“My Queen, despite our best efforts, our redactors and cleaners have been unable to keep up with the removal of Firebrand propaganda from city streets. I thought it best you see exactly what these wretches are using as recruitment material to better counteract their efforts.
—Ever your humble servant and eternally loyal to House Thrune, Kaivus of House Roverrint”1
I told you there were more reports from the sniveling Kaivus that gave House Thrune good reason to be concerned. Firebrands are on the move. Firebrands are loose! Feel the heat, hear the parties! Firebrands are loose! (That’s some Thundercats nostalgia for some.) It’s true though, the Firebrands are out recruiting with parades and parties, while others are fighting on land and sea, or making a name for themselves with their rebel cries. By the time this article is live, Firebrands is now available for all! It’s not just in our major cities either, but nearly all lands and oceans. While we dig into a bit of that wondrous Lost Omens lore the creative team has given us, and of course the breathtaking art, we can look at how Firebrands can fit into your campaign!
Chapter 4 as I mentioned last time is entitled Firebrand Efforts because it not only gives us how to address a campaign featuring the Firebrands, but how to add them to any campaign. Of course the various mechanics gives players something to build with, but the GMs may want to feature a bit more to support that player or simply to entertain either their own or the overall group’s interests. There’s details of the Firebrand activities across many regions and between all we’ve already gotten in the Intro, Among the Firebrands, and Firebrand Options chapters you can easily work such into your custom campaigns whether in Golarion or beyond. We start with a few in-context, in-world items that perhaps Kaivus found including a Gazetteer piece of propaganda and some highlights of areas you’ll travel to if you’re a member like the Mwangi Expanse or Katapesh. It’s really stressed that Firebrands aren’t here to take over, rule the Inner Sea, etc. They are part of our communities and nations, sparking rebellion or looking to undertake exciting, often dangerous, missions. They can be found anywhere, but a party is sure to follow! The sidebar about Firebrand Parties isn’t about festivities but a party of PCs with a Firebrand theme can vary from daredevil to angry rebel, but ultimately they should be united by a cause. GMs can find plenty of support for such games in the pages thereafter…
Vaunter’s Carnival details an annual event that the Firebrands throw in a port town, changing its location up every year. It’s meant not to overwhelm the city, so a port city is good for that duty to trade but well it’s also easier to visit. The history of the event is detailed and I love how we get quick snippets of NPCs like a tengu pirate named Kekcho but also references to information detailed elsewhere in the book like Tilri Venler, the cleric of Marishi, the Festival Queen azata empyreal lord. Note the vibrant art above. Actually the art is great about including other elements from the book too like the banner earlier where you can see my favorite android Passenger. I’m pretty sure that’s their robot Scrapheap on the right side. As it turns out Tilri (see below) is a fourth-mark Firebrand (super well known that is) and is in charge of organizing the carnival. You could easily run a short chapter around protecting Tilri’s committee and/or joining them in a fight when Hellknights or the like try to interrupt choosing the next location.
I love that later on it’s mentioned the second carnival was held in Kintargo in part to celebrate Ravounel’s succession from Cheliax but also to encourage the Silver Ravens in. The third event? Absalom, giving some the chance to come but be covered by the city’s vast populace should they need some anonymity. Interestingly Runelord Sorshen is offering Xin-Shalast as a location and even providing magical aid to create a waterway to connect the city to the Steaming Sea. Gee, I wonder if that’s because she wants to help any group that would undermine Runelord Belimarius… But we’ll get to New Thassilon. The carnival has all sorts of activities as detailed in the book including storytelling contests, public dare contests, urban parkour races, wrestling, fencing, fashions shows, puzzle rooms, and more… Sounds wonderful to me. Oh, don’t miss out on another wonderful sidebar detailing other Firebrand famous events including Surlo’s Fashion Spectacular, led by Absalom’s most fashionable shoony.
The section on the Mwangi Expanse thankfully attends to a matter I’ve been concerned about since I learned of Mzali: Walkena the dangerous child mummy god. Thankfully the old tombs of sun gods Walkena wants forgotten offer refuge for what few rebels dare to dream of freeing their people. You could craft quite the adventure around a group of vigilante or secret heroes that plot their missions within musty tombs. Perhaps one is a cleric drawing on the last remnants of power from one of the gods? Bloodcove’s pirates get some attention as Firebrands counter the Aspis Consortium. Usaro has lost its Gorilla King so chaos is a rife playground. Vidrian is the center of counter-colonial rebellion and so could be a seat of Firebrand operations, especially for work in other parts of the Mwangi. But let’s not be disrespectful of the culture and history of the Mwangi. A very poignant sidebar calls out the need for respectful exploration. Be a daring explorer but don’t steal for plunder, either enjoy the adventure of documenting what you learn or possibly keep items out of the hands of the Aspis and ensure in the Magaambya’s safekeeping.
Oh look. Cheliax. A whole section on Old Cheliax and the actual nation of Cheliax. But what’s this? Queen Abrogail issued an Emancipation Edict in 4722 A.R. to free the enslaved population of the nation. It’s clear this is both for the development of real world sentiments that slavery doesn’t have to be a narrative story element but also so Thrune doesn’t have to worry about growing influence from Ravounel or Andoran. I myself have had characters carrying anger against Cheliax for their practices including slavery, but I admit clear ignorance over having to deal with those real-world impacts or old prejudices. Like many elements of the real world that can, but don’t have to be, part of our games, make sure to discuss such with your tables and utilize safety tools like lines and veils. There’s plenty to hate the devil-worshiping, murderous Chelish for without other plot elements being woven in. I’m glad to see Paizo craft this into game canon.
It’s nice to see a sidebar recounting those the Chelish have labeled enemies of the state for their actions like Hrothar Sea-Wiles the Ulfen raider. Another details about the legal loophole that saved Ravounel and hopefully others can be found with other national or individual contracts. This could help you make a Pathfinder2E sequel to Hell’s Rebels if your players loved that game and want another in a similar vein! Ravounel does have a bit of information, mostly on external politics, including that of trade partner who is keeping most trade to exports rather than imports to prevent spies. But Nidal has its own problems with Firebrands active with Desna-worshiping occultists called Dreamtenders. I admit this warms my heart because the Atteran Ranches are focused upon and that’s where my nonbinary witch Ateran from Roll for Combat’s Three Ring Adventure draws their name, because they were saved and helped by farmers there. I had no idea Firebrands were active there but maybe that’s a future allied group for Ateran! No agents in the Uskwood? Well maybe that needs to change! I’d love to see a game or path focus on Nidal, and you and your group have a lot of material to work with here and elsewhere. Danger, politics, religious concerns… It’d likely tend toward a mature game but Impossible Lands shows us how great a game that can be.
We couldn’t not visit the Shackles. While it’s called out Tessa Fairwind has been an ally in the past – and she’s quietly corresponding with the Sapphire Butterfly of Ravounel – that she also doesn’t really appreciate the Firebrands causing trouble for her specifically. The good and the bad of free thinking and questioning folks can lead to trouble, but also, well… Pirate. If you want your group traveling to numerous ports the weaving of these NPCs knowing one another can create reasons to move between the Shackles and Kintargo, possibly also Riddleport. There’s also the Vaunter’s Carnival which is in different port cities so place it wherever works for you. Maybe it’s time to have it in the Shackles? It’s encouraged not to dare to test the Red Mantis as they will send dead Firebrands back as a message, but participating in the Second Wind trial could be a good daring feat. Quick snippets are giving for various isles in the Shackles should your group wish to sail through. There’s also a sidebar on the Ruins of Azlant, which I feel gives any sea-faring exploration group more material than you could ever dream of. A few locations and strange artifacts are offered up including the Aeon Gear which came out of a strange clockwork creature and now floats like an aeon stone when held. You can draw from the Ruins of Azlant path or if your players played in it, reference it in a new campaign where their choices and actions have created an area for exploration and Firebrand activity. Perhaps the old god Amaznen had something to do with that clockwork creature…
Want to have Firebrands daring the hordes of undead serving the Whispering tyrant? Go to the Eye of Dread and face the fields and hills of the Gravelands. Meanwhile in Numeria your game could focus on serving the new rule Kevoth-Kul in tracking down the remains of the Technic League. They’re still out there and the Circuit Breakers would be happy to have your help in tracking them down in return for some rare skymetals. Running Kingmaker like me? Well there’s info for the River Kingdoms too! There’s a pirate lord called the Black Marquis controlling a 30-mile swath of the Sellen River. Perhaps your young nation is called on for help in ridding the river of this scaliwag. Don’t forget too Brevoy has a number of rebellious folks, especially in the southern starting city where the heroes first begun their Kingmaker adventure: Restov. Perhaps Lady Aldori, whom we know favors Milani based on the statues in her estate, works with or is actually a Firebrand!
I had to leave some space just for New Thassilon. I’m very interested in a game based there or having adventurers visit New Thassilon. My last game had the heroes skirting the edge as they traveled north of Riddleport and if any of my players are reading this, well… You can be sure ramifications of that game will surely influence our Kingmaker game. The Return of the Runelords path brought two back to Golarion after so many years. While one has changed her ways – at least a little – and become Queen Sorshen of Eurythnia from Xin-Shalast, the other has not and Runelord Belimarius still runs Xin-Edesseril with a tyrannical approach. It tickled me that Sorshen is trying to get the Vaunter’s Carnival to come to Xin-Shalast as noted above. I’m sure it’s to find allies in undermining Belimarius, though she’ll have to be careful not to let it become more of the Runelord v. Runelord of the past. I mean, it can’t hurt to have her support. As noted New Thassilon has some Firebrands already active in the region. The Epoch Hunters are led by a chronomancer to fight the sinspawn, time dimensionals (would love to see a 2E version of these!), and rune-based beasts that are creating a rather unsafe environment for the people of the area. Meanwhile Hesteric Grimgleam (below) is using perfumes and colognes to send coded messages between a secret society intent to bring down Belimarius. And would you look at that! He’s got a favorite customer and connoisseur of fragrance in Queen Sorshen. Smells like trouble for the cruel Runelord!
There’s information and NPCs and tie-backs galore far more than I’ve called out, including details on Galt, Osirion, Taldor, and more. You could easily adapt these amazing NPCs to be a part of your campaign whether in Golarion or another world. Change the town name if you’re the GM or ask your GM how you can adapt the Firebrands to be a rebellious group within the local society. There’s incredible roleplaying opportunity in playing a group of not-so-like minded individuals who are dedicated to the same purpose as the Firebrands. One might be more risk taking daredevil, another more dedicated to a cause of freedom, and still another interested in exploration but all can agree to the ideals of personal and true freedom. If you’re ready to bring daring-do, flamboyant flash, and rebellion to your game then be sure to invest in Pathfinder Lost Omens Firebrands!
Investing In:
I wasn’t quite sure what to name my article series when I first started but the idea of showcasing or discussing things that make me excited, that I find new and interesting, or maybe I’m otherwise passionate about seemed to fit with the idea of Investing In something like the Pathfinder 2E mechanic. To use some magic items you have to give that little bit of yourself, which helps make these things even better. I like the metaphor of the community growing and being strengthened in the same way!
I also want to hear what you’re Investing In! Leave me a comment below about what games, modules, systems, products, people, live streams, etc you enjoy! You can also hit me up on social media as silentinfinity. I want to hear what excites you and what you’re passionate about. There’s so much wonderful content, people, groups (I could go on) in this community of ours that the more we invest in and share, the better it becomes!
Sources
Banner – Pathfinder Lost Omens Firebrands cover with title, Paizo
- Campaigns excerpt, Pathfinder Lost Omens Firebrands, Paizo
- Chapter 4: Firebrand Efforts banner image, Pathfinder Lost Omens Firebrands, Paizo
- Marishi, Faith section, Chapter 2, Pathfinder Lost Omens Firebrands, Paizo
- Tilri Velner, Chapter 4, Pathfinder Lost Omens Firebrands, Paizo
- Vaunter’s Carnival section image, Chapter 4, Pathfinder Lost Omens Firebrands, Paizo
- Hesteric Grimgleam, Chapter 4, Pathfinder Lost Omens Firebrands, Paizo
