|
| 6 people marked this as a favorite. |
As a matter of fact, Knights of Lastwall calls out some of this explicitly in Iomedae's entry on Page 56:
"Others are wary of her followers and their rigid interpretations of righteousness that border on hypocrisy. Though such dogmatic followers are few in number, their intensity can turn miscommunications over issues that don't involve them into violent arguments."
"Though Iomedae's followers often have the best intentions, they sometimes meddle in affairs that don't need their assistance: speaking on behalf of those who can speak for themselves and brandishing Iomedae's name to judge those around them. Iomedae herself may intervene on such occasions, separating the knight from the issue at hand. If the knight persists in displaying sanctimonious behavior and misplaced anger, their tattoo is stripped away until they comport themselves in a better fashion."
In short, the writers saw where Iomedaeans could start behaving "Lawful Stupid" and made sure to notate that Iomedae herself does NOT tolerate that behavior and both she and the majority of her faithful nip such behavior in the bud before it truly becomes a problem. They've learned their lesson from some of the stuff folks like Prelate Hulrun of Kenabres got up to during the Crusades (persecuting Sarkorian refugees and burning innocent people as witches out of paranoia that demons were infiltrating) and are actively working to make sure it NEVER happens again.
On another note, Knights of Lastwall refugees aren't really heading towards Mendev. More accurately, it's the other way around: with the majority of the demonic threat over and the Sarkorian Reclaimers leading the cleanup effort, the veterans of Mendev reorganized into the Order of the Shining Swords, at Chancellor Irahai's behest, and then began making their way south under the command of Horgus Gwerm (from Wrath of the Righteous, who recently underwent an alignment shift from LN to LG!) to reinforce the Knights of Lastwall. And Irahai couldn't have picked a better man for the job: Horgus is no warrior, but he's brilliant at finances and logistics, things the Knights DESPERATELY need help with.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
I'm currently digging through a small mountain of old PFS scenarios for information on Jormurdun, the lost Sky Citadel within the Sarkoris Scar. It apparently occupied a good chunk of two years worth of 1e metaplot, so there's a lot of material to go through. It seems to diaspora is known, unimaginatively, as the Scions of Jormurdun.
There's also The Dweller Below, a toad-like tentacled monster who represents all the evil of the Darklands the dwarves once hailed from. The Dweller's worship was apparently all but forbidden, but Jormurdun briefly hosted a cult who prayed to it in an effort to keep it appeased. Interestingly, the Dweller is described as a "cruel spirit" but does not directly appear (it's seen only as an ancient statue). Something for Rivethun to ponder, perhaps?
Jormurdun had Delphi-style poisonous gasses, used by diviners (in conjunction with hypnotic tile patterns) to augment their abilities at the risk of personal injury.
Interestingly, Jormurdun's dwarves appear to have dispersed pretty widely: one group was absorbed into the Pahmet and Ouat of Osirion, another integrated into the Taralu of the Mwangi Expanse, one group wound up in what is now Irrisen (they fled the coming of Baba Yaga into the Hao Jin Tapestry, but eventually fell to Torag's worship and became duergar), and one clan settled in the Numerian city of Chesed after the opening of the Worldwound (after living across Mendev, Numeria, and Sarkoris for ages). While the first three have lost their Jormurdun culture (including the strange touch that abandoning their old ways was part of the Taralu's terms for welcoming them), that final group seems like the last living representatives of that Sky Citadel's lineage. We only meet a single one of these dwarves, Ingret Jor, suggesting that the Jor from Jormundun became the surname of those who fled.
Interestingly, the Pathfinder Society cleared Jormurdun out of duergar and demons back at the end of PFS1 Season 5, which seems to take place in 4714 or 4715... you'd think we'd have heard about a reclaimed Sky Citadel in the Sarkoris Scar by now. I hope dwarves can begin to return soon!
EDIT: PFS #7-00, The Sky Key Solution, seems to have introduced and then promptly forgotten about a bombshell!
When Jormurdun fell to invaders, the Sky Key’s activation trapped hundreds of survivors in a bubble outside of time.
This is a huge development, but it doesn't factor into this adventure at all, and I can't seem to find any reference of it in any other scenario. Hundreds of Jor dwarves yet live! I hope something can be done with them.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I'm honestly considering a small, mostly-lore Pathfinder Infinite release that talks about Crusaders, Mendevians, and Sarkorians as three distinct-but-porous identities within Mendev and the Sarkoris Scar, along with a handful of related Backgrounds. Would there be any interest in that?That sounds very interesting indeed!
Seconded.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
On another note, Knights of Lastwall refugees aren't really heading towards Mendev. More accurately, it's the other way around: with the majority of the demonic threat over and the Sarkorian Reclaimers leading the cleanup effort, the veterans of Mendev reorganized into the Order of the Shining Swords, at Chancellor Irahai's behest, and then began making their way south under the command of Horgus Gwerm (from Wrath of the Righteous, who recently underwent an alignment shift from LN to LG!) to reinforce the Knights of Lastwall.
Right, of course—I'd almost forgotten. I think the Lost Omens World Guide mentions that most of the crusaders (or at least a significant portion) headed to the Gravelands to fight with the Knights of Lastwall as well. I guess it makes sense there's not as much movement towards Mendev since militant Iomedans, whether knights or crusaders, seem more inclined to seek out forces of evil to fight against than run away from them in most cases. And for a safe headquarters, Absalom is a more suitable place to host refugees than Mendev is.
Knights of Lastwall's table of contents does have a Broken Lands section though, is there any indication of what their relationship with Mendev and Sarkoris is? I assume they're too busy with Tar-Baphon to help in the fight against the Scar's remaining demons, but I could be wrong.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Knights of Lastwall's table of contents does have a Broken Lands section though, is there any indication of what their relationship with Mendev and Sarkoris is? I assume they're too busy with Tar-Baphon to help in the fight against the Scar's remaining demons, but I could be wrong.
Most Knights in the Sarkoris Scar are simply trying to hunt down every last demon and cultist remaining in the region, but the organization also works to protect Mendevian pilgrims and Sarkorians returning to re-settle their homeland. One named Knight is working hard to try and convince the upper class of Mendev to financially support Sarkorian efforts.
They’re also protecting Sellen and River Kingdoms trade from bandits, trying to avert civil war in Brevoy, smuggling a good number of refugees out of Razmiran, working to win over Kevoth-Kul so they can get sovereign steel, and gearing up for the fight against that big dragon that definitely isn’t Choral on the Lakes of Mists and Veils. They get around!
|
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
Honestly the Jormurdun stuff is somewhat fascinating, and could be really cool if followed up upon - reclaiming a fallen settlement is a Dwarf Fortress classic for a reason, and stuff like it being in the still demon infested Sarkoris Scar, and the time bubble-trapped survivors, offer plenty of additional context and hooks to the situation.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Honestly the Jormurdun stuff is somewhat fascinating, and could be really cool if followed up upon - reclaiming a fallen settlement is a Dwarf Fortress classic for a reason, and stuff like it being in the still demon infested Sarkoris Scar, and the time bubble-trapped survivors, offer plenty of additional context and hooks to the situation.
Honestly, a dwarven contingent within the wider Reclaimer movement would be a super novel way to get some more non-humans in play. The variety in that diaspora - Pahmet and Taralu from far away, the folk Clan Jor who remained in Avistan’s north - opens up a ton of character concepts!
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I'm currently digging through a small mountain of old PFS scenarios for information on Jormurdun, the lost Sky Citadel within the Sarkoris Scar. It apparently occupied a good chunk of two years worth of 1e metaplot, so there's a lot of material to go through. It seems to diaspora is known, unimaginatively, as the Scions of Jormurdun.
** spoiler omitted **...
Some of that kinda makes it sound like Jormurdun had bit of fiendish corruption thing going on ._.;
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Some of that kinda makes it sound like Jormurdun had bit of fiendish corruption thing going on ._.;I'm currently digging through a small mountain of old PFS scenarios for information on Jormurdun, the lost Sky Citadel within the Sarkoris Scar. It apparently occupied a good chunk of two years worth of 1e metaplot, so there's a lot of material to go through. It seems to diaspora is known, unimaginatively, as the Scions of Jormurdun.
** spoiler omitted **...
Not necessarily - though I imagine that like the rest of Sarkoris, the veil between the Material and other planes was thin there. I imagine their Clerics and Shamans kept busy!
One last interesting bit from 6-00 Legacy of the Stonelords:
The dwarves of Jormurdun were remarkable in many ways. While primarily devotees of Torag, the residents of this citadel also subscribed to a number of eccentric mystery cults long faded from practice. Unusual divination rituals, ceremonial appeasement of malevolent beings, fabled forges that burned hotter than the sun, remnant evidence of their rich mythology and talents must lie scattered among the crumbling stone.
So I feel pretty confident in saying that like Sarkoris, Jormurdun dealt with a thinner veil between the Material Plane and other worlds, and it seems to have steered them into being more spiritual than most other Sky Citadels.
|
|
On another note, Knights of Lastwall refugees aren't really heading towards Mendev. More accurately, it's the other way around: with the majority of the demonic threat over and the Sarkorian Reclaimers leading the cleanup effort, the veterans of Mendev reorganized into the Order of the Shining Swords, at Chancellor Irahai's behest, and then began making their way south under the command of Horgus Gwerm (from Wrath of the Righteous, who recently underwent an alignment shift from LN to LG!) to reinforce the Knights of Lastwall. And Irahai couldn't have picked a better man for...Good old Horgus. My players had him pegged as a Tsundere as soon as they met him.
Shame about his daughter, though...
So...yeah...that kind of changes the dynamics of Horgus a bit: he knew about his daughter's...habits, but protected her so long as her victims were very unlucky burglars and condemned criminals. And while the game's canonicity is dubious, I imagine with Horgus' ascension to leadership of the Order of the Shining Swords it means Camellia is dead.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
The Riftwardens probably deserve more credit than they get, between that poor elf they left out of the game and their presence in the Army of the Open Road. I love the idea that the Mendevians and Sarkorians alike don’t quite know what to do with these weird planar mages.
|
|
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
I'm bit sad that Riftwardens and Blackfire Adept are confirmed to be Golarion based interplanar organizations and not something that operate on multiple material plane worlds x'D Especially since Wrath of the Righteous DID feature humans from other worlds.(including one paladin turned graveknight from "Burning Fist" order :P )
(also no mention of illegitimate relationships either with Horgus xD You'd think he would show concern if that was the case in ap)
Sidenote: Blackfire Adepts actually kinda remind me of true nature of seal-breaker antipaladins, aka that both seek to destroy laws of reality, just for different ends (Blackfire Adepts for power and Seal-Breakers to unmake reality).
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
A final thought for Jormurdun: with the demons and duergar driven off by the Pathfinder Society back in 6-00 (about eight years ago), I imagine the Sky Citadel is about as safe as somewhere in the Sarkoris Scar can be... but given that loose end about "hundreds" of time-displaced survivors, that can anchor further adventures and plotlines. Do their ghostly echoes flicked in the ancient halls? Are overtures made to New Thassilonian students of chronomancy or sages of Numerian tech?
It's nice to have somewhere in the Sarkoris Scar that isn't directly linked to demons or the Sarkorians themselves, but still rhymes with their stories of difficult homecoming.
Here's hoping someone at Paizo remembers Jormurdun exists. I'm very curious to see what happens next.
EDIT: Most of the 10 Sky Citadels are known nowadays, assuming that old lore is still true! Eight are named, and I have to assume one each exists off the current map in Arcadia and Casmaron.
|
|
I do kinda hope though that dwarves, humans and elves aren't all three common everywhere in world, but it would be logical possibility ya. (Cloud Spero from Mwangi Expanse is possibly dwarven citadel though that is disputed assuming heart of jungle lore on it is still accurate. Its at least really close to dwarven mine dungeon Zolurket Mines which is on Katapesh's side of border.)
I do kinda hope though that dwarves, humans and elves aren't all three common everywhere in world, but it would be logical possibility ya. (Cloud Spero from Mwangi Expanse is possibly dwarven citadel though that is disputed assuming heart of jungle lore on it is still accurate. Its at least really close to dwarven mine dungeon Zolurket Mines which is on Katapesh's side of border.)
There aren’t any Tian dwarves we know of, are there? I also don’t think there’s been any word of elves in Arcadia or Casmaron.
|
|
I do kinda hope though that dwarves, humans and elves aren't all three common everywhere in world, but it would be logical possibility ya. (Cloud Spero from Mwangi Expanse is possibly dwarven citadel though that is disputed assuming heart of jungle lore on it is still accurate. Its at least really close to dwarven mine dungeon Zolurket Mines which is on Katapesh's side of border.)There aren’t any Tian dwarves we know of, are there? I also don’t think there’s been any word of elves in Arcadia or Casmaron.
Dwarves, gnomes and halflings should definitely have rare tag in Tian Xia, outside of invidual families who have immigrated there, there doesn't seem to be wider cultural group there.
But yeah I'm mostly surprised if there aren't elves on Casmaron because that would imply Jinin elves somehow skipped whole continent without anybody being like "ah I like this continent which seems to be relatively peaceful compared to meteor ground zero"
(that said, we know elves are on Casmaron but also that they are uncommon. They are one of few non human humanoids to enjoy either citizenship status. Granted, they are likely less of cultural group and more of emissaries from kyonin based on wording? Don't know if Paraheen dwarves are on wider Casmaron or just Qadira though now that I think about it.)
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
But yeah I'm mostly surprised if there aren't elves on Casmaron because that would imply Jinin elves somehow skipped whole continent without anybody being like "ah I like this continent which seems to be relatively peaceful compared to meteor ground zero"
(that said, we know elves are on Casmaron but also that they are uncommon. They are one of few non human humanoids to enjoy either citizenship status. Granted, they are likely less of cultural group and more of emissaries from kyonin based on wording? Don't know if Paraheen dwarves are on wider Casmaron or just Qadira though now that I think about it.
The ancestors of Jinin went underground... somewhere, and came out the other side in Tian Xia, was my impression. I don't think they went overland through Casmaron at all.
I'm curious what elves are in Casmaron - are they just Vourinoi, or are there unique local cultures?
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
But yeah I'm mostly surprised if there aren't elves on Casmaron because that would imply Jinin elves somehow skipped whole continent without anybody being like "ah I like this continent which seems to be relatively peaceful compared to meteor ground zero"
(that said, we know elves are on Casmaron but also that they are uncommon. They are one of few non human humanoids to enjoy either citizenship status. Granted, they are likely less of cultural group and more of emissaries from kyonin based on wording? Don't know if Paraheen dwarves are on wider Casmaron or just Qadira though now that I think about it.
The ancestors of Jinin went underground... somewhere, and came out the other side in Tian Xia, was my impression. I don't think they went overland through Casmaron at all.
I'm curious what elves are in Casmaron - are they just Vourinoi, or are there unique local cultures?
Pretty sure they went underground in Miriani and split off from the group that would become the drow while both were underground.
I do kinda hope though that dwarves, humans and elves aren't all three common everywhere in world, but it would be logical possibility ya. (Cloud Spero from Mwangi Expanse is possibly dwarven citadel though that is disputed assuming heart of jungle lore on it is still accurate. Its at least really close to dwarven mine dungeon Zolurket Mines which is on Katapesh's side of border.)There aren’t any Tian dwarves we know of, are there? I also don’t think there’s been any word of elves in Arcadia or Casmaron.
Legends says that there are dwarves in Casmaron (and Tian Xia, for that matter), but doesn't say how common they are. I don't recall anything about elves in Arcadia, but their presence wouldn't necessarily surprise me. All it would take are travelers who went there via Azlant. Depending on the timing, it's possible that maybe they would have headed on to Tian Xia, but Earthfall made them decide to stay put.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Elves should be present in Iobaria, as much as any people is present in Iobaria. Their pre-Earthfall empire extended throughout the neighboring lands that are now the River Kingdoms.
Being that close to Sevenarches and Kyonin does mean anybody who wanted to flee to Sovyrian easily could've, which might be why we haven't seen Iobarian elves yet.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Elves should be present in Iobaria, as much as any people is present in Iobaria. Their pre-Earthfall empire extended throughout the neighboring lands that are now the River Kingdoms.Being that close to Sevenarches and Kyonin does mean anybody who wanted to flee to Sovyrian easily could've, which might be why we haven't seen Iobarian elves yet.
The plagues would explain why they haven't made much headway in reclaiming their Iobarian holdings. Hardy folk they are not.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
The plagues would explain why they haven't made much headway in reclaiming their Iobarian holdings. Hardy folk they are not.Elves should be present in Iobaria, as much as any people is present in Iobaria. Their pre-Earthfall empire extended throughout the neighboring lands that are now the River Kingdoms.Being that close to Sevenarches and Kyonin does mean anybody who wanted to flee to Sovyrian easily could've, which might be why we haven't seen Iobarian elves yet.
Something we'll finally get to see in Gatewalkers #1! I'm very excited.
|
|
Elves should be present in Iobaria, as much as any people is present in Iobaria. Their pre-Earthfall empire extended throughout the neighboring lands that are now the River Kingdoms.Being that close to Sevenarches and Kyonin does mean anybody who wanted to flee to Sovyrian easily could've, which might be why we haven't seen Iobarian elves yet.
"Single bottleneck" and "high ease of access" don't much go together. Perforce any number of elves willing to leave would have still been left behind.
"Single bottleneck" and "high ease of access" don't much go together. Perforce any number of elves willing to leave would have still been left behind.Elves should be present in Iobaria, as much as any people is present in Iobaria. Their pre-Earthfall empire extended throughout the neighboring lands that are now the River Kingdoms.Being that close to Sevenarches and Kyonin does mean anybody who wanted to flee to Sovyrian easily could've, which might be why we haven't seen Iobarian elves yet.
Possibly, but considering how the elves did have advance warning, there is presently no data I can find on which to base the assumption that they could not all have escaped with planet with time to spare (for those who chose egress). It would seem more dramatic if some remained unable to escape before the stone hit, but there is no guarantee of this. In fact, it's possible evacuations continued to take place in the days directly after impact, since it does not seem as though surface life was completely wiped out by the immediate fallout.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Single bottleneck" and "high ease of access" don't much go together. Perforce any number of elves willing to leave would have still been left behind.Elves should be present in Iobaria, as much as any people is present in Iobaria. Their pre-Earthfall empire extended throughout the neighboring lands that are now the River Kingdoms.Being that close to Sevenarches and Kyonin does mean anybody who wanted to flee to Sovyrian easily could've, which might be why we haven't seen Iobarian elves yet.
Pathfinder books are pretty consistent about framing the elves who didn't make it back to Castrovel as having chosen to stay behind. That might not be true, but until something canon suggests otherwise, I've got to believe it.
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Pathfinder books are pretty consistent about framing the elves who didn't make it back to Castrovel as having chosen to stay behind. That might not be true, but until something canon suggests otherwise, I've got to believe it."Single bottleneck" and "high ease of access" don't much go together. Perforce any number of elves willing to leave would have still been left behind.Elves should be present in Iobaria, as much as any people is present in Iobaria. Their pre-Earthfall empire extended throughout the neighboring lands that are now the River Kingdoms.Being that close to Sevenarches and Kyonin does mean anybody who wanted to flee to Sovyrian easily could've, which might be why we haven't seen Iobarian elves yet.
Why? It is merely a state-legitimizing narrative.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
History from 10,000 years before the present shouldn't be presented as especially reliable anyway. Paizo has so far wanted to avoid framing "ancient elves were jerks" but there's no reason they shouldn't reserve that possibility in their back pocket if they want to use it.
Like "pre-earthfall Humans, and the quest for the sky Dwarves were big ol'jerks" is hardly controversial, and Elves take *naturally* to unbecoming elitism.
| 7 people marked this as a favorite. |
Pathfinder books are pretty consistent about framing the elves who didn't make it back to Castrovel as having chosen to stay behind. That might not be true, but until something canon suggests otherwise, I've got to believe it.Why? It is merely a state-legitimizing narrative.
Because they didn't say "the Kyonin party line is [...]," it was written as an impersonal narrator. From LOCG:
Not all elves left with their kin, some instead choosing to remain behind.
A number of elves — including the ancestors of the Mualijae, Ilverani, and Vourinoi elves — did not depart Golarion during Earthfall, while the ancestors of the Aiudeen and Spiresworn elves left for the land of Sovyrian. Though the elves of Sovyrian returned centuries ago, they are in some ways considered newcomers by themselves and their kin, still tied to an ancient and distant homeland on another world. In contrast, those elves who stayed behind during Earthfall and suffered alongside the planet during its darkest hour now consider themselves true children of Golarion.
When Earthfall struck, many of the Mierani elves fled to Sovyrian, while others chose to escape underground. One group of elves, however, elected to stay on the surface for the express purpose of creating magical shelters to save as many other people as possible.
And from the Mwangi book:
The history of Mualijae elves, and the Ekujae who descended from them, diverges from that of other elves on Golarion at the time of Earthfall. While most elves elected to leave for their ancestral realm of Sovyrian to survive the disaster, the Ekujae clans instead decided to stay behind despite the coming devastation.
We have a no reason to dismiss either of these texts as having any in-setting bias. While I'm sure some elf, somewhere, wanted to go to flee to Sovyrian and could not, there's a repeated insistence across multiple recent sources that the Aiudeen split was entirely voluntary.
| 8 people marked this as a favorite. |
I mean, a hostile reading of the text can yield any kind of implication the reader desires, but should not be mistaken for what is considered canon lore of the setting. It is entirely within a GM's purview to say that, for example, trolls are not monsters who revel in the taste of suffering, that line is merely a human tale about the creatures they forced into marginal and inhospitable lands by humanity's collective appetite for territory. Likewise it's perfectly reasonable to suggest that some elves may have been left behind in the egress.
That said, we should take care not present our own readings and interpretations of the lore as canon for others, even if we may argue for our vision of what we think most likely. The Golarion of one group is not the Golarion of another, so when speaking of what the sources actually say, we should be careful to delineate our reading from the text.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
(Incidentally, Kaer Maga became one of my favourite cities in the setting in part because things like trolls not being just monsters)
|
|
| 4 people marked this as a favorite. |
(Incidentally, Kaer Maga became one of my favourite cities in the setting in part because things like trolls not being just monsters)
Me too! As detailed as that big fat book is, my opinion is you can keep Absalom, KAER MAGA is where I wanna set MY urban Pathfinder stories!
Between the bird's-eye view we get from City of Strangers (a much slimmer book than City of Lost Omens, but infinitely more compelling to me), and the street-level view we get from The Asylum Stone in the Shattered Star AP as well as the novel The Redemption Engine, Kaer Maga's altogether a dirtier, meaner and MUCH weirder city than Absalom, and I freaking LOVE it for that!
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
I'm honestly considering a small, mostly-lore Pathfinder Infinite release that talks about Crusaders, Mendevians, and Sarkorians as three distinct-but-porous identities within Mendev and the Sarkoris Scar, along with a handful of related Backgrounds. Would there be any interest in that?
Between a move and a bout of illness, I'm just not able to get shiny layout on this, but it's 90% written. I hope folks enjoy! I tried to take as few leaps from canon as possible, filling in what's been implied by prior published stuff.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Double post, but there's something I'm stunned to have not mentioned yet: this book (or an Iron God sequel) are the only places to expect the 1e Nanite Bloodline for Sorcerers to come over. That was a surprisingly key part of all the Numerian goodness that first sold me on Golarion.
Is it massively niche? Sure. Doesn't stop me from wanting it.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
I've been missing that bloodline ever since it mysteriously didn't become a bloodrager option back in PF1E. I'd really love to see it in 2E. I could see it granting access to either the arcane or, for a twist, primal spell list because nanytes are so concerned with reshaping and repurposing matter. Of the two I'd lean more to arcane.Double post, but there's something I'm stunned to have not mentioned yet: this book (or an Iron God sequel) are the only places to expect the 1e Nanite Bloodline for Sorcerers to come over. That was a surprisingly key part of all the Numerian goodness that first sold me on Golarion.
Is it massively niche? Sure. Doesn't stop me from wanting it.
I'm so glad I wasn't the only one pining for Nanite Bloodragers!
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
For anyone more into Society than me - where have things been left off with the Farheaven Clan? They're our representative Sarkorians for now, essentially, but PFS plotlines are tough for me to follow.
For anyone more into Society than me - where have things been left off with the Farheaven Clan? They're our representative Sarkorians for now, essentially, but PFS plotlines are tough for me to follow.
I've spent the day digging - long post to follow!
Following up on this: the Farheaven Clan currently lives in what is seemingly called the Farheaven (Clan) Village, near the eastern end of the Shudderwood in the Sarkoris Scar. They share it with the Dragonskull Goblins, a tribe they found in while migrating out of Iobaria and (with Pathfinder help) allied with; the Dragonskulls are big into responsible fire usage. 1e told the story of their eidolon god being cured from madness, a new god-caller rising to lead the clan, them leaving Iobaria to return to their homelands, and that Dragonskull alliance.
PFS #1-13 has a Farheaven representative meeting the Pathfinders alongside a few other important people in Devil's Rest, a haunted trading post originally founded as an Asmodean scheme to corrupt Worldwound crusaders. There's not much Sarkorian goodness here other than that the clan is impressed when the Pathfinders resolve the haunting, which fits the Reclaimer cause well.
They later sent some Pathfinders to cleanse a barrow that held the honored dead of many Sarkorian clans from the abyssal corruption that had tainted it; those Pathfinders brought back remains, relics, and the stories of these ancestors' great deeds (the Dreamweft, Goldmoon, and Oldwind Clans are namedropped) to the Farheavens.
Interestingly, this scenario (PFS #2-15) seemingly describes Storasta as still being intact, while other sources have all the cities of Old Sarkoris having been razed to the ground.
PFS #2-20 has some very juicy stuff: needing help exorcising a Pathfinder possessed by a powerful entity, the Society decides the people who know best about spirits, possession, and demons are the Farheaven Clan. The Sarkorians agree to help in exchange for aid defending a ritual meant to purify the Forest of Embers, which has come under attack from awesome cultists of Flauros - they're all Iruxi Tieflings! It also presents the Farheavens as somewhat ascendant, their territory having grown from near the Shudderwood all the way to the Forest of Embers - and likely coming to include the latter, now that the ritual's been done.
We see that the Farheavens have some interesting diversity beyond just Sarkorian humans, as the Dragonskull Tribe's goblins, a Iobarian elf shaman, and a Centaur shaman on loan from the Pathfinder Society are all treated as equal members of the community. Interestingly, that elf and centaur are introduced in #1-15 as members of the Redpine Clan, centaurs living in the Iobarian Finadar Forest; they aren't tied to the Farheavens in 1-15, but 2-20 describes them as "longtime allies." I've talked before in this thread about how pre-crusader Mendev's population of Iobarian folk and the old Sarkorians likely had a ton of intermingling, and it's cool to see that Iobarian-Sarkorian blend once more!
With my recent interest in spirits, #2-22 opens with a fascinating quote from the Farheaven's god-caller:
“My ancestors used rituals to give physical form to the wishes and ideals of the clan, manifesting as deities to lead us—including Dolok Darkfur. By reframing one of these rituals, we can convert Dolok’s body back into a part-living, part-intention entity; a kind of ‘aspirational spirit.’"
The idea that Sarkorians weren't just making pacts with existing spirits, but creating idealized ones to embody what their clans stood for? That rocks.
Seasons 3 and 4 haven't touched the Farheaven Clan, but that makes good sense after them being so central to the Season 2 storyline. Theirs makes a good example in microcosm of the modern Sarkorian story: fled the Worldwound to Iobaria, and are now returning to purify their homeland - succeeding, in fact!
Their acceptance of non-human peoples (goblins, a single elf, centaurs) into their Clan matches the Kellid practice we see in Quest for the Frozen Flame of Mammoth Lord Followings accepting non-humans into their ranks, something with 1e precedent all the way back to that unfortunate "kidnap Giant youths" lore. Respect the Sarkorian traditions and you can be Sarkorian, it would seem.
It gives me hope to see so many Shamans all over their story. Fingers crossed for the class to return soon!
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
... I think that sort of collaborative, syncretic, "how do we be more than just crusader-colonizers" spin is the best way to tackle Mendev going forward." ....
To be honest both Mendev and Sarkoris are destroyed kingdoms, and I think this idea is where Mendev and Sarkoris should both lean into, Mendev and Sarkoris realizing they have both have spilled so much blood and lost so much together that the line between them is blurred. Additionally as both sides were fighting to reclaim Sarkoris and close the world wound it would make sense there were many knight and Sarkorian couples, so this generation of Mendev might hold a lot of young people that trace their lineage to both Kingdoms.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Having dug dup the Farheaven Clan above, and recently chatting about the unrest in the River Kingdom of Artume, I figured it was worth sniffing around a little more in the Society backlog for Broken Lands info.
Artume, as mentioned, gets a scenario to itself - one where self-declared Firebrands have decided having a new king is no better than still having the old tyrant Waike. This one's a pick-your-own-ending organized play thing, with options for crushing the rebellion, crushing the monarchy, or having the (notably popular and open-minded young) king institute some rebel demands as reforms.
I imagine that last one will be locked in, making Artume into a little constitional monarchy of some sort, sharing power with some form of democracy. Given that Artume's local church of Milani sheltered and raised the king while he was in exile, one can imagine it becoming a haven for free-thinkers among the River Kingdoms.
///
Numeria got a scenario and a Quest both in the first season of 2e, and both set up seemingly the region's major antagonist: the Blue Streaks, a tech scavenging and smuggling "conspiracy" that's largely monopolized the trade in the post-Technic League era. A gnome named Khismar Crookchar (detailed further in LO: Legends!), a former League member, runs the group with a medusa lieutenant, and is caught in the unenviable position of hunting other Technic League veterans to avoid Kevoth-Kul growing suspicious of him. He's Neutral Evil and ruthless, but it's fun to see "the tech antagonists" flipped from running the state to being a criminal conspiracy.
Those Numerian adventures potentially end with the Pathfinder Society openly operating with the Black Sovereign's blessing, and both parties on the trail of the Blue Streaks' true leadership, but haven't been followed up further on since.
Unless the Dominion of the Black descends from the heavens for a proper invasion - and my goodness, I hope they do - the Blue Streaks and their competition, the Technic League survivors who are propping up various Numerian warlords are the apparent antagonists for 2e Numeria. I know the "Beyond the Campaign" sections aren't exactly canon, but Kingmaker proposes two Numerian warlords who might be likely candidates for that role in the current era: "Coclavlis the Iron Wizard, heir to many secrets of Numeria’s ageless lore, and the mercenary lord Angdrathus, whose ties to the Technic League of Starfall have granted him an army and weapons like no other." Between them and any especially nasty Kellid tribes like the Blood Gars or Sunder Horns, there's an awful lot of people looking to spill Numerian blood!
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
constitional monarchyThis term gets misused a lot. It doesn't mean a laissez-faire monarchy or one that forbears to use its power, it means one with defined limits. Artume's doesn't appear to have any beyond the king's goodwill.
I was proposing a constitutional monarchy as what the would-be Firebrands demands might be met with as reforms, not describing what Artume currently is; they don't want an absolute monarch after how horrid Waike's rule was, and want some form of voice of the people in Artume's governance.
As Revolution on the Riverside doesn't have a canon ending and we haven't been back since, we have 0 clue what Artume's governance currently looks like.