Hometowns of the Inner Sea

Thursday, October 24, 2013


Illustration by Mark Molnar

The other day, Wes showed up in our cube with a treat: a peak at an advance copy of Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Towns of the Inner Sea. I finally got to see my town, Solku, in print!

When the list of available towns came out, I immediately jumped on Solku, excited to explore this diverse corner of our world. Solku isn't as famous as the much larger city of Katapesh, but it's a fascinating place: founded by cultists fleeing persecution, preyed on by gnolls and fellow Katapeshi alike, at once pious, mercantile, and afraid. It's decidedly good, but that doesn't mean life there is easy (as exemplified by the story of Solku's most famous resident, the iconic paladin Seelah)—the town is plagued by frequent attacks by gnoll bandits and slavers, and crowded with long-term refugees. Being good also doesn't guarantee the well-intentioned inhabitants all get along; the widening rift between the civilian government and Sarenrae's church is another major source of tension in the town. And, of course, Solku also has its fair share of con artists, madmen, and more!

I tried to write about Solku like it was my own hometown—with a tangled mix of love and pride and frustration. After all, while this book is partly about showing that adventure isn't found only in dungeons and major cities, it's also about exploring places and cultures that your characters could call home!

Judy Bauer
Editor

More Paizo Blog.
Tags: Golarion Mark Molnar Pathfinder Campaign Setting

The Seelah related link appears broken.

Liberty's Edge Digital Products Assistant

Kris Vanhoyland wrote:
The Seelah related link appears broken.

And fixed.


Adventure Path Charter Subscriber

Yes, the link doesn't go to the proper location.

Probably linking to something like this, which provides some background on Seelah.

http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/npcCodex/iconic/seelah.html#_seelah

Edit: 15 seconds too late as Crystal has already fixed it.

Sczarni

Nice! Solku's got a lovely piece of art!


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I've said it before and I'll say it again, Seelah's story moves me to tears. She's perfect Paladin material; carrying some guilt and remorse for past actions but dedicated and devoted to bettering herself as well as the world! I hope we see Seelah's Mythic stats soon! ^_^

Oh, and the city of Solku looks pretty awesome! Does it get a fair amount of trade or does Katapesh steal all of it's possible wealth? As for Katapesh, one wonders why a mythic blue dragon hasn't been DRAWN to it's MASSIVE OBSESSION for obtaining wealth (and subsequently RAZED the whole city to the ground)!

Editor

Solku is more a waypoint than an endpoint for trade (it's only a fraction of the size of the city of Katapesh, after all), but it's still a prosperous burg, visited by caravans traveling to or from Osirion, Geb, and the Mwangi Expanse, as well as elsewhere in Katapesh.

And agreed that Mark Molnar knocked it out of the park with that illo!


1 person marked this as a favorite.
James Jacobs wrote:
Kajehase wrote:

Is the banner* held by Hazic Kel-Kalaar on page 48 of Towns of the Inner Sea depicting the arms of Solku, or something else?

* Two crossed gold scimitars with an eye in the middle on a white field with gold borders.

Dunno. Could be. That's a better question for whoever worked on that book... I don't know who it was off the top of my head, since its production occurred during a PARTICULARLY hectic time at Paizo...

So, erm... Help me Judy Bauer, you're possibly my only hope.


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber

Spectacular artwork! Molnar ftw!


That is a beautiful piece of artwork. I hope to see many more like it in the future.

Editor

Kajehase wrote:

Is the banner* held by Hazic Kel-Kalaar on page 48 of Towns of the Inner Sea depicting the arms of Solku, or something else?

* Two crossed gold scimitars with an eye in the middle on a white field with gold borders.

The banner shows Lord Kel-Kalaar's personal arms, a nod to his twin sources of power as a magus.


Is it me, or does it look like constantinople? Have I been playing too much assassins creed?


Judy Bauer wrote:
Kajehase wrote:

Is the banner* held by Hazic Kel-Kalaar on page 48 of Towns of the Inner Sea depicting the arms of Solku, or something else?

* Two crossed gold scimitars with an eye in the middle on a white field with gold borders.

The banner shows Lord Kel-Kalaar's personal arms, a nod to his twin sources of power as a magus.

Thank you. Much obliged.

Scarab Sages

Berselius wrote:

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Seelah's story moves me to tears. She's perfect Paladin material; carrying some guilt and remorse for past actions but dedicated and devoted to bettering herself as well as the world! I hope we see Seelah's Mythic stats soon! ^_^

Oh, and the city of Solku looks pretty awesome! Does it get a fair amount of trade or does Katapesh steal all of it's possible wealth? As for Katapesh, one wonders why a mythic blue dragon hasn't been DRAWN to it's MASSIVE OBSESSION for obtaining wealth (and subsequently RAZED the whole city to the ground)!

The alien masters of Katapesh clearly have access to power we have not seen revealed yet... well, that and they're just too damned useful (for the moment).

In theory, Solku's fortunes are improving now that the trade and pilgrimage route to Ipeq and the rest of Osirion is open again. Of course, the little town of Kelmarane is a bit of a trouble magnet as well... ;)

Silver Crusade

Judy Bauer wrote:
I tried to write about Solku like it was my own hometown—with a tangled mix of love and pride and frustration.

Just read this entry and I gotta say, that really comes through. Love that town. :)

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