I am starting a Rappan Athuk campaign with a group of players who are also in 2 other campaigns I am running in the Inner Sea, so I thought it would be fun for them all to be in the same world.
I am thinking of having Rappan Athuk in Cheliax, in the Barrowood. I first thought of the Shudderwood in Ustalav because of the horror theme, but I needed a bigger forest and the idea of a site that has gateways to demons and devils is pretty fitting for Cheliax. Barrowood also stands over ancient graves.
Has anyone else placed Rappan Athuk in Golarion, or have thoughts and suggestions? Thanks in advance.
For the Slumbering Tsar game I am currently running, I decided to set the location of the cursed city of Tsar in the northeastern part of The Worldound against the encroaching ice and snow of the Crown of the World.
I had always planned to put Rappan Athuk, since the plot of those two campaigns are so closely linked, deep in the Estrovian Forest.
I like the idea that a site of such incredible evil and power could be right under the noses of the Mendevian Crusaders who while focusing on the visible threat of the Worldwound are blind to the potentially more dangerous power growing in Rappan Athuk- also gives a reason why the party has to go investigate it rather than the "good guys" in Mendev.
I like East of Taldor for Slumbering Tsar and Rappan Athuk (with Bard's Gate being added there), but it's off map.
If you said that the World Wound is the wastelands outside of Tsar (not that you're actually playing Tsar), the Estrovian Forest in Mendev works well for RA.
Mendev also works nicely if you included Tomb of Abyshtor in the mix (my favorite of the 'Army of Light' trilogy).
Hmm. I considered Mendev before, because of the proximity to the Worldwound. But I wasn't sure how to push aside the big war Mendev had with the Worldwound. So I like your perspective, Petrefax, on making it a 'hidden' danger.
And there is a sea to the east of the forest... I can draw in the rivers. But I want to maintain the scale of the map in Rappan Athuk, so I'll probably declare the Estrovian Forest bigger than it is on the Golarion map.
Is there any info on the area of east of Taldor?
Is there any info on the area of east of Taldor?
Nothing too specific as far as I'm aware. Civilized Taldor pretty much ends at the Worlds Edge and Zho Mountains with a notable exception in the military settlement of Stavian's Hold.
The area west of the mountains ranges is a flat, expansive grassland known as the Whistling Plains where many bands of nomads and bandits are said to dwell, along with large roaming herds of bison and other large animals.
It hasn't been clearly defined as far as I know, but Taldor's eastern border is supposed to be close or adjacent to the borders of the Padishah Empire of Kelesh, of which Qadira is a province.
Nothing out there on east of Taldor. Which worked for me, as far to the east, across the desert, is Gary Gygax's Necropolis (I mapped out a Necromancer Games campaign). So, uncharted region was good in my case.
Taldor's knightly culture makes it a good jumping off point for the whole Army of Light thing.
I thought this person did a nice job of tying it in with the Mendevian Crusades: History of Tsar
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I have begun a Rappan Athuk campaign with my five gamers in Golarion. I looked into all of the nations of the Inner Sea. I finally decided to place it in Geb on the continent of Garund. Quite honestly, I felt that it made the most sense. It started with a strong desire to match up the Rappan Athuk regional map with an existing map of Golarion. I found that the regional map fit the the coastline of Geb near the Axan Wood (a.k.a. The Forest of Hope, very closely. In addition, with the presence of a kraken in the surrounding wilderness section, I felt an ocean must be used, not the Inner Sea, a lake, or a very large pond. I felt that the Army of Light was kept so vague that many nations could be a good candidate as their point of origin. Also, I felt with the presence of SOOOO many undead in the nation of Geb, the presence of a massive temple-city complex dedicated to the demon prince of undeath located in Southern Geb may have been the original cause or a good help. Geb himself, being a ghost and practitioner of the dark arts, would have no problem with such a vile presence as Rappan Athuk. In addition, if you look at the wandering monster tables, they match what one might expect if traveling the countryside of Geb. Also, I felt that since that placing the adventure in Geb, which is dangerous to travel through by itself, would explain how Rappan Athuk was able to remain relatively unmolested for so long. And, it really makes the adventure all the more severe when you don't have a truly safe base to go to. This has made Zhelkor's Ferry the only safe place they trust. However, to all DMs out there, your players care a lot less than the specific background of an adventure than you do. It only becomes a big deal if you make it so. So far, the party has progressed to 12th level. They haven't even gone into the main dungeon yet. They've contented themselves with clearing out the surrounding wilderness and the Mouth of Doom dungeon nearby. There has already been eight character deaths! This adventure is no joke. We're loving it!
In addition, if Rappan Athuk was in the Worldwound area, wouldn't Orcus have gained control of the rift since he far out-strips in power the locust prince in command? Also, wouldn't a demonic center of worship be a little out of place in a devil-worshipping nation of extreme law. Also, the kraken terrorizing the Inner Sea's major trading lanes would have likely attracted massive attention from the Chelish Navy, the Absalomian Fleet, etc..
See also this thread: foreshadowing Tsar
My GM had placed it somewhere in Nirmathas (i can't remember where exactly)