A few months ago, when I started thinking about what figures to include in the specifically Pathfinder Campaign Setting-themed Legends of Golarion set of Pathfinder Battles prepainted fantasy miniatures, I came upon a revelation. We seem to really like monkeys, gorillas, and apes. And since we decided to include several of these creatures in the set, I thought it would make for a good theme for a Friday preview blog. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you a sensational simian sneak peak to last you through your Saturday and Sunday!
Up first this week is the Gorilla King, a villain who actually predates the creation of Pathfinder and the Pathfinder Campaign Setting, as he originally starred in one of our old Compleat Encounter metal miniature sets, Throne of the Gorilla King. A major antagonist in the treacherous jungles of the Mwangi Expanse, the Gorilla King leads a nation of sentient demon-worshiping monkeys, and his machinations occasionally even spill over onto the civilized world. Legends of Golarion sees a much larger version of the King than his previous incarnation, and your players won't soon forget the session when you plunk this badboy on the table. The Gorilla King is a Large, rare figure. You can find the Gorilla King's stats on page 21 of Pathfinder Adventure Path #40.
Speaking of the Gorilla King's maniacal monkey servitors, here we have one in all its animalistic glory. This Charau-Ka warrior is a Small, common figure, a troop type that will allow you to build up a fun ape-men encounter with very little effort or expense. With a colorful baboon-like face and a nasty scream, the Charau-Ka wants to make sure your jungle exploration is particularly memorable. The Charau-Ka's statistics are found in the Inner Sea World Guide.
Want even more shock troops for your ape invasion? Might I suggest the cacophonous Monkey Swarm, courtesy of Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 (page 212)? Designed to work four-at-a-time in a 10-ft. space, this Medium common figure looks great from every angle. I know a certain contingent of Pathfinder Battles fans have been asking for flatter swarms, but in this case it seemed making most use of all three dimensions would work best. We can't have flat monkeys running around, after all.
How about a flying ape? The Derhii, invented by Wolfgang Baur in his classic Pathfinder Module Crucible of Chaos, dwell in jungle canopies and in cliff dwellings, demanding tribute from lesser apes and aligning themselves with more powerful flying creatures such as dragons or dragonnes. They're also neutral, so they're not necessarily bad guys. The Derhii is an uncommon, Large figure. His stats can be found on page 75 of Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3.
We can't let monkeys have all the fun this week (and I've got a ton of figures to preview before next month's official Legends of Golarion release date), so here are a couple of bonus, non-ape previews to tide you over until next week! First up we have the really quite gross Marsh Giant, an uncommon Large figure from the very first Pathfinder RPG Bestiary. The best thing about this figure is the shiny coat on its skin, making it look like it just lurched out of the swamp.
Inspired by real world cryptozoology and urban legend but very much a part of Golarion is the Mothman, represented here by a Medium rare figure that exudes creepiness from antennae to toe. The best part of this figure is the tinted clear wings, but its emaciated form and cool attachment to the base via an L-shaped post makes the figure quite dynamic, despite its somewhat rigid pose. He's definitely a creature you do not want to see, whether roosting in the trees outside Sandpoint or on a creaky bridge on the way home during your rush hour commute.
That's it for this week! Tune in next week for more never-before seen Legends of Golarion figures!
Erik Mona
Publisher