There will innevitably be many groups that shun direct ruling, to provide a flipside to all of the power-mad despots that have been set loose on the River Kingdoms thus far. So I thought it may be interesting to have a condensed spot where GM's can go to get some inspiration for "kingdom in the background" versions of this AP and the ruler's that will innevitably need to be thrust forward. If assassination comes along it would also be nice to have a safe haven in the boards to retreat to in order to provide replacements at a moment's notice.
I don't necessarily think we should limit ourselves to NPC's as written but I'd like to shy away from rewriting the campaign scope to change Oleg into Aroden reborn (aka the Green Lantern as my group jokingly refers to him due to the art in the Absolam book..)
Without further adieu...
In our version of Kingmaker I re-wrote Garuum the Boggard into an encounter called "The Boggard Prince."
Suited Kingdom Role(s) Ruler (if transformed), Councilor (if concealed or transformed), Spy Master (in any form)
Biography
It turns out that Garuum was once a snobbish son of a moderately influential family back in Brevoy named Ferdinand Viktor Albert Meinrad. At the tender age of 19 he set out with some men at arms to increase his family holdings in the Stolen Lands. While Here he proceeded to lean heavily on the few settlers and trappers his group came accross and generally behaved as though these wild and untamed lands were already his by birth-right. He typically killed the "inhuman" monsters he came accross on sight and cared little for the few men under his command as they fell one-by-one to the predations of the flora and fauna of the Green Belt.
His life changed the day he came accross Elga Verniex aka The Old Beldame (Area J - Issue #32) bathing in the early morning waters of the Tuskwater. So horrified by her appearance, Ferdinand ordered his men to dispose of her else he might lose his breakfast. The Beldame, who was none too patient on a good day, reacted rather poorly to the assault and slaughtered the soldiers.
She decided death was too good for a heart so callouse and full of hatred upon seeing the pathetic cowering creature before her. Elga told him that an inbred birthright alone would not make these broken lands bow as one to a spoiled fool. So she put a curse on him. He would be forced to walk the world in the guise of one of the many "monsters" that he slew in his campaign until he learned humility and temperence towards all thinking and feeling things that lived in the Stolen Lands. Only then would he regain his humanity that he so carelessly squandered. In a bit of cruelty on her part she also transformed his noble steed into a pittiful slurk.
Thus Garuum the Boggard fled into the west where he found the boggard tribes of the Hooktongue Slough. Thinking that they would be easily impressed by his bravado and show of tactical force he challenged what he thought was a powerful Boggard to a duel. Little did he know "he" was a "she" and he was beaten quite soundly and run off into the swamps. Full of self pitty and disgust for what he had become he and Ubagub wandered the Slough for several years until the man that was Ferdinand began to ebb away and Garuum the Boggard was increasingly all there was.
Eventually Garuum found himself in a wretched position in a large tribe in the Slough. Almost entirely given over to his boggard self, Garuum was resigned to his pathetic life of toil, mockery and beatings. 10 years passed and he found a certain degree of contentment in his life. In his limited free time he wandered the eastern Slough and Greenbelt with Ubagub and found that his ability to reason through problems kept him from being eaten by Trolls, savaged by monstrosities and he found many hidden things. Each night he would return to the tribe and receive his usual beatings and mockery.
One day, nearly 15 years from the bestowing of his curse he began to have flashback memories of the day of his transformation. He also decided that he had grown quite wise in the way of the world. Surely he could rule a kingdom of monsters having spent enough time as one himself! So he saw his chance. The tribe had become increasingly discontent with their lack of success and power amongst Boggard-kind and laid most of this on the head of their current priest-king. So Garuum planned to ambush and defeat the chief and thus catapult his reputation and position...
At this point Garuum's story merges with his published backstory for the most part. When the PC's encounter him he's very nearly suicidal and if the interaction goes well he may be spurred on towards an actual redemption. At the very least the party will gain the potential services of a very very sneaky creature that knows the paths and secret places of the eastern slough and green belt.
In terms of game mechanics I have pretty much just hand-waved The Beldame's ability to poof-a-size Garuum into his current state. Additional work may need to be done if your players will be crying fowl at her lack of published ability to repeat said curse
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That's a pretty great write up.
An NPC I added to my game:
Altholos: The Naked Wolf
Trigger: Roll a werewolf random encounter during the day.
The Set Up: If in a hex with a river read the following:
The river rushes along with tremendous force. In the middle of the river is a pointy rock, jutting against the flow. Hanging on for dear life is a man.
"Excuse me," he says, "um, if it's not to much trouble, would you mind terribly helping me."
Likely Questions:
"Who are you?" Um, my name is Altholos, do you mind terribly if we save introductions for after I'm on dry land.
"How did you get there?" It's very embarrassing, but, I don't know. I honestly can't remember. My fingers are starting to slip, perhaps we can discuss this after some kind of rescue?
Altholos can be rescued with two swim checks. DC 10 to get to him, and DC 15 to drag him back to land. Failing the first check dumps the PC back on shore 1d6x20 feet down the river, suffering 1d6 subdual damage. Failing does the same to the PC and Altholos.
Once rescued the PCs will realise that Altholos is completely naked. He'll relate his recent history to the PCs. His name is Altholos Divrin, a scribe and clerk for a minor noble house in Restov. The last thing he remembers is being at his bachelor party as his wedding is in two weeks time. There was a lot of alcohol, and the strangest dog. It bit him and he must have blacked out from the pain.
The PCs can easily see a vicious scarred over bite wound on Altholos' leg.
The previous 3 nights were the nights of the Full Moon.
The man is very clearly a werewolf.
Being told this shatters Altholos and he grows quite distressed. "Surely, you're mistaken." A DC 15 Diplomacy check is required to convince and calm him enough to take things seriously.
The PCs can try to cure his lycanthropic affliction by finding some wolfsbane somewhere in the Stolen Lands. Altholos is not a brave man by nature and if combat breaks out he tries to hide behind the nearest shrubbery.
If the PCs cure Altholos and convince his wife to immigrate to their Kingdom Altholos will make a very good treasurer. If the PCs can give him a bit of a killer instinct then they can use his Werewolf STR score for the executioner role.
Kingdom Roles: Treasurer, Executioner (if made friendly but left uncured), Councilor.