Brian W Suskind's page

As someone who's first campaign was Planescape I am thrilled to be writing on this project. What am I writing?

Well...Remember that feeling of wonder, fear and excitement that first time your rogue modron rogue got to shop the strange stores and street carts along Pandemonium Path in Sigil?

Let's just say, prepare to feel that again.

The combat divination section was one of our favorites while writing the book.

My other fav is the "Abandoned Lands": a vast swath in the center of the continent once home to a Titan empire that was the equal of famed Ankeshel. The Titans very words were filled with magical power and they altered the lands ley lines to suit their needs. But the Titans culture fell to disease, insanity and chaos. Now it is a huge vista, mostly shunned by the human kingdoms and dotted with the remains of a mighty civilization.

Gee....I wonder if there is some cool adventure and treasure there? :)

I hope that Muslims don't get offended by this book. That would be a problem that the PF fanbase really doesn't need to deal with right now.

It's funny you mention this, Axial. Ben and I were a bit nervous initially. Here we are, two guys with no ethnic or religious connections to that part of the world writing Arabian, African and Egyptian analogues. I think we pulled off a tone that hearkens to African/Arabian/Egyptian themes yet is respectful and celebratory without tying our hands.

Grave Ol' Salty wrote:

The thought that Ishadia was a stretch goal completely bugged me - it's right on the edge of The Dragon Empire after all. Why explore places further away and yet leave a gap in the Midgard CS book? Good thing it's being filled in.

It bugged me too! Ben McFarland and Brian Suskind wanted to cover new ground rather than revisit known sites, so they argued against revisiting Ishadia (since it is already in the Midgard CS book). I think they had a point, but I put it on the list of stretch goals.

I'm very glad we are covering it, though, as I think it is one of those hinge-points that are good for campaign variety and conflict.

The true be told, Ben and I talked about Ishadia for a long time before making our recommendation to Wolfgang.

When it came down to it, we had to focus on the Southland continent (which is realllllly big) even if that meant Ishadia got bumped down into the stretch goal list.

I'm thrilled we get to add it to the book after all. My hope for Ishadia is three fold:

1. Really hammer home the image of it as a gateway city to the South and East that has fallen into corruption and decline.

2. Play up the competition and conflicts between Ishadia and Shibai (her one-time colony). Where the old nation is falling in importance, the newer one is rising - an explosive situation.

3. Really explore the Aasimar angle and the city of Shuppurak

What do you all hope to see in Ishadia or the Southlands?

Wolfgang Baur wrote:

I would say there is much less on styles of dress or marriage ceremonies, though there is some emphasis on coming-of-age/adulthood rites and on certain markers of status equipment.

Hmmm, but that would be great fodder for a "Cultures of Midgard" book post-Southlands, right? Right?!? I mean with two continents (3 counting Northlands) and all of those races, there would have to be enough material! ;)

If you expand it out to gear, we could even hope for regional/cultural-specific weapons & armor lists. PLEEEAAASE!

(Goes back to watching stretch goals unlock)

Well, I can't speak to a post-Southlands book...

But within the Southlands book there are regional and cultural specific weapons and armor like the assagai short stabbing spear, elephant plate armor and riding zebras. Not to mention new archetypes, magic items, spells, poisons....the list goes on and on! Of course, I'm a bit biased.

Just picked up the PDF of this and have been reading through it.

Good stuff.

One error that I need fixed, (because I intend to run this shortly): In the Five Trials of Pharos, the clues for Waypoint Four repeat those from Waypoint Three, which obviously don't fit for Four.

Not a show stopper, but an annoying blemish on an otherwise great adventure that will fit very well with my world.

Could someone with the print book tell me what the correct clues are for Waypoint Four?

Thanks.

Thanks for the kind words about my adventure. Sorry for the errors. In checking into things, I notice that both the pdf and the print versions have the same replicated clues. Sometimes things slip through the editing process, that's no excuse just an explanation.

Going back to my draft of the adventure, I'm adding below the correct clue for Waypoint Four.

Clues:

The mosaic floor, awash in swirls of colored tiles, displays a pattern beyond a simple pleasing visual.

DC 20 Perception check + DC 20 Knowledge Arcana: The mosaic floor is a cleverly disguised ley line map of Marea. Studying the map for 1d4 x 10 minutes reveals that each of the waypoints in the race rests upon a different ley line surrounding Pharos.

I hope you and your players enjoy the adventure!

Thanks,

Brian