A Review of the Role Playing Game Supplement Faces of the Tarnished Souk: Kahrvass Fleymbrow, Smith of Burning Desire (PFRPG)

Faces of the Tarnished Souk: Kahrvass Fleymbrow, Smith of Burning Desire (PFRPG) by Matt Banach and Justin Sluder is a role playing game supplement published by Rite Publishing for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. As such, it is covered by the Open Game License and some parts are considered to be Open Game Content as a result. This is a single NPC at three different CRs.

The supplement is available as a 17-page PDF from DriveThruRPG for $2.95 but was purchased at a reduced price as part of a special bundle. One page is the front cover, one the front matter, one the Open Game License and two are ads.

Kahrvass Fleymbrow, Smith of Burning Desire gives the standard introductory text on the NPC, an azer originally from the Plane of Fire and a smith who constantly forges many different items. Kahrvass is not a friendly person, but can be helpful, and injured. He also can’t remember something important about his past. How he’s affected by Dreamburning, some details ion his forge, lore and using Kahrvass in the setting is also covered.

Next are the three different versions of the NPC, arranged from high to low in the supplement.

The CR 8 version is an advanced azer artisan 6.

The CR 15 version is an advanced magma azer artisan 13.

The CR 20 version is an advanced magma azer artisan 17.

A sidebar gives some details on the NPCs forge and explains that Kahrvass, being a skilled smith, could have access to any item he could make.

Artisan is a new class. It’s one that can create magical items, and has access to spells, but can only use those spells to create magical items. This means that a skilled smith who is an artisan no longer needs access to other beings to create magical items, which is pretty logical.

There follows a whole series of feats related to item creation, and that can include creating or improving creatures. Next is a new trait and a series of new magical items belonging to the smith.

Next is a new template, magma creature, as well as some example creatures.

Faces of the Tarnished Souk: Kahrvass Fleymbrow, Smith of Burning Desire (PFRPG) in Review

The PDF is bookmarked with major sections linked. Navigation is decent. The text maintains a two-column format and appeared to be free of errors. There are a couple of other illustrations as well as the one from the cover. Presentation is okay.

This is not a combat NPC and should not be used as such. That doesn’t mean that they’re ineffective in combat, because simply being able to craft a wide range of equipment can make a difference there, but they aren’t a foe to be defeated. Rather, Kahrvass is more likely to be a source of items, knowledge and perhaps adventures. Where the supplement does tend to shine is with the new class and new feats, all related to item creation that can make a character who is competent at it without needing a wizard’s help. Faces of the Tarnished Souk: Kahrvass Fleymbrow, Smith of Burning Desire (PFRPG) can be found by clicking here.