vyshan's page

So something I am wondering is why did Chelixian stop being an ethnicity. The empire of Cheliax split off from Taldor 600 to 700 years before the game's current era. That should be long enough to form their own identity and undergo ethnogensis. Likewise with the Andorans and Galtans, who due to their revolutions probably don't see themselves as either Chelixan or Taldane.

In the first edition 1e book for Qadira there is a total of 14 unique ethnic groups for the empire of Kelesh and that is just a part of Casmeron. And when I read that it made me wonder why aren't there more ethnicities for Humans?

So at this month's paizo live on twitch, paizo announced that they are changing from monthly releases to quarterly releases. and instead of 3, 4, or 6 books for an AP they will be 1 single volume together.

I honestly quite like this change.

So something I have noticed looking at the artwork for Thassilonian cities is that they have an Asian style of design to the buildings. Considering that they are not in the Asia expy of Tian-Xia I wonder why? Was this the style of Azlant? Did Xin just really like the style?

And how do Thassilonians of New Thassilon relate to modern Varisian Architecture? are they sending their architects to Minkai or other Tian Xia nations to get builders and planners who know how to build in that style. Or are they abadoning the ancient style of old Thassilon?

Since as far as I understand the cities of Varisia don't look anything like the Asian influenced Thasslonian Architecture or is that assumption wrong and they do look like asian villages?

To a lesser degree I think this applies to fashion too but I am not sure. The Rune giants had samurai looking armor. But the runelords themselves had all sorts of personal style and I am not sure what the style of their mages were like.

So I am planning an outlaws of Alkenstar Game. Now Alkenstar has a lot of Victorian steampunk / wild west aesthetics Which I do like. I do like the cowboys, saloons, ranchers, airships, etc. But what I want to do is have more aesthetics of the region tie into the fact it is in eastern Garund, it lays between Nex and Geb, and travel to Jalmaray or further afield to Vudran or the Mwangi expanse is possible. So I want to add these elements to Alkenstar to make it more fitting to the region it is.

One thing that the books do talk about is how Alkenstari don't really drink Alcohol all that much due to the influence of the Church of Brigh but they do consume lots of Tea. Which is something I do plan to use.

Still I am curious what other ways one can improve the aesthetics of Alkenstar to have more garundi, vurudni, dwarven, mwangi and so on that fit the region. advice is welcomed. :)

So I am curious. Aroden has been described as the god of Humanity. But what I am curious is did this include all of humanity, was his church as the church of humanity everywhere. Ie did he have churches in Arcadia, Garund, Casmeron, Tian Xia, and so on? or was he only the god of the humans of the inner sea, so just for garundi, keleshites, taldans, kellids, varisians, etc but not the people of Casmeron, arcadia, tian xia, etc? or did he proclaim himself the god of humanity when the majority of humans were like "nah thats just another lie. He isn't the god of humanity. we don't know who the man is."

So the Tian Xia World Guide is amazing. However there are only 2 adventure paths set in Tian Xia Fists of the Ruby Phoenix and Season of Ghosts, you can also count kind of Jade Regent but only 3 books are in Tian Xia. There are a couple of society adventures set here, but I was curious about the idea of reflavoring and reworking existing Adventure Paths to instead be set in Tian Xia.

Two ideas I had was to transfer Skulls and Shackles to Minata; and to do war for the crown in Minkai when Ameiko was gathering strength to overthrow the Jade Regent. But I am curious what other ideas people have had for reflavoring adventure paths to be set in Tian Xia.

So as I am reading the adventures. I am wondering if any have been included in their games or how they would have included some of the NPCs mentioned in either Guns and Gears or Impossible Lands. A good number of them seem like they would be important to the plot and storyline or just are neat. I admit I am a new GM but I am also excited to try my hands at it, and so it got my curious about including more of the setting which is something I do enjoy.

Ironmaster Yvatharia Vulane and High shieldmarshal Zakim Adarah are the military leaders. Yvatharia handles national defense of the grand duchy as a whole, and Zakim leads the shieldmarshals. Zakim replaced Armand Meneley. Meneley was a much more upstanding and righteous leader and one who didn't like corruption. However thanks to the schemes of crooked parliamentarians like Sultur he was exiled and his reputation ruined. These two should have something to do with Loveless and her schemes.

Of the government officials, two seem like perfect for supporting and backing Mugland and Loveless: Aredil Sultur and Tamrah Graeson. Aredil Sultur is a scheming politician whose schemes got Meneley replaced with Zakim, following the events of the 1st edition adventure Wardens of the reborn forge. Tamarah Greason meanwhile is a brutishly rapacious property scion who wants to buy up and absorb poorer neighborhoods into her family's property empire. I think having these two showing up at the gala in book 3 might be good, but not sure.

Among smokeside there are a couple of other people that players can meet with or would be interesting to include.

The first is Espara and her paladins. Despite the name, they aren't knights but a gang who call themselves that in mockery of knightly ideals that have no place on the grim streets. The gang has a tendency to perform deeds of rough justice and community protection. Which sounds perfect for a bunch of outlaws to meet with.

Impossible Lands had a thing where she was to be hired to deal with Shimon-Je(A gnoll abolitionist) by Amed the Coin-Counter who in turn the red mantis assassins want to kill. but considering slavery got banned in Katepesh, I think I won't use that plot but Shimon-Je does seem like someone a bunch of outlaws might meet, especially when people go to the mana wastes or if I have any Gnoll characters.

Next there is Shadowsting, also known as Velmin. Velmin is a fleshwarp, a mutant whose family was evicted from old ironside. She is normally a shy gunner and tinker, they have the persona of Shadowsting who goes around the poor areas to protect other mutants and fleshwarps. As shadowsting she goes after those that oppress others be it gangs or skyside industrialists. I think if I have any fleshwarp PCs she seems fun to use, a right proper pulpy vigilante person.

Hello,

So I am wondering how do Andoran Elections work and do councilor areas get decided. From the 1e book on Andoran government a single term is five years and they are in Almas twice a year once on the 15 Erastus and 15 Abadius.

But how are the elections run? do they use paper ballots, do they raise hands or speak aloud which candidate they support. Are they secret votes? Who is allowed to vote?

How do the various churches interact with elections? are elections held at temples such as Abadar, Erastil or Cayden Ceillien?

There seems to be some factions, at least in Augustana like the Forester's Endowment but I don't know if they are local to Augustana or if national. The forester's Endowment seems like a natural fit for those in the Verduran forest.

another thing is how are the Constituencies decided upon? as an example, according to the 1e Andoran Book Bellis has 2 councilors, but does that mean that the town votes for 2 members or that they represent different constituencies and that they stay mostly in Bellis?

So curious if anyone has any answers or thoughts here?

Hello,

So I am thinking of running this in the future at some point and one thing I was thinking of doing was to expand on the Lumber Consortium. Deegs Agraive is one of the big wigs, in particular he is a gavel of the consortium. So I was thinking he would be a secondary antagonist, a counter part to Ruzadoya. The idea being to show why the treaty of wildwood is good for all.

There is at least one encounter already with him, grove of tears, and tying them in with fallen friends doesn't seem that difficult.

What I am wondering is beyond those stuff what are some good ways to expand on the Lumber Consortium as a secondary antagonist. I was thinking maybe to have the players participate or deal with an Andoran Election.

I wonder if anyone has done this and any thoughts on this idea?

So when looking through Wardens of the Wildwood there is a feast at the begining during the gala. It made me wonder about what sort of foods would be during a feast including Leshys, Ghoran, Consreu and other sorts of plant creatures? They are plant creatures but I imagine druids and others would know how to treat them during a feast.

So any ideas?

So something I am wondering about and I am not sure how it is properly addressed and that is Religion in Irrisen. The world guide mentions that the main religions are Lamashtu and Zon-Kuthun and while both are cool, neither gives me a vibe for Irrisen IMO, YMMV.

another thing is that Queen Anastasia of Irrisen would be a devoted follower of Orthodox Christianity though I don't think we have any rules for playing a cleric of Jesus, but if she is Queen then I imagine that she would try to build orthodox churches in her capital. I don't know if that is addressed at all in any of the books; nor how good it would be for her to do this. So I am curious how this is handled. Curious how others have handled this.

So I am curious what sort beings would be best for Irrisen and religion be it the big gods, minor gods, various empyeral lords, eldest or other divine beings. as well as how other GMs handle Queen Anastasia and Christianity.

Hello,

I am curious what people use for names for Osirion? Particularly for surnames/clan names/family names/last names? Ancient Egyptian names tended to lack surnames. So, what resources do others look for when coming up with names for Osirion characters?

sincerely,

-Vyshan

Hello,

One of my major dnd bugbears and issues I have with it is how the way it handles polytheism. Mostly in how it feels nothing like actual polytheism. By this I mean the polytheism that one might see in ancient Greece/Rome/Egypt. which also means, less of a focus on 'holy war' and 'heresies'.

I am curious how much I might have to change as I want to have this sort of polytheism be the main religious way I like the various gods, but I want to have more of a focus on polytheism. Where in a major city, you can find temples to many deities including some minor ones and visiting them for your various needs is just part of every day life.

One of the things that thus comes out of this, is the wondering if they have ever written up what sort of offerings are given to the deities? One of the things that is done in polytheistic religions, weather it be Kemeticism, Hellenismos, Shintoism and so on are offerings to the deities. Not the cliche fantasy human virgin offerings, but food, drinks, items and so on. So I am curious if this have ever been written up.

sincerely,

-Vyshan

Hello,

I am curious about some of the various changes that people have made to the setting.

I shall start with some of the various changes I made

1.) no halflings
2.) no half-orcs or half-elves as their own race. A few of them, might exist but over all they are not a seprate race.
3.)Guns are far more common, they can be found in most places but are rather expensive. In fact technology is more akin to the early modern period then anything else.

4.) Cheliax still owns its colonies of Kovosa, Sargava, and Isger. Nidal pays tribute to the empire of cheliax but is a separate land.
5.) Andoran is changed dramatically. For one it is not an american style democracy but instead it is an elective monarchy. upon the death of the king of Andoran, all the nobles will pick a king to rule the kingdom. Most of the noble houses in Andoran are not ancient houses of the region but instead chose to come here after House Thrune took power in Cheliax.
6.) a number of Empyeral lords are worshiped as archangels for various gods/goddesses. For example, Falayna is viewed as an archangel of Iomadae by her faithful.

so what other things have people changed. :)

-vyshan

Hello,

I am working on running this adventure path, using savage world as a rule set, but anyways. I have added as one of the factions going after the city of Saventh-yhi to be Nanatmbu. It is the Mwangi faction going after the treasure,also the rivals to Sargava. Due to the magical school there, allying with them gives the PCs some magic stuff and people who are more familar with the terrien.

However, one thing I am wondering about is how to include the city in the addventure path. Since from my understanding that they are on other sides of the Jungle. meaning it would be kind of outplace to go there, but on the other hand I want to go there. So a few ideas and if anyone else can help that be great.

1.) Following the trip to Ilmura the PCs would have to go to Nanatmbu in order to figure out how to stop Ydserius from awakening and becoming a god.

2.) I can just move the city of Saventh-yhi further into the Jungle so that the PCs can/have to stop by Nanatmbu.

any other ideas?

-vyshan

Hello,

I am wondering what sort of prayers would be said by the faithful of the various gods and goddesses? I am not looking for the aphorisms, but actual prayers that can be used to add flavor and detail to the world. :)

Does anyone have ideas or suggestions? I am sure that there would be a variety of different prayers for each god so ideas are welcome :)

-vyshan

Hello,

One thing that I have noticed when reading the various books is that the churches of the various deities, particularly the lawful ones, do not seem to be that organized. They are organized around a few temples, but I see little of actual large scale organized religions.

So that being said, I thought I would look at the various deities or at least the lawful ones and see what might make sense for them.

Abadar: The religion of Abadar, from what I have read about they are designed to act independent from one another. I would imagine that in various countries and regions, the heads of the most powerful temples have meetings to help set religious policy of the region.

Asmodeus: I see the church of Asmodeus rather strongly hirearchal and organized. You have equelivelents to bishops and local priests, monastic orders and so on IMo. IMO I would imagine that there is a I see the relation between the government of Cheliax and the Church following the idea of Caesaropapism. Meaning that the head of the Church of Asmodeus is picked by the government of Cheliax.

Iomedae: I see the church of Iomedae being rather organized as well. Almost like a good counter-point to the church of Asmodeus in terms of how organized it is.

Torag: Torag's church is a bit more idependent but I imagine that within the dwarven holds, that it it is far more organized, with the head priest of that city/hold being a very prestigious and powerful position.

There are three I am not quite sure of, that being Irori, Erastil, and Zon-Kuthon. I am wondering what others think of my ideas? and if anyone has any alternative takes on the structures of the churches.