Open Wounds
[Module 1 approved by Jerry on 10/28/2005 with suggestions.]
[Reviewed again on 12/31/05. Made a few comments, but no real changes. Is the game started? Headed over to look. Any thoughts on things so far with your players?]
Misc.
[Return of Jerry: Be sure to contact the DM for PCity as that is the closest game to where you will end up. You two need to be on the same page for consistency’s sake. Let me know that the two of you have talked please. Exchange modules. I’m also sending this to Jan as she’s the originator of the Forest around the Float. You’ll be east of that, but the story of you’re the drow disappeared is tied into the anger of the forest to the west of HOME.]
Now, around the Floating City, there is an extinct culture in the forest that used to rule the area and work in harmony with it. They got arrogant or something and the forest destroyed them. The idea was that it would be an Incan / Mayan / Indian cave dwelling type of place. Now, do we want to reveal that this old mysterious culture was the drow before they went below? Make the ruins of this old city in the cliff of the mountains SE of the new Floating City location their new 2nd home? If so, then we can use all of Kent's ideas plus do lots of internal discovering as they try to learn all about their past and their ancestors that could live as one with the forest. Discover why they were destroyed, etc. I like the aspects of it that this would force a change in the Drow towards living and thinking like their ancestors. Imagine a story arc that takes them from a lonely surface Drow house and morphs them into an Incan / Mayan / Indian culture!
Potential Hooks:
- Certain papers make mention of the Bralfah' first ancestral above ground home. The party is volunteered to search out and find this home.
- One or the other sisters has hired the group to dispose of the other one.
- Larvanya has heard of one or more groups of drow trying to make it on their own and ask the party to find them and bring them into the fold.
- A rumor has surfaced that there are family members and /or children of the Bralfah being kept captive somewhere and the party is volunteered to find/rescue them.
- The youngest drow sister, Firbral, hires the party unbeknownst to either of her sisters for some mysterious task....
Module 1: Traversing the Scab Module 2: Through the plateau land (small plateaus east of scab where Kent placed some
surface drow in the Storm Dragon game). Module 3: To the Floating Village Module 4: Across the lake and into the East river. Module 5: Through the forest to home.
1) Find out about the ancestral home 2) Find the ancestral home 3) Claim and/or defend the ancestral home 4) Begin using the ancestral home as a base of operations for continued adventure
Module 1: Open Wounds
Scene 1: The Summons
The Red Scab Dwarves who helped the drow with their new weaponry, find a partially legible scroll, diary, or history revealing the existence of an ancestral house of the Ultrin-Bralfah (the Great Bralfah), and send a messenger, (Detail messenger – mid length NPC) with a message about it to Larvanya. Each of the PCs receives a magical summons to come to the private chambers of one of the ruling family (dream, floating scroll, talking scarab beetle, or something interesting).
[Jerry: I feel it's important to get the "feel" of this drow setting right from the start. Can we add in some DM material as to how things will be described, what sort of feel the place will have, etc.? When we start recruiting, we might get the players to help set this, somehow.
We need some descriptive texts describing the vibrant colors, etc. I picture ultraviolet colors, with subtle bright shades inside. Reds and purples, greens and blues. Outside, how does it look to them and how will describe the glorious pain of the sun?]
[Jerry: looking at this again, adding in a short scene of their first xp with the harshness of the sun is an interesting landmark moment to explore if possible.]
Scene 2: The Revelation
Responding to their summonses to Fibral’s private audience chamber, the party is met by Fibral and Kahlag who inform them of what they are to be asked / commanded to do (Describe Fibral and Haklag). There they are illuminated as to the supposed contents of the scroll, limited as they are, and some small background of their ancestry. They are given a scroll to be given to the Dwarf chieftain after they are given the old document. They are also commanded to find out as much as they can about where the document was found and what is in the area. Finally, they are told not to tell any other member of the house of their mission / goal.
Scene 3: The Red Hills
The party sets off with the dwarven messenger / guide and makes their way north by way of the East Peas Blossom River and manage to find space on a riverboat that is just about to leave (Create and Detail - captain, and first mate and a couple of passengers for NPCs). The first day or so of travel is pretty boring and quiet, but on the third evening, just at dusk, about parallel with the town of Troll, several of the passengers as well as a few others attack the boat trying to take it over (Create / Detail - brigands)
At this point, after the combat is resolved, the party ends up either disembarking, or having to abandon the boat and head into the red hills (describe change of landscape) along the New Trader’s road and then north across country (somewhere in here the dwarf NPC may disappear, perhaps during the bandit raid. Causing the party to think he was in on it?).
[Jerry: Possible meeting and overnight stay with the Crescent Valley game? Nothing detailed necessarily, just a meeting since they will be in the same area. ;)]
As they make their way across country the PCs come across this overgrown but obviously once used road. It appears to be going their way, and far easier than cutting across the wild. Night approaches and they find themselves near to an ancient overgrown ruins of a huge door (10 ft tall) cut into the side of one of the hills. (More detail as needed)
There is no sign of the door having been used for many years, but if tried the door opens smoothly, opening into a large single cave-like room, with another single secret door 150 feet on the other side of the cave. In the cave are the remains of what seem to be 10-15, 10 ft long sleeping pallets. There are many pieces of broken ceramics, etc littering the floor and along the east wall are several groupings of cave paintings. One, in particular, is of great interest to the party as it obviously has several drow figures in it, along with two lizard-like figures a giant and what appears to be a troll, all standing and working together.
Unbeknownst to the party a small raiding party of 4 ogres is using the other room in the hill on the other side of the secret door. At a point of opportunity, unless the secret door is ferreted out and watched, the ogres will charge through the door and attack the group.
Ogres (4) (Detail)
[Jerry: Flavor text will be all important for the Drow point of view. The Feel of the Wold through Drow eyes. The starkness of the colors under the sun. How the colors change to greens and browns outside Home 2 area which is like a black light area at night. Think colors on a black light poster--florescent, etc. Reds, purples, blues and greens glowing like lichen underground, etc.]
Scene 4: It’s Help the Halfling Day
The Party Enters the Crescent Valley only to find a Halfling town in upheaval as they are being attacked by Svirfneblin and Grimlocks (Create / Detail – opponents and halfling NPCs). Afterward there is a celebration and a feast with the party as guests of honor.
[Jerry: Check with John Paul before doing this. He may have something else similar going on that your guys can help with before moving on. :)]
[Jerry: Excellent so far.]
[Jerry: Note that JPW has gone walkabout. Cayzle is Dming the Crescent game for now. He’s doing double duty.]
Scene 5: The Scab
The PCs encounter the Scab (describe the dramatic change of landscape).
They are approached by a group of dwarves, which they believe to be the ones they are looking for but in reality are Duergar (Create / Detail Duergar) who actually attack / and possibly capture the party. If captured and can’t escape on their own, the party can be rescued by the Red Scab Dwarves (Create / Detail rescue party if needed - return of dwarf NPC that apparently had abandoned them) and now in their debt. If any of the dwarven rescuers were hurt or killed, the dwarves might not to happy about helping these so called emissaries from Larvanya.
Depending on party reactions:
• The party may be unhappy with the original messenger and falsely accuse him of being in league with the thieves. • • The dwarf messenger just happens to be a second son to the dwarf chieftain and the chief may take offense at the accusations. • • The dwarves may think that the drow party are basically helpless and need chaperoning on their continuing journey, hence embarrassing the party. • [Jerry: If the party and the dwarves end up on bad terms, try to make it seem like one chief who is very predjuced against elves, and therefore especially drow. Later, you can kill this chief off and his son can renew better relations. In actuality, once in the Scab, the drow should be under the supposed protection of the Dwarves. If anything should happen to them, their honor would take a hit in the area. That may be what the Duergar want in the first place. Nothing bring them joy more than humiliating the honor of their good naive brothers.]
[Jerry: Altitude sickness for Drow who are used to below ground? Mindset differences between two underground races? Commonilaties? Great themes to explore.]
Scene 6: Troublesome Visitors
The party is unceremoniously left to wait in what appear to be an old hardly ever used storage room and told to wait to be called to speak with the dwarven leader. They are given water, food and wash basins, but otherwise left alone.
The PCs meet with the Red Dwarves (Detail several more dwarven NPCs, including the chieftain)
Somehow, through negotiations and possibly groveling, depending on how interactions have occurred previously (role-played) the care and ownership of the ancient document is given over to the party and they in turn give the chieftain the message from Larvanya.
Assuming the party has not read the letter, the chieftain nearly has an apoplectic fit right there in front of everyone, as he reads the scroll, as in the message Larvanya actually has the temerity to claim the land where the document was found for House Bralfah. She also suggests that the dwarf chieftain guide her representatives to the area, so that they may start a more careful and thorough search.
If the party has read the letter ahead of time, it is likely that they can predict the chieftain’s reaction and may be able to head things off.
Depending on how things go;
• The chieftain may offer them all the materials and aid they need to continue on to the site and to the next clue. • • The chieftain may throw them all back into prison until he decides what to do with them. • • The chieftain may throw them out of his house and compound and tell them to find the site on their own. • • The chieftain may throw them out with the barest amount of directions to find the place and leave them to do it. • This will be the conclusion of the first module.
[Jerry: this module sounds good.]
[Jerry: I’m not going further now as I’m swamped. Please present Module 2 to me for approval when that time comes. Thanks buddy! You’re the best!]
Module 2: Covering the Scab
Scene 1: Setting Out into the Unknown
The party takes their leave from the dwarves and makes their way into the scab in search for the burial site.
Scene 2: Sanity is Welcome
The party finds their works their way through the outlying areas of the scab, trying to find the place the scroll was found. Along the way they come across the ruins of the sanitarium.
[Jerry: Note that there is a Druid/Ranger there now who leads the remainer of the insane folk teaching them to live in a druidic/ranger type lifestyle. They provide totally for themselves, which is an amazing accomplishment. The party should spend time with them, perhaps picking up a guide who is insane?]
Scene 3: Burial Site
The PCs arrives at the site where the scroll was found which turns out to be the ruins of a small, and ancient drow temple and burial site. Where they find a new clue to where they need to go next.
Scene 4: Lizardmen, Friend or Foe?
Scene 5: Fleeing the Scab
The party finds that getting out of the scab may be harder than getting in; running battles with a rotation of several foes.
Scene 6: Lost in the Red Hills
The confusing and identical landscape of the party has them befuddled and confused.
Scene 7: The Return Home
The party finally makes it home and reports their findings and discoveries to Fibral and Larvanya. A celebration is planned and Plans begin for the relocation of the house’s relocation, once the first home is located.
[Jerry: A chance here for much intrigue as not everyone will be behind this.]
Module 3: First Home
Scene 1: Departure
Larvanya teleports the group to the burial site so they may more quickly start their search, for the First Home. At the Burial site they find things not as they were left and in fact find a group of looters at work. (Detail Looters)
Scene 2: The Lush Lands
The party makes their way across the last of the mountains, and descends into what appears to be the perfect land.
[Jerry: There should be an ultimate experience at the top of the mountains somehow. Perhaps a sliver of evidence that Donyra might not be dead after all? Or something overwhelming like that?]
Scene 3: Found at Last?
The party comes across old ruins, more pictures of lizard men and drow together, find a clue and is attacked by troglodytes.
[Jerry: Will they meet the surface drow in the Lushlands on the plateaus that you had the Storms meet? That would seem to be important.]
Scene 4: Fighting the Forest
Things are not as Idyllic as they appear and the forest seems to be fighting their progress.
Scene 5: Facing Fanatics
The party finally comes across what is obviously drow construction and discover the house of Ultrin Bralfah, but are confronted and attacked by a group of crazed fanatical drow.
Scene 6: Home at Last
Having driven the fanatics off, at least for the time being, the party does a little exploring of the ancient house/village. Short two or three room search. Several traps, perhaps a few critters that have taken up residence.
[Jerry: On the surface, this seems to be skimping on the areas east of the Scab. This is a huge area we’re traversing. Perhaps a meeting with the other drow surface tribe would be a good thing to make the crux of the first module east of the scab. They could find more information about their home.
Then to the Float where some explorer groups can tell them of the territory they live in and what they’ve learned of the people who lived there before. You’re the DM however,.]
