Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Windbit 02-24-07, 08:44 PM	I'm gonna DM a campaign for my friends. I've created a setting called "The Storm Swallowed Isles", inspired by the Stormwrack supplement, and I've written up our first adventure. I'm kinda lost at where to go from here, though. First of all, I guess if you guys are going to be giving me advice on how to run my campaign, then I should share some background info. Here's a map I made in photoshop of the isles: http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y279/Wupmug/StormSwallowedIsles.jpg Here's a brief summary of The Storm Swallowed Isles' history: The island nation of Aventus became hundreds of years more advanced technologically than the rest of the world. Their god, Deus Maris, was angered that his people began to rely on technology instead of him, and punished them by sinking the island. Some survived by fleeing to higher ground, and some pleaded with the sea god to spare them. Deus Maris turned the repentant into the aventi, a race of humanoids who can live on land and under the sea. The land left above water is now called The Storm Swallowed Isles. Although their advanced technolog has been lost, the islanders have cooperated with seafarers from other lands to survive. The largest of the islands, Itneva, boasts a prosperous port called Port Dove. However, the merchant ships coming to and leaving from the port are often attacked by the aventi. The aventi are fiercely religious, and seek to bring ruin to the islanders for defying Deus Maris. Pirates have also begun to threaten the islanders, as well as orcs living on a couple of islands known collectively as The Thrones of Gruumsh. BTW, by "advanced technology" I mean Renaissance technology, such as simple firearms, gunpowder, and clocks. Part of the campaign will focus on the PCs joining a guild to help salvage lost technology. Though they will find some on the islands, the PCs will usually have to join expeditions on the high seas where divers will scour the ocean floor for lost technology. If they make good enough progress, I may even make simple firearms available to the PCs. The first adventure consists of the PCs being captured by a group of orcs who are tryint to take over The Isle of Peaks. They have to explore the orc base, an abadoned prison created by the original survivors of the flood, and save the other people the orcs have captured. I've started brainstorming for the next adventure. I'm thinking that I will have the PCs fight aventi invaders who have come from a lake in Refuge Ridge to capture a mine. However, I'm not exactly sure how to transition te PCs from The Isle of Peaks to Itneva. I hope I haven't confused any of you. I'd really like it if some DnD players, preferrably experienced DMs, looked at some of this campaign setting information and give me advice on what I should do.
darth_borehd 02-24-07, 09:03 PM	Great map! How did you use photoshop to make that?
Windbit 02-24-07, 09:33 PM	Thanks! I actually just got Photoshop this month. I don't use it much, though. I filled the background layer with blue and used the smudge stick layer. Then, I made a new layer and drew the outline with yellow. I filled the interior with light green using paintbucket, then drew in the forests and mountains with dark green pencil and brown pencil. I drew in the gray sections to represent large communities. After all that, I used the smudge stick filter on that layer, too. Finally, I used the text tool to label the important areas.
taradusis 02-24-07, 09:56 PM	Perhaps the players could use teleportation circles or gate magic to get around eventually.I would start by having them get a patron who books them passage on a ship.Next have the patrons organisation give them a ship like jacque costeau's calypso?In d20 modern there was a secret society called the jules verne society that was interested in developing offbeat technologies?RANDOM THOUGHTS.
Windbit 02-24-07, 10:13 PM	I was thinking of having the benefactor of one of the Isles' lost technology guilds ask the PCs to join his guild, but for some reason it never crossed my mind to have him provide a ship for the PCs as well.
taradusis 02-24-07, 10:31 PM	Just keep in mind that patrons expect a return on their investment.A beginning group may go out with a Loremaster who dictates much of the groups travel plans?A list of lost technologies may be a good idea as well?Telescope,microscope,eyeglasses,pri nting press,papermill,windmill,kite,aluminum,g lassblowing,brickmaking,crop rotation,steam power,pencils and crayons,indoor plumbing,cranes,gas lamps,iron stoves,blasting powder,stilletto,dyes,inks,mirrors,polis hed glass signalling devices(heliograph),snorkel,diving bell,diving suit,hot air balloon,anesthesia,surgical instruments,antiseptic carbolic soap,poct knife,pocket watch,town clock to name a few.
Windbit 02-25-07, 09:47 AM	Wow, thanks for such a great list! Not sure if I want steam power to be one, though. The introduction of a steam engine into the campaign world might be more trouble than its worth. Who knows? Maybe it would be a good idea. I'll have to do some research.
taradusis 02-25-07, 09:52 AM	Well,I was just noodling late at night.Some of the things on the list could be discovered in a lab,not in the field.Early steam power had a bad compression rate and was used for tractors and log-cutting machines.
taradusis 03-13-07, 10:45 PM	You could consider adding more islands?A strange ship sails into harbor with a dead crew(think dracula)and the race to explore a new island chain is on?
terracustos 03-14-07, 09:09 AM	WOW. I love the map and the ideas for this setting. It has inspired me to add something like this into my own campaign world. As well as the benefactor employing the PCs and providing them with a ship you could as an alternative have them find a crude ship after defeating the orcs. This would give them a simple means of traveling between islands.There could also be a connection between the orcs and the aventi that the PCs uncover which leads them to the Refuge Ridge? Maybe adding a few more islands could give you a few more roleplaying options by having more places for adventures and monsters? Let more know how the orc adventure turns out. I am interested to see what happens.:D