The Raven's Keep Campaign

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Julian Grimm
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The Raven's Keep Campaign

Post by Julian Grimm »

To start off the only players are my daughter, my wife and my oldest Grimmspawn who comes over once or twice a month. The characters are:

Krishina: Human Rogue (Wife)

Kassandra: Elven Wizard (Wife)

Sheila: Elven Mage-Knight (Homebrew class, Grimmspawn of 6 years)

Emma: 1/2 elf Rogue (Oldest Grimmspawn, Occasional player)

Levels started at first. The opening adventures were forays into the Dark Cahteau. It wasn't my first run there and I changed things due to other players runs. The big thing was the animation of the scare crow and four former adventurers who are now zombies in the attic.

The first games were short runs and ended with the group settling in Edgewood. There were small runs out of Edgewood one to hit a trading company who was secretly attacking rival traders.

This brings us to todays session.

The players had left Edgewood and returned to find that the town had been attacked by goblinkin and livestock, food and a religious relic were stolen. The players signed on to get the relic back but were ambushed by a group of Briarlings ( My own design) and had to retreat.

The sought healing but, the clerics would only heal them if they agreed to get the relic ( They were going to leave town and let it fall to it's fate). The party was going to disagree when another cleric told them of things happening in Little Hillwood and said he would tell others they were the ones that caused it if they didn't go. The party agreed and he gave them a brooch that would shield them from the briarlings one time.

Using this they tracked the goblins to their hide out. It was well guarded and well placed spells allowed them to enter but with a force of goblins on their tails. Barricaded in a room where the goblins were burning the doors down all seemed lost.

Until Sheila noticed a secret door that led to a cavern. They followed a trail in the rocks to an underground river with an ancient dock and rotted boat. Knowing they couldn't go by river they followed the banksand were attacked by giant frogs. The frogs were killed and a ring of protection +1 was found and a wand of magic missles in the frogs nest. They decided to camp there until they knew what they were going to do.

The adventure saw all members go up one level.

In the background the goblins are frantic about their lair being raided as it was a stageing ground for something. The relic is needed for the rights of the autumnal equinox and may bring the town ill luck for the winter.

The party has no clue where the cavern leads.
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Post by Rigon »

Sounds very intersting, JG. Keep posting.

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Post by Julian Grimm »

Thank you. Luckily my players don't come in here so I can fill you in on what goes on behind the screen.

I discovered some maps I had gotten from WOTC way back when. I printed them to use for the beginnings of the dwarf ruins they will find in the cavern. I'm kind of leaning to a Moria type dungeon with differing factions controlling certain areas. It's part of a trilogy of dungeons I want to do based on Middle Earth locations.

Right now I am just prepping the next session will possibly be in a couple weeks.
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Post by Julian Grimm »

We had to hold off on playing lately due to work schedules. In the meantime CZ went into limbo and I decided to reboot the campaign to do some things I wanted to try out.

We had a quick session describing the transition last week. Which went thusly:

The fog around Castle Zagyg expanded to the little hillwood and cut off any chances of going to CZ. In Yggsburgh the party was being attacked at random by assassins hired by those in Edgewood who blamed them for the fog.

At the Green Dragon they were met by a past associate of Kassandra's. An elven wizard named Yslar (Pronounced Ees-lar something she is picky of). Seeing the peril of the group she arranged for passage north to Raven's Keep. The party agreed and left Yggsburgh and the castle behind. Unknown to the players Yggsburgh was just a demiplane. They traveled to the main world to RK. They arrive there tonight.
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Post by Julian Grimm »

The party arrives at Raven's Keep. The first thing they notice is how cold things are. The temperature is in the mid-30's and it is spitting snow. They roll up on the city and notice the stonework has turned black from the weather and soot in the air.

As they approached they saw what looked like a camp around the walls. As the 'camp' came into view they saw it was made up of old siege equipment left behind by invaders who failed to take the city. The city built around it turning this into a frontline of defense.

Entering the dreary city they went to an inn called the Heavenly Hag. A place Krishina knew well from her days in the city. While resting in their room a letter appears with a map to a burned out villa in the city. The only thing written in it was:" Dangerous, but much treasure. Looks like a good way to kill some time, eh? Y."

The party set out to the villa.

Note: there is more but it is late I'll finish this tomorrow.
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Post by Julian Grimm »

Sorry about the delay. Real Life (TM) took over.

Upon approaching the villa Krishina recognized it as a house that used to belong to the Beners family. They were known for their depraved nature and the area around the villa was abandoned due to a not-talked-of incident in the past. The upper floor of the villa had been blown apart and scattered about the abandoned street. Seeing the door was open the party moved into the entryway.

Discovering nothing but a closet with an old hung skeleton and moldy clothes they returned to the entry room and found that a new door had appeared out of nowhere. Taking that door they discovered a study and a desk. Searching the room they found a body slumped at the desk.

Upon further examinationthey noticed three things about the body:

1) it had been there a while.

2) The skull had a large hole in it and the brain was missing.

3) it was wearing a nice brass ring.

Shiela took the ring while Krishina searched the desk and found a +1 dagger with strange engravings on it.

From there they moved to a room with 7 crates in it. The crates were arranged in a seni circle. Krishina went to check them for traps when the busted open and zombies came out of the crates.They retreated to a circular room with no way out and fought the zombies finding little treasure.

Leaving that room they entered a Dining Room. The table was set for dinner and around it was more bodies. The dead were dressed for dinner and all were missing parts of their skulls and brains. Seeing large amounts of silver on the table (dinnerware) the party decided to take as much of it as they could. However, Kassandra detected an unnerveing amount of magic at the table. Thinking there was a trap the party took what they could and ran. As they run Kassandra and Krishina tangled legs and tripped.

Shiela went back for them and noticed the bodies were animating. They fought their way out but once outside the zombies did not follow. The party returned to the Heavenly Hag and tried to make contact with a fence to sell the goods.

Going to their room they found the door open and Yslar standing there. She informed them that there were two books in the villa she wanted and would pay for them. At that she left and Kassandra wondered why Yslar wouldn't go into the villa herself.

The fence came and bought the silver saying he would pay well for more Beners artifacts.

At that we ended the session.
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Post by Julian Grimm »

Some info on where Raven's Keep is located.

I really wanted to run the Haunted Highlands after we abandoned Yggsburgh. However I couldn't find a place there I liked to start and I wanted to wait until I had DB2-4 to really start. So, I sketched a map of the southern ends of the HH map and placed RK on the southern shore of Lake Veyona. I made the lake rather large and if I sketch the area further I have it being as big as one of the Great Lakes.

If I get it finished I'll post the map I made.

For Raven's Keep I was going to use the Erengrad Warhammer map. But I couldn't DL it, for some reason the pic would only load so far and cut off the bottom part of it. If anyone has it and would e-mail it to me I would be grateful. I have to say I love the city maps for Warhammer.

Back on track, I sketched a map for Raven's Keep and am using that. I have to say it was the first city map I have done and like how it is turning out.
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Post by DangerDwarf »

Sounding pretty cool so far JG. Looking forward to hearing more.

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Post by Julian Grimm »

Thanks DD. We've been having fun with this as well. I haven't been this charged over a campaign in a while.
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Post by Julian Grimm »

Finally we got a session up. Some words on the regularity of the campaign:

After some discussion we decided that Saturdays would be a rotating family night. Each week one member of the family votes on what they want to do. I drew the past Saturday so we got C&C. However the next couple weeks belong to Mrs. Grimm and Grimmspawn. I will be lobbying them in true democratic fashion . On to this weeks session.

Awaking at the Heavenly Hag the party hears noises in the street and notices a mercenary company. This has been a common occurance. Most companies are joining across the lake in the north to fight and orcish incursion in the area. They sit to eat and drink and discuss the days business.

Kassandra states she doesn't trust Yslar's motives and doesn't want to go back to the villa at this time. Krishina agrees and tables the idea of searching her out and seeing what Yslar is even doing in the area. Sheila agrees but Kassandra reminds them that Yslar is usually with some questionable company and that it may be difficult at this time to find her.

Krishina looks at the post board where adverts for adventurers are usually kept. They notice some for the northern crusade and for one Southeast of them. Not being interested they also pass on news of people disappearing in the neighborhood of the villa they raided. Then they find one that catches their eye. A simple body recovery from an old mansion a few hours out of the city.

They take the bill to the address of the poster and he informs them that the family mansion fell to ruin as they moved on to build a business empire that collapsed. The last member of the Ortres family says he had enough money left for a comfortable retirement and to build a mausoleum for the family. His father being the only one left to be interred besides himself. Krishina can't help but notice things do not add up with the story but doesn't press the issue. The party agrees and buys horses to ride out to the ruined mansion.

What they find is little more than a shack that has collapsed in on itself except for the first floor. Suspicious they decided to move on anyway. Entering the shack they disarm a trap and move to the entry room. They notice that in it's day this place must have been grander than it looks. But they observations are cut short when they are attacked.

The attackers come out of the shadows trying to butt them with heads that look like goats. Shaken the fight continues but Kassandra and Krishina are stunned by their attackers leaving Sheila only standing to fight. Kassandra recovers quickly but Krishina is stunned badly and is hit in the head by a mace knocking her to the ground.

Thinking fast Kassandra makes use of her mount spell summoning a horse into the room. she mounts it and proceeds to attack from horseback. Krishina however, is somehow just dodging the deathblows the creature is trying to lay on her. Sheila finishes off two of the creatures and casts magic missle at the one attacking Krishina to draw it off.

Kassndra sees one creature flee and follows it on her horse but overshoots allowing the creature to knock the horse from under her. However the lucky daisy-eater gets a shot in killing her attacker. Krishina recovers and finishes off her attacker and Sheila drops two more. The battle over the party notices ravens have gathered in the beams of the long lost roof making calls to each other.

Looking around the room the begin to wonder if there is a body here at all. But continue on to another door. Krishina notices that there are noises from the other side and they prepare an ambush. Kicking the door in they surprise two bugbears and with proper use of Grease and Sleep spells finish them off quickly.

They find a chest with much treasure and a secret door that leads to the crypts. In the crypts they notice that they were built more ornate than most crypts. They also notice a statue of an obscure death god pointing to one hallway. They try to follow his point but Kassandra is overcome by fear of the statue and will not pass it.

She looks it over and discovers a spell wrapped in the statue that she cannot identify. Seeing this the party decided to leave and return with a cleric later. And to find out what the deal is with the mansion. Returing to Raven's Keep they divide the treasure and rest.

Wrap up:

I was pleased. They players are showing some imagination and resourcefulness on their end. I also am liking the houserules I have adpoted. The 100xp/HD one works well for levelling on infrequent play. Kassandra gained a level from this.

Also my Goatmen conversion from the Diablo II books are working. The adventure was an altered Ghastly Villa which can be found on the C&Cplayer.net website. (Check links thread for address) It is an awesome adventure that dates back to the release of C&C.

Until next time...
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Post by Julian Grimm »

Even though we're not playing I thought I would add some back story to the overall setting.

The Raven's Keep area as well as the Haunter Highlands area have been inserted into Airdhe. However, it is not in the Cradle of the World. I have place RK on the southern edge of Lake Vanhir and the Haunted Highlands on the norther edge of the same lake. These areas saw a different Winter Dark than the CotW. This area was ruled by a Witch-King that was a governor of sorts placed by Unklar.

The fight here was mainly with the Witch-King Azarik and his forces. After the fall of Unklar, Azarik still ruled for some time until he was dethroned. The war and fighting after has depressed and ruined the area. It has also opened the area up to the invasion of Karbosk and fighting for control of the lake area.
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Post by Julian Grimm »

First game of the year...total disaster. After working for two weeks on a good plot and getting it ready it falls apart with one player not knowing what to do, the other not paying attention and phone calls out the ass.

Campaign goes to the workbench for massive retooling.
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Post by DangerDwarf »

Doh!

Well hopefully you'll be able to get it rolling again fairly soon.

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Post by Buttmonkey »

That sucks. Phones are the Devil. As are inattentive players.
tylermo wrote:Your efforts are greatly appreciated, Buttmonkey. Can't believe I said that with a straight face.

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Post by Julian Grimm »

We're somewhat back on track now. I decided just to run Keep on the Borderlands and not add too much else. I think I went too far for the skill level of the players.

That said I am going to cut back most of the other world references and keep Raven's Keep as part of a world of my design and go from there.
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