Thank you for the reply, Jason S.! I'm happy to receive any additions to this discussion as I find it to be an extremely important topic. At Gen Con Indy, my family and friends played another scenario with a potentially non-violent ending: "Dacilane Academy's Delightful Disaster". As an added bonus, we really enjoyed the surprise (for us) refereeing by the scenario's author, Matt Morris!
Hi everyone. I’ll throw in some kudos for “War for the Crown: Crownfall”. Our players enjoyed the intrigue-focused, 1st third of the adventure more than any other part and enjoyed the adventure overall. Even more important for me is that the 2nd installment of the series, “Songbird, Scion, Saboteur”, has an interesting mechanic on how to conclude the story in a non-violent manner. If people have information on non-violent options in Pathfinder Adventure Paths please provide your input on the thread I started here: https://paizo.com/threads/rzs433p8?Pathfinder-Adventure-Paths-with-nonviole nt Also, here’s a survey about Adventure Paths with lots of responses that also asks about role-playing: https://www.reddit.com/r/Pathfinder_RPG/comments/4ajsbf/adventure_path_surv ey_results/ Hope these thoughts are helpful!
Good morning, all. Thanks for the encouraging post, Carrauntoohill! I’ve confirmed Evan Tarlton’s point about the Crownfall path in that the second installment, “Songbird, Scion, Saboteur” by Crystal Frasier and Richard Pett has an interesting mechanic for a non-violent solution. Have a good day, everyone!
Thanks for the replies keftiu and Errant Mercenary! I’m glad I revisited this post because we’re getting more excellent feedback. We’re currently playing “Strength of Thousands” (SOT) and I noticed and appreciate the effort by Paizo to diversify the role-playing experience. I am embarrassed to admit that I missed a non-violent solution in SOT myself, so I am writing down a new procedure for interacting with non-player characters that comes from the technique called Non-Violent Communication. I’ll start conflict situations with the question or observation about the questions, “What are you feeling?” and “What are your needs?” This is a powerful tool from which I’m even seeing dividends in the rpg called life! We are alternating this campaign with “War for the Crown”, which was recommended earlier in this thread, and I am happy to report that the players enjoyed the social intrigue first portion of “Crownfall” more than the combat sections afterward. I think that a key element of this enjoyment is the Influence system set up in “Ultimate Intrigue”, simplified in “Crownfall” and improved, according to a family member, in the “Gamemastery Guide” 2e. Thank you, Paizo!
Good everning, all. Sorry about the delay in responding. Paizo was apparently having some website issues. Goblin Priest, thanks for the heads up. So far, so good, so let’s keep talking respectfully, folks! Thread Necromancer, interesting observation, and thank you as well. Definition: “Vitalism is the belief that "living organisms are fundamentally different from non-living entities because they contain some non-physical element or are governed by different principles than are inanimate things". (Wikipedia)
From the “Council of Thieves” Player Guide (5): Tieflings enjoy an unusual status in Cheliax, though perhaps “enjoy” is the wrong word. Chelish diabolists view tieflings as subordinate to humans. Tieflings are seen as lesser beings, born of human fallibility or devilish trickery. Noble houses hide tiefling heirs away, ashamed of their very existence, or reluctantly allow them some control over the family business (usually if there is no other reliable heir available).
Thanks for the reply, Artofregicide! From the “Council of Thieves” Player Guide (4):
Thanks for the replies, David and Particular! Here’s a description of Morlocks that may have connections with “The Serpent’s Skull”. Does this play out at all in the adventure? “The ecology of the morlocks is similar to human ecology but has been debased by the millennia spent underground. Their regression was the result of several factors. First was inbreeding which was both forced by the dire situation and exacerbated by the ancient Azlanti's obsession with keeping their bloodlines pure.”
Thank you!
Thanks for the feedback, Sysryke and Melkiador! Here’s something that I just came across which is more Pathfinder ancestry oriented: “Despite this cosmopolitan veneer, Taldor remains a stubbornly old-fashioned, humanocentric empire with little regard for non-humans. Stigma toward part- humans such as half-orcs, half-elves, and geniekin is especially virulent, with some humans openly labeling such folk “mongrels” or worse. Half-elves descended from noble Taldans generally have the resources to live in comfort, but at the cost of lifelong reclusion. Halflings, gnomes, and half-orcs are considered suitable only for roles as servants.” (War for the Crown Player’s Guide)
Thanks for the replies, thejeff and Java Man! Melkiador, I thought your screen name looked familiar. I was using your guide to Slayers just last night! I finished building my ethnicity-bending, non-violence and 3 Stooges-influenced (believe it or not) 1e Rogue / Slayer up to 20th level today in part due to your help. Thank you! Java Man, I hear your concerns about politics and the combustibility of the internet, or its propensity to flame. I think that this is not something that we should shy away from. Instead, I think the internet’s nature to divide is something that we need to engage with. We can agree to disagree, and I may be wrong. thejeff, I hear your concerns about politics on the forum. Merriam-Webster defines politics as “the art or science of government”.
Nevertheless, I want to make sure to do right here. I looked without success for a forum discussion or behavior policy and could not find one. The closest thing I could find is the Organized Play Code of Conduct, and I see no problems there.
Does anyone happen to know how I can find the forum rules? Thank you!
Good afternoon, all. Sysryke, PFRPGrognard, Davor, thanks for the replies! Sysryke, thanks for the definitions! PFRPGrognard, effective example of the use of stereotyping in an adventure! Davor, I agree with Sysryke that the debate about whether there is racism within Pathfinder is a topic that has been handled elsewhere. One can find some of those discussions by searching ‘racism’ in the forums. Our topic is whether Paizo had published adventures which touched upon the topic of racism, and we have found several examples. Here’s what I have so far: Carrion Crown: xenophobia
Are we missing anything?
Thanks again, Scavion! “Ruins of Azlant”: “Ruins of Azlant” touch on racism? I came across a reference that the Rune Lords drove out Xin because he was not Azlanti supremacist enough. “Xin was exiled by the mystics who ruled the nation of Azlant for promoting the belief that the Azlanti could learn something from and should cooperate with the other races of Golarion.” https://pathfinderwiki.com/wiki/Thassilon Rise of the Runelords: This reference above points to racism amongst the Runelords.
Thank you, Yakman! Is your screen name related to the Yakmen of the World of Greyhawk fantasy setting by any chance? Yawar, you bring up a good point about skill-starved martial classes and more complex, even non-violent stories. I guess if you’re going to play such a scenario players should be primed to take martial classes with more skills like Rangers and Slayers.
'Morning all. I hope you are well, and, for those who could participate, I hope you enjoyed GenCon! At the Con, my family and I were able to play a couple of scenarios that had self-defense and then potential, non-violent conclusions: 1ed PFS #4-19: The Night March of Kalkamedes (levels 1-5)
Interestingly, the family member I was playing with said that, out of all the scenarios they'd played, they enjoyed these scenarios the most. I hope it's helpful. This post reminds me of another strategy that focuses on non-violence that I did not mention in my list of ways to write scenarios non-violently, which is an emphasis of self defense. As you come across more Pathfinder Society scenarios that have non-violent endings or solutions, or are non-violent or focus on non-violence, please feel free to post them here, everyone. Have a great day!
Good evening everyone. Hope you and yours are well in these difficult times. BigNorseWolf, thank you the for funny mook remover. You should always get a receipt! Saashaa, regarding government sanctioned police actions and reducing violence in adventures, when attacked without provocation and in or near a town, one thing that the youngsters I play with understand and respond positively to is taking the assailants to the authorities. On a more active side, another idea that seems to work is local authorities deputizing and badging the players after positive experiences with them. In such a scenario, players are expected to capture criminals. These ideas, of course, not necessarily non-violent but are at least less violent alternatives.
Dear Fellow Pathfinder Players: Good morning. It seems to me that the difficult times that we are in call for non-violent solutions. RPGs like Pathfinder are a powerful tool for conversation and debate about topics like the ones we face, especially if we are playing with young family members. Which Pathfinder Adventure Paths have non-violent endings or solutions, or are non-violent or focus on non-violence? A couple good PF 2e Society Scenarios with non-violent solutions / endings my family played recently include "The Burden of Envy" and "The Blooming Castastrophe". Your recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
Dear Fellow Pathfinder Players: Good evening. It seems to me that the difficult times that we are in call for non-violent solutions. RPGs like Pathfinder are a powerful tool for conversation and debate about topics like the ones we face, especially if we are playing with young family members. What Pathfinder adventures do you know of have non-violent endings or solutions, or are non-violent or focus on non-violence? A couple good PF 2e adventures with non-violent solutions / endings my family played recently include "The Burden of Envy" and "The Blooming Castastrophe". Your recommendations would be greatly appreciated! |