Topic: Crowdsourcing an Adventure Path?

[egdcltd]

Some timeline thoughts.

When was the settlement founded, and by what nation/race? Was something on the site during the Second Era and, if so, was it invaded by Ulor during that era.

Did Ulor invade/garrison the settlement during the more recent Third Era invasion?

[egdcltd]

The settlement, given its location, is probably a decent, but imperfect, place to have a town. It's entirely possible that there has been a settlement on the site since the Second Era, but if it had been a perfect site I would expect it to be bigger. Given the location on the map where I thing it would be, west of Rapata in a narrow, mountainous neck of land, it looks like it would be very close to the Saral March/Kaldsfang Mountains, so arable land could be limited. Much of the farming could be sheep.

If the local priest belongs to the Cult of the Blue Dragon, I would expect the majority of the population to be Lotana.

[egdcltd]

Okay, here are some jottings.

c-40k to -20k Jinteni mine the Saral March

SEI c1500 Fishing settlement founded on the location. Village expands, with farmers, miners and trappers coming into the area.
1930 Settlement becomes part of Xa-ar
3833 Lorgalis invades the town
c6825 Wars of Dominion. Town utterly destroyed.

TEI c1000 Settlement rebuilt.
c5000 Lotana settle in the area
c5121 Town conquered again by Lorgalis

[bpowell]

Okay, here are some jottings.

c-40k to -20k Jinteni mine the Saral March

SEI c1500 Fishing settlement founded on the location. Village expands, with farmers, miners and trappers coming into the area.
1930 Settlement becomes part of Xa-ar
3833 Lorgalis invades the town
c6825 Wars of Dominion. Town utterly destroyed.

TEI c1000 Settlement rebuilt.
c5000 Lotana settle in the area
c5121 Town conquered again by Lorgalis

Hmmmm, I will pull out my Xa-ar Source book, but I have no issues with this.  I just want to make sure we all are working from the same starting point in time.  I thought we had tossed out starting around 6053 or so.  Just as Lorgalis it trying to re-reconquer the area (Will he never learn?)

-BP

[egdcltd]

Some of the dates are cribbed directly from the Xa-ar book, so they shouldn't contradict anything. More detail and dates could probably do with adding though. Perhaps a pull-out date of any Ulor troops, as the settlement is quite minor, and they would be needed elsewhere. It would seem likely that Quaidu still occasionally visit to extort a bit of money from the place.

Lorgalis has managed to successfully conquer to region twice. Keeping it has proven a little more difficult, mostly due to lack of troops.

[bpowell]

I have seen he has conquered the area twice, but been overthrown each time.  Got to love this conquered that try again and again.  Gives us something t write about 

I see the Quaidu in the area as transient.  The local population would not allow a build up, because as mention in previous posts they are big, armed and can use the arms.  In town 2 or 3 might nor be too big of an issue, but more than that and they would run the town.  Therefore the sheriff run then out (with help) in ones and twos after a few days.

-BP

[egdcltd]

There are transient, but probably comparatively powerful, groups of Quaidu roaming the region extracting "tribute for Ulor." These groups may be too large to defend against without too much potential loss; simply paying them a fee may be far more cost effective.

[bpowell]

There are transient, but probably comparatively powerful, groups of Quaidu roaming the region extracting "tribute for Ulor." These groups may be too large to defend against without too much potential loss; simply paying them a fee may be far more cost effective.

I see this happening in the farm lands around the town a lot.  Even small numbers the farmers would not be a match and would gladly pay them what they want.  I can see in town I can see the populace paying up for large groups.  Smaller ones would be kicked out.

-BP

[egdcltd]

Yes, groups of half a dozen Quaidu or so would be a threat to smaller communities, but not to the town. Groups of a couple of dozen and more would be a greater threat. Whilst perhaps not big enough to realistically damage the town all that much, they could easily wreck havoc in the surrounding area, causing long-term damage to crops, livestock and income, and the town would be unlikely to have a mobile force capable of taking the field against armed soldiers. Or, at least, not more than once.

[bpowell]

I think we are in agreement.  Page 15 of the Xa-ar Source book mentions in the summer of 6053 the Quaidu forces are "fragmented and disorganized" and that "civilian populations are beginning to rise up".  So maybe the town is trying to gain control over this as the Ulor forces flow north.  So I think in the farmlands readily pay them.  I can see some of them seeing town merchants as almost the same thing.  I see the "townies" as wanting to buy cheap and sell dear.

I know I seem to be fixated on this but it lets me know what the political/social standing in the town currently.  I see a small council, with a mayor elected from the council.  There are factions in town that are fighting behind the scenes.   Ideas?  Agreements?

-BP

[Arc]

Good discussion! I agree and think it's important to lock these things in before proceeding. My only question is that why the Quaidu refugees have not banded together and just "take" the town? Is it too poor and shabby, too hostile, or is there something else keeping them at bay (order of elder or winter light)

Another thing to lock in is racial composition. Jameri/Haid/Lotana/Elves. This will determine many things as well (like the presence of the dragon cult etc).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bpowell]

Well we are talking a days easy ride out of Rapata.  I do not know if the city has a military force (I assume some force is required).  I would not see the civic leaders allowing a Ulor (Quaidu) force to establish itself that close.  If it was more than a day or so away then the loss of a coastal fishing village might not be a blip on the radar.

So the nearness of reinforcements, a mediocre defensive position, citizens willing to fight all added up to moving on and pillaging farms where you can get what you want (food, shelter and the like)  at an easier cost.

Of course, a towns person having a connection to the Winter's Light, might be a twist.  In a future adventure the party must sneak out of  besieged town and get word to Rapata (Not like I have planned that...  )

-BP

[bpowell]

OK, you all have to admit your mind when to a young boy jumping on a horse and riding east yelling "The Quaidu are coming!!"

-BP

[egdcltd]

The town is some distance from the Quaidu's real strong points, so I would assume their forces are limited this far east, especially as Rapata kicked out their overlords 100 years ago, and would be unlikely to tolerate a significant presence on their doorstep.

For the racial makeup, I'm assuming more Lotana than is common thus far east. Partly so we can have a Blue Dragon cultist and justified by there being more Lotana in Rapata than most of the eastern towns.

The mayor and council sound fine, but I think any factions will be limited - the town is simply too small to have many.

[Arc]

If there is more Lotana than usual here, why is that a case? Holy ground? Historical significance? Dragon sighting? Maybe the Blue Dragon used to visit the Jinteni mines? This could also mean that some townies have Winter Light connections.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jdale]

How unified are the Quaidu? Would it make sense to have Quaidu deserters? They might be more interested in disappearing from the rest of the Quaidu forces than in conquering (though people may not trust that). A small, inconsequential town suits that purpose. Not sure if it makes sense for them, just tossing it out there.

[egdcltd]

If there is more Lotana than usual here, why is that a case? Holy ground? Historical significance? Dragon sighting? Maybe the Blue Dragon used to visit the Jinteni mines? This could also mean that some townies have Winter Light connections.

There would appear to be more Lotana in Rapata than is usually seen this far east, going by the guidebook, so I would therefore assume there would be a temple of the Cult in the city and more Lotana in the surrounding are (overspill from the city). Perhaps this comes from a historical sighting of the Blue Dragon some years back. And yes, with more Lotana, I would assume a greater chance of the Winter Light. Also, the Lotana are some of the most resistant to Ulor's rule.

Regarding the Order of the Elder, Vanimar Krissa apparently has a house just outside Rapata. He could therefore be near enough to interact with the players.

Yes, some Quaidu are probably looking to properly desert, rather than just doing their own thing. Whether or not they are welcomed is a different question.

[tbigness]

This brings in a plot for a PC who is Quaidu and may be looking to desert or get information. Could be interesting as a player who everyone wants to kill or run out of town until he/she proves themselves. Or could be a person of interest in the town that owns a business (blacksmith, wheelwright, carpenter or something) that acts as a contact with rumors or information. Could give out side quest for some reason that may or may not help or hinder the shadow arc plot through the modules.

[egdcltd]

Terry, what levels are the various Rapata adventures aimed at (I'm getting a bit ahead of myself here I admit; not unusual). There's Rose Petals & Snow Lions from GA2, as well as the three in the Xa-ar sourcebook.

Continuing with the getting ahead of myself theme, one possible long term plot would be to deal with the Orb of Unlife; this doesn't have an actual adventure in Xa-ar, just a location description.

Back to the Lotana again, there are enough in Rapata that they have two or three temples in the city, so a Lotana-dominated village close to the city is definitely plausible.

[bpowell]

How unified are the Quaidu? Would it make sense to have Quaidu deserters? They might be more interested in disappearing from the rest of the Quaidu forces than in conquering (though people may not trust that). A small, inconsequential town suits that purpose. Not sure if it makes sense for them, just tossing it out there.

OK, not letting real life be injected here, but my experience in the Middle East would show that bands of armed fighters are a real issue.  In Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq I saw small groups of armed thugs holding villages and "consuming" natural resources.  The fact that they had weapons and some training made them more than enough to terrorize the locals.

Those villages that successfully resisted had weapons (usually taken from previous bands) and the training of resiting in the past.  They also knew the area better than the thugs.  As mention previously I see them as a small band, maybe as smalls 4-5 Quaidu.  They are just fleeing the fighting in the South and trying to find a place to hide from Ulor.  Only a few would be hardened and what we see as evil.  The later would not be satisfied with being paid off.

As for racial make-up I can only go with the Xa-ar sourcebook.  On page 23 TKA mentions the two places what we are using as the linchpins of the area, Tepentor to the west and Rapata to the East.  In Tepentor the Lotana are not even mentioned.  While in the larger town, Ratapa, the Lotana are mentioned.  I am assuming American product listing methods here so I might be wrong, but he mentions Jameri as the majority (barely), followed bu Haid, and then the Lotana.

I am not against having the Lotana in the area, I am just not understanding the need to have them as a majority in the town.  If it is to have a priest of the Blue Dragon that can be handled by having several of the farmhold on the eastern side of the towns influence being Lotana in make-up.  They have moved out of Rapata in the last few generations.  The Priest has come her as a basis of gathering supplies, i.e. Herbs from the Innkeepers wife.  Since we have determined the area of influence of the town to be about 20 miles, this could be explained.

Is the Cult of the Blue Dragon necessary for an adventure hook you have in mind?

-BP