Weekly Wonders - Archetypes of the Ancients Volume VII - Shambhala

Heaven on Earth!

Plumbing ancient ruins in search of long-forgotten secrets and the power of lost civilizations is nothing new to adventurers. Few fantasy settings are without some lost civilization from ages before, which boasted magic or technology far more advanced than anything seen today. But if you’re going to go after mythical cities from bygone eras, you may as well go after the best of the best. Each installment of Weekly Wonders: Archetypes of the Ancients takes a single real-world mythological city, lost continent, or hidden kingdom and provides six archetypes specifically designed to invoke the themes and elements that that place is known for.

For this book, we focus on Shambhala, the mythical hidden kingdom of Chinese and Tibetan origin, said to be found in a secluded valley at the top of a mountain, and to be a pure and unsullied land, a spiritual place that is heaven on earth. The people living in Shambhala were said to be possessed of extremely long lifespans, and a great strength of spirit. In fact, some legends go so far as to claim that anyone who lived in Shambhala was guaranteed to reincarnate in a better form in their next life, simply from their proximity to enlightenment. Numerous other mystical powers were associated with the residents of Shambhala, including the ability to fly, as well as to heal themselves from illness and poison.

The archetypes in this book capture these themes, allowing characters to harness the power of Shambhala. This book includes the following archetypes:

The chanter of Shambhala, a bard archetype that uses ritual chanting to cure afflictions, calm the mind, and even fly through the air.

The Shambhalan meditant, a cleric archetype whose meditation allows for more flexible spellcasting, and who is trained in mystic martial arts.

The Shambhalan guardian, an inquisitor archetype devoted to protecting heaven on earth against those that would corrupt it.

The monkey disciple, a monk archetype that follows the footsteps of the great Monkey King, who can walk through the air, change his shape, and even create mystical clones of himself.

The kalachakra disciple, a spiritualist archetype who has mastered the secrets of the wheel of reincarnation, and is pure in body and spirit.

A bonus archetype for the psychic warrior, from Psionics Unleashed by Dreamscarred Press, the lotus path specializes in perceiving the weaknesses of your enemies and exploiting them.

Whether you're about to embark on an archaeological campaign (such as the official Paizo adventure path dealing with seeking out the secrets of a lost and ancient civilization), or you just want to play a character with a connection to the ancient past, this book has lots of tantalizing options to offer. Even GMs can get in on the fun, as several of the archetypes here are perfect for NPCs tied to mythical places as well, and can make for exciting and memorable encounters.