Recently, I picked up the Dragon Empires Gazetteer for the Pathfinder setting. I think I'm in love. I never could get into Kara-Tur (something about the presentation, maybe). I like the imagery and themes of Legend of the Five Rings, but I don't feel that it lends itself well to heroic adventure.
As I started looking through the Dragon Empires book, I started to fall in love. Samurai? Check. Ninjas? Check. It's Oriental Adventures, presented in Pathfinder style. And I love it.
I'm still digesting this book, but my favorite part right now is the deities. Some are familiar to Pathfinder fans. Some appear to be new. One of my faves is a god who seems to be a patron of wu jen. I'm not sure if Pathfinder has wu jen or not, but it should! He's about magic and the five Chinese elements (earth, fire, water, metal, and wood). Then the other deity I really dig is basically the Monkey King from The Forbidden Kingdom (which I assume is based on Chinese mythos).
Now I need to read up on the nations.
So, sorry Kara-Tur, but I think the Dragon Empires is the Oriental Adventures for me.
