Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Thursday, April 30, 2015
D&D game notes from September 2001
(9-2-01) On the first game night, the party explored Ensley Keep. On the way their, goblins ambushed them with a pit trap in the trail. Exploring the keep, the party destroyed a yellow musk creeper.
Inside the keep is where Darg picked up an iron fire grate; he carried it with him as a part of his equipment for a very long time, and used it various way, including, sometimes, as a fire grate.
(9-29-01) The party, leaving the area and crossing the River Ibiar at the ford, is attacked by an ogre. This was a difficult combat: both dwarves in the party, Rak and Uta, were taken down with single hits. I think they were aided by Sheriff Melcam, a ranger from the nearby village of Ravencall, who was a good guy who was suspicious of Duke Bucknell and had been keeping an eye on the area near the keep.
D&D game notes from 2001
An early draft of the background on Ensley Keep and nearby Venswort Hill. Details changed some, but the basics remained: Ensley Keep was long-abandoned. Nearby Venswort Hill had an ancient dungeon ruin within it. On the lowest level of the dungeon was a long-forgotten magic portal that opened up to a matching portal in a far-away land controlled by the evil empire of Memgaria. The Memgarians found the matching gateway and came through it; explored the ruins; decided it would be an efficient way to launch an invasion of Caldos; made contact with the local Duke, Duke Bucknell of Rookvale (who was already an evil guy set against the Queen of Caldos), and put him in their employ; then got some powerful ogres and set them up as guardians of Venswort Hill's ruins until they could bring their invasion plans to fruition.
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Copy of campaign background notes from 2003, regarding nobility and politics.
Note from the present: All this stuff kept being revised as the campaign progressed. With many of my background notes, there are so many versions scribbled in notebooks or saved as old Word documents that now, ten years later, I don't know which version if any was the one I had finally settled on. It's really just the details that changed, though, most of the time.
Of the cast of characters below, my favorite invention was probably Hithis Gallar, the lammasu who was secretly involved in the politics of Caldos. From his isolated lair at the White Citadel, he had proxies controlling merchant companies and guilds, and fought against alliances of evil nobles. He was only mentioned in passing to the PCs, who never came close to interacting with him.
During Muran Toth’s conflicts with the nobles, many were stripped of their
titles (the titles became “attainted.”) Many of the lands that had been under
the control of dukes and earls and other lords fell back to the monarch’s
possession. Some were re-granted to rebellious nobles or their families, or to
others, but with greatly reduced lands, and less control over towns and
villages.
After
King Muran gained this new wealth of land and power, he started ceding it back
to the commoners, village councils, individual landowners, and elected mayors.
The nobles had been greatly weakened.
Now the
Thanes of Velland wish to reclaim the power that the nobility had years ago. To
do so, they must:
1) Weaken
their most powerful armed opposition, the Queen.
2) Retain
or create some amount of popular support among the common folk, or at least
keep them impartial.
3) Forestall
an invasion by Memgaria.
Duke Kelsath has assumed
leadership of the Thanes of Velland, for he is one of
the most powerful nobles on Caldos.
Nobility and the Thanes of Velland
Villain motivations: Greed, revenge, lust, pride, psychotic
obsession, hatred, conquest of resources, religious fanaticism
Duke Kelsath wants to be the High Thane of Caldos. He
wishes to exercise direct control over Lemaria, and grant his allies control of
the other three thaneships.
Under the
system that Kelsath wishes to institute, only humans may be nobles, and only
men may hold the rank of Duke.
Titles on Caldos: Address Holding
King/Queen Majesty Kingdom
Prince/Princess Highness Principality
Duke/Duchess Grace Duchy
Earl/Countess Excellency County
Lord/Lady Lordship/Ladyship Manor
Knight Sir/Dame --
Prince and Princess are titles reserved for sons, daughters,
brothers, and sisters of the monarch. Informally, it is sometimes used to refer
to the son or daughter of a powerful noble.
Dukes and Duchesses are the generally the most powerful of the
nobility, and hold the largest tracts of land (dukedoms). Their titles are
hereditary.
Earls and Countesses are in the same category as Dukes and
Duchesses, but the title is rarer. This title is old, dating back to the
Omkessari Empire. Counts and Countesses were nobility from Omkessar who were
granted titles on Caldos by the High Thane. After Caldos became a provincial
kingdom within the Empire, the thanes were given the title of Duke to
distinguish them from the Counts. The word “Earl” replaced “Count” over many
years, derived from a term for a foreigner of high standing. In modern times,
though, the distinction between Earl and Count is in name only.
Lords and Ladies are landed nobility. Their titles may have been
granted by the monarch or by other nobles. On Caldos, high-ranking nobles may
bestow the title of Lord or Lady upon a person of their choosing, but only with
the consent of the monarch. (Power over the bestowing of titles is another
reason for conflict between the Queen and the Thanes of Velland.) This station
is hereditary. A Duke or Duchess (or Earl or Count) may take the title back
from the family to whom they gave it only with the monarch’s permission.
Knights are landless nobility in direct service to a noble. Knights swear allegiance to their lord,
taking a vow to serve faithfully, even to give their lives. They typically
reside with their Lord and act as guard-commanders, escorts, sages, court
wizards, ambassadors, and business managers. One may find a Knight dressed in
plate mail astride a horse, bearing a lance, but they may often be found
searching nearby villages for undiscovered bardic talent, researching history
in the library, or working on potions of healing to help in an anticipated
skirmish with orc brigands.
In return for their loyalty and
service, knights are given certain privileges. They typically have nice
accommodations in their lord’s keep or manor; they pay less for food, lodging,
and equipment on their lord’s land (usually about half-price), can enforce the
law.
The monarch is permitted to
retain no more than 20 knights; dukes, duchesses, earls, and countesses are permitted
by law to retain no more than 10 knights without special dispensation from the
monarch. Lords may retain 5. But this limitation on an armed force is
circumvented by Lord’s Men.
[Knights might be obsolete on
Caldos. They caused too many problems, and were done away with as part of King
Muran’s reforms. The knights had run fairly rough-shod over rights, and were
above the law in many ways.]
Lord’s
Men are, generally speaking, those armed individuals in the employ of a
noble. There are restrictions on how many such individuals may be employed; the
monarch does not want private armies that aren’t under the control of the
crown.
The
numbers permitted by Queen’s Law are ten times the numbers listed for knights,
above (200 for the Queen, 100 for a duke, 50 for a lord.) For the Queen, this
is supplemented by a traditional regiment called the Royal Guard, which numbers
50.
Dukes, duchesses, earls, and
countesses are permitted by law to retain no more than 10 knights without
special dispensation from the monarch.
At
the Throne of Caldos
-Queen Elessa
Toth,
monarch of Caldos.
-Princess Andra Toth, younger sister of
Queen Elessa.
-Sir Neldrath, Court Wizard.
Nobility
-Earl Hirsham
of Bugwater
-Lord Gray of
Ensley,
living in Arlay.
-Duke
Brasstwister of Zarad, Lord of Sleck and the only dwarven duke. He resides in Sleck. Loyal
to the Queen.
-Duke Jeren of
Menath, in
Westhall. Loyal to Queen. At 20, he is the youngest Duke.
-Duchess
Elayne of Greendale, loyal to Queen.
-Lord Hithis
Gallar of
the White Citadel. He is a lammasu and leader of the Knights of the White
Citadel.
-Countess
Shielessa of Edding, loyal to the Queen. She is elderly. Her younger brother, Lord Uthast,
assists her and is expected to succeed her as Lord of Edding.
-Lord Kharmuth of Arlay. He has a manor
just west of the city. Years ago he was held prisoner in a gladiatorial pit in
Haran-Gar before escaping, and he has had many adventures. Recently he was
killed in an assassination attempt on Queen Elessa, and his family is working
on having him raised.
-Lord and Lady Trowen
-Lord Rootly of Boulderburrow, a Halfling.
-Lord Redbuckle of a Halfling
Thanes of Velland
The
Thanes of Velland are nobles working together, in secret, to depose the Queen
and put one of their number on the throne. Several of the Thanes are priests of
Hextor or have connections to that priesthood, and have a hatred of the
Hieroneous-aligned Queen Elessa. The Priesthood of Hextor backs both the Thanes
and the Memgarian Empire.
-Duke Kelsath
of Ibiar.
He wants to be High Thane (king), and to control all of Lemaria. He maintains
he is a direct descendant of Velland. He recognizes that an invasion by
Memgaria would be to no one’s benefit, and seeks to prevent it by becoming High
Thane and allying himself with Memgaria. Primarily, however, he seeks the
throne for his own benefit. He fairly drools over the mineral wealth he can
demand tribute of from the dwarves of Sleck, and the taxes from the ports and
the city of Arlay
Duke Kelsath has only limited political control of the
city of Ibiar
The Dukedom of Ibiar includes quite a lot of land
around the city of Ibiar
-Duke Vummard
Bucknell of Rookvale, in Longbridge, is a Thane of Velland. He is working primarily on
behalf of Memgaria, and is himself a priest of Hextor, though this is not known
by the other Thanes of Velland.
-Lord Wiland
of ________
is the younger brother of Duke Alvarios of Wudaer, and similarly wants revenge.
-Duke Alvarios
of Wudaer.
A Thane of Velland, he is motivated by greed and a desire to destroy the House
of Toth. Elessa’s father killed Duke Alvarios’s father at the Battle of
Greendale, and Alvarios wants revenge.
-Lord Gustan
-Lady Moffrey, sister of Duke Bucknell of Rookvale
Conflict Overview 6-26-03
The reforms introduced by
Queen Elessa’s father led to stronger individual rights and liberties for the
commoners, and a weakening of the nobles—including the monarch. This made it
more possible for powerful nobles to challenge the monarch militarily, which is
now the case.
Before Muran Toth’s reforms, the
monarchy was very centralized. Nobility had less say in governing their lands,
paid overly large annual tributes to the king, and were severely limited in the
number of knights/armed men they could retain. The nobility had little direct
say in the running of the kingdom. Between the authoritarian monarch and the
weak nobles, the commoners were often at the whims of the government in regard
to justice and taxes.
There was occasional rebellion among
the nobles, often with the aim of overthrowing the monarch and installing a new
one.
During King Muran’s reign, and with
the urging of Lord Gray, the monarchy was reformed. Nobles were given more
control over their lands and people, and the people in turn were given a more
effective means of addressing grievances, petitioning, appealing decisions, and
governing their own villages and towns. In fact, many towns and villages were
granted charters freeing them from noble rule.
The king could no longer live in
such opulence, and had to become more of a businessman. Muran Toth bought into
many merchant businesses.
There arose a power stuggle, varying
in intensity over time, between the king and loyal nobles and the nobility that
wished to have the throne, were jealous of more prosperous lands and lords, had
old grievances against the House of Toth, or sought to blame others for the
troubles in their own area. Also, importantly, the priesthood of Hextor sought
power on Caldos. Many of the nobles had for years been receptive to the message
of Hextor’s priests. Priests of Hextor were made unwelcome in much of southern
Caldos, but in the lands of the north and west, they often operated in
collusion with the nobles.
9-25-03
Working on a finished version of the
conflict on Caldos:
The early years of King Muran’s rein
saw quite a lot of civil strife on Caldos, climaxing in the Battle of Greendale
32 years ago. That fight saw the deaths or imprisonment of King Muran’s chief
rivals.
During
Muran Toth’s conflicts with the nobles, many were stripped of their titles (the
titles became “attainted.”) Many of the lands that had been under the control
of dukes and earls and other lords fell back to the monarch’s possession. Some
were re-granted to rebellious nobles or their families, or to others, but with
greatly reduced lands, and less control over towns and villages.
After
King Muran gained this new wealth of land and power, he started ceding it back
to the commoners, village councils, individual landowners, and elected mayors.
The nobles had been greatly weakened.
The reforms introduced by Queen
Elessa’s father led to stronger individual rights and liberties for the
commoners, and a weakening of the nobles—including the monarch. This made it
more possible for powerful nobles to challenge the monarch militarily, which is
now the case.
Monday, March 23, 2015
Shadowrun 3-21-2015
I played Shadowrun on Saturday. It was a small group (the GM
plus three players) due to two absences.
Quotes of the night:
“Bring them down softly! Softly! SOFTLY!” -- Gumball the rigger.
Spoken by Gumball in regard to three rotodrones that were
attacking us. He wanted us to take them
intact so that he could use them himself.
However, in the first round of combat, Agave (our weapons specialist)
hit one square on the nose with her grenade launcher, Bingo (my troll dog
shaman) blew one up with a ball lightning spell, and Bingo’s force 6 air spirit
crumpled the third into a tin foil ball using its “engulf” ability.
“I hop back on my Duracell and take off.” – Paul, playing
Gumball the rigger. We were using an AAA
battery as a stand-in for his motorcycle among our table-top miniatures.
 |
| Shadowrun with brownies. Also, Blue Moon beer (not pictured) |
Not dead yet
This blog is so sad. I apologize to the very few people—if any—who
care.
At any rate, I still have the intention of putting up all
the game notes from my dead D&D campaign.
In addition, I might now start using it for other game stuff
that I feel like geekily broadcasting but want to keep segregated from
everything else.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Map key for Ensley Keep
Here is the map key for the keep. I will try to locate a post the actual map next.
Ensley Keep
Ensley Keep lies on the east shore of the Arrowmere, on a small piece of land that juts northward out into the lake. The shore here is rocky, and Ensley Keep is atop a low stony ledge right next to the lake, 20 feet above the water.
The keep was originally occupied by Corran Enley for almost 20 years before he died when the keep was attacked by alienist enemies. The keep has now stood empty for 35 years.
Ensley Keep is surrounded by elm and sycamore trees. The walls are covered in vines, and there is actually grass and small bushes growing atop the walls.
Level I
Level I is generally 20’ tall, with high arched rooms and wooden beams in the ceilings. The construction is skilled and solid, and most of the wood is still in decent shape, though neglect has weakened it enough that a lot of violence to the structure may cause minor collapses.
1. This heavy iron gate is still locked shut, and the locking mechanism is so badly rusted that trying to pick it is obviously a waste of time. The doorless entrance to the keep is 40 feet beyond. Trees and brush grow heavy in the courtyard.
2. The overgrown courtyard, with some fairly large trees.
3. Former Smithy. It was 10’ tall. The wooden door is rotten and half-open, the shutters on the window hang open, the wooden roof has fallen in. Inside is a jumble of vines, rotten wood, and rubble. Anyone in the W half of the bailey will notice a sweet floral scent. This comes from the yellow musk creeper that grows in the SE corner of the smithy. Additionally, anyone making noise at all in the courtyard will bring fourth the three yellow musk zombies (former bugbears and goblins), who will charge.
Yellow Musk Zombies:
Bugbear HP 17 a.c. 16 (leather, shield, natural)
Bugbear HP 15 both morningstar +2, damage 1d8+2, move 30
Goblin HP 11 morningstar 1d8-1 (ac 14, size, studded leather)
The creeper will attach anyone within 10 feet with a pollen puff (+4 melee). It has 15 hp and an AC of 15.
Around the base of the creeper, among bones, is a rotted leather pouch with 1,100 copper pieces, a masterwork heavy flail, a dwarven urgosh, and two flasks of alchemist’s fire, labeled in common. There are also two red-brown carnelian stones worth 50 gp each.
All of these items are entangled in the rubble on the floor. A Search roll of 16 each round will find one item, and 20 will find them all.
4. Here, the wall of the keep has been smashed in, and the stony rubble is full of vines and grass. Wafting up from the entrance is the faint, sweet smell of a yellow musk creeper.
Anyone within 50 feet of this opening will be attacked by 4 yellow musk zombies:
Human: HP 11 AC 13 (studded), dmg 1d8 (longsword)
Goblins HP 10 Ac 14 (size, studded) damg 1d8-1 (morningstars)
HP 10
HP 10
The yellow musk creeper here has 15 hp and an AC of 15.
At its base is the skeleton of a human in rusted chain, a moldy backpack with 346 gp, a set of thieve’s tools, and two bottles of wine, sealed.
5. The Great Hall. The middle of the hall is full of fallen stone and timber from the collapsed wall, and the opposite door has been knocked in.
There is a huge fireplace flanked by pillars leading up to arches, and carved into the pillars and across from the mantle are scenes of fish, mermen and mermaids, octopi, and sailing ships.
6. The Kitchen. The door leading here is missing. There is an old oven, and smashed crockery and rusted pans on the floor. Giant rats will flee through a hole in the wall to area 7. 6 dire rats: HP 5 each, AC 15, bite +4 melee, damage 1d4, special attack disease (save fort DC 12)
7. The door here is stuck shut. Inside mold grows in old jars and on the shelves. This looks like a place where flour, grain, oils, etc. were stored.
8. The large wooden table has collapsed, and been gnawed up by rats. Broken chairs lay around.
9. There are some bones and a broken shield on the floor. The bones are not human, and look like they belonged to something large. The stairway leading up it made of stone. In a cubbyhole below the stairs is a wooden pale.
10. The N door is stuck, but will fall off the hinges on an open doors DC roll of 12.
Inside the room is a moldy heap of rotten, scorched cloth and wood (the old remains of a sofa) and several broken chairs. The shredded remains of a tapestry hand from the W. wall, the image unrecognizeable. Most of the cloth is gone.
The fireplace has old ashes and and iron log holder, and mantle is carved limestone depicting life-sized, snarling and howling wolf heads.
The wolf heads are beautifully sculpted, though most are chipped and damaged. In the southmost wolf’s mouth is a hidden compartment: and illusionary wall has been created in the back of the mouth, concealing a 6”x6” x10”deep recess with a small silver key.
This opening is trapped: a search roll of 20 will reveal it. Otherwise, someone sticking their hand in the back of the wolf’s mouth without using his other hand to depress one of the canines will be struck by a spring-loaded blade that does 1d4 points of damage (it used to have poison on it, but it has long since worn away.) Immediately, an illusion will come into effect—all the wolf heads will snarl and howl and snap for 1 round. Disarm DC roll for trap: 20
The handle of the key is fashioned in the shape of a leaping wolf.
The S. door is missing.
11. Broken pieces of wood and shreds of cloth that are the remains of beds, chairs, stools, tables, and beds.
12. Against the wall are three broken barrels with oily residue, and stacked in front of them is a bunch of cut wood, as well as old rotten furniture bits. These were put here a year ago by the expedition from Memgaria. Anyone disturbing the pile will bring out four dire rats (HP 5 each, AC 15, bite +4 melee, damage 1d4, special attack disease [save fort DC 12])
13. The entrance to the gatehouse is nearly hidden hidden in ivy and creepers. Bats roost in the rafters.
14. The door into the tower opens under the stone stairs leading upward to level II. A 6’ wide stone pillar supports the stone ceiling, and there are no other doors or entrances.
This room was used as an armory, and there are still numerous pegs and racks hanging on the walls. In the dust on the floor are arrowheads (rusted), a few broken blades, and a dented helmet.
Level II
15. The staircase from the first level comes through the floor. A rickety, rotten wooden staircase, enclosed by wood, ascends from the center of the room to a stone trap door.
Arrow slits with rusted iron shutters line the wall. The door to 16 is shut.
16. Hall, passage
- In this room are remains of a cot and a smashed chest, both covered in brown mold. The mold is harmless. At point a., there is a small keyhole hidden in a recess at ankle level, hidden by an illusionary wall. (DC 25 to find.) The wolf-key from room 10 fits here, and turning it will open the secret panel at b.
- The secret door here is 4’x4’ and opens in the center of the wall, 3’off the floor. Inside is a 5’x5’ shaft leading downward, with iron rungs. A reddish light comes up from below. (see the text at the end: Treasure Vault)
17. A stone staircase leads to a trap door in the roof. The E side of this room has fallen to the floor below, so that people here can see into the Great Hall (area 5). Most of the floor is unstable; anyone walking on the area within the dotted the dotted line will cause the stones to give way on a roll of 2 in 20, +1 per every ten pounds they weigh over 100. A reflex save of 20 will allow them to jump clear.
If someone falls through the floor, they will take 2d6 points of damage.
Roll to see if they fall through each round they are in the hazard zone.
18. Short Hall. A dead giant rat, drained of blood to huskness, is on the floor.
19. A wobbly but still-intact table of dark wood stands in the center of the room, and several intact chairs are here. The fireplace in the corner has a limestone mantle carved with ivy, and resting upon it are several empty bottles and mugs.
The bones of a severed hand are under the table. This hand belonged to the farmer who was captured and tortured by the Memgarians.
In the fireplace are charred scraps, including the charred edge of a map, showing what appears to by some tunnel maps and the word “Venswort”.
20. At one time this was a large bedroom, but now there is a carpet of mildew dotted with white stirge droppings. The stirges here sleep in a bunch on the ceiling, near the fireplace.
Stirges x 4, 5 HP each, Init +4, Speed 10/40, AC 16, Damage 1 + Con drain. When they latch on a touch attack, they drain 1d4 points of Con each round until they get to 4 points, then fly away to digest. When attached, they have an AC 0f 12.
20 a. bones of human.
20 b. Moldy robes hand from pegs, and behind them is a quiver with 9 masterwork arrows.
21. Doors stuck shut (DC 20 to open). This room is fairly clean and has a stone shelf on the N wall, and 2 barrels of stagnant water.
22. Top of this wall, about 20 feet tall, has numerous plants growing on it. The walls are crenelated. The inside of the wall has an iron railing that is untrustworthy.
23. This “porch” area is surrounded by the same crennelations as the wall, and a large portion of it has collapsed.
Level III
On this level, the roof is about 35 feet up. The floor is flagstone, and fairly sturdy. Waterspouts carved are placed in the corners.
24. The roof of the tower is actually about 40’ up, and there is a gfeat view of the lake and Ravencall.
25. 5’ high stone wall surrounds this area, capped by a very dilapeitdated clay shingle roof, full of holes. Three support beams run the lengths, and 200 swallows make their homes here.
Level D: Dungeon
26. The stairway from 8 leads down to circular room 29. Ignore the map for now.
29. A spring feeds into the Arrowmere below the keep, and the pool here is about 20’ across and 8’ deep, and quite cold. The bottom is rocky and gravely. Nothing of value lies here.
30. The door to this room is stuck (DC 12). Beyond are wooden shelves and broken glass, and the smell of stale alcohol (beer and wine) is fairly strong. The wood of the shelves is gnawed, and there are rat droppings.
The Vault: Area 31
A “permanent image” spell is cast on this area. There is a shaft leading down from the secret door on level II with iron handholds in the wall, and the shaft itself is about 5’ wide.
The room below is illuminated by a red light, the result of wooden torch that has a “continual flame” spell placed on it, and which has been covered by a heavy red glass glove, on the wall of the room below.
The moment someone starts to descend the ladder, there will be a low, drawn out growl below, thanks to a “magic mouth” spell devised to frighten intruders. The room looks to be completely flooded, with only about a foot between the ceiling and the water (making this totally illusory water seem to be 8’ deep.) The red light shimmers in this murky water.
The room is, in fact, completely dry.
There are five wooden chests against the wall. Three are open and empty; the two east-most chests, under the sconce, are closed and locked.
a. Moving or trying to open this chest will cause a three spring-released spears to fire from the west wall (CR 2; +12 ranged; 1d8 x 3 crit; Search DC 20, Disable Device DC 20.) Anyone in the 10’ area of the north side of the room may be struck. Inside this chest is:
n a very fine looking long-sword in a leather scabbard, with a note fastened to the pommel with wax. Anyone looking at the note will see the word “Surprise” in common, and will trigger a sepia snake sigil. (DC 14 reflex save negates.) Victims are held suspended for 1d4+1 days. The sword is Flame Tongue: upon will, the sword ignites, and will do +1d6 points of damage per strike due to fire. It is +1 normally. On a critical hit, the weapon does +1d10 points of fire damage in a flaming burst. There are rubies set in the hilt, and the steel has a reddish tinge. Inscribed in the blade are the words, in Draconic, Defegnyil Nordem ves Endropem Pittis “Defend All From Darkest Chaos.”
n Two leather bags with 100 gp each
- Inside this chest is:
n a scroll case with two scrolls: “Shield” at first level , and “levitate” at fourth level.
n A leather pouch with ten pieces of obsidian, each worth 10 g.p.
n A larger leather bag containing 300 c.p.
Longsword +4, grants protection from fire,
Goblins:
HP 4 each
Initiative +4, speed 30, AC 15, attacks: morningstar +1, javelin +3 ranged
Damage: morningstar 1d8-1, javelin 1d6-1
Feat: alertness
Have 2d6 cp each and 1d8-4 s.p. each
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