The Setting Sun: Twilight of Elthar

The Fall of Elthar... okay, it's the Fall of Rome by Thomas Cole, but imagine!

Thousands of years ago, the Eltharian Empire was a beacon of enlightenment, justice and hope in the world. Descendants of the Archons, the true men, they were of noble stature and long lived. After the passing of the Titans, they founded the city of Elthar. A modest city of craftsmen, merchants and fishermen, it would eventually rise to greatness. They tamed the Midsea, defeating the pirate nations, and making it safe for fishing and trading fleets. Demand for resources led to an appetite for military conquest and annexation, until eventually Eltharia ruled over the entire Midsea basin. 

The rival kingdom of Setesh, an ancient kingdom ruled by sorcerers, contested the Eltharian bid for domination, and the two powers fought a multigenerational war, until the mighty Sorcerer-Pharoahs were eventually defeated and driven south into Upper Setesh. 

In its darkest hour, the Eltharian Senate appointed a dictator, Galorean, to command the Republic’s armies. He dutifully turned the tide of battle and ensured Eltharian victory, but then became drunk on power. He refused to relinquish his powers and declared himself the first Emperor of Elthar, buoyed by popular acclaim for ending the war. The Senate was unable to resist, and thereafter became a largely irrelevant body.

Emperor Jartus lead the first crusade against the rising necromancers in the Forest Crescent of the Lakbans, a struggle took six crusades and a hundred years before the threat was extinguished. 

Later emperors lead campaigns against the mighty storm giants of the Southern Wornspine and their dwarven allies, the Bullywug bogs and serpents of the Wrymfenns, the goblin empire of Mok’dan, and finally against the great magical Elven kingdom of Eyrndor which frequently raided the northern coast, attacking Eltharian encroachments into sacred fey forests. This led to centuries of animosity, and Elven curses that crippled the Archon bloodlines.

Aside from martial pursuits, the Eltharian Emperors implemented just legal codes (such as the Laws of Emperor Lyrean), built public buildings and monuments, settled dozens of new cities and connected them all with an extensive road system. They founded the Order of Celestial Wizards, the City of Starfall and the Fraternity of Thaumaturgy to research high magics, and sent out expeditions to the far corners of the earth. Knowledge, trade and the arts flourished.

With the seeming defeat of all earthly foes, great riches and security, the ruling class eventually fell into indolence. Hedonism, cruelty and corruption spread through the empire like a plague, enhanced by dark magics. Sadistic gladiatorial games became the most popular form of entertainment. Aristocrats created vast slave combines which drove free farmers into insolvency and serfdom.

The Eltharians became corrupted by the undead foes they had so stalwartly fought for generations: the thousands of powerful relics and tomes they had seized, suffused in necromantic magics and placed in deep vaults beneath the Imperial Palace in Eltharia, leaked their malign influence into the earth and finally the world above. 

Before his death, Emperor Trahl the Great divided the empire into three separate administrative regions: Elthar, Catharn and Setesh, which he bequeathed to his three sons: Malerean, Agmanus and Gallar. For a time, the Empire prospered, even expanded: Malerean seized several islands from the Sea Kings, Agmanus absorbed Scythia and forced a peace with the Dragon Riders of Xan, and Gallar conquered Kanush. A decade later, however, the brothers had become bitter rivals. The triad finally fell out over a territorial dispute (over Naxos) which escalated into civil war.

The three sides were evenly matched: Elthar had greater wealth, but Catharn had more manpower, while Setesh could call upon powerful ancient magics. Neither side was able to secure a quick victory, and all were too stubborn to contemplate a truce. As the war ground on, the rival Emperors turned to desperate measures. Alliances with dragons and other monstrous beasts were struck, and plagues too small to see were unleashed. 

When Elthar’s navy was defeated at the Battle of Orinthal, Emperor Malerean broke the ultimate taboo: in order to stave off the invasion of Elthar itself, he turned to the Black Vaults. Writer and senator Casan claims in his Histories that Malerean was already obsessed with death and had begun necromantic rituals in secret to gain immortality. With the help of dark magic, Catharn’s forces were driven back, and Elthar was saved. 

Elthar’s high priests, however, were appalled by the shadowy advisors the Emperor now surrounded himself with. The Heirophont Innocan issued a Holy Decree denouncing Malerean as The Abomination and incited the population into open revolt. Two opportunistic governors, Aetus and Ostono declared themselves emperor, and turned their armies against both each other and Malerean. Aetus held the provinces of Eryndor, Anvou, Aragon, Livonia, Thiryndor, Yore, Rossaon and Avendil, while Ostono had the allegiance of the imperial legions in Salesia, Uzice, Halych, Vylach, Morea and Sylvania.   

Malerean declared himself Hierophant-Emperor, purged the Church of the All-Being, and declared The Order of the Dawn corrupt heretics. His Crusade of the Pure saw Dawn temples and assets seized, and members of the order executed en masse. A portion of their wealth was distributed to the mobs who participated in the lynchings.

Unfortunately, it also removed a powerful bulwark of the state: The Fleet of Dawn fled Elthar to the island of Tol Eressia and the fortress city of Gwalior with the Hierophant’s entourage, and even more importantly, much of the church’s treasury. They quickly made peace with both Catharn and Setesh. 

Catharn and Setesh had problems of their own: foreign powers, aware that the garrisons of the empire’s perimeter had been stripped to feed the civil war, stepped into the gap. Under pressure in the east from the centaur clans, hordes of barbarians, trolls, goblins and orcs flooded into now defenceless imperial provinces, raping and pillaging as they went. At the same time, Setesh saw the long exiled sorcerer-priests return ahead of undead legions, while Kanush rebelled and asserted independence once again. The reptilian Mekara seized the coastal fortress of Tjaru, threatening the Seneb Delta.

The Sea Kings, independent pirate realms outside the Great Pillars, returned to the Midsea and raided the northern coast, making off with slaves and booty.

Worse was to come. 

Barbarians rampage across Elthar... okay, it's a painting by Ulpiano Checa about the Fall of Rome. Again. Look, Rome's been on my mind. 

In the east, Kiron united the centaur clans, and forged an alliance with the dragons of the Draconduns. He then invaded Shantung, conquering the Eternal Empire in under ten years. He placed his ally, the great dragon Vagandur, on the throne as governor and turned his armies west. 

Kyr Aklyros invaded Albyron and toppled the fledging realm of Aetus, while the Kha-Kyr, Kiron himself, led his forces into the Anhar Peninsula against Catharn. He seized the wealthy trading city of Zulathar through subterfuge, and after defeating a field army led by General Elaganus, laid siege to the mighty city Cathar itself. It was widely believed to be impregnable, being ringed by three concentric  60 foot high walls and powerful enchantments. 

In Kiron’s wake, whole cities were razed and provinces laid waste. Hundreds of thousands of slaves were marched east to work on the centaur’s massive lightning mounds, dedicated to the Centaur War God Khrun. Kiron’s horde became known as The Scourge of All.

After nine long months, just when the fall of Cathar seemed certain, Vagandur broke his alliance with Kiron and declared himself Dragon-Emperor of Shantun. Incensed by this betrayal, Kiron turned his armies east to deal with Vagandur, saving Cathar from catastrophe. Kiron would die by an assassins blade before he reached Shantun.

The damage, however, had been done. The Triad of Eltharian Empires had depleted their treasuries and manpower, and could not reassert control over rebellious provinces, nor block the influx of barbarians. 

Malerean’s oppression of the All-Faith resulted in great discontent; he was torn from his litter and assassinated in the forum, on his way to the Coliseum of Glory, by a group of religious fanatics wielding poisoned blades. Malerean had no children; over the next year there would be four claimants to the throne, each of whom would be assassinated, or commit suicide, after a few months on the throne. Stability returned with the ascension of Balbinar, an experienced and ruthless general.

Unfortunately, Balbinar’s forces were exhausted by the civli war, and could not prevent the Eternal City of Eltharia from being sacked by the Sea Kings. After that, trade and grain supplies collapsed, and the great city dwindled away, becoming known as Glory’s Shadow. To compensate for the decline in their military power, Emperor Cortinax founded the Eyes of Elthar, an organization of spies and assassins that worked to manipulate the politics of the continent in Elthar’s favour. The Imperial Throne was fought over even more fiercely during this period of decline; the Imperial Guard sold the throne to a dozen senators over the next few decades, only to later turn upon and murder them.

In Setesh, Agmanus was overthrown by the sorcerer-priests, who established a dark theocracy worshipping Sutekh. He fled to Mystilla Island and then to Naxos, where he established a court in exile. Some say Agmanus was embalmed alive and became a lich, like a Setesh Pharaoh of old; whatever the truth may be, he lives to this day, a calculating and machiavellian creature like his dead brother Malerean. 

Gallar fared best through this series of catastrophes, managing to hold on to the provinces of Beldor, Catharn, Tymeria, Dalmach, Talondor and the Malar Islands. Krim, Scythia, Kumad, Sarai, Anwar, Cthonia, and Sahar however were all lost to Imperial control. 

Gallar lived for another century, thanks to the constitution of his Archon blood. Upon his death, his thirty-seven children slaughtered each other over the throne, until his ruthless daughter Aerpina emerged triumphant. Some say Aerpina imbibed the vampire sickness, to achieve immortality, and that to this day she rules Catharn from the shadows, while her descendants sit upon the throne. The Church of the All-Being is still the official religion of Cathar, headed by the Supreme Patriarch. The Patriarchs claim to lead the True Faith, just as the God-Emperor of Elthar and the Hierophant do; each calls the others The Abominations, Mouth of Lies. 

The Long Night

New kingdoms arose, in time, out of the ruins of empire, merged with the fresh blood of the barbarian peoples: the Yoreans, Asturoths, Aostans, Calendes, Avalares, Thiryn, Rugens, and Salese.

Mercenary armies of nomadic peoples who had served Elthar in its twilight era settled around Livonia, establishing the nations of Avar, Avalon and Aragon. 

The Hierophant Hadras decamped from Gwalior to Iseria and the knights of Dawn carved out the Realm of the Holy See, whereupon the Hierophant sent out demands of fealty to the All-Being to all the emergent kingdoms.

Eadric, the King of Yore, attempted to unite the fractured lands into a new empire. He drove the goblins, orcs and trolls back into the Trollshaws and the Wornspine mountains, and slew the goblin king Uglocus. Hierophant Hadras demanded he submit to the All-Being and the Hierophant’s authority, but he refused. Hadras declared a holy war against King Eadric, labelling him a heretic. Beset from all sides, Eadric was forced to beg for forgiveness from Hadras, and stood barefoot in the snow outside the Basilica of All for three days before Hadras relented. Later, when angry giants descended from The Grip and waged war against the Holy See, Eadric refused to send military support. With the Order of Dawn away and engaged in the Lakbans, Hadras’ palace was only lightly defended, and he was ripped in two by the giant chief Grundoch Gutstuff and devoured. 

The Sea Kings settled in western Albyron along the north coast of the Midsea, and founded the powerful Merovian dynasty, conquering the Avalares, Calendes, Asturoth, Quent, and Dagonia. Missionaries of the All-Faith converted the Seven Sea Kings to the All-Faith and averted an invasion of the Holy See. The Sea Kings also wisely steered clear of the still powerful Black Fleet of Elthar, which became known as The Hermit Kingdom and cut off all trade and contact with the mainland.

King Eomel, one of the greatest Merovian kings after Thorvald the Unyielding, continued Eadric’s war against the goblins and trolls south of the Wornspine, and led a crusade through the mountain passes against a rising necromancer in the Hexewist. The troll-giant Ruhxahk, champion of the Necrolord, charged through Eomel’s bodyguard, slaying knights left and right, until Eomel struck the huge troll down with the Blade of Cantos. In his later years, Eomel went mad with paranoia, and massacred many Merovian nobles at his summer retreat of Druidun during an infamous Harvest Feast. This weakened the hold of the Merovians over Albyron; his children suffered similar fits of paranoia, with Asmund the Ruthless being best known for slaughtering the entire mining city of Spines for perceived disloyalty. 

Arcturus, who had been in his youth the youngest general of the Eltharian legions, left his long seclusion and led Avalon against their Merovian overlords, establishing an independent kingdom. Aided by Celestial Wizards, he marched his forces west and laid siege to the Merovian capital of Bloodstone, but was forced to retreat when King Olaf landed at Ironhelm and threatened Kingsgate. Arcturus defeated Olaf at the Battle of Deepford, and slew him in the river. For this, he is remembered as King Arcturus the Great. 

Olaf’s son, Rolf the Bold, seceded from the Sea King Alliance and asserted independence. Aosta, Calendon and Asturia soon followed, reducing The Twelve Sea Kings to Seven. 

In the forest crescent of the Lakbans, the new states were beset by necromancers fuelled by the dark energies that emanated from ancient lost tombs. Some say evil poured forth out of gates to the underworld, or that the spirit of fallen demons lived on in the earth. The Order of the Dawn launched crusade after crusade against the undead, but each time the threat seemed vanquished, it would fester in the shadows and return in force to plague a new generation.

Traveller's Guide to the City of Forksbury

Nestled along the banks of the mighty Trent River, Forksbury is a bustling trading hub with deep roots in both history and commerce. Although secondary to the grand trading city of Juna, three days' march to the south, Forksbury thrives as a key stop for goods from the Midsea, drawing merchants, adventurers, and pilgrims alike. 

City Layout and Neighborhoods

Forksbury’s neighborhoods are distinct, each with its own charm and character, ranging from wealthy districts to areas of industry and trade.

• Aldgraves is the city's heart, home to the Caelan Basilica, with its grand catacombs and beautiful orchards. The Cindermarket and the Town Square, with its gleaming fountain, serve as bustling centers for trade and daily life. Here, you’ll find the City Hall, the Carpenter’s Guild, and the headquarters of the Midguild, which oversees trade across the Midsea.
• Ironmongers, often called Old Anvil by locals, is the district where blacksmiths and metalworkers ply their trade. This northern area of the city is also home to the Chandler Guild and Randolph's Emporium, a reputable shop for potions and tonics.
• Mayfair, stretching along the northwest city wall and riverbank, boasts views of the Trent River, with access to Northport, where river traffic from the north docks. This is a quieter district, favored by wealthier merchants and officials.
• Kingsburg, south of the Emberkeep, houses some of the city’s wealthiest families. The Emberheart family has ruled Forksbury for 200 years, with Baron Rogard residing in the Emberkeep alongside the Trent River. The grounds include orchards, gardens, and ponds, making it a beautiful yet secure stronghold.
• Tannery Row, running along the south wall of the city, is a hub of labor and industry. Parallel to Red Street, this district is known for its leather trade, a constant bustle of workers and tanners. Nearby, Almshood and St. Owain’s Church mark one of the poorer areas of Forksbury, where the Five Fingers gang is rumored to hold sway over the local criminal underworld.
• Panyers, near the Rivergate, leads travelers across the Milusbryg Bridge to Fort Caerberdin. It is a lively district, full of traders, inns, and riverfolk. If you're looking for a warm meal and good company, The Blue Fork Inn and Blackswan’s Tavern are favored stops for both locals and travelers.
• Vulcan’s Kitchen, in Ironmongers, is famed for its blacksmiths, while Poulters, south of the Arena of Mercia, offers a taste of Forksbury’s less glamorous, working-class life.

Landmarks and Notable Buildings

• Caelan Basilica: The religious and architectural marvel of Forksbury, the Basilica dominates the skyline. Its sprawling catacombs attract pilgrims and scholars alike, and its peaceful orchard offers a rare moment of quiet in the bustling city. The Bishop Ewina leads services here, presiding over the city’s religious affairs.
• The Arena of Mercia: This grand arena is a symbol of Forksbury’s Mercian heritage. Here, festivals, games, and grand tournaments take place, bringing in crowds from nearby towns and villages.
• Emberkeep: The seat of Baron Rogard and his family, the Emberhearts, this imposing fortress by the Trent River is both the city’s defense and a reminder of its noble lineage. The Baron’s influence over Pelshire and the surrounding lands makes this a seat of power worth respecting.
• The Curiosity Cabinet: One of Forksbury's more intriguing shops, Guthri's Curiosity Cabinet is renowned for rare and magical items. Located near the Masons Guild, it draws adventurers looking for that perfect enchanted weapon or trinket.

Guilds and Commerce

Forksbury’s wealth is driven by trade, both local and international. The Midguild regulates much of the city’s dealings with the Midsea, ensuring a steady flow of goods through Southport and Northport.

• The Mariners Guild oversees the ships and cargo that come through Port Mercermarch, located just outside the Portgate. This district is a maze of warehouses, shipyards, and taverns, a vital hub for those seeking passage or to trade goods from across the sea.
• The Mercer Guild controls much of the textile and cloth trade, ensuring the city's merchants remain competitive with neighboring cities like Juna. Their guildhall lies near the town square, close to the Masons Guild.

Points of Interest for Travelers

• Taverns and Inns: Whether you seek a lively evening of music and ale at Blackswan's Tavern or a comfortable stay at the Ramshead Inn, Forksbury offers a range of accommodations. For travelers wishing to explore the city’s seedy underbelly, the Red Goose Tavern in Almshood offers a less savory but interesting perspective on life in the city.
• Markets: The Cindermarket by the Town Square is the city’s primary open-air market, offering everything from fresh produce to finely crafted goods. Those venturing to the outskirts of the city may find unique treasures in The Brambles and Pellwick Orchards, just outside Northgate.

History and Legends

Forksbury’s history is entwined with the myth and legacy of the ancient Eotan, giant titans who once ruled much of the world. Legend holds that the Eotan brought necromancy into the world in their final years, leading to the eventual fall of their empire. Their influence is still felt in the limestone caverns beneath Forksbury, where ancient ruins, crypts, and dungeons attract explorers and adventurers eager to uncover the city’s forgotten past.

The city itself was settled over 1,000 years ago by the Mercians and has since grown into a key trading hub, though its turbulent history of conflict with the Avalar and rival baronies is never far from memory. Baron Rogard, who presides over Forksbury and its lands, remains ever watchful of his feuding neighbor to the west, Baron Sigulf of Walcastra.

Everything you ever wanted to know about goblins, from the Dragon Garage Appendices

Heroic Journey's Bestiary entry for Goblins, embedded with Dragon Garage. Because every fantasy book should have appendices:

Ur-goblins are bred for war by unscrupulous sorcerers, warlocks & witches, and can often be found in service to them; tree goblins and faerie gobelin (also known as pukwudgies) infest dark forests and often live in harmony with giant spiders. They are shunned by other faeries, and a war of pranks between the factions has been going on since Puk spiked the solstice brew at the Third Age Conjunction.

Goblins

Also known as orcus or cowcaddens, goblins are an unopopular species of nocturnal scavengers, known for their pasty white skin, clawed hands and feet, sharp yellow teeth, pointed ears and poor hygiene. Their eyesight is weak in daylight, but tapetum lucidum give them excellent night vision, complimented by keen hearing.

There are many subspecies, ranging from enormous deep cave monstrosities to winged imps (also known as pukwudgies), which engage in endless intercenine warfare. Long ago, scheming sorcerers interbred the worst and most brutish of humankind with goblins to produce the dread ur-goblins (war goblins), the only breed that can withstand sunlight without flinching.

Commonly found in northern and temperate climes, they dwell in marginal lands, such as hills, haunted forests, mildewy caves, dank ruins and windy mountains.

Goblins are known to partner with other foul species, such as dire wolves, serpents, dragons, bats and gaint spiders. They battle their mutual sworn enemies: humans, dwarves and (especially) elves. Dire wolf packs and spider clutches provide muscle and speed in exchange for goblin ingenuity, tool making and magics.

The deep blood hatred between goblins and elves goes back eons, and the origins of this mutual hatred has been lost to time.

Goblins have been known to form mercenary companies with humans, trolls, man-eating ogres and rogue faeries, but never elves or dwarves, whose company they cannot abide. Goblin mercenaries have been known to attack during daylight hours in order to catch villagers off guard.

Underground, goblins live on magical ghost fungus and lichens that exist in great plenty. Some are highly nutritious (if tough and tasteless) or poisonous; goblin shamans know which is which, and are experts at combining them into formidable potions. Cabbage, salt and garlic are often used in both food and potions.

Their society is pitiless, cruel and tribal: the weak are either purged (to avoid waste of resources), or used as ‘cannon fodder’ in battle. Cannibalism often occurs when mushroom crops fail.

Goblin armour is often brittle, as their smiths cannot match the level of skill their elven or dwarven counter- parts. Poison and dark enchantments can help compensate. They steal elven armour whenever possible.

Great Cave Goblins and Huppudums are sightless albino subspecies that live deep beneath the surface of the earth, and are allergic to sunlight. They bathe frequently and cover themselves with mud and shroompaste to cover their scent. Their tongue clicking can often be heard reverberating throughout vast underground caverns.

Dark lords (such as vampire, necromancers, evil princes, sorcerers, witches and evil spirits) often employ goblin armies, luring them with promises of vengeance against their ancestral enemies, or of gold and fertile land. As vampires are unable to digest goblin blood, and goblins cannot be infected with the vampire virus, the two species are frequent allies.

Goblins do not tan; sunlight burns their skin; if they must move about during daylight hours, it will be when it is cloudy or after imbibing fortifying mushroom brews.

Their language, Gobblese, is harsh and guttural; some say it is derived from elvish, which envious goblins stole and then bastardized.

Eternal opportunists, goblins will exploit any weakness they are presented with. They often loot battlefields for weapons, armour and food, unless ghouls get there first.

Goblins typically serve the narrative function of antagonist cannon fodder: pitiless, evil beings that can be smote in vast numbers without incurring guilt or moral judgement.

Faerie goblins may hold out wishes, but these will always come with a completely annihilating cost.

As an externalization and embodiment of human flaws, they relish in cruelty, sadism, greed, cowardice and selfishness.

They are the ying to the player yang. 

Players cannot be goblins.

Campaign Map of Arthea

The bonkers big map of Arthea, showing Bronn, Cassea, and Gudana

The map of Arthea, an exercise in excessive detail. Originally intended to build out the world of Dragon Garage, but a sequel isn't looking likely, so now it's just for the game world in Dungeons & Dragons. 

The characters are on the continent of Bronn, which extends from the arctic circle down to the Midsea. Druidun Dungeon is basically in what would be Southern France. 

The map is based on early maps of the earth, mostly ancient Greek maps, and then warped from there. Africa has been smushed up with the Amazon jungles of South America, with a great mountain range in between. 

Another great mountain range runs through Bronn, known as the Wornspine. The great plains beyond are dominated by the ruthless Centaur Khanates. The far east is dominated by the Celestial Empire of Shantun.

Since the whole campaign is based in a stylized medieval Europe, everywhere further afield has more monsters and otherworldly kingdoms.

The ports on the southern shores of Bronn have plenty of traders and travellers, so word of fabulous far off treasures and tombs is relatively easy to find. Getting the actual treasures is quite another matter...
 

The quixotic quest to build a D&D 5e megadungeon: level one, part one

Level one of the Castle Druidun megadungeon!

If I knew how much work it would be to make a real megadungeon, which is almost as much work as writing a book, I probably would never have started. How far drive will compel me is an open question.

I've got 3 levels of the castle fleshed out, and 2 levels of the dungeon populated. Advice on The Internet recommends every room have at least 3 different points of interest in every room. Ugh. Considering that each level of Druidun has roughly 100 rooms, that's 300 items of interest. Keeping that interesting and varied has been... challenging. 

I started burning out on level 2. 

A decent megadungeon should have at least 10. 

Yikes.

On the positive side, players advance in level much, MUCH faster than they ever used to. From 1,500 to 2,500 points for 2nd level in AD&D to just 300 points in 5e. 

Since in the traditional megadungeon each level is pegged to the players level (3rd level of the dungeon is meant for 3rd level players), that means... the dungeon is WAY too big. To get enough experience to advance to the next level, in 5e the players may only need to clear 1/4 of Druidun! 

Maybe less.

I've had to go back and raise the lethality of the challenges players face in areas they haven't entered yet. They've already got enough XP for 3rd level. And hell yes, I'm making them go back to town and train with a mentor, as is right and proper to do, to advance in levels. Take that, 5e simplicity and streamlining!

The first Random Encounter list I did up for Druidun was filled with NPC characters and social interactions. I didn't roll often enough for encounters, ultimately only presented players with one. The other encounters seemed like the NPCs would just get grilled endlessly by the players for information which I didn't have, which would trigger paranoia and increasing demands ("Why aren't they telling us? Let's force them!"), which would be exhausting, so I dropped it and didn't bother. 

Instead, I've made monster combo encounters, of giant scorpions and kobolds, for example, that might present more interesting tactical challenges.

The first level of the dungeon is divided into different themed sections: the ancient druid tunnels are in the north west (tombs and catacombs), the halls of King Eomel in the north (dining rooms, treasure display vaults, arenas), a more recent goblin warren in the north east, the prison and formal dungeon in the east (naturally), and the dwarven mines to the south, including workshops, refineries, and furnaces. 

All of these areas have long since been overrun (in some cases multiple times) but other factions and monsters, hopefully giving the space a rich history that will be figured out by the players as they progress. 

The Eldritch Veil wizards ran sinister and forbidden magical experiments on level 1 of the dungeon (some of which are still going, even after their forced departure) and particularly in the castle itself (levels 1-3, probably extending on to level 4). Level five of the castle now is dominated by a colony of giant wasps. 

The necromancer has built his lair in the west of level 1, extending the original druid complex with fresh chambers dedicated to the God of Death, Nergul. 

The whole place has then been criss-crossed by the tunnels dug by monsters like ankhegs, umber hulks, goblins, giant ants and the like, connecting areas that would otherwise be far more defensible and offering players the opportunity to bypass dangerous sections. It also allows multiple ways to enter and leave the complex. Like water pouring into the pit on Oak Island, you can never really be sure you've cleared Druidun; the monster tide keeps pouring in. 

Each staircase is aligned to the level above it in the castle. There are notes and hints for the DM on the map, which is purely functional and not meant to be seen by the players. I can't begin to imagine the amount of work a painted player map would take. 

DM Journal 1: Jumping from AD&D to 5e

"Do you have a moment? I have a brief survey for you to complete."

I’ve been ‘running’ the D&D campaign as game master for almost a year now. I hadn’t game mastered since high school, or even played, other than a few one shots over the years. I think they were version 3 or 4? Can’t remember, we used pre-generated characters and I didn’t get into the rules. 

So what’s it like leaping straight from AD&D to D&D 5e? It’s hard to say exactly, because it’s been so long since I played but the impressions I have are:

• The game is still spread across three core books: Dungeon Master Guide, Player’s Handbook, and Monster Manual, and I still kinda hate it. To do most things, you have to refer to multiple books. You need weapons stats from Players, monster stats from Monster, but you have to get the Player’s out to find out what the monster’s spells do. I wind up using my phone to look stuff up a lot, it’s faster. Since the web is not space constrained, why not just put the relevant spell stats right there with the monster? (I’ve tried to do this with my own mega dungeon)

• Gameplay has become a LOT more streamlined. Those early AD&D books looked like physics texts, with endless tables, percentages and glossaries galore. The new books are more friendly looking, spaciously laid out, and while there are still a good number of tables (and a lot to learn), the basic rules are far simpler and more organized. So simpler surface, but still a lot of depth.

• Characters in AD&D started out much more limited than 5e. For example, in AD&D, a first level magic-users got one spell, and that was it. You fire your magic missiles, or whatever, and you were done for the day. The rest of the time you’d have to hide your 1 hit point body behind the nearest fighter and just try not to die, because a strong breeze could kill you. Now? All magic users get cantrips, which they can use endlessly. I do remember cantrips being introduced in AD&D, but they were little more than parlour tricks, not bolts of flame that could incinerate people. Hell, even rogues (thieves and assassins are no longer a thing, too judgemental I guess). 

• Characters in 5e are much more robust and resilient than in AD&D. Ability score minimums prevent you from running hopeless characters; before minimums were just a house rule. Everyone is now above average. Healing happens faster and a long rest brings you right back up to your maximum hit points. Short rests recover a couple of hit die, so having a healer as part of a party is not as crucial as it used to be. You also get multiple saving throws after reaching 0 hit points to not die. 

• Dungeon crawls and mega dungeons are practically unheard of in 5e; they were bread and butter with AD&D. 

• The number of classes and races players can choose from is vastly expanded. Whether you like this or not depends on the kind of fantasy setting you want to use. I prefer a more limited set, as the game was meant to be set in the world of Dragon Garage.

• First level monsters mostly have 2 hit die rather than the old 1 hit die. They're tougher to better match the more capable 1st level modern character.

• Monsters all have ability scores now, they never used to.

• There's no To Hit table that goes by player level or monster hit die.

• Armour Class is reversed, with 20 being great and 0 being terrible. In AD&D, AC 10 was an unarmored new born babe and -10 was practically invulnerable.

• The advantage/disadvantage system didn’t exist in AD&D; it’s elegant, simple and I like it in 5e. 

• Monsters now come with assigned weapons. This feels really weird, but I understand it for the sake of flow and simplification; I swap weapons out if I feel like it.

• Characters advance in levels a LOT faster than before: in AD&D it could take 1,500 to 3,500 XP to reach 2nd level; now it’s a uniform 300 points! Punch a couple goblins and you’re second level. I don’t mind this, as 1st level characters are so fragile we died like flies back in The Before Time.

Ultimately, 5e is a lot more forgiving, and less deadly, than AD&D.

I wasn't really aware of this when I started, which led me to make early encounters much easier for the party than they should have been. I was pitching at AD&D difficulty for 1st level, rather than 5e. The result is that the players steam rolled through the first adventure, The Tomb of Aethelwulf, even though I was bumping up and strengthening the baddies as we went. It just was never enough.

The final boss fell a little flat (in my opinion), with the necromancer forced into a hasty retreat by the hard charging fighter. A barrage of missile attacks (both magical cantrips and non-magical arrows) made it impossible for him to hold focus. It didn’t help that I deliberately didn’t pick the deadliest spell collection (again, still thinking of player fragility). 

That mini-dungeon adventure took 2.5 sessions; the remainder of the third was spent in town threatening to murder the NPC I had set up to be their fence for treasure and magical goods. The complications from this will be fun to play out, for while the wheels of justice turn slowly in Pelshire, they do turn. Nothing that a pot of gold can’t solve, though.

I’m still trying to get a handle on player expectations for 5e. Their experience with the game is completely different from mine, and I don’t have a really good idea of how the game is now played. I just know the game we are playing isn’t what they’re used to, and I’m curious what the heck their usual game sessions are like. I gather they are more story focused, rather than exploration with a story running in the background. 

I’m basically running an AD&D megadungeon crawl (also no longer done) using D&D 5e rules.

 

I did try and inject some motivation in the beginning: each character got 3 ‘story cards’ at the outset, and chose their favourite; they each have a bit of background with a story hook tied to the megadungeon, such as a lost family artifact (which will make them the legitimate leader of the family house) buried deep in Druidun, or a missing relative, or an evil sibling rival, or what have you. 

First session, they started at a tavern (naturally) and were interrupted by a couple of villagers fleeing Aethelwulf’s tomb, where their coworkers had been captured by an evil necromancer’s crew. 

For the next adventure, they were given a mission by a medieval fixer/talent agent… whom they immediately betrayed, going behind his back to cut out the middle man. He's not going to be giving them any more missions. My NPC set ups are 0 for 2. 

The only ‘person’ the team has bonded with (and not threatened to kill, behead, mutilate, torture or worse) is a decapitated talking head the necromancer left in their path to intimidate them. Now the head’s hanging from the cleric’s belt. Every now and then they un-gag him to listen to threats of death and dismemberment. 

That’s probably why they like him.