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jklf01

Page history last edited by PBworks 16 years, 1 month ago

Dungeon under the Dryad's Watch

Play this story

Skip directly to the dungeon - combat oriented; start choose your own adventure style play in the dungeon crawl

Background story and Introduction to the characters - exploratory beginnings; discover the setting story and do some adventuring to eventually find the dungeon

Parallel start, character can morph into a cat jklfs01

Overview

Objective

Objective/Theme

To provide a challenging low level adventure to introduce the skills of each player type. These will include: combat, searching for traps and secrets, disarming traps, using magic in combat, using magic investigatively, using magic defensively, etc.

To feel success in helping the region, scare out the evil leader, create a recurring villain for later, determine what re-awoke the evil, to have fun learning the system and getting engaged.

Theme
- light-hearted
  - humour will be evident through NPCs and scripted friendship dialogue amongst the PCs
- not too challenging
  - encounters that cannot be beat will give hints to that effect
- low level encounters
  - basic tactics
  - introduce what to expect in terms of threats, and how to work through encounters PCs will likely encounter in future adventuring.
Contents
- Timeline
- Actual Play
- Theme
- Adventure notes 1
- Adventure notes 2
- Summary of play
- New plot ideas
- Maps

Summary of play

“Three village friends from the small town of Ezvek that wish to explore the surrounding wilderness and become adventurers seeking fame and fortune. They grew up together playing in the forests as adventurers and always favored those cheerful nomads that would occaisionally pass through and speak of wonderous deeds and places. They caught word of an ancient shrine hidden in the dense forests of the area. Only the oldest man known in the area, Kahl the Mad, knows about its legends. Once the three felt confident enough to leave their village they packed up and started their very first quest.

They went to visit Kahl, who turned out indeed to be very mad, his automatons and random explosions combined with his slight absent mindedness were unexpected. Despite some initial distrust of the group due to both of the fairy kin being of less than admirable alignment, and perhaps demeanor, Kahl eventually decided to entrust the group to his knowledge of the shrine. But, only after they had proven themselves worthy by performing a deed for him.

He entreated them to travel over the goblin caves to a clearing with a giant oak and there to seek out a cavern and find some mystical crystals hidden within. These crystals retreived they were to travel to Kahl’s old friend, Shelali the healer.

“The three had no way of safely travelling the pass over Goblin Caves in between them and the giant oak. Kahl allowed them to use one of his creations, a bicycle powered airship. As they flew over the Goblin Caves the nasty little buggers attacked them with spears and arrows. With Fasticus pedalling hard, Lynn steering to avoid projectiles, and Krepta bombarding them with burning pots of oil, the three made it through the pass.

Kahl’s invention had one downside, no adequate way of landing. Fighting the wind, the group eventually wrestled the airship to the ground, but does not appear likely to fly again.

“It was waning evening as you brought the airship to the ground and after a brief survey of the you decided to make camp around the wreckage of the airship. You are in a large clearing surrounded by very dense forest typical of this area. Almost directly north of your campsite is a giant oak tree, the landmark by which you found the clearing. From the air you saw a small pond to the southwest, a short walk but not one that should be taken as night falls.

You also thought you saw an irregular mound to the west near the edge of the clearing. When it get light again it may be worth investigating.

The oak tree is the biggest you’ve ever seen. Its at least three times as tall as the surrounding trees, its vibrant and lush leaves even shimmer in the fairly dim twilight. Its roots are huge and protrude from the ground for several meters from the base of the tree. They are covered with a bright green moss and many tiny flowers of different colours. The tree seems to cast a shadow of love and protection over the clearing and you all feel a sense of safety and comfort you have not felt since leaving Ezvek to seek adventure.

You all fall asleep to the gentle rustling of the forest in the warm evening breeze and awake refreshed to the sunrise.

Character overview

(Krepta the theif;Sean, Lynn the Elf:Clare and Fasticus the centaur;Heather)

jklf01 b02 - Introduction to characters in text

Add another link to character information

Starting Location

The town of Ezvek ( jklf01 b03 ) in the savannah hills ecoregion. The town is near to a river and a floodplain, from the crest of a hill at the bend of the river, down into the town valley. The roads out of town are to the ENE and WNW, the river heading south downstream. The town is best defensible along the river hillside, and there is one outpost per road, about 5km from the town.

Open encounters

Replenish stocks
- kitchen pods
- equipment depots
  - tools
  - loans
  - personal items
    - potions
    - valuables; high level items
- work for credits
  - farming
  - animal husbandry
Wander surrounding region
- random event
  - an animal, myn or feature
  - jklf01_RandEnc01 - treeslammer attack!
- forage for items
  - bamboo
  - firewood
  - herbs, vines, flowers

The Termita clan are present in this valley, but they maintain no open tubes to their lairs at this time.

Timeline

*****Warning Spoilers*****

jklf01 t00 - a big ol tree showing the rough sequences of tableaus

All key areas should be outlined in this time line while the adventure is under development. While it is public now, reading this could seriously diminish your enjoyment of the adventure. There is the potential to hide these types of pages to different levels of access later on.

Actual Play text

This is good material to convert into story lines

jklf01.a00 Actual Play example from PBeM group

Theme

Originally the dungeon was built by a tribe of Aristrocrats. The main entranceway and chambers are all built to their style. This includes secret doors a plenty, ornately decorated stonework and arcane-looking statues.

The original purpose of this dungeon was the entrance of a shrine where the local forest tribe of Aristocrati could seek sanctuary and self-reflection in the presence of a deposit of magical crystals.

However, the power focused by the crystals eventually attracted the notice of evil. A demon domain was established within caves near the original dungeon and then connected as a few of the Aristocrats succumbed to the seduction of easy power. The sanctuary was no longer safe. It became the stage of a small open war. The domain proved too powerful for the forces of the Aristocrats at that time and the decision was made to seal the sanctuary and the crystals. The domain would be sealed in along with it and it would all remain in stasis.

The sanctuary became a prison for the evil and his minions until it was time to return and purge the area. The sanctuary entrance was over-grown and forgotten, the passage of time giving way to neglect and mystery. The amount of time necessary to wait was not a problem. The Shashnimyn are very long-lived and it was deemed a better idea by the elders to let the power diminish until fate brought about the decision to address it.

The evil has carved out new chambers beyond the original structure. The original area surrounding the crystals was left natural for the sake of its purity and spiritual sanctity. The evil has since modified this into a temple surrounded by minions to make the most use of the crystals energy.

When the cave was sealed, the evil was trapped in stasis and most of the minions scattered or became harmless without its guidance. The dungeon should not have been restored unless something awoke him.

Sharn and the wilderness tribe of Aristocrats will expect there only to be minor infestations of creatures living there and will not know of the evil having reawoken. still they will offer to aid the characters if they need to return to the surface for aid. In one of these return visits (if they need it) it will be revealed that the players are fighting more opposition than they should be.

Help from the village would take a while to come and Sharn will perhaps suggest that the players should try to assess the size of the threat. If they get aid from the village, they will still be at the lead of the boss fight.

Death is going to be meddling in this campaign as well. He is 'supervising' the evil in a sense and watching the players to see their abilities. The presence of death's specific creatures early on in the dungeon will be a clue. (insert text that seems random and irrelevant but later makes sense)

The evil magic user will flee via spell at the end of the battle and become a recurring villain for a little bit. If Death is revealed as who he is (cause he is hiding in the form of the aide of the evil) then he will spin a tale about trying to help the players and the region. Which ultimately, is true, but requires releasing mayhem in the short term for greater good later on.

Development Discussion

Adventure notes 1

Setting:

Camped out by the crashed airship in the clearing by the giant oak tree.

History:

Three village friends (Krepta the theif;Sean, Lynn the Elf:Clare and Fasticus the centaur;Heather) from the small town of Ezvek that wish to explore the surrounding wilderness and become adventurers seeking fame and fortune. They grew up together playing in the forests as adventurers and always favored those cheerful nomads that would occaisionally pass through and speak of wonderous deeds and places. They caught word of an ancient shrine hidden in the dense forests of the area. Only the oldest man known in the area, Kahl the Mad, knows about its legends. Once the three felt confident enough to leave their village they packed up and started their very first quest.

They went to visit Kahl, who turned out indeed to be somewhat mad, his automatons and random explosions combined with slight absent-mindedness were unexpected. Despite some tottering distrust of the group due to both of the fairy kin being of less than admirable alignment, and perhaps demeanor, Kahl eventually decided to entrust the group to his knowledge of the shrine. But, only after they had proven themselves worthy by performing a deed for him. He entreated them to travel over the goblin caves to a clearing with a giant oak and there to seek out a cavern and find some mystical crystals hidden within. These crystals retreived they were to travel to Kahl’s old friend, Shelali the healer.

<<Shelali needs some of these crystals to power a device that Kahl built for her long ago. This device is an automaton that waters her herb and vegetable gardens for her, as it is a big garden and an elf of her distinguished age has a difficult time accomplishing this feat. The remainder of the crystals need to be returned to Kahl where he can give them knowledge of the shrine.>>

The three had no way of safely travelling the pass over Goblin Caves in between them and the giant oak. Kahl allowed them to use one of his creations, a bicycle powered airship. As they flew over the Goblin Caves the nasty little buggers attacked them with spears and arrows. With Fasticus pedalling hard, Lynn steering to avoid projectiles, and Krepta bombarding them with burning pots of oil, the three made it through the pass. Kahl’s invention had one downside, no adequate way of landing. Fighting the wind, the group eventually wrestled the airship to the ground, but does not appear likely to fly again.

<<Kahl, being a mad scientist wants these crystals to build some sort of new device which the players may ultimately get involved with. Perhaps they are needed to open the shrine. He will likely send the group back to the goblin caves (the goblin harass him constantly) so that they are experienced enough to get through the shrine when they finally get there. If the adventurers get frustrated at all the errands he sends them on he will explain that he wants to see them succeed and was trying to prepare them. Currently the group consist of three adventurers (PCs: Clare, Sean and Heather). The last member (PC: Patrick) will be met in the Wood Elf village.>>

<<There is a cave entrance hidden in the brush to the west of the clearing, which is too difficult to find at night. The cave is sealed by a stone door. The stone door is not locked by any secret lock, although it may appear to be with all its intricate markings. It is of elvish or faerie construction. The door is in fact controlled by the Dryad, Sharn, who lives in the giant oak tree. She is the guardian of the cave and will let no one in or out without the Wood Elves permission. She guards the Wood Elves from the undead which lurk within the caverns. She will humour the adventurers and is fond of riddles (very confusing ones which have no real answer at all.) When asked about the entrance she will say she is merely a simple woodland spirit and the elves nearby will likely know more. When the adventurers return from the Elvish village she will ask them nonsensical riddles until they give her a nonsensical answer. Alternatively, there was the simple riddle used in the actual play.

The village in the forest is a wood elf village, it is high up in the trees that can only be reached by basket or nimble climbing (of which none of the ground familiar adventurers should be capable) The wood elves are happy, playful people but will become quiet and walk away when the cave is mentioned. After asking enough elves the adventurers will be asked to see the local King. The King is an interesting character, tall, handsome in an effeminate way, but prone to bursting into ridiculous laughter at the stupidest joke. The adventurers will be encouraged before and during the visit to produce comedy. Through this comedy the King will come to like them and talk about the cave. He will say that Sharn is its keeper and she guards the wood elves from the dangers within. He will tell them to be careful and send a guest of their village (PC: Patrick) who owes him a small debt of servitude to go with them and help them against the undead.

The players should eventually return to this village to help its people against the growing threat. The cavern was sealed for a reason, removing crystals from it will anger those spirits who were locked up in the shrine. The anger will be manifested first in places of high magical energy, the homes of the elves and faeries. This destruction will not likely take place before the second errand that Kahl sends them upon, to fetch another type of crystal from the cliffs by the lake not far from their village. (The cliffs are difficult to get to.)

The caverns are three levels deep. The first two are just standard with lots of rooms, secrets and undead to prep them for the third level. The adventurers can return to the surface and open the door from the inside a total of three times. Sharn will promise to refill their food and give them healing sleep each time they return (she would like to see this cavern cleared as much as the elves, but fears the three may die like others before them.) The third level is beautifully carved rock into statues and grand halls. The architecture is definitely elvin but has a sombre and evil tint to it from its exposure to the undead for so long. The 3rd level will be quite difficult but consist of more room types than cavern. The final area of the caverns is across a chasm (which appears bottomless but is really just very dark.) and has been recently excavated. If the excavations are examined closely it looks as if they had been done by tooth and nail of possessed or reanimated dead. The area across the chasm is the throne room of the undead lord. The place is filled with crystals of a glowing green hue. The entire structure is carved out of the crystals, the bits carved out were thrown into the chasm and then travelled via underground river to the cliffs. (the adventurers will notice the underground river when they get to the cliffs and the small size of the crystals, not in the growth formations they are here.) The final fight should be extended but complete. No undead should be left alive, lots of crystals are needed and time will be needed to gather enough. Other than the crystals treasure will be meager, as is expected of a beginners dungeon. The undead lord and his bodyguards may have a few useful items, but nothing that the adventurers wouldn’t be better off selling.

Adventure notes 2

Here is a short paragraph summarizing the campaign.

Setting:

Elven forests and Fey lands. Primarily woodland campaign, with a few humans scattered within the landscape. Characters grew up near Ezvek, a small riverside town within the forest. The forests are part of the Alfheim Kingdom. Darokin is to the NNE through E beyond the forests; described easiest as being similar to Rohan. To the N and WNW beyond a stretch of wasteland are the mountains and contained valleys of the Dwarves. You do not know the name of this country, because there is still ill fever between the forest and mountain folk and it was not encouraged for youth to ask about it.

Campaign goal:

Energetic youth become ansty with their sedentary and peaceful life in a near-perfect quiet forest community and set out in search of a shrine which they have heard rumours of. They began by seeking Kahl ‘the Mad’ who has sent them on an errand which will take them to Shelali the healer, in hopes of getting a lead. Naturally, as all epic adventures tend to be, the route is not direct and leads into involvement in a matter of great importance.

Tone:

Light-hearted adventuring

New plot Ideas

- For the villian to escape, he could use powerful magic to teleport right next to (or otherwise threaten the life of) one of the characters in the party. It has to be one of the characters that has played a significant role in the adventure to make the choice a difficult one. The choice is between capturing the bad guy but letting the party member die, or letting him escape.

The first choice will have serious ramifications for the player group, being down one character for the rest of the adventure and lacking those skills. I would think it would be Fasticus who is threatened, since he will have the most physical strength and most perceivable value to beginner players. Also, without a fighter, the player will have to find innovative solutions to future problems rather than relying on fighting.

If the player chooses to let the enemy escape (which I think is the more likely response) there should be some animosity against the villian, giving the players emotional reason to pursue him. No one likes to have their toughest fighter humiliated, and the dialogue of Fasticus should drive this home.