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I've created a dropbox link for all my Kingmaker DM resources through the beginning of Rivers Run Red, for a fey-heavy, intrigue heavy campaign with a revitalized Nyrissa story. I ran this 10 years ago under Pathfinder rules and am rebooting it for a new generation, albeit under D&D rules. Still, the ideas are all there, drawn from years of masterful DM and player posts, stuff I wish I'd know about, and my own ideas from way back when and today.
The list of influences from this forum is innumerable, but includes:
Dudemeister and his monster kingdom/clockwork kingdom, Redcelt32 and his game-of-thrones-esque ideas, pennywit for lots of great posts, orthos for fleshing out Nyrissa, the artists who made up Zuddiger's Picnic, Jason Nelson who shared his full Blood for Blood with a bumbling DM years ago and then spearheaded some phenomenal product (Forest Kingdoms Campaign Compendium is a MUST BUY for Kingmaker though you can buy the individual books piecemeal), N'wah who started a fey prank post, Erik Freund who raised the idea of capital venture and where that 50 BP came from, the internet for all its great access to fairy tales, the Quest for Glory Sierra computer games for the rusalka storyline, and all the ones I missed but shameless borrowed from as every DM worth their grit does.
The dropbox link HERE includes:
* Session 0 using Wedding Knight for political intrigue beginning
* Political cheat-sheet
* Player's Guide to supplement the free original guide and DM's quick-reference (for 5E rules and a Celtic pantheon, but the ideas are what count)
* Capital Venture deals + visual (to keep track of everyone)
* Faery Tales (many my own creation, mixing in a variety of myths)
* Fey Pranks (edited the list down to 20)
* Fey City Encounters (heavy influence from Legendary's Forest Kingdoms, again, a must buy, I might add to this but for now should give you something)
* Extra Hex Encounters, heavy fey style (incorporating Forest Kingdoms, Fellknight Queen)
* Candlemere using the Haunting of Harrowstone (Carrion King) prison. With some changes and ties to a failed kingdom long ago
* Partial RRR notes for 5E (incomplete but figure it'll get you started with ideas)
* A really cool map by someone on this forum
* A fan-made kingdom building flowchart, kingdom sheets. If you use Legendary's Ultimate series for expanded kingdom rules, they do have free kingdom/army/settlement sheets that you have to get separately from the pay product
* Tartuk's journal. It may leave you disturbed
* River Freedom's Handout (more important if a certain deal is cut)
* Nyrissa backstory, timeline, and gyronna prophecy
Not included but perhaps to be added are my changes to Varnhold Vanishing. When I originally ran it, "Nomen" was a derogatory term and the centaurs were called the Simbani (QFG influence), with ancient spirits and with rituals for outsiders to prove themselves. One poster recommended Curse of the Crimson Throne, A History of Ashes (converting the Shoanti or supplanting the centaurs with them).
Like many, I had a few biggies I'd do differently the 2nd time around:
1. Nyrissa foreshadowing. She needs in earlier as something mystical but ever present as a danger.
2. More politics. Brevoy is so interesting but disappears quickly.
3. Change in Kingdom building. It breaks down when cities get too big and require a computer program to manage. After Varnhold Vanishing, I'm considering pushing the Kingdom rules to the side and using some version of Colville's Strongholds and Followers, with only major role-play events coming to light.
4. More fey. It's took good to not flesh this out. See Forest Kingdoms for many good ideas beyond what I borrowed.
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Thanks! Looking at my original notes, barebones and I could've done more. A buddy sold off a bunch of his old Pathfinder stuff, so have looked through the Shoanti and like what I see. Will probably keep it centaurs (the monster vs. man thing) and if the PCs want the trust and help of the centaurs, they're going to have to do a lot more than simply a Kankerata run. After all, the "Simbani" have had a pretty negative experience for many years with Varnhold.
Currently working on a Rushlight Festival (no invasion) for lower levels a year or two after the kingdom is going and Pitax takes notice. A chance for Irovetti to size up his neighbors, and perhaps even plant the idea of independence from being a barony of Brevoy.
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I anticipate my Kingmaker players using the spell divination quite a bit. Since the spell is supposed to provide "a useful piece of advice", possibly in "the form of a cryptic rhyme", I've written up several poetic answers that might be useful in most Kingmaker campaigns.
Back before the time of Earthfall,
'Twas a title and a name,
To serve death, each one heard the call,
And all turned out the same.
A warlock 'gainst whom none could stand,
With heart as black as pitch,
Now darkness falls on Stolen Land,
He's risen as a lich.
Explanation: It's useful knowing that he's a lich, and one who "serves death" (i.e., worships Charon). "'Twas a title and a name" refers to the fact that several cyclopes went by the name Vordakai - this one is simply the last.
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A Tiger Lord of ages past,
Gor'm's favor did he earn,
But boastful pride ensured his end,
Pharasma made fate turn,
Yet the Iron Lord was clever,
And ere her dragon made him burn,
He had made Armag a vessel,
That one day he might return.
It guards against enchantments grave,
Such magic's no concern.
But wield its awesome power and,
Your past you must unlearn.
Explanation: In addition to giving some of the backstory on Armag, this hints that Armag's "vessel" (Ovinrbaane) protects him against debuffs (via dispel magic). It also warns the PCs that there's some kind of catch to using the sword (that it literally reshapes you and your memories to suit Armag).
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Armag fell in battle but before his life was gone,
His soul was locked within his sword, into it he was drawn,
They say that only one who faces foes with grit and brawn,
Can brave the fallen warlord's tomb and find Ovinrbaane.
Explanation: Provides more backstory on Armag, and hints that they should face the challenges of the tomb head-on rather than trying to sneak around or avoid them. (The original text suggests that the first Armag is really dead, and that Ovinrbaane simply rewrites the wielder's appearance and personality into an imitation of the fallen warlord. To me, it seemed to say that Ovinrbaane's intelligence really is the soul of the original Armag, preserved inside the sword.)
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The Iron Lord's protections hold,
And keep our eyes behind the fold,
Weakening our guidance and clouding words with doubts,
The blade is hidden by a ward,
Until a mortal wields the sword,
Divination magic cannot reveal its whereabouts.
Explanation: This is just poetically saying that divination can't help here - artifacts like Ovinrbaane, especially those protected by gods like Gorum, are often warded against divination magic.
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An eye that glowed with eerie red,
led Varnhold's men astray,
But ancient powers shroud their fate,
To where we cannot say.
The legends of the old Nomen,
may tell where they have strayed,
Be peaceful when you seek them out,
By gift of bow, they may be swayed.
Explanation: Stored within the soul jars inside Vordakai's Tomb, the survivors of Varnhold can't be located with divination directly. However, this does give them a direction to go to learn more, and suggests a way of making peace with the Nomen.
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To head of River Sellen walk
for place that you inquire.
It flows around an island rock,
the shape of fearsome spire.
Avoid the hidden path on high,
and take the longer jaunt.
Although the path is far from dry,
It hides something you'll want.
Explanation: This doesn't tell them exactly where the island is, but it does lead them to it. Moreover, it advises the PCs to start at the lower entrance, where they're more likely to find the ring of freedom of movement that's so valuable against Vordakai.
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A crystal wrought by Charon's hand,
Imbued with his fell might.
This gift, to one in his command,
Grants powers of true sight.
That gem of rider on pale horse,
Shall not be undermined,
'Til struck with holy crushing force,
By one who's fully blind.
Explanation: There are three things that the PCs might learn here, depending on how attentive they:
- 1. How to destroy the oculus of Abaddon (have someone who's permanently blind hit it with a bludgeoning weapon with the holy property).
- 2. Vordakai can use the oculus of Abaddon to cast true seeing.
- 3. "To one in [Charon's] command" hints that it can only be used by someone who's Neutral Evil.