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Do priests and religious leaders in-world know the “truth” about what happens to souls? Are they just as misinformed as lay people, or do they actively deceive their flock with promises of continued existence in an afterlife while knowing full well that personal identity isn’t preserved?

I'm sorry the haters are so vocal, James. Rest assured that hordes of others are "silent" because we're busy enjoying paizo's great products!

Now a question so as not to cheat the thread: is there any chance of a Brevoy-focused product coming out in the reasonably-near future?

Hi Everyone,
I'm looking for some feedback from fellow GM's on an idea I'm considering. I'm currently finishing up Into the Stolen Lands, have River Runs Red mostly prepped (including Dudemeister's "monster kingdom" mods), and am looking over Varnhold Vanishing, in anticipation.
For whatever reason, I'm not "feeling" the centaurs and undead cyclops, though I like the basic story structure of the adventure. . . .
One thought I'm kicking around is replacing Vordaki with a Body Thief (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/plants/bodythief), and following the same general story, except the Varnhold village will have been replaced by pod-spawn (preserving the "loss of contact" angle), but leaving the village "weird" rather than empty.
I was thinking that the tomb was the location of an ancient cult that worshiped/served a Body Thief, and heroic champions sealed the temple long ago to protect the region from the threat. Some inhabitants of the region (other than centaurs) were tasked with safeguarding the temple from intrusion in much the same way as in the original story.
The party will ultimately visit Varnhold, figure out that something is terribly wrong by virtue of all the strange, emotionless people (some of whom they might have known), and eventually work their way to the temple/tomb to defeat the Body Thief, and rescue the 40 or so villagers that have been kidnapped (but not absorbed yet).
It's just an idea at this stage, and I'm hoping for (polite) creative input, whatever it might be. Do you see any potential here? Pitfalls? Any suggestions for substitutions for the centaurs?

Just wanted to add my voice to the chorus of "thanks" to Dudemeister. Your awesome work lives on, years later! I'm running "Stolen Lands" right now, and will certainly incorporate your "monster kingdom" angle in the next chapter.

Alayern wrote:

Elves of Golarion mentions something known as "The Brightness." Apparently it is a journey of self discovery that elves may choose to undergo to reach some sort of enlightenment.

• 1. Does an elf know when he/she does actions that would help him to find her/his brightness?
  
• 2. What happens if an elf (as I suppose many do) chooses not to seek their brightness? I sincerely hope it isn't as severe as the bleaching is to the gnomes...
  
• 3. Since the brightness is a form of self perfection, does Irori inspire elven followers to seek it?
  
• 4. If yes, how does he facilitate their journey?
  
• 5. If an elf is affected by reincarnate do they lose their brightness? Do they lose their ability to find it? What if they had already attained it?
  
• 6. Likewise, if someone is reincarnate-d into an elf, do they gain the ability to seek the brightness?
  
• 7. Lastly, if you were an elf, what would you suspect your brightness to be?

Sorry for the many questions, but self discovery is a big thing for me, and the fact that elves have this tool to attain that is a wonderful concept.

1) Yes, if the elf is a follower of the philosophy. It's not a racial thing. It's a philosophical thing.

2) Nothing at all. "The Brightness" isn't something that all elves do. It's an elven philosophy, a not-quite religion. Those elves who follow the Brightness seek to reach a level of self-awakening, but those who do not don't. It's not an inborn trait common to all elves, any more than becoming a wizard or fighter or rogue is.

3) It's something that Irori approves of, yes. It may even have inspired him, at least partially, to achieve his own self-perfection.

4) He does not facilitate the journey unless the elf worships Irori. Most do not.

5) An elf that achieves Brightness for real does not want to come back to life, and thus can't be raised or resurrected. That's the whole POINT of the Brightness.

6) Only if they become a follower of the philosophy.

7)...

Hello James,

In "Elves of Golarion" (and some other places, I think) it states that elves believe in reincarnation. Is this an aspect of the "Brightness" philosophy, and therefore applies only those who subscribe to it? Or, is this something all elves believe in? In either case, how does this impact the number of elven petitioners of elven deities in realms like Elysium? Are these realms sparsely populated due to so many elven souls reincarnating instead?