What would be some fun "conspiracy theories" in the setting? I think it could be an amusing idea for a character.
But equally completely incorrect information of various areas, regions and organisations could also be potentially useful for Critical Failures on Recall Knowledge checks...
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Inner Sea Inrigue gives some long-lasting rumors that are out there, though in the Lost Omes setting some of them may be outdated:
Cheliax’s Real Agenda: “People love to complain about Cheliax—once you bind a few devils, you’re an irredeemable monster forever, apparently. But Cheliax has to be aggressive. Queen Abrogail knows that a second Age of Darkness is coming, and if humanity doesn’t have a united, tightly controlled front, we won’t survive.”
Expanding Mana Wastes: “Imagine a world without magic. No clerics healing us, no wizards driving off dragons. Well, we might get a taste of it. You heard of the Mana Wastes, where magic doesn’t work or goes haywire? The borders move a mile outward each year, and you’ll never hear the authorities admit it, but no one knows how to stop it.”
Pathfinder Society’s True Origins: “Did you ever wonder why the Decemvirate in charge of the Pathfinder Society is so mysterious and secretive? It’s because at least one of them has been around from the beginning, and long before that—the Pathfinder Society was founded by one of Old-Mage Jatembe’s Ten Magic Warriors. Why else would there be ten members of the Decemvirate, why else would they wear masks, and why else would the Ten Warriors not have graves?”
The Prince Is Dead: “Grand Prince Stavian sure has his minions do a lot of work for him, huh? You know why that is? Turns out, the prince has actually been dead for a long time. His people can’t let that get out, though, because then his daughter would take the throne. And those Taldans can’t stand the thought of that.”
Secret Pirate Puppeteers: “Everyone talks about being a pirate like it’s this romantic life of freedom on the high seas. There’s way more to it than that. Pirates answer to the Free Captains of the Shackles, and the Free Captains answer to Sargava. It’s the Sargavans who control the pirates of the Inner Sea region.”
Terrible Creatures Underground: “Sure, elves are pretty and wise and benevolent and all that. But when they go bad, it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen in these parts. There are hordes of evil elf-things living underground, breeding with goblins and worshiping demon lords. Let’s hope they stay underground and far from us.”
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Inner Sea Inrigue gives some long-lasting rumors that are out there, though in the Lost Omes setting some of them may be outdated:
Specifically these:
The Prince Is Dead: “Grand Prince Stavian sure has his minions do a lot of work for him, huh? You know why that is? Turns out, the prince has actually been dead for a long time. His people can’t let that get out, though, because then his daughter would take the throne. And those Taldans can’t stand the thought of that.”
Secret Pirate Puppeteers: “Everyone talks about being a pirate like it’s this romantic life of freedom on the high seas. There’s way more to it than that. Pirates answer to the Free Captains of the Shackles, and the Free Captains answer to Sargava. It’s the Sargavans who control the pirates of the Inner Sea region.”
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The 'Terrible Creatures Underground' is also less of a thing these days, what with the Drow being actually known to exist. I mean, someone spouting that one got to say 'I told you so' but (breeding with goblins aside) it's verified information among at least scholars rather than a conspiracy theory these days.
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Norgorber is four halflings in a trenchcoat. Father Skinsaw, Blackfingers, the Reaper of Reputations, and the Grey Master are the four children of the halfling god Thamir Gixx, born demigods who ascended to full gods by stacking on top of one another to take on the starstone.
Aroden isn't actually dead, he's just a jerk. Looked at humanity, decided it wasn't good enough for his patronage anymore, ripped open a hurricane, withdrew all of his divine power, then left to some secluded cave on the mountain of heaven to dwell in as a hermit forever.
Achaekek secretly adores being scratched under the chin like a cat, and if He Who Walks In Blood ever comes to kill you himself the only way to escape judgement is to give him neck scritches. This is known to all of the red mantises with enough prestige to leave Mediogalti and is a fiercely protected secret because as a matter of religious dedication, if you scratch under the chin of a Red Mantis Assassin they must cancel their contract to kill you.
Sarusan doesn't actually exist. Not in the way people think it does at least. In 4606AR the Eye of Abendego opened up and has been funneling an unreasonable amount of water from the elemental plane of rainstorms into Golarion's oceans. But despite this the coastline on Golarion hasn't risen significantly. This is because when Abendego opened up the whole continent collapsed into a portal above the elemental plane of water. The ocean drains into Sarusan but gets refilled by Abendego leaving the coastline mostly the same.
The play The King In Yellow has been banned from Ustalav, it is to be destroyed if found in written form and any theater troupe practicing to perform it will be imprisoned. The official reason is filed away under 'eldritch magic' but the real reason is that it satirizes several noble families of Ustalav and the government has censored it to quell the people.
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The 'Terrible Creatures Underground' is also less of a thing these days, what with the Drow being actually known to exist. I mean, someone spouting that one got to say 'I told you so' but (breeding with goblins aside) it's verified information among at least scholars rather than a conspiracy theory these days.
Also, modern Golarion is enlightened enough to know that drow are not "elves gone bad." They are a true-breeding population as well- and as long-established (and established for the same reason) as the aquatic elves and mualijae, with about as much variation as goblins or orcs. Their existence is entirely legitimate. The idea that drow are "elves gone bad" is what is illegitimate, fostered by Sovyrian conservatives scared of the possibility that this is the natural form taken by the easily-mutable elven body on Rovagug-infused Golarion.
Also a rumor that a noteworthy NPC is secretly a shapechanger is fairly reasonable in Golarion and fits into most campaigns. The conspiracy that all world leaders are reptoids? Well, reptoids literally existed in 1e. And more well-known and reasonable creatures like Faceless Stalkers, Dopplegangers, Dragons, Demons, Proteans, etc also exist. And in at least a few APs they did shapechange to take the form of noteworthy NPCs for a while.
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Also a rumor that a noteworthy NPC is secretly a shapechanger is fairly reasonable in Golarion and fits into most campaigns. The conspiracy that all world leaders are reptoids? Well, reptoids literally existed in 1e. And more well-known and reasonable creatures like Faceless Stalkers, Dopplegangers, Dragons, Demons, Proteans, etc also exist. And in at least a few APs they did shapechange to take the form of noteworthy NPCs for a while.
It’s worth noting that the real-world reptillian theories are deeply antisemitic. Probably best not to replicate them in your game.
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Also a rumor that a noteworthy NPC is secretly a shapechanger is fairly reasonable in Golarion and fits into most campaigns. The conspiracy that all world leaders are reptoids? Well, reptoids literally existed in 1e. And more well-known and reasonable creatures like Faceless Stalkers, Dopplegangers, Dragons, Demons, Proteans, etc also exist. And in at least a few APs they did shapechange to take the form of noteworthy NPCs for a while.It’s worth noting that the real-world reptillian theories are deeply antisemitic. Probably best not to replicate them in your game.
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