Westcrown sounded full of potential, just in the Campaign Setting - I look forward to seeing how it develops.

Westcrown sounded full of potential, just in the Campaign Setting - I look forward to seeing how it develops.

Agreed, I to will be keeping an eye on how this one evolves!

We've just announced a new direction for Player's Guides, so Pathfinder Companion: Council of Thieves Player's Guide has become Pathfinder Companion: Cheliax, Empire of Devils. If you see the old cover, reload your browser's image cache.

mmm lovely :)
I want it

mmm lovely :)

I want it

Me too! =)

I am so looking forward to this one, yeah i know it is a long long way off.

mmm lovely :)

I want it

So you see the error of your ways, eh? Abandon those starry-eyed delusionists of Andoran and hitch your wagon to the Crimson Star.

Montalve wrote:

mmm lovely :)

I want it

So you see the error of your ways, eh? Abandon those starry-eyed delusionists of Andoran and hitch your wagon to the Crimson Star.

Yeah, we have the best parties, don't we? ;)

Saaaaweeeeet!

Turn the mutha upside down!

Zuxius

I am so getting this. I was pouting after reading the 2 pages of info in the campaign setting. When I turned the page and saw no more on Cheliax, tears ran down my cheeks.

Not really, but I am stoked that this is coming out and the next adventure path is in cheliax. I have so many player concepts for this place. :D

I am so getting this. I was pouting after reading the 2 pages of info in the campaign setting. When I turned the page and saw no more on Cheliax, tears ran down my cheeks.

Not really, but I am stoked that this is coming out and the next adventure path is in cheliax. I have so many player concepts for this place. :D

Join the revolution! Let's bring down those Taldorian dandies with the help of the secrets revealed in this mighty tome!

How much work will be involved to convert the PFRPG traits in this and future companions back to 3.5e traits? Will traits in the PF Companions going forward be comparable in power-level with the OGL 3.5e traits in the previous companions?

Traits haven't changed, they're still supposed to be about the equivalent of half a feat.

How much work will be involved to convert the PFRPG traits in this and future companions back to 3.5e traits? Will traits in the PF Companions going forward be comparable in power-level with the OGL 3.5e traits in the previous companions?

;) oh it's really simple, you just upgrade to Pathfinder heh.

;) oh it's really simple, you just upgrade to Pathfinder heh.

I plan to get the PFRPG core book and bestiary but I have no intention of switching systems for the foreseeable future. I'll get the book and read it, and it will probably join Monte Cook's World of Darkness, Ghostwalk Campaign Option, and d20 Modern Core Rulebook (and Urban Arcana) on my shelf as a possible variant d20 game. Unlike a couple core books, the Pathfinder Companions are a regular expenditure and I need to know that the starting traits in the upcoming PFRPG-compatible companions are easy enough to integrate with the existing OGL 3.5e starting traits I already have in my current companions. I already expect the included prestige classes to change significantly as they're re-balanced for PFRPG but honestly the traits are much more likely to see actual use than the regional prestige classes.

Since Sean K. Reynolds has said they'll still be worth about half a feat, that's good enough for me. (And, SKR, I do plan to use Ghostwalk eventually.)

Just to follow-up on my previous post, I just read the sample PFRPG cleric entry in the Paizo blog (I only read it intermittently) and I may have to eat my words afterall. The changes sound kind of awesome.

Just to follow-up on my previous post, I just read the sample PFRPG cleric entry in the Paizo blog (I only read it intermittently) and I may have to eat my words afterall. The changes sound kind of awesome.

The Dark Side has cable ^_^

Since I'm already planning on Chelish influence in a campaign I'm running this will come in very useful...

Since I now know I will be playing in this adventure path after DM'ing the Legacy of Fire, I am wondering how a HellBred Crusader will work in this Adventure Path.

I know a Crusader will be fine, it is more the HellBred part I am concerned about. :D

I would love to hear the concerns or comments on what other DM's preparing for this AP might do if presented with a player wanting to run a HellBred.

Thanks,

CC

The cover and description have been updated to match the finished product.

Oh I really like the cover of this one.

Yay I see Steven's name. Must be one of the things he kept teasing me that he couldn't tell what he was working on. The other being an article in the next AP (after CoT). YAY!!!

Yay I see Steven's name. Must be one of the things he kept teasing me that he couldn't tell what he was working on. The other being an article in the next AP (after CoT). YAY!!!

Hmm, I dunno if that is what Steven was referring to. :)

Centaurs make such awesome Hellknights.

Man, Amiri and Seoni have been rocking out on the past couple of Companion covers, eh? Always stirring something up!

Andrew Betts wrote:

Yay I see Steven's name. Must be one of the things he kept teasing me that he couldn't tell what he was working on. The other being an article in the next AP (after CoT). YAY!!!

Hmm, I dunno if that is what Steven was referring to. :)

Great, now more people tease me. I'll have to harass Steven and tell him other buddies of his tease me ... grrr :-P. Maybe if I can get that imp to possess someone again ...

Again Grr to you SKR!

*mumbles* Must find moon destruction cannon.

The cover and description have been updated to match the finished product.

Who is the cover artist?

Cover artist is Matt Dixon. Woo! :)

Evocative illustration!

A very good illustration, which is only fitting, as this tome deals with the mightiest, most glorious empire on Golarion! Feel free to weep and moan now, Taldorians and Qadirans! ;P

EDIT: And I wish to add that it's great to see Steven contributing to this book! =)

Is this going to available at GenCon? Or should I just preorder?

Is this going to available at GenCon? Or should I just preorder?

We do expect to have it at Gen Con.

Sweet. I can't wait to get my hands on this.

Michael Gear wrote:

Is this going to available at GenCon? Or should I just preorder?

We do expect to have it at Gen Con.

reminder: must buy a more sturdy suitcase

reminder: must buy a more sturdy suitcase

Man, I wish I could make it this year. I'd love to see how Nimh fares under a few other GMs (then again, I haven't seen him after going through Chris' GM grinder).

Awesome preview! It's been almost two years since I first heard about Cheliax and I'm finally getting it. I can't wait!

On a slightly more technical note, who were the artists for these fine pieces of art, and why can I am I not allowed to click on Abrogail to make her bigger?

MUST -- slurp! -- have!

Awesome preview! It's been almost two years since I first heard about Cheliax and I'm finally getting it. I can't wait!

On a slightly more technical note, who were the artists for these fine pieces of art, and why can I am I not allowed to click on Abrogail to make her bigger?

Your inappropriate clicking will be reported to Nessus.

BTW: just change the jpeg at the end of the URL to jpg.

Awesome preview! It's been almost two years since I first heard about Cheliax and I'm finally getting it. I can't wait!

On a slightly more technical note, who were the artists for these fine pieces of art, and why can I am I not allowed to click on Abrogail to make her bigger?

Sarah was out of the office today. And instead of guessing or putting off the blog post until tomorrow... we decided to post it today and then ask her tomorrow who painted the pieces. If we remember to do that, we'll probably ammend the blog post as appropriate. If we don't it might be because we all passed out from heat exhaustion.

Michael Gear wrote:

Is this going to available at GenCon? Or should I just preorder?

We do expect to have it at Gen Con.

Yet more money to be spent at the Paizo booth...

My poor, poor wallet...

Awesome preview! It's been almost two years since I first heard about Cheliax and I'm finally getting it. I can't wait! why can I am I not allowed to click on Abrogail to make her bigger?

You need to join the Cheliax fold for that priviledge.

Master Yoda, you disappoint me, and others have spoken of you so highly, should you not have joined the Cheliax Faction by now ?

I pray that you join Cheliax legions before you join those enslaved by thier foolish ideals and our irons.

it might be because we all passed out from heat exhaustion.

Relish the heat James ! Or perhaps you would like accommodations on our 8th layer.

Michael Gear wrote:

reminder: must buy a more sturdy suitcase

Man, I wish I could make it this year. I'd love to see how Nimh fares under a few other GMs (then again, I haven't seen him after going through Chris' GM grinder).

Heh...he does fine, HUGE in social situations and microscopic in combat. Though, I'm not sure what kind of changes he faces once converted/recreated in the PFRPG mold. He may become, down right, dangerous as a party buffer.

Gear

I have a fluff question: Why is the ruler of Cheliax a queen? Shouldn't she be an empress?

I have a fluff question: Why is the ruler of Cheliax a queen? Shouldn't she be an empress?

If she wants to be called a queen, who's really going to tell her no?

Cheliax is an LE bureaucratic empire, populated with sticklers for law and order. It is totally out of character for their ruler to assume incorrect title and - even more - less prestigious one than she's entitled to.

Cheliax is an LE bureaucratic empire, populated with sticklers for law and order. It is totally out of character for their ruler to assume incorrect title and - even more - less prestigious one than she's entitled to.

Don't forget, she's also like twelve years old or so.

And the monarchy-on-top-of-a-heavily-regulated-bureaucratic state has been established as as something Chelish are wont to do already, with Korvosa.

'Sides, can't have that little brat taking on airs. Might make the devil huggers confident that they can throw down with their neighbors without losing some teeth over it.[/andoran]

Cheliax is an LE bureaucratic empire, populated with sticklers for law and order. It is totally out of character for their ruler to assume incorrect title and - even more - less prestigious one than she's entitled to.

Queen Victoria was a Queen even though she was also Empress of India etc, etc. Her full title no doubt fills pages, but she is a Queen because the important part of her empire (Cheliax) is a monarchy, not a republic. Besides, it's so obvious that she's ruler of the outflung dominions why draw attention to it? Anyone would think she was a Taldoran dandy rather than the modest, rightful leader she is.

Queen Victoria isn't the best example. Calling an empress queen is pretty much the same as calling the president of USA 'governor'. But, I've noticed that Americans generally make mistakes with those kind of things, like using 'your highness' or 'your grace' when speaking to ruling monarch. But... during the middle ages my own country had a tradition of 'young kings'. When the ruler was crowned as king, his son would assume the title 'young king', even if he was underage. When Serbia became empire, the emperor's young son assumed the title of king, and after his father's death he became the emperor. I would suggest to designers that when queen of Cheliax comes of age she should become an empress, or add imperial title to her royal one. "All bow to the Scarlet Empress and Infernal Queen of Cheliax, or face the might of Crimson Legions!", that kind of thing. Other Europeans on this board should confirm that there is a hugeenormous difference between queen and empress.

The precise form of address and title of any head of state, whether Queen, President, Crown Prince, etc, gets pretty complicated. I think it depends on history, tradition, and culture as much as a simple right/wrong way. I'm sure I read ages ago that for a particular principality the correct form of address of the Crown Prince/Princess was His/Her Majesty, even though that usually gets used for Kings/Queens. That being, said I don't really know what really makes a head of state a King or Queen instead of a Prince/Princess. Anybody care to enlighten me?

I've just had a quick look on wikipedia and found these two pages, which I thought might interest some people.

Style (manner of address)
Forms of Address in the UK

I knew we got pretty convoluted in the UK, but I was shocked at how long the full title of the current Queen really was. I knicked this from another wikipedia article (Titles of Elizabeth II), its pretty long so I've spoilered it...

I think my personal favourite title is one I heard recently at a meeting. The proper form of address for the Crown Prince/Princess of Monaco; His/Her Serene Highness. Apparently, its a mistranslation from German, although I think its still pretty nice.

Hmm, anyway, I think that was my long-winded way of saying that I agree with Paul; the head of state of Cheliax can call herself whatever she damn well pleases and who's going to stop her!

Ukos

Allow me to continue to play devil's advocate. In our world - western part of it, anyway - title of emperor has it's origins in Roman Empire. There were only two emperors - of East and West, and after the fall of Constantinopol only the Holy Roman Emperor (of German people) remained. Eventually, the Russian rulers became inheritors of the Eastern Roman emperors. British rulers gained imperial title because of their possession of India and territories of ancient Mogul empire and their imperial title doesn't have anything to do with the politics of European continent. In the western world wars were fought over possession of the imperial title. Kings of Prussia warred with the rest of German peoples in order to unite them in one state, but to become emperors as well. Napoleon fought with Habsburgs so that he could be sole Emperor of Europe. To conclude: there is enormous prestige in the imperial title. Emperor is way above king.