#thassilon

[thetownsendsw]

I like to imagine the in-world reason for Pathfinder ditching spell-schools is that everybody held on to this ancient Thassilonian system, and then the actual Thassilon starts showing up again, and we see how different they are from the mythology and go “oh, this whole taxonomy is gobbledygook.

“In retrospect yeah, some wizard despots who lionized their own personality flaws all declared the kind of magic they liked to do an innate classification, and we all just went along with it. Gods’ sake, half these ‘schools’ do 6 unrelated things, but DIVINATION is their waste bin taxon?”

[golariontoday]

Storval Rise, Varisia https://pathfinderwiki.com/wiki/Storval_Rise

[monstersdownthepath]

Herald of Lissala: Kurshu the Undying

CR 15

Lawful Evil Large Outsider

Adventure Path: Shattered Star: Into the Nightmare Rift, pg. 88-89

"Lissala?" I hear some of you ask in confusion, "who's Lissala? I've never heard of her!" And as I turn from the chalkboard to explain, the unfortunate who asked is teleported before the decrepit and mummified Kurshu to receive a fate worse than any I could bestow: an in-depth history lesson of an empire which survived for thousands of years before being struck down by an apocalypse. I speak, of course, of ancient Thassilon--the very same empire ruled by the archmages known as the Runelords--of which Lissala was the chief deity. When Thassilon was destroyed by Earthfall, so too was Lissala's faith, an organization of millions reduced to a fraction of its glory in mere moments, which inevitably dwindled until basically nothing was left. Lissala was not killed by this event (though many believe she was), but faded into total obscurity on Golarion, leaving behind countless markers upon history and a great many of her divine creations, Kurshu included.

Even in the modern day, there are very few beings in existence who even know about Lissala, let alone worship her, but nevertheless there are some who still fervently hold onto their faith that she may one day return, chief among them Kurshu herself and the Rune Giants who remain slavishly devoted to both Lissala and the dwindling Runelords. Now and then a true Cleric of Lissala will rise up and show actual divine power, but it's a coin flip as to whether they've truly forged a connection with the lost Thassilonian deity or are being deceived by some other entity... and if they ARE, then they have Hell to pay when Kurshu tracks them down to investigate.

Having spent many thousands of years wandering Golarion and the Great Beyond in the hopes of finding traces of Lissala's presence to soothe her (which the book hearbreakingly describes as "similar to a widower smelling his dead wife's clothes in the hopes of sparking a lost memory"), Kurshu has grown to possess a paradoxical resentment for her deity and creator for abandoning her to wallow among the filth and ruin left in the wake of Thassilon's fall. Though she remains devoted, this devotion is described in a way that almost feels like a drug addiction than a true bond, with every part of Kurshu screaming for any sign of her goddess even while she's is painfully aware of how pitiful it's making her and how much she desires to simply stop and find something else. She hates Lissala. She loves Lissala. She resents her, and yet is fully aware she would gladly crawl back into her master's lap if it meant never again feeling the longing she does now. She is pitiful, but she despises the idea of being pitied. Do not bring up how relieved she looks when a Cleric of Lissala shows true promise, or when she finds some artifact or place which resonates with the power of the lost goddess.

While many Heralds possess duties they're expected to perform, Kurshu is a free agent, able to pursue her own goals. These goals continuously revolve around Lissala and Thassilon, but she is free to pursue them with her endless time, pausing only occasionally for a snack break, but we'll get to THAT in a moment. Unlike other Heralds, Kurshu has no goddess to direct her and is free to respond to the summons or prayers of ANY being that invokes her regardless of alignment should see use in it. She is also able to track down anyone wishing to learn more of Thassilon and its rune magic to teach them, and can actually replace the target of a Greater Planar Ally spell being cast by a Lawful Evil-aligned caster if they're not careful in how they word their requests for knowledge. Guarded by her own obscurity, most beings don't know just who or what they're dealing with until it's far too late, and she's seized control of them. But what will she do once she has someone on a leash? Let's find out...

Kurshu has two primary motivations in any encounter: survive first, and locate more Thassalonian lore after. To aid in her survival, she often has a menagerie of Outsiders of varying alignments and strengths at her beck and call, a small army she is prompted to stock with subject hovering between CR 8 and 10 due to her horrific hunger. You see, without Lissala's divine power flowing into her, Kurshu suffers from Divine Separation, an affliction which imposes 1 negative level every day she goes without devouring the corpse of an Outsider (including Native Outsiders; tieflings and aasimar beware!), which often means that--if she's trying to be economical with her livestock--she's encountered with anywhere between 2 and 6 negative levels to sap her otherwise potent skills.

Further confounding the issue is the fact that she refuses to consume Lawful Evil Outsiders on principal (but will if she's desperate), AND that in order to alleviate her hunger, the consumed victim must have at least 8 Hit Dice; she cannot simply feed upon Quasits to stave off her decay, she must at the very least be slaying creatures like Succubi, Choral Angels, and Pelagastr, creatures which can actually fight back against her. Every HD from a consumed Outsider instantly removes an equal number of negative levels, meaning she can "waste" her food by eating Outsiders with too many HD, something she's painfully aware of and which can often cause her to wait a little longer than advisable between feedings, weakening her if her enemies are trying to hunt her down. Similarly, if she knows she's being hunted she may burn through her supply faster than she intends trying to keep herself at full strength, forcing her into a desperate catch-22 as she runs out of minions to slow her adversaries down.

But how does she keep this army of hers in check? Limited Wish. Unlike many monster entries where Limited Wish is simply a blank check, the book goes into a lot of detail about how Kurshu manipulates this powerful spark of divine magic she retains and can use, for free, 3 times a day. She primarily uses it as Charm Monster to snare the minds of her prey, keeping them docile and willing to listen to her for two weeks per casting, weakening them with a Wished up Mind Fog if need be, though she can also save a wish casting by instead heightening her spells with a 3/day Power Surge, a swift action she can invoke to raise the save DC of the next spell she casts by +2.

In case you thought she only had her wishes available, this is far from the truth. She has a LONG list of 3/day spells available to her, including but not limited to Cure Serious Wounds, Hold Person, Stinking Cloud, and Slow, with simple but potent offensive options like Fireball, Lightning Bolt, and the reliable Vampiric Touch. She can counter enemy tricks with Dispel Magic and defend herself or a valuable ally with Displacement, and of course she can use all of these while flying*, leaving her foes to tangle with her ground-bound allies while she rains debuffs, damage, and debilitation upon them.

*NOTE: There's an error in her Archives of Nethys sheet; she's supposed to have a 60ft Fly speed (Good) maneuverability!

The book amusingly notes that her tendency to have a flock of Chaotic Outsiders with her, and her own withered appearance, causes many of her enemies to waste powerful anti-Chaos or anti-Undead spells upon her in the mistaken belief she is also some minion of chaos or undeath, often giving her just enough time to retaliate with a powerful blow of her own. In especially dramatic cases, someone may rush up and hit her with a powerful Cure Wounds or Heal spell in the hopes of ending her, only to watch her HP refill and invite her retaliation.

She's no melee fighter and prefers to keep at a distance for fear of death, but the token melee abilities she has are quite potent: her lashing tail can slam victims for 1d8+2 damage, then Grab and constrict them for 1d8+5 damage each round until they either escape or succumb to whatever spell she prepares to melt their brains with via Limited Wish (such as the crushing, no-save-allowed Geas, a spell that LW allows her to cast as a standard action!). And speaking of brain-melting, I'm sure there's a very select audience reading this that will enjoy knowing the snake woman can also shave 1d4 Intelligence off any creature she strikes with either of her two slam attacks (1d8+5 on their own), allowing her to literally beat someone stupid.

Defensively, Kurshu is a tank to a degree matched by few other casting-focused Heralds. 30 AC, DR 10 that's only bypassed by a magical cold iron weapon, and a decent 26 SR to fizzle most spells being cast by the creatures she's hoping to face. She's also got 30 Resistance to (almost) every element but Force, severely cutting down on any attempt to damage her with elemental power... unless that power is Acid damage, which not only does she have no resistance to, but is the only damage type that shuts off her Regeneration 5, an ability she will take full advantage of by keeping out of reach or even teleporting away to heal up.

Kurshu does not wish to fight to the death, and will use her 3/day Greater Teleport or Plane Shift to escape any encounter that begins to turn against her, and trying to counter that with Dimensional Anchor or similar may see her using Limited Wish to break the effect without risking a dispel check failure... or simply teleport her enemies away instead of herself. "Wait, that's not a spell effect in Pathfinder!" To which I smile and point at the fourth line in Limited Wish: "Produce any other effect whose power level is in line with the above effects, such as a single creature automatically hitting on its next attack or taking a -7 penalty on its next saving throw." The example lines on LM's spell card are merely to show the power level it can manage, its actual effect can be anything that roughly matches a 6th level Wizard or Sorcerer spell in terms of power, which a hostile Dimension Door effect to send multiple people hundreds of feet away falls into. Even if she can't get the full party with it, splitting them enough to let her either pick off one or two key members or simply flee the combat is a good enough use in her eyes.

Having spent millennia avoiding her own death with a fear matched only by mortals, Kurshu has no end to emergency options. As mentioned, she can Greater Teleport or Plane Shift away from conflicts she wants no part of up to 3/day. In addition, she has both Craft Wondrous Item and Scribe Scroll, but can combine them with her unique Spell-Like Crafting, allowing her to use her spell-like abilities to meet the prerequisites when creating magic items, something that would normally prevent her from having three or four Limited Wishes on her belt waiting for her personal supply to run out. The same can be said for her transport spells, or scrolls of Tongues (which she can use at-will), Stinking Cloud, or Slow. Such valuable items also act as potent bribes to make other Lawful creatures more likely to serve her by their own free will, if she doesn't simply wish up a pile of valuables to pay them.

Kurshu can be a frightening and powerful foe, even moreso than most other Heralds due to the lack of divine restriction she operates under. She does not need to be invited into a situation by Lissala's worshipers, she can simply show up of her own free will with a small army of fiends, monitors, and celestials at her beck and call, and now everyone simply has to deal with her presence and whatever nonsense her ensorcelled "allies" are getting up to. Why is she here? That's probably the true mystery of the adventure, and solving it brings the party one step closer to making her leave without provoking her potentially apocalyptic wrath.

You can read more about her here.

[dailycharacteroption]

Runelord (Pathfinder Second Edition Archetype)

(art by Vinicius Silva on Artstation)

In the ancient empire of Thassilon, the seven Runelords, powerful mages, ruled, having split the nation into seven pieces after betraying and seizing power from their emperor, the archmage Xin. There, they rules by exemplifying the Seven Virtues of Rule, which they unfortunately indulged in to the point they became the Seven Deadly Sins, all of which were associated with the Seven Schools of Magic, that were…

…What? The Remastered version of 2E revised the wizard so that schools were based on broader philosophies rather than specific types of magic, and the school tags on spells no longer exist beyond the most blatantly obvious ones that are legally uncopywriteable (such as “illusion”), all to help the Remaster’s purpose of distancing itself from D&D in case Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro are not dissuaded by fan backlash the next time they try to screw over the entire hobby with their greedy corporate ways, and thereby stripped some of the oldest Pathfinder lore of context in the process? Well crap.

Alright, we’re going to address THAT elephant in a moment, but let’s talk a bit about what a Runelord was, and is now.

You see, Xin, genius that he was, believed that runic magic was linked to the key principles of arcane magic, and he was definitely onto something, because he discovered the seven runes that seemed like the prime runic manifestations of the seven schools of magic as Thassilon understands them. With them at the core of one’s spells, one could build tremendous works of arcane power assuming you had great enough understanding.

However, with these powerful runes came a rush of power and emotion, specifically, those tied to the emotions that were associated with his philosophy of seven virtues. And while he was more disciplined and chose to use each equally as a universalist, his seven students chose to specialize, and were unprepared for how good these new emotions and urges felt, and began to indulge, corrupting the virtues into sins, and themselves into the tyrants that would make their homeland into the classic evil mage empire it became.

Nowadays, however, there are mages that emulate the runic magic of the runelords in hopes of achieving great power, but while some succumb to the same urges as their forebears, others, particularly those that follow Sorshen’s path in New Thassilon, try to control those urges so that their power does not rule them as it did the mages of the old empire.

Now then, back to that elephant.

If you’re playing with the remastered edition, using this archetype might be tough. I’ve said several times, but the Remaster is meant to work with the older material, rather than entirely replace it, so you can easily use the old schools alongside the new schools, treating them collectively as different aspects of the “Thassilonian school”.

However, if you insist on not using the old material at all, here’s a handy guide to mapping the runelord schools to the modern ones.

Abjuration (Envy) maps to the school of Ars Grammatica, with an emphasis on spells that provide protective wards or undo enemy magic.

Conjuration (Sloth) maps to the school of Civic Wizardry, as well as throwing in all those summoning and teleportation spells for good measure.

Enchantment (Lust), and Illusion (Pride) fall pretty solidly under the school of Mentalism, the former favoring magic that alters the mind, while the latter focuses on spells that project false stimuli or deal with shadows.

Evocation (Wrath) is pretty obviously the School of Battle Magic.

Necromancy (Gluttony) follows the school of Boundary.

And Transmutation (Greed) is the school of Protean Form (or maybe the school of Civic Wizardry if you wanna focus more on transmuting nonliving matter rather than other creatures)

Now obviously you can talk with your GM about shifting what schools are in-school for you to better match the magic schools of old, but it’s a good starting point.

But in any case, let’s get down to mechanics of the school.

This archetype, unlike most in Second Edition, is limited only to the wizard class, which makes sense given that the tradition is based purely on studious application of arcane magic from an empire of wizards. As such, like most archetypes that fundamentally change aspects of your spellcasting, you technically take it at first level rather than 2nd, though the dedication feat must still be taken at 2nd.

Essentially, these mages choose their school, gaining an additional rune spell in addition to their school spell, and can regain focus by indulging in the sin associated with their school in addition to study. Later on, they also learn the advanced rune spell of their school as well, and are trained in polearm fighting, as such weapons were the symbols of office for runelords.

However, this comes at the price of being completely locked out of learning or using the magic of the specific opposition schools of your chosen school, your school of thought and focus on a single aspect of the runes making them inimical to learning these opposed aspects.

The schools in question are abjuration, associated with envy and the desire to protect one’s own while undoing any who dare be greater than themselves, as well as  involving spells of inducing ambition and envy in others and bolster your own daring to prove yourself. (with the opposition of evocation and necromancy)

Then comes conjuration, associated with sloth and the desire to do just enough work to be able to summon servants and matter from thin air to do your work for you. They are associated with magic to teleport items to their hands, as well as summon forth a toxic mire that saps the will and energy of those trapped in it. (Opposed by evocation and illusion)

Enchantment is associated with lust, naturally, and the urge to fulfill one’s desires with no regard for who gets hurt. The school spells for it include charming with a touch and creating an aura of awe and adoration. (Opposed by necromancy and transmutation)

Meanwhile evocation is associated with wrath, which makes sense as their fury can be terrible and destructive. Their spells allow them to infuse a weapon with spiritual might to strike deadly blows, and imbue allies with a fury to achieve victory in battle. (Opposed by abjuration and conjuration)

Illusionists are associated with pride, hiding their flaws behind magical deception. Their magic wards them against fear with delusions of confidence, and hinders foes with an overinflated ego. (Opposed by conjuration and transmutation)

Necromancy is associated with the gluttonous hungers of the dead, always eager for more. Their power allows them to burden others with a full belly and the nausea and ungainliness that come with it (though they are indeed fed), as well as help or hinder those afflicted by disease or poison. (Opposed by abjuration and enchantment)

And finally, Transmutation is associated with greed, always hungering for that which they value, upscaling other things into what they desire. They can create visions of awe-inspiring wealth, or briefly turn metal items, including weapons, into much more valuable and esoteric materials. (Opposed by enchantment and illusion).

And now that we’ve talked about all the schools, it’s finally time to mention the archetype’s dedication feat. In this case, this dedication starts the caster down the path of their specialization, granting an extra cantrip, and an extra spell learned each level which must be of their favored school.

Aeon stones were invented by the Azlanti and arguably perfected by the Thassilonians, but the fact they orbit the user brings up the problem of theft. So some of these casters have learned to emulate the ancient technique and fashion statement of imbedding these stones in their skin to make them harder to steal.

Many also delve into magical tattoos, becoming skilled at crafting them and learning several basic forms on top of it.

Those with embedded stones also learn how to make their stones resonate in the same way as if they were placed in a wayfinder or similar device, though they can only maintain one such resonance each day, at least at first. Further study lets them do so with up to four.

As they train with them, these wizards become more competent with polearms, able to perform useful and deadly attacks and techniques with them.

By indulging in the sin of their choice during preparation, they gain enough reserves of energy to prepare two additional spells, though obviously if their actions harm others, it may affect the kind of person they are.

Staves and polearms are similar shapes, and it is very common for runelords to merge the two into multipurpose tools and weapons, using the better of the two.

Their fundamental knowledge of their school allows them to find ways to undermine a foe’s spell even if they do not have the same magic prepared, sacrificing any spell of the same school to counter a foe’s magic, as long as said school is their specialization.

Others use that came control over their school to not just counter a foe’s spell, but wrest control of that magic away, allowing them to redirect it as they please. A wrath runelord turning a fireball back on it’s caster, a lust runelord dominating someone who dared try to subvert their mind instead, and so on.

This is a fun archetype for a wizard that wants to go old school D&D with their favored school and opposition schools and get some neat rewards out of it, all with the fun flavor of great power risking corruption. Depending on what school you are specializing in, this archetype’s build can vary a lot, but there’s something for every sort of wizard here, I feel. Just remember that you may have to modify a few things based on whether you use the Remastered schools exclusively or not, and be sure to confirm with your GM what spells count as each school in the modern post-remastered environment.

The fact that this archetype tied directly into the temptation towards selfish desire is very interesting to explore, though obviously not for every table or even every player. A lust runelord could easily go into territory that not everyone is comfortable with depending on the table, as could they all in their own way. Also consider that these were originally supposed to be virtues, albeit ones skewed by very different priorities. What might be interesting is trying to counteract them with the actual virtues in polar opposition to the sin in question. A kind, merciful evoker who turns their powers on others only reluctantly, or a love enchanter that never controls, only infusing others with emotion to bolster or hamper them, and so on.

Marimo Sewers are such a breeding ground for swamp oozes that they have become a notorious place for fledgling adventurers to go and train themselves by curbing the population. However, they hold a secret many overlook, paths deeper that lead to the foundations upon which the city was built… and the ancient magic forsaken by the forebears.

Ancient wizards often get up to all sorts of horrible things, and it’s easy to see how such cruelty could lead to species-wide trauma, like the goloma of Rebora Rainforest, who distrust all outsiders, but mages especially, shunning the ruins of a lost empire in particular.

The existence of certain powerful illusion spells proves that the line between reality and fantasy is thinner than most suspect, and Helgan of Paleridge is obsessed with exploring that mystery, delving into the ancient rune magic to do so. However, such magic comes with risks to the mind, and the young mage risks a terrible fate, going too far and attempting to bridge the borders of the real, only to become a figment and fade away.

[mk-robinsteve]

Deep under Magnimar (possibly beyond the Irespan) but still looking for the shard's target, the Fearless Four are dreaming of fried chicken, ice cream, pizza and french fries. They are learning all kinds of minuetae about Thassilon (e.g., there were 4 male and 3 female Runelords, Alaznist didn't always look furious, the seven Runelords shared some figurative - or literal - item of power, and more). They are still seeking the so-called Rift Siphon to let Nessari leave and close it behind her, and are clearing this area of a multitude of lesser devils...

Still, they wonder about the shard. Is it one-seventh of a larger item the Runelords broke apart (a bas relief they found suggested this)? And why did it point them to the Crow? They continue to delve deeper below the Irespan...

[justicegundam82]

Pathfinder Fanfiction: Prologue

Well... I thought I might allow myself a little bit of shameless self-promotion. XD

I have started publishing my own Pathfinder fanfiction, featuring my own take on the world of Golarion, and inspired by my gaming group's campaigns throughout the years. Book 1 of "Age of the Lost Omens" has just been published on fanfiction.net. For now it's just a prologue, but I plan on trying to update it as often as I can.

I also plan on publishing stats for the original characters that will appear in this story.

If you are interested in reading more, you can find this story at my fanfiction.net account here

All trademarks here are copyright of Paizo Publishing, Legendary Games or Wizards of the Coast. This story has been written for fun, and I'm not making any money out of this.

With that said, I hope you enjoy!

AGE OF THE LOST OMENS

BOOK 1: RISE OF THE RUNELORDS

PROLOGUE

"Lady Alaznist. I trust you'll pardon the intrusion."

A clear and eloquent, yet distinctly arrogant and cruel male voice echoed in the large, richly decorated sanctuary, just a moment after an imposing figure materialized at the entrance. Two pairs of indignant eyes abruptly turned to the intruder, who advanced with a confidence bordering on hubris, as though he was daring the inhabitants of the sanctuary to try and stop him. "The hour is at hand. Thassilon falls today." the man continued, with the same detachment he would have had if he had been talking about the weather. The magical flames that burned in the braziers neatly arranged in the salon spectacularly illuminated the man's figure - tall, with an impressive physique and a charming countenance, short jet black hair and a matching, well-groomed goatee. Complex runes were tattooed on his chest and arms, instantly giving him away for who he truly was - one of the seven Runelords, the immensely powerful wizards who ruled the satrapies that once were Thassilon.

The first of the two figures already standing in the sanctuary - a tall and statuesque middle-aged woman with long red hair, garbed in elegant red-and-gold robes, her face perpetually contorted in a wrathful expression - imperiously stepped towards the man. "How dare you be so impudent as to violate my sanctum, Xanderghul?" she thundered. "Your much vaunted pride will eventually lead you to your death!"

"You are not welcome here, Runelord!" growled the massive creature covered in purple scales standing next to the woman in red.

The man named Xanderghul, known as the Runelord of Pride, met such threats with an almost bored expression as he smoothed the long green cloak he was wrapped in. His collar, made in peacock feathers carefully weaved together, moved just a little as Xanderghul calmly approached. "Would you be so kind as to silence your creature, Alaznist, lest I be forced to banish it?" he asked presumptuously. "It would be remiss not to inform you that your council chamber can scarcely impress me. I have just come back from the throne room of the Emperor of Azlant himself."

The woman, Alaznist, approached Xanderghul until she was almost an inch away from his nose, trying to invade his space. "Azlant?" she growled. "So you would return to those who exiled us, like a kicked dog to its master? I knew you for a self-centered fool, Xanderghul, but I never thought you a traitor, too!"

Xanderghul gave Alaznist a sidelong glance. "Azlant lies in ruins." he replied. "It is but a shadow, a mockery of its former glory. And the emperor grows old and feeble. He has gone so far as to beg me to take his place upon the Throne of Glass." He swept his gaze around the council room. "And I must admit, it has got a certain ring to it. Xanderghul, Emperor of Azlant."

Alaznist's anger seemed to abate at least a little, and the woman broke away from Xanderghul and sighed. "And yet here you are, across the sea in Thassilon once again. I could not help but notice you are not even wearing a crown."

The showy Runelord of Pride shook his head. "Aroden, the hero of the cult, ruined everything." he replied, with a bitterness that slightly marred his presumptuous attitude. "He claimed the sword of rulership for himself. And since then, a great chaos thundered across the skies."

Xanderghul raised a hand and touched a mural that featured a strange symbol, resembling a seven-pointed star. "Now the empire is being ruled by the veiled masters. In fact, I suspect that has always been the case." he continued. "And when the succession didn't go their way, they summoned a hail of flaming stones from beyond the sky. They demolished the palace and shattered the throne. They want us to remember our place."

Alaznist frowned and stared at Xanderghul as the Runelord of Pride turned back to her with an elegant swirl of his cloak. "Azlant is dead. Thassilon is soon to follow." he stated. "And you... you were always my favorite, Alaznist. Let the other Runelords stay here and rot. You and I shall seclude ourselves from the impending storm, and emerge when the destruction is over. It will be then that you will help restore Thassilon to its former glory."

The woman dressed in red did not react, but she was privately seething with anger. Such arrogance, to think that she, Lady Alaznist, Runelord of Wrath, would stoop to being a stooge to someone else, even Lord Xanderghul. But at that moment, it would be a bad idea to act on her rage. With a considerable effort, Alaznist swallowed her venomous words and continued to stare at Xanderghul, who began to vanish with a simple wave of his hand.

"It is time, Alaznist. Enter your runewell. Prepare for a long rest. It will be many, many years before our next meeting." With these words, Xanderghul vanished entirely, leaving Alaznist and her servant alone in the great chamber.

The purple-scaled creature shook its horned head and waved its hand, showing sharp claws the size of billhooks. "We should have killed him while we had the chance, my lady." he thundered.

Alaznist put a hand on the creature's shoulder, its muscles feeling like hardened steel at her touch. "All in due time, my loyal castellan. All in due time." she replied in a more relaxed tone. "As much of a conceited fool as Xanderghul is, he is right. It is time for me to depart. And you must the fortress until my return. When the thundering is done and the shattered ruins of our kingdom awaken from the long night to come, I shall emerge from my runewell to build a new Thassilon."

The woman walked up to a window that overlooked a bleak landscape of ruin and destruction, a land devastated by the fiery stones that incessantly hailed from the lead-hued sky. "Use the Key I gave you to protect the fortress. The new era will need a proper seat of power. Bend the people to your will. Let them never forget the rule of Alaznist, Runelord of Wrath!"

The demon bowed his head. "As you command, o mighty Lady Alaznist." she replied. "How long will you be gone?"

Alaznist's grim face relaxed into an evil smile. "Do not worry. It should not take more than a few thousand years."

Outside, the meteor shower had intensified, razing everything at the foot of the great mountain... on the side of which stood the wrathful Runelord's sculpted face, staring in cruel contempt at everything that belonged to her.

For now, it was time to go. In time, Thassilon would be reborn, and the whole world would have to bow down to the Runelords once more...

oooooooooo

In another place, at the same time ...

"I figured they would make their move soon enough. To be honest, I'm surprised they didn't do it sooner." the glaive-wielding archmage standing in the center of the great hall remarked, vaguely amused. Dressed quite revealingly, in a sort of red and black leather costume that left little to the imagination, and holding an impressive pole weapon with a curved blade at each end in a single hand, the woman reached the center of the great red pentacle etched on the floor, which seemed to flow as if it had been drawn in blood. The two figures standing in the center of the pentacle silently waited for their mistress, and the woman gazed around the room, as if she wanted to imprint that familiar place in her mind before having to leave it for a long time. "Lord Xanderghul and Lady Alaznist must have already retired to their runewells, mighty Lady Sorshen." said one of the two individuals in the center of the room - an incredibly handsome man who seemed to be in his late twenties, boasting a model's stunning, sculpted physique, wrapped in elegant red robes decorated with golden runes, his bare chest and muscular arms decorated with mystical markings of the same color as the blood that permeated the pentacle... and the walls of the room. "We believe that Lord Karzoug will follow shortly... as for Lord Zutha, Lord Krune and Lady Belimarius, they are also taking the necessary measures."

"The Cenotaph is literally flooded with magical energy." answered the other man, a young man with short black hair dressed in an elegant white silk toga with a pair of golden sandals, silver bracelets on the wrists, and his face and shoulders decorated with small black runes. "Lord Zutha has taken drastic action."

"I understand..." Sorshen, the Runelord of Lust, answered, her mind going to the crisis her kingdom was going through. Never before had Thassilon been on the brink of destruction like it was right now. First Azlant, and now them...

The woman shook her head and pulled back her long, elegant black hair with a smooth gesture of her free hand. "I will admit that sharing my findings on the runewells with Xanderghul and the others... was not really my smartest idea. But right now, it would be pointless to regret it. What's done is done." The archmage walked towards an immense stone altar, on which stood a colossal statue representing the Runelord of Lust, standing completely nude with just her weapon in hand. With a chilling rumble, a few conducts yawned open in the walls as several stone slabs slid to the side, revealing red-encrusted ducts behind them. A moment later, rivers of thick scarlet blood began to flow from the ducts and pour into a great canal that surrounded Sorshen's power center. The scarlet liquid began to glow, bathing the room in a sick crimson glow, and a pungent smell of iron spread everywhere... but neither the woman nor her two attendants seemed disturbed in the least. Sorshen lowered her arm and turned to her two subordinates, tapping the ground with one of the blades of her polearm. "It is time for me to join my esteemed fellow Runelords in our millennial sleep." she stated, her voice tinged with irony. "When Earthfall is over, there will be much rebuilding to be done... and I'd rather it be done without undue interference. You already understand what I mean by that... do you not, Kazsethil?"

The woman gave a mischievous and seductive smile to the man dressed in red, and he responded in kind, bowing his head. The long, wavy brown hair framing his face moved slightly as Kazsethil looked into his lady's eyes. "We will perform our duty to the best of our abilities. Solusen and I will make sure that there will be no issue with your return."

Solusen, the man in toga and sandals, nodded in affirmation, as Sorshen temporarily stared into her subordinates' eyes, as if she was trying to read their thoughts without using magic. "That is satisfactory." the Runelord of Lust answered. "I will leave things in your hands, Kazsethil. I will be counting on you."

"But if you think I trust you completely, you have another thing coming." she added to herself.

oooooooooo

"HEH. FOOLISH HAIRLESS APES. IT'S TOO LATE FOR YOU NOW. YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BY NOW, THAT THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO TO ESCAPE YOUR SERVITUDE."

The alien mind trapped under countless magical bonds in the impenetrable depths of the sea still retained some remnants of consciousness. His enormous psychic powers reacted to the events that were ravaging the surface world, sensing every single life that was being snuffed out, their terror and their sense of helplessness in the face of nature turning against them.

For the mighty veiled master Ochymua, high representative of the alghollthu on Golarion and commander of the ulat-kini legions, this devastation was his revenge.

"MY ONLY REGRET IS THAT I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SEE THE DOWNFALL OF HUMANITY BEFORE I FALL TO THIS TIMELESS SLEEP. FOR SURE, FROM NOW ON, NOTHING WILL BE ABLE TO OPPOSE THE ALGHOLLTHU DOMINATION... "

Ochymua was unable to articulate another thought before he sank into a timeless stasis...

oooooooooo

On that day, Earthfall changed life on Golarion forever...

But the alghollthu had underestimated the human race.

In time, even as the Azlanti were forgotten, humanity would rebuild what was lost...

The Runelords became nothing but a distant memory shrouded in the mists of time.

The memory of the veiled masters faded from the minds of the surface dwellers...

Ten thousand years after Earthfall, Golarion was a planet rich in cultures and creatures of all kinds. But its story was still troubled by wars, enmities and calamities.

With the death of the living god, Aroden, the world entered what was later known the "Age of Lost Omens". And in this era, Golarion prepares to face an even greater crisis...

oooooooooo TO BE CONTINUED...

[smiteworks]

New Release Pathfinder 2 RPG - Pathfinder Adventure: Rusthenge Paizo Inc.

Rusthenge is a deluxe Pathfinder adventure for 1st-level characters.

The ruins of Rusthenge have stood silent vigil over the southern coastline of Chakikoth Isle for eons, dating back to the era of the Runelords of ancient Thassilon. The town of Iron Harbor was built in Rusthenge's shadow, but now that New Thassilon has risen from the depths of the distant past, the old ruins are coming under unexpected scrutiny. Something sinister is afoot in Rusthenge, and it falls to a brand new band of adventurers to learn the truth of the ancient evil that stirs deep within its long-abandoned halls! This adventure also includes new items and character backgrounds, as well as a pair of new monsters tied to the region's notorious history.

[real-live-human]

Floor 10, Room 7

weekly theme: blood

while these massive arachnid monstrosities were originally called to golarion by the runelords of thassilon, their hunger for blood has not faded over the centuries.

monsters: 1x scarlet walker

loot: there is nothing of value here.

[probablyfunrpgideas]

There are some great themes built into the magic for sure! You could also make up your own symbolism - abjurers are phlegmatic, evokers are melancholic etc. Dragonlance groups some schools of magic into specialties from the towers of High Sorcery! Or, if you’re a Pathfinder fan, use their magic specialties based on the seven deadly sins. They have one for each school except divination: sloth is conjuration because the mages have summoned servants to do their chores, pride is illusion because they make false beauty and wealth, etc. But they also have opposed schools of magic based on the historic rivalries of Thassilon!

Idea: create a world where every school of magic has jealously guarded secrets, and make unique wizard backgrounds to represent the different specialties.

Cannot express my love of specialty mages enough. A freaking abjurer? You are an expert in casting protective magicks??? The flavor of each is so ripe for roleplaying

[ravenkult]

Rise of New Thassilon by Ekaterina Burmak https://www.artstation.com/artwork/GXoGLV

[madcat-world]

Artifacts of Thassilon - 000Fesbra000

[grailfinders]

Fate and Phantasms #11p: EMIYA

Today on Fate and Phantasms we’re making the nameless swordsman who really isn’t that nameless, EMIYA! He’s an Inventor because he’s got to make all sorts of wonderful toys and also make those wonderful toys explode on command. Aside from that, he’s also an Archer- duh- and an Eldritch Archer to add even more effects to his sword-arrows. Check out his build breakdown below the cut, or his character sheet over here!

Next up: Shiny boy

Ancestry and Background

EMIYA is a Human, giving him a boost in Dexterity and Intelligence. He’s also a Skilled Human, so he’s pretty good with Arcana since that’s how he makes all his weapons. You’re trained in it now, and you’ll be an expert for free at level 5.

Also, since we’re from New Thassilon (kinda, I’ll explain in a sec) we can use Arcane Tattoos to learn the Shield spell for free. It’s an action to cast, and it raises a magical shield that doesn’t require a free hand, so you can use Aegis and your bow at the same time. It can even block attacks that can’t miss, like magic missile, or Gae Bolg.

At level 5, you can Sense Allies. Most of those are servants, which are usually pretty easy to spot anyway.

You’re also a Hardy Traveler, helping you move faster during travel. Gotta scout out the next arena, after all. Look, it’s level nine, you’re not gonna get anything fancy here.

All Emiyas are nothing without their Stubborn Persistence (at level 13), so whenever you’d become fatigued you can make a flat check to not do that. It’s almost like your biggest strength and weakness is your willingness to sacrifice yourself for others or something, geez.

The good news is that will eventually give you a Heroic Presence at level 17 so you can cast Zealous Conviction to make everyone behind you fight a little bit better. You can also command them if it wouldn’t be something they’d hate to do, but you’re the servant here, so you’re totally not going to use that.

Hey, did you know that Time Traveler is an actual background in this game? It’s fuckin great. They also mention New Thassilon, a nation of time-travelers, by name. And I mean if it gives us a shield I’m not saying no to that. This gives you another set of boosts in dexterity and wisdom, and once per day you can Bend Time as a free action, giving you another action you can use to stride. Archers have a very specific range they work well in, you’ve got to be able to keep that distance.

You also get trained in three lores. The Heraldry lore will help you remember famous heroes and more importantly, their ideals swords. You also have some Alaya lore memorized thanks to being a counter guardian. Finally, you didn’t think I’d forget to give this man some Cooking lore, did you? Come one, what kind of amateur do I look like to you?

Class Levels

1. Starting off as an Inventor, whos key stat is Intelligence. Get ready for a lotta training. You’re trained in Perception, reflex saves, class DC, all attacks and armor, crafting, athletics, deception, and occultism. Then, as you level up and get a bigger brain, you get trained in survival, stealth, society, intimidation, and thievery. You also become an expert in Fortitude and Will saves.

As for the actual level stuff: an Ability Boost in Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, and Wisdom. You can also make an Innovation, a weapon you make that has a level equal to yours, and can be rebuilt in 1 day of downtime if destroyed. We’ll make this a longbow, though since it’s your super cool special longbow it can’t be used by anyone else. This also gives you access to modifications, ways to make your extra special bow even more special. You start off with only one, like Modular Head, but you get more as you level. This means you can make your arrows nonlethal, bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing as an action while interacting with it, so right off the bat you have access to sword arrows, arrow arrows, and… club? arrows? I guess? Whatever, you can fire a lot of stuff now.

You can also make your weapon Explode as an Unstable action. After an unstable action, you have to make a flat check- if you fail, you can’t use unstable actions again until you spend 10 minutes fixing it. If you critically fail (missing the mark by 10 points or more), you take damage as it explodes in your face. Speaking of- actually exploding. It deals a bit of fire damage in a 5’ radius around the weapon. The downside is this only makes the bow explode, not the arrows. So close, yet so far. We’ll fix that later.

For your first class feat, you can take the Unstable action Haphazard Repair to fix your bow on the fly. You are an archer, that’s pretty important.

You can also go into Overdrive once a round, making a crafting check to do so. On a success, you deal extra damage based on your intelligence modifier for 1 minute. This can’t stack, but you can try again for a critical success that doubles the extra damage. On a critical failure you take fire damage and can’t overdrive for 1 minute.

Despite not being a master at crafting yet, you also get the Inventor feature, letting you spend a downtime to create a common formula that you can use to make items later. This takes the same amount of time as actually crafting the item, so I hope you have a week to burn if you want to learn that new Noble Phantasm.

Also, you get the Shield Block feat, but the shield spell’s better.

2. At level 2 you can add Built-In-Tools to your bow so you can turn it into cookware. That is a perfectly normal use for a weapon, hush.

You’re also Seasoned, giving you a +1 bonus to crafting food and drink, including potions. Once you hit master in cooking lore or crafting this becomes a +2. There’s literally a whole anime and video game about how awesome Emiya is at cooking, I don’t think I need to explain that here.

We also pick up the Archer Dedication this level, so once you’re an expert with your bow you’ll get the critical specialization from using it. This means you will be able to immobilize enemies by sticking them to a surface with an arrow. Classic samurai movie gag.

3. A third level inventor can go into Expert Overdrive. This makes you an expert at crafting, and successful Overdrives deal an extra 1 damage each hit.

We’re going to immediately leverage that for some Magical Crafting- now you can craft magic items, and you get four common formulas for free.

While we’re on the expert train, let’s bump up your Cooking Lore too while we’re at it. Again, check out Today’s Menu for the Emiya Family for more information.

One last thing- you can Reconfigure your modifications, both the one on your bow, as well as any modification feats like Built-In-Tools, spending 1 day and making a crafting check to attempt it.

4. At fourth level you can now make a Megaton Strike with your fancy bow, spending two actions to make a single attack with an extra damage die, plus the number increases as you level. On top of all that, you can make this action Unstable to add yet another damage die to the attack. It’s not quite exploding yet, but you’re definitely charging up now.

You also get an Arcane Sense to track down other servants at a distance, and you can make a Quick Shot as soon as you pull out your bow. You can’t use a megaton strike on this one, but every second counts when a berserker is charging you down.

5. At fifth level we get a little more well-rounded with this Ability Boost hitting your Strength, Constitution, Wisdom, and Intelligence. You also get Inventor Weapon Expertise, doing exactly what you’d think it would, but also giving you your weapon innovation’s critical specialization anyway to make the Archer dedication feel bad about itself.

Also you’re better at Athletics now to help make it easier to climb up buildings for dramatic sniper shots.

6. At level six your archer sight kicks in, giving you Visual Fidelity. Now you have darkvision and low light vision, and you can even see invisible creatures, though they’re indistinct enough to be considered concealed. It’s also a lot harder for you to get blinded, since any effect doing so needs to make a counteract check first.

You can also make a Powerful Leap for more mobility, and you can make a double shot with two actions. Both attacks get a -2 penalty, but they don’t count against your multiattack bonus until they’re both made.

7. A seventh level inventor makes a Breakthrough Innovation, giving you a second tier of modification to add to your bow like an Advanced Rangefinder. This increases its range by 10 feet and gives it the backstabber feat, dealing extra damage against flat-footed creatures. Fights go so much easier when people don’t know they’re in one.

You also get the general feat Unmistakable Lore, so your critical failures to figure out recipes is only  a regular failure instead.

For your skill increases, your Lightning Reflexes make you an expert at reflex saves, as does your increase in Occultism checks. You’re also able to Master Overdrive, dealing another +1 damage per hit for a total of +2 and making you a master at crafting.

Finally, your Weapon Specialization lets you do even more damage with weapons you’re good at like bows. This is a bow-focused build, and to be honest I’m just glad we made it out of laser sword junction.

8. At eighth level you can now make a Gigaton Strike. This isn’t anything new, but if you successfully hit with an unstable Megaton Strike, it’ll also shove the creature back a bit if they fail a fortitude save. Launching a club at someone’s gonna make them stumble. Hopefully.

You can also Rapid Mantel, climbing up an edge as soon as you grab it, for an even easier time scaling buildings. Plus, once you’re on top you can spend two actions on an Archer’s Aim, making a ranged strike with a +2 bonus and letting you ignore if a target is concealed. If they’re hidden, you’ll still have a check to make, but it’s smaller than usual. So yes, this mixes with your Visual Fidelity so you can even hit invisible targets without an issue.

9. At ninth level your Inventive Expertise makes you an expert with your class DC. You’re also an expert in Stealth now too, though given how far you like to be from the battlefield I’m not sure you’d need it.

You also gain an Offensive Boost to your bow, adding 1d6 of any kind of damage to every attack you make. I’d go with slashing to make everything you shoot kind of sword-ish, but you can also pick between fire, cold, electric, acid, bludgeoning, and piercing, and you can swap them around like you do most modifications.

10. Level ten means we get another Ability Boost in Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence and Wisdom. You’ve also met with Edison (or was it Tesla?) by this point, so you can turn an arrow into a Megavolt, creating a 20’ line of electric damage with two actions. It deals damage like a D&D sneak attack, so 5d4 now, and another d4 every two levels. You can also make this Unstable to make it a 60’-90’ line that deals d12s of damage, and once you have a revolutionary innovation it can go up to 120’.

You’ve also copied enough NPs by now to have Assured Identification, so if you don’t know what something is at least you won’t mis-identify it.

You can also enter a Mobile Shot Stance as an action, letting you make ranged attacks in close quarters without triggering attacks of opportunity. Fighting Heracles is tough enough without giving him free hits. On top of that, you can use ranged weapons for attacks of opportunities as well.

11. At eleventh level you become a Shadow Mark, making it easier for you to avoid notice while trailing someone. This also makes it easier for you to ambush them while trailing them by giving them the same penalty to their initiative roll.

You gain Medium Armor Expertise, and your Resolve makes you a master at Will saves and you always critically succeed if you don’t fail. You’re also trained in Acrobatics to make avoiding attacks a little easier.

12. As a twelfth level inventor, your Boost Modulation helps you change up your fights even more, giving you two more offensive boosts to choose from, all from the original list. On top of that, you can use the same action you use to modify your bow’s damage type to change the boost type as well. Now you can completely change your arrows to slashing, piercing, and bludgeoning again, or you can spring for the elemental damage types- the world is your oyster!

We’ve been talking about climbing up buildings a lot, but not about falling off them. Thanks to Cat Fall, your falls are basically 10’ shorter than they should be, so you take less damage.

This is also the level where you finally become an Eldritch Archer by picking up their dedication. You can now cast a cantrip from the common spell list of your choosing. It uses your charisma which is… not good, but you can use an Eldritch Shot to get around that. First though, we have to pick a spell list. Nasu magic is probably a mix between Arcane and Occult, but I’m going with the latter. You’re part of a secret organization, and besides that Nasu magic works on being occult anyway.

So then, Eldritch Shot. You can spend three actions to cast a spell that takes 1-2 actions, channeling the spell into your bow. Then you make an attack, and if you hit, you hit with both your arrow and the spell. Boom, now we don’t need to invest in charisma! (this also makes you trained in occult spellcasting and DCs)

Now the problem is there’s only two cantrips from the occult list that have an attack roll… I guess we’re picking up Telekinetic Projectile to fire a second arrow.

13. Level 13! This is mostly skill bumps again. You’re an expert in perception, a master with weapons, and an expert in Acrobatics. Now drops are 25 feet shorter!

More importantly, you can also do a Complete Reconfiguration over downtime now, swapping all your modifications and modification feats around instead of just one. Now you have tons of options available, go nuts!

14. You must’ve been hanging around Anastasia too long, because now your bow can put people in a Deep Freeze. If the targeted creature fails their reflex save, they’ll take some cold damage and have reduced speed for a round. This is also something you can make Unstable, freezing all creatures in a 60’ cone, with doubled damage.

You’re also always ready to give a Crafter’s Appraisal, letting you use your crafting skill to identify magic from magic items. A side effect of having so many magic swords stuck in your brain for so long.

Finally, some Basic Eldritch Archer Spellcasting gives you one spell and one slot each of 1st level, 2nd level, and 3rd level. Also, the first or second level spell can be a signature spell so you can upcast it.

The only first level spell we can take for an eldritch shot is Ray of Enfeeblement, which works well as Asterios’ NP at least. At second level you can use a Telekinetic Maneuver to shove or disarm someone, which I guess is just a really good arrow shot, and finally… there aren’t any attacking spells of third level. Buuut you can still copy weapons with Shadow Projectile, using your reaction to copy an ally’s ranged attack and dealing 3d8 damage if they fail. On top of that, unless they critically succeed they’re flat-footed against the original attack too!

15. Ability Boost time! This time it’s Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, and Wisdom. You also have Untrained Improvisation since you’re a main character, adding your level to all untrained skill checks. We’ve seen Greater Weapon Specialization enough to know it’s just more damage, which is also what you get from your Legendary Overdrive. On top of that, you’re now a legend in crafting, and a master in Cooking Lore. Finally, you can make a Revolutionary Innovation to your bow, making it deal Enhanced Damage. Now your damage die is a d10 instead of a d8. It’s a small boost, but you put that damage on everything, so it’s gonna get use.

16. At sixteenth level you know how to make Just the Thing! needed for any problem- once per hour, you can make a weapon that just so happens to be able to help with the skill action you’re about to do. If your DM buys it, you can use your Crafting modifier instead of the usual one for that action. Your crafting’s pretty good, I’d suggest you use it when you can.

You can also Quiet Allies, so even if you’re stuck with Rin Tohsaka you can avoid notice more easily. Anime girls “kyaaa” and “eh” a lot these days, you’re going to need this.

And if the last few spells we got seemed a little underwhelming, hopefully Expert Eldritch Archer Spellcasting can come through for us, giving you a 4th, 5th, and 6th level spell and slot. You also get to pick another signature spell, and your attacks and dcs with your spell increase to expert.

Our fourth level spell further increases our variety with a Chromatic Ray. If the spell hits, you roll a d4 and deal either fire, acid, electric, or poison damage. You can also heighten the spell to sixth level for more damage and four more options- flesh to stone, confusion, teleportation, or blinding.

The problem is, there’s no occult 5th or 6th level spells with attack rolls, so we’ll have to pick ones and, ugh, actually cast them. Thankfully, Etheric Shards is still pretty cool. It lets you make a bunch of swords hanging around the air in a 20’ radius, making the area difficult terrain even to flyers, and every creature moving through the area takes damage per square. We also get a much better shield with our sixth level spell, Wall of Force, which blocks all physical attacks from passing through it. 

17. Your Inventive Mastery makes you a master with your class DC, and being a Juggernaut not only does the same for your Fortitude saves, but gives you critical successes as well. Also, you’re now a master in Acrobatics, so jumping off a 50’ building won’t be an issue.

18. You can now (like you couldn’t before) make Devastating Weaponry, making a volley of attacks against every foe within 30’ of you. Your bow’s already pretty strong, so adding more attacks to it can only make it better. You’re also an Experience Professional, so if you cook to earn income you can’t get a critical failure. You also gain doubled income from non-critical failures.

Finally, your Master Eldritch Archer Spellcasting gives you a 7th level spell now, and an 8th level spell at level 20. Also, of course your spell DCs hit master-level. Your Unlimited Blade Works get a little bit bigger thanks to your Telekinetic Bombardment, which lets you hurl a piece of the landscape out and hit either a 10’ burst or a 30’ line, dealing bludgeoning damage and sticking so many swords in the ground the area becomes difficult terrain. Creatures make a reflex save to try and deal with it, but if they fail they can be knocked prone or even stunned.

19. At level 19, you can now Craft Anything, so long as you have the appropriate feat to build it. This means we can finally build the one thing we’ve been desperately trying to make this entire build- Exploding Arrows. They’re too high level to get any way but the hard way, but now they’re finally available. I’d say they’re a bit expensive, but you’re level 19- unless you’ve been stuck in the woods your entire campaign, you can probably scrounge up the gold for it.

You also have Infinite Invention, letting you automatically fix your bow over long rests, and you can even completely change what the innovation is to boot. So if you wanted those knives EMIYA runs around with to be more than bog-standard, here’s your chance. You can also retrain your innovation-based feats, though that takes 1 full day of downtime.

Your Medium Armor Mastery does exactly what it says on the tin, and you’re now legendary in Acrobatics, so you can catch someone from any distance and land on your feet without taking any damage.

20. However first we need Rin to actually trust you enough to jump off a building, and for that we need to make you a Charming Liar. Now critical successes at lying improve the target’s attitude like you just made an impression once per conversation. You might think it’s a bit late to get a skill feat we need to use at the start, but that’s why you’re a time traveler.

You also get one last Ability Boost in Dexterity, Constitution, Wisdom, and Charisma, and learn how to put your bow in Full Automation, permanently giving you an extra action to strike. And for a volley that doesn’t interfere with your actual volley trait, the Eldritch Archer’s Impossible Volley fires a strike at every enemy in a 10’ radius, centered on a space beyond your volley range. I guess the archer class really is made up of archers, huh?

Oh right, the spell. Prismatic Wall gives you a proper multi-layered wall, with each color of the wall corresponding to a different spell, and each layer having to be counteracted separately. It’s cool, I’d check out the whole thing if you have the time.

Pros and Cons:

Pros:

EMIYA is really good with a bow, and thanks to his being modular you have consistent damage of several types. If you know what you're going to be fighting ahead of time, you can exploit just about any enemy's weakness. Plus, you can either deal a ton of damage to one target with Megaton Strikes or go into overdrive and use a volley to deal plenty of damage to a number of smaller enemies.

He's also pretty Mobile, with extra speed, enhanced jumps, and no fall damage letting him stay one step ahead of anything that would try to chase him down.

All the time we spend enhancing his eyesight means he's also a fantastic tracker, able to lock onto a target even if they're completely invisible.

Cons:

While you're an expert in a lot of skills, you don't excel in many of them. You've only got mastery or higher in three skills, one of which we only really capitalize on with the aforementioned fall damage stuff. You're a legendary crafter and a master chef, but you're not going to stand out much outside of a fight.

You also have the Volley issue to deal with, since that feature on your bow means it's harder to hit enemies if they get within 30' of you. While it's true to form for an archer it's still rough to deal with, especially if someone can outspeed you.

Your eldritch archer abilities are fun, but they're tied to your spell slots, which you have very, very few of. Also, you only get that stuff late game, though you could push some archer feats back if you're really chomping at the bit.

[alizrak]

HEY! I wrote this! Check it out! Link below!

Over a decade after his defeat in the Eye of the Avarice, Karzoug finds himself back in the land of the living thanks to the most surprising fluke of fate. Even as a wizard of his caliber, being alive doesn’t mean he is prepared to face what is waiting for him when he wakes up.

He has lost everything he had: no wealth, no spellbooks, no weapons, no minions at his beck and call.

Can the Runelord of Greed start over from scratch and reclaim his sinful throne in Xin-Shalast…? Or will he turn a new leaf and write a new destiny for himself?

This character-driven novella is set 11 years after the events of Rise of the Runelords Adventure Path and during the events of Rise of New Thassilon from the Return of Runelords Adventure Path.

You can get it at Pathfinder Infinite!

Some reviews:

"I read this with no context about the characters or places, but everything was introduced in a way that didn't leave me confused and the story was captivating even for someone new to the setting." -J.N.

"Soulnova takes us along on Karzoug’s journey in a way that makes you feel you feel like you are reading an actual play. (...)Even if you don’t know much about Pathfinder’s Runelords (as I did not) I’m certain that you will enjoy reading Karzoug's shenanigans." -V.V.

"Having read this title, and having run Rise of the Runelords myself as a GM, I found this title extremely satisfying to read. It weaves lore from the 1e titles Rise of the Runelords, Shattered Star and Return of the Runelords into a very clever and intriguing tale." -V.S.

"Heartwarming in many ways, this novella explores familliar people and places through a new lens while staying true to the feel of Rise of the Runelords." -V.H.

"This is a wonderful foundation for an aftermath of the Rise of the Runelords. (...) The characters' interactions and the chemistry is on point, and the plot is engaging and light to read."-A.G.

"I've played Rise of the Runelords and never imagined something like this could happen - I gasped (screamed) as everything aligned for Karzoug's comeback. Reading this story brought a smile to my face." -C.A.A.

[monstersdownthepath]

Hi! i haven't really been following pf2e's lore changes all that closely, except that i know they got rid of drow, and now apparently Gorum is dead for some reason?

What even is going on here? Why is a demon lord a CN deity now? Just how major are the changes between the editions, anyway?

-------

I'm afraid you're a little further behind than just 2e; Nocticula's redemption was hinted at all the way back in 2013! But what came after was mere trickles and hints all the way up until Rise of New Thassilon, where she kicks her demonic heritage to the curb and takes up art as the Redeemer Queen.

The changes are big! The "correct" endings of Every Adventure Path from First Edition are all canon, so the end of each AP has caused changes; some larger than others. A new kingdom literally sprung up overnight, just to name one. I'm not sure if there's a timeline or something available online which summarizes it all, but I'm sure my followers know about something!

[dailycharacteroption]

Class Feature Friday: Enchantment School (Pathfinder Second Edition Wizard School)

(art by Julia Kovalyova on Artstation)

We’re back with another wizard school in second edition, only now that the remastered edition of 2E is out, they’ve thoroughly changed how wizard schooling is done now that the traditional magic schools have been dropped in favor of schools of thought in the setting rather than “what type of effect does this magic have”.

However, that does leave us with a small problem since a major part of the central region of Pathfinder’s core setting revolves around the traditional schools of magic: Thassilon, what with it’s ancient history of being ruled over by multiple runelords, each focused on a different school of magic.

Which is why I say that even if they strip the words “abjuration” and “evocation” from the game, there still is a place for these older versions of the magic, though you should probably update them to be in line with the power of their newer counterparts: In this case, In addition to the free 1st-level spell of your school you get at first level, you should also be getting free spells of that school at higher levels as you level up.

In any case, Enchantment!

When last we covered this school, we talked about how enchantment is the magic of the mind, how it can be used to elicit certain emotions, make others erroneously believe that you are a friend, directly control their actions, and even invoke words of power so potent that the minds and bodies of foes are forced to succumb to their hostile command. (It is important to remember these specifics now that future products will no longer list the schools of the spells they print, in case you want to use classic or “Thassilonian-Style” wizardry alongside the remastered rules, which I believe you should.)

While certainly not as violent or blatantly cruel as the destructive aspects of evocation or the reanimating power of necromancy, enchantment in the wrong hands can be just as much a tool of the wicked, violating the mind just as surely as the other two violate the body and soul.

However, in the right hands it can be a tool of benevolence and mercy. Plenty of enchantment spells bolster the vigor and positive emotions of allies, or can prevent bloodshed that would otherwise be inevitable, such as charming a guard to let you pass instead of slaying them.

Of course, much like evocation and necromancy, all bets are off in combat, where sapping the will to fight in foes or turning them against their allies is just another tool in the box when it comes to keeping yourself alive.

So yes, while the stereotype of the domineering enchanter that turns others into their slaves has plenty of truth to it, enchantment itself is not inherently evil, just like every school of magic.

Also, it’s worth noting that this school shares a lot of bones with the new “School of Mentalism”, but that also throws in illusion to the mix as well, so while you can use that instead, if you really wanna adhere to enchantment or make use of the greater school spell of this school, the choice is up to you.

As-written, enchanters get a enchantment spell at first level and extra spell slots for each spell level to cast the spells of that school. However, as I said before, you’re free to improve that to gaining spells for free at every spell level/rank. Exactly how you decide what spells they get is up to you, though. You might say they can pick from any appropriate rank spell of the right school or with the right vibes, or your GM might compile a specific list to match the modern schools.

The basic focus spell allows these wizards to subtly deflect the ire of their foes with enchanted words, potentially causing them to hesitate or be stopped in their tracks against them for a few seconds, which is a slightly more thematic parallel to First Edition’s dazing touch.

The greater focus spell differs slightly from it’s 1e equivalent, projecting fear rather than despair, but otherwise still hampering their enemies.

Additionally, the following feats prove especially useful to enchanters: Silent Spell, Irresistable Magic, Second Thoughts, and Spell Mastery, though others might go well with the other spells in your arsenal.

Being an enchanter means being a master of buffing, battlefield control, debuffing, and various utility effects outside of combat. While this does mean you’re probably not a direct damage dealer except when you need to be, it does make the rest of the party’s jobs that much easier. Naturally build with enchantment in mind, but don’t forget to diversify!

Though earlier we did mention that enchantment spells can easily be used for evil and the subversion of will is definitely a violent act, in a world of complex moralities, there may be entire disciplines in the setting that think differently. That fact alone means that this school of magic and it’s practitioners invite a lot of debate on both sides of the issue, which could be grounds for some fun worldbuilding and character moments.

Lambent Ollianara is not only beautiful, but literally incandescent as a brightsoul ifrit in addition to being an elf. Many have sought out her hand, but none have ever held her interest for long. Indeed, those that persist beyond reason find themselves compelled to leave her be thanks to her magic.

In a lonely tower in the middle of the valley, a hermit wizard dwells. Long ago he swore off people as too complicated, instead surrounding himself with the powerful and fierce primeval beasts of the region, particularly his twin pet Megalania lizards. After all, animals don’t complain when you secure their friendship with magic, after all.

A young noble has developed a clique of followers and sycophants among her young peers, who fawn over her constantly and go along with whatever she asks. It’s one thing to have the charisma to attract friends and assume a leadership role, but the speed at which this happened is alarming, so the party is asked to investigate for a magical or supernatural cause to this.

[mk-robinsteve]

Nothing yet, as the Fearless Four descend below water level, then the riverbed, and leave the Crow altogether. No sign of what the shard seems to be pointing toward, but definite signs of Thassilon's influence (two statues of Alaznist, a still alive sinspawn). Can there be a Runepool here??

Another stair leads down and southeast, in the direction of the Irespan and Magnimar itself. What lies at the end of the path?