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I'm about midway through running my first AP, and I'm considering going homebrew for the next campaign. We still have a long way to go in the AP, but I figured it would be better to get started early.
I'm looking at running a sandbox campaign, set in one of the larger cities in Varisia. This would be a Lankhmar-inspired urban campaign, set 90% in town. I have a copy of the ISWG and Birthplace of Legends. Besides the book for the specific city (currently leaning toward Magnimar), what other resources would you recommend? Most of my group are veterans of Golarian, so I'd like to start off as close to canon as possible.
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Magnimar is a pretty interesting city in Varisia. Maybe lean it towards learning more about the Irespan and what is exactly inside the ruins (besides the giant bug creatures (can't remember their name off the top of my head)).
Kaer Maga would probably be my choice if I was going to do a homebrew urban campaign in Varisia, mostly because it really is such a mysterious city to begin with that delving into that history and maybe creating some of it yourself just sounds like a lot of fun. Not to mention with the 'City of Strangers' having so many outcasts it leaves both you & your players with plenty of room for villans with interesting races.
As far as additional resources, I would say you have it nailed down for cannon, especially once you start working your way through the city's book as well. Inner Sea Magic & the Faction Guide can also be handy as it does detail some of the better known magic organizations & factions throughout the Inner Sea Region.
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Kaer Maga never really grabbed my interest. I'd say go for Magnimar since it seems to capture that wild spirit of adventure that was in the Lankhmar stories.
Aside from the handful of books about Varisia, I'd recommend City of Monuments as a primary resource. Beyond that there are installments of of Rise of the Runelords and Shattered Star that take place in Magnimar and I recommend looking up for plot hooks and stat blocks and further city detail.
Kaer Maga never really grabbed my interest. I'd say go for Magnimar since it seems to capture that wild spirit of adventure that was in the Lankhmar stories.
Aside from the handful of books about Varisia, I'd recommend City of Monuments as a primary resource. Beyond that there are installments of of Rise of the Runelords and Shattered Star that take place in Magnimar and I recommend looking up for plot hooks and stat blocks and further city detail.
I'll be honest I've never read the Lankhmar stories, so I don't know the true feel the OP is looking for, but after doing some Googling, I might try and find some copies and do me so good old fashion reading :)
Rise of the Runelords does have some fantastic plot hooks for Magnimar. I don't know all of the hooks since my group just finished up Book 2, but plenty there for hooks plus Season 4 of PFS has some placed in Magnimar (I beleive most of Season 4 took place in and around Varisia).
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The Lankhmar books were the inspiration for thieves in AD&D and they are great reads all on their own.
I forgot all about Season 4 of PFS. If I remember correctly all but one of the scenarios took place in Varisia. I tired to set up a sandbox game that took place in Varisia and did some prep work and looked at all the options out there. The campaign never came to fruition and it's not the same as the OP ideas, but similar enough. There are a ton of options out there with lore, hooks, and stats for in and around Varisia.
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The free players guide to the Rise of the Runelords hardcover edition has a good gazetteer of Varisia in it. Beyond that (and what has already been mentioned) the first module of the Second Darkness AP could make a great introduction to a Leiberesque sandbox (and really, it could take place in MAgnimar just as well as in Riddleport).
If you're looking to set a homebrew campaign in Magnimar, I'd recommend also taking a look at the Shattered Star AP: Magnimar is the home base of the AP, and the inside front cover includes plot hook outlines that could easily be adapted as side-quests not involving the AP itself. There are some links to Magnimar in Lost Cities involving the Darklands city of Ilvarandin.
Kaer Maga is another excellent location: City of Strangers is a wonderful sourcebook. In my (now-aborted) Runelords campaign, I wrote a homebrew seventh book of the campaign that was set in Kaer Maga. The PCs loved it! I also included an Easter egg by dropping in a location and characters from the late-'70s "shared world" anthology fiction series Thieves' World.
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If you haven't seen it, the first part of the Second Darkness AP is set in the Varisian city of Riddleport, and features the characters taking over the running of a casino. It's not particularly coupled to the rest of the AP, and could easily be separated for your own campaign, or just used as inspiration. Although, it's a little less sandboxy and a little more railroady as presented.
I'm looking at running a sandbox campaign, set in one of the larger cities in Varisia. This would be a Lankhmar-inspired urban campaign, set 90% in town.
Check out the Guide to Korvosa - Korvosa is a 'darker' city than Magnimar, and much much closer to Lankhmar in tone.
I've recently gotten talked in starting a new campaign, and my players requested "urban." I'll be launching my new semi-homebrew campaign, "Champions of Old Korvosa" later this month.