“You have my word as the Third Son of House Sovven.”

Though of humble nobility, House Sovven can trace their ancient lineage to the First Army of Exploration. Rauder is the third son of the current Patriarch: too young to inherit a position of rule, yet too old to live without responsibility. He thus bears the unenviable family obligation to provide an able body to the royal military.

Rauder is a proven martial paragon possessive of valiant charm and clear judgement. After years of formal swordsmanship and the finest equipment his family can provide, he enters the Grand Princess’ service with the intention of earning high distinction.

In an unusual turn of events, Rauder was granted special compensation to patrol the kingdom and its amicable neighbors as an adventurer. In doing so he safeguards the land from nonobvious threats and establishes connections with persons of interest. The arrangement also keeps Rauder detached from court intrigue and machinations. He is thus overlooked by malcontents seeking to undermine the throne and provides Her Highness with a loyalist unfamiliar to them.

UNIQUE LG MEDIUM ELF HUMAN HUMANOID
   Male Taldan half-elf fighter 5 (noble background)
   Perception +11; low-light vision
   Languages Elvish, Taldane
   Skills Athletics +13 (expert), Diplomacy +14 (expert), Lore: Genealogy +7 (trained), Medicine +9 (trained), Society +7 (trained)
   Str +4, Dex +0, Con +2, Int +0, Wis +2, Cha +4
   Worn Items backpack, diplomat’s badge, fine clothing, full plate, healer’s tools, 1gp, 6sp; Stored Items bedroll, flint and steel, pup tent, rations (2 weeks), rope (50 feet), sack, soap, torch (5), waterskin; Current Bulk 6.1

   AC 23; Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +11; bravery
   HP 73
   Attack of Opportunity ⟳ (fighter) Trigger A creature within Rauder’s reach uses a manipulate action or a move action, makes a ranged attack, or leaves a square during a move action it’s using. Effect Rauder makes a melee Strike against the triggering creature. If Rauder’s attack is a critical hit and the trigger was a manipulate action, Rauder disrupts that action. This Strike doesn’t count toward Rauder’s multiple attack penalty, and his multiple attack penalty doesn’t apply to this Strike.
   Shield Block ⟳ (fighter) Trigger While Rauder has his shield raised and he would take damage from a physical attack. Effect Rauder’s shield prevents him from taking an amount of damage up to the shield’s Hardness. Rauder and the shield each take any remaining damage, possibly breaking or destroying the shield.

   Speed 30 feet
   Melee ◆ +1 striking bastard sword +16 (magical, two-hand d12), Damage 2d8+4 slashing, Critical Specialization Effect The target is made off-balance by Rauder’s attack, becoming flat-footed until the start of Rauder’s next turn.

   Ancestry Feats ₁ General Training, ₅ Nimble Elf
   Class Feats ₁ Sudden Charge, ₂ Dueling Parry, ₄ Dual-Handed Assault
   General Feats ₁ Fleet, ₁ Shield Block, ₃ Toughness
   Skill Feats ₁ Courtly Graces, ₂ Bon Mot, ₄ Group Impression
   Class Abilities ₁ Attack of Opportunity, ₃ Bravery, ₅ Fighter Weapon Mastery (Sword), ₅ Critical Specialization

   Bon Mot ^APG ◆ (auditory, concentrate emotion, linguistic, mental, skill) Choose a foe within 30 feet and roll a Diplomacy check against the target’s Will DC. Critical Success The target is distracted and takes a -3 status penalty to Perception and Will saves for 1 minute. The target can end the effect early with a retort to Rauder’s Bon Mot. This can either be a single action that has the concentrate trait or an appropriate skill action to frame their retort. Typically, the retort needs to use a linguistic Charisma-based skill action. Success As critical success, but the penalty is -2. Critical Failure Rauder’s quip is atrocious. Rauder takes the same penalty an enemy would take had Rauder succeeded. This ends after 1 minute or if Rauder issues another Bon Mot and succeed.
   Courtly Graces (skill) Rauder can use Society to Make an Impression on a noble.
   Diehard (general) Rauder dies from the dying condition at dying 5, rather than dying 4.
   Dual-Handed Assault ◆ (fighter, flourish) Requirements Rauder is wielding a one-handed melee weapon and has a free hand. Effect Rauder makes a Strike with the required weapon. Rauder quickly switches his grip during the Strike in order to make the attack with two hands. If the weapon doesn’t normally have the two-hand trait, increase its weapon damage die by one step for this attack. If the weapon has the two-hand trait, you gain the benefit of that trait and a circumstance bonus to damage equal to the weapon’s number of damage dice. When the Strike is complete, Rauder resumes gripping the weapon with only one hand. This action doesn’t end any stance or fighter feat effect that requires Rauder to have one hand free.
   Dueling Parry ◆ (fighter) Requirements Rauder is wielding only a single one-handed melee weapon and has his other hand or hands free. Effect Rauder gains a +2 circumstance bonus to AC until the start of his next turn as long as he continues to meet the requirements.
   Group Impression (skill) When Rauder uses Make an Impression, he can compare his Diplomacy check result to the Will DCs of four targets instead of one. It’s possible to get a different degree of success for each target.
   Sudden Charge ◆◆ (fighter, flourish, open) Stride twice. If Rauder ends his movement within melee reach of at least one enemy, Rauder can make a melee Strike against that enemy. Rauder can use Sudden Charge while Burrowing, Climbing, Flying, or Swimming instead of Striding if he has the corresponding movement type.
   Toughness (general) The DC of recovery checks is equal to 9 + Rauder’s dying condition value.

   Diplomat’s Badge ◆ (enchantment, item 5, magical) Activate Recall Knowledge. Frequency Once per day. Effect Attempt a DC 20 check to Recall Knowledge about people of a human ethnicity, a non-human ancestry, or some other type of creature. If Rauder succeeds, the badge’s bonus increases to +2 for Diplomacy checks with creatures of that group for the rest of the day.
   True Blade of the House of Sovven ◆ (evocation, item 4, magical, two-hand d12) The ancestral sword of House Sovven, this +1 striking bastard sword has a +1 weapon potency rune (+1 item bonus to attack rolls with the weapon) and a striking rune (one extra damage dice).

Tactics Rauder will rush to the frontline and intercede himself as an obstacle to protect weaker allies. Past battles have taught Rauder a good defense is the foundation for a great offense. He therefore prioritizes Dueling Parry whenever possible.
   Sudden Charge ◆◆ → Dueling Parry ◆
   Bon Mot ◆ → Dual-Handed Assault ◆ → Dueling Parry ◆
   Dual-Handed Assault ◆ → Dueling Parry ◆ → Strike ◆

“The more one tries to understand magic, the less one actually understands magic.”

Decades ago, Zhi’fir began a search to discover the true origin of magic. These adventures brought her across the breadth of Avistan and Tian Xia. She held audiences with great dragons and unpronounceable entities. She allied herself to institutions that horde forgotten and lost learning. Yet these combined efforts, and dozens moreover, never brough Zhi’fir closer to the irrefutable truth.

Zhi’fir is convinced the answer she seeks cannot be found on Golarion; but elsewhere across the Outer Planes. Yet to explore these realms requires arcana she presently lacks. Zhi’fir has since dedicated her actions towards becoming an archimage able to travel beyond the Prime Material. Yet doing so drew the attention of powerful threats, both known and new to her. Disturbed at this strange turn of events, Zhi’fir ceased activities known to attract notice and maintains a low profile to avoid recognition until she amasses enough might to render them negligible.

UNIQUE N MEDIUM LIZARDFOLK HUMANOID
   Female wetlander ^LOCG lizardfolk ^LOCG wizard 16 (scholar background)
   Perception +23 (+2 for initiative); darkvision ⁺³, see invisibility ⁺³
   Languages Aquan, Draconic, Elven, Gnomish, Iruxi, Jotun, Senzar, Sylvan, Taldane, Tien
   Skills Acrobatics +22 (trained), Arcana +31 (legendary), Athletics +22 (trained), Crafting +27 (master), Diplomacy +18 (trained), Lore: Academia +23 (trained), Medicine +21 (trained), Occultism +23 (trained), Society +27 (master), Stealth +22 (trained), Survival +21 (trained)
   Str +4, Dex +4, Con +3, Int +5, Wis +3, Cha +0
   Worn Items backpack, boots of speed, bracers of armor ii, explorer’s clothing, handwraps of mighty blows, major endless grimoire, major staff of evocation, ring of wizardry iv, temporary scroll of darkvision ⁺³, temporary scroll of false life ⁺⁴, temporary scroll of water breathing ⁺², 1pp, 28gp, 8sp, 6cp; Stored Items bedroll, four-person tent, healer’s tools, mirror, rations (4 weeks), soap, waterskin (2), writing set; Current Bulk 2.2

   AC 36; Fort +25, Ref +26, Will +25; water breathing ⁺²
   HP 168 plus 23 temporary hit points
   Counterspell ^APG ⟳ (witch) Trigger A creature Casts a Spell that Zhi’fir has prepared. Effect When a foe Casts a Spell and Zhi’fir can see its manifestations, Zhi’fir can use her own magic to counter it. Zhi’fir expends a prepared spell to counter the triggering creature’s casting of that same spell. Zhi’fir loses her spell slot as if she had cast the triggering spell. Zhi’fir then attempts to counteract the triggering spell.
   Recognize Spell ⟳ (secret, skill) Trigger A creature within line of sight casts a spell that Zhi’fir doesn’t have prepared or in her spell repertoire, or a trap or similar object casts such a spell. Zhi’fir must be aware of the casting. Effect If Zhi’fir is trained in the appropriate skill for the spell’s tradition and it’s a common spell of 10th level or lower, she automatically identifies it (still roll to attempt to get a critical success). If Zhi’fir is not trained in the skill, she can’t get a result better than failure. Critical Success Zhi’fir correctly recognizes the spell and gains a +1 circumstance bonus to her saving throw or her AC against it. Success Zhi’fir correctly recognizes the spell. Failure Zhi’fir fails to recognize the spell. Critical Failure Zhi’fir misidentifies the spell as another spell entirely.

   Speed 30 feet, swim 30 feet
   Melee ◆ +1 striking lizardfolk razor claws +25 (agile, finesse, lizardfolk, magical, unarmed, versatile p), Damage 2d6+6 slashing
   Arcane Innate Spells DC 34, attack +24; 4th freedom of movement (once per day), stoneskin (once per day); Cantrip detect magic ⁺⁴ (at will)
   Arcane Prepared Spells DC 37, attack +27; 8th bind undead ⁺⁵, dispel magic ⁺⁶, horrid wilting; 7th fly ⁺³, haste ⁺⁴, tempest of shades ^SoM; 6th day’s weight ^{SoM +3}, disintegrate, slow ⁺³; 5th see invisibility ⁺³, telekinetic haul, transmute rock and mud ^APG, wall of stone; 4th dimensional anchor, enlarge ⁺², resist energy ⁺², shape stone, suggestion; 3rd comprehend language ⁺¹, fear ⁺², illusionary disguise ⁺², meld into stone; 2nd mirror image, telekinetic maneuver, timely tutor ^SoM; 1st grease, kinetic ram ^DA, true strike; Cantrips electric arc, mage hand, message, ray of frost, shield
   Arcane Prepared Spells DC 37, attack +27; 6th unexpected transposition ^SoM; 5th prying eye; 4th gaseous form, invisibility ⁺²; 3rd familiar’s face, time jump ^SoM; 2nd invisibility, timely tutor ^SoM; 1st feather fall, pet cache ^APG; Cantrips protect companion

   Ancestry Feats ₁ Razor Claws ^LOCG, ₅ Swift Swimmer ^LOCG, ₉ Guided by the Stars ^LOCG, ₁₃ Primal Rampage ^LOCG
   Class Feats ₁ Eschew Materials, ₁ Familiar, ₂ Witch Dedication ^APG, ₄ Basic Witch Spellcasting ^APG, ₆ Enhanced Familiar, ₈ Patron’s Breadth ^APG, ₁₀ Scroll Savant, ₁₂ Expert Witch Spellcasting ^APG, ₁₄ Basic Witchcraft, ₁₆ Advanced Witchcraft
   General Feats ₁ Breath Control, ₃ Toughness, ₇ Incredible Initiative, ₁₁ Prescient Planner, ₁₅ Prescient Consumable
   Skill Feats ₁ Assurance (Arcana), ₂ Arcane Sense, ₄ Recognize Spell, ₆ Magical Crafting, ₈ Quick Recognition, ₁₀ Read Lips, ₁₂ Streetwise, ₁₄ Multilingual, ₁₆ Unified Theory
   Class Abilities ₁ Arcane Bond, ₁ Universalist, ₁ Improved Familiar Attunement, ₁ Drain Familiar, ₁ Patron (Rune) ^APG, ₅ Lightning Reflexes, ₇ Expert Spellcaster, ₉ Magic Fortitude, ₁₁ Alertness, ₁₁ Wizard Weapon Expertise, ₁₃ Defensive Robes, ₁₃ Weapon Specialization, ₁₄ Counterspell ^APG, ₁₅ Master Spellcaster, ₁₆ Incredible Familiar ^APG

   Assurance (skill) Zhi’fir can forgo rolling a skill check for Arcana to instead receive a result of 32.
   Breath Control (general) Zhi’fir can hold her breath for 200 rounds before suffocating. Zhi’fir gains a +1 circumstance bonus to saving throws against inhaled threats, such as inhaled poisons, and if she rolls a success on such a saving throw, Zhi’fir gets a critical success instead.
   Drain Familiar ◇ (arcane, wizard) During Zhi’fir’s turn, she gains the ability to cast one spell she prepared today and already cast, without spending a spell slot. Zhi’fir must still Cast the Spell and meet the spell’s other requirements. Drain Familiar can be used any time an ability would allow Zhi’fir to use Drain Bonded Item and functions identically, except that Zhi’fir draws magic from her familiar instead of an item.
   Eschew Materials (skill) When Casting a Spell that requires material components, Zhi’fir can provide these material components without a spell component pouch by drawing intricate replacement sigils in the air. Unlike when providing somatic components, Zhi’fir still must have a hand completely free. This doesn’t remove the need for any materials listed in the spell’s cost entry.
   Guided by the Stars ◇ (fortune, lizardfolk) Frequency Once per day. Trigger Zhi’fir is about to attempt a skill check or saving throw. Effect The stars grants Zhi’fir insights that guide her actions. Zhi’fir rolls twice and takes the better result. If it’s night and Zhi’fir can see the stars, she gains a +1 circumstance bonus to the triggering roll.
   Magical Crafting (skill) Zhi’fir can Craft magic items.
   Prescient Consumable (general) When using Prescient Planner, Zhi’fir can procure a consumable item from her backpack, instead of a piece of adventuring gear. The consumable item must still be common with a level no higher than 8, and its Bulk must be low enough that carrying it wouldn’t have made Zhi’fir encumbered.
   Prescient Planner (general) Cost Price of the chosen item. Requirements Zhi’fir hasn’t used this ability since the last time she was able to purchase goods. Effect Zhi’fir takes 1 minute to remove her backpack, then carefully remove an item she hadn’t previously declared that Zhi’fir purchased. The item must be a piece of adventuring gear, and can’t be a weapon, armor, alchemical item, magic item, or other treasure. It must be common with a level no higher than 8, and its Bulk must be low enough that carrying it wouldn’t have made Zhi’fir encumbered.
   Primal Rampage ◆◆◆ (lizardfolk) Frequency Once per day. Effect Zhi’fir can Cast a Spell twice to cast her innate freedom of movement and stoneskin spells as long as they are both still available for the day.
   Quick Recognition ◇ (skill) Frequency Once per round. Effect Zhi’fir can Recognize a Spell using Arcana as a free action.
   Read Lips (skill) Zhi’fir can read lips of others nearby who she can clearly see. When Zhi’fir’s at her lleisure, she can do this automatically. In encounter mode or when attempting a more difficult feat of lipreading, Zhi’fir is fascinated and flat-footed during each round in which she focuses on lip movements, and Zhi’fir must succeed at a Society check to successfully read someone’s lips. In either case, the language read must be one that Zhi’fir knows.
   Scroll Savant (wizard) During her daily preparations, Zhi’fir can create three temporary scrolls containing arcane spells from her spellbook. Each scroll must be of a different spell level, and 6th-level spell slot or lower. Any scrolls Zhi’fir creates this way become non-magical the next time she makes her daily preparations. A temporary scroll has no value.
   Streetwise (skill) Zhi’fir can use her Society modifier instead of her Diplomacy modifier to Gather Information. In any settlement Zhi’fir frequents regularly, she can use the Recall Knowledge action with Society to know the same sorts of information that she could discover with Diplomacy to Gather Information. If Zhi’fir fails to recall the information, she can still subsequently attempt to Gather Information normally.
   Toughness (general) The DC of recovery checks is equal to 9 + Zhi’fir’s dying condition value.
   Unified Theory (skill) Whenever Zhi’fir uses a skill action or a skill feat that requires a Nature, Occultism, or Religion check, depending on the magic tradition, she can use Arcana instead. If Zhi’fir would normally take a penalty or have a higher DC for using Arcana on other magic, she no longer does so.
   Universalist (arcane, wizard) For each level of wizard spell slots Zhi’fir has, she can use Drain Familiar once per day to recall a spell of that level, instead of using it only once per day in total.

   Boots of Speed (invested, item 13, magical, transmutation) Activate Interact. Frequency Once per day. Effect Zhi’fir gains the quickened condition for 1 minute. Zhi’fir can use the extra action to Stride, Climb, or Swim.
   Handwraps of Mighty Blows ◆ (evocation, invested, item 4, magical, transmutation) These handwraps of mighty blows have a +1 weapon potency rune (+1 item bonus to attack rolls with the weapon) and a striking rune (one extra damage dice).
   Major Endless Grimoire (divination, grimoire, item 14) This spellbook has no limits to its number of spells and grants Zhi’fir a +2 item bonus to checks to Learn a Spell if she does so by transcribing the spell into the grimoire.
   Major Staff of Evocation ◆ (evocation, item 14, magical, staff, two-hand d8) While wielding the staff, Zhi’fir gains a +2 circumstance bonus to checks to identify evocation magic. Activate Cast a Spell. Effect Zhi’fir expends a number of charges from the staff to cast a spell from this list. 6th chain lightning, wall of force; 5th cone of cold, magic missile; 4th fireball, weapon storm; 3rd lightning bolt, magic missile; 2nd acid arrow, glitter dust; 1st magic missile, shocking grasp; Cantrips ray of frost
   Ring of Wizardry IV (arcane, divination, item 14, invested, uncommon) While wearing the ring of wizardry, the ring grants two 4th-level spell slots and one 3rd-level spell slot. Zhi’fir prepares spells in these slots, just as she normally cast her spells. If Zhi’fir takes off the ring for any reason, she loses the additional spell slots. Zhi’fir can’t gain spell slots from more than one ring of wizardry per day, nor can a single ring of wizardry grant spell slots more than once per day.
   Wayfinder (evocation, invested, item 6, magical, transmutation, uncommon) Activate Command. Effect The wayfinder is targeted by a 1st-level light spell. Gold Nodule Aeon Stone Zhi’fir gains the ability to understand, speak, and write Undercommon. The resonant power allows Zhi’fir to cast comprehend language as an occult innate spell once per day.

“Feed me a juicy steak and I might reconsider your proposal.”

Unlike contemporary house drakes, Rozei exhibits a unique coat of crimson scales. This irregular resemblance to Imps made her an outcast among other house drakes. To escape their unceasing scorn, she fled from Korvosa; wandering aimlessly until stumbling across an Iruxi mage blindly exploring Thassilon ruins on a moonless night. Rozei offered to provide her darkvision aid in exchange for a modest meal, beginning what would be an enduring friendship between the pariahs.

UNIQUE N TINY DRAGON MINION FAMILIAR
   Female house drake ^SaS
   Perception +21; darkvision
   Languages Draconic
   Skills Acrobatics +21, Arcana +16, Athletics +16, Crafting +16, Deception +16, Diplomacy +16, Intimidation +16, Lore: Academia +16, Medicine +16, Nature +16, Occultism +16, Performance +16, Religion +16, Society +16, Stealth +21, Survival +16, Thievery +16

   AC 36; Fort +25, Ref +26, Will +25
   HP 112

   Speed 25 feet, fly 40 feet
   Breath Weapon ^SaS ◆ (arcane, conjuration, mental) Rozei breathes a 10-foot cone of silver mist. Each creature in the area must attempt a DC 37 Will save. A creature that fails its save is stupefied 2 for 1 round. Rozei can’t use Breath Weapon or Silver Infusion for 1d4 rounds.
   Independent ^APG In an encounter, if Zhi’fir does not use Command on Rozei, she still gains 1 action each round. Typically, Zhi’fir still decides how Rozei spends that action, but she might determine her own tactics rather than performing Zhi’fir’s preferred action.
   Manual Dexterity Rozei can use up to two of her limbs as if they were hands to use manipulate actions.
   Silver Infusion ^SaS ◆◆ (arcane, transmutation) Rozei breathes on one of your weapons. Until the start of your next turn, that weapon counts as silver instead of its normal material for any physical damage it deals. Rozei can’t use Breath Weapon or Silver Infusion for 1d4 rounds.
   Tenacious Mind ^SaS Once per day, as long as Rozei took no actions on the previous round, Zhi’fir gains the following reaction. Ferocious Will ⟳ (abjuration, arcane, mental) Trigger Zhi’fir succeeds at a saving throw against a magical mental effect. Effect Zhi’fir sends a blast of magical feedback at the effect’s source, dealing 2d6 mental damage (basic DC 37 Will save) to that creature. On a failed save, the creature is also slowed 1 for 1 round.

“Graar!”

The reanimated remains of a desert drake enslaved by Zhi’fir. Rozei often protests the circumstances as offensively macabre, but Zhi’fir contends the creature’s cargo hauling contributions are an invaluable resource. Rozei only relents because Zhi’fir promises her a greater share of rations.

Whenever the drake skeleton’s monstrous appearance or large size makes accompaniment impossible (such as visiting a village), Zhi’fir will seek out a nearby safe site and command it to wait in hiding until her return.

NE LARGE MINDLESS SKELETON UNDEAD MINION
   Female drake skeleton ^BoD
   Perception +14; darkvision
   Skills Acrobatics +14, Athletics +18, Stealth +16
   Str +6, Dex +4, Con +4, Int -5, Wis +2, Cha -1
   AC 26; Fort +16, Ref +14, Will +12
   HP 130 (negative healing); Immunities death effects, disease, mental, paralyzed, poison, unconscious; Resistances cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10, piercing 10, slashing 10
   Fragile Wings When the drake skeleton is reduced to fewer than half its Hit Points, it can no longer fly. If it’s aloft when this happens, it crashes immediately but can use the tatters of its wings to soften the landing, treating the fall as 20 feet shorter to calculate falling damage.
   Worn Items saddle bags, tack; Current Bulk 1.1

   Speed 20 feet, fly 40 feet
   Melee ◆ fangs +20, Damage 2d8+12 piercing
   Melee ◆ tail +20 (reach 10 feet), Damage 2d4+12 bludgeoning
   Draconic Frenzy ◆◆ The skeletal drake makes two Fangs Strikes and one Tail Strike in any order.