Cheliax's largest city, Westcrown, has fallen to the Glorious Reclamation, and the evil adventurers are sent to reclaim the metropolis in the name of House Thrune. Armed with the legendary weapon they created from a gold dragon's head, the nefarious characters confront the Glorious Reclamation's forces and break its siege of a nearby Hellknight citadel. Once the army is defeated, the villains enter Westcrown, where they must undermine the chivalrous knights' rule of the city. Finally, they face the founder and Lord Marshal of the Glorious Reclamation to end the rebellion and restore the Thrice-Damned House of Thrune's rule over the empire of Cheliax.
Was in this as a player, so can't comment on anything behind the screen.
This was certainly a High Level Game where you Fight Good Creatures. That's really the best that can be said for it.
Sure, there were some interesting setpieces and enemies. But, why is everything in the city possessed of an artificially high stat block? I could swallow it if it were specifically Glorious Reclamation folk who were sent here to hold an important city, but it's not. Every random dude here is coincidentally at the right level for a book 6... for some reason.
Others have said this but, holy heck where did you get all these paladins? It was a tad absurd even in Wrath, but isn't paladin supposed to be a somewhat unusual class which takes a remarkable level of personal dedication and really means something for the individual? They're a dime a dozen here, no big deal I guess.
Which brings me on to my next point. Paladins have some nice immunities, as we all know. Some would say they have some extremely strong immunities. I say let them have their fun... usually at least. But when nigh on the only enemy you're facing is paladins, these things become very apparent. Let's be honest, a huge pull for this AP was the chance to play evil characters with evil abilities, access to domains you wouldn't usually get, antipaladin stuff etc. And as we learned in our group, a LOT of evil class features involve fear, charm, and compulsion. Yes, they're nasty things to do, but this is an -evil- game. The presence of so many paladins is a huge middle finger to a lot of the tactics and class features which are going to be favored by evil characters. I'm not sure what the impetus was for this decision, apart from to make sure the PCs don't have too much fun being evil, and are subverted as much as possible.
It might be subjective to our group, but the final villain seemed to be completely out of nowhere, no fanfare, and no reputation build up at all prior to fighting her. Compare this to Hell's Rebels, it's extremely anticlimactic and underwhelming.
Adding my voice to those fed up with the evil iconics. I'm sorry but the art is some of the worst I've ever seen, and they're horribly made characters. A couple of them are interesting enough in terms of story, but I'd love to know what drugs the person is on who decided that a duergar paladin is a sensible choice.
Assault on Brienne's castle! And celestials killed!
I just finished reading this volume and found it to be very nice, possibly the best of the saga (maybe a close second after volume4).
The mass murdering at the begining of the book is simply glorious (pun intended) and the Korradath is a very funny and live dungeon, if a little too small ( i especially apreciated the fluidity of the encounters, well connected to previous player actions and Chorus).
The missions in the middle are also well varied and interesting. Including other elements of the campaign, such as the inferno gate is a marvelous idea as well. My favourite point of the adventure must be the final lines on the Big Bad Good Lady description..and the alternate ways of..dealing with her..reminded me a lot of the first Mass Effect game.
Continuing the campaing is also a very interesting article, especially for the high level stat block presented...very looking forward to any player foolish enough to face that. Also, what to do with a good artifact was a very nice read.
I loved the bestiary, filled with high level celestials, it felt very consistent with the needs of a high level evil campaign.
All in all i am very satisfied with this volume, the art, tough being somewhere a bit too dark (but that gives out a lot of atmosphere) looks very good, except for a certain high level cleric, way too plain for being such a high level cleric. If i must find a ngative element i must say that i'm quite surprised by the numbers of high level paladins present in the Glorious Reclamation army. Tough i understand that lower level enemies would have counted for nothing.
At this point, I'm figuring it went something like this:
"Hey man, I noticed in the warehouse we have like ten boxes of paladins, and they're still unloading more, what's up?"
"Dude, it's going to be radical. I ordered up like 500 identical paladins for the big battle at the end of Wrath of the Righteous! You can't have an epic battle without hundreds of identical paladins, pretty sure gygax said that."
"We cancelled that battle bro! Oh man, we're so fired when the Golem finds out!"
"What? No dude, hold on, I have an idea. We pitch an evil adventure path! Every encounter in the last two books can just be a s$#* load of paladins, problem solved!"
"Man, I don't know about you, but I don't know how to write an evil adventure path!"
"I got that covered too! We just make the party a bunch of government agents for the legitimate authority! They won't actually do much evil s+%& at all, but they can still be hellknights or whatever."
So you set off the artifact bomb you spent a whole book building, only to find it's two or three delayed blast fireballs with a ridiculous summoning caveat that the game encourages you to let the party play as some ridiculous undead, which sort of defeats the purpose of role-playing? The head of an adult gold dragon, blood of a bunch of peasants, the desecration of a holy spring, and the destruction of an ancient monastery of evil for roughly as much power as the level 14 sorcerer's 6th level spell slots. Once the tiny warhead has been dropped, you sneak into the city, conduct some more silly rituals while fighting a whole bunch of paladins. Your old friends from Castle Dinyar are back: An endless fountain of paladins, minibosses that can be summoned by the final boss, and making knowledge checks to identify which devil is best at standing on a bridge. Okay, that last one is new, but it's absurd enough to fit it with the Scourge of the Godclaw, or even The Inferno Gate. You identify some other devils to delegate to, because there are no Chelaxian troops or Hellknights anywhere on the planet. Then you fight the biggest paladin of them all(or make a reasonable diplomacy check), and you're done!
This book answers one of the great mysteries of the adventure path. We finally discover why Iomedae left Heart's Edge behind when she ascended: It wasn't very good. This is a good book for mediocre artifacts. The quest to corrupt it is pretty extraordinary, if you choose to follow it, in that it's way harder than just leaving it with the court of Zon-Kuthon to torture evil s!+& for a thousand years.
All of this is not to say this book is without redeeming value. There's a sequence I haven't mentioned with some awesome, thematic monsters in a sensical sequence, and the Solar form of the Angel Knight is going in my folder for all eternity as a 'Melee Solar.' The combat maps are pretty great, all the non-paladin fights are solid, and most of the art is awesome. While I would rather have had more evil s*@! to do, perhaps actually invading heaven with an Archon who was uncomfortable with the unlawful actions of the Glorious Reclamation and their indifference to the pain caused by their actions, perhaps destroying a major good city as vengeance for them taking Westcrown, the book works, and is far better than The Inferno Gate.
GOOD: Battle maps, stat blocks, Westcrown article and bestiary are solid.
BAD: Illustrations are too dark or crude, magic items/artifacts either op or just strange. The encounters are very much work for the DM, because of multiple spellcasters and/or spell-like abilities, missions feel like computergame quests. The BBE is boring and has no build-up.
UGLY: You NEED the NPC Codex to play this, as every 3rd fight has characters from it!The Iconic necromancer lvl 7 with AC 12 & 41 hp.
The "Evil AP" is a failure, mostly because of the boxed-in framework. "Way of the Wicked" shows how it's done the right way. Luckily this is the ONLY AP that failed.
I must know what Alexeara Cansellarion looks like and what her abilities are. There hasn't been artwork of her in any previous volume.
Also, who are the other high-ranking commanders/heroes of the Glorious Reclamation who haven't been shown prior to this volume? Does Alexeara have any council members?
Bestiary content & Continuing the campaign possibilities?
Spoiler:
Bestiary starts with a 1-page description of the "troop" subtype. Looks like the same one from Reign of Winter. Will have to compare later.
-Mustelidal Agathion (CR 16): Weasel people who have some brawler abilities.
-Ninkonda Angel (CR 17): Pretty freaking scary looking for an angel. Impaled with nails, a blank faceplate, and a mirror in its chest. Looks like an angelic kyton.
-Mote Archon Swarm (CR 15): Swarm of size Fine motes of light. Geared towards healing.
-Sergeant Troop (CR 14) and Hound Archon Troop (CR 16): Created with the troop subtype.
Continuing the Campaign
-Killers in Heaven: The PCs invade... well, Heaven. Has stats for a solar with 5 levels in paladin.
-Corrupting Heart's Edge: Alexeara Cansellarion's sword is a major artifact. Basically a super holy avenger. This section is how to turn it evil and includes stats for an evil version of the sword.
I must know what Alexeara Cansellarion looks like and what her abilities are. There hasn't been artwork of her in any previous volume.
Also, who are the other high-ranking commanders/heroes of the Glorious Reclamation who haven't been shown prior to this volume? Does Alexeara have any council members?
Spoiler:
Alexeara Cansellarion wears some gorgeous +5 mithral full plate of speed. She's proud and imperious looking, with short blond hair. Her sword, Heart's Edge, is a major artifact version of a holy avenger. She has a red cloak.
She's an 18th-level paladin with the divine defender archetype. There's otherwise nothing hugely notable about her. Solid equipment, decent stats. It's possible to corrupt her instead of killing her.
-Knight Commander Endranni Malesk is a LG aasimar bard 4/cavailer 2/battle herald 9.
-Elissi Whitewater is a NG female cetaceal agathion (the whale ones). She guards the harbor.
-Maraya, a CG female brijidine azata. She's guarding an important prisoner.
-Aveshiel, a NG non-gendered planetar. They patrol Westcrown, assisting citizens.
-Second Sword Knight Bellinia Dorjan is a LG female human cleric of Iomedae 17.
-Ariende Jharnavar, a NG Male Half-Elf Unchained Summoner 17. He's been put in charge of the city guard. He is devastatingly handsome.
-Sagrael, an astral deva with the paladin template from Monster Codex.
-Bagutu, a Ninkonda angel (new monster; challenge rating 17).
-Hadriel, an advanced trumpet archon (challenge rating 15). One of Alexeara's inner circle.
*screams happily about the agathion*
Ahem, how nifty!
It's actually a badger person, not a weasel person. My bad.
Unrelated: according to the preview for next volume, there are 20 (!) Great Old Ones and Outer Gods detailed in a section of "In Search of Sanity." That's 10 more than are detailed in Inner Sea Gods.
Unrelated: according to the preview for next volume, there are 20 (!) Great Old Ones and Outer Gods detailed in a section of "In Search of Sanity." That's 10 more than are detailed in Inner Sea Gods.
Sweet Christmas!! I'm looking forward that section HEAPS.
Though the celestial swarm motes seem pretty awesome. :)
*screams happily about the agathion*
Ahem, how nifty!
It's actually a badger person, not a weasel person. My bad.
Unrelated: according to the preview for next volume, there are 20 (!) Great Old Ones and Outer Gods detailed in a section of "In Search of Sanity." That's 10 more than are detailed in Inner Sea Gods.
Ah, close enough - makes sense with the brawler shtick.
I must know what Alexeara Cansellarion looks like and what her abilities are. There hasn't been artwork of her in any previous volume.
Also, who are the other high-ranking commanders/heroes of the Glorious Reclamation who haven't been shown prior to this volume? Does Alexeara have any council members?
** spoiler omitted **
spoiler:
quote wrote:
Alexeara Cansellarion wears some gorgeous +5 mithral full plate of speed[i]. She's proud and imperious looking, with short blond hair. Her sword, [i]Heart's Edge, is a major artifact version of a holy avenger. She has a red cloak.
She's an 18th-level paladin with the divine defender archetype. There's otherwise nothing hugely notable about her. Solid equipment, decent stats. It's possible to corrupt her instead of killing her.
Awesome! The way you describe her reminds me of Brienne of Tarth. Not that I'm complaining!
And we get the option to corrupt her? That sounds downright diabolical. How do we do that? Is it a long series of deliberate choices or just "we captured her alive; she's corrupted now".
Way of the Wicked part six spoiler:
The whole "villainous party corrupting a paladin" thing reminds me Richard Havelyn from Way of the Wicked
Rob, what has happened to the Chellish Navy during the latter part of the AP? Why aren't they laying siege to West Crown?
How can a non nation state field more troops than a country? I don't see the total forces of the Glorious Reclamation Numbering over 15,000 men. How are they supplying themselves. Who is funding them it takes a lot of gold to out fit a large force and keep it in the field for a prolonged period. Are these questions addressed in the AP.
How can a non nation state of good guys hope to prevail against evil forces that are backed by high level spell casters who would think nothing of bargaining with devils for powerful favors. For instance Abrogail puts a bounty for the capture of members of the Glorious Reclamation larger bounties for Clerics and Paladins. Once they are brought before her Advisor and traded for wishes and Miracles to breach the walls of West crown and let the army pour in.
How would West Crown Defend against mass Teleportation magic to infiltrate troops into West Crown to raise havoc. My point is that it is much easier for the Bad Guys to break a siege than for good guys to defend against bad guys who will do what ever it takes to win.
Rob, what has happened to the Chellish Navy during the latter part of the AP? Why aren't they laying siege to West Crown?
How can a non nation state field more troops than a country? I don't see the total forces of the Glorious Reclamation Numbering over 15,000 men. How are they supplying themselves. Who is funding them it takes a lot of gold to out fit a large force and keep it in the field for a prolonged period. Are these questions addressed in the AP.
I would love to hear an answer to that. Many chelish people probably turned against the House Thrune and the devils, as soon as they saw the opportunity to do so. I see also a lot of people from Andoran joining the GR, but still to wage a war you need many well trained and equipped soldiers. Maybe that could have been part of the "What to do after the campaign", invading foreign countries and bringing the backers to justice.
Lou Diamond wrote:
How would West Crown Defend against mass Teleportation magic to infiltrate troops into West Crown to raise havoc. My point is that it is much easier for the Bad Guys to break a siege than for good guys to defend against bad guys who will do what ever it takes to win.
Level 9 spellcasters aren't that easy to come by and they can teleport in 3 people at a time, if they manage to teleport to the correct place. That doesn't sound like a viable military strategy to me.
Unrelated: according to the preview for next volume, there are 20 (!) Great Old Ones and Outer Gods detailed in a section of "In Search of Sanity." That's 10 more than are detailed in Inner Sea Gods.
Sweet Christmas!! I'm looking forward that section HEAPS.
Though the celestial swarm motes seem pretty awesome. :)
Alas, 20 means they're going to be mentioned more than detailed.
Rob, what has happened to the Chellish Navy during the latter part of the AP? Why aren't they laying siege to West Crown?
I'm not Rob (who's Rob?) but your questions are largely answered in the adventure. In short:
Spoiler:
Westcrown was poorly defended, considering how it was never much valued by House Thrune. The Glorious Reclamation made a lightning-fast surprise attack on their harbor and quickly overwhelmed the city's defenders.
House Thrune knows it will eventually be able to retake the city, but the process is going to require a costly military campaign and may allow the dissent sowed by the GR to spread. Therefore, rather than engage in a costly siege, Abrogail sends in a small team of... well, who else?
MannyGoblin wrote:
So I assume the official result of CoT was 'No Shadowcurse and business as usual?'
It looks like the official stance is that the shadow curse and Council of Thieves were both wiped out prior to this adventure. Or to put it another way, the city was doing okay before the Glorious Reclamation "rescued" it.
What happens if the PCs lose? Does Alexaera pick up Abrogail Bane-style and throw her off the palace balcony, before Iomedae summons her to Heaven to fist bump her?
What happens if the PCs lose? Does Alexaera pick up Abrogail Bane-style and throw her off the palace balcony, before Iomedae summons her to Heaven to fist bump her?
What happens if the PCs lose? Does Alexaera pick up Abrogail Bane-style and throw her off the palace balcony, before Iomedae summons her to Heaven to fist bump her?
Spoiler:
Civil war comes to Cheliax, Cansellarion declares herself the nation's Celestial Majestrix, and House Thrune has to fight just to survive. Thrune attempts a naval blockade which fails utterly. It's tough to cordon off outsiders who can teleport at will. Also the PCs failed to fulfill their infernal contract, and can look forward to Hell. Not that they were likely to end up anywhere better...
Axial wrote:
Awesome! The way you describe her reminds me of Brienne of Tarth. Not that I'm complaining!
Oh, and Brienne of Tarth is an excellent approximation. Her face is narrower and more imperious though. Not a friendly looking woman.
I have to wonder about Ilnerik though, considering the new info on agents, he had to be a big time agent of Thrune to be given control of the streets at night, so when he gets axed, that is major treason. So i am kinda doubtful that even well behaved PCs could get away with anything other than exile or ceding control to any nobles that they made alliances with.
"What? Self rule? Whatever made you think that would be allowed?"
Unless he was more trouble than he was worth perhaps.
