Sunday, December 13, 2009

DMD: For your Campaign, the Dragons Rest

Date sent: Sat, 25 Apr 1998 -0400
Send reply to: The GREYtalk Discussion List
From: Noel Graham
Subject: [GREYTALK] DMD: For your Campaign, the Dragons Rest
Originally to: greyhawk@MPGN.COM
To: GREYTALK@MITVMA.MIT.EDU

Haile and Fair Greetings All,

My apologies, I ran short of room. As this is the meat of the story, so to speak, please make effort not to post questions or comments regarding this section within eyesight of players.

Watcher
Vision.at.Work@juno.com

The Dragons Rest (continued)

FOR YOUR CAMPAIGN

Unlike many Verboboncers, Senan harbors worries about the fate of good beyond the borders of the viscounty. He has heard news from places close and far; news that does not rest well on his ears. In turn, he sometimes passes this along to traveling fellowships in search of heroic adventure. He'll even keep messages and offer storage space to expedite such plans.
As such Senan can be used to lead into adventures nearly anywhere in the central and western Flanaess. Likewise, he can provide a logical game mechanism for introducing novice PCs into established groups, or to bring together surviving members from decimated companies.

Over the years, a considerable amount of effort and vandalism have gone into the search for Toblin's map. Some say this is in vain. Instead, they argue it's more likely Toblin kept a journal (bound in hide, of course) and it's this which has been secreted.
If it exists, the field of search for this lost treasure could be narrowed considerably, but the tome would be more valuable as a guide to the Gnarleys and upper Welkwood. No doubt much of what is practical concerning the nature of those woodlands and their denizens would be found between its covers, possibly with the names of some of Toblin's longer-lived contacts.
DM's needn't fear imparting instant wealth should PCs somehow locate the dragon's former lair. Its caves and modest horde were almost certainly looted long ago by Celenian elves who would have tracked the wyrm from its intrusion into the southern Welkwood.
The current inhabitants, say, a band of gnolls with flind leaders, a shaman of Gorellik, and a pack of hyena pets, are not expected to react well to interlopers. If the PCs are particularly strong or magic heavy, substitute a shaman of Yeenoghu commanding a force of humanoid zombies and ghouls/ghasts. If this yet proves insufficient, allow the PCs their hard-fought victory. There are others within the forests that will take notice when the gnolls are gone.

::SPOILER::
DMs only beyond this point. Remember players, it only ruins the adventure for you to know.
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Additional Notes:

In the home campaign ::smile::, Toblin didn't slay the dragon. It really is a tall tale.
The elves of Celene had, indeed, tracked the wyrm from its depature from the Pomarj, launching harrying attacks once it was convinced to bypass the majority of the olvenrealm. It so happens the badly wounded drake had all but escaped the relentless elves with it fell upon Toblin's group, the Freeholders (originally from the Yeomanry).
Believing its salvation had been at hand, it turned its remaining rage upon them. They're lucky still to have *any * survivors. The elves recovered the trail and continued pursuing the wyrm only to arrive during its death throws. Toblin had a minor *altercation * with them over possession of the carcass, but once they revealed their strength, he acquiesced. In fairness, the elves took what they could carry and left Toblin with the remainder. Thus, the dragon's rest.
Toblin never found the lair nor treasure because the wyrm had neither. He *was * an accomplished yarn-spinner, however, so made good use of the encounter, sans the elves of course. Oddly enough, a new great (make that GREAT) green wyrm inhabits the Gnarleys (Kaivertaurosc the Wight Wyrm) that those in search of Toblin's treasure might just find!
Kai is most unusual for her kind. More on her will be forthcoming in a future issue of DRAGON, in my article “Wyrms of the Flanaess”. If forced to significantly abridge her entry (due to page-count limitations), I'll make an effort to post the important remainder to the List.

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