Pathfinder Chronicles: Guide to Korvosa (OGL)

4.90/5 (based on 14 ratings)
Pathfinder Chronicles: Guide to Korvosa (OGL)
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The city-state of Korvosa, largest in all Varisia, has prospered over the last century since its abandonment by its founding nation of Cheliax. Its port brims with black-and-red-flagged ships—the colors of both Korvosa and Cheliax—endlessly trading fineries from the south for Varisian curiosities and her land’s natural bounty. As such, Korvosa rightfully claims to be the most cultured and civilized city in the region, yet visitors might also grant the city-state the titles of most decadent, exploitative, and socially stratified.

This 64-page book serves as an exhaustive guide to the city, including details on all major points of interest, profiles on the city’s movers and shakers, and countless adventure hooks for enterprising GMs to expand upon. It also includes a full-color poster map of Korvosa. While designed for use with the Curse of the Crimson Throne Adventure Path, this information-packed supplement is useable in any fantasy RPG campaign.

Written by Mike McArtor

ISBN–13: 978-1-60125-078-0

Other Resources: This product is also available on the following platforms:

Fantasy Grounds Virtual Tabletop
Archives of Nethys

Note: The map in this book should have been inserted using contact cement, but it was inadvertently bound in instead. Please do not attempt to tear it out; instead, carefully cut it out.

How to Remove Your Korvosa Poster Map


You'll need the book, a piece of thick paper or thin plastic (we used a file folder) that a blade won't easily cut through, a ruler, and a flat cutting device such as a razor blade or a sculpting tool. (Please don't cut yourself!)



You can see that when the poster was bound into the book, an extra 1/4" of poster was printed for the binding. This 1/4" contains only water areas—cutting the poster out doesn't cut anything off the map.



We placed our file folder snug into the binding between the poster and the interior pages of the book. Make sure whatever you use cannot be easily cut through or you will damage the interior pages.


(Click on this picture to enlarge.) Place your ruler between the two folds of the poster so that the layers from bottom to top go:

Interior pages
File folder
Bottom of poster
Ruler
Top of Poster

Make sure you line the ruler up as straight as possible with the top edge of the poster so that you get a perfectly rectangular poster after the cut.


Carefully fold back the top layer of the map, making sure to keep the ruler straight and in the same spot you just lined it up at. Then, cut slowly and carefully down the edge of the ruler. Do not cut yourself. Do not press hard enough to cut through the file folder or whatever you've chosen to cut on. You only want to cut through two thin layers of poster, not through the file folder.



And there you go! You should have a 1/8" slice of paper left bound into the book, there should be no damage to the interior pages (or binding!), and the result is no more leftover paper than you'd find in a book with a bound-in, perforated, poster map.




The result is a beautiful map of Korvosa!

Note: This product is part of the Pathfinder Lost Omens Subscription.

Product Availability

Print Edition:

Out of print

This product is out of print.

PDF:

Fulfilled immediately.

Non-Mint:

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This product is non-mint. Refunds are not available for non-mint products.

Are there errors or omissions in this product information? Got corrections? Let us know at store@paizo.com.

PZO1106


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4.90/5 (based on 14 ratings)

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Chock Full of Tasty Good Goods

5/5

It never ceases to amaze me how much good stuff you can pack into so little a page count. From the rooftop ramshackle Shingles to the festering poverty of Old Korvosa to the gilt depravity of House Arkona and the creeping menace of the Gray Ward, Korvosa swims in a sea of plot hooks and adventures that would entice even the most jaded of gamers. The city sections are broken down and described in further detail, historical characters given some life, but the part that shines is the organization of the book. A Game Master's information is kept entirely separate from the general knowledge that would be available for players, and I can't express how awesometastic that is. It makes life so much easier as a Game Master to say "Read only these chapters, and skip that last chapter."

My only quibble (and not even a major one) is that I wish there was a section that broke down all the locations on the map by type (Inns, Temples, etc). This is something that I'm dying to have in my Shackled City campaign, and for any settlement of size, something I'd like to see.


The board ate my last review...

4/5

...but the short version:

Excellent content
Great organization
So-so editing

Very good book. Worth a purchase. (****-)


Fantastic sourcebook

5/5

This is one of the best setting sourcebooks I have had the pleasure of reading. It has an incredible level of atmosphere and just the right amount of detail -- the details enliven the city without becoming trivial or overwhelming the reader. The "in character" writing is what really makes this book shine and sets it apart from many other setting sourcebooks.


Love the district format!

5/5

We picked this up at our FLGS and I'm especially impressed with how the districts are laid out. Specifically, having the detail of the district map next to the outline of the full city map with the district area highlighted is GREAT! I can't tell you how many times I've wasted time I havn't had to in trying to figure out where a detail areas was on a big city map. Your layout is simple, quick, and much appreciated!


I Love This Book!

5/5

This is the way city supplements should be. Short enough to be interesting, but long enough to cover the subject.

What I like most? Assuming a PDF of this product is available, all of the GM information is IN THE BACK! You just print the first 48 pages and give it to the players along with the Players Guide for a more immersive roleplaying experience.

This is a great product, and I hope all the others are organized like this.


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Been into Burton on Trent (UK) to locate a copy today.
The Acadamae sort of reminds me of a twisted version of Hogwarts with an evil Dumbledore (minus the glasses) in charge. Have been scrutinising the GM reference/errata thread carefully.

I was not surprised, upon double checking the credits, to find Richard Pett (of The Styes infamy) had been on the design team. :D

Great work all of you.


If anybody's curious, I found the full cover here.

Scarab Sages

Lilith wrote:
If anybody's curious, I found the full cover here.

Holy hell that's pretty.


Illessa wrote:
Holy hell that's pretty.

I know. I wish it was available as a print...

Dark Archive

I love this book. Having read it through a couple of times now, I can look at the map and imagine strolling through the streets, passing by landmarks and the personalities associated with them, watching the sometimes-sudden transition from one district to the next.

I'm looking for partners in creating a fan-made index for the book. I've described a possible way for us to do so here, and am very open to suggestions as to how this work might be done even more easily. Please see the link in the initial post for an idea of what I'm shooting for.

Dark Archive

I accidentally posted my Gazetteer review here on Korvosa. Could someone move it? Thanks!

Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

joela wrote:
I accidentally posted my Gazetteer review here on Korvosa. Could someone move it? Thanks!

D'oh! I think I deleted it... Sorry...

Dark Archive

Vic Wertz wrote:
D'oh! I think I deleted it... Sorry...

I think you were aiming at my Pathfinder RPG AR3 review :)

Striving to be the 3.x heir in the wake of Dungeons & Dragons 4E, the third alpha release of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game still looks more like a collection of houserules than a coalescing ruleset.

Regarding the Gazetteer review. No sweat. I'll post it again and, this time, under the correct product!

Dark Archive

Illessa wrote:
Lilith wrote:
If anybody's curious, I found the full cover here.
Holy hell that's pretty.

Dang...!


In my copy of the Guide o Korvosa the map is bound to the book in a different way, namely with the central fold of the map on the inside. This means that when I cut out the map in the way advised here, I do not cut away marginal sea areas, but I cut away the very center of the city, and I shall have two maps of half Korvosa. What am I to do?

Dark Archive Contributor

Ogre Jelly wrote:

In my copy of the Guide o Korvosa the map is bound to the book in a different way, namely with the central fold of the map on the inside. This means that when I cut out the map in the way advised here, I do not cut away marginal sea areas, but I cut away the very center of the city, and I shall have two maps of half Korvosa. What am I to do?

Hey Ogre Jelly, if you haven't done so already I encourage you to send this question to Cosmo via email or by posting in the customer service section of these boards. :)

The Exchange

Q: does this product contain information pertaining to the various vassal settlements surrounding the actual city of Korvosa, or just the city itself?

Paizo Employee Director of Brand Strategy

Samuel Peer wrote:

Q: does this product contain information pertaining to the various vassal settlements surrounding the actual city of Korvosa, or just the city itself?

Each settlement receives a paragraph or so writeup, but it's nothing huge. You can piece together a bit more info with the help of the timelines, and perhaps even the Varisia article in Pathfinder 3, but the book's main focus is the city of Korvosa itself.

The Exchange

Thanks, yoda8myhead.

The Exchange RPG Superstar 2009 Top 4

I just started running the Crimson Throne adventure path and of course I'm using the Guide to Korvosa as an aid, but there are some things I cannot find. For one is laws, and I know that they were not written down in form so the GM could use want he needed when he saw fit, but I think there are some that I think should be announced formally.
Like is slavery outlawed in Korvosa?
Is it illegal to go into the sewers?
and stuff like that.


On page 9 of the book you say that the tuition to the Acadamae is expensive. However, unless I missed it in a footnote or a designer's note, you never actually state the amount necessary to attend to join the wizard school or if there's a monthly cost per student. Likewise, how much does it cost to attend the University of Korvosa?

Was there a reference in another Pathfinder book about being able to bypass a certain wizard school's entry examination by paying an exorbitant amount (I think around 5,000 gp)? Was that in reference to the Acadamae? Thank you for your help in this matter.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

CloudCobra wrote:

On page 9 of the book you say that the tuition to the Acadamae is expensive. However, unless I missed it in a footnote or a designer's note, you never actually state the amount necessary to attend to join the wizard school or if there's a monthly cost per student. Likewise, how much does it cost to attend the University of Korvosa?

Was there a reference in another Pathfinder book about being able to bypass a certain wizard school's entry examination by paying an exorbitant amount (I think around 5,000 gp)? Was that in reference to the Acadamae? Thank you for your help in this matter.

The actual cost for tuition in the Acadamae was purposefully left vague—it's a lot, but as it turns out, what might be a lot for one game group is pocket change for another. The point is that it should be a fair amount that helps to ensure that it's mostly a "rich-kids club." A few thousand gp is probably not an outrageous total, and I suspect that a lot of the students arrange for loans from the Acadamae and end up more or less being in the school's debt well after they graduate. In any event, unless an entire group of PCs is in the school, it's probably not a great idea for a PC to join the Acadamae, since students don't have time to adventure and if they DO they'll probably get expelled.

As for the less-prestigious University of Korvosa, tuition is probably only a fraction of the Acadamae's—probably a few hundred gp a year.

There should, of course, always be exceptions. The Acadamae might waive its fees for a particularly bright young student, and an older wizard might be granted an honorary diploma or teaching position if he's famous and a staunch supporter of the Acadamae. And there's certainly some corruption within the Acadamae's walls as well; if you find the right administrator and pay the right price, anything (including passing grades on an exam) can be bought. That, though, is something best left to be worked out in actual game play and roleplay, perhaps with several Diplomacy or Bluff checks or other tasks ("Sure, I'll waive your entry fee, but only if you go find me the fabled "Robes of the Red Ruin" supposedly hidden in an old shrine in the Mushfens first!").

Dataphiles

Hi, I got this book several months ago and thoroughly love it, and especially the big poster map which came with it. I am a huge fan of maps, next to monsters they are my favorite thing to pore over. Which brings me to my point, The Pdf that comes with the book does not include an electronic copy of that beautiful big map with all the street names and everything. (I Particularly love Dead Shoanti Road) Is it possible to have that as a downloadable jpg for people who purchased the pdf?

Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

Tukadian wrote:
Hi, I got this book several months ago and thoroughly love it, and especially the big poster map which came with it. I am a huge fan of maps, next to monsters they are my favorite thing to pore over. Which brings me to my point, The Pdf that comes with the book does not include an electronic copy of that beautiful big map with all the street names and everything. (I Particularly love Dead Shoanti Road) Is it possible to have that as a downloadable jpg for people who purchased the pdf?

Check your "My Downloads" page again—the poster map should be available there as a separate entry.

Dataphiles

Vic Wertz wrote:


Check your "My Downloads" page again—the poster map should be available there as a separate entry.

So it was, thanks! And again, love the work.


I had a question about this supplement when combined with the Curse of the Crimson Throne players guide. In the players guide, when dealing with how various classes fit into the city, they make mention of a group of feral druids who live in West Dock and are generally scoundrels. However, the Guide to Korvosa makes no mention of this group. I have both products and would love to give the druid in my group more information but I simply don't have it. Have I missed the entry on them somewhere?

RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32

Beneaththescreen wrote:
I had a question about this supplement when combined with the Curse of the Crimson Throne players guide. In the players guide, when dealing with how various classes fit into the city, they make mention of a group of feral druids who live in West Dock and are generally scoundrels. However, the Guide to Korvosa makes no mention of this group. I have both products and would love to give the druid in my group more information but I simply don't have it. Have I missed the entry on them somewhere?

Information can be found on the following pages: (Thank the gods for searchable PDFS!)

Page 21 - West Docks: [snip] Unwelcome but stubborn druids frequent the docks, proselytizing the evils of civilization and urging f ishermen and crabbers to release their catches back into the river. These unwashed scoff laws frequently cause minor skirmishes when they attempt to enforce their ideals with more than just words.

Page 27 - (bottom of first column) Thaviun claims Posh and Turtle is the best inn north of Cheliax, an assertion that has created an unfriendly rivalry with the Goldlager in Magnimar. Rumors abound that the Goldlager’s owner, Brewmaster Rogehres Tarlo, has recently contacted the belligerent druids who prowl Korvosa’s docks. Indeed, the generally vocal but lazy druids have recently begun protesting in front of the Posh and Turtle, agitating for Old Tom’s release. On multiple occasions, the Korvosan Guard has had to forcefully remove the druids, who promise retribution against Thaviun.

Page 44 - Elves: Almost as rare as druids in Korvosa, the handful of elves here all hail from the Mierani Forest.

And that's it!


Thank you so much! That answered all my questions! Yay!!! I love helpful people!

Scarab Sages

I just noticed that this book is not on the Community Use Approved Products List. Is this intentional?

Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

Arazyr wrote:
I just noticed that this book is not on the Community Use Approved Products List. Is this intentional?

Nope. It's now in Section 1. Thanks for letting us know!

Liberty's Edge

Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

I know it's nobody's priority, but out of random curiosity is there any chance that we'll ever see "one file per chapter" pdf versions of this book, Guide to Darkmoon Vale, Classic Monsters Revisited, and/or the Gazetteer?

Paizo Employee CEO

IconoclasticScream wrote:
I know it's nobody's priority, but out of random curiosity is there any chance that we'll ever see "one file per chapter" pdf versions of this book, Guide to Darkmoon Vale, Classic Monsters Revisited, and/or the Gazetteer?

I had Wes put this on the list of things that need to get done. It is literally the last priority, but if we have some time, we'll get these put together!

-Lisa

Liberty's Edge

Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

Thanks, Lisa!


I don't suppose there's any chance you have copies of just the poster map available? I'm not at all comfortable cutting into my book to extract it, so the opportunity to buy a separate copy of the map would be very welcome :)

Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

Are wrote:

I don't suppose there's any chance you have copies of just the poster map available? I'm not at all comfortable cutting into my book to extract it, so the opportunity to buy a separate copy of the map would be very welcome :)

We do not.

Paizo Employee Director of Brand Strategy

The poster map of Korvosa is included in the Curse of the Crimson Throne Map Folio .


The writers could have used a bit more imagination inventing some of the names for NPCs. Yaris Verso and Phaeton Skoda for example, while comical, do not tell a very imaginative tale of the writers.

Liberty's Edge

Are there any plans to issue a new print run of the chronicle to coincide with the release of the updated Curse of the Crimson Throne?


Henry,

I think James Jacobs has stated there will be no new print run and that AP itself sort of serves as stand alone thing.


On page 39 of the sourcebook "Guide to Korvosa" they mention the "Apostate Rebellion".

I can't find any other reference to this, so I have no idea what they're talking about. Is this event known by some other name?

I could figure out that it had to do with Cheliax; is it maybe another name for the Thrune Rebellion (or how is it called?)

Media Specialist, SmiteWorks USA (Fantasy Grounds)

Hello everyone! This is now available for purchase from Fantasy Grounds or on Steam. Sync your FG account first to get it a discount equivalent to the PDF Price ($12.99)

Pathfinder Chronicles: Guide to Korvosa
Publisher: Paizo Inc.
System: Pathfinder RPG and D&D 3.5/ OGL
Type: Supplement
Get it on Steam

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