Paizo, $22.99, ISBN 978-1-60125-787-1
Fantasy, 2015
Distant Shores is the passport that finally lets you escape the dungeon-crawling monotony of Avistan and explore the exotic lands of Not-America, Not-Africa, Not-Middle-East-India-Mongolia, and Not-East-Asia. After all, nothing says “fantasy” quite like thinly veiled real-world analogues!
One-Eyed Wonders and Waterlogged Woes
First stop: Aelyosos, the City of Tides, where ancient Greece and Rome had a baby and forgot to file the serial numbers off.
Here, civilized cyclopes have lost their prophecy skills that used to allow mere humans to ascend to become hero-gods, but don’t worry, there are plenty of opportunities to kill things and even advance in mythic ranks here.
Stay for the annual kaiju attack fun and the constant tension between fish people and land lovers.
Oh, and don’t forget the current hero-gods: one’s obsessed with lawn care, while the other’s a secretive, neurotic warmonger. The city is in good hands, people, definitely good hands.
Crater Expectations: Where Passive-Aggression Reigns Supreme
Next up is Anuli, City of New Beginnings, where a giant hole in the ground is the least of your problems.
Run by matriarchs who’ve mastered the art of passive-aggressive leadership, it’s a lawful good paradise where everyone’s just dying to politely murder you. Intentionally or not, this city is a prime example of how rules lawyers and matriarchy can be deadly for one’s blood pressure, if not physical wellbeing.
Bonus: meet the Ganzi, a new race perfect for those who find tieflings too mainstream.
Samurai, Ninjas, and Stereotypes, Oh My!
Dhucharg, City of Conquerors, is where cultural sensitivity goes to die. It’s a bog standard “Muahahaha evil!” city that is a mishmash of Asian stereotypes with evil samurai, ninjas, and industrial slavery.
Choose your adventure: join the elven resistance (yawn) or the Irori underground (slightly less yawn).
Don’t mind the confusing naming conventions. Apparently, all Asians are interchangeable here!
A Tale of Two Districts: Spice Up Your Class Warfare
Radripal, City of Arches, brings you the classic “tale of two cities”—if one city was a luxury resort and the other a dystopian nightmare.
Evil rakshasas rule this Indian-inspired metropolis, proving once again that capitalism is the root of all evil.
It’s a confusing and uneven blend of concepts—academia, class warfare, petting zoos, and evil capitalists—but the end result is still rather forgettable.
At least the spices are good?
Welcome to Blandcadia
Segada, the City of Keys, is Arcadia’s dumping ground for foreigners.
You’d expect racial tensions and political intrigue, but the most exciting conflict is a squabble over river usage rights. Were the writers too scared to touch Native American analogues, or did they just run out of ideas?
Still, one can attend a festival and get some sweet buffs, because nothing says “epic quest” like waiting around for a party.
Mad Max Meets Moist: Hydration and Homoerotic Feats
Finally, there’s Ular Kel, the Caravan City, or Mad Max: Slightly Damp Road. Water lords control the precious liquid, but that’s about as interesting as it gets.
The real gem here is the Iridian Fold, a males-only club with teamwork feats that require swapping of body fluids. Who knew outright yaoi fanfiction had a place in official Pathfinder lore?
Get Your Passport Stamped, People!
Here, you’ll see some exotic locales, but the quality of the experience varies wildly.
The first few stops are enticing and well-crafted, offering rich cultural tapestries and intriguing conflicts. However, as the journey progresses, it feels like the travel guide is running out of steam, resorting to lazy stereotypes and half-baked ideas. By the end, you’re left wondering if the writers were suffering from severe jet lag when they penned the final entries.
Still, for those tired of the same old Avistan scenery, it’s a chance to broaden your horizons. Just don’t expect every destination to be a five-star experience!
