Question about Golarion

[existence123]

Hello,

I'm new to Pathfinder, having only just run my first session a few nights ago. I'm using Golarion as my campaign setting, as it seems like an interesting and well fleshed out world.

Thing is, I don't own the Inner Sea World Guide yet, and I've never read any Pathfinder fiction. My knowledge of Golarion is comprised of what I've learned from the two modules I've read and tidbits picked up on the Pathfinder wiki.

One of the players is an Elf wizard. He found a type of armor called haramaki online (I guess it's in the Ultimate Combat book, which I don't own). He wants to know if he can either buy it or become skilled in crafting armor so he can make his own.

I assume this is eastern armor from Tian Xia? I figure this sort of thing must be hard to come by in Avistan, and the idea of crafting it seems a bit weird, as his character is an elf from Nirmathas.

What say you, grizzled veterans of Pathfinder?

[Jeff Erwin]

Well, there is in fact an elf culture in Tian Xia which I am sure uses haramaki armor. Hence, perhaps he could have relatives from overseas...?

It may beggar belief; however, I could also suggest, that with their longevity, elves (he or an adventuring ancestor) could easily have also travelled to the distant East in the past.

This might be an interesting hook for an adventure, actually.

But I might also suggest that if it seems to weird to you, that as the GM, you are free to restrict the armor to Tien and Tian Xia-native characters.

[Shaun Hocking]

Tien merchants or craftspeople can be found throughout Avistan. Any city, town, or village could have an NPC who may have exposed this 'western' elf to 'eastern' arms or armor. For example, a significant section of the city of Kalsgard in the Lands of the Linnorm Kings is effectively the 'Tien quarter'. Kalsgard is the end point of the Path of Aganhei - the main overland route between Avistan and Tian Xia, so Tien peoples and equipment would be more common here. Major seaports or inland trade-cities would also have significant access to exotic goods.

In short, it's no big deal to have 'eastern' equipment in your 'western' campaign unless you, as GM, think it is inappropriate.

[existence123]

Thanks guys!

[Kthulhu]

My own personal advice...don't worry too much about skewing away from the "official" Golarion. Everyone that runs Golarion is running a different version of it, and some people probably would barely recognize another group's setting as being nominally the same as the one they use.