PZO9211 Seekers of Secrets.pdf

™

SEEKERS

OF SECRETS

By Tim Hitchcock, Erik Mona,

James L. Sutter, and Russ Taylor

Kalsgard

Nerosyan

Hajoth Hakados

Castle Urion

Vigil

Embeth Forest

Daggermark

Caliphas

Tymon

Thronestep

Vellumis

Magnimar

Tamran

Woodsedge

Almas

Augustana

Oppara

Westcrown

Absalom

Diobel

Katheer

Manaket

Azir

Gurat

Sothis

Katapesh

Quantium

Niswan

Nantambu

Kalabuto

SEEKERS OF SECRETS

A Pathfinder Chronicles Supplement

Table of Contents

Welcome to the Pathfinder Society 2

Where Secrets Sleep

Tools of the Trade

Credits

Authors : Tim Hitchcock, Erik Mona, Sean K Reynolds,

James L. Sutter, and Russ Taylor

Cover Artist : Steve Prescott

Interior Artists : Jeff Cralisle, Jason Engle, Eric Lofgren,

Craig J. Spearing, Eva Widermann, and Kieran Yanner

Publisher : Erik Mona

Paizo CEO : Lisa Stevens

Vice President of Operations : Jeffrey Alvarez

Corporate Accountant : Dave Erickson

Director of Sales : Pierce Watters

Sales Manager : Christopher Self

Technical Director : Vic Wertz

Events Manager : Joshua J. Frost

Editor-in-Chief : James Jacobs

Editing and Development : Christopher Carey,

Sean K Reynolds, and James L. Sutter

Editorial Assistance : Jason Bulmahn and F. Wesley Schneider

Editorial Interns : David A. Eitelbach and Hank Woon

Art Director : Sarah E. Robinson

Senior Art Director : James Davis

Special Thanks : The Paizo Customer Service

and Warehouse Teams

Paizo Publishing, LLC

7120 185th Ave NE, Ste 120

Redmond, WA 98052-0577

paizo.com

Product Identity : The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not Open Content: All trademarks,

registered trademarks, proper names (characters, deities, etc.), dialogue, plots, storylines, locations, characters, artwork, and trade dress. (Elements that have previously been designated

as Open Game Content or are in the public domain are not included in this declaration.)

Open Content : Except for material designated as Product Identity (see above), the game mechanics of this Paizo Publishing game product are Open Game Content, as defined in the Open

Gaming License version 1.0a Section 1(d). No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content may be reproduced in any form without written permission.

golem logo, Pathfinder, and GameMastery are registered trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Pathfinder Chronicles, Pathfinder Companion, Pathfinder

Printed in China.

PATHFINDER CHRONICLES: SEEKERS OF SECRETS

Chapter One

WELCOME TO THE PATHFINDER SOCIETY

“ The pursuit of knowledge takes a certain amount of

bravery—not just the bravery to explore a tomb or

chart a lost city , but the courage to speak up and

challenge convention. Truth is a hard master , and it will

take everything from you if you let it , but in the end , it

will leave you cleansed.

“ All of which is to say that I'm deeply sorry for what

happened to those children , Your Honor, but progress is

never without its risks , and the world deserves to know. ”

—Pathfinder Asybain Chaelf ,

public hearing on the Foxfire Incident

WELCOME TO THE PATHFINDER SOCIETY

P a t h f in d e r d u t ie s

The Society recognizes no formal bylaws, but a general

code of behavior is expected of all members, and reports of

activity contrary to this code are grounds for dismissal from

the organization. Most of the time this ostracism involves

a venture-captain failing to respond to queries from f ield

agents, but in especially egregious cases powerful Pathf inders

have been tasked with eliminating rogue members of the

organization who have, as a result of their actions, brought

shame to the order.

Loosely summarized, the three “understood” member

duties are as follows:

Explore : Pathfinders are expected to further the knowledge

and reputation of the Society by traveling to distant lands,

unearthing forbidden secrets, and piecing together the

secret history of the world. The organization f irst took form

in the mighty, ancient city of Absalom, and while countless

secrets remain undiscovered even on the ruin-laden Isle of

Kortos, agents are encouraged to travel to uncharted lands

on the fringes of known cartography in search of ever more

fantastic mysteries.

Report : In the course of their adventures, Pathf inders are

expected to keep detailed journals, maps, and accounts of

their exploits. At the conclusion of a successful venture, the

agent sends a copy of his notes to his immediate superior, a

regional venture-captain, who makes a full analysis (often

involving divination). Especially noteworthy exploits make

their way to Absalom and the Decemvirate, who compile the

best tales into irregularly published editions of the Pathfinder

Chronicles , which make their way back to venture-captains for

distribution to Pathf inder agents in the f ield.

Cooperate : The Society places no moral obligations upon

its members, so agents span all races, creeds, and motivations.

At any given time, a Pathf inder lodge might house a f iend-

summoning Chelaxian, an Andoren freedom f ighter, an

antiquities-obsessed necromancer, and a friendly half ling

raconteur. Anything can (and often does) happen in the f ield,

but the lodge is inviolate, and agents are forbidden from

battling within its confines. Even beyond the lodge, Pathfinder

agents are expected to respect one another’s claims and stay

out of each other’s affairs except to offer a helping hand.

According to long-held tradition, Pathf inders must attempt

to parley before a potential conf lict, regardless of potential

enmity based on national aff iliation, personal allegiances, or

other factors.

This doesn’t always happen, and rogue Pathf inders often

gain great wealth and notoriety by manufacturing accidents

in the f ield that leave treasure and arcane lore unclaimed.

Many believe that such treachery in the earliest days of the

organization led to the masking of the Decemvirate and the

subsequent execution or exile of dozens of traitorous agents.

To this day, nervous Pathf inders speak of the “twenty eyes”

monitoring all Pathf inder behavior, with the implication that

E ven in Golarion, a world rife with adventure and

marvelous beasts, the exploits of heroes still stir

hearts and inspire the masses. Those who seek moral

lessons from their myths follow the deeds of Aroden, last of

the f irst humans, who emerged from the tumult that sunk

the continent of Azlant, gave culture to the people of Taldor,

and reclaimed the Starstone from the depths of the Inner Sea.

Those who seek excitement prefer saga heroes like Bragi

Balehammer or the indefatigable Molaho Khem, whether or

not these fanciful adventurers ever really existed. But those

who seek to claim the mantle of fame as their own, who seek

to enrich themselves by unwinding the secret history of the

world, turn to champions whose exploits can be read, verif ied,

and followed. Such bravos tread the footsteps of the elusive

Pathf inder Society.

Members of the Society are part archaeologist, part

historian, and part foolhardy adrenaline addict. They chase

rumors of treasure like miners prospect gold, and often

come out richer in the end. Their mother lodes are the

crumbling ruins of ancient civilizations and the forgotten

funeral chambers of centuries-dead monarchs. Such places

often boast powerful guardians or recalcitrant squatters, so

the life of a Pathf inder is fraught with danger. Few die in

their beds.

The greatest of their exploits live forever in the form of

the Pathfinder Chronicles , a multi-volume series of chapbooks

published by the order’s inner circle in Absalom and

distributed throughout the world by members of the Society.

Upon the completion of particularly notable discoveries or

journeys, Society members send records of their exploits to

their venture-captain superiors, who in turn review them

for accuracy before forwarding the manuscripts to the city

of Absalom, where the masked rulers of the Pathf inder

Society and much of the order’s infrastructure is housed.

Venture-captains work directly for the Decemvirate,

a cabal of 10 experienced Pathf inders that publishes

the Pathfinder Chronicles and guides the organization’s

activities. Because most in the Society consider themselves

adamant individualists, this direction is often quite

subtle, allowing individual Pathf inder agents to believe

they act on their own accord while actually doing the

bidding of the Ten. Members of the Society often joke

about the inscrutable “will of the Ten” to justify unusual

or indefensible orders from above, and few refrain from

privately blaming their unknown superiors when some

gambit goes terribly wrong.

But when things go right, a Pathf inder agent has much

to gain. If his exploits reach the Pathfinder Chronicles , he

achieves a certain notoriety and respect in life, and a kind of

immortality as well. For as long as the Society itself strives to

unlock the world’s secrets, so long as the Chronicles circulate

among eager adventurers, the exploits of the greatest

Pathf inders will live forever.

Plik z chomika:

Inne pliki z tego folderu:

Inne foldery tego chomika: