Zarta Dralneen

Zarta Dralneen

(Person)

Titles

Head Archivist; Paracountess (formerly)

Alignment

Lawful neutral formerly Lawful evil

Ancestry/Species

Human (Chelaxian)

Class

2E: Bard 8
1E: Aristocrat 4 / Bard 8

Gender

Female

Homeland

Cheliax (residing in Absalom)

Organization

Pathfinder Society

Images of Zarta Dralneen

Source: Pathfinder Society Field Guide, pg(s). 15 (1E)
Absalom, City of Lost Omens, pg(s). 383 (2E)

Paracountess Zarta Dralneen is a beautiful Chelaxian woman who served as diplomatic envoy to Absalom until she was condemned on false charges in 4713 AR by her own government. Although cultured and refined, Dralneen is a master manipulator who uses her charms and diabolical power to her advantage. Her loyalties once laid with House Thrune, but she is now independent. She was also leader of the Dark Archive faction until it was made defunct when the Pathfinder Society underwent reforms.

Zarta is infamous throughout the Absalom upper class for her excessive "parties". It is often during these hedonistic events that Zarta uncovers secrets about her guests. Since her false accusations and temporary imprisonment, she has since dropped her hedonistic facade and offered her services to the Pathfinder Society, eschewing political entanglements and revenge against her accusers.

She has assisted the Pathinder Society for many years, most notably by rooting out dangerous artefacts from within the Grand Lodge's Vaults. These items were studied, catalogued and stored in the Dark Archive, a place she originally proposed and was asked to administrate. Since then she was offered a new position as Head Archivist, granting her official authority over the contents and security of the Grand Lodge's repository of knowledge and magic.

She owned several houses around Absalom, including a three-story gothic townhouse in the Ivy District, but now primarily lives and works in the Grand Lodge's Dark Archive.

Relationships

As a member of Absalom's upper class, Zarta's personal relationships are documented. One of these past lovers is Gaspar Desime, a veteran of the Goblinblood Wars in Isger, though she has never seen him as more than a temporary distraction. Zarta has been known to extort or spread rumors about previous lovers if such an action would help her reputation or situation.

As a prominent member of the Pathfinder Society, Zarta has established many new connections with her colleagues. She is a close ally of Gorm Greathammer and they work together to catalogue new discoveries and ensure that agents are properly trained. Their relationship is such that she is occasionally left in charge of the Grand Archive faction on those occasions when Gorm leaves on other business. Zarta doesn't mind performing these tasks on behalf of her colleague.

Her relationship with Venture-Captain Ambrus Valsin is cordial but strained. For his part, Ambrus is suspicious of Zarta for her previous affiliations while Zarta herself is resentful for Ambrus' previous attempts at stymieing her rise within the Pathfinder Society.

References

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.

Zarta Dralneen is mentioned in the following works:

WorkThis entity is best represented by this wikipage.	ReleaseThe release date or a partial release date.
The Immortal Conundrum	November 2011
Grand Convocation 4712	8 July 2012
The Blakros Matrimony	November 2012
The Disappeared	December 2012
Fortress of the Nail	February 2013
Fate of the Fiend	March 2014
The Paths We Choose	August 2014
The Overflow Archives	26 February 2015
Captive in Crystal	30 December 2015
The Infernal Inheritance	30 March 2016
Orders from the Gate	29 June 2016
Assault on Absalom	18 August 2017
Assault on Absalom	18 August 2017
Call of the Copper Gate	27 September 2017
What Prestige is Worth	28 November 2018
The Absalom Initiation	1 August 2019
Bandits of Immenwood	25 September 2019
Year of Boundless Wonder (scenario)	31 August 2022
Escorting a Mirage	28 February 2024