DnD Desert Raiders Campaign DM Notes

Setup

Anything the next DM's may need to know, i.e;

• Maps of area's
• (additional) Plot hooks
• Un-ID'd items
• NPC's hidden agenda
• etc...

Note that all of the above should be considered suggestions to make for a more complex and rewarding storyline.

Anyone DM'ing should feel free to make any changes as he sees fit.

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10/06/09 - Session I - Caravan Caper

• wand of cure light wounds has 6 charges (worth 90gp party treasure)

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17/06/09 - Session II - Caravan Caper

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25/06/09 - Session III - Path to Hale

• DM Anand

Full map

zoom partially

Zoom to region

Hale

The trader post of Hale

• Caravan that the goblins fought is still inside the town
• Goblins are disliked by all people as normal
• Traders and bar-owners are aware that even goblins carry gold and are therefore made welcome
• Officers of the guard are aware that they are paid by the traders and know how to behave to the carriers of money pouches.
• There is no fighting allowed in or near the settlement.

Treasure:

• medium Rations, trail (15sp total)
• medium Waterskin (3gp total)
• medium desert outfit (6gp)
• money pouch scorpion's dinner (100 CP total)
• money pouch caravan guards (session 1, DM Maurits) (30gp total)

• 1 charge of the wand used this session

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02/07/09 - Session IV - Troublemaker in Hale

• map + quest gained

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09/07/09 - Session V - Path to the haunted mine

Treasure:

• 2 waterskins and 2 oil flasks filled with healing water + waterskin with half charge (worth 112.5gp)
• 7 bloodstone fragments (10gp each) [unfound]

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15/07/09 - Session VI - Inside the haunted mine part 2

• DM Anand

• party deeper into the mine, find temple and dwarfish tunnels

• party level's to level 2. Total gold needed 900 per person (5 x 900 = 4500)
• treasure gained so far: (90+1.50+3+6+1+30+112.5+ 70gp =) 312.5gp

Treasure:

• Cursed gem: Worth 1000gp, causes random level 1 magical effect. (hard to sell in normal shops)
• 200gp in coins from the altar, divided on the spot

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22/07/09 - Session VII - Hangover

• DM Bas

• party exits mine and returns to town
• party is introduced to Allan Triplemain. Allan offers reward (1000gp) for information about origin of certain stone. Is too drunk to remember if party wants to take on quest without down payment or not so instead makes a down payment of 500gp and gives party a 6 day grace period to make up their minds.
• stone = magical item which resembles certain psionic items but it's different. It does not look like a psionic powerstone/Dorje but looks like a normal rock, and power of the stone is activated on touch when certain requirements are met (when an arcane caster touches the stone it affects the caster with an intelligence drain. Stone has a fixed amount of charges.

• party level's to level 2. Total gold needed 900 per person (5 x 900 = 4500)
• treasure gained so far: (90+1.50+3+6+1+30+112.5+1000+200+70gp =) 1512.5gp

Treasure:

• noble outfit, medium 75gp
• masterwork stone cutting tools, total of 150gp
• 17 bloogstone fragments 10gp each, 170gp
• magical warhammer, 1316gp
• 500gp down payment on favor for Allan Triplemain
• 10 drankjes credit by Inn: priceless

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29/07/09 - Session VIII - ...

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05/08/09 - Session IX - ...

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12/08/09 - Session X - ...

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19/08/09 - Session XI - Cult of Palor part 4

• DM Anand

short reminder: after finishing their "harvesting" of items from the Sungods temple the party tries to return to the trader's city of Hale. The party (after a not too friendly encounter at the gate of Hale) chose to flee into the desert. there an argument broke lose over the collected valuables and the party split up. unknown to each other they all head to the western city of Alice Springs. This is a very large city on the crossroad of three important trading roads.

• party levels to level 3. Total gold needed 2700 per person (5 x 2700 = 13500)
• treasure gained so far: (90+1+3+6+1+30+112+1000+200+70+1316+75+150+170+500gp =) 3723gp
• treasure needed for level 4 (5x5400 = 27000) (27000-3723 = 23.277gp to go)

• session end: Party traveled to Alice springs

Intelligent Orb:

• Int: 13
• Cha 13:
• Wis 10
• Empathy: The possessor feels urges and sometimes emotions from the item that encourage or discourage certain courses of action.
• 60 ft. vision and hearing
• Ego score 20
• weight 0
• IT CAN NOT BE IDENTIFIED OR SOLD
• IT DOES NOT LET ANYONE KNOW IT CAN THINK

Abilities - Cast cure light wounds 3/day (1d8+3) - Item has 10 ranks in sense motive - Teleport Self only (not owner or carrier)

Mentality: The orb doesn’t take orders from goblins. It likes its personal boundaries. It will not subject to any kind of identify. It will teleport itself to a new location when it feels threatened or unconvertible. This generally someone’s backpack or pocket. The orb will try to influence the carrier every now and then, just for its own entertainment. (Will save 15 for the carrier to detect the influence and discard encouragement. Carrier gains +10 will save against this effect if the encouragement is against its nature. Instant danger auto success both checks)

Bracers of Defenselessness: These appear to be bracers of armor +5 and actually serve as such until the wearer is attacked in anger by an enemy with a Challenge Rating equal to or greater than her level. At that moment and thereafter, the bracers cause a –5 penalty to AC. Once their curse is activated, bracers of defenselessness can be removed only by means of a remove curse spell. Extra drawback: Item continually emits a disturbing sound when its dark around it Moderate conjuration; CL 16th; Create Wondrous Item, mage armor, bestow curse; Price 1,200 gp.

Pipes of the Sewers: These wooden pipes appear ordinary, but if the possessor learns the proper tune, he can attract 1d3 rat swarms if rats are within 400 feet. For each 50-foot distance the rats have to travel, there is a 1-round delay. The piper must continue playing until the rats appear, and when they do so, the piper must make a DC 10 Perform (wind instruments) check. Success means that they obey the piper’s telepathic commands so long as he continues to play. Failure indicates that they turn on the piper. If for any reason the piper ceases playing, the rats leave immediately. If they are called again within a day, the Perform check DC is 15. If the rats are under the control of another creature, add the HD of the controller to the Perform check DC. Once control is assumed, another check is required each round to maintain it if the other creature is actively seeking to reassert its control. Faint conjuration; CL 2nd; Craft Wondrous Item, charm animal, summon nature’s ally I, wild empathy ability; Price 1,150 gp;Weight 3 lb.

Elixir of Love: This sweet-tasting liquid causes the character drinking it to become charmed with the first creature she sees after consuming the draft (as charm person—the drinker must be a humanoid of Medium or smaller size, Will DC 14 negates). The charm effects wear off in 1d3 hours. Faint transmutation; CL 4th; Craft Wondrous Item, charm person; Price 150 gp.

Treasure:

• Intelligent orb 4000gp
• Bracers of Defenselessness 1200gp
• 6x golden neckless 600gp
• 9x golden rings 450gp
• 2x Pipes of the Sewers 2300gp
• 9x Elixir of Love 1350gp
• 2000 gp
• total 11.900 gp

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4/11/09 - Session - An old Friend

• DM Bas

An old "friend", Alan Triplemain, shows up in Alice Springs looking for the group of goblins to settle old debts. After visiting many bars he manages to track down the group and has a discussion with them. After getting into an argument with Loak about the advance payment on the previous request he had for the group, he ends up requesting a more private conversation with Raven and You.

After many drinks he agrees with Raven and You to forget about the old deal if they can assist him with an old favor:

• Group will have to return a small chest for Alan which has been stolen from him by a group of notorious robbers: the Weird Sisters. The Weird Sisters have been described as two old ladies who use magic to rob people who travel *through a certain area to the south of Alice Springs. Alan claims he can't retrieve it himself since he doesn't want to be known as someone who beats up old ladies. Better to leave that for a bunch of goblins.
• Alan provided horses for the party and someone to take care of the horses (Jim).
• Party travels to the location marked on the map for the quest they picked up from Billy.
• They arrive at a camp of gypsies near <unnamed small town>.
• As the party gets lead to the leader of the camp, Nathan, they notice some odd spectacle. Just as they arrive and a woman puts her cloths back on they see their own faces painted on the back of the woman.
• Nathan discusses his problem after trying to influence the party with the magical organ they were looking for.
• Nathan described the camp of gypsies as something else, which is a private army full of specialists each in their own area and is looking to expand it with one more member.
• There are 3 candidates for the position in/around <unnamed small town> and Nathan knows from some sort of scrying/spell that those goblins can help him in making the correct choice for the candidate.
• Group has to deliver the candidate who they judge fitting to the camp.
• Group and Nathan are in discussion about the price. Nathan offered 4k gp, group wants 4k and the organ, later lowers that to 1k and the organ.

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25/11/09 - Session ? - Burning down the town part 2

• DM Anand
  

short:
After escaping the burning town the party discovers that the gipsy camp has been attacked by giant worms. these where in fact centipede but the legs got lost in translation between the members of the group.

Under the inn the party has found a hidden tunnel going down. this is a made tunnel of 5feet wide and 10 feet high, not to cleanly cut. at the end of the tunnel the party found a natural room of 15x15ft with 2 Giant fire Beetles.

Initiative:
Loak
Air elemental (loak's elemental)
Emberling (tick's elemental)
Tick
Fire beetle 1
Fire beetle 2
Raven

plan:
the party has already been hinted that the roof of the first tunnel isn't to strong. it would be posible that because of the fight the roof collapses completely, locking the party inside.

Treasure:

• 2700 gp from a chest.

23/12/09 - Session ? - Genie in the Lamp 1

• DM Danny
  

Modelled on Touchstone Site Sunken City of Pazar (Sandstorm 55).

Included large stone archway on eastern wall, party to make a deal with the Djinni to activate a portal in this doorway.

Every time the lamp is rubbed, random encounter as per table below.

Adjusted encounter table:

• 01-25% 1 Medium monstrous Scorpion
• 26-50% 2 Medium monstrous Scorpions
• 51-75% 1 Large monstrous Scorpion
• 76-100% Djinni

Djinni is not hostile. As per DM discretion, it can make a deal with the party or set them a challenge. (i.e. grappling contest) In turn, it will offer assistance in activating the portal mentioned above.

Suggestion: Lamp can be taken from the location, after that; it functions as a 1/day summon Djinni-item. Djinni is an NPC under DM control. Disposition is literally indifferent, will always require a tough deal to be made for any kind of assistance it is asked for, ultimately leading the party on a quest to set it free.

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30/12/09 - Session ? - Temple of Ra 1

the part enters an old temple of the sungod RA. here they encounter a mummy and some insect swarms.

the tempel is taken by a clan of goblins called "the grinning moon clan"

in de sacrofaat van de mummy lag nog een flask of Curses als iemand ernaar zoekt.

Flask of Curses: This item looks like an ordinary beaker, bottle, container, decanter, flask, or jug. It may contain a liquid, or it may emit smoke. When the flask is first unstoppered, all within 30 feet must make a DC 17 Will save or be cursed, taking a –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks until a remove curse spell is cast upon them.

Moderate conjuration; CL 7th; Create Wondrous Item, bestow curse; Price 2,100 gp.

Note for later Tick is diseased. in 1 week (in game)he becomes ill and lozes 1d6 con and 1d6 cha per week till cured.

http://wiki.rpg.net/images/e/e7/DRC_Ra_temple.jpg

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27/01/10 - Session XXXI - snowy exit

• DM Anand
  

short:

• party loots golden tomb
• kills the ooze located in there
• part exits into the snowy place
• finds out that they cant just leave
• kills a mammoth
• finds man made structure

loot:

• 3000 gp

• golden amulet: amber amulet of the vermin (giant bee) 500 gp

• golden ring: Summon Swarm 1/day casterlvl 3(wearer discovers the command word when donning) 2200 gp

• golden ring: normal (100gp)

• golden ring: normal (100gp)

• fancy robe: can cast 2 things (wearer discovers the command word when he comes in contact with bright daylight)
  

• cast Create Water 1/day (command word, scream “rain”)

• same as “Horn of Fog: This small bugle allows its possessor to blow forth a thick cloud of heavy fog similar to that of an obscuring mist spell. The fog covers a 10-foot square next to the horn blower each round that the user continues to blow the horn; fog clouds travel 10 feet each round in a straight line from the emanation point unless blocked by something substantial such as a wall. The device makes a deep, foghorn-like noise, with the note dropping abruptly to a lower register at the end of each blast. The fog dissipates after 3 minutes. A moderate wind (11+ mph) disperses the fog in 4 rounds; a strong wind (21+ mph) disperses the fog in 1 round. Faint conjuration; CL 3rd; Craft Wondrous Item, obscuring mist; Price 2,000 gp;Weight 1 lb.” (command, focus on the robe and breath out deeply. The fog comes from the persons mouth)

• fancy shirt: shirt pocked is a Bag of holding type I (2500gp)

• stained fancy underpants: part of a Noble’s outfit. worth 10gp (clean)

• total 10.410 gp

suggestion

the structure the party found Is a temple that leads back to the desert (tempel of RA)

PS: tegen scragg zij ik dat het minder koud aanvoelde toen hij de tweede keer buiten ging. dit was omdat het ook gewoon minder koud was, niet een effect van de robes magical effect.

10/02/10 - Session XXXII - Hot 'n Cold

A number of rumours are going round in the Alice Spings area:

Gather Info DC's;

• DC 10 - Zones of cold have been encountered in the area.
• DC 10 - Ogre raiders have been more active or have become more numereous.
• DC 15 - The endtimes have started; the reign of Nerull is coming. (Started by Eric in Alice Springs)
• DC 20 - Goblins are somehow involved / partly to blame.

Background is that the Genies are rebelling against their human oppressors, have made an aliance with their kin in the frozen wastelands. Supporting them is a band of Half-Janni Ogres, known as Frost Ogres, accompanied by 'Shards' (tiny constructs with cold subtype). (see word-file for details) Captain of the raiders in the Alice Spings area is an Qorrashi Genie called 'El-Zein'. (see word-file for details)

First order of business is establishing zones of cold throughout the area, which will slowly expand and link up. This is done by killing off the Fire subtype creatures of the desert, incl any bystanders such as humanoid settlements. Once resistance has been broken, the zones of cold will be collapsed. End result is the Fire Genies as day-time rulers and Cold Genies as night-time rulers of the area.

Party has already encountered a few members of this alliance. Were instrumental in removing 2 genies from their places of holding, effectively freeing them to join the alliance.

One specific ogre called 'Gnash' (PHB CR3) has encountered the party two times so far and lived to tell the tale. He is fast becoming known as a lunatic prophet in ogre-circles, proclaiming their doom at the hands of goblins.

Party left Alice Spings through North gate, been travelling for one day to town called Burt Plain. (3 days' travel North-North-West, see detailed map above).

Treasure

• Large fancy pants [50gp]
• Moneypouch [3276gp in gold, jewelry and gems] (Rafa)

Player notes

Rafa

• Is looking for information about Tenebrion, God of Shadow. (see word-file for details)
• Eric has told him what he knew about him (Knowledge Religion up to DC 20)
• For further information (higher DC's) Rafa needs to find a more specialized practitioner.

Tick

• Has bought a number of power stones in Alice Springs, exactly what types will be decided by player before next session.

08/03/10 - Session XXXVII - exiting the second snowglobe

Storyline:

the inhabitants of the land don’t take the genies plan laying down. The party met a group of desert nymphs that tried to stop the last cold zone from being formed.
these “expendable” troops weren’t very clever, all they were told was that killing everything inside the shadow dome would stop the ritual.
when they finaly fought there way through the enemys defences they where to late to stop the ginies, all they could see where 4 goblins at the summoning circle

Treasure

• 6x Large fancy pants [50gp] each
• mountain of coins, worth 8000gp weight 134 lbs
• coinbox (see below)
• nymp's belt, tiny

Coinbox (shadow creature template)

Diminutive Aberration (Shapechanger)
Hit Dice: 15d8+15 ( 82 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares), climb 10
Armor Class: 24 (+4 size, +5 Dex, +3 natural), touch 19, flat-footed 17
Base Attack/Grapple: +11/+-4
Attack: tongue (touch)( +20 melee (1 +2 electric)
Full Attack: 2 tongue (touch) +20 melee (1 +2 electric)
Space/Reach: 1/2 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: electric sting
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to acid, mimic shape, immunity to sonic, electric sting, sight obscured, hardness 10, resistance to cold 15. Low-light vision. Shadow blend, Fast healing 2, Mirror Image, luck bonus, damage reduction 5/magic.
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +11, Will +12
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 20, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 10
Skills: sleight of hand +25 (+30), Disguise +29, spot +11, Hide +33 (38), move silent +25, climb +14
Feats: skill focus disguise, skill focus SoH, skill focus move silent, weapon finesse tongue, skill focus hide.
Challenge Rating: 5
A Coinbox looks like a wooden box of about 1 cubic feet. It appears to be made of a Darkwood with mithral bands holding it together.
At its frond it has a well decorated attached lock fine enough to be worn as a necklace for a nobal’s men.
Coinboxes speak Common.

COMBAT
A coinbox wont attack anything directly. It prefers to be taken in and steal till its full.
Mimic Shape (Ex): A coinbox can assume any shape of roughly 1 cubic feet. To see though this disguise the target must make a successful spot check opposed to the coinbox’s disguise.
Tongue: The coinbox has a tongue with a 10ft reach. with it he can make touch attacks and steal small objects.
Electric sting(Ex): 2 electric damage to person holding it.
Skills: A coinbox has a racial bonus of +8 on Disguise , +10 on hide, +8 on climb, +10 on move silent.
sight obscured (Su):at will, +5 circumstance bonus on hide checks, sleight of hand checks, and any other checks that involve concealing the subject’s action or gestures.
Hollow inside: a coinbox can hold roughly 2000 coins at one time
Shadow blend (Su), In any condition other than full daylight, a shadow creature can disappear into the shadows, giving it total concealment.
Fast healing: 2
Mirror Image (Sp): 1/day as spell caster lvl 5 (1d4+1 image’s of itself, AC 19)
luck bonus: +2 luck bonus on saves (already counted above)

DM side notes:
A rich locked box owned by goblins tells a shopkeeper one thing, “the box is stolen”.
The box can look more expensive or cheaper when appraised by a person depending on the box his set of mind.
If the box wants to be sold (when there are gold coins in the shop) it will become a value of 3000 gp.
Detect magic:
Round 2: 1 magical effect
Round 3: Faint
Round 3 + Spellcraft: DC 15 school is Illusion

cursed belt

This fine belt holds 1 pouch. This pouch functions like a bag of holding for maximum 150lbs.
When the belt is worn the belt and pouch grow to be used by any character. However, this belt also gives a temporary negative lvl every time that the belt is worn, if it is taken off and worn again it gives another negative lvl.
Each day the belt is not worn one negative lvl is removed.

Each negative level gives a creature the following penalties: –1 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, ability checks; loss of 5 hit points; and –1 to effective level (for determining the power, duration, DC, and other details of spells or special abilities). In addition, a spellcaster loses one spell or spell slot from the highest spell level castable.

Note: this belt is "fine" and thus to small to use unless worn.

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13/04/10 - Session XLII (42) - halfway in the tomb

Storyline:

basic advanture "the mummy's Tomb"(sandstorm blz 217)

Treasure

(treasure needed / sessie = 9000gp)

• 2000 gp
• Rod of metamagic, empower (lesser,9000gp)
• Ring of repulsion (mic bracers of repultion) (4000gp)
• Illusionary room (4000gp)

"illusionary room"
A small cube (2x2 inch) gives a permanent image of a room of 30 by 30 feet(silent image). Dc 11 will save to disbelief when interacted with.

• This contains 4 walls.
• A roof
• Paintings on the wall
• 2 bookcases filled with old books
• 2 desks against te walls
• 1 boekcase with gold statues between desks

12/05/10 - finding birdsnest

the party has left te mummy tombe and found a traveling carravan at the oases. there they traded and went on there way. in the village of Birdsnest they found that all the people where dead, killed by a bludgioning attack.

in the center of the village is a colossal hole of about 60ft deep. it looks like a cavein. out of the cave a creature made of sand attacked the party.

treasure:

• Huge masterwork darkwood fullplate (8150 gp) (probely harder to sell)
• Belt of protection +2 (8.000 gp)
• Horn of Fog (2000 gp)

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19/05/10 - pillaging birdsnest

The party loots what they can still be salvaged from the remaining buildings in the town. They are not satisfied with what they find so decide to check out if there is anything of value left to be found in the crater. They find a cellar complex which belonged to the City Hall, step on some rodents and end up killing a very old child. Just a standard day for goblins.

treasure:

• Javelin of lightning 1500gp
• Amulet of wisdom +2 (4.000 gp)
• 3x Scimitar +1 (1315 gp)
• Masterwork scimitar 315
• 2x Letter opener (dagger +1) (1300gp)

04/08/10 - finding a new town (again)

After a short rest teh party find itself face to face with a killer rabbit. The party beats of there ambush of rabbits (barely) and continues there search for a town that they didnt destroy or are chased out of. On there travels they find an old man (old ogre) sitting in the middle of the remedence of a town. the party tries to use there goblin diplomacy on him to find out what hes doing here. true to traddition of goblin diplomacy Bill talks of peace while Priest and Eric shoot the man. with the teamwork that only goblins can master the party runs away and fights in turns huritng there partymembers more then the enemy.

ps, the rabbit was indeed based on a snow tiger

treasure:

• Ring of deflection (+2) 8000 gp
• Amulet of mighty fists 6000 gp

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20/10/10 - encountering freedom

while searching for the caravan the party encounters a moving city. it appears to be a giant moving hill with a town build upon it.

Town
Name: Freedom
Also know as: traveling fortress, breeding ground of evil and lawless isle
Leader: mayor
Population: average 300

The town is divided in area’s
- The caravan areas. these are open spaces closed off with low fences where caravans can rent a spot.
- The trade district. The shops, inns and entertainers are all housed around the main square.
- Behind the trade district is the ruling office. Here the mayor and his assistance run the. town
- In the back is a restricted area. Here the nobles have their homes.

It is unknown what the hill is made of. some people claim that it is one very ancient sand elemental, others say it’s a dust construct and some think that it’s a colony of many sand elementals.

The leader of the town is the mayor. Every few years a new mayor is appointed by a group of nobles.

The town is often seen as a lawless town or evil because there are very few laws. Anything is allowed as long as you don’t hinder the other costumers. Money truly talks here.
Hurting yourself is not a problem.

The town is often used by wealthy travelers to go safely from town to town, never in history has the town been defeated.

It is said that the town has a tremmorsence of a mile across and can attack any who might harm the trade.

The town does not follow the rules of other countries, criminals are protected within as long as they can afford to stay. Sleeping in a non-rented spot is not a option.

treasure:

• full plate +1 (medium) 2650
• comp longbow +1 (4str) 1400
• monks belt 13000
• ring of protection 2000