Generic Villain |
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So yeah, this is a great book. Probably my favorite in the Campaign Setting Line in quite some time. For those of you who wanted more info on the Dominion of the Black, there are some very juicy bits.
-The DotB is termed a "mysterious intergalactic empire," of which neh-thalggu make up the largest contingent.
-The DotB are responsible for granting the Four Pharaohs of Ascension the gifts and powers necessary to make Osirion's Second Age a possibility, and also were likely responsible for killing those pharaohs (indirectly or otherwise).
-Based on the Aucturn Enigma section, the DotB is hardcore into numerology. Their "countdown clocks" will likely run out sometime in 4718 AR. No one knows what will happen when the ball drops, but considering that the DotB is described as being harvesters of worlds... well, draw your own conclusions.
-A continuation of the above point, but more mind-blowing and vague. As already said, it is calculated that the countdown clocks will strike 0 in 4718. Using a bit of mathematics acrobatics, and the DotB's obsession with the numbers 11 and 56, it can be determined that similar circumstances occurred in 4606 AR - the year of Aroden's death. Again this is just a theory, and was by no means under a THIS IS HOW ARODEN DIED heading.
Generic Villain |
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What mathematics acrobatics, exactly?
It's nothing interesting, I promise (no offense to the author). I'm not even sure exactly. Just some division and the numbers 11 and 56, as well as 111 and 565.
Oh, and the Aspis Consortium's Conference Z? It's the X Files. It's so X-Files that a wing of the group was formally known as the Bureau of Inquirers.
Dragon78 |
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Generic Villain |
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There's also apparently a tomb for [REDACTED] in the desert of Osirion!?
Surprisingly, we've known about that for a while. All the way back when the Order of the Palatine Eye was covered in Trial of the Beast. What I found most interesting was that
Irnk, Dead-Eye's Prodigal |
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What mathematics acrobatics, exactly?
While it has been over a decade since I did any reading on Numerology, one aspect of it is reducing very large numbers into smaller numbers & basing the 'reading' off of the smaller number. There are also different ways of accomplishing that reduction, which can result in differences in the final result.
& all the differences can still be valid...
Neongelion |
Errata notice; It's a small thing, but on the last page, the front covers of two of the books advertised don't match the book descriptions. Instead of The Iron Gods AP first cover, it shows the cover for Inner Sea Magic & the cover for Inner Sea Combat is shown as the cover for a new fiction book set in Numeria as well.
Wait a minute, what.
They show the actual cover of Fires of Creation? I must see this...I MUST SEE THIS!!!
xevious573 |
Speaking of Numerology. Does anybody have secret mathematical techniques, programs, or anything of the sort to help out with Sacred Geometry? Seriously, I have a hard time seeing this feat get used at my table (or at the table of my GMs) due to how much it will slow down the game.
For those not in the know yet, the feat requires rolling a number of d6s or d8s (if you have another feat) based on your ranks in Knowledge(Engineering), taking the individual numbers on the dice and then adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing (in any combination) your way to prime numbers based on the spell level.
Very flavorful... likely to be time consuming.
Brandon Hodge Contributor |
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So quick aside, am I the only one who's a little sad to not see the spirit planchettes reprinted here for the spiritualism section?
No, you aren't the only one a little saddened over that omission, especially considering I not only wrote the Spiritualism chapter, but that planchettes are my specialty. They were set for inclusion, but they're a high-wordcount magic item statblock, so I totally get how they'd be an easy cut in development. The trade-off is that great piece of art with Imrijka rockin' a talking board, though!
Jim Groves Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 4 |
Yeah I never really heard of them before until started playing in a campaign that they are in. The Harbingers of fate is...
The crazy Harbingers have been in the setting since the 1st version of the Campaign Setting!
The quest to discover the identity of The Author is a mighty one!
You can easily turn that into a Harbinger campaign of good versus "mislead" characters!
EDIT: Okay, too many exclamation marks. But, as I was saying, the Harbingers have been quietly in the background for some time. They are complicated bad guys, if you can consider them bad guys at all.
Cthulhudrew |
doc the grey wrote:So quick aside, am I the only one who's a little sad to not see the spirit planchettes reprinted here for the spiritualism section?No, you aren't the only one a little saddened over that omission, especially considering I not only wrote the Spiritualism chapter, but that planchettes are my specialty.
This is who I think of when I see the word planchet(te).
Ross Byers RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32 |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
brad2411 wrote:Yeah I never really heard of them before until started playing in a campaign that they are in. The Harbingers of fate is...The crazy Harbingers have been in the setting since the 1st version of the Campaign Setting!
The quest to discover the identity of The Author is a mighty one!
You can easily turn that into a Harbinger campaign of good versus "mislead" characters!
EDIT: Okay, too many exclamation marks. But, as I was saying, the Harbingers have been quietly in the background for some time. They are complicated bad guys, if you can consider them bad guys at all.
Well, they're either incompetent or delusional: they've had lots of time to make a prophecy come true and either they've never succeeded (meaning they're incompetent), or they have and it didn't work and their repeated response has been "maybe the next one will go better" (meaning they are crazy in a rather dangerous way).
I am thrilled to see them get more screen time, but it's a shame it took almost until their clock runs out. In 4715 they are going to have to transform a lot. (4714 must have seemed so far away in 4708. Time flies!)
Cthulhudrew |
I am thrilled to see them get more screen time, but it's a shame it took almost until their clock runs out. In 4715 they are going to have to transform a lot. (4714 must have seemed so far away in 4708. Time flies!)
They won't necessarily have to change; how many "end of the world" predictions have we seen (in recent years, no less) where the prophets were wrong and they seemed to not lose much in terms of influence and faith?
That said, I am definitely of the mindset that it would be great to see something done with the Harbingers in 2015, such as a module or incorporating them into an AP in some manner.
(An idea I had might be something along the lines of making it the PCs responsibility to actually bring about the fulfillment of one of the Harbingers' prophecies for some reason- perhaps to forestall an even worse danger- and have them reluctantly or inadvertently working with them.)
brad2411 |
Jim Groves wrote:brad2411 wrote:Yeah I never really heard of them before until started playing in a campaign that they are in. The Harbingers of fate is...The crazy Harbingers have been in the setting since the 1st version of the Campaign Setting!
The quest to discover the identity of The Author is a mighty one!
You can easily turn that into a Harbinger campaign of good versus "mislead" characters!
EDIT: Okay, too many exclamation marks. But, as I was saying, the Harbingers have been quietly in the background for some time. They are complicated bad guys, if you can consider them bad guys at all.
Well, they're either incompetent or delusional: they've had lots of time to make a prophecy come true and either they've never succeeded (meaning they're incompetent), or they have and it didn't work and their repeated response has been "maybe the next one will go better" (meaning they are crazy in a rather dangerous way).
I am thrilled to see them get more screen time, but it's a shame it took almost until their clock runs out. In 4715 they are going to have to transform a lot. (4714 must have seemed so far away in 4708. Time flies!)
Jim Groves Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 4 |
Vlaeros |
The real question, of course, is how many of these Occult things realize they revolve around what truly controls all of our fates.
I'm sorry! I couldn't help myself! Still totally want this, though.
Ross Byers RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32 |
agnelcow |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I get that. But you'd think the members might start asking questions when they complete a successful mission and Aroden doesn't return for the n-th time.
I know it's all in the wrong region, but I hope that
Generic Villain |
So hey, it says that a complete volume of Secrets of the Dreaming Dark functions as a lesser artifact. However, there are no rules that typically accompany such an item. I was thinking it would function at caster level 20th with a strong conjuration aura, but what would the method be to destroy such a blasphemous tome? Any ideas?
Charles Scholz |
Looking at the star chart in the blog with the name of the months on Golarion, I noticed the month Arodus is the only month named after someone who started life as a human (Aroden became a god 4700 years ago).
My question, which god's name was removed and replaced?
The candidates are Asmodeus, Gorum, Shelyn, Torag and Urgathoa.
I don't think it would have been Gorum, because he was created in the heat of war. Nor do I think it would have been Torag because he is a dwarven god and the month,s names were created by humans.
That just leaves Asmodeus, Shelyn and Urgathoa.
I know Urgathoa started life as a mortal and fled the Boneyard and raised herself to godhood, but humans did name months after the mother of monsters and the rough beast.
Your thoughts?
Robert Brookes RPG Superstar 2014 Top 4 |
Robert Brookes RPG Superstar 2014 Top 4 |
Ross Byers RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32 |
3 people marked this as a favorite. |
Or the Azlanti/Thassilonians used a different calendar entirely, and the current calendar was put into use by Aroden after he founded Absalom, so he got to name a month after himself.
Or it's like July and August in the modern calendar: There were 10 or 11 months before, and he inserted himself because he figured he deserved it.
zergtitan |
Ross Byers wrote:Caesar would never do something so brazen, NEVER!
Or it's like July and August in the modern calendar: There were 10 or 11 months before, and he inserted himself because he figured he deserved it.
he marched into Gaul for no reason and killed thousands of celts and their culture. I'm sure the guy had enough aspirations to place himself in the calender.
zergtitan |
zergtitan wrote:he marched into Gaul for no reason and killed thousands of celts and their culture. I'm sure the guy had enough aspirations to place himself in the calender.OH he had a reason....it's called GOLD....the Celts had it in large supply, and Romes economy was crashing.
Also true.
Generic Villain |
Can we get a bit more info on the Knights of the Ioun Star ???
Does it say who/where there are still members ?
What are the rewards like ?
There are no details as to individual members, past or present. Their rewards revolve around members slowly realizing they are destined for greatness (and perhaps are even the prophesized Last Azlanti him/herself, as the group thinks Aroden was likely a fraud). Also, they get a minor unique ioun stone.
Ross Byers RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32 |
2 people marked this as a favorite. |
zergtitan wrote:he marched into Gaul for no reason and killed thousands of celts and their culture. I'm sure the guy had enough aspirations to place himself in the calender.OH he had a reason....it's called GOLD....the Celts had it in large supply, and Romes economy was crashing.
Slightly off topic, but I had always assumed that the European obsession with conquering areas for their gold was just due to a basic misunderstand of economics: suddenly filling your coffers with foreign gold doesn't actually cause the economic worth of that gold to be produced. It won't actually raise your GDP.
But I recently read something suggesting that Europe's odd historic obsession with gold was a result of the trade on the Silk Road with the Far East. The Europeans had lots of things they wanted from India and China: silks, spices, tea, porcelain, opium, and so on. But the only things the Far East wanted in return (that Europe could provide) was gold and other precious metals. Which meant there was a net outflow of gold from Europe to the rest of the world: they were perpetually cash-poor because the rich exported money and imported consumables.
Sub-Creator |
how many "end of the world" predictions have we seen (in recent years, no less) where the prophets were wrong and they seemed to not lose much in terms of influence and faith?
If they were wrong, then they are not prophets.
Otherwise, I agree. Incorporate them into an AP! Namely, one based in Absalom, maybe? =D
Steve Geddes |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
nighttree wrote:Slightly off topic, but I had always assumed that the European obsession with conquering areas for their gold was just due to a basic misunderstand of economics: suddenly filling your coffers with foreign gold doesn't actually cause the economic worth of that gold to be produced. It won't actually raise your GDP.zergtitan wrote:he marched into Gaul for no reason and killed thousands of celts and their culture. I'm sure the guy had enough aspirations to place himself in the calender.OH he had a reason....it's called GOLD....the Celts had it in large supply, and Romes economy was crashing.
It puts the individuals who import the new gold at a relative advantage to their neighbours though.
F. Wesley Schneider Editor-in-Chief |
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Alleran wrote:
What mathematics acrobatics, exactly?It's nothing interesting, I promise (no offense to the author). I'm not even sure exactly. Just some division and the numbers 11 and 56, as well as 111 and 565.
Oh, and the Aspis Consortium's Conference Z? It's the X Files. It's so X-Files that a wing of the group was formally known as the Bureau of Inquirers.
I love that people are digging Conference Z, but while the Bureau of Inquirers is definitely meant to be a PC-friendly, X-Files like wing, the group as a whole as another inspiration no one's touched on yet (a whole slew, in fact, but one in particular).
Any guesses?
(The "Z" is relevant, though not to any particular name.)
doc the grey |
Generic Villain wrote:Alleran wrote:
What mathematics acrobatics, exactly?It's nothing interesting, I promise (no offense to the author). I'm not even sure exactly. Just some division and the numbers 11 and 56, as well as 111 and 565.
Oh, and the Aspis Consortium's Conference Z? It's the X Files. It's so X-Files that a wing of the group was formally known as the Bureau of Inquirers.
I love that people are digging Conference Z, but while the Bureau of Inquirers is definitely meant to be a PC-friendly, X-Files like wing, the group as a whole as another inspiration no one's touched on yet (a whole slew, in fact, but one in particular).
Any guesses?
(The "Z" is relevant, though not to any particular name.)
I was thinking that Conference Z was like the Majestic organization in Delta Green while the Bureau of Inquirers were like man of the small time civilian UFO groups that roam around in that setting
Paladinosaur |
Generic Villain wrote:Alleran wrote:
What mathematics acrobatics, exactly?It's nothing interesting, I promise (no offense to the author). I'm not even sure exactly. Just some division and the numbers 11 and 56, as well as 111 and 565.
Oh, and the Aspis Consortium's Conference Z? It's the X Files. It's so X-Files that a wing of the group was formally known as the Bureau of Inquirers.
I love that people are digging Conference Z, but while the Bureau of Inquirers is definitely meant to be a PC-friendly, X-Files like wing, the group as a whole as another inspiration no one's touched on yet (a whole slew, in fact, but one in particular).
Any guesses?
(The "Z" is relevant, though not to any particular name.)
the MIB?
dammit I gotta get this one
Evil Midnight Lurker |
Generic Villain wrote:Alleran wrote:
What mathematics acrobatics, exactly?It's nothing interesting, I promise (no offense to the author). I'm not even sure exactly. Just some division and the numbers 11 and 56, as well as 111 and 565.
Oh, and the Aspis Consortium's Conference Z? It's the X Files. It's so X-Files that a wing of the group was formally known as the Bureau of Inquirers.
I love that people are digging Conference Z, but while the Bureau of Inquirers is definitely meant to be a PC-friendly, X-Files like wing, the group as a whole as another inspiration no one's touched on yet (a whole slew, in fact, but one in particular).
Any guesses?
(The "Z" is relevant, though not to any particular name.)
Foundation X from the recent Kamen Rider shows? They seem to have their fingers in every conceivable variety of human augmentation and alternative energy research projects.
Jim Groves Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 4 |
Cthulhudrew |
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