This Wolden RPG adventure is currently still being playtested. The majority of the adventure is written, but maps and art is still missing. For the time being, this is a work in progress, but check back often for updates!

Spoilers!

Needless to say, this page contains all the spoilers, so if you're planning on playing this adventure, look away now! :D

Overview

A powerful sorcerer-king, King Kashiel the Thrice Blessed, Titan of the Pyramid Gargantua, has established a stronghold at the far edges of the All-forest. His designs on the forest, if any, are unclear. It behooves the cults of Wolden to closely watch his actions, to determine whether this sorcerer-king is a threat, or a possible ally.

To that end, the cult leaders have decided to replace his favorite concubine with a planted spy of their own. They have found a woman, Armeda of the Enlightened Conclave of Ocultists (eye sorcerers), who resembles the concubine and is willing to take on this task. Magic, clothes, and makeup will make the illusion complete. Hopefully.

It is your job to escort the spy to the sorcerer-king’s stronghold, remove the real concubine, and put your agent in place. Leave the real one alive, she could be useful as leverage down the road. Beyond that, it’s all up to you.

Beginning the Adventure

At the start, the characters have already traveled far from Wolden, and are now close to King Kashiel’s domain. The area is roughly divided into three regions: the winding paths through the funghi forests along the rivers and lakes (the domain of Naiads), the mangrove swamps (ruled by Queen Thastrea, a pretend medusa, to the chagrin of the toad people), and the mountains where Sorcerer-King Kashiel’s titanic, inverted pyramid floats. Small hamlets and villages dot all three regions, with footpaths connecting them.

An extremely dangerous basilisk (known as the Black Wyrm of Phogglop) roams the swamps, puppeteered by the toadfolk shaman Spuglith. Additionally, a group known as the Immaculata meander the regions, hunting heretics for the sorcerer-king, while spreading the word of The Divine (see below).

From their heightened vantage point at the start of the adventure, the characters can get a good overview of the area and see the main features of the regions, and thus decide on their route to the sorcerer-king. Whichever path they choose, they’ll have opportunities to learn about King Kashiel, make enemies or allies, and gain treasure.

Key Points

  • The enormous funghi forests around the rivers and lakes are the domain of the Naiads. Few villagers have actually seen them—though many claim to, with wildly differing tales and descriptions—but most agree that as long as their rituals are observed the Naiads keep the region bountiful.
  • The villagers of the mangrove swamp try to stay away from the bullywugs, and their patrols on giant toads. Lately, animals and folks have been turned to stone. A woman who looks like a medusa claims responsibility for this, and has established herself as queen.
  • In fact, the bullywug shaman Spuglith can summon and steer a terrifying basilisk, and it is responsible for the petrifications.
  • A group of heretic hunters roams the area, as do patrols from the sorcerer-king. Some of the latter are taking liberties with their tasks, and have started oppressing and abusing villagers.
  • Use the rumor table below to determine information that can be gleaned in local settlements.
  • Only the pyramid Gargantua is large enough for regular downtime activities, but the more limited rest and recuperation is available in other settlements.

Rumors and Knowledge

Visiting settlements in the area, or talking to other travelers might reveal one or more of the pieces of information below. They are all largely correct, though not always complete. The more that are accumulated though, the fuller the picture of the whole adventure’s situation will become.

  1. There is a procession following a real, incarnated goddess. They call her The Divine. They seek pious, righteous folk to submit to her, and help eradicate black magics.
  2. A group of heretic hunters roams the forests. They’ve captured some witches already and will bring them to the sorcerer-king for judgement.
  3. The followers of The Divine are called the Immaculata. Their leader is half-man, half-hog, and punishes himself for the sins of others.
  4. There’s a countess among the Immaculata, but not a real one, she only calls herself that. She has very unruly children, and would probably kill to get a break from them.
  5. The Immaculata have a wizard who has the blessing of the sorcerer-king. The women say they’ve never seen such a good-looking bookworm.
  6. The swamps used to be the sole home of the bullywug, a species of toadfolk, but lately they’ve been welcoming settlers. Presumably since no one understands their blubbering language.
  7. The bullywug you see are all females. The males are the giant toads that they ride around on. Not many tools in the shed, but powerful legs for great leaps.
  8. There is a new queen in the swamps. She can turn folks into stone just by looking at them, and her hair is all snakes. The swamps are littered with animal statues, and some human ones.
  9. The toadfolk refuse to bow to the new queen. For now she hasn’t punished them for this insolence, but it can’t be long before her tolerance runs out.
  10. The sorcerer-king’s guards are patrolling further and further into our territories, and the farther away they are from their home, the viler they get. They think they’re better than us.
  11. The sorcerer-king sees all. His eyes are everyone and he never sleeps. The only way to do something privately is to do it in complete darkness.
  12. The funghi forests are wondrous, with mushrooms so tall and large their trunks are as hard as wood. Good thing too, otherwise the villagers would have to import all their wood.
  13. The naiads have strange traditions, but as long as you abide them, they protect the forests, rivers, and lakes, and ensure they’re verdant and bountiful.
  14. The inverted pyramid floating over yonder volcano is called Gargantua, the city-state of the sorcerer-king. Its locals think they’re better than us. Maybe they are, they dress fancy.
  15. Gargantua is a thing of wonder, architecturally speaking. But why is there a constant storm brewing over it, and what are those winged things in the storm?
  16. The people of the pyramid are welcoming to all, and won’t comment on appearance. They’ve been far and wide and have likely seen it all before.

The Immaculata

A faction of driven and determined heretic hunters is active in the area. They travel in small groups, regularly returning to the main convoy with captured blasphemers and seized relics. They operate under license from King Kashiel, and a heretic is anyone who practices magic without a license (“There is no magic but the king’s magic”). Seized, suspected heretics are chained and locked into a prison cart, to be taken to Gargantua, where the king will judge them.

The Immaculata worship and protect The Divine, a deific essence that they alone see reincarnated in a person in every generation. Right now it’s a teenage girl (formerly known as Helenor) initially captured as suspected heretic, but since put on a—literal and figurative—pedestal. In fact, she relishes her new station, and has really made the part her own.

Helenor is unusual, this much is true, for she appears subtly different from distinct angles, presenting varying ethnic traits and beauty standards. Only her age is constant.

CARDINAL PETRACHOR THE CHASTE. Level 3; hp 12; Attack Far-reaching, shard-studded scourge (1d4+).

A man with the face of a hog and a rotund figure, covered all over in in bristly hairs. He wears simple, russet-brown robes.

  • Has layers of scar tissue on his back from the regularly inflicted self-flagellation.
  • Acts as the leader of the Immaculata; pious and earnest, calm and concerned.
  • Wants to spread the word of The Divine; to convert heretics but must deliver them to King Kashiel instead.
  • Knows intricate, esoteric facts about the deific essence of the Divine; how to withstand intense, sustained punishment.

ARCHIVIST REVOLVUS THE CALM. Level 3; hp 12; Attack Whittling knife (1d4).

Extremely buff wizard in blue robes, often topless. Looks older than he is due to his long beard and big hair.

  • Has the The Nomistic Onomasticon; a necklace of magical, protective, and explosive (1d8) beads; ripped abs; a license to practice magic, by King Kashiel.
  • Acts inquisitive, meditative; oftentimes promiscuously.
  • Wants to use his grimoire to create an army of undead protectors and servants; to find suitable burial grounds.
  • Knows how to reach deep into the earth to unleash demons from hell, but is hesitant to do so unless it’s an emergency.

COUNTESS CZINDA THE RED. Level 4; hp 8 (but unkillable); Attack —.

Young woman in a stunning red gown, long blonde locks meticulously styled, smokey eyes, red lips.

  • Has an ever-young and fit appearance; two prim and proper kid-like revenant charges (Violet, Gunther) she mothers but isn't above siccing onto targets like rabid dogs; a sadistic penchant.
  • Acts like a doting and lesson-teaching mother to her charges, if a little stressed and exhausted; occasionally like a merciless executioner for Cardinal Petrachor.
  • Wants an exciting, romantic adventure as a damsel in distress, if only to escape the responsibilities of guardianship for a time.
  • Knows that she cannot truly die; how to play the role of the surrendering, sympathy-inspiring damsel.

VIOLET & GUNTHER, GHOUL CHILDREN. Level 2; hp 8; Attack bite (1d4+), or tongue lick (paralysis for 1 round).

Presenting as 10-year olds, well dressed and coiffed, lacking any color but blood red, especially around the mouth and front.

  • The stench of the grave accompanies them. Animals fear them (adult soon enough). Love biting ankles.

DOCTOR IANTHINE THE QUIET. Level 3; hp 16 (leather cloak and mask); Attack Physician's tools (1d4+)

A short man, clad head to toe in oiled leathers, including plague doctor mask, hat, cloak, boots, and gloves.

  • Has instruments of surgery, healing, and torture.
  • Acts reserved, and pensive, his steady, matter-of-fact voice muffled by the mask; eyes that glow like a cat's.
  • Wants to complete his study on what each muscle, organ, and other tissue can withstand, and how to push them further; subjects for said studies.
  • Knows a great deal on anatomy, anthropology, and fringe sciences.

HIRED HANDS. Level 1; hp 8 (chainmail); Attack Spear or halberd (1d8+).

A mix of genders, with patch-work armor, and a white tabard signifying their service to The Divine.

  • Competent, and well paid. A dozen of them in total.

THE DIVINE (FORMERLY HELENOR). Level 8; hp 40 (divine protection); Attack Re-evaluate life (2d8 Mind).

Clad in flowing and glowing whites, this teenage girl looks subtly different from distinct angles, presenting varying ethnic traits and beauty standards. Only her age is constant.

  • Has the responsibility to bear the divine essence; all her wishes catered for.
  • Acts the part; beatific but not aloof; sacred and faultless on her throne.
  • Wants to make the most of this recent curveball; bring followers into her hallowed embrace.
  • Knows that the sorcerer-king sees himself her equal (or better) and would never submit to her.

The Nomistic Onomasticon

Heavy, ancient looking tome, bound in prediluvian leather, wrapped in aged, iron bands. Will function as a heavy club in a pinch.

Ritual

To Wear the Mantle of the Bibliophagist. Write down on paper the full names of all those that are dear to thee, and whom though would not wish harm upon. Now eat the paper so that they might become part of thee and be blessed. Never leave anyone without learning their name, for harm will surely come to them, should thou fail to include them in this ritual. The duration of this ceremony depends heavily on how many thou carest about. And thy memory.

  • Critical failure: Everyone will get thy name wrong for the whole day.

Cantrip

Lethonomia Novis. For any given person—alive or dead—that thou meets, thou hast a 90% chance of knowing their full name, or history or names.

Spells

Raise the Buried Dead One Last Time. Given an area with regular to shallow graves, thou drawest a circle in the ground, and by repeatedly calling the deceased by their full names, as read out from the Onomasticon, thou imbuest them with animus, fractionally stolen from millions of souls, to claw themselves out, and perform one task for thee. The task must be accomplishable given the state of their bodies, and cannot last longer than 1 day. After that time, or once the task is done, they return to corpses.

Theophorous Decree. You take upon thyself the name of a god, part the earth ad interim to reveal a nocuous passage to hell, and with suitable gravitas and presence, command the demons to come to thee, and wreak havoc in thy name. Whether lowly lemure or horned cornugon answer thy summons, thou cannot say. Nor can thee or thine send them back afterwards, so use this incantation with care.

Viatical Socius. The book lists the gyrovagues, the nuns and monks who travel far and fast via the hidden viaducts and the orphic lanes, hidden from prying mortal eyes. You call their truenames and one must answer, let thee and thine enter the liminal spaces, and guide thee rapidly to destinations known or unknown, even if such clandestine travel is not without hazards.

Onomancy. The truth is in the names, for those who can read it. This invocation lets thee divine a future about a given person. Make a proclamation about a future of that person with a location and a time. For example, “they will be at the northern pier at sundown”. You may additionally add an action for a +10% miscast chance, and a detail for another +10%. For example, “they will be at the northern pier at sundown, waiting for their contact, wearing the stolen necklace”. The casting roll will be at +20% miscast chance. If the roll succeeds, the fates will look kindly upon actions to make this future happen (rolls will be easier), whereas opposing the future will be costly (rolls will be much harder).

How to Use the Immaculata

Before the characters reach Gargantua

  • Cardinal Petrachor has a basecamp somewhere in the forest, with The Divine on a throne on a pedestal, and hired hands. The prison wagon is here, perhaps with an interesting prisoner, as are other wagons and hired hands. If one of the characters got taken out, they might also be chained here.
  • The rest of the Immaculata have fanned out throughout the region, seeking out heretics, or pursuing their own agendas. They’re accompanied by 2 hired hands each at least.
  • Encounters with them need not initially be hostile, though if the characters are suspected of possessing witchcraft, the Immaculata will want to come back in bigger numbers, unless they can catch the relevant character or characters alone.

After reaching Gargantua

  • Members of the Immaculata will be taking part in the various activities for the Festival of Culture. Depending on previous interactions they could help getting into the Thrice-Blessed Debutante Ball, or to the Sorcerer-King himself (whether as guests or chained heretics).
  • An Immaculata with a grudge might hound them even after leaving the pyramid city.

To be continued...