Southland: Sample Adventure 1 “The Thing”

THE SOUTHLAND

A Fantasy Core Setting

© Jerry Harris 2014

Published here as Open Game Content.

(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Index.)

Southland Index

Sample Town and Adventure Index

Sample Adventure “The Thing”

Intro

First, you can give this to the players.  Fill in Cross’ location and any other sites their characters would have seen (like Sydney).  They can fill in the rest themselves as they learn more about the Southland.  It is assumed that the characters have come from somewhere else, probably the Commonwealth.  They might be adventurers, perhaps they are, or were, in the military, or something else entirely.  Generating some backstory for the character group may pay off well later.  Let the players decide what they want.

Ancient Language Skill

Magic-using characters of any class might also have the Ancient Language skill.  It is presumed that they have come or were assigned to the Southland to put it to use.  This requires the ability to work magic and at least a +1 Bonus in Wis and Int.  Ancient is a magical language, literally.  It requires the Read Magic and Comprehend Language spells to read and understand.  (The Tongues spell is required to write and speak it.) 

Unfortunately, the Ancients were a very obtuse people.  Their language was riddled with slang, euphemisms, legalism, double-talk, and metaphor.  The writings of borderline insane Wizard-Kings are near mindless babble.   So, reading it is one thing, but understanding is a separate skill.  Given the highly incomplete knowledge of their culture, interpretation is always iffy.  The Ancient Language skill is (Wis + Int Bonus)/2 + ½ level, vs the DC of the text (DC 12 common, DC 18 spellbooks and Wizard-King writings).  The Comprehend Language spell is cast first, then the skill check is made to understand the context of the words.  Figure about 10 pages of text per turn.  

However, there’s a risk when translating high-level (DC 18) text, and there’s a reason why not all Ancient texts have been translated.  If the skill check fails, the reader must roll a DC 12 Will Sv or permanently lose 1 Wis Bonus point.  If the reader loses all of their Wis Bonus points, they must make another DC 12 Will Sv or go insane (details left up to the players and Ref).  The Comprehend Language spell alone can give a reader a general sense of subject matter and possible danger.  There are high-priced scholarly options for getting a good translation of high-level texts (dangerous favors for the translator are also a payment option). 

The Humanoids all speak (they do not write) in pidgin forms of Ancient, particular to their own species.  Their talk is mundane and pretty straightforward and can be understood with just the Comprehend Language spell.

Entering Cross

Since there’s any number of possibilities for starting out an adventure here, I’m placing the burden of this upon the Ref and the players.  If they’re all first level adventurers, looking for fame and fortune, they should wander around town, meeting the locals and picking up some local chatter.  Perhaps they’re military or clandestine government agents on assignment, canvassing the town for info.  Don’t let me limit you on your possible choices. 

This adventure assumes 4 to 6 characters of low-level (1-3).  If you’re pressed for time or low on players, I suppose you let someone take one of Cross’ NPC’s (not Wiz!) out with the party, along with a couple of Red Blade, Frontier Service, or Marine troops.  The adventure could even start in media res out on the trail, skipping town altogether.

Regardless of the start, the “hook” is this: a bunch of Humanoids have been seen congregating around some recently uncovered ruins about 10 miles outside of Cross.  Again, I don’t know where you’re placing the town, so the ruins might have been covered by the sands, buried under prairie or swamp, and uncovered by a storm or an earthquake.  Or the ruins might have even just suddenly appeared as magical fallout has faded.  The Rangers have spotted the ruins and have observed mixed groups of Humanoids gathering there.  The different species typically don’t mingle, unless they’re venerating an important Ancient site.  The Rangers haven’t investigated the ruins themselves.

Knowledge of this is not well known, as it might cause a bit of a panic in town.  The citizens wouldn’t want to live an armed camp like Alice Springs.  The characters then are assigned or contracted or perhaps somehow came across this information.  Speed and discretion are needed regardless.  Reconnaissance on the site, or perhaps raiding it of possible treasure before the military and some researchers show up, are the objectives.