Explore the First World, the legendary realm of the fey, where reality reinvents itself and strange creatures peddle stranger wares to the unwary. Learn about the godlike Eldest who rule this plane, and how to navigate their fairy courts. Delve for legendary treasures in locations too weird for mortal lands, study the lost origin of gnomes, and bargain with ageless adversaries in a realm where death is seen as a game. Whatever you do, don't blink—because nothing in the First World stays the same for long.
Inside this book, you'll find:
Detailed information on all the Eldest, including overviews of their strongholds and magical boons for their worshipers.
Dozens of bizarre fey adventure locations, from the legendary Witchmarket to the Chittering Tabernacle, with secret histories, maps of prominent cities, and more.
The new feysworn prestige class, allowing you to harness the power of the fairy lords.
New spells and magic items to help you survive the First World, as well as rules for spellcasting in the fey realm and bending the landscape itself to your will.
Six new fey monsters, including the skull-headed escorite and the technology-trashing bulabar, plus a new First World template and suggestions to help you create unique fey foes on the fly.
Pathfinder Campaign Setting: The First World, Realm of the Fey is intended for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and Pathfinder campaign setting, but can easily be used in any fantasy world.
ISBN-13: 978-1-60125-909-7
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For the little you get it is simply not worth the cost. There is a lot of skimming over, but not a lot of detail for my taste. Playable fey races would have been nice.
If you only buy one Pathfinder product this year...
...buy this one twice and give the extra to someone you really like.
This campaign setting guide does a fantastic job of describing the paradoxes of the First World. The descriptions of the Eldest manage to flesh them out as deities, while at the same time maintaining their maddening ambiguities and mystery. The locale descriptions are the same way--an "M.C. Escher meets Hieronymous Bosch" treasure trove of wild verbal imagery.
I've always liked the fey in Pathfinder, and this book only made me love them more.
And the artwork... wow, the artwork. Just. Wow. I wish there were poster prints available of some of the images inside.
There's stuff in here that while reading it, I'd often look away and wonder how they managed to think up something so creative. This type of high fantasy world is wonderful and there's so much contained on the relatively small amount of pages on here. I've never written a review on anything on this site, but this compelled me to do so.
The only problem is getting the players there without seeming like I'm shoe-horning it in just because I wanna play around in the First World :P
Everything about this book is great. The high level background on the First World (time, magic, fey immortality, history) is comprehensive and surprisingly detailed given the limited space they had to work with. The section on the Eldest is fascinating and sets them apart from your ordinary demigods, plus the fey obedience boons are generally very strong, inventive, and thematic. The gazetteer of First World locations provides dozens of great ideas to develop your own adventure locations, and the Bestiary adds several interesting and creative new critters to serve as allies or adversaries.
I'm hoping for a tie-in to Kingmaker, to let Kingmaker GM's flesh out the ties between the two.
Well, seeing as how the River Kingdoms do have several places where reality and the First World intermingle, it seems likely we Kingmaker/River Kingdom fans will get something here.
I'm hoping for a tie-in to Kingmaker, to let Kingmaker GM's flesh out the ties between the two.
Well, seeing as how the River Kingdoms do have several places where reality and the First World intermingle, it seems likely we Kingmaker/River Kingdom fans will get something here.
That was my thought too. Plus more on the Witchmarket! :)
I am sure there will be at least something useful to kingmaker/River Kingdoms and every other place on Golarion that is in someway connected to the first world.
It is very similar to the Books of the Damned and Chronicle of the Righteous. There are no new Eldest, but they each get a full write-up with obediences and such.
It is very similar to the Books of the Damned and Chronicle of the Righteous. There are no new Eldest, but they each get a full write-up with obediences and such.
Even the long-lost Count Ranalc?
(pleasepleasepleaseplease...)
I'd imagine he would. It does say in the original text that his clerics still get spells (if I remember correctly), so I don't think there would be any reason Count Ranalc wouldn't be able to give Deific Obediences if all the other Eldest do.
Now available for preorder! Cover image is not final and subject to change.
Liz, it should be an exciting book I would hope. I just wish it was out sooner for the Reign of Winter campaign I am running. That would be a fun add on.
Aroden and Ranalc voted to leave the Golarion pantheon. Motion carried.
Alternate but similar theory:
Since the Eldest and the gods couldn't deal with their forbidden love, Ranalc and Aroden eloped to the reality we live in. Now called Randy Alco and Aaron Denver, this cute couple lives an ordinary life with a nice cat named Ruggles, complicated by only the wacky hijinks that come with hiding their divine powers.
It's definitely no less than 100% plausible.
Jokes aside, it would be interesting if either left willingly, although can't imagine for what reasons, especially Ranalc. Although to be fair, we only have a brief snippet of info on him so far.
Well, I couldn't be any more enthusiastic about this if I tried. Absolutely fantastic and I'm going to spend the entire time until my copy arrives on tenterhooks.
I wonder if there'll be rules for bending the first world to your will?
I wonder if there'll be any mention of Fellnight or additional details on why Shadow Magic is such a taboo among the fey, that'd certainly be interesting to read.
Well since the shadow plane is influenced by the negative energy plane and the first world seems to be influenced by the positive energy plane then I wouldn't be surprised about that. Plus there beings in the shadow plane that may be enemies of fey, or used to live in the first world, or are just a negative influence.
It would be cool if they mentioned more types of tane. Maybe even have stats for a new one.
Give us a tane base on cheshire already! XD
nighttree wrote:
I'm REALLY hoping they cover how someone becomes one of Shyka.....
Learning about the current Shyka and how does one become the next of The Many are my major reasons to be interested.
Spoiler:
For those that have read Pandora Heats, you will notice that the character Glen Baskerville is really similar to Shyka, even the fact that all the previous Glen and Shyka reside inside their current incarnation.
And... No one interested on dear grandmother's realm or her influence inside the first world? What are her riders doing while they aren't at the Material Plane? What is her relationship with the Eldest? Can she create Tanes?
Well since the shadow plane is influenced by the negative energy plane and the first world seems to be influenced by the positive energy plane then I wouldn't be surprised about that. Plus there beings in the shadow plane that may be enemies of fey, or used to live in the first world, or are just a negative influence.
Where is this said? Because if that's the case, I just got a little more credibility for my theory as to why Count Ranalc was banished.
Well since the shadow plane is influenced by the negative energy plane and the first world seems to be influenced by the positive energy plane then I wouldn't be surprised about that. Plus there beings in the shadow plane that may be enemies of fey, or used to live in the first world, or are just a negative influence.
Where is this said? Because if that's the case, I just got a little more credibility for my theory as to why Count Ranalc was banished.
Well since the shadow plane is influenced by the negative energy plane and the first world seems to be influenced by the positive energy plane then I wouldn't be surprised about that. Plus there beings in the shadow plane that may be enemies of fey, or used to live in the first world, or are just a negative influence.
Where is this said? Because if that's the case, I just got a little more credibility for my theory as to why Count Ranalc was banished.
Count wasn't banished. He voted to leave. :p ;)
It's been a while since I've had a copy of the specific book to look at, but remember it saying that he was exiled to the Plane of Shadow by the other Eldest.