The Intricate World Building of Curse of the Crimson Throne

Curse of the Crimson Throne is an adventure path for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. It takes place in the city of Korvosa, a sprawling metropolis in the fantasy world of Golarion. The adventure path is spread across multiple books, each containing a different part of the storyline. The story revolves around the rise of a tyrannical queen and the rebellion against her rule. The players take on the role of heroes who must navigate the dangerous political landscape of Korvosa and uncover the secrets behind the curse that plagues the city. The curse, known as the Crimson Throne, is said to bring doom and destruction to anyone who sits upon it.

Condemned by a history of horrors, an army of the living dead stands between Korvosa and its only hope for salvation. Within the grim fastness of haunted Scarwall, the lifeless legions of the ancient warlord Kazavon guard the same accursed halls they've stalked for more than 700 years. Crossing a forsaken land to reach the infamous citadel's dreaded gates, the PCs must explore the foul castle's haunted halls, contend with otherworldly terrors, and purge the taint of Kazavon's final days before having any of finally breaking the Curse of the Crimson Throne.

Crossing a forsaken land to reach the infamous citadel s dreaded gates, the PCs must explore the foul castle s haunted halls, contend with otherworldly terrors, and purge the taint of Kazavon s final days before having any of finally breaking the Curse of the Crimson Throne. Within the grim fastness of haunted Scarwall, the lifeless legions of the ancient warlord Kazavon guard the same accursed halls they ve stalked for more than 700 years.

The curse, known as the Crimson Throne, is said to bring doom and destruction to anyone who sits upon it. Throughout the adventure, the players will encounter a variety of challenges and enemies. They will explore the city's seedy underbelly, encounter rival factions vying for power, and face off against dangerous enemies including assassins, undead creatures, and powerful spellcasters.

Pathfinder Adventure Path: Curse of the Crimson Throne (PFRPG)

The kings and queens of Korvosa have long ruled under the shadow of the Curse of the Crimson Throne—an infamous superstition claiming that no monarch of the city of Korvosa shall ever die of old age or produce an heir. Whether or not there is any truth to the legend of the curse, Korvosa's current king is but the latest victim to succumb to this foul legacy. Now, the metropolis teeters on the edge of anarchy, and it falls to a band of new heroes to save Korvosa from the greatest threat it has ever known! This hardcover compilation updates the fan-favorite campaign for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, including new and revised content and nearly 500 pages packed with mayhem, excitement, and adventure!

This hardcover edition of Curse of the Crimson Throne contains:

• All six chapters of the original Adventure Path, expanded and updated for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.
• An in-depth gazetteer of the city of Korvosa as it exists under the rule of its new queen.
• An array of new rules options for characters, ranging from campaign traits to spells to magic items.
• An expansive appendix with statistics, descriptions, backgrounds, and rules support for the 12 most important NPCs in the campaign.
• A bestiary featuring nine monsters from the original Adventure Path making their debut under the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game rules.
• Dozens of new illustrations, never-before-seen characters, location maps, extensive new encounter locations, and more!

Pathfinder Society Roleplaying Guild Sanctioned Content
Curse of the Crimson Throne is sanctioned for use in Pathfinder Society Roleplaying Guild.

Other Resources: This product is also available on the following platforms:

Product Availability

This product is non-mint. Refunds are not available for non-mint products. The standard version of this product can be found here.

Are there errors or omissions in this product information? Got corrections? Let us know at [email protected].

See Also:

• Pathfinder (3,550)
• Paizo Inc (9,309)
• Gaming / Accessories / Software (66)
• Gaming / Roleplaying Games (12,517)
• Pathfinder / Adventures / First Edition Adventures / Adventure Finder / 1st Level (250)
• Sale

Average product rating:

Sign in to create or edit a product review.

The Gold Standard For Adventure Paths

This AP is widely considered one of the (if not THE) best Adventure Paths for good reason. It really is that good. Tons of really interesting NPCs and storylines. Lots and lots and lots of room for a GM to add their own touches. An excellent story that makes the PCs feel like heroes. Villains they really want to beat. Heck, it's even a good introduction to the pathfinder system and world.

Not only that, but since it's so popular, there's tons of advice about what changes to make, what to keep an eye on, and how to make changes that can improve it. This edition is a fantastic deal and an excellent campaign and I can't recommend it highly enough.

Frick it my review got deleted

I wrote fricking long review about great time I had with running the whole campaign(and post campaign) and then it got deleted by the fricking "too much backtracking" page dagnabbit

I'm not gonna write the entire thing again, so here is in short: This campaign has great recurring NPC cast(most of later APs have problem with introducing cool NPCs and then rest of books never mentioning them again), great themes, great villains, Kazavon's awesome hair, allows multiple approaches to different situations(such as infiltrating with sneaking or talking through places instead of just fighting through them. Kinda reminds me of Deux Ex computer games in a way), awesome locations, awesome post campaign potential and is one of my favourite APs ever.

Good value, but some reservations

Short Version: A smart buy but held back by structural issues.

It's hard to get better adventure value for your dollar than this or the Rise of the Runelords collected edition. If I were reviewing on that alone, this would be 5 stars and then some. But there's more to an adventure than that.

The AP's hook is quite good, but almost immediately discarded in favor of saving the city. This can be helped a good session 0, but still feels artificial.

Even looking at the new plot, many elements feel shoehorned in. People point to volumes 4 and 5 for this, but there are sections in 2 that exist only to kill time as the plot advances and an entire dungeon in 3 that is cool but can seem forced if the players don't kick in the door right away. Any of these alone would be fine, but each makes the next more obvious.

That being said, there's a lot of cool stuff going on here, it just takes at least a star's worth of work to stitch it together.

3.5 vs. Pathfinder comparison!

I´m gonna list the differences between the original AP#7s chapters and it´s adaption into the hardcover edition:

Inside front cover:
The "Korvosan Hierarchy" overview is not reprinted.
Part 1:
The illustration on page 6 is exchanged for a cartoony new one on page 12 of the HC.
Page 10 of AP#7 has a map where the 8 locations in Korvosa that are important for book 1 are marked and named. This map is reprinted on page 400 of the HC but that one shows ALL important locations of the campaign at once, marked with letters and numbers.
"Lamm´s Lambs" stats are upgraded to young human on page 18 of the HC.
"Yargin Balko" now has a full body illustration instead of an upper body one. "Hookshanks Gruller" gets a full body illustration. "Giggles" gets a fbi. "Gaedren Lamm" gets a fbi.
Part 2:
King Eodred Arabasti gets a head illu. "Imps and Dragons" gets an illustration. "Meet the mob" gets a "Amin Jalento" head illu and his battle stats.
Part 3:
The illustration of "Sabina Merrin" on page 25 is not reprinted (she gets a new one on page 455).
Part 4:
"Cressida Croft" gets a head illu (and fbi on page 443). The Queens gets a new veiled head illu (the old one is more mysterious). The "renegade guards" stats in "All the Worlds Meat" get new stats. "Verik Vancasterkin" is upgraded from fighter 3 to fighter 4.
Part 5:
The "Ambassadors Secret" gets a new head illu. The fbi of "Vencarlo Orisini" from page 34 is not reprinted. The fbi of "Devargo Barvasi" on page 37 is replaced with a new one that is very much less impressive. He is upgraded from rogue 4 to rogue 5. "Majenko" is changed from pseudodragon to house drake. The illustration on page 41 is replaced with a new one (page 57). Both are equally creepy.
Part 6:
The "Trinia Sabor" fbi from page 43 is not reprinted (she gets a new look on page 460, but the old one is flashier). She is upgraded from bard 4 to bard 5. "The Shingle Chase" gets a better illustration. Curiously it features the old flashier Trinia Sabor outfit instead of the new.
Part 7:
The Owlbear skeleton gets gorgeous art on page 59 of the HC. The cool illustration on page 52 is replaced by a cool new one on HC page 61.
Cabbagehead´s head illu is replaced by a fbi. The "Gaekhen" head illu is not reprinted. "Vreeg" gets a much better new fbi.
Concluding the adventure:
The famous "green dress Illeosa Arabasti" illustration from page 56 (on which the first miniature is based) is NOT reprinted!
The Blackjack illustration from page 57 is replaced by a much better one on HC page 67.
Appendixes:
The 4 page Harrow article is updated to a 14 page one!
The 8 page "people of the road" article about varisians is not reprinted.
The 6 page Pathfinder´s journal is not reprinted.
Bestiary:
The illustration of the "Dream Spider", the only creature that hasn´t been adapted to a Bestiary yet, is not reprinted from page 82 but it´s stats are.
Inside back cover:
The "Korvosas enemies" overview is not reprinted.

While the new edition HC is better overall and everything needed for playing the campaign is included, updated and streamlined, quite a few cool things are left out.
I´m glad i got the original AP #7 too.

Even better than the original

Read my full review at Of Dice and Pen.

It was perhaps inevitable that Curse of the Crimson Throne would one day also receive a similar treatment to Rise of the Runelords. There’s no special anniversary to celebrate this year, but does there really need to be? Much like its Runelords predecessor, the new hardcover compilation of Crimson Throne updates the adventure path to Pathfinder rules and also expands on the story where beneficial and streamlines in other areas. It also takes advantage of the most recent rules supplements, making use of newer monsters, classes, and feats where appropriate.

At nearly 500 pages in length, it is actually a substantially larger tome than the hardcover Runelords (a good 50 pages or so longer), and its extra length is certainly put to good use. Indeed, it manages to make one of the best adventure paths even better.

(4 of 6): In order to save their city from an evil queen, the heroes must venture into the savage Cinderlands and learn the ancient secrets of the barbarians who live there—and who would like nothing more than to see Korvosa wiped off the map. Also includes an ecological overview of the Cinderlands, as well as the trials and traditions of its people, the Shoanti. Plus an uncomfortably close look at an orc war in the Hold of Belkzen in the Pathfinder's Journal!

As the players progress through the adventure path, they will have the opportunity to make choices that will impact the outcome of the story. They may choose to align themselves with the rebellion or attempt to seize power for themselves. Their decisions and actions will shape the fate of Korvosa and its people. Curse of the Crimson Throne is known for its immersive storytelling, complex political intrigue, and challenging combat encounters. It offers a mix of roleplaying opportunities, investigation, and tactical combat that will keep players engaged and on the edge of their seats. Overall, Curse of the Crimson Throne offers a rich and exciting adventure for players looking to delve into a world of politics, mystery, and danger. It is a highly acclaimed adventure path that has become a favorite among Pathfinder players..

Reviews for "The Artistic Design of Curse of the Crimson Throne"

1. John - 2/5 stars

I had high hopes for "Curse of the crimson throne," but I was thoroughly disappointed. The story felt convoluted and lacked a coherent narrative flow. The characters were one-dimensional and failed to elicit any emotional connection. Additionally, the pacing was incredibly slow, and it felt like the story dragged on unnecessarily. Overall, I found the book to be a tedious and underwhelming reading experience.

2. Rebecca - 2/5 stars

I found "Curse of the crimson throne" to be overly predictable and unoriginal. The plot twists were easily foreseeable, and the story failed to surprise or engage me. Furthermore, the writing style was mediocre and lacked depth. The author's attempt at creating suspense and tension fell flat, leaving me uninterested and detached from the narrative. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone looking for a thrilling or captivating read.

3. Ethan - 1/5 stars

"Curse of the crimson throne" was a total letdown for me. The characters were poorly developed and lacked any real motivation or depth. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, making it difficult to connect with the story. Additionally, the pacing was incredibly slow, and I found myself losing interest multiple times throughout the book. Overall, I found this novel to be a tedious and forgettable read, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone seeking an engaging fantasy tale.

4. Emily - 2/5 stars

I had high hopes for "Curse of the crimson throne," but unfortunately, it fell short. The world-building was lacking, and it felt like the setting was not fully realized. The descriptions were sparse, and I struggled to visualize the environments and locations. Moreover, the plot was convoluted and confusing, making it difficult to follow the story. The potential for an epic fantasy adventure was there, but it failed to deliver, leaving me disappointed and unsatisfied.

Exploring the Themes of Curse of the Crimson Throne