Ride, Horsemen, Ride

[mgshamster]

700 years ago, the world's Heroes defeated the final evil. The gates were sealed, the monsters were teleported to other planes of existence, the generals were slain. At last, they were vanquished and the world could be at peace. Upon their destruction, their artifacts were scattered across the world, to be forever sealed and secured so no one else could ever find them or use them.

Ages past. The heroes died in peace and prosperity. The world moved on. People grew forgetting the old tales, and the memories of monsters and evil slipped away into stories of fairy tales and imagination.

But what they didn't know is that evil is required for the world to live. Without evil, the moral essence of the world is unbalanced, and for centuries it's been slowly ripping this material plane apart.

Four young men and women - all from the same [town, city, region, something] have the exact same dream. This dream shows them the planar crack in the world and foretells the world ripping apart. The final conclusion is the destruction of all life on this entire plane of existence. But the dream also tells them how to fix it - it shows them where an ancient artifact is. They must find the artifact and activate it, and upon doing so, they will usher in the new saviour of the world.

Little do our would-be heroes realize that these artifacts will transform them, and that they will be the saviours of the world by ushering in a new era of evil. The scales have tipped to far, and it is time for them to tip back.

=================================

This campaign will start at level 1. Everyone must be human (but see below). Your PCs all know each other and are friends.

By Level 3 (which should only be a few weeks), you'll find the first artifact, and you'll transform into your desired race. You get to keep the benefits of being human, plus you'll get the benefits of the new race of choice. It's preferable you pick a race that has a monstrous image, but it is not required.

As of right now there are no monsters in this world. No vampires, demons, orcs, goblins, dragons, faerie, anything. The humans have completely conquered the world. Your PCs will reintroduce them to the world (which ones will be up to you), by seeking out and discovering artifacts, magical locations, portals, gates to other dimensions, etc..

The beginning of the game will be exploration, overcoming traps, and fighting humans. Mid game will be army building and kingdom design, as well as fighting both human "heroes" and some of the monsters you've released (as they have their own plans and ideas and not all of them will follow your orders). End game will be your armies fighting their armies to see who conquers the world. End game may also be about defending certain locales to prevent the humans from removing all evil again, or even finding ways to permanently open certain gates/portals.

Whether your armies actually conquer the world or whether the humans conquer it, finding a way to permanently keep Evil in the world to balance Good is the only way to save the world. Win or lose, you shall bring the apocalypse with you.

This campaign was inspired by the following song:

Megadeth - Blessed are the Dead

[mgshamster]

Reserved for later use

[JennTora]

Seline woke from her nightmare gasping for breath, drenched in cold sweat.

That was a dream? she asked herself, surprised. didn't feel like one at all.

Logically, she doubted it meant much, of course, and went to prepare her normal spells for the day. But that nagging feeling wouldn't go away.

I should talk to Cerise about it,
This seems like cleric stuff, she might know if I should worry about it. she decided once she was finished. She got her things together, and walked out the door to look for her cleric friend.

[JbeJ275]

In a small inn a short distance away, panicked and bloodshot eyes snapped open. The whispers he heard after his visit to that old cave out in the woodlands, tonight he had a reprise from them replaced instead by a terrible beautiful dream. A dream of a place between the worlds, a way of answering that call that whispered to him ever since that visit. It was not quite the same but this crack promised more of the beloved energy.

[Mr. E]

Cerise hunches over an anvil in one corner of the blacksmith's shop. The room is almost entirely dark, save for the iron bar currently being worked. This glows cherry red, while she bends over it with a hammer. A drop of sweat falls from her forehead and sizzles on the metal. Her brows drawn together, she concentrates on the work, almost oblivious to the outside world. Eventually, the bar's colour changes from red to black, and she slides it in the furnace to reheat.

Wiping her forehead, Cerise wanders over to a crockery water pitcher in one corner of the shop, and takes a long drink. She looks around, noticing Seline for the first time. "Hey." Going back to the furnace, she removes the bar and places it back on the anvil. "So" There is a loud bang as her hammer comes down. "what" Bang "brings" Bang "you" Bang "here" Bang, she pauses for a moment to turn the bar over and contemplate her next move, "so early in the day?"

[JennTora]

Seline blinked with each bang of the hammer. When Cerise stopped to ask about the reason for her visit she spoke.
Well, I had a... disturbing...
Dream. I rarely have extremely vivid dreams and I usually forget them, but this one is stuck in my mind. she starts describing the events of the dream to Cerise.

and I have this nagging feeling that it's completely real. That I have every reason to be worried about this. What do you think?

[Hemnon]

At home, in her exquisite room fit for a noble (which she also was), Camilla woke with a startling scream.... The dream, no, Nightmare... It's been so real!
She could not for the life of her remember the details specifically, but somehow it felt like she knew subconsciously what it all meant... Just not on a conscious level.

Still shook up, she got out of bed and went about her normal daily routines before her final choice to head out for herself for a while. She had Father's permission of course, but it might also have been the Magical Academy's influence that might have added in to her Father's acceptance of letting his priced daughter go out on her own...

[Mr. E]

Cerise taps away with her hammer while she listens, nodding to herself. She pauses to look at Seline with a concerned expression on her face. "That's bad. Very bad." She places the bar back in the furnace. "Someone's taking an interest in you." A gesture at the sky makes it clear who 'someone' might be. "The god's start messing about with you,
and all hell follows just behind."Taking it out, Cerise grasps both ends with a pair of tongs and bends the bar into a horse-shoe with a grunt. "Trust me, I'd know."

She removes a small steel punch from a rack, and bangs nail holes into the metal. "I'd be very careful who you tell about that." Cerise picks up the complete horseshoe with a pair of tongs, dropping it in a bucket of oil, then water. There is a loud hiss, and steam hides her from sight. Placing the horseshoe on a rack, she walks out to the front of the stall, and leans on one of the wooden posts.

"As a rule, dreams of the apocalypse don't make you popular. That's why I'm working in this dump." She shrugs, then sighs. "I have nightmares, sometimes. Don't tell people, 'cause that tends to freak them out. Still, if you're having the same kind of dreams, maybe I need to do something about them. They just weren't clear enough, at least, not until last night." She massages her forehead, carefully. "Wait, tell me that dream again, slowly, while I'm not trying to do something else. 'Cause it sounds freakily like my last nightmare, now that I think of it."

[mgshamster]

Prologue

Four young men and women grew up in the city. They were friends - or at least acquaintances - before The Dream happened.

How did they know each other? What were some defining moments in their lives?

=================

In the prologue, you will each write some stuff about how your PC knew another PC by answering the following prompts:

Roll a d3. Cross your name off the list. Explain how your bond relates to the person you rolled. Cross their name off the list.

Roll a d2. Explain how your flaw relates to the person rolled. Cross their name off the list.

Finally, with the person remaining, explain how your ideal relates to this person.

1) Camilla
2) Seline
3) Sigrun
4) William

They could be vaguely related (e.g. family member of a person associated with your flaw), or they could be the direct cause of your ideal. Whatever it is, explain how they are associated with your ideal, bond, and flaw. Regardless of the story, this person is still someone you consider a friend.

Example: If I'm Camilla, let's stay I roll a 2 on the d3 for step 1. I would write how Sigrun is associated with my bond. Then I roll a 2 on the d2. I would write how William is associated with my flaw. Finally, I would write how Seline is associated with my ideal.

[JennTora]

I can't say I've ever been on good terms with the gods. Can't imagine why any of them would choose me to mess with. Seline said and scratched her head nervously. Cerise's words got even worse however, and Seline was beginning to give in to that part of her that was screaming that her dream was important.

*snip*

Seline takes a few deep breaths to calm herself. She leans on a post just beside the one Cerise is leaning on, and slowly reiterates the dream in as much detail as she can remember.

[Hemnon]

Camilla - The Connections

With nobility comes troubles. One of these is the fact that the Von Vanderhorn Family is in a sort of cold war commercial feud with the Van Bellum Family, the heir apparent son, Michael, being an major object of affection and attraction by Camilla. Sadly Michael does as of yet not know of her affections for him. However, a Warlock by the name of William have approached Camilla with an offer of collaboration. For him to further HIS wants and needs, and in exchange help her once she sees the opportunity to claim her beloved.

Camilla is of nobility, yet always enjoyed walking into the markets and experience what commoners do, at least in a minor fashion since she could only observe this life from the outside. It was hobby that got started after she'd talked with her religious tutor, a retired cleric of the God Hephaestus, the very same god that Cerise worships.
However the effect of the turoring mixed with such observations by young Camilla, along with slight misunderstandings and preconceived ideas made this hobby turn into her secret way to observe and in her own mind redicule the vermin populous. Even fellow nobles gets the same mental treatment. Yet it's so ingrown that she often needs a second-hand impression of someone to get beyond this rather disturbing flaw of her mindset. It's something she usually doesn't outwardly show or even acknowledge. She loves being adored for kindness, yet the niggling disdain is always there, hidden away.

Celine and Camilla both studied the Magical arts together at the same time with the same master, and developed some of the same ideals and outward looks on power and knowledge. It's a common interest that makes Camilla at least acknowledge Celine's power and worth as an ally, along with, possibly, even a friend.

[Mr. E]

Connections:

Camilla
Well, she's nobility, which I'd usually find a bit off-putting. I don't like it when people get all this power without really trying, or even asking. However, she's not really much for religion, and that makes her useful. The authority she has as a noble's daughter would make her a possible ally against the temple. If I can find something she wants, maybe we can trade.

Seline
Hanging out with Selina is always a lot of fun, but I always feel bad afterwards. I mean, I'm the one who spent their childhood in a temple, and she still knows more about it than I do. It always reminds how badly I fail at being a cleric, and I hate being reminded of that. She's always so nice to listen to, as well, and I know I'm not. It's frustrating, being reminded of my own incompetence.

William
William's a good friend, even if I don't approve of what he does. People should work hard for their rewards, not just steal it from something else. Someday that'll come back to bite him, for sure. But when it does, I'm going to be there. Not to mock him, or anything, but to show him how to do things properly. There's good bones in him, deep down.

[JennTora]

Seline's Connections:



William: He seems to have found some kind of lost demonic power. And he knows some things about history. I have an ancient text that I stole from a drunk wizard when he was leaving the town tavern. It has the names of demons in it, but it's in an old language, so William and I are trying to see if we can find out more about his discovery. This is a complete secret, k? Please don't tell anyone, or I'll have to hurt you.


Camilla: she's a classmate. And she's really smart, too. Mostly we compare notes, and work together to further our magical study. We've had a few fights though. There was that one time I really wanted to make a totally new spell. It was way before we were ready for that, and Camilla was the one to talk me out of potentially blowing myself up, and remind me that we only knew the basics of spellcraft. Not my best moment, I admit, and it wouldn't be the last time I was overly eager to learn something new. But that's another story.

Cerise: Cerise is a good friend who always gives great advice. I've always believed knowledge was the key to power, to unlocking our true potential. Cerise may not know as much as me, but she knows more about what to do with the knowledge she has. Sometimes I wonder if that's an even more valuable form of knowledge.

And forging is fascinating when you think about it. I remember she tried to show me how to forge a simple knife once. The process was easy enough to understand in theory, but I just couldn't get it to turn out the way she did. It's not just knowing, it's being able to do the right thing at the right time, based on subtle signs. Cerise is actually much better at that than me.

[JbeJ275]

Connections f one William Blackridge

Camilla: Once I thought being above the law meant burning through cities until none would stop you, but observing her I found being above the law can be far easier with friends in the right places. I had to offer her a few favours of my own, but the more you get tied in with her lot the less people are willing to challenge you

Seline: Even once I joined up with the military, there was significantly to little slaughter and to much records for my liking. Yet now and again when I caught some gutter thief who no one would ever miss, when I felt the fire rising from beneath or could not bear the ideal of bringing them in I would simply take them to Seiline and learn her way of making people disappear. Combined with our joint interest in the histories a curious friendship soon arose.

Cerise: It was a long time ago when I first met Cerise, I had helped an acolyte under attack by some street thug, in all honesty I'ld considered joining in on the other side for a quick buck.

Nonetheless the help I gave to that acolyte was repaid many times over, with me receiving much help from that temple. That changed when I received my new gifts, with those around the temple acting with bare hostility. However Cerise as an acolyte I soon recognised still helped me get back on my feet and prevented the temple discovering just what it was the were detecting.

[mgshamster]

Chapter 1 - Acting Upon a Dream

The dream you each have reveals to you secrets long forgotten. It tells of a story about how the world was shaped today - the vanquishing of Evil and the sequesteration of Good in this world. And it shows you the Plane of Existence being ripped apart of nothing is done.

All of it starts at one location, the first of many that you are urged to travel. You shall be the saviours of the world so long as you unlock a series of barriers that is consuming so much universal energy that it's ripping apart space and time itself.

You leave town, with what equipment you have, either solo or in pairs.

==================

For your next post, please describe how you leave town as you head on the Eastern Road. Did you leave alone or in a group, and if in a group, with whom (PC or NPC)? Did you bring extra supplies (whether by purchase or theft?). Is anyone pursuing you? Was your departure with the blessing of your family and friends, done against their wishes, or entirely in secret? You can add in more if you like.

[JennTora]

Seline's only living family was her father, who she had many arguments with growing up, and rarely spoke to now. She left without a word to the old man, and didn't know if he'd pursue her or not, though she doubted it.

She did buy ten days worth of rations before she left, wanting to make sure she had plenty of food. She met Cerise at the edge of town and they left together.

[Mr. E]

Cerise nods at Seline, shuffling her pack more comfortably onto her shoulders. She has few connections in town, having already been thrown out of the Temple. She doubts anybody will even notice that she is gone, except the blacksmith for whom she was making horse-shoes. Which is, of course, probably for the best. This way, nobody will really know what I am up to. The two of them start down the road, Cerise settling into a steady pace. It isn't rapid, but she is certain that she could go on for hours without slowing down. Turning to Seline, she decides to start a conversation.

"Know whether anybody else will be joining us?"

[JbeJ275]

When the darkness filled the streets of the city, and all reasonable men and women were slumbering in the night, that was when Blackridge left. In a small bag hosted over his shoulder he held his food, and a few partially translated pages.
On his hip he held his small coin bag and his blade but little else.

He slipped outside of the city, evading most of the guard patrols by virtue of his own expierience with the routes. Once out he continues with a frantic pace, desperate to reach this place within his dreams. He traveled all through the day and throughout much of the night. He wore a black cloak with a hood covering part of his face, while he never had an aptitude for stealth he did his best to hide from those who may interrupt his travels.

[Hemnon]

Camilla

Exiting her home, she left behind her family. She was quite happy to do so, because it was getting quite stuffy having to follow 'daddy' and his rules anymore.

As planned she met up with the others, smile on her face, backpack full of her stuff and her Grimoire (spellbook) secured to her hip safely. "Hello everyone.... Ready to go?" She asked, still smirking the same haughty-but-real smile she always did.

[mgshamster]

You leave town on the Eastern Road, headed towards a long forgotten locale know only to you by a strange dream. While the dream may have altered between each if you, the information and the details it passed on was the same.

The summer morning is warm and cloudless, and traveling is easy. It's not long before the city is behind you. As the day progresses, it gets hot, but you soon find the Eastern Road leading into a forest and the trees provide a respite from the sun.

That evening, you find a hollow tree. The Solider is the first to find it, and already has a small camp set up for one by the time the rest of you arrive.



For those who have ventured into this forest before, this tree is a known camp site and provides shelter from the rain. But tonight, no such shelter is needed, for the skies are clear and the night is warm.

Throughout the night, you hear the chirps, growls, and scuffling of animals, but none seem to be brave enough to disturb your camp site. You pack up in the morning, and the group of three became the group of four. About half a day out, you pass the first village outside the city.

A few days later, you find the first of the landmarks seen in the dream. It looks inconspicuous - a tree that is twisted with branches that make it look humanoid. It doesn't seem completely out of place, but to the right eye it is obviously different.

This sets you off the main road and deeper into the forest. You head down a foot path - one that's well traveled enough - to a small lake. You hear voices. Down at the lake there is a young couple playing in the waters. They wave as you pass.

The lake itself has a river feeding into it, and this is your next sign. You follow the river up until it turns into streams. You follow the stream until you reach the source.

Here, at the source of the stream, do you find your first obstacle.



================

Please describe some conversation along the way, anything you did at the village you passed (shopping for supplies, stopping to eat, stealing anything, talking to any one, just passing through, etc...), any interaction you had with the swimmers, and what you're going to do about your first obstacle.

[JbeJ275]

Blackridge

So I suppose each of you felt the same dreams as my own? And you found this same treasured campsite as well, how ... fortunate.
And how go your affairs in the city, are those in the temple still able to keep you from your hard work Cerise? Camilla has that Michael fool finally cottoned on? Seline, just let me thank you once more aiding me in my attempt to find that cove. And when did you all depart? Tell me how prepared are you for this journey must we make any more acquisitions from these unfortunates or shall we leave them unhindered for the present.

he speaks in a slow deliberate voice occasionally smiling with a grim malice, much changed from the nervous guard once known, in moments far from the beaten track when he is sure that none but the group, he is constantly create glowing motes of blood red light that swirl around his forearms.

In the village the becomes agitated wishing to hurry through with little conversation, stopping by only to pick up more rations, when sighting the swimmers he smiles gladly as he waves back, his eyes show a momentary consideration of some other course of action but in the end he simply quietly departs. Hoping once more to maintain a fast pace.

[Mr. E]

Cerise

The walk is calming, almost soothing. For the first time in far too long, Cerise enjoys a good nights sleep, without dreams of fire and destruction. She is not sure that that is truly encouraging, or just sinister. She ignores the bathers, merely tops up her supplies at the village, but otherwise does not interact the scenery. Occasionally she talks to Seline, but she spends much of the time lost in thought. Indeed, even when they discover the thing, she says nothing for a while.

"What is that?" This question appears more rhetorical than practical, as she immediately moves onto other matters. Cautiously approaching the base of the structure, Cerise searches for a (relatively) safe route up to the source of the water.

[JennTora]

Seline:


Well I'm glad out of anyone it's the three of you that shared these dreams, Seline said with a smile. and William I told you I was happy to help.

During the journey Seline chats with Cerise and William when they're feeling talkative, and waves back to the couple as they pass by. As they sleep in the camp by the hollow tree seline takes longer than usual to fall asleep, not being used to the woods, but finally manages to get some rest.

When they reach the obstacle Seline gets a little frustrated, Now how are we supposed to get up there?

Seline thinks for a moment about whether she's ever heard of anything like this structure.

[mgshamster]

You don't recall any information about this locale. This is part of the forgotten past, and you only knew about it from your dreams.

You don't see any safe and easy way up. For scale, you can see some birds in the picture. The structure is fairly big. That opening by itself can easily be walked in fully standing up with your arms stretched upwards, and still be several times your height wide.

[Hemnon]

Camilla

Camilla clearly enjoyed leaving her home. It was a blissful exit and the exploration have finally begun.
"In my opinion, it's rather irritating to have the gods interfere in our lives. I personally never asked for their help, guidance or anything like that. They are nothing to me, thus i should be nothing to them." Camilla added in conversationally to the others as the walk continued onwards past that man-like tree.

"Yeah that dream... It was rather vivid and no, William, not yet. I do have a plan though." She said, swapping from conversation to reply on William's question rather easily. As to her plan, well she had no intention on voicing it out. Not yet anyways.

She passed through that village without need or want for shopping, having taken along all she needed for now when she left home.

Spoiler: Rolls'n'Checks

Show

Intelligence checks to see if Camilla might recognize or remember some info about that source-thing.

Int: Arcana (1d20+5)[16]
Int: History (1d20+5)[8]

[mgshamster]

By "the source" I meant the source of the water that feeds into the stream and eventually the river.

Your path lies in following the water, so you must figure out a way to get up there and into the cavernous mouth of that giant contraption, whatever it is.

It's quite high up, ranging in the tens of meters/yards just to reach the bottom. The whole structure looks to be hundreds of meters tall, jutting out of the side of a cliff.

If you're wondering why no one has been here, it's because you're in dense wilderness, where no human has traveled in a long time. You long ago left the trails made by human feet. For some portion of the time you followed deer trails, and then had to push past brush on your own.

Pop out some ideas. If you don't have the proper gear, you can always turn back to that town that was a few days back.

You may try to climb, you may try to find the top of that cliff and come down. You may make use of your spells or any equipment you have. But whatever you try to do, you have to come up with a way to get in.

[JbeJ275]

William Blackridge

After a short moment looking at the side of the cliff, Blackridge raises his hands and seeks to Blast handholds in the cliff face a smile spreading across his face as he unleashes the Eldritch force, after a short effort he turns to a dress the rest of the group

I don't suppose anyone has anything particularly clever to do?

[Hemnon]

Camilla

With a cough, Camilla took attention towards herself. "Well.... the only thing i got is a contingency in that i can, with a little time, do a spell called featherfall... but it's meant to be used to descend steep surfaces or avoid dying from falling from a great height. It's not meant to make it easier to get up that cliff."

[JennTora]

Seline shook her head as William sent an eldritch blast into the structure, leaving little more than a scorch mark. okay, let's all take a breath and think. Most of my spells are more suited to damage things. I have some for other situations, but none for climbing or flying. And I don't feel confident in my climbing skills.

We could try to see if there's an easy path to the top of that cliff and then Camilla can feather fall us down, but that might take a while. Or we could go back to that village and try to buy climbing gear, I'm not seeing any other good options. Seline suggested.

[Mr. E]

"At this point I am forced to agree with Seline." Cerise finishes her analysis of the structure, shrugging to herself. "I suspect, out of those two options, to approach from the top would be easier. Even if we did climb up from underneath, the water would make it challenging to approach. It would be far easier if we could come down from the top, lower somebody down by rope to show us how to avoid wading in the stream, than by going in blind. That being said, I have one last thing to try." Approaching a the face of the rock, places her tools on the ground. Extracting her smith's tools, Cerise cautiously tests the hardness of the metal. If it is soft enough, maybe I can make us handholds, and thus make the climbing easy.