Preamble#

The game will be AD&D 1st edition. We’ll be able to hit the ground running if everyone can roll characters up on their own pre-game. I’m happy to sit in and roll up the character with you if we can meet up, but since it is a busy pre-holiday week as I write, and we all have jobs, families and lives, it is fine if you roll up the character on your own. Just get it done before 12/29.

Some background: any character class or race from AD&D 1st Ed Players Handbook or Unearthed Arcana is OK. I’d highly recommend at least one cleric and one thief be in the group, as their skills will be of use. Naturally, fighter-types will be necessary and magic users will be helpful. I don’t have the oriental adventures tome, so if you want to play one of those character classes, you have to get me a copy of the book prior to play.

This will not be a first-level adventure, so each character gets 9001 xp to start. This will put everyone at 3d or 4th level depending upon which character class you pick. Split-class characters are ok, but each player still has to split those 9001 XP between classes - for example, you could be a 3rd level magic user/2nd level fighter, depending on how you choose to split xp. Your call.

Rolling up characters: you’ll all be approximately 3-4 level, so it can be assumed you have natural abilities that got you there. Use 4d6 for each ability, and take the 3 highest dice with 2 exceptions. If it is a prime requisite (ie strength for fighters, intelligence for magic users, wisdom for clerics, dexterity for thieves), use 9d6 and take the 3 highest dice. If the ability is a “prerequisite” (ie Paladins must have a minimum 9 intelligence, 13 wisdom, 9 constitution and 17 charisma), you can “load” the dice by rolling 5d6 for that ability if your class has a 9-14 minimum, 6d6 if the minimum is 15-16, and 7d6 if the minimum is 17.

Equipment: give yourself non-magic arms, armor and equipment as you choose and see fit. You’ll each have a mount (a horse and tack and harness, no hippogriffs, red dragons or pegusi, you greedy bastards). You’ve gotten to 9001xp, so it is assumed you have collected the equipment you need to get there. You’ll all get a chance to have magic items, based on your level and class, as detailed on p. 226 of the 1st Ed DM’s Guide. We’ll do that when we meet on 12/29. However, do everything else on your own and be ready to go on 12/29, including THACO, saving throws, etc., so we don’t have to fart about with it when we meet.

Religion: Gods are real, so most characters should pick a deity and role-play as a faithful adherent of their chosen god. Any faith listed in the first-edition Deities & Demigods tome is ok (even Melnibonean and Cthulhu mythos!), as there is a geographical correlation to each faith in this campaign world. However, the faith you pick will have to be tied into your character, and picking an “oddball” god may subject your character to prejudice or judgment from NPCs you meet. Note that elves, dwarves, gnomes, etc. will generally be of the faith of their race, as per the " nonhumans deities" of the Deities & Demigods tome, but you may choose differently. The geographical area the characters will be playing in will use the Greek Mythos as the “primary” human faith for that area. Norse mythos will be the second most common, Egyptian mythos the third most common. Being an adherent of other mythos may brand you as an outsider to some NPCs you meet. But no faiths are forbidden, as long as it is in Deities & Demigods.

Alignment: Your call. I expect all characters to play in a manner corresponding to your alignment, so if one of you picks Lawful Good and another Chaotic Evil, I’d expect you to not get along, and one of you to die quickly—so figure it out between you in a manner that works.

Campaign world: this will be based in my old campaign world that many of you (Chris, Budgie, Bulm, Bleichert) played back in the day. The characters will be adventuring on the mainland, due north from the Auld Isles where much of the old campaign was based. The adventure originates in a City-State, the Port of Karamekos, known colloquially as “Portown” to most inhabitants of the Realm. Portown is a major trading hub on the southern coast of a large continent, Osgoth. It is a large, medieval trading city, governed by a Council of City Elders made up mostly of wealthy merchants, with some prominent clerics and wizards. Your characters will have met in Portown.

Portown is on the southern border of the Duchy of Achea, a large southern-European-style nation. The borders of Achea contain wild lands that adventurers such as yourselves thrive on, but in general Achea is a civilized, stable land that has not seen war nor humanoid incursions in many generations. While elvish enclaves exist in the forests of the borderlands, and dwarven kingdoms and gnomish communities are present in the hills and mountains of the borders, outside large cities like Portown, elves, dwarves, and gnomes are unusual and viewed with mistrust and superstition by many common humans of Achea. Halfling communities are more common and treated with less mistrust by Acheans.

As stated, the primary faith of Achea is the Greek Mythos. The common folk tend to be of mid-height, dark hair and medium skin tone. Most towns have a temple devoted to one god who is the primary deity of that community. Worshippers of the Norse Mythos are a large minority of tall, pale blonde and red-haired humans who traditionally hail from northern realms, primarily the northern kingdom of Cragenheim.

Another large, tolerated minority are worshippers of the Egyptian mythos who originate to the southwestern desert land of Stygios, generally a darker-skinned race of people. To the northwest are the barbarian realms of Hibernia, pale, dark and red-haired folk who worship the Celtic gods, and are generally despised by Achean commoners, and typical Achean prejudices label them as drunken, potato-eating dullards who are incapable of little beyond fighting and reproducing like drunken rabbits.

Although the party meets and the adventure launches from Portown, the game will take place in the northern borderlands of Achea, in the Bacchean Forest, also known as the Forest of Vines or The Vinewood. The lands directly south of The Forest of Vines are legendary for their vineyards. The people of this region generally worship Dionysus, and these lands are more chaotic than the rest of Achea. The Forest itself contains many human settlements, but is generally ungoverned by the Duchy, unpatrolled by its forces, and is self- governing. Legend has it that deep in the forest is the primary temple of Dionysus, a dangerous and wondrous place from which many never return—often voluntarily. Many of the human communities in the Forest produce wine, ale and stronger spirits, and wild grapes of all varieties and grain grow throughout its borders. It is a wild place, however, according to legend frequented by humanoids and dangerous beasts in addition to its human inhabitants.

Background: each of the party members has gained some considerable experience in your chosen professions, but this has not yet translated to great wealth or fame. To continue your training as warriors, mages, priests and rogues, and to pay various debts, you each are in need of gold. This has caused you each to respond to a general summons for stout and capable adventurers by an unnamed nobleman in Portown. After initial interviews by dour centaurians in Portown, you are collectively summoned to what you soon realize to be the walled estate of Melinore Hadrigan, a wealthy merchant armorer, whose armor is widely regarded by warriors in Achea and beyond to be the best in the realms. The Hadrigan family is a powerful one in Portown, and almost of Melinore’s 8 sons are prominent Priests, merchants and officers in the City Guard, many of whom hold prominent places on the City Council. It is said in Portown by many that the Hadrigan family are the true rulers of the City, and to cross them is to invite great trouble in the City- State.

You first meet with Helios Hadrigan, Melinore’s oldest son, who is said to run the City’s guard, and the Hadrigan family’s small personal army, with an iron fist. Helios, a muscular, grim man with numerous old scars and a few noticeably new ones, most significantly a heavily bandaged left hand, has short, closely cropped hair and, despite his recent wounds, shows no signs of weakness and moves like a trained warrior.

He discusses with each of you (and some others who respond to the summons) your training and abilities, and with little commentary dismisses everyone who has responded to the summons - but you. Helios leaves the room and after a short delay, your group is then brought to a large, ornate dining room and seated around a large table which is surrounded by dazzling suits or ornate armor. A dozen large, armored men at arms also stand around the room, which is soon entered by Melinore Hadrigan, an elderly man who, like his son Helois, looks to be fully capable in battle despite his age. His mannerisms are clipped, businesslike and to the point. He tells you that a condition of your hire is absolute secrecy, as the facts he will gives you involves private family matters he requires your assistance with. He requires your agreement that secrecy be maintained, and without elaboration he makes clear that should this agreement be breached, consequences will be severe.

After your agreement is given, apparently to his satisfaction, he advises you that should the task you are given be completed, each of you who survives will be paid 20,000 gold nobles, a vast fortune. He explains to you that he has 8 sons. Seven of them, including Helios, have satisfied him, and his wife the Lady Moriah, with their accomplishments as merchants, warriors or priests. Melinore tells you that the Hadrigan family is not given to weakness, and that includes taking to drink like some inebriated Hibernian savages. Their eighth son, the youngest, Melios, was different. From his youth, he was always wild and hard to control, given to drinking ale and wine with servants and commoners from a young age. Melinore explains that he made every attempt to beat this weak penchant for drunkenness out of Melios, but Melios was strong-willed and the Lady Moriah was always besotted with him, and protected him throughout his youth like the weak, stupid woman she could sometimes be.

At a young age Melios left Portown, disappearing for months and sometimes years at a time. During this time he traveled through northern Achea, Melinore became aware, and took to the faith of Bacchus. When he returned to Portown he would inevitably charm his mother, and then squander the family’s gold in the taverns of Portown until Melinore would cut off any support, after which Melios would disappear again.

Melios’ last disappearance lasted for years, and Melinore believed him likely dead from drink or in a drunken brawl. But, as ever, he returned, charmed his weak mother and Melinore would be convinced by his wife to give the boy another chance.

This time, Melios told them he had been to the far eastern realms, and regaled the family and their servants of tales of his adventures in these far-off realms, with a northern barbarian comrade and a group of eastern companions. Melinore, as ever, watched his youngest son closely but it seemed that this time, Melios had matured, was not as given to embarrassing drunken foolishness, fighting or wenching in the city’s taverns. For a short time Melinore believed that Melios had changed, could be trusted, could perhaps find a place in the family business.

I was a fool, Melinore tells you. Melios had not changed. After just three weeks of charming his mother, his brothers’ wives and the servants, Melios disappeared into the City, returning 48 hours later to the family estate while a family banquet with important clients was in progress. He was in a roaring state of inebriation, accompanied by a hulking northern barbarian, an equally drunken lout named Aiken. In just a few hours, Melios and Aiken seduced two of Melios’ brothers’ wives, smashed a considerable collection of family china, and stole a large quantity of gold and family jewels, and although parties were sent after him, he evaded capture.

The gold and jewels are replaceable, Melinore tells you. But for one: an important emerald brooch that is irreplaceable. The brooch, Melinore tells you, is shaped like a large emerald beetle. Your mission will be to recover the brooch. This will require tracking Melios and recovering the brooch from Melios (“or perhaps simply getting it back from some tavern whore he traded it to for a night' s play, or wine merchant he traded it to for wine”, he sniffs). He hands you a customized case for the brooch and instructs you to place it into the box and recite the word “Hadrigan” when it is recovered. You are then to return the brooch to him in Portown, and the reward will be issued. If you can bring Melios back, he’ll double the money. But the brooch is the most vital task, he tells you. Put it in the box, say the word and return. Helios will provide you what you need to begin your search.

At this Melinore departs. Helios remains with a contingent of armored men at arms and escorts you to a smaller, less ornate room. There, a weatherbeaten man clad in leather and chain mail with a large bow across his back leans against a wall and silently watches you. Helios introduces the man as Chardas, a veteran ranger who will guide you to the Forest of Vines. Chardas is a native of Portown who owes my father a favor for some custom armor that was designed for him. Guiding you to your launching point in the Vinewood will be part of his price for the armor.

Helios explains that he led a large party of City Guard from Portown after Melios when he absconded with the brooch and other loot. They tracked him north, across Achea, to the Forest of Vines. He was not difficult to track - each village he entered was rife with tales of his inebriated exploits. He spent the gold nobles stolen from my father’s estate freely, says Helios, and traded family jewels - but not the brooch - for wine for himself and anyone he met. My brother is a fool, Helios spits, and must involve himself with anyone he meets in every tavern he frequents in any town he enters, so tracking him was as simple as asking the locals if he’d been there. Somehow, we never caught up with him - we always seemed one town behind, he was always a few miles ahead. We thought we had him as we entered the Forest of Vines. And then it seemed as if every local we encountered knew who we were and were protecting him. But no matter - we almost had him.

We were taken by surprise, Helios says angrily. I am certain it was a diabolical trap. We were on one of those rough forest tracks in the Vinewood when we came across a large group of women. They were of all ages, their clothes ragged, in some cases naked, wild- eyed and possessed of a strange fury. We asked them about Melios and their leader - I think she was their leader - said she knew him well and then propositioned me in a most improper manner. I told her in no uncertain terms that I was uninterested in her - I am married – and this seemed to enrage her - all of them - and they fell upon us. We were 27, and in minutes they tore half of my men to pieces. None of us escaped unscathed.

Helios them unwrapped his bandaged hand, revealing several raw, healing stumps where fingers had been. They tore off my fingers with their teeth, he says. They were mere women, and they killed half of us, and tore the rest of us to ribbons before we fought our way free.

I think they knew we were tracking Melios, he says. That is why we need you - strangers he does not know, not men of Portown - to find him. Find the brooch. But bring that bastard back. I’ll make him pay for this, Helios says, raising his savaged hand.

Helios continues: what little we were able to glean in the Vinewood may help you find Melios. Those few locals who would speak to us - we convinced a few - spoke of Melios as hardly hiding his intentions. He told strangers in taverns that he was travelling to a village, within the wood, called Farthis. Whether he has been there and left in the time that has passed is unknown. But look there. He spoke freely of seeking the oracle of Dionysus, which appears to be located within the Vinewood. My brother, being the fool he is, was seeking the Oracle’s advice over some woman he’d fallen for, and to whom he apparently had stolen the brooch for. The identity of this woman is unknown to us. We only know that she resides in one of the villages in the forest.

Helios concludes: Bring the brooch back, and you’ll be handsomely rewarded. Bring my brother - or his head - back, and you’ll have my personal gratitude and more gold than you can carry. You leave in the morning.

You do, indeed, leave at dawn the next day, and ride quickly. Your journey north across Achea is uneventful. It is a civilized land, you meet little danger and your guide, Chardas, travels quickly and speaks little. For two weeks you ride north, and Chardas speaks scarcely three sentences. The few nights you spend in the field are uneventful, and Chardas silently provides meals by bringing down fresh meat - deer, elk, rabbits, with his bow, seemingly effortlessly.

The final days of your journey bring you through the rolling vineyards of northern Achea, and you stay in small villages where the locals drink wine as most men drink water, and praise Dionysus frequently. The realm here seems looser, more chaotic, and the locals here are friendly, so long as you drink with them. Refusals of offers of ale or wine invite disdain. Responses to your inquiries about Melios are confusing - he is variously referred to as “the good father Melios, praise Bacchus” , “that philandering bastard, praise Bacchus” or, more often “who? Have another glass, praise Bacchus.” But even those who know him claim to have not seen him in years, or that he was slain in the East.

This morning, Chardas brings you to a rough track leading into a dense forest which stretches into the distance. Nearly every tree seems wrapped in vines studded with fat grapes, and the forest floor is wet with smashed grapes and the smell of rotting, fermenting fruit. Chardas is blunt: " Good luck. You’ll need it in there. Watch your back." With that, he turns and rides south.

Maenads and the Scorps#

Chardas lead us to the Vinewood and then left.

We were attacked by a group of crazed women who could only be hit by magic weapons. Fanatics - clerics of Dionysus - maenads? These are certainly the same group that attacked Helios and his City Guard. We told them we were looking for Melios and while it was clear that they knew him, they responded with nothing but lascivious comments and incoherent rage.

We were attacked by a large scorpion in the Vinewood, apparently a wandering monster.

According to Helios, Melios is on his way to the village of Farthis somewhere within the Vinewood. Hearing that Farthis is in the middle woods to the northwest of us, we are heading in that direction based on instructions from travelers. Helios said Melios was seeking an oracle of Dionysus in the Vinewood. We have been told that there are several in the wood, due north, along with a shrine.

Rookbottom and Thelonius#

We learned that in a village or settlement named Rookbottom Melios paid for ale with jewelry. We also learned of a crossroads just east of Rookbottom that lead to an oracle (north) and Farthis (northwest) as well as Rookbottom (east).

We decided to travel north to the oracle and encountered a band of 4 ogres, whom we slew with heavenly force, praise Thoth.

Continuing on the road north, we encountered a man named Thelonius. An odd-looking, traveling merchant in a jester’s robes and hat, his caravan was drawn by 4 centaurs. He spoke to us from a walled cart/trailer, and the “caravan” was guarded by horsemen who looked like they could handle themselves in a scrap. He stated clearly that Melios is not in Rookbottom (so we decided not to go there).

Thelonius also provided us with information on how to communicate with the oracle. Apparently the more of a specific wine we feed to the oracle, the more information she will give us (shocking!) .

Thelonius sold wine, among other things. We spent 60 gold on wine for the oracle and also on 12 bottles of Achaen wine. Is the Achaen stuff simply the wine for the oracle?

• 2 bottles for each PC (or Achaen wine? or oracle wine?)
• 6 doses for the oracle
• giant glass purchased for the oracle by Menka? What?

The Cyclops and the Shrine#

Continuing north, we reached the shrine of Dionysus. The shrine showed evidence of extensive destruction and damage, with recent filth and lots of sheep (and other) bones strewn everywhere. We identified the cause of the destruction: a cyclops which had taken over the shrine, slew the clerics therein, and appropriated their herd of sheep for his own use. We slew the lesser cyclops, one of Poseidon’s children.

After the battle we searched the shrine and a chamber off to the side of the entrance which appeared to be living quarters. Within this chamber we found 65 gp, 2 silver necklaces and a ring on a skeletal figure which radiates magic.

Continuing within the shrine, we came upon an altar that radiated magic of an unknown sort. At this self-same altar we met the oracle of Dionysus, summoned by pouring prodigious amounts of wine into the shrine. She/he/it appeared as a clearly intoxicated youth of indeterminate sex. Each question required more wine to get a response. She was apparently unconscious and the first draft of wine awakened her?

• wine 1
  • “Thanks for releasing me.”
• wine 2
  • “Where may we find the favored of the Hadrigan family?”
  • “Below the village of Farthis.”
• draft 3 (special?)
  • “Melios is wandering the Vinewood.”
• wine 4
  • “Is the brooch currently in the possession of the one Melios loved?”
  • “She is still in possession of the brooch, yes. She is alive, in her way, but imprisoned by Guldar Heel.”
• wine 5
  • “Where can we find this person, this beloved of Melios?”
  • “One can find one entrance beneath the Tower of Guldar Heel. Another lies below the hop gardens. Both routes are wrought with different dangers.”
• wine 6
  • The oracle identified a ring found on a skeletal finger: “leap and you shall fall like a feather”.

Apparently Guldar Heel has been alive for at least 200 years.

(Notes contain something indecipherable about Kyril drinking a potion of invisibility, a person, place or thing named something like Alethro, and something about the hops garden.)

Continuing north, the party eventually reached Farthis. We spent time exploring and mapping Farthis, a small walled town in the middle of the forest. The Tower of Guldar Heel is just north of the town, outside the walls but overlooking the village. The Tower has been mapped but not explored.

We (or a subset of us) knocked on some doors and “mapped” the town and labeled the map with what we found outside/around each building.

End of session 1: The conclusion is that there were two ways down: find the hop gardens, or go through the tower of Guldar Heel.