Prequel Campaign Session 1

Introduction

• This adventure is designed for 2-3 players, taking them from 1st to 5th level.
• The players may be of any race, except for Tiefling or Drow.
• One player must be of high standing in the Elven Empire of Arbhor (The Protector), and one player must be of high standing in a foreign, non-human kingdom (The Foreigner).

When you are ready to begin the adventure, read the following:

This story takes place in a world called Lokuncalm, an ancient realm older than any other. The world is full of fantastical sights, from the jungles of Zakib to the grand orcish kingdom of Bomberdia. However, the realm has not seen true peace in many years. The Five Races of the realm have been locked into a conflict known as the Great Magic War, which has cost millions of lives and scourged the realm for nearly a 1000 years. In the last five centuries, the conflict has turned upon the Humans, who live in the ancient kingdom of Brilon. The other four races, the Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, and Changelings, believe that eradicating the human threat will bring an end to the seemingly endless conflict. Much of the human kingdom has been claimed by the Elven Empire, yet humanity somehow persists. To speed along the war's end, the non-human races have begun to establish alliances, sending representatives to foreign kingdoms in order to prepare for a final assault against the Humans' hidden base.

Arbhor - Aurora, Elven Capital

A boat, known as the Steel Dawn, arrives in Port Ginkgo, which is a few miles south of Aurora. The boat carries a single passenger, the player who is in high standing with a foreign government.

You sit upon a crate within the hull of a small sailship known as the Steel Dawn. You have traveled long and far, and most of the crew has done very little to get to know you. Finally, as if the Gods have answered your wishes, the captain shouts "Land Ho!" You ascend the small stairway, stepping out onto the deck, greated by the warm rays of a Summer's End sun. As your eyes adjust, you see it; the grand forested shores of Arbhor, the capital kingdom of the Elvish Empire. Towering over the landscape of blue waters and pine trees is the Spirit Oak, a massive tree jutting miles into the sky. Its leaves are fresh and verdant this time of year. The boat approaches Port Ginkgo, a bustling sandstone-brick strip populated by merchants and travelers from all across the world.

D

Male	Female
Horwin	Amethyst
Nord	Fyla
Rolan	Tandy
Senrick	Relia
Lenar	Weny
Vendran	Shera
Monteg	Kay
Pondrin	Rosine

Aside: Elvish Names to Reference

Non-Gendered
Dydendrion
Jyendran
Pentrya
Khalydra
Renthane
Calceth
Sylrenth
Yonland

After disembarking, there are three elves waiting for the player's arrival. They have been sent by the Emperor, Theralin to collect the foreign representative and deliver them to the capital. They seek to lead them to a carriage pulled by four white stags.

• In the carriage, the elves divulge that a room has been prepared for the player at a local inn called The Maple Inn, handing over the key. They tell him that his meeting with the Emperor has been scheduled for that afternoon, and encourage him to enjoy his return to the capital in the meantime.
• (The Protector's character may also be introduced at this time, or later at the Maple Tavern.)

The Maple Tavern and Inn

• The Maple Tavern and Inn is a building built into a hollow maple tree in the Camphor district of Aurora. There are many people here, mostly elves and a few scattered dwarves, drinking and enjoying the music.
• The inn is owned by an elven woman named Myra. She is currently celebrating her 261st birthday and has prepared Elvish Seedcake to share with her patrons. The Elvish Seedcake grants the effects of the spell Cure Wounds when eaten.
• The player who is of high standing in the Elvish kingdom is seated at a table in the tavern, looking for the foreigner they are to protect.

• On the second floor of the inn are the rooms, with the player's room at the back of the hall. Inside, there is a bed with a table, a small mirror, and a dresser.

• When the party returns downstairs, a drunken elf warrior (who uses the Veteran statblock), loudly insults the non-elven member of the party, saying that their kind isn't welcome in Aurora. Should a fight break out, the warrior will be fighting alone and makes all of his rolls with disadvantage.

• The protector has been told to deliver the foreigner to the Ivory Keep at sunset. There are several stores to check out around town, which the protector knows of. There is a potion seller in the Camphor district, an armorer in the Banyan district, and a weaponsmith in Magnolia district.

The Ivory Keep

The Ivory Keep can be found north of the Banyan district on a cliff overlooking Gooseberry Ravine and, in the distance, the Spirit Oak. The Keep is a very tall, tower shaped building wrapped in massive roots, with a set of massive wooden doors at the entrance. The doors are carved with depictions of the Spirit Oak and the First Elves.

You arrive at your destination, the Ivory Keep. It is a tall, tower shaped building built from a pure white stone and wrapped in massive roots. A set of large wooden doors seems to be the only entrance, carved with various depictions of elves.
You enter the Keep, stepping into a large octagonal chamber with tall windows on each wall. There are five elves seated in thrones on a raised platform, each of whom are wearing white robes. They look upon you disdainfully. The elf sitting in the center wears a crown made of purple crystal, leading you to conclude that he is Theralin, the Elven Emperor. His face is wrinkled, his eyes sunken, and his white beard nearly touches the floor. He begins to speak, facing you (The Foreigner). "Why have you come here?"

• Theralin tells the foreigner that he will consider their proposition for alliance under one condition: The foreigner must prove themself by bringing the emperor the location of the hidden human stronghold.
• The Emperor tells of a human druid named Neran who has been attacking elvish scouts in Brilon, just past the ruins of Efranse (an abandoned human town). Neran's attacks are preventing the Elvish Empire from advancing into Brilon and learning the location of the Human hidden base. Theralin wants Neran dead within five days and will not consider Alwin's proposal until then.
• Efranse is a four day journey northwest of Aurora, if traveled by horse. There is nobody in Aurora who sells horses, however they are bred in the next town over, Ughvrard. The journey to Ughvrard is 4 hours by carriage and 9 hours by foot.
• There are traders who leave from below the Camphor district who could provide a ride to Ughvrard, either for a fee or for a service. Common traders who take this route transport crops, meats, coal, and spices.

On the road to Ughvrard

• While on the road, the party is stopped when they come to a fallen tree in the middle of the road. A DC 17 Perception check will allow them to detect a group of four human bandits hiding in the woods on either side of the road.

• The bandits, either once detected or after they reveal themselves, will initially try to resolve the situation peacefully, attempting to commandeer the cart and its goods. If killed, the bandits have on their person 40 gold pieces and 2 Potions of Healing. The bandits wear leather and metal armor, with a pin featuring a three swords on a shield.

Arbhor - Ughvrard

As you pass through the woods, the scent of freshly cut wood begins to fill the air. Before long, the town of Ughvrard comes into view. It is a small settlement of homely wooden buildings, most of which with pointed triangular rooves. Fireflies dance throughout the small, quiet town, a different sight than the bustle of the capital.

• Upon arriving in Ughvrard, the party will be rewarded by the cart driver if they traveled there by cart. Their reward is 60 silver pieces.
• In the town square, there is a town crier, exclaiming about an elvish victory against Brilish forces on the island of Jeriah, which lies south of Arbhor. This comes as the end to a three week battle which left over 2,500 elvish soldiers dead.

Duwailin's General Emporium

Duwailin's General Emporium is located on south main street in Ughvrard. The exterior of the store features carvings of mountains on every wooden surface. The interior of the store is littered with various tables, shelves, and display cases, each containing various items. Duwailin can be found restocking one of the shelves with various potions, which shine colorfully in the morning light. He is a dwarven man a bald head, a long, braided white beard, and a handlebar mustache.
Duwailin's Wares:

Name	Cost	Description
Potion of Healing (2)	7 gp	Bottle of bright red liquid. Tastes like cherries and smells like sulfur. Heals 2d4+2 hp.
Potion of Greater Healing (1)	12 gp	Bottle of a darker red liquid. Tastes like wood, with a strong sulfur smell. Heals 4d4+4 hp.
Pack of Rations (4)	7 cp	Pack of various non-perishable elven food items, wrapped in a burlap pack. Feeds a single person for a day, takes 1/2 hour to eat, heals 2 hp.
Healer's Kit (1)	5 gp	Leather pouch containing various bandages, salves, and splints. Has 10 uses. Can be used as an action to either stabilize a creature with 0 hit points or heal 1d6 hit points.
Silken Rope (50ft) (1)	10 gp	50 feet of elven-craft rope. Has 2 hp and requires a DC 17 Strength Check to snap.
Flask (3)	2 cp	Holds one pint of liquid
Oil Lamp	2 sp	Casts bright light in a 15 ft radius and dim light for an additional 30 ft. Burns for 6 hours on one flask of oil.
Ring of Fire Resistance	20 gp	Silver ring with a garnet jewel. The interior of the ring is marked with primordial runes which read "Begone Sorbek, Master of the Eternal Blazing Flame." While wearing this ring, the wearer gains resistance to fire damage.
Potion of Animal Friendship	4 gp	Gain the ability to cast the spell Animal Friendship (DC 13) at will for 1 hour.
Whetstone	1 cp	Spend 1 minute sharpening a weapon to give that weapon a +1 to damage for 8 hours. Can be used 10 times.
Goblet of Darkness	50 gold	Goblet made out of the skull of a smaller humanoid creature with a removeable cap. When the cap is removed, a magical dark mist envelops the room the goblet is in. If the goblet is outside, it creates a 60 foot sphere of darkness. Any items which are dropped into the goblet cannot be retrieved.
Javelin of Lightning	75 gold	Javelin with a jagged, lightning shaped tip covered in dwarvish runes. The runes spell out the javelin's true name: Righteous Hand of Adonn. Once per day, the javelin can fire a bolt of blue lightning in a 120ft line. The target must then succeed a DC 13 Dex save or take 4d6 lightning damage. Otherwise, the javelin functions as a normal javelin which deals 1d6 piercing damage.

Double Birch Ranch

The Double Birch Ranch is the only place in Ughvrard that breeds horses. It's owned by Kalysar and Rhaymys, an elven couple. Kalysar is tall and blonde and Rhaymys is short with soft features, a freckled face, and curly black hair. The two women live in a small cottage on the outskirts of town with three acres of fenced land.

• The two will sell a pair of horses to the party for 5 gold pieces each. The only horses available are a pair of older horses and need to be prepared to be sold. They'll be ready by the afternoon.

The Drunken Dragon Inn and Bar

Tucked on the corner of Harbuck and Jantalus street is a the Drunken Dragon Inn and Bar. The building is a two-story cottage with a thatch roof. Various barrels lie strewn about in front of the building, and a large and lifelike stone dragon statue wraps around the building's second level, pointing to the sign. Lively music can be heard from outside.

• Inside, people are drinking, laughing, and enjoying warm meals. The patrons cheer as a bell signals the party's arrival.
• The wait staff of the establishment is comprised entirely of kobolds; short scaly humanoids of draconic decent and of varying colors.
• The bartender is a human male with clawed hands and hardened blue scales running up and down his arms. His left eye appears snakelike and he has sharp teeth and a single yellow horn protruding from his forehead. The bartender's name is Grimsh. He was born to a human mother but he knows his father to be Grondark, theLord of the Four Skies. Grimsh was born in Arbhor and found himself an outcast, however he sought to gather fellow Draconians in order to form a family of his own.

Name	Cost	Description
Room Rental	2 gp per person per night	A room on the second floor of the Inn. The room has two bedrooms, a chest, and a mounted mirror. Rental comes with free dinner.
Flaming Dragon	8 cp	The signature drink of the Drunken Dragon. A spicy, cinnamon-y beer infused with the saliva of the descendants of Azeroth, a fire dragon who lives to the west.
Dwarven Ale	1 cp	Imported from the jungles of Zakib. A strong ale that is known for causing intoxication after two drinks, earning it the nickname "One-Two Punch."
Hot Chocolate	2 cp	Made from chocolate grown in Tarstan. Warmed and brewed on the spot using fire breath. Give the consumer a +2 to their next charisma check.
Wyrm's Dinner	1 sp	A full meal that feeds one person. Comprised of sliced baked ham, hot pickled veggies, half a roll of bread, and melted cheese to dip them in. Restores 10 hp and is equivalent to a day's worth of rations.
Slumbering Drake Cake	5 cp	A fluffy, fried batter cake in the shape of a sleeping dragon with frosted sugar on top. Tastes like bananas and vanilla and smells like roses. Restores 3 hp and is equivalent to a day's worth of rations.
Perpetual Stew	2 cp	Stew that's been being perpetually added to and never taken off the flame for ten years. An egg can be put in it at the customer's request. Restores 1 hp and is equivalent to a day's worth of rations.
Bread	1 cp	A loaf of simple bread. Restores 1 hp and is equivalent to a day's worth of rations.

• After the party has spent some time in the bar, an orcish man enters the tavern.

The bell rings as the door to the tavern opens, yet the patrons do not cheer. Standing in the doorway is a large orcish man. His green skin and massive frame are complimented by his graying hair and piercing yellow eyes. The man wears a large set of rounded silver armor, which is worn and dented. On his right shoulder, there is a sigil of three swords on a shield: the same sigil as the bandits from before. The older orc sits down and points to the party, motioning for them to come over.
[History 14] The Triblade Mercenaries are a mercenary group from the Orcish kingdom of Bomberdia, so named due to the alliance of three powerful warriors who formed the group. The man before you bears a striking similarity to the description of one of the founding members named Orphard Kraglin.