The presence of a Devilish Relic has been discerned in the poorest slums of Korvosa, and many power blocks are now feverishly hunting it. Sheila Heidmarch herself is Teleporting with you to Korvosa, though she and Sir Canayven Heidmarch will be staying with a local Lord, Vencarlo Orisini, negotiating for ownership of the insidious fetish once it is found.
This is a Pathfinder campaign that will end up taking place mostly in , though it has the introductory McGuffin in Korvosa.
It first draws from among two of the best, most famous adventures in published history (by Richard Pett and Monte Cook), each trimmed down to roughly a ‘PFS-Sized’ Scenario. After that, the PCs will be asked to use a recovered Artifact to (or if you prefer, ‘Explore, Report, Cooperate’) – well, you know, as many Abyssal Layers as you can!
After the quest in Korvosa for Sheila Heidmarch to find the Relic, you’ll have a righteous reason to visit The Nine Hells for a quick adventure, the end of which will see you get an Artifact that you can use (on behalf of PFS) to Gate into different Layers of The Abyss. In your forays into the 666 Abyssal Layers, you’ll do a bit of exploring and fact-finding (for posterity and PFS) before jumping back to the safety of Heidmarch Manor in Magnimar (or The Grand Lodge in Absalom). And then you’ll go back to The Abyss for more cataloguing. (Basically a bunch of miniature adventures in different Abyssal Layers. You know: Bizarre and awful landscapes, lots of Evil Outsiders. Danger and destruction. I’m sure you’ll all be fine.)
The core of this campaign, then, is the open-ended ’Let’s go check out The Abyss’ kinda thing.
We’ll roll a fun 1d666 and see where you end up for a few encounters!
But first Korvosa.
And then The Nine Hells.
PCs are required to cooperate, PCs must share info and PCs must share treasure – No form of PvP will be allowed.
Please give me a bit of what your Alignment means for your PC -- acknowledging that others may have a slightly different interpretation. (If you’re CN or LE or NE or something, what does that mean?!)
Please give me a bit of how you like to play your PC (straight murder-hobo, or loves to roleplay, or loves Bluff, or Knowledge Skill checks, or always talking a way out of combat, or being reckless and funny, or silly, etc., etc.).
Please give a bit of your PC’s history and background, what you did to reach 8th Level and your experiences with Sheila Heidmarch and the PFS – cuz it’s cool And so I’ll have a grasp on how much published Magnimar, Korvosa and PFS canon you know.
Before we get to our Pathfinder character creation guidelines, I needs must pull the curtain a tiny bit on the Homebrew setting -- to make sure we’re on the same page since this is Not Pathfinder canon for The Lower Planes!
We will start in Korvosa in an adventure inspired by Richard Pett (his generic ‘Styes’ setting). Here’s something: Pett wrote the CotCT adventure “Escape from Old Korvosa,” really detailing the district for Paizo canon, and it seemed to me that Old Korvosa could easily be The Styes. Of course I’ve had to tinker with some things. Old Korvosa for this game (and the city as a whole) exists with a few more ‘Styes’ Flavors -- and tone, and NPCs.
This campaign takes place After the events of RotRL, SD, Curse of the Crimson Throne, “House on Hook St” and Shattered Star, and at about at the beginning of Return of the RuneLords ….Of course, in the way those campaigns played out in MY homegames. So there will be a few differences here and there, as homegames go their own directions with varied results – thus why we’re only going to be in Korvosa briefly (so as not to ruffle published-text-gurus too, too much for too, too long a time.
2) For a year or so Neolandus Kalepopolus ruled Korvosa, but it was a disaster. The nobles ignored him; the magistrates struggled with city management under his ‘Moral’ High-Hand-and-Guidance’ and the economy suffered. With the return of Ileosa the two negotiated a deal -- she handles the nobles; he handles the magistrates. And Korvosa is beginning a new upturn. And it’s part of Cheliax again. Ileosa rules over the nobles like a miniature Abrogail-in-Cheliax. Neolandus Kalepopolus is Lord Magistrate and focuses solely on civic operations.
3) When the PCs in Shattered Star rose Xin from the sea floor it created a tidal wave that Also hit Conqueror’s Bay. Korvosa was able to protect itself but…. The neighborhood of South Shore is Gone. Just, gone. Washed in the sea (leaving an exposed sinkhole). And Old Korvosa has a big swath of mud, flotsam, jetsam and dead bodies that just makes the whole Endrin Isle stink a bit more than in the past. Old Korvosa as a whole is just a far nastier, filthier, and poorer District. It’s The Styes!
4) Cressida Kroft is still a Good-Gal Bad Ass!
After our brief adventure in Korvosa, we’ll go to The Nine Hells (“A Paladin in Hell”) -- followed by adventuring in a variety of Abyssal Layers.
This is neither Paizo’s design for The Lower Planes, nor even The Great Wheel.
The Nine Hells are a copy/paste -- styled for D&D -- of Dante’s vision for Hell. The First Circle is Limbo (a grim, foggy expanse of darkness, despair and nothingness), followed by the other Circles -- How Dante described them. Just, it’s D&D material instead of political attacks against corrupt Italian folks from Dante’s time. So, not canon. But still, “A Paladin in Hell” by Monte Cook fits right in!
The Blood War is real – but not at all how Planescape (brilliantly) created it.
If you’re an absolutist for how Planescape views The Lower Planes, this campaign may be an odd taste. Likewise, if you feel the Pathfinder design for The Abyss should be the only playable canon, this campaign could rub you the wrong way. All that said, The Abyss still has Lamashtu and Pazuzu and Abraxas – and I use the published Flavor from Paizo, from Jacobs’ Demonomicon from Dragon, and from Grognard D&D. Layer 88 is still where one finds Demogorgan, and Layer 113 is still where one finds Orcus. Graz’zt has the same three Layers. Layer 177 is still ’The Writhing Realm’ of Ugudenk (I’m sure you all remember that!) And Layer 400 is still ’The Woeful Escarand‘ where the Nalfeshnee Demons play their Type Four Demon games. Etc., etc., and etc.
But it’s not part of the Great Wheel. You can learn what – and your PC can write it as a PF Chronicle!
. That half of Alignment has to do with their personality and how they roleplay – not various subjective, grossly incomplete and contradictory definitions of a chaotic moral or a lawful ethic.
Character Creation Guidelines:
8th Level starting …. 101,000 XP (Slow Track – 14K from Level 9!)
26 Points for Ability Scores
ALL Races must use a +2/+2/-2 Racial adjustment, Player choice where to put the +2/+2/-2, but ALL Races use it (whether Human or Elf or Goblin or Aasimar, etc.)
$40,000 GP – no single Item can be greater than $20,000
Max HP every Level
Two Traits
We will be 9th Level going into “A Paladin in Hell” miniature
We will be 10th Level going into The Abyss homebrew
Allowed Sources:
PF Core
Advanced Players Guide
Advanced Class Guide
Advanced Race Guide (I can give my Race Builder guidelines upon request; they’re cool.)
PF Unchained for Barbarian, Monk, Rogue, Summoner (Unchained replaces original for these Classes)
Base Classes from New Paths Compendium (Classes only- no Archetypes, Spells, Feats, Equipment, etc.)
Base Magus Class from Ultimate Magic (Class only- no Archetypes, Spells, Feats, Equipment, etc.)
Base Vigilante Class from Ultimate Intrigue (Class only, no Archetypes, Spells, Feats, Equipment, etc.)
Pathfinder Unchained ‘Background’ and ‘Adventuring’ Skills to replace Core Skills.
Skill RAW in PF Unchained, or--
PCs get the Class-determined number of Skill Ranks each Level plus their INT modifier (and any Racial or Favored Class Ranks) as usual. These are for ‘Adventuring Skills, listed as follows:
Acrobatics
Climb
Diplomacy
Disable Device
Disguise
Escape Artist
Fly
Heal
Intimidate
Knowledge: Arcana
Knowledge: Dungeoneering
Knowledge: Local
Knowledge: Nature
Knowledge: Planes
Knowledge: Religion
Perception
Ride
Sense Motive
Spellcraft
Stealth
Survival
Swim
Use Magic Device
Additionally, all PCs get a non-adjustable TWO ‘Background’ Skills each Level, which are listed as follows:
Appraise
Artistry
Craft (varied)
Handle Animal
Knowledge: Engineering
Knowledge: Geography
Knowledge: History
Knowledge: Nobility
Linguistics
Lore (varied—such as ‘Lore of known Vampires in Varisia’ or ‘Lore of Society for Magnimar’ or ‘Lore of Religion of Pharasma’)
Perform
Profession
Sleight of Hand
Hmmm…. sounds diabolical.
Count me interested. I’ll see what I can cook up.
Heya Ray! This sounds like a heckin spectacular idea!
One super important question, are you going to be using your homebrew skills like you did for the Cheliax game? I feel like Cosmology would be pretty useful in this sort of game, lol.
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I am trying to keep my house rules as-much-as-I-can-stomach out of this PbP. It’s hard for me since my gaming groups have played for so many years with my little adjustments that I don’t think of them as Houserules — I mean, my Skills revamp outdates PF Unchained by five years (I remember getting Unchained and thinking, ‘Wow, this is almost as good as my skills revamp.’). Here, I’m just going to use the Unchained ‘adventuring’ and ‘background’ Skills.
I am still keeping my “famous” All-Races-Use-The-Standard +2/+2/-2 Ability Score modifier though! It’s just flat-out better design than what Skip Williams did for 3.0. Everyone can choose Race based on Flavor instead of Crunch. No more squeamishness for a Dwarven Sorcerer or Catfolk Cleric.
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I am trying to keep my house rules as-much-as-I-can-stomach out of this PbP. It’s hard for me since my gaming groups have played for so many years with my little adjustments that I don’t think of them as Houserules — I mean, my Skills revamp outdates PF Unchained by five years (I remember getting Unchained and thinking, ‘Wow, this is almost as good as my skills revamp.’). Here, I’m just going to use the Unchained ‘adventuring’ and ‘background’ Skills.
Well, that's a slight bummer! I've used a few of your 'homebrew rules' in some of my games, as I think they just make things better.
I am a *huge* fan of skills in general, so your skills revamp is something I rather like a lot. I've also basically made it standard that all classes(yes, rogue included) get +2 skill points per level. While this does mean rogues(and like a couple other classes, mostly 3pp) get 10+Int per level(plus background skills, which are also automatically included in my games) it also means no class gets 2+Int, which I always found to be quite stupid.
It sounds extremely interesting!
I played the Curse of the Crimson Throne and played/GMed the House on the Hook Street, so I will be glad to return to the familiar alleys of Korvosa. Well, and planar travels is one of my favorite topics in fantasy RPG - especially on these two planes.
I would like to make a summoner with an devil eidolon (who could be a guide in the hell too - I will be happy to transfer part of the devil's control to GM).
I see my character - Signifer Varnais - as an accomplished Hellknight Signifer of the Order of the Nail. Varnais is a human (chelexian nationality) and she is Lawful Neutral, which means commitment to compliance with rules, contracts and agreements. Above all, she puts the Measure and the Chain (the code of conduct of the Hellknights), then her agreements with the current employer, then agreements with her party members, and then promises and oaths given to other beings. She has no particular propensity for violence, cruelty or greed. She does her job, does it well and wants the same from others.
Varnais ended up in Sheila's squad under the Hellknights and Pathfinders cooperation program in Korvosa. Sheila sent a request for a good specialist in Hell and the Order of the Nail sent Signifer Varnais. Who knows more about Hell than a devil summoner?
Varnais will specialize in the knowledge of planes and intimidation in the first place - most classic combo for Hellknights. Her devil will be very diplomatic (there will be Skill Focuses in each of these three skills). Thus, they will close part of the social needs of the group. By the way, Varnais will not threaten everyone "in the name of the law" - she is not like that. Direct and tough conversation is just an option for her.
___
So! In general terms, I described who I would like to play. Please tell me, what other information do you need to make a decision about the participation / non-participation of a character in the game? Is it necessary to completely create a character (all characteristics, etc.) or should it be done after preliminary approval?
And thank you for your attention ;)
Dot. Eldritch knight sounds fun and an easy way to not be tempted by wizard-op. Ruminating on that this morning.
I’ll be submitting a tiefling investigator, a long time pathfinder. As I work on my background I have a couple of questions. In the original Rise of the Rune Lords Casp Avertin, the local sheriff and last victim of chopper, was married and had a daughter. In the Anniversary edition he was single and dating Kendra, the mayor, at the time of his death. I don’t know why the change was made or which is cannon. Anyway, I was thinking, it would be cool to have my tiefling investigator be his son, who was conceived shortly before his father’s (Casp’s) death. Otherwise I could just have his father be an unnamed victim of Chopper but I thought it was a cool tie in. Thoughts?
Anyway, I’m still working on background stuff but I’m solid on the tiefling investigator mechanical side of the build.
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I’m a sucker for tie-ins with Pathfinder stuff, so Sandpoint backgrounds are great. Casp Averton as your Daddy-Vader sounds great.
Optimization, you ask…
I’m fine with min-maxing; you want a 5 in this score and a 22 in that score. It doesn’t bother me.
Since you’re limited to Core, APG, ARG, & ACG for Archetypes and Feats and such, I’m confident I won’t see anything that shocks or surprises or, you know, befuddles & confuses me. Not 100% confident, to be sure, but confident.
Mostly I want a player to have a concept or character idea that he or she really likes, rather than one that is too compromised or watered down from the original design ‘just-so-I-can-play.’ But I’ve struggled in PbP before and I have to limit stuff to what I’m confident I know. (I understand that Occult isn’t broken; I just don’t know it well enough for PbP.)
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What other information do you need to make a decision about the participation / non-participation of a character in the game? Is it necessary to completely create a character?
.
Sorry, I somehow missed this part at the end. That was plenty enough for me to go on, then it would just depend on if I get four or five candidates or, you know, forty or forty-five candidates (like the AP online games often get).
As for my thoughts on the PC idea (fun idea by the way)--
Alrighty,...
Unchained Summoner, Devil Eidolon, HellKnight, 'somewhat' Hell guide.
Sheila Heidmarch asks HellKnight to join Pathfinders to retrieve Relic in Korvosa.
Knowledge Planes and Intimidation are both very playable, very legit and interesting roleplay Skills for this game. I think Planar knowledge will be more for Crunch than Flavor since I'll be introducing the Flavor as you reach new setting locations.
Finally,... I LOVE that you know CotCT and "House on Hook St." Of course, certain locations and NPCs may have been tailored to my homegames and played out differently than in your games, but it's still all good.
I'm thinking of a character who might be distantly related(perhaps via on of his *many* children) to Graz'zt.
However, before I delve to far into that concept, how does the Dark Prince fit into your version of Golarion? Does he have any main places of power or centers of worship? Or is he more regulated to the background as a 'demon lord from another setting' like Orcus?
In my experience, most PCs are ideally achieved with 25 or 26 points. I figure if you have your perfect build at 25 and can’t really use that 26th point, no biggie. But I’ve seen many, many character designs where just that one more point after 25 was really necessary and painfully, the PC had to nerf something. So I’ve been using 26 as my rule for, well, since Paizo did Dragon magazine.
Only the books listed are available. Core, APG, ARG, ACG are allowed. You can use those books. …. PF.Unchained, UM, UI, New Paths Compendium ’Expanded’ are for Classes only (not Archetypes, Feats, equipment, spells).
Thanks for asking about New Paths — mine is the Expanded.
….I know a great volume of stuff from other sources that I allow for my homegame (from the Feats Scholar and Fey Foundling, to about 1/3 the stuff from Occult, to Archetypes such as Lore Warden and equipment such as Adamantine Wiresaws and Tangleburn Bags. But the fact is the sheer tonnage of Crunch out there that I don’t know is mind boggling. And I just don’t want to be in a position to say ‘Yes’ for some folks, say ‘No’ to some folks, then have to explain Why I answered ‘No’ when someone on The Boards assures me it’s not broken. I just don’t know it. Then, of course, there’s the ninety-twelve percent of Crunch in Ultimate Combat that I hate with the rage of a supernova. And 1/3 of Ultimate Equipment that was written for Toons and Munchkins only with its ‘may-as-well-be-a-Ring-of-3-Wishes’ that costs 12 pennies. …. Anyway, I’m just keeping it simple.
Edit: Drawbacks are not available.
I love the idea of them, and many are well designed. Many are not. None are in the Core, APG, ACG, or ARG. Most are in books no one has ever even seen. (Most Traits, for that matter, are not available cuz the APG ain’t got but a few pages with them!). My issue with Drawbacks is that it’s VERY easy to find one that a Player can reasonably guess depends on a circumstance that’ll likely never happen, or if it does (that one time in the whole campaign) it won’t really make much difference. And then pick a third Feat that always gives a +2 to Initiative or something. Not that any of you guys would ever[i] do that, but still. No Drawbacks.
Graz’zt is pretty much As-Is in my game. Not many places in Golarion where he’s worshipped but he has massive followings in Greyhawk. Still, Azzagrat is Azzagrat.
Hmm, if you want, five years ago I put the town of Orlane in Varisia — Against the Cult of the Reptile God — and especially since we’re starting in Varisia—
I can PM a couple paragraphs of how Orlane (and Avenia; “Lady of the Mists”) got whisked away from Greyhawk and into Varisia. See if it strikes you. Really I just wanted to run those legendary adventures in Varisia so I worked out a way. But,… if you’re interested, you could be a Tiefling from Orlane. If that doesn’t strike your fancy, we’ll think of the perfect place for Graz’zt to have a Cult, or once had a Cult, from where your PC could have come from.
Graz’zt is pretty much As-Is in my game. Not many places in Golarion where he’s worshipped but he has massive followings in Greyhawk. Still, Azzagrat is Azzagrat.
Hmm, if you want, five years ago I put the town of Orlane in Varisia — Against the Cult of the Reptile God — and especially since we’re starting in Varisia—
I can PM a couple paragraphs of how Orlane (and Avenia; “Lady of the Mists”) got whisked away from Greyhawk and into Varisia. See if it strikes you. Really I just wanted to run those legendary adventures in Varisia so I worked out a way. But,… if you’re interested, you could be a Tiefling from Orlane. If that doesn’t strike your fancy, we’ll think of the perfect place for Graz’zt to have a Cult, or once had a Cult, from where your PC could have come from.
Sure! Shoot me a PM!
This looks cool. I believe I will be submitting a aasimar Exploiter (or Cheat) Wizard.
I was really sleepy late last night when I posted; hopefully those posts are articulate.
@ Monkeygod,
I don't think a PM is necessary.
Graz'zt is a major Power in the Cosmology, being one of the three 'traditionally most powerful' Demon Lords of the Abyss. So even though his Cultists are not really known in The Inner Sea so much, this would still be a great Pathfinder campaign to choose a PC who's a Graz'zt descendent. (Under the caveat that the design for The Abyss and The Nine Hells is not the canonical one, but only pays homage and respect to canon.)
I suggest, though, since this is a campaign that Explores my homebrew Lower Planes, that your PC be Searching for information about his ancestry.
Of course it's completely up to you, but you could design a PC something like this -- YMMV, it's your PC:
He's a Tiefling who always wanted to know about his Fiendish heritage. Probably why he joined the PFS in the first place. At some point in his PFS adventures he learned he was Abyssal, even specifically a descendent of some powerful Demon Lord named "Graz'zt" (whoever that is). At some point on some other PFS quest you learn that a tiny village in Varisia, Orlane (or Avenia) came from the same world (Greyhawk) where Cults of Graz'zt are numerous, well known, and as powerful as cults of Lamashtu or Norgorber are here. So you go to Varisia, meet with Venture Captain Sheila Heidmarch, go to Orlane to learn what you can (for PFS and yourself) -- and Sheila Heidmarch then calls you to go on this quest to Korvosa.
So, this adventure in Korvosa doesn't sound like it will lead to any revelations about your past, but it's still a good PFS adventure. Of course, once this campaign takes the turn you (if not your PC) know is coming: Go Catalogue The Abyss and write its Concordance (a PFS Chronicle), you'll jump at the chance.
Anyway, if anything sorta like that sounds good, we'll go from there.
Ray, I noticed Bluff as a skill is not on the Adventuring or Background skill list. Was that a mistake or by design?
Advanced Race Guide, Race Builder Guidelines:
Concept: Must work with me to make sure the Race will fit in the campaign setting. An ethnicity is often a more agreeable creation, such as the offspring of a Tiefling Dwarf and a Halfling for example, or an ethnic-Varisian Elf, or the descendent of a clan of Fetchlings that were in exile to a water-town of Undines -- What would a Kitsune's child with an Ifrit be?
12-13 Point Buy
Must use the Standard Ability Score Modifier Quality of +2/+2/-2 that all Races must use
Can only use Standard Traits (not Advanced even though it's over 10 points)
Can not use any Trait over three points
The 3-Pt Trait, Gr Spell Resistance is not allowed
I've not yet had a problem with allowing more than three Traits per Racial Traits category; it has never seemed like a problem. Feel free to run it by me if you want more than three, for example, Defense Racial Traits or Feat & Skill Racial Traits.
Bluff as a skill is not on the Adventuring?!
OMG that is my error!
So sorry.
BLUFF is Absolutely an Adventuring Skill, as written in PF Unchained. I was just typing out from my Unchained and I obviously missed Bluff. (Of course, after I finished typing it out I remembered I could just make a link. ay caramba)
Thanks for catching that error and pointing it out.
DM Ray, thank you for your suggestions! I like this options.
> But there are easy sidesteps: Your Eidolon could be mischievous and not answer your questions without being snarky, leaving critical stuff out.
Cool! Perhaps this is the brightest option. I repeat, I will be happy to periodically transfer narrative rights and have nothing against it. This will only make my game more interesting. Here we can also use the idea that the Hellknights aim to subdue and break the will of the devils. That is, they do not worship them, but rather consider them as a model of strict discipline that they must surpass. So my Signifer is trying to subdue this creature...
And it's not easy for her, judging by this situation ))
> Order of the Gate!
With pleasure! I have read major part of lore information about the Hellknights (I hope) and am ready to play for any Order. Moreover, in the PFS there is a scenario ('Orders from the Gate') where exactly this Order cooperates with Pathfinders (in short, Society helps them solve their problems shoulder to shoulder).
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@ Critzible:
I do love Inquisitors. And a preachy Inquisitor in the PFS sounds cool.
Alas, Living Grimoire is from Horror Adventures. I remember buying a copy for a friend a few Christmases ago and perusing it then -- and looking at it just now I did do a little lol (seeing a PC bopping monsters over the head with a holy text is surreal). But I have put a moratorium on books I don't have or don't know enough about. Um, if you just love the Flavor of it you could always have your holy text magically engraved on the weapon -- it'll of course be a Magic weapon so you could Flavor the description of the weapon as, say, a Holy Mace with runic scriptures that glow a divine radiance of your god when you fight. Maybe you give a genius description of the glowing, flashing scripture-runes when you Crit, or fight a particular Outsider, Undead or BBEG?
....And, alas, 'Preacher' is an Archetype from Ultimate Magic. From UM, UI and PF Unchained, I really just want to have to deal with the base Classes for this foray into PbP.
I hope I don't lose you as a potential player. But I can't allow Living Grimoire or Preacher. (There are a few Archetypes in the ACG for Inquisitor if you don't like the straight Inquisitor in the APG.)
Of course it's completely up to you, but you could design a PC something like this -- YMMV, it's your PC:
He's a Tiefling who always wanted to know about his Fiendish heritage. Probably why he joined the PFS in the first place. At some point in his PFS adventures he learned he was Abyssal, even specifically a descendent of some powerful Demon Lord named "Graz'zt" (whoever that is). At some point on some other PFS quest you learn that a tiny village in Varisia, Orlane (or Avenia) came from the same world (Greyhawk) where Cults of Graz'zt are numerous, well known, and as powerful as cults of Lamashtu or Norgorber are here. So you go to Varisia, meet with Venture Captain Sheila Heidmarch, go to Orlane to learn what you can (for PFS and yourself) -- and Sheila Heidmarch then calls you to go on this quest to Korvosa.
Welp. I didn't know Graz'zt had a Demonomicon article. He's one of my favorite Demon Lords/unique personas in all of D&D/PF! Time for an even deeper lore dive! LOL
Just curious, how freeform/sandboxy will this be? Can we have our own goals and aspirations outside of the main series of quests and adventures?
@Monkeygod,
I would say that the first two parts (I’m trying for PFS-Scenario-sized) will not be Sandbox at all. They’re trimmed-down versions of two of the great Adventures in D&D history:
1) Sheila Heidmarch sends her PFS adventurers (or PFS allies) to track down a Relic in Korvosa: Quick urban quest.
2) That leads to a quick mission in Hell: Extraplanar Site Based with a few locations to explore / showcase my design.
3) Finally y’all get an Artifact and PFS says, ‘Hey, use it to go explore The Abyss and write some PFS Chronicles about it.’ …. Now, here there’s no published adventure. Using the Artifact you could randomly (some may say ‘chaotically’) pop into Azzagrat. Or The Demonweb and say Hi to Lolth. Or Abraxas’ Layer or Yeenoghu’s. It’s totally up to y’all how long you stay in this or that Layer of The Abyss. And what you do when you’re there. Or if you go back to one previously visited. Of course, each location will have possibilities. (Some are obviously more thoroughly designed than others.). But I could certainly see y’all just taking over and deciding what you want (or don’t want) to do.
. . . .
If you haven’t yet read Graz’zt’s Demonomicon article you may want to skip it for now. That way if you decide to play in this campaign some of the stuff may be more of a fun reveal. Up to you.
@Critzible,
Yeah, me too. I always ask if I can trade out the TW Feats for Skill Feats such as Skill Focus, Alertness, Scholar, etc.
Any of the Archetypes in the ACG look good?
So I have mostly settled into an elven fighter/diviner into ek. Originally we came to the lodge in M as a favor to “an old drinking companion” to pass along a letter to “an estranged Great Granddaughter” (Shalelu’s family or other as the GM likes). We stayed when rumors in the lodge of old runescript caught our ear as possibly more real than fancy, then just last night we were unceremoniously roused and teleported to Korvosa as our host explained “ better a grumpy diviner than none when you need to find something quickly, come along and don’t lie to us about how you’re not interested.” She’s done a fair bit in her time and tells anyone who will listen that she had a cushy post lined up at the Acadamae she was eyeing but no one with any sense believes her. I’m flexible about alignments. As far as quirks, she absolutely refuses to tell anyone her birthday, and she also refuses to prepare spells without tea.
Questions for the dm:
Do you want the connection to RotR or no?
Is this a campaign where breadth of experience, craft wondrous, and such downtime adjacent feats are going to make sense, or should I just take some combat feats because we are kicking in the door and rolling d666?
Always glad to read Dante inspired stuff, cool hook.
Do you want the connection to RotR or no?
Is this a campaign where breadth of experience, craft wondrous, and such downtime adjacent feats are going to make sense, or should I just take some combat feats because we are kicking in the door and rolling d666.
.
No need for a tie-in to RotRL, CotCT, “House on Hook St,” ‘Shattered Star,’ etc. It’s just better for me if I know whether all the players are gurus on the published canon in Korvosa; I’ll know to keep my foot on the brake of all the evolutions from years and years of Homegame play. Whereas, if it actually looked like no one knew diddly squat about canonical Korvosa / Korvosa-before-adventure, no one would realize this or that change. So if your Eldritch Knight has never been to Varisia (before Shalelu Andosana sent him to Magnimar) that’s fine.
After ‘The Styes’ and ‘A Paladin in Hell’ you will have time to Craft Wondrous Items. So the Feats are fine. During the first two parts, though, no, you’ll barely have time to stop for 8 hours of rest + 1 hour of prep. Time Sensitive Adventuring For The Kill!
I understand, Critzible, definitely make the PC you’re gonna love playing rather than a compromise. Be true to you!
LOL
Which one's more likely to be in PFS? (In my head Sheila Heidmarch is sending a group of Pathfinders to Korvosa but no one wants to be a Pathfinder! .... I've been creatively thinking all week about a good reason for the Venture Captain to send non-PFS-adventurers to go find this Relic. LOL
But certainly make what you want!
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If I do the Paladin I would do a Paladin of Shelyn.
The paladin would be a Pathfinder in the hopes of finding lost Arts, Stories, and Beauty in the world. She also fancies herself a writer and to get something penned by her in the society is well one of the best ways to serve both Shelyn and the Society.
The Halfling Rogue idea is a finder of lost things. Skilled in such activities Might try to tie him to Korvosa and being basically eyes and ears on the ground. Having worked with Pathfinders in the city in the past, navigating the ins and outs of the streets.
Which is more gripping and interesting though.
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My investigator is definitely a pathfinder. If I make the cut, perhaps the Venture Captain gives me authority to assemble the team. I can work my background to have worked with all of the other members at one point.
I can think of a couple of reasons to do this:
1. Deniability
2. Other pathfinders are busy.
3. Need to act quickly and can’t wait for the pathfinders to arrive in Korvosa.
4. More discreet perhaps the aspis consortium or darklight sister have laid claim to the relic or are on their way.
Do you want the connection to RotR or no?
Is this a campaign where breadth of experience, craft wondrous, and such downtime adjacent feats are going to make sense, or should I just take some combat feats because we are kicking in the door and rolling d666..
No need for a tie-in to RotRL, CotCT, “House on Hook St,” ‘Shattered Star,’ etc. It’s just better for me if I know whether all the players are gurus on the published canon in Korvosa; I’ll know to keep my foot on the brake of all the evolutions from years and years of Homegame play. Whereas, if it actually looked like no one knew diddly squat about canonical Korvosa / Korvosa-before-adventure, no one would realize this or that change. So if your Eldritch Knight has never been to Varisia (before Shalelu Andosana sent him to Magnimar) that’s fine.
After ‘The Styes’ and ‘A Paladin in Hell’ you will have time to Craft Wondrous Items. So the Feats are fine. During the first two parts, though, no, you’ll barely have time to stop for 8 hours of rest + 1 hour of prep. Time Sensitive Adventuring For The Kill!
I’ve run and played enough campaigns in golarion at this point that canon is whatever the gm says it is, feel free to use as much or as little home brew as you like on me. Thanks for the feedback on downtime, sounds like I shouldn’t sweat it much.
My elf could be a pathfinder, I didn’t want to presume a close association with Sheila’s lodge. Elaborate backstories for pbp are best refined after a party is settled on, I think, so I try not to get too attached to them at this stage.
My basic premise is a dwarf wizard from Janderhoff who joins the Pathfinder Society because his attraction to arcane magic doesn't quite fit in with dwarven society. I've been wanting to create a dwarven magic user for a while, and having the flexible stat bonuses certainly helps! I don't know that the character would have much of a tie-in to Hell or the Abyss, other than curiosity and a desire to explore! Will mess around with some ideas.