Isles of the Saharan Sea: Five More Lairs...

Good Afternoon, All:

As I continue to develop bits and pieces of my next campaign setting and share them with you, I realize that the work that I'm doing runs contradictory to the concept of minimal preparation that I wrote about last year. Given that my current campaign won't end for quite a while (barring accidental TPKs), it seems that I have the time to invest, so I don't mind exceeding the minimum needed to run a campaign. In addition, this longer period of development gives me the chance to develop my ideas in small bite-sized pieces. In this way, I can build a lot of material over time, without a lot of focused effort. I write when I want to write. I spend half an hour at a time creating my little capsules of information. I can take time to think about what I need to have ready for my players, and build it without feeling rushed at the last minute. In essence, I get to create a bulk of information that I can draw from, minimizing my preparation each session once the campaign begins. My setting feels more well-rounded as a result, and I have a lot of details that I can build on. That leads to a richer gaming experience for my players, which in turn makes me a happier GM/Referee.

With that in mind, here are the capsule descriptions of five more lairs destined to plague adventurers and domains alike within the Isles of the Saharan Sea setting. These five lairs are:

Commodore Greybeard's Cove: Commodore Avery Greybeard maintains a stronghold here as a safe haven for his six sailing vessels and the crews that serve him. Treacherous reefs (the secrets of which are kept to the pilots of Greybeard's vessels) and high mountains protect the bay. A man of some sophistication, Commodore Greybeard maintains tendrils of influence in nearby ports, and enjoys the trappings of high society. The bare beginnings of a settlement has begun to appear outside the stronghold's walls. Every few weeks, there's a 2 in 6 chance that a ship full of pirates (3d6+40) flying Greybeard's coat of arms will strike a nearby location and, if not defeated, destroy an asset before disbanding.

The Revenant's Derelict: The derelict skeleton of a once powerful ship, the Magdalena, lies on its side on a rocky shore. When the Unliving Armada of Lord Barabos is not raiding, it gathers here, slowly building its forces under the direction of the undead admiral. Every few weeks, there's a 2 in 6 chance that a ship full of undead pirates (3d6+40) flying Lord Barabos's coat of arms will strike a nearby location and, if not defeated, destroy an asset before disbanding.

Sacred Feasting Grounds of the Kolowa: The Kolowa, a cannibalistic tribe of cavemen, hold this site to be sacred, and often bring particularly exceptional captives here to feast before the eyes of the large stone idols that represent their Gods. Every few weeks, there's a 1 in 6 chance that a band of Kolowan raiders (3d6+40) will strike a nearby location and, if not defeated, destroy an asset before disbanding.

Shrine of Fiery Death: Devoted to Thanatos, the Flame Lord, the cultists of the Shrine of Fiery Death aggressively seek sacrifices to offer to the volcano it overlooks. Occasionally, the volcano erupts, spewing lava and ash everywhere, yet the Shrine always remains safe and untouched by the devastation around it. Every few weeks, there's a 2 in 6 chance that a force of Death cultists (2d6+20) will strike a nearby location and, if not defeated, destroy an asset before disbanding.

Wendigo Cliff Dwellings: Although the original builders of these cliff dwellings are long gone, this small settlement has almost always been overrun with wendigos and their vessels. Cannibalistic spirits with the ability to possess humanoids, wendigos frequently raid neighboring islands for more victims to serve as food or hosts. Every few weeks, there's a 1 in 6 chance that a band of wendigo-possessed raiders (3d6+40) will strike a nearby location and, if not defeated, destroy an asset before disbanding.

Enjoy,
Flynn