Update 16 is up.
Overnight we've passed 400 backers, that's awesome with 3 weeks to go, I'm humbled by your support so far, and promise it'll come back in the form of horrible encounters, insane gaming moments and madness. We're gearing up to keep those updates coming, if you haven't strolled over to the kickstarter yet please do, the Pathfinder pledges are very important to us. I'll keep updating on my favorite boards here as often as my mind and guilt at what is going to hopefully be inflicted on players and GMs alike will let me.
Mnaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
Rich
And since we're over in the bloated slums of the East Ending in Toiltown at the kickstarter today, here's a little taste of another place not far away, the description block of delightful Boattown and one of Toiltown's most revolting group of locals, who in truth might be encountered anywhere nearby...
TT3 Boattown
It almost resembles a vast shipwreck, washed onto the shores south of a huge fortified isle with countless chain ferries and bridges linking it to a great mainland fort. This wreck, however, is not accidental, it is man-made. Endless ships have been drawn into this flotsam, streets and bridges and ladders—all one step from collapse—lash these wrecks together to form a distinct township...
Festering Brethren Sidebar
Things live beneath the mires themselves. The Festering Brethern, a race of intelligent humanoid cockroaches, lurk in the dark corners of the Bilges and nearby districts. The Brethren are hated and feared in equal measure, but are of use to the Lords of Rag and Bone who rule the Bilge. The creature’s burrow into the refuse in the hope of finding treasure, and to assist in places where men refuse to go to carry out particularly unpleasant work.
The Brethren are described in further detail in the GM’s Guide.
Each place in the Blight comes with its own description block like the one above, to enable you as GM to set the scene, amongst the information about smells, sounds and anything else of interest that festers in the bloated mass of its half-a-million words. There are hundreds of sidebars like the one above, as well as footnotes throughout the text to elaborate on other details...
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Anyone reading this who is on the fence should consider a few things:
1. The Frogs ALWAYS deliver, you do not have to worry about fulfillment.
2. Go to the page and read all the updates. If you aren't convinced by the amount of stuff the Deranged .. . . sorry, the admirable Mr. Pett has offered as teasers, we'll just have to unleash the hidden terror on that playground full of puppies.
We wouldn't want that to happen now, would we?
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And since we're over in the bloated slums of the East Ending in Toiltown at the kickstarter today, here's a little taste of another place not far away, the description block of delightful Boattown and one of Toiltown's most revolting group of locals, who in truth might be encountered anywhere nearby...
** spoiler omitted **
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I would be jumping on board if I had the coin. Bad time of year right now and my players have never been much on city adventures for some reason. Will have to pick it up later when funds are better.
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Hmmm, have I mentioned that the Blight comes with an extensive Bestiary full of nasty things that have come out of my head and been given flesh and hunger?...
Lyme Chymic Spider (CR 5)
This nightmarish creature appears to be a spider at first glance, but its body is made of humanoid faces caught in drawn out hideous screams.
LYME CHYMIC SPIDER CR 5
XP 1,600
NE Small aberration
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft. arachnophobia sense; Perception +10
AC 19, touch 14, flat-footed 16 (+3 Dex, +5 natural, +1 size)
hp 52 (7d8+21)
Fort +4; Ref +4; Will +8
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
Melee bite +8 (1d6 plus poison)
Special Attacks egg implantation, nightmare projection, paralytic poison,
Str 10, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 9, Wis 16, Cha 10
Base Atk +5; CMB +4; CMD 16 (24 vs. Trip)
Feats Blind-fight, Death From Above*, Toughness, Weapon Finesse
Skills Climb +8, Escape Artist +9, Perception +12, Stealth +14, Survival +12
Languages Understands Common, Dream Telepathy
Environment any
Organisation solitary
Treasure double standard
Arachnophobia Aura (Su) A lyme chymic spider has an inherent fabric of fear; and was born of the nightmares of those who fear spiders. The creature exudes this latent terror deep within the soul of all creatures within a 1-mile radius. A creature which is stated as having a fear or special enmity with spiders (such as a ranger with vermin as a favoured enemy) makes all saving throws against the creature’s nightmare projection at -2.
Egg Implantation (Ex) A chymic spider does not simply devour a paralyzed victim but instead implants within them a clutch of eggs. Implantation delivers 1d4 eggs that are only able to be removed from the host body by cutting each from the victim (dealing 1d2 points of Constitution damage) or by powerful spells such as miracle or wish.
24 hours later, the eggs hatch inside to begin feeding. Each round these newborn remain inside the victim it deals its poison damage, attempting to paralyze the host as it feeds. When the hosts Constitution reaches 0, the host dies and the new chymic spiders erupt from the corpse and begin to search for addition victims to begin the life cycle anew.
Nightmare Projection (Sp) A lyme chymic spider can project a nightmare so powerful that it can paralyze its victim. A ranged touch attack (counts as an invisible ray of terror) causes the living creature to become paralysed for 1d4 rounds unless it succeeds a DC 16 Will save. The victim is allowed a new save each round. The DC save is Wisdom based.
Paralytic Poison (Ex) Bite—injury; save Fort DC 14; frequency 1/round for 1 round; effect 1 Con and paralysed 1d6 rounds; cure 1 save. The save DC is Constitution-based.
*see Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Ultimate Combat
“They’re so damned cunning. It lurks and waits, sometimes for days, watching, waiting for its prey; always those who fear it most. It stalks, silently, broods, yearns. They say the chymic spider has been made out of the nightmares of everyone who is afraid of spiders and give it a cunning purpose to chase and devour those who fear it most, those who cannot stop it. Its body is made of faces; drawn hideous faces screaming.”
Gable Maester Lurrus Hegg (N male human urban ranger 4), shortly before his death from a gorging chymic spider young high above the streets in Booktown. At the last moment, they say, he recovered his senses long enough to scream his agony before throwing himself from the rooftops to his death…
The embodiment of arachnophobia, the chymic spider lurks at the edges of Sister Lyme, hiding in gables and chimneys and under eaves. It hunts those who fear spiders, and uses this horror as an attack. However, composed as it is from the latent fears of arachnids the creature is able to project these primal fears into any living creature, it simply prefers to stalk and prey on those who fear it most. It is able to project these nightmares and can cause victims to be paralysed with fear while it enters their lairs, and lays its eggs within them. The baby spiders within whisper to their new host, wanting to be fed, obsessing about food, and within 24 hours they erupt to feed on their host.
Chymic spiders are not true spiders, but rather born of the fear from which spiders instil within intelligent humanoids. Extremely cunning, these aberrations sneak through the city rooftops and await its prey for days on end. Anyone who wanders into the chymic spider’s mile radius that might be the least bit fearful of spiders is instantly recognized and the chymic spider begins its methodical stalking of the victim.
...and please don't forget to keep visiting the kickstarter for regular updates too, today I'm hankering for adventure on the moist, crooked streets of the Gyre, spiritual home to the briny boys...keep spreading the madness...
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Oh yes, and
Mnaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
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I just backed this, really hope to see it fully backed, it looks tremendous. I was a little hesitant at first (not super into dark urban adventures) but after getting a copy of the Sword of Air I knew I needed to do everything possible to back the continuation of Lost Lands adventures.
The excellent updates and tidbits, and the extremely hands-on responses from the publisher and the author in the comments on the kickstarter and on boards has me convinced this is a supplement worth backing from a publisher offering quality.
I know it can be a bit tight around this time of year but, do consider squeezing together enough pennies to back this. Pathfinder will only be better for it.
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Hmmm, have I mentioned that the Blight comes with an extensive Bestiary full of nasty things that have come out of my head and been given flesh and hunger?...
Lyme Chymic Spider (CR 5)
This nightmarish creature appears to be a spider at first glance, but its body is made of humanoid faces caught in drawn out hideous screams. ...
As an arachnophobe myself, that's one of the most horrific monster descriptions I've ever read. If I hadn't already pledged for this on day one, I absolutely would back it now. Can't wait to read/run the full thing!
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The only city I've ever been able to successfully run as a multi-year campaign was Waterdeep from the Forgotten Realms (which I did from '02 to '08). It was fun, but it certainly had its inherent limitations.
When I look at all the collected spotlight profiles and descriptive updates that Richard has provided us regarding Castorhage, I'm already feeling like this city ... is one that I could easily GM with extreme inspiration and fervorous awe ... for the next 20 years. This city matches my GM'ing style to the "T". I just hope that my typically strong storytelling and gamemastering prowess can do justice to Richard Pett's magnificent prose and world-creation. I'm definitely gonna have to up my game!
After all these years I've been gaming, I'm stunned at the level of dynamic anticipation I'm getting from this new campaign tableau. I truly hope that we Kickstarter patrons can help steamroll through a boatload of the Stretch Goals. Because I'd really like to get as many of these sordid, evocative goodies into my hands ASAP!
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After all these years I've been gaming, I'm stunned at the level of dynamic anticipation I'm getting from this new campaign tableau. I truly hope that we Kickstarter patrons can help steamroll through a boatload of the Stretch Goals. Because I'd really like to get as many of these sordid, evocative goodies into my hands ASAP!
Yeah, I love the Gyre that was just posted. So very evocative. I am feeling antsy about the pace of pledges at the moment, but remaining hopeful as I know a lot of people are recuperating from the holiday season. It's just such a cool looking setting - I always feel cities are underdone - this one feels like it would be the one... that does what other settings have never been able to achieve.
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You are very fine people of great taste if slightly disturbed minds:), many thanks.
I've just posted this one below up over at the kickstarter, and please do keep shouting as far and wildly as you can. These boards are definitely home for me and I hope my friends here at the Paizo can keep supporting us and shouting very loudly, you are a force of nature and can help us get this one slithering through the threshold. Mnaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrr!
Huzzah!
Watch out for an announcement on Enworld soon and please do plug that one if you have time, we've also got a link on Reddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/Pathfinder_RPG/comments/3ubtc2/the_blight_richard _petts_crooked_city/?) which any boosting you could do would help us, and please keep shouting and spreading the insanity far and wide, any post you make might bring us a tiny step closer to funding. We've a long way to go to hit that funding level and I really hope we can let the manacles off some of the frightening stretch goals we have locked away.
Rich
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If it is worth saying it is worth saying twice (or more) ;-)
"I am so keen on this. As a total Necromancer Games/ Frog God Games fan, something this far out of left field (for FGG) is exciting. Like Razor Coast (which I backed when it was first put out) this it's different from most of FGG output, the fact that we have this wide array of gaming is great. Razor Coast was genius, with is sandbox AP. I hope to see something that will excite me whilst turning my stomach (and making me wait impatiently for my kids to reach an older age!) here. Please get on board, I'd love a 5E physical copy but the fluff shown so far is such quality that I'll get any rules set.
Oh and I love huge books! GIMMEE!"
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Huzzah!!!
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Woof. Can't back this yet, but I see that I have time. I will be back after Christmas gifts and bills have gone. A buck thirty five. What a beast.
In for a penny, in for a pound. 25k gap to fill in a month. Really cannot wait to see this one roll out.
There have been a couple of updates on the KS.
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I plugged it on twitter, shocked @froggodgames is not more active there! Nothing posted at all since Black Friday.
Woof. Can't back this yet, but I see that I have time. I will be back after Christmas gifts and bills have gone. A buck thirty five. What a beast.In for a penny, in for a pound. 25k gap to fill in a month. Really cannot wait to see this one roll out.
10% of that gone already Kain, thank you muchly.
Spread the madness.
Rich
I plugged it on twitter, shocked @froggodgames is not more active there! Nothing posted at all since Black Friday.
Thanks cycnet, I'll make that point over at the kickstarter too. Keep posting:)
Rich
Blimmey, I've been remiss in my updates, my apologies, but let's quickly put that right...
The Blight has its own gods and beliefs and, particularly, saints and sinners. These are detailed in the Blight Guide and have appropriate Pathfinder information for worshippers. However, there are other gods here, and these walk the streets.
These 'gods' are more properly living legends, creatures of terrible power that transcend the might of order to destroy them - at least so far, they say - they may be encountered staggering or slithering in the night anywhere in the city, so if you're heading down an unlit alley on some errand, or dashing across rooftops on some daring deed watch out, for these gods are real, and are waiting for you in the dark.
Here's one quick sample...
Pagan Lord of Lice, The
The Pagan King is lord of all vermin, he wears a coat of lice that dance upon his flesh in joy, waiting to be freed upon the sick, the poor, the helpless, the old and the young.
He walks the streets at night with his insect young at his side and in his body. He crouches in the shadows, with only the strange whispers of the movement of his young to soothe him. He takes flesh from bones and leaves the husk as his calling card.
Some claim to have seen the Pagan Lord of Lice riding a dead horse, others that he consorts with the great spiders of the city rooftops, and more that he carries a great scythe and is the son of Death. But each night he is seen somewhere within the city, taking his harvest and spreading his misery. His progeny are everywhere, clinging to the flesh of babies, sucking the blood of pigs and cavorting on the flesh of the dying...
Please keep spreading the madness.
...“The journey is rough tonight brothers and sisters, the Jumble is restless. No, we aren’t at sea, but it certainly feels like it at times; especially in a gale. This whole place creaks and groans like a whore’s busy bed when the wind’s up. Even when it’s still, the old girl feels the need to settle her aching bones and remind you that one day she might come crashing down on your head.
Magic, yes I suppose magic built her, but all things are transitory, and all the way from the hold to the scorecrow’s nests high above, she’s never still this old girl.
Grumpy? Always, she doesn’t sit happily does the Jumble, an old girl she is, and ready to rest. Yet the builders keep propping and the wizards keep casting and lashing and the things bound into her aching skin just get older and harder.
So, ignore her age and her moods and wander her oak passages, indulging in the redolence of old wood, clamber her steep spiral stairs and ladders out over the city dark below. There’s beauty around every corner, and love carved into her every angel and gargoyle; the Capitol might have been built through fear and power, might be bigger and cleaner and mightier, but our cherished Jumble is a lady built of love.”
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Fantastic prose! Beautiful, evocative stuff Richard!
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One of my friends just jumped on board this wonderful Kickstarter. Since he's also a GM, we now both get to play and gamemaster in Castorhage! Hooray! This makes me ridiculously happy. Although I'm sure I'll be singing a different tune as I struggle to stay alive after getting quietly garroted at the Old Mother Bore ...
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Heh heh, that's the spirit Crai, I've been to the very place myself, just avoid the attics...
Cheers cycnet, have a stroll over to the Kickstarter if you haven't already, we're onto K for killer today, and tommorow I'm planning L for Levee and Lists and Lunatics...
The Kickstarter seems to be gathering pace. Huzzah!
Rich
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I saw! I really want those lists Richard! Y'all better back this!
I saw! I really want those lists Richard! Y'all better back this!
huzzah!
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One of my friends just jumped on board this wonderful Kickstarter. Since he's also a GM, we now both get to play and gamemaster in Castorhage! Hooray! This makes me ridiculously happy. Although I'm sure I'll be singing a different tune as I struggle to stay alive after getting quietly garroted at the Old Mother Bore ...
Now i gotta go watch luca brasi on youtube again
Good point Heathy, I mean Al, so let's delve a little deeper.
As well as districts, the Blight narrows down into streets and parishes, before her individual buildings, aspects and twisted parts. These aspects give you as player or GM options to further delve into deeper parts of the city, and can enable more localized play.
Let's have a quick peek at just such a tiny part of the Capitol...
The Crooked Key
The Capitol becomes giddier here, confusing in a twisting mass of corridors and stairways and residences. Here it is almost silent; the bookish tranquility tangible, perhaps even a little alarming for those not used to it.
Unique to this region of work and service in the Capitol are the Serf Bridges, perilously high bridges that crisscross between buildings here. The Serf Bridges have claimed many lives over the centuries; they all share a common theme; they are built with sparse regard for the safety of those who use them and are built simply to allow the maximum efficiency of slaves and workers. Some—including the infamous Abyss—have drops of over two hundred feet into gloomy chambers below, while others give direct access to the wells that are found below the Capitol. These bridges have an ill name amongst the serving classes, some of whom have to use the same perilous routes a dozen times or more a day.
To facilitate escape, affairs and private meetings, a curious and convoluted secret corridor (or more correctly a veritable hive of such secret ways) slithers and crawls through this level of the Capitol. Known as the Darkling Way, this silent, dusty place serves as the veins of intrigue in this level of power and influence. In theory only the aristocracy know of the Darkling Way, but at least one member of the Guild in the Capitol Algrimm Smyne (CN male human rogue 8) knows it intimately. Those found in the way that are not of noble blood usually end up in Purgatory (Area#C15) so that they can be questioned about how they knew and what they were doing there.
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you might as well try to hold out because they're gonna torture you anyway......so when you give in it strokes their egos and they go easier on you......
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Looks like there was a little bump from this being featured on the front page/blog... hope it keeps up. I just got confirmation that Slumbering Tsar has been shipped... checking out the pdf... I needs more Lost Lands... More Blight.
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BIG thanks to the Paizo team for getting this on the front page. I'm privately working on one of my friends to get him to jump in. He REALLY wants to but has a "policy" about not getting involved in Kickstarters.
I keep threatening to kill his character next time we play.
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Bill and Greg just commented in the Comments section of the KS.
Bill and Greg just commented in the Comments section of the KS.
Greg's comment Bill's is below this one.
They may disappear downwards but that link takes you to the exact post on price/profit (the lack of!)
Great to see the Blight on the Paizo front cover, and thank you everyone for continuing to support us, you are awesome. Please do keep spreading the word, this is a quite foul and deranged place and the adventure path is dark and urban and horrible. The leap at the kickstarter yesterday was the best we've seen since the first weekend and hopefully this can begin to really gather pace, the posts you make and your enthusiasm will make this happen.
Huzzah!
Rich
This was posted on the KS Comments page:
As frustrating and aggravating as this particular KS is, try to imagine what it must be like to try to plan out what you will publish each year. I recall sitting in on a business meeting and hearing that certain planned books had to be rescheduled due to unforeseen problems with another companies KS. There have been KS that I have had to drop out of but I managed to get the main book anyway, just not the KS goodies. I feel I am probably preaching to the choir but wanted to put in my 2 cp from a fan's perspective. I have met the FGG crew and can say there are no finer people in the world. Yes, I am biased. I have been given the opportunity to claim the title of The Herald Frog and I will wear it proudly. Do I want to see this KS succeed? Yes, I do.
I will back anything FGG wants to put out if I have the funds available. If I don't I will still get the book just after the KS. I hope that everyone posts comments about this KS in every form of media that can be found. I will get off my soapbox now. We return you to your regularly scheduled program.
Blimmey, were motoring on nicely, you wonderful people are shouting the madness beautifully!
Keep the screams of mania coming chums.
Mnaaaaaarrrrrr!
Rich
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I need to get a tweeter or whatever its called.
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An offering has been made to the Frog God!
Bumps up my pledge. This must be funded...
Thanks GM Hands of Fate, only 11 more days to go, I'm just off to the top of Big Ben to shout some more about it.
Up over $60k. If last day behavior is normal for this Kickstarter I think we're in good shape. I'll certainly throw in more when there's more add-ons I can add-on. :)
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This is all very exciting. The updates are wild, looking forward to seeing more people infected with the madness.
Yarp.
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Yarp.
And I say "Narp" good chap!
frum frum frum
So we are 10 days to go chums. I'll flag up a few alerts here as we get closer, now's the time if you're thinking.
Mmmmmmmm....Blight......mmmmmmmmmmm.......nasty city........mmmmmmmmm......9 adventures.......mmmmmm....donuts....hey, how did that slip in?
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I'm rolling deep... wallowing in fact...