your action a small advantage in their

shadow war against the other our. During a scenario,

your action might ask you to make sure a crime lord dies,protect an innocent merchant caught in crossre, save a

kidnapped child, hand o an important letter, oil an

assassination, or locate a letter o marque. Whatever the

mission, a positive outcome earns you and your action

one point o Prestige Award. Every Pathnder Society

Scenario oers the same potential amount o PA to each

action. Its up to you to make sure your action scores

higher than its competitors.

As your Prestige Award total increases, your action

rewards your excellent service with ever-increasing

boons. In Chapter 8, youl l nd an expanded list o items,

abilities, and services your Pathnder gains access to ashis or her PA increases. These items are rewards rom your

action or your loyalty and hard work and reect your

growing inuence within your own action. All o these

items are outside o the normal list o items available or

purchase and can be purchased at any time once youve

unlocked the ability to purchase them.

Choosing Your FactionEvery Faction has its own unique history, culture, style

and specialty. Each has its own modus operandi in the

ongoing shadow war or control o Absalom, and each

oers Pathnders in their service dierent boons.

Choosing your Faction is as important as choosing yourcharacter class or raceit denes your character in the

campaign, and ties your Pathnder to one particular

nations destiny. Beore you choose your Faction, peruse

each careully and pick the most exciting one. Once this

choice is made, it cannot be changed until the end o

Season 0 (aer next years Origins in June o 2009), so

choose wisely.

andoran

The days o kings are long gone. We are theuture o humanity, and o all peoples. Ruled by

no crown or scepter, we instead rule ourselves.Captain Colson Mardris, Eagle Knight o Andoran

From humble beginnings as loggers and merchants, the

Andorens proved themselves survivors on a hard rontier.

Even beore they won their independence they were an

impressive people. Brave explorers and canny merchants,

they were the rst to sail the sea beyond the Arch o

Aroden. They settled distant colonies, hewing a lie

ABSALOMALIGNMENT: N

CAPITAL: Absalom (303,900)

NOTABLE SETTLEMENTS

Diobel (4,850), Escadar (11,700)

GOvErNMENT

Grand Council composed o representatives rom several

major noble houses and religious groups. The greatest o this

council, called the primarch, enjoys a wide range o powers.

LANGuAGES

Common, Osiriani, Kelish

rELIGION

Abadar, Iomedae, Aroden, Norgorber, Cayden Cailean,

Nethys, Sarenrae, Calistria, Shelyn, Irori

NOTES

Absalom is the most amous o all cities, and takes pride in

being one o the largest and wealthiest cities in the known

world. According to myth, Absalom was ounded by Aroden

himsel when the Last o the First Humans raised the Starstonerom the ocean depths and le it in its current resting place at

the heart o the city. It is thus a living part o mythology.

Absalom sits in the largest natural harbor on the Isle

o Kortos in the eye o the Inner Sea. This allows the city

to control dozens o major shipping lanes and makes it a

critical stop on any voyage across that sea. The conuence

o mercantile, strategic, and religious inuence in

Absalom earns its title: City at the Center o the World.

O course, it also attracts would-be conquerors, many o

whom have unsuccessully assaulted the city throughout

history. The ruins o dozens o siege castles litter the

grounds outside Absaloms walls, and its harbor is so

choked with the masts and moldering hulls o sunkenwarships that saely reaching the citys docks requires the

steady eye o a paid pilot.

When Aroden dredged the Isle o Kortos rom the

depths o the Inner Sea and ounded Absalom, he called

the wise and brave rom nearby lands to inhabit the new

land and bade them protect the Starstonerom all who

would relocate it. Nobles, merchants, and adventurers

particularly those rom Osirion, Thuvia, Cheliax, Andoran,

Taldor, and Qadira, settled in the city. The citys culture

draws heavily rom all these lands, and many o its noble

houses identiy themselves closely with elements rom

those nations. The common olk represent an even widerarray o cultural inuences, rom Mordant Spire elves to

Tian traders to travelers rom other planes. As a result,

ood, song, and clothing rom nearly every corner o

Golarion can be ound here i the visitor knows where to

look. It is said with some seriousness that it is impossible

to look out o place on the streets o Absalom.

For additional inormation on Absalom, consult the

Pathnder Chronicles Campaign Setting hardcover.


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Where are you from?People rom Andoran are known as Andorens, use Andoren

items, and speak Common.

People rom Cheliax are known as Chelaxians, use Chelish

items, and speak Common.

People rom Osirion are known as Osirians, use Osirian items,

and speak Osiriani.

People rom Qadira are known as Qadirans, use Qadiran

items, and speak Kelish.

People rom Taldor are known as Taldans, use Taldan items,

and speak Common.

these tyrants power is a worthy cause or an Andoren to

lend himsel to.

Faction Leader: Captain Colson MaldrisThe Eagle Knights o Andoran are champions o reedom.

Icons o their national pride, these brave warriors have

given their lives in battle against devils and monsters ordecades. Colson Maldris would much rather be out in the

eld, his greatsword drenched in the blood o tyrants and

slavers, but his order has another use or him.

As a member o the mystery-shrouded Grey Corsairs,

Maldris served bravely aboard the warship Trident,

sending twenty three slaver ships to the bottom o the

Inner Sea and slaying the mangy gnoll slavelord Pasha

Palrathgra in personal combat upon the bloody deck o

his pleasure rigate. Ma ldris was the youngest to wear the

golden eagle upon his shoulders. His lauds and victories

ar outshine many o his senior Eagle Knights, and this

may be why he was reassigned to Absalom. Rumors thathis rising star has rufed the eathers o ellow Eagles

abound, and they have sent him into a den o knives to be

torn to shreds by deadly adversaries.

Whatever the reason, Maldris has been assigned

as Andorans Special Attache to the Grand Council o

Absalom. His true duties in the city are to acquire assets

and agents in the ongoing shadow war between the ve

greatest nations o the Inner Sea. Five men and women

orchestrate a covert conict over whose hand will guide

Absaloms political and economic destiny in the coming

age, and Maldris is Andorans chosen general. His courage

and patriotism are without question, but more than a ew

wonder i this young commander isnt a little out o hisdepth in a city whose murky politics can quickly drain an

eager mans soul.

Andoren PathndersAndorens are particularly suited to the lie o a Pathnder.

Natural explorers, with the bravery to ace ominous

rontiers o mystery and danger, these sons and daughters

o reedom are perect candidates or membership in the

worlds most elite adventuri ng society.

Pathnders not raised in Andoran yet still loyal

to the Andoran action in Absalom typically support

the edgling democracys values o reedom and thedestruction o tyranny. Regardless o where they came

rom, non-Andorens in service to Andoran generally hold

these ideals above all others.

To learn more about Andoran, read the Pathnder

Chronicles Campaign Setting hardcover and the Pathnder

Chronicles Guide to Darkmoon Valeor play in or read any o

the ollowing Pathnder Modules: D1: Crown o the Kobold

King, E1: Carnival o Tears, D0: Hollows Last Hope(available

as a ree download on paizo.com,) D1.5: Revenge o the

rom wild lands and an inhospitable coastline raught

with peril. The power o Old Taldors navy rested on the

shoulders o capable Andoren commanders whose skill at

arms, ery tenacity, and naval puissance was unrivaled in

the empires glory day.

Andoran shrugged o the auspices o Old Taldor

when Qadira invaded the empire. Shortly thereaer theyshattered Cheliaxs diabolic chains. Now Andoran holds

the reins o its own destiny in the strong hands o its

people. They are the rst government o the Inner Sea to

entrust its power to its own citizens instead o dolloping

it upon the crowned brow o a king. Their weapons are

innovation, a stubborn dedication to idealism, and a rm

belie in the potential o humanity. The Andorens are

a hard people, dedicated to reedom or all, and unable

to sit by and watch as the world around them submits to

savagery and tyranny.

Goals: Common Rule for AllAndoran would see the tyrannic empires who once ruled

them brought down. They would see slavery abolished

and those who would buy and sell people punished in the

extreme. They would bring the torch o reedom to the

worlds darkest places and banish mysticism, diabolism,

and ear.

Methodology: Light the Fires of FreedomOur greatest weapon is the tyranny o ourenemies.

Captain Colson Maldris, Eagle Knight o Andoran

The Andoran action attacks its enemies rom within. They

nd dissidents, reedom ghters, and revolutionaries

among the populations o their oes and oer them

covert aid, equipment, intelligence and the unds they

need to topple the tyrants. Missions assigned to Andoran

action members tend toward helping dissident groups

within the other actions, though anything that shakes


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Kobold King (available as a ree download on paizo.com,)

and LB1: Tower o the Last Baron. Keep checking paizo.com

or uture Pathnder products set in Andoran.

cheliaX

Asmodeous himsel smiles upon our endeavorand we shall not rest until the entire worldtrembles beore Him.

Paracountess Zarta Dra lneen

When Aroden died, some say the soul o Cheliax perished

with him. The once mighty empire tore itsel apart, and

only through the power o three noble Houses, each

steeped in deviltry, was order restored. The empire runs

on the backs o ends now, a perect machine o hellre

and blood, where morality surrenders to the needs o law

and order. Its easy to curse Cheliax as a nation o devil-lovers, but ew can argue with the results o their end-

bindi ng cra. House Thr une, the greatest o its diabolic

noble amilies, has brought the empire under control

once more. Cheliax rises like a dark star, as strong as

ever, despite the recent losses o Galt and Andoran to

rebellious orces.

Asmodeus proves as powerul a divine patron as

Aroden ever did, shepherding his people toward glory and

dominance o the Inner Sea. His plans reach eons into the

uture, and the minor setbacks o yesterday are all actored

into the cost o doing a devils business. Chelaxians always

plan or a long campaign, and never trie over todaysskirmishes. In the end all will burn in hellre. It is only a

matter o time.

The pale-skinned Chelaxians believe themelves superior

to all other peoples. Their compact with great devils gives

them power beyond measure, and no other nation o the

Inner Sea can compete with their summoners when it

comes to tracking with dark orces. These devils require

payment or their service, oen oered up in the orm

o tender esh and resh blood. Slaves are an important

resource o the Chelaxians, as are artiacts o ancient

power whose secrets are revealed to them by their timeless

patrons. Even as Andoran revels in its newound reedom,

the tendrils o Cheliaxs empire continue to expand.

Arcadia lays open beore them and Sargava is ready to al l

under their hellish sway. The Inner Sea will all with the

rest as soon as Absalom rests rmly in the bloodied handso House Thrune.

Goals: Hell on GolarionChelax ians plan to spread the dark inuence o Asmodeus

across the ace o Golarion. They bring order to chaos,

quell the troublesome concepts o reedom and sel-

determination, and leave broken souls eager to accept

the bondage o slavery in their wake. The world must

come to terms with the order o things. Mortals serve

at the knee o greater powers. The devils o the Nine

Hells are Golarions natural overlords and i the rabble

gathered along the coast o the Inner Sea cant be made tounderstand this simple act, then they will be purged in

a torrent o re.

Methodology: The Kiss and the LashA true corrupter can convince a man to handover his soul, a blissul smile on his ace.

Paracountess Zarta Dra lneen

Chelaxians are masters o seduction as well as pain.

They bring their enemies to heel with promises o aid,

riches, and glory, but keep them in line with cruel lashes

and hellre. The Cheliax action wins others to its dark

cause with temptation. Lust, power, riches, vanity, theChelaxians oer all, and cater to the sinul nature in

every man to bri ng him low. I a oe cannot be seduced, he

must instead be scourged. Many missions o the Cheliax

action involve tempting upright people into darkness

and vice, and then threatening to expose their sins unless

they aid the empire as dutiul agents. The tricks o devils

have claimed mens souls since time immemorial and

they serve the Chelaxians well in their quest or control

o Absalom.

Faction Leader: Paracountess Zarta Dralneen

Most people thought Zarta was nothing more than thespoiled daughter o a wealthy paracount. Then her ather

collapsed, his ace purpled by poison, and she assumed

control o House Dralneen smoothly with her elder

brothers consent . Contant rumors abound that her elder

brother has long been deceased , and the thing that

wears his skin now is just one o Zartas many diabolic

servants.

Zarta relishes her role in Absalom. Shes always ound

the city rie with sins-in-the-making, and takes pleasure

factionS and your PcS homelandThough a big chunk o this chapter oers examples o how

to play certain classes rom specifc countries, you are by no

means required to create a Pathfnder Society Organized Play

character rom the same country as the action they are loyalto. Ulen barbarians in service to Qadira, Vudrani monks in

service to Andoran, Mwangi Wizards in service to Cheliax, and

so on are all possibilities. Dont let our suggestions shorten

the list o locales your PCs could call home.


9/329


Now, Osirion emerges rom millennia o oreign rule

under the rulership o the youthu l Ruby Prince Khemet

III, who hearkens back to the ancient days o Osirions

glory. One year ago, Khemet opened the vast deserts o

Osir ionlong closed by the Keleshite overlords who held

the nation as a satrapy o Qadirato oreign exploration.

Today the great treasures and arcane ormulas o theliving gods o ancient Osirion are unearthed or the

entire world to see, and the ascendancy o the Land o

Pharaohs is at hand.

Most Inner Sea nations view Osirion as a relic rom

a bygone age. In truth, Osirion is a slumbering giant

that, when awakened, could wash away all edgling

challengers with the power o its traditions. The

Osirians are wise people who look deep into the past

or answers to present troubles. Their sense o history

gives them a unique perspective on the ebb and ow o

power in the political landscape o the modern Inner

Sea. Many olk o Osirion are o old Garundi blood,bronze-skinned, and gied wit h the noble bearing o

the ancient pharaohs. It would take a special brand o

ool to ignore this semblance o power and dismi ss the

Osirion action as less o a threat than any o the other

our actions clamoring or control o Absalom.

Goals: Uncover the Power of the PastIn bygone ages, the pharaohs o Ancient Osirion created

wonders beyond reason. They concocted potent arcane

plagues to destroy their enemies and erected mighty

monuments capable o entrapping the souls o deities.

Let the other actions jockey or meager political ancy

or table scraps like avorable economic sanctions.Osirion is interested in rediscovering the powerul

artiacts o its heritage, and preventing their the by

aggressive powers such as Cheliax. Once these powers

are returned to their rightul hands, no one shall dare

breach Osir ions borders again.

Methodology: Hide Your PowerThe grasping hands o petty thieves cannottake what they do not know you have.

Amenopheus, the Sapphire Sage

For centuries now, the other powers of the InnerSea have regarded Osirion as an impotent nation of

conquered people. Osirion wouldnt have it any other

way. Since the Ruby Prince ascended the ancestral

throne, Osirion has been gathering its power and

preparing to make a bid for supremacy of the Inner Sea.

Most of the Osirion factions missions involve quietly

undermining the power of their enemies. Osirion

agents in Absalom plant the seeds of dissolution with

a whisper or a poisonous draught, never with a naked

in Golarions largest cesspool o corruption. She uses

her beauty and her diabolic power in equal measures to

corrupt the souls o her enemies. Its been said Zarta i s an

erinyes in human orm, but one vict im o her corrupting

inuence who lost his entire amily in a quest to please

the coy womans evil whims claims: She could set the

most salacious succubi to school.Zarta paints the veneer o a cultured aristocratic lady

on her outside, especially when appearing on ocial

Chelish business (her cover role in Absalom is that o a

diplomatic envoy), but the promise o soul-blasting sin

is an ever present dance her sultry eyes, and the orgies o

excess she holds at her private villa are legendary aairs

that most scorn with curses, even as they secretly yearn

or an invitation.

Chelaxian PathndersSince House Thrune rose to prominence, reclaiming

the past glories o Cheliax and re-establishing theirootholds across the world has been their pri mary goal.

Chelish armies amass in the ruthless homeland, and

their agents push ar and wide seeking to expand the

diabolic empires inuence. Chelish culture is widely

popular, and their ashions show up in most nations

across Avistan and Garund. House Thrune places

a high priority on discovering the relics o the past

and controlling the revelation and interpretation o

historical nds. T he noble houses o Cheliax encourage

the populace and even their own scions to join the

Pathnder Society and seek treasures o ancient power

to bolster the empire.

Pathnders not raised in Cheliax yet sti ll loyal to theCheliax ac tion in Absalom typical ly seek some orm o

personal power that they eel their loyalty to Cheliax

will provide them. They see the advantages in bending

ends to the will o men (despite the incredible risks)

and are generally more obsessed with ancient artiacts

o power than their ellow Pathnders.

To learn more about Cheliax, read the Pathnder

Chronicles Campaign Setting hardcover.

oSirion

We must nd the strength o mountains

buried in our past and bring it to bear on thoseools who think we are nothing but dust in thewind.

Amenopheus, the Sapphire Sage

Osirion was once the most glorious empire o Golarion.

Pharaohs ruled as gods on earth, their monuments

towered over even Thassilons mightiest, and their

armies could churn a kingdom to mud and blot out the

sun on wings o death.


10/3210


blade , and never with a witness . Jus t as most of the

Great Emerald Sphinx is buried beneath the sands of

Osirions deserts, so is the nations power carefully

hidden in secret brotherhoods and spies loyal to

the pharaonic throne. When Absalom sits firmly in

Osirions grasp, then Khemet III shall decla re himself

Pharaoh in the tradition of his ancestors and Osirions

Second Golden Age shall follow.

Faction Leader: Amenopheus, Sapphire SageThe Jeweled Sages o Osirion were plotting the courses

o the stars when the other people o the Inner Sea were

living in caves and wearing rotting urs. When the

Keleshite satrapy seized control o the kingdom, they

razed monuments to the ground and savaged the ancient

traditions o Osirion. The Jeweled Sages were disbanded,

and those who didnt recant their astrological powers

were executed in a most gruesome ashion.

Now the Ruby Prince has reinstated the order. They nolonger gaze toward the stars, but rather seek the answers to

Osirions destiny in the hearts o their enemies. The Jeweled

Sages are now Osirions spymasters, agents o the throne

who gather webs o operatives and oversee their missions.

Amenopheus claims to trace his blood to the line o the

Jeweled Sages o antiquity. This time-weathered Garundi

sage wears his long black beard in a single braid adorned

with nothing but copper bands. He wears austere red

robes and simple leather sandals, and dodders, losing

his train o thought oen or blathering humorous

tales or anecdotes that seem simple to most, but oen

conceal a proound lesson. Those unortunate to get on

Amenopheuss bad side ear the old mans piercing gaze,and know ull well he conceals a dozen wands o power in

the wide sleeves o his robes.

Amenopheus is supposedly the advisor to an obese

Osirian noble, named Dremdhet Salhar, who sits on the

Grand Council o Absalom, but in truth, the at noble

never utters a sentence not planted in his mind by the

Sapphire Sage rst.

Some rumormongers claim Amenopheus was a

Pathnder in his youth who wandered the world or

years beore returning to Osirion to serve his Prince. He

has been assigned to Absalom since Prince Khemet III

ascended the throne in Osirion and knows the city betterthan most natives born and bred there. Few are aware o

the sages true role, and many o the agents serving him

think they work or another spymaster. Only the most

trusted operatives in his service ever meet ace to ace

with the Sapphire Sage. They say he avors Pathnders,

perhaps out o nostalgia or his own past exploits in the

organizations service.

Other rumors concerning Amenopheuss true nature

abound. Some claim to have glimpsed ancient tapestries

dating back to Osirions golden age thousands o years

past where a sage bearing a striking resemblance to

Ameonphues administered to the pharaohs o old. A ew

whisper that Amenopheus is no mortal man at all but

rather some ancient undead abomination, the original

Sapphire Sage whose tomb was cracked open by the Ruby

Prince and whose mummied corpse was awakenedto serve as advisor to the Prince, as he once did to the

pharaohs o ancient Osirion.

Osirion PathndersOsirion is rie with ancient tombs, lost relics, and

orgotten cities buried under the swirling sands. Many o

the best and brightest Pathnders cut their teeth in this

sprawling empire o living history and ancient tradition.

Few countries possess such wizened sages or as competent

explorers as Osirion.

Pathnders not raised in Osirion yet still loyal to the

Osirion action in Absalom usually come rom strong,ancestor worship-based cultures rom across Golarion.

They see the goals o the Osirians as laudable and hope

to ride the coat tails o powerul pharaohs to glory and

honor in the aer lie. Others see vast, unplumbed tombs

buried deep beneath the desert sands and pledge their

loyalty to Osirion on a sliver o hope that theyll one day

crack the seal on an ancient burial chamber and uncover

wealth beyond imagination.

To learn more about Osir ion, read Pathnder Chronicles

Campaign Setting hardcover and read or play in the

ollowing Pathnder Modules: J1: Entombed with the

Pharaohs and the soon-to-be-released J4: The Pact Stone

Pyramid. Keep an eye on paizo.com this December orthe third Pathnder Companion, Osirion: Land o the

Pharaohs.

Qadira

Let them sit on their thrones and revel in theirpower. They still need spice or their meat,cloves or their breath, and incense or theirbarbaric stench. Let their taxes ow to our

golden cofers as ast as we can collect them.

Pasha Muhlia Al-JakriThe westernmost satrap o Casmarons Padishah Empire

o Kelesh, Qadira is a kingdom with the power o a

sprawling empire at its back. Qadira is Keleshs doorway

to Avistan, and is perhaps the single most valuable piece

o real estate on Golarion. Rivers o spice and gold ow

through its capital o Katheer, and Xerbystes II, the

Satrap o Qadira, boasts correctly that his kingdom holds

the wealth o any other three on the Inner Sea.


11/3211


a sack. She was a natural murderess and the shah decided

to train her.

She soon surpassed her teachers skills with a blade

and earned the recognition o one o Xerbystes more

dangerous operatives. She became a Silent Blade o

Katheer in short order and was responsible or the deaths

o dozens o merchant princes and trader captains whoreused to comply with the sat raps commands.

Absalom is Muhlias current assignment and has

earned her the title o pasha. Her ocial role in the city

is as a trade commissioner overseeing Qadiran trader

captains maniests. This paper-pushing job is boring

enough to cast o too much scrutiny. Meanwhile, she

organizes cabals o subtle and dangerous agents to serve

the satraps overarching goals in the city and tear down

the economic oundations o Qadiras enemies.

Qadiran Pathnders

Qadira is an outward-looking nation seeking protabletrade in every port on Golarion. The wealth o the world

is theirs or the taking. Opportunists by nature, Qadirans

make excellent Pathnders. They are earless, adaptable,

and highly cosmopolitan. They nd other cultures, while

obviously inerior to their own, interesting and rie with

plunder. The Pathnder Society is the perect instrument

with which Qadira can scatter agents and emissaries

across the globe to increase trade contacts and negotiate

lopsided alliances with lesser peoples a thousand leagues

rom the shining glory o Katheer.

Pathnders not raised in Qadira yet still loyal to the

Qadiran Faction in Absalom are generally rom two

types o people: those who wish to use their rewards asa Qadiran loyalist to create a personal empire o trade

wealth that spans the Inner Sea, and those who see service

to one o the wealthiest trade nations on Golarion as an

opportunity to gain wealth by simple association. Either

way, the massive armadas o trade ships that Qadira

launches every week into the salty waters o the Inner Sea

are clearly creating roads throughout the Inner Sea that

any loyalist could easily ollow.

To learn more about Qadira, read Pathnder Chronicles

Campaign Setting hardcover.

taldorThe sun o Taldors empire has set. It is up tous to see it rise again in our time.

Baron Jacquo Da lsine

Old Taldor once ruled the entire northern coast o the Inner

Sea, rom gold gilded Oppara to the wild rontier o Varisia.

Now its reduced to a quarter o its ormer glory. As Old

Taldors gaze turned ever inward, its vassals and conquered

colonies slowly slipped away without a ght. Andoran and

Qadira has long been a power to be reckoned with.

Taldor has elt the bite o their scimitars and nearly lost

their entire empire in the struggle. Osir ion bowed beore

them or over three thousand years. The war drums o

Katheer have been silent or an age, but they never stopped

waging their wars. Gold is their weapon now, spices are

their shield, and their incredible trading power is theirarmor.

Qadirans value wealth above all else and they seek to

make their ortunes abroad. The wealth o Absalom, and

more importantly the trading opportunities proered by

control o the great city, has long drawn the gaze o the

satraps most powerul merchant princes. Many Qadirans

are ready to leave their deserts behind or the promise o

lustrous Absalom gold.

Goals: No Life without TradeThe world is small and gets smaller every day. The key

to power is trade. Qadira couldnt care less who sits onthe Grand Council o Absalom, so long as the Qadiran

trade eet dominates the harbor. Qadira plans to rule the

Inner Seas trade and then bleed their enemies coers

dry. Collecting debts and supplying the demands o other

nations peoples is how Qadira plans to rule. I their

kingdoms slave to send gold east, the satrapy remains

contented.

Methodology: All that Glitters is PowerYou can always pay someone to murder yourenemies.

Pasha Muhli a Al-Ja kriThe Qadiran ac tion seeks trade and economic advantage

above all else. They seek to break their enemies

monopolies and enorce their own. They oer wares and

goods no one else can supply and destroy competition

with a ruthlessness that put the devil-bowing Chelish to

shame. Qadiran missions involve a greater plan, usually

embarrassing or deaming an economic rival, or ruining

the business o another nat ions trade companies.

Faction Leader: Pasha Muhlia Al-JakriThe rst emale pasha in an age, Muhlias ather was a

simple spice peddler on the streets o Katheer with anunortunate penchant or gambling. When the local street

shah came to collect, he sold Muhlia to absolve himsel.

Muhlia was slated to be sold into pleasure slavery, but she

quickly proved ar too dangerous and ar too useul or

such an ignominious ate. She put a knie in the street

shahs best enorcer, and when she realized this would

earn her a swi death at the shahs hands, she ed only to

come back the next day with the head street shahs rival in


12/3212


Cheliax broke o hundreds o years ago, and ew in Taldor

had either the desire or the motivation to go to war to stop

it. Why bother dealing with petty trifes in the countryside

when your own political destruction is taking place in the

limelight o Taldan high society?

Its easy to orget Taldors ormer glory and dismiss the

entire country as a band o narcissistic ools who spendmore time preening their wigs than they do deending

their borders or quelling the unrest roiling within their

great cities. Little do most know that while the majority o

Taldors upper crust are more concerned with this seasons

ashions than the well being o their collapsing empire, a

ew o the worlds most dangerous operatives are honed in

the constant battleground o Opparas euds. Old enmities

between ancient houses have enguled the Gilded City in

shadowy violence and assassinations or hundreds o years,

and more than a air share o skilled adventurers have come

up surviving the euds, either as hired muscle or scions o

noble houses mixed up in these cauldrons o bloodshed.Taldans are decadent bon vivants, avoring rich oods,

ornate attire, and jeweled accoutrements or even the

most minor o casual aairs. To a Taldan, appearance

is an expression o power, and a keen sense o ashion

represents a keen mind. Their appreciation or the arts

extends beyond ashion and painting, dabbling in sorcery,

dueling, and the murky strategies o politics and war. A

Taldan mind, when raised to ire, is a dangerous thing,

and the rest o the Inner Sea is about to receive a painul

reminder o this timeless act.

Goals: Get Back in the Game

Petty dierences and ancient euds have slowly groundTaldor down rom a great polished stone to a whittled

nub. The key to restoring the empires sense o purpose

lies in nding an enemy to galvanize Taldors splintered

actions, an endeavor worthy o rediscovering the nations

august past glory. Seizing the political reins o Absalom

is the perect medicine or the wasting disease deep in

Taldors bones.

Methodology: Wolf and TigerOur weakness must now be our strength:centuries o petty inghting have aforded

us one weaponsurely there is no one whocan claim as true a mastery o intrigue as weTaldans!

Jacquo Dalsine

Taldors strategy or seizing control o Absalom lies in

turning its enemies upon one another. Misdirection and

psychological warare are the orders o the day. Taldan

missions might involve sparking old enmities between

Qadira and Osirion or driving Cheliax and Andoran to

rekindle their old war. Sick the wol on the tiger and the

hunters work is done is an old Taldan say ing.

Faction Leader: Jacquo DalsineA ew among Taldors elite realize the oolish end their

empire is headed toward and plan to reverse it beore the

entire nation collapses. Jacquo Dalsine is the very pictureo a Taldan dandy. A slender and eete gentleman, Jacquo

appears the ver y model o a decadent Taldan op.

The truth is while Jacquo can carouse and scribe poetr y

with the best o them, his avorite art is perormed with a

blade and he is one o the better swordsman on the Inner

Sea. To Jacquo, the arts o politics and intrigue are no

dierent than a duel. There are deceptions, engagements,

eints, and disengagements, not to mention lightning

ast ripostes. Jacquo sees Taldor as an ailing old duelist,

tottering toward death on a oes blade, but he knows the

empire possesses great puissance i it can be reminded

o its ormer glory. For now, it is key to turn the bladeso Taldors enemies on one another long enough or

the decaying empire to nd its ooting. Some day, Old

Taldor may rise again and hold its sword high once again,

making all o Golarion tremble at its power.

Taldan PathndersJoining a secret society is just another dalliance or most

Taldans. The Pathnders are all the rage and everyone

loves to hear o their exploits. Many Taldans join the

Society simply to keep with the ashion o the times or

to ensure they have something particularly engaging

to converse about at parties. Others join the Pathnder

Society in hopes o sparking a renewed golden age ortheir decaying empire, and bringing Taldor back to the

oreront o power in Avistan . What most oreigners cant

seem to understand is that many Taldans join up or both

reasons. Misdirection is a staple o every Taldans diet,

and most rely on a oppish or ippant exterior to hide

their harder machinations.

Pathnders not raised in Taldor yet still loyal to

the Taldor action in Absalom oen see the decadent,

crumbling empire as a haven or untapped historic

wealth. Taldor has plundered nearly every country on

the Inner Sea and or an unscrupulous treasure hunter

or collector o rare artiacts, attaching ones sel to theTaldor actions means a closer proximity to millennia

o signicant archaeological treasures. Still others hope

that by pledging loyalty to a culture based entirely on the

whims o the wealthy with an incredibly complex system

o honor and respect that they might learn a great deal

about how to make the world move around them rather

than be moved by the world.

To learn more about Taldor, read Pathnder Chronicles

Campaign Setting hardcover.


13/3213


chaPter 4:creatinG your Pathfinder

Herein lies everything you need to know to create yourown Pathnder and register this character at paizo.

com/pathndersociety or ocial play in Season 0 o

Pathnder Society Organized Play and beyond. See pages

3032 or a character record sheet and a quick-start sheet

or convention play.

Step 1: FactionYouve had a chance to amiliarize yoursel with the ve

actions in Season 0 o Pathnder Society Organized

Play, so at this point you decide where your loyalties lie.

Select your action and start thinking about how and why

your character works or them. Remember that you donthave to be rom a nation to be a member o their action.

Careully review all o the possibilities among the ve

actions in Chapter 3 and then make your choice.

Step 2: AbilitiesIn Pathnder Society Organized Play, all characters are

created equal. Each characters ability scores are allocated

by spending a pool o 20 points. The cost o abil ity scores

is on the table below:

Ability Scoe CostsScoe Points

7 4

8 2

9 1

10 0

11 1

12 2

13 3

14 5

15 7

16 10

17 13

18 17

In the case o negative point values, the points are

added to the characters pool.

Note: No character may begin play with an ability

score below 7. Keep this in mind when assigning racial

modiers.

For example, lets say Mr. Gary Olem is creating his

Pathnder, and he has his heart set on creating a hairless

Ouat o the Osirion court named Taar Rahkt, a ormer

bodyguard o a Sothan wizard who has decided to take on

chanGinG factionS

Every season ends in June at the Origins Game Fair,

and July is a bridge month between seasons. In the

month o July (and only in the month o July,) you have

the option to change actions i you so desire. Though

the option to change actions exists, the consequences

o sacricing your loyalty to one action and pledging itto another are dire.

By changing actions, your Pathnder immediately

loses all Prestige Awards gained previously, resetting

your PA score to 0. Though you retain any gear, items,

or rewards previously gained through your PA score, you

cannot gain any new gear, items, or rewards rom your

new action until youve gained enough new prestige to

do so. Also, any eats you possess that have a membership

requirement o your old action are lost. You can replace

any eats selected rom the old actions eat list during the

course o character advancement with eats rom the new

actions eat list, but you cannot replace the bonus eat yougained at 1st level . That eat is lost orever as a consequence

o your shiing loyalties.

Its good to keep in mind that the total PA score or

each action (not each player) is reset every August at the

beginning o the new season. Changing actions to switch

to the winning team, or example, doesnt guarantee that

youre switching to the team that will win the next season,

as every action starts each new season at 0.

Factions and Your Fellow PathndersEvery PC in Pathnder Society Organized Play is a

Pathnder rst and a member o their action second.

At no point should you betray, harass, or murder anotherPathnder in order to accomplish your missions. The

missions built into the scenarios or you to pursue are

designed to NEVER involve direct conict with another

actions Pathnders. Remember that you are pawns in a

massive shadow war, and escalating this to a hot war is not

in the best interest or any action. Play it cool, do your best

to accomplish your missions subtly, and do not attempt

to derail the eorts o ellow Pathnders, as this is more

likely to see you booted out o the Society more than it will

aid your action.

The long term plans o your action are clouded in

obuscation and mystery. I you are kicked out o theSociety or interering in another Pathnders activities

or worse, or killing them, you will be o no urther use,

and the damage you may have caused them by your brash

actions ar outweighs any boon. Remember the shadow

war your action ghts is one o intrigue, not o ashing

blades and killing spells.


14/3214


his masters obsession with rare artiacts by becoming a

Pathnder. Garys character starts o with a pool o 20

points to spend on Taars ability scores:

Gary decides that he wants Taar Rahkt to be a monk,

so he rst spends 7 points on Wisdom or a score o 15,

and then decides to spend 5 more on Strength and 5

more on Dexterity. With 3 points le he puts them on hisConstitution or a score o 13, so now Taar Rahkts stats

are as ollows:

Aer re-evaluating his choices, Gary decides it might

be un or Taar to be a litt le slow. He thinks playing a

character with a high Wisdom and a low Intelligence is

a un roleplaying chal lenge, and hes toying with the idea

that this Ouat bodyguard might have been a slave in his

youth and didnt have access to proper education and

learningmaybe he even has trouble reading. So, Gary

decides to take 2 points o o his Intelligence (lowering his

score to 8). He also decides Taar is not exactly a charmer.

As a ormer bodyguard, he never really learned the gi o

gab and so Gary decides to take 1 point o his Charisma(lowering his score to 9). With 3 extra points in his pool now,

Gary decides to spend them all to increase his Wisdom to

16. Taar Rakhts abilities now look like this:

Step 3: Race and Class

Aer youve spent your pool o attribute points and

nalized your ability scores, you must decide the race and

class o your Pathnder. All o the options in the PH are

available to you with one minor adjustment. Magic item

creation is not used in Pathnder Society Organized Play,

thereore 1st level wizards do not gain Scribe Scroll as a

bonus eat, but rather get Spell Focus instead.

Since youve chosen your action already you may wish

to actor it into this decision. Any combination is valid, but

some are more dicult to roleplay than others. Playing

a haling paladin rom Cheliax is certainly possible,though it requires an interesting backstory to make it

believable. Ulti mately though, the choice is yours.

Once youve selected your race and class apply them

to your character record sheet. I you chose a race

besides human, adjust your attributes according to thei r

modiers. To continue our example o Taar Rakht rom

Step 2, Gary has already decided he wants Taar to be a

dwar, more specically an Ouat rom Osirion, and

chooses the monk class or his rst level (hes already

thinking about branching out into ghter later though.)

Keep in mind, though, that anything that causes an

XP penalty to leveling, such as a penalty received rommulti-classing against your races avored class, is simply

prohibited in Pathnder Society Organized Play due to

the simplied XP system.

Getting back to Taar, Gary notes that the monk

receives a bonus o +2 on his Constitution and a 2 on

his Charisma accordingly, and then adds Taars racial

and class eatures as well as base saves and base attack

bonus to his cha racter record sheet . Taar Rakht now

looks like this:

Name: Taar Rahkt

Faction: Osirion

Race: Dwar

Class: Monk

Level: 1st

Base Attack Bonus: +0

Fortitude +4

Reex +4

Will +5

Strength: 14

Dexterity: 14

Constitution: 14

Intelligence: 8

Wisdom: 16

Charisma: 7

Racial Features:

Base Land Speed: 20 eet

Size: Medium

Darkvision 60 eet

Stonecunning

Weapon Familiarity: Dwarven Waraxes and Dwarven

Urgoshes

Stability

+2 racial bonus on saves vs. poison

T

/STR

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

HP

INITIATIV

T

/STR

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

HP

INITIATIV

14

14

10

8

14

14

15

16

13

12

10

9


15/3215


+2 racial bonus to saves vs. spells and spell-like abilities.

+1 racial bonus to attack rolls against orcs and goblinoids

+4 dodge bonus to AC against giants

+2 racial bonus to Appraise checks

2 racial bonus to Cra checks related to stone or metal.

Automatic Languages: Common and Dwarven

Class Features:Bonus eat (Gary selects Stunning Fist)

Flurry o Blows

Unarmed Strike

Step 4: Skills

Next up is the specic training your character has

received. This is done in the standard ashion described

in the PH. Determine your starting skill points and

spend them as you see t.

Taars slow wits deprive him o a plethora o skil l points

to spend, so Gary has to be thriy. He decides Taarstraining as a bodyguard denes him so he purchases 3

ranks in both Listen and Spot (leaving him only 6 ranks

remaining to spend). He spends another 2 ranks each on

Climb, Jump and Tumble and calls it a day. Aer applying

his attribute modiers, Taars skills look like this:

Climb +4

Jump +4

Listen +6

Spot +6

Tumble +4

Step 5: FeatsNext choose your characters eats according to the

guidelines in the PH.

The ollowing eats are not available in Pathnder

Society Organized Play:

Brew Potion

Cra Magic Arms and Armor

Cra Rod

Cra Sta

Cra Wand

Cra Wondrous Item

Forge RingLeadership

Scribe Scroll (Wizard PCs select Spell Focus at 1st level

instead.)

In addition to the usual eats listed in the PH, every

character in Pathnder Society Organized Play has access

to action eats and may select one rom their chosen

action as a bonus eat at 1st level in addition to eats they

are entitled to rom race or class. A Pathnder may only

select action eats rom their chosen actions list. These

eats may also be chosen whenever a character o the

appropriate action gains the ability to select a new eat.

andoran

CAPTAINS BLADEYou were born ship-board and learned to walk and ght

alongside the sailing men and women o the Andoren

eet.

Prerequisites: Andoran action.

Benet: While on board a ship, you get a +2 bonus on

Balance and Climb skill checks. In addition, you receive

a +1 circumstance bonus on attack rolls made while

anking on board a ship.

EXPLOrEr

A proud Andoren explorer heritage runs in your veinsand you are a natural waynder.

Prerequisite: Andoran action.

Benet: You get a +2 bonus on Survival skill checks. In

addition, when traveling through the wilderness, you and

your allies can move aster th rough t rack less land. When

calculating your overland movement rate, increase your

hourly and daily travel rates by 25%.

FrEEDOM FIGHTErYour amily has long battled the oes o reedom and

you are skilled in waging guerilla campaigns against

oppressors.

Prerequisite: Andoran action.Benet: You get a +2 bonus on Hide skill checks. In

addition, you receive a +1 circumstance bonus on attack

rolls when you attack a at-ooted oe during the surprise

round.

HuNTErS EYEYou are especially blessed by Erastil and are a prodigy

with a longbow or shortbow.


Benet: You do not suer a penalty or the rst range

increment when using a longbow or shortbow. The

penalty or attacks made at targets within the secondrange increment is 4 as normal. In addition, you can

draw a longbow or shortbow as a ree action.

Normal: Drawing a weapon is a move action or (i your

base attack bonus is +1 or higher) as a ree action as part

o movement.

INDOMITABLEYour strong, sel-determined swagger has made you more

resistant to domination and control.


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Prerequisites: Andoran action.

Benet: You get a +1 bonus on saves against enchantment

spells and eects. In addition, you receive a +4 bonus

on opposed level checks to avoid being aected by an

Intimidate skill check.

LIBErATOrYour people have worn shackles and you swear to never

let it happen again.


Benet: You get a +2 bonus on Escape Artist checks and

can attempt to escape rom rope-binding, manacles, and

other nonmagical restraints as a standard action. You

also receive a +2 bonus on Strength checks made to break

bonds.

Normal: Using Escape Artist to attempt to escape rom

rope bindings, manacles, and other nonmagical restrai nts

takes 1 minute.

cheliaX

DEvILS MArKYou bear the blasphemous stain o a higher end upon

you and any evi l creature who sees it may think twice

beore crossing you.

Prerequisite: Cheliax action.

Benet: You get a +4 bonus on all Blu, Diplomacy, Gather

Inormation, Handle Animal , and Intimidate skill checks

when dealing with outsiders o the evil subtype.

DrINKEr OF SOuLSYou have in you a ell hunger that can only be satised by

the souls o dying oes. You gain obscene power when you

satisy this hellish craving.


Benet: Once per day, whenever you use a coup de

grace action to kill a living creature you gain a number

o temporary hit points equal to its Hit Dice. This is

a supernatural ability that does not stack with other

temporary hit points or eects that trigger on a oes

death. These temporary hit points last or 1 hour.

MASTEr OF PENTACLESThe subtle and complicated arts o summoning are assimple as numerals and the alphabet to you.


Benet: Whenever you cast a spell o the conjuration

(calling) or conjuration (summoning) school, you are at +2

caster level when determining the duration o the spell.

PrESENCE OF THE PIT FIENDYour people hold court with pit ends and erinyes on a

regular basis and, as a result, mere mortals are oen like

putty in your hands.


Benet: You gain a +2 bonus on Intimidate and Diplomacy

skill checks. Whenever you use Intimidate to demoralizea oe, that oe is shaken or a number o rounds equal 1

plus your Charisma modier (i positive).

SCION OF THE NINE HELLSYour bloodline is mingled with powerul ends and you

rarely ear their re.


Benet: You gain re resistance 2. This resistance

increases by +1 or every six levels you possess, to a

maximum o 5 at 18th level.

WrATH OF HELLYou have within you a urious storm o hellre that canlash out at oes.


Benet: You can, as a swi action, summon the hellre

that lurks inside you. This re surrounds your weapons,

adding 1 point o re damage to all o your melee attacks

or one round. In addition, or one round, anyone who

strikes you with a melee attack takes 1 point o re

damage. You can use this ability a number o times per

day equal to 3 plus your Charisma modier. This is a

supernatural ability.

oSirion

ATTuNED TO THE ANCESTOrSThe undead are not monsters, but rather the souls o your

honored ancestors. You need not ear them.

Prerequisite: Osirion action.

Benet: Once per day, you can surround yoursel with

an aura o unlie. Unintelligent undead ignore you

unless you take action against them, as per hide rom

undead. This protection lasts or 1 minute per char acter

level you possess. I you attack, or otherwise take an

oensive action, against undead during this eect, itimmediately ends.

DuNE WALKErYour people have long roamed the shiing and

treacherous sands and you do not ear the harsh wrat h o

the unorgiving desert.



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Benet: You receive a +4 bonus on Fortitude saves to

avoid taking nonlethal damage rom hot conditions and

Constitution checks made to avoid damage rom thi rst. In

addition, you can move through sand as i it were normal

terrain and do not suer any penalties on Balance and

Tumble checks when moving through desert terrain.

MuMMY-TOuCHEDAs a young child, you encountered the damning curses o

a thousand ages and survived.


Benet: You receive a +4 bonus on saves against diseases

and curses.

SECrET OF THE SPHINXYour ancestors paid the proper obeisance to Nethys,

granting their heirs special divinatory gis.


Benet: Once per week, you can ask a single question othe gods. This unctions as an augury spell, using your

character level as your caster level. Asking this question

takes 1 hour and requires the expenditure o 25 gp worth

o incense. This is a spell-like ability.

STAY DEATHS EMBrACEYour studies o death and your devout worship o

Pharasma have unlocked many secrets o the great

beyond. As a result , it is harder to send you there.

Prerequisite: Osirion action, worshiper o Pharasma.

Benet: You have a 25% chance to stabilize each round

when below 0 hit points. Once stable, you become conscious

one round later, although you are still disabled.Normal: You have a 10% chance to stabilize each round

when below 0 hit points.

TOMB rAIDErTreasures lying below the sands have enticed you since

childhood and you are adept at prying loose their

secrets.


Benet: You get a +2 bonus on Search skill checks. In

addition, i you are aware o a trap, you receive a +2 bonus

on saves to avoid that trap and a +2 dodge bonus to your

Armor Class when attacked by that trap.

Qadira

DErvISHYour people surv ive on the move and you are at your best

when whirling through and around your oes.

Prerequisite: Qadira action.

Benet: As long as you move more than 10 eet on

your tur n and wear light or no armor, you receive a +1

circumstance bonus on melee attack rolls.

DESErT SHADOWYou move with a quick and quiet grace and your enemies

are oen taken unawares by your silent speed.Prerequisite: Qadira action.

Benet: You get a +2 on Move Silently skill checks. In

addition, you do not take a penalty on Move Silently

checks while moving at ull speed.

Normal: You take a 5 penalty on Move Silently skill

checks while moving at ull speed.

DEvOTEE OF THE SuN GODDESSYou give your heart and soul to Sarenrae with unequivocal

zeal and she rewards you with a powerul blessing.

Prerequisite: Qadira action, worshiper o Sarenrae.

Benet: Any divine spell you cast with the re or gooddescriptor that deals damage deals an additional amount

o damage equal to your Charisma modier.

EASTErN MYSTErIESYour long study o ancient, arcane arts has made your

spell-casting style unique and opaque.

Prerequisite: Qadira action, ability to cast arcane spells.

Benet: You get a +2 bonus on Concentration ski ll checks.

In addition, Spellcra skill checks made to identiy

your spells suer a 4 penalty. You can, as a ul l-round

action, cast any spell that normally requires one standard

action to cast. Spells cast in this way increase their DC

by +1. This has no eect on spells that take longer than 1standard action to cast.

GOLD FINGErThe is your amilys traditional proession and you are

proud example o that tradition.


Benet: You get a +2 bonus on Sleight o Hand skil l checks.

In addition, anyone who is observing your attempt to use

Sleight o Hand gets a 4 penalty on their Spot check to

notice the attempt.

HOrSE LOrDYour people are masters o battling on horseback andyou have mastered their r are ski ll .


Benet: You get a +2 bonus on Ride skill checks. While

mounted, you also receive a +1 dodge bonus to your

Armor Class.


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SCIMITAr MASTErYou are well-trained in the art o your nations signature

blade.


Benet: While wielding a scimitar, you gain a +4 bonus

on opposed checks against disarm and sunder attempts.

I you score a critical threat with a scimitar, you receive a+2 bonus on the conrmation attack roll.

taldor

EXPErT DuELISTYou have spent countless hours perecting the art o the

duel, ocusing your eints on deeating a single oe who

has earned your ire.

Prerequisite: Taldor action.

Benet: You gain a +1 dodge bonus to your Armor Class

and a +2 bonus on Blu skill checks made to eint as longas you are only adjacent to a single oe.

FOrGOTTEN MAGICTaldors mystic arts are old and archaic. Some are lost to

most, but your amily has passed a ew mysteries down

or generations.


Benet: Select one spell that you can cast. You cast this

spell at +1 caster level. In addition, any dispel check made

against this spell through dispel magic, or a similar

eect, is at a 4 penalty.

Special: You can gain this eat multiple times. Its eects

do not stack. Each time you take this eat, it applies to anew spell.

IMPrESSIvE PrESENCETaldans know how to make an entrance and are skilled

beyond measure in the art o shock and awe. Your

grandiose sense o style makes it dicult or anyone (or

anything) to ignore you.

Prerequisite: Taldor action

Benet: As a ull-round action, you can attempt to draw

attention to yoursel. All creatures within 30 eet must

make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 your character level +

your Charisma modier), or become distracted by yourdisplay. Distracted creatures suer a 2 penalty on Listen

and Spot skill checks as well as a 2 penalty on Initiative

checks. These penalties persist or 1 minute, as long as

you are sti ll within line o sight . This abil ity cannot be

used during combat.

PErFOrMANCE ArTISTYou studied in the avant garde theatre scene o Taldor.

Your perormance skills have been known to bring even

the toughest crowd to their eet.


Benet: Choose one type o Perorm skill. You get a +2

bonus on such Perorm skill checks. This bonus increasesto +5 when you are usi ng Perorm to earn money.

POISONErYour amily has long carried on the gloried tradition o

ending mens lives with bitter herbs and venoms.


Benet: You gain a +2 bonus on Fortitude saves against

poison. In addition, you do not risk accidentally poisoning

yoursel when you roll a natural 1 on an attack roll with a

poisoned weapon.

vINDICTIvEProne to endless euds, your people simply do not orgivea slight easily.


Benet: You receive a +1 bonus on attack rolls made

against creatures that damaged you in the previous round

with a ranged or melee attack.

Gary decides his Ouat bodyguard is going to take

Improved Initiative or his rst-level eat (he wants Taar

to be ready to deend his riends at a moments notice.)

For his bonus action eat, Gary decides Taar will take

Stay Deaths Embrace, a lasting symbol o his ormer

career as a bodyguard.

Step 6: AlignmentNo evil-aligned PCs are allowed in Pathnder Society

Organized Play. You may select any o the good or neutral

alignments (though obviously not neutral evil). Gary

chooses Lawul Neutral or Taars alignment.

Step 7: Hit PointsHit points and how you gain them as you level unction

dierently in Pathnder Society Organized Play. Thetable below shows hit dice per class, hit points at rst

level, and hit points gained each level.


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Class Hit Dice Hit Points Hit Points

at 1st-Leel1 Gained Pe Leel1

Barbarian d12 12 7

Bard d6 6 4

Cleric d8 8 5

Druid d8 8 5Fighter d10 10 6

Monk d8 8 5

Paladin d10 10 6

Ranger d8 8 5

Rogue d6 6 4

Sorcerer d4 4 3

Wizard d4 4 3

1: Add this number to your constitution bonus plus any applicable

eats, such as Toughness.

Step 8: Character Background, Physical

Features, and BeliefsWhat you have above is the mechanical skeleton o

your character. Now its time to esh it out. Let s give

your character some personality and some un quirks

to roleplay. Make the character a real person with

motivations, distinctive physical and emotional traits,

and a unique and interesting personal history.

A good way to bring your character to lie is to

ask yoursel some questions about them. Or ask them. I

they talk to you, go ahead and conduct a little interview

using the ollowing questions or others o your devising.

Though not required, answering these questions can give

you a clearer understanding o your character in a Societ ythat appreciates well though out and well roleplayed

characters.

Where were you born? When? How old are1.

you? Were you born into opulence? Were you

born behind a dung cart on a short break rom

another o your mothers back-breaking work

days?

Are your parents still alive? I not, when and2.

how did they die? Does their present situation

or the circumstances surrounding their deathhave any eect on your lie choices? What is

their legacy? Did they pass on a amily curse?

Was their ortune swindled away by a scurr ilous

villa in? Were they nobles? Were they dir t poor?

Were you ashamed o them? Were you proud

o them? Were they ashamed o you? Were

there secrets? Did your ather have a strange

signet ring that disappeared mysteriously

when he died? Did your mother run a mage

academy? Did people give you sidelong glances

and mutter about your real ather when you

walked past them in the market?

Do you have any siblings or other extended3.

amily? How important are they to you? Do

you love them? Hate them? A little o both? Arethey dead? Are they missing? Are they cursed

by an evi l lich? Do they own a ship? Do they

embarrass you? Do you embarrass them? Did

they marry the love o your lie? Do they steal?

Were they crippled in an accident you caused?

Blinded by a torturer because they wouldnt

give you up to the authorities? Do they hunt

you in vengeance?

What is your avorite color? I you could only eat4.

one ood or the rest o your lie, what would it

be? I you had 100,000 gold pieces to spend, andyou couldnt buy anything even remotely useul,

what would you spend it on? A menagerie o

exotic animals? A magical pleasure barge? An

ostentatious harpsichord? A personal che who

ollows you around? A parcel o swamp land? A

ossilized dire sloth?

Who do you hate? Who would you murder i5.

you were sure you could get away with it and no

one would ever nd out? I you could erase one

custom, invention, or practice rom the ace o

existence, what would it be? Why?

Who do you love? What person would you6.

sacrice a t housand people to save? Why do you

love them? Do they love you? Are you sure?

What do you look like? Are you stocky? Do you7.

have huge jowls? A pug nose, broken rom

too many bar brawls? The thick orearms o a

sailor? Spindly legs with knobby knees? A scar

across your orehead? A acial tick? A lazy eye?

Are you missing two ngers on your le hand?

What happened to those other ngers? Are you

bald? Do you have a braided beard with goldenornaments in it? Are you unnaturally tall? Are

you an albino? Do you have particu larly (and

unsettlingly) sharp teeth?

What do you believe in? Do you have aith in a8.

higher power? A god? A demon lord? I so which

one? Are you a pragmatist? Do you believe

people are born good? Evil? Do you believe in

ate? Do you think people choose their own


20/3220


destiny? Do you believe peace is the answer

to the worlds ills? Education? Conquest? Are

you a patr iot? Whats an ideal you hold on to?

Compassion? Bravery? Righteousness? Power?

How do you see yoursel? Are you superior to9.

others in your own mind? Are you unworthyo anothers love? Do you love yoursel ? Do you

hate yoursel? What are you araid o most?

What have you done that you are most ashamed

o? What single deed makes you most proud?

How do you dress? Do you wear black satin10.

doublets because they are slimming and

hide the weight you put on since you le the

monastery? Do you wear worn gray robes

because you believe hiding your power is

more important than showing o and inviting

unwanted attention? Do you wear sparklingjewels and garish colors to make a splash

wherever you roam? Do you avor the dress o

your people, or scorn it? Why?

How do you talk? Do you stutter? Do you11.

speak slowly, careul to phrase every sentence

perectly? Are you eloquent? Do you avor

strange syntax, such as always reerring to

yoursel in the third person? Do you speak

soly, or are you especially boisterous? Do

you have an accent? Do you grumble? Mutter?

Prattle? Do you speak in a high pitch? A low

growl? Do you only speak when spoken to?

What are your goals in lie? Do you want to12.

restore your amily honor? Do you want to

impress the woman o your dreams? Find your

lost child? Find the secret o immortality?

Write a poetic masterpiece worthy o passing

down through the ages? Find your mothers

long lost sword?

Now or the most important question: Why did you

join the Path nder Society? The lie o a Pathnder is

not one commonly chosen. Why did you choose it? Wasit your destiny? Are you trying to prove something? Do

you have a burning obsession with the past? A burning

obsession with money? Do you do it because it drives

the tavern wenches mad? Because it drives your parents

crazy? Because somebody has to? Because lie is the gods

biggest joke and you plan to laugh your way through it?

In Pathnder Society Organized Play, you may be

playing your character at conventions with several

dierent Game Masters. These GMs may ask to peruse

your character record sheet and previous chronicles prior

to start ing a scenario. I you wish it might be useul to jot

a ew o your avorite answers to the above questions on

a 3 5 Card and include it with the sheet so that the GM

can get a good handle on who your character is at a quick

glance. This may allow them to bring your background

into the adventure in subtle ways or even cater theoccasional situation to create a un dramatic moment

based on your personality traits.

Step 9: Starting EquipmentNow your Pathnder is alive! She is a whole person

dedicated to a action hailing rom a distinct racial

background, with a class , abil ities, sk ills, and eats, not to

mention a rich character background, distinctive physical

traits, and personal belies. All she lacks now is gear.

Every character in Pathnder Society Organized

Play begins the campaign with 150 gold pieces worth o

spending cash. A ll o the armor, weapons, and equipmentin Chapter Seven o the PH are available or purchase as

well as any o the items listed in the Equipment section

o Chapter 5 in the Pathnder Chronicles Campaign Setting

hardcover. You may not select items rom outside o these

lists during character creation.

chaPter 5:the three commandm

PATHFINDER: PFSociety OpenPlay

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