The Foul Bell Tolls
On the gigantic island of Aklito there is a Confederacy of united states and tribes which was brought together for the sake of preserving the uniquely egalitarian alignment of both Migration and Goblinoid races. The great Capital of Aklopeluko stands firm against the myriad raids of Goblinoid Clans, Reptillian Tribes, and Migratory raiders. Within this expansive granite home of the elites there is a group of scholars of worldly fame, the Al-Hatha Institute, granted a monopoly on the Arcane and Divine tomes of the elders by the Confederate Council. Their dedication to Urr [the Divine of Knowledge and Prophecy] is unrivaled and without a doubt they utilize their position to pursue the strange and dangerous with assistance of the Confederate forces supplied around the Capital
The Silver Talons are a Mercenary Company that manages to adhere to the paths laid out by the Council without being directly tied to them, handling all the dirty work that the Council may not want to associate with. Now they have found themselves in a situation after failing the last mission given to them, and after falling out of favor their members are doing any important task that comes across the Head Talon’s desk. That includes sending a contingent to follow around some Philosophers into a strange mountain pass.
Certain informants have made known to the Al-Hatha Institute have been warned of the Town of Utenzi, containing the satellite school Al-Hatha Mountain School of Philosophy where strange happenings have forced many into fleeing the region. Many say this is due do being adjacent to Reptilian lands of the South, its inhabitants having become indifferent and less than reliable in reporting on the situations. The group of researchers have been paid by secretive means for members of the recently disgraced Silver Talons as a part of their efforts to make amends for previous mistakes, along with a pair of Guides and a crew of close-lipped sailors who know how to brave the treacherous mountain rivers. Strange noises come humming down from these passes and the brave few who travel into the darkness will soon learn why no others have taken up the task…
Setup: Character approaching this Campaign should be dedicated to the goal of uncovering the strange and twisted mess of disappearances in and around Utenzi and won’t back down when dangerous things appear. Most should have the Aklopelukan Culture, while Reptilian Characters would have the Jaulsh or Jaurk Cultures and Goblinoids would have the Ediguj, Kafiji, or Perdisan Cultures. Culture and Character Notes can be seen after the maps below
Player Goals - Build notes for any questions involving Character Creation
High Priority Skills: Investigation, Occultism, Religion, and Insight
High Importance Classes:
Motivations should include: Seeking Knowledge, Hunting Down Monsters, Defending the Weak, or Hungering for Power
PC Roles - The Ship that is headed to Utenzi has a small amount of people and any of these Roles would be very appropriate to focus on Character Building around
Institute Agents, Mercenary Guards, Guides, Utenzi Informant, Ship Member
Quests and Goals: The Party begins at Level 2, with everyone gathering in the Capital to ride the River Snake up into the Mountains
Make it to Utenzi - Bandits and other strange sightings have been seen on the road between Kashish and Utenzi, and after the Riversnake departs it’ll be up to you to survive the journey
Gather Resources and Information in Aklopeluko
Meet the Captain
Make the River Trip to Kashish
Meet the Kashish Headsman
Climb Angel’s Falls
Trek into Utenzi
Campaign Character Ideas - This is the Group of people travelling under this Expedition, Players will need to fit themselves into this group for the journey to begin
Institute Agents [Head and 2x Assistants] - Members of the Institute, their jobs and livelihoods are riding on the ability for them to uncover the strange secrets lurking in the mountains
Head Researcher - Dwarf Scribe Wizard, Aklopelukan Culture, Sage Background
Assistant Researcher - Halfling Burned Sorcerer, Aklopelukan Culture, Student Background
Merc Guards [Leader and 4x Members] - Characters which have a strictly neutral worldview, doing this for the money or because they were forced to by the Head Talon
Mercenary Leader - Human Champion Fighter, Aklopelukan Culture, Soldier Background
Mercenary - Hobgoblin Arcane Mercenary Spellblade, Ediguj Culture, Mercenary Background
Wildmen [1 Guide and 1x Protector] - Members of the wilderness that whether they like it or not, they are going to be without a home should whatever malevolent forces are out there take over the region and have been forced to assist
Guide - Goblin Stalker Ranger, Ediguj Culture, Haunted One Background
Protector - Lizite Ferocious Beastmaster, Jaulsh Culture, Outlander Background
Local Informant -[2x Informants] A person from around Utenzi who sent out the request. Will need the player to have extra info to give out to the other players when arriving in Utenzi
Hunter Informant - Orc Cursed Warrior, Aklopelukan Culture, Bounty Hunter Background
Shop-Owner Informant - Human Enchanter Psion, Aklopelukan Culture, Merchant Background
Peasant Informant - Genasi Thief Rogue, Ediguj Culture, Urchin Background
Shipmen [12x Sailors] - A simple person who has spent years of hard labor handling the ins and outs of travel and easily manages to maneuver around the strange situations they find themselves in
Helmsman - Human Sweet Science Pugilist, Kafiji Culture, Sailor Background
The Factions of Utenzi
The Iko Clan - The current leaders of Utenzi and the more vehement powerhouse of the region and owners of the Castle, this group has a myriad of magical items squared away and the people there are likely to resist any attempts at disrupting their authority
The Jubro Clan - While the Iko Clan runs the show the Jubro Clan controls the low counties and are going to fight against the Iko at any point they can, the division within the region means that any time the other Clan falters this one will try to replace them in the elections to get to the heights of power. Their leader is power hungry and ready to set the world on fire if it even singes the Iko
Al-Hatha Mountain School of Astrology - While this School still has less than 25 permanent students there is good evidence that they have contributed amicably to the overal knowledge of the Institute. Their ability to conduct research upon mountaintops assists in their catalogue of the Stars and they were once excited to share this information, before their members stopped coming back at least
Saint Hwangao’s Temple of the Gods - While Utenzi isn’t known for their faith the low countries around it are happy to make yearly pilgrimages to this Temple to present their offerings, with stone masons from the Town crafting a myriad of effigies and fetishes that grant blessings to those below. Preator Justin is happy to help those in need, though his hard-of-hearing nature causes some derision in the ranks
Shadows - They don’t exist, they didn’t take your hip pouch, and they certainly didn’t slit the throat of the mother and child next door after their deadbeat father didn’t pay them back. Oh yeah, and they definitely didn’t strange his broke-ass up on the castle walls to send a fucking message
Relevant Cultures
Aklopelukan - This group is said to be the most influential of the migration cultures that didn’t stem from the empire. They settled within their secluded mountains at the head of Alo’s River. They built and maintained their center along this river and rejected the knowledge of the Golden Worship in exchange for the advances of the philosophy which influenced their worldview. However, recently there have been strange phenomena within this culture that people say are expanding their minds, changing them…
Origin: Migration, Alignment: Chaotic Neutral, Religion: Old Gods, Type: Egalitarian: Places emphasis on integration and common duty - +1 Constitution, Tradition: Enlightened Philosophers - Proficiency with: History and Society (Advantage on Society Rolls of your own Culture)
Ediguj - The Ediguj are arranged into a collection of fiefs which they call Domains, and hold onto relentlessly. The Ediguj have thus far failed to develop larger vassal systems because of a reluctance to cooperate or treat with one another on less than equal terms, meaning that each can be snuffed out with only general upset from the neighbors. All the same, each Baronet organizes his own levy, conducts his own trade, and upholds his own laws. The territory of the Ediguj has been shrinking, but external pressures will rapidly force them to make a stronger central authority or simply vanish
Origin: Goblinoid, Alignment: Chaotic Neutral, Religion: Old Gods, Type: Communal - Form tightly knit groups based on preconceived notions - +1 to any Attribute Score, Tradition: Religious - Proficiency with: Religion (select 1 of your Choice)
Kafiji - Along the western coast this culture has grown out of the Labaliga and Aklopelukan groups, but reject the centralization tenets that dominate them. They focus on their agriculture and maintain the prestigious ceremonies of the other civilizations but relegate their administration to more local leaders. They are known for growing special healthy types of crops and regularly trade with all types of cultures
Origin: Migration, Alignment: Lawful Neutral, Religion: Old Gods, Type: Ceremonious - Form over Function, Lawful, honor and prestige - +1 Dexterity, Tradition: Coastal Agriculturists - Gain Proficiency with Nature and Sailing
Jaulsh - The eternal kicking bag of the Alko region, the Jaulsh are considered closely tied to their neighbors the Jaurk and generally derided by everyone else. They are a people who are interested in the accumulation of wealth but lack the cultural strength to maintain or protect that wealth. To that end they frequently import mercenaries of varying quality but merely prolong their fading regional merchant status to pirate attacks and Alko encroachment which has accelerated in the recent decades to a more warfare society
Origin: Reptilian, Alignment: Chaotic Neutral, Religion: Primordial, Type: War Society - Society demands action and mastery of personal arms - +1 Strength, Tradition: Skirmishing Expert - Proficiency with: Darts, Javelin, Sling (All are Finesse Weapons for you and you increase their Ranges by 10m)
Jaurk - Isolationists and always resistant to the tides of regional politics, they are only closely tied to their neighbors the Jaulsh. This culture are kin to the rock and stone of the land and trace their origins to The Crater which also reinforces their demand to worship the land. So their daring smiths obtain primordial fragments of some ancient cataclysm to forge ancestral torches to carry through the generations. It is said these items are infused with cosmic power beyond understanding and the mightiest warriors are covered with dozens of these bands to fight with the fury beyond comprehension. Otherwise, they are a people who eke out an existence down to earth and pay little attention to the greater world around them even when it may be to their advantage
Origin: Reptilian, Alignment: Chaotic Neutral, Religion: Primordial, Type: Stoic - Resistant to change externally and internally, timeless, live in the present - +1 Constitution, Tradition: Majestic Smiths - Gain Expertise with Jotun Tools
Perdisan - An unassuming place on the island’s North, where the days are mild, the weather fair, and the people friendly. Perdisans are gentle folk, more interested in tending to their crops and maintaining their family shrines than fighting or adventuring. They tend to build simple villages with extensive networks of underground larders and root cellars, and their harvest and solstice festivals are places of great merry-making and joy. They are, as a people, totally unsuited to greater conflict and thus have generally suffered at the hands of others. In this, like many other things, they merely grit their teeth and pray for change
Origin: Goblinoid, Alignment: Neutral, Religion: Ancestor, Type: Spiritualist - Puts more value in faith than politics and power - +1 Wisdom, Tradition: Welcoming - Proficiency with: Persuasion and Society (Goblinoid)
