The Widowed
05-30-2007, 12:13 AM
How does a dungeon raid look from the monster's point of view?
As you know from this thread (http://www.cohguru.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10521), D&D3 won in the polls. So that's what we'll be going with. I actually do listen to the polls I set up, you see. :)
Why did I allow this thread (http://www.cohguru.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10118) to wither away, you ask? Because as we went along, I realized that the "farce"--as driven by certain players and myself--was looking less and less like a mockery and more and more like an actual game. And, I figured, if we were devoting that much mental energy into what was in essence a numberless shadow of a game, well, why not take the next step? A more organized system would nudge out the goofballs who kept jumping in with posts like "I chuck a Meteor Shower down Krypto's pants"...which can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it. :think:
Hence, My Pet Dungeon.
This is a D&D3 campaign which I brewed up years ago as the bastard spawn of D&D and Dungeon Keeper 2. As you might expect, the premise was that the players would be playing a band of exceptionally proficient creatures from races normally recognized as the monsters and antagonists of D&D, charged with the task of expanding their dungeon, gathering more monsters to populate said dungeon, raiding caravans, other dungeons and the occasional village for treasure and supplies, defending their dungeon from intruding parties of adventurers, et cetera...whatever it takes to rise in proficiency as champions of evil and see their dungeon evolve from a cast-off nest of tunnels to the next Temple of Elemental Evil.
Happily, the Dungeon Master's Guide has rules for running such races as player characters, so this campaign would indeed be possible. My players looked over the map and picked Batterslea Abbey for their proving ground, Ben rolled up his Yuan-Ti barbarian, Cat rolled up her Yuan-Ti sorceress, Ken rolled up his harpy rogue and...well, we never got together for our first game. So it goes, so it goes. :(
Now I finally get a chance to run the My Pet Dungeon campaign. Cool, huh? It's not the same feel as tabletop, sure, but as that farce proved, internet games can still be pretty nifty. :cool:
http://coh.tritonius.com/MyPetDungeonContinentSm.jpg (http://coh.tritonius.com/MyPetDungeonContinent.jpg)
(Clickie.)
I'm thinking of redoing the map, now that my Campaign Cartographer skills have improved over the last X years. The general locations shouldn't change much--if any--so for now, the first choice: Choose your real estate.
(All player characters begin with a total of five Levels and/or Hit Dice unless otherwise noted (to adjust for the expected difficulty of a particular dungeon). Alignment restrictions to certain Classes still apply; If a certain dungeon forbids Lawful characters, for example, then it stands to reason that no one will be playing Paladins or Monks.)
The Ainsley Crypts
History: These are the burial vaults of the once-proud House of Ainsley and all who served them before all of those resident to Ainsley Manor were slain by plundering marauders during the Imperial Civil War. Lord Darrovan Ainsley, the family patriarch and the fallen lord of the crypts, holds the living Ainsleys in fear and swears vengeance against the aristocracy for abandoning him and his kindred to their fate so many years ago.
Liege: Darrovan Ainsley (unique undead, Tyrant)
Acceptable Races (all Undead are Human Undead): Ghoul, Ghast, enhanced Skeleton, enhanced Zombie, Vampire, Human (as Necromancer), Half-Elf (as Necromancer), Drow Elf (as Necromancer).
Acceptable Classes: Bard, Cleric, Fighter, Rogue, Sorcerer, Wizard (normal or Necromancer specialist). Empowered Zombies and Skeletons cannot be spellcasters (but are good as Fighters and Rogues, respectively).
Acceptable Alignments: Any Evil.
Available Resources: Fair. Forest, nearby village (formerly ruled by the House of Ainsley, now living in fear of them), small trade route.
Beginning Wealth: Good (minor noble family). Roughly 300 gold/level (including starting gear) if related by Ainsley blood, 200 gold/level if not a blood relative. Of course, the prosperity of House Ainsley was even greater before the brigand hordes came....
Chances of Being Raided: Moderate. The Ainsley lands are largely abandoned and desolate since the fall of the star-crossed House. Raids will consist mainly of treasure hunters, commoners who have tired of living under the Ainsley menace and driven parties of clerics, paladins, druids, necromancers and/or blackguards looking to vaquish or enslave the undead hosts.
Other Notes: The underlying theme of this dungeon is that blood is thicker than water, even if that blood lies cold and festering inside lifeless veins. All player characters are expected to be either the Ainsley clan's family members, closest friends or servants, bound to the estate in undeath just as they were in life. Any necromancers may instead be allies gathered by the Ainsleys sometime after the disaster, if so desired.
The catch? Even though those of Ainsley blood receive more starting wealth and prestige, their wills may be dominated at any time by Lord Ainsley if he ever finds their course of action a bit too disagreeable. Outsiders enjoy more autonomy; Indeed, Ainsley characters may be forced to deal with outsiders and ask them to perform certain crucial tasks which otherwise would never be executed without Lord Ainsley's express permission (which is to say that these tasks might otherwise never be performed at all). Lord Ainsley, wicked though he may be, is driven by his love and loyalty towards his family yet can still be quite the heavy-handed authoritarian when it comes to pulling strings.
Al Arvoqaz
History: Long ago, this mystic city in the desert only appeared for one year every century before fading away with the swirling sands. For this century, that year has come again. One curious sorcerer ventured barely ten paces through this lost city's gates before racing madly back to civilization, babbling about "powerful forces acting from below".
Liege: None.
Acceptable Races: Azer, Devil (Imp), Janni, Mephit (Dust, Salt, Fire), Mummy (Human, Dwarf or Half-Orc).
Acceptable Classes: Any
Acceptable Alignments: Any non-Good
Beginning Level: 4
Available Resources: Poor. Sandy desert.
Beginning Wealth: Poor (remote location, suspended in time; the people of Al Arvoqaz were punished for their greed and selfishness and stripped of their great wealth and lush lands as part of the curse). 50 gold/level + an allowance of magic potions, stones, dusts or powders, which are more common in Al Arvoqaz.
Chances of Being Raided: Very Low. Frequent sandstorms across the Khadagar Desert deter any travel to or from Al Arvoqaz, and adventurers are more likely to stumble across the cursed city by accident while horribly lost. Wizards, sorcerers, bards and other types possessed of intellect or wanderlust, however, may be attracted by rumors of the anomalous and enchanted city.
Other Notes: This is a safe, easy dungeon to work with (provided the characters beef up travel-friendly Skills such as Intuit Direction), but its remote location and few resources will work against the characters as well. And remember: The characters only have one year to fortify their dungeon and find a way to break the curse which enshrouds Al Arvoqaz, lest the city be drawn into the mists of time for yet another century...
Batterslea Abbey
History: This once-grand temple of Heironeous, founded on the birthplace of a Heironean saint, was mightily assailed and toppled by a vindictive cult of Hextor worshippers. Over the next 30 years, control of the hotly contested temple veered back and forth between the warring Heironeans and the Hextorites, leaving the temple purified and defiled in turns as each side raided and seized what they believe to be rightfully theirs. But then one day, the surviving band of Hextorite clerics and warriors--still wounded, decimated and weary from their latest victory over the followers of Heironeous--turned to face the mountains and watched despairingly as an overwhelming army of mercenaries bound in service to neither Hextor nor Heironeous swarmed down the hills onto them....
Liege: Pernicia (uncertain race, Recluse)
Acceptable Races: Orc, Half-Orc, Harpy, Half-Fiend, Lizardfolk, Minotaur, Ogre, Tiefling, Vampire (Human, Elf or Sylvan), Yuan-Ti (Pureblood or Halfblood)
Acceptable Classes: Any
Restricted Classes: Monk (one per party), Wizard (one per party)
Acceptable Alignments: Any non-Lawful, any non-Good.
Beginning Level: 6
Available Resources: Good. Forestland, fertile hills and plains, light mountains. Land immediately around the abbey, however, is blasted, blighted and barren from the continuing holy/unholy war.
Beginning Wealth: Fair (Temple coffers and trappings have been plundered or destroyed time and time again, only to be replaced or replenished by the conquerors). 200 gold/level; Holy and unholy weapons are more common.
Chances of Being Raided: Very High. Neither the Heironeans nor the Hextorites will sit still while a band of thugs, mercenaries and renegades infests "their" temple. Expect frequent visits from zealous paladins, blackguards and clerics along with the usual parties of treasure hunters.
Other Notes: The players can take one of two approaches with this occupation: Either allow their band of mercenaries to remain a band of ragtag mercenaries (which will sufficiently anger the two opposing factions at the thought of such "godless fools" squatting in their temple and letting its divine properties go to waste) or instead advance the cause of a third god and attempt to convert the abbey to that god's name, elevating the heated religious war even further; The contested ground has earned the attentions of more gods than Heironeous and Hextor, and certainly gods such as Gruumsh and Vecna would bestow their favor unto such a daring band of champions, should they succeed in bringing Batterslea Abbey to heel....
The brigand leader Pernicia keeps her head and body entirely shrouded, save for her hands; The sorceress' race remains unknown, but the constant writhing beneath the hood where her scalp should be may offer a clue to her heritage. She claims to favor the location of Batterslea Abbey because it allows her to keep an eye on Baron Stang and his domain, but she fends off all questions concerning her rivalry with the dread nobleman.
Harhagg's Cove
History: Once this cove was a teeming pirate den with secret rooms and tunnels both above ground and underwater. Now, as more and more pirates have fallen to the Navy of Konegheim, Harhagg's Cove has fallen into recession and decline, sparsely populated by seaborne creatures and nomadic raiders. While these folk are content to leave each other alone, one hag claims to have foreseen a great pirate lord coming to unite them....
Liege: None.
Acceptable Races: Elf (Aquatic or other), Gnome, Gnoll, Hag (Sea), Halfling, Half-Elf, Half-Orc, Human, Kuo-Toa, Lizardfolk, Locathah, Mephit (Ooze or Water), Orc, Sahuagin, Skum, Sprite (Nixie), Triton.
Acceptable Classes: Bard, Fighter, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer.
Restricted Classes: Cleric or Druid (1 per party, not both)
Acceptable Alignments: Any non-Lawful. Non-Good preferred.
Available Resources: Very good. Light mountains, forest, deep sea and ocean, treacherous straits and frequent shipwrecks, gambling dens and taverns, several trade routes (land and sea).
Beginning Wealth: Fair (coins are hard to find and harder to keep in a den of criminals, and hirelings are always clamoring for their cut of the spoils). 200 gold/level + a small coastrunner or sloop.
Chances of Being Raided: High. Pirates and the promises of vast hidden treasures bring many parties of treasure hunters; Expect their approach by land or by sea. In addition, the Navy takes poorly to having a nest of seafaring scoundrels on the outskirts of Konegheim, and teams of mariners arriving in hopes of purging the den of all its pirates, smugglers, thieves and cutthroats are common.
Other Notes: The non-aquatic races are most likely among the aforementioned pirates, smugglers and buccaneers; The aquatic races have various reasons for sharing the cove with them, usually reasons involving commerce or trade. The world has yet to witness the birth of the cannon, but rumors of black powder weaponry persist....
Helnibor Peak
History: Once a major Drow foothold, Helnibor Peak's many tunnels and caverns sheltered its dark denizens for well over two centuries before an alliance of hill dwarves and mountain dwarves drove the Drow further underground. Now the Drow and their allies are moving to reclaim the mountain...with a vengeance.
Liege: Priestess Bala'Fumma (cleric, Chief)
Acceptable Races: Choker, Dwarf (Derro or Duergar), Elf (Drow), Gargoyle, Ghoul (either), Goblin, Grimlock, Kobold, Troglodyte.
Acceptable Classes: Any besides Paladins or Monks.
Acceptable Alignments: Any non-Good; Evil preferred.
Available Resources: Good. Mountains and an extinct volcano (common stone, volcanic stone, common metal, silver, crystal, gemstone). Food is scarce, however; Underground streams beneath the Gerden Range are few, and even lichen refuses to flourish with the rocky earth's acidic content. Fortunately, the sea is mere miles away, if one can stomach travel across the open lands.
Beginning Wealth: Excellent. 400 gold per level, most of it in the form of silver, gems or well-crafted equipment.
Chances of Being Raided: Very High. Mountains of great infamy and greater wealth attract adventurers from leagues away, and many of them are well-prepared for any dangers they may face. Plus there are the resident dwarves, who will take none too kindly to any attempts at a Drow resurgence.
Other Notes: Bad omens and dark lore insist that Helnibor Peak went from being a very active volcano to an extinct volcano when an elder dragon, a greater demon or some other grave terror was imprisoned in the heart of the volcano by a gathering of wizards determined to put an end to its menace. And sometimes, the beastly growls and rumbles thundering throughout the stone of the mountain are difficult not to notice. Be careful where you dig; You never know what you may set free....
Karstag Pass and Worg Hollow
History: Only the boldest merchants venture through this dark heart of the wood--almost always well-armed, in the daytime and in great numbers--for the beasts of this forest drag down any whom they can catch.
Liege: None.
Acceptable Races: Ettercap, Hag (Green, weak), Harpy, Mephit (Earth, Ooze), Lycanthrope (Human/Any), Minotaur, Ogre, Vampire, Worg (lots of worgs; be ready to deal with the lack of hands).
Acceptable Classes: Barbarian, Druid, Fighter, Ranger, Rogue
Restricted Classes: Sorcerer (1 per party)
Acceptable Alignments:
Available Resources: Very good. Heavy forests, mountains, hills, roads and trade routes, villages and towns within 1-2 days' travel.
Beginning Wealth: Fair (Some caravan raids and trades with what few shady merchants are willing to barter with the unscrupulous types have left more than a few coins in your pouch). 200 gold/level.
Chances of Being Raided: High. Though the merchants and their guards will leave the denizens alone if unprovoked, Baron Lessenhoff has imposed bounties on worg pelts, minotaur horns and the like; These bounties will continue to rise for as long as travel through Worg Hollow and Karstag Pass continues to jeopardize traders and merchants passing to and from the barony.
Other Notes: Baron Lessenhoff is aware of the existence of the caern tunnels which shelter these monsters. He will gladly tip off any particularly promising bands of adventurers, offering them vast bounties if they clear the tunnels beneath the hollow and the pass. The thick forest will steer away any adventurers who don't know what to look for, but if any intruding party goes charging straight for the tunnels, expect a difficult battle.
Stang's Keep
History: Lord Stang, a merciless warlord presiding over the armies of Karkova, rose to power and prominence even after the kingdom fell to the well-trained and desperate soldiers of the Duchy of Konegheim; Returning home to find Karkova reduced to the lawless Wildlands, Stang appointed himself the title of Baron and assumed greater dominion over the lands surrounding his keep. Subduing the humanoid squatters who had raided and inhabited his keep while he was away fighting the war, Stang wisely allowed the squatters to serve him rather than summarily putting them to death. He has made great headway in his diplomatic maneuvers to ingratiate himself into the graces of Konegheim, feigning servitude to Duke Eowuld even as he raises a clandestine army with which to return to war against Konegheim; One day, perhaps, Konegheim, the remains of Karkova and all other lands of the former Empire will be reunited beneath the firm yet guiding hand of Emperor Stang....
Liege: Baron Stang (fighter, human in appearance yet rumored to be half-fiend, Tyrant)
Acceptable Races: Bugbear, Goblin, Half-Elf, Hobgoblin, Half-Dragon (non-Good breed), Half-Orc, Human, Lizardfolk, Ogre, Orc.
Acceptable Classes: Barbarian, Bard, Fighter, Monk, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Wizard. Stang fears and distrusts Clerics, Druids, Paladins, Blackguards and any others who have truck with the gods; Such Classes are barred from entering his lands, let alone his keep.
Acceptable Alignments: Any non-Good. Lawful and/or Evil are preferred.
Beginning Level: 6
Available Resources: Good. Forest, villages and towns, many trade routes. Stang does not allow the plundering of caravans--even ones which make no stops in his barony--and trade in his barony has grown as a result.
Beginning Wealth: Good (Baron Stang outfits his champions well, the better to establish his authority...). 300 gold/level; Magic armor is more common.
Chances of Being Raided: Moderate. Both Duke Eowuld and several religious orders suspect that Stang may not be entirely forthcoming in his pretenses at allegiance and his plays at benevolence, yet they cannot act against him without proof. Some intruders in Stang's domain may actually include spies sent to ferret out any signs of tyranny or atrocity. None of these intruders must be permitted escape, lest baleful eyes be drawn and raids become more frequent and nastier.
Other Notes: Stang has offered his prized battle axe to anyone who brings to him the head of his half-sister Pernicia. This may prove difficult, as he has not seen her in well over 10 years and knows nothing of her whereabouts, and it seems this uncertainty only drives him to greater unrest with each passing turn of the moon....
The Key
History: A brief history of the dungeon. Such accounts may give players insights such as what goals they should attain and what opposition they can expect.
Liege: The one to whom the rest of the dungeon's inhabitants--including the player characters--must heed and answer to. These come in three distinct flavors:
• Tyrant: This leader is very uncompromising in edict and intolerant of any service which falls short of the Tyrant's ideals. Though cohesion and efficiency are more routine under the Tyrant's watch, morale suffers (even among the Tyrant's lieutenants and other kindred spirits) and the looming threat of mutiny or rebellion are ever causes for concern. But even then, would-be rebels must first overcome their reservations, for Tyrants are experts at instilling fear in their underlings. Lawful Evil leaders frequently become Tyrants.
• Chief: This leader leads from the front, presenting himself as "just one of the guys" and leading more through example or inspiration than intimidation (though none can doubt his talents for taking charge). His position is almost always gathered from displays of strength or prowess--rarely though station or inheritance--and these will serve the Chief well, as ambitious underlings will be more likely to challenge the Chief for his position. Chiefs are more likely to be Chaotic Neutral or Chaotic Evil in inclination.
• Recluse: This leader is hardly a leader at all, more of a manipulator. The Recluse is content to remain in the shadows, keeping to himself except to lend guidance to the occasional key player. Unfortunately, discord and infighting are common without the constant governing hand which few Recluses have the assertiveness to provide, and secondary leaders who get too much of an ego boost over the obedience of their fellows may force the Recluse's hand. Recluses are most likely to be Neutral Evil or True Neutral.
Some dungeons feature no leader at all; Without a leader, dungeons can easily become nothing more than a series of connected rooms inhabited by various bands of monsters who typically handle their own affairs and may or may not be aware of each others' existences. Some players may be content to leave well enough alone either out of avoidance of responsibility or out of a live-and-let-live philosophy. Other players may attempt to muscle their way into the void and must assert their dominance before being recognized as the dungeon's leader(s). Either way, such leaderless dungeons may find favor with the player who doesn't like the thought of dancing to an NPC's tune; Dungeons with established leaders leave fewer opportunities for advancement (not that the players couldn't attempt to undermine and usurp the established leader somewhere down the road...).
Acceptable Races: These are races which players may choose for their beginning characters. As per the DMG rules, one Hit Die is replaced with a Level die of the appropriate Class, and certain special traits or abilities could alter this number even further; A sixth-level orc Fighter (Orc: Base 1 Hit Die, no adjustments) will have six levels in the Fighter class, while a sixth-level ogre Fighter (Ogre: Base 4 Hit Dice, +1 effective Hit Die for racial bonuses) will actually be a second-level Fighter with an additional three Hit Dice for his race (five Hit Dice total), along with everything else that comes with being an Ogre...higher base Strength, a fat bonus to Hit Points, Large size, et cetera.
Some races with particularly potent abilities (such as a Medusa's petrifying gaze) are not allowable as player characters, due to concerns regarding game balance. Other races possess great abilities yet are counterweighted with great weaknesses as well and are hence permissible for play; Vampires are potent shapeshifters with the power to bend the wills of others, drain blood and energy from the living and command small armies of animals, yet they are vulnerable to sunlight, running water, garlic, clerics brandishing holy symbols and so forth.
Also note that as both the dungeon's reputation and the player characters' levels grow, more and more races will become available for new player characters (both for new players and for continuing players who had the misfortune of seeing their characters get killed off). If your dungeon doesn't have any hill giants now, just wait about six or seven levels.
Also, certain magical races (such as certain faerie or undead races) may evolve into new forms or races over time; The character's chosen Class may or may not be cause to this evolution. Your skeleton Fighter may at some point level up and be faced with a choice: Either continue on as a skeleton or experience the fruits of a hidden gradual change, cease being a skeleton and become a grave knight instead, losing that gained level in exchange for greater arcane powers. Should this happen, just decide with your heart and choose wisely.
Acceptable Classes: Which Classes are available to the players if the dungeon in question is chosen. The ambient level of civilization is a concern for which Classes are native to which regions; Barbarians (rooted in the lawless wilderness) and Wizards (trained and educated in the refined halls of learning) rarely share the same origins. This tendency will be more true in isolated dungeons and less true in locations frequented by travellers or migrants.
Acceptable Alignments: The moral or orderly bearing of the dungeon's purpose and/or inhabitants has a big say-so in this. You'll find more Chaotic types in bands of brigands, just as you'll find more Lawful types living under despotic governments (where the Chaotic sorts run afoul of the law and are either driven out or subjected to harsh punishments). Predominant racial alignments contribute to this leaning--there are very few Good sorts among the undead--and the leader's demeanor (if a leader exists) is also a factor; Few scoundrels can stomach servitude to a paladin, assuming that the paladin doesn't reject them in the first place.
Beginning Level: The standard is five Levels and/or Hit Dice; Easier dungeons are compensated with fewer Hit Dice, while tougher dungeons compensate with more.
Available Resources: The environment--both the natural world and the fruits of civilization--shape the dungeon in what these surroundings provide. Forests provide resources such as lumber, paper and food, plains can be worked to provide ample food for a dungeon's pantries, mountains can be mined for various minerals, et cetera.
Some resources are dynamic, and factors such as player decisions or the dungeon's reputation can affect these resources. As an example, trade routes are often travelled by merchant caravans. Players who ambush caravans get the merchants' wares for free (plus the effort of overpowering the merchants and their guards) while scoring valuable battle-hardened Experience to boot, but at the cost of more guards and fewer caravans travelling the routes in the future; Conversely, players who are more inclined to barter and bargain with travelling peddlers may eventually find that rare profit-driven merchant who is not too good to sell to filthy orcs and their ilk; This approach costs money and can quickly deplete the party's spoils (while doing nothing for their reputation as devils to be feared), but monsters who attain "preferred customer" status may find themselves approached by more and more unscrupulous merchants and black marketeers who may increasingly trust the dungeon dwellers with greater, rarer, more valuable and more illegal goods. Either approach has its pros and cons.
Beginning Wealth: Inhabitants of the dungeon in question have most likely gathered their own nest eggs through various means. Various factors such as the prosperity of the location, the social status of the leader, the purpose of the location and so forth have a bearing in the amount of money, equipment and magic items available to new characters.
Chances of Being Raided: If it's a dungeon, it's going to be raided at some point. Whether it's raided by enemy bands of monsters from rival dungeons or by the same goody-goody parties of adventurers you've played in all those other D&D campaigns, your dungeon is going to be raided, and you and your dungeon should be prepared for that possibility...placing guards, setting traps, building secret doors, whatever it takes. This level only dictates how common such raids are; The exact numbers of raiders or adventurers still vary. Keep this in mind when deciding which migrating creatures to allow into your dungeon; Kobolds, for example, make poor warriors but can serve as some rather bedeviling engineers and trappers, given proper resources.
Note that the player characters can form war parties and raid other dungeons throughout the campaign. Even though Al Arvoqaz suffers very few raids, that won't matter in the least if Malibu Sally wants to grab a gaggle of ghouls and plow them through the streets of Al Arvoqaz again and again, month after month, until she's satisfied that the city is well and truly despoiled. Player characters are truly captains of their own fates, after all.
Other Notes: This is where the campaign-affecting miscellany goes. This isn't the sum of everything that could happen in this dungeon's campaign, of course; If the player characters bring to Lord Stang's attention certain proof of the Hand of Vecna's present location, he may very well drop everything he's doing and send out entire platoons in search of the artifact. There's no accounting for random events.
As you know from this thread (http://www.cohguru.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10521), D&D3 won in the polls. So that's what we'll be going with. I actually do listen to the polls I set up, you see. :)
Why did I allow this thread (http://www.cohguru.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10118) to wither away, you ask? Because as we went along, I realized that the "farce"--as driven by certain players and myself--was looking less and less like a mockery and more and more like an actual game. And, I figured, if we were devoting that much mental energy into what was in essence a numberless shadow of a game, well, why not take the next step? A more organized system would nudge out the goofballs who kept jumping in with posts like "I chuck a Meteor Shower down Krypto's pants"...which can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it. :think:
Hence, My Pet Dungeon.
This is a D&D3 campaign which I brewed up years ago as the bastard spawn of D&D and Dungeon Keeper 2. As you might expect, the premise was that the players would be playing a band of exceptionally proficient creatures from races normally recognized as the monsters and antagonists of D&D, charged with the task of expanding their dungeon, gathering more monsters to populate said dungeon, raiding caravans, other dungeons and the occasional village for treasure and supplies, defending their dungeon from intruding parties of adventurers, et cetera...whatever it takes to rise in proficiency as champions of evil and see their dungeon evolve from a cast-off nest of tunnels to the next Temple of Elemental Evil.
Happily, the Dungeon Master's Guide has rules for running such races as player characters, so this campaign would indeed be possible. My players looked over the map and picked Batterslea Abbey for their proving ground, Ben rolled up his Yuan-Ti barbarian, Cat rolled up her Yuan-Ti sorceress, Ken rolled up his harpy rogue and...well, we never got together for our first game. So it goes, so it goes. :(
Now I finally get a chance to run the My Pet Dungeon campaign. Cool, huh? It's not the same feel as tabletop, sure, but as that farce proved, internet games can still be pretty nifty. :cool:
http://coh.tritonius.com/MyPetDungeonContinentSm.jpg (http://coh.tritonius.com/MyPetDungeonContinent.jpg)
(Clickie.)
I'm thinking of redoing the map, now that my Campaign Cartographer skills have improved over the last X years. The general locations shouldn't change much--if any--so for now, the first choice: Choose your real estate.
(All player characters begin with a total of five Levels and/or Hit Dice unless otherwise noted (to adjust for the expected difficulty of a particular dungeon). Alignment restrictions to certain Classes still apply; If a certain dungeon forbids Lawful characters, for example, then it stands to reason that no one will be playing Paladins or Monks.)
The Ainsley Crypts
History: These are the burial vaults of the once-proud House of Ainsley and all who served them before all of those resident to Ainsley Manor were slain by plundering marauders during the Imperial Civil War. Lord Darrovan Ainsley, the family patriarch and the fallen lord of the crypts, holds the living Ainsleys in fear and swears vengeance against the aristocracy for abandoning him and his kindred to their fate so many years ago.
Liege: Darrovan Ainsley (unique undead, Tyrant)
Acceptable Races (all Undead are Human Undead): Ghoul, Ghast, enhanced Skeleton, enhanced Zombie, Vampire, Human (as Necromancer), Half-Elf (as Necromancer), Drow Elf (as Necromancer).
Acceptable Classes: Bard, Cleric, Fighter, Rogue, Sorcerer, Wizard (normal or Necromancer specialist). Empowered Zombies and Skeletons cannot be spellcasters (but are good as Fighters and Rogues, respectively).
Acceptable Alignments: Any Evil.
Available Resources: Fair. Forest, nearby village (formerly ruled by the House of Ainsley, now living in fear of them), small trade route.
Beginning Wealth: Good (minor noble family). Roughly 300 gold/level (including starting gear) if related by Ainsley blood, 200 gold/level if not a blood relative. Of course, the prosperity of House Ainsley was even greater before the brigand hordes came....
Chances of Being Raided: Moderate. The Ainsley lands are largely abandoned and desolate since the fall of the star-crossed House. Raids will consist mainly of treasure hunters, commoners who have tired of living under the Ainsley menace and driven parties of clerics, paladins, druids, necromancers and/or blackguards looking to vaquish or enslave the undead hosts.
Other Notes: The underlying theme of this dungeon is that blood is thicker than water, even if that blood lies cold and festering inside lifeless veins. All player characters are expected to be either the Ainsley clan's family members, closest friends or servants, bound to the estate in undeath just as they were in life. Any necromancers may instead be allies gathered by the Ainsleys sometime after the disaster, if so desired.
The catch? Even though those of Ainsley blood receive more starting wealth and prestige, their wills may be dominated at any time by Lord Ainsley if he ever finds their course of action a bit too disagreeable. Outsiders enjoy more autonomy; Indeed, Ainsley characters may be forced to deal with outsiders and ask them to perform certain crucial tasks which otherwise would never be executed without Lord Ainsley's express permission (which is to say that these tasks might otherwise never be performed at all). Lord Ainsley, wicked though he may be, is driven by his love and loyalty towards his family yet can still be quite the heavy-handed authoritarian when it comes to pulling strings.
Al Arvoqaz
History: Long ago, this mystic city in the desert only appeared for one year every century before fading away with the swirling sands. For this century, that year has come again. One curious sorcerer ventured barely ten paces through this lost city's gates before racing madly back to civilization, babbling about "powerful forces acting from below".
Liege: None.
Acceptable Races: Azer, Devil (Imp), Janni, Mephit (Dust, Salt, Fire), Mummy (Human, Dwarf or Half-Orc).
Acceptable Classes: Any
Acceptable Alignments: Any non-Good
Beginning Level: 4
Available Resources: Poor. Sandy desert.
Beginning Wealth: Poor (remote location, suspended in time; the people of Al Arvoqaz were punished for their greed and selfishness and stripped of their great wealth and lush lands as part of the curse). 50 gold/level + an allowance of magic potions, stones, dusts or powders, which are more common in Al Arvoqaz.
Chances of Being Raided: Very Low. Frequent sandstorms across the Khadagar Desert deter any travel to or from Al Arvoqaz, and adventurers are more likely to stumble across the cursed city by accident while horribly lost. Wizards, sorcerers, bards and other types possessed of intellect or wanderlust, however, may be attracted by rumors of the anomalous and enchanted city.
Other Notes: This is a safe, easy dungeon to work with (provided the characters beef up travel-friendly Skills such as Intuit Direction), but its remote location and few resources will work against the characters as well. And remember: The characters only have one year to fortify their dungeon and find a way to break the curse which enshrouds Al Arvoqaz, lest the city be drawn into the mists of time for yet another century...
Batterslea Abbey
History: This once-grand temple of Heironeous, founded on the birthplace of a Heironean saint, was mightily assailed and toppled by a vindictive cult of Hextor worshippers. Over the next 30 years, control of the hotly contested temple veered back and forth between the warring Heironeans and the Hextorites, leaving the temple purified and defiled in turns as each side raided and seized what they believe to be rightfully theirs. But then one day, the surviving band of Hextorite clerics and warriors--still wounded, decimated and weary from their latest victory over the followers of Heironeous--turned to face the mountains and watched despairingly as an overwhelming army of mercenaries bound in service to neither Hextor nor Heironeous swarmed down the hills onto them....
Liege: Pernicia (uncertain race, Recluse)
Acceptable Races: Orc, Half-Orc, Harpy, Half-Fiend, Lizardfolk, Minotaur, Ogre, Tiefling, Vampire (Human, Elf or Sylvan), Yuan-Ti (Pureblood or Halfblood)
Acceptable Classes: Any
Restricted Classes: Monk (one per party), Wizard (one per party)
Acceptable Alignments: Any non-Lawful, any non-Good.
Beginning Level: 6
Available Resources: Good. Forestland, fertile hills and plains, light mountains. Land immediately around the abbey, however, is blasted, blighted and barren from the continuing holy/unholy war.
Beginning Wealth: Fair (Temple coffers and trappings have been plundered or destroyed time and time again, only to be replaced or replenished by the conquerors). 200 gold/level; Holy and unholy weapons are more common.
Chances of Being Raided: Very High. Neither the Heironeans nor the Hextorites will sit still while a band of thugs, mercenaries and renegades infests "their" temple. Expect frequent visits from zealous paladins, blackguards and clerics along with the usual parties of treasure hunters.
Other Notes: The players can take one of two approaches with this occupation: Either allow their band of mercenaries to remain a band of ragtag mercenaries (which will sufficiently anger the two opposing factions at the thought of such "godless fools" squatting in their temple and letting its divine properties go to waste) or instead advance the cause of a third god and attempt to convert the abbey to that god's name, elevating the heated religious war even further; The contested ground has earned the attentions of more gods than Heironeous and Hextor, and certainly gods such as Gruumsh and Vecna would bestow their favor unto such a daring band of champions, should they succeed in bringing Batterslea Abbey to heel....
The brigand leader Pernicia keeps her head and body entirely shrouded, save for her hands; The sorceress' race remains unknown, but the constant writhing beneath the hood where her scalp should be may offer a clue to her heritage. She claims to favor the location of Batterslea Abbey because it allows her to keep an eye on Baron Stang and his domain, but she fends off all questions concerning her rivalry with the dread nobleman.
Harhagg's Cove
History: Once this cove was a teeming pirate den with secret rooms and tunnels both above ground and underwater. Now, as more and more pirates have fallen to the Navy of Konegheim, Harhagg's Cove has fallen into recession and decline, sparsely populated by seaborne creatures and nomadic raiders. While these folk are content to leave each other alone, one hag claims to have foreseen a great pirate lord coming to unite them....
Liege: None.
Acceptable Races: Elf (Aquatic or other), Gnome, Gnoll, Hag (Sea), Halfling, Half-Elf, Half-Orc, Human, Kuo-Toa, Lizardfolk, Locathah, Mephit (Ooze or Water), Orc, Sahuagin, Skum, Sprite (Nixie), Triton.
Acceptable Classes: Bard, Fighter, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer.
Restricted Classes: Cleric or Druid (1 per party, not both)
Acceptable Alignments: Any non-Lawful. Non-Good preferred.
Available Resources: Very good. Light mountains, forest, deep sea and ocean, treacherous straits and frequent shipwrecks, gambling dens and taverns, several trade routes (land and sea).
Beginning Wealth: Fair (coins are hard to find and harder to keep in a den of criminals, and hirelings are always clamoring for their cut of the spoils). 200 gold/level + a small coastrunner or sloop.
Chances of Being Raided: High. Pirates and the promises of vast hidden treasures bring many parties of treasure hunters; Expect their approach by land or by sea. In addition, the Navy takes poorly to having a nest of seafaring scoundrels on the outskirts of Konegheim, and teams of mariners arriving in hopes of purging the den of all its pirates, smugglers, thieves and cutthroats are common.
Other Notes: The non-aquatic races are most likely among the aforementioned pirates, smugglers and buccaneers; The aquatic races have various reasons for sharing the cove with them, usually reasons involving commerce or trade. The world has yet to witness the birth of the cannon, but rumors of black powder weaponry persist....
Helnibor Peak
History: Once a major Drow foothold, Helnibor Peak's many tunnels and caverns sheltered its dark denizens for well over two centuries before an alliance of hill dwarves and mountain dwarves drove the Drow further underground. Now the Drow and their allies are moving to reclaim the mountain...with a vengeance.
Liege: Priestess Bala'Fumma (cleric, Chief)
Acceptable Races: Choker, Dwarf (Derro or Duergar), Elf (Drow), Gargoyle, Ghoul (either), Goblin, Grimlock, Kobold, Troglodyte.
Acceptable Classes: Any besides Paladins or Monks.
Acceptable Alignments: Any non-Good; Evil preferred.
Available Resources: Good. Mountains and an extinct volcano (common stone, volcanic stone, common metal, silver, crystal, gemstone). Food is scarce, however; Underground streams beneath the Gerden Range are few, and even lichen refuses to flourish with the rocky earth's acidic content. Fortunately, the sea is mere miles away, if one can stomach travel across the open lands.
Beginning Wealth: Excellent. 400 gold per level, most of it in the form of silver, gems or well-crafted equipment.
Chances of Being Raided: Very High. Mountains of great infamy and greater wealth attract adventurers from leagues away, and many of them are well-prepared for any dangers they may face. Plus there are the resident dwarves, who will take none too kindly to any attempts at a Drow resurgence.
Other Notes: Bad omens and dark lore insist that Helnibor Peak went from being a very active volcano to an extinct volcano when an elder dragon, a greater demon or some other grave terror was imprisoned in the heart of the volcano by a gathering of wizards determined to put an end to its menace. And sometimes, the beastly growls and rumbles thundering throughout the stone of the mountain are difficult not to notice. Be careful where you dig; You never know what you may set free....
Karstag Pass and Worg Hollow
History: Only the boldest merchants venture through this dark heart of the wood--almost always well-armed, in the daytime and in great numbers--for the beasts of this forest drag down any whom they can catch.
Liege: None.
Acceptable Races: Ettercap, Hag (Green, weak), Harpy, Mephit (Earth, Ooze), Lycanthrope (Human/Any), Minotaur, Ogre, Vampire, Worg (lots of worgs; be ready to deal with the lack of hands).
Acceptable Classes: Barbarian, Druid, Fighter, Ranger, Rogue
Restricted Classes: Sorcerer (1 per party)
Acceptable Alignments:
Available Resources: Very good. Heavy forests, mountains, hills, roads and trade routes, villages and towns within 1-2 days' travel.
Beginning Wealth: Fair (Some caravan raids and trades with what few shady merchants are willing to barter with the unscrupulous types have left more than a few coins in your pouch). 200 gold/level.
Chances of Being Raided: High. Though the merchants and their guards will leave the denizens alone if unprovoked, Baron Lessenhoff has imposed bounties on worg pelts, minotaur horns and the like; These bounties will continue to rise for as long as travel through Worg Hollow and Karstag Pass continues to jeopardize traders and merchants passing to and from the barony.
Other Notes: Baron Lessenhoff is aware of the existence of the caern tunnels which shelter these monsters. He will gladly tip off any particularly promising bands of adventurers, offering them vast bounties if they clear the tunnels beneath the hollow and the pass. The thick forest will steer away any adventurers who don't know what to look for, but if any intruding party goes charging straight for the tunnels, expect a difficult battle.
Stang's Keep
History: Lord Stang, a merciless warlord presiding over the armies of Karkova, rose to power and prominence even after the kingdom fell to the well-trained and desperate soldiers of the Duchy of Konegheim; Returning home to find Karkova reduced to the lawless Wildlands, Stang appointed himself the title of Baron and assumed greater dominion over the lands surrounding his keep. Subduing the humanoid squatters who had raided and inhabited his keep while he was away fighting the war, Stang wisely allowed the squatters to serve him rather than summarily putting them to death. He has made great headway in his diplomatic maneuvers to ingratiate himself into the graces of Konegheim, feigning servitude to Duke Eowuld even as he raises a clandestine army with which to return to war against Konegheim; One day, perhaps, Konegheim, the remains of Karkova and all other lands of the former Empire will be reunited beneath the firm yet guiding hand of Emperor Stang....
Liege: Baron Stang (fighter, human in appearance yet rumored to be half-fiend, Tyrant)
Acceptable Races: Bugbear, Goblin, Half-Elf, Hobgoblin, Half-Dragon (non-Good breed), Half-Orc, Human, Lizardfolk, Ogre, Orc.
Acceptable Classes: Barbarian, Bard, Fighter, Monk, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Wizard. Stang fears and distrusts Clerics, Druids, Paladins, Blackguards and any others who have truck with the gods; Such Classes are barred from entering his lands, let alone his keep.
Acceptable Alignments: Any non-Good. Lawful and/or Evil are preferred.
Beginning Level: 6
Available Resources: Good. Forest, villages and towns, many trade routes. Stang does not allow the plundering of caravans--even ones which make no stops in his barony--and trade in his barony has grown as a result.
Beginning Wealth: Good (Baron Stang outfits his champions well, the better to establish his authority...). 300 gold/level; Magic armor is more common.
Chances of Being Raided: Moderate. Both Duke Eowuld and several religious orders suspect that Stang may not be entirely forthcoming in his pretenses at allegiance and his plays at benevolence, yet they cannot act against him without proof. Some intruders in Stang's domain may actually include spies sent to ferret out any signs of tyranny or atrocity. None of these intruders must be permitted escape, lest baleful eyes be drawn and raids become more frequent and nastier.
Other Notes: Stang has offered his prized battle axe to anyone who brings to him the head of his half-sister Pernicia. This may prove difficult, as he has not seen her in well over 10 years and knows nothing of her whereabouts, and it seems this uncertainty only drives him to greater unrest with each passing turn of the moon....
The Key
History: A brief history of the dungeon. Such accounts may give players insights such as what goals they should attain and what opposition they can expect.
Liege: The one to whom the rest of the dungeon's inhabitants--including the player characters--must heed and answer to. These come in three distinct flavors:
• Tyrant: This leader is very uncompromising in edict and intolerant of any service which falls short of the Tyrant's ideals. Though cohesion and efficiency are more routine under the Tyrant's watch, morale suffers (even among the Tyrant's lieutenants and other kindred spirits) and the looming threat of mutiny or rebellion are ever causes for concern. But even then, would-be rebels must first overcome their reservations, for Tyrants are experts at instilling fear in their underlings. Lawful Evil leaders frequently become Tyrants.
• Chief: This leader leads from the front, presenting himself as "just one of the guys" and leading more through example or inspiration than intimidation (though none can doubt his talents for taking charge). His position is almost always gathered from displays of strength or prowess--rarely though station or inheritance--and these will serve the Chief well, as ambitious underlings will be more likely to challenge the Chief for his position. Chiefs are more likely to be Chaotic Neutral or Chaotic Evil in inclination.
• Recluse: This leader is hardly a leader at all, more of a manipulator. The Recluse is content to remain in the shadows, keeping to himself except to lend guidance to the occasional key player. Unfortunately, discord and infighting are common without the constant governing hand which few Recluses have the assertiveness to provide, and secondary leaders who get too much of an ego boost over the obedience of their fellows may force the Recluse's hand. Recluses are most likely to be Neutral Evil or True Neutral.
Some dungeons feature no leader at all; Without a leader, dungeons can easily become nothing more than a series of connected rooms inhabited by various bands of monsters who typically handle their own affairs and may or may not be aware of each others' existences. Some players may be content to leave well enough alone either out of avoidance of responsibility or out of a live-and-let-live philosophy. Other players may attempt to muscle their way into the void and must assert their dominance before being recognized as the dungeon's leader(s). Either way, such leaderless dungeons may find favor with the player who doesn't like the thought of dancing to an NPC's tune; Dungeons with established leaders leave fewer opportunities for advancement (not that the players couldn't attempt to undermine and usurp the established leader somewhere down the road...).
Acceptable Races: These are races which players may choose for their beginning characters. As per the DMG rules, one Hit Die is replaced with a Level die of the appropriate Class, and certain special traits or abilities could alter this number even further; A sixth-level orc Fighter (Orc: Base 1 Hit Die, no adjustments) will have six levels in the Fighter class, while a sixth-level ogre Fighter (Ogre: Base 4 Hit Dice, +1 effective Hit Die for racial bonuses) will actually be a second-level Fighter with an additional three Hit Dice for his race (five Hit Dice total), along with everything else that comes with being an Ogre...higher base Strength, a fat bonus to Hit Points, Large size, et cetera.
Some races with particularly potent abilities (such as a Medusa's petrifying gaze) are not allowable as player characters, due to concerns regarding game balance. Other races possess great abilities yet are counterweighted with great weaknesses as well and are hence permissible for play; Vampires are potent shapeshifters with the power to bend the wills of others, drain blood and energy from the living and command small armies of animals, yet they are vulnerable to sunlight, running water, garlic, clerics brandishing holy symbols and so forth.
Also note that as both the dungeon's reputation and the player characters' levels grow, more and more races will become available for new player characters (both for new players and for continuing players who had the misfortune of seeing their characters get killed off). If your dungeon doesn't have any hill giants now, just wait about six or seven levels.
Also, certain magical races (such as certain faerie or undead races) may evolve into new forms or races over time; The character's chosen Class may or may not be cause to this evolution. Your skeleton Fighter may at some point level up and be faced with a choice: Either continue on as a skeleton or experience the fruits of a hidden gradual change, cease being a skeleton and become a grave knight instead, losing that gained level in exchange for greater arcane powers. Should this happen, just decide with your heart and choose wisely.
Acceptable Classes: Which Classes are available to the players if the dungeon in question is chosen. The ambient level of civilization is a concern for which Classes are native to which regions; Barbarians (rooted in the lawless wilderness) and Wizards (trained and educated in the refined halls of learning) rarely share the same origins. This tendency will be more true in isolated dungeons and less true in locations frequented by travellers or migrants.
Acceptable Alignments: The moral or orderly bearing of the dungeon's purpose and/or inhabitants has a big say-so in this. You'll find more Chaotic types in bands of brigands, just as you'll find more Lawful types living under despotic governments (where the Chaotic sorts run afoul of the law and are either driven out or subjected to harsh punishments). Predominant racial alignments contribute to this leaning--there are very few Good sorts among the undead--and the leader's demeanor (if a leader exists) is also a factor; Few scoundrels can stomach servitude to a paladin, assuming that the paladin doesn't reject them in the first place.
Beginning Level: The standard is five Levels and/or Hit Dice; Easier dungeons are compensated with fewer Hit Dice, while tougher dungeons compensate with more.
Available Resources: The environment--both the natural world and the fruits of civilization--shape the dungeon in what these surroundings provide. Forests provide resources such as lumber, paper and food, plains can be worked to provide ample food for a dungeon's pantries, mountains can be mined for various minerals, et cetera.
Some resources are dynamic, and factors such as player decisions or the dungeon's reputation can affect these resources. As an example, trade routes are often travelled by merchant caravans. Players who ambush caravans get the merchants' wares for free (plus the effort of overpowering the merchants and their guards) while scoring valuable battle-hardened Experience to boot, but at the cost of more guards and fewer caravans travelling the routes in the future; Conversely, players who are more inclined to barter and bargain with travelling peddlers may eventually find that rare profit-driven merchant who is not too good to sell to filthy orcs and their ilk; This approach costs money and can quickly deplete the party's spoils (while doing nothing for their reputation as devils to be feared), but monsters who attain "preferred customer" status may find themselves approached by more and more unscrupulous merchants and black marketeers who may increasingly trust the dungeon dwellers with greater, rarer, more valuable and more illegal goods. Either approach has its pros and cons.
Beginning Wealth: Inhabitants of the dungeon in question have most likely gathered their own nest eggs through various means. Various factors such as the prosperity of the location, the social status of the leader, the purpose of the location and so forth have a bearing in the amount of money, equipment and magic items available to new characters.
Chances of Being Raided: If it's a dungeon, it's going to be raided at some point. Whether it's raided by enemy bands of monsters from rival dungeons or by the same goody-goody parties of adventurers you've played in all those other D&D campaigns, your dungeon is going to be raided, and you and your dungeon should be prepared for that possibility...placing guards, setting traps, building secret doors, whatever it takes. This level only dictates how common such raids are; The exact numbers of raiders or adventurers still vary. Keep this in mind when deciding which migrating creatures to allow into your dungeon; Kobolds, for example, make poor warriors but can serve as some rather bedeviling engineers and trappers, given proper resources.
Note that the player characters can form war parties and raid other dungeons throughout the campaign. Even though Al Arvoqaz suffers very few raids, that won't matter in the least if Malibu Sally wants to grab a gaggle of ghouls and plow them through the streets of Al Arvoqaz again and again, month after month, until she's satisfied that the city is well and truly despoiled. Player characters are truly captains of their own fates, after all.
Other Notes: This is where the campaign-affecting miscellany goes. This isn't the sum of everything that could happen in this dungeon's campaign, of course; If the player characters bring to Lord Stang's attention certain proof of the Hand of Vecna's present location, he may very well drop everything he's doing and send out entire platoons in search of the artifact. There's no accounting for random events.