Adding an NPC doesn't sound like the best solution, as they might outshine the party in caster-heavy cut scenes. With such a small party, have you considered allowing them gestalt progression?
What kind of time frame are we talking? I'll dig out the adventure tonight and get back to you, if there is time yet.
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um, without significant spellcasting ability (heck, without significant ranged combat ability) the party PROBABLY won't get much farther than where they are now.
getting through to farshore shouldn't be too much of a hassle, (although Olangru vs Weak WIll save characters will be a problem)
perhaps convince one to take leadership (or a couple of them...especially if the Knight has a decent Cha) for a Cleric, or a Wizard.
in my campaign, the only full-arcane-caster is a Conjurer/Wayfarer Guide cohort of the Ranger/Pyrokineticist (we do have 2 mostly full manifesters in a Psion and Ardent-another PC/Cohort pair) and they seem to be doing fine.
but without some serious magical aide, getting through Lightless Depths, some of Tides of Dread, and especially the later adventures will be VERY VERY tricky.
it can be done, i assume, but it'll be MUCH harder
-the hamster
My group is also lacking any real mages, and like you said lot of fun buckles being swashed. Cohort is one advantage and you have a small party so maybe even three cohorts? Maybe too much. Two of the NPCs are rogues though, maybe max out their use magic device and place a barrel of scrolls heading to farshore as a 'recovered' cargo of SWW.
Along similar lines, I could give them dragonmarks (there's already a precedent in this campaign).
If you were to recommend any spells to give them as SLAs, what would they be?
Dragonmarks would be a very good idea, actually. Something similar involving SLAs as direct divine gifts (perhaps blessings from Zotzilaha?) could work too.
As for which SLAs - all the standards would be the way to go. Flight, (Greater) Dispel, Heal, Break Enchantment, (Greater) Teleport, Death Ward, Protection from Energy. They'll probably still be a little underpowered since Paizo assumes at higher levels that everyone is optimised and buffed (by equally optimised casters using haste, enlarge, etc) every encounter, but this lot should help with the complete campaign-killers out there. You'll never have the power or flexibility of a regular spellcasting PC, but it might help level the playing field a little...
Along similar lines, I could give them dragonmarks (there's already a precedent in this campaign).
If you were to recommend any spells to give them as SLAs, what would they be?
Dragonmarks would be a very good idea, actually. Something similar involving SLAs as direct divine gifts (perhaps blessings from Zotzilaha?) could work too.
As for which SLAs - all the standards would be the way to go. Flight, (Greater) Dispel, Heal, Break Enchantment, (Greater) Teleport, Death Ward, Protection from Energy. They'll probably still be a little underpowered since Paizo assumes at higher levels that everyone is optimised and buffed (by equally optimised casters using haste, enlarge, etc) every encounter, but this lot should help with the complete campaign-killers out there. You'll never have the power or flexibility of a regular spellcasting PC, but it might help level the playing field a little...
OK going to stick my neck out-please do not strangle me :) What is an SLA?
OK going to stick my neck out-please do not strangle me :) What is an SLA?
Oops - it's Spell-Like Ability. Sorry for the short-hand!
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Leadership. Give it to each of the party members and have a sorcerer, bard, and cleric answer the call. You make the three cohorts so that they aren't made too powerful, but have the proper spells to be helpful. Then let the PCs run them also. Most likely it will just add a sentence to each player's turn, "The bard will sing to give us a bonus.", "The cleric heals you", "The Sorcerer casts scorching ray.".
May not be the solution you want but it would do the trick.
The other obvious solution is to hand out weapons or other items that can duplicate the basic utility spells listed above. Intelligent weapons are great for this sort of thing, since they can use their abilities on their own without the PCs having to stop swashbuckling for a round to do boring stuff like healing and casting protective spells. Probably use a system by which the weapons increase in power as with the PCs, so that they don't overpower your game at level 10 or devolve into uselessness by level 20. Maybe the weapons are linked to the Olman gods and increase in power when the PCs do something to promote the interests (or vengeance) of the Olmans - killing Khala, defeating the kopru, defending Olman villages from the Crimson Fleet under Vanthus, and taking on Demogorgon (who was, after all, responsible for the fall of the Empire) would certainly all come under that heading.
Locating a treasure hoard somewhere on the Isle of Dread for the PCs to find (Zotzilaha's cave is an good option for this again - old bat-boy is a really handy plot device!) and stocking it with these weapons could be an idea.
The other obvious solution is to hand out weapons or other items that can duplicate the basic utility spells listed above. Intelligent weapons are great for this sort of thing, since they can use their abilities on their own without the PCs having to stop swashbuckling for a round to do boring stuff like healing and casting protective spells. Probably use a system by which the weapons increase in power as with the PCs, so that they don't overpower your game at level 10 or devolve into uselessness by level 20. Maybe the weapons are linked to the Olman gods and increase in power when the PCs do something to promote the interests (or vengeance) of the Olmans - killing Khala, defeating the kopru, defending Olman villages from the Crimson Fleet under Vanthus, and taking on Demogorgon (who was, after all, responsible for the fall of the Empire) would certainly all come under that heading.
Locating a treasure hoard somewhere on the Isle of Dread for the PCs to find (Zotzilaha's cave is an good option for this again - old bat-boy is a really handy plot device!) and stocking it with these weapons could be an idea.
I actually added war of the Wielded to my STAP so intelligent weapons are already on their minds. Thanks for the definition.