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The Third Continent

Game Master Quillworth

An unlikely group, bound first by necessity and now friendship, emerges from a desert cave to find...


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Welcome to the Third Continent campaign!

  • You've most likely found your way here from The Goblin Cave campaign. We'll be treating The Goblin Cave as a sort of prologue to the Third Continent.

  • The Known World is made up of three continents: Ychgaia (the largest, home to the "Free Peoples of Ychgaia"), Gnigaia (smaller, home to the Gnomish Union, who have built their cities atop the rubble and ruins of the ancient elves), and the so-called "Third Continent."

  • The story takes place on the so-called "Third Continent" of the known world. Here is the continental map. The Third Continent (it has yet to be named anything else) was, up until about 200 years ago, not inhabited by any of the so-called "free peoples" of Ychgaia's (the largest continent) largely urban society and culture(humans, half-elves, and shallow, or "golden" dwarves). Instead, it was considered a kind of haven for orcs, goblins, and any other creatures which the Free Peoples barred from their holds on Ychgaia.

  • Everything changed when the orcs landed on the shores of Ychgaia. Having come from the long-ignored Third Continent, they had no idea what awaited them. The large cities of the Free Peoples not only forbade them entrance, but forced them to leave. The few who resisted were killed almost instantly, surprised and overwhelmed by the magical weapons which the Free Peoples had at their disposal. The orcs were driven back to their lands on the Third Continent (Z'tokk, "the mother," in the orcish tongue), never to return. That was nearly 200 years before the current events of this campaign.

  • The turning point for the Third Continent came immediately after the Orc Incident. Having once crossed the sea between Ychgaia and the Third Continent, the regiments of Freemen who had escorted the orcs were trapped. Somehow, the currents would not allow them passage, flowing only counter-clockwise around the continent. Even the great magics of the Free Peoples could not alter the sea's flow, and the wizards who made the journey were few. When they questioned the orcs about a way back to Ychgaia, the orcs grudgingly explained that they had set sail from the north shore of the continent. The great currents had carried them around to the eastern shore of Ychgaia. The Freemen soldiers thus began the long trek across the Third Continent. It took months to travel to the northern shores, and nearly all of them became lost or died in the huge expanse of desert which must be crossed to reach it.

  • As chance would have it, a second-rank captain named Fiddlebee Shanks found a way through the goblin-infested coastal route, and was one of the few who didn't die among the dunes. He happened upon several primitive goblin mining camps along the way. The goblins had been mining orichalcum, a key ingredient in the so-called "noble steel" of the Free Peoples' most advanced armor and weaponry. He was able to steal a couple of small rocks(2-3 pounds)of ore from the goblins. Eventually reaching the northern shore, Shanks was instantly beyond wealthy when his ship arrived back among the Free Peoples of Ychgaia. The Council of Nobility even gave him a title (in exchange for his maps of the Third Continent, of course).

  • A frenzy was the result of Shanks'success story. Freemen left for the Third Continent in droves, sailing the Counter-clock Currents, seeking their fortunes in orichalcum. For nearly 50 years they were landing along the western shores. But few freemen were prepared for savage goblins, harsh elements, and vicious dunes on a good day, and the Third Continent seemed to have very few good days.

  • Only six expeditions were commissioned by the Council of Nobility during the first 100 years after Shanks found his lucky rocks, but each expedition left the continent a little different. The nobility knew where to look for orichalcum thanks to their maps, and they found it, driving the goblins from the shores, deep into the mountains, and, eventually, underground. It's said they mined the mountains, hacked into the rock further and further, until they found the deep dwarves, and the sixth expedition, the so-called "Missing Trip," was never succeeded by another. A lone note sent by ancient deep-dwarven magic to the Capitol of the Free Peoples had reportedly contained only one sentence, but whatever it said kept the nobility from sending any more of their people into those mountains. They didn't even attempt a rescue mission.

  • In the 100 years after the "Missing Trip" which lead to the present day, freemen found new reasons to travel to the Third Continent. Some were still seeking precious metals (despite the goblin retaking of the mountains and Western shores after the "Missing Trip" was not replaced by another). Most, however, were after other things; there were other fortunes to be made in different materials, plants and animals to be cataloged, ancient ruins to discover, and, if you can believe the stories, the enigmatic "Selkie Lagoon" was said to offer any seamen lucky enough to find it the ultimate in frontier companionship. It was a time of growth and exploration. Even the Free Capitol found another reason to send people to the Third Continent: "undesirables" were unchained in the heart of the giant desert, and forced to seek a better path through the dunes (no one ever found one).

    •

  • The founding of Tyridon, the largest city of freemen on the Third Continent, took place during this time of frontier. Founded 75 years before current events, it became a haven for the "civilized" folk of Ychgaia who fancied a life on the frontier. Massive and sprawling, it is protected from the goblins of the western shores by the Continental Guard, a standing force of nearly 1000 well-armored soldiers and battlemages who make names for themselves in daily conflicts at the city's southern border. The city is a place of commerce, high society, and houses the famous (and wealthy) "frontier noble," Palius II, who governs it.

  • In the northern swamps lies Snyderholm, a sort of necessity of a city, normally filled to the brim with travelers to and from Tyridon. In fact, those who claim Snyderholm residency are startlingly few. The city is a typical traveling hub, with its own detachment of the Continental Guard that specializes in...well...drinking and snoozing. Goblin attacks occur often along the road, taking many travelers by surprise, but challenges to the city itself (for which the Guard is responsible) have been few, and were easily dispelled.

  • The Eastern Shore has remarkably useful land and is easily well fished, so several expeditions have founded many small towns along its coastal line over the years. The largest of these is Omotey, and widely considered to be the "least savage." Many eastern residents of the Third Continent are descendants of settlers from 200 years earlier. They are used to the "eastern continental" way of life, and know little about true Ychgaian living.

    •

  • The desert south of Snyderholm has claimed more lives, perhaps, than any other cause in the land. Over time, and with considerable resources, after failing to find a true passage through it, Palius II constructed a barely passable "road" through the dunes. It was completed not 50 years ago, and is still seen as a "last resort" for those who must make a quick journey through the heart of the continent. Baronrun, a small town along this route, contains the only supply of water, a well which has yet to dry up, but no food. Merchants supply the town in exchange for shelter from the sands and somewhat safe passage. Like Snyderholm, Baronrun contains few permanent residents; the faces of the city change endlessly, shifting like the sands.

  • Cleft Landing is a new discovery. 10 years ago, a small party of explorers sailed the Counterclock Currents from Omotey and were taken far off course, ending up on a small island. They were missing for nearly a year, then ended up back in Tyridon. The information they've supplied about the island is scattered and difficult to understand. Their accounts even differ and contradict one another. The general consensus in Tyridon is that they all left their wits at Cleft Landing. An expedition to officially "discover" the island, at the behest of Palius II, is being mounted in Omotey this year.

  • The orcs have remained shut behind the doors of Vivi'Arca, their stronghold, since the time of the Incident. Only a few trickle out every now and then, and none ever enter. Those few who do appear in the cities are usually unable to speak any common, and so end up drifting from town to town, looking for work. They make rare and excellent guards for merchants, but charge a high price. Tyridon and Ychgaian society actually knows startlingly little about what the orcs have been up to since they easily repelled them 200 years ago. Occasionally, Palius II, as his father Palius I did before him, sends a small detachment of the Guard (always including at least two Master Battlemages) to Vivi'Arca with a peace offering of cattle and grains. The doors of the stronghold have never opened to them. Those soldier who make the journey say that the stronghold is larger than seems possible, and that the archers on the battlements, silently glaring down at them, seem to number in the tens of thousands.

    •
    Male Human Fighter (Brawler) 3

    Checking in!

    Is all this common knowledge? What will we know in character?

    This is all common knowledge, yes. Your characters will know all of this, for sure. Good question.
    Male Human Ranger 3

    Ahoy!
    Male Human Ranger 3

    I have just one waterskin.

    We start at the 5th level of heat exhaustion. Does this mean if we fail a save right now, we die?

    If we fail a save, then pass the next one, is the condition removed, or does it simply not progress/get worse?

    Also, would you mind if I just posted all the saves here in Discussion? Or in a spoiler in Gameplay? I'd be more comfortable posting my saves, if that's alright, just so I can keep track easily.

    I think it meant the Fort save for now is 5. I got a bit confused by that for a bit too!

    Okay, sorry for the confusion. The fort save you must pass is a 5, otherwise you lose it for now. You all start at normal. I really messed up that explanation. Oh well. Fixing it.

    You'll be rolling a lot of saves, so I thought it would be easier to roll to yourself. But you can totally post them in a spoiler or here on discussion. You could also post them on your character sheet for reference. It's up to you.
    Male Human Fighter (Brawler) 3

    Do we need to make checks considering we're staying in this shelter until 7, when the sun goes down?

    Under shelter, you don't need checks, unless I tell you otherwise.

    That's the spirit! I love the RPing on the fort checks! Great stuff, all!

    Hey everyone! Just wanted to say thanks for going along with this desert system. I know it is difficult to do something like this with so many saves, but the desert needs teeth, you know! Bear with me!
    Male Human Ranger 3

    Heh, teeth. Bear with me. Heh. No claws for alarm, this maullifies my need for puns. :B

    If any of you guys have ideas about finding shelter or food, don't hesitate to say something. I just don't want it to seem like "I'm the ranger and what I says goes because we are outside and I am good at outside."

    I just want everyone to know that I straight-up used Circle of Protection from Evil last night in a dream. It worked rather well.
    Male Human Ranger 3

    Haha, cool.
    Female Human 3rd Level Wizard

    Thanks for rescuing dream me as well! I must have left my spell book at home.
    Female Human Cutpurse Rogue 3

    NICE.

    So this is another reason why I love tabletop RPGs: I just spent a good fifteen minutes reading about ideal venison takeaway from a hunting kill of a specific type of doe.
    Male Human Ranger 3

    Agreed. I had to read up on different types of wheat to answer a decent Kno: Nature roll. Because Knowledge is Power!

    It truly is. Nothing helps you realize that more than making knowledge rolls in RPGs, I think.

    for PBP, I like having the opportunity to think through my character a bit. I also like that there's always time for everyone to say something. I sometimes feel like I get lost in the shuffle sometimes during live games because I'm not as quick or as vocal.
    Female Human Cutpurse Rogue 3

    Agreed! I like PBP a lot for both of those reasons. Plus, we get to play with you two JAPANESE folks. :P

    D'awww.

    BAHAHHA poor Ariana and her fire.
    Female Human Cutpurse Rogue 3

    RIGHT? lol
    Male Human Ranger 3

    Bump

    Thanks for this bump, Isaac! It seems that the RSS mechanic on the "gameplay" tab got messed up for me, so I haven't seen any posts in a while! I'll get things back on track today! Sorry all!
    Male Human Ranger 3

    No worries. That same thing happened to me a few months ago in a game I started up -it wouldn't show new posts. Frustrating.
    Male Human Ranger 3

    I just talked to Jyan and Renni. Their characters are ready to go.

    Okay, cool.
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