Fairy-Feller's Masterstroke: Introduction

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Hyarion
Posts: 260
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 11:56 am

The introduction to a campaign I am writing for my group, comments welcome.

The Forgotten Past...
During the year 1999IC, the God-Emperor Sigmar passed judgment on the city of Mordheim bringing a comet onto the city and leaving it a smoking ruin. Since then, few have had any reason to return to the city, whether for fear that Sigmar's judgement may not be complete or because the buildings still standing have been completely deserted by the citizenry of the Empire. Of those few brave souls who lack any better judgement and have gone into the ruins of the city even fewer have come back with a handful of trinkets and heirlooms, some fragments of a strange stone sure to earn an unfortunate buyer a visit from a Witchhunter, and a collection of wild stories about mutants, beastmen, the undead, and worse.

Some say that the twin tailed comet was a fragment of the chaos moon Morrslieb. Heretics whisper that it was Sigmar's touch itself that caused it. The pious lay the blame at the feet of Tzeentch. However it came about, the comet that leveled Mordheim was almost completely made of warpstone which has been corrupting the winds of magic ever since it landed in the Old World. After a time, this disruption was noticed by the Elven Loremasters in Ulthuan who monitor the great vortex and so the Phoenix King Finubar began one of his greatest works, he commissioned the White Tower of Saphery to construct a new set of Elven Waystones to direct and contain the blight from the comet lest its influence spread and the Daemon Wars start again.

The Distant Past...
2375IC. The conflicts with the Dark Elves has subsided enough that the mages and materials required for the waystones have been released to begin their work. Teclis' establishment of the Imperial Colleges of Magic has allowed the humans to pacify the lands of the Empire to the point where construction of the waystones is now feasible. To this end, the High Elves seek to establish the outpost of Athel Morvain to guard the waystones and control the monstrosities coming out of Mordheim until the waystone fence is complete. The dwarves of Karak Kadrin, suspicious of their motives, pressure Magnus the Pious to refuse their request. Fearful of alienating their support, Magnus gives in and refuses the elves; though given the elven influence throughout the Empire, he does not publicize this decision. Finubar decides to proceed anyways and constructs Athel Morvain in secret. It is heavily shrouded in glamours and hidden from the mortal world.

The Recent Past...
Ten years ago. Orran Herzewald, the second son of Baron Johalle Herzewald of Burgenhof leaves to begin his studies at the Imperial Colleges of Magic and enrolls in the Jade College.

Three years ago. The Mordheim Blight is now 40% contained. Markan Valls, a senior Wizard, returns from years abroad during which he spent time studying the city of Mordheim discovering a former wizard's residence and are able to find and unlock the wizard's hidden stash. He finds a copy of the Liber Revivandis, a tome written by Doctor Froderick Fronkanshteen about the reanimation of dead tissue long term exposure to the comet. He returns to the Jade College and is hailed as a hero for his research and the return of the journal which may provide some new insights. He accepts a teaching position at the Jade College and becomes quite popular with the students, including Orran, for his outlandish tales. Valls dies a few months later from prolonged exposure to Warpstone, but the details of his death are covered up.

Two years ago. The work has continued at Athel Morvain slowly but surely. When the primary Azyr(Heavens) stone is erected and it's enchantments activated, it causes an evil wind to blow north out of Sylvania. It carries a plague that ravages southern Ostermark including Burgenhof. Most of the town succumbs including the Herzewald family including Baron Johalle, heir apparent Andrew, and the youngest Emillia. Orran leaves the Jade College shortly afterward as a journeyman wizard to assume his father's title and begin rebuilding Burgenhof. As he passes through Kiel Orran encounters a peddler selling trinkets recovered from Mordheim and decides to venture there himself but turns back.

One year ago. Unbeknownst to the Elves of Athel Morvain, Orran witnesses a new waystone being erected during a trip to Seigfreidhof; he inspects it on his return journey and finds that it is inscribed with the elven rune for Ghyran, the green wind of life, and hatches a plan.

The Present...
Orran is taking advantage of his arcane education and plans to realign several waystones attuned to Ghyran to focus an extreme amount of energy on himself so he can complete the restoration of Bergenhof.
I hold the glaive of Law against the Earth.
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Hyarion
Posts: 260
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 11:56 am

On a related note, bearing in mind that "No plot survives contact with the PC's", to what level of detail should I be writing out the events of the campaign?

What level of detail would be helpful for others who may want to run this for their own groups?
I hold the glaive of Law against the Earth.
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Orin J.
Posts: 514
Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2019 10:39 pm

as far as going forward, i suggest keeping things fairly open but focused on getting the reader understanding how the adventurers should be motivated as they go forward. maybe putting asides when it seems like there's a lot of ways for them to screw things up.

and keeping a healthy dose of fatalism about the PCs managing to kill themselves, a WFRP campaign where the GM is pressured to keep the player's characters alive is a boring campaign.
mormegil
Posts: 57
Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2019 10:48 am

Nice background, would be interested to know some connections you are making like the Azyr stone and the wind from Sylvania.
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