Scourge of the Slave Lords I: Introduction

I have only run this campaign once before, and even then I disliked the 'railroad' aspects of it - the characters must be captured at certain points. I don't like removing player agency in this way, but in any case this kind of approach is not really necessary. The best way to deal with it is to think more carefully about how to integrate such a plot line into one's campaign; the rest will take care of itself. 

I learned this when I ran it before. The first railroad stop comes when, early on in proceedings, two possible attacks on the PCs are given: one on land and the other if they are travelling by sea. On the previous outing (over 25 years ago!) I inserted it into an ongoing Lankhmar campaign, and the group was attacked at sea. There was an especially memorable fight with one of the players left in a state of collapse against the last of the boarders who were supposed to capture everyone; it came right down to the final die roll before the hero (Bob, for 'twas he - Bob the thief played by Bob) finally slipped into unconsciousness. He took the last of the attackers with him though, and after a few hours' drifting everyone woke up, lucky to be alive - or so they thought. Even then, I realised that it was best to give the players a chance, and the dice fell true for them, although only just.

It turned out not to be necessary to do any more than this, because the very thought of a powerful group of opponents trying to remove them as a potential threat enraged the players so much that they single-mindedly hunted down their new enemies. This in turn set up a memorable return match as Edralve escaped, and Bob spent the next few months bemoaning her loss as he fell in love with her. Of course, she returned later as we moved onto the Queen of the Spiders...

This experience taught me that I don't really need a railroad at all, so long as the characters are fully engaged (enraged?), so I didn't bother with the capture of the party at the end of the campaign. The plan was to do something similar with it this time. I only have three players, each with one character, but they are all extremely powerful. I don't know what they would be in D&D terms because the skills system doesn't translate easily, but I would reckon somewhere between 12th-15th level. I know that the so-called 'sweet spot' for D&D is usually reckoned to be around Levels 6-9, or something like that. Here the group is powerful enough to shrug off minor encounters with low power monsters, but still not strong enough to become complacent and/or arrogant. However, the same effect comes into play with a low number of very powerful protagonists, something I discovered from my previous role-playing career. And anyway, the Stormbringer system is designed for deadliness; even though I have taken out some of the random swings, the players are always aware of just how dangerous life can be in their world. The result is an enjoyably intense experience for all, including me as GM-type person.

Campaign narrative

After all the excitement against the Dark in Y'shath, followed by the appearance of Castle Amber and their trip to Averoigne, the group is feted by the local population before returning to the rest of their trading expedition in Valed-Hal. They are getting used to life in this part of the world, but there is still one part of the eastern continent that they have not yet visited, the final destination they envisage for their trade network: Elwher, the capital of fabled Eshmir. A delegation from the Valederian Directorates joins with them, since this is a great opportunity for everyone involved. The Valederians provide a sleek war galley plus an escort of four smaller vessels, and the flotilla sets off around the southern tip of Okara before turning northwards along the coast. Everything is very quiet on the voyage; the only time they sight another sail, it slips back over the horizon as if avoiding them. A few uneventful weeks later sees them in Elwher.

Although this great city is the capital of a major polity, it sits uncomfortably near the border with Changshai to the south. This is unfortunate to say the least, since that country has been ravaged by a civil war between two royal brothers, one of whom has fled and taken refuge in Elwher. Known as The Drei Myur, the elder brother is seen as rightful King of Changshai by many. 'Drei' is an honorific that is intended only for the King, and translates roughly as 'Exalted One'; Myur is his actual name. However, his younger brother by two years, Stalman Klim, surprised the Royal Guards in an attempted coup, which Myur barely escaped, fleeing to Eshmir for asylum. This led a few years ago to a major invasion by the usurper, which was defeated by the Eshmirian army in a great battle in the hill country to the south of their capital. Changshai retreated, and Eshmir followed up by annexing the hill lands to provide a buffer zone should the southerners attack again. Unwilling to follow up further into Changshai, the two states have settle down to a sullen series of border skirmishes. Changshai is heavily forested, and just to the south of the new border lies The Great Hunting, an enormous sub-tropical forest that stretches for hundreds of miles, and comprising most of the country's landmass. It is bisected by the great River of Silk that leads directly to the capital of Tanghensi. The Eshmirians are wary of being caught in such demanding terrain, realising that they would not be able to defend adequately against guerrilla tactics - so they don't try. There are also dark whispers that Stalman Klim has gained great powers from a deeply unclean source, with many saying that he is in league with the Warrior Priests of Chaos, the dreaded Protectors of Phum.

The arrival of the expedition causes great excitement in Elwher. The easterners are great merchants themselves, and the chance to enhance their links with the Valederians alone is a welcome opportunity. The presence of the exotic westerners adds to the excitement - who knows what wealth could be generated by such a world-spanning development? The players realise that these optimistic eastern folks are always shooting for the moon, as they say in Elwher; taking a chance seems to be part of their nature. "After all, if we don't try, we can't gain - and most of the fun is in the trying" runs an old Eshmirian proverb.

The figurehead ruler of this nation is traditionally an empress, but the real work of governing is done by her council, composed by the princes of the great trading families. The empress keeps herself to herself in the Forbidding City right at the heart of Elwher and there are all sorts of stories about her doings, secret forays into the city in the guise of a commoner, and so on - nobody really seems to know the truth, but everyone seems quite happy to speculate cheerfully. Alexia, who originally came from here, is the daughter of a renowned and revered courtesan - that's the kind of place this is - fills the party in on protocol and that staple of the Eshmirian diet, gossip. The players settle down into a lively pattern of talks and celebrations.

GM's notes

I have riffed off various sources for some of this background material, inventing bits and elaborating on hints to suit myself. I deliberately renamed the Usurper of Changshai, for example; Stalman Klim is the leader of the Slave Lords in the campaign module...