Way of the Wicked Book 1: Knot of Thorns – Evil Pathfinder Adventure Path (Levels 1-5)

Who This Appeals To

Way of the Wicked: Knot of Thorns is the ultimate adventure for players and Game Masters ready to flip the script and embrace villainy. If you've ever wondered what it's like to be the villain in an epic fantasy tale, to scheme and destroy rather than save and protect, this is your chance. Perfect for groups seeking a morally complex campaign where antiheroes become the protagonists, or for experienced players who want to explore the darker side of roleplaying with a structured, compelling narrative that rewards wicked deeds.

What Makes This the Definitive Evil Campaign

This is Book One of the complete "Way of the Wicked" adventure path, launching a 20-level journey of calculated villainy and revenge. You begin as condemned criminals branded for your wicked deeds and imprisoned in Talingarde's most brutal dungeon. In three days, you face execution. The kingdom thinks they've won. They're wrong.

The Kingdom of Talingarde represents everything noble, virtuous, and peaceful—which makes it the perfect target for your revenge. They burned you first with their judgment and brands. Now it's your turn to burn their insipid paradise to the ground. This adventure for 1st through 5th level villains provides the prison break, the initial schemes, and the foundation for a campaign of escalating wickedness that will ultimately bring a nation to its knees.

Features

• Complete adventure for 1st-5th level villainous characters
• Launch point for a full 20-level evil adventure path
• Detailed prison break scenario with multiple solutions
• Full-color art and maps by Michael Clarke
• Comprehensive gazetteer of noble Talingarde (your future victim)
• Expert advice for running successful villainous campaigns
• Rules and guidelines for creating wicked player characters
• Tactical options for evil parties with different playstyles
• Pathfinder Roleplaying Game compatible
• Written by Gary McBride

What You'll Experience

From the moment you wake in your cell with three days until execution, you'll feel the urgency and dark satisfaction of planning your escape and revenge. The adventure rewards clever thinking, ruthless tactics, and the kind of scheming that heroes would never consider. You're not saving the world—you're the threat the world needs saving from.

Game Masters receive comprehensive guidance on running evil campaigns that remain engaging rather than devolving into chaos. The adventure balances player agency with narrative structure, giving villains clear goals while allowing creative approaches to achieving them. The gazetteer of Talingarde provides rich detail about the kingdom you'll systematically destroy, making every victory feel earned and significant.

Players will create genuinely wicked characters using the included rules, then watch them grow from condemned prisoners to architects of a nation's downfall. The full-color maps and art bring the dark fantasy to life, while the tactical depth ensures combat and challenges feel as engaging as any heroic campaign.

Continue Your Path of Wickedness

This is just the beginning. Continue your villainous campaign with Way of the Wicked Book 2: Call Forth Darkness, Book 3: Tears of the Blessed, and the complete six-book series culminating in Book 6: The Wages of Sin. For more evil character options, explore Ultimate Evil or Agents of Evil.

Written by Gary McBride • Published by Fire Mountain Games