The Wintersgate Campaign picked up after the end of the Traveller game, with a setting that I’ve discussed a few times over the course of the last couple of years. It’s fundamentally using the AD&D engine, including Unearthed Arcana , but simplified somewhat and taking a handful of lessons and house-rules from later editions. Starting off in the small mountain town of Wintergate far in the north of the Silver Mountains, between the central Heartlands and the Northern Marches, and on the furtherest most edges of the great Realm of Aquitaine. The party initially formed a part of mercenary company raised by the Lord Dameron By-The-Sea for the purpose of retrieving an at first unnamed family heirloom (later revealed to be a family tome that held records of the family geneology as well as other various secrets) from the long-lost and hidden stronghold called Quasqueton, the hidden refuge of the warrior Roghann and his companion, the mage Zelligar.
The town Wintergate is itself quite interesting, holding an old Leygate that seemingly doesn’t work anymore, but still stays somewhat magically active – rimed with frost even on the hottest of summer days. The initial group of Favion, Demetrious, Matthias, Giselle, Darvin, and Aoine; being more adept in the wilderness than most of the rest of the company, were sent out to immediately start scouting the area and curry favor with the locals. The initial set of adventures involved finding rescuing hamlet from a bear, and the bear from some goblins with Aoine making friends with “Larry” the bear and Favion saving the life of one of the locals, a hunter and scout by the name of Dieter, and converting him the En Khoda Theos Kirk as a result. The party also fall afoul of the Erlking, the local elven lord, who was reputed to be quite evil and seeing men as nothing more than pests and vermin. They were marked and cursed as being under the Erlking’s eye and it was only local lore that helped them avoid the effects of the curse. Next the group found and was befriended by “Old Meg” a mysterious local wise woman and probable witch who had lived outside the village for generations. Here the party was joined by Kenza Nodgen, while Darvin found other duties with Lord Dameron.
The party was instrumental in helping Lord Dameron meet his goals, but ended up having to travel to the Shrine of the Great Dragon’s Heart to remove the Erlkings curse, and stopping by the reclusive druid Torrin’s valley and grove along the way for advice and aid. Recovering the relic Vasara, the infamous Hammer of Foes, holy to the En Khoda Theos Kirk, and the followers of the Great Dragon of the Earth in particular. They also stumbled across a hidden base of the Cult of Shator in the Northern Wyld, slaying all within (save one concubine that escaped), they freed the cult’s slaves and helped them return to civilization. They also fought and vanquished a rival band of mercenaries who seemed to worked against or in parallel to them, under contract with a rival of Lord Dameron. They eventually found the lost fortress of Quasqueton with the help of the Druid Torrin and Old Meg. The empty halls were terrifying, haunted by both unquiet spirits and the twisted, corrupted remnants of various servants. The group managed, with help of the formless spirit of the half-elven advisor Maravek, to close the door-gate that had cursed the fortress and it’s inhabitants.
Released from Lord Dameron’s service upon their success (though Dorje Favion was quite mistrustful and more inclined to destroy the book than turn it over) the party (Demetrious, Aoine, Giselle, Torsten, Favion, and Aubrey) then arranged for travel to the independent city of Aldebaran to rest, relax, study and train before adventuring again. The party was well-received, though they quickly found the politics of the city far greater than they had even experienced before and they often struggled to avoid missteps and pay their dues (literal and figurative). The powerful relic-weapon Vasara was turned over to the care and keeping of Great Kirk of Aldebaran and the party eventually agreed to help the Grey Elf lord Inglor Daerin recover a family heirloom that had been stolen in ancient history, and then became entangled in the attempt of the long-forgotten Demon Prince of Carnage and Destruction’s attempt to re-enter the Mortal Realms. Trapped in the Sea of Storms in the Great Ether Maelstrom, the party experienced the fatefalls of a timestorm and Aoine recovered the Heartfire Staff while they fought off the memory of the Demon Prince with mixed success. They party was broken when Aubrey was rescued by divine providence from Giselle after she slew him over concerns over the fate of those members of the party who had been contaminated by the Demon Prince – proof positive of the pall that it cast over the whole of the party.
It is unknown if Aubrey will return to seek revenge upon those who betrayed him.
Player A:
– Kenza Demetrious – LG – Common Man – Warrior-Monk (Elemental Earth) – 6th Level – HP: 48 – A large, burly man 21 years of age, he more fits the image of wandering friar than warrior-monk. Concerned more with the contents and availability of his next meal due to nearly staving on the streets as a child, Demetrious was brought into the Order of the Heart of Stone and trained with them. Perhaps not the best example of a warrior-monk, but certainly not the worst either.
Player JR:
– Initiate Aoine – TN / Balance – Common Man (F) – Druid (Old Faith) – 6th Level – HP: 35 – A bit of prodigy at 16 years old, and the youngest member of the group, Aine has taken very early vows in the Ban-Draoi, the distaff Order of Druids. Likable, friendly, and inquisitive, she gets along well with almost everyone she comes in contact with. She is now the bearer of the legendary Heartfire Staff, and continues to explore what that might bring.
- Companion – Edgar – Raven – HD: 6 – HP: 25
- Companion – Eichhorn – Squirrel – HD: 1/2 – HP: 4
Player KR:
– Giselle – ?? / Chaos – Common Man (F) – Thief-Champion (Midnight Sun) – 6th Level – HP: 29 – A rogue and a thief, Giselle signed up for Lord Dameron’s expedition one step ahead of the law. Since then, she has taken her place as a Champion of the Midnight Sun after slaying one by stealth all by herself and taking up the knife, Soft Word. She, like all Champions, but perhaps slightly more than most, is a chosen favorite whose role is to remind others that none are immune to his touch.
- Henchman – Torsten – Common Man – Fighter – 3rd Level – HP: 23 – Once in service to Lord Dameron, Torsten has since taken to service with Giselle and serves as a very useful henchman both in taking care of camp and the horses and keeping an ear to the ground for news that might be of interest.
– “Max” – NG / Balance – Common Man – Bard (Old Faith) – 3rd Level – HP: ?? – Excited to have joined the party, Max was asked to by his superiors in the Druidic Orders after their encounter with the Demon Prince as a watchful eye for possible further corruption. In the meantime however, he’s happy to provide both lore and entertainment, as well as make and spread tales of the party’s exploits.
Player MS:
– Guru Favion Zave – CG – Common Man – Cleric (Elemental Fire) – 6th Level – HP: 41 – The “old man” of the group, Dorje Favion serves the Great Dragon of Fire and Flame and was initially treated as the leader of the group by Lord Dameron before Initiate Aoine eclipsed him. Since leaving Lord Dameron’s service he and Aoine have co-led the group in a somewhat strained alliance. Seeing the politics of the Kirk in Aldebaran has tested Favion’s faith, and he’s unsure what to do in the future – as well as plagued by his memories of the Demon Prince.
Player TW:
– “Arrow” Flynn – NG – Common Man – Archer-Ranger – 6th Level – HP: 66 – A very new addition to the party, Flynn is a skilled archer and a faithful, though irreverent, follower of the Old Faith as a ranger. He has been asked by the elders of his Lodge to help watch over and protect the Initiate Aoine in her travels and adventures.
Non-Player Character’s:
-TBD-
RETIRED CHARACTERS (PLAYERS):
Player CR:
– Darvin – NG – Common Man – Ranger – 1st Level – HP: 20 – Orphaned at a young age by a goblin attack, he was raised with a number of other orphans of the same series of attacks by the druid, Ollorin. Darvin has devoted himself to hunting down goblinkin in revenge ever since. As an adult, he’s taken Aine under his wing to a degree, as she reminds him of his dead sister. Despite this, he left the party to better serve the Lord Dameron, see that he was well taken care of and able to handle herself well.
Player KB:
– Matthias – NG – Common Man – Fighter – 1st Level – HP: 10 – A member of reaver sea-clans, Matthias had a falling out with his family and clan for unclear reasons. A skilled warrior, but with a questionable history, he struggled slightly to find work. As such, he was willing to sign on with this expedition, far from the seas – much farther than he had ever been. He left the party to escort slaves that they had freed from Beastmen back to civilization and freedom.
Player JR:
– Gned Fairvale – NG – Gnome – Ranger (Old Faith) – 2nd Level – HP: 29 – Rescued from the Beastmen, Gned took temporary service with Aoine in repayment for this. When the party decided to travel to Aldebaran, he stayed behind with his people.
Player MS:
– Dieter of Greenwood – CG – Common Man – Scout – 2nd Level – HP: 12 – Saved from death by Guru Favion, Dieter converted from the Old Faith to Kirk and took service with the Guru as thanks. When the party left for Aldebaran. Guru Favion dismissed him to return to his home, fearful that he would be slain in the adventures to come.
Non-Player Character’s:
– Aubrey – TN / Balance – Common Man – Mage (Lady Night) – 6th Level – HP: 33 – An unlikeable but effective wizard and seeker of lore, Aubrey was sent by his master to help Lord Dameron with his quest. When the party succeeded, he travelled with as it seemed the most expedient way of returning to civilization. He left the party when Giselle attacked him out of fear of what he would do to the demon-haunted members (Favion, Demetrious, and Flynn) and Lady Night saved him from the attack. His present whereabouts and demeanor are unknown.
- Familiar – Rook – Albino raven – HD: 1d4+7 – HP: 11
DECEASED CHARACTERS:
Player GM:
– Kenza Nodgen – NG / Balance – Common Man – Champion (Elemental Earth) – 1st Level – HP: 12 – Only with the party for a short time while they were in service to Lord Dameron By-The-Sea, he was brave servant of the Great Dragon of Earth and died fighting Beastmen and the Cult of Shator in the Northern Wyld, helping to liberate many slaves.
Non-Player Character’s:
– Gwion – NG / Balance – Common Man – Bard (Old Faith) – 4th Level – HP: 18 – A likeable and personable young man, Gwion was a unlikely friend to Aubrey and popular with the group and Lord Dameron until he was slain in the haunted halls of Quasqueton.
Fleur du mal 