Demon Realms Pen & Paper

[Frogsbane]

Hello everyone. To sort of tide us over until Demon Realms is up and running I was wondering if anyone was interested in a DR pnp. This is a concept still in development, so input from the community is more than welcome.

P.S. I suppose I should clarify the intended purpose of doing this. Firstly, it's to keep the dialogue on here going while DR is down. Also, the concepts developed here may be used to perhaps start play-by-posts or create material/scenarios for use in your home D&D game.

This post has been edited by Frogsbane on Nov 9 2008, 09:19 PM

[Frogsbane]

Wow, sorry its been a while. As I've been in development of Port Dermont for some time now I thought I'd start with a write up of that. I would have done Dalermon or a more thorough history of DR but I still need to work out some things and check in with Granius to see where he'd like to take Dalermon. Anyway, here it is. I hope to make this a regular thing, maybe every Friday or so.

PORT DERMONT, the Harbor of Spoils
Port Dermont is a place for people who don’t belong anywhere else. A longtime haven for pirates, brigands, and thieves, its lawlessness is a cauldron where plots and schemes are brewed in seedy taverns and smoky gambling houses. The solid granite cliffs that surround its docks seem to serve the dual purpose of protecting the harbor from fierce storms while keeping its squalor from spilling over into the surrounding region. Were it not for the opportunism and resourcefulness of its inhabitance, the entire place would probably be buried beneath the weight of its own vice.

Port Dermont (Small Town): Nonstandard; AL NE; 780 gp limit; Assets 98,720 gp; Population 981; Mixed (78% human, 11% dwarf, 5% halfling, 4% half-orc, 1% goblinoid, 1% other)
Important Characters: Celia Dwarf-friend (CG half-elf wizard 16), unofficial archmage of Port Dermont; Neblos Scragglethorp (NE gnome rogue 5/illusionist 5), owner of the Black Table Gambling House; Thurg Bonegnasher (CE half-orc barbarian 8), “harbor boss� and leader of the Bonegnashers; Pipper Gillias (N halfling rogue 3), a prominent merchant of illicit wares.

Common Knowledge
The only law that exists in Port Dermont is the kind that is bought with enough coin or a sharp blade. No one group controls Port Dermont. Each warehouse, shanty, and hovel rules itself and anyone foolish enough to try to impress their own sense of order have soon met with failure. The results are fortifications in disrepair, a dock in neglect, and several buildings lie in ruin below and among its cliffs. Drunks, refuse, even corpses are allowed to lie where they fall or are dumped into the sea, giving the port the profound stench of rot in spite of the prevailing seaborne winds.

Gather Information DC 15: Although no one has claimed ownership of Port Dermont, there are two groups who seem willing to try. The ruffians of the Bonegnashers may be an uncouth and uninspired group of thugs but they appear to be no less ambitious. The dwarves, who largely dwell on the eastern side of the cliffs, have more or less banded together under the guise of mutual benefit and cooperation.

Knowledge (History) DC 20: Captain Dermont founded Port Dermont a little over two centuries ago with the hope of mustering a fleet large enough to take Cove Landing. Before his plan came to fruition he was betrayed by his crew and cursed that they would live to regret their treachery, effectively damning them to an eternity of unnatural life. Their haunt lies somewhere near the Cove.

People in Port Dermont
As one might expect, the people of Port Dermont tend to be callous, inhospitable, and surly. Life tends to be short, and passersby wearily eye each other before quietly going about their business. Visitors are often taken aback by this eerie silence and those that can choose not to stay for very long. While indoors, their disposition seems to soften, if only just a little. Most feel free to laugh and tell rude jokes while downing a flagon of ale, and may even tell a tale or two while spending your gold.

Sites and Features
Navigating Port Dermont’s narrow allies, decrepit docks, and cliff-faced walkways can be a challenge in of themselves. One false turn can lead into a nest of ravenous rats, band of cutthroats, or worse.

Black Table Gambling House: What would otherwise just be one of Port Dermont’s many gambling houses, the Black Table is unique in that it offers a reasonably safe environment to indulge in one’s vices. Spellcasting is strictly forbidden and glyphs on the underside of the tables block most magic that would aid or hinder a player. As many of its patrons are off their guard, some forget themselves, allowing secrets and schemes to slip out.

Celia’s Manor: One of the few comfortable looking dwellings in Port Dermont, the residence is home to Celia Dwarf-Friend. Renowned as a powerful wizard and reviled as a meddler, she offers help to most who seek it and has brought down at least two would-be pirate kings. Her house stands directly under the shadow of the Lonely Tower and she keeps a constant vigil over the great edifice.

Lonely Tower: The Lonely Tower looms over the squalor below like a dreadful beacon to those who dock in Port Dermont. Who built it and for what reason has been long lost to time but most know better and stay clear of it. About once a month, a stroke of red lightning shoots out from the tower’s zenith to screech across the sky.

Old Alliance Guildhouse: Like too many other brave souls who have thought to tame Port Dermont, the Old Alliance Guildhouse is by and large an abandoned refuge to a guild whose noble ideals have been snuffed out. It has been converted into a tavern by an aging Grisgald, a man who has some kind of past with the Alliance and seems to be losing his wits in his old age, and the youthful Melarni, who knows far more about Dermont’s past and present workings than the typical barmaid.

Adventures and Hooks
The majority of people in Port Dermont have come to offload their illicit wares and hideout from the authorities of Dalermon or Somos. There is much coin to be had for those with the grit and moral flexibility to grab for it. Those with noble intentions and high-minded virtues better check themselves at its crumbling gate.

Hunt For The Hunter: Usually it’s the bounty hunter doing the hunting. However, the Black Table Gambling House has put up a hefty sum for a bounty hunter who managed to break in and drag out one of its patrons. She has been described as a woman of medium height and build with red hair and a tattoo of a raven on her right forearm.

“Them trees are moving�: Many are too busy to notice that the neighboring Dalewood has been encroaching upon the town’s fringes. Those that have taken note believe that the wood is simply growing wild but few whisper of a mad druid whose designs include washing away the festering squalor that Port Dermont has become and begin anew.

Something Lost, Something Valuable: The Red Cutlass has recently come to port and its crew is on the prowl for one of their own. Rumor has it that the missing crewmember stole something from their last successful raid while others say that he may know something that the ship’s captain wants to keep secret.

EDIT: Cleaned up spelling errors. Hope it makes more sense now.

This post has been edited by Frogsbane on Nov 29 2008, 05:19 AM

[Frogsbane]

Hello again everyone, hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. This weeks post is going to be a little bit of a mixed bag, as the holiday has kind of thrown me off. Trying to think of things in more general terms I've started doing the write-ups for the races. It's somewhat difficult to alter the core races enough that they are unique while keeping some of their familiarity, but hopefully this first draft of things will let you know where I'm heading. No half-elves or half-orcs as of yet, but coming soon.

HUMANS
Humans are rugged, tenacious, and ambitious nation-builders. Many of their civilizations have risen and fallen over the centuries with the most recent of which is their once great nation in Exule. Long regarded as a frontier and a safe-haven for pirates, many refugees had no other choice but to make the treacherous sea journey to Redvale. This migration has caused many of their settlements to swell and grow in influence and power. The great city of Somos, which has grown from a sleepy riverside village to a bustling metropolis, stands as a testament to the resilience and pervasiveness of humans.

DWARVES
The dwarves are an ancient race but are newcomers to Redvale. The abandonment of the holds of Odunthar in the face of the demonic incursion, known as the Dwarven Diaspora, has spread the dwarven race the length and breadth of the region. While some cling to the clannish bonds that have held them together for generations, others see new freedom and opportunities away from their families in these new lands. Once proud sentinels of mountain passes and the dark tunnels below, they now find welcome in most places as skilled craftsmen and mercenaries. Although a defeated people, the dwarves continue to endure, meeting each challenge with their typical stoic tenacity.

ELVES
The great forests of Redvale have long been home to elves, and after defeating the giants in a long and bloody war, they rose to supremacy and built the kingdom of Wychlindel beneath the ancient trees of the Golden Forest. The corruption caused by a shard of the balecryst, a demonic artifact of great and horrible power, resulted in the fall of the elven realm. Most of the survivors fled the chaos and destruction that ensued while a few embraced this demonic influence and came to be known as witch elves. In spite of this, elves consider the whole of Redvale as their homeland and freely roam the land in loosely-knit bands of a few dozen individuals. Often times this sense of ownership manifests as an appreciation for unspoiled woodland and desire for arcane lore and magic.

GNOMES
Bright, clever, and inventive, the gnomes have lived in isolation and safety from the upheaval of the outside world. Klaggenheim, a gnome city located deep within the bowels of a long buried mechanical contraption, never suffered the setbacks of the unchanging dwarves, haughty elves, or impatient humans. As a result, many gnomes possess an optimism, curiosity, and energy that some find refreshing and nauseating to others. Lured by the promise of new knowledge and fortune, many younger gnomes have left to explore the surface lands. However, most are content to study and uncover the secrets of their mysterious home.

HALF-ORCS
Half-orcs are the heirs of a dark legacy and generations of conflict between orcs and humans. Their size and strength makes them natural warriors and their prowess often earns them the reluctant acceptance of others. The demonic taint of the orcs did not pass to their offspring, but half-orcs have inherited their brutish features and tendencies, leading many to regard them as more orc than human. They have no true homeland but growing number have found solace by connecting with nature and the harsh fairness that the wilderness provides. Although few take time to contemplate their own existence, many consider themselves to be part of their own race and make no apology for their lineage.

HALFLINGS
Halflings are always on the move, careful to not wear out their welcome. Their reputation for larceny and illicit dealings leads many to consider them nuisances at best and pests at worst. Few have patience enough for them and although halflings are tolerated by most they are hardly ever welcomed. Halflings are nothing if not resourceful and often find a niche for themselves wherever they end up. The appearance of the demonic horde has opened up new opportunities for halflings, both for fame and profit.

Here's also a very brief excerpt from my notes about Redvale and Exule. Where they were previously continents I see them as being more akin to geographical regions. They're big but not THAT big. Anyway, more to come.

EXULE
As the cradle of humankind, the lands of Western Empire have long been the center of their civilization and on its easternmost hinterland lies Exule. The kings of Exule paid tribute to the Emperor and benefitted from the stability and trade it brought them. This security left many cities, like Franser, with little to no defenses against the demonic hordes. However, a few have managed to stand against the rising tide but those like Port Ever teeter on a dagger’s edge.

REDVALE
Many refugees have fled from the march of demons, sailing the treacherous waters of the Crossing of Sorrow to the shores of Redvale. More or less a frontier of self-governed city-states, its inhabitants consist of rugged woodsmen, would-be pirate lords, ancient elves, and numerous monsters. Redvale derives its name from the word that elves use to refer to the land, rualvallis, or “cursed valley.� Very few of these city-states have risen beyond wooden forts or rural townships, with the sanctuary of Somos being among its few exceptions.

EDIT: Added half-orcs (12/12/08)

This post has been edited by Frogsbane on Dec 13 2008, 01:57 AM

[Frogsbane]

Creating Conflict: Lawful Good vs. Chaotic Evil
The world of Demon Realms is filled with upheaval and strife. The influence of demons has caused many mortals to put aside their grudges and forgive past slights in order to stand against these hellish interlopers. However, there are also those who welcome them as their new masters or see them as a source of empowerment. The world thunders and quakes with this conflict, throwing off the scales of balance and forcing over-correction towards one side or another. This polarization can best be described the battle between the forces of Lawful Good and Chaotic Evil.

Lawful good valiantly crusades against the maliciousness and brutality of demonkind. At its heart, it epitomizes compassion and acting in the best interest of the greater good. They strive to create stability throughout the world and to protect the helpless, even sacrificing themselves if necessary. Although times are dark, the light always comes to banish the dark of night. Many live with the hope that an age of peace and prosperity awaits at the other side.

For all of its virtues, lawful good is a double-edged sword. It requires strict adherence to noble ideals and the intolerance of those who do not. They can be inflexible in their worldview. Something is either right or wrong, one is with them or against them, and there can be no moral ambiguity, not when fighting as tenacious and cunning enemy as demons. Personal freedom is insignificant when weighed against the need to eradicate demonkind. This leads many to regard them as self-righteous and given to fanaticism.

Chaotic evil take anything and everything they want. They are at times in league with the demons and embrace the destruction that they bring. Many are slaves to their desires and are given to temptation. Fated to bring ruin to all that they touch, they can expect to rely on no one but themselves. Although they believe high-minded ideals like honor and order only restrain those who either afraid or foolish, they are prone to recklessness and are at times dangerously unpredictable.

There are, however, definite boons to chaotic evil. Many have been freed from the constraints and obligations of the past. The demons have brought with them opportunity for advancement and the acceptance of former foes. Friendship and compassion are pitiful rewards compared to riches and power. They embrace the uncertainty of the times and find ways to benefit themselves.

It could be dangerous or beneficial for those who possess alignments in between these two extremes. Some seek balance and find fault with what both sides stand for, while others simply want to survive and to be left alone. They’re weary of the all too often erratic and violent tendencies of those who’d deal with demons, but also chafe at the rigid order imposed on them by those who feel they need protection. A person can lie and still be considered a good-hearted and could even kill someone and wouldn’t be labeled a villain. Such individuals could just as easily work with lawful good or chaotic evil and aren’t simply apathetic or unaware of the ongoing struggle that is taking place.


EDIT: A little bit of clean-up (12/14/08)

This post has been edited by Frogsbane on Dec 15 2008, 06:23 AM

[Frogsbane]

Hello everyone. Trying to adapt Demon Realms to into a pen and paper campaign setting has been an interesting (and sometimes aggravating) experience. With each post I’ve given some insight as to what influenced some of my design decisions. For this, I’m going to go with a more “developers diary� format, just to see how it goes.

I must admit, I was mostly inspired to doing it this way after recently reading through Races and Classes and rediscovering Rich Burlew’s (creator of Order of the Stick) “The World� posts. Having tried (and failed) to design a number of homemade campaign settings, I am torn between the bottom-down and small-to-large approaches to campaign setting design. An overarching theme helps to tie together a number key concepts (such as culture, geography, history, etc.) and helps put things into context. However, it’s easy over analyze a central concept that you can get bogged down to the point where the flow of events become too staged and don’t flow naturally. It’s also easy to reduce this central concept/theme into a “gimmick.� Demon Realms isn’t Dragonlance with demons, it needs to be distinctly different.

As Demon Realms is already an existing intellectual property with detailed and familiar places, it would seem only natural to start more local. Some of my fondest memories DMing are when I just made a town and let my players run amok. Events play-out through a natural flow of actually being played through and history is literally written by the players. It’s quite a haphazard process. What I’ve noticed is that players have little connection and investment in their characters. There isn’t anything that provides the players with context for their actions or where they’re going.

I guess the logical compromise is a little of both. I’ve already written up a write-up for Port Dermont and I’m satisfied for the most part with it; I was able to take an area that had little to no context besides being a stop on the way to Arangaon and gave it a reason for being on the map by giving it history and a reason for people to go there because it makes a good place to offload illicit goods or hideout from the law. Now I want to get huge. Something I found in his writings is what Rich Burlew identified as the 11 assumptions D&D makes…

1. Humans dominate the world.
2. Gods are real and active.
3. Magic is real and can be used by anyone who learns it.
4. Opposite alignments fight each other.
5. Arcane and divine magic are inherently separate.
6. The wilderness is separate enough from the cities to justify 3 wilderness-oriented classes.
7. There are hundreds of intelligent species of creatures, but 99% of them are considered
"monsters".
8. Arcane magic is impersonal and requires no "deal" with a supernatural being.
9. Beings from other planes of existence try to influence the mortal world, usually on behalf
of gods/alignments.
10. Magic items are assumed to be available, and game balance proceeds from that
assumption.
11. Magic is consequence-free.

I’d also add that the “default� cultural influence is medieval Europe, but more to the point, #7 sticks out right away. Demon Realms is a place where players regularly play monsters. I attribute this to prevalence of demons, that a murderous horde of hellspawn tearing through the lands would make most more tolerant of their traditional enemies while at the same time keeping them weary of betrayal or fell influence. A single drow asking for sanctuary may not be all that unwelcomed compared to an army of the damned.

#1 seems really cliché. It’s hard to avoid though. As humans, he need us around to help give us context. However, humans aren’t going to be the most varied and adaptable that keeps on getting repeated a dozen or so different ways like in other worlds. Demon Realms by its very title implies something dark. It’s a world of hellfire, where death lies in wait just outside your door and around the corner. Drawing off of this idea, humans are much like your feudal peasant during the Dark Ages. They live hard, short lives filled with toil. The fear of damnation was equal or greater to fear of death and fell forces, both real and imagined, were constantly at work to undermine the stability of the world.

This is good, but we’re also building a world of fantasy. The common human understands that magic exists and both fear and respects it. I like this. It gives them reason to be a little paranoid and xenophobic but helps to hold them in check so that they aren’t mobbing every time something strange walks into town. This would particularly be true of arcane magic, as it is often wrought to bring destruction whereas divine has many clear beneficial uses in the form of healing. Demon Realms has very little in the way of towns, so most are either frontiersfolk or seafarers who occasionally make port.

Anyway, whew... That was long. I'll have to finish this up later.

This post has been edited by Frogsbane on Dec 15 2008, 06:33 AM

[Granius Phlith]

Well, finally making an appearance, Dust. Hah. Sorry, I said I would a while ago on this, I'll first and foremost say you know I'm 100% for this idea. Altering DR so it can fit a campaign setting will not only be a fun task, but one that can generally help give us all an idea of what Demon Realms really is as a world.

As you know, I've undertaken the duty of a description of the city Somos, in a campaign setting style.

If this kicks off, it would be great to see a separate forum even for PbP specific posts. It'd also be great to have a very familiar setting to play in.

I like the diary idea of this. It's easier for me to have all that I have and what I need next listed rather than having to dig through for it from a 100 post topic. In lieu of this, I'll stick out of this thread until I post the finalized description of Somos!