So what do you think those two are? Feykith, anthromorph, very unlikely merfolk, or possibly none of the above?
Anthromorph for the bird. Merfolk for the crayfish and the one in the background
Anthromorph for the bird. Merfolk for the crayfish and the one in the background
See, I would have gone with anthromorph for the "crayfish", feykith for the "bird", and merfolk for the obvious merfolk. It's a bit of a pattern for all the covers, except Azure Abyss but that was a weird one all around.
Yeah, I guess the crayfish is not much of a merfolk. That's what I get for trying to do it from memory.
No big, though I do sort of know the bird probably isn't a feykith.
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I'm going to check out the Occult Adventures playtest tomorrow, I'm going to see how I can fit it into the setting. Anyone want to conjecture with me?
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You know I will be doing the same thing.
Excellent!
Alright, so after looking through the psychic magic classes here is what I've got.
I think most of them would fit pretty well with some mechanical reworking. The two that need the most work would probably be the kineticist and occultist.
Hey folks. I can now confirm the existence of Trueform otters.
Hey folks. I can now confirm the existence of Trueform otters.
Well, since "Trueform" is basically a slightly better version of Awaken, that doesn't come as a surprise.
Trueform fishes, aside from sharks, are the ones that have yet to appear. Ok, fine, having a seafemale siren with a trueform yellow fish is VERY cliche, but still...
Something I hope we can get in the future is a feat for merfolks to allow them to be truly amphibious. Here's the problem:
Gills: Merfolk can breathe underwater indefinitely through gills in their neck and sides. Consequently, most merfolk are water dependent, and can breathe for a few hours on land before having to submerge. Nommo begin suffocating immediately upon leaving the water.
However, after seeing that the regular merfolks have the Amphibious quality, this little omittion for the CS merfolks is a bit... odd.
I feel like that's a fluff choice. Not to mention that many of the merfolk races aren't water dependent. Seafolk aren't, that I know.
Hey folks. I can now confirm the existence of Trueform otters.
Woot! Are they a playable race? Would love to have all trueforms as playable races.
Hey folks. I can now confirm the existence of Trueform otters.Woot! Are they a playable race? Would love to have all trueforms as playable races.
I have absolutely no clue. I only know about them because Alluria posted a photo of them on their facebook page. I posted a link to the image in the other thread, along with a link to the Foo Otter image they posted with Trueform Otter.
As far as I know there was a plan to adapt trueforms for player races, but I don't know where that is in development. I'd love to see them playable as well.
I do know however that it is remarkably easy to make playable versions of some trueform creatures. You can basically take any animal or vermin with 1 hit die, apply the trueform template, and then you can extrapolate racial traits from there.
I can now tell you the names, and subtypes, of the races that appear on the cover. They are the River Ningyo (merfolk), Benitsuru (kamigei, a new subtype), and Heikegani (also kamigei).
I can now tell you the names, and subtypes, of the races that appear on the cover. They are the River Ningyo (merfolk), Benitsuru (kamigei, a new subtype), and Heikegani (also kamigei).
So all Japan and no China. Ah well. Kamigei would be related to the Kami of the PF bestiaries, I take it?
What she said.
Kamigei are a new invention, also an amalgamation of several East Asian concepts.
Cool! Any chance on getting details on that?
Cool! Any chance on getting details on that?
Kamigei are a new invention, also an amalgamation of several East Asian concepts.
Well, I don't want to give everything away, and I'm not a scholar of East Asian mythology, but I can say that naming conventions for individuals of each of the races don't just come from Japanese culture.
Well, I don't want to give everything away, and I'm not a scholar of East Asian mythology, but I can say that naming conventions for individuals of each of the races don't just come from Japanese culture.Cool! Any chance on getting details on that?
Kamigei are a new invention, also an amalgamation of several East Asian concepts.
And the Kamigei as a type?
And the Kamigei as a type?Well, I don't want to give everything away, and I'm not a scholar of East Asian mythology, but I can say that naming conventions for individuals of each of the races don't just come from Japanese culture.Cool! Any chance on getting details on that?
Kamigei are a new invention, also an amalgamation of several East Asian concepts.
Mechanically they're pretty light on shared racial traits, having only 3. Stylistically, they're pretty different from the other three subtypes of humanoid in the setting. While they have a magical feel like feykith, and animal-like forms similar to anthromorphs, that's where most of the similarities end.
Okay, off the subject of Celadon Shores. There's something that's been bugging me for a while. I feel like the illustration for the Weresquid from Beasts of the Boundless Blue is inaccurate. Don't get me wrong, it's a great piece, and it looks like what most people would imagine a weresquid to look like. But, the anatomy has been inverted. The mantle is shown coming out the top of the humanoid head, when it should cover the torso. And the arms and tentacles should be arrayed around the beak.
It's not a big deal, but I just wanted to comment on it.
Okay, off the subject of Celadon Shores. There's something that's been bugging me for a while. I feel like the illustration for the Weresquid from Beasts of the Boundless Blue is inaccurate. Don't get me wrong, it's a great piece, and it looks like what most people would imagine a weresquid to look like. But, the anatomy has been inverted. The mantle is shown coming out the top of the humanoid head, when it should cover the torso. And the arms and tentacles should be arrayed around the beak.
It's not a big deal, but I just wanted to comment on it.
The mantle...? You mean the cone-shaped thingy? I think that it looks nice on the top of its head.
The longer squid arms however should have been the weresquid's arms. Think like Ursula, whose tentacles are her legs.
It does look kind of odd. Then again, all were-creatures look kind of odd if they're in a form intermediate between human and animal.
Yeah, the cone shaped thing is called the mantle. I totally agree it looks great the way it is, I'm just thinking it doesn't make much sense to grow a second torso out of the top of your head. But I'm splitting hairs.
Centaurs have a second torso growing where their head should be too :)
I can't quite picture what you are describing, but it sounds like it would look better.
Centaurs have a second torso growing where their head should be too :)
I can't quite picture what you are describing, but it sounds like it would look better.
Well, yeah. But that's what centaurs always look like. What I'm picturing would look sort of like a humanoid with the squids arms (the short ones) and tentacles (the two long ones) encircling a beaked mouth. Lower on the body there are a set of fins on either the legs or tail for beings without legs, and a siphon on the back of the neck. All of that is covered in a rubbery skin. It's a real horror.
Anyone have something they want to discuss?
Anyone have something they want to discuss?
Oh! I know! Freshwater Samurai mounts. What do we have?
Anyone have something they want to discuss?
Atlas of the Cerulean Sea. I really wish it was out, but I guess it'll be the last book printed in the series.
Anyone have something they want to discuss?Atlas of the Cerulean Sea. I really wish it was out, but I guess it'll be the last book printed in the series.
Probably, it'd be pretty costly to make given the large amount of artwork required. But I'd love to see it happen as well.
I'm personally not so patiently waiting for Viridian Veil, and the rest of the remarkable races submerged line.
Anyone have something they want to discuss?Atlas of the Cerulean Sea. I really wish it was out, but I guess it'll be the last book printed in the series.Probably, it'd be pretty costly to make given the large amount of artwork required. But I'd love to see it happen as well.
I'm personally not so patiently waiting for Viridian Veil, and the rest of the remarkable races submerged line.
What watery realm is Viridian Veil supposed to cover?
From what has been said it's most likely a prehistoric land. They haven't said much about it, but they've dropped hints. I think they called it Devonia in the original setting book, and they've mentioned it in reference to an aquatic version of the Mahrog race, also there was a trueform sea scorpion illustration in Beasts of the Boundless Blue labeled as being in Viridian Veil.
I think it'd be so cool.
From what has been said it's most likely a prehistoric land. They haven't said much about it, but they've dropped hints. I think they called it Devonia in the original setting book, and they've mentioned it in reference to an aquatic version of the Mahrog race, also there was a trueform sea scorpion illustration in Beasts of the Boundless Blue labeled as being in Viridian Veil.
I think it'd be so cool.
Agreed! Waiting for sourcebooks to come out makes me feel like I'm a little kid again, waiting for summer vacation or Christmas to arrive.
You have no idea! I squeal with delight when I see a new chapter in my inbox. Literally, it's very undignified.
Practical question: I'm in the process of tweaking an adventure. There is an underground lake, 1800 miles in surface area. It is assumed that terrestrial PCs can swim from the deepest point in the lake to the surface by using a single potion of water breathing each. I'm pretty sure the authors of the adventure aren't taking the bends into account. How should I determine the depth of the lake? (wikipedia isn't helping much - real life varies wildly)
Followup question: Thinking of populating said lake with CS creatures, and a race or two. I was originally thinking Azure Abyss because of the darkness, but underground lakes don't have the high pressure. Any ideas on how to select or change CS creatures and races for my lake? (saltwater/freshwater is not an issue in this case)
Practical question: I'm in the process of tweaking an adventure. There is an underground lake, 1800 miles in surface area. It is assumed that terrestrial PCs can swim from the deepest point in the lake to the surface by using a single potion of water breathing each. I'm pretty sure the authors of the adventure aren't taking the bends into account. How should I determine the depth of the lake? (wikipedia isn't helping much - real life varies wildly)
Followup question: Thinking of populating said lake with CS creatures, and a race or two. I was originally thinking Azure Abyss because of the darkness, but underground lakes don't have the high pressure. Any ideas on how to select or change CS creatures and races for my lake? (saltwater/freshwater is not an issue in this case)
Well, that's a hard one. A base potion of water breathing will last 10 hours, and presuming that the PCs make all their swim checks they can cover 1 1/2 miles in an hour. So I'd multiply 1 1/2 by 10, giving me the result of 15 miles deep. But that seems ridiculous even by fantasy standards. So I'd just go with whatever your gut tells you. Maybe you could base it off deep lakes on Earth. Lake Baikal is a good example.
As for Cerulean Seas races, Azure Abyss is perfectly acceptable as a baseline. Though, I'd say any of them that didn't have darkvision or bioluminescence should be blind for authenticity.
Well, that's a hard one. A base potion of water breathing will last 10 hours, and presuming that the PCs make all their swim checks they can cover 1 1/2 miles in an hour. So I'd multiply 1 1/2 by 10, giving me the result of 15 miles deep. But that seems ridiculous even by fantasy standards. So I'd just go with whatever your gut tells you. Maybe you could base it off deep lakes on Earth. Lake Baikal is a good example.Practical question: I'm in the process of tweaking an adventure. There is an underground lake, 1800 miles in surface area. It is assumed that terrestrial PCs can swim from the deepest point in the lake to the surface by using a single potion of water breathing each. I'm pretty sure the authors of the adventure aren't taking the bends into account. How should I determine the depth of the lake? (wikipedia isn't helping much - real life varies wildly)
Followup question: Thinking of populating said lake with CS creatures, and a race or two. I was originally thinking Azure Abyss because of the darkness, but underground lakes don't have the high pressure. Any ideas on how to select or change CS creatures and races for my lake? (saltwater/freshwater is not an issue in this case)
Wow. So maximum possible depth is off the charts. Not really a Terrors from the Deep part of the dungeon though. Coastline is already occupied too. Minimum depth would have to be farther than the average person (dwarf) could swim while taking 10 on swim checks. Depth at least 200 ft. then, or a bit more, maximum depth depending on what creatures I end up with.
As for Cerulean Seas races, Azure Abyss is perfectly acceptable as a baseline. Though, I'd say any of them that didn't have darkvision or bioluminescence should be blind for authenticity.
Would there be a more differences between deep sea creatures and races, and cave creatures and races though? The only things I know about are blind cave fish, and albinism. What else am I missing? How else should they change, besides gaining darkvision or blindness? I don't think caves are covered in CS yet, and pretty sure everything is saltwater, so would have to make the lake saline, I guess?
Which adventure is it? I might be able to help more if I knew.
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Throne of Night. A mushroom jungle cavern, home to myceloids, intelligent spiders, fungus wolves, albino pteranadon and a few other fungus creatures. Subject to mushroom spore "weather". All of these are on the original encounter table for the cavern.
The lake I described is in the middle of the cavern, but isn't really fleshed out except for it's shore, and a couple of deeper locations - an island and a sunken ship.
The wider adventure path is twofold: the party is assumed to be either dwarven explorers looking for their glorious long-lost city, or drow looking to make a name for themselves. Either way, the PCs are kingdom building among the various peoples they are befriending/conquering.
Been tweaking it for awhile now, deleting a couple passageways that allow PCs to bypass interesting places, and expanding other areas. I realized that the lake in the fungal wonderland cavern was enormous, and pretty much glossed over.
Thinking of adding one or two dozen Austorian Dwarves, and maybe some Echinn and cave jellies. Been looking especially for aquatic plants and animals and monsters that would fit the wild fungal theme of the cavern, but so far haven't found much. CS only has one fungal creature, a kind of aquatic Mi-go. Doesn't seem a good fit.
So I guess trying to at least come up with a cave template, something like what they have at the beginning of Azure Abyss in which they describe how the standard CS races are different in the depths of the ocean. Then could decide where to apply that on the underground fungal wonderland lake fishies and monsters, many of which would also somehow make fungal, based on the fungal wolf example. Still also looking for aquatic fungal creatures for comparison, but little luck so far.
Throne of Night. A mushroom jungle cavern, home to myceloids, intelligent spiders, fungus wolves, albino pteranadon and a few other fungus creatures. Subject to mushroom spore "weather". All of these are on the original encounter table for the cavern.
The lake I described is in the middle of the cavern, but isn't really fleshed out except for it's shore, and a couple of deeper locations - an island and a sunken ship.
The wider adventure path is twofold: the party is assumed to be either dwarven explorers looking for their glorious long-lost city, or drow looking to make a name for themselves. Either way, the PCs are kingdom building among the various peoples they are befriending/conquering.
Been tweaking it for awhile now, deleting a couple passageways that allow PCs to bypass interesting places, and expanding other areas. I realized that the lake in the fungal wonderland cavern was enormous, and pretty much glossed over.
Thinking of adding one or two dozen Austorian Dwarves, and maybe some Echinn and cave jellies. Been looking especially for aquatic plants and animals and monsters that would fit the wild fungal theme of the cavern, but so far haven't found much. CS only has one fungal creature, a kind of aquatic Mi-go. Doesn't seem a good fit.
So I guess trying to at least come up with a cave template, something like what they have at the beginning of Azure Abyss in which they describe how the standard CS races are different in the depths of the ocean. Then could decide where to apply that on the underground fungal wonderland lake fishies and monsters, many of which would also somehow make fungal, based on the fungal wolf example. Still also looking for aquatic fungal creatures for comparison, but little luck so far.
Then I'd apply the fungal creature and cave creature templates that can be found here. If you prefer you can only apply one of those two depending on personal tastes.
Hmmm, interesting. Didn't know about the cave creature template. Thanks.
Hmmm, interesting. Didn't know about the cave creature template. Thanks.
No problem!
I had somehow avoided dealing with templates all these years. Woah! I was really missing out. Going through the new Advanced Bestiary and loving it.
Back to the aquatic. Two more questions for you all, one philosophical, one mechanical.
Are seafolk coldblooded or warmblooded? Why, and does it make a difference?
What would happen if I ignored/removed racial buoyancy completely in my game, while keeping pressure sensitivity, depth tolerance, and everything else?
I had somehow avoided dealing with templates all these years. Woah! I was really missing out. Going through the new Advanced Bestiary and loving it.
Back to the aquatic. Two more questions for you all, one philosophical, one mechanical.
Are seafolk coldblooded or warmblooded? Why, and does it make a difference?
What would happen if I ignored/removed racial buoyancy completely in my game, while keeping pressure sensitivity, depth tolerance, and everything else?
I believe Seafolk are endothermic (warm-blooded), they do live in polar regions.
As for ditching buoyancy, it'd be the same as ditching encumbrance. You could do it for expedience but it'd effect the realism a bit. You'd have to keep a close eye on exactly what your characters are carrying so it doesn't get silly.
Oh, racial buoyancy! I suppose you could ignore it. It'd only be a small difference.
Oh, racial buoyancy! I suppose you could ignore it. It'd only be a small difference.
Hmmm. Interesting that you draw such a distinction between item buoyancy and racial buoyancy. Item buoyancy=carry limit, but racial buoyancy just provides extra flavor?
Hmmm. Interesting that you draw such a distinction between item buoyancy and racial buoyancy. Item buoyancy=carry limit, but racial buoyancy just provides extra flavor?Oh, racial buoyancy! I suppose you could ignore it. It'd only be a small difference.
Well, this is just personal opinion but I see racial buoyancy the same as racial weight. It really only comes up when you're trying to cross something that might break, or when you're dealing with mount encumbrance. Now I will say that racial buoyancy does come up more often, but it seems just as trivial. Again this is just my opinion.
Another chapter, another taste of info! Chapter 5, it's very spoiler heavy so I can't say much without giving it away. I can say that the new faiths are interesting, and there are quite a few. They really give that East Asian flavor, and they have a neat trait in that you get to pick your own favored weapon.