Campaign: Shadowport: The Crimson Horizon (Levels 1-6/7)
Overall Premise: Players arrive in Shadowport, drawn by the allure of a life at sea, whether as daring pirates or ruthless hunters. They quickly become embroiled in the city's chaotic underworld, navigating its cutthroat factions and treacherous waters. Their pursuit of glory and gold gradually uncovers deeper mysteries tied to Shadowport's hidden Atlantean allies and the ancient, powerful Vampire Coven. As they rise through the ranks of maritime legends, they'll discover that Faenor's shadow stretches even into this pirate haven, threatening to unravel the fragile balance that keeps the Sea Elfstone (and Atlantis itself) safe, forcing them to choose sides in a war that spans continents and centuries.
Core Themes: Freedom vs. Order, Pragmatic Alliances, The Depths of the Past (Atlantean lore, Vampire origins), The Price of Power, Naval Supremacy.
Act I: Finding Your Sea Legs & Shadowport's Embrace (Levels 1-3)
Mission 1: The First Plank
- Player Level: 1
- Setting: Shadowport's Blackwater Docks (Zone 1) and Cutthroat Coves (Zone 7).
- Hook: PCs arrive in Shadowport seeking passage, crew work, or their first score. They're quickly identified as fresh faces. "Gutter" Maeve (Zone 1) or "Whiskey" Will (Zone 7) offers a chance for some quick coin: a small, independent merchant vessel has failed to pay "protection" to a minor local gang. The PCs are hired to "convince" them to pay up, which leads to a minor boarding action or a quick, stealthy raid on the ship while it's still docked. Alternatively, if they want to hunt, the Ironfang Garrison (Zone 12) might offer a small bounty for a petty thief hiding in the docks.
- Objectives:
- Learn the ropes of Shadowport's informal "laws."
- Participate in their first ship-based skirmish or infiltration.
- Gain a minor reputation among a local faction.
- Gameplay: Small-scale combat/stealth, social interaction with dock workers and low-tier criminals. Introduction to key districts.
- Rewards: Starting funds, minor gear, a reputation as capable "deckhands" or "deck-clearers."
Mission 2: Across the Murky Waters
- Player Level: 2
- Setting: The coastal waters near Shadowport, a nearby, seemingly uninhabited island, and a minor stretch of the Smuggler's Run (Zone 4).
- Hook: Having proven themselves, the PCs are hired for a simple "delivery" or "retrieval" mission. "Slip" Thorne (Zone 4) needs a specific package retrieved from a hidden cache on a small, isolated island – a cache recently raided by a rival, newly-formed gang. The PCs will need to secure a small vessel (or earn passage) and sail to the island.
- Objectives:
- Experience their first sea voyage and basic ship handling.
- Engage in a minor naval skirmish (e.g., chasing down a smaller rival vessel or evading a patrol).
- Conduct a simple dungeon crawl on the island to retrieve the package.
- Discover a minor, puzzling item (e.g., a strange coin, a weathered piece of wood with an unusual symbol) within the cache that hints at older, stranger things in the region.
- Gameplay: Naval travel, minor ship combat (e.g., grappling and boarding a small boat, or using a single ballista/cannon), short island dungeon crawl.
- Rewards: More significant payment, a reliable small vessel (or increased access to one), a reputation for seaworthiness.
Mission 3: A Viper's Favor
- Player Level: 3
- Setting: Deeper into Shadowport, particularly The Serpent's Coil (Zone 3), and possibly The Boneyard (Zone 11).
- Hook: The PCs' growing reputation reaches "Madam Anya" (Zone 3), the Guildmaster of the Serpent's Coil. She offers them a more complex task: a rival criminal outfit, "The Crimson Hand" (operating out of Zone 11), has stolen a coded ledger containing vital information about key shipping routes and smuggling operations. Madam Anya wants the ledger retrieved without direct Serpent's Coil involvement, and the Crimson Hand "discouraged" from further disruptions.
- Objectives:
- Infiltrate a hostile gang's hideout (a small dungeon crawl within Shadowport itself).
- Utilize stealth, negotiation, or combat to retrieve the ledger.
- Learn about the internal rivalries and power dynamics within Shadowport's criminal underworld.
- Gain the favor (or cautious trust) of a major Shadowport faction.
- Gameplay: Urban infiltration/dungeon crawl, social manipulation, combat against a tougher gang. This mission emphasizes their growing proficiency in the city's internal affairs.
- Rewards: Significant gold, a powerful contact within the Serpent's Coil (providing access to information or resources), exposure to Shadowport's higher-level intrigue.
Act II: Deeper Waters & Ancient Echoes (Levels 4-6)
Mission 4: The Crimson Tide
- Player Level: 4
- Setting: Open sea, coastal shipping lanes, and a secluded island cove. Influence from The Crimson Veil (Zone 10).
- Hook: The PCs are approached by Silas "The Pale" (Zone 10), an agent of the prominent Vampire Coven. He requires a specific, historical artifact to be intercepted from a merchant convoy en route to Rosengard. He hints that this artifact is "disrupting" certain ancient energies and must not reach the "wrong hands." He provides intel on the convoy's route and defenses.
- Objectives:
- Undertake a high-stakes naval pursuit or interception of a well-defended merchant convoy.
- Engage in ship-to-ship combat and/or a daring boarding action to acquire the artifact.
- Discover the artifact's true nature: it subtly drains life force or amplifies unsettling emotions, hinting at a connection to a dark, ancient power (perhaps an early hint of Faenor's influence or a minor Abyssal item, though not directly stated).
- Gain the attention (and a cautious alliance) of the Vampire Coven.
- Gameplay: Complex naval combat, strategic boarding, discovery of a magically infused item, and interacting with the powerful (and dangerous) Vampire Coven.
- Rewards: Significant wealth from the Coven, a unique magical item (perhaps one with minor vampiric properties or a subtle curse), the Coven's "protection" or access to their network for future intel.
Mission 5: Whispers of the Deep Current
- Player Level: 4/5
- Setting: Remote, mist-shrouded islands far from Shadowport, hinting at unexplored territories. Influence from the Sunken Grove (Zone 5).
- Hook: Elara Tidebinder (Zone 5) from the Elven delegation discreetly approaches the PCs. Her scouts have detected unusual, unnatural energy fluctuations emanating from a newly surfaced, or recently accessible, island far out at sea – patterns unlike anything she's ever seen from the surface world. She fears it's connected to Faenor's ancient agents attempting to open a minor "tear" or re-establish an old connection, and needs the PCs to investigate and neutralize the source before it draws unwanted attention to Shadowport and the Atlanteans.
- Objectives:
- Undertake an extended sea voyage to a remote, uncharted island.
- Navigate treacherous waters or a strange magical aura surrounding the island.
- Explore a strange, semi-submerged ruin or a cave system on the island (dungeon crawl).
- Discover signs of strange, unnatural rituals, perhaps crude but effective attempts to breach planar barriers, and battle corrupted creatures or cultists linked to a forgotten Faenor faction or a lesser Abyssal entity.
- Neutralize the threat (e.g., destroy a ritual site, seal a minor rift).
- Gameplay: Exploration, environmental hazards, dungeon crawl with otherworldly enemies, and early direct encounters with Faenor's pervasive influence.
- Rewards: A unique item infused with strange elemental energy, vital intelligence for the Atlanteans, and a deeper understanding of the subtle, insidious ways Faenor operates.
Mission 6: The Sunken Song
- Player Level: 5
- Setting: A secluded, ancient Atlantean outpost island, partially submerged, far from known shipping lanes. Direct involvement with The Sunken Grove (Zone 5).
- Hook: Having proven their discretion and capability in Mission 5, Elara Tidebinder (Zone 5) trusts the PCs with a truly sensitive mission. An ancient Atlantean beacon, located on a very old, remote outpost island, has fallen silent. This beacon is crucial for Atlantean navigation and secrecy. She needs the PCs to travel to this island, reactivate the beacon, and discover what caused its silence, hinting at the potential for ancient guardians or unforeseen dangers.
- Objectives:
- Undertake a perilous sea voyage to a legendary, hidden island.
- Navigate magical or natural defenses protecting the Atlantean outpost.
- Explore the ancient Atlantean ruins on the island (a complex dungeon crawl).
- Discover ancient Atlantean lore through murals, crystals, or preserved records, detailing the earliest history of Atlantis, the Kinslaying, the recovery of the Sea Elfstone, and Faenor's relentless pursuit. This is the big reveal of Atlantis's true purpose and its profound opposition to Faenor.
- Confront what silenced the beacon – perhaps ancient, malfunctioning Atlantean constructs, or Faenor's agents (or even a new, dangerous creature drawn by the beacon's power).
- Reactivate the beacon, strengthening the hidden network of Atlantis.
- Gameplay: Major sea journey, intricate Atlantean dungeon crawl with puzzles and unique hazards, significant lore revelations.
- Rewards: A deep understanding of the campaign's central lore, a powerful Atlantean artifact (e.g., a lesser "Elfstone" or a magical compass attuned to ancient energies), the full trust of the Atlantean delegation, and a sense of being key players in a world-spanning conflict.
Act III: Masters of the Horizon (Levels 5-7)
Mission 7: The Pirate Lord's Reckoning
- Player Level: 5/6
- Setting: A fortified pirate island stronghold, or a legendary "ghost ship" acting as a mobile base. Influence from The Crow's Nest (Zone 9) or Ironfang Garrison (Zone 12).
- Hook: The PCs' growing fame and power have made them a target or a valuable asset. A major Shadowport pirate lord (e.g., Captain "Bloody" Barbas, or one influenced by Lady Cassandra Thorne from Zone 9) challenges their authority, or conversely, demands their aid in a major naval operation against a long-standing rival. This culminates in a massive, decisive naval conflict.
- Objectives:
- Engage in a large-scale naval battle, commanding a substantial vessel and crew.
- Lead a boarding action or assault a fortified island stronghold/ship.
- Defeat a powerful rival pirate lord, consolidating their own power within Shadowport's hierarchy.
- Acquire significant plunder and a fleet asset (e.g., a captured ship, a key territory).
- Gameplay: Epic naval combat, large-scale boarding actions or siege, tactical decision-making, significant combat encounters against powerful foes.
- Rewards: A reputation as a major power in Shadowport, a substantial fleet (or a powerful flagship), vast wealth, and territory/influence within the city.
Mission 8: The Sanguine Exchange
- Player Level: 6
- Setting: A hidden, fortified island vault or an ancient derelict vessel trapped in a magical anomaly. Influence from The Crimson Veil (Zone 10).
- Hook: Lady Valeriana (Zone 10) of the Vampire Coven reveals a terrifying development: a powerful Faenor cult (perhaps linked to the subtle energies from Mission 5) has acquired a "Bloodstone," an ancient artifact with immense power that threatens to disrupt the Coven's ancient wards and weaken Shadowport's defenses against Faenor. This Bloodstone can also be used to track or amplify the Elfstones. She needs the PCs to retrieve it from the cult's heavily guarded location.
- Objectives:
- Undertake a perilous journey to a cult's hidden island base or a magically protected derelict ship.
- Infiltrate a heavily defended dungeon crawl, overcoming arcane traps and fanatical cultists.
- Confront and defeat the cult's leader (a powerful Faenor agent or magically enhanced vampire/thrall).
- Acquire the Bloodstone, learning its true, dangerous capabilities and its connection to the Elfstones.
- (Optional but likely) Decide whether to return the Bloodstone to the Coven, use it themselves, or destroy it.
- Gameplay: High-level dungeon crawl with powerful magical threats, moral dilemma, deep dive into Faenor's active influence in the world.
- Rewards: Immense power (if they keep/use the Bloodstone), immense wealth/favor from the Vampire Coven, or a sense of righteous victory. This mission further clarifies Faenor's direct threat and how he interacts with magical artifacts.
Campaign: Shadowport: The Crimson Horizon (Levels 1-6/7)
(Revised Mission 9)
Mission 9: The Strait's Reckoning
- Player Level: 6/7
- Setting: The strait surrounding Shadowport, and the city itself, focusing on its strategic points and hidden depths. Involving all major factions.
- Hook: The fragile peace of the strait shatters as Shadowport faces a devastating two-pronged assault. From the sea, a powerful Rosengard naval fleet launches a full-scale blockade and assault, determined to finally bring the lawless pirate haven to heel and eradicate its criminal enterprises. Simultaneously, Faenor's insidious agents and cultists, long festering within Shadowport's shadows, use the chaos of this external attack as cover to execute a devastating internal plot: they aim to unleash a localized Abyssal incursion from a hidden point beneath the city (perhaps tied to a forgotten ruin or a vulnerable section of the deep docks), or conduct a series of high-level assassinations and sabotage missions targeting key Shadowport leaders and Atlantean assets.
- Objectives:
- Rally the Factions: PCs must quickly act to forge a unified defense, convincing (or coercing) Shadowport's disparate factions – the pirate fleets, the Vampire Coven's forces, Atlantean support (now perhaps more openly involved), and the Ironfang Garrison – to fight together against both external and internal threats.
- Naval Defense: Command and participate in a climactic, large-scale naval battle in the strait, fending off Rosengard's fleet while also countering attempts by Faenor's agents to breach naval defenses or summon creatures from the deep.
- Internal Containment: Simultaneously, PCs must lead critical land-based skirmishes within Shadowport's districts, battling Faenor's cultists and Abyssal creatures (or assassins) to prevent key assassinations, neutralize sabotage, and contain the incursion. They might have to seal a rift or eliminate a key cult leader.
- Protect Atlantis's Secret: A crucial element might be defending the Sunken Grove (Zone 5) from Faenor's direct assault, as his agents seek to discover the secrets of Atlantis or the Sea Elfstone.
- Ensure Survival: Their actions will determine whether Shadowport survives the assault, falls into chaos, or even becomes a staging ground for a deeper Abyssal threat.
- Gameplay: A grand finale combining large-scale naval warfare, desperate land defense against cultists and monstrous threats, and climactic boss battles against powerful Faenor agents or Rosengard commanders. PCs' choices and alliances throughout the campaign will heavily influence the specific challenges and available resources.
- Rewards: Immense fame and power (perhaps becoming de facto leaders of Shadowport, or revered heroes by their Atlantean and Vampire allies), vast treasure, and a pivotal role in the ongoing struggle against Faenor, leading into higher-level campaigns. The stability of the strait and the continued secrecy/safety of Atlantis will hinge on their success.
