Arcadia: Player's Guide

Four thousand miles west of the Inner Sea Region, through (or more frequently around) the broken remnants of the lost continent of Azlant, lies the vast Arcadian landmass, a mostly uncharted and largely unclaimed wilderness. It is a long and dangerous journey to this distant land, but for a select few who carve out a niche for themselves in the New World, the rewards can be well worth the risk. Though the land is sparsely inhabited, the people of the Inner Seas are by no means the first to settle the vast plains, majestic mountains and lush forests of these strange lands. The current inhabitants of this realm range from philosophically minded demihumans who view the interlopers on their shore as beneath them, to savage tribes who lust for war and sacrificial victims. All have one thing in common: a fervent desire to see the foreign interlopers driven from their shore or brought to heel.

The eastern coast of Arcadia is sparsely dotted with colonies. In the far north, the longest standing Avastani colony, the Linnorm Kingdom’s City of Valenhall, stands; the Linnorm Kings traditionally make a final voyage here when death looms long over them, and are from here ushered to the afterlife.

Further south, one finds the Andoran colony of Elesomare, founded in the pre-revolutionary year of 4655. A struggling colony devoted to extracting lumber with support from a number of small hamlets beyond its gates, Elesomare was already well on its way to declaring independence from its Chelish mother nation when the People’s Revolt commenced. Without the resources to support a war effort on a distant continent, Cheliax made little effort to retain direct possession.

Further south still, the Chelish colonies of Canorus and Anchor’s End, founded in 4691 and 4695 respectively, are the final destinations for many slaves bound for the New World, but also the first stop for slaves bound for Cheliax. The primarily purpose of the colonies, however, is to establish a Chelish foothold in the New World.

Finally, and most recently, the mysterious floating island of Gogpodda, founded by shipwrecked gnomes in the year 4701, has been known to drift within trading distance of the shore once every other year or so. The gnomish settlers of this strange piece of flotsam are known to peddle strange wares to both the new and Old World.

Beyond these permanent residents, merchant interests from the Old World crop up frequently in along the coast. Firearms from Alkenstar are popular among the settlers, who find them to be one of the few things that give them the technological edge to keep the natives at bay. Merchants from Osirion, Rahadoum and Katapesh, thirsty for New World gold and precious goods, likewise, have keen interest in selling their wares and collecting the artifacts of the old New World. Finally, Shackles Pirates, especially those with poorly established reputations or who lack the legitimate blessing of the Hurricane King, see the journey as long and treacherous, but the low hanging fruit of New World trade as an alluring target, far from the militaries that would normally protect the trade interests of the nation.

No one is precisely sure the size of uninhabited Arcadian, partially because no one has deigned fit to explore the whole and partially because of the abundance of resources that yet remain in the shallow pockets that have been explored. Soon there will be cause to move on, be it the search for additional resources, the search for new varieties of resources, or the lust for excitement that comes with exploring one of the few remaining frontiers of Golarion.

Natives of the New World

While the vast majority of the people of the Inner Sea region are academically aware of the existence of Arcadia, knowledge of its peoples and customs are limited at best. Very few native Arcadians make the journey to Avistan outside of the few who are imported to Cheliax as slaves. Likewise, few natives of the Inner Sea make the journey to the New World and return to tell of it.

What is known of the New World is that it is currently sparsely populated, although it is believed to have once had a far denser population (and declines therein over the past few hundred years have been largely attributed to disease brought by Ulfen settlers). Its most populous people appear to be humans of a specific race known as “Arcadians,” sometimes derogatorily called “Skraelings” by the Ulfen settlers in Valenhall. They are similar in size and build to Ulfens, but tend to have dark hair, bronze skin and green or green-brown eyes. They tend to dress in untanned skins when they aren’t clad in armor (the which is primarily leather and sometimes wood and, infrequently, bronze).

Other known inhabitants of the New World include various Giants (Fire, Storm and Hill have all been observed, but others expected), Fey creatures, Kami (though nowhere near as numerous as in Tian-Xia), and numerous shapechangers and their kin (it is believed that many werecreatures once roamed Arcadia freely). Isolated reports of bird-people (who resemble owls), goblins (both common Old World and some New World variety), and winged serpents also exist, but there is limited confirmation of these.

What This Campaign Is

This campaign is meant to bring to mind the romantic perceptions of the Age of Exploration, with privateers, colonists, expeditions, trade and war for profit. Colorful vistas, curious customs and exotic resources are all part of the great unexplored landscape that is Arcadia.

These adventures are inspired in part by the history of the Age of Exploration and partly by romanticizations made popular in the adventure fiction of the late 19th and early 20th century. While much of that fiction focuses on ocean travel, however, this adventure will focus more on overland exploration.

What This Campaign Is Not

Conquest will play a role in the campaign, but perhaps not as much so from the position of the player characters. While conflict with the natives will definitely play a part in the game, perhaps the more compelling conflicts will be between and within the groups of New World settlers. This is not intended to be a reenactment of the Columbian Exchange, and while the similarities between Arcadia and the Americas are considerable at the onset, there are a striking number of differences that will emerge as play goes on.

The Age of Exploration PCs

These adventures will take you across a virtually unknown continent, through great plains and forests, over mountains, into ancient dungeons and perhaps still more exotic venues. Throughout it, various factions will vie for control of the dynamic force that is your company of adventurers. You will face a number of morally gray decisions about the relationship between the colonists (as well as the natives) and will ultimately have to decide which, if any, side you take in various pre-existing conflicts.

One of the unique things about an adventure set in a distant land far away from the Inner Sea is that a huge variety of character types, backgrounds and nationalities are possible. Native Arcadians will not be playable, and it is presumed that the player characters have never been to Arcadia before (although some campaign traits may set you apart as having a unique relationship to the mysterious continent). The campaign will begin with the player characters arriving at the Andoran colony of Elesomare, having arrived by whatever means have carried them here in the shipyard at the village of Olenvas. From there, the player characters will find themselves embroiled and forced to take sides in pre-existing conflicts before they strike out to make their own fortunes exploring the New World.

Races

The truly unique thing about strange new frontiers is that amount of strangeness that is tolerated among those who come to settle or strike out to seek their fortunes therein. Some of the pettier prejudices tend to melt away when confronted with alien frontiers, and peoples who would be at one another's throats thousands of miles away find themselves, instead, learning to focus on what they have in common. One common possible background that any character may have is that of slavery. The Chelish colonies in the New World both import and export slaves, which to outsiders (and those unversed in strategies of the slave trade) seems an unnecessary expense and effort, but the value of displacing enslaved people becomes more obvious when you consider the support structure necessary to free slaves. Within the hostile environs of the New World, slavery may, indeed, be preferable to (or at least more survivable than) freedom.

The dwarves of Golarion are culturally united, but frequently find themselves outside the enclaves of dwarven society that have been established on the surface. Many thousands of years ago, their emigration to the surface, known as the Quest for the Sky, heralded the end of a single united dwarven society. It should, thus, be little surprise that these long-lived traditionalists are willing to make the long journey across the ocean, bent, perhaps, on carving out another niche wherein dwarves may thrive.

While elven characters may have their own reasons for crossing the vast expanse of the Arcadian Ocean, the elves as a people believe that they once inhabited all of Golarion, but through various catastrophes and calamities, their holdings outside the inner sea were largely lost. The elven leadership of Kyonin has a keen abiding interest in locating lost elf gates and ancient portals to other worlds that are rumored to be scattered across Golarion.

Gnomes are arguably the most common non-human interests in the New World. The floating gnomish colony of Gogpodda, a city of Flotsam found, at any given time, somewhere in the Arcadian Ocean, is known to make the perilous journey across to the Arcadian Continent once every two or three years, and gnomes are well respected as guides who seem to revel in the strangeness of the New World.

It is a sad fact of life that the halflings of Golarion are relegated to positions as second-class citizens in much of the world, viewed as especially suited to being servants and members of the lower castes. Halflings might come to the world seeking a new opportunity to reimagine their culture and selves and to make their way in a largely new and uncharted place.

The xenophobic nature of the peoples of Golarion in general, and those settling in the New World in specific, makes even those at the periphery or bottom of one's experience a welcome change from the exotic, alien lands of the new world. Half-elves and half-orcs fall well into this category: such characters might find on the frontier the acceptance they crave, or perhaps just the relatively isolation they seek. Other iconoclasts such as aasamirs, tieflings, fetchlings, changelings and/or geniekin might all come to the New World seeking, if not true acceptance, at least a land as strange as they. The mysterious race of gillmen, in particular, are interested in Arcadia as it is believed to house undiscovered relics of the ancient Azlanti empire, to which they still bear ties.

Orcs, goblins, hobgoblins, kobolds, catfolk, ratfolk, tengu and other typically distrusted demihumans, where they are capable of getting their foot in the door, may also find themselves well-employed and no worse-treated than anyone else on the frontier.

Classes

The New World benefits from nearly every skilled individual that chooses (or is chosen) to call its shores home. While some classes may be of more apparent value than others, one would be hard pressed to find a class that could not be of great value in the exploration, conquest and taming of the New World.

Barbarians, Rangers, Rogues and others with outdoor skills and terrain negotiating abilities are a great asset to parties, although they may find their knowledge of new world flora and fauna to be lacking. Druids are something of a special case, as their connections to the natural world and their secret language, spoken by Druids in all parts of the world, may give them unique insights and opportunities. Clerics of travel deities such as Cayden Calien, Desna and Abadar would do well, and gods devoted to maintaining law and order, such as Abadar, Erastil or even Asmodeus are frequently viewed as assets to their communities.

Alchemists, Bards, Wizards and other academically minded characters could be instrumental in unlocking the secrets of the New World, while charismatic spellcasters such as Oracles or Sorcerers are useful in negotiating and securing treaties and trade contracts that keep the New World solvent.

Finally, Fighters, Monks, Gunslingers and other front-line fighters bear obvious value in their ability to address the myriad dangers of the New World.

Skills

A large focus of this campaign will be exploration of the uncharted wildernesses of the New World. Perception is perennially useful, both for exploration and, of course, for its obvious benefits in identifying threats.

Knowledge skills will generally be of value, not least because they allow information to be gathered on monsters, deities and the like. Knowledge (Geography) will be used when rolling to make determinations about terrain, and Knowledge (Nature) will surely be of interest to characters wishing to get the most out of exploration. Knowledge (Local) will be treated as a general measure of how invested your character is in local events (both in the New and Old World) and can be seen as more “Knowledge (News)” if you prefer to think of it that way. Knowledge (Nobility), while not obviously applicable, could be important or useful for identifying key figures in power groups. Knowledge (History) will also apply to items and places of archeological significance. Other knowledge skills have no special notes, but may be useful.

Craft Skills and Profession Skills will likely be of use, not least because those with such skills are highly sought after in the New World. There will be deliberate “forced” downtime situations, and while Crafting or plying a Profession may not be strictly the best way of spending this time, it is a solid fallback if you've nothing better to do. Of the standard Craft types (alchemy, armor, baskets, books, bows, calligraphy, carpentry, cloth, clothing, glass, jewelry, leather, locks, paintings, pottery, sculptures, ships, shoes, stonemasonry, traps, and weapons), the following may be of specific value: alchemy, ships and stonemasonry. All others may be of value as well, but those stand out as potentially useful. Of the standard Profession skills (architect, baker, barrister, brewer, butcher, clerk, cook, courtesan, driver, engineer, farmer, fisherman, gambler, gardener, herbalist, innkeeper, librarian, merchant, midwife, miller, miner, porter, sailor, scribe, shepherd, stable master, soldier, tanner, trapper, and woodcutter) a wide number of them may have specific uses, and players are encouraged to ask if the skill is applicable to a situation.

While sailing vessels are not intended to play a large role in the earlier adventures, they may come up more later, or may be used as a way of bypassing certain threats. The ability to pilot such a vessel (or hire someone to do so) will likely dictate their level of involvement, and the player characters are not likely to be forced into circumstances where they must personally take the helm. Ride will likely be useful, at least early on. Horses will likely be a valuable resource for keeping the party moving during exploration and scouting. There will be additional rules for dealing with mounts. Stealth and Survival could be important, although typically a party will have at least one character who acts as a “spoiler,” preventing large-scale or active party-wide stealth without magical assistance.

Familiars and Animal Companions

Please see the House Rules

Nearly any familiar is appropriate to the New World, provided it is suited to a temperate to subtropical environment with normal precipitation. Likewise, animal companions can be any creature appropriate to temperate plains or forests (at least, at the beginning of the adventure).

The notes regarding the ride skill above are applicable to special mounts like those possessed by Cavaliers and Paladins.

Favored Enemies and Terrains

The majority of the adventures will take place in forests, plains, ruins and, to a lesser extent, mountainous and/or underground terrain. Later adventures are expected to take place at least partly in marshland. A player who chooses a more obscure terrain type might expect their choice to come up once or twice, but not as frequently as those above. Favored enemy choices are, perhaps, a bit trickier, with animal, fey, humanoid (human), monstrous humanoid and plant all being, to some degree, strong choices.

Languages

Arcadian languages are off-limits for starting characters who do not have a trait that allows them access to such. Arcadia is home to Giants who are known to speak Giant dialects similar enough to those spoken in Avistan and Garund to be functionally identical. Draconic, likewise, is the same the world across. Aklo is an ancient language frequently spoken by dark fey and traditional enemies of Azlant. Outsider languages may come up, but opportunity for negotiating with such entities may be lacking. Beyond, that, the languages of other colonists could be of use or not, depending on how the player characters go about their interactions with them.

The languages known to be spoken by Arcadians are Naden (in the North), Arcadind (in mid-Arcadia) and Azilt (in the South). These languages are off-limits except under extraordinary circumstances.

Religion

The peoples of the New World often worship minor regional deities and demigods that are largely unrelated to the classic pantheon of the eastern world. They do share some of the older deities in common, of course, but beyond that, the Green Faith, Totemism and Ancestor Worship, as well as other forms of exotic religious belief and not unheard of. Of the Pantheon gods, the worship of Abadar, Desna, Gorum, Pharasma and Torag are most common among the natives, although they frequently know such gods by different native-appropriate names. The colonists, meanwhile, tend to bring their faith and deities with them from the Old World, and characters are free to bring their own religion with them.

Equipment

Exploration and travel-appropriate equipment are a must, but player characters should also consider the value of having a general variety of equipment. For weapons and armor, equipment common to Avistan is not generally found in the New World among the natives, save where it has been acquired from the colonists (or from ancient sites of interest). Bows, of course, are common throughout the entire world, and the natives are known to fight with axes and spears. At least one notable group of natives in the south are known to commonly fight with terbutje (ter-BOO-tzchay, obsidian-edged wooden swords) and tepoztopilli (teh-PAHZ-toh-pee-lee, obsidian-edged spears).

Firearms are expensive, but are generally available, and are, in fact, commonly used by the settlers to gain an edge over native raiding parties and hostile interests. Ammunition should be generally easy to come by or make as necessary.

Campaign Backgrounds and Traits

While players are, as always, free to choose their character’s backgrounds, several general categories of backgrounds, along with Campaign Traits associated with each, are given below. Each background has several potential campaign traits, of which the player may choose only one.

Return to the New World

You have been to Arcadia before, and have some knowledge of its peoples, language and customs. You may have been part of a military campaign (under Ulfen, Andoran or Chelish leadership), part of a merchant venture or even a member of a previously unsuccessful expeditionary party.

It is recommended that your character take a few ranks in Knowledge: History and Knowledge: Local to represent their awareness of the New World’s culture and history. Also, consider building your character with an appropriate Profession skill.

Translator

You have learned to speak one of the native languages of the New World.

You may select Arcadind (the language of middle Arcadians), Naden (sometimes called “Skrael” the language of the Arcadians of the far North), or Azilt (a distant dialect of pseudo-Azlanti spoken by the xenophobic southern Arcadians) as a language in addition to your characters other languages.

Native Tactics

You are familiar with the tactics employed by the natives of the New World, and are thus more difficult to surprise.

Gain a +1 trait bonus on Perception checks to avoid being ambushed and a +1 trait bonus to initiative during any battle in which you act during a surprise round.

Campaign Veteran

You fought in an Andoran military campaign in the New World and, while your side may not have strictly won the conflict, you acquired some degree of acclaim in your endeavors.

You bear a medal from an Andoran military campaign. In addition to being a gold item valued at 25gp, the medal, when displayed, gives you a +1 bonus to Diplomacy when dealing with Andoran citizens and those friendly with Andoran, and a +1 bonus to intimidate when dealing with her enemies.

Escaped Slave

You were on the Chelish slave ship “The Binding Wyrm” bound for the New World colony of Anchor’s End, but you and your fellow slaves, led by the Halfling Sariana Burrowround, were able to overcome the crew and seize the ship, redirecting it to the free Andoran colony of Elesomare, weighing anchor at Olenvas.

As a recommendation, consider that your equipment and starting gold come from the Chelish slave ship and model your character’s possessions accordingly.

Escapist

You were among the first to break free of your restraints once your captors were distracted, owing to your natural knack for wriggling free of binds.

Gain a +1 bonus to Escape Artist checks. Escape Artist is a class skill for you.

Stolen Lashes

While your allies were forcing their way into the armory, you seized weapons directly from your captors to use against them.

Gain a +1 trait bonus on Steal and Disarm combat maneuvers.

Over My Dead Body

When other slaves fell, you came to their aid, preventing your Chelish taskmasters from finishing them off.

While you occupy every space that a fallen (dying or stable) ally occupies, that ally does not lose HP each turn from the dying condition. In addition, enemies who wish to attack or coup de grace that character provoke an attack of opportunity from you. If that attack hits, their attack or coup de grace fails.

Searching for Someone

A lover, family member or colleague is currently in the New World, and you are in the New World seeking them.

Your character’s choice of equipment should probably be influenced by this. Perhaps they have a memento of this person, or some evidence of their relationship (in the case of a family member, for example, they might have some proof of their sale to the Chelish colonies, perhaps as a repayment of debt).

Lost Love

Your lover, a member of a merchant marine, went ashore in the New World nearly a year ago and was reported AWOL. Their vessel returned without them. Unwilling to give up on them, you scraped together your savings to book passage to the New World in search of them.

The details of your lover are primarily up to you, save that they were a member of a merchant marine vessel (most likely from Andoran, Qadira, Katapesh, Rahadoum, Varisia, the Shackles or Sargova), that they went ashore for leave in Elesomare and were not seen since. Choose a Profession skill at which your lover is an expert. Additionally, you gain a +1 bonus to saving throws against Enchantment effects, so strong is your resolve to be reunited with your love.

Stolen Family

A family member, be it a parent, child or sibling, was taken by slavers to the New World. As booking passage to the Chelish colonies is as good as a death sentence for the family of a slave seeking to free them, you have instead sought passage to Elesomare, from whence you hope eventually to ransom or liberate them.

Detail a family member of your character’s that is currently enslaved in the Chelish Colonies. That family member is an expert in a specific Craft skill. Additionally, you receive a +1 trait bonus to Attack and Damage rolls against Hellknights and entities that you know to keep slaves.

Missing Colleague

A colleague of yours with a keen interest in the New World's lost knowledge has not returned from an expedition as planned. It is your sincere desire to reunite with them, either for your own reasons or at someone else's behest.

Detail a character with whom your character worked who was part of a New World expedition. That individual is an expert in a specific Knowledge skill. Additionally, you receive a +1 bonus on checks made for exploration or surverying in the New World (most commonly Perception, Knowledge (History), Knowledge (Geography) and Profession (Cartography)).

Explorer

The frontier is alluring to those who seek adventure, gold, knowledge or glory, and explorers, unlike the previous background examples, have come to the new world willingly for the thrill of discovery.

Explorers likely come outfitted for the journey and may be members of larger organizations dedicated to exploration.

Sponsored Pathfinder

You are a member of the Pathfinder Society, and, as such, are tasked with chronicling your journey in the New World and cooperating with other Pathfinders you may encounter here.

Your character may obtain a Wayfinder for half the usual price (250gp instead of 500gp). Additionally, if your character trained at the Grand Lodge in Absalom, they gain a +1 trait bonus to Knowledge (history) and Knowledge (local) checks and one of these is a class skill for you. If, however, your character was granted a field commission, choose a Knowledge or Profession skill relating to your service to the Society: you gain a +2 trait bonus on checks made with this skill.

Archeologist

You have a deep abiding interest in the lost knowledge of the past, including the Azlanti empire and even those empires believed to predate it.

Gain a +2 bonus on Linguistics checks made to decipher ancient writings in New World ruins. Additionally, gain a +2 bonus to Spellcraft when attempting to identify ancient magic items.

Explorer

Whole others search the New World for knowledge, gold and glory, your interests are simpler: you long for adventures in uncharted territories.

When you search a hex for objects or locations of interest, roll twice and keep the superior result. This most commonly affects the Perception, Knowledge (History), Knowledge (Geography) and Profession (Cartography) skills.