Category: Games

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Game Group Games Roleplaying

Fallout: Armadillo

McQuade – Paul, ghoul; a Texas ranger from before the war.
Chase Harley – tough ex raider
Jericho Fatboy – a blacksmith’s apprentice yearning for adventure


Isaac (Iron) – town deputy.
Martha – town teacher.
Hank – town blacksmith.
Evelyn – town Mayor.
Jesee – local farmer and ghoul; + Theresa (also ghoul). Raises Brahman & Veggies…

Dead brahmin has a bell; it’s Jill.

“She’s a traitor” is the only clue from Jesee.

(Session 2)

Chase eats a bad pie, and is feeling bad as we head back.

Brahmin doesn’t look healthy; it’s pregnant and giving birth! After a bad start, it gives birth to a very strange single headed calf.

On the road in the rain, ambushed by a pipboy wearing ghoul; it also carried a hunting magazine.

Mayor: Ask quietly if they’ve seen anything abnormal.

There’s a piano and a mouthharp.

Chase turns in early; JJ dances with a ghoul girl, Jericho wins 30 caps on ring toss.

JJ spots a robed person lurking around the edges; he signals Jericho and sets off at a run. Jericho runs after, but trips in the ring toss game.

JJ continues on into the church, while Chase comes down to investigate the commotion where Chase was sprawled in the game. Hank sneers about Jericho’s habitual clumbsiness…

As they exit the game, the robed figure in the church says “I’ve been expecting you” to JJ. Two sidekicks step out of the shadows and grab for him…

The robed figure who addressed JJ draws a machete, but fails to connect. JJ draws his gun, and shoots the machete weilding foe. Chase and Jericho come running.

… JJ blows off one guy’s arm, then the second guy gets a bat to the arm. Jericho shoots the third in the head and he drops.

“We are the followers of the Holy Way” says the dying robed thug who dropped the dud Nuka Grenade.

The robed figure that was hit in the arm runs and leaps through the window. JJ runs after him and shoots him in the head before he gets clear.

Chase breaks the leader’s guy’s ribs; he shakes free then goes down to a hard hit.

The whole town is running up to investigate the shots…

Categories
DnD Ludmerea Shop stuff

Exploring Ludmerea

Sessions 7 to 9, March 10, 17, 24, and April 1

After defeating the Vegepygmies, the PCs decided to continue to Fort Augustaberg, where they passed along a warning about the dragon attack on the lizard people. After some concerned discussion, the Fort basically agreed to watch the skies, but remains understaffed.

The PCs split – the bard got up a few hours early and set off in advance, looking for trouble and locking in the destination as Base Town. When the remainder of the party awoke, they rushed out on his trail, to save him from his foolish solo venture.

They met him just in time to avoid an encounter with a goblin band.

A Muhner noble and a small party of retainers crossed their path heading west. They were aiming for a long fallen city with a map to investigate the treasures; they got a “good luck” and both groups continued on.

The PCs reached Base Town and complimented the Dvaerg on their excavation; unfortunately, the aunt of the guard still at Fort Augustaberg had been discovered dead – the PCs would be the bearers of bad news.

After exchanging stories and hearing more about the disaster, the PCs helped out for a day. At the end of the day, the local guard leaders thanked them and asked them to take care of a group of hyena people that were prowling the area. The PCs agreed and set off in the morning – again trailing after the early rising bard. They trailing group decided not to skip breakfast, and set out later in pursuit.

They stumbled on a slaughter at a local farm and put the family to rest, rejoining. Then they followed the bloody trail and wreckage of the hyena group, catching them by surprise while they lazed in the late afternoon. There was a brief fight; the bard got pincered mercilessly, but their barbarians smashed down the lead cultist, and the broken hyena people fled.

On their way back to Base Town, the PCs saw a patrol of lizard people marking trees with symbols of “The Hunger”, a demonic patron of several historic warlocks, a few miles from base town. The PCs spied the markings being made and decided not to engage.

The PCs returned to report their victory over the hyena people and were praised by the Base Town excavation team.

The next morning the bard snuck off early again and got to the Lizard People perimeter guards. He disarmed and turned on his charm, winning an audience with the leaders. They led him to the leaders, who asked for tribute from the nearby Base Town. He offered to relay the message to Base Town. On his way to inform Base Town, he crossed paths with the Silver and Jenna.

Silver and Jenna decided to spend their day hunting animals for a feast for the Matriarch to fulfill the negotiated deal, while the bard returned to the town and explained what he’d arranged.

After the feast, the lizard people asked for twice daily feasts to be delivered. The fleet Jenna raced the request to Base Town, where the guard chief agreed to follow her back to cement the deal.

[Session end]

The Heroes:
Bastra, a Drow sorcerer from another plane,
replaced by Silver , a streetwise centaur barbarian from Sigil.
Jenna, a Tibaxi psychic rogue from the feywild
(Jenna swapped to a Heregon Druid/Rogue for a session, then back)
Lucas, a Mikpos wizard from cosmopolitan Cratais
(Lucas disappeared and was replaced by a Half Elf Bard, )
Oren, a Druid from the local wilderness

Categories
DnD Ludmerea Shop stuff

Exploring Ludmerea Session 6

[3/6] PCs: Bastra, Jenna, Lucas, Oren, Stone

We picked up in the immediate aftermath of the fight with the shadows. In the small cellar, they were confronted with two (obvious) doors – one large brass door with faces and symbols, magically locked. The other wood door was to a small bedroom, abandoned ages ago – with a skeleton still in the remnants of a mattress in a crumbling bed, a small table, and a bookcase.

Ironically, the first trio that headed into the bedroom was Jenna, Oren, and Stone; the bookshelf mostly interested them for the small brass chest on the shelf. After a careful look, Jenna managed to work the chest open and found a few old gold coins and a vial still containing liquid.

In the center room, Bastra & Lucas puzzled at the door and the waxed ball in the “mouth” of the door. They worked the bronze ball free and examined the four slots, debating whether they should try placing the ball at random. They were interrupted, however, by Oren calling out from the bedroom that they had found books, catching Lucas’s attention.

Many of the books showed signs of damage and neglect – mold along the edges, a few fully crumbling. Of the best remaining, one was quickly identified as the spellbook of a Goblin Enchantress, the second was a popular (but centuries old) treatise on business and partnerships, while the third was a journal.

Lucas decided to take the spellbook up to daylight for easier reading. Calling for guidance, Oren thumbed through the journal and stopped “randomly” on a page with cryptic words… that the PCs quickly put together as corresponding to the brass door puzzle.

Lucas was called, but stayed up in the sun, reading. As he read the enchantress’s spells, he wished for a victim to try them out on… but the remote wilderness and lack of traffic (along the road to the buried town) denied him the opportunity.

Beyond the brass door was a larger chamber with a green summoning circle in the center of the room, a few shreds of old robes hanging from hooks, and against the wall items in niches. Detect magic quickly identified the symbol on the floor as conjuration, linked to the door by an abjuration. Near the symbol was a corpse, apparently unmarred (though also quite old).

A few scrolls, some coins, and a cold enchanted javelin were fetched out of the niches. Then everyone exited and “don’t enter” signs were posted on the door, in hopes of preventing accidental summoning of whatever the symbol conjured.

Opposite the brass door, the PCs noticed that many mud tracks approached a blank wall. They investigated and found a tunnel heading left and right. Left turned 90 degrees after 40′, and trended up towards faint daylight. Right meandered into the distance; Bastra felt far more comfortable suggesting they follow the slight descent into earth. About 300′ later, the tunnel ended in a cavern that was flooded a few inches deep with water, and dripping water sound from the far wall. The pool was empty other than tiny finger length fish; after a pause, they decided to backtrack and try the route to the surface.

They emerged from the hollow of a tree, bursting loudly out. The sound drew small bush-like creatures to repel the invaders; after a brief battle, the vegepygmies were defeated.

[Session end]

The Heroes:
Bastra, a Drow sorcerer from another plane
Jenna, a Tibaxi psychic rogue from the feywild
Lucas, a Mikpos wizard from cosmopolitan Cratais
Oren, a Druid from the local wilderness
Stone, a Dragonborn paladin

Categories
DnD Ludmerea Shop stuff

Exploring Ludmerea Session 5

[2/28] PCs: Bastra, Jenna, Lucas, Oren, Stone

The PCs began at the ruins of an old complex of three buildings, a few hours after sunset. An investigation and analysis identified the buildings as a likely inn, stable, and perhaps a small chapel. Oren began a ritual detect magic, while the others scattered to investigate the site.

Around 10 minutes later, Oren neared completion of the ritual, while Lucas and Stone were investigating the foundations of the small chapel building. Careful investigation revealed a hidden trapdoor and counterweight, leading to some kind of concealed basement below.

There was some testing and analysis from the rim; Jenna and Stone dropped into the pit, with the idea that Jenna would jam the mechanism open from the counterweight below. Before they could place the brace, they were swiftly attacked by hungry unliving shadows that flowed into the room! Stone’s armor and training evaded most of the deadly cold shadow touches, but Jenna was less successful in dodging the deadly claws.

Stone scooped up Jenna and leapt up through the trapdoor, clearing enough to catch the rim, with Jenna rolling to safety nearby. The counterweight began closing the trapdoor, though screeching and slowed by rust.

A pair of shadows slipped into the abruptly lit night above (thanks to dancing lights by Lucas), and a swiftly lit torch added both light and its own flickering shadows. After a brief fight, the shadows were slain. The heroes decided to lick their wounds and sleep, setting watches and building a bright fire.

At the end of the second watch, Bastra and Stone heard a disturbance in the bushes, waking Jenna (who was next with the dawn watch). Bastra’s keen eyes picked out the bodies of plant-like people; Jenna threw a lit branch into the nearby non-animate winter-dry scrub. It lit, and the two short bush creatures retreated from the sudden flame toward the road, then circled east into the forest. Jenna’s watch proved quiet, during which she crafted a quick ladder from a pair of ropes and sticks.

Everyone rose near dawn to contemplate the hidden chamber under the trapdoor. Dancing lights were sent ahead and weapons were unsheathed as they descended again. The shadows pounced, apparently unable to resist the warm lifeblood that intruded; the Shadows were swiftly destroyed, though they landed a few strength sapping hits before the hero attacks and magics shredded the remaining shadows. The next chamber, through the rotten door was revealed, but we ended before the scouting continued.

[Session End]

The Heroes:

Bastra, a drow sorcerer from another plane

Jenna, a tibaxi psychic rogue from the feywild

Lucas, a Mikpos wizard from Cosmopolitan Cratais

Oren, a druid from the local wilderness

Stone, a dragonborn paladin

Categories
DnD Ludmerea Shop stuff

Session 4

[2/21] PCs: Bastra, Lucas, Oren

This session, Oren, a gnome druid, wanders out of the wilderness, visiting Fort Augustaberg.

Relaxing after the eventful journey, Bastra and Lucas ate, drank and discussed local events at Fort Augustaberg, soon joined by Oren. Details were shared about the fatal storm, the shattering of Cathedral Nijmegan’s grand overlook, and its fatal tumble down the mountain, great boulders cracking off and triggering avalanches, all of which crushed and buried Base Town at the foot of the mountain.

Associate Bishop Sture and Captain Marjan spent hours discussing logistics in the dining hall, occasionally getting reports and calculations from the quartermaster and other experts left in the fort.

The PCs asked about local threats, and the Captain discussed the three main threats that the fort was established to shielded base town and its associated farms. The first was the already familiar goblin raiders, but the other frequent threats included a large Lizardperson tribe of perhaps four dozen, living in a stilted village above the swamps near the lake, perhaps 10 to 20 miles northwest, and Hyena People raiders [Gnolls] that roam the plains to the southwest.

Other discussion and listening to the dining soldiers confirmed that the fort was on short watches and limited patrols, since half of the fort was involved in the excavation of Base Town. Lucas, visions of guilder glittering in his eyes, investigated a few potential lines of investment – introducing consistent resupply (or playing the market) for the fort, a PC expedition to wipe out the Lizard People encampment along the lakefront to the northwest for a reward, or investigating Base Town and making a good profit from salvage in the wake of tragedy.

The PCs had the Captain dip into the good stash of spirits to celebrate the relief mission, secretly in hopes of getting the Bishop to share more. Oren was able to resist the liquor’s effects, but Bastra, Lucas, and the Bishop- perhaps due to exhaustion from the day’s long march- weren’t able to steer the conversation into fresh territory. The balance of concerns seemed to be well established – with Base Town smashed, the fort might be too expensive to maintain as it stood before the tragedy.

(As an aside, it became clear that Lucas is not a devotee of Light; he worries that they are a large, dangerous cult. As Fort Augustaberg is maintained by Cathedral Nijmegan (of the Light), future detailed discussions with Bishop Sten might be best avoided.)

With so many soldiers absent at the Base Town rescue excavations, the PCs were pointed at vacant bunks and encouraged to sleep.

The next morning the PCs discussed their options, and decided to investigate the Base Town disaster. A graveled road ran to the east, serving the frequent supply wagons from Base Town. Despite a late start, the PCs made good time on the nicely maintained road. In mid-afternoon, perhaps a half-dozen miles west of Base Town, the PCs spotted a very large group of Lizard People along the lake front to the north also heading east. It looked like a whole village – elders and children, screened by a scouting force to the south that engaged the PCs.

With powerful spells, a dire wolf shaped Oren, and far superior equipment, three of the five Lizardmen fell in just seconds of combat. To the great surprise of Bastra, Lucas spared the last pair and initiated discussion. The Lizard People told their tale of disaster in poor and broken common – the previous day, their settlement was struck from the sky by a great acid spewing dragon, Varothrek — a terrible betrayal. Many of the stilted huts slumped into the water, chewed by acid or smashed by the Dragon’s powerful tail. Ejected by their former ally, they fled east along the lake front, seeking to resettle.

With that clarification, the PCs allowed the remaining Lizard People to flee. After brief consultation, the PCs decided that they had to return to Fort Augustaberg to warn them about the new threat. They headed back along the road, and kept marching in the twilight. As true darkness fell, Bastra’s keen night vision caught sight of orderly foundations, perhaps of the ruins of an inn to the south of the trail. Intrigued, the PCs left the trail to investigate the ruin…

[Session end]

Categories
DnD Ludmerea Shop stuff

Sessions 2 and 3

[2/7 and 2/14]

Session 2 added a pair of characters for the evening; a wizard Alastair and a half-orc fighter, Thakk. We were also minus Jenna.

The day began with the 5 PCs transitioning from watch to making breakfast and getting the caravan ready for the day. As agreed, Dory’s group would path find today… and it didn’t go so well.

The PCs guarded the caravan and subtly investigated the bishop’s unspoken concerns, identifying the mule laden with pay and other cues, amongst their duties to keep an eye out for ambush. Just before noon, a dozen goblins ambushed Dory’s scouts a few hundred feet ahead of the caravan. Abilo was killed in the first volley, but the PCs immediately raced to the rescue, quickly turning the tide. Several goblins were ensorcelled into sleep, and the others slain during their retreat.

The PCs threatened and asked the goblins why they ambushed them; the goblins claimed the territory was theirs. In the end the goblins agreed that the caravan was too deadly and they wouldn’t mess with it again, and they’d pass the warning on to their people. The PCs sent them home.

In the afternoon, Thorum joined Dory’s group in searching out trails, but had difficulty navigating. While he was out front, the remaining PCs guarded the backtrail. In late afternoon, a couple of PCs heard a humanoid slip behind them; they hid just behind a ridge of a hill and kept an eye out for pursuit. Which came in the form of bandits!

The bandits were strung out very widely; a few were killed and the rest fled.

[Session 2 end / begin Session 3] PCs: back to 4 – Jenna, Bastra, Lucas, Thorum

After the skirmish, Jenna and Thorum went ahead and sought a defensible dry campsite, as it had begun raining. They found a great location along an undercut hillside, which provided cover from the rain.

After dinner, they settled in for the night. The PCs split watches, with Thorum settling deep into meditation. A large group of bandits struck in the night, though the keen vision of Bastra had the PCs in motion while the bandits were still strung out and crossing the stream.

The battle was hard fought; the bandits successfully killed one of the donkeys and wounded a few others. Over the course of the fight Dory was badly clobbered, and Thorum took some blows that had him wobbling, but the caravan managed not to lose any people and only the one donkey.

Bastra incapacitated one of the bandits with a hyponotic effect. Under interrogation, thought detecting and threats led the caravan to understand that the whole bandit fighting gang had fallen; a few dependents had been left a few hours west to convalesce from sicknesses.

In the twilight of false dawn, Bishop Sten got everyone up and told them that if they pushed, they should reach the fort by nightfall. The PCs led the way, making their way down to the River Grevelingen, and making good time through the afternoon. In later afternoon they spotted Fort Augustaberg ahead, and verified that it was still in friendly hands. Then they doubled back and led the caravan to the gates, where the Bishop was recognized and the caravan welcomed inside.

Captain Marjan thanked them, and the supplies were promptly taken for inventory. The Bishop paid each of the escorts the agreed on 10 guilders per day, plus a 10 guilder bonus for successfully escorting them with so little loss against such danger. (So each PC was paid 40 guider.)

Several items were rapidly revealed. The nature of the devastating disaster that befell Base Town (and will make supplying the fort much more complicated going forward) — the shearing of Nalatan Hall (of Mount Nijmegan), the hall plummeting a mile down the mountain and crushing Base Town, then burying it under triggered avalanches. Half of the fort’s population is on site (at Base Town) digging for survivors.

[End Session 3]

Categories
DnD Ludmerea Shop stuff

Session 1 [01/31]

Session 1 [01/31] PCs: Jenna, Bastra, Lucas, Thorum

  • Jenna sells handcrafted wreaths and necklaces, and has become friends with the widow Dona Amerlias.

  • Bastra paints and works on developing a patron; the town is neutral toward him.

  • Lucas arrives to teach wizardry, but finds the village is small and education level is not what he’s used to. No students are ready to pay him to study yet.

  • Thorum has been working as a wilderness escort and developing a reputation as a hard worker. Many of his clients were once Nerik’s – while Nerik is currently under deep suspicion after his charges died in a goblin ambush.

03.12: Sten Sture, associate bishop of Cathedral Nemijen arrives in the early afternoon, with two dozen donkeys and two animal handlers, Rooiakker and Mieke.

Sten discusses disaster with quartermaster, posts up notifications for assistance at a rate of 10 guider per day as escorts for the caravan in the wildlands. Rooiakker and Mieke handle sign ups for PCs + Dory’s group of Muhner (Dory, Luiz, Abilo, and Juliana). Meanwhile, Sten buys up every supply in town, paying above market, and has them loaded on his donkey train.

03.13 Caravan sets off for Fort Augustaberg. Escorts divided in two; PCs scout ahead for the best path guided by Jenna’s map of the region. Dory’s group is close guard for the caravan; tomorrow they’ll switch.
After a full day, filled with fording icy streams and tamping down the last snow clinging from the 03.07 storm, Thorum and Jenna lead the laden caravan to an excellent campsite about 15 miles west and 18 north of Redewall.

Dory’s group takes first watch; near watch turnover lean wolves rush the campsite making for the hobbled donkeys. Basta and Thorum shake off their meditation and rouse the PCs; several arrows, psychic morningstar, and flame bolts scorch the wolves; one dies to a dagger thrust at the base of the tree guarded by Lucas, with Jenna poised above.

(Session end.)

Categories
FATE Games Game Group Roleplaying

Diaspora Cluster

This cluster was generated at the Crazy Squirrel RPG Meetup in October 2010. Will, Brian, Bryan, and Scott participated, each creating two planets.

I didn’t drag home many notes, so this is incomplete. If you have additional information, particularly for the two worlds you created, please expand on them in the linked pages. (In fact, Sojurn and Xori are hazy recollections of the actual names–if I blew it, let’s fix them!)

Cluster Overview:

The cluster is in a 1950s style cold war, divided between the two slipstream faring powers, Creche and Wheeler.

Creche is the home of organized humanity, at least in this push since the last collapse; its corporate structure and viewpoint is stamped on all of space faring culture. The generally low tech levels in the cluster suggest that Creche and Wheeler attempt to retain their technological supremacy, and collude to keep technology out of the hands the other worlds. (This may be because of Wheeler’s successful breakaway/independence; they want no significant rivals.)

Access to anti-aging drugs on Xori is a major source of rivalry and competition between corporations, both on Creche and between Wheeler and Creche.

Worlds of the Cluster: Austeria, Boulders, Creche, Desolation, Pilgrim’s Rest, Sojurn, Wheeler, and Xori

An article about the session is here: http://www.gnomestew.com/specific-rpgs/diaspora-cluster-generation-in-action

Austeria

(T1,E2,R-1). Slipstreams to: Boulders and Creche
– Playground of the rich and famous

– Large Ag plantations

Boulders

(T-1,E-3,R2) Slipsteam links to: Austeria and Creche
– Life is hard and short; most who come here want to leave.
– Mining colonies are scattered across the system-wide asteroid fields.
– Many miners are prisoners from Creche, sentenced to hard labor.

The penal asteroids have a docking platform that ties into the original starting point of the mining operation. The first stage of building a penal mining facility is to create the tunnels and chambers that will make up the actual prison facility. This will contain administration, operations, and security. The chief administrator/warden is directly over the operations chief and security chief, who act as assistant wardens over those areas. Penal mines are placed only on the largest asteroids due to the stability and space required for such prisons. Mines that are played out can still be used as maximum security facilities or turned over to corporate council for a multitude of other purposes. It is rare for corporate to waste the facility once it has been established. All prisoners from Creche are implanted with a tracking/explosive device at the base of the neck. Once the prisoner reaches their assigned asteroid, the explosive device is activated. There is a grid of transmitters and relays across the prison facility. If a prisoner travels beyond 4 km from the grid, the explosive device will detonate and kill the prisoner. The devices can also be triggered by a Warden using a special code, but there must be exigent circumstances and the specifically input concurrence of the operations and security chief for summary execution to be carried out. These explosive charges are removed upon completion of sentence or parole. The tracking device remains during the parole period, after which it too is removed unless parole has been violated.

Creche

(T2,E-1,R-1) Slipsteam links to: Austeria, Boulders, Desolation, Pilgrim’s Rest, and Sojurn

– Corporate bureaucracy stifles everything.
– Struggling to maintain its colonial empire.
– The world is like a downtown; the place you go to work and make money, but not where you want to raise kids or retire.

Desolation

(T0,E-1,R-2) Slipsteam links to: Creche, Pilgrim’s Rest, and Wheeler
– The desert makes them strong
– They fight to earn what they lack
– The contract is king

Pilgrim’s Rest

(T-1,E1,R0) Slipsteam links to: Creche, Desolation, Sojurn
– The “quaint” first colony–nothing goes on here.
– Those with skills or ambition are drawn to Creche

Sojurn

(T-1,E3,R1) Slipstream links to: Creche, Pilgrim’s Rest, Wheeler, and Xori
– One gas giant is orbited by several lush moons
– It’s a balkanized neutral zone, with the moons divided between various corporations (including Wheeling)
– Temp World: Employees are only permitted to serve for four years before they’re shipped out
– It’s the gateway to Xori

Wheeler

(T2,E2,R3) Slipstream links to: Desolation and Sojurn
– Wheeler II is lush, ripe for exploitation; with factories concentrated in domed outposts on Wheeler I and III.
– “We’re close knit, cunning rebels, resisting Creche’s tyranny”
– Striving members of the Corporate Council

Wheeler is a large lush system with several worlds, dominated by the Wheeler Corp “family council”.  The system was discovered by Wheeler Corp after a “mis-jump” from Desolation . It has been quietly developed by Wheeler over almost a century since its discovery; a limited population and insular culture remain among the remaining challenges.

Despite abundant resources and habitable space on both Wheeler II (a beautiful shirtsleeve world) and Wheeler III (a world of domed encampments, to retain warmth and oxygen in human compatible concentrations), Wheeler Corp restricts immigration to limit subversion by the other corporations of Creche.

In style, Wheeler’s relation to Creche is something like the relations between Britain and the US throughout the 19th century, and limited proxy wars/scuffles with Creche’s corporations. In general, Wheeler Corp is larger than any of the individual Creche Corporations, but is dwarfed by the human resources the Creche Council can command as a whole.

Xori

(T-3,E-1,R1) Slipsteam link to: Sojurn
– We drive out men into the forest; only the strongest return
– Only the priestesses know how to refine the anti-aging drug
– The spice must flow
– It’s a matriarchy, led by ancient but physically youthful women, who practice the old ways.

Categories
DnD Game Group Roleplaying

Empire of Iron – Backdrop

Ancient History was created collaboratively, by the whole group via a Dawn of World game. (Alas, notes never typed up and lost to history.)

Recent History

Almost 150 years have passed since the end of the Second Age.

The dwarves of the Axe Reft Mountains emerged from their deep excavations with riches and madness.  They soon pushed east, pitting their iron forged axes against the peaceful gnomish settlements to their east.  Their advanced armors and sophisticated weaponry (for many years they were the only race to manufacture crossbows) forced the gnomes down the slopes of the mountain.  Soon the gnomish settlements hid around the foothills clustered behind the Flame Peaks and thick forests clustered around the southern bay. Rumor has it that the draconians (1, 2) suffered devastation in their homeland.  Magical experiments in the dead zone (or magic used in their war against their neighbors, the Giants) took on a life of its own.  Legend says the zone ripped, or that the planar rift the Tower of Clouds was built upon gave way.  All that is known is that many strange and twisted beasts are rumored to crawl forth from the foundations of the Cloud Tower… and the tower’s foundations run deep below the mountains. Legend says that it was in these days that nearby Draconians warped from the form most of us are familiar with (the Baaz) into new and strange forms. While the Draconians of Point Draco in the west (and, it is rumored, the Draconian Fort in the east) remained steadfast, the draconians of the dead zone were pushed from their mountain peaks. They scattered, largely to the south, into the great deserts of the midlands. Many, however, unified under a commander Skúli, who led them to the west. It is unknown how much was planned in advance; today too much of history and rumor are mixed. What is known is that 68 years ago, Commander Skúli led his draconians from the east, while the dwarven forces marched from the south. Petty dukes were turned against each other (they now claim by dark magic, rather than avarice) and client states knelt to the dwarven lords. Seven years of bloody battles were fought across the great farmlands and among the villages and keeps of the humans.  Draconian martial might and dark dwarven magics broke the resisting human towers and summoned the fallen to slay the few besieged defenders. For the last forty years, the great farmlands of northern have strained under the dwarven overlords and their draconian enforcers.

Quick Timeline: (years ago)

-130? Axe Reft Mountain dwarves begin calling upon evil for wealth and power

-110 Axe Reft Dwarves march on their south eastern neighbors, the gnomes, scattering them.  They use the dead to augment their forces.

-68 Dwarves and Draconians begin conquest of human lands to the north

-61 Dwarven victory essentially complete; they colonize the peaks to the north of the valley

-50s Dwarves build tribute roads across the human lands (and to their north colony), draconians enforce the occupation

– 44 Dwarves and Draconians march on the Silver Elves; their fierce assault and dark magics pierce the wall.

– 44 Human and Silver Elf bandits and gureillas of the rocky highlands hit dwarven supply trains, blunting the offensive

– 43 Bloody battles between the incredibly magically skilled Silver Elves against the the invaders utilize the most powerful known magic to date.  At terrible cost, the dwarves and draconians are pushed back

– 42 to 38 Battles fought to stalemate, dwarves unable to breach the wall again

-38 to -25 The forces thrown against the enemies of the dwarves shift, with more and more of the forces being composed of Clay Dwarves

Cultures and Countries

Gnomes, including the City of Felixis (the settlement where the game started)

Silverene [Elemental Elves]

Treelore and Vartains [Wood Elves of the forest and splinter group along the river]

Bosco [Humans of the Bosco plain]

Lost Ones [Humans from Sands of the Lost]

Kingdom of Arches [Cliff dwelling humans]

Axe Reft Dwarves

Draconians [Mercenary/Draconia] (1, 2)

Draconians [Fort Draconia and Port Draco]

Northern Dwarves

Languages of the West

Trade/Common– Enough language to barter with gestures or ask for milk, not enough to carry out complex discussions.  Works with essentially everyone, save wild beasts.

Gnomish– The traditional language of the gnomish people.

Silverene — The language of the Silver Elves of the western peninsula; rarely spoken beyond the borders of their homeland.

Elvish– The language of Treelore and Vartain. Rare to hear in the west.

Bosco– The language of the humans of the Bosco plains. Draconian bits of language keep getting mixed in.  Bosco has several regional variations for each of the city-states and petty principalities.

Archan– The language of the humans of the east, both the Sands of the Lost and the Kingdom of Arches.

Axian– The common language of the Dwarven Axe Haft empire, traditional language of the Stone Dwarves

Low Axian– The limited language/gruntspeak of the clay dwarves. Strong regional differences.

Deep Axian– The secret language of the dwarf king’s court; related to Infernal

Draconic– Language of the Draconians; rumored to be related to the language of Cloud Tower.

Giantish– Language of Giants and their subjects, poorly spoken by many trolls and ogres.

Common Names

Dwarves of the Dwarfcrown Mountains: Viking/Norse inspired (Males, Females)

Dwarves of the Icy North: (either Scottish or Norwegian, undetermined)

Humans (north of the Dwarf Crown Mountains, Milanose): Italian

Humans (Kingdom of Arches, east of the Red Desert): Byzantine

Humans (southwest of the Red Desert): Greek

Draconians (when they’ll talk to you): Draconic names

Gnomes: Arthurian (Welshlike)

Elves, Silver (Silverene, Elemental/Moon): Catalan

Elves, Bronze (Treelore, Wood/traditional): Celtic

Other Name Generators

Rumors Of Iron

Recent Rumors:

The Silver Elves have launched a successful assault from their enchanted walls.  Their combat magic proves deadly.

The silver elf assault wouldn’t have been half as successful if their agents hadn’t coordinated a “mindful fist” uprising at the same time.

The dwarven army fell apart when they were confronted with power mages.

There weren’t enough stone dwarves to stiffen the mostly clay dwarf army against the terrifying magical assault.

Axe Reft Dwarf Rumors:

Dwarven women can only produce a few Dwarves of Stone over their lifetime. After the stone in their blood is used up, their remaining children will be Clay Dwarves

Dwarven women are frequently found fightering alongside their men, because any woman who stays at home has to bear more dwarves for the army.

The dwarven hordes are so vast that the breadbasket of Boscoan Plains are exhausted supplying the dwarves, leaving little for the farmers.

Fiendish blood (and even half fiends) are common in the dwarf armies

The dwarves of the king’s clan have embraced the darkness and drawn upon madness

The dwarves have many warlocks in their ranks; their dark spears have been seen on many battlefields

Many clans serve out of fear and wish to choose a new king

Dwarves use demon allies in battle; some still roam the northlands

In the depths of the King’s complex is a portal to a plane of riches, the source of his people’s unending wealth

The Dwarves are preparing to mount an expedition to the Lost City, Sands of the Lost, to steal a mythical shield and adapt it to defend them against the Dead Zone (around the old Cloud Tower). — Jennifer

Clay Dwarves are treated like trash and kept apart from Stone Dwarves

Clay Dwarves are cowardly and will break and run if they aren’t led by Stone Dwarves

There are more Clay Dwarves than Stone Dwarves, and they continue to breed at an outrageous pace.

Stone Dwarves have difficulty telling the difference between Gnomes and Clay Dwarves, though Clay Dwarves are much harder to fool.

Other Rumors:

The Silver Elves invented “mindful fist” fighting (the monk class) as a complement (or side effect) of their magical studies

Silver Elves wander the conquered human lands, teaching humans “mindful fist” in secret to avoid the weaponry laws

Bronze Elves are rumored to have a tradition of Sword and Spell fighting (duskblades)

Ymsaril the 8th, leader of the true weres, lies on her deathbed. Her people seek out priests and mages to preserve her life.

The Merpeople are grumbling against the Goblin Pirates because they’re soiling the sea; suspiciously, the pirates have lost a few ships in the reefs recently. — Jennifer

Idea Prompts:

Kev, any rumors about the Draconians? Are they all cute and cuddly, or just the ones working for the dwarves? How about Draconia, the city they founded near the Mage Tower? What about the culture of the conquered humans from Lazor’s homeland?

Josh, anything the gnomes are particularly known for? They’ve been fighting the dwarves the longest… and their old kingdom is now a part of dwarven lands. Do any gnomes still remember the secret ways? Are the gnomes comitted to reconquering their homeland, or would they be content in their new land if the dwarves would stop fighting them? Are there factions or leaders among the gnomes?

Ben, anything about the culture of Silverene? Or Golden Citadel and the Mage Tower in its center? Perhaps about the mages– do they rule the society or participate in any way? Or are they reclusive and not a part of the main culture? Do they allow any other races inside their kingdom behind the wall? Any ambassadors to the world?

Character Creation Resources

D&D links page: For generators, links to resource sites, etc.

Setup: The basic rules for the game (house rules and modifications)

Skill Packages: The skill packages rules for our campaign, inspired by Iron Heroes

Acrobatics: Balance and tumble
Animals: Handle Animal and Ride
Athletics: formerly Climb, Jump, and Swim
Craft: All secondary crafts can be attempted at -5
Deceit: Bluff and Sense Motive
Devices: Search (traps), Disable Device, and Open Locks
Diplomacy: Includes intimidate and gather information
Disguise: includes forgery
Heal
Knowledge (Arcana): includes decipher script, dangerous knowledge to have
Knowledge (Court): knowing who is in favor, who is related, proper titles, etc.
Knowledge (Religion): knowledge of the church’s past, the actual power holders, etc.
Magic: Concentration, Spellcraft, and Use Magic Device
Notice: Spot, Listen, and Search (areas)
Profession: Includes the related craft skill
Sleight of Hand: includes Escape Artist and Rope Use
Sneak: Hide and Move Silently
Strategy: includes Tactics; used in confrontations to fight as a larger force
Survival: includes Rope Use
Alt Class Resources: A compilation of alternate class features and other customization available to PCs

People Of Iron

NPCs of Note

Town of Felixis:

Mayor Selwin (gnome)

Captain Salito (human, Captain of the city watch)

Wizard Kadel (gnome), appears level 3 or so; can scribe scolls of Invisibility, Protection from Arrows, and Knock

Smith Linnet (gnome); fine crafter of exquisite weapons and armor; recent supplier of the PCs per Mayor Selwin’s decree

Enemies

Commander Odvast is supposed to be the Fox Clan troop leader for this attack.

Great Leaders of History

Olnan gave the gift of shapeshifting to the beasts.

Ymsaril of the Weres led her people east hundreds of years ago

Eryuaad led the Draconians in their first great voyage, the founding of Port Draco.

Galro led the lizard people to trade with Vartain

Compass led the Archen to found the Sands of the Lost

Ymsaril the 8th created the Order of Infinite Plains, who closed the great eastern plains off to all non-weres.

Deities of Iron

Compass is the god of exploration, favored by the Humans of the East [Arches]– particularly those of the lost city [Sands of the Lost].

Latherion God of Swift Healing Liberation. Domains Celerity, Healing, Liberation, Courage

Favored Weapon : A +4 True Bane, Flaming, Spiked Chain.

One of the youngest gods, Latherion was a Half celestial human when the first invasion by the dwarves began, he had made a home and family in one of the first villages that was destroyed by the invading army. He returned home from his journey just two days after the massacre.  Upon finding his friends and family destroyed or enslaved, he swore to liberate all that he could. Over the next six months he was reported appearing in many places just after they had been captured or even during the battles to capture them, each time swaying the battle and wrecking havoc among the dwarves and draconians. His mere presence would bring renewed strength to the defenders and reinvigorate them, allowing them to keep fighting, swinging the tide of battle in their favor. Latherion himself was a terror to the invading forces, moving so quickly across the battle field that he was mostly a blur, and when he went into a mass of troops they quickly dispersed, both from fear and from his whirlwind of swinging chains bashing them and sending them flying.

Six months after the war started Latherion disappeared.  Rumors abound of his ambush by a pack of demons and their warlock minions, but shortly thereafter his worship began (in secret) among humans enslaved by the dwarves, and his worshipers received blessings.

Frangles God of City, Commerce, Community

Favored Weapon: +3 Mancatcher of Paralyzing

“A dead enemy is one less customer” Always one to play the merchant, Frangles is brings capitalism to a whole new level, assuming different identities to sell the same products to both sides in a conflict is normal for his followers. There is nothing they won’t sell to the right buyer for the right price.

Gaea Goddess of Life, Nature, Animal, Passion

Favored Weapon: +3 Quarterstaff of Clouting

An Elven Goddess.  Her worshipers protect the forests and other homelands of natural animals from destruction and abuse.

Bier’s God of War and Retribution (more including the real name to come)

Categories
DnD Game Group Roleplaying

Empire Of Iron

Here’s the main page for the new campaign. From here, we’ll link off to characters, record world setting stuff, and all the rest.

History, Cultures, Rumors, Random, Character Rules, People, Deities.

The heroes

Lazon, an escaped human slave. He has taken up war, wielding the spiked chain as his instrument of vengeance.

Human Fighter 2, Swordsage 4. Lazon is an escaped human slave who suffered terribly at the hands of his Draconian master.  He has taken up the war, wielding the spiked chain as his instrument of vengence.

Oxido is one of the reclusive Silverene Elves, a wizard without a spellbook. Silver Elf Wizard, Level 6

Oxido is a member of the reclusive Silverene Elf race. He joined a secret society and trained in the Golden Citadel, learning the art of being a wizard without a spellbook.

Shifting Sands (Sandy) is a wanderer from the east, bringing her knowledge of nature and dwarven weaknesses to bear in the new war. Human Mystic Ranger 6

Shifting Sands is a wanderer from the east, bringing knowledge of nature and study dwarven weaknesses to bear against her foes.  Her homeland is lost to myth; even Sandy doesn’t remember all of the barriers and wilderness she traversed on her journey west.

William is a mighty cleric who shares his faith and healing with the companions. Fighter 1, Rogue 1, Cleric 4

William was a mighty human priest at the gnomish court. When the heroes came to town at the request of the king, William offered to aid them against the Ogre raiders. So far, he’s led them to many victories… and has found valuable companions.

Talisin is an elven rogue who hung out in Felixis for the last few years. He has taken up arms in defense of his adoptive city. Wood Elf Rouge 4 / Warblade 2

Talisin is an elven rogue who journeyed from his homeland to the east a few years ago. His first stop was with the Vartains along the river. After staying with his cousins for a little over a year and a half he realized that the cultural gap between them was much stronger than he was lead to believe by his forest dwelling brothers. Although he felt some racial kinship with the Vars their existance was too tame and compromising for him. Unable to return to the forest, he has since set up residence in Felixis, and seems to enjoy socializing with everyone. When the crisis struck, he took up arms in defense of his adoptive city.

Denia Fasilro is a gnome Beguiler, long a native of Felixis. Denia took up arms in defense of her city, but is now retired to her people’s court. Denia has taken up arms in defense of her city, joining with the elves and humans to investigate the fall of Gleyn.

Gawain, a human Cleric and member of a secret resistance society, who journeyed north with the PCs on their first raid.

What has passed

Session One:

In the kickoff session, an exhausted gnome warrior reached Felixis and warned them that an army had sacked the encampment town of Gleyn to the north. The PCs picked up weapons and started to the north, scouting to ensure that the dwarves weren’t also marching on Felixis.

The encountered a skirmish party of clay dwarves and slaughtered them while they concentrated on shackling Sandy. They released the homing pigeon to warn the town of their encounter. They also seized the skirmish group’s whistle and blew it, drawing in a second heavier group, led by a stone dwarf. The battle was brief and decisive; while a few of the PCs picked up wounds, the fallen were all dwarves.

They asked a captured enemy mage (or warlock) about the attack. While he tried to lie, persistence paid off and his earlier estimate of 10 legions was revealed to be an exaggeration. With the sun setting, they moved away from the battle site and setup a cold camp nearby.

After a quiet night, they set off towards Gleyn in the morning. After an hour they encountered a detachment of about 25 dwarves and 10 gnomes in shackles felling lumber and building a wall. They circled around the work camp and continued to the north. Soon they were nearing Gleyn, when they were ambushed by a small squad of clay dwarves. When the full size of the group was revealed, the dwarves fell back and called for reinforcements.

A pack of dogs closed from the east; the two riders were shot and fell off their mounts, while the pack closed and started tearing at the companions. Though they picked up a few dog bites, but they remained fully functional. Unfortunately, by the time they finished with the dogs, the dwarves were marching down from the north. Since there were 20 dwarves, they decided discretion was the better part of valor.

Attack Plan

he die roll came up a 2, meaning disaster for the Crierwy group.  Next session will start off with some of the consequences…

Below is what was written when the attack plan was written out:

Here’s how the attack is going to play out next session.

Before next session, on this page, you’ll iron out the “if everything goes right” plan for each of the three forces. We’ll play through with the PCs like normal until the day before the battle, when we’ll roll a d10. The d10 roll will correspond to how well the plan goes; 1 means the plans only go about 10% right, while 10 means things work out almost exactly (100%) per the plan. Intermediate numbers reflect intermediate amounts of chaos and plan disruption due to unforseeable events.

Odd numbers mean problems are with group 1 (the by sea group), while even numbers mean problems with the attack from Crierwy (group 2).

Below I’m sketching out the timelines for the three attack groups as I understand them. Modify the plans for everyone as much or as little as you like to reflect your discussion with the mayor and captain. Whatever version of the plan is on the wiki Friday will be what you agreed to during the breakfast meeting, and is what everyone is expecting the plan to be.

Group 1: By Sea

Day 1: After breakfast the group of about 50 troops (mostly gnomes saved from slavery and equipped with dwarven arms and armor) board the ships and sail north

By evening, the troops disembark on the beach and setup camp

Day 2: The troops march east along the previously cut road. About 5 miles from Gleyn, they will circle north and bed down for the night, preparing for the next morning. (This should be an easy march for them.)

Day 3: Rise before dawn, march the last few miles in from the north west and strike around dawn.

Battle Goal: Harass and distract. If the enemy are still in their tents, Group 1 will try and get whoever they can while they’re sleep, but if the dwarves are alert, they’ll just harass them with light crossbow fire and skirmisher duels.

Group 2: From Crierwy

Day 1: The troops marching on the road should reach Crierwy by nightfall. A small party of mounted troops from Felixis, including a messenger and the town warpriest, will try to reach Crierwy with the attack orders agreed on at breakfast in Felixis.

Day 2: All of the troops from Crierwy (the 25+ Crierwy homeguard, the 50 troops sent from Felixis on the day of the attack on Gleyn, and the 50 or so troops who will arrive at the end of day 1, total about 125) will rise late and march west along the Gleyn/Crierwy path. About an hour east of Gleyn near the road, they’ll set up camp and prepare for battle in the morning.

Day 3: They’ll rise early (before dawn) and march on Gleyn shortly after sunrise.

Battle Goal: Harass and distract. If the enemy are still in their tents, Group 2 will try and get whoever they can while they’re sleep, but if the dwarves are alert, they’ll just harass them with ranged weapon fire and skirmisher duels.

Group 3: The PCs and Felixis’s Rangers (about 10)

Day 1: Finish strategizing over breakfast. Finalize equiping themselves, load up the horses and ride north to near the 2 walled fort where the rangers stayed when you returned to Felixis.

Day 2: The rangers gather up and join with the PCs, get briefed on the plan for tomorrow. Advance at an easy walk to about an hour south of town, settle in for the night.

Day 3: Rise early and sneak in to Gleyn while the troops are away fighting groups 1 and 2.

Battle Goal: Kill the leaders, free any prisoners in town.

Contingencies to consider (brought up by the Captain, if you don’t bring them up first):

What if the dwarves don’t bite– they just let their skirmishers fight our gnome/allies skirmishers and don’t try to reinforce them with troops from town?

What if the dwarves have already marched before day 3?

If a group can’t do what they are supposed to because they’re out of position, the boats sink halfway, whatever, is there a way to let others know?

(Kevin) My thought is that group one should be a distraction, harrassing force, start with a 10 man(gnome) group going in, getting spotted (on purpose) and then running, drawing forces out into the rest of the mass to be ambushed and cut down….once that stops working they should just focus on pining down what forces they can with crossbow fire. I’d recomend that they all carry as many crossbow bolts as they can. Force 2 should have the strength to assault fairly straight forwardly, especially once group one has drawn some troops off.