gamerprinter
Mapper/Publisher
For those using the Jade Regent AP, I was one of the writers for the Gazetteer for the City of Kasai, as well as the original cartographer of the city map (I created the hand-drawn version of the city map, which Paizo's inhouse cartographer completed in color to maintain consistency with other maps already in existence for the AP.)
Anyway, due to word limit constraints, and needs to only provide fluff and no mechanics, there was content I intended to include in the gazetteer, but could not.
The island at the mouth of the river in the map is not the Imperial Shrine island, which is off map, a few miles in the harbor, rather it is Inu Island. Inu is the Japanese word for 'dog'. At the center of that island is a shrine dedicated to the burial site of one Kasai's past emperor's favorite pet, dogs. Through imperial decree, the island is dedicated to the lives of stray dogs in the city. Stray dogs are captured in the city, taken by boat and released on the island (the currents in the river are too strong for dogs to swim back and forth between the city and the isle.) Daily visitations by priests from one of the shrines along the bank of the river opposite the island feed the loose stray dogs on the island as well as providing necessary medical care to those animals. Strangers to the isle can expect some danger of possible attacks by wild dogs on the island.
Area 10: Setting Sun Cemetery - this is my favorite site in Kasai, although discussions with Wes Schneider, Managing Editor of Paizo limited what I could include at that location. Looking at area 10 of the map, you will notice a narrow triangular area on the canal side of the narrow strip of the city. This is the remnants of Setting Sun Cemetery.
Imagine that triangular area as being part of a perfect square that once encompassed an older shrine dedicated to the river kami. However, it was built when Kasai was still a town, before the placement of the canal system in the existing city of Kasai. As an urban renewal project the canals were cut into the existing city, which forced many structures to be torn down. Much of the perimeter of the original shrine is where the canals are currently placed. Area 11 - the Temple to the Bladed Sun dominates most of this former shrine square. Despite being a consecrated site, the remaining cemetery opposite the canal from the temple area is cursed due to the blasphemy of having been bisected from it's holy source.
The Setting Sun Cemetery is known for haunts and ghostly apparitions which haunt the place at night. A small neighborhood shrine has been placed near the stone gate to the cemetery itself, where locals regularly offer prayers, burn incense and give offerings to avoid harrassments by the evil spirits inhabiting the cemetery. Anyone who enters the cemetery area without giving prayers, incense and offerings to the shrine are subject to ghostly attacks from those interred.
I even created a haunt, that I couldn't include, but belongs there:
The Grappling Ghost Haunt CR 12
XP 13,600
Notice Perception DC 27 (to notice a translucent figure behind you rising from the gravestone you are passing.)
hp 55; trigger proximity; reset 1/day
Caster Level: 12
Description: the southwest bridge path from the temple passes through an ancient cemetery, one of the smaller stones belong to a murdered nun. When anyone passes her grave her invisible spirit attaches herself to them in an ethereal grapple, where she remains invisible, though detect undead or other similar spells will reveal the ghostly corpse of a nun with her arms locked around her victims neck and legs around the waist. Every 24 hours the victim loses 1 Con damage up to 6 Con damage in 6 days, minimum 1. This damage cannot heal while the grappling ghost is still attached. This has the effects of the bestow curse, major spell*.
Destruction: in the company of a temple cleric remove her bones from the cursed cemetery and move her to a different temple in the city, and consecrate her bones before reburying her with a new stone.
* Pathfinder Core Rule Book
Basically it's a ghostly figure who is bound to her grave site, until somebody passes by, while cutting through the cemetery. She approaches from behind as a see-through ethereal spirit and latches on - though the victim does not know or feel this has happened. Over the next few days, the victim realizes they are losing CON points 1 day at a time. If somebody has Detect Undead or similar ethereal sight magic, they can view a corpse clinging onto the victim. Because the associated spell is bestow major curse - its going to take more than some positive energy to remove the haunt, rather a Remove Curse DC 23.
Finally, Areas: 3, 4, 5, 8 and 9 are all located northwest of the small stream/river that feeds the canals, and exiting in the harbor to the west (note the map is rotated 90 degrees, so the top of book map edge is west.) These areas are within the shanty town district of the urban poor, the Red Lantern district (brothel area) and the entertainment district.
Area 8, specifically are the offices of the Hitsugi Gumi (Goat Group), the local faction of the Yakuza. I didn't get more detailed than that which is now included in the gazetteer. However, concurrently as I was designing the map of Kasai, I was also doing final development for Rite Publishing's Way of the Yakuza supplement for Kaidan, this was in mind as I designed that part of the city. Way of the Yakuza book provides ideal content and tools for designing a complete yakuza gang and would be the perfect tool to fully detail the attitude, activities and opportunities for adventure in dealing with Kasai's criminal element.
These are the areas of the map and sites of the gazetteer I wanted to expand upon, but could not - so I've included it here, for those who need more content.
Anyway, due to word limit constraints, and needs to only provide fluff and no mechanics, there was content I intended to include in the gazetteer, but could not.
The island at the mouth of the river in the map is not the Imperial Shrine island, which is off map, a few miles in the harbor, rather it is Inu Island. Inu is the Japanese word for 'dog'. At the center of that island is a shrine dedicated to the burial site of one Kasai's past emperor's favorite pet, dogs. Through imperial decree, the island is dedicated to the lives of stray dogs in the city. Stray dogs are captured in the city, taken by boat and released on the island (the currents in the river are too strong for dogs to swim back and forth between the city and the isle.) Daily visitations by priests from one of the shrines along the bank of the river opposite the island feed the loose stray dogs on the island as well as providing necessary medical care to those animals. Strangers to the isle can expect some danger of possible attacks by wild dogs on the island.
Area 10: Setting Sun Cemetery - this is my favorite site in Kasai, although discussions with Wes Schneider, Managing Editor of Paizo limited what I could include at that location. Looking at area 10 of the map, you will notice a narrow triangular area on the canal side of the narrow strip of the city. This is the remnants of Setting Sun Cemetery.
Imagine that triangular area as being part of a perfect square that once encompassed an older shrine dedicated to the river kami. However, it was built when Kasai was still a town, before the placement of the canal system in the existing city of Kasai. As an urban renewal project the canals were cut into the existing city, which forced many structures to be torn down. Much of the perimeter of the original shrine is where the canals are currently placed. Area 11 - the Temple to the Bladed Sun dominates most of this former shrine square. Despite being a consecrated site, the remaining cemetery opposite the canal from the temple area is cursed due to the blasphemy of having been bisected from it's holy source.
The Setting Sun Cemetery is known for haunts and ghostly apparitions which haunt the place at night. A small neighborhood shrine has been placed near the stone gate to the cemetery itself, where locals regularly offer prayers, burn incense and give offerings to avoid harrassments by the evil spirits inhabiting the cemetery. Anyone who enters the cemetery area without giving prayers, incense and offerings to the shrine are subject to ghostly attacks from those interred.
I even created a haunt, that I couldn't include, but belongs there:
The Grappling Ghost Haunt CR 12
XP 13,600
Notice Perception DC 27 (to notice a translucent figure behind you rising from the gravestone you are passing.)
hp 55; trigger proximity; reset 1/day
Caster Level: 12
Description: the southwest bridge path from the temple passes through an ancient cemetery, one of the smaller stones belong to a murdered nun. When anyone passes her grave her invisible spirit attaches herself to them in an ethereal grapple, where she remains invisible, though detect undead or other similar spells will reveal the ghostly corpse of a nun with her arms locked around her victims neck and legs around the waist. Every 24 hours the victim loses 1 Con damage up to 6 Con damage in 6 days, minimum 1. This damage cannot heal while the grappling ghost is still attached. This has the effects of the bestow curse, major spell*.
Destruction: in the company of a temple cleric remove her bones from the cursed cemetery and move her to a different temple in the city, and consecrate her bones before reburying her with a new stone.
* Pathfinder Core Rule Book
Basically it's a ghostly figure who is bound to her grave site, until somebody passes by, while cutting through the cemetery. She approaches from behind as a see-through ethereal spirit and latches on - though the victim does not know or feel this has happened. Over the next few days, the victim realizes they are losing CON points 1 day at a time. If somebody has Detect Undead or similar ethereal sight magic, they can view a corpse clinging onto the victim. Because the associated spell is bestow major curse - its going to take more than some positive energy to remove the haunt, rather a Remove Curse DC 23.
Finally, Areas: 3, 4, 5, 8 and 9 are all located northwest of the small stream/river that feeds the canals, and exiting in the harbor to the west (note the map is rotated 90 degrees, so the top of book map edge is west.) These areas are within the shanty town district of the urban poor, the Red Lantern district (brothel area) and the entertainment district.
Area 8, specifically are the offices of the Hitsugi Gumi (Goat Group), the local faction of the Yakuza. I didn't get more detailed than that which is now included in the gazetteer. However, concurrently as I was designing the map of Kasai, I was also doing final development for Rite Publishing's Way of the Yakuza supplement for Kaidan, this was in mind as I designed that part of the city. Way of the Yakuza book provides ideal content and tools for designing a complete yakuza gang and would be the perfect tool to fully detail the attitude, activities and opportunities for adventure in dealing with Kasai's criminal element.
These are the areas of the map and sites of the gazetteer I wanted to expand upon, but could not - so I've included it here, for those who need more content.
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