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The schools of Nidal that specialize in shadow magic are completely separate. I don't think anyone's mentioned the two schools in Nidal: The Dusk Hall in Pangolais and the School of the Pale Sun in Elith Lorin. The Dusk Hall specializes in shadow magic.
Finally got my hands on it. Read it literally cover to cover in a day. This is almost <i>perfect</i>. Now I just need those two planar books and I can really start working on my campaign! Also, most of the art is absolutely gorgeous (I say mostly just because of the few rather disturbing ones, which are still amazingly well done). And oh my god, the <i>map</i>. A while ago, I made a shoddy map edit to add Crosspine and the Uskheart and Karpad to a Nidal map, but this has almost everything! It's really only missing Karpad, and a few minor obscure things, like the dueling liches and the umbral dragon in the mountains (names are escaping me at the moment). But all in all, this is amazing.
Places where you can find info on the Shades of the Uskwood: Inner Sea World Guide has a small write up, and Horror Realms has a larger - but also there's one in the Inner Sea NPC Codex, under Uskwood Druid. The last two combined probably give the best look at the Shades. I know it was a pain trying to find scraps of information for my own Shade of the Uskwood PC. xD (He's currently the only evil character in a mostly good or neutral party running through Strange Aeons, lol.) I particularly liked the small nod that, even when wildshaped, their animal forms retain their albinism.
I'm slowly buying all the pdfs I can, but it's slow going, unfortunately. I did actually buy both pdf and physical copies of Nightglass and Nightblade. If I can, I'd love to get Hellknight and all of Dave Gross's line in physical copies, too... For now, I just buy a new pdf whenever I can.
Hi Liane! Personally I'd love more on the Shades of the Uskwood and how they function with the Umbral Court - do they get along? Do they ever collaborate with shadowcallers on shared interests? There were also hints in various write ups (the one on the Shades particularly) that seemed to hint at a coming war with Cheliax... And maybe a bit about fetchlings in Nidal, since apparently there's a sizeable population of them. I had thought they were discriminated against, but Inner Sea Temples has made me question that, with Rector Ephrasiet being a fetchling. Honestly, it kind of ends up being "everything", lol. We also seem to know very little about Ridwan, especially given it's supposed status as the religious center. EDIT: Also, it'd be great to get some ideas on running Nidalese characters who might be on the evil side of things, or the neutral side. Both in and out of Nidal itself. Reasons Nidalese might be sent abroad - and not just to Cheliax. Does Nidal have ties to other countries? Also, apparently there's a gold dragon living disguised in Pangolais and THAT is something super interesting that was buried in Dragons Revisited.
We don't have a mesmerist or a witch. So.... What we have is listed. We also don't have an arcanist. So please don't mention any other classes. We can't change the party make up, and I don't want to retrain. That said! Doom could help! And I've mentioned enforcer+merciful weapon to the antipaladin (he was thinking of cormudgeon smash anyway).
Right now I'm playing a shadowcaster illusion specialist wizard (with divination and abjuration opposition schools) in a Way of the Wicked campaign, and I'm mainly debuff/utility. It's my first time playing a full caster and I'm noticing a lot of debuff spells are save-or-suck. The character is a fetchling, so he gets a +1 to DCs on shadow (illusion) spells (from the alt racial Shadow Magic), spell focus (illusion) for another +1, and tenebrous spell metamagic for free on any spell with the darkness or shadow descriptors. So essentially, for the sweet spot of shadow (illusion) spells, he gets a +3 to the DC. Is there any way to attack the opponents' will saves, though? I've got an int (with a +2 headband) of 21. My feats thus far (at lvl 7) look like this:
Planned feats are:
The party make-up atm, is:
Traits are:
Any tips would be great! (I really wanna be able to cast things like Masochistic Shadow and eventually Maddening Oubliette.)
Am I the only one on the side of "I find Nidal fascinating"? XD I swear, I will call for a splat book every chance I get. I have 5+ characters from Nidal, and it would be amazing to be able to flesh them out further. I get grumpy every time I look at the ethnicity options (for instance, in Humans of Golarion) and there's no option of info about the Nidalese. On another note: Languages! I'm a language nerd, so any additional info on languages would be awesome. And no surprise, Shadowtongue is at the top of my list, along with Skald.
I was curious on the ruling of how these two interact (or don't) - I'm not good at finding out errata info, so if it exists, I apologize in advance. The Uskbond Domain requires you to be NE and worship Zon-Kuthon. It also states that "A druid that has taken an archetype that alters or replaces Nature Bond cannot take the Uskbond." However, since Nature Priest requires the worship of a god and you take a domain from that god - if you are NE and worship Zon-Kuthon, are you still disallowed from taking the Uskbond Domain, because technically Nature Priest alters Nature Bond (by making you take a your deity's domain)? The Uskbond is from Horror Realms (pg 45) and Nature Priest is from Healer's Handbook (pg 23). Hopefully I worded that well... Thanks for your time!
Hmm...Thanks Liane! Basically what I'm taking away from you and Chris is that I need to not quite worry so much about knowing everything and just. . .write. I'll give that a shot after this current idea cools off. Speaking of the current idea: Any info you can share on Nidal, Liane? Specifically any thoughts on the Shades of the Uskwood (and how they fit in with the Court, what they actually do, etc), the Umbral Court's workings (nothing about the Triune, of course, just a general idea of the hierarchy and that sort of thing), and maybe Dusk Hall as well? You gave a taste of it in Nightblade but I was wondering if you could expand on it at all... *coughcough* Paizo really needs to release a splat book on Nidal... I just have this story that won't leave me alone, so...I might as well write it, even if it'll just be sitting on my tumblr or elsewhere. (No worries, won't try to make money off it.) Hope I'm not bothering you too much. ^^;; (And I read Hellknight and loved it, btw. :3 Never thought I'd enjoy reading about a paladin but you certainly proved that wrong.)
Lol, I feel like I'm the only one hungering for more stuff about Nidal. XD I'd like to add, also, The Silent Shroud and the Shades of the Uskwood. Also their trade with the Darklands via the Shadow Caverns. And their relationship with fetchlings. Apparently they aren't fond of fetchlings, despite them being from the Shadow Plane - I find that kind of fascinating. I'm sure I'll find more, too. :3
I tend to agree with most of the points above. I'll add my own, too. As has been stated above: Do and Don't play race. Please please please don't do the stereotypical race portrayals, or at least make them fresh if you do, put your own spin on it. I had a guy in one game play a dwarven paladin (tortured crusader) of Torag, and he played it rather straight, but put the character's personality first. Brash, gruff, but the way he had the character speak and act made it feel more fresh. Of my own characters: I have a fetchling wizard from Nidal in my Way of the Wicked campaign - and his race actually influences his actions. Fetchlings are not liked in Nidal and mostly (from my reading of Inner Sea Races) are treated like foreigners - ie, not well. He showed magical aptitude and was taken to the Dusk Hall for training, but was never really accepted, and now has a rather determined chip on his shoulder to prove himself, despite being sent on a suicide-mission to Talingrade to represent Nidal's interests in overthrowing that government. In the case of my tiefling rogue/swashbuckler, race played a role mostly just in his backstory. He was born in a small town where tieflings were very looked down on and his mother was abusive before dumping him on the steps of a temple of Serenrae. He grew up in that faith, and being told (at least in his mind) that he had to be redeemed based purely on his race. (He ends up going on a bender and finding Cayden Cailaen. He's much happier after that.) I like using the setting to help me flesh out characters. My fetchling would be a very different character if he'd come from, say, Absalom, where fetchlings are treated much better. He wouldn't have this need to prove himself. Basically, I guess I'm trying to say that there's more than just race to think about. How does it interact with environment, religion, etc. None of these exist in a void, or separate from each other.
I appreciate all the info! Keep it coming all! I think Hellknight will be my next choice. Anything with a paladin draws my attention fast. Just finished Hellknight last night and can confirm it's a great choice! I accidentally got distracted from Pirate's Prophecy by Light of a Distant Star and Skinwalkers - mostly due to two of my characters being from Riddleport and Halgrim. XD Pirate's Prophecy is still on my list though! As for Hellknight, I actually really enjoyed the character dynamics. Particularly between the paladin and...well. You'll see.
I actually need a few more locations before I can declare my sorted list finished! They're Pathfinder Journals. Anyone know the locations? The Bonedust Dolls - Kevin Andrew Murphy Sweet Ichor - Robin D. Laws Shadow of the Sands - Amber E. Scott Whispers in the Wastelands - Amber E. Scott Tall Tales - various** Monsters Among Us - Stephanie Lorée Cowards and Crows - Josh Vogt The Dollmaker - Jason Keeley Cattle and Their Allies - Christopher Rowe The Tower in Darkness - Wendy N. Wagner Symphony of Madness - Jason Scott Aiken The Tomb of the Winds - Arinn Dembo Close Conversation - Adam Daigle
I've started a list myself of which stories are set in which region,Here is the full list of Tales and locations, if that helps. I was working off that list, actually, but I've filled in all the gaps and organized it, adding authors, too. If you helped make that, thanks! Maybe I'll post mine, if you don't mind. :3
You know, I would love a set of anthologies with the complete webfiction stories. And they might even help get new readers into the series. They're short, and varied - delightful tastes into the world of Golarion. Enough to hook readers, and varied enough that readers will think "I'm getting a lot of stories for the price!" Another thing that might help is some sort of official guide to the webfiction and novels. Given how many there are now, its a bit overwhelming. Not to mention the variations in genre. I've started a list myself of which stories are set in which region, ands I might start adding genres to that list (as well as making a separate list with them sorted by genre, instead of region). But then, I'm crazy and love both novels, Pathfinder, and making lists. And apparently trying to sell the series to people while on my breaks.
Thank you so much for helping to spread the word! That really is one of the most important things to a book's success. <3 I also plan to make little mini-reviews about them on booklr (book-centered tumblr)! I hope it helps even if it's just a bit! I'd happily do it officially, if I could. :3
As a bookseller, I've been trying to recommend the Tales books, but it's a bit difficult. We only have a handful in our system and one on our shelves (Shy Knives). >.< One day when I have time I might go through and see how many we can order for customers, but a lot of customers would turn that down for a series they don't know. I wish I could help more. I would happily sell the books to anyone and everyone. I'm still trying to work my way through the list as well, having only read Liane Merciel's at the moment. I have a few others, but I can't afford to buy any right now.
Hopefully this is okay to put here. I've been obsessively reading anything and everything I can get my hands on about Nidal and Zon-Kuthon. And of course that includes The Inner Sea Gods. And I noticed something odd. The bonus that Zon-Kuthon's Deific Obedience gives is a sacred bonus, despite his evil alignment. Theories? Mine is personally that it has something to do with his past as Dou-Bral.
Thank you! I'll try to keep that in mind. I have a pretty good grasp of the two (three-ish) main characters for the story, and that's usually a strength of mine. I guess I'll just...start writing and just use placeholders when I get to something I haven't thought about yet - for now, then refine it later so it doesn't break flow. I do think I need a rough map, at least, since the character is being informed about rebellions in various locales around the empire... And I will certainly remember to keep a log, thank you! That's a good idea, so I don't have to constantly reread things I've written.
Aww. . . I did half expect that answer, though. Suppose that means I should try and finish my novel - any tips on world-building? I'm finding myself getting overwhelmed trying to create an intricate world and the way the countries interact with one another, and how the several different cultures within those countries interact, etc. I'm very good with characters, less-so with all the world-building. @Kajehase: I was looking for something in Pathfinder Tales specifically. I don't wanna spoil APs for myself, if I can help it. XD (It's why I haven't read Lord of Runes yet.)
(And you can totally have the idea, I will literally sign away rights if you so desire to have it. ;3) Lol, that is a bit of a genre switch. XD But I do love stuff set near the 1920s... I'll have to keep an eye out. Back to questions - and I apologize if this was already answered - but...for an unpublished aspiring author, do you think there's a chance of breaking into Pathfinder Tales? (Also, are any of the Tales set in Riddleport?)
I finished off Nightblade about an hour or two after I posted, actually. XD And btw I could still totally see a way to work that Teglias idea in, even with how it ended. In fact, the ending just makes it juicier. (And you can totally have the idea, I will literally sign away rights if you so desire to have it. ;3) Then that seals it! I'll just have to get Hellknight next week when I have some money to do so! Honestly, wish I had these in physical so I could bug you for an autograph. XD And no worries about spoilers - I figured they wouldn't be in Hellknight. But man, would I love to eventually see them again. And thanks for replying! I could chat about books and characters all day. It's a former fanfiction writer's curse. Kinda struggling not to jump back into that after reading those. *coughcough* I'll try to refrain. :3
Necroposting, but hey...why not. If no one answers, that's fine. Hi again, Liane! (You probably won't remember, last I said anything was about 4 years ago.) I just finished Nightglass again, read Misery's Mirror, and am about 76% (pg 285) through Nightblade. Thank you for theseee. They inspired my Kuthite wizard (who's probably not very good, but that's more me being bad at making characters) who's currently bumbling through Strange Aeons. That said, the question! Are you planning to write anything else set in Nidal? Maybe outside of Dusk Hall in Pangolais? We didn't actually get to see much of the city itself, outside of the market. Or Nisroch? Seemed like a. . .ah, interesting place. Or something about the Shades of the Uskwood? Basically, I'm so close to the end of Nightblade and I really don't wanna leave. XD Any suggestions for after? (Other than Hellknight, which I'm already planning to pick up.) P.S. Love Isiem, and Ascaros is kind of an ass and has made me laugh in wicked glee a few times. And Teglias is just <3 - though for a bit there, I was squinting with crazy theories of him being a certain immortality seeking wizard in disguise. I've mostly discarded that one - feel free to have a chuckle about that. Also, how is 50 Shades of Nidal coming? ;3
Having a 9 in any stat is a waste. It gives you the same mechanical "benefit" as an 8. I'm not sure if that allows you to restat to a more favorable array, but it's the first thing that jumped out at me. It let me bump Cha to 15, but everything else costs too much. >.< And with weapon finesse, I didn't need to bump Str. Thanks!
So I'm making a character to flesh out my main character's backstory - she'll likely never actually see play, but I figured why not? As an exercise in character building, if nothing else. She's a ecclesitheurge cleric of Zon-Kuthon - I put her at level 3, a level higher than my main character (for age reasons and...just cause, really). When it got to choosing domains, though, for some reason Hero Lab is telling me that Zon-Kuthon doesn't allow the torture subdomain. Honestly, that makes absolutely no sense to me. Anyway, the build I have atm, on 20 point buy, is:
Feats: exotic weapon proficiency (spiked chain), weapon finesse, cruelty (will be adding Bloodletting if I ever do anything with her). Traits: Influence (Intimidate), Pain is Pleasure, Shadowsight
Primary Domain: Torture Inquisition
HP 27, AC 12, Fort: +5, Ref: +3, Will: +5 I put ranks in:
Background Skills:
Her weapon is a masterwork cold iron spiked chain, which is also her Bonded Holy Symbol. I imagine her as utterly devoted, and slightly mad, but able to hide that fact when necessity demands it. She's also kind of scary in general. Her build is leans more towards fluff than technical, but...it'd be nice if she was still useable, should I ever want to play her. Any tips?
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