Urzen Rogarvia and his relatives?

[Hassy]

Has anyone invented or are there canonical sources for Brevoy's ruling family, the one that was disappeared?

Anything you people have invented would be great. Names, stats, relationships. Especially a line of succession that might be followed if some of them happened to be found alive...

[Rickmeister]

Not yet.
My games focus away from Brevoy, and we have some (outgame) time (probably years) before we'll get to the end of the AP, so not bothering just yet.

Still dotting, who knows :)

[G.ame O.perational D.irector]

I'm tinkering with some names and relations. Check out redcelts game of brevoy post I got some real good idea starters there.

[Hassy]

G.ame O.perational D.irector wrote:

I'm tinkering with some names and relations. Check out redcelts game of brevoy post I got some real good idea starters there.

It's a great thread and I'm following it, but it contains nothing directly on House Rogarvia. It you come up with anything, please share.

[redcelt32]

Nope, in my world Rogarvia is very absent, at least for the moment. This is what allowed so much quarreling, plotting, and infighting among the Rogarvian sub-houses-the Duke was missing.

If I was crafting the existing Rogarvian Royal family, I would probably do a few things like:

- several of them are very cruel, petty, and corrupt, and abuse their power at every turn. This lets the PCs conflict with them some and sets the tone for a possibly emnity. It also means the smallfolk won't like them in general.

- Urzen would be a decadent, insecure, possible paranoid ruler. He would take steps to secure his throne whenever he felt threatened, and use and exploit those around him to his benefit. He would also slowly be going mad. All of this allows for a very Game of Thrones type game. He would be modeled after the last Targaryen king in GoT, which would be the parallel between the Paizo GoT setting (Brevoy) and the real one.

- The party might come to his attention in Vallis, but as long as he had other things to occupy him, his paranoia won't let him focus on their kingdom too heavily. This is what saves them from a very definite crushing.

The main reason I did not go there and use him, which would be incredibly fun, is that I was concerned it would result in a Brevoy AP and not a Kingmaker Stolen Lands AP.

So instead, I left a bunch of squabbling houses, petty lords, and conspiracy paradise in place and gave the players the option to meddle, play, directly engage, or whatever else they desired regarding Brevoy politics.

Nothing will really bear down on them from Brevoy until Book 5, unless of course they build the locks on the Shrike River like they are threatening to do. This will upset the balance of power in Brevoy and require strong demonstrative action by Surtova. See RedRamage's thread for some excellent ideas if your players do that.

TL; DR - Use the last ruling Targaeryn family members from GoT directly as the Rogarvian royal family.

[G.ame O.perational D.irector]

I did the opposite they saved Urzens life(not really but it looked like it at the time) I made Urzen a kind if stern ruler and with a crown of mental superiority +6 very smart, he was generous to the players and personally gave them the charter they used to chart their new holdings and when they were done he gave them the start up cash out of his own pocket as a reward for service to the crown of Brevoy.

The money showed up less than a month before he vanished, I let the players speculate on who did the deed before they realized that all of the blood line disappeared they were making plans to scout Surtova holdings for evidence of treason when they realized that no house in Brevoy could pull off the vanishing as it has become known in my game they put their plans aside.

They really liked that crusty old bastage as they put it and were willing to start a war over him... just how I want them on edge and ready to jump.

I find my players like to get attached to the oddest character types and if something happens to them then that elicits some of the most dramatic and dynamic role-playing in my group granted you can't do it to often or it looses it's edge

after all he's going to go poof anyway why not make him a good guy holding back the tide of civil war

[G.ame O.perational D.irector]

As for his house I put my main bad guys in it snapping up abandoned minor houses and getting pledges from the other major houses of Rogarvia basically taking over quietly with the permission and support of Surtova so that way one more obstacle to Surtova rule is put down and one more future Great house to support Surtova when the time is right.

[G.ame O.perational D.irector]

the following is for my game feel free to take and modify it for your game granted it is the players version post your e-mails and I'll check back if you want me to send you the plot D.M. version... o and by the way remember to thank Redcelt he was the one to spark the interest into fleshing out my game to this extent

House Rogarvia
With Sword and Flame

History: The House of Chorol the Conqueror, House Rogarvia united the lands of Issia and Rostland into one nation, and ruled the newly named Kingdom of Brevoy for two centuries since Choral’s final victory in the Valley of Fire, until every single member of the family simultaneously disappeared in the winter of 4699. House Rogarvia ruled Brevoy, The house built the Ruby Fortress in the city of New Stetven as its stronghold, and Urzen Rogarvia sat on the Dragonscale Throne up until 4699, when the entire family vanished overnight.

The Rogarvias were well known as ruthless rulers, determined to hold Brevoy together in the Conqueror’s name by whatever means necessary. Still, while their loss was not overly mourned, the stability they represented has been.

Loyalists have continued to call for investigation into the Vanishing and make much of the fact that their rule lasted precisely 200 years. No one knows what happened to the Rogarvias, but it has become increasingly clear that House Rogarvia will not return soon, if ever.

Now: House Rogarvia is hardly a noble house at all now, There is just the rump of adopted ‘family’ members left and without the leadership of their ‘king’ they are struggling. Since the disappearance of all of its members (or at least all of those who can trace a blood connection back to Choral the Conqueror) there power has been lost. These are mainly minor lords in New Stetven, or on the southern edges of the Gonzi Forest – the largest single group is House Shu'mier of the Stetven River.

Many say that a true Rogarvia heir exists somewhere, however everyone has a different story. There are at least two people claim to be illegitimate descendents of King Urzen, while others say that the heir is locked inside Starwatch waiting for the right time to return. Still others say that Duma the Sly, from the Gronzi forest, is the only legitimate heir.

Notable members:

Urzen Rogarvia was the last undisputed king of Brevoy – up until his (and all his blood relatives’) disappearance.

------------------Sworn Houses: Major Houses:----------

House Shu'mier
Motto: Summer never ends
Ranking: Major sworn to Rogavira
Heraldry: The sun on a field of blue rising behind a tower on a field of green with trees in full to each side
Expertise: Secret House Aldori Style: Aldori Swashbuckler, varied each minor family has a specialty
Castle: Sumeirholt
Lands: The Stetven River and 100 miles south this recent conflict with the now defunct House Wynter has led to the expansion of lands to the mouth of the valley of fire.

Lord Jokin Shu'mier house Patriarch

The recent meteoric rise to power House Shu'mier, looks to be subsuming the remaints of House Rogavira if it continues unchecked House Shu'mier will be the next Great Brevoy House and Rogavira will be little more than a foot note in history this seems to be supported by House Surtova.

House Kerensky
Major sworn to Rogavira
Heraldry:
Expertise: Stewards
Castle:
Lands: New Stetven
Known as the stewards of New Stetven their families fortune was tied tightly with the management of the kings city and his amusement.
many members of this house vanished devastating their power base and leaving their lands to House Surtova

New Stetven - Metropolis: Pop 32,850

New Stetven is a bustling trade city. Grain, fish, timber, and ore flow from Brevoy through New Stetven and out to the rest of the north. The food from Brevoy sustains much of the River Kingdoms, Numeria, and Mendev, where constant bandit raids and invading demonic armies make farming difficult, and most of that food passes through New Stetven. In return, exotic goods from all corners of Avistan (and beyond) flow back up the Sellen River to New Stetven. However, with the East Sellen closed south of the slough, trade is slow at the moment - and business needs to go north through Port Ice.

New Stetven earned the nickname “The City of Wooden Palaces” for the abundant use of timber to build everything from walls and houses to mansions and forts. The only great stone structures of the city are the Ruby Fortress, the seat of power to the crown of Brevoy, and the Bulwark of Gorum, Brevoy’s greatest temple to the Lord of Iron.

House Bath-Rani (aka: Ban'Rathi)
Motto:
Ranking: Major sworn to Rogavira
Heraldry:
Expertise:
Castle:
Lands: North of lake Reykal south if the Gronzi forrest

Lady Nicola Bath-Rani, In truth is a perfectionist. House Bath-Rani carries out public acts of largesse. she maintains her Houses glory with public adoration and broad acclaim.

Nicola Bath-Rani has two children who survived childhood, Tanner and Calia. Tanner and his wife Lidia were killed while rescuing people from a burning home, leaving their young son, Adric, to be raised by his grandmother.

Her Daughter Lady Calia Bath-Rani is a stunning beauty to behold her qick wits and sharp toung match her statuesque frame. Nicola is in the process of considering whom to marry her off to as King Nicolai Sourveta seems uninterested and Nicola is convinced that the sitting Queen would have her Daughter murdered the second she made serious overtures she is looking to Jokin Shu'mier of House Shu'mier.

-----------------Minor Houses:--------------

House Miron
Motto:
Ranking: Minor sworn to
Heraldry:
Expertise: Trade
Castle:
Lands:
many members of this house vanished devastating their power base and leaving their lands being counted under House Shu'mier

House Isidoea
Motto:
Ranking: Minor sworn to
Heraldry:
Expertise:
Castle:
Lands:
many members of this house vanished devastating their power base and leaving their lands guarded by a single knight family with ties to House Shu'mier

House Ilari
Motto:
Ranking: Minor sworn to
Heraldry:
Expertise:
Castle:
Lands:
many members of this house vanished devastating their power base and leaving their lands only minor nobles remain being courted by House Shu'mier

House Annatar
Motto:
Ranking: Minor sworn to
Heraldry:
Expertise: Stewards
Castle:
Lands: Skywatch
the members of this house have yet to be counted so it is unknown if any remain what is known is that no one has seen them in almost 2 years

Skywatch: Small City: pop 6,590
SEALED

Skywatch is an ancient site - believed to have been used for studying the sky and the stars. In the past it has been a stronghold for House Surtova, but it became a stronghold for the Aldori Swordlords. Eventually they were burnt out and a new city built as a stronghold for House Rogarvia. However of the day of 'The Vanishing' the city sealed its gates and there has been no communication with it since.

Sealed its gates, can be considered a bit of an understatement, - people have tried flying in, tunneling in, planar travel and all sorts. Even sending fetch's and scrying spells. All have failed miserably.

House Karamazov
Motto:
Ranking: Minor sworn to
Heraldry:
Expertise:
Castle:
Lands:
many members of this house vanished devastating their power base and leaving their lands in the stewardship of House Shu'mier

House Dostoyevsky
Motto:
Ranking: Minor sworn to
Heraldry:
Expertise:
Castle:
Lands:
many members of this house vanished devastating their power base and leaving their lands under Bath-Rani

House Fyodor
Motto:
Ranking: Minor sworn to
Heraldry:
Expertise:
Castle:
Lands:
many members of this house vanished devastating their power base and leaving their lands are courted by House Shu'mier

House Dimitri
Motto:
Ranking: Minor sworn to
Heraldry:
Expertise:
Castle:
Lands:
many members of this house vanished devastating their power base and leaving their lands courted by House Shu'mier