SummerCamp 2023

Some work on my "new" continent, Damus...

I can't describe it how excited I am over the Summer Camp this year!

Like: last year I had a needy 6 month old beside me, and still managed the Diamond, the previous year I was pregnant and still worked (mostly overtime, bc. Covid), and somehow managed to finish all my writings for the Diamond... Now I have a cute toddler with strict schedule, so I actually have time and space to work!
Bonus: This will be my first year, when I try to write all my articles in English, which is an extra effort from my side, but I hope I can reach out more people with this decision.

1. Homework: POWER

Organisations on Damus:

As I started building up the campaign, I already decided most about the power structure, even if I didn't have any time to work with it.

• Greyaka Kingdom (home of the Bena elves )
• Sadara Kingdom (Ruined - Surta elves )
• Council of Life (Druidic Circle of Greendragons and they followers)
• The Cult of the Red Skull (cultist, mostly Humans and Mystic elves from Lifeon)
• Rival shipwrecked teams: Golden omen, Pack of Chaos and Prime serpents;
• Five different Bugit tribes;
• Dozens of small Segai tribes;
• Handful of Firedragons;
• A family of five Tempestdragons;
• Last, but not least: the shipwrecked Characters!

Relations and conflict:

1. Greyaka Kingdom (former Sadara Kingdom):
The descendants of the survivors of the Segai purge are still living on Damus, under the former catacombs and shelters, in two vast underground cities. Bena elves of Damus are godless, forsaken, cursed. They are bitter, vengeful and evil. Over the centuries, they have adapted to their hiding lifestyle, in the deep their society and culture survived the gallows that befell their people, but their worldview and attitude to life was greatly distorted. They are as greedy as a Firedragon and keep slaves almost exclusively for fun.
Bena elves has more, but different food-sources, clean waters and safe shelters from the outside world. Earthquakes caused by volcanoes are a constant problem for them. They want to reclaim the surface, but their hatred keeps them from allying with others. The Bena elves do not have the power to sweep the Bugits, Segaii, and Firedragons out of the continent at once. This does not stop them from watching from the background and using manipulations to try to get the Beastman to exterminate each other. However, cultists and foreign adventurers have unleashed a new kind of chaos, and this may be what triggers the long-awaited attack.
2. Council of Life:
The Greendargons lived here, since Narmiraen created the beautiful jungle on the land. They was the advisors of the Surta elves, and keeper of the forests. When Jomril lifted up the volcanoes to stop Vangrakath, and the land become tainted with ash and smoke, the Sagaii overrun the Surta elves for food and shelter, but shortly after, most of them fled the continent (long story short). The Council remained here, and still working on to restore all the life and beauty, what was lost. And other hand: Greendargons are the closest we can call Evera's hippies, they love peace, nature and all good things.
Greendragons are powerful, and they have a number of Segai, Bugit and even Bena elven followers, but the volcanoes, Firedragons, cultists and now the strange adventurers giving them a lots of work. Fire is they greatest enemy, and they maybe need help, to deal with they opponents.
3. The Cult of the Red Skull:
The foreign mages and fanatics led here by Zellevera. The Goddess found here ancient texts from the time when Evera, The Core, was created. She led her followers there to collect all pieces and solve the mystery for her. The one thing she didn't know, that Castien and Pandora want the informations as well. The leader of the cult, Giffard Sternstar, made a pact with the two other deities, and his minions are crazier than ever.
The cultist has difficult times in the jungle, like the Characters, navigating on and surviving the unknown land, and protecting they working sites all costs. They are dangerous and wielding mostly power and elemental type of magic. The cultists see the "primitive natives" (all Beastman) as expendable, and if they don't need them, they will drive them out of their homes/kill them without batting an eye. Some of them don't even hesitate to ally with a Firedragon, or maybe a team of adventurers, if the party in question is evil and powerful enough.
4. The Survivors:
The Characters and the other three team is foreign here. They need resources, information and even allies. Some of them are chaotic, evil, maybe wielding a Gaston/Ratcliff-like (sorry for the Disney-references) kill everything and take everything type mentality. Others just wanna survive and a safe ride to home. There is no chance of it, that any from the four party willingly team up.
Since they have a different technological level, never-seen strategy (maybe new weapons) and magic, the native Beastman has a natural disadvantage, when there is open battle. But the Beastman are not stupid, so they will definitely use some gerilla-type fighting style.
5. Beastman:
Vangrakath created the Segaii here, this was/is they homeland.

The Bugits had smaller numbers in the old times, but after the Dwarves flee from the Segaii, they occupied the emptied cities deep in the mountains, their number kept growing, and living their best life ever. Sometimes they are attacked by Segai warriors, sometimes a Firedragon takes all their "hard-earned" wealth, and more recently strange smooth-skinned folks (cultists) drive their "kingdoms" into chaos, enslaves them.
Beastman on Damus are native, they don't like the dragons, cultists and the Elves are blamed for everything bad that happened to the continent and to them. They constantly fighting over food- and water resources, tribal chiefs leading they warriors and hunting parties into bloody battles. Elven slavers are they worst nightmares, as they hunting for the weakest of them, the young and the cubs. Some Beastman tribe are generally evil, but some of are different, it all depends of the Chief's visions and decisions.
Beastman tribes often needs allies for they war, help to defeat the tyrant who is their current leader, save some enslaved cubs or or to obtain rare raw materials, herbs, other resources. They are the biggest power over the land, as they have the number to defeat even a Firedragon - if they can work together.
6. Dragons:
There are three kind of Dragons on Damus: Greendragons (good - see Council of Life) ; Tempestdragons (neutral) and Firedragons (greedy and evil).

The Tempestdragons loved the secure location, and started a family here. The couple has three children and now three eggs as well. The Beastman fear them enough to leave the nest alone, but the Firedragons and the cultists are a serious threat, and even the shipwrecked adventurers see the eggs as a good opportunity to get rich...
The Firedragons on Damus are lazy, old and mostly didn't care about anything else than emerging a new pile of treasure, if they have a chance. Some of them are lonely, others have minions or provide protection to cultists in exchange for treasure. They are cunning, and they have no problem breaking a contract in favor of a better offer. Firedragons have the destructive power, that can toss the continent into chaos and destruction.

+1: Damus Mini-Meta

(Very similar to Evera's existing meta, I guess that means I'm consistent and on the right track?)

• Motivation: Damus is a "new" continent on Evera (it has not been developed before), located between Utea and Lifeon. Just last week I started a new campaign, that takes place here. In addition, as all my previous works, I like to build something, that other Game Masters can use too. A nice, interesting place to discover, and some plots, mystery and treasure for flavor. This is my first not solo-play work, where I use a regional hex-map, and the first game-prep with Shadowdark. (I fell in love with Shadowdark, I already have three campaign with it.)
• Theme: High-magic jungle&dungeon crawl, maybe a little bit darker, than my usual storytelling. Dying land, demons, undead, lots of conflict. The impossible becomes possible. Teamwork is key to survival. Characters need to pick sides in the conflicts, if they wanna change the power-system, dynamics; alliance and diplomacy is a good way to gain informations, find secret locations, and treasure. The difference between races and religions, the struggle for resources and the machinations of the deities are the most important story points here.
• Focus: Damus: The new continent is different (mostly jungle, which is a a new geographical - and biological - challenge all of us). New environment, animals, plants and monsters. Journey: The characters want to survive, get rich and get home from here. Secrets: The Cult of the Red Skull found ancient inscriptions all over the continent, and they want to protect them at all costs. The Segaii exterminated the Surta elves from Damus, the Dwarves fled, but now&then some kind of elves enslave the wandered off young and cubs.
• Drama: The characters are shipwrecked, with incomplete equipment, on a foreign continent. They must adapt and learn to survive. Although Humans are not native to Damus, Solioran's hostile creatures appear from time to time. Something odd happening there. The Segaii and the Bugits don't like outsiders, especially not Elves. Elves on Damus hate outsiders even more, especially other Elves.
• Basics: There are Dragons: Tempest-, Fire- and Greendragons! (Everything is better with some dragons!) Portals to the Elemental plane of Fire too! Dragons, Gods and Demon Lords are all plot against each other!

Residents of Damus: Segai tribes, Bugit tribes, Bena elves, Giants and Dragons.

2. Homework: FRONTIER

1. Damus - Geography:

I have a shiny new continent map to work with! Damus is the smallest all of them - so I just created the "micro-sandbox setting" what I usually hate so much... Maybe I learn to love it, and make a pretty 'jewelry box' here.

Since Damus is a separate landmass on the Blackwater, between three vast volcanoes, it has its own natural frontiers. On the continent are six different geographical units: mountain rages, swamps, small islands around the shore, waters (two big lake, four wide river and countless smaller water-sources) the jungle and a wasteland. The volcanoes all have their separate islands a little further from the shore.

Damus was a beautiful and peaceful place before Vangrakath created the Segaii here. When Jomril tried to get in the Beastman way for the first time, the Father of Stone doomed the land and all the living here. However, there are still people who come here with a purpose: The Cult of the Red Skull members swarm around the ancient structures, and some holy paladins followed them here, to eradicate evil from the world. (The shipwrecked didn't want to come here, but that's a different story. After they learn about the treasures, they definitely feel themselves lucky.)

• In the heart of Damus, there are two swamps (maybe in the old time it was one, big moorland?). Both are dangerous, 3 days' walking distance in diameter, darker than most of the overland. One of them teeming with the undead.
• The desert on the southern shore of Damus is a 5 days' walking distance in diameter, dry rocks and sand. Dragons fought here many times before, and almost no life left there.
• There is a unique place, up to the north: a ship from the Second Era (the events of the story take place in the Fourth Era) sank near one of the volcanoes. This remote, secret place is the most dangerous of all...

The Elemental Planes and Damus: There are seven elemental planes around Evera. The closest to Damus is the Elemental plane of Fire: there is a permanent portal between the two realms. The Bena elves can open a portal to the Elemental plane of Darkness, and the Greendragons can open a portal to the Elemental plane of Earth and Nature.

2. Technology of Damus:

I already made a nice 'technological development chart' about Utea's technology, now I need to decide, what the people of Damus can do. I already know, that there is a significant technological difference between Utea and Damus.
Technical development:
Food and plants: They know about Herbalism and Poisons, but don't brew Potions (Alchemy). Elves has a form of underground agriculture, but Segaii collecting they foods from nearby fruit trees and from the jungle. Animal husbandry, fishing and hunting are a common practices on Damus. The Segaii preserve their food with sea salt, brew ale and make firewater.
Tools and weapons: Are mainly made from wood, stone and animal materials. Some Segaii can make boat from wood, Bugits building rafts, but both race like to keep themselves on the shore. Beastman don't need too much armor, they didn't do mining and most metal they use is comes form the Elves or the Bugits (Bugits pillaged the abandoned dwarven cities, so they have good dwarven steel and mithral too!). Bena elves still have operating mines and forges, they use slaves for the hard work and try to keep the art of fine metal-working secret from the Beastman. Segaii and Bugits building their homes with wood and palm leaves, and even Elves use less masonry then the Dwarves did in the old times.
Theoretical sciences:
Religions are rudimentary on Damus: Segaii and Bugits have shamans some times, but they have less rituals, than anywhere else. Bena elves of Damus now curse all gods (they have nothing to do with Glysaris, who ruled far away from here and they doom was before her ascending). Greendragons worship the Dragon Goddess day and night.

Literature: Bena elves of Damus writing they books and scrolls in their elven dialect, but with Sheyarin runes. Bugits usually just scribble half-meaningful sentences on walls, logs, palm leaves and animal skins, as most of them can't read. Segaii keep their history and thoughts on bundles of animal skins, if a rival tribe can reach this sacred history, they will destroy it as a sign of their victory.
Music is the only common art on Damus. Bena elves evoke the destruction and express their anger with songs reminiscent of laments, Bugit songs sound like the jungle itself, Segaii howling-roaring battle songs with drums and primitive flutes. All dragons love good music! Other forms of art are rare.
Money and Trade: Bugits love gold, but just collecting, and don't use it, they just take what they want and fight over things. Bena elves use different coins: iron, mithral and Eribeal, since those are the common ores on Damus. In exchange for the acquired wealth, the Segai Chieftain gives hunters and warriors perforated leather and wooden discs, which they can use for drink, food, and equipment in the village. On the rare occasions when strangers are allowed in, they can give the Chieftain some of their riches to fair exchange, or they can give they metal coins to the locals, but sometimes they can't cannot assess they value.
Magic: Most Bugit or Segai can't use magic, they fear the unseen power. Only the shamans can use magic - if the cub born with an innate talent for magic, then it will be a shaman. Bena elves has traditions of teaching the young for magic, since this is they strongest power against the Beastman.

3. Map of Damus

I made a big mistake with my map: I have a picture and I put the Roll20 hex over it... Now I have a blank map in World Anvil. I'll think about it later, for now I'm working with what I have.

Damus

Open full size

4. My library

Now I've created a bunch of placeholder articles (organizations and places) and now they're all in a nice order in their designated place, both in Hungarian and English. My To-Do list on Evera has way too many entry.

3. Homework: Relics

1. History and relics

The blood-soaked land of Damus, covered in clouds of ash, holds little living history for the curious. However, there are more artifacts from the past, than all the living here can remember. The ancient Dwarven and Elven ruins, stone piles/pyramids, sunken and forgotten structures, dragon lairs all containing treasures not just in jewels or gold, but historical and magical items as well. Segai tribes has less values in treasure, than other communities, Bugits pillaged most of the left behind Dwarven stuff, Elves tried to collect from their ruined cities everything they could after the war, but Firedragons were the greediest about collecting anything shiny and unusual. Plenty of treasures are still lying untouched some regions of the jungle and the deep.
Some ideas for legendary treasures:

• Something from the last King/Queen of Anisera; Statue of King Haladavar Vendanise - the last king of Anisera - the king is depicted with feathered wings and a shield. Anyone who touches it is teleported to a nearby "safe" place, most likely the ruined, forgotten church. The statue's nature/power is warned of by a worn, harsh elf inscription, and in front of it someone scratched a bena elf inscription into the stone: "danger". The statue of the fallen king offered refuge to the leaderless people in times of need, but today it does not fulfill this function very successfully.
• A weapon or armor from an ancient Dwarven lord; Lord of Vimrugh; Brarban Bonehorn's Mithal shield (+3 Armor) decorated with a howling face. The shield emits a battle cry when the wearer charges. It's wearer become immune to fire and lava. Brarban ordered this lost relic for the battles against the Firedragons.
• An unholy artifact from Vangrakath; Fangs of Vangrakath; dragonbone greataxe (+3 Attack and Damage bonus) ; double damage to dragons. Vangrakath gave it to the first chieftain, who earned her title by winning a bloody battle and became the first leader of the Segaii.
• A holy relic from Narmiraen; Green flask; This special bottle can refill itself daily. Its contents may change depending on the will of the goddess. 1: The green, peppermint-scented liquid gives a +1 bonus to an attribute for 8 hours. 2-6: secret, for now!
• A magical item from the Elemental Plane of Fire; Demonic Sabre a longsword (+2 Attack and Damage bonus) ; Whispers in Deep-Speech; if you understand it, it will tell you your opponent's weak point! It was owned by a demon bounty hunter before it became dragon food.
• Forbidden magic (elven or demonic, maybe both) ;
• Last, a powerful object in the sunken shipwreck at the north! (Staff off the Queen of the Black; Coral staff with dark powers. Ring of the Forgotten; a tiny item for becoming a lich. Circlet of Sarra; the princess crown once belonged to the Queen's daughter, and her soul was attached to the item.)

2. History of Damus

Well, this new timeline is a little short, but I will definitely work on it this week...

History of Damus

3. Art for Summer Camp

Ancient dolmens

Ancient Dwarven city

Ancient Ruins

Baby-nope

Bena elf city

Bena elf hunter

Bugit hunter

Bugit scout

Bugit shaman

Caverns

Chattering skulls

Cultist

Danger in the water

Deathwing

Desert

Eindaren Silhen

Elven portal

Fangs of Vangrakath

Firedragon

Fox-Segai warrior

Gates of the city

Giselle Hillcut

Greendragon

Hunting camp in the jungle

image_Ry5Xj1FI_1687181259636_raw (1).jpg

Khragol

Lamir, king of Budkin

Leopard

Mangrove

Nepeta trees in Damus

Nope

Path - left

Path - right

Pickled anaconda-eggs

Portal at The Grove

Portal of Evilness

Puffdine Orchid

Puffdine Orchid tentecles

Purit the Wayfinder

River 1

River 2

River 3

River 4

Ruins 1

Ruins 2

Ruins of the Moontemple

Shadbak

Sharamph, the Old One

Snake-Segai hunter

Stranger

Tamere moss extract

The Grove

Tiger

Tiger-Segai hunter

Village

Waterfall 1

Wreck of the Gilea

4. Homework: Communication

1. Languages on Damus

As someone, who was lucky enough to learn two foreigner language at school - and later English -; communication is an important aspect of my world(s) and overall my work. Ability to speak different languages, dialects, and knowledge of secret codes are the strongest dividing line of what characters can or cannot do in Evera. (Yes, I was the nerd, who invented a new secret writing-code almost every month in elementary school.)
Creatures of different Deities speaking different languages; since Evera is the world of Dragons, the "common speech" is their native language, known as the Sheyarin. (I found the process of naming the languages is giving them more depth and meaning, what do you think?)
There are several different languages in Evera, for now I'm narrowing down the list to the languages of Damus:

Language	Writing style	Who speaks it?
Beast Language	cuneiform	Segai beastman and Bugit beastman
Deep-Speech	Deep runes	Firedragons, Demons
Elven - Bena elven dialect	Sheyarin runes	Bena elves and some of their slaves
Elven - Mystic elven dialect	Elven letters and runes	Mystic elves, cultist
Sheyarin Language	Sheyarin runes	Dragons, druids, most foreign adventurers and cultists
Sylvan	Elven runes	Fairies, Greendragons, druids

2. Other forms of communication

Markings on trees and rocks: Segaii and Bugits mark their territory with different symbols in the environment. These marks usually consist of a few claw marks: a combination of circle, line, square shapes; their appearance differs from tribe to tribe. From time to time, the signs of the common border are erased or rewritten by enemy groups, resulting in new battles. Some of the border markers are decorated puppets: skulls, animal skins, bird feathers, colorfully painted stones, or simply the corpses of defeated opponents hanging from trees.
War-drums: In battle, Segaii change strategies or move to the sound of battle drums. These simple leather drums stretched over a wooden frame are extremely important in terms of disciplined combat, which only the most powerful chieftains can force their warriors to do. In many cases, this can decide the outcome of the fight.
Hunter signals: Segai hunters can attribute their extraordinary effectiveness to their coordinated attacks. One part of the team pursues the prey, while the other waits in ambush. The two groups communicate with each other with signals similar to animal sounds, so they are able to hide in the jungle almost unnoticed.
Rhythm codes: Like Segai hunters, Bena elf warriors and hunters communicate with a special code language that is most similar to Morse code. A stranger might mistake the rhythmic clattering for the sound of rocks rolling down or branches coming together in the distance, as elf scouts inform warriors of the intruders' location.
Ancient hieroglyphs: There are never-before-seen signs on the stones of Damus' most ancient buildings, which the Cult of the Red Skull is currently working on deciphering. Even the gods do not know what the writing could mean, which could be as old as the creation of the world.

3. Diplomacy and long distance communication

One of the reasons I really enjoy doing homework is that while I'm thinking about it, a lot of things come to mind - because that's what it's designed for... I let my imagination wander a little, because the different communities on Damus are not exactly on friendly terms with each other.
Messenger: The Segai tribes and the Bena elves usually communicate with their own in writing. Messengers are more than just carriers of letters: they are fearless scouts and excellent warriors who can even travel to the farthest reaches of Damus alone to complete the task assigned to them. Due to their outstanding abilities, they are respected members of their community.
Summoning circles: Bena elves are able to send written messages to each other within their cities or between communities using special magic circles that are connected to each other. In this way, they are able to centrally give orders and instructions to their fighters or warn the population of some danger. These summoning circles are traditional magic circles, from which the parchment placed in one of them disappears and appears at the destination - or in duplicates at the destinations. The continuous operation of the circles requires some kind of focus, that radiating magical energy, which is one of the mystical secrets of the Bena elves.
Chattering skulls: Higher-ranking members of the Cult of the Red Skull carry an enchanted skull (human or elven skull). Their leader, Giffard Sternstar, is able to speak directly to the initiated members of the society through these objects, although the magical devices do not come close to reproducing the true voice of the mighty leader. A scene fitting for a parody, when at an unexpected moment the skull's eye sockets glow red and it starts to whine in a high-pitched voice, chattering its teeth... There is still a lot to polish on this technology.
Enchanted butterflies: (This communication-technology has already appeared in an early writing of mine, from which the system of Evera's magic is also derived.) Evera's Greendragons and druids are able to communicate with each other from the far by mystically writing a Sylvan message on the wing of one of a pair of butterflies, and the writing appears on the other animal's wing at the receiving party shortly after. The message dissipates after a few hours, but is suitable for communicating greetings, signals or warnings.
Enchanted diaries: (I'm not sure about this yet, but it seems like a good idea, e.g. a research journal.) These journals are enchanted so that any entry will automatically appear in the other volumes. If one of them gets damaged - it gets wet, burns to ashes, becomes unreadable, or pages are torn out of it - the content is preserved in the other volumes, so the information or knowledge in it cannot actually be destroyed. And if all the pages are filled with writing, the information will continue to flow by attaching additional pages! I can imagine that the characters get their hands on such a volume and its contents are constantly expanding, but they cannot know for sure what the true intentions of those who write in it are, or whether what is written is close to reality. A scholar's mind can easily be driven to madness by a diary whose companions have fallen into the hands of demons...

4. Old articles - new translations