And now that we are ready to go here is a DRAFT intro and hook for the campaign. I hope you are as excited as I am.
Bloodstone_lands_book_cover.jpg
Roleplay & Combat mix: 75% interacting with NPCs and recruiting. 25% combat.
Number of Players in game & needed: 4-8 players. More NPCs will need to be recruited to party if not enough players
Character starting level & equipment: Must be at least level 10. Bring existing character or start a new one at level 10.
Character restrictions: None prohibited.
About the DM: I’m new to VTT systems and FG. I have been playing 1E AD&D since 1986 and DMed my first campaign in 1989. This will be my first run with 5E and I will be bringing previous experience with 1E-3.5E. I started with Greyhawk, moved to Dragonlance, and finally settled on Forgotten Realms as my specialty due to the rich selection of campaign guides. At one point I was working on a few FR based fiction stories and had done extensive research into the geopolitics of Faerun and will bring that to the campaign. Most of my campaigns involve political intrigue among rulers in addition to the traditional dungeon crawl.
Details of your scenario:
This is a conversion from 1E to 5E of a classic Forgotten Realms high level adventure series of four modules originally designed for levels 15-100. This was originally made by TSR to showcase high level adventures. It also introduces leadership/rulership of a land, building a stronghold, and raising an army. In traditional D&D adventures characters are considered “retired” when they take on the challenge of rulership or build a wizards tower. This is one of the few if not the only adventure series published that continues the adventures after becoming Lord or Lady of the land. Indeed, the publishers at TSR felt that there is so much more that high level characters can do and this series is meant to explore that. In this campaign we will explore working your way up the ladder of nobility to the level you are comfortable.
This is not a verbatim conversion. The story has been moved over 150 years into the future to match “today” in the Forgotten Realms. We will also be adding in several unrelated modules that have similar NPC hooks as side quests in addition to the main campaign. We do not have to play a module from front to back and I will do my best to make sure side quests feel like part of the campaign.
The adventure is set in late century 1400’s DR in the eastern Forgotten Realms approximately 2000 miles east of Neverwinter in The Bloodstone Lands aka The Cold Lands aka The Demon Lands aka the fractured kingdom of Damara. Damara is famous for the Bloodstone. A beautiful blood red and green chalcedony that is found in great quantities in its mines. The northeastern realms are a frontier land that has not been fully tamed by civilization. A powerful lich named Zhengyi had joined forces with the Cult of Orcus and a group of bandits, orcs, and goblins to take over Damara launching a full military assault against the kingdom in 1348 DR. In 1357 DR King Virdin was defeated by lich’s army. The kingdom collapsed into duchies and baronies fighting among themselves and against the lich’s army. In 1359 DR a group of powerful adventurers had defeated Zhengyi and the Cult of Orcus. They had also traveled through a portal in his lair to the Abyss and stolen the Wand of Orcus, later destroying it by traveling to the 9 Hells, defeating Tiamat, and bathing it in the blood of her heart. The destroyed wand produced a gem that according to the Platinum Dragon, Bahamut, was said to protect the kingdom of Damara from Demons for 100 years as long as the rulers did not let evil corrupt their hearts. Bahamut’s blessing unfortunately did not protect the kingdom from evil dragons who were intent on avenging the attack on their queen. In 1459 DR the last of the Dragonsbane dynasty was wiped out and Lord Yarin Frostmantle took the throne. It is an open secret in Damara that he had a hand in the death of the previous king. Frostmantle is stronger and wealthier than any other nobles in Damara. He rules with an iron fist and crushes those who dare to question his legitimacy.
Today in 1495 DR Under King Frostmantle the dragon attacks have continued and the blessing of Bahamut has expired leading to the return of the Cult of Orcus and additional demonic cults who are competing for the mineral wealth in the area. Rumors speak of the Cult of Demogorgon establishing territory. Drow agents have been seen at night indicating the possibility that Loth and her followers are also competing against other demon lords.
In the surrounding kingdoms it does not look much better. Demons once again stalk the lands near the forest of Dunwood. The Warlock Knights in the neighboring kingdom of Vassa to the west threaten to repeat the same war launched by the lich over 100 years ago. The feral barbarian tribes of the land of Narfell to the east stage bolder raids on Damara every day. The Kingdom of Impiltur to the south since the death of King Imbrar has been in decline. It is presently run by the Grand Council of Lords from each of the remaining cities. Impiltur has been overrun by the Fraternity of Tharos, a fanatical cult of demon-worshipers. Demons freely menace the Great Dale and have spread into Narfell, clashing with the Barbarians.