The City of Argadava

The City of Argadava

Argadava (LN large city)
Population: 37,600
Demographics: (racial) 83% human*, 11% halfling, 6% other
                             (class) 4% have class levels, 1504 individuals total
Authority Figures: 
Governor Marcellus Thrune (prince-governor of Isger)
Mayor Celene Arodis (mayor of Argadava)
Master of Blades Adom Krupt (commander of the Hellknights in Isger)
*= Most humans are ethnic Chelish

Argadava was the largest city, though not the capital of the troubled realm of Isger, located on the border between that land and Cheliax. However, as of last year, Cheliax has conquered the entirely of Isger and Argadava is now a Chelish city. Significantly larger and wealthier than the city of Elidir, Cheliax has made it into the capital for Isger Province and a showpiece for the order and stability that the Empire of Cheliax creates in all of its vast domains. Though on the surface, Argadava is seeing good times, there are dark signs of encroaching diabolic influence in Argadava. 


Prominent locations in the City of Argadava: 

Antonine Fortress: Established originally some centuries ago by the famed Chelaxian general Antonius Varrus, it has been refurbished into a formidable fortress over the centuries and currently serves as the headquarters of Chelaxian forces in Isger, housing about fifty Hellknights as well as about 1,000 Chelaxian regulars at any one time. 

Boneyard:  The city's graveyard has traditionally been a relatively safe harbour, though there are dark rumours that at night, undead horrors have arisen in the city- said by some to be a consequence of the diabolical darkness that has fallen upon Argadava. Gamaliel Phocas, a cleric of Pharasma has allegedly been seeking adventurers to rid the Boneyard of its miasmic presence of undead. 


Celene's Estate: The Mayor of Argadava is a direct elected representative of the people and Celene seems to take that responsibility seriously, doing her best to mitigate the draconian laws and cruel hearts of Argadava's Chelish overlords. She is always trying to solve problems in the city through creative means, rather than resort to asking Krupt or Thrune to use what would assuredly be cruel and bloody methods. 

The Crystal Ball: The Crystal Ball is a local fortune teller who also provides spell components and a few basic potions and scrolls for sale. It’s proprietor, Marius Encartan is known to be somewhat distrustful of the new regime but has resolved to keep quiet. He is a 3^rd level wizard, but all of his prepared spells are geared towards the manufacture of potions and the identification of magical items.  

Items for Sale:

Antidote: (50 gp each, 4 in stock) Removes one poison.

Potions of +2 Attribute: (1 of each attribute available, last for 2d4 rounds, 250 gp each) Grant a bonus of +2 to all rolls related to attribute of choice.

Potions of Cure Light Wounds: (5 available, 100 gp each) Cure 1d8+1 hit points damage

Spell Components: (good for 10 spells, 50 gp each) A mixture of spell components for any spells that require material components not of a special value.

Dead Dog Tavern: The Dead Dog Tavern is a somewhat infamous tavern and flophouse that caters towards criminals, adventurers and other socially dubious individuals. It is known for serving rotgut aquavit (distilled grain liquor) at cheap prices and for having postings for various unsavory jobs. Vlassik, a 6th-level halfling rogue, occupies a secret meeting room and is the head of the thieves' guild in Argadava. If you gain access to Vlassik's secret room, he is known to sell poisons, alchemical fire and other useful items.


Marcellus' Estate: The grandest estate in Argadava has now been occupied by Marcellus Thrune, the governor of Isger and the kinsman of Cheliax's Empress, Abrogail Thrune. He appears obsessed with order and stability at all prices and there are persistent rumours that he has bonded a powerful devil to do his will in the city.

Market Square:  Located in the midst of the city, Market Square is a well-known hodgepodge of all manner of shops, taverns and other establishments, selling everything imaginable, from fine textiles and spices to slaves and weaponry. 

Nori's Hammers N' Helmets: Nori Blackhelm is a dwarven blacksmith of some repute and his store stocks a wide variety of weapons and armour. Available for commission at a premium price (usually 10x listed price) are masterwork weapons which inflict +1 damage upon a successful hit. 

Temple of Abadar: The established and long-favored faith of the city of Argadava, the Church of Abadar has lost many adherents with the Chelaxian conquest of Isger but has remained probably the largest faith in Argadava. Keeper of the Key Horatio Alger has adapted well to the new regime, emphasizing the lawfulness of the Church of Abadar and has gone a long way towards reducing the flow of followers to the faith of Asmodeus. An Andoran by birth, he is well-aware that the eye of Cheliax is on him.

Temple of Iomedae: Once a popular faith in the city of Argadava, most of the faithful of Iomedae have either left the city or turned towards other religions. Father Iseph, the sole remaining Priest of Iomedae in the city is actually a fighter/cleric (6/3 levels) and is unsure as to whether he should continue in Argadava or head north to fight the demonic forces of the Worldwound.


Temple of Asmodeus: Established shortly after the Thrune Ascension, the Church of Asmodeus has found their membership swelling as citizens of Argadava have been flooding into the diabolic faith, hoping to curry political favor with Chelaxian authorities or spiritual favor with the Prince of Darkness. The newly installed Arch-Heathen of Isger Province, Asmodia Trellis, is an ambitious woman who has also been dabbling in sorcery. Animal sacrifices as well as voluntary blood offerings are made in the Temple frequently, though, at least as far as anyone knows, no true human sacrifice has been made.

Tomb of Varrus: Located outside of the city, about a day's travel away, the Tomb of Varrus was recently entered into by a group of adventurers and treasures removed from it. These treasures have been moved to Egorian in Cheliax, though some mysteries about the Tomb remain ... 


Tragare Ironworks: The largest manufactory in Isger, the Tragare Ironworks, located just outside of the city proper, is one of the Inner Sea's largest steel mills, turning out huge quantities of high-quality steel which make their way into Chelish weapons and armour. Approximately 3,000 people are employed in the Ironworks, and its owner, Adrianus Tragare is the wealthiest and one of the most powerful individuals in town. There are rumours that the Ironworks have been having trouble with goblins in recent weeks. 


And many more ...

The Tiefling

The Tiefling:

Description: Tieflings vary widely in appearance, depending on their particular forefathers, but most tieflings in Cheliax possess infernal characteristics such as red skin, glowing yellow eyes or visible horns. Some tieflings have appearances that are close enough to the human norm that they may pass for human with careful disguises, others cannot.

Personality: While it is difficult to generalize about any particular race, it is fair to say that Tieflings are marked by a well-earned hesistation to trust others and by deep cynicism towards society in general. They additionally must also deal with the dark temptations of their heritage- some tieflings find it easy to resist the dark calling and others find it irresistable. Infernal tieflings tend to be marked by a desire to "game the system" and by a startling knowledge of the loopholes and exceptions that might protect them lest they run into trouble with the law.

Racial Affinities: Tieflings do not have any particular racial affinities, as they are virtually equally shunned by all races as tainted by fiend blood. They are most commonly found, however, in human cities and learn how to live in a world dominated by their human cousins.

Environment: Tieflings can exist anywhere, but are mostly found in cities, where they sometimes form closely-knit communities and networks for mutual protection. In Egorian and Westcrown, there is a walled ghetto where tieflings who lack protection from a powerful house are forced to live in poverty and misery.

Racial Traits and Affinities:

Darkvision: Tieflings possess flawless vision in total darkness to 60 feet, but require a round to adapt between regular sight and darkvision. 

Infernal Resistances: Devil-spawned Tieflings (the norm in Cheliax) possess damage resistance of 5 against fire and a +2 bonus to saving throws against poison and mind-affecting magic. 

Infernal Magic: Tieflings are capable of casting any two 0-level spells and any one of the following spells once per day each, at a caster level equal to their character level: burning hands, cause fear, change self or darkness.

Languages: Common, Infernal

Size: Medium

Movement: 30 feet

Typical Classes: Assassin, Rogue

Attribute Modifier: +1 Constitution, +1 to any attribute other than Constitution or Charisma, -2 Charisma

Common Monsters of Cheliax (WiP)

Common Monsters of Cheliax (WiP)

Devils: While Cheliax is heavily under the influence of diabolical power, actual devils are not especially common on the ground in Cheliax and mostly live in disguise in the cities. Should an adventurer encounter the wrath of a devil, however, they are extremely powerful foes with a natural immunity to fire and poison. Typically, either magical or silver weapons are required to harm them. 

There are many types of devil, from the quivering wretches known as lemures to the almighty pit fiends who command entire Infernal legions, but all are extremely dangerous foes that should never be underestimated. Worst of all, devils are as cunning as they are powerful and often surround themselves with powerful allies.

Dragons: Dragons are not precisely common in the world, but it is not unheard of for Chelish villages to be spontaneously attacked by a powerful dragon and their hungry young. Old or Ancient Dragons are extremely rare in the world, but smaller (but still formidable) Young Dragons and tiny, voracious Dragonlings are often encountered by adventurers.

Goblin: Goblins are not as common in Cheliax as they are in some other parts of Golarion, such as Varisia, but several small Goblin tribes have taken up residence, especially in recently-annexed Isger. Goblins often try to avoid those whom they perceive as being powerful, but are very crafty and are skilled with making traps and using fire to their advantage.

Giantfolk: There are several types of giant folk, though the most common ones in Cheliax are brutish ogres and hill giants, though there are a handful of stone giants in the mountain ranges that provide several of Cheliax's borders

Hobgoblin: The militaristic, well-organized Hobgoblins are the most common monstrous race in Cheliax and are a constant menace in Isger, with sizeable warbands of Hobgoblins being a major danger to Chelish plans to the region. These Hobgoblins favor the use of a combination of pole weapons and bows, with archers hiding behind a protective wall of pikes. Hobgoblin commanders are formidable warriors indeed, and many of them have training equivalent to that of PC Fighters. Hobgoblins abhor arcane magic, but have their own shamans, who cast a combination of clerical and druidic spells.

Undead: There are many practicioners of foul magic in Cheliax and it is not uncommon to encounter various forms of the undead around cemeteries and sites of massacre. Most undead creatures are mindless, such as skeletons or zombies, but others, such as vampires or liches are clever and dangerous opponents with powerful magical abilities.

Wildlife: While not exactly monsters per se, there are some extremely dangerous animals in the wilder parts of Cheliax that adventurers should be aware of. While wolves and bears are to be expected, it may surprise some that there are still some lions in southern Avistan. The waters are infested with sharks, there are giant spiders in the darker forests and there are many species of venomous snake.

House Rules (General)

House Rules (General):

0-level spells:  0-level spells are not expended when they are cast, and can be cast effectively, an unlimited number of times.

Attribute Advancement: At levels 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20, characters gain +1 to place in any of their prime attributes.

Automatic Success/Failure: A roll of a natural 20 on any roll is a success as long as it is even slightly conceivable. For example, one could not succeed in jumping across a 100-ft canyon, but one could potentially resist the charm spell of a 20th-level wizard or avoid a powerful trap. A roll of a natural 1 on any roll is an automatic failure.

Critical Hit/Fumble:  In combat, a roll of a natural 20 is a critical hit as long as the natural 20 was not required to hit the target. This roll inflicts maximum potential damage and occasions another roll to see if an injury is inflicted on the enemy. A critical fumble in an attack roll is an automatic failure and a d10 roll must be made to see if the weapon is dropped or breaks. Ordinary monsters are incapable of making critical hits- but "elite" and high-level ones can. 

First Aid: Anyone can make a Wisdom check to attempt first aid upon themselves once per day, if they are successful, they heal 1d4+1 hit points of damage. Clerics, Rangers and Druids make the same check, but if succcessful, they can cure 1d6+Wis modifier damage, and they can do this 1 + Wis modifier times per day. 

Injuries: Whenever a character loses 50% of their hit points in combat or suffers a critical hit from an enemy, they must make a d10 roll to see if they have incurred an additional injury. When brought to 0 hit points, they sustain another injury. Injuries can be healed with cure spells, but then those spells will not heal any hit point damage. Injuries require two weeks of healing time to disappear on their own. If the same Injury is sustained more than once, it becomes a Serious Injury, which requires four weeks healing time to recover.

Non-Prime Skills: All classes gain a +3 bonus for any class skills that are not covered by a prime, as opposed to the +6 bonus they would get for any skills covered by a prime attribute. 


Racial Skills: All races add half of their character level as a bonus with abilities such as an elf's ability to move silently or a half-orc's ability to track by scent.

Fumble Dice: 
1: Weapon is broken and is useless. 
2-3: Weapon is damaged and all further attacks are made at a -2 penalty until it is repaired. 
4-5: Weapon is dropped. A standard action must be spent recovering it. 
6-10: No effect. 

Injury Dice: 
1: Concussion. Suffer -2 penalty to Dexterity, Intelligence and Wisdom. 
Major Injury: Unconsciousness

2: Bleeding Wound: Suffer 1 hp loss per turn for 1d8 rounds. 
Major Injury: Suffer 2 hp loss per turn for 1d12 rounds. 

3: Injured Arm: Suffer -2 penalty to attack rolls using that arm, cannot hold shield in arm. 
Major Injury: Arm is completely useless. 

4: Injured Leg: Movement speed reduced by 10.
Major Injury: Unable to walk. 

5: Unsightly Wound: Suffer -2 penalty to Charisma. 
Major Injury: Suffer -4 penalty to Charisma.

6: Chest Injury: Suffer -2 penalty to all rolls. 
Major Injury: Suffer -2 penalty, can only move or take an action, not both.

7:  Internal Bleeding: Suffer -2 penalty to Constitution. 
Major Injury: Suffer -4 penalty to Constitution. 

8-10: No injury suffered. 

House Rules (Player Classes)

House Rules (Player Classes)

Assassin: A successful Case Target gives the Assassin a +1 bonus to attack rolls against that opponent. The Assassin's bonus to saves against poison increases at 6th, 9th and at 12th level, they become immune to poison.  Assassins can use their Dexterity bonus to modify their Initiative rolls.

Barbarian: The Barbarian's Whirlwind Attack ability can be used on opponents of any hit dice.  

Bard: Bards can speak Cant (as per Rogues and Assassins) and are entitled to take one of the skill-based abilities of another class, such as Pick Pockets or Traps. 


Cleric: Clerics of particular deities gain special bonuses related to their faith. If you choose a Cleric character, the CK and you will sort out the details. Typically, it takes the form of a special ability or a few static bonuses, and access to additional spells. 

Druid: Druids gain the Animal Empathy ability, which allows them to make Wisdom checks to adjust the attitudes of an animal, much as another character would make a Charisma check to modify the attitudes of a person. Druids are allowed to use cold iron weapons if they can access them.

Fighter: At any time, a Fighter can choose to ignore their inherent 1st level +1 bonus to attack rolls in favor of inflicting +1 additional damage or gaining +1 AC. At 5th level, they can take a -2 penalty to attack rolls to gain +2 to damage or AC.

Illusionist: At 3rd level, the Illusionist gains the ability to use the Mind Trick ability, which grants them a +4 bonus to Charisma checks when dealing with one individual for a number of minutes equal to their level. They can use this ability 1 + Intelligence modifier times per day. 


Knight: Knights have the ability to issue a Combat Challenge, forcing an opponent to make a Charisma save or be compelled to fight the Knight in single combat. They can use this ability once per combat encounter. Knights receive a 50% bonus to starting gold.

Monk: The Monk's AC is modified by Constitution as well as Dexterity. 

Paladin:  The Paladin's smite evil ability targets a specific opponent, and all attacks against that specific opponent inflict smite damage until that enemy is killed. The smite evil ability can be used for ranged attacks as well as melee ones.

Ranger: Rangers gain the Animal Empathy ability, which allows them to make a Wisdom check to attempt to adjust the attitude of an animal much as other classes would make a Charisma check to adjust attitudes of humanoids. If desired, instead of getting their Combat Marauder bonuses against giants and humanoids, they can choose one other type of monster, such as extraplanars, undead, dragons or a demihuman race to gain the attack bonus to.

Rogue: A Rogue's Decipher Script ability can be used to cast arcane spells and use magical items at the -10 penalty as set in the PHB. At 2nd level, Rogues gain a +1 bonus to AC provided they use class-appropriate armour, and at 6th level, they gain the Evasion ability, allowing them to avoid all damage from blast weapons if they make their save. Rogues can use their Dexterity bonus to modify their Initiative rolls.

Wizard: The Wizard can use an Intelligence check to attempt reading or identifying magical items, with the spells read magic and identify simply guaranteeing success. Wizards with 10 Intelligence have a 50% chance of learning new spells from scrolls, which is modified by 5% per point of Intelligence, so that a Wizard of 14 Intelligence has a 70% chance of learning spells from scrolls. This chance of success does not go above 95%. 

House Rules (Character Generation)

House Rules (Character Generation)

Race and Class Selection: All races and classes detailed in the C&C PHB are allowed, as is the Tiefling character race which this blog will elucidate.  


Attribute Generation: Roll 4d6, drop the lowest dice and arrange as desired. Or alternatively use the following array 16, 15, 13, 12, 10, 8.


Attribute Modifiers: Attribute modifiers have been changed to the following:


Dwarf: +1 Con, +1 Wis, -1 Dex

Elf: +1 Dex, +1 Int, -1 Con
Gnome: +1 Con, +1 Int, -1 Str

Half-Elf: Elven or human attribute modifier depending on lineage 
Half-Orc: +1 Str, +1 Con, -2 Cha
Halfling: +1 Dex, +1 Wis, -1 Str

Human: +1 to any one attribute
Hit Points: Maximum hit points at first level.Roll second level as normal. Characters with d6 hit dice ignore rolls of 1, characters with d8 hit dice ignore rolls of 1-2, d10 ignore 1-3, and d12 ignore 1-4. Hit Points after 10th level add Constitution modifier to set progression.

Starting Gold: Maximum gold for 1st level, plus 5 gold per +1 of Charisma or Wisdom modifier.

Equipment Selection: Generally speaking, anything on the standard list is available in a cosmopolitan country like Cheliax.  Characters, being third level, can make one of their weapons a +1 magical weapon and will also gain one other minor magical item of the CK's choice.


Spell Selection: Wizards and Illusionists begin with access to a number of 0 and 1st-level spells equal to the number of spells they can cast, with the gratis addition of Read Magic. These characters can freely choose the spells they have learned. Clerics and Druids have access to all of their spells. The base list of C&C spells can be supplemented with additional spells from AD&D materials in the CK's possession. 


Special Ability and Traits: Each character will gain an special ability that is unique to that character, based somewhat on character concept. This special ability will be chosen by the CK. 
 

The Church of Asmodeus and Diabolism

The Church of Asmodeus and Diabolism:

The Church of Asmodeus is perhaps the most powerful force in Chelaxian society and the organized clergy of the Lord of Hell possesses vast wealth and power, rivalled only by the Chelaxian state machinery headed by the House of Thrune. While most Chelaxians are not in fact worshippers of Asmodeus, all citizens are expected to pay lip service to the faith and pay one-tenth of their income as a tithe to the Church as part of their heavy burden of taxes. 




While the Church of Asmodeus sets forth the many virtues of its deity forth, it also realizes that many citizens who would otherwise be drawn to its principles are somewhat turned off by the thought of explicitly worshipping a deity so widely, if unfortunately, in their view, considered evil. Thus, the Church of Asmodeus has fostered the development of the philosophy of diabolism, which purports to revere Hell less as an object of worship than as the ultimate model for human society- that the strong are to rule the weak, that might makes right and the ultimate goal and good of society is to encourage the elite in their creativity and wisdom to guide all of society into a better era. The atrocities of Hell are viewed as necessary evils at worst and by many, as a positive good- for the flame of suffering tempers the steel of the strong even as it crushes the weak. 

The Church of Asmodeus is a worldwide organization but its headquarters is in the Chelaxian capital of Egorian, where the Black Cathedral towers above the rest of the skyline, including even the Royal Palace itself. The Black Cathedral, built entirely of a rare form of black marble with red streaks, is one of the grandest and most imposing buildings in all of Golarion and its design has been widely mimicked, though its specifically infernal details are often changed. 

Along with its vast wealth and political power, the Church of Asmodeus also controls a small but highly efficient and powerful private army, the Hellknights, which are as zealously sworn to serve the interests of the Church and its uncompromising values of inequity and brutal law as paladins of Iomedae are to serve their goddess. Chosen from the elite ranks of the Chelish military, they are often found fighting side by side with their secular counterparts but are always mindful of their higher, or rather, lower, calling. 




The Church of Asmodeus does not typically engage in large-scale organized pogroms against other faiths so long as its supremacy in Cheliax is accepted. Those faiths that challenge the social order in Cheliax, however, are ruthlessly suppressed with the connivance of secular authorities and the Hellknights.