Whizbang Dustyboots
Gnometown Hero
Goodman Games has some desert-based modules that you might like, although they skew towards the higher levels for some strange reason.
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Dm looking for help Desert Campaign
- Thread starter TaofHeaven
- Start date
TaofHeaven
First Post
Herobizkit said:Turn them into merchants.
Consider that the PCs find some interesting swag in some desert ruin and they want to trade it in for cash. The nearest city doesn't have cash, but they'd be willing to barter some items to send with the PCs to the next city in trade for cash. Since the desert folks always use barter instead of gold, they'll have a hell of a time running from A to B to C and back.
Have them guard a merchant caravan.
Have them protect desert nomads from stuff.
Have one of the PC's inherit a harem, only to find out that the harem is actually a front for an all-female assassin cult.
And of course, have them hounded by a mummy.
Good ideas, thnx. *begins writing enemy stat blocks...*
ZSutherland
First Post
Assuming this is the typical wind-driven, sand-dune desert don't forget about navigation hazards. You have a ranger, so this should be a good chance to make use of his unique skills. Still between harsh winds that constantly shift the terrain and the occassional actual sand-storm to get turned around in, getting lost is a potential threat if the PCs aren't careful.
Also consider the possibilities of a druid who carefully guards a small oasis that the PCs may stumble across. Said druid is almost certainly familiar with the surrounding terrain and may be respected (or hated) by surrounding tribes of desert-dwellers and monstrous humanoids. This could make for a good role-playing encounter, but it could also make for a nasty fight if the PCs are disrespectful or threaten the druid. If it comes to a fight, mock up some standard druid spells to play up your desert atmosphere. Sleetstorm becomes Sandstorm, Obscuring Mist becomes Obscuring Sand, and imagine all the fun you can have with Gust of Wind.
I agree about the wizard's tower being a little questionable. As an alternative, perhaps one of the wizards is actually a blue dragon disguised as a human. If the wizards are important to your campaign later, don't make the dragon the leader, and have him use illusion spells to draw the curiosity of the PCs before leading them to an appropriate ambush site where he plans to devour them and add their treasure to his horde. Perhaps the wizard's tower also has a golem he can 'borrow' to herd the PCs where he wants them as well.
The MM doesn't give you much to work with in terms of desert dwelling beasties, but feel free to adapt them. The Kraken, for example, looks custom made for adaptation. Just replace the swim speed with a burrow speed and you're good to go. Ugh. I gargantuan squid that 'swims' under the sand and eats caravans.
Don't forget Mephits. And trolls, sand trolls whose regen is bypassed by electricity and cold, with levels of barbarian.
Also consider the possibilities of a druid who carefully guards a small oasis that the PCs may stumble across. Said druid is almost certainly familiar with the surrounding terrain and may be respected (or hated) by surrounding tribes of desert-dwellers and monstrous humanoids. This could make for a good role-playing encounter, but it could also make for a nasty fight if the PCs are disrespectful or threaten the druid. If it comes to a fight, mock up some standard druid spells to play up your desert atmosphere. Sleetstorm becomes Sandstorm, Obscuring Mist becomes Obscuring Sand, and imagine all the fun you can have with Gust of Wind.
I agree about the wizard's tower being a little questionable. As an alternative, perhaps one of the wizards is actually a blue dragon disguised as a human. If the wizards are important to your campaign later, don't make the dragon the leader, and have him use illusion spells to draw the curiosity of the PCs before leading them to an appropriate ambush site where he plans to devour them and add their treasure to his horde. Perhaps the wizard's tower also has a golem he can 'borrow' to herd the PCs where he wants them as well.
The MM doesn't give you much to work with in terms of desert dwelling beasties, but feel free to adapt them. The Kraken, for example, looks custom made for adaptation. Just replace the swim speed with a burrow speed and you're good to go. Ugh. I gargantuan squid that 'swims' under the sand and eats caravans.
Don't forget Mephits. And trolls, sand trolls whose regen is bypassed by electricity and cold, with levels of barbarian.
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