Dreadmere

[Inarah]

On 9/6/2017 at 8:14 PM, Tripleh5133 said:

So this will be my first ReaperCon, & when reading up on the factions the site says that you can choose when your register for the Con,  but when I signed up & bought by ticket, I don't recall being asked. Is this selection made when you arrive & check-in to pick up your badge? 

 

Yes.  

[Valthorn_Illian]

Did we ever get a setting guide for use of Dreadmere in our home RPGs? I remember reading somewhere one was in the works but I never saw if it was finished or cancelled.

[Grayfax]

Not yet... 

[ReaperWolf]

5 hours ago, Valthorn_Illian said:

Did we ever get a setting guide for use of Dreadmere in our home RPGs? I remember reading somewhere one was in the works but I never saw if it was finished or cancelled.

That would be VERY cool. ;)

 

>>ReaperWolf

4 hours ago, Grayfax said:

Not yet... 

It's a great idea... ;)

 

>>ReaperWolf

[ReaperWolf]

I've submitted my official RC2017 rpg events. For those interested in a preview I'm running four different faction themed events, each 3 hours in duration. The first event is the River Widows, a female dominated group of ruthless river pirates with a touch of voodoo. Immediately following it's the Duskwardens and then that night Knights of the Maggotcrown. The following day Bonehenge Covenenat and then the cycle repeats.

 

Saturday night I'm running a pickup game. To cleanse the pallet, it's sci-fi specifically Star Frontiers using FATE 3.0. It'll be amazing, I promise.

 

Sunday AM is the Dreadmere sandbox spectacular. Basically it's an 8 player Faction neutral (more or less!) event giving ya'll an opportunity to pick a spot on the map and explore there. Or you can test your adventuring skills against Stonegraves, the megadungeon constructed by the Wraith King Murkillor. If you love Undermountain, Rappan Athak, Castle Greyhawk, and the Temple of Elemental Evil, there's plenty to love and loathe.

 

In the meantime keep this thread alive with questions. I answered plenty face to face last year so go ahead.

 

>>ReaperWolf

ReaperWolfs_TabletopSchedule_2017.xlsx

Edited September 13, 2017 by ReaperWolf

[ReaperWolf]

Nobody?

 

Ok, here's a little something to chew on.

 

There are few horses, mules, or ponies in Dreadmere.

 

The buzzing insects and wet air plays havoc on most beasts of burden and mounts. In time these beasts sicken and die. The folk of Dreadmere employ several creative solutions. For one, the number of canals means most folk transport themselves, fares, and goods by watercraft from tiny one-person coracles to enormous two masted barges and skiffs.

 

When mounts or beast of burden are needed, the locals breed aurochs, ancient water-buffalo like bovines that are tolerant of the clouds of midges and mucky air. One purveyor has been enjoying great success with several varieties of enormous terrapins. The beasts are long-lived, thrive on local flora, and have affable temperaments. The largest of the terrapins are taller than a man and can bear burdens weighing just under a ton. There's such a beast among the Bones 4 Dreadmere update. :) Smaller terrapins are no larger than a pony and can bear burdens roughly equivalent to a mule.

 

For speed there's no beating a tamed jeroda. So named by local tribesmen for the call, these enormous flightless birds resemble the dreaded terror bird only adapted to run and hunt among the tall saber grass and canals. Although difficult to tame, and even more difficult to acquire, the birds are remarkably loyal to even-handed riders. Jeroda have been known to bite through their tethers to come to their owner's aid, their heavy sharp beaks swinging with the force of a battering ram and their long talons capable of opening a man in chainmail from adams apple to navel with a single kick.

 

Local aquatic folk such as the shy river elves ride large pike and gar as steeds on their occasional visits to Dreadmere to trade.

 

So there ya have it. More tidbits to come.

 

>>ReaperWolf

[Grayfax]

Now that's pretty cool!  Wouldn't have even thought to ask "Are there pack animals?" aside from "Hey cool! That terrapin with the gear is awesome in the Dreadmere set!".  Originally I was thinking this was a world setting and have only recently picked up on the fact that it is just a region or a city.  I'm sure we would all like to know more about the Link and Lanthorn, it's many enchanted lanterns and it's enchanting hostess, so I'll go a different route.

 

Is Dreadmere a major exporter of any particular kind of goods or services?  Or renowned for any particular resources (food source, magical ingredient, temple, guild, barrow)?

[ReaperWolf]

25 minutes ago, Grayfax said:

Is Dreadmere a major exporter of any particular kind of goods or services?  Or renowned for any particular resources (food source, magical ingredient, temple, guild, barrow)?

 

Oh yes, there's a whole section detailing the economy. Short answer: yes.

 

Legit businesses deal in peat, lumber (recovered from the swamp from earlier habitations), herbs (on par with herbs found in Rolemaster/MERP), fish, crustaceans, and mussels in an astounding variety. Fur trappers make a great living trapping swamp bear and swamp foxes, muskrat, and elusive species of cunning mustellids.

 

There's also smuggling and other illicit trades such as slaving perpetrated by various groups most notoriously the River Widows who supplement their earnings with piracy. 

 

The most lucrative businesses cater to the needs of the adventurers flocking to Dreadmere in droves to seek their fortunes among and under the ruins. Dreadmere was constructed on top of and among the ruins of three previous settlements, most notably the northernmost city of the Tivalla - the Gray Elves. Adventurers can make their fortunes combing the long-sealed crypts beneath the mucky crumbling manses. There's even a business specifically dealing with the purchase and sale of Tivallan artifacts although their haggling can be a bit aggressive...

 

Long story short, there's plenty to do in Dreadmere.

 

>>ReaperWolf

[Mercurion]

Awesome stuff, both my players and I are incredibly excited to get our hands on the setting materials, it is the sort of dark, gritty, morally dubious (and soggy) place they want to adventure. I've taken to combining the wallpapers with the short faction blurbs (see attached) as a means of teasing this to them.

 

Edited September 14, 2017 by Mercurion

[ReaperWolf]

32 minutes ago, Mercurion said:

Awesome stuff, both my players and I are incredibly excited to get our hands on the setting materials, it is the sort of dark, gritty, morally dubious (and soggy) place they want to adventure. I've taken to combining the wallpapers with the short faction blurbs (see attached) as a makes of teasing this to them.

 

Glad you're enjoying it.

 

I've had a ball designing and writing Dreadmere: Muck & Mire.

 

Morally dubious? Yes and no.

 

Hrm...  no community can actually survive anarchy and villainy without some law & order.

Dreadmere does have a ruling body, a hold over from the early days when it was a trading post the years following the last time the settlement sank into the muck. :)

 

The Hodsquatters are the official-unofficial ruling body made up of influential businessfolk, prominent heads of local households, etc. who run the nitty gritty of the settlement. There's a Reeve who functions as a mayor in the name of the 7th Margraive of Greymoor who is allied (in name but not spirit) with the Warlord of Ritterlich - Gabriel Darkblood. There's a sheriff who's responsible for keeping order with his Green-Sashes, the local militia. After the Night of Fangs last year in 986 NA, when Darkblood made his play and took over most of Ritterlich by assassinating three of the five warlords, garrisons of ruthless new-regime loyal soldiers were dispatched to the cities and towns along major roadways to ensure a smooth transition and stomp out dissent.

 

It didn't work.

 

Rumor has it the 7th Margraive is working behind the scenes to ensure his domain and Dreadmere remain free of Darkblood's schemes. Lots of tongues are wagging claiming the Margraive is also behind the recent appearance of newly minted coins lacking Darkblood's mint seal and is funding bands of rebels who are harassing garrison soldiers. Still, a coterie of Darkblood's swaggering dhampir rakes have arrived and are working with the garrison and it's ruffled the feathers of the Hodsquatters, the Reeve and the Sheriff.

 

There's plenty of tension as the factions, gangs, potentates, priesthoods, etc. all pull and push to further their ends. In the meantime, folks keep dong what they're doing and so long as they don't rock the boat (too much!) life goes on.

 

I've written a few wretched hives of scum and villainy over the years, and Dreadmere definitely has more than it's fair share but I wouldn't characterize it as lawless, at least on most days.

 

>>ReaperWolf

Edited September 14, 2017 by ReaperWolf

[Mercurion]

1 hour ago, ReaperWolf said:

Morally dubious? Yes and no.

 

Hrm...  no community can actually survive anarchy and villainy without some law & order.

...

 

I've written a few wretched hives of scum and villainy over the years, and Dreadmere definitely has more than it's fair share but I wouldn't characterize it as lawless, at least on most days.

 

>>ReaperWolf

What I mean is, from what you've revealed of the setting so far, I see ample opportunities for the PCs to be thrown into morally compromising situations, where they are faced with the choice of siding with the lesser (but still Evil) of two Evils.  Where to advance their cause, they are going to have to make some choices that are also saddled with unhappy consequences.

 

Awesome roleplaying opportunities that my players will love.  One has already stated that he is sure his character is a charter member of the Bonehenge Covenant.

 

If anyone wants the other faction sheets for their own use just let me know.

Edited September 14, 2017 by Mercurion

[ReaperWolf]

1 minute ago, Mercurion said:

What I mean is, from what you've revealed of the setting so far, I see ample opportunities for the PCs to be thrown into morally compromising situations, where they are faced with the choice of siding with the lesser (but still Evil) of two Evils.  Where to advance their cause, they are going to have to make some choices that are also saddled with unhappy consequences.

 

Awesome roleplaying opportunities that my player will love.  One has already stated that he is sure his character is a charter member of the Bonehenge Covenant.

Gotcha. Yeah, plenty of trouble to be had in the 'Mere.

Edited September 14, 2017 by ReaperWolf

[ReaperWolf]

So what's the most anticipated nugget of Dreadmere lore are ya'll most interested in learning?

 

>>ReaperWolf

[Valthorn_Illian]

12 hours ago, ReaperWolf said:

So what's the most anticipated nugget of Dreadmere lore are ya'll most interested in learning?

 

>>ReaperWolf

 

Um, all of it? Been trying to do a New Orleans/deep south style swamp location for years and it has always fallen flat.

[ReaperWolf]

All of it is a little hefty for consideration as a nugget.

 

What are you mist curious about?

 

>>ReaperWolf