Western Campaign

Here you will find info and characters for the Western Campaign.

Click here for information on Concordia.

## The Players:

Goldfinger

Krag

Brevil

Morbo

## NPC Cheat Sheet:

**Captain James Alinia**: A sophisticated and skilled man, Captain James is a 'dual' captain, holding the title both as the commander of a ship and as a social honorific. Able to be either blunt or suave depending on the need, Cpt. James easily commands the respect of his crew. As the chosen bodyguard and escort of Lady Varro, his reputation is obviously impressive. Captain James is a medium height, mid-30's male with short, jet black hair, and deep blue eyes. He wears a spotless white cloak and fights with an unusual folding sword that is razor thin.

**Lady Sophie Varro:** The eldest and only sister of the Varro family, Sophie Varro is an heir to one of the most powerful families in Concordia. Her younger brothers, Zann and Victor, are the Admirals of Magnus and Targus, respectively. A fan of travel and exploration, Lady Sophie elected to become a diplomatic ambassador rather than become an Admiral. As one of the few members of the Varro household who have never served in the navy, Lady Sophie respectfully rejects the honorific of Captain. A shorter woman, Lady Sophie has shoulder-length black hair and is in her early 50's.

**Hafnir:** A flameskull cursed to guard the crypt of his brothers-in-arms for all eternity. Hafnir was once a powerful wizard tasked with protecting his city. However, when the city was attacked he fled his post, choosing to protect his lover instead of his allies. When the battle was over he was cursed with immortality and his soul was bound to the crypt of his fallen allies.

**Petyr, Peter, and Piter:** Petyr and his two sons Peter and Piter. They have a small boat and live in a petite village on the mainland a few miles north of the island of Saucro.

**Vladimir:** A priest of the Raven Queen who agrees to help free Hafnir from his curse.

## The story so far

**Day 1:**

The story begins with our party sailing along the western coast of Attollendum aboard the *Swift Tide,* a schooner from the island of Magnus on a journey to Saucro. The party introduces themselves and learn that the *Tide* is on a diplomatic mission, escorting the Targinian official Sophie Varro to the island city-state. Also aboard is Captain James Alinia, a charismatic and powerful sailor in his own right, as well as a crew of a few dozen.

After a day or two of traveling along the coast of Concordia, the weather starts taking a turn for the worst. Fog begins to roll in as the skies darken, and through the mist Goldfinger manages to spot another ship looming towards the *Swift Tide.* This mysterious ship is listing to the side, with tattered and unkept sails. Unable to evade in time, the two ships collide violently and stick together, nearly sending Goldfinger overboard. The crew immediately starts attempting to repair the damage, but a giant crab and other enemies simultaneously start to board from the derelict ship. The party convinces Lady Varro to hide below decks for safety, and with the help of Captain James, they manage to fight off the intruders. The rough waves eventually tear the two ships apart, and the party glimpses the corpses of 5 or 6 men aboard the derelict ship, stripped clean of flesh. They also spot a faded sigil on the prow of the ship: a stone wall linking two towers inscribed inside a circle. Captain James briefly remarks on the strangeness of this, as even a skeleton crew for a ship that size would require at least a few dozen men.

Although the battle had ended, the *Swift Tide* sustained a huge amount of damage and continued to list heavily to

port. After hours battling the storm and incoming water, a huge wave finally broadsided the ship and capsized the *Tide,* sending the party overboard. As the players are swept away, they manage to get a final glimpse of James and Sophie clutching floating debris before succumbing to exhaustion.

**Day 2:**

The players awake sore and exhausted on the shores of a beach. Inland lies a vast desert as far as the eye can see, encompassing massive dunes and sand drifts. A brief exploration of the beach yields no nearby civilization and nothing salvageable save for some driftwood and the drowned corpse of one of their fellow sailors. Brevil cuts out the dead sailor's liver for food because he's a freak.

After a quick search inland, the party finds the entrance to what appears to be a small cavern. They journey inside and begin to explore. The first tunnel leads them to a massive semispherical cavern populated with a handful of Kobolds. These enemies are quickly dispatched and the party continues deeper into the labrynth of caves, fighting a menagerie of skeletons and undead along the way.

**Day 3:**

After continuing downwards, the labyrinth of caves begin to take on a man-made look with stone walls and supports. This area is obviously designed to be catacombs, with tombs and caskets built into the walls every few feet. Eventually

the party stumbles upon a large crypt at the bottom of the catacombs. Elaborately carved frescoes adorn the walls and a large, meticulously carved sarcophagus sits atop a dais in the center. The crypt is guarded by a levitating Flameskull, who demands to know why the party has trespassed in the tombs of his brothers. The party manages to de-escalate the flameskull by explaining the shipwreck and their unfamiliarity with the caverns. Satisfied, the Flameskull introduces himself as Hafnir, and explains that he was once a powerful wizard who was cursed to guard these tombs. He explains he remembers little of the catacombs beyond the crypt, but points the players in the direction of the original entrance built by his people. Hafnir makes the party swear to return in exchange for this information, hoping to free himself and his brethren from their curse.

The party leaves and finds the original exit completely blocked off at the bottom of a sandpit, and they return to the caves, fighting a gelatinous cube along the way and eventually making it back to the beach entrance.

**Day 4:**

The PC's exit the cave and travel south along the shoreline hoping to find some civilization. After a day of travel they begin to see signs of inhabitation, eventually arriving at a very small port town. They can also see a large island off in the distance, with a massive tower rising through the fog creating a huge lighthouse. Nearby the town's dilapidated docks sat a very old man named Petyr. Petyr listens to their tale and mentions that there is a priest living in the town named Vladimir who may be able to free Hafnir from the curse.

The party finds Vladimir in a graveyard outside of town praying, and notice his robes with the seal of the Raven Queen. Vladimir agrees to lift the curse and they all return to Petyr, who offers to take them back to the catacombs in his ship. With the party together, they set out with Vladimir, Petyr, and Petyr's sons, Peter and Piter.

The ship arrives back at the cave and the party, along with Vladimir, departs. They quickly arrive back at the crypt and Vladimir makes short work of the curse, freeing Hafnir. His work done, Vladimir returns to the ship while the party decides to explore the last unseen tunnel in the catacombs.

**Day 5:**

The party travels down the final tunnel when they hear a quiet crunching sound. They turn the corner and run into **MORBO,** a half orc who is desperately trying to eat some rocks. They manage to befriend Morbo and continue into the caves, eventually encountering an infant red dragon who was hoarding treasure in the cave. After a lengthy battle, they defeat the dragon gaining:

200 Silver

a mysterious acorn Amulet

a (very nice) shovel

an ancient, double-action war bow

They also discover an unusual, dark red crystal embedded in the ground of the dragon's lair. The crystal is massive and apparently flawless, with 8 vertical faces and coming to a point. However, the party is unable to move or even damage the crystal, and they leave it be, exiting the catacombs and returning to the ship.

**Day 6:**