Behold, Talingarde! A paragon among nations, a beacon of hope and light respected across the length and breadth of the world. Under the noble rule of the House of Darius, what was once a dispirited backwater drowning in sin has become a land renowned for its strength, honour and righteousness. Their enemies respect their might, their allies love their generosity, and the heavens themselves seem determined to bless the people and all their undertakings at every possible opportunity.
Such are the souls that have condemned you to death.
It sickens you. Where was your justice? Where was your mercy? All you ever wanted was a chance at greatness, a chance to enjoy some of the same blessed luck that the rest of the Kingdom is so infuriatingly proud to possess. And for this you have been condemned, dragged in chains before the magistrate and sentenced to an ignominious death. Doubtless the fine lords and educated ladies that condemned you will sleep soundly this night, safe in the knowledge that they have done the right thing.
Well, so be it. You will not go quietly to your appointed end, not at the whims of fools such as these. You will slip your chains, you will gather your strength and then… and then… well. You'll figure it out when you get there.
Not that Talingarde intends to make it easy for you, of course. The law has sent you to Branderscar, an island fortress just off the east coast, where you will stay until the proper authorities arrive to carry out your execution. Branderscar is the harshest, most infamous, most secure prison in the entire Kingdom of Talingarde - in the century or more that it has been used as a prison, not once has anyone interned within ever escaped. Most do not believe it to be possible.
You'll just have to be the first, then.
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But first, who are you? Talingarde is a land of many peoples, and though they all bear the name 'Talirean', not all were created equal. Your origin will determine a great deal about your prospects.
[ ] A Dwarf Once, the dwarves were a proud and independent people, dwelling in mountain holds and worshipping the earth from which they came. No longer. Internal strife weakened them, and Talirean armies broke them. Today, the overwhelming majority of Dwarves live in small enclaves and ethnic neighbourhoods in the towns and cities of Talingarde, respected as artisans and scholars but little more. To be sent to Branderscar, you must have attempted to challenge that status quo in some significant way.
[ ] An Elf Elves are the ruling class of Talingarde, holding virtually all positions of secular power and filling the ranks of the nobility. Even the lower ranks of the aristocracy, the barons and local lords, count elves among their ancestry, their blood elevated by strategic marriages with the ruling Houses. To see an elf condemned to Branderscar is a rare and scandalous thing, for it means that even one of Talingarde's most worthy scions saw fit to turn against the crown.
[ ] A Human Humans comprise the vast bulk of Talingarde's population, from the farmers in her fields to the soldiers in her armies, yet it is in the Church that they find their truest strength. Mitra is a human god, and over centuries has pushed out virtually all other faiths from the mainland, until even the Elven Kings kneel before human priests to receive their crowns. Those humans sent to Branderscar are almost invariably guilty of transgressing against this dominant faith in some ways, and such flagrant heresy carries the death penalty.
[ ] One of the Lizardfolk Known as Iruxi in their own tongue, the Lizardfolk dwell predominantly within the humid depths of the Caer Byr, a temperate rainforest that extends along much of the western coast. Though they are a semi-common sight in the western towns, typically serving as labourers or guides, the Iruxi remain staunchly independent, buying peace with regular tribute and otherwise keeping to themselves. For one of them to commit a crime dire enough to be sent to Branderscar is all but unprecedented.
[ ] An Orc More than one Talirean king has dreamed of conquering the entire island in the past; none have succeeded, for the north belongs to the Orcs, and they will never bow. Those few tribes subjugated before the kings abandoned their dreams of conquest form an underclass in many of the northern regions of Talingarde, often pushed into criminal trades and prone to periodic bouts of unrest that add to their savage reputation among the wider populace. To be sent to Branderscar, you did more than simply break the Talirean's rules - you made them afraid.
Mitra, the Shining Lord, patron god of Talingarde
Welcome, one and all, to my new Quest, wherein you play an aspiring supervillain in a fantasy setting. Over the course of this quest you will sign contracts with devils, steal powerful relics from their resting places, accumulate a small host of quirky minions and, ultimately, lead your Dark Legions to victory over the hated 'good guys'.
Adhering to genre conventions is highly encouraged, and to a degree enforced. Expect elaborate death traps, maniacal laughter and suits of armour with rather more baroque spikes than is entirely practical.
The basic mechanical framework for this quest is Pathfinder 2nd edition, more or less because I want the opportunity to play around with it and tinker with the mechanics. I will endeavour to keep most of the mechanics in spoiler boxes for those interested, and explain any significant choices you might have to make for character generation or levelling up.
The basic plot and setting, along with virtually all of the artwork, are taken from the Way of the Wicked adventure path by Fire Mountain Games. I will be changing significant details as we go along, so hopefully those who have knowledge of the path will still be pleasantly surprised.
Potential to live up to the genre. A more extreme form of reforming for the Dwarf, or for the Lizards, well, a chance at reclaiming what they used to have?
Oh shit I love Way of the Wicked. Not sure how to stand on the whole race twists you've put in. Fortunately, it looks like the whole HAIL ASMODEUS part is still intact here.
[X] A Dwarf
[X] An Orc
Be it know, the delusion that hides behind their so-called justice and righteousness.
"O people, know that you have committed great sins, and that the great ones among you have committed these sins. If you ask me what proof I have for these words, I say it is because I am the punishment of God. If you had not committed great sins, God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you."
Oh shit I love Way of the Wicked. Not sure how to stand on the whole race twists you've put in. Fortunately, it looks like the whole HAIL ASMODEUS part is still intact here.
Honestly a lot of the changes I'm making are going to be informed by my attempts to reconcile some pretty hilarious contradictions in the lore as presented across the AP.
"Talingarde is a shining beacon of hope and righteousness, united under the heavens!"
"Also they arrest dwarves for talking about their ancestral faith and denying that Mitra created the world."
I've got a lot more free time on my hands right now than I really know what to do with, on account of how my last job fucked up the paperwork and invalidated my residency permit in China. I've theoretically got a new job back in the UK now but it's taking ages to get the police check paperwork done etc, so I have lots of time to write and/or let the brainspiders in.
