|
| 27 people marked this as a favorite. |
I've set a deadline for Saturday to get my first batch of notes up here.
Covering:
Synopsis
New Cavalier Order: Order of the Cog
The Rushlight Festival (or the River Kingdoms Faire)
Clockwork Wonders of Pitax (Bestiary bookmarks and new stats)
Pitax Clockwork'd (Changes to the Pitax Gazetteer)
Posting here to make that deadline public so I can be shamed for failure to get it here. I hope you guys enjoy it as much as my players currently are. Remember these are my GM notes, and while I try to make them as reader friendly as possible at level 12+ I'm not concerned with accuracy.
Your friendly neighbourhood,
DM_aka_Dudemeister
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
AWWW YEEEEEAAAAAAHHH
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Joy! my group is rounding out book 4, and I really wanted this to come in the next month or so.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I have imagined "clockwork-Pitax" Irovetti to be somewhat similar to Doctor Doom. A heavily armored myrmidarch magus.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I'm pretty sure that "Clockwork Doctor Doom" is exactly how Dudemeister's referred to his Irovetti in the past.... let me check.
The way I handled the Iron Lords in my game is during a feast between book 1 and 2 at Restov where Drelev, Varn and the PCs receive their official titles there was a lot of speculation about what happened to the Iron Lords. Then King Irovetti shows up, clad in Iron (my Irovetti is more like Doctor Doom), and throws down the shield of the Iron Lords on the table where everyone is feasting.
"You send scavengers to pick at the edges of my domain!? You have overstepped your borders Sword-Lords. There. Will. Be. A. Reckoning."
At which point he turned around, stormed out and rode away in his horseless carriage.
|
|
| 4 people marked this as a favorite. |
Here's the thing about making plans
Last night my sister went into labour with her first child. Both she and her fiance don't drive (or have a car), so I've been very busy and sleep deprived the past couple of days.
But a promise is a promise. So I'm going to give you as much as I can before Midnight.
Synopsis:
Our heroes have destroyed a fledgeling monster kingdom. They've saved a village of lost souls. Defeated barbarian hordes and brought a wicked duke to justice. They've built a prosperous and bountiful kingdom, and the Kingdom's council has a number of mighty mortals to rule.
But Nyrissa is coming. Irovetti knows this, and he believes he is the only one who can protect the world from her First World Evil. Irovetti's plan has been at play for months, if not years. Everything he's built has been with singular purpose. To destroy Nyrissa and become king of the Stolen Lands. He has only one obstacle left. The PC's kingdom, obviously under the thumb of Nyrissa. If Irovetti is to attack the Fey Queen of Thousandbreaths directly he'll need an Elfgate to march his army through. An elfgate that sits at the heart of the PCs kingdom, on a little island called Candlemere.
Irovetti's plan has been running in the background while the players were occupied with other things. Basically while the PCs were fighting Drelev and solving the Varnhold Vanishing, Irovetti has been building clockwork armies and wonders, and sending his Diplomats to Brevoy and Daggermark. Preparing his nation for the coming of Nyrissa.
By Book 5, the player's kingdom is in the jaws of a trap, and they don't even know it yet.
Irovetti has arranged a festival at the edge of the Rushlight Lake. One of the few undespoiled natural wonders of Pitax. The "River Kingdom's Faire" has a number of functions:
The first is to show off the might of Irovetti's clockwork wonders. These guys don't have to win, but that they are even competitive with the PCs is something to be astonished by.
Two it's an opportunity to draw the player's out of their kingdom, and get a chance to size up the players personally.
Three it's a chance to make the war between Irovetti and the players personal, and discourage outside nations from joining in.
Once the festival goes sour, Irovetti springs the trap. Armies march forth from the Rushlight tourney grounds, and Airships full of clockworks travel north through Brevoy to Restov. Where they join up with Brevic armies to march south into Varnhold. Irovetti himself conducts the war from the Castle of Knives, hidden somewhere in the the forest of Thousand Breaths.
This is the War of the River Kings on Hard Mode. Get ready.
|
|
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
The Secret History of Castruccio Irovetti
Secret Origins
Irovetti grew up in a small town on the border of Pitax and Numeria. The son of a blacksmith and a barbarian warrior, the young man was handsome, and creative. He probably would have died a vain, obscure artist were it not for a butterfly effect set in motion thousands of years ago.
A spacefaring civilization of conquerors had set their sights on expanding their reign through the galaxy. Sending probes to thousands of alien worlds. One such world was Golarion. Within each probe was a conqueror king, wearing a crown of power that gave them intimate knowledge of the civilization's scientific achievements as well as the ability to cow lesser minds. A stray comet crashed into one of the probes, killing its inhabitant. The probe still found its destination though it was greatly damaged.
When a probe landed in the wilderness near the young Irovetti's village. Young Castruccio was the one who found it. Curiously he opened the probe to find the grey-skinned being wearing a strange black iron crown, bedazzled in glowing jewels. The boy was rich! He grabbed everything he could from the ship. A strange rod, but most importantly the crown. He ran away with all of this before the probe began making a strange and startling noise. Running away from the spherical ship, he turned just in time to see it explode. The explosion was powerful enough that it sent shrapnel flying in every direction. Including the young Irovetti's face, and his body. Clutching the rod in his one good arm he couldn't take the crown as well. Unless he put it on.
As soon as he did, it streamed instructions to his mind, instructions he wasn't smart enough to understand, instructions corrupted by a chance collision with a comet and a connection to a long-dead host. Irovetti was overwhelmed, and then... improved. The crown has a mission: Gather Resources, Conquer, Build, Rule: This world belongs to the King-In-Iron. Irovetti was the host that would fulfill that mission.
Next he needed to gather resources. For years Irovetti had seen adventurers travel north to Numeria to rob it of its strange and wonderful treasures. Irovetti was no different. Armed with his crown and his strange rod that could become an urumi he headed north.
Not much is known about this time, but what is known is that eventually Irovetti overstayed his welcome. He returned to his hometown, now girded in even greater armor. From there he lead a sortie into some dungeons of reknown. Always gathering resources (gold, magic items, contacts).
The Castle of Knives
A quest to the Castle of Knives would send Irovetti's life careening in a new direction. The Castle of Knives has a long and storied history, old legends say it was once the home of a faery queen. Brevic history says that Choral the Conquerer once used it as a staging post for his initial invasion of Issia and Rostland. On his journey to the castle, Irovetti would fall into a "thinness" between the material plane and the First World in Thousand Breaths. It would be here that he meets Nyrissa, the queen of Faerie, who is impressed by this self-made man. Something about his cold iron exterior fascinated the Queen. She seduced Irovetti, and took him as her lover, even the crown was powerless to stop Nyrissa's arcane power. For years she kept him as something of a slave, and Irovetti learned much about this wicked queen. Yet, while the man was weak, the Crown was never removed. Nyrissa couldn't affect the cold-iron crown with any of her magics, and Irovetti would not remove it willingly. Eventually Nyrissa's fascination turned to hate, that crown was just like Zon Kuthon's shadows, a toy that they loved more than she. Nyrissa geased Irovetti to find the sword Briar and return it to her. Released Irovetti to the material plane confident her mind-slave would follow orders.
Yet once Irovetti returned to the material plane the Crown had control once more. Gather Resources, Build, Conquer, Control. Irovetti headed to the nearest safe haven he could find. The Castle of Knives, a material replica of the House at the Edge of Time. Within he encountered shadow monsters, undead beasts and worse. He also found a forge and enough cold-iron to do what he needed to do. He built not just a mask, but a full-body suit of Cold Iron. Nobody would ever control Irovetti again. Oh he would find Briar. He would find that sword and plunge it directly into that foul queen's heart. She dared to try and take what was Irovetti's by RIGHT? She would dare cross HE who OWNED the WORLD?
She would pay for her transgression. He would pop her little bubble of the first world, and trample her with Cold Iron Boots. Irovetti was home.
Taking Pitax
The easiest way to take control of a land is to make the people who live there give it to you. Irovetti struck bargains with Clerics of Zon Kuthon (who he knew were bad news, but also sworn enemies of the fey queen), to release the shadow horrors from the Castle of Knives. These horrors found their way to the city of Pitax, and began terrorizing the citizenry's nights.
Irovetti arrived, with his "Gearforged" metal-men (who he had built in the Castle of Knives and will be explained in a future update). They publicly began destroying the Shadow Beast threat, and kept the beasts at bay by utilizing the cooperation and resources of the city's powerful trade guilds to build gas powered lamps on every street corner. With no shadows to skulk in the shadow beasts became less of a threat. Irovetti was a hero. Able to make even the trade guilds cooperate. He would merely collect a pittance of the city's taxes for upkeep and maintenance of the network of lights.
So of course they tried to kill him.
First they tried traditional assassins from Daggermark. But the King-In-Iron was always guarded by his metal men, and would not be poisoned.
He retaliated by purchasing a controlling share in the Iron Fox trade guild, and arranging an unfortunate "accident" for the brothers Lothaire and Berengar.
Then the guilds tried something more dramatic. Sending gladiators to kill Irovetti. He used his Rod of Rulership to dominate the gladiators and make them members of his guard.
Irovetti was impressed by Eliste Strocalle's moxy. He met her to find a way to end their feud, and in the end seduced her taking her for a lover. The Darkwind trade house was in his pocket.
They tried setting fire to his home. He bought the royal palace and moved in.
He had Eliste disguise herself as a Chelish business woman and purchase the controlling share of the Serpent's Breath Trade House.
By which point, controlling all four houses in one way or another Irovetti declared himself the King-In-Iron. That he would make all the people of Pitax safe. Safe so they could trade. Safe so they could live in peace. Safe from MONSTERS.
The King-In-Iron
In the following years he built up bustling industry in Pitax. The once chaotic bandits and artists became more organized under his steel-clad rule. Under Irovetti's instruction the people would build clockwork wonders the world had never seen.
He repelled a challenge to his borders from an adventuring party calling themselves the "Iron Lords".
"There is only ONE Iron Lord. His name is Castruccio Irovetti, the King-In-Iron."
His early clockwork mechanica drove off Troll invaders from the West. (Driven to Pitax on purpose no doubt by those fey compromised PCs).
He set his mind to researching Nyrissa (Learning about her three daughters and the lineage she hoped to make lords of the material plane as part of her plan to steal the Stolen Lands, and about the experimental Elfgate in Candlemere).
Recently he has betrayed the church of Zon Kuthon (he learned enough of their secrets to bind shadow creatures), driving them out of Pitax. More out of principle since he doesn't like even the idea of a deity being held above him.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I still have to start kingmaker, a campaign that I consider compelling and fascinating, but your posts completely twisted my ideas on the path. I eagerly read them and they gave me great inspiration for my adventure. As soon as I read about a clockwork kingdom I had a view of how my Pitax will be.
Thank you for sharing your ideas, I am impatient to read the rest.
And congratulations to your sister, uncle dudemeister.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Man I am so wishing I could use this. My Pitax replacement, Shadrach, is more Ankh-Morpork than Clockwork Latveria. Heck, my PCs probably won't even fight my Irovetti replacement - the real bad guy of WOTRK in my game will be The Conqueror, as the dragons swoop down out of the mountain wilderness to reclaim the Stolen Lands for anarchy and drive the humanoids back east.
That doesn't make this any less cool, and I'll probably want to steal it for something in the future. Keep up the good work =D
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
Okay, wow. I've already been planning to incorporate Hargulka's Kingdom in RRR, but this? This is fantastic!
...So one of my players is a Bladebound Magus, and his black blade has been fluffed as Numerian in origin, with printed circuit patterns on the blade, but I'm still working on how to integrate it into the plot. He's a semi-disgraced noble scion, kicked out of the family after he somehow wandered through a lot of security systems into the vault where they kept the blade. I've been planning to have various cyborg and clockwork things come after him for it, but nothing else has come to mind yet. Maybe it could be the conqueror king's sword, lost in the crash?
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Okay, wow. I've already been planning to incorporate Hargulka's Kingdom in RRR, but this? This is fantastic!
...So one of my players is a Bladebound Magus, and his black blade has been fluffed as Numerian in origin, with printed circuit patterns on the blade, but I'm still working on how to integrate it into the plot. He's a semi-disgraced noble scion, kicked out of the family after he somehow wandered through a lot of security systems into the vault where they kept the blade. I've been planning to have various cyborg and clockwork things come after him for it, but nothing else has come to mind yet. Maybe it could be the conqueror king's sword, lost in the crash?
The sword wanting to be reunited with the Crown and the Rod is a great way of incorporating the Black Blade's storyline into the campaign. I left the conqueror kings deliberately vague, because they don't play a huge role at all in the story, more as a plot device to explain Irovetti's demeanour and genius with machines.
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Our party is actually playing the evil clockwork empire in our Kingmaker game :p I'd love to see what you came up with for Pitax! We have a few homebrew additions from our own game, namely a Gunworks and a Factory building as well as a revised Hellknight PrC, which I can share if you'd like.
Is it just me or does the background only discribe him taking 3 trade houses. I see the Iron Fox, Darkwind, and Serpent's Breath.
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Is it just me or does the background only discribe him taking 3 trade houses. I see the Iron Fox, Darkwind, and Serpent's Breath.
Sorry you're right. I forgot to include:
With three trade houses firmly under Irovetti's control, the Riversong trade house soon found itself out-maneuvered and outnumbered economically by the other three trade houses. Too independent to be controlled effectively by Irovetti he has bought the Riversong trade guild's loyalty with business: They are the exclusive shipwrights for Irovetti's miraculous flying ships.
Jhofre Vaskari chafes under Irovetti's control of Pitax, but the steady influx of gold from Pitax's coffers has kept him relatively docile.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
That's just brilliant! Again!
Too bad I'm already running Pitax as it is written....
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Hey guys, haven't had much time lately to update this thread and sadly my Grandfather died last night so I'm going to be busier still for a little while.
BUT, here's a little something though: This is my players planning the rebellion in Pitax: Rebellion in Pitax mp3 format.
This clocks in roughly at 2 hours.
WARNING: We were recording this for a player who couldn't make it, so we weren't very professional there may be some swears and OH GOD THE SOUNDS OF CHIP PACKETS! I apologize for that.
DOUBLE WARNING: Mentions of kinky sex, Zon Kuthon and the Joymaking.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
The Smallworld tokens! I laughed.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Condolences for your loss DMD.
Any estimates on time of next update?
Belated congratulations and condolences DMD.
I will say though that I had been eagerly anticipating this thread as when I run Kingmaker, I plan on making it very much a steampunky setting in general, not just Pitax. As such, I cannot wait to see more of your notes.
As for what you have blessed us with so far: Awesome!
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Hey guys, sorry I've let this lapse. I've been pretty busy lately. My notes are going to be a bit out of order but I hope people will get something out of what I've got.
Bestiary Bookmarks
Irovetti's armies break down as follows:
This is the bulk of Irovetti's armies. My assumption is that if you're running Clockwork Pitax then you're comfortable with guns in your campaign. The point of Pitax is that it's technologically superior to the PC's nation. If the PCs have bows then Pitax has Blunderbusses, if the PC nation has Blunderbusses then Pitax has Muskets. Give the Clockwork Soldiers a ranged option. At level 12-13 when PCs are at war with Irovetti you'll be glad to have a ranged option because the PCs will be far more mobile than Irovetti's forces. Just handwave that Clockwork Soldiers are proficient in firearms.
Irovetti is not going to be stronger than the PCs when it comes to spellcasting. The Clockwork Mages are proof of that. Useful, utility but third level spells with ridiculously low DCs are hardly going to leave the PCs shaking in their boots. If the PCs are in a combat with Clockwork Mages give them this ability:
Overclock A Clockwork Mage may Overclock one of their wands, utilizing the raw steam power locked in their frames to increase the power of a spell. To Overclock a spell the Mage must cast the spell as a Full-Round Action, after which the save DC and caster level of the Wand is increased by half the Clockwork Mage's hit dice. Doing this leaves the Clockwork Mage staggered for 1d4 rounds after overclocking.
It's not quite a +1 CR increase, but it does mean the PCs can't just ignore the Clockwork Mages.
Lower-ranked members of the Order of the Cog ride Clockwork steeds into battle, and this is the mount that is ridden by the bulk of Irovetti's cavalry.
Irovetti only has one of these, and he only unleashes it when he feels desperate. In my game the Clockwork Dragon could be remotely controlled by the King-in-Iron, his tinny voice coming through a specialized speaker in the mouth. By the time Irovetti unleashes the Clockwork Dragon the PCs will have become wise to the weakness in the Pitax armies: Electricity. So the Dragon will have an upgrade:
Lightning Rod (Ex)
Attached to the Clockwork Dragon’s head is a lightning rod which it can use to absorb electricity damage and redirect into an electrical aura. The lightning rod absorbs up to 100 points of electricity damage. For every 10 damage absorbed in the rod the dragon may keep its electrical aura active for 1 round. After the rod has stored 100 points of damage it no longer offers any further protection to the construct it is attached to.
The lightning rod can be sundered with a successful CMD check, it has a hardness of 10 and 60 hit points.
If the Lightning Rod gains the broken condition it can only absorb up to 50 electricity damage, if the rod has stored more damage than this it immediately releases a 20 ft. sphere of electricity damage, dealing 1d6 points of damage for every 10 points stored above 50. Reflex Save DC 13 for half damage.
If the Lightning Rod gains the destroyed condition it immediately releases any further damage stored in it as above.
The Rod can remove stored electricity damage at a rate of 1 point per round if the construct attached to the lightning rod touches the ground.
It'll force your players to think outside the box a little.
Clockborg Wyverns CR 8
NE Large dragon
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception+17
DEFENSE
AC 21, touch 12, flat-footed 18 (+3 Dex, +9 natural, –1 size)
hp 73 (7d12+28)
Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +7 (+4 vs Enchantment)
Defensive Abilities: DR 10/adamantine, Resist Acid, Cold, Fire 10
Immune sleep, paralysis
Weaknesses Metal Fused (counts as ferrous for Rusting Grasp), Vulnerable (Electricity)
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (poor)
Melee sting +12 melee (1d6+6 plus poison), bite +12 melee (2d6+6 plus grab), 2 wings +7 (1d6+3)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attack rake (2 talons +12, 1d6+6)
STATISTICS
Str 23, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 5, Wis 8, Cha 7
Base Atk +7; CMB +12 (+16 grapple); CMD 24
Feats Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Skill Focus(Perception)
Skills Fly +5, Perception +18, Sense Motive +11, Stealth +7; Racial Modifier +4 Perception
SQ Loyal to Creator (+4 on saves vs Compulsion, -4 vs Designated individuals). Wind Up Key (If wound down take a -4 penalty on attacks, AC and Saves).
Languages Draconic
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Poison (Ex)
Sting—injury; save DC 17; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect1d4 Constitution damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Constitution-based.
The village of Littletown is home to a number of travesties, one of which is that the people there were used as tribute to pay Minognos-Ushad to grant Irovetti a clutch of her eggs. Which Irovetti used to experiment on and create Clockborg Wyverns. Part dragon, part machine these Wyverns have the cruelty of their draconic nature combined with the discipline of their machinery.
Gearforged Rider CR 7
XP 3,200
Gearforged warrior 9
LN Medium living construct (gearforged)
Init +0; Senses low-light vision; Perception +6
DEFENSE
AC 23, touch10, flat-footed 23 (+9 armor, +2 shield, +2 natural)
hp 67 (9d10+18)
Fort +7, Ref +3, Will +4; +4 vs. mind-effecting
Special defenses Immune Non-Lethal Damage, Fatigue, Exhaustion
Weaknesses: No Natural healing, Cure spells only heal minimum, repair spells work normally.
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft.
Melee +1 lance +13/+8 (1d8+5/×3) or mwk heavy pick +13/+8 (1d6+3/×4)
Ranged mwk musket +10/+5 (1d10/×4)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with lance)
TACTICS
During Combat The warrior shoots her musket at lightly armored opponents, using Mounted Archery to aim accurately even when moving at speed. In melee, she wields her lance against heavily armored targets, using Spirited Charge to increase her damage and Ride-By Attack to create openings in enemy defensive lines.
STATISTICS
Str 16, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 11, Wis 8, Cha 10
Base Atk +9; CMB +12; CMD 22
Feats Iron Will, Mounted Archery, Mounted Combat, Ride-By Attack, Skill Focus (Perception), Spirited Charge
Skills Craft (Clockwork) +2, Intimidate +2, Perception +6, Profession (Siege Engineer) +6, Ride +6
Languages Common
SQ adamant, cannonball (+1 charge, +2 CMB on bullrush)
Combat Gear potions of cure moderate wounds (2), potion of heroism, cold iron arrows (10), silver arrows (10); Other Gear masterwork full plate, masterwork heavy steel shield, +1 lance, masterwork composite shortbow (+3 Str) with 40 arrows, masterwork heavy pick, bit and bridle, heavy horse (combat trained), masterwork chainmail barding, military saddle, saddlebags, 259 gp
GEARFORGED, ORDER OF THE COG COMMANDER CR 9
Gearforged Cavalier 10
LN Medium living construct (gearforged)
Init +1; Senses Perception +0
DEFENSE
AC 25, touch 11, flat-footed 24 (+11 armor, +1 Dex, +2 shield, +1 Natural)
hp 85 (7 HD; 10d10+25)
Fort +9, Ref +4, Will +6 (+4 vs Mind Effecting)
Special defenses Immune Non-Lethal Damage, Fatigue, Exhaustion
Weaknesses: No Natural healing, Cure spells only heal minimum, repair spells work normally.
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft
Melee +1 sonic burst lance +15/+10 (1d8+5/×3+1d10 sonic), +2 longsword +15/+10 (1d8+6/19–20)
Ranged musket +11 (1d10/x4)
Special Attacks banner +2/+1, cavalier's charge, challenge (+7 damage, +2 cumulative bonus to hit each time you miss, 4/day)
STATISTICS
Str 19, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 13
Base Atk +10; CMB +9; CMD 20
Feats Gearforged Utility (Extendable Lance) Mounted Combat, Ride-By Attack, Shield Wall, Skill Focus (Ride),Spirited Charge, Trample
Skills Craft Clockwork +15, Diplomacy +14, Handle Animal +14, Intimidate +15, Ride +12 (+18 when riding his bonded mount)
Languages Common
SQ expert trainer +2, mount (clockborg wyvern), order of the cog (Wind-Up Strike [Any round you miss with all your attacks you gain an additional attack as a free action]), tactician (2/day, 5 rounds, standard action)
Combat Gear potion of repair moderate damage (treat as Cure Moderate Wounds except affects living constructs normally);
Other Gear +2 full plate, +1 light steel shield, +1 lance, blunderbuss with 20 bullets, longsword, cloak of resistance +1, exotic military saddle, Belt of Ogre Strength (+2) 42 gp
Clockborg Trolls CR 6
XP 2,400
NE Large humanoid (giant, living construct)
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +8
DEFENSE
AC 16, touch 11, flat-footed 14; (+2 Dex, +5 natural, –1 size)
hp 78 (6d10+36); regeneration 5 (acid or fire)
Fort +11, Ref +4, Will +3 (+4 vs Mind effecting)
Defensive Abilities: DR 10/adamantine, Resist Acid, Cold, Fire 10
Weaknesses Metal Fused (counts as ferrous for Rusting Grasp), Vulnerable (Electricity)
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee cold-iron bite +8 (1d8+5), 2 crusher claws +8 (1d6+5 plus grab)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks constrict (crusher claw, 1d6+5)
STATISTICS
Str 21, Dex 14, Con 23, Int 6, Wis 9, Cha 6
Base Atk +4; CMB +10 (+14 for grapple); CMD 22
Feats Intimidating Prowess, Iron Will, Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Intimidate +9, Perception +8
Languages Giant
When the surviving trolls fled Hurgulka's failing kingom, many headed east where they were captured by King Irovetti and experimented on. The first clockborg trolls are particularly hideous, their mouths filled with rusting cold-iron teeth, their hands replaced with vise-like crusher claws. One of their eyes replaced with a glowing red orb and iron plates, and cogs replacing many of their organs. The Clockborg trolls are in constant agony, but the machinery in their body forces their loyalty to the King-in-Iron.
For more details on Gearforged see Kobold Press' Advanced Races Gearforged. The Gearforged in Pitax will be getting a bit of a flavour overhaul but that will have to wait for a future update.
Hope today's crunchy update will keep you guys sated for a while.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Sated!... for now.
But seriously, wonderful ideas. I'm stealing your Monster Kingdom and combining it with the behind-the-scenes influence of big N. on all things in my mythic KM.
| 4 people marked this as a favorite. |
Dayum.
I assume he's also done the voice thing with some regular Clockworks done up as Irovettibots? 'Cause you gotta have Doombots.
Thank you sir, this is wonderful work as always.
One thing, the lightning rod states it keeps the dragons electrical aura going for 1 round. What aura is this?
Thank you sir, this is wonderful work as always.
One thing, the lightning rod states it keeps the dragons electrical aura going for 1 round. What aura is this?
Would it be OP to use the effect from that spell as the aura?
The dragon could activate it as a swift (or free?) action, using 10 points from the rod's pool. The aura would stay active until the start of the dragon's next turn, at which time he could choose to spend another 10 points to keep it active until the start of his next turn.
|
|
Chuckbab has the right interpretation, my apologies I meant to link the spell in the description but it looks like I missed that. The save DC on the Aura is 13.
Note: Though this mimics a spell effect, the Lightning Rod is not a magic item, it's technology and any bonuses to saves against magic do not apply.
This stuff is fantastic, DM. I've been shamelessly filching ideas from your other expansions so far (your VV additions have me giddy with excitement), but this one gives me pause for one big reason: I told my PCs, right from the start, that I don't want them using firearms, since it would allow 'curbstomping' of major encounters (notably, all the dragons). I'd love to use the Clockwork Kingdom as it stands, but I don't want to seem unfair to my players... Any advice? =(
Though, that's still a long way away, since my PCs are second level and just about to meet the Sootscales...
|
|
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
In my game guns don't target touch AC, instead they provide a +5 bonus to hit in ranges where they would target touch AC.
But if you're dead set against guns here's some options:
- Replace any instance of guns with crossbows/repeating crossbows.
- Irovetti gets guns because of reasons, see the backstory above for details.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Hmm, firearms giving a +5 to hit within the range could be an elegant solution... I definitely agree that Irovetti should have guns regardless, though. Thanks for taking the time to help me out. =)
Indeed, the +5 to hit is an elegant solution. I've been playing around with how to incorporate firearms for my future campaign as well since I want them to be relatively rare and/or expensive while still making them attractive enough if you are willing to invest the resources (i.e. money and feats, etc.). Essentially, my goal is to make both firearms and bows attractive depending on player preference, so still not quite sure how to go about that. :)
But yeah, I like DM's suggestions for campaigns where you are trying not to allow firearms at all. You can potentially even up the power of the crossbows/repeating crossbows, or give the enemies feats to boost accuracy/damage (which might be better so as to avoid having your players loot all those pretty weapons). Irovetti can get away with having guns just because a GM can be free to bend the occasional rule for dramatic purposes. Just be careful your players don't try to liberate said guns/ammo after they defeat him.
also guns don't target touch ac that's a gunslinger class feature, also the range of that ability is 30 ft.
also guns don't target touch ac that's a gunslinger class feature, also the range of that ability is 30 ft.
Incorrect. (Unless you're saying this is your house rule... in which case you should probably have clarified that. ;) )
Range and Penetration: Armor, whether manufactured or natural, provides little protection against the force of a bullet at short range.
Early Firearms: When firing an early firearm, the attack resolves against the target’s touch AC when the target is within the first range increment of the weapon, but this type of attack is not considered a touch attack for the purposes of feats and abilities such as Deadly Aim. At higher range increments, the attack resolves normally, including taking the normal cumulative –2 penalty for each full range increment. Unlike other projectile weapons, early firearms have a maximum range of five range increments.
Advanced Firearms: Advanced firearms resolve their attacks against touch AC when the target is within the first five range increments, but this type of attack is not considered a touch attack for the purposes of feats such as Deadly Aim. At higher range increments, the attack resolves normally, including taking the normal cumulative –2 penalty for each full-range increment. Advanced firearms have a maximum range of 10 range increments.
Gunslinger can spend Grit to change this to:
Deadeye (Ex): At 1st level, the gunslinger can resolve an attack against touch AC instead of normal AC when firing beyond her firearm’s first range increment. Performing this deed costs 1 grit point per range increment beyond the first. The gunslinger still takes the –2 penalty on attack rolls for each range increment beyond the first when she performs this deed.
No flat mention of 30 feet anywhere in any of these, Sol.
The range increment for a basic pistol is 20 feet. 40 feet for a musket. Some others range from 10 feet to 50 feet.
Again... if this was your personal house rule, feel free to ignore everything in the spoiler, but might want to use clearer wording in the future. ;)
I cannot wait to see your changes to the rushlights tournament. My PC's will be going in 2 weeks a part of book 4. (I'm letting them go early as guests not participants to help the trap spring a bit better in book 5.) luckily if your changes don't make it in time I can just point to the passage in in game time and preparation the king in iron has made.
I like this general idea, but was considering going a slightly different route. My thought was that Irovetti's knowledge would come from a not-iPad. Basically, a magitech artifact which was essentially a children's science/engineering primer. Irovetti figures out how to activate the otherwise worthless-seeming object, uses magic to translate what is written, and realizes that it's more or less priceless... but that he doesn't actually have the funds to take advantage of all the knowledge contained in the primer. Information about chemistry (including how to make gunpowder), information on constructing toy soldiers (which he scales up into large clockwork soldiers), even information on constructing miniature airships. The few trinkets he's able to piece together entirely on his own give him an advantage in taking over Pitax, but even with the resources of an entire River Kingdom at his disposal, it's ruinously expensive to build an army of clockworks, let alone any of the other stuff he's learned about, and he remains loathe to share with others. Pitax, therefore, has entire guilds working to construct components of the clockworks, with each guild knowing how to construct only some of the pieces, and jealously guarding what they know, lest a competing guild undercut them on selling those components to Irovetti.
Dudemeister: with the release of the Technology guide as part of the PRD, will you be changing/updating anything in Irovetti's Kingdom?
|
|
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Not much really changes with the Technology guide, since Irovetti mostly uses clockwork in combination with magic. It's alien genius filtered through a Rennaissance era imagination. Although I will be posting some weapons my PCs have been collecting called the Gauntlets of the Clockwork Masters, inspired by Megaman.
When can we hope to see the next update?
What did your group name the resistance in the audio file. I'm having trouble finding it but I remember liking it.
|
|
I wanna apologize for not updating with more information here. It's been a terrible year, for a lot of reasons and my campaign is on a break while I try and get a bunch of personal issues sorted out.
I'll give a brief summary of where my PCs are up to:
Mass combats in Varnhold featuring Brevic forces bolstered by Clockborg Trolls, Clockwork soldiers and fantubulous flying machines. The heroes used a captured airship from the battle at Drelev to fight an aerial battle in conjunction with the land battle below. The victory was not without cost, but with the aid of the Rostland army betraying their Issian lords the Civil war in Brevoy is in full swing and won't interfere further with the war of the River Kings.
The rebellion began loudly and with a bang. A massive battle against clockwork forces and gargoyles met great success, and images of an unshackled fist holding a paintbrush are now popular around the city. The PCs got into a skirmish with Irovetti himself it seemed but the King-In-Iron managed to get himself to the safety of his palace and release a clockwork dragon.
A group of PCs explored Thousandbreaths, getting lost and meeting Nushka in the process. They decided to skirt the forest thanks to her intelligence, and find their way to the outskirts of a dragon lair, where they find the silver skull of the beheaded dragon from Varnhold. Choosing to avoid that area they follow signs of natural corruption and pollution and find themselves at The Castle of Knives.
When the game picks up that's where we'll pick up from.
I wanna apologize for not updating with more information here. It's been a terrible year, for a lot of reasons and my campaign is on a break while I try and get a bunch of personal issues sorted out.
Sir, you do a wonderful job and you do it free. No one here will ever say otherwise. Here's hoping you have a better 2015 and I'll pour a pint out on New Years in remembrance of a gaming group sadly on break.