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

Good Afternoon, All:

Here are the capsule descriptions of five more ruins that will be available for exploration within the Isles of the Saharan Sea setting for my next campaign:

Bastion of Fallen Akrotia: Many generations ago, the island of Akrotia had been buried by volcanic eruption. Two generations ago, a great Tarthani warlord named Hodar Kantak forced native slaves to carve a stronghold from the rock overlooking a well-protected bay, and made the site his personal base of operations. Since then, the stronghold has changed hands several times, and each landlord in turn has added to the tunnels and chambers making up the stronghold. The last warlord to own the site was a Zegoth Commodore who vanished with the Wrath of Serpentis, along with his followers.

Lost Render's Mine: Discovered by a shipwrecked render-captain, this lost silver mine is purported to be the source of Captain Korvas Ravenblack's sudden and meteoric rise to power over a generation ago. It is said that the local natives, impressed with Captain Ravenblack's charismatic leadership, protect the site from exploitation, and may even continue to mine it as they await the render's return. The pirate's three daughters, Render-Captains themselves, actively seek the mine's location, angered that their father did not trust them enough to provide them with a map to the site.

Perdidos, Ruins of: Once a sleepy little port, Perdidos was plundered by Zegoths under Serpentfolk rule several generations ago. Among the wreckage is the remains of the Tower of the Archmagus Khadargos, a Grand Cabalist of the Dark Arts. Although the Zegoths succeeded in plundering the port, they were unsuccessfuly in obtaining the Index Infernum, the archmage's notes on his interactions with the demonic servitors of the Demon King Sandamos.

Sanguinarium of the Dark Mother: An ancient site of ritual sacrifice to Serpentis, the Dark Mother, the Sanguinarium fell into ruin long before her followers vanished from the World Within when a powerful earthquake devastated the island. Foul creatures of blood and shadow still walk the depths of the Sanguinarium, yet adventurers still brave the serpentine tunnels in hopes of finding lost relics of a bygone era. In the days after the Wrath of Serpentis, a number of Zegoths have made pilgrimages to the site with virginal sacrifices, in hopes of encouraging the Dark Mother's return.

Tower of Clockwork Chaos: The animated constructs of the Tower of Clockwork Chaos were legendary for their artistic and mystical craftsmanship, until they were turned on their creators as an act of treachery and vengeance. For many monsoons, the tower stood abandoned by mortal men, until an Aberration Cult claimed the site for their own purposes. No one knows how they bypassed the unliving creations of the tower's original owners, but it is certain that the cultists are using the knowledge they've uncovered to the most nefarious of ends.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Isles of the Saharan Sea: Five Ruins To Explore...

Good Afternoon, All:

With the primary ports of call completed, it's time to move on to sites of major adventure, Ruins. Here are the capsule descriptions of five ruins that will be available for exploration within the setting I'm creating for my next campaign:

Citadel of the Wyrm Knight: On an island on the edge of civilized territory stands the Citadel of the Wyrm Knight, the remains of a forsaken outpost that has long since succumbed to the jungle wilds. Rumors abound of rich veins of gold that remain to be rediscovered in the tunnels beneath the citadel itself. The site has become the base of operations for an Aberration Cult devoted to planar creatures best left unsummoned and truths best left unknown.

Krotoa, Lost Colony of: Founded as a colony of exiles and escaped slaves fleeing the persecution of the Serpentfolk, Krotoa fell to the onslaught of the forces of a Zegoth commander that ultimately tracked them down. The Zegoth warlord could not find what he was sent to uncover, that being a stolen collection of lore detailing the secret techniques used by the Serpentfolk to manufacture magical arms and armor. Without humanoid inhabitants, the creatures of the jungle have reclaimed the structures, making lairs throughout the ruins of the colony. Treasure hunters seeking to recover the lost lore rarely return, and those who do speak only of the fierce wildlife they encountered in their fruitless expeditions.

Lukrada, Ruins of: Once an ancient city under the patronage of Thanatos, the Flame Lord, Lukrada has long since fallen into crumbling ruins. These ruins are located atop a mesa overlooking the Burning Bay, and is very difficult to reach on foot, save for a narrow winding road leading from the beach to the flat mesa top. Necromancers and priests of Thanatos populate a few of the ruins, all in service to the Vanaran known as Mavarasha, Light Upon the Throne Triumphant, a High Priest of Thanatos.

Mystic Tower of the Vampire King: The Mystic Tower of the Vampire King once stood on an island darkened by perpetual mists, until a great battle delivered the Final Death upon the Vampire King. With his passing, the tower collapsed as the earth beneath it churned, and the mists dissipated, leaving behind only devastation and silence. Pirate and renders still give the site a wide berth, for it is rumored that the shades of ancient heroic warriors remain trapped within the wreckage.

Pakaton, Ruins of: Pakaton was once a properous township until a supernatural plague struck down its inhabitants almost twenty monsoons ago. Given the swift and deadly nature of the plague, other islands and ports quickly declared Pakaton a quarantined port of call, a declaration that has never been rescinded due to the near total devastation of all life. Those few who escaped, as well as their children, still cling to their heritage of Pakaton, and will likely rally to anyone who is daring enough to cleanse the ruins and reclaim them as habitable territory.

Enjoy,
Flynn

The Madlands Campaign: Some Dungeons And Ruins...

Good Evening, All:

In building up the Madlands Campaign for my new campaign (which starts next week, I'm so excited!), I came up with a few interesting locations that I wanted to introduce to the players as potential adventure locations in the future. Below are some nearby dungeons and similar ruins begging for adventurers to explore and plunder them.

Dark Gauntlet of Sorrows
Only a few days journey into the Madlands from the city of Fellgorge lies the Dark Gauntlet of Sorrows. Among the great tragedies of the Divine War was the sundering of a realm from the Faerie Courts, misplacing it here on the Plane Prime. Cut off from the vibrant life force of the Faerie Courts, the Fey Scar eventually died off, leaving behind a faerie palace in the midst of the dead remains of the feywood. Many adventurers have attempted to penetrate what poets have dubbed the Dark Gauntlet of Sorrows, but few have uncovered the vaults of lost lore and fey magic rumored to found within the abandoned sylvan fortress.

Outland Sanctuary of the Drang Wraith-Lords
Beyond the Genodran Empire in the depths of the Redcliff Hills lies the Outland Sanctuary of the Drang Wraith-Lords. A necropolis of catacombs, tombs and crypts to an ancient order of eldritch sorcerers, this foul site served as the battlefield for the final battle of the Divine War in the region. When the tide turned against the Drang Wraith-Lords, the necromantic sorcerers retreated into the depths of their unholy sanctum, taking with them several powerful relics captured during the fight. Despite all efforts, the attackers were unable to recover their lost treasures. In the end, they elected to seal the necropolis with the Drang Wraith-Lords trapped within, so that these relics could not later be used against the victors. With the passage of time, those that would defend the Outland Sanctuary from intrusion have long since past, and tomb raiders are slowly working through some of the outlying crypts.

Ruins of Kaeleth Tyr
Once an ancient city reknowned for its wealth and majesty, the city of Kaeleth Tyr fell during the Divine War. Buried beneath the rubble of shattered mountains, the surface structures of the City of Gold may be destroyed, but most sages agree that the tunnels and passages of the under-city likely have survived, and with it, an abundance of riches waiting for those brave enough to seek it out. Of those few who have found the ruins and lived to tell the tale, Kaeleth Tyr is guarded only by the warped and aberrant creatures that survived the spilling of divine blood and were transformed by the very same event that destroyed the surface city itself.

Enjoy,
Flynn