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Sit down and have a talk with him.

(Talk to your players talk to your players talk to your players...)

Do it when he is in a reasonably good mood.

And then ask him: "Are you having fun?"

Because one big thing is HE seems to be unhappy. Approach it from that angle so he doesn't seem to be attacked. And he might realize either the game's not for him or that he needs to find some coping mechanisms to deal.

I'll tell you -- even at my ripe old age and generally being what I hope is a good sport, I can occasionally get extremely pissy after a string of bad die rolls. And I KNOW, even as it's happening, that I'm seriously overreacting. PART of what gets to me isn't just the bad die roll luck, but that players start either a) laughing at me ("with me" but being in a bad mood it will feel like laughing at) or b) trying to "help" with GM die rolls (in which in the mood I'm in, I am feeling condescended to). Being reasonably self-aware, I can usually catch myself and get up from the table and get a snack, decide to draw a character portrait, or even just ask the GM for a break so I can take a few deep breaths and chill out and remind myself it's just a game, and that my friends do not think I'm a stupid and horrible person for rolling a 1, even if I managed to do it three times in a row (it has happened). Sometimes it's easy to get wrapped up in the moment and some space is needed to get things worked out.

For this player, he does not seem very self-aware, and it might be a good idea that if things are getting crazy for the others to call for a brief break. Because he probably is, however irrationally, embarrassed at what is happening, and people trying to talk to him directly about it AT THAT MOMENT will not make things better.

Usually what triggers this for me isn't just rolling badly -- it's usually because I'm wrapped up in the story and the character, and it's a roll that is important for my PC to succeed. So finding other outlets in which I can feel passionate about the character is also key, including roleplaying itself and drawing characters and such--so that if I have a string of bad luck, it doesn't "kill" the story in my mind--and that indeed, I can roll with it, and come up with an amusing premise about why my character's off her game that day.

Snoopy vs. The Red Baron was one of my absolute favorite record albums as a child. I memorized both songs about their epic sky duel and can sing them (off-key) to this day. "10-20-30-40-50 or more, the Bloody Red Baron was rollin' up the score! 80 men died trying to end that spree, of the Bloody Red Baron of Germany..." It included such memorable hits as "Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport"

Never. I mean NEVER apologize for Snoopy and the Red Baron. :)

Thoughts about Ragathiel:

Ragathiel is described as having five wings, and is the son of Dispater. The standard (historical) appearance of the Seraphim were as angels having six wings: two for flight, two to cover the face, and two to cover the feet. I imagine that Ragathiel had six wings, but lost the one covering his left foot.

His left foot is shown to be a cloven hoof.

I often think of Ragathiel as the sullen, bitter badass. I've mentioned this before: when revenge is LG, it's normally called "justice." Not in Ragathiel's case. But still, revenge and justice are different; you don't need to "get back at" evil to demonstrate justice. So Ragathiel is deformed, harmed by his brush with evil, but he rises above it regardless and acts as champion of good, striking back at dark predators to save those from suffering as he has suffered. He uses his own suffering to fuel his anger.

I think that here is where the true dichotomy of Ragathiel's nature becomes apparent. On one hand, he's the champion of the downtrodden, unceasing defender, general of the holy hosts. On the other hand, he can be seen as an upstart rebel, rejecting his father, unwilling to embrace that part of his heritage, with a chip on his shoulder. So, depending on your disposition, he's either a wondrously successful leader and survivor of horrors, or a petty, emo punk with daddy issues.

Or, he shows that you can be a petty, emo punk with daddy issues and still become a wondrously successful leader. If anything, that's a beautiful story to tell.

This book by SGG does non-Paladin holy warrior pretty well. If a player of mine wishes to be a paladin without all the hard work that goes into the alignment, then I'll just have them play this :)

I've always been of the opinion that paladin's abilities have to be amazing due to the alignment restrictions. They really are one of the best classes in the game, and due to the hard time roleplaying them the abilities need to make it worth it.

Just for fun, I decided to go through various PF products and compile a list of languages.

Are there any that I'm missing? Also, I'm not sure if "Gug" is still its own language. It's noted as a separate language in Into the Darklands, yet in Bestiary II, gugs simply speak Undercommon. Thus I'm assuming Gug is no longer a language.

Channeling flavor
All such effects are purely illusory, perceived only by those affected, and even the most graphic effects can be identified by someone trained in the Heal skill (or, Knowledge (religion)) as being the effects of positive or negative energy channeling, and not some other effect.

Abadar
positive - a precise yet melodious jingling sound fills the air (associated with keys in some lands, coins in others) as those affected feel momentarily as if they are encompassed and sheltered within some vast structure that towers around them. There is a sense of a doorway in this structure opening, forming a visible outline like a doorframe around the channeling priest, with warmth and light streaming in from behind him, casting him in shadow.

negative - a discordant jangling sound (associated with a jailors keys, or coins being lost) is heard as those affected feel trapped, as if the walls are closing in around them (even if they are outdoors), and a door is heard to have blown open somewhere, with a cold wind blasting from the direction of the channeling priest, creating a sensation of danger combined with a crushing sensation and bitter cold. Those slain by this effect are found cold to the touch, both crushed and apparently mauled by wild animals (symbolically cast forth from the protection of civilization).

Asmodeus
negative - those affected feel as if they have been bludgeoned with a torrential burst of heat, as if from a blast oven, and those slain by these forces appear charred and burnt. They often bear smooth unburnt areas of skin on their wrists and ankles, as if they were manacled at the time they were burned.

Calistria
positive - the sweet smell of honey fills the air to those affected, and they feel a shuddering sensation as if many hands were touching them, followed by a moment of sweet release that causes many to cry out in ecstasy.

negative - those affected feel as if insects are crawling all over them and hear a persistent buzzing, as of many wings. The sensation of dozens of stingers, most commonly felt in the back, back of the neck and hindquarters, is followed by searing pain, as they feel venom burn through their veins. Those slain by this effect are often swollen to the point of near unrecognizability, as if stung by thousands of bees or wasps, and while there is no actual poison in their system, their body shows all the symptoms of a deadly reaction to insect venom.

Caydean Cailean
positive - the sensation of warm ale pouring down ones throat is followed by a burst of warming 'liquid courage' surging from the belly throughout the body, dulling the senses to the pain of injury and causing wounds to fade away as if all part of a drunken dream. Limbs feel invigorated, and often move suddenly, and there is a sensation that heavy weights (shackles? responsibilities? earthly cares?) have momentarily dropped away. Those receiving this form of healing often stagger slightly, and sometimes even belch loudly at the end of the effect (considered a compliment by those of the faith).

Desna
positive - all affected hear a gentle music, singing perhaps, so distant that they cannot identify it, more the memory of a song than an actual song, and their vision is filled with suggestions of dancing stars, tiny motes that caper and prance at the very edges of their vision, but are never truly visible. In an instant, a shuddering sigh passes through their body, as if they have arrived at some safe destination, followed by a sense of timelessness, as if they are resting in a peaceful haven, and finally a sense of an unexplained anticipation, as if a new journey is just about to begin.

Erastil
positive - for a moment, all affected feel a surge of strength flow up from their toes, pulsing through them like a waterfall in reverse, finally erupting from the crown of their heads. Some feel the surge of energy as a sensual thing, primal and animalistic, while others are more likely to describe it as uplifting, familiar somehow, like an old
comfortable memory of home or family.

Gorum
positive - all present feel the strength of iron flow into them, from their own armor and weapons, if they bear such, but otherwise seeming to come straight from their heart, as if it was pumping molten metal through their body. Instead of pain, this creates a surge of determination, and those affected see the world in an instant through a red haze of excitement, often crying out in exultation and clashing weapons against shields or armor loudly in the heat of the moment.

negative - the Cleric sweeps his fist before him, as if striking away invisible foes, and all affected feel a tremendous mailed fist slam into them, often leaving behind visible imprints of a larger-than-human fist, not only mailed, but also spiked. Those slain by this effect often have crushed skulls or collapsed ribs, bearing the visible mark of a heavy impact from a spiked fist.

Gozreh
positive - all affected feel as if warm water has buoyed them upwards in a sudden swell, and noticeably rise to their tip-toes for a moment before settling down gently. For a humanoid, the sensation of water rising around them only rises so high as their neck, while they feel a cool sea-scented breeze upon their face, washing away pain and injury and leaving them feeling clean and dry, purified by the actions of wind and wave.

negative - all affected feel icy water smash thunderously down upon them and feel spun about, as if trapped within a maelstrom. This moment of vertigo is all in their minds, but they may be seen to stagger slightly as it occurs. The stinging sensationg of frigid salt water and icy winds seems to suck the very heat from their body, and those slain by this effect remain soaked to the skin, their bodies nearly ice-cold.

Iomedae
positive - those affected feel filled with a sense of overwhelming rightness of action and belief, a burst of courage that does not feel so much as it comes from within, as it feels like inspiration from a great leader, exhorting one to ignore injuries and push onwards to glory.

Irori
positive - for a brief moment, those affected are minutely aware of every single portion of their body, and possess an inhuman clarity of thought. Time seems to slow around them, and their mind controls the processes of blood and breath, so that they are aware of themselves knitting their own injured flesh, through some previously unknown understanding of mind over body techniques. And then the moment ends, and they are left with a memory of things they have no ability to fully comprehend, but with wounds visibly having been closed by this burst of supernatural self-awareness.

negative - those affected become aware of their bodies functions on an intimate level, but everything seems out of control, both their bodies and their minds. As their mind races to envision each part and function, it seems that the imagination runs wild, and new horrible things that can go wrong are conceived of, and immediately begin to happen as organs fail and muscles tear. Those slain by this effect often show signs of multiple organ failure, torn muscles and bones that have shattered inexplicably under the mere stress of standing erect.

Lamashtu
negative - those affected by this unkind channeling suffer harm to their reproductive organs, including excruciating pain and a sense of loss. Those slain by this effect suffer from a grotesque bursting of the effected organs, and usually die screaming.

Clerics of Lamashtu proclaim that they can use this power to taint and corrupt the unborn, causing the survivors to be born as monsters, but the veracity of this claim has not been tested.

Nethys
positive - a surge of pure magical energy washes over those affected from the direction of the channeling Cleric and seeming to stop midway through the individual's body (so that one facing the Cleric will feel the energies only wash over his facing side, while his back remains untouched). The force flows like electricity over the body, creating a surge of warmth and strength, as well as a tingling sensation that leaves extremities feeling oddly swollen and tingly.

negative - the same surge of energy occurs, only it progresses in an instant from invigorating to overly hot and painful, causing what looks like electrical burns in those affected. Those slain by this effect are charred and burnt, but only on the half of their body that was facing the channeling Cleric.

Note: Clerics of Nethys (and Pharasma, below) are some of the rare few known that can learn a special technique (a Feat) that allows them to channel *both* positive and negative energies (but not both at once). These Clerics choose at the moment of channeling which force they will channel (or at the moment of spontaneous casting whether or not they will convert a spell into a curative spell or an inflict wounds spell), but do not gain additional channeling uses per day.

Norgorber
negative - those affected always feel the same thing, a sudden sharp pain near their left kidney, as of an assassin's blade, followed by a searing shooting pain, as of venom doing it's work. Those slain by this effect have an open wound in their back, and their body shows all the signs of death by poison (although no poison will truly be present). When used in a non-combat situation, those affected may instead perceive a dryness of the mouth and a bitter taste, followed by intense abdominal pain, suffering instead the effects of an ingested poison, although, as with the other effect, no true poison will be found.

Pharasma
positive - those affected see a pale grey light emanating from the Cleric, while the surroundings fade into grey mist. Calm-faced spirits in the shape of men walk serenely (in an endless moment) from a distant point behind the Cleric, and as they reach those affected, flow into them and imbue them with strength and whispered ncouragement from beyond, closing their wounds.

negative - those affected see the same pale light and dimming of their surroundings, but the spirits appear of threatening demeanor, howling quickly through the air with outstretched claw-like hands, and when they reach those affected they tear through them, causing a sensation of pain and loss. Those slain by this channeling often bear unusual wounds, none quite like the other, perhaps somehow sharing the death-wounds of the spiritual entity that appeared to embrace it.

Rovagug
negative - those affected feel a sudden rush from beneath them, and then the mashing of tremendous jaws around them. Those slain by this effect are usually mangled and smashed by an unseen jaw, their crushed bodies pierced through by invisible fangs.

There are rumors, never confirmed, that some victims of this effect lose limbs, or, indeed, vanish entirely, consumed and taken away bodily to feed the Rough Beast.

Sarenrae
positive - the sun shines brightly (if present), or a sun-like radiance pours from the channeling Cleric (at night, indoors or underground), illuminating nothing but shining only on, and through, those affected. They feel their wounds burn away painlessly in this cleansing light, and are often left with a feeling of renewed purpose.

Shelyn
positive - the sound of music rises, a single perfect female voice above a symphony of other voices and unidentifiable instruments. Those affected suddenly feel enraptured, as if fascinated by a bard's performance, or love-struck by the sight of an impossibly beautiful maiden. There is a brief sensation of loss and longing when the effect ends, but wounds fade as normal, with those affected feeling as if they have been seen and made more beautiful, their 'ugly' wounds brushed away by a painter's brush, although some claim that the 'painter's brush' feels far more like a lover's caress.

Torag
positive - those affected feel as if they've been hammerstruck, and see their wounds smooth away, as if they were flaws pounded out of a blade of steel, leaving only smooth unblemished skin behind. The effect is sudden and startling, and leaves behind only warmed skin and a slight soreness.

Urgathoa
negative - those affected hear the buzzing of flies, although none are visible, smell the stench of rotting meat, and feel a thousand squirmings within their flesh, as if a swarm of maggots tunneled and twisted within them, devouring flesh in their wake. Those slain by this effect corrupt and putrefy, and a round after the channeling ends their bodies begin to split open and reveal many maggots, which mature almost instantly into flies.

Zon-Kuthon
negative - those affected see the area darkening around them and shadows lengthening in all directions, while there are disturbing flashes of metal glinting in the darkness and the sounds of clattering chains. The pain comes from the sensation of a dozen razors singing out of the shadows to tear at their flesh, and those slain by this effect are sometimes skinned alive, stretched unnaturally or even rent asunder.

Most commonly used flip-mats and map packs.

Don't ask me how I have this info, you don't want to know. Across the top are the names of almost all the current mats / maps released. At the very bottom, you can see how many times each is used over the course over all released scenarios.

Your welcome.

Thank you.

Don't forget MP: Ambush Sites, I know it is used in at least one scenario.

Laythe:
Re-linkified

Another monster related question though, I'm afraid. :-? I've checked the PFRPG core rules and bestiary 1 and 2 and I can't actually find guidelines listed anywhere as to just how big (in terms of feet and inches) each size category might be? Have I overlooked something in these books, and if so where? If not, roughly how big is something which is size 'huge'? (And what about the other categories?)

(As an aside, I think third edition had two different scales, depending on whether a creature extended horizontally or vertically, which slightly complicated things, although was understandable.)

Guidelines for how big monsters of any particular size BY size category existed in 3.5, but for whatever reason, we didn't copy those rules into Pathfinder. Which frustrates the heck out of me. Which is why I try to make sure that for all monsters, actual height and length and weight and that get into the descriptions as often as possible.

Fine: fewer than 6 inches
Diminutive: 6 inches to 1 foot
Tiny: 1 to 2 feet
Small: 2 to 4 feet
Medium: 4 to 8 feet
Large: 8 to 16 feet
Huge: 16 to 32 feet
Gargantuan: 32 to 64 feet
Colossal: More than 64 feet

as requested...

July 29, 2010

Several new bytes--Delays in print books (printer had mechanical issues) on Tsar 9. Tsar 10 is in editing, Tome pdfs are done, and will start being sold on Tuesday or so. I am all caught up on shipments (except Tsar 9 individual books, sorry), and 6 new books are at the printer. Tome should be back to me in late August, and I will start shipping it out as soon as I get it (be patient, I have a LOT of boxes to pack). In other news...I am pleased to announce for a late fall release:

THE BLACK MONASTERY

Way back in 1977, a bunch of the older kids I knew taught me how to play Dungeons and Dragons. Quickly this evolved into myself and one other guy, Scott Stabbert, being the primary DMs. Thus was born Rappan Athuk (my main campaign hub, maps originally drawn by Scott), the dungeon adventures from Demons and Devils, and many of the other adventures I have published or planned to publish over the last 12 years.

Scott’s game contained many gems. In fact, I have a 48 inch by 48 inch framed watercolor map of his world on my wall as I write this. That being said, none of his work (and all those excellent adventures I played in in high school) has ever been published. Except one.

In 1981, with some help from a few of our friends and the kindhearted folks at the local newspaper, Scott and I laid out typeset text on wax paper (in the old days, you did layout this way) on lighted boards. Then Scott spent his meager savings to print maybe 20 copies of a 100 or so page book called “The Black Monestery(sic)”. Scott never could spell worth a darn. He sold a couple copies to the local Weird Pete (called Triple Alliance), and proceeded to join the Navy and disappear for a few years. We have loosely kept in touch over the last 25 years, but have not seen each other since about 1989 or so.

A few months ago, someone on the Acaeum website was talking about this “cool old school DIY published book” his brother in law’s brother (reminded me of the Conan 2 Movie “brother’s sister’s cousin” line) had given him. Imagine my surprise when I found out that Mark Shipley’s sister had married Scott’s brother and that Mark and I lived in the same town (along with Kevin bacon I am beginning to think). I think Mark and I maybe have the only two surviving copies of the original. So we met for beers, called Scott and obtained permission to republish the work.

Mark frantically started rewriting (the spelling alone musty have taken a week!), and I started making plans on how to give this baby the love it deserved. You must understand, I played (a lot) in this dungeon (haunted house really). It has special meaning to me as one of my earliest D&D experiences. Lord Bakar Yan my 18/53 (on 3d6 mind you, the only 18 I ever had on a character!) strength 5th level fighter was the sole survivor of the encounter in the crypt, I recall running in terror from the titan in the courtyard, and the mysterious Cimota I never quite figured out until I read the book.

So here you have it. The first book I ever helped publish back in 1981. The flavor of this thing is similar to Tegel Manor, on steroids. Originally written by the guy who taught me how to run a game, and rewritten by Mark Shipley to meet today’s standards. This book will include a large fold out map of the Monastery, and will be in limited edition Smythe-bound hardcover, as well as pdf and (later) softcover versions. Only the hardcover will include the fold out map.

I spent way too much on new art (Rowena did an amazing job), and Chuck has done a fantastic job making it a truly superior product. Robert’s maps are big, detailed and highly functional, and Skeeter and Matt did a great job making sure I got the rules right. Dawn will be editing the final, as will I, to ensure its as near perfect as we can get it. Just about the whole company contributed to the success of the “boss’s pet project”.

The Classic Style

The Black Monastery is presented in the spirit of fun typical of the classic, “old school” gaming style. It is an adventure in the classic style because it follows the design assumptions that were common in many publications and local campaigns during the early days of Dungeons and Dragons. In the classic era, the dungeon master was the final authority and was assumed to have complete control. Every event did not have to have a complete rationalization, formula or rules explanation. Mysterious phenomena, riddles and surprises were the norm. This module assumes that the dungeon master will take control and mold it to his campaign.

In a classic game, monsters might be stronger or weaker without having to figure out why. For unknown reasons, Flinds were the only creatures capable of wielding nunchaku. Qullan would die before revealing the special techniques for sharpening their broadswords. Piercers would wait most of their lives just to drop on adventurers and spend the next month crawling back up the wall after a miss. Skeletons always did 1d6 damage no matter what weapons they wielded. Rust monsters made sense. Orcs and gnolls would live next door to each other in dungeons that were essentially monster hotels and no one worried about why. In one of the classic modules by Judges Guild a single giant rat in a group of two dozen had 26 hit points because a typist made a mistake and that was okay – one of the rats was just really big.

Classic play usually assumed that monsters and player characters would follow standard archetypes. Magic-users always had white beards and pointy hats. Barbarians always wore rags and enormous fur boots. Paladins were noble and saintly. Fighters wore plate mail. Thieves climbed walls…a lot. Clerics were vaguely like Catholic priests gone bad, and they always chanted in Latin. All dwarves acted just like Gimli. All elves acted just like Legolas. Monsters were generally cheerful about their roles, including Norse berserkers who rated their own listing in the AD&D Monster Manual because they wandered around underground quite a bit, looking for player characters to fight.

In The Black Monastery, evil priests have left behind a large number of magical items and effects. They left poems and messages for intruders. They posted guardians that parade around chanting. They spawned ghostly effects that cannot be explained. Pictures are still hanging on walls. Dishes are rattling in the kitchen. Kobolds have decided a dungeon is a good place to roast a pig. Magic globes float in the air, waiting to explode. Statues perform strange, magical acts for no particular reason. Why? Who knows? All of that is okay. Explanations of these magical and monstrous events are provided from time to time, but they don’t really matter. The point is to have fun running about looting the place and trying to survive.

The Legend of the Black Monastery

Two centuries have passed since the terrible events associated with the hideous cult known as the Black Brotherhood. Only scholars and story-tellers remember now how the kingdom was nearly laid to waste and the Black Monastery rose to grandeur and fell into haunted ruins.

The Brothers first appeared as an order of benevolent priests and humble monks in black robes who followed a creed of kindness to the poor and service to the kingdom. Their rules called for humility and self denial. Other religious orders had no quarrel with their theology or their behavior. Their ranks grew as many commoners and nobles were drawn to the order by its good reputation.

The first headquarters for the order was a campsite, located in a forest near the edge of the realm. The Brothers said that their poverty and dedication to service allowed them no resources for more grand accommodations. Members of the Black Brotherhood built chapels in caves or constructed small temples on common land near villages. They said that these rustic shrines allowed them to be near the people they served. Services held by the Brothers at these locations attracted large numbers of common people, who supported the Black Brotherhood with alms.

Within 50 years of their first appearance, the Black Brotherhood had a number of larger temples and abbeys around the kingdom. Wealthy patrons endowed them with lands and buildings in order to buy favor and further the work of the Brothers. The lands they gained were slowly expanded as the order’s influence grew. Many merchants willed part of their fortunes to the Black Brotherhood, allowing the order to expand their work even further. The Brothers became bankers, loaning money and becoming partners in trade throughout the kingdom. Within 200 years of their founding, the order was wealthy and influential, with chapters throughout the kingdom and spreading into nearby realms.

With their order well-established, the Black Brotherhood received royal permission to build a grand monastery in the hill country north of the kingdom’s center. Their abbot, a cousin of the king, asked for the royal grant of a specific hilltop called the Hill of Mornay. This hill was already crowned by ancient ruins that the monks proposed to clear away. Because it was land not wanted for agriculture, the king was happy to grant the request. He even donated money to build the monastery and encouraged others to contribute. With funds from around the realm, the Brothers completed their new monastery within a decade. It was a grand, sprawling edifice built of black stone and called the Black Monastery.

From the very beginning, there were some who said that the Black Brotherhood was not what it seemed. There were always hints of corruption and moral lapses among the Brothers, but no more than any other religious order. There were some who told stories of greed, gluttony and depravity among the monks, but these tales did not weaken the order’s reputation during their early years. All of that changed with the construction of the Black Monastery.

Within two decades of the Black Monastery’s completion, locals began to speak of troubling events there. Sometimes, Brothers made strange demands. They began to cheat farmers of their crops. They loaned money at ruinous rates, taking the property of anyone who could not pay. They pressured or even threatened wealthy patrons, extorting money in larger and larger amounts. Everywhere, the Black Brotherhood grew stronger, prouder and more aggressive. And there was more…

People began to disappear. The farmers who worked the monastery lands reported that some people who went out at night, or who went off by themselves, did not return. It started with individuals…people without influential families…but soon the terror and loss spread to even to noble households. Some said that the people who disappeared had been taken into the Black Monastery, and the place slowly gained an evil reputation. Tenant farmers began moving away from the region, seeking safety at the loss of their fields.

Slowly, even the king began to sense that the night was full of new terrors. Across the kingdom, reports began to come in telling of hauntings and the depredations of monsters. Flocks of dead birds fell from clear skies, onto villages and city streets. Fish died by thousands in their streams. Citizens reported stillborn babies and monstrous births. Crops failed. Fields were full of stunted plants. Crimes of all types grew common as incidents of madness spread everywhere. Word spread that the center of these dark portents was the Black Monastery, where many said the brothers practiced necromancy and human sacrifice. It was feared that the Black Brotherhood no longer worshipped gods of light and had turned to the service of the Dark God.

These terrors came to a head when the Black Brotherhood dared to threaten the king himself. Realizing his peril, the king moved to dispossess and disband the Black Brother hood. He ordered their shrines, abbeys and lands seized. He had Brothers arrested for real and imagined crimes. He also ordered investigations into the Black Monastery and the order’s highest ranking members.

The Black Brotherhood did not go quietly. Conflict between the order and the crown broke into violence when the Brothers incited their followers to riot across the kingdom. There were disturbances everywhere, including several attempts to assassinate the king by blades and by dark sorcery. It became clear to everyone that the Black Brotherhood was far more than just another religious order. Once knives were drawn, the conflict grew into open war between the crown and the Brothers.

The Black Brotherhood had exceeded their grasp. Their followers were crushed in the streets by mounted knights. Brothers were rounded up and arrested. Many of them were executed. Armed supporters of the Black Brotherhood, backed by arcane and divine magic, were defeated and slaughtered. The Brothers were driven back to their final hilltop fortress – the Black Monastery. They were besieged by the king’s army, trapped and waiting for the king’s forces to break in and end the war.

The final assault on the Black Monastery ended in victory and disaster. The king’s army took the hilltop, driving the last of the black-robed monks into the monastery itself. The soldiers were met by more than just men. There were monsters and fiends defending the monastery. There was a terrible slaughter on both sides. In many places the dead rose up to fight again. The battle continued from afternoon into night, lit by flames and magical energy.

The Black Monastery was never actually taken. The king’s forces drove the last of their foul enemies back inside the monastery gates. Battering rams and war machines were hauled up the hill to crush their way inside. But before the king’s men could take the final stronghold, the Black Brotherhood immolated themselves in magical fire.

Green flames roared up from the monastery, engulfing many of the king’s men as well. As survivors watched, the Black Monastery burned away, stones, gates, towers and all. There was a lurid green flare that lit the countryside. There was a scream of torment from a thousand human voices. There was a roar of falling masonry and splitting wood. Smoke and dust obscured the hilltop. The Black Monastery collapsed in upon itself and disappeared. Only ashes drifted down where the great structure had stood. All that was left of the Black Monastery was its foundations and debris-choked dungeons cut into the stones beneath. The war was over. The Black Brotherhood was destroyed.

But the Black Monastery was not gone forever. Over nearly two centuries since its destruction, the Black Monastery has returned from time to time to haunt the Hill of Mornay. Impossible as it seems, there have been at least five incidents in which witnesses have reported finding the Hill of Mornay once again crowned with black walls and slate-roofed towers. In every case, the manifestation of this revenant of the Black Monastery has been accompanied by widespread reports of madness, crime and social unrest in the kingdom. Sometimes, the monastery has appeared only for a night. The last two times, the monastery reappeared atop the hill for as long as three months…each appearance longer than the first.

There are tales of adventurers daring to enter the Black Monastery. Some went to look for treasure. Others went to battle whatever evil still lived inside. There are stories of lucky and brave explorers who have survived the horrors, returning with riches from the fabled hordes of the Black Brotherhood. It is enough to drive men mad with greed – enough to lure more each time to dare to enter the Black Monastery.

A couple questions about haunts.

1) Do clerics of Golarion commonly know what haunts are, that they can be damaged by positive energy, that they often have a reset time and a specific method of permanent destruction, as much as they know that undead too are vulnerable to positive energy and fueled by negative one?
I mean, should the first haunts in a campaign be presented as something totally new to the party cleric, or should she be aware of their general mechanics as she knows those for the undead?

2) Other than divination spells, which at low level can give little or none help, how can characters become aware of a haunt's particular weaknesses (I mean those occasional ones in addition to positive energy), specific method of destruction and other singular details? A Knowledge (religion) check? DC 10 + CR?

1) Even though when we first introduced haunts in "The Skinsaw Murders," they've been a part of Golarion for as long as people have been dying. So yes, people on Golarion do know what haunts are. Knowing enough to know how to damage them is probably a DC 10 or MAYBE a DC 12 Knowledge (religion) check. The average yokel might not know there's a difference between a haunt and a ghost, but by the time your'e a 1st or 2nd level adventurer, that information is a lot more clear. The first haunts in the campaign should not be presented as something totally new to the party, in other words, unless that's the nature of your specific campaign—that something strange has happened to the afterlife and now haunts can start manifesting. But in my opinion, haunts are as old as undead themselves; if your adventurers know about undead and the tricks about fighting them, they should know similar information about haunts.

2) Knowledge (religion) checks against the Haunt's notice DC might be a good way to learn about a haunt's particular weakness, but when you design haunts with weaknesses, you should include some sort of way for the PCs to make educated guesses about the weaknesses based on how the haunt works, or even better, allow them to learn about a set of related haunt weaknesses in a site during the investigation of the site. Perhaps even allow them to learn about weaknesses while they're exploring a haunted site by finding clues as they explore.

I wrote a big post on this and it was eaten somehow, so I'll try again.

Basically I one point in the real-life Slumbering Tsar saga while Necromacner Games remained on haitus and Frog God Games was nothing more than a gleam in Bill's eye, I spent somet ime pitching ST to Paizo as a Pathfinder product. Ultimately it didn't fit any of their subscription models and they took a pass, and the rest as they say is history. However, when pitching it I made recommendations of how I would modify it to fit Golarion.

Basically the setting and background are too sweeping ot fit neatly into Golarion as is. The Worldwound, as mentione3d, is a good idea, though. What I did, htough, was to ask for a little bit of the world just off the edge of the map where I could play at my leisure and make stuff fit.

My primary attempt was placing it all just off the map to the east of Taldor's Fog Peaks, on the cusp of Casmaron. I made the Battle of Tsar take place about 700 years previously (longer than my originally envisioned 300 years) and tied it into the ultimate downfall of the Taldan hegemony.

The other option that I had just started playing with when I received the final "no thank you" was to place it in southern Garund just off the map. This would have involved a significant change in flavor from its current Eastern Euoprean feel, but I was really getting excited about some of the stuff that could be done with regards to things like the ruins of Great Zimbabwe, a book like Nyambe, and the concept of a once-powerful and sophisticated Garundi empire south of the jungles where most folks think of nothing but savages. I was going to go a little more Robert E Howard with it, but ultimately it too got shelved befoer I really developed much of anything.

So suffice it to say, while I had some ideas, I had no good answers to the question in regards tot he existing Inner Sea Region map.

So, apparently each deity has their own holy symbol, favoured weapons, special spells, and favourite ways of making their will known. Do the Golarion deities each have their own favoured animal/creature (ie: Desna - Swarm of Butterflies)?

If there isn't anything official, do any of the Golarion junkies out there have suggestions for what animal (lets try to choose animals preferably, maybe a magical beast if nothing else will work) would most likely be the favoured animal of each deity? I'm mostly looking at this from a perspective as to what would be thematically appropriate Animal Companions to use for each of the deities if chosen through the animal domain feature or for a character who worships one of the deities as their primary deific patron.

They do... but we haven't really published those animals in print yet. Many of the deities come from my homebrew world originally, and I have more detailed accounts of their "sacred animals" in those documents. Those documents, alas, are squirreled away at home.

So working kind of by memory, and kind of by hunch... here's a list of the sacred animals of the core 20 deities of the Inner Sea Region:

Abadar: horse
Asmodeus: goat
Calistria: wasp
Cayden Cailean: monkey
Desna: butterfly
Erastil: stag
Gorum: aurochs bull
Gozreh: all animals
Iomedae: falcon
Irori: tiger
Lamashtu: jackal
Nethys: owl
Norgorber: spider
Pharasma: whippoorwill
Rovagug: scorpion
Sarenrae: dove
Shelyn: cat
Torag: bear
Urgathoa: fly
Zon-Kuthon: bat

Baklava:
1(16 ounce)package of Phyllo dough
1 lb chopped nuts(we use pecans, hazelnuts and pistachios)
1 cup butter
1/2 cup ground cinnamon
1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup honey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter bottom and sides of a 9x13 inch pan.
Chop nuts and toss with cinnamon. Set aside. Unroll phyllo dough. Cut whole stack in half to fit pan. Cover with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work. Place 2 sheets of dough in pan, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Top with 2 sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go. The top layer should be about 6-8 sheets deep.

Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. Bake foe about 50 minutes until Baklava is golden and crisp.

Make sauce while Baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer about 25 minutes.

Remove Baklava from oven and pour sauce over it immediately. Let cool. Do not cover when storing as it will get soggy.

Hound Master (Cavalier)
Most cavaliers charge into battle atop mighty steeds, however some lack the finesse with equines required to be proficient riders. Still wishing to serve their order, hound masters choose to fight beside war hounds which are powerful animals trained for battle. A hound master has the following class features.

War Hound (Ex): At 1st level, a hound master gains the service of a loyal war hound to aid him in battle. This hound functions as a druid’s animal companion, using the cavalier’s level as his effective druid level. The creature has the same stats as a wolf.

The war hound is always considered combat trained and begins play with Light Armor Proficiency as a bonus feat. A hound master’s hound does not gain the share spells special ability. These hounds are not suitable for riding and cannot be trained to carry riders.

A hound master’s bond is strong and if the war hound dies, the cavalier may find another hound to serve him after 1 week of mourning. This new hound does not gain the link, evasion, devotion, or improved evasion special abilities until the next time the cavalier gains a level. This ability replaces mount.

Pack Tactics (Ex): At 3rd level, a hound master learns greater coordination with his war hound. When a hound master and his hound are flanking the same creature, the hound master’s flanking bonus on attack rolls increases to +4. This ability replaces cavalier’s charge.

Expert Handler (Ex): Upon reaching 4th level, the hound master may take on a second war hound; while smaller and weaker than his primary hound, it is still a useful ally. This ability functions like the war hound ability, except that the hound master's effective druid level is equal to his cavalier level – 3. In addition, this ability allows the war hounds to choose from teamwork feats when selecting feats gained from additional Hit Die. This ability replaces expert trainer.

Go For the Throat (Ex): At 11th level, a hound master has perfected fighting beside his animals. Whenever an opponent is tripped or overrun by one of his war hounds, the opponent provokes an attack of opportunity from the hound master. The target must be threatened by both the hound master and his war hound. This ability replaces mighty charge.

Kill Command (Ex): At 20th level, whenever an opponent is threatened by the hound master and both of his hounds, the hound master may issue a kill command. This is a swift action that grants both hounds an attack of opportunity on the target. A creature cannot be the target of this ability more than once per day. This ability replaces supreme charge.

New Oracle Mystery: Vengeance

Class Skills: An oracle with the vengeance mystery adds Bluff, Intimidate, Sense Motive, and Survival to her list of class skills.

Bonus Spells: divine favor (2nd), summon swarm (4th), haste (6th), wall of fire (8th), symbol of pain (10th), flesh to stone (12th), destruction (14th), horrid wilting (16th), storm of vengeance (18th).

Revelations: An oracle with the vengeance mystery can choose from any of the following revelations.

Bloody Vengeance (Ex): Whenever you are struck in melee, your next successful melee attack against the opponent who struck you inflicts bleed damage equal to your Charisma modifier. This bleed does not stack with itself, but it can stack with other bleed effects. A DC 15 Heal check or any magical healing ends this effect. You must be at least 11th level to select this revelation.

Blood Hunter (Ex): You gain the Scent ability, but may only use this ability to detect living creatures who are currently injured. You also gain a +4 bonus on Survival checks to track wounded creatures. At 7th level, you gain Blindsense 60 ft. (but can only use it against wounded creatures). At 11th level, this upgrades to Blindsight with the same provisions.

Dark Harvest (Sp): This ability functions as the death knell spell and may be used a number of times per day equal to your Charisma modifier. At 11th level, this ability may be used as a swift action. At 15th level, it may be used at a range of 30 feet. You must be at least 7th level to select this revelation.

Eye for an Eye (Ex): Whenever an enemy confirms a critical hit against you, your next successful attack against that enemy automatically threatens a critical hit if made before the end of your next turn (you must still roll to confirm this critical). This ability cannot be used more than once per round.

Furious Victory (Ex): Whenever you or an ally within 30 feet reduces an enemy below 0 HP, you may make an Intimidate check to demoralize any target you threaten as an immediate action once per round. At 7th level, you may use this ability against any target within 30 feet. At 15th level, you may increase the DC of the check by 10 to frighten the target instead (they are not shaken if you fail).

Mark of Vengeance (Su): Once per day, you may mark an enemy that has dealt damage to yourself or an ally within the last 24 hours as a swift action. Against the target of this ability, you may add your Charisma modifier as a bonus on all attack rolls and deal additional damage equal to your oracle level on all damage rolls (even if the source of that damage is a spell or ability). The mark persists until the target is slain or you choose a new target (by expending another use of the ability). You can use this ability one additional time per day at 7th and 15th level.

Revenance (Su): Once per day, you may target an ally within 30 feet who is currently below 0 HP and infuse them with a spirit of wrath as a swift action. The target gains a number of temporary hit points equal to three times your oracle level. For as long as these temporary hit points remain, the target gains a morale bonus to attack and damage rolls as well as a sacred (or profane, if you are evil) bonus to AC and saving throws equal to your Charisma modifier. While under the effects of this ability, the target is incapable of recovering hit points in any way or benefiting from other sources of temporary hit points. These temporary hit points fade after 1 minute (unless depleted sooner). At 11th level, the subject of this ability is also immune to all mind-affecting spells and effects for the duration. At 15th level, you may use this ability twice per day. You must be at least 7th level to select this revelation.

Spiteful Spells (Ex): Spells you cast which target enemies who have injured your allies in the last round (or include such enemies within their area of effect) have their save DCs and caster level increased by 1. Against enemies who have injured you personally, they are increased by 2. At 11th level, these bonuses increase to +2 and +4 respectively.

Surge of Vengeance (Su): Once per day, when you reduce an enemy who has dealt damage to you within the last 24 hours below 0 hit points or slay them with a spell or effect, you may heal yourself for a number of hit points equal to your oracle level as an immediate action. At 7th level and every six levels thereafter, you may use this ability an additional time per day.

Vengeful Sting (Su): You may secrete a single dose of poison onto your weapon as a swift action a number of times per day equal to your Charisma modifier. Treat this as the poison of a giant wasp, though the save DC is equal to 10 + 1/2 your oracle level + CHA modifier. At 7th level, the poison improves, increasing the Dexterity damage to 1d4. At 11th level, the poison intensifies again, increasing the Dexterity damage to 1d6. You may also choose to secrete the poison into a container, to be delivered through other methods or given to allies for use, though you can have only one dose of poison in existence at a time.

Final Revelation: Upon reaching 20th level, you become an avatar of vengeance. Any creature striking you with a melee attack provokes an attack of opportunity from you. When you are reduced below 0 hit points or are slain by any means, you may transform into a blood-red spirit of vengeance. You become incorporeal, but may strike into both realms as though your weapons possessed the ghost touch property but you may no longer cast spells. You gain a fly speed equal to your current land speed (perfect maneuverability) and gain a +4 morale bonus on attack and damage rolls. While in this form, you are impervious to all damage and all healing, though you are treated as an undead spirit (and can be affected by spells and abilities that target such creatures). The transformation lasts for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifer. At the end of this duration, you die, even if your hit points are above the normal threshold for death. This ability may not be used more than once in a 24 hour period.