ElvenDancer's page

Amber_Stewart wrote:

It's probably worth noting that the funnel of eroded quintessence from the Maelstrom back to the positive energy plane isn't natural per se, but due to the intervention of the aeons at a location/object known as the Antipode. The proteans of course are not happy about this because without it, their desire to return the static portions of the cosmos back to their own ever-changing, fluidic reality that it all first arose from would proceed much, much faster.

More evidence at Aeons and Proteans always having been at odds even in 1e? ;D

(on sidenote, yes this is how it has always worked in 1e as well. I don't particularly find it that "sour", you could call it bittersweet, but I think humans should be able to let go of concept of eternity as everything always ends eventually.)

But yeah, seriously though, existing for 1,000,000 years would most likely be pretty horrifying especially if you have perfect memory of it <_< Ennui and all that jazz. Eventually you have experienced everything you can imagine and everything feels too samey.

I also think that lot of people who ask this question think it from christian perspective rather than like Buddhist perspective and such. The soul can go through reincarnation through multiple times before being judged and even then natural process of petitioner melding into plane varies between petitioners and always takes long time. But just fact is that eventually it will get bored of existing.

(Sidenote: I've always been kinda wondering if Christian heaven as described is form of brainwashing, since place where you are eternally happy sounds impossible to my depression and anxiety filled brain without several altering of how my brain works :p)

I think petitioners not having full mortal memories while still retaining the personality is actually really merciful because most mortals would kinda go mad at existing that long time. I think part of reason why aligned outsiders don't have free will or mortal memories is because it helps...

I wasn't necessarily coming at it from a Christian perspective (though maybe it was a subconscious projection, given the fact I live in a "western" society), and I've done some studies of Buddhism, though my knowledge is still limited. Perhaps it is merely the "form" of existence that changes. So, in becoming "one with the universe", so to speak, you aren't *you* anymore, but you are still a part of the whole, even if you no longer exist in the conventional sense (a kind of non-self, if you will). The higher form of self, if I can call it that, is not the "self" that was you, but it isn't a total cessation of existence, either, even though the "you" part of it is gone, as you have obtained a higher form. You can call this one with the universe/god, or whatever you want.

You, Castilliano, and others have pointed out things that I hadn't really thought of: such as eternity, even a happy one, eventually becoming "hell", or at the very least, boring, so the petitioner would want a change (and what that change was could be reincarnation, melding with a god or plane, or anything else, like what I mentioned above).

I agree that 2e would be the perfect time to relaunch the novel line. Like others have said, novels are often what get me interested in a setting (it was this way with Forgotten Realms). I'm an avid reader. I still have some PF Tales I haven't read yet, and I will get around to it, but reading them gives me a kind of bittersweet feeling.

Any news on this since June? I somehow just discovered Pathfinder Tales and powered through the Dave Gross Radovan and the Count novels (anybody know if he has more planned?), and I'm hungry for more, planning on reading all the other Tales content in the meantime.

I haven't read all of them yet, either, but I have them all. James Sutter's Death's Heretic and Redemption Engine are also really good.

I really-really hope they'll work it out. The fiction line added sooo much depth to the setting and gave us some really memorable characters, it was really what sucked me in for the setting. Also, it was quite bad already, to lose the D&D novel line but at least Paizo carried the torch in this regard too and with good books. It'd be terrible to lose them too. :(

This is my feeling, too. I haven't read all the PF books yet (though I plan to), but I have enjoyed the ones I have read so far. As a long time fan of Forgotten Realms, I was saddened by the fact that there are no new novels in the foreseeable future. I turned to Pathfinder, but now they seem to have hit a similar block. I think the novels add depth to the setting, and get people interested who otherwise may not be. As a bookworm, I know I became interested in D&D through the novels.

I absolutely loved this book. Salim is such an interesting character, and, like in Death's Heretic, I enjoyed seeing the different planes (I like stories featuring gods, or at least their servitors, and the various afterlives). And in RE, we get angels. The idea of a fallen angel and rising devil is something I have played with in my own writing, so that was interesting to see. And I always love things with angels.

Bors and Roshad...omg. I loved them so much. I didn't know about the web fiction that came before RE, but oh well, I still enjoyed it. I really like the idea of the Iridian Fold men, and would like to read about more men who have taken that path. True "soulmates". It made me happy to see this in a PF novel.

I have not read many PF Tales yet, but the Salim books have been fascinating. Thanks, James Sutter, for a good read. I hope to see more such novels :).

I hope the novel line isn't cancelled. I just started reading them lol.

Stopping by to introduce myself (I hope this is the correct place).
I am still fairly new to the Pathfinder setting. I have been a Forgotten Realms fan for years, and have recently discovered Pathfinder. I have read a few of the PF Tales, but likely won't comment much until I have a better grasp of the world. I just wanted to introduce myself (if this is the wrong place I apologize).

In the FR setting, some of my favorite aspects were the elves and the gods, and that is likely to be the case with Pathfinder, too lol. I don't game much, but I love reading the novels.

I may comment on a thread now and then, or post a review on a book or short story, but I'll probably just hang out for a while.

I realize this thread old, and people probably don't want to see it again. It was obviously a hot topic when it first started. But being new here, I just wanted to add my thoughts, even as I realize the discussion has veered somewhat from the OP.

As someone who reads a lot of BL (boys love) manga and m/m romance novels, and as someone who has volunteered at and LGBTQ resource center, I am all about inclusiveness in gaming and novels (I know several people of the LGBTQ community who are gamers, and I fully admit I am a sucker for same-sex relationships, particularly m/m. I'm a sap, what can I say?). Such things are a "niche" now, but I hope they one day become more mainstream. When I read the PF novel "Redemption Engine", I was thrilled about Bors and Roshad (I'm still fairly new to the novels, so that's the only same-sex relationship I have seen so far, but it made me smile).

Anyway, just wanted to add my thoughts and support to those who want to bring more inclusiveness into the gaming world. Again, I don't mean to resurrect an old discussion, I just wanted to share my thoughts as a newcomer.