Fighting enemies for their lives can worry your players as-is, but when you give the enemies tactics that play to their advantages, your players might suddenly get much more concerned.
For example, Zombies or Ghouls shambling through a forest are resistant to some weapons and have lots of hit points, making them absorb a lot more damage than 'ordinary' enemies. But if you want to make them much more dangerous, hiding them in a swamp can be really worrying. As undead, zombies have no need to breathe, so they're able to hide motionless underwater, and if they drag their prey underwater, suddenly their foes are fighting more than just bunches of hit points, they're having to make Constitution saving throws to avoid drowning. You'll find this kind of attacker will terrify your players much more than just a foe with extra hit points. This can apply to other kinds of foes and environments as well- archers taking cover behind trees rather than fighting in the open, a dragon using its blindsight to hide behind a waterfall (or a lava-fall!), a Mind Flayer bringing hordes of Dominated peasants to protect itself from harm, and so on. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 30 September 2020. Sometimes you can hit a point where you're so wrapped up in "it must be proper" that it can seem hard to find inspiration. I'd encourage you to broaden your horizons and look outward, because sometimes the craziest stuff is literally just around the corner.
I'm not even going to get into weirdo conspiracy theory stuff which is absolutely rife with bonkers bizarro ideas, but looking at things which characters in your games or stories would find fascinating, or might be set-dressing for a dungeon like "there are pipes running up the walls and along the ceiling", and adding (or in the above case, just observing) strangeness to them. It follows that anyone building pipes would want to be able to differentiate what's in each one, and its direction of flow, but the way that they label these might be clear, occluded, or unconventional altogether. A water drop and an arrow might be obviously water, but what about what the water drop is red, or green? What about when it's a skull with lightning bolts, or a green snowflake? If the dungeon is a mad warlock's laboratory or something, the labels might be exciting or terrifying, but try to work out how that would even work. Where is the thing coming from? What does it go to ("giant mad science machines" is a good answer)? What does the extraction method involve? And in the pictured example, I have no answers. Do you know how rare it is for Google to say "no matches found" in 2020? Which all leads me unavoidably to the conclusion that my local shopping centre must be harbouring a coven of warlocks with an insane machine powered by ground-up babies! Not really, but it could definitely make for some interesting storytelling! Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 26 September 2020. As part four of our ongoing adaptation of Pathfinder's Kingmaker adventure path, today's post will deal with the culmination of the first book, and confronting the chieftain of the bandits, the mysterious warrior known as the Sun Lord!
The brutal survivor now known as the Sun Lord was raised in misery by his father, a cruel and misanthropic traveling druid who came to rule a group of wild and outlandish bandits. He was beaten often, and starved and thirsty most of his life, and learned cruelty and toughness at every step. When he became a man, he was visited by a Dream, a psionic vision wherein he was visited by a blindingly beautiful woman who left him a lock of her hair, and tod him to fight back. Filled with the anger, spite, rage, and vengeance that had built up over nearly two decades, he beat his father to within an inch of his life and brutally took control over the bandits. His power and rage quickly cowed other bandits nearby, and over the next dozen years, he became respected as well as feared, drifting south to the Verdant Belt. Here, in a ruin, he discovered the mask that now defines his life- a ceramic mask imbued with psionic enchantment allowing him to focus his battle-mind, and to move like dry lightning across the scrub. Once he placd this on his head, he assumed the identity of the Sun Lord, and has not removed it since, although his hopes of building an army worthy of challenging the Sorcerer-Kings have been undermined by his drunkenness and lack of any kind of discipline. His rage and combat prowess is certainly impressive to bandits, but he has no formal training or knowledge of how to organize people, and finds trying to run the camp very frustrating and challenging. His lieutenants, a trio of rough-and-tumble bandits each themselves in charge of a smaller gang, are important and control different parts of the camp and the Sun Lord's operations. These three are: * Akiros Ismort, an exiled former Templar. Akiros was exiled for having slain the husband of his lover in a fight, and fled the city of Tyr. While he has lived a rough life for several years, he yearns for civilized places and to be accepted again. His organizational skills are more useful than his combat prowess, to be honest. If he senses that the battle is turning against the Sun Lord, he will declare himself with the PCs, casting off his necklace and turning his mace on his former companions. * Auchs, a Tarek who escaped from a slave caravan years ago. A devout follower of priestly magics, he believes that the Sun Lord's father has marked his son as special, and listens to his commands. He is a skilled warior, and carries a clutch of javelins, attempting to pin foe down and then close to range. * Dovan from Nibenay, a tattooed half-elf with an obvious taste for pain and cruelty. He has a talent for manipulation, and had been planning to murder the Sun Lord and take his position with Auchs' help. The Sun Lord's Fort The fort is a run-down old stone fortress which once belonged to the city-state of Kalidnay, and was lost to the sands when the city-state ended abruptly. The bandits have made some ad-hoc repairs, but do not have the manpower or resources to properly restore it. The hillside at the front of the fort has a large tree which is the lair of a flock of Kestrekels, fed scraps by the bandits. They raise a racket if anyone approaches, and dive upon anyone who doesn't offer them food immediately, attacking as a swarm and tearing strips from anyone unlucky enough to draw their attention. The bandits are generally scattered about the fort, but will be roused to alertness by Akiros if the alarm is raised. If things are particularly dire, they'll unleash the Fordorran that was captured a few months ago, and set it on their attackers (replacing the Owlbear written into the adventure). The Sun Lord himself spends most of his time in his quarters, reeking of stale Broy (alcohol made of Kank honey) and Sapwine. A predator and terrorist of ruthless reputation, lately he's isolated himself, partaking in fewer raids and letting his lieutenants do his work for him. The flesh of his entire face is hideously scarred left by acid burns he suffered as the result of his father's torture. The Sun Lord, Bandit Captain Medium humanoid (human), Chaotic Evil Armour Class 15 (partial scale mail) Hit Points 78 (12d8+24) Speed 30ft. Str 16 (+3); Dex 16 (+3); Con 14 (+2); Int 12 (+1); Wis 9 (-1); Cha 13 (+1) Saving Throws Str +5, Dex +5, Wis +1 Skills Athletics +5, Intimidate +3 Senses passive Perception 10 Languages foul Common, Dwarven Challenge 3 (700xp) Rage. At the start of his turn, the Sun Lord can gain a +2 bonus to damage on melee weapon attacks for that turn, but attack rolls against him have advantage until the start of his next turn. Actions Multiattack. The Sun Lord makes three melee attacks with his whistling maces. Whistling Mace. Melee weapon attack: +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6+4) damage. Battlemind. The Sun Lord's wild talent is focused by his psionic mask, allowing him to predict opponents' movements and reactions. As a psionic bonus action, he can concentrate to gain advantage on melee weapon attacks until the start of his next turn. This ability refreshes after a short rest. Psychoportation. As a psionic bonus action, the Sun Lord can teleport up to twenty feet in a flash of light. Attack rolls made against him until the start of his next turn have disadvantage. This ability refreshed after a short rest. Reactions Brutal Critical. The Sun Lord rolls one extra weapon damage die when determining the extra damage for a critical hit with a melee attack. The Sun Mask which the Sun Lord wears is an ancient item bearing psionic enchantment, and allows him to use the Battlemind and Psychoportation powers. Anyone taking it from him can attune to the mask, and gain the powers themselves. In the fort's cellar, the Sun Lord's father, a decrepit and miserable old Druid by the name of Nugrah, dwells. He spends most of his time crafting twisted fetishes and haunting the darkened cellar. Although he has the power to heal wounds, most of the bandits avoid him unless they fear for their lives, terrified of the creepy old man. The bandits' substantial treasure can be found in the cellars, and might be highly useful to the PCs in establishing their own home in the Verdant Belt. Although the bandits are currently held together by a combination of greed and fear of their leader, they quickly rout if the Sun Lord is defeated, and flee into the wilds to be devoured by Anakores, Braxats, and the like. This does substantially make the Verdant Belt safer, but allows the PCs to explore more easily before moving on to the next adventure- Rivers Run Red. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 25 September 2020. Something important to think about when worldbuilding is cultural style- even big empires have regional variations, and the town just over the hill is always just a little different from the place you're familiar with.
So differences in dress, jewellery, makeup, and hairstyle can all be used to identify cultural values- hair tied to the right might mean "looking for a partner" but to the left might mean "recently widowed, please leave me alone". Knowing the differences in these styles, and what the unwritten but important rules are, can help to mark someone as being a local or a trespasser. So if you can, find some images like the ones above, and think about what these particular styles might mean (if they mean anything, other than self-expression). Another important thing to think about is the person's level of freedom of expression. In our real world, for example, laws or customs would often restrict what hairstyles a slave could wear. This means that people whose ancestors were enslaved are fiercely protective of their freedom in this regard, and will find anyone outside of family and close friends even touching their hair to be a grave affront. For cultures where some kind of similar effect exists, like Dwarves' beards, it may be useful to consider why it is that they find trespass to their beards so important. (Be careful when drawing a parallel like this, however, as you do not want to disrespect the lived experience of any of your own players or friends) I vividly recall reading a book about ancient Greece as a child, and finding a picture something like this depicting the various dress and hairstyles of the period, as seen in sculptures and paintings of the time. To this day, I find this much more educational than just learning the heroic stories of the era, and I'm hoping you can learn something similar from it, too! Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 24 September 2020. This powerful bardic spell burns an individual's memory into the world, that all will remember them in a particular way.
Memoriam 7th-level enchantment (ritual, Bard spell) Casting Time: 10 minutes Range: Universal Components: V, S, M (a dead body) Duration: Permanent With this spell, you attempt to reshape the collective memory of the entire world, affecting all living beings and affecting how they recall another being who has died. The being's body is consumed with this spell, leaving them unable to be raised or resurrected. The spell applies against all living Dragons, Fey, Giants, and Humanoids alive in the world, causing them to remember the deceased in a particular way, if they remember the deceased at all. This can cause them to remember someone as a hero, a villain, or erase them from memory altogether. This can affect memories of up to one year ago, permanently altering their memories of the deceased and causing them to be remembered in a very different way. Its mind fills in the gaps in the details of your description. If the spellcasting ends before you have finished describing the modified memories, no memories are altered. Otherwise the modified memories take hold when the spellcasting ends. A modified memory doesn't necessarily affect how a creature behaves, particularly if the memory contradicts the actual behaviour of the deceased. This may cause some confusion, and if written history contradicts their new memories, they may find this challenging and confusing. A creature whose new memories come at odds with the actual history must make a Wisdom saving throw against the spell's saving throw. If it knew the deceased personally, it gains advantage on the saving throw. On a successful saving throw, they become Stunned for one round, and can then recall elements of the truth. Any dead (or undead) creatures are unaffected by this spell and do not have their memories modified. At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 7th level or higher, you can alter memories of the deceased of events that took place up to 10 years ago (7th level), 100 years ago (8th level), or an time in the past (9th level). How you can use Memoriam in your game: - This spell can be used to redeem the memory of a villain who has proven a streak of heroism at the last moment, making them able to be remembered more kindly. - This spell may have been cast before the campaign even began, meaning someone remembered as a villain may have been much more of a hero than they are remembered to be, or perhaps the reverse. - Undead creatures being immune to the spell may mean that their recalled memories are vastly different. This also applies to those who were dead at the casting of the spell, so anyone resurrected, raised, or reincarnated since may be confused by the varying accounts recalled. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 23 September 2020. Eric vanDorne, known by the handle 'Complex', is a slick, smooth Eurosolo.
Clad in the highest of fashions, and feted by the social elite, this well-renowned Solo slays in the streets and the nightclubs with equal skill. His parties are legendary, his deeds in combat even more so, and his easy-going and confident manner has offended more than one Solo with a monomolecular axe to grind. The tabloids tell that his story is being optioned for a three-movie series, in black and white, of course. It is whispered that he trained with some of the legendary Angels of Euro Crystal Palace, in L5 orbit, and that he is being fast-tracked for membership himself. He is spending some time outside of Europe to hone and test his skills, and so far, they are not being found lacking. Statistics: As a Eurosolo, Complex's skills are highly respectable, and his Humanity is near-impeccable. He has the best of everything- tailored fashion, custom-made equipment, and a well-oiled support squad running electronic and physical overwatch. He often works alone, and bristles at working with 'common street trash'. He usually runs with Skinweave and Subdermal armour, as well as Black Ops-grade reflex boosters. He prefers Belgian-manufactured firearms, with concealed smartlinks. How you can use Complex, Eurosolo in your games: - Complex might be hired to work with the PCs in a Cyberpunk game. Those who uncivilized will find the slick and polished Eurosolo abrasive and disdainful, but those who appreciate his skill might earn a rare smile and the glory that being in his aura conveys. Or if their usual security has been trashed, a powerful target might spend up big and hire Complex to take out their opposition. - Those who have worked with Complex before might be uncomfortably asked for help if the professional warrior has somehow gotten into trouble bigger than he can handle alone. He's had trouble with breakups in his support squad before, and if his usual support network has been compromised, he might need unlikely allies. - People who have done Complex a favour will be owed by someone who very well might end up among the top 1% of the top 1% of the industry. Such a favour could be very useful if the PCs find themselves in deep trouble- an orbital-striking squad of utterly lethal badasses pulling your butt out of the fire, even once, is a glorious thing to behold. Or the favour might even just be a connection- putting the PCs in the same room as someone they need to talk to can be incredibly valuable. Today, the Game Masters Stash group are playing a game of Cyberpunk 2020- and this is my character. I'm hoping things will be fun! Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 19 September 2020. Part 3 of the ongoing Sorcerer-Kingmaker adventure path adaptation deals with a few sections: The Thorn Ford bandit camp, the Gith Lair, and the Sootstripe Halfling tribe.
The Thorn Ford Bandit Camp Part 2 dealt with the larger Verdant Belt area, and included several areas that forded or crossed the silt shallows. The Thorn Ford bandit camp is one such of these, cut out of thick thorny growth and the secure rest for Happs' buddies, as well as his second-in-charge Kressle, a scrappy and dangerous escaped gladiator who fights with a pair of bone wrist razors. She is backed up by a disparate group of 4-8 bandits, using javelins, dejadas, and stone knives. Their treasure consists of a variety of ceramic and silver coinage, some jewelery, a carved wooden music-box, some crates of animal hides, and a crate of valuable liquor siezed for the Sun Lord himself. If given the opportunity, the bandits will talk about their boss, a hardened man who's an absolute monster in combat. People have seen him block blows that no-one saw coming, sieze the blade of a spear between his palms, and that he runs an old fort near the north shore of the Tusksilts. They might even share the passphrase, which is "By the bloody bones of Gilmorg, who wants to know"". They're scared of him, but they also respect his power, and they're also afraid of the creepy old man kept down under the fort. The Gith Hive Looming over all the hills in the northern Kamelands is an ancient and colossal baobab-type tree, visible for miles around. Its gnarled roots hide the lair to a hive of Gith which plague the area, and have long been at war with the Sootstripe Halfling tribe who live about 12 miles to the south. There are about 31 Gith living here in total, all combat-effective, although not all of them are present at once. Recently, the Gith stole a tribal relic of the Sootstripe halflings for the third time in as many months. It is an unusually common sight to find dead and stripped halflings and Gith in between their various locations, slain by one another and looted thoroughly. The caverns beneath the old tree are winding and narrow, and any attacks with reach weapons, or opportunity attacks, have disadvantage. The Gith craft all sorts of horrid traps, including shaved thorn caltrops, springy roots with sharp stone blades mounted into them, and small ceramic pots of centipede-scent, which will almost instantly (within 1 minute or so) draw attention from any of the creatures nearby. While they use several within their dingy hive, they craft many more here for use in the wastes. In the hive can also be found a captured Sootstripe halfling named Mikmek, who was captured perhaps a week ago and has been tormented, starved, and poked with sharp sticks for fun, along with three of his (now dead) companions. Mikmek only speaks a little of the Common tongue, and in broken tongue will explain that he was caught trying to rescue the tribal relic. If handed a weapon (or allowed to pick one up from the ground), he will be a loyal companion to the PCs, at least until they reach the chieftain of the Sootstripes later. In the middle of the hive is a great chasm where a vast centipede dwells, bridged by knotted roots and vines. The Gith gleefuly clamber between them, whooping and hollering, but PCs are likely to have difficulty navigating this with any speed. In the depths of the hive can be found a war-room containing the Gith war-leader, Grabbles, who is skilled in combat and with psionic powers. This room holds the halflings' relic, a masterfully-carved wooden statuette referencing dozens of their shared tribal legends. The Sootstripe Tribe The Sootstripes, a tribe of halflings who make their home here in the Verdant Belt, tattoo a black stripe across their eyes. They have been losing members of the tribe to the Gith attacks and bandit attacks, and cannot afford to fight another war against colonizers. Chief Sootstripe is engaged in a political struggle with Tartuk, a halfling who fled from a death sentence in Raam due to being caught engaged in several criminal enterprises at once, and has been making a living drifting from tribe to tribe before he can be caught, selling some into slavery and setting others at war with forces they cannot hope to win against. He has been manipulating the Sootstripe tribe for the past few years, and although they are growing suspicious of him, they care enough about their tribal traditions that they haven't gone against him yet, although there is definite tension in the tribe. All in all, the tribe is down to about 20 living members, and are desperate for new blood and some peace. If the PCs can offer some of those, Chief Sootstripe is more than happy to make an alliance with them. Tartuk has some minor psionic talents, but is an experienced alley-knife and social manipulator. He has suborned several of the Sootstripe halflings to utter loyalty to him, and even returning the relic to Chief Sootstripe will cause a violent struggle between the factions. The tribe's treasure consists of a wealth of coins, seven doses of Oil of Impact, a pair of Boots of Sneaking, and a soiled leather pouch containing the treasure stolen from the Gith, including Svetlana's ring. Once these areas have been dealt with, the PCs have the opportunity to have gained some clues about their enemies, dealt with some dangerous pests, and made some allies, leaving them in a good situation to take on their next target- the Sun Lord himself. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 18 September 2020. Aynikamol, the Divine Dark, is a quiet goddess who comforts those who give her offerings. She brings peace, quiet, and pitch-black in times of noise and anger. In her faith, she was the mother of all other gods, and her time was that before all humanity, when creation started. Night is a sacred time for her people, and closest to the Beforetime, when you can glimpse the still quiet that existed before the world. Those who serve Aynikamol do not proselytize on street corners, they merely serve, bringing peace and quiet into the world for everyone.
Aynikamol's faith is a Neutral and faintly Good one, which requires only faithful and helpful service to others. When called to appear, she seems more of a darkening or shadow in the rough shape of a horned woman, her cloak spread with stars. She does not speak, and noise in her areas softens, to the loudest explosion sounding like a footfall. Her smile Calms Emotions (DC 25 to resist) on any creature she looks at. How you can use Aynikamo in your games: - A Player Character might choose to serve the Divine Dark, having grown up or converted to the faith. It is not a glorious faith, but one that grants peace in the heart of its followers. Their aims are to benefit society without anger or vitriol, just serving in peace. - The last priest of Aynikamol in the city comes to the PCs, begging for aid. He has heard that a murderer stalks the streets of the gods, killing those who are the last servants of their faith and savouring the despair of their now-forgotten gods. He does not beg for help for himself, but for others who will suffer at the murderer's hands. - This post is (very loosely) based on Uzbek tradition, and there are interesting litle tidbits you can create just about anything out of, if you know about them. Ask around, follow strange Facebook groups, and see what inspirations you can find! Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 17 September 2020. An alliance of wicked-hearted outcasts and ruthless misfits, the Dishonoured are a trio of sorcerers who long to re-envision the world as they see it. While each is a powerful spellcaster in their own right, when united they are all but unstoppable. Together they rewrite reality and unmake all that is, bypassing, ignoring, or downright breaking the established Weave of Magic to do the unthinkable.
It is said that the vastness of the Nongane Reach was once a forest hosting a flourishing kingdom, until its ruler was rude to the Dishonoured. The story goes that the mountain that now sits at the centre of the reach used to be a moon, and was pulled down from the sky by the Dishonoured in trio, devastating the land, changing the tides, and slaying the forgotten Moon Goddess who lived there. Now, the trio makes their home there, atop their greatest achievement, where they can expirement with their magics to their withered hearts' content. Statistics: The Dishonoured are a trio of Neutral Evil Liches making their home together. Each was a 21st-level Sorcerer in life, and their magic now has grown to be unthinkably powerful. It is only their absent-minded fixation on new kinds of magic that keeps the world safe from the trio, and unless something powerful enough to catch their attention happens, things will likely stay that way. Their trademark scarlet robes and masks made of solid bone are told of in childrens' fairytales, and those even glimpsing them are likely to be struck in hesitation. How you can use the Dishonoured in your game: - If a magical incident occurs, one of the Dishonoured might make a terrifying appearance to investigate. Just drifting through an area, and terrifying or paralyzing those who try to bar its way, should be enought to convince player characters that this creature is not to be trifled with. Any who actually draw its ire are likely to be disintegrated effortlessly. The lich is unlikely to go to all-out batle if threatened, it having been decades since they were even attacked by any kind of opponent. - It is said that the Dishonoured bear individual monikers- The Outcast, The Tormented, and The Omen. None living can speak of them in any other name, although this magic only affects the living. One who has passed beyond death (resurrected, spoken to from beyond the veil of death, or perhaps one who has left a message before their death, might be able to have left clues to their true identities- and the weaknesses which that conveys. Someone learning this secret might even become hunted by the Dishonoured, drawing their ire for having the temerity to possess forbidden knowledge. - It may be that the Dishonoured are working on some great magical work, something that far eclipses their previous devastation of the Nongane Reach. Representatives from an unlikely alliance of nations, each with their own agendas and biases, have been tasked with journeying to the lair of The Dishonoured to bargain, interrupt, or destroy them. This could be the start of a higher-level campaign, or the PCs' adventuring party might be joined by an array of other champions for this purpose. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 16 September 2020. Forgedhounds, an offshoot of Warforged technology, created unique, individially machined constructs with a modicum of intelligence, and excess of animation, and cool, logical, souls. They are highly-valued as curiosities, although there are rumours that some have weapons installed within them for unorthodox assassination attempts.
Statistics: Forgedhounds operate much like Eberron's Iron Defenders, and roughly similar to an actual dog, but weight at least twice as much due to their metal manufacture. All Forgehounds have the ability to piston their rear legs, forcing them into someone and generally knocking them over. Some rare items have poisoned needles or a pump fitted with pressurized Alchemists' Fire installed within their faces, for direct access to a victim. How you can use Forgedhounds in your game: - A Forgedhound might fall from a passing skyship high overhead and wreathed in flames, allowing an enterprising young artificer to repair and keep the creature, growing more fond until they discover that their 'hound has more secrets than they knew- and that the original owners deperately want it back. - A noble estate might have a fleet of motionless Forgehounds flanking their gardens, a warning and demonstration of their wealth and ruthlessness. - Warforged might feel oddly about Forgedhounds- they generally lack the soulspark that gives them true animation, and whether that makes them more, or less, worthy of liberation may be a matter for spirited debate. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 12 September 2020. Part Two of converting the Pathfinder: Kingmaker adventure path to Dark Sun for 5th edition D&D. As always, let me know if I've goofed, or if you there's something specific you want to see!
In my last post, I left off at the end of Part One of Stolen Land, with the PCs having just dealt with a small grou of bandits. From here, the options open up, and the PCs have a larger area of the Stolen Lands opened up to explore, this area being the Verdant Belt (I can't resist the callback to Troy Denning's The Verdant Passage, and it fits "the Greenbelt" just so perfectly). I think it's best if we assume that the Verdant Belt is an area with some scrubby vegetation, and a few trees- not the full-on rainforest of the Forest Ridge, but still a fertile place that's quite desirable to settle in. If there are settlers following the PCs by a few days or weeks, this gives them a good place to have other members of their 'character tree' - replacement or alternate characters who can substitute in if one of them is killed, or ends up not being what makes someone happy to play. I'll go location-by-location: A. Oleg's Trading Post: We briefly touched on this in the last post- it's a smallish trading post, probably a one or two-storey adobe building with some light walls and stable for a few kanks. With the immediate threat of Happs and his bandits gone, the trading post is likely to start expanding as more people come through the area. Jhod Kavken, who arrives after the PCs, is a elemental cleric of Earth who arrives after the PCs, seeking some moral calm after lynching someone who accidentally turned out to be a Defiler. He might ask the PCs to seek out and clear the Temple of the Rock Drake, later. B. Warrior's Cairn: This cairn once housed a powerful lieutenant of one of the Champions of Rajaat, dating back to the Cleansing Wars. Their body bears a ring of life-shaped wood, but nothing else about the body is usable- the armour has long sinc rotted away, and only a few flakes of rust hint that they were once honoured enough to be buried with a metal weapon. C. Trap-filled gorge: A local wildlife trapper by the name of Breeg Orlivanch has littered this gorge with sharpened spikes made from bone and wooden poles tied together, as well as others hidden under the sand. D. Bokken's Hut: Bokken is a hermitic druid, one who would like to be left alone. So long as no-one is actively damaging his chosen lands, he suffers visitors, and might ask them to go and bring him Fangberries, so that he can craft better potion-fruits. He would like the Verdant Belt to become a safer place, and is happy to become a dependable source of potion-fruit in the region. E. Dead Trapper: Since faerie dragons aren't a thing in Athas, this gives a good opportunity to reinforce the world's deadliness. A nest of speckled Hurrum beetles (able to distract their prey with psionics) nearby the dead trapper might give PCs a hint of what caused Orlivanch to fall afoul of his own traps. F. Meenlock Nest: A pair of Meenlocks have a small nest high in a cactus grove here, replacing the faerie dragon Perlivash and the grig Tyg Titter-Tut. These are vicious predators that will steal from or harm the PCs a little at a time, and will attack or abduct a helpless PC if they ever have a chance, trying to drag them away to area O to transform them into more of their twisted kind. G. Cactus Grove: This grove of health cacti can be eaten for sustenance and absorbed water. A swarm of 3 Baazrags, stuffed to bursting with the moist flesh of the cacti, can be found here the first time the PCs arrive. While still dangerous, they're stuffed and have disadvantage on their attack rolls and saving throws. H. Centipede's Nest: This area, strewn with chewed and shattered bones, hiddes the lair of a gigantic centipede, about 20 feet long and able to lash out with incredible swiftness, carrying prey back into its deep hole. At the bottom is one of the Sun Lord's bandits, well-chewed but carrying a carved-bone emblem depicting his mask and with a scrawled map to the treasure buried in area M. I. Hot Springs: This area of sulfurous hot springs hosts a pair of warty-skinned giant frogs, with a psionic power to cause their victims to become incredibly thirsty. They prey on any creatures approaching the springs, hoping to drag them under the water and drown them. J. Temple of the Rock Drake: Surrounded by thorny growth for hundred of yards, the area is dominated by a boulder laboriously carved into the blunt likeness of a rock drake. Inside is a cleric of the elemental earth who desecrated the temple in times long ago, sacrificing the last of the elemental drakes and becoming a mutated elemental creature guarding this temple. If defeated, the pool of pure elemental dust can be used to treat wounds until the next sundown. Jhod Kavken might ask the PCs to clear the temple so that he can cleanse it and take up residence here. K. Bandit Camp: Detailed later. L. Gold Mine: This area can be used to set up a gold mine, which can be sent back to Tyr (or another city) to buy resources. Although gold is not a terribly useful metal on Athas, it is still valued for jewelery and decoration purposes, as well as forging magical items. M. Forgotten Cache: Here, one of the Sun Lord's bandits buried some treasure stolen from a Defiler they killed, before falling victim to the giant Centipede in area H. The treasure consists of a fine obsidian dagger, a bone ring (nice, but not magical), a wand of Burning Hands, and a spellbook with the rotted remains of several spells (which might allow a PC to learn the arts of arcane magic if they want to multiclass). N. Clear Pool: A small pool of pristine water seeps up from beneath the earth here, surrounded by lush vegetation. If the dangerous stranglevines are cleared away, the water can be drunk, and it is absolutely pure- those who drink it are fully refreshed, and gain inspiration, if they do not have it. However, the waters are muddied and consumed quickly, and so only about ten creatures can gain this benefit over the course of a month. After this, the water level has dropped down to below the ground, and the vegetation begins to wilt. Anyone Defiling this area will gain great benefit, but the spring will never flow again. It must be kept safe from desecration. O. Meenlock Lair: This area contains an old ruin in an area undermined by silt-flows and now fallen away. Here, a trio of Meenlocks have made their lair, and they transform any who fall into their grasp. P. Tuskgutter's Lair: Here, a vast Boneclaw Baazrag by the nickname of Old Tuskgutter makes its lair, isolated from others of its kind. The irritable beast attacks any creature that comes nearby, when it is not roaming the lands looking for a fight. Q. Rickety Bridge: The rickety bridge crosses a canyon thirty or more feet deep here, with near-sheer walls. Travelling out of the canyon requires travel of several miles in either direction, so the bridge is a valuable chokepoint. R. Gith Lair: This underground lair under a an ancient dead tress is infested by a tribe of Gith. This area is detailed in Section 4. S. Nettles' Crossing: Davik Nettles, once a ferryman who could convey travellers and bandits across the silt flats on his ferry, was murdered by the Sun Lord here and his hatred transformed him into a unique psionic undead creature. He can use his Levitate psionic power to float above the silt, and can be called by blowing one of the Inix horns at either end of the ferry-line. While maddened by hatred, he hungers for vengeance on the Sun Lord, and might be persuaded to spare and even assist the PCs in their journey. T. Dead Nightmare Beast: As a dead unicorn really doesn't fit Athas, I decided to go with something that can hint at the incredible power of Nyrissa, our 'campaign BBEG'. So a dead Nightmare Beast works well- it's spawned from new magic, something that didn't exist in the ancient times when Pyreen ruled the planet, and it's more evocative of how dangerous something must have been to overcome this creature the size of a Mekillot and clearly incredibly dangerous. However, that it's not rotting (in fact, having some grass growing from underneath its carcass might be weird enough to warrant investigation!), although one of its enormous tusks has been almost surgically sheared off should also draw some curiosity. This feels like enough of a clue to leave for later. U. Silt Crossing: This area has a known area of 'shallows' in the silt basins that criss-cross the Stolen Lands. However, these particular shallows are haunted by a pair of juvenile Silt Horrors- tentacled beasts that will attempt to drag down and suffocate any unwary adventurers. These are only small spawn, enough to bring down a human at their best. One of their previous prey was an adventurer and wanderer, whose pack contains a variety of gems and carved objects, as well as a valuable half-scale armour set and a map, tucked away in an old hollow bone tube, that can reveal some of the Stolen Land's secrets. V. Trapped Crodlu: A Crodlu has become trapped in a sinkhole here, and is exhausted and close to death from thirst. It will attack most creatures approaching, although the distance may allow a ranger or druid to befriend and free the poor animal. W. Fangberry Thicket: The thicket of Fangberries here are painful and difficult to harvest, but are also infested by several swarms of spiders, adding yet another hazard. The spiders are not harmed by the spines of the Fangberries due to their size, making them quite dangerous in this context. X. Silt Crossing: The silt basins come to a shallow area here, this one thankfully free of any Silt Horrors. Y. Halfling Village: This area is detailed in Part Five, but holds a small village of halflings who are at war with the Gith in Area R. They might be turned into allies (hopefully not slaves, unless you have some really nasty PCs). Z. Sun Lord's Fort: This area is detailed in Part Six. Tune back in next week for Part 3: The Bandit Camp! Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 11 September 2020. The Silver Blade is a legend of Freeport, a swashbuckling specter that cannot die, and a woman who brings violent justice to criminals and the corrupt. She laughs as she fights, and vanishes into the shadows, asking no reward for her deeds. It is said that she was wronged once, and fights for that wicked deed to be righted, no matter the station of her attacker.
Word on the streets says that she can appear and disappear in a flock of ravens, and wields a blade that flashes even in the dimmest light and can parry even the mightiest greatsword. Those who sleep on the streets speak of her kindness, and the contents of evildoers' purses find themselves redistributed to those who require the coin more urgently, which speeds word of wickedness to the Silver Blade's ears. How you can use the Silver Blade in your games: - The Silver Blade is indeed a mortal woman, but one who might aid adventurers if they fall afoul of Freeport's notorious criminal gangs, or its vastly more dangerous corrupt guards. She should seem a figure of unstoppable power, but one who can aid them in their time of need. - Adventurers who stay active in Freeport will quickly become aware of the vast bounty offered for the Silver Blade's sword and mask- a sum of ten thousand gold royals. This is beginning to draw even notorious (and allegedly reformed) pirates eager for the fortune, and bringing danger for the bold Silver Blade. She may call upon those who have worked at her side before if she is wounded or trapped. - Those who are trusted allies of the Silver Blade might learn her deepest secret- that she is no less than the wife of Governor Francisco, the most corrupt and wicked individual in the entire city. If he ever became aware of her identity, her life and those of her children would be at risk, and every weapon in the city would be turned against her. She would desperately need help- and the PCs may be just the ones who could aid her. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 10 September 2020. Tarthralloth, once a mortal mage-king, loved the worship of others. In death, he became one of the Ten Thousand Kings of Hell and is now worshipped in earnest as a fiendish patron. He is the Master of Malformation, given to whatever unstable mutations cross his mind at any moment, and able to change his form at only an idle thought.
Statistics: Tarthralloth is roughly equivalent to a Pit Fiend in power, able to use Shapechange every second round, with no concentration required. He shifts at every opportunity if possible, usually adopting the forms of bizarre and monstrous creatures. Those who swear pacts with Tarthralloth find that one of their fingers or toes becomes morphic, changing into a small and boneless tentacle-like appendage. They usually gain powers of shape-changing and disguise. How you can use Tarthralloth in your games: - The servants of Tarthralloth demand obedience as only their due, demonstrating their power at every possible opportunity. They are proud and powerful, and dangerous when threatened. They often try to sieze power in convoluted coups that dispose of all of their enemies at once, often becoming revealed if their plans are anything less than perfect. - Tarthralloth's realm is a place marinated in sorcery and as changeable as Tarthralloth himself. Those who journey into this realm find it a bizarre and confusing place, where the sky is filled with flying towers made of quicksilver one moment, and a howling blizzard of diamond rain the next. Those who would journey to beg a boon of the Devil King would be well-minded to ward themselves against any conceivable danger, and more. - Tarthralloth and his court war ceaselessly with the other Ten Thousand Kings of Hell- for each is nothing less than inferior to the might Master of Malformation. These plots often draw them into battles against one another, and his grandest plan is ever to eliminate them all. His infernal Lords smile at this plan, and merely pick new mortals to ascend to a throne on their death. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 9 September 2020. The Mace of the Ravager is a fabled weapon from times long past, a huge and terrifying mace with hooked flanges. Legend tells that it was used by the mightiest of the Giant Kings, one who ruled the entire world, and that no hide could withstand its blows.
Statistics: The Mace of the Ravager is so large and unwieldy that only a Large or bigger creature can wield it, and even then only two-handed. Its base damage is 3d8 magical bludgeoning damage, and a critical hit causes triple damage. How you can use the Mace of the Ravager in your games: - Rumours say that the Mace rests in the mouldering grip of the Giant-King who once wielded it, and the ribcage of the dragon he slew while holding it. The vault that holds themhas been reinforced and trapped to keep the weapon from emerging again- but a dedicated expedition might be able to uncover it. - Once word of the Mace spreads, the various prophets and would-be kings of Giantkind would go to all-out war to recover it, regardless of what humanoid defenses are in the way. Such an event might even unite the dragons against the giant nations, an event unheard-of for Ages. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 5 September 2020. A long-time friend of the page recently noted my Dark Sun-related posts and pointed me in the direction of Pathfinder's Kingmaker adventure path, which is based on the idea of the player characters venturing out into the Stolen Lands and founding their own kingdom. For this series of posts, I'll be working on posting an adaptation which I'm dubbing (for obvious reasons) Sorcerer-Kingmaker!
(I've not played Kingmaker before, and I'm muddling my way through for the first time, so feel free to let me know if I've missed something, or get something wrong.) The first adventure, Stolen Land, written by Tim Hitchcock, has an adventure summary that reads as follows: "The adventure begins with the PCs, each bearing a charter from the Lord Mayor of Restov granting license to explore and map the section of the Stolen Lands known as the Greenbelt, arriving at a small, remote trading post at the southern edge of rural Rostland. There, the PCs help defend the post from bandits before setting out to survey the wilderness. The rate at which the PCs explore the Greenbelt, and the paths they take, are up to them—many wonders and dangers await discovery, and as their explorations take them deeper into the Narlmarches and the Kamelands, the PCs begin to learn that the bandits in the region are far more organized than anyone thought—and find that they even have a leader, a mysterious figure called the “Stag Lord.” If allowed to continue building his army of bandits, the Stag Lord could well become a great danger to Rostland—that, and the reward on his head for his capture or death, should be all the new adventurers need to spur them onward." Overall Changes There's a lot here to work with, but the big changes will obviously have to be the setting- although a region on the south-western end of the Forest Ridge should be geographically distant enough and hard to reach that they're going to be pretty much on their own for a while. Since there are no stags in Dark Sun, replacing the bandit lord's identity will be necessary. Let's lean on the old Brom art used on the cover of Slave Tribes for nostalgic value, and call him the Sun Lord, with a mark depicting a radiant sun, and a pair of whistling maces. It's also probably important to note that while the adventure calls this area 'the Stolen Lands' and says it's inhabited by bandits, the colonial theme of '"retaking" land that once belonged to the nation doesn't work here, and the people living here are settlers themselves. This means that the PCs' mission is to seize and take settled lands, which, let's be honest, is a pretty garbage thing to do. They might be able to achieve this without full-on colonial invasion, and making the Sun Lord and his lieutenants a little tyrannical themselves can help to remove some of the power imbalance. It can also be useful to note Athas' resource scarcity, and Tyr's new status as a Free City means that its streets are becoming crowded with refugees and freed slaves, causing a great drain on the granaries and stored resources- options must be found, or people will be dying of hunger and thirst pretty soon! Having the PCs sent by the heroes responsible for Kalak's death, can tie them to the Free City, but perhaps King Tithian or some of the other factions are responsible for the other parties sent, meaning there's a common bond, but some rivalry. Part One: Oleg's Trading Post This part doesn't need much change- an isolated trading post with wooden (or similar) palisade walls, and beset by bandits, fits fine. You can mount the bandits on Kanks instead of horses with little difference, and have them hint at working for the Sun Lord. Happs is a desert-ranger turned bandit, and can even keep his longbow, focusing particularly on any Elf characters present. To be continued in Part Two. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 4 September 2020. Kephaloths are terrifying monsters of the black depths beneath the waves, their lower halves split into a writhing mass of tentacles, and their skull-like faces splitting to reveal toothed tripartite jaws like those of a snapping turtle. They are far from simple beasts, however, and have crafted weapons and armour of their own designs for war on the aquatic nations and indeed upon the surface as well.
Statistics: Kephaloths are Challenge rating 8 monsters, with impressive swimming skills and the ability to bite their opponents for savage damage. They can also exude a cloud of ink that poisons their foes as well as clouding vision, and have spellcasting powers as an 8th-level druid. How you can use Kephaloths in your game: - Kephaloths are terrible foes that sometimes take it upon themselves to take leadership of a kingdom of Sahuagin, often devouring the existing ruler to cement their power. They lead these bands to despoil nearby settlements for food and slaves, bearing them down to the depths in magical bubbles. - A single Kephaloth might lurk alone in a deep lake, threatening passers-by or villages with violence unless its demands are met. Some take to extorting large areas like this, unless someone can stop them. - It is even rumoured that a mighty Clave of Kephaloths exists in the abysses beneath the oceans, and that the ones which emerge are only the weakest of their kind. The contemplation of such a nation terrifies the surface in general, and is suppressed for fear that it might be real. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 3 September 2020. Local legend says that the world once used to possess an additional moon, centuries ago. In times gone past, it crashed to the earth, and only its crescent remains now, atop the mountain it struck. There, a brother and sister founded the city that bears their name- Brul Shain, the Crescent City. Its silver-tipped towers gleam in the fading sunlight, and it is known as a haven in the wilderness, a welcoming sign to all those who see it.
The city is built on a curious structure on top of a mountain, with great 'horns' of stone stretching up hundreds of feet into the sky. Today, its ruler stays secluded in the highest tower, and a merchant council takes care of day-to-day business. Its guards wear simple cloaks of brown, and bear spears and bows to defend the wilderness around. The city is truly welcoming to those from outside, but the trade roads go through dangerous expanses, making it hard to reach. How you can use the Crescent City in your game: - Traveling to the Crescent City can be a fraught journey, and seeing the skyline of Brul Shain in the distance can be a sign that safety is at hand. However, not everything may be as rosy as the legends suggest- outside forces are massing to attack the city, and newcomers may be the only ones who can be trusted, if the forest guard have been corupted. - Deep into the mountain lurks an ancient evil, one that threatens to emerge when the time becomes right. The creatures that dwelled in the structure which crashed into the mountain are hungry from their long journey between the stars. - The current ruler's long absence from command is being noted, and it is said that some artifact left by the twin founders has ensnared their attention for the past few years. The Merchants' Council is willing to ask outsiders to venture into the Silver Tower to investigate, but this journey might be even more dangerous than traveling to the Crescent City itself. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 2 September 2020. |
AuthorI'm Luke. He/him pronouns. Archives
May 2022
Categories
All
|