Director of Brand Strategy
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As Dark Tapestry closes up next month with the final installment from Elaine Cunningham, I thought we could start to look to August and see what we know and what we can expect of Dave Gross's six-part contribution to the Pathfinder's Journal series.
At PaizoCon, James Sutter told me (either in a Q&A or individually, I don't recall which) that the name of the serial novella will be Hell's Bond, a play on words of "hellspawn." We also know from the "Future of Paizo" seminar (video available here) that it is a mystery in which the main character is a Pathfinder version of Sherlock Holmes and his Watson analogue is a tiefling.
So what else has the spy network of Paizo fans dug up? Anything?
A Sherlockian tribute in Pathfinder? Well, my brain just exploded. Pardon me while I try to contain my excitement.
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At PaizoCon, James Sutter told me (either in a Q&A or individually, I don't recall which) that the name of the serial novella will be Hell's Bond, a play on words of "hellspawn." We also know from the "Future of Paizo" seminar (video available here) that it is a mystery in which the main character is a Pathfinder version of Sherlock Holmes and his Watson analogue is a tiefling.
The title, unless there's a last-minute change, is "Hell's Pawns," and the "Holmes & Watson" description is the right ballpark, but "Holmes & Marlowe" might be more apt. I think of it as fantasy Victorian noir, with an emphasis on the final syllable.
Yes! You have entered the realm of our insatiable demands! Give us MORE!
Dave, are you a Holmesian?
Love the title.
Yoda -- the character is a Jeggare? Oh my poor little fanboy heart.
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Director of Brand Strategy
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It seems that I misheard Sutter at PaizoCon then. Hell's Pawns. I like that better. Makes me think of devils moving mortals around on the chess board that is the material plane. We may think we have free will, but it's all part of their complex plan for total control.
Can someone at Paizo change the title of this thread, since I screwed it up over an hour ago?
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Yes! You have entered the realm of our insatiable demands! Give us MORE!
Dave, are you a Holmesian?
Love the title.
Yoda -- the character is a Jeggare? Oh my poor little fanboy heart.
I adore Holmes, especially as personified by Jeremy Brett, but I'd describe myself as a near-Holmesian. As for more, I'll wait until the final chapter is done and locked, then consult with James about what sort of teasers to share.
Brett was Holmes. I want him interred in 221b or the S.H. pub...unless we know which parish church Holmes was baptized in. Yeah, I'm not a real Holmesian, just a wannabe.
And here I thought I wasn't going to like you, following on the heels of Elaine. ; )
Great recommendation, Alex. At one point, the story by Gaiman was available free both as a pretty pdf and as an audio file read by Gaiman--might still be. Love that story.
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Hell's Pawns. Makes me think of devils moving mortals around on the chess board that is the material plane. We may think we have free will, but it's all part of their complex plan for total control.
Like there was ever any doubt little Yoda.
As for Hell's Bond, rest assured that Her Infernal Majestrix has a World trotting assa... 'operative' by that name as well.
Bond. Hell's Bond.
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Director of Brand Strategy
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By now I hope some of you have read it.
And I very much hope some of you have liked it.
I liked it and can't wait for the next one. In fact, I might go so far as to say it's my favorite chapter of Pathfinder fiction thus far. I love the amount of detail you present. The sheer number of names dropped, both for characters and locations, makes the setting feel so alive. Up until now, the previous 24 chapters have felt real, but that the character could be anywhere. In this, I get the sense that the world would be going on with or without Radavan's narration. And you present the world in a way that doesn't put the main characters on the back-burner either. If the next five installments follow suit, I will be very pleased indeed.
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I liked it and can't wait for the next one. ... I love the amount of detail you present. ... If the next five installments follow suit, I will be very pleased indeed.
Thanks for the very kind words.
As for the detail, one of my many bad qualities is that I tend to try to include too much detail, but editor James Sutter has been an excellent guide on the front end, cautioning me against certain dark pits of way too much and offering good suggestions of places where I can explore a bit without blowing up the moon. I'm revising the final chapters now, and I'll try not to drown them with name dropping.
The next pathfinder should ship within the week and I'm very much so looking forward to the next installment, it'll be the first thing I read, I've already grown an affection for Radovan and his manner, and I'm excited to see oh this pans out!
I read it and liked it. ;)
Hee-hee. Yeah, you're a describer, with which I greatly sympathize.
I'm enjoying the color, the mood, the feel for location in your story so far. And you already know I'm pretty crazy about the premise. I'm real interested in how these characters are going to develop.
So, so far, I'm hooked.
Really like the story! I want to share it with my players, but would like to make sure there aren't any main plot spoilers before I let them start reading it before sessions.
Also, the Paralictor mentioned in the story isn't the same one in Westcrown at the time of PF25. I take it this story happened some time in the past before Paralictor Chard was in command of the outpost. Or is this contemporary with the story and just a different Paralictor (and if so, is he mentioned anywhere else?) I don't want to confuse the players if I let them read it and have them start building Paralictor Elliendo into their backgrounds.
I look forward to the next edition!
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Really like the story! I want to share it with my players, but would like to make sure there aren't any main plot spoilers before I let them start reading it before sessions.
Also, the Paralictor mentioned in the story isn't the same one in Westcrown at the time of PF25. I take it this story happened some time in the past before Paralictor Chard was in command of the outpost. Or is this contemporary with the story and just a different Paralictor (and if so, is he mentioned anywhere else?) I don't want to confuse the players if I let them read it and have them start building Paralictor Elliendo into their backgrounds.
I look forward to the next edition!
So far none of the 25 chapters of the Pathfinder's Journal section of the AP volumes has had spoilers for the adventures. They occasionally have easter eggs that will make players (in certain campaigns) go, "hey, I've seen that before," but nothing that will ruin an AP. This one, for example, takes place in Egorian, the current capital of Cheliax, while the AP occurs in Westcrown, so I doubt you'll run into anything spoilery down the road.
This one, for example, takes place in Egorian, the current capital of Cheliax, while the AP occurs in Westcrown, so I doubt you'll run into anything spoilery down the road.
Yikes! I thought it was in Westcrown. How did I miss that? <boogle>
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Really like the story! I want to share it with my players, but would like to make sure there aren't any main plot spoilers before I let them start reading it before sessions.
I'm delighted to hear you like it. Please do share it with your players, since there's zero chance of a spoiler for the adventure.
And yep, as you've already figured, Elliendo is a different Paralictor altogether. I think he gets a mention in the Cheliax book, but that's because the editors cleverly made a spot for him after seeing the first few chapters of the story.
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Now that three chapters are out there, I'm dying to know what those of you who are reading "Hell's Pawns" think of the story.
Mairkurion, I hope you're not too disappointed that the story took a more noir and less Holmesian turn. The original tone shifted dramatically as I abandoned the original plan for an alternating point of view between Jeggare and Radovan, focusing entirely on the tiefling once I got comfortable with his voice and realized I couldn't do both characters justice in a novella.
No worries, Dave, I read 3 and enjoyed it. Sometimes, you just have to follow things where they go.
Although, maybe your original plan would work better in an original Pathfinder novel!
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No worries, Dave, I read 3 and enjoyed it. Sometimes, you just have to follow things where they go.
After seeing more trailers for the upcoming <i>Sherlock Holmes</i> film, I'm very glad to have gone more Marlowe, less Doyle, lest I give the appearance of trying to ride the (presumed) success of that film. I'm still trying to figure out a way to vanish for a couple of hours on Christmas so I can see it on opening day.
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Director of Brand Strategy
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I'm still trying to figure out a way to vanish for a couple of hours on Christmas so I can see it on opening day.
If you drink all the egg nog, you can say you're just running to the store and then make up an excuse why it took so long. The close one weren't open, or the line was really long, or they had to wait for the chickens to lay the eggs and then nog 'em, etc. You're a writer; make something up.
Guy Ritchie's movie has me in a state of fear. Maybe if I drink enough eggnog between now and its release, I'll be okay.
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Guy Ritchie's movie has me in a state of fear. Maybe if I drink enough eggnog between now and its release, I'll be okay.
I was initially dubious, but since reflecting on the many instances of Doyle's describing various examples of Holmes's martial prowess, I'm ready for some fisticuffs.
Some friends and I have decided on a Boxing Day triple feature: Holmes, Nine, and Imaginarium.
Dave,
without disparaging the 'earlier' authors, let me just say that your PFJ story is The. Best. so far. In fact, whenever I get my hands on a new Pathfinder, I've gone from reading the new adventure first to 'get that adventure out of the way!' *much flipping of pages, trembling hands* 'Where's my Pathfinder Journal fix?'. That one's your doing. Be proud of it ;-).
Oh, and I'm very much looking forward to the final entries.
I get the feeling from various teases that we will be seeing a single cover new work from Gross in Golarion. Finding out whether it centered on a certain Pathfinder and his tiefling servant would be too much to hope for. ;) Therefore, I will hope for the object, not the knowledge.
I guess congratulations are in order :) YAY Dave Gross Pathfinder fiction!
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Director of Brand Strategy
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I have now finished all of Hell's Pawns. Wow! It's hard to pick a favorite, but if I had to, I think this might be the best Pathfinder's Journal fiction so far.
I feel like we really got to know Radovan much better than we did Channa-Ti, or even Eando over three times as many pages, so I am really glad to see that there will be more of him in the next year.
SPOILER YODA! ARGH!
Well, I'm late to this party, but I wait until all 6 issues are out before I read the PF Journal sections these days. Which is what I did earlier today.
Very enjoyable. I look forward to more (mis)adventures of Radovan the tiefling in the novel to come.
Is Doctor Levanstone Jeggare (flavour text quote, page 22, first edition Campaign Setting) a relative of Count Jeggare by any chance?
Doctor Levanstone, I presume?
That's been my take, Y8MH.