Channel that Disappointment... Into my Thread!!!!

[Clark Peterson]

Its almost time. The top 32 will soon be announced. And we know what that means. It means hundreds of people will NOT be in the top 32. We all know that. So we might as well plan for it :)

I just wanted to take a second to suggest that if you happen to be at all disappointed that you didnt advance when the top 32 are announced, that you channel that disappointment and come in here and let out a primal scream or whatever you have to do.

Last year everyone was great. We had only a (very very) few people who were kind of vocal in their disappointment, and while that is understandable it made the boards a bit tense. But looking back on it lets try our best this year not to do that.

We can all be gracious in defeat and give honor to those who advanced. Similarly, I'm going to call on the top 32 not to gloat excessively (but of course there is nothing wrong with being excited, just make sure its not in an "I'm better" kind of way).

I'm not a moderator here. I dont have any control. But I just thought I would make this suggestion as a judge. Because this is a really great community.

And as a judge I'll be the first to say we arent perfect. We tried our best. But maybe we didnt see your perfect item in the right light or for some reason reviewed it when we were tired and missed its brilliance. Or maybe we just blew it. I sure hope not, but it is possible. It is a human process filled with human mistakes.

So if you want to be mad, be mad at me. But please please please dont denigrate the people whose items advanced. Lets try to keep this positive because that is what this contest is about.

Plus, starting tomorrow, you can channel your energy into my "Clark Give Me Your Feedback" thread and I will happily help you understand why it was that your item, in our view, didnt make the top 32.

This is an amazing community and I trust everyone to take what I said to heart.

Clark

[CouncilofFools]

Hi, Clark. Thanks for the opportunity to talk. I don't suspect that I've lost or won, but I wanted to throw something out there while the string is still young so it doesn't get lost.

You had pointed out where some of the submissions had some problems for this year in another string and perhaps someone already suggested this, but...

Being a newcomer this year, I wasn't as privy to last year's guidance so I was coming in fresh and naive. I didn't know where to look for guidance and only discovered some after my submission. Is it at all possible to incorporate your guidance for this year's submissions into next years rules, FAQ or whatever in the announcement? I think the caliber would increase immensely and save some of the newbies from the rookie risks (or lack there of) that I and others did (or didn't) take with our submissions.

Anyway, looking forward to seeing the results and still crossing my fingers.

[Ross Byers]

Clark Peterson wrote:

Plus, starting tomorrow, you can channel your energy into my "Clark Give Me Your Feedback" thread and I will happily help you understand why it was that your item, in our view, didnt make the top 32.

Speaking of that thread, you might want to state a time zone on it. After all, it'll be 'tomorrow' only 7 hours after the top 32 go up in my time zone, and worse for out European and 'Down under' folks.

[Sue Flaherty]

::sigh:: Oh, well, as they always say, there is next year :) I'll be posting tomorrow, though I've got some good ideas (now) what I did wrong this time around.

Now to participate vicariously by reading all the items and being ready to vote for my faves!

[Kew73]

OK, how do we find out why we were not in the top 32?

[Mike Welham]

Kew73 wrote:

OK, how do we find out why we were not in the top 32?

Tomorrow, post your item in this thread.

Please do it tomorrow, or Clark will do unspeakable things.

[meomwt]

Did I get through? Hmm, what does my screen name say.

Ah well. I haven't read through half of the Top 32 yet, and they all seem great so far. Good choices.

I'm already working on 1,000,001 kewl ideas for next year. I'll probably forget them, by then, and lash something together at the last minute. But I enjoyed the writing of my item and the anticipation of tonight's announcement that I'm in next year.

[Nicholas Herold]

RAAAAA

Consider my spleen vented.

I already figured that I wasn't going to make it. Once Clark said that no sleep/dream items stood out, I knew I was a goner.

I'm just glad that my roommate made it to the Top 32! Congrats, Casey!

[Ryan Marsh]

Argggghhh!

See, I'd only be disappointed, but due to some severe lag it took me 12 minutes to learn tat I was supposed to be disappointed. So disappointment plus frustration equal anger with no direction and makes for a brooding man.

[Xaaon of Xen'Drik]

I have read a few, and now I understand what the judges were looking for, my idea was swiss can...nuff said... I WILL do better next year.

Congrats to all the talented winners.

[Gorbacz]

CLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARK !

[Samuel Kisko]

Ah too bad, I liked my creepy hamster ball. Good luck to the winner, checking them out right now.

[Brian Hoffman]

RACKUM FRACKUM!!!

Ok. Moving on with life now.

A sincere thanks to Messrs. Peterson, Baur and Reynolds for devoting the time and energy to read through the hundreds upon hundreds of entries...

[Montalve]

nah, no ranting... a bit sad and frustrated, but i have seen some of the itmes and they are really good...

Clark Peterson wrote:

Plus, starting tomorrow, you can channel your energy into my "Clark Give Me Your Feedback" thread and I will happily help you understand why it was that your item, in our view, didnt make the top 32.

this is what I was hopping for, so I am good with this plan, tomorrow I will post mine, I myself see a few flaws, but would like to see if there was something that crippled my item and that would let me learn for the next time.

once or twice i had to over symplify it... but that was me and my fight with the wordcount :P

Xaaon of Xen'Drik wrote:

I have read a few, and now I understand what the judges were looking for, my idea was swiss can...nuff said... I WILL do better next year.

Congrats to all the talented winners.

i agree on this whole heartedly

:)
everyone did its best, the 32 and extra 4 come on top, congratz to them all

and thanks to the judges for the good work

[James Hunnicutt]

No ranting. Obviously, there simply was some sort of mechanical problem with the submission form on the website, and mine didn't process. No one to blame, just a glitch in the system. That's the only possible explanation. ;^) Congratulations to the top 32!

[cwslyclgh]

Can't say I am really disappointed... the top 32 are all pretty good items, and if they were chosen ahead of mine I have no reason to complain -- although had I known the judges were keen on magic bridges I would certainly have submitted something other then what I did, ;0)

Any way I am more happy for these that did make it then I am disappointed that I am not one of them.

[ArgoForg]

ROAR GROWL Snarl Scowl Mope... and sighed acceptance. Okay, that's done.

I hate to admit it but looking through the responses on the top 32, I can guess a few reasons why my item didn't make the grade, but I'll likely go ahead and post it tomorrow to confirm my suspicions, if that's okay.

But I'm still taking my days off work, all the same. XD

Thank you very much, Mr. Baur, Mr. Peterson, and Mr. Reynolds, for all your hard work (which is likely just beginning)! Here's to hoping next year I wow yas.

[Coridan]

GRRRRRRRRR, I think my wondrous item is pretty durned creative too. Well, at least it frees up some time to work on the current PFS open call.

[Zombieneighbours]

*Sobs in a corner somewhere.*

In truth, i am not even the slightest bit suprised. I new the chances where slim to say the least and well, there are some really good items in the list, so it isn't so bad.

[David Posener]

I'll get you Clark,and your little dog too...a beer.

[Elora]

Zombieneighbours wrote:

*Sobs in a corner somewhere.*

Here's a stack of tissues. *Keeps the over-sized plush towel for herself*

I admit, I am extremely disappointed. I didn't prepare myself for the disappointment, so it hit me pretty hard. Should have known better. Now I have to explain to my office mate that none of my family members died.

[Mike Welham]

Elora wrote:

I admit, I am extremely disappointed. I didn't prepare myself for the disappointment, so it hit me pretty hard. Should have known better. Now I have to explain to my office mate that none of my family members died.

I felt pretty down at first, because I thought I might have actually gotten it right this time around. I'll be interested to see what Clark says about my item tomorrow (or when he gets to it).

I will say that this year's items are all spectacular, and the judges did a great job.

[Set]

Eh, my item used a channeling mechanic, being basically one of a set of enchanted holy symbols that gave a priest bonuses to deity-appropriate spells, the ability to channel divine spells into a few deity-specific spells and the ability to expend a channel energy use to cause some other effect. I made up a half dozen or so, and then picked the one that sounded coolest.

Once I saw 'too many channeling items' on the list, I decided that this was not the year for magical holy symbols.

It's been 20+ years of Cleric-types being able to make magic items, and somehow never thinking of magically empowering the one item they must carry around from levels 1 to 20. There *will* be magical holy symbols eventually, even if they aren't mine!

[The Earl of Sandwich]

Clark Peterson wrote:

So if you want to be mad, be mad at me.

Well, ok. Damn you Clark Peterson. Damn you for donating your time. Donating your energy. Donating more of the remaining 5 hours of sleep that you get per night. And most of all, damn you for your continued patience, respectful feedback, and answering the scores of questions you seem to get every day on these boards while the contest is on, and giving hope to every fanboy that shoots a post in your direction.......

Spoiler:

Sorry, Clark. I just had to vent that. ;)

[Andrew C Gale]

Yeah, I'm disappointed, having pipped myself at the post for creating an item stereotype from Clark's 'this-is-what-you-need-to-watch-out-for-thread'. I am annoyed at myself for not coming up with a more original idea.

To hint a little more, it was a Pan's-Labyrinth-Chalk-item-stereotype. Ironically, I had not watched Pan's Labyrinth until the other night (when it was mentioned here on the forums), just so I could go 'OH NOOOOOO'.

Add insult to my disappointment; I didnt like the movie! It was going so well, right up until the little girl uses my wondrous item, eats some food and then spends the rest of the movie crying about it. Jeeeeezus.

In any case, I am going to post it in a day or so so I can see where else I went wrong and learn from it going into Superstar 2010.

[Tao]

My biggest disappointment is that, in retrospect, I should have gone with one of my other item ideas. I think I tried to hard to make something that I thought "they" (the judges) would like that I submitted something I didn't really like all that much.

Oh well... see you in 2010! :D

[Vorpal Bored]

CouncilofFools wrote:

Being a newcomer this year, I wasn't as privy to last year's guidance so I was coming in fresh and naive. I didn't know where to look for guidance and only discovered some after my submission. Is it at all possible to incorporate your guidance for this year's submissions into next years rules, FAQ or whatever in the announcement?

I can second this, also being brand new here (happy to worm my way in though).

I'll admit to being a little glum but now that i have gone through all the winning entries i see where mine was likely wanting...

Spoiler:

I used the same unfavored format as the "Crossing" and might have been a tad underpowered/unflashy.

That being said, my wholehearted congratulations to the 32 creators! Good luck to all in the following rounds as we all look forward to seeing what you have planned next!

[Clark Peterson]

Tao wrote:

My biggest disappointment is that, in retrospect, I should have gone with one of my other item ideas. I think I tried to hard to make something that I thought "they" (the judges) would like that I submitted something I didn't really like all that much.

Oh well... see you in 2010! :D

Yeah, you really should love your item. If it doesnt inspire you, how is it going to grab us?

I live by this rule: swing for the fences. I'd rather go down doing something I believe in than win with something I dont.

[Starglim]

Humbug.

Well, I thought it was a definite improvement on last year. Will certainly post my item for comment! Thanks greatly for taking the time to do all this.

[Clark Peterson]

Post your items. I'm open for business in the feedback thread.

I am sick in the head, obviously.

Clark

[Nermal2097]

....

Ok that out of my system now, phew. Thanks to Clark and all the judges and folk at paizo for giving up their own time to run this. Good luck to all the top 32 in the coming rounds.

[Maurice de Mare]

Yesterday I checked the board, my name wasn't there. I sighed, last year gave me the experience to just let it go though.

That said, I am going to check this year's items now.

[Zuxius]

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuchhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

Ok. Let go my Eggo!!!!

I lost!

I am a loser!!!!

A Loser! Loser! Loser! Loser!

Aside from that, you guys have once again mined the best talent in the business. Now it is time to let them eat themselves in evil capitalisim fashion. Good Luck! I do mean it. Really!!!

I will vote and support the best. Enjoy this moment 32! You beat me and earned my respect. Don't faulter and don't give up! Don't give up, please!! Not even on me!!!

As for you judges,

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

I can't wait to win 2010. And please, don't feel disheartened by those that would feel sour. They are immature, but talented enough to beat me in 2010. Please, give them the encouragement to carry on. Don't faulter in taking their angst as anything less as an opportunity to bring the best to the next round in 2010.

Clark, I really wish I could hug you right now. Really. I want you to know that being a judge is very hard on the reverse side. Thank you for reaching out when it is time for others to throw something back (at you). I wish I had won, but secretly I wished I hadn't. I am in the middle of writing something I feel very strongly about, and now I can continue. I am near tears, but at the same time I am relieved that the best has risen to the top. I will not stand in the way of the "Einstein of RPG". This guy or gal could really make my life better, and that is what I pay Paizo for. I want the best. And here is to you 32, you are the best.

God Bless,
Zuxius

[Dane Pitchford]

Heh, I'm disappointed, I'll admit it. I put so much thought and work into my Spellslayer Gauntlet, and got my hopes up. So many things I wish I'd done with them, too, though I only realized this after submitting them.

Best of luck to those of you who made it. I'm going to keep designing, keep submitting things where I can, and keep trying to get my work out there. It's the best I can do :)

Thank you, though, to the judges that put so much time and work into reviewing each and every item. I certainly appreciate that mine was looked at among the hundreds of entrants, and that maybe, perhaps, you guys at least enjoyed looking it over, even if it wasn't a keeper.

[Dragonborn3]

Spoiler:

*lets out primal scream*

It's okay though, congrats to the top 32!

[Lipto the Shiv]

Blaagh! I have an angry!

[Steven Helt]

Just found this thread. I am disappointed, I didn't get in. I thought my bracelets were cool, and I think they are better than some items that got through.

But that comes with caveats. A lot of us are bound to feel that way, right? Also, it's a subjective process and subject to some things we can't control. A good bracelet is one thing. One of twenty good bracelets is harder.

I also feel I would have done well with the villain round, but none of that matters now. I said in an earlier thread that it's fun to watch the process, too. So that's where we are.

Too bad for those of us who feel we should be in. But the fun and education continues!

[Charles Evans 25]

Clark: [bloody furious venting rant, much aimed at clark, spoilered for the sensitive]

Spoiler:

I will admit to being angry that the judges let through some items which will break any game in thirty seconds at most.
I am definitely livid with clark for being a well paid, handsome, charismatic lawyer, with thousands of undead slaves, who makes posts about 'well you have to get up on stage and play your guitar', as if doing that will somehow make things turn out alright. That piece of advice SUCKED Clark, and is the sort of 'feel-good' lie based upon which Hollywood and lotteries make millions. And I haven't heard that you are a member of a rock-band. (Of course discovering that you are will simply turn my fury up a couple of notches from 'molten granite' to 'molten basalt').
I am absolutely LIVID - world crackingly livid - at myself for being stupid and dumb enough to enter a couple of thousand gold piece magical item instead of the 500,000 gold piece clockwork war-elephant. I don't care what lies the judges speak with forked tongues about 'not going for gonzo'. I look at the list of items which made it, and I see gonzo, gonzo, and more gonzo, most of it under-costed-and-minor-artifact-in-disguise-gonzo. Next year, if I enter, my wondrous item will trample people to death by the hundreds instead of being a sensibly priced 1/day protection from missiles item which I don't need to ask to see the feedback for to know the judges have rated it 'too bland' or 'too spell in a can'*.
*Mercurio's Bells for the record.

[/bloody furious venting rant, much aimed at clark, spoilered for the sensitive]
Is that the sort of venting you had in mind when you posted this thread, Clark?
If so, thank-you for posting this thread, and I hope that you found the rant helpful.

[Kyr]

I am a $%&*£$% idiot.

Some others have already commented the same - my item was auto rejected and should of been.

I was the dolt that put the lengthy costing notes in along with my entry. I honestly did think that we were supposed to include our costing notes with the item, and that those note were "separate" from the submission word count - I fully realize that there is no reason I should of thought that, that the instructions do not allude to that, and that EVEN IF it were true the notes I submitted were well beyond what was necessary to do that.

So back to my original line, "I am a $%&*£$% idiot."

My only excuse is that I when I have submitted items in the past, costing note were requested, and I pulled the trigger on my superstar submission very late (in terms of my local time and was a bit punchy - yet another reason I am an idiot). Not that advancing is life and death to me but I should of acted at least as professionally towards this submission as I do my day job.

Now the fact of the matter is that even if I hadn't got a bad case of the keyboard trots my item probably would not of advanced. I think it was fun and clever (at least it would of been in the context of the games I have played in) but it probably wasn't superstar. But to actually go out of my own way to eliminate myself - well thats something special.

Thank you for providing the opportunity to vent.

It is my sincere hope that even though my submission was autorejected in its extended form - that some of the folks on the boards will see it and use it and have some fun with it.

[Steven Helt]

Charles Evans 25 wrote:

And I haven't heard that you are a member of a rock-band.

I heard he jams with Petrucci, if that helps any.

[Charles Evans 25]

Steven T. Helt wrote:

Charles Evans 25 wrote:

And I haven't heard that you are a member of a rock-band.

I heard he jams with Petrucci, if that helps any.

Naaar...arrrgh....arrrrrrrrgggggghhhh....arrrrgggghhhhh....AURGHHHHHHH!!!!! !

[Vic Wertz]

Charles Evans 25 wrote:

I don't need to ask to see the feedback... to know the judges have rated it 'too bland' or 'too spell in a can'*.

*Mercurio's Bells for the record.

Sorry, Charles—neither of those caused your rejection. It was judged impractical: "Bells have to be the least practical form for an item; noisy in the dungeon, everyone hears you all the time."

[Charles Evans 25]

Vic Wertz wrote:

Charles Evans 25 wrote:

I don't need to ask to see the feedback... to know the judges have rated it 'too bland' or 'too spell in a can'*.

*Mercurio's Bells for the record.

Sorry, Charles—neither of those caused your rejection. It was judged impractical: "Bells have to be the least practical form for an item; noisy in the dungeon, everyone hears you all the time."

Well that was more an interesting drawback I thought, and at high level bards have Zone of Silence and players are known to be creative anyway so.... Nevermind.

If you would thank Clark from me for setting this thread up. A place for 'controlled explosions' or blowing off steam occasionally can be a tremendous relief.
It must be a filthy job sometimes, judging a contest like this.

[Victor Spieles]

Clark if you have the time, I'll take the feed back. Since as the posts go "When does Clark sleep?"

Veddic, Master of the Codex

Male half-elf stone golem wizard 7, fighter 2, expert - knowledge 3

For the last eight hundred years the whispered name of Veddic signals the coming of martial conflict where ever it’s heard. For eight centuries Veddic has made a reputation for himself, along with several lifetimes worth of fortunes, supplying arms, magic and mercenaries to half of the conflicts of Golarion. In many cases he has supplied arms to both sides. Besides being a global arms dealer, Veddic heads a shadowy organization called the Codex, which collects damaging and dark secrets about the powerful and wealthy.

Description:
Born a thousand years ago in the city of Katheer in Qadira, Veddic is the sole offspring of a wealthy human Keleshite caravan merchant, and his mother an elf of Kyonin. After his birth a member of his mother’s family left Veddic at the house of his father. His father embraced his half-elf sire and lavished special attention on Veddic over his nine human children. Veddic was educated by the finest scholars and wizards of Katheer, as while as being trained in the dervish fighting style. At the age of thirty Veddic set out to explore the world and experience all he had read about in his studies.

To protect his family from retribution, Veddic has never revealed his surname of Fadlan. The elves of his mother’s family refuse to acknowledge Veddic’s existence, or reveal the state or whereabouts of his mother.

Those granted an audience with Veddic are shocked to discover he is a six-foot tall muscularly sculpted male stone construct of polished black marble. When traveling for business, Veddic dons a black leather tunic and red cloak; otherwise he wears a simple red tunic. Veddic never carries a weapon, but he is also never without his personal guards. Those looking to slay him have destroyed several of his bodies over the centuries. Fortunately his guards have always managed to escape with Veddic’s head.

Veddic’s first construct body was built nine hundred years ago. Once a renowned mercenary leader, Veddic was mortally wounded and his half-elf body severely burned during a campaign against a foreign nation that called upon infernal assistance to win the battle. In order to live on in the hope of seeking revenge, Veddic had a stone golem body constructed to house his brain as his own body lay dying. With the aid of two powerful wizards he was able to transfer his living brain into his impressive and much more resilient new form.

To insure his continued existence Veddic has three bodies available to him at all times. The first body is the one his head sits upon. A second body is hidden in a safe house in Katapesh. While a third body resides in his private residence in Erehwon in Qadira.

Veddic’s body has one draw back; it requires a monthly infusion of a liquid alchemical mixture of sun orchid elixir, giant blood and amber. The mixture is solely for his brain, which is encased inside the removable stone head of his construct body. The alchemical mixture provides his brain the moisture and fluid it needs to function, while prolonging Veddic’s life. Since he no longer has a body of flesh to keep a live a single vial of sun orchid elixir distilled with the mixture prolongs the life of Veddic’s brain 2d8 years each year the sun orchid elixir is administered. Veddic brews this special chemical mixture once a month. When the mixture is complete its infused through a small opening in the right side of his head as he drains the old mixture out the left side. The alchemy process to create the mixture takes two hours. While the infusion and draining process takes an hour.

Veddic can go up to two months without a new infusion. During the second month though all of his ability scores and saves suffer a -2 penalty. After two months Veddic can will his brain into a protective state of hibernation until it receives a new infusion. At that point his brain begins to age at the normal rate of a half-elf.

Motivations/Goals:
Veddic is an intellectual genius and scholar, using the profits from his arms sales to indulge in collecting rare tomes and scrolls to quench his thirst for knowledge. His personal motivations come out of his studies of the recorded histories of man and human conflict. Where scholars are content with pondering theories, Veddic has set out to put those theories and his own to the test in the real world. Since he is neither human nor elf he feels no guilt about what he does.

A side benefit of promoting human conflict is an ever-available market for arms sales. One thing Veddic has theorized this past eight hundred years is that humans are at their core power hungry, greedy, violent and prone to conflict.

The other thing Veddic theorizes is half-elves are the superior evolution of the human race. Since that time Veddic has gathered around him wandering and disenchanted half-elves from across Golarion. Veddic has even established a secret city of half-elves named Erehwon in a hidden valley of Qadira. Veddic periodically espouses his philosophies to the half-elf citizens of Erewhon then sits back and waits. Those who embrace his philosophies and willingly approach him are trained as his personal guard and Codex agents. No one except half-elves are allowed in the valley, and all trade is conducted in Katheer.

Veddic feels at some point in the future humanity may wipe itself out and the half-elves will be ready to step in to fill that void.

Roughly one hundred and thirty years ago two events occurred that effected Veddic’s life. First Veddic accidentally crossed paths with the original outcast of Hermea, rescuing the lone man adrift at sea in a small storm wracked ship. The man and the beliefs of Mengkare and Hermea fascinated Veddic, though he finds them completely foolish and unattainable. Shortly after releasing the Hermean outcast Codex agents came into possession of a scroll stolen from an enemy of Veddic. The scroll penned and sealed by Aroden, now hidden in Veddic’s personal library in Erehwon, foretells Veddic’s death. Furthermore the scroll describes the passing of Mengkare as well, suggesting their deaths are linked. At this point Veddic’s motivation for staying alive is to fulfill the scroll’s prophecy.

Schemes/Plots:
Manipulation is the key to Veddic’s success. Besides profiting from arms deals, Veddic delights in offering aid to those who seek him out, in exchange for owing him a favor at a later date.

Veddic travels with the Codex, three magically warded tomes housed in an ornately carved chest. The Codex meticulously records three different sets of information. The first tome records in detail all of Veddic’s arms deals including where and whom he purchased arms, magic and hired mercenaries from; and who, where and why they were sold, traded or contracted to. The second tome contains the dark secrets of rulers, merchants, families and individuals of renown from across. The third tome records the favors of Veddic. Each entry contains the person’s name, location and profession along with the service Veddic provided them. The entry also records whether a favor is still owed to him, or the form of the favor Veddic collected from the individual.

Veddic uses the information contained in the Codex, bribery and personal favors to move unseen between the nations of Golarion.

Adventure Hooks:
1. Veddic loves scrappiness and overcoming the odds. One of his favorite things to do is start a small conflict by selling arms to one side. To the other side he leaves clues about the location of a magical object he’s hidden that can stop the invaders. Then Veddic sits back and waits to see who will prevail.

2. Veddic is involved with the disappearance of all the members of House Rogarvia in Brevoy. He was paid handsomely by the Surtovas to make this happen without any direct connection to them. Thus allowing the Surtovas to consolidate their grip on the throne.

3. Veddic and agents of the Codex are currently working behind the scenes to accelerate the collapse of Taldor. He feels the nation has run its course like all human nations do. Veddic is providing arms, magic and mercenaries to a half dozen noble houses looking to claim the throne for themselves. Unbeknownst to them Veddic also has a secret arrangement with the Satrap of Qadira to destabilize the region for possible Qadiran expansion.

4. Since the death of his mortal body Veddic has despised all things infernal. He feels infernal aid in conflicts upsets the natural human balance of Golarion. That hatred has brought Veddic and the Codex into a shadow war with agents of Cheliax, Isger and Nidal. During the last thirty years he has worked to keep their infernal powers in check. There is the possibility of him hiring player characters to thwart a plot involving Cheliax.