Renegade Paladin
2020-04-21, 01:32 PM
Over the course of the COVID-19 shutdown I've had a lot of time on my hands, so I've started working on something I haven't had time to do in a long time: Write my own adventure material.
Of course, I know that once it's over I'll be back to work and won't have time to keep up with it, so what I'm doing is writing a framework designed to slot the Villain Codex and Monster Codex into. My start was reading the various geography-based cues in the Villain Codex and making a map to fit.
Map gallery on Imgur. (https://imgur.com/a/xGfiNnZ)
I plan to run this as a sort of intrigue-filled sandbox. I'll write up short gazetteers over the coming days, but here's a quick rundown.
The Unified Kingdom of the Marklands is the working title for the conjoined realm ruled by the Regal Court. The elven nation that the elven spy represents as ambassador is tentatively slated for the unlabeled landmass east of the Tramian islands.
The Barony of Westhaven is the holding of the Baroness who has allied with the Lord Marshal of the Cruel Musketeers - it's a larger territory than the other western principalities because, as noted in the book, she has expanded her holdings with the help of the Musketeers.
The Tramian Atoll is an obvious source of havens for the Scandalous Pirates.
The hills and forest on the northern boundary of Northmark is intended as a home for elements of the Musketeers and/or the Ruthless Brigands - who may be hired as mercenaries by the Baroness or the Regal Court as events progress (the petitioning paladin from the Regal Court entry is the lord of the border settlement on the road to Northold and will appear in the Court at the proper time asking for help with the bandits). The free cities dotting the southward coast are there because they're mentioned in the Ruthless Brigands introduction, and variety in locations is always a good thing.
The southern forest, by contrast, is home to the Merry Outlaws - and may be overtaken by Nature's Scourge as events progress.
The Arcane Society, Secret Society, Thieves' Guild, Slayers' Guild, and Corrupt Guard can slot into any of the cities as needed. I'm thinking the Secret Society might be best based in Southaven, filling the role of nobility loyal to the Queen as well as their clandestine role.
One of the ruins in the mountains can be home to the Fang Monastery, though I'm admittedly not sold on including them.
The Diabolical Church can start insinuating themselves into one of the western territories apart from Westhaven - possibly setting themselves up as a counterbalance to the burgeoning power of the Baroness. If the players' intervention makes things go to hell in the Marklands, though, they might set up there and make the expression literal. :smallwink:
The Savage Marauders, and later the Demon Knights, are more an event than a pervasive threat; they can sweep in from the north or east at any appropriate point if the players seem lost in the sandbox and need something to do. The same can be said for any of the villainous organizations making a power play, of course; the world isn't going to sit around waiting on the PCs to do things.
The Brutal Slavers, Merchant Caravan, and Carnival Troupe are all by nature mobile and prone to sticking to small towns - and possibly even preying on each other.
The Death Cult can arise as a threat basically anywhere, coming from within the realm familiar to the PCs in contrast to the marauders. The Sinister Cult is set up as a sort of ultimate threat, and I don't know that I'll use it; I don't tend to like Lovecraftian horror.
The Monster Codex (which I picked up for $10 in the spring sale!) comes in as you get into and east of the mountains, where I've marked a few orc villages, but that will get developed further when the book gets here.
My fellow GMs are free to use any or all of what I put in this thread. I don't intend to homebrew rules content for it; this is purely a setting project using Pathfinder 1e rules. I hope you like it, and I welcome feedback. :smallsmile:
Of course, I know that once it's over I'll be back to work and won't have time to keep up with it, so what I'm doing is writing a framework designed to slot the Villain Codex and Monster Codex into. My start was reading the various geography-based cues in the Villain Codex and making a map to fit.
Map gallery on Imgur. (https://imgur.com/a/xGfiNnZ)
I plan to run this as a sort of intrigue-filled sandbox. I'll write up short gazetteers over the coming days, but here's a quick rundown.
The Unified Kingdom of the Marklands is the working title for the conjoined realm ruled by the Regal Court. The elven nation that the elven spy represents as ambassador is tentatively slated for the unlabeled landmass east of the Tramian islands.
The Barony of Westhaven is the holding of the Baroness who has allied with the Lord Marshal of the Cruel Musketeers - it's a larger territory than the other western principalities because, as noted in the book, she has expanded her holdings with the help of the Musketeers.
The Tramian Atoll is an obvious source of havens for the Scandalous Pirates.
The hills and forest on the northern boundary of Northmark is intended as a home for elements of the Musketeers and/or the Ruthless Brigands - who may be hired as mercenaries by the Baroness or the Regal Court as events progress (the petitioning paladin from the Regal Court entry is the lord of the border settlement on the road to Northold and will appear in the Court at the proper time asking for help with the bandits). The free cities dotting the southward coast are there because they're mentioned in the Ruthless Brigands introduction, and variety in locations is always a good thing.
The southern forest, by contrast, is home to the Merry Outlaws - and may be overtaken by Nature's Scourge as events progress.
The Arcane Society, Secret Society, Thieves' Guild, Slayers' Guild, and Corrupt Guard can slot into any of the cities as needed. I'm thinking the Secret Society might be best based in Southaven, filling the role of nobility loyal to the Queen as well as their clandestine role.
One of the ruins in the mountains can be home to the Fang Monastery, though I'm admittedly not sold on including them.
The Diabolical Church can start insinuating themselves into one of the western territories apart from Westhaven - possibly setting themselves up as a counterbalance to the burgeoning power of the Baroness. If the players' intervention makes things go to hell in the Marklands, though, they might set up there and make the expression literal. :smallwink:
The Savage Marauders, and later the Demon Knights, are more an event than a pervasive threat; they can sweep in from the north or east at any appropriate point if the players seem lost in the sandbox and need something to do. The same can be said for any of the villainous organizations making a power play, of course; the world isn't going to sit around waiting on the PCs to do things.
The Brutal Slavers, Merchant Caravan, and Carnival Troupe are all by nature mobile and prone to sticking to small towns - and possibly even preying on each other.
The Death Cult can arise as a threat basically anywhere, coming from within the realm familiar to the PCs in contrast to the marauders. The Sinister Cult is set up as a sort of ultimate threat, and I don't know that I'll use it; I don't tend to like Lovecraftian horror.
The Monster Codex (which I picked up for $10 in the spring sale!) comes in as you get into and east of the mountains, where I've marked a few orc villages, but that will get developed further when the book gets here.
My fellow GMs are free to use any or all of what I put in this thread. I don't intend to homebrew rules content for it; this is purely a setting project using Pathfinder 1e rules. I hope you like it, and I welcome feedback. :smallsmile: