Canon The Red Revolution

Galt was once a nation renowned for free thinkers, brilliant poets, artists, and philosophers whose ideas shaped the politics of all Avistan [citation:1]. After the death of Aroden and the rise of House Thrune in Cheliax in 4640 AR, dissent began to bubble up in Galt [citation:1]. The people of Galt decided it was time to throw off the rule of infernal Cheliax and their own nobles who had colluded with them [citation:1].

The Red Revolution (often just referred to as "the Revolution") started in 4667 AR [citation:2]. A bloody rebellion followed in which many nobles lost their heads [citation:1]. The problem was the executions did not end the bloodshed — within five years, the severed head of the first government rolled down the steps of the guillotine [citation:1]. In the forty years since then, over a dozen governments have ruled Galt, rising and falling like the waves of a stormy sea [citation:1].

⚖️ The Final Blades

First commissioned by the original Revolutionary Council in 4667 AR, the final blades are magical guillotines that trap the souls of the executed to ensure no resurrection is possible [citation:8]. They are nearly indestructible artifacts with no known limit to the number of souls they can hold [citation:8]. Only Galt's executioners, the Gray Gardeners, know the ritual to release a trapped soul [citation:8].

Each final blade possesses a distinct appearance, and the citizens of Galt refer to them as if they possess personalities [citation:8]. For instance, when discussing a condemned prisoner, someone might comment, "He'll join Bloody Jaine before the sun sets" [citation:8].

Canon Hosetter — The Philosopher Who Ignited the Revolution

Hosetter's writings increased the dislike of Imperial Cheliax and spread dissent across Andoran and even into the heartland of Cheliax itself [citation:1]. Along with fellow philosopher Darl Jubannich (the poet of Woodsedge who published On Government), Hosetter helped form the first Revolutionary Council after the overthrow of the Chelish-backed Galtan government [citation:9].

In what is indicative of the blood-thirsty madness that has gripped all of Galt, Hosetter was later executed by the final blade known as Razor Jenni — which now sits in the centre of the Torvin Academy's once elegant quadrangle [citation:5]. His soul is still said to reside within the guillotine [citation:8].

🔗 Campaign Connection — The Boarwood Covenant

• Hosetter's Lost Manuscripts: The party may need to recover fragments of Hosetter's writings about "oaths that bind beyond mortal memory" — directly connecting to the covenant's history.
• Razor Jenni: The final blade in Edme's Torvin Academy holds Hosetter's soul. Freeing him could provide crucial knowledge about the Fourth Seat.
• The Torvin Academy: Now a political prison, it may hold records of the covenant's original architects.

Canon The Red Raven — Edme's Guardian

Aric (his real name) began his thieving career long before the Red Raven became a cult hero [citation:14]. He found the red cape in a wizard's rubbish in the town of Woodsedge [citation:14]. The cape saved his life more than once, and the reputation of the Red Raven soon outstripped Aric's actual abilities as a thief [citation:14].

Today, the Red Raven primarily commits daring thefts against the wealthy that help his image as a hero of the downtrodden [citation:14]. Folktales paint him as a criminal who strikes only against arrogant nobles and corrupt merchants — though in reality, he is not so concerned about corruption as he is about money [citation:14]. Often his crimes, rather than helping the poor, only serve to increase tensions between the rich and the poor [citation:14].

🏙️ The Raven's Roost — Edme

The Red Raven has taken up residence in Edme, where he tries to protect its citizens from the chaos of Galt's endless revolution [citation:14]. He earned his large estate in recognition for solving the murder of a nobleman who previously owned it [citation:14].

Due to continued disease and pestilence in the surrounding countryside, food has become scarce in Edme [citation:14]. This has led ordinary citizens to turn on each other in search of food, leading to widespread banditry and looting [citation:14]. Despite his best efforts, Edme continues attracting criminals from all over Galt [citation:14].

🔗 Campaign Connection — The Boarwood Covenant

• Act 1 — The Forest That Judges: The Red Raven encounters the party in the Deep Boarwood, tracking the Gray Gardeners. He is morally complex — a former revolutionary seeking redemption.
• Potential Ally or Rival: He may use the party to further his own agenda — protecting Edme's innocents or undermining the Revolutionary Council.
• Moral Mirror: The Red Raven represents the tragedy of Galt — idealism corrupted by violence, and the difficulty of breaking the cycle of revolution.

Canon Edme — The Cradle of Revolution

Edme is a small city in the easternmost reaches of Galt, north of the Boarwood [citation:5]. Its population is approximately 13,600 [citation:5]. It was once a great center of learning, home to the prestigious Torvin Academy [citation:5].

📚 The Torvin Academy — From Enlightenment to Prison

Hosetter once served as dean of the Torvin Academy [citation:5]. In what is indicative of the blood-thirsty madness that has gripped all of Galt, he was later executed by the final blade Razor Jenni, which now sits in the centre of the academy's once elegant quadrangle [citation:5]. The Torvin Academy has been converted to serve as a political prison [citation:5].

Surgeon Erszebet Lavenza has taken up a position at the academy and uses the cadavers of those executed by the guillotine to create flesh golems for the Revolutionary Council [citation:14] — a grim example of how Galt's ideals have been twisted into horror.

🔗 Campaign Connection — The Boarwood Covenant

• Edme's Shadow: The Gray Gardeners' presence in the Boarwood is an extension of Edme's corruption. Refugees from Edme (like Ormand Vex) carry fragments of the covenant's history.
• Hosetter's Legacy: His writings on "oaths that bind beyond mortal memory" directly connect to the covenant.
• The Fourth Seat: The Gray Gardeners seek to fill the Fourth Seat with their own judgment — a grim echo of how Galt's revolution replaced one tyranny with another.