Ivae Orr Campaign

Introduction

This adventure is set near the Ivae Orr forest, and area rife with criminal and political intrigue. The purpose of the adventure is to introduce the players to major NPC's and issues of the realm they have jest been granted. As in real life all is not as it seems or clear cut when it comes to deciding how to run a kingdom. Thera are subplots involving each of the groups the players will interact with that should result in multiple moral quandaries for the party to resolve. Remember, ACTIONS LEAD TO REACTIONS, there is a strong emphasis on character interaction, and events at the "national" or strategic level occurring in the background will be intersecting with the players choices.

Dungeon Masters Background

This campaign story arc is broken up into multiple acts that will occur over the course of one to two game years.

Baron Eddard Dunthmore is the players primary nemesis. A 14th level cavalier and Captain of a mercenary company of heavy infantry he took Oleg Keep in the tumultuous years after the Greyhawk Wars on behalf of Duke Grennel of North Province and intends to retain title to it. He has played the the three major warring powers (Nyrond, North Province, and the loose coalition of humanoid tribes holding most of Bone March) against each other for the past 10 years while slowly consolidating his hold on the area surrounding the keep. Duke Grenell and Count Dunstan have both tried to leverage Dunthmores geographic position to their advantage as the Keep straddles a wide pass between the Ivae Orr Forest and the and the old North Road connecting the regions silver and iron mines both to the County of Knurl and North Province.

The former silver and iron mines of the northern half of the Blemu Hills are held by the hobgoblin Ripper tribe who are intent on securing better resources (arable lands + slave to work them) to sustain their growing tribe. The lowlands of Bone March have been the traditional agrarian home of the Flan people for millennia and the area is dotted with many small villages ripe for the picking. The tribe has a loose alliance with Dunthmore and initiated a series of attacks against the villages not under Dunthmores control. Dunthmore for his part - then follows up with harassing attacks to drive off the humanoids and garnering good will from the populace who would rather serve a human than humanoid liege. In parallel Dunthmore allows brigand activity orchestrated by the local thieves guild (also sanctioned by Dunthmore) to rob merchant convoys moving wool and whiskey through the region. A percentage of the profits are then split between Dunthmore and the hobgoblins.

Count Dunstan suspects Dunthmores treachery for years but has been unable to prove it and convince the population their benefactor is really the one behind their misery. Dunthmore's and the hobgoblin alliance has never been great and and now the hobgoblins have decided to move aggressively into the lower March. Dunstans forces are capable of defeating the hobgoblins but they are spread thin and he knows the other humanoid tribes would likely follow their advance leading to Knurls forces being overwhelmed.

As the last rightful ruler of Bone March, Count Dunstan has decided to bestow minor nobility status as Knights of the March and grant the players title to Oleg Keep as a reward for their service. By doing so he buys time gather his forces and those of the Dwarves of Clan Darzog to reinforce the defense of Knurl and potentially unseat Dunthmore from the keep providing the players can capture it a Northern base and powerful allies (the PC's) to launch a counter-offensive from. If the PC's fail the humanoids solidify control over the Blemu Hills and end up right on the border of Knurl.

Rumors

There are many rumors circulating about current (and past) events that have an impact on the various factions the PC's will be interacting with. In some cases the rumors reflect elements of the greater campaign setting and can affect how NPC's act if not perturbed by the PC's action. Refer to the timeline section for additional information.

Prominent Locations

Green Witch Coach House

Brighams Coach House

Initial Notoriety

Goal of the Adventure

Capture Oleg Keep, prevent the Rippers from invading the low country.

Beginning the Adventure

The adventure begins with the PC's having been granted their titles as Knight Protectors are directed by the Count to march a company of 50 infantry north to take Oleg Keep.


Chronology of Events
Planned Adversary Activities		Allied Activities
CY 618	Undead army under a cleric of Nerull advances towards Knurl
CY 618	Logeth Hold falls
CY 619	Darzog Hold falls		Baron Diesku sends a party of adventures to aid Knurl
			Battle of Talvors Manor - undead routed
		CY620	Ivae Orr and Darzog Clan reinforce Knurl
CY 620			Dargoz mines recovered by a party of adventurers
			Quest to the demi-plane (Velors Prison) campaign
CY 621	Rippers establish raiding camp at Wanborne
		CY 621	Dunstan grants tiles and land around Oleg Keep to PC's
		CY 621	PC's destroy the Ripper raiding party at Wanborne
	Capture the harvest, supplies leave via wagon to Ripper Mines
Fireseek CY 621	Rippers move towards
CY 622	Rippers hold the lowlands

Act 1

Encounter Setting

The party advances from the lower Blemu Hills north towards the Ivae Orr forest region but must traverse a series of low hills, swamps, and groves of trees.

The route to Oleg Keep can vary based on PC choices. There are two main trails and roads that make passage quicker but potentially expose the PC's and their company to spys and harassing attacks from the village garrisons. The most direct route will lead through Damerel, Wanborne, and Grenvik.

Along the way the PC's should learn about the Rippers plans to invade and that Oleg Keep is held by a noble who's loyalty to the realm is questionable.

The Major Non-Player Characters (NPC's)


Major NPC Power Brokers CY 621
NPC	Title & Role	Starting Disposition
Protoganists
Kruger Darzog	Clanlord of Darzog Clan	Friendly
Surlimor	Elf Lord of the Ivae Orr Forest Sylvan elves, counterpart to Queen Lómë	Friendly
Lómë	Elf Queen of the Ivae Orr High Elves	Friendly
	High Druid	Neutral
Antoganists
Baron Guideon Truzeer	Lord of Ruusk Keep	Neutral
Baron Eddard Dunthmore	Lord of Oleg Keep	Hostile
Trozig	Hobgoblin Warchief of the Rippers Clan, son of Xobzag	Hostile
Xobzag	Warlord of Rippers Clan	Hostile
Minor NPC Power Brokers CY 621
Red Company
Olrme' - Red Cloak Sargent		Neutral
Gilren - Red Cloak Assassin		Neutral