Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Inner Sea Gods (PFRPG) Hardcover

Read the book over the weekend and I have to say I liked seeing new feats, prestige classes, deity specific weapons, altars, gear, etc. I just felt the book was a whole lot of putting stuff in from previous books more than a lot of new information. It's nice to see everything updated and in one book, but I felt since a lot of it was previous information it really didn't warrant the price tag on this book. This is just my opinion. This book will get used a lot by our gaming group. Just think there wasn't a lot of new info.

Read the book over the weekend and I have to say I liked seeing new feats, prestige classes, deity specific weapons, altars, gear, etc. I just felt the book was a whole lot of putting stuff in from previous books more than a lot of new information. It's nice to see everything updated and in one book, but I felt since a lot of it was previous information it really didn't warrant the price tag on this book. This is just my opinion. This book will get used a lot by our gaming group. Just think there wasn't a lot of new info.

For many current Golarion fans, a lot of the material in the book will be old news. And while it would've been great to see a ton of new material, I think we need to keep things in perspective and look at what this book does. Inner Sea Gods gathers a lot of information that's spread out over 20+ books in one single tome. Furthermore, it'll be the go-to book for information on the 20 core deities going forward, meaning that future fans of Golarion will have one single tome to reference and not 20.

Whether or not that's worth the price tag is certainly a personal matter, but as a charter subscriber, I see the value in gathering those 20 articles in one massive tome.

I just hope we'll get a Inner Sea Gods II at some point that does the same for the lesser deities that have been featured in the adventure paths (Groetus, Milani, Besmara, etc.). That'd be sweet.

If anyone is interested, I started to stat some of the Planar Allies talked about in the book here:

http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2qzb6?Inner-Sea-Gods-Planar-Allies

Would love any constructive criticism/feedback you could give!

I like it! The book has some very awesome new art (like the opening pages for gods, especially Asmodeus and Calistria), cool new info and flawor for making characters and some old stuff. I have not yet indulged myself in the feats and magic, but I'm really pleased with this book!

I ... was disappointed to see that the articles on the major deities lacked their additions to the summon monster list that each of the AP articles had... Can anyone confirm if that content made it to the book?

That looks to be the one thing that the AP articles retain as unique. Most likely there just wasn't space - fairly large chart and repetitive text for at least the core 20, or a whole heck-of-a-lot of space to do it for all the deities.

I have to say - the Art in this book ranks way, way up there, right with the Inner Sea World Guide for one of the most beautiful books ever produced by Paizo. Those chapter intros... WOW!

Was it intentional to remove the revelry subdomain from Cayden Cailean? Or does the entry from champions of purity still hold true? Just asking since the current (9.3) hero lab data file thinks its invalid now.

We definitely did pick up many of the more awesome pieces from relevant APs—if we were happy with the look of this priest or that monster I didn't think it made sense to change it.

As a data point, though, we ordered more than 250 new pieces of art for this book.

Just think, a few less pieces of that nice pretty art and we could have had the custom summon rules that every 5th post seems to be upset that weren't included.

F. Wesley Schneider wrote:

We definitely did pick up many of the more awesome pieces from relevant APs—if we were happy with the look of this priest or that monster I didn't think it made sense to change it.

As a data point, though, we ordered more than 250 new pieces of art for this book.

Just think, a few less pieces of that nice pretty art and we could have had the custom summon rules that every 5th post seems to be upset that weren't included.

Hmm...

Awesome Art! vs. reprinted rules?

MOAR ART! is A-OK with me, thanks. Especially when it's new & great art.

Just my preference. OOMD. (^_')

Carry on!

--C.

I dont like how they made older feats/items/etc in books like paths of purity no longer PFS legal and replaced them with the ones from this book. They need to issue errata for the older books to allow them to be legal. Technically, you would now be forced to buy this book to use a feat that was previously applied to your character. In this example, you buy the original sourcebook, apply the feat to your character and now that it has been made illegal, you will have to buy the new book just to use your old previously legal feat.

On the feats in "Inner Sea Gods", many of them require worshipping a specific deity. What sucks are many of these feats are useful outside the scope of worshipping a deity, and some of them it doesn't even make sense to lose access to when you no longer worship the deity. For the divinely granted and supernatural feats it makes sense, but others no.

For example, how does one forget how to deal bleeding damage to an opponent or forget how to grant an ally a critical hit via "Bloodletting" once you stop serving Zu-Kuthon? Or how does "Butterfly's Sting" disappear once you stop worshipping Desna? It makes no sense and I was wondering if there would be any balance issue if I simply just took off the "deity worship" prerequisite?

*Read the Cixyron entry in the back table and realizes his colors are red and yellow*

LMAO does that mean the Iron man suit is basically a holy object of the daemon harbinger of electricity, gunpowder, and poisonous metals? Or better yet, should I design a suite of full plate with jetpacks and built in guns that damns it's targets to abbadon?

My god that Harbinger just gets better with each design pass lol.

*Read the Cixyron entry in the back table and realizes his colors are red and yellow*

LMAO does that mean the Iron man suit is basically a holy object of the daemon harbinger of electricity, gunpowder, and poisonous metals? Or better yet, should I design a suite of full plate with jetpacks and built in guns that damns it's targets to abbadon?

My god that Harbinger just gets better with each design pass lol.

Do they give a bit more info on Harbingers? My interest in the book has risen.

doc the grey wrote:

*Read the Cixyron entry in the back table and realizes his colors are red and yellow*

LMAO does that mean the Iron man suit is basically a holy object of the daemon harbinger of electricity, gunpowder, and poisonous metals? Or better yet, should I design a suite of full plate with jetpacks and built in guns that damns it's targets to abbadon?

My god that Harbinger just gets better with each design pass lol.

Do they give a bit more info on Harbingers? My interest in the book has risen.

Yes and no. They don't get any sweeping new writeups or really any real like block text about them like you may have seen demon lords and archdevils get in the other books of the damned. That being said though every single horsemen and harbinger gets a full entry in the big gods table in the back of the book which does give a lot of ideas on what to do with them including titles, subdomains, sacred animals, and favored colors.

For example I now know that Folca, arguably THE MOST CREEPY DIVINITY PAIZO HAS PUMPED OUT YET is known by the title The Gaunt Stranger, has a skeletal hand full of sweets as his holy symbol, a black stork as his sacred animal, and his unholy colors are blue and black. Now I know that's not a paragraph write up on how the hell this cult hasn't managed to get burned off Golarion by literally everyone but it does give me as a gm a ton of symbols and metaphor that are just rife for story exploration and further fleshing out run ins with his followers.

Also sometimes you get stuff that is just so awesomely on point and yet still funny you want to laugh. Like how Nalmungder, the harbinger of basements, closets, and delusions of safety is known as He Who Waits Below The Stairs. I mean I laughed with joy at that name for like 10 minutes because it was both spot on, terrifying, and still funny as hell. It's also helped by the fact I was using him as a Kobold Deity of "safety" which just makes the name all the funnier.

Now that is just 2 examples trust me there is a ton more that just gives so many ideas on what and how to use some of these little referenced and more esoteric evil outsiders.

Sean K Reynolds wrote:

Considering how Irori teaches that there are many paths to enlightenment and what is the true path for one person may not be the true path for another person, I doubt his faith would ever endorse an "official" paladin code as "this is the true paladin code of the Master of Masters."

I think we need Irori to make some posts on the forums about the right way to play Pathfinder ;)

Eh, whatever works for whoever.

masters quantum entanglement weaving while doing a handstand on a skateboard ramping off a ramp on a ramp

For example I now know that Folca, arguably THE MOST CREEPY DIVINITY PAIZO HAS PUMPED OUT YET is known by the title The Gaunt Stranger, has a skeletal hand full of sweets as his holy symbol, a black stork as his sacred animal, and his unholy colors are blue and black. Now I know that's not a paragraph write up on how the hell this cult hasn't managed to get burned off Golarion by literally everyone but it does give me as a gm a ton of symbols and metaphor that are just rife for story exploration and further fleshing out run ins with his followers.

If there is one single demideity I will never use in a game, it'll probably be that one. It's just so far past my comfort level I can't help but headcanon him as having been killed off already ever since first seeing him in Book of the Damned vol. 3, because damn. I just can't go there lightly.

And this is coming from someone who's still chomping at the bit for more kyton material.

Not a judgment on those that can use him, it's just that that one is in the "don't want to go there" zone for me.

doc the grey wrote:

For example I now know that Folca, arguably THE MOST CREEPY DIVINITY PAIZO HAS PUMPED OUT YET is known by the title The Gaunt Stranger, has a skeletal hand full of sweets as his holy symbol, a black stork as his sacred animal, and his unholy colors are blue and black. Now I know that's not a paragraph write up on how the hell this cult hasn't managed to get burned off Golarion by literally everyone but it does give me as a gm a ton of symbols and metaphor that are just rife for story exploration and further fleshing out run ins with his followers.

If there is one single demideity I will never use in a game, it'll probably be that one. It's just so far past my comfort level I can't help but headcanon him as having been killed off already ever since first seeing him in Book of the Damned vol. 3, because damn. I just can't go there lightly.

And this is coming from someone who's still chomping at the bit for more kyton material.

Not a judgment on those that can use him, it's just that that one is in the "don't want to go there" zone for me.

Hello

doc the grey wrote:

For example I now know that Folca, arguably THE MOST CREEPY DIVINITY PAIZO HAS PUMPED OUT YET is known by the title The Gaunt Stranger, has a skeletal hand full of sweets as his holy symbol, a black stork as his sacred animal, and his unholy colors are blue and black. Now I know that's not a paragraph write up on how the hell this cult hasn't managed to get burned off Golarion by literally everyone but it does give me as a gm a ton of symbols and metaphor that are just rife for story exploration and further fleshing out run ins with his followers.

If there is one single demideity I will never use in a game, it'll probably be that one. It's just so far past my comfort level I can't help but headcanon him as having been killed off already ever since first seeing him in Book of the Damned vol. 3, because damn. I just can't go there lightly.

And this is coming from someone who's still chomping at the bit for more kyton material.

Not a judgment on those that can use him, it's just that that one is in the "don't want to go there" zone for me.

I wonder if his followers get to add Unmarked Van to their Summon Monster list?

Wait, how have I not come across Folca before now? That creepy factor is through the roof... and I know just where to spring him on some players. My Shattered Star group isn't going to know what hit them.

But yeah, can see where Mikaze is coming from. If I didn't know it's not going to hit major triggers for my group, wouldn't even dream of using it.

doc the grey wrote:

For example I now know that Folca, arguably THE MOST CREEPY DIVINITY PAIZO HAS PUMPED OUT YET is known by the title The Gaunt Stranger, has a skeletal hand full of sweets as his holy symbol, a black stork as his sacred animal, and his unholy colors are blue and black. Now I know that's not a paragraph write up on how the hell this cult hasn't managed to get burned off Golarion by literally everyone but it does give me as a gm a ton of symbols and metaphor that are just rife for story exploration and further fleshing out run ins with his followers.

If there is one single demideity I will never use in a game, it'll probably be that one. It's just so far past my comfort level I can't help but headcanon him as having been killed off already ever since first seeing him in Book of the Damned vol. 3, because damn. I just can't go there lightly.

And this is coming from someone who's still chomping at the bit for more kyton material.

Not a judgment on those that can use him, it's just that that one is in the "don't want to go there" zone for me.

There's also this guy. "Abduction, rape, and transformation"? What the #$%&@!?

If I had to imagine what his cult would do, I see them as

Though that doesn't entail "transformation", does it?

Folca looks like Slenderman in my head.

Though that doesn't entail "transformation", does it?

I'd assume he's the ambassador to the Kytons (who I believe have an embassy in Hell). They're all about stealing people and transforming them into a different shape.

awesome stuff about Folca.

I also love how his subdomains are Daemon, Deception, Exploration, and Lust. That is not a recipe for a good evening.

The only way Fulca could be more scary was if he was also the Daemonic Harbinger for clowns.

doc the grey wrote:

For example I now know that Folca, arguably THE MOST CREEPY DIVINITY PAIZO HAS PUMPED OUT YET is known by the title The Gaunt Stranger, has a skeletal hand full of sweets as his holy symbol, a black stork as his sacred animal, and his unholy colors are blue and black. Now I know that's not a paragraph write up on how the hell this cult hasn't managed to get burned off Golarion by literally everyone but it does give me as a gm a ton of symbols and metaphor that are just rife for story exploration and further fleshing out run ins with his followers.

If there is one single demideity I will never use in a game, it'll probably be that one. It's just so far past my comfort level I can't help but headcanon him as having been killed off already ever since first seeing him in Book of the Damned vol. 3, because damn. I just can't go there lightly.

And this is coming from someone who's still chomping at the bit for more kyton material.

Not a judgment on those that can use him, it's just that that one is in the "don't want to go there" zone for me.

"...We all float down here."

I think I'll have to check this one out, then!

Axial wrote:

Though that doesn't entail "transformation", does it?

I'd assume he's the ambassador to the Kytons (who I believe have an embassy in Hell). They're all about stealing people and transforming them into a different shape.

True. But do Kytons rape people?

doc the grey wrote:

awesome stuff about Folca.

I also love how his subdomains are Daemon, Deception, Exploration, and Lust. That is not a recipe for a good evening.

The only way Fulca could be more scary was if he was also the Daemonic Harbinger for clowns.

And you just doomed my players to an encounter with them now. And they've already gone to creepytown with some of the asuras, meladaemons, and things they don't yet have names for. Time to jolt it up a notch because Trelmarixian and Tegresin werent disturbing enough. :D

Also I didn't create Fulca. But I am in inspired awe of whoever added him into BotD3

Ross Byers wrote:

Axial wrote:

Though that doesn't entail "transformation", does it?

I'd assume he's the ambassador to the Kytons (who I believe have an embassy in Hell). They're all about stealing people and transforming them into a different shape.

True. But do Kytons rape people?

That's probably for each GM to decide, in the literal sense. But they certainly do in most figurative senses.

I'm pretty sure it came out of Wes's head, like 99% sure, but it might have been mine. We brainstormed quite a few of the harbingers for that book's table.

I'm a little confused I thought that Achaekek was like a demigod, with stats. But I just saw a copy of inner sea gods at a bookstore and it says that he's is now a true god.

Achaekek got statted under D&D 3.5, which had rules for writing up gods. I think he was CR 32 or so (putting him about on par with Bahamut IIRC)?

The actual Pathfinder system didn't adopt those rules, so his prior write up is more or less retconned out of existence.

I'm a little confused I thought that Achaekek was like a demigod, with stats. But I just saw a copy of inner sea gods at a bookstore and it says that he's is now a true god.

He's a deity.

In the previous edition of the game, when we used the 3.5 definitions of deities and demigods, that was different.

Nick O'Connell wrote:

I'm a little confused I thought that Achaekek was like a demigod, with stats. But I just saw a copy of inner sea gods at a bookstore and it says that he's is now a true god.

He's a deity.

In the previous edition of the game, when we used the 3.5 definitions of deities and demigods, that was different.

Oh ok

doc the grey wrote:

For example I now know that Folca, arguably THE MOST CREEPY DIVINITY PAIZO HAS PUMPED OUT YET is known by the title The Gaunt Stranger, has a skeletal hand full of sweets as his holy symbol, a black stork as his sacred animal, and his unholy colors are blue and black. Now I know that's not a paragraph write up on how the hell this cult hasn't managed to get burned off Golarion by literally everyone but it does give me as a gm a ton of symbols and metaphor that are just rife for story exploration and further fleshing out run ins with his followers.

If there is one single demideity I will never use in a game, it'll probably be that one. It's just so far past my comfort level I can't help but headcanon him as having been killed off already ever since first seeing him in Book of the Damned vol. 3, because damn. I just can't go there lightly.

And this is coming from someone who's still chomping at the bit for more kyton material.

Not a judgment on those that can use him, it's just that that one is in the "don't want to go there" zone for me.

Honestly that is kind of why the Harbingers have really stood out to me since they are so disturbing and specifically evil they kind of eclipse the other 2 heavies and create these "wonderful" narrative options that are so evil, disturbing, and specific that you can do some really crazy and interesting narratives with them. Like I could totally see a cleric of Folca being someone that a paladin and antipaladin team up to hunt down since NO ONE wants that cult within a planet of them.

Also I think Folca might have been eclipsed for me by Arlachramas as MOST CREEPY DIETY PAIZO HAS PUMPED OUT YET after getting to look at his table entry. It's kind of hard not to be terrified of a guy with the title The Silent Breath with...

Also as an aside, Folca's sacred animal is a Black Stork. Me and my gm friend literally shuddered and whirled through like a half hour of horrifying ideas that literally came off the disturbing metaphor that brings.

Ross Byers wrote:

Axial wrote:

Though that doesn't entail "transformation", does it?

I'd assume he's the ambassador to the Kytons (who I believe have an embassy in Hell). They're all about stealing people and transforming them into a different shape.

True. But do Kytons rape people?

I don't think I would put it outside the wheelhouse of any evil outsider. They are kind of unrepentantly and categorically evil.

Mikaze wrote:

doc the grey wrote:

For example I now know that Folca, arguably THE MOST CREEPY DIVINITY PAIZO HAS PUMPED OUT YET is known by the title The Gaunt Stranger, has a skeletal hand full of sweets as his holy symbol, a black stork as his sacred animal, and his unholy colors are blue and black. Now I know that's not a paragraph write up on how the hell this cult hasn't managed to get burned off Golarion by literally everyone but it does give me as a gm a ton of symbols and metaphor that are just rife for story exploration and further fleshing out run ins with his followers.

If there is one single demideity I will never use in a game, it'll probably be that one. It's just so far past my comfort level I can't help but headcanon him as having been killed off already ever since first seeing him in Book of the Damned vol. 3, because damn. I just can't go there lightly.

And this is coming from someone who's still chomping at the bit for more kyton material.

Not a judgment on those that can use him, it's just that that one is in the "don't want to go there" zone for me.

Honestly that is kind of why the Harbingers have really stood out to me since they are so disturbing and specifically evil they kind of eclipse the other 2 heavies and create these "wonderful" narrative options that are so evil, disturbing, and specific that you can do some really crazy and interesting narratives with them. Like I could totally see a cleric of Folca being someone that a paladin and antipaladin team up to hunt down since NO ONE wants that cult within a planet of them.

Also I think Folca might have been eclipsed for me by Arlachramas as MOST CREEPY DIETY PAIZO HAS PUMPED OUT YET after getting to look at his table entry. It's kind of hard not to be terrified of a guy with the title The Silent Breath with...

** spoiler omitted **...

Oh, oh no. My players are going to want to hunt you down for bringing Arlachramas and Folca to my attention.

Let the games begin...

I don't have my book handy. What is Arlchramas's sacred animal?

The (Baby) blue and pink holy colors are creepy enough, but I'm wondering if he can top the black stork.

Got my copy yesterday!

While it's true there is some art that has been reused, the new art pieces are generally very well done, and I'm a sucker for great illustrations.

My favorite would have to be the picture of Shelyn on page 141. It shows Shelyn seated in a garden surrounded by colorful flowers and wildlife (including a green squirrel on her shoulder and a purple rabbit in her lap!) holding a bowl of rainbow colored paint in one hand, and using a paintbrush in the other to paint birds, which have come to life. Her hair contains streaks of several colors and is done up with flowers, with a butterfly sitting on top. Lovely!

Other art pieces I like include the depictions of Abadar and Cayden Cailean, who are both handsome, the shrine illustrations for Desna and Gozreh, and the rustic temple of Erastil. The altars for Norgorber and Zon-Kuthon, while downright disturbing in comparison, are great too. What appears to be a male follower of Calistria on page 221 is nice as well.

Also... I think I may have developed a bit of a crush on Cayden Cailean. Seriously, he's such a bro.

EDIT: Arlachramas doesn't have a sacred animal.

Honestly that is kind of why the Harbingers have really stood out to me since they are so disturbing and specifically evil they kind of eclipse the other 2 heavies and create these "wonderful" narrative options that are so evil, disturbing, and specific that you can do some really crazy and interesting narratives with them.

^This 100%; espcially since in 3e, they were more-or-less extraplanar mercenaries. Now they're just crazy. I can't thank you enough for this, Developers.

Xsistaid led me to find out what myiasis was... *shudders*

Is imagining that Xsistaid looks vaguely like a xenomorph

Is imagining that Xsistaid looks vaguely like a xenomorph

I'm imagining him as a puffed-up Leukodaemon, riddled with parasites and worms, a Harbinger of Apollyon.

I don't have my book handy. What is Arlchramas's sacred animal?

The (Baby) blue and pink holy colors are creepy enough, but I'm wondering if he can top the black stork.

He doesn't have one. I think why should be both apparent and shudder inducing.

Slight change of subject: Why was Asmodeus's sacred animal a viper? He doesn't normally evoke a lot of snake imagery. Frankly, I was expecting it to be a goat.

doc the grey wrote:

Honestly that is kind of why the Harbingers have really stood out to me since they are so disturbing and specifically evil they kind of eclipse the other 2 heavies and create these "wonderful" narrative options that are so evil, disturbing, and specific that you can do some really crazy and interesting narratives with them.

^This 100%; espcially since in 3e, they were more-or-less extraplanar mercenaries. Now they're just crazy. I can't thank you enough for this, Developers.

Xsistaid led me to find out what myiasis was... *shudders*

Is imagining that Xsistaid looks vaguely like a xenomorph

I wouldn't say it's that they are crazy so much as that they are so specific, horrifying, and sort of passive and inevitable. While demons are chaotic destruction and devils are masterful schemers the daemons are like the maggots on the corpse of their plans and victims. When deskari brings the abyss through the worldwound, all the daemons prophet from it from the famine and plagues it brings to the horrifying extremes people are willing to go to to save themselves taking their evil to a whole new level. They are really the true danger of the big 3 evil outsiders if you ask me, the monsters that prey on you while you are too horrified by other events to see them coming and so disturbing in their own right that most people either don't know they exist or probably think of them as a myth.

Slight change of subject: Why was Asmodeus's sacred animal a viper? He doesn't normally evoke a lot of snake imagery. Frankly, I was expecting it to be a goat.

my guess is for the obvious judeo-christian references. That being said he has been since animal archive where he was referenced as having snakes as one of his preferred animal servitors for his mortal followers.

I wouldn't say it's that they are crazy so much as that they are so specific, horrifying, and sort of passive and inevitable. While demons are chaotic destruction and devils are masterful schemers the daemons are like the maggots on the corpse of their plans and victims. When deskari brings the abyss through the worldwound, all the daemons prophet from it from the famine and plagues it brings to the horrifying extremes people are willing to go to to save themselves taking their evil to a whole new level. They are really the true danger of the big 3 evil outsiders if you ask me, the monsters that prey on you while you are too horrified by other events to see them coming and so disturbing in their own right that most people either don't know they exist or probably think of them as a myth.

Well, also Law and Chaos sort of give Devils and Demons a purpose to their Evil.

Devils want to bring order to (i.e. conquer) the universe, given time, and they have infinite time. Different types of devils have different types of jobs, but they serve a greater, unified, purpose.

Demons want to indulge their violent vices forever. Generally, different types of demons are manifestations of different sins.

Daemons, however, are terrible things that happen purely because they're terrible. From the Horsemen on down, they are embodiments of ways to die, not things to do (like demons) or things to accomplish/roles to fill (like devils). Daemons are living manifestations of ceasing to exist.

doc the grey wrote:

For example I now know that Folca, arguably THE MOST CREEPY DIVINITY PAIZO HAS PUMPED OUT YET is known by the title The Gaunt Stranger, has a skeletal hand full of sweets as his holy symbol, a black stork as his sacred animal, and his unholy colors are blue and black. Now I know that's not a paragraph write up on how the hell this cult hasn't managed to get burned off Golarion by literally everyone but it does give me as a gm a ton of symbols and metaphor that are just rife for story exploration and further fleshing out run ins with his followers.

If there is one single demideity I will never use in a game, it'll probably be that one. It's just so far past my comfort level I can't help but headcanon him as having been killed off already ever since first seeing him in Book of the Damned vol. 3, because damn. I just can't go there lightly.

And this is coming from someone who's still chomping at the bit for more kyton material.

Not a judgment on those that can use him, it's just that that one is in the "don't want to go there" zone for me.

oh, same. I literally shuddered when I happened across him on the wiki and realized those implications...

he's no less creepy now.

Slight change of subject: Why was Asmodeus's sacred animal a viper? He doesn't normally evoke a lot of snake imagery. Frankly, I was expecting it to be a goat.

My guess is the whole 'serpent in the Garden' motif.

It's older and at least in my opinion less cliche than the Eliphas Levi derived goat motif (which is already poached by Baphomet the demon lord who pretty much gets his entire appearance from Levi's illustration of the Baphomet).

I rather like that they went with the viper. :)

What's the significance of Folca's black stork and his colors black and blue? Am I missing a reference here? Why are these creepy?

What's the significance of Folca's black stork and his colors black and blue? Am I missing a reference here? Why are these creepy?

Wikipedia has an interesting article on the symbolism of white storks here. There is also a TV-tropes article available here.

To briefly summarize, the white stork is strongly associated with childbearing. For instance in german folklore white storks would find children in caves or swamps and bring them to worthy parents, carrying the child in a basket.

Folca's favored animal plays on those associations and then reverses them, using a black stork to represent the divine entity that steals children away.

Having ideas for Focas and Arlachramas already.... Missing babies, only to find that that villain bodyguard is a

Having ideas for Focas and Arlachramas already.... Missing babies, only to find that that villain bodyguard is a ** spoiler omitted **.