| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
As I usually do for each AP, I figured we could use a thread for the new generation of conquerors setting out into the Stolen Lands!
There's quite a few more Ancestries on the table than the 1e version had to contend with originally, and I'm curious how much that variety will penetrate into such a classic campaign here now. Likewise, we have some stranger classes in play - I haven't stopped thinking about Zousha's idea for an Aldori Thaumaturge since it was posted - and I think that can skew potential Kingdoms in really interesting ways.
I have one player who wants to be an Orc, and one who wants to be a Tiefling. Yeah... going great already. I'm no expert on Golarian lore, but hopefully I can make it work.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I have one player who wants to be an Orc, and one who wants to be a Tiefling. Yeah... going great already. I'm no expert on Golarian lore, but hopefully I can make it work.
That’s not too crazy, honestly, especially in 2e.
|
Step 1: Ancestry, Orc
Step 2: Heritage, Tiefling
Done.
I mean there's literally a fiendish orc Valkyrie in Pathfinder, the Dahzagan.
An ascendant Orc nation, Belkzen, lies some ways to the west of the Stolen Lands, and plenty of that people leave it to work as laborers, bodyguards, and mercenaries. If they have political ambitions, as fits Kingmaker, they could’ve been ousted by a stronger rival in Belkzen, driven into exile and forced to seek a throne elsewhere.
The Stolen Lands are very near the Worldwound (or in 2e, the Sarkoris Scar), where Abyssal energies exploded into the Material Plane for over a century. Tieflings with demonic features are thus not too uncommon across much of Avistan’s north, while in Cheliax to the south, there’s a considerable devilish Tiefling minority; they’re treated poorly, so I can imagine one fleeing that oppressive nation to build a kingdom of their own.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I'm making an Issian patriot inventor with the mauler and bastion archetypes, using his magitech to forge a new kingdom for his oppressed people.
My hope is to gather enough BP to create a neighborhood/city I refer to as Sparktown, an outpost of enlightened technological advancement in the wilderness with only the occassional catastrophic explosion flattening a workshop. Need to invent a working fire engine stat before the goblin alchemists show up!
I'm also hoping to persuade my group to stretch the timeline a bit to create several possible generations of adventurers across Kingmaker but I'll have to see how much they like that idea from an RP and kingdom management perspective.
I'm making an Issian patriot inventor with the mauler and bastion archetypes, using his magitech to forge a new kingdom for his oppressed people.
My hope is to gather enough BP to create a neighborhood/city I refer to as Sparktown, an outpost of enlightened technological advancement in the wilderness with only the occassional catastrophic explosion flattening a workshop. Need to invent a working fire engine stat before the goblin alchemists show up!
Sparktown rocks! I hope you can get some free constructs as citizens somehow. Maybe a temple to Brigh?
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
An ascendant Orc nation, Belkzen, lies some ways to the west of the Stolen Lands, and plenty of that people leave it to work as laborers, bodyguards, and mercenaries. If they have political ambitions, as fits Kingmaker, they could’ve been ousted by a stronger rival in Belkzen, driven into exile and forced to seek a throne elsewhere.
The Stolen Lands are very near the Worldwound (or in 2e, the Sarkoris Scar), where Abyssal energies exploded into the Material Plane for over a century. Tieflings with demonic features are thus not too uncommon across much of Avistan’s north, while in Cheliax to the south, there’s a considerable devilish Tiefling minority; they’re treated poorly, so I can imagine one fleeing that oppressive nation to build a kingdom of their own.
Great ideas, thanks. The Orc is basically doing that. His parents were sick of the tribal b$#@&&~~ and wanted to be mercenaries. Then they went missing on a job and the PC ended up getting a job as a laborer in Restov doing the grimy work no one else wanted to do. One night while working an overnight shift he was able to help the city guard capture a thief and word got around town that an Orc had contributed to keeping the city safe. So Jamandi Aldori decided to invite him to the feast.
An ascendant Orc nation, Belkzen, lies some ways to the west of the Stolen Lands, and plenty of that people leave it to work as laborers, bodyguards, and mercenaries. If they have political ambitions, as fits Kingmaker, they could’ve been ousted by a stronger rival in Belkzen, driven into exile and forced to seek a throne elsewhere.
The Stolen Lands are very near the Worldwound (or in 2e, the Sarkoris Scar), where Abyssal energies exploded into the Material Plane for over a century. Tieflings with demonic features are thus not too uncommon across much of Avistan’s north, while in Cheliax to the south, there’s a considerable devilish Tiefling minority; they’re treated poorly, so I can imagine one fleeing that oppressive nation to build a kingdom of their own.
Great ideas, thanks. The Orc is basically doing that. His parents were sick of the tribal b%#$*$@+ and wanted to be mercenaries. Then they went missing on a job and the PC ended up getting a job as a laborer in Restov doing the grimy work no one else wanted to do. One night while working an overnight shift he was able to help the city guard capture a thief and word got around town that an Orc had contributed to keeping the city safe. So Jamandi Aldori decided to invite him to the feast.
The party I'll be GMing for is looking like (I'm allowing a semi-restrictive free archetype, shown in parenthesis -- generally not MC or MC-adjacent for the free archetype -- ie not many of the mystical or combat style ones allowed)):
Human Cloistered Cleric of Erastil (Familiar Master)
Goblin Alchemical Investigator (Fireworks Tech)
Human Chirugeon Alchemist (Pirate)
Catfolk Drifter Gunslinger (Gladiator)
Tiefling Elf Monk (Loremaster)
<unkown> Fey Sorceror (<unknown>)
Aside from the cleric there's a fairly large skew towards spy/assassin/etc theming so I'm expecting this to be very different than my 1e run where the party was generally Good.
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
I want to play a skeleton bard, swashbuckler, gunslinger, or perhaps fighter who was an undeserved braggard and con-person in life. Upon regaining their sentience, they realize that they have both an opportunity to actually go on the kinds of adventures they always talked about wanting to go on, or lied about having already done, as well as helping to forge a place that could become a haven for other recently liberated manufactured undead servants like themself. (Even though I know why it works diegetically I'm still not a huge fan of always-evil undead, and play them against type whenever I can.)
Your kingdom might be a haven for Arazni's faith - she looks fondly on the unwillingly undead, especially those who help themselves.
| 4 people marked this as a favorite. |
Sounds like my players are leaning towards Lawful Evil undead kingdom. The player that will be king wants to be a lich.
| 4 people marked this as a favorite. |
Sounds like my players are leaning towards Lawful Evil undead kingdom. The player that will be king wants to be a lich.
The neighbors will be thrilled.
We had our session zero and our party of four includes:
a dwarven rogue, a dwarven cleric, a grippli swashbuckler and a human sorcerer.
Picking the sorcerer out of the short people will be a snap. (or a twang of the crossbow).
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Sprite (undine) nymph Sorcereress
With her Corgi Mount
She will be the tiniest queen ever
And her kingdom shall be a chaotic paradise
I've been kicking around some concepts since Secrets of Magic that haven't been a good "fit" thematically with the APs since Quest for the Frozen Flame:
Elf/Ancient (witch/Wild patron) magus (Inexorable Iron) wielding an elven branched spear
Leshy/Root, Plant Whisperer, druid (flexible spellcaster), Geomancer Dedication
Kitsune (Foxfire at 1st) champion (paladin of Erastil), Soulforger Dedication (weapon/composite longbow) and Eldritch Archer Dedication
Sprite/Grig bard (Maestro muse)
They would probably be appropriate for Kingmaker.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I’m trying to hash out a sample Kingmaker party for my “Around the Inner Sea” thread (and to fill in as the heroes of a fill-in Narland), but I’m admittedly having some trouble.
Our Ruler is Human, a Brevic Outcast, taking the example hook of a supposed Rogarvia survivor - I’m 90% sure she’s a Draconic Sorcerer, but that remaining 10% is holding out for a Regalia Thaumaturge. Part of me worried I should “save” Sorcerer for a Fey or Nymph bloodline option, but I think I like the bootleg Targaeryn vibe too much to pass it up. She’s the only one I have a name for: Regna Redmane.
The Warden is a Sword Scion, a lifelong Restov patriot who eventually grew disillusioned with how hopelessly divided the Aldori and Rostlanders seemed and hopes to build a prouder alternative in the Stolen Lands. Toss up between Fighter, Magus, and Swashbuckler. I think they’re at least a Half-Elf, if not just an Elf outright? There’s definitely some romantic tension around being the Outcast’s bodyguard.
And then I’m hopelessly undecided on the other two. A Gnome of some sort fits the fey vibe well, but there’s still no Shamans and I don’t like Druids much! Should there be a Pitaxian rebel, perhaps a Bard or Spy - or maybe an Inventor with stolen Numerian secrets? One of House Medvyed’s dwarf allies? Give a Kobold the spotlight, to center being monster-friendly? And what of including a Cleric or Ranger - Erastil HAS to be represented somewhere! I just can’t make up my mind.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
For the Ruler, an alternative you might consider could be summoner with a dragon eidolon for even more of a "bootleg Targaeryn vibe."
For the Warden, a magus could definitely make sense as an option. Or maybe they are the thaumaturge? Guarding against both mundane and supernatural threats.
And then I’m hopelessly undecided on the other two. A Gnome of some sort fits the fey vibe well, but there’s still no Shamans and I don’t like Druids much! Should there be a Pitaxian rebel, perhaps a Bard or Spy - or maybe an Inventor with stolen Numerian secrets? One of House Medvyed’s dwarf allies? Give a Kobold the spotlight, to center being monster-friendly? And what of including a Cleric or Ranger - Erastil HAS to be represented somewhere! I just can’t make up my mind.
For a gnome, especially if you go with sorcerer for the Ruler, a summoner with a beast (owlbear? <grin>) eidolon might give a "shaman-like" feel. Possibly adding the multiclass Witch Dedication; or maybe Wellspring Magic for a stronger tie to the fey/First World (or even both, if you use a general feat on Adopted Ancestry [Human] and your 9th level ancestry feat on Multitalented [Witch Dedication]).
An android inventor might be appropriate for a Numerian hook, but a kobold ranger (possibly with the Trapsmith Dedication) could have more chances to shine and tie in with Erastil.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
An android inventor might be appropriate for a Numerian hook, but a kobold ranger (possibly with the Trapsmith Dedication) could have more chances to shine and tie in with Erastil.
Or the Snarecrafter Dedication for a less "tech" feel.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Our party is a group of misfits - An "ex"-thief elf magus, follower of Nocticula, who wants to "steal" the Stolen Lands, life oracle tengu looking to build a better and fairer place where everyone's voice is heard, magic academy dropout goblin alchemist-wizard, and a dwarf liberator of Cayden Cailean who was a human who passed out during a tavern party and got turned into a dwarf with almost no memories of his past life.
There was little hope for this band of weirdos when they were sent into the safest part of Stolen Lands, but they proved everyone wrong, survived, and are now ruling their own kingdom where everyone is welcome, no matter how weird, as long as they're willing to be nice to each other. They're friends with local fey, mites, kobolds, the boggard, lizardfolks and a single troll (the sole survivor from Hargulka's army).
Along the way some members became less regular, so they met a bard running away from Pitax to avoid his debt, a kobold sorcerer who wants to be a dragon, and a couple of leshies - a local earth sorcerer looking for the dead unicorn's killer to cleanse the surrounding land from corruption and a travelling monk looking to establish a new monastery for his people.
They are doing an amazing job ruling their kingdom, I replaced classic companions with custom NPCs they've already been friends with because when we started the campaign the 2e version didn't exist, and we're all having a blast exploring the lands, building a CG kingdom of art and magic, and achieving personal goals.
I'm very excited to see their NPC friends come alive with the new companion rules :)
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I'm sort of waiting for Rage of the Elements to come out so we can build an All-Kineticist party so as to beat up our enemies with the Stolen Lands itself.
I'm sort of waiting for Rage of the Elements to come out so we can build an All-Kineticist party so as to beat up our enemies with the Stolen Lands itself.
I'm anxiously awaiting Wood Kineticists, to have something other than Druid and Ranger for really nature-y folks. I'm really curious how the two Wuxing elements will be made.
For a gnome, especially if you go with sorcerer for the Ruler, a summoner with a beast (owlbear? <grin>) eidolon might give a "shaman-like" feel. Possibly adding the multiclass Witch Dedication; or maybe Wellspring Magic for a stronger tie to the fey/First World (or even both, if you use a general feat on Adopted Ancestry [Human] and your 9th level ancestry feat on Multitalented [Witch Dedication]).
Inspiration struck. A possible progression for a gnome summoner, emphasizing spells more than the eidolon (skills, skill feats, and spells selected to taste; probably focused on Cha and Int):
Gnome/Fey-Touched, Borderlands Pioneer, Summoner (Wellspring Mage)
Brutal Beast eidolon (claws, beak [jaws])
1st- Animal Accomplice (owl?); Train Animal; Advanced Weaponry (Claws/grapple)
2nd- Wellspring Mage Dedication
3rd- Fleet
4th- Lifelink Surge
5th- Energized Font
6th- Wellspring Control
7th- Adopted Ancestry (Human)
8th- Hulking Size
9th- Multitalented (Witch Dedication*)
10th- Basic Witch Spellcasting
11th- Toughness
12th- Link Focus
13th- Vivacious Conduit
14th- Expert Witch Spellcasting
15th- Incredible Initiative
16th- Patron's Breadth
17th- Homeward Bound
18th- Link Wellspring
19th- Canny Acumen (Reflex)
20th- Legendary Summoner
*- instead of a second familiar, gain Enhanced Familiar; patron as desired (Wild may be the obvious choice, but one of the patrons granting Occult spells might be more effective/interesting)
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
The Warden is a Sword Scion, a lifelong Restov patriot who eventually grew disillusioned with how hopelessly divided the Aldori and Rostlanders seemed and hopes to build a prouder alternative in the Stolen Lands. Toss up between Fighter, Magus, and Swashbuckler. I think they’re at least a Half-Elf, if not just an Elf outright? There’s definitely some romantic tension around being the Outcast’s bodyguard.
I might wanna steal this idea to play myself at some point. Kinda been noodling over why a Swordlord might decide NOT to join the push for Rostlandic independence and instead advocate maintaining the current bad peace over a good war. Maybe going the route of "the Swordlords are too stuck in the past, me and my kingdom are going to be better than that!" is the way to go?
Also been pondering deity choice too: Erastil, as you mentioned in your Narland thread, looms pretty large in Kingmaker's story, but he doesn't seem like a deity most Swordlords would gravitate towards, finding notions of martial honor impractical and foolish at best, while doing cool swordsmanship stunts and such is Iomedae's JAM, and the House of the Gauntlet is right there in New Stetven...
Do you normally choose deities for a class where "who your deity is" doesn't matter? Like if I'm rolling out a Fighter, Bard, Monk, etc. I wouldn't bother to pick *a* deity, since "I live in a default polytheistic society, so I pay homage to all relevant gods as appropriate" seems like the realistic way to play a character who isn't associated with a specific faith.
I might wanna steal this idea to play myself at some point. Kinda been noodling over why a Swordlord might decide NOT to join the push for Rostlandic independence and instead advocate maintaining the current bad peace over a good war. Maybe going the route of "the Swordlords are too stuck in the past, me and my kingdom are going to be better than that!" is the way to go?
Choral the Conqueror conquered Rostland over 200 years before the start date of Kingmaker; I can easily imagine some people going "why the hell do we still care about the battle our great-great-great-grandparents lost?"
Especially seeing those two centuries consist not of glorious rebellion, but of noble politicking just like the hated Issian houses. Building something better, truer to their vision of Aldori ideals, rather than being loyal to the sad dregs that still claim the name... hell, you might even become a third tradition, distinct from the hoary traditionalists in Restov and the feckless cowards of Mivon.
Do you normally choose deities for a class where "who your deity is" doesn't matter? Like if I'm rolling out a Fighter, Bard, Monk, etc. I wouldn't bother to pick *a* deity, since "I live in a default polytheistic society, so I pay homage to all relevant gods as appropriate" seems like the realistic way to play a character who isn't associated with a specific faith.
I do! A Ranger's entire class package might come from trying to embody the Erastilian ideal, while I imagine the bulk of the Fifth Mendevian Crusade was Fighters who didn't get anything more than hope from their faith in Iomedae.
I follow a polytheistic faith personally, but only really touch on the one goddess who appeals most to me and what matters in my life, with the others only really coming up when they're relevant - and that's how I've always pictured Golarion. If you're a well-to-do merchant in a port city, you might think of yourself as chiefly an Abadaran, and that faith informs your ideals, daily conduct, and religious practices... even if you still sometimes appeal to Gozreh for mild weather or beg Besmara's to spare your ships from piracy. Even within the Pantheon mechanic, you still pick one deity of the bunch that's the center of your faith.
There's plenty of precedent IRL: each major city from Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece had a patron deity, but they certainly didn't spurn the other gods their faiths included. Go far enough back and Yahweh/El was only one of a number of Canaanite divinities. Plenty of room for a henotheistic worldview in Golarion.
I'm not saying that you can't role up literally any class with any faith, but there are also a lot of characters with "what religion their associated with" is just not important to who that person is or what they're about. I've played non-divine classes that are big into one deity or another, but more often than not "Deity" is something I leave blank.
Like if I"m rolling up a Dwarf character I'll just talk about Torag's entire family, since that's less about "what the character believes" and more about "what culture they are from." Like "Dranngvit exists, and you should respect her, and what she does is sometimes important, but you don't want her attention" feels much more reasonable than "worshiping her."
I'm not saying that you can't role up literally any class with any faith, but there are also a lot of characters with "what religion their associated with" is just not important to who that person is or what they're about. I've played non-divine classes that are big into one deity or another, but more often than not "Deity" is something I leave blank.
Like if I"m rolling up a Dwarf character I'll just talk about Torag's entire family, since that's less about "what the character believes" and more about "what culture they are from." Like "Dranngvit exists, and you should respect her, and what she does is sometimes important, but you don't want her attention" feels much more reasonable than "worshiping her."
And you’re more than welcome to! That’s a completely valid preference.
But Deity is on every character sheet, so I usually fill it. I’m a person of faith, so I usually prefer to play the same - otherwise, all that fun worldbuilding about the gods goes to waste!
|
|
I might wanna steal this idea to play myself at some point. Kinda been noodling over why a Swordlord might decide NOT to join the push for Rostlandic independence and instead advocate maintaining the current bad peace over a good war. Maybe going the route of "the Swordlords are too stuck in the past, me and my kingdom are going to be better than that!" is the way to go?Choral the Conqueror conquered Rostland over 200 years before the start date of Kingmaker; I can easily imagine some people going "why the hell do we still care about the battle our great-great-great-grandparents lost?"
Especially seeing those two centuries consist not of glorious rebellion, but of noble politicking just like the hated Issian houses. Building something better, truer to their vision of Aldori ideals, rather than being loyal to the sad dregs that still claim the name... hell, you might even become a third tradition, distinct from the hoary traditionalists in Restov and the feckless cowards of Mivon.
I get it...I suddenly get it! They're children!
I'll share the party I'm dming for. they have also all been allowed the gmg free archetypes.
the party starts with failbhe the Elf witch/familiar master who grew up in the wilds of the stolen lands and had taken a bit of the first world with him as a result (fey influence feat chain).
next up is Rix the ghoran Wild druid/champion of Desna, who hopes to turn the untamed wilds of the stolen lands into a peaceful place for the the rest of his ghoarn siblings to reside and possibly even find a way to make more of themselves.
Their ruler is Haruka kinoshita a half-elf fighter/bastion that wants to protect as many people as she can.
last but not least is Mr. toad the nomadic grippli gunslinger/beast gunner, after traveling for quite some time picking up interesting techniques and tools from across the lands they hope to make a place where they can finally settle down
