Shining South setting for campaign [Archive] - Wizards Community

Shining South setting for campaign [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
mordred20
12-12-06, 12:28 AM Who has set their campaign in the Shining South? I am interested in ideas from others who like the setting as much as I do. I am rather new at creating a campaign, and this may be a tricky part of the Realms for a greenhorn DM (at least when comes to running a campaign outside the "box" of published adventures). The main suggested setting for "Red Hand of Doom" got me interested in the area.

I find Dambrath especially intriguing, what with the occupation by the Crinti and the tensions with the Drow. Lots of Underdark possibilities as well as wilderness adventuring. Plus I like the savannah and jungle settings. Among the PCs in the party we have a human (Arkaiun) ranger and a half-drow (Crinti) fighter/rogue/shadow marauder who have a shared ambition to lead a revolt in Dambrath (maybe when they get to level 12 or higher).

Everything in the region is exotic, which is fun, but it's harder to define "normal" here compared to the Dalelands. Specifically, I am working on fleshing out Channathgate as a base of operations and have borrowed a bit of the old Calimport printed material, flavored with Shining Plains stuff for the feel of the Shaar. I would like to hear how other DMs have brought this region to life, or how players have created and played PCs here.
Hawkfeather
12-12-06, 08:32 AM I'm DMing in the Shining South right now (truth to be told: I got a vacation; I was tired to be the DM. Now I'm playing Planescape. But I'll come back to the DM role next year:) ). The main setting is the Shaar (specialy Shaarmid). Everybody started at 1st level and now they're around level 8. I'm using the yuan-ti as the main villains. If you have Serpent Kingdons, you know that Lhespher (a ruined city) was taken by the Coiled Cabal (a powerful cabal of yuan-ti mages) and thet're looking for some powerfull artifacts. The yuan-ti are controling some nomadic clans (Lion, Eagle and Ankheg - not all the tribes; just some of the powerfull families) and using them as pawns. Most of the dominated nomand don't even know who really is ruling them.

The PCs are: A nomad from the Hyena tribe; an Arkaiun bard, running from Dambrath; a cavalier (the knight class) from Tethyr and member of a Helm's knightly order; a Selune whorshiping rogue from Lapaliiya.
Altar_Boy
12-13-06, 07:08 PM I'm definately interested in starting a campaign there. I'm an Eberron guy, but the campaign book for SS reallt tickled my fancy.

My prelim plans involve starting PCs off in either the Great Rift or the Golden Lands. PC stupidity would probably kill them off in Halruaa and Dambrath. I might try Luiren if they want to go all midget.

If I were planning out a 1-20 level scale for the campaign, I'd throw them into Veldorn first and infest it with appropriate-CR monsters (Dragonspawn anyone? :devil: ). Level 6-10: Gate of Iron Fang. Level 11-15: Plane-travelling and Airship-riding in Halruaa :cool: Level 16-20: Topple Dambrath. :fight!:
Dark Wizard
12-13-06, 09:01 PM I'm definately interested in starting a campaign there. I'm an Eberron guy, but the campaign book for SS reallt tickled my fancy.

My prelim plans involve starting PCs off in either the Great Rift or the Golden Lands. PC stupidity would probably kill them off in Halruaa and Dambrath. I might try Luiren if they want to go all midget.

If I were planning out a 1-20 level scale for the campaign, I'd throw them into Veldorn first and infest it with appropriate-CR monsters (Dragonspawn anyone? :devil: ). Level 6-10: Gate of Iron Fang. Level 11-15: Plane-travelling and Airship-riding in Halruaa :cool: Level 16-20: Topple Dambrath. :fight!:

Nice :D
mordred20
12-13-06, 09:35 PM If I were planning out a 1-20 level scale for the campaign, I'd throw them into Veldorn first and infest it with appropriate-CR monsters (Dragonspawn anyone? :devil: ). Level 6-10: Gate of Iron Fang. Level 11-15: Plane-travelling and Airship-riding in Halruaa :cool: Level 16-20: Topple Dambrath. :fight!:

Hey, that's a very cool plan! :lightbulb

I have also been working on a conspiracy story line, with some lycanthropic followers of Malar (werelions, weretigers, werebears, oh my!) who hunt loxos and sell their tusks to traders backed a mysterious group -- turns out to be Shadow Weave types using the loxo ivory as a component in an oh-so-wrong set of customized spells. They must be stopped! I am thinking of introducing threads of the Beastlord part early on, and then the Shaodw Weave stuff pops up fast and furious at higher levels in Halruaa, maybe levels 11-15 like you said. :plotting:
Asche
12-14-06, 03:36 AM Currently Dming a campaign there too.
Mine so far has started as a slave-camp breakout as introduction, to flee from Dambrath. Highlight was fighting a single Shadow Marauder :p

Now I made up a plot concerning the gold dwarves in Earthheart, and the rival city Kholtar. Basically its about an outcast clan of gold dwarves, delving into the mysteries of alchemy with the help of a red dragon behind the curtains, being the only ones who are using firearms (pistols mostly, few muskets) in the area, which draws a lot of attention.

Since we prefer to level slowly, the party is at level 3, and already neck-deep into an attempt by said outcast dwarves to steal a valuable artifact from Earthheart without their former brethren noticing.

All in all, I think the Shining South lends itself to rather outside-the-box adventures, and having played "Exalted" now and then, I find that many elements of the 2 worlds kind of meet down there in the SS.
The_Shaman
12-14-06, 01:29 PM BTW, I'm working on extending Shadow Marauder into a 10-lvl PrC. I just love the flavor; if I make a half-drow it'd be because of it. What was the name of the (un)dead queen of Dambrath, by the way? You know, the mother of the current one?
johnkretzer
12-14-06, 01:51 PM I am currently play in a Shining South campaign. I would suggest getting The Serpent Kingdoms as that has alot of additional info on the area.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
mordred20 12-12-06, 12:28 AM	Who has set their campaign in the Shining South? I am interested in ideas from others who like the setting as much as I do. I am rather new at creating a campaign, and this may be a tricky part of the Realms for a greenhorn DM (at least when comes to running a campaign outside the "box" of published adventures). The main suggested setting for "Red Hand of Doom" got me interested in the area. I find Dambrath especially intriguing, what with the occupation by the Crinti and the tensions with the Drow. Lots of Underdark possibilities as well as wilderness adventuring. Plus I like the savannah and jungle settings. Among the PCs in the party we have a human (Arkaiun) ranger and a half-drow (Crinti) fighter/rogue/shadow marauder who have a shared ambition to lead a revolt in Dambrath (maybe when they get to level 12 or higher). Everything in the region is exotic, which is fun, but it's harder to define "normal" here compared to the Dalelands. Specifically, I am working on fleshing out Channathgate as a base of operations and have borrowed a bit of the old Calimport printed material, flavored with Shining Plains stuff for the feel of the Shaar. I would like to hear how other DMs have brought this region to life, or how players have created and played PCs here.
Hawkfeather 12-12-06, 08:32 AM	I'm DMing in the Shining South right now (truth to be told: I got a vacation; I was tired to be the DM. Now I'm playing Planescape. But I'll come back to the DM role next year:) ). The main setting is the Shaar (specialy Shaarmid). Everybody started at 1st level and now they're around level 8. I'm using the yuan-ti as the main villains. If you have Serpent Kingdons, you know that Lhespher (a ruined city) was taken by the Coiled Cabal (a powerful cabal of yuan-ti mages) and thet're looking for some powerfull artifacts. The yuan-ti are controling some nomadic clans (Lion, Eagle and Ankheg - not all the tribes; just some of the powerfull families) and using them as pawns. Most of the dominated nomand don't even know who really is ruling them. The PCs are: A nomad from the Hyena tribe; an Arkaiun bard, running from Dambrath; a cavalier (the knight class) from Tethyr and member of a Helm's knightly order; a Selune whorshiping rogue from Lapaliiya.
Altar_Boy 12-13-06, 07:08 PM	I'm definately interested in starting a campaign there. I'm an Eberron guy, but the campaign book for SS reallt tickled my fancy. My prelim plans involve starting PCs off in either the Great Rift or the Golden Lands. PC stupidity would probably kill them off in Halruaa and Dambrath. I might try Luiren if they want to go all midget. If I were planning out a 1-20 level scale for the campaign, I'd throw them into Veldorn first and infest it with appropriate-CR monsters (Dragonspawn anyone? :devil: ). Level 6-10: Gate of Iron Fang. Level 11-15: Plane-travelling and Airship-riding in Halruaa :cool: Level 16-20: Topple Dambrath. :fight!:
Dark Wizard 12-13-06, 09:01 PM	I'm definately interested in starting a campaign there. I'm an Eberron guy, but the campaign book for SS reallt tickled my fancy. My prelim plans involve starting PCs off in either the Great Rift or the Golden Lands. PC stupidity would probably kill them off in Halruaa and Dambrath. I might try Luiren if they want to go all midget. If I were planning out a 1-20 level scale for the campaign, I'd throw them into Veldorn first and infest it with appropriate-CR monsters (Dragonspawn anyone? :devil: ). Level 6-10: Gate of Iron Fang. Level 11-15: Plane-travelling and Airship-riding in Halruaa :cool: Level 16-20: Topple Dambrath. :fight!: Nice :D
mordred20 12-13-06, 09:35 PM	If I were planning out a 1-20 level scale for the campaign, I'd throw them into Veldorn first and infest it with appropriate-CR monsters (Dragonspawn anyone? :devil: ). Level 6-10: Gate of Iron Fang. Level 11-15: Plane-travelling and Airship-riding in Halruaa :cool: Level 16-20: Topple Dambrath. :fight!: Hey, that's a very cool plan! :lightbulb I have also been working on a conspiracy story line, with some lycanthropic followers of Malar (werelions, weretigers, werebears, oh my!) who hunt loxos and sell their tusks to traders backed a mysterious group -- turns out to be Shadow Weave types using the loxo ivory as a component in an oh-so-wrong set of customized spells. They must be stopped! I am thinking of introducing threads of the Beastlord part early on, and then the Shaodw Weave stuff pops up fast and furious at higher levels in Halruaa, maybe levels 11-15 like you said. :plotting:
Asche 12-14-06, 03:36 AM	Currently Dming a campaign there too. Mine so far has started as a slave-camp breakout as introduction, to flee from Dambrath. Highlight was fighting a single Shadow Marauder :p Now I made up a plot concerning the gold dwarves in Earthheart, and the rival city Kholtar. Basically its about an outcast clan of gold dwarves, delving into the mysteries of alchemy with the help of a red dragon behind the curtains, being the only ones who are using firearms (pistols mostly, few muskets) in the area, which draws a lot of attention. Since we prefer to level slowly, the party is at level 3, and already neck-deep into an attempt by said outcast dwarves to steal a valuable artifact from Earthheart without their former brethren noticing. All in all, I think the Shining South lends itself to rather outside-the-box adventures, and having played "Exalted" now and then, I find that many elements of the 2 worlds kind of meet down there in the SS.
The_Shaman 12-14-06, 01:29 PM	BTW, I'm working on extending Shadow Marauder into a 10-lvl PrC. I just love the flavor; if I make a half-drow it'd be because of it. What was the name of the (un)dead queen of Dambrath, by the way? You know, the mother of the current one?
johnkretzer 12-14-06, 01:51 PM	I am currently play in a Shining South campaign. I would suggest getting The Serpent Kingdoms as that has alot of additional info on the area.