Path of Glory Is a new setting and series of adventures set in the same world of Misty Vale from the core setting included in Dragonbane. A double-sided map depicts the new setting of Heaven’s Rim. The size of the new location invites worldbuilding, whether the included adventure is played out in its entirety or not.
Where to Start
In my first worldbuilding coverage of Misty Vale I covered campaign kickoff and getting a campaign started. For this new location, Heaven’s Rim, the player characters should have already completed one campaign similar in length to the one included in the base set. This setting allows for a season two of sorts, continuing with a new campaign and setting but set in the same world and with the same PCs. Alternatively, Path of Glory includes notes on advancing new characters to a point of experience suitable for survival in this more dangerous area of the world.
Path of Glory continues with a three-part adventure and coverage of three new locations: a haunted forest, a dangerous ruined dwarven mine, and the large eastern lands full of undead and witches and other challenges. Even if the included three-part adventure is not run exactly as written, these three new locations are well worth developing into a setting either combined or setting an extended campaign in one of the three. The Dead Forest and the Eastern Lands are depicted on a large map, while the Dwarven Realm includes several maps, including a side view of the whole complex and various dungeon maps of each area.
The Dead Forest
Home to humans and elves, the Dead Forest also hosts hobgoblins, a pair of minotaurs, a cave troll, and a lone centaur. NPCs include a wandering monk, a knight in black, and the denizens of The Hungry Hobgoblin, an inn. The PCs may be specifically looking for three keys that will open the Dwarven Realm from this side of the mountain; the Realm is the only known way to cross the mountains to the Eastern Lands. A lost artifact is also rumored to be hidden in the Dwarven Realm.
The Hungry Hobgoblin is a great place to kick off season two of an ongoing campaign. The PCs can learn new rumors of adventure there and rest in between sojourns into the Dead Forest. Some of these rumors hint at lands further afield, like a rumor about a black knight roaming the forest and killing those he encounters. He is said to come from the Eastern Lands beyond the mountains, and that he serves a necromancer.
The Dwarven Realm
The Dwarven Realm is sealed and requires three keys that can be recovered in the Dead Forest. So, this location follows logically from the last location.
While dwarven traps are still a threat and as well as cave-ins, the current inhabitants are ogres, mining ore, and orcs who process it in the dwarves’ old forge. Mogdath is an undead servant of the same necromancer the black knight serves. While the black knight was spreading fear and trying to stop the keys from being found, Mogdath, along with his two shadow wraith servants, searches for the ancient artifact.
The PCs will likely have to defeat Mogdath and retrieve several magic items before finding the way through east. An underground river exits the Realm and opens into the Eastern Lands. If they search for the ancient artifact, they cannot find it as it has been removed and moved east.
The Eastern Lands
PCs exiting the Dwarven Realm via boat on the underground river will have quite the adventure when they emerge into the light. The river hits a series of rapids just as it leaves the underground.
The Eastern Lands are home to the necromancer and his undead and orc army. A small band of rebels continue to resist him. These are knight-monks recently augmented by a dragon rider. Sathmog, a demon from the first setting, has cultists operating openly in the Eastern Lands. They are friends to neither the necromancer nor the knight-monks. Finally, there is a mallard assassin that has been captured, whom the PCs could free, and perhaps form an alliance with.
Stonemouth is a village the PCs soon find, but it is under siege by orcs. If they want some type of base to operate out of they will need to get involved.
Otag is a mountain temple, but it has been conquered. If the PCs have made an ally of the assassin, they will be forewarned.
Three locations of note can be explored by PCs in the Eastern Lands. The Hills of Kalin crawl with orcs and undead. While the PCs cannot defeat the army, they might get the chance to spy on the necromancer and learn more of his plans.
Fang-Forren is forest rules by demonic tree creatures called Ur-Forren. The forest itself is still twisted and diseased from demonic energies released during a decades-long war between elves and demons. Demonic seed pods are a threat. The tree demons guard three monk-knights that the PCs might decide to rescue. The final location, the Demon Tower, is deep in the forest.
The Demon Tower is full of dangerous foes, and the magic the necromancer has been hunting is hidden there. The troll witch Morgasa guards the item. The PCs will have to bargain or fight if the want to keep the heart of darkness away from the necromancer.
Next Steps
While all three locations are built to support the included adventure, the double-sided map of Heaven’s Realm is huge and full of locations that are ripe for adventure. The Dead Forest has many more locations that might hold treasure and danger such as the Old Barrows and Deepmire Swamp. The Wolf Peaks and Lum-Lorren Forest in the Eastern Realms could hide new dungeons, possible allies, and dangerous foes. East beyond the Eastern Lands is the Sea of Dreams. A mariner PC could find a ship and set sail, seeking the homeland of the knight-monks.
Whether you plan to play the included adventure as written or not, this higher level setting will help carry a Dragonbane campaign forward into greater dangers and more rewards. The locations, NPCs, creature, and magic including a small sampling of demonology, will support play for more experienced PCs. And the includes maps are stunning.
Picture credit: Pixabay
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