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It's complete! Download it here. The document is intended for GMs. Though there aren't really any story spoilers, the mechanics aren't necessarily intended for players to see. If they're past book 1 and the 'ranks' have been decided, then it's probably alright to let them see it. Individual GMs can decide.
Inside the document is a system to enhance the other NPCs in the Children of Westcrown (or whatever your players named their growing resistance). Rules were made to set a 'rank' for each NPC based on PC interaction/training/assistance in the first book that will guide their levels throughout the rest of the campaign. It also presents a new concept on allowing a few NPCs to serve as backup in each adventure (or 'mission'), creating a base camp that the PCs can fall back to, along with later providing 'boons' to the PCs.
Anyhow, give it a read and let me know what you think. The rules aren't 100% set in stone, though I'm pretty happy with where they ended up. Keep in mind that this is a very mechanics-heavy document, the majority of it including over 140 stat blocks for the 13 NPCs (and a couple animals). I only mention the role-playing tie-ins a bit, but I highly encourage each GM to include a lot of role-play with these mechanics. Especially in book 1, when figuring out which NPCs should be rank 1, 2, or 3. Even in the future when they're coming along on missions and providing boons, make sure to keep them in the background (they never actually accompany the PCs, they just hang back a block or so outside where the PCs are adventuring in case the PCs need to retreat for healing or something). Play up their personalities and don't just see them as a set of rules.
To help in this, Hugo Solis is drawing portraits for the 11 NPCs not already pictured in the AP and should have those ready in a week or so. Once those are done I'll be making up some descriptions for each and will include all this in an updated version of the document. GMs can even print out 'cards' of each NPC with the face/description on the front, maybe a place for notes on the back. Still working on that idea.
Well, enjoy!
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FANTASTIC!! Holy cow. I made stats for the CoW's at 1st level, and scoured older Paizo products for headshots, and the show-n-tell cards to hang on my GM Screen worked great.
On the other hand I did NOT like the idea of spending an hour or two every other week just advancing them. I began making excuses for some and winged the others. THIS IS GREAT! What a timesaver and useful GM aid. Well done, and thanks so much for sharing!
Amazing! I love this. I was just looking for ways to keep the Children of Westcrown more involved with the campaign. This combined with the other thread about having them offer unique, side-quest style missions should do the trick.
Wow this is great! Thanks so much; I will definitely be making use of this in my CoT campaign. Karma points to Karui Kage!
I noticed that at later levels Vitti gains a Pipes of the Sewers. Perhaps it would be appropriate if it summoned swarms of torbles instead of rats (considering they are both CR 2)? The little ooze-bugs are Westcrown's unique vermin and I believe they eat rats which would make it easier to find enough of them as they are no doubt prolific. Just a random thought.
Awesome!!
Took me long enough huh? as usual... darn!
I'll make another look for Sclavo... one that looks younger :P
Great kudos to Hugo. Very nice work.
I'll make another look for Sclavo... one that looks younger :P
Great work, Hugo. But don't do that. Sclavo is fine as he is (drawn).
Thanks for the hard work! I'm using the Children's stat blocks in my adventure now, and I feel like having the stats allows me to use them without having to just gloss over what they can do and what they can accomplish. Janiven and Arael are particulary useful since my PCs sometimes rely on them for extra help with adventures or with crafting items. This is awesome supplemental material for anyone running a 'Council' game!
One tiny question: Janiven is listed as having a 'Sentinel Scorpion' amongst her possessions. What exactly is this item?
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Ah! I didn't mention that in my creation notes, but I utilized items from other Paizo products as well. You can find all of them on my Archive site, the Archives of Nethys. That item in particular can be found here. It seemed like a cool and cheap item that would help Janiven protect the Hideout.
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Hugo has finished the Children of Westcrown drawings! The above links all now go to the complete art, so... enjoy! :D
I will soon be updating the main document with the finished artwork along with a few small errata changes based on my own game experience.
On a side note, if anyone wants to try coloring these headshots, feel free! And definitely send me the results! If they look sufficiently awesome then I'll put them in the document and credit the amazing color...er? colorer? color artist? whatever. You'll get credit. ;) If you do try at these, send me an email at karuikage@karuikage.net, I can let you know the few colors that are already set (just an eye color here, a skin color there).
Thanks again to Mr. Solis for the help!
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Thanks for creating this. I think that the tier mechanic is a great way to flesh out the Children, and the stat blocks (and pictures) are a useful resource even for non-CoT games.
I will soon be updating the main document with the finished artwork along with a few small errata changes based on my own game experience.
A possible erratum: Did Arael get his L8 stat point?
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Thanks for creating this. I think that the tier mechanic is a great way to flesh out the Children, and the stat blocks (and pictures) are a useful resource even for non-CoT games.
I will soon be updating the main document with the finished artwork along with a few small errata changes based on my own game experience.A possible erratum: Did Arael get his L8 stat point?
He did now! Thanks for pointing that out :)
Awesome work Hugo!
I went ahead and slapped some quickie colors on my players' primary contacts within the resistance. Get 'em Here.
If you feel they're awesome enough for document inclusion, my name's Fredrik Svensson. If anyone's curious, some more of my doodling can be found at bloodsbane.deviantart.com.
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Wow! Those are very Awesome, especially for being 'quickie'. I'll definitely include them in the document. Any chance you can do the others too? :D Colors are really pretty open, I think the only ones they mention are Gorvio's eyes (which you got) and that Larko and Sclavo are both Garundi (so dark skin/white hair).
On an amusing note, two of your four primary contacts are the same for my own, Tarvi and Amaya. The other two that ended up as Tier 1s were Larko (the grumpy and loner sorceress took a liking to him) and Amaya (in the Bastards mission she was invited, and played a big role in running to get new scrolls of cure light everytime the party found some valuable items).
This is awesome work and I was planning to use it, but I do have a question for DM's who have run it.
In the final book, the PC's get bonuses for having taken Leadership. However, handing them a group of cohorts from the get-go seems to me that it would discourage anyone from taking that feat. After all, they already reap a lot of the benefits. Why bother?
Has anyone dealt with this? I already have one player with a stated interest in Leadership, but wondered how anyone else handled the potential problem. Should I give the player a separate cohort and his own groupies?
I just ran the first session so have plenty of time to wrangle things. Thanks in advance for any opinions/insight.
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After all, they already reap a lot of the benefits. Why bother?
Has anyone dealt with this? I already have one player with a stated interest in Leadership, but wondered how anyone else handled the potential problem. Should I give the player a separate cohort and his own groupies?
Whenever they take an npc along, that character sucks up XP from the party. I usually make them 1/2 of a person (since they often take 2, it would add one full party member).
A cohort doesn't do this.
If you use the ideas in this thread (which I didn't, 'cause I started my game before this thread), a cohort would get full PC classes, without having to be of the same class, etc.
A cohort is probably going to be higher level than the npcs.
I've had one player take Leadership, and he decided to have a cohort that wasn't from the Children of Westcrown. The cohort was Rizzardo's younger brother.
Having a cohort also gives the opportunity for a player/GM to make the cohort together, instead of the player being given an already-made character.
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This is awesome work and I was planning to use it, but I do have a question for DM's who have run it.
In the final book, the PC's get bonuses for having taken Leadership. However, handing them a group of cohorts from the get-go seems to me that it would discourage anyone from taking that feat. After all, they already reap a lot of the benefits. Why bother?
Has anyone dealt with this? I already have one player with a stated interest in Leadership, but wondered how anyone else handled the potential problem. Should I give the player a separate cohort and his own groupies?
I just ran the first session so have plenty of time to wrangle things. Thanks in advance for any opinions/insight.
The NPCs in the document that I used specifically do *not* go with the PCs into battle or follow them into a dungeon. They hang back, outside, and provide a kind of meta-gamey 'boon' for them being nearby. They do not assist the PCs, although if the PCs fell back to them for needed assistance then it's up to the GM to decide if the NPCs could help or not. For example,
A cohort will be higher level then the NPCs, and will follow the PCs into combat and help a LOT more then one of these NPCs will. In my own game, I have one person that is interested in Leadership. I decided to also give a small 'change' to whichever NPC he picked as his cohort by giving them a prestige class or some change from the APG, as below:
Amaya - Amaya's familiarity with the nobility of Westcrown leads her down the path of the Court Bard.
Ermolos - Ermolos's need to defend himself and make up for his limp drives him towards the Stalwart Defender prestige class.
Fiosa - Fiosa's desire to protect her friends, along with the safety of Daylight in Westcrown, causes her to narrow her focus. This gives her the Day subdomain in place of the Sun.
Gorvio - Gorvio becomes greatly interested in his draconic heritage and attempts to learn more about it, becoming a Dragon Disciple.
Larko - Larko's lack of experience with the natural world and familiarity with the city changes him from your average Ranger into an Urban Ranger.
Mathalen - Mathalen's focus on the whip changes her from a normal Monk to a Weapon Adept.
Rizzardo - Used to improvising when in fights, Rizzardo adjusts his combat style to that of a Breaker barbarian.
Sclavo - Sclavo seeks to become a bright symbol of Iomedae in a city plagued by Asmodeus, and transforms his path from a normal Paladin into a Shining Knight.
Tarvi - Tarvi becomes interested in the shadow creatures that stalk Westcrown's streets, narrowing her focus in illusions to the Shadow sub-school.
Vitti - Vitti's love of the sewers as a strange source of nature within the city bends his path towards the Cave Druid instead of the normal Druid.
Yakopulio - Yakopulio's brazen and boastful attitude becomes more evident in her fighting style, changing her from a Rogue into a Rake.
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It got a mention in the podcast? I need to find that one! I've only just recently started listening, but am so busy that it's taken me a couple weeks of listening a bit at a time to just get through Episode 5. :)
Truth be told, I had been waiting to see if anyone wanted to finish coloring them before adding them all, but I may as well go ahead and stick the art in so you guys at least have something to work with. I'll try to get to that at home before the weekend.
EDIT: Nm, I'm guessing it's the latest one. Time to have a listen!
Hi Karui.
Great resources! I start using it in my game and its working nicely. Thanks to sharing your hard work with the community, it's really appreciated.
Seems like the links broken. Is there another link anywhere?
Seems like the links broken. Is there another link anywhere?
Through a bit of (fairly easy) internet fu, for the NPC document at least:
Updated Children of Westcrown document link
Thank-you so much for this!
Am I right in thinking that only four of the images have been coloured so far?
Ashton Sperry is gonna take a crack at coloring these too, I'll post links when he does some :D
Did anything ever come of this? The ones by bloodsbane are very good.
Just chiming in that I like the interactions with the CoW. My cleric has had some very interesting Rp with the cleric to be in Baldwin the Merciful's PbP.
Karui Kage, thanks for all your work on the NPC document, and of course the images provided by Hugo Solis are more than a slice of awesome! I have some friends who have requested a run of Council of Thieves and I will definitely be using these resources!
I have heard good things about this and would very much like to use it for my CoT run. Do you happen to have an updated link?
I downloaded this a while back and I think I lost it somewhere in the shuffle of spring cleaning. Can we get a new link for this document, I plan on running Council of Thieves soon and would love to use these. :)
Karui Kage, I have just two words for you:
THANK YOU!
Ditto...this is super awesome!
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Hey all! Sorry, I didn't realize there was still attention on this thread. I uploaded all the pictures/docs to my new Archives site again. You can access them below. I also added the "Printouts" doc I made to print out each NPC on a single page. While the doc I uploaded has my own campaign's information and current stats, you can easily swap out the ranks/statblocks for what should be appropriate in your own game.
Enjoy!
Main Document
PrintOuts
Amaya (Big/Small)
Ermolos (Big/Small)
Fiosa (Big/Small)
Gorvio (Big/Small)
Larko (Big/Small)
Mathalen (Big/Small)
Rizzardo (Big/Small)
Sclavo (Big/Small)
Tarvi (Big/Small)
Vitti (Big/Small)
Yakapulio (Big/Small)
Phenomenal! Thank you so much!
Karui Kage, just so you know, "Rizzardo" actually just opens up Amaya's pictures again. Any chance for that to get updated? :D
(If not, I understand.)