Money Is the Root of All Evil

Followers of Mammon

Mammon, Hell’s accountant; the Archdevil of Avarice, watchfulness and wealth.  As the ruler of the third level of hell, Mammon is just under Dispater and Asmodeus himself in terms of power and influence. There is some information on his mortal high priestess Lady Kaltessa Iyis of Isger but little else is known of the Archdevil’s worshipers. Overlooked are his ties to Thassilon and the fact he belongs to the Kobold Pantheon as well. So who are the other earthly followers of Mammon and what are his cults like?

The Coin Tenders 

Although most people see Cheliax as the land of Asmodeus, in truth Daibolism is the state belief system. Yes Asmodeus is by far the archdevil with the largest following, and the rest of the Golarion sees Cheliax as his domain. However,  the other Archdevils do have their own followers and cults within the country. Mammon has found a home among the money crunchers of the Land of the Devils. His most dedicated supplicants call themselves The Coin Tenders.

The Coin Tenders know that Mammon will never have enough power to oust Asmodeus, but he does have his sights set on the realm above his: the iron city of Dis. The tenders move money around like no one else can and they also  know how to make money disappear. The tenders have been preparing for war since the house of Thrune took control. They’ve not only been using the funds to further Mammon’s goals within the borders of Cheliax, but have also been funneling money to Isger to aid Lady Iyis’ endeavors as well.

The Hoarders

What’s mine is mine, and what’s your is mine, that is the motto of The Hoarders of Korvosa. Most people think that the Otyughs are the only things to worry about in the sewers Korvosa, but in the secret tunnels in the darkest corners live the wererats that comprise The Hoarders. Unlike many sane people, each of the members of the group have voluntarily chosen to become a wererat. In gaining the power that comes with being a Lycnathrope they also dedicate themselves to greed and Mammon.

The founder of The Hoarders was a street kid who grew to be a priest in the church of Asmodeus. He had an overwhelming need to collect that which he never had when he was growing up and his greed eventually led him to become a heretic. Mammon called to him and promised him power, but in return he needed to prove his loyalty. His act of dedication was to take on the form of Mammon’s chosen animal, the rat.

The Hoarders are now one of the leading groups of thieves in all of Korvosa, except no one knows about them. Theft for them is not so much about stealing as it is about owning. They don’t just take money they take items that are important to the people who own them, especially worshipers of Asmodeus. Each Hoarder is hand picked and offered the chance to join. They must choose the change willingly, or die by denying it.

Kobold Redscales

This cult of Mammon-worshiping koblods actually has no real name, although outsiders call them by the color of their scales. These kobolds are far more methodical and single-minded than even their other kin in Adoran. Their goal is material wealth but they succeed at this goal through constant toil. Their dedication sees them rise early and bed late filling all of their intervening time with work.

The Redscales are led by a high priestess of Mammon who uses her abilities to aid in the Kobold’s work day, and their collection of gems and precious metals. Unlike other kobolds this group does not take slaves, the work they do is part of their worship of the Open Palm. Also like many kobolds the Redscales make use of many traps to guard their treasure. Second only to the high priestess are the divine trapsmiths, and being posted to watch is considered one of the greatest honors.

Like many Devils, Mammon’s worship can grow in even the strangest places. These three cults are just a few examples of those who might follow the Lord of the Second.

Perhaps the Hoarders or the Coin Tenders will make an appearance in your game, or maybe I’ve sparked some ideas for your use of the Ardent Prince. Content providers rely on donors and patrons to continue providing that content for you. Consider contributing to the CRB’s Patreon if you enjoy what I’m providing. Don’t forget to follow the CRB on Twitter and Tumblr if you want my further thoughts on gaming.

Character 28 - Grixxizt Wavecrest

A seaborn Kobold with a force of will and a personality to match his agility and hardiness. Left to die at birth, later to become a follower of the god Gozreh. This and other rolls hint at what our little Kobold might be. However, mine is not the only opinion that matters; read on and see what I came up with and then comment on what you might have done differently.

Although I mostly deal in story, I have mentioned before that rules are also an important aspect of the game.  With this character in particular, the rules are going to help us tell our story. There are a lot of things we’re gonna need to talk about but the first is class. With the Left For Dead circumstances of birth and the 14 charisma Oracle seemed the way to go. Oracle of Waves with the Elementalist archetype. Sadly none of the curses from Paizo fit my thematic idea so we’re going to go 3PP and use Tripod Machine’s Chilled curse.

Next, as you’ll see, dragons play a major role in the background so I’m going to switch out Darkvision, Light Sensitivity, Natural Armor, and Crafty for the Day Raider, Dragon-Scaled and Wyrm Crowned alternate racial traits. The traits Seafarer—which gives a bonus to Knowledge Nature and Geography when at sea and a bonus to swimming, and Blood of Dragons—which adds a +1 perception bonus, both fit the thematics.

At first level the Kobold only Dragon Aspect feat will be chosen because it fits our little dragon man, and later on he’ll have to take Skill Focus (Perception) so that he can eventually take the Eldritch Heritage line of feats to really bring out his essence of the wyrm. But what kind would he be? For that you’ll need to follow the story and I’d need to ask for some GM approval because it’s not a common dragon.

Grixxizt Wavecrest

The Clipped Albatross has always been considered an odd ship sailing as sometimes pirate, sometimes merchant and, occasionally as privateer for a country in need. But it’s not just that it takes on whatever job it can, it’s the fact that its crew is, in a word, diverse. The captain is Half-Orc whose land of origin has been lost to time and his own unwillingness to divulge his secrets. The first mate is a Catfolk from Jalmeray whose morning meditations atop the mainsail usually spooks new crew. A Gnoll from Katapesh, a Tian Tengu, and of course a small family of Kobolds make the Clipped Albatross’ crew a wonder at any port.

Grixxizt is the middle child born to the Kobold family, or not quite born. His mother is a rigger and his father the cook. The little dragon came into the world during one of the worst storms the ship ever had to weather. Between the constant swells flooding even the lower decks and the wind tossing the ship all over the choppy seas, Grixxizt’s birth was harsh and one he didn’t survive. The stillborn child couldn’t be saved and during the continuing storm was given a burial at sea.

Two days later when the seas calmed and the skies opened to the sun, a call from the crow’s nest sent the crew into a flurry of activity. The lookout claims to have seen some kind of bluish green scaled creature starboard side. When the crew came rushing to take a look what they found as a living breathing baby kobold; all blue and green-scaled with a neck-frill, crying on the deck of the ship. Grixxizt’s mother recognized her child immediately and cried tears of joy.

Being an oddity occasionally made the Clipped Albotross a target as well, especially to slavers. Odd creatures that were good at seafaring could fetch quite a bit of gold. The ship was attacked by slavers bearing the yellow sails of the Okeno, and the Gnoll bosun and Grixxizt were both taken in the ensuing melee. The crew tracked the slavers down in the port city of Okeno and eventually bought the safe return of their crew. Still Grixxizt had to suffer a few months under the thumb of the slavers and the bad taste has never left his mouth.

Grixxizt had always had problems with the chill weather. As he grew it seemed that it took more and more to keep him warm. He would spend much of his days on the deck of the ship basking in the sun, but even then he would complain of the cold. Luckily sailing mostly on the Garund side of the inner sea and down as far as Jalmeray in the Obari Ocean means he never had to suffer through the harsh winters of the oddly misnamed Steaming Sea.

The Clipped Albatross’ travels and occasional use as a passenger vessel meant that young Grixxizt met varied and interesting people. One of those who traveled with the ship twice a year from Sothis in Osirian to Niswan in Jalmeray was a scholar and an astronomer. Although the Clipped Albatross only ever saw him for these trips he was known to have traveled far and wide, and the seaborn Kobold was always enamored of his stories. The ship may have seen many ports of call but Grixxizt knew little of the lands that did not touch the sea and this spurred his imagination.

When Grixxizt hit his first molting cycle and shed his old skin, the new brighter sea-green color of his scales also brought some new talents. It started simply as the ability to see through the morning mists and fog as well as suddenly being able to cast a few minor spells. This came with the effect of a slowed metabolism as his body began to freeze faster, which made him react slower and feel sapped of strength. The crew took it as a sign that the child was touched by Gozreh, as Besmara has never been known for any kindness, and set aside a small shrine in the hold to keep the god of wind and waves appeased.

Travel also brought many chances for competition. Trading along the inner sea can be a treacherous proposition and not just because of the seas or pirates. Many the merchant is less scrupulous than even the most hardened buccaneer. When you’ve been burned so many times it’s hard to keep a good outlook of any trader. Grixxizt was always hyper defensive of his ship and crew, and one too many times they lost out on good cargo runs. 

The kobold, taking after his dragon-side, became jealous of one of these traders who bested his crew and publicly made claims about the man’s taste in companionship. It was in the heat of the moment and shamed the trader but Grixxizt couldn’t even stand himself for having said them. The seaborn dragonkin retracted his statements the next day and begged forgiveness from the Clipped Albatross’ rival. To this day Grixxizt makes sure he keeps his temper and follows the laws of the land, or sea.

As the young kobold matures he takes on more and more the color and adornment of a dragon. After much research on the neck frills and the spines he has since grown, he believes he has been touched somehow by one of the great primal brine dragons, to whom he owes his life. For now he continues to travel the seas with his family on the Clipped Albatross, but he hopes that one day he will learn why he was saved and what purpose he was chosen by Gozreh.

And there goes our little seafaring dragonkin, born without a chance but given great power and possible intense responsibility in return for an actual shot at life. Maybe Grixxizt will end up as an NPC in one of your games aboard a ship not unlike the Clipped Albatross. And don’t forget to let us know what you would have done with the stats that became Grixxizt Wavecrest.

The creative process is pretty much a second job, and you can support this endeavor by become a patron for as much or as little as you would like. And don’t forget to check out the CRB on both Twitter and Tumblr, where you can hear the story of what happened when my character (and the other players, of course) met an actual Brine Dragon.

Random Roll 28 - The Randomness

Kobolds, naturally thought of as savage little creatures. But what do we do with a Kobold born at sea, weak and not to bright but hardy, perceptive and likable. I have till Friday to throw together the background for our ocean born dragon man, until then what would you make.

Kobold

Lawful Neutral

Male
Nationality: Born At Sea

Age: 16
Height: 3'0"
Weight: 30 lbs.

Str 8

Dex 13

Con 13

Int 9

Wis 14

Cha 14

Homeland: Unusual Homeland - Sea
Parents: Both of your parents are alive.
Siblings: You have 2 biological siblings.
- biological older sister
- biological younger sister
Circumstance of Birth: [Left to Die] When you were born you were left to die, but by some twist of circumstance you survived.
Parent's Profession: Yeomen
Major Childhood Event: [Kidnapped] You were kidnapped at some point in your childhood. The kidnappers might have been pirates, slavers, thieves looking for ransom, a powerful guild seeking to blackmail your parents, a cult, and so on else. Before you were released, were ransomed, or escaped, you picked up on various aspects of the criminal underworld.

Influential Associate: [The Wanderer] You knew someone who traveled from place to place with the changing of the wind, such as a minstrel, convict, merchant, outcast, soldier, or sailor. This person brought you wondrous mementos and told you of all the places he had traveled and the people who lived there, inspiring a wanderlust within you.

Conflict: [Humiliation] You publicly humiliated or scandalized someone with either true or slanderous information.
Conflict Subject: Merchant.
Conflict Motivation: Jealousy.
Conflict Resolution: [Regret and Penance] Not only do you regret your action, but you have publicly admitted to it and did your best to make amends for the wrongdoing. Most know of the conflict’s details and those who don’t can easily find them out if they know where to look or whom to ask.
Deity/Religious Philosophy: Gozreh

Romantic Relationship(s): [Several Significant Relationships] You’ve engaged in a number of partnerships, but for some reason or another your relationships always fail.
Drawback: [Love] Your love for someone motivates you. When this person is in danger, you’re prone to feel weak, powerless, or angry.

Possible Traits

(Trait) Canter

(Trait) Courageous

(Trait) Kin Guardian

(Trait) Patient Optimist

(Trait) Savage

(Trait) Savanna Child

(Trait) Sea-Souled

(Trait) Worldly

(Story Feat) Arisen

(Story Feat) Liberator

(Drawback) Lovesick

Friday you’ll get to see what I can do with these stats, until then you can subscribe to this blog on the sidebar and get email notifications when new posts arrive, including the background. You can also follow me on twitter @SimonSezCRB for tweets about updates and the occasional random thought on gaming. And if my work excites your imagination you can show your support on my Patreon and help make being creative more sustainable for yours truly.

The Last Ride: Golarion's Horsemen

It’s Saturday and it's time to talk about a god. For those of you who haven’t been a part of my explorations into the religions of Golarion, here’s how it works:

Imagine, if you will, you're making a character for a group. Your only instruction is that you must be a worshiper of a specific god. You do not need to be a divine casting class, although you can be, but the party’s purpose is working toward the goals of this specific divine being. I'd like, not just a race/class combo, but a little bit about why the character would choose to dedicate themselves to this particular deity. Feel free to make up secret or not-so-secret orders within the church, or even sects outside of the church that you think might be interesting. With only this one piece of information that must be true, let your imagination go wild with the rest.

This week we’re doing a little something different. With all our talk about end-of-the-world prophecies on Wednesday, we’re going to look at the beings who personify the cataclysm and catastrophe that will arise in the final days. The beings that will ride the face of Golarion, turning it into wastes, and reveling in the death and slaughter. We will discuss the anthropomorphized eschaton, the four Horsemen of the Apocalyspe­—and no I don’t mean Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Ole Anderson and Tully Blanchard (Yes, that’s a wrestling reference. I’m a wrestler, so sue me).

Apollyon, The Prince of Locusts – Horseman of Pestilence

Apollyon’s Pathfinder Wiki page 

Apollyon’s Archives of Nethys Entry 

Charon, The Boatman – Horseman of Death

Charon’s Pathfinder Wiki page 

Charon’s Archives of Nethys Entry 

Szuriel, Angel of Desolation – Horseman of War

Szuriel’s Pathfinder Wiki page  

Szuriel’s Archives of Nethys Entry 

Trelmarixian, The Black – Horseman of Famine

Trelmarixian’s Pathfinder Wiki page 

Trelmarixian’s Archives of Nethys Entry 

Throughout history the horsemen have been depicted in many, many,  mediums. In Good Omens Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett modernized the Horsemen by portraying them as a biker gang. In Piers Anthony’s series Incarnations of Immortality, both Death and War aren’t so much horsemen as they are jobs held by people. Whether evil or just doing their job, the horsemen always bring death and destruction with them.

On Golarion the horsemen are Archdaemons, not to be confused with Demons, and rule over the desolate realm of Abbadon. The title of "Horseman" is transferable and can be usurped by upward-minded daemon harbingers. The positions bring with them power like that of a demigod and the ability to imbue their followers with small portions of this divinity. And with mortal lust for power being what it is, there are those who will flock to worship even these beings who personify their own end.

Although they do not technically have churches, or really any organized faith to speak of, the Horsemen are worshipped by no small number of creatures on Golarion. Some pay them their due out of fear of their own mortality. Others are hate-filled monsters who want nothing less than the total destruction of the world to ease their own pain. We're going to explore those who willfully dedicate themselves to the worship of these foul Archedaemons and comprise their dread cults.

Apollyon

The cults of the horsemen of pestilence usually come from the ranks of those who have either lost someone they love to, or themselves suffered from, the ravages of a foul disease. These demented souls are so full of hatred and anger that they turn to Apollyon and pray for him to inflict upon others the same illness they have been stricken with. Necromancers fascinated with diseases, plague born sorcerers and witches are very common among the worshipers of the Archdaemon of disease.

These cults tend to use sewers as their base of operations in larger cities. They often ally with wererats, or more rarely they become lycanthropes themselves in order to better spread the word, the will, and the plagues of their master. In some dark corners one might hear whispered rumors of a gathering of ghasts and ghouls who seek to serve Apollyon with the spread of their fevered, diseased touch.

Charon

Death is death. Whether the cause be disease, war, or famine, it’s all still death and all things living will eventually find themselves in Charon’s icy embrace. Charon’s main sphere of influence, however, is death by old age. Many of his supplicants have lost a loved one who has been ravaged by the passage of long, hard years. Some have seen their children perish before them and, in their bitterness, wish a similar pain upon others. Almost all seek to find a way to lengthen their stay on Golarion, and undeath is one of the most common routes to this goal.

One of Charon’s largest cults is actually a group of forlorn elves. Born into a world with few of their kind, they’re forced to watch the shorter-lived races around them die. Watching generations of humans wither away was not easy on them. Even with the return of their kin, not all of these elves managed to retain their sanity.

Calling themselves “The Ageless”, they are masters of necromancy and alchemy. The elves have a specific focus on accelerating the aging process. They especially love to use their abilities on their kinsmen which returned to Golarion in the Age of Enthronement. Those who did not have to live through death after death must be made to suffer by watching that which they love wither and die before suffering the same fate themselves.

Szuriel

Szuriel’s followers live for the blood and thunder of battle—the bigger the better. Although many of his followers are warfighters themselves; anti-paladins, holy warriors, savage brutes and the like, the Angel of Desolation needs those who can cause wars and not just fight in them. The horseman of war finds followers among the aristocrats, politicians, and diplomats who can force their people onto the battlefield. One misstep of language can cause entire countries to field mass armies, and Szuriel’s followers have a penchant for the misspoken word.

In darkened backrooms, his minions can be found engineering enmity and planning the calendar of carnage. These wealthy warhawks make and spend fortunes trading in the secrets of their homelands to make sure other followers can keep their countries geared up for war. National interests mean nothing to the worshipers of Szuriel, watching their countrymen die in droves elevates both them and their Archdaemon master.

Trelmarixian

The horsemen of war is not the only one of the Archdaemons whose worshiper base moves outside the realm of cultists. Trelmarixian is considered to be a part of the Kobold pantheon as well as a member of the four horsemen. Although he does still have cults among the more civilized races, his kobold followers could actually be called an organized religion.

Kobolds are known for their ravenous appetites, although perhaps a little less so than goblins, but food is not always readily available for the little dragonmen. In times of great hunger the priests of Trelmarixian urge their brethren to steal food from the more civilized races. This Kobold-made destruction of crops, when allowed to get out of hand, can mimic the effects of a food shortage brought on by drought.

The Kobolds who truly dedicate themselves to Trelmarixian do not consume more than the most basic amounts of food needed to sustain them. The priests are known for their emaciated bodies, ribs showing through dry, cracked, leathery skin. This self-imposed fasting is considered to be a worthy sacrifice for the powers granted by their Archdeamon lord.

Grand Conclaves

On very rare occasion the followers of all four horsemen will gather. These conclaves are often followed by a great period of mass destruction in a region. Plagues of vermin will sweep across the land, crops not eaten by the locusts will wither and die, and the populace will fall to bickering and fighting until no option is left but all-out war. Recent memory hasn’t seen such a thing, but ancient texts suggest that it has happened in the past and the followers of any goodly gods would be wise to remain vigilant for any sign of these apocalyptic grand conclaves. 

And there you have the cults of the four horsemen. Who are your flag bearers of the apocalypse? Death, War, Pestilence or Famine, what character would you make?