You Have Found a Shop

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Oh, what pretty little thing have we here? What pretty-pretty have you brought me today? Nice. Good weight. Very rare. In fact, a bit too rare. Is this stolen?

Oh, what am I saying? You're an adventurer—of course it's stolen. But that's fine! That's fine. Not a lot of clean hands Red Silk Route, are there? I can find you a nice price, so long as you didn't kill whoever it belonged to. You kill someone over a pretty little bauble, and the first thing their friends look for is the bauble itself. Follow the money and you—

Oh dear. Is that blood? Well, you're complicating my life by the moment, aren't you? I can't sell this here.

Wait, wait! Where are you going?! I said I could sell your pretty-pretty here, not that I couldn't sell it. Goodness, but are all adventurers so defeatist? The sign on the door does say "All wares bought and sold," after all. I wouldn't want you to think I'm a crook. I have friends on many foreign shores who love their pretty things. I have just the ship and captain to slip it out of town—both are very quiet and very well-formed. We could smuggle you out along with it, perhaps? I understand how you sellsword types love your violent ends, but perhaps you'd like to postpone yours a bit. We'll find you a whole new life in some other greasy underbelly, and get you back to stabbing and stealing as soon as you like.

Check through this little guidebook I have, Black Markets. A bit literal, I know, but I think we can all agree that allusions went the way of Ghol-Gan.

Not even a pretty smile for that one? Abadar's bronzed knickers, you lot are humorless when you're being hunted for murder. Well regardless, we've got a few treats for you in here: Pick out the black market of your choice from around the Inner Sea where you can land on your feet, and if you don't see anything you like, well you can always start you own my discerning little sack of contraband. All the rules are right there.

Illustrations by Ian Perks, Kiri Østergaard, and Vicky Yarova.

Not sure you're cut out for crime? The bloodstains on your boots speak otherwise. I mean, we're all cut out for a little petty larceny, but you certainly have no qualms cutting out what's owed you. But if you'd rather look into a new line of work, the guide offers a few helpful hints, like the pesh-addled sorcerer of sleep; get your jollies and give them out for free. You'll be the absolute life of the party. Or push your own brands of magical death by becoming an Eldritch Poisoner; pairs well with the selection of magical necrotoxins I'm selling these days— and for you, pretty one, I'll offer a lovely bulk discount.

Wherever you're going, you'll need a few tricks like those anyway. I can stock you up on personal, portable traps—you do seem like the paranoid sort. Or a few polished-up cursed relics you can sell as genuine magic. Seven Hells, I've a man out back who will stich ghouls' guts into you for enough coin. Whatever it takes to finish this deal and get you out of my shop, before disrespectable sorts come looking for the bauble you've brought me. Check the book, pretty-pretty, tell me what you need, and let's get your new life started.

Crystal Frasier
Assistant Developer

Walk Paths Unseen in Occult Origins

Friday, October 9, 2015

Oh yes, we know that particular flavor of frantic look. You are far from the first whose eyes it has crossed, friend, and so long as the sun continues to rise you will not be the last.

You found a book, and in your childlike naiveté you assumed this book held answers. That is the lie we teach our children, after all: Books hold answers. Knowledge is power. Broaden yourself and you shall no longer be the fearful, mewling lump you dropped into this world as.

But now you know the truth.

You read your Occult Adventures. You assumed it would satisfy you; would answer your questions. But now you're left with an intellectual hunger no crumb of written word can sate. Yet you scrape through the cupboards, hoping—no, begging to a universe you hope is just that page will relieve the pangs for just One. More. Day.

It won't. It can't. The truth of this world—beneath the playful façade of queens and dragons we set out to delight clumsier minds—is grisly and devoid of sense. I have the book you want; the book you need. This book of Occult Origins tempts you with so many new secrets—questions you never even thought to ask—but it can't offer peace of mind. You knew this before you stepped in, and yet here we both stand. You need to know how kineticists are born, and why they hurl the fundamental forces of the universe as carelessly as a child throws a disobedient doll. You long to know why the psychic mind can overwrite a world you believed to be so stable and sound and impervious to whim. But this book isn't a book of answer. You will leave here all the hungrier. But you will leave here book in hand, knowing you are richer, and perhaps one step closer to mad.

Illustrations by Ian Perks and Kiri Østergaard

The Occult Origins tells of chaokineticists, who channel the universe's devouring maw and wield death and decay, and the phytokinetic disciplines of distant Tian, who kindle the energy of life to violent and deadly ends. It whispers the secrets of Chelish mental disciplines to wither the unbending will of devils. It details the ancient art of the reliquarians, who suckle powers the gods themselves leave in their passing. It will teach you how to develop the powers of your psychic mind through introspection, or reflection on the lives—and deaths—you have long since outgrown. It can teach you to modify the delicate web of bone of sinew that contains the immortal essence of your being.

Trepanation

Through careful study and practice, you have learned how to relieve pressure in the brain to balance the humors, promote health, and ward off outside influence.

Prerequisites: Heal 5 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 2 ranks.

Benefit: You can perform the faith healing occult skill unlock^OA even if you can't use psychic magic. If you can cast psychic spells or have the Psychic Sensitivity^OA feat, you can use faith healing one additional time per day.
So long as you have a healer's kit^UE or surgeon's tools^UE, you can spend 1 hour performing a full trepanation on a creature. This procedure requires a Heal check (DC = 20 + the target's Hit Dice). If you're successful, the target gains a +2 insight bonus on saving throws against curses, possession, and spells from the enchantment (compulsion) school. These effects persist for 1 day per character level you possess. If you fail the check, the target takes 1d3 points of Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma damage. You can perform this procedure on yourself, but the DC increases by 5.

But it can't tell you such things are the law of the land, or pull aside the shadows far larger forces cast across your world—perhaps even across your self. It teaches occult rituals to bind gods into your army or force back psychic influence, but it can never teach you why an assemblage of words and willpower make the strict laws of creation shudder and cower.

But maybe it gives you just enough. Maybe this keeps you hungry enough that you keep asking questions and checking dark corners. Maybe you'll be the first to understand the why of it all without losing your life or your mind. Most likely not, but maybe. Gods' speed to you.

Or whatever you pray to.

Crystal Frasier
Assistant Developer