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Dragon Elite
2009-09-14, 07:24 PM
Mithral
By Dragon Elite

Level 1

As you walk into the weapon store, the weapon smith, Frank, looks up from his papers with a frown.
“Hello.” He says grumpily. "I need some mithral, and I can't get any. I'll pay you 1000 gold pieces per ounce you deliver. Also... actually, never mind."
(If you ask he says)
“I know a place I can send you that has mithral but it's gonna be dangerous.' He says thoughtfully. “Also, the spell might malfunction.”
(If you say yes)
The room fills with a dusty green cloud. You hear Frank cough for a short while, then he stops. When the cloud clears, you see that the building is more run down and dusty than it was ten seconds ago. Frank's desk is gone, and there is a sad sight in front of you.There are two spears; one through Frank's neck and one through his shoulder.
(4 kobolds MM 161 They attack the cleric then fighters Gp: 12-14 each)
As you step outside, the weather does nothing to improve your mood. The sky is black, with red clouds spewing droplets on your blood stained clothing. The city is in ruins. Lightning strikes a mountain in the distance, and for a second, you see a cavern to your left and a path leading away to the right.


1a: The Path
As you follow the path, you notice that a thick fog is setting in. As you walk onward, you see two dark shapes appearing out of the fog. (2 orcs MM 203 Charge and attack the nearest enemy Gp: 29 each 50% miss chance, vision 20 feet) Continuing through the fog, you notice a pile of rubble that looks familiar. You realize that you are back at the cavern.

1b: The Cavern
Inside, three orcs are sitting around the dying embers of a fire. Two are sound asleep, but a third is groggily pacing the cavern. (3 orcs MM 203 Charge and attack nearest enemy Gp: 29 each)
The back of the cavern has a roughly twenty feet wide opening, leading of into the damp darkness. It's walls are wet and partially covered in mold. As you walk through the cavern it narrows to ten or so feet wide. The path turns left, and then splits into two.
2: The Left Path
This tunnel follows a slight decline. After fifty feet, you see a circular room about forty feet in diameter.
3: Ambush
This room has a raised circle, on top of which is an altar, in the center. A dark green, dusty carpet leads its way to the center. There are several statues on either side of the carpet.(Trip Wire, Reflex DC 12 Damage 1d2 if affected, falls prone) As you fall over, kobolds step out from behind the statues. (6 kobolds MM 161 Attack the cleric then fighters Gp:50 gp)

4: The Right Path
This tunnel has a minor incline. It gets slightly smaller, to a width of 5 feet. Then, after about thirty feet, it forks.

5: The Right Path's Left Path
The path turns from natural to cut instantly. ( Bow trap Search DC 15 Disable Device DC 17 1d6 Damage to the first two people passing). The path turns left.(DC 15 Search or DC 20 spot find a 150 gp emerald figurine)The room opens up into a square, approximately 30*25 ft room.

6: A Dead End
Inside are three human skeletons(MM 226 Attack whoever dealt the most damage to them in the last round)There are no passages other than the one you came in through.

7: The Right Path's Right Path
While walking through this tunnel, it veers sharply to the right after a short while. It widens to being about ten feet. (Search DC 20 Disable Device DC 20 Acid orb trap Damage 1d3 or Search DC 15 Disable Device DC 20 arrow trap 1d6 damage every 75 ft.) After about 250 feet of twists and turns, the path opens up o a large room.
8: Skeletons And Stairs
In this large ovaloid room, four skeletons stand facing you, human skeletons. Suddenly, they charge toward you, brandishing longswords. (Skeletons MM 226 Attack whoever dealt the most damage to them in the last round). After the battle is over, you think you see a dark figure rush down the stairs at the back of the room.
End of the 1st level


Level 2

1: Ambush

You proceed up the spiraling staircase for what seems like hours. At the bottom of the staircase, you see a tower separated from the rooftop you are standing on, with a wide chasm with only a rickety bridge across it. You think you see the elusive black shadow again. It crosses the bridge spanning the chasm before you. (4 goblins MM 133, wait until PCs are on the bridge, then two attack from either side Treasure 50 gp lapis lazuli and 12 gold)
2: Empty
This 80x20 foot stone corridor is empty. You see nothing at all, and continue to the foreboding adamantine door.
3: Puzzling
You notice three square protrusions on the door. There is no handle. Writing in Draconic (or DC 15 Decipher Script) says "Push these buttons, prepare to die. The right order makes your chances rise high." (Correct order: Left, Right, Middle, Middle)(An orc patrol of 4 comes in every 10 rounds. 1 round to push a button)
4: A Dusty Tome
In the center of this small (10x20)room, a pedestal is illuminated, A dusty book is mounted on the bright pedestal. It reads: To escape this unholy world, you must don the zombies crown.
5: What Year Again?
Once you finally make it through the door, you see a huge orc, at least twice as tall as the other orcs that you have seen. As well as having a door behind the orc, a small path snakes out of the right of the room. (DC 15 spot check) Upon closer inspection, you realize the orc is a highly realistic statue. You notice the mark of the sculptor written on it, along with the date it was carved. The date is in 1323. It was 1319 when you left.
6: Let's Dance!
This room has four unarmed orcs dancing in a disco (Roll 1d6, 1 means you are dazed for a round).

7: Stab?
An orc is in front of you. It raises it's halberd and charges. It's halberd passes through you. It look's around, startled.(50% miss chance for attacks)

8: Skeletons
4 skeletons are on the ground of this hallway. One is tied to an altar. A skeleton behind you twitches, rise and attacks you!(1 Human warrior skeleton, with a glowing +1 sword)

9: The Zombie
A dragon zombie stands, pacing the room. It growls when it sees you, and glides towards you.(Wyvern Zombie, MM pg. 267)If you wear it's head, go on to the regular world.

Back in Reality


1: The Death

"You see a man leaning against a wall. A sword is stuck through his chest. As he slumps over, two 6 inch long bugs fly out of his chest. A ghost rises, and another ghost descends into the corpse. He pulls the sword out, then disappears. The bugs fly off towards the market."

2: The Bugs
"The large bugs zoom to your left. One flies into the market. The other one heads to the dock."

3a: The Market
"The bug flies into the chest of a salesmen shouting. "Filling fruit! Enough for two people! 2 coppers!" He hits his chest with his right arm, then goes back to selling fruit.

Aglarath knows:
⓵He has a map to sell for 1 gold.
⓶He has made 24 copper today from selling these fruits.


3b: The Boat
"The bug flies into the chest of a sailor. He hunches over for a second, then the sailor straightened his back again. "

Connor knows:
⓵His ship, the SS Ironhand, a military vessel with 60 armed sailors and 4 ballistae
⓶, The docks
⓷, Foreign countries (Kii, Huaryan, Lliik)


4: The Researcher
"Hello," Says a man behind the counter. Lots of cages with animals are behind him. "What do you want?" (If you tell him.) "Yikes. If you bring me one, I can find out more."


5a: The Market
"The salesman is still there. He offers you a map and a fruit. He seems very sickly. Suddenly, he keels over and 4 bugs fly out of him and towards the barracks"

Aglarath knows:
⓵He has a map to sell for 1 gold.
⓶He has made 34 coppers today from selling these fruits.

5b: The Boat
"The sailor who has a bug is standing on the side of the ship, eating an apple and watching the sunset. He draws his longsword, and it flashes green. He sheathes it, then looks toward you and says "Hello. Beautiful sunset, ain't it." Then, he clutches his chest and falls over as a knife impales his heart. A cloaked figure leaps to the roof and runs away. The sailor rasps "Kill that man." then Connor dies and 3 bugs fly out of him and towards the barracks. Four of his ship mates come up and yell."You murderers! You killed him!" (4 1st level Experts with longswords.)

6: The Zombies
"A scared human runs toward the barracks screaming "Zombies! Zombies! Help!" A moan pierces his screaming. You hear thuds, probably the zombies attacking the wall. The clerics run towards the moan carrying bottles of holy water. The militia don armor, brandish swords, and charge." (There are 16 human commoner zombies) After the battle, the party levels up.

7: They're Back
"The zombies on the ground twitch. They stand up and shuffle towards you." (Half hitpoints. Read after the battle) "A light blue bug skitters around the field, freezing the zombies."

8: The Church
"Inside the church, a man is pouring water onto a baby, another man is leading a chorus, and 2 others are praying. One man is behind a counter, selling holy water. "Hello."He says to you. "I say you fighting the zombies. God will help you for your bravery."(He is selling CLW potions for 50 gp and a flask of holy water for 20 gp)

9: The Researcher
"Hello again." Lyshal says. "Captured a bug yet?" (After you tell him about zombies or the bugs spreading)"Yikes. I will start working on the bug today."

10: The Blacksmith
A dwarf stands in front of a red-hot forge. He sees you, and flips his notes upside down. "Want weapons? I can sell you some. I sell armor too. "
He will refuse to tell you anything.

11: The Dwelf (Tavern)
Travelers are sleeping on the floor, near a fireplace. A dwarf and an elf are behind a counter. Want to bed down for the night? We'll give you breakfast and dinner for only 2 gold!


What do you think?

Dragon Elite
2009-09-15, 07:08 PM
Anyone? I need advice.

mr.fizzypop
2009-09-15, 10:15 PM
From what I read it looks pretty interesting. Although it is kind of hard to understand, maybe if you had some maps it'd be easier.

You can add pictures by uploading them to photobucket, or some site like that. Then enter the address when inserting the picture.

Dragon Elite
2009-09-15, 10:59 PM
The main thing I'm wondering is: Is the chronological order correct? And where would you go next?

The Neoclassic
2009-09-16, 09:44 AM
Good ideas! Doing creative low-level adventures can be hard. Is this for a group you're currently DMing? The chronology looks fine, but I do have a few comments...


“Hello.” He says grumpily. "I need some mithral, and I can't get any. I'll pay you 1000 gold pieces per ounce you deliver. Also... actually, never mind."

Are you running a different economic or pricing system than D&D assumes? The price you list is far, far more expensive than the default price. The SRD lists it as 500 gp/pound, or 1,000 gp/suit of light armor. For the armor, if you use mithral for a chain shirt, that's 1,250 gp for 12.5 lbs of mithral, so that's 100 gp/pound. Additionally, that's the price for items sold; it usually only costs half as much to make items, so when buying mithral a smith would only pay 50-250 gp. Mithral's pricing system is of course very metagame, as illustrated by the above example, but anything more than 500 gp per pound wouldn't particularly work unless you raise the price of mithral items by a LOT.


“Also, the spell might malfunction.”

Don't be surprised if the players ask, "Wait, what spell?" From the previous sentences, it sounds like he might just be giving them directions to such a place.


The room fills with a dusty green cloud.

What spell is this? Why does a weapon smith have access to high-level transportation magic? If he has that much magical power, why didn't he retrieve the metal himself.


Frank's desk is gone, and there is a sad sight in front of you.There are two spears; one through Frank's neck and one through his shoulder.

So, his spell failed? It instead just made his desk disappear and summoned four kobolds?


As you step outside, the weather does nothing to improve your mood. The sky is black, with red clouds spewing droplets on your blood stained clothing. The city is in ruins. Lightning strikes a mountain in the distance, and for a second, you see a cavern to your left and a path leading away to the right.

Are they in the same place that they were in when they entered Frank's shop? If they weren't injured in battle, their clothing won't be blood stained. Is this mountain a new sight? Where precisely do the PCs see this cavern; right next to them or up near the mountain?



As you follow the path, you notice that a thick fog is setting in. As you walk onward, you see two dark shapes appearing out of the fog. (2 orcs MM 203 Charge and attack the nearest enemy Gp: 29 each 50% miss chance, vision 20 feet) Continuing through the fog, you notice a pile of rubble that looks familiar. You realize that you are back at the cavern.

If it's just going to lead to the same place, you should get rid of this option. All it'll serve to do is frustrate players and make them feel like their decisions don't matter.


This room has four unarmed orcs dancing in a disco (Roll 1d6, 1 means you are dazed for a round).

I'd only include this if you want a somewhat silly feel to the game. If you're going for anything remotely serious, change it to something like orcs practicing axe-swinging techniques or doing tribal chants.


1 Human warrior skeleton, with a glowing +1 sword

I'd make that a masterwork sword (also, what type? Long/short/bastard). Only one person in your group will have a +1 sword if you give it out now, and unless they get something else equally cool/valuable in the near future, other PCs will get jealous.


A dragon zombie stands, pacing the room. It growls when it sees you, and glides towards you.(Wyvern Zombie, MM pg. 267)

Shouldn't the players be able to tell apart a wyvern and a dragon?


If you wear it's head, go on to the regular world.

How are they supposed to get the idea to do this? Also, you mean "its" not "it's," since the latter means "it is."

I'll look at the rest of this later. :smallsmile: