Fearsome Foes in "Rise of the Runelords" Quiz

Answer: Arkrhyst

Arkrhyst is an ancient white dragon known for his frigid breath attacks. Found early in the fifth chapter of the campaign, 'Sins of the Saviors', he's placed before the entrance to a pocket universe known as The Runeforge, protecting outsiders from uncovering the true secrets that need to be uncovered to defeat Karzoug, the campaign's final boss.

While you'd expect to find him in the mouth of Rimeskull, a mountain far, far north of Sandpoint, heroes are also likely to fight him outside the mountain at Lake Stormunder while investigating the Sihedron Circle, a near-copy of which can be found in the Frozen Cathedral inside Rimeskull proper.

Answer: Nualia

Nualia, the final boss of the adventure path's first chapter, 'Burnt Offerings', is a follower of Lamashtu and a real thorn in the heroes' side as they begin to unearth the mysteries behind the game's final bad guy, Karzoug. The adopted daughter of Father Ezakien Tobyn, Nualia went her own way and found that she could play a greater part in Karzoug's rise to power. Attaining a Sihedron Amulet from the men of the Skinsaw Cult, she hired a few people from Magnimar (amongst them, her lover, Orik Vancaskerkin) and began to wreak havoc on Sandpoint from their base in the dungeons of Thistletop, a goblin hideout just outside of town.

It becomes apparent when she's found that the power has changed her in many ways.

Answer: Xanesha

Xanesha is one of the earliest bosses in the game to stray from the 'it's almost human' category. The lamia behind the events of 'The Skinsaw Murders' in chapter two, Xanesha is the one responsible for taking Aldern Foxglove under her charge and pushing the Skinsaw Cultists into action.

Heroes will face off against her at the top of the crumbling Shadow Clock found in Magnimar and, if they're lucky, not plummet off of the tower.

Answer: Longtooth

A juvenile red dragon, Longtooth seems to be in the company of Teraktinus and the Stone Giants as they perform a raid on Sandpoint, all part of an effort to take down the Old Light, a large, stone lighthouse positioned on the coast in town. With a bit of digging, the heroes of the story can uncover that the lighthouse was an ancient Thassilonian landmark known as Hellfire Plume. Longtooth is one of the earlier dragons seen in the campaign, and his fiery assault on the town will probably hit closest to home.

It's not a dragon to keep alive.

Answer: Barl Breakbones

Barl Breakbones, one of Mokmurian's underlings, is the final boss of 'The Hook Mountain Massacre', the campaign's third chapter, and his death (or escape) means that the first half of the story has come to an end. Stationed in Hook Mountain's ogre dens, Barl is allied with Lucrecia; both seek to destroy Turtleback Ferry by breaking apart the dam at Skull's Crossing and flooding everything on the lower side of the Storval Plateau. Like many earlier bosses, Barl is a follower of Lamashtu; his shrine can be found in the clanhold.

Answer: The Skinsaw Man

The Skinsaw Man, formerly known to the heroes of the campaign as Aldern Foxglove, is introduced at the very start of the first chapter of the story-- 'Burnt Offerings'-- as an aristocrat looking to acquire his inherited property, known as Misgivings, or Foxglove Manor, just outside of Sandpoint.

The campaign's second chapter, 'The Skinsaw Murders', sends the heroes to the house proper to uncover his whereabouts. As it turns out, the haunted house they visit has latched onto Aldern's mind; he too seems to be working in favour of Karzoug in a small way, leading a cult of vicious murderers in service of Xanesha, a lamia stationed in Magnimar.

Answer: Lucrecia

The stronger sister of Xanesha (fought in 'The Skinsaw Murders'), Lucrecia has her sights set on bigger ventures far to the northeast of Sandpoint and Magnimar. After spending her time operating a floating gambling hall outside Turtleback Ferry, she infiltrates the ogre clans in the mountains surrounding Fort Rannick, convincing them to pull their weight in bringing the Runelord of Greed back into power.

Heroes will likely fight her midway through the campaign's third chapter, 'The Hook Mountain Massacre', after discovering that she and the Kreeg tribe have taken over the Fort, displacing the Order of the Black Arrows from their stronghold.

Answer: Ghlorofaex

The final dragon found in the campaign (if heroes wish to venture into his lair), Ghlorofaex is very old, somewhat regarded as a myth since most mortals haven't seen Xin-Shalast in generations and generations. The heroes of the campaign can find him during the final chapter, 'Spires of Xin-Shalast', and battle against his electric magic to find one way of getting themselves closer to Mhar Massif and Karzoug's lair in the pinnacle of Avarice. Defeating him in an optional bout will result in a true horde of treasure including a near-priceless Sihedron Ring, needed to pass through a magical barrier later on.

Answer: Mokmurian

Found high atop the Storval Plateau, Mokmurian is deep within Jorgenfist, home of the Stone Giants and recent encampment for seven ogre tribes. Fought at the end of 'Fortress of the Stone Giants', the campaign's fourth chapter, he's a final boss with the closest ties to Karzoug yet. Guardian of many of the Thassionian peoples' secrets, Mokmurian uses transmutation spells to battle foes, shifting the battlefield to his whims and polymorphing heroes into other creatures. Because he triggered Karzoug's awakening, he maintains a spiritual link to the Runelord.

Answer: Karzoug

Karzoug is the end-all of this campaign, and his rise is foreshadowed as far back as the campaign's first chapter. Nearly every boss in the campaign works in favour of Karzoug. In the end of 'Spires of Xin-Shalast', the final chapter, heroes will ascend the Pinnacle of Avarice and do battle in Karzoug's chamber, the Eye of Avarice, throwing everything he can as a level 20 transmuter. Suffice to say, he's a strong one. Once Karzoug is defeated and his Soul Lens is destroyed, he's stopped once and for all.

Not to say that there aren't more dangers in Golarion, of course.