Runelords

Lore & Background

They used the runes to grant themselves immortality and immense magical power, each embodying a specific sin or vice like Envy or Wrath. Their empire fell when their own creations turned against them, aided by divine intervention and mortal heroes. Despite their defeat, their spirits linger in the ruins, and some have managed to reconstitute their physical forms in recent times, seeking to reclaim their lost dominion over Golarion's northern lands.

In Their Own Story

The dust of Thassilon settles on the explorer's boots as she brushes aside a curtain of ivy. A faint hum vibrates through the stone floor beneath her, a low resonance that tastes like copper and old blood. She knows the legends say these halls are empty, but the air grows cold, and shadows lengthen without a source. Somewhere in the dark, a rune glows with a sickly violet light, watching her.

Reader's Guide

Historical records from the Age of Thassilon describe the Runelords as demigods who shaped reality through seven distinct runes, though only six rulers are named in most texts. Mythological accounts suggest they were mortals who bargained with dark powers to gain immortality and rule over their subjects without fear of death. Modern scholars agree that while most are dead, the magic remains dangerous and unstable even after millennia. Sorshen is known to have returned from undeath recently, signaling a potential resurgence of Thassilonian influence on Golarion. The ruins across Varisia serve as both tombs and prisons for their lingering power, often guarded by constructs and undead servants loyal to their ancient masters. Many adventurers seek these sites for artifacts but risk awakening the slumbering wrath of these fallen kings.

Did You Know?

• They each possessed a unique Rune of Power granting specific magical abilities.
• Their empire was located in the region now known as Varisia.
• Sorshen is one of the few confirmed to have returned from undeath recently.
• Their defeat marked the end of the Thassilonian Age roughly three thousand years ago.