InVinoVeritas
Adventurer
The Central Barracks of Paridon.
“Please, come in. Close the door. My name is Gis, and I am Paridon’s head constable.
Paridon is a den of iniquity. Predators prowl the streets, unclean things live in the sewers, and sin is the only being that walks freely. From the ill repute on the street corners, to the thugs in the shadows, to the "artistes" in rich salons presenting obscenity to a barbarous bourgeoisie, the city is choking with an immoral filth.
Paridon is also home.
We know city life, and the city is where we choose to stay. We stay because they value society, know the value of culture, understand that strength is to be had in each other.
It is also because of people like us.
We are Paridon's constabulary. We are a hardy group with a tough job. There is the Enforcer Arm, those who watch over the people, always wary for an attacker. There is the Infiltrator Arm, those who fall into the pit of evil, risking their souls trying to stem the tide of sin from the inside. And then there are the Investigators. Sometimes, a crime occurs that is so mysterious, so bizarre, so unexplainable, that it is turned over to you. Your job is to delve deep into the heart of the mystery, find out whatever the civilized would not, and should not understand, and bring justice.
One company among the Investigators is called the Rose Company. You’ll like them. They are on the rise, and a number of its members are being looked on favorably by the Queen’s elite. Right now, they are bringing in a dangerous, deadly killer from the Clocktower District. I don’t understand all the particulars, but apparently this gnome fellow is able to build vampires. Yes, build them, out of metal. I’m not sure they’ll all come back alive.
Yes, there’s a warning. The Rose Company has quite a bit of turnover. Their mage, Hieran, asked for a desk job. Their tracker, Perrin, also asked for a reassignment, but I had to put him back on the team when Torhan… well… was killed while destroying one of these clockwork vampires. He was a good man, Torhan. In any case, I doubt Perrin will want to stay. But those that remain—Ru, Fr. Berman, Calahan, and Darian—are under consideration by the nobles.
It’s not an easy job. It’s high risk, but high reward, as well. Stick it out, be careful, and you’ll be noticed quickly. But enough about us. What can you bring to the Rose Company?”
* * *
Paridon: The Dark Metropolis is a Ravenloft adventure involving the Investigator arm of the city guard. Paridon is a Renaissance/near-Victorian style city. The Gothic style permeates the architecture, as if the Age of Reason completely passed it by. Most people have never ventured outside the city walls, and would not know the first thing about anything other than urban life. There are enclaves and neighborhoods of a number of different races and people. The style of the campaign is gothic horror, murder mystery, and crime procedural--Think CSI: Las Vegas meets Silent Hill via Name of the Rose.
The game is high on the role playing. I’ll handle all dice rolling. For an idea of how the game feel will be, feel free to read the first story, Paridon Book I: Something Old, Something New.
Priority will be given to the players who completed the first story: industrygothica, Rhun, jkason, Ivid, and kinem. However, I will add a minimum of two new slots for this game.
D&D 3.5 Rules + Complete Series + Monte Cook’s Firearms Rules
5th level characters
28 Point Buy
9,000 GP Starting Wealth
Religion: The dominant religion is the Ezraite religion, steeped in tradition and with various sects within it. Think of a structure similar to the Roman Catholic Church of the middle ages. There are also other cults, traditions, and heresies to be found within the city. Make a good story for it.
Backgrounds will be vital. Don't worry about knowing anything about the Ravenloft campaign world--just know that you've spent most (if not all) of your life in Paridon, and build from there. Also, don’t assume that everything will be just like the Ravenloft campaign world if you know about it. Paridonese is the local native language, but it is typically referred to as “Common.”
Enjoy! Let me know if you have any questions.
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