Kingmaker [2E]: A Realm of Fey And Powers (Inactive)

Game Master Kittenmancer

I really wanted to play up the fey aspect of the AP and delve into the complicated fey politics, courts and factions. Thus, fey will be both potential allies and antagonists to the PCs. In fact, the party will start with a secret charter from one of the fey factions, which will influence character creation, kingdom type and the general theme of the game. The focus will be not on conquering or subduing the Stolen Lands, but in trying to establish a gentler realm that centers around respect for nature and a collaborative approach to existing residents, especially fey and natural inhabitants.

Some secondary themes will involve dragons and the Old Ones.

Campaign style:

I strongly favour roleplay and collaborative storytelling in my games. Encounters are skipped unless they move the story forward, add flavour, or provide context or backstory. In an encounter with intelligent foes, there most likely will be nonviolent options to resolve it. I do not kill PCs (unless the player requests that outcome as a way to retire a character).
You can see HERE an example of the writing style and quality I aim for (both in myself and in my players).

I generally put a lot of effort into my campaigns and I will do my best to make this game an enjoyable experience for everyone involved.
I'm not into rules lawyering. If a rule is standing in the way of something cool, or interesting, or fun, I prefer to reward creativity than to stick to RAW - especially in situations where the result does not have momentous impact.
I am very receptive to feedback, so if you have any please let me now in the Discussion thread, in Discord or in a PM. I may not always act on it, but I will always listen to it.
I am quite active and check the forums often, but in the event that I am unable to post for a few days I will let you know in advance.

Disclaimer: I'm not super well-versed with 2E rules yet, so I appreciate help and support there. :)

• * Be a team player. Don’t antagonize other players. IC conflict is fine, as long as everyone consents to this and it is clearly noted in OOC/discussion. Be kind.
• * Quality over quantity. Please try to make your posts engaging and descriptive (although I appreciate that it may not always be possible). I don’t want to impose a posting rate, as myself am going through a difficult period that may occasionally take my attention or time away from the game.
• * This is a sandbox AP, so everyone needs to try and drive the game forward, suggest a course of action, or push when things have stalled.
• * Please let us know if you can't post for a few days, or longer. However, I do understand that life happens, so if you have to drop off without warning for a bit I won't hold it against you.
• * Take the time to consider if this is the right game for you. Don’t apply just because you want to play 2E, or you want to play Kingmaker.

Character creation:
This is a heavily fey-themed AP, so be as whimsical as you like with your characters. I will allow 3PP material if it is thematically appropriate.
All characters should have some sort of connection to the fey or the First World - as part of their ancestry or heritage, background, feats etc., through their backstory - or both. Each character will receive one free feat to use for the purpose of this connection, if they wish, up to and including Level 5 feats.
Free archetype at level 2.
Milestone levelling.

I would like to use DM_aka_Dudemeister’s party origin tool, with The Green party origin as a starting point (except the origin story will be different).

PvP has its place, but I don't believe that place is D&D/Pathfinder - I reserve that for systems like White Wolf's World of Darkness, and then only if all of the participants are on board with that type of game.

My type of posts tend to be a direct result of the environment the game provides. If there are opportunities to engage (particularly with other PCs) I am happy to do so.

In real life I am a manager/senior engineer for a large biopharma company located in the Midwest (USA).

One caveat, this would be my first gameplay experience with PF2E, so if that would prove to be a problem please let me know.

I have been gaming since 19(yes that's a 19)82. My older cousin needed two players for his D&D campaign. My twin and I got drafted. He gave us a copy of The Hobbit and said finish by next weekend and pick who you want to play.

I picked Gandalf.

I have been happily involved in many memorable games, sessions, campaigns, epic years and many cries later moments that I will cherish forever!

Gaming has been the 1 constant in an otherwise Rollercoaster ride of a life.

Thanks Gary!

That being said, my home group switched from 3.5 to PF1e happily and excited by its play.

PF1e is my favorite RPG until PF2e was introduced.

Nice work Paizo!

I have been in many completed APs; both PF1e and PF2e.
Recently Age of Ashes and Extinction Curse.

I have wanted to play Kingmaker since PF1e. I enjoy the Wilderness motif adventures the most. Probably a hold over from my love of The Hobbit!

I've been playing TTRPGs since I was a kid, mostly leaning into high fantasy settings/games. I've been a regular GM for my friends and brothers for more than twenty years, during which I've always tried to tailor adventures and campaigns to the characters, in order to achieve what I think matters the most to me - telling a story together. I also have been a dedicated PbP player in PF1e era (2013 to 2016 especially), playing and running through APs as well as PFS scenarios (the latter in trove, often too many at the time, in hindsight). Following the birth of my second child in late 2016, I had to take a hiatus and leave the boards to my regret, and dedicate myself to my family. However, my kids are older now (8 and 6 years old), so I have more time on my hands now, and I am refocusing (yes, I do like puns!) on RPGs, especially PF2e. I'm preparing to GM Abomination Vaults for a group of friends, but the tug of PbP has once more been deeply felt - however with the wish to restrain from running/playing too many games at the same time, and preferring quality over quantity. I sincerely hope that A Realm of Fey and Powers will be a game for me to call home.

The premise of acting within the boundaries of a secret charter for the fey powers that be with the intent to create a realm that creatures of the First World could safely inhabit is a compelling one, and ties beautifully with the idea that I could play one of my favourite ancestries in the Golarion setting to its fullest - a gnome. This specific ancestry reflects how I feel in life about many things - marvelling over the beauties of this worlds, having an optimistic, almost childlike innocent point of view on the world such a character lives in. Gnomes are always focused on a passion of theirs, which could relate perfectly to the gist of your campaign, even more so since they originate from the First World. I have no specific idea at the moment for the class, but I love playing Charisma-based classes. My favourite class in PF1 was Oracle, and a Life mystery Oracle could fit the bill with a gnome in a natural setting brimming with life, mingling with the character's endless energy. Other possibilities could include (but aren't limited to) Champion, Bard, Thaumaturge, Sorcerer.

One of my favourite parts of character creation is writing a background story, of which I could happily provide examples of. I hope you can tell my reading my application that my creativity is already at work, but I definitely think that the creative process can be a shared one. If you find my application interesting, I would be very happy to talk to you about it, either by post or discord if you're open to that.

I also think the quality requirement would perfectly align with my goal to keep a small number of games, but dedicated ones. I've always found hard to develop an intense, thorough roleplay with other players/GMs that don't care too much about it, so my hopes are to find and contribute to a healthy environment where we can really endeavour to bring our characters to life.

Despite the grim circumstances of his life, the gnome remains positive all the time, although he's often influenced by his origins and the lantern to make mostly harmless pranks to make the world a less boring place. He sees the best in people, and endeavors to bring it out.

About thaumaturgy: he only uses natural elememts/relics of the First World to fuel his abilities. E.g. Regalia could be a laurel wreath, etc.

To sum up:
Concept name The Lantern Bearer
Alignment Chaotic Good
Ancestry/Heritage Fey-Touched Gnome
Background Feybound
Class Thaumaturge (Lantern implement)
Possible Free Archetype Blessed One
Role Party face, support, knowledge holder, keeper of good wits through his (usually harmless) pranks

Other gnome character concepts I've thought of but haven't developped further (please let me know if you're interested in seeing more about one of them because it would fit the campaign better):

- The Verdant Knight, a green-haired gnome champion who firmly believes that it is a virtue not drawing one's blade to resolve conflict.

- The Dreamer, a Desna-worshipping gnome bard with occult powers who travelled to the First World and back, and brought back a musical instrument unknown to this world.

- The Life Font, a gnome life oracle with strong ties to the First World and the Positive energy plane, who overflows with life force... a curse to some, a boon to others.

I'm thinking either a Fighter with high Int or a Magus. Or a Rogue or Investigator. I just enjoy the image of a big burly Half-orc with spectacles and whatever class that is, I'll do. Maybe a champion of Gozreh or something. I think Magus, Fighter, or Rogue is the way, but I'm open. Perhaps a druid or sorcerer multiclass for the fey influences. Maybe the fey influence feat. I didn't see anything that particularly struck me in the feat, but maybe the Gremlin influence.

Alternately, this guy could lean a bit more into his dumb brute appearance and be a goofy loveable idiot. Still wears glasses though.

Alternatively, as mentioned above, I could go a similar route with a cursed Beastkin, but I don't envision this character as vainglorious and intellectual. Instead a classic werewolf struggle leads him to venturing out into the wilderness to keep himself away from innocent civilized folk.

This guy seems like a ranger. Pretty cut and dry. Maybe barbarian works. Maybe he "can't" turn to a human form like the beastkin standard and he's just stuck as a half-man half-beast.

I don't really know if I'd like this one as much as its not as fun. The internal struggle has potential, but as it is right now its a little flat. I could definitely see this having a lot of room to attach to another character's story and drives.

He'll talk a big game about "meditation" and "inner peace" and "mind-body unity". But until he finds what he Needs, he'll only Want to be celebrated for his skill and prowess.

This character has legs in my mind. There's a whole potential arc and a big internal struggle that's uncharacteristically loud for a "monk". I think he'd rather wrassle a bear than try to calm it at his entry into the story, but he knows that he should try to be respectful to nature.

At the age of 14 the gnome got a part-time job delivering books for The Paper Tower, a small bookshop run by a dwarf named Ingra Runemaul. One day while delivering some books, three larger children cornered him in an alley and began pushing him around, laughing at his meager attempts to defend himself. The laughter was cut short by a deep-throated growl from a darkened doorway. When they turned in that direction all they saw was a pair of golden glowing eyes staring at them from the pitch. All three bullies fled in absolute terror leaving Kojinsoka trembling, fearing he was about to be eaten. A long moment passed, the eyes just looking at him, then eventually disappeared. Gnomish curiosity got the better of him and he carefully approached the doorway. There was nothing there, except for an odd-looking hourglass. Again, curiosity got the better of Kojinsoka and he picked it up and kept it.

From that point forward the gnome would have occasional dreams of a land of vibrant and lush plant life. Of a figure that seemed to simmer in and out of…time? Always, whether awake or asleep, there was the sense of something always close by, watching and waiting. Despite this feeling however, Kojinsoka never felt as though he was in danger.

After turning 18 the gnome was given a pack of supplies and was instructed to head to the nearest temple of Iomedae, like many of his older friends before him. He never made it. On his second night of the journey, a voice came to his mind, telling him that he was destined to be more than just a champion of The Inheritor. Instinctively, he closed his eyes and focused on the voice and the feeling of being watched. Upon opening his eyes there before him was a sizable beast with a shell like a turtle, a head that had the jaws of an alligator, and a strong-looking tail that ended in a massive knot of bone. What got the gnome’s attention though were the eyes, the same eyes that had struck terror into the three bullies in his youth. Without fear Kojinsoka reached a hand out towards the beast and touched its head. A connection that he did not know was there solidified and that is when his powers awoke.

Between his connection to Grigul (his Eidolon) and the mysterious figures in his dreams, Kojinsoka has spent the last two years honing his powers and looking for opportunities to prove himself worthy of the title Knight.

Ready yourself to hear the strange story of Reginard aep Rhîr, now known as „Farfadet“. Many years ago, a gnome baby was found near a gnomish home in Jovvox, in the River Kingdom of Mivon. The folks living there, having just lost a child to illness, were overjoyed and took the baby in as one of their own, calling him according to their customs. They never wondered about his origins, save for one thing. The baby held in his hands an eerie paper lantern, ever-burning yet flameless. It emitted a slow and sad tune, a fragment of a memory long forgotten. Yet the strangest thing about the lantern was how soothing its presence was to the child, who was surprisingly as full of joy and laughter as the lantern was ever glowing. Reginard’s origins raised many questions among the nosy and talkative neighbours, but his parents chose to shrug those questions off and simply accept the child for what it was – a gift.

As a kid, Reginard was always recognized by his clear, high-pitched laughter. What’s more, he developped a keen interest in jests and pranks of all nature. This infuriated the village elders, who felt that his character didn’t belong in a serious industrious settlement as the mining town of Jovvox. Reginard’s parents didn’t care, truth be told. Their child was their joy, and his mother especially thought it was just a way for the youngster to express how out of place he felt there. Reginard was also a very positive child, and never let anything touch him deeply – he’d keep his bright, friendly smile for good days as much as for bad ones, an embodiment of the proverbial silver lining. Despite his propension for jokes, his are rarely mean ones. On the contrary, his joyful nature and eerie laughter endeavor to bring out the best in the people around him – at least the ones who care for him.

What excited Reginard the most were his long aimless walks in the lush nature of the forests and meadows surrounding his home town. Wanderlust would often take the boy, and he’d disappear for days, taking only his faithful lantern. No one truly knows why this overwhelming longing for nature existed, or what the boy did during these long periods of absence. He seemed to be a loner at heart, sharing few serious matters with his loved ones, preferring a good jest over a clear explanation. One thing he brought back from his wanderings, though, were many trinkets and baubles of murky origins – like him. He’d keep them at all times, in numerous pouches and pockets, finding unusual uses for them.

This was the time he asked others to call him „Farfadet“, as he himself despised his more serious name. He preferred this more melodious name. Why? The only person the gnome confided in was his mother. He told her of his meeting with his forest friends, the brownies, leprechauns and satyrs he encountered many times in his journeys. Was it by chance? Farfadet didn’t seem to think so. He described how the light of his lantern would draw the wondrous creatures of the woods to him – and how the light it cast would reveal their true selves, banishing false pretences and illusions. His fey friends would offer many small gifts to the gnome – one gave him that name, others granted him some of his natural baubles – necklaces, roots, evergreen leaves, petrified acorns and the like. A dryad would speak for hours of the First World, where they originated, and her stories blew his mind away. The fey would offer these gifts to him in exchange for Farfadet‘s many stories, jests, or simply his joyful laughter echoing in the trees. Yet one encounter became even more meaningful to the young boy. He met what the fey called a norn – an old creature living deep in the woods, one that relentlessly deals with the threads of fate. The norn spoke little, but simply called the boy one of them. The words shook Farfadet, who then left without knowing what to think. The young gnome’s mother was surprised, not only by the norn’s words, but also the fact her son would share that with her. She nodded and explained she had always suspected that Reginard was not of this world, but may have come from the First World. Why was he brought to the gnomish town, she would not know, neither about the reason that would compel the boy’s real parents to relinquish him. She could only offer him motherly love. His mother kept the secret of what he entrusted her, for her son was so precious to her.

Farfadet grew up, and started working at the forges as an apprentice, but this didn’t last a week. A prank too many that he played to one of the village elders got him expelled not only from his apprenticeship, but from the town as well. Truth be told, no one in their right mind wanted to employ a whimsical prankster, especially in such dangerous environments as the mines or the forges. Without any regret, Farfadet took his lantern and trinkets, said his farewell to his parents, and left for good. Nature was once more calling, and he knew there was no going back. Thus began his years of wandering. Somehow it appeared that he was walking aimlessly in the woodlands and grasslands, yet a question gnawed at him from the inside – where did he really come from? Who were his real parents? The gnome hoped to find an answer someday, but he was sure of one thing – the answer didn’t matter as much as the way to get there. His lantern in his hand to shed the light of truth, he ventured forth, searching for friends.

The truth, however, proves to be much more ironic than what he expects. Unbeknownst to him, he is in fact, not a gnome at all, though his education and upbringing certainly had him become very close to one. He was born a bastard fey creature, son of a rider of the Wyld Hunt and a nymph, offspring of his father’s deep desire of begetting a child. However, the hunter’s foolish desire was somehow denied by the Eldest known as the Lantern King, as the latter turned the baby into a gnome child shortly after its birth and spirited him away, before his father could ever lay his eyes on him. Was it vengeance ? Was it on a whim ? No one knows, yet the child was gifted by an ever-lit lantern, shedding the light of truth upon all it encompasses – save for one thing, the Lantern Bearer’s true appearance. A delicious irony for the Laughing Lie, patron of laughter, mischief, and transformation. Yet, as norns well know, fate cannot be trumped, even by a being as powerful as the Lantern King. A simple tune, the mourning of a grieving father, found its way across the planes and bound itself to the child’s lantern, like a tiny fleck of hope across the multiverse. Farfadet has somehow felt it in his heart – the tune is like a lingering thread of fate connecting him to his mysterious origins. Who knows what will come of it? Who will have the last laugh in this matter?

Alignment Chaotic Good
Ancestry/Heritage Fey-Touched Gnome
Background Feybound
Class Thaumaturge (Lantern implement)
Possible Free Archetype Blessed One
Role(s) Party face, support, knowledge holder, keeper of good wits through his (usually harmless) pranks, Out-of-combat healing.

A lantern-bearing thaumaturge fey-touched gnome who was abandoned as a baby near the gnomish settlement of Jovvox, in the River Kingdoms. He has, of course, no clue about his birth, but his aloofness and whismical nature could indicate that he doesn't hail from Golarion. Even the strange, ever-lit lantern he was brought to this world with appears clearly to be of alien origin. Unbeknownst to him, he was actually born in the First World, the son of two feys deceived by the Lantern King, who then had the baby brought to the Material Plane, where his real parents would never find him. The Lantern is a materialization of his tie to the First World, and a token gifted by the Lantern King (or his servant), a sign of the eternal alliegeance to him.

Despite the grim circumstances of his life, the gnome remains positive all the time, although he's often influenced by his origins and the lantern to make mostly harmless pranks to make the world a less boring place. He sees the best in people, and endeavors to bring it out.

Farfadet draws his thaumaturgical powers from the many gifts from the fey : natural trinkets, relics of the First World he uses to channel his supernatural abilities, e.g. Regalia could be a laurel wreath, etc.

He firmly believes that it is a virtue not drawing one's blade to resolve conflict.

First attempt at a character sheet (WIP)

That is also why I really liked the ideas behind this recruitment. Trying to find non-violent but still narratively-adequate solutions to encounters is a challenge I find much more thrilling than most well-designed fights. I also appreciate the move towards making the campaign something other than a colonialist conquest/genocide mission.

As far as practical examples of playstyle go, I think this post as Vretiel Vaneldra, gossip extraordinaire and inveterate liar was a pretty good one.

In real life, I’m a technical writer based in Italy.

Gaspar was scared of dreams. Every day before bed, he drank a herbal tea that prevented him from dreaming. A few fey decided to prank him by exchanging the ingredients with comically potent poisons and drugs. Instead of killing Gaspar, this concoction threw him in a state of continuous dreaming, at the same time causing him to uncontrollably manifest his dreams in the waking world. The Lantern King takes advantage of Gaspar’s desperation and tells him he will find the cure for his ailment in the Stolen Lands.

Ancestry: Human (versatile heritage)
Class: psychic (unconscious mind: wandering reverie, conscious mind: either infinite eye or tangible dream)
Alignment: NG
Background: Cook — helps give Gaspar a bit more depth so he’s not only defined by his “powers”
Free archetype: sorcerer dedication, either Fey or Hag bloodlines. Sleepwalker would actually fit the concept much better, but the dedication feat is only available from lvl 4.
Appearance: Gaspar was probably a bit of a chonky boy prior to his meeting with the fey. I don’t think he has eaten very well since. Dark hair, olive skin, short.
Personality: a complete coward and lazy, but mostly well-meaning. A bit selfish. His paranoiac tendencies will be at the forefront, at least at first.
Progression/development: though his initial stated goal is returning to normalcy, I could see him developing into embracing his new life. This could even develop into a slightly less cowardly disposition. I assume he will eventually discover the Lantern King is the true culprit of his situation and will have to decide whether to be angry about it or not.

When news of Gaspar’s refusal to dream reached a group of bored fey lords and ladies, five of them decided to take great personal offence. They raged for tens of seconds, which was just enough time to order their servants to teach the human dullard a lesson. That same night, a group of sprites sneaked inside Gaspar’s house and laced his ingredients with enough hallucinogens to tear a small hole in the fabric of reality. An angry nymph cast a glamour so a dream pollen pod looked and felt like a teacup. A few fuath filled Gaspar’s kettle with the tears of a night hag. A rusalka ground the remains of ten thousand people who died in their sleep into a fine dust and spread it around Gaspar’s bedroom. And, finally, a practical-minded redcap poured an obscene amount of poison inside Gaspar’s tea shortly before he drank it.

Gaspar did dream that night. And the following weeks. As a matter of fact, he’s still dreaming, every moment of the day and night. Dreams pour out of his eyes, ears, nose, and crawl from beneath his fingernails. A little spider in a topcoat told him the day his best friend would die. A dog with tentacles for legs ate his bed. Two women without eyes screamed every time he felt afraid, which kickstarted a frankly exhausting loop.

It’s been a bit over a month now. The chaotic reverie surrounding Gaspar has subsided slightly, enough for him to approach human settlements. A huge will o’ the wisp told him the cure for his ailment lies within the wilderness of the Stolen Lands. He saw no reason to doubt the wisp, nor did any of the dreams that happened to be materialised around him.