Uncharted Lands Campaign Overview

Campaign Title: The Uncharted Lands

Authors: Bob & Carla Watt

Campaign Starting & Ending Date: April 14th 2008 – April 14th 2010

Campaign Advertisement:

Campaign Outline:

North of the Ellenean Peninsula, beyond the known lands mapped by the historians and geographers of the Wold, lies a hostile country, unknown to most; a land untamed by civilization, but not uninhabited. A race of men, savages really, had survived the cataclysm in isolated refugia and later re-inhabited the grassy steppes. These ‘Outlanders’ live a semi-nomadic life, wandering the upper grasslands in the summers when game was plentiful, and sheltering down in the twisted, steep-walled valleys that run like a braid through the central portion of the plains during the winters. Deeply territorial and untrusting of strangers, the outlanders were reported to have killed many adventurers that dared trespass on their lands. No one really knew much about them as so few had ever escaped alive. Unbeknownst to all, the outlanders believe they have been chosen to protect the land from civilization, and only survived the cataclysm because of their deep spiritual connection with the land itself.

It was in this arid, hostile land that a dwarf exiled from the Red Hills (Dwain Stonehelm) had stumbled into a cave to take shelter from a raging thunderstorm. Deep within the cave he discovered a channel that opened into a huge cavern deep within the ground. A thin vein of mithril crossed the cavern floor. He followed the vein for as far as his own tools could dig. The deeper he went, the wider the vein of Mithril grew, and his experience with such things led him to believe this to be the richest strike of ore in the northern continent. He set out immediately for New Elleana to gather support.

Six months later, Dwain had convinced his backers in Floating City, and the news of a new settlement to be established in the uncharted lands began to spread. The newly formed ‘Stonehelm Mining and Exploration Company’ announced it’s intent to establish an outpost settlement called “Bryn Baraz” within the uncharted lands. A loose translation of the dwarven outpost’s name would be Shiny Promise. Most will eventually refer the town as simply Bryn, but there will be little shiny about it. The company would carry sufficient supplies and equipment for 200 settlers to last two years, and sufficient defences to hold the Outlanders at bay.

Unbeknownst to Dwain Stonehelm, One of his backers was not what he seemed. Rather, he has his own interests in the uncharted lands; interests that have nothing to do with Mithril, and perhaps even less with a successful settlement.

New Beginnings (6 months)

The Formation of the Company (approx 2-3 weeks – allows some role play as players pull together their character sheets)

The PCs become aware of the opportunity to sign up for the adventure through handbills posted on notice boards, fences, and storefronts across Floating City. All manner of trades people and adventurers are sought, and the benefits appear lucrative. The cargo area by the docks is a like circus with all manner of tents and throngs of people either signing up or just observing. Those signing up must commit to a two-year term and are offered a signing bonus of 500 gp in equipment and supplies to get them started. They are advised that conditions will be primitive at first and that the company will not be held liable for any misfortune that might befall them.

The Trip to Bryn (3 encounters each of 3-4 weeks plus role play)

The trip to the settlement involves a fairly lengthy caravan ride on oxen-pulled carts. The oxen are preferred by the dwarves who run the mine because of the heavy loads they can pull. (About 6-8 weeks of Wold time where a week at a time of routine travel is described and characters can describe their contributions to the efforts).

A Suitor Scorned Early in the trip, a girl from one of the wagons goes missing. The woman in charge of the cart reports that she was taken in the night. The party may recall a scene that occurred back in Plateau City when a jealous suitor had tried to stop the young woman before she left, but had been turned away by the City Guard. This same individual had returned with help and kidnapped the girl. The PCs must chase them down and return the kidnapped woman to the wagon train. The girl’s husband to be, a young man who has signed on as a carpenter’s assistant is distraught and begs to accompany the party. Although sincere in his desire to help, the husband only serves to hold them back and get in the way

Bandits During the first half of the trip, the caravan is attacked by bandits who appear to be targeting a specific wagon (spell components and herbalist wagon). The next wagon in line is a family of halflings that tries to defend the targeted cart. If the party is successful in defending the caravan and beating back the bandits, they will be rewarded by the wagon master. They will also discover that the herbalist carries a small orb that grants fertility to the land within a short distance of it. Without the orb, there is no guarantee that they will be able to feed themselves for the duration of two years. The PCs should ponder why the bandits focussed on this particular cart, how did they know about the orb, and why do they want it. If captured, the leader of the Bandits, Ramiss, can only offer that they were enlisted to loot and burn as many wagons as possible, and that they were told a sphere of great value was in the herbalists cart. They do not know who hired them, but it should be obvious that their employer knows a great deal about the venture.

Outlanders As the wagon train ventures deeper into the uncharted lands they find themselves in a twisting and interconnected set of steep-walled valleys. The caravan is now nearing the second month of travel and there is much grumbling from the ranks about ‘not signing up for this’ and ‘does the wagon master know where he is going?’ High above them, on the mesas that overlook the valley, they spot figures following them. Each day the number of figures grows more numerous. If the PCs do not go to scout out the situation, the Outlanders, as they are called by the wagon master, will stage a number of small raids on the caravan, stealing a few horses and stampeding away some livestock. Attempts to chase the outlanders down will be met by a hail of arrows followed by the rapid retreat of the outlanders, who have little trouble escaping through the sinuous passages they know so well.

After several days, it becomes obvious that the outlanders are herding the caravan, and the wagon master fears an ambush. He sends the PCs ahead to scout a route and if possible clear the way for a mad dash through the line and to the safety of the settlement site. There are two possible outcomes to the encounter; during the battle the PCs are captured and brought to the Outlander camp, or the PCs capture an Outlander. Depending how well the PC’s equip themselves, some portion of the wagon train manages to break through the trap.

If captured by the outlanders, the PCs will be forced to perform an ‘act of bravery’ that will test their mettle and honor. Only after passing the test will they be worthy of negotiating with the Outlanders. If an outlander is captured, the PCs can question him and discover him to be a chief’s son. Either way, the PCs will discover the outlander’s ways and their distrust of all civilized men, but they will be given the opportunity to negotiate a truce. The rest of the wagon train will be suspicious of the truce, but will follow the PCs lead.

Campaign Middle (9 Months)

Establishing the Settlement (3 weeks)

On arriving in Bryn, the PCs find only the skeleton of a settlement. A timber and stone church is being erected at one end of town, and the frames of a number of other buildings are also under construction. Many settlers are dissatisfied with the progress that has been made at the town site and blame too much emphasis on getting the mine operational for the lack of progress. The settlement lies in a small valley with but a single exit that opens up onto a large area of grasslands. The valley walls are steep, and rise high above them to a mesa, covered in grass a scrub. The party is responsible for establishing the defences of the settlement. They are encouraged in their planning by the settlers, many of whom remain unsure of the outlanders and their intentions.

During the early days, the PCs will be asked to intervene in a number of petty squabbles as the town is built. ‘So and so’ pilfered my timbers, why do they get the nicer location on the street, a drunken brawl, etc. The PCs must establish themselves as a respected constabulary and force for justice during this time.

Fire! (4 weeks)

The PCs are called upon to assist in a chaotic turn of events at the mine’s cookhouse. The automatons that perform menial tasks have run amok and have the cook staff cornered in the kitchen. One of the gnomes who created the automatons is down and unconscious and the others require assistance. During the battle, the automatons will knock over one of the stoves and release the fire elemental within that provides a continuous and dependable source of heat. The agitated elemental will set fire to the kitchen and attack the PCs. Should the PCs win out and contain the elemental they may come to the realization that this is too much of a coincidence. Someone has cast a spell that has disrupted the normal function of the automatons and the elementals.

It is only then that someone else will call for help from outside and the PCs will discover an even larger fire elemental has been released from the smelter and is threatening to burn down a number of buildings. A number of children have been trapped by the flames and must be rescued, which in turn will only delay the quenching of the flames themselves. Perhaps the PC’s will be smart enough to remember the newly built water tower. Regardless of the outcome, some residents will blame outlander magic, but the PCs will know that they have no such ill intent. There are precious few clues as to who might be behind this sabotage.

The Cry for Help (6-9 weeks) As winter approaches and the town readies for the cold, a hunting party goes missing. They are several days overdue, but it is the uncharted lands so the alarm doesn’t go up right away. The PCs are sent to investigate. They begin tracking the hunting party and discover the party itself is being tracked by a small pack of creatures (Ambush Drakes); the PCs are unfamiliar with these creatures.

They stumble upon a grizzly scene and find several of the hunters mutilated and partially eaten bodies. Those with tracking / survival skills can determine that not all the hunters were killed. As the PCs continue to track they will met up with outlanders who are also tracking the creatures. The meeting is tense and both camps will likely be on the defensive. The outlanders are more familiar with these deadly predators and consider them to be an ill omen that must be destroyed, for ambush drakes can deplete an area of game and force the outlanders to abandon their traditional hunting grounds. If asked, the outlanders will offer their assistance. The combined force (6-8 party members + equivalent outlanders) must hunt down the creatures to restore safety to the area. The party will be rewarded by the shaman of the tribe and each will be gifted an amulet (+2) or equivalent.

The Troubles Begin

A large supply caravan from Floating City has not making it through to Bryn, and with that realization, there is growing concern that the settlement will face a dire winter without sufficient supplies, and that refined mithral scheduled for transport to Floating City may also fail to reach it’s destination. There are those in Bryn who are quick to point to the Outlanders, especially since they have been recently warned by the outlanders that the mine should divert it’s attention away from a particularly promising vein. The outlanders are concerned that the activity will upset a ‘Spirit of the Land’ that they believe rests deep within the earth.

A survivor of the attacked caravan reports that outlanders are the responsible party. The PCs are asked to accompany the ‘return caravan’ back towards Floating City. In the process they must investigate and finally overcome a group of bandits that are attacking the supply caravans. The bandits dress and act as outlanders so that any survivors of their raids can report back of this outlander treachery. Should the PC’s capture any of the bandits they will only know that they were well paid by unknown individuals in Plateau City to disrupt the wagon trains. Their anonymous employer(s) know many of the details of the mines operations including wagon train sizes, departure dates, and security arrangements.

The bandit numbers and strength will depend on how much help the PCs get from the real outlanders.

Campaign End (9 Months)

An Escalation (2 months)

Backers from Floating City, weary of slow deliveries and increasing costs send an emissary in the spring to demand increased production and delivery of Mithril. They have begun to question their investments in the mining operation and some are threatening to pull out. The emissary has orders to remain in Bryn and oversee changes to the operation, including mining the veins of ore that the Outlanders have requested the company leave idle. The PCs must convince the company to find other ways lest they anger the outlanders and test a fragile truce.

During the deliberations, a small party of outlanders seek an audience with the settlers. They claim that the land is being poisoned and that the grasses are dying. They blame the mine. A confrontation develops and the settlers from Bryn kill one of the outlanders when he is pushed and falls from a great height. The PC’s must calm things down before they get completely out of hand. The animosity that has developed between the two cultures is coming to a head, and when the PCs try to find a middle ground, they are accused of siding with the enemy and told to accompany the remaining outlanders out of Bryn and not come back themselves. Presumable they will return to the Outlander camp and continue to pursue a diplomatic resolution

A Rising New Leader  (2 month)

When the party reaches the outlander camp they will discover Kalor, an Outlander shaman returned from exile and stirring up trouble. He claims that the settlers will anger the spirit of the land, and if not stopped, both the settlers and the outlanders will be swept from the land by another cataclysm. He talks of war, of cleansing the land, and accuses the old chief of being too soft. He demands that the PCs be exiled from the outlander camps. Tensions continue to build between the outlanders and the settlers. A number of raids on Bryn are carried out by Kalor and his followers, and in return, the settlers ambush a number of outlander hunting parties. Dasan is killed during one of the ambushes (may be a conspiracy) during this time and Kalor becomes chief. Those moderate outlanders that followed Dasan are exiled (self imposed?) and join with the PCs to seek a resolution. They do not trust Kalor and believe he has manipulated the situation to his own end.

War! (3 months) The PC’s discover that Kalor is planning a final raid on the settlement that will result in its total annihilation and they must intercede. Kalor, has a spy within the settlement to help bypass the defences (the emissary from Plateau City). This will be a major battle scene in which the PC’s must battle Kalor’s tropps which have been augmented by a devil and assorted minions that Kalor is allied with. Assuming the PCs and now exiled outlanders are successful, they will learn of the treachery and finally begin to pull all the pieces together.

The Pursuit of Kalor (2 months) Assuming the PCs are successful in defending Bryn and incapacitating the emissary, they must now try to bring Kalor to justice and rebuild the fragile peace between outlanders and settlers. Kalor will have fled into the uncharted lands with a band of followers. The outlanders are concerned that if left unchecked he will pursue a legendary staff that may have survived the cataclysm and return, even more powerful and vengeful. (This may be the hook for a second phase of the challenge game, or the finale)

==

A: NPCs Caleb O’Connel, Wagon Master: a stocky, muscular human with thick, bushy mutton chop sideburns that have begun to grey. His skin is deeply tanned and weathered from exposure to the elements following years of outside work. He is an expert navigator, has a certain knack with large draft animals, and has many years of experience leading caravans through all regions of the northern continents. He has never been to the uncharted lands before, but is in possession of a hand drawn map showing the general route and location of the proposed settlement.

Tarketh Clearwood, herbalist: a medium sized half-elf of indeterminate age. Tarketh is a druid of the Alder Circle, albeit he rarely visits his fellow bretheren whom he finds tiresome due to their endless arguing over political matters. He is confident that the Uncharted Lands will offer him the peace and solitude to study native plants and learn their medicinal and magical properties. He is the current owner of the Orb of Kalista, a magical orb passed to him from his uncle on the first plateau.

Lollena, Seamstress and Pliny’s wife: a blond-haired human of considerable beauty. Her mother and father had been in negotiations with one of the lesser nobles in Plateau City that would have seen her married to the young son of this noble. She had different plans, for she has been secretly engaged to a young apprentice in the carpenter’s shop, and together they have eloped and signed on for a new life in Bryn Baraz.

Pliny, Carpenter and Lollena’s husband: a tall, thin, but rather earnest young man. He fell in love with Lollena at first sight. As a carpenter’s apprentice, he would find endless excuses to pass by the fabric shop where Lollena worked, just to catch a glimpse of her through the window. When she finally approached him and suggested they meet, he nearly passed out from excitement. Their romance bloomed and they eloped and joined the caravan to the Uncharted Lands and a new life.

Dasan, outlander chief: Dasan is past middle-aged and the hereditary chief of his tribe. He is tall but a little stooped. Long flowing white hair is tied behind his head. Despite his age, it is readily seen that in his youth he was a powerful warrior. He bears a number of scars that have left ragged lines across his muscular frame. His skin is tanned and heavily weathered. Deep crinkles line his eyes from a life squinting into the unrelenting sun. He speaks softly and in a deep voice.

Muata , outlander fighter/ranger: Muata is the sole surviving son of Dasan and hence in line to be chief upon his fathers death. He is tall and lithe. His hair is almost jet black and like his father is tied behind his head with a simple strip of hide. He carries a wooden bow and a leather quiver brimming with multi-coloured arrows. Like all outlander men, their final name is chosen upon their passage to manhood. Muata is the name for the wasps that live in the grasses and sting their enemies in swarms.

Huyana , outlander female– girlfriend to Muata: Younger than Muata, she is almost a foot shorter and quite curvaceous, A slight bulge in her belly reveals her to be with child. She is clearly in love with Muata and is quick to see to his needs. Her name means ‘Falling Rain’.

Shiriki, outlander shaman: Shiriki is perhaps 30 years old, thin, and has long black hair adorned with many beads, trinkets, and symbols of nature, including animal teeth, quills, and small dried nuts. He represents the tribes direct spiritual connection to the land and regularly enters self-induced trances where he communes with the spirits. He has some basic healing capabilities and in many ways is equivalent to a druid. His name means ‘coyote’.

Dwain Stonehelm, dwarven adventurer and principal owner of Stonehelm Mining and Exploration. Dwain is in all ways a typical dwarf in appearance. Slightly shy of 4 feet in height he is well muscled, with bulging forearms and a barrel chest. He has a ruddy complexion and a slightly bulbous nose that pokes out above his sandy-red beard. Despite his small stature, his booming voice carries well when he addresses those that have signed up for his venture.

Evil NPCs

Ramiss, leader of the bandits: Ramiss is a half elf, and his followers are a mix of half elves, humans, and half orcs. While his followers are often loutish, Ramiss is well spoken, intelligent, and very deceptive. Ramiss does not know who hired him, only that he was well payed to interrupt the caravan, burn as many wagons as possible, and escape. He was also told that there were items of considerable value hidden in the wagon with the yellow rims.

Kalor, An exiled outlander shaman who had been forced to leave the outlander camps some 15 years ago. Kalor had turned to the darker forces in his zeal to rid the land of trespassers. Rather than being allied with the ‘Spirit of the Land’, Kalor had secretly allied himself with a devil that professes to protect the land, but which in fact preferred the immediate post cataclysmic state of the Uncharted Lands. When challenged,Kalor had attempted to overthrow the Chief and had been exiled. With nowhere else to go, he had fled to the Ellenean Peninsula and eventually found his way to Plateau City where he had eventually worked his way to the head of one of the thieves’ guilds. His rise to power as the secret leader of his guild was both bloody and deceitful, and to many of Plateau City’s elite, he was simply a wealthy financier.

Upon hearing of the announced settlement of the Uncharted Lands, Kalor saw an opportunity to regain power in his native lands. He signed on as one of the principle backers of the Denholm Mining Company’s new enterprise and planned to foment sufficient conflict between the Outlanders and the settlers to allow him to return as the now vindicated saviour of the land. In this role as a principle backer, he was able to place one or more of his followers into key positions within the company.

Back to Uncharted Lands DM Page.