This is a sequel to
this post. It mostly consist of thoughts and rambles on how to adapt Yoon-Suin to Pathfinder, which I've long stopped playing/running yet it remain one my players and their friends are familiar with. These are mostly rambles too short for a full post and some observations.
Alignment In Yoon-Suin
Personally I really don't like Alignments but they are quite 'baked' into D&D 3e and Pathfinder, so a few thoughts: in Yoon-Suin the vast majority of people and entities are Neutral, Lawful Neutral and Chaotic Neutral. This doesn't mean there aren't good/evil person, in fact most people probably lean more toward Good or Evil. The reason they remain listed as 'Neutral' is that most people are inherently prone to selfish need, desires but also moments of compassion and cruelty in equal measure which often go against their usual behavior. Ultimately, most people are a dispassionate Neutral and Lawful/Chaotic generally indicate more of a code of behavior. So what about Good and Evil, then?
- Good is the alignment of selfless enlightenment. It is a rare Alignment, since even the nicest people are really Neutral. To be truly Good (and to register as such with magical effects) requires one to be a truly enlightened and selfless soul. Of course, hardly every enlightened being is Good. Think of it more as the Bodhisattva, saint and martyr Alignment.
- Evil is the alignment of malevolence and spiritual decay. Most douche bags aren't Evil, as they remain capable of moment of compassion and love, even if that love might be extremely selective and self-serving. To be truly Evil is to sink to the depths of immorality and/or to consort with malevolent spiritual forces.
- Deities usually lack the Alignment domains in their list of Domains. They also lack any sub-domain related to the various D&D-derived Outsiders as these do not exist in Yoon-Suin.
Goblinoid
The Goblinoid Subtype in Yoon-Suin refers to some loosely related creatures with vaguely simian traits and a somewhat blurry nature when it come to whether or not they are supernatural and malevolent beings or simply another race of sentient humanoids. Unlike other settings, Goblins are never portrayed as these invading armies of monsters. Rather they are elusive creatures which live usually far away from civilization.
- Bhuta: The Bhuta of the Mountains of the Moon are Humanoid with the Goblinoid subtype.
- Kardan: This Bugbear variant is likely called something else but the core principle of the monster remain the same, which is to say a monstrous woodland stalker with illusory powers. They are found across Lahag and other jungle areas where they prey upon children and eat them alive.
- Monkey Goblin: These creatures can represent a variety of forest-dwelling trickster beings.
- Vanara: The Vanara race has the Goblinoid subtype.
Akashic Races
The book which introduce the Akashic Magic has several race options, all of which are a combination of human and animal traits, which make these races a bit of a parallel to the likes of the Slug and Crab-Men. If used, these races don't require much thought in how they are used as they are all based off are found in the Indian subcontinent. It is likely, however, that none of them are found living full-time in the Yellow City outside of exotic slaves and a few odd sages working full-time alongside some Slug-Man noble. With their connection to the Akashic powers, it is possible that Slug-Men themselves could have such a power. If one decide to make Slug-Men unique among the other animal-men, then perhaps their disconnect from Akashic Magic hint at some form of spiritual decay of some kind.
Psionic Races
The previous post mentionned the use of Psionics, so I figured it would be best to try and see where the various Psionic Races fit in Yoon-Suin based on the methodology of Pathfinder to have as many options as possible. Four of the Psionic Races are loosely fitting into Yoon-Suin (if barely!) and their presence is purely optional. In particular, the Noral's description of being rather egalitarian among those who have undergone the rites which make them Psionic, combine with their diplomatic talents hint that they could come from a land distant from the Purple Land. Should the Purple Land truly open to the rest of the world, who knows what could happen?
- Dromite: As previously mentioned, the Dromite are a psionic race of intelligent insectoid humanoids. Found in the Oligarchies, they live in underground hives and trade with others, if only just barely. Their way of life is alien to that of humans and even that of the Slug-Men. It is not uncommon for nobles and scholars of the Yellow City to wish to know more about the many mysteries of Dromite culture.
- Duergar: One alternative is to use Duergar as the racial stat for all Dwarves and depicting the whole race as odd beings with unusual mental powers.
- Elan: The race of Elan is an unusual one, born of centuries upon centuries of secret manipulations of the human body and mind by odd psionic guru in hope of unlocking some great potential. As a whole they are a race of rare, elusive eccentrics who delve into mysteries of the mind best left unanswered.
- Noral: The Noral inhabit a city somewhere beyond the Gulf of Moray. Their society is alien to that of the Slug-Men and they have an odd way of life which is utterly at odd with the more arcane and convoluted caste system of the Yellow City. They are distrusted by nature due to their oddly egalitarian way of life but they have their use as traders to the outside world. Some speculate that they could have once been human while others say the resemblance is only coincidental.
