The Campaign

Disclaimer: The following is solely the concern of Dungeon Masters who are considering running games in the world of Avaloros. If you are a player, do not read the following page if your Dungeon Master intends to run this specific campaign. Otherwise, please read and enjoy. I hope you gain a sense of the adventures that await you in the Material Plane of Avaloros.

Campaign Outline

Tier 1 : Local Heroes (levels 1-4)

Act I - Burningly it Came (The Ordinary World)

Your first job: Investigate the overrun waystation outside of town.

Act II - After a Life Spent (Call to Adventure)

Face Madness & Shadow together as a party and reveal a higher calling.

Tier 2 : Heroes of the Realm (levels 5-10)

Act III - What in the Midst Lay (Refusal of the Call)

Withstand the siege as the agents of Shadow discover their new enemy.

Act IV - Built of Brown Stone (Meeting the Mentor)

Avaloros speaks through the world, look to the revelation of an unlikely rainbow.

Act V - He Strikes On (Crossing the First Threshold)

The characters face a call to war, for there are many political forces who vie for dominion over the Bounty of Time.

Tier 3 : Masters of the Realm (levels 11-16)

Act VI - The Dying Sunset Kindled (Approach the Innermost Cave)

Even the immortal spirits of the waves and wind, of the light and loam, seek the aid of heroes.

Act VII - The Woe of Years (The Return)

The time to act is nigh, go now, and retrieve the scatted Hollow Armor.

Act VIII - There They Stood (The Elixir)

Corruption spreads as the quest nears its end, Four dark silhouettes stand on the ridge ahead.

Tier 4 : Masters of the World (levels 17-20)

Act IX - I Saw Them and I Knew Them All (The Confrontation)

With the wisdom of success and victory as well as that gained by failure and loss, the conjunction of the threads of fate has arrived.

Campaign Summary

Title: A Shell Game
Summary: A party of adventurers in the field discover a higher calling to defend the world from evil.
Exposition: A Ghost Dragon competes against a Draconic Shard to collect the Armor of the Hollow Dragon for themselves to inhabit.
Connection: The party discovers a Draconic Shard inhabited magic item while on adventure, which calls them to the quest.
Plot: Recover the Hollow Armor for Draconic Shard, before the cult of the Ghost Dragon does.
Subplot A: Stand together as heroes of the realm
Subplot B: Receive the boon of the elementals
Subplot C: Defeat the regional evils
Subplot D: Player dependent
Overall Theme: Responsibility of power, how will you face conflicting calls to action?
Secret: A prophecy weaves the threads of fate through this tale. The party is foretold to be at the center of important events while collecting the Hollow Armor, and the echoes of their actions will set the stage for the next cycle of Avaloros.

Draconic Factions Stuff (divided into subplots)
Undead dragon adventure hook: A dragon seeks help, desperate to prevent a dracolich-worshiping cult from convincing the dragon's sibling, mate, or rival to become a dracolich.
Cult of the dragon adventure hook: A dragon and a dracolich, representing the opposing factions of the Cult of the Dragon, war against each other. Their battle is devastating the region between their lairs and endangers countless innocents.
The Chamber adventure hook: A fiend tries to trick the characters into slaying a dragon belonging to the Chamber.
Hidecarved dragons goal: A lauth seeks to destroy hundreds of cursed magic items created by an ancient lich.
Hidecarved dragons ward: Death Ward. The dragon can cast the death ward spell on itself and regains the ability to do so after a long rest.
Hidecarved dragons adventure hook: Following reports of a dangerous dragon in the region, the characters discover the dragon is part of a lauth whose goal is worth aiding.
Dragon relationships adventure hooks:
A repentant enemy comes to the characters, telling them that a former companion of the enemy is actually a manipulative dragon -- and asking them to help get revenge. (Companion)
As the characters become powerful enough that they might conceivably threaten a dragon ruler, they are given a choice: enter government service or face exile in the wild borderlands. (Emperor)
A dragon can teach great magical secrets. But any would-be disciples must prove their worth by aquiring aa valuable item to add to the dragon's hoard. (Teacher)
Dragon encounter complications (3) :
The dragon has a way to call for help hidden deep inside the lair, such as a magic horn that summons minions, an iron flask with a powerful fiend inside, or a magical portal to an echo's lair. The characters must prevent the dragon from summoning aid or face a new threat.
The dragon has a rival who notices the characters approaching the dragon's lair and keeps tabs on the fight. This rival might step in to help the characters or the dragon, depending on the circumstances, or might ambush the characters when they leave the dragon's lair.
The dragons only goal is to learn a key piece of information about the characters' larger goals and then escape.

Format

 

Act I - Burningly it Came (The Ordinary World)

What: Set the stage and reveal the Hollow Armor prophecy.
Why: Campaign introduction, create party bond and main/sub plots
FateVision: One night, the PCs dream of rats swarming over the town and themselves, leaving only skeletons and the chewed frames of buildings. A rainbow forms over the town and the rats flee through the nearby forest and disappear into the shadow of nearby hills.
Exposition: A waystation outside of town has failed to report, rumors fly wildly and many are openly fearful.
Main Quest: Travel with the replacement guards to the waystation and uncover the truth.
Side Quest A1: Dragon quest from above where the party discovers the Shard.
Side Quest A2: Reestablish trade with the city.
Side Quest A3: Uncover the source of the monsters.
Side Quest A4: Inform town of a new threat.
Enemies: Corrupt ravagers, sprung from a transplanted cankerous nest. Dragonflesh abomination, grafters, dragonblood ooze
Allies: The town sage can provide insight into the history of local threats and rumors.
Patron: The town reeve makes an open call for adventurers.
Moral Quandaries:
Twists:
role-play encounters:
explore encounters:
combat encounters: The party is lured into a cankerous nest while fighting a laser-rat.

Act II - After a Life Spent (Call to Adventure)

What:
Why:
FateVision:
Exposition:
Main Quest: The alchemical monstrosities must be eradicated, and the cultist dealt with for the safety of the townsfolk.
Side Quest B1: Rescue a captive.
Side Quest B2: Reform a cult initiate.
Side Quest B3:
Side Quest B4:
Enemies: A lone cultist, The Rat King, disturbs the town’s peace from an ancient abandoned complex carved into the hillside.
Allies: The town sage shares the secret of nature nymph communication.
Patron: Town reeve supports adventurers’ effort and rewards with house deed.
Moral Quandaries: How to face corruptions and cultist while town is in danger. Other adventurers on same quest?
Twists: The cultist is a prominent social figure
Role-play Encounters:
Explore Encounters:
Combat Encounters: Defeat the mad cultist in his lair.


Act III
What:
Why:
FateVision:
Exposition:
Main Quest:
Side Quest C1: Defend realm from spiritual attack. Nature nymphs being corrupted. Celestial nymph allies. Full cult cabal enemy.
Side Quest C2:
Side Quest C3:
Side Quest C4:
Enemies:
Allies:
Patron:
Moral Quandaries:
Twists:
Role-play Encounters:
Explore Encounters:
Combat Encounters: A Herald of Shadow disrupts the battle against the cultist.


Act IV
What:
Why:
FateVision: The characters dream of a landslide that reveals a rainbow in the striations of rock and a long closed nymph grotto.
Exposition:
Main Quest:
Side Quest D1:
Side Quest D2:
Side Quest D3:
Side Quest D4:
Enemies:
Allies:
Patron:
Moral Quandries:
Twists:
Role-play Encounters:
Explore Encounters:
Combat Encounters:


Act V
What:
Why:
FateVision:
Exposition:
Main Quest:
Side Quest E1:
Side Quest E2:
Side Quest E3:
Side Quest E4:
Enemies:
Allies:
Patron:
Moral Quandries:
Twists:
Role-play Encounters:
Explore Encounters:
Combat Encounters:


Act VI
What: Pella's Wish and Crownlands adventure.
Why:
FateVision:
Exposition:
Main Quest: Retrieve boons from the 4 elder elementals. Each has the party help their 4 luitenants. Nymph of the east wind, etc.
Side Quest F1:
Side Quest F2:
Side Quest F3:
Side Quest F4:
Enemies: Dragonbone golem, dracohydra
Allies:
Patron:
Moral Quandries:
Twists:
Role-play Encounters:
Explore Encounters:
Combat Encounters:


Act VII
What:
Why:
FateVision:
Exposition:
Main Quest: Defeat regional evils and collect the Hollow Armor, use dragon quests if possible.
Side Quest G1:
Side Quest G2:
Side Quest G3:
Side Quest G4:
Enemies: Beholder, draconians, eyedrakes
Allies:
Patron:
Moral Quandries:
Twists:
Role-play Encounters:
Explore Encounters:
Combat Encounters:


Act VIII
What:
Why:
FateVision:
Exposition:
Main Quest:
Side Quest H1:
Side Quest H2:
Side Quest H3:
Side Quest H4:
Enemies: Elder brain dragon
Allies:
Patron:
Moral Quandries:
Twists:
Role-play Encounters:
Explore Encounters:
Combat Encounters:


Act IX
What:
Why:
FateVision:
Exposition:
Main Quest:
Side Quest I1:
Side Quest I2:
Side Quest I3:
Side Quest I4:
Enemies:
Allies:
Patron:
Moral Quandries:
Twists:
Role-play Encounters:
Explore Encounters:
Combat Encounters:

Agents

Party Mentor:
Party Rival:
Sidekicks/Hirelings:

BBEG: Ghost Dragon seeking to complete their plan from life as a shadow greatwyrm with the help of the Hollow Armor.
Lieutenants:
Minions:

"Good" Faction:
Head:
Lieutenants:
Minions:

"Neutral" Faction:
Head:
Lieutenants:
Minions:

"Evil" Faction:
Head:
Lieutenants:
Minions:

Elements

  Locations
1. Cuma - Location of a nymph temple containing a Tool
2. Old Lethia (Cairnelands) - Contains secrets of Ilmen and the satallites
3. Inner Sea - Legend tells of a sunken ruin containing a Tool
4. Dunes of Tromos - A tool is rumored to be among the hoard of a blue dragon
5. Ostcliff catacombs - A tool is rumored to be hoarded in the crypt of a mad mage
6. Slums of Courtwall - A seer's rede gives knowledge of a tool's location (Cuma)
7. Ilmen - The stars are thought to be one of the Tools, or one is kept on a satellite (Overworld)
8. Labrynda - The corrupted king of this realm is said to hold a Tool
9. Mt. Moira - Contains an entrance to Martalmar and possibly Cuma
10. Chrysopotis - Supplies and knowledge to pass over the edge of Pelnen into Cuma (through Ilmen)
Travel
Foot - Along roads or across wilds
Mount - Quickened pace but attracts attention and requires care
Sail - Sea encounters and maintenance.
Hazards
1. Asphyxia - Passing Ilmen, lower Martalmar, and Cuma lack breathable air
2. Unstable ruins - Falling rocks, collapsing paths, hungry creatures
3. Storms - Raising water to spread over the land endangers those at sea. Leviathan nymphs
4. Disease - Canker lurks in deep pools and blighted creatures
5. Exhaustion - Long marches through desolate terrain, desert and mountain traversing
6. Landslide, quicksand - Mountain and desert treverse. Behemoth nymphs attempt to dissuade party
Side Quests (with meaning towards theme)
1. Trial or trap set by BBEG
2. Locals need help with something, Ritual of the lanteen sail. Nymph gave technology to folk in past. Folk repay with gifts. Party performs ritual in modern times, side quest is to explore the first ocasion of this ritual. Folk gifts are valuable but not priceless, e.g. a rare red rose. Mythic gift is priceless, e.g. an exquisitely carved ruby.
3. Cankerous event in progress
4. Unresolved event from year of training
5. Same monsters from attack on starting village
6. Clue about BBEG intentions/power of Tools
Treasure
https://www.roleplayingtips.com/downloads/supplemental_22_magicitems.txt
https://www.roleplayingtips.com/downloads/supplemental_06_minor_rewards.txt
https://www.roleplayingtips.com/downloads/supplemental_02_altrewards.txt
1. Communication - Helps cross language/culture barrier
2. Style - Appearance hooks into character identity
3. Background - A feature helps player portray character better
4. Upgradable - Future quests can enhance function or power
5. Broken - Could be great, if it can be fixed
6. Sentient - Talking clothes?
Magic Items
Amathyst Lodestone, Crystal Blade, Dragonhide Belt, Dragonlance, Dragon Wing Bow, Emerald Pen, Flail of Tiamat, Gold Canary Figuirine of Wondrous Power, Platinum Scarf, Potion of Dragon's Majesty, Ruby Weave Gem, Sapphire Buckler, Topaz Annhilator,
Situations
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