PathfinderWiki:Featured articles/2017
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This index lists featured articles from 2017. For past years, see History. To nominate a featured article, see Nominations. For upcoming featured articles, see Featured article queue.
January 1 - Dragon
Dragons are an ancient race of intelligent, winged, reptile-like creatures who possess a variety of magical and unusual abilities. Due to their power, they are counted among the most legendary creatures in all the Inner Sea region. They are sometimes referred to as wyrms and wyrmlings. read more
- Recently featured: Ritual magic • Kintargo • Ship • Owlbear
January 8 - Azlanti
The Azlanti are now little more than a memory: an ancient, near mythical progenitor of all human civilization native to the lost empire of Azlant. The last true, pure-blooded Azlanti was one of the most famous humans of all time: the god Aroden. He dragged the Starstone from the depths of the Inner Sea at the beginning of the Age of Enthronement, and later became the patron deity of the greatest human empires in the Inner Sea region: Taldor and Cheliax. read more
- Recently featured: Dragon • Ritual magic • Kintargo
January 15 - Aasimar
Aasimars are humanoid descendants of celestials who exhibit traits of their otherworldly ancestors, and are generally born of two outwardly normal human parents. The celestial bloodline is passed on from parent to child, and sometimes does not reveal itself for generations. Aasimars are generally held in high regard by others, but this can be a double-edged sword, as the veneration can lead to the individual feeling like a stranger in their own home. read more
- Recently featured: Azlanti • Dragon • Ritual magic
January 22 - Shizuru
Shizuru is the Tian-Min goddess of the sun, honor, ancestors, and swordplay. As she holds swordplay in her portfolio, Shizuru is also the patron of samurai and other noble and honourable swordsmen and women. read more
January 29 - Iobaria
The land of Iobaria is located east of the nation of Brevoy, north of the Castrovin Sea, and is considered part of the continent of Casmaron. Human settlers have united the land into an empire in the past, but currently the land is largely wilderness thanks to a series of plagues that have severely depopulated the region. read more
February 5 - Half-orc
Half-orcs are result of orcs mating with other humanoid races. Several orc tribes actively work toward breeding half-orc children for their greater mental capabilities. These half-breeds are despised by most of the world, however, which sees them as the spawn of violence or a filthy perversion. read more
February 12 - Shaitan
The shaitan are a race of genies from the Elemental Plane of Earth. They are humanoid in shape, and appear to be carved from rock, with glossy skin and glittering eyes. When they move it sounds like stone grating on stone. A typical specimen is 11 feet in height and 5,000 pounds in weight. They dress in as much finery as they can afford, and sometimes use illusions to increase the impression of wealth. read more
February 26 - Vudra
The distant land of Vudra occupies an enormous peninsula that juts out of southern Casmaron, and is composed of over 100 small, semi-independent kingdoms known as mahajanapadas. Known for their gregariousness, the Vudrani are also great explorers, and have spread from their homeland to settle throughout the Inner Sea region, most notably on the island of Jalmeray. read more
March 19 - Mordant Spire
The island of Mordant Spire lies in the Steaming Sea on the southern tip of the Ironbound Archipelago, and is home to several thousand aloof and alien Mordant Spire elves, who are hostile towards intruders. The island is one of the few inhabited remnants of Azlant, and the elves closely guard the secrets of the once-great continent in fear that trespassers would bring a second doom upon Golarion. read more
March 26 - Keleshite
The Keleshites are a human ethnicity originally from central Casmaron, the continent directly to the east of both Avistan and Garund. Although they can now be found throughout the Inner Sea region, they are still most numerous in Qadira, the westernmost satrapy of the Empire of Kelesh. Keleshites are thought of as a proud, somewhat imperious people, and are known for their quick wit and gregariousness. Many prefer to wear light, loose-fitting clothes more adapted to hotter, drier climes, and decorate themselves with jewelry that denotes their wealth and power. read more
- Recently featured: Mordant Spire • Vudra • Shaitan
April 2 - Earthfall
Earthfall is the name given to the cataclysmic event in which of a swarm of meteoroids impacted Golarion in -5293 AR. It resulted in the destruction of the human empires of Thassilon and Azlant, which were consumed by earthquakes and massive tidal waves, and the creation of the Inner Sea. The cloud of dust thrown up by the Starstone's impact settled in Golarion's upper atmosphere and blotted out the sun for 1,000 years, creating the Age of Darkness. read more
- Recently featured: Keleshite • Mordant Spire • Vudra
April 9 - Sandpoint Mercantile League
The Sandpoint Mercantile League was a small business endeavor created in 4667 AR in Magnimar by four powerful merchant families, all of whom had designs on settling the region where the small town of Sandpoint now stands. Rather than work against each other, they consolidated their efforts and formed the League. These four families, the Kaijitsu, the Valdemars, the Scarnettis, and the Deverins, sailed north to claim their land after securing the rights from the Magnimar Charterhouse. Yet when they arrived, they found the place already settled by a particularly large tribe of Varisians, who held the region as a traditional place to spend the winter. read more
- Recently featured: Earthfall • Keleshite • Mordant Spire
April 23 - Talmandor
The avoral Talmandor is the celestial patron of the nation of Andoran. He is said to be the voice of three of the nation's largest faiths: Iomedae, Erastil, and Shelyn. Because of this, his words bear great weight, and few question his devotion to the greatest good for the greatest number. read more
- Recently featured: Sandpoint Mercantile League • Earthfall • Keleshite
May 5 - Basileus
Basileus is Asmodeus' herald and serves as the voice of Hell itself. He generally takes on the appearance of an unearthly beautiful male of a race matching the observer's. Upon closer inspection though, one can see hellfire burning from within his eyes. Basileus is rarely encountered on the Material Plane, since he typically serves as an ambassador or envoy between Asmodeus and other deities or planar authorities. Rather than being promoted from within the infernal horde, Basileus was created by Asmodeus himself to be the perfect emissary. read more
- Recently featured: Talmandor • Sandpoint Mercantile League • Earthfall
May 12 - Sable Company
The Sable Company of Korvosa is an elite, hippogriff-mounted company of marines. The commandant of the Company does not answer to the ruling monarch of the city-state, instead reporting directly to the Seneschal of Castle Korvosa. While the Korvosan Guard patrols the streets of the city, the Sable Company has jurisdiction over the skies and waters around Korvosa. The two organizations work closely together and the marines rely on their ties with the Guard to further coordinate efforts with the Hellknights and the Acadamae, both of whom are not on good terms with the Sable Company. read more
- Recently featured: Basileus • Talmandor • Sandpoint Mercantile League
May 19 - Kyton
Kytons are a race of cruel, amoral beings from the Plane of Shadow obsessed with sadomasochism and self-perfection. They thrive on the fear and pain of mortals, which they inflict with both supernatural dread and physical torture. Though often mistaken for devils by mortals, kytons hold themselves above the tyrants of Hell; they do not seek to corrupt or enslave mortals, but instead to "help" them attain a higher state of being, reshaping the flesh and soul with a fanatic's zeal. read more
- Recently featured: Sable Company • Basileus • Talmandor
May 26 - F. Wesley Schneider
F. Wesley Schneider has held a number of positions in the RPG publishing world, ranging from author of numerous articles in Dungeon and Dragon to serving as assistant editor of Dragon beginning in November 2003. He formerly served as managing editor of the Pathfinder line of products by Paizo Inc., and was promoted to Editor-in-Chief in May 2012. He left Paizo to pursue other opportunities on May 19, 2017. read more
- Recently featured: Kyton • Sable Company • Basileus
June 4 - Decemvirate
The Decemvirate is the ruling body of the well-known Pathfinder Society and is headquartered in the Grand Lodge in Absalom. As per the name, it is composed of 10 experienced Pathfinders. The identities of the Decemvirate are a closely guarded secret, and their motivations are often shrouded in mystery. Pathfinder members often shrug off strange orders from above as simply the "will of the Ten". Nevertheless, members of the Society are sworn to absolutely obey the will of the Decemvirate, or risk expulsion or an even darker fate. read more
- Recently featured: F. Wesley Schneider • Kyton • Sable Company
June 11 - Order of the Rack
The Order of the Rack is a Hellknight order founded in 4638 AR. It was one of several new or re-established orders created in the aftermath of the disbanding of the various Hellknight orders previously charged with the defence of Cheliax's frontiers. It took over control of Citadel Rivad in 4639 AR, when the Order of the Scourge relocated to Citadel Demain. read more
- Recently featured: Decemvirate • F. Wesley Schneider • Kyton
June 18 - Halfling
While their small stature generally keeps halflings out of the spotlight in human settlements, the small folk have nevertheless found a niche for themselves and play an important role in Golarion. Halflings grew up among the human cultures of Avistan, alongside and often overlooked by the growth and success of those nations and regions they inhabited. They have their own rich tales and heroes that few of the bigger folk have ever even guessed at. read more
- Recently featured: Order of the Rack • Decemvirate • F. Wesley Schneider
June 25 - Yamatsumi
Yamatsumi is the Tian-Min god of winter, mountains, and volcanoes. His holy symbol is an erupting, snow-capped volcano. Yamatsumi is a nature deity of mountains, with a particular interest in volcanoes. He is also a god of renewal, as the spring melt from the mountains brings needed moisture to the lowlands, and ash from volcanic eruptions enriches the soil. read more
- Recently featured: Halfling • Order of the Rack • Decemvirate
July 2 - Ilsurian
Ilsurian is a small agricultural and fishing town situated on the northern banks of Lake Syrantula at the mouth of the Skull River. It was founded in 4631 AR by Ilsur, a former First Sword of the Knights of Aroden and his followers, all of whom were dissatisfied with the direction Korvosa took following the collapse of the Chelish Empire. The residents take great pride in their civic duties and almost every citizen participates in elections. read more
- Recently featured: Yamatsumi • Halfling • Order of the Rack
July 9 - Arazni
The lich Arazni (also known as the Harlot Queen) is the de facto ruler of the Garundi nation of Geb, as Geb himself has been absent or withdrawn from the day-to-day running of the country in recent years. Arazni was once a demigod, and the herald of the god Aroden. read more
July 16 - Garund
Garund (pronounced gah-ROOND) is a Golarion continent located south of Avistan, across the Inner Sea, and west of Casmaron, separated by the Obari Ocean. At one time, central Garund was the heart of civilisation in the hemisphere. It was a major territory of the cyclopes, who once ruled all of Golarion. Their Empire perished before (or possibly because of) the fall of the Starstone, which created the Inner Sea. Later, the citadels of the Shory flew through the sky, until their kingdom also failed. Now, much of the continent is uncharted and uncivilised, but numerous ancient ruins await bold explorers. read more
July 23 - Constellation
A constellation is a perceived pattern formed by prominent stars within apparent proximity to one another when viewed from a specific point in space and time. There are many constellations in Golarion's night sky, including the thirteen signs of the Cosmic Caravan used by those studying astrology. read more
July 30 - Astradaemon
Astradaemons are daemons that swim through the River of Souls like aberrant sharks, snatching up unlucky souls for their evil masters. They personify death from negative energy, leeching the very life essence out of their victims. Astradaemons were created in the depths of time by the Oinodaemon. Suspicious of the deacons created by his servants, the Four Horsemen, the Oinodaemon meshed together hundreds of mortal souls and the essences of lesser daemons to create the first astradaemons. read more
- Recently featured: Constellation • Garund • Arazni
August 6 - Dancing Hut of Baba Yaga
The Dancing Hut of Baba Yaga is a major artifact belonging to the mythic witch Baba Yaga, granting her immense ability to travel within the Material Plane and into the Great Beyond. The Dancing Hut appears as a rustic hut on two huge, fifteen-foot-tall chicken legs. Despite its comical appearance, its outer shell is a powerful construct capable of rapid movement and vicious attacks. On the inside, the hut is much larger than it looks from the outside, with an interior layout that changes depending on the outer shell's location in the multiverse. read more
- Recently featured: Astradaemon • Constellation • Garund
August 13 - Pathfinder Society
The Pathfinder Society is a globe-spanning organization based out of Absalom, the City at the Center of the World. The membership consists primarily of Pathfinders, adventurers who travel throughout Golarion—usually inconspicuously—and explore, delve, and otherwise experience the lesser-seen parts of the world. They send journals documenting their travels back to their venture-captains, who also assigns them new missions and suggests new places to explore. The most exciting and illuminating of these journals are compiled in the Pathfinder Chronicles, an ongoing series of books that collect the history and mystery of Golarion for its membership and the general public. read more
- Recently featured: Dancing Hut of Baba Yaga • Astradaemon • Constellation • Garund
August 20 - Human
Humans are the most numerous civilized humanoid race of Golarion with a variety of ethnicities, and a stake in virtually every corner of the world. Known for their adaptability and versatility, humans have throughout history been behind many of the largest and most prosperous of nations. read more
- Recently featured: Pathfinder Society • Dancing Hut of Baba Yaga • Astradaemon • Constellation
August 27 - Vudrani
The Vudrani (pronounced voo-DRAW-nee) are a human ethnicity originally from the nation of Vudra in far-away Casmaron, known collectively as the Impossible Kingdoms. In the Inner Sea region they are most-commonly found on the island state of Jalmeray, as well as around the south-eastern portion of the Inner Sea and Obari Ocean, notably in Absalom, Nex, Osirion, and Katapesh. read more
- Recently featured: Human • Pathfinder Society • Dancing Hut of Baba Yaga • Astradaemon
September 3 - Pathfinder Adventures
Pathfinder Adventures, a conversion of the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game for mobile devices developed by Obsidian Entertainment, was released on April 28, 2016, for Android and Apple tablet devices, on September 8, 2016, for Android and Apple phones, and on June 21, 2017, for Windows and macOS computers. read more
- Recently featured: Vudrani • Human • Pathfinder Society
September 10 - James L. Sutter
James Lafond Sutter filled many positions at Paizo Inc. during his 13-year tenure at the company: webstore intern, customer service agent, Assistant Editor on Dragon, Fiction Editor (overseeing the Pathfinder Tales line from its inception until 2017), Senior Editor, and eventually Creative Director of the Starfinder brand, which launched in 2017. His Pathfinder Tales novels, Death's Heretic and The Redemption Engine are fan favorites, and were both honored with critical accolades. In September 2017, Sutter left Paizo to pursue other writing endeavors including working on comics and author-owned fiction. read more
- Recently featured: Pathfinder Adventures • Vudrani • Human
September 17 - Book of the Damned
The Book of the Damned is one of three legendary books compiled by the angel Tabris, along with the Chronicle of the Righteous and Concordance of Rivals, that purportedly contain all knowledge in existence. The book describes the Abyss, Hell, and Abaddon, and includes details of their rulers and inhabitants and how the world of Golarion has connections to these lower planes. Dire warnings concerning the reader's soul are often appended to these pages. read more
- Recently featured: James L. Sutter • Pathfinder Adventures • Vudrani
September 24 - Kintargo
Kintargo, also known as the Silver City, is a northern Chelish city situated on Nisroch Bay at the mouth of the Yolubilis River, in the Archduchy of Ravounel. It is the main harbor for ships heading north to Varisia and west to Anchor's End. Unprotected by any natural barriers, the city and its citizens are among the most cosmopolitan in Cheliax, and the infernal influence so prominent in other Chelish cities is not nearly as noticeable in Kintargo. read more
- Recently featured: Book of the Damned • James L. Sutter • Pathfinder Adventures
October 8 - Worldscape
Pathfinder: Worldscape, a crossover comic series by Erik Mona, was released from October 2016–April 2017, and compiled in a hardcover compilation in August 2017. The story follows Pathfinder iconics Kyra, Merisiel, Seoni, and Valeros as they brave a strange demiplane created ages earlier by the Archmage Nex called the Worldscape. There, they must ally with such otherworldly heroes as John Carter, Red Sonja, and Tarzan in order to defeat the Empress Camilla, the Gorilla King, and the wizard Kulan Gath and return home. read more
- Recently featured: Kintargo • Book of the Damned • James L. Sutter
October 15 - Acavna
Acavna is a now long-forgotten deity of the Azlanti people, who was dedicated to the moon and to defensive battle. She is said to have vanished shortly before Earthfall. What few know is that Acavna died trying to protect the Azlanti from the destruction of Earthfall. When she learned of the alghollthus' plan to destroy the continent, she pulled Golarion's moon from its orbit to intercept the massive meteorite. The impact with the moon shattered the world-killing projectile into thousands of pieces, but did not slow or deflect it from its course. Instead, its shards inflicted lethal wounds on the goddess' physical manifestation. Distraught by her death, the Azlanti god of magic, Amaznen, sacrificed himself to render the remaining deadly aboleth magic clinging to the meteorite fragments inert, transforming it from a world-killer to one that, while still incredibly destructive, gave life on Golarion a chance to survive. read more
- Recently featured: Worldscape • Kintargo • Book of the Damned
October 22 - [[]]
The Pactmasters took over the city of Katapesh almost a thousand years ago in 3725 AR. Their sudden appearance is widely speculated upon. Some say the Pactmasters marched into the city by night at the head of an army of soldiers, and crushed the leaders of the various bandit gangs occupying the city. Others say they arrived in airships that terrified the bandits such that they fled into the desert. Strangely, there is no record of this event. read more
- Recently featured: Acavna • Worldscape • Kintargo
October 29 - [[]]
Though highly independent, even proud orc chieftains sometimes seek advice. When this happens, most warlords send their seconds-in-command to the Brimstone Haruspex, the temple complex high in the caldera of a smoking volcano within the Hold of Belkzen. At the hold, a group of ancient and inbred orc monks offer guidance in exchange for massive tribute. In addition to maintaining the only supposedly complete record of orc history—a lengthy series of cave paintings stretching all the way back to the orcs’ initial emergence during the Age of Darkness—the monks are also oracles, breathing in the vapors from the active fumaroles in order to spin weird and bloody prophecies. read more
- Recently featured: Pactmasters • Acavna • Worldscape • Kintargo
November 12 - [[]]
The Ulfen are a human ethnicity once feared across all of Avistan for their fierce and merciless winter raiding. This is no longer the case; now the Ulfen people are renowned for their enormous size, blonde hair, and prowess as warriors. Ulfen bodyguards are also highly desired around the courts of the Inner Sea. read more
- Recently featured: Brimstone Haruspex • Pactmasters • Acavna • Worldscape comic
November 19 - [[]]
Ogrekin are the spawn of the hideous forced unions between ogres and whatever humanoids they can overpower. Grotesque creatures, no two ogrekin look the same, each bearing different deformities caused by its aberrant ogre parentage. Ogrekin are generally just as evil as their ogre parents and are universally shunned by other civilized folk. read more
- Recently featured: Ulfen • Brimstone Haruspex • Pactmasters • Acavna •
November 26 - [[]]
Regongar is a half-orc magus companion available in the forthcoming Kingmaker computer roleplaying game from Owlcat Games. Regongar had a rough start in life. A childhood and youth spent in the Technic League's captivity has left a permanent mark, forever changing the half-orc. But while his companion Octavia believes that his suffering has destroyed almost everything good in Regongar, he thinks otherwise. In the crucible of servitude the magus steeled himself for future challenges, forged his iron will and deadly proficiencies which made the free Regongar a living nightmare for the Technic League and its agents. read more
- Recently featured: Ogrekin • Ulfen • Brimstone Haruspex
December 10 - [[]]
The Six Trials of Larazod is the fictional account of a Chelish tiefling named Larazod Rilsane. This opera in seven acts was written by Lokoris Sarini in the early 46th century AR and was banned for over a century until the rise of House Thrune legitimized the worship of Asmodeus. Despite the spectacle and fame of this piece, perhaps the most interesting aspect of the play is that it is rarely performed to completion. The reality of these trials in their most lethal form—as the play's stage directions detail—prove so intense that nearly every performance ends in the gruesome onstage death of the actors playing Larazod and his companions, those who vow to join him in his darkest hour and face the trials alongside him. As such, performances of The Six Trials of Larazod are rare, but typically provide macabre entertainment for the most decadent of audiences. read more
December 17 - [[]]
The demon lord Shax revels in acts of sadistic torture, cruelty, and bloody murder. He is said to dwell in the Abyssal realm of Charnelhome, said to resemble a place of endless rooms each filled with horrific torture implements. Shax does not have any sort of organised church, thanks to the deranged nature of most of his worshipers: his cultists are generally lone, deranged killers or warmongers seeking luck and glory in their deeds. read more
- Recently featured: The Six Trials of Larazod • Regongar • Ogrekin
December 24 - [[]]
The Wildwood Lodge is an ancient order of druids who reside within the Verduran Forest of central Avistan (an area that straddles the nations of Andoran, Taldor, and Galt). Every year on the summer solstice, the druids of the Wildwood Lodge meet for a Moot of Ages on the Isle of Arenway in the Sellen River. For these gatherings, druids from all over Golarion travel to present their findings to the assembled Old Faith community. Conclusions are generally not reached through logic and the enforcing of dogma, but rather by listening for and interpreting the Will of the World, supposedly the collective intelligence of nature itself. read more
- Recently featured: Shax • The Six Trials of Larazod • Regongar