Dark Archive (sourcebook)

This article is about the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game rulebook. For the in-world faction, see Dark Archive (faction) and for the in-world location, see Dark Archive.

Dark Archive, a Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Second Edition rulebook by James Case, Mikhail Rekun, Mark Seifter, Rigby Bendele, Logan Bonner, Dan Cascone, Jessica Catalan, Banana Chan, Kay Hashimoto, Sen.H.H.S., Patrick Hurley, Joshua Kim, Avi Kool, Daniel Kwan, Kendra Leigh Speedling, Luis Loza, Ron Lundeen, Liane Merciel, Jacob W. Michaels, Andrew Mullen, Quinn Murphy, k. tessa newton, Patrick Renie, Michael Sayre, Shay Snow, Alex Speidel, Solomon St. John, Geoffrey Suthers, Ruvaid Virk, Jabari Weathers, and Isis Wozniakowska, was released on July 27, 2022.

“

From the fringes, the unknown beckons. Pathfinder Dark Archive contains secrets that any player or GM can use to reveal the paranormal lurking in their Pathfinder games! This spine-tinglingly secretive 224-page hardcover rulebook presents two new character classes perfect for delving into the unexplained: Unleash the untold power of your mind as the psychic or leverage supernatural secrets and mystic implements as the thaumaturge!
Beyond these new classes, eight secret case files each provide player options, GM tools, and lore into a different paranormal topic, including:

Strange cryptids glimpsed in the night, gear to track them, and the powers you might gain by surviving an encounter with one

Cults and esoteric belief, with apocryphal divine magic and the secret of becoming a living vessel for an eldritch being

Temporal anomalies, with archetypes that skim along the surface of time and a new mystery for oracles unbound from causality

Each file concludes with a short adventure to immerse players in the paranormal, spanning across Golarion—play all eight to uncover the inexplicable phenomena of the Age of Lost Omens!

”

Eyes in the Forest, Tracks in the Mud
- Creature Aftermath Feats
- Experimental Adjustment
- Mutant Adjustment
- Primeval Adjustment
- Rumored Adjustment
- Cryptid Gear
- Cryptid Feats
- The Beast of Birchfrost
Incident Report: Swirls in the Sand
Incident Report: On the Topic of the Twin Village

Secret Societies

pp. 74–93

A Web of Connections
- Occult Skill Feats
- Secret Society Adjustment
- Secret Society Gear
- Membership Services
- Shaking the Helping Hand
Incident Report: The Empty Vale
Incident Report: The Anvil and the Duck

Deviant Abilities

pp. 94–115

Spontaneous Ignition of Supernatural Might
- Deviant Abilities
- Deviant Spells
- A Song of Making and Unmaking
Incident Report: The Inn of Healing
Incident Report: Sounds of Violence

Mirrors and Imposters

pp. 116–135

Doors into the Echoing Pale
- Reflection Versatile Heritage
- Hazards of Perception
- Alter Ego Archetype
- Lady of the Harvest
Incident Report: Village of the Lost
Incident Report: The Criminal Hammer

Cults

pp. 136–155

Prayers Uttered in Darkness
- Living Vessel Archetype
- Apocryphal Domain Spells
- Cult Rituals
- The Verdure of Iblydos
Incident Report: The Missing Moment
Incident Report: The Wood Pile

Curses and Pacts

pp. 156–177

A Chain of Consequences to Bind the Soul
- Pacts Witch Patron
- Cursed Items
- Tempting Curses
- Bargained Contracts
- Pactbinder Archetype
- Curse Maelstrom Archetype
- Wishes in Krasnoprudny
Incident Report: Land of Second Souls
Incident Report: The Sacral King

Temporal Abnormalities

pp. 178–195

Twists in the Endless River
- Temporal Spells
- Time Mage Archetype
- Chronoskimmer Archetype
- Time Oracle Mystery
- Tomorrow's Feast

Mindscapes

pp. 196–215

Lands of Thought and Imagination
- Mindscapes Statistics
- Psychic Duels
- Psychic Duelist Archetype
- Mind Smith Archetype
- Sleepwalker Archetype
- The Last Dream

Spell & Item Lists, Glossary & Index

p. 216

Scattered in the downloads pages of some buyers were the twenty-two Lost Pages of the Dark Archive.¹² When all 22 pages were collected, page 0 was posted on the Product Discussion thread on the Paizo messageboards.³ Deciphering page 0 leads to the hidden Ninth Casefile, which was eventually added to the product page as a web supplement.⁴

Adventure overview: The Stolen Casefiles

The Beast of Birchfrost

Level	3rd
Location(s)	Birchfrost Brevoy

The Beast of Birchfrost is a 6-page mini-adventure that features cryptids.

Shaking the Helping Hand

Level	5th
Location(s)	Absalom

Shaking the Helping Hand is a 6-page mini-adventure that features secret societies.

A Song of Making and Unmaking

Level	6th
Location(s)	Xopatl

A Song of Making and Unmaking is a 6-page mini-adventure that features deviant abilities.

Lady of the Harvest

Level	7th
Location(s)	Ravengro Ustalav

Lady of the Harvest is a 6-page mini-adventure that deals with themes of reflection.

The Verdure of Iblydos

Level	8th
Location(s)	Iblydos

The Verdure of Iblydos is a 6-page mini-adventure that handles the theme of cults.

Wishes in Krasnoprudny

Level	9th
Location(s)	Krasnoprudny Irrisen

Wishes in Krasnoprudny is a 6-page mini-adventure that features dealing with curses.

Tomorrow's Feast

Level	10th
Location(s)	Goka

Tomorrow's Feast is a 6-page mini-adventure that features elements of time.

The Last Dream

Level	12th
Location(s)	Nantambu

The Last Dream is an 8-page mini-adventure that features mindscapes.

In Darkness

Level	13th
Location(s)	Absalom

In Darkness is an 8-page mini-adventure, featured in the ninth casefile (available as a web enhancement), that concludes the story of the Lone Archivist and his stolen casefiles.

Prior to its release, Paizo reporting systems referred to this scenario as "Default Analytic Reporting Key".

References

↑ Necrodancer400. (August 23, 2022). Weird thing showing up in my downloads?, Pathfinder Second Edition General Discussion.
↑ Christian Hoffer. (August 25, 2022). Pathfinder Hides Secret Message Within Newest Rulebook, ComicBook.com.
↑ Archivist_KHW. (August 31, 2022). Page 0/22, Product discussion.
↑ James Case. (September 9, 2022). Regarding the Lost Pages of the Dark Archive, Paizo Blog.

[1] Necrodancer400. (August 23, 2022). Weird thing showing up in my downloads?, Pathfinder Second Edition General Discussion.

[2] Christian Hoffer. (August 25, 2022). Pathfinder Hides Secret Message Within Newest Rulebook, ComicBook.com.

[3] Archivist_KHW. (August 31, 2022). Page 0/22, Product discussion.

[4] James Case. (September 9, 2022). Regarding the Lost Pages of the Dark Archive, Paizo Blog.

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