So here goes a little summary of my Campaign:
* The Characters all started at 4th level and are now around 6th level. We play 3.5 edition and we play in a custom version of the Forgotten Realms in 1357 DR.*
The characters!
-Chelsmeth : Moon elf; 6th level Ranger
-Mithlain Erinion: Moon elf; 5th level Mage, 2nd level Rogue
-Abdul Khaled: Calishite Human; 6th level Rogue
-Xandos : Thethyrian Human; 5th level Rogue, 1st level Guild Thief
-Anya Stonar: Illuskan human 6th level Cleric of Shaundakul
-Dorgan Frath Stonar: Illuskan human 4th level Cleric, 2nd level Ranger
Ex PCs:
-Gorstag Buckman; Illuskan human, Fighter (Archer) (Left the group in Quaervarr)
-Amarilys Goodbarrel: Ghostwise halfling, Sorcerer (Died in a bandit ambush)
-Thoïan Pagason: Tethyrian human, Druid (Died in a bandit ambush)
Prologue!
Characters Started of in a bad situation. They had met in Daggerford south of waterdeep and accepted to escort a merchent named Shank Breenwater up to Waterdeep because the region was not secure. After getting in Waterdeep they were captured by the City Watch and as it turned out they were falsely accused of banditery and were sent to jail immediatly. Three days later, they are brought to the gallows to be hanged and this is were the Players begun the Campaign.
All while a crowd gathered in front of the gallows and a speech by a Magister, the PCs were able to influence an old aquaintance of Mithlain Erinion, an ex-member of the Arcane Brotherhood. The man they influenced was also an ex-member of the Arcane Brotherhood and apparently has ties with higher autority in Waterdeep. Seeing two old aquaintence (Mithlain and Amarilys) at the end of a rope was enough for him to plead to a Magister to stop the execution. Instead, he was able to transmute the PCs death by hanging into a "Lowering" in Undermountain. The PCs were quick enough to see the merchant Shank Breenwater receive gold by a cloaked figure which they could not identify.
At that point it was clear to the PCs that they had been framed even though most of them had quite a dark past.
Chapter 1: Escape from Undermountain!
After the PCs got into Undermountain, they foraged for equipement in the sluggard tribe goblins. By doing this they managed to get some pretty good gear and were ready to challenge Undermountain!
After some lenghty exploration, fighting and trap-avoiding, the PCs met with the Ghost of Melair IV, the Ancient King of the Melairkyn clan of Dwarves that ruled over the halls down below Undermountain. After some negociation, they agreed to bring back a shield of his that he lost in a battle against the drow long ago. In exchange, he would show them an exit as he sensed in their hearts that they were not so bad after all.
After some more exploration, fighting and trap-avoiding, the PCs were invited to visit a Shrine to Velsharoon that hid under Waterdeep for experimentation purposes. After going in by curiosity, they spotted the Melairkyn shield. Turns out the Velsharoon cult wanted to do some research on the Melairkyn dwarves and needed the PCs to get some corpses from the tombs.
Of course, the PCs refused and stole the shield returning it to Melair IV. After receiving the shield, the old ghost vanished and showed a way to a portal in Yeldoon's Crypt. In my campaign, I made that Yeldoon is an ancient count from Quaervarr in the Silver Marches as it is the village were one of the PCs (Gorstag) came from.
After battling pursuers from Velsharoon's cult, the PCs found Yeldoon's tomb and a portal linking to the old destroyed manor outside the walls of Quaervarr. Turn's out Count Yeldoon went mad sometime ago, slaughtered all of his family and hid inside his manor. When an angry mob from Quaervarr came to burn down his manor, the count had fled. Turns out he had became obssessed by Undermountain because of a pendant he owned and had a portal linking his basement with his tomb.
Finaly, the PCs saw the bright light of the sun after spending days in Undermountain and were really happy to find back some sort of civilization. Even though Quaervarr is far from being a big town...
Chapter 2: In the defense of Quaervarr!
Of course after getting out of the burned manor, the PCs went to the village to rest and gather some supplies. They wanted to find out who had framed them and they wanted to take revenge.
Rest was short because as it turns out, Quaervarr was having bandit problems. Caravans couldn't get in or out of town and all help sent from Silverymoon in the south was useless. They either died or were probably lost in the Moonwood.
Since Quaervarr was the hometown of one of the PCs (Gorstag Buckman), the PCs aided in finding the bandit camp in the Moonwood. They were directed by a lady named Joïa which was captain of the guard. She wanted the Count Jierdan to send more troops to battle the bandits but he stayed cloistered in his manor and refused to send more troops.
After visiting the Count, the PCs found that he was ill and was tended by a certain bodyguard that the PCs didn't trust and a strange alchimist. They reported this to Joïa which agreed with them but told them that they needed urgent help with the bandits. The PCs then headed toward the North-East after interrogating a captured bandit.
By travelling in the woods they befriended Amra Clearwater of the nearby druid circle. Sadly though, the PCs lost 2 members during an ambush. Amarilys Goodbarrel and Thoian Pagason died fighting the bandits in the forest. After burying the dead, the group launched an assault on the bandit camp with members of the Knights in Silver. Inside the camp they managed to find proof of treachery by the Count's bodyguard and by interrogating the Bandit's chief, they managed to find that the count of Oakney (a small fictional village to the North-West of Quaervarr) had hired the bandits to harass Quaervarr.
Going back to the village, they were shocked to find that Lady Joïa was destituted of her title and Guard duty was given to troops from Oakney. The bodyguard of count Jierdan had poisoned him and was using him to facilitate the work of Count Marvar of Oakney. After doing a small meetup with Joïa, the PCs decided to confront the Bodyguard and so they went up to the Count's room. There they found that Count Jierdan had been murdered. The Bodyguard knew the PCs were back and that they had proof of his treachery and so, he killed the Count.
After a fight that the PCs won, the village of Quaervarr was left with no Count and no heir to the throne. The PCs had to find one soon because Count Marvar's army was advancing toward Quaervarr and if no-one was on that throne, then Oakney's count could claim it for himself. After some investigation, the PCs found that Joïa was in fact an illegitimate child of the Count. The next step was to overthrow Oakney's guards that were in Quaervarr and so, during the coronation ceremony, the PCs and some loyal guards took care of that problem.
Even though Joïa was the new Countess, Oakney's army was approaching and so the PCs trained a little militia to fight. After some rough training and an expedition to eliminate some scouts, the big battle ensued.
Chapter 2: Epilogue!
The battle broke out at dawn in front of Quaervarr in some fields surrounded by woods. The PCs led some troops in battle with Joïa and even though three of them fell uncounscious, they managed to bring Quaervarr to victory.
Count Marvar of Oakney was captured and the PCs were now heroes!
Still though, even though Joïa greatly rewarded them with gold and treasure, the PCs wanted to get to Waterdeep to get their revenge. After all the blood that was spilt in Quaervarr, the PCs left for Silverymoon to find a boat that will take them West.
One PC didn't follow though. Gorstag Buckman stayed in his hometown to help in the rebuilding of the town and he vowed to stay with his father.
During their raiding of the bandit camp in Chapter 2, the PCs had found two Clerics of Shaundakul that were captured by hired gnolls. The two were Dorgan Frath Stonar and Anya Stonar, they were travelling near Waterdeep when they got captured by Agraar; a gnoll that also caused Chelsmeth some problems in the past. All of them then teamed up to get to Waterdeep.
Chapter 3: Onward to Waterdeep!
During their stay in Quaervarr, the PCs got to know each other better and found out that they all had enemies that might want to frame them because of some deeds in their past.
-Chelsmeth had lost his grip on reality after the loss of a relative some years ago and had attacked some caravans on the Sword Coast.
-Mithlain Erinion and Amarilys Goodbarrel were ex Arcane Brotherhood members. They had fleed together and stole some stuff to get by.
-Abdul Khaled is an ex Slaver from Calimport that got double crossed by his brother. He fled North.
After leaving Quaervarr and heading to Silverymoon, the PCs met Xandos, a human rogue from Waterdeep sent to deliver a message to a guild relative and he joined them.
So right now, the PCs are in Silverymoon and have spent time finding a cure for lycanthropy as 3 of them had been biten in the Moonwood while leaving Quaervarr. They also met the new count of Oakney ; Count Marvar "the younger". This man put a price on their head after seeing them in Silverymoon and so they have gotten some attention from the guards as they defended themselves from hired thugs.
Good point though: the guard seems to be on the side of the PCs.
Last session was tonight!
The last PC to be afflicted was cured from Lycanthropy and after having an epiphany involving Shaundakul and a vision involving a lost shrine. Some PCs went in the Vault of the Sages to find that lost shrine while some are infiltrating Miresk's school of Thaumaturgy to get back a stolen book for the acquaintance that saved them from the gallows at the very beggining of their adventures.
i've got:
ryan: halfling ranger?
andy: tiefling warlock maybe?
adam: eladrin paladin?
i think
all started at level one. the raid on loudwater. oh man. that went badly. we decided to start over because all of them were standing by the wall that was destroyed (1d10 and knocked prone). all except for four of the townsfolk died, the goblins made off with the horn... i tried to help them... i forgot to adjust the encounter for only three pcs.
second encounter. oh man. worse. i didn't learn anything. thankfully, my players did. i killed all of them at some point, but they kept bringing each other back to life! it was a great feeling. i kept saying, "i'm not trying to make you lose! that's not fun for any of us!" they figured it out.
we aren't too saturated in rpg, but we have fun. i'll keep you posted if you want to hear more.
They awoke amid a blasted area in a plague land. Thus began a Skill Challenge. Three players aquired spellscars one pasted endure check, all started with half Healing Surges. They looked around to realise they were in some sort of battle with gibberlings before a blast of energy from an orb that hovers above a river. They are disoriented only barely remembering each other traveling together.
The Orb pulses energy that absorbs or repells Spellplagues Blue haze. They failed to aquire the orb deciding to leave the plague land after those with Spellscars sensed burrowed gibberling in the surrounding area near dusk. While trying to follow the river through illusional terrain of thickets and mud, two noticed songs being sung beyond the plague distorted humming racket of insects and frogs. Following that sound of songs the party exit the Plague Land marsh's edge crossing a meadow to a roadside Tavern-Inn holding a Harvest-tide Bard Competition called Volo's Lost Song. They are recognized by some folk of the Inn and it's staff.
After a few drinks one of the party, an Elf Warlord, strikes up a conversation with an old haggard warrior in similarly tattered clothes as the parties. The old stranger is suffering from memory loss as well. The old warrior wears a scabbered long sword with emblems of Torm the True and Brave upon the hilt. He calles himself Zeus. He watches and listens to the party member while scanning the company of the Inn. He presents the Elf Warlord a Ring, while lowly holding a wand upon the elf warningly. The Elf Warlord discovers through wearing the ring for a moment that a few in the Tavern are strangely scaled humans. The old epic stranger Zeus, gets his ring back from the PC and leaves the tavern searching for his own answers to similar questions.
The party approaches the scaled folk and a battle ensues against a few Serpent Folk minions. After being poisoned by some hits and struggling to hit and kill these strange scaled humans of Najara. The Inn Keep is impressed by there discovery and grants them a nights stay at the inn where folk been going missing upon the roads there just south of Boarskyr Bridge. They are told by a staff member of the Inn that they still have horses in the stables. He asks them how their search of the Plague Creek went. They discover they have ties to Baldur's Gate and traveled from Loudwater before arriving at the Roadside Inn. Thus ended our game sesson.
Now the party has some choices to make in discovering their past, who they are, what they were doing where they were at the begining. I figured it gives the group some room for background building and role playing tide to events and adventures I have prepared. My part as DM will be to take their added information and tie them into our game. We also have another player who missed the first game sesson. He will be coming in next game night. He's going to play a Shadar-kai Rogue, which will be interesting to see how he might fit in with the party. The opening party consist of a Dwarf Fighter, an Elf Ranger, an Elf Warlord, and a Goliath Fighter (who wasn't Spellscarred while spending 24 hours in the Plague-land).
The PCs are in Silverymoon and are split in two groups. One is in the basement of Miresk's School of Thaumaturgy having infiltrated it by the sewers.
Another group is in the Vault of the sages, searching for information on a lost Shrine of Shaundakul.
In the school:
The PCs in the basement of the School soon find out that they are in some sort of Trials where new students are tested. They solve enigmas and are tempted to free a devil from a binding. Soon though, they find their way to the base of the tower itself. It is a circular room where tested students have to fly or levitate upwards as to not touch the ground of the room which is earth and rocks.
In the center of the room, while trying to figure out a way to climb up, the PCs are attacked by 2 powerful ankhegs attack them. One is uncounscious, one is dead. The remaining 2 manage to revive the uncounscious ranger and the 3 then decide to bring the corpse of their friend with them back to Silverymoon to resurrect him.
In the Vault of Sages:
At the same time, the PCs that are in the Vault of Sages find some useful information relating to a shrine of Shaundakul located in the Spine of the World. It's name is "Meirhald" and it was known as the first shrine of Shaundakul but it has probably been destroyed.
As the PCs are investigating the books, they spot 2 young mages entering the Vault and sitting down to study a Scroll they brought in with them. After some time the PCs are intrigued and find out that they are two students at Miresk's School of Thaumaturgy. The two student activate the scroll by accident and this way, a portal to Avernus (First of the Nine Hells of Baator) is opened and one of the two student is dragged in by a devil.
People panic in the Vault and the Keeper arrives with two guards. He wants to close the gate but the PCs and the remaining student want to go in to save the student that activated the scroll by accident. They negociate and the keeper agrees to hold the portal for two hours, after this he will close it.
So all in all, the PCs were in shock in Avernus and they fought some low levels devils while tracking the one that carried a prisoner. They finaly climbed a steep hill while under attack by bearded devils and imps and after getting at the top, they found a chained devil walking with the man they were looking for. Both were headed for the Pillar of Skulls, a structure that is several miles high and that is looming on the horizon.
So that is that. I don't know if anybody reads this. haha! Anyway, it serves as a great campaign log!
Great stories guys! Yeah, I'll admit we are pretty immersed but I like to play some laid back games too. Indeed, for the next 3 weeks I'll be playing in a very laid back dungeon crawl. We're gonna kick some monsters' in the nuts and pillage everything!!
Andrekan, I'm not so sure about the plague lands. I don't have the 4th edition Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting so I'm not too sure about what it is, could you enlighten me? Is it a widespread area in Faerun? It must come as a result from the Spell plague tough. Is magic very different in 4thE?
Thanks guys!
Brittany will be playing Thalla (NG Half Drow Bard lvl 1). My player owns the Code of Harpers 2nd edition supplement and plans on joining the Harpers as soon as I give her an opening in game (which I do intend to do).
Craig will be playing Borac Tinan (CG Dwarf Fighter lvl 16). This character will make only periodic cameos throughout the campaign. He is a character from my first AD&D campaign I ran in the mid-90s and my old player would like him somehow whisked away to the Realms (his and my fav setting).
I more detailed campaign log will be found soon on the forums in my group page here: community.wizards.com/dmtrandahl
To this day, I'm clinging on something different tough. 3e. It's a hell of a different beast from 2e AD&D but still.
I love the idea of having some characters from old games pop-up from time to time. I've had one of my player's rogue from an old campaign pop-up as a guild leader in a new one. I'm currently planning on having one of my player's ex-elf character show up. He died but my campaing is taking place BEFORE the other campaign we did.
Anyway, I love the idea of Cormanthor and going to the ruins of Myth Drannor. I've never explored this region in a campaign but I feel like I should. Especialy with all the stuff that has been written about the nearby Dales.
Cheers mate!
Good luck with your new campaign!
That sounds awesome! I loved to play 2nd Ed. AD&D back in the days. It's what introduced me to Dungeons & Dragons and to this day, I have not looked back. When 3e came out, I was among the few that still clinged on 2nd Ed. AD&D.
To this day, I'm clinging on something different tough. 3e. It's a hell of a different beast from 2e AD&D but still.
I love the idea of having some characters from old games pop-up from time to time. I've had one of my player's rogue from an old campaign pop-up as a guild leader in a new one. I'm currently planning on having one of my player's ex-elf character show up. He died but my campaing is taking place BEFORE the other campaign we did.
Anyway, I love the idea of Cormanthor and going to the ruins of Myth Drannor. I've never explored this region in a campaign but I feel like I should. Especialy with all the stuff that has been written about the nearby Dales.
Cheers mate!
Good luck with your new campaign!
Thanks! Likewise with your campaign! Most of my Realms campaigns over the years have taken place in the Savage Frontier and/or the Silver Marches. This upcoming one will be the first one to use the Dalelands and Cormanthor.
www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/darknes...
...and the blog is in my siggy.
enjoy
During the PC attempt to uncover the first vial their efforts were thwarted by Jarlaxle, who (like in the novels) is the new power behind the Citadel of Assassins. The pc are now trying to focus their attention towards finding the second vial of liquid spellplaque that is in the hands of a mad necromancer and has plans to turn the entire bloodstone valley into a spellplague land full of spellchanged undead.
The party thus far...
Khiana Windborne, Elf Ranger (Archer)
Hargrim Stoutmantle, Dwarf Fighter
Churok Bonesplitter, Orc Shaman (Protector/Bear)
Marakesh, Human Wizard
Puck Piperdale, Halfling Rogue
Will detail more after the game begins...
-Cal
Cast of Characters:
Garrett Hilltopple- Halfling Barbarian 5
Lia Armastice- Elf Ranger 5
Angelica- Elf Ranger 5
Aytros Falconwing- Human Warmage 4/Wizard 1
Hrothgar Stonehand- Dwarf Cleric 5
Isha Swiftpaw- Shifter Ranger 5 (shifter race based on my own creation, not the Eberron race)
Chapter One-Slaughtergarde Laboratory
The campaign takes place in the Valley of Obelisks in the Silver Marches (FR). A representative of the local halfling mercantile guild based in Sumberton, the Chicane Guild, approaches he group with a problem. A very valuable shipment was hi-jacked by a band of goblins about a day's ride to the east. There was a jurisdictional problem between the various local peacekeeping groups...which means none of them felt like bothering with it. So, beore she had to resort to bribes, she asked the adveturers to handle it.
After some effort, the goblins were routed and teh Cargo recovered. A note of interest is that their lair seemed a little extravagant for goblins which included worked stone rooms and passageways. Thinking hat the goblins had merely stumbled upon a long forgotten and buried fortress the PC's think nothing of it until they start selling the spoils. The armor they sold caught the eye of the Luminous Order, the only consistant force for good in the valley.
The Order recognizes the armor as antiques left over from a vast battle faught in the valley millennia ago between armies of the higher planes and an invading force from the Abyss centered around a mountain fortress called Slaughtergarde. They determied that the goblins must have stumbled into a left over portion of that evil fortress. And if one section remains, then perhaps there are others....
Chapter Two-Gnomes and their toys
While the Luminous Order convenes to discuss the latest discoveries the group is sought out by a Gnome Wizard. The little guy is quite upset. He and his fellows were working on a revolutionary new mode of transport. It is a skyship! A sea-going vessel heavily modified with artifice and magic to fly through the air. The problem is that they have caught the attention of a rather nasty band of pirates from the Sword cCoast who they "acquired" the boat from. The pirates showed up one day and attacked their facility along the eastern mountain range that fenced the Valley. The little gnome needed help getting their work back which was nearig completion when they were forced to flee
The group accepted the job and went to investigate. It didn't take long to route the pirates. The only major problem was that the pirates had a particularly nasty Minotaur acting as guard to the gnome's "dry dock." When the miotaur finally went down, after nearly goring the halfling to death, the adventurers made it to the main work area and found out why it had been easier than expected. The pirates were already escaping. After dismantling much of the prototype skyship, they were apparently finished and they were making their escape through a portal. With the help of a couple more minotaurs, the bulk of the pirates got away.
The gnomes were happy to have their ship back, though it would be a while before it was back on schedule. In addition to the reward promised, the little guys hinted that tehy might be able to repay the favor sometime...
Chapter Three-Back to Slaughtergarde
After a few days of rest back in Sumberton the Luminous Order approache them with a delicate situation. A local noble family has attracted suspicious attention lately. Reports of mysterious activity from their lands along the river have come under scrutiny by the Order, especially in light of te discovery of left over portions of Slaughtergarde. A coincidence is unlikely. However, they are careful and are covering their tracks quite well so there is no concrete proof. It would be a mistake for the order to mave against them without provocation. The Order asks the PC's if they would investigate independently. If evidence of wrong doing is uncovered, report back to the Order and they can safely moeve in at that point. And, if you find another section of Slaughtergarde, as you probably will, purge it of any taint of evil.
Sure enough, upon entering the dungeon the party discovers worked stone and designs identical to the known section of slaughtergarde already explored. Instead of goblins, however, they find Drow waiting for them! It seems the drow have secretly aligned themselves with teh nobles for unknown purposes and have even had half-drow children. To top matters off, the drow and nobles are also allied to a group of wererats who are secretly trying to overtake Sumberton one strategic bite at a time.
The action in the dungeon culminates when a drow high-priestess makes her appearance along with a rather large Lloth created spider. Also, in the midst of exploring the place, they find and destroy several evil alters and encounter what appears to be some sort of broken dimensional gate. A section of wall carved to resemble the fanged maw of a demon and the inside of its mouth was a blank wall with demonic creatures that look like they were caught halfway through when the magic stopped working...
Chapter Four-A favor owed
After returning to the Order at their base of operations, the Shining Citadel, at the southern end of teh valley, one of the leading clerics calls in a favor. During one of the previous adventures, one of teh characters unfortunately died. Having no money to pay for the cost of the high level clerical spell needed to return, the cleric of the Order simply asked for a favor at a later date.
he has now come to collect on that favor. It is a simple task. Years ago when he, too, set out on adventures he was part of a group that routed a known lair of Frost Giants to the south in Frostfire Mountain. He was the only one who made it out alive. the lair is once again active and he would like the group to invstigate...