I'm developing a homebrew Pathfinder campaign and I want to set it on Golarion so I don't have to spend a bunch of time and effort building my own campaign setting or just using a generic world. I like Golarion so I want to use it. The trouble I'm running into is where to have my campaign take place.
Here's an overview:
The campaign will begin when the city watch receives reports of random monster attacks. The PC's will be recruited as an investigative team to figure out the origin of these attacks. They will, through their investigation, locate a set of catacombs below the city that had been previously undiscovered. As they excavate and explore these catacombs they will stumble upon a tomb, somewhere deep below the city Keep. Buried in this tomb among untold riches and hordes of magic gear will be a Dread Lich, magically entombed in a special sarcophagus since before the fall of Thassilon. This tomb, once disturbed, will release the Lich from his torpor where he will likely release any of his minions entombed with him.
Likely succumbing to the waking Lich's Dread Aura, the PC's will probably high-tail it to the surface where they will inform the watch of their findings. But it will already be too late. The Lich's first actions will be to awaken those powerful undead entombed with him, then surface and wreak havoc upon the city above, killing thousands in the process and taking the city as his home, and the dead as his army to defend it.
The PC's will be tasked with assisting in the evacuation and attempting to save as many lives as possible as undead ravage the place. Once clear of the city they will have to turn their attentions to finding a home for the survivors, and assisting the city's leadership in developing a plan of action for liberating the city from this ancient evil.
TL;DR - The PC's start in a large city in mountainous terrain inadvertently build over a set of catacombs under the mountain. They investigate monster attacks, find the catacombs, explore those catacombs and end up inadvertently waking an ancient dread lich who ravages the city and turns it into his personal necropolis. PC's then must liberate the city through the course of the campaign.
So my question is, where do I set such a campaign in the world of Golarion? I'd like it to be set in the north if possible, where frigid mountain peaks are common and the winter seasons are harsh. The environment will play a part in this campaign later. Brevoy looks like a reasonable location, and it's the best I've come up with so far. The Land of the Linnorm Kings doesn't make sense because the Linnorm Kings are likely equal in power to the ancient Lich. Irrisen isn't great either since it's already ruled over by the White Witches and I don't want to involve them.
Perhaps somewhere in northern Varisia? If anyone knows any cold-climate areas that would have large cities built near mountainous terrain where I could simply plop down a pre-made city it would be helpful.
I'm open to advice!
Kaer Maga is pretty much exactly what you want.
It's not very far north, if I remember correctly, but it's well supported by The City of Strangers, and also several different adventures.
It's on the mountains, and there's actually a module (Godsmouth Heresy, I believe?) that focuses on the ruins underneath, has undead, and Thassilonian stuff.
So, basically perfect.
That is most definitely a thought, and one I might consider going with since it would save me a lot of development time. I would want to pick up a copy of City of Strangers before developing the campaign further but it seems like a reasonable option. I have the Shattered Star Adventure Path which has a book taking place in the city too, so I can use that.
Thanks for the tip.
The one reservation I had is that the denizens of the city are all effectively at conflict with one another. Different groups inhabit different sections of the city and often end up fighting, from what I've read. How do you think they would all react to having an ancient dread lich of unknowable power rising up with a hoard of undead from below to slaughter thousands. Don't you think they would just scatter to the winds? I mean Kaer Maga is the Asylum Stone. It's home to miscreants and thievs and nerdowells from all over. They don't exactly have strong ties to one another.
Also, how well would the PC's fair delving into the catacombs of Kaer Maga at level 1? I might have to start them at a higher level or run with some pre-adventure stuff to get them to level 6-8 before I start with the main campaign arc.
Some advice in that area would be helpful.