Ssstrange Company

 

Miss Cordie's Homestead

"Welcome, young'uns," Miss Cordie offered in greeting as the unsuspecting would-be adventurers filed into her humble abode.

"Ainsley," Miss Cordie called out.

The so-named gal stepped through the kitchen door, with the blue-eyed hound dog Teeter at her heels.

"Yes, Miss Cordie," she replied.  

"Fetch us all a pitcher of lemonade and come sit.  We got some tidings to discuss."

Ainsley Kells smiled cryptically to herself and disappeared back into the kitchen.

Miss Cordie took er favorite rocking chair next to the large picture window that looked out over her covered porch and into the hills surrounding the Holler.

The house itself was small, but cozy.  The main room, where all were now assembled, was part living room, part study and part storage closet.  In addition to Miss Cordie's rocking chair, several tables were set up throughout the chamber, with a particularly large example placed right in the center of the room.  Each table was covered with (well, strewn with would have been more accurate) with a hodge podge of bundled herbs, half burnt candles, scrolls, jars, beakers and dozens of other trinkets.

Although cluttered, it was well known that Miss Cordie had a keen mind, and it was unlikely that she did not know the identity and placement of every single item in her sanctum.

In the blink of an eye, Ainsley returned with the pitcher of lemonade and several mugs.  She set the tray down and very efficiently cleared out a space by the window and pulled up several chairs for all their visiting guests, who took their seats and chatted familiarly amongst themselves.

Once everyone was seated, Miss Cordie drew out her pipe and carefully set it to light.  After a few moments of refection, the host set to the purpose of the gathering.

"Thank y'all fer comin' out to visit this afternoon," she began. "You might think it odd that I should call such a meeting on a cheery Sunday afternoon,"

"I assure you I would not have done so if it warn't fer a matter of some import."

"I also have it in my mind that each of ye are the restless sort, strong with the spirit of, if not all necessarily the blood of, mighty Cu Chulainn.  Each of y'are now of the age of adulthood, and are as such, the masters of yer own destinies.

Corda Broome drew long on her corncob pipe.

"Such bein' the case, I have a proposition for ye," she said, almost mischievously.  "An opportunity presents itself to scratch that restless itch and seek out a bit o' adventure."

The young villagers looked at each other excitedly.  Was the well respected wise woman going to send them out on an epic quest of some kind?  Sensing their eagerness, the greying dame quickly supplied a bit of reality.

"Now afore y'all get to worked up, mind ye, this proposition ain't fer no grand quest across the breadth of the Splinters, or no such thing."

"But it ain't fer no trifling matter, neither.  Before I proceed what say y'all?  Are y'interested?"

With a consensus of expressions from the assembled lot, Miss Cordie continued.

She let out a series of short barks and whistles, and, as if from tin air, a number of small, snouted faces peeked out furtively from around various barrels, tables and other items of furniture.

Kobolds!

Before a general alarm could break out, Miss Cordie shushed all present.

Settle down, settle down!" she admonished.  "Don't ye fear.  They ain't here for no mischief.  The are my guests and are sworn to be on their best behavior!  Ain't that right, MakTuk?"

In response, one of the kobolds perched behind a particularly large barrel slipped out from behind its hidey hole.

"You ssspeak truly, Corda Broome," it spoke in halting common speech. ''We have come to you in a time of great need."

Miss Cordie reached into the folds of her garment and drew forth what seemed to be a blackened rock.  She handed it to Ainsley, who then passed it around to the others for examination.  The stone was smooth and somehow familiar to the touch, and yet unlike any stone they had seen before.  When it returned to Miss Cordie, she held it forth before them.

"What we have here, my young friends, is a curious matter.  It appears that my other guests have stumbled upon an old dwarven mine and got themselves into a bit of a pickle."

"The mine was a jade mine, and as you all are like t'know, the dwarves o' the Splinters mind the jade very carefully.  What I have here before you is a bit o' that precious stone, though not as such as I have ever seen before."

"It's been burned from the inside out . . . "

At the mention of the withered stone, the kobold identified as MakTuk burst out in fervent request.

"We bessseech you, Corda Broome!"  it pled aloud in its growling tone. "Your wisssdom and invessstment in the Green is well known, even to usss.  We do not posssesss the meansss to confront these wretched eventsss, we have been driven from our dwellingsss . . . "

Miss Cordie held up her hand.

"Whether it be by your own deeds, or no, I do not sense any wicked intent from you MakTuk of the scaly folk.  Such bein' your case, it is to the benefit of your people, and my own, and to the Green, that we suss out th' truth o' this matter.

She then turned back to the assembled young adventurers.

"Well, there y' have it young'uns.  Something has burned jade from the inside out, one of our most valuable warding stones against the Black.  I need more of it to examine, and yon scaly folk lack the capacity to retrieve it for me, having been driven out of their abodes."

"What say y'all?"

SETTING THE GAME TABLE - Wizards and Their Ways

 

A Wizard's Work Bench

In the environs of Firefly Holler, those who pursue the wizardly arts do not compile spellbooks, as legend says the great mages of old were wont to do.  instead, a wizard infuses each of his spells into a singular fetish.  Such trinkets can take nearly any form, although all are peculiar in some way.

Three iron nails wrapped in a copper wire  A handful of beads strung on a leather cord.  An eagle's feather tucked into the brim of a cap.  Only the imagination of the wizard themself is the limit.

In game terms, each spell known to a wizard must be "written" into a singular fetish item.  If the fetish is lost or destroyed, use the rules on page 114 of the PHB for how o handle.  The same for "copying" spells into your own system of magical trinkets.

As an additional aside, included below are house rules for The Occult skill and how translocational magics are adjudicated:

DARK TIDES HOUSE RULES 

THE OCCULT (Int Skill Check)

You are educated in the field of occult study and can use your Intelligence to answer both simple and complex questions related to such topics as possession and haunting, psychic mysteries and traditions, ley lines, occult rituals and symbols, and aberrations.

CONJURATION

Teleportation and Other Translocation Spells: A teleportation spell transports one or more creatures or objects a great distance. The most powerful of these spells can cross planar boundaries. Unlike summoning spells, the transportation is (unless otherwise noted) one-way and not dispellable. Teleportation is instantaneous travel through the Astral Plane. Anything that blocks astral travel also blocks teleportation.

In Primordia the path through the Astral Plane passes dangerously close to Outer Realms whose names mortals dare not speak.  As a result, powerful Teleportation magic (spells of 5th level or higher, or spell-like abilities of comparable effect) requires lengthy rituals that both focus the caster's concentration and draw up powerful psychic defenses.  Such rituals can take an hour or more to perform, require significant resources, and are still not guaranteed of success.

Traveling so close to alien planes far removed from your home plane creates a risk that you will incur a decrease in Intelligence and Charisma due to your brain being overwhelmed.  You must succeed on an Intelligence check against DC16 to avoid a decrease in Intelligence and Charisma. If the check fails, your Intelligence and Charisma scores each fall to 8 for 5 weeks, and you become unable to cast arcane spells. No magic short of a wish is known to overcome such a blight.  You cannot take 10 on this check. If you lose Intelligence and Charisma, the effect strikes as soon as the spell is completed.

The success of casting Teleportation in Primordia cannot exceed the threshold of "seen casually," i.e. the chance of success can never be greater than: On target 01-88%, Off target 89-94%, Similar area 95-98%, Mishap 99-100%.

ROGUES GALLERY - Amos "Doc" Faust

 

Amos "Doc" Faust

AMOS "DOC" FAUST

NG Human Bard 8

Amos Faust was man of middling years when he met Davina of the Calladyr Sheehee. She was beautiful and youthful in appearance even though she had been born long before Amos had ever walked Primordia. He never understood why a Sheehee maiden would ever take interest in an old mountain savage like himself… but she had, and they were very happy together. Davina had borne him a son, who the locals know as Ransom, and they worked their small farm together. Then when young Ransom was only knee-high to a grasshopper Davina left them. Amos never knew why, perhaps she just grew bored when her “Sheehee wanderlust" beckoned to her. Or maybe it was “Old Scratch” what took her down to his black furnaces when she was off foraging for herbs for making medicinal poultices to sell in town. 

Whatever it was that took her from Amos she was well and truly gone and had been for nearly twenty years. Now Amos was an old man, but he’d taught Ransom all he knew. He taught him how to spin a tale and play a banjo, how to hunt, and how to fight. Amos’ crooked hands and stooped shoulders didn’t allow him to do much nowadays except to cook up a mighty fine ‘shine and make poultices to remedy what ailed folks. He is well-respected in Firefly Holler and has delivered most of the babies born there over the last 20 years or so and folks had gone to calling him “Old Doc Faust.” 

Ransom, on the other hand, had a bit of Old Scratch in him, but he was a good boy at heart. He’d taken to chasin’ after the young lasses and wrastlin’ and fightin’ the other young bucks in the Holler, but who hadn’t at his age? But Amos knew he wasn’t long for the world, and he could tell that the Sheehee side of Ransom was a callin’ to him and it was only a matter of time before the young'un would answer it

ROGUES GALLERY - Ainsley Kells

 

AINSLEY KELLS 

CG Human Bard 1

Ainsley Kells is a handful.  Ask anybody in Firefly Holler.  Just not when she's in earshot, 'cuz if she is she'll tell you rightoff that she's the most ladylike gal in her whole clan and then she'll give your ears a shot with the flat of her palm.

At sixteen years old, she's a bit older than most of the gals that've come to stay with Miss Cordie when they first rrive, but there is a very particular reason why the grayin' wise woman took her on.

'Cuz, even though everybody knows she's a wild'un, everybody also knows that Ainsley Kells is touched by the Old Ways.  She has the healer's knack and a singin' voice so angelic it would make even the most crotchety ol' dwarf shed a tear.  With several more years a' larnin' and a bit less sassin' and fightin,' she might one day measure up to be a fine wise woman.

No further sign's needed than to know that Miss Cordie's ol' blue-eyed hound dog, Teeter, is just as often found crawlin' through the brambles or a'gallivantin' along the streams with Miss Cordie's ward, than he is attendin' to his mistress.

The folk of Firefly Holler just hope Miss Cordie will be able to work some lastin' sense into the gal before all's said and done!

ROGUES GALLERY - Corda "Miss Cordie" Broome

 

CORDA "Miss Cordie" BROOME

NG Human Warlock 4 / Cleric (Nature) 3

They say Miss Cordie was touched, even as a young'un.  As she grew older, she always seemed to have a great bond with, and peculiar knowledge of, the Old Ways.

Her "peculiarity" ensured that she never found a proper husband, nor had any children of her own, but, from time to time, one of the local families would send their own "peculiar" young girl child to foster with her and see if the young'un, too, might be well-attuned to the Old Ways.  Most often, the young gal would grow out of her odd phase and return to her folks enriched with a bit of wisdom and, much to their relief, more suitable to a life of matrimony.  

And then, several years passed by since she'd had such a ward, and folk wern't sure Miss Cordie might ever take on another gal.

Even so, Miss Cordie was rarely alone at her homestead, with all her chickens and her energetic hound dog, Teeter, to keep her company.  

Teeter

And still today passin' folk often see her and Ol' Doc Faust sittin' on her front porch gabbin' and smokin' their pipes.

But all that upended recently when she took in another young gal, Ainsley Kells, as her ward.  The Kells had always been known as a wild bunch, and everyone in town agrees that Miss Cordie is goin' to have her hands full with that 'un!

All told, the folks of the Holler look to Miss Cordie as a respected wise woman and herbalist.  While most look to Doc Faust for their everyday poultices and tending to, when something ails them in the soul, they come a knockin' at her door.

Some even whisper that she is so invested with the Green that she entreats directly with the Lord of the Forest his self . . .

SETTING THE GAME TABLE - The Old Ways

 

The Path of the Green

In Firefly Holler, faith in the Old Ways runs as deep as the roots of the mountains.  In the broadest sense the Old Ways recognize the eternal struggle between the Green and the Black, between light and life and hope, and the the yawning, despairing, devouring darkness.  One cannot exist without the other, and yet the folk of Firefly Holler also know that the Old Ways are the ways of the righteous, and not the ways of the wicked.

Lessons of the Old Ways are often transmitted through the songs of the deeds of the mighty Cu Chulainn, and he is the great exemplar of the people's faith.  The Old Ways say that Cu Chulainn strode the earth an age ago or more, in a land far away.  A land where the ancestors of the folk of Firefly Holler had once travelled from, in a time lost to memory.

Cu Chulainn was the implacable foe of the Black and the Chosen of the Green.  Wherever evil manifested in his domain, he met it with action and courage.  Cu Chulainn advocated the cause of men before the courts of the fey and was counted as friend in the deep halls of the dwarves.  His name is known to and respected by all good folk.  Many great deeds of heroism did he accomplish, and it is said that though he be mortal, yet still his line endures.

Even today, the folk of the Holler sing his songs and tell his tales, knowing that the blood of the Hound of the Splinters runs through their veins, as well, and when the Black rises, the Old Ways promise that the Green will answer.

*          *          *          *          *

In game terms, the faith of the Old Ways is expressed through the seven Divine Domains found beginning on page 58 of the PHB, which are:

Guardian

Knowledge

Life

Light

Nature

Tempest

Trickery

These are the tools that the faithful array against the Black in all its forms.  As noted elsewhere, the domain of War is recognized instead as the Guardian domain in this world.  The Black and its adherents wield their own powers, through traditions and practices too foul for good folk to contemplate.

Players are free to explore the contours and intricacies of the Old Ways in any way they see fit that keeps to the spirit of the campaign, whether it be through the lore of Cu Chulainn and his deeds, the various divine domains, or any other aspect of the Green that wards the good folk of the Splinters against the darkness.

SETTING THE GAME TABLE -- Introduction / The Crunch

 A Typical Guardian Fetish

    Tales of Primordia - Gathering Mysts (ToPGM) uses the 5th edition (5e) rules set of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D).  Players may build their characters utilizing any official Wizards of the Coast (WotC) 5e D&D source book.  There are also certain house rules in effect for characters and character building, which are very close to those used in the prior Tales of Primordia -- Dark Tides (ToPDT) campaign, which are adapted from Pathfinder (PF) first edition (1e) to D&D 5e.  Those house rules are as follows:

        *    Characters select their ability scores using the Variant: Custom Ability Scores rule found on page 13 of the Players Handbook (PHB).

        *    Characters begin with maximum hit points for their hit die at first level as indicated on page 12 of the PHB (which affirms our usual house rule used in ToPDT).  Beyond first level, characters gain hit points at the fixed value shown in each class entry, which is the average die roll rounded up, as described on page 15 of the PHB (which also reflects prior house rules in ToPDT).

        *    Players start with maximum gold for their class as indicated on page 143 of the PHB.

        *    Evil characters are not allowed in ToPGM, just as in ToPDT.

        *    In Primordia, there are no "gods," at least not in the sense defined in various mythologies.  The people of Firefly Holler and its environs generally adhere to the Old Ways, a vaguely defined and intuitively understood worldview inspired by Appalachian folklore and Scotts-Irish legends inherited from the old world.  Divine Domains (see PHB pages 58-63) will be associated within the Old Ways in a manner explained in following Campaign Notes posts and will roughly approximate the pattern utilized in ToPDT (but here, instead of the Ten Pointed Star-- with the ten divine domains in PF-- the Old Ways have seven domains in 5e D&D).

    *    In Primordia, "magic" is a general term referring to the supernatural and supernatural powers.  Whether a character learns to wield these supernatural powers through faith (cleric or paladin), study (wizard), meditation (monk), nature (druid), pact (warlock), intuitively (sorceror or bard), or otherwise, the Old Ways acknowledge the magic all comes from the same place.

    *    As always, players should feel free to build their character any way they like, understanding that ToPGM has a certain flavor and context as described in prior, and in future, campaign posts.  Character concepts should not stray outside the core campaign concepts.  If anyone has any questions about their character concept and ToPGM, we can discuss it either at the Campaign Open Forum, or at any time before the campaign kicks off!