Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Mindwarp 06-23-07, 10:48 PM	My current campaign that I'm DMing. Role-playing is big in this campaign. All but one of the players has a secret that they're keeping from the rest of the party. The players (all male): Maesril (CN soulknife) - Maesril was a former noble of House Tallavey, but was given to House Noquar to pay for a debt. While a slave, he met a soulknife slave who taught him that talent. He developed a seething hatred for drow society (the name Maesril means "death of the drow"). In a fit of anger, he killed his overseer and escaped. House Noquar was destroyed during the Priestess Wars. Ilmin (CG cleric of Eilistraee) - As a child, Ilmin (means "unseen promise") was fascinated with the healing arts of clerics. However, he wasn't allowed to become a cleric, since that profession is dominated by the female priestesses of Lolth. He rejected that teaching and ran into the Underdark. There, he found an encampment of good-aligned drow who taught him to be a cleric and converted him to worship Eilistraee (goddess of good drow). He especially must hide his true nature, as he will be killed if discovered. Eilistraee speaks to him in visions, and his ultimate goal is to convert the other players to the side of good. Nivek (N wizard/shadowcaster) - Nivek was raised in the Ghetto of the Dead in Erelhei-Cinlu. The fact that the undead overrun that section of the city meant that he was cut of from societal teachings. His father was a powerful necromancer, and his mother a noble who escaped her house's destruction. He learned magic from his father, and later discovered shadow magic. He was born a szarkai (albino drow), but he wasn't aware of that subrace. To him, his appearance is a disgrace, and he constantly wears a mask to keep it hidden. Quarin (CE rogue) - Quarin is the foil for the other 3 characters. He is exemplary for the drow: cunning, ruthless, evil, and sneaky. He prefers to dispatch enemies from the shadows, even more so than normal. He is a noble of House Inlindl, which is powerful but not one of the eight ruling houses. He is dedicated to Lolth, and hopes to join the ranks of her enforcers, the Dread Fangs. The story: The PCs begin at 3rd level. Generally, 3 missions will level the party up, and there are about 4 encounters per mission. The setting is Erelhei-Cinlu (detailed in Drow of the Underdark). The current ruling house, House Tormtor, needs more guards and enforcers. The PCs are one such group recruited by them. Each group is to give all equipment found to House Tormtor. Since Erelhei-Cinlu is a trading city, House Tormtor will be able to fetch a better price than the PCs would. Equipment is provided by the House, and can be traded between missions (meaning it can be sold for full price). The PCs are paid for each successfully completed mission. Before House Tormtor will accept the PCs, they must prove themselves by surviving in the Ghetto of Savages (controlled by monstrous humanoids, and ultimately ruled by yugoloths) and make it to Fortress Despana. Actual details later.
Mindwarp 06-30-07, 12:04 AM	Party level 3 (ECL 5, since they're drow). Mission: survival in the Ghetto of Savages. Objectives: make your way to Fortress Despana. Setting: the Ghetto of Savages in the city of Erelhei-Cinlu. The Ghetto is the home for savage humanoid creatures, including bugbears, ogres, trolls, and goblins. The ruling creatures of the Ghetto are the Yugoloths. House Despana is ultimately in charge of the upkeep of the Ghetto. They maintain a fortress there, which is the training ground for all their soldiers. XP: none for each combat. 5000 XP upon successful completion. What the party is told: House Tormtor is considering you as a hired team to perform special missions. Before they do, you must prove yourself by surviving in the Ghetto of Savages. Make your way to Fortress Despana. Those teams which make it there first will be paid better by the House. In the Ghetto, there is one safe area. Encounters: encounters are relatively random. For normal encounters, roll a d%. 01-20 bugbear stonejack (Drow of the Underdark) 21-45 3 goblins, 3 troglodytes (Monster Manual) 46-70 3 bugbears (Monster Manual) 71-90 1 troll (Monster Manual) 91-95 1 canoloth (Monster Manual III) 96-100 1 corruptor of fate (Monster Manual IV) Details/Plot: When the party nears a fountain, have a yugoloth encounter (canoloth or corruptor of fate). It surrenders when it nears death, and it tells the party that the fountain is related to the safe area. Further inspection of the fountain (or detect magic) reveals magical properties. A successful Spellcraft check reveals that it is similar to the blade of blood spell, in which you damage yourself in order to increase weapon damage. If the party choose to, they can inflict 1 hp of damage and drop their blood into the fountain, which reveals a magic circle. This is not the safe area, but it shows them where it is. If the party proceeds directly to Fortress Despana, they find it closed. It will remain that way for 5 hours. The party will most likely choose to investige the safe area (or go there, if they've already discovered it). It is completely impervious to enemies. They can get rest and prepare spells (as elves, they trance for 4 hours instead of sleeping for 8). After that, they can enter the Fortress and complete the mission. They are accepted as a mercenary strike team by House Tormtor. The party is now able to access Tormtor's inventory, purchase equipment, sell old equipment at full price, as mentioned in the previous post.