Saint Alduin

Alduin, an Azlanti warpriest of Irori, lived over 10,000 years ago during the enslavement of humanity by the aboleths. A member of the Phoenix Crusade, Alduin fought valiantly to free his people from the faction known as the Faceless Ones. However, through subterfuge, the aboleths turned his allies against him, leading to his capture and a trial for treason. Rather than execution, Alduin was sentenced to stasis, and Plane Shifted into the Abyss, where he was forgotten for millennia.   Rediscovered by the Guardians of Golarion, Alduin faced scrutiny due to his imprisonment. Despite the questions surrounding his past, he explained his actions were driven by a desire to free his people, even at great moral cost. Learning that thousands of years had passed and his people were no more, Alduin sought to adapt to the new world with the help of Naebler, a gnome fluent in Azlanti.  

Brave New World

Seeking remnants of his past, Alduin enlisted the crew of the Mighty Maiden, led by Captain Joseph Lorune, to retrieve personal items from the ruins of Old Azlant. Despite tensions between Alduin and Lorune, the expedition succeeded. In an underwater cavern known as Sanctuary, Alduin reclaimed his legendary armor and reconnected with Nigel, a loyal construct.   After retrieving his hidden cache, Alduin celebrated with the crew, gifting Captain Lorune a mysterious glowing crystal. However, the following day, Lorune awoke to find his ship stranded on the Lost Coast Road, his crew scattered, and Alduin gone.  

Pathfinder Society

After parting ways with Naebler and others, Alduin joined the Pathfinder Society to learn about the post-Earthfall world and pursue his path to self-perfection. His skills in divine healing, combat, and leadership made him a valuable field operative. Through the Society, Alduin sought answers about the fate of his people and the events surrounding Earthfall.  

Fort Rannick Incident

On assignment with the Saviors of Sandpoint, Alduin faced ogres near Fort Rannick. When the group’s reckless actions nearly led to disaster, Alduin advised caution, but his concerns were ignored. Refusing to join a suicide mission, he returned to Magnimar to gather reinforcements. By the time Alduin arrived with the militia, the Saviors had successfully retaken the fort. Regretful of his decision to leave, Alduin apologized and returned to the Pathfinder Society, resolving to have more faith in himself and others.  

The Test

In Absalom, Alduin meditated near the Starstone Temple, where he met Jylen, a young temple guard. Alduin revealed his intention to guide Jylen and encouraged him to discover his true path. This marked another step in Alduin’s journey of redemption and pursuit of self-perfection.  

Discovery of the Breastplate of Chromatic Dominion

Following his experience at the Starstone Temple, Alduin’s journey took him to the Mwangi Expanse. A cryptic lead from the Pathfinder Society hinted at the location of a powerful artifact deep within the Rainbow Caverns, a place of swirling elemental energy and vibrant illusions. Venturing into the caverns with Jylen and a hired group of adventurers, Alduin overcame trials designed to test his cunning, strength, and resolve—challenges that mirrored his inner struggle for identity and purpose.   At the heart of the caverns, Alduin unearthed the Breastplate of Chromatic Dominion, a relic that shimmered with the essence of the five chromatic dragons. As he donned the armor, a surge of elemental power coursed through him. The artifact’s magic unveiled cryptic visions of a majestic dragon—a being of creation and destruction—whispering her name: Tynathria.  

The First Whispers

The breastplate acted as a conduit for Tynathria’s dormant influence. In the days following his discovery, Alduin began to hear faint whispers that grew stronger with each passing night. They spoke of his past failures and promised him the power to redeem himself. Tynathria revealed fragments of her story—her betrayal, her imprisonment, and her desire to restore balance to a chaotic world. Alduin, drawn by the parallels to his own betrayal, felt a kinship with the ancient creator.   Through the breastplate, Alduin learned of the Armor of Varathrax—a relic of immense power forged in Tynathria’s name. Tynathria’s whispers guided him toward a singular goal: to reassemble the armor and claim his place as her herald, destined to reshape the world in her vision.  

A Growing Obsession

Alduin's initial curiosity became an obsession as he unearthed more about Tynathria. He sought out ancient ruins, arcane tomes, and forgotten leyline nexuses, piecing together the fragmented history of the Dark Queen. His path crossed with members of the Church of the First, who recognized the aura of Tynathria in the armor he bore. Seeing an ally in Alduin, they welcomed him as a chosen of their queen and shared their sacred knowledge.   Through the Church, Alduin learned of the Helm of Titan’s Wrath, a piece of the armor thought lost to history. Driven by Tynathria’s whispers and the Church’s guidance, he located the helm through a black-market dealer, acquiring it at great cost. With two pieces of the armor in his possession, Alduin’s connection to Tynathria deepened, manifesting in subtle draconic features—golden scales on his hands, a commanding aura, and a voice that resonated with ancient power.  

A Turning Point

As Alduin grew closer to Tynathria, he began to see himself not as a servant but as a savior. Her philosophy of creation through destruction aligned with his desire to bring order to a fractured world. He returned to Andoran, where his reputation as a protector had blossomed. Using the power of the breastplate and helm, Alduin consolidated his influence, becoming the Guardian of Andoran. While publicly serving the nation’s ideals of freedom and justice, he privately pursued the remaining pieces of the armor.   The creation of the Silver Flight, an elite force loyal to Alduin, marked the beginning of his transformation from a protector to a conqueror. Infused with draconic essence using rituals inspired by Tynathria, the Silver Flight served as enforcers of Alduin’s will, feared and revered in equal measure.    

The Final Pieces

With the Breastplate of Chromatic Dominion and the Helm of Titan’s Wrath in his possession, Alduin turned his attention to the two remaining pieces of the Armor of Varathrax: the Boots of the Five-Headed Flight and the Gauntlets of the Dragon’s Command. Guided by Tynathria’s whispers and fragmented lore from the Church of the First, he knew the locations of both—but recovering them would demand unparalleled strength, cunning, and resolve.  

The Storm-Shrouded Peak

The Boots of the Five-Headed Flight lay hidden atop a mountain in the Lands of the Linnorm Kings, veiled by perpetual storms. Tynathria’s whispers told Alduin that only the bold would survive the ascent, for the mountain tested more than physical endurance—it judged the worth of those who sought the boots.   Alduin’s journey through the frozen wilderness was grueling. Storms howled and the biting winds seemed alive, pushing him back with each step. As he climbed higher, illusions of the past haunted him: visions of his betrayal, his failures, and the faces of those he could not save. But Alduin’s resolve was unshakable. He pressed on, shattering the illusions with the might of his draconic power.   At the summit, he faced a final trial—a massive elemental guardian forged of ice and lightning, created to guard the boots from the unworthy. The battle raged across the frozen peak, with Alduin wielding the power of Tynathria’s artifacts to overcome his foe. When the creature fell, the storm momentarily calmed, revealing the boots nestled within a crystalline altar. Alduin claimed them, feeling his power grow as the armor pieces resonated with one another.  

The Gauntlets of the Dragon’s Command

Alduin’s quest for the Gauntlets of the Dragon’s Command, the final pieces of the Armor of Varathrax, was fraught with challenges both seen and unseen. The left gauntlet, once wielded by the infamous enforcer Arcaan, the Doomfist, had vanished into the hands of a lich who had claimed Arcaan’s life. Despite exhaustive efforts, Alduin could not locate the gauntlet. Even Tynathria’s whispers, his most reliable guide, fell silent on its whereabouts, leaving him to stew in frustration and uncertainty.   The right gauntlet presented an equally vexing problem. It was fused to the hand of Dagourn, High Priest of the Church of the First. Alduin, now an influential figure within the church due to his possession of several pieces of the armor and his growing legend, approached Dagourn with a claim for the gauntlet—not merely as a tool of power, but as an extension of Tynathria’s will.   "This is no mere artifact," Alduin declared during their tense meeting. "The gauntlet is her essence, a fragment of her divinity. It was never meant to be yours—it belongs to her chosen."   Dagourn, a cautious and calculating leader, saw in Alduin the seeds of dangerous ambition. To hand over the gauntlet would mean relinquishing a part of Tynathria’s power and solidifying Alduin’s ascension as her herald—a role Dagourn believed should still be tempered by devotion to the church and its vision.   "If you seek to claim what is mine," Dagourn responded with icy resolve, "then prove your devotion. A sacrifice must be made—not for yourself, but for her."   The demand was clear: Alduin would need to demonstrate that his loyalty lay not in his personal ambition, but in Tynathria’s will. He must offer a sacrifice worthy of the Mother of All, one that would resonate with her eternal power.  

Alduin’s Departure

Though outwardly composed, Alduin seethed at the High Priest’s challenge. Dagourn’s demand was an insult to his belief in his destiny, a destiny Tynathria herself had whispered to him time and again. The gauntlet belonged to him; it was his right, his purpose, his salvation. Yet, he knew better than to confront Dagourn directly in this moment. A battle with the High Priest would fracture the church, and Alduin needed its influence—at least for now.   He returned to the Silver Flight, his elite force of draconic warriors, and prepared to leave. His departure was silent, but his resolve was anything but. If Dagourn wanted a demonstration of Alduin’s loyalty, he would have it, but on Alduin’s terms. The gauntlet would be his, and through it, he would fulfill the prophecy whispered by Tynathria: to become her herald and reshape the world in her image.   As Alduin departed, the storm within him grew. His focus now shifted toward two tasks: recovering the missing gauntlet and gathering the resources necessary to force Dagourn’s hand—or remove him entirely, if it came to that. Alduin’s journey had always been one of ambition, but now it burned with the righteous fury of a man who believed himself not just chosen, but destined.  

The Games of Tymon

  When Saint Alduin descended upon Tent City, his arrival shattered the festival atmosphere like a hammer striking glass. He appeared in a blaze of golden light, clad in the resplendent armor of Exuvia Tyrannis (minus the gauntlets). Before the crowd could comprehend what they were seeing, Alduin struck down a gladiator who challenged him—disintegrating the man in a single divine flash, then crushing the remnants beneath his heel. The spectacle froze the masses in a silent terror that bordered on reverence. As the Ruinlords emerged from their tent, Alduin fixed them with an unnerving purple gaze and greeted them with a practiced smile that felt more like a warning than a welcome.   In the days that followed, Alduin took a keen interest in the Champion’s Games. He observed the Ruinlords from the side of Loris Raknian, never speaking, only watching with the stillness of a blade poised to strike. When his knights—the Silver Flight—entered the arena, they fought with lethal efficiency, targeting spellcasters, cutting down healers, and pressing their advantage with predatory discipline. But when the Ruinlords finally felled Alduin’s chosen warriors, the warpriest’s composure cracked. His façade of divine calm slipped just enough for Raknian—and the Ruinlords—to see the grief beneath. And when Jylen the Inferno, Alduin’s favored pupil, met his violent end, that grief momentarily overwhelmed him. Without a word, Alduin placed his helm upon his head and vanished into the skies.  

The Riftwalker’s Unleashing

  Alduin’s response came the following day. The arena awaited the appearance of the beast known as Madtooth, but instead, a golden streak tore from the heavens and crashed into the sand. Alduin rose from the crater bearing a sealed metal vault nearly the size of an ogre’s coffin. Runes flickered across its surface while something monstrous thrashed within. With a voice equal parts warmth and cruelty, Alduin presented the Ruinlords with their "true challenge," explaining that the creature inside had been "encouraged" toward its nature through an infusion of black and green dragon’s blood.   When the vault burst open, Dr. Lorien Thalorin emerged. He was warped, half-transformed, and waging a desperate battle for control over the eldritch entity threaded through his body. The monster within him fully emerged only briefly, manifesting as Xaathuun, the Unchained Maw, before Lorien forced the creature back into the rift at the cost of his sanity and strength. As the exhausted arcanist collapsed, Alduin observed with unshaken calm, asking the Ruinlords what they intended to do with a being who could not die.  

A Proposal at the Fellgate Tavern

  The Ruinlords discovered Alduin waiting for them inside their reserved rooms at the Fellgate Tavern in Salisgrad. Calm and poised, he spoke of the undead that had begun spreading through the region, insisting that Tymon could be cured only if the Exuvia Tyrannis armor was completed. One gauntlet, he claimed, he could recover on his own. The other was held by the lich Calzurak in the far north. If the Ruinlords secured it for him, he would "cleanse Tymon entirely."   Alduin revealed that the deaths of the Silver Flight had been intentional—a sacrifice made in Tynathria’s name to strengthen his claim upon the armor. He had come to them only to confirm their worthiness. Though the Ruinlords rejected his request internally, they offered no outward refusal, knowing the danger of provoking him further.

The Cleansing of Tymon

  After the chaos of the Games, Alduin conducted a sweeping purge of corruption from the Arena of Aroden. The Apostle of Kyuss had left the grounds steeped in rot, but Alduin approached the devastation as though inspecting a canvas. Calling upon the fire within the Red Wyrmstone, he unleashed a controlled torrent of white-red dragonfire that erased every trace of corruption. Flesh, blood, shadow, and tainted stone dissolved into sterile marble beneath his feet. Survivors watched from the highest tiers as Alduin’s flame rolled across the arena in perfect, concentric waves.   When the cleansing was complete, Alduin addressed the witnesses, declaring that Tymon had been reborn through his intervention. In his mind, the arena was no longer a place of bloodshed but the foundation of something greater. It was an opportunity to reshape the city around monuments to his salvation. The citizens carried the story across Tymon by nightfall.   In the days that followed, Alduin continued his work across Tymon. He destroyed undead infestations with methodical precision, using the wyrmstone’s fire to sterilize entire districts. Every act of purification drew more citizens to him. Some knelt in gratitude. Others whispered fearfully of the unwavering intensity in his eyes. To Alduin, the difference meant nothing. All would, in time, recognize the necessity of his hand in their salvation.   Tymon belonged to Saint Alduin.  

Return to the Church of the First

  In the months that followed, Saint Alduin established the Church of the First as the primary religion in Tymon. Confident that his sacrifice, the annihilation of his Silver Flight, fulfilled Dagourn Thundercrag’s demand for devotion, Alduin returned to the Chamber of Reverence to claim the Gauntlets of the Dragon’s Command. He entered the sanctum clad in the radiance of Exuvia Tyrannis, declaring that the time had come to receive what was rightfully his. Dagourn, seated upon the Seat of Ascension, challenged Alduin’s assumption. The High Priest argued that Alduin’s actions were not acts of devotion but of pride. Their philosophies clashed sharply: Alduin spoke as one chosen by prophecy, while Dagourn countered as the arbiter of Tynathria’s will.   Never raising his voice, Dagourn demonstrated a new surge of power as the fused gauntlet glowed with molten crimson. He reminded Alduin that Tynathria granted him the right to decide whose voice truly represented her. The warpriest left the chamber seething, the wyrmstone in his chest dimmed by a moment of doubt. Dagourn watched him depart with the quiet confidence of a man who understood the cost of ambition and intended to control its consequences.  

Alduin views his survival and resurgence as his greatest achievement. Emerging from millennia of stasis in the Abyss and adapting to a drastically changed world is a testament to his resilience and determination. Despite the overwhelming odds against him, Alduin has not only reclaimed his sense of purpose but also solidified his place in a new era as a formidable figure. The acquisition of multiple pieces of the Armor of Varathrax would stand out as key milestones, marking his progression toward fulfilling what he perceives as his destiny as Tynathria’s herald.   Another accomplishment Alduin would take pride in is his ability to inspire and lead others. The creation of the Silver Flight, an elite force of draconic warriors, reflects his capability to command loyalty and forge alliances, even among those who initially doubted him. He would see this as proof of his charisma and vision, as well as his capacity to transform ordinary individuals into instruments of change. For Alduin, these achievements are not just personal victories but evidence that his path is the correct one, reinforcing his belief that he is destined to reshape the world.

Alduin’s greatest failure is his inability to protect his people, the Azlanti, from the destruction of Earthfall. Despite his sacrifices and efforts as a warpriest and freedom fighter, he was betrayed, exiled, and ultimately powerless to prevent their annihilation. This failure is compounded by the knowledge that his actions—though intended to protect and free his people—were twisted by his enemies to label him as a traitor. The shame of being unable to fulfill his duty as a protector haunts him, fueling his obsession with redemption and his desperate need to reclaim his legacy.   On a more personal level, Alduin’s greatest embarrassment lies in his inability to see through the manipulations of the Faceless Ones, the faction of aboleths that enslaved humanity. Being outmaneuvered by their subterfuge and allowing himself to be trapped has left a scar on his pride. He sees his capture and stasis not only as a failure of his mission but as a profound humiliation—a reminder of the vulnerability he strives to overcome. These failures drive his relentless pursuit of power, as he believes strength and control are the only means to avoid repeating the mistakes of his past.

Alduin’s mental trauma stems primarily from his betrayal and centuries of isolation in stasis. The profound sense of abandonment by those he once trusted has left him with deep-seated issues of paranoia and self-doubt, even as he projects confidence and authority. This betrayal has also fostered a relentless drive to prove his worth and regain control, creating a fear of vulnerability that manifests as an obsessive need for power and dominance. The knowledge that his sacrifices failed to save his people weighs heavily on him, leading to survivor’s guilt that fuels both his ambition and his belief in his destiny as Tynathria’s herald.   His time in stasis inflicted another layer of trauma. Alone with his thoughts for millennia, Alduin likely experienced an erosion of his sense of self, forcing him to confront his failures and regrets in an unending cycle. This isolation has left him emotionally stunted, struggling to form genuine connections with others. He often masks this with cold logic or calculated charisma, but beneath the surface lies a fractured psyche haunted by the weight of his perceived destiny and the specter of his past failures. These traumas shape his actions and decisions, making him both a tragic figure and a formidable force.

Alduin’s morality and philosophy are deeply intertwined, shaped by his betrayal, exile, and transformation into Tynathria’s chosen herald. He exists in a morally gray space, driven by a desire to create a better world while embracing ruthless methods to achieve his goals. Alduin believes the ends justify the means, rationalizing violence and manipulation as necessary sacrifices for the greater good. His self-righteousness and conviction in his destiny make him both inspiring and dangerous, as he dismisses opposing viewpoints as shortsighted or irrelevant.   At his core, Alduin sees himself as an instrument of Tynathria’s will, tasked with restoring balance to a broken world. He subscribes to her philosophy of creation through destruction, believing the current order must be dismantled to allow something stronger and more harmonious to rise. This belief drives his obsession with completing the Armor of Varathrax and fulfilling his role as Tynathria’s herald, often prioritizing his mission over personal relationships or loyalty to others.   Ultimately, Alduin’s ambition makes him a compelling figure of both redemption and tyranny. To some, he is a visionary savior who dares to reshape the world in the name of balance and order. To others, he is a dangerous zealot whose unyielding pursuit of power risks plunging Golarion into chaos. His morality is a means to an end, and his philosophy serves to justify his actions, leaving those who encounter him to grapple with the question: Is he the hero of a new age or the architect of its downfall?