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This is a project I found myself in unexpectedly - one of my players took an unexpected amount of interest in Kesten Garess and his soldiers, so I found myself fleshing them out and thought I'd share the end result.
First, stat blocks for all of them:
XP 600
Male human fighter 3
CN Medium humanoid (human)
Init +1; Senses Perception +2
Defense
AC 23, touch 12, flat-footed 21 (+8 armor, +3 shield, +1 Dex, +1 dodge)
hp 30 (3d10+9)
Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +0
Offense
Speed 20 ft.
Melee masterwork scimitar +7 (1d6+5/18–20) or sap +5 (1d6+4/x2 nonlethal)
Ranged composite longbow +4 (1d8+2/×3)
Tactics
During combat Kesten prefers to charge into the largest group of enemies, drawing as much attention to himself and away from his men as possible. He uses Power Attack to quickly bring down the most competent melee combatants first, preferring to end fights as soon as possible. He puts his men's safety above his own and will gladly step into danger to keep them alive.
Morale Kesten does not fear death, and a part of him would welcome it, but he will not throw his life away needlessly. Unless he feels the situations merits the sacrifice of his life, he orders a retreat when it becomes clear his men are outmatched. Kesten ensures the escape of all of his charges before withdrawing.
Statistics
Str 17, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 12
Base Atk +3; CMB +7; CMD 17
Feats Weapon Focus (Scimitar), Shield Focus, Power Attack, Dodge
Skills Diplomacy +7, Intimidate +7, Knowledge(Nobility) +6, Perception +2, Sense Motive +5
Languages Common
SQ bravery +1, armor training +1
Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds (3), thunderstone (1)
Other Gear masterwork half-plate, heavy steel shield, masterwork scimitar, composite longbow (+2 Str) with 40 arrows, noble's outfit
Note Kesten Garess uses the "schooled fighter" class option from the Campaign Setting; as such he gives up his first level bonus feat for an expanded list of class skills and 2 extra skill points per level. Both of his melee weapons assume he is Power Attacking; the scimitar gets +1 accuracy and -2 damage if he attacks normally, and the sap gets +1 accuracy and -1 damage. Also, I give maxed first hit die and favored class bonuses to any NPC with the heroic stat array, which is why his hit points are higher than you might expect.
XP 135
Male human warrior 1
CN Medium humanoid (human)
Init +1; Senses Perception +3
Defense
AC 16, touch 10, flat-footed 16 (+5 armor, +1 shield)
hp 9 (1d10+4)
Fort +3, Ref +0, Will +0
Offense
Speed 20 ft.
Melee longsword +3 (1d8+2/19–20) or longspear +2 (1d8+3/x3) or sap +3 (1d6+2/x2 nonlethal)
Ranged light crossbow +0 (1d8/19-20)
Tactics
During combat The Free Irregulars fight with practiced skill, flanking whenever possible and using every advantage they can gain against their foes. All except Marcus prefer to fight in melee, using their crossbows only if given no other option.
Morale As long as Kesten's morale holds, his men will follow him to their death. Should their leader fall, they will do everything in their power to avenge his death. Only by Kesten's direct order will they retreat from a fight.
Statistics
Str 15, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 9, Wis 10, Cha 8
Base Atk +1; CMB +3; CMD 13
Feats Toughness, Alertness
Skills Bluff +0, Intimidate +3, Perception +3, Sense Motive +2
Languages Common
Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds (1), thunderstone (1)
Other Gear scale mail, buckler, longsword, longspear, sap, light crossbow with 10 bolts
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Dhavik CR 1/3rd
XP 135
Male half-orc warrior 1
CN Medium humanoid (half-orc)
Init +1; Senses Perception +0
Defense
AC 16, touch 10, flat-footed 16 (+5 armor, +1 shield)
hp 6 (1d10+1)
Fort +3, Ref +0, Will +0
Offense
Speed 20 ft.
Melee falchion +2 (2d4+3/18–20) or sap +3 (1d6+2/x2 nonlethal)
Ranged light crossbow +0 (1d8/19-20)
Tactics
See Gael
Statistics
Str 15, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 9, Wis 10, Cha 8
Base Atk +1; CMB +3; CMD 13
Feats Deceitful
Skills Bluff +2, Disguise +1, Intimidate +5, Perception +0
Languages Common, Orcish
SQ darkvision 60ft, orc ferocity
Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds (1), thunderstone (1)
Other Gear scale mail, buckler, falchion, sap, light crossbow with 10 bolts
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Marcus CR 1/3rd
XP 135
Male human warrior 1
CN Medium humanoid (human)
Init +2; Senses Perception +1
Defense
AC 16, touch 11, flat-footed 15 (+5 armor, +1 Dex)
hp 9 (1d10+4)
Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +0
Offense
Speed 20 ft.
Melee longsword +2 (1d8+1/19–20) or longspear +2 (1d8+1/x3) or sap +2 (1d6+1/x2 nonlethal)
Ranged light crossbow +3 (1d8/19-20)
Tactics
See Gael
Statistics
Str 13, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 9, Wis 10, Cha 8
Base Atk +1; CMB +2; CMD 13
Feats Toughness, Weapon Focus (Light Crossbow)
Skills Bluff +0, Intimidate +3, Perception +1
Languages Common
Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds (1), thunderstone (1)
Other Gear scale mail, longsword, longspear, sap, light crossbow with 40 bolts
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Harris CR 1/3rd
XP 135
Male human warrior 1
CN Medium humanoid (human)
Init +2; Senses Perception +1
Defense
AC 16, touch 11, flat-footed 15 (+4 armor, +1 shield, +1 Dex)
hp 8 (1d10+3)
Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +0
Offense
Speed 35 ft.
Melee longsword +3 (1d8+2/19–20) or longspear +2 (1d8+3/x3) or sap +3 (1d6+2/x2 nonlethal)
Ranged light crossbow +1 (1d8/19-20)
Tactics
See Gael
Statistics
Str 15, Dex 12, Con 11, Int 9, Wis 10, Cha 8
Base Atk +1; CMB +3; CMD 14
Feats Toughness, Fleet
Skills Bluff +0, Intimidate +3, Perception +1
Languages Common
Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds (1), thunderstone (1)
Other Gear chain shirt, buckler, longsword, longspear, sap, light crossbow with 10 bolts
Note The main reason Dhavik has Deceitful as his feat is because in my campaign he is a spy tasked with keeping tabs on the goings on at Olegs and quietly reporting back to Issian loyalists back in Brevoy. Despite this, he remains fiercely loyal to Kesten and would not knowingly betray his superior. If you don't like this aspect of his character, replace Deceitful with either Toughness or Skill Focus (bluff) (if you want to keep the aspect of his personality that he loves to tell tall tales).
Also, if you are wondering why they have 1 less accuracy with their longspears/crossbows/Dhavik's falchion, don't forget that bucklers give -1 to attack rolls if you wield a two handed weapon or a weapon in the off hand.
And now the full write up on Kesten Garess and his men:
Dhavik is unusual in that he is the only non-human in the group - he is a half-orc. He forgoes the usual longsword and longspear for a massive falchion, a traditionally orcish weapon. Although he carries a light crossbow because Kesten requires it, he loathes using it, preferring the thrill of melee combat. He is the newest member of the Free Irregulars, but has been quickly accepted by the rest for his good humor and outgoing attitude. He always has an unlikely but entertaining tale to tell regarding the orcish barbarians he claims to have been raised by - although Gael insists that Dhavik's life story changes wildly each time he tells it.
Gael is the oldest member of the Irregulars - older even than Kesten - and is approaching his (very) late 30s. Despite this he is as sharp as a hawk - the most observent of Kesten's crew, Gael is the first to notice something amiss or to see through a lie. He constantly berates Dhavik for telling tall tales... but only after letting him finish. The others look up to Gael out of respect for his age, and Marcus especially sees him as a mentor. Despite this, Gael knows he will have to retire soon - a few more years, and he'll no longer have the physique for the soldier's life. A close friend of Kesten's, Gael implies that he knows something about the commander's past - something that consumes Kesten to this day - but he is reluctant to speak about it.
Marcus is the youngest of Kesten's crew, despite having served under Kesten longer than anyone other than Gael. Although he is not as physically strong as the others, he more than pulls his weight in the group and is a crack shot with a crossbow. He can usually be found patrolling the upper rampart, occasionally taking pot shots at animals that wander too close the fort - and rarely missing. A somewhat conflicted individual, Marcus finds that his youthful optimism often clashes with the more realistic view his experience as a soldier teaches him. He looks up to Gael, and always goes to him for advice or someone to confide in.
Harris is the group's scout - he likes to call himself the "most free of the Free Irregulars", and he spends much of his time exploring the area around the fort. Naturally quick of foot, Harris can outrun almost anyone who cares to challenge him and wears a lightweight chain shirt instead of the usual scale mail to better take advantage of his speed. Something of a daydreamer, Harris can get lost for hours just wandering around a place of particular natural beauty - or just somewhere that catches his eye. He also has a particular weakness for gambling and risk-taking, and is constantly challenging the others to dice games, making bets on unimportant things, or pulling dare devilish stunts. While this would land most people quickly in trouble, Harris seems to have a lucky streak a mile wide and has so far come out of it all unscathed.
Kesten himself is a moody and reserved but undoubtedly skilled soldier. Although his name marks him as born of noble blood, there is little in his demeanor to indicate it. He carries considerably more heavy-duty equipment than his men: He wears a very well-made suit of half plate, and prefers to fight with a scimitar and a heavy steel shield - a combo with which he is devastatingly effective. None of the men under his command can come close to Kesten's skill in battle, and all speak with awe of the impressive sight he makes on the battlefield, carving through foe after foe and evading his opponent's blows with a nimbleness that doesn't seem possible in such heavy armor. He also carries a powerful composite longbow which he is fairly proficient with, for the same reason he insists all his men carry crossbows: he firmly believes in always having a weapon available for any possible situation. Because he trusts his men to know their duties and carry them out, Kesten can come across as undisciplined - he doesn't particularly care how his men get their job done, or how they spend their free time, as long as what needs to be done, is. All of the Free Irregulars have great trust and respect for their leader, however, and would put their lives in his hands unquestioningly.
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This is a project I found myself in unexpectedly - one of my players took an unexpected amount of interest in Kesten Garess and his soldiers, so I found myself fleshing them out and thought I'd share the end result.
First, stat blocks for all of them:
** spoiler omitted **...
Great stuff for GMs who have players take an interest in these characters. My PCs don't get a lot of time to hang out in Oleg's during play sessions, but they do pbp role-play between sessions set at Oleg's Trading Post.
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Thanks for fleshing these guys out! As a player, I've unintentionally put many a DM on the spot by interacting with an NPC who was mostly "set dressing," so as a DM I try to be prepared for such situations myself. The stat blocks are decent, but I appreciate the bios even more. I will definitely be putting these to use.
Thank you! Great work here!
Is there any reason you haven't used the stats provided for Kesten Garess from the Foreword of Rivers Run Red?
Is there any reason you haven't used the stats provided for Kesten Garess from the Foreword of Rivers Run Red?
Because I completely forgot they existed? xD I was scouring Stolen Lands looking for any details on him I could find, and completely forgot he had a full attribute block in Rivers Run Red. D'oh.
I will probably go through and change him based on that, although the low Dex of that version will require some changes to his build (his silly AC will unfortunately suffer...).
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So after some thought I reworked both Marcus and Kesten Garess. Marcus received a minor change - He trades Toughness for Point Blank Shot as I really wanted to play up his emphasis on ranged combat.
Kesten got his stats changed to match those in Rivers Run Red. He also was changed from a Fighter to a War Master - a base class by Super Genius Games that seems to fit him to a 'T'. For those interested, I heartily recommend the Genius Guide Adventurer's Handbook for more detail on the War Master.
XP 600
Male human war master 3
CN Medium humanoid (human)
Init -1; Senses Perception +7
Defense
AC 19, touch 9, flat-footed 19 (+8 armor, +2 shield, -1 Dex)
hp 24 (3d10+3)
Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +4
DR 2/-
Offense
Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. with armor)
Melee masterwork scimitar +7 (1d6+5/18–20) or sap +5 (1d6+4/x2 nonlethal)
Ranged composite longbow +2 (1d8+2/×3)
Tactics
During combat Kesten prefers to charge into the largest group of enemies, drawing attention to himself and away from his men. He uses Power Attack to quickly bring down the most competent melee combatants first, preferring to end fights as soon as possible. Against single foes he uses Assail or Individual Tactics (granting Power Attack) while ordering those not in melee range to take advantage of his Cover Fire feat and make Aid Another checks. Against groups he prefers to use Counter-Tactics, switching to Covering Maneuvers once his Knowledge check fails. He puts his men's safety above his own and will gladly step into danger to keep them alive, using Deployment to speed their escape if needed.
Morale Kesten does not fear death, and a part of him would welcome it, but he will not throw his life away needlessly. Unless he feels the situations merits the sacrifice of his life, he orders a retreat when it becomes clear his men are outmatched. Kesten ensures the escape of all of his charges before withdrawing.
Statistics
Str 17, Dex 8, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 14
Base Atk +3; CMB +6; CMD 15
Feats Weapon Focus (Scimitar), Power Attack, Heavy Armor Focus
Skills Intimidate +8, Knowledge(Nobility) +6, Knowledge(Geography) +4, Knowledge(Engineering) +4, Knowledge(Local) +4, Perception +7, Sense Motive +7
Languages Common
SQ battle tactics 10 rounds/day (assail, counter-tactics, covering maneuvers, deployment, individual tactics), Consul, Cover Fire
Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds (3), thunderstone (1)
Other Gear masterwork half-plate, heavy steel shield, masterwork scimitar, composite longbow (+2 Str) with 40 arrows, noble's outfit
Special Abilities
Battle Tactics A war master is trained to use tactics and strategy to direct units and individuals to create beneficial combat situations that favor his allies (A war master may always choose to count as one of his own allies, both for fulfilling conditions required by tactics, and for receiving the benefit of them). Starting a war master’s tactic is a standard action, but it can be maintained each round as a free action. Changing a war master’s tactic from one effect to another requires the war master to stop the previous tactic and start a new one as a standard action. A war master’s tactic cannot be disrupted, but it ends immediately if the war master is killed, paralyzed, stunned, knocked unconscious, or otherwise prevented from taking a free action to maintain it each round. A war master cannot have more than one war master’s tactic in effect at one time.
-Assail (Ex) At 1st level a war master learns to direct his allies to overwhelm a foe’s defenses, forcing the enemy to divide its attention among multiple targets. The war master selects one foe he can see. If that foe is threatened by three of the war master’s allies, it is considered flanked for the first melee attack each ally makes in the ally’s round.
-Counter-Tactics (Ex) At 1st level, a war master learns to counter the advantages foes gain by superior planning, morale, or position. Each round of the countering tactics he makes a Knowledge (nobility) skill check. The war master compares this to every foe he can see and has line of effect to. If the war master’s Knowledge check hits a DC of (10 + target’s hit dice or level), that foe gains no benefit from morale bonuses, luck bonuses, or battle tactics; cannot flank; and suffers a –4 penalty to all attacks of opportunity made. A creature the war master fails to affect with a use of countering tactics remains immune to any further use of the ability by the same war master for 24 hours.
-Covering Maneuvers (Su) A 1st level war master can use his tactics to direct his allies to watch out for one another, and assist each in remaining safe and protected. Any affected allies adjacent to at least one additional ally receives a +1 morale bonus to Armor Class, CMD, and Reflex saving throws.
-Deployment (Ex) At 1st-level a war master can direct allies to get into advantageous positions quickly. All the war master’s allies he can see gain a +10 foot enhancement bonus to their base movement if they take a double move or run action.
-Individual Tactics (Ex) A war master of 3rd level or higher can use his tactics to help an ally use combat strategies outside the ally’s normal repertoire. The war master selects one ally within 30 feet. The war master grants that ally the use of one combat feat selected by the war master that he knows, and that the ally meets the prerequisites for. The war master can change what feat the ally gains access to as a move action while maintaining the war master’s tactic.
Consul (Ex) Though not all war masters move in highly-placed circles, they all learn the ins and outs of political maneuvers as part of their training in the art of war. At 2nd level a war master learns to use his understanding of the rules of the courts and places of political power to assist him in any social interaction, even with individuals of low social standing. The war master may use his Knowledge (nobility) bonus in place of his Diplomacy bonus whenever making a Diplomacy check.
Cover Fire (Ex) Whenever the war master grants benefits to his allies from any battle tactic, the allies also gain the ability to take the aid another combat action with ranged attacks. Both the target of the attack and the ally to benefit from the aid another must be in line of effect of the war master.
Note If Battle Tactics sounds a lot like Bardsong that's because it's basically the same ability. It has the same legalese about audible/visual components and blind/deaf users as Bardsong does, I just skipped reprinting it to shorten an already massive writeup. The feat Heavy Armor Focus gives Kesten Garess DR 2/- as long as he is wearing heavy armor. Both of his melee weapons assume he is Power Attacking; the scimitar gets +1 accuracy and -2 damage if he attacks normally, and the sap gets +1 accuracy and -1 damage. Also, I give maxed first hit die and favored class bonuses to any NPC with the heroic stat array, which is why his hit points and skill points are higher than you might expect.
Awesome. i was going to have him take over the trading post soon and create an allied 'fiefdom'. This is perfect.
Beyond stats, I'm curious what other DMs have done with Kesten. I'm running a Kingmaker PBP now and getting ready to introduce him but he doesn't seem to have any role in the first module beyond being introduced (and letting the PCs feel like they don't have to guard the trading post).
Just curious for some ideas of what he and his soldiers might be doing, and how they'd be interacting with the PCs, beyond the moody and morose description the modules gives us.
Beyond stats, I'm curious what other DMs have done with Kesten...
Ah, relevant thread necromancy. ["Rwise from your gwave!"]
[Clears throat.]While many of the posters on the forum seem to be abhorrent about creating new NPC's, a sandbox game is exactly the sort of thing to have lots and lots of NPC's to interact with. So, I've been making up the owners of various shops, notable kobolds and lizardfolk (such as giving Sootscale a "lorespeaker"/sage named Arzhun, and having one of the lizardfolk braves, Kresshm, take over the tribe after the lizard king's downfall, as well as a female lizardfolk shaman, Nessal).
As for Kesten, I used him, Dhavik, Hariss, and Marcus more or less as above. While the PC's explored, Kesten and his crew not only guarded the trading post, but those brave independent merchants trading between Hajoth Hakados and Restov, at least while they were in the Greenbelt. Once the PC's established their barony, with Kesten as general and one of the PC's as marshal, Kesten arranged to set up a force of rangers for the marshal, including friendly trappers the PC's had met through non-hostile random events.
Likewise, in my version of things, I had added a few bandits to the Stag Lord's Keep (Lira, an abused Aldori swordswoman kidnapped and presumably raped by Dovan, and "Blue" Mikhail, a rival mage to the party's own "Red" Nora of Restov), and Akiros Ismort, Topper Red (a CN bard), and Lira ended up joining the PC's new government after siding with them against the Stag Lord (as Warden, Spymaster, and Royal Assassin, respectively).
Sadly, Hariss met his end to the claws of the giant owlbear (see book 2) while defending the town alongside many others. Akiros as Warden is in charge of defending the capital (and to a lesser extent the rest of the kingdom), the PC Marshal's rangers are roving sheriffs/investigators of sorts, and Kesten Garess and the Irregulars at this point in the game provide training and expertise to the kingdoms' settlements' militias. Once armies and mass combat comes into play, Kesten will likely lead an army, with his Irregulars as experienced lieutenants, leading smaller companies.
In my game, Kesten has been exiled. Since then, he's been making money by working with a mercenary company. However, on a mission to deliver a valuable strongbox, Sneeg betrayed the others, resulting in some fatalities, and made off with the chest.
As a result of this action, Kesten and his company have lost reputation and cannot get preferable jobs, due to their failure in a high-profile contract. Kesten would like nothing more than to rebuild his wealth and climb back to his former glory, but both opportunities have been taken from him, and the best job he could afford has been a contract to guard a trading post in the middle of nowhere, which has thus far been more or less ignored both by Restov and other mercenaries.
Falgrim Sneeg, on the other hand, has been unable to get into the chest. It is Arcane Locked, something that he suspects, and is trying to scrape enough money together to have it opened to get to the mysterious riches inside. For now Sneeg has it buried in a safe place that only he knows.
Both of them are locked into place, and desperate to get the chest. Kesten cannot leave the trading post, lest he lose even what little reputation and pay he would get for his contract, even though he would rather die a glorious death in the fray with bandits and maybe -- just maybe -- get vengeance on Sneeg. As one of the Stag Lord's favorites, Sneeg can't leave the fort to retrieve his chest and pay to have it broken into, even though he nearly has enough money.
I'm still toying around with the chest. Its contents are of the least importance -- they are not known until it is opened -- but I need to pin down who sent it, and where they were sending it. If House Rogarvia disappeared shortly before Kingmaker, then I'd love it to have been from them. The last missing treasure of a vanished nobility.
Beyond stats, I'm curious what other DMs have done with Kesten. I'm running a Kingmaker PBP now and getting ready to introduce him but he doesn't seem to have any role in the first module beyond being introduced (and letting the PCs feel like they don't have to guard the trading post).
Just curious for some ideas of what he and his soldiers might be doing, and how they'd be interacting with the PCs, beyond the moody and morose description the modules gives us.
I've played Kesten as kind of bitter about the scandal that led to his posting to the hinterlands. He therefore jumped at the chance to join the PCs new barony and formally resigned his Brevoy commission (although being kind of mercenary, he did negotiate a sweet contract first). He has been serving as their Warden ever since, and generally runs the capital city when the PCs are out adventuring. They have come to rely on him a lot.
My players originally had Akiros as their general, but a nice deal from the Garess clan got them to promote Kesten to general instead. (Akiros is currently headmaster at Noxia's "War Academy" for training military mages). I haven't done a lot with him since then, but this may be about to change depending on whether or not the players want to get involved with Brevoy's civil war.
(Kesten has an informal relationship with a captured bandit girl, which may be about to take a change for the better. We'll see what comes of that.)
Kesten is the warden of my PCs' capital city, Staghold. He proved his mettle to them at the Thorn Ford camp (I rolled new stats for him and gave him proficiency with bastard sword), but he became embittered after Kressle (who escaped Thorn Ford) killed all his followers.
After the PCs captured Kressle and left her under Kesten's guard, things got ugly. Kesten got drunk and threatened to kill the bandit; she relied on an old, desperate survival tactic: submission. For a brief spell, Kesten thought he had "tamed" Kressle, but when they infiltrated the Stag Lord's camp disguised as bandits, Kressle got her revenge for Kesten's quasi-rape. Sneeg recognized Kesten, so Kressle (to prove that she and the PCs didn't know he was a guard) cut three of Kesten's fingers off.
With the Stag Lord (and Sneeg) dead, Kesten became a trusted warden, and Kressle a not-so-trustworthy spymaster. She's not officially on the payroll, and she's never allowed back in the city. Besides self-recrimination, Kesten's main vice is drunkenness, and I expect that sooner or later (maybe when an owlbear comes to town?) he'll be soused at exactly the wrong moment.
The best part of this story? Kesten now has to use the bastard sword with both hands...and his new nickname is "Hand-and-a-Half."
Thanks, all. I was more actually thinking about the first module, though, before the PCs are all kingly/queenly. I know Kesten comes with the one quest, but I'm looking for more ideas on ways/reasons for him to interact with the heroes.
Thanks, all. I was more actually thinking about the first module, though, before the PCs are all kingly/queenly. I know Kesten comes with the one quest, but I'm looking for more ideas on ways/reasons for him to interact with the heroes.
I think he's mostly there to keep an eye on Oleg's, so that the PCs can explore further afield without worrying about bandit reprisals in their absence.
Thanks, all. I was more actually thinking about the first module, though, before the PCs are all kingly/queenly. I know Kesten comes with the one quest, but I'm looking for more ideas on ways/reasons for him to interact with the heroes.
Perhaps he drives off a bandit attack, but fails to capture/kill all of them. An additional quest could be for him to ask the PCs to go find the rest and put them down. It would be a decent way to show that Kesten is compotent at his job too.
As with any NPC, he will get as much screen time as the players want to give him.
You can use him to feed information about Brevoy and the local background to the PCs.
If one of them is a would-be noble, Kesten can either be an example, or a bad example, on how to be a noble. He can even turn into a rival of one of the PCs.
And he can be extra muscle (or suggestions) for attacking the Stag Lord's fortress.
Beyond stats, I'm curious what other DMs have done with Kesten. I'm running a Kingmaker PBP now and getting ready to introduce him but he doesn't seem to have any role in the first module beyond being introduced (and letting the PCs feel like they don't have to guard the trading post).
Just curious for some ideas of what he and his soldiers might be doing, and how they'd be interacting with the PCs, beyond the moody and morose description the modules gives us.
My party (which was obstensibly, filled with nobles from each of the noble houses of Brevoy) also had a competing party to map the Lands, due to the danger of the area. The competing party was very Surtovan. My group also happened to have a rogue who was masquerading as a noble Surtova (he won a title in a gambling match, and then stole someone else's identity).
In my world, the Garess and the Surtovas are very closely allied. So, Kesten being basically exiled and shamed-- one of the competing party got in a huge argument with him over Kesten's right to use his last name. Swords were drawn by Kesten, his men, and the other party.
The "Surtova" of my party then stepped in and pissed off Kesten by resolving the situation as follows: Kesten would stop calling himself "Garess". Kesten brooded over this. Another of the party tried to ameliorate him, stating that the Stolen Lands are a large place and this other fellow is likely to get himself killed, so Kesten will be able to use his name again. Kesten did not buy that argument.
Thankfully, Kesten's dark mood was considerably lightened when the Party got a charter from Brevoy and they placed him in charge of their defense. I think he was the Marshall? He still harbored very ill feelings toward the "D--n Surtova Rogue" who ruled that he was to lose his name.
About 8 sessions later, Kesten sadly perished as a result of the rampaging Owlbear. His men and Akiros eventually pushed the owlbear back, but before they reached it--Kesten bravely stood up to it, half dressed in his gear, as he jumped out of bed woken by the alarm of the town's four night guards. He was buried with honor.
(As usual, if you're one of my players, shoo!)
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After the PCs captured Kressle and left her under Kesten's guard, things got ugly. Kesten got drunk and threatened to kill the bandit; she relied on an old, desperate survival tactic: submission. For a brief spell, Kesten thought he had "tamed" Kressle, but when they infiltrated the Stag Lord's camp disguised as bandits, Kressle got her revenge for Kesten's quasi-rape. Sneeg recognized Kesten, so Kressle (to prove that she and the PCs didn't know he was a guard) cut three of Kesten's fingers off.
I'm actually looking for something like this for my game, although I think I'd go for a less ugly form of it. Basically, my PCs captured Kressle and some of her bandits, and left them at Oleg's as a work party under Kesten's eye.
I see Kressle as a survive-at-any-cost type of person, so she's not going to cause any trouble for the PCs until she thinks she can get away with it... especially after the rogue floated the idea of starting a thieves guild with her.
Meanwhile, Kesten has barely registered in the game at all, so he's a blank page. I figured that Kesten's already fallen for a low-born commoner before, so he'd be open, at least, when Kressle tried to seduce him (as her head jailer). The problem I'm having now is answering three questions sufficiently well to be able to build on them:
1) After having been burnt once, why is Kesten willing (reluctantly or otherwise)? Is it that he can't help himself, that he doesn't care, or that he has no further to fall? Is the fact he's Chaotic sufficient to explain it?
2) How seductive could Kressle be? She's only Charisma 8, per her book stats, with no relevant skills (though her favored enemy bonus would apply).
3) Am I thinking of this the wrong way? Can I achieve the same end goal by having Kesten pursue Kressle rather than the other way around? And if so, why would he want to?
(As usual, if you're one of my players, shoo!)
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After the PCs captured Kressle and left her under Kesten's guard, things got ugly. Kesten got drunk and threatened to kill the bandit; she relied on an old, desperate survival tactic: submission. For a brief spell, Kesten thought he had "tamed" Kressle, but when they infiltrated the Stag Lord's camp disguised as bandits, Kressle got her revenge for Kesten's quasi-rape. Sneeg recognized Kesten, so Kressle (to prove that she and the PCs didn't know he was a guard) cut three of Kesten's fingers off.I'm actually looking for something like this for my game, although I think I'd go for a less ugly form of it. Basically, my PCs captured Kressle and some of her bandits, and left them at Oleg's as a work party under Kesten's eye.
I see Kressle as a survive-at-any-cost type of person, so she's not going to cause any trouble for the PCs until she thinks she can get away with it... especially after the rogue floated the idea of starting a thieves guild with her.
Meanwhile, Kesten has barely registered in the game at all, so he's a blank page. I figured that Kesten's already fallen for a low-born commoner before, so he'd be open, at least, when Kressle tried to seduce him (as her head jailer). The problem I'm having now is answering three questions sufficiently well to be able to build on them:
1) After having been burnt once, why is Kesten willing (reluctantly or otherwise)? Is it that he can't help himself, that he doesn't care, or that he has no further to fall? Is the fact he's Chaotic sufficient to explain it?
2) How seductive could Kressle be? She's only Charisma 8, per her book stats, with no relevant skills (though her favored enemy bonus would apply).
3) Am I thinking of this the wrong way? Can I achieve the same end goal by having Kesten pursue Kressle rather than the other way around? And if so, why would he want to?
You're right. Kressel ain't that hot. Basically, she benefits from the fact that she was the only woman in that bandit camp, and she was the boss, so she could order/bully guys into relationshipz. And, well, they're guys, and she was female, willing and breathing. Kesten might have the same situaiton, if there are no women other than Svetlana at Oleg's.
Perhaps my version of Kesten would work? Morose just seems like a dull attitude to play, especially in one of the first NPCs, when the players were still learning what I was going to be like as a DM (since I'm doing this as a PBP, not with my usual RL group). So, his exile wasn't because he was dallying with Tania. It was that he was dallying with Tania after being told to stop after Darcy ... and Brielle ... and Tinachelle ... and Aleixica ... and you get the picture.
He's an inveterate womanizer, who immediately started hitting on the ladies in the party and annoying the men by simply not being able to remember their names at all (every time it's a different one) and being fairly condescending (one PC had nearly died in the fight with Kessle). They think he's a fool, though I've made it clear he's a dangerous fighter.
MaxAstro's Irregulars have become the New Stetven Sirens, a group of female warriors seemingly chosen as much for their looks as skills. MaxAstro did enough work that I didn't feel the need to duplicate, so I've pretty much kept their personalities and stats as above, but changed their genders.
Dhavika is the most outgoing of them, and has been hitting on one of the human PCs -- she's sort of the liaison between the two groups at this point.
Harris became Hari, a Tian scout, who's aroused the party's suspicions by leaving the fort regularly (and losing the first follower of the PCs, one of the bandits from the first encounter, who took it on himself to try to follow her). Dhavika warned them Hari was getting annoyed with him following her, which was when they became aware of it (and were surprised when he said he was doing it on their say-so, since none of them remembered asking him to, because of course they hadn't).
Gaelle and Marcine are lovers (still unknown to the party). The PCs have a touchy relationship with Gaelle as she was irritated when they said something about Marcine, who'd been startled by the witch's viper familiar, but again they don't know the root causes of the attitude they get from her.
Last time they were at the trading post, they sneaked into Kesten's tent and found some letters indicating he's supposed to be searching for Sneeg, so now they suspect that's what Hari's been doing, as well as hinting at his exile.
I think they're heading back to the trading post for the first time in a while, so I'm looking forward to some more interactions with the characters. Once I figured out that change to Kesten, it became really easy for me to play them and I think they're memorable enough that my PCs are having fun with them.
What I found to be more annoying is the trading post is too small -- I've got the Irregulars sleeping in tents at the moment. Stevic (my version of Oleg) is adding a second story to the sleeping accommodations as soon as the weather breaks.
(I also changed Jhod to make him basically a televangelist-style character, so he's been fun too. We just replaced a character with a cleric of Erastil, so I'm curious to see what kind of interactions they'll have. And if it leads to some clues about Jhod's background.)