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Tian Xia has gotten some love in recent 2e releases - an awesome horror in Monsters of Myth, some detail in Guns & Gears, a page on Shenmen in Book of the Dead - and while a fuller Lost Omens book proves so far elusive, it's always fun to share ideas for potential storylines. Jade Regent began in Avistan, but crossed over the pole into northern Tian Xia to Minkai, and I know one very common complaint was that Minkai didn't feature more promimently. Fists of the Ruby Phoenix bounces between an abandoned island, the metropolis of Goka (which I /loved/ seeing so much of!), and then went off into the planes. There's plenty of uncharted territory, and especially with the flexibility of AP lengths now (1-20, 1-10, 11-20), there's real room for variety in the stories that get told.
I'd honestly love a horror 1-10 set in Shenmen, or maybe starting in Shokuro with some spooky incursions that build into something else over the border. Give me the fun of something like Ravenloft, but leaning into all the awesome media that's come out of Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia, and elsewhere in recent years within the genre. Cap it off with storming the haunted castle to put the master monster down for good in a climactic moonlight struggle! Weeping ghosts, cunning jorogumo, skeletal warlords sworn to Fumeiyoshi or Susumu... it would be a blast.
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More Hongal! I know we went there in Jade Regent, so it's probably pretty far down the list compared to nations we've not been to yet. Also from what I remember Ordu-Aganhei was more like a Minkaian city than a Hongali one, so I don't necessarily think that we've got all we can from the region. We barely know anything about Hongali culture (though the same could be said for most of Tian Xia) and it would be a great opportunity to get more info about General Susumu, because right now there's next to none. I also kinda want to know more about how the Hongal economy actually works, they're clearly inspired by the Mongols and other steppe tribes who often relied on raiding China and other wealthy lands, but Hongal only really has Chu Ye as a potential target and fighting a bunch of Oni seems like it would be difficult.
The AP could be something akin to Frozen Flame, a 1-10 about the PCs leading their own khanate to greatness, or even a higher level one where the PCs take the fight to Chu-Ye and Shogun Tsuneni. The AP would also be a cool chance to showcase what Hongalis who aren't pure martial classes are like, show me Hongali wizards who fire off spells from horseback, or Hongali druids who ensure that the animals can graze regardless of where the clan travels.
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Ly'ualdre suggested in a different thread this idea of a Successor State AP inspired by Fire Emblem: Three Houses, where you're nobility during a wartime period and can choose to align yourself with any of the contending factions, which aren't explicitly villainous. Depending on which nation you choose, that faction becomes the POV for the adventure, with the story unfolding functionally the same way it would for any other faction, with interesting narrative differences and consequences which subtly affect each successive AP chapter. I'd enjoy the thought of an AP where there aren't any clear villains (at least at first), just tragic, complicated circumstance. Consider this a +1 for Ly'ualdre's idea.
There was another idea for an AP I had that'd be cool to see, blending story elements of FFX and Legend of Zelda. Idea is that some villainous character is wandering around waking up kaiju, and the first AP involves the player's party being caught up in one's wake as it devastates this remote village they were residing in. In the process of helping the villagers escape to safety, the players discover the existence of this cult, and pursue them across various remote locations in Tian Xia, visiting elemental temples and appeasing or preserving the slumber of other kaiju as the cult tries to antagonize them. In the process, the heroes help other people caught in the chaos and tumult that follows stirring kaiju threatening to wake, and maybe learn the secrets to summon these same kaiju to aid them against their woken sibling, who is still rampaging across the continent. Eventually, the players defeat the cult in its last-ditch effort to rouse Mogaru, but too late. Their final fight culminates after they've successfully herded Mogaru and the first kaiju into a confrontation with each other, during which they attempt to mitigate collateral damage and lull the creatures back to slumber. The fun idea with this AP is that a lot of the enemies you fight you can't actually destroy outright, requiring in players wit and diplomatic prowess in addition to their brawn, as they pursue their heroic objectives: restoring harmony to a natural order thrown into disarray.
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Ly'ualdre suggested in a different thread this idea of a Successor State AP inspired by Fire Emblem: Three Houses, where you're nobility during a wartime period and can choose to align yourself with any of the contending factions, which aren't explicitly villainous. Depending on which nation you choose, that faction becomes the POV for the adventure, with the story unfolding functionally the same way it would for any other faction, with interesting narrative differences and consequences which subtly affect each successive AP chapter. I'd enjoy the thought of an AP where there aren't any clear villains (at least at first), just tragic, complicated circumstance. Consider this a +1 for Ly'ualdre's idea.
I don't know how feasible this would be, realistically - writing a narrative with three branching paths (presumably Quain, Po Li, and Lingshen) would be kind of a nightmare to produce, as any given group is not buying/using 2/3s of the content - but it sure does sound like a lot of fun.
It's hard to imagine anyone but Lingshen coming out on top, unless some international alliances are made.
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Yeah, that's tricky. I was thinking the way they'd probably have to do it is make one faction POV by default, while providing narrative guidance for playing the other side. This would also make it easier for positioning one faction as the canon protagonists.
Perhaps you'd have a mega-sized player's guide featuring an alternative cast of characters that'd be intended to stick with you throughout the campaign, who might otherwise serve as hostiles throughout the adventure (reciprocally, the allies ordinarily introduced to players would feature as enemies in a mirror campaign). The adventure would probably feature Quain as the POV, defending their turf against Lingshen's vast armies. The majority of the campaign would feature inside Quain, with PCs defending fortresses (or from Lingshen's POV, defending a captured fortress from a Quain counterattack) and encampments, or sabotaging supply lines, or making diplomatic missions to potential allies. No matter how one conflict resolves, the next adventure moves ahead as planned, in a multi-pronged war effort. From Quain's POV of view, player's are mounting a desperate defense with an exceptionally mobile army relying on guerilla tactics; and from Lingshen's POV, this campaign is a relentless push forward from all sides. At the end of each adventure, a "campaign repercussions" section would give GMs guidance one how the one AP's resolution might affect the overall adventure, which usually features in only the final AP. Toward the latter APs, both sides might put aside their differences to join against a common enemy, letting the dual adventures converge again.
Alternatively, this could be a six-part AP divided into two 3-part adventures, each featuring a different side of the conflict (Ephraim and Eirika style from Sacred Stones). Maybe even with the really wild option to run the entire adventure with two separate parties, who can face off against each other, in the end. One side of the adventure could chronologically take place after the other, or instead take place in a very different location during the conflict, advancing the story with characters on the other side of the war – allowing players to get both experiences.
It'd be tricky, but I don't think it's crazy to the point of impractical. Then again, I don't exactly have much experience in this field, so Paizo's game designers would probably be the better judge of that. :P
A Kingmaker type of campaign where you get to build up a Samurai empire in Tian Xia with a good supporting book on the culture and customs of the area. Then I can become the Shogun.
Start off with a cool The Seven Samurai type of adventure as you establish yourself in a given area. Then work your way into kingdom fighting against competing samurai and maybe some Oni trying to control the region.
You could an epic Kingmaker type campaign in Tian Xia. That would be a blast.
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A Kingmaker type of campaign where you get to build up a Samurai empire in Tian Xia with a good supporting book on the culture and customs of the area. Then I can become the Shogun.
Start off with a cool The Seven Samurai type of adventure as you establish yourself in a given area. Then work your way into kingdom fighting against competing samurai and maybe some Oni trying to control the region.
You could an epic Kingmaker type campaign in Tian Xia. That would be a blast.
I had an idea for this the other night, actually, after looking up Shokuro’s history - namely, that the nation’s namesake founder is at the absolute least in his late 60s now, and is more likely much older than that. When the Sun Shogun dies, the nation becomes a leaderless expanse of fertile land, with the four noble ruling families almost certainly making big plays for the throne. Lingshen’s invaded before and may do so again, Amanandar or Kaoling may went to secure all that farmland, and the monsters of Shenmen are right over the border…
Shokuro could absolutely host a more militant Kingmaker.
A Kingmaker type of campaign where you get to build up a Samurai empire in Tian Xia with a good supporting book on the culture and customs of the area. Then I can become the Shogun.
Start off with a cool The Seven Samurai type of adventure as you establish yourself in a given area. Then work your way into kingdom fighting against competing samurai and maybe some Oni trying to control the region.
You could an epic Kingmaker type campaign in Tian Xia. That would be a blast.
I had an idea for this the other night, actually, after looking up Shokuro’s history - namely, that the nation’s namesake founder is at the absolute least in his late 60s now, and is more likely much older than that. When the Sun Shogun dies, the nation becomes a leaderless expanse of fertile land, with the four noble ruling families almost certainly making big plays for the throne. Lingshen’s invaded before and may do so again, Amanandar or Kaoling may went to secure all that farmland, and the monsters of Shenmen are right over the border…
Shokuro could absolutely host a more militant Kingmaker.
Something like that would be fun. Unite the lands to take up arms against some monstrous force looking to wipe out everyone.
Shaguang is pretty cool. That would be a fun place to set an AP.
Isn’t it mostly desert? Sell me on it a little.
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Shaguang is pretty cool. That would be a fun place to set an AP.Isn’t it mostly desert? Sell me on it a little.
it's more like a steppe. but then its also deserts and then onto the taiga as one gets north into the crown of the world. basically, it's manchuria and siberia.
so lots of horse tribes. there's some settlements, but there's also:
a) a shory flying city
b) shadow monsters which have gone native
c) giant vermin
d) closeness to Yeng
e) kaiju
so it's wilderness adventure land of grab bag adventure fun land
i could easily see an ap where:
a) players are shory ambassadors to the locals
b) players are locals who start off repelling a hobgoblin raid from kaoling
c) players are traders from Goka [would also give a chance to flesh out the big city]
Lots of fun things to play around with. Plus, you might be able to have this be the 'cavalier' AP where all the players have mounts or something like that.
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Similar treatment to Mwange Expanse book -BEFORE- the AP. If they are going the route of copying existing civilisations, then including more than the chinese/japanese/mongols.
It is fine to do a similar copy of real world / fantasy version of, if done properly.
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Similar treatment to Mwange Expanse book -BEFORE- the AP. If they are going the route of copying existing civilisations, then including more than the chinese/japanese/mongols.
It is fine to do a similar copy of real world / fantasy version of, if done properly.
There’s other parts of the continent that draw on Korea, Vietnam, and the Philippines, just off the top of my head.
EDIT: Having dug into it some more, I think I’d actually love some adventure content set in Xa Hoi! Pathfinder’s Vietnam has dragons running the state (pretty fairly, by all accounts), while humans, nagaji, and wayang make up the general populace - a mix that’s uniquely Golarion, and a lot of fun! Something delving into the Clicking Caverns of Pan Majang and the threat their haunted clockworks hold for the surface would be a good “classic” fantasy story, albeit one that looks very different from anything Tolkien ever touched.
I'm probably only weirdo who wants Kwanlai story :p You could even call it Murder of Crows or such punny name
I could definitely imagine a three volume Kwanlai/Xidao/Wanshou AP about fending off the kraken's invasion! It's a neat angle on a Tian Xia story that doesn't immediately involve ninjas, samurai, or imperial bureaucracy, which is always a plus. You get similar terrain to the Sodden Lands, but pretty radically different vibes.
Three very different things not in the same AP
Kaiju
Full on Wu Xia (Crouching Tiger, Hero, etc)
Mongol Hordes/Mounted Combat
Have you read Fists of the Ruby Phoenix? It does deliver on one of these…
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Have you read Fists of the Ruby Phoenix? It does deliver on one of these… ** spoiler omitted **Three very different things not in the same AP
Kaiju
Full on Wu Xia (Crouching Tiger, Hero, etc)
Mongol Hordes/Mounted Combat
Haven't. Hoping to play in it if a Foundry version is released (which is rumoured to be coming with the Hardcover compilation)
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I floated this idea in another thread, but: what if Kaoling launched a major attack on Jinin?
The hobgoblin nation is infamously belligerent to its neighbors, but bears a special disdain for the elven nation; a rogue general might well rally loyal troops, allied Hongali tribes, and hired Gokan mercenaries to try and provoke all-out war. Jinin is likely to have sympathy from Zi Ha and Lingshen, who’ve likewise suffered raiding from Kaoling historically, while nearby Shokuro (with its fertile farmland) would likely fall next after Jinin.
Imagine an Asian military fantasy AP where your party probably looks something like a Jininese elf samurai-Magus, a Samsaran holy woman come down out of the mountains, a charismatic Lingshenese officer, and a hobgoblin alchemist who defected from Kaoling’s military!
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We doing a Dynasty Warriors?
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Shenmen horror AP would be glorious.
Looks like someone at Paizo was listening, with the new Season of Guosts AP starting in October 2023!
Shenmen would be my first choice, and I am getting that.
I don't have my books with me because I am procrastinating from doing actual work, but is Xidao the kraken-ruled city? Because that would also be high on my wish list.
Clockwork horrors are also something I would like to see. There are some extreme body horror possibilities in that, and while I don't know if there is enough for an entire AP, at the every least a higher level AP volume could do justice to that.
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Shenmen would be my first choice, and I am getting that.
I don't have my books with me because I am procrastinating from doing actual work, but is Xidao the kraken-ruled city? Because that would also be high on my wish list.
Clockwork horrors are also something I would like to see. There are some extreme body horror possibilities in that, and while I don't know if there is enough for an entire AP, at the every least a higher level AP volume could do justice to that.
Xidao is the ocean trench nation, Wanshou is the flooded land ruled by a kraken. I’d love to see either.
The haunted clockworks of Pan Majang are my favorite threat on the continent! I hope they get a lot of love. A Southern Tian AP focused on heroes from Dtang Ma, Nagajor, and Xa Hoi would be a dream for me.
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I don't have my books with me because I am procrastinating from doing actual work, but is Xidao the kraken-ruled city? Because that would also be high on my wish list.
I'd like to see a THREAT FROM BENEATH THE WAVES - style AP... whether or not I'd want to argue with my players about swimming rules is something else altogether.
I don't have my books with me because I am procrastinating from doing actual work, but is Xidao the kraken-ruled city? Because that would also be high on my wish list.I'd like to see a THREAT FROM BENEATH THE WAVES - style AP... whether or not I'd want to argue with my players about swimming rules is something else altogether.
It would make a good AP to go alongside a "nautical adventures" rulebook, that would have a lot of useful character options/GM advice and expanded rules/ancestries/monsters for those playing a underwater or ship-based campaign.