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<blockquote data-quote="robconley" data-source="post: 4423375" data-attributes="member: 5636"><p><img src="http://www.goodman-games.com/images/GMG4380CoverLarge.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /></p><p></p><p><img src="http://www.ibiblio.org/mscorbit/images/Southland_preview.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /></p><p></p><p>Some excerpts</p><p></p><p><strong>Introduction</strong></p><p>Southland is meant to pay homage to the early days</p><p>of role-playing. Back then, high-level play was about</p><p>building and defending your own barony. Since the</p><p>original game was about dungeon crawling, players and</p><p>DMs that wanted outdoor adventures were forced to</p><p>turn to other games to meet their needs. One solution</p><p>was the game Outdoor Survival by Avalon Hill, which</p><p>included a board that could be used as a wilderness map</p><p>that players could explore. Dave Arneson, one of the</p><p>authors of the original edition, originated the use of</p><p>this board and placed it south of his main campaign. As</p><p>his campaign progressed, several of the players began to</p><p>clear the map of monsters and build their own baronies.</p><p>It is in the spirit of those early days that this area is</p><p>named Southland. A land of few realms and many wideopen</p><p>spaces, Southland is an area where your players</p><p>can establish their own realms.</p><p></p><p><strong>Background</strong></p><p>Here on the wild frontier, adventurers struggle to</p><p>push back the wilderness. Mile by mile they push back</p><p>the monsters and move the boundaries of civilization</p><p>forward. Opposing them are the Blood Fist orcs, the</p><p>dark elves of the Underrealm, and renegades from the</p><p>Grand Kingdom, yet there are allies to be found within</p><p>the Southland.</p><p>Where the Sarduin and the Darkwine rivers join, the</p><p>Grand Kingdom has founded its first major settlement,</p><p>Castle Westguard. The settlement is growing due in</p><p>large part to the thriving trade between the Grand</p><p>Kingdom and the Dwarves of Bolzak. The dwarves</p><p>send shipments of weapons, iron, and gold through</p><p>their port at Nilik, which is then shipped by barge to</p><p>Castle Westguard, and finally moved by caravan over</p><p>the Golden Pass to the Grand Kingdom. The dwarves</p><p>also trade with the halflings of Dunshire, who barter</p><p>grain and fruit for protection and iron ore.</p><p>South of Westguard lies the elven realm of Silverdim,</p><p>the last outpost of the elves in Southland. Over 200 years</p><p>ago the Bloody Fist orcs, led by the dragon Arcador,</p><p>invaded the elven homeland of Silverwood. The orcs</p><p>laid waste to Silverwood, slaughtered many elves, and</p><p>claimed the forest as their own. After the orc invasion,</p><p>the remnants of the elves regrouped and traveled east,</p><p>eventually establishing a haven in Silverdim. The</p><p>Silverwood remains dominated by the orcs to this day,</p><p>and has been renamed the Blood Forest.</p><p>The dark elves of House Ardize have established an</p><p>outpost at Nightportal Keep, and have decided to</p><p>expand their power to the surface world. They have</p><p>recently made contact with the evil Baron Beldon, who</p><p>dwells in a castle to the north, beneath The Sunset</p><p>Rim. Beldon is an infamous traitor from a kingdom to</p><p>the north, and rumor has it that the baron betrayed his</p><p>king and fled to Southland to escape an almost certain</p><p>execution. Currently, he deals in slaves and contraband,</p><p>and has carved out a small realm for himself on the back</p><p>of these nefarious activities. The Baron has welcomed</p><p>the advances of the dark elves, and a tentative alliance</p><p>has grown between the two evil powers.</p><p>Scattered throughout the Southland are the ruins of</p><p>the Bright Empire. A thousand years ago, the Empire</p><p>was a shining force for good until their own hubris</p><p>brought them down. Today, the relics and artifacts of</p><p>the Bright Empire are eagerly sought for their potent</p><p>power, despite the rumors that the gods have cursed</p><p>many of them.</p><p></p><p>================================</p><p>A section that is standard to all the maps where I talk about the premises for the maps and what needed to be done to place the map in your campaign.</p><p>================================</p><p><strong>Adaptation Notes</strong></p><p>Southland can be any frontier region of a kingdom in</p><p>your campaign. Any ancient empire in your campaign’s</p><p>history can work in place of the Bright Empire. The</p><p>Underrealm is a common feature in many fantasy</p><p>campaigns, and House Ardize can be replaced with a</p><p>suitable dark elf enemy of your choice. If no dark elves</p><p>exist, any non-human, evil race can be substituted.</p><p>The Bloody Fist Orcs are numerous enough that even</p><p>a determined party of high-level adventures won’t able</p><p>to destroy them in a single fight. Their lair may be</p><p>destroyed several times, but they will keep coming back</p><p>until the players can scour the Blood Forest clean of</p><p>their presence.</p><p>The trade between Bolzak, Westguard, and the Grand</p><p>Kingdom has established a rudimentary economy that</p><p>players may expand when they establish their own</p><p>baronies. Threats to this economy can serve as the basis</p><p>for many adventures as the brigands of Castle Beldon</p><p>raid the caravans and river routes.</p><p></p><p><strong>The Mist Falls</strong></p><p>A rainbow cloud of mist marks these spectacular</p><p>hundred-foot-high falls. On a clear day the mist cloud</p><p>can be seen two hexes away. Legend has it there is an</p><p>entrance to the fey realm hidden behind the falls. Baron</p><p>Beldon has sent two expeditions to find this entrance,</p><p>but none have returned.</p><p></p><p><strong>Ryne Creek</strong></p><p>Ryne Creek forms the eastern boundary of Baron</p><p>Beldon’s lands. The baron’s cavalry patrol the creek</p><p>down to Wicking Lake.</p><p></p><p><strong>The Sunset Rim</strong></p><p>The Sunset Rim is an escarpment averaging 60 feet</p><p>high. It runs for nearly 50 miles, forming the base of the</p><p>Redstone Mountains. The rim’s base holds numerous</p><p>caves inhabited by tribes of troglodytes, except near</p><p>Baron Beldon’s realm, where the baron’s slavers use the</p><p>caves as holding pens for their humanoid stock</p><p></p><p><strong>Wicking Lake</strong></p><p>This is the largest lake in Southland. Eight miles long</p><p>and five miles wide, it reaches depths of 100 feet. The</p><p>local fishermen claim to have seen a crystalline city of</p><p>unearthly beauty within the depths of the lake. The</p><p>southeast shore is infested with harpies.</p><p></p><p><strong>Wolfwood</strong></p><p>These woods are inhabited by giant aurochs along with</p><p>packs of worgs that prey on them. The woods are also</p><p>known to have a huge variety of herbs, including many</p><p>rare varieties eagerly sought by alchemists.</p><p></p><p><strong>1114 Westfield (Hamlet)</strong></p><p>A dozen long, wooden barracks and a stone manor house</p><p>make up this hamlet. Here Lord Farris (Ftr6) runs a</p><p>latifundium with nearly 100 slaves (nearly all human),</p><p>5 guards (Ftr3), and 10 overseers (Ftr1) who supervise</p><p>slaves in the fields. The slave labor in Westfield supplies</p><p>nearly all of the food for Castle Beldon (Hex 1214).</p><p>Westfield is also home to Captain Travis (Rgr5) and his</p><p>four slave hunters (Rgr3), employed by Baron Beldon</p><p>to hunt escapees. They often patrol the land, out to ten</p><p>miles (two hexes) around the various settlements.</p><p></p><p><strong>1214 Castle Beldon (Castle)</strong></p><p>Baron Victor Beldon was once one of the Grand</p><p>Kingdom’s most powerful nobles. Twenty years ago the</p><p>king died and the baron unveiled a plot to force the</p><p>succession council to name him king. He failed; and</p><p>when the new king was crowned, Beldon was named</p><p>a traitor. With his life in grave peril, Baron Beldon</p><p>gathered one hundred of his most trusted men and</p><p>fled over the Westwall into the wild. The baron found</p><p>several small hamlets and conquered them, settling</p><p>there with his men. When his scouts found a superb</p><p>location for a castle on the Sunset Rim, the baron forced</p><p>the people of the conquered hamlets to relocate. After</p><p>Castle Beldon was built, the survivors were separated</p><p>into two hamlets and forced to work as slaves, growing</p><p>food for the baron and his men.</p><p>With increasing trade between Bolzak and Westguard,</p><p>Baron Beldon began to recruit desperate men eager</p><p>to raid. The arrival of the dark elves provided much</p><p>needed allies. Victor Beldon’s new opportunities have</p><p>allowed him to plot his return to power in the Grand</p><p>Kingdom.</p><p>Castle Beldon is built on a low mesa next to the Sunset</p><p>Rim. The only pathway snakes upward on the remains</p><p>of a collapsed ridge that once connected the mesa to the</p><p>rim on the southeast side. The other faces of the mesa</p><p>are sheer cliffs ranging from 50 to 100 feet high. There</p><p>is a spring present at the top of the mesa. The pressure</p><p>of an underground river forcing its way up the cracks</p><p>forms the spring.</p><p>Baron Victor Beldon (Clr11) is a priest of the blood god,</p><p>Azeel. His personal guard is commanded by a captain</p><p>(Ftr7), and consists of 5 guards (Ftr2). There are nearly</p><p>120 bandits and light footmen living at the castle, along</p><p>with 100 slaves and 20 camp followers. Along with the</p><p>bandits, the baron supports a coven of 4 dark wizards</p><p>(Wiz8, Wiz6, 2 Wiz2) to provide magical aid. He has</p><p>an acolyte, Saldor Balsign (Clr6), to lead his men in the</p><p>blood rites of Azeel.</p><p></p><p><img src="http://www.ibiblio.org/mscorbit/images/Map-Beldon.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /></p><p></p><p><strong>1409 The Crocodile Hunter</strong></p><p>A giant crocodile (10 HD) lives along the northwest</p><p>shore of Wicking Lake. There is a 20% chance per day</p><p>the party is ambushed if they stay within 200 yards of the</p><p>shoreline. The crocodile’s typical attack is to rush out</p><p>of the water and grapple its target with a bite, and then</p><p>drag the victim back into the water until he drowns.</p><p></p><p><strong>1411 Ruined Glory</strong></p><p>This site was once a tower used by the famed hippogriffs</p><p>riders of the Bright Empire. The tower has long since</p><p>fallen into ruin, and only the foundation remains. A</p><p>hundred years ago, a crack in the foundation formed,</p><p>allowing access to the bottom basements of the tower.</p><p>The tower is currently occupied by 24 wererats (1 HD),</p><p>20 giant rats (1 HD), and dozens of regular rats (1/4</p><p>HD). In a forgotten chamber are the remains of the</p><p>harnesses and gear once used by the hippogriff riders.</p><p>A dozen full sets can be salvaged and repaired.</p><p></p><p>================================</p><p>Author Note: There is another locale, not on the preview map, that relates to the above.</p><p>================================</p><p></p><p><strong>1413 Mistfield (Hamlet)</strong></p><p>This hamlet consists of several barracks and a stone</p><p>manor house. The slaves of Mistfield grow delicacies</p><p>for the baron and his men. Because of the Mist Falls,</p><p>the area is considerably wetter than the rest of the</p><p>baron’s lands, allowing various fruit orchards and vines</p><p>to be grown. The hamlet consists of 80 slaves that tend</p><p>the orchards, 3 guards (Ftr3), and 8 overseers (Ftr1) to</p><p>supervise the slaves.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="robconley, post: 4423375, member: 5636"] [img]http://www.goodman-games.com/images/GMG4380CoverLarge.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.ibiblio.org/mscorbit/images/Southland_preview.jpg[/img] Some excerpts [b]Introduction[/b] Southland is meant to pay homage to the early days of role-playing. Back then, high-level play was about building and defending your own barony. Since the original game was about dungeon crawling, players and DMs that wanted outdoor adventures were forced to turn to other games to meet their needs. One solution was the game Outdoor Survival by Avalon Hill, which included a board that could be used as a wilderness map that players could explore. Dave Arneson, one of the authors of the original edition, originated the use of this board and placed it south of his main campaign. As his campaign progressed, several of the players began to clear the map of monsters and build their own baronies. It is in the spirit of those early days that this area is named Southland. A land of few realms and many wideopen spaces, Southland is an area where your players can establish their own realms. [b]Background[/b] Here on the wild frontier, adventurers struggle to push back the wilderness. Mile by mile they push back the monsters and move the boundaries of civilization forward. Opposing them are the Blood Fist orcs, the dark elves of the Underrealm, and renegades from the Grand Kingdom, yet there are allies to be found within the Southland. Where the Sarduin and the Darkwine rivers join, the Grand Kingdom has founded its first major settlement, Castle Westguard. The settlement is growing due in large part to the thriving trade between the Grand Kingdom and the Dwarves of Bolzak. The dwarves send shipments of weapons, iron, and gold through their port at Nilik, which is then shipped by barge to Castle Westguard, and finally moved by caravan over the Golden Pass to the Grand Kingdom. The dwarves also trade with the halflings of Dunshire, who barter grain and fruit for protection and iron ore. South of Westguard lies the elven realm of Silverdim, the last outpost of the elves in Southland. Over 200 years ago the Bloody Fist orcs, led by the dragon Arcador, invaded the elven homeland of Silverwood. The orcs laid waste to Silverwood, slaughtered many elves, and claimed the forest as their own. After the orc invasion, the remnants of the elves regrouped and traveled east, eventually establishing a haven in Silverdim. The Silverwood remains dominated by the orcs to this day, and has been renamed the Blood Forest. The dark elves of House Ardize have established an outpost at Nightportal Keep, and have decided to expand their power to the surface world. They have recently made contact with the evil Baron Beldon, who dwells in a castle to the north, beneath The Sunset Rim. Beldon is an infamous traitor from a kingdom to the north, and rumor has it that the baron betrayed his king and fled to Southland to escape an almost certain execution. Currently, he deals in slaves and contraband, and has carved out a small realm for himself on the back of these nefarious activities. The Baron has welcomed the advances of the dark elves, and a tentative alliance has grown between the two evil powers. Scattered throughout the Southland are the ruins of the Bright Empire. A thousand years ago, the Empire was a shining force for good until their own hubris brought them down. Today, the relics and artifacts of the Bright Empire are eagerly sought for their potent power, despite the rumors that the gods have cursed many of them. ================================ A section that is standard to all the maps where I talk about the premises for the maps and what needed to be done to place the map in your campaign. ================================ [b]Adaptation Notes[/b] Southland can be any frontier region of a kingdom in your campaign. Any ancient empire in your campaign’s history can work in place of the Bright Empire. The Underrealm is a common feature in many fantasy campaigns, and House Ardize can be replaced with a suitable dark elf enemy of your choice. If no dark elves exist, any non-human, evil race can be substituted. The Bloody Fist Orcs are numerous enough that even a determined party of high-level adventures won’t able to destroy them in a single fight. Their lair may be destroyed several times, but they will keep coming back until the players can scour the Blood Forest clean of their presence. The trade between Bolzak, Westguard, and the Grand Kingdom has established a rudimentary economy that players may expand when they establish their own baronies. Threats to this economy can serve as the basis for many adventures as the brigands of Castle Beldon raid the caravans and river routes. [b]The Mist Falls[/b] A rainbow cloud of mist marks these spectacular hundred-foot-high falls. On a clear day the mist cloud can be seen two hexes away. Legend has it there is an entrance to the fey realm hidden behind the falls. Baron Beldon has sent two expeditions to find this entrance, but none have returned. [b]Ryne Creek[/b] Ryne Creek forms the eastern boundary of Baron Beldon’s lands. The baron’s cavalry patrol the creek down to Wicking Lake. [b]The Sunset Rim[/b] The Sunset Rim is an escarpment averaging 60 feet high. It runs for nearly 50 miles, forming the base of the Redstone Mountains. The rim’s base holds numerous caves inhabited by tribes of troglodytes, except near Baron Beldon’s realm, where the baron’s slavers use the caves as holding pens for their humanoid stock [b]Wicking Lake[/b] This is the largest lake in Southland. Eight miles long and five miles wide, it reaches depths of 100 feet. The local fishermen claim to have seen a crystalline city of unearthly beauty within the depths of the lake. The southeast shore is infested with harpies. [b]Wolfwood[/b] These woods are inhabited by giant aurochs along with packs of worgs that prey on them. The woods are also known to have a huge variety of herbs, including many rare varieties eagerly sought by alchemists. [b]1114 Westfield (Hamlet)[/b] A dozen long, wooden barracks and a stone manor house make up this hamlet. Here Lord Farris (Ftr6) runs a latifundium with nearly 100 slaves (nearly all human), 5 guards (Ftr3), and 10 overseers (Ftr1) who supervise slaves in the fields. The slave labor in Westfield supplies nearly all of the food for Castle Beldon (Hex 1214). Westfield is also home to Captain Travis (Rgr5) and his four slave hunters (Rgr3), employed by Baron Beldon to hunt escapees. They often patrol the land, out to ten miles (two hexes) around the various settlements. [b]1214 Castle Beldon (Castle)[/b] Baron Victor Beldon was once one of the Grand Kingdom’s most powerful nobles. Twenty years ago the king died and the baron unveiled a plot to force the succession council to name him king. He failed; and when the new king was crowned, Beldon was named a traitor. With his life in grave peril, Baron Beldon gathered one hundred of his most trusted men and fled over the Westwall into the wild. The baron found several small hamlets and conquered them, settling there with his men. When his scouts found a superb location for a castle on the Sunset Rim, the baron forced the people of the conquered hamlets to relocate. After Castle Beldon was built, the survivors were separated into two hamlets and forced to work as slaves, growing food for the baron and his men. With increasing trade between Bolzak and Westguard, Baron Beldon began to recruit desperate men eager to raid. The arrival of the dark elves provided much needed allies. Victor Beldon’s new opportunities have allowed him to plot his return to power in the Grand Kingdom. Castle Beldon is built on a low mesa next to the Sunset Rim. The only pathway snakes upward on the remains of a collapsed ridge that once connected the mesa to the rim on the southeast side. The other faces of the mesa are sheer cliffs ranging from 50 to 100 feet high. There is a spring present at the top of the mesa. The pressure of an underground river forcing its way up the cracks forms the spring. Baron Victor Beldon (Clr11) is a priest of the blood god, Azeel. His personal guard is commanded by a captain (Ftr7), and consists of 5 guards (Ftr2). There are nearly 120 bandits and light footmen living at the castle, along with 100 slaves and 20 camp followers. Along with the bandits, the baron supports a coven of 4 dark wizards (Wiz8, Wiz6, 2 Wiz2) to provide magical aid. He has an acolyte, Saldor Balsign (Clr6), to lead his men in the blood rites of Azeel. [img]http://www.ibiblio.org/mscorbit/images/Map-Beldon.jpg[/img] [b]1409 The Crocodile Hunter[/b] A giant crocodile (10 HD) lives along the northwest shore of Wicking Lake. There is a 20% chance per day the party is ambushed if they stay within 200 yards of the shoreline. The crocodile’s typical attack is to rush out of the water and grapple its target with a bite, and then drag the victim back into the water until he drowns. [b]1411 Ruined Glory[/b] This site was once a tower used by the famed hippogriffs riders of the Bright Empire. The tower has long since fallen into ruin, and only the foundation remains. A hundred years ago, a crack in the foundation formed, allowing access to the bottom basements of the tower. The tower is currently occupied by 24 wererats (1 HD), 20 giant rats (1 HD), and dozens of regular rats (1/4 HD). In a forgotten chamber are the remains of the harnesses and gear once used by the hippogriff riders. A dozen full sets can be salvaged and repaired. ================================ Author Note: There is another locale, not on the preview map, that relates to the above. ================================ [b]1413 Mistfield (Hamlet)[/b] This hamlet consists of several barracks and a stone manor house. The slaves of Mistfield grow delicacies for the baron and his men. Because of the Mist Falls, the area is considerably wetter than the rest of the baron’s lands, allowing various fruit orchards and vines to be grown. The hamlet consists of 80 slaves that tend the orchards, 3 guards (Ftr3), and 8 overseers (Ftr1) to supervise the slaves. [/QUOTE]
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