Kingdoms of Kalamar: Ask the Emperor!

[Guillaume]

Hi Mark,

I was wondering if you had any recommendation on how a newbie to the KoK setting might go about in adapting the Shackled City Adventure Path from Dugeon Magazine? I have a quite a bit of experience as a DM, but have mostly run games in settings of my own design. This would be a first for me. Any recommendations would therefore be welcome.

 

[Mark Plemmons]

Hey, this thread does still exist. Whaddya know?

I was wondering if you had any recommendation on how a newbie to the KoK setting might go about in adapting the Shackled City Adventure Path from Dugeon Magazine? I have a quite a bit of experience as a DM, but have mostly run games in settings of my own design. This would be a first for me. Any recommendations would therefore be welcome.

To be honest, I don't have any knowledge of the SCAP, though I have heard of it. Sorry! If you can give me a brief rundown of it, I could give you some general advice, though.

You might also want to ask on our KoK discussion forums on our website. It's likely somewhere there knows all about it. Aside from ENWorld, it's some of the most polite discussion forums around.

 

[Guillaume]

Hey, this thread does still exist. Whaddya know?

Of course it does ! I have it on my subscribed list !

To be honest, I don't have any knowledge of the SCAP, though I have heard of it. Sorry!

If you can give me a brief rundown of it, I could give you some general advice, though.

You might also want to ask on our KoK discussion forums on our website. It's likely somewhere there knows all about it. Aside from ENWorld, it's some of the most polite discussion forums around.

I already have posted something over on the KoK discussion forums but have yet to get a response (I only posted this afternoon).

Most of the adventures center around the town of Cauldron (4,500 hab.), a city built in the mouth of a dormant volcano. The volcano is riddled with underground lairs including an evil temple, the remanants of an underground gnome city, a forteress that served as a last frontier against invaders of the Underdark.

The volcano is set in a warm tropical environment and is not far from remnants of another town Shatterhorn, a ruined yuan-ti stronghold.

The convulated plot involves stopping a sect, the Cagewrights, from opening a permenant two-way date between the Material Plan and the Carceri, an outer plane of Evil. The sect must gather or build seven artifacts used in a sacrifice which will lead in the creation of the gate. The citizen of Cauldron would then become slaves of the fiends imprisonned on the Carceri.

Here are the blurbs to the adventures in the SCAP :

Spoiler

Life’s Bazaar (Adventure Path: Shackled City; 1st) This Dungeon Magazine ADVENTURE PATH begins! Enter the city of Cauldron, a metropolis recently besieged by a rash of disappearances. The population of the city is nervous, but the disappearances became personal when four orphans were taken from their beds three nights ago. The Lord Mayor is stumped, and the city needs new heroes to uncover the mystery of the lost Cauldronites.
Flood Season (Adventure Path: Shackled City 4th) The second installment in the Adventure Path series has arrived! As winter approaches, the rains begin to fall on Cauldron. In the past, this season has been a cause for alarm, but the last few years, it has become a reason for celebration. Suddenly, a prominent Cauldronite is brutally slain, and the rains start to fall. Some dark power is linked to these recent events, and the acclaimed new heroes of Cauldron are beseeched once more to find a solution.
Zenith Trajectory (Adventure path: Shackled City; 6th) The third installment of the Dungeon Adventure Path is here! The PC’s action sin the city have gained the attention of local aristocrats. One of these wealthy merchants seekst he return of his son so he can be fre of a powerful curse that’s destroying his body. The heroes must undertake a perous journey through the Underdark in pursuit of the prodigal son, but when they find him, returning him to Cauldron might be the last of the PC’s worries.
The Demonskar Legacy (Adventure Path: Shackled City; 8th;p.44-81) The Shackeled City Adventure Path continues! After a riot erupts in the streets of Cauldron, the CP’s must track down a missing paladin before the mob tears the city apart.
Test of the Smoking Eye (10th) (107SE1DN) The Shackled City Adenture Path continues! The cagewrights continue their manipulations of the city Cauldron, making the PCs their latest pawns in a gambit that leads all the way to the Abyss. The heroes must complete the test of a deposed demon lord to ensure the safety of Cauldron and all its citizens. Secrets of the Soul Pillars (12th) (109SS1DN) The Shackled City Adventure Path continues! At last, the action returns to the city of Cauldron, where the wicked Cagewrights hatch a deadly plan that could lead to the city’s destruction!
Lords of Oblivion (13th; C.Perkins) (111LO1DN) The Shackled City Adventure Path enters the home stretch as the forces of evil take direct action against the heroes of Cauldron. Dangerous secrets will be revealed, important NPC’s will bite the dust, and your heroes will never know who to trust again!
Foundation of Flame (Adv.Path, 15th, by C.Thomasson) (113FF1DN) All hell breaks loose in the city of Cauldron, as a long-dormant volcano sputters to life. The heroes must deal with the terrible consequences, ushering citizens to safety and negotiating fiend-filled streets littered with collapsed buildings. And with the death of the Lord Mayor, who will lead what’s left of the city?
Thirteen Cages (Adv.Path, 16th, C.Thomasson) At last! The heroes finally track down the insidious cagewrights for a final showdown in their lair deep beneath the volcano of Cauldron. But who secretly leads the Thirteen and what will his final message mean for the PCs?
Strike on Shatterhorn(Adv.Path, 18th, C.Perkins) (115SHDN) The pulse-pounding conclusion to the Shackled City Adventure Path was so awesomely huge that we had to split it into two parts. The eleven-adventure storyline enters its pentultimate chapter as the heroes track the remaining Cagewrights to the ruined yuant-ti [sic] stronghold of Shatterhorn.Asylum (Adv.Path,, 19th, C.Perkins) In the final chapter of the Shackled City Adventure Path, the heroes venture to the Prison Plane of Carceri. There they do battle with surviving Cagewrights, duplicitous demodands, and the mad demon lord Adimarchus himself.

 

[Prince of Happiness]

Hey Emperor!

I have a question about the location of Dayolen. On the map from the KOK book vs. the Atlas, Dayolen's in two very different places. I chose the Atlas version. Would the Atlas (for those who have it), be the default location for all locales on the map?

Thanks!

 

[Mark Plemmons]

Most of the adventures center around the town of Cauldron (4,500 hab.), a city built in the mouth of a dormant volcano. The volcano is riddled with underground lairs including an evil temple, the remanants of an underground gnome city, a forteress that served as a last frontier against invaders of the Underdark. The volcano is set in a warm tropical environment and is not far from remnants of another town Shatterhorn, a ruined yuan-ti stronghold.

Hmmm... I'd say if you needed the volcano part of it, I'd use the volcanic Lozhen Peaks (in the Imomena Hills, in Svimohzia). You could tie it to the dark elf cities beneath the Krimppatu Mountains to the west, and put Shatterhorn either in or near the nearby Awhom Forest.

If you don't need the volcano and warm climate specifically, you could set it just about anywhere else, even up north in Slen.

 

[Mark Plemmons]

Hey Emperor!

I have a question about the location of Dayolen. On the map from the KOK book vs. the Atlas, Dayolen's in two very different places. I chose the Atlas version. Would the Atlas (for those who have it), be the default location for all locales on the map?

Thanks!

Yes, the Atlas would be the default, for those who have it. Dayolen got moved a few miles west to take better advantage of the peninsula, since they are a port city.

 

[Buttercup]

Mark, I think it's really cool that you're doing this.

Here's my question: For my next campaign, I'd like to start out the PCs as essentially illiterate bumpkins. I'm planning on only offering Expert and Warrior as starting classes, and making core classes available after they reach somewhere around level 3 or 4.

I need a place to start the party out. It needs to be pretty backward, because I want the PCs to be products of their environment. If the starting region is violent as well, that's all to the good. Oh, and I'd like them to not be exposed to any magic for their first few levels, except through rumors and myths. When they finally encounter a wizard, I want it to scare their pants off.

Where do you recommend that I place a campaign like this?

 

[Mark Plemmons]

I've always believed it's a lot easier to add magic to a setting than to try and remove it, and the Kingdoms of Kalamar setting works really well with this idea. Actually, one paragraph I recall - probably from the campaign setting sourcebook itself - says that in rural communities, traveling spellcasters may even be mistaken for agents of the gods.

You could actually use any small town away from a major city. I'd stay inland, away from a port, though on a small river would be okay. Since the common farmer-type doesn't usually travel too far from their place of birth, you could make just about any countryside village into what you're looking for.

Just at first guess, I'd say eastern Brandobia (away from any elven forests), central Kalamar, or almost anywhere in the northern Wild Lands or Young Kingdoms.

Let me know if you need some more help!

 

[dead]

Could Kalamar fit easily into the Great Wheel cosmology?

Is the Kalamar pantheon finite or infinite?

Please give me a brief description of the Kalamar cosmology.

Is there demonlords and archdevils on Kalamar?

 

[mr_outsidevoice]

Is there a 3.5 update of the various Feats, Spells, and Domains found in the Players Guide to KoK?

If so, where can I find it?

If not, are there plans to produce in the near future?

Thank you.