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Bumi's recurring dream: a Gray lady with red veins - "He's in prison, save him! Hurry!" Presumably this has something to do with the vision in the Grotto.
Sehanine - at the end of the Emerald Grotto, where Bumi found the Gem of Three Prayers.

We all had this vision (including our "rivals"):
The light around the pedestal fades as a spectral figure in the form of a male human rises from the amulet. He is dressed in leather armor and a tattered red cape and wears a shield. His face is framed by curly brown hair and bears a melancholic expression. He pleads, “I am imprisoned. Please help me.”
Suddenly, the ground vanishes beneath your feet, and you fall, tumbling through a vortex of golden light. You fall deeper, deeper, deeper, then suddenly stop. The golden light subsides, and you find yourself suspended in a pitch-black expanse. You feel water buoying you. A vermilion light appears in the distance, illuminating the melancholy warrior, who is shackled to the ground by disgusting strands of a fleshy, crimson substance.
He raises his gaze to the heavens and, sobbing, chokes out, “Moon Weaver, I beg of you. Guide those with the power to save me to the site where first I prayed to you.” He looks around, and his eyes settle on you. “Oh, gods, there you are! My name is Alyxian. I am lost in darkness. Long ago, I prayed to the Change Bringer in the heart of a temple of evil. I beg you, take my jewel and…”
You feel consciousness leaving you, as if the pressure of the water were crushing the life out of you. Alyxian’s voice is the last thing you hear before you pass out. “Save me. Please.”

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We had found a secret passage leading into the lighthouse, and were making our way inside. We thought we had found a corpse, but it turned out to be a live Human, old, tall and gangly. He had been long struggling against the ghouls, and was apparently the only non-undead left in the town.

He was apparently a political official in the town, and told us the story of how, six years ago, Lord Ventwerhoffen's son was killed. Subsequently, his wife died in childbirth, and it was thought that the abominable child died as well, although that might be wishful thinking. The father lost his sanity.

Around this time, the Maiden's Tears (the spring that supplied the town's water) went bad, and that's when the trouble with the undead started.

The apparent leader of the ghouls, an aquatic elf named Elioss, continually tries to capture the old man, perhaps to gain access to the lord's manor, in the center of the isle.

We decided to investigate the manor, but found the way made somewhat more difficult by a flooded fen. Someone had built a dam in the center plateau of the isle. We soon found out why, as undead things rose from the water. They gained strength by putting sucking leeches on us! Eeew! We managed to dispatch them, but the memory of a swamp-soaked undead thing vomiting leeches all over me is one I shall carry for a long time.

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From the journal of Alfonznot, warrior of the dwarves:

The carrock blew off course to the east. The human sailors seemed unable to deal with the weather. Some sort of swimming lizard -- long-necked things, with rows of fanged teeth! Their bites were most unwelcome. Fortunately, they were pretty cowardly, but even so, I was nearly bit in two and knew no more until one of my companions healed me.

Apparently, while I was out, my friends had quite the time navigating the shoals. We finally landed at Adama's Tooth. Ahh, to be on land again, trusting my own feet rather than the ramshackle craft and skill of the human sailors.

Our mission was to investigate an assassination ... done by a toy! We'd destroyed the toymaker, but his deadly minions had already been sent out.

We found Pyritar, the town, largely deserted, though we saw some old footprints, as well as a small amount of cash. The town inn's ledger entries ended abruptly three years ago. Something bad happened here.

We found mention of one Nicola -- a frequent guest at the inn, who would show up every few months on a small boat. She once met a local noble, name of Ilona, which the ledger-keeper thought unusual enough to make a special note of it. It was unclear if this had any significance to the mystery of the town's desertion, but it was all we found.

Water-ghouls! Nasty things, but they could not withstand our cleric's power. (What was his name again? I should probably make some effort to get to know these people, since it looks like we're going to be spending some time together.)

Ah, some more clues. A fisherman's journal ... "water going bad," "townsfolk going to the sea." Hmm... some sort of necromantic plague?

We found a lighthouse at the top of the cliff. On approaching, a chamberpot greeted Barley on the top of his head. An unfriendly voice asked us to get a book.

We found a secret passage into the lighthouse. Now we shall get some answers....

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Published on 1 Comment on D&D 3.0 – Sylmore Campaign

Hey, I spoke too soon! I found some stuff from the old D&D 3.0  game I ran after the Mars campaign concluded. This was a really good campaign, maybe the most successful long campaign I've ever run (although there was a 1st edition game I'm still proud of).
...continue reading "D&D 3.0 – Sylmore Campaign"

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It's bothering me that I seem to have all this material for games I never ran, but for the games I actually did run I can't find any record! There was a D&D 3.5 game I ran for years (the Sylmore campaign) ... can't find a thing about it except for one scrap of background information about the Norse religion.

Anyway, here's the start of a campaign handbook for yet another game that I never ran. This time, it's a D&D 3.5 game. Path of Swords Campaign Handbook. (You can see that I was inspired by Monte Cook's Arcana Unearthed here.)

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For the Dreadmire campaign, I had the idea that there was this huge port city somewhere off in the void. It would be the source and a way-point for trade goods and people, and a source of rumor. Going there might have become a goal for the PCs. I never really developed any of this stuff, but the ideas are still interesting, at least to me.

 

The City “T’sai-shen”

Cai-shen

The Chinese god of prosperity, both of religious Taoism and in the syncretist folk religion. He has various magical powers, such as warding off thunder and lightning, and ensuring profit from commercial transactions. As a historical figure he is identified as Zhao Xuan-tan (Chao Hsüan-t'an), "General Zhao of the Dark Terrace", from the Qin Dynasty. He attained enlightenment on top of a mountain. He also assisted Zhang Dao-ling on his search for the life-prolonging elixir.
...continue reading "C’ai Shen"

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(This one's interesting. I only have a vague memory of it. I think I actually ran this at a Game Day we had at our place of employment. It wasn't part of the regular campaign, I know that much.)

Dreadmire Campaign

D&D 4.0

August 16, 2008

 

Begin – the gnome sets them down in the Dreadmire swamp. After awhile, they come across a battlefield.

 

1a. Battle scene – twelve dead pirates, thoroughly scavenged by critters. DC 18 – they are sailors. DC 20 – they are offworlders. DC 22 – they killed each other…although some similarly armed combatants may have survived. DC 25 track – find the track of Tree.

 

1b. Find the pirate captain Aloysius Tree of the Skuttlebutt, taken over from the late dread pirate Quee Quai Queg.
...continue reading "Dreadmire – Alternate 1st adventure"

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Published on 1 Comment on Dreadmire – Adventure #1

Dreadmire Campaign

Adventure #1: The Saga Begins

 

  • Silur Rock
  • Time: early morning
  • At the shore is a hill giant throwing rocks

 

  1. Near the near bank of the river can be seen a fishing boat with one small figure in it (50’ out)
  2. Tip of rock is 250’ from the shore; wavefront of ocean can be seen; swampland seen to the west, hills to the east, river going north; the river is 300’ across with virtually no current

Bob (Bayou Halfling) old fisherman

Knowledge local +10

Boat can carry six uncomfortably
...continue reading "Dreadmire – Adventure #1"

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This was just a file of notes of plot points, setting ideas, encounter ideas, and whatnot for the campaign. Since the game never really went anywhere, I never used 90% of this stuff.

Dreadmire Campaign Ideas

 

Tribe of Fomorians –

  • a city of them, but scattered members can be found all over the Dreadmire.
  • Some can pass as human, though the cat-eye gives them away if you can see through their glamer.
  • Similarity to Rakshasa – urbane, yet cruel – communicative, but not open – enjoys society, but is an enslaver and tyrant.
  • Fomorian warlock ruling a plantation – Halflings in servitude, almost slavery
  • Fomorian rogue passing as a human woman – may be an ally to the PCs, but is also quite willing to turn on them if hired by an enemy

 
...continue reading "Dreadmire campaign ideas"