Next cosmic horror AP?


Pathfinder Adventure Path General Discussion


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If Paizo were to do do another Pathfinder AP based on cosmic horror, what would you like to see from it, in terms of its major themes, ideas, challenges, etc.?

Granted, Paizo often includes elements of cosmic horror as small but key components in many of their adventures (horror or otherwise) and there is no expectation that they'll something like Strange Aeons again anytime soon, but I'm in need of a good distraction rn and this topic will do.

First, I'd be the first one to admit that a sequel to Strange Aeons would be pretty rad, as Thrushmoor itself is a rather creepycute location.

Strange Aeons spoiler:
While I don't know Strange Aeons assumed conclusion, I do know that Hastur remains interested in Golarion, albeit more limited due to the loss of some? or all of his captured cities.

Spoiler:
Hastur
would make a great returning antagonist, as would
Spoiler:
Xhamen-Dor.
My personal favourite is the first of course, and I wouldn't mind the being's return as a more frequent threat, by infiltrating more and more cities/secret societies of Golarion

Mhar meanwhile is also has a connection to Golarion, and does Shub-Niggurath who is said to have a relatively strong presence via secret cults.

Like Strange Aeons, any potential cosmic horror AP would need to balance the conventions of its source material with that of a TTRPG where heroes are expected to triumph- even if victory is only partial or pyrrhic in nature. It would also require an updated sanity and fear system, along with some element of mystery that forces players to conduct investigations into occult secrets.

What do ya'll think? Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn!


Does Nhimbaloth count? Or we could follow up on the plot of Gatewalkers without making it necessary to have played it, perhaps? Or the Ashen Man cult from Plaguestone for more Dark Tapestry?


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I just want the Dominion of the Black to hit Numeria like a sledgehammer.


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Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber

Alright, poking over the 1e list of Great Old Ones... I will confess to a soft spot for both Bokrug and Yig, but I'm not sure either of them makes for a very good center of a campaign - considering one is a big sleepy lizard and the other literally doesn't care unless you're mean to snakes. Maybe we could do something with Atlach-Nacha and Leng Spiders, poking about with webs of dreaming minds and lucid dreamers? Or go back to the Lands of Black Blood, with Orgesh (bonus points for giving a perfect excuse for a 2e version of the Black Blood Oracle, and a look at the Darklands now that they're not full of drow. Black Blood serpentfolk could be cool).

Though, if we do get a Dominion and Numeria AP, I kinda hope Paizo invents an original Great Old One about it? A lot of the literary set of great old ones don't really suit, and I bet the Paizo team could come up with something properly nightmarish.


CastleDour wrote:
Does Nhimbaloth count? Or we could follow up on the plot of Gatewalkers without making it necessary to have played it, perhaps? Or the Ashen Man cult from Plaguestone for more Dark Tapestry?

I’m not aware of these, but I’d say more than likely they would, especially the Elder God.


NoxiousMiasma wrote:

Alright, poking over the 1e list of Great Old Ones... I will confess to a soft spot for both Bokrug and Yig, but I'm not sure either of them makes for a very good center of a campaign - considering one is a big sleepy lizard and the other literally doesn't care unless you're mean to snakes. Maybe we could do something with Atlach-Nacha and Leng Spiders, poking about with webs of dreaming minds and lucid dreamers? Or go back to the Lands of Black Blood, with Orgesh (bonus points for giving a perfect excuse for a 2e version of the Black Blood Oracle, and a look at the Darklands now that they're not full of drow. Black Blood serpentfolk could be cool).

I could see Yig having a presence in the Valeshai Jungle. It’s very Saurion.


NoxiousMiasma wrote:
considering one is a big sleepy lizard

Wait what?

does some googling

...huh. welp, that's going to change how I approach my homebrew Sky King's Tomb continuation. Thanks for teaching me about Bokrug.

As for the topic on hand, I'd love for something that deals with the Dominion of Black. Other than that my only wish is that it is an 11-20 AP so that it can work as a sorta follow-up to Gatewalker.

Acquisitives

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Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Mammoth Daddy wrote:
NoxiousMiasma wrote:

Alright, poking over the 1e list of Great Old Ones... I will confess to a soft spot for both Bokrug and Yig, but I'm not sure either of them makes for a very good center of a campaign - considering one is a big sleepy lizard and the other literally doesn't care unless you're mean to snakes. Maybe we could do something with Atlach-Nacha and Leng Spiders, poking about with webs of dreaming minds and lucid dreamers? Or go back to the Lands of Black Blood, with Orgesh (bonus points for giving a perfect excuse for a 2e version of the Black Blood Oracle, and a look at the Darklands now that they're not full of drow. Black Blood serpentfolk could be cool).

I could see Yig having a presence in the Valeshai Jungle. It’s very Saurion.

the serpentfolk are also the leading villain in the Darklands these days.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

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While there are Great Old Ones and Outer Gods and mythos folks lurking about here and there in the Dark Tapestry, they aren't a part of the Dominion of the Black. The dominion is a different group of horrific aliens that ALSO hail from the Dark Tapestry, and in some cases are at war with entities associated with the Elder Mythos.

I'm personally very interested in telling stories with both of them, be they separate or entangled.

Acquisitives

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Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
BobTheArchmage wrote:
NoxiousMiasma wrote:
considering one is a big sleepy lizard

Wait what?

does some googling

...huh. welp, that's going to change how I approach my homebrew Sky King's Tomb continuation. Thanks for teaching me about Bokrug.

As for the topic on hand, I'd love for something that deals with the Dominion of Black. Other than that my only wish is that it is an 11-20 AP so that it can work as a sorta follow-up to Gatewalker.

Started running DEVASTATION ARK for Starfinder, and I realized that this might be the last time I get to run some fun SF1E enemies, so I started off the AP with a homebrewed attack on the PCs starship by the Dominion of the Black.

Long / short: They killed one of the PCs and the player rage quit.

So... yeah. Gimme more Dominion. They are awesome.


Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber

Do we have a Dominion-vs-GOO AP for 2e? It could be interesting to spend at least one book trying to either pit the two against each other so they don't squash the PCs, or trying to juggle their goals such that neither manages to start an open war front right where all the character's friends are.

Acquisitives

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
NoxiousMiasma wrote:
Do we have a Dominion-vs-GOO AP for 2e? It could be interesting to spend at least one book trying to either pit the two against each other so they don't squash the PCs, or trying to juggle their goals such that neither manages to start an open war front right where all the character's friends are.

honestly, I'd rather differentiate them more.

it's okay that there's confusion about where one starts and the other ends, but I'd just like to run brain-collectors and weird monster guys intent on conquering the planet, maybe?

Some of the "Continuing the Campaign" threads from 1E have great tie-ins to the Dominion that I'd like to see explored in future adventures.


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Pathfinder Maps, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

I'd like a 1-10, investigation and roleplay heavy campaign. Hopefully with minimal huge dungeons. Thrushmoor could be a cool setting, but an urban/ suburban area would be ideal for me.

Honestly, something similar to Season of Ghosts but Cosmic Horror and set in Avistan.


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Jam412 wrote:

I'd like a 1-10, investigation and roleplay heavy campaign. Hopefully with minimal huge dungeons. Thrushmoor could be a cool setting, but an urban/ suburban area would be ideal for me.

Honestly, something similar to Season of Ghosts but Cosmic Horror and set in Avistan.

Hastur even prefers cities. Maybe involve a local pathfinder society chapter or some other organization that’s become infiltrated by cultists?

Hypothetically Great Old One and Outer Cultists can be found everywhere or anywhere on Golarion, though some tie better with some themes than others.

There’s also a question if Paizo could or would be interested in bringing the cosmic horror gods they printed from Chaosium? In the Strange Aeons AP.

Back to your point, the town of Season of Ghosts feels rural to me but I haven’t played nor read it. It’s a manageable ask though either way, as there’s a cosmic horror cult suitable to just about any setting.

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