Pathfinder Campaign Setting: The Inner Sea World Guide

322 Pages·2011·147.57 MB·English

by  Paizo Inc.

®®
The Best of All Possible Worlds
Discover the world of Golarion, the official campaign setting for the smash-hit Pathfinder
Roleplaying Game! A time of lost prophecies grips the world, bringing with it an unending TM TM
maelstrom, a tear in the fabric of reality, a surge of diabolism, and the endless threat of war. Yet ®®
all is not lost, for these dark times provide ample opportunity for adventure and heroism. Inside
this exciting and informative tome you will find:
T
◆ Detailed summaries of the player character races native to Golarion, including more than a dozen distinct
human ethnicities. h
◆ Elaborate gazetteers of more than 40 crumbling empires, expansionist kingdoms, independent city-states, e
and monster-haunted wildlands of Golarion’s adventure-filled Inner Sea region, with locations perfect for
nearly any type of fantasy campaign. I
n
◆ Cultural information and Pathfinder RPG rules covering the 20 core deities of the n
Inner Sea, plus entries on other gods, demigods, forgotten deities, weird cults, strange
e
philosophies, and more!
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◆ An overview of the Inner Sea’s history, a look at time and space, a discussion of

magical artifacts and technological wonders, discussions of important factions S
and organizations, and hundreds of locations ripe for adventure!
e
a
◆ Tons of new options for player characters, including Inner Sea-themed
prestige classes, feats, spells, adventuring gear, and magic items!
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◆ Nine new monsters, including exotic humanoids of the skies
and seas, undead and dragons, and an angry demon lord o
in exile!
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◆ A giant poster map that reveals the sweeping landscape l
of the Inner Sea in all its treacherous glory! d

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paizo.com/pathfinder
Printed in China. PZO9226
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The Inner Sea World Guide
Credits
Project Lead: James Jacobs
Contributing Authors: Keith Baker, Wolfgang Baur, Clinton J. Boomer, Jason Bulmahn, Joshua J. Frost, Ed Greenwood,
Stephen S. Greer, Jeff Grubb, James Jacobs, Michael Kortes, Tito Leati, Mike McArtor, Rob McCreary, Erik Mona, Jason Eric Nelson,
Jeff Quick, Sean K Reynolds, F. Wesley Schneider, Leandra Christine Schneider, David Schwartz, Amber E. Scott, Stan!,
Owen K.C. Stephens, Todd Stewart, James L. Sutter, Greg A. Vaughan, Jeremy Walker, and JD Wiker
Cover Artist: Wayne Reynolds
Cartography: Rob Lazzaretti
Interior Artists: Alex Aparin, Eric Belisle, Peter Bergting, Branko Bistrovic, Jeff Carlisle, Concept Art House, Julie Dillion,
Vincent Dutrait, Carolina Eade, Jason Engle, Mauricio Herrera, Jon Hodgson, Andrew Hou, Imaginary Friends Studios,
Mu Young Kim, Jorge Maese, Warren Mahy, Tornstein Norstand, Christopher Ocampo, Drew Pocza, Steve Prescott,
Dave Rapoza, Wayne Reynolds, Mac Smith, Craig J Spearing, Florian Stitz, Christophe Swal, Francisco Rico Torres,
Francis Tsai, Tyler Walpole, Eva Widermann, Ben Wootten, Kevin Yan, Kieran Yanner, and Ilker Serdar Yildiz
Creative Director: James Jacobs
Senior Art Director: Sarah E. Robinson
Managing Editor: F. Wesley Schneider
Editing and Development: Jason Bulmahn, Judy Bauer, Christopher Carey, Rob McCreary, Erik Mona, Mark Moreland,
Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Sean K Reynolds, Lisa Stevens, F. Wesley Schneider, James L. Sutter, and Vic Wertz
Graphic Designer: Andrew Vallas
Production Specialist: Crystal Frasier
Editorial Interns: Kelley Frodel, Michael Kenway, and Patrick Renie
Publisher: Erik Mona
Paizo CEO: Lisa Stevens
Vice President of Operations: Jeffrey Alvarez
Director of Sales: Pierce Watters
Finance Manager: Christopher Self
Staff Accountant: Kunji Sedo
Technical Director: Vic Wertz
Marketing Director: Hyrum Savage
Special Thanks: The Paizo Customer Service, Warehouse, and Website Teams; Mike McArtor; and Charles Evans
This book is dedicated to Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
Paizo Publishing, LLC
7120 185th Ave NE
Ste 120
Redmond, WA 98052-0577
paizo.com
This product makes use of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 2, Pathfinder
Roleplaying Game Advanced Player’s Guide, and Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Ultimate Magic. These rules can be found online as part of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game
Reference Document at paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd.
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.
Pathfinder Campaign Setting: The Inner Sea World Guide is published by Paizo Publishing, LLC under the Open Game License version 1.0a Copyright 2000 Wizards of the
Coast, Inc. Paizo Publishing, LLC, the Paizo golem logo, Pathfinder, and GameMastery are registered trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC; Pathfinder Adventure Path,
Pathfinder Campaign Setting, Pathfinder Module, Pathfinder Player Companion, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Pathfinder Society, and Pathfinder Tales are trademarks
of Paizo Publishing, LLC. © 2011 Paizo Publishing, LLC.
Printed in China.
taBLe oF Contents
introduCtion 4 River Kingdoms 162
Sargava 166
Chapter one: raCes 8 The Shackles 170
Azlanti 12 The Sodden Lands 174
Chelaxians 13 Steaming Sea 178
Garundi 14 Taldor 182
Keleshites 15 Thuvia 186
Kellids 16 Ustalav 190
Mwangi 17 Varisia 194
Shoanti 18 The Worldwound 198
Taldans 19 Beyond the Inner Sea 202
Tians 20 Before the Inner Sea 210
Ulfen 21
Varisians 22 Chapter three: reLigion 214
Vudrani 23 Deities 216
Dwarves 24 Other Gods 228
Elves 25 Philosophies 236
Gnomes 26 The Great Beyond 238
Halflings 27
Half-Elves 28 Chapter Four: LiFe 246
Half-Orcs 29 Time 248
Holidays and Festivals 248
Chapter two: the inner sea 30 Weather and Climate 250
History 33 Languages 251
Timeline 33 Trade 252
Absalom 38 Society 253
Andoran 42 Fauna 254
Belkzen, Hold of 46 Flora 255
Brevoy 50 Technology 256
Cheliax 54
The Darklands 58 Chapter Five: FaCtions 258
Druma 62 Aspis Consortium 262
Five Kings Mountains 66 Eagle Knights 264
Galt 70 Hellknights 266
Geb 74 Pathfinder Society 268
Irrisen 78 Red Mantis 270
Isger 82
Jalmeray 86 Chapter six: adventuring 272
Katapesh 90 Prestige Classes 276
Kyonin 94 Feats 284
Lastwall 98 Equipment 290
Linnorm Kings, Lands of the 102 Spells 294
Mammoth Lords, Realm of the 106 Magic Items 298
Mana Wastes 110
Mediogalti Island 114 Chapter seven: Monsters 302
Mendev 118 Aluum 306
Molthune 122 Calikang 307
Mwangi Expanse 126 Charau-Ka 308
Nex 130 Daughter of Urgathoa 309
Nidal 134 Gillman 310
Nirmathas 138 Sandpoint Devil 311
Numeria 142 Spine Dragon 312
Osirion 146 Strix 313
Qadira 150 Treerazer 314
Rahadoum 154
Razmiran 158 index 316
Welcome to the Inner Sea
ust over a century ago, the god of humanity died. The death of the god of humanity marked the beginning
J
His name was Aroden, and he not only lifted of a new age. The previous ages had names to inspire
humanity out of the ashes and terror of the Age and bolster the spirit—the Age of Destiny, the Age of
of Darkness (an age that followed the meteoric Enthronement. But this new age is not a time of plenty. It
cataclysm known as Earthfall), but founded the greatest is the Age of Lost Omens, for if a god cannot fulfill his own
city in the world—Absalom. He defeated the foul wizard- prophecy, what chance have any others of coming true?
king Tar-Baphon. He drove back the demon lord of the Locust Aroden’s death scarred the world with storms and madness.
Host from the nation of Sarkoris. He eventually left the world To the north, the world split open and the festering armies
to join the divine host after setting humanity on course for of the Abyss spilled out through a tear in reality known
a great destiny. Prophecies said that when humanity was today as the Worldwound. To the south, the idyllic gulf of
ready to ascend back to the pinnacle it once held in the Abendego was consumed by a perpetual hurricane whose
ancient times of Old Azlant, Aroden would return to the winds and waves drowned nations. And in the heartland of
world to usher in a new Age of Glory. the Inner Sea region, where Aroden had been prophesied
But instead of returning at the appointed time, Aroden, to return, civil war erupted and thousands died before the
4 the god of humanity, died. diabolic House of Thrune seized power.
IInnttrroodduuccttiioonn
The Age of Lost Omens has now entered its second abouT ThIS edITIon
century, and in the 11 decades since Aroden’s death, the This is the third incarnation of the Pathfinder
world has become a darker place. A place where ancient, campaign setting—the first being the slim, 64-page
sinful wizards known as runelords threaten to waken from Gazetteer and the second being one of Paizo’s first
10,000 years of slumber. A place where nations are ruled hardcover books, the 256-page Pathfinder Chronicles
by criminals or devil worshipers or worse. A place where Campaign Setting. Both of those books were published
once-great empires now wallow in self-indulgent paranoia before the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook came to be,
or bloody, endless revolutions. A place where nothing is so when those books sold out, updating the setting to
foretold, and anything can happen. work seamlessly with our new rules was a no-brainer.
A place in need of heroes like never before—the Inner And of course, that gave us another chance to tinker.
Sea of Golarion. The result is the book you are holding—Pathfinder
Campaign Setting: The Inner Sea World Guide. Not only
The Inner Sea regIon have we updated all the rules, but we’ve added a lot of
The Inner Sea region is the trading and cultural hub of two new content as well. This book is 64 pages longer than
mighty continents—Avistan and Garund. At the heart of its predecessor, but there are more than 64 pages of
the Inner Sea’s warm waters stands Absalom, the City at the new content. How did we manage that? By removing
Center of the World. Founded by the living god Aroden, this outdated material (such as examinations of the 11
ancient island city-state has survived nearly 5 millennia core classes and some of their variant abilities—a
of toppled kingdoms to thrive as a haven of merchants topic now covered in detail in the Pathfinder RPG
and scoundrels. In the west, the Inner Sea passes through line of rulebooks—and presentations of additional
the narrow Arch of Aroden, a tenaciously contested strait options that are now core parts of the game) and by
named for the monolithic, ruined stone bridge connecting consolidating information elsewhere.
the two continents at their closest point of approach. To the Through it all, the goal was to add to Golarion, not
east, the Inner Sea opens into the vast Obari Ocean. remove anything from it. If you’ve been a frequent
The two continents that frame the Inner Sea are very visitor to Golarion in the past, you’ll find the world
different from one another. Avistan, to the north, is the seat of you’ve come to know in this book. A few dates have
once-mighty empires like Cheliax and Taldor, and site of the changed here and there and some minor elements have
ruins of Lost Thassilon in the frontier realm of Varisia. South, been replaced, but by and large, the Inner Sea region
across the wide waterway of the Inner Sea, lie the secrets of remains the same place you have all come to know.
Garund, a sprawling continent of arid deserts and fecund There’s just more of it to know, now!
jungles, where the mighty pharaohs of Osirion emerged from
the Age of Darkness to chart a new destiny for humanity.
Generally speaking, civilization centers on the Inner Magic becomes more common in the southern nations of
Sea, with barbarism and savagery taking hold where the Avistan, particularly the devil-binding empire of Cheliax
sea’s refining influence wanes. Exceptions exist, of course, and its former colonies and vassal states. The ruling caste of
and the scattered lights of civilization stand out in the dark shadow-haunted Nidal is suffused with forbidden magical
wildernesses and savage frontiers far to the north in Avistan forces, while the elves of Kyonin practice alien rites that date
and well to the south in Garund. Likewise, dark, wild areas back millennia. On Avistan’s rocky northwestern shore, the
exist within otherwise civilized lands close to the Inner Varisian frontier boasts the mostly intact ruins and lost
Sea. Mercenaries and would-be heroes seek fortune and magics of ancient Thassilon—a 10,000-year-gone empire
glory throughout the Inner Sea region, uncovering lost ruled by sadistic wizard-kings known as runelords.
treasures, pacifying terrible dangers, and finding ignoble Use of magic and the appearance of the fantastic and
deaths in every unclaimed wilderness, kingdom, and bizarre are much more commonplace on the southern
empire of Avistan and Garund. continent of Garund. In the deserts of Osirion stand
North of Avistan stretches the Crown of the World, a countless monuments to nearly forgotten pharaohs, godlike
frozen landmass that links the continent with Tian-Xia. beings who raised their people from barbarism to imperial
Where the two meet, hardy barbarism tends to dominate. heights. Along the eastern coast lie the remnants of Nex
Even in northern kingdoms that strive for advancements and Geb, two kingdoms created to serve rival wizard-kings
in civilization, such as the Lands of the Linnorm Kings in the distant past. Today, Geb relies on animated corpses
and Realm of the Mammoth Lords, the use and knowledge to harvest food for its living inhabitants, while the courts of
of arcane magic remains relatively unknown and certainly Nex boast the most advanced and least understood schools
mistrusted. Even Mendev, a relatively advanced nation of arcane learning on the planet. Between these former
filled with pious (and not-so-pious) crusaders, tends to shy enemies stretches a magic-dead tract of desert known as
away from arcane magic. the Mana Wastes, within which exists a city-state reliant on 5
TM
technology and advanced engineering in a world dependant secrets of dead civilizations and the wondrous treasures
on the supernatural. Deep in the heart of Garund, across they left behind.
the Shattered Range mountains, ancient ruins of unknown Pathfinder agents provide detailed written reports of their
origin rise out of wild, uncivilized jungles. Scattered exploits to their venture-captains, who then forward the
throughout the mountains surrounding the vast jungles most compelling records to the Grand Lodge in Absalom for
of the Mwangi Expanse lie the ruins of once-miraculous consideration by the Decemvirate. Periodically, the masked
flying cities of the Shory, long since crashed into the rocky leaders of the society collect and publish the greatest exploits
slopes where they now rest. in new volumes of the Pathfinder Chronicles, which they send
Each of these fantastic locales makes a fitting backdrop back to their venture-captains for distribution to field
for the thrilling adventures of a Pathfinder Roleplaying agents. Whenever a new volume of the Pathfinder Chronicles
Game campaign. The world of Golarion and its myriad hits the field, dozens of adventurers flock to the sites
secrets stand ready for you and your players to explore. described therein for further exploration and adventure.
Although they belong to the same society, individual
The Pathfinder Society groups of Pathfinder agents often find themselves at cross-
The greatest heroes of the Inner Sea region record their purposes in the field, particularly if each team reports
victories in an ongoing series of chapbooks known as the to a different venture-captain. Competition between
Pathfinder Chronicles. The amazing, often unbelievable Pathfinders rarely results in outright battle, but certain
tales bound in these oft-traded volumes tell of lost gods agents aren’t above collapsing passages, triggering ancient
and sunken continents, of creatures older than the world traps, or selling out their rivals to hostile locals—all in the
itself that fell from the stars in the eldest of days, and of the name of friendly competition, of course.
fantastic ruins they left behind. Player characters in a Pathfinder RPG campaign need
The authors of these tales belong to the Pathfinder not be members of the Pathfinder Society in order for the
Society, a loose-knit group of explorers, archaeologists, and organization to play a critical role in their adventuring lives.
adventurers who span the globe in search of lost knowledge Although the volumes of the Pathfinder Chronicles themselves
and ancient treasures. Some seek to unlock the secret are intended only for the eyes of Pathfinder agents, there are
history of the world, piecing together the past one fragment unaffiliated adventurers, crooked scholars, and ambitious
at a time. Others are in it for the money, filtering priceless antiquarians who track down stray volumes and use them as
antiquities through a series of unscrupulous merchants to maps to adventure. Even the oldest volumes, whose subjects
enrich themselves beyond measure. Still other Pathfinders have been plundered again and again, often contain hints
take up the trade because they find the thrill of risking leading to undiscovered treasure. Beyond these books, the
their lives more addicting and exhilarating than any vice PCs might also encounter a Pathfinder group in the field,
or drug. setting up the society as lifelong antagonists or allies.
A shadowy inner circle of masked leaders known as the
Decemvirate rules the Pathfinder Society from the bustling using This book
metropolis of Absalom, the so-called City at the Center of This book provides a broad overview of the Inner Sea region
the World. There, in a huge fortress complex called the of the world of Golarion, the official campaign setting of
Grand Lodge, the Ten manage a vast organization of agents the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. It’s a handy resource
spread throughout the Inner Sea region and beyond. for players and Game Masters looking to flesh out the
These officers, known as venture-captains, coordinate world beyond a given adventure, and it contains hundreds
teams of Pathfinders in their assigned regions, tipping them of compelling hooks leading to even greater adventures.
off to ancient legends, passing along newly discovered maps, Paizo will fill in some of these blanks as the years go by, but
and supporting their efforts in the field. Venture-captains others are here for you to explore in your own campaigns.
are an ideal “in-world” source of adventure leads, making The Inner Sea region features a staggering array of
them indispensable NPCs in your Pathfinder campaign. nations, wildernesses, societies, secrets, and wonders—the
That doesn’t necessarily make every venture-captain question for the new arrival in this region is simple: where
an unswerving ally, however. The ultimate goals of the to begin? We’ve made an attempt to present the information
Decemvirate are inscrutable, and not even the venture- in this book in as logical a format as possible, and try to
captains understand the full picture of what the Pathfinder introduce topics before they’re mentioned casually, yet as
Society does with all of the information it collects. with any work of this nature, there’s a lot of new information
Each venture-captain oversees the activities of several to absorb. So don’t be afraid on your first exploration of the
tightly knit groups of Pathfinder field agents, who conduct Inner Sea to just flip through the book. The art and maps
much of the exploration and adventures that fuel the are intended to convey the themes of this campaign setting
society as a whole. Perhaps your player characters are one as much as the words are, and if you see something that
6 such group, moving from locale to locale to discover the lost piques your fancy, don’t be afraid to stop and read!
IInnttrroodduuccttiioonn
The Inner Sea Region
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1
Races
The hyenas’ laughter was
indistinguishable from their
master’s. The gnoll’s lips pulled up in
a canine grin as he yanked the slave
upright by his iron collar.
“Who’s the dog now?” he asked.
The human didn’t answer, just
stared back in mute defiance. A
furred hand drew a long dagger.
Kyra could wait no longer. With
one fluid movement, she drew
both scimitars and leapt from the
windowsill. The striped canvas
of the fruitseller’s awning flexed
once underfoot, and then she was
airborne...
9