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    Canonfire :: View topic - Into the Vesve (Players from Leiden stay out)
    Canonfire Forum Index -> World of Greyhawk Discussion
    Into the Vesve (Players from Leiden stay out)
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    Apprentice Greytalker

    Joined: Aug 23, 2007
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    Thu Feb 26, 2009 12:30 am  
    Into the Vesve (Players from Leiden stay out)

    Hi fellow Greyhawk addicts ;)

    I'm DM'ing a campaign (campaign log in progress over here: http://www.enworld.org/forum/story-hour/250230-welcome-furyondy-cy591-campaign-log.html ) in and around the lands of Furyondy. The game started in CY591.

    My group started in the city of Crockport, next to border with the lands of Iuz. Quite surprisingly my group decided to cross the border with Iuz and move up to Gerrenkzerung, an orc camp along the Whyestil Lake. More surprisingly the didn't took the long road through the 'safe' Vesve but take the shortcut, directly heading north from Crockport to Gerrenkzerung.

    The group is low level and is moving by horse. They've encountered a goblin warband. Are chased by hobgoblins and eventually moved into a human woodcutters camp with some elves enslaved by the orc rulers of the camp. It seems my players like it. So far so good.

    But I'm looking for some more. The road to Gerrenkzerung is long and I can't imagine no serious obstacles are set-up in the occupied lands inbetween.

    Do you have some good ideas/maps/hooks which I can use.

    Some ideas of mine:
    - small settlement with evil humanoids where the PCs could move in (disguised maybe?) to gather information
    - haunted old elven temple in the woods
    - defense line made by Iuz troops where the PCs should sneak/battle/roleplay through

    Thanks for any support!
    Adept Greytalker

    Joined: Mar 13, 2008
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    From: brazil

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    Thu Feb 26, 2009 4:02 am  

    maybe you can find some inspiration here:

    http://highfolk.info/gaz_vesve.php

    IMO, since the group are adventuring so close to the conflict Highfolk vs Iuz, maybe they can help some Knights of Highforest.

    I dont know how much you whant the players to "get of the road", but they can help some farmers against humanoid raids, like in one adventure from "City of Greyhawk" (Siege of the Highfolk). The hobgoblins are raiding a farmer looking for loot and slaves.

    As of "road adventures", they could meet gypsis, a toll troll, they could be lost taking the wrong turn (they dont have GPS, right?;))...
    Apprentice Greytalker

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    Thu Feb 26, 2009 4:41 am  

    @ Rossik, thanks for your ideas. The PCs are not very close to Highfolk (they are east of the Vesve, between the forests and the Whyestil, some 25 miles from the border with Furyondy)

    However, an elven village in the Vesve could be raided by Iuz troops to gather food and slaves, an often used road crossing their path to Gerrenkzerung could grab their attention.

    Like you mention it is not mandatory at all for PCs to stay on the road. I really like it when they go off road. It keeps things fresh and original, although some more creativity from DM side.

    The druid of the party tries very hard to not getting lost. Till now he succeeded by using his skills in survival.

    Furthermore I like the notoriety point system from City of Skulls, I'm figuring out how to correctly adjust it for the lands of Iuz.
    Adept Greytalker

    Joined: Mar 13, 2008
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    From: brazil

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    Thu Feb 26, 2009 10:17 am  

    Well, thats true, Highfolk isnt very close :D


    also, you can have some natural "enemies" like storm, strong winds or very hot/cold days.

    in my games, this could get in the way, as my players never remember to bring more food, capes and things like that.
    Master Greytalker

    Joined: Jan 05, 2002
    Posts: 1049
    From: Sky Island, So Cal

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    Thu Feb 26, 2009 2:18 pm  

    You might want to look at my article on the elven city of Tal Aska, as it fits well in that part of the Vesve. Given the theme of your campaign, I would use the post-crusades, Iuz-sacked but avoided and haunted version.

    http://www.canonfire.com/cf/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=656


    I can think of a few Vesve resources ("Lereck's Towers" from OJ and an orc lair in Dungeon) but they are for fairly high level PC's.
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    Adept Greytalker

    Joined: May 14, 2003
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    From: the Free City of Dyvers (Kansas City, MO)

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    Thu Feb 26, 2009 2:47 pm  

    I've always felt this way about travel scenarios; how much time do you want the PCs to spend on it? If you want the road to be long and difficult, make it so, and make it reasonable. By that, I mean that if the travel is fraught with difficulty, there must be a reason for that. If there are goblin/orc/demon encounters along the way, why are these encounters there? Surely not just to harass adventurers! Make each one count. As to what they could encounter - strike teams from Iuz, beleagured Knights of the Hart, bandits, you name it. How much do you want to put into the journey? If you only want it as an aside, maybe the PCs only encounter a couple of patrols, and find the journey mysteriously easy. This could lull them into a false sense of safety, or put them on their guard. I know you've asked about sources for information, but your best source is your own head.
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    Black Hand of Oblivion

    Joined: Feb 16, 2003
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    From: So. Cal

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    Thu Feb 26, 2009 9:42 pm  

    Link in the OP fixed.
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    Apprentice Greytalker

    Joined: Aug 23, 2007
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    Thu Feb 26, 2009 11:01 pm  

    Thanks for all your great replies so far!

    Tal Aska sounds neat to me. The PCs just met some elven spies from the Good part of the Vesve. Of course they're from this city... :)

    @Gargoyle: agree partially with your point of view. I think travelling is a kind of ultimate freedom in D&D. A PC, no matter what level, can always decide to just hit the road and see what's coming. The end-goal is important, but hey, the PC choose it to be far away. Of course they expect something inbetween Wink

    In the meantime I found OJ14, a very big article on post-war Vesve. Gerrenkzerung, Izlen, important NPCs, everything is in. Only problem I have the numbers of enemies are quite high. Couple of thousand orcs in Gerrenkzerung...
    Oerth Journal Staff

    Joined: Aug 16, 2001
    Posts: 46
    From: Milford NH

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    Tue Mar 03, 2009 6:36 pm  

    Oerth Journal issues 14 and 15 have alot on the Vesve, I should know I wrote them Happy
    Master Greytalker

    Joined: Jul 13, 2002
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    From: Orlane, Gran March

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    Tue Mar 03, 2009 6:58 pm  

    I love simple travel adventures... just getting from place to place is dangerous. However, I find that I have to remember to keep the level of description up. When I craft a dungeon i spend time on feel, architecture, age, cobwebs, etc. A while back I started doing almost exclusive outdoor/overland travel plotlines. For a while my players glazed over, and I realized that it was just another "dusty road."

    Not exactly what you asked, but I hope it might help.
    Apprentice Greytalker

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    Thu Mar 05, 2009 1:13 am  

    @ Fallon: I will check OJ15 also. Did you write the article in OJ14 on the Vesve? Very well done!

    I have to say traveladventures look very good from the outside but I have some worries about my campaign; my players tend to ignore/walk around any hook/scenery I throw in (I guess they're afraid to be everwhelmed by enemy forces). They want to reach their goal, an orc camp behind enemy lines. At least they're focussed.

    However, the deeper they move in the lands of Iuz, the more heavy encounters can be. I made a notoriety index (like in City of Skulls) to track their notoriety. Basically it's like this:

    Notoriety goes up by x when: they have a battle, move in to villages/camps, free slaves etc
    Notoriety goes down by x when; they travel a lot (the idea is that when they travel alot notoriety goes down because they travel faster then the enemy can share info about the PCs); move silent etc

    As a result the chance of encounters goes up or down. What do you guys think of this?
    Oerth Journal Staff

    Joined: Aug 16, 2001
    Posts: 46
    From: Milford NH

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    Fri Mar 06, 2009 3:58 am  

    I did write both articles. If you are looking for a few side campaign ideas the OJ 15 issue has a few thoughts on that. The notoriety index is a good idea. But don't just limit it to Iuz's forces. There are alot of free humanoids in the Vesve looking to make a name. The free Celbits are always looking to enhance their repuation....
    Apprentice Greytalker

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    Wed Apr 15, 2009 3:26 am  

    Hi fellow GH-fans,

    I'm back again. With your fantastic input. I used Kirts idea of Tal Aska. A haunted elven city in the east of the Vesve. Overrun by orcs, haunted by an elf ghost during the nigth.

    The PCs ran into this city and are sure they can help the elves recapturing the city. Therefore they travelled more to the east by using a hidden passage in the city.

    Right now they're discussing with Elven borderwatchers (about 300-500 Elves) to recapture the city. I like this, however I'm not sure how to DM this.

    Ingredients so far:
    - Tal Aska: by day inhabitet by marauding orcs (Jebli and Celbit orcs), at night haunted by the former leader of the elves, a powerfull ghost.
    - Jebli and Celbit orcs don't share much values except the hatred for Elven
    - Furyondy's politics negate human help to the elves
    - Tal Aska is located next to a 150meter ridge in the forest. The elves control the upper lands. The orcs the lower lands between the 'real' Vesve and the Wyestil Lake.

    I very much appreciate your ideas on:
    - Do the elves want to take back the city?
    - What can the PCs (lvl3) add to this?
    - How to play out a siege (and the possible counterattack), but not turning the game into a wargame?

    Thanks for any help!!
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