The newest Blood Lords have discovered the identity of their peer behind the conspiracy that threatens the nation. The ghost king Geb wants this traitor destroyed, but the player characters must first question a fractured soul held in the realm where souls venture after death. This is only the first of their dangerous trials, as the traitor’s realm is one of shadowy horror and mind-bending reality that only the most powerful characters can survive!
Ghost King’s Rage is a Pathfinder adventure for four less-than-good-hearted 18th level characters. The adventure concludes the Blood Lords Adventure Path, a six-part monthly campaign in which the characters rise from skilled troubleshooters to join the Blood Lords who rule a nation of the dead. The adventure also includes an article about Narakass, deity of renewal and cleansing, along with several artifacts held by the psychopomps, shepherds who bring souls into the afterlife. New spells and new monsters complete the furious finale of Ghost King’s Rage!
Each monthly full-color softcover Pathfinder Adventure Path volume contains an in-depth adventure scenario, stats for several new monsters, and support articles meant to give Game Masters additional material to expand their campaign. Pathfinder Adventure Path volumes use the Open Game License and work with both the Pathfinder RPG and the world’s oldest fantasy RPG.
Written by: Jessica Catalan.
ISBN-13: 978-1-64078-484-0
Other Resources: This product is also available on the following platforms:
While I’ve been keeping up with Bloodlords as a whole, I feel compelled to write a review for the 6th book not only because of the absolutely amazing ending to a story in my favorite location in golarion but also to support the creation of high level content.
Bloodlords #6 Ghost Kings Revenge may be some of the best payoff for an adventure I have ever seen alongside some of the best high level fantasy fulfillment.
Starting off with the direct attention and collaboration with one of the most powerful undead in golarion is a great way to kick off the book. There is a very significant shift in power dynamic from even their last encounter 2 books ago with the PCs becoming more accomplished Bloodlords. The first chapter involves facing up against some of the worst enemies of an undead nation, psychopomps. Something about facing such an innate enemy against your existence (as many PCs are probably undead at this point in the AP) feels like such a triumphant win. The story here is interesting for sure and does nothing to detract from the mission but the sheer backdrop of the chapter feels like something only the strongest undead agents could even possibly consider.
Although, since the module cannot assume any PCs are undead, this means that there isn’t too much roleplay difference between a party full of undead, living PCs, or mix of both. I wish that there was some flavor text to distinguish between the different setups. The psychopomp enemies here will flip the script on many undead PCs who have been enjoying the luxuries of immunity to a common damage type for most of the AP.
The second chapter is a series of fetch quests but also may be my favorite part of the adventure path. Finally, the PCs have meaningful ways to represent their Reputation Points. Characters who have cultivated their relationship with a faction will find themselves throwing around their own political power to accomplish tasks with ease. This is exactly what I was expecting from a high-level adventure with political themes. I also find the tasks quite fun having you revisit allies and several locations from the adventure path where clever PCs may have already made connections and have resources that could change the nature of these tasks or make them easier. Each one of these tasks also has an optional component to collect which nets the PCs (and the nation of geb) a huge reward in terms of narrative weight. I am very curious if further books will assume that the adventure was completed with this optional goal or if its non-cannon. I think it would dimmish the PCs efforts if such a monumental event wasn’t reflect in the Lost Omens setting at some point.
My biggest critique is that I wish these changes were implemented earlier. With the downtime activities presented in Book 4 the PCs could have been Bloodlords for months by the time this Book starts and already completed some big favours for their factions of choice. I think it would be sound advice to use the Reputation in Play rules earlier if you feel as if your PCs are engaging sufficiently.
Also a nitpick of mine is, due to the setting, it isn’t unlikely that a PC worships Urgathoa. I really wish that the optional component regarding the Cathedral of Epiphenomena had an alternative component or another way to accomplish the task without possibly incurring the wrath (or curse) of their diety.
The last part of the campaign is a dungeon which I suppose is nothing to complain about. It has some interesting background in Geb’s history and overall has a variety of skill checks to test the party’s diversity. At this point, the main plot has already been wrapped up and this is more of a victory lap as the PCs burn out the rat’s nest. Honestly, I don’t mind. I have always felt that a TPK at the end of an adventure path has always felt rather cheap. To have worked through 5/6 books only to possibly choke at the end and have the world end anyways (hello AOA). Even if the PCs are less then successful (on their first try or otherwise) the main goal that they set out to accomplish when the adventure started has already been completed.
Overall, I absolutely love this book and was giddy reading it all the way through. If paizo continues to print high level adventure paths like this I hope they emulate the same feeling I had reading through Ghost King’s revenge. I only wish that there was some more high-level character options like feats printed with the book. It feels like it would be perfect if the undead AP had some level 20 ghost, vampire, zombie ect… feats.
I also hope that with the success of Bloodlords we see some smaller adventures/PFS/modules in Geb. But that may be my extreme bias for the region showing. Thank you for sending it off with such love.
It can be very hard for such a long story to stick the landing, with Agents of Edgewatch and Strength of Thousands ending with a bit of a letdown. But this volume seems to have done it!
The trip to the Boneyard looks like an absolute blast. Chapter 2 is a bit fetch quest-y, but in a fun way. And the final dungeon is short and sweet.
My only complaint - and it's a fairly minor one - is that the final villain isn't given much characterization. I would have liked to get more guidance on how to roleplay him in what should be an epic final confrontation. Neither his personality nor motivations are touched on as much as I would like.
Chapter 1: The party explore a not-so abandoned Pharasman temple and discover an entrance to the Boneyard. The party infiltrate a 'hospital' for damaged souls, seeking the villain's very first victim, who may yet hold the key to defeating him. I actually really liked this first chapter, it is unique and evocative and seems like it will be a lot of fun to run.
Chapter 2: The introduction to Chapter 2 reads like an elaborate and time consuming sequence of fetch quests, which does not bode well, but let's see how this develops. The Ghost King needs <stuff> for a ritual to find the bad guy's lair. By happy coincidence, additional <stuff> can be found in each location, for a second ritual to free the Ghost King to roam beyond Geb's borders. That sure is convenient!
Honestly, these scavenger hunts aren't terrible, but Chapter 2 lacks the focus and momentum that made Chapter 1 so great.
Chapter 3: The party descend into the shadow plain to confront the bad guy in his lair. I liked that the final dungeon was comparatively short and did not outstay its welcome. The bad guy's ability to hop between bodies, and the precautions the party must take against this eventuality were quite clever.
The cherry atop the steaming turd that is the Blood Lords AP is surprisingly wholesome. It's a shame you have to slog through the previous 5 (not-so-great) books to reach it. My only criticism is this does not feel like the thrilling climax to an epic adventure path. By the end of book 5, the bad guy's plot has been thwarted, book 6 is just tidying up loose ends. There is no sense of urgency or looming peril. FOUR STARS!!!!
Does this volume (or another) have some information on psychopomps in general - whether in the Toolbox or the adventure itself?
If not in an AP, is there another extensive source for them, aside from the core Pathfinder 2e books?
I own all three Bestiaries (and the 'pomps they include) and all Lost Omens books save Impossible Lands (waiting to get a physical copy from my FLGS when it arrives).
One of my friends has a Psychopomp Summoner in our Abomination Vaults game, and I am thirsty for more lore.
Does this volume (or another) have some information on psychopomps in general - whether in the Toolbox or the adventure itself?
If not in an AP, is there another extensive source for them, aside from the core Pathfinder 2e books?
I own all three Bestiaries (and the 'pomps they include) and all Lost Omens books save Impossible Lands (waiting to get a physical copy from my FLGS when it arrives).
One of my friends has a Psychopomp Summoner in our Abomination Vaults game, and I am thirsty for more lore.
Thanks!
There is a 6-page section in an old volume of War for the Crown from pf1 that details psychopomps further!
Realized that this book didn't have continue the campaign or failure article? Well honestly kinda makes sense since big bad's plan was foiled in previous book I think
Realized that this book didn't have continue the campaign or failure article? Well honestly kinda makes sense since big bad's plan was foiled in previous book I think
I really enjoyed the continuing the campaign/beyond the campaign articles from previous adventures.
Sad to see them not here.
Your comment inspired me to write up some post-campaign scenarios in the Bloodlords Adventure path forum for anyone who needed some inspiration after they finished the book.
Pathfinder Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
I don't see one in any of the AP books ending at lvl 20 that I looked at, and I went back to two years ago with Fist of the Ruby Phoenix. I only see a "Concluding the adventure" paragraph at the end.
Just a few that inspired me off the top of my head are Age of Ashes's Beyond the Campaign and Kingmaker's similar section. As my group is currently playing most other 2e APs I can't take a peak at thoes endings but the ones in Iron Gods are also cool though less recent.
A friendly local GM tells me there is also one for the Agents of Edgewatch AP and I also found some juicy epilogues in both Hell's Rebels and Hell's vengeance.
You can often find them in the adventure toolbox section or close to it.
These were so awesome! I would hate to see them go.
