Adventure I: The Last Place on Unorrea
For centuries legends have been told of an ancient treasure hidden in the ruins of the Fell Stones, an old an evil ruin hidden somewhere in the last unexplored place in Unorrea: The Kazus Wastes. Mant expeditions have gone into the Wastes with the intent to explore, colonize and find the treasure. Most have not returned, none have ever succeeded. But in the Kingdom of Aldir, in the city of Amaranthine, a museum archivist is putting together another expedition and he believes that this time it will be successful...and he's looking for partners.
Plot points/Scenes
Adventure Summary
Preamble
Here the heroes will meet in the village of Northcrest and eventually defend it from The Kahir. Thus bringing our heroes together and seeding them with the knowledge of the ultimate bad in Adventure 3.Act I
Act 1 will have the characters mostly fixated in the city of Amaranthine. Here they will be introduced to the beginning of the Aldiran Revolution and make preliminary decisions on whether or not they want to participate. Hopefully it also gives them a sense of belonging. This will be the beginning location of their story and the end of it, and the idea is to make Amaranthine not only feel alive, but make them feel like they are a party of it.Act II
The second act will be the beginning of the adventure itself, with them meeting M. Krebeaux in Autumn's Landing and then beginning to lock trek northward to the Frost Mountains, Kaer-Duval and the Kazus Wastes beyond. The purpose of this act is mostly transitional, where our character will get a chance to explore themselves as a group more than individual characters and prepare for the hardships to come in the final act.Act III
In the final Act of the this third adventure the characters who by now have hopefully become invested in this world, connected as a group and are determined to find the treasure of the Fell Stones are now in the most hostile terrain on the planet where simply being outside for more than a few hours is a death sentence. Here they must explore the Wastes, helping the other expeditions camps stay alive while gathering clues as to the whereabouts of the Fell Stones. In addition they will slowly uncover the mystery of the dark eldritch power that used to hold sway in this part of the world, and the mark it has left on Unorrea forever.Themes
Act I
Themes will be mostly centered around city life and the beginning of the revolution itself. The architecture of the city, with it's Gothic spires and old medieval influences will present the back drop to angry people gathering in the streets, aggressive students trying to force people to see their bettter world and so on.Act II
Themes here I want to be focused on the excitement, beauty and danger of high adventure. Scenes will be sprinkled with detailed exposition about finding beauty in something as simple as a sunset that would go unnoticed in a city, while proving that likewise some of the greatest dangers one might face can come from something as simple as a flower or as ostentatious as a 9-foot tall statue of oneself.Act III
In the final Act the theme I wish to present is one of dark fantasy. A place where our heroes learn that while the The Tome of Solun says Maferath is gone and his influence rid from the world, the truth is that evil still persists and it is stronger than anyone knew. And even more terrifying, there are things darker in this universe than Maferath and Kazus the First, and most of the world doesn't even believe they exist.Structure
Conflict
The main conflict for the characters at the beginning of the stroy is their lack of wealth. They hall have things they want to do personally in their lives, but they all lack the funds influence of experience required to do so. Furthermore, they each have been given a personal reason for wanting to travel North anyway (see adventure hooks).
Rising Action
- The Call To Action - Our heroes are given the opportunity to become partners on the Krebeaux Northern Expedition, they simply need to raise the required funds to purchase partnerships and an equal share of the treasure.
- Crossing the Threshold - The heroes, having obtained the required funds to begin the adventure, must now step out of the mundane world (Amaranthine) and into the new world or the magical world. This is accomplished by them traveling to Autumn's Landing and beginning the expedition proper.
- The Road of Trials - Our heroes have now entered into the unknown and the second act of the story, here they will face the trials of adventure and grow and learn from those trails and return with a better understanding of the dangers of this world. The principle trials will come in the form of the two encounters: "Abandoned Festival" and "April Showers and Foul Flowers" in addition to the requirement to free the last member of their expedition form incarceration.
- The Transition to the Wastes - Having secured their last member, who comes with a working knowledge of the rough location of the Fell Stones the heroes now have what they need to complete the quest, although danger's still lie in their path
- The Abyss - Having explored the wastes and pinpointed the exact location of Fell Stones the heroes are now prepared to face their ultimate battle and the climax of the adventure
Climax
The climax of the adventure revolves around the battle withe the Shadow of the Wastes, a powerful dark entity that holds much of the power over the Wastes itself and guards the treasure of the Fell Stones jealously. Depending on what the characters have been able to find out earlier, they may have discovered already that this is indeed the spirit of Kazus himself that is trapped to their world and his seat of power, or they may simply see the Shadow as another obstacle in the way. Either way, they must face this abomination in order to get the ultimate boon.
Falling Action
One defeated, the heroes must then explore the labyrinthine halls of the fell stones to find the Ultimate Boon, which is the treasure they have so thoroughly sought. At this point they may have discovered several pieces of parchment that should help them past the magical lock that protects the treasure, otherwise they in trouble.
Resolution
The resolution of the story unravels with the heroes crossing back into the known world or Amaranthine with their newfound status and riches behind them. They will find, however, that in the months they have been gone their known world has changed and may not feel so welcoming as before.
Components
Goals
The goal of the expedition is to pass through the Frost Mountains via Kaer-Duval and then explore the Kazus Wastes until they reveal the location of the Fell Stones. Having done so they must then secure the treasure of Kazus and return it to the Museum of the College of the Eight Nations in Amaranthine.
Hooks
A Phantom Menace
(Nefertiri) For the past few months you have been plagued by visions of dark clouds rising over the mountains to the north. You fear some dark power may be gaining strength in that part of the world, and hope that you can stop it.
Show spoiler
The character gains inspiration for discovering what dark power holds sway over the Kazus Wastes and defeating it.
Purveyor of the Arts
(Jaylyse) For all your life you have bounced between a passive and aggressive connoisseur of the arts. Recently, you heard tell of a set of combs crafted by the late dwarven artist Bulgor Hufmane that could be worth a small fortune, but tracking them down has proven difficult as they disappear from historical records around the time Kazus the First took control of the wastes.
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The Character earns inspiration by finding the comb set in Kazus’ treasury.
At the Root of Madness
When you were a child your grandfather told you chilling tales of the mountains of madness: great peaks of ice and stone taller than any other in the world. So tall were they that it drove your uncle, the greatest explorer in your family insane when he saw them. Since your youth you’ve longed to see those mountains, to understand what your uncle saw and face that insanity yourself.
Show spoiler
The Character gains inspiration for traveling to the mountains of madness in the wastes and passing a WIS saving throw to avoid the madness.
Ancient History Preserved
During the last few months in Amaranthine you’ve heard rumors of an expedition planning to head north and secure an ancient and lost treasure. You marvel at the thought of what lost items or histories of your people could be in that tomb.
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The character gains inspiration for recovering the ancient sacrificial dagger of the elves located in the treasury.
Geological Survey
You have been assigned (by either your faction or some other group) to collect geological samples of the part of the world known as the Kazus wastes. You patron’s would like as much samples as you could provide from a variety of sources (ie. stone, ice, soil, organic tissue, etc.).
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The character gains inspiration for returning these needed samples to them who hired them.
Missing Pyrotechnist
You’re good friend Song Ling-i, a pyrotechnist of some renown, headed up north a few weeks ago for a local celebration. You haven’t heard from her since and are concerned for her safety. Perhaps locating her whereabouts would put you at ease.
Show spoiler
The character gains inspiration for resolving the Abandoned Festival encounter and releasing Song Ling-i’s trapped spirit.
Out of Balance
You’ve recently heard strange tales coming down from the farming communities to the north, tales of strange happening with the local flora. You decided to investigate to see if there be any foul play in the area.
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The character receives inspiration for resolving the “April Shows and Foul Flowers” encounter.
A Greater Calling
(Nyx Nightshade) Someone needs your help, you know it in your soul. Somewhere, beyond the Frost Mountains in the north, someone is in trouble and only you can help them. You don’t know who, or what is going on, only that you need to be there to help when it’s needed.
Show spoiler
The Character gains inspiration for helping the Hippogriffs in the Hippogriff Hunters encounter.
Best Served Cold...Literally
Years ago someone you cared about very deeply was killed in cold blood by a murderer named Caliban Gruebor. You’ve been on his tail for years, but have never been able to track him down. A few weeks ago you heard a rumor that he fled the King’s Justice beyond the frost mountains. The Kazus wastes will probably be his end, but you intend to find him and make sure.
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The Character gains inspiration for resolving the “Missing Supplies” camp encounter in the wastes.
There and Back Again
Your family tree is riddled with adventurers big and small, and your family reunions have always been full to the brim with fantastic tales of the travels and experiences of your forebears. You long to join ranks of the great adventurers of your family and the opportunity to go to one of the last unexplored places in Unorrea could provide exactly that.
Show spoiler
The character gains inspiration for traveling to the Kazus wastes and return alive.
Relations
Protagonists
- Saphryn - The rogue assassin and exiled princess hell bent on gathering the needed resources to build and army and take back her kingdom.
- Nefertiri - The quirky Druid whohas longed for a sense of belonging and wonders if she might have found it with the The Thirteen.
- Nyx Nightshade - The enigmatic warlock half-elf who seems interested in little more than helping people who need it.
- Gerome the Gnome - The ancient gnome wizard who, as far as anyone can tell, just seems to be along for the ride.
- Ouna Th'Rock - The Half-Orc barbarian of the crew who's primary goal is to find her old lover who was incarcerated months ago for simply being associated with her. She has recently heard he is being kept in Kaer-Duval and has joined the expedition as a means of accessing the otherwise inaccessible dwarven city state.
- Jaylyse - The Dragonborn Sorceress who is on a quest to prove herself to...well herself and gain back the riches of her family squandered by her abusive father and brothers.
Allies
- Tim the Bartender
- Lieutenant Nathanyl Bonhart
- The Lord Seneschal, Seigneur De la Mar
Backdrops
Plot type
Adventure
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