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Paizo Employee Creative Director

Generic Villain wrote:

In People of the Stars, it's stated that Dou-Bral transformed into Zon-Kuthon after exploring too long in the Dark Tapestry. Prior to this I thought the stance was that Z-K transformed not while exploring the Dark Tapestry, but the furthest reaches of creation. The "outside the outside" hinted at in the devourer's chapter in Undead Revisited, perhaps.

Now this understanding may have been based on stuff I read on the message boards and might not have been official, but I was still really surprised to see the apparent turnaround.

So my question: was People of the Stars right? Is Zon-Kuthon really borne from something he found (or that found him) in the void?

They're both right. It's deliberately mysterious and apparently contradictory.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Kajehase wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
LazarX wrote:
A Mr. Morden would like to know "What do you want?"
That changes at every second, but right now? I'll go with a chocolate chip cookie.
He'll be disappointed with your answer, which is good. Just ask Ambassador Mollari what happens if he likes your answer.

I was confused before, but now I have NO idea what you're talking about.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Rysky wrote:
Did you know about this?

I did. Neat!


Dear James

This question not only I, but every player of a Gunslinger or GM of NPC Gunslingers, still have yet to be confirmed by Paizo on a rather huge issue concerning Advanced Firearms.

Advanced firearms are chamber-loaded. It is a move action to load a one-handed or two-handed advanced firearm to its full capacity.

What this statement in Ultimate Combat does not tell us is does this ruling assume the use of metal cartridges, which is stated to be sturdier alchemical cartridges? Such a cartridge reduces reload times by one step. Many believe the ruling does assume the one step is already in place. But it is not clear. (What is also interesting is two-handed advanced firearms are reduced two steps from their early versions, and one-handed advanced firearms are only reduced by one in comparison to the early version...that one is strange).

What is also not clear is whether the Rapid Reload feat is viable for advanced firearms. Such as loading a Rifle would normally be a Move Action, is it legal to take Rapid Reload (Rifle) and reduce the reload time to a free action? I ask because there is a clause in the wording of the feat that makes it seem like it will not: The time required for you to reload your chosen type of weapon is reduced to a free action (for a hand or light crossbow), a move action (for heavy crossbow or one-handed firearm), or a standard action (two-handed firearm).

By not stating it reduces reload time by one step, but instead stating it brings the chosen weapon to a specific type of action, makes it seem unviable to use it for Advanced Firearms.

The issue can be seen in full detail here.

Advanced Firearms, Rapid Reload, and Metal Cartridges

I noticed a new question has been answered yesterday on the Ultimate Combat FAQ, but it seems a rather trivial question answered in comparison to the one on this thread.

I hope this can be answered in a timely fashion. I currently am GMing a player with a Gunslinger who uses a Rifle, but we cannot figure out if he can only reload it as Move Action or would Rapid Reload (Rifle) be legal to drop it down to a free action?

Thank you.

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Guy St-Amant wrote:
CorvusMask wrote:

Huh, thats interesting info... I had no idea none of them were actually created to be fitting in golarion <_< Guess I'll have to wait if I want to make them be lore accurate in my campaign

Gotta applaud design team though, they are really unique races.

A Fey would be easy, it's from the First World, the rest might not be that easy.

Well, gathlain bestiary explicitly mentions gnome and as fey they don't have trouble fitting, wylvarans seem weird but since they are explicitly combination of kobold and wyverns, they kinda have to be on golarion. Unless kobolds got captured by aliens or something. Wyrmwood are again weird, but they are created by wizards so even though they are wooden magical killer robots who turned on their creators, they could be really anywere from having secret hidden society on golarion to being from another planet. Kasatha and trox are the weirdest and most alien ones. Trox espicially since their description states they were breeded to be brutes, while they could otherwise be some sort of desert dwelling race, the breeding part sounds like they are probably aliens.

Unless syrinx weren't kidding about creating strix and practice breeding of sentient species way too often :P

Gotta admit, I like them anyway even though they aren't apparently lore fitting. Gathlain not so much admittedly since I don't think they differ much from other fay besides having class levels, but others? Very much so.

I mean, yeah, I have no ideas how to use kasatha's, but their multiple armed thing makes them memorable. Trox on other hand are THE ultimate brute race, plus unlike other brute-ish races, their story makes them pretty sympathetic since they are a slave race. I myself want to use them in my campaign in few encounters since their strength, size and appearance makes them really scary, but personality wise they don't have to be "evil" like ogres or most orcs

Wylvarans on other hand... I guess they aren't that unique stat wise, they are just race with ability to fly(like gathlain I guess?), but decription wise they sound like they would be interesting way to spice up kobolds even more. I mean, they'd really make interesting kobold tribe leaders especially since they don't tend toward lawful evil like kobolds do since they actually do have honor..

Wyrmwood, well I already said it, they are basically magical robots. The "cold calculating" nature got me inspired to create wyrmwood assassin group that I'm probably gonna use as encounter in my campaign at one point. Plus their origin story of killing their creators and stealing secrets of how to create more of themselves sounds interesting character wise as well. Like, idea for my wyrmwood assassin group is that their "leader" created all of his colleagues himself so he has this weird relationship with his crew

...Ahem, anyway yeah, wasn't meaning to write this much <_< But I guess it shows that those three were particularly inspiring races to me. Would be waste to delay my ideas, so I guess I just have to put that nagging feeling in my head that tells me to be as close to lore as possible and just do what would be fun

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Barachiel Shina wrote:

Dear James

This question not only I, but every player of a Gunslinger or GM of NPC Gunslingers, still have yet to be confirmed by Paizo on a rather huge issue concerning Advanced Firearms.

Advanced firearms are chamber-loaded. It is a move action to load a one-handed or two-handed advanced firearm to its full capacity.

What this statement in Ultimate Combat does not tell us is does this ruling assume the use of metal cartridges, which is stated to be sturdier alchemical cartridges? Such a cartridge reduces reload times by one step. Many believe the ruling does assume the one step is already in place. But it is not clear. (What is also interesting is two-handed advanced firearms are reduced two steps from their early versions, and one-handed advanced firearms are only reduced by one in comparison to the early version...that one is strange).

What is also not clear is whether the Rapid Reload feat is viable for advanced firearms. Such as loading a Rifle would normally be a Move Action, is it legal to take Rapid Reload (Rifle) and reduce the reload time to a free action? I ask because there is a clause in the wording of the feat that makes it seem like it will not: The time required for you to reload your chosen type of weapon is reduced to a free action (for a hand or light crossbow), a move action (for heavy crossbow or one-handed firearm), or a standard action (two-handed firearm).

By not stating it reduces reload time by one step, but instead stating it brings the chosen weapon to a specific type of action, makes it seem unviable to use it for Advanced Firearms.

The issue can be seen in full detail here.

Advanced Firearms, Rapid Reload, and Metal Cartridges

I noticed a new question has been answered yesterday on the Ultimate Combat FAQ, but it seems a rather trivial question answered in comparison to the one on this thread.

I hope this can be answered in a timely fashion....

Whether or not it can be answered in a timely fashion is kind of out of my hands, alas, since it's a rulebook FAQ question, and not one I'm comfortable making a public statement about. In the meantime, my suggestion to you is to pick one option and go with it, and if after seeing it in play a few sessions it feels wrong, then switch to the other option.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

CorvusMask wrote:

...Ahem, anyway yeah, wasn't meaning to write this much <_< But I guess it shows that those three were particularly inspiring races to me. Would be waste to delay my ideas, so I guess I just have to put that nagging feeling in my head that tells me to be as close to lore as possible and just do what would be fun

Yeah... please keep the posts to this thread to being questions for me.

Radiant Oath

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber

1) What about the idea of being a king at all? If you're worrying about things like plotting logistics of an army, buttering up diplomats and setting the tax rate, you don't really have time to help Old Lady Merza fix that hole in her roof. I was under the impression that Erastil exhorted his faithful to focus solely on day-to-day villager problems, and that things like politics and civil stability are inherently antithetical to being a follower of Erastil.

2) Which nations might use them? Mothune? Taldor? Cheliax? Sargava?

3) Oh, I see.

4) Ohhhhhh, NOW I get it! I got them mixed up. Thanks for clarifying that. Both are still ridiculously cute, as are ALL moths!

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

Err, sorry, got carried away, I'll stop myself from doing that in future

1) Are tian xi darklands connected to darkland in the inner sea? Do they also have vaults created by vault builders?

2) Who came up with idea of Wanshou aka the nation ruled by a kraken?

3) Is there anyone besides gods who belong to "No statblocks" category?

4) Who came up with mana wastes and do you know what stuff were inspiration for it?

5) Is it possible for good or evil to "win" in the setting or is the conflict eternal?

6) Now that investigator is a class, you think we might ever see a module where players have to catch a "gentleman/phantom thief"(or whatever those thieves who leave calling cards or state ahead of time what they are going to steal and then proceed to steal things in manner that leaves police baffled)?

(Yeah, I know that investigator class isn't requires for that, just thinking that it'd be cool to have more mystery stories than murder mysteries plus with the class specialized in solving things...)

7) What are the cutest baby dinosaurs?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Archpaladin Zousha wrote:

1) What about the idea of being a king at all? If you're worrying about things like plotting logistics of an army, buttering up diplomats and setting the tax rate, you don't really have time to help Old Lady Merza fix that hole in her roof. I was under the impression that Erastil exhorted his faithful to focus solely on day-to-day villager problems, and that things like politics and civil stability are inherently antithetical to being a follower of Erastil.

2) Which nations might use them? Mothune? Taldor? Cheliax? Sargava?

3) Oh, I see.

4) Ohhhhhh, NOW I get it! I got them mixed up. Thanks for clarifying that. Both are still ridiculously cute, as are ALL moths!

1) A talented king can handle all that. It would be unusual for a paladin of Erastil to also be the king of a nation, but less unusual if the kingdom is small or rural—the kingdom built during the Kingmaker campaign would be a good example of where a paladin of Erastil as king might work well, since that's still a relatively small nation.

2) Use what now? Please keep in mind that I answer a lot of questions in this thread and things that aren't directly referenced or noted in a recurring list of questions like this tend to get lost.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

CorvusMask wrote:

Err, sorry, got carried away, I'll stop myself from doing that in future

1) Are tian xi darklands connected to darkland in the inner sea? Do they also have vaults created by vault builders?

2) Who came up with idea of Wanshou aka the nation ruled by a kraken?

3) Is there anyone besides gods who belong to "No statblocks" category?

4) Who came up with mana wastes and do you know what stuff were inspiration for it?

5) Is it possible for good or evil to "win" in the setting or is the conflict eternal?

6) Now that investigator is a class, you think we might ever see a module where players have to catch a "gentleman/phantom thief"(or whatever those thieves who leave calling cards or state ahead of time what they are going to steal and then proceed to steal things in manner that leaves police baffled)?

(Yeah, I know that investigator class isn't requires for that, just thinking that it'd be cool to have more mystery stories than murder mysteries plus with the class specialized in solving things...)

7) What are the cutest baby dinosaurs?

1) Yes to both.

2) Me.

3) Not that I can think of.

4) I think that was Erik, but not sure.

5) It's possible, but in order for that to happen you have to have player characters play through the plot, so it won't happen in print. Once we say one side wins, then it stops being a dynamic open world and ceases being an option for further input in the form of player character interaction.

6) Perhaps, but mysteries are one of the HARDEST adventures to write, so it's unlikely to be anytime soon.

7) Tyrannosaurus Rexes!


Pathfinder Maps, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
James Jacobs wrote:
Kajehase wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
LazarX wrote:
A Mr. Morden would like to know "What do you want?"
That changes at every second, but right now? I'll go with a chocolate chip cookie.
He'll be disappointed with your answer, which is good. Just ask Ambassador Mollari what happens if he likes your answer.
I was confused before, but now I have NO idea what you're talking about.

Mr. Morden was the agent of the Shadows (major villains) on Babylon 5. You should treat the question as though it came from Asmodeus himself. The best answer to his question is the one given by Vir Cotto:

"I'd like to live just long enough to be there when they cut off your head and stick it on a pike as a warning to the next ten generations that some favors come with too high a price. I would look up at your lifeless eyes and wave like this." [gives a mockingly cheerful finger waggle]

Shadow Lodge

tell me all you can about Zon-Kuthon and all his secrets


Was Andoran placed in the Europe analog (as opposed to the New World) to purposefully avoid "America is built on native genocide" or was that just a happy coincidence?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

2 people marked this as a favorite.
equinoxmaster wrote:
tell me all you can about Zon-Kuthon and all his secrets

Ha. What I can tell you is already in print in all our books. What I can't tell you is what hasn't yet been printed.

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Kajehase wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
LazarX wrote:
A Mr. Morden would like to know "What do you want?"
That changes at every second, but right now? I'll go with a chocolate chip cookie.
He'll be disappointed with your answer, which is good. Just ask Ambassador Mollari what happens if he likes your answer.

Or not... it's always good to get a soul on the cheap. But it will be one GOOD cookie.

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
equinoxmaster wrote:
tell me all you can about Zon-Kuthon and all his secrets

If you go to Zon-Kuthon, you will die.

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
James Jacobs wrote:
Kajehase wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
LazarX wrote:
A Mr. Morden would like to know "What do you want?"
That changes at every second, but right now? I'll go with a chocolate chip cookie.
He'll be disappointed with your answer, which is good. Just ask Ambassador Mollari what happens if he likes your answer.
I was confused before, but now I have NO idea what you're talking about.

I guess you never watched Babylon 5, then? Mr. Morden was the front man for the elder race known as The Shadows, who embodied Chaos as opposed to the Vorlon's Law. Both of them playing a geopolitical game on the galactic level with the younger races. He was kind of like the reverse of "Stingray". Morden would, thorugh his Shadow connections get what you want... and then come back later to collect. As it turned out he had a price as well, his family was a victim of a hyperspace accident, and the Shadows were keeping them suspended an instant away from obliteration. They were his price.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

David knott 242 wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Kajehase wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
LazarX wrote:
A Mr. Morden would like to know "What do you want?"
That changes at every second, but right now? I'll go with a chocolate chip cookie.
He'll be disappointed with your answer, which is good. Just ask Ambassador Mollari what happens if he likes your answer.
I was confused before, but now I have NO idea what you're talking about.

Mr. Morden was the agent of the Shadows (major villains) on Babylon 5. You should treat the question as though it came from Asmodeus himself. The best answer to his question is the one given by Vir Cotto:

"I'd like to live just long enough to be there when they cut off your head and stick it on a pike as a warning to the next ten generations that some favors come with too high a price. I would look up at your lifeless eyes and wave like this." [gives a mockingly cheerful finger waggle]

Ah; that explains it. I never watched much of Babylon 5; never got into the show due to its terrible 1st season. I know folks say you shouldn't start watching it there, but to start with season 2, but that is not a very good recommendation, and I've got plenty more entertainment options for my time.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Albatoonoe wrote:
Was Andoran placed in the Europe analog (as opposed to the New World) to purposefully avoid "America is built on native genocide" or was that just a happy coincidence?

Neither.

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Albatoonoe wrote:
Was Andoran placed in the Europe analog (as opposed to the New World) to purposefully avoid "America is built on native genocide" or was that just a happy coincidence?

Is there any country on the planet not built on some form of native genocide?


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

Would the players of a "Dawnflower Heresy" AP get to meet Sarenrae, or would something like that really be limited to Mythic APs?

ETA: Assuming that such an AP wouldn't be Mythic, that is.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Evan Tarlton wrote:

Would the players of a "Dawnflower Heresy" AP get to meet Sarenrae, or would something like that really be limited to Mythic APs?

ETA: Assuming that such an AP wouldn't be Mythic, that is.

That element is not limited to mythic APs.

Radiant Oath

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber
James Jacobs wrote:

1) A talented king can handle all that. It would be unusual for a paladin of Erastil to also be the king of a nation, but less unusual if the kingdom is small or rural—the kingdom built during the Kingmaker campaign would be a good example of where a paladin of Erastil as king might work well, since that's still a relatively small nation.

2) Use what now? Please keep in mind that I answer a lot of questions in this thread and things that aren't directly referenced or noted in a recurring list of questions like this tend to get lost.

1) Kingmaker was exactly what I had in mind! Thanks for the vote of confidence!

2) The morion style of helmet.

3) Have you read Glen Cook's Black Company series? If so, what do you think of it?

4) What's a good way to pick a surname for a half-orc?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Archpaladin Zousha wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:

1) A talented king can handle all that. It would be unusual for a paladin of Erastil to also be the king of a nation, but less unusual if the kingdom is small or rural—the kingdom built during the Kingmaker campaign would be a good example of where a paladin of Erastil as king might work well, since that's still a relatively small nation.

2) Use what now? Please keep in mind that I answer a lot of questions in this thread and things that aren't directly referenced or noted in a recurring list of questions like this tend to get lost.

1) Kingmaker was exactly what I had in mind! Thanks for the vote of confidence!

2) The morion style of helmet.

3) Have you read Glen Cook's Black Company series? If so, what do you think of it?

4) What's a good way to pick a surname for a half-orc?

1) ok!

2) Ok, but re-ask the question too.

3) No, but I own it. It's on my bookshelf of 100+ books I want to read next.

4) By deciding if he grew up among orcs or humans, and then deciding where that was at, and then picking a surname to match that society.

Radiant Oath

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber
James Jacobs wrote:
Archpaladin Zousha wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:

1) A talented king can handle all that. It would be unusual for a paladin of Erastil to also be the king of a nation, but less unusual if the kingdom is small or rural—the kingdom built during the Kingmaker campaign would be a good example of where a paladin of Erastil as king might work well, since that's still a relatively small nation.

2) Use what now? Please keep in mind that I answer a lot of questions in this thread and things that aren't directly referenced or noted in a recurring list of questions like this tend to get lost.

1) Kingmaker was exactly what I had in mind! Thanks for the vote of confidence!

2) The morion style of helmet.

3) Have you read Glen Cook's Black Company series? If so, what do you think of it?

4) What's a good way to pick a surname for a half-orc?

1) ok!

2) Ok, but re-ask the question too.

3) No, but I own it. It's on my bookshelf of 100+ books I want to read next.

4) By deciding if he grew up among orcs or humans, and then deciding where that was at, and then picking a surname to match that society.

2) Where on Golarion might the morion style helmet be worn by military types? Molthune? Taldor? Cheliax? Sargava?

3) Story of my life. *sigh*

4) Okay, what would the surnames for someone from Trunau (that stubborn holdout town in Belkzen where the Giantslayer AP's gonna start) be like?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Archpaladin Zousha wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Archpaladin Zousha wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:

1) A talented king can handle all that. It would be unusual for a paladin of Erastil to also be the king of a nation, but less unusual if the kingdom is small or rural—the kingdom built during the Kingmaker campaign would be a good example of where a paladin of Erastil as king might work well, since that's still a relatively small nation.

2) Use what now? Please keep in mind that I answer a lot of questions in this thread and things that aren't directly referenced or noted in a recurring list of questions like this tend to get lost.

1) Kingmaker was exactly what I had in mind! Thanks for the vote of confidence!

2) The morion style of helmet.

3) Have you read Glen Cook's Black Company series? If so, what do you think of it?

4) What's a good way to pick a surname for a half-orc?

1) ok!

2) Ok, but re-ask the question too.

3) No, but I own it. It's on my bookshelf of 100+ books I want to read next.

4) By deciding if he grew up among orcs or humans, and then deciding where that was at, and then picking a surname to match that society.

2) Where on Golarion might the morion style helmet be worn by military types? Molthune? Taldor? Cheliax? Sargava?

3) Story of my life. *sigh*

4) Okay, what would the surnames for someone from Trunau (that stubborn holdout town in Belkzen where the Giantslayer AP's gonna start) be like?

2) ah! Okay. Nowhere, really. It's not a style we adopted for any of the regions, because we don't use conquistador themes.

4) Towns of Golarion has a whole article about Trunau, which includes a lot of sample surnames.


Would you allow a pc with the divine source mythic power to hear the Prayers of there worshipers. Or allow them to send visions to there worshipers?

Liberty's Edge

Hey James. I am still running Rise of the Runelords and I have been building up a side story that connects to both the main story and a characters back story. I'll spoiler tag it, but I would love to hear some input on how to pull it all together!

Spoilers:
One of my player characters is a Witch that came to Sandpoint from Riddleport around the time of the Late Unpleasantness 5 years ago. She has a big bout of Amnesia about her life before that time. The last thing she remembers is working in some capacity for a group of mage-scholars (the cypher-mages) through a mercenary guild. One of the final things she remembered is a damp room overlooking the harbor, seeing the cypher-gate, and a haze of images. She remembers the guild leader, Viorian, holding a jeweled sword and suddenly going on a murderous rampage, slaughtering mercenaries and scholars alike. She doesn't remember much, and doesn't know how she survived. She remembers wandering the streets and eventually making it to Sandpoint just after the Late Unpleasantness.

Here's some of the backstory as I've come up with as of now. She now knows SOME of it, but not all of it. The player has given me license to do this of course. Excuse the length of this post, your response is meaningful.

His character once existed in Riddleport over 20 years ago under a different identity (Eurythidae)- a Dreamer and sorcerer (Dreamspun sorcerer, actually, an idea I actually took from an earlier comment you made about Randolph Carter) whom spent much of her time traveling the Dreamlands. After uncertain problems arising in the Waking World, Eurythidae felt she had to escape it - totally. I'm leaving the reasons vague. She encountered an elder Witch (Mavra Orne, a servant of the Black Man) that taught her much about the hidden ways and secret magic. Using a powerful spell (similar to magic jar), Eurythidae managed to pass bodily into the Dreamlands, but only sacrificing her waking identity in the process. That part was sealed away, and she forgot most of herself as a cost of the magic.

My player knows this as of Now. I'm filling in her adventures there in short story form. As I've got it now, she fell into travelling with a golden-haired, bronze-skinned man with emerald green eyes - named Chellan. I'm playing that the spirit of the Sword of Greed escaped into Leng at the direction of the trapped Karzoug, and is on a quest to find a way to free its master. It seems sure that some method may exist to free Karzoug from the Eye of Avarice bodily into Leng, and from there to the greater Dreamlands and perhaps back to Golarion through strange roads. In the Dreamlands, I am playing it that Chellan is able to take human form, though its soul is very much still the Sword. It doesn't have a lot of knowledge of the Dimension of Dreams, so when it stumbled upon an Elder Dreamer near the town of Ulthar while it was seeking a wise priest in that town, it began to manipulate her on a grand quest. It had heard in Dylath-Leen that certain mountain peaks held the images of Great Beings and Gods, and this reminded it of the Face on Mhar Massif. The two will travel greatly, eventually searching for something called the Dreaming Stone, which they hear is an ancient Key that can open a mythical gate to the Waking World and also holds the power to pull one soul that has touched the Dreamlands back from any place in reality, even a locked demiplane.

I have not filled in the details of this, but during their adventures they did manage to find the Stone, and the ancient Gate ended up being a ruin crossing the black harbor of Sarkomand. When they made their way there, having came afoul of the Moonbeasts and Leng-men in service to the Crawling Chaos (who had been keeping an eye on Eurithidae since her encounter with the ancient Witch in Riddleport and from earlier times in the Dreamlands) previously, they were cornered and attacked, the stone taken from them. At that moment, something happened - the Gate flashed a single time, and Eurithidae blacked out. She found herself being pulled somewhere ELSE. Suddenly, her memories gone, she was just a woman surrounded by robed scholar-mages in a damp room. She remembered coming to, being questioned, but little else. After a week had passed, with no memory of her time as Eurythidae, she was given the name Gabrielle do to her likeness of a missing orphan one of the Cypher-mages recalled seeing a decade prior. In reality, they knew exactly what she was, and planned to use her to finish the undertaking they had tried to do: Re-activate the Cypher-gate of Riddleport at the behest of an unknown patron somehow connected to a strange dream-realm beyond. Some time later, the mages tried to recreate the ritual using Gabrielle's energy - but Chellan, who had reverted to a sword in the waking world, made its move. It reached out to the Mercenary Captain Viorian Dekanti, hired to guard the mages in case something terrible came through the gate, and events transpired as previously stated.

That was very long-winded and I apologize. I need to follow up from there, and tie in the game in the Present Time for my players. My end result is to form a connection between the Leng Device in the Pinnacle of Avarice and its activation with a synchronous activation of the Cypher-gate in Riddleport, which I am secretly stating in my game as an ancient gateway to Leng itself, which overlaps Varisia to a certain extent and lines up on some level with Sarkomand. The cypher-mages are power hungry and knowledge hungry (at least this cult of them), and have contacts in the Dreamlands, especially with an unnamed Patron that is offering great promises if the mages complete their goals and open the Gate, Eurythidae being the best option to do so still. I feel I want to the EndGame to be an open bridge between Leng and the Waking World, allowing a fleet of Black Galleys to enter the Harbor in Riddleport while at the same time engineering the awakening of Mhar. The Patron is, of course, Nyarlathotep himself. All of it, since the beginning, as been a plan to cause Leng to erupt into the physical world like a bursting cyst, awaken an Old One, and further his own inconceivable goals. Now I just have to fit it all together.

As of now, we are just beginning Chapter 4: Fortress of the Stone Giants, and my players have returned to Magnimar and now Sandpoint. Near the end of chapter 3, they encountered a witch cult in Hook Mountain whose leader was a horrible, immortal crone that had strange interest in their Witch. Stopping the cult, they encountered a manifestation of Something from Beyond (An original monster template design, Outsider, with Blackblade Magus levels), encountered the Black Man, but failed to stop the ancient Witch, who escaped. More in there, but after all of it, the Witch did get some of her memory jarred back, a gift from a contemptuous Nyarlathotep, and she recalled parts of her old life in the Dreamlands. I allowed her to a partial rebuild from normal Witch to Dreamweaver Witch, merging the concept of the Dreamspun Sorcerer and Witch.

I know this was huge and long and drawn out, but what do you think? How would you pull it together? I am blanking on specifics and a way to tie it all together by the end of Rise of the Runelords. I plan to continue with Shattered Star, which I've read. Help me, Mr. Jacobs, you're my only hope (as someone who designs the exact kind of games I've always wanted to run!)


So who are the Paizo staff that are working on the 6 new classes from Occult Adventures?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

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xavier c wrote:
Would you allow a pc with the divine source mythic power to hear the Prayers of there worshipers. Or allow them to send visions to there worshipers?

Yes. That's the point of the ability as far as I'm concerned; to have worshipers you can guide and influence.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

TwiceGreat wrote:

Hey James. I am still running Rise of the Runelords and I have been building up a side story that connects to both the main story and a characters back story. I'll spoiler tag it, but I would love to hear some input on how to pull it all together!

** spoiler omitted **...

I know this was huge and long and drawn out, but what do you think? How would you pull it together? I am blanking on specifics and a way to tie it all together by the end of Rise of the Runelords. I plan to continue with Shattered Star, which I've read. Help me, Mr. Jacobs, you're my only hope (as someone who designs the exact kind of games I've always wanted to run!)

It's awesome that you're getting so into Rise of the Runelords, but alas... I can't comment on how I would pull it together—mostly out of time management concerns but also because I don't want to set a precedent for this kind of question/answer. It's something I would LOVE to answer, but I generally don't like answering questions with design work, be it "Could you build me a new monster for this situation?" or "What would be a good feat to design for a swashbuckler?" or "What kind of character should I build for this campaign," or even, in this case, "How should I write the end of a side story I started for this campaign?"

Those kind of questions tend to take a LONG time to answer right, but more to the point, they involve actual design work, and I prefer not to spend time designing and devloping here, since that's my day job and I'd rather not blur those lines.

My suggestion would be to post your question in one of the Runelords threads—there's a LOT of really creative GMs active in there. Sorry I can't provide advice of my own.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

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Dragon78 wrote:
So who are the Paizo staff that are working on the 6 new classes from Occult Adventures?

The Design Team. In fact, they're pretty much the ONLY people who work on new classes here. Others of us might provide rough drafts or ideas, such as how I provided them with initial drafts for the alchemist and the gunslinger, but the design team is who you're looking for: Jason Bulmahn, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Logan Bonner, and Mark Sifter.

Liberty's Edge

It's just fine. Actually, writing all that out ended up solving a few blocks I was suffering - so inadvertently, I solved my own problem in a big way. Later.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

TwiceGreat wrote:
It's just fine. Actually, writing all that out ended up solving a few blocks I was suffering - so inadvertently, I solved my own problem in a big way. Later.

Perfect! Glad to help! :P


What has been one of the hardest encounters you have ever come across as a player?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

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Triphoppenskip wrote:
What has been one of the hardest encounters you have ever come across as a player?

The one where Jason Bulmahn's gang of thieves ambushed us in a tavern and half the party died because they rolled low Initiative scores.

He might have well just saved an hour and given us read-aloud text like, "You are ambushed and slaughtered by thieves in the night."

Radiant Oath

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber

What would you say are the themes and ideas explored in Serpent's Skull, aside from the whole Indiana Jones, pulp-adventure feel?


James Jacobs wrote:
xavier c wrote:
Would you allow a pc with the divine source mythic power to hear the Prayers of there worshipers. Or allow them to send visions to there worshipers?
Yes. That's the point of the ability as far as I'm concerned; to have worshipers you can guide and influence.

What other things would you allow that the rules don't say anything about or say you can do?


How do you handle reading the final book in a series, knowing there won't be any more books after this one? I'm having a hard time reading such a book, because I know it's the end, but if I don't read it, I won't know the end :(

Paizo Employee Creative Director

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Archpaladin Zousha wrote:
What would you say are the themes and ideas explored in Serpent's Skull, aside from the whole Indiana Jones, pulp-adventure feel?

The duality of two lost cities.

The duality of physical strength versus mental strength.
NPC interaction and how that influences the interaction of larger factions.
Discovery of ancient secrets, and decisions on what ancient knowledge might best STAY forgotten.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Tels wrote:
How do you handle reading the final book in a series, knowing there won't be any more books after this one? I'm having a hard time reading such a book, because I know it's the end, but if I don't read it, I won't know the end :(

Doesn't bother me, actually. There's always other series to start. And also, I try to remember that the journey to the last part is as important, if not MORE important, than the last part. That way, even if the last part is disappointing, I still have fond memories of GETTING to it.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

xavier c wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
xavier c wrote:
Would you allow a pc with the divine source mythic power to hear the Prayers of there worshipers. Or allow them to send visions to there worshipers?
Yes. That's the point of the ability as far as I'm concerned; to have worshipers you can guide and influence.
What other things would you allow that the rules don't say anything about or say you can do?

Anything that makes the game more fun to play.

Radiant Oath

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber
James Jacobs wrote:
Archpaladin Zousha wrote:
What would you say are the themes and ideas explored in Serpent's Skull, aside from the whole Indiana Jones, pulp-adventure feel?

The duality of two lost cities.

The duality of physical strength versus mental strength.
NPC interaction and how that influences the interaction of larger factions.
Discovery of ancient secrets, and decisions on what ancient knowledge might best STAY forgotten.

Which two lost cities? I know Saventh-Yhi is one but what's the other one?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Archpaladin Zousha wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Archpaladin Zousha wrote:
What would you say are the themes and ideas explored in Serpent's Skull, aside from the whole Indiana Jones, pulp-adventure feel?

The duality of two lost cities.

The duality of physical strength versus mental strength.
NPC interaction and how that influences the interaction of larger factions.
Discovery of ancient secrets, and decisions on what ancient knowledge might best STAY forgotten.
Which two lost cities? I know Saventh-Yhi is one but what's the other one?

Ilmurea, which is directly under Saventh-Yhi, and is even more lost than Saventh-Yhi.

Shadow Lodge

What are the Mzali deities other than Walkena?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

equinoxmaster wrote:
What are the Mzali deities other than Walkena?

Walkena is the main thing worshiped there—there's not really a pantheon to speak of. He's pretty much it.

There might be some people who secretly worship other deities who live in Mzali, and those religions could conceivably be drawn from any of those listed in Inner Sea Gods. Those faithful would have to hide their true faith from public view, though, and would likely be destroyed if their secret got out. Certainly, no religion has yet risen in power enough to challenge Walkena's rule over the city's faith.

Shadow Lodge

Why does walkena , a lawful evil kid who is also a god who likes torturing people have gondwi, a chaotic good cleric/Druid as one of his most trusted advisers?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

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equinoxmaster wrote:
Why does walkena , a lawful evil kid who is also a god who likes torturing people have gondwi, a chaotic good cleric/Druid as one of his most trusted advisers?

The best, most up-to-date information about Walkena can be found in Undead Unleashed.

Frankly... I'm of a mind to say that Sangoma-Priest Gondwi is all an error and that whole character should just be removed from Mzali, not only because as a chaotic good character it doesn't fit into Mzali, but because it's also an illegal character. Druids can't be chaotic good. Certainly, Mzali is strengthened by that character being removed from the setting.


has anybody ever killed themselves with a hammer?

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