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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Sanglorian" data-source="post: 5921405" data-attributes="member: 83822">You could leave a comment on one of his posts asking him to get in touch with you. Otherwise, using his writing as an inspiration sounds good.A Kickstarter sounds great! That could be a lot of fun. You mentioned that you're planning to run the D&D playtest in the Shrouded Lands. I've given that possibility some thought and this is what I've come up with. Let me know if you have any suggestions!THOSE VEXATIOUS CAVES!So the 5E playtest packet was released yesterday! I’ve given some thought to placing the Caves of Chaos in the Shrouded Lands. I’ve included my brainstorming below. I plan to write it up into a proper entry for the setting eventually, but I thought that I should get your feedback first.Am I correct in my interpretation that there are two separate but cooperating groups of orcs? Or is it one group that lives in two places? If it’s the former, does anyone have any suggestions for the second group of orcs?I know some people like their female dwarves to have beards, and others don’t. I thought that the beard-mask is a nice compromise: for those who like dwarfmaids with beards, removing the mask exposes a beard that has been braided, clipped or otherwise marked as feminine, while those who like hairless dwarfmaids can have them expose a symbolic beard (perhaps tattoos, a wig or a golden facsimile).THE CAVESI think the best place for the caves are the Grey Mountains, those cold and forested regions governed not by Man but by a beast. There are already orc, hobgoblin, minotaur and goblin communities in the Mountains, and we know there are gnolls and kobolds in the north (for example, the Broken Spear). The caves are the site of the third dwarven fortress, which was finished and manned but did not survive its first siege. Except for sections G and I, all of the caves are actually the remaining rooms and basements of the dwarven fortress. The distinct Titan-Grumludish architecture that defined the dwarven fortresses of that age should be readily apparent to anyone who has visited Grumluda, Hoth Achar or Titan’s Skull. The orcs: The commanders in Hoth Achar have a great interest in the ruined fortress, and have dispatched a garrison to seize a section of the ruins and investigate as best as they are able. The female orcs brought their whelps with them or bore them after arriving, as is expected under the Double Duty. Interested in: Information about the ruins or the other humanoid tribes. If left unchecked: The armies of Hoth Achar eventually sweep into the caves, driving out all the other tribes, and begin to rebuild the fortress.The hobgoblins: The original occupants of the caves, the hobgoblins have been steadily evicted from each section of the caves as other groups of humanoids have moved in. They are convinced as a tribe that they have been cursed with misfortune, and their schemes for leaving and travelling to another part of the Mountains might amount to something if they ever run out of shroom wine. Interested in: Protection and news of other places to live. If left unchecked: They sneak off one night and settle somewhere elese.The goblins: The goblins split from their cousins among the Ten Thousand Stumps. They aim to replant their oak groves, but the ground here is stony and hard. If only they had blood with which to water their trees … Interested in: Living sacrifices for the oaks. If left unchecked: Their oaks grow tall and strong and the goblin population grows considerably. The kobolds: The kobolds of the Broken Spear sent many of their cleverest and strongest to the caves, their leader carrying a strange flashing device that spoke directions to them. The kobolds believed this to be the voice of Alberon—whom they do not worship, but do fear and respect—guiding them to the promised land. The device instructed them to enter the caves occupied by the cultists, but they were repulsed and lost many of their numbers. The kobolds moved into one of the caves and bide their time, while the device still patiently and regularly orders them to travel into the cultists’ cave. Interested in: A way to get into the cultists’ cave. If left unchecked: They break into the cultists’ cave, kill the cultists, clear the mysterious passageway and follow it down into the earth.The gnolls: The gnolls of the Broken Spear saw the kobolds leaving with the device and the pack split on the question of whether to follow them. The group that supported pursuit followed the kobolds to the caves and then claimed a cave for themselves. The followers of Snaptooth, the leader, are starting to suspect that he has a taste for leadership and has no plans to attack the kobolds and claim the device. Interested in: Troops to defend Snaptooth, troops to defeat Snaptooth. If left unchecked: The tribe tears itself apart.The cultists: No god revealed so far is associated with the undead, but one of the skulls of Tiamat is guarded by skeletal minotaurs. These cultists believe that necromancy can bring back Dead Tiamat, and so they have experimented with the dark arts. So far, they have only mastered human skeletons and zombies: they created a stronger undead, the wight, but it was beyond their powers to control and they imprisoned it only with great difficulty. Interested in: Protection from the other tribes, necromantic magic and lore, dragon body parts. If left unchecked: The cult creates a dracolich. The minotaur: The minotaur was a citizen of Lastmaze who was exiled after he clashed with Ja the Red. Over the years he has painstakingly carved out this labyrinth; Chimalia marked her pleasure by enchanting it. Interested in: News of Lastmaze, a chance to slaughter orcs. If left unchecked: Is further blessed by Chimalia by being fused with some other beast (perhaps the owlbear) to become an even more hideous chimera.The bugbears: In a way, these bugbears don’t seem to fit with our creepy kidnappers. Perhaps they’ve been sent up north by the Sack Man to search for something (the North Pole?). Perhaps they’re kindly souls who genuinely provide a hot meal and bed to any travellers. It would thoroughly creep out the PCs to encounter a group of monstrous humanoids with no hidden agenda except to smoke some catnip and spin stories. Let me know your suggestions, but until then: Interested in: Slaves, particularly children (orc whelps, goblin young, etc.). If left unchecked: One of the children that they abduct and send south to the Sack Man is a dwarf who has never touched iron. The fire beetles: These fire beetles lack poison or fire, unlike the fire beetles in the Badlands. Perhaps these beetles are missing some essential nutrient. Any other ideas?The medusa: Our medusae are parasitic bundles of snakes; you couldn’t keep them in the dungeon by chaining them up. I think this encounter is silly anyway, so I’m not going to bother to incorporate it. If you folks have any suggestions, though, I’ll happily hear them.The ogre: We don’t have a lot of details about ogres yet, but if you have any suggestions for this encounter do speak up. THE CHARACTERSTorkar (dwarf cleric) and Garzak (dwarf fighter) were sent by the Hoard to investigate what remains of the third dwarven fortress. They came to Thorek Ironhide to ask for assistance, and the mighty jarl of the bears assigned them two allies as well as providing food and equipment. The two allies are Tathar Illumien (elf wizard) and Dagmi (halfling rogue). They were beneficiaries of the jarl’s hospitality when Dagmi was caught stealing from the jarl’s treasury. The jarl has taken Tathar’s familiar hostage, and will only return her if Tathar makes himself useful in the caves.Aloysius is eager to travel to the caves to preach the message of the King.Dagmi Bolger (female halfling rogue): Dagmi was caught stealing giant bees’ wax from her own second-cousin. Normally, the punishment is death, but her father used his influence to have her exiled. She wanders about, causing mischief and narrowly escaping disaster. Recently, the notion of becoming a cattle thief has become more tempting to her. She is Tathar’s self-appointed tour guide.Hooks: Does Dagmi ever miss her home or stay in contact with her relatives? What is the most incredible thing that she has stolen? Does she have her loot stored away somewhere or does she really have not a coin to her name?Tathar Illumien: Tathar is a traveller from an antique land, the Golden Realm. He is exploring the Shrouded Lands, carefully making notes in the back of his spellbook. He is calm and curious, a strange companion for the cheeky Dagmi. It is difficult to tell if he realises that she is exploiting him, but he certainly pays for every meal and buys off outraged merchants who discover her thefts.Hooks: What does Tathar think of these strange northern lands? Is he really a tourist or does he have an ulterior motive? Will Tathar return to the jarl in time to get his familiar at second level?Aloysius (male human cleric): Aloysius is a keen-eyed convert to the King in Splendour. He was found by Tathar and Dagmi after being badly beaten by orcs who were not receptive to the message of the Man Who is Lion. After recovering under the jarl’s care, Aloysius is keen to bring the word of the King to the humanoids of the caves. Hooks: Where does Aloysius come from? Are there any converts to the King in Splendour already among the humanoids? What does the jarl think of the King in Splendour?Torkar (dwarf cleric): Torkar is a priest of the Drinker of Iron and a knight of the Hoard. His-her beard-mask is made from iron and silver coins strung together. A strict believer in tradition, he-she uncompromisingly obeys the cultural norms of Titan’s Skull and the commandments of the Drinker of Iron. Hooks: Why did Torkar decide to enter the priesthood? What does being a knight of the Hoard entail? If the demands of her faith and the Hoard were ever incompatible, what would Torkar do?Garzak (dwarf fighter): Garzak was reassigned by his-her officers from keeping watch along Titan’s Rest to accompanying Torkar on his-her investigation. Since leaving the stuffy confines of the army, Garzak has begun to change his-her appearance. A dwarf could now guess whether he-she is a male or a female, and Torkar worries that Garzak will soon be brazen enough to remove his-her beard-mask.Hooks: Why was Garzak chosen above all others for this mission? Is he-she a woman or a man? What does he-she think of being under Torkar’s command? What does his-her beard-mask look like?CULTURAL ELEMENTSThe Double Duty: Among the orcs of the Grey Mountains, women are entitled to fill any male role provided they also fulfill every duty of a woman. Stories are told of legendary orc soldiers fighting with their whelps strapped to their back. Some orc matrons will even marry other women, acting as provider and protector for them.The Beard-Mask: The dwarves of Titan’s Skull place a veil beneath their nose to hide their beard and disguise their gender while in public. This is a strict interpretation of the Hoard’s second law on gender, with ‘outsiders’ sometimes interpreted to mean anyone outside one’s immediate family. The nature of the veil depends on the dwarf’s station and personal preferences. Particularly conservative dwarves may cover their entire face, arguing—probably correctly—that a dwarf’s gender can be surmised from facial structures.</blockquote>

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