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Part of one of my upcoming campaigns involves the PCs (who will be Pathfinders) to delve deeply into the mysteries of old Azlant, including plunging into the depths of the Arcadian Sea itself to access large sunken ruins of old Azlant. I plan on heavily including Aboleths, which, trusting the Mordant Spire Elves, are thick as weeds on the bottom of the Arcadian Ocean and who also happen to be heavily tied with the creation and destruction of the Azlant civilization.
I want to portray the culture accurately and I therefore was wondering what kind of magical technology the Azlant focussed on most. I understand that they are the original creators of Ioun Stones, which themselves seem to be sort of self-augmentation technology. But that alone couldn't have made them so magically superior to the "modern" state of things in Golarion, both technologically and magically.
Did the Azlant perhaps invent the original methods to making golems, even creating artificial life (beyond modern Golarion golemcraft,) create wondrous constructs (similar to the ones found in Numeria,) perhaps even utilized elemental binding (similar to the Eberron campaign setting's magical tech?) I can create locations and stories and such on my own, I just want to be sure that I sort of hit the right idea when it comes to revealing the superior magical-technological capabilities of the Old Azlant civilization for my group that won't contradict too much with any future publishings by Paizo.
Thanks in advance!
Makes me think of this.
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Page 236 of the Campaign Setting mention the lost Azlanti Technology of
Electro-Thaumaturgy.
At its most minor, they had full electricity like we have in modern times. In addition, since this technology was essentially a field of magic that could be manipulated or focused, you could use it as a weapon as well.
I've always kind of seen Azlanti society being somewhat crystalline based (which for conductivity and resonance seems like a good idea). I have a vision that Azlanti cities might have had focusing obelisks for the electro-thaumaturgy that let off spectacularly silent sickly colored lightning that arced throughout the city, charging the crystalline matricies built into every building.
Anyhow...I'm getting carried away. Basically, you have to ask yourself the questions of what they would and could do with broadcast energy. Magical energy as well, so not all real-world rules apply. There would be some really strange stuff their I think.
Makes me think of this.
I like that, but it seems that the magical and mechanical technological capabilities of modern Golarion are quite incredible to begin with (the gunworks, Nex's flesh-forges.)
Page 236 of the Campaign Setting mention the lost Azlanti Technology of
Electro-Thaumaturgy.At its most minor, they had full electricity like we have in modern times. In addition, since this technology was essentially a field of magic that could be manipulated or focused, you could use it as a weapon as well.
I've always kind of seen Azlanti society being somewhat crystalline based (which for conductivity and resonance seems like a good idea). I have a vision that Azlanti cities might have had focusing obelisks for the electro-thaumaturgy that let off spectacularly silent sickly colored lightning that arced throughout the city, charging the crystalline matricies built into every building.
Anyhow...I'm getting carried away. Basically, you have to ask yourself the questions of what they would and could do with broadcast energy. Magical energy as well, so not all real-world rules apply. There would be some really strange stuff their I think.
That's what I'm talkin' bout Willis. I like this, I had never bothered reading the Technology part of my Campaign Setting book. I like the idea of Azlant cities containing a magic generator that would power buildings across the city utilizing, like you said, crystalline matrices, similar to those found in the Wayfinders, that would take in and augment that energy. Looking at the nature of Ioun Stones, I think the idea of them harnessing the transfer of magic through crystals is pretty spot on.
Then you're think along the lines I am thinking...
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Okay...
1) Since it mentions that the Electro-Thaumaturgy worked as a kind of energy field, whatever form of projectors they used for it have a localized effect. I mention Obelisks of some kinda because, there are some intimations that Osirion was possibly (in its infancy) a contemporary of Azlant. They would have devolved into barbarism and such during the Age of Darkness and would need to rebuild their society afterwards, but some architectural influence might remain. Kinda like arcane cell-phone towers to relay the current.
2) If you run with the crystalline idea (which seems perfect to me) then I can see just about everyone having crystal pendants and wands set to specific purposes. The purpose/use of these items could be tied to their shape and structure and type of crystal. A book (like one my wife has called the Crystal Bible) might be useful in looking into the various properties that crystals of specific types are reputed to be used for.
These personal crystalline objects would be recharged through a method kinda like that disturbing Power Mat.
Guards of the cities might be armed with Crystalline wands that convert the otherwise benign energy given off by the towers into stunning or lethal energy.
3) A few things the Azlanti should have been really good at are Weather and Water magics. Sadly, both of which aren't all that prevalent in the Core PF rules. There are some Weather spells...next to none for water. There are some sources that had spells you could convert though...
A major reason for this would be Azlant's location in the middle of an ocean with some major tradewinds that cross it, not to mention who knows what kind of interference with natural weather patterns their Electro-Thaumaturgy might cause. Also, since their magic was stolen from the Aboleth to some degree, water magics seem likely.
4) Ah, I almost forgot...these wands shouldn't be handled as the
I'll weigh in as I think of more stuff.
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Okay...
1) Since it mentions that the Electro-Thaumaturgy worked as a kind of energy field, whatever form of projectors they used for it have a localized effect. I mention Obelisks of some kinda because, there are some intimations that Osirion was possibly (in its infancy) a contemporary of Azlant. They would have devolved into barbarism and such during the Age of Darkness and would need to rebuild their society afterwards, but some architectural influence might remain. Kinda like arcane cell-phone towers to relay the current.
2) If you run with the crystalline idea (which seems perfect to me) then I can see just about everyone having crystal pendants and wands set to specific purposes. The purpose/use of these items could be tied to their shape and structure and type of crystal. A book (like one my wife has called the Crystal Bible) might be useful in looking into the various properties that crystals of specific types are reputed to be used for.
These personal crystalline objects would be recharged through a method kinda like that disturbing Power Mat.
Guards of the cities might be armed with Crystalline wands that convert the otherwise benign energy given off by the towers into stunning or lethal energy.
3) A few things the Azlanti should have been really good at are Weather and Water magics. Sadly, both of which aren't all that prevalent in the Core PF rules. There are some Weather spells...next to none for water. There are some sources that had spells you could convert though...
** spoiler omitted **A major reason for this would be Azlant's location in the middle of an ocean with some major tradewinds that cross it, not to mention who knows what kind of interference with natural weather patterns their Electro-Thaumaturgy might cause. Also, since...
I also think that looking at the civilizations that formed at the same time or directly after the end of the Age of Darkness could also give some glimpse at the nature of Azlanti technology. First of all Thassilon is a great example of heavily Azlanti-inspired technology that still stands, and sometiems even still functions.
The Electro-thaumaturgy entry in the Campaign setting mentions the use of runes to stabilize and maintain the pure magical energies of electro-thaumaturgy, something that can be witnessed in Thassilonian architecture and magic. I am thinking that while runes were used to contain the energy, crystalline matrices were used to enhance that energy, and in essence create magic. I believe the Azlant created a method to using this combination of runes, crystals, and magic to create a perfect magical machine similar to a fusion reactor.
This can be observed in reports from the Shory city of Kho that despite being uninhabited and ruined, many of the buildings still thrum with energy so many thousands of years afterwards. However the whole city leaks this uncontained energy since its destruction that injures and curses the people who approach it. The existence of unexplained whirpools and storms around the sunken continent of Azlant could be a similar side effect to this magical power becoming unbridled and "leaking" up from the sunken ruins.
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You could also think about getting in on Wolfgang Baur´s current patronage project, Sunken Empires - it's basically all about the Azlant and is a companion to the upcoming adventure From Shore to Sea. Patronage gets you both and gets you in on all the current brainstorming and amazing ideas being thrown around.
You could also think about getting in on Wolfgang Baur´s current patronage project, Sunken Empires - it's basically all about the Azlant and is a companion to the upcoming adventure From Shore to Sea. Patronage gets you both and gets you in on all the current brainstorming and amazing ideas being thrown around.
I believe that while it may touch on the Azlant, it's meant to be a general sourcebook for aquatic adventures (I could really use it now, but I am not going to postpone my entire campaign just for one book!) As it is I have the Stormwrack book to get me through what I need. Any books that are officially about Golarion I am sure will be done through Pathfinder Companions and adventure paths, such as 'From Shore to Sea'
You could also think about getting in on Wolfgang Baur´s current patronage project, Sunken Empires - it's basically all about the Azlant and is a companion to the upcoming adventure From Shore to Sea. Patronage gets you both and gets you in on all the current brainstorming and amazing ideas being thrown around.I believe that while it may touch on the Azlant, it's meant to be a general sourcebook for aquatic adventures (I could really use it now, but I am not going to postpone my entire campaign just for one book!) As it is I have the Stormwrack book to get me through what I need. Any books that are officially about Golarion I am sure will be done through Pathfinder Companions and adventure paths, such as 'From Shore to Sea'
And Second Darkness has some information about some of the Aboleth Technology, or at least what it was used for and a few examples of what happened when it was used.
And Second Darkness has some information about some of the Aboleth Technology, or at least what it was used for and a few examples of what happened when it was used.You could also think about getting in on Wolfgang Baur´s current patronage project, Sunken Empires - it's basically all about the Azlant and is a companion to the upcoming adventure From Shore to Sea. Patronage gets you both and gets you in on all the current brainstorming and amazing ideas being thrown around.I believe that while it may touch on the Azlant, it's meant to be a general sourcebook for aquatic adventures (I could really use it now, but I am not going to postpone my entire campaign just for one book!) As it is I have the Stormwrack book to get me through what I need. Any books that are officially about Golarion I am sure will be done through Pathfinder Companions and adventure paths, such as 'From Shore to Sea'
I believe Second Darkness focusses on Aboleth glyph technology and how it was used to bring about the earthfall.
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You REALLY should have been involved with From Shore to Sea!
You are right that Sunken Empires will include a lot of undersea ruins and lost ancient technology similar to Azlanti culture, but not Golarion-specific. From Shore to Sea, on the other hand, features such elements in spades -in fact, a whole ISLAND of them! The island was once an Azlant center of learning, and PCs get to explore an ancient glyph-powering observatory, an Azlant orrery, ruined labs and arcanotech run amok, while encountering lots of strange, unearthly magic items and generations of escaped biological experimentation.
And that one, of course, is all official. But, you'll need to wait until May to see all of that! =-)
You REALLY should have been involved with From Shore to Sea!
You are right that Sunken Empires will include a lot of undersea ruins and lost ancient technology similar to Azlanti culture, but not Golarion-specific. From Shore to Sea, on the other hand, features such elements in spades -in fact, a whole ISLAND of them! The island was once an Azlant center of learning, and PCs get to explore an ancient glyph-powering observatory, an Azlant orrery, ruined labs and arcanotech run amok, while encountering lots of strange, unearthly magic items and generations of escaped biological experimentation.
And that one, of course, is all official. But, you'll need to wait until May to see all of that! =-)
Well the comfort that I have is that, since I plan on running my PCs on the slow experience track to allow them to do many epic things without rushing up to level 20 super fast, they won't get to the point where they will be going to these ruins for a rather long time, not until level 8 or 9 at least. I plan on them getting to level 3 in 4 sessions, level 4 in 2 more, 5 in 3 more, 6 in 4 more... Yeah that gives me a good 4 months before I will need to start worrying about getting the Azlanti ruins perfect.