[AP] Curse of the Crimson Throne by GMs Rutseg, Zek and Snowheart (Inactive)

Game Master Balacertar

Korvosa, the Jewel of Varisia, has long sparkled on the shore of Conqueror’s Bay. Established just over 300 years ago by Cheliax at the height of that empire’s expansion, the city now commands its own destiny. A line of Korvosan kings and queens emerged to rule the city, establishing an infamous seat of power—the Crimson Throne. Rulers have sat upon the Crimson Throne for more than a century, and the city has flourished; yet the monarchy always seems on the brink of disaster. The Crimson Throne is not a prize to be won—it is a curse. No monarch of Korvosa has died of old age, and none has produced an heir while ruling. Even though King Eodred II controls Korvosa more fully than any previous monarch, that control remains tenuous, and many secretly count the days until their latest king falls to what they call the Curse of the Crimson Throne.
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CHAPTER INDEX
Chapter 1: Edge of Anarchy by Nicolas Logue (GM Snowheart Mar-2017)
Chapter 2: Seven Days to the Grave by F. Wesley Schneider (GM Snowheart Oct-2017 and GM Zek Jan-2019)
Chapter 3: Escape from Old Korvosa by Richard Pett (GM Zek Apr-2019)
Chapter 4: A History of Ashes by Michael Kortes and James Jacobs (GM Zek Nov-2019 and GM Rutseg Oct-2020)
Chapter 5: Skeletons of Scarwall by Greg A. Vaughan (GM Rutseg Dec-2020)
Chapter 6: Crown of Fangs by Tito Leati (GM Rutseg Sep-2021, finished Feb-2022)

Memorable moments
Ilsa's duel against Trifaccia
Kalem's trip to a hell maze and his discovery of Chaldira Zarustan
The group merges with the dead spirits of the city in a campaign shaking seance

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Zellara's Harrow Deck:

Slot: None
CL: 10th
Weight: 1 lb.
Aura: Moderate Divination
Senses: 60'
Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 13, Ego 8
Language: empathy*
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Hand-painted images decorate this harrow deck, and the cards frames are gilded in silver so that they sparkle and flash under lighting. Despite the worn condition of the card backs, the images on the faces are so vibrant they seem to move when viewed out of the corner of the eye. The deck handles with surprising ease, almost shuffling itself. A bent, torn, or lost card always seems to mend itself or reappear when no one is looking.

These features are subtle manifestations of the spirit that haunts the cards. In life, Zellara lived by this deck, and in death, she has become the deck. Although this magical harrow deck wasn’t created using the standard method for creating magic items, it should nonetheless be treated as an intelligent magic item. Zellara can sense the world around the deck via sight and sound, and she can communicate with anyone who holds the deck via empathy. She can create a major image once per day, often doing so to generate an image of herself manipulating the cards—in this manner, she can carry on conversations with other creatures in Common or Varisian. She can also cast identify for anyone who holds one of the cards of the deck to his forehead (a move action) up to three times per day.

Zellara’s harrow deck has a special purpose as well: to defend and protect the city of Korvosa, her home in life and in death. In order to attain this purpose, she can periodically perform powerful harrow readings for those she has chosen as Korvosa’s defenders—the PCs. These harrowings grant those who benefit from them a number of Harrow Points that can be used to manipulate fate and chance. See The Harrow on page 416 for more details on this complex power.

Zellara can suppress the deck’s powers at will and doesn’t hesitate to do so if anyone attempts to sell the deck or otherwise displeases her. At best, a foolish character could possibly sell the cards as a standard harrow deck for about 50 gp—thus, no pricing information for the deck is needed.

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Harrow Points

Brutal Strike: A PC can spend a Harrow Point to gain a +5 bonus on damage rolls with all melee or natural weapons for the duration of one combat. Alternatively, brutal strike allows the PC to ignore an object’s hardness for 1 round.

Mighty Thews: A PC can spend a Harrow Point to be treated as a creature one size category larger than normal for the purposes of attempting grapple combat maneuver checks, wielding weapons, lifting heavy objects, and determining whether a hungry monster can swallow her whole; this adjustment lasts for one encounter (but no more than 10 minutes).

Strength Rerolls: A PC can spend a Harrow Point to reroll a Strength-based check. She must abide by the new result (although if she has additional Harrow Points remaining, she can use them to attempt additional rerolls).

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