[Cold Frontier] Locations of the East - Ghosts of Jealousy, Bright Heart, Dark Heart, Grippli Villages, and Black Crystal Tree

In a remote corner of the forests north of the Dead Village, the two star-crossed lovers of the Wolverine Tribe and the Yellow Seal Village, as well as their betrayer from the latter, re-enact their drama on certain dark nights. This might provide some hints for why the massacre of the Yellow Seal Village occurred, but they do not care for spectators disturbing their drama and will attack - and the jealous murderer from the Yellow Seal Village, Green Hare, will likely attempt to possess visitors so that he can seek out members of the Wolverine Tribe (now the Silver Bird Tribe) and continue his revenge.

The First City colonists did a lot of experiments with the Mothman artifacts they discovered. Among others, they wanted to study the long-term effects of the Mothman soul manipulation technology on life forms. For this purpose, they altered two soul collectors and buried them within the swamps with many protective enchantments, one of them aspected towards Life, and the other one towards Death. These now form what the locals call the "Bright Heart" and the "Dark Heart" of the forest. The former is abundant with life and growth, while the latter has attracted death and decay. Shamans use these for some of their rituals, but so far no one has discovered the reason for the existence of these spots.

Two tribes of grippli dwell within the swamps, each numbering about 400 of their people. They and the human tribes of the area - who call them the "Frog Folk" - regard each others as enemies and will not hesitate to kill each other on sight if given the opportunity, but they are not inherently evil and might be willing to negotiate with obviously non-human looking characters.

On the island south of Shrouded Tree Village, the Mothmen constructed another Black Crystal Tree - one of their "weather stations"/listening posts. The villagers are aware of the construct, but rarely see reason to visit it.


Note: A list of all Cold Frontier-related posts can be found here.

[Cold Frontier] Locations of the East - Shrouded Tree Village

Let's take a look at the first of the villages in the eastern regions - Shrouded Tree Village. The player characters already visited it once during the last session, on their way to the Forest Witch. I have already established that the villagers all live in actual tree houses (to protect themselves from the various predators prowling the forest), and that about 300 people live here. Beyond that, the player characters haven't spent much time here, since they had rather urgent business elsewhere.

So what about the namesake "Shrouded Tree"? I originally picked the name because of the tree-dwelling association and because it sounded cool. But what if there is an actual "Shrouded Tree" at the spiritual heart of the village? A tree within its own pocket dimension that is only accessible to the initiated? Let's keep that in mind.

I turn once again to the Random Nations Generator at the Arcana Wiki to flesh out the village. For the form of government we get Plutocracy - where wealth translates into political power - which is an interesting concept for the barter economies of the coastal tribes. Perhaps the Shrouded Tree demands gifts in exchange for the blessings it bestows to the villagers, and those who are able to bestow it with the best gifts (i.e. the most "wealth") will get the best blessings, and thus are better able to lead the village. In Pathfinder terms, such gifts would likely represent various temporarily-bestowed templates. But what might a tree want? Rare soils? Animal skins from the furthest reaches of the forest? I'll have to think about this.

Moving on to the organizations, we get Drug Cartel. An obvious source of a drug is the Shrouded Tree itself - perhaps its sap has useful properties like toughening the skin, restoring fatigue, restoring damage and so forth. However, regular use will lead to addiction, and not using it will lead to withdrawal. This will not be a problem for the villagers, since they have a ready source - but it would be very easy to set up a devastating drug ring with this substance. As an additional organization we get Private Military Company - so maybe some of the hunters of the village are interested in hiring themselves out as mercenaries as long as they get more gifts for the Shrouded Tree.

Moving on to the "Major Personalities", one of the entries is Flagellant. Which sounds like the Shrouded Tree would value the blood of people, freely given. Maybe one of the shamans has the title "Tree Speaker", and in times of need he whips himself inside the Tree's sanctum until his blood waters the tree, granting him visions or power.

Another personality is Théodore Géricault, a French artist who, among other things, is famous for his paintings of disasters and insane people. This might represent another shaman - let's call her Cloud Walker - who carves wood into fairly disturbing statues, such as our old friend the Mothman. Others might relate to the activities of the PCs, past, present, or future. The other villages avoid her, but she insists that the statues are important.

We also get Julia Bulette among the Personalities. While prostitutes and brothels are not the best cultural fit for the Coastal Tribes, the ability to "charm men" puts me in mind of dryads - so let's say a dryad (named Shrouded Flower) has bonded with the Shrouded Tree and is its highly respected caretaker and guardian. Furthermore, the Tree Speaker of the village is chosen based on his or her ability to charm Shrouded Flower.

Among the Major Political Issues, we get "Superfund money to clean 'mouth of the beast'", an article about cleaning up the most polluted site in California (deriving from the runoff of a mine). While there are no mines in the area, I already had the notion of having a "bright heart" of the forest and a "dark heart" of the forest - the latter is a site of spiritual corruption, and one warrior - Angry Wasp - is agitating for cleaning it up. This is why he is also willing to hire himself and some like-minded warriors out as mercenaries - he hopes to get sufficient gifts for the tree to make himself powerful enough to cleanse the Dark Heart.

A further political issue is Feuding Families - perhaps some descendants of Yellow Seal Village are still feuding with the Silver Bird Tribe to the north because of their ancestral war. Finally, we get "Man petitions to marry comic book character" - while someone falling in love with one of Cloud Walker's statues is one option, let's say that a junior shaman - Sleeping Fire - is secretly obsessed with Shrouded Flower and seeks to replace the Tree Speaker.

Next we get to Major Projects, and one of them is the Trans-Global Highway. Maybe the Shrouded Tree wants to propagate, which is why it currently needs lots of "fertilizer" of all kind - exotic plant matter, feces from all sorts of animal, even blood (maybe the villagers will make a "Blood for Sap" drive?). Creating new Shrouded Trees is not a trivial matter, as it requires lots of spiritual energy, but when they do, the Shrouded Tree pocket dimensions will connect to each other, making travel between different locations possible.

A further project is "Rescuing A Potential Nuke From The Chile Quake". Perhaps the followers of Angry Wasp know or suspect that there is some kind of artifact creating the corruption in the Dark Heart, and their ultimate goal is to find it and destroy or cleanse it. But even getting there is difficult indeed...

Looking at the Economy section, we get Truffles as an export, which makes sense given their forested location. Among the forms of worship, we get Fertility Rite - presumably, those couples who wish to have children visit the Shrouded Tree and sleep with each other among its roots (with the Tree Speaker having his own "rites" with Shrouded Flower). We also get Bacchanalia, which hints at doing these rites in groups - presumably, there is lots of tree sap involved. Another is Animal Sacrifice, which ties in with what the Tree wants as gifts.

I could go on with the other sections, but this should provide me plenty of material to start with.


Note: A list of all Cold Frontier-related posts can be found here.

[Cold Frontier] Locations of the East - Pool of Darkness, Forest Witch, and Dead Village

Since I filled up the starting map of the Cold Frontier last time, let's start with a new one! Since the player characters are currently planning to move east, we add locations to that area next.

In this lonely hill region, there is a cave covered by dark vapors. There is always one of the Five Sisters of the nearby Silver Bird Tribe guarding this cave, warning trespassers away from this site of death and darkness. She can animate the nearby trees to help her defend the cave entrance from those who refuse to listen, though she may be willing to let others enter the cave if their need is urgent and their cause righteous. The cave itself is covered by impenetrable, magical darkness which resists magical sources of light and effectively blocks all visual senses - even of those who can otherwise see in the dark. Inside the cave entrance, several dire bats lair. Further in, the explorers will encounter a strange hexagonal structure originally built by the mothmen in order to perfect their soul collecting process, though its purpose is hard to decipher without vision. At the very center there is a large crystal which collects energy in the form of soul fragments representing dark emotions, and the spillover creates the permanent darkness in the complex - and it will also animate skeletal monstrosities from the many bones scattered within it. It may be possible to drain energy from this crystal with the right techniques, but doing so will attract the attention of the Mothman and result in visions of it as long as contact is maintained.

On an island deep within the inland swamps is where Moranna the Forest Witch can usually be found. She lives within the corpse of a colossal bandersnatch, perhaps the biggest of its kind, which she has animated with the help of plant magics. Guests who want to visit her will have to walk into the creature's mouth and pass through its throat before reaching her quarters. Moranna herself once came from the eastern realm of Gorchov in the Old World, from where she left after a dispute with her sister. She is no longer human, if she ever was, and maintains her life by jumping into the bodies of women who made deals with her. As one of the most potent magic-users on the continent, she is sometimes sought out by the desperate - although she always exacts a heavy price, such as one's soul or first-born child, or something else the petitioner will eventually regret deeply.

20 miles east of the Ghost Crab Village, a small Coastal Tribe village has lain abandoned for more than 50 winters. This was the result of warfare between the village - then called the Yellow Seal Village - and the Wolverine Tribe. The village was massacred, and the few survivors joined the nearby villages, while the Wolverine Tribe suffered heavy losses, and later reformed as the Silver Bird tribe. Ghosts of those slain on that day still linger. Recently, a puckwudgie has decided to make the village its lair, and started to control the ghosts. It has also begun to animate local animals to serve as zombie and skeleton minions. It eventually plans to unleash its creatures against one of the local villages for its own sadistic pleasures, but it knows that the villages are still too powerfully protected for the time being.


Note: A list of all Cold Frontier-related posts can be found here.

Index of Cold Frontier-related posts

The Cold Frontier started out as an intellectual exercise on how to build a hexcrawl sandbox exploration / nation building campaign in the style of the Kingmaker Adventure Path for Pathfinder, but it morphed into an actual campaign set on the remote northern continent of Nardhome, in the world of Urbis.

• Building the Cold Frontier - the basic idea.
• Endgame of the Cold Frontier - where the campaign is headed.
• Maps of the Cold Frontier, Part I - a first rough map of the primary campaign area.
• Maps of the Cold Frontier, Part II
• Maps of the Cold Frontier, Part III - two map sketches, including a first look at the God Chamber complex.
• Company Men of the Cold Frontier - details on the Far Shores Trading Company, the organization which sets the campaign in motion.
• Coastal Tribes of the Cold Frontier, Part I - examining the native tribes dwelling near the coast and their culture.
• Coastal Tribes of the Cold Frontier, Part II - their Hunting Lodges and their future.
• Mothmen of the Cold Frontier - on the original inhabitants of the continent, and why the PCs constantly get harassed by them.
• Monsters of the Cold Frontier, Part I - examining the Pathfinder Bestiaries for suitable creatures to populate the region.
• Monsters of the Cold Frontier, Part II
• Monsters of the Cold Frontier, Part III
• Monsters of the Cold Frontier, Part IV
• Monsters of the Cold Frontier - The Coastal Forests
• The Surtus Termite - an alien creature that will populate the region in the later stages of the campaign.
• GURPS Rules of the Cold Frontier, Part I - basic GURPS character creation rules for my campaign.
• GURPS Rules of the Cold Frontier, Part II - how to handle GURPS magic and supernatural powers in the Cold Frontier campaign.
• GURPS Rules for Hex Travel and Exploration - how to fit the GURPS travel rules into the hexgrid map.
• Expanding the Cold Frontier Map - east and west

There is also a series of posts detailing specific locations in the area. The following are for the starting map - the region the PCs are initially exploring.

• The Spring Seeds Farm - a survivalist commune populated by a religious splinter sect of halflings.
• Help me build a Halfling Survivalist Compound!
• Marsh Giant Lair and Mating Beach - stuff you really didn't want to know about Marsh Giants.
• The Fungal Gardens - a colony of plant life, intelligent or otherwise - supported by an ancient magical artifact.
• The Red Plateau - center of the Skinwalker Society
• The Valley of Fogs -  home of the Sasquatch.
• The Mound City Ruins - a ghost town.
• The Canyon of Faces - home of the Morlocks
• The Lone Cabin - home of a deeply paranoid prospector.
• The Black Crystal Tree - possibly the first evidence of the elder civilizations that used to inhabit this continent.
• The Parliament of Animals - a whole society of sapient animals
• The Crystal Mountain - a  hidden fortress containing an ancient superweapon.
• Jellyfish Bay and Owl Mountain - where the animals roam.
• Stone Totem Valley - the perfect place for communing with the spirits.
• The Stone Pillar and Drake Graveyard - a place for changing one's luck and the final resting place of drakes.
• The Trade Outpost, Part I - the characters' home away from home.
• The Trade Outpost, Part II
• Bandersnatch Footprints and Werebear Den - where two very different groups of people hide.
• Aranea's Lair and First City Spa - visit the first for information, and the second after a hard week of exploration.
• Ghost Crab Village - the first and largest of the local Coastal Tribe villages. 
• Stranded Whale Village - Village of Secrets. 
• Tribal Meet and Burning Hills - traditional meeting place of the Inland Tribes and ever-burning coal. 
• Old Far Coast Enclave - an excuse for an Aztec-style dungeon
• Draugr Island - explorers of old who never returned home. 
• Giant Eagle Eyrie and Spiral Seal
• Fey Gardens and Ravine of Whispers 
• Apple Orchard and Treants' Court 
• Ponds of Time and Crystal Falls
• Valley of Bees and Burial Mounds 
• Sovereign Crab Fossils and Plague Pits 
• Grass Circles and Cloning Vats 
• Alpluachra Infestation and Field of Ravens
• Marmot Warrens, Wendigo Altar, Fog Wraiths, and Ghoul Warrens
• Blue Octopus Village
• Cave Fisher Cave, Fog Island, Ancient Dig, and Elder Apluachra
• Whipgrass, Zone of Silence, Gopher Mounds, and Eye Botfly Swamp
• Ancient Memorial, Elder Tree, Fog Canyon, and Spire City Ruins
• Wind Flute, Beaver Colony, Blighted Grass, and Ancient Terraces
• Canyon of Spiders, Bird Lakes, Giant Frog Swamp, and Bat Caves
• Azoth Refinery, Treaty Stone, Ghost Boat, and Star Tower
• Soaring Eagle Village
• Forest Lanterns, Larval Spore, Wind Shrine, and Aranea Coven  
• Basalt Pillars, Adlet Lair, Musk Creeper Vale, Dragon Fossils
• Seed Repository, Underground Gardens, and Morlock Shrine
• Cold Road, Old Native Tombs, and First City Mansion

The following detail map locations in the area to the east of the starting region:

• Pool of Darkness, Forest Witch, and Dead Village
• Shrouded Tree Village
   

Finally, the following posts deal with the ongoing campaign itself:

• Explorers of the Cold Frontier - Part I: Our heroes. 
• Session Log 01: Arrival. 
• State of the Campaign 1 

[Urbis] Locations of the Cold Frontier - Cold Road, Old Native Tombs, and First City Mansion

Winding up from the Canyon of Faces there is a small road bounded by irregular stone markers moving towards the East. While traveling along the road the air always seems colder than in the surrounding area, and after a while travelers will start to feel hungry. During the Old Native civilization, this road was dedicated to protective spirits, but the worshipers of Wendigo have worked to pervert their blessings, and this road - as well as several others like it across the continent - is now dedicated to that entity. When a group of Wendigo worshipers stands on one of these "Cold Roads" during the dark of night while the moon is below the horizon and make a properly dedicated human sacrifice, Wendigo will transport the entire group through the air and to any other Cold Road of their choosing. This can transport an entire tribe to a distant location, and the Elk Tribe occasionally makes use of this.

West of the Spire City Ruins, the Old Natives carved tombs of their most honored chieftains into the cliffside and buried them with some of their greatest treasures. However, the Great Darkness warped their lingering spirits and turned them into animate mummies who will attack any trespassers.

On the southern side of one of the hills overlooking the swamps to the south, ruins of a large mansion and several smaller outlying buildings can be found. This used to be one of the retreats of the First City governor of Nardhome, and later became a meeting ground for shamans of the Old Native civilization. When the Great Darkness arrived, several of them were caught by surprise here, and their ghosts still stalk these halls at night. Even during the day, the mansion is dangerous, as a multitude of giant centipedes of all sizes lurk in the corners.


And with this, the first map is complete!

Note: A list of all Urbis-related posts can be found here.

[Urbis] Locations of the Cold Frontier - Seed Repository, Underground Gardens, and Morlock Shrine

In the hills north of the Fungal Gardens, the explorers may come across a carefully-hidden First City complex. Once they figure out how to open the carefully-sealed entrance, they will be challenged by two orichalcum-inlaid stone golems in the language of the First City. They will attack if they do not present the right password and attempt to bypass the second seal. Inside, they will find a vast warehouse filled with small, sealed containers where seeds from every single variety of plant the First City civilization knew are preserved for eternity. This will be an invaluable find for those with an interest in biology.

In the higher reaches of the cliffs, a series of caves caved out of the western side of the canyon. While protected from the elements, these caves have large openings to the south and are decorated with a large number of yellow crystals. When sunlight shines on these crystals, the crystals start to shine with the same yellow light as the sun, and continue to do so for a time even after the sun has passed on. In this way, the Old Natives maintained a series of underground gardens in the canyon. Even now, the caves are abundant with vegetation, some of it edible - but a number of dangerous predators also lair here.

On a bare hill, the Old Native civilization erected a stone statue to one of their spirits, although it has badly weathered down and actively damaged in the centuries since it was brought here. The ground surrounding it has been trampled bare by innumerable naked footprints, and is littered with cracked bones and feces. On dark nights, the Morlok emerge from hidden tunnels and cavort around the statue in worship. Frequently, they tear one of their own apart in cannibalistic frenzy, although they will happily devour any trespassers instead.


Note: A list of all Urbis-related posts can be found here.

[Urbis] Locations of the Cold Frontier - Basalt Pillars, Adlet Lair, Musk Creeper Vale, Dragon Fossils

The small rivulets pouring down the northern flanks of the volcano have exposed numerous basalt pillars which now rest in odd angles against the ground - forming a veritable labyrinth that is hard to traverse. Swarms of giant fire beetles will crawl around the area, though they will normally be non-agressive towards visitors. The same cannot be said for the giant funnelweb spiders which lair here, and it is all too easy for a visitor to stumble across one of their cunningly camouflaged webs.

Among the cragged peaks of the Northwestern mountain range, the Adlets have chosen a single bare mountaintop as the center of their tribe's culture. Here, the cold winds blow almost constantly, and they have hauled a number of large boulders to this peak and painted it with the symbols of the various spirits they worship - Wendigo among them. At certain nights, the Adlets come here to dance and how in the wind. There are a number of caves halfway down the mountains which serve as their lair - as they are immune to the cold they don't need it to shelter from the elements, but they do keep their young here to protect them.

A small valley which has warmer climate than the surrounding areas has been infested by Yellow Musk Creepers, numbering 11 individual colonies. They primarily have local animals as servants, but a number of morlocks from the nearby Canyon of Faces have also been infected.

Those who travel along the canyon might spot a large fossilized bone sticking out of the canyon walls. Careful excavation - which is tricky, since it would have to dig deep into the walls of the canyon - will reveal two nearly complete (approximately 25 yards long each) skeletons of dragon-like creatures of an unknown species, apparently locked in a titanic struggle when they died. This would be the crowning exhibit of any museum of natural history, although selling the bones as magical ingredients would likely be more profitable - if the sellers can prove the provenance of the bones to the satisfaction of the customers, as scams revolving around selling dragon bones are rather common.


Note: A list of all Urbis-related posts can be found here.

[Urbis] Expanding the Cold Frontier Map

In my ongoing Cold Frontier campaign, the player characters have established their colonial outpost in the remote northern wilderness of the continent of Nardhome. As this is a hexcrawl/kingdom building campaign, I've spent a lot of time detailing the initial campaign area - a hex grid of 8 hexes wide and 11 hexes deep, with each hex having a diameter (side to side) of 10 miles. The following map shows the continent as well as where the colonial outpost of the PCs is located (at the red #5).

In the last session, the PCs have decided to lay a claim to all land within 100 miles of their outpost (they have neglected to tell the local natives about this, but they don't use the same legal system so their opinions don't matter...).

Which meant that they also want to take a closer look at the regions to the west and to the east of their initial hex map, so that they can figure out what kind of land they actually lay a claim to. This was a bit sudden, but I decided to prepare and drew a basic map for these areas. You can see the result below - also including the map of the "home area" (click on it to enlarge).

The whole continent has a Pacific Northwest/Canada/Alaska atmosphere. The "western" submap is intended to have steep coastal mountains casting a large rain shadow over a largely dry interior, while the "eastern" submap only has low hills but vast, neverending forests.

But what I need to come up with now are some interesting places and locations the PCs can interact with. As a reminder, the continent generally has the following inhabitants:

- On the coasts, there are the villages of the "Coastal Tribes" loosely inspired by Native American cultures. They have strong cultural taboos against going too far into the interior of the continent, but their villages are fairly wealthy and stable, and while they do not have a unified government they do stay in touch with each other.

- Away from the coast there are the "Inland Tribes", the barbarian descendants of earlier settlements from the local equivalent of Western and Northern Europe.

- For creatures and other nonhuman inhabitants, I want to limit myself to Pathfinder creatures - but avoid beings that are too tightly linked to "European fantasy". So elves, cyclopes, goblins and so forth are out, but adlets and araneas are better suited. Anything from Native American mythology is especially appropriate.

- The continent also has ruins from three earlier cultures that suffered extinction events. The first one (roughly 30,000 years ago) was an outpost by an interstellar mothman civilization, which fought a total war against a rival civilization of xill. The second one was the "First City" culture (think "Atlantis", with a strong focus on magical biotechnology - they were responsible for many of the bizarre "hybrid" creatures as well as many of the humanoid races). The third one was the "Old Native" culture - the ancestors of the modern Coastal Tribes who build their own cities (including equivalents of the Mound Cities and the Pueblos).


So... any suggestions on what to put on these maps?


Note: A list of all Urbis-related posts can be found here.

[Urbis] Locations of the Cold Frontier - Forest Lanterns, Larval Spore, Wind Shrine, and Aranea Coven

In this fog-shrouded stretch of forest, unseen beings have hung up numerous tiny lanterns made out of branches and leaves and which are lit by magical lights in blue and green hues. Despite - or perhaps because - of the light, it is extremely easy to get lost in this area, and the weak-willed or tired might find themselves wandering off into random directions. Some characters may experience profound unease, while others become fascinated by the lanterns and stare at them as if hypnotized until distracted.

There is a small section of these plains - roughly 30 yards in diameter - which are covered by strange, tendril-like plant grows. These tendrils have buds which will release pollen that cause hallucinations and psychoses in those who inhale them. These growths emerge from an immature form of a mu spore which is growing beneath the soil. Within a few years it will emerge from the ground in its mature form.

North of the Spire City Ruins, a large flattened boulder, approximately 20 yards wide, is partially buried in the ground. The Wendigo symbol has been painted on its surface numerous times. This is an important shrine to Wendigo, and strong winds constantly pass over it which seem to sap the stamina from those nearby and replace it with a ravenous hunger. The Elk Tribe frequently stops at this location

In a side valley of the mountains south of the Zone of Silence, a coven of five araneas makes its lair. This is the main coven of which the lone aranea to the south is a member, and if she becomes more active in the workings of the colony, her fellow araneas might choose to become more involved involved as well. They otherwise distrust outsiders who stumble into their valley, and do their best to drive them away without forcing a direct confrontation. The araneas are all female - males only visit periodically.

Note: A list of all Urbis-related posts can be found here.

[Urbis] Help me build a Halfling Survivalist Compound!

I've decided to put some more effort into detailing the Spring Seeds Farm, especially since the party may ignore one character's prejudices against halflings and investigate the compound any day now.

To recap, this farm complex was founded by a halfling splinter sect following the God of Agriculture who believe that they are their god's "chosen people" since halflings are more fecund than other "civilized" (i.e. agriculture-practicing) races. And to make sure that they "inherit the world", it is their holy duty to have as many children as possible. However, the Evils of the Modern World are constantly tempting halflings off the right and pure path, leading to an inordinate number of youngsters running off the the Big City and whatnot.

To prevent this, one halfing patriarch (a fairly powerful priest) convinced four extended families to come with him to this remote northern wilderness so that they could practice their faith (and agriculture) free of any distractions. They have the most productive farm in hundreds of miles around, and their closest link to "civilization" is a coastal trade outpost which is 30 miles away even over the most direct route (which goes through forested hill country). They trade with the outpost for metal tools they can't create by themselves, but otherwise keep contact at a minimum.

This region is not safe, however - there are wandering monsters and nomadic tribes who would certainly be interested in the food stores of the farm complex. Furthermore, the village elders encourage an "Us versus Them" attitude to keep the community unified against any impure outsiders - and they conduct regular drills so that they can make optimal use of their defenses in real emergencies.

So, what should this compound contain? Let's do some brainstorming! The good folks at RPGNet already had some ideas, but I am open to further suggestions.

Main Buildings

These will be immediately apparent to observers. Note that only the barn, temple, and communal hall will be large enough for humans to stand upright, and the halflings will be unwilling to let a human get into them.

• Temple to Kortus
• Communal burrows for the four extended families, each housing perhaps 30 halflings (including children)
• Communal hall (for dances and non-religious celebrations)
• Kindergarten (there will obviously be many, many kids...)
• School (Smaller than the kindergarten, for the moment.)
• Barns
• Granaries

Fortifications

These buildings and other constructed elements are primarily defensive in nature.

• Observation/guard towers (useful for sniping intruders with crossbows from afar)
• Halfling-sized tunnels connecting everything. These will have the occasional doors in case anyone tries to smoke them out.
• Underground warehouses with plenty of food and other stockpiles in case the aboveground storage sites get raided
• Underground safehouses for the women and children.
• Crisscrossing hedges which give cover to halflings and allow them to snipe from anywhere - but humans will frequently have to crouch to get cover. Many will have thorns.
• A ditch surrounding the entire compound - not intended as a serious defense, but more as a demarkation of property. "This land is ours, and as long as you stay outside of it, we are going to do just fine..."
• Ladders to the roofs and towers are just large enough to accomodate someone of halfling size or weight, but won't support larger characters
• Dog Kennels
• Covered pit traps for people larger and heavier than halflings

Plants

The farm is in a fairly cold climate, which should be kept in mind for figuring out which plants (crop or otherwise) the halflings grow. On the other hands, the plant magic of the priests can make a difference.

• Potatoes
• Rye
• Beans
• Herbs, in special herb gardens
• Pumpkins

Lifestock and Animals

• Fierce guard dogs
• Geese (as an alarm system)
• Cows
• Chicken
• Sheep
• Pigs

Defensive Tactics

• Most of the male population will have crossbows, with slings being a popular backup weapon (they are also common among adolescents).
• At night: Using slings to lob magically glowing stones to the locations of the intruders so that they can be sniped with impunity.

Supernatural Defenses

I don't want to go too overboard with these - most of the defenses should be entirely mundane, and they should largely be so effective because the inhabitants drill regularly. However, the patriarch is a powerful cleric (the equivalent of a 10th level Pathfinder cleric), and he has two younger priests (3rd level) assisting him - so some minor supernatural defenses are entirely appropriate. Some kind of animated plants, maybe?

That's what I've got so far. Any other suggestions?

Note: A list of all Urbis-related posts can be found here.

[Urbis] Locations of the Cold Frontier - Soaring Eagle Village

It's time to finally detail the last village of the Coastal Tribes - Soaring Eagle Village. At only 200 inhabitants, it is the smallest but by no means the least important of the villages - as it serves as the home base for the Giant Eagle Riders, who serve as scouts for all the villages and keep an eye on the interior of the continent. As this includes warning of a new outbreak of the Great Darkness, this task is seen as being of the utmost importance for the Coastal Tribes, who all pay for these services with supplies and other support. Furthermore, they serve as one of the primary source of news.

The giant eagles don't actually live inside the village, but to the north of it at the Giant Eagle Eyrie. Still, individual giant eagles can frequently be found perching on the cliffs overlooking the village.

So, what else should we know about the village? Let us turn once again to the Random Nations Generator to fill in some details.

For government, we get Autarchy, a minimalist government whose inhabitants adhere to strong, informal codes. For this village, let's say that everyone is dedicated to the ultimate mission - everyone is either an Eagle Rider, supporting the Eagle Riders in some fashion, or a minor, and everyone who doesn't do their best to support the Eagle Riders is not-so-subtly encouraged to move to another village. The nominal chieftain is Black Falcon (male gender like all warriors, female sex), but he is out on patrol so often that there is little in the way of actual leadership, not that it is necessary. If there are any conflicts, each of the three groups (men, women, and shamans) will handle their own affairs in an informal manner.

As for organizations, we get Biker Gang - well, it should be obvious that the Eagle Riders take a lot of pride in their jobs. Some members might "mod out" their saddles, picking particularly garish colors and feathers to adorn them. Some of the giant eagles might even consent to dying some of their feathers. We also get the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives program, which is interesting in this context. Perhaps as part of their initiation into the higher ranks of the Eagle Lodge, the Eagle Riders must retrieve something noticeable from far inland - whether an exotic stone or even an artifact of a prior civilization. The more unusual and unique an artifact is, the more bragging rights the Eagle Rider will get, and these artifacts are proudly displayed within the local Eagle Lodge.

Among the NPCs, we get Jason And The Argonauts. Let's say that quite some time ago, a group of young Eagle Riders decided to press on inland as far as possible, and after many reached the central crater where the God Chamber is located. They even brought a minor Mothman artifact with them. Only one member of this group - one Fading Light - is still alive and very old. He would have quite a tale to tell - if he were inclined to talk to the PCs, which isn't likely.

The next NPC is Bede, the famed 8th century English monk. Let's say the village has a shaman - Deep Water - who has an unusually scholarly bent. He is deeply interested in the writing system of the Old Native culture and may be one of the few alive today who can read it. He is also interested in the writings of the Flannish Cities culture and has even managed to acquire a book all the way from Footfall. Once the colony expands, he will be very interested in acquiring print products from them, and he might not like what he reads there. Once he learns of printing presses, he might be interested in modifying one for the Old Native script and promote its use among the Coastal Tribes. Likely as a counterweight to the spread of Common - which, after all, is a memetic virus in Urbis, and he may be one of the few able to see it for what it is.

Finally, we have an Artifact of Doom - as a distinct character. Maybe the "artifact" brought back from the God Chamber by Fading Light actually contains a small fragment of the Immortal Ichor that still lives there. For now, it is safely sealed away - but if something were to crack its container, it would try to dominate a nearby human and use them as a minion to restore the God Chamber.

Among political issues, we get "More than 230,000 Japanese centenarians 'missing'" - a report that there may be rather less old Japanese people than commonly reported. And indeed, somehow Soaring Eagle village seems to have rather fewer old people than the other Coastal Villages. Where have they all gone? Well, once they feel they can no longer contribute to the Village and its Cause, they are led to a nearby hidden cave that is strongly protected by spirits. There they are put into suspended animation by magic - inactive, but still alive, and their souls represent a vast reservoir of power as well as a ritual circle of sorts that the local shamans can tap into when the need is the most dire (as well as for enchanting powerful magic items). More than 2,000 old people have now been put into hibernation here - ten times the living population of the village!

The "Major Projects" section at the Random Nations Generator reinforces these themes. The Bible Retranslation Project represents the efforts of Deep Water to translate works in Common into the native language. The Global Consciousness Project represents the souls of the old people gradually forming a gestalt mind, which is also very sensitive to all sorts of psychic disturbances - such as increased Mothman activities, or whatever else the PCs get involved with. Finally, Scientists Make Teleportation Breakthrough could represent Deep Water's use of the Circle of the Elders to teleport to the ends of the continent - including to Footfall (where he got those books), but potentially also to other interesting locations (such as the Crater).

Among "Religious Practices", one stands out - Glossolalia. This might represent the Circle of Elders taking temporary possession of someone when they have an urgent message. The "unknown language" spoken in such a case is simply the result of so many minds speaking through one tongue - but still, it requires magic to understand. Magic which, of course, the local shamans have access to.

Among the historic events, Chilean Blob and  "Huge blob of Arctic goo floats past Slope communities" stand out - which remind me of the aquatic abominations that come to the nearby Mating Beach to the west. It probably wouldn't be too surprising if sometimes the... secretions of these creatures drift further along the coast, and some of the shamans might as well collect some of the substances for their own purposes. The normal villagers, on the other hand, are encouraged to stay clear of the oceans at such times. We also have "Portal to mythical Mayan underworld found in Mexico" - which here, once again, refers to the Cave of the Elders, which has probably all sorts of warning symbols to keep outsiders away (you know, the kind of symbols that seems to attract daft graverobbers and adventurers).

Among the "Famous Locations", we get Ys, a city sunk for its sinful ways (also, by the Devil opening the floodgates). Perhaps there was a nearby village which also consorted with the abominations from the depths and which gave rise to many mutated children, just like the marsh giants. But the shamans of Soaring Eagle Village destroyed it with a mighty magical earthquake and sunk it beneath the waves.

La Isla De Las Munecas - the Island of the Dolls - also conjures an interesting image. What if the dolls are animated? What if, in fact, they are some variant of tupilaqs, a construct that fits into the general mythology of the region. What if they can be powered by the Circle of Elders? What if one form of tribute Soaring Eagle Village receives from the rest of the region is whalebone, and they have built a Strategic Tupilaq Reserve? If so, intruders had better step very lightly in these parts...

Note: A list of all Urbis-related posts can be found here.

[Urbis] Maps of the Cold Frontier, Part III

I had a rather lengthy train trip today, which gave me plenty of time to draw some quick map sketches for my Cold Frontier campaign.

First, a map of the Spire City Ruins, which I have mentioned here - basically, this used to be a major trade town at a location where two large canyons merged into one. Each direction had its own cliff side settlement - now fallen into ruin - and these settlements are connected by vast bridges (still maintained to this day by spirits bound into them) which meet at a central fortress carved out of a tall spire.

The next map is of the heart of the continent - the central crater where the God Chamber is located, and thus the location of the center and finale for the whole campaign! Obviously, the PCs won't get there for a long, long time - but it doesn't hurt to plan ahead, does it?

Note that the individual sublocations are not necessarily to scale. I am currently doing a lot of brainstorming for this location elsewhere - so stay tuned!

Note: A list of all Urbis-related posts can be found here.

[Urbis] Locations of the Cold Frontier - Azoth Refinery, Treaty Stone, Ghost Boat, and Star Tower

In the heart of this volcano, the First City colonists built a refinery which used the heat of the magma to create azoth - pure, distilled magic in liquid form, which serves as "universal ingredient" for most magical rituals and whose production in nexus towers serves as the cornerstone of the economy of the Flannish Cities. The refinery is heavily damaged, and will only produce one drop of azoth every 36 hours. If fully repaired - which would be quite expensive and require importing a number of experts on magical engineering from the homeland - the refinery could produce as much as 1 drop per hour. Possibly more important, in the process said engineers could learn how to apply these principles for building future refineries, turning volcanoes into a new power source. Unfortunately, the structure and its environs are swarming with thoqqua and similar creatures of fire coming from the depths of the planet below - they would have to be kept away during both the repairs and the refinery's operation.

Near where the rivers meet, a (now fallen) monolith has been enchanted against the ravages of time, which makes its inscriptions still readable. The top side shows the script of the Old Native people, which has largely vanished from modern-day usage. The down side, now buried in the Earth, displays the same text but in the language of the now-vanished Naxal Empire of the Far Coast. If translated magically, the text says:

"We affirm the eternal brotherhood between the Naxal Empire and the Tribes of the North, pledging to stand firm against the monstrous brood of the Chasm of Filth and any other enemies of our people."

This refers to the war against the would-be god who attempted to reactivate the God Chamber at the center of the continent and who released hordes of alien creatures in order to fight the Old Native civilization.

Downriver of the Canyon of Faces there is a ruined cliffside settlement. One of the few recognizable remnants is an old, crumbling stone pier. During the day, sensitive people approaching it might sense an otherworldly presence. During the night, while the moon is shining, a large ghostly boat (capable of housing up to six passengers) with an equally ghostly navigator will appear. The navigator will be clad in native garb and will not speak, for while he has eyes, he has neither mouth nor nose. If spoken to, he will carry passengers to other parts of the river system, at a speed of 10 miles per hour - but he is unstable, and there is a cumulative 1:6 chance per hex that he will suddenly disappear, dumping his passengers and their cargo into the river.

South of the Bird Lakes, a half-ruined stone tower is covered with grass and shrubs. The tower is approximately 10 yards high and constructed in a conical shape, with a spiral ramp leading to the top. If examined closely, various star constellations can be seen chiseled in the wall, and somehow protected against the decay of the rest of the tower. Interacting with them via magic or other mystical means threatens to summon abominable creatures from beyond the stars. However, if the tower were to be restored, the proper rites could also create powerful wards against such creatures or help with banishing them.


Note: A list of all Urbis-related posts can be found here.

[Urbis] Locations of the Cold Frontier - Canyon of Spiders, Bird Lakes, Giant Frog Swamp, and Bat Caves

Downriver of the Crystal Falls, numerous insects, large and small, congregate to feast on the plant and algae growths emerging from the mineral-rich waters of the canyon. These, in turn, are preyed upon by a multitude of spiders, some of which can reach the size of a large dog. Their nets cover the canyon walls, and anyone who gets entangled in them will quickly be swarmed by them. None of the spiders are intelligent.

These marshlands south of the volcano are fairly shallow and are subdivided into innumerable small lakes which are bordered by fairly low-growing vegetation. During the warmer seasons, large flocks of water fowl make their home here, preying on the numerous insects and fish and building their nests in the hedges.

The warm swamplands downriver from the First City Spa are home to a species of giant frogs. While they are not averse to make a snack of halfling-sized snack (they will leave larger creatures alone), their main problem is the noice they are making. Their croaking will thunder around the area, sounding like the call of a much larger creature. Sleep is next to impossible within this hex.

The small caves dotting the sides of this small canyon are used as refuge for a large number of bats who prey on the insects in the swamps to the south. Most of the caves are too small for a full-grown human. Still, for those who can gain access, large amounts of bat guano can be harvested for both alchemical and magical purposes.


Note: A list of all Urbis-related posts can be found here.

[Urbis] Locations of the Cold Frontier - Wind Flute, Beaver Colony, Blighted Grass, and Ancient Terraces

In this particularly windy stretch of canyon the explorers can frequently hear a deep, fluting sound. They will eventually discover that someone, presumably of the Old Native civilization, carved out a rock spire with a series of hollow "pipes" through which the wind can blow and emit eerie music. Air- and wind-based magics are more effective here.

While the river banks of the southern grasslands are frequently dotted by trees, in this area the forest is particularly expansive. This region has been home to an extended family of beavers for many generations, who have altered the river into a series of lakes thanks to large and extensive dams. To make the river navigable by rafts, the dams (and likely the beavers) will have to be removed.

The grasses and shrubs growing on the northwestern slopes of the volcano seem to be afflicted with some kind of disease - they will have innumerable brown spots on any greenery, as well as any flowers. This seems to be caused by the local soil in some way - removing the plants and replanting them elsewhere will gradually cause the brown spots to vanish.

The southern slopes of the volcano are separated into innumerable small terraces which were artificially constructed with stones. They were once used for agriculture, and small amounts of wild rice can still be found in odd corners. However, most of the irrigation network is now in ruins, broken apart by small rivulets streaming from the numerous small geysers and hot springs. Many of the terraces have degenerated into swamps, full of stinging insects.


Note: A list of all Urbis-related posts can be found here

[Urbis] Locations of the Cold Frontier - Ancient Memorial, Elder Tree, Fog Canyon, and Spire City Ruins

This otherwise flat area is criss-crossed by numerous small ridges which rise one yard above the plains. Their width varies from 10 to 30 yards. While they are as overgrown with grass as anything else in the region, digging will eventually reveal strong, thick stone of a type inappropriate to the region, and closer analysis will confirm that the stone was magically created. When viewed from high, an 800 yards-wide side profile of an elven head can be seen, in an art style that can best be described as "classical". It is surrounded by an inscription in the letters of the First City which reads: "To the magelord-governeur Nyros, in the fifth year of his reign. May he lead us to limitless glories." Incidentally, after he successfully activated the God Chamber at the heart of the continent, Nyros became the God of disease, survival of the fittest, and self-elevation, so at least the "glory" part worked out...

A vast tree, a conifer of an unknown species more than 200 yards in height, grows on these plains close to the Tribal Meet. Its vast network of roots hides innumerable small hollows carved out of the earth, some of which have been decorated as kivas, as communing with spirits is easier here. Unfortunately, the Wendigo Cultists know this as well, and have hidden one of their altars here. When not in use, the entrance to the small cave is hidden by magically conjured earth, and only a careful search will reveal this.

Numerous rivulets from the Burning Hills to the east stream down the canyon walls here. As they fall, they transform into a near-permanent fog that somehow covers the entire canyon along an 8 mile stretch. Echoes distort here, and the explorers get the feeling that they are constantly being watched as long as they stay here. A very through search, possibly supported by vision-enhanced magic, will reveal a cave complex with another wendigo altar.

Where the two northern river canyons meet, the Old Native civilization built a city into the canyon walls. Wide roads - frequently carved into the canyon walls - wind down the northern, western, and eastern sides of the canyons. They meet via magically created stone bridges (still home to guardian spirits preventing their collapse) at a central rock spire which was transformed into a fortress. The lower levels of the fortress have been sealed off and still contain Old Native treasures, though also a number of ghouls left from the Great Darkness. The top of the old fortress currently houses a spire drake. The northern Elk Tribe occasionally passes through this fortress when they move their herds to different pastures.

Note: A list of all Urbis-related posts can be found here.

[Urbis] Locations of the Cold Frontier - Whipgrass, Zone of Silence, Gopher Mounds, and Eye Botfly Swamp

Here the grasses of the southern plains grow especially tall. And hidden amidst the ordinary longgrass are patches of whipgrass. These grasses have razor-sharp edges and will attempt to wrap themselves around any creature that approaches them, using their blood as fertilizer.

This part of the Northern Wastelands was once the site of another titanic battle between the Mothmen and the Xill. As a result of the weapons unleashed here, there is an area approximately 2 miles in diameter where no divinations, no telepathy, and no communication spells will work. Furthermore, nothing can produce sounds here. There is an old, half-ruined First City facility close to the center which was used for clandestine meetings, as well as the most secret plannings when the First City colony was at war with its mother country. Excavating the site in depth will reveal a number of small glass slabs which are pressure-sensitive - their surface will turn white at points where pressure is exerted. This will fade over the course of a few minutes - faster if the slab is shaken. These were used to communicate between people who met there (since verbal communication would, of course, be impossible).

The fairly flat valleys between the hills in this region are filled with innumerable small mounds, which are up to 2 yards high and 10 yards wide. They are so abundant, with one placed next to the other, that it is hard to believe that they have a natural origin - and indeed they don't, as they are the work of innumerable generations of fey gophers who have created these mounds as their nests. The gophers are quite shy and will avoid strangers, though some of them do speak the language of the Coastal Tribes. They are not very bright, however.

This swamp area is inhabited by a particularly nasty variety of botfly - these insects have specialized in injecting their immature larvae into the eyes of mammals, where they will grow and eventually hatch, with predictable results for the afflicted eye. The nearby Inland Tribes know enough to stay away from these swamps, but their shamans know a herbal cure which will cause the larvae to die. If applied early this will prevent permanent damage, although the eye will be blind for a few days.

Note: A list of all Urbis-related posts can be found here.

[Urbis] Cold Frontier - State of the Campaign 1

Last Saturday was the 10th session of my Cold Frontier campaign, so this seems like a good place to look at the current state of the campaign.

The PCs have been all over the southern parts of the map, and this is their version of the region:

Compare and contrast this with the current version of my map, which can be found here. The PCs haven't visited all of the locations on their map - they have only heard reports of Blue Octopus Village, and glimpsed the Spring Seeds Farm and the volcano in <7,4> from afar.

Recently they have learned that at least two shamans of the Mammoth Tribe (currently lairing at <2,5>) are secretly Wendigo worshipers, or at least possessed by "spirits of hunger". After talking with a shaman of Soaring Eagle Village, they have learned that Wendigo cultists prefer to hold their dark rites during the nights of the new moon, one of which is fast approaching, and they plan to expose the cultist during the next ritual night to their tribe (the shaman of Soaring Eagle Village encouraged them in this, since he'd much rather have outsiders like the explorers potentially agitate the Inland Tribes than doing that themselves).

However, the Wendigo cultists suspect that the PCs know about them, since the PCs stole a fetish with an imprisoned hunger spirit from them. Plus they took a guide and went out to search for the remains of another tribal shaman they had slaughtered the previous winter.

The Wendigo cult is currently not interested in a direct confrontation with the explorers. In fact, the Wendigo is rather looking forward to the colony - so many new people to devour...

Therefore the cultists will leave before the PCs return. However, so that the PCs feel they are making some kind of progress, they will leave magical doppelgangers behind. These can be defeated by the PCs and exposed to the tribe, which will establish the PCs as more-or-less trustworthy allies yet leave some doubt whether the shamans had been really Wendigo cultists all along, or whether they had been replaced by doppelgangers. I will have to read up on Native American legends about doppelgangers for this scene...

Another thing that happened is that the PCs sent letters home arguing for a much earlier start to the colony - they've found so many possibilities for mining ore that they want to get started right away. The Director for Nardhome of the Far Shores Trading Company recently received those letters and magically contacted them. He was open to the possibility, but asked them if they thought they could secure the colony sufficiently so that it would be able to last through the winter. The PCs said they wanted to eliminate one possible threat and he gave them until the end of the month (10 more days) to think about it before making his decision.

So, beyond the immediate needs of the plot, what do I need to do next?

• Come up with stuff for lots of hex around the middle of the map, where the PCs have started to zip around a lot. I expected them to head for Blue Octopus Village, but they ended up going Northeast instead. I had to come up with the Ancient Dig during our dinner break, for instance - fortunately, this site was riveting enough to keep them occupied for the rest of the evening. But as I discovered, coming up with interesting grasslands locations is hard - with forests, mountains, hills and so forth it's easy to describe an interesting geographical feature, but with featureless plains...
• Come up with an encounter table for the Southern Grasslands. This seems tricky - I want to largely stick to the Pathfinder Bestiaries 1-4, but most of the creatures that inhabit plains give off the wrong mythological vibe.
• Read up on the Pathfinder Kingdom Building rules and come up with some ideas for how they interact with the GURPS rules. Since the buildup for the colony will have to be gradual, I will probably hand them 10 BP per month instead of 50 all in one go to establish their primary settlement.

Beyond that... I am accumulating a lot of material for this campaign, with a lot more likely to come, and I am giving serious consideration to publishing it in a more coherent form as a Pathfinder product. So I'd value your opinion. If I published it, would you consider buying this campaign? Or alternately, would you be interested in playtesting it, using the Pathfinder rules?


Note: A list of all Urbis-related posts can be found here.

[Urbis] Locations of the Cold Frontier - Cave Fisher Cave, Fog Island, Ancient Dig, and Elder Apluachra

On this island, there is a cave whose entrance is readily accessible only during low tide. Two cave fishers lair here, and they will attempt to make a meal of any intruders. Further in, almost entirely covered by detritus and barnacles, the explorers can find a set of lightweight yet tough armor, which carries enchantments which allow the wearer to breathe water and freely move underwater for extended periods of time. Unfortunately, it was made for and by the alien xill, who had a rather different body structure than humanoids (not to mention six limbs)

This island receives especially heavy precipitation from the prevailing west winds. Appropriately enough, a mist drake lairs here. It will leave human intruders alone if first appeased with sufficient amounts of meat left on the shorelines. Near the center of the island there is a small cave looking north across the mists. This cave is occasionally visited by local shamans (as evidenced by the numerous native symbols painted on the walls) for divinations. The evening light shining on the mists is said to reveal visions of the past, while the morning light will reveal visions of the future.

In this flat grasslands area, one of the few noticeable locations is a small lake, perhaps 50 by 25 yards wide, and a small hill next to it. Anyone with knowledge in geology will quickly determine that this lake is artificial - and indeed, a long time ago it was an archaeological dig excavated by the First City colonists who had found an old Mothman fortification. Numerous Mothman body parts crystallized by Xill weaponry can be found here - as well as a few fragments of Xill killed by friendly fire, if the explorers excavate the area thoroughly. The First City archaeologists used an impressive-looking metal golem sculpted in their peculiar style to help with this excavation. Its left arm ends in a drill, while its right arm ends in five flexible yet strong digits which it used for picking up samples. It has further been enchanted to exert little pressure on the ground (preventing it from crushing interesting objects below its feet and incidentally allowing it to climb steep or slippery slopes). Its golden glowing eyes are capable of detecting "magical anomalies", which it is currently ordered to retrieve and store in a (no longer existing) storage areas. PCs who qualify as "magical anomalies" or who carry equipment which does might misinterpret its approach, even though its currently active order is helpfully displayed in First City letters on its forehead. This displayed order might change if a different priority surfaces, such as defending itself against attack.

At one point, the river has formed a small basin. In it, a whirlpool will form much of the time. This is actually an elder apluachra, kin to those further downriver, which has become so large and bloated that it has simply allowed itself to sink to the river bed and simply devouring any fish and other animals coming this way by forming the whirlpool.


Note: A list of all Urbis-related posts can be found here.

[Urbis] Locations of the Cold Frontier - Blue Octopus Village

The third Coastal Tribe village of the Cold Frontier is actually located on an island off the coast. Blue Octopus Village is, of course, primarily a fishing village, but they also trade with some of the creatures of the depths, in particular cecaelia and merfolk, with whom they trade pearls and other treasures of the depths in exchange for land food and tools. In fact, the village serves as neutral meeting ground for these ocean-dwelling sapients, and the PCs might stumble across a conference between these beings (the human villagers will likely attempt to keep them away from there and distract them with their own festivities). The village is medium-sized, with about 400 inhabitants.

Returning to the Random Nations Generator, we get Consociational State as the form of government - possibly the Octopus Tribe and the Fish Tribe (as the cecaelia and merfolk would be called) are actually part of the village government, taking seats on the local Council of Elders. Among the organizations, we get the False Face Society again, just like in Ghost Crab Village. I think I will simply establish that there is a skinwalker presence in this town - given the location, weresharks seem the most likely. A further organization is La Cosa Nostra, implying that the locals who trade with the underwater dwellers for pearls will go to lengths to protect their monopoly, including... accidents (worse things happen at sea, you know). Finally, we have a Biker Gang - which means that many of the younger fishers are rather rowdy when it comes to going out in their kayaks, often racing the waves in rather bad weather. Outsiders who can't keep up with their boating skills - or indeed, can't use boats at all - will get little respect.

Moving on to NPCs, first we get Eddie Chapman, a British criminal turned double agent who pretended to work for the Germans in WWII while in reality working for MI5. For Blue Octopus Village, this might mean a villager - let's call him Long Weasel - who pretends to sell out his village and is willing to subvert the pearl monopoly in exchange for goods and favors, but who is really spying on the PCs for the village - and the Hidden Fire Society.

Next up is John Whiteside Parsons, famous rocket scientist/occultist. Now, this is an interesting archetype, especially considering his attempted "Babalon Working". Let's say our Cold Frontier equivalent, White Sky, is a powerful shaman driven by the need to know. He is a member of the Hidden Fire Society, but doesn't really care about their goals - all that matters is the secret knowledge he has gained through their association. Likewise, while he is strictly speaking not a member of the Wendigo Cult, he has contacts with them and has observed some of their rites. He will probably sooner or later summon Wendigo himself, just to see if he can.

Lastly, we get Doctor Dolittle, which easily translates into a shaman (let's call him Little Water) of the druidic variety who cares deeply about animal life and whose hut will be constantly surrounded by numerous animal companions.

As a political issue, we get Human-animal hybrid ban sought at Louisiana session. Extending the definition of "animals" a bit, perhaps there is a "forbidden love" between one of the human villagers and one of the octopus folk - or at least, the human parents and many of the village elders are against it - the one who is the most sympathetic is White Sky, who is willing to brew them a potion which would allow them to have offspring, just to see what happens. The human male, Long Reed, might ask the explorers if they could live at the Trade Outpost, away from their families. If they sound receptive, he will introduce them to his female cecaelia lover, Deep Swimmer.

Note: A list of all Urbis-related posts can be found here.