Now Taking Applications for an Expedition to Azlant

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Today on the blog I want to talk about Starfinder. Just kidding, I'm here to talk about a Golarion that's still around and some of the things that shaped it thousands of years in its past. I'm here to talk about Azlanti long before they had a star empire. More specifically, I'm here to talk about the Ruins of Azlant Adventure Path that drops this August at GenCon.

The Ruins of Azlant Adventure Path takes place in the Arcadian Ocean in a small cluster of islands hundreds of miles west of the Inner Sea region where the continent of Azlant once stood over 10,000 years ago—before the alghollthu drew meteors from the vacuum of space in an attempt to wipe humanity from the face of Golarion. While most of what was Azlant was shattered and sunk beneath the waves, scattered islands poke above the surface, and some ruins of the ancient civilization remain nearly as they were thousands of years ago. Some islands host an abundance of life that has reclaimed the surviving pieces of the broken continent.

In this Adventure Path, the PCs are part of an expedition to establish a colony called Talmandor's Bounty on an island named Ancorato. This endeavor is a partnership between the nation of Andoran and the Bountiful Venture Company, an Andoren finance company based out of Almas. The company spread the word of the expedition far and wide looking for the best of what the Inner Sea could offer to take part in this groundbreaking venture. Those who answered the call sat for interviews where they explained what they could bring to a fledgling colony to help it not only survive but thrive. Among these hopefuls are the heroes of this tale—your characters. Leadership in the Bountiful Venture Company found something special about the skills and talents of each of the PCs in their vetting process, and selected them to join the second wave of colonists headed for Talmandor's Bounty to bring more supplies and double the population of the colony.



Illustrations by Valeria Lutfullina, Mirco Paganessi, David Franco, and Roberto Pitturru

The campaign begins with the PCs, and other eager colonists, standing on the deck of the Peregrine, the ship that brought them from the port in Almas to their new home. As the ship enters a wide bay and tacks toward the nascent Talmandor's Bounty, something doesn't seem right. The chimneys of the buildings tucked behind a partially built palisade give off no smoke. Peering through a spyglass reveals that no one walks among the wood and stone houses, and as the ship draws closer, the settlement is utterly silent. Something has happened to the first group of colonists.

If you want to find out what happened to the colonists and explore the lore of ancient Azlant, apply now* to the Bountiful Venture Company and see the wonders of a new world reclaimed from cataclysm!

During the course of this Adventure Path you get a glimpse into how some people dealt with the final days of the Azlanti Empire and a chance to see how some parts of Azlanti society worked. Just some of the articles in this Adventure Path include an ecology of the Azlanti's greatest enemy, a look at the gods that the Azlanti worshiped, a gazetteer of the region as it stands today, information on the Mordant Spire, other secrets of Azlant, and much more. The Adventure Path bestiary includes monsters native to the region, weird animals and plants you could find there, and a few newly discovered additions to the alghollthu family.

*Applications available** by pre-ordering, subscribing, hitting up paizo.com on August 17, or swinging by your local game and hobby store.
**Applications are totally fictional. Books are real. Reading is good for you.

Adam Daigle
Managing Developer

More Paizo Blog.
Tags: David Franco Mirco Paganessi Pathfinder Adventure Path Roberto Pitturru Ruins of Azlant
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1 person marked this as a favorite.

Cool, I like the lost colony/missing villagers type set up.


7 people marked this as a favorite.

I can't wait to go to Roanoke Talmandor's Bounty.


2 people marked this as a favorite.

What in the world is that creature next to the monkey goblin supposed to be?

Liberty's Edge

I like the Roanoke vibe. This sounds like it'll cater to some angles of what I'm looking for in an Arcadian AP.

Liberty's Edge

1 person marked this as a favorite.

Roanoke, again?

Admittedly, in the context of a colonization story by ship it may appear more authentic, but Greg Vaughan went down this path in Kingmaker III: The Varnhold Vanishing in the context of settling and colonizing the Stolen Lands.

I suppose a good premise is a good premise and worth re-visiting.

Paizo Employee Managing Developer

10 people marked this as a favorite.

Hey, at least it's not starting with a festival. ;)

Liberty's Edge

Adam Daigle wrote:
Hey, at least it's not starting with a festival. ;)

Vordakai remains the toughest fight in Pathfinder RPG I ever played. Even after we had beaten him, I was convinced that lich was going to pop right up again.

The Varnhold Vanishing has seared itself into my gaming memory for all time...


Dragon78 wrote:
What in the world is that creature next to the monkey goblin supposed to be?

Terrible.

Paizo Employee Developer

7 people marked this as a favorite.
Dragon78 wrote:
What in the world is that creature next to the monkey goblin supposed to be?

It's supposed to be exactly the monster we ordered. You'll have to wait for the book to come out to get the scoop on that cute little guy (and a few other great new beasties).


10 people marked this as a favorite.
Mark Moreland wrote:
Dragon78 wrote:
What in the world is that creature next to the monkey goblin supposed to be?
It's supposed to be exactly the monster we ordered. You'll have to wait for the book to come out to get the scoop on that cute little guy (and a few other great new beasties).

Honestly, if that thing is indicative of the wildlife on this island I'm in favor of burning the entire thing to the bedrock and sailing home. ;)

Liberty's Edge

6 people marked this as a favorite.

So now I kind of want Session 0 to be the interview process. What kinds of questions would the Bountiful Venture Company ask, I wonder...


6 people marked this as a favorite.
Dragon78 wrote:
What in the world is that creature next to the monkey goblin supposed to be?

LEMURS GONE MAD!

Paizo Employee Managing Developer

5 people marked this as a favorite.
Shisumo wrote:
So now I kind of want Session 0 to be the interview process. What kinds of questions would the Bountiful Venture Company ask, I wonder...

I initially wanted the first part of the first adventure to be about the interview/testing process, but I figured starting the PCs off right in the action was a better plan.


I am incredibly excited for this AP. Although we will be starting out adventure out of the Stolen Lands. :) And we'll be including the interview process. With paperwork. In triplicate. Sign here please!


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Shisumo wrote:
So now I kind of want Session 0 to be the interview process. What kinds of questions would the Bountiful Venture Company ask, I wonder...

Outstanding idea.


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Adam Daigle wrote:
Shisumo wrote:
So now I kind of want Session 0 to be the interview process. What kinds of questions would the Bountiful Venture Company ask, I wonder...
I initially wanted the first part of the first adventure to be about the interview/testing process, but I figured starting the PCs off right in the action was a better plan.

A fine decision since this way lets GMs dream up something based on their own crew.


So that lemur-headed thing is actually an animal not a aberration, magical beast, etc.?


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Otagian wrote:
Mark Moreland wrote:
Dragon78 wrote:
What in the world is that creature next to the monkey goblin supposed to be?
It's supposed to be exactly the monster we ordered. You'll have to wait for the book to come out to get the scoop on that cute little guy (and a few other great new beasties).
Honestly, if that thing is indicative of the wildlife on this island I'm in favor of burning the entire thing to the bedrock and sailing home. ;)

Well, SOMEONE won't be playing the party druid... ;-)


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Quote:

a look at the gods that the Azlanti worshiped

I literally squeed like a little girl.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Adam Daigle wrote:
Shisumo wrote:
So now I kind of want Session 0 to be the interview process. What kinds of questions would the Bountiful Venture Company ask, I wonder...
I initially wanted the first part of the first adventure to be about the interview/testing process, but I figured starting the PCs off right in the action was a better plan.

if you run this as a home game you could have a session 0 where they are interviewed/tested and based on how they do give them some sort boon at the start


3 people marked this as a favorite.

Is that a celedon of Acavna?

Silver Crusade

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Will Kingdom/Settlement building rules be part of this AP?

If not as standard, then does the AP move at such a pace to allow for it?


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Peter Greening 447 wrote:
Adam Daigle wrote:
Shisumo wrote:
So now I kind of want Session 0 to be the interview process. What kinds of questions would the Bountiful Venture Company ask, I wonder...
I initially wanted the first part of the first adventure to be about the interview/testing process, but I figured starting the PCs off right in the action was a better plan.
if you run this as a home game you could have a session 0 where they are interviewed/tested and based on how they do give them some sort boon at the start

Going to take a wild stab and guess that the campaign traits are related to the interview process.


5 people marked this as a favorite.
Dragon78 wrote:
What in the world is that creature next to the monkey goblin supposed to be?

Dave Franco, it says so in the legend

Dark Archive

There gonna be an option to start as pathfinders for this maybe as a trait or such?

Grand Lodge

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Kevin Mack wrote:
There gonna be an option to start as pathfinders for this maybe as a trait or such?

The way a GM hooks their player's characters to an adventure is always malleable - I expect, like many adventures, it would work fine to have your GM adjust the start to allow players (individually, or as a collective) take this kind of track.

Without having the AP to actually read, it does feel like it could absolutely accept a slight premise adjustment that the PC's are a team of Pathfinders attached to the venture, with the Society as an 'additional investor' into the venture whose requirement was to be able to send their own team along with the colony to be an on-site expert to make sure anything valuable isn't wrecked by accident before it's cataloged and preserved...

Which would let you play with the faction rules published for general use, and use the Society's version from those. Or even some of the other available factions, that might play well with an Andoran mission.


That fish-man (skum? deep one?) has tattoos on his arm. Interesting departure from the standard "fish scale" look!

Scarab Sages

2 people marked this as a favorite.
Mark Moreland wrote:
Dragon78 wrote:
What in the world is that creature next to the monkey goblin supposed to be?
It's supposed to be exactly the monster we ordered. You'll have to wait for the book to come out to get the scoop on that cute little guy (and a few other great new beasties).

Darth Julien...


Going to be running this for both my home game and online.
*starts writing up a contract worthy of software companies*


I'm new to Pathfinder and I want to get my four kids involved in tabletop RPGs. I plan on this being our first adventure path and I'm really looking forward to it. Can anybody suggest a few source books to give me some more background information that I can use to flesh out the setting a little bit more?


1 person marked this as a favorite.
JasperXtreme wrote:
Can anybody suggest a few source books to give me some more background information that I can use to flesh out the setting a little bit more?

This AP is actually going to bring a rather obscure part of the setting to the forefront, so you will probably be able to take what you need from the adventures themselves.

The party is involved with an Andoren organization of some sort so "Andoran, Spirit of Liberty" and "Andoran, Birthplace of Freedom" might give you some background on that.


3 people marked this as a favorite.

You're probably going to want Aquatic Adventures, as it details the oceans and gives underwater rules, and maybe Blood of the Sea. There aren't really any sourcebooks about Azlant, but there is plenty of detail scattered around other books, I recommend reading the Pathfinder Wiki page; and this compliation of info on old Azlant.
Hope that helps. :)


2 people marked this as a favorite.

I like the picture of the village.

Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 4

6 people marked this as a favorite.
JasperXtreme wrote:
I'm new to Pathfinder and I want to get my four kids involved in tabletop RPGs. I plan on this being our first adventure path and I'm really looking forward to it. Can anybody suggest a few source books to give me some more background information that I can use to flesh out the setting a little bit more?

Hey Jasper.

Other folks have given you good replies. For background from another perspective, I would look at early American colonies like Plymouth Rock and particularly Jamestown. For example, I literally researched the Mayfair and its cargo manifest, just for some details.

There's quite a few details drawn from historical information. I wouldn't claim historical accuracy because the needs of the story have to come first, but real history can be a pretty good inspiration.

(I'm the author but I'm not interested in self-promotion...but if I don't say that, then I'm just some guy on the internet offering his pet theory about the content)

Scarab Sages

Psyched to run this. I love the faction idea and the interview process. Might start a thread about what kinds of questions one would adk

Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 4

3 people marked this as a favorite.

I think the idea of an interview process is absolutely fantastic.

I fully support Adam's decision to start right on the deck of the ship and looking at the island, but I think once folks have the text, they'll see that the background I wrote is 100% compatible with the idea of an interview process.

Actually, I don't think this is a spoiler, but I actually either state or strongly imply that such a thing actually happened. I don't want to say too much, but you'll see. Everything you need to run a Chapter Zero preparation arc is in place in the background. There are discussion about what the Bountiful Venture Company is expecting and the rights and responsibilities and opportunities for colonists.

I think people will be pleased.

Scarab Sages

1 person marked this as a favorite.

I'm glad you mentioned Jamestown, Jim, as I was going to ask if that was an inspiration.

There's a current TV series of the same name, which may help get the mood right, and give some insight into the obstacles faced by the settlers.

'By the makers of Downton Abbey', apparently, but with a slightly larger helping of drunkenness, whoring, poisonings, and explosions.
And that's before you add your typical PCs.


Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

I just had this amusingly horrible vision of a 'Reality Scrying' version of colonization:

All the colonists are on a Scry-Per-View programme and they're supposed to take brief 'cuts' away from the action to tell the other players and audience what's going through their minds, etc.

It'd eliminate the idea of 'Okay, you're kinda on your own, here' but could also be neat if the ScryOMatic only works under certain conditions or circumstances given how weird Azlanti Island wants to be?

The other horrible thought I had was of a team of players (PFS or not) that AREN'T Andoran, but pretty much EVERY OTHER nation around Andoran trying to get an 'in' or 'leverage' on the new colony.

Undercover, of course.


What nation sent you to this colony again?


Captain collateral damage wrote:

Going to be running this for both my home game and online.

*starts writing up a contract worthy of software companies*

Adventure undertaken entirely at Burglar’s Colonist's own risk. Present Company shall not be liable for injuries inflicted by or sustained as a consequence thereof; including, but not limited to, lacerations, evisceration, incineration...

Shadow Lodge

Dragon78 wrote:
What nation sent you to this colony again?

A company chartered by the Andoren government. Realistically the value to the government in having an Azlanti colony probably lies in having a stopover between the mainland and its trading posts in Arcadia rather than anything produced by the colony itself. The company, meanwhile, probably envisions its profits coming from graverobbing or other plunder.

Scarab Sages

3 people marked this as a favorite.
Wei Ji the Learner wrote:

I just had this amusingly horrible vision of a 'Reality Scrying' version of colonization:

All the colonists are on a Scry-Per-View programme and they're supposed to take brief 'cuts' away from the action to tell the other players and audience what's going through their minds, etc.

[Hervé Villechaize]"Boss! De boat! De boat!"[/Hervé Villechaize]

[Ricardo Montalban]"Welcome! Welcome, my friends, to TPK Island!"[/Ricardo Montalban]


Cool, it's Andoren, thanks for the info zimmerwald1915:)

Paizo Employee Managing Developer

4 people marked this as a favorite.
Garrett Guillotte wrote:
Is that a celedon of Acavna?

Very astute, as usual. :)


2 people marked this as a favorite.
Adam Daigle wrote:
Garrett Guillotte wrote:
Is that a celedon of Acavna?
Very astute, as usual. :)

oh man, there's going to be an encounter where someone can yell "WHERE IS YOUR GOD NOW" as a grenade


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
zimmerwald1915 wrote:
Dragon78 wrote:
What nation sent you to this colony again?
A company chartered by the Andoren government. Realistically the value to the government in having an Azlanti colony probably lies in having a stopover between the mainland and its trading posts in Arcadia rather than anything produced by the colony itself. The company, meanwhile, probably envisions its profits coming from graverobbing or other plunder.

The Weyland-Yutani Company. It's a shake-n-bake colony. ;-)

Silver Crusade

4 people marked this as a favorite.
Adam Daigle wrote:
Garrett Guillotte wrote:
Is that a celedon of Acavna?
Very astute, as usual. :)

WAIT, THAT CELEDON IS ACTUALLY MADE IN ACAVNA'S LIKENESS?!?!

*runs around screaming and flailing incoherently*

Paizo Employee Managing Developer

3 people marked this as a favorite.

Not quite in her likeness. More like in her theme, as a worshiper might dress.

Silver Crusade

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Adam Daigle wrote:
Not quite in her likeness. More like in her theme, as a worshiper might dress.

Awwww, shoulda have known that's y'all meant by "of".

Oh well, it's still lovely to see ^w^

Paizo Employee Managing Developer

8 people marked this as a favorite.

You'll get a chance to see what she looks like in a later volume.

Maybe. ;)

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