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<blockquote data-quote="Menexenus" data-source="post: 3305633" data-attributes="member: 8951"><p><strong>Campaign background</strong></p><p></p><p>The campaign starts in a small mining town called Diamond Lake, which lies 3 days travel east of Greyhawk, one of the largest cities in the known world. Diamond Lake is nestled in an area called the Cairn Hills, named after the many elaborate and ancient burial tombs that are scattered throughout the region. Most of these tombs were thoroughly plundered about 100 years ago during a golden age of adventuring, and conventional wisdom suggests that they have all been emptied of their ancient riches. (There are frequent rumors of new Cairns being discovered that contain untold riches. However, these rumors are almost always dismissed as tall tales.)</p><p></p><p> Diamond Lake is a very bleak place to live. Diamond Lake was once a fishing town, but over the years, the lake that gives the town its name has been horribly polluted due primarily to run-off from the mines. As the fish population dwindled, those who were once proud fisherman were forced by necessity to take jobs in the mines, toiling in dark mineshafts for pennies a day. These tired and dirty masses spend their hard-earned coin on the few diversions available to them in town: alcohol, drugs, gambling, and prostitution, all of which are legal. But the greatest profit of all is made by those who own the mines, known collectively as the mine managers. While they are not nobility, they are by far the most wealthy and powerful people in town. These 6 individuals are embroiled in a constant, barely hidden struggle for dominance.</p><p></p><p> Balabar Smenk is (at present) the dominant mine manager in town. He owns the greatest number of mines, employs the most people, reaps the greatest profits, and casts the largest shadow over the town. He attained his position of dominance very quickly after arriving in town 8 years ago. Intimidation, bribery, ruthlessness, and the occasional assassination are his weapons of choice. Smenk is widely feared and seldom crossed by the citizens of Diamond Lake, and that's exactly the way Smenk likes it. Smenk is a rotund human in his 40s.</p><p></p><p> Smenk took the position of dominance in town from a man named Gelch Tilgast, an older gentleman in his 60s. In his heyday, Tilgast was no better than Smenk. But now that he is no longer top dog in town, he is trying to mend fences and build coalitions as a check against Smenk's influence. It is widely known that Tilgast is using what influence he has left to oppose Smenk with the goal of one day reclaiming the position of dominance in town.</p><p> Tilgast has enlisted the aid of a mine manager who has fallen on hard times, a woman named Luzane Parrin (in her 30s). Parrin inherited her mines from her father who, many decades ago, had been the dominant mine manager in town (before Tilgast). Now Parrin's mining operations are teetering on the edge of bankruptcy and she is desperate to do whatever is necessary to salvage her family business.</p><p></p><p> Luzane Parrin has been seen in town openly wooing another mine manager named Chaum Gansworth. Gansworth is the youngest mine manager in town (late 20s) and has attempted to remain neutral in town politics. If Tilgast, Parrin, and Gansworth were to join forces, they would present a real threat to Smenk's dominance. However, as yet, there is no indication that Gansworth intends to join the opposition.</p><p></p><p> Two other wildcards are Ragnolin Dourstone (a dwarf) and Ellival Moonmeadow (an elf). Rumor has it that Dourstone was kicked out of Greysmere, a large dwarven community about two weeks' travel to the south. The story goes that, after he was exiled, he came to Diamond Lake to profit from his mining expertise. When it comes to the technical aspects of mining, no other mine manager in town is as knowledgeable or experienced as Dourstone. Moonmeadow runs one of the most successful silver mines in town. He ships almost all of his ore back to his native country of Celene, an elven nation southwest of Greyhawk. Recently, there has been some political upheaval between Celene and the Domain of Greyhawk, so Moonmeadow and his elven lieutenants are little trusted in Diamond Lake. But, since Moonmeadow and his entourage keep mostly to themselves, and since his money is good, his operation has been allowed to remain in town. Neither Dourstone nor Moonmeadow seem the least bit interested in town politics.</p><p></p><p> The authorities in town are Governor-Mayor Lanod Neff, a local minor noble appointed by the Directors of Greyhawk to administer Diamond Lake. Neff is a selfish and corrupt narcissist who cares not at all for the people of Diamond Lake. He realizes that his position is guaranteed only so long as the mines are productive and Greyhawk gets its taxes and raw materials. Consequently, Neff can be counted on to do nothing that would antagonize or otherwise impede the mine managers. Neff has appointed a boisterous alcoholic named Cubbin as the Sheriff of Diamond Lake. Cubbin understands that his main function is to maintain law and order in town so that the mine managers can make money. Cubbin leaves most of the details of day-to-day law enforcement to his deputy Jamis who is well-known to accept bribes and solicit "protection" money. Cubbin and Jamis have hired six constables, most of whom understand the score and are just as corrupt as their masters. </p><p></p><p> Just west of town up on a hill is a garrison of 60 Greyhawk Militia soldiers whose job is to protect the town from possible incursions by lizardfolk from the Mist Marsh (which lies a day or so southeast of town). They are also charged with protecting the roads to and from Greyhawk from bandit activity. However, the garrison has no authority to enforce laws in town. During town emergencies, the Governor-Mayor may officially request the assistance of the Militia. Under such circumstances, the Militia is to execute the orders of the Governor-Mayor. However, this power has never been exercised in the 5 years that the Militia has been stationed in Diamond Lake. For the most part, the militia men keep to themselves.</p><p></p><p> The only other source of power in town is Allustan, who is a powerful wizard and sage (late 40s). He is Lanod Neff's (the Governor-Mayor's) younger brother. About a decade ago, Allustan retired from a life of adventuring and built a comfortable home for himself in his hometown of Diamond Lake. When not reading or researching, Allustan occupies his time by training promising youngsters as apprentices. Allustan also offers his services as a sage. He will answer any question for the price of 20gp. If he does not know the answer to a question, he will research it. He provides a guarantee that if he cannot find a definitive answer to a question within 3 months, he will refund the customer's money.</p><p></p><p> </p><p> Recently a band of adventurers from Greyhawk have arrived in town. They are Auric, a burly fighter who always wears an ornate red and blue girdle around his waist, Khellek, a red-robed wizard, and Tirra, a female elven rogue. Although their purpose in town was supposed to remain secret, the fighter of the group has let it slip (while talking to Tarric in a bar) that they are in town to explore a nearby tomb known as the Stirgenest Cairn south of Diamond Lake. This tomb was thought to be fully explored, but apparently another group of adventurers has recently found secret passages in another similar cairn that was also thought to be empty. Khellek, the brains of the operation, thinks that there may be a cairn near Diamond Lake with a similarly undiscovered stash of riches. He thinks that the cairn in question must be the Stirgenest Cairn.</p><p></p><p> However, Tarric, who was born and raised in Diamond Lake, thinks he may know better. He suspects that there may be another cairn near Diamond Lake which has largely been forgotten. When he was a child, he and his friends used to play near a cave entrance that he and his buddies called the Whispering Cave because of the strange wind-like noises that emerged from it. This cave lies about 3 hours north of town near an abandoned mine office. Tarric, Killian, Killick, Alexander, and other children used to take day-trips to the cave. There they would test their own bravery by touching the strange glyphs near the cave entrance, and they would dare each other to go inside. The cave was also the stuff of childhood legend. As children, the group believed that there were ghosts haunting the cave and that anyone who sleeps in the cave overnight would die. Whenever someone turned up missing in Diamond Lake, it was naturally assumed by the children that the Whispering Cave (and the ghosts inside) had taken another victim. The adult Tarric now believes that this strange cave entrance might actually be the entrance to a cairn, and it may be this cairn that the adventurers from Greyhawk are looking for, not the Stirgenest Cairn.</p><p></p><p> Tarric (who recently lost his job with the Greyhawk Militia) took this information to some of his childhood friends (Killian, Killick, and Alexander) and asked if they would like to go explore the Whispering Cave with him. For various reasons, they all agreed that now was a good time to make a break with their previous lives and embark on a bit of adventure. At a chance meeting, Tarric encountered Alees who had recently left the service of Balabar Smenk and was in need of an opportunity to make some money. Terric suggested that she join their group of adventurers, and she agreed.</p><p> </p><p> Thus, 5 bold adventurers struck out one morning on the road leading north of town heading for what could be the Whispering Cairn...</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Menexenus, post: 3305633, member: 8951"] [b]Campaign background[/b] The campaign starts in a small mining town called Diamond Lake, which lies 3 days travel east of Greyhawk, one of the largest cities in the known world. Diamond Lake is nestled in an area called the Cairn Hills, named after the many elaborate and ancient burial tombs that are scattered throughout the region. Most of these tombs were thoroughly plundered about 100 years ago during a golden age of adventuring, and conventional wisdom suggests that they have all been emptied of their ancient riches. (There are frequent rumors of new Cairns being discovered that contain untold riches. However, these rumors are almost always dismissed as tall tales.) Diamond Lake is a very bleak place to live. Diamond Lake was once a fishing town, but over the years, the lake that gives the town its name has been horribly polluted due primarily to run-off from the mines. As the fish population dwindled, those who were once proud fisherman were forced by necessity to take jobs in the mines, toiling in dark mineshafts for pennies a day. These tired and dirty masses spend their hard-earned coin on the few diversions available to them in town: alcohol, drugs, gambling, and prostitution, all of which are legal. But the greatest profit of all is made by those who own the mines, known collectively as the mine managers. While they are not nobility, they are by far the most wealthy and powerful people in town. These 6 individuals are embroiled in a constant, barely hidden struggle for dominance. Balabar Smenk is (at present) the dominant mine manager in town. He owns the greatest number of mines, employs the most people, reaps the greatest profits, and casts the largest shadow over the town. He attained his position of dominance very quickly after arriving in town 8 years ago. Intimidation, bribery, ruthlessness, and the occasional assassination are his weapons of choice. Smenk is widely feared and seldom crossed by the citizens of Diamond Lake, and that's exactly the way Smenk likes it. Smenk is a rotund human in his 40s. Smenk took the position of dominance in town from a man named Gelch Tilgast, an older gentleman in his 60s. In his heyday, Tilgast was no better than Smenk. But now that he is no longer top dog in town, he is trying to mend fences and build coalitions as a check against Smenk's influence. It is widely known that Tilgast is using what influence he has left to oppose Smenk with the goal of one day reclaiming the position of dominance in town. Tilgast has enlisted the aid of a mine manager who has fallen on hard times, a woman named Luzane Parrin (in her 30s). Parrin inherited her mines from her father who, many decades ago, had been the dominant mine manager in town (before Tilgast). Now Parrin's mining operations are teetering on the edge of bankruptcy and she is desperate to do whatever is necessary to salvage her family business. Luzane Parrin has been seen in town openly wooing another mine manager named Chaum Gansworth. Gansworth is the youngest mine manager in town (late 20s) and has attempted to remain neutral in town politics. If Tilgast, Parrin, and Gansworth were to join forces, they would present a real threat to Smenk's dominance. However, as yet, there is no indication that Gansworth intends to join the opposition. Two other wildcards are Ragnolin Dourstone (a dwarf) and Ellival Moonmeadow (an elf). Rumor has it that Dourstone was kicked out of Greysmere, a large dwarven community about two weeks' travel to the south. The story goes that, after he was exiled, he came to Diamond Lake to profit from his mining expertise. When it comes to the technical aspects of mining, no other mine manager in town is as knowledgeable or experienced as Dourstone. Moonmeadow runs one of the most successful silver mines in town. He ships almost all of his ore back to his native country of Celene, an elven nation southwest of Greyhawk. Recently, there has been some political upheaval between Celene and the Domain of Greyhawk, so Moonmeadow and his elven lieutenants are little trusted in Diamond Lake. But, since Moonmeadow and his entourage keep mostly to themselves, and since his money is good, his operation has been allowed to remain in town. Neither Dourstone nor Moonmeadow seem the least bit interested in town politics. The authorities in town are Governor-Mayor Lanod Neff, a local minor noble appointed by the Directors of Greyhawk to administer Diamond Lake. Neff is a selfish and corrupt narcissist who cares not at all for the people of Diamond Lake. He realizes that his position is guaranteed only so long as the mines are productive and Greyhawk gets its taxes and raw materials. Consequently, Neff can be counted on to do nothing that would antagonize or otherwise impede the mine managers. Neff has appointed a boisterous alcoholic named Cubbin as the Sheriff of Diamond Lake. Cubbin understands that his main function is to maintain law and order in town so that the mine managers can make money. Cubbin leaves most of the details of day-to-day law enforcement to his deputy Jamis who is well-known to accept bribes and solicit "protection" money. Cubbin and Jamis have hired six constables, most of whom understand the score and are just as corrupt as their masters. Just west of town up on a hill is a garrison of 60 Greyhawk Militia soldiers whose job is to protect the town from possible incursions by lizardfolk from the Mist Marsh (which lies a day or so southeast of town). They are also charged with protecting the roads to and from Greyhawk from bandit activity. However, the garrison has no authority to enforce laws in town. During town emergencies, the Governor-Mayor may officially request the assistance of the Militia. Under such circumstances, the Militia is to execute the orders of the Governor-Mayor. However, this power has never been exercised in the 5 years that the Militia has been stationed in Diamond Lake. For the most part, the militia men keep to themselves. The only other source of power in town is Allustan, who is a powerful wizard and sage (late 40s). He is Lanod Neff's (the Governor-Mayor's) younger brother. About a decade ago, Allustan retired from a life of adventuring and built a comfortable home for himself in his hometown of Diamond Lake. When not reading or researching, Allustan occupies his time by training promising youngsters as apprentices. Allustan also offers his services as a sage. He will answer any question for the price of 20gp. If he does not know the answer to a question, he will research it. He provides a guarantee that if he cannot find a definitive answer to a question within 3 months, he will refund the customer's money. Recently a band of adventurers from Greyhawk have arrived in town. They are Auric, a burly fighter who always wears an ornate red and blue girdle around his waist, Khellek, a red-robed wizard, and Tirra, a female elven rogue. Although their purpose in town was supposed to remain secret, the fighter of the group has let it slip (while talking to Tarric in a bar) that they are in town to explore a nearby tomb known as the Stirgenest Cairn south of Diamond Lake. This tomb was thought to be fully explored, but apparently another group of adventurers has recently found secret passages in another similar cairn that was also thought to be empty. Khellek, the brains of the operation, thinks that there may be a cairn near Diamond Lake with a similarly undiscovered stash of riches. He thinks that the cairn in question must be the Stirgenest Cairn. However, Tarric, who was born and raised in Diamond Lake, thinks he may know better. He suspects that there may be another cairn near Diamond Lake which has largely been forgotten. When he was a child, he and his friends used to play near a cave entrance that he and his buddies called the Whispering Cave because of the strange wind-like noises that emerged from it. This cave lies about 3 hours north of town near an abandoned mine office. Tarric, Killian, Killick, Alexander, and other children used to take day-trips to the cave. There they would test their own bravery by touching the strange glyphs near the cave entrance, and they would dare each other to go inside. The cave was also the stuff of childhood legend. As children, the group believed that there were ghosts haunting the cave and that anyone who sleeps in the cave overnight would die. Whenever someone turned up missing in Diamond Lake, it was naturally assumed by the children that the Whispering Cave (and the ghosts inside) had taken another victim. The adult Tarric now believes that this strange cave entrance might actually be the entrance to a cairn, and it may be this cairn that the adventurers from Greyhawk are looking for, not the Stirgenest Cairn. Tarric (who recently lost his job with the Greyhawk Militia) took this information to some of his childhood friends (Killian, Killick, and Alexander) and asked if they would like to go explore the Whispering Cave with him. For various reasons, they all agreed that now was a good time to make a break with their previous lives and embark on a bit of adventure. At a chance meeting, Tarric encountered Alees who had recently left the service of Balabar Smenk and was in need of an opportunity to make some money. Terric suggested that she join their group of adventurers, and she agreed. Thus, 5 bold adventurers struck out one morning on the road leading north of town heading for what could be the Whispering Cairn... [/QUOTE]
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