Difference between revisions of "Second Darkness Campaign"

Latest revision as of 08:13, 23 September 2013

Overview

A strange light in the sky holds a danger unknown for ten thousand years! Deep beneath Golarion's surface, the greatest shame of the elves is stirring once more. Seething with hatred, the drow have come up with a plan to wipe out their ancient enemies and bring a second Age of Darkness. And this time, there's only the heroes to stop them...

-- Paizo's Second Darkness Adventure Path description

Character Creation

We are using the Standard Fantasy point buy (15 points).

Players may use any rules (feats, class abilities, spells, etc.) from the Pathfinder Core Rule book. Material from other sources maybe used, but it needs to be run by the group first.

Each character gets three traits (one campaign, two general) from the Second Darkness Companion and begins with max starting gold. Traits are essentially mini-feats -- each one grants a bonus equal to about half of a normal feat. All characters start at 1st level.

We are using the Hero Points rules from the Advanced Players Guide. All characters start with one hero point; those who complete a character background start with two.

Campaign Rules

• Points rules (see above)
• We use the Critical Fumbles and Critical Hits decks, in the form of the iCrit and iFumble apps from Paizo.

The Saga

Book 1: The Shadow in the Sky

• Chapter 0: Welcome to Riddleport
• Chapter 1: Cheat the Devil and Take His Gold
  • Interlude 1: Turning a Profit
  • Interlude 2: The Daily Grind
• Chapter 2: Snakes, Rats and other Scum
  • Interlude 3: Coins and Blood
• Chapter 3: Recipe for Disaster: Roast Boar with Guava and Peach Schnapps
  • Interlude 4: The Hunt for Phil
• Chapter 4: The Boneyard Rescue
  • Interlude 5: Aftermath
• Chapter 5: St. Caspieran's Salvation
  • Interlude 6: The Bone Crawl
• Chapter 6: The Bone Crawl, Part 1
• Chapter 7: The Bone Crawl, Part 2
• Chapter 8: Beneath the Gold Goblin
  • Chapter 8, Interlude 5: The Skyfall Aftermath
• Chapter 9a: Fight for the Goblin
• Chapter 9b: The Stench of Victory
• Chapter 10: The Battle of the Cyphergate
  • Chapter 10, Interlude 6: The Devil's in the Details

Book 2: The Children of the Void

• Chapter 11: Arrival at Devil's Elbow
• Chapter 12: The Living Darkness
• Chapter 13: The Shadow of Death

Book 2.5: Dark Tidings

• Chapter 14: A Riddleport State of Mind
  • Chapter 14, Interlude 7: Rust on the Wind
• Chapter 15: The Fishing Expedition
  • Chapter 15, Interlude 8: Unsettled Business
• Chapter 16: Into the Velusha Uplands
  • Ch. 16, Interlude 9: Requiem for a Death Elf
• Chapter 17: The Black Water
  • Ch. 17, Interlude 10: The Pool of Death
• Chapter 18: Raiders on the Velashu Highlands
  • Chapter 18, Interlude 11: Divvying up Gorwrack and Hallvor's Lootz
  • Chapter 18, Interlude 12: Talk of the Town

Book 3: The Armageddon Echo

• Chapter 19: A Nice Day for a Black Wedding
  • Chapter 19, Interlude 13 - Hanging out in Crying Leaf
• Chapter 20: The Library of Dust
  • Chapter 20, Interlude 14 - The Battle of Celwynvian
• Chapter 21: The Art of Alchemy
  • Chapter 21, Interlude 15 - The Cloud of Doom
• Chapter 22: Lament for the Emerald Rains, Part 1
• Chapter 23: Lament for the Emerald Rains, Part 2
• Chapter 24: Assault on the Academy
• Chapter 25: Echos of Death
• Chapter 26: The Observatory, Part 1
• Chapter 27: The Observatory, Part 2
• Chapter 28: The Observatory, Part 3
• Chapter 28, Interlude 15 - Researching the Darklands

Book 4: Endless Night

• Chapter 29 Into the Darklands
  • Ch. 29, Interlude 16: The Streets of Zirnakaynin
• Chapter 30: The Demon Haunted Halls of Azrinae, Part 1
• Chapter 31: The Demon Haunted Halls of Azrinae, Part 2
  • Chapter 31, Interlude 17: The Land of Black Blood

Book 5: Descent into Midnight

Book 6 in the Second Darkness print run; we skipped Book 5

• Chapter 32: The Shrine of Bound Earth
• Chapter 33 Across the Demon Haunted Wastes
• Chapter 34 The Fetid Palace
• Chapter 35 The Rotstone Hollows
• Chapter 36 The Bloodforge
• Chapter 37 The Weeping Cliffs
• Chapter 38 The Crystal Plaza
• Chapter 39 The Final Battle, Part 1
• Chapter 39 The Final Battle, Part 2

Primer

Characters

Heroes

• Cutheric, Vampire (Human) Barbarian (Damon)
• Emeryon Star-Seeker, Elf Cleric (George)
• Gavin "Two Cups" Gallows, Half-Elf Bard
• Jheru, Human Monk (Jon)
• Jorm aka Kevn, Dwarf Fighter (Jim)
• Maturin, Halfling Cleric (Hardcorhobbs)
• Phillymondiuspartigan Jones, Gnome Wizard (Lance)
• Skender, Human Rogue / Fighter (Nate)
• Thyur, Dwarf Ranger (Bob)

Hall of the Honored Dead

• Korlandril, Elf Sorcerer 2 / Rogue 2 (Damon)
• Tholyr, Dwarf Rogue (Bob)

Allies

• Samaritha Beldusk, Half-Elf Wizard ?: Would-be cyphermage apprentice and cheat spotter at the Gold Goblin
• Kwava, Elf Ranger 4: An elven ranger who watches for the return of the drow near Riddleport
• Keldak Trollbreaker, Dwarf Ranger and member of the Wardens of the Deep
• Kjor, Northman and follower of Jorm, wielder of Winter

Businessmen

• Carter Areson, Human Fighter ?: Bodyguard to Mr. Dearborn
• Harrison Bane, owner of the Northern Varisian Trading Company in Riddleport
• Samuel Benedict, captain of the 'Gold Griffon', out of Andoran
• Carlo Dalsine, captain of the 'Windseer' out of Taldor
• Joseph Dearborn, Human : Taldari businessman
• Laurer Feldin, Dwarf Expert: Floor manager at the Gold Goblin (now missing)
• Keelhaul Kellion, Captain of the Tyrant
• Thordar Hillforge, owner of the Steel Dragon Foundry, forger of dwarven war kilts.
• Thorhud Oerg, Dwarf Expert: Office manager for a warehouse in the River District

Clerics

• Naomi Silverti, Human Cleric 3: Priestess of Erastil
• Shorafa Pamodae Tiefling Cleric 10: high priestess and madam of the House of the Silken Veil.
• Ruben Carfay, Human Cleric ?: Priest of Besmara, the Pirate Queen, former keeper of the Fish Bowl in Riddleport, now deceased

Demons

• Delathari: A succubus who once owned the sole of Carlila Zalteri, who was sold to her as part of a pact Carila's mother made. That contract was broken when Delathari was defeated by a band of heroes on Carlila and Skender's wedding day, but she retains a grudge against the cleric and her beloved.
• Traskqill: The demonic master of the Crimson Bowl of Charavin.

Demon Lords

• Abraxas: Master of the Final Incantation, Demon Lord of Forbidden Lore and Magic. Patron of House Azrinae.

Drow

House Azrinae

• Allevrah Azrinae: female drow ?: Matron of House Azrinae.
• Charavin Azrinae: male drow wizard 15: A long-deceased member of House Azrinae, best known for creating the Crimson Bowl of Charavin, a powerful artifact that allows the user to summon and control demons.
• Depora Azrinae, female drow ?: The dark elf who brought down the skymetal meteorite that crashed into Devil's Elbow and caused the tidal wave that flooded Riddleport. Killed by Shindiira Misraria.
• Kardinnyr Azrinae male drow: First Son of House Azrinae and leader of the garrison protectig the House's estate in Zirnakaynin.
• Nolveniss, male drow Wizard ?: Male researcher studying the "Armageddon Echo" in Celwynvian. Potential consort of Shindiira. Killed by the adventurers in the Armageddon Echo.
• Shindiira Misraria female drow ?: The leader of the drow faction on Devil's Elbow. Responsible for casting the runes that brought the skymetal asteroid smashing into that island and sent a tidal wave rushing into Riddelport. Current whereabouts unknown.
• Simovara Azrinae, female drow ?: Previous matron of House Azrinae. Believed murdered by Allevrah Azrinae.
• Taltryrr Azrinae, male drow wizard: Second Son of House Azrinae. Lazy playboy with a hunger for arcane power.

House Vonnarc

• Alicavniss Vonnarc, female drow ?: Matron of House Vonnarc and an archmage. She was once close to House Azrinae, but had a falling out with their new matron.
• Gadak Simiryin, male drow ?: Simpering, scheming merchant servant of House Vonnarc. It is believed that this is the merchant that the forge god Torag warned of. He offered to introduce the false drow to his house.

Elven Allies

• Authdur, self-absorbed wizard and potion master. He knows much about underworld fungi, molds, and other growths.
• Eviana, the leader of Crying Leaf, a war camp outside of Celwynvian
• Kaerishiel Neirenar, one-time leader of local chapter of the Shin’Rakorath. Killed while liberating Celwynvian from the drow.
• Nesradeth, gruff elven ranger, now the leader of the Shin’Rakorath in Celwynvian.
• Giseil Voslil, gray elf necromancer and inventor of the recorporeal incarnation spell.

Scum

• Saul Vancaskerkin, Human: Owner of the Gold Goblin Gambling hall
• Clegg Zincher, Human Rogue ?: One of the major crimelords of Riddleport
• Lymas Smeed, Human Expert/Rogue: A money lender of ill-repute associated with Boss Croat
• Boss Croat, Half-Orc Rogue: A major crimelord associated with the drug trade in Riddleport
• Freddie Five Fingers, Human Rogue 1: A childhood friend of Skender and a member of Clegg Zincher's gang
• Beltias Kreun, Human Rogue 4: Former first mate of the Tyrant, former leader of the Splithog Paupers (a street gang in the Rotgut District)
• Garspheal Elstrice, Half-Elf Rogue 2: A sniper in the Splithog Paupers gang; he assumed leadership when Beltias Kreun was taken down by a group of adventurers.
• Doofer Bronzeman, Human Fighter 8: A womanizing former adventurer who was more than willing to pick up some extra coin training would-be swordsmen. Known to hang out at the Drunken Parrot.

Wizards

• Alkarin, a wizard who sells a variety of esoteric magic items.
• Argentus Blakely, Human Wizard: The wizard who discovered the Blot over Riddleport
• Ozmantin, Human Wizard: A senior cyphermage and former master to Phillymondiuspartigan Jones. The mage died, causing his apprentice to be unceremoniously kicked out of the guild.
• Elias Tammerhawk, Human Wizard: Elias is the leader of the Order of Cyphers
• Fenella Bromathan, Human Wizard: Cypermage, master to Samaritha Beldusk, and leader of the guild's expedition to Devil's Elbow. She was killed by the alien monsters infesting that island.
• Vatharis, Human Sorcerer: A mad researcher who lived in the Bone Crawl beneath and spent his days researching the care, feeding and breeding of monstrous puddings. He was slain by adventurers.

Organizations

• Blue Lipstick Gang, an all-female gang of thieves operating in Riddleport
• Splithog Paupers, a street gang in the Rotgut District of Riddleport
• Shin'Rakorath, an elven adventuring company whose motto is "to be a light against the coming darkness"
• Northern Varisian Trading Company, a trading company that runs caravans between Riddleport and the Land of the Linnorm Kings
• Order of Cyphers, a Riddleport-based wizardly organization dedicated to the study of the Cyphergate and other ancient monuments throughout Varisia
• Wardens of the Deep, a dwarven society dedicated to exploring the depths of Golarion and defending dwarven settlements against the monsters that dwell there

Places

• Riddleport: One of the largest cities in Varisia.
• Crying Leaf: Elven war village located on the outskirts of Celwynvian
• Celwynvian: Ancient elven capitol, shattered by the Starfall, liberated by the adventurers and their elven allies
• Zirnakaynin: Vault of the Drow
• Land of Black Blood: A cavern of titanic size, located deep within the Orv layer of the Darklands.

Magic Items

Wondrous Items

• Crimson Bowl of Charavin, a powerful artifact carved from ruby that – when filled with sacrificial blood – allows the wielder to summon and control demons through a carefully control portal to the Abyss.
• Drinking Horn of Heroic Acts: once per day it transforms any alcohol in it into a potion of heroism (+2 to attacks, saves, and skill checks for 10 minutes)

Spellbooks

• Spellbook of Vatharis, a tome on the care and feeding of oozes and puddings

Weapons

• Draknokdir, "Dancing Doom of Death" in derro. +3 dancing, vicious shortsword
• Fjorlag, Translates to “death” in the common tongue. It is a +2 corrosive battle axe (+1d6 acid damage)
• Stickler, a shortsword +2, giantbane, once wielded by the halfling Thim Stoutfeet
• Windsear: Curve blade, elven +1 keen weapon; 1x day cast “pass without trace” CL1
• Winter, an intelligent cold iron longsword obsessed with the triumph of the North

Resources

Maps

Campaign Resources

• Second Darkness Forum
• XP and Hero Point Tracker

Web Resources

• d20 Pathfinder SRD
• Pathfinder Database
• Perram's Spellbook (prints spell cards)
• Pathfinder Chronicles (podcast)
• Know Direction (podcast)
• Pathforge (character generator)
• Pathfinder Random Treasure Generator