"The maester and his students were due back three days ago, and we have to leave! Do what you can to find them and bring them back!"
An adventure seed for characters of approximately 4th-6th level. Arriving at the base camp, on the foothills of the smoking Mount Winderval, you have had time to reflect on the journey that brought you here. You have travelled in search of Maester Weir, an elven sage, and his students who came to study the mighty volcano in the weeks before its eventual eruption. Already, smoke thickens the sky above, and streams of radiant magma drip from the high peaks. The villages and towns within a week's travel have evacuated to safer lands for the next few weeks or months, and you have been tasked with finding the maester before the volcano's eruption. Base Camp The base camp itself is deserted, the canvas tents cracking and flapping in the hot, thick winds. The expedition's wagon is clearly missing, and with some survival skills, you can tell that the wagon headed up the mountain along one of the trails. The ash fall makes it hard to track, although you can tell that it travelled some time ago. In the abandoned tents, several journals can be found, wrapped in wax-paper and weighed down with stones. They tell of Maester Weir's intense study of the volcano, and his discovery of the Nurn Khaldur ruins, a little further up the mountain, as well as the location of the Coalrain Mine, designated as the team's rendezvous point if anything went wrong. The foothills themselves can also be explored. Foothills The regions around the volcano show signs of ancient lava-flow, long since hardened over centuries. It looks like there may once have been villages closer to the mountain, as well as roads crossing the plains, but only traces of them remain. A hungry Manticore, most of its prey fled to escape the imminent eruption, will prey on adventurers spending too long in the open. Coalrain Mine This ancient diamond mine played out its seam decades ago, and has been abandoned for some time. The doorway has been disturbed, and scrape marks can be seen in the ash. A small cache of crates can be found just inside the door, as well as ashy footprints leading further into the mine. There, more bedrolls can supplies can be found, as well as one of the Maester's students- a young scholarly expert named Beringin. He is terrified, but relieved if things can be explained to him. He says he's heard whispers and seen spirits emanating from a lava flow deeper within the caves. He says he fled after the Maester wanted to lead the other students further up the volcano from the temple ruins, and has been waiting for them here desperately. If persuaded, he will leave, and meet any other survivors further away. Deep in the mine, six Magmins can be found, gleefully incinerating all the rock they can find and reshaping it to their desire. If vanquished, the magma they have created sloughs off a few raw chunks of diamond, able to be broken free and turned into nearly 1,000 gp worth of cut diamonds, with some skilled work. Nurn Khaldur ruins This ruined temple of glossy black rock juts from the side of the mountain about halfway up its slope. Its walls are heavily worn, and many of the stones have tumbled down. The ash here is thick on the ground, easily an inch or two and powdery like soft snow. The air is thick and smoky, but able to be breathed. The ground shakes violently every hour or so, causing most people to be knocked prone. The expedition's wagon can be found outside, the harness straps slashed and the mules long since fled. Within the temple, recent traces show that the Maester and his students were taking rubbings of some of the wall reliefs, and a few more journals have been wrapped and left outside the central hall. These journals are written by Orpah, one of Maester Weir's students, and detail the Maester's fireside chat one night where he disclosed his own history- he was born in one of the villages directly below the volcano centuries ago, and only barely survived the lava flow that killed everyone else in the village. They speak of his driving desire to climb the volcano's peak and meet the 'imprisoned empyrean spirit' that has caused its violent rumbles and lava flows, as well as his promise they if they can reach the right point, they will be safe from the volcano's eruption. Within the main hall, there are about thirty terracotta statues, many fallen and shattered by the temple's rumbles. The wall reliefs here depict a vast humanoid figure beneath the mountain, and a building that looks much like this temple, but atop the very edge of the volcano. They show a person being pushed from the edge into the caldera, and the figure below resting again. Accidentally pressing on any part of the figure animates the terracotta warriors as a dozen suits of Animated Armour, which will attack intruders. In ancient times, these would have been deactivated by ritual words, but only careful study of the reliefs and knowledge of arcana might reveal this word now. Magma Fields Attempting to climb further up the mountain means crossing the magma fields, where the smoke is thick and choking, as well as the ground being lit by massive rivers of glowing lava. A trio of Magma Mephits, a pair of Smoke Mephits, and a Salamander which have crossed the planes makes their home here, splashing happily in the dense liquid. They attack those who cross their territory and attempt to head upslope. Upper Slopes Reaching this area will be a trek through intensely hostile territory- not only up a mountain slope in belching volcanic smoke, but also intense and exhausting heat. Characters travelling this high should be forced to make at least two Constitution saving throws, with each failure conferring a level of exhaustion. Resistance to fire damage, and useful survival skills, grants advantage on one of each of the saving throws. The ground continues to shake, the tremors growing stronger and more frequent. It is clear that the volcano is in imminent danger of full-blown eruption, and that continuing will be intensely dangerous. Kagh Baduhr ritual site At the volcano's very peak, the heat is like standing next to a blast furnace, and the air is thick with ash. An ancient temple can be found overlooking the roiling caldera, built of the same angular black stones as the previous ruin. More of the terracotta warriors are arrayed guarding the doors as if against intruders, four per door, and violently resist any efforts to enter. The temple itself is strangely whole and free of ash and damage. Within the ritual site, a wide gallery open to the elements can be found. Maester Weir, his skin covered in ash and his face streaked with clay adornments, is deep in the throes of some ritual. His students are huddled, starving and terrified, and tell that he will not let them leave. Although he promised to make them safe, he has clearly gone mad, and says he needs to sacrifice all of them to free the spirit beneath the mountain and make the entire region safe. At this point, Maester Weir, who has become an Embermage, turns on the party and decides to add them to his sacrifice, too. He and the three Magma Mephits he has called launch an all-out attack, hoping to slay them and cast their bodies into the caldera as offerings for Prometheon, a primordial spirit vanquished and sealed away during the Titan Wars. Only then can this region be free of the empyrean's struggles against his binding. If Maester Weir is vanquished, the clock begins ticking, and the PCs and the surviving students will have to flee the volcano as its fury begins to vent. Escape Fleeing the volcano's slopes will be no less dangerous than its ascent, and periodic checks against the oppressive heat, magma flows, and tumbling boulders launched by the eruption. Escaping the mountain's immediate vicinity halts the immediacy of the danger, however. The volcano continues its eruption over the course of the next month, bringing smoke and ash across half the continent and smothering the nearby valleys in molten rock again. However, if you prefer, the Empyrean Prometheon might actually loose his bindings and slip free for some time to threaten cities nearby, or hide away to become a danger again later. That's all up to you! Trekking to far-off climes (well, far-off for some of us) is a staple of fantasy literature and gaming - putting people in an environment outside of their experience and control, where the environment itself is as much threat as setting. Glacial settings are an ideal example, allowing barbarian characters to show off their experience in cold climes, letting utility casters shine by removing debuff effects from the chill, and giving an opportunity for strange and dangerous creatures.
A glacier is defined as a persistent body of dense ice that is moving under its own weight. In other words, there's little to no dirt or rock, it's all just ice, for hundreds or perhaps even thousands of feet down. It's likely but not always covered in snow, and temperatures are going to be quite low. The glacier also moves- it's sliding at a very slow rate (maybe feet or just inches) per year. Here are some reasons your characters might have to venture through glacial regions:
Legends tell of the Caladrius, a mysterious bird with gold-flecked white feathers, possessed of such purity that they can heal any poison merely by touch. Hunters sight these birds and give chase, and nobles have offered bounties worth a barony's ransom for capture of the bird. The vile goddess Talona, Mistress of Poisons, is said to have offered immortality as a reward to one of her servants who can bring her the bird, so that she can brew the perfect poison from its corrupted flesh.
In a land devastated by cataclysmic war only a few generations ago, and still in the throes of a fiendish plague that broke a kingdom and its army, sightings of the Caladrius stir hearts and make the people believe in hope once again. A sanatorium where patients go to their deathbeds has all its patients rise, cured, one morning. They speak of their feverish dreams, of seeing a white bird and hearing its curious call in the night-time, and of their bandages falling off to reveal clean flesh. These rumours spread like wildfire, and hunters from all over gather to capture the Caladrius for their own use. These bands of hunters are as follows:
The hunting teams assemble at the green of the nearby village, gathering for some days before the bishop can give his blessing to their hunt. They mingle a little, competing in tests of might and strength to get to know one another. Here, several are surreptitiously slipped minor poisons in their foods by the Talontar to weaken them. Sightings of the Caladrius indicate it may have departed into the Lincona Woods during the winter, an unpleasant place to be even in the best of weather. Here, the tension between the teams escalates to skirmishes, shedding blood but not quite taking lives, unless they're sure they can get away with it. There are a few ruins that litter the depths of the Lincona Woods, ruined during the war. In one of these, formerly a shrine to one of Talona's sister goddesses, the Caladrius has been nesting. The clearing around this shrine is scattered with malignant undead, oozing decay. Inside this ruined shrine, a small amount of peace surrounds the nest of the Caladrius. Soft snow flurries through the lightbeams in between the fallen rafters, and there is an aura of consecration that keeps out the undead. Here, the battle for the Caladrius - and surprisingly, its eggs - becomes deadly in earnest. The Talontar reveal themselves, promising painful and bloody deaths to any who oppose them, while blades are drawn by those who have needs of their own. A violent showdown is interrupted by the appearance of a zombie dragon, crashing through the roof. A frantic defense against the dragon and its servants could unit unlikely allies in the only way to prevent plague enveloping both kingdoms. Requested by reader Nate O'Connor. Crossing the icy sea or the planes of endless snow takes bravery even when it's not deep winter. Luckily, the distant city of Jorpalur offers a warm haven for those making this dangerous journey. Perched on a crag of rock above what would be a vast lake, were it water, the city offers respite in the form of a warm bed, a hot bath, and a hot meal- all welcome rarities in this remote locale. Jorpalur is renowned as the 'jewel of the North', and its people are brusque and businesslike.
The North Rangers patrol the vicinity within a hundred miles of Jorpalur, operating singly or in small teams to keep the wilderness as safe as they can. Its main exports are preserved fish, woven cloth made from domesticated bear fur, a curious alcohol called Snowstorm which can be used as a fuel, and mithril ore, mined from the mountains nearby. Those who hail from Jorpalur tend to be a little standoffish until they know they can trust someone, and then will welcome that person into their homes and hearts forever. Hooks: - The first King of the North was a duke from Toranath, sent with an army to conquer unclaimed regions. After his people had settled, a mighty dragon rose from the polar regions and destroyed the castle. He was ordered to withdraw his army and abandon the outflung territories, but refused. Those knights who chose to stay with him to defend the people of the North became his fist rangers, and they warred with the dragon for many years before driving it off. Seven hundred years have passed now, and there are rumours of great silhouettes in the midst of the blizzards blowing from the pole... - The region around Jorpalur makes an excellent setting for a West Marches style campaign, where the city means warmth and safety, but the hostile environment and surrounds mean there might be frozen riches in the wilderness. Players might be members of the North Rangers, or unaffiliated adventurers seeking their own fortune here. - The tiefling queen Violetandra is protective of her people, and sometimes suspicious of strangers. However, those who perform services to keep her city safe from intruders may earn her rewards and her friendship. - The alliance with the Orc tribes of the east has held firm for three generations now, but firebrands on one side or another sometimes choose to begin trouble. In cases of unrest between their people, foreigners are often called upon to act as neutral intermediaries- and PCs are often ideal for this purpose. However, others may have less idealistic motives. Those who have heard of the terrible Talisman of Ultimate Evil might know of its power, allowing the wielder to open up a flaming rift below their target and hurl them into the earth. Even fewer know of the the fate of the once-proud city of Rezada, which was banished into the depths of the earth centuries ago. Although most of the smaller buildings were shaken apart and destroyed entirely, the main castle survived in a shattered form.
Some decades ago, a clan of dwarven Forgelighters, venturing into the Underdark in search of lost clanholds, came across Rezada. They reported being started by the ruined human castle in a clearly unnatural cavern, its spires embedded in the cavern's roof. The darkened windows were haunted by terrible cries of the damned, and the clan chose to beat a hasty retreat, pursued in the darkness by pale and screeching figures with filthy talons and teeth. Those who survived reported of their bizarre find, and lamented the loss of their beloved kin. How you can use Rezada, the Fallen City, in your games: - Whatever unknown curse once befell Rezada has targeted another city, hundreds of years later. The player characters must venture through dozens of miles of pitch-black tunnels to reach the fallen city and discover what clues they can find as to the source of the curse. - Following the instructions of the dwarven Forgelighters, explorers might be startled to discover that the castle has now become known as the Redoubt of Sorrow, haunt of the ghoul-king Choktog the Hunter! What seemed like a simple exploration might become a terrible trap led by a wily and cruel lord. - Recovering some relic left by the slain dwarven Forgelighters could be an epic journey in itself. Perhaps an artifact of the ancient dwarven people, carried to assist in recovery of lost clanholds, was lost in the darkened tunnels. Those dwarves faithful to the traditions of their people might accompany an armoured vanguard to recover the relic, although perhaps not all members of the caravan are so earnest in their quest? Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 9 December 2021. Stories tell of a remote keep that has recently built a new tower, one that bears a beacon that burns with balefire. This beacon sweeps around slowly, visible for several dozen miles, and burns images into the brains of those who see it, causing them to falter, act unpredictably, and become mad, falling on each other with violence. Those who have survived its terrible glare call this the Demon Beacon.
A nearby lady is concerned about the effects of this tower on her territory nearby, and is willing to offer a purse to those brave souls who would dare investigate. Effects of the Demon Beacon: The demon beacon's great green light washes over the area surrounding the keep, illuminating a cone 35 miles long and hundreds of feet wide at its furthest distance. It makes a full revolution once per hour (moving about 4 miles per hour at its furthest extension, and considerably faster the closer you get to it). Those who do not find cover or avert their gaze, becoming blinded while the beacon's light is upon them, must make a Charisma saving throw (DC 11) or gain a short-term madness (DMg, page 259) for 1 minute or until the beacon's light has moved off them. For each time that a creature fails this saving throw, the save DC of the demon beacon permanently increases by 1, manifesting as an obsessive desire to see into the heart of the light. Those who choose to stare full into the beacon must make a Charisma saving throw (DC 15) or gain a long-term madness for 1d10 hours, and during this time, their alignment shifts one 'step' towards evil. What has caused the Demon Beacon? - The beacon might be the result of a reclusive band of cultists, trying to bring their patron into the Material realm by causing corruption and madness on an immense scale. If so, the cultists, and the machinery responsible for this terrible beacon, must be destroyed. - The beacon might be only the side effect of a wizard's study into the Far Realm. Perhaps they are attempting to rescue a companion lost in that terrible place of madness, and shunting its energies outwards is the only thing keeping them sane enough to keep on trying. - The tale of Kroft, the Industrious Rogue, includes an awful aside that tells of the fear and madness that some extraplanar beings can produce when tormented. Perhaps a band of zealous templars have invented new and terrible ways of torturing some kind of demon, in the hopes that they can learn its secrets, convert it, or produce some other effect from it. Whatever their reasons, the effects on the countryside around cannot be accepted, and the Lady of the region is happy to sign a warrant for their arrest or executions. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 4 December 2021. Coming up with original and culturally-themed names for locations can be a bit tricky sometimes. Whether you jump on your favourite name generator site and whip something up, jumble together some random syllables, or just pick a noun and slap "-ville" on the end, if you want things to sound consistent, you can build up some good naming conventions for what you're doing. If you look at the real world, these naming conventions have been built up by the cultures that have inhabited the area, and if you lean on these, it means you can use shared cultural assumptions to name a place something that sounds 'right', whether or not it is.
Looking at the areas of the United Kingdom that were once ruled by the Roman Empire, the names of many places go all the way back to Roman naming conventions. Here are a few, with examples, and their meanings, and ways you could incorporate them into your game: -bury or -borough (Avebury, Glastonbury, Edinborough): This meant a fortified enclosure, in Old English. Places with names like this might have wooden or stone palisades, or if the name is old, there might be an 'inner city' that was once the fortified area. -caster, -cester or -chester (Lancaster, Worcester, Rochester): Denotes a castle, from Latin. This might have been a single keep, or a larger castle. -ford (Bradford, Stafford): The place has a ford that crosses a river. These areas might be built around or on a large bridge. -ham (Buckingham, Tottenham): This comes from Old English, and means 'farm' or 'homestead. A town with this sort of name might have an extensive farming region. -hay (Cheslyn Hay): Actually refers to a hedge growing around an area, so it might be a large farm or estate, or might be some kind of Druidic enclave. -ington (Walmington): Refers to the people of a village. Likely to have been settled and grown from a small group of settlers and named for them. -mouth (Plymouth, Portmouth): Denotes a town at the mouth of a river, on the coast. -shire (Yorkshire): Denoting a larger region ruled by a Count. Likely to be a few towns or the region around a larger city. -stead (Hampstead): Means 'place' or 'enclosed pasture'. Something like this is likely to be a rural region. -ton (Brighton, Everton): Meaning 'estate'. Possible the domain of a noble family. -ville (Farmville, Shelbyville): From Norman settlers, meaning 'village' but earlier used to mean 'farm'. Again, likely to be rural. -wich (Droitwich, Norwich): Came from settlements with extensive trade and production of goods. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 2 December 2021. A staple of fantasy movies through the decades, the vertical labyrinth is a hard one to pull off, but especially cool if you can do it with a physical model. This merely consists of a series of interlocking bridges, usually within a cavern or room to give some limitation, where creatures within can walk the stairs to navigate the maze and reach their destination. A variety of more dynamic routes can be taken, including jumping from place to place, or crawling along, down, or up surfaces. These bridges and columns can also be damaged or destroyed, allowing for perhaps more rapid transit than originally planned, such as in the Bridge of Khazad-Dum scenes of the Fellowship of the Ring.
But how can you effectively map and plot out something like this? Starting with a basic map is a good start- use a blank crossword, or generate something from a resource similar to Donjon. You want some fairly small sparse rooms (landings) and twisting corridors (stairs, bridges, and so on), to begin with- this is just giving you a framework. Once you've got a basic layout, work out heights- where your top is, where your landings touch the sides, and what's at the bottom- lava, bottomless pit, spikes, rough rocky floor. You may want to have some way for PCs who fall to save themselves by falling to safety or grasping on, because killing a character on the basis of one failed saving throw does not make for fun gaming, generally. Once you have your general levels, try to work out what additions are necessary to join them- a steep staircase, a switchback landing, or perhaps the stairs that once joined these levels are gone, and descent via rotting ropes, enormous spiderwebs, hanging vines, or a leap of faith are the only way to reach them, whether or not the journey will be able to be made in reverse. Lastly, populating your vertical labyrinth. While navigating challenging terrain can be exciting, if there's no pressure, it turns into a simple and laborious problem-solving measure, and half the players go to their phones while someone dusts off the "Explorer's kit" they've had on their character sheet since level 1 and starts plotting out piton use and rope. However, throw some marauding Spiderdrakes in, an army of Goblins chanting some kind of name as a fiery light follows them, or a few well-hidden snipers on concealed balconies, and suddenly you've got seat-of-the-pants decision-making happening, and tactical movement becomes important due to calculating how quickly you can get down to the next level, or how far you can fly or leap in a turn, or what weapon range you're in. And you can always spice this up with the usual dungeon-dressing- darkness, traps, crumbling architecture that can force plans to change, and throw in some time pressure for fun- can you reach the platform where the evil cultists are, before their ritual is complete? Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 4 November 2021. I recently wrote a 'starter adventure' for Dark Sun in 5e, to use as an introduction for new players to Athas. A friend, Michael Hill, provided some internal art to help explain the layout of one of the encounters.
You can download the adventure here, please feel free to give it a play, and let me know if you have any feedback! The 'Lost Empire beneath the waves' myth is a powerful one, both in the real world (having been written about by Plato over 2,300 years ago) and in fantasy. As an exploration-adventure location, a place that was abruptly wrecked or isolated some time ago is perfect. Here are some of the things you might have to consider when constructing a lost empire adventure:
Setting:
Inhabitants:
State of Ruin:
These might help you in building a useful location for exploring. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 20 October 2021. Risingsteed Citadel is a striking marvel to behold, a mountain seemingly carved into the likeness of a gigantic horse, several hundred feet tall, festooned with platforms and encrusted with barnacle-like buildings. Some postulate that the stone must have been reinforced and strengthened magically, as it rests on three spindly and physically-improbable legs. A variety of winches, pulleys, and precarious rope-operated elevators, as well as a narrow staircase spiralling through one of the legs, provide access to the citadel.
Beneath the citadel is a large inn for visitors, while a variety of defensive galleries and emplacements provide easy positions to spy attackers from miles away. Atop the surprisingly-detailed horse's head is the ruler's palace, home of Richard Aubemeur. This canny warlord commands a mobile brigade of a hundred pegasus-mounted cavalry, able to respond to distant events at short notice. He is growing a little old in the tooth, and his daughter Rafaella has newly been knighted, giving some hope that she will inherit command of the Winged Knights. How you can use Risingsteed Citadel in your games: - Risingsteed Citadel might be a bastion of hope on the fringes of civilization, or perhaps the home of an evil warlord who maintains an iron grip on the region. An attacking force cannot approach without being bombarded and intercepted, so it might employ infiltrators to soften an approach. The PCs might be these infiltrators, or might be trying to stop them from sabotaging the citadel's vulnerable defences. - Perhaps the colossal stone horse was not a mountain pared away to the shape of a horse, but some colossal steed which was transmuted to stone in ancient times past. If some force threatens to transform it back into flesh (or to reanimate it), then the inhabitants of Risingsteed Citadel would be under dire threat. - This makes for an interesting and exotic place for a Player Character to visit, or perhaps their original home. A career as a pegasus-mounted knight makes for an ideal aspiration, and could certainly be fun for a paladin or ranger character. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 13 October 2021. The infamous Salon D'eterriere, owned and operated by the scholar Jorylo Orelion, is a library and bookstore containing rare and highly sought-after books of occult lore, daemonology, and forbidden studies. It is whispered that Jorylo, an aloof and studious man, is secretly a Binder, a student of strange entities and bizarre creatures.
While he has an eclectic library at his fingertips, rare or unique books will guarantee his attention and the probability of coin. Here are some that your PCs might happen across, or require for study. 1 - Norenno's Mind Castle - A treatise on memory aids and maintaining concentration through complex distractions, this tome is bound in simple black leather with silver foil patterns traced within. Studying this book during a long rest grants a +1 bonus on Constitution saves and any memory-based Arcana checks for the next day. 2 - Celebrations of Mystical Medimagic - A rare scholastic tome by a clerical healer, this tome has an oilskin wrapping, although the page edges are stained by various substances. Within, it discusses the arts of mundane and magical healing in combination. Studying this tome during a long rest grants advantage on Medicine checks, and the user has gains 3 extra d6s which can be added to any healing spell which they cast during the next day. 3 - My Accidents in Protection Against the Dark Arts, by Seryna - This battered canvas-bound book is singed and scorched, and has definitely seen battle. While held in at least one hand, the user has advantage on ability checks used for Counterspell and Dispel magic spells. 4 - Displays of Dynamic Transformation, vol II - This tome of simple tan leather holds an array of dry technical knowledge on transmutational magic. What makes it truly fascinating is the scrawled margin notes by no less famous an archmage than the vampire Dynerion, which hold a bewildering and earthshaking array of knowledge on several historical figures and events, including incredibly personal disclosures. 5 - Unknown Astronomies of Nilaena - This book is bound in inky-black leather, and a minor illusion effect shows shimmering stars that shift as the book moves around. It goes into incredible detail of the astrology and astronomy of an unknown world, none of which matches any known stars. The book is valuable for its detail, and no-one is sure if this is fiction at an incredible level or truly a book belonging to a different planet. 6 - Voloris' Beginner Handbook of Mystical Sites - This book has incredibly detailed geographical maps with specifics on ley lines, specific mystical sites, and notes on the dazzling array of people who have welcomed the author and explained their ways. These include two archdruids, a tribe of verbeeg giants, and a singularly welcoming Aboleth. It is more thrilling as an adventure travel journal than its level of detail on the actual mystical sites. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 30 September 2021. Clarn Fastness was once the seat of power in the Bellton region, and home to Earl Franic Branislav. Over a century ago, a curse saw the entire castle and the mount it was built on sunk below the cold waters of the vast lake surrounding it, and all lives were lost but a single servant, spared for some unknown reason. Now, only the top of one tower can be seen above the waves, lonely and ruined.
On clear days, the walls and spires of the castle can be seen stretching down into the inky depths, and adventurers have been known to hire boats from the local villagers in order to attempt swimming down to explore the castle's walls, but few have returned from the icy darkness. Some have spoken of seeing figures still stalking the halls by candlelight, and looking out the glazed windows. Other explorers say that from time to time, a door can be found in the basement of the tower which leads down into the interior of the fortress. Who know what evil lurks in the heart of this cursed fastness- phantoms, spirits trapped between life and death, or some other kind of challenges? It is said that the curse which sank the citadel resulted from Earl Branislav's betrayal of a witch who had performed some service for him, but the specifics have been lost to time, and buried beneath the inky waters of the Clarn Mere. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 28 September 2021. While most adventures are based in standard European temperate forest settings, changing location can make for a real change of pace and theme. To steal a march on my current D&D campaign, which is set in an archipelago of tropical islands, here are some set pieces which you can use to set up explorations, swashbuckling nautical fun, and adventure galore!
1 - Clamoroso Island: This island, marked by several rough stony peaks that guard the inner valley, is ringed by terrible storms. The thunder echoes from the peaks, and rumours of earlier explorers say that some fabulous lost city lurks in the shadowy vale between the peaks. 2 - Atolón de Orilva: A series of pleasant crescent islands with crystal-clear water shield a dreadfully dark sinkhole, potentially more than a hundred fathoms deep. No diver who has descended below the light level has ever returned. 3 - La Isleta Arenosa: A low island that vanishes during king tide, used as a meeting-place and marketplace by traders and the locals of nearby islands. Its beaches are shallow, warm, and inhabited by amiable tropical fish. 4 - Bellburn Reef: A distant collection of tall rocky towers with precarious wooden huts protruding from the sides, this area is visited rarely by traders. However, the guano of its gulls makes a valuable tradestuff, and locals are famed for their feats of athletic acrobatics, racing along the crumbling tops of the stacks as they head out into the sea. 5 - Teratawa Isle: A large island with a smouldering volcano. There are forests of out-of-place tree varieties, and it seems as though a flock of Wyverns circle the volcano's peak. Several tribes are known to populate the island, most of them neutral or friendly to outsiders. 6 - Vonmere Skerry: Once a fortified colony of the Free City, this port has become a pirate haven. It is famous for accepting travelers under any flag, and accepting any trade goods offered- if the price is right. It is home to a rough blend of sailors and traders, as well as practitioners of forbidden magics. 7 - Beaconmack Holm: An island famed for its unstable geography, even in the waters surrounding it, it is now topped by an arcane lighthouse to warn travellers. However, ships passing by in recent years have reported seeing its light flickering. 8. Vallant's Island: This lush island is home to a rich variety of bizarre monsters and terrains, as well as a small sheltered harbour claimed by an accentric and influential nobleman. He hosts hunting parties, although some who have enjoyed his hospitality tell that there is a misty plateau that even Vallant and his soldiers avoid at great cost. 9. Ma'Kai Tapihana: An island that the natives tell is haunted by demons, it has remained unsettled by colonists. Several expeditions have ventured onto its grey, rocky shores, but few survivors have returned, their faces aghast and their tongues stilled. 10. Enutanga Nopera: Fabled to have been the seat of power of the 'Queen of Blood' over eight hundred years ago, this island has sunk below the sea, although the stone monoliths and step pyramids that marked her vicious reign are visible at low tide. Enterprising divers sometimes chance swimming down to explore, and some have returned with carven stone idols or gems that have made them wealthy. Others, however, have vanished in the depths. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 3 September 2021. Nestor's Rest is a well-known traveler's inn, established alongside a trade route that sees a lot of trade.
The inkeeper, a barrel-chested and balding fellow by the name of Nestor, is a heavily-involved and likeable person who want to ensure all of his patrons have a good time and spend some coin. He can easily be lured into spending a few minutes or an evening at a table by talking about adventuring exploits, something near and dear to his heart. His past experience as an adventurer only lasted a few years, but he loves to be wound up to tell the story of his retirement and the grant of his license to run the inn from the nearby Duke, which began as rescue of a noble's daughter, climaxed in defending the gates from a brigade of rebels, and ended with batling an evil sorcerer on the top of a collapsing tower. This tale often takes several hours and a good few drinks, although he's happy to shout a round or two if people are interested and listening. Nestor's genial demeanour and good nature brook no offense to his serving-staff, and abusing them will bring a stout thump from his beefy fists, or get an entire party tossed out for a night or, in extreme circumstances, banned for life. The merchant caravans who travel the route know Nestor's rules well, and will not defend one of their own staff who breaks them, knowing this could jeopardize years of travel for them. Nestor's wife Antonella runs the kitchen, welcoming gifts or trades of interesting herbs and spices or foods, and is even less forgiving than Nestor. Local legend says that a soldier once grabbed one of her girls as she walked past, and she marched out into an armed company and cut his hand off with one of her kitchen knives. Those who laugh about this story and think to chance their luck are soberly pointed to the withered appendage nailed above the exit door, and told to think again. Specials Nestor brews his own dry stout in a shed at the rear, which is well-received by thirsty travelers. He also sells beers and wines from nearby, and is willing to accept payment in exotic alcohols, keeping them on a special shelf under the bar for discerning customers. Antonella likes to experiment with her cooking, so one evening's repast might be a honey-glazed boar from the nearby forests, while the next day's lunch might be the shredded remains of the boar, drizzled in chocolate and served on green leaves. Eating is always an exciting experience, and sometimes a good one. Antonella also paints landscapes in her spare time, and sells these for a few gold pieces' worth of tips for the waitstaff. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 20 July 2021. The fabled 'Crescent Crawl' is a journey known to students, young nobles, and bravos of the Crescent City. Those who walk its path begin their drinks late in the afternoon, and those who even reach its end have rarely done so before the early hours of the morning. Although the crawl doesn't have to be done in the specific order, the tradition asks that those taking the pilgrimage partake of the house specialty in each of the taverns along the journey. The taverns, and their specialties, are as follows:
1. The Clean Pearl: This quiet, dignified tavern serves a cup of aged white wine, almost vinegar, with a very cheap pearl dissolved in it. This is said to soothe the stomach. 2. The Thick Drum: An Orc-themed bar with distressed furniture serves 'Oogakh', a rough red wine cut with beef juices. It is thoroughly awful, and no dignified Orc would be seen in the premises. 3. The Abstract Demon: Decorated with a magically-animated hanging sign, this tavern is close-by to the Mages' Academy and serves a cherry wine called The Devil's Kiss in a decorative pewter chalice and top, which smokes and must be drunk in one draught. 4. The Old Man of the Forest: This tavern features a halfling 'wild man' who capers about and terrorizes the patrons. Its specialty is a cup of syrupy maple liqueur, hard to gulp down. 5. The Folding Crane: This tavern is hung with paper room dividers and features small rock sculptures with running water. Its drink is a gooseberry liquor served in a tall vial. 6. The Old City: Popular with landholding nobles and law-clerks, this tavern's house specialty is a simple and foamy brown ale. 7. The Twin Locks: A tavern with buildings on both sides of a street, connected by a bridging balcony. The tavern's specialty is a red wine served with ice cubes. 8. The Ruthless Swan: Set beside the university green and famed for the aggressive birds which attack students, the Ruthless Swan's specialty is a trio of cheap and stomach-rotting liquor shots. 9. The Howling Devil: A rough tavern popular with mercenaries, drinking here usually involves trading punches with one of its muscular bouncers. Asking for the house specialty attracts derision from all of the tavern-goers, and is likely to result in a suprise blow to the back of the head. 10. The Froghemoth: An exotic tavern staffed by waiters wearing faux-Froghemoth headbands, the house specialty is a goopy green melon-flavoured wine that wriggles slightly in the throat. People sometimes go missing from this tavern without explanation. 11. The Bat's Whistle: A gothic haunt popular with warlocks and necromancers, this tavern serves absinthe-laced milk to newcomers. 12. The Yellow Library: An antiqued tavern which is decorated wall-to-wall with bookshelves and favoured by wizards. The specialty is a tall glass of white wine with a torn-off piece of spell scroll at the bottom of the glass. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 24 June 2021. A remote and esoteric specialist store, the Mineral Bazaar is almost a myth among elementalist mages, stocking rare and hard-to-get mineral components as well as interesting and specific pieces. The proprietor is a gargantuan and gravelly-voiced Earth Elemental by the name of Cobble, brooks no insolence and is characteristically hard-edged in all his offers.
He does, however, enjoy Amethyst Cakes, and those who bring him a gift of the rare food earn his effusive thanks and a change in his demeanor. Among his wares are the following items: 1. Liquid Metal - Stored in a small double-walled glass vial, this very fluid silver liquid can be poured into mechanisms or onto a surace, hardening into steel-like consistency within seconds. This can be used to create sculpture or repair damage, but also to jam locks irreparably (100gp per vial). 2. Crystal Geode - These small, rough stones can be thrown, breaking open to cause an uncontrollable growth of colourful quartz crystals in a 20-foot radius, some even human-sized. Creatures within the area take 4d6 piercing damage, with a dexterity save (DC 13) for half damage. The crystals deteriorate naturally over time, or can be broken with application of blunt force or thunder damage. (450gp per stone) 3. Obdurium Ingots - This gloosy-black metal is even harder than adamantium, and can only be melted in the depths of the Elemental Plane of Fire, such is its hardness. These small ingots are incredibly dense, around 6" by 2" by 1" and weighing nearly 120 pounds. The metal is all but unbreakable, and is heavily sought-after by metallurgists, alchemists, and master armourers. 4. Magmajel - This dangerous substance is harvested from the border of the Plane of Fire, and somehow defies all laws of nature in its deliciousness. Although its density and heat are instantly lethal to humans, the flavour has been described by those immune to fire as 'beyond description'. It is served in translucent, glowing cubes around one inch in size. All mortals known to have attempted to eat the substance have died. (50gp per cube) 5. Heeblestone - This light stone is suffused with bubbles, making it light and easily carved with a spoon or similar tool. It can be used for sculpture, and weighs only about half a pound per cubic foot. It can be sourced in large chunks, up to about house size, and is considered 'a bit weird' by those who dwell in the Elemental Plane of Earth, who would like to see it removed. (25gp per pound) 6. Foilsilver - This light metal has the substance of fabric, and can only be harvested in thin scraps from beneath the mightiest of earthbergs. The metal flutters like jaggged ribbons, although it is harder than steel. This metal is rare but just an oddity, with no specific usage identified by its sellers. (100gp per sheet, about hand-size) Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 23 June 2021. The Ethereal Emporium is a mysterious shop, welcoming all business but hard to get to. You see, it's located in Liberjinn City, on the Elemental Plane of Air. This is a city inhabited by elemental spirits and freed Djinn, and its architecture defies both gravity and most physics. The shop's owner and merchant, Kharidi the Austere, is a warm and effusive host, offering conjured tea of fantastical flavours while doing business, as well as small lozenges of a jelly-like sweet, rolled in sparkling sugary dust. His wares are equally fantastical, but well worth the trip, and he is as willing to purchase as to sell any magical items he finds interesting.
Among his wares are the following: 1. Blue smoke - A rigid, slightly opaque substance, from paper-thickness to a full inch thick, and entirely immune to fire damage. Those touching it can feel no warmth through it, no matter the intensity of flame on the other side. It weighs next-to-nothing but can be somewhat brittle. This is popular for making expensive decorative windows, but can also be fashioned into other shapes- a shield or dome, perhaps. 2. Essence of Sunlight - This tea, harvested from floating earthbergs high in the Elemental Plane of Air, has been exposed to perhaps the purest sunlight in creation. Drinking the tea feels like dawn's first kiss upon the face, midday's harsh rays overhead, or the golden afternoon light, depending on how it is brewed. Popular among those who cannot actually enter sunlight for any reason, and incredibly exotic. Sells for 100 gold pieces per pound (twice the value of actual gold). 3. Airfluid - This substance, developed by Kharidi himself, is harvested from the admixture of the Elemental Planes of Air and Water. It is a nearly invisible liquid that sloshes heavily and fizzes like soda water if disturbed. Drinking this allows a water-dweller to breathe air, or an air-breather to breathe water, for six hours. He stresses that after this, they must return to their own environment, as the body rejects another dose until someone has finished a long rest. 4. Gellybirds - These curious animals, native to the Elemental Plane of Air, make for fascinating pets. They appear somewhat like jellyfish with intangible fronds fringing all of their tentacles, but 'swim' through the air, and are entirely unaffected by gravity, even upon reaching another plane where it would normally apply. They are small, up to human-hand-size, and have no intelligence whatsoever. They must be fed on sunlight daily, and wilt away like old balloons if not exposed to direct sunlight (or its essence) at least once per day. 5. Soarwood Bonsai - These tiny trees grow on small rocks, and levitate lightly. They are cheap curios that Kharidi is happy to give away as gifts to make a larger sale, or go for around 10 gold pieces each. Several are decorated with exotic coins hung on their branches, or tiny clay humanoid figures. 6. Stalker Skin - This somewhat hush-hush offer is made from a magically preserved skin of an invisible stalker. This inside is quite sticky, and once donned, it cannot be removed easily, or in one piece. It can be worn like a cloak, making someone naturally invisible for as long as they remain at above one-half their maximum hit points, although they can still make attacks, and so on. After they are damaged, Kharidi explains, it starts to unravel and parts of them show through it. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 19 June 2021. Next to the entry of the city markets is the marvellous and well-famed store The Cutting Edge, run by Master Johannes Vermeulen. This store boasts an armoury of well over a thousand knives, swords, and other weapons of excellent manufacture. Master Johannes is pleased to offer only the very finest and most balanced weapons, and prides himself on being able to assess a prospective client from their gait and bearing, and to offer them the perfect weapon for their needs within three guesses.
Here are some of the finest offers he has available, even before entering the curtained-off area where he stores magical weapons: 1. Thrashing Mace (45 gp): This light mace is made with a flexible wooden shaft, able to wobble and strike unpredictably. This mace has the Finesse quality. 2. Iron-banded Quarterstaff (25 gp): This tall staff is decorated with several iron rings nailed into its length. This quarterstaff allows the user to reroll any 1s rolled for damage, and gains the Heavy quality. 3. Great Flamberge (75p): This gigantic wavy-bladed sword, a favourite among highly-paid mercenaries, is a greatsword with the Reach quality. 4. Main-Gauche (25 gp): This dagger has a basket hilt, and is made for dueling. This dagger grants the user a +1 bonus to AC against melee attacks while wielded in conjunction with another melee weapon, and loses its Thrown quality. 5. Keen sabre (75gp): This curved and single-edged blade is made for striking cuts. It functions as a rapier that inflicts slashing instead of piercing damage. 6. Arming Sword (60gp): This slim, straight-bladed sword is considered acceptable for nobles and courtiers to bear in the presence of royalty, and is lavishly decorated. It functions as a short sword and is usually allowed even if the wearer should shed their weapons. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 11 June 2021. The Langtawa Wetlands were once a glorious and vibrant marshland, the home of a thriving civilization. Lost in the mists of time and the swamp, some disaster befell the original builders, and their society fell into overgrown ruins. Now choked with vines and fetid water, the wetlands are a dismal and grim place to visit.
The ruins of Langtawa are eerie, and those who spend much time in them swear that the stones move in the moonlight. They are graven with worn images which appear to resemble reptilian humanoids, but none of them are clear enough to read. Several large tribes of debased goblins make their homes here, conducting vile rituals and worshipping some dark force that they believe dwells beneath the tumbled stones. This creature, which they name Kul'gumuth, is rumoured to have wings of shadow and eyes of darkest coal. Curiously, this description matches that of an exiled demon listed in the Demonomicon of Iggwilv, and which is mentioned in Farinas' Spirit Guide, so there may be some element of truth to it. How you can use the Langtawa Wetlands in your game: - Your PCs might be required to detour through the Wetlands to evade a foe, or to outpace a caravan travelling around its borders. The misty swamp, swollen with vines, is a dangerous place to pass through. They may encounter hordes of goblins, swamp-dwelling beasts, or worse on their journey. - Your PCs may seek out the ruins of Langtawa for something they once contained, or secrets of the people who first built them. However, they may contain traps (or just failing construction), or perhaps even darker secrets beneath their surface. - The lizardfolk who once built Langtawa have fallen far, and no longer recall any of the grandeur of their people. However, not all of their ancient kin are permanently dead- some were mummified and retain knowledge of their society and powerful magics. If awoken by incautious intruders, they have the chance of uniting and perhaps restoring their people to greatness- perhaps at great cost to the neighbouring territories. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 22 April 2021. |
AuthorI'm Luke. He/him pronouns. Archives
May 2022
Categories
All
|