11-05-2012, 12:50 PM
Recently (read as yesterday), I received an e-mail and a Facebook message from a Blackmoor fan that just finished running The Redwood Scar for his group. He asked me why the module was left open-ended and what's supposed to happen next in the story. First, I referred him to this message board for some good ideas how to incorporate the module into a longer campaign arc. Second, the questions got me thinking about the old days and what WAS supposed to happen after the Scar exploded.
The Redwood Scar was always meant to be the first in a trilogy of related modules that had to deal with the dual problems of magic and the division of the Cumasti and the Westryn. At the time, I had begun working on the Wizard's Cabal and a few other projects, so the adventure sequel pitches were put on the back burner until those projects were done. Unfortunately, life is what it is and my "real life" took over and I never pitched those sequels before I left ZG and GG. The other two adventures were supposed to be: Fading Memories and Queen of the Damned. Due to last year's major flood, I lost most of my notes and outlines, so unfortunately Fading Memories is exactly that. However, as I was digging through some partially water-logged boxes I did run across the outline for Queen of the Damned.
Here's the basic gist of the whole story arc. (Fading Memories) The players encounter and defeat the Scar in Redwood. When the Scar explodes, a tear in the fabric of reality occurs and the PCs are thrown back in time. Cicatri Vale is smaller, a bit more xenophobic, and none of the residents know who the PCs are. Adventure ensues and the heroes are led on a merry chase to Ringlo Hall. At the Hall, the PCs are put in the middle of a heated debate between two factions of elves: the Cum'alli ("Follow to Father") and many of the Western clans. The debate is over the marriage of a Western clan princess being wed to a human knight of Blackmoor. Hostilities begin to grow and tempers flare as the Princess's father (a member of the Cum'alli) decides the only way to settle the matter is to remove the human without his daughter's knowledge (permanently). The PCs discover the plot and save the lovers, spiriting them away to a stronghold loyal to the Princess. Many of the Western Clans join the princess in this self-exile and the PCs help broker the founding of a new nation built on equality for all species. However, their hard work is torn asunder when an assassin poisons and kills the human knight as he and his elven wife kiss at the end of their wedding ceremony. (Queen of the Damned) All fades into swirling black smoke as the characters are pulled back to the correct time. However, they aren't back in the Redwood, they have traveled hundreds of miles west to the Wilds of Ten. The PCs stand in the midst of a large ruined cathedral. The sky is black and stormy. The view from the shattered windows is that of a great ruined city. The weeping and wailing of a woman can be heard on the wind, cursing the living. The ruined city is that of the Black Queen (the Western Clan princess). She storms in a fury against life, the Gods, her father, her race, and those that failed to keep her "beloved" safe from evil. She unleashes raw magic energies in a tempest every time she weeps. The PCs understand what they must do.... send the Black Queen to her final rest to lie with her murdered human husband.
There's the whole story in a very quick narrative on what the Scar is (the physical manifestation of the Black Queen's raw magical power harming the fabric of reality), how the Westryn and Cumasti became divided, and the origins and finale of the Black Queen. I hope this helps wrap up at least one Blackmoorian mystery. I would have enjoyed creating the rest of the Scar narrative for everyone, nearly a decade ago.
The Redwood Scar was always meant to be the first in a trilogy of related modules that had to deal with the dual problems of magic and the division of the Cumasti and the Westryn. At the time, I had begun working on the Wizard's Cabal and a few other projects, so the adventure sequel pitches were put on the back burner until those projects were done. Unfortunately, life is what it is and my "real life" took over and I never pitched those sequels before I left ZG and GG. The other two adventures were supposed to be: Fading Memories and Queen of the Damned. Due to last year's major flood, I lost most of my notes and outlines, so unfortunately Fading Memories is exactly that. However, as I was digging through some partially water-logged boxes I did run across the outline for Queen of the Damned.
Here's the basic gist of the whole story arc. (Fading Memories) The players encounter and defeat the Scar in Redwood. When the Scar explodes, a tear in the fabric of reality occurs and the PCs are thrown back in time. Cicatri Vale is smaller, a bit more xenophobic, and none of the residents know who the PCs are. Adventure ensues and the heroes are led on a merry chase to Ringlo Hall. At the Hall, the PCs are put in the middle of a heated debate between two factions of elves: the Cum'alli ("Follow to Father") and many of the Western clans. The debate is over the marriage of a Western clan princess being wed to a human knight of Blackmoor. Hostilities begin to grow and tempers flare as the Princess's father (a member of the Cum'alli) decides the only way to settle the matter is to remove the human without his daughter's knowledge (permanently). The PCs discover the plot and save the lovers, spiriting them away to a stronghold loyal to the Princess. Many of the Western Clans join the princess in this self-exile and the PCs help broker the founding of a new nation built on equality for all species. However, their hard work is torn asunder when an assassin poisons and kills the human knight as he and his elven wife kiss at the end of their wedding ceremony. (Queen of the Damned) All fades into swirling black smoke as the characters are pulled back to the correct time. However, they aren't back in the Redwood, they have traveled hundreds of miles west to the Wilds of Ten. The PCs stand in the midst of a large ruined cathedral. The sky is black and stormy. The view from the shattered windows is that of a great ruined city. The weeping and wailing of a woman can be heard on the wind, cursing the living. The ruined city is that of the Black Queen (the Western Clan princess). She storms in a fury against life, the Gods, her father, her race, and those that failed to keep her "beloved" safe from evil. She unleashes raw magic energies in a tempest every time she weeps. The PCs understand what they must do.... send the Black Queen to her final rest to lie with her murdered human husband.
There's the whole story in a very quick narrative on what the Scar is (the physical manifestation of the Black Queen's raw magical power harming the fabric of reality), how the Westryn and Cumasti became divided, and the origins and finale of the Black Queen. I hope this helps wrap up at least one Blackmoorian mystery. I would have enjoyed creating the rest of the Scar narrative for everyone, nearly a decade ago.
Jeffrey Quinn
Writer & Game Designer
Writer & Game Designer
