4th edition Empire of Ordar Campaign Set to Start

[icedcrow]

For those who like to read up on campaigns, the Empire of Ordar campaign is about to launch.

D&D 4th edition Ordar (https://www.chrisnye.net/DND/Default.htm)

I have two potential slots right now but there are two who I'm waiting on that have the slot first. If they don't get back with me soon they will be open.

We don't have a set date to play yet.

[Daperez]

Dude...As long as it's not on Sundays, I am SO in!

[icedcrow]

I don't know what date it is scheduled to be run on yet unfortunately. I'm waiting on a couple of real-life friends to decide to get in. I have a lot of "yeah maybe" and three solids. I would consider running six players. If you're interested, hit up the yahoogroup on the website and subscribe :D

[Daperez]

Sounds good. I'll do that and mull over a character once I see what other people are rolling with. This looks really interesting and it looks like you've put a lot of work into it, so count me as a "solid" as long as there's a spot open.

[icedcrow]

Will do. I noticed you had your email settings set to special notice, so please make sure you read the entire forum as I sent out some important messages that you won't get in your email box.

=)

[Morfedel]

Looks like a fun setting. Looks like you've used your mapping tools a lot too. I have CC3, but not dundjinni... I'm considering just getting Dungeon Designer for CC3.

[Daperez]

Looks like a fun setting. Looks like you've used your mapping tools a lot too. I have CC3, but not dundjinni... I'm considering just getting Dungeon Designer for CC3.
I tried Dundjinni today myself actually, after seeing that he'd used it. I was totally floored. I'll continue using CC for world and city maps, but for any surface where my PC's will be fighting, dundjinni is by far the winner.

Also..I've never used Yahoo groups before. I keep searching, but I don't see anything that looks like a forum. I changed my setting too, but nothing...I feel like an idiot staring at this thing...

The files are IN the computer?!?

[Morfedel]

Ah, Dundjinni is pretty solid too, but it does things differently, and, having learned CC3, I dont want to go relearn something else. Just adding Dungeon Designer will do it for me.

[Xorn]

If you already know CC3, then DD3 won't disappoint you. DJ is easy to get rolling with, but ultimately DD3 has the power of CAD mapping.

I've made some maps I'm very happy with in DJ. I made them much easier with DD3, later.

[icedcrow]

They are both awesome tools. I prefer dundjinni for my battle maps. I use CC for everything else. I sometimes use CC for my dungeons as well if I can't find the tiles I want in DJ.

To answer the question on forums, perhaps the label forums is misleading. Yahoogroups is an email list that you have the ability to view from the web as well.

Back in the mid 90s when I was on telnet servers, we called them "forums" and I've used the term since, even though modern "forums" are like this.

From the website you can go ahead and use the Forums link to get to the yahoogroup to paruse past emails and post as you want.

I may go ahead and move to full blown forums, it will depend on the size of the group(s) that form.

Right now everything is in the beginning stage, I have some people from home running this campaign with me (that's how this started as we all have kids and can't meet face to face anymore on a regular basis) and I've had a lot of positive feedback across the net so depending on the quality of players joining the forums, I may run two groups!

[icedcrow]

https://www.chrisnye.net/DND/P1/Cover_JPG.jpg

Here is the cover of the module I've created and will be running. If anyone knows who the artist is... let me know. I want to give them credit for putting a face on my writing. I tried finding the artist and couldn't.

[Daperez]

Hey Iced. Maybe I'm just incompetent with all this old-fangled technology, but I can't seem to view any of the past messages. All it says in the message history is that 11 things have been posted in August but there doesn't seem to be any way to read them. I'll probably get everything you send from here on out, but for now, can you just tell me if anyone else has any character concepts they're reserving so I don't step on anyone's toes?

As for timing, my recommendation would be to start up a calendar group on this website so we can take votes on scheduled times. You can put up 5 different possible times if you want to, and let us check which ones we can and can't each attend, and that can be done for each session. To me, that's easier than trying to sort out everyone's schedule via emails. For example, I can't make friday evenings this month (but will be totally free next month); I would prefer Saturday evenings this month, but not afternoons, whereas that would flip next month, and I can't make it every other Sunday. And all of this will change once I get my class schedule. Yeah...I'm being totally serious, so good luck figuring that out XD. I say just go with the calendar and let the schedule develop organically instead of trying to set one strict weekly time.

[icedcrow]

From past experience, it won't be a set time on a set day. It has to be flexible. Both myself and my girlfriend who are in this are in heavy metal bands and we play out on weekends so our schedules have to be flexible.

I'll go into the forum and see what's up. When I go in I can view all messages but that might be because I'm an admin. I run a few yahoogroups but no one ever pointed that they couldn't view the past stuff.

You haven't missed much.

I know that we have a wizard. That's all I know. People are still gravitating in and checking things out. There is a strong possibility of having two groups (six players is the max I'll run but I would prefer five).

I would say play what you want. I will work on the calendar function and send a msg out so people can let everyone know which day works best and I can group people together by similar schedules.

For now, come up with a character idea, download my character sheet on the website and fill it out, and send it to me and also a portrait so I can tokenize you.

I'm looking forward to this.

[bttrthnu]

I would love to play in this if you have an opening. I'm new to fantasy grounds but have been role-playing for 10 years. I'll join the yahoo group too...

[Morfedel]

I hate to admit this, but I find myself getting interested myself. And I am the kind that prefers to GM rather than play.

But it will all depend on schedule (and, of course, if you have any openings :) )

[icedcrow]

I['m going first come first served. In my experience you get a lot of "yeah I'm interested I'll be there" and then nothing.

I have, including the people already on board before I posted this, roughly twelve people who have said they were interested.

The first solid group consists of:
A friend of mine from the army days running a halfling rogue
My girlfriend (undecided on what she's playing, probably paladin)
A wizard (Joe, if you're on here, that would be you =)

The quickest way to cement yourself on my roster is to submit to me one of my character sheets filled out, a background, a portrait, and a schedule that works for you so I can start figuring out a game date. The game dates may or may not be fixed (meaning every saturday, every other tuesday, whatever) unless the group is cool with it.

I am open and willing to run two groups. My preferred group size is five players and myself. I am willing to bump to six. And I'm willing to form two groups that meet on different days.

Hit me up with the info and I'll add you to my roster!

On a side note, I am almost done with the text for the Scepter of the Phoenix King. I have to finalize battle mats and my module will be done. After it is finished I will have it in pdf form and all of the battle mats available for download to whomever wishes to run it (after it is finished meaning after we complete it, I wouldn't want to spoil anything for my players by giving them the keys to the city too early heh)

P1 - Scepter of the Phoenix King runs us from 1st to 3rd level. I will have a background up on it shortly, hopefully this evening.

[icedcrow]

One of my guild mates from Age of Conan has claimed the 4th slot in the first group. Fighter type.

That brings me up to:

Halfling Rogue
Paladin
Wizard
Fighter

These are my "confirmed".

Remember if you don't make the first group, we can organize a second.

[icedcrow]

We added Lance, a rogue who is in love with the ocean. Slot #5 is filled. Will accept one more.

[Morfedel]

I read the background stuff, and didn't see whether you answered this: Are all the races available?

[bttrthnu]

Sent you the basic idea for my elven Cleric/ranger to your email.

[joesys]

In modules forum, Chris stated that we are open to play any races that we like though uncommon race like dragonborn/tiefling will be stared at.

-Joe

[icedcrow]

Group one is now full =)

Added Phil who will be playing a cleric.

The email is gaining volume so I can understand if you missed that note. You can play any race from the PHB using either the given numbers OR the point system for stats. The world is 55% human, 35% elf, and the rest are the other races.

You will not be penalized in the game where we are now for your race as Ordar is a civilized and open place, though that could change outside of the provinces.

;)

[Morfedel]

I have four characters I'm working on:

A human fighter, Blaylock Cobb
A Tiefling Warlord, Tyrellius
A Human Wizard, Avandur
Elestria, an Eldarin Warlock

Frankly, Blaylock is the one with the really interesting background history... Avandur a close second. the other two are more just fun concepts. :) (I'm not entirely finished with any of them, but almost.. :) )

[icedcrow]

Very good. We're looking at starting group #2 so get me that info when you can. We are looking at scheduling now. I would like to get a weekend group going and we might be swapping people out who cannot do weekends for those who can in an effort to get everyone on the same page.

I have group 1's roster up on the website now, but again as schedule conflicts come in some of that may change to get the best fit.

Below is the background for the module:

Welcome to the beginning of the Ordarian Campaign! The Empire of Ordar has long prospered for over two thousand years. Once it was the center of the world, possessing the most culturally advanced cities, the mightiest armies, and the richest treasuries.

Those times have long since departed. Today, greed and corruption murk the political machine. The emperor sits in his palace, surrounded by his own pleasures and content to let the empire rule itself. The two remaining provinces that remain are threatening to also secede. Barbaric enemies troll the waterways and roads, razing ports and villages and threatening to invade.

Throughout this all the heroes are born to help decide an empire’s fate. The scepter of an ancient kingdom has been discovered amidst ruins that have not seen the light of day for thousands of years. Enemies both ancient and living dog the players’ every step.

Only you will control your fate and uncover the secrets of the Scepter of the Phoenix King.

[icedcrow]

Also posted on our email list:

If you want the weekend group, let me know. If you need weekday, let me know. If you don't care either way, let me know.

[icedcrow]

Looks like the days that work with most people are tues and sat.

[icedcrow]

Next saturday, Aug 23rd, the adventure begins.

[Habbalah]

Do you still have room in the group that meets on Tuesdays?

[icedcrow]

That group is forming so yes I'll need a roster created for tues. Right now the group on the website is my saturday group unless someone cannot do saturdays.

[icedcrow]

Also to make my life easier, make sure you are on the yahoogroup and make sure when you email me your character, portrait, and bio, that you specify it is for the tuesday night group.

[Morfedel]

Well, I went off the deep end :)

One of each race (two humans) and one of each class (Two rangers). Total 9 different characters. Not specifically for this game though, just generic 4e pcs, so I can use them for whatever.

I'm still finishing up odds and ends like writing backgrounds, buying gear, etc, and I'm not 100% sure of my availability yet, so I'll wait and see if your second group fills while I finish these up.

[Morfedel]

I haven't signed up for the yahoo group yet; what time is the tuesday night game, and time zone?

[icedcrow]

I imagine the tues game would be 7-11 pm EST when it is set up.

[Habbalah]

I posted a tiefling rogue to the group.

[icedcrow]

I'll check the group. This would be for the tuesday night group right? The saturday group is currently full. (I've recruited a friend from home)

[icedcrow]

Alright, added Orianna to the tues group. Sent out an email to the list. We need a couple more to get the Tues group off the ground!

[Noelle]

Hello IcedCrow, I would love to join your Tuesday group as a Dragonborn Paladin of Bahamut if you would let me. I love 4e and have yet to play in a 4e game on FG. I added you on my Yahoo IM List as Christiana_Noelle please IM me soon

[icedcrow]

Thank you Noelle, send me a msg on yahoo and I'll add.

If you're interested in playing I'll need a character from you (download the character sheet off of my website), portrait, and bio.

[Morfedel]

Man, I have too many characters I've made. Ugh.

As it is, I'm not sure I could make those times. My wife and I have things we do SOME tuesdays, so it looks like I'm out. Thanks though, and GL.

[icedcrow]

No prob keep in touch.

[Morfedel]

Hey, Iced, I may reconsider. I need to check my schedule though. I made a whopping 9 characters... more for generic rather than specific, though, since I dont know where I'd use it - so I can make adjustments where needed for a specific campaign such as yours.

Anyway, I wrote up a background on the first, a human fighter named Blaylock Cobb. Would you like to see it? And if so, where should I email it - its in Word format.

[icedcrow]

Send portrait, bio, and my character sheet to charoncrow(at)aol(dot)com

[icedcrow]

Session log from Saturday is posted on the website (link in my sig)

[Morfedel]

Hey, iced, I'm very interested in joining your game, but I'm running into some issues... but I'm going to try and work around them.

You said your tuesday game is 7-11 pm est, and thats the only one with openings, correct? If so, what holes are you missing in your party?

[icedcrow]

It's actually going to run on wednesdays. You can check out the website to see who is who =)

[Morfedel]

Ah, its wednesdays now? same time though otherwise?

And your website doesn't say who is in what group :P

Side note: good looking website :)

[icedcrow]

Thanks!

If you go to the characters section it shows you who is in what group. The first six are in the saturday group. The characters after that are what is being assembled for the mid-week group.

[Morfedel]

Thanks!

If you go to the characters section it shows you who is in what group. The first six are in the saturday group. The characters after that are what is being assembled for the mid-week group.

Yeah, I JUST saw that, and raced here to edit my post before someone caught me out and I looked like a fool; too slow, hehe!

[icedcrow]

I wouldn't sweat it I do stuff like that ALL the time.

[icedcrow]

I just put out a rolecall for midweek. If you are in, hit me up.

[middlemonster]

I have tuesdays off do you still have space on tuesdays, Saturdays are bad for me cause I'm DMing that day. What time are you planning on?

[icedcrow]

Wednesdays. I cannot do Tuesdays because I have just joined a new band and we are having band practices on Tuesdays. Saturdays are full. I'm waiting on three potentials to fill wed so if one of them bails I will have an opening then.

[icedcrow]

Campaign for both wed and sat are now full.

If you'd like to co-dm another group in the world, hit me up.

[icedcrow]

Cover art for wednesday's group:

https://www.chrisnye.net/DND/W1/Cover.jpg

[Habbalah]

So, does this mean that the Wed group will be a different campaign than the Sat group? If so, that would be nice so we can read each other's game session notes without ruining any surprises.

[icedcrow]

It's the same campaign but different adventures so yes you can read each others' without fear of ruining anything :D

[Morfedel]

What are you using to create this cover art? :)

And specifically concerning this map ( https://www.chrisnye.net/DND/NorthGeonidia.htm) , what software did you use to create it and what technique did you use? I use CC3, and if you used that, I'm curious what technique was used to get that layered terrain effect you have.

I'm not artistically inclined, so I'm always looking to improve on my technique, heh!

[icedcrow]

I use Photoshop =)

For the map in question that was created with Fractal Terrain generator (from profantasy, the people who make Campaign Cartographer)

I use FT to generate the world map and then you can export parts to CC3 to map overland.

[icedcrow]

I created a subdomain for the website, which can now be found at dnd.chrisnye.net

Also added a map to feature Turta and Vis to the west and a little write up of the Turtan people which the Wednesday group is going to come in contact with a little more personally. <evil smile here>

Turta
Capital: Pirtas
Population: 472,000 (Kshar (humans) 85%, Felapai (dark-elves) 10%, Ghrum (abyssal dwarf) 4%
Government: Tribal Kingdom
Religions: Kharn the Blood God
Imports: Slaves, Jewelry, Stone
Exports: Food, Arms, Wood, Naval Ships
Alignments: LE, NE, CE, N

Turta is the imperial name given to the province of people who call themselves Kshar’Ksan, which in their language means “Chosen Blood”. They were briefly brought into the Ordarian Empire after being conquered by the general Fibius Cruzza in 1685. This period is known to the Turtans as “Varkadar tuntakaday” or the Dark Time.

Brief History
In the year 1735, a Turtan chieftain named Grom was said to have been visited by a demon avatar of the Blood God Kharn. Kharn instructed Grom to devour the flesh of forest trolls, which granted the man regenerative powers. Armed with this ability, Grom raised an assault on Nerob, one of two imperial-built forts. The Ordarian soldiers within did not stand a chance and were brutally slaughtered.

Their skulls were boiled and the bone bleached and then hung about the gates. The Ordarian citizens were all slain except for two small girls, who were let loose into the forest and who fled to the eastern fort of Haden.

Even with the advanced warning, the Ordarian soldiers in Haden were also mercilessly slaughtered by Grom and his frenzied, flesh tearing zealots. Like Nerob, this fort was also decorated with the skulls of the fallen.

To this day, both locations bear little resemblance to the ordered imperial design that they sprung up from.

Grom spent the next twenty years warring with the Empire, and was finally blunted in the only victory that the Imperials won in the battle. That epic battle occurred two hundred miles from the capital itself at the battle of Perrigrin’s Hill. Using superior tactics, the famous general Tican held Perrigrin’s Hill from Grom’s forces for over a week before leading a counter charge that broke the Tartans and forced a stale mate.

That site came to hold a fort, Fort Perrigrin, which served as a last defense against western forces heading to the capital.

This road has since fallen into ruin as the current Emperor, who took the throne only a couple decades before Turta revolted, has given little thought to the savages breathing down the neck of his empire.

Fort Perrigrin, like most borderland outposts, also fell into disrepair and was finally abandoned by the imperials in 2011.

Regardless of the emperor’s apathy, the imperial officers keep runners spread out through the west to give warning should the Turtan warriors march east once more. Lately, the Turtans have sent warships along the coast and have raided farms and small villages, so their activity has escalated.

The Races of Turta
Turta is composed of three main races. The Kshar, which are black skinned humans, the Felapai, which are dark skinned elf-born, and the Ghrum, which are red skinned dwarfs enslaved to the Kshar.

The Kshar are very much feral, and their population centers are for the most part composed of huts and tree villages. When defenses are called for, a wooden palisade will be erected around the town center.

All settlements have a deep pit dug into the center with which blood sacrifices are made on a regular basis. The more important the civilization, the deeper and more elaborate the blood-pit.

The Kshar paint their bodies with runes and dark writing that is said to give them the protection of Kharn, their demonic blood god. They often wear trophies from fallen victims, and many wear skull masks.

Their weapons range from metal blades forged by the Ghrum, or bone weapons created from fallen victims. It is not unusual for a tribe chieftain to bear a sword that is carved from the thigh bone of the chieftain that they bested in combat for their position.

The Felapai are like shadows in the forest and jungles of Turta. Born of the elf blood, they feature the same sharp accents of the fey, though their skin ranges from brown to dark black and they bear more resemblance to the drow of the underdark. Their eyes are pupilless white orbs, for Felapai are blind. They have, however, a series of sonar much like a bat and this enables them to “see” far greater than people with natural sight.

Felapai are brutal hunters, able to travel through the trees like forest animals, and move as silent as wind.

The Ghrum are a slave race gifted to the Kshar by Kharn. They are descended from the dwarf race, though have a red pigment to their skin. The Ghrum work the forges of their masters and provide metal arms and armor for the warriors of Kshar’ksan.

Relations with Other Nations
The Turtans hate the Ordarian empire and any province allied with them. They plot to sack Ordar and carry the emperor’s body to the most revered ceremonial blood-pit in their capital city Pirta.

They also border the people of Vis, though their relationship is friendlier and the two share trade routes.

[icedcrow]

Session chat log from session 2 is up on the site.

https://dnd.chrisnye.net

[icedcrow]

Tonight the mid week group embarks!!

[zabulus]

Yay! I've enjoyed reading your session logs so far :)

[icedcrow]

Cool I'll have tonight's up though it will probably be short as we're learning the ropes with a new group and rolling characters =)

[icedcrow]

Website is updated with the intro for wed night's session. Check it out.

[icedcrow]

Next Sessions:

Wednesday Group - Sep 10
Saturday Group - Sep 13

[agarvin]

Okay, it was a pain in the butt to get the characters made since we all were just learning how to use the Fantasy Grounds software. However, I really liked how it calculates the rolls and the hotbars make it so easy I don't have to flip tabs. It is also nice not having to create an excel sheet that does everything for me. Geez I sound like a nerd... okay, I am a nerd.

I cannot wait for next Wed... I may have to join another group to get my fix. LOL I sound like a drug addict. :rv: I'm ready to battle!



Dil Vana
(Your Wed Night Cleric)

[icedcrow]

It's ok we know you really are a nerd.

[zabulus]

I cannot wait for next Wed... I may have to join another group to get my fix. LOL I sound like a drug addict. :rv: I'm ready to battle!

Heh heh. I GM a game with my wife and a befriended couple. The first week we played 4 nights, the second week we were not able to play at all and everybody was like "man... a whole WEEK?!" :D

[icedcrow]

I get that way too. If I had my way I'd play three times a week or so, but my schedule does not allow that.

[icedcrow]

We have a wed night opening.

[Morfedel]

We have a wed night opening.

Dude? You remember my wanting to play, right? :D

[Morfedel]

Oh, and I had thought of making an identify ritual for my campaign, and I see you did that already for yours. Mind if I yoink it? :D

[icedcrow]

Nope go ahead. Just make sure you provide the means to execute it =) The economy doesn't support it straight out of the book.

I am going to be adding some warhammer roleplay stuff as well soon.

[Morfedel]

Nope go ahead. Just make sure you provide the means to execute it =) The economy doesn't support it straight out of the book.

I am going to be adding some warhammer roleplay stuff as well soon.

Warhammer RP stuff? Such as?

[icedcrow]

Turning spells into rituals.

[icedcrow]

Wednesday's chat log is up! Party ventured southwest along the old king's road to Pamaei, encountering demon worshipping Turtans, fierce storms, and an elven druid who gave them some insight.

Next game is next Wednesday!

Next Ordar session is set for this Saturday at 6:00 PM!

[bttrthnu]

This has been a really great campaign thus far. This and the Tuesday night Mutants and Masterminds campaign I'm in really have made Fantasy Grounds worth the purchase. I'm looking forward to next week.

[Daperez]

Hey Iced. If you have room, I might end up getting into the Wednesday game. I wasn't sure how the scheduling would work at college, but the games club I'm president of actually meets for most of the day on saturday, so I don't think I'm going to be able to make most sessions. I'll get familiar with the Wednesday story log in the meantime and get back to you when I figure out my entire class schedule. I may or may not make it this saturday, unfortunately...

[icedcrow]

I hear ya and understand. I can switch you over to wed.

And thanks I'm having a lot of fun too!

[zabulus]

Heh heh. Love the geeky references in the sep 10 chatlog :)

*snicker* Gazebo *snicker*

[icedcrow]

;) Yeah there was some chuckling going on in the VOIP. Some people also noticed the Poltergeist II reference ("God is in ... his holy temple...")

[icedcrow]

Just an FYI, I'm working on adding to my campaign document to include some new nations and color them out a bit, adding some more info on the religions, and working to add a document to bring the first expansion into the game, the Forgotten Realms Archive.

New Races: Drow (Druch in my campaign, dark elf), The Elemental race, and then the Sword Mage class and new Warlock pact make for some cool additions.

Hoping to get that done before Saturday's session.

[icedcrow]

Saturday session has been uploaded to the website!

Awesome session, great group! Looking forward to seeing how wednesday's group does.

[icedcrow]

Wed session tonight!

[icedcrow]

Wed transcript up on the web.

[icedcrow]

Last Sat transcript up on the website (Session 4)

[icedcrow]

Session logs have been updated on the website.

[icedcrow]

Session logs have been updated on the website.

[Avandar]

I obviously missed a few posts, do you have any current openings? =)