FXR's New Heroes of Blackmoor

[FXR]

I was longing to run a D&D campaign and I’ve managed to convince my group to play a Castles & Crusades game set in Blackmoor, which I chose because my players didn’t know anything about it and there were some cool ideas.

I was happy to find this forum and profit from the wealth of information you guys share with each other.

So I tought I’d tell you about my campaign and the changes I have made.

Background

When the Sar-Aigu rose from the depths of the ocean and set foot on Blackmoor, they decided to ask an unknown deity what would be the future. They saw three things:

- magic turning on itself (the Mage Wars and the Egg of Coot);
- the death of life, plunged into a deep crater filled with fire (the Well of Souls)
- a meteor falling, followed by a great rain of fire (the arrival of the Beagle followed by the apocalypse brought by technology recovered from the ship).

The Sar-Aigu were scared and retreated to the sea, never to be heard of. Except for one thing: they left a memento or a warning of some sort. They wrote about their visions in their primitive writing on the skin of a great primitive reptile and left it laying on the ground.

Many years ago, a fisherman found the skin and sold it to a sage who spent his life trying to understand the mysterious, progressively becoming insane as he deciphered the strange writings on the skin. The sage was seen as a saint of some sort by some around him and a cult rose. Unfortunately, their activities were put to an end when they succumbed to infighting and cannibalism.

Many years later, in 1030, the Egg of Coot strikes again, except that, this time, he plans better and decides to corrupt certain key individuals, including a Cabal inquisitor.

One of their first target of the inquisitor is a wokan, a former lover of Skelder Ard and the only person in the world which know he has become the Egg of Coot.

The campaign will start as the Inquisitor finally captures the wokan and, despite orders to the contrary, refuses to send her to Vestfold for interrogation.

[Havard]

Hello FXR!

Welcome to The Comeback Inn!


Thanks for sharing these ideas from your campaign. I love the idea of old Sar Aigu prophecies warning about future dangers.

This corrupted Wokan character sounds like an interesting villain!

Did you make any rules adaptations for using Blackmoor with C&C?

-Havard

[FXR]

Thank you for your kind words.

As for rules, I tried to keep things simple, according to the C&C philosophy, but I had to adapt a few things regarding character races.

- Both docrae and halflings are mechanically identical to C&C halflings;
- Cumasti and Westryn elves are mechanically identical to C&C elves;
- High Thonians are treated as C&C humans, except they must choose Charisma, Intelligence or both as prime attributes. They start the game with 5d4x10 extra gold pieces;
- Thonians are treated as C&C humans;
- Peshwah have two Prime attributes (unlike other humans who have three). Like some half-elves, they have an intermediate attribute. They do not suffer the penalty associated with fighting horsemounted and start the game with a steppe charger.[/list]

That being said, I'll go back to the campaign.

While the wokan isn't exactly a pleasant person, she is not really a villain. In fact, as the game start she isn't a credible threat even for low-level PCs. The real threat is the corrupted inquisitor (at least for the first scenario or so).

However, the wokan is connected to at least two of the PCs:

- one of the PCs is, unknown to him, a cave bear or a sabertooth tiger (I'm not sure, yet) she polymorphed into a human with the aid of a magical device. Basically, the bear was a cub whose mother was killed by the local lord for sport. The wokan, using a few threat, convinced the local lord to act as a godfather for the cub which she polymorphed into a human child, crafting a magical device for this purpose. However, she had absolutely not planned that the bear turned into a human would develop a soul and become a paladin of the High Thonian Church. In fact, a few priests of Odir are surprised and question their god's decision to welcome a bear as a paladin ;

- the other PC is - or was a powerful inquisitor. Unfortunately, during the battle with the Wokan, she cursed him "you who tries to rob me of my future, I rob you of your past". He forgot almost everything he knew. He starts the game as a low-level wizard, with a spell focus and no knowledge of his past. During the game, he'll get occasional flashbacks about his pasts. Perhaps, he'll even find his own tower one day!

[Havard]

Thank you for your kind words.

As for rules, I tried to keep things simple, according to the C&C philosophy, but I had to adapt a few things regarding character races.

- Both docrae and halflings are mechanically identical to C&C halflings;
- Cumasti and Westryn elves are mechanically identical to C&C elves;
- High Thonians are treated as C&C humans, except they must choose Charisma, Intelligence or both as prime attributes. They start the game with 5d4x10 extra gold pieces;
- Thonians are treated as C&C humans;
- Peshwah have two Prime attributes (unlike other humans who have three). Like some half-elves, they have an intermediate attribute. They do not suffer the penalty associated with fighting horsemounted and start the game with a steppe charger.[/list]

Sounds like a fairly good start. Keeping it simple makes sense too. I started a thread about C&C and Blackmoor here.

That being said, I'll go back to the campaign.

While the wokan isn't exactly a pleasant person, she is not really a villain. In fact, as the game start she isn't a credible threat even for low-level PCs. The real threat is the corrupted inquisitor (at least for the first scenario or so).

Cool, I like it when things aren't strictly black & white. Do you have any more details on this inquisitor guy? The Cabal Inquisitors do not seem to be very nice people in the first place. Which inquisitors are? I am tempted to giving the inquisitors red robes and large hats, but I fear this could result in too many in-jokes...

However, the wokan is connected to at least two of the PCs:

- one of the PCs is, unknown to him, a cave bear or a sabertooth tiger (I'm not sure, yet) she polymorphed into a human with the aid of a magical device. Basically, the bear was a cub whose mother was killed by the local lord for sport. The wokan, using a few threat, convinced the local lord to act as a godfather for the cub which she polymorphed into a human child, crafting a magical device for this purpose. However, she had absolutely not planned that the bear turned into a human would develop a soul and become a paladin of the High Thonian Church. In fact, a few priests of Odir are surprised and question their god's decision to welcome a bear as a paladin ;

Interesting! I have heard of humans being turned into animals and slowly loosing their intelligences (in games), but never of animals turning into humans. One of the campaigns played here, the LFC did feature Bear-men called Ursai, but that is not strictly the same thing....

- the other PC is - or was a powerful inquisitor. Unfortunately, during the battle with the Wokan, she cursed him "you who tries to rob me of my future, I rob you of your past". He forgot almost everything he knew. He starts the game as a low-level wizard, with a spell focus and no knowledge of his past. During the game, he'll get occasional flashbacks about his pasts. Perhaps, he'll even find his own tower one day!

Interesting! Love this backstory. Was the wizard from Blackmoor or some other land? if he was from Blackmoor, would he not risk running into old friends (or enemies)?

-Havard

[FXR]

Cool, I like it when things aren't strictly black & white. Do you have any more details on this inquisitor guy? The Cabal Inquisitors do not seem to be very nice people in the first place. Which inquisitors are? I am tempted to giving the inquisitors red robes and large hats, but I fear this could result in too many in-jokes... :

In my Blackmoor, the Cabal, while dedicated to its mission, is not as evil or ruthless as it portrayed in the d20 books.

Inquisitors dress as they wish and carry patent letters attesting their quality. While the Cabal really believes that rogue sorcerers are a danger – which they are – Cabalists prefer sorcerers to abandon wild magic and convert, only killing their opponents when necessary.

Most inquisitors are careful not to abuse their powers and act honorably, being careful of attempt to manipulate them by petty nobles or rival magic-users.

Now, our corrupt inquisitor is a thrall of the Egg of Coot, which is, as I written earlier, the now-insane Skelfer who wants to extinguish magic from Blackmoor, believing it to be the source of all evil.

I took a page out of your excellent Vale campaign (I'd like to see your DM notes one day) and decided the inquisitor would be fascinated with knowledge and power to defeat sorcerers. The Egg of Coot offered him both and the opportunity to run grisly experiments on gnomes and dwarves in a secret keep in the Stormkiller Mountains.

Of course, other thralls help him, including a minor thonian noble, a band of orcs led by a balebourn orc and a few gnomes of ill-repute.

As for the wizard, he’s clearly from Blackmoor. In fact, all PCs come from Blackmoor or lands adjacent to it (Duchy of Ten, Duchy of the Peaks, Plains of Hak, etc.). It is indeed quite possible he will run people who knew him, both opponents and allies, in fact, this is expected, as it will let him learn about his past and regain some of his memories.

However, he won’t recognize any of them and some may not recognize him as he now appears thirty years younger.

[FXR]

The player characters

- Balder Wilde, a High Thonian wizard and member in good standing of the Wizards' Cabal. He is the apprentice of dwarven inquisitor Feorz Korrun
- Baldwin Stormkiller, a "High Thonian" paladin from the High Thonian Church, actually a polymorphed bear.
- Mirko, a "Thonian" psionic, actually a runaway medic from the USS Beagle.
- Peshwan na Dirga, a Peshwan ranger.

Session 1

Having saved a local child from wandering orcs, the Peshwan na Dirga stays in Lyamford Keep, a small fief between Williamsfort and the Stormkiller mountains. He notices a very familiar tapestry in a hall. Indeed, he and his estranged wife had the same tapestry back home. Also there is Baldwin, who was raised by the local lord, Arthur Lyamford as companion of his own son, Osric Lyamford.

They, along Mirko, who stays near the Keep in a wooden lodge and pretends to be a weird hermit and herbalist, hear terrifying howls in the darkness, followed by a woman's screams. Dirga and Osric keep their cool and manage to open the game to a critically wounded woman who flees the creatures. These creatures seem to be hounds made of shadows. They do not enter the keep and keep barking outside. Mirko notices a stranged silhouette observing the scene on a nearby hill. When the howls cease, he runs toward the castle.

Baldwin, Mirko and the Lyamford are surprised to see that the woman, who bears critical wounds, is Rowena, a local witch (wokan) of much power who simply asks to meet lord Lyamford in private. Baldwin senses that her injurires are not only physical but of a psychic nature. Despite his plea, Lord Lyamford refuse to see her.

On the morning after, a delegation from the Cabal, including inquisitors Caliburn Redwind and Feorz Korrun, wizard Balder Wilde and two arcane warriors requests or, more precisely, orders that Rowena be given in its custody, explaining that evidence shows that she is responsible for the murder of Lord Lyamford's daughter, who disappeared two weeks ago.

Despite the fact that he seems to be absolutely non convinced, Lord Lyamford complies, explaining that since the local area is dangerous, he will provide an escort to the Cabal and asks the PCs and his son Osric to act as such. Baldwin notice the glowing blue eyes of inquisitor Redwind when the later addresses him, threatening to arrest him also if he does something stupid.

The party follows the trail in silence, but when it nears the road which leads to Vestford, inquisitor Redwind, who leads the group, takes another way. Inquisitor Feorz Korrun voices physically his disagreement, but his colleague who treacherously strikes him with his sword, sending the dwarf on the ground. The situation gets extremely sense, as each one readies his weapons, and danger abounds as ranger Peshwan na Dirga notices the dark figures of orcs approaching the group from the surrounding hills.

Inquisitor Redwind manages to flee with the captured wokan, while his arcane warriors cover his rears and the orcs charge. A spell casted by the rogue inquisitor transforms Baldwin into a cave bear (i.e. he used dispel magic on Baldwin), while the dying Korrun whispers to the hear of his apprentice, Balder, the words "traitor" and "Coot". The orcs are routed, especially when the dwarf casts his last spell, exploding into a ball of fire and sending the orcs to whatever hell awaits them.

The PC try to trail Redwind but fail, as the moutains pass. A trapper encountered near the Stormkiller Mountains warn them of the increasing presence of beastmen in the area.

The PCs decides to ride back to Lyamford. When they arrive, they see that the village is being attacked by orcs and a hill giant. Clearly the foul creatures are searching for something.

[FXR]

Session 2

The PCs quickly act, the paladin Baldwin and his friend Osric act as some sort of arrière-garde to let the remaining villagers flee to the safety of the keep, while Baldur, Mirko and Driga ride to the keep, under a misty cover conjured by Baldur's familial, a haughty pseudodragon named Magnus.

Mirko and Baldur move toward the top of the keep, to use their powers on the hill giant, which they see as the main threat. Driga, believing that the orks are after the mysterious tapestry, goes to the hall where it is located.

Mirko, being a traveller, is completely unusued to medieval warfare and even his trusty grenade fails to do much. Baldur's magic missile and acid arrows end up much more efficient, like his sleep spell. Osric and Baldwin manage to deal killing blows to the hill giant. With minimal damage on the side of the defenders, the orks decide to retreat.

Meanwhile, Driga's intuition has proven just. A group of humans, probably bandits, have entered the keep and are sneaking toward the tapestr. Quickly, Driga rushes to erect a barricade made from a dinner table, chairs, logs, well, anything that falls under his hand. One of the bandit drinks a potion and become gaseous, only materializing next to the tapestry. Unfortunately for him, he is critically wounded by the Peshwa's arrows, before fleeing. The other bandits are cut down by Mirko, who was looking for his ranger friend.

A bandit is interrogated by Mirko and Baldur. He explains that his band has no dealing with the orks, but that is leader, Jameson, took his order from a "strange young lady". The bandit gives a physical description of this lady. It mathches that of Lyanna Lyamford, the daughter of Lord Lyamford who was rumored to have disappear or, according to inquisitor Redwind, killed by Roweena.

Baldur manages to get further information from Arthur Lyamford about Baldwin, understanding the paladin's true nature (a polymorphed bear).

The PCs rest at the keep. The night is unventful, save for Mirko who is contacted/threatened by the Egg of Coot who offers him a way to deal with magic. Mirko manage to wake up, screaming. The PCs leave at sunrise toward the bandit camp, where they see Lyanna Lyamford, who manage to flee throught the woods. The PCs make quick work of the bandits, killing Jameson and loot the place. Driga can easily trail Lyanna... the trail leads to the Stormkiller Mountains and a sense of dread invades the characters as they arrive next to a desolate valley, full of sunbleached bones. A tower rises in the center and strange flying reptiles (pterodactyls) fly around.

The characters retreat and spend a (surprisingly unventful) night in the woods to rest. On the morning, they see a group of orks holding gnomish and dwarvish prisonners entering the tower, after using the large bronze door knocker.

[Havard]

Thanks for posting these FXR! I love reading about other Blackmoor Campaigns.

Some comments and questions:

In my Blackmoor, the Cabal, while dedicated to its mission, is not as evil or ruthless as it portrayed in the d20 books.

Inquisitors dress as they wish and carry patent letters attesting their quality. While the Cabal really believes that rogue sorcerers are a danger – which they are – Cabalists prefer sorcerers to abandon wild magic and convert, only killing their opponents when necessary.

Most inquisitors are careful not to abuse their powers and act honorably, being careful of attempt to manipulate them by petty nobles or rival magic-users.

Sounds interesting. I am not sure that I'd call the d20 version of the Cabal evil, but certainly ruthless. I like that you have a different way of using them in your campaign though!

Now, our corrupt inquisitor is a thrall of the Egg of Coot, which is, as I written earlier, the now-insane Skelfer who wants to extinguish magic from Blackmoor, believing it to be the source of all evil.

This is a really cool twist. A good way of using the background material introduced in the d20 line.

I took a page out of your excellent Vale campaign (I'd like to see your DM notes one day) and decided the inquisitor would be fascinated with knowledge and power to defeat sorcerers. The Egg of Coot offered him both and the opportunity to run grisly experiments on gnomes and dwarves in a secret keep in the Stormkiller Mountains.

Of course, other thralls help him, including a minor thonian noble, a band of orcs led by a balebourn orc and a few gnomes of ill-repute.

Thanks man! I have just started up the 3rd chapter of the campaign so I'm afraid sharing notes will have to wait a little yet. Sounds like we have similar ideas going on here though. Quite interesting!

As for the wizard, he’s clearly from Blackmoor. In fact, all PCs come from Blackmoor or lands adjacent to it (Duchy of Ten, Duchy of the Peaks, Plains of Hak, etc.). It is indeed quite possible he will run people who knew him, both opponents and allies, in fact, this is expected, as it will let him learn about his past and regain some of his memories.

However, he won’t recognize any of them and some may not recognize him as he now appears thirty years younger.

This is a clever plot device! I wonder how this is going to develop. I could see some opportunities to tease some of the players with moments of "familiarity" here.

-Havard

[FXR]

This is a clever plot device! I wonder how this is going to develop. I could see some opportunities to tease some of the players with moments of "familiarity" here.

-Havard

Unfortunately, after some thought, the player and I decided to scrap that idea. It was too difficult to implement correctly.

We're playing tomorrow and the characters will storm Inquisitor Redwind's tower.

FXR

[FXR]

Session 3

The characters wait, wondering if attacking a tower full of orks and servants of Coot, is the wisest move. Finally, Lyanne Lyamford exists the tower and rides her horse away from the valley. The PCs give chase, but none of them can catch up with the young woman. The PCs decide that what's in the tower is more important than tracking Ms. Lyamford, at least for now.

The characters face many dangers such as a drunken ogre (who is made drunker still by a gift of a nice whiskey bottle by Baldur Wilde), a trapped treasure chamber, a ghost naga guarding a library, a minotaur geoler and an allip. They find a few friends in the person of several dwarves which they free from their cells. Through their exploration of the tower, they learn of the following:

- Caliburn Redwind was vivisecting dwarves and gnomes to figure out the secret of their magical resistance or abilities ;
- The tapestry, when in contact with a magical platinum needle, show the way to the city of the keepers of the lore of the Ancients;
- A people named The Ancients came either from the stars or from the abyssal depths of the ocean and served a being of great power.
- The Ancients saw three visions of the future and decided to leave forever, plunging into the sea.

Fortunately, they also find the platinum needle, much gold, but not much anything.

The PCs fight Caliburn Redwind and his balebourne orc lieutenant on the top of the towers, along with the dwarves and the three remaining pterodactyls, for good measure. It is a tough fight, Baldwin and Mirko go down and so does a dwarf. Baldur is grievously wounded. The orc is killed by the remaining dwarves and Redwind manage to fly away. The PCs flee from the winged beasts.

The PCs rest in Redwind's chamber. Unbeknown to them, the ogres and orcs fight one another, each blaming the other on the fact that none of their masters have shown themselves.

The PCs can safely exist the tower, using the bodies of dead orcs and ogres as bait for the pterodactyls. They stop by at a local mine operated by a gnome and several dwarves, killing the giant spider that had claim a part of the mine as its territory.

Finally, they can use the platinum needle on the tapestry in Lyamford Keep. The geometric figures on the tapestry rearrange their shape to form a map of the North and show, as a star, a location near modern-day Archlis.