Whatcha Want, Fiction Fans?

More timely and regular epub versions of the short fiction? I love the short stories, but find reading them on the screen more than annoying. I'm FINE paying the $1 for a nice epub. I just hope to get them in a more timely fashion and not in a large dump at the end of the year.... unless you guys plan to package them as single volume. :)

As for the Tales line in general? Maybe a novel or two that covers a point in Golarion History. Bring the world's PAST alive.

I would like some fiction about Taldan political intrigue/swashbuckling elaborating on the Rondalero Duelist.

Or alternatively expanding on the legend of the Aldori Swordlords! ^_^

I guess I am seeing a pattern...

EDIT: Oop, looks like Taldan intrigue is on the way! Woo hoo! ^_^

I'd be really interested in seeing stories that focus on more of the non-conventional races. I pre-ordered "Skinwalkers" simply because it will feature the new race from "Blood Of The Moon" (and since reading that, I'm even more excited for it) and "Nightglass" is high on my "must buy and read" for no other reason that it involves the strix.

Elves and dwarves and halflings are all fine, but we've seen them before. Let's see something that we won't see in "Lord Of The Rings" or "Dragonlance." Or at the very least, let's put a new spin on the classic races. Like a dwarf who's going through the fantasy equivalent of AA. :D

PS: Any novel featuring changelings and/or androids will be another instant pre-order from me. ;)

I will second the idea of some classic tales. They could be actually about the item... or tangentially related. As an example some stories about the war between Nex and Geb could be anything from commanders planning and battles to a story of a refuge fleeing the area. Or maybe the story of a nex soldier who died in the battle and then was raised as undead to fight against his former companions by a Geb necromancer.

Along those lines tales of people taking the test of the starstone who may or may not have succeeded. Stories of the people of Thassalonian or Azlanti eras.

Another way to go could be stories based upon the AP's but things that happen AFTER the AP has ended. What's going on in Kelmarane now? What are the goblins in the fens or thistletop up to today?

If it can be done, I'd love to see Iobaria or other parts of Casmaron explored in fiction, but that steps away from established canon to give authors a pretty blank slate to work with and may be difficult.

Ideally, I'd like Tim Pratt to write it. :)

Other authors I think you should investigate/approach if you have time, and if you think they might fit. I've read Sword & Sorcery from some of them before, and others I would love to hear their take on it. In no particular order:

Ken Liu
Saladin Ahmed
Rajan Khanna
Greg van Eekhout
Robert Jeschonek
N.K. Jemisin
Holly Black
Garth Nix Garth Nix Garth Nix Garth Nix GARTH NIX!!

Ahem. Sorry about that. I appear to feel strongly about Garth Nix.

Pathfinder Tales Superstar - a compilation of the best short stories submitted by amateurs, judged by the fans and a board of Pathfinder Tales authors.

I'd like to see some fiction highlighting more of the planets seen in Distant Worlds.

Dark Lands

More elves that aren't Forlorn! (Storylines centering around Kyonin, the Mierani Forest, the Mordant Spire, etc.)

I like Aeshuura's proposal. I even know of a prolific Taldan spy, who's been in several adventures worth reading ;)

http://www.pathfinderchronicler.com/?p=265

With the release of Bestiary 4 I'd like to see some stories based around the Old Ones and their secret cults or even some sort of excursion to the Valashmai Jungle or other place long since forsaken by humanoids. The character(s) of our story accidentally stumble into the "bedroom" of a sleeping kaiju and in turn waking the beast up to only have this threat aim its anger at their (the main character(s)) home.

Taldan political intrigue sounds awesome.

I'd also like to see a half-orc gunslinger traveling around Alkenstar, a la Louis L'Amour's work.

I'm supporting the classic tales idea too. Tales set in Golarion's past that tell the story of important events, or 'modern' day stories which explore important historic events.

Also: Mordant Spire, Rahadoum, Numeria, Casmaron, Mythic themes, the nature of divinity, the Dark Tapestry, Dominion of the Black, Great Old Ones, the Green Faith...

I'd like to see mortals through the eyes of a native outsider. An aasimar, or tiefling, or both.

I would like to see the adventures of an elf battling Treerazer and his minions that take him to very place that the nascent demon lord originates.

On the other side I would to sea a story of Dwarf, may be the plot is that that digs deep in to the underground looking for treasure and finds a terrible ancient secret of his society.

Korvosa seems like an ideal locale for a sweeping swashbuckling tale.

I think we need a female adventuring pair as a counterweight to Rad and Varian.

Off the top of my head, I have, as yet, most enjoyed the more classic tales:

What's left that I still want to see? Probably a lot that I won't for a while, but we waited a long time for fiction, we can wait for these too:

• Iconic fiction - the Comics are really great, but I want more
  
• Series/-logy fiction - I'd like to see Tales take on some bigger fish stories, ala Dragonlance
  
• Osirion fiction - I'm sure we'll get some in the next AP, and we've had a bit of Sothis in City of the Fallen Sky and Pirate's Honor, but want a real full-on one
  
• *Good* Vudran fiction - Make sure to get this right the first time - too much potential to waste
  

I want to see Azra (from Prince of Wolves) come back.
Because Radovan deserves it, for one. And because she was a mute oracle before there was such a thing as an oracle. Edit: Okay, at the same time as an oracle. Still.

More spellcaster protagonists, because I love seeing their take on how their magic works.

On the point of Radovan & Jeggare, I'd like them to actualy get home - It'd be really good to see them returning to Cheliaxian society. Plus I'd love a full novel Urban investigation story from them at their original point of Fantasy Sherlokc & Holmes...

How about stories from the "bad guy's" point of view? Surely many a BBEG have miles of yarn that they can crochet themselves a few novels.

I mean wouldn't you get upset when strangers (they call themselves "adventurers") trespass on your fortified/refurbished/newly built estate and then to proceed to "find" your stuff to "keep" and, with extreme prejudice, scare/kill off your paid employees???

I figure that all the BBEGs are tired of "adventurers" taking everything EXCEPT the pile of copper pieces (because, you know, they can't carry it all). Really. I'm being serious here. Everyone on these forums KNOW HOW HARD IT IS to get magical weapons/armor/treasure and it TAKES FOREEEEEVAH to amass wealth via "downtime". That's why they "go on adventures"....

<Rolls eyes and throws hands in the air in frustration>

Since it's all they left me in my base of operations...

that'll be 2 cps,

Rom001

EDIT: I BLAME COSMO for "adventurers" taking my stuff and branding me as "evil".

Rom001

Korvosa seems like an ideal locale for a sweeping swashbuckling tale.

I think we need a female adventuring pair as a counterweight to Rad and Varian.

I love this idea. :D

What caster classes have we not touched on much? We've seen wizards, clerics, sorcerers, druids, bards, oracles, paladins, rangers, summoners, and possibly magi.... Have we seen any inquisitors or witches? I think those are the only ones we're missing.

Troy Taylor wrote:

Korvosa seems like an ideal locale for a sweeping swashbuckling tale.

I think we need a female adventuring pair as a counterweight to Rad and Varian.

I love this idea. :D

Me, too. Their names are Azra and Malena, and they've been waiting patiently in my idea folder since I turned in Prince of Wolves. I would love to revisit them one day, but the stars have not yet aligned.

One day...

Blood of the City had an inquisitor. Of Torag, IIRC.

The Worldwound Gambit had some witches, but in a way I'd have to call NPCs.

Lilith wrote:

Troy Taylor wrote:

Korvosa seems like an ideal locale for a sweeping swashbuckling tale.

I think we need a female adventuring pair as a counterweight to Rad and Varian.

I love this idea. :D

Me, too. Their names are Azra and Malena, and they've been waiting patiently in my idea folder since I turned in Prince of Wolves. I would love to revisit them one day, but the stars have not yet aligned.

One day...

I thought the two of them don't get along.

Dave Gross wrote:

Lilith wrote:

Troy Taylor wrote:

Korvosa seems like an ideal locale for a sweeping swashbuckling tale.

I think we need a female adventuring pair as a counterweight to Rad and Varian.

I love this idea. :D

Me, too. Their names are Azra and Malena, and they've been waiting patiently in my idea folder since I turned in Prince of Wolves. I would love to revisit them one day, but the stars have not yet aligned.

One day...

I thought the two of them don't get along.

Exactly.

I am a slow reader, so I apologize if these have been covered recently. Hermea, Search for Sky, Sakoris, Koloran are places I would like to see more on. I also like the idea of exploring more common places such as Absalom, Cassomir, Egorain through some Golarian-unique folks such as the strix or gillman.

FWIW I have enjoyed Jones, Sutter, and Gross so much that it doesn't matter what areas they explore. :)

Lilith wrote:

Troy Taylor wrote:

Korvosa seems like an ideal locale for a sweeping swashbuckling tale.

I think we need a female adventuring pair as a counterweight to Rad and Varian.

I love this idea. :D

Me, too. Their names are Azra and Malena, and they've been waiting patiently in my idea folder since I turned in Prince of Wolves. I would love to revisit them one day, but the stars have not yet aligned.

One day...

Huzzah!

More about Half-Orcs and Belkzen. Each new races makes de Half-orc seems less monster and it is in need of a bit of oomph.

I am a slow reader, so I apologize if these have been covered recently. Hermea, Search for Sky, Sakoris...

King of Chaos might scratch your Sarkoris itch. I'm not sure about the others, but I'm several books behind these days.

MOAR TALDOR!

Ahem...

I'd like to see more political fiction, both churchiness and mortal politics.

Sorcerer theory vs wizardly theory (with the wtich screwing things up)

A dueling sword wielding arcane duelist.

An aasimar protagonist.

Distant worlds fiction. Send us to Aballon!

I really enjoyed the Inheritance web fiction, as it delves into a few elements I'd like to see more of:
1. Female adventuring pair, huzzah!
2. Non-human narrators. It really helps give a perspective as to what humans are like compared with other races, rather essential for properly portraying a human-centric world like Golarion.
3. Non-heroic narrator. It's not that Zae isn't a capable cleric of Brigh, but she's not a demon-slaying, holy sword-wielding champion of justice and badassery. It takes the average to emphasise the exceptional.

But really, all Pathfinder Tales needs is variance, and it's been doing an excellent job of it thus far (though I think there's enough stories with rogues in them for the present time). Ensure that all races, classes, and locations get their chance to shine, and I'll be a happy reader.

Also, don't let Dave Gross away from his keyboard. I need more Radovan and Varian. Although this Azra and Malena adventuring duo sounds promising...

Lilith wrote:

Troy Taylor wrote:

I think we need a female adventuring pair as a counterweight to Rad and Varian.

I love this idea. :D

Me, too. Their names are Azra and Malena...

And here I thought their names were Keren and Zae.

But I suppose a back-stabbing pair works well (much like Rodrick and Hrym).

I LOVED Liar's Blade and the story behind it, personally. More stories like this that simply explore the idiosyncrasy and rumors of the world is awesome. Nightglass was a hit with both the hubby and I - loved the exploration of Nidal. I must also second the "Don't let Dave Gross away from his keyboard" sentiment. Love you books and look forward to possibly seeing the ladies come to print.

What I'd love to see more of:
More stories like Lair's Blade. Makes for awesome campaign ideas.
Historical stuff - like Cailean before the test of the Starstone? Or any of the other two mortals-turned-Gods?
Also, a fiction superstar idea that was thrown out up there? AWESOME. +1

More elves that aren't Forlorn! (Storylines centering around Kyonin, the Mierani Forest, the Mordant Spire, etc.)

Did you get a chance to check out Queen of Thorns? That's all Kyonin, all the time!

I'd like to see mortals through the eyes of a native outsider. An aasimar, or tiefling, or both.

You're aware of Radovan from the Dave Gross books, right? He's kind of our iconic tiefling, in my mind...

While I'd most like to see a story about a group of Knights of Ozem on a quest to find some artifact that will let them put Arazni to rest, I'd settle for something about dwarves.

PF has got to be the least dwarf-centric fantasy RPG I've played. Which is a shame because the Dwarves of Golarion and the Golarion history have some fantastic stuff.

What caster classes have we not touched on much? We've seen wizards, clerics, sorcerers, druids, bards, oracles, paladins, rangers, summoners, and possibly magi.... Have we seen any inquisitors or witches? I think those are the only ones we're missing.

Salim (the main character from Death's Heretic) is an inquisitor of Pharasma. Among other things. :)

Orthos wrote:

What caster classes have we not touched on much? We've seen wizards, clerics, sorcerers, druids, bards, oracles, paladins, rangers, summoners, and possibly magi.... Have we seen any inquisitors or witches? I think those are the only ones we're missing.

Salim (the main character from Death's Heretic) is an inquisitor of Pharasma. Among other things. :)

Pile on the reasons to get this one and Redemption Engine, why don't ya. Inquisitors have become one of my favorite classes recently.

Geb. Lots and lots of Geb.

Pathfinder Tales Superstar - a compilation of the best short stories submitted by amateurs, judged by the fans and a board of Pathfinder Tales authors.

This. Would. Be. Awesome.

Bad Sintax wrote:

Pathfinder Tales Superstar - a compilation of the best short stories submitted by amateurs, judged by the fans and a board of Pathfinder Tales authors.

This. Would. Be. Awesome.

+1

Let's hear more about the Mwangi ape culture. Eating humans, worshipping giant gorillas...

Also I'm pretty sure Kemeili is an inquisitor of Calistra. She seemed to skilled (no, not that way!)* for a cleric.

Ooooh. more Irrisen fiction. The fiction in Reign of Winter really influnced my "creepy and keeps saying the wrong things, but doesn't understand why they're wrong" winter witch.

*

Thanks so much for all the feedback, everyone, and keep it coming!

One thing I'd like to point out is that listing elements like nations/classes/races/types of adventure is *way* more useful to my idea-harvesting than plots or distinct combinations (i.e. "I want to see a tengu join the Knights of Ozem and go fight the Whispering Tyrant!"). After all, while I might see certain things pop up repeatedly and then recommend those elements to authors looking for somewhere to start, which elements they pick and how they combine them are really up to them! It's part of my philosophy of trying to give the authors as much creative control as possible, from the ground up.

Also I'm pretty sure Kemeili is an inquisitor of Calistra.

You are correct, sir.

• Gnomes and first world. I'd love to see a real gnomecentric story. A gnomecentric story would also be opportune for animal point of view characters.
  
• Darklands like I mentioned above but LOTs of darklands and no drow or minor drow. Dwarf main characters exploring Nar-Voth, Sekamina, and Orv with lots of reveals about the vaults.
  
• Some deep diving into the non-human population. I'd love to see the perspective of Tengu, POV of an Orc, how giants view the world, there are a lot of options here and many stories to be had
  
• A cheliax political drama digging up info and background on the church, hellknights, the Thrunes, etc This could be good for Varian and Radovan or a new character. It would be a real treat to see a novel from the perspective of Abrogail Thrune II, in fact a story from the perspective of any many major character from the world of Golarion would be AWESOME!
  
• I'd like to see a story where the protagonists are evil. An Antipaladin would be amazing, or character from Nidal who just accept Evil as the best you can be. A story Kuthite devout priest who tries to be a good person in his own way would be amazing. I don't know if Pathfinder Tales could go this dark but I still want to throw this idea out there.
  
• A story about the gods. I would love to see what they are like, this could be from their perspective or from the perspective of a mortal brought into their realm. Other points of view I would like to see following this them would be heralds and empyrial lords.
  

Their names are Azra and Malena, and they've been waiting patiently in my idea folder since I turned in Prince of Wolves. I would love to revisit them one day, but the stars have not yet aligned.

One day...

Yes please.

Also, I would like to read a story with really high level characters. It would be interesting to see an author's take on really powerful magic, advanced rogue abilities, upper level combat feats, etc... as a counterpoint, what goes on inside the head of a really powerful character? What keeps them humble? Uncorrupted? In line with the law when they could just conquer a town on their own? How would they interact with leaders of nations? That sort of thing...

Also, it makes me really happy to see that basically every upcoming book I've ordered (but haven't announced yet) for the line is some combination of the requests on this thread. Glad to see we like the same things. :)