Happy Thanksgiving!
Recruiting is closed for the November 29th game.
Hey folks,
Beginning Thursday, November 29th, we're running a weekly Thursday night game on roll20. Time is 4:30 PM - 9 PM PST (11:30 PM - 4 AM GMT)
After two successful one shot games, we're starting the real campaign on the 29th. The game is set in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, the character creation rules, back story, and plot hooks are:
Character creation:
Gold to start: 100
1. 22 point buy (Method 2, PHB page 17)
2. Use only races / classes that fit the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.
Back story:
The Blood Lord sat on his throne of bones and blood-oozing skulls, engulfed in darkness and the putrid stench of death and misery. Cries of pain and anguish played in the background of Orcus’ residence of Undeath. Nothing of this reached the dark lord.
His blood-hazed eyes were lost into the distance, his mind stretching out to listen to the calls and prayers of his dark clergy and followers. Like buzzing flies, their requests and calls for favors left no impression on the Demon Price of Undeath – his schemes of power were on a level incomprehensible for his mortal followers. But suddenly his eye twitched, a prayer – no not a prayer – a whispered word that brought back memories of lost causes and unpaid debts. Orcus focused his divine attention towards the source, spanning his godlike awareness cross planes and dimensions.
“…Master of Undeath, Tear in the shroud of Death, listen to the words of your humble servant, a maggot in your godlike corpse. I have found out where the followers of Bahamut have hidden the Rod of Ruin! The paladin of Bahamut I defiled and brought back in your name knows of its hiding place, great Master.”
The Rod of Ruin – Found! The Blood Lord clenched his fist around the Wand of Orcus, blood dripping between his fingers. This opened up new possibilities, the chessboard had suddenly shifted, and things were tilting in his favor again. As Lord of the Undead, Orcus had the everlasting patience of the dead, a trait seldom seen among his demonic cohorts and enemies. But Orcus knew that if he waited long enough in the darkness, secrets held in life would resurface in the afterlife. It was just a matter of time, and that time was now. With the Rod of Ruin resurfacing he could send his pawns to collect it and complete the task once started but never finished – turning the living world into a realm of undeath and eternal darkness. His divine mind immediately identified the hundreds of actions needed for setting the plan in motion, but first – he poured a fraction of his essence into the world of the living. His aspect materialized in the crypt of his maggot, pulling darkness and the chill of the grave with it. The priest screamed in terror as his eyes started to bleed at the sight of his true Lord. There were still questions that needed answers and a debt of a soul to be paid…
Please select one of the three plot hooks. Regardless of which you choose, you will be traveling with Thair Coalstriker's trade caravan from Waterdeep to Winterhaven.
HOOK: MISSING MENTOR
You seek news of your mentor, Douven Staul. The man who trained you in the Watchful Order of Magists & Protectors for a dull life studying dusty tomes bade his friends farewell three months ago and headed for Winterhaven in search of discovery. Douven, an archeologist and explorer of old ruins, always looking for forgotten lore, had found an ancient map that revealed the location of a dragon’s tomb not far from the village. He reasoned that if a dragon were buried there, it would be rich with archeological relics and maybe even its hoard.
Douven should have returned some time ago, and his continuing absence bodes ill. The Mistress of Blackstaff Tower, Vajra Safhar, fears the worst and decided to send you out with some loyal henchmen to find out what happened to your mentor.
HOOK: OMINOUS SIGNS
Marla of the Church of Bahamut contacts you (Must be a Divine class) before the start of the adventure. She has received dire news from the small shrine at the holy spring of Kalin. An evil artifact, only known as the Rod of Ruin, that had been hidden for centuries by the Church of Bahamut has been stolen and the shrine defiled. No one alive remembers the Rod’s purpose and if any records of this existed, they are now lost.
All of the monks guarding the Rod were killed and brought back as vile zombies, save one. He survived and witnessed a small group of death cultists steal the Rod and then leave for Winterhaven. He heard a name being mentioned, a name he thought was the name of the dangerous and twisted high priest of the cult - Kalarel.
Marla suspects that this Kalarel has set up a secret cult in the area and is conducting unholy ceremonies, and fears what he might do with the Rod. She asked you to travel to Winterhaven, determine if there is any death cult activity in the area and, if so, to stamp it out and bring back the Rod of Ruin.
HOOK: HIRED MUSCLE
The road from Waterdeep to Winterhaven is treacherous. Bandit activity on the roads has crippled the mercantile activity in the remote town. It's gotten so bad that stubborn Thair Coalstriker, the dwarven blacksmith of Winterhaven, has traveled many weeks on his own coin to buy supplies in Waterdeep and deliver them to Winterhaven personally.
Of course, the old dwarf is no fool. He knows well the advantages of trade caravans. Safety in company and company in safety. As the last wagon was packed to leave, you joined as a hired hand for the trip.
