Hi all! Sorry for the radio silence, I was away at PAX Unplugged for a week. I am back now. With the holidays coming up, I think it's a good time to go ahead and lock in a final submission deadline of 12:00PM (noon) PST on Friday the 5th of December. I will hold off on reading character submissions until at least Monday December 1st but I will start looking over them during that week. Whether you are already finished or still working on your submission, I would ask that you make a post following this one with Final Submission or the like at the very top of the post to make it clear that the submission is ready for review. For extreme clarity's sake: I will only review any final submissions that appear below/after this post of mine which are marked as Final Submission or its equivalent at the top of the post. Thank you!
@everyone Is there an issue with the Google Doc? It should be a single doc with a lot of tabs and subtabs, someone in the thread indicated they were having trouble with it. If there's a problem, I can try to put everything in one long document instead of broken into separate tabs, I just need to know if there's an issue.
@Rosc This is a valid question and concern. The Swashbuckler is a particularly poor choice for the PbP format. My issue with Attacks of Opportunity is specifically that they introduce additional steps into the flow of combat. In sychronous/real-time play this isn't a huge issue; in PbP it can be a substantial delay. The Swashbuckler's entire schtick revolves around multiple different kinds of abilities that can introduce such delays. Opportune Parry and Riposte does it with AoOs, but Dodging Panache does it as well by allowing the Swashbuckler to retroactively increase their AC. I can imagine some "fixes" that would at least make the Swashbuckler playable; if it comes to that, I will discuss that with the Swashbuckler's player should there be such a character that is chosen. But to be clear, no, they would not be granted an exception to the rule about Attacks of Opportunity, we would houserule their abilities in such a way as to not interrupt the flow in an asynchronous game.
Oozemorph Shifter is published by Paizo, I'll allow it. I'll be happy to address any concerns about them should they come up in play. The Ooze Empathy feature is pretty clearly "magical" (it's Extraordinary, not Supernatural), it's probably going to break the limits of regular logic and that's fine.
@Mark Thomas 66 Sworn of the Eldest is published by Paizo, I'll allow it. Nyrissa's lost lover is not specified in official canon but the evidence suggests it's Count Ranalc. For the purposes of this game, that is explicitly the case.
@Malylev, the Little Lion I don't see anything in there that I have a major problem with. I haven't fully decided exactly what's going on with Choral and descendants, but the only thing I'd ask you to change is that the character is descended from Choral's heir rather than Choral himself. I'm leaning in the direction of having Choral's sole heir (and thus the branch that all of Choral's descendants trace through) be the incestuous offspring of Chorazulanthus and Caelyndraxis (extremely consistent with everything going on with the Targaryans in ASOIAF), but might decide that that heir was instead the offspring of Choral and Myrna.
@Anders Smith I'll allow the living steel. I'm open to using the Alternate Crafting Rules, but PCs do not get the monetary benefit of crafting their starting equipment. Someone else has already justified having a masterwork bow as having crafted it themselves, and that is fine, but it will not reduce the purchase cost of that item. The starting gold is already extremely generous to account for a wide variety of RP (it allows most mundane starting equipment somebody might reasonably want except a suit of full plate).
@Zahir ibn Mahmoud ibn Jothan I am checking PMs, I was offline for about the last week due to being at PAX Unplugged. I have responded to your PM as of writing this message, this is just for posterity.
@rdknight In truth I do not have a plan for methodology. There's no guarantee that I am going to select a balanced party based on combat roles. There's no guarantee that I will select a party based on balanced assortment of plot tie-ins. Heck, I'm letting 3 players have major say-so in who the rest are, so there's bound to be at least some imbalance in the final party in one regard or another. I'm sorry if that comes across as a bit arbitrary, I just want to be as up front as possible. Submit what you want to play, write your best writing sample, and we'll see where everything lands.
I'm fine with Variant Multiclassing. I look forward to seeing what you do with a Gray Maiden, I think they're a compelling part of Curse of the Crimson Throne and while I wouldn't think them a natural fit for Kingmaker I have an acknowledged bias for characters that are well-grounded in the official setting. So a Gray Maiden is more likely to be looked on favorably than some random character from an unnamed city in Varisia.
Whew! That site maintenance was a doozy, eh? Everybody still with me?
@everyone We've got some strong submissions already! I don't want anybody to be discouraged by my not commenting on anybody's characters, I'm just holding myself back from prejudicing myself or prompting any major changes. The downtime didn't help things either. We will be closed to new interest at 11:59PM PST on Wednesday the 26th of November.That's Wealday the 26th of Neth 4725 AR. I will not expect final submissions at that time; anything as minor as a "dot" post before then will be considered interest. I am also not expecting finalized sheets until after I close submissions and make final decisions. I do not have a firm date in mind yet, but I am hoping to close and make decisions no later than Friday, December 5th. I will make another post announcing the final timeline, you will have at least one calendar week between the announcement and closing to finalize your submission package. Final submission packages should include at least a general idea of a build and as much background information and writing sample as you care to provide.
I am planning to take 6 players. If I had to choose today it would already be a difficult choice, I imagine it will only get harder. In service of the group nature of this game, I will personally select my 3 favorites, and then I will work with those three to select the final three players and three alternates. So keep in mind that you're not only writing for me, you're writing for each other. And the writing really is the important thing.
@eriktd In the case of players dropping (and let's face it, there's a high chance of that happening at least once) then their characters will still be a part of the story and will become a character held in common by everyone. They can be controlled in combat by whoever chooses, or we might collectively work towards writing them out of the story.
@Anders Smith Yes, I would strongly prefer that you read the spoilers as well as the document linked in this post. It is ultimately up to you, but if you're not willing to be spoiled on either the main Kingmaker game plot or my various changes or additions, then this might not be the game for you. No harm, no foul.
@Jack Ciarathan It wasn't just you, the site received a major update that took it down for over a week. Welcome back!
@Qunnessaa Pacing is always hard for PbP. I'm looking for players that can consistently put out high-effort posts, and I strive to do the same. I'm shooting for 1-2 posts per week on average. The first couple of weeks of any PbP tend to be faster and more furious, and it will be easier to put out more posts early on before things get too complicated with having multiple ongoing concurrent scenes. But for steady-state pacing, I'm hoping for 1-2 per week. Now, if this whole token system works out the way I hope it will, it should make it easier for more people to post more frequently because we don't have the problem (as often) where 3 people are waiting on 1 person to post and that person can't get to it for 4 days.
As for AoOs, I'm ignoring them as a rule. That's a knife that cuts both ways. Casters will not provoke Attacks of Opportunity for casting in melee. That's players and enemies. This is a rule change purely to eliminate a common cause for slowdowns in combat scenes, no other reason. I'm aware it may have unintended consequences for balancing combat, but I'm confident it won't be something we can't overcome.
@Jack Ciarathan You have ranks in Craft (bowyer), that's enough justification for me.
Per the combat horse tricks, I was able to find this:
"d20PFSRD Handle Animal skill description wrote:
An animal trained to bear a rider into combat knows the tricks attack, come, defend, down, guard, and heel. Training an animal for combat riding takes 6 weeks. You may also “upgrade” an animal trained for riding to one trained for combat by spending 3 weeks and making a successful DC 20 Handle Animal check. The new general purpose and tricks completely replace the animal’s previous purpose and any tricks it once knew. Many horses and riding dogs are trained in this way.
I am not worried that people might be playing other Kingmaker games. I'm not running games as a charitable service to the online community, I'm running them because I want to have fun, too. Knowing the general plot should provide you with more ideas about how to hook into the game well. I would hope that people aren't submitting the same character as they're already playing...because what exactly is the fun in that? If you only have one character idea that you're interested in exploring and you're already exploring it, I don't know what my game has to offer. But hey, if the character is cool and the writing style is good enough, I'd probably still take it.
I don't have any issues with people submitting characters that they have written for other games. However, I will say that I encourage you to assume tying into deeper plots. That goes for everybody. It's the whole reason I'm trying to run in this style, with all of the cool plot details on the table out in the open. I'm excited to see other people's character concepts when they know they're allowed to write them into the plot. The most disatisfying part of how Adventure Paths are written and tend to be run is that they bend over backwards to assume that Player Characters can be anyone from anywhere, and in practice it almost seems like the writers don't want the characters to be rooted in the locations and conflicts that the adventures are set it. Reign of Winter is the Irrisen game, except it's written in such a way as to virtually exclude the players from playing Irriseni characters. It's absurd to me. I want a Kingmaker game that's about people who could be the main characters of Kingmaker because they belong there, not because they're the four randoms that answered a bulletin and decided to go romp in the woods together. I set out a plot hook that there's at least one descendant of Choral Rogarvia left alive and that Choral needs to kill them to complete a ritual. I put that level of detail in the recruitment post specifically to attract somebody who wants to write a character that fits into that. That's just one example, mind you. And I'm open to other players' plot ideas too, which is why I'm openly trying to share the GM responsibilities around and building systems to let players introduce totally new stuff into the game.
I do understand that the game theory of competitive recruitment might deter some people from "committing to a lane" in that way. But if you see one of my juicy plot hooks and think you've got some cool ideas for it? Insert just_hook_it_to_my_veins.jpg here. Anybody is free to say "actually, Nyrissa and Count Ranalc had another child, and here is my submission for that character." Anybody is free to say "Nyrissa's story may be a practically unknown myth to most people, but here is my bard who has spent half their life chronicling the tales of the fey within the Stolen Lands and I have been able to piece enough commonalities that I am working on an epic poem that puts all the pieces together and when I'm done her name will be known throughout the Inner Sea!" I could keep going, but I want to see your character ideas, if I just wanted mine reflected back at me I would just go write fanfic. Last time I tried, I got a whole 3 pages out of it and couldn't nail down any kind of actual plot to drive the story forward.
Personally, I don't have a go-to PC that I want to run in Kingmaker, which is one reason why I feel more comfortable GMing it. But my pet Curse of the Crimson Throne PC is the brother of an important named PC in the plot. If I could play Rise of the Runelords, I'd want to play a version that made Ameiko and Shalelu the main characters. My preferred Wrath of the Righteous PC is intended to be a child of Iomedae, who was rejected by Iomedae's church and couldn't become a paladin. If I could get away with it, I would play Peppery Longfarthing in Skull & Shackles and write her as the estranged daughter of the Master of the Gales. I don't say all this to brag about how cool I think my PC ideas are, I say this to try to communicate the kind of plot and setting integration I prefer the PCs to have for campaigns with strong enough plots to support it. And I think Kingmaker is definitely one that can support it.
@everyone I have an additional setting document for your convenience. It is largely composed of relevant passages from he PathfinderWiki and the wiki for Owlcat Games' Kingmaker video game, but there is additional content in there as well. Feel free to use it to better inform your submissions.
@DeathQuaker, GM_Drake Background Skills from Pathfinder Unchained are allowed. Thanks for reminding me of this system.
@TheWaskally Thanks for asking! Upon review, I'm not going to be allowing the Godling class. It's very strong, and the niche that it fills is covered in Pathfinder by the Mythic rules. This is decidedly not a Mythic game. This is the sort of class that looks like it does best when the whole party is using this supplement.
@GM_Drake Yes, treat one of your traits as a "Campaign trait". This means you can have two traits from the "Basic (Social)" list. The intention for this is that Campaign traits are a fun thing to have but the official published traits for this campaign are overly narrow in the backgrounds they cater to. So my solution is to grant a third trait of any kind as a Campaign trait.
We are using the Elephant in the Room Feat Tax rules, as listed in the House Rules section in the original post.
It looks like the concept is coming along! As you're crafting it, I would strongly encourage you to make sure that, as an Android, the character is originally from Numeria.
@eriktd Zsófia is looking good so far! Something I love about this character is that right out of the gate you are recontextualizing the standard assumptions about how the journey into the Stolen Lands starts by being on Team Surtova instead of Team Swordlords.
@GM_Drake Westley and Will Turner are great inspirations to start from!
@DeathQuaker I'm glad you brought this up. PbP doesn't have the same kind of "safety tool" culture that IRL storygames have developed, but I am fully intending to use Lines and Veils. Players will be free to delineate ahead of time what they're comfortable with and not comfortable with, and they will be written in bedrock. You are absolutely correct that players will not allowed manipulate characters unfairly or unkindly. If it wasn't clear enough in the original post, all cases of trading tokens for "botting" (that's a good way to put it!) are voluntary and the receiving player is completely within their rights to refuse. A refusal will mean some slight backtracking and retconning, but I'm hoping it will cultivate trust between collaborators. Anything that seems intentionally abusive of the structure will simply not be tolerated.
@Evindyl I'm not going to lie, I picked Kingmaker over some of my other candidate APs because I figured it would be bait. The free-roam exploration nature of the game also creates ample opportunities to indulge in ideas like this. Thanks for the note about parallel milestoning! I didn't mean to sound too flip about the Kingdom Building rules in the original post, but even at a healthy speed it will be months before we actually need to have the final rules for that established. The whole group will give due consideration and I'm sure there will be a lot of deliberation in the OOC, I just didn't want to let it get in the way of actually starting the game, especially when so many campaigns sadly die before they get to that point.
Regarding Drawbacks and 4th traits, I'm not inclined to use them for this game. Drawbacks are good to have, and every character should have flaws, but Drawbacks are intended to gamify roleplay. With the token structure, the benefit to playing into your drawbacks is considerably more engaging than a simple mechanical penalty, and having a Drawback trait might create too much focus on that particular flaw over the others. If anybody is interested in reading more about the inspiration for this token dynamic, I took cues from a game called Grimwild, specifically "story" and "tangles".
@Daniel Stewart I look forward to your submission! There are plenty of hooks for a fey-aligned character to hang off of. For gnomes in particular, I would point out the Gronzi Forest.
"Two kingdoms, both alike in sovereignty,
In stolen wilds where tangled magics dream,
From sunder’d love and dragon’s tyranny,
Rise fated woes to mar the mortal scheme.
From forth the grief of Nyrissa, fair and fey,
And Ranalc’s banish’d hand, comes ruin born;
While Choral’s fire and plague’s decaying sway
Do crown the fields with ash and kingdoms torn.
The tale of crowns by sorrow mark’d and flame,
Of hearts that reach beyond the world of men—
Which naught but loss and pride could e’er reclaim—
We now unfold upon this stage again.
Attend, ye lords, with patient hearts and daring,
What here unfolds — your deeds shall make a king!"
* * * * *
In a forest glade, no less verdant for its twilit splendor, a beautiful nymph weeps with an outstretched hand. Her lover, reaching back to her in vain, fades and disappears as he is pulled into shadowy depths.
* * * * *
On the shores of a misty lake, a mighty warlord from across the eastern mountains clad in crimson and gold clasps hands with a gaunt man garbed in expensive furs. Two red dragons circle overhead, gouts of triumphant flame shooting from their jaws.
* * * * *
In caverns deep beneath the earth, chained dwarves work at forges and anvils while their cruel masters look over them from ledges above. One dwarf returns their hateful gaze, dreaming of vengeance and freedom by turns.
* * * * *
Atop a fortress overlooking a river, a tall figure crowned with antlers and an animal skull drinks a long pull from a dark bottle. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he stares off above treetops, beyond the horizon where an enemy kingdom seeks to encroach upon his demesne.
* * * * *
Welcome, one and all! It has been a long time since I have played or run Pathfinder. I've been off exploring the world of narrative story games, and I return to you with a bold experiment! I want to see what happens when the best parts of Pathfinder’s structure meet the collaborative energy of a storygame.
Preamble on the PbP format:
We’ve all been there. A PbP game that starts strong but fizzles out as the pace drags. Pathfinder isn’t built for asynchronous storytelling, but PbP gives us something live tables can’t: the space to write, to linger, to make moments sing. This experiment is about keeping that prose-driven energy alive without losing the pulse of play.
I have been brainstorming various changes to make Pathfinder (and other tactical combat RPGs) more fluid in the PbP format. While a totally custom system might be best poised to take full advantage of the format, a lot of us just like to play Pathfinder. People have been playing games like D&D and Pathfinder this format almost as long as those games have existed, and there's no sign of stopping. So instead of creating a totally different system, I'm hoping to instead adapt various tools from the narrative storygame side of the hobby to hopefully reduce the friction that high latency creates and increase the longevity of a Pathfinder campaign in the PbP.
This will involve a number of somewhat common rules tweaks and a substantial change to the norms and expectations that govern the traditional boundaries between the GM, the players, and the characters. If that intrigues you, read on!
What I'm looking for and what you can expect from me:
I am looking for players who love the creative writing side of the game, are interested in experimenting with the PbP format, and are willing to challenge their expectations about how roleplaying games work. I want to foster a writers' room atmosphere for all the players (including the GM) to give up some of their sovereignty over their character in exchange for everybody having some soft control over all of the player characters, the NPCs, and the world. It will be a bit like everybody having some co-GM power. I'll talk more in-depth about how I intend for that to work in the House Rules section (Narrative Control Tokens).
I am looking for players who are familiar (or willing to become familiar) with the main plot of Kingmaker. I want characters that are directly tied into the themes and major story beats of the campaign. If you prefer to experience the story with fresh eyes and total surprise, that’s a wonderful way to play! However, this particular game will be more rewarding for players who enjoy engaging with the plot’s deeper structure.
I am looking for players who are willing to share control over their character with other players in limited ways to help the game flow more smoothly, and who are in turn willing to take control of other characters (including NPCs) in a scene when the opportunity arises.
Pathfinder is a tactical combat game, and we will play out tactical combats. I hope that the altered structure can improve the speed of combat significantly. Adventure Paths tend to be bloated with combats, so I'm going to reduce the number that the written adventure expects, but I'm not cutting out any major story fights.
I am looking for players who enjoy the tactical combat part of the game but who recognize that combat is just another avenue for roleplaying, not an adversarial tactical boardgame with winners and losers.
Tonally, this game of Kingmaker takes inspiration from Celtic myth, Greek myth and dramatic tradition, Shakespearean romance and tragedy, Machiavellian court politics, faerie tales, dragon tales, Arthurian legend, and Game of Thrones. I have a strong vision for Kingmaker's themes, and I want to share the game with people who are drawn to those same themes and want to dig into them. Pathfinder has a huge array of character options, and some of them don't fit my vision for this game. Golarion is a bit gonzo, and I love that about it, I just want to have characters that more closely represent the fantasy themes already mentioned and that fit easily into the Stolen Lands. The allowed races can all be found in and around the Stolen Lands without much issue, but I'm less interested in Vanara from deepest Vudra and Kitsune ninja from Tian Xia. If you want to play a Summoner, I am much more interested in a Kellid who hails from Old Sarkoris and practices their ancestral magic than I am a creepy child from Absalom with a violent imaginary friend, you get me? Think Dracula with Mina Harker, Van Helsing, and a cowboy — not Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter with a samurai and a pirate. Even if Lincoln, cowboys, samurai, and pirates are all technically contemporary and period-accurate.
Stylistically and with regards to format, my version of Kingmaker has a lot of big epic historical events and plots that inform and intersect with the present-day plot. I want to explore those stories with flashback RP scenes with the players controlling the relevant NPCs. In the present-day plot, there will be certain objectives that various scenes need to meet, but once they are met, I will move the game to the next scene. Players are welcome and encouraged to continue playing out any scene even after the next scene begins, so be prepared to have multiple scenes that are taking place at different times concurrently happening in the same posts. We will use some standard formatting in posts to help keep it manageable. I intend for the whole table to have a clear shared understanding of the overarching plot of the game. I will provide clear direction and intent for scenes, as well as NPC motivations, and I want players to feel free to further the scene by controlling NPC action and writing appropriate dialogue. For example, let's say the players are at a ball and intend to strike a deal with a noble. Once the deal is struck, the primary narrative objective of the scene has ben accomplished, so in the next post I would cut to the start of the next scene. However, two of the other characters are still in conversation and another has decided to sneak around the grounds. We will continue to play out that scene concurrently while the next scene is beginning.
Character Creation:
Point Buy: 25 points
Starting level: 1
Classes: All official Paizo PF1 classes, plus Path of War. Other 3pp content may be allowed, ask in the thread.
Alignment: Any alignment, but this is more to inform your character's personality and not an alignment aura. see House Rules
HP: Full at first, subsequent levels roll OR take the average (your choice, choose each level)
Starting Gold: 900 gp equipment budget; buy what you reasonably need for your character. No masterwork equipment unless it is justified by backstory. No Wondrous Items. Remaining gold does not carry over, but each character can start with up to 20 gold "spending money" if they so choose, taken as either hard cash or mundane trade goods. Some of us want to start out rich, some want to start out destitute. Both are fine, this is fantasy. Any additional gold from traits (including Rich Parents or the Brigand campaign trait) must be taken as cash or mundane trade goods and should not be included in the starting gold equipment budget. The sum of additional gold from traits will be your starting cash, you do not get the additional 20gp "spending money" on top of it.
Traits: 3 traits; the regular 2 starting traits and an additional "Campaign Trait" slot that does not strictly have to be a campaign trait (from this campaign or any other) but will ideally be a trait picked because it fits the character and not for powergaming.
Backstory: You don't need to write a novel; sometimes less is more. But I'm looking for effortful quality. I'll take two amazing paragraphs over two pages of slop every time. Dig into the lore of Golarion to ground your character. Give us the highlights, but don't feel like you have to have every inch of them crystallized. You're allowed to be a someone, and you're allowed to be at least kind of a badass. But you need to sell me that, as cool as their roots are, the main thrust of their arc still lies ahead of them in the Stolen Lands.
Additionally, you do not need to be part of the original expedition chartered by the Swordlords. If you have a solid reason for being in the Stolen Lands and are willing to join up with the expeition at Oleg's, that is totally acceptable. Some of the best characters might not have any serious interest in becoming a baron; I have provided many additional plot hooks below. I'm telling you my secrets so that you will use them.
House Rules:
Leveling up: We will level up by milestone.
Alignment: Good, Evil, Law, and Chaos are planar energies in much the same way as Fire, Earth, Water, and Air. Unless specified, mortal beings are not strongly aligned to the planes and so all mortal creatures are True Neutral by default. Arcane and Divine magics and any other abilities that provide an alignment aura override this. Paladins/Antipaladins, clerics, necromancers, etc. may show as the relevant alignment for the purposes of the detect alignment spell.
Character death: Player charcters will only die when their principal player agrees that they do. If you're a player who likes the risk of dice rolls killing off your character, you are free to play that way in this game. If that's not fun for you, then it won't happen.
Kingdom Building Rules: Honestly, I don't even know yet. We're definitely not going to be using the base rules. There are a number of improvements that have been made over the years, many of them on these forums. I love the ideas in the Kingmaker Venture Capital thread. We can discuss these further as a group if and when we approach the kingdom building phase of the game.
Feats: We're doing Elephant In The Room Feat Taxes. Also, if anybody has designs on doing an Aldori Swordlord fighter, I'm happy to use the pre-eratta Crane Wing.
Initiative: We're doing block initiative, blocks will be decided based on the highest roll for the players and the enemies. During combat, post when you can or want, we're not worried about strict turn order, that just slows things down. If the enemy needs to roll for any reason during your turn, you will be allowed to roll and act for them as much as necessary to resolve your turn. Relevant stats will be available for your reference at the beginning of combat.
Attacks of Opportunity: Sorry, we're not doing them. They're very slow for PbP, even with everything else we're doing to speed things up. Don't build around them. If your build requires feats or abilities that interact with AoOs then we'll adjust it.
The Biggest House Rule: Narrative Control Tokens:
: This is an experimental system, and one of the main reasons I want to run this game. It’s designed to introduce a collaborative narrative layer while slightly reducing (but not removing) a player’s total control over their own character in order to speed up gameplay in the PbP format.
Core Concept
Each player begins with a small number of Narrative Tokens (exact number TBD; assume 3 to start). These tokens can be spent or traded to shape the story, influence scenes, or take limited control of other characters.
The player who submitted a PC is that character’s principal player, maintaining authorial control over:
• Their character’s backstory, goals, and motivations
• Major decisions and dialogue
• Combat
• Any long-term consequences of actions
Spending Tokens
Tokens can be spent in several ways:
• Invoke Story Elements: Introduce or establish something new that wasn’t previously true (like a convenient distraction, a lucky break, or an unexpected ally). Larger effects may cost multiple tokens.
• Take Temporary Control of a PC (Non-Combat): Trade a token to another player to briefly control their character in a scene to move the story forward smoothly.
– Must be voluntary; assume consent but allow the other player to veto and rewrite if needed (no token is exchanged in that case).
– Keep it minor and respectful, staying true to that character’s personality and tone.
– Not allowed in combat scenes.
– Do not spend another PC’s money, write major dialogue, or reveal personal secrets without permission.
• Take Major Control of an NPC (Non-Combat): Spend a token to take narrative control of an NPC for a full scene, essentially “borrowing” them from the GM. The GM can refuse the token if they feel it’s being misused. If the NPC was introduced by and is being controlled by another player, you trade them the token instead. In this case, you have as much control as if you had introduced them, until control is taken by someone else or assumed by the GM.
Earning Tokens
The GM may grant tokens:
• At the start of major chapters
• As rewards for great posts, collaborative storytelling, or strong roleplay
You can also gain tokens by adding complications or setbacks for your own character. These moments should create drama or tension—not benefits—for your PC, even if others gain from it.
Quick Reference
• Spend → Introduce story elements, coincidences, or NPCs
• Spend → Take control of an NPC (non-combat)
• Spend/Trade → Take minor control of a PC (non-combat, with consent)
• Gain → Excellent writing or teamwork
• Gain → Create personal complications or setbacks
• Gain/Trade → Someone else takes major control of an NPC you introduced
Note: This system is still a work-in-progress and open to adjustment once play begins. Feedback and collaboration are encouraged. I have further ideas for additional systems that are even more underbaked than this one, and I am open to hearing ideas from my players as well.
I know this system and mode of play will not be to everybody's taste. That's valid, but if you're not interested, then this game simply isn't for you, and I wish you best of luck in your future games. If you’re still intrigued after all that, I can’t wait to see what kind of legends we can build together! For anybody who is still with me, the following section contains major spoilers for Kingmaker as written as well as an overview of the relevant additions and changes I am making to the plot. This is provided to help you dig into the plot and themes for writing your character submissions.
Kingmaker Plot Spoilers: YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED:
The Main Plot: Building Your Kingdom: The Kingmaker campaign takes place in the Stolen Lands — a vast and contested wilderness claimed in parts by many neighbors: Brevoy to the north, the River Kingdoms of Pitax and Mivon to the west, Taldor far to the south, Numeria to the northwest, and the centaur tribes who roam the eastern plains. The region has seen countless petty warlords, monster kingdoms, and failed colonies rise and fall. Now, a new bandit lord calling himself the Stag Lord is on the rise.
The Aldori Swordlords of Restov find themselves in a precarious political position within Brevoy. To strengthen their hand, they have chartered groups of adventurers (perhaps including the PCs) to explore the Stolen Lands, eliminate the bandit threat, and establish a new River Kingdom. Naturally, the Swordlords expect to hold influence over this new state — a vassal ally they can call upon when Brevoy’s inevitable civil war begins.
The PCs will chart the Stolen Lands, end the Stag Lord’s tyranny, and build a new kingdom of their own. But taming the wilderness will only be the beginning of their troubles.
The Overplot: Nyrissa's Penance: Long ago, Nyrissa, a radiant nymph, became the lover of Count Ranalc, one of the Eldest of the First World. In her pride, she declared herself an Eldest as well. The Lantern King punished her audacity by banishing Ranalc to the Plane of Shadow and stripping Nyrissa of her capacity to love or feel compassion.
To earn forgiveness, she must topple and collect one thousand “worthy” kingdoms. The lost sword Briar — forged from Nyrissa’s own torn-out emotions — lies hidden somewhere in the Stolen Lands. Nyrissa has raised and destroyed kingdoms across millennia in pursuit of it, and now stands on the brink of completing her thousandth conquest.
She is the campaign’s unseen hand — tragic, wrathful, and bound by divine cruelty. Only fragments of her story survive in the whispers of fey, half-remembered songs, and old tales told by campfire. For most, her name is a myth. But to the founders of a new kingdom in the Stolen Lands… she may soon be a reality.
The Distant Plot: Brevoy's Civil War: Two centuries ago, Choral the Conqueror crossed the mountains from Iobaria with two red dragons at his command. In alliance with House Surtova, he united the long-warring lands of Issia and Rostland into a single kingdom — Brevoy — under his new dynasty, House Rogarvia.
After ruling for a decade, Choral vanished into the depths of the Gronzi Forest with his dragons, leaving his vassals and heir behind. The Rogarvias continued to rule for two hundred years — until one night, they vanished completely. Every noble of their line disappeared without a trace.
House Surtova swiftly claimed the vacant Dragonscale Throne. Over a decade later, they appear ready to seize full control and abandon any pretense of waiting for the Rogarvias’ return. As tensions mount between Issia and Rostland, Brevoy teeters on the brink of open civil war — and any new kingdom to the south will find itself entangled in its shadow.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Everything above the divider is canonical or mostly so. Everything below is either heavily altered from other Paizo content or homebrew for this campaign — still canon in-game, but not part of the published Kingmaker adventure. I include this note for players unfamiliar with the source material so you know what’s original to this version. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Secret Plot: The True History of Choral the Conqueror: The rumors were true: Choral the Conqueror was no mortal man. He was Chorazulanthus, a red dragon in human guise. Along with his sister Caelyndraxis, he sought to destroy their draconic rivals in Iobaria. To that end, Choral took on human form, conquered Issia and Rostland, and plundered their wealth to fuel his ambition.
When he vanished into the Gronzi Forest, he and his sister discovered an ancient ruin pulsing with draconic magic. There, they were stricken by the Drakeplague — a wasting curse. Rather than perish, they weaponized it, unleashing it upon Iobaria and slaying six of every ten dragons there.
Desperate to rid themselves of the plague’s lingering corruption, they turned to a forbidden ritual known as Flame’s Purity, a blood magic designed to burn away all weakness — at the cost of one’s own bloodline. On the 200th anniversary of Brevoy’s founding, every member of House Rogarvia gathered in New Stetven… and vanished. The ritual succeeded only partially. Somewhere in Brevoy, a few scattered heirs survived — bastards, forgotten branches, and hidden children.
Until these last embers are extinguished, Chorazulanthus and Caelyndraxis remain incomplete. In the years since, they have hunted their descendants in secret. And still, one lost soul yet carries the legacy of fire and royalty, pursued by unseen forces while the dragons wait in silence.
The Underground Plot: Droskar's Rebellion: In the Golushkin Mountains, the dwarves of Clan Golka suffered their own “vanishing” shortly after the fall of House Rogarvia. Many on the surface assumed the two events were linked. In truth, the Golka dwarves were overrun by a cult devoted to Droskar, the Master of the Dark Furnace. The cult sacked their halls and enslaved the survivors, forcing them to labor endlessly in the black forges of the deep.
To the surface world, the Golka are long gone — but far below, the forges still burn, their light never dimming.
The Shadow Plot: Incursion of the Fellnight: The Stolen Lands stand at a crossroads between worlds. The veil between the Material Plane and the First World is thin here, and the land is steeped in fey magic. But a new corruption seeps through the cracks — strange creatures called Hollowborn. They wear the shapes of beasts, trees, and even people, but inside they are voids — drained of color, warmth, and song. Ordinary steel and common spells falter against them, and the world around them fades into lifeless gray.
Unbeknownst to mortals, the Hollowborn come from a demiplane caught betwixt the Plane of Shadow and the First World — the Fellnight Realm. Its ruler, the dark fey queen who calls herself the Fellnight Queen, is the only child of the banished Count Ranalc and Nyrissa. She wanders the planes in search of her lost father, sending her Hollowborn as heralds of despair.
And in the end, perhaps only a mother’s love — the lost sword Briar — can unmake what her daughter has wrought.
* * * * *
“In ash and briar dreams remain, for what is lost will burn again.”
Success! You free Kerm and escape without further incident.
As Sovukh begins sawing away at the vines with his knife, the vine retracts suddenly as if recoiling, and Kerm thumps to the ground.
"Thanks Sovukh. Let's get out of here!"
The group breaks through the treeline, the vegepygmies chasing after. Bone spears whizz through the air near the men's heads, but once they hit sand they're in the clear. The vegepygmies crowd at the treeline, angrily thumping their chests or pounding rocks on tree trunks, but they don't dare follow beyond the protection of the jungle. The last rowboat awaits the pirates, and the ship in the bay is already beginning to unfurl her sails.
A +2 ties with the passive difficulty for these obstacles, so you succeed at minor cost. In this case, I'm going to introduce a complication.
Sovukh's keen eye spots the signs of buried traps in the earth, the darkness proving no obstacle for his orc eyes. His companions, eager to make it to the safety of the ship, are less careful. The group charges through the undergrowth, Sovukh blazing the trail around the traps. Just as they make the treeline, Sovukh hears a scream from behind him. Kerm's taken a wrong step and now he hangs by the leg, suspended from a tree by a tangle of vines and hollering his head off. "NO! Help! Don't let them get me! Somebody help!" Further back, it sounds as though the vegepygmies have managed to make it past barrier. The beach is visible through the trees, the last rowboat waiting on the sand.
So now you've got a choice to make. Kerm is Caught in a trap. This seems like it could either be an Overcome to free him from the trap or a Defend to fend off the the oncoming vegepygmies. Or you could leave him for dead and make for the boats.
Yes, it would be silly not to invoke Blocked Path. Go ahead and give me a roll to overcome the Booby-trapped Jungle.
The men make haste to put some distance between themselves and the vegepygmies. The night is dark, the light from the full moon only piercing through the dense jungle canopy in scattered pools of silver.
Alright. Looks to me like a Forceful attempt to overcome an obstacle. Invoking gets you a +2 for a total of 3, so that's a success. You create an aspect: Blocked Path. You'll get a free invoke on that aspect.
Though paralyzed with fear, Sovukh's barking commands get through to the men. With the vegepygmies bearing down on their position, they fell the tree with a heave and a ho! The tree comes down, blocking the horde.
There's no time to waste feeling victorious. The block will slow them down, but not stop them; after all, this jungle is their home.
We're in a conflict. There are 4 zones, arranged basically linearly. On one side, we have the jungle with Sovukh, the men, and the vegepygmies. Inbetween is zone 2, which is another patch of jungle. Past that is zone 3, the beach. And the final zone is the water, with the ship at the far end. Per the rules, you can move across one zone for free unless there are obstacles. For zone 2, expect there to be an obstacle.
Since you succeeded to create the Blocked Path aspect by 1 shift, it has a passive difficulty of 1, so the vegepygmies have overcome it. However, if you choose to use that free invoke, it'll grant a +2 and the vegepygmies will fail to overcome it and you'll get an extra turn to try to make good on your escape.
A bright full moon shines down on a placid jungle island. A two-masted ship sits anchored in the bay, sails furled, and rowboats dot the shore. Tracks in the white sand lead from the boats into the dense trees, palm fronds swaying in the gentle breeze.
There is a disturbance at the jungle's edge. A man charges through the brush, long dark hair whipping behind him as he makes a break for the rowboats. Captain Tremain, pirate caprain and treasure hunter extraordinaire! The men of his crew follow behind, blackguards and blackhearts the lot of them, and the calm of the night is broken by the sounds of struggle.
Back in the jungle, a squad of men brings up the rear, charging desperately through the underbrush. Terrified, they stumble through the dark tangle of trees and ferns and vines. One falls into a pit trap, impaled on spikes. Another runs neck-first into the coils of a hanging snake. Behind the unfortunate stragglers, a surging horde of viny green humanoids chases them, carrying torches and bone-white spears, eerily quiet as they move through the jungle to overtake the men.
"There's too many!" whimpers one of the men. "We'll never make it! Sovukh, what do we do?" All eyes turn to one among them with skin as green as their pursuers - Sovukh Serpent-Eye!
This is the discussion thread for Shackles of Fate, part of what I hope will be the first part of my Golarion FATE project. While Pathfinder used to be my go-to system, I have moved on to game systems with narrative-forward mechanics. However, I still love the Golarion campaign setting, so I'm hoping to have my cake and eat it to by running a FATE game set in Golarion.
The player and I have a Discord that will likely be our main OOC channel. This thread is to serve as an explanation for anybody else who happens to read along so they understand what's going on, and for whatever use I come up with for it down the line.
Let's see if we can't get things rolling again, shall we? Having another NPC that actually likes Selene should help with that.
Selene's blast hits the skeleton square-on, but it doesn't seem to faze the creature. It turns its empty sockets to gape at Selene, and slowly makes its way toward her.
Sister Mardhalas dispatches a skeleton with a glowing sword and turns to the source of the sound. When she sees Selene up the hill, she grins and raises her sword in a salute. "Pharasma sends her favor upon us this night! Selene, come down her and show these whelps what real monster hunters are capable of!"
Assuming Selene joins the inquisitors below...
Falling back to rendezvous with Selene, Sister Mardhalas briefs her on the situation. "I was starting to worry this was going to take all night! But with you here, maybe we can put an end to this quickly. These undead abominations are hardier that your average skeletons. It's fitting; in life they were among the best soldiers to grace the battlefields of the Shining Crusade. They're slower in their old age, and something about the graves in this place makes it tough for them to navigate." She gestures, and Selene sees an inquisitor back-pedaling and moving between a row of graves while the pursuing skeleton pauses every few steps, as though unsure of his quarry's location.
"The big one, on the horse there? That is, or was, Sir Brendant Hoffstader, a commander in the Shining Crusade. He was a courageous man, but he met a gruesome end at the hands of the Whispering Tyrant. His restless spirit still possesses his armor, and a few times a year he materializes and starts trying to raise an army to conquer Caliphas. One day we might discover how to send him to Pharasma once and for all, but for now, if we can defeat him tonight, his soldiers will return to their graves until the next time he calls."
I hate it when the forums stop alerting me to new posts. Sorry for the delay.
Knowledge (religion):
Selene recognizes the skeletal soldiers as being of the common variety, albeit perhaps a little stronger. Sharp weapons aren't as effective as something that can smash their bones, and the cold embrace of death has left them immune to cold magic. Undead traits, DR 5/bludgeoning, immune to cold.
The horsed figure is something far more sinister - a graveknight. The foul magic that spurs this creature's unlife is far more powerful. It resists clerics' holy energies and all forms of mundane attack. It even shrugs off the effects of most spells and elemental energies. [OOC]Undead traits, DR 10/magic, immune to cold, electricity, fire, channel resistance +4, spell resistance 16.
Random question, where does Selene get the horse? Does she conjure one? I'm handwaving that she gets one, I'm just interested if you have ideas.
The robed acolyte gets a quizzical expression at Selene's report, but nods and scurries off, leaving Selene to track down Sister Mardhalas.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
8th of Rova, 4717 AR
Vojmorant Cemetery
10:30 PM
The ride to Vojmorant Cemetery is uneventful but not arduous. The fog dissipates somewhat as she gets beyond the walls of Caliphas, and the countryside surrounding Vojmorant is clear and peaceful tonight. Reaching the wrought-iron gates, Selene sees four other horses tied up nearby.
Shining Gate is located far at the back of cemetery. Selene scrambles through fields of graves going back hundreds of years as she makes her way. The farther back she goes, the fewer paths and signs she sees, but the place is littered with statues, crypts, and mausoleums bearing vaunted names, some as old as Ustalav itself.
Selene hears the clanging of steel on steel and barked battle orders becoming more distinct, and before she knows it, the great stone archway of Shining Gate stands before her. A great, twelve-foot sculpture of a valiant crusader flanks either side of the grand gate, which is currently locked shut. The inquisitors must have closed it behind them to prevent any undead from getting out.
The gates prove no barrier to Selene. Just beyond stands a memorial to the knights and soldiers of the Shining Crusade, and beyond that the land slopes down into a valley. From her vantage point, Selene can survey the scene below. In the vast field of Shining Gate, Sister Mardhalas and her inquisitors are engaged in battle with undead knights. Selene can count no fewer than twelve skeletal foot-soldiers clad in ancient armor, and a fearsome figure riding a ghostly charger. The soldiers move slow, and the horsed figure appears content to watch and command from the rear.
Maiden's Choir is an easy landmark to spot, taking its place in the Caliphas skyline like a great eyeless socket staring heavenward unblinking. Nearby Castles Mashir (to the west) and Stryithe (east and south) keep it company, but even the splendor of the Majesty Hotel cannot blot out the great dome of Pharasma's cathedral. Made of black marble and shot through with veins of amethyst, Maiden's Choir stands as Ustalav's oldest and most magnificent claim to fame. Long before the recent relocation of the capital from Ardis, before the reinforcements of the city's walls, before even the time of the Whispering Tyrant, Maiden's Choir has been home to Pharasma's faithful in Caliphas. The cathedral has borne witness to Ustalav's many horrors through the ages, but its presence here, in the Caliphas skyline, is stone-wrought testament to the supremacy of the cycle of birth and death.
It is said by some that Maiden's Choir is the most magnificent of all of Pharasma's cathedrals on Golarion; it certainly holds some of the faith's most storied relics. At her heart sits a silver mausoleum-like reliquary, containing such holy treasures as the Sarkorin song skulls, the scroll bones of Father Gesenge, the armored Gown of Tears, and – or so goes the claim – one of the steel splinter-feathers of the goddess’s own herald.
Mother Thestia, well past her Maiden years has moved through Mother and is working her way into her Crone. Just a young priestess when the Prince moved the capital from Ardis to Ustalav, she has seen the congregation multiply in size over the years. Maiden's Choir used to be a bastion for the common faithful - farmers and laborers, mostly. These days the congreagation swells with members of Caliphas's burgeoning nobility. Through it all, Mother Thestia has done her level best to stay above the feuding and politcking of the ruling class, but the high priestess always has time for the farmhands, blacksmiths, and stonelayers. From the highest to the lowest, all are seen in equal measure under Pharamsa's eye.
Though not as militant as Kavapesta, Caliphas has need of holy warriors just the same, perhaps even moreso. The inquisitors have their own wing in the cathedral, well away from the grand domed hall where the church's services are held. Under the watchful eye of the current High Inquisitor, Sister Zetiah Mardhalas, Pharasma's red-clad inquisitors train to hunt both heretics and monsters alike. Though surprisingly young for her someone in her position, Sister Mardhalas has the hardness of a fired stake and the cutting edge of a silver dagger. Her unwavering faith in her goddess and overwhelming zeal for hunting down enemies of the faith are not wasted in Caliphas; there are enough exorcisms to be performed and ghouls in the cemetary to hunt to keep her occupied even if she had three times the number of inquisitors under her command. Though not the easiest person to get along with, Sister Mardhalas took an uncommon liking to Selene during their interactions three months ago. Impressed by the way Selene handled herself, she has snever fails to attempt to recruit the Constable into the ranks of Pharasma's Inquisitors.
As Selene wanders the halls, there are few red-coated warrors roaming about, and Sister Mardhalas is nowhere to be found. However, an acolyte who recognizes Selene stops to give her a hand. "Sister Mardhalas and the others are in Shining Gate. I expect they will be indisposed of for the evening."
Constable's Intuition:
Shining Gate is a burial ground located outside the city walls toward Wrenhyde. Specifically, it is a portion of the vast Vojmorant Cemetery reserved for the interred remains of soldiers who fought in the Shining Crusade. If Sister Mardhalas and the rest of the inquisitors are all there, it's likely that the Crusade's fallen are restless this night. Selene knows that it's maybe twenty minutes away on horseback, but less than ten by her preferred means of travel if she can get above the fog.
Cameroon is currently experiencing some civil unrest, and I happen to be living just minutes from the border with the conflict zone. The government has shut off internet to that region, as they'd done in the past. Currently, I have access; that may change unexpectedly.
I would like to emphasize that I'm in no personal danger, but if I disappear for a little while, that's what's going on. I'm pretty mobile on weekends, so I absolutely should not be disappearing at any point for more than two weeks.
High Inquisitor Mardhalas might have more information on the man. She was going to have to see her anyway; Department policy is to file all reports of undead of any kind with the Church of Pharasma.
With her light out, Selene manages to avoid attracting any more attention. The night is young, but she's not officially scheduled for patrol. Shortly, she finds herself at the Dock Street intersection. Going straight will take her back to Eskcourt, toward either Layla's apartment or her own. A left turn will lead her down to the West Docks, which was always bustling at this time of night. And to the right lies the East Docks and the insular Jade Quarter.
Not so much in your chain of command as above it. Like how the FBI aren't in command of the police; outside the context of their individual jurisdictions, they're ostensibly equals, but not really.
Knowledge (local):
Selene has no idea who this man is. The Bureau of Special Affairs was known for being unknowable, their agents included.
"Yes, I'm familiar with your record," the man says. "And as far as I can tell, you have no idea what you are. What matters is what they think you are, and there's sure to be more where that came from. So if you'd like to be tonight's main attraction for all that goes bump in the night, by all means, shine on you crazy diamond. But if it's all the same to you, I won't be sticking around for it."
With that, the man stalks off into the fog, seemingly keen to get away from the glowing city block.
He's going slowly enough that Selene can follow, if she's so inclined. If not, he disappears.
The man cracks a faint smile. "I was going to help, but you seemed to have the situation well enough in hand. You have to admit, lighting up a city block and fighting off three vampires isn't exactly the least inconspicuous thing you could be doing."
Despite his impertinence, the man complies with Selene's request. Reaching into his coat, he withdraws a badge that Selene can't help but recognize as the insignia of the Bureau of Special Affairs. Whoever this man is, he works for Mirakas Vashalnt in Whiteshaw's shadowy underbelly. "That should be sufficient," he says, replacing the badge. There's a lightness in his tone, but it never reaches the corners of his pale eyes. It's hard to tell what color they are in the glow. Blue? Green? Maybe even gray. "Who I am isn't nearly as interesting - or important - as who - or what - you are, Selene. Or, at least, what they think you are. Douse the light," he commands.
We never established this, but I'm going to assume that Selene switched back to her normal appearance some time after leaving Barragaro Road.
The fish heads covering the ground make for poor footing, and as she takes her shot, her foot skids just enough to throw off her aim. The energy passes by the vampire, creating another tunnel in the fog that terminates where the blast hits a building. The creature avoided the blast, but looks spooked. "The strigoi is powerful indeed," it says to the other.
They both snarl in pain as the light continues to burn away some of their gray flesh. "The light burns," growls the other. "Let us be done with this!" Silent agreement passes between them, and suddenly explodes into a whirling cloud of bats that take for the sky through the hole in the fog while the other nimbly scales back up the wall to disappear over the rooftops.
Combat over.
Constable's Intuition:
Something's wrong. The vampires were losing, slowly, but they still had plenty of fight left in them when they fled. The fight hadn't been a failed hunt on her part, it had been some kind of test.
As Selene stands in the fog, catching her breath after her brief exercise, she hears the sound of a pair hands clapping in applause. "Well done," calls a voice through the fog. The voice was deep, masculine, and a moment later, the figure it belongs to steps out from the edge of the fog. "But you should work on your aim. Nobody likes collateral damage."
As the man steps into the glowing nimbus of light, Selene gets a good look at him. He wears armor underneath a long black coat, and the knobbed pommel and grip of a longsword poke over his shoulder. The man is lean, and there are clear traces of Kellid in his features, though it's mingled with something else that Selene can't put a finger on. A black, wide-brimmed hat sitting atop his head completes the picture.
Knowledge (religion) DC 12 or Knowledge (local) DC 15:
Aside from the black color, the man's dress reminds Selene of High Inquisitor Mardhalas - the man appears to be a Pharasmin Inquisitor.
Perception (without senses) DC 20:
The coat looks familiar. Selene's certain that she's seen it before - riding on a horse toward Wrenhyde.
Cool, I'll check out the table! I've got no problem with that plan whatsoever. Just a full round action to break the barrel and pick up the improvised stake. But based on her knowledge, Selene knows that they're resistant to physical damage that's only bypassed by silver; a stake is relatively useless until the vampire can be incapacitated. In fact, she got a short lesson in the effective methods of hunting vampires from High Inquisitor Mardhalas during the Incident.
Thanks, I was having a bear of a time finding that formula. Also, nice rolls!
The vampire screams in pain as Selene slashes at it with her claws. Between her strike and the searing light, the damage is too much for the creature to take. Selene feels the force holding her down disappear suddenly and dozens of tiny legs on her skin. Looking down, she sees herself covered in spiders that flee the light as quickly as they can.
The other two haven't quite gotten the message yet, but as the skin continues to burn off their faces, they seem to have traded talking for pained growling and snarling. One slashes at Selene again, but its attack is turned aside by Selene's claw. The other reaches his hand out towards Selene and jerks it back toward himself. A moment later, something heavy collides with Selene's back with a thunk! Suddenly, something else replaces the stench of the burning vampire in Selene's nose, though the smell of old fish isn't much better.
Selene is no longer grappled but was hit with a barrel full of fish heads and takes 7 damage. The space behind her is now difficult terrain, due to the aforementioned heads.
I'm trying to parse the rules interactions between grapple and casting. As I understand it, your Defensive Casting roll is for casting defensively to provoke an AoO, but the DC for that is 15 + double the level of spell. Since Selene is grappled, she also needs to roll a concentration check with a DC of 14 + level of spell. Which leads me to my next question for you, as you're the SoP master - how do you figure the spell level with SoP in play?
The vampires recoil in pain as the city block glows like high noon. The creatures cast no shadows, but they burn like paper in the light. One screeches, "It burns!" Another tries to block the light from its eyes to no effect. But even as their skin smolders and smokes, Selene can see some of the damage repairing, the burns covering back over with new undead flesh. "The strigoi fears not the light," says the third, and takes a swipe at Selene. The others get a grip on themselves and pounce as well. A sharp contrast to their graceful display on the walls, the vampires strike with brutality and viciousness. Though dangerous, they lack finesse, and Selene manages just to duck and dodge away from swipes that could tear her throat out.
While the first two keep Selene occupied, the third wrenches her arm around as it grabs her from behind. "Blood still runs in the strigoi's veins," it rasps, a note of pained desperation in its voice. With the vile creature's face so close to her own, Selene gets a big whiff of the smell of rotting, burning flesh. Selene takes no damage, but is grappled.
As the light bursts forth, Selene's shadow writhes for a moment, as if seeking for some avenue of escape, before pooling in a tight circle at her feet.
Selene's blast of magic shoots upwards, leaving a clear trail as it burns off the fog. The bright light shines like a beacon as it travels, lighting up the whole street for an instant. In that brief, clear moment, Selene can see three pairs of red eyes staring down at her from the roofs on either side of the street, glinting with something like hunger.
Grinning between themselves, they each begin climbing down the walls, crawling on their hands and feet. They move with an unnatural grace but their paths are lazy, zig-zagging back and forth, and they call out to each other as they come.
"The strigoi wants to play," laughs one, nimbly crossing over a windowsill in his path. "We should oblige her," says the second, scrambling along the outside of a balcony. "But Grandfather said not to make moves," admonishes the third from the other side of the street, its tone mocking.
"The strigoi attacked first," says the second, gently tumbling in a handpring from the wall to the ground. "Yes, we have to defend ourselves," says the first, touching down a little ways from the second. "Grandfather will understand," agrees the third, leaping the last six feet or so and landing without a sound.
Through the hole in the fog, a moonbeam illuminates the street and the surrounding fog glows gently, casting an eerie pallor over the scene. As the creatures circle, Selene gets a better look at them. Their clothes were maybe once something approaching finery, but now they are now just ragged tatters. Their shirts are torn and dirt-stained, their pants are frayed, and their gray flesh is gaunt. It stretches tightly across their faces and their bald pates, the bone-structure thrown into sharp relief like a dessicated corpse, but their eyes gleam red and their tongues run over their enlarged incisors.
As they circle Selene, they begin to edge closer, slowly tightening the circle, but they seem to be enjoying their little game far too much to attack just yet.
"We've waited so long to see the strigoi for ourselves," says one of them. "Yes, ever so patiently," says another. "We've been watching for months," says the third, saliva gleaming on its teeth. "But the months feel like years," complains one. "And the years pass like days," laughs another.
Knowledge (religion) DC 14:
There can be no doubt about it. These creatures are none other than the ruby-eyed gentlemen of the sewers spoken of in hushed whispers and warned of by mothers to their disobedient children - vampires. Whether they plan to feed on Selene's blood, dominate her will, or batter her into submission with their energy-draining touch is impossible to say. Selene knows all the basic vampire traits.
Knowledge (religion) DC 19:
Judging by their strange decrepitude, these aren't the usual moroi breed of vampire. These nosferatu might turn into swarms of small creatures rather than a cloud of gas, and their strange magic lets them move objects without touching them rather than dominating a creature's mind.
Initiative:
Selene
Vampires
No real need for a map for this one. There is a roughly 30'x30' area that has been unshrouded from the fog by Selene's blast, with the buildings on either side of the street. There are three enemies around Selene in a triangular formation. Selene's up first.
Ariel nods, silently accepting the arrangement before withdrawing into the fog and shadows.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The trap set, Selene mentally reviews the details and preparations she'd need to make. For one, it might be wise to let Layla know that there would be an attempted robbery at her apartment sometime in the next week, especially wit the Ball coming up. She was already nearly loosing her head over last-minute preparation; she had fussed with the dressmaker for what felt likehours, time Selene could have spent doing something useful instead.
As Selene makes her own way through the night, the hair on the back of her neck stands on end and she gets the unnerving feeling she's being watched. It was a feeling that was beginning to become familiar; she'd been experiencing it intermittently since the incident three months ago, but hadn't been able to attribute to anything. There didn't seem to be any pattern, except that it only ever happened at night, well after the sun had set. Whatever it was, it hadn't interfered with her work, but it certainly didn't feel friendly.
Perception DC 35:
There! On the rooftops! With her enhanced senses, Selene catches the barest hint of silhouette against the moon through the fog, and her ears pick up the sound of multiple pairs of feet crunching faintly up above.
Yes, somewhere in the region of 50 gp up front. In retrospect, it would have been good to establish a silver-based economy, but oh well.
Refusing to deal in her side-business of fencing stolen goods (and apparently arranging heists), Ariel directs Selene to meet her the next evening in an alley just off Barragaro Road.
Walking down Barragaro Road, especially at night, is a tour through the city's social strata. The top of the route begins just south of the well-to-do neighborhood of Eskcourt. Traveling south through Hawthorne Rows, the surroundings quickly shift once the road reaches Oracle's Alley, soon after crossing the intersection at Dock Street, which connects the bustling West Docks with Ashtown and the seedier East Docks. As one continues to push through the fog past Dock Street, they soon find themselves in the open-air market the road is famous for.
At any time of day, any time of year, rain, shine, or the usual fog, the stalls, stands, and holes in the wall are filled with hawkers, mongers, and criers selling anything and everything. Fish (dried, fresh, and braised), meat (whole, butchered, or still breathing), produce of all kinds. Used clothes, furniture, housewares and hardwares, you can find it all on Barragaro Road if just look long enough. But if one keeps going, all the way down to where the road nearly runs into Lady's Harbor, Barragaro Road offers a different sort of market. Streetwalkers ply their trade while shady characters in cloaks beckon from the shadows, offering any manner of stolen goods or illicit services. As Selene walks through in her disguise, one of those shady characters waves for her attention.
"He says he'll do it," Ariel says. She wears a rough-spun brown cloak, the hood drawn over her head. "You have the money? Good." Accepting the partial payment, she opens the sack and pours the contents into her hand. "It's all here," she confirms, stowing the payment in a pocket. "It is going to take him some time. Maybe a week or more. Your target, this Navickas woman, he says it will take some work. Good security. How should I contact you once I have the item?"
After some coy banter, Ariel finally catches on that Selene isn't interested in the usual services, that she just wants to talk. "You could have said that right from the start!" Ariel laughs. With the customary lull in business after lunch, thigns are slow enough that she can chat with Selene then and there. "Rosalind, I'm going on break."
After some cajoling and dancing around the topic of the local underworld, Selene cuts a deal with Ariel for her friend Mister Kent to steal a particular item from a private home. Ariel wants half the selling price up front, to make sure the money is real, but Selene talks her down to a quarter of the price. After coming to an arrangement, they agree upon a meeting time for Selene to hand over the coin and talk further details.
Based on information available to Selene regarding Ariel and her relationship with Barius Kent, she wasn't likely to give up any dirt directly. But Selene's looking for a way to nail Barius Kent and make it stick, so I hope this entrapment angle was a good compromise. I wanted to leave the details up to you.
Okay. Ariel is a prostitute and at this point just assumes that Selene wants what everyone else wants. It's possible I've been too subtle on that point? Also, if Selene does decide to make an appointment, she'll have to get creative about how she pumps for information. If you'd like, I can take that roll, handwave it, and move on.
Ariel scowls playfully. "What does this look like, a teahouse? I can dig some roots out of the garden and throw it in some water if that's what ye be wantin'. Otherwise, it's ale, beer, whiskey, or wine. Best be off doin' your work, but if there's something special you're wanting later on, you'd best make an appointment."
It's not my intention to roadblock, but I think I'm starting to lose focus. What's Selene's goal for this interaction at the moment?
With that Perception check, Selene also notices that Dionne's not wearing anything that would publicly identify her as an inspector. Maybe Selene isn't the only one who's incognito.
With her heightened senses, the background noise of the tavern gives her no trouble as she listens in on Ariel's conversation with Dionne. Ariel seems to drop her guard as she talks to Dionne, her accent becoming thicker and more noticeably Kellid.
Eavesdropping:
"...don't know how I can efer repay you!"
"Anything for an old friend, Ariel. But professional curiosity makes me wonder, what was he doing with a freaky painting like that, anyway?"
"He would not say. Something about this new 'patron' of his. I told him if he was looking to join up wif a gang, the Wild Bunch would be more than good enuf, but he wouldn't haf any of it."
Dionne's voice is suddenly sharp, dropping to a harsh whisper. "I've told you all never to use that name! You never know who's listening in this town."
"I'm sorry, Dionne. Forgif me."
"And watch your accent. It's slipping. I told you, if you're gonna make it in Caliphas, you've got to blend in. Outsiders like us don't belong, and they'll never let you forget it. Anyway, tell me more about this new patron he's got. Who could have any use for something like that?"
"He doesn't talk much about it. All I know is that he has been spending more time in the Jade Quarter."
"The Jade Quarter? He's getting mixed up with the Syndicate, then. That's bad news. He might have been better off if I'd left him in that cell."
"Do not say such things! Please, there must be something that you can do?"
"Maybe. I'll have a chat with him, but I'll have to make some arrangements. You're sure this is the guy for you? You're a pretty girl, Ariel, and you've come a long way already."
"All thanks to you! Yes, I am sure. Barius has his problems. But when he looks at me, he sees me. Not tavern wench, not whore, not Kellid. Just me, Ariel."
"Alright, alright, if you're sure. Anyway, I've got to get going. Hoptler's got a hair up his ass today, and I've got a lot of work left back at the office. Keep your nose clean, kid. I'll be back for a plate of Grimm's meatballs soon."
After their brief conversation, Dionne stands up and leaves without having ordered anything. Her eyes scan the room as she approaches the door, her eyes passing over Selene in her disguised form without noticing anything amiss.
Assuming Selene doesn't leave immediately after...
After a few more minutes and a few more patrons, Ariel finally makes her way to Selene's table. "How were the meatballs?" she asks, her Kellid accent now almost entirely disappeared.
After finishing the meatballs, which does indeed take awhile, Selene has some time to sit and digest. And to watch.
Grimm's is a typical dockside tavern with the typical dockside patrons. While she sits there, Selene witnesses a game of cards at one table nearly devolve into a brawl, merchants and captains making deals, money changing hands, and drunk patrons patting wenches and getting slaps in return.
As the lunch rush dies down and people trickle back out into the fog, an unexpectedly familiar figure enters the bar. A tall blonde woman with a cocksure grin and swaggering affect takes a seat at a far corner in Selene's section. Disguised as she is, Dionne doesn't recognize Selene as she passes by.
Perception DC 25:
Are Dionne's ears... pointed? It's difficult to make out with her hair hanging down over them, but it appears that slight points are sticking out of her hair.
It doesn't take more than a few moments before Ariel makes her way over to Dionne's table. From her positioning, Ariel's body partially blocks Selene's line-of-sight on their interaction.
Sense Motive DC 20:
For some reason, it looks like Dionne is known here. And getting preferential treatment. To Selene's trained eye, Ariel's body language is much different all of a sudden. Minimized, subservient, grateful?
She nods. "Tha'd be fine, or ye can sit around and have a few drinks. Those meatballs will take you awhile. Make a day of it," she winks.
When she returns, she delivers a steaming bowl of meatballs, swimming in brown gravy, with a hunk of rye bread on the side. Each is roughly half the size of a man's fist; together, they'll make for a very full meal. Selene's heightened senses can easily detect the various flavors, even covered in gravy. The chicken meatball is coated in various peppers and was smoked before cooking, the lamb-and-pork meatball was basted with green herbs and some red pepper for kick, and the beef meatball has warm notes of nutmeg, ginger, and allspice along with the onion and garlic, and was browned in a red wine sauce.
"Got a couple o' choice brews none o' the other taverns haf got. Grimm's got some friends, orders 'em special." She rattles off a few different imported ales and beers from around the Inner Sea, a bottle of elvish wine from Mierani Forest, and a dwarf firewhisky -Dragon's Breath. "Dragon's Breath is new just this month. Dwarves don't like lettin' that one outta the mountains. As fer the rest, ye can't order off the menu durin' lunch rush, so if there's something special ye be wantin' you'll haf to come back later."
After Selene finalizes her order, Ariel sends it to the kitchen and returns to taking care of her other patrons.
Constable's Intuition:
She's clearly expecting that you're here for more than food and drink, and she doesn't seem happy about it. More to the point, she doesn't seem happy that you're here during peak hours. She might be willing to make arrangements for a later time.
A cool look passes across Ariel's face momentarily before rattling off the day's menu. "Toady, mutton stew's on wif leek and potatoes, we got fish and chips, and our Grimm's famous meatballs," she says. "Meatballs are the best, naturally, but they'll cost."
Knowledge (local) DC 10:
Grimm's Grinns is indeed famous for their meatballs. The recipe is secret, but each of the three meatballs is made with a different meat and blend of spices in a rich gravy.
Sense Motive DC 12:
The meatballs aren't the only "best" thing on the menu that will cost. She's feeling you out.
Since we've had this extended break, it's a good time to take a different tack if it's needed. I went back and re-read a lot of it, and it actually reads pretty well, which I'm pleased about on both our behalves. That said, I'm also aware that the scene-by-scene pace drags on extensively. Do you prefer lingering over the scenes and interactions the way we've been doing, or would you prefer to move things faster, even if it means hand-waving the details?
I looked over the Ultimate Intrigue rules, and I can't say that I was too impressed with what I read. I don't think I'll be incorporating any of the additional sub-systems.
The bartender nods casually, the request barely warranting his notice. Between Skoli's information and the well-earned reputation of dock-side establishments everywhere, it's a fair bet that he gets questions like this one a lot. "Have a seat over there," he says, gesturing to a section of smaller tables for individual diners. "She'll be along shortly."
The designated section, like the rest of the tavern, is packed with diners and drinkers. There seem to be two serving girls working this corner; during the lunch rush at Grimm's Grinns, turnover would be high. One is a portly dark-haired girl of the usual mixed stock, maybe a little more Ustalav than average. The other is a taller blonde with green eyes and more striking features. The bartender throws a glance her way and she acknowledges Selene's arrival as she delivers a tray of stew and bread to another customer.
While she waits, Selene takes the opportunity to take in her surroundings. Most of the tavern was filled with sailors and longshoremen on leave or at lunch, with large tables for rowdy crews. Her section took up a smaller portion of the establishment, reserved for individuals or pairs. The patrons on this side appeared marginally less wild and seemed to be composed of a mix of merchants, sea captains, and locals.
After about ten minutes, or so, Selene starts to get the impression that she's being kept waiting on purpose, the way the wenches revisit some of the tables to refill drinks and bring the occasional additional course, when Ariel finally comes around. "Gudday luf, what will you be having?" She's got the easy sort of false friendliness expected at a place like Grimm's Grinns, and there's definitely traces of Kellid in her accent. Up close, Selene can see faint pockmarks on the girl's face, traces of healing acne scars that make her look as if she's just beyond adolescence, but there's something hard about her eyes.
Constable's Intuition:
Ariel's Kellid, no doubt about it. Grimm's Grinns may not be the most upscale wine-and-dinery in Caliphas, but it's one of the nicest places on the docks. As cosmopolitan as the city aspires to be, the racial rifts in the local populace run deep. Kellids are on a low rung in the social ladder. It must have taken a lot of hard work for a Kellid girl, even a pretty one like Ariel, to find work at a place like this, and she'll probably never get any higher.
Training ends the first week in August and then I'll be moving to my permanent site. My plan is to return to regular posting in this game by the second week of August. How does that sound to you?
Hey there, I'm in the last stretch before leaving for Cameroon! I'm flying to DC tomorrow, set to leave the country next Wednesday. I'm not sure what my posting schedule will be like going forward. I intend to get some more posts up before leaving, but if you don't hear from me for over a month, that means this is the last internet access I had.
Whatever happens, I want to thank you for this opportunity and for sticking with it this long. It's given me the opportunity to get a lot of stuff out of my head and onto paper, and I've had a great time!
This place is above-the-boards. Bribes are welcome anywhere, but there probably isn't any need to go flashing the badge around. It isn't unheard of for people to request a specific server, especially if they're known for providing extra services. The path of least resistance is simply to ask.
The barman takes little notice as Selene dumps the unconscious man in the corner, and Skoli just shakes his head.
The rest of the morning passes uneventfully as Selene makes her way toward the West Docks. Passing through Ashtown, the fog is supplemented by the haze of dirty smoke. Many of the buildings are flecked gray with a coating of ash, the product of the district's dirty industry. Ashtown is alive and filled with the sounds of people working, in stark contrast to the stillness of the East Docks. Despite the activity, it isn't difficult for Selene to find an empty alley to make good on her transformation. The gruff-looking man from Fume End emerges on the other side of Hawthorne Rows a patrolling constable.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
12:00 PM - 7th of Rova, 4717 AR
Grimm's Grinns, West Docks
The West Docks are bigger and busier than their counterpart on the other side of the peninsula. The sooty and smells of Ashtown give way to a salty sea breeze down by the water. The fog is lighter here than in the choked streets of the city, and the black-and-purple-sailed ships of Caliphas's navy can be seen across the harbor. Ships of all kinds are moored here while sailors and dockworkers crowd the piers, loading and unloading cargo, while captains treat with customs agents and barter with merchants.
Grimm's Grinns is a popular watering hole just a couple of streets off the docks, frequented by sailors and merchants alike. The atmosphere is much more lively than the Wretched Wraith, and looking at the colorful clientele, you'd think the circus was in town. The place is buzzing with the lunch rush, and wenches are busy ferrying trays of food and drink to the hungry patrons.
Selene quickly finds herself talking to nobody as her first blow knocks the thug unconscious. The body goes limp and crumples to the ground, the man's weapon clattering out into the fog.
Combat over.
Selene stands alone on an empty street in the East Docks, enshrouded by fog with a body at her feet.
Unfortunately you won't be able to use Warp. The thick fog prevents line of sight until you get the Unseeing Warp talent.
Stepping back out into the blanket of fog, Selene is caught unawares as she's attacked from the side - the Varisian from the bar. "You will pay for your arrogance," he snarls.
In his hand, he clutches a long knife, curved like the tooth of some wild animal. His hand trembles, but from anger - or fear? It was a lucky hit, and reckless of him to start a fight in the middle of the street, in the middle of the day. Fog or no fog, he has no idea the trouble he's in.
Now exposed, the man attacks again. What his strikes lack in finesse, they make up for in unpredictability, and he scores another his, slashing Selene's arm. "I don't know who you are, but these insults will not stand! We won't be pushed out so easily!"
Selene takes 13 damage. The fog grants concealment to creatures within 5 feet (20% miss chance) and total concealment beyond that (50% miss chance, can't use sight to locate) as per the fog cloud spell.
Skoli pockets the money and wipes his hands on his vest. "Well she's a woman, ain't she? She's got yellow hair, blue eyes. Probably some Kellid blood'd be my guess. Blokes say she's got what counts, but if you're askin' me, all your women kinda look the same, right?" Finishing his drink, he taps his fingers on the bar. "Better watch what you're doin', friend. Kent gets put away, you're liable to make some new enemies, and I'm not talkin' 'bout the Watch. Friendly advice is all."
Skoli furrows his brow and chews his bottom lip. "'s no good getting mixed up with police-folk. Bad f'yer health," he says, shaking his head. "That one was free."
Taking another gulp, the rat-faced halfling wipes the dribbling beer from his mouth with the back of his hand. "Barius Kent is a very popular man these days. Lots o' peeple askin' abou' him, you're the fourth one this week. If you're wantin' him pinned, I can tell you where to find his fence, but it'll cost. Twenty gold marks."
Assuming Selene ponies up the cash:
"Kent's never been very good at unloading his stuff, at least no' on his own. Word on the street is he's got hisself a new beau been helping him out, name of Ariel. Like as not she's the one who does his selling. She works down at Grimm's Grinns down in the West Docks, and she'll serve you more than dinner if you got coin."
Constable's Intuition:
Knowing Skoli, there's always more info to be had, for a price. The only question is if it's worth it.
"We are not that close," growls the Varisian, clearly unhappy with the interruption.
"What he means," interjects Skoli, trying to smooth things over, "is that he thanks you for the drink, and that you're welcome to wait over there." He gestures back to the end of the bar with the drunk.
With Selene waiting a safe distance away, Skoli and the Varisian finish their conversation in a matter of minutes. Once their business is complete, the Varisian man leaves with some haste, giving Selene a dirty look as he scoots past. Skoli reaches into his vest pocket, pulling out a pocket watch. Checking the time, he waves Selene over.
"Sorry about him. My clients don't take interruptions well. You can understand, I'm sure." Replacing the watch, he takes a drink from his beer, holding the oversize mug with two hands. "You lookin' for some dirt, then. Who's your man?"
This week I acquired a copy of Ultimate Intrigue. I'm looking through it to see if there are any mechanics I like; the Verbal Duel mechanics might work out better than the static Diplomacy and Intimidate rolls for situations like this.
As Selene changes her form, her shadow on the wall hesitates a moment before morphing to match.
"Yeeessh, dwink! Tank yew, ma frrrend" drawls the drunk, apparently still conscious. "Not fer you," the bartender growls at the man in admonishment. As he pours the drinks, Selene looks over the drunk and realizes that she's seen him in here before when she's come to see Skoli. Maybe he's just a local, but there's something about the man that gives Selene the impression he's not as inebriated as he appears.
"That's very kind o' you," says Skoli, smiling and gesturing to the next stool. The Varisian man glares at Selene, less tolerant of the interruption. "Wait your damn turn," he barks. "Now, now, don't get sore," Skoli says to the man. "What's the matter with you, treating a new friend like that? Take the drink, we'll get back to it after." Once the other man is placated, Skoli turns back to Selene. "T'what do I owe the pleasure?"
With Dionne vaguely out of the picture, Selene has some time to try to set things right. Her tip on Barius Kent had been good; if he hadn't had some luck fencing the rest of his haul, she would have had him for sure. With that in mind, she knows exactly who to talk to - Skoli the Snitch.
11:00 AM - 7th of Rova, 4717 AR
The Wretched Wraith, East Docks
Skoli the Snitch is a vile, parasitic member of Caliphas's overcrowded underworld. Making his way as a broker of information both innocent and illicit, he's known by everybody and trusted by nobody. Rather than hindering him, his reputation makes him useful for those looking to weaponize dirt on their enemies. Skoli plays a dangerous game, but he plays it well enough that the bigger fish let him play lamprey without much hassle.
Like all such denizens of disrepute, Skoli is a creature of habit. His favorite haunt is a dingy dockside tavern called The Wretched Wraith out on the East Docks. The East Docks are smaller than the West Docks on the other side of the peninsula; far from Castle Mashir and the Harbormaster's watchful eye, the the dockhands here are rougher, the captains are shadier, and the shadows are deadlier.
The Wretched Wraith's name is the only honest thing about it. Situated in a building jutting off the side of a rotting warehouse like an afterthought, it's barely got room for the length of the bar and stools that run down it. Not much room for fighting, it's a perfect hovel for Skoli's kind of lowlife.
This time of day, the place is mostly deserted. Most of the gutter rats won't come out until the sun goes down. All told, there's one gruff barman cleaning glasses, one drunk slouched over the bar, and one pair of shady characters huddled in talk at the end of the bar. As she approaches, Selene can make out a shifty Varisian man (probably Sczarni) and a rat-faced halfling - Skoli the Snitch.
