Hey everyone.
Since CotCT was written before Pathfinder, and it used D&D3.5 rules, it references in Seven Days that the number of clerics in a Large city that can cast certain spells are limited to a very small number. But then in the Pathfinder Module Academy of Secrets, it lists 8 Deans of the schools of magic in the Academae at about 9-12th levels, and an auditorium that can hold 333 students! Then of course there are the 10th level opponents in the module for the PC's to face, all students. This skews the population of the number of wizards incredibly high. That being said, then with the Temples of Abadar, Asmodeus, Pharasm, and Sarenrae, plus the Temple of Many, are the numbers for Clerics equally as skewed? And the back of the Guide to Korvosa suggests the average Sable Co. Marine is 6th level. Well great but there should only be 6 of them. How many Marines are there? Using the 3.5 rules, there are only about 189 city guard (with 900+ conscripts/militia available if drafted). So just how many wizards, clerics, marines and guard are running around?
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If you use the 'official' guidelines, you'll find yourself falling short when trying to create a city that offers enough to challenge your party from level 1 to the top tiers. Also keep in mind that Korvosa is more than a city, it also includes all the hinterlands and is basically a small kingdom. This might give you some reasons to enhance its citizens somewhat.
In my campaign, I have the following breakdown of soldiers and clergy. I actually used the guidelines to work out the churches, but I slightly went over them to keep things interesting. The military/police forces are just based on my 'hunches' and my take on the Gray Maidens was aimed at making them very powerful.
Korvosan Guard
- The Guard starts out with close to 700 members, which is a lot for a city of Korvosa’s size, but they also have to patrol the hinderlands. By the time the plague is raging, its number will have dropped to 400 (due to female guards transferring to the Gray Maidens, dead or heavily injured guards, sick, deserters and soldiers asking for a leave of absence to take care of their sick families). When the plague is over, the Guard holds about half of its original number and falls under the direct control of the Gray Maidens, who use them to do menial tasks.
- Field Marshal Cressida Kroft (ari1/ftr9, although I rebuilt her to be a cav10)
- Sergeant Grau Soldado (rog2/ftr4)
- Captain Artan Jalento (father of Amin Jalento)
Sable Company
- There are about 200 Sable Company ‘marines’ in the city of Korvosa, although they are more ‘air force’ than navy oriented, with about 50 hippogriph riders. The other 150 members of the company are either there in support of the hippogriph riders or aspiring pilots themselves.
- Commander Marcus Thalassinus Endrin (ari1/rgr13)
- Illrem Bromathan, second-in-command (rgr4/ftr5), becomes leader of the resistance
- Aaron Endrin, son and heir to Lord Marcus, in training (ari1/rgr3 at the start of the AP, ari1/rgr7 later on), becomes Illrem’s Bromathan’s right-hand man in the resistance
- Janros Rainwater, headmaster of the Endrin academy in Old Korvosa, where recruits are trained (rgr10)
- Neolandus Kalepopolis, seneschal of Castle Korvosa (rgr4/pal2)
Gray Maidens
- Start out with ten members, including Sabina Merrin (ftr14)
- In the first adventure they bolster their ranks with 50+ female Korvosan Guards (including a friend and former fellow lamb of the PCs, Amarice)
- By the end of the first adventure, Ileosa recruits more mercenaries from Cheliax (150+), so the total ranks swell to about 250
- A few dozen civilian girls also join the Maidens
- At the start of the fourth adventure, Ileosa introduces ‘military service’ for all girls aged between 16 and 21, she doesn’t actually train these girls, but bleeds them dry to create blood clones, (super Gray Maidens who still offer a decent challenge to high level parties). This brings the Gray Maiden number over 500, making them a terrible force to be reckoned with.
Bank of Abadar
- Archbanker Darb Tuttle (clr 13)
- Derrik, master of the vault (pal8)
- Erinaya (clr7)
- Q’ara (clr6)
- Lolia Perenne (clr5), magistrate of regulation
- Arnaut (pal6)
- Rekkart (pal4)
- Ishani Dhatri (clr5)
- Lady Zenobia Zenderholm (ari1/clr3)
- number of acolytes, including Lyna (clr1)
- Captain Dravos (ftr10), captain of the faithful of the coin (ftr4)
- Several ‘iron’ golems (with gold plating)
Temple of Asmodeus
- Archbishop Ornher Reebs (clr11 at the start of the campaign, clr 12 later on)
- Mallas, his bodyguard (ftr10)
- Tyresha (clr6), his ambitious second-in-command
- Nyrma (clr3), Tyresha’s lapdog
- number of acolytes (clr1)
Temple of Pharasma
- Keppria d’Bear (clr13, clr14 later on)
- Jasan (clr8) and his brother Aldrick (pal8)
- Arwina (clr4)
- Fryda (clr3)
- brother Cedrik (clr2), keeper of the books
- number of acolytes, including Connell (clr1)
Temple of Sarenrae
- Ezekiel Sollux (clr9)
- Sadira (clr5)
- Gibald (pal5)
- Lord Valdur Bromathan IV (ari2/clr2)
- Iris (clr4)
- Dimothar (clr3)
- Nathan (clr3)
- Acolytes, including Kyra (clr1) and Magdalin (clr1)
Shrine of Shelyn
- Larella Semyr (brd2/clr5)
- Fayne (clr2), Larella’s younger cousin
Pantheon of Many
- Several low-level priests (ranging from clr1 to clr3)
Temple of Aroden (in Old Korvosa)
- 3 old ‘priests’ who have never possessed any divine power (exp3)
If you use the 'official' guidelines, you'll find yourself falling short when trying to create a city that offers enough to challenge your party from level 1 to the top tiers. Also keep in mind that Korvosa is more than a city, it also includes all the hinterlands and is basically a small kingdom. This might give you some reasons to enhance its citizens somewhat.
In my campaign, I have the following breakdown of soldiers and clergy. I actually used the guidelines to work out the churches, but I slightly went over them to keep things interesting.
This is awesome. I was just starting to work out this sort of thing my self. Thanks for the assist, I am definitely going to borrow this! It's not so much that this kind of detail is coming up with my players, but having it certainly helps.