Adventure Ideas (3.5e Other)

Dungeon Crawl

Though a young world yet, Aegir still has its fair share of ancient ruins, monster-filled lairs, and forbidding caverns.

Abandoned Dwarf-Homes

The dwarves left the eastern lands several hundred years ago, and the caves where they once dwelt have been abandoned. Most of the mountains of eastern Aegir possess at least a few of these abandoned caves. However, many of them are now inhabited by goblin tribes, animals, or even monsters. Some of these cavern complexes were quite extensive, and while the dwarves took most of their possessions with them when they left, there are still many secrets to be found in the mountains.

The Ruins of Alorkahz

In the far northeast, at the heart of the lizardfolk territory, lies a dark and ancient ruined city. The land around the city seeps an ancient evil, and the dead walk the earth as bloodthirsty ghouls or fouler things. Rumour has it this city was once a wondrous place of magic and learning, and secret knowledge may still be found somewhere within.

Monsters of the Deep Forest

In addition to the magical fey, the mysterious forests of the eastern lands house other creatures. Monsters which may make their lairs here include:

• Dire Animals (Dire Badger, Dire Bear, Dire Boar, Dire Rat, Dire Wolf, Dire Wolverine)
• Magical beasts such as Owlbears
• Lost and restless spirits such as ghosts or spectres

You might find these monsters in caves or ruins deep within the forest. In addition, not all allies to the fey are friendly, and are extremely territorial towards those not of their kind. See Wilderness Adventure below for other forest encounter ideas.

Wilderness Adventure

The mysterious forests of the fey, the jungles of the lizard-folk, and the highlands of the dwarves - Aegir has many wilderness areas for PCs to explore.

The Forests of the Fey

The forests of the eastern lands are mysterious and wild, and can be dangerous even for the fey, who are seen by the humans as the rulers of this wilderness. Many powerful creatures make their homes here, and most are territorial and do not take kindly to intruders no matter what race. Even for the fey, there are deep places in the woods that are avoided at all costs. For humans, the forest is a place of fear and wonder.

Ideas for forest adventures:

• The human PCs are instructed by the Inquisition to hunt down a rogue sorcerer who has taken refuge in the forest
• The fey ask the PCs to locate an old ally of theirs - but this ally is not what he seems, and he does not want to be found.
• A farmer entered the forest to get some firewood and didn't come home that night. The PCs are asked to look for him.
• A group of fey have been terrorizing a local village... more than usual, that is. The Inquisition hires the PCs to deal with it.
• Something evil has made a section of the forest its home, and anyone who ventures near disappears. The fey ask the PCs to discover what it is and destroy it.

The Eastern Jungles

The jungles on the eastern side of the mountains are exotic and dangerous. In addition, they are inhabited by barbaric lizardfolk who tend to eat anyone that ventures into their territory. However, the Ruins of Alorkahz can also be found here. On occasion, adventurers brave these inhospitable lands, with their poisonous creatures, thick vegetation, and tepid water.

Ideas for jungle adventures:

• The PCs must traverse the jungle on their way to the Ruins of Alorkahz, in search of ancient treasure.
• A wizard has learned of a powerful item in the possession of a lizardman chieftan, and hires the PCs to obtain it for him.
• A lizardfolk merchant caravan was attacked on their way through the jungle by a huge monster, and hire the PCs to escort them back to their village.

Diplomatic Missions

Aegir is a diplomatic mine field. Most of the races and groups are insular and distrustful, or even downright hate eachother. Some prefer to fix their problems by killing them. All are powerful.

Diplomatic missions are usually best served by high-charisma PCs with skills in Diplomacy, History, and Intimidate.

The Empire of Goult

The Empire of Goult is arguably the greatest politcal power in Aegir. Diplomatic missions given by Goult will often involve thinly (on non) vieled threats backed by the Arcanum, Inquisition, or Church. Goult gets most things done by throwing it's weight around. It generally responds to the diplomacy of others by attempting to assert authority and prove it's strength, and does not allow other groups to appear to have the upper hand in any situation.

Ideas for diplomatic missions to Goult:

• The Fey and Goult are having a particularly nasty border dispute, and you are asked to help resolve it
• Lizardfolk merchants request your assistance in helping them gain entry to a particularly xenophobic city
• Dwarven missionaries want to set up a church in a Goultian city, dedicated to Thalysis. They seek your help.

The Fey

The fey are much sneakier than Goult and tend to be more subtle in their diplomacy, but in the end no less nasty. They care most about keeping their land free and wild, and will give concessions in other areas. Keep in mind that while the humans may think of the "the Fey" as one large political entity, the fey don't see it that way and often diplomatic missions fail due to this misunderstanding.

Ideas for diplomatic missions to the Fey:

• The Fey and Goult are having a particularly nasty border dispute, and you are asked to help resolve it
• Something nasty in the forest is eating human villagers. The Empire wants you to find out if the Fey are responsible and if not, to enlist their help in destroying it.
• Your elven patron wants to gain a foothold in the ruling society of Caer Mhoriel, but elves are not part of the traditional ruling caste.

Dwarves

The dwarves are a mysterious folk, and are generally most concerned with their own privacy and the secrets of the ancient world. They are also devout followers of their goddess Thalysis. Since the seat of the Divine Court lies in dwarf lands, peace with the dwarf people is important to both humans and the fey. A sacred truce lies over Geyan, the Court's seat of power, but the humans and fey are painfully aware that the dwarves could make it impossible to reach Geyan should they wish to. Because of this, the dwarves are treated with respect from both races.

Ideas for diplomatic missions to the Dwarves:

• Human missionaries want to set up a more permanent settlement near Geyan, and need the approval of the dwarves.
• A scholar wants to gain access to the dwarf-homes of the western mountains, where no non-dwarf has previously been allowed.
• They Fey, beset by many hostile forces, seek better trade agreements with the dwarves for metals - particularly weapons.

Halflings

The halflings have their own agenda, and their own secret society within that of the other races. More often then not, they are the diplomats who venture between lands. However, higher ranked halflings may be advisors to important policy-makers, and in fact be the ones pulling the strings. Halflings have no love of war, and try to avoid it when possible. However, in the end they also would chance a war if it would further their race into power. They are devious planners, but hide this behind a "jolly" exterior that easily fools the weak-minded.

Ideas for diplomatic missions to the Halflings:

• A noble believes the halflings in his city are having people assassinated, and wants you to find out if it's true, and why.
• The Fey need information about a human noble, and they know the halflings have it.
• A dwarven man on a religious quest seeks a secret meeting with a particular halfling, and wants the group to arrange it.

Goblins

Goblins are nomadic and tribal, and are not ruled by any one leader - therefore negotiation with the race as a whole is impossible. Instead, individual chieftans must be contacted if treaties are desired. Goblins are extremely superstitious and notoriously difficult to reason with. They may accept the terms one day and renege on them the next, or chase an ambassador off with spears one day while inviting him to dinner the following night. They in general desire simple things, especially symbols of wealth and finery, such as jewelry.

Ideas for diplomatic missions to the Goblins:

• A group of goblins have been over-hunting an area that borders a fey lord's territory, and he wants to convince them to ease up.
• One goblin tribe has become particularly vicious and has been raiding nearby human settlements. A local noble has a cunning plan to turn several tribes against the violent one, but needs the group to serve as intermediaries.
• The goblins recently unearthed something ancient and powerful from an abandoned dwarf home, and the dwarves want the group to find out what it is.

Lizardfolk

The Lizardfolk are a great power, and Goult has difficulty threatening them both due to their formidable strength in both magic and military, and due to their distance across the mountains. Lizardfolk are violent and insular, and a diplomatic visit to their territory is likely to end in violence. They desire all forms of power, including magical.

Ideas for diplomatic missions to the Lizardfolk:

• A Goultian noble wants you to negotiate a new trade agreement with an insular lizardfolk tribe.
• Weird flashes of light and color have been glimpsed over the eastern mountains. The Arcanum wants you to find out what the lizardfolk are up to.
• A group of lizardfolk traders appear to have gotten "lost" in the fey forest and are snooping around, and the fey want you to get them to leave.

Stealth and Espionage

Aegir is ripe with opportunities for stealth and espionage. Any of the diplomatic mission examples given above could degenerate into a "spy" mission. Stealth/espionage missions typically come in a particular flavor.

Like diplomatic missions, stealth and espionage missions are well served by PCs with high charisma. However, often dexterity and skills in Stealth, Thievery, and Athletics are just as important.

Information Gathering

These missions might involve simple scouting, or they could be elaborate missions in which the PCs must infiltrate a group and stay in place as covert operatives for a long period of time. These missions usually benefit from characters with high charisma or stealth, depending on the type of mission. Magical disguises are usually very helpful.

Thievery

These missions involve recovery of a specific item from a specific person or group of people, preferably without their knowledge. It might also cover sabotage or item-planting missions. Interaction is less likely in these missions - characters are more likely to need dexterity, stealth, thievery, and athletics skills.

Assassination

Assassination missions can be cut and dry or complex. The main goal is simple: kill a certain person or persons. However, often side goals, such as framing a particular person or group for the murder, must also be accomplished. The type of skills needed for this mission vary depending on the method chosen - if it's a knife in the dark, stealth and athletics may be needed; if it's poison in the middle of a party, charisma and slight of hand are in order.

Plane-Walking

Aegir's system of planes is a little different from the one presented in the Dungeon Master's Guide (see the cosmology article (The planes of Aegir) for details). However, there is still plenty of opportunity for adventure for high level PCs with the means to travel through the different realms of existence.

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