The stage is set. The already meager light fades as the crimson curtain rises, revealing the decadent but aged bastion of Korvosa, "Jewel of Varisia." Steeped in its traditions, stifled by its degradation, and choking on its own excess, the city wallows in exploitation and social stratification. And you, cast into the midst of such decadence and dark dealings, only you can hope to save the city from its own...sinful tendencies. Will you prevail as the shining heroes of this tale? Will the audience grow to love and to adore you? Or, will you fall, as the fickle crowd gleefully jeers for your defeat, mere players on a stage?
*Li has Snap Shot: A rogue with this talent may treat her initiative roll as a 20 for a surprise round, regardless of her initiative, but she may only take an attack action with a ranged weapon. Her normal initiative roll is used in subsequent rounds.
*Kynes isn’t flat-footed before he acts in the first round of combat.
*Garvid does NOT have uncanny dodge.
Varisia:
Varisia Map
A sprawling region caught between the southern nations of Taldor’s old empire and the northern lands ruled by the Linnorm Kings, Varisia has long been considered a backwater. As Varisia lacked any significant coastal settlements to raid, the Linnorm Kings traditionally bypassed the region in favor of attacking the southern kingdoms, while in the south, the distances involved made exploration of the area uneconomical. Only in the past few hundred years have the nations of the Inner Sea turned their attention to Varisia, and they’ve found a land ripe for exploration-something the Varisian people have known for thousands of years, yet have long maintained their silence about. Although a relatively large stretch of Varisia has been settled by Chelish colonists and Varisian natives, the fact remains that this region is still primarily a dangerous wilderness.
Korvosa:
Korvosa, the Jewel of Varisia, has long sparkled on that nation's southern shore. Established 300 years ago by Cheliax at the height of that empire's expansion, the city now commands its own destiny. A line of Korvosan kings and queens emerged to rule the city, establishing an infamous seat of power--the Crimson Throne. Rulers have sat upon the Crimson Throne for more than a century, and the city has flourished. Yet the monarchy always seems on the brink of disaster. The Crimson Throne is not a prize to be won--it is a curse. No monarch of Korvosa has died of old age, and none have produced an heir while ruling. Even though King Eodred II controls Korvosa more fully than any previous monarch, that control remains tenuous, and many secretly count the days until their latest king falls to what they call the Curse of the Crimson Throne.
NEIGHBORS
Korvosa does not (much to its chagrin) reign supreme within Varisia or even its immediate vicinity. It shares control of the area with three other power centers— one dwarven, one Chelaxian, and one of unknown origins.
Citadel Vraid. Built at Korvosa’s expense for Cheliax’s Order of the Nail, this impressive structure stands atop a narrow table within the southern arm of the Mindspin Mountains. Nearly impervious and built to intimidate as much as protect, Citadel Vraid dominates the valleys and passes it overlooks. The Order of the Nail calls the citadel its home and from the black gothic castle the Hellknights patrol in southeastern Varisia. In theory, the Hellknights of Citadel Vraid are allied with Korvosa and frequently act as shock troops when the Korvosan Guard feels outmatched or doesn’t want to risk its own soldiers. Truthfully, the Order of the Nail serves only itself and remains on Korvosa’s “side” as long as the city pays it.
Janderhoff. The dwarves of Janderhoff quarry the dark surfaces of the Mindspin Mountains to extract prized black marble. They supplement this by mining veins of valuable ores, such as thick bands of dark magnetite (iron) and chalcocite (copper), a vast strand of silver, and a thin thread of mithral. Every pebble of black marble and every gram of silver the dwarves extract goes to Korvosa, while they openly sell goods they work from the iron and copper ores to whomever can afford their prices. The mithral they keep for themselves. Thanks to more than two centuries of trade and mutual protection, Janderhoff and Korvosa maintain a healthy and synergistic relationship. This trade partnership extends beyond the two cities, as Janderhoff acts as a middleman of sorts for Korvosa and the Shoanti of the Storval Rise. Because the two groups hate one another but also desperately wish to trade with one another, the dwarves act as intermediaries. While they charge only minimal fees for their services, the dwarves of Janderhoff continue to make steady profits.
Kaer Maga. When the people of Korvosa began to explore the region around them, they eventually came across the walled-in city of Kaer Maga, along the edge of the Storval Plateau. The respective rulers of each city instantly took a dislike to one another. For more than a century, the cities vied for inf luence over southeastern Varisia. This conf lict came to a head in 4663, when King Chadris sent an entire regiment of Korvosan Guards to besiege Kaer Maga. This ill-advised siege lasted for two months and cost the Korvosans 117 lives. Despite Korvosa losing the siege in the traditional sense, King Chadris accomplished his goal of forcing Kaer Maga to relinquish its claims on the lands below the Storval Plateau. In the four decades since the Treaty of Sirathu, the two cities have existed in an increasingly cooperative state of peace, with (mostly illicit) trade between them growing with each passing year.
HOLDINGS
More than just a city, Korvosa exerts direct control or strong influence over much of southeastern Varisia.
Abken. Founded as a commune by peace-loving riff raff, Abken's existence continues to baffle and chafe at Korvosa's strict and militaristic leadership. The "family" who lives within this walled compound occasionally pays taxes to Korvosa, in the form of a variety of foods and the occasional shipment of illegal cabble-weed and flayleef.
Biston. The unusual fishermen and farmes here reside in a series of caves within a stone cliff abutting Lake Syrantula. After a bloody conflict in 4658 (a failed attempt at independence), Korvosa established martial law, which has only recently been lifted.
Baslwief. A settlement on the banks of the Sarwin River within the foothills of the Fenwall Mountains, the mining performed here augments the flow of metal out of Janderhoff. The competition between the two keeps prices relatively low in Korvosa.
Harse. This village at the confluence of the Sarwin and Falcon rivers is a favorite respite of dwarven merchants heading for Palin's Cove and Veldraine. It serves as a gateway to Korvosa's other inland holdings.
Melfesh. Korvosa's largest inland holding, Malfesh controls the Runtash River with its massive drawbridge, requiring a tax for ships wishing to pass. Ships from Magnimar pay a much higher toll, which has led to local dissent and resulted in Korvosa establishing its most concentrated inland military operation here.
Palin's Cove. What began as a mere outpost has weathered more than a dozen sieges by the Shoanti and has grown to become an industrial marvel brimming with forges, refineries, smelters, and other manufacturers.
Sirathu. Wrested from Kaer Maga only fifty years ago, many Korvosans speculate as to this slum's bleak future.
Veldraine. More of a sister to Korvosa than any other holding, Veldrain's ships act as Korvosa's navy, guarding Conqueror's Bay from external threats.
THE CITY OF KORVOSA
The Acadamae. Prestigious and highly esteemed, the famed Acadamae attracts students from as far away as distant Geb, and even (to the annoyance of the far-more ancient colleges there) Cheliax. The Acadamae teaches all eight schools of magic, but its primary focus lies in conjuration. Regardless of an apprentice's specialization (the Acadamae only teaches specialists) every student at the college must pass a grueling exam in conjuration in order to graduate. Thus, the college does not allow its students to forsake learning of conjuration. Rumors speak of those attempting to quit the school becoming test subjects for students of necromancy, but to date no one has verified these stories.
From its founding in 4473 until roughly a century ago, the Acadamae had no true focus as a school for specialists, treating the seven most powerful schools as equals (then as now, divination was always treated as a universal school all students needed to study). With the collapse of the Empire of Cheliax, the new government’s embracing of infernal inf luences, and the death of Volshyenek Ornelos in 4607, the Acadamae shifted its focus. The college became heavily involved in the conjuration and control of devils. While it does not actively promote an evil agenda, the college nonetheless tolerates devil-summoning and Asmodeus worship. Despite this lenience toward evil, the college remains a truly Chelaxian and Korvosan institution, and as such it does not allow for wanton destruction or chaos. The evil it embraces is precise, organized, and regimented.
The college has grown in the intervening years, and today, numerous buildings fill the walls of the campus, with three more satellite buildings spread throughout the city. The city of Korvosa helps sponsor the college with tax funds, and instructors in the school receive tax exemptions based on the prestige and recognition they bring.
Shrouded in secrecy, the campus's 30-foot-high walls only barely conceal the grand Hall of Summoning. Visitors and residents cannot hope to ignore the presence of the Acadamae, but since very few people unconnected with the college know what happens within it, the place births abundant (and sometimes ludicrous) rumors.
Castle Korvosa. The centerpiece of the city, Castle Korvosa towers over every other building. Two pieces comprise Castle Korvosa: the Grand Mastaba (a four-sided sandstone pyramid built to cyclopean scale) and the high-walled citadel itself. Together, Castle Korvosa rises high above Citadel Hill. Only the king, his immediate family, the seneschal of the castle, and his family may live in Castle Korvosa. Either man can invite long-term guests (such as the king’s small harem), but the other can evict these guests at any time (except during times of war). Since the completion of the main walls in 4464, multiple lord magistrates, seneschals, and monarchs have added to the section of the castle within the high stone walls. As such, despite a relatively consistent neo-Chelaxian styling (characterized by black stone, ugly gargoyles, and a multitude of spikes), the castle’s main keep contains many mismatched and randomly placed towers, walls, and stairs.
East Shore. The only district beyond the channel of the Jeggare River, East Shore is home to a handful of noble houses closely tied to the military of the city, as well as the struggling Theumanexus College. East Shore has no wards to subdivide it.
The campus for Theumanexus College occupies the grounds of the former manor of House Galdur, a supporter of House Viamio during the Cousins’ War. When the war concluded, the emperor stripped House Galdur of its noble title and declared all lands of the family forfeit, including this estate. Where the Acadamae only teaches specialists, Theumanexus offers a generalist approach to wizardry. Although specialists do occasionally graduate from Theumanexus, mostly because they could not pass the Acadamae’s strict entrance exam, the apprentices of the college all learn at least the basics of every school and every kind of wizardly implement. Students and faculty of the Acadamae somewhat justifiably look down on those of Theumanexus, who in turn do their best to ignore the taunts and cruel pranks of their more famous competitors.
Gray. Composed of only four tiny wards, the only living residents who reside here belong to the church of Pharasma and live within the temple. Potter's Ward is for those who cannot afford the 2 silver shields fee for burial in Everyman ward, and who end up in the constantly churned mass burials here. Everyman Ward is where most Korvosans spend their eternal rest. the mausoleums flanking its entrance lead down into a pair of vaults: one a half-filled Shoanti burial chamber the church has expanded, and the other an ever-deepening angled tunnel that digs into ossuaries below. The Gold Ward is reserved for nobility and royalty and contains dozens of elaborate mausoleums and crypts. The Sepulcher Ward is the smallest and holds the Grand Cathedral of Pharasma and a small fenced yard of holy ground. Rumors speak of an extensive vault under the cathedral that acts as a reliquary and ossuary. Clerics, paladins, and highly religious laypeople frequently end up in this ward.
The Grand Cathedral of Pharasma. In the center of Sepulcher ward stands this, the largest building of the district. As the office and home of Bishop Keppira d'Bear of the Fateful Church of Pharasma and a retinue of lower-ranking clerics and faithful warriors, the Cathedral acts as a barracks, temple, and keep. Its high, black-marble walls contain few windows (more on the second floor than the first, but even those are mostly just arrow slits). It has served as a secure location multiple times, and despite multiple sieges by undead, it has yet to fall.
The Heights. Standing atop Citadel Hill, the Heights District has a commanding view of the rest of the city, which its residents look down on--both figuratively and literally. Nearly all of Korvosa's power players reside here, including King Eodred II and Queen Ileosa. The Heights District holds three wards: Citadel Crest, Cliffside, and University.
Citadel Crest is the wealthiest ward in Korvosa, with more than a dozen noble families and twice that many powerful merchants living within. It contains two of the city's modern landmarks: the Great Tower and the Temple of Asmodeus. Violent crimes rarely occur here, although property crimes (e.g. burglary) are surprisingly frequent. Citadel Crest has no inns. Visitors instead stay in one of the three noble-owned bed-and-breakfasts scattered throughout.
Cliffside is home to lesser nobles and not-quite-as-wealthy merchants. Its claims to fame include the Gatefoot, Kendall Amphitheater, and a section of the Pillar Wall. Most of its wealth and political power crams itself up into the northern section of the ward and along the cliff that establishes its namesake. Two Sable Company watchhouses along the cliff and regular patrols from the Korvosan guard make this a relatively safe ward.
University is the seat of mundane higher learning in the city, housing the University of Korvosa, the grand Korvosan Museum, and a number of smaller schools and cultural locations of various kinds. Most of the crimes that occur in University fall into the misdemeanor and petty categories, and it has suffered from the fewest murders of any similarly aged wards.
Midland. When most people think of Korvosa, they think of the cosmopolitan and friendly district of Midland, which stretches from the end of Enderin's Wall south to Gray District and the Pillar Wall. It rises from sea level to climb the eastern slope of Citadel Hill, where it ends just below the summit line. Midland encompasses the wards of High Bridge, Pillar Hill, Slope, and West Dock. As the home district of both the Korvosan Guard and Sable Company, Midland has the fewest gangs and gang battles in the city. Despite that, the Thieves' Guild maintains a presence here thanks to the high number of merchants and banks.
Citadel Volshyenek. Named for the Eternal Lord, Lord Volshyenek Ornelos, who paid for most of its construction, this impressive citadel houses the headquarters and main garrison of the Korvosan Guard. This relatively normal citadel reputedly has an extensive system of Vaults beneath it that flood every spring with the rising waters of the Jeggare River.
North Point. Situated at the northwestern tip of mainland Korvosa, this was the first section of the mainland settled by the descendants of the city's Chelish founders. It houses many of the city's oldest non-noble familites. North Point covers the entire northern end of the city and includes the wards Five Corners, Mainshore, Northgate, and Ridgefield. Korvosa's seat of municipal power stands in North Point, as does the city's courthourse and the Bank of Abadar.
Five Corners. This relatively crowded residential ward houses many of the city's politicans and their underlings. The ward's most distinguishing characteristic is Jeggare Circle, in the far northern corner. City historians frequently debate the origin of the ward's name, with the two most popular schools of thought arguing that it relates to the number of other wards touching it or to the number of sides the ward has.
Three Rings Tavern. This raucous tavern belongs to retired Varisian adventurer and former Pathfinder Theandra Darklight. Theandra earned enough coin as an adventurer to buy a decrepit tavern in Five Corners and fix it up. A lithe beauty in her adventurous youth and starving childhood, Theandra took to the settled life with great gusto, and today she appears somewhere closer to matronly. Despite her indulgences, Theandra remains a good-natured and friendly person, ready to help a friend in need and always hungering for a tale of high adventure and daring-do. A few years ago, Theandra lost a few fingers when a bar brawl turned ugly, which led her to hire the half-Shoanti barbarian Tauk Par as a bouncer. She likes to keep her bar boisterous and entertaining, combining mead and wine with live entertainment on the small stage (including, on occasion, Theandra's own Varisian dancing). Tauk Par watches over the place like a hawk, eyeing regulars and newcomers alike with the same barely concealed dislike. In addition to its extensive variety of beverages, Three Rings also gathers a regular breakfast clientele with its Varisian sweetbreads and Gebbite cream-filled pastries.
Old Korvosa. As its name implies, Old Korvosa is old. It covers all of Endrin Isle, which rises from sea level along the southern shore on the Narrows of Saint Alika to a 200-ft-high escarpment on the seaward north side. At the foot of Garrison Hill, as this steep incline is called, sits the beehive-like hovel of Bridgefront. Old Dock stands on the relatively flat eastern protrusion of the island. Atop Garrison Hill stands the stone wall of Fort Korvosa, completed in 4438. The imposing black-marble Palace Arkona dominates Old Korvosa, while the remains of the original wooden palisade slowly rot near the gate into the ward. Home to such curiosities as Palace Arkona, the Endrin Military Academy, and the Reefclaw Run Market, the district remains a significant although neglected place.
South Shore. The newest district officially added to the city, South Shore became a part of Korvosa in 4684, when Queen Domina set the first foundation stone for the Pantheon of Many. South Shore's population consists mainly of the city's nouveau riche hoping to escape the cramped conditions elsewhere. While no wards divide it, a small enclave built specifically as an embassy for Mierani elves stands in the ward.
Pantheon of Many. Completed in 4706 and built in anticipation of Korvosa's tercentennial, the Pantheon of Many holds within its massive octagonal white-marbled walls shrines to 17 different deities. Of the twenty main deities of Golarion, only Gorum, Lamashtu, and Rovagug do not have shrines within the pantheon. Up until only days after it opened, neither did Cayden Cailean or Desna, but their followers gathered such a large crowd of protest that clerics of the pantheon could not leave the building. The pantheon respects all of the deities it serves (even the evil and chaotic ones) so all 17 spaces are equally sized. Clerics of the represented deities tend to their shrines, performing rites (those that do not violate Korvosan law, anyway) under the watch of a pair of impartial observers. No sacrifices of creatures, intelligent or not, is allowed within.
Orphanages. It is an unfortuante truism that, in a region as fraught with peril and war as Korvosa, people frequently die long before their time. When those who pass on leave behidn children, their wards suddenly need some place to live and grow. Korvosa answers that unfortunate need with five relatively small state-run orphanages that receive frequent inspections from the churches of Abadar and Sarenrae. These orphanages also house children taken from abusive parents convicted of violent crimes. Life is strictly regimented, and many of those who turn 18 and leave join the city's military organizations, while most of those who don't take up the wandering life of adventurers. The three middle-sized orphanages stand in Midland, with the largest in North Point's Mainshore ward and the smallest in East Shore.
The Shingles. The Shingles came into being only a few decades ago, when urban renewal projects on Endrin Isle pushed Old Korvosa's poorest people into Bridgefront in waves. Influenced by Kaer Maga, they built upwards, with lean-tos and shacks creating impromptu third stories on many buildings. These termporary third stories gave way to more permanent additions, which in turn received tents and shacks atop them. Over time, this progression of haphazard permanency gave rise to a ramshackle wall of residences reaching as high as five floors. As the practice became more common and underworld elements saw potential in its use, permanent and semi-permanent waypoints, structures, and safehouses appeared on roofs throughout the most crowded parts of the city. Eventually, these rooftop communities became known collectively as the Shingles. The Shingles do not exist as a continuous layer that blankets the roofs of the city. Rather, large swaths of Korvosa remain free of the phenomenon, with areas under the Shingles being large islands surrounded by clear roofs. No accurate map of the Shingles exists, as almost by definition the neighborhood is in a constant state of flux.
The Vaults. Most cities have sewers. Some can even claim dungeons and deep caverns beneath them. No city, though, has a complex system of subterranean tunnels quite like the Vaults of Korvosa. Modern Korvosa stands atop the remains of at least two other civilizations and integrates both of them in its design. As a result, the origins of the Vaults of Korvosa can be divided into several categories. First, most of the Vaults are formed from natural geological forces of erosion or volcanic activity. Second, ancient, subterranean burial mounds of the Shoanti formed a complex system of tunnels that the city's founders transformed into a sewer. Finally, a few worked tunnels of unknown craftsmanship have been discovered at the extreme south end of Korvosa.
Korvosa Government and Factions:
The Monarch
At the top of the political power dynamic sits the city's monarch, Queen Ileosa Arabasti, who has recently inherited the throne from her late husband, King Eodred II, son of Queen Domina the Great. King Eodred enjoyed expanded monarchial power wrested from the nobles and ministers by his powerful and popular mother. While he controlled Korvosa more fully than any previous monarch, he still only barely retained power. Unlike the slave girls in his harem who served him with religious devotion, the city of Korvosa was a fickle and demanding mistress.
The Queen's declarations from the Crimson Throne become law almost by default, although the arbiters retain the right to strike down laws inconsistent with the city's charter (and its 247 amendments) or Chelaxian law. The Commandant of the Sable Company (Marcus Endrin) pledged the group's loyalty to the monarch, as is conventional, but that force reports directly to the seneschal of Castle Korvosa, Neolandus Kalepopolis. The Korvosan Guard, on the other hand, is firmly in the Queen's grasp. Its leader, Field Marshal Cressida Kroft, was appointed to power by King Eodred, and the Queen now expects (and receives) full cooperation from her. In times of need, the Queen can even trust the Lictor of the Order of the Nail, Severs "Boneclaw" DiVri, to send troops into the city, just so long as the city has the gold to pay.
Other groups within the city can create headaches for the monarch. One member of each of the five Great Houses (Arkona, Jeggare, Leroung, Ornelos, and Zenderholm) sits on the Peerage Review, an advisory council whose opinions the Queen is bound to hear, but need not follow (although the council has the power to contradict her orders to the Korvosan Guard). Additionally, because not even a queen can regulate every aspect of a city, a set of magistrates divides responsibilities within the city.
Sitting upon the Crimson Throne does bring with it a considerable drawback. The Curse of the Crimson Throne manifests itself in two forms. First, no monarch of the city has died of natural causes-all perished at the hands of another, whether subtly or quite overtly. Second, no monarch has yet produced an heir while ruling. Queen Domina is the only parent among the city's monarchs, and she brought her adult son with her from Cheliax when she came to Korvosa.
Arbiters
Barely more powerful than the lord magistrates who preceded them, the monarchs of Korvosa must share power with other governmental entities. More than judges, the arbiters have legislative oversight, allowing them to overrule any of the Queen's declarations found to violate the City Charter as well as the latest known laws of Cheliax. Their main task, however, is to try criminal cases and settle civil disputes. An arbiter's judgment carries the authority of the city's leader, although a convicted criminal may appeal the punishment handed down (but not the verdict) to the Queen. Most people don't know they have this right, and thus it is rarely invoked.
Magistrates
With the creation of the monarchy, the magistrates and their bureaucratic underlings struggled to justify their existence to the city's first king, Eodred I. Fortunately for them, the beloved king believed strongly in delegation, and during his reign the number of magistrates and their staffs ballooned. Queen Domina halved the number of magistrates, but since her death many of them have returned.
Today, city hall houses no fewer than 23 magistrates, with a combined staff of nearly a hundred. No one knows exactly what they do, but most suspect the entire purpose of the city hall is to waste time and money. The Magistrate of Commerce, Garrick Tann, is perhaps the most hated man in the city, due in no small part to his role in enforcing the tax laws. Of course, his other tasks of breaking unions and regulating city fees don't help, either. The Magistrate of Expenditures, Syl Gar, however, enjoys the adoration of the people. As the spender of the money collected by Tann, his coming is welcomed by merchants and smiths, since his visits portend the spending of money of the establishment of contracts. The Magistrate of Regulation, Lolia Perenne, is charged with maintaining fixed weights and measurements. She and her underlings scour the city looking for faulty scales, shaved coins, and other attempts by merchants and customers to cheat one another.
The Thieves' Guild
By charter amendment, Korvosa does not allow merchants, laborers, or tradesmen to form guilds, but it does allow for a thieves’ guild. This causes legitimate workers no end of frustration and anger. Many of the poorer noble houses bristle at the blatant extortion engineered by the Cerulean Society, Korvosa’s only thieves’ guild.
The Cerulean Society runs a fairly typical protection racket with excruciatingly smug satisfaction, as Guildmaster Boule provides his Cerulean Society with actual blue uniforms to wear when they come to collect, giving the guild the look of authority. The price a “client” pays for the Cerulean Society’s “service” varies, depending not on wealth but on a complicated formula known only to the guildmaster. Indeed, the wealthy House Jeggare pays less than a gold sail per year for its protection, while impoverished House Peltherianon cannot hope to afford to pay the hundred sails the Cerulean Society demands each month. The Cerulean Society offers its protective service to every noble house, as well as to wealthy merchants, the temple of Abadar, and others who cross it.
When a potential client fails to pay, it goes on a list provided to the gangs of cat burglars and second-story men legitimized by the guild, who then have the goahead to act on that information as they see fit. Those who cannot or do not pay open themselves to theft and muggings. Failure to pay does not automatically guarantee thefts, however, as doing so would make it too easy for the Korvosan Guard to capture the guild’s allies. The guild works together with legitimate gangs to ensure they don’t overwork an area or cause too much suffering to any particular non-client (including beleaguered House Peltherianon). The threat of theft and robbery at knifepoint is enough to make most potential clients pay up, so the guild is careful to not always extend the offer of this service to every potential target.
In addition to blatant extortion, the Cerulean Society also generates income by regulating the other gangs in the city. Twice per year, the Cerulean Society sends members and trusted agents throughout the city, again wearing its distinctive blue uniform, collecting dues from other gangs. A gang that pays its dues to the thieves’ guild gains a level of legitimacy that allows the guild to tap the gang’s members for the purpose of showing why the Cerulean Society’s protection is a valuable service. Those gangs that can’t or won’t pay the dues don’t last long. The swift eradication of such gangs by the thieves’ guild strikes fear in all who witness or hear about such events, further ensuring that gangs pay up.
Cerulean Society members do actually perform illicit acts of their own, although for the most part they leave thieving to the other gangs. The thieves’ guild operates several secret gambling dens within the city, whose whereabouts remain carefully concealed and change at random times. These gambling dens pop up suddenly and disappear even more quickly, so the Cerulean Society must use a large stable of information dealers and rumormongers to swiftly spread the word of their locations before they move on.
The Cerulean Society maintains a monopoly on smuggling into and out of the city, which ties in well with its extensive drug empire. In addition to drugs, the society also oversees the importation of weapons, necromantic and demonic goods, and unusual creatures. It exports homegrown pesh, slaves, and infernal goods. Of course, because it so tightly controls the smuggling trade, anything illicit that comes into or goes out of the city passes through one of its warehouses, barges, or ships. Those who try to bypass the Cerulean Society in a smuggling operation can expect to go jigsaw shark fishing—as the bait.
For reasons unclear to outsiders, the thieves’ guild only operates on the mainland and in East Shore. It never seeks out protection clients in Old Korvosa and only sends members there to collect dues from gangs in the district. Rumors abound that House Arkona supports the Cerulean Society in some way, but no investigation has ever found a connection. Any link between the two remains a carefully guarded secret. Until now…
Crimes and Punishments:
Treason - Torture, death; no appeal
Murder - Torture, death; no appeal
Rape - Torture and castration, Imprisonment (10-20 yr), death; no appeal
Armed Robbery - Pay restitution or lose a hand, imprisonment (10-20 yr)
Arson - Pay restitution or branding, imprisonment (10+ yr); murder charge if fire kills
Unionizing - Branding, imprisonment (5-10 yr); no appeal
Accidental Death - Pay restitution or torture, imprisonment (5-8 yr)
Robbery - Pay restitution or lose a hand, imprisonment (2-10 yr), pay restitution
Drug Use - Imprisonment (4-6 months pre-trial, plus 2-3 yr if guilty)
Burglary - Pay restitution, imprisonment (1-2 yr)
The Vernacular:
The People of Korvosa universally speak Chelaxian ("Common"). Korvosans have, over time, created their own slang unique to the city. In order to help you blend in while exploring Korvosa, make sure to (correctly) use the following phrases.
Chel - Mildly derogatory term for people of Chelish descent. Widely used as a contemptuous dismissal in the rest of the world. In Korvosa, the word has evolvd into a hate-filled ethnic slur. Use of this word constitutes a grave affront in the city, and using it against the wrong target likely finds the offender beaten, lynched, or killed.
Dancer - Cutpurse, pickpocket, or other thief who works crowds. Comes from the belief that most thieves are Varisians and most Varisians like to dance. Actual dancing performers are called "performers."
Empty - A beggar, vagrant, or homeless person. Most korvosans consider an empty to be someone without meaning or purpose, whose existence doesn't matter and whose life and death occur without mention.
Fronter - Someone who lives in Bridgefront or is otherwise poor. Not a polite term and frequently used as a mild (sometimes playful) insult among younger aristocrats and nobles. Connotes dirtiness.
Gater - Someone who lives in Northgate. Common term even used by Gaters themselves.
Horser - Highly inflammatory term for a Shoanti or other savage primitive. Holds strong connotations of bestiality.
Imper - A young student of the Acadamae. Older students respectfully receive no nickname, as they wield the power to kill those who insult them.
Moth - A full-blooded Varisian. Because so much of the population in Korvosa descends at least partially from Varisian stock, most people don't consider it an insult, using it as a nickname for the nomadic people. Full-blooded Varisians differ on their acceptance of the term: some use it themselves while others bristle at its connotations.
Pincher - Someone very poor who scrapes by on only a few copper pieces a month.
Sails - One or more ships.
Solly - Someone who wishes to unionize or form a guild. Short for "solidarity." A dire insult in Korvosa (even if the recipient does support the formation of guilds), sometimes considered the foulest thing to call a Korvosan.
Solly Slop - Rubbish, excrement. At one time, this referred to the bland porridge of unskilled laborers (the most common agitators for unionizing the city). Today, Korvosans consider the phrase vulgar and not to be used in public.
Numismatics
The Bank of Abadar mints uniquely Korvosan coins used throughout Varisia. Korvosa ties the value of its coins to those of Cheliax, such that Chelaxian coins are also considered legal tender in the city.
Copper Pinch: Usually referred to as simply a pinch (plural and singular), dropping “copper.” Calling multiple copper coins “pinches” elicits laughs and painful tweaks on the arm or backside.
Silver Shield: Frequently called by its full name to differentiate it from the shields used for protection.
Gold Sail: Always called by its full name to differentiate it from the similar term “sails” (see the vernacular term above).
Platinum Crown: Occasionally referred to as simply a crown, dropping "platinum."
Korvosan Delicacies:
The people of Korvosa mostly eat relatively bland foods and
don’t vary their meals all that often. Many point to the city’s
strong military character for this particular quirk. Despite
this, Korvosans do enjoy the rare treat, and, when in the
mood for something different, they tend to indulge in one
of the following.
1. Alikan Oyster: Nothing more than a soft-boiled oyster
harvested from the Narrows of Saint Alika. Six oysters
sell for 2 gp.
2. Hillcake: Essentially heavily spiced hardtack. Popular
with Sable Company marines. Two pounds of hillcake sell
for 1 gp.
3. Jigsaw Fin Mahktasha: The deep-fried dorsal fin of a
jigsaw shark, typically doused in a mixture of Vudran
spices. One fin sells for 7 sp.
4. Lem: A thin hummus cut with goat’s milk and heavily
spiced. Usually served with strips of deep-fried clam
meat called “lemchum.” A jar sells for 8 sp.
5. Maxmax: A Shoanti treat made from pickled moose fat
dipped in powdered sugar. One maxmax sells for 1 sp.
6. Oliphant Ear: Butter-rich flat-bread pastries fried on
the backs of tower shields. Can easily feed three fullgrown
men. One ear sells for 5 sp.
7. Pullers: Tiny, chewy sweets made of sugar, honey, and
maple syrup held together with caramel and wheat
flour. A dozen pullers sell for 4 gp.
8. Reed Crackers: River reeds and duck eggs made into
bitter and mildly hallucinogenic crackers. One pound
sells for 4 gp.
9. Reefclaw Pasty: A deep-fried ball of mashed reefclaw
claw meat best eaten with a thileu-bark dipping sauce.
Four pasties costs 1 sp, with the proper amount of sauce
costing 6 sp.
10. Thileu Bark: The most popular spice in Korvosa. It
tastes like a cross of cinnamon, nutmeg, and mint. Only
Varisians know how to harvest the bark. They sell it for
100 gp per pound.
House Fordyce:
Feilaken - A broad, mustachioed Ulfen with nearly white hair, whether from age or heritage it's fairly hard to tell. Often carrying around the Contrabass, he's been known to don a Tuba as well.
Garel - The doorman. Garel is a half-elf nearly seven feet tall, with a soft and gentle tenor voice.
Henrik - A sublime young man with a deep tan. His hair is a black mop that covers his eyes, and he wears fairly non-descript clothing except for an exceptionally bright red scarf around his neck that hangs down to his knees. The most technical guitarist who has been freeloading at Cal's house for the past few months. He gains most of his money doing gigs in rich people's parlors and on occasion with the Kendall Amphitheatre, losing it to who knows where.
Spider - A younger stout fellow of Varisian descent, Spider is one of the percussionists and is in charge of cleaning the estate. His meiculous nature comes to it easy, and he is constantly polishing and scraping dust and dirt from the mansion. He earned his nickname due to his spindly arms and legs.
Vran - female half-orc. Blind from boiling water to the face. She used to be a dishwasher. Now she's a talented cellist, though she's only been playing a few months.
Pobie - a bard who handles the house laundry (through prestidigitation)
Toadie - former Lamb
Blister - former Lamb
Auntie - former Lamb. Sister to Unx.
Unx - former Lamb. Brother to Auntie.
Ziggy - former Lamb
Fordyce Estate was built in 4498, five years before the Cousins' War. Originally it lacked walls, but as tensions increased they became necessary. A fifteen foot wall now surrounds a full city block.
The Courtyard - In the center of the estate courtyard sits a small well. The surrounding garden has seen better days. Now bereft of a dedicated gardener, the grounds have fallen into a state of neglect, with dandelions and decorative grasses protruding between walkways and stepping stones. Off to one side, the old stables were hastily converted into a theater. Near the stables in the corner of the courtyard there are several stone statues in various states of carving from blocks, the most prominent of which is an exaggerated and nude carving of Calcedon Fordyce himself. A fine secondary building serves as a bunkhoue for surplus guests. This bunkhouse can quarter up to fifty persons, in addition to the sixteen who can live comfortably inside the main house.
The Mud Room - The entrance to the main houe next to the stables has a tiled mud room. This room serves the dual purpose of allowing riders a chance to refresh themselves and ensures the interior of the house remains clean as well. While imps have stolen the bell, merely banging loudly on the wall will alert the persons on water duty inside to send heated water through the pipes. There's cold water, soap, and even towels and robes in the cupboard. There's even a metal box next to the pipe in which soiled laundry can be placed to be tended to by Pobie, an aspiring bard and resident launderer.
The Library -
Upon investigation, there are four entrances to the library, but only one on the main floor. With the large double doors there, it's obviously meant as a thoroughfare. The other exits from the library lead into other parts of the basement which is accessible by the servant's stair in the kitchen, leading down to the pantry, and the stairwell near the mudroom at the other end of the mansion. In the basement, you'll find servant's quarters, several locked and reinforced doors, the lower and a double door that's quite obviously the entrance to the library due to the ornate windows that make it plain.
Whereas the upper floor has been boarded up, this lower floor simply has some wedges jammed between the outward facing doors and the stone floor. It would take some time, but with the proper application of strength and perhaps a proper tool of some kind, it should be fairly easy to gain access.
Upon entry, the space is fairly bare, but beautiful. The area is lit by come continual flame torches hidden in the decor. There is a large but faded picture on the ceiling with a few spots of age and something else obscuring the picture slightly that basically seems to be people engaged in noble life, reading, erecting monuments, directing soldiers and the like.
The main hall seems to be reserved for reference books, but they are completely disorganized. It would take ages to see even if any of these books were worth anything. The floor is bare of furnishings, except for the occasional small dots of color on the wooden floor, which appear to be old dried blood.
One of the remaining unexplored exits that leads under the dining room is a mess with piles of papers, boxes of papers with various labels, filing cabinets and drawers. The reason for the mess seems to be the infusion of reams of music into what would normally be an organized filing system. There are records for every generation of the Fordyce family, dating back up for a hundred years. The most recent entries are the journals of a one Andoricus Fabian Macarte Fordyce that seem to be up until about nine years ago. Other filing cabinet labels that seem to be of little interest are Debts and Consolidations, Military Accounting, Shipping and Receiving. These suddenly transition into labels such as Viola, Contrabass, Clarinet, Oboe, and Euphonium. A bit more investigation, under a pile of other musical records is a small box labeled "Surrogate Conception". On the top of the box is a smaller felt lined box for jewelry, but empty.
The last exit from the library is an oaken door with scratch marks from nearly every direction from about five feet out all along the wooden floor that lead toward it's closed and imposing frame. The lock here is quite fancy and intricate. But the door itself seems to be fairly plain and doesn't fit the rest of the decor or match the type of wood used anywhere else in the building.
First Floor Parlor: It's an old and comfortable room, with a bit of yellowing near the ceiling due to the wall mounted lamps and from the smell one can note cigars smoked in this room in years past. There's no central piece in here, but there is a harpsichord in the corner and a smattering of ancient furniture, fairly garish and threadbare but terribly sturdy. Along with a small fireplace and a couple narrow windows that lead into the courtyard, there's a couple of tea tables nearby, and it has one door that opens to the central hall and one more that leads to a short hall with a couple bedrooms with the mudroom on the far end.
The Great hall - Towering marble pillars support two balconies in this narrow but immensely tall room for the size of the building it's in. Doors on the main floor open to the First Floor Parlor, A Billiards room, the Library (currently boarded up), A Largish dining room at the front of the house and a sizable kitchen in back. The walls are a paneled mahogany, stained dark and imported, but splotchy in areas from a lack of treatment over the years. Hanging from the ceiling is a brass and glass chandelier, surprisingly immaculate considering the rest of the decor.
