"It does not, however, seem impossible that by an attention to breed, a certain degree of improvement, similar to that among animals, might take place among humans. Whether intellect could be communicated may be a matter of doubt: but size, strength, beauty, complexion, and perhaps even longevity are in a degree transmissible... As the human race could not be improved in this way, without condemning all the bad specimens to celibacy, it is not probable, that an attention to breed should ever become general." — Mengkare of Hermea, 4593 AR
Joe Mucchiello wrote: And where is the general feat that allows you to take another heretage feat at first level. Page 163: ANCESTRAL PARAGON FEAT 1
CorvusMask wrote: I myself just like the idea that undead just spontaneously speak this horrifying sounding language that most people don't understand :D Just such a scene occurs in the BBC's Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell when Strange animates the corpses of several Italian mercenaries to gain information about Napoleon's army...
Top five archetypes that would help me 'port my homebrew campaign to PF2 would be: Vivisectionist (alchemist) for medicinal perposes. Evangelist (cleric) for preaching to folk. Corsair (fighter) for being a Sea Dog. Rake (rogue) for the ladies. The fifth is for my wife: Mad Dog (barbarian) for the animal companion.
At first appearing to be a pile of flame-colored leaves, this thousands-strong cloud of nut brown fey takes to the air on wings of oak and maple. Leaf-Fall Host CR 5
The embodiment of the Autumnal Equinox, the elusive fey known as leaf-fall hosts are only encountered between the end of summer and the first day of winter. Their wings look like large oak and maple leaves in colors ranging from gold to orange to crimson, with tips the same deep brown as the leaf-fall’s skin. These fey rarely wear anything more modest than an acorn cap, and while fair to look upon, their tiny teeth and claws become truly dangerous weapons when brought to bear in a swarm. Despite appearing to be a pile of fallen leaves when at rest, those who have survived an encounter with a leaf-fall host swear they have a distinct smell cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. While these swarms can be bribed to leave crops and farm animals alone with offerings of pies, crumbles, and other sweet baked goods, they are otherwise known to be particularly tricky, even going so far as to use their Disguise skill to take on the rough appearance of a stag or traveler to lure unsuspecting folk into the misty woods.
Kess the Bull: She was raised to be Lady Kessilandrie Anicia Vlastos, but the thousands of jeering spectators that fill the mind when she fights taunt her with another name—Kess the Bull.
When her brother revealed her secret pit fighting, the shame practically broke Kess. Her pride and self-worth collapsed, crushed under the mockery she suffered, and Kess fled her family with no plan but to end it all. In dark tomes read through burning tears, the disgraced noblewoman discovered instead the demon lord of hopeless despair, Sifkesh. Kess now has three simple goals in life: hurt others as she hurts, bring shame to House Vlastos and all its allies, and to die in the most spectacular way possible. Mirror Universe Kess CR 4
----- Defense -----
----- Offense -----
----- Tactics -----
----- Statistics -----
----- Special Abilities -----
Brawler’s Flurry (Ex) When Kess makes a full-attack, she has the Two-Weapon Fighting feat as long as she uses unarmed strikes, close weapons, and monk weapons, and she adds her full Strength modifier to all attacks. Erratic Malefactor (Ex) Kess’s unpredictability and volatile temperament gives her an advantage over her foes. She gains a +2 trait bonus on initiative checks. In addition, she is willing to work with others, and has learned to use her allies’ strengths to reinforce her own skills and abilities. Once per day, as long as an ally is within 10 feet of her, Kess can reroll a single attack roll or skill check before success or failure is known. She must take the results of the second roll, even if it is worse. Killer (Ex) Kess deals additional damage equal to her weapon's critical hit modifier when she scores a successful critical hit with a weapon; this additional damage is added to the final total, and is not multiplied by the critical hit multiple itself. This extra damage is a trait bonus. Martial Flexibility (Ex) Kess can spend a move action to gain any combat feat she doesn’t possess for 1 minute, as long as she meets the prerequisites. If she uses the ability again before that time, she loses all the feats from the previous use. If the feat has a daily limit and she picks it more than once, it doesn’t reset the limit. Power Attack is a pretty good choice if you’re fighting something you’d rather punch than grapple. Martial Training (Ex) Kess counts her brawler levels as both fighter levels and monk levels for the purpose of qualifying for combat feats.
Up Taldor! By the grace of Her Serene Highness, Princess Eutropia, and His Imperial and Royal Majesty, Grand Prince Stavian III, and in honor of Her Royal Majesty, Arazni the Red Crusader, I am pleased to announce the formation of the Taldan–Gebite Joint Expeditionary Regiment to assist the much-battered forces of the Fifth Mendevian Crusade! Born in reaction to partisan attacks in Geb first thought to be the harassing work of Knights of Ozem or misguided Pharasmites, but later proven without a doubt to have been caused by demoniac agents provocateur, the Regiment was at first scoffed at by nearly all who heard of it. (You Only Die Twice) It was, in fact, only through the wise and generous Pathfinder Venture Captain Drandle Dreng that I learned of this unconventional fighting force's existance and desire to assist us all in the containment of the fiends of the Worldwound. I immediately set out to bend all of my resources to ensuring its success. (Shadows Fall on Absalom) After many letters back and forth between Bordell-on-Jalrune and The Guilded City, I was given command of an elite force of mixed raiders to test the effectiveness of the military venture I was staking my reputation on. Under the banner of Geb, my troops and I showed that not only could the forces of Garund and Avistan work together, but they could do so even with the traditional Crusader soldiers too busy to join us for our delicious victory waffles! (The Wardstone Patrol) With numerous affidavits of the regiment's prowess in hand, the time was upon me to ensure proper outfitting and unimpeded transport of the Taldan–Gebite Joint Expeditionary Regiment to the battlefront. The standard troops of His Imperial and Royal Majesty continue to guard the borders of the Empire, as the lands of the allied Jalrune estates have begun collecting volunteers from the unbearded masses of thier rural holdings. Full of forethought and mercantile cunning, the servants of the Red Crusader, myself, and even Scion Lord Kerkis of House Damaq have all ensured that the Mechitar-Absalom-Golsifar trade routes created to smooth the way for the Regiment will not only pay for transport, but leave plenty left over to reward all those who do their part to ensure our success! (The Hellknight's Feast) So, join me in a cheer and a toast to the success of the newly formed Taldan–Gebite Joint Expeditionary Regiment, and remember: “Sick the wolf on the tiger and the hunter’s work is done!” The Right Honorable Lady Lillebryst MacFaileas, Visbaronetess of Bordell-on-Jalrune, Corvette Captain of His Majesty's Zimar Corsairs, Colonel of the Taldan–Gebite Joint Expeditionary Regiment, Gythia of the Sacred Sting, Dragonslayer, Husmær of the Ulfen Guard, Member of the Lion Blades, Companion of House Avenstar
⋄ Drey Yarnes watches over Calistria's Cathedral in Pitax in the River Kingdoms. (Pathfinder #35: War of the River Kings) ⋄ In the south of Woodsedge, Galt is the Temple of Calistria, famous for its 20 foot tall statue of an enthroned Calistria portrayed as an elf stroking a giant wasp. (Plague of Shadows) ⋄ The Pleasure Salon of Calistria in the Ascendant Court district of Absalom is managed by the ranking sacred prostitute, Dyrianna of House Avenstar. (Guide to Absalom)
You must remember, my dear magus, that pure number of Hit Dice isn't really a good determining factor when looking at what is a threat... Twenty 1-HD skeletons is in no way as dangerous as one 20-HD skeleton. And, even if a necromancer has a 20-HD skeleton under her control, that monster is only a CR 8... a reasonable encounter for a group of PCs who are not yet considered powerful enough to register on a legend lore spell. Really, mindless, feeble skeletons and zombies are no more dangerous than a bunch of living bakers and butlers to the high level characters of the world.
New outfits of clothing, as well as either materials or styles that can be added to outfits to enhance their value and/or usefulness (in the manner of the tear-away outfit from Adventurer's Armory). Materials could range from buskin traveler's outfits to gold-embroidered entertainer's outfits, while styles could include form-fitting courtier's outfits and mourning cleric's vestments. This should give those who want more detailed forms of clothing for their characters useful and exciting options without having to resort to huge lists of individual garments.
TheFace wrote: Now, I COULD just add the skeleton template to the dinosaurs from the Bestiary, but there is one glaring issue: These bones are 65 million years old. Presumably, that would effect their utility as fighting creatures. Should they get an AC penalty due to age? Hit point penalty? Be left alone? Furthermore, they are underground, encased in earth. Can such a skeleton be animated, and if so can it dig itself to the surface if so commanded? Can it even hear the command to do so? WotC's revived fossil template, which was the "official" 3.5 take on this subject, can be found here (it's at the bottom of the page).
Pharier wrote: I was wondering as Golarion is a magic heavy world, with near infinate possibilites is it possible for humanoid races to bypass the physical limits of their bodies and possess physical powers beyond those we could never realistically achieve in the modern world from physical training alone? Bypassing the weaknesses of a petty mortal body is one of the primary goals of those who follow the Whispering Way, after all.
Yeah, I'm old enough to have gotten the, "Is that the game where you kill yourself?" question back when I was somewhere around 12 to 15. And after 26 years of trying, I still don't know what I'm doing wrong when I play... no suicide, no summoned demons, no throngs of mind-controlled chickies. Maybe I should get a refund on my old Red box set?
Here is a picture of the Stag Lord's buckle I made for our Kingmaker game. I don't suppose anyone's found a picture of an actual sculpture of entwined succubi that could be used for player hand out?
Has the idea of Shrines, Temples, and Cathedrals providing a +1, +2, and +4 bonus based on the alignment of the deity worshiped there (as per the Alignment section on page 55 of Rivers Run Red) come up yet? This would differentiate a temple of Calistria (+2 loyalty, +2 stability) from a temple to Erastil (+2 economy, +2 loyalty) or a temple to Asmodeus (+4 economy).
Cloister of Saint Bethaene
In 4665 AR, a band of adventurers in league with the church of Calistria in Woodsedge cleared the hill fort of its unwanted denizens and rededicated it as the Cloister of Saint Bethaene the Double-Jointed in honor of their temple’s head hetaera. When Bethaene died in the Red Revolution two years later, her body was interred in the Cloister. And, while the mortal servants of the Sacred Sting died or moved on, Saint Bethaene’s final resting place was watched over by the goddess’s more otherworldly servitors—vicious ardorwesps and hedonistic fey. Now, after years of peace, the Cloister is once more beset by troublesome and prying foes. While the aristocratic treasure seekers of Taldor have begun covertly sending parties of adventurers across the Galtan border to “rescue” relics of old, an even more sinister threat looms over the Cloister of Saint Bethaene. Members of a Nocticulan Slayer’s Guild in Woodsedge discovered the location of the Cloister, and have sent agents to claim the fort to further their machinations and holdings upon Golarion. Subtlety and seduction being key, the cult has sent a succubus assassin to pervert the current guardians and gather a following whose guile can reach into decadent Taldor. The Cloister of Saint Bethaene is a cluster of nine underground chambers buried within a manmade hill. The steep, crescent-shaped slope rises to about 20 feet above the level of the surrounding forested plain. The walls within are all magically treated superior masonry (hardness 16, hp 180, break DC 55), beyond which is the hard packed earth of the hill. Unless otherwise noted, ceilings are 8 feet high in the hallways and 10 feet high in the Cloister’s rooms. Surprisingly dry and comfortable for such an old structure, the temperature is moderate and the air is fresh. 1. Meditation Garden
Even steeper than the slope of the outer hill, the 20 foot high sides of the courtyard here act as a cliff, and can be scaled with a DC 15 Climb check. The oak (see massive trees under Forest Terrain, Pathfinder Core Rulebook 425) has been branded with a well-hidden symbol of the demon lord Nocticula, which can be discovered with a DC 25 Perception check. The gardens act as light undergrowth, though some of the plants are slightly more hazardous (see below). The stone benches can provide cover for Small creatures and high ground for attackers that stand upon them. They, like the posts and lintels of the doors are adorned with symbols of Calistria and carved with scenes of scantily clad maidens frolicking with satyrs. Closer inspection, and a DC 20 Perception check, reveals that the maidens all have cruel visages, the satyrs are fiends, and the religious iconography has all been slightly cracked. The eastern door (leading to area 2) is jammed, requiring a DC 28 Strength check to open. The Cloister’s current inhabitants do not use the rooms beyond this door, and the lack of tracks to or from this area is readily apparent to anyone making a DC 15 Survival check. Creatures: The oak is the bonded tree of a dryad, now twisted by the foul seductions of Nocticula’s servants. She serves as the first line of defense for the Cloister’s current master, though can often be found shirking such duty in favor of dalliances with one or more of the satyr guards from area 5. When present, the fiendish dryad is likely to surprise intruders, thanks to her tree meld ability. Upon noticing the PCs will she will step out of her tree on the far side from the party, using it as cover to hide, and use entangle to make the most out of the area’s hazard. The ardorwesps that nest beneath the oak attack immediately upon spotting intruders, though PCs with visible symbols of Calistria will be treated with indifference rather than hostility. Loosely allied with the dryad, they will defer to her commands in battle. These creatures will readily follow PCs who flee, returning to this area only after having successfully used their implant ability. If any ardorwesp is killed here, the remaining creatures use their telepathy the next round to alert the entire complex to the intruders’ presence. Ardorwesp (4) CR 3
Fiendish Dryad CR 4
Hazard: Mixed in with the more common herbs and flowering plants of the gardens here are several tangles of pale nettleweed (Pathfinder Chronicles: Campaign Setting 216). A PC can identify these plants before stumbling into them with a DC 10 Knowledge (nature) check, but this will not help those who are bull rushed into these areas. Development: Should a PC notice the symbol of Nocticula burned into the dryad’s tree, a DC 20 Knowledge (religion) or Knowledge (planes) check will confirm that this is some sort of demonic binding, and the cause of the dryad's fiendish powers. If the tree is splashed with six flasks of holy water (one for each HD of the dryad) or targeted with a consecrate or dispel evil spell, the dryad will lose the fiendish template and be freed of Nocticula’s influence. If this occurs, she likely uses tree stride to flee deep into the forest and lament what she had become unless a PC can quickly adjust her attitude to friendly. If they free the dryad from damnation, award the party XP as if they defeated her in regular combat. If the ardorwesps send out their telepathic alarm, the entire Cloister goes on alert. This causes the satyr guards (from area 5) to arm themselves and move to the library (area 6). Should the fiendish dryad have been with them, she immediately returns to the garden to ensure the safety of her tree. All of the Cloister’s other inhabitants ready themselves to greet the PCs as described in their encounter areas.
Gray Maidens CR 2
Spoiler:
Female human cavalier 3
LE Medium humanoid (Chelaxian) Init +1; Senses Perception -1 defense AC 21, touch 11, flat-footed 20; (+8 armor, +1 Dex, +2 shield) hp 25 (3d10+9) Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +2 offense Spd 20 ft. (base 30 ft.) Melee mwk longsword +7 (1d8+2) Ranged mwk composite longbow +5 (1d8+2/x3) Special Attacks cavalier’s charge, challenge 1/day (+3 damage, +1 dodge bonus to AC), lion’s call (+2 on saves vs. fear, +1 on attacks) statistics Str 14, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 15 Base Atk +3; CMB +5, CMD 16 Feats Dazzling Display, Iron WillB, Quick Draw, Weapon Focus (longsword)B Skills Acrobatics -3, Climb +1, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (local) +4, Knowledge (nobility) +6 (+1 involving Queen Ileosa), Ride +6 Languages Taldane SQ mount, order of the lion, tactician 1/day Gear mwk half-plate, mwk heavy steel shield, mwk longsword, mwk composite longbow [Str +2], arrows (20) Gray Maiden’s Steeds CR —
Spoiler:
Horse
N Large animal Init +1; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +5 defense AC 15, touch 9, flat-footed 15; (+6 natural, -1 size) hp 19 (3d8+6) Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +4 Defensive Abilities evasion offense Spd 50 ft. Melee bite +5 (1d4+3), 2 hooves +0 (1d6+1) Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. statistics Str 16, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 2, Wis12, Cha 6 Base Atk +2; CMB +5, CMD 16 Feats Intimidating Prowess, Iron Will, Light Armor Proficiency Skills Intimidate +3, Perception +5 SQ link Queen’s Physicians CR 2
Spoiler: Male human alchemist 3
NE Medium humanoid (Chelaxian) Init +6; Senses Perception +6 defense AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 10; (+2 Dex) hp 16 (3d8+3) Fort +4 (+2 against poison), Ref +5, Will +1 offense Spd 30 ft. Melee mwk wand of misery +5 (1d6+2) Special Attacks bomb 5/day (+4 ranged touch, 2d6+2 fire, DC 13) Extracts Prepared (CL 3rd) 1st—cure light wounds, expeditious retreat, shield, true strike statistics Str 14, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 15, Wis 10, Cha 8 Base Atk +2; CMB +4, CMD 16 Feats Brew PotionB, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Throw AnythingB Skills Bluff +2, Diplomacy +2, Heal +6, Intimidate +2, Knowledge (arcana) +8, Perception +6, Sense Motive +3, Stealth +5 Languages Infernal, Taldane, Varisian SQ discovery (precise bomb), mutagen, poison use, swift alchemy Gear leather armor, mwk wand of misery, plaguebringer’s mask, doctor’s outfit, healer’s kit, surgeon’s tools Formula Extracts prepared, plus detect undead and disguise self
James Jacobs wrote: Geb is barely mentioned at all in Legacy of Fire. Not nearly enough mention of Geb through this whole "Pathfinder" drek, you ask me. And I ought to know, having been here through quite a bit of it, sonny! @Iomedae: Don't think I've forgotten about you, little sister of the faith. But to call a girl "degraded" just because you don't like some of the things her boyfriends have been doing is just rude.
Pookachan wrote: What book disappointed you the most? 1862 by Robert Conroy is the only book in the past 20 years that I've actually been so disgusted with when I finished it, that I threw it away. Didn't give it away, didn't sell it off -- threw it away so that no one would ever read that copy again. The book is supposed to be an alternate histroy of what would happen if Great Britain sided with the Confederacy during the War of Damnyankee Agression. Only, with the addition of the world's most powerful empire to its foes, apparently the Union whips 'em both -- and faster! Blech.
Malleus Maleficarum
DESCRIPTION
A Malleus Maleficarum grants anyone who can spend 1d4 rounds purusing its pages a +2 circumstance bonus on Knowledge (arcana) checks, and the book itself can be wielded in combat as if it were a cold iron +1 warhammer. Finally, three times per day, anyone who understands Infernal can command a Malleus Maleficarum to reveal nearby witches. This causes chaotic or evil spellcasters within 30 ft. to glow (as if affected by faerie fire) in the eyes of the book’s wielder. The language requirement of this last power has gaven rise to the rumor that it was Asmodeus himself who penned the first copy of the Hammer of Witches. CONSTRUCTION
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