Introducing Gaedren Lamm
Monday, February 4, 2008See that wretched fellow over there? The creepy old man with the ratty clothes and the pet alligator? That would be Gaedren Lamm, one of the first villains your PCs will be facing in the new Pathfinder Adventure Path, Curse of the Crimson Throne. One part criminal mastermind (like Fagin from Oliver Twist), one part feeble but bitter and evil old man (like Mr. Burns from the Simpsons), and one part classic RPG guild master of thieves, Gaedren Lamm is more than just a simple end-boss of a dungeon. He's the reason your new PCs became adventurers in the first place.
In the Curse of the Crimson Throne Player's Guide, we introduce several background traits that each player can look through, selecting one to apply to his character's history. Although each background trait gives you a small bonus to your character (something on par with about half the power of a feat... a +1 bonus to a particular saving throw, for example), they also give you something more: a built-in reason to hate Gaedren Lamm. Perhaps he murdered your father. Maybe he kidnapped your cousin. Or perhaps you grew up as one of his orphan pickpockets, and experienced a childhood of physical abuse and pain. Whatever your choice, you'll have a reason at the start of the campaign to side up with the other PCs—all of you will share a hatred for this despicable old villain. And when a mysterious figure gathers you together with news of where Gaedren Lamm's hideout actually is, how the criminal pays for his crimes will be up to your group.
Just make sure to watch out for his alligator.
James Jacobs
Pathfinder Editor-in-Chief
Oh, this is nice. I haven't seen anyone take advantage of the OGL concept of traits.
This may not come as a surprise to some, but I love me some thieves. And with an alligator, no less!
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Introducing Gaedren Lamm
they also give you something more: a built-in reason to hate Gaedren Lamm. Perhaps he murdered your father. Maybe he kidnapped your cousin. Or perhaps you grew up as one of his orphan pickpockets, and experienced a childhood of physical abuse and pain. Whatever your choice, you'll have a reason at the start of the campaign to side up with the other PCs—all of you will share a hatred for this despicable old villain.
Nick - is this part of what you meant when you said that you drew inspiration from "the Lie's of Locke Lamora" (or however you spell it) when writing this adventure? (for those of you that havn't read it - very interesting book, the main character was taken as a child and brought up in a den of pickpockets, later going to bigger and bigger crimes (thievery and Cons)
Interesting Idea. Not the average "you met in a tavern - stop harassing the wenches! - and some old guy in a hooded cloak asks you to find that artifact - the wench slaps you in the face, happy now?" (This scene has been overdramaticised)
Got a preview for us? One of the traits maybe? That would be great
Anyway, a man with a pet alligator is classic villain material.
Anyway, a man with a pet alligator is classic villain material.
I like him, but I had a split second flashback to Disney's The Rescuers.
Nick - is this part of what you meant when you said that you drew inspiration from "the Lie's of Locke Lamora" (or however you spell it) when writing this adventure? (for those of you that havn't read it - very interesting book, the main character was taken as a child and brought up in a den of pickpockets, later going to bigger and bigger crimes (thievery and Cons)Introducing Gaedren Lamm
they also give you something more: a built-in reason to hate Gaedren Lamm. Perhaps he murdered your father. Maybe he kidnapped your cousin. Or perhaps you grew up as one of his orphan pickpockets, and experienced a childhood of physical abuse and pain. Whatever your choice, you'll have a reason at the start of the campaign to side up with the other PCs—all of you will share a hatred for this despicable old villain.
Oh Yes! Gaedren Lamm, is definitely a nod towards Camorrish flavor. I had a lot of fun with this sick twisted wretch...I mean what a pathetic excuse for a human being! He's got more in common with his gators if you ask me.
This may not come as a surprise to some, but I love me some thieves. And with an alligator, no less!
Gaedren's for you Last Rogue! A present! Happy Birthday!
I'm thinking something a bit like Beggermaster Theobald (spelling might be a bit off there) from Saga of Old City by Gygax. Also check out if you can the english actor, Robert Lindsay in a british tv version of Oliver Twist. He played Fagin and made the character his. That's who i'm having playing Gaedren Lamm. Fiendish!!!
Also check out if you can the english actor, Robert Lindsay in a british tv version of Oliver Twist. He played f#*in and made the character his.
Gotta love yet another example of Unnecessary Censorship!
Anyway, a man with a pet alligator is classic villain material.
Hey, I'd love to see a villain with a pet squirrel. Nothing would make me hunt down an NPC faster then the desire to kill that damned squirrel. I'd take a level in ranger just for the favored enemy, buy a sword of squirrel decapitation, spellcraft me some custom spells (like Hold Squirrel) and buy a barrel of alchemist's fire just to make sure I got the bugger.
Contributor
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Anyway, a man with a pet alligator is classic villain material.Hey, I'd love to see a villain with a pet squirrel. Nothing would make me hunt down an NPC faster then the desire to kill that damned squirrel. I'd take a level in ranger just for the favored enemy, buy a sword of squirrel decapitation, spellcraft me some custom spells (like Hold Squirrel) and buy a barrel of alchemist's fire just to make sure I got the bugger.
That wouldn't be enough. I say we nuke 'em from orbit, just to be sure.
Do we get to hunt him down in a mansion? And only attack him when the rest of the party can't see us?
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Hey, I'd love to see a villain with a pet squirrel. Nothing would make me hunt down an NPC faster then the desire to kill that damned squirrel. I'd take a level in ranger just for the favored enemy, buy a sword of squirrel decapitation, spellcraft me some custom spells (like Hold Squirrel) and buy a barrel of alchemist's fire just to make sure I got the bugger.
In a Planescape campaign I ran, one player ran a rogue modron. He outfitted himself with hollow tubes like a habitrail, and trained squirrels to operate a top mounted crossbow.
He looks like the blonde guy from Texas Chainsaw II that's always scraping away the skin from the edge of the plate in his head.
No matter how hard I try...I simply can't escape Texas Chainsaw Massacre. ;-)
This rules. Seriously rules. Great way of giving the party a reason to adventure together.
Yeah, I often do this in my home campaigns. Give them a uniform reason to band together and kick get some payback.
I had a lot of fun with this sick twisted wretch...I mean what a pathetic excuse for a human being! He's got more in common with his gators if you ask me.
You had me right up until this point. I fear I'm a little burned out on sick and twisted.
I had a lot of fun with this sick twisted wretch...I mean what a pathetic excuse for a human being! He's got more in common with his gators if you ask me.You had me right up until this point. I fear I'm a little burned out on sick and twisted.
Oh no...he doesn't sex-f%*@ the kids. He exploits them for hard labor and watches them drop dead to earn him a few more coppers.
EDIT: In fact ALL of Edge of Anarchy is sex-f&*+ free! It's really quite tame...see I'm not a horrible horrible man.
I like him, but I had a split second flashback to Disney's The Rescuers.
I'm so glad to know that at least one other person thought of that. I was the first thing that jumped in to my head as well.
Anyway as for the Gaedren Lamn I think he sounds like a pretty interesing low level villain. More original than the usual goblin/kobold/orc chief (no offence meant to chief ripgut or the kobold king) or small time cult leader.
I'm so glad to know that at least one other person thought of that. I was the first thing that jumped in to my head as well.
Lol, no more relieved than I am not be alone..
It was starting to feel like the time I quoted the Beatles' White Album and nobody got it...
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Bella Sara Charter Superscriber
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Oh no...he doesn't sex-f!%* the kids. He exploits them for hard labor and watches them drop dead to earn him a few more coppers.EDIT: In fact ALL of Edge of Anarchy is sex-f!%* free! It's really quite tame...see I'm not a horrible horrible man.
Okay...I've got to ask, is sex-f%+*ing some sort of new sexual activity you kids are into these days (you degenerate bastards)?
In case it's just redundancy for the sake of redundancy, I would like to submit to the cultural lexicon the following:
butt-ass
crap-shit
(Actually had a friend use the term butt-ass once. We have never let him forget it.)
Edit: Waitaminute. I can't say rear end?
I'm so glad to know that at least one other person thought of that. I was the first thing that jumped in to my head as well.
Lol, no more relieved than I am not be alone..
It was starting to feel like the time I quoted the Beatles' White Album and nobody got it...
Who are the Beatles?
;-)
Is there more than one type of f%#%ing? I thought it was all sex-f%#%ing, so you refer to sex or f%#%ing and mentioning both together is redundant. Or am I just to too out of touch and suburban?
I just like to be clear. Nowadays we got spike-f#&*ing, blade-f#%@ing, broken-bottle-f!*!ing, gator-f+&$ing...you name it.
Lamm doesn't do the sex-f*#+ with his kids...the other kinds...well, I can't be too sure he avoids all of those.
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Is there more than one type of f%#%ing? I thought it was all sex-f%#%ing, so you refer to sex or f%#%ing and mentioning both together is redundant. Or am I just to too out of touch and suburban?
I just like to be clear. Nowadays we got spike-f&!&ing, blade-f&!&ing, broken-bottle-f&!&ing, gator-f&!&ing...you name it.
Lamm doesn't do the sex-f&!& with his kids...the other kinds...well, I can't be too sure he avoids all of those.
Thanks, Nick - nice and clear.
Interesting Idea. Not the average "you met in a tavern"
I never liked that, nor have I ever understood that. Why would you trust your life in combat (or more importantly, when you're asleep) to someone you met ten seconds ago in a bar or in on the road or elsewhere? If everyone was hired to do a job (like say kill Xykon) and became friends in the process, sure. Or if your goals happen to be the same thing (like Red Cloak and Xykon). Or say, met in combat, fighting on the same side (like, RotRL) I can see those. Those make sense. You're not going to stab someone while they're asleep who you know you need to reach your own goals.
But yea, I never got the stock D&D starts. So kudos to you Nick for giving us a better beginning then stock, standard, boring, (and not very believable, IMO) ways for the group to met up.
Interesting Idea. Not the average "you met in a tavern"I never liked that, nor have I ever understood that. Why would you trust your life in combat (or more importantly, when you're asleep) to someone you met ten seconds ago in a bar or in on the road or elsewhere? If everyone was hired to do a job (like say kill Xykon) and became friends in the process, sure. Or if your goals happen to be the same thing (like Red Cloak and Xykon). Or say, met in combat, fighting on the same side (like, RotRL) I can see those. Those make sense. You're not going to stab someone while they're asleep who you know you need to reach your own goals.
But yea, I never got the stock D&D starts. So kudos to you Nick for giving us a better beginning then stock, standard, boring, (and not very believable, IMO) ways for the group to met up.
Heh, if you like these traits, you'll LOVE something else I'm coming out with later this year. Uh huh!
You know, it just hit me.
This fine gentleman (Lamm, not Logue) has a lot in common with the Sewer King, a one-off villain from the Batman animated series. Alligator pet, street urchin slaves, lives in the sewer.
I don't know if that's coincidence or inspiration, but it's all cool with me. That's one of my bud's favorite episodes, and now I know just how to run him.
You know, it just hit me.
This fine gentleman (Lamm, not Logue) has a lot in common with the Sewer King, a one-off villain from the Batman animated series. Alligator pet, street urchin slaves, lives in the sewer.
I don't know if that's coincidence or inspiration, but it's all cool with me. That's one of my bud's favorite episodes, and now I know just how to run him.
Ha! Awesome! Not inspiration, in fact Lamm's haunt is the waterfront not the sewers, though he does prowl the underdocks of an old Fishery, and he's got some smuggler's tunnels going on, you betcha.
Okay, that's probably enough spoilers, I'm gonna get my sweet sweet little ass in trouble! :-)
What's so bad about farting that everyone censors it?
I never liked that, nor have I ever understood that. Why would you trust your life in combat (or more importantly, when you're asleep) to someone you met ten seconds ago in a bar or in on the road or elsewhere?
I must find that old "You know you can't trust the party thief (yes, thief. It's that old) if..." list. It had gems such as "... you are prone to suffer stinging pains in the back, followed by profuse bleeding, followed by death"
Swhy I like gnomes to be mechanical tinker dudes: it gives an excuse to introduce magic chainsaws to a campaign.
That is the most awesome thing I ever heard about artificers. If only you had spoken up earlier, 4e wouldn't be the mess with devilrape-results and weird dragonbestiality-descendants. In fact, the major race would probably be gnomes, and their racial weapon the chainsaw-katana or something.
If anything can get the youngsters more excited about D&D than all the WoW elements could, it's CHAINSAW-KATANAS! The mere thought about something like this fills me with a sort of glee that even beats having a score of telemarketers at my mercy in some torture chamber where no one can hear their screams (the last part is important not because I fear someone would help them, but because I fear everyone would want a part of the action).
EDIT: In fact ALL of Edge of Anarchy is sex-f!&# free! It's really quite tame...see I'm not a horrible horrible man.
Wait, no sex in Edge? What good are Urban Adventures except for their ample opportunity for debauchery.
Please tell me there's a Random Brothel Generator in the Guide to Korvosa, or I'll have to unsubscribe!
;-)
That wouldn't be enough. I say we nuke 'em from orbit, just to be sure.
Silly Dragon, you can't nuke squirrels! They eat uranium and excrete plutonium.
The only thing you can do about squirrels is keep feeding them nuts lest they get bored and take over the universe.