The Start of a New Adventure (and campaign book)

It’s been forty years since I’ve come to this place. Fifty since the war broke my people and made them slaves. I’ve grown numb living here. I’ve even taken a human name. I cannot adequately describe the shame I feel for having survived that war. I saw century long friends die at the hands of beings that towered over us. Cut through like a thousand stocks of corn. The fear I felt then is a taste that will never leave my mouth.

When I fled, I was convinced it was because I would not face an unbeatable enemy at the behest of well-to-do men that didn’t deserve it, but even then I was lying to myself. I knew there would be no next battle. We were broken. In truth, the rumor that my people were being made slave soldiers was already spreading. Even as we made our way home, the tension was palpable. I was a coward.

I should have died a hundred times already. If not for you, Oswin, I would have fallen on my sword decades ago. This business with the murders was too much. A week in the dungeons has reminded me so keenly where I stand. I will always be an outsider here. I am thankful for the friends I have made, few that there are, but it is time to return home.

Do not fear for me, I will not go alone. Antak will join me. My only regret is not having your company. Damn the short lives of your people. We will have to meet again in the Halls of Waiting, my friend. Perhaps you will be reborn a Thrymm and we will battle side by side in the next life. Take care of yourself.

Forever your friend,

Kirantukh (Magnar)

PS. Hazel, this note is for you. I will not see your grandfather again in this life but if your travels ever take you east, know that you will always have a friend there.

Hazel read out loud to Oswin and was barely able to finish. Choking back tears, Oswin reached for the letter but instead took her hands and gently patted. “Shhh, shh, now. I always knew he would go back. Be glad Antak is going with him.”

Oswin groped the objects on the table until he found the mug of coffee and lifted it to his lips. “Stop crying, dear. Here, do something to take your mind off of it, go to my room and look in the closet.” He waited a few minutes and listened for Hazel to put down the letter and leave the study. “Do you have it open?”

“Yes, grandpa. What am I looking for?”

“Knock on the floorboards,” answered Oswin.

“What?” Hazel replied as she dropped onto her knees, but she didn’t wait for an answer and began knocking on each plank of wood.

Without a word, Oswin waited for Hazel to find the hidden compartment. It wasn’t long before she exclaimed, “What is this?” There was a sound of wood knocking together and soon Hazel returned to the fire lit room with a long box. “What is this grandpa?”

“Open it,” he replied.

For a few moments Hazel stared at Oswin. He was up to something. Emotional turmoil turned to eager curiosity. Hazel put the wooden box on the floor, undid the latches, and lifted the lid. Inside was a sword, shining as if recently polished. “It’s a sword. Why do you have a sword? And who’s is it?”

 “It is an old family heirloom. The Goddards come from a long line of warriors. Your strange old grandfather decided he liked books more than swords and ruined it.” Oswin chuckled as he spoke, “That is Anmod. It was my father’s sword. I once let Magnar use it. He enjoyed it so much that when he finished with it he immediately gave it back to me and said to never lend it to him again or he wouldn’t be able to give it up.”

Hazel picked up the blade and looked closely at it. “It’s enchanted.”

“Ha!” Oswin exclaimed, “You’re sharp girl! Yes, it is, but it’s not for you.”

She turned the priceless weapon in her hand all the while her eyes never left the blade, “I didn’t think it was grandpa. I’m no warrior.”

“Oh, but you are. You just don’t fight with swords and spears.” Oswin was beaming now. The old man leaned back in his chair and sipped his coffee again. “Now I’m going to say this only once. Are you ready?” Hazel nodded. “Go find Magnar and give him that sword. He is forever emotionally connected to it. You can track him with it easily. I trust you can take care of yourself, too.” Hazel started to protest. “No. No. I can feel it. I know you want to go. I may be blind but I know you care for him and he cares for you too.”

“I can’t possibly leave. Who would take care of you?”

“You don’t think I can take care of myself?” Oswin snapped his fingers and a plate of stew flew to his outstretched hands. “What is there for you in Westhaven? I will not have my granddaughter throwaway years of her life watching me waste away of old age. Go pack your bags. You leave in the morning.”

“But grandfather?!” Hazel was indignant but couldn’t help the excitement from creeping into her voice. She knew once her grandpa decided on something nothing would dissuade him.

“You will leave or I won’t eat. You got that?” Oswin replied crossly.

When Hazel eventually gave in, Oswin leaned back comfortably again. “Now that we got that out of the way, here’s something for you.” Oswin snapped his fingers and a black wooden staff floated over to Hazel from the corner of the study. “This is Daron. Daron protected me on all my adventures, now he will protect you.”

An hour later they finished dinner and Oswin went off to bed. Hazel sat in the study with the two priceless artifacts and looked around the room, spying things she would miss. She was excited, scared, and sad all at once. What will the future hold? Will she ever be back? And would she be ready?” 

With those thoughts running through her head she dozed by the fireside dreaming of adventure.

The Northern Realm Handbook, The Northern Realm Campaign World

Arthur Rackham

 

Valkyrja

Arthur Rackham

Awe inspiring, these tall women bear stern expressions hidden beneath helms of brilliant silver. They have many names, Darra or spear bearers, Rooin the red women, and Veurr, which means protectors. Their presence is unsettling. To meet a vakyrja’s gaze is to lay your mortal doubts before her and have them judged wanting.

Valkyrja are the shield maidens of Alfhildr, goddess of war. Women in ornate armor bearing arms and standing beside the throne of Alfhildr is a favorite scene in Vann artwork. Other popular scenes include valkyrja wearing only a helmet while holding a spear and shield, sometimes walking beside white stags, ghostly images of women riding on the wind, and naked spirits fighting alongside men and women in battle.  

These mighty spirits are said to escort the fallen souls of warriors onto the great ship Orn, which gives passage to Vigjaholl, the halls of waiting. In truth, they are slaves to Alfhildr or at least to her current incarnation. It’s not remembered whether Alfhildr was the first of her name or if she simply took up the mantle after she stabbed the last Alfhildr through the heart. It’s only known that the blood remains, uncongealed, spread across the floor surrounding the throne. This crimson pool leaves no mark on those that pass through it. It serves as a grave reminder and perhaps also a trophy to laud over her slaves.

From her seat in the great hall, this tall and terrible goddess wears the gilded teeth of her predecessor around her neck and commands her slaves to serve the lowly warrior spirits of man like the dishonored wretches they are– until she is slain as well and another amongst the Valkyrja takes up her mantle.

Invincible: A valkyrja can only be killed with a thrust through the heart. Once a vakyrja’s Power drops below half its total, she can no longer lose Power through damage. At this point only a critical hit can slay her.

True Sight (M): Valkyrja are able to see creatures and things as if affected by the True Sight spell.

If you're interested, feel free to check out more creatures in the campaign book: The Northern Realm Campaign World.

Goules

Theodor Kittelson

You’ve heard Northrup’s story about the dead man in the fields. You heard what it did to their cow. If only you had seen it coming. If only this were a nightmare and you could wake up. The sound of something being dragged across the ground ceases, giving way to audible sniffs. Its moon cast shadow now darkens the entryway. Fear bubbles up in your gut. Tightening your grip, your knuckles turn white and crack on the shovel handle. The slender beam of light dividing the vestibule dims as the thing steps into the entryway and then across the threshold. You can see it clearly now, but you are entirely unprepared for what stands before you. You forget the mental image of a corpse. The screamed warnings of your subconscious are drowned in a flurry of emotions. It’s your dead brother, drowned because you could not save him. Suddenly you are filled with crippling sorrow. He has a knife in his hands but by the time he reaches you, you are ready for release…

Goules are walking dead, mindless, tireless, the only remarkable feature of a goule is that it was cursed in life. Its mind has left long ago, but its cursed flesh and hopelessness carries on to spread misery. When a cursed creature dies, its flesh lives on, and its soul remains trapped inside. Only a second death can bring it relief. Goules do not see the world as they did in life, acting on strong negative emotions and a warped hatred for life, happiness, and hope. They appear as a person’s worst fear, but not a common fear like darkness or the unknown, it is a sad fear, a regret. In its presence, this regret blooms into a depressing visage of what could have been. Staring too long drags one into a pit of despair and if that doesn’t kill you, its incredible strength will.

Visage (M): Goules appear different to each person. Those who can see it clearly, see a manifestation of their greatest shame and a fear that what could have been was their only chance at contentment. Only children see a goule for what it truly is. There is no way to resist this effect, but if you spend a Luck point you may act freely for 1d6 rounds, otherwise you are unable to move or act (players may roll an Intuition check, but no matter the result, the character is unable to act unless Luck is spent to make a re-roll). This is a mind-affecting ability.
 
Creatures are still undergoing transformations in ways that hopefully make encounters more varied and interesting. I'm taking the approach that creatures, items, and places are there to inspire story/campaign ideas as much as characters are. If you're interested, feel free to check out more creatures in the campaign book: The Northern Realm Campaign World.
 

Creatures

I finished the conversion. Now its level-less and based on a d6. What's nice is I think the creatures are pretty easy to translate to other systems. I tried to make it so each one gives a unique experience (or at least a flavor). Still, there's more editing to do for the Campaign and Handbook , but I think its really getting to where it needs to be. This one has all the creatures, places, some fables, and a campaign.

Try it out, tell me what you think: The Northern Realm Campaign Book

John Bauer

Dryads

While working to convert the Campaign World book over to the d6 system, I thought I'd make some adjustments to the traditional creatures that I left alone in the original. Here's my attempt at a dryad.

Dryad

Resting beneath the giant oak, I lean back, enjoying the respite from the summer sun. Placing my hands behind my head and reclining against the trunk, slowly I drift off to sleep… I wake in darkness, coughing and sputtering wet earth, gasping for air only to let in more dirt. Choking, head throbbing, I again slip from consciousness, catching glimpses of what appears to be a face nose to nose with me.

Dryads live in the deepest, furthest groves. They live under the roots of great gnarled trees and reach up through the woody earth like hands stretching through prison bars. They’re said to seize resting travelers, drawing them below and leaving them in the dirt to suffocate and fertilize their homes.

Born in a womb of hard earth and dense roots, dryads are strange creatures of wood and shadow. When a dryad leaves her home tree, its roots and trunk part. Under its eaves and the shade of the forest, the dryad is nearly imperceptible, like a dark blotch it can dart across the forest floor unseen.

A dryad only becomes visible in sunlight. Otherwise, it moves like the shadows of swaying tree branches. The only indications of its presence are snaking movements in the shadows where patches of sunlight pierce the canopy of the forest.

Dryads rarely leave the safety of their tree burrow but if ever one leaves and crosses into the sunlight, it becomes wholly visible, appearing like an abstract painting, hard to make out details and brushed with dark hues. Their skin is damp and knotted. If it again slips into the shade, its body melds into the shadows and becomes invisible again.

Edmund Dulac

 

Chapter 1: King Thadar’s Catacombs

Premise: King Thadar’s Catacombs adventure takes our players on a journey from the bustle of Városa to castle Kerthaz, where builders discovered a network of tunnels. The baron of Kerthaz, lord Gabriel, is offering a tenth of what is found in the underground, as a reward to explorers willing to map it. It seems lord Gabriel is unwilling to send anymore of his people down into the tunnels after two groups did not return.

Setting: Vale, the eastern region of Kelet. This colorful region thrives in a hundred dells cut through the Frosthorn Mountains and a wide central valley bisecting the two main Frosthorn ridge-lines. Vale was once the thriving empire of Naerod. The dunaelfen structures built in and around the mountainsides and rivers still survive across Vale. Many Keleti nobles live in usurped Naerodian castles or built on their foundations. Dunaelfen ruins are a prominent feature in the valleys. There are over thirty separate fiefs in Vale. The political climate is volatile, evident by wars and the shifting alliances throughout the region. The king of Kelet has tried everything to pacify Vale short of invasion, but to no avail. The Church of the Three Ladies claims to work against further conflict there, but their strong presence and lack of success suggests otherwise. On the southern edge of Vale, remnants of another sort are present. The remains of thrymm settlements are evident throughout the mountains in that region. It is unclear whether any thrymm tribes remain deep in the mountain gorges, however, thrymm and half-blooded slave soldiers are not uncommon in Vale, especially in the strongholds furthest from Ártér (central Kelet).

Events in the Background: While the adventurers are chatting about travel plans and future wealth, tensions are high in Városa, Kelet’s second largest city. For the first time in centuries there is talk of war. The Veres family does not involve itself directly with the frequent skirmishes in Vale, but times are changing. Members of the Order of the Stars seem everywhere, prominent flags of blue are displayed on every tower, and the only thing anyone seems to talk about other than Kerthaz is which noble is a Green and which is a Blue.

A second background event (perhaps related to the recent ramping of tensions) a visiting noble was murdered in her sleep, the second murder on Alma Hill (an affluent area) in two weeks. Many rumors point to the rebel Berzeg, a thrymm and former slave-soldier.

Resources: I used this map as a stand in for Városa: https://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=19378

Starting Point: We begin at the good ol’ Petty Dwarf, a tavern and hostel known for its atmosphere and size. It’s a week’s travel from Városa to Kerthaz and you know of at least two other groups leaving for Kerthaz tomorrow. You may even meet one on the road (possibly triggering a race to get there first).

Kerthaz: Kerthaz is built on the foundations of an old Naerodian settlement. Few visible ruins of the dunaelfen settlement survive, but underground there is an extensive network of tunnels. The lord of Kerthaz, Gabriel, ordered a survey of the tunnels two years ago, but after this recent discovery surveyors estimate only small portion has been mapped. Kerthaz is a vibrant town, built in the shadow of a large mountain dividing Vale from the ocean. The land around Kerthaz is wide and lush. There are a number of farms and meadows for horses. The castle garrison is largely made up of thrymm and half-blooded slave-soldiers. There are also a number of retired thrymm within Kerthaz, as Lord Gabriel sets a reasonable price for freedom as a means of reward and gaining loyalty. Lord Gabriel is a strong Green noble known for his fair-mindedness. Nearly all the captains of the garrison are members of the church. Knights of the Triad and half-blooded hussars are a regular sight in Kerthaz.

Upon Arrival: You are greeted with wet earth and the smell of putrid runoff. The town is alive with men-at-arms and builders. You immediately notice dozens of green banners displayed on the outer walls. As you approach, guards on high alert stop you. Upon explaining your presence, you are taken to the center of the town where a large man named Dominik greets you. It seems he is the captain of the guard. He gestures towards the nearest structure and curtly explains that the cellar of this building leads to the catacomb entrance and that if you wish access you must leave one item of significance with the guard stationed there (Dominik knows a spell that will reveal the emotional significance of an item). Upon your return, in exchange for the mapped tunnels the item will be returned to you and an armed escort will accompany you to your reward: one tenth of whatever is found.

Resources: I used this map as a stand in for Kerthaz:

https://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=34381

The Dunaelfen Catacombs: The catacombs were once the stronghold of House Vogt. The ruined castle of this vast underground network stands abandoned one mile south of Kerthaz. Rumors of the haunted place blame it for missing travelers and livestock. The catacombs beneath Kerthaz are an extension of the castle tunnels.

Resources: King Thadar’s Catacombs are based on the Labyrinth of Buda Castle in Budapest and the parchment background is from freetextures.com.

The entrance is lit with many torches, but further down it is dark as pitch. The main foyer is marked with the statue of Rorerl I, the first emperor of Naerod. Beyond it, the tunnels begin in earnest.

Print this map and cut it into at least six pieces or keep it digital and add a solid layer over the map that players can erase as it is revealed, but be sure to make it so the players can draw on the map. As the adventurers explore they are mapping. As they enter each area give them a piece of the map. The blank map is missing corridors, dangers, statues, and hidden rooms that can be added to the map as they discover new areas. Once the catacombs are explored in their entirety the map is complete and it can be delivered to Dominik or Lord Gabriel for their reward.

The areas by number:

12. There is a large stone block, out of place and in the center of the hall. The single hewn block appears to have smashed the ground just behind the statue. This is the beginning of a booby-trapped corridor where the wrong step will bring a block down on top of you. There is at least one pool of blood under another fallen block. On closer inspection the blood can’t be older than two days.

1. Here is a shrine to Kazimir the god of violence, sometimes used to ward away thieves or as a warning. This hall is lined with steel posts topped with candelabras. Under the shrine is a hidden vault. Within is Marevecht, a sentient blacksteel sword.

2. Mounds of silver pieces, candlesticks, utensils, and dishware are covered in thick dust and webbing. Giant spiders protect their treasure trove and block the way. There are noticeable skeletons in the webbing.

3. Zisa’s room is a shrine to the stars. She is the goddess of companionship and beauty. This particular room is very tall. 25 ft. up the ceiling glitters with a little light. Huge diamonds stud the distant ceiling.

4. The walls of this room are covered in carved murals, including special stone screens dividing the center of the room. It depicts the Naerodian creation story and all the Naerodian gods, particularly Bogdan, god of fire and craft. His statue is at the center of the room. For interested explorers (with knowledge of giants), it’s curious that the gods strongly resemble giants and even more curious are the depictions of the four-armed servants accompanying them in the foreground.

5. This next room is similar to Bogdan’s chamber. This is the chamber of Milogost, god of the hunt. The murals in this room depict a war. For explorers with knowledge of dunaelfen history, this is one of the great wars between Maetra and Naerod, the two dunaelfen empires. The sandstone statue of a dunaelfen warrior blocks the hall leading to the next room. There are also two other statues in this room. If you attempt to continue on, the statue will come to life and block your path unless a dunaelf is with you or you clothe yourself in dunaelfin garb. If you the statue recognizes you as a dunaelf it will only step aside if you can answer the question of allegiance, "Who is the father of Naerod?" The answer being the first emporer of Naerod, "Rorerl I." If you draw your weapons before answering, all three statues in the room will attack.

6. This is the chamber of Radomil, god of wine and celebrations. There is a fountain here that still flows. If an adventurer tastes the liquid in the pool they will find it tastes like wine. The wine heals the adventurers of 1d6 Life (per day) and intoxicates its drinker. The adventurers may wish to rest, at least until the effects wear off.

7.  This is the Hall of Heroes. Each statue here is of a famous dunaelfen warrior. There is dried blood in this room. Not pooled, but seemingly dragged across the floor. There is a faux wall in the Hall of Heroes that leads to more catacombs and the old ruined castle one mile south of Kerthaz. The area with the blood has a statue of Anselm, a great hero. If the dagger at his hip is pulled it gives way two inches and the faux wall drops. Behind the faux wall is the escaped slave-soldier and rebel Berzeg and three compatriots. These thrymm warriors despise the Greens and work against them. Berzeg will begin as hostile but depending on your allegiances can be talked out of a confrontation. Beyond this room there is an exit to the outside (it exits just outside of Kerthaz) and also the tunnel leading to the ruined castle. Berzeg and company are unwilling to pass through to the castle. They say something haunts it (a wight). (Berzeg’s story continues in chapter 2)

Down an adjacent hall is a shrine to Vesna the goddess of spring and youth. Resting only an hour in this room will heal the adventurers of fatigue and 1d6 Power (per day).

8. The tunnels then narrow. Curiously you pass over mounds of sand into the bottleneck. If you have already fought the sandstone guard statues this will look familiar. The adventurers can only walk one by one through this area. There is a hidden door here. Putting pressure on this portion of the wall will reveal a passageway but beware there is a mad blind minotaur roaming these halls. If the adventurers are too loud the minotaur may burst through the faux wall and attack. How it got here is anyone’s guess, but the nearest room to the hidden door is filled with manure. Continuing on will surely end with confrontation.

Chamber number 8 is the largest area. It is filled with hay (indicating someone has been putting it there). Two large statues of two famous dunaelfen queens act as pillars to the room.

9. The forbidden shrine is only accessible through a hidden door, if one pushes the right stone brick. Inside is a statue of Toth. Toth is not a part of the Naerodian Pantheon. When the Maetrian and Naerodian dunaelfs fought, Toth was divorced from the Naerodian Pantheon. It is now forbidden to worship him. Conversely, the Maetrians worship only Toth. Praying to Toth or resting at his feet will kindle an inner fire and grant the adventurers 1d6 Temporary Life for the remainder of the day.

10. Exiting this area will reveal the slain corpses of an explorer group. They have been gored and trampled. Continuing on is the chamber of Vitomir, god of wisdom. This room has numerous murals. Depictions of tall lithe four armed beings are most prominent in this room. In Vitomir’s hand is a long crystal, which can be broken off or if the right trigger is found, released. The trigger is a hammer at Vitomir's waist. If pulled, the crystal is released. The adventurers may notice the hammer as a tool of Vitomir's brother, Bogdan the god of craft (hinting that it is out of place). If it is released the crystal is revealed as three times as long as was visible. Its purpose is as yet unknown but it gives off a faint light. If it’s broken it no longer gives off light.

11. The final room is the armory. This room is hidden. The secret door leading to it from room 12 cannot be opened from the outside. The ghost builders passing through the walls indicate the presence of the hidden room and a (second) secret door. On close inspection a small hole can be uncovered. About half a foot in is a mechanism that can be pushed to open the door, but if the tumblers lining the inside are even slightly touched a heavy cylindrical mechanism will break off whatever was put inside.

If the door is opened a room lined with shields, suits of armor, and a variety of arms are revealed inside. These items are all expertly crafted. The suits of armor are intended for dunaelfs and will fit a short human, but the arms and shields are sufficient for anyone.

 

This ends Chapter 1. See what's next for you in Chapter 2: War.

 

The Free City Campaign

A few weeks ago I had a conversation with a guy on Reddit about running a city campaign with players that can come in and out of the campaign, and it got me thinking about a campaign we ran for The Northern Realm version 1.

The idea was this:

Set up at least 3 or 4 power groups, maybe even two resistance groups so there's some push and pull in the city. Players can play the groups off each other or secretly be involved with multiple groups or not so secretly, and you could add in players as they meet with each organization. The new players could be either a part of the new organization or contracted by the new organization or somehow involved with them (and the question of allegiances will lend to intrigue).

We did this with my playgroup and even though we only added players one time throughout the campaign, we did add tons of regular NPCs and it was pretty fluid. We had two government groups, one the establishment, the other seemingly 'free-er' rising power that later backstabbed us, a thief group made up of individual cells who also ended up being something other than what they seemed, and a powerful collector with tons of people working for him. Later a few more groups were introduced. I think the important thing is to give the groups a good reason to exist and clear motives. Then essentially you can introduce anyone you want because you could come from so many different angles.

Our GM set the tone within the city when we entered the city gates. The guards were turning people away. They were also rude and combative. If we hadn't name dropped a middle-ranking member of the ruling party we wouldn't have got in. So clearly right off the bat we were set up to feel resentful or at least wary of them. Then it immediately kicked off with us witnessing and stopping a theft as we entered the city. So this became our intro to the collector. We learned from him that the increased security and paranoia at the gate had more to do serial murders happening in the southern quarter by a perpetrator known only as the carver. Rumor had it that the carver was murdering people in the streets and taking one hand of his victims as a trophy. 

Then at some point wandering around the city for the collector caught the attention of the thieves guild who nabbed and interrogated us. I can't remember exactly how we ended up talking to the rival government party but I think we found some old writing and references about something that was haunting our dreams. At any rate, we were involved in a confrontation with them and the ruling party. Then shit got a little crazy as we learned to only trust individuals and not any of the parties jerking us around. I'd really have to write it out in many pages so I'll just end with we were betrayed, one of our NPC party member's mind was assimilated by his brother, who had invaded his mind and was slowly taking him over from day 1, and one of the old gods (vampires) was waking in the burial chambers of the city and attempting to subtly manipulate people within the city to uncover his remains. It got very convoluted but we had a year to go through it. Suffice to say we ended up fleeing the city with his remains.

Best campaign we ever did.

If you want to piece together what we did here's background of the city and conflict:

Free City (City, 113,700): The Free City is one of the largest cities on the continent. It is the oldest human city in Rhen. Thousands of years ago, the still young Nobles gathered the human tribes and taught them building techniques. Under their direction, the immortal Nobles and humans built their capital. This city became the capital of the Noble Dominion and it was named Gorhithe.

When the Noble Dominion fell it was renamed Freorice (which in Ancient Common is Free Realm), and Gorhithe renamed Aerden, the Free City. The peace and jubilation, however, lasted only one short year as the politics of the city again plunged the country into war. And after decades of strife, there was peace again and a king. He named the new kingdom Storgeard. But the king and the aristocracy held power only a short time, until becoming supplanted by the Optimits who then named the land the Free Realm, in honor of history and called the capital simply, the Free City. 

Quickly this ancient city grew under the Optimits, until its population burst the walls. The city expanded to the western banks of the Stor River. Towns grew within view of the city walls. It was not until the bloodless conquest of the Free Realm by United Kelet that the size of the Free City finally contracted. Since then the population of the Free City has decreased, but the towns around it expanded. This has served to enrich the Free Realm. The country prospered as trade passed between the towns. In recent years, the Free City has had a second boom, again rapidly expanding across the Stor River. But a sudden and brief war between the Free Realm and the Grey of Lwydgalon, successfully pushed the expansion to inside the city walls. As a result, the southern half of the city is now overly populated. Crime is very high in this section of the city, but tolerated, as it does not usually spread beyond the south district. The central district is the most affluent in the city, protected by the old walls of Gorhithe, and built on the foundations of its once magnificent citadel. At its center are the Free City Library and the Grand Hall, where the High Council meets. These remarkable structures are visible from all around the city. Affluent denizens of human countries come to the Free City to study the arcane arts. Even the aristocratic families of Kelet are known to send their children to the Free City. It is partly for this reason that the Free City is rich. Tuition for the arcane school in the Free City Library is staggering.

At the present the tense atmosphere within the Free City is palpable. Conflict between the Optimits and Artificers seems inevitable. Rumors of the Havren, a mysterious shadow group has reached more ears than ever before. For the first time in decades the citizens worry about the north section of the city, where a tall stone wall prevents anyone from entering. This section of the city has been off limits for as long as anyone can remember. There is very little in the history books of the Free City Library that describe the city beyond the north walls, either because the records are lost, or the High Council has made it forbidden reading.

The symbol for the Free City is a white chrysanthemum. Symbols and banners of the chrysanthemum are proudly displayed throughout the city. 

The main players:

Artificers: The Artificers are a new group in the Free City founded only fifty years ago. Members of the Free City Library researching new means of tapping into the arcane began organizing as a means of sharing research. What began as an assembly of young wizards quickly became a political movement opposite the Optimits. The Optimits’ oppressive rules restricting access to young wizards to certain wings of the Free City Library caused conflicts that sometimes turned violent. These rules required either the wizard be a staff member (whom are mostly members of the Optimits) or a sworn member of the Optimits in order to gain access to restricted material. Further, the Optimits overt prevention of non-wizards from rising through the social ranks upset the influence of the large craft guilds in the Free City, who had grown wealthy, but remained unable to lobby for favorable policies in the city. With the encroachment of the growing Merchant Guild, members of the craft guilds turned to the Artificers. An alliance of the two groups led to further advances in the Artificer’s political position in the Free City and also led to unique achievements in the study of magic. The insignia for the Artificers is a hammer suspended over an open book.

Optimits:  : The Optimits are a premiere group of wizards that formed long before they took the name Optimit. They once bore the name of Servants, in mockery of the Thegn. The Servants learned under the Nobles, the masters of the Noble Dominion. When the Noble Dominion was overthrown the Servants survived, biding their time until they could revive the organization under a new name. One thousand years later, the goals of the Optimits moved away from serving the Masters to maintaining order. With the rise of the Artificers the challenge of controlling the citizens of the Free Realm becomes increasingly difficult. With the stress of dealing with the Artificers, the increasingly powerful Merchant Guild, and the aristocracy, elements of the Optimits that have not forgotten their loyalty to the long dead Masters are growing more influential. The Optimits have direct control over the Marshals and Constables in rural areas and neighboring towns. Within the Free City the Optimits control security and most Free City Library staff members. The Optimits are constantly at odds with the Artificers; nevertheless, they maintain some amount of influence over them by way of threat of force and by closing certain wings of the Free City Library. The insignia for the Optimits is a chrysanthemum crossed with a sword suspended over a closed book. 

Havren: To hear of the Havren in the Free City is to know them as boogeymen. Stories told to children so that they do not misbehave. Only sometimes are they called crows– an old story for an old name. The crow is their seal. Powerful members of the Optimits know them as so, and guard its secret. Few outside of the Optimits are aware that they truly exist, and even fewer understand their purpose. A secret society, the Havren are an ancient organization that once served under one of the Seven. The Havren exist primarily in the Free City. Seldom, when the need is great, the Havren will send agents beyond the walls of the city. One Havren cell acts as a clandestine Guild of Thieves. The Havren have strange motives and strange magic. Indeed, no books in the Free City Library teach the powers of the Havren.

The Havren have a peculiar and torrid past. They predate the Optimits by hundreds of years, when man still lived in nomadic tribes. The Havren use a mental form of magic. The unique nature of Havren magic makes it difficult to ascertain, thus lending to their secretiveness. The Havren currently act as a balancing lever to the Artificer and Optimit conflict, a role it’s played once before. The Havren’s ultimate goal is not clearly understood by outsiders, even the Optimits. It seems however, that the Havren seek to maintain status quo, but that’s only part of it. Certainly the Havren obstruct change in the Free City, but they also act to keep the old masters of the city from returning, and likewise keep their remains from being destroyed.

The main conflicts:

Plots in the background:  

1. The call of the box hidden in the forbidden north district, inside are the remains of the long dead Master, Valak.

2. The tenuous rivalry between the Artificers and the Optimits.

Plot in the foreground:

1. The One Who is Three:

Every few generations, an individual will come forth bearing the title of Mishha’Hreg. Also called The One Who is Three, it is a being that is created through the fusion of three personalities. The Havren seem contradictory in their expectation that their followers execute the will of the order while they actively recruit individuals who are divergent in their personalities. This contradiction is personified in the creation of the One Who is Three.

The goal is to foster the formation of three distinct individuals whose differences become fully formed in adulthood. These are typically described as the Right Hand of the Will, the Eyes of the Mind and the Name of the First. The Right Hand is an active and direct personality, the Eyes is a perceptive and empathic mind and the Name is obsessive and consuming. However, a mutual affinity must also be formed to facilitate the final step. Once all three reach the height of their personalities and difference, the Name will kill the others and absorb their consciousness. It is in this way that they can form an individual who has lived three different lives through three separate perspectives. The Havren believe that such an individual can lead them through a trying time or bring about a paradigm shift that great events occasionally calls for. However, it is important to note that the Mishha’Hreg would be a single personality without internal conflict. All three lose their distinctiveness and the resulting individual becomes a committed follower and acolyte of the Havren.  

The Name of the First: Éamon, an NPC party member we met mysteriously in the previous town.
The Right Hand of the Will: Jainen, a master thief you meet through the collector
The Eyes of the Mind: Silk, the head of one Havren cell whose front is the thieves' guild.

Éamon joined our party in the previous adventure. Little did we know Éamon's mind housed that of Alaric, Jainen and Silk's brother, whom they had murdered (arguably for good reason) and left for dead in the swamps around Beldonshire (the town we were in). Somehow before his death he had called Éamon a low-level Havren to him and transferred his mind to him. But Éamon resisted and Alaric could only slowly take over his mind, therefore, we the party, didn't realize what was happening until the climax of the campaign. Anyway, with a stranger's face in Éamon and the estrangement of the two brothers Silk and Jainen after the murder of Alaric, we were set up to meet them all one at a time and slowly put puzzle pieces together, leading to an exciting end that took us from the gates of the Free City, to the manor of a friend, then the Free City Library, the south district, sewers, prison cells, and finally to the northern district and the ruins of Gorhithe.


The small plots:  

1.The carver murders (a plot by the Optimits to distract the populace) 

2. The collector and his ties to Jainen the thief.

3. The Palace of Memory, a construct in all Havren's mind (and of particular interest, in Éamon's mind). A linked telepathic spell would gain us entrance into his mind.