Idea for an Absalom centric AP

[Solidchaos085]

I hope I'm putting this in the right place.

So, I had an idea that seemed to make for a strong structure for an AP length adventure set in Absalom based on the previous seasons of PFS (specifically the factions). When I thought of this, I was inspire by Serpent's Skull (faction conflict), Hell's Rebels (organization building and management via the rebellion rules), and Kingmaker (eventual Rulership of the city, should the players desire it).

Here's what I've got, I'm still working on certain details, but I'm really just dropping this in for other to use.

Absalom adventure idea:

Grandmaster Torch was found dead in one of his hideouts. With no one to represent them in the Pathfinder Society, the Shadow Lodge breaks away once more.

The Decumverate of the Pathfinder Society were brutally murdered by the Shadow Lodge.

Lord Gyr was found dead and no one to succeed him when he died. There was a Wayfinder at the sight of his murder.

Seeking revenge, the army of Absalom accused the Pathfinder Society of killing Lord Gyr and demands that the guilty party turn themselves in.

In desperation to avoid an incident, the faction leaders of the Society turn on each other, trying to pin blame on their hated/old enemies, Cheliax on Andoran, Taldor and Qadira.

The army was not prepared for the conflict that would erupt between factions and was decimated in the crossfire. Who would have though that an entire organization of powerful adventurers would be so dangerous?

Current situation:

The major fighting has died down, but the factions still conflict with one another. Each faction's leaders have taken up residence in a different district of Absalom to direct their followers.

Cheliax is set up in the Ascendent Court, seeking to take absolute control of the slave traffic in the Coins district and later, all of Absalom. Paracountess Zarta Dralneen frequently sends her favorite "pets" on slave acquisition run in other districts. Slaves are less likely to resist order than rivals and free willed individuals.

The Sczarni are set up in the Docks, running scams and assassinations against all non-Varisians, always looking to make a profit from the conflict between other factions.

Andoran has set up in the Coins district. With no army or Pathfinders in their way, they have set about the task of freeing the slaves of Absalom, earning them many allies within the chaotic city.

The Lantern Lodge has established themselves in the Ivy District and allies themselves with Osirion for protection.

Taldor has set up in the Petals District, determined to take over the city for the glory of their nation. They frequently engage in conflict with Qadira, not wanting their age old enemies to find any weakness to take advantage of.

Qadira is set up in the Foreign Quarter, trying to wait out the other factions fighting before moving in.

The Silver Crusade has set up in the Puddles district, not minding the poor conditions there. They see the misery of those who live in the district and instinctively work to uplift the downtrodden.

The Shadow Lodge still exists in secret. They can be found all over the aqueducts of Absalom, instigating the fighting between factions by selling information of each other's actions while posing as a neutral party.

The players will be expected to side with one of these factions OR make their own organization with the intent of bringing Absalom under their own control. To do that, they'll need to earn respect by attacking other factions or performing deeds to assist the common folk. They'll also be expected to eventually learn how this whole mess began.

If you have your own two cents on how to improve this, by all means, drop an opinion. I know that this is by no means perfect and I may have some faction motivations wrong and am just operating on a single matter: the factions were using the Society to build influence in Absalom with the intention of eventually taking the city for their homelands.

I would expect at some point the Aspis Consortium would get involved (if they weren't from the beginning, dun dun dun!) I would also expect various faction leaders to eventually go nuts from the conflict and some irrational things (like attempt the Starstone test in an effort to use godlike powers against their enemies, it's a long shot, but that's how desperate some groups might get).

[Seth Dresari]

1) You misused the word "decimate," unless you literally mean that one-tenth of each army was taken out.

2) I am guessing that the Aspis Consortium planted the Wayfinder at the murder specifically to start a conflict within the Pathfinder Society.

3) I think the Test of the Starstone thing should be Mythic-based.

4) You should implement a Standings system; with each faction, you have two values (Hostility and Loyalty). Every time you do something that benefits a particular faction (and they know about it or suspect that you were involved), then your Loyalty Rating for that faction goes up. Every time you do something that benefits their enemy or otherwise hinders their own progress, then it adds to their Hostility Rating. The two are not mutually exclusive; Gaining Hostility does not auromatically cause Loyalty to go down, and vice versa.

5) It would make sense that the different factions would recruit mercenaries, and thus pay the players different amounts for different jobs, and even try to poach the players from another faction by offering a higher payment.

[Solidchaos085]

1) I couldn't think of a bigger word than decimate, pretty much imagine Absalom where almost the entire army and First Guard are wiped out. The city is more or less at the mercy of the now renegade warring Society.

2) Got it in one, lol.

3) Yeah, I'm heavily debating on the use of Mythic, so the implementation of the Starstone is as a macguffin to keep away from anyone else, so the player's faction will WANT to take that away from Cheliax quickly.

4) I had that thought as the entire concept was starting to look a bit like GTA2 with the rival gangs.

5) Yeah, that's how things were going to be until the faction leaders started to get a little over ambitious (see the Starstone option)

EDIT: Oh, and revisiting 4) I like the idea of loyalty and hostility, definitely gonna use it.

[Seth Dresari]

1) Try "annihilate," "obliterate," "devastate" or something else along those lines.

3) Let's hope the Technic League from Numeria doesn't want in on the action. The last thing we want are battlemechs and antimatter cannons being used to reach the McGuffin.

5) "Was the Society's choice to send mercenaries to Absalom a good idea?" "Of course it was a good idea! All the factions use them; Andoran, The Shadow Lodge, even your precious Technjc League uses them. Mercenaries don't care about sides or politics, they care about getting paid."

6) If you want a soundtrack for this AP (for GM's to play on the background), I am willing to PM you some suggestions.

[Solidchaos085]

1) Thanks, those will do nicely. :)

3) the Technic League actually slipped my mind, I'll have to think of a way to work them in.

5) I'd appreciate that, actually.

Any suggestions on the earliest level for the players to start "kicking" the factions out of Absalom? Even if they succeed, it won't be the last the party hears of them, whether the leader dies or escapes.

[Solidchaos085]

Solidchaos085 wrote:

5) I'd appreciate that, actually.

Misquoted, I meant for that to be number 6

[Seth Dresari]

I have sent the thingamajig in a PM.

Also, I want a couple of important NPCs to be a kitsune and an android respectively, because I don't see many of those.

[Solidchaos085]

Thank you. As I said: I was just dropping this concept here for others to use for their own versions of this story.

That's where the next part of this thread comes in, if anyone has characters they'd like to drop in for my PCs to fight, feel free to drop a build in this thread (I'll assume that they're former pathfinders, still loyal to their faction.)