>>Ask Crystal All the Things!!!<<

[Jessibel Aulamaxa]

Better yet, how is Harcule ("Danced of the Damned," p.8), name of Archbaroness Eldonna Aulamaxa's beloved (and aggressive) poodle, pronounced?

Pleeease let it rhyme with 'bar stool,' as that is what I'd dearly love to bash it with.

[Jessibel Aulamaxa]

Also, is Harcule male or female?

[John Kretzer]

I am loving Iron fang Invasion so far and can not wait to put my players through.

Question...is the next AP you are developing the Taldane one? I have been waiting for this AP for a long time...so I am excited for it...doubly so if you are the one developing it.

[ulgulanoth]

How was con season?

[Yossarian]

Crystal Frasier wrote:

Rysky wrote:

What do you like about Pharasma (I'm assuming by that response she's one of your favourite deities)?

More that psychopomps are my favorite outsiders, but Pharasma is always a good choice because sooner or later she's the one who gets to say who goes where, so it's not a bad idea to hedge your bets

I'm very curious why you like psychopomps the most. I think I do too, but i'm still trying to work out why exactly.

As a post-AP adventure (PCs want to reach level 20...) I'm adding a Pharasma-related story line with various psychopomps as key NPCs.

My canon question is: how many types of psychopomps are there, and how homogenous are they? I'm tending towards there being a large amount of variation, that they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Like muppets.

[Kittyburger]

Have you ever been to Minneapolis?

If so, is Pizza Luce, in your opinion, Chaotic Good or Chaotic Awesome?

[captain yesterday]

I have no questions I just wanted to thank you for all your hard work and creativity in ushering Starfinder out into the world.

Thank you.

Also for giving my daughter another example of women kicking ass.

And Ironfang Invasion, you did a masterful job.

[Tacticslion]

Seconding the captain, there!

[Crystal Frasier]

Kittyburger wrote:

Have you ever been to Minneapolis?

If so, is Pizza Luce, in your opinion, Chaotic Good or Chaotic Awesome?

I've never been to Minneapolis.

[Crystal Frasier]

captain yesterday wrote:

I have no questions I just wanted to thank you for all your hard work and creativity in ushering Starfinder out into the world.

Thank you.

Also for giving my daughter another example of women kicking ass.

And Ironfang Invasion, you did a masterful job.

I didn't really have anything to do with Starfinder beyond some mild creative feedback and writing up halflings and one of the non-pact-world planets

[captain yesterday]

That's good enough for me (I'm actually a huge fan of Starfinder Halflings).

And don't forget all that other stuff. :-)

[Rysky the Dark Solarion]

Crystal Frasier wrote:

captain yesterday wrote:

I have no questions I just wanted to thank you for all your hard work and creativity in ushering Starfinder out into the world.

Thank you.

Also for giving my daughter another example of women kicking ass.

And Ironfang Invasion, you did a masterful job.

I didn't really have anything to do with Starfinder beyond some mild creative feedback and writing up halflings and one of the non-pact-world planets

Can't wait to read the planet! Going off Dead Suns 1 the plant writeups are going to be my favourite part of the AP line ^w^

[Crystal Frasier]

Oh, my world is in the core book. It's a very short contribution

[Crystal Frasier]

And I did write a handful of aliens for the Alien Anthology, but I'm not sure how they survived development. We basically had to design them before the core rules were finalized

[captain yesterday]

Who is your character for Starfinder, if any.

I made a Shirren Solarion with a weakness for alien pollen named Pixistik.

[Rysky the Dark Solarion]

Crystal Frasier wrote:

Oh, my world is in the core book. It's a very short contribution

Ah, gotcha.

i haven't looked through the smaller worlds yet, I'll look through it and try to guess which one is yours (unless you wrote one of the Pact Worlds) :3

[Ambrosia Slaad]

Good evening/morning Crystal,

Have you heard about this contest?:

Quote:

Design a New Creature for The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance!

The world of Thra is full of incredible characters of all kinds. Now it’s your chance to imagine an all-new character and have it brought to life by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.

Draw, by hand or digitally, an original creature concept for the world of The Dark Crystal and submit your design online. The winner will be awarded $500 and their concept design will be crafted and built by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop™ to make a possible cameo appearance in the upcoming Netflix original series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.

...Submissions are due November 22, 2017

As you are exceptionally talented and creative, is there any chance you might consider entering? :)

If there is any justice in this universe, someone who develops or freelances for Paizo should win this.

Edit: I know $500 is dirt cheap for signing away all rights to your creation and "Exposure" is an empty promise for free hardwork. But still, to see your creation judged worthy by Froud and/or Henson's company for their iconic universe is sooooo seductive.

[Crystal Frasier]

captain yesterday wrote:

Who is your character for Starfinder, if any.

I made a Shirren Solarion with a weakness for alien pollen named Pixistik.

I play an android mechanic named Una Null. She's got an exo-cortex and is a big believer in self-improvement

[Rysky the Dark Solarion]

Neat.

What's your opinion on the Skittermanders?

[Wildfire Witch]

How many little happy dances did you do when stuff like, say, the androids being primarily agender and the shirren having three genders got approved?

I did a lot.

LESBIAN SPACE PIRATE COMMUNISTS FOR THE WIN!

[Crystal Frasier]

Rysky the Dark Solarion wrote:

Neat.

What's your opinion on the Skittermanders?

I created them, so I'm pretty pro-skittermander

[Crystal Frasier]

Wildfire Witch wrote:

How many little happy dances did you do when stuff like, say, the androids being primarily agender and the shirren having three genders got approved?

I did a lot.

LESBIAN SPACE PIRATE COMMUNISTS FOR THE WIN!

I was happy to see Paizo using some design space to question assumptions we all take for granted. That's what scifi is supposed to be about, after all.

[Rysky the Dark Solarion]

Crystal Frasier wrote:

Rysky the Dark Solarion wrote:

Neat.

What's your opinion on the Skittermanders?

I created them, so I'm pretty pro-skittermander

SQQQQUUUUUUEEEEEEE!!!!!!

Thank you thank you thank you!!!! They're awesome!

[Archpaladin Zousha]

What's a skittermander? If Rysky thinks they're awesome, I probably will too!

[Rysky the Dark Solarion]

They were made by Crystal, how could they not be?

(They're the cute furry little ones shooting at you)

[Crystal Frasier]

You haven't even SEEN the book? How could you possibly know whether or not they're awesome?

[Crystal Frasier]

The elevator pitch is basically, what if crites and popples had babies, and I have to imagine I'm the only 80's baby who wants to see the end result of THAT particular slash fic...

[GM_Beernorg]

As a fellow 80's baby, I can safely say, you are not alone in that wanting to see said end result. What, we 2nd half gen X folk are a bit strange...it is known! ;)

[Rysky the Dark Solarion]

Crystal Frasier wrote:

You haven't even SEEN the book? How could you possibly know whether or not they're awesome?

1) you wrote them.

2) they're called Skittermanders.

3) I got to read the book at Dragoncon ^w^

[Rysky the Dark Solarion]

Crystal Frasier wrote:

The elevator pitch is basically, what if crites and popples had babies, and I have to imagine I'm the only 80's baby who wants to see the end result of THAT particular slash fic...

Oh wow, thas really accurate too. Adorable little babus.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

I like them already from just the picture alone! Looks like goblins will start having competition for the role of oddly cute little psychos!

A more serious question:

Are the Guardians of the Galaxy films worth watching? A few friends have recommended them to me but I'm hesitant to give Marvel money after the racist crap they've pulled in things like Doctor Strange, Captain America and Iron Fist.

[Crystal Frasier]

Archpaladin Zousha wrote:

Are the Guardians of the Galaxy films worth watching? A few friends have recommended them to me but I'm hesitant to give Marvel money after the racist crap they've pulled in things like Doctor Strange, Captain America and Iron Fist.

I feel like the first one is, but I'm not a fan of the second. I know a lot of people who said it was better than the first, but it felt like there was way more studio interference and no understanding of what made the first one succeed. The misogyny is more pronounced, the white guy power fantasies are cranked up more, the plot feels much lower-stakes, the climax is so long that it gets boring, and all the characters feel like paper cutouts of who they were in the first film.

[GM_Beernorg]

wow, that was brutally honest...not that I really disagree, I tried really hard to ignore the bad stuff, it had it moments, but as the wisest Crystal says, first one is great (IMHO), 2nd...not as much, but

Drax:

and the inside the giant monster bit is funny as crap.

[Rysky]

A bunch of people over on the Alien Archive product discussion are trying to come up with a name for a grouping of Skittermanders.

Did you already have one in mind?

[Tacticslion]

What are, like, all the secrets for War for the Crown, and why will this be the best AP ever?!

[Thomas Seitz]

Also will there be verbals duels in War for the Crown?!!

[Crystal Frasier]

Rysky wrote:

A bunch of people over on the Alien Archive product discussion are trying to come up with a name for a grouping of Skittermanders.

Did you already have one in mind?

I would say a fracture of skittermanders

[Crystal Frasier]

Tacticslion wrote:

What are, like, all the secrets for War for the Crown, and why will this be the best AP ever?!

This will be the best AP ever for everyone who loves Taldor more than anything else in the setting, otherwise YMMV.

But I will point out that you do get to go to 100% more fancy parties than you do in any other AP!

[Crystal Frasier]

Thomas Seitz wrote:

Also will there be verbals duels in War for the Crown?!!

We're trying to strike a nice balance for people who like the verbal duel system from Ultimate intrigue, and groups that prefer to play out their interactions, but there will plenty of encounters where verbal duels are a noteworthy option

[Tacticslion]

Crystal Frasier wrote:

Tacticslion wrote:

What are, like, all the secrets for War for the Crown, and why will this be the best AP ever?!

This will be the best AP ever for everyone who loves Taldor more than anything else in the setting, otherwise YMMV.

But I will point out that you do get to go to 100% more fancy parties than you do in any other AP!

W00t for parties!

How many of the Intrigue rules (and which ones, if you can) are going to be incorporated as primary parts of the AP?

[Rysky]

Crystal Frasier wrote:

Rysky wrote:

A bunch of people over on the Alien Archive product discussion are trying to come up with a name for a grouping of Skittermanders.

Did you already have one in mind?

I would say a fracture of skittermanders

Ah, okies, Thankies!

*takes notes*

What would be some common Skittermander names?

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Ya beat me to the punch, Rysky! :D

Okay, different question then; what do skittermander voices sound like?

[Crystal Frasier]

Tacticslion wrote:

Crystal Frasier wrote:

Tacticslion wrote:

What are, like, all the secrets for War for the Crown, and why will this be the best AP ever?!

This will be the best AP ever for everyone who loves Taldor more than anything else in the setting, otherwise YMMV.

But I will point out that you do get to go to 100% more fancy parties than you do in any other AP!

W00t for parties!

How many of the Intrigue rules (and which ones, if you can) are going to be incorporated as primary parts of the AP?

The only required intrigue rules we're importing are the Influence rules, thought we're simplifying it a little. There are also a few spots for verbal duels. We're only just starting development, though, so things could always change down the line.

[Crystal Frasier]

Rysky wrote:

What would be some common Skittermander names?

Keep in mind, this is all head-canon and not official:

Skittermanders don't use personal names by default. They're lack of long-range thinking/coordination ability renders individual identifiers beyond "Hey you" or "That guy" largely unnecessary, and the fact that parents abandon their nonsentient offspring immediately after birth means they're not around to name any of their chattering horde. An individual who does something memorable, important, or funny might pick up a nickname for a while, but unless it's used constantly (especially in spending time around non-skittermanders), it will eventually be forgotten.

Skittermanders who become part of the larger galactic society often pick up nickanmes the same way, or happily accept names that others give... as much as they can remember, at least. A skittermander named "Prisoner-84792" might only go by "Prisoner" or "Eight." Of course, there are always exceptions, like Sgt. Seen-Some-S~~@termander.

[Crystal Frasier]

Archpaladin Zousha wrote:

Okay, different question then; what do skittermander voices sound like?

Gravelly/scratchy, higher-pitch. They tend to repeat themselves or think out loud, or stop mid-sentence and switch streams of thought. They also tend to rely on emotive, non-word grunts, squeaks, and yells—meh, yeeee, grf, ect—especially when excited or afraid.

[Rysky]

Crystal Frasier wrote:

Archpaladin Zousha wrote:

Okay, different question then; what do skittermander voices sound like?

Gravelly/scratchy, higher-pitch. They tend to repeat themselves or think out loud, or stop mid-sentence and switch streams of thought. They also tend to rely on emotive, non-word grunts, squeaks, and yells—meh, yeeee, grf, ect—especially when excited or afraid.

My people!

[inara14]

Crystal Frasier wrote:

Thomas Seitz wrote:

Also will there be verbals duels in War for the Crown?!!

We're trying to strike a nice balance for people who like the verbal duel system from Ultimate intrigue, and groups that prefer to play out their interactions, but there will plenty of encounters where verbal duels are a noteworthy option

This single post just sold me on the AP 100%

This looks like it will be exactly what Ive been looking for. I always prefer combat lite games, so verbal "duels" sound great to me!

[John Napier 698]

No question, Mrs. Frasier. I just want to wish you a very Happy New Year.

[the nerve-eater of Zur-en-Aarh]

A Vault of the Onyx Citadel question, if I may: in the threatened case of the Vault of the Onyx Citadel landing on Molthune and Nirmathas, how high up were you envisioning it appearing ? Teleporting in at ground level, or dropping from high enough to squish buildings rather than materialise through them? (I am presuming it won't be dropping from high enough to imitate Earthfall because that seems less than good for the inhabitants) Also, how much thickness of surrounding Plane of Earth would it bring with it; would we end up with the mapped base of the Vault overlaying Molthune and Nirmathas, or something that looks from the outside like a gigantic rock?

Thank you for this most enjoyable AP, and a good New Year to you and yours.

[Tacticslion]

Hype for WftC~!