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Hi!
Aside from the one page handout I gave them at the beginning of the campaign, I gave them "previously known" information by allowing bardic knowledge, knowledge (history), and knowledge (local) checks. For example, if they made a knowledge history or local check DC 5, they knew about the Vanishing (small chance they were living under a rock, or were new to the area and had no clue).
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Sure!
Campaign #4 - When Hell Freezes Over
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The heroes battle a flying demoness with bat wings and a spear with glowing amber runes, who is aided by a burning figure with a snakelike tail instead of legs, wielding a glowing trident. The battle rages in a tilted, ruined hall, white marble walls cracked and elegant furniture shattered, while red lightning dances outside the windows, illuminating a blasted plain with sulfurous clouds and withered black trees. Without warning or cause, the chamber around them begins to glow with a soft white light, and suddenly all is whole, and outside of this celestial hall, green fields and flights of soaring angels can be seen. Dancing balls of light flit about the chamber, and the battle resumes…
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An otherworldly fiend with burning eyes appears in a gout of fire. He sweeps his sword, gesturing in your direction. In the blue actinic light of electrical charge that leaps and arcs along his sword blade, he demands that you hand over the soul which is rightfully his.
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The sky is burning. Gouts of flame shoot down from the heavens, alighting the city, with fire white hot that even causes stone to burn. Townsfolk run screaming in the street, and overhead, a dragoon covered in heavy scales soars down from the sky. It heavily lands on the rooftop of a temple, partially crushing it. It spreads its wings and roars a challenge to the small townsfolk scurrying about in the burning streets below. The heroes look up from the crowd, and the dragon stares directly at them, knowing they harbor something he wants.
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Mulan nobles, priests of the various temples in Taskaunt, and some half-elven men with blades on their belts have gathered in the Hierarch’s Hall – there is much shouting and gesturing, and a young woman with gray streaks in her hair and fear in her eyes turns imploringly to you. Not all the nobles are pleased with the presence of the heroes, and some scowl menacingly.
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A huge half-dragon stands in the street, bellowing your name. He demands an answer to his challenge, and the townsfolk look to you for an answer.
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Much like a television or movie trailer, the listed items above are some selected scenes of the action I have hope to use – partially to build anticipation, and partially to give some insight to the flavor of campaign I am hoping to achieve.
I recommend players take characters that can work cooperatively, investigate mysterious happenings, operate in urban environments unobtrusively (or at least be able to frequent a Tea Shop in Escalant), make friends and allies, fight against mysterious cults and organizations, and take up arms against dragons, fiends, undead, and all manner of creatures as yet undiscovered.
Set on the western fringes of Thay, in a small town that is a coastal port surrounded by hills, forest, and swamps, horses are not likely to be useful. There will be sufficient wilderness activity to warrant a druid or ranger, all characters will need to explain why they begin the campaign in Taskaunt. The local language is Untheric, with many people speaking Chessentan, Damaran, Rashemi, and Mulhorandi in a mixing pot of cultures.
Everyone needs a 1st level character, and needs to decide the following;
1. Why are you on a ship headed to Taskaunt from Bezantur?
2. Are your characters native to Taskaunt?
3. Name three things that will motivate your character.
4. Name one epic or heroic deed you would like your character to accomplish.
Campaign House Rules
1. You can play any race, class, or region in Northeast Faerun. Please try to warn me well in advance of any prestige classes (or wacky feats) that you plan on taking, so I can give plenty of warning about any hoops you may have to jump through in order to have access to them.
2. Spells and magic items that are non-standard (ie Forgotten Realms books, supplement books, etc) will be standard prices, but may be hard to find – a very good reason to have Gather Information.
3. Rather than say items aren’t available, a successful Gather Information check will find (or sell) these items. Knowledge (local) give synergy. Yes, you can take 10:
Common Swords, cows DC 5
Uncommon Nunchaku, khopeshes DC 15
Specialty pistols, smokepowder, cursed magic items, black market items, scrolls of 5th level spells DC 25
Rare Svirfneblin dart-thrusters, underdark items, Shou items, scrolls of 7th level spells DC 35
Exotic Scrolls of 9th level spells DC 45
Taskaunt (Large Town): Government Conventional; AL N; 3,000gp limit; Assets 1,356,000gp; Population 4,520; Mixed (human 82%, half-elf 8%, half-orc 5%, Halfling 2%, Dwarf 2%, other 1%).
Authority Figures: Hierarch Sevilen Nam, male human (Governor of the Town), Lady Thifiri Rhii, female mulan human (Khazark of the Red Wizard Enclave)
Important Characters: Lord Ulem Var, male mulan human (Noble), Lord Murith Phen, male mulan human (Noble), Lord Anikus Thrul, mulan noble, Lord Petrus Borenti, rashemi noble, Voran Wen, male mulan human (Red Wizard known for his alchemy), Crista Yugarsdaughter, female human (head cleric of the Shrine to Lathander), Asfentim Hran, aasimar male (head cleric of the Church of Ramathant), ??? (head cleric of the Cathedral of Kelemvor), Sarras Daalam, human male (high priest of the Church of Assuran), ??? (high priest of the shrine to Istishia)
Hierarch’s Guard: Lord Terseus Skel, male human War7 (Captain of the Guard, highest level warrior) + 44 other guards
Militia: (901 militia)
Laws: Because Taskaunt served as the final staging ground of the Salamander War, and the city was nearly completely depopulated by rampaging fire elementals and the extraplanar plague called The Firedance, the nobles and populace of the city are very, very cautious about fire – fire magic or summoned fire creatures are strictly prohibited, and any who use it (save Red Wizards, of course) are punished with death.
Taxes: Standard Upkeep rules.
Timeline:
-700c – The Star elves abandon the Yuirwood
100c – A Nilshai expedition discovers ruins of the Star Elves, and establish an outpost with Gith servitors.
400c – Kopru abandon area and retreat to the Underdark
450c – Taskaunt founded by Chessentans from Escalant
679 – Unther forced to recognize independence of the Wizards’ Reach.
953 – Taskaunt becomes tributary to Chessenta
1117 – Taskaunt regains independence from fractured Chessenta
1317 – Dragon Plague affects Inner Sea
1323 – Plague ends
1357 – Fire elementals ravage Wizard’s Reach, Thay conquers Taskaunt.
1362 – Noble families fleeing Thay & Unther rebuild Taskaunt
1372 - Present
Merchants & Taverns: The Archon Inn, The Dark Leviathan Inn (proprietor Halfus Went), The Final Flagon Tavern (proprietor Molus), Phalian Gur (blacksmith), Bjelkir Zanathor (provisioner & chandler), Tipthys Surefoot (tailor)
Other Notes: A local gold coin is minted an used, called the Taskan Guilder (worth 1gp).
Taskaunt is an impoverished port, and many of the merchants here curse Escalant and Bezantur frequently.
Other Characters: Adp8, Ari7, Bbn5, Brd9, Clr9, Com13, Drd7, Exp7, Ftr8, Mnk6, Pal6, Rgr7, Rog11, Sor5, War7, Wiz9
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Hi Rocksteady!
Sorry -- that *is* the writeup I used for SCAP. I've heavily modified the background to fit the Wizard's Reach (my habitual backyard for running FR stuff), which in turn has changed some details (ie the volcano of Cauldron has been replaced by a poorly patched rift to the Elemental Plane of Fire).
But, it does show you what can be done for a background. If you have the SCAP hardcover, it wouldn't take much effort (an evening or two) to put together a handout piece with the following
- Cauldron's stat block
- known history
- a hint or two about potential allies
- a hint or two about potential antagonists
- a hint or two about where the campaign is going
- something to vest the players' interests in the local town
Hopefully that helps ...
I gave my players a lot of "flavor" background, describing Cauldron as it is, and what brings people to the area, as well as a little of "historical" background.
I didn't actually write up the background information, but I tried to emphasize information that would be used in the first couple of adventures. After that, the adventures themselves give information as needed to further the plot.
I emphasized that Cauldron's remote location was still fairly unexplored territory, and that attracts some adventurers to come to the area. Cauldron itself has been known to be a good launching pad for adventurers, and there are many statues of some of the adventurers that started there. (The truth behind that is that many of the statues are actually the adventurers that were turned to stone, when they weren't any use to the Cagewrights or Vhalantru.)
I also introduced the Flood Festival in the very first session. I explained that decades ago the flood seasons were disatrous, and the Flood Festival was held to mark the end of the flood season. However, over the years, the flood season decreased in intensity, and aided by the clerics of the city, floods were not feared as greatly. The Flood Festival itself, however continues to grow larger each year. Merchants stock their warehouses in anticipation of the arrival of tourists and competitors that hope to win in any of the many events held during the Festival. The inns fill to max occupancy, and tents start to appear in open spaces throughout the city.
I introduced the first encounter in Life's Bazaar after a night of "early celebrating" for the Festival, and kept little reminders of the upcoming event as the players ventured into the city.
It got the players interested in Cauldron early on, and they were so hyped about the Flood Festival events, we spent one entire session (and parts of others) on competition in the various events, awarding XP for 1st, 2nd or 3rd place in any event that they entered.
None of my players grew up in Cauldron, so I left out all the historical information up front, and gave out little bits through role playing. My players did get intensly interested in Cauldron's history as they continued to find and explore the various caves and compounds under the city and the surrounding area.
Hope this helps.
sure, there are some on the SCAP resources page.
There's also a pretty old one in the archive. Hare a look here