The closest I can think of offhand to alchemy-like traditions would be herbalistic practices in various cultures, such as the use of peyote and tobacco among various North American tribes.
Druids and shamanism seem to go hand in hand, although there is the new shaman class coming with the Advanced Class Guide that might be a better traditional shaman than the current druid (which seems more a mix of Celtic tradition and western druidic myths).
Also, I could potentially see totemistic summoner types among the Arcadians.
EDIT: The more I think of it, the more I think the alchemy/smoking/psychotropic link is appropriate.
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I was generally leaning toward the monstrous humanoid or goblinoid spectrum. Mostly because I would rather we get new creatures/races for Arcadia, than refluffing existing races. Duergar (and traditional D&D Dwarves) are just to tied into European-based settings. Also not sure how well it would tie into Golarion fluff to make them a duergar offshoot, since Duergar are specifically dwarves that stayed behind in the Darklands during the Quest for Sky. And these guys are monsters that have always dwelt in the wilderness since before the coming of humanity.
There are actually some creatures from NA folklore that could be refluffed as halfings or dwarves, but I would prefer these guys to be unique.
I don't know on the one hand I agree with the need for unique races appearing but on the other I am also one of those people who really don't like how many subtype offshoots we keep getting and how annoying that gets to certain class types like ranger when trying to build. Maybe the compromise would be that they have the dwarf subtype and be some other offshoot, maybe a group of dwarves that came up in arcadia rather then avistan and has more in common with the duergar or something to that effect.
Also though I love goblins we already have 4 races of them and 3 of which we very rarely see fleshed out culturally. I would like to see one of those get fleshed out before we decide to add another to that specific line. Ohh maybe they could be a certain breed of bugbear and all those abilities are cultural abilities they have created over the ages.
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I think the Silver John stories by Manly Wade Wellman would make for an interesting template for a hero/setting for the Andoren colony.
I was generally leaning toward the monstrous humanoid or goblinoid spectrum. Mostly because I would rather we get new creatures/races for Arcadia, than refluffing existing races. Duergar (and traditional D&D Dwarves) are just to tied into European-based settings. Also not sure how well it would tie into Golarion fluff to make them a duergar offshoot, since Duergar are specifically dwarves that stayed behind in the Darklands during the Quest for Sky. And these guys are monsters that have always dwelt in the wilderness since before the coming of humanity.
There are actually some creatures from NA folklore that could be refluffed as halfings or dwarves, but I would prefer these guys to be unique.
I don't know on the one hand I agree with the need for unique races appearing but on the other I am also one of those people who really don't like how many subtype offshoots we keep getting and how annoying that gets to certain class types like ranger when trying to build. Maybe the compromise would be that they have the dwarf subtype and be some other offshoot, maybe a group of dwarves that came up in arcadia rather then avistan and has more in common with the duergar or something to that effect.
Also though I love goblins we already have 4 races of them and 3 of which we very rarely see fleshed out culturally. I would like to see one of those get fleshed out before we decide to add another to that specific line. Ohh maybe they could be a certain breed of bugbear and all those abilities are cultural abilities they have created over the ages.
To be honest I wasn't thinking of making them a O hd race. If even a few of their powers were kept (like reanimation, or the heart thing), they would be far too powerful.
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The closest I can think of offhand to alchemy-like traditions would be herbalistic practices in various cultures, such as the use of peyote and tobacco among various North American tribes.
Druids and shamanism seem to go hand in hand, although there is the new shaman class coming with the Advanced Class Guide that might be a better traditional shaman than the current druid (which seems more a mix of Celtic tradition and western druidic myths).
Also, I could potentially see totemistic summoner types among the Arcadians.
EDIT: The more I think of it, the more I think the alchemy/smoking/psychotropic link is appropriate.
I like this idea...having alchemist be part of some sort of sacred medicine society perhaps, who use extracts to "open" their minds. Could provide all sort of new takes and story/mechanic ideas.
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Yes- the Arcadian alchemists would be mostly along the lines of mindchemists; using cognatogens of various sorts, as opposed to the more Avistani "common" mutagens. Their cognatogens would provide a wider variety of effects than standard varieties.
I'd probably replace their bomb feature with something else, as well. Perhaps something related to spirits- maybe something like "spirit assault". Either summoning spirits to directly attack their enemies, or maybe something sort of illusion-like, inducing psychosomatic damage in their enemies.
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To be honest I wasn't thinking of making them a O hd race. If even a few of their powers were kept (like reanimation, or the heart thing), they would be far too powerful.I was generally leaning toward the monstrous humanoid or goblinoid spectrum. Mostly because I would rather we get new creatures/races for Arcadia, than refluffing existing races. Duergar (and traditional D&D Dwarves) are just to tied into European-based settings. Also not sure how well it would tie into Golarion fluff to make them a duergar offshoot, since Duergar are specifically dwarves that stayed behind in the Darklands during the Quest for Sky. And these guys are monsters that have always dwelt in the wilderness since before the coming of humanity.
There are actually some creatures from NA folklore that could be refluffed as halfings or dwarves, but I would prefer these guys to be unique.
I don't know on the one hand I agree with the need for unique races appearing but on the other I am also one of those people who really don't like how many subtype offshoots we keep getting and how annoying that gets to certain class types like ranger when trying to build. Maybe the compromise would be that they have the dwarf subtype and be some other offshoot, maybe a group of dwarves that came up in arcadia rather then avistan and has more in common with the duergar or something to that effect.
Also though I love goblins we already have 4 races of them and 3 of which we very rarely see fleshed out culturally. I would like to see one of those get fleshed out before we decide to add another to that specific line. Ohh maybe they could be a certain breed of bugbear and all those abilities are cultural abilities they have created over the ages.
I wasn't think of them as 0 HD necessarily, they could just as easily be like bugbears with racial HD.
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Yeah....but if you make them a bugbear variant...well you are basically taking the name and discarding most other features associated with the creature. At that point IMHO it's best to just invent a new creature with a made up name.
Like the other one, I'm dotting for later perusal because of the limits on a mortal's temporal existence.
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I posted this over there, but thought it might also inspire discussion here: other thread.
I'd like to see exactly the opposite of what seems typical-
A land of high magic, mythic monsters, unchecked power claimed by tyrants and heroes both. Something epic and inspiring, not a rehash of Euro-USA history.
That's too easy- survive a raucous ocean voyage (ok, that part is difficult) and land ashore to discover...
A race of hobgoblins the size of giants.
Forests filled with werebears.
Floating cities.
Deserted villages.
Minotaur high society.
Brutal centaur marauders.
Cabals of medusae witches.
Humans cowering in lost Azlanti cities.
Legions of all the strange humanoids ranging about.
A mongrelman civilization, tending a lost Azlant city containing a portal to another plane.
Nex. Just sayin'.
New societies of humans, elves, halflings and dwarves that draw from Mayan and Aztec culture, as well as those of the lost tribes of Brazil.
Let's throw in a pile of rakshasas, why not? Make 'em vampires to boot.
Conquer that! Heck, try to find food that won't kill you, or that you aren't too proud to consume. The setting must account for the reality that returning home is not an option.
In short, a place where anything is possible, a place where every bestiary entry can exist, where the PCs are totally uncomfortable until they can truly explore the region. So many obstacles and barriers. The idea that PCs can roll up to a village and smallpox the population is timid. Another post mentioned magic- of course the natives would have access to it, too, great observation.
Like Avistan and Garund but raw- more savage and feral, disconnected from 99% of the current source material. A few Denizens of Leng, a thin veil to the First World, a hidden portal to Aballon, and undiscovered entrances to the Darklands and you've got yourself a campaign setting.
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So some of you may have heard of Gavin Menzies
He's basically a historian that has written a fair amount of books detailing a pre Columbus discovery of North America by a massive fleet led by Zhang he. Historians are...skeptical at best of a lot of his claims
That said...something that might be neat for Arcadia is to actually have a Tien colony on the west coast, which could be a lost colony which has otherwise been forgotten about in Tien Xia. Even better, the colony could have formed from being stranded. There are some cool story possibilities in a Lung Wa colony carrying out traditions and goal set by an empire that doesn't even exist anymore.
I know I keep saying this, but:
THIS IS NOT A PRE-COLUMBIAN SOCIETY BY THE FAINTEST POSSIBLE STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION.
It is almost inconceivable that the Arcadians still lack iron and horses.
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So here's the deal
- Arcadia is going to be based on America because Golarion is a fuzzy xerox of Earth.
- There are going to be cultures that are closely based on Aztec, Maya, Inca, Iroqouis, Hopi, and probably Tlingit or Haida.
- They won't use metal because this is Pathfinder and Pathfinder cleaves strongly to cultural stereotypes (see: Varisians/Gypsies, Oisirons/Egyptians, Galtans/French, Andorans/Muricans, Ulfen/Scandanavians, Vuldra/India, etc)
- They won't ride horses because ditto. They might end up riding dinosaurs, but they won't be riding horses
Bow to the inevitable. Golarion is not a setting where you can extrapolate 5,000 years of technical and cultural advancement, unless you expect Arcadia to be a dieselpunk setting.
I wouldn't be too sure about some of those definitive-sounding statements you made. I actually see reason why a nation in the northern part of the continent might be well-suited to using the skymetals that made massive crater lakes across the top part of the continent. Also, since Azlant was so influential in Avistan and Garund, what's stopping them from having a strong influence on the continent to the west of them? Since we never said where horses originated on Golarion, you wouldn't necessarily have the same restrictions on them. Actually, geographically speaking, Arcadia is very isolated (as in it doesn't have any sort of land bridge like the other continents).
As the person on staff the most interested in exploring Arcadia, I'm not super interested in having a direct analog of American cultures, but I would like to use them for inspiration. At the end of the day, nothing is currently planned for Arcadia, so no one can definitively say what will go into a book about it (until we get to it).
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As I have said before...I think you can make authentic fantasy nations and realms which owe inspiration to New World cultures/beliefs/history, while doing them in a fantastic way that puts them on equal footing with the Avistani.
On a personal level:
I actually would like to see horses in at least a plains/steppe setting. Because to me, horses are iconic for many Native American groups (Sioux for instance), and it doesn't feel right to have them absent. Yes they are a post columbian import, but the absence of much in the way of domesticated mammals in NA might probably is an artifact of NA megafaunal extinctions, which in turn were a result of having a fauna that evolved without people. Something that might not be the case for Arcadia.
I am indifferent to iron or not. I like the idea of skymetals being important. To me absence or not of iron just isn't a deal breaker.It's not the first thing that registers to me as authentic.
Yeah, megafaunal extinctions are not a thing that happens in a D&D world. Monsters are here to stay.
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As I have said before...I think you can make authentic fantasy nations and realms which owe inspiration to New World cultures/beliefs/history, while doing them in a fantastic way that puts them on equal footing with the Avistani.
On a personal level:
I actually would like to see horses in at least a plains/steppe setting. Because to me, horses are iconic for many Native American groups (Sioux for instance), and it doesn't feel right to have them absent. Yes they are a post columbian import, but the absence of much in the way of domesticated mammals in NA might probably is an artifact of NA megafaunal extinctions, which in turn were a result of having a fauna that evolved without people. Something that might not be the case for Arcadia.
I am indifferent to iron or not. I like the idea of skymetals being important. To me absence or not of iron just isn't a deal breaker.It's not the first thing that registers to me as authentic.
I'm with you on having horses somewhere but I like the idea of no iron/iron light options as it could lead to some truly interesting ideas to come to light. Like I would love to see them be forced to use obsidian, blood crystal, or even viridium as well as a slew of newly invented options for players and gms to build off of.
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I'm with you on having horses somewhere but I like the idea of no iron/iron light options as it could lead to some truly interesting ideas to come to light. Like I would love to see them be forced to use obsidian, blood crystal, or even viridium as well as a slew of newly invented options for players and gms to build off of.As I have said before...I think you can make authentic fantasy nations and realms which owe inspiration to New World cultures/beliefs/history, while doing them in a fantastic way that puts them on equal footing with the Avistani.
On a personal level:
I actually would like to see horses in at least a plains/steppe setting. Because to me, horses are iconic for many Native American groups (Sioux for instance), and it doesn't feel right to have them absent. Yes they are a post columbian import, but the absence of much in the way of domesticated mammals in NA might probably is an artifact of NA megafaunal extinctions, which in turn were a result of having a fauna that evolved without people. Something that might not be the case for Arcadia.
I am indifferent to iron or not. I like the idea of skymetals being important. To me absence or not of iron just isn't a deal breaker.It's not the first thing that registers to me as authentic.
Probably more bronze weapons too. Many of the tribes did have bronze working, so it's not farfetched to say that tribes with magic could go beyond that.
I definitely do like the idea of alternate, fantastic metals being used. Especially the sky metals. Definitely want to see that for the Sky Captains of Machu Pichu!!!
I need to make that a campaign setting... :)
As Odraude said, there was bronze and other metalworking among the various Native American empires (notably the Aztec and Inca), and copper work among many North American NA tribal groups.
I think it would be interesting to see some kind of alternative alloys, likely using something else in conjunction with copper (and iron, which might well have found some eventual usage in Native American cultures absent the arrival of Old Worlders).
Whether they have some large skymetal deposits, or whether they developed ironworking, perhaps blending it with something other than carbon to make a steel-like alternative (either a fantasy element or even an existing one).
I'm no chemist, and it's been a long time since I took any chemistry, but I'm wondering if all that obsidian that was in wide use in many Native American cultures might have been put to some use in metalwork? Or maybe magically strengthening obsidian, so that it isn't as fragile? You'd have some seriously sharp blades- Arcadian "katanas" anyone?
It's where I've put my semi post-scarcity pseudo Aztec civilization.
Owls are considered evil in many NA cultures, that is interesting, never knew that info, thanks MMCJawa.
Which is why all Arcadian commoners fear the owlcat doubly.
A bit of a bump and some thoughts. I was recently trying to think up some ideas of titanic creatures from Native American folklore. Was compiling it for an idea of a mythic campaign. Wanted to crowdsource this idea. The two I have so far are
Gaasyendietha, the meteor dragon from Seneca folklore. Sounds awesome.
Cipactli, a primeval caiman beast with jaws on its joints from Aztec folklore. I love it!.
Cherufe, a magma snake of Mapuche folklore that created earthquakes and volcanoes and ate of human flesh. It's also a reptilian humanoid in cryptozoology. I'm sure we could combine the two in some way.
I'd definitely like more. Funnily enough, the first three kind of have an elemental theme to them (Gaasyendietha = Air; Cipactli = Water; Cherufe = fire or earth). Could always use a fourth one to finish the team :)
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A bit of a bump and some thoughts. I was recently trying to think up some ideas of titanic creatures from Native American folklore. Was compiling it for an idea of a mythic campaign. Wanted to crowdsource this idea. The two I have so far are
Gaasyendietha, the meteor dragon from Seneca folklore. Sounds awesome.
Cipactli, a primeval caiman beast with jaws on its joints from Aztec folklore. I love it!.
Cherufe, a magma snake of Mapuche folklore that created earthquakes and volcanoes and ate of human flesh. It's also a reptilian humanoid in cryptozoology. I'm sure we could combine the two in some way.
I'd definitely like more. Funnily enough, the first three kind of have an elemental theme to them (Gaasyendietha = Air; Cipactli = Water; Cherufe = fire or earth). Could always use a fourth one to finish the team :)
Some NA groups use four and others use five elements; in the cases I am aware of the number matches the number of directions they use (for example, the Navaho use 4 and the Tanoan Pueblo 5 (N, S, E, W, 'here') - there are groups that use 6 directions - N, S, E, W, Up, and Down. These could have resonances with the planes, since the kachinas among the Pueblo are affiliated with directions, and the directions are associated with seasons and weather.
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Well, Nurgal is a demon lord of warfare and the sun, whose worship was very important to the Azlanti.
So a pyramid-building, human-sacrificing, jungle dwelling society has a ready made patron right there.
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I find it odd that nobody picks up on the continet's name for inspiration.
I can't here it without being reminded of this.
Throughout the western, classical tradition the notion of 'arcadia' has been of a pastoral utopia full of peaceful shepherds and gentle dryads.
I really hope that 'arcadia' has an influence on Arcadia, otherwise it will be a jarring misnomer.
Idk, peaceful tends to equal boring. If everyone is at peace, then what are the adventurers going to fight? :)
Idk, peaceful tends to equal boring. If everyone is at peace, then what are the adventurers going to fight? :)but don't heroes need something to fight for?
Yeah, but if there's already peace, there's no need to fight.
A utopia would feel very boring and uninteresting because there's nothing to fight for, or fight off. If all the problems are solved, then there's no need for adventurers. I'd prefer there to be conflicts and flaws and bad guys for adventuring. Conflict always brings plot hooks. Utopias, not so much...
...now a dystopia, I'm down for :)
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Idk, peaceful tends to equal boring. If everyone is at peace, then what are the adventurers going to fight? :)but don't heroes need something to fight for?Yeah, but if there's already peace, there's no need to fight.
A utopia would feel very boring and uninteresting because there's nothing to fight for, or fight off. If all the problems are solved, then there's no need for adventurers. I'd prefer there to be conflicts and flaws and bad guys for adventuring. Conflict always brings plot hooks. Utopias, not so much...
...now a dystopia, I'm down for :)
Well, it's a whole continent. I think you could have idyllic stretches.
A utopia would feel very boring and uninteresting because there's nothing to fight for...
Really, surely you'd be fighting to defend the society, people and way of life?
Dystopia is where you don't have anything to defend, surely?
Well yes, it could have idyllic stretches. But so do the other continents on Golarion. While not every nation should be at war, or corrupt and run by villains, there should still be conflict. For every Cheliax, there should be an Andoran. I find it hard to believe that there's an area with humans and all kinds of other races living together on one continent and they all get along harmoniously. It doesn't happen on Avistan, Garund, Tian Xia, or Casmaron. Why would Arcadia be the special case?
Besides, Arcadia is just a name. That doesn't mean that it has to be a peace-and-love paradise, any more than Tian Xia (from the word tianxia, meaning "under heaven" in Chinese) being a bastion of holiness and law, like Heaven.
...so it's the Cajun continent?
No, it's the North and South American analogue.
I'd love to see less humanish influence and vibe and give it more of a 'Mongo' vibe (lionmen, etc). We need at least one continent where humans do not dominate everyone else.
But of course, we should still have a nod to the cultures of the Americas (just don't feel the need to apply them directly to 'native humans'). Also, don't make the HUGE mistake FR did (several actually) - that the tech/magic level was so disproportionate that the 'European' (analogues) walked all over them. They should be just as strong and competent... but VERY different. In fact, their magic should confound Inner Sea Mages. Lots of primal/totemic magic, plus bonuses for proximity to geographic features (basically drawing power from the land itself).
In a nutshell: Don't over-do the derivations, and remember that this is FANTASY, and not humans-plus-other-guys. That gets old, fast.
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I'd love to see less humanish influence and vibe and give it more of a 'Mongo' vibe (lionmen, etc). We need at least one continent where humans do not dominate everyone else.
The owl-dudes have a ton of promise. (Syrinx?)
The notion that cliff-dwellers and mound-builders might construct their homes as they do *to ward off flying raiders* is ripe with possibilities.
Also, don't make the HUGE mistake FR did (several actually) - that the tech/magic level was so disproportionate that the 'European' (analogues) walked all over them. They should be just as strong and competent... but VERY different. In fact, their magic should confound Inner Sea Mages. Lots of primal/totemic magic, plus bonuses for proximity to geographic features (basically drawing power from the land itself).
I like this part, particularly, since it would serve to explain why their magic doesn't 'travel well' and why they haven't necessarily come over the ocean and started colonizing the Inner Sea region.
It is odd that the FR felt the need to so strongly mirror the Spanish conquistador vibe, when they did such a better job not having Kara-Tur be all about fantasy 'westerners' shelling their cities to keep the heroin trade open, or having Al-Qadim be all about an endless series of crusades over control of one specific 'holy city.'
If Arcadia does mirror the Americas more strongly than Golarion mirrors Europe, and there's a more organized and advanced Inca/Aztec analogue, it might be intriguing to have them establishing a presence in Southern Garund (below the map, where Holomog and whatever lie), so that, as Avistani folk sprinkle into northern Arcadia, southern Arcadians are establishing a foothold in lower Garund (perhaps with less violence and more of a mutual trade thing going on with one of the coastal Garundi nations).
That way, if there *is* some sort of imbalance (which there already seems to be, as the Ulfen have a presence in Arcadia, while the northern Arcadians don't seem to have any presence at all in Avistan), it could 'balance out' a bit if southern Arcadians are reversing that trend south of the equator, and expanding into Garund.
Obviously an Inca/Mayan/Toltec/Aztec analogue that had advanced ship building technology and the capability to settle across the ocean would be a fair step away from a perfect analogy, but it's not like Numeria or Nidal or the Realm of the Mammoth Lords are perfect analogies for anywhere in Europe, either. :)
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And the Worldwound is just like spending the holidays with my ex's family.
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I know I keep saying this, but:
THIS IS NOT A PRE-COLUMBIAN SOCIETY BY THE FAINTEST POSSIBLE STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION.
It is almost inconceivable that the Arcadians still lack iron and horses.
*Valenhall* has been in Arcadia for 5,000 years. Valenhall is basically magical viking heaven on earth, guarded by Norns and Valkyries and every other Norse thing you can think of, and populated entirely by possibly undying Ulfen kings and their retainers. They do *not* have anything like normal relations with the natives, and sure as hell aren't trading horses and iron to them.
It's unclear how long the other colonies have been in Arcadia, but it's been explicitly stated that no settlement other than Valenhall has lasted more than 100 years. They are *extremely* isolated, because Arcadia is farther away from Avistan than North America is from Europe, and there are crazy magical and monstrous navigational hazards in the way.
In short, I think it would be entirely believeable for people in most of Arcadia to not have been affected by Avistani discovery of their continent in the slightest.
Other than that, I would point out that weapons made from fragile materials are really quite competative with metal weapons in Pathfinder. Masterwork obsidian weapons don't even have the fragile quality. That doesn't really make any sense; real obsidian and flint tools and weapons are good for one use only, unless there's enough material there to make something new when they break or go dull; but it does mean that a masterwork obsidian weapon is actually slightly better than a corresponding masterwork steel weapon, since it weighs less.
I, for one, would love to have an in-setting excuse to use "stone age" weapons; the related feats are pretty cool!
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Cannibal halfling pinheads... a MUST in any jungle campaign. :D
Perhaps some Shadow Over Innsmouth-type stuff along the coast (given the history with the Aboleths). Instead of victorian-era new England, you could use the local tribes (or even some corrupted Vik... err... Ulfens).
Obviously there should be some sort of 'lost colony' a'la Roanoke. That could tie-into the Cthulhuesque elements.
'Elder Evils' could make a great replacement for some Meso-american gods, and explain large scale temple sacrifices, etc.
Feathered dragons, raptors and other small (but deadly) dinos, etc. Maybe some prehistoric version of a fantasy race (like primitive, shaggy cave-centaurs with the top half of gorillas).
Perhaps more advanced versions of goblinoids, like horse-riding Orc tribes (or some fantasy/prehisitoric versions of a horse). Maybe a desert kobold Empire that keeps the vicious, primitive Waste goblins at bay. Connect Kenkus/Dire corbies to 'The Raven' - a trickster deity from that region.
Dark Elves who aren't drow. No dwarves or gnomes though, unless someone comes up with something really special for them.
We could even give the southern-most areas a Polynesian/Oceania/Aussie vibe (ostensibly due to an admixture from ancient Tian colonies there). I am picturing massive war-outriggers that cross the Ocean (helps explain the Garundi colonies from Arcadia others here have recommended). They could even have some form of magical (Greek) fire projectors to help balance them against the technologically superior Avistan ships. In fact, that area can be similar to the old (and excellent) Pirates of Darkwater cartoon - ecomancers and all.
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'Elder Evils' could make a great replacement for some Meso-american gods, and explain large scale temple sacrifices, etc.
This reminds me of the original Deities and Demigods back cover, with that Erol Otus art of a vaguely Aztec looking dude summoning up a Cthulhu-like outsider or god...
I'm not sure I totally love the idea of an Aztec analogue that worships the Great Old Ones, but it sure does sound evocative and kind of on-theme for a people so caught up in massive bloody sacrifice, and being also a bit obsessed with bloodletting-based-divinations and human sacrifice and massive skull-rack displays of all their victims.
As I mentioned earlier, toss a half-mummified heart-ripping priest after a party, allowing it to teleport around by folding space, freeze people with paralyzing fear-roars, seize control of their minds and infect them with bloodlust to attack their allies, and tear their hearts out of their chest with a special grapple attack that takes a couple rounds, and you've essentially got a thematically appropriate beastie that can use the 3.5 Mind Flayer stats right out of the box.
'Elder Evils' could make a great replacement for some Meso-american gods, and explain large scale temple sacrifices, etc.
This reminds me of the original Deities and Demigods back cover, with that Erol Otus art of a vaguely Aztec looking dude summoning up a Cthulhu-like outsider or god...
I'm not sure I totally love the idea of an Aztec analogue that worships the Great Old Ones, but it sure does sound evocative and kind of on-theme for a people so caught up in massive bloody sacrifice, and being also a bit obsessed with bloodletting-based-divinations and human sacrifice and massive skull-rack displays of all their victims.
As I mentioned earlier, toss a half-mummified heart-ripping priest after a party, allowing it to teleport around by folding space, freeze people with paralyzing fear-roars, seize control of their minds and infect them with bloodlust to attack their allies, and tear their hearts out of their chest with a special grapple attack that takes a couple rounds, and you've essentially got a thematically appropriate beastie that can use the 3.5 Mind Flayer stats right out of the box.
Man, that sounds horrifying. I'm going to have to use that if I ever decide to run ever again.
I like the idea of Nurgal being a patron Sun God for some tribes or even a nation, demanding sacrifice. Would be cool.
Just learned about these cryptids- the shunka warakin- earlier tonight while investigating some other cryptids. These could be an interesting addition to Arcadia, especially if the Paizo spin was put on them. Maybe some kind of spin on why it "carries off dogs." Could it really be a natural werewolf hunter? (Not dogs, admittedly, but canids still.)
Another possible Arcadian beast based on a cryptid- the waheela.