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I'm playing with the idea of a subplot in the town of Deepwatch. The idea is that the town is building a Cathedral to Lathander (or another good god) and there are forces at work that are trying to prevent the Cathedral from being built. (Possibly some one attached to the Temple of Elemental Evil.) I got the idea from the Pillars of the Earth T.V. miniseries based upon the book by the same name.
My old game group was big on starting at higher levels and I knew I didn't have a reason to keep working on it. With a fresh group it gives me a chance to flesh out this idea again.
The overarching main plot has to do with the Drow and with slaves. I got the idea from reading the Novel Pools of Radiance and the War of the Spider Queen series. The concept is simple: Lolth wishes to become a Greater Goddess. In order to do this she needs massive amounts of blood and souls sacrificed to her, far more than say, sacrificing all of her followers (the Drow) could do. Therefore she has sent a vision to her greatest Priestess Eclavadra, to go forth and create the Pools of Crimson Tears. The Pools of Crimson Tears are sacrificial altars that collect the blood (and souls) of their victims into magical pools. These magic pools then give a measure of power to the creature doing the sacrificing while transferring the rest of the power (and the victim's soul) to the greatest of these pools in the Demonweb pit where Lolth herself feeds from the energy, growing ever stronger. The PCs first encounter one of these small pools in the Hidden Temple within the Caves of Chaos. As the progress through the campaign they discover more and more of these pools as they go along as Eclavadra has provided them to the Priests in the Temple of Elemental Evil, the Slave Lords, the Giants, and others, letting them believe that the majority of the power from the pool is going to the user. The only one who has refuse the power of the Pools is King Obould Many Arrows. The old Orc has seen far too much magic to be fooled by the the machinations of the Drow. However one of his children might succumb to Eclavadra's charms and promises and try to overthrow him. If the PCs get involved they might find an powerful enemy, or unlikely ally in the old Orc king.
As far as Deepwatch's population: I'm planning to combine some of the characters from The Return to the Keep on the Borderlands, The Village of Hommlet, and the Sunken Citadel into the populace. Some of the citizens are former adventurers who believed that they cleared out the Temple, and are now finding out that Evil has returned there. Also I'm thinking of adding in a few NPCs that the players can add to their party if they are short some one, such as an extra Fighter, a Cleric, or a Mage.
So I moved to a new place (Yosemite National Park) and I have a few new people who are interested in playing Pathfinder/D&D. So I figure this is a great place to start this idea back up again. This game is turning into a hodgepodge of things. I'm using the Pathfinder system
So far this is what I am working on: The PCs will start out in Deepwatch (From a Map of Mystery in Dungeon Magazine). It's a town on the borders of the Silver Marches and the Savage Frontier, I haven't placed it exactly yet. Deepwatch has several problems: There's a band of goblins living up in the hills that keep raiding the town. They're setting fires, killing horses and dogs, and making off with whichever townsfolk they can intimidate or knock unconscious.
Supplies are running low because a group of bandits are waylaying supply caravans on the road (the goblins aren't helping either). It's rumored that the bandits are based out of the gate house to a haunted temple deep in the ruins.
The Watchtower between Deepwatch and the lands beyond has been taken by forces unknown, and all who have gone to investigate have not returned.
Also adding in mages for the PCs to fight gives PC mages access to new spells and much needed low level magic items.
That is a possibility. There is also the Gatehouse from the Temple. Throwing a wizard in there would be a good way to raise the difficulty a little bit.
I will take a look at it, but I am attempting to keep the number of beginning adventures down so that they aren't hitting to high of level heading into Slavers after the temple.
In prepping some of this early material I read through the Sentinel and realized I didn't need it, so I took a hint from the module and from the Character hooks in The Gauntlet, and a poor Goblin will be wearing the Sentinel when the PCs find it. Another link will be the Fire Giant and his army from the Gauntlet. This will be the very same Fire Giant king that the PCs will eventually face off against in the Against the Giants phase of the campaign. I am thinking of replacing the demoness/goddess that is trapped in the temple with one of the Children of Rovagug (Basically another demon). The hopes is that if the Cultists free him/her then the demon will go and awaken it's parent.
Thanks for all the feedback and discussion gang! I didn't know that this topic would be so popular so quick. Since Lolth and many of the other immortals from Greyhawk don't exist in the Pathfinder world I decided that I would center the main plot around a group of humanoid villains attempting to awaken Rovagug the destroyer. Tying the various dungeons together is a series of magical pools, the pools are linked to one deep in underground in a shrine of Rovagug, and any blood spilt into these pools is magically funneled to the Pool of Rovagug where it is hoped the smell of such sacrifice with entice the god to awaken once more. THE VILLAGE I decided to replace Hommlet with Turtleback Ferry, and I'm pretty much eliminating Nulb. Also I'm tweaking the area just a little so that I can replace the current map of Turtleback Ferry with the map of Deepwatch from Dungeon Magazine #103, and I'm currently going through the NPCs from the Hommlet and the Keep on the Borderlands to see which ones I want to incorporate into the town. The basis history of the town is that long ago the rulers of Varisa learned of an evil temple that was a holdover from the Cheliax Empire. A group of adventurer ventured into the area and eventually brought the temple down. As a reward the leader of the group was given a noble title and the right to build a keep in area. This keep would serve as one of the many watchtowers along the northern border of the kingdom (the Tower from the Gauntlet module will be another). The town founders are the remaining members of that party, some of whom are still alive. THE DUNGEONS The Caves of Chaos (From Keep on the Borderlands) The Kobolds of the Cave were the original inhabitants. They once served a great red dragon who lived in the area along with a group of dragon priests. Around the time that the temple fell the dragon they served learned of a mysterious disappearing mountain and conquered it, making it her new lair (Dragon Mountain) she took her greatest and best trained servants with her, leaving about a quarter of the Kobolds behind to fend for themselves and to watch over the tomb of her first dragon priest. The years that followed were not good for the Kobolds as they were driven back time and time again. They now only hold a fraction of the area that they once did. They've even lost a captured dragon hatchling that they worshiped for a time. - I'll be using the Kobolds from the Sunken Citadel including Meepo. The Goblins of the Cave arrived next and have allied themselves to the Dark Priests and Hobgoblins that dwell within the Caves. They have taken a great deal of the Kobold's territory and even managed to capture the dragon hatchling that the Kobolds worshipped. Things that the PCs will find in the Caves - A masterwork sword with the mark of the dwarven smith Durgeddin. (A hit to the Forge of Fury)
More to come soon.
I've started a Pathfinder campaign based on some of the classic AD&D Modules. In this column I'll be sharing my notes in case other GMs wish to use them or add their own ideas. The Modules I plan to use as the basis are: The Village of Hommlett
I'm also using some or all of the content from these more modern modules: Dragon Mountain
I am planning to add bits from Dragon and Dungeon Magazines as well.
I was thinking about using Turtleback Ferry from Rise of the Runelords.
I'm in the process of planning what I am calling "The Classic Modules Campaign." Basically I'm starting the PCs off in Hommlet at first level with the Caves of Chaos (from keep on the borderlands) nearby. From there they will hit the Temple of Elemental Evil, the Slavers, Against the Giants, and finally the Drow series. I am planning to have this take place in the Pathfinder Campaign World, so my first task is to figure out where to place Hommlet. Any suggestions?
Yeeah it's been noted on several Serenity/Firefly boards that the Xenomorph aliens would fit in fairly well in the firefly universe. A great way to introduce them or something like them would be with one of the huge Arc ships that were originally used to transport colonists from Earth that was to the new solar system where Firefly takes place. It's been noted that several of the ship didn't make it, so they could still be out there, and one of them might have come across something "unfriendly" in route. Oh one other suggestion. If you want to combine the "Psychic alien" idea with the Aliens take a look at the Genestealers from Warhammer 40k. Scary and along the same lines. Spacehulk, the game that introduced them was heavily inspired by ALIEN and ALIENS, right down to the motion detectors. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genestealers
Mixing in something that big would be a challenge, and it might confuse the players a bit since I think you end up fighting Lloth at the end of that particular arc. I would suggest possibly reading through both and finding a way to combine the backstories on some levels. Perhaps Lloth is the one who caused Archimedaus's fall from grace for her own purposes, or she could have something to do with the demons over at the Demonskar. You could also put a renegade Male Drow Wizard from the drow city into the mix somewhere, perhaps replacing one of the Cagewrights, or subtly manipulating the PCs against the drow city somewhere nearby. You could easily replace the Half Demon/Duergar buying the kids in the first adventure with a Drow Priestess and a few of her lackeys. Come to think of it, a high level Drow Wizard would make a good option to replace the Beholder.
Yes, the supplimental information in DRAGON started with Wormfood, which was for the Age of Worms. However if you look in the back of most modern Dragon Magazines you'll find all sorts of GM related goodies that can be used. From random encounters to shops to item descriptions. Also Maps of Mystery in Dungeon can prove useful inspiration for sidetrecks and such.
One of the maps of mystery has a really good volcano lair for a red dragon. I think it actually came in two parts. Lava makes a nasty barrier for PCs who don't have access to flight and heat resistant magics, and a volcanic lair kinda fits with the SCAP.
Backstory.... A short time after the Orgoth left the shores of Western Immoren an Elven Mage discovered an Orgoth device left behind. From the writings it appeared as though the Orgoth were trying to bridge dimension in order to summon something forth. The Elf decided that the machine could be used to call forth the lost Elven Gods back to Immoren. After long study the Elf and his apprentices activated the device and opened the portal. What he had hoped would be the salvation of his people turned to his doom. The portal created a small direct link to the Infernal Realm, and through it stepped an Executor. The powerful Infernal being was followed by several Umbral Reavers who dispatched the Elf's apprentices and drew their souls back into the demon realm. The Executor itself slew the elf, stealing away his souls. It stopped though, realising that it could not remain in our dimension to harvent the souls it desired. It decided instead to use the elf to grant it what it desired most, a multitude of souls all at once. It bound the Elf's soul back into its body. Executor did not return the elf to life though, but rather changed him into a powerful undead servent, an Eldritch. It then task the Eldritch to find 13 special mortals. These mortals were the descendants of 13 slaves that the Orgoth had long ago promised to it in a ritual. These 13 mortal souls, imprisoned alive in special soulcages, could be used in conjuction with the portal device to allow the Executor to harvest a massive amount of souls at once, that is if the machine were to be placed beneith the heart of a massive gathering of mortals, such as a city. Once activated, the Executor and his minions could maintain their presence in the world indefinately and would be able to harvest the souls of an entire city. In exchange for this service, the Executor promised that he would return the Eldritch to life and show him the true path to restoring the Elven Gods. To accomplish it's goal, the Eldritch has gathered together 13 other individuals whom it will need to complete it's mission. These individuals, known as the Cagewrights each have their own reasons for joining, but all hope to gain great power throug their part of the ritual.
I'm contemplating placing the Cauldron in the area near Ternon Crag. Ternon Crag would replace the village of Redgorge and I can replace some of the outlying monsters with the Skorne, Trollkin, and the Circle of Orboros, using their conflict as part of the storyline. Also the dragon Pryo..... (I forgot his name) is going to take the place of Hookface, which will give the PCs dragonblighted to fight. The are around his lair might be a good replacement for the Demon Skar and powerful dragonblighted minions are a good replacement for demons. I don't plan on having the PCs fight the dragon, a recent issue of NQ has an army of the Legion of Everblight coming into the region just for that purpose. I'll let them deal with the dragon while the PCs are dealing with the Cagewrights. The other dragon's will be replaced by a drake, Dragonblighted Wyvern, and a giant snake (Possibly dragonblighted).
About a year ago I picked up the Shackled City Adventure Path Hardcover. I really liked it and I was itching to run it. However I was a Forgotten Realms Campaign, we were mid way through the campaign and the group was around level 10, so switching the the SCAP was out of the question. When that campaign ended we switched to Privateer Press's Iron Kingdoms. About this time I purchased the Witchfire Trilogy Hardcover, which serves as a great introduction to the whole Iron Kingdoms world. Now that storyline is coming to a close and I was rattling my brain trying to think of what comes next, and then it hit me....The Shackled City! Now granted the Adventure Path is not a perfect fit for many, many reason. Some of the story elements don't work (dragons, vampires, and the Outer planes for example), my PCs will be starting at around 7th or 8th level, and so on. I also plan to make some changes to make some of the story elements fit with my PC's personal stories. I've got my work cut out for me, but this should be a labor of love.
READ THOR #3 By far the greatest story ever! Well not really, but it something Thor fans who read Civil War were waiting for.... THOR VS IRON MAN!!! The writer have Thor down pat, and stupid Tony tries to give Thor the same speech he gave Nova a while back. Needless to say Thor knows about what happened during Civil War. Read it and love it, I know I did.
Actually, it can still be in a volcano, but have it on an island. Good idea. You could even change some of the modules so that the PCs need to get a boat and go check out neighboring islands. Redwall (or whatever the name of the village outside the Cauldron is called) could be remade as the port that serves the town. If the little town is attacked the citizens could retreat to the Cauldron, same thing in the case of a typhoon.
"Graiiiinnsssss" I was laughing at work and people were staring at me. ;) Also I like that you've brought in some more technology based character (guns and explosives) since I'm currently running an Iron Kingdoms game and it gives me some good ideas on what to use. Can't wait to read the next exciting chapter, keep up the good work.
Move it out of the Cauldron and put it in a port town. You might have to do some serious reworking of a few modules, but a lot can stay the same. The port could be at the BASE of a volcano, making the eruption still a major danger.
If you are interested in running a mixed game I suggest you take a look at the Chicago supliment. It covers the city from all three angles (Mage, Werewolf, Vampire) and has all the info on how the various factions get along, and where the fighting is taking place. If your party likes to fight in RPGs I would probably suggest Werewolf. If you have devious plotters who take over thieves guilds in your D&D campaign, I would suggest Vampire.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werewolf:_The_Forsaken http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vampire_the_Requiem The newer World of Darkness is a completely different spin from the first World of Darkness. There are some similarities, enough to make veteran's say "Hey that's like this in the old version" but not so much as to alienate new players. I've spoken to the White Wolf folks at Gen Con SoCal, and the person I spoke to basically said that the new systems are all about shades of grey, that is, not being able to tell who is exactly right, and who is exactly wrong. This is especially true of the new Werewolf game, which steps away from the nature vs Corruption theme and adds a newer "Us versus them" theme. They've also done a lot to get rid of the "Fantasy Roleplay" aspects of the game. I.E. no more Vampire modules that are basically a dungeon crawl.
For a little inspiration Check out Sid Meyer's Pirates for the PC or Xbox. There's some fun stuff in there, even if it is a little repetitive at times. Also if you can find it, there's a whole bunch of books for a game called 7th Sea out there as well, I think it even comes in D20. Then of course there's the Seafarer's handbook, though it does contain a lot of fantasy elements.
Alright. Thanks for your answer! Hey If you ask Wizards and get an answer, can you post it here? Inquiring minds want to know the same answer. Thanks!
I'm contemplating converting the SCAP to fit in my current Exalted Campaign. It would be a lot of work, but I think it might be fun! (Plus it will give me a chance to use the expensive hardcover AND maybe make the players hungry for to play the regular version!)
I run two NPCs in my current campaign. One is a Mage, because the party didn't have a mage from the start. The other is an elf fighter. I use both characters pretty effectively, but I'm careful not to let them outshine the PCs. They occasionally might tip the PCs off to something, but only if they make the right knowledge roles or it's something they've learned through the campaign. "What's the name of that Wizard encountered in White Plume Mountain?" Mage scratches her head and looks in her notebook "Keraptis wasn't it?" (She was with the party for that adventure) "Oh yeah, that's right!"
Cap's shield has the equivilent of powerder coating, the "paint" is bonded at almost a molecular level, so I won't come off....ever I would say that Adamantite would be flat black with slightly reflective specks that show purple. |
