Something Completely Different (notes)

With the Iron Crown Rebellion campaign going strong and with not much work needed from me for design, I've been thinking of a different kind of campaign.

It's based on an idea from Monte Cook. His early campaign world called Pramael is a setting before history. The idea is that the world is new. There are no ancient ruins to explore as there are no structures to become ruined. There are no gods yet. Magic is in its infancy. Building a campaign for this would be extremely hard, as it would require both setting and adventures to be made from scratch.

I'm thinking it would have a "points of light" feel, with agrarian villages scattered about. I could draw heavily on real world evidence of the rise of agrarianism. At the same time, I don't want it to feel too low tech. One idea is to have a stunted civilization. There would be competing nomads who would raid these villages. Some would be working for the bad guys.

Perhaps some classes would be preferred: Barbarian, druid, ranger, sorcerer. Removing clerics and wizards would make this much easier. I like the idea that the races are intermixed and don't have homelands. I could do all the handbook races, reduce them, or increase them. Imagine a world where there were originally 12 major races living side by side. Tieflings, aasimar, lion men, whatever.

I like the idea of a major force keeping the good races down. There's one race that prevents these disparate communities from growing and sharing information. It could be giants or dragons or devils or something Cthulhuesque. This will likely be the source for the supernatural weirdness of the world, preventing the campaign from feeling historical. Perhaps they use the humanoid communities for some purpose: food, power, an experiment (perhaps reaching its conclusion). Who knows. The elites of this world may be experts in tying communities together, seeing it as their only long term salvation. Think druids and rangers. There would be one key organization of these folks that would be preservers of knowledge and runners between communities. Turning the nomads to their cause would be a major goal.

I like the idea of not knowing much about the area. I envision using GW's Mighty Empires hexes and starting with one hex. I would intentionally not know what was over the mountains as DM. On the other hand, I really liked making my Lebanon campaign, as it head built in cultures, geography and easily adapted ideas.

The rules would be interesting to devise. It would be a Pathfinder game. I would use Iron Age charts of weapons available (I'm sure that's around somewhere). The magic would be the hard part. Perhaps early adventures would be about finding special components or hunting down that "one guy" who knows how to craft a magic sword and getting him back to the village from far away. Perhaps all the magic of the world is obtained by stealing it from our bad guys. I like the idea that all magic comes from dragons or from the devils.

This doesn't mean the campaign would be low fantasy. There would certainly be low level tasks to perform, but it would be clear from the onset that the people need to be liberated to succeed.

Nobody really reads this blog, but feel free to comment and make suggestions.

Aftermath

Mayor Norvel's office openly criticizes the watch for not being up to the task of stopping The Bastards of Erebus. They point out that the city would be in much worse shape if they mayor had not requested The Children of Iron Crown to solve the banditry problem. That Iron Crown can't solve it's own problems with its illustrious institutions of order is recognized as a failing of monumental proportions, an indication that discipline is lacking, but a problem the city is especially capable of handling, thanks to the teachings of Vlaakith. The watch commander for the Freeman's Ward is charged with incompetence and executed the next morning. His family is deported, simply thrown outside the city gate. The feeling is that this will certainly solve the problem.

While the party recovers from its wounds, Vivia quietly organizes a small funeral for Tor Silverkind. Part of the story of The Children of Iron Crown's defeat of The Bastards of Erebus is Tor's inspiring humming before being cut down by the tieflings. Rumor spreads about Tor's funeral. A procession from the Craftsman's Ward to The Necropolis on the other side of the city is arranged, thanks to an old borrowed horse from one of the Child's uncles and a borrowed cart with a wobbly wheel. Several bards from The Cloud Theater join the procession, attracting quite a bit of attention.

As the procession moves slowly through the city, stopping occasionally to adjust the broken wheel, a small group of Iron Crown citizens begins to follow, humming along with the bards. The bards keep it solemn, but also foster a more celebratory spirit for the fallen hero. The procession grows larger as it moves through town, also attracting the attention of the city watch, who fidget nervously at the unauthorized procession. As the funeral procession reaches the Temple Ward, the city watch stops it at the gate, announcing that the group is in violation of the law and that they are guilty of engaging in an unlawful parade without the correct permits.

The humming gets louder and several in the crowd, which now has over fifty people, yell at the watch to leave them alone and go do their job. The watch captain looks on shocked and astonished, not sure whether to order his men to fire on the angry crowd with their crossbows or to let them through. The situation is diffused when an older man in dark armor, standing atop the wall, motions for the watch captain to allow the procession through. He is later identified as Patronicus Drendane, a high ranking signifier from The Order of the Scourge.

A few days after the funeral, the town returns to normal and talk moves on to other matters, mostly about entertainment and the theater.

Story of Destor

Destor was once an adventuring monk in a prime material world. He was good friends with Doraedian Mythlord. They both had a love for nature, Destor his jungle home far to the south, and Doraedian the deep elven forests to the west. They traveled on many adventures, fighting tyranny and evil. Over a couple of decades, their adventuring party changed composition many times, as brave heroes fell and new ones took their place. Yet Destor remained unscathed through almost every trial, and as his friendship with Doraedian grew, the elf also remained unharmed.

For a short time they both retired, Doraedian running a temple to the elven gods and Destor running a monastery deep in his jungle home. The domestic life was not for them, and eventually they started up their company and traveled the planes, settling in Iron Crown. Back when the city-state was a military outpost, just getting started. They were able to satisfy their desire to settle down by helping the young city thrive, while at the same time taking part in adventures to other planes from this central location. Back then, it was said, planar conjunctions opened more frequently and there was more opportunity to travel, although this also meant fighting horrible monstrosities that entered the astral.

Destor's excellent luck continued and on one adventure with Doraedian, he came upon the Starstone, a powerful artifact that could turn one into a god or destroy your soul forever. It seemed to be luck of the draw, and many a brave adventurer had ended their career during this period by touching the Starstone. Destor touched it of course, and never one to be without great luck, instantly became a living god.

Destor returned to Iron Crown where he quickly attracted followers. Initially they built him a house of worship  in the temple ward, but a series of calamities made it clear that good luck from Destor came at a price, usually bad luck visited upon ones neighbors. His temple was relocated underground, where the threat of seemingly random mayhem was lessened. Over time, with his temple out of sight and his worship a mixed blessing, the number of Destor's followers dwindled.  Over the subsequent two thousand years, the old temple district was abandoned and a new one built above it.

A small Destor cult kept the faith alive until thirty years ago, when the rise of Vlaakith resulted in a scourge of many smaller religions. Only his old friend Doraedian remained a Destor worshipper, whispering a single prayer to his old friend each night, along with the elven gods of his ancient home world pantheon. Destor is dying. It's a bitter experience for a god, but nothing lasts forever.

A god slain before his prime might create a giant explosion, ripping a hole in time and space, devastating entire cities, or taking down an entire world. A god who dies with a whimper fades away, perhaps with unusual events surrounding his passing, but in most cases it's not a noteworthy occasion. Regardless of how a god dies, the flesh and blood of a god has great power according to Requiem for a God, an ancient tome on the topic. As Doraedian Mythlord explains, it is Destor's wish to have his body used in such a fashion, to create an artifact that may turn the tide against the devil worshipers of Iron Crown. Or perhaps Destor will still live with the recounting of his tale by a charismatic bard? Luck is on his side.

Descent to Destor

The mission: Travel to the Temple of Destor and return a holy relic that might prove useful to the cause. It’s located within a ziggurat in the temple.

The client: Doraedian Mythlord, the leader of the elven community in Iron Crown.

Payment: Each party member was given a Cloak of Elvenkind in advance.

Details: The temple is under the Temple Ward, off the Avenue of 1000 Gods. Access is through an abandoned shrine to Shevarash (Elven god of vengeance).  Only an elf can open the temple door. This leads to the sewers and to an ancient bluesteel door, an entrance to Ghul’s Labyrinth.  This leads to the ancient temple district of Old Iron Crown. Here you will find the Temple of Destor.

Background: Tor Silverwood

Tor is a child of infamy and has an infernal influence. Tor was orphaned at a young age and has only recently been piecing together his history.

Tor's father was a minor noble and his mother a performer of some repute due to her great beauty and ethereal voice (no doubt due to h...e infernal influence). A high ranking noble took a liking to Tor's mother and dad, due to his lower status, was unable to dissuade the noble from pestering his wife. Knowing that he risked jail or execution if he continued voicing his complaints about the noble, Tor's father killed his wife and then committed suicide.

Tor has not been able to find out who the noble was who caused his father to take such a drastic step but he spends his time searching for clues and expects to extract vengeance when he can.

DM COMMENTARY:
Clues have led to House Redstone, although you don't know the perpetrator yet. From what you've gathered, there may have been a deeper connection between your mother and this unknown House Redstone suspect, a connection based on your dark background.

You know Baltezar from the Cloud Theater, where you have worked on various productions together.

When your parents died, a family friend named Hadrien Runehan looked in on you from time to time. He was in his mid 20's at the time, and he appears not to have aged. You're pretty sure he got you an introduction at the Cloud Theater through Dulllin Balthazar, although he never speaks of it and you have no relationship with Dullin.

Recently Hadrien visited you with a gift. It's a copper rapier, stained almost entirely green with oxidation. Although it looks fragile, Hadrien tells you it should serve you well if you give it extra care and attention. It has ancient runes carved down its thin blade. Hadrien explained that it was your grandfathers and that he would tell you more later. The weapon appears to be both masterwork and very sharp (+1 to hit for Masterwork and +1 to damage because of its sharpness). 

Background: Variel Senate

Variel has found some friendship and solace at Iridithil's Home, an elven sanctuary in Iron Crown. The place is an elf-only compound, complete with tavern, temples, and a place for traditional pursuits, like archery.

The leader of this place is an ancient elf named Doraedian Mythlord, the most respected elf in Iron Crown. He's been a father figure to you lately and very supportive. After the incident with Calathes, you were down and Doraedian gave you a Cooshee puppy to cheer you up, a very rare elven breed of dog.

The dog is still just a puppy, but Doraedian has been training it and believes you should one day take it out in the city with you for added protection ... and some added elven pride and companionship [when you're 4th level or higher]. As a bonus Handle Animal is a class skill for you.

Urban Tracking (Bonus Feat)

Anyone can track using the Survival skill in Pathfinder. Therefore, it follows that anyone can Urban Track (like the 3.5 variant feat) using Knowledge: Local. This is pretty important in an urban campaign. You can assume you can do this, or you can add this to your character sheet as a bonus feat. Here's my re-jiggering of the feat:

Urban Tracking [General] [Bonus]

You can track down the location of missing persons or wanted individuals within communities.

Benefit

To find the trail of an individual or to follow it for 1 hour requires a Knowledge: Local check. You must make another Knowledge: Local check every hour of the search, as well as each time the trail becomes difficult to follow, such as when it moves to a different area of town.

The DC of the check, and the number of checks required to track down your quarry, depends on the community size and the conditions:

If you fail a Knowledge: Local check, you can retry after 1 hour of questioning. The game master should roll the number of checks required secretly, so that the player doesn't know exactly how long the task will require.

Special

A ranger with Favored Terrain: Urban gains a bonus equal to half his level on the Knowledge: Local check to use this feat.

You can cut the time between Knowledge: Local checks in half (to 30 minutes per check rather than 1 hour), but you take a -5 penalty on the check.

DM's Note: In Iron Crown, if you can narrow down the ward they're located in, you change the Community Size DC to small or large city.

Community Size	DC	Checks Required
Thorp, hamlet, or village	5	1d3
Small or large town	10	1d4+1
Small or large city	15	2d4
Metropolis	20	2d4+2

Conditions	DC Modifier
Every three creatures in the group being sought	-1
Every 24 hours party has been missing/sought	+1
Tracked party "lies low"	+5
Tracked party matches community's primary racial demographic	+2
Tracked party does not match community's primary, or secondary racial demographic	-2