Ptolus CampaignPosted by daHeadRat on May 3rd, 2008
I’ve posted the campaign journal from the FRG Ptolus campaign which ran from November 2006 until November 2007. After the first few entries, each player took turns writing the entries. Each player brought their own unique take on things. You can find the journal on the Old Campaigns page.
Fair warning…although much of the following adventures were significantly changed there could still be significant spoilers contained in the journal. If you are playing in, plan on playing in, or simply don’t want to know about any of the following adventures, you probably shouldn’t read this journal:
Ptolus core adventures (from Malhavoc Press)
The Last Transmuter (from Goodman Games)
Legend of the Ripper (from Goodman Games)
The Sunless Citadel (from Wizards)
Barrow of the Forgotten King (from Wizards)
The players in this campaign were:
Rachel-Amaryllis
Bridgett-Ellywick
Todd-Rodlat
Dave-Thomas
RJ-James
Felix-Kirin (stopped playing after a few sessions)
Pat-Galleos (joined us around February 2007)
Thomas-Joseph and later Eusibius (joined us in April 2007)
Jamie-JonJon (joined us in April 2007 but was gone most of the summer)
I’ll post little blurbs about the characters too.
May 3rd, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Amaryllis Hillstream is a halfling rogue. She spent most of her childhood traveling in the Plains of Roth with her family’s caravan until they were attacked and robbed by a band of orcs and her parents were killed. While Amaryllis was injured in the attack and left for dead, her younger brother was taken by the orcs. After recovering from her injuries under the hospitality of a trader and his wife (Declan and Mariel) who had been good friends of her parents,Amaryllis set out in search of the orc party that had taken her brother. Although her brother is only a few years younger, Amaryllis is quite protective of her younger brother. From all the traveling with her family’s caravan, Amaryllis has quite a bit of experience with scouting around the plains and has developed a fairly good sense of direction. She is observant and is typically very aware of her surroundings. With some help from Declan and Mariel, Amaryllis got some tips on the direction in which the orc band had traveled and learned that some human children as well as other young halflings had been abducted as well. Amaryllis headed north and east through Palastan, hoping to stay on the trail of the orc band if not to actually catch them. Although Amaryllis knows that she cannot take on the band and hope to save her brother all by herself, she is hoping to get close enough to get an idea of where they are headed, how many there are, and see if there is an opportunity for her to rescue her brother. While traveling through Palastan, Amaryllis was able to find out (through some conversation and some overhearing others in the small communities she went through–although they may not have a lot of halflings travel through, Amaryllis is quite good at blending into different crowds of people and in different settings, and has learned how to not attract a lot of attention when it is better for her to keep a low profile) that a band of orcs had passed through, although it somehow avoided the sharp eye and patrolling of the Viridian Lords, on its way to Ptolus, where it planned to sell/deliver the young halflings and humans into slavery. So Amaryllis is continuing on to Ptolus hoping to find her brother. As she gets closer, Amaryllis comes through a small community where some elves have taken in a couple of halflings and human children who were able to get away from the orc band. They tell Amaryllis of a young halfling named Briar who was killed while trying to help some of them escape–these four were able to escape due to Briar’s bravery, but he was killed in the process. Amaryllis is heartbroken–she is so proud of her brother and his helping the others while risking his own life, but she feels even more alone than she had when she still had hope of finding her brother. Instead of feeling aimless after learning of the death of her brother, however, Amaryllis is determined to try to find the orc band and do what she can to help the others they have abducted and enslaved. She is heading to Ptolus to try to do so. Amaryllis was very close to her family and hopes that she may be able to find others she can be as close to in the future, but is also wary of heading to the big city. She hopes that her training and experience as a scout and her skills of observation and blending into different social settings will serve her well.
May 3rd, 2008 at 2:31 pm
Ellywick Nackle is a female gnome sorcerer from Palastan. She has a reputation in her homeland as a kind and trustworthy gnome who adores animals and can be the occasional prankster (although not nearly to the extent of her brethren). She came under the tutelage of the local cleric who took her under his wing once her powers began to manifest thinking that she would make a fine cleric. However, it became apparent that her “gift” was not quite the same as a cleric’s ability and suspected that she was indeed a beginning sorcerer and developing to an extent that he strongly advised her that it would be best for everyone if she traveled somewhere, Ptolus was recommended, to see if she could find someone there who would be able to instruct her and assist her in harnessing her “gift.” So, she has left her homelands, and is on her way to Ptolus with only the map her tutor made for her as her guide.
May 3rd, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Rodlat is a male Grailwarden dwarf wizard. He is eager to finish his apprenticeship, so that he can get out on his own. He works hard for his master, anxiously waiting to be told he a couple hours to himself, aside from his studies. Rodlat tinkers with his freetime, it reminds him of his father working in his shop. He has little contact with people outside of his master’s home, which is probably why he talks to himself. He is friendly and carefree with those he does meet.
May 3rd, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Thomas Rentwood spent his youth in the Temple District as a ward of the Lothian temple. Left there as a child, his parentage was unclear. The church took the child in and he was raised steeped within the faith. Despite this environment, Thomas was a brooding child, quick to question to the point of blaspheme. This is slightly tempered by his kind and altruistic nature. Nonetheless, he is well known by his nickname– “doubting Thomas”. Many church officials did not appreciate the questioned manner that Thomas brought to an overly bloated bureaucratic structure. As a consequence of Thomas’ “approach to faith” he has been recently given a charge to go and find his own way of serving Lothian. While Thomas is tolerated by those who raised him (i.e., probably because he still seen favorable by his god), many thought that he never did belong within the Church structure. Thomas is a sharp youth, observant, of few words, and pointed questions. He prefers action over diplomacy but considers his actions carefully in the context of the situation.
May 3rd, 2008 at 2:34 pm
James Wenthall is a male human fighter/rogue. He is the third son of a wagoneer. He left the house at age 14 and became a caravan guard. He has been a caravan guard for 8 years. On one caravan duty he was the only survivor of a Ornu-Nom raid on Ranul’s caravan. This became a famous raid due to the massacre and him being the only survivor; and the incident has been named Ranul’s Raid. He was unconscious and covered in blood when he was found. There were 8 Ornu-Nom orc bodies lying around him killed by his sword. He stood to hold off the orcs when everybody else ran for safety, James knew he was going to die but couldn’t turn his back on the others. He had a large slash across his shoulder; which has left him with a scar from his shoulder and to the small of his back. He never talks about the scar or raid and becomes very quiet and withdrawn when brought up. With him not talking about the raid stories have sprouted up; but the one people keep talking about is that James was visited by an angel and spared for a great deed. He has come to Ptolus to get away from his reputation and people asking about the raid. There is another reason he has come but has not told anyone since his visit to the chappel. James is friendly, loyal, and courageous…he becomes withdrawn and quiet when talking about Ranul’s raid. He is trying to find out the reason he was the only survivor Ranul’s Raid.
May 3rd, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Galleos Moonshadow is an elf urban ranger. He was raised in the Moonsilver Forrest with two siblings. While he shares many archetypal elven traits with his older brother Calos, an accomplished and widely respected ranger of the Moonsilver wilderness, he and his twin sister Gallia are as different as two individuals can be. Gallia, an aspiring rogue with dreams of fame and wealth to be gained through treasure hunting, possesses quite the atypical personality by elven standards. In childhood, Galleos and his sister would often weave tales of adventure based on rumors and stories that trickled into the forest from the nearby City of the Spire. Much in the way of children, they often played espionage-like games emulating the famous explorers characterized in the stories. On more then one occasion he found himself bailing his sister out of whatever trouble she found herself getting into, he was always very protective of her that way. As the twins matured, Galleos remained fascinated by the tales he heard, but his strong sense of duty overcame his curiosity and he was content to follow in the footsteps of his older brother, father, and grandfather before them by becoming a ranger. Gallia, on the other hand, was swayed by her wanderlust and left for Ptolus after the harsh winter thaw of her eighty-fifth year of life (the age of adulthood for elves). Gallia would periodically send word to Galleos about her misadventures as a dungeon delver. One such correspondence mentioned that she developed a working relationship with the Balacazar family. A short time later, Galleos received a disturbing message addressed to his twin. It was a warning written by what Galleos assumed was a friend of Gallia’s. The message read as follows: “The Family knows that you have fled back to the forest and they have sent assassins after you. Hopefully you are once again safe amongst your people, but please be alert for they have great resources at their disposable,” signed “You Know Who.” When it became apparent Gallia never made it as far as the Moonsilver, Galleos resolutely departed for Ptolus with a steadfast stubbornness in search of his sister only to find himself on a wild goose chase for not only his sister, but also this nameless associate of hers. The one clue he had was that this Balacazar Family had something to do with his twin’s disappearance. Galleos strongly believes his twin sister still lives and is almost certain he would know somehow if it were otherwise and he is determined to continue his search for her until he it is proved otherwise.
May 3rd, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Joseph Arugula is a half-orc monk. He grew up south of Ptolus in a small no-name monastery dedicated to the cause of good for the peasants. After being raped, his mother fled the Ornu-Nom orc raid on her village to find solace and a new home in the monastery. Growing up with monks dedicated to the cause of good, Joseph was treated no different despite his orc ancestry. Joseph is as dedicated to the good cause as can be, troubled by his past, however, he recognizes no difference between himself and other races, especially humans. His orc blood does shine through every now and then as he has quite a temper and his grasp of the Common tongue is less than perfect. Both his teachers and his mother taught him human language and customs, therefore he knows nothing of the orc tongue nor cares to know it. He takes offense to judgements based on his appearance and is quick to fight, even if just a fist fight with those that offended him, showing his crude understandment of the human customs. Despite all this, he has been taught to revere the Brotherhood of Redemption by his teachers at the monastery and that is his reason for leaving for Ptolus. He hopes to learn from them and mimic their grace towards evil. On the side, Joseph is quite the cook and enjoys feeding his friends and those of lesser economic status than the majority.
May 3rd, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Dropped off at the Brotherhood of Redemption 13 years ago as a bedraggled, bloody, and thoroughly frightened 6-year-old half-orc, the optimistically-named “JonJon Goodfellow” has since spent his entire life seeking meaning in the human world that has become his own. Starting with an intense friendship with a mouse (“Fren”) that he discovered in his cell at the Brotherhood, JonJon has become convinced that animals are nicer than humans. Now that he is considered rehabilitated he is free to spend his time developing his love for the rare vestiges of the natural world that he finds around himself in Ptolus. Recently fired from his position as assistant assistant rose clipper at the Kath house after interrupting a secret tryst in the gardens, JonJon has decided to take a more active approach to finding, communing with, and potentially serving nature.
May 3rd, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Eusibius (Yoo-SIH-bee-us) Chrysostom is a half-elf native of Ptolus. His mother, a human, and his father, an elf fell in love, making Eusibius to be a purposeful addition to the world. Unfortunately, Christine, his mother died during childbirth leaving Athanasius to care for his son alone. Because of the heartbreak of losing his wife, Athanasius raised Eusibius in a very withdrawn and sheltered lifestyle teaching him history and using books as nannys while he secluded himself from reality. As soon as Eusibius was of age, his father left Ptolus and there has been no contact since. Finding solace in libraries, studying the art of cartography, arcane spellcasting, and recently delving, Eusibius has little interest in many deep relationships even though he finds it easy to talk to others. As certain as he can be, the gods are telling him the deepest secrets can be discovered only by finding the adventuring side of himself.
May 4th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Journal has been posted.