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I am currently running a group through the first part of the Adventure Path but I am trying to seed upcoming events or people as early as possible.
So while looking for possible cross-references I came across the King of Old Korvosa and wondered, why it wasn't Devargo who the group already knows (and probably hates) at that point? I think that would give them a lot more motivation to move against him, maybe even feeling partially responsible because they put so much gold in his hands to get to the letters back in Edge of Anarchy.
I tried to find a reason why paizo chose to go with a new villain instead of bringing back an old one but I could not find any.
Were they afraid that the PCs might end Devargo or his business in Edge of Anarchy and thus the plot hook would dissolve? Am I missing anything? Or is Pilts just such a great character that it would be a huge mistake to get rid of him?
I am currently running a group through the first part of the Adventure Path but I am trying to seed upcoming events or people as early as possible.
So while looking for possible cross-references I came across the King of Old Korvosa and wondered, why it wasn't Devargo who the group already knows (and probably hates) at that point? I think that would give them a lot more motivation to move against him, maybe even feeling partially responsible because they put so much gold in his hands to get to the letters back in Edge of Anarchy.
I tried to find a reason why paizo chose to go with a new villain instead of bringing back an old one but I could not find any.
Were they afraid that the PCs might end Devargo or his business in Edge of Anarchy and thus the plot hook would dissolve? Am I missing anything? Or is Pilts just such a great character that it would be a huge mistake to get rid of him?
Were they afraid that the PCs might end Devargo or his business in Edge of Anarchy and thus the plot hook would dissolve?
This would be my answer to your question.
If Devargo Barvasi is still alive in your campaign, there is no reason why you wouldn't be able to make him the Spider Emperor of Old Korvosa instead of Pilts, if you wanted to do that. Your group might even enjoy that more.
I foreshadowed Pilts Swastel in my campaign, so I kept him as emperor. Barvasi still lives as well, and if my PCs were to approach him, I'd have him ask them to remove Swastel from power. I doubt they will do that, though, but they have already got their own minds set on taking Swastel out, since he humiliated them when they went to ask him for help in tracking down another enemy who is hiding in Old Korvosa: Rolth the necromancer. You can read all about it in my journal.
Because playing Blood Pig with spiders would be totally gross.
I would agree with McVergee, the player's characters have the option to take Devargo out in Edge of Anarchy. My player's didn't, they negotiated with him for the letters. However, I thought it was strange the writers gave that option which allowed the player's characters to leave all that lovely loot behind.
Anyway, I teamed Devargo up with Piltz in Escape from Old Korvosa and had the player's characters defeat both of them. I also introduced Yzahnum there as a servitor of the Empreror. I imagine the genie popped out of one of the many macabre curios the eccentric playwright is fond of collecting. Yzahnum granted Piltz one last wish at the beginning of the fight then left the Emperor in the midst of the fight.
I introduced Piltz early in Seven Days to the Grave. He was the player's characters lead to the Carowyn estate and Jolistina as they were following the trail of Rolth.
I use Devargo instead of Piltz in my campaigns. I haven't had a group outright kill Devargo yet, so that's probably a big part of it. He's a great NPC to use, though, if you can, and the one time I used Piltz for a campaign he didn't really send quite the same message or have quite the same effect as Devargo.
I'd highly recommend using Devargo if you can. If not, yeah; play up Piltz a little ahead of time if the party offs Devargo.
My players have negotiated with and entertained Devargo so I think I'll be going with him instead of Pilts, then.
Thanks for sharing your experiences!