Rule of Fear

A Cursed Land

For thousands of years, the Immortal Principality of Ustalav has labored beneath the legacy of its dark past. Within the shelter of its mist-shrouded hills and decaying, decadent cities, things that have no right to live stalk the night, and superstitious residents lock their doors tight against the howls and scratchings that summon them forth. Vampires, werewolves, undead monstrosities, and stranger things make their homes here, and even those fools who ignore such threats tremble at the thought of the Whispering Tyrant, the nation’s former conqueror, who even now shifts restlessly beneath his prison-tower of Gallowspire. Though most of Ustalav’s citizens are ordinary men and women, canny urban merchants, or fallen nobles coasting on their last shreds of wealth and reputation, no one here dares peer too far into the shadows, for fear of what might be looking back.

Rule of Fear provides a comprehensive overview of the nation of Ustalav, a realm of urban intrigue and gothic horror, and the setting of Pathfinder Adventure Path’s Carrion Crown Adventure Path.

Inside this 64-page book, you’ll find:

• A complete overview of 13 adventure-packed counties, from the ghost-haunted wastelands of Virlych to the bustling ports of Caliphas, including detailed descriptions of significant locations, notable personages, and the rulers of each region
  
• In-depth gazetteers of seven major cities, including key locations, city stat blocks, and local rumors to draw your players into the action
  
• Six conspiracies and secret societies, and how they fit into Ustalav’s baroque government
  
• Eleven terrifying adventure locations, plus details on their masters, inhabitants, and supernatural hauntings
  
• Information on local superstitions, secrets about notable families (and the unspeakable curses they bear), tips for running classic horror-themed campaigns, and more!

Rule of Fear is intended for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and the Pathfinder campaign setting, but can easily be incorporated into any fantasy game setting.