Kavlor's page

I'd like to point out that, at least in my personal opinion, the decision to remove slavery from the setting was largely mistaken, so I don't share your opinion.

Secondly, it's questionable, to say the least, to try to assert standard Earthly concepts of "war crimes" in a more archaic world. Especially in categories like the ones you've presented, such as prohibiting false surrenders or conducting reconnaissance operations without uniform, disguised as civilians.

This would be a shame for multiple reasons—Rahadoum should be able to restore its territorial integrity, and realistically it is much stronger than a newly-constituted Corentyne state and should be able to just seize the place. But you are probably right—Paizo's description of how the locals resent and fear the Pure Legion and prefer an alternative seems to be setting up the place to fall under Corentyn as a matter of self-determination, even if it's the self-determination of Orani pied-noirs or Capetown Afrikaners.

I'm wondering if Khari could become an independent city-state as a neutral territory? Something like Tangier: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tangier_International_Zone

Here is my assumptions on future borders of region: https://sun9-52.userapi.com/s/v1/ig2/GEO4TIciNle39R9juMPrLB7bTDVcgSlGJdEoxt N8hAkEkgW4hoyOsLyMuZUqYV2AdLc5op94EJgjYKJgwo7c0onO.jpg?quality=95&as=32 x21,48x32,72x48,108x72,160x107,240x160,360x240,480x320,540x360,640x427,720x 480,1080x720,1280x853,1440x960,1920x1280&from=bu&u=940CKSd570WXg_Hh daO8D0hGDuHQQOsGpblNpOAHPsc&cs=1920x0

In my view, Ravounel and Nidal will remain largely untouched by the war, geographically and territorially, although I do allow for some southern expansion in Ravounel's case.

I believe Corentyn will occupy a significant portion of the western coast. Pezzak and the Strix will also be freed from Cheliax control, but I'm honestly not sure whose control they will fall under. I don't believe Corentyn will advance east to Westcrown and take control of it. Simply because, in that case, Westcrown, as a much larger city, would have dominated, and the state wouldn't have been named that way.

Scorchhome, in my view, will control Chitterwood and likely expand eastward to the Aspodel Mountains. Simply because I doubt the goblins will sufficiently respect Cheliax's artificial borders and right to the foothills. Isger, accordingly, will control the remnants of its former territories.

I'm quite certain that Khari won't be under direct Cheliax control after the war ends. But I'm not sure what will happen to it specifically. I'd imagine its position will be uncertain for a while, and an adventure will be released later on, focusing on the city's fate.

The biggest question I don't know yet is what will happen to Cheliax. Will it be Worldwound 2.0 Electric Bungalow, but now with devils? Or will Cheliax remain a "normal" state? At least in the event of a Hellish invasion, I imagine Andoran will try to gain a foothold in Sirminium territory. I also think something is bound to happen to Westcrown. I mean, it may no longer be Cheliax's capital, but it's too populous, too influential, and too historically important to ignore.

Kavlor wrote:

Although I still have a question about why the books are so different in tone and narrative. I mean, they were obviously developed by the same company and written simultaneously, but it feels as if each book was written with a different artistic vision. At least, that's my expectation based on the available information.

This one is easy for me : Hellfire dispatches is the story Paizo wants to tell, and maybe even play, internally.

While Hellbreakers is the AP they want / need to sell.

Well, if that's the reason, I think it's rather sad, because I'd like to see more serious, bold, and mature stories. I agree that the first edition had serious problems, but the alternative isn't particularly good either, as the end result would be very bland.

I am curious what is the issue with Hellbreakers?

I have my reasons, but they mainly stem from the fact that, in my personal view, Hellbreakers oversimplifies certain themes.

For example, I thought the resolution of the goblin relationship in the adventure was overly simplistic, even though relatively recently (at least for humans) the two sides were fighting a near-war of extermination, and there are still many people alive who witnessed that war and were deeply affected by it, whether through personal trauma or the loss of family. I wasn't convinced by how the conflict would be resolved relatively easy after all that had happened for both sides, at least how book portrait.

Similarly, there were s other details. For example, I was somewhat dissatisfied with the portrayal of the Hellknights. Caedo, personally, didn't seem like a very good example of a Hellknight (especially compared to Owlcat's Regill), nor was he a particularly memorable villain. Compared to, say, Hell Rebells, I think Barzilai is much more impressive.

Overall, the overall tone of the adventure about fighting evil is quite optimistic and, in my opinion, somewhat naive.

Again, these are my personal complaints, but I do admit that the adventure, on the other hand, avoids many of the more straightforward problems found in some other APs. For example, there's sometimes a discrepancy between the AP's advertising and the actual plot, as was the case with Wardens of Wildwood. Or there are abrupt changes in the story, events, and characters' goals, as was the case, for example, in Second Darkness and Gatewalkers. In this regard, I have no complaints; the events follow logically from the premises, and there are no major revelations that necessitate abandoning everything that came before.

I'd like to point out that the available war notes from Hellfire Dispatches show that it's actually a very good book, especially compared to Hellbreakers, which I personally have a very low opinion of due to its simplification of many complex topics. But Hellfire Dispatches actually presents a very sober view of the war effort, without excessively glorifying the brave and kind people of Andoran fighting against Cheliax. Here is lore compilation from book: https://www.reddit.com/r/Pathfinder2e/comments/1s2fcu5/lost_omens_hellfire_ dispatches_lore_updates/

If you look at the Hell Knights, you see that their position is quite logical, given their views. Nail, Torrent, and Scar are located outside of Cheliax, so naturally they refused to follow orders. Godclaw... personally, I expected a schism and at least partial allegiance to Cheliax from them, but I can understand their neutrality. Finally, Pike aren't all that bad, and I can understand why they act the way they do.

On the other hand, Gate is too closely associated with diabolism. Pyre and Rack are ideological accomplices of the crown. Glyph are hardly full-fledged Hellknights, while Line was specifically formed from loyalists. Finally, I personally believe the Wall are not particularly happy to submit to the crown, but they didn't have much of a choice. After all, when your order was formed to defend a specific city, and an army is advancing on it, deserting would be a direct violation of your oath.

I can also understand why Scourge and Chain are divided, although I expected a more determined and stubborn resistance from Scourge. On the other hand, I'm interested in the fate of Chain citadel, as it held not only innocent political prisoners but also absolute scumbags who are quite difficult to kill by conventional means and require magical means to contain. A prison riot in such a situation promises to be... interesting.

On the other hand, Andoran is also portrayed as quite uneven, as various factions of the Eagle Knights are in conflict with each other. The very adherence to democracy in a wartime environment may be questionable. Tieflings are lynched simply based on their skin color and suspicion, while the Lumber Consortium profits. It's a very good and believable demonstration of democracy in a wartime environment. The only thing missing is former aristocrats somehow assisting Cheliax.

At the same time, unstated but quite obvious underhanded actions are evident. For example, the Duke of Taldor blocked the Sellen River under the ostensible goal of preventing the war from escalating, taking advantage of the princess's inactivity, but actually harming Andoran and aiding Cheliax with his actions.

Andoran itself is reluctant to enter into direct and open conflict with Taldor, nor are its potential allies. So Galt, Highhelm, and Kyonin are gathering the Bellis Company with their "volunteers" (roughly equivalent to the Chinese troops in Korea) to assist Andoran with a formally unaffiliated group, without committing their forces to the main front.

I'm somewhat concerned that Andoran is seeking help from the Shackles, as they're primarily useful against enemy trade, not against a real fleet. Each pirate captain is interested in their own gain, not in achieving Andoran's goal of victory in the war. Realistically, I'd expect 50% of the pirates to desert before reaching the theater of war, and the remaining 50% to plunder everyone in sight instead of helping the war.

Plus, it's clearly shown that all the major powers in the region are reluctant to get involved in the conflict between the two states. Qadira and Taldor are only marginally involved, but Absalom, Osirion, and Katapesh are rightly reluctant to fight for each other's interests.

I like that it's quite accurately shown that not all Cheliax residents who don't want to rebel against the country are villains, slave traders, torturers, and commit other atrocities. For example, the Khari are even more repulsive to the alternative, and overall, this resonates realistically with the views of the European and Jewish populations in North Africa on the independence of these countries.

Plus, I was really pleased that this book eliminates the Hellbreakers' naive and optimistic outlook. Isger is now moving more toward a failed state fragmented into many parts. The League has nominally won, but individual cities care more about themselves than the country as a whole, and they don't even control the capital. The goblins want the humans expelled, and I'm glad about that, because the AP, in my opinion, portrayed the end of the war's legacy, which almost reached genocide, as overly simplistic. We're left with worshipers of Asmodeus who refuse to leave, and then there's the Iron Rose. Plus, Isger's army is completely uncontrolled and acts independently.

I think it's generally clear that the conflicts with Molthune and Nidal won't end with Hell Destiny, though I expect the war between Andoran and Cheliax to end with this book. Moreover, the rebellion against Nidal will likely end in failure or at least a stalemate. Otherwise, there would be no point in a book about the region that explores its post-war geography and politics.

I still hope that, judging by the descriptions of Hell Destiny and the upcoming Cheliax book, the infernal monarchy will lose. I still claim that a world in which Cheliax had won this war would be much more interesting. But I'm at least convinced that this book takes a very sober approach to its depiction of war. If Hellbreakers is a 3/10 for me, then I expect Hellfire Dispatches to be an 8/10.

Although I still have a question about why the books are so different in tone and narrative. I mean, they were obviously developed by the same company and written simultaneously, but it feels as if each book was written with a different artistic vision. At least, that's my expectation based on the available information.

Does anyone know what each of the Kardaji Bay nations are based on? I don't know that much about bronze age civilisations and would love to do some research.

IMO:

Midea, Theiron and Mishirya - greek colonies in Asia
Khattib - something new to Mesopotamia or Elam
Hukaris - Assyrian or Akkad
Unbroken League - mix of above

Am I correct in understanding that the content of this thread and the discussion that took place here were used during the creation of the Kardaji Bay guide?

A set of thoughts regarding the Padishah Empire of Kelesh, as we now know much more about it and its people, thanks to the latest AP release. We've received information on six new satrapies of the Padishah Empire of Kelesh, so we now have at least minimal information on ten of the fourteen states that made up the empire, plus the remaining lands under direct imperial control.

Below is a collection of my observations and conclusions:

* The Althameri are one of the main peoples of the empire, likely dominant in the Ayyarad satrapy, as well as in the central lands of the empire. Drawing analogies from real history, they seem to me more similar to various Iranian-speaking Scythian peoples, such as the Sakas and Pathrans.
* The Aishmayar are the population of the Mishyria satrapy, or rather its ancient inhabitants, who have since become known as Mishyrians, as well as Beshzens. We've already established their satrapy. They seemed to me a very strange mix of religious beliefs, in some ways even reminiscent of Mycenaean Greece.
* Khattibi - quite obviously, these are the indigenous population of the satrapy of Khattib, in addition to the Vudrani who also live there (since it directly borders it). They have a very strange vibe based on the descriptions. The temple cities in the jungle and the geographical location somehow make me think of something like the city-states of the Indus Valley civilization.
* Midean - the population of the satrapies of Midea and Thieron, Greek settlers living in Asia. This fact was a big surprise to me, as I thought Midea would be closer to the culture of Kelesh and Ninshabur. After all, Kelesh is clearly Persia, and its historical enemy was Media, which is very consistent with Midea.
* The Susianam are a people who most likely lack a satrapy and are distributed along the entire southern coast of Casmaron, primarily inhabiting Khattib. I don't know anything about them, so I can't draw any conclusions.
* The Tzorehiyi are a people who inhabit the steppes and plains of the Padishah Empire. Their ethnic satrapy is likely the previously mentioned Zelshabbar on the border with the Grass Sea, or they live in the Whistling Plains; I'm not sure of their location. They are possibly related to the Althameri and Karas.

The Qadira are of pre-Keleshitic origin, which later assimilated into settlers from all over the Padishah Empire. Tirakawhan is located in Garund, so the indigenous population is most likely dominant there. I like to think of this place as analogous to Zanzibar. The Hukaris population is primarily descended from Ninshaburians and is possibly one of the largest groups with their presence. The Unbroken League is a mix of city-states, with different groups having Midian, Ninshaburian, and Khattibi origins.

This is what we already know about the various satrapies. Beyond this, there are also other ethnic groups for the remaining four satrapies, which have not yet been mentioned anywhere.

* Amai Birti - definitely do not have their own satrapy
* Jalunahs and Qalahs - may very well have their own satrapies.
* Ninshaburians, Yenchaburians, and Karas groups within the empire may also have their own lands, depending on how far east and north the empire extends.
* It's difficult for me to comment on the Casmar people, as there is virtually no information about them, nor about their way of life.

I believe the Empire at least nominally lays claim to the Whistling Plains, Windswept Wastes, and the Parchlands, but likely holds no tangible, de facto control over them. This means that Kelesh likely lacks true and complete control over the southern coast of the Castrovin Sea. They may have trading ports connected to the rest of the Empire via rivers, but it's unlikely they have complete control over the area. On the other hand, Kelesh has no authority over Kaskkari or the Grass Sea.

Of non-human groups, we know that dwarves inhabit Qadira. The Empire likely has a significant number of centaurs. Cyclopes, fauns, harpies, and minotaurs are likely present in the southern coastal lands. Khattib and the Unbroken League are likely the primary habitats of the Kashrishi. A certain number of catfolk and lizardfolk inhabit the central deserts.

Well, now we finally have a little more information about this part of the setting. We have descriptions of Iblydos and the Kardaji Bay. I don't have the books to say anything about it (and I would love to get a quick summary of the new lore), but I understand that the lore development for this region of the world has finally moved forward.

I would really like to see Andoran lose, personally. Andoran is one of my least favorite parts of the setting, as I find it too positive and boring. Andoran under diabolical occupation? That's a whole other question, and that setting would be much, much more interesting. And overall, I'm a fan of the setting retaining its dark past and willingness to tackle dark themes, as it did in its early days.

I would say that the Cyclopes really do seem to be an option for players, unlike the Jotuns. Since the Cyclopes have been in the setting since the beginning, we know of at least three large populations of Cyclopes in the setting, with different cultures, traditions, etc. And in addition, the Cyclopes have their own magic, which can be implemented in the game, in the form of their natural ability to divination.

In reality it's quite simple. Pathfinder Kingmaker CRPG and Golarion lore.

How often does "there's a law against it" stop a PC from doing something though?

Like "characters trying to survive in a hostile place" is a pretty standard story in this sort of thing.

From my point of view, this is a serious enough obstacle, and one created specifically against players from Avistan, that I consider it right to get rid of it.

Kavlor wrote:

To be honest, I'm not a fan of Arcadia book. I mean, it could be good, but I'm not a fan of concept of almost fully-native America-analogue, cause I believe that history of colonization and formation of new cultures in colonized lands is interesting too. But if it came out, I would like to get getherer and more info about dog-folk and wyrwoods.

[...]

And about adventure paths, there a few things that I would like to see. For example AP that would denounce Segada Protocol in lore.

"I don't want an Arcadia book because I don't like that it's not repeating the story of foreign colonization" and "I want an AP about ending the restrictions on colonization by Fantasy Europeans empires in Fantasy America" are both wild to just say out loud. I'm very glad you're not making decisions for Pathfinder.

Go re-read any of a dozen "slaughter the natives and take their gold" fantasy books from the 80s and 90s, there's no shortage of those.

Yeah, I don't like that we have a law in the lore that makes it illegal for Avistan characters to be in most of northern Arcadia. I think it's a huge limiting factor for the freedom of the player characters. Call it what you will, but I still stand by it.

Also, like I said, the colonial history is still pretty interesting to me, and it could give us a lot of unique cultures in Arcadia. I don't like it when the world is presented in a simplistic and toothless way, and I wanted Paizo to be more bold and provocative in their writing. I want a New York equivalent. I want devil-worshipping conquistadors. I want a harpy kingdom in southern Arcadia with parrot-like feathers and a carnival like Brazil. I want a story about religious exiles from Avistan migrating to the New World, just like the Puritans did. And I believe it will be interesting.

Oh, so Tolkien was the one who made hobgoblins a type of goblin after all? It seems this wasn't a creation of Wizards of the Coast. And thus, it is entirely okay for Paizo to make hobgoblins related to goblins.

There is a funny detail connected with this. The thing is that the word "goblin" as well as the prefix "hob" existed in the English language before. However, Tolkien made one unique mistake that determined the entire appearance of the hobgoblins. The thing is that the prefix "hob" in English means the fact that this creature is smaller than normal. So Tolkien literally created his main creation "hobbits". However, in the case of "hobgoblin" Tolkien made a mistake by saying that hobgoblins are taller than ordinary goblins, although in his letters he noted that it should be the other way around. And thus, in all fantasy, hobgoblins in their modern form were formed as taller relatives of goblins.

I'd like a story set in Taldor that would focus on chariot racing, given how important it was in Byzantium, and also the opportunity to reference Ben-Hur, a classic of world cinema.

But any way, there is no real logical sence that Qadira have bigger population in canon, than Cheliax. It seems very strange and odd for me.

SNIP

This is generally a fairly adequate estimate, but I would note that this population is significantly underestimated due to the fact that most of the cities in the setting are abnormally small in population. It is even difficult for me to say what is the reason for this. Perhaps the problem is the large number of monsters, due to which only part of the territories are populated by people, which is a natural barrier to the formation of large cities. But seriously, compare the Inner Sea and Europe in terms of the number of cities with a population of over 100,000 people, the numbers will be completely incomparable.

In addition, we have a good map that we can use for our purposes in the Inner Sea basin - a first edition map that includes a scale. So we can quite easily calculate the population of rural areas based on this data. Moreover, if we wish, we can take a lower population density for some territories that are especially dangerous.

By the way, am I the only one who wonders why we have Duskwalkers and Samsarans in canon both? I mean, they are two very similar looking races, both of which fulfill a similar idea - to be mortal beings who are sent to reincarnation. The only difference between them is that the Samsarans do it all the time. I actually have a theory that they are actually one people, but just live of different continents.

Kavlor wrote:

zimmerwald1915 wrote:

SNIP

I would say that in medieval society 90% of population was a peasants. Also, due to size of Cheliax and fact that Golarion comparable with Earth, Cheliax population would 20-40 millions.

As I understand, it's a little more complicated than that. Even if it's true, none of the Inner Sea's nations exactly map to the feudal model it was developed for. I recall that 3.5 had something like it for kingdom building, but there's no reason for Paizo to be bound to it if they don't want to be.

More advanced forms of economic organization will only increase the potential population. In fact, there are not many ways to reduce the population of a territory equivalent to Southern Europe in terms of climate. And as far as I know, in the last few years there has not been a war that would kill 10% of the population, a large-scale epidemic or mass starvation.

The only thing that can lead to a country having a smaller population is the presence of powerful and dangerous monsters that the army and locals do not risk getting involved with.

So using the canonical figures of 300 thousand as the population of these territories is absolutely wrong. I would rather prefer an approximation of the population based on the known area of ​​the territory and known data on population density in certain periods of history.

SNIP

I would say that in medieval society 90% of population was a peasants. Also, due to size of Cheliax and fact that Golarion comparable with Earth, Cheliax population would 20-40 millions.

I would also like to point out that Casmaron should absolutely give us the ability to create harpies. We already have similar flying peoples, and it would be completely wrong to deprive us of such capabilities with harpies, especially considering that they are one of the first things that come to mind when we think of flying creatures in fantasy.

I still think we need Shifter class as class Archetype for Druids that would make them decent martials.

With Tar-Baphon to the north and Cheliax to the West that starts to put some major strain on The Shining Kingdoms and the southern Kingdoms of The Eye of Dread. How will Andoran work as a group of 'Plucky Rebels' rather than a nation? Will the Eagle Knights make some uncomfortable choices if it means defeating Cheliax? Maybe Nirmanthas and Oprak are able to bury the hatchet after Ironfang Invasion to stand up against a resurgent Cheliax, or will they be ground between the Lich and the evil empire? If Andoran falls, can Eutropia's Taldor and Kyonin, ravaged from their fight against Treerazer, pull themselves together from their recent troubles in time to push back the literal legions of hell?

I absolutely agree. The only thing that could compare to Andoran's victory in my opinion is if Cheliax literally became a copy of Germany after WWII, in a situation where Andoran and other parties to the conflict begin to cooperate with yesterday's bureaucrats of the regime simply because they need to somehow manage the lands. In exchange for the secrets of Asmodeus, Andoran provides a generous amnesty program for yesterday's devils and aristocrats. The country is divided into military occupation zones. A separate part of the country is made an independent state for halflings, evicting all humans from there. The underground of infernalists is extensive and present in all major cities of the country, organizing the evacuation of former supporters of the monarchy in Bloodcove.

This would be an interesting setting, and an extremely dark one, which I would gladly watch. But I doubt that we will ever show Andoran in this form.

In fact, my biggest hope is that Cheliax wins the war. Because I think, quite unironically, that would be a more interesting storyline than the standard victory of good in the form of Andoran.

Thought of another ancestry that might make sense in the Pathfinder setting. And what about the Selkie? A good choice for an aquatic race that doesn't lose on land.

I think we will have this sides:

Cheliax, Ravounel, Nidal, Isger, Katapesh goverment, Mzali, Shackles, Korvosa, Molthune, Oprak

vs

Andoran, Nimrathas, Katapesh Firebrands, Senghor, Vidrian, Nimrathans, Kraggodan, Five King Mountains

2) Aiuvarin should require that your ancestry is not Elf, and Dromaar should require that your base ancestry is not Orc. Because an Elf with 2 Elven parents or an Orc with 2 Orcish parents is just an Elf/Orc, respectively.

Actually, I don't quite agree. It allows you to play a character who only has a small portion of his bloodline that is not, say, elven. For example, a character who is 3/4 or 7/8 elf could be an elf with half-elf bloodline.

Rakshasa spawn already exist as the beastbrood subtype of tieflings, which should be able to function on nephilim.

Rakshasa are no longer Fiends, so Rakshasa Spawn can get treir own ancestry.

Some thoughts on who else could be in the playable races list:

Harpies - Let's be honest, they are basically the race we all think of when we think of flying people. And they would fit the theme of Casmaron perfectly. My main hope is that they will remain monogender. Especially since we already have the Surki.

Cyclops - Pathfinder has already done some work fleshing out the Cyclopes, and I could see an opportunity to give them their own flair in the setting. Especially given their innate talent for prophecy. A big ancestry intended for casters?

Fauns - The last of the folk from classical Greek mythology, but this time more closely related to the fairies.

Urmahlullu - Essentially the Wemics from Mesopotamian mythology. Haven't appeared in the Pathfinder universe, but let's be honest, I'd consider them a nice addition.

Fairy-Touched: I think we're missing a lineage like this that covers possible offspring from interbreeding with different varieties of fairies. Probably a Nephilim variety.

Garuda -- I think when it comes to Woodra, another type of flying ancestor would make a lot of sense for that region. Especially since they're already in the local mythology, and we know how much Pathfinder loves to plunder mythologies from around the world for playable races.

Rakshasa spawn -- I'm not really that excited about these, but I'm more interested in seeing how Paizo implements them. I liked how they handled the Oni, and now I want to see Rakshasa. And to be fair, I would like to see more demons, simply because I like the narrative of the war between the gods and titans at the dawn of creation, and the demons trying to turn humanity away from the worship of the gods in favor of the fallen titans.

For the gnomes, I would like to be able to play as the gnomes who survived the Bleaching. And perhaps something more aquatic-themed. Perhaps something inspired by turtles or crabs? Or, if I recall, there are myths in Korea that can be interpreted as merfolk whose lower body is not a fish, but an octopus. That could be an interesting option.

Well, my interest: Golden Road, Shining Kingdoms, Old Cheliax > Casmaron > other Avistan > Tian Xia > Garund > Arcadia.

I am very interested in what the society and cultures of the Padishah Empire might be like. For example, it could easily have a satrapy of civilized harpies.

Set wrote:

But I kind of feel the same way about the nations. There's fantasy Egypt and fantasy Persia and fantasy China, but where's the fantasy Poland or Ireland or Germany? Why just the 'exotic' (to a white guy...) places?

If you look closely at the Inner Sea Region, you will see that it's actually full of 'exotic' places / tropes to an American guy : Galt, Taldor, Irrisen, Lands of the Linnorm Kings ...

And in my personal opinion, in the case of Taldor, not enough was done to make it unique. I would have been happy if the characters from the Taldor aristocracy wore not the standard European dresses and uniforms, but something inspired by real Byzantine clothing.

On the other hand, I prefer to mostly ignore Irrisen's existence.

Kostchtchie was removed for the same reason Orcus was. Unlike Pazuzu or Baphomet (deities that also have a D&D legacy), Kostchtchie and Orcus's recognizable elements were too OGL mired to make it into the remastered non-OGL game. Jubilex too, but even more so, since he's 100% D&D.

Have you considered going back to the original Kostchtchie story from Russian fairy tales? After all, he could practically be called the first true lich, since he had a full-fledged phylactery and a complex way to destroy it. That would be a nice nod to Slavic mythology. After all, you already have Baba Yaga.

Personally, I am happy with these changes. I myself categorically did not like that the gods of Osirion are literally a complete adherence to the canons of Egyptian mythology, and not an attempt to create something alternative, based on real mythology. So I fully support the removal of these gods from the setting.

Kavlor wrote:

wildweasel wrote:

Just downloaded :)

How much juicy detail is there regarding the details of Gorum's death and its impact on the setting, as well as other events in Avistan and on other continents?

There is a 15 page or so Mythic Gazateer chapter, and it touches on Arcadia, Casmaron, Garund, and Tian Xia.

So, if I understand correctly, we finally have more information about the geography of Casmaron and Arcadia?

Just downloaded :)

How much juicy detail is there regarding the details of Gorum's death and its impact on the setting, as well as other events in Avistan and on other continents?

I just had an idea for a great sports-themed AP that easily turns into a political thriller.

If Taldor is an obvious analog of the Byzantine Empire, then it's easy to remember the most important sport in Byzantium. Chariot racing, which provoked urban riots of thousands in Constantinople.

So the AP on this topic starts with a relatively low-level story about the rivalry between sports teams and the dirty tricks of the opponents. But then things get much more interesting as details are revealed about the backers of our opponents and their plans to cause urban riots in Oppara and overthrow the ruler of the country.

When I was said that we can use wemic-analogue race in Pathfinder and especially in Casmaron, I was not joking. This is wikipedia page about this Mesomopamian creatures: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urmahlullu

I have never heard of this adventure path. When was it announced? Does it take place in Azlant? Is it a mythic adventure path?

Gencon, on Azlant, 1-10 level, no myth.

Dungeon crawls also have one problem that prevents me from enjoying them. The thing is that most of the dungeon feels like a forced obstacle on the way to the final point, and does not involve the players in any way.

How much would it have changed if the group had simply teleported to the very bottom of the dungeon and killed the final boss, ignoring the minions on the way? I understand the limitations related to the level and power of the character, but let's ignore them.

Seven Dooms, as far as I know, managed to alleviate this problem somewhat. Each of the dungeon levels had a threat that could destroy Sandpoint, so it made sense for the players to participate in all of it. But most APs like this do not have this.

EDIT: That said, telling us "we don't like something" doesn't really help us build things you do like. It's much more helpful to give a few examples, like "Our group likes roleplaying with NPCs" or "Our group likes PCs who have mounts and do mounted combat" or the like, so that we know more.

Best for our table was Hell Rebels, War for the Crown and Strenght of Thousands.

In that case, I'll note that from the perspective of my DM and my fellow tablemates, we'll probably skip this AP. Dungeon crawls are probably one of the least interesting types of adventures for us. Nothing personal, but it's just not our thing.

I'm most looking forward to the Casmaron book, and I think there are three options for it:

1) Harpies. They would fit the antique theme of the region much better.
2) Cyclopes. We already have large races, and they could also have thematic bonuses related to prophecies.
3) Wemics. In real Mesopotamian mythology, there are creatures similar to centaurs, but with a part lion instead of a horse.

I don't care about Mordant Spire at all, but would be happy to see Azlant geographycal guide.

It's been a while since this thread was last updated, so I wanted to recap the progress of these predictions and what each story means.

Sky King Tomb: I think it has to do with the line "Great legacies reclaimed when they were thought lost", given the ending of this story.

Season of Ghosts: definitely "A humble village grows where there was nothing before", there are very few alternatives.

Seven Dooms of Sandpoint: no alternatives "An immense red bird rains fire on a small town"

Wardens of Wildwood: it's hard for me to pinpoint exactly what line is hinting at these events. Maybe "The return of great evils thought lost to time"?

Curtain Call: in the case of this story, I think the correct comparison would be "Beloved mortal entertainers make some deities laugh with delight, but others consume them and choke them with cruelty". Fits the operatic theme and direct involvement with the gods very well.

Triumph of the Tusk: It's hard to pin down given how little we know about these events. Maybe "Old gods fall and new gods rise in their place" or "Ultimate power within the grasp of almost countless hands" given the general events of the War of the Immortals that will be touched upon here?

Spore War: No guesswork here, it's definitely "A pale cataclysm ravages the lands, leaving corruption and tangled thorns in its wake".

Shades of Blood: Even given how little we know right now, this is an easy guess. "New lands rise from the ashes of ancient civilizations".

This leaves me with a few questions. Where do Rusthenge, Prey for Death, and the new Gravelands adventure fit into this paradigm? Anyone have any clues?

And of course, we still have a few phrases that I didn't connect to anything:

1) Two great powers declare war, and many neighbors have to pick sides
2) The sun destroyed
3) They see countless spirits shrieking in agony
4) A crowned phoenix with a peacock tail, whose return heralds vengeance upon the world

I'm most interested in events 1 and 4, to be honest. I like big wars because they have to change a lot (otherwise there's no point in them), and I also want to see Xandergul again. Oh, and the death of the Sun is interesting too. The only thing that worries me about this situation is that options 2 and 4 clearly involve high-level adventures, considering that we're unlikely to be in secondary roles against Xandergul, just as apocalyptic events like the destruction of the sun are likely to be at level 20 and possibly even with mythic rules.

I'll be honest - I'm not the biggest fan of this book. Some information would have been nice, but I would have appreciated a regional guide to Avistan much more.

6) Legislative introduction of equality between the inhabitants of the prefectures and provinces, providing them with equal protection and rights in accordance with imperial laws.

As far as I know, we had several times when it was planned to create an AP, but for one reason or another they were never implemented.

An example of this is the mention of the AP, which would have resolved the situation in Galt. Of course, in the end we managed to get the current state of affairs completed, albeit to a much smaller extent.

However, I have another question - what other stories were considered to be created in the setting, but in the end they were never created?

Do we have more information about lands outside the Inner Sea such as Droon or Iblydos? Also, do we have more information about The Wardens of the Wild?