1) What kinds of entities could be a witch's patron?
2) Are there vestiges (like from 3.5) in the Pathfinder Campaign Setting?
3) If so, could a vestige be a witch's patron?1) Anything, subject to GM approval.
2) Not officially, since vestiges from that book are not open content, but they'll fit into Golarion if your GM wants them to.
3) Yes. See answer #1 above.
So, a follow-up to my previous question on Witch Patrons, if I may.
1. You mentioned that many kinds of CR20+ creatures could qualify. Could an older dragon act as a Patron?
2. Supposing something like a Pit Fiend or a Solar Deva acts as a Patron to a Witch, could the Witch eventually level up enough to be stronger than the Patron, or does the Patron's strength 'cap' how much power the Witch can obtain?
3. Returning to the hypothetical Witch and her Pit Fiend Patron, if they are close in power, could they actually work/fight together as a pair of NPCs?
4. If so, and the Pit Fiend is destroyed, what happens to the Witch's magic? Would she become unable to prepare new spells? I am reminded by a Guy Gavriel Kay fantasy novel, where mages drew power from a specific bonded individual.
5. For that matter, with a sufficiently mythic-level Witch, could her (Mythically Improved) Familiar actually _be_ her Patron?
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1. You mentioned that many kinds of CR20+ creatures could qualify. Could an older dragon act as a Patron?
2. Supposing something like a Pit Fiend or a Solar Deva acts as a Patron to a Witch, could the Witch eventually level up enough to be stronger than the Patron, or does the Patron's strength 'cap' how much power the Witch can obtain?
3. Returning to the hypothetical Witch and her Pit Fiend Patron, if they are close in power, could they actually work/fight together as a pair of NPCs?
4. If so, and the Pit Fiend is destroyed, what happens to the Witch's magic? Would she become unable to prepare new spells? I am reminded by a Guy Gavriel Kay fantasy novel, where mages drew power from a specific bonded individual.
5. For that matter, with a sufficiently mythic-level Witch, could her (Mythically Improved) Familiar actually _be_ her Patron?
1) If the GM wants, sure!
2) Yes. This is why it's probably best to either keep the true nature of the patron a secret, or have the patron be something more powerful than CR 21 (or whatever CR the GM is comfortable with).
3) Yes. But see #2 above.
4) The witch's magic continues to function—her patron is dead, but a patron doesn't need to be alive (or even aware of the witch) for her to gain her magic. A patron is more of a muse or source of inspiration than something that actually physically gives you something.
5) Sure. That's kind of weird, but sure.
Finally, on a scale of 1-10 with 1 being sillier and 10 being badass cool, please rate the following combinations.Bard/Ninja
Bard/Gunslinger
Gunslinger(mysterous stranger)/SorcererJust curious on that last thing.
-Tundra
Bard/Gunslinger: 10
Agreed, which is why the character I'm making for our impending Skull & Shackles game is a Bard/Gunslinger. And I'll actually be using your beloved Dawnflower Dervish archetype, though my GM is allowing me to reflavor it to being Besmara themed and instead of a scimitar, I'll have a cutlass (or rapier). Super excited to start it up!
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Agreed, which is why the character I'm making for our impending Skull & Shackles game is a Bard/Gunslinger. And I'll actually be using your beloved Dawnflower Dervish archetype, though my GM is allowing me to reflavor it to being Besmara themed and instead of a scimitar, I'll have a cutlass (or rapier). Super excited to start it up!
Your GM is awesome and knows how to run the game! I approve!
So yes the casting of the spell still provokes and AoO, however why you aren't casting defensively, I have no idea.
It depends on what/who your're fighting. A magus with a pretty good AC, say... buffed to 24, would have a much better chance NOT getting hit by and AofO than making a concentration check while casting defensively. Depending on the hit dice of the person/monster, (lets say average of +10 attack bonus) they have to roll at least a 14 to hit. While the Magus (average Int mod for a Magus should be +3) and a 1st level spell = 14 DC = 13 will miss = 65% chance of failing his concentration check every time. The x2 multiplier for spell level adds up really quickly! Generally I would agree with casting defensively particularly if you are evenly matched, and you have a really high Int modifier, AND 1st or zero level spells, but there are always situations when you have to take calculated risks and go in guns blazing!!!! :)
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A fairly convoluted question about the rules.
Touching friendly targets to deliver a touch ranged spell.
The Core Rulebook say:
1) Touch: ... Some touch spells allow you to touch multiple targets. You can touch up to 6 willing targets as part of the casting, but all targets of the spell must be touched in the same round that you finish casting the spell. If the spell allows you to touch targets over multiple rounds, touching 6 creatures is a full-round action.
2) Full-Round Action: Use a touch spell on up to six friends: Attack of Opportunity: Yes
3) Holding the Charge: If you don't discharge the spell in the round when you cast the spell, you can hold the charge indefinitely. You can continue to make touch attacks round after round. If you touch anything or anyone while holding a charge, even unintentionally, the spell discharges. If you cast another spell, the touch spell dissipates. You can touch one friend as a standard action or up to six friends as a full-round action.
4) Touch Spells in Combat: Many spells have a range of touch. To use these spells, you cast the spell and then touch the subject. In the same round that you cast the spell, you may also touch (or attempt to touch) as a free action. You may take your move before casting the spell, after touching the target, or between casting the spell and touching the target. You can automatically touch one friend or use the spell on yourself, but to touch an opponent, you must succeed on an attack roll.
So we have 4 pieces of rules that say to me:
With a touch range spell ...
a) you can touch from 1 to 6 friendly targets as a full round action that provoke an AoO
b) point a) is modified by rules 3) and 4) so adding touching 1 single friendly target is a standard action
c) but when a specific rule change a generic rule what is changed is only what is explicitly changed, so 3) and 4) don't change anything about the touch provoking an AoO. They reference only the kind of action, not if it provoke or not.
So, there is any rule that say that touching 1 friendly target don't provoke?
I tried asking this question in the rule forum but the replies boil down to "It don't provoke" "Where is the relevant rule" "Don't be silly, it don't provoke".
I am almost sure that the ROI is that a single touch don't provoke, but I don't see any RAW supporting that, and to be honest I don't see why touching up to 6 friends should provoke, so my interpretation of ROI can be wrong.
Agreed, which is why the character I'm making for our impending Skull & Shackles game is a Bard/Gunslinger. And I'll actually be using your beloved Dawnflower Dervish archetype, though my GM is allowing me to reflavor it to being Besmara themed and instead of a scimitar, I'll have a cutlass (or rapier). Super excited to start it up!Your GM is awesome and knows how to run the game! I approve!
Agreed!
Now here's a question for you: if you were in my shoes would you go cutlass or rapier? The cutlass is so very piratey and has a lot of similarities to the scimitar (including indentical mechanics), but the rapier is Besmara's favored weapon, again has similar mechanics, and fits a bit more with the dueling style of the dervish dance feat. I am torn!
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So, there is any rule that say that touching 1 friendly target don't provoke?
You're way overthinking the problem.
ONLY casting the spell provokes an attack of opportunity. Touching 6 friends is an exception to the general rule that delivering touch spells does NOT provoke (and is example #241 of how I would simplify the rules in a new edition—I'd remvoe the "touching 6 friends provokes an AoO" rule from the rules and let that work like any touch attack).
So... ONLY when you touch multiple targets with a touch spell do you provoke.
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Now here's a question for you: if you were in my shoes would you go cutlass or rapier? The cutlass is so very piratey and has a lot of similarities to the scimitar (including indentical mechanics), but the rapier is Besmara's favored weapon, again has similar mechanics, and fits a bit more with the dueling style of the dervish dance feat. I am torn!
Cutlass and rapier are identical, save for the fact that one does slashing and one does piercing.
Honestly... I'd go with the rapier, since it's Besmara's weapon, and it keeps things open later on if you want duelist levels.
There are all types of demons that I can through at my PCs at any level above 3. However, I'm hard pressed to make a devil incursion scenario for anyone below level 7. There just doesn't seem to be as many interesting lower level devils as there are demons. Not to mention Bestiary 3 only gave us one (albeit one awesome) devil. Can we expect to have more devils in future bestiarys/AP/ to add to their diabolic ranks?
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So, there is any rule that say that touching 1 friendly target don't provoke?
You're way overthinking the problem.
ONLY casting the spell provokes an attack of opportunity. Touching 6 friends is an exception to the general rule that delivering touch spells does NOT provoke (and is example #241 of how I would simplify the rules in a new edition—I'd remvoe the "touching 6 friends provokes an AoO" rule from the rules and let that work like any touch attack).
So... ONLY when you touch multiple targets with a touch spell do you provoke.
Guilty as charged.
But I would really like a official statement. I was brought up on boargames rules and really dislike this kind of hole in the rules.I don't see why touching 1 friend will no provoke but touching 2 will provoke. Or the exception creep in only when we reach the "magic" number of 6?
As a single attack don't provoke and a full attack don't provoke, my preferred solution would be single touch is a standard action and don't provoke, multiple touch is a full round action and don't provoke.
Changing the text row to something like:
Full-Round Action: Use a touch spell on multiple friends (up to six) : Attack of Opportunity: No
Without that text change "up to" is from 1 to 6 in any rulebook I know.
Will we ever get a Laori Vaus figurine?
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There are all types of demons that I can through at my PCs at any level above 3. However, I'm hard pressed to make a devil incursion scenario for anyone below level 7. There just doesn't seem to be as many interesting lower level devils as there are demons. Not to mention Bestiary 3 only gave us one (albeit one awesome) devil. Can we expect to have more devils in future bestiarys/AP/ to add to their diabolic ranks?
If you're looking for more devils, check out the bestiaries for "Book of the Damned 1: Princes of Darkness" and for the six parts of Council of Thieves.
You know James, it's a good thing you don't have a pregnant girlfriend right now.
Can we call you Jim?
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Guilty as charged.
But I would really like a official statement. I was brought up on boargames rules and really dislike this kind of hole in the rules.
I don't see why touching 1 friend will no provoke but touching 2 will provoke. Or the exception creep in only when we reach the "magic" number of 6?
As a single attack don't provoke and a full attack don't provoke, my preferred solution would be single touch is a standard action and don't provoke, multiple touch is a full round action and don't provoke.Changing the text row to something like:
Full-Round Action: Use a touch spell on multiple friends (up to six) : Attack of Opportunity: NoWithout that text change "up to" is from 1 to 6 in any rulebook I know.
If what I just wrote earlier wasn't official enough, nothing I write here will be any more official.
RPGs are NOT board games. They're infinitely more complex than board games, and that's the reason they NEED a GM to interpret the rules. That's your job as the GM. YOUR word should be all the "official" word you need for the game. If your players don't respect you enough to understand that, then your table has deeper problems than "holes in the rules."
You know James, it's a good thing you don't have a pregnant girlfriend right now.Ummm... okay?
Like you workload isn't big enough as it is...
Will we ever get a Laori Vaus figurine?Not until we finally get a good illustration of her to base the figure on.
Who do I have to pay and how much to get a good illustration? She's by far my favorite NPC from CotCT. I was actually pretty disappointed when Trinia was released over Laori.
Who do I have to pay and how much to get a good illustration? She's by far my favorite NPC from CotCT. I was actually pretty disappointed when Trinia was released over Laori.Will we ever get a Laori Vaus figurine?Not until we finally get a good illustration of her to base the figure on.
There is one really good illustration of her, but it's of her playing naked jump-rope with her spiked chain, so while the miniature might sell truckloads I can't see Paizo making it. :D
There is one really good illustration of her, but it's of her playing naked jump-rope with her spiked chain, so while the miniature might sell truckloads I can't see Paizo making it. :DWho do I have to pay and how much to get a good illustration? She's by far my favorite NPC from CotCT. I was actually pretty disappointed when Trinia was released over Laori.Will we ever get a Laori Vaus figurine?Not until we finally get a good illustration of her to base the figure on.
Go on...
Go on...There is one really good illustration of her, but it's of her playing naked jump-rope with her spiked chain, so while the miniature might sell truckloads I can't see Paizo making it. :DWho do I have to pay and how much to get a good illustration? She's by far my favorite NPC from CotCT. I was actually pretty disappointed when Trinia was released over Laori.Will we ever get a Laori Vaus figurine?Not until we finally get a good illustration of her to base the figure on.
I won't link directly. Just google:
laori vaus paheal
and the first result will be the one. ^.^
Oh, I am well aware of that picture. You don't even need the paheal, just google Laori Vaus and you'll see more of the naked jump roping Laori, than the ones pulled out of CotCT.
This one is my favorite, however, and is completely safe to view around kids.
Oh, and while Paizo might not commission such a miniature made, Reaper would probably still make it, if they were allowed to.
Meanwhile, a question not involving naked Laori:
Does the Aspis Consortium have a corporate symbol? I know they have the tiered badge system, every time they're mentioned the badges come up, but nowhere I have checked does it say what the badges LOOK like. Not in the World Guide, not in the Faction Guide, not in any of the modules or Adventure Paths featuring the Consortium, just nowhere.
Meanwhile, a question not involving naked Laori:
I think you need to sort out your priorities.
Meanwhile, a question not involving naked Laori:I think you need to sort out your priorities.
I've become everything I ever hated.
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Go on...There is one really good illustration of her, but it's of her playing naked jump-rope with her spiked chain, so while the miniature might sell truckloads I can't see Paizo making it. :DWho do I have to pay and how much to get a good illustration? She's by far my favorite NPC from CotCT. I was actually pretty disappointed when Trinia was released over Laori.Will we ever get a Laori Vaus figurine?Not until we finally get a good illustration of her to base the figure on.I won't link directly. Just google:
laori vaus paheal
and the first result will be the one. ^.^
Alas... her eyes are slightly off model. I can see whites.
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Meanwhile, a question not involving naked Laori:
Does the Aspis Consortium have a corporate symbol? I know they have the tiered badge system, every time they're mentioned the badges come up, but nowhere I have checked does it say what the badges LOOK like. Not in the World Guide, not in the Faction Guide, not in any of the modules or Adventure Paths featuring the Consortium, just nowhere.
No symbol. They don't roll that way.
Hi JJ! Long time reader on the thread, first time poster.
1) I was wondering, do you believe intimidate should be able to apply the shaken effect to undead creatures with intelligence? It's my understanding that shaken is considered a fear effect, and undead are specifically immune to mind-affecting and morale effects. However, though a person might think of fear as a morale effect, I could not find anything explicitly stating this. I suppose it hinges on if fear is considered either morale or mind-effecting.
2) If undead cannot be intimidated, would you apply this to diplomacy as well (in terms of changing attitudes with the guidelines listed in the skill).
PS: I looked through the forums and couldn't find an official answer so I was just wondering your opinion (not official I know).
Edit: Correction
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Any "major announcements" planned for tomorrow even though it is a weekend?
Only that I don't intend on going in to work on either Saturday OR Sunday, which is pretty major to me considering the fact that this is the first weekend I'm not going to work for at least one day in what seems like a month or two! :P
Big setting question for you. You mentioned a bit ago that when you were designing Cheliax, you have Rome/Italy in mind. What countries did you take inspiration from for the following list?
1. River Kingdoms?
2. Taldor?
3. Absalom? I want to say Greek but I'm not too sure.
4. Katapesh and Qadira respectively?
5. Andoran?
6. Galt?
I have plenty more for the Dragon Empires, but I don't want to flood you with all these questions.
Seriously, who do I have to bribe to get a good Laori picture for a figurine?
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Hi JJ! Long time reader on the thread, first time poster.
1) I was wondering, do you believe intimidate should be able to apply the shaken effect to undead creatures with intelligence? It's my understanding that shaken is considered a fear effect, and undead are specifically immune to mind-affecting and morale effects. However, though a person might think of fear as a morale effect, I could not find anything explicitly stating this. I suppose it hinges on if fear is considered either morale or mind-effecting.
2) If undead cannot be intimidated, would you apply this to diplomacy as well (in terms of changing attitudes with the guidelines listed in the skill).
PS: I looked through the forums and couldn't find an official answer so I was just wondering your opinion (not official I know).
Edit: Correction
1) No. Being shaken is a fear effect. Undead are immune to fear effects.
2) No... diplomacy is NOT specifically called out as a mind-affecting fear effect, and thus you can appeal to an intelligent undead's ability to reason.
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Big setting question for you. You mentioned a bit ago that when you were designing Cheliax, you have Rome/Italy in mind. What countries did you take inspiration from for the following list?
1. River Kingdoms?
2. Taldor?
3. Absalom? I want to say Greek but I'm not too sure.
4. Katapesh and Qadira respectively?
5. Andoran?
6. Galt?I have plenty more for the Dragon Empires, but I don't want to flood you with all these questions.
1) Dozens of different countries, since each River Kingdom is different.
2) England, mostly.
3) All urban fantasy, from Greyhawk to Lankhmar.
4) Mostly generic European fantasy-land with a tiny dash of colonial America.
5) Mostly generic European fantasy-land with a larger dash of France.
Big setting question for you. You mentioned a bit ago that when you were designing Cheliax, you have Rome/Italy in mind. What countries did you take inspiration from for the following list?
1. River Kingdoms?
2. Taldor?
3. Absalom? I want to say Greek but I'm not too sure.
4. Katapesh and Qadira respectively?
5. Andoran?
6. Galt?I have plenty more for the Dragon Empires, but I don't want to flood you with all these questions.
1) Dozens of different countries, since each River Kingdom is different.
2) England, mostly.
3) All urban fantasy, from Greyhawk to Lankhmar.
4) Mostly generic European fantasy-land with a tiny dash of colonial America.
5) Mostly generic European fantasy-land with a larger dash of France.
Fair enough on the River Kingdoms. What region would you say, then? I get somewhat of an Eastern European mixed with Game of Thrones feel to it when I run the Kingmaker campaign.
Also, same question but with Varisia?
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Seriously, who do I have to bribe to get a good Laori picture for a figurine?I've tried to get her a cool illustration 3 times. I'm obviously not the one to ask who you need to bribe, since I've already spent a LOT of money trying to get it done! :P
Sounds like a good idea for a contest, put the text description of her up and see who is worthy of having their art turned into a mini.
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Fair enough on the River Kingdoms. What region would you say, then? I get somewhat of an Eastern European mixed with Game of Thrones feel to it when I run the Kingmaker campaign.
Also, same question but with Varisia?
You could do a whole lot worse than look to Game of Thrones for inspiration... especially since those books were a HEAVY inspiration on Brevoy, which has a pretty key role in Kingmaker.
As for Varisia, that one's more or less most heavily based on my homebrew world rather than any one region... but there's a fair amount of northern California in a lot of the sensibilities and themes there, particularly in the western part of the region. Also a lot of Lovecraft, eastern europe, Greyhawk, Robert E Howard, Fritz Leiber, Ramsey Campbell, Stephen King... I could go on, but basically, Varisia is based on everything that I like in a fantasy campaign.
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Sounds like a good idea for a contest, put the text description of her up and see who is worthy of having their art turned into a mini.Seriously, who do I have to bribe to get a good Laori picture for a figurine?I've tried to get her a cool illustration 3 times. I'm obviously not the one to ask who you need to bribe, since I've already spent a LOT of money trying to get it done! :P
The text description isn't the problem. At all.
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So, I have a player looking into playing a Catfolk character in the Inner Sea, and i wanted to know where are Catfolk most common on Golarion, and what reactions most NPCs would haver towards seeing such creatures? Are they relatively common? Rare? Would Inner Sea-region folk accept them, or would they think them strange? And also, since the campaign I intend to run is Carrion Crown, how would folk in Ustalav react to Catfolk, since it states they are very superstitious?
Sounds like a good idea for a contest, put the text description of her up and see who is worthy of having their art turned into a mini.Seriously, who do I have to bribe to get a good Laori picture for a figurine?I've tried to get her a cool illustration 3 times. I'm obviously not the one to ask who you need to bribe, since I've already spent a LOT of money trying to get it done! :P
I like this idea.
Would it be possible to have an NPC Figuringe creation Contest? For instance, every few months or so, a list of canon NPCs is created with a short write up of their personality, description, and abilities. Any existing pictures would be included for reference.
Anyone would be allowed to submit art for any NPC, and the public could vote on which artwork is best for each NPC. The winning artwork would be used as the bases for a figurine. Maybe the winning artist receives the figurine for free, possibly even pre-painted if the choose.
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So, I have a player looking into playing a Catfolk character in the Inner Sea, and i wanted to know where are Catfolk most common on Golarion, and what reactions most NPCs would haver towards seeing such creatures? Are they relatively common? Rare? Would Inner Sea-region folk accept them, or would they think them strange? And also, since the campaign I intend to run is Carrion Crown, how would folk in Ustalav react to Catfolk, since it states they are very superstitious?
Catfolk on Golarion are from southern Garund. They're not totally unknown, but a catfolk in the Inner Sea region would be regarded with anything between suspicion to curriosity. IN Ustalav, they'd be more regarded with suspicion and perhaps fear.
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Sounds like a good idea for a contest, put the text description of her up and see who is worthy of having their art turned into a mini.Seriously, who do I have to bribe to get a good Laori picture for a figurine?I've tried to get her a cool illustration 3 times. I'm obviously not the one to ask who you need to bribe, since I've already spent a LOT of money trying to get it done! :PI like this idea.
Would it be possible to have an NPC Figuringe creation Contest? For instance, every few months or so, a list of canon NPCs is created with a short write up of their personality, description, and abilities. Any existing pictures would be included for reference.
Anyone would be allowed to submit art for any NPC, and the public could vote on which artwork is best for each NPC. The winning artwork would be used as the bases for a figurine. Maybe the winning artist receives the figurine for free, possibly even pre-painted if the choose.
Contests take a LOT of time at our end to orchestrate. And as I said above... it's not the descritpion of Laori that's the problem. If this WERE to be a contest, it'd be an artist contest, not a writer contest.
I kind of am intrigued, nevertheless, about the idea. I'll run it by Erik but I strongly suspect that the result will be "Neat, but no way do we have time to run ANOTHER contest." RPG Superstar's tough enough already, especially considering we're in the thick of the Gen Con deadline... We'll see.
What I meant was, an official description of the NPCs is given by Paizo, and any related artwork (I think Laori has 3, for example). Then the artists take the descriptions and any available artwork, draw out their design, color it, and submit it to the contest.
We, the people, view the submissions and vote on the ones we like best. I imagine it would be easier than RPG Superstar to run because there isn't going to be a lot of technical break down, extended reviews, etc. It's more or less, looking at pictures and deciding on which one people like the most.
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Sounds like a good idea for a contest, put the text description of her up and see who is worthy of having their art turned into a mini.Seriously, who do I have to bribe to get a good Laori picture for a figurine?I've tried to get her a cool illustration 3 times. I'm obviously not the one to ask who you need to bribe, since I've already spent a LOT of money trying to get it done! :PI like this idea.
Would it be possible to have an NPC Figuringe creation Contest? For instance, every few months or so, a list of canon NPCs is created with a short write up of their personality, description, and abilities. Any existing pictures would be included for reference.
Anyone would be allowed to submit art for any NPC, and the public could vote on which artwork is best for each NPC. The winning artwork would be used as the bases for a figurine. Maybe the winning artist receives the figurine for free, possibly even pre-painted if the choose.
Contests take a LOT of time at our end to orchestrate. And as I said above... it's not the descritpion of Laori that's the problem. If this WERE to be a contest, it'd be an artist contest, not a writer contest.
I kind of am intrigued, nevertheless, about the idea. I'll run it by Erik but I strongly suspect that the result will be "Neat, but no way do we have time to run ANOTHER contest." RPG Superstar's tough enough already, especially considering we're in the thick of the Gen Con deadline... We'll see.
Thats what I meant when I said put the text description up. As in you guys put the text description of Laori up and then artists work off that.
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I remember 2 images of Laori:
- the first was in Escape from Korvosa (AP 9), we liked it very much but she is not a pathfinder elf (wrong eyes and ears)
- the second was in skeleton of Scarvall (AP 11), the ears were right, the eyes almost right 8there si still a bit of white showing) but she had lost most of the character she was showing in the firs image
I don't recall the location of the third, I think it was in Council of thieves. I recall seeing it but not being overly impassioned as she was lacking the character of the first image.
Finding someone capable to blend the character of Laori first image and the right Pathfinder elf look isn't an easy task.
I hope James will find the right artist. Best of luck in that.
The third is one of the chapter-openers in Faiths of Corruption.