Polarbeast's page

I'm with deathsausage... which is probably a sentence anyone would love to say. :D

I agree the Church is not up to the task. The vampires have been in Caliphas a long time, deeply embedded in the politics and inner workings of the city. The vampire nobles could make contributions to the Church of Pharasma, causing a bit of corruptive self-interest ("do you want the new roof? Do you want to maintain balance? Then stop pestering us").

The high priest and inquisitor could show a well-meaning but beaten demeanor, showing how ill-equipped they are... but they would certainly try to convince these newcomers (the PCs) that they should be acting to destroy all undead. If Father Grimburrow from Ravengro lived here and were as high level as they, he might have acted by this point... but they're exhausted and walk a fine line.

It might also show how perilous it might be to drop off Raven's Head here. Such an artifact may or may not be well-defended enough to avoid being stolen (although the Whispering Way doesn't seem to need it any more, I suppose... I was never certain how to address that).

I love your ideas, and I was scratching my head about the Crooked Kin as well.

I get what is likely the original concept: a parallel between these people, who are different and outcast, and the Beast of Lepidstadt, who is different and outcast. Both are freak shows, and one prepares the party for an empathic relationship with the other.

But I wasn't enamored of the sideshow concept either. There is no real reason why: this world has its diseases and its genetic misfortunes as well as any, despite the magical resources. But it doesn't resonate with me.

I'd like to steal a couple of your thoughts. Your Lidia as a tattooed lady with illusionist skills, and the Mwangi shadowteller, for instance. I like the idea of this traveling caravan being more performative than visually odd.

I plan to make Aleece one of the acrobats/jugglers/contortionists, and not portray her as microcephalic. She is a teenaged sister to Gerik, Josef and Tam, naturally buoyant and curious and the "daughter" of the entire group, and they are distraught from her absence. I think my party will respond better to that.