Walk Paths Unseen in Occult Origins

Friday, October 9, 2015

Oh yes, we know that particular flavor of frantic look. You are far from the first whose eyes it has crossed, friend, and so long as the sun continues to rise you will not be the last.

You found a book, and in your childlike naiveté you assumed this book held answers. That is the lie we teach our children, after all: Books hold answers. Knowledge is power. Broaden yourself and you shall no longer be the fearful, mewling lump you dropped into this world as.

But now you know the truth.

You read your Occult Adventures. You assumed it would satisfy you; would answer your questions. But now you're left with an intellectual hunger no crumb of written word can sate. Yet you scrape through the cupboards, hoping—no, begging to a universe you hope is just that page will relieve the pangs for just One. More. Day.

It won't. It can't. The truth of this world—beneath the playful façade of queens and dragons we set out to delight clumsier minds—is grisly and devoid of sense. I have the book you want; the book you need. This book of Occult Origins tempts you with so many new secrets—questions you never even thought to ask—but it can't offer peace of mind. You knew this before you stepped in, and yet here we both stand. You need to know how kineticists are born, and why they hurl the fundamental forces of the universe as carelessly as a child throws a disobedient doll. You long to know why the psychic mind can overwrite a world you believed to be so stable and sound and impervious to whim. But this book isn't a book of answer. You will leave here all the hungrier. But you will leave here book in hand, knowing you are richer, and perhaps one step closer to mad.


Illustrations by Ian Perks and Kiri Østergaard

The Occult Origins tells of chaokineticists, who channel the universe's devouring maw and wield death and decay, and the phytokinetic disciplines of distant Tian, who kindle the energy of life to violent and deadly ends. It whispers the secrets of Chelish mental disciplines to wither the unbending will of devils. It details the ancient art of the reliquarians, who suckle powers the gods themselves leave in their passing. It will teach you how to develop the powers of your psychic mind through introspection, or reflection on the lives—and deaths—you have long since outgrown. It can teach you to modify the delicate web of bone of sinew that contains the immortal essence of your being.

Trepanation

Through careful study and practice, you have learned how to relieve pressure in the brain to balance the humors, promote health, and ward off outside influence.

Prerequisites: Heal 5 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 2 ranks.

Benefit: You can perform the faith healing occult skill unlockOA even if you can't use psychic magic. If you can cast psychic spells or have the Psychic SensitivityOA feat, you can use faith healing one additional time per day.
So long as you have a healer's kitUE or surgeon's toolsUE, you can spend 1 hour performing a full trepanation on a creature. This procedure requires a Heal check (DC = 20 + the target's Hit Dice). If you're successful, the target gains a +2 insight bonus on saving throws against curses, possession, and spells from the enchantment (compulsion) school. These effects persist for 1 day per character level you possess. If you fail the check, the target takes 1d3 points of Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma damage. You can perform this procedure on yourself, but the DC increases by 5.

But it can't tell you such things are the law of the land, or pull aside the shadows far larger forces cast across your world—perhaps even across your self. It teaches occult rituals to bind gods into your army or force back psychic influence, but it can never teach you why an assemblage of words and willpower make the strict laws of creation shudder and cower.

But maybe it gives you just enough. Maybe this keeps you hungry enough that you keep asking questions and checking dark corners. Maybe you'll be the first to understand the why of it all without losing your life or your mind. Most likely not, but maybe. Gods' speed to you.

Or whatever you pray to.

Crystal Frasier
Assistant Developer

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Tags: Ian Perks Kiri Østergaard Pathfinder Player Companion
Liberty's Edge Assistant Developer

8 people marked this as a favorite.

I really adore that hobgoblin chaokineticist. She's probably my favorite art for this book.

Once again, Owen Stephens did an amazing job with the art order, and Sonja Morris picked the perfect artists!

Sovereign Court

4 people marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Can we get Crystal to write all the previews? I don't even care exactly what content the book has - I'm intrigued.

Paizo Employee Developer

7 people marked this as a favorite.
Iammars wrote:
Can we get Crystal to write all the previews? I don't even care exactly what content the book has - I'm intrigued.

What? No no no, intrigue is happening next year! Clearly you're occult-ed.

Dark Archive

2 people marked this as a favorite.

...this...this is amazing, Crystal!Please write more previews! =D


2 people marked this as a favorite.

Whether Crystal does them or not, the previews lately have been most excellent! Thanks for the vibrant imagery! PS That is awesome for us blind folks.


Any details about the purple dragon ? possibly a cult or some other organization ?

How bout some origin stories on these characters :-)


Neat, I am already getting this but the preview is a nice appetizer.


Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber

I thought that was a vampire not a hobgoblin, with all the undead/negative energy themed stuff in that archetype.
pointy ears, grey skin and fangs...don't judge a book, I guess.

Silver Crusade Contributor

This preview is gold. ^_^

Dark Archive

Kryzbyn wrote:

I thought that was a vampire not a hobgoblin, with all the undead/negative energy themed stuff in that archetype.

pointy ears, grey skin and fangs...don't judge a book, I guess.

Yeah, some sort of elven vampire or something. He doesn't really look like either of the Paizo hobgoblin looks.

Then again, perhaps like catfolk, hobgoblins don't all look alike... :)

Paizo Employee Developer

3 people marked this as a favorite.

Canonically hobgoblins are bald, so it's off-model for that reason alone. :-\

Silver Crusade Contributor

Mark Moreland wrote:
Canonically hobgoblins are bald, so it's off-model for that reason alone. :-\

I kept wanting to mention this, but I didn't want to seem impertinent. ^_^


Mark Moreland wrote:
Canonically hobgoblins are bald, so it's off-model for that reason alone. :-\

Wig.

Liberty's Edge

2 people marked this as a favorite.
One-Word Response wrote:
Mark Moreland wrote:
Canonically hobgoblins are bald, so it's off-model for that reason alone. :-\
Wig.

Someone else's hair/scalp that she liked.

Scarab Sages Developer

4 people marked this as a favorite.
Mark Moreland wrote:
Canonically hobgoblins are bald, so it's off-model for that reason alone. :-\

She uses the same wigmaker as the hobgoblin on page 122 of Monster Codex.

And the hobgoblin on page 179 of Inner Sea Races.
And Nigarl. And...

Silver Crusade Contributor

2 people marked this as a favorite.

Little-known fact: this is how Isger's Goblinblood Wars started.


2 people marked this as a favorite.
Kalindlara wrote:
Little-known fact: this is how Isger's Goblinblood Wars started.

It's the Blue Kree vs. Pink Kree all over again. :'(


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Lost Omens Subscriber
Cthulhudrew wrote:
Kalindlara wrote:
Little-known fact: this is how Isger's Goblinblood Wars started.
It's the Blue Kree vs. Pink Kree all over again. :'(

Star-bellied Sneetches.

Paizo Employee Developer

Owen K. C. Stephens wrote:
Mark Moreland wrote:
Canonically hobgoblins are bald, so it's off-model for that reason alone. :-\

She uses the same wigmaker as the hobgoblin on page 122 of Monster Codex.

And the hobgoblin on page 179 of Inner Sea Races.
And Nigarl. And...

Just because we've made a mistake in the past doesn't mean we should keep doing so. But calling all those wigs is an easy enough solution, so I'm not too worried about it.

Liberty's Edge Assistant Developer

6 people marked this as a favorite.
Kalindlara wrote:
Mark Moreland wrote:
Canonically hobgoblins are bald, so it's off-model for that reason alone. :-\
I kept wanting to mention this, but I didn't want to seem impertinent. ^_^

Gi-Soong was a hobgoblin raised among humans, and her lack of hair didn't bother her until she reached adulthood and began transition. Thanks to her human friends and foster family, she associated femininity with long hair, and she has taken the wearing the wig ever since. Even though she's met other hoblgoblin women at this point, and has embraced more of her racial heritage, the long hair still feels like an important trophy in her journey to becoming her confidant and authentic self, and a joyful reminder of her drastically divided heritage.

Silver Crusade Contributor

3 people marked this as a favorite.
Crystal Frasier wrote:
Kalindlara wrote:
Mark Moreland wrote:
Canonically hobgoblins are bald, so it's off-model for that reason alone. :-\
I kept wanting to mention this, but I didn't want to seem impertinent. ^_^
Gi-Soong was a hobgoblin raised among humans, and her lack of hair didn't bother her until she reached adulthood and began transition. Thanks to her human friends and foster family, she associated femininity with long hair, and she has taken the wearing the wig ever since. Even though she's met other hoblgoblin women at this point, and has embraced more of her racial heritage, the long hair still feels like an important trophy in her journey to becoming her confidant and authentic self, and a joyful reminder of her drastically divided heritage.

This is awesome. Future NPC, definitely (once I find a place for her). ^_^

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