Kolyarut

I don't often indulge myself in the use of outsiders in my games, but there is a certain appeal to the Kolyarut. The first time I read the bestiary through, this brooding inevitable stood out in both theme and mechanics—not to mention the art!

Now the kolyarut's stats are pretty standard for something with martial capabilities at level 12, but it also comes with some powerful options for both roleplay and mystery. This Inevitable can find things, command them easily, and disguise itself all the while. With truespeech, the kolyarut is rife with potential roleplay options.

When considering the use of the kolyarut, assuming your players are not perpetual bargain breakers, a kolyarut on some other unknowable mission could be an interesting ally of convenience or source of information. Reframing the lore for yourself, the kolyarut of your own setting could be a harbinger of some greater tragedy or a kind of corrupted angel with a singular purpose.

What is considered a bargain worth punishing is ultimately up to you, and that can make for some interesting encounters (and plots!) in your game.

-Reece

Hook 1 (Max) - I Am The Law

A deal is sacred, even more so in the town of King's Crossing, as it lies in a place where several prominent mercantile routes meet. At the crossing, countless transactions are made daily; it is no surprise, then, that it needs someone to make sure they are upheld.

That is where The Judge comes in. Whenever a disagreement arises, he steps in to adjudicate and smites those who have tried to wrong their associates. He cannot be bribed and so far has proven to be incredibly hard to kill. Hence, at least for now, it appears he shall keep his vigil over the King's Crossing, as he has done for the last two centuries of its existence.

Hook 2 (TJ) - The Bondkeeper

Copriticani youth are taught with utmost gravity about the purpose of deals and promises. At the Copriticani coming-of-age ceremonies, those that would transition to adulthood swear by a "social bargain." This bargain-contract is made with the community at large and concerns their purpose within society, as well as their general commitment to uphold their word. The ceremony always takes place under the watchful eye of the Bondkeeper.

Should anyone break the social bargain they created, rest assured, the Bondkeeper will find out and exact retribution, regardless of how legitimate the transgression or how misguided the social bargain at its inception.

Hook 3 (Nemanja) - The Family You Choose

A group of investigators are on a deep-undercover mission to bring down the biggest mafia boss in all of Braha city. While they've seen some horrible things in their pursuit of the top dog, their hands have remained relatively clean, despite earning Carmine Hawkone's trust.

When Carmine invites them to a formal bonding dinner to accept them into the inner circle, things appear to be moving away from the bleakness of their situation. That was the case, at least until he asks them to make an oath to be forever faithful to The Family, just as a Kolyarut comes into the room...

Kobold

Perhaps the most controversial thing not related to the mechanics of the game I've seen discussed on the topic of Pathfinder 2nd edition is the art direction of the Kobold. I will forever be a defender of these big-headed, skink-lookin' things. If you disagree? Please @ me on Twitter and I will tell you you're wrong *to your face*. Now that I'm done being needlessly aggressive, let's talk kobolds.

The kobold is the draconic counterpart to the goblin in a lot of fantasy media. Oftentimes you will find them close to one another in proximity or goals—they may even serve the same evil overlord (should they choose to serve someone other than themselves).

While I am personally opposed to the traditional stereotyping of a particular ancestry as wholly evil—evidently Paizo is too given both kobolds and Goblins are playable ancestries in Pathfinder Society—the kobolds present in the bestiary make great adversaries for a new upstart group of players.

Their favored tactics include, but are not limited to, the following: sneaking, swarming, trapping, and of course, running away.

The dragon mage, scout, and warrior all have Sneak Attack which allows for a surprising amount of additional damage at low levels. They are particularly dangerous in packs when they greatly outweigh a foe in the action economy of a particular fight.

As the kobolds are starting creatures, they are designed to be extremely versatile and can be used in most fantasy settings. Deploy them as vicious and tricky adversaries or as misunderstood scamps that cause a bit of mischief here and there.

It helps that they're cute—wherever you use them, they can be a great learning experience for new players that not all the "bad guys" look the part.

- Reece // @Cobalt_Crusader -- come at me -- 

Hook 1 (Max) - Locker, Kobold Thief Extraordinaire 

Do you need a master thief? Someone that can bypass any trap? Someone who can find their way into every possible place? Well, look no further, Locker has got you covered!

Truly an artist in his field, he knows everything there is to know about locks, traps, safes, and anything in between, putting to good use the knowledge of his people in this regard. He elevates the natural predilection towards trapmaking—a hallmark of all kobolds—to a whole new level. There are many stories of Locker's exploits, at least some of which are bound to be true.

It is not easy to find him, harder yet to get him on a job. But once he commits to a task, there is no stopping him. Despite the difficulties in hiring him, he can never resist a good challenge, for Locker believes that no lock or contraption can best him.

And, to be completely honest? There might be some truth to it.

Hook 2 (Nemanja) - Beyond The Trench

In the ages past, when battles were fought with glorious charges on open battlefields, kobolds were rarely seen as an important player in global geopolitics.

But the Great War came, and with it, trench warfare became the norm. In the past fifteen years of slaughter, the Kobold nation of Wingsreach has risen to become a major force. In the age of shifting borders and contested territories, their frontier, littered with endless trenches and countless traps, has never moved a single inch. No one even seems to know what their endgame is, either.

Despite all this, when Captain Khazad is sent to retrieve a prisoner of war taken behind their lines, he does not back down.

Hook 3 (TJ) - From Many Rise One

The traps of a small group of kobolds are little to be worried about for those that are prepared. Without a guiding force, kobolds remain unorganized and disordered so that their efforts often fall flat. Given sufficient time to pursue their own goals, however, some kobold magickers develop a disturbing power.

Known as a warrenmind, the head kobold magicker subsumes all of the minds of the kobolds within its warren. Stripped of individuality but suffused with the creativity of many, the warrenmind expresses as one of the most terrifying entities in the civilized world: a group of kobolds unified in thought and in purpose.

These warrenminds are nearly impossible to flush out, as stepping foot into the twisting dens concocted by this hivemind nearly guarantees death. Trying to force the warrenmind out into the open is likewise impossible, as their natural draconic resistances provide defense against most methods of attrition.

The biggest concern of those that find a warrenmind is to keep it isolated. If a warrenmind were to meet up with another warrenmind, only one of two outcomes is certain. Either both warrenminds are destroyed in the ensuing battle, or one easily subsumes the other and the warrenmind grows. If a singular warrenmind were to subsume all of the known warrenminds, that would certainly spell destruction for anyone that stood against them.

Keketar

As the ruling caste of the Proteans, Keketars embody the virtues of chaos. These serpentine, dragon-like beasts adjudicate quarrels and disputes among their kin, not without a degree of volatility, a trait greatly respected in Protean society.

Okay, this is nice. But what do they do? Turns out, quite a lot.

To start with its passives, Protean Anatomy grants them a neat resistance to damage along with immunity to being polymorphed (which I find ironic). Spatial Riptide is a good way to give the creature some innate crowd control (highly situational, though. Stick with the benefits of Reshape Reality.) The keketar boasts considerable speed in almost all departments, which—combined with constant freedom of movement—makes it a very mobile contender. 

Its melee attacks deal ample damage, all of them having reach ranging from 10 to 15 ft. (which is important when you consider that the Keketar also has the coveted Attack of Opportunity reaction). Its Strikes also apply either grab or warpwave strike, which adds a dash of unpredictability to this creature of chaos. It also has a plethora of spells at its disposal. Its spells generally work well to change either the status of the combatants or the battlefield itself. One to take a special note of is hallucinatory terrain. This meshes with its Reshape Reality ability, making the illusion have actual substance. Lastly, its Change Shape action allows to take on the appearance of any Huge or smaller creature, allowing for Keketar to potentially pose as another being, should it find it necessary.

-Max

Hook 1 (Max) - The Guardian of Greyfjord

The desperate soul often seeks refuge in deference to a higher power. And just as often the higher power is willing and ready to exploit it.

Greyfjord had seen better days, as the crops and stock died out over the last couple seasons, nearly bringing the town to utter ruin. As it is, it remains a shadow of its former self.

Dragons are seldom seen in these parts.  These majestic reptile are associated with good fortune in their tradition, and as such the locals were overjoyed to have heard of recent sightings. The beast, quite intelligent and cunning, quickly took to its role as Greyfjord's protector and patron deity, giving advice and favors in exchange for... extravagant tributes, ranging from fair maidens to hand-made jewelry.

The fact that it is not a dragon at all seems to be of little importance to everyone involved.

Hook 2 (Nemanja) - The Voice of Change

A keketar, one of the High Priests of Chaos known as the Voice of Change, has decided that time has been moving in one direction for far too long. It has started a multi-planar rebellion in order to change that.

Both Heaven and Hell are on a desperate recruitment spree, and an experienced group of heroes find themselves working alongside their longtime rivals. Of course, should they help the keketar, the rivalry—born of a misguided arrow and a painful death—might be erased in time...

Hook 3 (TJ) - The Coming Chaos

The oligarchy of Centerpointe is meticulously organized. Every building is properly in its row, not a stone is out of place. The lives of the inhabitants are monitored just as closely. Every motion, interaction, and event is recorded. As long as it is within allowable parameters, residents are left relatively unbothered. Any deviation from the prescribed order, however, is met with swift retribution.

Those that are cast out are quickly contacted by an entity known only as The Coming Chaos. Speaking in half-rhymes and scrambled thoughts, The Coming Chaos, a large, serpentine, constantly shifting beast, has begun laying out a plan to undo the chokehold of order that the governing powers of Centerpointe have over their citizens and it is anything but predictable.

Jungle Drake

Jungle Drakes are thought to be the lesser cousins of green dragons. It makes sense, especially when one takes into account their affinity for forest areas, as well as their natural cunning. This species of drake prefers to utilize ambush tactics to capture their prey, launching at it from atop the trees, not necessarily killing it on the spot, but rather taking it away to its lair to gnaw on it later.

Its abilities perfectly mirror this style. The drake, of course, has all the signature moves of its kin—Draconic Frenzy and Speed Surge—that allow for it to be more aggressive and get out of a sticky situation if need be. Besides that, it focuses on controlling the battlefield. The jungle drake has an attack of opportunity that can poison the target, its venom imparts the enfeebled status that makes it harder for their prey to escape the grapple the beast needs to carry them away.

So next time your party is trekking through a jungle, make sure they look up.

- Max

Hook 1 (Max) - Wandering Wonders

Doctor Paracelsus' Cabinet of Curiosities is in town! The self-proclaimed physician boasts an impressive collection indeed, all described on a fancy flyer he gives out on any occasion.

Visit Paracelsus' exhibition of wonders!

See the legendary giant wondersmiths of the far northern reaches at work! The famed snakedancers from the sunken temples! Patty the Singing Parrot! Behold the sight of a real Philosopher's Stone and see it turn mercury into gold!*

And last but not least, behold a real-life green dragon, subdued by yours truly, a ravenous beast that laid waste to the great jungles of the south!

*Service provided at an additional cost.

Hook 2 (Reece) - Six Kings War

Deep within the Hidden Isles are the remains of a fractured continent. When the world nearly ended the last time, the small landmass was cracked apart, splintering the once-great Seven Kingdoms Alliance. With the loss of the most powerful of the Seven, Nukaan, the six remaining kingdoms have remained isolated from one another for several generations.

When the seas finally ceased boiling and travel was safe between the kingdoms, the people of the Six Kingdoms found themselves living in an isle of strangers. Differences in interests and cultural divides created a rift between the jungle islands who are now locked in a periodic civil war that threatens to destroy them all.

The Umakaan, seeking some upper hand against its neighboring cities, have found a way to leverage the local wildlife to their advantage. Their isle is both the largest and the most hostile, home to creatures much larger than anywhere else in the isles. Tek'uma, the Archdruid of War, has finally found a way to tame the most dangerous of all the local beasts—the jungle drake. Now armed with the power of flight, the Umakaan have become the greatest power of the Six Kingdoms, and their prowess may be enough to unite the other kingdoms, either with or against them...

Hook 3 (TJ) - Hungry Hungry Hippogriff

The Isles of Matridos are home to many creatures that enjoy more tropical climates. Chief among them is the yellow-throated striped hippogriff. A cross between a toucan and an okapi, the yellow-throated striped hippogriff is difficult to miss. As they fly through the trees to gather fruits or rustle through the underbrush to eat foliage, they make an interesting sight. It's difficult to imagine that the island has enough to feed these large avian creatures.

The local gillmen think that this hippogriff variant is bad luck, and this is far from general superstition. The yellow-throated striped hippogriff is a favored meal of the drakes that inhabit the Isles. Many hunting parties have returned empty-handed with fewer numbers than they left with. Some of the gillmen swear the drakes could be reasoned with, but few are willing to attempt it, and of those few, none have succeeded.

Jinkin

Of all evil fey, the Jinkin is perhaps the most steeped in classical fey themes. Jinkins don't do much damage, have very little general combat strength, and almost are required to work in groups to be effective in combat against even the lowest level groups. 

Before I delve in properly, I recommend this video by Dael Kingsmill. It's within the context of 5th edition D&D but the advice is applicable in any fantasy tabletop game. Even if your game is not taking place in a classical medieval setting, fey creatures can be utilized in almost any game to great effect—particularly to shake up the pace of the game. This is particularly relevant to today's gremlin of choice.

Where the jinkin is strongest is in its mechanically relevant narrative abilities. For the uninitiated, the fey of the classical English, Slavic, and Celtic traditions are often not outright evil and are instead quite alien. When the fey of old are evil, it's often in the most convoluted and inconvenient way. The Jinkin is an embodiment of that theme.

Even though the jinkin is narrowly useful in combat, you may find ample room to utilize its tinker ability. This is, effectively, a free pass to mess with your players. Should they find themselves someplace particularly close to the fey, where the veil is "thin" or even in the domain of the fey itself, you might find a reason to utilize these petty curses. 

When slighted, the jinkin can be a particularly spiteful creature. Consider what small thing one of your players has done that could've set a jinkin on a path to revenge, and then design something around that behavior. A jinkin could even spurn your players to take on some greater threat, or drive them towards making a decision they would have otherwise spent a lot of time mulling over.

Is it mean? Yes. And you can be too, at least every once in a while...

- Reece

Hook 1 (TJ) - Always Trust Your Tinker

Whenever a tool malfunctions in the town of Yewbough, the townsfolk bring it to Elias the Tinker, a portly, friendly man on the outskirts of town, well out of the way. His expertise is well worth it, and he always provides advice to avoid similar malfunctions in the future. The townsfolk laugh behind his back at his offerings of charms and precautions to ward against gremlins. When he forgets to check the wards on his workshop one evening, a group of jinkin take advantage of it. The next day, his workshop is an unsurpassed labyrinth of traps and tricks, which he falls victim to. With the Tinker out of the way, the jinkin begin systematically cursing the tools of every townsperson they come across, which undoubtedly leads the hapless individual directly into the tinker's workshop, where they fall directly into the waiting traps of the jinkin.

Hook 2 (Max) - Hex for Hire

The Unseen Hexers are a mercenary group who provide a very specific service to their employers—point them to a magical item and they'll curse it, rendering it either useless or too much of a hassle to use.

Despite being gremlins, they always fulfill their contracts, which are only made by spoken agreements. As is usually the case with fae creatures, the payment for their services is never as easy as simply paying in coin. Should one have need of their service, often the one who hires their services is more at risk than the affected target...

Hook 3 (Nemanja) - Ragtime Ridge

The dwarves of Ragged Ridge Reach are a very suspicious lot, though they are highly sought after for their brutal efficiency in battle.

They refuse to use any technology nor enchantments, citing ancient customs and rules. In truth, the inner circle of their leadership are time travelers who've gone back in time to prevent the clan from starting a massive and bloody series of wars against jinkins, bloodthirsty technoparasites that the dwarves accidentally create in the far future. The only way they knew how to do that, however, was to stop the dwarves' innate ability for innovation and thirst for knowledge. The morality of such a temporal maneuver might be a bit iffy...

Janni

I've never quite known what to do with elemental outsiders (AKA genies) such as the Janni. I've used intelligent elementals in a few different ways over the years. They range from normal ancestries one might have as a neighbor, to aliens foreign to the experience of the average person in a particular world. This has given me an occasion to give it some more thought, though.

Elementals are a staple of fantasy tabletops; you're almost guaranteed to run into one in the first few levels of a new game. To a certain degree, their omnipresence can make them seem a bit... Mundane? This doesn't have to be the way, though!

To that end, if you find the occasion to do so, I recommend deploying elementals of all kinds—including the Janni—as a way to flesh out some of the more planar aspects of your setting.

The Janni itself is a pretty standard "humanoid" (but not with the humanoid trait!) statblock. What it lacks in offensive ability at level 4, it is rife with narrative options.

The Janni has access to a suite of arcane innate spells—most notably plane shift—that make them the perfect creature to bring a low to mid-level party into one of the elemental or astral planes. Consider this when you think about adventure design—a janni spurned could trap a party in one of the elemental planes, entirely out of their element! (hah)

Overall, as the only elemental that is not aligned to one of the four traditional elements, the janni can add an easy mechanical in for narrative elements within your story. Consider what elemental societies and cultures may be like. Perhaps you can have a janni trade empire or diplomatic organization between the elemental planes!

Overall, take what the janni has to offer mechanically, and make it yours within the narrative—a core tenant of what we do here.

- Reece

Hook 1 (Max) - The King of Elements

A flamboyantly dressed young man sits atop a pile of valuables brought to him by his subjects, inspecting an ornate chalice. His skin is in a state of constant flux, changing from one color to another. He throws the cup aside and turns to his officers gathered before him.

"This is a good start. But we're going to need a lot more."

This draws an immediate response from one of the soldiers.

"We are already risking it as is! The baron is sure to take notice if we take even more."

The man merely shrugs and returns to his inspection of the pile.

"Then make sure he doesn't. Even if he does, what does it matter? Once I claim my birthright, no one will stand up to me." He pauses, placing a hand on the sword at his hip. The sheath seems to be shifting faster than his skin, almost vibrating with untapped power. "Now, is there anything else?'

"No, oh King of Elements."

Hook 2 (TJ) - Elemental Envoys

The Elemental Planes used to be in disarray. The Material Plane served as a battlefield for all of the Elemental Lords to air their grievances, of which they had many. Considering the ley lines don't allow travel directly between elemental planes, the Material Plane was caught in the crossfire of any and every conflict the Elemental Lords brought to bear.

After one particularly destructive battle, the denizens of the Material Plane concocted a plan. As the go-between for the Elemental Planes, the Material Plane had access to a bit of every type of elemental magic. Pressing this advantage, Material Mages created beings with the powers of every elemental plane, yet at home in none. The Elemental Envoys were born. This corps of jann serve to mediate the squabbles between the Elemental Lords, finally bringing a modicum of peace to the Material Plane.

When a group of envoys go missing while within the Plane of Fire, the balance between planes and the resulting tentative peace is immediately threatened.

Hook 3 (Reece) - Elerental

It's quite uncommon for denizens of the elemental planes to willingly interfere in the goings-on of the material plane. More often than not, mages of all kinds use the services of lesser elementals to perform simple tasks or act as allies in battle.

Uli'oknama'ar, an enterprising janni merchant, has decided that this use of elemental assistance is exploitative—unless of course he is involved in the particulars of the transaction.

Conveniently for Uli, his long-time lover and confidant Niil is a contract demon who has spent a long time teaching Uli the particulars of both magic and planar law.

Unfortunately for everyone else within 500 miles of Uli's center of operations, if they are to attempt to summon or use the assistance of an elemental, they are instead greeted by Uli himself or one of his many bureaucratic assistants. His organization "negotiates" a rate that the mage must pay in order to summon the desired elemental. They, naturally, take their cut in order to fund the operation of their network.

This "Elemocracy" as they call it is an annoyance to just about everyone who tries to use summoning magicks. The local mages guild is looking for someone to rectify the situation, or at least strike a more permanent deal with Uli and Niil.

Iron Golem

A titan of pure iron and magic, the Iron Golem packs a wicked punch (and halitosis to boot). I love golems and constructs of all kinds. If you haven't gathered that yet, you will.

I'm conflicted when it comes to the use of golems, though. On the one hand, I love surprising players with these mindless guardians (also I just love them a lot in general okay).

On the other hand, they're immune to an awful lot. Their vulnerabilities always seem to be something seldom available. In the case of the iron golem, being able to deactivate its breath weapon for 1 minute (basically the entire fight) is huge! However, that vulnerability is tied to neutralize poison, which I've never had anyone prepare or learn. It's also vulnerable to rust, which, outside of waving a rust monster antenna at it or having a primal caster for rusting grasp, isn't easy to accomplish RAW.

These are by no means reasons to not use the iron golem. It's the perfect monster to complement a mad wizard, a secret laboratory, or a ruin lost since the Iron Age. A merchant selling scrolls of neutralize poison outside of an iron golem's locale would be interesting if the party was too low of a level to properly fight it. Disable its breath weapon and run! It's not very fast, I'm sure your party can probably make it!

I mean, come on, it's a golem! You should use it in any instance that you can. Lucky for you, you've come to Beastfinder, and providing instances to use monsters is exactly what we do.

-TJ

Hook 1 (Max) - Iron Maiden

The small mining town of Coalsmine has been seeing a lot of commerce and travelers in the last couple of years. The reason? A discovery their workers made underground that has been since maintained by the local wizard, an ancient construct of considerable power.

"Come test your mettle against Iron Maiden!" all sorts of mercenaries and vagabonds are urged. The townsfolk, being clever as they are, charge a hefty sum for everyone who passes through that wants to try their hand in single combat against the golem. This has worked out surprisingly well for the people of Coalsmine, as they've seen a great upturn in their profits. Not many combatants manage to win and if they do, repairing the contraption proves an easy matter.

Rules of the challenge are simple—one combatant at a time, no single-use items, the one who manages to walk off the arena wins. The possibility of death is high and the town does not cover any recovery costs.

The arena is quite big for one-on-one combat, approximately one hundred by one hundred feet, laden with sand and barren. Once the challenger enters it, comes forth the Iron Maiden. One could mistakenly take her for a normal golem, though that would be a great miscalculation, as with each failure she had been modified and upgraded to become the ultimate killing machine beyond her original capabilities.

Hook 2 (TJ) - Haywire Handlers

The smog of the smokebelchers is getting to be a real problem. Each of the Utheni guilds has suggested various solutions to said problem. The air-purifying automatons wandering the streets of Dren are a pet project of the Golemancers Guild; this doubles as their bid to solve the smog problem and as their submission to the Contest of the Steel Kings. If this iron golem schematic is approved for entry and subsequently wins the contest, the election of the Golemancers Guild to the Forgeseat will mark the first time in 74 cycles that a fledgling guild has succeeded.

The Machinists Guild does not recognize the Golemancers Guild as an independent entity. While their reasoning is not official, the general consensus is that—considering the Golemancers are an offshoot of the Machinists—the Machinists tentatively have the rights to Golemancer developments. When one of the iron golems goes haywire and begins spewing the toxins back into the Dren atmosphere, Jarmek Shattermace, the current Forgeseat, doesn't care whom the golem belongs to, he just wants it stopped. The ramifications for the Golemancers' Forgeseat application will have to wait.

Hook 3 (Reece) - To Sink or Swim

A new piece of dwarven technology has proven particularly deadly in the conflict between the Relendish Isles and The Grand Tyranny. So far, only one ship of its kind has been fielded, and it was a genuine terror during the fight at sea.

The dwarves are particularly recalcitrant when it comes to sharing the secrets of their forging techniques, so no one really understands how exactly they got it to work, though it has most assuredly been their finest contribution to the war effort, at least since the advent of cannons.

The warship—known simply as The Iron Lady—is a floating monstrosity of iron, bristling with cannons and twice the size of any normal galleon. The hull of the thing was so impenetrable that The Tyranny had only one choice—boarding.

Unfortunately for those involved, this was their greatest error. The forecastle of The Iron Lady is ostentatiously adorned with the iron reliefs of two dwarven women, or so the Tyrannymen thought. Upon boarding the ship the two statues lept to life, tearing through the boarding party before pulling down the boarding ship's mast using massive rune-laden chains. Now, each ship that attempts to board the unbreakable hulk is rebuffed and similarly struck down. One report notes that a ship was entirely overturned in the water, killing everyone on board.

The Tyranny has a plan, though, to destroy the weapon before it turns the tide of the war.

Why try to destroy the golems, when you can simply shove them overboard where they will sink into the deepest depths of the ocean?