Canonfire! Forums-viewtopic-"L" Series Campaign

Mon May 30, 2011 4:56 am "L" Series Campaign - Need Advice and Some Directi

I will be starting a new campaign toward summer's end which will begin with L1 - The Secret of Bone Hill and go from there, hopefully through L3 - Deep Dwarven Delve.
The game will be pre-Greyhawk Wars (573-576 CY or thereabouts) but I know very little about the Lendore Isle region of Oerth. My main dilemma, and I could let the players decide on this, is where to begin the campaign. Should I start around the Keoland coast? Wooly Bay? Or further southeast perhaps near Rel Astra or the isles of the Sea Barons?
I'm bebothered and confusticated with all of the options and just need some direction. Thanks!
-g-
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Mon May 30, 2011 5:17 am

Even if you don't run the adventure, you can mine L4 Devilspawn and L4C The Lendore Isle Companion for further information about Lendore Isle (straight from the source). I don't understand your question about where to start the campaign, though. If you're starting with L1, you're starting in Restenford, no? Confused

Mon May 30, 2011 6:08 am

Mon May 30, 2011 8:14 am

Well, I'd be careful beginning 1st level characters too far away from their first adventure. Traveling from Keoland to Lendore Isle is a very long distance, by land or sea. I don't really see the point in saying, "You start your journey here and now you're here at Resentford in Lendore Isle." On the other hand, if you want the journey itself to be an adventure, your characters will likely be well beyond 1st level by the time they reach Lendore Isle. Confused

Perhaps you should encourage them to begin somewhere in the southeast of the map. They could be a group of escaped slaves and consciencious objectors of Suel blood who are running from the Scarlet Brotherhood. They could also be escaping oppression in Medegia, the Sea Barons, or elsewhere in the Great Kingdom. They could be from the Lordship of the Isles or Sunndi and not escaping oppression at all. Those places are all better starting points than Keoland as far as distance goes, in my opinion.

SirXaris

Mon May 30, 2011 8:55 am

I suppose it could be interesting to develop an introductory adventure covering the PCs' journey to Restenford, allowing them to work up to level 2 before arriving. (L1 will eat 1st-level characters for breakfast.) Another option would be to hand-wave that adventure and start the PCs at level 2. ("After escaping enslavement/oppression/etc. in your homeland, you've made your way to the port of Restenford on Lendore Isle.") The L series definitely presumes that PCs aren't locals and don't know the lay of the land.

If you have access to it, you might also read "Priestly Secrets" in DUNGEON® #71. It's set in Restenford c. 581 CY (just before the elves boot everyone off the island).

Mon May 30, 2011 10:40 am

Good ideas, fellers. I like the idea of being escaped slaves or perhaps running from oppression; perhaps hopping a ship bound for the isles or hiring on as extra hands...
The Scarlet Brotherhood is definitely involved and I was thinking of perhaps using them as a reason for the characters to visit the isles - perhaps they have heard rumors of the Brotherhood making inroads there or something.

As for starting level, L1 suggests characters of 2-4 levels. Per my house rules, the characters will begin this adventure at the minimum of 2nd level, with spellcasters and thieves being 3rd level. That should keep 'em alive for at least a little while. Evil Grin

Thanks for the tip, DMPrata - I'll check out Dungeon 71.
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Wed Jun 01, 2011 8:22 am

What about Dullstrand? A rollicking independent Pirate town would seem to fit the bill pretty well.

Wed Jun 01, 2011 10:15 am

FWIW, here's an adventure I once started (and aborted) to get my PCs to Lendore Isle. They were commandeered by a Sunndi diplomat to deliver an inheritance to the daughter of a dwur chieftain. She was last known to be heading to Dullstrand. My plan was for the PCs to follow her to Dullstrand, ask around, and learn that she'd sailed to Restenford in search of adventure (where they would find her at Falco's Tavern). From there, she would invite them to join her in exploring Lendore Isle.

Alas, before they reached Dullstrand, a rift developed among the players. Several of them expressed that they would split up the party if they learned that the dwarf had left Dullstrand by ship. Not wanting things to turn ugly, I let them find her there and then return to Pitchfield (with a couple of brief side treks along the way).

Wed Jun 01, 2011 12:55 pm

I like the idea of Dullstrand, vonbek - thanks!
I can see the group setting sail from there for various reasons. We'll see how the players feel about it.
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Thu Jun 09, 2011 11:31 pm

I once started a Lendore Isle campaign by having the PCs on a boat travelling between Rel Astra and the Lordship of the Isles when a terrible storm hit them and blew them off course and they ended up in the Night of the Vampire adventure placed not too far away from Restenford.
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Wed Jun 22, 2011 5:28 am

Just an update - I have about seven players and we are in the midst of character creation and researching for the game.
Starting point will be Gradsul - and I know little of nothing about the city. I have done a search on here and also on Google and have come up with bits and pieces of info.

Looking for pre-war information on Gradsul - any help (including a map!) would be most appreciated. Happy

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Mon Oct 24, 2011 1:18 pm Campaign update - need ideas for Irongate

Howdy folks - our campaign has been underway for approximately two months and things are going quite well. There are five solid players who are currently in the port city of Irongate. Their ship captain has granted his crew (and the PC's) a two-day furlough, so they are off to see the sights.

What are some good short adventures, adventure hooks I could use to keep them busy for a couple of days?

Thanks!
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Mon Oct 24, 2011 2:46 pm

Here's an idea.

They go to a bar and decide to pick on an old man and his friends. (Picking barfights is great fun for adventurers. Wink

) The old man is just a zero-level commoner, but his friends look like they could provide a bit of a challenge.

What the PCs and their players don't know is that this zero-level commoner just happens to be Cobb Darg (ssshhhhh....... the gold dragon). Shocked

SirXaris

Mon Oct 24, 2011 3:05 pm

Was Cobb the Lord Mayor in 576 CY? I confess, I know too little about Irongate. I know about Malkin's Irongate project...I guess I need to read through it. Embarassed

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Mon Oct 24, 2011 10:52 pm

Yes, Cobb Darg was mayor in 576 CY.
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Sat Mar 10, 2012 8:47 am

Happy Saturday, canonfolks!
The game is going quite well - the group has left Irongate after much intrigue and nasty street melee, sailed to Naerie where things went quite uneventful except for some shopping and running errands, and then out to sea. However, once they crossed into the Denzac Gulf they were beset upon by two ships - pirates by the looks of them. After a furious battle, with pirates boarding on both sides of the ship, the companions were victorious. One of the pirate ships got away, but the other they managed to seize. Now, they have discovered that the ship is allied with the Scarlet Brotherhood...and needless to say, they are in deep $#!+ - or could be.

So, now they are trying to decide whether to scuttle the ship and get the heck out of there, keep the ship and try to sell it, or make a run for it with both ships. Remember, their destination is the Lendore Isles.

What I need is some detailed (or not so detailed) information about this region. Been trying to find a good map too. Point me in the right direction, or list some ideas here. I'm all ears. Thanks!
-g-

Mon Mar 12, 2012 7:41 am L4

I haven't read it, but there may be more detail in L4 and L4C:

http://www.dragonsfoot.org/php4/archive.php?sectioninit=FE&fileid=279&watchfile=0

http://www.dragonsfoot.org/php4/archive.php?sectioninit=FE&fileid=278&watchfile=0

Free from Len Lakofka. Thanks Len.

Mon Mar 12, 2012 7:56 am

Thanks will check it out - I have copies of those, just never thought to look there. D'oh!

Also, just figured out this morning that I was spelling Denzac incorrectly - it's spelled D-E-N-S-A-C - no "Z"!

Mon Mar 12, 2012 12:42 pm

Mon Mar 12, 2012 1:52 pm

Is that the Slavers handbook? Or the Scarlet Brotherhood accessory? Either way I've been meaning to get them - now I have a great excuse.
-g-

Mon Mar 12, 2012 2:26 pm

It's the Scarlet Brotherhood accessory. Sorry, but I'm not at home so I can't grab it and give you more specifics at the moment.

SirXaris

Mon Mar 12, 2012 2:45 pm

Man, they are as scarce as hen's teeth! Only two on ebay and one without a map. A few on Amazon - hoping to find one from the good folks on Dragonsfoot!

Mon Mar 12, 2012 6:04 pm

Fri Mar 16, 2012 7:00 pm

Sat Nov 17, 2012 8:31 am

Just an update on the campaign > running for over a year now, and moving along nicely. We have currently lost 3 players so we are down to 5 stalwarts who are likely in for the long haul (at least I hope so!).
While we are just getting into the meat of L1, I went ahead and introduced some material from L2 - with what I have planned, I think I will be running the gist of those modules simultaneously. Oh yeah!

Tearing up Restenford and reshaping the town in my image! LOL! Evil Grin