Olondir's Curse of the Crimson Throne Campaign Thread [Spoilers]


Curse of the Crimson Throne


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Spoiler Warning
The following post(s) will contain spoilers regarding not just Curse of the Crimson Throne AP, but Rise of the Runelords AP, Carrion Crown AP, various modules, and DUNGEON magazine adventures.

If you're not okay with that please do not read anymore. You have been warned!
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Introduction
Hello!

This will be my ongoing thread detailing my planned CotCT campaign. The game is scheduled to begin in a few months and I wanted to take the time now to share my ideas and plans with those who I have taken so many ideas and plans from. I love you, Paizo boards.

Granted I really only have the Prelude and Book 1 nailed down, I have the general outline of events ready to present to everyone.

Campaign Outline

After reading the AP for myself and then other folk's takes on the AP, I will be modifying the overall direction of the Adventure Path a few key areas.

I will be focusing my campaign more on the city of Korvosa and the player character's relationships and holdings within it. There will be various urban problems such as Drugs, Racism, Social Class, Labor, and Corruption that rear their head as the PCs seek revenge against their first major villian: Gaedren Lamm and his precocious necromancer nephew, Rolth.

I will be including a Prelude approximately 5 years prior to the start of the actual campaign where all of my PCs are part of Gaedren's Little Lambs. The PCs get to experience the cruelty of Gaedren first hand and will help make their revenge on Gaedren much more satisfying...and leaving them on the trail for Rolth.

The campaign itself will have lots of time before the death of King Eodred II to have the PCs develop a sense for the city. My players should expect a lot of juxtaposition of trivial buildings and streets before the city succumbs to riots, devastating plagues, and a ferocious street-by-street civil war.

After quelling the riots in book 1, the PCs will have a taste of what it is like being on the fringes of the elite of Korvosa. They'll be doing a lot more intrigue and social wining and dining. Council meetings, operas, trials, and more will occur. I'm also considering having a minor kingmaker-y component regarding them owning a manor and upgrading it. All the while the PCs gather clues about Rolth whose trail leads them to a long forgotten and abandoned summer home nicknamed "Misgivings".

Here the PCs will learn of virulent disease being manufactured and must race back to Korvosa for the start of Seven Days to the Grave. (About here is where the frays start to show on my plot rope as I have yet to develop a fun way for the PCs to concoct and distribute the cure for the disease as well as get stuck in Old Korvosa AND out of the grasp of the Queen and her Red Mantis hit squads.) Anyways... moving on.

Escape from old Korvosa occurs with the PCs understanding House Arkona as a possible ally against the throne in an enemy of my enemy sort of way. (Since they oppose her just so they can rule Korvosa themselves.) They discover the truth behind the Queen's power (Kavazon and the Crown of Fangs) and must seek out the Shoanti, fizzle out their planned assault on the city, and earn their blessing. (This "blessing" replaces the need for the sword in Scarwall).

Returning to the city, the PCs must deal with a city in civil war with the resistance's back against the wall. They'll fight city block by city block against devils, undead, and grey maidens (as well as a few loyalists) to reclaim the city. Here they learn of the weak link in Iloesa's plans. The ambitions of the second most high priest of Asmodeus is willing to betray the temple in exchange for being high priest in the PC's new order. He will give up the secrets of the contract held between the Queen and a powerful devil and it's location in the Hall of Wards. (Academy of Secrets). Here the PCs must defeat the contract devil and Lorthact by revealing the exiled Archduke to his enemies in Hell and Asmodeus himself voiding the contract as thanks.

With the Queen's infernal powers negated, the PCs and the resistance begin to turn the tide against the still formidable Queen.

Following that... I'm not very sure. I expect a sort of rebuilding process involving House Arkona and the PCs depending on how that went down and the ambitions of my own players.

What's to Come
My future posts will break down in almost complete detail my plans for each section of this campaign... starting with the prelude.


Hi Olondir

I'm very pleased to see you posting your plans for the AP here. It is a great way to bounce our ideas off each other. We have already shared some thoughts over private mail, but it will be great to hear what others think and have to offer in term of suggestions and inspiration. I'm definitely looking forward to reading your detailed plans.

Like you I am someone who likes planning in advance. I was a player for several years in a friend's campaign, but the GM blood in me urged me to start planning a new campaign. This gave me ample time to prepare. In all, I must have taken two to three years. I've always used existing adventures, but I try to tailor them to my taste and the taste of my players. I absolutely love Curse of the Crimson Throne and the fact that I'm modifying it - sometimes quite heavily - by no means suggests that I don't like it. This is just my GM'ing style, I take the published material and make it my own. Moreover, a lot of the changes I made were inspired by other Paizo material, so this gives them even more credit.

Despite the planning you still need a lot of improvisation talent as well. You might try to anticipate every little detail, the players will still find ways to surprise you, but I'm just the kind of guy who feels more at ease when well prepared. That being said, our group has always been quite easy-going when it comes down to being 'railroaded'. As long as the road they are following is exciting and believable, my players will not veer from it too much. We like stories with a lot of 'plot' and railroads are generally better at developing plot than sandboxes. Knowing that certainly strengthened my resolve to dig in when I was getting the campaign ready. I feel that you and your group are like us in that regard.

I'd like to wish you the best of luck running your campaign in future and would love to read about all your wonderful or crazy ideas here on the boards.


I have yet to have "Session 0" with my PCs, so certain NPCs are subject to change for the sake of including NPCs that are in the PCs backstories.

The Prelude

The story starts in an old and rundown Clog Shop located somewhere in the North Point slummy area known as Ridgepoint. Hiding in the bureaucratic jungles of asset forfeiture, Gaedren's flock is safe for at least a few months.

(Roughly 11 Erastus 4703)

Rat Catchers:

The players are woken and rounded up by Hookshanks, the wretched Gnome taskmaster. After insulting, abusing, and threatening them a bit, he commands the Little Lambs (PCs) to catch rats in the Vaults to feed Gobblegut, lest becoming the alligator's next meal!

The PCs, however, are not alone in the Vaults with just the rats. An Otyugh, typically contained only on Eldrin Isle, made its way into the Vaults beneath the mainland and will cross paths with the PCs. It cuts off the PCs from their entrance/exit. The hulking Otyugh gives chase to the PCs in the sewers!

After a chase scene plays out, the players run into another chance encounter with a strange creature: The Beast from the Carrion Crown AP's Trial of the Beast! The Beast protects the PCs from the Otyugh. The PCs have a chance to befriend this strange character. He's kind. Especially to children. The Beast does not know who turned him on, but can reveal the incident with the lantern and the description of a pasty, scrawny, sickly young man. If asked about his origins, he'll only reveal how he is going home and will not elaborate. If pressed, he will think very hard at some poetry he remembers about secrets and love that seems pertinent.

The PCs will also be able provide the Beast a favor by helping him escape and sneak out of the city through the sewers which he thanks them and tells them an old Nursery Rhyme as a reward.

While the PCs will likely never see the beast again until much later, hopefully they'll view him in a positive light.

While carrying their sacks full of rats back to the Clog Shop, perceptive PCs may notice a cadre of Acadame faculty members out and about talking to people. One PC might hear a couple describing seeing the Beast to the Wizards who appear to suggest they were mistaken and simply saw a large Shoanti man with tattoos. Something is amiss.

Depending on how friendly the PCs were to the Beast, they might have a clue about the context of this event. Especially relevant considering the Lambs are about to have a visitor the following day.

Background:
The night before at the Acadamae, a young necromancer with an obsession with golems and the macabre snuck into the Necromancer Hall to experiment around with some old equipment. The young necromancer inadvertently reactivated the Beast and the surprise led the necromancer to drop his lantern. The Beast's phobia of fire caused him to beserk and flee the area, aggravating the fire.

The Acadamae, not wanting to make a scene, covered up the incident and quietly expelled the necromancer responsible: A lanky, pasty boy named Rolth.

The following day, hardly a word was written about the Acadamae incident in the latest issue of the Korvosan Herald asides from a small fire occurring, no one was hurt, and they are investigating the matter internally.

More to come.


The Boy and his Dream (Spiders)

Rolth will know his uncle will be mad at him for getting kicked out of the Academy, but nothing smooths over those sorts of problems like the sound of easy money.

Rolth has found (or told about) a nest of dream spiders hiding out in an abandoned theater in Old Korvosa. Dream Spider venom is extremely valuable and a required component to make the drug Shiver... something that Gaedren knows to be quite profitable.

The PCs should have gotten a good verbal harassment for being late or providing just enough food. Hookshanks, Giggles, and Lamm can always find something to complain about their efforts. (Perhaps a comment by Hookshanks about how a PC's little brother or sister would be a good dessert for Gobbleguts?)

(Morning after the Rat Catchers)

Giggles barges into the children's room demanding they get up and how Gaedren has family over.

A lanky, scrawny teenager with oily black hair, long nose, and black utilitarian garb (with various tools and surgical equipment dangling from his belt) is standing near Lamm. A perception check details a two-fanged bite mark in the man's hand. A heal check/knowledge(nature) check indicates it's from an insect or arachnid.

Lamm is looking over some papers and diagrams as the teenager nervously shuffles around awaiting approval.

Gaedren confirms with Rolth that this place checks out.

Then Lamm picks lambs equal to the number of PCs x2 to come forward. "I want you to meet my nephew, Rolth. He'll be shepherding you sorrowful lot for an adventure. If this pans out we'll be quite rich and you might get a sweet from Mendl's Bakery."

Sweets are the only nice thing Lamb really ever doles out. Mendl's is a prestigious bakery in Old Korvosa. (This will also be the elderly baker in Old Korvosa ranting about the bridges being out.)

The rest of Lambs are ordered to go with Lamm to catch oysters in the narrows of St. Alika.

Some of the other Lambs not going on the adventure may protest or complain.. but most know that if a treat is on the line then whatever is going on is dangerous work.

Rolth, as it turns out, shares a lot of similarities with his uncle. His apathy towards suffering of others for personal gain, especially.

As if wanting to get bitten by psychotropic poison spiders wasn't grueling enough, the Lambs are also told to collect the spider's webbing but avoid touching it or you'll hallucinate.

The first crew to go into the theatre will be the NPCs. The PCs will hear screams and the falling through of wood. One the the NPCs will bang on the door begging to be let out.

When the PCs finally are sent into relieve the NPC lambs and get some collections themselves.

Dead spiders are still able to be milked. However, if the PCs kill the spiders, they'll be in trouble with Lamb and Rolth for killing their source of income and will have to think of a clever idea to escape punishment.

Feel free to throw a new NPC trapped in a cocoon or a pet in this part of the story as well.

Notable NPC Lambs:

This is an incomplete list.

  • Amerissa, Human girl, 16ish She will be joining the Guard and then the Grey Maidens
  • Fengus, human boy, 14 Fengus will be fed to Gobbleguts soon after he tries to run away.
  • Lick, Human boy, 12ish Lick will become a painter and playwright for Pilts Swastel's Theatre. He will be dying when the "muse" leaves him, but will be a connection to Salvatore Scream.
  • Peck, Halfling boy 12ish Peck doesn't talk much. (Perhaps have him beaten to a pulp after speaking out too many times.) He will always seem to be unlucky with the Lambs, but that will change when he is picked up by a rich old noble lady and put into the life of luxury... or at least a little while. Peck will become the wicked halfling murderer in the Dungeon Magazine adventure "Shut In"


Very nice tie-in with Rolth here.

If you want to provide a hint to the PCs that Rolth was kicked out of the Acadamae, you could have a chance encounter in the streets with some Acadamae students. Imagine this: Rolth is herding the children to the abandoned theater, acting all superior around the little lambs. Suddenly he notices some young men and women in the streets, who are obviously dressed like Acadamae students. Rolth immediately drops the bossy act and tries to hide, but fails miserably at that. The students notice him, start gossiping in hushed but accusing tones and give Rolth despising looks. One of them might even spit at Rolth or insult him.

Rolth feels very embarrassed and works out his frustration on the first lamb who dares laugh at him or who questions him about what just happened.


I like that idea. On the first day, they might run into and hide as some Acadamae wizards in the sewers go by looking for the Beast. Maybe rumoring to each other ("I don't think he got expelled. I think he got killed and eaten by the creature." "Man, no way. He ran as soon as it sprung to life... that's why the fire started. Good riddance to that loser.. he was probably down there looking for a girl who'd find him attractive.")

If the PCs share that information with the other kids and everyone see's Rolth get humiliated by the students on the street, one of the NPC children will get horribly hurt. Maybe the PCs will feel bad arming their big-mouthed friend with verbal ammo that got him horribly abused.

I'm thinking about Jolistina and how to foreshadow her, but I think I'll hold back on Jolistina for now. She might be in the background at Eels End.

(Roughly 13 Erastus 4703)
The Boy Who Ran Away

That night, unless physically restrained, a boy or girl will try to escape. Even knowing that someone else will pay for his escape with his or her life. Whether it was the violence or just the terrible lifestyle and not taking another day, they'll split.

The Lamb doesn't make it that far before he's brought back and executed that morning. He'll be strung up and dangled over Gobbleguts and asked a series of impossibly difficult historical questions about Korvosa. (One of Gaedren Lamm's favorite forms of torture.) Each question answered wrong makes the rope slip closer to the hungry alligator.

The good news is that the PCs won't have to go on rat duty this morning. They'll spend the afternoon collecting oysters out of the Straights of St. Alika for tomorrow's Foundation Festival. They'll brave the cold waters and sightings of jigsaw sharks. Maybe one sees a PC before having a change of mind and swimming away. (Maybe it's the animal companion to the sea hag.)


(15 Erastus 4703)

If the children were inquisitive about Rolth in the meantime, Rolth has been running around Eels End turning his spider venom into Shiver.

Foundation Day Festival

Today is the Foundation Festival of Korvosa. Her 296th Birthday! This is festival known for it's wild parties. Plenty of Alcohol, Fireworks, and extravagant displays of magical prowess light the city all night.

Rolth weasles his way into Lamms presence again this morning with a bag full of gold. "There's some pesh in there as well, Uncle." He's obviously been successful in his drug trade and this puts Lamm in a good mood.

He'll explain to the kids there will be a lot of rich men's pockets to be picked especially around midday when the King and his entourage are expected to make appearances around the gold market.

At the market, the PCs will get their first look at the King, the queen-to-be, and several ministers.

Korvosan Guards will begin moving people away from the center of the gold market and making space as for several Sable Company Marines mounted on beautiful, armored hippogryphs flying in formation overhead circle back to land and establish a security perimeter. They are dressed in new Parade armor and carrying long spears draped with Korvosan banners. They are ordered and led by the Marcus Endrin.

A multi-company force of Hellknights, Korvosan Guards, and Sable company marines establish a perimeter.

Next comes the fanfare heralding the King and his ministers to the market.

--seneschal of Castle Korvosa, Neolandus Kalepopolis
--Field Marshal Cressida Kroft
--Lictor Severs "Boneclaw" DiVri in full battle regalia and intimidating as always.
--Magistrate of Commerce Garrick Tarn
--Archbanker Darb Tuttle
(Both get hardly any applause)
--Magistrate of Expenditures Syl Gar (who gets the most cheers out of any of them!)
--Magistrate Lolia Perenne

Last but certainly not least is...

--King Eodred II arrives and smiles at the crowd and waves!

As he enters, a female noble on a white horse loses control of her horse as it rears and she falls at the feat between a Hellknight and a Korvosan Guard a few feet from the king and his own horse.

Something catches the eye of the most perceptive/greedy PC. A glimmer of something shinny seemed to roll on the ground before laying flat. (Her Brooch)

The King gasps "By the gods!" as the noble woman hits the ground. Commotion picks up. "Are you hurt, m'lady?"

She raises to a knee and looks up at the king. She's a beauty. With red hair and perfect skin...

The Hellknight stands there and ignores the noblewoman while the Korvosan Guard helps the noblewoman up. The king dismounts his horse and rushes over to help the guard and the noblewoman.

"Oh, of course, silly me, I'm still lying in the dust in front of the king of Korvosa" Her accident indicate she is from Cheliax.

The king helps dust her off and jokes "You wouldn't be the first to crawl through the dust for me!" The guard stands to the side after a thank you from the King and noblewoman and the king offers his hand to the lady. "Would you do me the honor of joining me?"

She blushes and nods and the crowd cheers!

During the Kings speech, he'll introduce the noblewoman as Ileosa Arvanxi of Cheliax.

I will describe the evening as loud as parties seem to go on for hours with a marvelous show of fireworks over conquerors bay.


This is very good! When I run through CotCT again, I will be sure to steal some of your ideas.


Link to my campaign journal


No update to your journal since August 5. Did you play more sessions since then? And if you did, how did they go?


Hey all-

So, as posted in my campaign journal, my Pathfinder group had to pause this game.

However not all is lost. In the time my group hasn't been playing a campaign, I've been playing casual DnD 5th edition games and this game might get a reboot in that format in the next month or two.

I've begun commenting and posting about my changes and ideas in different threads that I may link back here.

Additionally, my journal will be updated and closed out and a new rebooted one will take it's place.

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