Pathfinder Adventure Path #191: The Destiny War (Stolen Fate 2 of 3)

Announced for May! Product image and description are not final and may be subject to change.

Hmmm not much more info on the plot here, very curious to see where this is heading. Cool that we're getting 18 magic cards though!

Hmmm not much more info on the plot here, very curious to see where this is heading. Cool that we're getting 18 magic cards though!

Gen Con discussion mentioned

Gen Con discussion mentioned ** spoiler omitted **

Both of those points are very exciting!

While I know the art's not final, I find the choice to put a very iconic Hellknight image on there *very* interesting.

While I know the art's not final, I find the choice to put a very iconic Hellknight image on there *very* interesting.

Don't read too much into it. There aren't any hellknights in this Adventure Path.

The new cover art does really convey this AP is about cards. Too bad there's no large version yet. Which iconics are in this one?

The new cover art does really convey this AP is about cards. Too bad there's no large version yet. Which iconics are in this one?

Odd how there's cover art for this one but not the first part

Neat looking demon from what I can see :>

SpaceDrake wrote:

While I know the art's not final, I find the choice to put a very iconic Hellknight image on there *very* interesting.

Don't read too much into it. There aren't any hellknights in this Adventure Path.

Aren't there Hellknights in book one?

James Jacobs wrote:

SpaceDrake wrote:

While I know the art's not final, I find the choice to put a very iconic Hellknight image on there *very* interesting.

Don't read too much into it. There aren't any hellknights in this Adventure Path.

Aren't there Hellknights in book one?

There are, but they're not really that significant to the plot.

Just got my pdf and I'm really loving this AP. This particular book has given me several ideas to use for my own campaigns. Great job to the writers of this book.

Can I ask where this one goes to?

Oh damn. We're going there?

Did NOT expect that.

Can I ask where this one goes to?

Going to be evil and refuse to spoil this. I hope as many fans get to experience the delight of finding out this answer cold, like I got to.

Can you at least spoil the new creatures in the toolbox?

Not yet, no

I will spoiler a tiny bit of creatures

Might one ask about the Toolbox?

Oh damn. We're going there?

Did NOT expect that.

keftiu wrote:

Can I ask where this one goes to?

Going to be evil and refuse to spoil this. I hope as many fans get to experience the delight of finding out this answer cold, like I got to.

Come on Paizo... ship faster... XD

Hey, it worked!

I will spoiler a tiny bit of creatures

** spoiler omitted **

Are the two new demons also old obscure classics like how first book had return of rust and cabal devils? :O

Cori Marie wrote:

I will spoiler a tiny bit of creatures

** spoiler omitted **

Are the two new demons also old obscure classics like how first book had return of rust and cabal devils? :O

Both of the velstracs in this volume are updates of existing ones, but they were either obscure or got renamed.

One of them wouldn't happen to be my favorite velstrac Ephialtes? :O

(only other kyton in similar level range would be libitinarii aka the Inkariax themed icicle ones and termagant and I'm semi surprised if we get termagants back this early due to topic of what makes them horrifying x'D I guess Phylacator is also possible hmm)

One of them wouldn't happen to be my favorite velstrac Ephialtes? :O

(only other kyton in similar level range would be libitinarii aka the Inkariax themed icicle ones and termagant and I'm semi surprised if we get termagants back this early due to topic of what makes them horrifying x'D I guess Phylacator is also possible hmm)

If you really want to know...

I will spoiler a tiny bit of creatures

** spoiler omitted **

Not yet, no

Specifically, if no one beats me to it, I'll post my normal "Everything in the toolbox and their tags" on the 23rd as a pre-paizocon treat.

And of course put adventure locations into a spoiler box.

Looks like this is the first second edition AP to not have any articles in it.

Looks like this is the first second edition AP to not have any articles in it.

Yup. That's a result of an adventure that was larger than expected plus the fact that detailing out 18 Harrow Cards from the deck in each volume ended up taking four pages more than expected as well. In a way, Stolen Fate kind of wanted to be a 6 part adventure (that would have let us do only 9 cards per adventure, sort of like how we did Crimson Throne, with each adventure mapping thematically to one of the 6 ability scores), so cramming all those themes into a 3 part one that went all over the world (it takes more words to detail places we don't have a lot of Lost Omens book coverage for, remember) meant that I had to trim out some of the potential backmatter articles.

I'm eager to hear from folks if this is a good thing or a bad thing, in fact. Do you prefer having one or two articles in the back to support the adventure? Or do you prefer an adventure-only volume like this one?

Fumarole wrote:

Looks like this is the first second edition AP to not have any articles in it.

Yup. That's a result of an adventure that was larger than expected plus the fact that detailing out 18 Harrow Cards from the deck in each volume ended up taking four pages more than expected as well. In a way, Stolen Fate kind of wanted to be a 6 part adventure (that would have let us do only 9 cards per adventure, sort of like how we did Crimson Throne, with each adventure mapping thematically to one of the 6 ability scores), so cramming all those themes into a 3 part one that went all over the world (it takes more words to detail places we don't have a lot of Lost Omens book coverage for, remember) meant that I had to trim out some of the potential backmatter articles.

I'm eager to hear from folks if this is a good thing or a bad thing, in fact. Do you prefer having one or two articles in the back to support the adventure? Or do you prefer an adventure-only volume like this one?

Personally I'm extremely sad about the lack of articles, I understand for practical reasons why they arent there but it's made this path a lot weaker for me as a result, to have so much space taken up by these cards.

The Vudra article in AoE, the Narakaas article in BL, the Mammoth Lord religions article in QftFF and the Holomog article in BL are some of my favourite things in 2e and likely wouldnt have easily fit in many other places. It would be a real shame to see them discarded

I prefer having articles too, as they give me something to read right way even if I don't plan on running the game.

Yeah articles is better would probably have been a better idea to have just made this one more parts rather than cut the articles.

Fumarole wrote:

Looks like this is the first second edition AP to not have any articles in it.

Yup. That's a result of an adventure that was larger than expected plus the fact that detailing out 18 Harrow Cards from the deck in each volume ended up taking four pages more than expected as well. In a way, Stolen Fate kind of wanted to be a 6 part adventure (that would have let us do only 9 cards per adventure, sort of like how we did Crimson Throne, with each adventure mapping thematically to one of the 6 ability scores), so cramming all those themes into a 3 part one that went all over the world (it takes more words to detail places we don't have a lot of Lost Omens book coverage for, remember) meant that I had to trim out some of the potential backmatter articles.

I'm eager to hear from folks if this is a good thing or a bad thing, in fact. Do you prefer having one or two articles in the back to support the adventure? Or do you prefer an adventure-only volume like this one?

If this only happens once in a while as need, I'm okay with it, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't bummed by the lack of articles. Understand why it had to happen here (and understood as soon as I flipped through the backmatter), but the articles are an even bigger draw for me than the adventure. It already feels like there is less worldbuilding in the 2e APs than 1e (IMO, YMMV).

Fumarole wrote:

Looks like this is the first second edition AP to not have any articles in it.

Yup. That's a result of an adventure that was larger than expected plus the fact that detailing out 18 Harrow Cards from the deck in each volume ended up taking four pages more than expected as well. In a way, Stolen Fate kind of wanted to be a 6 part adventure (that would have let us do only 9 cards per adventure, sort of like how we did Crimson Throne, with each adventure mapping thematically to one of the 6 ability scores), so cramming all those themes into a 3 part one that went all over the world (it takes more words to detail places we don't have a lot of Lost Omens book coverage for, remember) meant that I had to trim out some of the potential backmatter articles.

I'm eager to hear from folks if this is a good thing or a bad thing, in fact. Do you prefer having one or two articles in the back to support the adventure? Or do you prefer an adventure-only volume like this one?

In Blood Lords, the adventure should have gone into holomog. The backmatter on this region was interesting but didn't serve the adventure. So it's more of a developer issue here that should make the writer link thematically to the AP. I wish we got more on the region of Geb in that AP. Or on the city of ghouls that was mentioned. Why take us to a celestial kingdom but have no plot hooks there?

I loved the backmatter in Agents of Edgewatch detailing the various prisons, gangs, Harrow NPCs and NPCs who want to become gods. It fit in perfectly.

I would rather have backmatter in every book, except last books where I would like 4 pages on adventures beyond, like you did in wrath of the rigtheous showing the demonic expansion over time and the world's response. These conclusions with half a page are insufficient, especially for 1-11 APs.

When I buy AP volumes, I am buying them to read backmatter setting articles… but I’m an outlier, as someone who isn’t getting much PF2 to the table.

I love the articles and am sad to see there not be one. But my main takeaway from that comment is that Stolen Fate really would have benefitted from being a 6-part AP. It’s exciting seeing Gatewalkers and Stolen Fate jump around to so many fun places, but with their stories being crammed into 3 books you barely get to spend any time in any of those places. It’s cool for us Golarion nerds who already know about all the different parts of the world, but for my players it’s pretty meaningless when they’re barely given any reason to get attached to each new place before moving on.

I have loved the backmatter articles ever since PF #1. I'm okay with not having any every once in a while if the adventure goes longer than anticipated, but I'd prefer that to be the exception rather than the rule. I'm okay with it here because the adventure was great and I wouldn't want any of it to have been cut, but again: exception rather than the rule, please.

I often get inspired to review adventure book because of the said backmatter articles :'D

I love backmatter articles so much I just wish there was a way to easily know what was in which AP. For example Bloodlords has an entire fleshed out section on Hags and Covens which would be incredibly useful to anyone planning a story around them but how are they supposed to know to find them in the back of Book 2 of Bloodlords? Or the entire Op-ed on shadows in the 3rd.

Like I was doing some research on the religion of Urgathoa only to find out some of the most detail written about her isnt in Gods and Magic (though you can find some great stuff there) but in book 5 of the Carrion Crown Ashes at dawn.

The best way I've figured is to look at the pathfinder wiki and look at the sources in the article but that isnt flawless.

TLDR: I love backmatter articles a lot please let me find them easier

OK! As I suspected, folks do love the backmatter articles. Again... they're not going anywhere, and we'll keep doing them for sure (there's plenty scheduled for Sky King's Tomb and Season of Ghosts). Thanks for the feedback, all!

I love backmatter articles so much I just wish there was a way to easily know what was in which AP. For example Bloodlords has an entire fleshed out section on Hags and Covens which would be incredibly useful to anyone planning a story around them but how are they supposed to know to find them in the back of Book 2 of Bloodlords? Or the entire Op-ed on shadows in the 3rd.

Like I was doing some research on the religion of Urgathoa only to find out some of the most detail written about her isnt in Gods and Magic (though you can find some great stuff there) but in book 5 of the Carrion Crown Ashes at dawn.

The best way I've figured is to look at the pathfinder wiki and look at the sources in the article but that isnt flawless.

TLDR: I love backmatter articles a lot please let me find them easier

On 2e AON at least, there's a page showing the titles of every back matter article under... Sources? I think.

I love the articles and am sad to see there not be one. But my main takeaway from that comment is that Stolen Fate really would have benefitted from being a 6-part AP. It’s exciting seeing Gatewalkers and Stolen Fate jump around to so many fun places, but with their stories being crammed into 3 books you barely get to spend any time in any of those places. It’s cool for us Golarion nerds who already know about all the different parts of the world, but for my players it’s pretty meaningless when they’re barely given any reason to get attached to each new place before moving on.

This was exactly my impression of the first part of this adventure.

StarlingSweeter wrote:

I love backmatter articles so much I just wish there was a way to easily know what was in which AP. For example Bloodlords has an entire fleshed out section on Hags and Covens which would be incredibly useful to anyone planning a story around them but how are they supposed to know to find them in the back of Book 2 of Bloodlords? Or the entire Op-ed on shadows in the 3rd.

Like I was doing some research on the religion of Urgathoa only to find out some of the most detail written about her isnt in Gods and Magic (though you can find some great stuff there) but in book 5 of the Carrion Crown Ashes at dawn.

The best way I've figured is to look at the pathfinder wiki and look at the sources in the article but that isnt flawless.

TLDR: I love backmatter articles a lot please let me find them easier

On 2e AON at least, there's a page showing the titles of every back matter article under... Sources? I think.

Yup, they're all listed and searchable here on AON:

https://2e.aonprd.com/Articles.aspx

Adventure Toolbox

Feats
Axuma's Awakening - 11 - Rare, General
Axuma's Vigor - 11 - Rare, General

Magic Items
Deck of Harrowed Tales - 20 - Unique, Artifact, Conjuration, Magical
Guardian Aluum Charm - 13 - Rare, Enchanted, Invested, Magical
The Lens of the Outreaching Eye - 20 - Unique, Artifact, Divination, Invested, Magical, Scrying
Witchwyrd Beacon - 17 - Rare. Conjuration, Magical

Deck of Destiny (All Unique, Artifact, Invested, Magical, level 20)
The Bear - Transmutation
The Beating - Necromancy
The Cyclone - Evocation
The Demon's Lantern - Evocation
The Desert - Evocation
The Forge - Transmutation
The Hidden Truth - Abjuration
The Keep - Conjuration
The Lost - Abjuration
The Marriage - Divination
The Midwife - Necromancy
The Owl - Divination
The Sickness - Necromancy
The Survivor - Necromancy
The Tangled Briar - Conjuration
The Tyrant - Transmutation
The Uprising - Conjuration
The Waxworks - Necromancy

Creatures
Ghalzarokh - Uncommon, CE, Large, Demon, Fiend
Katpaskir - Uncommon, CE, Medium, Demon, Fiend
Demonic Rabble - Rare, CE, Gargantuan, Demon, Fiend, Troop
Wrath Riot - Rare, CE, Gargantuan, Demon, Fiend, Troop
Derhii - Uncommon, N, Large, Humanoid
Hadi Mob - Rare, NE, Gargantuan, Humanoid, Ratfolk, Troop
Ephialtes - Uncommon, LE, Huge, Fiend, Velstrax
Vincuvicar - Uncommon, LE, Medium, Fiend, Velstrac

Fumarole wrote:

Looks like this is the first second edition AP to not have any articles in it.

Yup. That's a result of an adventure that was larger than expected plus the fact that detailing out 18 Harrow Cards from the deck in each volume ended up taking four pages more than expected as well. In a way, Stolen Fate kind of wanted to be a 6 part adventure (that would have let us do only 9 cards per adventure, sort of like how we did Crimson Throne, with each adventure mapping thematically to one of the 6 ability scores), so cramming all those themes into a 3 part one that went all over the world (it takes more words to detail places we don't have a lot of Lost Omens book coverage for, remember) meant that I had to trim out some of the potential backmatter articles.

I'm eager to hear from folks if this is a good thing or a bad thing, in fact. Do you prefer having one or two articles in the back to support the adventure? Or do you prefer an adventure-only volume like this one?

A bad thing. I pretty much mostly buy the adventure path books because of the back articles. This really should have been a 6 part campaign.

Huh, the other velstract seems to be Phylacator kyton renamed, it has same theme/abilities and same level

But yeah, this bestiary was really almost tailor made for me :3 <3 for some of my favs making it back in this ap

Huh, the other velstract seems to be Phylacator kyton renamed, it has same theme/abilities and same level

But yeah, this bestiary was really almost tailor made for me :3 <3 for some of my favs making it back in this ap

Correct; we renamed that velstrac to move more phonetically away from the word phylactery and to pick an "inspiration" word (the lattin word vinculum, which has anatomical connotations and "binding" connotations) that more accurately reflected their role in velstrac lore.