Primal Rage Campaign

This Adventure centers around Killren and Azrael.

 

Primal Rage is a duel meaning. The most obvious is the issues that arrises from Killren. When he looses his temper, his internal primal rage awakens and he transforms into a chaotic Magma Dragon. Magma Dragons, along with the other Primal Dragons havent been seen in many thousands of years... since before the First Breeds.

 

Primal Rage also describes Azrael's story. As he failed in his mission, his familly is out to kill him. Primal Rage could describe the internal feelings Azrael has inside himself as well.

The Adventure first starts off with the PC's dodging the Privateer faction. They meet up with one of Azrael's old ally's, Mark a Damphir Vampire (yes I know). He warns Azrael that his family is trying to kill him because he has since failed in his mission to set up a pressence in Steam Point. They have put out a hit on Azrael.

 

With the Help of Mark, the PC's were able to commandeer an Elf Wingship, (the Fey-Wing?) and sale it back to Killrens home island where he grew up... also where the new town of Steam Point is being built.

 

The Cove is connected to the Cave where Killren was raised by bears live.

 

This is where we last left off.

Killren is home... However the reunion is bitter sweet.

 

His foster mother bear, tells how food is getting more and more scarce in days of late. The Forest is getting smaller, and so is the amount of food. It is getting harder and harder for the pack to find enough to sustain themselves.

When Killren investigates, he will notice that his forrest abruptly ends several miles outside of Steampoint. A whole hillside, used to be covered in trees and forrest was now nothing but stumps. The wood had been used to fuel the furnaces that made parts for the Airships that were being built in Steampoint.

 

Upon seeing Miles upon Miles of Cut down forrest, Killren has to make a Will save.

 

Short of a natural 20, Killren will be overcome with rage. Those around him will start to notice a physical change.

 

He first starts cursing in a Language that no one understands... An impossibly old and powerful language.

 

At first, Veins start buldging and showing under his scales. They then start to glow a glowing hot shade of orange. Soon afterwards, Killren's scales start to darken in color. His very breath begins to illuminate the inside of his mouth and nostrils. As Killren starts to grow in size, his hide turns black with the glowing lava veins, his beard and his hair catch afire until there is nothing left but ash.

 

His whole face distorts, and he grows a snout, with his teeth growing into large fangs, and his claws grow to be more pronounced. His growing size causes his very cloths rip and fall off.

The Primal Rage Takes over, and Killren was now the form of a large Dragon... only it was not a Dragon anyone has ever seen.

 

Killren took to the skies towards the City of Steampoint.

 

All Killren will remember will be flashes of anger and destruction.

 

What really happened was that he terrorized the town, destroying the Industrial District almost utterly. Many died in the slaughter, and many more died trying to fight off the Dragon that apeared that day. The Damage done, among other things, set back the Lyndhurst Trading corporation in building their new Airships.

 

Killren will be found back in his cave the following morning, reverted back to his Half Gold Dragon, half dwarf self. The only thing laying next to him will be a charred to petrification and melted Dwarven War Axe.

Should the PC's investigate, they will not be able to identify the type of Dragon it was, or the Language that Killren Spoke before he changed into it. Both haven't been seen or heard of in many thousands of years. No one in town recognizes it.

 

The Dragon Hide armor that Killren wore, is torn but salvagable. And all the possesions that he carried were still intact.

 

Later, before the PC's can get anywhere usefull, they encounter the first hit team assigned to kill Azrael.

 

A Black Orc Quad... Quad's haven't been seen in over 800 years since before the end of the Two Century War...

They consist of a Fighter, a Cleric, a Rogue and a Sorceror... Which is already unusual for Orcs to be so trained and organized... much less Quads. They are designed to take out priority targets.

 

On a side note, Azrael's familly tried to recruit the Alzati(whom they respect since they are all female) to assasinate Azrael, but they declined the contract (Because Azrael himself is an Alzati). So the next best thing was sending a Quad... A highly trained band of Black Orc's kept around since the great war for such a purpose.

 

The one advantage that the PC's have is that the Quad does not know about Mark's assistance, as well as what kind of companion Killren is.

 

(Also, on a side note... should Killren wish to transform into something other than a bear, he wont be able to unless he rolls high on a will save [say a natural 11 or higher on the physical roll])

 

THe Quad's tactics follow:

The Fighter is there to kill the target, with the cleric backing him up with ranged healings (bonded)

The Rogue is there to keep the Sorceror alive, staying in the shadows and sneak attacking anyone who tries to take him out.

THe Sorceror is there to control the battlefield in the favor of the Quad. Example is walls of ice.

After the Quad fails, Ariel, Azrael's twin sister will send herself to Azrael. She and two other clerics will fight the PC's...

 

Perhaps they each serve a roll.

 

One serves as a Melee combatant, one serves as a healer, and the last one is the spell caster. To make things more interesting, they all summon undead to fight for them.

 

The melee will have nothing but summon undead spells and use them while they go into combat. The Healer and the spell caster will have one or two summon undead spells to add to the ranks.

 

The Spell Caster will use disabling spells and buffing spells.

 

Need to flesh out stratagies.

One thing is for certain, Azrael needs to talk down his sister... the fate of the other two are red shirts.

 

Ariel is pissed off at Azrael for disapointing their mother again. This time he went to far... deriliction of duty... It was the last straw. If he didn't go home right then and there, Azrael's life would soon be over.

 

In the end she pleeds with him to return home and face the music. Otherwise his life would be forfiet.

She takes them to the cave where Azrael and Kaz emerged. Deep inside, they will come across the Crystal Portal.

 

Time to talk a bit about the backstory of the Drow of the Underdark.

 

Over 1800 years ago, there was a race of people that were known as the world empire. They lived in a network of subterrainian tunnels that existed deep within the world. Durring that time, the network was more organized and continually changing because it existed in the mantle of Terra Nima. The World Empire could navigate these tunnels all across the world with ease.

 

Once the World Empire fell, it was not so easy to use them anymore.

 

Also, 1800 years ago, the first Drow were created by their Goddess, The Spider Queen or the Queen of Shadow.

 

Over the next thousand years, they grew to apreciate the underground and the darkness. 800 years ago, the Drow's presence on the surface was destroyed and they were forced to be completly submerged into the ground.

 

The Underdark was a harsh enviroment, but it was the only place the Drow and other creatures of the like could live.

 

It was durring that time, when Azrael's ancestors stumbled upon part of the sub terranian tunnels of the World Empire. Without protection, it would be suicide to use. The World Empire used Crystal suits to navigate them.

 

Certain Drow Nobles were able to construct a crystal spider amulet that would protect the wearer and sucsessfully navigate the mantle tunnels to a limited degree.

 

This is how they arrived at the Outer Continent. Out of sight and out of mind, these Drow were able to establish their own community.

 

In order to reach the island of Steampoint, Azrael's family were able to discover a means of transportaion to that island from their own city.

 

This is how Kaz and Azrael first arrived at Steam point... and this is how the Orc Quad and Ariel were able to get here. The Crystal amulets were closly guarded and all those who were given permission to use the tunnel, were only given limited means of going through. Once they came through, they would have to give up their amulet until they got permission to come back. Then they were given another medallion to come back.

 

Ariel was able to procure one of Azrael's return. And since they killed the other Clerics, the PC's have acsess to theirs as well.

 

Usually only drow Females had acsess to multiuse Medallions. Everyone else had one time use medallions.

The journey through Terra Nima's mantle was short but spectacular. The light from the magma was almost blinding, but the protection from the crystal medallions kept the heat away. They were traveling at supersonic speeds.

 

When they finally stopped, they were in the underdark of the Outer continent. The Drow City of Menzobahn. The Lowest parts of the city were near the bottom of the crust of the planet. The Mantlepit was at the center of the city and went all the way down to the mantle of Terra Nima. The main structures of Menzoban is what kept the magma from the mantle from flowing into the rest of the city. They were incased in an almost perfect sphere, this was where the nobels lived, and it was through the central Sphere that the Drow were able to use the Mantlepit Tunnels.

 

Almost as soon as the PC's arrive, they are greeted by Ariel and Azrael's older sister. She demands that he return to the mansion immediatly. Durring this time, Azrael can attempt to Rez Kaz.

 

Once he arrives at the mansion, Azrael's friends are told to stay in the guest attick while they "talk" to Azrael. The guest attic is actually a prison cell, and the talk is actually Azrael's older sister beating the hell out of Azrael.

Should Killren act up at all, they will also beat him as well. Only reason they don't kill him is because of Ariel's vouching for them to instead be beaten.

 

Killren will struggle with his anger here as well. Another will save will have to be rolled or he will transform into the Primal Rage within him. The Magma Dragon will of course slaughter the one that are torturing him into submission.

 

He will be set free and start tearing the place upside down.

 

Only then does he attract the attention of some of the more powerful Drow Nobles. Due to the untamed nature of Killren's internal Primal Rage, they subdue him rather easily.

 

Rather than killing him, Azrael's mother takes an interest in Killren.

She will tell Azrael that out of shear ignorance, he had actually done something interesting. The Creature that Killren had been turning into was a Primal Dragon. A Magma Dragon to be percise. Magma Dragon's belonged to a breed of dragon's known as Primal Dragons. Primal Dragons Predated even Chromatic and Metallic breeds... but they died off Melennia ago, shortly after the First Breeds of Metallic and Chromatic Dragons were created in the form of Titanius and Yazimat.

 

Due to Killren's unique herritage, between the blood of a powerful Dragon and the blood of one who possesed the power of Oreah. Primeval Blood Memories have unlocked the previously lost High Draconian Words of Power within Killren.

 

The Drow do not wish to destroy Killren, but harness the power within him.

If Kaz is ressurected, there will be evidence of shifting loyalties within him. Kaz was suppose to be Azraels superior, but since Azrael had ressurected him, Kaz's loyalties are now to Azrael.

 

As pissed off as Azrael's familly is at him, they do see potential in him. As well as Killren. But as Killren is now, he is not very useful. Killren has to learn how to control his internal Primal Rage, or it will destroy him from within.

 

So they order Ariel to lead the PC's to find the lost Idol of Yazimor. It is said that the idol can focus the Rage burning within Killren. However, the idol was last scene in the possesion of the enemy Duergar kingdom of Kasa Guer... located under the West Continent, where the Drow used to live.

Ariel breefs the party. She explains that in order to go to Kasa Guer, they would have to use the sub terranian tunnel system. Luckely, very few Duergar know about the tunnel system and fewer know how to use it like the drow do.

 

Unknown to the drow however, the Duergar of Kasa Guer are at war the the Illithids. This may prove to be avantageous to the PC's, as the Duergar are off fighting a war and most are not in their home land.

 

When the PC's first arrive, they will catch a patrol off guard. They emerge from the crystalis while the Duergar are mudling around. One is going number 1, two are playing some kind of dice game. One is laying on the ground sleeping.

 

The Pc's should overpower them with relative ease... should they wish to.

 

After the first encounter, things wont go as easy for them.

 

The Idol of Yazimor lies in a vault... a very old vault. So old that Duergar have yet been able to gain accsess. Fortunatly, the vault had belonged to Azraels ancestors, and it will only open to a member of the family.

 

The Trip to the vault was days away by foot.

 

Stealth checks will be made to avoid any further patrols.

 

The Vault is not made of stone, for if it was, the Duergar would have been able to find a way into it by now. THe Vault is actually a living vault created hundreds of years ago and the entrance is a magical portal which only opens to one with the blood of Azrael's ancestors.

 

Inside, there is no walls persay. They are floating amongst the stars. The platform they are standing on is some sort of glass looking material. On this side, the entrance is cleary defined and visible.

 

Inside this "room" there were several floating platforms holding different items of interest. Most were empty however. One of interest was the Idol of Yazimor. It reacts to the prozimity of Killren. The Idol was a small statue of a winged beast with five heads.

Ariel took another artifact, but told everyone to leave everything else here as taking them would have horrible consiquences.

Ariel had taken something that her mother wanted her to get. The Claw of Revenance. Ariel and Azrael's mother wanted it for herself. An heirloom that rightfuly belonged to her.

 

The Trip back may not be as simple as getting here. By this time, another patrol spotted the dead one back at the crystaline chamber.

 

The idol only reacts by glowing, but it should be highly unlikely that any of the PC's know how to use it.

 

They will come across a patrol that was not nearly as easy to defeat as the last one was. The fight should go as normal at first. THough Killren will start to have strange feelings in his heart.

In mid battle, he will grow with hatred... different from before. IT was not rage... it was hatred. Killren will go into a beserk. After the duergar are defeated, Killren will want more blood. He will have to roll a will save or be forced to fight the PC's.

Only when he is subdued, will his hatred end.

Back in the Drow City, Azrael and Ariel's mother preformed a ritual, activating the idol of Yazimor. Killren could feel the rage inside of him already start to subside. However, something inside was not quite right.

 

The anger was dwindling, but there was something still there... something that was not there before. Hatred... For some reason... Killren was struggling with a different emotion than he started off with.

 

Through a perception check, he can tell his skin is a bit darker than it used to be. Not as shiny either.

 

Killren could tell something was wrong.

Killren started having nightmares. One depected a Crimson Dragon flying into him after being ingulfed in flames.

 

He was starting to doubt the training that the Drow were giving him.

 

One day... or night... he couldn't tell... something happened.

 

 

He was walking down the street by himself. He passed one of the Slave cages.

 

Then a name was called out that stopped him cold. "Tordek!?"

 

There in one of them was a dwarf, completely shaven, left out for anyone to abuse.

 

"Tordek, me brother..." he said, "Is that ye?"

 

Tordek... there's a name that he doesn't hear everyday.

 

"Tordek... What happened to you me brother? Ye look al messed up."

 

Before Killren knew it, the cage was ripped open.

 

"Ye... are not Tordek..." He said, "But yer a spittn image of he... Who are you?"

"Me?" He said, "I'm his broth'r! Grimace!"

 

"How'd i get here?" he interpreted Killren, "Well it was a long time ago... I don't care to recall... no..."

 

He started whimpering.

 

"Shut it!" A drow guard said, as he whipped him.

 

"Who, him?" the Drow asked, "He's the undying one."

 

"He's been a slave for longer than I have been alive. They say he's been down here for eight hundred years. He was useless, so they left him out here. But he never aged... he has yet to die... He's crazy though... few too many beatings if you catch my drift hehe."

Should he be alone with him again, Grimace will recount what he remembers... after a spit of crazyness.

 

Let's see... it was ages ago.

 

"I died... But then, an overwhelming mind washed over me. I was alive again... The Antilord gave me a new purpose..."

 

"...I was to confront Tordek... I was in the mother Tree... I was possesed by the Antilord... I wanted to kill him... But Tordek didn't come... he flew by me... he didn't know I was there... Or I would have tried to kill him..."

 

"Tordek did it though... killed the Antilord... He and his friends..."

 

"Antiverse... everything got sucked back into the Antiverse... But I was protected... The Mother Tree protected me... it did you know!"

 

"Afterwards I wondered around... I stumbled into a cave... That was when the Drow took me... No Don't hit me again!"

 

"Err... no matter what they did... it didn't stop... They tried to enslave me... but I wouldn't do it... no self respecting cleric would serve evil... No!"

 

"Not that being a cleric did me any good... The things i done under the Antilord... I was cut off from my Diety... I had no powers..."

 

"But I wouldn't die... I've been down here for so long... so so long... Time would not let me die..."

 

"If only Tordek were here... I would ask for his forgivness..."

 

"Tordek? Is that you!?" Grimace looks at Killren.

 

"I'm sorry I tried to kill you... I've done alot of bad things... I'm free of his influence now... I promise I will live a better life... One that I used to live... one that you lived... I promise that I will make you proud to be my brother again!"

Grimace reached out to You (Killren).

 

His weakness over took him, and his hand fell on the lock to his cage. The lock snapped open and fell off.

 

Grimace looked around to find some guards, but saw none, so he crawled out of the cage.

 

The looks in his eyes was that of awe and understanding as well as clerity.

 

"I have taken an oath..." Grimace spoke.

 

Before your eyes, Grimaces white beard and hair grew back.

Grimace turns to you.

 

"Killren..." He speaks... "I am here to help you... I have taken an oath... An Oath to help you in these dark times."

 

"Killren, you have evil inside of you, whether you like it or not..."

 

"The Idol of Yazimor may have helped you with controling your rage... but really all it did was replace rage with hate. The Idol of Yazimor is an evil artifact that represents Yazimat. This evil has tainted your free spirit. This will only serve to destroy you even more completely than the Primal Dragon inside of you. Yazimor will consume that Primal Rage and turn it into hate against you and your friends as well as all bonds of fellowship."

 

"I know that right now you don't care too much about good or evil. But you DO care about balance in all things nature... I respect that... your father... respects that. That is why I have been given the knowllege to help you... Should you desire it... I cannot force you down any path you do not wish to go... all I can do is show you the path... You must choose to walk it."

 

"Let's make something clear before we continue..."
Grimace says, "I do not like the ones you choose to walk with... Any other circumstances i would smite them down in a heartbeat... However, as long as you accept my help, I will tollerate them for a time and assist you."

"I do not have the power to remove the evil taint in your heart." he speaks, "But i do know of another artifact that can help you."

 

"The Idol of Platamor." "It represents the spirit of Titanius. With it, it is possible to fight off the evil spirit within you."

 

"It is located in an Azlanti city called Saventh Yhi... Perhaps you have heard of it."

"One more thing..." He adds

 

"I need a weapon... and... some cloths..."

 

 

After Grimace get's fitted...

 

A scene of determination after he grasps a longsword again. His courage comes back.

 

"Now... let's get you out of this dreadful Drow City! Gather your friends!"

 

After a scene between Grimace and the other PC's.

 

Grimace will come up with a plan for exiting the city in one piece.

 

The PC's will have to sneak around to the bridge that slopes down to the mantlepit where the crystal chamber is. Once they get to the bridge, it is a strait shot to the crystal. To risk flight before then would be suicide. The Drow in the City would spot them well before and knock them out before they get anywhere close. After all there are around 40,000 Drow in the city alone.

 

They would need to sneak through the breachfang. The Breachfang is a rock outcropping in the shape of a fang like from a spider. inside are ancient tunnels that used to be used by a deseased noble family of Drow. It now contains a variety of undead and it is almost never used by the living now days. However it does provide a unique oppronity to sneak past all the guards without raising suspicion.

However they need to be quick. Someone will notice they are gone and it wont be long before they grow suspicious anyways.

 

Need to think of a clever undead encounter... Maybe a Vampire? that would be interesting... A taste of Brians own medicine... maybe something similar to a ring wraith or something.

 

A creepy fight to be sure.

 

Afterwards, the PC's make it to the other side of the Breachfang and near the bridge.

 

Thier stealth doesn't go unoticed and some guards catch them. Grimace will yell for everyone to make a mad dash for the crystaline structure. He will even summon his celestial steed to make the distance, as drow start to swarm them.

 

It will be an epic race to the crystal passage. Durring the race, the PC's will have to fight off the forces of the Drow. maybe some flying things or something.

 

maybe some driders?

 

Ah! A Crystal Golem! A former suit of a Nightjar, animated by one of the drow priestesses! That's it!

On the other side of the crystal corridor underneith steampoint, Grimace comments that they need to keep anyone from following them. They need to destroy the Crystal Corridor to Steampoint to keep the Drow from following.

 

Afterwards...

 

The PC's set sail for Saventh Yhi, back into the Kothar Triangle.

 

In the last leg of the voyage, The PC's will get attacked by Captain Blood Beard and the Shadow king's revenge. This time around, the Revenge is not playing around. In low wind, the Revenge will creap up on the Elf Wingship and attack it. The PC's must avade the Revenge and ourtrun it.

 

Durring this encounter, Killren will have a hard time fighting his inner hatred. Blood beard will attempt to dominate him. Grimace will come to the rescue and destract Bloodbeard long enough for his spell to wear off. Killren will transform into a dragon, but his form will not be stable. His hatred and his primal rage will fight each other. Grimace will hop onto Killren and ride him off of the Revenge (If he is on it). Afterwards, Killren's hide will be even darker than it was before plus it will have a tinge shade of red mixed in with the fading gold.

If the PC's dont look like they want to run away, then some extra incentive will be given. Grimace will be overwhelmbed by the Evil aura being given off by the entire ship. He will warn the PC's to run away... that the battle with blood beard is one that will have to be fought in the future when they are better prepared.

 

To make things a bit more intereting... perhaps the PC's have to use the maelstrom portal to Saventh Yhi to evade Bloodbeard.

 

And perhaps the fog that seems to travel with Bloodbeard is a pocket of hell that travels with him. In the presence of which, Killren has issues with his inner hatred.

Once the PC's get to Saventh Yhi, Azrael will be paid a visit by Qloe.

 

She will not like the fact that he is male again. She warns that he may have a hard time progressing through the ranks of the Alzati. After some arguments she dismisses it and give him a mission. To find the mantis blade.