Goblin Squad Member. Organized Play Member. 47 posts (311 including aliases). No reviews. No lists. No wishlists. 1 Organized Play character. 2 aliases.
Well, it's official. I no longer need to kill PCs with monsters. I can just drop a stack of a half-dozen bestiaries on their players instead. :P
(Would also work on minis. Players are considerably harder to replace.)
Consider classic encounters such as fiendish kraken, hydras that are actually amalgams of all linnorms published to date, prismatic spray elementals, greater pugwampis, and some kind of evil clown demon (include the creature's stats in the appendix in case you want to use these in multiple encounters). When mapping this area, depict at least one chamber that can only be represented accurately by printing out the map and twisting it into a non-Euclidean Mobius strip.
I think I just heard Bill Web weep black tears of character-murdering joy.
In Golarion:
The Adventurer's Armory prices eyeglasses at 5 gp. "Also known as spectacles, eyeglasses compensate for poor vision or magnify small details".
For comparison with the Florentine pricing, a mason is a hireling earning 1-3 gp/day, so if anything, eyeglasses were likely overpriced to get a nice round number. Or these could represent a nicer example with fine-quality glass crystal.
Speculation:
Who should have them, or where should they be available? Given Golarion's kitchen-sink but largely Renaissance level of technology (full plate and rapiers), eyeglasses should be readily available anywhere that has a semi-literate public. Remote, wild, and untamed areas likely don't have them, but then again, it's going to be hard to buy ink and spellbooks in Mammoth Lord territory anyway. Any townsfolk/bourgeois/tradesman should be able to readily afford them, and farmers or commoners could certainly save up for them or acquire a lesser-quality example.
•Handheld magnifiers were certainly in use in the High Middle Ages. Friar (Roger) Bacon, the same dude famous for his formulation of gunpowder, did a study of optics as part of his Opus Majus that aped even older works.
•Hand-held or rivet-frame eyeglasses for farsightedness (convex lenses, think () shaped) were certainly in use by the 1350's. Tommaso da Modena painted a cardinal, Hugh Saint-Cher wearing them. At this time, they were likely an "early adopter" innovation only for the wealthy or those whose livelihood depending on writing: clergymen, barristers, and the educated.
•Renaissance Florence, known for its glassmaking, started churning out eyeglasses in the 1400's (including possibly concave lenses) and from there they spread to the rest of Europe.
•By the 1500's, basic reading glasses were common enough that there were street peddlers and boxes of eyeglasses available.
•Also in the early 1500's, "thread loop" glasses offer the first real way to anchor eyeglasses to the ear.
•The 1600's sees a boom in newspapers and news pamphlets, and with it, a mass of people to read them.
•Bifocals date from the 1760's, popularly attributed to that Ben Franklin fellow, and they could be custom-ordered ~1780's.
Style: Note that early eyeglasses would not have the spring temples. Instead, the earliest had a riveted joint that would hold the glasses (hopefully) by friction on the joint. Renaissance glasses resemble what we would call today, pince-nez, and the variety in materials meant softer frames could be pinched around the nose. In the early 1500's, "thread loop" were invented: essentially, there was a cord at each end of the frame that would go around the ear, with the cord adjusted to fit. The modern temple eyeglasses were invented ~1730 by a British lensmaker, Edward Scarlett, who advertised them.
Round lenses were more or less universal until the late 1700's. Note that most of these styles were not sturdy enough to march into combat with, so during the Renaissance (e.g. the English Civil War), soldiers largely stowed them until in camp. Eyeglass cases have been around since at least the 1400's.
Price: ~1460's: "Ordinary “run-of-the-mill” spectacles cost the buyer just 2 or 3 soldi (shillings). Middle priced ones were selling for 6 to 18 soldi. The finest examples with quality crystal/glass lenses and gold or silver frames were priced at 1 ducat (the equivalent of 82 soldi). So who could afford them? As an example, a mason from Florence in the 15th century made 17 soldi per day so multiple pairs were frequently ordered."
Yup. I have an order from the 2nd of the month which is "$278.88 off suggested retail", and since it's older "dead tree" stuff, I'm happy to let sleeping warehouse raptors lie whilst their masters put out the proverbial logistical fires. :)
I think there is an error in the axe of forced life. As it stands it removes DR/piercing but not DR/slashing, a far more common dr for undead. Anyone from the writing team want to weigh in on that?
If I recall correctly, it's intentional. Note the type of damage an axe deals. :)
There are plenty of things that are fine as closed content. Keeping the spellbooks closed content makes sense to me. Most of the sidebars are plot/story based, or specific to Midgard, and that's appropriately closed.
I'm hoping that most of this is an oversight, and can be rectified at the same time you're fixing (other?) typographical errors. Or maybe all other publishers have to do to use such content is request it, and permission will be freely granted. I guess I'll find out.
Sadly, I don't think it's in error, as Kobold Press/Open Design has a history of being bizarrely mix-and-match in their Open Content and Closed Content otherwise, something I noticed way back when Sunken Empires came out.
The lack of Open Content in Deep Magic just strikes me as lazy more than anything. Chapters 1, 3, 4, 7, and 8 are basically an Unearthed Arcana of additional variants and content: spellbooks, variants, magic items, schools, arcane discoveries, feats, new words of power, constucts, undead...closed, closed, closed. Even if it's reprinted or reworked versions of Midgard-related content, good crunch should be able to stand on its own.
Between this and the frustrating hassle it took to merely get the Backer Spells credited to their authors, it's made me hesitant to purchase anything else KP, despite how much I love it. It's also the reason I opted out of the Mythic Mania kickstarter. How much of that will be Closed Content? Why pay for patronage and the opportunity to contribute if your contributions go unrecognized?
Also, with Owen gone to Seattle, and Greg Vaughan in medical school, I'm slowly working my way (by default, apparently) towards becoming THE MOST POWERFUL FREELANCER IN OKLAHOMA BWA*cough*. Oh, wait, no...there's that Steve Helt guy in Tulsa. Greater Oklahoma City metro, perhaps?
[Attempts to imagine the interplay of all six blights upon hapless mortals. Breaks into heretical laughter.]
But yes, had the pleasure of Ending that jerk Odin at PaizoCon 2013. Good times. :)
Ahem, if I might sneak in here and give my two CP.
@Hayato: It's possible but unlikely to see a Kitsune of Golarion book for the same reason there's not been a "Strix of Golarion" or "Duergar of Golarion" book. Although the kitsune stats have been reprinted in the ARG, the core RPG books are setting agnostic and fluff-light.
With the core focus of the setting as the Inner Sea Region, Paizo's been intentionally cautious about venturing off the map. It took years to get supplements about the Dragon Empires, and then they were shorter softcovers and also tied and timed to both the PFS metaplot for the season and an adventure path, both of which are the major bed and butter for the brand and setting as a whole.
Lisa Stevens has said several times that one of the lessons learned from the TSR days is not to split your audience, and to some gamers, "Asian"-themed setting material doesn't jive with their table's preferences. Paizo's kitchen sink/compartmentalization and "test the waters" approach are a method to give spice and variety without splitting up their core audience.
So for the same reasons there's not been a hardcover on Ilbydos or player companion on Vudra, it may be a while before Paizo dives back into Tian Xia whole hog. Or not. I'm not privvy to Paizo's plans. Much. :)
<Shameless Plug>
I can't offer you kitsune-in-Golarion stuff except as a "what I would do for my game" suggestion as a fellow fan. I can, as a 3PP freelancer, offer some non-Golarion-IP deliciousness that builds on what Paizo has already laid out for the fox folk:
Rogue Genius's Races Revised: The Kitsune Clans.
The original Super Genius version netted a nice review from Endzeitgeist. ~_^
</Shameless Plug>
That said, nothing wrong with making noise and showing Paizo there's interest in a topic. They do like listening to their customers. :)
Overhead at the last dungeon delve on Sunday of PaizoCon 2k13, otherwise known as Shaqnarok:
Wes Schneider:: Is your character made of more than twenty percent water?
Player: Um...yes?
Wes Schneider: Then Shaq drinks you! Roll a Fortitude save.
Interesting. Not entirely certain how minutely discerning the requsition is (as I personally have more experience in the writer/developer side of the ring), but it's interesting to note the implication of Goodman Games expanding into 3pp Pathfinder.
Hunh, so it is done at that after all. I thought something must have been wrong with my reading of it.
In my game, one of the PCs cooks as a hobby, so I allowed a Craft(cooking)/Profession(chef) check once "Walthus" began cooking. While the faceless stalker could carry a conversation, it wasn't really sure about humanoid cuisine, and made some very basic mistakes, cluing in that party member.
In short, it's possible to work in methods of detection other than Perception and Sense Motive as needed.
Thanks to Christmas money and the local bookstores, it's addendum time.
Addendum:
The Azlanti People
—Emperor Xin and the Runelords of Thassilon were ethnically Azlanti. (ISM)
—Azlanti refugees may have been some of the first humans to settle in Tian Xia. (DEG)
—One theory states that a vast number of Azlanti slain during Earthfall were reincarnated on the opposite side of the world, founding Tian Xia out of the aboleths' scope of influence. (DEG)
Azlanti Culture/Relations
—According to legend, Azlant may have been taught agriculture by the coatl, and Aroden was assisted by couatl after his ascension. (MMR)
Azlanti Architecture
—Hollow Mountain, formerly the capital of Bakrakhan, Thassilon, has one of its deepest levels, the 'Castle of Night', an underground fortress, built as a “mockery of Azlant's archiecture” by the pre-Earthfall nascent demon lord Yamasoth. (DG)
—Nesh, Zura's realm in the Abyss, contains numerous “crumbling castes of Azlanti architecture”. (GB)
Azlanti Magic/Studies/Technology
—Metamagic was in use during the height of Azlant, if not before. (ISM)
—The concept of wizardly school specializations dates back to Azlant, if not before. (SM)
—The Azlanti Cube, thought to be an early cube of force predating their “invention” by Nex, was recovered from the ruins of Azlant and contains writing in a pidgin of Azlanti and Thassilonian. (CTR)
—Figurines of wondrous power predated Azlant and Thassilon, and scholars think some Azlanti figurines might still exist, based on finding Thassilonian examples. (CTR)
—Bulettes were magically engineered by the Azlanti at the start of the Age of Omens[sic]* as guardian beasts, also seeing use in Thassilon, Jistka, and Ancient Osirion. (DDR)
Known Azlanti Sites/Ruins
—Azlanti ruins exist within the Echo Wood, in the far northwest corner of the River Kingdoms; they are nominally claimed by the Protectorate of the Black Marquis. (GRK)
CTR: Classic Treasures Revisited
DDR: Dungeon Denizens Revisited
DEG: Dragon Empires Gazetteer
DG: Dungeons of Golarion
GB: Great Beyond: A Guide to the Multiverse
GRK: Guide to the River Kingdoms
ISM: Inner Sea Magic
MMR: Mythical Monsters Revisited
*You've got me as to what this refers. Possibly should have been the Age of Legend (p. 33 ISWG).
The planar separation... was never mentionned in the books. I assume that it would just disable the mental link they have without killing them, because they could be alive if getting plane-shifted.
Huzzah for thread necromancy.
Were I run to a Dvati pair in my game, I'd say that separation of the sort would not be fatal, but would be intrinsically uncomfortable; if you wanted an easy way to represent it mechanically, having each twin sickened while the link was disrupted might be good for those who might abuse it; otherwise, I might leave it as a fluff thing, in the same way some tieflings might be inherently uncomfortable around holy objects or in churches, with no mechanical repercussions.
H'okay, Azlant. As far as the defunct civilizations of Golarion go, we've probably been given the most information, but it's scattered around various sources, and in nowhere are we given a clear picture what life was like or a clear extent of the empire.
So on that note, this is my attempt to congeal useful and interesting factoids on Azlant and the Azlanti, and provide sources, since the PathfinderWiki is more than a bit outdated and incomplete on the matter. From this, I hope to be able to make non-canonical but logical extensions, hypotheses, and perhaps even a supposition or two. Spoilers, to about the level of actually reading the campaign setting books, exist below, along with more specific spoilers for the Serpent’s Skull adventure path.
The Azlanti People
—Physically tended towards dark, slightly receded hair (red, brown, black), olive to pale skin, and odd eye colors, including violet. (HG, ISWG, PCCS)
—Favored colors in clothing included crimson and deep green. (ISWG, PCCS)
—Names often started with vowels, and did not use surnames. (ISWG, PCCS)
—Once the majority human ethnicity by population. (ISWG, PCCS)
—Thassilonians, their civilization an offshoot of Azlant, were ethnically Azlanti (James Jacobs)
—Those Azlanti fleeing the Earthfall intermarried with local human tribes in Avistan, forming the Chelaxian and Taldan ethnicities. They also fled to the southern coast of Avistan and the northern coast of Garund. (HG)
—No pure High Azlanti remain; some Chelaxians and Taldans with seemingly-Azlanti physical features sometimes take up the known trappings of the Azlanti and call themselves such. (HG, ISWG, PCCS)
—Aroden, due to his agelessness brought on by deific ascension, was considered “The Last (pureblooded) Azlanti” (HG, ISWG, PCCS)
—Other Azlanti-descended peoples include the aquatic Gillmen (a.k.a. “The Low Azlanti”), and the dark folk, mongrelmen, and morlocks descended from those who fled into the Darklands. Skum were originally created from Azlanti humans. (ID, ISWG, PCCS)
Azlanti Culture/Relations
—Kept slaves. (ISWG, PCCS)
—Looked down on nonhumans. (PCCS)
—Warred with the elves. (PCCS)
—Fought with the Serpentfolk, exterminating them from the surface of Golarion, and driving them back to Sekamina. (ID, ISWG, SSA)
—The Azlanti hero Savith personally slew the avatar of the serpentfolk deity of Ydersius in the Darklands city of Ilmurea, but died in the attempt. The city of Saventh-Yhi was founded in her honor above the site of Ilmurea to guard against further Serpentfolk incursions. (ID, SSA)
—Taught/mentored by the aboleth, who eventually became prideful; the aboleth responded pre-emptively by performing a Colony Drop on Golarion, thus creating Eathfall. (HG, ISWG, PCCS)
—High Azlanti mages were haughty, and generally avoided getting their hands dirty/directly touching things if possible. (CP09, FSS)
Azlanti Architecture
—Includes cupolas, interlaced designs (ISWG)
—Includes marble columns, and the Pleasure Salon of Calistria in the columned style of classic Azlanti temples. (GA)
—Favored circular and square layouts, often nested or inscribed within one another. (CP09, FSS)
—Azlanti architecture on Garund incorporated stepped stones ziggurats. (SSAP)
—Included self-opening doors in some sites. (CP09, FSS)
—Inspired much of the architecture in Absalom and Andoran; the former’s Azlanti Era of architecture was largely designed by Aroden himself. (GA, ISWG, PCCS).
—The architecture of Ilvarandin, while a hodge-podge, contains some Azlanti elements. (ID)
The Azlanti Language
—Some to much of the actual language has been lost, though there’s enough for scholars to translate from, and it remains something of a liturgical language. (ISWG, PCCS)
—High Chelaxian Opera features librettos in Azlanti. (PCCS)
—The Mordant Spire elves are probably the last society to fluently speak Azlanti. (ISWG, PCCS)
—One of the most-spoken languages of its day, and influenced such languages as Hallit, Polyglot, Taldane (Common), and Varisian. (ISWG, PCCS)
—Absalom’s motto “Ex Prothex” (“From the First”) is Azlanti. (GA)
— Saventh-Yhi = “Savith’s Grave” (SSA)
Azlanti Magic/Studies/Technology
—Ioun stones were originally Azlanti, though the Thassilonians and the Pathfinder Society would later study and advance them. (CP09, SS)
—The Azlanti were obsessed with orbits (including those of celestial bodies), and not only made orreries and models of the Dark Tapestry, but entire floating buildings revolving around a central point. (CP09, FSS)
—Certain High Azlanti forewent traditional books for auto-levitating copper-leafed codices. (CP09, FSS)
—Some Azlanti magic items were in the form of metallic plates that when activated, would disassemble themselves and reposition themselves on or floating around a person, as if an article of jewelry or clothing. (FSS)
—Most Azlanti sites bear auras of extensive preservative magics, often reducing 10,000+ years of wear down to the equivalent of a few thousand. (ISWG, SSAP)
—The Azlanti possessed advanced knowledge of optics and lenses. (CP09, FSS, ISWG, LCG)
—Under the aboleths, the Azlanti developed “unparalleled art, philosophy, and science” in addition to magic. (ISWG)
—Entrapped/imprisoned/cultivated will-o’-wisps for lighting “like tulips” in glass cylinders. (CP09, FSS, LCG)
Known Azlanti Sites/Ruins
—Most Azlanti colonies were on the borders of the Inner Sea, and generally fall into three categories: the literal foundations for modern cities, ruined/little historical significance, or undiscovered and presumably valuable. (PCCS)
—What’s left of the continent of Azlant is a continent-sized archipelago of hazardous tors, mountains, reefs, and towers, jutting up from the Arcadian Ocean, and patrolled by the Mordant Spire Elves. (ISWG, PCCS).
—Escadar on the Isle of Kortos was built on an older Azlanti site, and houses an embassy for the gillmen. (GA)
—The Sightless Sea, the largest Orvian vault of the Darklands and one of the largest holds of the aboleth, is more or less directly underneath the continent of Azlant. (ID)
—Saventh-Yhi (“Savith’s Grave”) was an inland colony in the Mwangi on Garund, above the site of the serpentfolk city of Ilmurea, and survived Earthfall. (SSA)
—The Sun Temple Colony was a semi-recent attempt by Andoran to establish a colony on the ruined continent of Azlant itself. It Got Worse™. (ISWG, LCG, PCCS)
Azlanti Religion
—The Azlanti often had seemingly bizarre interpretations of the gods, by modern standards. (CP09, SSAP)
—Abadar was seen as a god of cities and wealth moreso than a deity of law. (SSAP)
—Acavna was a goddess of battle and the moon, who vanished/died shortly before Earthfall. (SSAP)
—Achaekek was seen as a god of monsters and natural disasters than as a god of assassinations. (SSAP)
—Amaznen was a pre-Nethys(?) god of magic, whose worship (and name!) was forbidden in Thassilon; he perished during Earthfall. (SSAP)
—Curchanus, a deity of travel, beasts, and endurance and mentor to Desna, survived Earthfall to be slain by Lamashtu. (GM, SSAP)
—Desna was seen primarily as a goddess of the stars/astronomy. (SSAP)
—Groetus was a late addition to the pantheon, added close to Earthfall. (SSAP)
—The demon lord Nurgal was considered the “vengeful aspect” of the sun, and placated. (LCG, SSAP)
—Pharasma was seen as a patron of prophecy moreso than as judge of the dead. (SSAP)
—Shelyn was seen as the muse and patron of the arts, and not of beauty. (SSAP)
—The demon lord Zura was originally an Azlanti queen whose thirst for immortality led to her dark ascension. Cults of Zura were infiltrating Azlant at the time of Earthfall, and might have undermined the civilization had Earthfall not happened. (LC, SSAP)
Sources
CP09: Chronicles: Pathfinder podcast #9, with Brandon Hodge
FSS: From Shore to Sea
GA: Guide to Absalom
GM: Gods and Magic
HG: Humans of Golarion
ID: Into the Darklands
ISWG: Inner Sea World Guide
James Jacobs: The word of the Creative Dinosaur himself, i.e. from a Paizo website or forum post.
LC: Book of the Damned vol. 2: Lords of Chaos
LCG: Lost Cities of Golarion
PCCS: Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting
SSAP: Serpent’s Skull Adventure Path
SS: Seekers of Secrets
Of the lovably hardassed face-punching enforcers of law that are the hellknights, the minor order known as the Order of the Coil, like that of the Orders of the Crux*, Pike, and Star, gets one brief paragraph of lore, be it on the preview blog, or on page 65 of AP #27:What Lies in Dust. And that's it, really.
In short, they're based in or around Eleder, and hunt down those who try to find, recover, and return Mwangi/Sargavan relics to civilization (especially the Pathfinders). Sadly, there's been zero discussion about them on the forums, and absolutely no mention of them in an AP that gives us the freaking gazetteer on Eleder.
To that note, I ask if and how any one used/had them show up in their Serpent's Skull games, and propose a thread (remarkably shaped like this one) for ideas thereof.
*Technically the undead leader of the now-mostly-destroyed Order of the Crux got his own writeup in Undead Revisited, but my point stands.
My Own Two Coppers, with spoilers:
•The Order of the Coil quietly sponsored the revolt in Racing to Ruin in a 'for the greater law' outcome, to stop the PCs' expedition in its infancy. Actually oppressing the heathen Mwangi peoples is the Order of the Pyre's job.
•The Order of the Coil works with the Order of the Pyre in Sargava, the former concentrating around Eleder, while sending info to the Pyre, who hunts for folks out in the field. Both sometimes band together to stop Pathfinder expeditions.
•Post-game, once the magical wards on Saventh-Yhi are down (or earlier if one of the Factions tip them off), the Coil and/or Pyre move in to the city in a desperate attempt to suppress the city's discovery and recovery.
•The Serpentfolk see the name 'Order of the Coil' as a sign to their Dark God™, and have either infiltrated them before the campaign or after, with a few extremely-law-leaning reincarneted Coils of Ydersius joining the organization as 'humans', while steering them to darker ends.
As DM's did you have the adventure start on the ship? Or on the island waking up? Should the adventure start on the on the ship and role play things out?
Also, what if they refuse to eat when offered dinner?
I started with a narrator-style recap of when the PCs and NPCs got on the ship, and PCs got to choose whether or not they had gotten along with the various NPCs (except Jask) along the voyage. The dinner was a typical dinner, supplemented by a bottle of red wine courtesy of the first mate Alton, though those that made their Sense Motive rolls noticed the captain and first mate were a little "off", though the conclusion suggested was that they were on mild narcotics (of the sort sailors would use to fight off fatigue or seasickness). Since the dinner was typical fare, there wasn't any in-character reason not to partake in the meal. I also had folks roll for Initiative at the meal, not Fortitude saves, and the character with the highest Con half-woke up on the boat ride over to shore (with a "come on, hang in there" heard from Alton) before passing out again. The idea being that there were enough doses of poison in the meal that the Fort save itself really didn't matter.
I also started the party on the Shiv with much reduced gear (while vaguely alluding to/warning them of such). Characters kept their backpacks, armor, and similar critical gear (spell component pouches, starting firearms for gunslingers, etc.) or things 'bought' with traits or feats critical to the character. Everything else was subject to a d% roll on an item-by-item basis:
0-45%: Lost forever
46-85%: On the ship, in a pile next to Alton's body in the Jenivere's storeroom. The idea being that Alton intended to make an additional trip and wasn't able to.
86-100%: Found on the gear pile on the beach.
I applied the same rolls to the NPCs, so for instance, Aerys had a quiver but no bow and no arrows, and Gelik had a bow, but no arrows, sword, or buckler.
It may not be for everyone, but it emphasized the survival aspects, made gear recovered from shipwrecks precious, and encouraged the group to gather supplies to craft things: A quarterstaff can be whittled without any additional supplies, arrows could be made from branches, chert* from rocks on the beach, feathers from birds or pterosaurs, and natural latex-based glues from breadfruit trees, etc. In these cases, I used Survival checks to gather crafting ingredients, rather than using the items' monetary costs.
*Treated as flint or obsidian from Ultimate Combat. The fragile property doesn't matter much for single-use arrows, but said materials could also be used for spears or javelins, using mending to fix things on a break.
My game involved starting with maximum-for-class gold, with the caveat that most of the items would not actually survive (the shipwreck of the Jenivere). Characters kept clothing/armor, backpack, waterskins, and any class/trait 'essential' gear (heirloom items, a Pathfinder's wayfinder, a gunslinger's starting weapon, etc.). Then I rolled on a d% for every other item the PC's and the NPC castaways had:
0-45: Item lost and gone forever.
46-85: Item recoverable from the Jenivere, in a secondary gear pile by Alton Devers' body.
86-100: Item starts the game on the beach gear pile.
Needless to say, my group started with little and has virtually no ranged weapons, making the shipwrecks and the Craft skill (using wood, bird/pterosaur feathers, sinew from goats, etc.) all that more important.
D1. Tattooed Lady
The wreck in question is a single-decked, dual-masted sailing ship*, beached in an isolated tidal pool. From a distance, it's clear that it's not sailing again: the ship is broken in half, and tilted on its side, the keel was punctured nearly stem to stern by coral, as if a giant-sized knife had put a gash through the bottom. The wood's old, but it's hard to tell how old. A grime-encrusted nameplate reads "The Tattooed Lady". There are several sun-bleached skeletons in the tidal pool, jumbles of bones picked apart by scavengers or sea creatures.
*A DC 10 Knowledge(engineering) or Profession(sailor) check recognizes the design as an Arcadian schooner; A DC 15 Knowledge(geography or local) or Profession(sailor) check is enough to know that such swift, narrow ships are favored by smugglers.
Terrain: The tidal pool that runs in front of and between the halves of the ship rarely gets more than a few feet deep (difficult terrain).
Creatures: The wreck, is of course, guarded by 5 skeletons that reassemble themselves to attack as soon as living creatures get within 30 feet. The skeletons are unarmored (AC 14) and unarmed, attacking with their claws.
Treasure: The ship has been thoroughly picked up, either by previous survivors or by the elements. Any significant search of the ship finds a small battered strongchest amongst the wreckage. A DC 20 Perception check finds a small iron key hidden under the rotting mattress in the captain's cabin, which opens the chest (A DC 20 Disable Device can also pick the lock; bashing the chest open breaks the holy water but the other loot stays intact).
Inside are:
•A brass scroll case (1gp) with an arcane scroll with the bardic spells feather step (CL 1st, 10 min) and restful sleep (50 gp). Gelik can use it if the party can't; failing that, one can substitute two 1st level utility spells that are on the party spellcaster's class list.
•A dagger with sheath. (2 gp)
•A blown glass flask of holy water, with the symbol of Sarenrae on it (15 gp)
•2 platinum pieces (sphinxes), of Absalom minting
D3. The Golden Bow
The Golden Bow is an Ulfen longship, some seventy feet long and twenty feet wide. It lies upright, leaning to starboard, and devoid of sail, oar, or rudder, on a gravel beach some one hundred yards from an eighty-foot tall bluff (the ridge indicated on the island map). All of the ship's wood feels damp and greasy to the touch. A sturdy improvised gangplank connects the ground with the front starboard portion of the deck. Climbing down the cliffs or otherwise approaching the ship causes a cold fog to roll in that reduces visibility down to 30 feet; creatures 35-40 ft. away have concealment, and creatures further away have total concealment.
Terrain: Because of the ship's tilt, a creature standing uphill (toward port) from another creature gains a +1 bonus on melee attacks, as per normal; the angle does not otherwise impede travel.
Creatures: The wreck of the Golden Bow is haunted by the ship's one-time captain, an Ulfen raider and viking, Storhoi the Bold (a draugr) and his "crew" of four zombies (AC 14 as they wear broken leather armor and broken heavy wooden shields; they wield broken battleaxes instead of using their slams). When the party steps on the boat, Storhoi announces himself (and the name of his boat), his outline and glowing blue eyes vaguely visible despite the fog, and "commands" his zombie crew to attack the intruders. He spends 1-2 rounds lambasting the crew before actually joining the fight. Once all the undead are destroyed, the fog slowly clears on its own.
Treasure:
•Storhoi's greataxe is plain, but serviceable (20 gp), a single-edged daneaxe instead of the generic double-headed labrys style.
A brief search of the ship turns up the following intact items:
•a lapis-inlaid temple sword (30 gp w/ 25 gp. of decoration); the weapon type can be substituted for another martial or exotic weapon with which someone in the party is proficient.
•2x ceremonial heavy steel shields (20 gp each). They lack grips, but could be finished into shields with a proper Craft check; they could also be used as unusual skillets or woks for cooking.
•A plain walrus ivory drinking horn (80 gp)
•A set of masterwork leatherworking tools (55 gp)*.
*There's enough components to cannibalize the zombies' broken leather armor into one intact Medium suit of leather armor or two Small suits of leather armor with a DC 12 Craft check. The tools also allow the party to harvest and tan leathers and hides harvested on the island, for making clothing, leather armor, hide armor, and (gasp!) hide shirts (which require 1d3 shiv dragons per Medium hide shirt) for those parties short on defense; a GM could allow the harvesting of materials with a Craft or Survival check to waive the gp cost of materials, though it's unlikely that there's enough skill and pristine materials to make masterwork armor "free".
I actually made an alternate shipwreck table. Still mostly aquatic animals and undead, but a bit more variety...
On that note, with the benefit of two bestiaries and a pdf of the Tome of Horrors Complete [ominous thunderclap], I'd also recommend the following to be used on Smuggler's Shiv:
•Giant centipedes (Bestiary 1, variants pre-statted on the d20PFSRD site)
•Compsognathus (under "Dinosaur", Bestiary 2)
•Draugr (Bestiary 2, can be used with an Ulfen-themed shipwreck)
•Sargavan Boar (fluff ISWG p. 255, boar with "young" template, also on d20PFSRD)
•Skeleton Champion (basic warrior 1 version, Bestiary 2)
•Brine zombie (CR 1, Tome of Horrors Complete)
•Slow viper (CR 3, Tome of Horrors Complete)
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Razz wrote:
The Advanced Rogue Talent Confounding Blades does the exact same thing as the Rogue Talent Slow Reactions in the Pathfinder Core book. I assume Confounding Blades was meant to do something else?
On that note, the Advanced Rogue Talent Hard to Fool has several issues.
Next, compare it with Slippery Mind from the Core, another Advanced Talent:
Slippery Mind: If you fail a save vs. an enchantment spell, you get one extra chance at the same DC a round later on your turn.
UC-Hard to Fool: If you are subject to a mind-affecting effect at the start of your turn, you may make a Will save at the same DC to no longer be affected by it. In addition, you treat no-save mind-affecting abilities as it they had a save DC.
Problem 2: Enchantments, by definition are all mind-affecting spells. So, by RAW, the UC-Hard to Fool is broader in application than Slippery Mind.
Problem 3: Slippery Mind works once. UC-Hard to Fool doesn't list a limit on recurrence, merely "At the start of her turn, if she is still subject".
So, two Advanced Rogue Talents covering the same niche, with the UC talent clearly more powerful than the core even on a 1:1 basis. The ability to get a save on no-save effects is just the icing on the proverbial cake.
H'okay, done, finally. I expanded my random notes to a semi-workable writeup, and included it, all my notes, my PSD map file, and three .jpg versions of the map (unkeyed, keyed with room numbers, keyed and monster-populated). The entire package is a 4.8 MB .zip file:
The Pit, Homebrew Edition
To expand on thenovalord's answer, BP in Kingmaker are an abstract representation of materiel and capital, so the rough 2k-4k gp equivalent depends on whether it's purely in cash or whether it includes material, labor, and so forth.
The 3.0 Stronghold Builder's Guide (which is mainly for building castles, but I digress), lists a "Basic Stable" for 1,000 gp, which covers stalls for six Large creatures, a water trough, and hardware to hang tack on the dividing walls.
Presumably, if you and your party (and possibly Oleg) were providing your own labor, your GM might rule that, like smaller items craftable with the Craft skills, which would knock that price down to roughly one-third. And likewise, since Oleg's is a Trading Post, barter might well be used as a form of payment. Talk to your GM and get his thoughts, sir.
House Rules
Your players have an idea for a new building? You decide the way they handled that quest or that negotiation improved their kingdom as a whole? Awesome. Make up the crunch rules to match and run with it. Kingmaker is exactly the sort of campaign for this sort of thing, and the Paizo staff, bless them, will come out and admit, there's only so much they squeeze in a single Adventure Path book.
Respect the Rules, but Don't Let Them Govern You
As sort of an extension to the rules above, rules are a tool and a guideline, not shackles. If it makes sense for the NPCs in government (or other prominent NPCs, such as on-staff adventurers) to gain levels over time, go for it. The rules are silent on an issue, but a proposed solution makes sense? All the better.
Don't Be Afraid to Make Fluff Up
Your player wants or needs a foil/ally/cohort/follower, but none exist? Oh noes! Invoke Rule 0 and make it up; heck, conspire with your players.
Make Your Own Player Guide
If you're playing at a table, either you as GM or the party secretary can take notes about the names and faces you meet, what your current quests are, how far it takes to travel over that Mountain Hex on foot or steed, and so forth. Type it up, hand it to your players are regular intervals. If playing via chat, email, play-by-post, or virtual tabletop, collate the above sorts of notes into a document and electronically send it to your players. When your players have that cheat sheet available, it cuts down on repeated easy questions, and having names and short blurbs (e.g. "Vekkel Benzen, retired hunter and assistant to Oleg and Svetlana at Oleg's Trading Post. [ranger/expert]") available makes roleplaying easier and makes a large cast of named NPC's feasible. Players usually don't care about Nameless Commoner #324 or remember her. They will remember goodwife Irenka, the farmer who let the party weather over a storm in her barn after tracking down that werewolf to protect the kingdom.
So, nab the Paizo Player's Guide, make your own, and give both to your players.
Sift Through the Forums for Resources You Like...and Give Back
Not to hurt anyone's feelings, but not every post is useful or insightful. But there are a lot that are. Still, not everyone will jive with you or your players; take what you want and leave the rest. And give your good ideas back to your fellow GMs and players. I got tired of only having 17 random kingdom events. So I checked the forums, found nothing, and started a new thread for new kingdom events. I've since personally written another two dozen of my own, which have been collated with the help of other forum-goers. Be sure to check the Forum Archives...just because it hasn't been recently posted doesn't make it unimportant.
General:
•The Sticky Threads (they're at the top of the Kingmaker forums)
•Who Are Your Kingmakers? Get a feel for what other groups are comprised of.
•Kingmaker Obituaries Sometimes it's the player's fault, sometimes it's the GM to blame, and sometimes it's the luck of the dice, but there are lessons to be learned here, if only "don't do this".
•Kingdom {and} City Names Again, getting a feel for what others have made and done; might spark some ideas.
• Kingmaker House Rules By Nethys A good example of a varied and useful set of Kingmaker House Rules.
•Custom Expanded Kingdom Events Table My own horn, sir. You may consider it blown.
And just to irritate my fellows in their efforts in collating things, here's four more events from my game table:
New Event: Ghosts of Kingdoms Past (continuous)
A ghost of a figure from the region’s past appears to haunt travelers; choose a hex with a road or a city district randomly; this is where the ghost appears. The kingdom gains a -4 penalty to Stability checks until resolved; after this, the PCs or their agents can attempt to make contact with the spirit or otherwise exorcise it. Roll 1d4:
1d4
1: The spirit is hostile, tortured, or otherwise unreasonable; if left to its own devices, violence and further unrest are the outcome. Add 2 Unrest that cannot be removed by any other means until the spirit is dealt with (either by through combat or by a Stability check). Once removed, this 2 Unrest and the Stability penalty from this event immediately disappear.
2-3: The spirit is neutral, confused, or simply cannot move on to its eternal reward on its own. It may have unfinished business or simply not understand how to leave. If the spirit is aided (via a Stability check or roleplaying) and crosses over, it blesses the kingdom. Remove the Stability penalty from this event and gain a +2 bonus on all kingdom rolls until your next Event phase.
4: The spirit is helpful, skillful, and not willing to cross over until it has taught its secrets to the living. While this could be a great boon, its ghostly nature and ancient mannerisms don’t mesh well. The spirit’s aid immediately reduces Unrest by 2 and produces one free BP every turn during Step 1 of the kingdom’s income phase (as if by a deposit) for the duration of one year, after which the ghost departs…but make a Loyalty check. On a success the Stability penalty is removed; failure, the Stability check penalty persists for the same one year duration.
New Event: It’s More Likely Than You Think
A prominent NPC in one of your cities is revealed to be under foreign influences—this can be as simple as a bribe or a charm effect, or something more sinister such as the NPC being possessed or replaced by a doppelganger. Make a Stability check; if you succeed by five or more, you successfully defuse the situation; if you succeed by less than five, you smooth over the situation, but lose the NPC’s benefit to your kingdom (whether through defection, retirement, death, etc.); if you fail, your kingdom gains 1d4 Unrest and loses the NPC’s benefits.
Special: A kingdom with a Spymaster adds that Spymaster’s associated ability modifier as a bonus to the Stability check (this can stack if the Spymaster was already modifying Stability).
New Event: Wedding in the Wilds (foreign policy)
A noble from another state wishes to use the kingdom’s facilities for their wedding, possibly owing to political or religious issues back home. If accepted, improve the disposition of that country’s leaders by one step, gain 2 BP as compensation and increased business, but gain 1 Unrest and a -2 penalty to Loyalty and Stability checks until your next Event phase from the commotion. If rejected, the kingdom’s ruler or grand diplomat must make a Diplomacy skill check to convince them why not; success subtracts 1 BP from the treasury as a wedding present, while failure worsens that country’s disposition by one step.
New Event: Practical Peripatetic Pedagogy
A famous-in-their-field scholar, sage, or theoretical mage lacking in foresight and self-preservation has come to your kingdom to study something of interest to their suitably obscure subdiscipline of knowledge for their alma mater. Make a Stability check at a -5 penalty; on a success, the scholar’s fieldwork brings new insight into their art; increase the Kingdom’s Treasury by 1d4 BP, and roll on the following table:
1d10
1-Knowledge (arcana)
2-Knowledge (dungoneering)
3-Knowledge (engineering)
4-Knowledge (geography)
5-Knowledge (history)
6-Knowledge (local)
7-Knowledge (nature)
8-Knowledge (nobility)
9-Knowledge (planes)
10-Knowledge (religion)
Due to increased awareness of the topic, until your next Event phase, all checks for the Knowledge skill in question made within the borders of your kingdom receive a +2 circumstance bonus. In addition, the scholar leaves an extra copy of their journal as a gift; this is a physical object that can be consulted with 10 minutes of work to allow a Knowledge check to the same skill rolled on the d10 at a +5 circumstance bonus, but only if pertaining to the scholar’s research topic; like a library, this research journal allows for retries, provided they are on the research topic contained in the book. On a failed Stability check, the scholar is unable to finish, and the resulting fallout and the political weight of their patron causes 2 Unrest and a -2 on Loyalty checks until your next Event phase.
Special: The cost of Hiring Adventurers during this Event Phase is halved if they’re put to work escorting the scholar (i.e. used to modify this event’s Stability check).
I can't remember what post it was in, but someone put up a link to an automatic item generator where you put in what type (minor, major, etc.) and it spat you out what it was. Might not be precisely what you're looking for, but you should be able to search the message boards for "random magic item generator" and come up with more than a few links or apps.
ChrisO
Here's one of the few I've found that's updated to Pathfinder-compatible spec, as opposed to 3.5:
From the first encounter at Oleg’s, the bandits at Thorn Ford are on alert, and the “key” phrase learned there is changed weekly down at the big guy’s pad. Seems a little “short” to leave room for exploring??
Quite certain that I’m missing something key here and that the timeline isn’t nearly as tight as this. Looking forward to someone pointing out exactly where so I can breathe easily for my poor PCs. :)
When in doubt, GM fiat. Or more specifically, taking the sketch of the Adventure Path and running with it and expanding it as works for you and your party. Here's how I handled this:
In my game, the Thorn River Camp isn't exactly in frequent communication with the Stag Lord's Fort. The Greenbelt, is, after all, unexplored wilderness, and it's both tedious and dangerous to travel between the two. You could also suppose that The Stag Lord has his more notable allies in his fort, while newer bandits are kept at Thorn River until they prove themselves as valuable assets to the gang.
I interpreted the week thing as "if a (named) bandit escapes, they'll make it back to the Stag Lord in about a week to change the password". Otherwise, no harm, no foul, and if your PC's want to be sneaky and RP bluffing their way into the fort (especially with the liqueur meant for the Stag Lord), you shouldn't unduly punish them for taking their time. If it's winter, the delay may be actually be longer. Lesser bandits probably don't exactly have the pull to casually report back to the Stag Lord, and would be hesitant to be bearers of bad news. And well, you could always roll random encounters for the escaping NPC; the party might later find them mauled as they attempted to return.
Nameless bandits may be simple thugs or even local hunters press-ganged into helping the Thorn River camp (since they'd no doubt be better hunters than the highwayman), and if your party insists on attacking the Stag Lord's Fort at low-level, perhaps a few said hunters would be willing to help the group in exchange for freeing them from their obligations under Kressle et al.
More events, courtesy of Alex (me) and Alex (player):
New Event: Look What I Found!: A citizen finds a small cache of treasure, perhaps with connections to Iobaria, Numeria, or previous attempts to colonize the Stolen Lands, including a notable magic item. Roll 1d10 to determine the effect that this discovery has on your kingdom:
d10
1: The item is cursed. The GM chooses an appropriate (and nasty) cursed item to unleash on the innocent discoverer, and potentially the locals. Make a Stability check: on a success, the kingdom or PCs deal with the item; on a failure, increase Unrest by 2.
2-6: Add a temporary minor item slot to one random District until your next Event phase, immediately filling it. This item can be bought by PC’s or sold via the Income Phase as per normal; this slot and any unsold item disappear during the next Event Phase.
7-9: As 2-6, but the temporary item slot is a medium magic item.
10: As 2-6, but the temporary item slot is a major magic item.
New Event: Unusual Migrations: Animals that are not typically native to The Stolen Lands unexpectedly appear in large numbers. Make a Stability check; if successful, you gain 1d4 BP due to additional trade in furs, leather, and meat. On a failure, reduce your kingdom’s Treasury by 1d4 BP as the animals wreak havoc on local crops and scare off native game.
New Event: Tears of Curchanus: An infrequent meteor shower (first described by the astronomers of Skywatch) known as the Tears of Curchanus is visible for much of the month. Some sages claim that these falling stars represent the ill-fated battle between the fallen deity of beasts and the Mother of Monsters, and for good or for ill, the event has a subtle influence on beasts. Roll d% to determine the effect:
d%
1-19: Tainted Tears. Until your next Event phase, animals, magical beasts, and monstrous humanoids have a +2 profane bonus on attack and damage rolls against non-evil humanoids.
20-80: Tears of Rage. Until your next Event phase, the chances of all wilderness random encounters increases by 10%.
81-99: Blessed Tears. Until your next Event phase, non-evil humanoids have a +2 sacred bonus on attack and damage rolls against animals, magical beasts, and monstrous humanoids.
100: Starfall. A small meteorite strikes a random claimed or explored hex in your kingdom, bringing with it a small but notable chunk of skymetal. Increase your Treasury by 2d6 BP (each time you roll a 6, reroll that die and add the result to the total). The GM may determine the type and worth of the skymetal should the PCs wish to claim it for their own use.
New Event: Are You Asking for a Challenge?: Select one of the PCs at random, and select a skill they excel in or prefer. An expert in that field comes to your kingdom to challenge them in a public contest of that skill. Assume the expert has a modifier of +12 to that given skill; accepting the contest means a series of best-out-of-three opposed skill checks between the two, with no outside aid allowed. Success bolsters the PC’s reputation and makes their words and deeds carry that much more weight in the short term; double the bonus the PC grants to their kingdom from their chosen position until the following event phase. Failure disheartens the people, and more than likely the PC themselves; halve the bonus the PC grants instead (rounded down), and make a Stability check or gain 1 Unrest. If the challenge is outright rejected, make a Stability check or gain 2 Unrest, as the would-be challenger slanders the PC on his or her way back out of the region.
New Event: Was That Here Yesterday?: Select a claimed hex that does not currently have a City District or Farm (or Mine, Mill, Logging Camp, Fort, etc.). A village springs up here, formed by immigrants and locals alike; it initially has a population of 1d4x20 and add the result of the 1d4 to the kingdom’s Treasury in BP. Should a City District be developed on this hex, it starts with a free House. In addition, roll 1d6:
d6
1: Den of Thieves: The “village” is little more than a hideout for bandits, rogues, and smugglers. Increase Unrest by 2.
2-5: Ordinary Hamlet: There is nothing of significant interest in the village.
6: Cottage Industry: An Exotic Craftsman, Shop, Smithy, or Tradesman opens in the village, away from the hustle and bustle, at the GM’s choice. Should a City District be developed on this hex, the chosen building is added for free, adjacent to the above House.
New Event: Maybe It Fell off a Wagon: A healthy cache of a rare material of the GM’s choice is found and put to use by local craftsmen, artisans, and smiths. Increase your kingdom’s Treasury by 1d4 (each time you roll a 4, reroll than die and add the results to the total), and until the next Event Phase, PCs may waive the special material cost of any items commissioned using that special material, up to a limit of 2000 gp x the BP gained in this fashion.
New Event: Vanished Without a Trace: A ship or wagon is found near a major route, damaged and devoid of crew. No corpses or survivors are found, and no clear sign of what actually happened can be gleaned. This…unnerves the populace as rumors and theories spread like wildfire. Make a Stability check; a success means you curtail hearsay and gain just 1 Unrest; on a failure you gain 1d4 Unrest.
New Event: Dueling Diplomats (foreign policy): Diplomats from two at-odd powers decide to use your kingdom as neutral ground and an audience. Their bickering is both frustrating and puts the future of diplomatic relations with both countries at risk. The PCs may either intervene directly (with roleplaying or Diplomacy checks as appropriate) or you may make a Stability check. Success raises the disposition of either both countries towards you by one step OR if you choose to take sides, one country by two steps. Failure lowers the dispositions of both countries’ leaders towards your kingdom by one step, increase Unrest by 2, and imposes a -2 penalty on Stability checks until your next Event phase.
New Event: They Got too Old for This: A war hero from a neighboring country seeks a quiet corner of the world to retire to and picks one of your cities. Choose a City District at random; the war hero’s experience and advice permanently increases the Defense value of that District by 1.
Delayed a day, but up nonetheless. A hearty cheer to Alex, one of my players, for tag-teaming ideas with me.
New Event: Omen of the Faith
Despite being the Age of Lost Omens, a sign or portent of unusual veracity appears in your kingdom, with significance to a specific faith. Worshippers and priests of that god temporarily flock to your nation. Roll 1d8 to determine which deity is involved; your kingdom gains 1 Unrest as the populace grows nervous and uneasy about the omen, in addition to the listed effect. (If your kingdom has a temple or cathedral to that deity, or at least a shrine and a significant following, ignore this 1 Unrest, but further effects still happen).
1d8
1-Calistria: You gain a +2 to Economy and Loyalty checks until the next Event phase; if none of your Districts contain a Brothel or Luxury Store, gain another 1 Unrest.
2-Cayden Cailean: You gain a number of BP equal to the total number of Breweries, Inns, and Taverns in your City Districts (minimum 2 BP).
3-Desna: You gain a +1 on Loyalty checks for every Academy and Monument your kingdom contains (minimum +2) until your next Event Phase.
4-Gorum: Until your next Event Phase, the Consumption cost to maintain your armies is halved, and all of your armies gain a +2 bonus on Morale checks.
5-Gyronna: Lose 2d6 BP, gain another 2 Unrest.
6-Hanspur: Gain 2d6 BP, gain another 2 Unrest.
7-Norgober: Each of your Alchemist and Herbalist buildings gains a temporary minor magic item slot until your next Event phase (see the Varisian Caravan event). You take a -6 penalty to Stability until your next Event phase; if none of your Districts contain an Alchemist or Herbalist, gain another 1 Unrest.
8-Other/GM’s Choice: Choose one of the above, another deity prominent in your kingdom, or another faith to your liking.
Note: Some of these events are marked as "foreign policy", as they influence not only your kingdom, but the opinions of neighboring kingdoms. Some GMs may choose to exclude using them, and if they choose to use them, probably should not determine the countries involved randomly.
New Event: Just Passing Through (foreign policy): A neighboring country needs to move its troops, import personnel or war materiel or important personnel through your lands. If your kingdom allows this, increase the disposition of said kingdom’s leaders towards your kingdom’s leaders by one step, but if said disposition was not already at Indifferent or better, increase Unrest by 1 and you take a -2 penalty to all Stability and Loyalty checks until the following Event phase. If your kingdom refuses, decrease the disposition of said country’s leaders towards your country’s leaders by one step.
New Event: Party Time! Excellent!: The populace decides to throw a major celebration on its own initiative. Until your next Event phase, treat the Festivals Edict as if it were one step higher at no additional Consumption cost.
New Event: Detour (continuous): Chose a random hex with a road that (eventually) connects to one of your cities. A catastrophe renders the road in this hex unusable until cleared and/or rebuilt. Unless action is taken, treat that hex as if it did not have a road for 1d4 turns, treating your overall number of road hexes as one lower and suffering a -1 penalty to Loyalty and Economy checks for an equal number of turns. This event can be ended early either by in-character action—such as directing troops or using magic to restore the region (as the GM sees fit)—or by spending an BP equal to what it would normally cost to build a road in that hex.
New Event: They All Meet in a Tavern: Someone else in your kingdom decided they needed the aid of adventurers, and hired a party of them on the side to deal with a hopefully minor problem. Their success or failure can have a ripple effect on the region: make an Economy, Stability, or Loyalty check, GM’s choice; success adds a +2 bonus to that given check until your next Event phase, while failure instead adds a -2 penalty for the same duration.
I'll have a few more sometime later todarrow (Monday), but until then, here's a fun new one:
New Event: Meddling Do-Gooders (continuous)
A group of well-meaning Lawful adventurers, a notable paladin, or a hellknight takes up post in your kingdom. While this helps keep your kingdom stable, their ways don't mesh well with the River Freedoms and they frequently impede trade. You gain a +4 bonus on Stability checks, but take a -2 on Economy and Loyalty checks. They can be convinced to leave, but you must make a Loyalty check or the nation gains 2 Unrest as they leave on unfavorable terms.
New Event: Smuggler Activity
Whether importing pesh and poisons or merely legal goods through questionable means, your kingdom has seen a short-term boom in smuggled goods before the market niche collapsed. Increase the treasury by 2d6 BP (each time you roll a 6, reroll that die and its results to the total), but the kingdom Unrest increases by 1 for every 2 BP gained in this way, to a maximum of 6. A successful Loyalty check reduces the Unrest to 1, but also reduces the BP gained by half. (A kingdom may willingly fail this Loyalty check if desired).
New Event: Surveyor
A wandering surveyor offers to improve your maps of your kingdom. Make a Stability check; on a success, the surveyor reveals a hidden site on any claimed hex or hex the PC's have explored, or if they've found all sites on their explored hexes, the surveyor fully explores a new hex adjacent to the kingdom's borders, the PCs getting the exploration XP as normal. On a failed check, the surveyor is chased off by bad conditions or monsters, and tales of his expedition increase Unrest by 2.
New Event: Population Boom
News of one of your cities' greatness has inspired a new wave of immigrants to become vassals. Although they don't bring much in the way of wealth, they do help the local markets and workforce. Choose an empty city block in one of your City Districts; that block becomes a free House on your next Improvement Phase (this does count towards your global limit of Houses built in one Kingdom Turn). If you have no empty blocks in your prepared City Districts, this event is wasted.
New Event: Varisian Caravan
A wandering Varisian caravan visits one of your cities, along with a few suspected Sczarni. You gain a +2 bonus on Economy and Loyalty checks but suffer a -4 penalty on all Stability checks until your next Event Phase. In addition, until your next Event Phase, one random City District has 1 additional minor item slot and 1 medium item slot; these generate magic items on your next Upkeep Phase and can be bought by PC's or sold via the Income Phase as per normal; these slots and any unsold items disappear during the next Event Phase.
Somehow, I doubt that all the forum is familiar with the work in question, but as far as geopolitical anthropomorphisms of fictitious states go...
Axis Powers: Golarion
Absalom-a male human whose clothing is a haphazard mismatch of a dozen countries, who compares every situation or place to some part of the City at the Center of the World. Invites other countries to sign trading agreements with him, and tries to stay impartial.
Alkenstar-a female human gunslinger with Old West-style clothing who grumbles at the use of magic, but is shockingly polite when Geb and Nex are involved, and tries to keep the peace between the two.
Andoran-a female human Eagle Knight with a heavy dose of Eagleland tendencies, a pet falcon on her shoulder, and a continual argument with Cheliax. Sometimes has to fill out forms and talk with the People's Council to get anything done. Her navy frequently battles Katapesh and the Shackles.
Belkzen-a stereotypical orc whose solution to most problems is to invade with a horde of orcs.
Brevoy-A human noblewoman with a heavy fur coat and an ambiguous fake-Eastern European accent. Argues against herself with dragon finger puppets representing Issia and Rostland. Often seen with an Aldori dueling sword.
Cheliax-The ever-slinky sexy devil-binding wizardess, who is keen to offer comparisons to the laws of hell, call on her pet hellknights for help, and only offer her friends help if they "sign this little ol' contract". Does not get along with Andoran or Molthune, brushes off Galt and Isger, and is followed along by Sargava. Has an old autographed poster of Aroden in her bedchamber. Has Isger and Sargava for brothers, and is stepsiblings with Andoran and Galt.
Druma-A male dwarven merchant and prophet of Druma, who nickel-and-dimes his friends for anything and thinks little of his neighbors.
Galt-A sneaky, roguish human male with a continual black eye and a peaked redcap-esque hat, who continually makes references to the Revolution and offers to introduce anyone to Bloody Jane.
Geb-A scheming, undead necromancer with a number of harmless zombies as helpers and sometimes (paradoxically) speaks with the literal Geb in ghost form. Is usually in a battle with Nex.
Hermea-An eerie too-perfect, too-symmetrical, Stepford Smiling human woman, who suggests that after any nice deed, that that person move to Hermea, offering them a monogrammed letter.
Irrisen-A female human ice witch with pale skin and lives in Baba Yaga's chicken-legged cottage, who constantly proclaims that everywhere else is too hot; typically sleeps next to a window air conditioner. Does not like the Linnorm King.
Isger-A human boy in Chelish livery who follows around Cheliax, but is barely noticed. Offers to put a price on anyone's head for the sake of his mistress.
Jalmeray-A human monk who bickers with Absalom and Nex, and spends much of her time proclaiming the greatness of Irori and how ancient his/her traditions are.
Katapesh-A male human Pesh addict who is constantly reminded of the situation every few minutes by a following Pactmaster; is otherwise laid back and doesn't let much of anything faze him.
Kyonin-A beautiful and prissy female elf who doesn't allow anyone else to enter her carefully picket-fenced-off domain, and is constantly yelling at the River King and Razmiran.
Lastwall-A human knight in tarnished armor who demands that everyone be constantly vigilant for evil, but he constantly misses the hijinx and shenanigans of the other "countries". Constantly glares at Ustalav, making him even more nervous.
Lands of the Linnorm Kings-The Linnorm King is a typical blonde Ulfen warrior, with a snake-sized pet Linnorm around his neck, a propensity for ale, laughter, and axes, and who constantly makes other nations nervous. Argues with Irrisen.
Realm of the Mammoth Lords-The Mammoth Lord is a female Kellid barbarian with a grudge against civilization, and especially magic, chasing after Nex with her pet mammoth, attempting to trample him for witchcraft.
Mediogalti-A female human Red Mantis Assassin, Mediogalti is terse, mysterious, and "murders" non-country characters at the drop of a hat, despite them reappearing unharmed in the next scene, much to her chagrin. Refuses to go after the other countries.
Mendev-A female paladin of Iomedae, who watches all from the walls of a comically-small fortress and offers a Holy Crusade against any problem big or small. Has problems with scuzzy underling crusaders lazing off, gambling, and fighting dirty.
Molthune-A young human male in a woefully outdated and too-large-for-him military uniform and monocle, who suggests that everything be done "by the book", and does not see eye to eye with Nirmathas, whom he "invades" at every opportunity.
Mwangi-A quartet of two girls and two guys (one Bekyar, one Bonuwat, one Zenj, and one Mauxi) who hang out together; every other country treats them as if they were one character, despite their protests. They often speak in unison, and pick on Sargava.
Nex-A stereotypical bumbling long-robed wizard (with comical hat) who constantly forgets things (where he left his wizard tower-house keys, etc.), constantly has spell battles with Geb, hangs out with Alkenstar, and is sometimes chased about by the Mammoth Lord and her mammoth.
Nidal-A perky goth in the style of Laori Vaus with spiked leather armor who constantly wishes to show her friends free demonstrations of her extensive collection of torture equipment. Tries to hang out with Varisia, but is usually rebuffed.
Nirmathas-A female human ranger often seen with her bow out hunting. Is continually "invaded" by Molthune, typically by him setting down signs in her forest.
Numeria-A male Kellid barbarian with a small army of robots (Gearmen) and an axe that requires alkaline batteries, much to his chagrin. Typically tries to invade the River Kingdoms or Brevoy, with little success.
Osirion-A male human Osiriani Pathfinder and adventurer, who spends much of his time exploring his own namesake's dangerous ruins and running from mummies and traps.
Qadira-A spoiled coffee-drinking Qadiran princess (read: tsundere) who totally-does-not-like Taldor, as evidenced by her continual blushing; she sometimes chases after him with a scimitar, usually after a blunder on his part.
Rahadoum-A constantly smirking male human who claims the "Greatness of Man" while putting his foot in his mouth. Argues with Lastwall and Mendev, who typically walk away while he's still ranting.
Razmiran-A smiling rogue with an army of two-foot-tall Razmiran-masked munchkin helpers, he constantly bothers Kyonin and the River King, and demands "donations" with a baseball bat.
River Kingdoms-The River King is a lazy ragamuffin with continual stubble, with a hat that changes at every appearance. When he offers to help, he claims that "I am also a [insert occupation here]", but when asked about it after the fact, claims to know nothing.
Sargava-An adorably cute boy and Cheliax's younger brother who declared his independence to get away from her scary devil-conjuring ways only to realize that she was keeping the Mwangi quartet from picking on him constantly. Sees The Shackles as a Cool Big Sis.
The Shackles-A scurvy tricorne-hatted pirate lass with an army of scalawags who picks on various characters' navies, typically coming to blows with Andoran. She watches after Sargava, and attempts to convince him to be a pirate.
The Sodden Lands-A dour, depressing priest of Gozreh with a ragged, holed umbrella who always manages to have a storm cloud that only covers and follows him. Sometimes argues with The Shackles.
Taldor-A suave gentlemen in a suit and tie with a soulpatch beard who carries a falcata on his hip, Taldor tries to be dashing, but usually ends up insulting most everyone else's conduct as backward. Has an on-going love/hate relationship with Qadira. He typically earns her respect only to accidentally insult her once more.
Thuvia-A male human alchemist with trendy goggles and stained hands, Thuvia tries not to blow things up, and has to constantly resist the urge the try taste-testing the elixir he's supposed to be selling.
Ustalav-A shy human monster hunter (Think Van Helsing-style floppy fedora for a hat) with a crossbow who doesn't want anyone to know that he is somehow both a vampire and a werewolf. Likes fog, doesn't like Taldor's silver tableware or Lastwall's steely-eyed gaze.
Varisia-A Varisian woman in traditional garb complete with kapenia scarf, she packs up her wagon and visits the other countries frequently offering Harrowings for the other characters; is constantly hounded by Sczarni thugs, and typically tries to hire adventurers to watch things while she's gone on her trips.
The Separated Negative/Positive Event List
The existing events list is alphabetical, and features positive and negative results mixed in willy-nilly. I believe another forumgoer requested a list in which positive and negative results were shuffled to either end of the spectrum. So, I present just that. Probabilities have not been adjusted, but I’ve tried to shuffle “more severe” events to the far ends of the spectrum: bad juju is closer to 1, while beneficent omens are closer to 100. I’ve otherwise not adjusted the chances from the list’s original appearance in Rivers Run Red. Enjoy.
I know there were a few murmurs as to making an expanded Kingdom Events table for the Event Phase, but I haven't heard anything more on it. Rather than have it get lost on the Kingdom Building Thread, I decided a fresh brainstorm would be in order.
So I thought I'd break down the existing list to get brains started:
Extant Event List + Probability:
Extant Events_____Probability Width(%)
Assassination Attempt[-]_____3%
Bandit Activity[-]_____9%
Disaster[-]_____7%
Economic Boom[+]_____5%
Feud[-]_____5%
Food Shortage[-]_____3%
Food Surplus[+]_____7%
Good Weather[+]_____5%
Monster Attack[-]_____5%
Natural Blessing[+]_____5%
Outstanding Success[+]_____7%
Plague[-]_____3%
Political Calm[+]_____3%
Public Scandal[-]_____10%
Sensational Crime[-]_____8%
New Vassals[+]_____7%
Visiting Celebrity[+]_____8%
Danger: Math Involved:
Number of Positive Events: 8/17
Number of Negative Events: 9/17
Probability of a Positive Event: 47%
Probability of a Negative Event: 53%
Most Probable Positive Event: Visiting Celebrity (8%)
Most Probable Negative Event: Public Scandal (10%)
Distribution of results (absolute value):
3%: 4 events
5%: 5 events <-Median, Mode; mean is known and useless, since the total should be 100%; it should be 1/events, 5.88%
7%: 4 events
8%: 2 events
9%: 1 event
10%: 1 event
Notes and Results Notes
Looking at our distribution, it can tell us a few things. For the most part, positive and negative events as a whole are fairly close to each other, with negative events have the slight lead. The normal distribution around 5% tells us that so long as there’s a few outlying (probably negative) events that are more probable than most, we can fairly easily keep the same sort of bell curve.
SeverityOddly enough, there appears to be no hard and fast correlation between the severity of a given event and its chances of occurring. While Assassination Attempt and Plague are both continuous negative events with a mere 3% each, Bandit Activity is a pretty severe continuous event that has a whopping 9%. Political Calm is a powerful positive event (-6 Unrest!), but Visiting Celebrity is both powerful (+2d6 BP, exploding sixes) and the most probable positive event.
Miscellany
•With the exception of 8% and 10%, the remaining events have an odd percent chance of occurring.
•The total number of events is both odd and prime. Not sure if this any significance.
Okay, so what does that all mean?
Since severity is not proportional (inversely or otherwise) to the chance of a given event, that gives us as GMs and players, a lot more freedom. So long as events slightly favor negative events, are bell curvy (perhaps slightly biased towards a few more likely events), and add up to 100%, we can toss in more delicious random events while preserving the spirit and general mechanics of the table.
But wait!, you say,rolling 2d10 isn’t the same probability as rolling one die, and those silly d100’s never roll right, and computer programs are pseudorandom at best and—
You’re over thinking this. Humans are pretty decent at pattern recognition, but tend to suck at random recognition. Add in a host of other factors, and it’s well beyond the scope of this thread. The Kingmaker Kingdom Rules were designed to be fast and useful. There’s a d% chart. How you roll on the chart is your business.
I am running a group of people through Kingmaker and they will be starting their kingdom soon. Looking through the kingdom rules, there doesn't seem to be any provision for paying salaries to the people in leadership positions except for the general money withdrawal mechanism which comes with an unrest impact. I am thinking of adding something but not sure what a good amount would be for various kingdom sizes would be. Any suggestions?
My players brought this up, so this is what I implemented:
Stipend Rules:
[Apply 1/month directly after Phase 1 Step 1: Determine Kingdom Stability]
If <5 Unrest and check does not fail by 5+, the rulers receive a stipend based on kingdom size:
1-20[Barony]: 25 gp/month [Average Cost of Living+ 15 net gp]
21-80[Duchy]: 150 gp/month [Wealthy CoL+50 net OR Average CoL+140 net]
80+[Kingdom]: 500 gp/month [Wealthy CoL+400 net]
The idea being that it can support the cost of maintaining living quarters and buying food and drink, but that the party/leadership isn't going to be independently weathly.
Feel free to borrow and adapt it to your game's needs. :3
