I am still working on Unconquered Realms and still greatful of all the suggestions I got on it. It is an overarching campaign world though and I have been itching to run some quick fun games. Anyhow, I read the wonderful article here (http://arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/94/west-marches-running-your-own/) and decided I want to run my own West Marches style game. I don't have enough people willing to play to allow for the big sweeping games he is talking about. But the other aspects are to my liking. My group is such that we can't meet often so games that begin and end in one or two sessions are perfect and I am going to give this a try.
I decided to pull from my Unconquered Realms map (from the uncolonized part of Northhaven to be exact). However I have changed a few aspects since they aren't complete in the actual campaign and also since I want UR to be a fresh experience for them if we do run it (though if they make the connections to this game it will be awesome).
Anyhow here is the map: (right click to zoom in/out; click and drag to move around while zoomed)
http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/2324/westmarchesmy1.swf (http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/2324/westmarchesmy1.swf)
[note]Key:
Brown - Mountainous/Rocky Hills
Dark Green - Heavy Forest
Pale Green - Plains/Meadows/Light Forest Groves
Green - Marsh
Light Blue - Water
Gray - Inaccessible Land*
Dark Gray - Impassable Cliffs*
* not technically impossible to get to/on but marks the borders of the game world that players agree not to go past (nothing there worth exploring/already settled).
[/note]
So anyhow I want to be detailed about this. Each adventure may only be a session or two long but I want options for lots of them. As such I have 47 separate areas marked as distinct sections. The farther away from the city you get the more dangerous they are (in fitting with a West Marches game). I have some named (number 11 is the spire, the most dangerous point west of the first river) and some encounters mapped (47 will be pirates and the like and fights among shipwrecks and on uncharted islets that I haven't yet mapped) but for the most part I am not sure what to put where.
So I decided rather then keep it to myself to show you wonderful folks here and ask your thoughts on what you think could fit where (note I will still have some of the wurms from UR so if you have an idea for some underground beasties like that please tell me about it). Not only creatures and encounters but strongholds. This is a wilderness setting so its mostly going to be forgotten dungeons and decrepit ruins but I am not against wandering raiders/hostile tribes or anything else you think could conceivably fit in an uncharted wilderness.
Maybe it's just the shape of 22, with its length along impassible cliffs (if I'm reading the map right), but it gave me the idea of a long abandoned or ruined dwarvish stronghold built into the face of the cliffs; pocked and weather-worn monuments, tunnels like fingers searching for wealth in the earth and toppled towers on every horizon.
That is an awesome idea, I am totally putting it in (and will likely name the area the stronghold of Eladris if you don't mind).
On another note... Number 29 I know is going to be the most dangerous place for it's section of the map but I am not sure what will be there. Does anyone have any idea what a group of barren hills in the middle of a massive grassland could hold?
Old burial mounds?
Also, probably a good idea to have some really tough things sprinkled in here and there, but that can be bypassed or ignored until the players feel up to it.
Hmm burial mounds... I will have to look into that possibility. The tough hidden stuff is also something I am looking at. For example I have a group of wight barrows that have been hidden over time that will be very hard to find.
On another note I have named some of the stuff and positioned it in it's regions. So tell me what you think and perhaps give me ideas on what the names evoke as to what belongs there (First part is the name and the second is the region it resides in).
Quote from: Areas4. Ironscar Lowlands - Ironback Mountains
5. Ironback Foothills - Ironback Mountains
6. Mount Karag - Ironback Mountains
7. Bracken Cliffs - Ironback Mountains
8. Needle Crags - Ironback Mountains
9. Badlands - Ironback Mountains
10. Obelis Peak - Ironback Mountains
11. The Spire - Ironback Mountains
12. South Bradel Fords - Ironback Mountains
13. Seaspray Cliffs - Ironback Mountains
14. Eastern Bradel Banks - Wurmwood Forest
15. Northern Wurmwood - Wurmwood Forest
16. The Deepwoods - Wurmwood Forest
17. South Bradel Fords - Wurmwood Forest
18. The Darkwoods - Wurmwood Forest
19. Southern Wurmwood - Wurmwood Forest
20. Northern Frostridge Fields - Frostridge Fields
21. Southern Frostridge Fields - Frostridge Fields
22. Stronghold of Eladris - Daggerpoint Hills
23. The Ridgeback Hills - Daggerpoint Hills
24. The Spine - Daggerpoint Hills
25. Howling Cliffs - Daggerpoint Hills
Hey Nomadic, just wanted return the reply I'm glad you like Grand Realms. I'm actually enjoying what you have for the Unconquered Realms. I hope what I wrote down some seeds of their own.
I kind of like the idea of a lost regiment, from the days old that have grown to guard the old ways of life, the glory days of old. Possibly these mighty horselords still patrol the burial mounds keeping them sacred and seceret against tomb robbers or creatures that would infest the burial mounds. For adventures perhaps the campaigners find out there was an old kingdom which once rescided where the burial mounds are now.
Burrow Wright: CR 4; Medium Undead (Evil,Incorporeal); HD 6d12 ( Undead) ; hp 72; Init + 5; Spd AC 16; Atk + 5 base melee, + 4 base ranged; +5 ( 2d8+3, Burning touch ); SA: Charm person (Sp); SQ: Damage Reduction (Su): 10/+1, Etherealness (Su), Immunity: Critical hits (Ex), Immunity: Cold (Ex), Undead; AL CE; SV Fort -3, Ref + 3, Will + 3; STR 14, DEX 12, CON -, INT 9, WIS 5, CHA -.Feats: Improved Initiative.
Description: Burrow wright-These creatures are the lost souls of a forgotten city long since disappeared from the face of the world. They hunt the burial mounds anchor to their past lives where they died horrible due to the fall of their homes and loss of their love once.
Burrow wrights hate all creatures, the positive life energy that a living being has is like a beacon to the spectral creatures that simply wish to snuff out that life.
Brilliant idea. That is going in and I know just the place to put it. As to the UR bit I am glad that you like it. It has been alot of work so far and there is plenty yet to put in.
As a side note, did you mean barrow wight?
Barrow Wright or Burrow meaning to dig. Could be anything enjoy if you need any more monsters just let me know, the monster I come up with are for my campaign and everybody here.
Thanks. Actually yes if you have any wurms (think dune/tremors) or fey I would really appreciate that.
New monster for yah nomadic. You can adjust it or change as you see fit.
Earthen Evicerator: CR 4; Huge Animal (Earth); HD 9d8+18 (Animal) ; hp 58; Init +4; Spd Burrow 70; AC:10 (Flatfooted:10 Touch:10); Atk +9 base melee, +4 base ranged; +9/+4 (2d12+5, Bite; 1d8+2, 2 Pincer); SA: Swallow Whole (Ex) , Grappling Bonus (Ex) ; SQ: Half Damage from Piercing (Ex), Half Damage from Slashing (Ex), Low-light Vision (Ex); AL N; SV Fort +8, Ref +3, Will +0; STR 20, DEX 10, CON 15, INT 7, WIS 5, CHA 7.
Feats: Improved Initiative, Mighty Roar, Thick-Skinned.
Description: The Earthen Evicerator, burrows deep underneath the plains in search of anything it can feed into it monstrous maw. The creature can ingest anything, slowly breaking down all types of material and base metals. Underneath the ground the, Earthern Evicerator moved at uncanny speed, and often those unaware are uprooted from the very ground and sent tumbling into the creature maw, where it's pincers slice away to allow for smaller piece as the circular barbed tooth maw grinds away with uncanny speed. The creature fears nothing and has no fear of trying to feast on adventure or even dragons, of course no known record exist to prove if the attempt has ever succeed.
Combat- The Earthen Evicerator erupts from the ground uprooting everything in a ten foot circle, those caught unaware can make a reflex sv of 20 to stop from being knocked down. A successful listen check adds a +4 bonus the reflex save. The creature attempts to gather all in the vicinity in it pseudo-pod like grappler's. Player must make a grapple check in order not to be held. If the grapple check fails the player is then hoisted toward the creature maw where two pincers slice away.
On a Critical strike the Earthen Eviceratror can swallow it prey whole.
Nice. That will certainly be useful. Thank you very much. On an off chance would you happen to have any CR 1 to 4 on anything you might find in either mountain foothills or a fey inhabited forest?