Welcome to another edition of Save Vs. Rant! Today, we’re focusing on Golarion – the official campaign setting of the Pathfinder RPG.
Golarion is a big place, and there’s an alarming amount of material for the Pathfinder Campaign Setting. While some of the regions have been explored in great detail – Varisia, The River Kingdoms and Katapesh, for example – there are some criminally underused portions of the setting. I’d like to take a moment to mention just a few of the unique locations of the Pathfinder Campaign Setting that I would love to see used in upcoming material.
Hermea is part of an ongoing (and allegedly benevolent) eugenics experiment to determine the pinnacle of human evolution that can be achieved. This creates several interesting opportunities for adventures. What sort of problems are faced on this isolated island society? Under what circumstances and for what purposes might outsiders be permitted to visit? What of the exiles who fail to live up to the exacting standards of the Gold Dragon Mengkare? All of these have barely been touched upon by any of the extant material.
The Realm of The Mammoth Lords could be the site of many low-tech bronze-age adventures as well as exploration expeditions. A rugged land still ensconced in a sort of localized ice age and home to megafauna that rose from a region of the underworld called Deep Tolguth (accessible via an enormous megadungeon called The Earthnavel).
The 24th adventure path is going to take place, at least partially, in Lastwall, the nation charged with keeping watch over the eternal tomb of the Whispering Tyrant, as well as the origin of the Shining Crusade against the demons of the Worldwound.
Geb and Nex, the warring wizard lands, are fertile grounds for adventure, given their incredible histories of ancient conflict between incredible powers. Some of the nature of the magic of these realms was explored in the Legacy of Fire Adventure Path (and I won’t say much more about that – spoilers, after all), but the realms themselves are largely unexplored.
Speaking of Geb and Nex, I’ve long thought The Mana Wastes might make a great setting for a low-magic wild-west inspired setting for the Pathfinder RPG, allowing firearms and gunslingers to really make their way in the world, fighting back in their prairie wilderness against the encroaching forces of Geb’s undead hordes.
Finally, Jalmeray is a sort of fantasy exclave of the Pathfinder equivalent of India combined with an Arabian Nights theme, and has fascinating ties to the powerful Aspis Consortium – the famed and unparalleled rivals of the Pathfinder Society (and, in a sense, one of the greatest antagonists of the setting).
The Campaign Setting is vast, and Paizo has barely scratched the surface of the stories that can be found in the expansive world they have created. I hope to see many many more adventures in this fascinating fantasy world.