“But as always in my strange and roving existence, wonder soon drove out fear; for the luminous abyss and what it might contain presented a problem worthy of the greatest explorer.”
― H.P. Lovecraft, The Nameless City
Night Below; the first epic campaign adventure for the AD&D game, is designed to take the player characters from 1st level to 10th level (and beyond). The PCs start as beginning adventures on a routine courier mission who soon become drawn into combating a sinister plot that menaces the green and pleasant land of Haranshire...
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PEOPLE & PLACES:
FOLK, FOES & LORE OF THE CITY LEAGUE & BEYOND
Boontah [Dead]: Gobelin bandit leader, cunning and strong he was once champion for the Sour-Wode tribe before it fractured.
Gormrenn Geldzauberer: Merchantile-mage; your patron and lover of gold in all its forms.
Grundlegek: Enemy or rival of Boontah’s?
Kennek: Innkeeper of the Pilgrim’s Rest.
Larkinth [Dead]: Member of the Guild of Messengers and servant of the Mercantile Council. Killed by Boontah and his gang whilst delivering a letter and trade bars to Count Parlfray. Buried by the party.
Mother Veil: Leader of a group of pilgrim mourners who follow Onjara the Weeper.
Mourner Muldrun: One of the pilgrims of Onjara the Weeper and a former mapmaker.
Mulkkur [Dead]: Gobelin acolyte shaman who used necrotic magic that should have been beyond his ken - claimed it was a boon from “One Eye”.
The Olde Trade Road: Ancient road that connects the City League with its frontier realms.
"One Eye": Unknown being who possibly gifted Mulkkur necromatic magicks in the form of a runic staff.
Pilgrim’s Rest: Roadside Inn run by Kennek and patronised by Prestor Lafayer.
Unknown Slavers: Group of slavers that Ulfbrecht believes have taken his niece Milde. Amongst their number is a mad female aelf, an ironclad brute of a man, a female human with a broken nose and a hunchbacked wretch.
FOLK, FOES & LORE OF HARANSHIRE
Andren: Jenneleth’s betrothed. Works for his grandfather Dirkcaster at the Baron of Mutton.
Baron of Mutton: Milborne’s only inn. Known for eel based dishes (ironically).
Barthelew: Andren’s twin brother and the Baron of Mutton’s cook.
Blanryde Hills: Location of silver mines in Haranshire. Haunt of gobelins and also of a ranger reputed to be “pixie-led”.
Count Parlfray: Widowed nobleman who rules Haranshire, his family’s ancestral estate. A recovered letter revealed he has petitioned the City League to send forces to aid his realm against banditry and rumoured rise in activity of death cultists who follow Pharastuz the God-Reaper. It also suggested his youngest son, Hydrus may be missing.
Darius Carmen: Straight-talking land and mine owner who oversees Milborne and is responsible for tithes, defences and running the small town.
Darlen Owlwise: Elderly druid of the region.
Dirkcaster: Owner of the Baron of Mutton, grandfather to Andren and Barthelew.
Haldelar: Jenneleth’s father - miller and village elder.
Hydrus Palfray: Youngest son of the Count. Missing?
Jenneleth: Apprentice wizard to Tausthäuser. She is daughter of Parella and Haldelar. sister to Severn and betrothed to Andren. Had been furthering her magical studies in the City League, now returning home. Wears a ring of silver fashioned by her smithy brother and a sky blue cloak that was gifted to her by her parents.
Milborne: Small town, and largest settlement in Haranshire.
Old Grizzler: An old dwarf who was once a miner but now fishes and drinks… alot…
Parella: Jenneleth’s mother and Milborne’s baker.
Severen: Jenneleth’s adopted brother - a foundling, apprentice smith and metalworker whose reputed to be as strong as an ogre. Killed a gobelin who was stealing from his forge by snapping its neck with his smith-tongs.
Tausthäuser: Resident wizard of Haranshire, Jenneleth’s maester and old acquaintance of your patron; the mercantile-mage Gormrenn Geldzauberer.
Thurmaster: Village in Haranshire some 30 miles down the Churnett River from Milborne.
THE PARTY
"Peebles" (Peeble'lar1): Loyal pack mule.
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TIME IN PELINORE:
Time runs naturally throughout Pelinore - even close to the Rim, clocks run quite smoothly. The units of time are very similar to those we are used to, although the rationale is very different. The year is measured by watching the Pole Star, which appears to be higher in the sky in the ‘summer‘. Careful measurement of this change has led scholars to work out the ‘year’ as 360 days. These are quite arbitrarily divided into ten equal ‘months’, which most people near the League name after the usual events of that time of year (see below). In the City League and neighbouring states there are five ‘weeks’ of seven days in each month, with the thirty-sixth day being designated the Month-day, a holiday.
Normal notation is for individual days to be numbered, then the month, then the year: thus 1st Festivalis is New Year’s Day, and Pharastīd Month-Day is the last day of the year.
Current Year: 1400
PELINORE: THE WORLDHEART & HARMONY:
Unlike any other gaming environment, Pelinore is much, much more than just a world. It is a symbol of the central struggle of Opposites. Law and Chaos, Good and Evil, Beauty and Ugliness, Happiness and Misery; more than just a battleground, it is often the very battle itself. Throughout Pelinore, struggles for supremacy between these Opposite are taking place. Sometimes the struggles are major events sweeping across continents, sometimes they are private battles in mountain fastnesses. Characters could live out their lives unaware of any of this or be involved as prime movers. Philosophers and Sages who have studied these matters know that Harmony is the route to peace. In order to achieve Harmony the Opposites must reside side by side in tolerant mutual acceptance. This is not the way of many, not least the gods! Each group of gods has a vital interest in the maintenance of their own extreme - be it law, chaos, good, evil or whatever - and only those who are truly neutral recognise the need for Harmony.
The world of Pelinore is flat - everyone knows that - and its centre is at Worldheart. Now, you'll hear plenty of different opinions among sages about just what Worldheart is, but as yet no-one has travelled to the edges of the world and returned, so has nobody penetrated the mysteries of what lies at Worldheart.
Some insist that Worldheart actually exists whilst others maintain it is merely a metaphysical place - to be dreamed of but never reached. Inevitably many have set off in search of this fabled spot, but if any found it is not known; none have returned to tell their tale. Indeed, it is not certain that a normal adventurer would recognise it. For such a normal adventurer would find this place completely incomprehensible having been brought up in a world where there is so little Harmony in anything. It is possible that only adventurers approaching true personal Harmony (some ascetic Druids, perhaps) would recognise. and thus see, Worldheart.
THE DEITIES & DEMIGODS OF PELINORE - PART 1: OF GODS AND WORSHIP:
In Pelinore, where the Gods themselves need followers if they are to exist, there are three types of ‘worship’:
Believers merely accept that the God exists; typical believers in the god Fealans would make a small donation at a temple in hopeful return for the good fortune that brought them some little treasure. Naturally, it is possible for an individual to believe in any number of deities, and most ordinary NPCs will have their own pantheon of preferred Gods.
Followers are more dedicated, and act in dedication to one, or occasionally a larger number, of deities. Regular visits to temples, donations and appropriate sacrifices will occupy much time and money.
Lastly, of course, there are the Clergy (clerics, paladins or druids) who dedicate their lives in service to their chosen deity.
It is possible that characters will change preferred deities (Mielsen might only be petitioned when a new love appears), or that they will ignore them all, but remember - the deities of Pelinore act only in their own interests; clerics will receive no spells, followers can expect no heavenly intercession when things go wrong unless the deity has received proper worship (and is in the mood to help!); it is no good calling on Välbure the first time your sword breaks unless you have proven yourself worthy to the Father of Swords…
THE DEITIES & DEMIGODS OF PELINORE - PART 2: GODS OF THE DOMAINS:
CALADARIN: HE-WHO-GLITTERS-IN-THE-GREEN - [CG] Gnome Demi-God of Forests & Fey
CTHENKES: THE DOOMSAYER - [N] God of Despair & Suffering
DÙANANN: THE SWORD SINGER - [NG] Elven Deity of Art & Song
FEALANS: THE MAGPIE PRINCE - [N] God of Pretty Things & Thievery
FIANNA: THE FAIR LADY - [CG] Goddess of Judgement
GREA, HREA & TREA: THE DISSEMBLERS - [CG/CN/CE] Goddesses of All Lies
THE GREEN MAN: OLD BARLEYCORN - [N] God of Nature, Abundance & Growth
GRÖN: THE PRIMORDIAL [N] Diety of the Earth
GRUNNUNDERGRÖN: THE HAMMERER [LG] - Dwarven God of Creation, Mining & Smithing
HESLOR: PYRE BUILDER - [CN] God of Fire & War
KORRD: THE MIGHTY - [CG] God of Strength, Brawling & Storms
MANDRAZAAL: THE FINAL ONE - [NE] God of Undead & Shadow
MIELSIN: LOVE’S ARCHER - [CG] Deity of Romance & Passion
ONJURA: THE WEEPER - [N] Goddess of Mourning & Departures
PHARASTUZ: THE GOD REAPER - [CE] God of Death, Murder & Malevolence
RISSINIS: THE CATCHER [N] - God of Fishing
SÄITH: THE PROTECTOR, LAWGIVER - [LG] God of Vengeance, Law & Respite
SERAILLIAN: THE UNSEEN RAINBOW - [NG] Goddess of Illusion & Guile
TARMENEL: THE HIGH KING - [NG] God of the Sky, Air & Weather
URRUMAA: THE IMMEMORIAL ONE, THE ABSOLUTE - [LN] Deity of Memory, Logic & Obedience
VÄLBURE: FATHER OF SWORDS - [N] - God of Swords & Swordsmiths
THE DEITIES & DEMIGODS OF PELINORE - PART 3: MONSTROUS GODS:
GOBLIN DEITIES
Goblins are diminutive, vicious, and thoroughly evil humanoids. These creatures prefer mountainous, hilly, forested, and rough terrains for their lairs, all the better to hide from other races, but they will call anywhere home, often migrating in huge numbers when the tribe outgrows the lair. They are prodigious diggers, living in warrens carved out of hillsides, mountain slopes, beneath the roots of old trees, or wherever else they choose to lair.
UGRUDDAL: THE GREAT GOBLIN - [NE] Goblin God of Survival & Cunning
YEKSHEER: CHIEF OF THE DIRT - [LE] Goblin God of Caves & Digging
ZEERK'KURZ: THE DEVOURER - [LE] Goblin God of War
ORC DEITIES
Orcs are consummate marauders and are always on the path of war or larceny. Impressed by strength, orcs will loyally serve almost any evil creature that displays cunning, cruelty, and force… and the promise of plunder. Orcs despise the sun’s light, as it is painful to their eyes. They move in the darkest of nights with ease and comfort, and do most of their raiding just after nightfall, or in the early hours just before dawn. They have an affinity for uncooked meats and the marrow of bones a trait shared by their gods.
CHOGGRISH: THE SLATE RAGE, SWINE-KING - [CE] Orc God of Battle, Strife & Blood-rage
KRICHNAG: EATER OF THE WEAK - [LE] Orc Goddess of Law, Eating & Breeding
AKGRUT: GORE-TOOTH, FOE-GOUGER, HEAD-TAKER - [LE] Orc God of War & Beheading
GIANT DEITIES
Giants are large-sized humanoid creatures of great strength and bulk. They include stone giants, and hill giants, ogres, trolls and other creatures. Not all these creature pay homage to deities of any stripe, preferring to live on their own in the wilderness of their own minds, hunting, hoarding or plundering as their hearts design. But other turn to the deeps of time and gods of their own choosing to call upon or curse as need demands.
ÖSTRUNND: BREAKER OF BONES - [CE] Giant God of Brutality & Hatred
IKH’THAAL: WORLD-BRANDER - [LE] Giant God of Fire, Volcanoes & Wrath
BARGG: THE EVER-HUNGER - [CE] Troll God of Gluttony
THE DEITIES & DEMIGODS OF PELINORE - PART 4: GODS LOST OR SLAIN:
KEISHA: QUEEN OF CONFLICT - [N] Goddess of War & Strife. Sundered by the other gods into Grea, Hrea & Trea as punishment for playing both sides during the Godswar.
LEDEII: MOTHER OF LAW - [LN] Goddess of Law. Slain alongside her husband Modrenn during the Godswar by Pharastuz and the combined might of the Orc and Giant gods.
MAGGÏRUMNAR: THE SMELTER - [CG] Gnome God of Smithing. Slain during the Godswar by Pharastuz, Zeerkzkurd and the Orc and Giant gods.
MODRENN: FATHER OF THE HEART - [NG] God of Devotion & Harmony. Slain alongside his wife Ledii during the Godswar by Pharastuz and the combined might of the Orc and Giant gods.
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C&C’S SIEGE ENGINE:
Almost all non-combat actions in Castles & Crusades for which the Castle Keeper Under-Dungeon Master (UDM) deems a roll is necessary to determine success or failure are resolved by an attribute check.
Every check has an associated attribute. Whenever one of these checks is made a d20 is rolled by the player. Attribute modifiers are added to this roll, and the character level if applicable, which it almost always is. If the result is equal to or greater than a number generated by the UDM (called the challenge class), then the attribute check is successful.
The challenge class is a number generated by the UDM that represents the degree of difficulty for performing that action. The challenge class is generated in two steps. The first is ascertaining the challenge base. This is determined by whether or not the associated attribute is a primary or secondary one:
▪ If the associated attribute is a primary attribute, the challenge base to overcome is 12.
▪ If it is against a secondary attribute, the challenge base is 18.
Next, the UDM adds or subtracts the challenge level to the challenge class. The challenge level represents the degree of difficulty the UDM believes appropriate for any action taken. This usually ranges between 0 and 10 but can go higher.
▪ The sum total is the challenge class, and the player must roll higher than that to successfully perform the action.
FATE POINTS:
Fate Points are a mechanic that provides characters with the means to affect gameplay in small, but significant ways. They represent the actions of cinematic heroes, who always seem to make those dramatic comebacks, have sudden flashes of insight just in time, or call upon inner reserves of strength to fell the villain just when things look grim.
Starting Fate Points
Characters start with 3 fate points at first level. Thereafter they receive 1d4 additional fate points per level. They may save their fate points up, or use them all as the character sees fit, or as the need arises.
Using Fate Points
A character always has a limited amount of Fate Points, and while the character replenishes this supply with every new level he or she attains, the rate of attrition can far outstrip the rate of gain. As such, players must use them wisely. A character can spend Fate Points to do any of the following things, though are not limited to simply these uses if another valuable use arises that both the Castle Keeper and players can agree upon as valid and useful to their game.
▪ Down But Not Out: When a character falls to at least -10 HP or below, they are normally considered dead. Not so, if they have Fate Points to spend. Down But Not Out costs three fate points, and results in the character reduced to exactly -9 hit points, and stabilised. The character must have three fate points to spend in order to use this ability, and may only call upon it once per character level, and if they do not use it, it does not carry over. So a character who never has to use Down But Not Out at second level does not have two uses of it waiting when they get to third.
▪ Fortune’s Favour: When a character spends one fate point to improve a d20 roll, add 1d8 to the roll to help meet or exceed the target number. A character can declare the use of 1 fate point to alter a d20 roll after the roll is made-but only before the Castle Keeper Under-Dungeon Master reveals the result of that roll (whether the attack or check or saving throw succeeded or failed).
▪ Fortune’s Fool: Reroll a die. This roll may be to attempt a change in an attack roll against the player character, to re- attempt a saving throw, or to retry an attack roll that failed. This fate point may be used at any time, unlike Fortune’s Favour that must be used before the Castle Keeper Under-Dungeon Master reveals their roll.
▪ I Just Made It: By expending two fate points, a character automatically makes a saving throw. They must have the fate points to expend and declare they are expending the points prior to rolling any die.
▪ Mighty Blow: When a character spends one fate point to make a single, earth-shattering attack, the attack is treated as though the player rolled a Natural 20 on his attack roll; it automatically hits the opponent. Also, the attack does double the maximum possible damage for the attack, or whichever critical hit system is preferred by the CK UDM and their gaming group. The character then makes a second, unmodified d20 roll (unless the item is magical as noted below). A result of 1 on the d20 means that the weapon is destroyed as a result of the mighty blow (sword breaks, firearms are ruined from blowback, etc.). Magic weapons gain a bonus to this roll equal to +1 per point of the weapon’s bonus (so a +3 sword gains a +3 to this roll), plus an additional +1 for each special ability the weapon possesses. This ability is useful only in melee combat and extra damage from special attacks such as sneak attack does not double. A fate point can be used to achieve this effect only once per game session.
▪ Providence Smiles: By spending one or more fate points, a character can gain a small plot break that helps him in some minor way. They gain an important clue that they overlooked, just happens to be talking to the right person to get the information they need or has the cavalry come over the hill while in a hopeless situation. The player must describe exactly what the plot break is that his character gains and the CK UDM always has the right to overrule this use if they deem it improper, or if they have a good reason for the character to be in such a tight spot. If the plot break is overruled, the fate point is not spent. Characters can spend a point for Providence Smiles once per game session.
▪ You Missed Me! You Missed Me!: By expending two fate points a character can avoid a single attack that would have otherwise struck the character. The character must have two fate points to expend in order to fully dodge the blow.
▪ Sound the Charge: A character can spend a fate point to double their allotted movement for a single round. This includes the ability to move full movement and still attack. Unlike a normal charge manoeuvre, characters spending a fate point can move up to their full base movement and attack but do not gain a bonus to damage or penalty to armour class. However, spending a fate point to sound the charge effectively doubles the distance a character can cover to take a charge manoeuvre in order to gain this bonus and suffer this penalty. In effect, this manoeuvre allows a character to move up to their full base movement and make a normal attack, or to double the distance up to which they may make a charge manoeuvre.
NB: A character can only spend Fate Points once per round. If a character spends a point to strike a mighty blow, he or she can’t spend another one in the same round to improve a die roll and vice versa.
EARNING XP:
After characters defeat monsters or acquire treasure, PCs earn experience points (XP). In the Night Below the following methods of earning XP will be in play:
Monsters: The Castle Keeper Under-Dungeon Master adds the value of all monsters defeated or overcome on the adventure. Each monster has a base XP value, and a bonus can be given if a specific monster was greater than normal for its type. The total XP are then divided by the number of characters that defeated the monsters.
Treasure: This campaign awards 1XP to the party for every 1GP value of non-magical treasure such as money, gems, art and other items acquired during the adventure.
Magic Items: Like monsters, magic items have a XP value. The Castle Keeper Under-Dungeon Master should award a magic item’s XP value to a character who possesses and uses the item for a period of time.
Story: The Under-Dungeon Master will assign an XP value to each chapter or side-quest of the campaign, and award that total to each character who completed those parts of the adventure successfully. Likewise PC specific sub-plots or missions completed will also earn an XP award accordingly.
Roleplay: The UDM can also award specific characters XP bonuses for good role playing in a specific situation or over the course of an adventure. A good range to award is 25 to 250 XP, depending on the level of the character.
