Tales of Current Campaigns

[WxCougar]

@grendel, how is Curse of the Crimson Throne? My husband plans to run it after I finish running Carrion Crown.

[Grendel Todd]

I liked it. My GM found it a bit of a pain at times since he had to do some conversions from3.5 to PF, but it played well. Also, while we were playing Paizo has put out rewrites of several of the Artifacts and monsters since we encountered them, so he might want to double check the more recent books for such things. Otherwise it's like most PF APs - there's a crisis, follow the breadcrumbs, save the country.

[Frostrazor]

Jan 26, 2013 11:42:41 GMT -6 WxCougar said:

@grendel, how is Curse of the Crimson Throne? My husband plans to run it after I finish running Carrion Crown.

My buddy Scott ran this for a group of four of us - using the BETA Pathfinder rules when it first came out - it was our way of playtesting and we made great uses of the Paizo messageboard to report our findings. So that tells you how long ago this was.

I portrayed Kaerthoryn - a Human Paladin - son of a Varisian and Shoanti couple but raised with the Varisian (mom) in Korvosa. (paladins have always been my favorite characters in D&D and figured if I was going to try to learn/playtest the BETA rules, I better do it with a paladin for i have always been critical of how terrible the class was designed in 2nd edition (compared to first when I first fell in love with them) and continued to suck in 3rd edition). I'm glad to say that they are finally quite wonderfully designed. Finally. By the time the CORE RULES was officially released we had been playing it for a year and had 2 books left to go. So we chose to finish the campaign via the BETA rules.

As for Curse of Crimson Throne campaign: I loved the campaign - the story line was awesome! However it is very railroading and on a tight timeline. There was no time allowed (or at least as players we rarely felt the freedom) to relax, pursue personal goals, craft, etc. However that being said - for me - it was THE GREATEST campaign finale and ending, I've ever been a player in.

I played Kaerthoryn - Human Paladin, was devoted to the notion of redemption, and believe all things can find the path of good.

Throughout the campaign Kaerthoryn refused to.....


SPOILERS
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.....believe or accept that the queen was beyond redemption; and refused to accept otherwise - he stood against his companions, he stood against the population of Korvosa when they called for her execution. He testified for her during court at the end of the campaign etc. He *knew* in his heart that she was corrupted by magic/curse and was not herself and would have made better choices if not for the evil magic menacing her mind.

At one point in the in the campaign we met a varisian fortune-teller who did the old "Deck of Many Things" schtick. I drew 1 card. that card allowed me to "draw 1 more card". That card allowed me to "undo 1 thing that happens to me". I held on to that card for latter third of the campaign (which was like 5 months).

In the end, we met the contract devil who had the queen's soul bound to her via a contract she herself signed. I left my companions behind to meet with the devil one on one. The players could see/hear our discussion, but the PCs could not get to me. I asked the devil what he would want for trade for the queen's soul. He offered me a trade of mine for hers. He stated there is not better joy for a devil than to be responsible for the fall from grace of a paladin. Without missing a beat, I told the devil to "put it in writing and hand me a quill" (the other player gasped - they had seen how staunch and passionate Kaerthoryn was about his faith in the queen - actually he was in love with her - and now they saw just how deep Kaerthoryn cared for her and believed she was not inherently evil and deserves a chance at redemption - they knew I wasn't kidding and they scrambled to find an "in-game" reason to know what I was up to, to come to my 'rescue' or come deter me or something....)

With a snap of the devil's taloned fingers, (and a grin from the DM) a contract appeared before me and a quill in my hand. I read the details and was satisfied with it (i had actually been trained in Profession Law skill which I used earlier in the campaing to levy major fines due to city-based ordinance etc to "The Spider" - an organized crime thieve's guild leader in order to force his hand into freeing the psuedo-dragon slave he had captured and in a cage). I ensured that the verbiage in the contract stipulated that the devil would make no efforts to speed the process of my death whether natural, intentional, or accidental.

The DM continued to wonder what my angle was kept asking me - but my face never waivered - I was doing this out of alturism for Queen Ileosa. It's all I ever professed during the whole campaign. And I was quite convincing. After signing it, the DM smiled smugly, and the players were just staring in shock that I allowed my paladin to fall in such a way.

The devil gave me the binding contract he held of The Queen, which I immediately burned and I watched the magic fade from the parchment. The devil laughed a victorious taunt, then teleported away with a wisp of purple smoke. I then got this huge grin on my face and the DM suddenly got nervous as he could tell something was up. I looked at each of the players, smiled, and then I calmly and confidently reached my hand into my character's folio, produced the index card representing my one random gift from the Varisian fortune teller. I layed it on the table before the DM and I said,

"I undo my signature."


.....you could have heard a pindrop.

[WxCougar]

Frostrazor. I didn't read the spoiler part (as I will be a player) but thank you for your take as well . I don't mind railroady personally. Carrion Crown I suppose would be considered similar. And it is also a time crunch. My PCs understood that and I did allow some limited down time for personal things. So long as they were smart about it, my timeline was flexible.

[Frostrazor]

My last message on this thread was primarily to provide feedback of Crimson Throne campaign. That was 4 years ago.

Since Pathfinder Core rules came out, I ran Kingmaker campaign up through the 2nd book. I elaborated on it immensely and it became a major project of government politics, trade/peace treaties. I had four other kingdoms all being built simultaneously nearby, and thus the PCs had to not only explore and remove threats, they had to interact and come to agreements with neighboring kingdoms. It turned into a little game of Civilization at times.

The bottom fell out because the kingdom building mechanics just became way too cumbersome - especially the rolling of magic items that were available etc. We took a break for a few months to try to come up with some simpler methods. During that time: Sportsnut57 (from this board) got military orders to Oklahoma, Connar was discharged from military on medical, my wife lost interest in Table Top gaming, and then Brian got shipped to Afganistan. A couple years before that, I lost another of my best players and friends from our table (you know him as Doomcrow) as he moved back to Jersey after choosing not to re-enlist. (as you can tell I live near a military base). :-)

Then Scott took over as DM and ran the first two books of Legacy of Fire. I play a Chelaxian human wizard (divination specialist) named Orion the Oracle. Scott had to take a hiatus as his company sent him back to tech school. He's like some techno/PR guy for AT&T.

So then Michael chose to run Council of Thieves which I now play every other Friday, and Joseph opted to run the new updated release of Rise of the Runelords on the opposite Fridays - but I am the only player to be involved in both - otherwise it's two separate groups. We're in book 2 in both.

For Thieves, I play a hobbit (halfling) bard named Tibadore Tall-Tales - who was a house-slave in Cheliax, along with his mom. His mom died of malnourishment due to mistreatment. Now having been pushed into unkindness for the loss of his mother, Tibdore rifled through the madam's room in an effort to rustle up some tidbit of information to sell to another noble for blackmail. She walked in with her latest lover (whom she had many and blackmailed those who were married of course), and Tibadore dove under the bed for cover. When she threw the would-be cougar victim onto the mattress it sunk down low in an effort to defend himself, Tibadore brought his hand up that happened to have had a long kitchen knife he was "on his way to get cleaned and sharpened" and "accidentally" had the man plunge down with inertia impaling himself on the knife.

The woman aghast at the situation and unable to think - knowing she would now get caught with the man, fled quickly allowing Tibadore to sneak out. Her noble status was removed and Tibadore joined the resistance that makes up the intro-plot of the adventure path.

Tibadore is a goofy sidekick of a guy - very amusing. His main performance is "Oration" (he's a story-teller - hence the name Talltales). He is fairly ineffective in combat (read: useless) other than to help others. His ineffectiveness does not prevent him from being courageous (read: foolish) enough to get himself into the middle of things (read: trouble) or making brilliant but often unwise choices in his efforts to help. However, his knowledge, and social skills are unrivaled as well as his stealth and ability to infiltrate and spy - in a campaign centered around city interaction, and encounters where tact and finesse are often more important than brawn.

When ambushing a carriage once to free a resistance prisoner, the armed guards of the caravan fought us while the carriage fled. He leaped to action first heading right for the wagon, as his companions fought the guards. He jumped on the back of the wagon - so far all seemed good - except now he's on a wagon with two a guard, and the head cleric while hanging on to the back of the carriage. The cleric finally spotted me while casting spells at my friends and he started swinging his morning star at me as I held on for dear life. Quickly thinking, I used Ghost Sound to imitate a whip cracking right next to the horses ear and the wagon lurched forward (i was hoping to make the cleric fall off.). The guard DID fall off but the cleric fell onto the back of the carriage.) Tibadore looked in the back of the carriage, saw the bound and gagged prisoner (bouncing around back there) and so I made a emphatic SHhhhhh, sign to him with my finger over the lips. Everyone laughed out loud at the ridiculousness of that. Now I'm hanging on for dear life - can't pick the lock the wagon is out of control (cuz the guard/driver is gone), I'm moving far from my friends and any help they could be.....wondering how I got myself into this....it sure all seemed like a good idea at the time..... The cleric started swinging at me again with that big nasty morningstar - man it looked painful. I moved to dodge it, around to the side now with my feet on top of the running wheel, my little hair feet running in place like a gerble. He came to swing at me again, and I made the greatest move in the history of wagons....i somehow grabbed (via acrobatics) a spoke of the wheel with both hands and plasted my feed at the opposite ones now going round and round cartwheel style like one of the gals in the circus who is having knives thrown at her as shes' bound and spins on the wheel..

Round and round I go, I'm bouncing over the rocks and getting very sick and dizzy - but at least the cleric couldn't hit me. (still my friends fought the last few guards). As soon as we got to softer ground, I jumped off, (which hurt a little - but not much thanks to acrobatics), and through my disorientation (will save), I watched the cleric looking back at me from the top of the wagon. He began to cast to summon something (full round action). So I got my spell off first - I noticed there was a river close by, I cast silent image, made an illusion of rocks and trees infront of the horse in the shape of a path and guided the horse right towards a now illusion bridge. The horse instinctively moved to avoid the (fake) rocks and headed for the (fake) bridge, and the wagon crashed into the river. The cleric flipped over the front - his heavy armor not helping him swim at all. I rushed to the back of the wagon while the river was slowly starting to take it away and I picked the lock and freed the prisoner. Then proceeded to regale him all about the tale of how I came to save him, and what had happened with zounds of exuberance - while we floated and sank dangerously down a river......until the prisoner rudely interrupted me and reminded me it was time to leave. Oh! Did I mention I can't swim?

For Runelords, I play a Varisian Sorcerer (fey-blooded)/Rogue - transitioning to arcane trickster. Myrcutio is his name. He's the son of a Sczarni (man) who was seduced by a wood nymph after he cheated her nymph's mate (a satyr) out of his pan-flute. The nymph's plan was to bear a child of the man's and raise it the reason to find him and be a mirror-reflection - but one of goodness and virtues. A slap to the man. The nymph filled Myrcutio with stories of how horrible the man is. Someday he is to kill the man that wronged his mother so. She obviously didn't tell him everything.....fey are tricksey that way. Myrcutio has a wide love of nature and music, and is a romantic swashbuckler. A lover more than a fighter who has a huge heart and capacity to love all life - especially when it comes to that gallant ideals of protecting the innocent, and the weak, and defending the virtues and honor of a lady.

He is cunning in all ways Tibadore is not, and he always has an ace up his sleeve - always has an angle or a way out, and is rarely outsmarted, outflanked, or caught unawares, and always shines when cornered. Not to mention I think he's slept with half the gals in Sandpoint. He's had his share of run-ins with jilted exes, angry fathers, and jealous husbands. In fact - the running joke is - the safest place for Myrcutio are the dungeons and crypts full of traps and wicked creatures that we're frequently adventuring to! I think some people in town actually believe his name is "..that damn Varisian!"


Hopefully, when Brian returns from Afghanistan - we will re-start our campaign of The One Ring that I run. For me - that's my favorite game to run as a GM. More than Pathfinder. I also try Mutants and Masterminds, Smallville RPG, and Paranoia. But The One Ring is by far my favorite; I love the flavor, and narrative style of the game, and easy rules-light, and fun combats where minis and tactical movement doesn't get in the way of a good story. PLUS - it completely captures the feel and flavor of Tolkien. IMO, it's everything an RPG should be. It has become my favorite RPG since I first loved AD&D 1st edition. Also I"m hoping Brian will join the Keepers cuz I know he loves these kinds of MMOs, and when both Runelords or Council of Theives ends, we'll replace it with Scott re-starting his Legacy of Fire and I wil restart my Kingmaker both where we left off (but with some players being different).

[Huran]

Frostrazor Just read your Crimson Throne spoiler (I will be running it in the near future) and I ave to say it s absolutely hilarious and pretty awesome in general.

[Huran]

Currently playing through book 6 of Carrion Crown as well as playing in two other home brew games and running a home brew. All in pathfinder.

[Fruben]

Our current Artesia campaign located in the Middle Kingdoms is (historically) a continuation of our previous campaign, during which a lot of blood, sweat and seed was spilled to gather the regalia Maece only for the would be king, at the eve of the final battle against the forces of the evil empire of Thessid-Gola, to accept a humongous bribe, become a henchman of the evil empire and open the gates of the Great Wall for the invaders. In this first campaign I had the privilege of playing a Daradian pirate playboy, who was a son of a sheep thief and not much of a sailor. This character turned out to be mostly a (somewhat) comedic sidekick.

The beauty of the Artesia RPG is (in addition to having one of the most brutal combat systems I have seen) the character creation system where the back story is created as a result of rolling the die and then weaving a story around the generic events indicated by various tables.

My current character is Yoric, a now exiled Tower King, who used to guard the northernmost tower (Mizer) on the Great Wall until the Wall was open by the aforementioned traitor posing as the heir to be of Maece. Perhaps the greatest regret of Yoric's past was to watch idly by when the Traitor of Wall open the Great Wall to the Thessid forces.

Yoric also had a fairly adventurous past (partly due to our GM "accidentally" reading the table for major misfortunes instead of minor ones), including:
* being demoted in social class from an aristocrat to a Tower King and scarred for life due to an epic failure in the art of aristocracy (involving a forbidding adventure with his wife to be)
* having a falling out with his father due to having caught his then wife in bed with his own father
* having had an affair turned bad with a princess of Dania (before suffering a disfigurement while defending the Wall against the forces of the Lost Uthedmael

Anyways... When our current campaign located in Dania started, Yoric had been exiled for a couple our years, wanted absolutely nothing to do with women and did not have any plans beyond drowning his misery in ale and wine. The campaign started fairly slowly with a tournament, where Yoric had a little rendezvous with his wife and father, along with hearing a rumor that the Traitor of the Wall along with his Thessid accomplishes were planning to march into Dania and annex it the the Thessid Empire. And proving that Yoric still was totally inapt in all things relating to aristocracy such as etiquette.

Then things started happening at a lightning speed. First the Marshall of Dania went missing (with the majority of the Dania army), then the King of Dania was kidnapped and rescued, Essenwey was ruled by an impostor and liberated, Yoric was made the Baron of Greenwall and the new baron of Essenwey (and the de facto leader of our merry bunch) was killed in an ambush near Greenwall.

Now Yoric is leading the bulk of the army of Dania, having just relieved the old Marshall of Dania from his post (and head), towards Volmore in hopes of making it in time to join the King of Dania in a final showdown with the Traitor of the Wall and his Thessid forces, with the fate of Dania, Maece and maybe the whole Middle Kingdoms hanging in the balance.

[Frostrazor]

Feb 2, 2013 0:29:47 GMT -6 Huran said:

Frostrazor Just read your Crimson Throne spoiler (I will be running it in the near future) and I ave to say it s absolutely hilarious and pretty awesome in general.

thankyou. glad you enjoyed it. i djd enjoy playing that campaign.

[shadowmyst]

I was running a campaign just before I left using the pthfinder rules but in my own world. This world had just recently been found by the Gods and they were working to claim thier status. I is a very young world with few towns or cities, mostly harsh terrain and mnsters roamed freely. They escaped a slave caravan and made it to a small city. The city was having reports of outlying settlements being abondoned. The advisor to the Lord of the city asked the group to investigate because the adventuring company that they have do things for them were far to busy to take on such a small task. In there search they came across a orc cleric that had a red "gem" that gave him power. The elves were nauseated by this item and the advisor locked it away and sent the group in search of other gems like this one. The last one was kept in a drow city where they had to fight an avatar of Loth.

My group of heroes were always down played by the leaders of the city and were often referred to as the B team never as good as the primary adventuring company. The other compny often scoffed at my group telling them they were inferior. I tell you this because after my company defeated the avatar the other company shows up and demnds the "gem of course they refuse and the battle begins. During the fight the advisor appears in a blast of energy knocking hem all to the ground, many were near death at this point, and takes the "gem". He puts it with the other 12 and it becomes the lost eye of Gruumsh. Gruumsh is now able to enter the world and lead his forces to destroy the elven lands and everything else that stands in his way.

Unfortunately that is as far as we go before I had to leave.