Badger's Hollow - A mini campaign setting

[Pokonic]

Arise dead thread that eternal lied, for even great threads like these have died.


Great to see you working on it again.

And I have no idea if the lizards look like that (although I'm thinking not - I'm envisioning more of a gila monster). I'm not even sure that they are going to be lizards, to be honest.

Giant flightless birds have never been called unoriginal.

[Savannah]

Alright, I think I've transferred all the information in this thread, and added some minor stuff.

The issue I have with giant flightless birds is that it's a pretty heavily wooded area and flightless birds depend on being able to run across open planes. I'm thinking either giant lizards or big cats for the goblin mounts...although I'm not sure how you would ride either...

[Wyntonian]

I'm thinking either giant lizards or big cats for the goblin mounts...although I'm not sure how you would ride either...

Very carefully. Would it be too far-fetched for them to use a canine? Wolves are overdone, but coyotes can do ok in thick woods, as can foxes. Maybe rather large, canny foxes bred for the smallish goblin scout troops...

[Savannah]

Goblins + worgs? Yeah, canines in general are overdone. I'm leaning towards the cat, on the grounds that it would be cool for goblin ambushes to involve being pounced on from the trees.

[Wyntonian]

That sounds....terrifying.

[Pokonic]

Goblins + worgs? Yeah, canines in general are overdone. I'm leaning towards the cat, on the grounds that it would be cool for goblin ambushes to involve being pounced on from the trees.

You know whats also underdone? Giant, preditory Olms.

Think for a moment: Your group of adventurers are going fine and dandy thru the woods. Its all going rather well, until you find some rather odd tracks that are not-quite sluggish and not-quite reptile. As it becomes darker, your local Ranger thinks something is rather odd going on, considering that there is almost no wildlife in the area.

As the night falls, a great, moist slithering comes from the local streams and hidden pockets of water below ground. As the olms burrow up from the ground, there goblin riders come out from there camp to mount them. As they come to the camp at impressive speed, the last thing the adventures hear is the crunching of there skulls in the beasts mouth.



Might not be entirly practical, but it is a option for the underground goblinoids who prefere a more exotic form of travel.

[Wyntonian]

You know whats also underdone? Giant, preditory Olms.

I'm a little shocked that my google-fu says they're real critters. I feel like a slimy amphibian would be kinda hard to stay on as a mount. But I would agree, yes, that they are underdone.

[Omeganaut]

While flightless birds do tend to live on plains more often, they most certainly could have powerful jumping abilities. Reduced weight due to bone structure and packed muscles in important areas would allow them great jumping abilitis. Let their vestigal wings be used for gliding, and they would make terrifying predators.

[Savannah]

Okay, I'm stalling on racial write-ups because I know I need to say enough about personality for someone to play a member of the race, but I'm not sure what I should be saying. Any ideas (not so much for the personalities, but more for how to format the vague information I have in my head)?

[Pokonic]

I'm a little shocked that my google-fu says they're real critters. I feel like a slimy amphibian would be kinda hard to stay on as a mount. But I would agree, yes, that they are underdone.

Why, did ya think nature was not that weird? Everyone thinks riding a giant frog would be dandy, but they always forget the slimy critters of the deepest caves...
Hey, dont doubt the goblins ablity to make due with there mounts. Heck, how do you think they can ride Worgs and such?

Okay, I'm stalling on racial write-ups because I know I need to say enough about personality for someone to play a member of the race, but I'm not sure what I should be saying. Any ideas (not so much for the personalities, but more for how to format the vague information I have in my head)?

Social standereds, racial relations, and interpersonal outlooks?

[Calmar]

I really like your mini setting! It is an original approach, but still solidly rooted in traditional myths and campaign concepts.
I like your take on the fey. I use them in my own setting and your ideas are quite inspiring.

How about varying degrees of overlap between the fey realms and the mortal reals? Some faery places might appear to be situated in the mortal world, like an enchanted castle within a deep forest or in a remote valley in the mountains?

Do the goblins live underground, or on the surface? What about spiders or degenerated wyverns (a Medium-sized breed that has no ability to fly) as goblin mounts? Hogs or dire goats might be cool, too, since the area around the New Road appears to be plains or hills terrain.

[Savannah]

I really like your mini setting! It is an original approach, but still solidly rooted in traditional myths and campaign concepts.
I like your take on the fey. I use them in my own setting and your ideas are quite inspiring.

Why thank you

How about varying degrees of overlap between the fey realms and the mortal reals? Some faery places might appear to be situated in the mortal world, like an enchanted castle within a deep forest or in a remote valley in the mountains?

In this instance, I think not. If there's some remote valley, it is simply a remote valley with something strange in it, not a fey holding. On the other hand, if you don't realize you've slipped into a fey realm...

Do the goblins live underground, or on the surface? What about spiders or degenerated wyverns (a Medium-sized breed that has no ability to fly) as goblin mounts? Hogs or dire goats might be cool, too, since the area around the New Road appears to be plains or hills terrain.

...aw, man, I had just settled on cougars when you had to go add the option of wild hogs. Now I've gotta think about it again! (They live on the surface.) Actually, come to think of it, I should look into large flying creatures as well...

[Calmar]

I'm curious, how do you intend the goblins to be like?

Are they rather serious like these boys...


or are they of the ridiculous kind?


(while I don't normally steal from LotR, I have to admit that it's the ultimate sollution to me whe it comes to all things orcs&goblins...)

...aw, man, I had just settled on cougars when you had to go add the option of wild hogs. Now I've gotta think about it again! (They live on the surface.) Actually, come to think of it, I should look into large flying creatures as well...

To me, pumas appear to be graceful and noble animals. Assuming your goblins are the pathetic wretches goblins usually are, I think pumas do not fit very well to them. In case Badger's Hollow lies in an area vaguely similar to central/northern Europe, I'd associate those exotic cats with the fey realms, rather than the mundane world. On the other hand, they seem to thrive in most climates (and even set up an exclave in Florida ).

For flyers I'd suggest wyverns or giant bats.

[Savannah]

Not necessarily like LotR, although probably closer to those goblins than others... Not pathetic wretches, really.

[Pokonic]

Not necessarily like LotR, although probably closer to those goblins than others... Not pathetic wretches, really.

Hmm...

Would you be willing to twist what the name "goblin" means? Because I am sure that a less regimented Hobgoblin would fit your idea of a goblin. Organised, well-armed, and willing to use lesser kin as fodder and workers respectivly?

Also, do they live underground or do they have above-ground settlements?

[Calmar]

Not necessarily like LotR, although probably closer to those goblins than others... Not pathetic wretches, really.

On second thought I think I used the wrong words; what I meant was more like "depraved and malicious".

There are also goblins living in the mountain, aren't they? As far as mounts and gear are concerned, it might make sense to clearly distinguish between the New Road raiders and mountain goblins then. They might also have been twisted by whatever it is that now lurks in the ruined halls of Terokk (changing them into dreaded fiendish goblins, or worse!).

How recent is the Unearthing of the Horror, anyways? Since the decline of Badger's Hollow is already visible, it must be a few years already, doesn't it?

You could provide us with a brief timeline of the major events in the recent history of the area.

[Savannah]

You could provide us with a brief timeline of the major events in the recent history of the area.

That would require having decided on a final version

[Calmar]

I felt inspired today and put together a possible, incomplete, timeline of the events since the founding of Badger's Hollow. I tried to stick to canon and have not made up any names for places mentioned by you, like the Mountains. solved
I hope you don't mind me meddling with your project - you may consider this to be the setting's first fanfic.

Spoiler

Show

A Timeline
Of the History of the Lands of Badger's Hollow

Since the Arrival of Human Settlers from the South

• Year 1 - Helena Berethys leads an army from Emberi to the north and conquers the lands to the north-west of Andyn Forest up to the foothills of the mountains of Drakken Range.
• Year 1-4 - A castle is built at Badger’s Hollow to rule and protect the land. The Road, a path connecting Badger’s Hollow to the rich cities in the south, is cleared along the western edge of the forest.
• Year 5 - Halflings from remote villages along the slopes of the Drakken Range begin to trade with the newly arrived humans.
• Year 6 - A horde of Lizardfolk from the Blackwater Marches in the south-west, lead by the red-scaled sorcerer named Slas the Fiery (rumoured to be a scion of Tangarazar the Flying Inferno) attacks Badger’s Hollow in an attempt to drive the Human invaders back to the south.
• Year 28 - Troops from Badger’s Hollow vanquish the host of Grishwûsh the Blacktooth and free Baraz of Clan Terokk from goblin imprisonment.
• Year 29 - A trade pact is made between House Berethys and the Dwarven lords of Clan Terokk. Human Traders are allowed to buy ores from the Dwarven mines and sell their goods to the dwarves. During the following years the settlement begins to grow and prosper as traders and further settlers from the south arrive.
• Year 60-62 - A wall is build around the city of Badger’s Hollow to protect its inhabitants and wealth from marauders and goblin raiders.
• Year 81-83 - Tower Watch is built to guard the road through Agamid's Gate.
• Year 86 - Lead by the city’s guilds, the inhabitants of Badger’s Hollow organise themselves in a Conspiracy to further their economic interests; emboldened by their wealth they demand greater autonomy for themselves. Their request is rejected by lord Ormynt Berethys.
• Year 95 - Increasingly often shadows and wights are seen stalking outlying farmsteads along the Road.
• Year 97 - Again the demand for an autonomous government of the city of Badger’s Hollow is rejected by its lord.
• Year 99 - On his return from the disastrous campaign against the giants of the Misty Hills, the citizens of Badger’s Hollow refuse lord Berethys entry to the city. They successfully demand the city be governed by a Lord Mayor elected by the guilds and appointed by the lord.
• Year 120 - Late that year, a group of adventurers, the Company of the Emerald Banner, is tasked to hunt down a band of brigands reported to hide within Andyn Forest. The mercenaries are nearly vanquished near an area of large barrow-mounds deep in the forest. The survivors report on a pale wight of horrid magical powers, clad in ancient armor and mounted on a fell nightmare.
• Year 125 Few dare to enter the forest now only known as the Deadwood any longer. Evil spirits and walking dead prey upon those foolish enough to step into the now slowly, but surely expanding forest.
• Year 130 - The Road is nearly impassable in the haunted Deadwood and any attempts to keep the way clear by force have failed repeatedly over the course of the last years.
  Pressure by the guilds of Badger’s Hollow leads to the clearing of a new connection to the south. The new route, simply known as the New Road, branches off the Old Road at the town of Twohares and runs through goblin territory.
• Year 134 - The Road is completely devoured by the twisted and dead, yet ever-expanding trees of the cursed forest up to the town of Millford.
• Year 142 - The traitorous Castellan of Tower Watch is put to justice after two months of siege.
• Year 190 - The dwarves delved too greedily and too deep. Nobody knows what they awoke in the darkness of Tor Terokk...
  With their main settlement suddenly destroyed, most of the surviving dwarves retreat to their holdings within the mountains, while a fair number flees to the allied Humans of Badger’s Hollow.
  Horrors stalk the forests and valleys of the Mountains, making travel or mining almost impossible. The guilds of Badger’s Hollow, mostly dependent on ore and timber from Drakken Range, are cut off from their supplies.
• Year 200 - Cut off from its lucrative metal-trade, stuck between the dangerous Mountains, the haunted Deadwood and the goblin-warlords of the south-western hills, Badger’s Hollow is facing difficult times. The premature dead of the Lord Mayor leaves his daughter, his designated representative, in charge of the city council.
  
  Because I don't know if there's an important fixed date of reckoning in your setting I did not make one up. If there's none, I think one should add a number between 800 and 1200 to the dates to make them appear more medieval.

[Savannah]

...I'm totally going to have to steal bits of that.

Also, I'm not sure if you've seen this, as that's where I'm doing all the work now. The mountains are named

[Calmar]

...I'm totally going to have to steal bits of that.

Also, I'm not sure if you've seen this, as that's where I'm doing all the work now. The mountains are named

Thanks!. Seems I missed that information.

So,
Dargor is the Dwarven Realm to the North of Drakken Range,
Emberi the land where the people from Badger's Hollow originate from,
Agamid's Gate is the pass through Drakken Range where Tower Watch stands,
and Tor Terokk is the mine where the dwarves dug too deep?

[Savannah]

No problem, I realized I'd forgotten to put it in the opening post

And, yes, those are the names. Which may end up changed by the time I'm done, but those are the names for now

[Calmar]

No problem, I realized I'd forgotten to put it in the opening post

I had seen that link, but didn't notice there was more information hidden there than here.

An adventure crossed my mind. Hope you like...

Spoiler

Show

The Curse of Millsford (short to long adventure)

The length of this adventure ultimately depends on individual preference. It might offer a good opportunity to explore various places in the lands of Badger’s Hollow, involving lots of roleplay, or it might be solved as a straightforward combat adventure.

Background
The village of Millsford is a small community of a couple dozen timber-framed houses, sitting at the northern banks of the Catfish Flow as it slowly wiggles its way from the foothills of Drakken Range through the grassy hills and meadows north-west of the Deadwood. Overlooking the village, the stone keep of the barons of Millsford sits atop of Thistle Hill. Millsford is a hub for grain grown alongside the river and the road to the north; its three watermills grind almost two thirds of the flour sold to the Baker’s Guild of Badger’s Hollow. Before the dead trees of the cursed forest devoured the old Road and crept up to the river, Millsford was also the gate to Badger’s Hollow for Emberian traders and the barons of Millsford made a considerable fortune with tolls charged on trespassing the ford. Today, few dare cross the Catfish Flow anymore at this point and the village has come to be colloquially known as Road’s End. Since the flow of strange merchants stopped and life became quiet in Millsford, the Halflings of the surrounding areas have come to more frequently visit the village to trade, or to simply spend some time in the Wagon’s Wheel, the village’s inn.
For nearly three months, the ogre Bragg, a spawn of the ancient hag Derdraigen, harassed and robbed farmers and travellers around Millsford until he. After he at last killed two of Millsford’s armed guards, a group of heroes was hired to slay the monster. The adventurers ambushed the ogre as he tried to intrude into an outlying farmstead and managed to drive the hulking brute off. Mortally wounded, Bragg finally died on his way to his mother’s domain in the flood plains east of Millsford, a boggy area of rotting trees that was believed to be an enchanted place of death even before the Deadwood expanded to its current size.
Upon the discovery of her dead son, Derdraigen began to horribly scream and wail for three nights and three days; her crying was such that it could be clearly heard in Millsford. On the fourth night, she summoned her sisters to conjure an unseelie curse on the village to make its inhabitants pay for the murder of her offspring. In that night the river ceased to flow in Millford and its waters turned stale and sour within two miles distance around the village. A few miles upstream and downstream the water flows normally, as it should. Thick mists now engulf the settlement most of the day except for the noon hour. At night, walking bog bodies (mummies), giant spiders and various dire beasts are now frequently sighted within the still area of the Catfish Flow and the hills surrounding the village.
The characters can become involved with the adventure in various ways. The baron and the inhabitants of Millsford are desperate to have the curse lifted, for they fear for their lives and depend on the flow of the stream to employ their mills. The Baker’s Guild of Badger’s Hollow is also heavily affected by the sudden decrease of flour imported and the Guildmaster is willing to pay a good price to anyone who puts the mills of Millsford back into operation. The characters could even have been the ones who slain Bragg in the first place (an adventure in its own right) and might now feel responsible to solve the ensuing trouble.

Lifting the Curse
There are two ways of lifting the curse of Millsford:
The most straightforward is slaying the hag Derdraigen. However, the hag is a being of great magical power and was already ancient when Badger’s Hollow was founded. In order to confront the hag, one must find her thrice-enchanted lair within the flood plains to the east of Millsford, an area of dangerous marshland roamed by dire beast, ogres evil faeries allied with Derdraigen. It is almost impossible to avoid detection by her enchanted animal sentries and magical charms hidden in the bushes and trees of the marsh. Therefore such an endeavour should only be attempted by very powerful or very foolish heroes.
The other possibility is to perform a complicated ritual that requires several magical components, a remove curse spell and at least three druids or clerics of a deity of nature and life. The characters can discover this information on a DC 30 Spellcraft check. Otherwise they can consult a sage in Badger’s Hollow, or the druids of Reagh Hill (situated between Badger’s Hollow and Millsford to the east of the road connecting the two settlements). The magical components required are three drops from the river head of the Catfish Flow, the blood of a mountain harpy and tongue of a swamp snake (as well as far more common herbs and substances). These are found three days march to the east of Badger’s Hollow, in the area west to Tower Watch and either in the boggy realms of the Lizardfolk, or Derdraigen’s domain, respectively. Each of these areas might contain a wide range of dangers and encounters with NPCs, be it a powerful elemental guarding the origin of the stream, the hunt on a mountain harpy, or Lizardfolk trying to keep intruders away from their territory. From the components a concoction must then be brewed (Alchemy DC 20) which is then poured into the cursed water during as part of a ritualistic chant performed by three priests or druids (or any combination thereof) at midnight (Spellcraft DC 18).

Concluding the Adventure
Having performed no small feat, the heroes should be adequately rewarded and probably they have earned themselves some fame as well. If Derdraigen is still alive, it is very unlikely that she will forget what the PCs have done and might bide her time for revenge...

[Calmar]

Hey, I hope I haven't scared you off. I thought someone else's active interest might be motivating when one works on a campaign setting.

Give us moar canon!

[Savannah]

Nah, I'm not scared off, just super busy at school Not to mention the fact that I write in spurts...

[Savannah]

Give us moar canon!

Your wish is my command.

...okay, so it's not much, but I'm getting ready to go to class, so it will have to do.

[Zansumkai]

Just wanted to say that I really like what you've put together here, and it feels very much (to me anyways) like excellent nostalgic D&D. It's making me regret my overly complicated Tarrasque-eaten wasteland even, haha. Also, as an addition to what you've got for the goblins thus far I was wondering if you were familiar with Pathfinder's goblin dog? It basically is a sickly seeming giant rodent that can give you a terrible rash if you touch it, though goblins are immune so they ride them.

[Savannah]

Never regret a Tarrasque-eaten wasteland! I was trying for a more traditional feel, though, as I'm aiming the game at beginners and so traditional is good to start with. I was not familiar with the goblin dog, thanks.

[Wyntonian]

While I have nothing particularly constructive to add, I'd like to thank you for turning me on to Obsidian Portal. I think I'll put my own setting up there at some point. It looks too good to pass up.

[Calmar]

Your wish is my command.

...okay, so it's not much, but I'm getting ready to go to class, so it will have to do.

Yeah, that's indeed quite brief.

I feel Drakken Range and Agamid's Gate are way too hazardous now. I was figuring something in the way of the Tatra mountains between Poland and Slowakia, the Cambrian Mountains in Wales, or the Massif Central in France. You know, big and possibly dangerous, but not that lethal. I think not even Hannibal's army was facing altitude sickness when he crossed the Alps off the convenient paths. The way it stands now, Drakken Range seems to be of the scope of the Himalaya.

As far as the background is concerned, I think the Emberi Era is the only one that needs detail. The events of past millenia shouldn't be groundbreaking enough to vastly affect the events of to-day, especially considering that it is for a mini-setting and not a full-fledged campaign world.

[Savannah]

I feel Drakken Range and Agamid's Gate are way too hazardous now.

Understand that this is the view of the level 1 commoners in the area. The adventurer's job is to take on the dangerous areas -- it wouldn't be much fun to say "I successfully traversed Mt. Pleasant and survived the Cave of Easy Encounters!" now would it?

I think not even Hannibal's army was facing altitude sickness when he crossed the Alps off the convenient paths. The way it stands now, Drakken Range seems to be of the scope of the Himalaya.

Well, it is a major mountain range, otherwise the fact that Agamid's Gate is the only pass in the area wouldn't be so significant. Also, I'm just using the DMG's guidelines for mountain travel, and a lot of the dangers can be negated with proper preparation.

As far as the background is concerned, I think the Emberi Era is the only one that needs detail. The events of past millenia shouldn't be groundbreaking enough to vastly affect the events of to-day, especially considering that it is for a mini-setting and not a full-fledged campaign world.

Well, aside from how the Dark Age explains a lot of racial hatreds that are still going on and how the other ages explain the old ruins the heroes will be exploring And that's part of the point of it being a mini-setting -- I can provide a lot more information than if I needed to detail the entire world! (The players won't be required to read it -- I'll have a section on the first page with links to the pages they need to read to play, and anything else is optional.)