A Tale of Harrowed Cards and Cosmic Caravans - Adventure Building


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For a while now I’ve had thoughts and ideas and rumination and procrastination all bouncing around in my noggin and I’ve oft desired to try and coagulate some of the morass into a cogent form. This thread is an attempt of both doing some of that, as well as allowing anyone else of interest to either point and laugh, or steal some ideas, or suggest improvements as they will.

The Plot:or at least part of it.
The prime influences for me have been the Harrow deck, and also some of the information recently presented in the Occult Mysteries source book. Specifically the concept of Lost Harrow cards as well as the Cosmic Caravan.

A Cliff Notes version is thus:
  • A caravan arrives into Galduria in Varisia having suffered the predations of the Lost Coast. It needs to hire new guards, and take on additional passengers / cargo for the return trip along the trade routes.
  • Specifically the caravan will follow the Kaspakari route from Galduria to Magnimar (see Varisia sourcebook inside back cover), then the Yondabakari route from Magnimar all the way through to Kaer Maga.
  • The PCs are drafted to provide security, or are securing passage for themselves on the way. Joining them will be a runaway Harrower who is a key to the plot and travelling incognito at first… as well as another less savoury passenger – a Vetala Vampire (from Inner Sea Bestiary) who had been sustaining itself by feeding upon visiting scholars.
  • Hijinks ensue between Galduria and Magnimar. Upon the journey the runaway is exposed and the PCs become embroiled in the plot proper.
  • Stopover in Magnimar for a major set-piece, perhaps involving the Irespan.
  • Caravan then continues on… cue more hijinks… through to Kaer Maga.
  • Once in Kaer Maga the plot dictates the interrogation of a troll auger – perhaps with something tattooed on the inside wall of it’s intestines.
  • ??? – not sure about this bit yet ;)

Obviously there is a lot missing in terms of detail… but I’ve just gotten started :P

Core Concept #1:
I’d like for the literal caravan train to embody the metaphorical Cosmic Caravan from Occult Mysteries (which is essentially Golarion’s take on the Zodiac). The star signs will be personified by various members of the group that either start the journey or join it midway (eg the PCs will personify The Rider).

A very partial list of The Cosmic Caravan:
  • The Stargazer – the runaway Harrower who joins the caravan.
  • The Stranger - ??
  • The Follower - ??
  • The Thrush - ??
  • The Lantern Bearer - ??
  • The Newlyweds - ??
  • The Bridge – embodying the journey that they are on.
  • The Daughter - ??
  • The Rider – the PCs
  • The Patriarch - ??
  • The Wagon – the caravan itself
  • The Pack - ??
  • The Mother – subversion using the Vetala vampire.

Core Concept #2:
Where possible I’m going to use the actual Harrow cards to inspire the themes of the various hijinks that the group will encounter upon their journey. I’m still not sure exactly how to pull this off – as in whether I’ll just pick up on single cards as inspiration, or using an actual spread of the cards to inspire encounters (as in laying out a reading and using that to divine the flow of the encounter).

Using a spread would allow for the use of a loaded Harrow reading at critical junctures to provide a soft guide and also add to the tension of the day. eg. If a Sword harrow spread (p17 Harrow Handbook) foretells The Cyclone is coming there will be some degree of trepidation.

OTOH if using individual cards I could run with providing a similar level of tension through visual motifs and having a specific harrow card be gradually depleted from the full complement to zero as more and more figures / creatures are encountered.

Core Concept #3:
The macguffin in this instance is intended to be a Lost Harrow Card (p6 Harrow Handbook) and the quest for it. Though this aspect still needs work, and will likely tie into the overarching theme of the campaign and what might be learnt from the Troll Auger in Kaer Maga, etc.

So that’s the long and the short of it… as it stands both proud and naked at the same time. Just like a busker in the central square of the city you can either stop and listen a while, or avert your eyes and hustle past. I’m hoping to flesh out the concept and plot and whatnot over time, and shall update as I go.


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Mark, you should take a look at this adventure. It's not set in Golarion, but it's based on a caravan journey and even has a secret vampiric rider, albeit not exactly as you're envisioning. You might be able to use some of it as a framework to drape your own ideas on.


Hmmm the difficulty I have had with games like this is maintaining the illusion that the PC's have agency. An important and interesting NPC (the stargazer) in an interesting setting (the caravan) may leave the players wondering why they are there.

Not saying it will happen, you are far more skilled as GM than I, but this is a pit I have fallen into.


Very interesting stuff hombre... I particularly like Core Concept numero 2 that allows the campaign/story to develop in a pseudo organic fashion.

With that in mind would you link elements of the core events/encounters/developments to be built around the appearance of certain cards and then fashion exactly how they'd take shape based on the actual spread of the Harrow reading in question?

On the actual significance of the Cosmic Caravan itself, am thinking a literal interpretation of The Pack would be Hounds of Tindalos? Fit the theme and a pack would prove a pretty nasty encounter/ongoing protagonists???

I mulled the idea of introducing a troll augur in one of my RL games - but the twist was the trow was of the 2-Heided flavour, and as such the brute would give slightly different interpretations on its augury... but which O' listener do you believe...

Will keep stoking the fire as more notions come to me, but that's my 2 runes worth for starters. Keep up the good work haggis :)


Joana - thanks for the tip towards the module, it does look like it'll have some interesting material in it. I'll pick it up later and have a looksee.

PWO - aye, as with any adventure that's the key to binding it together. The first part is easily done (though hackneyed) through the hiring as guards / passengers for the first leg of travel. After there is where it would need to get more interesting. The reveal of the stowaway will need to be pressing / interesting / confusing enough to press engagement. Either that or tread on another cliche and have a 'I may die, but you must carry on the quest' moment.

BD - I definitely thought of loading the deck in some instances, in terms of pre-laying a card to build around. The good thing about the Harrow is that it means both nothing and everything - good prophecies are always full of profundity with no substance.

I'm a big fan of troll augers as well - one of the many parts of Golarion that gave me a 'that's cool' moment. The 2-headed trow is a cool variation as well.


Speaking of other modules Death in Spades an old TSR module for Gangbusters used a card draw mechanic to determine plot elements. Might be worth tracking down.

As far as the hi-jinks you could steal from old A-team episodes.m The players will never notice.


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Re CC1- I heard a really great lecture at a planetarium some years ago about the astrology of Moby Dick. The speaker argued that the characters were representations of the Zodiac- Springbuck = Aries, etc. and that charting the ships course resembled an analemma. It was pretty fun.

I forget which one, but there's a Jack Vance story ( maybe Cugel?) about a creeper hanging out on a ship journey... came to mind as well.


PWO - I'll lean on the paizo established Harrow draws, they have a few in the Harrow Handbook like the Sword and Bridge that work.

Cap'n - I've actually not read much Vance... ok any Vance... I'd say I'd grab it, but I've got roughly 4000 odd pages in my to read pile already!

I had a look back over the Caravan rules in Jade Regent and reinforced that I don't really like them that much. Instead I'm hopeful of some degree of inspiration from The Banner Saga for some of the caravan related issues.

That is the use of sadistic choices - not in true Sophie's Choice fashion, but presenting a situation and providing alternative means to resolve it - both of which carry pros and cons. It also allows some degree of individual shaping to be put on the story - do you listen to the council of the Varisi and indulge in superstition... do you gain the Ulfen guardsmen's trust through harshly dealing with theft, etc.


Just doing a trial spread of the Harrow to see how helpful / harmful it is to narrative framing. This will be a Bridge spread on the Harrower that goes on the run, trying to flesh out the character a bit.

The Bridge:
This spread provides guidance to the subject with regard to a specific course of action. Reverse half the cards as you shuffle the deck. When reading this spread, treat reversed cards as misaligned (see page 3). Card 1 represents the beginning of the subject’s journey and Card 2 represents the impetus that spurs the subject to begin his quest. Cards 3, 4, and 5 represent the trials and tribulations the subject is destined to encounter; the suits of these cards and their orientations to one another have a major impact on the predicted difficulty of the trials. Card 6 represents the subject’s ultimate goal or prize, while Card 7 represents the person, thing, or idea the subject must sacrifice in order to complete his quest.

Fickle Hand of Fate:
8d54 ⇒ (7, 7, 51, 1, 2, 19, 11, 13) = 111 7d2 ⇒ (2, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1) = 10

The Spread Defined:
The Beginning of the Journey: The Fiend (LE Strength) - misaligned
A devil that devours the masses of the innocent

Impetus to begin Quest: The Courtesan (CN Charisma)
Political intrigue and societal niceties.

Trials and Tribulations: The Paladin (LG Strength) - misaligned
Standing resolutely against trouble without backing down.

The Keep (NG Strength) - misaligned
Quiet unshakeable strength.

The Trumpet (LG Constitution)
Dives aggressively and righteously into danger.

Ultimate Goal: The Cricket (NG Dexterity)
Quick travel and the rewards at the end of a journey.

Macguffin that must be sacrificed: The Locksmith (LN Dexterity)
Keys that are needed to unlock fate

Hmmm... interesting (as with all prophecies if in doubt stroke chin thoughtfully and furrow brow while you figure out how to interpret). Shall attempt to do so in the next post.


Right, so picking up on a few threads there are some easy inspirations that could be had.

Card 2 - the reason for the journey beginning is related to a political intrigue. Given that the theme is a lost harrow card, perhaps there is a reference tome (book of prophecy or history) that is being lent to an external power... lets say someone in Kaer Maga as it gives a reason to continue the journey that far. The harrower has reason to fear / suspect the borrower of nefarious purpose and therefore absconds to keep the book from said person.

Card 7 - given that the macguffin in question is related to a lost harrow card - this can represent that in order to resolve the conflict... the prophecy / mystery needs to be laid bare. As in rather than the fear of the unknown, the exact details of the boogyman will become apparent.

Card 6 - simple reflection that getting to the end (revealing the details of the lost Harrow) will provide the rewards. This needs to have further clarity on the plot before definition, but it means that the finalization of phase 1 of story (as in the arrival to Kaer Maga) should give a distinct resolution, prior to setting up for the next journey.

With the above now in place, the actual beginning can be defined more plainly...

Card 1 - a misaligned devil that devours the innocent... to me clearly needs to tied to the content of the lost harrow card itself. That the harrower discovered the potential for it to be linked to a pocket dimension where a devil is contained, or a society that seeks to unlock a great evil. The misalignment could be that the perception is not the truth... this again needs more BBEG clarity, but lays the groundwork for a bait-n-switch or surprise to be found out.

Cards 3-5 - Shades of a certian stick-linked Paladin could be massaged into tarring the Harrower as a criminal pursued by a legitimate authority that will not see reason and needs to be evaded.
The second card suggests that it will not be strength alone that carries the day - guile and subterfuge or misdirection will be needed to fight against the trials.
Lastly the Trumpet suggests that passivity will result in failure. If the Harrower is left to his own devices, then the quest will fail. He needs seek out friends that are not averse to danger... which sound a lot like typical PCs.

Looking back on it - I think there's the bare bones of a tangible fleshing out of the Phase 1 plot. I've got a reason for the Harrower to flee - both his own motivation as well as the surrounding incidents. Secondly I've got further definition of the end-goal, and a general framework for the trials he'll need to face.

Overall... I'd say it worked :)

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