The Crimson Throne of Korvosa: Extra Information

[Francis Grin]

All right, this thread is going to be devoted to extra information on the campaign setting. Each significant portion will have its own section. Let's begin.

[Francis Grin]

Look at any cross-section of the city’s population and you will find that for every 10 inhabitants you see, 9 are human. Humans dominate the city in every way, and comprise an overwhelming majority of the population. Yet humans are not the only denizens of Korvosa, as any visitor soon comes to learn.

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Most of Korvosa’s citizens are the descendants of the original settlers from Cheliax, although today, only a very small number are Chelish natives. Most of Korvosa’s humans are native-born, and while they don’t share the indigenous Varisian’s swarthy complexion or traditions, they are just as much of Varisia. A vocal subset of traditionalists preach for a return to Chelish values, yet the standard citizen of Korvosa is more concerned with practical matters like family and wealth than politics.

The largest ethnic minority in the city, pure-blooded Varisians, barely represent one human in 10, although more than half of the city’s population possesses some Varisian blood. Many of Korvosa’s traditionalists consider pureblood Varisians little more than brightly dressed thieves and murderers, and prejudice against the group sometimes flairs into ugly lynchings or quasi-legal evictions from homes.

Despite their proximity to Korvosa and the area’s importance to their folklore, a surprisingly small number of Shoanti live in the city. Part of this owes to the constant wars between the Shoanti and the ethnic Chelaxians that continue even to this day and that color the perceptions and prejudices of both peoples. Another reason comes from Shoanti cultural tradition: as a semi-nomadic people, they have little interest in permanent settlements.

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Because of their contracts with the city and the noble houses, dwarven merchants from Janderhoff always have buyers lined up for their wares. Once their contracted buyers choose the wares they want, the dwarves sell the rest in Gold Market (in Midland). The remainder of their goods, particularly magical weapons and armor, they sell in the Dock Trade (in North Point). Dwarven brokers exist in all of the city’s major markets, and dwarves in general are often held to be the most reputable and honorable of the city’s merchants and tradesmen.

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Almost as rare as druids in Korvosa, most of the elven citizens of the city originally hail from the Mierani Forest. The leader among these elves, Perishial Kalissreavil, serves as the Mierani ambassador. He and a handful of his aides and family members have lived peacefully within the city for as long as the city has existed. A small enclave specifically built for the elves exists in South Shore, where they often serve as scholars, sages, and advisors for those who would seek magical or natural advice.

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These small descendants of the fey possess magic abilities far exceeding their size. This natural inclination toward magic attracts the attention of the power-hungry and reputation-minded Acadamae. As such, most of the gnomes in Korvosa have plans to attend this magical school, or are dropouts who found the methods taught there distasteful. Outside of the Acadamae, gnomes live as gnomes do, clumsily attempting to emulate the larger races and acting as menaces not to be ignored.

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In Cheliax, halflings generally become slaves, and recieve harsh treatment at the hands of their masters. Thankfully, they recieve far better treatment in Korvosa. In order to maximize its profits gained from ship-borne cargo, House Leroung began the practice of hiring half ling sailors (the house also experimented with gnome sailors, but that ended poorly). Halflings require less than half as much space and food, so House Leroung reasoned it could use that extra space for additional cargo. The other houses (with the pointed exception of House Arkona) bought these halfling-sized ships from Leroung and filled their crews with halfling sailors. Today, nearly half the ships that belong to the city’s elite are sized for and crewed by halflings.

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Bored young women of the human noble families occasionally approach the Mierani enclave looking for an adventurous rendezvous with someone exotic and beautiful. Rather lustful himself, Perishial welcomes these trysts with bemused pleasure and claims each one strengthens the bonds between Korvosa and the Mierani elves. In his years as diplomat, Perishial has fathered countless half-elf offspring in this way, while the male members of his entourage have collectively contributed to dozens more. Half-elves in Korvosa are thus generally looked upon as unfortunates at best, or untrustworthy bastards at worst.

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Many Shoanti live in close proximity to the orcs of Belkzen, resulting in an almost constant state of battle between the two groups. These battles sometimes grow exceedingly personal, resulting in the occasional half-orc. Few of these half-orcs survive to adulthood, and fewer still live among their human cousins, but despite that, a handful of halforcs make their homes in Korvosa. Except for a bouncer at the Posh and Turtle, a bodyguard for Eliasia Leroung, and a few other notables, most half-orcs live in Old Korvosa.

[Francis Grin]

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Korvosa, the Jewel of Varisia, has long sparkled on Varisia’s southern shore. Established 300 years ago by Cheliax (a large empire that all but collapsed approximately a century ago, but still exists in a much declined state to the north) at the height of that empire’s expansion, the city now commands its own destiny. A line of Korvosan kings and queens emerged to rule the city, establishing an infamous seat power—the Crimson Throne. Rulers have sat upon the Crimson Throne for more than a century, and the city has flourished. Yet the monarchy always seems on the brink of disaster. The Crimson Throne is not a prize to be won—it is a curse. No monarch of Korvosa has died of old age, and none have produced an heir while ruling. Even though King Eodred II controls Korvosa more fully than any previous monarch, that control remains tenuous, and many secretly count the days until their latest king falls to what they call the Curse of the Crimson Throne.

The city of Korvosa began 300 years ago, in 4407 AR, when the Empire of Cheliax expanded north into Varisia. Here, the Chelaxians found a large tribe of Shoanti barbarians dwelling around an immense pyramid on the shores of a deep bay—a perfect site for a city. Much bloodshed eventually left the Shoanti defeated, driven back to the harsh Cinderlands, and the city that grew on the site was named after the field marshal who led his army to victory there.

Korvosa flourished through all that time, surviving even the collapse of the Chelish empire. Now, it is ruled by King Eodred Arabasti II. He is feared by all the right people. His rule is steady, even if his insatiate appetites drain the city’s coffers. His ability to navigate the rocks and shoals of Chelish diplomacy earned the city favorable trade agreements with the Old Empire, but rumors persisted of the king’s womanizing habits and his spendthrift ways. Despite his fondness for a soft touch, he has to date produced no heir to the throne, the latest in a line of rulers affected by the Curse of the Crimson Throne. Edicts proclaim Eodred II the Saffron King, likening his reign to one of abundance, in which honey and spice flood the markets. The city’s downtrodden have another name for Eodred, though—the Stirge King, a man whose squandering ways are slowly bleeding his city dry.

Whispers of Eodred II’s taste for scandalously young companionship have dogged the king throughout his rule, and thus when he finally wed, it was no surprise that his bride was barely a third of his age. Queen Ileosa was a woman of breathtaking beauty, with red hair like the sunset, chaste alabaster skin, and features so fetching many claimed her mother must have been a nymph queen, as surely no mortal woman could give birth to a beauty such as she. Most of Korvosa’s nobles worry of the dangers of placing a trophy wife within hands’ reach of the Crimson Throne, but Ileosa’s interest in the city seemed secondary to the life of luxury—and with the more-than-competent Seneschal Neolandus Kalepopolis guarding Castle Korvosa’s interests, these noble families feel they have little to worry about.

Ileosa herself was born Ileosa Arvanxi to one of Cheliax’s more successful noble families. When she came of age, most expected her to marry into a more powerful Chelish line, yet she scandalized her family by abandoning Cheliax and sailing to the city of Korvosa. For Ileosa was nothing if not ambitious—she didn’t see herself as the wife of an important Chelish dignitary or noble, but as a queen.

Rumor has it that she knew much of Eodred II’s tastes and desires before she arrived, so that when she presented herself to him, he fell in love immediately. The two were wed after a scandalously short courtship, and, perhaps the most shocking move of all, Eodred turned out his entire harem in favor of his new queen. Barely 17 years old when she took Eodred II’s side in 4704 AR, Queen Ileosa has managed a minor miracle in the past 4 years—she’s single-handedly shifted the dislike and disapproval away from King Eodred to herself with her open distaste for Korvosa (a city she’s been heard to call “a backwater colonial village” more than once).

However, it seems that Ileosa will soon claim the throne herself. Eodred is sick with a disease that is slowly eating away at him, a disease that no cleric, whether from the Bank of Abadar, the skilled healers of Sarenrae. or even the hellish Temple of Asmodeus, can cure. Tensions are beginning to rise in the city because of this, and it is almost certain that they will all come to a head when Eodred dies...

[Francis Grin]

Although the number of deities worshiped on Golarion is vast, the faiths of twenty deities stand head and shoulders above the others. It’s generally possible to find clerics of any of these twenty faiths inside of Korvosa’s walls, although in some cases (particularly those of the evil faiths), one might have to look long and hard.

Certainly, the church of Abadar has the most strength in Korvosa, for he is not only the god of cities and merchants, but also the patron of the city’s guards and protectors. The church of Pharasma tends to Korvosa’s dead and maintains an imposing cathedral in the city necropolis. Many of the city’s commoners prefer Sarenrae as a patron, and Shelyn has a strong following among the city’s artists. A church of Asmodeus brings a bit of uncertainty and fear to religion, although this church’s faithful are always careful to operate just on the legal side of the law, with sacrifices provided only on a volunteer basis. Beyond these faiths, the Pantheon of Many represents the majority of the 20 major deities of Golarion; only Gorum, Lamashtu, and Rovagug are not represented here, and even they have their adherents in certain parts of the city.

[Francis Grin]

The city of Korvosa wears its Chelaxian heritage proudly on every building, tower, and rooftop. As the oldest human settlement in Varisia (a claim frequently challenged by Kaer Maga), Korvosa considers itself the founding seat of civilization in an otherwise lawless region. Thanks to it and the spread of its people, Varisia has become a relatively safe place to live.

Korvosa sits at the end of Conqueror’s Bay, where the Jeggare River meets the sea. The city fills the spit of land formed by two sharp turns in the river, covers Endrin Isle (which splits the river at its mouth), and spreads to a few outlying areas on the far shore of the Jeggare. It stands on two hills: Garrison Hill on Endrin Isle and Citadel Hill on the mainland. The Narrows of Saint Alika separates Endrin Isle from the shore. The city is divided into seven districts, many of which are further subdivided into wards.

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The only district beyond the channel of the Jeggare River, East Shore is home to a handful of noble houses closely tied to the military of the city, as well as the struggling Theumanexus College.

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Unlike all other districts in Korvosa, Gray’s residents generally keep to themselves and are well behaved. Of course, most of Gray’s residents are dead. This is the graveyard of the city, and takes up a large portion of it. The only living creatures who reside in Gray belong to the church of Pharasma and live within the temple.

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Standing atop Citadel Hill, the Heights District has a commanding view of the rest of the city, which its residents look down on—both figuratively and literally. Nearly all of Korvosa’s power players reside in the Heights, including the monarchy.

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When most people think of Korvosa, they think of the cosmopolitan and friendly district of Midland. As the home district of both the Korvosan Guard and Sable Company, Midland has the smallest number of gangs and gang battles in the city—although the thieves’ guild does a brisk trade in the district thanks to the disproportionately high number of merchants, shops, and other commercial and financial concerns.

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The first section of the mainland settled by the descendants of the city’s Chelish founders was Mainshore, at the northwestern tip of mainland Korvosa. That ward houses many of the city’s oldest non-noble families. The greater district of North Point covers the entire northern end of the city and holds Korvosa’s seat of municipal power (City Hall), the city’s courthouse (Longacre Building), and the Bank of Abadar.

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As its name implies, Old Korvosa is old. It covers all of Endrin Isle, most of which is covered by Garrison Hill. Atop Garrison Hill stands the stone wall of Fort Korvosa, while the imposing black-marble Palace Arkona dominates the northwest corner of the island.

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The newest district, South Shore became a part of Korvosa only a quarter-century ago. It contains the Pantheon of Many, a massive temple dedicated to most of Avistan’s most popular deities. South Shore’s population consists mainly of the city’s nouveau riche hoping to escape the cramped conditions found elsewhere in the city.

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Important Locations

Five major landmarks give Korvosa a distinctive skyline: the ancient and massive structures of Castle Korvosa, Pillar Wall, and Gatefoot, as well as the more practically sized Great Tower and Hall of Summoning, which have stood for less than 50 years. In addition to these landmarks, several locations unique to the city bear mention.

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Shrouded in secrecy, the campus’s 30-foot-high walls only barely conceal the grand Hall of Summoning. Visitors and residents cannot hope to ignore the presence of the Acadamae, and since very few people unconnected with the college know what happens within it, the place births abundant (and sometimes ludicrous) rumors.

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The centerpiece of the city, Castle Korvosa towers over the Heights. Multiple lord magistrates, seneschals, and monarchs have added to the castle over the past three centuries. As such, despite a relatively consistent neo-Chelaxian styling, the castle’s main towers and interior buildings are crammed together haphazardly.

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Permanent and semi-permanent homes, roads, and safehouses appear on roofs throughout the most crowded parts of the city. These rooftop communities and the pathways that connect them are collectively known as the Shingles.

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Most cities have sewers. Some can even claim dungeons beneath them. Yet few have as complex a system of subterranean tunnels quite like the Vaults of Korvosa. Modern Korvosa stands atop the remains of at least two other civilizations and integrates both of them in its design.

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Notable Civilians

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The current leader of the Korvosan Guard, Field Marshal Cressida Kroft is an even-tempered woman whose practice of openly encouraging adventurers and mercenaries to aid the Guard in the city’s defense has earned her some unfair criticism by the city’s elite.

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The King of Korvosa is a man whose spendthrift ways are moderated somewhat by the numerous good works he has spearheaded.

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Queen of Korvosa, Ileosa is barely a third the age of her husband. Rumors say that she holds much of Korvosa in contempt, and that she seduced the king into
marrying her simply to advance her own wealth and riches.

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Often called “the most hated man in Korvosa,” Garrick Tann is the Magistrate of Commerce, the man who oversees the collection of taxes in the city.

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Once a priest of Abadar, the current Magistrate of Regulation is tasked with the maintenance of weights and measurements—much of her office’s time is spent seeking out faulty scales, shaved coins, and other attempts by merchants and customers to cheat one another.

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Commandant Endrin is the current leader of the Sable Company, a man whose dedication to tradition and honor sometimes blinds him to what might be best for his own career.

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The seneschal of Castle Korvosa, Neolandus Kalepopolis commands the defenses of the castle itself, and is regarded as the second most powerful individual in the city, behind only King Eodred II.

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The intimidating and mysterious commander of the Hellknight Order of the Nail, Lictor DiVri is a towering man who rarely leaves his post at Citadel Vraid.

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If Garrick Tann is one of Korvosa’s most hated officials, Magistrate of Expenditures Syl Gar is one of the most loved—his responsibility is to see to it that city taxes are spent properly and efficiently on public works.

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Known as the Hanging Judge, Zenobia is Korvosa’s senior arbiter. Her reputation is justifiably fearsome among Korvosa’s criminals.

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One of the city’s most beloved and reviled heroes, Blackjack is more of a symbol than anything else—a legendary masked hero who has fought for Korvosa’s downtrodden for hundreds of years.

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The guildmaster of the Cerulean Society, Korvosa’s thieves’ guild, Boule is feared by many and respected by few.

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The Archbanker of the Church of Abadar, Darb Tuttle is one of Korvosa’s most powerful clerics.

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Known to some as the “King of Spiders,” Devargo runs Eel’s End, a collection of ships that double as a brothel, drug den, and gambling hall.

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The patriarch of one of Korvosa’s most powerful noble families, it is rumored Glorio has ties to most, if not all, of Korvosa’s criminal underworld.

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The Bishop of the cathedral of Pharasma, Keppira’s stewardship over the city’s Gray District has kept the presence of undead at an all-time low.

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Pilts owns and runs Old Korvosa’s Exemplary Execrables, a playhouse that caters to those seeking perverse and morally-questionable entertainment.

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Many rumors surround Queen Ileosa’s bodyguard, not the least of which is that she and the queen are secretly lovers, yet none can deny this imposing woman’s loyalty to the crown.

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The Acadamae is the most prestigious school of magic in Varisia, and as its headmaster, Toff is one of the region’s most respected and powerful wizards.

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Owner of the renowned Orisini Academy fighting school, Vencarlo’s outspoken disdain for Korvosa’s government has earned him trouble on several occasions.

[Francis Grin]

Korvosans love predictability. Korvosans like to regulate their lives, creating strict regimens for themselves that they slavishly follow. Upsetting a Korvosan’s routine can ruin his entire day and likely makes him angry. To this end, Korvosa strictly enforces its laws (which often have harsh punishments far in excess of the law codes of other non-evil governments) and rewards those who play by the rules. That said, Korvosa also recognizes that not everyone plays by the same rules, so it compensates by applying regulations to nonviolent criminals in the form of vice taxes and official recognition of the city’s single thieves’ guild.

By charter amendment, Korvosa does not allow merchants, laborers, or tradesmen to form guilds. Most workers within the city are self-employed or work for a master to whom they were apprenticed in their youths. The city relies on these cottage industries and the skilled workers who make them profitable, so naturally it has one entire volume of laws and regulations devoted to the protection and rights of workers. And thanks to the Korvosan drive to succeed, the city’s merchants do well for themselves.

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Three military groups police and protect Korvosa: the Korvosan Guard, the Order of the Nail Hellknights, and the Sable Company. Each one focuses its efforts in different areas and interacts with the monarchy in its own unique way. The Korvosan Guard serves the city of Korvosa first, the government second, and the church of Abadar third. It works closely with the city leaders and the high priest of Abadar to maintain order in the city, acting most often like a police force but turning into a military organization whenever the city is threatened by external forces.

The Sable Company does not answer to the king of Korvosa, but rather to the seneschal of Castle Korvosa. These hippogriff-riding marines defend the skies and waters of Korvosa and provide aerial and amphibious support to Korvosan Guard operations.

Hellknights are fanatics of law, adhering only to their harsh, Cheliax-born vision of order and their own unyielding sense of honor. Like most Hellknights, those of the Order of the Nail believe themselves to be above morality, caring only for the establishment of righteous order at all costs.

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The Cerulean Society is Korvosa’s thieves’ guild, and it monitors, controls, or inf luences almost all illegal activities of any noticeable size in the city. More than a dozen gangs work the streets, Vaults, and Shingles of Korvosa, but most of them answer in some way to the Cerulean Society (or else do not survive long). Hastily hushed rumors put one of the noble houses as the de facto leadership behind the thieves’ guild.