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Introduction: The Blizzard Adventure (Season 2, Level Cap 6); Overview, LocalWorks, and Pseudo-Missions
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Topic Started: 15 Jul 2016, 12:27 AM (409 Views)
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douwesdekker
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15 Jul 2016, 12:27 AM
Post #1
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- Posts:
- 57
- Group:
- CGM Blizzard
- Member
- #8
- Joined:
- Jun 6, 2016
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Like a great wall bordering the lands, the mountain range in front of you spans across the horizon. It had only been weeks since you leave The Great Praerie through its outermost forests. The wind grew colder. The steps are steep, climbing higher and higher. Before long, the Voyage Order Campaign found themselves in the mountainous region, surrounded by snows all around. Opening Song
THE BLIZZARD ADVENTURE
 image from The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim The winter here is eternal. The sky is cloudy, the sun shines dimly through the clouds. The Dragonspine mountain shades the region hiding its mysteries within. Its people live with the chill engraved in their bones, but a warm welcome is given for every traveler.
Although the inhabitant of this unnamed region are grouped into tribes that seems to be located randomly, there is a small trading hub town named Snowhaven, which was built by union of some tribes. The Mayor welcomed the Voyage Order Campaign on behalf of Snowhaven community, but due to its small capacity, VOC members would be sheltered on the tribes nearby.
The tribes have varying cultures, but one similarity is apparent on all tribes that resides this snowy region: they drink meera. Meera is a term for a drink that brings warmth to the body. Meera is crucial in this especially cold region to prevent frostbite; it will not give you cold immunity but it warms you enough to travel from place to places. Most tribes also settle on frozen lakesides. Ice-fishing and hunting supply the tribe for generations.
This chill region, however, is not without perils. Its summit, Mount Heavensward, is always covered by a heavy blizzard that grows bigger as time goes by. The territorial Giantkins occasionally attack the tribes, either expanding their territories or simply hunting for foods. The many legends surrounding the horizon-spanning mountain range of Dragonspine tell about long-lost kingdoms and mines, its treasures guarded by ancient curses and waiting for the next brave souls to claim.
THE DRINK THAT WARMS MIND, BODY, AND SOUL
The liquor Meera has existed since long ago with the tribes. It is a drink that ensures your body is warm enough to live in this region with eternal winter. The ingredients vary between tribes, with varying taste and side effects. Despite its benefits, drinking Meera too much will get you drunk, and might have negative effects such as dizziness, unquenchable lust, hallucination, etc. A serving of Meera will keep you warm for one-third of a day.
There are two kinds of Meera: common and exotic. The common Meeras are popular in Snowhaven town and many tribes, since they are easy to make, cheap, and overdosing them only have a side effect of getting hangovers the next day. The exotic ones, on the other side, have a more exquisite taste, but difficult to make. Its recipes are usually family treasures, some have ingredients that is super rare or found deep in the treacherous mountains. Because of this antiquity, exotic meeras cannot be found in shops. Either brew one or find one. Folklores tell about legendary Meera that could get a Giant drunk with one droplet.
LAKE IS LIFE, LAKE IS LOVE
Many tribes settle near a frozen lake. With the region’s eternal winter, the surface of the lake is always frozen. Yet, under the thick ice, the water is populated by fishes, enough to feed a whole tribe. Traditional ice-fishing is simple: you make a hole in the ice, then fish with a fishing rod. Unlike the forests and mountains which ruled by the Giantkins, the lake is safe. No monsters whatsoever, just people and fish. Quite romantic in its own way.
THE GIANTKINS GANGS
Snowhaven town and most of the tribes are located near frozen lakes, with a distance to the forests, and quite far from the mountains. Only the bravest tribes live in the forests or the mountain, whether in constant conflict with the Giantkins or enduring the heavy blizzard. Some say these people made a treaty with the Giantkins, or are Giantkin descendants themselves. These facts are questionable, and should be taken with a grain of salt.
The Giantkins, including but not limited to: Trolls, Ogres, Ettins, Hill Giants, Stone Giants, and Frost Giants, live in the forests and mountains. They are territorial and have strong physiques, though the lower Giantkins do not have the brains to match the brawn. They occasionally attack our villages to expand territory, demonstrating their strength, or simply just a stray one.
THE FABLED HEAVENSWARD
Among the mountain ranges, one can be seen taller than the others: The Mount Heavensward. Its top is always cloaked by the storm, surrounded by the blizzard. Even the Giantkins hesitate to step there. Legend has it that centuries ago, before the Catasthrophic Disaster, this region was a place for a prosperous kingdom, with its grand castle shined on the mountain’s summit. The wealthy kingdom overflowed with treasures that scattered across the region, being kept safe in the keeps and towers. Nowadays, these stories are dismissed as children fairy tales. No one is brave or stupid enough to explore the stormy mountains with the Giantkins residing the mountains’ base. The ones that did, never came back. Different tribes also have different version of the story, some are quite comedic such as an ogre marrying a princess or a queen that conjures an ice castle in less than a day.
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douwesdekker
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15 Jul 2016, 12:55 AM
Post #2
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- Posts:
- 57
- Group:
- CGM Blizzard
- Member
- #8
- Joined:
- Jun 6, 2016
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DM and Play Session Guide
- Staying in The Blizzard Adventure
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Due to the numerous tribes and several villages, the VOC Groups and members are spread randomly and relatively on constant movements too. Each tribe will support a Group or an individual for a time, then the consensus of VOC is to rotate the Group.
However, on some rare occasion, a tribe or a small settlement might coincidentally house several people from different Groups. On that time, usually a brand new adventure awaits.
The Snowhaven Town is accessible to VOC groups for visitation or business matters. It is 1-3 days travel from the tribes, depending on the tribes location. Due to town’s size, the VOC groups are asked politely not to stay in the town for too long and unnecessarily crowding the community.
The Snowhaven Town is the only town in the region. DM may make vllages or tribes, as the same size as in the previous region.
Gamewise, it is to prevent paradoxes happening due to absent player. Please cooperate together in preventing paradoxes. Please allow DM to put participating characters into the same tribe or village at the beginning of a session to ease the burden in preparing quest hook. For DM, please avoid putting the characters into an un-safe zone at the beginning of the session. Sessions in this Region must start and end at a safe zone.
- Possible environments
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The common environments are in white; the uncommon environments are in grey; the black ones are non-existent (please do not use them). Also please check the availability of monsters according to THIS LINK and select the environment; Undeads, Fiends, and Aberrations ignore this limitation. Arctic MountainForest Hill Underdark UnderwaterCoastal Desert Grassland Swamp Urban
- Missions in The Blizzard
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There are at least two types of combat missions that can be done by any DM:
- Dealing with the Giantkins, whether by brute force or outsmarting them.
- Exploring the mountainous area in search of the ancient kingdom and its treasures, either on the surface or under the ground.
Possible other missions that can be related are:
- Activities on the frozen lakes, such as ice-fishing or other leisure activities.
- Charting the region, prospecting and/or exploitation of local resources.
- Playing a bit in local politics or providing support for the locales.
- Preparing supplies for the journey across mountains.
- Local NPC Guide
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Feel free to make your own Tribes and/or hamlets and villages; it should have a supply of Meeras, and some sources of food. The Giantkin tribes/gangs are initially hostile.
Common Meeras are sold everywhere, with price of 2sp/bottle, and 3 servings/bottle. Normally overconsuming meeras results in getting drunk, then passing out, then hangover. Feel free to add creative side-effects, but please make sure such meeras with additional side-effects are available in your session only.
Feel free to offer the Players to start at a friendly tribe or town for the first day, then introduce your mission afterwards for the next day or the same day. DM may use recurring tribe or village or hamlet.
Local NPCs may know each other, at respective DM's choice.
Recommended readings/plays: Dungeons & Dragons (Icewind Dale setting), The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Disney’s Frozen, and similar themes.
- Local Works
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Available Local Works (and their relevant Skill/Tools) - Ice-Fishing
- Survival or Nature
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
- Clearing the Snow and Paving Roads
- Masonry or Carpenter
The snow piles up on the roads, making it hard for caravans to pass through. You clear the snows. The locals and some VOC members moved by your hard work, and somehow you ended up gained few coins.
- Brewing Meera
- Brewer or Cook
There is always a demand for Meera, and brewing common ones is a way to gain coins
- Clothesmaking
- Leatherworker or Weaver or Cobbler
This region is always cold, and there will be times where one does not drink Meera for whatever reason. At that time, a warm clothing would be good.
- Traveling Minstrels/Medicine Seller
- Performance or Medicine
Well, anyone will pay for a good source to heal their body or their soul.
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douwesdekker
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15 Jul 2016, 12:57 AM
Post #3
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- Posts:
- 57
- Group:
- CGM Blizzard
- Member
- #8
- Joined:
- Jun 6, 2016
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PSEUDO-MISSIONS
These Pseudo-Missions are available to any Group who want to do them in their Downtime Activities. The results might influence stories in the arc, and the Group's deeds might spread along VOC members (at other DM's discretion), for better or worse.
Unlike other Downtime Activities, these Pseudo-Mission will grant DM Points as follows: 1 Point for DC 10 2 Points for DC 13 3 Points for DC 15 4 Points for DC 17 Affinity Group gain double when the mission is a success
There are 3 (three) repeatable Pseudo-Missions that could be taken by more than one Group simultaneously. Occasionally, other Pseudo-Missions might appear in random intervals.
- Guard Training (Repeatable)
- Crack Combatant
The Snowhaven community is growing. It needs city guards, for peacekeeping both in the town and patrolling the route between tribes. Who else would be best to train some, if not the battle-hardened VOC groups? - Strength/Dexterity Check DC 13: Battle Training - Constitution Check DC 13: Stamina Training - Intelligence (Investigation DC 15): Tactical Training - Wisdom(Insight DC 10): Recruiting qualified persons - Charisma/Strength (Intimidation DC 13): Ensures discipline whether, by force or by charisma Failures: - Strength/Dexterity: The guards are weak in fights - Constitution: The guards are easily fatigued. So did you. You get a level of exhaustion at the start of the session. - Intelligence: The guards are less intelligent. No, YOU are less intelligent. The guards are organized badly and unprofessional - Wisdom: You chose unsuitable persons as guards, either physically or mentally. - Intimidation: Your guards are indiscipline. If you get less than 3 successes, the training was a failure and the guards either disbanded or went rogue. Three successes or more: New guards in the town!
- Meera Research (Repeatable)
- Sophisticated Savant
The drink everyone loves. You heard about the exotic meera, and start researching for new recipe; your own original, personal meera. - Intelligence(History/Nature DC 15): Formulating your original recipe - Wisdom (Survival DC 13): Foraging the materials needed in the wild - Charisma (Persuasion DC 13): Procuring the materials from suppliers - Constitution Save DC 13: Tasting your meera, repeatedly, until you get the desired result - Wisdom Check DC 10: To have some moderation in brewing Failures: - Intelligence: Your recipe is unoriginal, someone else already formulated it before you. - Wisdom (Survival): You gathered weird materials. Your meera tastes bad. You sure it’s not poison? - Charisma (Persuasion): You bought crap-tier materials. Your meera tastes bad. You sure it’s not poison? - Constitusion Save: Your body got overdosed. You get a level of exhaustion at the start of the session. - Wisdom: Your meera is too strong, it got some unwanted side-effects. You, who repeatedly consumed it while brewing, have the first chance to taste the effects. From the start of the session until you get a long rest, you gain disadvantage on checks that use your Wisdom score and another random, non-game-mechanical effect determined by the DM. Example of side-effect: abnormally lusty, loss of emotion, easily angered, love at first sight, etc. Regardless of your failures/successes, you gain a bottle of exotic meera at the start of the session. It is enough for about 20 servings, although your mileage may vary. Its taste and effects, however, is determined by the number of your failures/successes.
- Frozen Lake Gears (Repeatable)
- Astute Auxiliaries
Your creative mind screamed when you saw the frozen lakes, full of potentials, were only used for ice-fishing with simple fishing rods. You decide to craft a new gear, whether it is for more efficient and effective ice-fishing, or a new types of leisures like ice-skating, ice-sliding, snowball wars, bobsled race, dogsled race, etc. You can make neither weapon nor armor nor shield with this Pseudo-Mission. - Wisdom (Insight DC 13): To suit people’s needs - Artisan Tools CheckDC 13: Crafting the gear with quality - Constitution Save DC 13: Hard-working in crafting - Intelligence (Nature DC 10): Making sure that your crafts can withstand the harsh winter - Charisma (Performance DC 15): Demonstrating your crafts in front of the crowds Failures - Wisdom: No one wants this creation of yours. - Artisan Tools: It needs repair after every three uses. - Constitution: You got tired making this thing. You get a level of exhaustion at the start of the session. - Intelligence: It breaks apart after a week. - Charisma: No one but you understands how to use it. Regardless of your failures/successes, you gain your creation at the start of the session, with its properties determined from your failures/successes.
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