Ivan Rûski wrote: With Pathfinder 2e on the horizon, is there any chance that we could get a book collecting most/all the spells in 1e in one place? The 3.5 Spell Compendium is still one of the books on my most wanted list, and would much prefer a Pathfinder version. Similar products for other parts of the game (such as feats) would be useful as well, and I'm sure that I'm not the only person longing for these to become a reality. A second Ultimate Equipment collecting what has been published in other books since the first came out would also be very welcome. I would buy a Spell Compendium, Magic Item Compendium, Archetype/Trait/Feat/Skill Compendium, Rules Compendium, and Ultimate Equipment 2 (which could maybe incorporate the Magic Item Compendium).
ckdragons wrote:
Thank you so much, ckdragons and Strife!
Rysky wrote:
Not saying that other APs have done it (I only have a few APs in my collection). It's just such a common trope in sci-fi and fantasy literature and movies. I've never been a fan of plots where an entire country or world faces complete annihilation in the climax, whether from a doomsday weapon, a god, or whatever. Conquest of a nation or continent even, I am fine with. Total annihilation? meh... Just my opinion, didn't intend to put down others who are into that sort of thing... although I guess I could have worded my original post different. So apologies if I did inadvertently offend anyone. The rest of the AP sounds strong enough that I'll probably pick it up, though.
captain yesterday wrote:
Yes, because it is mostly out of print and it's one of the few older APs I'm interested in acquiring… and I'd like to have it in hard copy at a reasonable price -- it's already fetching unreasonably high prices on eBay!
I would buy a large assortment of commoners (at least one per profession would be nice), and would also love to see releases that include monsters featured in previous Paizo adventure paths/modules for which there currently are no miniatures (whether WizKids or D&D). Examples include the grioths from The Dragon's Demand, etc.
Gromnar, Got your PM - thanks! Will try to reply tomorrow. Gromnar and Redneckdevil -- maybe we should continue our Dragon's Demand discussion in a different thread that would also be easier for other DMs to identify, since we've gone on quite a tangent from the original thread? I think we have alot of great ideas to share between us and the wider community. Maybe we could repost some of the posts we have made in this thread in the other thread?
Gromnar: Spoiler:
I like what you intend to do with the factions. The PCs in my group include one Abadaran, and 2.5 Shelynites… so they're in a good position to have productive cooperative relations with the factions, which is only going to improve if they succeed in saving Rima Kell (they've already saved Bophre Malak and slain the dire wolf that was preying on the sheep at the Abrassus Ranch, have given money to and hired on a temporary basis Eudomas Biton's older children, and have made brisk business with Big Bull Baccus, so they're quickly earning the good will of many members of the Green Faith. I actually think that the Wildwood Treaty was imposed on Belhaim after the fact -- I think the Crown felt they had more to gain by giving the druids the whole forest to sweeten the pot in exchange for a steady supply of blackwood for the imperial shipyards in Cassomir. My reading of the write-up of the Verduran Forest in Taldor: Echoes of Glory (pp. 7-8) make it sound like the entire forest -- north and south of the Verduran Fork (and Belhaim is north of the river, so clearly in the Verduran Forest proper if one were to argue that the woods south of the river are not part of the Verduran Forest/Wildood Treaty) -- is under druidic rule save for the Isle of Arenway and the Verduran Fork itself. Sounds to me like Belhaim was thrown under the bus, so to speak (I realize that Belhaim probably had not even been conceived by Paizo when Taldor: EoG was published). And according to that same entry in Taldor: EoG, aside from Wispil (apparently built by gnomes under the watchful eye of the druids sometime after the signing of the treaty), "the only other permanent settlement in the Verduran Forest is the unnamed River Guard harbour on the Isle of Arenway." This further suggests to me that the village and barony are deemed to be insignificant and dwindling to the point that the druids (and Crown?) do not expect them to remain much longer. I also find it telling that in the description of Belhaim (Dragon's Demand, p. 60), the town is described as being "in large part self-sufficient," and that "its main commodities are pottery and fish, but the town does not receive enough trade to garner much renown from these industries." If Belhaim were not subject to the Wildwood Treaty, then I imagine that lumber exports would be the village's leading industry… but IMO it is, which is why it is in such bad shape economically and dependent on fish and pottery (!) as its main commodities. IMC, Belhaim has never been ruled by a Shelynite or member of the Green Faith… so nothing but the Wildwood Treaty can explain to me satisfactorily why lumber/forestry never would have become the town's main industry (Abadaran nobles, in particular, should be all in favour of promoting the logging industry, even if it creates conflict with some of the other factions in the village). IMC, Lady Devy is the black sheep of the Devy family and no longer has the financial support of the broader family, and has had to go into debt to various parties in order to keep the village/barony alive (she's having difficulty paying the PCs as it is). I think she might be willing to make a deal with factions in Andoran in order to secure more loans/investments to prop up the barony. Given that Belhaim would at the moment be dead weight for any noble family, she is having trouble finding another Taldan family that would want to have their daughter marry her son, Arnholde. Yet given that loggers in Andoran have already logged much of their portion of the Verduran Forest (see Taldor: EoG, p. 8), some ambitious Andoren logger baron may be interested in having one of his daughters marry Arnholde Devy, in order to advance a claim to the lands of the barony if a future opportunity should present itself (e.g., Arnholde dies without descendants)… and/or to begin logging operations ("wood poaching?" ;-) in defiance of the Wildwood Treaty. Enter Ulfas Blust, logging magnate from nearby Bellis in Andoran, who will be at the auction in Belhaim with counsellor Elyin Ursage (see Realm of the Fellnight Queen, p. 4)… and Blust will take that opportunity to discuss with Lady Devy a potential marriage arrangement between his daughter and her son, Arnholde. Lady Devy will be receptive to the idea, because she fears that her barony and her son's birthright will soon be lost if she does not get financial support from somewhere… and IMC, she is open to the unorthodox values and forms of government coming out of Andoran, and views them as possibly the best chance for Arnholde to keep control of the Devy barony and to gain status and influence in the long term through new business and wealth (as his name and "fortune" would otherwise fade). Bitter at the way the other Devys and the Crown (and druids) have thrown her barony under the bus, Lady Devy would be only to happy to set such plans in motions by having her son secretly wed the daughter of a wealthy Andoren businessman. Conversely, if the PCs were able to help her influence the Crown, or perhaps more importantly, the Wildwood Lodge to lift their logging restrictions and growth restrictions (a very contentious subject that the druids are not likely to relent on, however much Azmur Kell may attempt to intercede on Belhaim's behalf), then Lady Devy might not feel the need to pursue an agreement with Blust. The Andoren government (and Taldan crown) would probably be unaware of this arrangement if it were indeed made, at least in the short term. But if a time came when the title to the barony was contested, and given the key natural resources (shipbuilding materials), territory, political boundaries/influence (chance to liberate more Taldan unbearded peasants from their yokes!), and wealth at stake, the conflict could escalate to a point where military tensions could flare up between both countries (to the delight of Qadira?). By having Blust and Ursage attend the auction in Belhaim, I am also creating an opportunity for Ursage to help the PCs defeat Aeteperax (I would make him a level 5 ranger instead of level 7, and given that he would be trapped in the town when the dragon makes his demand… he would be open to assisting the PCs in taking down the dragon). If the PCs and Ursage defeat Aeteperax, I expect that a new friendship would develop between them, which would result in the PCs being invited to his wedding in several weeks time in Bellis… And given that Bellis is on the most direct route to Dustpawn (I too have placed clues in Hunclay's Manor that will hopefully serve as hooks for the PCs to follow that would connect Dragon's Demand to Doom Comes to Dustpawn), this would be a perfect opportunity to first play Realm of the Fellnight Queen before moving on to Doom Comes to Dustpawn. So there you have it… my current campaign outline… By the way, I'm not trying to convince you that my interpretation of Belhaim's political-economic position and the motivations of Lady Devy is "the right one," or that it is better than yours. I'm just explaining the thought process I have followed and why my campaign background has led me to different conclusions, directions, etc., than yours when relying on the same source material (and while trying to adhere to "canon" as best I can). That's the beauty of RPGs, isn't it! Great discussion and ideas! I realize that we have derailed this thread somewhat… does anybody care?
Correction to my previous post. Spoiler to hide things in case some of my players should stumble across this thread... Spoiler: I meant to say that IMC, Lady Devy is indebted to the remainder of the Devy family (with the bulk of its estates and holdings somewhere further south in Taldor), a family which she married into (I don't think it would make much sense for Devy Manor to be indebted to the Canteclures… if any Canteclures still live in Taldor). IMC, the remainder of the Devy family want to reclaim Belhaim from Origena (whom they deem responsible for the death of her husband, rightly or wrongly), and while Origena's husband was alive, the Devys of Belhaim borrowed a great deal from the broader family to keep the barony and town afloat given restrictions on the town's growth and industry imposed via the Wildwood Treaty. I intend to have Lady Devy look to Andoran for potential allies that could help her revive the barony's fortunes… a dangerous gambit that could draw the ire of the Grand Prince, and which could result either in Belhaim declaring independence from Taldor (making the Treaty of the Wildwood void, and thus angering the druids)… or the Barony being crushed by imperial forces and turned over to a "more deserving" family (the same way the barony ended up in the hands of the Devy family after the Canteclure rebellion was put down). Just a few more seeds for political intrigue and potential adventure hooks… I had also thought of the PCs taking over Hunclay's manor, and hope they will bid on it (opening bid according to the module is 2500 g.p. -- a steal! -- and since it's not on the list of auction lots, it does not appear that anyone else is interested in acquiring it. Makes sense… given the village's isolated location and the manor's history (devils, demons and other outsiders bound in the cellars), it's like the medieval fantasy version of that "creepy house where the double murders occurred" that no one wants to buy. :-) I hadn't thought of them being given permission to restore the monastery (if they petition to do so), but that would be perfectly in keeping with the expectations placed on landed knights with feudal obligations… so I really like the idea!!! Thanks, Gromnar. I have a feeling, though, that my players' PCs may not be the kind to want to accept a knighthood and all the responsibilities it would entail… they may turn down that "reward." We'll see how it plays out...
TwiceBorn wrote:
With regards to the OP, if you're looking for a shorter mini-campaign, I think the story begun in The Dragon's Demand could have a satisfying conclusion by the time you finish Doom Comes to Dustpawn (that is, if you wanted to take the story beyond The Dragon's Demand)… the nice thing about shorter non-AP modules is, it's largely up to the DM to decide if/when they will lay down hooks for future modules, and when the campaign should end (ideally with a satisfying conclusion). And they can easily revise the latter decision too, if their group wants to go on story by story without a longterm campaign commitment, by always being in a position to work in, as time permits, "that one last adventure/module."
I'm nearing the same stage in Dragon's Demand as Gromnar is at and struggling with the same questions regarding knighthood in Taldor. I even wonder if Lady Devy has the authority to make someone a Knight of Taldor? Somehow, I doubt it. She can probably grant them land and title over a portion of her barony, but would likely need to petition the Grand Prince to grant the PCs the title of Knight of Taldor. And while Lady Devy herself may currently be a member of the "bearded" class, the name of the class itself strongly suggests a stratified and sexist class system that would limit the influence and power of women (i.e., women might have land, titles and some political influence… but overtly are likely deemed to be "inferior" to male rulers… that's just my take on Taldor's cultural and political system, based on the source material I've read, but I'm open to other suggestions/interpretations). As for the distinction between feudal and imperial Taldor… I'm not an expert on medieval titles, class or societal structures… but is it possible that Taldor was a feudal state before it grew into an empire, and has been "regressing" to its feudal state with the decline of its empire? Or maybe some lords and parts of the country have always maintained a feudal society, while other parts have not? Would such even be possible? The fact that Lady Devy rules over a barony implies a feudal society… but then, how closely did the author and editors of The Dragon's Demand look at such things to make sure they were consistent with the publishers long term vision of Taldor? I have been running the Barony of Belhaim as if it were based on a manorial system (Expeditious Retreat Press' A Magical Medieval Society: Western Europe has been a very helpful source for doing this) and feudal society… and Devy Manor is about to collapse due to political/family infighting and a vulnerable economic position (the Canteclure family no longer providing support to the Devy family; the Devy family is deep in debt to the Canteclures, the Crown, and other noble families and lenders; the Wildwood Treaty is inhibiting the expansion of resource extraction and other activities aimed at economic growth; trade is largely bypassing the village as merchants find it safer to travel the Verduran Fork and Sellen Rivers by boat and have little incentive to go out of their way to stop in Belhaim, and few people/merchants use Devy Road to travel to revolution-wracked Galt; exporting goods from Belhaim is a risky and time-consuming endeavour with limited profitability; lumber exports from Wispil to Cassomir largely bypass Belhaim; etc.). As you can see, I'm laying the groundwork for socio-political and political-economic plot hooks for the PCs to pursue once the main adventure is complete, should they wish to follow those hooks (which would bring to the fore what I perceive is the Game of Thrones theme that underlies Taldor). Despite my efforts, I still find the socio-political structure of Taldor implied in Taldor: Echoes of Glory confusing, and the continued existence of an isolated village the size of Belhaim, with the range of professions and businesses it has, defies logic (even its own "fantasy-based" logic). And before anyone feels the need to bring it up… I realize that this is a fictional fantasy world not rooted in any of our real world's historical societies, and that I am free to regard/disregard Paizo's source material as I see fit, to create my own solutions (as I have been doing) etc. etc. Would still welcome other or more detailed perspectives on the question of Taldor as a feudal vs. imperial society, the power (or lack thereof) of noble women, who can bestow knighthoods in Taldor and what obligations and benefits that title carries, etc. I think this discussion was off to a good start and hope to see it go on a bit longer.
Great thread! Dragons of Taldor, Dark Fey, Dark Tapestry… and Scarred Lands series 1-7 The Dragon's Demand
Spoiler:
Beyond having a dragon as a main villain, the Dark Tapestry and the Dominion of the Dark are also central themes of The Dragon's Demand. Among the wizard Hunclay's notes in his observatory, I have included references to some unfamiliar object that he has been tracking across the night sky, and which the wizard estimated would impact Golarion near Dustpawn in Isger in a few months time (he had been making plans to travel there to witness the impact)… a hook planted for Doom Comes to Dustpawn. I have also added bidders from nearby Bellis in Andoran in the auction section of the Dragon's Demand, who are there also to discuss a potential union and political alliance with Lady Devy might befriend the PCs… one of the Andorens hopefully will befriend the PCs, and this person will in turn invite the PCs to his wedding in Bellis once the PCs save Belhaim and its out-of-town guests from the dragon… which is a hook for the Realm of the Fellnight Queen, which is set in and around Bellis, which also happens to be on the most direct route to Dusptawn. I haven't thought very much on how to connect the various other modules yet, save for Blood of Dragonscar. Since the PCs will have become notable slayers of evil dragons if they survive The Dragon's Demand (we're in the middle of playing this one right now), I might include other dragon-related adventures to fill level gaps. I also don't want to railroad the PCs into each adventure -- other options may present themselves as we play through our campaign. If we ever make it to level 20 (doubtful, given how infrequently we get to play), I might consider making the 3.0 adventure, Bastion of Broken Souls -- which features the dragon Ashardalon -- as the grande finale. Either way, the stuff that comes after Doom Comes to Dustpawn would probably require additional tweaking to make them a logical and PC level-appropriate fit. I hope this provides some useful ideas… You might be able work The Harrowing in as the level 9 adventure in your totally random Varisian adventure series.
Just wanting to confirm whether someone in CS is looking into my previous post, above? I may end up ordering from elsewhere, if I don't get a response by the end of the week (saw that I could get shipping from another online gaming store in the US for much cheaper… but I would prefer to buy from Paizo). I do realize that you folks seem to be extremely busy, judging by the posts in this forum. Thanks for your time and assistance, and best wishes.
Lissa Guillet wrote: We just rolled a fix that we think should take care of this. Hope it works for everyone! Let us know if you see anything weird. Reposted from the customer service forums… Just so you know, I think the shopping cart problems may have to do with more than just Print/PDF bundles. I tried to create another order for 14 sets of FFG card sleeves (50 sleeves per set). I was able to proceed to check-out. The systems did not provide me with any shipping options (maybe there is only one), but it indicated that shipping to Canada would cost $64.58 (!!!) and that the parcel would have the following characteristics: 14 items. Estimated package weight: 13 lbs.
I have a hard time believing that 14 sets of 50 card sleeves would weigh 13 lbs. (!!!), and that it would cost $64.58 to ship to Canada (I've had recently had items shipped to me from the US through eBay that were far larger/heavier and did not cost nearly as much to ship). Incidentally, the weight and shipping cost are the same as those listed when I added 2 FFG Star Wars X-Wing miniatures to my order (Millennium Falcon and A-Wing), which I have since removed from the cart (yet shipping still shows $64.58). PLEASE NOTE THAT I AM JUST BRINGING THIS ISSUE TO YOUR ATTENTION SO THAT THE PAIZO TEAM IS AWARE OF IT -- I AM NOT UPSET, BUT I ALSO DO NOT WANT MY ORDER PROCESSED AT THIS TIME, AND WILL NOT SUBMIT AN ORDER FOR PROCESSING UNTIL I CAN BE SURE THAT SHIPPING COSTS ARE CALCULATED ACCURATELY. Once the issue with shipping estimates, I may add/subtract items from the cart (again). Thanks for your time, and best wishes to you and the Paizo team as you try to resolve the issue… I don't envy you!
Sharaya, Just so you know, I think the shopping cart problems may have to do with more than just Print/PDF bundles. I tried to create another order for 14 sets of FFG card sleeves (50 sleeves per set). I was able to proceed to check-out. The systems did not provide me with any shipping options (maybe there is only one), but it indicated that shipping to Canada would cost $64.58 (!!!) and that the parcel would have the following characteristics: 14 items. Estimated package weight: 13 lbs.
I have a hard time believing that 14 sets of 50 card sleeves would weigh 13 lbs. (!!!), and that it would cost $64.58 to ship to Canada (I've had recently had items shipped to me from the US through eBay that were far larger/heavier and did not cost nearly as much to ship). Incidentally, the weight and shipping cost are the same as those listed when I added 2 FFG Star Wars X-Wing miniatures to my order (Millennium Falcon and A-Wing), which I have since removed from the cart (yet shipping still shows $64.58). PLEASE NOTE THAT I AM JUST BRINGING THIS ISSUE TO YOUR ATTENTION SO THAT THE PAIZO TEAM IS AWARE OF IT -- I AM NOT UPSET, BUT I ALSO DO NOT WANT MY ORDER PROCESSED AT THIS TIME, AND WILL NOT SUBMIT AN ORDER FOR PROCESSING UNTIL I CAN BE SURE THAT SHIPPING COSTS ARE CALCULATED ACCURATELY. Once the issue with shipping estimates, I may add/subtract items from the cart (again). Thanks for your time, and best wishes to you and the Paizo team as you try to resolve the issue… I don't envy you!
Sharaya wrote:
Thank you, Sharaya! :-)
Sharaya wrote:
Thanks for your your reply, Sharaya. PLEASE DO NOT PROCESS MY ORDER THROUGH "AS IS" -- I WAS PLANNING ON REMOVING SOME ITEMS AND CHANGING QUANTITIES ON OTHERS (AND ALSO WANTED TO CONFIRM SHIPPING COSTS BEFORE FINALIZING ANYTHING)! If necessary, I would prefer that you delete it completely -- I could then start from scratch. Thanks!
Still can't access my shopping cart… (to Paizo staff, please note that I intended to delete some items from the cart, and to adjust quantities for other items… so please do not manually process the order as is!!!). Hoping the issue gets resolved soon (sent an e-mail to the webmaster yesterday advising of the problem, but have not heard back… I'm assuming he's working on the issue, which I presume is affecting more than just me and the other two posters in this thread?). Thanks for your time and assistance.
I've also been having the same problem all afternoon/evening… it's now past midnight, and I still can't view my shopping cart to edit my purchases and process my order. I don't expect staff to be reading the boards/working late in the evening/night, but I hope they'll extend the deadline for the PDF sale for those of us who encountered technical difficulties.
I cover the entire mat with blank sheets of paper (fastening them to the edges of the mat with paper clips), and gradually remove the sheets of paper as the PCs explore the area. If I draw my own encounter area on the backside of a flip-mat (some have a "blank" reverse side for you to draw whatever you like on), I also cover those areas where there may be nothing at all -- it keeps them guessing.
Hi Paizo CS, I placed an order earlier today (3076904) with the intention of taking advantage of the May 2014 10% discount, but did not receive the order confirmation e-mail I normally receive from Paizo. Can you please confirm that the order has been registered in your system? Also, can you please explain why that lonely spectre miniature needs to be shipped separately from the rest of the order? Is there anyway you can ensure that it is shipped with the other items in the order (the miniature does not seem to add any weight/space to the order), and save me the added shipping expense? Thanks in advance for your time and assistance!
Gorbacz wrote:
Thanks for the info. Haven't got Inner Sea Gods yet. I thought the persecution of Sarenrae's faith was an interesting angle. IMC, the further one gets from Oppara and southern Taldor, the lesser the odds of active persecution. And of course, some folk in the south, especially those of Qadiran descent, might turn a blind eye to signs of her worship.
DM Beckett wrote:
Agreed. It's a country with great adventuring potential, and I currently am running The Dragon's Demand which is set therein, but I do find the political, economic, and socio-cultural context described for Taldor in various products as a bit contradictory and confusing.
I wouldn't call the original a great song, but... Cookie Monster covering Carley Rae Jepsen's Call Me Maybe (Share it Maybe) always puts a smile on my face. :-)
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