Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Aug 24, 2007 1:55:41	Campaign Overview A defiler of the Draji court, tasked with the study of an ancient secret organization of magic users, makes a discovery of unknown import that leads him to flee his position, risking the wrath of the sorcerer king and his legions, to pursue what he has found. Whether for their own personal gain, loyalty to Draj, or other obligations, a party of adventurers sets out to pursue. The trail they must follow to meet their goal is long, treacherous, and bloody, taking them through dark, forgotten corridors filled with danger and the shadowy streets of cities where intrigue runs wild and safety is no more thoroughly guaranteed. The defiler is not alone in whatever knowledge he has come to, and other hunters may pursue the group, seeking to learn what they know... or eliminate competition. The rogue wizard's powers and the knowledge he seeks may lead them to question what little trust they might have in each other or fall outright to vicious backstabbing; in the end, however, more is found to be at stake in this mad game than their own lives, and to prevent unknown forces from coming to dominion, sacrifices will have to be made and personal advancement set aside. Scourge of Souls is a series of adventures designed with a group of three to five characters of 3rd to 4th level in mind, though accommodations can be made to allow more experienced parties to enjoy an appropriate challenge. The campaign may comprise as many as ten linked adventures, some more central to the plot than others, though the game master may add to, modify, or take away from this core as they see fit. 1. The Caravan (Optional) If the party has been traveling elsewhere or is just beginning their sojourns together, you may wish to run this adventure to begin with. Characters will travel with a trade caravan making the route from Tyr to Draj, carrying a varied assortment of goods, and may themselves be working as guards for the travelers, merchants signed on with the troupe, or other passengers. Opportunities are made for conversations with the various inhabitants of the caravan, and those who wish to do so can get involved in settling a number of petty squabbles between the occupants - whose hatred, envy, or scorn may lead them to solutions of varying finality, and who might offer rewards for any assistance rendered. Eventually, while passing through a narrow canyon, a band of kreen which normally doesn't approach the caravan on this route makes a daring assault, and the party's strength and cooperation will be tested greatly if they wish to survive this journey. 2. The Arena (Optional) While not entirely without scruples, the caravan master is a man of business, and when approached with a contract offering a sizable sum and the goodwill of Draj's intelligence agency to secure a number of resourceful individuals as slaves for Draj's arena, he cannot help but accept. As a master of potion and poison he finds little difficulty in disabling their defenses in their sleep, and in the morning they find themselves in chains and less the greater portion of their gear. The party are now property of Ulbric Khen, a renowned warrior and a noble of the Draji aristocracy, and destined for a life fighting in the gladitorial pits. The rigours of daily combat will force the group to find common cause, even as the politics of the slave pens may drive them apart. Such considerations are rendered meaningless, however, when after several days of this new routine they are dragged from their pallets in the middle of the night and brought to see an elven man shrouded in shadows, who soon reveals himself to be Kael Stormseeker, the king's bounty hunter. Kael gives the party a choice: remain in the arena and fight for the rest of their lives, or perform a task for him in exchange for freedom. He refuses to reveal the nature of the mission before they give their agreement. If the party shows reluctance to accept, he has a number of additional bargaining chips to offer them and may reveal that not choosing to take his offer might well be tantamount to suicide, as the group is to be the target of a noble's plot to discredit their owner and unlikely to live out the rest of the week without the assassin's aid. Note: These initial adventures simply offer one method to bring the characters to the action and give them a stake in the eventual outcome of the campaign. If you have an alternative means to secure their participation, it is not central to the plot that they become indebted to Kael in this manner. 3. Fort Ral With their possessions now restored to them, and perhaps an additional grant of coins for the work to come, Kael reveals to the party their task. Zeras, a king's defiler tasked with the research of a group of wizards now lost to time, has disappeared from the city, without informing his superiours of whatever findings he may have made, heading north. Kael surmises that he has discovered something of import in his research, and wishes to learn what it is and gain control of it if possible. The group must track down the wizard, learn what he knows, force his co-operation in finishing his research, and bring him back for discipline with whatever he unearths in tow. Asking around town will lead, after some dead ends and the possibility of some dangerous encounters, to Xaltotec, another king's defiler, though he does not advertise himself as such. Zeras apparently confided in Xaltotec in the earlier stages of his research, though he withdrew from contact entirely for a period before leaving. If the party can convince Xaltotec, he might let on that Zeras mentioned something of great importance kept in an ancient shrine, now buried beneath Fort Ral. The characters could, of course, simply opt to head north along the road immediately and will arrive at Fort Ral regardless. On reaching the structure, the group will find it unusually devoid of guardsmen. The gates are open, the mounts slaughtered, and blood smears the walls. An unknown tragedy has struck the site, and one can only surmise that Zeras is linked with it somehow. If the party chooses to search the fort, it is evident from the start that something is wrong here. Ghostly voices can be heard whispering in ancient tongues, and shadowy figures skitter along at the edge of one's sight. A thorough exploration will lead to a series of catacombs that run beneath the pyramid, where the group will find themselves sorely pressed. Creatures the likes of which they have never seen, abominations of a grave order, force the group to work together and use their resources strategically to defeat threats unimaginable. Eventually they will find the way to a tomb chamber, where they will encounter the undead lord of an ancient civilization. 4. The Long Road (Semi-optional) Clues found in the bowels of Fort Ral will bring the party back to Draj to find assistance in deciphering texts written in a language now thousands of years dead. They are directed to Korash, a flame priest who supposedly spent some time adventuring in the ruins of lost civilizations. Korash is willing to give what aid he can with the translation, provided the characters do something for him in exchange: take care of a rival, who happens to be a powerful cleric himself. The group can choose to attempt a direct confrontation, in which case they will more than likely end up pounded into the sand and left as bloody husks. Options for subterfuge or seeking assistance from their shadowy employer are also available. However they accomplish the deed, Korash will keep his end of the bargain. His familiarity with the script is limited, however, and he can only give them an incomplete translation. He directs the party north, to a vaguely described location in the Scorpion Plains, and also suggests a former colleague in Kurn who may be able to help with a more detailed translation. The journey north is perilous in the extreme, as vicious bandits of various natures are common and the paranoia of Daskinor, sorcerer-king of Eldaarich, has long since reached legendary status. Whether or not the party opts to make for Kurn, they will have many challenges to face on their way north. They will also have the opportunity to pick up Zeras's trail once more, which may lead to a confrontation with another who is hunting the mage. Note: Again, it is not central to the plot that the party become embroiled in the conflicts between elemental priests. If an alternate method of translation is preferred and available, by all means, let it be used. 5. Kurn (Optional) (It's a good thing this bit is optional, because I seem to have lost track of my notes for this segment and can't for the life of me recall what's supposed to happen here. I'll come back to this once I've found them. I swear, it's like my desk eats these things sometimes.) 6. Scouring the Wastes (The rest is coming, if you care, and eventually a full description of each adventure. Be patient.)
#2 zombiegleemax Aug 24, 2007 1:57:40	Just in case I need more space.
#3 Pennarin Aug 27, 2007 9:44:53	You're quite good at preambles, text-writting, the likes. I'm impressed. I can write, but it never sounds flowing and engaging like this. Kudos. I would read more if you post the rest. Is it about ABs?
#4 brun01 Aug 27, 2007 11:59:51	Do I smell a potential official release here?
#5 Band2 Aug 27, 2007 14:11:09	I second what Pennarin said, this looks very impressive. Please post the rest of it.
#6 squidfur- Aug 27, 2007 17:43:04	Do I smell a potential official release here? We could only hope. Very well done Aram. Can't wait to see the rest.
#7 cnahumck Aug 27, 2007 18:04:45	I am seconding (or fifthing or whatever it is now) those official statements. Cool stuff. I would love to see the rest of this stuff.