Maps & Visuals

[Bloodaxe]

The Keep

( I imagine it looks something like this)

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[Bloodaxe]

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[Bloodaxe]

The ruined tower

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[Bloodaxe]

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[Grognardsw]

The party is confronted by the Keep's portcullis...


About the Keep can be seen a variety of visitors from afar. There near the stable, a band of strangely plumed warriors from Tekumel, the Empire of the Petal Throne; down the path at the provision shop, a pair of yellow-skins from Kara Tur; passing the armory, a clutch of hermaphrodite hoplites from distant Rhome; leaving the ‘Two Tugs and A Twirl’ brothel a trio of translucent-skinned half-spirits; and in the bazaar, a slave trader from Gor plies his wanton flesh-wares.

[Grognardsw]

The giant spider attacks… Clockwise: the spider, Foracor the elf, Albertus the cleric, Brother Bayard, Niles the fighter, and Fingal the thief sneaking in for the backstab.

"And what be you?" asks a demented looking old gnome from his tree, smiling a scraggly tooth smile.

[Grognardsw]

The brawl in the Vulgar Unicorn...

Ramrod Queerstaff proves a difficult foe...

[Grognardsw]

Scenes from the Keep on the Borderlands...

Goblins attack in the ruined watchtower. They capture prisoners for “boss” hobgoblin…


Also nesting in the ruined watchtower…


These woods are a dangerous place…


Ambush in the woods!


"We are the seers of the borderlands… One among you is not true."


A shape shifter in the guise of Albertus the Cleric treacherously attacks…

[Grognardsw]

The Realms



The area of the world shown on this map comprises a small part of this vast plane, which is as large as 10 planet Earths. Cities, towns and other points of interest are taken from classic sword & sorcery literature or D&D, or are nods to such. The Borderlands and its Keep are in the north. Those in other campaigns may notice Allathurion to the south, the Palace of the Silver Princess, Ravenloft in the northwest, and New Dathan in the east mountains just south of the Foothills of Folly.

[Grognardsw]

Castellan, commander of the Keep on the Borderlands


Castellan's advisor, Metzner the Wise


Back out in the wilderness on the journey to the Caves of Chaos...Branches break, adventurers scramble, and 1,500 pounds of muscle, claw and beak want to eat you. Bestial madness glares from its red-rimmed eyes. 

[Grognardsw]

Camp site after a long day. A fallen comrade is remembered.

[Grognardsw]

A dramatic view of the Caves of Chaos. It's not quite this extreme in elevation.


The party is on the far right edge of the map in the middle.

[Grognardsw]

Strange dangers in the Caves of Chaos...

Boggle repelled by the adventurers...

Goblins killed by Boddin the hobbit, Niles the fighter, Fingal the thief and Wulfhart the fighter...

[Grognardsw]

They see a large humanoid, not quite an orc, not quite an ogre, but a combination of the two. An ogrillon! He has a human male hog-tied...

***

"...the room is crowded with female goblins, toddler goblins and old infirm goblins. They're eating, farting, tossing bone dice, building castles out of human bones, and torturing small white mice..."

[Grognardsw]

Some mapping efforts in the Caves of Chaos...


Tunnels in the Caves...


Site of the goblin ambush...beware the half-goblins!


These are dangerous woods...


***

Past rumor and intelligence...

From Bene the goblin 

"Goblins in southeast caves. Orcs, hobgoblins in central and north caves. "Wizard boss and his creatures in west."

Caves
- A powerful Wizard lives in the Caves of Chaos and destroys all intruders.
- The evil cult in caves is said to have undead guardians.
- There are Orcs, Goblins and the like in great numbers in the caves.
- A beautiful maiden is lost in the caves, but she suffers from a terrible curse.
- There is also said to be a maze near the caves where you lose all sense of direction once inside. A huge flesh-eating beastman dwells there. The maze is rumored to hold a great treasure.
- 100gp reward for each person rescued

Hamlin, in his own words...

"You could do one thing for me, but it's a tall order. Expose Castellan as the villain he is. He is in league with the dark sorcerer of the Caves. The very man who is suppose to be protecting these Borderlands is betraying us! Castellan is profiting by the humanoids' evil activities! After I discovered this secret I was forced to flee for my life."

This news is disturbing to you. Castellan is not unliked, and though you've heard he may be brutal at times. He has "managed" to prevent major infestations of evil in the Borderlands with his Keep and the efforts of militia and adventurers. Or has he? Strong proof would be needed to confront him.

Hamlin hesitates, almost sorry he brought Castellan up. "I should not involve you in this, lest your fate match mine, or worse."

"It was 20 years ago. I was a rogue adventurer making my way through the lands. I was set upon by bandits, almost killed, but saved by a priest and brought back to the Keep. Reformed my ways, I did. Helped the priest out at his small church in the Keep. Got to know the place. Got some god in me too, you could say. Started running errands into the Keep fortress where Castellan be. One day I got a shock - I saw one of the bandit men who almost killed me. He was an officer in Castellan's command. I told my priest. He believed me."

"We started to watch him. He came and went, often bringing covered wagons into the Keep. The priest had an acolyte inside the Keep who was a fine counter. Kept track of grains, supplies, that sort of thing. Told us the numbers didn't add up."

"Well then I started following this bandit. Used some of my old skills. Out near the old watchtower I spied him exchange sacks with a hobgoblin! I followed the creature to the those caves, they call 'em the Caves of Chaos these days."

"I returned to the priest. He counseled caution. I tried, but back then it wasn't my strong suit. I got the counter to show me the papers, and let me into the fortress Did some lurking. Found those wagons that go in and out. Hid under one of 'em when it left, loaded with weapons and food. Went to the caves, saw it exchanged for gold. A wizard-type (and I know what them types look like, I tangled with some before) gave the driver a scroll in a black case with a snake sigil."

"Back at the Keep I told the priest and counter. The next day the counter told us he saw that scroll case in the fortress. I didn't what to do. But then the counter just disappeared. No one knew where. The priest and I got scared. That night officers invaded the church. Captured the priest. Only with my old skills did I escape out of the Keep. Evaded their hunters. Found this weird old tree, I think it was fey made."

"I don't know how to prove Castellan's treachery. Need stronger swords and minds then I had. Rooting out and killing the evil in the Caves would break his plots."

Travel is uneventful. On the road the party passes by several pairs of travelers, a well-armed merchant wagon fixing a broken wheel, and a band of eccentric preachers who try to convert you to their quixotic god. You wave them off. The Borderlands seem to attract fringe types.

As the sun sets you see the tower of the Keep.



Back at the tavern a brawl breaks out...

[Grognardsw]

The adventurers reach the ale wagon, ready to defend it against ambush...


The appreciative merchants...


The goblins attack!




Eli’Enev Thornwalker is dead! 

[Grognardsw]

Wulfhart is enthralled by a dark wood spirit, who makes things hard going for the northern warrior...


The adventurers spot a pack of centaurs gallivanting about the countryside.

They pause to look at you. A few of them whistle and make lewd gestures. Then they gallop off.

Soon the Keep looms.


Where you make your way to the humble Chapel of St. Cuthbert to find healing for Wulfhart's affliction...

[Grognardsw]

A new mission: Guard the princess to and through Grimtooth Gully...


Strangeness along the way...


Baba Yaga invites you to dinner...


A deadly attack from savage ogres...

Albertus rest in peace...

The clouds part...legend flies above you...

[Grognardsw]

Slaughter at the bridge...


A party is found savagely mutilated...


The guilty monster...




The lone survivor...

[Grognardsw]

Tensions arise...


Grimtooth Gully is reached...


The stranger steps from the outhouse...


A new adventurer joins the party...


the natural beauty of the mountain pass.






Quoth the raven...