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James
I believe Paths of the Righteous was a success. Of course i have no idea about numbers, but the response on the boards seems very positive to me. You're also developing the Adventurer's Guide, which is also going to feature lot of prestige classes. If this book is also successful, can we expect more Paths of... books in the near future?
Creative Director
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James
I believe Paths of the Righteous was a success. Of course i have no idea about numbers, but the response on the boards seems very positive to me. You're also developing the Adventurer's Guide, which is also going to feature lot of prestige classes. If this book is also successful, can we expect more Paths of... books in the near future?
It's certainly possible; good reviews always help, as do sales. Especially in a case like this, when it's a rules concept that hasn't had a lot of attention from Paizo. I really enjoy prestige classes, especially when they have the chance to build off of and be informed by world lore, not everyone at Paizo feels that way.
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1. Is the Pathfinder Tales line cancelled, on hiatus or just not updated anymore?
I'm asking because there is nothing pre-order-able beyond april on Amazon, Audible, Paizo or Tor books.
Also the actual february book and the one coming out in april have no audible version available (which may be normal, i don't know about that).
Thank you Mr. Jacobs.
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Creative Director
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1. Is the Pathfinder Tales line cancelled, on hiatus or just not updated anymore?
I'm asking because there is nothing pre-order-able beyond april on Amazon, Audible, Paizo or Tor books.
Also the actual february book and the one coming out in april have no audible version available (which may be normal, i don't know about that).Thank you Mr. Jacobs.
It's not cancelled as far as I know... but I'm not the one to ask about details on that line. That's more of an Erik question.
Speaking of fantasy, have you seen the Solomon Kane film from a few years ago? As a Howard fan, I'm curious to hear your thoughts on it. I think it comes petty close to the grittiness of the classic Conan film.
I've never played the game, but I liked the Warcraft film as well. It had a nice mix of gorgeous visuals and good action within a fully enriched high magic setting.
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Creative Director
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Speaking of fantasy, have you seen the Solomon Kane film from a few years ago? As a Howard fan, I'm curious to hear your thoughts on it. I think it comes petty close to the grittiness of the classic Conan film.
I've never played the game, but I liked the Warcraft film as well. It had a nice mix of gorgeous visuals and good action within a fully enriched high magic setting.
I did enjoy Solomon Kane, but it wasn't great. My favorite part is that the novelization was written by one of my favorite authors, Ramsey Campbell.
I hated the Warcraft movie. It was cliched, awkward, and overly masculine, with the only women in the movie being there because they needed to be queens, child-birthing wives, or slaves to men characters. One of my least favorite movies of the year.
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James, what would you think of a trait called Man Eater that would give a +2 trait bonus to damage vs. humanoids when wild shaped?
Seems too powerful for a trait, especially since so many wild shapes have multiple attacks; that's granting a damage bonus to a lot more than one weapon but also it's weird for a trait you gain at 1st level to never kick in until 5th level.
Desna again!
Due to her association with night, I always assumed her to be (amongst other things) a goddess of darkness. But then, she's also the goddess of stars, and I remember you saying that this links her to light, because she illuminates the night.
So... Is Desna both linked to light and darkness (one of her write-ups does mention that she is full of seeming contradictions), or was I just mistaken and she has no link to darkness except "shining a light into/banishing it"?
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After playing Assassin's Creed Syndicate, I'm wondering; would it make sense for you to be able to use a sheathed sword cane as just a club?
If you haven't seen it; the protagonists of AC:S mostly use a sword cane as a club until it comes to actually dealing the fatal blow. Sure; using it exactly that way doesn't really work for a tabletop RPG, but being able to beat the tar out of people with the sheath would be a useful way to still use it as a weapon when circumstances prevent you from drawing the blade.
I'd say it makes more sense to use a sheathed sword as an improvised weapon. Which, depending on the size of the sword, is statistically quite similar to a club, save that you need a special feat to be proficient in its use since it's improvised.
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Desna again!
Due to her association with night, I always assumed her to be (amongst other things) a goddess of darkness. But then, she's also the goddess of stars, and I remember you saying that this links her to light, because she illuminates the night.
So... Is Desna both linked to light and darkness (one of her write-ups does mention that she is full of seeming contradictions), or was I just mistaken and she has no link to darkness except "shining a light into/banishing it"?
She's a goddess of light in the darkness. So of starlight and moonlight. Which helps to serve as a metaphor of her being a bulwark against evil in venues where there aren't a lot of allies to stand up to the evil. Which plays into some of her legends, like how she took a fight to a demon lord when no other gods would intervene (even though it almost set off a planar war), or is the only core deity who really spends any time fighting against the Material Plane horrors of the Dark Tapestry (the Elder Mythos and the Dominion of the Black).
She's only associated with night because that's when the stars and moon are most brilliant and most visible, and I guess because that's when most people dream.
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Just re-read your last post and see the confusion. I was talking about a sword cane, not just an ordinary sword.
Sword canes are specific weapons with specific rules; see page 38 of Ultimate Equipment. Whether or not you want to treat a cane as an improvised weapon or a club is up to you. Personally, I'd treat a real cane as a club and a sword cane's cane as an improvised weapon.
How is Xhamen-Dor pronounced?
How do you come up with names for locations? I have been doing some creative writing, largely notes related to world-building, and I have the worst problem in coming up with names. Especially for different cultures; I feel like they all end up sounding a bit same-ish.
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How do you come up with names for locations? I have been doing some creative writing, largely notes related to world-building, and I have the worst problem in coming up with names. Especially for different cultures; I feel like they all end up sounding a bit same-ish.
Coming up with names is one of the hardest parts of writing this stuff, to be honest. I'll often take several hours at the start of a project to brainstorm a page full of appropriately themed names. As for inspiration? just read a lot, honestly, particularly fiction or historical stuff related to the themes of your project. But perhaps the BEST way to do so is to simply read a LOT of adventures and world sourcebooks. Spell words backwards and jumble letters. Use online name generators. Mix it all up!
Hi James
I am hoping to play a Strange Aeons campaign that a friend is about to start, and I wish to play as a wizard. I plan on taking the eldritch scholar wizard archetype, but I cannot for the life of me decide which school to specialize in(if any).
I know you are an avid Mythos fan, so can you can give me a hand? Which wizard school specialization feels the most Lovecraftian to you?
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Hi James
I am hoping to play a Strange Aeons campaign that a friend is about to start, and I wish to play as a wizard. I plan on taking the eldritch scholar wizard archetype, but I cannot for the life of me decide which school to specialize in(if any).
I know you are an avid Mythos fan, so can you can give me a hand? Which wizard school specialization feels the most Lovecraftian to you?
Conjuration.
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Is there anywhere in Golarion with place-names as convoluted as places like Wales? Mainly the sort of places where you could make a joke like this one from Blackadder:
Blackadder: "Well don't [go to Wales], it's a ghastly place... ...You need half a pint of phlegm in your throat just to pronounce the place names. Never ask for directions in Wales, Baldrick, you'll be washing spit out of your hair for a fortnight."
Depends who you ask. There's folks out there who can't pronounce common words words like "Sarenrae" or "Golarion" or "Paizo" or "drow" correctly.
Depends who you ask. There's folks out there who can't pronounce common words words like "Sarenrae" or "Golarion" or "Paizo" or "drow" correctly.Is there anywhere in Golarion with place-names as convoluted as places like Wales? Mainly the sort of places where you could make a joke like this one from Blackadder:
Blackadder: "Well don't [go to Wales], it's a ghastly place... ...You need half a pint of phlegm in your throat just to pronounce the place names. Never ask for directions in Wales, Baldrick, you'll be washing spit out of your hair for a fortnight."
I've been meaning to ask, how do you pronounce "sczarni?"
What is your favorite combat maneuver?
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Hey James!
Do the Leng Men and their moon masters frequently raid the outer planes for slaves, etc.?
Are other outsiders wary or avoident of them because of their servitude to Nyarlathotep and his potential wrath or notice? Specifically Celestials and Devils and especially higher outsiders.
Can you give any more information about Kadath itself if I presented it in terms of Pathfinder? Can/do other outsiders travel there? What are the dynamics between Kadath and the normal gods, and the Great Ones and the normal gods? Are they aware of it, utilize it, afraid or warded from it, etc.?
If Desna was provoked, say by one of her beloved and important clerics or servants being directly threatened by Nyarlathotep, how would a 'face to face' between herself and the Crawling Chaos go down?
On a similar note - the Gods are generally against intervening in the material plane for various good and obvious reasons, but it doesn't seem like the Outer Gods (and to a lesser extent, not being true gods, Great Old Ones) follow these rules. Will the more normal deities break this rule if an Outer God seeks to manifest on Golarion or another important material plane location they care about?
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I've been meaning to ask, how do you pronounce "sczarni?"Depends who you ask. There's folks out there who can't pronounce common words words like "Sarenrae" or "Golarion" or "Paizo" or "drow" correctly.Is there anywhere in Golarion with place-names as convoluted as places like Wales? Mainly the sort of places where you could make a joke like this one from Blackadder:
Blackadder: "Well don't [go to Wales], it's a ghastly place... ...You need half a pint of phlegm in your throat just to pronounce the place names. Never ask for directions in Wales, Baldrick, you'll be washing spit out of your hair for a fortnight."
SSKAR-knee
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Hey James!
Do the Leng Men and their moon masters frequently raid the outer planes for slaves, etc.?
Are other outsiders wary or avoident of them because of their servitude to Nyarlathotep and his potential wrath or notice? Specifically Celestials and Devils and especially higher outsiders.
Can you give any more information about Kadath itself if I presented it in terms of Pathfinder? Can/do other outsiders travel there? What are the dynamics between Kadath and the normal gods, and the Great Ones and the normal gods? Are they aware of it, utilize it, afraid or warded from it, etc.?
If Desna was provoked, say by one of her beloved and important clerics or servants being directly threatened by Nyarlathotep, how would a 'face to face' between herself and the Crawling Chaos go down?
On a similar note - the Gods are generally against intervening in the material plane for various good and obvious reasons, but it doesn't seem like the Outer Gods (and to a lesser extent, not being true gods, Great Old Ones) follow these rules. Will the more normal deities break this rule if an Outer God seeks to manifest on Golarion or another important material plane location they care about?
The denizens of Leng (not "Leng men" because they can be men OR women) do not frequently raid the outer planes. And as such outsiders like celestials don't interact with them much at all.
Kadath's strength is in NOT giving more information about it. What person has seen Kadath? Very few. Once I spell things out in print, then it's not mysterious for your (or anyone else's) game group.
A face-to-face between any deity and another deity can go down however you want. It's 100% narrative driven, but can result in new rules.
The outer gods don't really interact at all with mortals, with the exception of Nyarlathotep, who meddles about the same amount and in much of the same ways as does Asmodeus.
What is your favorite combat maneuver?Don't really have one, since what one's my favorite would depend on the situation.
In all experiences you've had, which one was the most satisfying to pull off?
I hear a lot of good things about a successful bull rush...
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What is your favorite combat maneuver?Don't really have one, since what one's my favorite would depend on the situation.In all experiences you've had, which one was the most satisfying to pull off?
I hear a lot of good things about a successful bull rush...
It was probably when I was playing a bard and disarmed a full-plate wielding paladin of his weapon after he'd declared a smite on me.
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games
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What is your favorite combat maneuver?Don't really have one, since what one's my favorite would depend on the situation.In all experiences you've had, which one was the most satisfying to pull off?
I hear a lot of good things about a successful bull rush...
It was probably when I was playing a bard and disarmed a full-plate wielding paladin of his weapon after he'd declared a smite on me.
And your least favorite one is probably sunder, when used right after a suggestion spell ends. :)
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And your least favorite one is probably sunder, when used right after a suggestion spell ends. :)What is your favorite combat maneuver?Don't really have one, since what one's my favorite would depend on the situation.In all experiences you've had, which one was the most satisfying to pull off?
I hear a lot of good things about a successful bull rush...
It was probably when I was playing a bard and disarmed a full-plate wielding paladin of his weapon after he'd declared a smite on me.
cheater
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Can a PC be a member of the Esoteric Order of the Palatine Eye and the Riftwardens at the same time if, say, they encountered an extraplanar threat to Ustalav? My idea was to play a True Silvered Throne Shaman who takes the Riftwarden prestige class after encountering Mythos creatures in Strange Aeons to better combat them but I worry that it's too "jumbled" a concept, that the flavor of the classes clash too much and I should either focus on playing a True Silvered Throne without multiclassing or play a wizard like an Elder Mythos Scholar angling to become a Riftwarden instead.
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Can a PC be a member of the Esoteric Order of the Palatine Eye and the Riftwardens at the same time if, say, they encountered an extraplanar threat to Ustalav? My idea was to play a True Silvered Throne Shaman who takes the Riftwarden prestige class after encountering Mythos creatures in Strange Aeons to better combat them but I worry that it's too "jumbled" a concept, that the flavor of the classes clash too much and I should either focus on playing a True Silvered Throne without multiclassing or play a wizard like an Elder Mythos Scholar angling to become a Riftwarden instead.
I don't see why not, but it IS a jumbled concept as you say, which is a threat you face whenever you do something like take more than two prestige classes and/or archetypes. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't when it does or doesn't depends on personal taste.
Mr. James Jacobs,
Have you seen the documentary "Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown"? If so what are your thoughts on it?
1. In Forgotten Realms, Mystra, the goddess of magic, was one of the most powerful deities. No, maybe she is the most powerful deity(except for the Overgod AO, of course). And Nethys is the god of magic. So, is Nethys included among the most powerful deities? Magic is the fundamental power of the world. Surely the god of magic would be very very powerful, right?
2. You said Nethys wouldn't have protected the world from the meteorites if he was the god of magic at the time of the Earthfall. I understand that. But Inner Sea Gods stated that even Nethys wouldn't ally with Rovagug because he doesn't wish the entire world ruined. So, can I assume that, if Nethys was the god of magic before the imprisonment of Rovagug, he would have fought the Rough Beast alongside other gods?
3. I thought the white part is protective because the serene half gives out white healing light, and the black part is destructive because the broken part is... black. Can you tell me why do you think white=destruction, black=protection? Maybe because in the illustrations his destructive part is filled with white magical energy?
4. I thought Nethys' planar realm would be in the Boneyard because he's neutral and the Boneyard is the neutral plane. But surprisingly he lives in the Maelstrom. And I also found that other neutral gods don't live in the Boneyard too, but Groetus, who is chaotic neutral, lives in the Boneyard. Maybe because Pharasma don't allow other gods live in the Boneyard?
5. Calistria is chaotic neutral but her planar realm is in the Elysium. Shouldn't she live in the Maelstrom? Maybe she lives in the Elysium because other elven gods live there and she wants to live near them?
6. Why are zebras the sacred animals of Nethys? Maybe because his worshipers like zebra so much because their black and white colors resemble those of Nethys?
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7. So, can I assume that somewhere in the universe, there's the Positive Energy Plane, and humans can go there via starships?
8. I thought the Positive Energy Plane is very big because it's the source of all souls. But surprisingly it's much smaller than the Material Plane. Is the Positive Energy Plane really that small?
9. All planes are physically connected, thus theoretically I can walk from the Material Plane to the Plane of Air. But it seems that the Ethereal Plane, the Shadow Plane, and the Negative Energy Plane are exceptions according to the illustration in page 240 of Inner Sea World Guide. Can I walk from the Material Plane to these three planes? Or these three planes are not physically connected to other planes and thus I have to cast plane shift to go there?
10. I found that Norgorber and Hastur have many similarities. Their outlooks are similar: invisible bodies wrapped in a cloak. Their titles are similar: the Reaper of Reputations and the Repairer of Reputations. Maybe Norgorber was a worshiper of Hastur before his ascension? Or maybe the one who created Norgorber was a great fan of Hastur?
11. Who created Norgorber? Maybe you?
12. How the nations treat the settlements composed of other races in their realms? For example, in Taldor there are the Sky Citadel Kravenkus and the gnomish town of Wispil. In Nirmathas there's the Sky Citadel Kraggodan. In Cheliax there are the kingdom of Brastlewark and the aquatic elven village Acisazi. In Kyonin there's the gnomish town of Omesta. Do Taldor, Nirmathas, Cheliax, and Kyonin regard these settlements as independant nations? Or do they regard these settlements as part of their rightful realms, regard the dwarves, elves, gnomes, and aquatic elves as their subordinates, levie on them, and conscript them?
13. In page 253 of Inner Sea World Guide, there's a list of coin names of Cheliax, Andoran, Katapesh, Absalom, and Brevoy. I'm really surprised that there's no coin names of Taldor, one of the most powerful nations, but there is the coin names of Brevoy, a small, backwater nation. Does Taldor have its own coin names? If so can you tell me? Or does it simply use Absalom's coin names? And does Korvosa and Magnimar, and the Linnorm Kingdoms have their own coin names? And does the fact that the World Guide included Brevoy's coin names means that it's one of the five most loved nations by the developers?
14. There's a secret organization called the Lantern Bearers. Its goal is the containment and eradication of the existence of the drow. Would they eagerly kill anyone(including non-elves) who found out the existence of the drow and the fact that evil elves would become drow?
15. I'm really surprised at the fact that the prerequisite of lantern bearer prestige class is good alignment. Are they good? I thought they are racists who want to do anything to hide their people's most shameful secret. They want to exterminate an entire race to save their face. And they would kill anyone who accidentally found out the existence and origin of the drow. How can they be good?
16. It seems that most elves don't even know the existence of the drow. Only the Winter Council and a handful of elves know the existence of the drow, right? Then can I assume that the Lantern Bearers are the minions of the Winter Council?
17. Do you think Shalelu would gladly become a Lantern Bearer if given the chance? I ask this because I have a hard time believing Shalelu mercilessly exterminates the drow only because of their skin tone. If Paizo publish an Anniversary Edition of Second Darkness, would you make sure Shalelu has lantern bearer prestige class levels?
18. I have always thought that the hardcover volume of Curse of the Crimson Throne is an Anniversary Edition too, like Rise of the Runelords Anniversary Edition. But it seems it isn't. Then why did Paizo publish this hardcover volume, if it were not to celebrate an anniversary?
19. You said before that lord Gyr of House Gixx is a mythic rogue. Yeah, I know Inner Sea Combat said otherwise, but... if he was confirmed as a mythic character, what would his source of mythic power be? More specifically, would it be the Starstone? That he gained the mythic power from the Starstone but failed to become a demigod, maybe?
20. Absalom is famous for its hippocampus riders. I'm curious. Can hippocampi live in fresh water? Or they can only live in salt water?
21. Absalom is the biggest city in the world. Does that mean its population is the biggest? Or does that mean its area is the biggest?
22. Those Azlanti that were saved by aboleths became the first gillmen. The fact that aboleths bothered to save them means these humans were irredeemably lawful evil, which means gillmen are evil. But it seems that Absalom is on good terms with gillmen. Why did no one realize that gillmen are servants of aboleths? I wonder what would Aroden say if he found out this vile alliance between Absalom and gilllmen before his death.
23. Do the people on Golarion know the origin of gillmen, that they were originally Azlanti?
24. In the devastated continent of Azalnt, are there some survivors? I have always suspected that there would be some pureblood Azlanti settlements in the old Azlant.
25. I really wish Paizo write an article about the city of Bildt and Jol. Then I found out there's a Thassilonian ruin under Jol, and it was once part of Cyrusian, the Domain of Pride. So, can I assume that, until Paizo publish an adventure path that defeats Xanderghul, there would be no chance for Paizo to write an article regarding Jol?
26. I really wish Paizo write rules about the Hellstorm Flumes. But the Hellstorm Flumes and Alaznist are closely intertwined. Does that mean until Paizo publish an adventure path that defeats Alaznist, there would be no chance for Paizo to write rules regarding the Hellstorm Flumes?
27. Also, by the same logic, should I assume that Paizo would not publish the dungeon of Hollow Mountain and Crystilan until it publishes the Alaznist and Belimarius adventure paths?
28. Thassilon's territory includes part of the Linnorm kingdoms. At the time of Thassilon, were there Ulfen? Did Xin and Thassilon know the existence of blonde, white, tall humans in the north?
29. The Seven Swords of Sin would reveal their true power only when the runelords reawaken. Then, if a PC or an apprentice of Karzoug decides to become a new Runelord of Greed after Karzoug died, would the sword of greed regain its true power? I'm not sure if these self-appointed runelords are considered legitimate or not.
30. I found that Paizo will release a campaign seting book called Aquatic Adventures. Does that mean we can finally visit and destroy the Eye of Abendego?
31. Mythic Adventures, Occult Adventures, and Horror Adventures are in the core rulebook category. But Aquatic Adventures is in the campaign setting category. Considering the title, shouldn't it be included in the core rulebook category?
32. Paizo published Guide to Darkmoon Vale in 2007. I'm curious, because Darkmoon Vale is just a part of a nation, which normally don't deserve a campaign setting book of its own. Yeah, I know Varisia has sereval settlements that have their own book, but that's because Varisia is the protagonist region in the world. Darkmoon Vale clearly isn't. And four modules take place in there. But then, Paizo never published an adventure path or modules that take place in there after that. I'm curious. What made Darkmoon Vale so special, if it's not a protagonist region? And why did Paizo suddenly lose interest in Darkmoon Vale?
33. In Guide to Darkmoon Vale, it's mentioned that the nymph queen Syntira is one of the Eleven Eternal Monarchs. Can I assume that the Eldest are demigods, and the Eternal Monarchs are quasi-deities?
34. You said that several early books like Elves of Golarion include outdated contents and thus we should read Inner Sea Races instead. Then are more recent books like Orcs of Golarion, Goblins of Golarion outated too? How about Guide to Darkmoon Vale?
35. I heard that many contents in Dragons Revisited are outdated too. Will Paizo publish a new revisited book about dragons?
36. Sargava, the Lost Colony is published as a player companion book, not a campaign setting book. Why didn't Paizo publish the book as a campaign setting book?
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Aenigma, just a kind suggestion: perhaps ask five or six questions at a time, wait for answers, and then ask more? We really appreciate James keeping up with this thread, and some might perceive it as rude to flood the forum with 36 consecutive questions.
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1. I absolutely adore Paths of the Righteous! I've already converted my Swashbuckler into a Devoted Muse and my Rogue into a Rose Warden! (Lucky me for those deity choices). Oh wait this isn't a question.
2. Do you think you can crit the attack roll to confirm the success of an Aid Another action? This is for things like Panache or Butterfly Sting.
3. The trait Power of Suggestion from Page 30ish of Adventurer's Armory lets you bluff to make someone thing an item you have is a completely different item. As an equipment trait, does it only apply to a specific or group of specific items chosen when you take the trait? Or can I just take whatever happens to be in my pocket at the time and claim its something else?
2. Or is that a pain to deal with?
3. How many questions is too many per post? Two? Three?
4. If I start answering people's questions here, do I get your job?
5. Is this too many questions?
:)
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Aenigma, just a kind suggestion: perhaps ask five or six questions at a time, wait for answers, and then ask more? We really appreciate James keeping up with this thread, and some might perceive it as rude to flood the forum with 36 consecutive questions.
This is a very good suggestion. One block of six questions at a time, Aenigma, might be the best way forward, since asking that many at once does feel like flooding and tends to result in me giving shorter, terser answers on the whole to the questions just to get through them faster...
I'll answer the ones you DID post for now though, but one block of 6 at a time in the future would be appreciated.
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1. In Forgotten Realms, Mystra, the goddess of magic, was one of the most powerful deities. No, maybe she is the most powerful deity(except for the Overgod AO, of course). And Nethys is the god of magic. So, is Nethys included among the most powerful deities? Magic is the fundamental power of the world. Surely the god of magic would be very very powerful, right?
2. You said Nethys wouldn't have protected the world from the meteorites if he was the god of magic at the time of the Earthfall. I understand that. But Inner Sea Gods stated that even Nethys wouldn't ally with Rovagug because he doesn't wish the entire world ruined. So, can I assume that, if Nethys was the god of magic before the imprisonment of Rovagug, he would have fought the Rough Beast alongside other gods?
3. I thought the white part is protective because the serene half gives out white healing light, and the black part is destructive because the broken part is... black. Can you tell me why do you think white=destruction, black=protection? Maybe because in the illustrations his destructive part is filled with white magical energy?
4. I thought Nethys' planar realm would be in the Boneyard because he's neutral and the Boneyard is the neutral plane. But surprisingly he lives in the Maelstrom. And I also found that other neutral gods don't live in the Boneyard too, but Groetus, who is chaotic neutral, lives in the Boneyard. Maybe because Pharasma don't allow other gods live in the Boneyard?
5. Calistria is chaotic neutral but her planar realm is in the Elysium. Shouldn't she live in the Maelstrom? Maybe she lives in the Elysium because other elven gods live there and she wants to live near them?
6. Why are zebras the sacred animals of Nethys? Maybe because his worshipers like zebra so much because their black and white colors resemble those of Nethys?
1) Nope. What's true in Forgotten Realms is not true elsewhere. Nethys is powerful, but unlike Mystra, he is not a deific personification of magic.
2) Maybe, maybe not. But there's a difference between an apocalypse caused by mortal creatures (like aboleths) and an apocalypse caused by a very powerful deity (like Rovagug). Some gods will intervene for mortal-induced cataclysms, but some might not. In the end, whether they do or don't depends entirely on the story the storyteller wants to tell, NOT on a set of rules.
3) Because I'm tired of the cliche of "black = evil" and "white = good" especially in this era, where that can't help but reek of politics and racisim.
4) Nope. It's because those other planes are thematically more appropriate. The Boneyard is the most narrowly-defined of the outer planes, and it's not as thematically appropriate for as many deities as any other plane is all.
5) Nope. She lives in Elysium with the rest of the elven deities.
6) Because they symbolized the black and white contrast aspects of his faith.
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7. So, can I assume that somewhere in the universe, there's the Positive Energy Plane, and humans can go there via starships?
8. I thought the Positive Energy Plane is very big because it's the source of all souls. But surprisingly it's much smaller than the Material Plane. Is the Positive Energy Plane really that small?
9. All planes are physically connected, thus theoretically I can walk from the Material Plane to the Plane of Air. But it seems that the Ethereal Plane, the Shadow Plane, and the Negative Energy Plane are exceptions according to the illustration in page 240 of Inner Sea World Guide. Can I walk from the Material Plane to these three planes? Or these three planes are not physically connected to other planes and thus I have to cast plane shift to go there?
10. I found that Norgorber and Hastur have many similarities. Their outlooks are similar: invisible bodies wrapped in a cloak. Their titles are similar: the Reaper of Reputations and the Repairer of Reputations. Maybe Norgorber was a worshiper of Hastur before his ascension? Or maybe the one who created Norgorber was a great fan of Hastur?
11. Who created Norgorber? Maybe you?
7) Nope.
8) "Smaller than the universe" is like saying an atom is smaller than a whale. Furthermore, there's not much NEED for the positive or negative planes to be that big.
9) Not all planes are physically connected. Some are separated by dimensions beyond time and space, like the Dreamlands or the Ethereal plane or the Positive/Negative planes or the First World. You can walk there with the right magic, but not without it.
10) Maybe. Or maybe I invested a LOT of Hastur's themes into Norgorber when I invented him decades ago because I'm a big fan of the stories.
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12. How the nations treat the settlements composed of other races in their realms? For example, in Taldor there are the Sky Citadel Kravenkus and the gnomish town of Wispil. In Nirmathas there's the Sky Citadel Kraggodan. In Cheliax there are the kingdom of Brastlewark and the aquatic elven village Acisazi. In Kyonin there's the gnomish town of Omesta. Do Taldor, Nirmathas, Cheliax, and Kyonin regard these settlements as independant nations? Or do they regard these settlements as part of their rightful realms, regard the dwarves, elves, gnomes, and aquatic elves as their subordinates, levie on them, and conscript them?
13. In page 253 of Inner Sea World Guide, there's a list of coin names of Cheliax, Andoran, Katapesh, Absalom, and Brevoy. I'm really surprised that there's no coin names of Taldor, one of the most powerful nations, but there is the coin names of Brevoy, a small, backwater nation. Does Taldor have its own coin names? If so can you tell me? Or does it simply use Absalom's coin names? And does Korvosa and Magnimar, and the Linnorm Kingdoms have their own coin names? And does the fact that the World Guide included Brevoy's coin names means that it's one of the five most loved nations by the developers?
14. There's a secret organization called the Lantern Bearers. Its goal is the containment and eradication of the existence of the drow. Would they eagerly kill anyone(including non-elves) who found out the existence of the drow and the fact that evil elves would become drow?
15. I'm really surprised at the fact that the prerequisite of lantern bearer prestige class is good alignment. Are they good? I thought they are racists who want to do anything to hide their people's most shameful secret. They want to exterminate an entire race to save their face. And they would kill anyone who accidentally found out the existence and origin of the drow. How can they be good?
16. It seems that most elves don't even know the existence of the drow. Only the Winter Council and a handful of elves know the existence of the drow, right? Then can I assume that the Lantern Bearers are the minions of the Winter Council?
17. Do you think Shalelu would gladly become a Lantern Bearer if given the chance? I ask this because I have a hard time believing Shalelu mercilessly exterminates the drow only because of their skin tone. If Paizo publish an Anniversary Edition of Second Darkness, would you make sure Shalelu has lantern bearer prestige class levels?
18. I have always thought that the hardcover volume of Curse of the Crimson Throne is an Anniversary Edition too, like Rise of the Runelords Anniversary Edition. But it seems it isn't. Then why did Paizo publish this hardcover volume, if it were not to celebrate an anniversary?
12) It varies widely by nation and by race. You'll need to read all the books about races and nations to get all that info. It's too complex and variable to summarize here.
13) There was only room to list five categories, and so I chose regions that we'd either had that info detailed or regions that we were focusing adventures on. Taldor likely does have its own coin names, but no one at Paizo has invented them yet, and frankly? I'm kinda not too interested in naming coins... I know some folks love it, but it's the type of minutiae that sorta bores me when I could be talking about anything else. For the most part, you can assume that Taldor uses Absalom's coin names, I guess.
14) That information is old and out of date, and that organization has gone through a SIGNIFICANT change as a result of Second Darkness that gets detailed in the upcoming Adventurer's Guide. It was really the Winter Council that was super violent about suppressing the drow, and they pulled the strings for the Lantern Bearers for a while... and the fact that this backfired in the way it did on the Winter Council in Second Darkness (and in effect caused that AP's entire plot to happen) was a wake up call to the Lantern Bearers. Now, in light of that and in light of the fact that drow are now known to exist and not thought of as campfire tales, the Lantern Bearers are more about seeking ways to redeem and save the drow. Again... more information is coming in a few months.
15) They are good, and their revision and change to their organization in Adventurer's Guide will fix that. The way they were represented in Second Darkness was really not quite accurate, and should have been made more clear that it was the Winter Council that was the source of that antagonism.
16) Not "minions" so much as "somewhat unwilling employees" I guess. They've escaped the toxic control of the Winter Council now though.
17) No, she wouldn't.
18) Nope. We did the hardcover Crimson Throne because we wanted to, pretty much, and because it has remained popular and is mostly sold out. It was not an Anniversary Edition. We did it because we wanted to do it.