Council of Thieves as an "RPG Noir"


Council of Thieves


I've been looking forward to running a Council of Thieves campaign for my group, but after reading into the AP a bit it seems... well, it wasn't what I expected.

When I heard about an AP set in the blighted city of Westcrown in the Thrice-Damned Country of Cheliax, I expected something a bit darker that was was presented. I admit I haven't read through the entire AP yet, but it seems like the AP could use a healthy dose of what people like to call "film noir". The setting seems lovely for it- shadows over every street, a conspiracy of thieves, the failure of humanity's ultimate dream... it seems ripe for a "noir" treatment.

Thus, I am open to suggestions from the Paizo community for creating a sense of "noir" about the Adventure Path. These suggestions don't need to change the plot of Council of Thieves, but rather enhance the mood that the heroes are in over their heads or that the city itself is a dark, oppressive character, sapping away their good intentions and optimism.

Please remember to use the spoiler formatting for some suggestions-I don't have a problem with spoilers personally, but I'd rather this thread be polite to those that haven't played the AP yet.


I don't have anything to add yet except that I agree. I saw Westcrown as a fantasy gotham city and wanted to run it very similar.


Make the sewers a bigger aspect of the city - particularly as the pcs might be hunted - I created an 'underworld' of the usual plus ratfolk the pcs had to enlist the aid of in order to move about discretely.


strayshift said wrote:
Make the sewers a bigger aspect of the city - particularly as the pcs might be hunted - I created an 'underworld' of the usual plus ratfolk the pcs had to enlist the aid of in order to move about discretely.

Somehow sewers and moving about discreetly seem to be at odds with each other. Sure, you can move without being seen, but how does one's sneakiness fare when the characters smell of the unmentionables of the sewer?

I was looking more along the lines of ways to evoke the gothic and blackened nature of the city, and have that reflected in the NPCs the player characters meet. Please send more suggestions!


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-Have the Shadow-curse actually affect the ambient light within the city, lowering it by one step at all times until it is lifted.
-Have gondola travel be the way everyone gets around, but because of the cloak-and-dagger nature of the city, is is not uncommon for anyone in such a vehicle to be mysteriously hooded, especially when clandestine meetings in the canals take place.
-Are there are any divine characters in your party? Unless they worship Asmodeus, practicing other religions in Westcrown is difficult at best, so maybe healings are done in secret, under the cover of darkness.
-Have the occasional failed noble family substitute for what constitutes a magical shop, with the purveyor a beleaguered noble trying to sell his heirlooms to make ends meet. Nothing says bleak like economic disparity.
-Think about adding in some nasties besides the Shadowgarms and Shadow Mastiffs. Have people disappear from some unknowable menace like the Nihiloi from Book 5 or something equally horrible.

Hope that helps a little.

Dark Archive Vendor - Fantasiapelit Tampere

I was thinking of adding more revolution-material. Mainly, splinter groups. One was heavily influenced by the Dark Knight Rises. Masked man, who first seems like standing on equal grounds with PC:s, but when he is starting to kill noblemen and blowing up their manors, he takes drastic turn to evil. When PC:s try to stop him, he starts to boycott them and finally, tries to kill them. Want's to see all nobles of the city dead, and to see Cheliax back to anarchism it once was.


Rakshaka wrote:
Hope that helps a little.

It does, thank you.

Rosgakori wrote:
I was thinking of adding more revolution-material. Mainly, splinter groups. One was heavily influenced by the Dark Knight Rises. Masked man, who first seems like standing on equal grounds with PC:s, but when he is starting to kill noblemen and blowing up their manors, he takes drastic turn to evil. When PC:s try to stop him, he starts to boycott them and finally, tries to kill them. Want's to see all nobles of the city dead, and to see Cheliax back to anarchism it once was.

Nice idea, I may use that as a side quest.

Minor Spoiler:
They might be one of the minions Chammady uses.
Dark Archive Vendor - Fantasiapelit Tampere

Possible! Emphasis on the "used". I visualized the masked man as very smart, who makes use of the anger and frustration of poor folk in the city. Very charismatic, but blind to the fact that he is used to just clean the table and city of old and decadent nobility for

Spoiler:
Drovenge siblings deploying his rage.
He might get it, but by that he has caused too much damage to turn back. Tragic Villain with hint of a well-intentioned extrimist.

The Exchange

Rosgakori wrote:
Want's to see all nobles of the city dead, and to see Cheliax back to anarchism it once was.

I might have a lapse in my Golarion historical knowledge... when was Cheliax ever an anarchy? there was some trouble when Aroden died, is that what you refer to?


Lord Snow wrote:
I might have a lapse in my Golarion historical knowledge... when was Cheliax ever an anarchy? there was some trouble when Aroden died, is that what you refer to?

Well, there was the Chelaxian Civil War. Happened four years after Aroden died, and lasted seventy years until House Thrune united the country again.

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