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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

Pathfinder RPG (1st Edition) Pathfinder RPG (2nd Edition) Starfinder RPG

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Abilities | Monsters | NPCs

Razu

Master Razu is one of the most prominent and successful performers of his generation, with a voice known for moving the social elite to tears on the stages of Goka and throughout western Tian Xia. By reputation, he is a shy but brilliant virtuoso who can play an enormous repertoire of folk songs and popular new music on nearly any instrument he puts his hands on. In person, he is a calculating social chameleon, continually intuiting what his audience wants to hear and giving it to them. He prefers to maintain an air of mystery and aloofness, but those close to him know that Razu can be goaded into explosive ranting if the merits of his acclaim are publicly called into question.

Razu is private about his origins. He was born and raised in Goka, where he escaped the hard life of a scavenger only to become a much-abused servant in the theater houses of the Floating Lotus district. Although he pined for respect and admiration like the performers he watched from behind the stage, Razu didn't find a chance to use his incredible voice or knack for instruments until his parents died from extreme poverty and he fled the city in frustrated agony.

The young man played a stolen erhu, his only possession, to scrape by as a traveling performer until he by chance impressed a Lingsheni general who saw the tactical application of what she called “a voice like thunder.” She took Razu on as a signaler in her army, and under her guidance the vocalist used his talents to coordinate the movements and configurations of some of Lingshen's greatest military troops. Razu left this post as soon as he had saved enough money to do so, but he kept in touch with his old comrades and sold Lingshen any secrets he gathered while he established his career as a heartbreaking opera star in Kwanlai. His work earned him connections to some of the most powerful warlords and arms brokers in Tian Xia.

Recently, Razu has returned home with a vengeful debt to settle: his voice will bring the city that killed his parents to its knees. Although Razu has long harbored a violent disposition, his recent avowal can be traced directly to the influence of none other than this Adventure Path's demiplane-building axiomite villain, Syndara the Sculptor.

As part of his scheme to undo his archrival the Ruby Phoenix and thoroughly sully her name in Goka's history books, Syndara formulated a plan to lure the devastating kaiju King Mogaru into the city. Syndara could use the kaiju egg he'd stolen from Mogaru to draw the behemoth toward Xu Hong Bay, but beyond that he could not risk exposing himself within Goka proper. To ensure Mogaru didn't simply just wander away from the city without first destroying it, Syndara would need to rely on the reptile king's well-known weakness for music. To create the booming songs that could lead the kaiju throughout the entire city, Syndara would need a powerful performer. Syndara soon learned of Razu's vengeful grief, a passion matched only by his extraordinary musical reputation. Through his intermediaries the Lightkeepers, Syndara contacted the virtuoso and made him an offer he could scarcely refuse—the opportunity to destroy Goka.

Campaign Role

The player characters have a chance to meet Razu during the first chapter of this adventure, where he comes across as a haughty and aloof performer. Canny players likely suspect that the tengu bard is implicated in the strange extraplanar magic that causes a minor catastrophe at the Empress Yin Opera House (page 17)—and although he wasn't responsible for the accident, he is indeed working for the axiomite who is. Without hard evidence there is little to be done. Afterward, Razu moves to the background; you might choose to insert him into any of the player characters' hijinks as they traverse the city. Razu could even provide background music at the tournament itself if you so wish.

In Chapter 3, Razu reveals himself as a key player in the plot to lure King Mogaru into Goka, and the player characters must defeat him in order to save the city.

Although he wishes to wreck all of Goka, Razu has chosen several specific targets for Mogaru's rampage. In preparation for this attack, he has strategically placed instruments on the rooftops of various towers, temples, and high-rises throughout the city. These sites include the Grand Bank of Abadar, Icefang Aerie, the Seven Dragons Bridge, and numerous other prominent locales the player characters may have already visited.

Recall Knowledge - Humanoid (Society): DC 48
Unspecific Lore: DC 46
Specific Lore: DC 43

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

Changes from being Weak are marked in red below.
NOTE: The -2 damage penalty to non-strike offensive abilities (-4 if the ability is limited, such as spells) is NOT factored in.

Weak RazuCreature 17

Legacy Content

Unique NE Medium Humanoid Tengu 
Source Pathfinder #167: Ready? Fight! pg. 90
Male tengu master bard
Perception +30; low-light vision
Languages Common, Tengu, Tien
Skills Acrobatics +30, Deception +33, Diplomacy +31, Goka Lore +23, Intimidation +31, Performance +33, Theater Lore +25, Warfare Lore +25
Str +0, Dex +6, Con +3, Int +1, Wis +4, Cha +6
Items +3 greater resilient studded leather armor, +3 greater striking erhu bow, oil of animation, potion of tongues, potion of true seeing, greater maestro's instrument (erhu)
AC 38; Fort +25, Ref +30, Will +28
HP 230
Speed 25 feet, fly 80 feet
Melee [one-action] erhu bow +28 [+24/+20] (agile, finesse, magical, thrown 20 feet, versatile P), Damage 3d6-2+10 slashing plus 3d6-2 sonicOccult Spontaneous Spells DC 40, attack +30 (-4 dmg); 9th unfathomable song, wail of the banshee (2 slots); 8th disappearance, spirit song, uncontrollable dance (3 slots); 7th shadow blast, shadow siphon, soothe (3 slots); 6th collective transposition, mislead, wall of force (3 slots); 5th crushing despair, hallucination, telepathic bond (3 slots); 4th blink, dimension door, veil (3 slots); 3rd haste, mind reading, slow (3 slots); 2nd see invisibility, shatter, silence (3 slots); 1st charm, sanctuary, ventriloquism (3 slots); Cantrips (9th) dancing lights, detect magic, ghost sound, read aura, telekinetic projectile
Bard Composition Spells DC 40, 2 Focus Points (-4 dmg); 9th counter performance, lingering composition; Cantrips (9th) dirge of doom, inspire courage, triple time
Bow Basher Razu wields his instrument's unique rune-enchanted bow as a deadly weapon. His decades of training with the item allow him to augment it with his own battle cries so that it also deals sonic damage. By attaching the bow's case to its end, he can change the weapon's damage to piercing and use the bow much like a short spear. Any other creature who wields the erhu bow does not deal sonic damage with it, but the weapon otherwise possesses the traits listed above. If sold without its runes, the bow is worth 50 gp.Incredible Volume Razu's auditory effects that normally have a range 60 feet or less or an emanation area with a radius of 60 feet or less instead have a range or radius of 300 feet. His auditory effects that normally have a range of greater than 60 feet or an emanation area with a radius of greater than 60 feet instead have a range or radius of 1,200 feet (unless it was already farther). His performances are audible up to 10 miles away