paizo.com Favorited Posts by MrVergeepaizo.com Favorited Posts by MrVergee2024-02-17T19:35:23Z2024-02-17T19:35:23ZRe: Forums: Curse of the Crimson Throne: Community Created StuffMrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2kwop&page=3?Community-Created-Stuff#1142020-10-21T15:11:13Z2019-04-25T05:24:26Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">BushidoWarriorWookiee wrote:</div><blockquote><p> I've just started running the CotCT hardcover edition AP, and reading ahead, I am confounded by the maps of Scarwall (areas B through G). Individually, the floor plans are fine, but collectively, I'm having a really hard time visualizing the castle exterior in 3 dimensions.</p>
<p>The two main problems I anticipate as a result are: how am I going to be able to describe the castle exterior to the players? By the time they're at chapter 5, they're going to be flying around invisibly reconnoitering the place to find alternate entrances, and I need to be able to accurately respond to the inevitable questions.</p>
<p>Second, many of the encounters potentially involve monsters on separate floors, such as scarwall guards in area C watching the causeway approach of area B, etc. etc.</p>
<p>So here's my question: has anybody attempted to model Scarwall as a whole building in three dimensions based on the floor maps provided in the book? This would really help with visualization.</p>
<p>I am asbolutely willing to do the legwork of such a thing, except I have almost no experience with graphics programs, much less 3-D modeling. At this point I'm seriously considering borrowing my son's Legos to try to physically build it in layers just so I can see the whole thing at once. </blockquote><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oPTR5dJfFM" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Look here.</a>BushidoWarriorWookiee wrote:I've just started running the CotCT hardcover edition AP, and reading ahead, I am confounded by the maps of Scarwall (areas B through G). Individually, the floor plans are fine, but collectively, I'm having a really hard time visualizing the castle exterior in 3 dimensions.
The two main problems I anticipate as a result are: how am I going to be able to describe the castle exterior to the players? By the time they're at chapter 5, they're going to be flying around...MrVergee2019-04-25T05:24:26ZRe: Forums: Curse of the Crimson Throne: Continuing Curse of the Crimson Throne (SPOILERS)MrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ud99?Continuing-Curse-of-the-Crimson-Throne#62020-12-10T04:28:49Z2019-03-03T15:54:15Z<p>So, two years have passed since I wrote the previous post.</p>
<p>I just completed both follow-up stories:
<br />
- <i>Long Live the King</i>, a political intrigue scenario in which we had one of the character seize the throne,
<br />
- <i>The Awakening of Lust</i>, a story in which the party tries to prevent Sorshen from returning to Golarion.</p>
<p>Although ideas for the second scenario have been lying around for several years now, I waited for <i>Return of the Runelords</i> to give it my final spin, so now it more or less fits into what Sorshen becomes in that story, or at least, it could be made to fit if you wanted to.</p>
<p>If you want to find out how we played out these scenarios in detail, you can look at my ‘Curse of the Crimson Throne’ journal on these boards. <i>Long Live the King</i> starts <a href="https://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ps0m&page=8?Mister-Vergees-Curse-of-the-Crimson-Throne#375" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">at post 375</a>, while <i>The Awakening of Lust</i> starts <a href="https://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ps0m&page=8?Mister-Vergees-Curse-of-the-Crimson-Throne#392" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">at post 392</a>.</p>
<p>There are supporting pictures with miniatures and scenery pieces on <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/mrvergee/gallery/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">my Deviantart page</a>. The journal is linked to the relevant images.</p>So, two years have passed since I wrote the previous post.
I just completed both follow-up stories:
- Long Live the King, a political intrigue scenario in which we had one of the character seize the throne,
- The Awakening of Lust, a story in which the party tries to prevent Sorshen from returning to Golarion.
Although ideas for the second scenario have been lying around for several years now, I waited for Return of the Runelords to give it my final spin, so now it more or less fits into...MrVergee2019-03-03T15:54:15ZForums: Homebrew and House Rules: Christmas one-shot - Troll in the DollhouseMrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs42dxe?Christmas-oneshot-Troll-in-the-Dollhouse#12018-12-02T11:43:01Z2018-11-30T17:41:31Z<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>I wrote this one-shot Christmas scenario to play with my family, all of whom have heard a lot about my hobby, but never actually played. Since my wife is such a fan of Christmas, I decided to use her passion to tie into mine.</span></p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>I wanted to share the fruit of my labor with all of you, so feel free to use the module to play with your group or to introduce new people to the hobby. In the scenario I inserted links to photographs on my Deviantart page to provide visual support. I also added <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/mrvergee/art/Troll-in-the-Dollhouse-PCs-774476591" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">six character builds</a> for new players, using some simplified rules.</span></p>
<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>I hope I am not breaking any copyright rules by posting this scenario. If I am, please let me know. The story is free for anyone to use. If you play through it, I would appreciate a quick note on how you liked it. Have fun! And merry Christmas!</span></p>I wrote this one-shot Christmas scenario to play with my family, all of whom have heard a lot about my hobby, but never actually played. Since my wife is such a fan of Christmas, I decided to use her passion to tie into mine.
I wanted to share the fruit of my labor with all of you, so feel free to use the module to play with your group or to introduce new people to the hobby. In the scenario I inserted links to photographs on my Deviantart page to provide visual support. I also added six...MrVergee2018-11-30T17:41:31ZRe: Forums: Miniatures: Does Anyone Make a 6x6 Colossal Miniature?MrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs42cez?Does-Anyone-Make-a-6x6-Colossal-Miniature#302018-11-22T21:53:44Z2018-11-22T18:13:13Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Uzziel the Angel wrote:</div><blockquote> I'd really like to show them to you. Can you think of a good place to upload them for each access? </blockquote><p>Well, I'm on DeviantArt, it's free and they don't bother me with spam at all. I like it.Uzziel the Angel wrote:I'd really like to show them to you. Can you think of a good place to upload them for each access?
Well, I'm on DeviantArt, it's free and they don't bother me with spam at all. I like it.MrVergee2018-11-22T18:13:13ZRe: Forums: Miniatures: Does Anyone Make a 6x6 Colossal Miniature?MrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs42cez?Does-Anyone-Make-a-6x6-Colossal-Miniature#272018-11-21T19:57:42Z2018-11-19T16:18:31Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Uzziel the Angel wrote:</div><blockquote><p> Wow, this has turned into a great discussion in my absence! I should go away more often! :-D</p>
<p>Okay, let me try a couple of links were the photos are posted in a Facebook group. I don't know if you can see them if you're not a member. (It's Dicefreaks, for anyone who remembers those guys from 3.0 and 3.5 days). I have a feeling that this won't work, but here goes.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.phpfbid=2292510634111584&set=p.2292510634111584&type=3&theater&ifg=1[/url" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">. https://www.facebook.com/photo.phpfbid=2292510634111584&set=p.229251063 4111584&type=3&theater&ifg=1</p>
<p>[url=https://www.facebook.com/photo.phpfbid=2292512887444692&set=p.2292 512887444692&type=3&theater&ifg=1</a>.
<br />
</blockquote><p>I don't know if it's just me, but these links don't work for me … and I'm really interested in seeing the comparison.Uzziel the Angel wrote:Wow, this has turned into a great discussion in my absence! I should go away more often! :-D
Okay, let me try a couple of links were the photos are posted in a Facebook group. I don't know if you can see them if you're not a member. (It's Dicefreaks, for anyone who remembers those guys from 3.0 and 3.5 days). I have a feeling that this won't work, but here goes.
. https://www.facebook.com/photo.phpfbid=2292510634111584&set=p.229251063 4111584&type=3&theater&ifg=1
...MrVergee2018-11-19T16:18:31ZRe: Forums: Miniatures: Does Anyone Make a 6x6 Colossal Miniature?MrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs42cez?Does-Anyone-Make-a-6x6-Colossal-Miniature#202018-11-15T23:10:32Z2018-11-13T06:21:43Z<p>I actually like the fact that toys have no base. This makes it a lot easier to fit them into the terrain, because the large bases get in the way.</p>I actually like the fact that toys have no base. This makes it a lot easier to fit them into the terrain, because the large bases get in the way.MrVergee2018-11-13T06:21:43ZRe: Forums: Miniatures: Does Anyone Make a 6x6 Colossal Miniature?MrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs42cez?Does-Anyone-Make-a-6x6-Colossal-Miniature#152018-11-13T13:35:38Z2018-11-10T15:27:59Z<p>These boards don't allow you to upload pictures. So you will have to post them somewhere else and create a link.</p>These boards don't allow you to upload pictures. So you will have to post them somewhere else and create a link.MrVergee2018-11-10T15:27:59ZRe: Forums: Miniatures: Does Anyone Make a 6x6 Colossal Miniature?MrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs42cez?Does-Anyone-Make-a-6x6-Colossal-Miniature#82018-11-01T17:30:32Z2018-10-30T11:46:18Z<p>There is a wicked 7" queen Gorgo (from 300) action figure, who might need no conversion at all. She doesn't appear to be too expensive.</p>
<p>If you're looking for 12" female action figures with a fantasy look, wonder woman is an option.</p>There is a wicked 7" queen Gorgo (from 300) action figure, who might need no conversion at all. She doesn't appear to be too expensive.
If you're looking for 12" female action figures with a fantasy look, wonder woman is an option.MrVergee2018-10-30T11:46:18ZRe: Forums: Miniatures: Does Anyone Make a 6x6 Colossal Miniature?MrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs42cez?Does-Anyone-Make-a-6x6-Colossal-Miniature#52018-10-30T04:35:01Z2018-10-29T20:08:08Z<p>If you are looking for giant types, try converting 12 inch toys. I converted two hulk toys into titans, which are colossal in size. I found that the hulk toy worked pretty well. A creature as tall as a titan should either be very muscled, to bear all its weight, or very slender, to keep its weight down. The muscled type is more imposing, though.</p>
<p>Anyway, through sheer luck I picked up two 12" hulk toys in the thrift store, which I used for my titans. You shouldn't have too much trouble finding some 12" hulk toys as well for a reasonalbe price.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.deviantart.com/mrvergee/art/Hulk-to-titan-conversion-731214097" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">In this picture</a> you can see how I went from toy to mini for my primitive titan conversion.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.deviantart.com/mrvergee/art/Hulk-titan-size-comparison-731215054" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">In this picture</a> you can see how the more civilized titan holds up to the colossal dragon and the huge D&D King Hekaton miniature (which actually looks small in comparison).</p>
<p><a href="https://www.deviantart.com/mrvergee/art/Classic-titan-size-comparison-731215747" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">This final picture</a> shows how the titan matches up to normal medium and small sized miniatures.</p>If you are looking for giant types, try converting 12 inch toys. I converted two hulk toys into titans, which are colossal in size. I found that the hulk toy worked pretty well. A creature as tall as a titan should either be very muscled, to bear all its weight, or very slender, to keep its weight down. The muscled type is more imposing, though.
Anyway, through sheer luck I picked up two 12" hulk toys in the thrift store, which I used for my titans. You shouldn't have too much trouble...MrVergee2018-10-29T20:08:08ZRe: Forums: Monsters and Hazards: Can we rename Daemons for PF2?MrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs429t9?Can-we-rename-Daemons-for-PF2#372018-11-02T01:20:28Z2018-09-17T17:20:37Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">James Jacobs wrote:</div><blockquote><p> That said, renaming them to something else WOULD allow us to move away from Wizards of the Coast's IP and do some new stuff, but doing so would pretty much require us to abandon the daemons that are D&D's property we're able to use via the Tome of Horrors. Would folks still be okay having them be renamed knowing that old classics like the derghodaemon, the hydrodaemon, the piscodaemon, and the Oinodaemon would more or less be written out of Pathfinder continuity?</p>
<p>Renaming them kinda comes with a price. I MIGHT be willing to pay that price to go somewhere new with them, maybe even make Divs the de-facto neutral evil fiend race, but it's not all up to me...</blockquote><p>To be fair, just off the top of my head, I can name and describe a number of devils, I can name and describe a number of demons. I can't do the same for daemons.
<p>So, who knows, maybe renaming them could spawn a whole lot of creativity and a whole new generation of neutral evil beings (and all Paizo property).</p>James Jacobs wrote:That said, renaming them to something else WOULD allow us to move away from Wizards of the Coast's IP and do some new stuff, but doing so would pretty much require us to abandon the daemons that are D&D's property we're able to use via the Tome of Horrors. Would folks still be okay having them be renamed knowing that old classics like the derghodaemon, the hydrodaemon, the piscodaemon, and the Oinodaemon would more or less be written out of Pathfinder continuity?
Renaming...MrVergee2018-09-17T17:20:37ZRe: Forums: Pathfinder Playtest General Discussion: Bloated numbers do NOT diminish d20 importanceMrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2vbrs?Bloated-numbers-do-NOT-diminish-d20-importance#322018-08-16T08:45:38Z2018-08-16T07:43:27Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">MaxAstro wrote:</div><blockquote><p> EDIT: I will also say, as someone who has a player that every time he rolls his attack has to go through "Oh, I have a +2 bonus from this... oh wait, I forgot my +1 bonus from this feat... Oh, also I cast this spell for a +3 bonus... oh and I also have a +2 bonus from my Teamwork feat..." •rolls• "Wait I forgot +2 from flanking! No wait, +4 from flanking, I have that feat!"</p>
<p>I agree with Paizo this is a problem and I fully support any efforts to address it. XD </blockquote><p>All this math is one of the things I don't like about PF1, but I do not really see any difference in PF2. You clearly do. Can you please convince me of that?
<p>I still read in the rulebook: "Result of a roll = number on the die + ability modifier + proficiency modifier + circumstance bonus + conditional bonus + item bonus + circumstance penalty + conditional penalty + item penalty + untyped penalties" How is that different?</p>MaxAstro wrote:EDIT: I will also say, as someone who has a player that every time he rolls his attack has to go through "Oh, I have a +2 bonus from this... oh wait, I forgot my +1 bonus from this feat... Oh, also I cast this spell for a +3 bonus... oh and I also have a +2 bonus from my Teamwork feat..." *rolls* "Wait I forgot +2 from flanking! No wait, +4 from flanking, I have that feat!"
I agree with Paizo this is a problem and I fully support any efforts to address it. XD
All this math is...MrVergee2018-08-16T07:43:27ZRe: Forums: Curse of the Crimson Throne: Afflicted Artists, looking for ideas (possible spoilers)MrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2utko?Afflicted-Artists-looking-for-ideas#42018-04-22T17:00:40Z2018-01-13T09:03:03Z<p>I introduced one of the artists early in the campaign, in my prelude sessions. Three of my players were lambs in Gaedrann's gang and one of their fellow lamb was called Lick.</p>
<p>When they met again five years later, answering Zellara's call, Lick (an NPC) was summoned as well. He had now become Lucian Lycan, a tortured playwright. The PCs went to see his latest play in Swastel's Exemplary Excrables theater in Old Korvosa.</p>
<p>I also delayed the king's death, so I could have Ileosa's discovery of the artefact take place in the background. Since Lick was one of the 'inspired' artists, his muse suddenly left him and he killed himself. In the following days the PCs learned that several other artists had committed suicide.</p>
<p>Just quoting from <a href="http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ps0m&page=2?Mister-Vergees-Curse-of-the-Crimson-Throne#66" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">my journal</a>: " Yesterday already saw the death by overdose of Guy Nolin, a sculptor, and this morning another suicide was brought in, Archibald Meerwater, a composer, who slit his own wrists." And later: "The seneschal reveals that a fourth suicide victim is being buried today, an artistic glassblower, Harmon Hals, who set himself on fire."</p>
<p>The PCs had already met Salvator Scream by that time as well, and he seemed to have survived the ordeal because he was K.O. on drugs at the moment his muse disappeared.</p>
<p>So, counting Scream, I named five <i>inspired</i> artists. It wasn't until much later the PCs learned why they actually killed themselves.</p>I introduced one of the artists early in the campaign, in my prelude sessions. Three of my players were lambs in Gaedrann's gang and one of their fellow lamb was called Lick.
When they met again five years later, answering Zellara's call, Lick (an NPC) was summoned as well. He had now become Lucian Lycan, a tortured playwright. The PCs went to see his latest play in Swastel's Exemplary Excrables theater in Old Korvosa.
I also delayed the king's death, so I could have Ileosa's discovery of...MrVergee2018-01-13T09:03:03ZRe: Forums: Curse of the Crimson Throne: Inspectre's Curse of the Crimson Throne Alterations (Spoilers!)MrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2s3ru&page=7?Inspectres-Curse-of-the-Crimson-Throne#3242018-01-04T10:06:03Z2018-01-04T08:24:08Z<p>Gratz on #100. Too bad about the fountain in Sirathu, though ...</p>Gratz on #100. Too bad about the fountain in Sirathu, though ...MrVergee2018-01-04T08:24:08ZRe: Forums: Curse of the Crimson Throne: Is dueling legal in Korvosa and/or its holdings?MrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2usab?Is-dueling-legal-in-Korvosa-andor-its-holdings#62018-04-18T01:29:41Z2017-12-18T07:15:34Z<p><i>The Guide to Korvosa</i> does not list dueling as illegal. It mentions duels as becoming more frequent within the Acadamae, without saying duels are against or within the law. It does make a difference between formal and informal challenges (the latter of which are called 'trouble' for the Acadamae tiefling guards). Finally headmasdter Toff Ornelos has defeated 17 wizards in <b>secret</b> mages' duels. (Does secret imply they are not allowed?)</p>
<p><i>The Fencing Master</i> short story (somewhere on this site) also mentions dueling as something that happens in Korvosa, but again it doesn't really state whether or not it is illegal.</p>
<p>So dueling is certainly a thing in Korvosa. There are no sources to confirm its legality, so, like so many things, it's a GM's call.</p>The Guide to Korvosa does not list dueling as illegal. It mentions duels as becoming more frequent within the Acadamae, without saying duels are against or within the law. It does make a difference between formal and informal challenges (the latter of which are called 'trouble' for the Acadamae tiefling guards). Finally headmasdter Toff Ornelos has defeated 17 wizards in secret mages' duels. (Does secret imply they are not allowed?)
The Fencing Master short story (somewhere on this site)...MrVergee2017-12-18T07:15:34ZRe: Forums: Curse of the Crimson Throne: Necromancy laws in KorvosaMrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2urqf?Necromancy-laws-in-Korvosa#42018-04-18T01:26:22Z2017-12-14T07:43:52Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Stratt wrote:</div><blockquote> Point of clarification. Human sacrifice (or elven / dwarven / halfling / etc) is not illegal. Sacrifice of unwilling people is illegal. At the opening of the newly created temple to Asmodeus there was a sacrifice of 13 virgin woman offered up. I believe this is detailed in the Guide to Korvosa. Since the 13 virgins were suppose to have been "willing" it was legal. </blockquote><p>In a world where magical compulsion is a thing, calling someone ‘willing’ is a shaky notion. Although the source material on Korvosa is not conclusive on the matter, in my mind it does not really suggest that ‘willing sacrifices’ are legal.
<p>Here’s what the <b>Guide to Korvosa</b> says on the event you refer to:</p>
<p><i>Archbishop Ornher Reebs dedicated the new temple, with the help of the Acadamae’s headmaster, in an appropriately infernal way, sealing a pact with an erinyes using the blood of 13 virgin sacrifices. While all of these virgins volunteered for the dedication, some observers speculate that a few were charmed or otherwise magically compelled to join the “festivities.”</p>
<p><b>The conclusion of this dedication sent shockwaves through the city, and Korvosa’s citizens threatened to riot, raze the temple, and topple the monarchy.</b> Queen Domina calmed the city by expending her own personal wealth to import a powerful cleric, who then attempted to return all 13 sacrifices to life. Only four of the virgins refused the service, and most of the other nine are still alive today.</i></p>
<p>The people’s reaction was certainly not in line with a ‘legal’ act. It was political influence and manipulation (both the queen and the headmaster of the Acadamae supported the church), combined with an expensive emergency operation that managed to do enough damage control to keep the people at bay. The fact that nine out of thirteen sacrifices accepted the resurrection is a strong hint that ‘willing’ was a debatable term.</p>
<p>Anyway, I suppose it is up to each GM to make his own call and decide what is legal and what isn’t. In my campaign the sacrifices were illegal and the aftermath of the tragedy described above sufficed to (at least officially and openly) keep the church of Asmodeus in line for years.</p>
<p>The same goes for the OP’s question on necromancy in Korvosa. If you tell your players that Rolth was expelled from the Acadamae for doing ‘illegal experiments’, they will want to know what those experiments were in a city that has been training necromancers for generations. Creating a flesh golem would not have been sufficient for my group as an excuse, since creating undead is apparently no problem in the city. So, what do you do with Rolth? You either turn the man into a serial killer (like the new edition did) or you come up with another plausible answer. In my (pre-new edition) campaign that answer was merging living and dead matter.</p>
<p>The matter even became personal when Rolth gave a PC’s sister a skeletal arm, after he had already corrupted her mind to make her his sidekick. This led to a dramatic conclusion in which the PC had to put down his own sister, since she proved beyond salvation. So, I made my own call and ran with it, trying to weave it into the campaign to enhance the story. I can tell you, when the PCs finally took down Rolth (who had inflicted even more evil upon them) in an extra homebrew sidetrek adventure, it was an emotional moment and a great triumph at the same time.</p>Stratt wrote:Point of clarification. Human sacrifice (or elven / dwarven / halfling / etc) is not illegal. Sacrifice of unwilling people is illegal. At the opening of the newly created temple to Asmodeus there was a sacrifice of 13 virgin woman offered up. I believe this is detailed in the Guide to Korvosa. Since the 13 virgins were suppose to have been "willing" it was legal.
In a world where magical compulsion is a thing, calling someone ‘willing’ is a shaky notion. Although the source...MrVergee2017-12-14T07:43:52ZRe: Forums: Curse of the Crimson Throne: Necromancy laws in KorvosaMrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2urqf?Necromancy-laws-in-Korvosa#22018-04-18T01:21:03Z2017-12-09T06:49:34Z<p>Necromany is not forbidden within the walls of the city, but stealing corpses, killing people or having undead wander the streets certainly is. So necromancers still have to abide by the rules and laws of the city. The same goes for Asmodeus priests. They cannot make human sacrifices, but they are allowed to operate in the city, sticking mainly to the <i>contract</i> side of their deity (at least openly, Ornher Reebs might develop some very illegal schemes in your campaign behind the screens, if you want him to).</p>
<p>The question then is: why was Rolth expelled from the Acadamae? For doing 'normal' necromancy stuff but breaking the laws of the city (e.g. stealing corpses to experiment upon)? That would never be a necromancy headmaster's judgement. In my campaign the PCs learned that he did not only experiment with flesh golems, he also tried to graft undead flesh upon living tissue, which went too far, even for the Acadamae's standards.</p>Necromany is not forbidden within the walls of the city, but stealing corpses, killing people or having undead wander the streets certainly is. So necromancers still have to abide by the rules and laws of the city. The same goes for Asmodeus priests. They cannot make human sacrifices, but they are allowed to operate in the city, sticking mainly to the contract side of their deity (at least openly, Ornher Reebs might develop some very illegal schemes in your campaign behind the screens, if you...MrVergee2017-12-09T06:49:34ZRe: Forums: Curse of the Crimson Throne: Shops in KorvosaMrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2uqy6?Shops-in-Korvosa#62020-10-29T12:50:19Z2017-11-28T19:20:57Z<p>I’ll give you a quick overview of the ‘magical shop’ options I used in my campaign.</p>
<p><b>Doing business in Korvosa</b></p>
<p><b>Schools</b></p>
<p>There are two colleges in Korvosa that might be able to create some arcane magical items on demand: the Acadamae and Theumanexus college. The Acadamae is not open to ‘outsiders’, so getting in there might prove difficult. Either one of your PCs needs a connection inside or the PCs will have to find a middle-man to handle their dealings. Tempest Geezlebottle of Theumanexus college is a friendlier sort and can be approached with requests. These schools don’t really have a big stock of items, but they can have students or teachers make low-level stuff on demand.</p>
<p><b>Temples</b></p>
<p>The temples are a great way to gain access to divine inspired items. The churches of Pharasma and Sarenrae are generally quite friendly and open for business. The Bank of Abadar might have the best items for sale, but they will ask top dollar.</p>
<p><b>Shops</b></p>
<p>The Gilded Orrery sells books, texts, items, magical wares of arcane lore for the people associated with the Acadamae. Again it might be harder to get a foot in. Bookmaker sells a handful of scrolls as well. Hedge Wizardry is a small shop that sells alchemical and magical goods, while Slicing Dicers might hold a magical blade or two. Trapper’s Hole has bows and arrows for sale, possibly with some minor magic.</p>
<p><b>Homebrew</b></p>
<p>I added two sources for shopping to my list in my campaign.</p>
<p>Dierderik Lodann is a peddler who claims he can get his hands on anything (although just minor stuff). He has contacts in the Acadamae and can get things there.</p>
<p>Furin Ironmonger is a dwarven smith who hails from Janderhoff. He can get decent magical arms and armor, and he could even order special items in the dwarven citadel of Janderhoff.</p>
<p><b>Janderhoff</b></p>
<p>As the PCs progress in level and leave the city of Korvosa, you could steer them towards the dwarven citadel Janderhoff as well. The temple of Torag there can provide all kinds of goods, mainly magical arms and armor, but also divine wands, potions and even rings and wondrous items. They can also provide the service of enchanting new items or increasing the power of enchantments on existing items.</p>
<p><b>Kaer Maga</b></p>
<p>Kaer Maga covers the arcane base of magical items. I restricted my PCs’ connection there to ‘The Flame that Binds’, a shop specialized in buying and selling magical goods and services.</p>I’ll give you a quick overview of the ‘magical shop’ options I used in my campaign.
Doing business in Korvosa
Schools
There are two colleges in Korvosa that might be able to create some arcane magical items on demand: the Acadamae and Theumanexus college. The Acadamae is not open to ‘outsiders’, so getting in there might prove difficult. Either one of your PCs needs a connection inside or the PCs will have to find a middle-man to handle their dealings. Tempest Geezlebottle of Theumanexus...MrVergee2017-11-28T19:20:57ZRe: Forums: Campaign Journals: Skull and Blood (A Skull and Shackles Dragonlance campaign)MrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ua54&page=6?Skull-and-Blood#2702017-11-14T22:02:33Z2017-11-12T08:15:31Z<p>Congratulations on finishing a compelling campaign. I tip my tricorne to you!</p>Congratulations on finishing a compelling campaign. I tip my tricorne to you!MrVergee2017-11-12T08:15:31ZRe: Forums: Website Feedback: Serious Website IssuesMrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2uoul&page=7?Serious-Website-Issues#3232021-08-17T20:19:09Z2017-11-11T08:20:04Z<p>Sorry guys, but I'm getting logged out again as well.</p>Sorry guys, but I'm getting logged out again as well.MrVergee2017-11-11T08:20:04ZRe: Forums: Website Feedback: Serious Website IssuesMrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2uoul&page=7?Serious-Website-Issues#3092017-11-08T19:06:24Z2017-11-08T18:34:36Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Redelia wrote:</div><blockquote> Dean, I really appreciate that not only are you guys working hard on the fix, but you are also communicating with us about it frequently. </blockquote><p>Same feeling here. I'm staying logged in again, so thanks.Redelia wrote:Dean, I really appreciate that not only are you guys working hard on the fix, but you are also communicating with us about it frequently.
Same feeling here. I'm staying logged in again, so thanks.MrVergee2017-11-08T18:34:36ZRe: Forums: Curse of the Crimson Throne: Creating a memory for one of my players who passed away...MrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2uoz3?Creating-a-memory-for-one-of-my-players-who#42018-04-18T05:01:10Z2017-10-27T14:35:19Z<p>I'm also very sorry for your loss. My sympathy goes out to your group and your friend's family.</p>
<p>It will be hard to honor your friend and player by keeping his character around, I fear. I'd consider an option in which he can be present in the campaign, without you needing his character to be present. Here is how I might handle such a delicate issue.</p>
<p>Maybe the sorcerer sacrifices himself heroically in the upcoming boss fight to save the party from certain doom. Since he is a sorcerer, he doesn't die, but instead burns away in a colorful rainbow of magic. Upon touching the other PCs, the magic leaves a mark in their skin, which allows them to reroll one d20 per day for the rest of the campaign. Give the ability a name that honors your friend, like <i>comrade's cover</i> or something.</p>
<p>This way your friend can continue to guard over his companions for the rest of the campaign. He can continue to bring positive notes to future sessions and even in-game he will be remembered fondly.</p>I'm also very sorry for your loss. My sympathy goes out to your group and your friend's family.
It will be hard to honor your friend and player by keeping his character around, I fear. I'd consider an option in which he can be present in the campaign, without you needing his character to be present. Here is how I might handle such a delicate issue.
Maybe the sorcerer sacrifices himself heroically in the upcoming boss fight to save the party from certain doom. Since he is a sorcerer, he...MrVergee2017-10-27T14:35:19ZRe: Forums: Campaign Journals: Skull and Blood (A Skull and Shackles Dragonlance campaign)MrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ua54&page=6?Skull-and-Blood#2652017-10-28T08:28:03Z2017-10-27T13:41:20Z<p>Congratulations on a great victory.</p>Congratulations on a great victory.MrVergee2017-10-27T13:41:20ZRe: Forums: Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM Suggestions for Alternatives to History of Ashes?MrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2umjo?DM-Suggestions-for-Alternatives-to-History-of#32020-03-19T03:59:29Z2017-09-24T10:58:27Z<p>Maybe you can find some inspiration in my <a href="http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ps0m&page=6?Mister-Vergees-Curse-of-the-Crimson-Throne#286" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">campaign journal</a>.</p>
<p>To summarize how I adapted <i>A History of Ashes</i>: After the PCs met up with the Skull clan and proved themselves worthy to Sun clan visitor Krojun Eats-what-he-Kills, they went into a steam hut. They suffered the heat until they passed out, so they could travel to the spirit world. There the Shoanti shamans saw the heroes were honest and true. As a side-effect of this ethereal journey, the party was briefly contacted by a Shoanti in trouble, who had also traveled into the spirit world to try and contact his kin.</p>
<p>This Shoanti was a spy in the orc city of Urgir, but he had been discovered and captured. He was also the son of the Sun Clan most powerful chief, so Thousand Bones recommended the heroes to go to Urgir and save the boy. This would be an excellent way to earn the Sun Clan's favor.</p>
<p>This scenario allowed me to insert another 'urban adventure' in my urban campaign, but with a very different vibe, as <i>pinkskins</i> are hardly welcome amongst the orcs. The party first aided an orc chief to gain his tribe's token, which allowed them access to Urgir. Then they searched the orc city for clues, while trying to keep a low profile, and finally traced the spy to an ancient dwarven tomb. They freed him and teleported back to the Shoanti, who now respected them enough to open negotiations and exchange information.</p>Maybe you can find some inspiration in my campaign journal.
To summarize how I adapted A History of Ashes: After the PCs met up with the Skull clan and proved themselves worthy to Sun clan visitor Krojun Eats-what-he-Kills, they went into a steam hut. They suffered the heat until they passed out, so they could travel to the spirit world. There the Shoanti shamans saw the heroes were honest and true. As a side-effect of this ethereal journey, the party was briefly contacted by a Shoanti in...MrVergee2017-09-24T10:58:27ZRe: Forums: Curse of the Crimson Throne: Stratt's Curse of the Crimson Throne Campaign Notes **Major Spoilers Within!**MrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ume6?Stratts-Curse-of-the-Crimson-Throne-Campaign#92018-04-24T00:30:50Z2017-09-22T12:06:31Z<p>I don't know if you've read my <a href="http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ps0m?Mister-Vergees-Curse-of-the-Crimson-Throne" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">journal</a>, but it contains similar elements to the ones you're planning on using, like the PCs working for the seemingly innocent queen first, more focus on Korvosa, more foreshadowing, clearer introduction of the Gray Maidens, the king dying while the PCs are out of town, so the riots have time to grow ... I also kept the PCs more in Korvosa (I skipped Scarwall and had an alternative storyline in Korvosa instead). Anyway, you're welcome to mine my log for inspiration, although it is quite lengthy to read.</p>I don't know if you've read my journal, but it contains similar elements to the ones you're planning on using, like the PCs working for the seemingly innocent queen first, more focus on Korvosa, more foreshadowing, clearer introduction of the Gray Maidens, the king dying while the PCs are out of town, so the riots have time to grow ... I also kept the PCs more in Korvosa (I skipped Scarwall and had an alternative storyline in Korvosa instead). Anyway, you're welcome to mine my log for...MrVergee2017-09-22T12:06:31ZRe: Forums/Pathfinder First Edition: General Discussion: What are some reasons people might start at level 1?MrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2umad?What-are-some-reasons-people-might-start-at#262017-09-22T10:13:22Z2017-09-20T16:56:37Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">amethal wrote:</div><blockquote><p> I enjoy first level. I'd feel like I was missing out if I had to start at a higher level.</p>
<p>All the levels have their own challenges. I find the challenge of keeping a first level character alive much more fun than the challenge of calculating the attack bonus of the 15th level character I'm currently playing.</p>
<p>(BAB plus strength plus one or more of the following - rage, heroism, greater magic weapon spell, power attack, bless, prayer, haste, blessings of fervour and a few others I'm probably forgetting, plus remembering which ones stack, and maybe the bad guys will stick on a few penalties just when I've got the current value straight.) </blockquote><p>I'm with you on this, Amethal. I like level 1 as well, both as a player and a GM.amethal wrote:I enjoy first level. I'd feel like I was missing out if I had to start at a higher level.
All the levels have their own challenges. I find the challenge of keeping a first level character alive much more fun than the challenge of calculating the attack bonus of the 15th level character I'm currently playing.
(BAB plus strength plus one or more of the following - rage, heroism, greater magic weapon spell, power attack, bless, prayer, haste, blessings of fervour and a few others...MrVergee2017-09-20T16:56:37ZRe: Forums: Campaign Journals: Mister Vergee's Curse of the Crimson ThroneMrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ps0m&page=8?Mister-Vergees-Curse-of-the-Crimson-Throne#3742017-09-16T19:12:11Z2017-09-16T13:33:48Z<p>This marks the end of our <i>Curse of the Crimson Throne</i> campaign, at least for now. It was a fantastic experience, a truly superb adventure path, so my thanks go to the authors: Nicolas Logue, F. Wesley Schneider, Richard Pett, Michael Kortes, Greg A. Vaughan and Tito Leati. Of course, we cannot forget the AP’s leading man, James Jacobs. Even though I sometimes veered from the original storyline, I cannot applaud you enough for writing such a wonderful adventure.</p>
<p>I know many people work on an adventure path, from developers over designers to artists and dozens of others. I’d like to give all of you a big hand of applause. I tip my hat to you. Thanks.</p>
<p>I was also inspired by other GMs who posted about their games on these boards. I’d like to recommend everyone who plays a Paizo AP to check the boards closely, because many good ideas get thrown around in there, giving newer GMs inspiration to adjust the game to their own table's taste. I’d especially like to send a word of praise to Moonbeam, whose <a href=" http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2m5rm?Moonbeams-Curse-of-the-Crimson-Throne-campaign#1" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Curse of the Crimson Throne journal</a> I mined for great thoughts. It comes highly recommended for anyone who wants to master this adventure, as well as for anyone who likes a good read. (Obviously, if you still want to play the AP, don’t read it, because it contains spoilers, but then again, so does my journal.)</p>
<p>This journal also triggered my newest hobby, posting pictures on <a href=" https://mrvergee.deviantart.com/gallery/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">my DeviantArt page</a> about our adventures, using my ever-growing collection of minis and scenery. If you like my page, I encourage you to check it out in the future as well, because I will be posting more photos that did not make the cut or the adventure. I might also make more pictures of our new <i>Way of the Wicked</i> campaign, in which I am a player and Sjo’s player is the GM.</p>
<p>For the next couple of months we will be delving deeper into the land of Talingarde, performing all kinds of evil. That does not mean this adventure is over and done with. I have a follow-up story ready, which will pick up where we left, but first it is time for a rest.</p>
<p>Of course, I cannot give thanks without mentioning my players, who made the adventure into what you can read here. It's been an honor playing with you, gentlemen. Bedankt.</p>
<p>Finally, I’d like to thank everyone who’s been reading my log. I hope you enjoyed it. Likewise, I hope to see you again in a few months to read how our adventure continues in <i>Long live the King</i>. Cheers!</p>This marks the end of our Curse of the Crimson Throne campaign, at least for now. It was a fantastic experience, a truly superb adventure path, so my thanks go to the authors: Nicolas Logue, F. Wesley Schneider, Richard Pett, Michael Kortes, Greg A. Vaughan and Tito Leati. Of course, we cannot forget the AP’s leading man, James Jacobs. Even though I sometimes veered from the original storyline, I cannot applaud you enough for writing such a wonderful adventure.
I know many people work on an...MrVergee2017-09-16T13:33:48ZRe: Forums: Campaign Journals: Mister Vergee's Curse of the Crimson ThroneMrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ps0m&page=8?Mister-Vergees-Curse-of-the-Crimson-Throne#3732018-10-08T05:06:07Z2017-09-16T13:26:45Z<p>Sjo fights the urge to burn out his energy. As he opens his eyes, he finds himself in a stone room, back in the Sunken Queen. The flames that were seeping from his skin in his vision, are - in reality - drops of blood that drain from his veins. These droplets float through the air, to a pool of swirling blood at the other end of the room. Hidden in the mass of blood he can vaguely make out the curvaceous shape of a woman.</p>
<p>At Sjo’s side, his friends and allies fight off the vision as well, halting their own bleeding process. Only clone Sarah reacts differently to standing in front of the Everdawn pool: she simply explodes in a splash of blood, which is subsequently absorbed by the sanguine blob over the pool. As the other heroes recover from their eerily wonderful dreams, they notice Dark Quint stepping out from behind the pool. The bard calls down his annoying <i>blasphemy</i> over the heroes again, but since they have last met, the companions have grown stronger, so the devastating <i>paralyzing</i> effect of the spell does not affect them anymore. Still the magic leaves them weakened and Sjo is temporarily disoriented as well. To top his spell, Quint starts a discouraging <i>satirical</i> performance, mocking his old allies into clumsiness.</p>
<p>Next, the blob of blood opens up and <a href="https://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Facing-Ileosa-in-Curse-of-the-Crimson-Throne-704698830" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">reveals the beautiful face of queen Ileosa</a>: “You wretched stubborn fools, don’t you ever quit? I will give you one more chance. Submit to my authority right now! Serve me and do my bidding, no matter what I ask of you. Only then will I spare your pitiful lives … But if you do not bend the knee, I will destroy every one of you and every single creature you have ever cared about.” Before the window in the blood closes again, Ileosa casts <i>mirror image</i>, summoning ten illusory copies of herself, and launches an inspiring bardic song.</p>
<p>Elvira is the first to shake the haze of the vision. She grabs Puk and Balian by the shoulder and <i>teleports</i> to Quint’s side, catching the evil bard between her two deadliest allies. Behind her, the mass of blood melds into an opening once more, like crimson curtains which are briefly drawn and then closed again. Ileosa can’t hide the disappointment in her glare when she sees that only Sjo and Esphydriel are left standing in front of her. A booming <i>greater shout</i> rises from her throat and beats down on the healer and the heavenly hound. The waves in the air slam into them and leave their ears ringing. At the same time Puk lashes out at Dark Quint, hurting him badly. Pinched between two killers, the bard does not linger and simply zaps out of the room. Balian turns to the churning blood, which suddenly bursts out of the pool and overflows the room. Esphydriel is dragged down by the flood and hits the floor. At the same time the bloody mass in the basin starts to morph into a dragonlike shape. <a href="https://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Ileosa-and-blood-dragon-in-Everdawn-Pool-704699531" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The crimson beast uses its wings to continue shielding Ileosa from harm</a>, while it unleashes its terrible breath weapon on the rogue, the ranger and the wizardess, chilling them to the bone with his cone of <i>negative energy</i>.</p>
<p>Elvira buckles on her knees. She watches the fainting glimmer of the sun runes on her arms and decides to burn their final energy in the <i>fires of purification</i>, healing all her wounds and restoring her drained strength. She also conjures up her latest and mightiest spell, <i>prismatic spray</i>. Seven shimmering multicolored beams spring from her hand like a rainbow, in a display of power. The yellow beam strikes the dragon, but the electricity glides off its form without hurting it, while the violet ray penetrates the blob and hits Ileosa. She is not even dazed by it. Elvira falls back cursing, what is she to do if her greatest spells don’t even dazzle her enemies? The queen sends a brief look of disdain at the enchantress, but then turns to Balian: “Stop annoying me, puppet. Just … dance for me.” Balian, whose <i>flying boots</i> lift him just above the red sludge on the ground, starts shifting his feet in the air and twirling his body. “That’s right, puppet, obey me, you shall!” At the same time she directs the dragon to sink his bloody teeth into Balian’s flesh.</p>
<p>Esphydriel jumps to his master’s defense and challenges the dragon, hacking his blade into its skin. His weapon leaves a gash in the creature’s side. Puk follows the hound archon’s example, he tumbles to the dragon’s other flank and stabs it with his short sword.</p>
<p>Sjo is the next one to say goodbye to his sun tattoos and also uses their healing powers to regain his health and strength. Feeling renewed, he tests the dragon’s resilience versus his <i>fireballs</i>, but he cannot bypass its magic resistance. Elvira invokes the advantage of <i>flight</i> and joins Balian in the air, seeking a safe corner to hide in. Meanwhile Balian, who has only just recovered from the frantic dance, learns that he is Ileosa’s favorite target. She tries to get him to share her damage with <i>unwilling shield</i>, but he resists her attempt, at least for now. Below him his former pet keeps attacking the dragon, while at the same time <i>laying hands</i> on himself the heal the worst of his wounds. The heavy-hitters now all focus on the blood dragon, temporarily ignoring Dark Quint, who <i>teleports</i> back into the room in the company of three bearded devils. The heroes need to get to Ileosa quickly, if they want to win this battle, so the dragon is in the way and must be slain as soon as possible. Both Balian and Puk get lucky, <a href=" https://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Ileosa-last-stand-in-the-Sunken-Queen-704699787" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">hitting the sanguine creature again and again</a>, until it explodes in a sea of blood. Is the battle finally turning? It might be, but it isn’t over yet! From the blood on the ground another bloody servant arises, this one vaguely shaped like a woman. Her claws reach for Balian, but the ranger pulls away just in time.</p>
<p>“Go back to whatever Hell you came from!” Sjo shouts at Dark Quint, trying to banish the devil possessing his former friend from this plane of existence. His spell bounces off the laughing bard like water after which Sjo also takes to the air with his burning wings to gain some height and safety. Elvira manages to catch one of the newcomers, a bearded devil, in her <i>confusion</i>, but notices that Ileosa falls back on similar mind-affecting magic and obscures Puk’s mind with her <i>song of discord</i>. Then the queen rises off the ground as well.</p>
<p>Puk now has his mind clouded, occasionally making him attack whoever is nearest to him. Of course, if this nearest being is an enemy, the spell has no ill effect for the party. The halfling lashes out at a bearded devil. His swords seem to move at the speed of light and cut the fiend to shreds in mere seconds. As it dies, it pops back to its home plane, leaving no trace of its passage. Balian and Esphydriel are trying to hold back the blood servant and the ranger has to activate the <i>fires of purification</i> as well to heal up.</p>
<p>Sjo swoops around Ileosa, whose ten <i> mirror images</i> still shimmer around her. “Too many innocent people have died at your command, evil queen!” he shouts. “It’s time to pay for your crimes! Away with your protections!” With a wave of his hand Sjo <i>dispels</i> the images, leaving only Ileosa’s true form. “You cannot flee our justice any longer! Get her, my friends!”</p>
<p>Inspired by her burning airborne ally’s example, Elvira attempts to <i>hold</i> Dark Quint in place, but his devilish possessor proves too hard to control. “Let me show you how it is done”, Ileosa mocks, turning her attention from Elvira to Balian: “Puppet, obey me and kill that fool with his fiery wings!” The ranger’s eyes suddenly lose their lucidity as <i>dominate person</i> takes hold of him. “As you command, my queen.” He rises higher to where Sjo is flying. The healer shouts at him to stop: “Easy there, buddy, it’s me. Just stay …” WHACK! Balian chops his greatsword into his friend’s chest. Blood spills from Sjo’s lips. This is bad.</p>
<p>While Puk and Esphydriel take care of the two remaining bearded devils, Quint casts <i>greater invisibility</i> on himself. His footprints in the blood still betray his position, but his other intentions are now hidden from view. More powerful magic is invoked elsewhere in the room: Elvira takes control of Balian’s actions with her own <i>dominate person</i>, making the ranger’s glassy gaze shift to Ileosa. Sjo calls forth a pillar of <i>flame strike</i> on the queen and her bard ally, but only a trickle of the divine energy seems to hurt them. Ileosa is infuriated at losing command over Balian because of Elvira’s meddling. The queen hates being outshone, definitely by other women (especially ones as good-looking as Elvira): “This is how you freeze someone in place, little witch, now don’t you freaking move!” she commands. Elvira feels her muscles tense up, not able to resist Ileosa’s <i>hold monster</i>. Only her mind continues to work: “I’m not the monster here, you harlot, you are”, shoots through her head. “I have to fight this. Damn, Togomor, you fat toad, if you thought me Sorshen reborn, I should have the power to fight this.” Fortunately, the enchantress can still use her mind to steer Balian’s actions and exact her revenge. Trying to hit the queen, he finds it hard to strike true, managing to do so only once, but with great effect. He deals the queen a large gash in her side.</p>
<p>Footsteps in the bloody muck show that Quint moves to Puk’s side. The two invisible opponents now engage in a dance of deadly steel while Esphydriel is still fighting the blood servant across the pool. Sjo flies to the hound’s shoulder and reads out one of his scrolls of <i>heal</i>, restoring the archon to full health. Quint’s final act is his token maneuver from the days of old, he tries to fill Puk’s mind with a blaring <i>cacophony</i> of discordant sounds. “I know your tricks, bard”, the halfling breathes, “they won’t work on me.” Studying where Quint’s feet are planted in the blood, the rogue estimates where his invisible opponent is and strikes, feeling his swords sink into flesh. With a splash Quint drops in the blood. Puk sees how an unseen body slips away below the sanguine surface. “Forgive me, old friend, may the gods have mercy on your soul.”</p>
<p>Balian and Ileosa are still engaged in aerial combat. She ends her bardic performance in a <i>deadly finale</i>, making several companions bleed profusely, including Balian. The ranger still has a hard time getting through her defenses, seeing that she has even more crazy powers. The few wounds he inflicts on her are already starting to close; like trolls, she possesses the gift of regeneration, but hers works at an incredible rate. Her magic arsenal seems infinite as well; again she attempts <i>unwilling shield</i> on Balian and this time the spell takes hold. From now on he will share half of the damage done to her …</p>
<p>Puk is without an opponent again and the magic that still controls him, urges him to seek his nearest target. Fortunately, his companions have been smart enough to choose their positions on the battlefield strategically, so he now turns his attention on the blood servant who is fighting Esphydriel. Between the two of them, they have little trouble defeating the monstrosity. Sjo plays to his strengths and quells everyone’s bleeding with a <i>mass cure light wounds</i>.</p>
<p>Balian is finally getting the hang of it and hits Ileosa three times. Every time his greatsword tears into her flesh, it also opens up bad wounds in his own body. He’ll need healing if he wants to stay alive to defeat her. Behind him, he hears Elvira finally break free of her <i>hold monster</i>. She immediately counterattacks with her own <i>hold person</i> on Ileosa, but the queen proves impossible to affect. Singing to herself in encouragement, Ileosa draws her weapon, a sleek rapier, and slashes at Balian, who needs Sjo’s penultimate <i>heal</i> scroll to survive. Elvira realizes her magic is not powerful enough to influence her enemy, so she changes strategy and flies over to Puk. <i>How hard can it be to lift this little guy up into the air so he can reach Ileosa as well?</i> She grabs him under his shoulders, but staggers as she lifts off. <i>Too hard, if you lack the strength, it seems.</i> Sjo burns through his cure spells to keep Balian alive, as Ileosa is starting to look rough as well. In a sudden flash she disappears and pops up in the middle of the pool again. As she reappears, every last drop of blood spilled in the room is sucked up into her form, healing her of all wounds.</p>
<p>Puk leaps at her and stabs, but his <i>invisibility</i> has worn off and he only manages the tiniest of wounds, so small that it doesn’t even transmit half to Balian. “That’s how we have to do it,” the halfling jokes, “death by a thousand cuts, so Balian doesn’t have to share her wounds.” As the other short-term buffs drop as well, Elvira recalls her <i>haste</i> spell and recasts it. Balian presses the attack on Ileosa, hurting himself just as much as her. Sjo cannot keep up with his <i>cure critical wounds</i> and starts getting worried. Dispelling magic done by such a skilled caster is next to impossible, healing is his only viable option. “You won’t be able to keep up, Shoanti scum!” Ileosa spits at him. “Once your dumbass fighter is down, you are done with, all of you! He is not the only one who can wield a blade, nor are you the only one who can cast <i>haste</i>”, the queen cries out, fixing her eyes on Elvira. Words of magic spew from her lips and Ileosa’s movements quicken as well.</p>
<p>Balian hits again, twice. His own chest tears open under his breastplate. “Let’s see how much you can take”, Ileosa smiles wickedly, slashing him with her rapier as well. Sjo reaches for his final scroll of <i>heal</i>, timing the spell just before Balian takes too much damage. The healer’s hope that this will be enough is quickly crushed, though. As Puk and Balian both slash at Ileosa, the ranger’s health drops again, fast. Ileosa simply finishes the job with her own rapier. Her actions have one unforeseen effect, however. Now her opponents don’t have to be careful about attacking her anymore, since none of them will share her wounds. Esphydriel steps in to provide Puk with flank. Unfortunately, both of them miss their mark. Sjo uses his last <i>breath of life</i>, pulling Balian back from the clutches of death. The ranger is on the ground, his greatsword under him. He cannot get up, because Ileosa would only cut him down again. His hands close around the pommel of his sword. If he cannot get up, he will just have to strike her from down here! He thrusts his blade up, stabbing blindly at the figure in front of him. He feels his greatsword tear through muscle and bone. This is the chance Puk has been waiting for. Using his rogue’s talent for an <i>opportunist’s attack</i>, he lunges forward. Ileosa, whose attention is firmly fixed on Balian, feels the halfling’s sword glide into her back. She gasps and drops.</p>
<p>A wave of relief descends on the party. It is as if the weight of the world has just been lifted off their shoulders. They have done it! The evil queen is dead!</p>
<p>As Ileosa body hits the floor, the <i>crown of fangs</i> falls from her head. It does not roll over the ground, though, it just slams to the stones like a brick. Immediately the heroes hear a voice in their heads. “Elvira, I’m yours, take me …” “Sjo, claim your prize …” “Balian, you were born to lead …” “Puk, no one will see you coming, but with me you will rule them all …”</p>
<p>Elvira pushes Balian. “Hey, that holy sword of yours. Can you use it to lift the crown into my <i>bag of holding</i>?” The ranger hooks the tip of his greatsword behind one of the fangs on top of the crown. When the metal touches the dragon tooth, it hisses and gives off smoke. “There, now close your bag, quickly!” the ranger shouts, letting out a sigh of relief when Elvira draws the artefact into another dimension. “Let’s make sure this b!tch doesn’t come back to haunt us”, Balian continues. He grabs Ileosa’s head by the hair and chops it off in one clean stroke. “That takes care of that!”</p>
<p>The heroes step back from the now empty basin. This entire room radiates powerful magic, as do many of Ileosa’s and Quint’s items. Elvira gathers every piece of equipment that is magical, finding some magnificent things in the loot, even stuff that will serve a wizard well.</p>
<p>Sjo sits down for a moment, whispering to himself: “Coja Eyes-Aflame, great Sun Shaman of the Sklar-Quah. I can only imagine the horrors you have faced in Scarwall when fighting the terrible fiend Kazavon. We only had to deal with his teeth and look how we had to struggle. I thank you for lending us your strength. Without it we would not have succeeded.</p>
<p>Then the healer stands up and looks at his companions: “We have done it, my friends, we fought, we struggled, we lost”, he says, glancing at Quint’s body, “we shared grief, but we also learned to lean on each other, trust each other, and we persevered. And now, the queen lies dead, the crown is contained. We have succeeded, we have won! Long live Korvosa!”</p>
<p>“Long live Korvosa!”</p>Sjo fights the urge to burn out his energy. As he opens his eyes, he finds himself in a stone room, back in the Sunken Queen. The flames that were seeping from his skin in his vision, are - in reality - drops of blood that drain from his veins. These droplets float through the air, to a pool of swirling blood at the other end of the room. Hidden in the mass of blood he can vaguely make out the curvaceous shape of a woman.
At Sjo’s side, his friends and allies fight off the vision as well,...MrVergee2017-09-16T13:26:45ZRe: Forums: Campaign Journals: Mister Vergee's Curse of the Crimson ThroneMrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ps0m&page=8?Mister-Vergees-Curse-of-the-Crimson-Throne#3722017-09-16T16:02:49Z2017-09-16T13:25:17Z<p>Elvira deems it unwise to take Sabina Merrin up to face Ileosa. With such powerful magic at her disposal, there is no telling what the queen is capable of. If she breaks Elvira’s <i>dominating</i> hold over Merrin or counters it with a similar spell, the heroes will have to face another powerful foe. Sarah, the <i>dominated</i> blood clone, poses less of a threat, so the potential of her helping the party is enough of an asset to take her along.</p>
<p>Elvira and Sjo cast some last second buffs: <i>haste, blessing of fervor, greater heroism, greater invisibility</i> and <i>blink</i>. Then they activate the blood lift to teleport them to the upper floor of the Sunken Queen. The point is arrival is not what they expected, however.</p>
<p>—-</p>
<p>Sjo steps into the open air. The vast landscape stretches to the horizon, revealing nothing but dry stone and sand. The camp, however, bursts with life: dozens upon dozens of healthy Shoanti walk about between the yurts that form their nomadic homes. Sjo’s dress matches the people around him: well-fitted yellow, orange and brown leathers and fabrics which allow for unhindered movement. The camp buzzes as a group of horseback riders approaches, squawking and howling loudly. The Burn Riders end their wild run in front of Sjo, greeting him with respect as their Sun Shaman. They dismount and surround him, smiling broadly and patting him on the back.</p>
<p>From a nearby yurt, a woman stands up. She cradles a baby in her arms, resting him atop of her swollen belly which betrays another child is on its way. As she looks up, her auburn hair blows out of her face, revealing the beautiful features of Larella Semyr, Sjo’s wife. She is dressed as a Shoanti as well. She steps up to her husband and wraps her free arm around his neck, giving him a kiss on the cheek. The burn riders pick up their howl and complete the circle with a big group hug. Sjo bursts out in flame, but his fire does not burn the people embracing him, it comforts them. As the warmth flows out of him, they welcome it into their hearts.</p>
<p>—-</p>
<p>Balian opens the door of his shop, letting in the street air. He doesn’t know what he loves most, the fresh smell of the street that promises new and happy customers, or the perfume of worked wood that fills the workshop. He turns inside again and smiles at his sister, who is carving a new statue: the stately posture of a man wearing a fine crown. Quint is his name, the king’s son and heir. The prince visited the woodwork shop last week with his mother, queen Leana, and was very interested in Alika’s carvings. He stayed for hours, talking on end and proving pleasant company. When he left, he had whispered something in Balian’s ear: “In another life, we could have been the best of friends, I’m sure.”</p>
<p>The prince’s visit did not go unnoticed and attracted many new buyers. In only one week Balian sold more than in the last six months. Only yesterday seneschal Kalepopolis, who was a well-known patron of the arts, came in to purchase the biggest piece his sister had ever made, Saint Alika rising from a whirling mass of Chelish and Varisians colonists, locked in a fierce dance with Shoanti warriors. Actually, the statue still has to be delivered to the castle. Trying to pack the huge sculpture in a box is what his father is trying to do at the moment in the back. “Let me give you a hand there, dad”, Balian offers, seeing that his aging father cannot even move the heavy piece.</p>
<p>“Thanks, son.” Dad’s eyes generate a warmth that only family can emit. “Just push there.” Balian strains his muscles and pushes. He feels the statue move ever so slightly. But it takes all of his strength; it almost feels as if he transmits his vigor into the exquisite artwork as he forces it into the box.</p>
<p>—-</p>
<p>Puk leans back in his sofa and puffs his pipe. He cannot believe how much he loves the good people of Heavengard, the lovely apple-growing halfling village along the shores of the Jeggare River. Since he freed the community of its corrupt major, Ossy Applebottom, who was trying to drain the swamps to sell as fertile land in Korvosa, he has been lauded as a local hero. Sir Puk, they started calling him, and they offered him the major’s seat and home, which he happily accepted.</p>
<p>Since then the daughters of the various households have been coming to his door at night, bringing him freshly baked apple pie and other comforts. “Knock, knock.” There they are again. He hops out of his seat and walks over to the door, straightening his shirt over his growing tummy. Gone are the days when he was skinny; life has been good to him. “Ladies, welcome!” Puk radiates pure joy when he throws the door wide. “Come in, please.”</p>
<p>Three young halfling girls stand on his porch, giggling. Their shyness exhumes an aura of attraction that city folks just don’t understand. The middle girl is holding a steaming pie that smells absolutely divine. As the girls enter, their shyness makes room for more initiative. They push their host back in his seat and nestle up to him, breaking off small pieces of pie and handfeeding them to the object of their affection. As Puk swallows down one piece after the other, a feeling of comfort and laziness takes a hold of him. He might be losing his fitness by indulging in these pleasures, but he enjoys them so much that right now, he does not care.</p>
<p>—-</p>
<p>Elvira’s fingers glide over the tomes on the shelf. She loves the smell of books, she revels in the feeling of almost swimming in books, that only a library can offer. Every wall is filled with bookcases, from top to bottom. Every inch on every shelf has been used. Books and scrolls are simply everywhere. This is the greatest treasure you can ever find, riches of the mind.</p>
<p>Elvira pulls out one hefty tome with an exquisite gold-encrusted cover: “<i>Sorshen’s Secrets Laid Bare</i>” by Elvira Campert. She carefully puts the book down on the writing desk, opens it somewhere towards the end, where the text passes into blank pages. The last letters she wrote are elegant, a pleasure to read. ”Just wait until I finish you”, Elvira whispers to the book. “Then <i>enchantment</i> will hold no more secrets for me.” She dips her pen in ink and sets to writing. Even though her letters remain as gracious as ever, the speed with which she writes increases steadily, until she is writing frantically. The ink on her pen has long since dried, but the feather is now drawing blood from her veins to use as ink. It is as if the ghost of Sorshen herself has settled on Elvira’s shoulders and pushes her forward to write, ever faster.</p>Elvira deems it unwise to take Sabina Merrin up to face Ileosa. With such powerful magic at her disposal, there is no telling what the queen is capable of. If she breaks Elvira’s dominating hold over Merrin or counters it with a similar spell, the heroes will have to face another powerful foe. Sarah, the dominated blood clone, poses less of a threat, so the potential of her helping the party is enough of an asset to take her along.
Elvira and Sjo cast some last second buffs: haste, blessing...MrVergee2017-09-16T13:25:17ZRe: Forums: Campaign Journals: Mister Vergee's Curse of the Crimson ThroneMrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ps0m&page=8?Mister-Vergees-Curse-of-the-Crimson-Throne#3702017-09-02T15:46:27Z2017-09-02T14:47:12Z<p>The party wants to follow up on Togomor’s dying words and ports to the wizard’s quarters in the castle. The seneschal’s room is filled to the brim with numerous volumes on a wide variety of topics. His bookshelves also have hundreds upon hundreds of scrolls with private notes. Some have been scribbled with strange runes and symbols in a mysterious language, obviously copied from somewhere. To these writings he has added tons of personal annotations: theories, hypotheses and analyses. Three books hold the wizard’s spells, while one book contains extensive notes on how to create an akaruzug, including which spells you need to build one (<i>enervation, magic jar</i> and <i>unhallow</i> or <i>limited wish</i> when this divine spell is not available). There is also a copy of the wizard’s infernal contract and a small book with a simple brown leather cover, containing Togomor’s private experiences and thoughts. Elvira puts as many notes as possible into her <i>bag of holding</i> and blinks everyone away again to a safe place. There she takes her time to study the documents in more detail.</p>
<p>The mysterious runes on the many scrolls prove too hard to read, but the personal notes in the diary might reveal more. The following passage draws Elvira’s attention:</p>
<p>“The year was 4,686, the year when queen Domina died and her son Eodred II claimed the throne of Korvosa. His bride-to-be – our current queen, Ileosa Arvanxi – hadn’t even been born yet until the next year. I gathered some companions to form what most would call a ‘band of adventurers’, and set out into the world.</p>
<p>My fellow venturers were Erroll Heidmarch, a ranger hailing from Andoran, and his wife Leesa-Marie, a Taldan archeologist, who came to Varisia to study the ancient monuments from the days of Thassilon. The couple’s son is actually more famous these days than they ever were, Sir Canayven Heidmarch, who founded the Pathfinder Lodge in Magnimar with his wife Sheila. I met the parents in Korvosa when the son was still a youth, after completing my training in the Acadamae. They had come to my city to study the mastaba, the Pillar Wall and the Gatefoot. Our fourth companion was Kiernan Halfman, a jolly halfling priest of Cayden Cailean, who we met in Kaer Maga some time later.</p>
<p>Leesa-Marie assumed that there had to be more ruins of the forgotten civilization between the Thassilonian landmarks in Magnimar, Korvosa and Kaer Maga in the unexplored swamplands between these three cities. The Mushfens, as the marshes along the south coast of Varisia are known, were famous for the many dangers they held, but Leesa-Marie believed they held more.</p>
<p>Our travels led us to one such lost location. According to our sources, we had to find the Greenrust Reef, a rocky outcropping off the coast in Conqueror’s Bay, due west of the southern reaches of the Fenwall mountains. The reef is located at a few hundred yards from the coastline and is a common reference point for passing ships. Its verdure hue does not originate from moss-covered stones, but a giant copper-hulled vessel that stranded on a sandbank thousands of years ago, Leesa-Marie informed us.</p>
<p>From the reef we traveled north, into the swamps. The Mushfens are a trackless wilderness filled with many unpleasant creatures. They encompass the region south of the Yondabakari River, from the south-westernmost tip of Varisia, the Lady’s Cape, all the way to the aptly named Fenwall Mountains in the east. The fens did not exist as a swamp until the earth-shattering cataclysm that destroyed the Thassilonian empire 10,000 years ago, the Earthfall disaster. Before this time the area was a land-locked part of the realm of Eurythnia. The earthquakes and tidal waves caused by the impacts of the Starstone caused the majority of that kingdom to sink below the waters of the Varisian Gulf. Over the course of millennia, the drastic lowering of the waters on the countryside, combined with its proximity to the sea, turned the land into the swamp it is today.</p>
<p>The shifting nature of the swamplands makes it impossible to have any permanent pathways there, yet we still managed to find a ‘path’. Our track took us along a sort of pilgrimage trail of the local inhabitants, the toadlike boggards. The route was marked by round white stones leading past massive stone statues in the shape of squatting, humanoid frogs. We came across the first of these statues to the northeast of the Greenrust Reef, some 500 yards from the coastline. We continued our march along the <a href=" https://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Sunken-Queen-Map-702295643?ga_submit_new=10%3A1504361264" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Trail of the Frog</a>, reaching the fifth and final statue deep in the swamp. We scouted the region and discovered a large boggard settlement to the east. Despite her mastery of ten languages and her knack for negotiations, Leesa-Marie was not equipped to face the chief’s delusions of grandeur. The fat frog overlord on his slimy throne would not listen to reason and it took us a ridiculous amount of resources to escape with our lives. We did learn one thing of note, though, from this encounter: the mire north of the last frog god statue was off-limits to the boggards. The Heidmarchs deduced that something powerful had to be there, frightening the toadmen, but peaking the Heidmarchs’ attention.</p>
<p>Exploring the marshes took several weeks and if it weren’t for the divine powers of our friend Kiernan, we probably would have succumbed to some swamp diseases or other threats. But finally, we reached our goal: an imposing pyramid, capsizing into the Mushfens at an angle of about 20 degrees. Three metallic horns topped the structure, seeming to claw at the sky like the talons of a gargantuan monster drowned in an abyss of mud. The south side of the pyramid, barely dented by the elements after millennia of neglect, bore a giant relief of a beautiful, standing, naked lady: Runelord Sorshen! Even though we had spent weeks to find this ‘Sunken Queen’, I calculated that it lay straight north of the last frog god statue, at a distance of about four miles. It must have been another fifteen miles to reach the Fenwall Mountains from here.</p>
<p>The wonders of this place were as great as its dangers. The entrance, completely drowned below the waterline, was guarded by a beirawash, a humongous devilfish that had a lot in common with a kraken. When the creature finally lay dead at my feet, it had taken the lives of my three companions. Canyaven Hiedmarch never learnt how or where his parents died. Even at a young age he already displayed a lot of curiosity, which would later lead to the founding of the Pathfinder Lodge in Magnimar. I’m glad I never told him about the Sunken Queen, for if I had learned about it, he and his followers would surely have taken over the place. No, I chose to keep the mysteries that were hidden there for myself.</p>
<p>I explored the pyramid on my own. The submerged entrance hall held four alcoves, sealed with glass. Behind each window, a hulking figure, over 20 feet tall, floated, its skin blue and its attire decorated with shells. These were ocean giants, the mythic servants Sorshen had presumably fished out of the sea to help build her colossal monuments. My magic taught me that they were in a state of stasis, and I wisely opted to keep it that way. At the end of the hall I found a magical shaft that I finally got to operate by feeding it my blood. And so I reached the second and third level of the pyramid. All the walls were covered in mysterious runes and symbols which made no sense to me.</p>
<p>I carefully copied these writings and spent the rest of my life studying them, but the secrets proved almost impossible to fathom. It wasn’t until I met Ileosa that I had a breakthrough and grasped certain principles. The power of the Sunken Queen was based on blood magic. Sorshen was the Runelord of Lust, one of the seven cardinal sins on which Thassilon’s rune magic was built. This Lust magic still lives on in today’s school of enchantment, but Sorshen added the might of blood magic to it to lift it to a higher level. I suspect that Kaer Maga’s bloatmages still wield a much-lessened form of this hemotheurgy, but they can by no means achieve the same miracles Sorshen could.</p>
<p>Sorshen’s blood magic must have been powerful indeed. Through Ileosa’s most fearsome devil servant, Sermignatto, I recently gained access to the <i>Truths of the Sihedron</i>, an immense volume in Infernal, reeking of brimstone, which was penned by the belier devil himself. It chronicles the various cruelties and torments inflicted upon the people of Thassilon by their rulers, the seven Runelords. The author dedicated one chapter to each of them, but the one portraying Sorshen was by far the largest, so I cannot escape the feeling that Sermignatto had a personal connection to the Runelord of Lust. Unlike the other Runelords, Sorshen had managed to prolong her reign to the full thousand years of the Thassilonian empire. While her colleagues died and were succeeded by new mages (who often killed their predecessor before assuming both their names and thrones), the same Sorshen ruled for a full millennium.</p>
<p>The secret to his long life lies hidden in the Sunken Queen, I believe. Sermignatto mentions the <i>Everdawn Pool</i>, an artifact that provided Sorshen with eternal youth by siphoning the life blood of thousands to her core. The empty basin on the top floor of the pyramid likely served this purpose. It is no surprise that Ileosa has developed a keen interest in this knowledge, ever since I shared my findings with her. Although she aided me greatly in creating my own blood<i>clone</i> magic, I suspect she has unveiled more of Sorshen’s mysteries than I ever have. Without her insight I would never have been able to construct the akaruzug which allowed me to produce the perfect Gray Maidens. Still, I can’t help but wonder where the queen gets this level of understanding from. The crown of Fangs has to play a role in it, I do not doubt that, but that Sermignatto devil is somehow involved as well, I feel it in my bones. Sometimes I even question who serves whom: is Sermignatto subordinate to Ileosa or is it the other way around?</p>
<p>Sorshen’s power lives on in Korvosa in other ways as well. Her influence still slumbers and finds purchase in an Acadamae enchantment student once every generation, who is then exceptionally blessed with magic and easily surpasses her colleagues’ abilities. In this generation, I attribute this inspiration to Elvira Campert. My fascination for this beauty far exceeds her physical form. That is why I used her blood in one of my first bloodclone experiments, but my attempts at creating a stable clone failed. From my failure I gathered that I required more blood, and that the clone could only live if the donor died. I couldn’t even bear the thought of testing this theory on Elvira, even when I realized that I could have made this copy into my personal love slave.</p>
<p>—-</p>
<p>More recent notes mention that Ileosa has been absent from the palace more often and for longer stretches during the last few weeks. Togomor has a bad feeling about it and fears that his influence has been slipping in favor of Sermignatto. He even suspects that this devil somehow got involved with Togomor’s bloodclone production without informing the mage and almost seems to be happy that the rebels stopped this practice. Since a week or so, Ileosa has returned to her throne and hasn’t left it since, but now she prefers the company of her latest toy, the bard Quint, to that of her seneschal. She is distant to Togomor and the Acadamae professor already wonders if his role as master of the castle has come to an end.</p>
<p>Togomor’s notes also include a map, showing the way through the swamp. Elvira figures she could use it to calculate the exact position of the pyramid, using the notes and geographical maps of the area. So, Ileosa seeks life ever-lasting, following Sorshen’s example. The Sunken Queen pyramid should be the heroes’ next target. They have one day left on their sun runes, tomorrow the runes’ power will diminish even more, but it will still be there, before fading away forever at sunset. One more day to find Ileosa! One more day to kill the queen!</p>The party wants to follow up on Togomor’s dying words and ports to the wizard’s quarters in the castle. The seneschal’s room is filled to the brim with numerous volumes on a wide variety of topics. His bookshelves also have hundreds upon hundreds of scrolls with private notes. Some have been scribbled with strange runes and symbols in a mysterious language, obviously copied from somewhere. To these writings he has added tons of personal annotations: theories, hypotheses and analyses. Three...MrVergee2017-09-02T14:47:12ZRe: Forums/Pathfinder Adventure Path: General Discussion: Return of the RunelordsMrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2uj60&page=6?Return-of-the-Runelords#2862017-08-29T15:54:44Z2017-08-29T11:33:14Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">The Mad Comrade wrote:</div><blockquote> These are runelords, the mightiest of the archmages of Thassilon. How about writing this AP for characters that are already high-level? </blockquote><p>Well, since the AP goes all the way to level 20, I wouldn't rule out the possibility that you can just take the higher level modules and add them to a previous campaign. If the material lends itself to such a thing, I might do that myself as a follow-up to my <i>Curse of the Crimson Throne</i> campaign. After all, my group takes years to complete one single AP, so there is no way we can ever play all of them. This could be a good way to use some of the books at least and to give my high-level PC veterans the chance of a second career in which their considerable powers are required.The Mad Comrade wrote:These are runelords, the mightiest of the archmages of Thassilon. How about writing this AP for characters that are already high-level?
Well, since the AP goes all the way to level 20, I wouldn't rule out the possibility that you can just take the higher level modules and add them to a previous campaign. If the material lends itself to such a thing, I might do that myself as a follow-up to my Curse of the Crimson Throne campaign. After all, my group takes years to...MrVergee2017-08-29T11:33:14ZRe: Forums/Pathfinder Adventure Path: General Discussion: Return of the RunelordsMrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2uj60&page=5?Return-of-the-Runelords#2492017-08-25T13:24:45Z2017-08-25T05:28:07Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Anguish wrote:</div><blockquote><p> It'd be nice if once in a while the anti-thing crowd (and while it may seem I'm referring to Gorbacz [who, by the way, I almost always agree with, and deeply respect], I'm really, honestly not; this is a general commentary) sat back and didn't share their dislike as much. I don't care for pirate-themed anything, or Cthulhu-themed anything, but when Skull & Shackles was announced, I didn't tell everyone... no, I bought Razor Coast as supporting material in case I ever run it, and when Strange Aeons was announced, I didn't tell everyone... no, I bought Pett's Blight as supporting material and I <i>will</i> be running it.</p>
<p>James, all I'm saying is that I've seen the toll the sour has taken on you over the last few years, and it sucks really, really hard. You've been an accessible, friendly, enthusiastic, supportive individual and if I knew a way to undo some of the damage, I would. All I can say - I guess - is that most of the time, I quite like what you lay your hands on. This one included. In advance. </blockquote><p>+1
<p>So, maybe it is a good idea to let you know positive thoughts as well.</p>
<p>Anyhow, I just want to add that I'm superexcited about the two upcoming AP's. By making those, you have taken everything that was on my wishlist for future AP's. This might just become an existential crisis: nothing left to wish for anymore.</p>Anguish wrote:It'd be nice if once in a while the anti-thing crowd (and while it may seem I'm referring to Gorbacz [who, by the way, I almost always agree with, and deeply respect], I'm really, honestly not; this is a general commentary) sat back and didn't share their dislike as much. I don't care for pirate-themed anything, or Cthulhu-themed anything, but when Skull & Shackles was announced, I didn't tell everyone... no, I bought Razor Coast as supporting material in case I ever run it, and...MrVergee2017-08-25T05:28:07ZRe: Forums: Campaign Journals: Mister Vergee's Curse of the Crimson ThroneMrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ps0m&page=8?Mister-Vergees-Curse-of-the-Crimson-Throne#3652017-08-05T10:42:58Z2017-08-03T15:16:12Z<p><span class=messageboard-ooc>A long journal entry, but a very exciting session with some important secrets revealed. Enjoy.</span></p>
<p>Elvira strengthens Puk and Balian with <i>heroism</i> and casts <i>haste</i> on the party, before opening the iron vault door with a <i>knock</i> spell. The rogue and the ranger rush into the treasure room and surprise the iron golem inside. The construct only manages two slams on Balian before it is hacked to pieces. So much for a powerful guardian, Balian utters, smiling over his adamantine greatsword. The vault is filled with piles of coins and two chests, containing gems and jewelry. In the back-wall Elvira discovers a secret door, very well hidden, but there are signs of it being opened fairly recently. Behind the door is another ancient vault. The ceramic floor and walls are lined with light brown tiles that form gentle geometric patterns. Resting against the far wall is a simple coffer atop a low plinth of stone. The lid is open, revealing only a bed of roughly woven cloth with fang-shaped imprints. This must be where the Shoanti stored the Fangs of Kazavon for safekeeping. The chill in the air is all that remains of the ancient relics.</p>
<p>The heroes search the treasury for Ileosa’s infernal contract, but the document is nowhere to be found. They do decide, however, to take as much of the treasure with them as they can carry. Obviously, the money belongs to Korvosa and its people, but they want to keep it safe from Ileosa and her cronies. Once the queen realizes that the party is coming after her, she might decide to flee and take Korvosa’s money with her. Elvira estimates that the loot they gather is worth about 120,000 gold sails, but they still have to leave heaps of coins and small change behind.</p>
<p>Since they haven’t found Ileosa’s contract yet, the companions decide to explore <a href=" http://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Castle-Korvosa-vaults-696507315" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> the rest of the vaults</a>, looking for the elusive document. Apparently Ileosa has uncovered more secrets down here, since one of the blocked passages that Kalepopolis marked on their map, has been cleared. It leads into a dark chamber, but just beyond the entrance seven dead bodies of castle servants and soldiers lie in the dust. Peering inside, Elvira picks up several large statues of kneeling men with oversized heads. Bas-reliefs cover the walls, but from a distance it is hard to tell what they depict. Warned by the corpses, the heroes refrain from entering. Sjo and Elvira can see that three of the dead bodies have had their heads smashed in violently, while the other four look as if they were completely dehydrated, their parched skins preserving their dying screams. More bones and crumbled equipment seems to cover the floor, the remains of other fools who tried to enter this place in ages long past, thinking themselves brave enough to face its defenses. At one moment Elvira even thinks she sees one of the statues moving. Whatever this chamber holds, is not the party’s current quest. Perhaps they will return here one day to uncover its secrets, but not today.</p>
<p>Rounding the passages to the royal crypts, the heroes pass several empty rooms, but the final of these chambers has its doorway bricked up. The brickwork looks no more than a couple of months old. Was this entry closed to contain some ancient threat? That seems unlikely, a wall this thin would simply not suffice. A more plausible theory is that the wall was meant to lock a person in, who was never meant to come out. Elvira listens closely at the stones, but hears nothing. As she turns away, however, a cry sounds through her mind: “Help me.” A few hits from Sjo’s heavy flail easily bring down the brick wall. A horrid smell assails the party’s nostrils, emanating from a partially decomposed corpse, mouth agape in desperation, that lies slumped against the entrance. The body, clad in a rich, dark purple outfit, is one of a thin man with a pair of vestigial horns sprouting from his brow; clearly a tiefling. This can be only one person, Eodred’s bastard brother, Venster. Elvira tries to pick up other mental messages, but comes up blank. Sjo summons Zellara from the Harrow deck, having learnt from the sun shamans that ghosts are the best way to communicate with other spirits. The shimmering fortune-teller spreads out her hands in an attempt to connect with Venster’s essence. For a single moment, her eyes turn white and she whispers one word in a strange, masculine voice: “Attic.” Elvira has read about restless souls before, remembering that often their bones have to be returned to a certain spot to give the spirits peace. It seems like Venster wants his remains to be taken to the attic, where he used to live.</p>
<p>The companions carefully pick up the tiefling’s cadaver and head into the last chamber on this level, the royal crypts. Five sarcophagi bear the name of a deceased king or queen: Arabust, Eodred I, queen Domina and Eodred II. Separated from the other graves is king Cardraith, the Porphyria lord who briefly usurped the Arabasti throne. All of the older tombs have been pried opened, their monarchs disrespectfully plundered of all valuables. The sarcophagus of Eodred II is the only one that is closed, but when Balian moves the lid aside, he finds the decaying corpse of the late king buried without ceremony, still wearing the stained nightshirt in which he died.</p>
<p>Elvira <i>teleports</i> everyone to Janderhoff, where they brief Kalepopolis of their findings and leave the seneschal in charge of Korvosa’s treasure. <i>Invisibly</i> the party jumps back to the streets of Korvosa, off to the north of the castle, in clear sight of the corner which holds Venster’s apartment. Just as they arrive, a duo of gossiping ladies bumps into them. Elvira scares them away with some ghostly howls, before she <i>teleports</i> the group into Venster’s private quarters.</p>
<p><a href=" http://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Castle-Korvosa-Venster-s-apartment-696501673" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The room is dusty; no one has been here for months, but it shows an unexpected level of comfort and luxury.</a> A large bed sits in a corner, next to a teak wood desk with an armchair, leading up to a showcase with at least fifty Harrow decks on display. The rarest and most beautiful cards stand upright behind their leather, ivory or wood cases. Although the cards depict the same themes as Zellara’s deck, the styles range from all over Golarion. The hearth hasn’t been lit in many weeks, but the big bear rug in front of it still exudes a sense of warmth. Another corner holds an antique dining table with two leather-span chairs, right next to an overloaded bookcase. On the wall between the bed and the dining table hangs the portrait of an attractive noble girl, who Elvira identifies as Venster and Eodred’s mother, queen Domina, in her youth. As Sjo respectfully places the tiefling remains on the bed, he is drawn to the painting and touches it. <a href=" http://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Castle-Korvosa-searching-Venster-s-apartment-696502094 " target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The wall behind it clicks and swings open, revealing a smaller, secret room with another bed.</a> A misty green ghost hangs in the air and sighs:</p>
<p>“Aahh, finally my bones have been freed from that horrible dark place. I thank you, strangers. My name is Venster Arabasti, and I am – or rather was – Eodred’s half-brother, the first son that Domina gave birth to in Cheliax, after mating with a being of otherworldly origin, as my horns clearly demonstrate. My mother, and my brother after her, chose to keep me hidden from the outside world by keeping me confined to this attic, with only my books and cards to keep me company.”</p>
<p>“You’re welcome”, Sjo nods. “And perhaps you can help us as well, we are looking for a copy of Ileosa’s infernal contract, which we suspect to be hidden somewhere in this castle.”</p>
<p>“An infernal contract, you say? So my devious sister-in-law has made a deal with Hell, has she? I didn’t know that, but it doesn’t surprise me. Although my undying essence has been locked up in my private quarters, I have experienced occasional flashes of the dreadful events occurring in this castle. I may have devil blood running through my veins, but the diabolical influences seeping through these walls of late, are indeed overwhelming, even for me. Ileosa herself burns with an evil that defies belief, so I take you at your word. Unfortunately, I have to admit that I too played my part in this corruption.”</p>
<p>“What do you mean?” Elvira wonders.</p>
<p>Venster looks away, ashamed. “Since she arrived here over five years ago, Ileosa slowly wormed her way into my heart. She possessed, as you probably know, a knack to wrap men around her finger … I mean, just look at how easily she got my brother to marry her. But it was a marriage without love, so Ileosa looked me up frequently, searching for some comfort and friendly company in these cold castle halls.</p>
<p>Still, a couple of months ago her demeanor suddenly changed: her step became more sure and her eyes gleamed with a cold stare they did not have before. That is when she came up with her grand scheme: she wanted to get rid of Eodred and put me in the spot I rightfully deserved – the throne of Korvosa – to which I was entitled as Domina’s first-born son. She would join me there as my queen.</p>
<p>I was blinded by her promises and got carried away in her murder schemes. She provided a colorless and odorless powder, which I had to apply to Eodred’s cards when he visited me for our weekly card game. My relationship with my brother had always been peculiar: I despised him for his pure blood and his freedom to move around as he pleased, but at the same time I needed him, for he was the only one who cared for me during many of the lone years I spent up here, and as such for a long time he was my only link to the outside world, at least until he brought in that snake in the grass.</p>
<p>I guess a malformed loner like me was an easy victim. I am ashamed to admit it, but I became a willing tool in her murdering hands and I was the one who administered the poison that slowly drove my brother to the afterlife. Needless to say that Ileosa did not honor her promises when her husband died. Instead she had me bricked up underneath the castle, where I spent my last living days in rage and remorse, until thirst finally claimed my life. Only then did I realize that I had allowed myself to be manipulated by that insidious serpent to commit one of the worst crimes imaginable: fratricide. But all my remorse and guilt could not bring my brother back, or even break through the walls that confined me. So my soul refused to find peace after I had drawn my final breath. Now you know the truth: Ileosa had her husband killed, but I was the hand that committed the crime. May the gods have mercy on my soul.”</p>
<p>“Well, confessing your crimes to us, admitting your guilt and feeling remorse for your actions are definitely an important step”, Sjo muses. “Perhaps with your remains restored to you, you can soon make the journey to the world beyond.”</p>
<p>“I hear what you say and am certainly grateful for your understanding, but I fear that I will only find peace when the evil is defeated. Perhaps you are up to the task and I will help you any way I can. You say that Ileosa has hidden a contract somewhere in the castle, well, if she did, I suspect it is in my mother’s tower, queen Domina’s personal bastion on the southern battlements where no one was allowed to enter, not even her own children. Domina’s tower stood deserted after her death, but in these last few months I have repeatedly felt Ileosa’s presence in there. Her evil even seemed to peek while she was inside. Maybe that is the place where you will find the secrets you need to aid you in your quest.”</p>
<p>“Domina’s tower was indeed next on our list”, Puk states.</p>
<p>“Good … still, you have to keep in mind that the tower is well protected. You can only get into the lower floor through a magically sealed door. There you should find a portal that will take you upstairs. I have never witnessed this myself, but to activate it, you need this.” Venster walks over to the table and points at some finely carved wooden coasters. They bear the Arabasti family crest. “With my house’s emblem, you should be able to pass through.”</p>
<p>Elvira nods appreciatively as she puts the coasters in her bag. At the same time Balian picks a handkerchief off the floor next to the bed. As he wants to put it back on the bed, something catches his interest. He shakes his head and holds up the white piece of cloth to Puk and Sjo. “Do you recognize this?” he asks, pointing at the embroidered letter “V” in the corner.</p>
<p>“That is the same handkerchief that Quint wore for a diaper.” Sjo frowns and turns to Venster. “A friend of ours wore this as a baby. But we don’t know where it came from. Is it yours? Might he be your son?”</p>
<p>Vencarlo and Elvira are puzzled by Sjo’s words. “What are you talking about, Sjo?”</p>
<p>“Well, Quint and I were both raised under the terrible reign of a petty criminal, Gaedran Lamm, thinking we were orphans, not knowing who our parents were. You know the old courthouse, where we fried those Acadamae imps to ashes? Well, when we got into the courthouse for the first time, back when it was still haunted, we discovered records of the Key-lock Killer, a serial killer, whose first victim was called Leana Castel.”</p>
<p>As Sjo says the name, Venster gasps, eyes wide.</p>
<p>The healer continues. “This Leana woman was killed in her room, while her baby lay next to her in his crib. The toddler was left unharmed, and afterwards one of the guards assigned to the case took him home. Records say that the baby had a mysterious birthmark of a scorpion on his shoulder, just like Quint did. The dates of her murder matched with Quint’s age, so he must have been that baby. We traced the soldier who took in the child and found only a demented, drooling old man. But his wife remembered the baby and told us that her husband had sold him off to a criminal to finance his drinking habit. She never forgave him, but she had one thing to remember the child by, an embroidered handkerchief with the letter “V”, that served as the child’s diaper. The same as this one here, with a “V”, as in Venster?”</p>
<p>The tiefling stares into the empty air, his eyes speaking both of wonder, amazement and shock. “My acts in this attic have not always been evil. You might know that my brother was a famous womanizer before he met his wife. He even had a private harem. In 4691, five years after our mother passed away, there was ‘a little accident’. One of the girls hadn’t been taking her herbs regularly and got pregnant. Naturally, having a baby with a common girl would have been a mark of shame for a king of noble blood. Without our mother’s guidance, Eodred hesitated what to do and found no better answer than to lock the girl in a room here in the attic. That is how I met her, my sweet Leana. I often kept her company and when I was with her my dreary hours finally came to life. She was so lovely, so beautiful.”</p>
<p>A ghostly tear runs down Venster’s cheek. “When the child arrived at last, there was no one here to help, except me. It is hard to describe how or why, but when I held the newly-born in my hands, it felt like I was holding my own baby, not my brother’s bastard. I gave Leana some of my handkerchiefs to use for diapers.</p>
<p>When I next met my brother, I told him that Leana had given birth. Eodred was in shock, it was as if he had tried to block out Leana’s situation, hoping that forgetting about the problem would make it go away. But now his son was actually born. I pleaded with him to allow me to raise the toddler as my own child. Just like me the little ‘bastard’ could live up here in the attic, hidden from the outside world. Eodred shook his head and stormed off.</p>
<p>He drank heavily that evening and when alcohol had clouded his mind, he stumbled upstairs to ‘solve the problem’, he claimed. I tried to stop him, but even a drunk Eodred was much stronger than me and he knocked me down, making me lose consciousness.</p>
<p>When I came to, I hurried to Leana’s chamber. She was sitting on her bed, sobbing, cradling a little bundle in her arms. I feared the child was dead, but then I heard it cry. Leana turned to me and told me he had burned himself. Eodred had stormed inside a couple of hours earlier, threatening to throw the baby in the hearth’s fire.</p>
<p>But as selfish and drunk as he was, Eodred was no killer. When he stood in front of the flames, he shrunk back, hesitating. <a href=" http://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Quint-s-Scorpion-Brand-from-comic-Le-Scorpion-696506487" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The baby slipped from his grasp and fell in front of the fire, instead of into it.</a> The child landed with his shoulder on the ironwork that shielded the hearth. A scorpion that had been worked into the ironwork’s decoration seared into his flesh, marking him for life. If your friend truly bore this ‘birthmark’, then he is Leana’s son … and Eodred’s. Where is he now?”</p>
<p>“Well, he’s inside the castle, actually”, Sjo replies.</p>
<p>“Huh? He already knows he is the king’s son, then?”</p>
<p>“No, at least I don’t think so. But I fear it’s worse. One of Ileosa’s most fearsome devil servants has … taken possession of him. A rare and little-known creature, called a belier devil.”</p>
<p>Venster shivers in horror. “By the gods, no. A bdellavritra? Then I fear his soul is already lost. As you might suspect, I am well versed in all things infernal, my mother had tons of books on the subject and reading was pretty much all I could do. If he has been claimed by such a foe, then he is damned for all eternity. Oh, Leana, will your misery never end?”</p>
<p>Sjo swallows audibly, then he composes himself again. “So, what happened to Leana? Did Eodred let her go?”</p>
<p>“Hell, no. I realized that Leana had been lucky at Eodred’s temporary cowardice. But if he didn’t have the balls to kill the baby, he would surely send another to finish the job. I decided to help the girl escape before it was too late. I took her down to the game room and from there to the battlements, from where I lowered her to the streets. She fled into the city and that was the last I ever saw of her. Turns out my actions didn’t help her, then. She didn’t make it, butchered by this Key-Lock killer, you say. Only her child lived to finally suffer an even worse fate. Damn you, brother, perhaps I served justice after all by killing you.”</p>
<p>Venster looks distraught. He motions for the companions to give him some peace. “I’m sorry, but I need some time to process this. Feel free to look me up again in the future. I will offer you what help I can. The attic is abandoned, so you can come and go here as you please. Just make sure to avoid the upper gatehouse gallery, for that is where that red dragon that guards the roof has made its lair. Leana’s room is across the main attic, you can visit it, if you want. Your friend’s cradle is still in there.”</p>
<p>Venster sits down on his bed. “If you want to gain access to my mother’s tower, you will have to get in through the door on the battlements. Several guards have been stationed there, along with this red dragon and a large winged devil who patrol the sky above. You’ll have to tread carefully if you want to avoid being seen. The window from the ravens’ aviary looks out over these battlements. From there you might find an opportunity to sneak in. I wish you the best of luck. My prayers go with you. Please rid this earth of Ileosa’s evil. You will grant more souls than just mine eternal rest, including your own, I suspect.”</p>
<p>“We thank you for your honesty and the insight you provided us into things that were unknown to us”, Elvira says. “Still, I would hate to leave you like this. Do me one favor, play a game of cards with me, so you can take your mind off things. After all the evil that has plagued you in the past, you should know that you are now contributing to setting some of the wrongs right. I would feel better if I knew you were okay before we left you.”</p>
<p>“You are right, I guess.” Venster sits down at the table and at a wave of his hand a Harrow deck with Vudran patterns and figures flies over. He deals the cards and launches into a game with the enchantress. Although she sets out to let him win, Elvira does not have to throw the game to do it. Venster is so skilled that he easily claims victory. Elvira is content to see a glimmer of happiness in the ghost’s eyes before she leaves him.</p>
<p>The party crosses the main attic, which is used as a large storage room for discarded items, and <a href=" http://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Castle-Korvosa-baby-room-696503370" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">checks out the room where Quint was born</a>. His cradle is indeed still there, as is the iron framework with the scorpion motif, confirming Venster’s story. Next they move over to the aviary. Since Venster was the one wo looked after the birds, no one has been here to feed them in months. All the ravens that were inside the cages have died, but some birds were not locked up when Venster disappeared, so they have been coming and going, flying into the city to find food and returning here to sleep. Six ravens flutter around the attic and the aviary. Vencarlo can even take one on his hand and pet it. These regal birds have obviously been domesticated.</p>
<p>Using <i>vanish</i> to appear from sight, Elvira walks up to the window and peers outside. Four Gray Maidens man the battlements on this side. Their attention is set towards the city, so with luck the companions might be able to sneak behind their backs. With luck, or with skill, Balian wonders, looking at Sjo in his heavy armor. With both, Elvira laughs, and with a touch of magic.</p>
<p>Puk climbs to the edge of the roof with his <i>slippers of spider climbing</i>, covered by Elvira’s <i>invisibility</i> spell. The dragon is resting atop the roof on the other side of the building, so he won’t be able to see the heroes on the other side of the wall one floor down. He cannot spot the horned devil, though. Elvira explains that her <i>knock</i> could possibly open the door, but she would have to cast it in a loud voice. She explains that even magically locked door can be picked, the magic just makes it harder. Balian, who is the most skilled at tampering with locks, decides to give it a go. He is also made <i>invisible</i> and flies down to the door quietly. In the meantime, Elvira covers the rest of the party in an <i>invisibility sphere</i> and Puk prepares to jump everyone over with his magic cloak once the door opens. Balian is both skilled and lucky and opens the lock in mere seconds. As he slowly pushes the door in, Puk makes the jump, taking everyone to the space in front of the door. Unfortunately, one of the guards around the corner notices something and turns to walk over. The heroes hurry inside and Balian manages to close the door just as the Gray maiden rounds the corner. Puk hears her footsteps walk up to the door and then past it. She asks the guard on the other side if she heard something. The answer is: “It must have been those damn birds up there.”</p>
<p>Elvira scans the empty room. Her <i>detect magic</i> shows her the shimmering outline of something in the shape of a doorway on the far wall. Now, let’s find out if Venster’s coasters are all we need to get up, she muses as she hands out the wooden disks with the Arabasti crest.</p>A long journal entry, but a very exciting session with some important secrets revealed. Enjoy.
Elvira strengthens Puk and Balian with heroism and casts haste on the party, before opening the iron vault door with a knock spell. The rogue and the ranger rush into the treasure room and surprise the iron golem inside. The construct only manages two slams on Balian before it is hacked to pieces. So much for a powerful guardian, Balian utters, smiling over his adamantine greatsword. The vault is...MrVergee2017-08-03T15:16:12ZRe: Forums: Campaign Journals: Skull and Blood (A Skull and Shackles Dragonlance campaign)MrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ua54&page=5?Skull-and-Blood#2422017-07-27T18:44:42Z2017-07-27T12:36:09Z<p>Hey, Kileanna. Just wanted to let you know that I've just finished reading through your entire journal. I enjoyed it very much. Gracias.</p>Hey, Kileanna. Just wanted to let you know that I've just finished reading through your entire journal. I enjoyed it very much. Gracias.MrVergee2017-07-27T12:36:09ZRe: Forums: Campaign Journals: Mister Vergee's Curse of the Crimson ThroneMrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ps0m&page=8?Mister-Vergees-Curse-of-the-Crimson-Throne#3632017-07-15T15:19:31Z2017-07-15T14:50:40Z<p>Elvira consults Zellara’s cards, who indicate that the remains of the ancient Sun shaman lie somewhere to the left. The pool which covers the bottom of this sinkhole seems to veer off in that direction. The mage uses her <i>flight</i> magic to investigate, but she only finds a small cave ending in a blank wall, while Zellara tells her the bones are ahead of her. Elvira figures that there must be a way through under the water level and sends out Balian, who is the best swimmer in the party.</p>
<p>The ranger jumps into the foul waters and searches around in the dark, finally discovering a hole in the ground and a submerged tunnel, which leads into the right direction. He informs his friends and decides to dive through, taking along the end of a rope. The tunnel is quite tight, but not terribly long and takes the hardened warrior to another cave. This definitely looks like a natural grotto, with dozens of stalactites hanging from the ceiling and a number of stalagmites rising from the water. At the other side of the cavern a slope of fallen rock leads up to a tunnel. Balian swims to one of the standing pinnacles to secure his rope around it, so his friends will be able to use it as a guide through the tunnel. However, when he reaches the stone, <a href="http://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Surprise-roper-attack-in-Kendall-sinkhole-Korvosa-692643068" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">it suddenly cracks open, revealing a big toothy maw that bites down on him</a>. Four tentacles also lash out and numb the ranger’s muscles. Wounded and weakened, Balian flees out of the cave again, relying on Sjo’s healing magic to regain his strength.</p>
<p>Going by Balain’s description, Elvira identifies the monster as a roper, a dangerous ambush hunter from the Underdark, which looks remarkably like a stalagmite while in hiding. The heroes prepare with some spells, <i>water breathing</i>, <i>heroism</i>, <i>shield other</i>, <i>lead blades</i> and <i>mirror image</i>. If possible, they want to traverse the cavern under the surface of the water, but they will need light to do so. Elvira uses magic to turn on a dozen lights in <a href="http://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Kendall-sinkhole-Korvosa-roper-cave-692643466" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">the roper’s den</a>, making the creature furious. It lashes out in wild anger with its tentacles into thin air and it strikes blindly into the water. Since the creature is to the right of the tunnel exit, the heroes choose to follow the left wall, but from under the water they see a second set of tentacles weaving about. So there are two of these monstrosities! Ones of this creature’s strands plunges into the water and narrowly misses Vencarlo, but when Sjo closes the line, the roper notices the reflection of his armor and the fight is on. Three tentacles strike the healer and sap his strength. Balian bursts out of the water, invoking his <i>instant enemy</i> powers to mark the roper as his favorite enemy. His greatsword tears a wide gash in the stony hide. Sjo <i>restores</i> his lessened physique and summons his fiery wings to rise up above the water level. Elvira casts <i>haste</i>, giving Puk enough movement to make it to an advantageous position and Vencarlo also joins the fray. Balian and Sjo suffer more tentacle attacks, while the roper uses his great maw to crunch Vencarlo’s shoulder. Still the creature cannot escape the many blades cutting into its frame from all sides and quickly perishes. Elvira tries to take control of the second aberration as it crawls closer, but her <i>hold monster</i> cannot penetrate its spell resistance. Sjo attempts a <i>fireball</i>, but has the same problem. Fortunately, the combined efforts of Balian, Vencarlo and especially Puk suffice to bring it down. Sjo restores everyone to full health and <a href="http://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Kendall-sinkhole-Korvosa-old-tunnels-692644358" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">the heroes climb the slope</a> to <a href="http://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Kendall-sinkhole-Korvosa-bottom-level-692644187" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">the tunnel ahead</a>.</p>
<p>Inside they discover a first Shoanti grave, belonging to a Sklar Quah jothka. When alive this man must have stood at least six feet ten. The painting and writing on the wall identify him as <i>Markun Skyfire</i>, a hero who singlehandedly defeated a mammoth. Around his wrists are a pair of beautiful gold bracers. Elvira sees they radiate magic and uses Zellara’s deck to learn their powers. They provide extra strength to the one who wears them, but they work better on someone with Shoanti blood, so Sjo decides to don them for now, promising himself to return them to the Sun clan when their mission is over.</p>
<p>Deeper in the tunnel is <a href="http://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Tomb-of-Shoanti-shaman-Coja-Eyes-Aflame-692644938" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">a second grave</a>. Wall paintings tell of a battle against a dragon in an enormous castle. This must be Coja Eyes-Aflame, the ancient shaman who fought against Kazavon. Finally, the heroes have found him. Suddenly Sjo begins to shine brightly, fire pouring from his eyes. He approaches the skeleton and bends down over his skull. The burning flame that Sun shaman Arunan Lives-of-Fire instilled in Sjo’s body flows from the healer’s mouth and enters the skeleton, which burst out in fire and bathes the tomb in bright white and yellow light. When the intensity of the glow diminishes, the bones are gone. <a href=" http://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Ancient-Shoanti-shaman-Coja-Eyes-Aflame-692645361" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Instead a burning figure floats in the air, dressed as a Shoanti mystic</a>. His voice sounds like a burning inferno.</p>
<p>“You who breathe fire into my frame are not of pure Shoanti blood, though I sense the blood of my kin running through your veins. Much has changed since my bones were laid to rest if I am awakened by strangers in my own lands. Have my descendants finally failed in their holy duty? Tell me, why you disturb the rest of the dead?”</p>
<p>Sjo feels humbled by the mighty shaman’s presence. “Honorable mystic, I fear I come bearing bad tidings. The evil of Kazavon has returned to these lands and we seek your aid and advice in fighting it.”</p>
<p>Coja seems annoyed by this news: “Just as in my time the voices of the desperate call out for the might of the sun to combat evil. Truly, the blue dragon Kazavon was the greatest horror to plague this continent in ages. The arrival of Zon Kuthon’s champion was the work of the fool Andachi, who was too weak to defend his people against the orcs and in desperation turned to the dark god. The fool got what he deserved: Kazavon, Zon Kuthon’s champion and torturer, flayed him alive and ate his skin in front of him while he died. The count had paid for his stupidity, but nonetheless he had left a legacy that threatened the entire region.</p>
<p>And so it befell to others to right Andachi’s terrible wrongdoings. Word reached me that a Lastwall paladin called Mandraivus was looking for heroes to combat this azure menace. He asked me to join him, so I kissed my wife and children goodbye and left for Scarwall to stand at Mandraivus’ side.</p>
<p>The paladin’s faith was unwavering, his will was strong as iron and he wielded a mighty weapon, the blade Serithial. But even that did not suffice to defeat the dark servant of Zon Kuthon. So I bound Mandraivus with the power of the sun to allow him to break the dragon’s horrific reign. Still, when the monster lay dead at our feet, its bones still tried to return to life. Mandraivus ordered his surviving companions to each take one piece of the dragon’s remains and hide them in all the corners of the world. The paladin remained in Scarwall to guard it from evil. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for the orcs to run over his small force of defenders.</p>
<p>I was given the task to watch over the dragon’s teeth, <i>the Fangs of Midnight</i>. I carried them with me to these shores and buried them deep in the mastaba, Masha-saht-Puyuhoke. From that moment on, guarding the mastaba became a holy task for my people, a duty that your kind apparently ended with blood.</p>
<p>Your ancestors’ ignorance has now given Kazavon a new chance. As his evil resurfaces, you need our help once more. So it is with mixed feelings that I aid you. But tough times demand tough measures, as they once did. I do not differ from you in the fact that I also want you to stop Kazavon’s evil, for the good of your people and mine alike. That is why, like Mandraivus before you, I bless you with the power of the Sun. You will have three days to fight the forces of darkness, before the magic fades away. Make the most of it, for if you fail, many will pay for your weakness.”</p>
<p>The Sun shaman gives the companions one last look, before exploding in white flames that wash over the them and burn in their arms and torso. When the fire disappears, Coja Eyes-Aflame is a lifeless skeleton again.</p>
<p>Elvira checks her arms and sees the glow of Shoanti runes in her flesh. Using her mastery of the arcane, she figures out that their true power will be activated by the rays of the sun and then wane rapidly, becoming less powerful with each sunset, until they die out and fade away after the third day. The sun runes will bolster the heroes’ abilities to fight evil, strengthening their attacks, their spells and their potential to withstand evil magic. They will also be able to expand all the energy of the sun runes in one big cleansing explosion, which will heal their wounds and purify them of all evil effects that hold them in their grasp. Using these <i>fires of purification</i> will immediately end the sun rune enchantment, however.</p>
<p>The party wonders what to do next. It looks like the end game is upon them. One goal remains before they can confront Ileosa, finding her infernal contract and destroying it, cutting the queen’s ties to the forces of Hell and ending the potent boons the deal provides. Elvira is confident that the hellish powers that enhance Ileosa’s abilities would dissolve; she is less sure, however, about her infernal servants. Will they be sent back to Hell upon destruction of the contract, or will they be able to choose whether or not they want to remain? After all, when not bound by a pact, the will regain their free will. They might just as well opt to stay here, albeit to follow their own agenda’s, rather than Ileosa’s.</p>
<p>Anyhow, finding Ileosa’s version of the agreement will prove hard. Where has she hidden it? It seems logical that the document will be somewhere in the palace, but the castle is huge and the companions have no clue where to find it. All they have is a partial sketch of two of the palace’s floors that Quint explored, the rest of the building remains a mystery. Vencarlo interjects that this is not necessarily the case. They could consult someone who knows the castle inside out, its former seneschal, Neolandus Kalepopolis. He would surely be able to draw up a full map. The man still resides in Janderhoff, the dwarven sky citadel. That would be an excellent place to go to right now, the hold is hidden inside the mountains, safe from sunlight, so it won’t activate the sun runes yet. Moreover, the party could use the opportunity to sell some loot and gear up for the final battle.</p>
<p>Elvira teleports everyone to the streets of Janderhoff. They clean up and find Kalepopolis, who immediately sets to drawing the required maps. Sjo also settles the party’s debts and sells off the loot from the Harrowed realm and the arena, giving the party a budget of over 50,000 gold sails to work with. After all, every little bit of help will be welcome.</p>Elvira consults Zellara’s cards, who indicate that the remains of the ancient Sun shaman lie somewhere to the left. The pool which covers the bottom of this sinkhole seems to veer off in that direction. The mage uses her flight magic to investigate, but she only finds a small cave ending in a blank wall, while Zellara tells her the bones are ahead of her. Elvira figures that there must be a way through under the water level and sends out Balian, who is the best swimmer in the party.
The...MrVergee2017-07-15T14:50:40ZRe: Forums: Curse of the Crimson Throne: Gray Maidens Recruitment (spoilers)MrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ufbd?Gray-Maidens-Recruitment#42018-04-20T04:32:25Z2017-06-26T06:14:10Z<p>I can't really see a Gray Maiden PC working. But there are alternatives: a Korvosan Guard, a Sable company Marine, I've even seen people who've made Hell Knight PCs work.
<br />
If you want to give the PCs a more personal connection to the Gray Maidens, have someone they are close to join the ranks. In my campaign a childhood friend even asked the PCs to put in a good word for her with Merrin and the queen to be able to join.</p>I can't really see a Gray Maiden PC working. But there are alternatives: a Korvosan Guard, a Sable company Marine, I've even seen people who've made Hell Knight PCs work.
If you want to give the PCs a more personal connection to the Gray Maidens, have someone they are close to join the ranks. In my campaign a childhood friend even asked the PCs to put in a good word for her with Merrin and the queen to be able to join.MrVergee2017-06-26T06:14:10ZRe: Forums: Curse of the Crimson Throne: Continuing Curse of the Crimson Throne (SPOILERS)MrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ud99?Continuing-Curse-of-the-Crimson-Throne#52018-04-21T17:38:00Z2017-05-25T15:48:15Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Chubbs McGee wrote:</div><blockquote> I was wondering if anyone else continued beyond Book 6 and have any tips for a GM thinking of doing the same thing? Has anyone run this AP again for the same group and did you change it at all? </blockquote><p>I'll be running a follow-up adventure called 'Long live the King', in which the PCs will help shape the future (government) of Korvosa. One of them will attempt to take the throne, trying to convince the (extended) council of his qualities. Rivals will be Aaron Endrin, the son of late Marcus Endrin, and Glorio Arkona, [Spoiler omitted]
<p>The adventure will involve lots of roleplay: speeches to the council, trying to sway votes in backroom meetings, possibly bribing or enchanting people, making lots of promises, negotiating with the Shoanti and brokering a deal with them about coexistence, and even impressing Korvosa's citizens during a great victory parade. If all goes well, one of the PCs should end up wearing the crown.</p>
<p>After that, I might even launch into a 'Rise of Runelord Sorshen' scenario (titled <i>The Awakening of Lust</i>). While wandering through the catacombs of Castle Korvosa, Shoanti shaman Thousand Bones accidentally releases Kusasfa, Sorshen's former consort. This 'runeforged' vampire rises and seeks to open Sorshen's tomb. To accomplish that, he needs the help of the 'architect' who designed the lower levels of the mastaba. This architect is a clockwork reliquary, who is buried beneath Citadel Vraid, the Hellknight headquarters. Leaving a trail of victims in Korvosa, the vampire turns Hellknight Lictor DiVri into an undead and heads to the citadel to free the architect. By the time the PCs get there, the place is overrun with vampires. Clues lead back to Korvosa, where Kusasfa and the architect have now opened up the plug that seals Sorshen’s <i>Pleasure Dome</i>.</p>
<p>Sorshen’s domain includes the Dark Garden (with a colossal corrupted treant and a crazed dryad), the Carnal Court (a bath house with succubi and incubi), the Gushing Gallery (a bloodbank of 100 sea giants in stasis whose sacrifice will awaken Sorshen’s vampire army), the Artery (a canal flanked by the tombs holding Sorshen’s chosen, her sleeping vampire army) and the Heart (the center of Sorshen’s pleasure dome, which features a temple dedicated to her, and an icy lake with Sorshen’s tomb).</p>
<p>I might even include Ileosa’s ghost as the instigator of this whole plot, acting as Kusasfa’s guide in this modern world. Ileosa hopes to be brought back to life and power by Sorshen and might be in the final scene, where she fights at Sorshen’s and Kusasfa’s side.</p>Chubbs McGee wrote:I was wondering if anyone else continued beyond Book 6 and have any tips for a GM thinking of doing the same thing? Has anyone run this AP again for the same group and did you change it at all?
I'll be running a follow-up adventure called 'Long live the King', in which the PCs will help shape the future (government) of Korvosa. One of them will attempt to take the throne, trying to convince the (extended) council of his qualities. Rivals will be Aaron Endrin, the son of...MrVergee2017-05-25T15:48:15ZRe: Forums: Curse of the Crimson Throne: Small Adventure Between Books 3 and 4MrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ubza?Small-Adventure-Between-Books-3-and-4#42018-04-18T21:52:33Z2017-05-07T06:50:55Z<p>I inserted a small homebrew sidetrek in which Neolandus took the party to the Great Tower to free the hippogrifs from the queen’s grasp. You can read about it in my <a href="http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ps0m&page=6?Mister-Vergees-Curse-of-the-Crimson-Throne#279" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">journal on these boards</a>.</p>
<p>I also fleshed out the trip to Kaer Maga a bit, without any noteworthy ‘adventure’ as such, although I had <a href="http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ps0m&page=6?Mister-Vergees-Curse-of-the-Crimson-Throne#284" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">the PCs attacked</a> while they were making their way up to Kaer Maga on the Halflight Path.</p>
<p>You can also read in my campaign journal how we changed the Shoanti railroad quests into a trip to Urgir to free the Sun Clan’s Quahjothka’s son from the orcs.</p>
<p>Also here is <a href=" http://paizo.com/products/btpy9r4l?Heros-Blood" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Hero’s Blood</a> linkified.</p>I inserted a small homebrew sidetrek in which Neolandus took the party to the Great Tower to free the hippogrifs from the queen’s grasp. You can read about it in my journal on these boards.
I also fleshed out the trip to Kaer Maga a bit, without any noteworthy ‘adventure’ as such, although I had the PCs attacked while they were making their way up to Kaer Maga on the Halflight Path.
You can also read in my campaign journal how we changed the Shoanti railroad quests into a trip to Urgir to...MrVergee2017-05-07T06:50:55ZRe: Forums: Curse of the Crimson Throne: Gnome Alchemist Wizard?MrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ua9q?Gnome-Alchemist-Wizard#32018-04-19T04:48:46Z2017-04-11T07:43:03Z<p>BTW, to include the PCs in the finding of a cure, I had Sirtane send the party to Bloodsworn Vale to find rare ingredients for her mixture. You can read all about the adventure in my <a href="http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ps0m&page=6?Mister-Vergees-Curse-of-the-Crimson-Throne#254" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><b>journal</b></a>. I obviously took some inspiration from the adventure module <a href="http://paizo.com/products/btpy7zd8?GameMastery-Module-W1-Conquest-of-Bloodsworn-Vale" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><b>Conquest of Bloodsworn Vale</b></a> and then ran with it.</p>BTW, to include the PCs in the finding of a cure, I had Sirtane send the party to Bloodsworn Vale to find rare ingredients for her mixture. You can read all about the adventure in my journal. I obviously took some inspiration from the adventure module Conquest of Bloodsworn Vale and then ran with it.MrVergee2017-04-11T07:43:03ZRe: Forums: Curse of the Crimson Throne: Gnome Alchemist Wizard?MrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ua9q?Gnome-Alchemist-Wizard#22018-04-19T04:48:37Z2017-04-11T07:35:31Z<p>I'm not sure what you're asking. Do you want to make an NPC with alchemy? In that case I'll present the person who found a cure for the plague in my campaign. Her name is Sirtane Leroung, the sister of House Leroung's leading lady Eliasia Leroung. She is a professor in the Leroung university, who specializes in alchemy.</p>
<p><b>SIRTANE LEROUNG CR 3</b>
<br />
LG female Human expert 5
<br />
<b>Init</b> +1; <b>Senses</b> Perception +7
<br />
<b>AC</b> 11, <b>touch</b> 11, <b>flat-footed</b> 10
<br />
<b>hp</b> 26 (5HD)
<br />
<b>Fort</b> +0, <b>Ref</b> +2, <b>Will</b> +6
<br />
<b>Melee</b> masterwork dagger +3 (1d4-1/19-20)
<br />
<b>Ranged</b> masterwork dagger (thrown) +5 (1d4-1/19-20)
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<b>Melee</b> unarmed strike +2 (1d3-1)
<br />
<b>Base Atk</b> +3; <b>CMB</b> +2; <b>CMD</b> +13
<br />
<b>Abilities Str</b> 8, <b>Dex</b> 12, <b>Con</b> 9, <b>Int</b> 19, <b>Wis</b> 14, <b>Cha</b> 12
<br />
<b>Feats</b> Skill Focus (Craft (Alchemy), Knowledge (Nature), Knowledge (History), Diplomacy)
<br />
<b>Skills</b> Craft (Alchemy) +15, Diplomacy +12, Heal +10, Intimidate +1, Knowledge (Geography) +12, Knowledge (History) +15, Knowledge (Local) +12, Knowledge (Nature) +15, Knowledge (Nobility) +12, Linguistics +12, Perception +7, Profession (Librarian) +10
<br />
<b>Possessions</b> masterwork dagger; scholar's outfit</p>I'm not sure what you're asking. Do you want to make an NPC with alchemy? In that case I'll present the person who found a cure for the plague in my campaign. Her name is Sirtane Leroung, the sister of House Leroung's leading lady Eliasia Leroung. She is a professor in the Leroung university, who specializes in alchemy.
SIRTANE LEROUNG CR 3
LG female Human expert 5
Init +1; Senses Perception +7
AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10
hp 26 (5HD)
Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +6
Melee masterwork dagger +3...MrVergee2017-04-11T07:35:31ZRe: Forums: Curse of the Crimson Throne: The Extremely Quickly Escilating Edge of AnarchyMrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2u8hx?The-Extremely-Quickly-Escilating-Edge-of-Anarchy#22018-04-21T16:07:59Z2017-03-14T06:27:44Z<p>I agreed with you when I prepared this chapter for play. If you have a lot of time, you can read my <a href="http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ps0m?Mister-Vergees-Curse-of-the-Crimson-Throne" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">journal</a> to find out how I tackled this problem.</p>I agreed with you when I prepared this chapter for play. If you have a lot of time, you can read my journal to find out how I tackled this problem.MrVergee2017-03-14T06:27:44ZRe: Forums: Curse of the Crimson Throne: Inspectre's Curse of the Crimson Throne Alterations (Spoilers!)MrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2s3ru&page=6?Inspectres-Curse-of-the-Crimson-Throne#2842017-03-06T04:56:26Z2017-03-02T07:26:23Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Inspectre wrote:</div><blockquote>After the following session I threw in the towel for several months until I managed to piece myself back together enough to continue running CotCT. Fortuitously, Oliver’s player agreed to run a brief homebrew D&D 4e game as a stop-gap until I managed to recover.</blockquote><p>I'm glad to hear you're doing better now. Judging from the way you adapt this story and transcribe it into these long summaries, I gather you might be a bit of a perfectionist (hmm, sounds familiar ...). That can take a great toll on your personal life sometimes and then, it is sad to say, your hobby is probably one of the few things that can 'move' to give you some more breathing room.
<p>I'm happy for you that a friend picked up the DM's glove for a time, so you could continue to meet with your group and still have some fun, even if it was in a brain-numb state.</p>
<p>I enjoy reading your stories, so I hope things go uphill from here. Here's to 'happy days' ahead.</p>Inspectre wrote:After the following session I threw in the towel for several months until I managed to piece myself back together enough to continue running CotCT. Fortuitously, Oliver’s player agreed to run a brief homebrew D&D 4e game as a stop-gap until I managed to recover.
I'm glad to hear you're doing better now. Judging from the way you adapt this story and transcribe it into these long summaries, I gather you might be a bit of a perfectionist (hmm, sounds familiar ...). That can take...MrVergee2017-03-02T07:26:23ZRe: Forums: Curse of the Crimson Throne: Substituting HISTORY OF ASHESMrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2u7cz?Substituting-HISTORY-OF-ASHES#42018-04-21T16:10:03Z2017-02-27T19:58:55Z<p>It would be interesting to know what it is you don't like about the fourth adventure. Is it the railroading, the long absence from the city, the wilderness setting?</p>
<p>I think you could work with some kind of 'hidden' Delvehaven-like library to have the PCs find the information they would otherwise gain from the Shoanti. If you want to place it in Korvosa, you could have it be the intellectual legacy of <b>Montlarion Jeggare</b>, the gentleman-explorer who came to Korvosa when it was being settled. He explored the uncivilized lands and marked where the Shoanti buried their holy men. This could be the information the PCs need to locate the grave of the Shoanti shaman who brought Kazavon's artefact to Korvosa. Next the party would have to find the shaman's bones and extract information from him on Scarwall and everything that transpired there.</p>It would be interesting to know what it is you don't like about the fourth adventure. Is it the railroading, the long absence from the city, the wilderness setting?
I think you could work with some kind of 'hidden' Delvehaven-like library to have the PCs find the information they would otherwise gain from the Shoanti. If you want to place it in Korvosa, you could have it be the intellectual legacy of Montlarion Jeggare, the gentleman-explorer who came to Korvosa when it was being settled. He...MrVergee2017-02-27T19:58:55ZRe: Forums: Curse of the Crimson Throne: Vigilantes of Korvosa?MrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2u6qm?Vigilantes-of-Korvosa#62018-04-19T02:26:28Z2017-02-19T08:31:08Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Roscoe Rackham wrote:</div><blockquote> <div class="messageboard-quotee">Corsario wrote:</div><blockquote> I would take out the parts when they have to leave the city. </blockquote><p>Fair, but what would I replace them with?
<p>In theory, I could replace part of Scarwall with Academy of Secrets, but then I lose out on some of the cool stuff with Laori, which is a shame because I love Laori. </p>
<p>Does anyone have notes somewhere on a "not leaving Korvosa" version of CotCT? </blockquote><p>You can check <a href="http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ps0m&page=6?Mister-Vergees-Curse-of-the-Crimson-Throne#283" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">my campaign journal</a> for ideas. I included a trip to the Shoanti in the Cinderlands, but instead of the railroad adventures there I inserted a sidetrek to the orc city of Urgir, to stay true to the 'urban adventure' vibe. I completely took out the fifth book, because my players don't like endless dungeon (or castle) crawls. So my PCs returned to the city and had some adventures there, which included <i>Academy of Secrets</i>.
<p>The bottomline in my version is that the PCs do not travel to Scarwall to find the legendary sword, but they return to the city to try and locate the tomb of the Shoanti shaman who brought the artifact to Korvosa and learn from his corpse how they must fight 'the dragon'.</p>
<p>There is no Laori Vaus in my story, though.</p>Roscoe Rackham wrote:Corsario wrote: I would take out the parts when they have to leave the city.
Fair, but what would I replace them with? In theory, I could replace part of Scarwall with Academy of Secrets, but then I lose out on some of the cool stuff with Laori, which is a shame because I love Laori.
Does anyone have notes somewhere on a "not leaving Korvosa" version of CotCT? You can check my campaign journal for ideas. I included a trip to the Shoanti in the Cinderlands, but instead...MrVergee2017-02-19T08:31:08ZRe: Forums: Campaign Journals: Mister Vergee's Curse of the Crimson ThroneMrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ps0m&page=8?Mister-Vergees-Curse-of-the-Crimson-Throne#3552017-01-29T20:21:22Z2017-01-29T08:18:39Z<p>Having just freed a huge fire giant from petrification, the companions now find themselves facing this roaring brute whose sword flickers in searing flames. Sjo activates the magic to understand the creature’s tongue. It screams for vengeance on someone named the <i>Ticktock Man</i>, keeping its eyes firmly fixed on the last door in the chamber. Puk leads the way into the final room of the complex. This mammoth chamber houses a great machine with countless handles, buttons and lights. Puffs of smoke escape from tiny cracks in the machinery, while an irregular rattling sound creaks from the tired gears. The halfling approaches cautiously, but still fails to notice a lithe cloaked figure that springs into view and hacks away mercilessly at the surprised rogue. His blade slashes through Puk’s abdomen like a knife through cheese. In the same fluid motion, he hooded man turns towards Ongaur, the fire giant in the adjacent room, shouting at it in an unknown language that everyone can somehow understand. While Elvira ponders on the magnificence of <i>Truespeech</i>, envious that she cannot master this universal language, Ongaur’s thoughts shift to a completely different mindset. “It is not I, but these strangers who are your enemy!” the Ticktock Man convinces him. The fire giant’s gaze becomes cloudy as he seizes up the competition around him, rather than focusing on the real enemy.</p>
<p>Sjo draws <i>the Locksmith</i> from the Harrow deck and attempts to dispel the <i>suggestion</i> that clouds up Ongaur’s mind; unfortunately he fails. Algon, the Harrowed Realm’s single-minded paladin, wastes no time and crushes the giant’s knee under his hammer. Puk clutches his arms over his bleeding stomach, trying to keep his guts from spilling out as withdraws to his friends’ side. Balian covers his escape by stepping between the party and its deadly foe. “Snap out of it, big guy”, Elvira has another go at dispelling the mind controlling magic on the giant, succeeding where Sjo just failed. Ongaur’s anger peaks even more now he has regained his sanity: he bellows in rage, almost deafening the heroes, and squeezes through the door to the machine room. The Ticktock Man sees the threat and fires off more magic in an attempt to turn the fight in his favor: this time both Balian and Ongaur resist his enchantments to freeze and control them. Sjo patches Puk up with <i>cure critical wounds</i>, enough to allow the rogue to resume the fight. Walking through the fire giant’s legs practically unhindered, the halfling tumbles into the cloaked figure’s back. Balian takes full advantage of his flanking partner and Elvira’s <i>haste</i> spell and slashes into his adversary. Each time his blade hits true, connecting in full force with some kind of metal plating under the creature’s robes. His crushing blows cause damage, but no blood drips from the wounds. The Ticktock Man retaliates, focusing his strikes on Balian whom he considers the most dangerous enemy. He slashes the ranger across the chest and pierces his left side, but now the <a href="http://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Pathfinder-Harrowing-Ticktock-Man-showdown-660076382" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">creature finds himself sorely pressed</a>. Puk’s blades pierce his defenses, Spyder teeth grind into his leg, leaving it up to Balian to finish the job and claim the killing blow. Ongaur bursts out in cries of victory as the Ticktock Man drops to the floor. The corpse is an iron case, filled to the brim with gears and technology. The giant reaches for the limp body and crushes it in his humongous palm. A blood coin drops, while the rest of the Ticktock Man’s body squeezes through Ongaur’s fingers like butter. Algon reaches down to pick up the coin and joins the heroes outside.</p>
<p>“Congratulations, my friends. We have more sites in the forest to visit, the factory and the theater. I suggest we start with the first one.”</p>
<p>“Lead the way”, Elvira nods.</p>
<p>—————</p>
<p>The trek takes the party back into the thick of the forest. Balian, who is getting quite attuned to this new dimension, realizes that their journey will take them straight through the heart of the forest, the Midnight Circus. He suggests taking a slightly more southern course, which will take them past the Korvosan rebels’ camp instead. This way they can reconnect with their allies before continuing their quest. The rebels are doing well, and after a short meal with his fiancée, Sjo is extra motivated to resume the adventure.</p>
<p>—————</p>
<p>It must be around 8 in the evening when the companions finally reach the ‘factory’. Greasy smoke reeking of soot and rendered fat belches forth from the tall chimney high above this plump industrial building. The front sports a few tall windows, all barred and boarded, as if they were meant to keep something out … or in. Sjo readies the <i>Waxworks</i> card as he approaches the front doors. They are locked, but nothing Puk’s nimble fingers can’t handle. A few moments later <a href="http://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Pathfinder-Harrowing-Manmolds-overview-660076793" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">the companions step into the entry hall</a>. Five white wax statues decorate the far wall, each depicting an ancient scholar, philosopher or writer. There are two doors, one to the left and one to the right. The one on the left leads to a small storage room, filled with wax sculptures of people of all stripes and flavors. The right one opens into another exhibit room with two more statues. The temperature is noticeably hotter in here, causing the wax pieces to sweat slightly. Balian examines the space more closely and finds a secret door in the left wall, leading to a room with a burning stove. The searing coals heat up a large vat, which ends in three scorching tubes that runs along the ceiling of a narrow hallway. The heroes follow the pipes around the corner, only to find that the corridor abruptly ends in a stone wall. At the same time one of the pipes overhead belches out a cloud of scalding smoke, burning everyone’s skin but Sjo’s. Algon channels positive energy to heal everyone, before Balian opens another secret door in the blank wall. Again, there is an exhibition room with three wax statues of the same Varisian woman: the first shows her untroubled, the second one looks worried, while the third expresses true fear. The sound of labor comes from behind the one door in his chamber. The party pushes it open and steps into a <a href="http://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Pathfinder-Harrowing-Manmolds-Ant-Queen-660077452" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">vast workshop. Noxious fumes emanate from four enormous vats of molten wax</a>. The floor holds at least a dozen squirming, undulating worms the size of a man’s arm. A dwarven woman with a kind countenance looks up from her perch above one of the cauldrons, whereas a giant ant is modeling a wax bust into a shape resembling a tengu, presently working on the beak. She skitters around nervously and the antennae on her head flutter restlessly as if trying to taste the threat in the air. Her hind legs crawl across the surface, bringing her closer to the companions, who stand their ground and hail her respectfully. Like lightning the queen mother’s front legs shoot forward and grab the bizarre grubs at the party’s feet. She carefully scuttles back and places the larvae well out of reach of the visitors.</p>
<p>In the meantime Sjo pulls the <i>Waxworks, Queen Mother</i> and <i>midwife</i> cards from the Harrow deck and Elvira starts up a conversation with the dwarf and the giant ant. The midwife explains that the ant queen, Marzalee, understands what they’re saying, but she can only emit chittering sounds, which the dwarf offers to translate. Elvira also notices that the midwife has an amulet of Pharasma, goddess of birth, fate and death, around her neck, marking her as an important link in this realm’s cycle of rebirth. The enchantress explains that they have no hostile intentions, but they need Marzalee’s blood coin to leave this realm, as they hail from another dimension. The dwarf has trouble understanding Elvira’s account of other worlds, but the ant queen confirms she comprehends. The insectoid agrees to give up her token if the adventurers help her out first: she wants them to kill the <i>nightpeddler</i>, a thief. Sjo requires a bit more information; apparently the nightpeddler lives in the desert and steals Marzalee’s babies before she can mold them into their old form. Even though Marzalee just gives birth to a new worm after the theft, her maternal instinct is deeply hurt every time she loses one of her offspring. The heroes agree to take care of the Nightpeddler and return when the deed is done. The midwife is happy, she claims that Marzalee will eventually rebuild the Nightpeddler as well, but she will make sure his resculpting is a slow and excruciating process.</p>
<p>Algon claims the party still has ample time to get to the theater today, explaining it is just under an hour away. And indeed, the sun is still as high as ever in the sky when the companions reach the colorful building that houses the performance hall. Closer inspection reveals that the once vibrant paint is peeling and the ornaments are crumbling under years of neglect. The massive double doors are crowned by a threadbare banner, spelling out in faded letters <i>The Sanguine Playhouse</i>. <a href="http://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Pathfinder-Harrowing-Sanguine-Playhouse-overview-660077702" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The heroes enter the lobby</a> and notice that the red velvet carpet is worn beyond repair. A cracked mural on the ceiling depicts debauched acts between satyrs and all manner of mortal women. Two sets of double doors lead deeper into the building; between them <a href="http://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Pathfinder-Harrowing-Sanguine-Playhouse-Lobby-660078152" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">a small creature flutters around in the ticket office</a>.</p>
<p>“Welcome, welcome, dear guests, it’s been too long since we’ve seen visitors here. Come in”, the tiny creature chirps. He has an elven upper body, two long antennae protruding from his forehead. His lower body is that of a cricket, complete with spindly legs and a pair of gossamer wings.</p>
<p>Sjo plays the <i>cricket</i> card and addresses his host kindly: “We are honored, kind sir, and humbled by your generous reception. Do tell us, are we still in time for the show?”</p>
<p>“Well, I don’t believe there is a show today. Our theater is not really equipped anymore to put on a production of worth.”</p>
<p>“I’m sad to hear that”, Sjo offers.</p>
<p>“Well, that is what happens when you do not recognize talent when it is right in front of you”, the fey grumbles. “Not good enough, that is all I ever hear, <i>Mr. Softshoes</i> is not good enough.”</p>
<p>“Really? You look quite … skilled … in my eyes, Mr. Softshoes.”</p>
<p>“I do, don’t I?” the fey jumps. “Not good enough? So listen to this …” Striking his legs against each other like a bow to violin strings, Mr. Softshoes plays <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZxAVUsuE4Y" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">a merry tune</a>, which sends the companions into a joyous dance. Elvira and Sjo are not affected by the giddy fiddling magic, but dance along anyway; Sjo even manages to impress with a fine performance. When the healer and enchantress start getting tired, they quit the dance, but their friends cannot stop and go into an ever wilder whirl. “That will do, Mr. Softshoes! You’ve proven your worth”, Sjo barks.</p>
<p>“Ooops, forgive me, I got carried away.” The fey stops playing and offers a ticket instead. “Just one gold piece to get in”, he smiles.</p>
<p>The party pays the fee and is allowed entry. The bulging auditorium offers an excellent view of the stage. Dust and cobwebs cling to every surface. The massive open space stands remarkably empty with just a handful of seat that are dwarfed by the sheer volume of the hall. <a href="http://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Pathfinder-Harrowing-Sanguine-Playhouse-Stage-660078476" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">On stage are two actors, one dressed like a jester and the other one barely a child</a>, who waves his wooden sword in the air. Sjo sees the resemblance with the <i>Carnival</i> card and pulls it from the deck. The comedians ignore the visitors and continue their slapstick number, in which the jester orders the child around, but the small actor sabotages every assignment he is given. The level of their performance is mediocre at best. When they are finished, they take a bow and the party gives them a mild applause.</p>
<p>“Greetings, travelers, welcome to the Sanguine Playhouse. My name is Balimor, and this little guy is my colleague, Balio”, the jester says. “Are you art lovers, or art makers?”</p>
<p>“Well, both, really”, Elvira replies.</p>
<p>“If you are here to appreciate art, I’m sorry to say that we are not performing right now. You are welcome to watch us rehearse, of course. But if you are here to partake in making the art, then you have come at the right time. We are in need of some extra artists.”</p>
<p>“We all have some experience on stage”, Sjo claims. “A bit of singing, dancing, acting … you know.”</p>
<p>“Yes, if you need anyone to shout ‘Fire!’, I’m your man”, Balian interrupts. “I like your names, by the way, Balimar en Balio, my name is Balian.”</p>
<p>“You’d make a fantastic threesome”, Sjo chuckles. “Are you two alone here, or are there any other fellows in your company?”</p>
<p>“There is ‘her’, naturally.” The jester looks slightly annoyed when he answers.</p>
<p>“Oh, I see, someone else … a female. She’s no good, is she?”</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t put it like that … what do you say, Balio?”</p>
<p>“Well, no, not exactly, she is … how should I put it? Wonderful? Excellent? Marvelous?” the little actor goes on.</p>
<p>“She’s good”, the jester sighs.</p>
<p>“So why don’t you like her?” Sjo wonders.</p>
<p>“She’s got a bit of an ego, like … a lot!”</p>
<p>“Did anyone need me?” <a href="http://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Pathfinder-Harrowing-Sanguine-Playhouse-Diva-660078868" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">From behind the curtains a gorgeous woman steps on stage</a>. She moves with incredible grace and oozes glamor with every breath she draws. “Are you here for the auditions?” Her voice is smooth as silk.</p>
<p>“Yes, we are”, Elvira nods and pulls Sjo on the podium. Drawing upon her wide knowledge of studying plays, she launches into a part of <i>Hamlet</i>, playing the part of Ophelia, while Sjo tries to improvise Hamlet’s responses. They both shine in their little unrehearsed enactment of the famous play. Sjo sees that the ‘diva’, Eliara, starts off with a smile on her face, but her look gradually changes to irritation and finally outright jealousy. When the two young actors finish their play, Eliara motions for Balio to “go ahead and do it”.</p>
<p>The smallest of the two comedians steps forward and points his wooden toy sword at the visitors. [i]With a crack of thunder, the theater vanishes into the cold night. Driving rain pours down, cascading over the stone dais beneath the heroes’ feet. They recognize their surroundings as the Prophet’s Garden, but there are no signs of decay yet. From behind the stone pillars around the dais shadowy figures appear, laughing and mocking while they draw close with ravenous eyes. One is the shape of a man with a crocodile’s head, another one sports two long ears. There is also a winged snake, a giant insect, a woman with the lower body of a serpent, a cloaked man, a sphinx and a thin man with pointy ears. As they move to strike, the vision fades. <a href="http://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Pathfinder-Harrowing-Sanguine-Playhouse-Showdown-660079176" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The heroes are back in the theater, surrounded by a different set of enemies</a>: the beautiful woman, who has grown her legs into a green snake tail, the two comedians, Balimar and Balio, and no less than four featherless roosters: cockatrices! If only the companions can avoid these hideous birds’ beaks, because they can turn a man to stone</p>Having just freed a huge fire giant from petrification, the companions now find themselves facing this roaring brute whose sword flickers in searing flames. Sjo activates the magic to understand the creature’s tongue. It screams for vengeance on someone named the Ticktock Man, keeping its eyes firmly fixed on the last door in the chamber. Puk leads the way into the final room of the complex. This mammoth chamber houses a great machine with countless handles, buttons and lights. Puffs of smoke...MrVergee2017-01-29T08:18:39ZRe: Forums: Curse of the Crimson Throne: Ileosa's backstoryMrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2u49v?Ileosas-backstory#62018-04-21T16:17:13Z2017-01-13T15:09:10Z<p>Well, I always had a problem with how fast and how badly the city reacted to the king’s death.</p>
<p>[Spoiler omitted]</p>
<p>If you want to find out in greater detail what changes I made, you can check my <a href="http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ps0m&page=1?Mister-Vergees-Curse-of-the-Crimson-Throne" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">journal on these boards</a>. You are also welcome on my <a href="http://mrvergee.deviantart.com/gallery/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">deviantart page for pictures from our campaign</a>.</p>Well, I always had a problem with how fast and how badly the city reacted to the king’s death.
[Spoiler omitted]
If you want to find out in greater detail what changes I made, you can check my journal on these boards. You are also welcome on my deviantart page for pictures from our campaign.MrVergee2017-01-13T15:09:10ZRe: Forums: Campaign Journals: Mister Vergee's Curse of the Crimson ThroneMrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ps0m&page=8?Mister-Vergees-Curse-of-the-Crimson-Throne#3542017-01-29T20:21:29Z2017-01-07T15:38:08Z<p><b>2 Rova 4708</b></p>
<p>In the morning the moon cranks down and the sun shoots up in the sky again. The only target the companions can spot from their location is the mechanical arm that bears the sun, so they head in that direction. After a few hours they leave the swamps behind them and continue their trek through the dense forest. They are not alone though, for they easily pick up the sound of someone else ploughing through the brush.</p>
<p>“Hullo, there, I say”, a voice shouts out. <a href="http://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Pathfinder-Harrowing-Algon-paladin-655950272?ga_submit_new=10%253A1483793123" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">With more noise than a bull a man in a shining plate and flowing cape walks up</a>, the thorny bushes scraping at his heavy boots, breaking loudly, but doing little to slow his pace. “I greet you, mighty travelers, my name is Algon, also known as the Ever-Seeking. I sense you are good people, but more importantly, I feel you have something I need.”</p>
<p>“And what might that be?” Evlira asks suspiciously.</p>
<p>“You have in your possession a number of tokens that I require to complete my quest.”</p>
<p>“And what is your quest?” Balian wonders. “And how long have you been on it?”</p>
<p>“I am on a holy quest to hunt down and destroy a vile tyrant, Zavon, the great Kah. I’ve been working at this goal for a long time now, I can’t say how long, exactly, but it feels like an eternity.”</p>
<p>“Well, then we have the same goal, sir knight”, Sjo says. “Why don’t you join us?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, why don’t you?” Balian adds mockingly. “And while we’re at it, how many ‘tokens’ have you reclaimed in 200 years?”</p>
<p>“Huh? 200 years? Are you mad, sir? Like you I am just a man, I don’t live that long. But to answer your question, I haven’t found any yet. That is, apart from the ones you have.”</p>
<p>“Figures”, Balian sighs.</p>
<p>“I am willing let you join me on my quest, but only if I can be the token-bearer. All my life has been dedicated to this one task. I cannot let this chance to slip through my fingers.”</p>
<p>“Agreed,” Elvira says as she hands the paladin the three blood coins. “In return for our trust, sir knight, what can you tell us of this place? We’ve been to a circus and we have just left the moors … oh yeah, and we went to the Prophet’s garden too. What other places are there?”</p>
<p>“Iomedae bless you!” Algon looks at the coins as if he has never seen one before. “Hmm, coins”, he muses. “Err … other places, you say? There is the theater, of course, and the factory. And I suppose that you already know about the volcano, as you are heading in that direction …”</p>
<p>“We are headed towards the sun”, Balian clarifies.</p>
<p>“Well, then you’ll have to walk through the volcano … or over it, more likely. It is straight ahead, beyond the edge of the forest.”</p>
<p>“So, the forest does end?” Elvira inquires.</p>
<p>“Of course, beyond the forest is the desert, the Trackless Dearth, not nearly as hospitable as these woods”, Algon answers as he pulls through the briars.</p>
<p>—————</p>
<p>It takes the party a few more hours to make it all the way to the edge of the woods. Algon preaches the glory of Iomedae and is overjoyed at the idea of finally completing his life’s work with his new friends’ assistance. Despite his more extensive knowledge of the Harrowed Realm, it is obvious that he does not realize that he is locked up in a pocket dimension, cursed to repeat his quest in an endless loop, implying that he is definitely not a conspirator.</p>
<p>When the forest finally ends, it gives way to parched earth that stretches out as far as the eye can see. Balian was hoping to see the border of the Harrowed Realm clearly from here, guessing that the transition from the sand to the blue dome would create a distinct line along the ‘horizon’, but no such ‘borderline’ is visible. The mechanical arm on which the sun rests stands directly behind the only feature that breaks the landscape in front of the heroes: a lone, steep volcano that rises from the sands a few hundred yards out of the forest. As they approach, the party members see pipes of copper running down the mountain side at bizarre angles and disappearing below the ground in every direction. The pipes are warm to the touch. Elvira thinks they provide some sort of ‘underfloor heating’ to this realm. She has read about a comparable technique that was used in ancient civilizations. Thassilonian nobles liked warming their villas with a system of central heating. It worked by raising the floor of a room off the ground on a series of stone pillars, thereby allowing hot air and smoke to be filtered under it through holes leading to a fire and, consequently, supply a steady stream of heating to the house, she explains. It was quite an ingenious system.</p>
<p>A set of stairs cuts through the flank of the volcano, leading to a stone building near the top. Climbing up, Elvira sees <a href="http://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Pathfinder-Harrowing-Azer-avalanche-655928532?q=MrVergee%2F38801006&qo=7" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> burning shapes at the end of the stairway, jumping over the stones and setting an avalanche into motion.</a> As a sea of stones crashes down the path, Elvira quickly draws <i>the avalanche</i> card, but then she decides not to wait for the stones and use her magic instead. “You guys fly up there”, she hisses to Sjo and Balian, as she grabs Puk, Spyder and Algon and <i>dimension doors</i> up the mountain. The burning men turn out to be azer, brass-skinned dwarves whose head and shoulders blaze with a mane of fire. The creatures laugh heartily at their ‘prank’ and Elvira picks <i>the Brass Dwarf</i> card from the deck, but again it does not seem to serve any purpose. She waits for her flying friends to arrive, while asking the dwarves what is <a href="http://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Pathfinder-Harrowing-Smith-s-Caldera-655928356" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">in the building behind them</a>. They say it holds an inn, pointing at the name tag above the giant-sized front door: “<i>The Thirsty Break</i>”.</p>
<p>Balian walks up and knocks on the door. “It’s open!” a loud voice shouts from within. Reaching for the handle Balian pulls the massive door open and enters a giant-scaled public house, which definitely looks past its prime. <a href="http://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Pathfinder-Harrowing-Thirsty-Break-655929121" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Two men are seated on oversized chairs at one of two chin-high tables</a>, the tankards in front of them are as big as buckets. Behind the bar, that looms even over Sjo’s head, stands a stern giant with only one eye in the center of his head: a cyclops. He bends over the counter, staring down at his guests and booms: “Look what the cat dragged in! Small folk … now get out. This place caters to giants only!”</p>
<p>Elvira can’t help but laugh: “Giants? You only two patrons don’t look like giants to me.” She eyes the two men at the table more closely and notices that, despite the contrast in their attire – green and red – and hair color – white and black – their faces look very similar. Looking through the Harrow deck she pulls out the card of <i>the Publican</i> displaying the cyclops and <i>the Twins</i>, with the white- and black-haired men. She immediately senses that the hostile atmosphere lessens a bit.</p>
<p>“Those two are guest of honor, you silly”, the cyclops grumbles.</p>
<p>“And how do <i>we</i> become guests of honor as well?”</p>
<p>“If you can get those two to invite you, you can stay”, the bartender smiles.</p>
<p>“Excuse me, sirs, for interrupting your drink. Would you so kind as to invite us to sit at your table? Elvira coos, bashing her long lashes at the two gentlemen. The white-haired one pulls his heavy eyelids up, smiles down on Elvira complacently and lisps: “To sit at our table, you must first prove yourself clever enough, lassie.”</p>
<p>“Fair enough.”</p>
<p>“Just solve this riddle … and Voricose over there”, he mutters, pointing at the bartender, “will make you ‘honorary giants’ for the day:</p>
<p><i>Two brothers are we, one is dark and one is fair.
<br />
In twin towers dwelling we’re quite the pair.
<br />
One from the land and one from the sea.
<br />
We make things better, who are we?</i>”</p>
<p>Sjo, Puk and Balian look puzzled, but Elvira ponders the riddle for a second, before saying: “Of course, salt and pepper!”</p>
<p>“Huh?” Sjo goes.</p>
<p>“Correct, clever girl. Voricose, these visitors are now our guests, treat them kindly!”</p>
<p>The companions join the twins for a drink (or at least a few sips from a bucket) and a meal. “What is behind yonder door?” Elvira asks her new friends.</p>
<p>“Oh, that door leads to the forge, but it’s cold”, blondie replies.</p>
<p>“Why is that?”</p>
<p>“I don’t know … Voricose?”</p>
<p>The bartender shrugs. “The azer prefer working outside, is all. More space, more air, you know …”</p>
<p>“Anything else back there? Elvira presses.</p>
<p>“Of course, you silly. As if you don’t know that.”</p>
<p>“Be a dear and remind me again.”</p>
<p>‘The machine room.”</p>
<p>“What’s the machine for?</p>
<p>“Well, it keeps everything running, obviously.”</p>
<p>“Mind if we go back there and have a look?</p>
<p>“Guests of the twins are my guests. Do as you please.”</p>
<p>“Thank you.” Elvira jumps of the giant seat and walks with her friends to the door.</p>
<p>It opens up in a workshop. A dead forge sits to the left, next to another door. Over to the right a massive head pokes through the wall. <a href="http://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Pathfinder-Harrowing-Smith-s-Caldera-Smith-1-655929627?q=MrVergee%2F38801006&qo=5" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Its face appears to be made of iron, its hair is copper.</a> Elvira notices it radiates magic. She places her fingers on the metal; it is cold to the touch, almost icy.</p>
<p>“Maybe we should light a fire”, she suggests. Balian pulls the large lid off the forge, seeing that it is filled with coal. “Your turn”, he nods to Sjo. The half-Shoanti smiles and blows a sea of flames from his hands, igniting the coal. He motions for Balian to work the bellows and a cozy fire lights up the room. But it isn’t until Elvira draws <i>the forge</i> card that <a href="http://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Pathfinder-Harrowing-Smith-s-Caldera-Smith-4-655930408?q=MrVergee%2F38801006&qo=2" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">the flames turn into a searing blaze,</a> making the temperature in the chamber almost unbearably hot. The only thing that stay cool, cold even, is the giant head in the wall. Borrowing a shovel from the azer, Sjo ships some burning coals over to the head, but the fire dies out immediately. Elvira wonders if the card of <i>the Mountain Man</i> would be of any help and finally decides to draw it. When she does, <a href="http://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Pathfinder-Harrowing-Smith-s-Caldera-Smith-2-655930001" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">the mouth in the head opens wide</a> and a raspy voice crackles through it in Giant: “Coooooooold”.</p>
<p>Sjo now tries filling the open mouth with the burning coal and it works. <a href="http://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Pathfinder-Harrowing-Smith-s-Caldera-Smith-3-655930207?q=MrVergee%2F38801006&qo=3" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">He quickly has a blazing fire going.</a> The metal heats up and even starts to glow a little. Then the earth rumbles and quakes. Stones burst out of the wall and the floor, as the head comes to life and pulls out of its stony prison. <a href="http://mrvergee.deviantart.com/art/Pathfinder-Harrowing-Smith-s-Caldera-Smith-5-655931009" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">A huge shape lifts itself from the rubble, towering over the companions.</a> “FREE! AT LAST!” It is a fire giant, but he is humongous, even for his kin’s standards.</p>2 Rova 4708
In the morning the moon cranks down and the sun shoots up in the sky again. The only target the companions can spot from their location is the mechanical arm that bears the sun, so they head in that direction. After a few hours they leave the swamps behind them and continue their trek through the dense forest. They are not alone though, for they easily pick up the sound of someone else ploughing through the brush.
“Hullo, there, I say”, a voice shouts out. With more noise than a...MrVergee2017-01-07T15:38:08ZRe: Forums: Product Discussion: Pathfinder Module: The Harrowing (PFRPG)MrVergeehttps://paizo.com/products/btpy8lv9/discuss&page=3?Pathfinder-Module-The-Harrowing#1172016-12-29T10:49:09Z2016-12-29T08:56:28Z<p>Waw, Crystal! This adventure turns out to be every bit as good as I imagined it.</p>
<p>Our <i>Curse of the Crimson Throne</i> party just launched into the <i>Harrowed Realm</i> for an extra long session. We tackled a few locations, like the Midnight Circus and the Prophet's Garden, and are currently stuck in the Demon's Fen. The party also encountered the gnome from the Hidden Truth (I placed him in the forest as a first encounter, to give more insight on this demiplane), the Rabbit Prince and the Owl.</p>
<p>You can find pictures of our miniature set-up on my <a href="http://mrvergee.deviantart.com/gallery/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">deviantart page</a> and a full <a href="http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ps0m&page=7?Mister-Vergees-Curse-of-the-Crimson-Throne#347" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">journal report</a> on these boards.</p>
<p>Thanks for writing such an inspiring tale.</p>Waw, Crystal! This adventure turns out to be every bit as good as I imagined it.
Our Curse of the Crimson Throne party just launched into the Harrowed Realm for an extra long session. We tackled a few locations, like the Midnight Circus and the Prophet's Garden, and are currently stuck in the Demon's Fen. The party also encountered the gnome from the Hidden Truth (I placed him in the forest as a first encounter, to give more insight on this demiplane), the Rabbit Prince and the Owl.
You can...MrVergee2016-12-29T08:56:28ZRe: Forums: Curse of the Crimson Throne: Turelus' CotCT Changes (Spoilers/GM Material)MrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2u18e?Turelus-CotCT-Changes#122021-07-12T08:19:58Z2016-12-23T06:32:48Z<p>I've also included <i>Academy of Secrets</i> in my CotCT campaign.</p>
<p>Having learned that the queen signed an infernal contract, the PCs gather information on how to break it. They need both copies of the contract, one of which is in Ileosa's possession, the other is in the hands of the contract devil who brokered the deal. Since Ileosa went to the Acadamae to sign it, the party investigates and finds out that they need to enter the 'Hall of Wards' to find said devil. Using the knowledge of the thieves' guild on the Breaching Festival and an inside woman (a new PC), the party gets in and recovers one copy of the contract.</p>
<p>Now, if they manage to get a hold of Ileosa's version as well, they can break the deal and considerably lessen Ileosa's power before confronting her.</p>
<p>You can read more about it in my <a href="http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ps0m&page=7?Mister-Vergees-Curse-of-the-Crimson-Throne#323" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">campaign journal on these boards</a>.</p>I've also included Academy of Secrets in my CotCT campaign.
Having learned that the queen signed an infernal contract, the PCs gather information on how to break it. They need both copies of the contract, one of which is in Ileosa's possession, the other is in the hands of the contract devil who brokered the deal. Since Ileosa went to the Acadamae to sign it, the party investigates and finds out that they need to enter the 'Hall of Wards' to find said devil. Using the knowledge of the...MrVergee2016-12-23T06:32:48ZRe: Forums: Curse of the Crimson Throne: HindsightMrVergeehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2tzdc?Hindsight#182016-11-07T13:36:24Z2016-11-05T06:28:25Z<p>If you like the idea of 0-level characters, you can check <a href="http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ps0m?Mister-Vergees-Curse-of-the-Crimson-Throne" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">my journal for some ideas</a>. I had the PCs start off as lambs, giving them a reason to really hate the old guy ...</p>If you like the idea of 0-level characters, you can check my journal for some ideas. I had the PCs start off as lambs, giving them a reason to really hate the old guy ...MrVergee2016-11-05T06:28:25Z