This could be very useful to me as someone who loves Andoran. While there's some debate over how many magical schools Andoran has, apparently whatever ones they have aren't impressive enough to be mentioned. There is, in short, a gap in a magic arms race between they and Cheliax. It might be interesting to see them try to build a new academy, only to find help from a source they didn't expect.
There are no listed magical schools in the Cheliax book either. And looking at high level spellcasters in the respective books, Andoran actually looks to have an advantage in Wizards, if anything.
In fact, the Almas University Provost is a 17th level Wizard. Which, to me, seems to indicate that Almas University, though not primarily or exclusively a magic school, probably has a fairly robust magical curriculum available to students who are interested.
Which is not to say that the Magaambya's aid wouldn't be both useful and appreciated, but there's no real evidence of the disparity in resources you're citing here.
I was thinking of the Egorian Academy Infernal Binder School chiefly.
I think it's mentioned in the Inner Sea Primer
But to be fair, that is the only one I can think of by name so I maybe reading too much into it and some of the players guides to Cheliax based APs :o Wouldn't be the first time I've earned a silver in jumping to conclusions
I rather like the idea of starting the party out as students at the Magaambya and then sending them on a mission elsewhere.
Why in the world would you want to leave?
Paizo Blog He's a Magic Man, She's a Magic Man! wrote:
In addition to their heavy presence in the Mwangi Expanse, the Magaambya has begun setting up satellite colleges to the north—after the explosion (many times literal) of arcane events and anomalies that have occurred in Avistan, from the closure of the Worldwound to the appearance of New Thassilon to the destruction caused by the Whispering Tyrant, the scholars of the south have decided it’s about time they go see what on earth is happening up there!
This could be very useful to me as someone who loves Andoran. While there's some debate over how many magical schools Andoran has, apparently whatever ones they have aren't impressive enough to be mentioned. There is, in short, a gap in a magic arms race between they and Cheliax. It might be interesting to see them try to build a new academy, only to find help from a source they didn't expect.
Imagine a small town on Andoran's coast about to be chosen as the site for a new Magical University, but the main wizards advising (and maybe teaching) are a Kyonin elf (Hoping to prepare a buffer against the Whispering Tyrant in a generation), a Korvosan Academae professor (Who teaches a more ruthless and perhaps selfish style) and a Magaambya magician (Who thinks the Andorans need to make sure the wizards adapt an attitude of community minded wizards rather than soldiers or ladder climbers).
With PCs hired as bodyguards for wizards during construction and their own actions helping influence which professor/adviser has the biggest influence.
Satellite magic colleges could be the gift that keeps on giving no matter what country you base things in :)
I've said this elsewhere, but I just love the whole philosophy of the school with an emphasis being on as much what you do with the magic as being as important as the magic itself.
As long as we don't have a sudden reveal where Iomedae finds Aroden in the shower only to learn it was all a horrible dream and he's alive after all!!
:)
More seriously, I have to wonder if Aroden somehow failed to take Groetus into account and this lead him vulnerable. Maybe Aroden died willingly at the last moment, a suicide when he saw what would come AFTER his golden Age?
The Shining Kingdoms has one of my favorite setting countries, Andoran which I admit I kind of NEED to see a positive take on democracy in these times... consortium troubles aside :) However, I see a war brewing for them eventually... Cheliax seems weaker than it was (key word seems) and that might be tempting for a young republic that has lived in fear of a devil plagued country that still considers them a wayward province.
It could get ugly.
And it looks like Kyonin and the Five Kings Mountains are opening up... and I always thought they really needed more development and definitely more interaction/influence with other countries around them. Honestly, these two non human ruled nations getting a breath of fresh air intrigues me. The Elves are rightly spooked by the return of the Whispering Tyrant, and about tired of Treerazor. Former knights of Mendev have come to help with the latter, while the Kyonin elves go out beyond their borders to play diplomat and seek alliances because of the former could be great stuff. Heck, I'm half way through playing in Second Darkness and boy do the elves need a redemption angle ;)
I see loads of potential here, and while I'm as rar rar 'human potential' as the next fantasy lover, the idea of the elves and dwarves taking the lead on some things intrigues me.
Runner up for me meta region wise would have to be the Mwangi expanse.
A new nation breaking the chains of it's former oppressive colonial identity and seeking to forge a new identity? Go Vidrian! This could be a homeland worth fighting for!
Nantambu I knew little of, but the short blurbs I have read recently make me love the place. The Magaambya Academy teaching wizards with an emphasis not just on the magic, but "Who can I aid with this magic?" is wonderful. I'm a sucker for knights of the round table stuff at times, and this might just be the arcane version of that but wrapped in its own rich culture. So that's two nations in one meta region that hook me.
The Child God of Mzali freaks me out, but that's a GOOD thing.
After that, it fragments even more in preferences.
Poor Nirmathus in the "Eye of Dread" Meta region WAS one of my favorite settings for a group but I'm going to have to drop back and think on what to do there. Poor place is now getting it from ALL sides.
Out of the Shining Road countries, I am intrigued most by Qadira and more specifically the empire east of it... but that's leaving the regions listed.
Odd. I don't like deserts but I love the old 1001 tales stuff
I'm not that versed on the Darklands, but with Serpentfolk, Cyclopses, and Purple worms and the like I'm pretty sure the Mwangi expanse has a lot of trouble under the surface it may not know about... save in legend.
I want to see the Kelishite Empire have a few satrapies/Nations to show the variety that can exist within it even if it's all more or less under the same Emperor.
I mean, sure, everyone pays tribute, and there are threads of common culture laced through said empire, but we could have things like:
A Demihuman majority nation/Satrapy that fears losing it's identity to "human ways" but it is thriving so so be it.
A Satrapy where a god/goddess is seen as Sarenrae's consort and equal (And is certainly popular with the locals), thus threatening to cause religious turmoil and accusations of heresy.
A Satrapy ruled or at least heavily influenced by a family with Blue Dragon heritage who either serve their draconic great grandsire, or are the best defense against him, or both!
A frontier area where the Empire is expanding, with in addition to the regular great armies, some criminals are allowed a second chance at life and reform by taming it and thus finding redemption in Sarenrae (And some Kelish Prince's) eyes.
And, of course, that obligatory Satrapy that's THIS close to rebelling/breaking away :)
Sarenrae- "The Dawn Will Come" -Dragon Age Inquisition
Shelyn- "What a Wonderful World" Louis Armstrong
Cayden Cailean -"The Wind of Change" The Scorpions
Erastil- "The Garden Song" ala John Denver
One would think with its strong number of wizards, Nex would rank among rule by High Intelligence scores but it is described as something of a bureaucratic nightmare IIRC :)
After fighting your way through challenges that would make an arch devil blanch, and possibly lay low a dragon, and getting past tricks and traps that defy the very laws of nature and mystify the wisest men, finally you approach the Starstone and a voice rips through your soul and demands....
"What is the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?"
Since CaptainFord put forth the initial pitch, I would not want to step on their toes, so they have the final say.
That said, I would be willing to GM this.
If I did, I would use Pathfinder rules and definitely allow everything on the Pathfinder Reference Document while considering other options on a case-by-case basis.
I think a lot of people are looking too much into the specifics of what's being said within the context of Golarion rather than of TTRPGs as a whole. What I was trying to say with this thread was "I'd like to see more APs which aren't medieval European fantasy-themed." Taldor only had a few places in APs beforehand (Snows of Summer/Dreams of the Yellow King), yes, but the setting of Taldor -albeit with some very interesting differences, of course!- is still similar enough to, say, Varisia, Cheliax, Belkzen, etc. That's not to say these countries are ANYWHERE at all similar to each other in the context of Golarion- they have vastly different cultures, bestiaries and playtypes- but to an outsider passing by these books in a store, there's more of a difference between Realm of the Mammoth Lords, the land of megafauna-riding sorcerers, and Varisia/Cheliax/etc- in that the settings like Orision, Numeria or the Shackles have themes which are INSTANTLY recognizable as "not your usual TTRPG setting." Does that make more sense? What I'm saying is I'd like to get back to experimenting more with that kind of AP!
Frankly, while War for the Crown might be heading this way anyway, what I'd like to see is an AP with a kind of serving King Arthur/Round Table feel to it. The one where you work for The good ruler guy (Gal) who is actually decent enough to make you think this Monarchy stuff is going to work this century. Heck, they could rip whole cloth from some elements and give the heroes a chance to keep that kingdom safe from what destroyed Arthur.
Maybe the heroes get a chance to stop a love triangle from forming.
Maybe they stand against the ruler's bastard son.
Maybe the ruler gets ill and only a holy object can heal him/her?
i'd like an Arthurian kind of setting, not just a chance to defend the Good Kingdom, but a great one with a ruler that comes around maybe once in a thousand years tops.
But the 'Arthur' kingdom doesn't need to be in Astivan. Adapt the above, and put it in the so far unknown Southern Parts of Garund below the Mwangi Expanse! Magical Wakanda forever! And I would be down with that.
Or put it in Tian Xia, and the fact that title might be Khan or Emperor or something is fine!
And as I loved a lot of Sinbad and such, and it's been awhile since Legacy of Fire, I would love to see a Solomon like Satrap of a yet unrevealed area of Casmaron, in need of the adventurers to join his elite forces
Take the vanilla concept, remold to fit the culture (I trust whoever develops to be better educated in the area than I will ever be), and draw inspiration not just from Arthurian stuff but said part of the world and what it homages and give me a 'too good to be true but he/she is true and worth serving' kind of lord and i would give it a chance. i want a Camelot area, and I'm not too fussy about where they put it or what style it comes in. :)
Heck, better, since Paizo could put their own touches on it. So you don't all have to be shiny armor wearers. etc.
YMMV
But War for the Crown may turn into that anyway so we'll see.
You gain the ability to understand chickens, or, at least you think you do, you hear voices from them about egg laying and how that other chicken is greedy and took the best feed. If you talk to the chickens they don't seem to understand you.
With the exception of magical casting, all those in a 10 foot radius about you for the next hour must make Will saves at DC 11 or everytime they say a word that starts with B, they must follow it it up immediately with 'Bwkak' (Ala a chicken noise). Such as "I was checking near the Border *bkwak!* . There's no sign of any further bandit *bkwak!* activity."
Tomorrow in Andoran it will be partly cloudy and fully liberated, with a chance of patriotic outbursts sometime after noon. Citizens are advised to wear tricorne hats and a sense of denial about any shady economic inequalities.
ST Shadow has been nice enough to allow me to check for interest and see if any of you guys would want to take part in a V20 modern game.... a cam game where you Do NOT get to play one of the main seven clans... if that doesn't drive you off? read the spoiler
Chronicle: Bloody Snowflakes
Spoiler:
The Camarilla, that greatest and most venerable of sects. It claims under its umbrella, all Kindred as its charges. Claims aside, most who know it, know better. Seven great clans (Six if you believe that the Gangrel Egress is going anywhere) make up the power structure and majority of their membership. Other Clans are either Independent or have, mostly, allied with the Sabbat! Mere Bloodlines struggle for acceptance, notice, and sometimes even permission to claim a haven in a city.
You ought to know, you're one of the atypical ones. Your blood is different from the 'Big Seven'. To paraphrase an old saying, you had to work twice as hard to get half as much. So much for the "Camarillan Dream".
And then, it happened, a Camarilla City, had not only its kine population depleted by flood and fire, but also faced the loss of over fifty percent of its kindred! Out of the wet ashes, a Malkavian Prince rose to power, and now, a decade later, the humans are back in the numbers they were before. Where there are humans, Kindred may feed and thrive!
Only the Prince has decided to embrace (no pun intended) what she calls "Cainite Diversity"! She has denied members of the seven Clans the right to settle in her domain directing them elsewhere! She has refused to let those few in the city sire. Instead, she has put out word that bloodlines and children of the rarer bloodlines will be not only tolerated but welcome and encouraged to thrive!
Of course, she's out of her damned mind! She's got to be making enemies right and left! But then, this is your chance. Whether you simply hope for a home, wish to try to gain influence in some aspect of the city before some Ventrue or Toreador can claim it instead, or hope to earn an embrace and increase your bloodline; this is likely your best bet. For once, your rarity helps get your foot in the door.
You are a Bloody Snowflake…
----------------------
As you can tell, I'm embracing the weird for this one. It may turn out to be more of a world of shadow than flat out darkness. The Fictional City means I get to wing it a bit more, and frankly steal from any players who want to contribute what this setting has. Think New Orleans' less loved cousin and we work from there.
The PCs would start as Neonates in current times in the Fictional City of Perle Perdu, Louisiana. Most likely as new arrivals, but I might allow one or two to have always been there but now showing themselves.
Clans & Bloodlines allowed: the whole 'gimmick' is you get to play something odd, or at least rare, a non cam clan in a Camarilla setting.
Here is what is allowed
Blood lines and Clan offshoots allowed: Daughters of Cacophony (Who can be male as well), Gargoyle, Kiasyd, Lasombra Antitribu, Assamite (Yes, they're trying to join the Cam as is a setting option) Vizier or Sorcerer, Old Clan Tzimsce (Who have Animalism, Auspex, and Dominate), Salubri, Samedi, True Brujah
Starting Generation 13th
Attributes - 7/5/3
Abilities - 13/9/5
Backgrounds – 6*
Virtues - 7
Disciplines - 4 (Rare out of Clan disciplines will need a reason)
Freebies - 21
Merits & Flaws - 7 & 7 max
*- Obviously some Backgrounds won't make sense if you arrive in a new city, but you can sort of 'pre purchase' and have things kind of fall in your lap in play, within reason. You probably won't have more than one dot in Influence at the start period.
I'll be trying to use the V20 rules. I don't have the new bloodlines book, but I'm open to merits or flaws from it if if you give me the details on game effect.
While some of you maybe off on 'solo moments' quite often, it's my hope that the 'we freaks are in this together ' factor will encourage a coterie or sorts… or at least reduce the chances war between PCs .
I'm going for a post rate of one every 3 days for me, and you guys responding within a day or two after that if possible. In solo moments it may matter less.
In addition to the stats, I would like to know the following things.
1) How old is your character and when was he/she embraced?
2) Why is your character in Perle Perdu? Obviously for a home, but did his or her sire send her, is her bloodline encouraging him her to establish room for growth for them all? Etc. Are they on a diplomatic mission, or on the run etc?
3) Related: What are your character's long term goals and dreams?
4) Does your character have mortal friends or family in the setting? Do they know of you even if (hopefully) they don't know you are a vampire?
Downside is I'm not as good an ST as Shadow there ;) And I tend to be rules light
I know time is running out. I can't decide between a former scholarly monk turned Tremere or a bastard son of a noble turned thief who ended up embraced by the Lasombra .
Would the Tremere cause too much IC party conflict with the Tzimisce?
No preference for Miles. I know zip about Milwaukee by night, but then, ICly there's a good chance I'd know Zip about either so no worries either way ;)
I am still tempted to throw a Nosferatu out there (Fully aware I wouldn't be playing both) instead if it will increase my chances and/or fill a niche ;)
Here are the point expenditure costs, sorry I did not list this sooner:
Willpower - 2 per dot.
Aw crap, there's some math to sort out for me. :) It was 1 per dot in Revised and V20. Also looks like I mistakenly began with it equal to self-control instead of courage. But it's fixable. Bringing my courage up to 5, which is doable with the concept, would handle most of the problem. Looks like I accidentally swapped my stealth and survival dots, so I'd be in there fixing things anyway. Looking at some flaws to make the points work.
Ack, it's not just you. I spent 1 freebie per WP as well. Time to readjust the sheet for Miles. :o
I am a bit lost, I'm pretty sure I am missing at least three intrigues and doomed ...but at least two elders will kill me quickly because they like me!
I'll have to think on who my least favorite ones are...it varies upon my mood, but in defense of Cayden....
Source material sometimes seem to conflict itself, but I know faiths of purity says of Cayden Cailean "He’s legendarily fond of drink, but he’s not a drunk—his libations are those of the merry and brave, not those who drink to forget or as an excuse to abuse others."
So he's the positive side of the "If then by whisky" speech in my games, and oddly has a message of taking responsibility for your own actions.
I tend to play up his Freedom and Bravery before even those though.
You're welcome. I'm wishing we get an official magical academy in Andoran one day, at least a little one. You would think there might be some worries about a lack of arcane defenses against Cheliax ;)
Legacy of Fire: "Kapatesh Nights! During adventuring days, it could go quite awry, as wishes are tried... in a lot of foul ways! Kapatesh Knights, under Kapatesh moons, a player with bad luck, could die from Pugawumpus run amok... before he hits level two..."
