Monday 19 April 2010

You find yourself standing at the rail of a large sailing vessel, the sun shining down on you, the sails booming and creaking above, and a warm breeze following from behind. Gellan lies two days behind you, far over the Eastern horizon, and today you'll make land-fall on Orinthal. For two days you've eaten the simple food with the other passengers and slept on the open deck; all your 20 gold would pay for. The merchant vessel sits heavy in the water, weighed down with goods to trade in Orinthal, a land that they say is filled with gold. Just one of the wild rumours of this unknown land. Do they really ride dragons? Are they really in league with the cruel Jamdak? Is there a war brewing between Gellan and Orinthal?


Now, as the call of "land ho" booms down from the crow's nest, you join the others crowding the rails to catch your first glimpse of this new land. From the haze on the horizon emerges a green, verdant isle; the sheer black cliffs topped by overhanging trees, or in other places by neat farmland. As the ship approaches the southern tip of Orinthal you begin to make out the small port city of Pegason, it's well-maintained harbour and walls containing a boistrous jostle of houses, shops, markets, townsfolk, traders, soldiers and settlers. Smaller than the cities you've left behind, Pegason seems to be a prosperous home to humans, dwarves, eladrin and elves who crowd the busy little streets, wearing anything from brightly coloured silks to grey woolen robes. A large warship with red sails, moored at the long granite quay, looms behind a flotilla of small fishing vessels swarming around the harbour walls. This is a place of opportunity, trade, danger and adventure.


A man's voice speaks from behind you, strong and confident: "You look like you're here on common purpose". You spin around to see who spoke, noticing that the others close to you do the same. A tall man, dressed all in black with a robe adorned with black feathers, is leaning on his staff as he looks at you and your companions. You can't remember seeing him on your voyage: perhaps he was below decks...



The Orinthal Campaign

Introduction


Background to the region:

The empire of Gellan is a federation of warring states, recently brought into compliance by the ambition and strategic brilliance of Emperor Bellamin. You come from a village or city somewhere in this empire. Humans, eladrin, halflings, and dwarves come from the areas near the coast. Elves come from the vast forests to the North, and the deserts to the East and South are populated by wandering tribes of dragonborn and half-orcs. All are familiar with each other.

There has been peace in the empire for five years, except for occasional raids along the coast by the vicious and bloodthirsty Jamdak tribes from far across the Dragon Ocean. Thirty years ago there was all-out war in the region, a war which included the island nation of Orinthal, which lies to the West of Gellan across the Sea of Melora. Since then there has been little contact with the island, except for a steady stream of merchants drawn by the promise of wealth.

Now that there is peace in Gellan, Emperor Bellamin may turn his eye to his wealthy neighbour across the Sea of Melora...


Player options

You can choose a character from any Class, and from the following Races:


Human

Half-orc

Elf

Eladrin

Dwarf

Dragonborn

Halfling


Please have a first and second choice of Class in mind, as we want a balanced team.


Contact me to discuss ideas for character background.

The gods, planes, races and fauna are as in the D&D literature. Probably excluding Gelatinous Cubes...probably.

4 comments:

  1. Galinndan's Journal:

    Have arrived in Orinathal on my pilgramidge here is were I find something of value for my people. I have found myself looking for work to earn my keep here in Orinathal. I enlisted the help of one of my........aquentances who traveled with me on the boat here to aid me in what I thought would be a simple extermination of vermin job. Not so as it turned out. The rats in the sewers here are plentiful AND MASSIVE. That drunken wizard never stood a chance. I took gnawing myself making it out of there. This is a setback nothing more. I found the wizard alive again at the inn where my lodgings are. Impressive magic. I shall have to investigate further as he seems none the wiser. Probably best that way. I've found myself together with a loose band of 5 other individuals who all seem to have been on the same boat as me. Curious.... We're off to find a mad wizard. Hopefully that will go better than the rats. Bastards

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  2. I came here to get away. To get away from memories. Memories of fire and death, of steel and hate. I have used drink to mask my pain for so long and now I cant even look at it, it makes me sick! I long for the pain to end to stop hearing the screams in those waking anf falling moments of sleep. To stop seeing that burning child at the edge of my vision.

    I have met people, I have not socialised in so long except to whore and earn money, drink whore and earn money just to cover the expense. This voyage has not been normal It feels like the fates at the seat of the world tree are weeving threads together, perhaps for there own amusement or maybe for a purpose. Curse the gods and there foul scheming.

    Wizards are normal here, albeit rare. But none has shunned me, except for my behaviour. Not like the hell I have left. Perhaps here I can use my magic for my own work not for anothers. Be free to make my own choices. I have nit successfully cast a spell in 3 years. I have forgotten more than many have learnt, but maybe with my head clear, in a new land, and new companions I will have a chance at redemption.

    As for these men. I know them not. They are young and I feel as old a witches staff. But they are kind, especially the Dwarf.

    Now to remember how to start fire.

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  3. All my clothes stink of fish. I'm broke. I'm getting caught up in illegal activities. Same old same old i guess...

    my arrival was not as subtle as i may have liked, as soon as I landed i could not escape the attention of a tall man with hooded words, and I'm known to the town guard. this does not bode well.

    I'm spending my time pursuing a missing person, in blind faith of some promise of riches which i am a fool to assume. I must now go and prepare, some new acquaintances and i have a financial opportunity to take of.

    Dul'han

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  4. Galinndan's journal:

    After setting off from the fishes scales we desided to try and use a magical map in a local shop of magical items to try and find our quarry. Little success but in so doing we found a person looking for extra security on a caravan bound for the city of hoist. I'd called first watch one night when the camp was awoken by an earspliting roar. There was a crashing and stomping all around the camp, one of the drivers bolted like a fool. We found bits of him the next day. Fortunatly we were spared by the beast but it made us curious as to what we could be transporting. With the help of our smaller friend we discovered that we've been protecting fish and a fair amount of black iron. I'm curious to know what it is to be used for but this revelation really seemed to peak Severus's curiousity. The next day we came across the pieces of the cart driver who had fled in the night. Not much left. Nearby we came across the body of a trillisk! It has been slain by a knight of crown. Impressive. He was very interested to hear that we were carrying the black iron. Not that I'd have chosen to tell him or our benefactor for that matter but it was not my call. The Wizard would not be moved on this issue. He has got himself fired and now we're about to enter hoist....seemingly without him.

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