I just started running RoW for a group of four players who are curious, persistent and stubborn. Not content to ride the rails, they insist on asking awkward questions and following lines of enquiry. Which is brilliant - I'd far rather have players that are engaged with the story than ones that let it all flow past them. But it does make it difficult for me to GM when the AP simply doesn't answer their questions. They have decent charisma for first level, so it cam be assumed that they'll have the wherewithal to talk their way to the truth.
Here are a few questions I'll likely need answers to, just from the first chapter:
1) Given that most of Lady Argentea's guards are Taldan military, why did she hire a mercenary from the Linnorm Lands as her bodyguard?
2) What was the nature of her disagreement with her betrothed?
3) Why did Teb Knebben have Rohkar and his men kidnap Lady Argentea, and why such insistence that she be delivered alive? What value is she in distant Irrisen? I could understand if Rohkar were planning to ransom her, or if he'd been hired by the Qadiran noble whom Argentea had just spurned.
4) Why does Rohkar have to rely on scrolls for necromancy? He's a sufficient Cleric level to cast "Animate Dead, Lesser" himself, but doesn't have it prepared.
1. Ulfen guards are prized warriors and guards in Taldor. The entire royal guard is made up of them (as the Prince cannot trust any Taldans as far as I am aware). More details on Pathfinder Wiki and Inner Sea World Guide
Ulfen are like historical vikings, therefore in Taldor are like the Varangian (sp) guard of Constantinople
2. I don't think that is particularly important to the campaign. You can decide for yourself
I also seem to remember that was only a rumour /gossip
3. I thought this was highlighted somewhere. The forces of Irrisen wanted to aid their southern invasion by replacing her with someone magically disguised as her.
Quite what the next step is is not highlighted (and Rokhar / Teb would not be privy to that information. They are both lackeys of the White Witches (one more directly than the other)
4. I guess it is because Less Animate Dead sucks. It would be worthwhile if it was a level 1 spell. But as Lvl 2 it is awful. And his scrolls can summon 10 HD rather than 2HD.
You could also use the following:
- He was only a Lvl 2 cleric when he joined Teb and Izoze
- His god has not granted him the spell through his prayers
Would be interesting if you posted your other questions as it is a good thought exercise
I seem to remember my players asked about Rokhar's motivations (seemed to ask Lady Argenta for this and she had no idea)
They also grilled Ten Penny Tacey on her background a fair amount
Here are a few questions I'll likely need answers to, just from the first chapter:
And here are a few answers directly from the author...
1) Given that most of Lady Argentea's guards are Taldan military, why did she hire a mercenary from the Linnorm Lands as her bodyguard?
In the Golarion campaign setting, it's mentioned quite frequently that a lot of Ulfen hire themselves out as bodyguards and mercenaries, particularly to well-paying members of the southern aristocracies...including Taldor. It was also a convenient way to slip in an NPC who might actually have knowledge of the cold fey and the strange wintry conditions at the beginning of the adventure so the PCs didn't go into everything completely unprepared.
2) What was the nature of her disagreement with her betrothed?
It was to be an arranged marriage between two Taldan families. She's from Oppara (the center of the Taldan universe) and he was from Zimar (the front-line, militant city-state guarding against Qadiran aggression). There really wasn't a reason to elaborate that much about it. The man her family had arranged for her to marry didn't appeal to her. So, she spurned him and was on her way back home.
3) Why did Teb Knebben have Rohkar and his men kidnap Lady Argentea, and why such insistence that she be delivered alive? What value is she in distant Irrisen? I could understand if Rohkar were planning to ransom her, or if he'd been hired by the Qadiran noble whom Argentea had just spurned.
A couple of corrections. The moss troll's name is Teb Knotten...not Teb Knebben. And Lady Argentea spurned a Taldan noble in the city of Zimar, which is still in Taldor, not Qadira. Taldans hate Qadirans with a passion due to their many years of conflict and war. Also, it was Rohkar who pressed Izoze to let his men kidnap Lady Argentea, primarily because 1) the bandits thought they'd get a good ransom out of her and they could use the noblewoman to guard against any reprisals for taking over the High Sentinel Lodge if the Taldan military came after them, and 2) Rohkar himself enjoys murdering high-level important people more than just run-of-the-mill commoners on the highway. She was a high-profile target he'd love to sacrifice in Norgorber's name.
As for the reason Izoze agreed with the kidnapping, that's explained quite fully in the adventure, as well. Teb Knotten and Izoze are enacting Nazhena Vassiliovna's (and Elvanna's) plan to infiltrate Taldor and Lady Argentea gives them a better opportunity to do so. For instance, there's a doppelganger in the Pale Tower named Gardhek who's been studying Lady Argentea's mannerisms. They intend to replace her with this covert spy in the capital of Oppara--all so he can play down any rumors about a spreading winter near Heldren and the Border Wood--thereby delaying any Taldan military response to the invading forces from Irrisen. That's why they want her kept alive. And it's also why they ultimately kidnapped her in the first place.
4) Why does Rohkar have to rely on scrolls for necromancy? He's a sufficient Cleric level to cast "Animate Dead, Lesser" himself, but doesn't have it prepared.
The lesser animate dead spell isn't sufficient for him to do very much with it in terms of animating fallen bandits. Thus, the scroll is more potent for him (i.e., 10 HD affected). And, since he has that, he's free to prepare something else in his daily spell slots. Basically, having that spell on a scroll gave him more interesting combat options for his encounter. But, there's nothing preventing him from preparing lesser animate dead if he escapes. In fact, he'd very likely do so just to be a continuing thorn in the side of the PCs.
Hope that helps,
--Neil
Thanks, that's very helpful.
And Lady Argentea spurned a Taldan noble in the city of Zimar, which is still in Taldor, not Qadira.
Noted. My knowledge of Golarion isn't as detailed as it should be. Unfortunately, having told the players one thing it's hard to backtrack, so I'll have to come up with something. But the betrothal is a red herring, so I can bluff it from what you've given me. I can work the distrust between noble houses into it.
Expect more such questions. I'm sure this isn't the last corner I'll paint myself into. :)
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Hm...I've noticed another question as well that my PCs have asked. Why, precisely, does Baba Yaga care if her daughter coats the entire world in endless winter? Wasn't that Baba Yaga's intention before she got bored of Golarion and ditched it? Why would Baba Yaga care to stop what Elvanna has put in motion? And even if Elvanna dies...her next of kin could just do the same all over again. So, that said, why is freeing Baba Yaga helpful. Or, more specifically, what reason would the Black Rider give to the PCs for why freeing Baba Yaga is useful?
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Why, precisely, does Baba Yaga care if her daughter coats the entire world in endless winter?
Plus, if Baba Yaga doesn't bring her daughter to heel, she'll never be able to drink her soul.
Wasn't that Baba Yaga's intention before she got bored of Golarion and ditched it?
Was it? Seems to me that if that was her intention, she could have managed it in about the same amount of time it took her to conquer Irrisen, and by similar means. That suggests it wasn't her intention to ever cover Golarion in an ice age.
Why would Baba Yaga care to stop what Elvanna has put in motion? And even if Elvanna dies...her next of kin could just do the same all over again.
She doesn't care about Elvanna's plan. She cares about Elvanna's rebellion. That putting down her rebellion coincides with the PCs' goals of keeping their home from turning into an ice cube is just a happy coincidence for the PCs.
So, that said, why is freeing Baba Yaga helpful. Or, more specifically, what reason would the Black Rider give to the PCs for why freeing Baba Yaga is useful?
From the Black Rider's perspective, freeing Baba Yaga is a positive good in its own sake, whatever the consequences. That's the sort of perspective you have when you've spent centuries faithfully serving an extremely powerful patron, especially when you've been geased to boot. As for why the PCs should care, Baba Yaga, whatever she is, is extremely powerful, as is Elvanna (Elvanna, I believe, is a Witch 10/Winter Witch 10, while Baba Yaga's levels are unknown...but she is Mythic). Remember, the PCs in character don't know they're going to be "gaining levels", at the time they meet the Black Rider all they know is that Elvanna poses a horrible threat, that she outclasses them by orders of magnitude, and that Baba Yaga could easily be convinced to ally with them against her...especially if they do her a favor like freeing her.