Detailing and Defining the Tainted Lands

[AnthonyRoberson]

I have been enjoying reading through the Tainted Lands and like most gamers - I want more! I am certainly no James Ward, but here is my first attempt at adding some extra detail to one corner of the Tainted Lands - the Crystal Lands:

Shard Storms

The Crystal Lands are frequently plagued by enormous storms of tiny crystal shards. These storms have the appearance of glittering sand storms. Many stretch several miles in width and last for hours on end. The shard storms as they are called can prove deadly to the unprotected traveler. The stinging wind-blown crystal shards inflict thousands of tiny cuts to those that do not seek refuge and can even blind the unprotected. The storms are terrifying and disorienting to those caught unaware. Visibility is reduced to almost nil and the blowing shards of crystal produce a screeching, deafening wail.

A typical shard storm lasts 1d4 hours. Any creature caught in the storm without some sort of magical protection or refuge of some kind will take 1d8-1 hps of damage per hour of storm. Victims must also make a constitution attribute check with a Challenge Class of 1d6+4 each hour or be blinded. The blindness inflicted lasts for 2d4 hours after the storm ends without some sort of magical intervention.

[James M. Ward]

Shard Storms, nice!

You are correct in thinking you aren't James M. Ward. That doesn't mean you are not unusually cleaver. If you are going to take the time to do more TAINTED LANDS word we have to work on the horror element of each piece.

Let them run from the storm but it follows them everywhere.

Let them get into a stone tower, feel save and have the tower slowly crumble around their ears.

Let them encounter shard people with terrible disfigured faces and bodies.

Let someone curse them to the experience of a shard storm.

James M. Ward

[Wolfram_Stout]

I hope it is not out of line for me to add a thought I had:

Shard Storms: Shard Storms can form illusions of safe structures (such as towers, huts, etc) or people motioning the party to follow them.

BE WARNED. If the unwary travel seeks the shelter or follows these phantasms, they find that the shard tower or phantom falls to pieces leaving the traveler even more at the mercy of the storm (Add 1d4 hours to the duration of the storm).

Wolfram Stout

[AnthonyRoberson]

Thanks for the feedback, Jim. Here is another try at something that I hope is a little more evocative. This encounter takes place south of the Crystal Lands in area that I am calling the Plains of Penance

Parade of the Damned

A grim parade of flagellants marches here in an endless circle, wearing a path into the white gravel surface of the plain. The mob consists of both the living and the undead. The marchers carry scourges, beating their backs in time to the beat of a skeletal drummer and wailing in sorrow. The parade is lead by the Fool King, an ancient wight wearing a crown of tin and clutching a black scourge in each hand.

Anyone that views the spectacle of the parade must make a saving throw versus charm at an appropriate Challenge Class (as chosen by the Castle Keeper) or feel an overwhelming desire to join. New flagellants are magically granted a scourge of their own and will fall in line with the rest of the marchers. New recruits will march tirelessly until they starve to death, only to rise again and march on until the flesh falls from their bodies and their bones finally turn to dust.

Those that successfully save against the magical lure of the parade or decide to attack the marchers will find themselves viciously attacked. The Fool King and a motley assortment of the living and the undead will attempt to destroy any that stand against them. If the Fool King himself is destroyed, his destroyer will be magically compelled to take up the fallen crown and lead the parade himself.

[James M. Ward]

Wolfram, please always feel free to add more great gaming thoughts. The tower is wonderful and in keeping with lots of horror elements, most particularly transformation.

Anthony, wow! The parade of the Damned is another great idea. Sort of like the Wild Hunt but with horror. If I might add my thoughts, I would once again work a little bit on the horror elements. The failed saving throw maybe shouldn't force them to be a part of the parade, but make them come back and watch day after day. Maybe they begin to make thier own parades in other parts of the land. Maybe I would fill the parade with treasures easily grabbed, but forcing another save or join the parade. I would just have a few more horror elements in the wonderful concept. Very well done sir!

James M. Ward

[Tadhg]

I don't think I can hold off any longer on buying this supplement/mod/game . . . Looks (and sounds) FAB!
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"Enjoy a 'world' where the fantastic is fact and magic really works!" ~ Gary Gygax

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[Sir Osis of Liver]

James M. Ward wrote:
Anthony, wow! The parade of the Damned is another great idea. Sort of like the Wild Hunt but with horror. If I might add my thoughts, I would once again work a little bit on the horror elements. The failed saving throw maybe shouldn't force them to be a part of the parade, but make them come back and watch day after day. Maybe they begin to make thier own parades in other parts of the land. Maybe I would fill the parade with treasures easily grabbed, but forcing another save or join the parade. I would just have a few more horror elements in the wonderful concept. Very well done sir!

James M. Ward

This is a great source for nightmares. Perhaps a character fails his/her save, but feels no immediate ill effects. However, that character's sleep is from that point forward haunted by terrible nightmares of the twisted faces of the flagellants, or perhaps by visions of the damned as they were in life before they joined the parade. This would obviously interfere with normal rest, such that no HP recovery were possible and spellcasters could not gain their spells back. The longer an individual goes without having the curse removed, the worse the nightmares get until the individual dies of exhaustion, at which point, the body rises as undead, the scourge appears and the undead soul makes its way to the parade.

Just a thought. I haven't had much opportunity to think gaming stuff for a few weeks now, so this is fun.

[AnthonyRoberson]

James M. Ward wrote:
Wolfram, please always feel free to add more great gaming thoughts. The tower is wonderful and in keeping with lots of horror elements, most particularly transformation.

Anthony, wow! The parade of the Damned is another great idea. Sort of like the Wild Hunt but with horror. If I might add my thoughts, I would once again work a little bit on the horror elements. The failed saving throw maybe shouldn't force them to be a part of the parade, but make them come back and watch day after day. Maybe they begin to make thier own parades in other parts of the land. Maybe I would fill the parade with treasures easily grabbed, but forcing another save or join the parade. I would just have a few more horror elements in the wonderful concept. Very well done sir!

James M. Ward

Jim, thanks again for the positive feedback. I guess that I have a bit more 'mechanics oriented' approach to design than you, but that's fine. I also tend to structure my ideas more toward the traditional adventure format and I know that I will need to loosen that up for the Tainted Lands.

Next up, I am working on a new undead creature that steals a character's very dreams! I will work on it this weekend and try to have it up by Monday.

[serleran]

Please allow me to take a stab at this horror thing, if I may... Please remember I do not own this book, yet, so I have no idea its presentation or whether something like this exists in its pages.
Forest of Forbidden Fruit -- This wild copse is a pristine example of nature at its best, full of life and the beauty that attracts the more urbane who come to sample all it offers, from the taste of exotic berries to the merry games of free fey -- once within the wooded hold, all are welcome. However, this delicate facade belies a hidden secret which reveals itself when the shadows rise. At night, a glaring silence descends and the expanse of the land seems to grow darker, trees and brush more tightly packed across the canopy. Any living creature not native to the area feels a rush of paranoia, but those especially affected are the attractive or domineering, as if several eyes are watching every action, sometimes even hearing a faint echo, whispered words of doom and dread. These unfortunate few find the sensations withdrawn in the safeguard of the few scattered buildings left from attempts to tame -- should one give into the fear, the effect is amplified, and often leads the unknowing or unwary to an early grave. It is unknown why this happens, but rumors speak of foul curses and ancient forays into necromantic magic -- the truth is likely buried deep in the bowels, and be even nastier than anyone has imagined.
Game Effects

1) Any creature of 5 Hit Dice or more that is witnessed by a non-native of the Forest of Forbidden Fruit is considered to generate a cause fear effect as if cast by a spellcaster of 7th level; halflings and those which are ordinarily immune to fear are not granted that against this effect, and must save -- they do, however, receive a +3 bonus to do so.

2) Any character having a Charisma score of 13 or greater, or one that has Charisma as Prime is afflicted with a high level of paranoia, causing them to believe that something is "out there" and will, eventually, get in -- this is a constant effect and must be role-played. As time advances, the effect increases, eventually causing the character to leave wherever they are, or to attempt an escape using whatever means are disposable; generally, each hour of the night, the Castle Keeper can allow a save against a cumulative difficulty (suggested to be 3, increasing by 2 / hour) against Charisma to resist the urge and remain somewhat calm (the character is, at best, jittery and easily agitated.)

3) A creature that chases a character while outside of the defense of a structure, such as on an open field or trail, will, regardless of movement type or speed, always be within visual and striking range, possibly even ahead of the running character -- this is not a magical effect, but one caused by the mental state of the victim, who, thinking they are escaping, has actually led themselves into a trap.

4) The use of magical light is greatly reduced in efficiency -- the daylight spell has no effect and all other light-based magics are reduced to 1st level effect, regardless of caster level or source.

All game effects caused by the Forest of Forbidden Fruit are removed once daylight encroaches.
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Serl's Corner

[Lurker]

Rhuvein wrote:
I don't think I can hold off any longer on buying this supplement/mod/game . . . Looks (and sounds) FAB!

ME TOO! I have promised myself that I won't buy anymore books (game or other wise) until after all things Christmas are bought, After that this little jewel will be mine.!

Serl, great one there, Very good dark fairytale kind of feel!

Anthony, good stuff too. Parade of the damned will be stolen and used in my own home brew world! Even without tainted lands it's a great idea!
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Forgive all spelling errors.

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[James M. Ward]

Serleran;

Hopefully you will get a copy of the TAINTED LANDS soon. Your forest is wonderful, but wouldn't be found in the lands. There isn't daylight in the lands. However, your excellent chunk of woods would easily be home for a portal into the TAINTED LANDS. The magical effects you so aptly describe could easily be a result of the portal that waits like a spider at the center of a woodsy web.

Again, I think some of the horror elements suggested in the TAINTED LANDS box set would really help these woods along.

James M. Ward