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Aftermath - Campaign after the War
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<blockquote data-quote="Rybaer" data-source="post: 1077" data-attributes="member: 118"><p>Adventure #1- Introduction and First Assignment</p><p></p><p>Our heroes begin their story in a small city of about 3,000 folks, all mixed races, slaves who had successfully revolted and earned their freedom from the orcs and other evil races some fifteen years prior. In the aftermath of the great wars brought on by the Black Hand, they are almost completely unaware of the fate of any others and have no contact with any other cities or towns of any significant size.</p><p></p><p>On the day of the Spring Celebration, Lord Stephen, leader of their home city of New Selmar, summons the group to join him in his hall for a private audience. On this day, the five of them are among those recognized as full adult members of the community, and as some of the most promising in each of their respective disciplines: Monk, Wizard, Fighter, Ranger, and Cleric. When they meet Lord Stephen, there is also another lady present - one they do not recognize as a member of the community. She is a half elf with dark brown skin, short white/grey hair, and strikingly attractive features. She is dressed in fine but durable travel clothing and has the bearing of one of some great power. She also wears the symbol of Ehlonna, goddess of woodlands, which both Nigel and Rurik recognize. Her name, as the Lord introduces her, is Shele. Stephen explains that she was instrumental in helping the slaves of their community rise up against the orcs to earn their freedom.</p><p></p><p>Cutting to the chase over wine and ale, the Lord asks the group to investigate the disappearance of two hunters to the northeast of the city. Additionally, a farmer reported that two of his dogs have also disappeared in that area and that his son reported sighting some strange figures walking along the hills nearby at dusk one night. The Lady Shele offers a blessing upon each of the group and they are then dismissed.</p><p></p><p>The group is up early the following morning to visit the farmer. Before leaving, however, the Lady Shele approaches them and again wishes them luck and urges them to be careful. She also offers each a small gift, something to help them on their journeys. (DM note – I had just gotten engaged a couple days before the game, so I decided to grace each of the players with a free low-level magic item in celebration.) From a Bag of Holding she produced an item for each. Amblin, the monk, was given a Robe of Useful Items; Boaz, the fighter, was given a jar of Sovereign Glue; Nigel, the ranger, was given an enchanted suit of studded leather armor; Rurik, the cleric, was given Boots of Elvenkind; Zalman, the wizard, was given a Ring of Jumping. Thanking the mysterious half-elf, they departed the city.</p><p></p><p>The farmer whose dogs had gone missing has little more information to offer the group, but does point them toward the area his son spotted the figures. The kid, a boy of no more than 8 years, is enamored with the group and the interesting gear they carry. He leads them to the spot. While en route, two of the group offer to help rescue a cow that has been stuck in some deep mud created by the heavy spring rains (they bring much of the mud along with them).</p><p></p><p>The ranger quickly picks up a trail of footprints that lead toward the woods to the east. They follow them to the woods where they quickly become too difficult to follow. Here, however, they spot a pair of hobgoblins with a dog in the distance. After a brief discussion, they decide that the hobgoblins can’t be up to any good, so they decide to attack. Rurik, the cleric, boldly and loudly leads the charge (in spite of being the slowest in the group). They engage the hobgoblins, though the cleric nearly died in the process when a hobgoblin scored a critical hit with a heavy crossbow with the very first attack role of the campaign. (DM note – one house rule I like to use is that of Fate Points, borrowed from the Warhammer RPG. Each player gets two, and they can only be used to cheat certain death. The intent is mostly to help keep low-level characters alive through fluke combats…like critical hits with heavy crossbows. Besides, this was our first foray into 3rd edition and we hadn’t quite gotten the feel for balancing characters against monsters and other encounters yet.) So, rewind from the first attack…Rurik sees the hobgoblins’ large dog leaping toward his chest when suddenly its head explodes in a cloud of blood and tissue from the hobgoblin’s crossbow that had been intended for the dwarf. After a short skirmish, one hobgoblin is dead and they revive the other just long enough to interrogate it. It insists that they are members of a small band that has no interest in raiding New Selmar (too big and well defended). Rather, they are out in the woods searching for a renegade - one of their own, apparently. They both bear the insignia of a gray frog.</p><p></p><p>As they had lost the trail when it entered the woods, they return to the fields and follow it back in the direction from which it came. Eventually, it comes to a stop at the side of a small mound where someone has obviously been digging into the side of it and then backfilling it with dirt. They dig in and find that it is a mass grave - members of different good races, presumably from the war. This is known to have been the site of a large battle in the war (when the old independent city of Selmar fell), so this is not unusual. Who was digging into it and for what purpose remains unknown.</p><p></p><p>Again the group follows the trail to the woods. This time, they veer a bit south and follow a sandy-banked stream into the woods in the same direction as the trail had been leading. Not more than a couple hundred yards into the woods, the trail reappears along the shoreline and is much easier to follow in the soft sand. There are at least three prints - two human sized, though one is unusually thin and deep, and one is very large humanoid. There is also evidence that something was dragged along behind them. </p><p></p><p>With dusk descending, they begin to prepare camp. While Boaz, Rurik, and Zalman work on the camp, Amblin and Nigel explore a bit further down the stream. They soon spot a skeleton and a zombie carrying digging tools and a large sack walking along the shore in their direction. Both are quickly dispatched and disposed of. The zombie, Nigel notes, was once one of the missing hunters. The two follow the trail back to its source - a cave in the side of a small ridge not much more than two hundred yards from their camp. They decide to rest anyway and keep careful watch during the night. No disturbances that evening.</p><p></p><p>The following morning, the monk runs back to town to report and learns that most of the town's fighting forces are out dealing with some orc raids. The blacksmith, the only council member in town, advises him to return and determine more accurately the source of the undead and to deal with it if possible. Meanwhile, the others have been closely watching the cave, but have seen nothing. They decide to go in.</p><p></p><p>The cave follows a small trickle of a stream through a long, narrow chamber. Toward the back, about ten large (3ft) spiders drop down on them when they set their webbing on fire. Several are bitten, but all manage to shrug off the effects of the weak poison. Once dealt with, they then proceed further back through a narrow passage where they trigger a simple rockslide trap and suffer minor injuries. Watching more carefully, they manage to avoid and disarm another similar trap. Shortly thereafter, they spot light ahead and hear a voice chanting.</p><p></p><p>Just as they prepare to advance, two zombie dogs (yeah, figured you’d see them again, eh?) run down the hall and attack, causing a few minor injuries. Figuring surprise is now out, they charge into the room. Here, they find four human-sized skeletons and an ogre zombie. Further back in an alcove is a hobgoblin in black robes behind a table with a lit candle on it. The battle begins in earnest. </p><p></p><p>Nigel, after popping an arrow into the cleric, is hit with a fear spell. While trying to flee, the orge pounds him and he falls unconscious. The others engage the skeletons and the zombie. Zalman summons two celestial dogs (who occupy and score hits on the zombie) and also drops a magic missile into the cleric. At this point, the cleric casts darkness and is lost from sight. Amblin produces another pair of war dogs from his Robe of Useful Items to join the fight. The skeletons are quickly destroyed and the ogre zombie, though very tough, also submits to final death. Rurik begins healing the Nigel while the others pursue the cleric into the darkness.</p><p></p><p>Surprisingly, the darkness only extends a few feet before they can see clearly again (as if it’s a wall or shell of darkness a few feet thick). Upon entering the lit area, Boaz somehow "knows" that there is a passage behind one of the tapestries hanging on the wall and he runs down it in pursuit of the cleric - somehow managing to spot and avoid another rockfall trap on the way. Zalman checks the material on the desk and finds a scroll and a map - interestingly, he can read the words on the map, despite not knowing the language. When Amblin and his dogs (from the Robe) join Zalman, they notice that each other has a mysterious and unrecognizable mark on his forehead (the dogs do not).</p><p></p><p>Boaz, emerging back into the daylight, manages to run down the hobgoblin cleric before he is able to escape across a deep gorge with a makeshift plank bridge. They have a short, bloody fight, with Boaz triumphing. He drags the body back into the cave to be looted.</p><p></p><p>All said and done, they find that the cleric had a magical light mace and a magical amulet in the shape of a silver spider. The candle on the table also radiates a strong magical aura. When the candle is blown out, the marks on everyone's foreheads disappear and they are unable to read the map. (They believe this map to be of the ruins of Old Selmar, only about ten miles to the north. It is also marked with the location of guards, the location of the barracks and officers quarters, an unknown named person, patrol routes, and a big arrow pointing to “Cards!!”) They also find a small wax-sealed wood case under the pool of water which contains some coin and gems.</p><p></p><p>Loot in hand, they return back to the city to report on what they found. They surmise that the hobgoblin cleric is the one that the patrol with the dog was looking for. Why, though, is beyond them at the moment. Also, why the hobgoblin would have a detailed map of the ruins and what the “Cards!!” are remain a topic of speculation.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Next time…Off to visit the hobgoblins, Twiggy, and “Cards!!”.</p><p></p><p></p><p>-Rybaer</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Rybaer, post: 1077, member: 118"] Adventure #1- Introduction and First Assignment Our heroes begin their story in a small city of about 3,000 folks, all mixed races, slaves who had successfully revolted and earned their freedom from the orcs and other evil races some fifteen years prior. In the aftermath of the great wars brought on by the Black Hand, they are almost completely unaware of the fate of any others and have no contact with any other cities or towns of any significant size. On the day of the Spring Celebration, Lord Stephen, leader of their home city of New Selmar, summons the group to join him in his hall for a private audience. On this day, the five of them are among those recognized as full adult members of the community, and as some of the most promising in each of their respective disciplines: Monk, Wizard, Fighter, Ranger, and Cleric. When they meet Lord Stephen, there is also another lady present - one they do not recognize as a member of the community. She is a half elf with dark brown skin, short white/grey hair, and strikingly attractive features. She is dressed in fine but durable travel clothing and has the bearing of one of some great power. She also wears the symbol of Ehlonna, goddess of woodlands, which both Nigel and Rurik recognize. Her name, as the Lord introduces her, is Shele. Stephen explains that she was instrumental in helping the slaves of their community rise up against the orcs to earn their freedom. Cutting to the chase over wine and ale, the Lord asks the group to investigate the disappearance of two hunters to the northeast of the city. Additionally, a farmer reported that two of his dogs have also disappeared in that area and that his son reported sighting some strange figures walking along the hills nearby at dusk one night. The Lady Shele offers a blessing upon each of the group and they are then dismissed. The group is up early the following morning to visit the farmer. Before leaving, however, the Lady Shele approaches them and again wishes them luck and urges them to be careful. She also offers each a small gift, something to help them on their journeys. (DM note – I had just gotten engaged a couple days before the game, so I decided to grace each of the players with a free low-level magic item in celebration.) From a Bag of Holding she produced an item for each. Amblin, the monk, was given a Robe of Useful Items; Boaz, the fighter, was given a jar of Sovereign Glue; Nigel, the ranger, was given an enchanted suit of studded leather armor; Rurik, the cleric, was given Boots of Elvenkind; Zalman, the wizard, was given a Ring of Jumping. Thanking the mysterious half-elf, they departed the city. The farmer whose dogs had gone missing has little more information to offer the group, but does point them toward the area his son spotted the figures. The kid, a boy of no more than 8 years, is enamored with the group and the interesting gear they carry. He leads them to the spot. While en route, two of the group offer to help rescue a cow that has been stuck in some deep mud created by the heavy spring rains (they bring much of the mud along with them). The ranger quickly picks up a trail of footprints that lead toward the woods to the east. They follow them to the woods where they quickly become too difficult to follow. Here, however, they spot a pair of hobgoblins with a dog in the distance. After a brief discussion, they decide that the hobgoblins can’t be up to any good, so they decide to attack. Rurik, the cleric, boldly and loudly leads the charge (in spite of being the slowest in the group). They engage the hobgoblins, though the cleric nearly died in the process when a hobgoblin scored a critical hit with a heavy crossbow with the very first attack role of the campaign. (DM note – one house rule I like to use is that of Fate Points, borrowed from the Warhammer RPG. Each player gets two, and they can only be used to cheat certain death. The intent is mostly to help keep low-level characters alive through fluke combats…like critical hits with heavy crossbows. Besides, this was our first foray into 3rd edition and we hadn’t quite gotten the feel for balancing characters against monsters and other encounters yet.) So, rewind from the first attack…Rurik sees the hobgoblins’ large dog leaping toward his chest when suddenly its head explodes in a cloud of blood and tissue from the hobgoblin’s crossbow that had been intended for the dwarf. After a short skirmish, one hobgoblin is dead and they revive the other just long enough to interrogate it. It insists that they are members of a small band that has no interest in raiding New Selmar (too big and well defended). Rather, they are out in the woods searching for a renegade - one of their own, apparently. They both bear the insignia of a gray frog. As they had lost the trail when it entered the woods, they return to the fields and follow it back in the direction from which it came. Eventually, it comes to a stop at the side of a small mound where someone has obviously been digging into the side of it and then backfilling it with dirt. They dig in and find that it is a mass grave - members of different good races, presumably from the war. This is known to have been the site of a large battle in the war (when the old independent city of Selmar fell), so this is not unusual. Who was digging into it and for what purpose remains unknown. Again the group follows the trail to the woods. This time, they veer a bit south and follow a sandy-banked stream into the woods in the same direction as the trail had been leading. Not more than a couple hundred yards into the woods, the trail reappears along the shoreline and is much easier to follow in the soft sand. There are at least three prints - two human sized, though one is unusually thin and deep, and one is very large humanoid. There is also evidence that something was dragged along behind them. With dusk descending, they begin to prepare camp. While Boaz, Rurik, and Zalman work on the camp, Amblin and Nigel explore a bit further down the stream. They soon spot a skeleton and a zombie carrying digging tools and a large sack walking along the shore in their direction. Both are quickly dispatched and disposed of. The zombie, Nigel notes, was once one of the missing hunters. The two follow the trail back to its source - a cave in the side of a small ridge not much more than two hundred yards from their camp. They decide to rest anyway and keep careful watch during the night. No disturbances that evening. The following morning, the monk runs back to town to report and learns that most of the town's fighting forces are out dealing with some orc raids. The blacksmith, the only council member in town, advises him to return and determine more accurately the source of the undead and to deal with it if possible. Meanwhile, the others have been closely watching the cave, but have seen nothing. They decide to go in. The cave follows a small trickle of a stream through a long, narrow chamber. Toward the back, about ten large (3ft) spiders drop down on them when they set their webbing on fire. Several are bitten, but all manage to shrug off the effects of the weak poison. Once dealt with, they then proceed further back through a narrow passage where they trigger a simple rockslide trap and suffer minor injuries. Watching more carefully, they manage to avoid and disarm another similar trap. Shortly thereafter, they spot light ahead and hear a voice chanting. Just as they prepare to advance, two zombie dogs (yeah, figured you’d see them again, eh?) run down the hall and attack, causing a few minor injuries. Figuring surprise is now out, they charge into the room. Here, they find four human-sized skeletons and an ogre zombie. Further back in an alcove is a hobgoblin in black robes behind a table with a lit candle on it. The battle begins in earnest. Nigel, after popping an arrow into the cleric, is hit with a fear spell. While trying to flee, the orge pounds him and he falls unconscious. The others engage the skeletons and the zombie. Zalman summons two celestial dogs (who occupy and score hits on the zombie) and also drops a magic missile into the cleric. At this point, the cleric casts darkness and is lost from sight. Amblin produces another pair of war dogs from his Robe of Useful Items to join the fight. The skeletons are quickly destroyed and the ogre zombie, though very tough, also submits to final death. Rurik begins healing the Nigel while the others pursue the cleric into the darkness. Surprisingly, the darkness only extends a few feet before they can see clearly again (as if it’s a wall or shell of darkness a few feet thick). Upon entering the lit area, Boaz somehow "knows" that there is a passage behind one of the tapestries hanging on the wall and he runs down it in pursuit of the cleric - somehow managing to spot and avoid another rockfall trap on the way. Zalman checks the material on the desk and finds a scroll and a map - interestingly, he can read the words on the map, despite not knowing the language. When Amblin and his dogs (from the Robe) join Zalman, they notice that each other has a mysterious and unrecognizable mark on his forehead (the dogs do not). Boaz, emerging back into the daylight, manages to run down the hobgoblin cleric before he is able to escape across a deep gorge with a makeshift plank bridge. They have a short, bloody fight, with Boaz triumphing. He drags the body back into the cave to be looted. All said and done, they find that the cleric had a magical light mace and a magical amulet in the shape of a silver spider. The candle on the table also radiates a strong magical aura. When the candle is blown out, the marks on everyone's foreheads disappear and they are unable to read the map. (They believe this map to be of the ruins of Old Selmar, only about ten miles to the north. It is also marked with the location of guards, the location of the barracks and officers quarters, an unknown named person, patrol routes, and a big arrow pointing to “Cards!!”) They also find a small wax-sealed wood case under the pool of water which contains some coin and gems. Loot in hand, they return back to the city to report on what they found. They surmise that the hobgoblin cleric is the one that the patrol with the dog was looking for. Why, though, is beyond them at the moment. Also, why the hobgoblin would have a detailed map of the ruins and what the “Cards!!” are remain a topic of speculation. Next time…Off to visit the hobgoblins, Twiggy, and “Cards!!”. -Rybaer [/QUOTE]
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