Just Announced: The Strange Aeons Adventure Path!

I want my heroes to eff the ineffable.

Maybe part of the campaign will take place in The Loving Place. The downside? While your heroes are effing the ineffable, another ineffable is effing the eff out of them.

Unless the AP goes mythic, a Great Old One will simply be outside its scope (though we might get the stat block for one for Continuing the Campaign in the final book).

I fully support the ability of Hercules or Elric (or equivalent PCs) to straight-up fight a Great Old One, but I doubt that's where this AP will be going simply because a CR 26+ opponent would be outside its ECL ranges.

Cthulhu's cult could well be an active presence in it, though...

Hell, the AP final boss may simply be a cultist who's trying to wake up something nasty.

KahnyaGnorc wrote:

JonGarrett wrote:

This could be interesting. A good chunk of the Mythos is how normal people can't cope with the information on what's happening, let alone deal with the reality, and Pathfinder is all about being a Wizard that can level a small city into a glass plate. It doesn't seem like the system for unleashing terror and insanity on your players, but it'll be interesting to see how it's done.

Unless it's the 'Wizard Magically Rocket Punches All The Monsters In The Face' version of Cthulhu, in which case it'll be extremely meh and the first adventure path I've actively not wanted to be part of.

Personally, I prefer a psionic "grows giant and physically punches all the monsters in the face" type.

Or the psionic "grows giant, goes b%!*+%@ insane, and punches all the other PCs in the face" type.

Thankfully, this character type is a Psion for base class, so fairly decent Will Saves against that sort of thing.

I'm wondering how many pages this book will be. What's the smallest hardcover Paizo's done so far?

Also wondering if this means that the new AP will have fewer tie-in Companion and Setting books than has become typical. We've been getting three or four AP-related softcovers that have been increasingly "required reading" for the APs lately. If this is the next step in that trend, I'm not sure that that's a good thing.

I'm guessing smallest HC is Strat Guide...it was either 128 or 160, I forget which. But I would expect HA to be comparable to the more regularly sized HCs in the 200-300 range.

you might as well do something more interesting and Pathfindery, like fighting off an Inevitable that has decided since the main source of crime is life, getting rid of it will help him big time. Help flesh out the Neutral Outsiders too.

Your idea appeals to me more than the idea of a Lovecraftian AP.

DM_aka_Dudemeister wrote:

I for one hope this adventure path ends with my Brawlbarian punching Cthulhu in his stupid squid face.

I want my heroes to eff the ineffable.

I hope the opposite. Otherwise there's no point in doing something with Lovecraft - you might as well do something more interesting and Pathfindery, like fighting off an Inevitable that has decided since the main source of crime is life, getting rid of it will help him big time. Help flesh out the Neutral Outsiders too.

However, I suspect it'll be your version.

So . . . Ultron, basically.

Legendary already did some Lovecraftian plug-ins... in the Gothic line.

Mosaic wrote:

And if that doesn't fit into Paizo's plans... 3rd Party Publishers, I'll tell you right now that I'll pay good money for a supplemental handbook that really delves into how to run a successful low-magic and reluctant heroes.

I haven't really kept up with them lately, but Legendary Games used to put out "Adventure Path Plug-Ins". I'm not sure if that's a way they would want to go with Strange Aeons, but it wouldn't hurt to look them up and ask if they have anything planned for it.

I hope this AP does involve Cthulhu. He would make a great final boss and if the players suddenly gained mythic ranks for the final battle to have a chance then that would cool as well.

This is one of the problems people have with Paizo communication.

Why are we hearing important announcements through some podcast instead of Paizo proper?

Because they're all at a con and not in the offices writing blogs and forum posts.

Cthulhu himself is not likely the final foe for this one. I'd give it... another 5 years? Yeah, considering it's 1920 in Pathfinder timeline, that's the right amount of time for that particular AP or Module.

Because they're all at a con and not in the offices writing blogs and forum posts.

And they can't prewrite a blog and have it scheduled to post at the same as the announcement?

O_o;

Whoaaaa awesome!

As much I would like to see Castrovel, I can't see it fitting the theme of this AP. I would rather it be sword and planet then horror themed.

I know right? I would so love an interplanetary adventure (Castrovel, Akiton, etc etc) focused on stopping a threat to all life in Golarion's solar system (Dominion of the Black anyone)? I mean, those ancient countdown clocks of Osirion have to be counting down to SOMETHING am I right? :D

Wow, the entitlement. You just MUST have an official blog post the same day as a con reveal. Otherwise there's something wrong with the company.

JonGarrett wrote:

DM_aka_Dudemeister wrote:

I for one hope this adventure path ends with my Brawlbarian punching Cthulhu in his stupid squid face.

I want my heroes to eff the ineffable.

I hope the opposite. Otherwise there's no point in doing something with Lovecraft - you might as well do something more interesting and Pathfindery, like fighting off an Inevitable that has decided since the main source of crime is life, getting rid of it will help him big time. Help flesh out the Neutral Outsiders too.

However, I suspect it'll be your version.

So . . . Ultron, basically.

Oooo...now that is an awesome idea. One of the godlike Prime Inevitables plotting to wipe out all life on Golarion because it sees the entire planet as a colossal threat to law and stability of the Multiverse!

I hope this delves into the Dimension of Dreams (likely more the Nightmare side). The tidbits in Occult Adventures are not enough for me!!! :D

As much I would like to see Castrovel, I can't see it fitting the theme of this AP. I would rather it be sword and planet then horror themed.

Castrovel, no.

But Aucturn? That would fit.

Wow, the entitlement. You just MUST have an official blog post the same day as a con reveal. Otherwise there's something wrong with the company.

This.

Perhaps to no one's surprise, the entitlement sentiment always seems to swell highest right around the time that the Paizo staff is all out of the office for a con (Paizo or Gen).

This is one of the problems people have with Paizo communication.

Why are we hearing important announcements through some podcast instead of Paizo proper?

I'd say it is pretty cool that they are providing a "scoop" for a great non-Paizo site.

Or, we could put on our tinfoil hats, and say this is part of Paizo's master plan to make all of their paying customers unhappy.

=)

Totally looking forward to the AP!

Elorebaen wrote:

Why are we hearing important announcements through some podcast instead of Paizo proper?

I'd say it is pretty cool that they are providing a "scoop" for a great non-Paizo site.

Not to mention to all the con-goers who have paid a crapload to fly there, stay at a hotel, con tickets and who knows what else they've had to go through. For that they don't deserve to be a couple of days ahead of official posts?

Especially when the rest of us *do* get the information almost within minutes of any revelation, but no, that's not enough, it has to be an OFFICIAL POST (during the fricking weekend), otherwise the company is Doing It Wrong.

I know d20/Pathfinder is built to be heroic fantasy role playing, and I'm fine if that's the norm for Strange Aeons, but I'd love to seem some support - either official or 3PP - for playing "normal" people. An article at the back of the first installment, or some designer notes once in a while, on playing a low-magic campaign or for playing characters that start off with NPC classes before they start taking heroic PC classes. Almost the opposite of a mythic AP.

And if that doesn't fit into Paizo's plans... 3rd Party Publishers, I'll tell you right now that I'll pay good money for a supplemental handbook that really delves into how to run a successful low-magic and reluctant heroes.

I almost feel like it has to, because mythos stuff and d&d/pathfinder adventurers don't mix well. Subtle psychological horror and descents into madness don't stand up well to casual fireballs, restoration and heal spells.

The secret of innsmouth rather falls apart when you can just charm or speak with dead to go around the spooky, murderhobo the town, and then cast water breathing to go punch Dagon in the shnozz.

Not to mention to all the con-goers who have paid a crapload to fly there, stay at a hotel, con tickets and who knows what else they've had to go through. For that they don't deserve to be a couple of days ahead of official posts?

I blame it on the "Nownow" generation created by the increasing immediacy of the Information Age.

I believe the Developers have stated a similar opinion regarding feeling as if the Con-goers should get the benefit of getting information firsthand over those of us who did not (or could not, perhaps) devote our time and resources to attending. That's always been one of the big reasons to attend a Con, after all.

(Side note, the Immediacy Media push caused problems this year at San Diego Comicon, where people were Periscoping and Livestreaming trailers and things prepared specifically for Con-goers that companies didn't want to release to the general public, and tipped their hands to putting out their own "official" trailers, and is making some companies rethink their Con attendance policies. Which is a shame.)

This is one of the problems people have with Paizo communication.

Why are we hearing important announcements through some podcast instead of Paizo proper?

You did hear about it from paizo....this is their blog. Or am I missing something and this isn't the paizo blogs section checks top nope, definitely a blog post....I think your tin foil hat is showing...

KahnyaGnorc wrote:

JonGarrett wrote:

DM_aka_Dudemeister wrote:

I for one hope this adventure path ends with my Brawlbarian punching Cthulhu in his stupid squid face.

I want my heroes to eff the ineffable.

I hope the opposite. Otherwise there's no point in doing something with Lovecraft - you might as well do something more interesting and Pathfindery, like fighting off an Inevitable that has decided since the main source of crime is life, getting rid of it will help him big time. Help flesh out the Neutral Outsiders too.

However, I suspect it'll be your version.

So . . . Ultron, basically.

Oooo...now that is an awesome idea. One of the godlike Prime Inevitables plotting to wipe out all life on Golarion because it sees the entire planet as a colossal threat to law and stability of the Multiverse!

Sound more like judge death! All life is a crime and the punishment issss death.

I imagine an AP like the mountains of madness (I think that's the on) Expedition, involving pCs of course, unearths great evil, letting it loose. Maybe even set I the frozen north. Now they must oppose the servants of the old ones before he walls of reality collapse.

I doubt the entire AP will take place in a frozen locale, but I would be really surprised if there isn't at least one book that does. Ancient evils frozen in ice is a pretty iconic mental image.

They've done Xin-Shalast and Guiltspur in Varisia, both of which had ties to Leng and were in relatively high terrain. There is also Menhu Leng, high in the peaks of the Wall of Heaven in Tian-Xia that they could do, and that might actually fit a little bit better with Lovecraftian Dreamlands lore (such as the Plateau of Tsang and the Tcho-Tchos who were decidedly of more Asiatic connections.)

Yeah I was imaging the first one, maybe two. an AP starting with, as you say, the iconic frozen evil and its subsequent release. Then expanding to develop a plot only a madman can envision. Old ones, cults and being from beyond the dark veil all collide.

I am sure that the mountains of madness are on earth.

What, no dreams of cute fluffy things that are nice;)

I doubt the entire AP will take place in a frozen locale, but I would be really surprised if there isn't at least one book that does. Ancient evils frozen in ice is a pretty iconic mental image.

Maybe Cheliax should be the frozen locale? Then they get to use the title "Hell Freezes Over".

I am sure that the mountains of madness are on earth.

they are, Antarctica I think. I'm not saying it is set in the place, just modelled on it. I suppose I've always wanted an AP in which PCs join a well meaning expedition and battle there way there. Reach the place in its far of forbidding terrain, then unearth an ancient civilisation, or signs there of. As casualties mount they become aware of a growing evil in their midst and realise they may have unwittingly unleashed an ancient evil on Golarion. Perhaps the old ones, perhaps secret cult members accompanied the expedition. Maybe it's Aboleth, long dormant and now awake and examining this new age. Either way, little more than one and two need be in the actual inhospitable terrain. The ancient evil can easily escape without even confronting the players, a gateway or similar. pCs follow and need to set about righting their wrongs against a growing force of evil. Bit stereotyped perhaps, elements of Jade Regent maybe, but with a gothic horror twist, some lovecraftian madness and so little used enemies - Aboleth, Derro, Eldre things, yithians I could see a 6 part epic

Totally looking forward to the AP!

We appreciate when we can help. We spend thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours of our time to produce the show and get this sort of information out as quickly as possible.

If you haven't checked out the show, I recommend you do! I like to think we are more than just "some podcast."

DM_aka_Dudemeister wrote:

I for one hope this adventure path ends with my Brawlbarian punching Cthulhu in his stupid squid face.

I want my heroes to eff the ineffable.

I hope the opposite. Otherwise there's no point in doing something with Lovecraft - you might as well do something more interesting and Pathfindery, like fighting off an Inevitable that has decided since the main source of crime is life, getting rid of it will help him big time. Help flesh out the Neutral Outsiders too.

However, I suspect it'll be your version.

I'd like to see the aeons pop up as foes in the same vein as Terry Pratchett's Auditors.

"Life is... untidy. It gets in the way of the paperwork."

JonGarrett wrote:

DM_aka_Dudemeister wrote:

I for one hope this adventure path ends with my Brawlbarian punching Cthulhu in his stupid squid face.

I want my heroes to eff the ineffable.

I hope the opposite. Otherwise there's no point in doing something with Lovecraft - you might as well do something more interesting and Pathfindery, like fighting off an Inevitable that has decided since the main source of crime is life, getting rid of it will help him big time. Help flesh out the Neutral Outsiders too.

However, I suspect it'll be your version.

So . . . Ultron, basically.

Awww, . . .why'd you have to do that? Now I have this thought stuck in my head that in the near future Marvel is going to come out with an Ultron vs Cthulhu movie . . . .

Insain Dragoon wrote:

This is one of the problems people have with Paizo communication.

Why are we hearing important announcements through some podcast instead of Paizo proper?

You did hear about it from paizo....this is their blog. Or am I missing something and this isn't the paizo blogs section checks top nope, definitely a blog post....I think your tin foil hat is showing...

Actually I'n pretty sure those of us not at Gencon found out about it first via posts from convention goers, who also linked the podcast.

Beyond that, I would rather the details were posted here, rather than being directed to a podcast I have no interest in being exposed to.

Nor is this the first time this has happened - there was a similar chain of events during the Vigilante Playtest.

Awww, . . .why'd you have to do that? Now I have this thought stuck in my head that in the near future Marvel is going to come out with an Ultron vs Cthulhu movie . . . .

Nah. Ultron's a Cthulhu Cultist.

How do you think Ultron went bad in the first place?

I hope this AP does involve Cthulhu. He would make a great final boss and if the players suddenly gained mythic ranks for the final battle to have a chance then that would cool as well.

Yeah, that would be the "I never bother buying paizo APs or pathfinder rules again" moment.

Actually I'n pretty sure those of us not at Gencon found out about it first via posts from convention goers, who also linked the podcast.

This is true.

Beyond that, I would rather the details were posted here, rather than being directed to a podcast I have no interest in being exposed to.

If you can't be bothered to click on a link to read the information, and instead demand that Paizo write again the same information on their blog, then you deserve to be without the information. Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face. "This company must release their information in the way that I choose, or I won't read their information!" Well, uh, have a ball there sport. Meanwhile the rest of us will discuss the Strange Aeons AP.

I swear to god, this world has no nope when people are too lazy to click on a single link. Or worse, demanding that they can dictate where and how companies should release their announcements.

havoc xiii wrote:

Insain Dragoon wrote:

This is one of the problems people have with Paizo communication.

Why are we hearing important announcements through some podcast instead of Paizo proper?

You did hear about it from paizo....this is their blog. Or am I missing something and this isn't the paizo blogs section checks top nope, definitely a blog post....I think your tin foil hat is showing...

Actually I'n pretty sure those of us not at Gencon found out about it first via posts from convention goers, who also linked the podcast.

Beyond that, I would rather the details were posted here, rather than being directed to a podcast I have no interest in being exposed to.

Nor is this the first time this has happened - there was a similar chain of events during the Vigilante Playtest.

Why is this chain of events bad?

Why do you not want to be "exposes" to new things?

Nor is this the first time this has happened - there was a similar chain of events during the Vigilante Playtest.

What chain of events was this? The announcement that there would be a Vigilante class in the next hardcover and that they were going to have an open playtest was made at Paizocon, yes, but as far as I can recall, the first mention of the playtest starting was here on the website, when they updated the left side of the screen with the big shiny orange button saying "Vigilante Playtest Open Now!"

(The one that's still up there.)

Shame on Know Direction for doing legwork and bringing us news before it hits an official post. SHAME. How dare they provide this service.

There are good arguments for a company releasing information as they announce it at an event. It allows them to manage that information, ensuring it is correct. It is a genuinely good reason to do it that way.

However, I am glad they do not. It helps to create a space for things like know direction, which creates a better media landscape around the hobby, and helps enrich the community.

On the other side of this.

The idea that convention attendees get privileged access is dumb and unsustainable. In a world of networked communication and digital audio and video recording, anyone who tries to hold onto a view of the world where "going to event A means I get to see B, and people who didn't don't" or something special for the fans who came is the height of dumb.

What you actually get is to be physically present, hear it first hand and maybe a slight speed bump on the rest of the world.

Any company in geekdom, that doesn't actively record and publish their panels is missing a trick.

I'm hesitant to be excited. It's going to be a continuation of the material already published, and some of that material glosses over important source themes, which will, in turn, perpetuate a misconceived interpretation of the original work (speaking of The King in Yellow specifically). Then again, if we get deity rules for Atlach-Nacha, I won't feel so bad.

I'm hesitant to be excited. It's going to be a continuation of the material already published, and some of that material glosses over important source themes, which will, in turn, perpetuate a misconceived interpretation of the original work (speaking of The King in Yellow specifically). Then again, if we get deity rules for Atlach-Nacha, I won't feel so bad.

Are you referring to Chambers's original works (The Repairer of Reputations, et al.)? If so, agreed. The whole "half-brother of Cthulhu" thing was silly.

As for Atlach-Nacha, is The Seven Geases in the public domain? That might not stop them (see Coeurl, Dark Young)... but it might.

Oceanshieldwolf wrote:

Nor is this the first time this has happened - there was a similar chain of events during the Vigilante Playtest.

What chain of events was this? The announcement that there would be a Vigilante class in the next hardcover and that they were going to have an open playtest was made at Paizocon, yes, but as far as I can recall, the first mention of the playtest starting was here on the website, when they updated the left side of the screen with the big shiny orange button saying "Vigilante Playtest Open Now!"

(The one that's still up there.)

The devs responded to playtest feedback through the Know Direction podcast instead of within the playtest forum itself. This irritated a lot of playtesters who didn't know they were doing this until 1-2 weeks into the playtest.

They have done stuff with the king in yellow? I have been a little out of the pathfinder scene for a while. The irony is that this adventure done right...

- slow exp track(with the path topping off around 8th level).
- lots of human antagonists and environmental threats
- adventure design focused on investigation and mystery
- OSR approach to threats (yes this first level adventure has a number of CR 8 monsters, why did you think that the alien horror from beyond the stars was something it was a good idea to try and fight?)
-lots of focus on building a sense of mystery and dread, punctuated by a small number of TPK risking combats.

...would get me right back into Pathfinder.