Part 1: Goblins & Kidnapped Villages
The continent of Ardath is home to all manner of cultures and civilizations. To the west within the frigid mountainous reaches of the Fenris Tundra is the Abendroth Empire, one of the most advanced and expansionist empires within the world, and the dominating presence within the western coast of the continent. Controlling the central plains and grasslands known as the Jabari Plains is the elven kingdom of Stelar-Etoile. The far south opens to the vast arid wastes of the Amarak Desert, dwelling within those sands is the Halfling city state of Kdoshand the trade republic of Estafoer. Off the southern coast of Ardath is the Serpent Sea where a cluster of islands known as the Arial Isles forms the Tencho Empire, an isolationist nation who keep to them selves and rarely ever trade with the outside world. Dominating the eastern coast of Ardath is the Toraland Empire, their influence spans the length of the central and northern regions of the east coast. To the further north, in the very fringes of the Fenris Tundra past the Frost Tip Mountains is the dwarven realm of Veturstein, the dwell in the frozen depths of the Frost Tip Mountains and within large cities in the rolling hills and snow drifts of the greater plains of the Fenris Tundra. East of Vetustein is the trade kingdom of Frostmarken, inhabited by a large population of gnomes, they are currently the largest trade competitors with the Toraland Empire.
Plot points/Scenes
Chapter 1: Beginnings
We open on the large port town of Vale Post in the northern province of Bauer within the Toraland Empire. Here a very strange collection of people find themselves, in search of greater purpose or work or simply just something to do they stumble into the town and find there way to a large tavern called the Golden Goblet, it is the largest tavern within the town and is found just off the main strip of the market district. There they will meet the keeper of the tavern and he will tell them of what is going on within the town, and tell them that they are destined for something far beyond what they now are. The group is then free to explore the town in search of whatever it is they might need. From their they can follow the path set by the bar keep or follow their own path and explore the world further.
Chapter 2: The Road to Millford
The owner of the Golden Goblet is a man named Thornton Hale, he is a well traveled and wise man who has many stories to tell to any who are willing to listen. He informs the group of strangers about the village of Millford and how it came under the control of a goblin tribe, if the party poked around town they would have learned more of how the town was attacked and where the goblins had come from. Now the party must make the five day journey up the northern road to the village of Millford in the northern reaches of the King's Woods, along the way they will face many dangers that will bring them closer as a party, and give them the opportunity to develop their teamwork and ability to trust each other.
Chapter 3: The Mystery of Millford
After the party is ambushed by the goblins on the road to Millford, they will either find themselves further down the path or they will be lead back to the town by the goblins should they have chose to spare them. Once the party reaches the village they will have a few options on how to get into the fortress and rend it from the control of the goblins. If they are lead back by the goblins then they will be taken directly before the chief within the main meeting hall for the village, there they will be able to ask the goblin chief anything that thy want to know about why the attack happened and if the goblins can return the village to the towns folk.
Chapter 4: Giants, Gnolls and Outpost Piton
Whether the party decides to kill all the goblins or to spare them and work out a solution they will be confronted with the mystery of what it was the goblins said they were running from and what they were referring to when they said "Ground Shakers" or "Big Thumpers". The party will have to return to Vale Post to either collect the reward for killing the goblins, or telling the governing lord about what really happened to the village and how they can peacefully come to a solution. With high enough charisma the towns folk can live along side the goblins until their home is returned to them, but the party will also be told to go to Outpost Piton where the goblins originally crossed into Toran land and see if the men stationed there know of anything about what the goblins were talking about.
Chapter 5: The Journey North
Outpost Piton is one of the many frontier outposts charged with watching over the northern border of the empire. Just a few miles to the norther east of Outpost Piton is the empire's border with Frostmarken, while to the west stretches the vast wasteland that is the Fenris Tundra. The outpost itself is located just under a quarter of a mile from the edge of the Jotun Forest, with its highest tower standing nearly 60 feet above even the tallest tree allowing for a very long view into the tundra and into the borders of Frostmarken. When the party reaches the outpost they will be beholden to a sight that would chill any imperial citizen to the bone, the outpost in ruined shambles, its outer walls torn asunder as if ripped down by massive hands, while below rests the mangled and arrow ridden corpses of dozens of outpost guards and what can only be described as large hyena like humanoids with white fur. If the party looks for survivors they will find none, all the corpses of the men who once were stationed here are mangled and chewed heaps, with all their meat and clothes ripped off their very bones. Large tracks lead away from the outpost to the northern foot hills of the Fenris Tundra, they appear as both dog like paw marks of varying sizes and large clawed feet nearly three feet in length.
Themes
Everyone is good and evil from a certain point of view.
Structure
Exposition
The year is 785 A3. the world is in relative peace with the exception of the ongoing expansion campaign being undertaken by the Abendroth Empire to the far west of the continent. Our story begins in the large port town of Vale Post located on the northern coast of the Toraland Empire, the largest of the eastern kingdoms that call the coast home. In recent years the north neighboring kingdom of Frostmarken has increased its naval presence within the Adrathan Break, a large channel of water that separates the main coast of Ardath from the Devil's Chain Islands. This increase in naval presence from the Frostmarkens has lead the empire to create artificial islands within the break and demand payment from the Frostmarken ships that attempt to access the route, this coupled with the near constant threat of pirate attacks from the Devil's Chain Islands has put the imperial government into a state of increased agitation. As a result the imperial ruling class has reinforced the borders of the empire and has put all imperial port cities and towns into overdrive, in creating war ships, and supplying materials for the creation of more artificial islands.
Conflict
The governing bodies of Frostmarken and the Toraland Empire are currently in a trade war with each other, which is slowly progressing into a much larger and deadlier conflict. While this occurs a strange new presence in rising within the northern reaches of the Fenris Tundra and Jotun Forest, causing the natural foraging and territorial patterns of the local goblins to be thrown out of balance.
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