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That would be a great backstory for a party comprised of mostly locals. You could even write it out as a short story and read it during the opening night of the campaign.
Actually, it reminds me a lot of Stephen King's IT. If you are using HEROES OF HORROR rules incorporated into your AOW campaign, that would make this angle even more appealing.
Well, since I just finished reading through the last installment in the AoW campaing I decided I wanted to go back through and give the whole thing one continuous read. (I was running an online SCAP game, but real life got in the way and I had to let it lapse. Basically I am saying I haven't run AoW at all... yet.)
Anyway, I finished the backdrop for Diamond Lake and just started into Whispering Cairn when the following lines inspired me:
"Rediscovered by a curious teenager a decade ago, the cairn has since been a sort of community secret held by Diamond Lake's youth, who dare each other to disappear into its cyclopean entrance to prove their bravery."
and
"The western alcove contains a moldy bedroll used by a local teenager daring to spend an evening in the cairn. Any PC native to Diamond Lake under the age of 20 can make a DC 15 knowledge (local) check to remember childhood stories about a teenage girl who went missing 6 years ago."
What I am thinking is have an introductory adventure to familiarize the players with Diamond Lake that takes place 6-10 years before the beginning of The Whispering Cairn. The PCs would all be children/teens who were involved in the rediscovery of the cairn and the subsequent dare that cost the life of one of their friends (see bones above).
I am thinking of a feel somewhat like you would find in movies like "Sleepers" or "It," that start with a 'flashback' sequence then move forward to deal with how the events in childhood shaped who the PCs are today.
Maybe this sets them up to be pariahs from the other children their own age in Diamond Lake who blame them for the death of their much more popular friend. This would be one reason they are all still a group or instead is the reason that people who are no longer friends seek one another out to form a group to finish old business (and make a buck so they can get out of the cesspit that is Diamond Lake).
Anyway, all comments welcome... I will probably work on this in my head a bit more, but thought I would throw it out there for anyone who wanted to chew the gristle.
I do suppose it would mean that all would need to play races that age similar to humans...
Sean Mahoney
I did this in my campaign, through backstory (not adventure). They all new Allastor Land, they had all been to the whispering cairn (but only briefly), they had all been to the Stirngist Cairn. Thye could still remember the day Allastor disappeared, and they never went to any of the Cairn's again...
It worked well, and helped make Diamond Lake home for my pc's.
So the other thing I am thinking is that this would be an excellent way to show some of the changes that have been going on normally in Diamond Lake. Things like the machinations of the mine managers. Balabar Smenk, for instance, would still be fairly new to the area and the children might overhear something about him taking over another mine or whatever.
It could also highlight those things that stay the same. The children could be sitting there and promising each other that *they* will never end up like these poor, decrepid schmucks they see daily... then fast forward and that is exactly what their lives have become... oh how they will want out.
Sean Mahoney