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There is no details on what exactly the Starstone's test of godhood is, only that it's extremely deadly, and only four gods have ascended through it.
Aroden
Norgorber
Cayden Cailean
Iomedae
Aroden raised it in Absalom 4700 odd years ago, so it's almost 5 millennia, with only 4 gods. Which suggests to me that they have left it open to a campaign in which someone, or a PC can ascend to godhood.
Maybe not, I just like neat patterns like that.
Either way, all that's known of the process is, you go to the starstone in Absalom, you do some tests, and the vast majority of people fail.
I'd say that's all there will be about the matter for quite some time, unless aforementioned campaign come sinto existence.
To answer you question really simply; What's known about what the tests of the Starstone are?
Nothing.
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First rule of the Test of the Starstone: You don't talk about the Test of the Starstone. :P
Actually, I'm not sure whether only those three succeeded (Aroden brought the Starstone to the Isle of Kortos, and Absalon was built around it, so he never had to do the test. He just had to raise the Starstone from the bottom of the sea). Maybe some other lesser known heroes (I apply the term somewhat loosely here) made it, but didn't greatly advertise the fact, at least not in Absalom.
One thing's sure, though: The Test's anything but easy.
Hm... I just had a nice idea for another Runelord adventure: There's several Runelords still unaccounted for. What if one of them (say, Vanity) decides to attempt this Test after waking up, seeing it as a quick way to more power. You might have to help defend Absalom against his armies, or content with him within the cathedral itself - either fighting him, or racing him to the finish line, or something like that. This one could make the Tomb of Horrors look like a cake walk.
what hapens to pass the test and what hapend if fail
Well, that's easy: If you succeed, you become a Demigod, with all the benefits this entails. If you fail, you die. Probably not a pleasant death, either.
I think we'll totally see some kind of write-up about the Test. I imagine something that would be theoretically possible for characters past level 10 or so, but still extremely difficult and deadly for a character well past level 20.
I think someone posted that there was gonna be a Demigod as a Monster in one of the future Pathfinder Modules (Second Darkness Line, think), maybe that will have more info about becoming one.
=)
Director of Brand Strategy
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I think someone posted that there was gonna be a Demigod as a Monster in one of the future Pathfinder Modules (Second Darkness Line, think), maybe that will have more info about becoming one.
=)
Achaechek is already statted up in Pathfinder 9. There will be a full article on Caiden Caylean in Pathfinder 13, and as one of the four deities to achieve godhood from the Starstone, I'm pretty sure something more will be mentioned about it, or at least his exploits passing the test.
I don't think we're going to see an adventure or even detailed descriptions of the Test of the Starstone any time soon. James Jacobs has said that it might be a long-term plan for an epic level adventure, but I'm sure everyone at Paizo wants to keep some things a mystery and not give away the farm in the first two years of the setting.
How did Arazni become a goddess? I had the impression it was the Starstone also, but I can't find anything in print on that.
I can't find anything, either, just that she was "Arazni, the warrior-goddess Herald of Aroden." Could be starstone. Or maybe she wasn't a real goddess at all, only got some quasi-deity status as Herald. Anyway, Tar-Baphon was able to kill her, so she wasn't that powerful for a deity.
I think we'll totally see some kind of write-up about the Test. I imagine something that would be theoretically possible for characters past level 10 or so, but still extremely difficult and deadly for a character well past level 20.
Level 10? That would be "theoretically possible" in the sense that someone winning the lottery every week for a year straight is "theoretically possible" or something. "Yeah, your 10th-level character can succeed. You'll just have to roll nothing but twenties for the next 1000 or so rolls" :P
One thing's sure, though: The Test's anything but easy.Don't you believe it! I know a guy who did it on a dare, while he was drunk, and succeeded.
You shouldn't believe what they say in those outrageous brewery commercials. I once saw one where frogs were croaking the brew's name.
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Director of Brand Strategy
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You shouldn't believe what they say in those outrageous brewery commercials. I once saw one where frogs were croaking the brew's name.One thing's sure, though: The Test's anything but easy.Don't you believe it! I know a guy who did it on a dare, while he was drunk, and succeeded.
DUDE! That really happened!
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DUDE! That really happened!You shouldn't believe what they say in those outrageous brewery commercials. I once saw one where frogs were croaking the brew's name.One thing's sure, though: The Test's anything but easy.Don't you believe it! I know a guy who did it on a dare, while he was drunk, and succeeded.
Boozehound.
See what happens when you drink too much? You see talking frogs, or you stumble into dangerous tests and become a god.
Hm.... becoming a god....
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I can't find anything, either, just that she was "Arazni, the warrior-goddess Herald of Aroden." Could be starstone. Or maybe she wasn't a real goddess at all, only got some quasi-deity status as Herald. Anyway, Tar-Baphon was able to kill her, so she wasn't that powerful for a deity.
If she was killed, then by the order of things established so far, she was a demigod, as they can be killed by mortals (or un-mortal in this case).
As far as what happens to the failures, I think they die a horrible fitful death, cast down into the catacombs of the Starstone's cathedral, where they become atropals that hunger to avenge their failure on all who try and succeed at what they did not.
Just a theory.
Could be demigod, could be something less. I don't know if quasi-deities exist in Golarion, but heralds could very well fit that niche.
I don't know if quasi-deities exist in Golarion, but heralds could very well fit that niche.
I agree. :)
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Chief Creative Officer, Publisher
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Arazni was akin to a quasi-deity or hero-god, in first edition terms. Possibly even a weak demigod. She was definitely mortal, as the Whispering Tyrant proved.
She did not come to divine power via the Starstone. We haven't revealed much more about her yet, but I can say with authority that her divinity came from some other source.
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Aroden raised it in Absalom 4700 odd years ago, so it's almost 5 millennia, with only 4 gods. Which suggests to me that they have left it open to a campaign in which someone, or a PC can ascend to godhood.
I mentioned the Test of the Starstone to my PCs in my PF playtest a couple of weeks back, and the three gnome siblings were immediately "Ooh! Let's all go and do that thing!" I pointed out the numbers (four gods in five thousand years), and their basic reply was, "Well, that's because only humans suck enough to get that low a turnover." :p
Jeremy Puckett
Boozehound.See what happens when you drink too much? You see talking frogs, or you stumble into dangerous tests and become a god.
Hm.... becoming a god....
Yeah, but what kind of god? Like, god of hangovers? That would suck... ;P
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I mentioned the Test of the Starstone to my PCs in my PF playtest a couple of weeks back, and the three gnome siblings were immediately "Ooh! Let's all go and do that thing!" I pointed out the numbers (four gods in five thousand years), and their basic reply was, "Well, that's because only humans suck enough to get that low a turnover." :p
Tell them they have to be *this* tall to take the Test Of The Starstone. ;-)
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Yeah, but what kind of god? Like, god of hangovers? That would suck... ;P
Nah, the god of being drunk. He got there in time before the booze wore off.
Otherwise, he's probably be the Oh God of Hangovers.
This seems to be leaking week, as some details about the Test have been revealed. Here, some original post that was mis-placed on the general forums and quickly deleted (but not fast enough)
Oh, and Mike, I talked it over with James and he agrees, the old plans for the Test will stay in.
So it's unofficially official: In order to make the test, you have to defeat Chuck Norris in a roundhouse kicking contest.
Gods help those poor sobs
It's even harder than I thought. I'd have gone with "Defeat one great wyrm of each colour in one big fight, without using any class abilities" or something similarly trivial (compared to that!)
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I would expect that the test isn't the same for every candidate. It tests you against your own strengths, your own weaknesses, your ambitions and desires, your fears and regrets. The challenges may well be things that only the most powerful individuals could hope to handle - but some portions of the test won't be defeated by class abilities or rolls of the dice, they'll be decided by your strength of character or your determination, your ability to go on when you've already gone past anything that any mortal should be able to endure. The tests themselves will elevate you - or focus on a weakness and destroy you utterly.
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It's mostly a Q&A.
What is your name.
What is your Favorite color.
What is the appoximate speed of a swallow.
(The last one is kind of tricky.)
Is that an Azlanti or Garundi swallow?
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It's mostly a Q&A.
What is your name.
What is your Favorite color.
What is the appoximate speed of a swallow.
(The last one is kind of tricky.)
Is that an Azlanti or Garundi swallow?
What? I don't knoAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
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What? I don't knoAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIt's mostly a Q&A.
What is your name.
What is your Favorite color.
What is the appoximate speed of a swallow.
(The last one is kind of tricky.)
Is that an Azlanti or Garundi swallow?
Congratulations! You have now unlocked Demi-God mode. You are now Jeff, Demigod of Biscuts. You are free to pick one one alignment based domain, one elemental domain and you are free to create a domain around the concept of your portfolio.
Sorry you got biscuts, the next one was going to be Raymondo, Demi-God of Awesome. Most of his powers were centered on doing really awesome things. Maybe you can try again in a thousand years.
I don't know if it's the recent movie, but I'm getting a distinctly Indiana Jones vibe from the Test of Starstone.
Can't you just see some knowledgeable Pathfinder having to lead certain unsavoury types through a myriad of difficult and dangerous tests, only to quietly slip away as they receive their Final Reward?
Biscuits? Could be worse. You could be declared a god by Emperor Hantei XVI. He did that when he was really annoyed at people. He'd call them God of Dung (or worse) - and since the Emperor's word was law, even in the Celestial Heavens, those poor suckers had to take the job.
Was going to post this yesterday but ran out of time. StarStone failures don’t just die, they never were. No one remembers them, words written about them disappear, statues and cravings unetch themselves, and anything created or designed by the God-that-failed becomes unmade (with potentially severe consequences if you were attempting to become..say..goddess of architects, or for the victims of a burdening deity of murder). The exception to this rule might be something recorded about them by another deity.
Hm... I just had a nice idea for another Runelord adventure: There's several Runelords still unaccounted for. What if one of them (say, Vanity) decides to attempt this Test after waking up, seeing it as a quick way to more power. You might have to help defend Absalom against his armies, or content with him within the cathedral itself - either fighting him, or racing him to the finish line, or something like that.
This does sound fun.
As for being the God of Biscuits, it would only be right if you have a Gravy Domain.
Was going to post this yesterday but ran out of time. StarStone failures don’t just die, they never were. No one remembers them, words written about them disappear, statues and cravings unetch themselves, and anything created or designed by the God-that-failed becomes unmade (with potentially severe consequences if you were attempting to become..say..goddess of architects, or for the victims of a burdening deity of murder). The exception to this rule might be something recorded about them by another deity.
Oh please no. It would be like one big Star Trek episode, or a 4e campaign setting. :P
As for being the God of Biscuits, it would only be right if you have a Gravy Domain.
I'm not. Cernunos is, for his clever and original application of the Counter-Question Manoeuvre!
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Was going to post this yesterday but ran out of time. StarStone failures don’t just die, they never were. No one remembers them, words written about them disappear, statues and cravings unetch themselves, and anything created or designed by the God-that-failed becomes unmade (with potentially severe consequences if you were attempting to become..say..goddess of architects, or for the victims of a burdening deity of murder). The exception to this rule might be something recorded about them by another deity.Oh please no. It would be like one big Star Trek episode, or a 4e campaign setting. :P
I almost agree with you, KaeYoss, but that idea is worse than that. It's trite on a bad fanfic/webcomic level. Just think about the effect that kind of retconning would have on a campaign!
MwBeeler, I'm not trying to insult you, but I don't think you examined that idea sufficiently.
Sam
[MwBeeler, I'm not trying to insult you, but I don't think you examined that idea sufficiently.Sam
Not at all, I’m used to people missing the point.
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Was going to post this yesterday but ran out of time. StarStone failures don’t just die, they never were. No one remembers them, words written about them disappear, statues and cravings unetch themselves, and anything created or designed by the God-that-failed becomes unmade (with potentially severe consequences if you were attempting to become..say..goddess of architects, or for the victims of a burdening deity of murder). The exception to this rule might be something recorded about them by another deity.
I'm pretty sure that would contradict the Gazetteer, isn't there some kind of list of names or something similar of everyone who has attempted the test and failed? Both as a memorial and a warning? I'm sure I remember something along those lines *makes mental note to check after work*.
Interesting. I don't own it, but it fleshes things out even better that way, depending on the source of the writings or if there is a list somewhere of powers no one has ever heard of. Let me know what you find. :)
I took the test.
It was just a game of rock, paper, sissors. Best out of 3.
I took the test.
It was just a game of rock, paper, sissors. Best out of 3.
Isn't it rock, paper, scissors, sucker-punch to the throat? Against an iron golem?
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Interesting. I don't own it, but it fleshes things out even better that way, depending on the source of the writings or if there is a list somewhere of powers no one has ever heard of. Let me know what you find. :)
Your wish is my command :P
From the section on the Ascendant Court (temple district in Absalom): "Not far from the heart of the district lies the enormous Cathedral of Failure, where silent caretakers erect small shrines to unsuccessful seekers of divinity. The oft-empty chambers of this dour edifice echo with the memories of conquered aspirations and forgotten dreams. Those sensitive to the whispers of spirits find the cathedral's winding passages and baroque galleries almost unbearable."
Have I mentioned I love the Gazetteer? :) So yeah, make of that what you will.
Aren't there a lighter and a meat cleaver involved ...?
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This seems to be leaking week....
It's even harder than I thought.Oh, and Mike, I talked it over with James and he agrees, the old plans for the Test will stay in.
So it's unofficially official: In order to make the test, you have to defeat Chuck Norris in a roundhouse kicking contest.
Gods help those poor sobs
Naaah...it started out as having to design a cryptosystem Bruce Schneier couldn't break.
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Was going to post this yesterday but ran out of time. StarStone failures don’t just die, they never were. No one remembers them, words written about them disappear, statues and cravings unetch themselves, and anything created or designed by the God-that-failed becomes unmade (with potentially severe consequences if you were attempting to become..say..goddess of architects, or for the victims of a burdening deity of murder). The exception to this rule might be something recorded about them by another deity.
Here's a creepy take on this concept. Ever see the miniseries "The Lost Room".
If you fail the test you in effect become the Occupant. No one knows you existed, every evidence of you is gone, but you can not die or be killed.
So there is some perks...
Trent
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How did Arazni become a goddess? I had the impression it was the Starstone also, but I can't find anything in print on that.
I can't find anything, either, just that she was "Arazni, the warrior-goddess Herald of Aroden." Could be starstone. Or maybe she wasn't a real goddess at all, only got some quasi-deity status as Herald. Anyway, Tar-Baphon was able to kill her, so she wasn't that powerful for a deity.
I think we'll totally see some kind of write-up about the Test. I imagine something that would be theoretically possible for characters past level 10 or so, but still extremely difficult and deadly for a character well past level 20.Level 10? That would be "theoretically possible" in the sense that someone winning the lottery every week for a year straight is "theoretically possible" or something. "Yeah, your 10th-level character can succeed. You'll just have to roll nothing but twenties for the next 1000 or so rolls" :P
more like how nethack is 'theoretically possible' for a level one, it ain't easy, I've never done it but I have been assured it is possible
I sort of remember reading that people faill the test and don't die. Some just emerge from the cathedral nearly dead. Some come out with fabulous wealth, but no deity status.