Evil Paul's page

In book 1, the agents meet the assassin Cass Hamish in the House of the Planes who tells them that she was tracking a mark who vanished into the Dreaming Palace, but that Ralso's gang connections make the place off-limits.

1) There is no further suggestion of who the mark is (eg, amount Pratchett's victims). Any suggestions as to who they were and why there was a hit on them? This is Absalom, not Qadira. I would assume that assassination is a fairly rare thing, and putting a hit on someone is serious business.

2) I'm not sure the gang connections bit makes that much sense. Ralso was a gang member, but she left that life behind to move across the city and join Pratchett. (Indeed, some of her old friends are trying to get her to rejoin her life of crime). Why would a gang declare that the hotel is a "safe zone" and that they would enforce that for Ralso? Which gang is it? (We have a ton of gangs listed in book #3, is it any of them?). Does Pratchett know? Does the gang or gang actually enforce this, eg, are they staking out the hotel looking for dodgy people going in and warning them off?

The (albeit slightly out of date) Guide to Absalom states:

Trade is handled by a different set of laws that

specifically forbids guilds and collusion among traders,
designed to ensure price-fixing does not occur. In the
ancient past of the city, a few major coalitions of investors
managed to briefly choke Absalom with exorbitant
prices on basic commodities. As a result, a single person
must be the legal owner of any goods offered for trade,
and no person may own more than one outlet for the
sale of such goods.

What does this mean for private companies in Absalom. The above would suggest that I cannot create a Blacksmith's chain that owns several smithies across town. Is that right?

What about non-trade companies? Can I own an investment company that buys and develops housing? Could that company be owned by multiple people?

How does this work for services companies? Are a group of friends allowed to run joint ownership of a company that sells exterminators who come and remove dire rats from people's basements? What about joint ownership of mercenary companies or shipping companies?

Do stocks and shares exist? (The real-world stock market is a late medieval invention, way earlier than the Victorian / renaissance "time period" of Absalom)

I'm prepping for Agents of Edgewatch and there doesn't seem to be anything in the campaign specifically about the above, in fact there are a number of places where it is suggested that companies/corporations exist.

I'm tempted to just ignore the book quote, and treat Absalom's corporate law similar to late 18th / early 19th century Britain / USA / Europe. Would that make sense or are there a specific changes that are important to explore within the vision for Absalom's economy?

I'm starting Agents of Edgewatch next week and have been reading through all the mods, doing the usual pre-campaign uber-prep. I'm pretty pumped, it looks like a great AP full of good set-pieces, interesting dungeons, a great setting/concept and lots of opportunities for players to riff off their characters.

That said, for a Watch-themed AP, it seems to be missing a few key elements that I'd want to see. I favour a maximilist printed-AP-as-the-skeleton approach, so I'm already working on new content to weave these elements into my campaign. I'm curious to see what other DMs are doing, and what ideas people might have for having these elements.

Investigations and Actual Police Work
For a Watch-themed AP, there isn't a whole lot of true case-work investigations (where you can get the answer wrong). I'm thinking of the likes of your "mystery of the week" crime show, or LA Noire, or other such thing where you have a crime being committed, a bunch of suspects and clues, and the heroes have to filter through the noise to determine the real killer. I would have expected a bunch of these, even if they were side-quests at the back of the AP. I'm writing up some of my own, have people already been doing these? Something like Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective creates a group of interesting NPCs that the PCs can go to for help with their cases (the mortician, the occultist, the cab-driver etc). Having recurring characters like that, as well as the cases get progressively more difficult (including magic, etc) would really explore the Detective aspects.

Police Corruption
Having twelve watch divisions, three of which are at openly corrupt (almost to the level of common knowledge in the city) grants a great background for internecine feuds. Cop shows are almost always full of conspiracies that go up the police chain. But we don't really explore this as part of the AP. Chapters 2+3 are set in districts with significant corruption, and chapters 4+5 have the watch being turned against the PCs, but without any cop-on-cop action. I would like to see elements of at least one (preferably 2 or 3) criminal conspiracies within the Watch that the PCs can solve. Chapter 4 is based on "Assault on Precinct 13", the remake of which sees corrupt cops attack a precinct, but the threat from inside the force seems to be missing. We are also missing detail on the leadership of the Watch. Presumably the Watch as a whole reports to the Council and the Force Captains are mid-level management. So there will be a Watch commander + deputies of some sort overseing, which seems an excellent place for the corruption to seep up to.

Politics, Legailities, Bureaucratic conflict.
No police procedural is missing elements of buerocracy. From "You'll need more evidence to get a warrant" (Search warrants date back to the Middle Ages, and would certainly be present in Absalom), from "I've got jusidiction here, I'm taking over this case!", from interference from the council over high-class subjects, etc, we need to feel like the city is a breathing organism of laws and procedures, with the Watch caught up in that. The fact that a city council member is the ultimate villain means we really want to bring the politics into the story frequently. There isn't really any great oppertunities for a "Give me your badge and your sword, you're off the force!" moments where the PCs realise they need to step outside the system to get something done.

Difficult Decisions
From finding out that the bread-stealer was doing so to feed his family, or catching the killer only to find they were protecting their wife against a brutal enemy, police stories are full of issues where the Law and Morality come into conflict, forcing the hero to decide between the two in various shades of grey. We don't get so much of that here, generally the bad guys are the bad guys and that is that. Ap 5 has the nice elements of working with evil, but that's a long way off from the start of the campaign.

I guess a lot of the above four categories spill into each other. Some side-quests that are cases with difficult decisions are totally possible, and political issues can be caused by police corruption. So they aren't too hard to create. But I'm also interested in more structural changes to the AP, like moving Hunting Lodge 7 to the Starwatch HQ and having the Token Guard be in league with Flakflatter (and the ones assaulting the precinct), as well as bringing in more high level corrupt NPCs to head up the conspiracies.

A lot to discuss certainly. Any thoughts, friends?

Me: Experienced longtime DM. Played a ton of PF1 (and other RPGs), read the PF2 Core Rules, done a couple of short sessions, not run a campaign with it yet. I know Golarion pretty well.

My New Players: Technical IT Professionals. Experienced board-gamers, very good at navigating and optimizing rules-systems. Almost no RPG experience at all. They are looking to try out PF2 and are interested in the tactical-combat side of things, but will also want to see what "roleplaying is like". If they like it, they would consider a long running weekly session as a campaign.

The environment: Due to lockdown, we are going to use Roll-20 (with cameras). If we migrate to a campaign, I might invest in FantasyGrounds.

I'm looking for suggestions for a good PF2 intro mod and pregens to run for these players over 3-4 evening sessions. If the pre-gens have some basic character background for people to bite on, all the better, but I can easily add those in.

I feel like I'm a priest here, on the verge of some potential converts, and really want to show them the best side of the church as I introduce them to the hobby.

Something like PF1's "We Be Goblins" or a Beginner Box scenario would be too simple for this group, as would a PFS scenario. But running the first chapter of an AP would be too long.

Any suggestions? I'm happy to consider 3rd Party Products.

Shivering in the cold, what appears to be a dirty and hooded beggar steps out from the shadows, casting aside its ragged cloak. What looks out is a horribly withered face, flesh sagging with sores and infection. Two inky black eyes leer from sunken cavities and where its mouth would be is a long curling tube puffing with smoke.

Living Drug, Shiver CR 2
XP 600
CE Medium aberration
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Perception +3

----- Defense -----
AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+3 Dex, +3 natural)
hp 13 (3d8);
Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +4
Immune fear

----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft.
Melee 2 claws +4 (1d4+1)
Special Attacks breath weapon, hallucinogenic dreams

----- Statistics -----
Str 13, Dex 16, Con 11, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 12
Base Atk +2; CMB +3; CMD 14
Feats Improved Initative, Combat Reflexes
Skills Disguise +8, Perception +3; Stealth +6; Racial Modifiers +4 Disguise
Languages telepathy (60 ft., see below)

----- Ecology -----
Environment urban
Organization solitary or den (2-6)
Treasure incidental

----- Special Abilities -----

Shiver Cloud (Su) As a standard action once every 1d4 rounds, a living shiver can exhale a 10-foot cone of gaseous shiver through it’s hideous maw. Any creature that fails its save is immediately affected by shiver, as if ingested. The affected character will have to make an addiction check, as normal (see GameMastery Guide, page 236 ), however the wide dispersal of vapors provides a +4 bonus on this save.

Breath weapon—inhaled; 10-ft. cone; save Reflex DC 12; frequency usable every 1d4 rounds; effect special. The save DC is Charisma based.

Hallucinogenic Dreams (Su) A living shiver can communicate via telepathy but can only do so using vivid images which are plucked from the recipient’s memory. A living shiver can use it’s telepathy to attempt to bend the will of a sleeping subject within its telepathic range. This functions as a charm person spell (DC 12), except with a 24 hour duration. A target that succeeds at the save cannot be affected by that same living shiver’s hallucinogenic dreams for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma based.

Unnatural Courage (Ex) A living shiver is immune to fear.

Since their discovery in Korvosa 4708 AR, scholars have theorized on what caused the creation of living drugs. Some believe them to be magical experiments gone awry, perhaps the results of illicit research at the Acadamae. Others believe them to be a self-evolving phenomenon, born as a manifestation of the corruption and vice within a city.

In combat, a living shiver prefers to ambush its prey, sending the unwary to sleep with its shiver cloud ability before finishing off those that remain using its claws. Once it has sent one or more people to sleep, it uses its hallucinogenic dreams ability to convince them to submit to future clouds of shiver, delighting in the spread of addiction and suffering.

Living shivers prey on the weak and the poor. They have few motives, other than to spread shiver dependence, hardship and ill.

Living shivers have been known to be manipulated by others, generally in promise of more victims. Ultimately though, they are capricious, with no sense of loyalty or consequences, and such agreements usually end in disaster.

Living shivers are but one form of living drug. There have been reported sightings of others such as living pesh, and the much more deadly living scour.

Goblet of Liquefied Cognition
Aura moderate divination and transmutation; CL 9th
Slot none; Price 18,000 gp; Weight 5 lbs.
Description

This ornate oversized silver goblet is wrought with runes and letters in a profusion of languages. When written words are placed in the goblet, for example through a letter, parchment, or runic carvings, the text detaches itself, liquefying into a sweet wine. This liquid can be drunk, granting the imbiber knowledge of the text itself.
This has the following uses:

• Pages from a spellbook representing a single spell can be drunk, allowing an arcane spontaneous caster to add that spell to their spells known list for a short time (see below). The spell must be on the imbiber’s spell list.
  
• An arcane scroll can be drunk, allowing the immediate memorization of the contents of the scroll by an arcane caster who prepares spells. The spell must be on the imbiber’s spell list and still requires a spell slot, though a used spell slot can be refilled in this manner. The caster level of the scroll is not used; the imbiber will use their own caster level and stat modifier (as normal) when they cast the spell.
  
• Non-magical writing can also be drunk, granting a complete understanding of the text’s contents. This does not require an understanding of the language of the text. The goblet can consume up to 10 average-sized pages of text at once.

Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, comprehend languages, create water, enhance water, mage’s perusal, mnemonic enhancer; Cost 9,000 gp

There has been a lot of great resources created on this forum by DMs. A number of people have suggested that this be compiled together into a list, to allow first time visitors to quickly see what is available. Here goes...

Overall Resources
Mega GM Material pack including adventure summaries, weather forecast, road list by Windspirit
Magic Item Handouts by Evil Paul
Script Cutscenes by Evil Paul
Analysis of AP Treasure by Ice Titan
Third Party Adventures and Supplements to slot into your CC Campaign by Jeff de Luna

Adivion Adrissant, Kendra Lorrimor and The Professor
Long discussion on this important NPC, including lots of possible suggestions, additional diary entries and suggested letters
The Story According to Adivion, by Erik Freund
Discussion on Plot options for Kendra

Haunting of Harrowstone
Additional Quests and Backstories for Ravengro (also fixes Trust Points) by Mortagan
Haunt Cards by Ullapool
Festival of Ravengro and Tamriviena Posters by Brodyz
Auren Vrood's timeline by cibet44
Spooky Optional Events by Stonesnake and Voomer
Podcast Guide to running HoH by Sean Mahoney

Trial of the Beast
Ravengro to Lepidstadt map by MartinB
Some more backstory on Caromarc, (lower down, by Erik Freund)
Discussion on the Beast's crimes
Pimping Castle Caromarc

Broken Moon
Additional Shudderwood Encounters by Gonturan

Wake of the Watcher
Raven's Head variants by Ice Titan and Toadkiller Dog

Additional Music Suggestions
Large List of Music by Riptide777
Another List by Mahavira
Flute Piece for the Piper by Lex Starwalker
More music by The Grumm
Father Charlatan by Helaman

Carrion Hill
NB: Carrion Hill is Pathfinder's "Ustalav" Module and can be added to the Carrion Crown adventure path, generally between modules 3 and 4 in the AP.
Insert Carrion Hill into your Carrion Crown campaign by Brodyz
Additional Carrion Hill / Wake of the Watcher material by Rakshaka

Please let me know if there is anything else I should add to this list, or if I have incorrectly credited people. I'm sure there is a bunch of other resources that I have missed!...

(MODERATOR: Any chance of making this sticky, and giving me the ability to always edit the first post?)

So I've created some magic item handouts for all the items in Carrion Crown. These include item backstories for all of the magic items, as appropriate. DMs - you can print these items out and hand them to your players, they will love it.

Haunting of Harrowstone, pack 1
Haunting of Harrowstone, pack 2
Trial of the Beast, pack 1
Trial of the Beast, pack 2
Broken Moon, pack 1
Broken Moon, pack 2
Broken Moon, pack 3
Broken Moon, pack 4
Broken Moon, cultists and curates
Broken Moon, Boon of Desna
Broken Moon, Boon of Desna DLC

I've created a few extra magic items not in the module. These are marked as "DLC" items and brings up the wealth per level to match that for 5 PCs (rather than the 4 from the module). The Harrowstone one is based on the Additional Harrowstone Quests at this Link, which is a fabulous resource for Haunting of Harrowstone. Check it out.

Anyway, let me know what you think. Still a bit of work to get through the remaining three modules.

Comments welcome...

PS: Some *SPOILERS* if you read the packs (obviously). Spoilers are limited to that module only.

So I often use scripts. These are out-of-character cut-scenes that allow the PCs to get some flavour or some plot without experiencing it first hand. In my current game, one of the PCs is a Varisian follower of Desna, so these take the form of dreams to her, but they could be delivered in any number of ways, or even without explanation. We don't use these every session, just every now and again.

To use them, simply print out a few copies, hand them out and allocate characters. If possible, the DM should not be a character (ie, entirely player read), but otherwise you can just read a minor character.

Anyway, here are the scripts I used for the first two modules.
Script 1: Prologue to the campaign
Script 2: Murder in Ravengro
Script 3: Introducing Auren Vrood
Script 4: Count Caromarc as a young man

Some notes:

* Script 2 is useful if your PCs haven't solved the Ravengro murders by the first time you escalate to a human. It throws suspicion on a bunch of characters in Ravengro in a murder-mystery style. (NB: the Lorrimor cheese collection was an in-game joke.).

* Script 3 deviates a little from the plot in that we have the Whispering Way kill Aleece and also have Luramin the money-lender a necromancer. To me, one of the changes the campaign needs is more of a prominent villain and more encounters with the Whispering Way. This allows for some WW action in Ravengro as well as framing a big bad evil guy for the PCs. (It also allows you to mask the real big bad, so Vrood is sleight-of-hand in a way).

* Script 4 is my take on a Count Caromarc origin story. Both Koch and Werner are added characters. Werner was the father of one of my PCs and Koch was an NPC at the University who could help out with various alchemy things related to the module, as well as enroll Kendra in class.

More scripts to come for later modules. The one I regret not doing is a script around the night of the fire in Harrowstone. I think there is a lot of cool information in the first module that goes to waste, and having that dramatic evening as a flash-back would work well.

Comments welcome...

So I've knocked up some Old School style magic item certificates for Carrion Crown (similar to the ones from Living City / Arcanis etc). The items here match the items in the module, and you can hand them out as appropriate.

Haunting of Harrowstone, pack 1
Haunting of Harrowstone, pack 2
Trial of the Beast, pack 1
Trial of the Beast, pack 2

I've created a few extra magic items not in the module. These are marked as "DLC" items and brings up the wealth per level to match that for 5 PCs. The Harrowstone one is based on the Additional Harrowstone Quests at this Link, which is really the best resource on this forum. Check it out.

Anyway, let me know what you think. My PCs are still midway through ToTB so it will be a while before I add new packs. Was planning for January for Broken Moon and Wake of the Watcher but we shall see...

Comments welcome...

PS: Some *SPOILERS* if you read the packs (obviously). Spoilers are limited to that module only.

So I've been doing lots of thinking and prepping about Count Caromarc recently. In our campaign he began his experiments while still a student, and Prof Lorrimor and one of the PC's fathers were his co-conspirators. For various reasons they all lost contact with Caromarc and he continued his experiments, culminating with the creation of the Beast (after his wife died).

The one thing I'm a bit confused about is the current state of his wife. She died in childbirth and he's been preserving her over the years with gentle repose, and occasionally speaking to her with speak with dead. He's completely obsessesed with her loss, and it drives everything about him. So far, so good, so gothic.

But why doesn't he just get a raise dead cast on her? The module states that attempts to raise her have been unsuccessful. Why not? The only reasons a raise would fail is if the body is in a poor state (which it's not), or if the soul refuses to return, or some other macguffin like the soul has been stolen. Presumably his wife wants to return... after all she chats to him via speak with dead. And presumably her soul is present. So ... what's the story here? Perhaps she doesn't want to return after all, but if so, WHY?

Any suggestions?

Is it just me, or is Estovion Lozarov from Broken Moon based on Ben Linus from Lost. The case:

* He is a Machiavellian manipulator of a remote lodge/"island" surrounded by danger.
* He can summon an evil spirit, a "monster" to enforce his rule.
* He is the wrong side of middle age, bookish, somewhat weasely looking, has problems with his eyes, but is somewhat spry despite all of this.
* He has grew up in the lodge/"island" and it is the only home he has ever known.
* His father was a caretaker of the lodge.
* He plays politics with the mainland, despite his remote location.
* When a child, he investigated a forgotten temple and uncovered an ancient spirit. He also made contact with an evil faction and forged an alliance.
* He is an amoral liar.
* His favourite spell is Evard's Black Tentacles.