This is an alternating addition and subtraction series. Roman numbers alternate with Arabic numbers. In the Roman numeral pattern, each number decreases by 1. In the Arabic numeral pattern, each number increases by 1.
This is an alternating addition series, with a random number, 21, interpolated as every third number. The addition series alternates between adding 3 and adding 4. The number 21 appears after each number arrived at by adding 3.