Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Qadira, Jewel of the East (PFRPG)

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But yeah I also really hope a Taldor book comes soon

One did, but it was a LONG time ago (April 2009) And we haven't seen a Taldor AP either, other than the first little bit of Reign of Winter starting there. Of course, right now, Qadira doesn't even have that, but as has been noted, it will feature in a bit of Strange Aeons, coming up next after Hell's Vengeance.

Wait a second! Eastern boarder of Qadira? That´s where Casmaron begins, isn´t it? :D

It is, though unless James added things during his dev pass, the only things labeled on the map are in Qadira itself, not east of the border.

Jessica Price wrote:

Steve Geddes wrote:

Is there a Qadira/Keleshite specific Pantheon? Any new deity-related flavor material in this book?

There are short descriptions of nine new deities/cults specific in Kelesh, as well as information on Kelesh-specific forms of Sarenism.

There are also new ethnicities, and commentary about some of their religious beliefs.

Qadira + new local deities, ethnicities? Oh man... this book will be awesome

It's also cool to hear that the Keleshites take a bit of inspiration from Zoroastrian Persia, it's not something I've seen done in a fantasy setting before.

Very keen to find out what the new ethnicities might be. I'm guessing it isn't something Turkic since we've got the Kara for that now. Maybe something inspired by ancient Caucasian peoples (like Armenians and Georgians) or the Scythians? (whom were the main inspiration for the mythical Amazons since they reputedly had many female warriors among their ranks). Either way, no doubt it will be something quite interesting and I hope also there will be some interesting demihuman/humanoid cultures & societies in Qadira as well. :)

But yeah I also really hope a Taldor book comes soon

There, um, may be some Scythians in there. *furtive* I may be a little obsessed with the Scythians.

Most of them aren't based directly on any one real-world ethnicity. Kelesh has seven major virtues that it credits with its rise, and six peoples credited with founding/contributing to the empire. Each is associated with a particular virtue, the seventh being the unified Keleshite identity.

Of course, there *was* a seventh people, but they've been erased from official history...

There are also a number of minor ethnicities that have significant populations in Kelesh, and to an extent in Qadira. Some of them are familiar, like the Vudrans and the Tians, and some are new.

Hayato Ken wrote:

Wait a second! Eastern boarder of Qadira? That´s where Casmaron begins, isn´t it? :D

It is, though unless James added things during his dev pass, the only things labeled on the map are in Qadira itself, not east of the border.

This still takes us one large step closer, even if there´s a white spot.

Nice thing with the scythians too. Most often the area between the arabian states, india and china gets overlooked, even though we say far-east and middle-east, but not close-east^^
It´s an awesome area though with a lot of interesting history, tribes and events to take inspiration from, beginning with the silk street, but not ending there. Just think of Alexander the great and his march of conquest from greece to india!

Looking forward to this!

I cant wait for this one, though count me as another voice sad we're not getting ten pages on the spice trade.

Jessica, would you have book recommendations for people interested in learning more about the real world cultures that provided inspiration for parts of this book? I know next to nothing about the Scythians, and have only really encountered early Persian history as it related to Greek and Roman history, for example. I've been trying to read more about events, regions, and cultures that haven't been featured in my formal history courses, and this is definitely one of those areas.

I cant wait for this one, though count me as another voice sad we're not getting ten pages on the spice trade.

Jessica, would you have book recommendations for people interested in learning more about the real world cultures that provided inspiration for parts of this book? I know next to nothing about the Scythians, and have only really encountered early Persian history as it related to Greek and Roman history, for example. I've been trying to read more about events, regions, and cultures that haven't been featured in my formal history courses, and this is definitely one of those areas.

I most certainly do! :-)

This one is great -- comes at it from the "were the Amazons of legend Scythians/Sarmatians?" angle.

And this one.

Thanks for sharing the info! I didn't have any plans on getting this, but I'm sold after finding out what's included.

Hmmm...

Qadira...

Mystic cults...

Desert monsters...

And my latest hero-writer, Jessica Price...

Consider this book bought!

Hayato Ken wrote:

Wait a second! Eastern boarder of Qadira? That´s where Casmaron begins, isn´t it? :D

It is, though unless James added things during his dev pass, the only things labeled on the map are in Qadira itself, not east of the border.

IE: We keep sending Pathfinders to the eastern border of Qadira, but so far none have returned to report what lies beyond.

"There are some things Man was not meant to know."

:-)

"There are some things Man was not meant to know."

:-)

Perhaps, but Woman know them just fine. In fact, one of them went and wrote what they knew into this awesome book.

(Yes I know me calling it awesome is premature *shrugs* I like my odds)

I like your odds too Rysky.

But then again I think your dice like you.

I like your odds too Rysky.

But then again I think your dice like you.

My dice have their moods... like giving me constant 19s when I'm using a Greataxe...

Mine give me 2s when I do my DMing and the PCs are at full health...

Ed Reppert wrote:

"There are some things Man was not meant to know."

:-)

Perhaps, but Woman know them just fine. In fact, one of them went and wrote what they knew into this awesome book.

(Yes I know me calling it awesome is premature *shrugs* I like my odds)

Nothing to see there. Just a strip mall with some nail salons and a spa and some qlippoth and a massive underground city complex and the place where the Dust Speakers come from.

It's a waste of time, really. You're better off visiting one of the nice little resort towns in the Maharev instead.

Hmmm...

Qadira...

Mystic cults...

Desert monsters...

And my latest hero-writer, Jessica Price...

Consider this book bought!

I dunno how I became a hero-writer, but I embrace this title. ;-)

Will there be a reprint of the Half-janni?

Maybe it will be in B6 instead.

Will there be a reprint of the Half-janni?

Nope. There's very little reiteration of content from the Qadira Player Companion in the Campaign Setting. With the exception of a few rules elements, and necessary context, it's new material.

All I know is Jessica Price writing this will be even more awesome than her appearance in Planes of Power. :)

All I know is Jessica Price writing this will be even more awesome than her appearance in Planes of Power. :)

Why thank you. :-) I certainly hope people enjoy it. There is a bit less open flame than in Planes.

I plan to enjoy greatly.

What's that rule? Oh, yeah. "Do not stand in the fire." :-)

Interesting, returning to the subject of the first Campaign Setting book to use the PF rules?

I'm hoping that the book has some info for the White Feather Monks. Maybe a monk archetype or prestige class could be neat.

Interesting, returning to the subject of the first Campaign Setting book to use the PF rules?

I'm hoping that the book has some info for the White Feather Monks. Maybe a monk archetype or prestige class could be neat.

You mean the first Player Companion book. ;-)

Ooh this book looks exciting! Will there be anything more on slavery in Kelesh? I was really intrigued by that section in Inner Sea Races.

Ooh this book looks exciting! Will there be anything more on slavery in Kelesh? I was really intrigued by that section in Inner Sea Races.

I'm glad you found it interesting! It was one of the things I added and probably tied with the drow backstory for the thing I agonized over the longest. :-) The question of why one of the few cultures that has a state deity -- and one of our most standard/central good deities at that -- allows slavery was a pretty thorny question. Interesting, but thorny. And the obvious solution to it was consent: that it had initially begun as something that we probably wouldn't identify as slavery if we saw it in action, that centered around a voluntary surrender of autonomy, and that placed as many obligations upon whomever took control of that autonomy as it did upon the person who surrendered it.

(Or that it was essentially a term of indentured servitude with a very finite time limit on it, which someone might agree to for a very clear reward: citizenship, business sponsorship, etc.)

And following on that was why Sarenrae would be the state deity of an empire, given that historically speaking, nice people don't build empires. (Of the empires that have existed in the real world, Achaemenid Persia was probably the one most concerned with ethics and the fair treatment of people under its rule -- and even that ethical concern was pretty spotty and fell apart in relatively short order -- so it made sense that Kelesh would be heavily inspired by ancient Persia, but even so, nice people don't build empires.) So the question of why Sarenrae would want an empire, or at least allow one to claim to rule with her blessing, is a similarly thorny question that doesn't get answered in the upcoming book, but there are a few hints there if you look for them, and I'm hoping to drop a few more next time I get the opportunity to write about it. :-)

As far as whether there's more on Kelesh and slavery in the Qadira book, yes, a little bit. More specifically, there's info on how Qadira's attitudes toward slavery differ from the rest of Kelesh's and why.

Moved to january 2017!

Ah too bad. Why did it get postponed? Was really looking forward to this book.

Apparently the ink needs more time to dry as it is very damp in the chinese region where this is printed...

I'm not at work, so I can't check when Qadira's expected to hit our warehouse, but he November Campaign Setting slid (due to unexpectedly long print times), so I believe Qadira's been pushed back as a result.

Don't worry Jessica. I'm still getting this. :)

Damn Taldan agitators! ;)

Damn Taldan agitators! ;)

I'm always down to blame the Taldans. :-)

DeciusNero wrote:

Damn Taldan agitators! ;)

I'm always down to blame the Taldans. :-)

I think everyone blames Taldor for something, often keeping a personal list of real and imagined transgressions.

Taldor is a great place for some fun adventures, yet its history sure does make it a target for good-natured jabs at its dignity—at least in a thread about Qadira!

Jessica Price wrote:

DeciusNero wrote:

Damn Taldan agitators! ;)

I'm always down to blame the Taldans. :-)

I think everyone blames Taldor for something, often keeping a personal list of real and imagined transgressions.

** spoiler omitted **

Taldor is a great place for some fun adventures, yet its history sure does make it a target for good-natured jabs at its dignity—at least in a thread about Qadira!

Also the fact that I cannot get Earl Grey tea at iPic. I have always blamed Taldor for that.

John Compton wrote:

Jessica Price wrote:

DeciusNero wrote:

Damn Taldan agitators! ;)

I'm always down to blame the Taldans. :-)

I think everyone blames Taldor for something, often keeping a personal list of real and imagined transgressions.

** spoiler omitted **

Taldor is a great place for some fun adventures, yet its history sure does make it a target for good-natured jabs at its dignity—at least in a thread about Qadira!

Also the fact that I cannot get Earl Grey tea at iPic. I have always blamed Taldor for that.

What barbaric circle of hell is this iPic?

Jessica Price wrote:

John Compton wrote:

Jessica Price wrote:

DeciusNero wrote:

Damn Taldan agitators! ;)

I'm always down to blame the Taldans. :-)

I think everyone blames Taldor for something, often keeping a personal list of real and imagined transgressions.

** spoiler omitted **

Taldor is a great place for some fun adventures, yet its history sure does make it a target for good-natured jabs at its dignity—at least in a thread about Qadira!

Also the fact that I cannot get Earl Grey tea at iPic. I have always blamed Taldor for that.

What barbaric circle of hell is this iPic?

A supposedly high-end cinema experience, where they have reclining chairs and waiters that bring you food and leather-covered menus.

And no decent tea.

Sheesh. You'd think for all the stuff you spend money on, they'd get you decent tea, Jessica.

They didn't have Earl Grey tea in that stack they brought you? That seems like willful troublemaking! Maybe it was the devil buzzing in the speaker!

They didn't have Earl Grey tea in that stack they brought you? That seems like willful troublemaking! Maybe it was the devil buzzing in the speaker!

Nope, two brands of English Breakfast, but no Earl Grey. :(

Any tea that comes in a stack isn't likely to be much good, anyway.
About the only good thing that can be said about teabags is that the string makes it easy to pull them out of the hot water before the tea stews, and you can get the same effect using a tea ball/infuser/... (with the added benefit that you have full control over the quality of the tea that went in to it). That's only part of the problem, though - you also want the water to be at the right temperature (which for black tea is hot enough that most places won't supply water at that temperature to customers).

At least they didn't microwave the water.

If you visit us at one of our conventions you're quite likely to find a tea station behind the PFS HQ desk stocked with an electric kettle, a Bodum tea press, and Ahmad Ceylon Tea (Opa).

James Jacobs wrote:

They didn't have Earl Grey tea in that stack they brought you? That seems like willful troublemaking! Maybe it was the devil buzzing in the speaker!

Nope, two brands of English Breakfast, but no Earl Grey. :(

Sheesh. I mean I'm glad they have English Breakfast, but you'd think they'd have some freaking Earl Grey for goodness sake!

It's western-style tea 101, for crying out loud.

So, Qadira has Earl Grey Tea? Am I understanding this discussion correctly?!

Enough with the tea discussio - give us "Teahouses of Golarion" already! ;-)

adds tea-related items to future project notes