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Garund is a huge continent as it turns out, with basically two thirds of the continent still undetailed. Lost Omens Mwangi Expanse was a fantastic glimpse into a previously poorly-portrayed region, and I'm so eager to see what lies further down south, and I hope I'm not alone in that. Obviously detailing it couldn't happen all at once (outside of a wide-but-shallow gazetteer type of book), but we can still speculate and maybe give Paizo a bit of fan input on where to go next.
So to do a quick round-up of all the information that I could scour on the place currently so we know where we stand:
- the nations of Holomog (bordering Geb and spanning the eastern coastline) and Droon are called out a lot, and we have a whole write-up on the Holoma city of Anuli, which also features some additional details on Holomog itself (going into a bit about the celestially-appointed omwa matriarchs)
- Nurvatcha, home nation of the anadi, has a sidebar in the LOME talking briefly about two cities therein (the capital Domithari, with its Empty Throne for Grandmother Spider; and Majabi, with the magical First Weave tapestry detailing the first anadi transformation spells)
- Murraseth, the ancestral city-state of the amurrun, plus the other surrounding amurrun city-states Frowiseth, Eserowaan, and Ulemsaleth
- Kaz'ulu, a triad of Bekyar city-states just to the south of Vidrian
- Ekkeshikaar, the iruxi island nation-state to the south-west of Vidrian
- Eihlona, briefly mentioned in Guns & Gears as a highly advanced technomagical nation utilizing relics of the Shory whose flying cities crashed into their country; are on the verge of rediscovering the secret of creating Jistkan automata
- Chauxen and Tirakawhan, Vudrani and Keleshite colonies respectively
- Dehrukani, a place of azata and empyreal lord worship (might be close-by to Holomog? pure conjecture though, but it's thematically adjacent)
If I missed anything, let me know.
Personally, I'd love to hear more about Eihlona - the vibe I'm getting from it is somewhere between Eberron (vis-a-vis magitech) and Magic the Gathering's Kaladesh (but with a Southern African flavor, rather than that of India), and it would be great to see magitech with a distinctly African-inspired look.
While they don't have any names yet, I'm very curious about the huge lakes visible on the world map (the bigger of which I personally currently refer to as Fantasy Lake Victoria, though naturally it's better off with a local-language name than that given to it by a white 'explorer') and the island chain to the very south.
And while there isn't anything pointing towards a place like that currently, it would be interesting to see a horror-tinged meta-region of some sort, loosely akin to places like Nidal or Ustalav, though with an African influence, and ideally not of the pulpy Darkest Africa variety.
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I’m curious about the whole region; the greater focus on celestial influence and high magic is really compelling, and is a pretty unique flavor for Golarion.
Murraseth is probably the biggest draw for me; Amurrun culture has been kind of a black box so far, and seeing what the catfolk believe and how they live with one another really has me curious. Droon has me piqued for similar reasons, but it feels like we’ve have more to go off of with the iruxi than we do our feline friends.
Kaz’ulu is another major curiosity for me, and is hopefully a place where the Bekyar can both have some named baddies and some more nuanced presentation of them as a people.
Those cold islands to the south are very exciting.
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I want as much information on spider friends as I can get.
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Droon seems absolutely amazing (lizardfolk riding dinosaurs!) and Eihlona intrigues me. I'm excited to hear more about Holomog, which will apparently be further described in the 3rd Blood Lords adventure.
As far as new stuff, while it is cool to see some things that aren't directly inspired by reality, I'd also like a fantasy counterpart to the Sahel region and the adjacent savannas, since the northern part of Garund kind of skips from the Sahara-like desert to the rainforest. There's a lot of interesting history to draw on there with the Mali and Songhai empires, Kanem-Bornu, Hausa city-states, etc.
Might be a bit tricky, since a lot of central/southern Garund seems to be more forested on the world map (especially on the western side) and there couldn't really be a fantasy version of the trans-Saharan trade, but it'd be neat if they fit something like that in somewhere.
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As far as new stuff, while it is cool to see some things that aren't directly inspired by reality, I'd also like a fantasy counterpart to the Sahel region and the adjacent savannas, since the northern part of Garund kind of skips from the Sahara-like desert to the rainforest. There's a lot of interesting history to draw on there with the Mali and Songhai empires, Kanem-Bornu, Hausa city-states, etc.
Might be a bit tricky, since a lot of central/southern Garund seems to be more forested on the world map (especially on the western side) and there couldn't really be a fantasy version of the trans-Saharan trade, but it'd be neat if they fit something like that in somewhere.
Seconding this! You might be pleased to see that the official world map does have another arid portion down to the west: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/XBl2Ry
Building onto this, I'd certainly welcome more non-Senghor naval powers based in Garund.
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Seconding this! You might be pleased to see that the official world map does have another arid portion down to the west: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/XBl2RyAs far as new stuff, while it is cool to see some things that aren't directly inspired by reality, I'd also like a fantasy counterpart to the Sahel region and the adjacent savannas, since the northern part of Garund kind of skips from the Sahara-like desert to the rainforest. There's a lot of interesting history to draw on there with the Mali and Songhai empires, Kanem-Bornu, Hausa city-states, etc.
Might be a bit tricky, since a lot of central/southern Garund seems to be more forested on the world map (especially on the western side) and there couldn't really be a fantasy version of the trans-Saharan trade, but it'd be neat if they fit something like that in somewhere.
True, though based on its position near the southern end I assume it's more akin to the Kalahari and Namib deserts. Which would also be interesting, come to think of it--that region of the world doesn't show up much in fantasy.
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My inner child still adores dinosaurs and saurian aesthetics, and the major dinosaur content in 2e thusfar has been Extinction Curse, where they are largely antagonists. I'd love to see a deep dive of Droon with mechanics for heroic dinosaur-themed protagonists and an exploration of a modern empire with dinosaurs as one of the cultural cornerstones. Also some advanced magic and technology with saurian aesthetic qualities would be cool.
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Immense swamps (bigger than most countries) with dinosaurs, carnivorous plants, Grippli empires.
Warriors riding ostriches or more dangerous birds in the savannahs.
And all the great things mentioned in the above posts.
Some land of high technology other than Numeria would be great too, but not a copy of Wakanda.
And yes for the genuinely african horror place. I would be immensely interested by a non-western, non-asian, take on horror.
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Some land of high technology other than Numeria would be great too, but not a copy of Wakanda.
This seems like Eihlona’s niche.
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This seems like Eihlona’s niche.Some land of high technology other than Numeria would be great too, but not a copy of Wakanda.
They sound more like technomagic to me, what with being based on the Shory and having breakthroughs close to Jitska. Not really pure high tech like Numeria.
Now, this high tech place might be in another continent but I really feel that Numeria having a complete monopole on high science in the whole of Golarion is stiffling. I believe, given the size and diversity of the planet, we could have other high tech themes than just Conan with blasters.
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no colonies for one...
nothing firm for another...
evocative stuff so that it remains a playground for the homebrewer...
The ship has sailed on… pretty much all of these. We already have names and snippets of info on nearly a dozen states, two of which are foreign colonies from empires in Casmaron.
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The designated "homebrewers can do anything" part of Golarion is Sarusan anyway.
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I want as much information on spider friends as I can get.
More spider friends is best.
I'd love to run a game where everyone is Anadi but thinks everyone else is human, leading to some very awkward and fun roleplaying full of friendship and caring (also if there was ONE human they would probably just be freaking out the whole time)
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I want as much information on spider friends as I can get.More spider friends is best.
I'd love to run a game where everyone is Anadi but thinks everyone else is human, leading to some very awkward and fun roleplaying full of friendship and caring (also if there was ONE human they would probably just be freaking out the whole time)
I feel that people of a given Ancestry are likely to recognize each other even while shapechanged.
Mixing different kinds of shapechangers would avoid this obstacle I think : Anadi, Kitsune, maybe others I forget.
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The ship has sailed on… pretty much all of these. We already have names and snippets of info on nearly a dozen states, two of which are foreign colonies from empires in Casmaron.no colonies for one...
nothing firm for another...
evocative stuff so that it remains a playground for the homebrewer...
and it makes me sad.
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I'm actually in the mood on seeing more details on non human nations period, and I find myself really liking the Anandi so more info on Nurvatcha would be especially welcome
I've heard a few people say that Holomog is getting some love in Blood Lords - does anyone have more on that?
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I love lizard folk, dinosaurs, and all things reptile. Gimme Droon!
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For those who didn’t see: the store page for Blood Lords #3 mentions an awful lot of Holomog content! September is awfully fat away, but it’s still incredibly exciting to have some hope for Southern Garund on the horizon.
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Southern Garund is where your party can be a Catfolk Shaman sworn to hunt down evil spirits, an Aasimar Bard who sings the praises of Elysium’s lords, a dinosaur-riding Lizardfolk aristocrat, and an heir to a long family tradition of devil-binding, all zooming around on a magitech airship.
Everything points to such a rich palette, and a pretty wildly distinct vibe from the rest of Golarion. Things seem a little more fantastical than average, with a higher degree of planar influence than the norm - and celestials get more spotlight than normal! Lots to look forward to, and I hope the Holomog article in next month’s Blood Lords is only the beginning.
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I'm looking for the said holomog gazetteer :3 We technically know about as much about southern garund as Casmaron(aka mostly name drops and short descriptions with few larger articles), but paizo has done good job with making all of southern garund locations sound absolutely fascinating (compared to us being unsure of what Satrapies are part of Empire of Kelesh in first place)
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Lost Omens Travel Guide has a surprising amount of south Garund-related hints, actually.
- a lengthy trade route called the Antarkos Sweep that goes from Katapesh to Vidrian, wrapping all the way around the south Garundi coastline, with such trade goods as crystals from Dehrukani, dinosaur leather from Droon, Anuli spices from Holomog, unique dyes from Tirakawhan, and silk textiles from Nurvatcha. (Kaz'ulu is also described as an especially popular trade hub where you can readily find goods from central and southern Garund.)
I think this is the first time that some of those places are mentioned in 2e, though obviously none are strictly new.
- a Vidrian folk tale which originated further down south, the tale of folk hero Kgalaserke features a creature from Garundi folklore called Azamatt the Weeping Flame (and the related Azama volcano in central Garund).
- There's a fermented milk beverage called “kesh,” popular in southern Garund and tasting of tart yogurt and cottage cheese. (Spiced teas are also popular in southeastern Garund, and Taldor's tea is apparently on par with them.)
- Unsure if they handle the whole continent, but apparently Magaambya's war wizards serve as a high-level police force for Garund?
- A calendar system common in Garund, Jatembe's Light (JL) starts at Old-Mage Jatembe's supposed birth date. (No reference point is given, though.)
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As a fan of James Gurney's "Dinotopia" series, the tantalising hints of Droon are giving me an itch I desperately want scratched. I've often wondered how you could run a game set in Dinotopia, when the place is fairly solidly full of pacifists, but at the very least having Droon be a place full of dinosaurs used for everyday tasks - brachiosaurs used as fire engines, bus carriages strapped across the back of an apatosaurus, lizardfolk guards using velociraptors to sniff out contraband, especially if the Awakening spell has been used to create a self-sustaining community of intelligent dinosaurs who are as much citizens as the lizardfolk and work in partnership with them.
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As a fan of James Gurney's "Dinotopia" series, the tantalising hints of Droon are giving me an itch I desperately want scratched. I've often wondered how you could run a game set in Dinotopia, when the place is fairly solidly full of pacifists, but at the very least having Droon be a place full of dinosaurs used for everyday tasks - brachiosaurs used as fire engines, bus carriages strapped across the back of an apatosaurus, lizardfolk guards using velociraptors to sniff out contraband, especially if the Awakening spell has been used to create a self-sustaining community of intelligent dinosaurs who are as much citizens as the lizardfolk and work in partnership with them.
I adore Dinotopia, especially the one set in the island’s past with the dinosaur-shaped vehicles. Sign me up for some Droon goodness!
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Digging this thread back up to hoot and holler about the single line in 1e's old Occult Mysteries that says that in Droon, the Night Heralds (mortal servants of the Dominion of the Black) are regarded as a "shameful burden" from their past. Did the Iruxi once contact alien intelligences? They may have flirted with the same forces that ruined the cyclopes of Ghol-Gan, but managed to tear away before ultimate disaster.
And while I'm digging this thread back up: the Travel Guide mentions two major trade routes of note that intersect with this region in interesting ways. The Antarkos Sweep travels from Katapesh to Vidrian the long way, around the full southern length of Garund and around the other side, while the Arcadian Run connects Senghor to Arcadia's Segada. The former gives us some tantalizing hints - crystals from Dehrukani, dino-leather from Droon, spices from Holomog, dyes from Tirakawhan, and silk from Nurvatcha, as well as Kaz'ulu being a major trade hub (diabolists run safe markets, it would seem?) - while the latter confirms ongoing contact across the Arcadian Ocean.
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Did the Iruxi once contact alien intelligences? They may have flirted with the same forces that ruined the cyclopes of Ghol-Gan, but managed to tear away before ultimate disaster.
There's an image of two of the iconics hiding behind a log while a froghemoth fights a tyrannosaurus, and while it's meant to be set in Orv, dear god I hope that's what Droon is like. I would kill for a setting where Iruxi and their dinosaurs battle abominations from between the stars across jungles where T. rex isn't the biggest, meanest thing that lives in it.
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Did the Iruxi once contact alien intelligences? They may have flirted with the same forces that ruined the cyclopes of Ghol-Gan, but managed to tear away before ultimate disaster.There's an image of two of the iconics hiding behind a log while a froghemoth fights a tyrannosaurus, and while it's meant to be set in Orv, dear god I hope that's what Droon is like. I would kill for a setting where Iruxi and their dinosaurs battle abominations from between the stars across jungles where T. rex isn't the biggest, meanest thing that lives in it.
I wonder if Chamidu’s faith has made it over from Chauxen and Jalmeray; using the strength of the wild to destroy aberrations might be deeply fitting for atonement-seeking dinosaur warriors.
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Digging this thread back up because I had a thought: do we know anything about Iruxi-Sekmin relations? There’s Lizardfolk populations all over Garund that date back thousands of years, while we know the nation of Droon is especially ancient, but I don’t recall ever seeing anything about how the Serpentfolk perceived them at their apex.
Were there epic wars between scalyfolk in Garund’s prehistory? Did they ally against mammalian interlopers?
I would love to see some neutral or good bugbear worshipers of Kalekot! It'd be cool to finally get some Chaotic Neutral bogeymen. They can even still be mean and scary and love to terrorize people, just less in an "overt violence" way.