Heirs of Dhakaan1: IntroductionFirst of all, there's a significant need to explain some of the base assumptions to this campaign start:
It is based on Eberron, specifically the Dhakaani Hobgoblins way of life, which tends to a samurai-style instead of the usual archetype goblins.
Furthermore, it is intended for players who want to see the other side(read: play Dhakaani goblins, hobgoblins, bugbears)
for reference:
Hobgoblin Article in Dragonshards - Read it!It is possible to allow other races into the campaign, though i advise you not to do it.
Either it's a former slave (kobold, human, orc) or you have to come up with various (highly unlikely) excuses on why someone not of Dhakaani origin should participate.
As goblin races have a lack of +INT and +WIS, one could allow a house rule if a player insists that he needs a race with +int or +wis.
everything you can come up with is fine, from taking humans and just calling them (hob)goblins, to such things as the following houserule-example:
Dhakaani Female Hobgoblin
[partial copyright goes to lonewolf for the idea]Remove +2 Con
Add +2 Wisdom or Intelligence
Remove +2 Athletics
Add +2 Diplomacy or Bluff or Insight
Females have always been the wiser in Dhakaani society anyway.
2: BackgroundAfter millenia of banishment into the shadows, the Dhakaani Warchiefs have emerged again from their caves and hideaways and are once again back on their rise to power.
The establishment of the new nation of Darguun saw them taking back what was rightfully theirs, and even though the glory of the past is gone forever, one can still dream of a united goblin nation.
While most of the tribes still live shattered and secluded, some have reformed former alliances, providing the muscle (bugbears), speed(goblins), and wits (hobgoblins) needed to work as a very complete unit.
One of those alliances evolved around the mountain village of Varuuk's Tusk. Varuuk (now an elderly hobgoblin) once single-handedly defeated a gargantuan mammoth, which in turn allowed him, his clan and lots of new-found allies, to survive through the harsh northern winter.
His leadership over the last 20 years has brought a certain amount of peace and wealth to the area. At present, Varuuk presides over around 30 tribes of goblins, hobgoblins and bugbears. Occasionally, he sends summons for war-troops, or special operations, but most of the time, not even that is necessary.
His most despised and closest enemy at the current time is Khentan Dral, another hobgoblin warchief. Unknown to everyone, Khentan is really an Oni-Mage, who tries to sum up as many warriors as he can under his rule, to take the leadership of all the northern Darguun.
His next logical step would be to subdue Varuuk and his tribes, but this poses a dire problem - his forces are not yet strong enough. So all he currently does, is provoke some skirmish battles, fight a bit, have his forces retreat. The time for a big conflict has not yet come.
3: The BeginningIt is one of those times, again. Varuuk has summoned the mightiest and worthiest warriors of his fellow tribes, to embark on a special mission.
(Sometimes, the worthiest is the only one who can be spared, though.)
The 5 biggest tribes
(let the players decide how their tribes are called, and of what race(s) they consist) have sent their champions for Varuuk to embark on an important, and partly secret, mission.
Our champions have just arrived in Varuuk's Tusk, ready to do whatever it takes to rise in rank, esteem and wealth. (some would like to simply stay alive instead)
With everyone present, the audience is about to begin.
[Encounter A, social]Entering the great hall, Varuuk is easily recognized by his many scars, sitting on the throne and patiently waiting. To his side, his second wife, Grella, is waiting in a ceremonial garb. It takes a while to realize why she unnerves you so - it seems she is completely blind.
Also present are two bodyguards, two of the finest hobgoblin specimen one could find within several leagues. As you approach the throne, Varuuk starts to speak:
Welcome my friends, and thank you for heeding my call. Great times lie before us, great - but maybe also awful. This is my wife Grella, and she is the reason why you are all here. I take it, your clanleaders have prepared you for what's to come, and you're here willingly?short pause, in case any of the players wants to say something. 
Ah, yes, you look determined to do whatever it takes. Come my dear, and tell them what you told me.Fear the power of the prophecy! What i have to say, is short and simple. Yet, your task is not. I have studied the draconic runes that lie behind those mountains for years, and will do so further for years to come - if i ever regain my eyesight.
The Prophecy is all but certain - but there are great deeds to be done, great valor to be proven, fame and glory to be earned, right now, at our hands.
What will come from this I'm not sure. But I am sure about that: You need to travel to the Icy Caves of Zahattum, and retrieve the Spell Collector!
It is an ancient Dhakaani device, and we fear it will fall into the wrong hands, if it stays at its present location. Evil would spread over the lands. We cannot let this happen!
The players gain some more geographical information, and then have to succeed in the skill challenge to get some additional information and items helpful for their travel. If they fail, all that's lost is the opportunity to make the other skill challenge easier.After the audience, Varuuk sends the champions away, and gives them permission to provide themselves with all the mundane gear they need for their expedition (mostly warm clothes, but one weapon and armor per person would be ok too)
4: DepartureAs the new-found companions leave Varuuk's Tusk and head into the wilderness, they are said goodbye heartily, and wished all of good luck.
Soon after, they find out that they'll probably need that luck. Nearing a corner of the dusty and only barely recognizable road, they see a group of 6 hobgoblin warriors waiting for them.
Their commanders speaks:
Khentan Dral sends his greetings, weaklings! Turn now, and forego your journey to Zahattum, or die at our spears.As the champions approach, two hidden archers start to fire as well.
[Encounter B, fight]After the Champions defeat their hobgoblin adversaries, they can scour their bodies for their mundane possesions, and find some treasure as well (see X: treasure)
5: The long JourneyFinding a mystic cave in the wilderness, is never as easy as it sounds. No roads lead there, no real maps are provided, and all you've got is some obscure knowledge passed on from your elders.
[Encounter C, skill-challenge], you can put additional combat encounters with animals or savages in here. Note that healing surges lost due to the challenge should not recover, even if they rest for a nightFinally, after a long and exhausting travel, you reach the Mountainside where you believe Zahattum to be.
6: Finally ThereMoving up and up, the champions are over the timberline already. The ground starts to get icy, and you wonder how anyone else should find that cave. Nevertheless, the party is anxious as well as zealous to get this task done quickly.
Entering the rather large cave, they find the ground icy as well. Moving further into the cave, you see a single kobold running away from you.
Following in his direction, it does not take the company long to reach a cave with an icy pool in it.
How often have i told you not to run back here when in danger? First i'll eat you, then the others. - This is the last thing they see of the little Kobold, just before it plummets down the throat of a white dragon.
There are also other Kobolds present, who all stand in awe of the dragon.
[encounter D, fight]After they defeat the dragon and the kobolds, the champions can retrieve quite some bits of treasure from the hoard, as well as the sought item.
(The Spell collector is a +2 wand, who declines to work properly for any character below level 10, thus the only game stats relevant at this time is it's +2 bonus.)
7: Back homeRetracing one's own steps back is always easier then initially finding the way, and so our champions walk towards home easily.
Being close to home, they seem to have let their guard down, as they are suddenly ambushed once more!
Well, Well, big heroes... Khentan sends his greetings, again. His offer is easy: gives us the item and join him! You'll be rewarded greatly for bringing the Spell Collector to him.this is spoken by a goblin clad in black leather armor.
Most players will take the unspoken offer of a fight. If they don't, the goblins will simply try to betray them later, which should provide good enough of a reason to not join Khentan. (also that they do not know where to find him is somewhat hindering)8: The Great RewardReturning home, our champions are the heroes of the day. There will be festivities to honor their deeds, and Varuuk will gift them with some more treasure.
Quest-XP should be 500, but this is really up to you. See below for ideas how to continue with that party/campaign.
X: TreasureAs the 4th Edition tends heavily towards player-wishlists, i did not give any concrete treasure in this writeup.
I'd put monetary treasure with healing potion into the first ambush,
parcel #1,#2, and some of the monetary into the Dragons hoard.
Parcel #3 and everything leftover would go to the quest reward,
and parcel #4,#10 to the goblin blackblade in encounter E.
encounter stats
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Encounter A: Console Information [Lvl 3 Social Encounter, Complexity 3, hard DCs, 450 XP]
You need to attain 8 successes before 4 failures.
Primary Skills: Diplomacy, Insight, Religion
Secondary: History, Arcana, Streetwise
Auto-Failure: Bluff
Diplomacy (hard, DC 25): Your reputation and noble demeanor earns you respect.
- Special: Characters can cooperate to help a lead character.
Religion (hard, DC 25): Your knowledge of divine matters proves your worthiness.
- Special: Characters can cooperate once to help a lead character.
- Special: First success also reveals that it is a bad idea to bluff a shaman.
Insight (hard, DC 25): Your intuition lets you choose the proper words.
- Special: First success also reveals that it is a bad idea to bluff a shaman.
Intimidate (hard, DC 25): You successfully frighten the shaman.
- Special: This check can be used only once per character, and it can only give 1 success.
- Success: You gain a useful map (+1 to first 8 skill checks in encounter #C)
Every character can use these checks only once:
History, Arcana (hard, DC 25): Your obscure knowledge impresses the shaman.
- Success: All skill checks by you gain a +2 bonus until the end of the encounter.
- Success: All Religion skill checks by your allies gain a +1 bonus until the end of the encounter.
Streetwise (hard, DC 25): Your obscure knowledge impresses the shaman.
- Success: All skill checks by you gain a +2 bonus until the end of the encounter.
- Special: First success also reveals that it is a bad idea to bluff a shaman.
Bluff: Automatic Failure.
- Special: First failure also reveals that it is a bad idea to bluff a shaman.
Total Success: Get a Ritual Scroll of Commune with Nature and a useless map
Total Failure: Get a useless map.
Encounter B: You're not alone! [Lvl 4 Fight, 800 XP]
Level 4 Encounter (XP 800)
1 hobgoblin commander(level 5 soldier) 200
2 hobgoblin archer (level 3 artillery) 300
1 hobgoblin soldier (level 3 soldier) 150
4 hobgoblin grunts (level 3 minion) 150
Use a map of a forest road, like the one provided with keep on the shadowfell, or draw one up for yourself. the most important thing here is, that the archers are hidden and can stay behind cover or in concealment until later in the fight.
The archers start hidden, and they gain a surprise round. A DC 20 Perception check reveals their location to the players and allows the players to skip the surprise round.
The commander flees if most of his allies are dead, or he falls below 15 HP. His followers stay until they die.
Encounter C: Find the Path [Lvl 3 Skill Challenge, Complexity 5, cut failures in half, 750 XP]
You need to attain 12 successes before 3 failures.
Primary Skills: Perception, Nature, History
Secondary Skills: Heal, Endurance, Religion, Arcana, Acrobatics, Athletics, Dungeoneering
Additional Ressources: Commune with Nature Ritual
Nature (easy, DC 15): Judging by the flow of nature, you know where to go.
Perception (moderate, DC 20): You find a path which others would call unseen.
- Special: Rangers get a +1 bonus to this check.
History (hard, DC 25): From ancient Tales, you can decipher the correct direction.
- Special: Characters can cooperate once to help the lead character.
Every character can only use these checks once:
Arcana, Religion, Dungeoneering (hard, DC 25): Your obscure knowledge helps to place history in a better context of the world.
- Success: The next religion check gets a +2 Bonus.
Acrobatics, Athletics(hard, DC 25): Your physical abilities help your party to cross difficult terrain (like cliffs, ledges) which would otherwise be dead-ends.
- Success: The next nature or perception check gets a +2 Bonus.
Reactive Checks: (can be used only directly after a failure, immediate reaction once per failure)
Endurance (moderate, DC 20): Your Toughness helps your party overcome obstacles more readily.
- Success: Lose a Healing surge, the failure does not count towards the total.
- Failure: Lose a Healing surge.
Heal (moderate, DC 20): Your help others to overcome obstacles more readily.
- Success: The player who failed loses a Healing surge, the failure does not count towards the total.
- Failure: The player who failed loses a Healing surge.
Commune with Nature Ritual:
- 3 automatic successes
Total Success: Find the Cave
Total Failure: You're lost, see C#2 to get back on track.
Encounter C#2: Lost and Found
There are some possibilities on how to play this out. This is not part of the entry.
See DMG p. 79 for another skill challenge,
See MM. p. 63, 141, 169, 219, 235, 264 for another level 3 fight against renegade goblins or other monsters, which could provide useful information to escape alive.
Encounter D: The Guardian
Level 5 Encounter (1000 XP)
1 Young White Dragon (level 3 solo brute) 750
6 Kobold Minions (level 1 minion) 150
1 Kobold Slinger (level 1 artillery) 100
Use a map of an icy lair, with slippery (difficult) terrain. The map of the white dragons room in kobold hall, DMG p. 219 works out fine. just switch the floor and the setup.
The Minions stand back and keep their distance doing nothing, they might even thank the characters afterwards for freeing them. The Slinger, though, is loyal, and attacks from the start.
Should a player melee-attack or kill a Minion, all of them start into the battle as well. (panic, hysteria or whatever you want to call it)
Encounter E: Truely Dhakaanic?
Level 3 Encounter (750 XP)
1 Templated Goblin Blackblade (level 1 solo) 500 XP
2 Goblin Warriors (level 1 skirmisher) 200
2 Goblin Cutters (level 1 minion) 50
Howto create the Blackblade:
add the Battle Champion template (DMG p.176)
(you gain some powers)
add the Rogue class template (DMG p. 183)
saves +5, +2 AC/Fortitude/Reflex
2 Action Points
hitpoints rise to 92 ([25+8+13(con)]*2)
you gain rogue powers, i like those best:
- Piercing Strike
- Tortorous Strike (+Brutal Scoundrel)
- Trick Strike
Use the King's Road from shadowfell again, or create another map yourself.
DC 25 Perception check reveals the Goblins earlier, you'd have to adjust a bit to account for that. if the goblins are not found, they start about 5 squares away from the players. noone gains a surprise round.
adaptation(continuing the campaign)
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Well, you've got some paths already cut out:
- you can easily go along with the premade campaing path available from wizards. easy, but not really innovative. shadowfell works even after this start, if you just leave out encounters A1-A4.
- of course, Varuuk will want to battle Khentan, eventually. Or the players will want to.
- later on, Varuuk might unite more and more tribes under his rule, helped by wits and his new-found muscle (the party)
- at a final stage end paragon/ start epic, the players could even replace Varuuk, or help him to be "Leader of all Darguun"
- Epic play could focus on either extending Hobgoblin territory, defending it, or uncover epic schemes to destroy the goblins forever.
- Also, expeditions to the Dragons (to gain allies for world domination), or further research of Draconic runes are possibilities.
adaptation(different levels)
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Skill challenges already give the different DCs as hard, moderate or easy - just look it up in the dmg.
Fights will have to be replaced. Dragon encounter could be about the same, but the others will be made up completely different.
at paragon, you could use (templated/advanced) onis to fill the gap, but i don't see this anywhere in epic - the story is just a bit too local for epic play.
adaptation (outside of eberron/without goblins)
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You'd have to find a similar location, with savage tribes. that's pretty much all you have to do to place this thing somewhere else.
I'd still rather go for the samurai goblins, but well... tastes differ
adaptation (different amount of players)
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For 3-4 players, just take out melee muscle of the encounters, the skill challenges can stay as they are. the dragon might be a bit tough, if need be, you can scale him down a level as well. (or throw in more encounters so the players are level 2 alreay.
for more than 5 players, just add 1 brute or soldier according to the encounter for every 1-2 players. this should be enough to keep the fights as challenging as they are now.
Elements in this entry
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Required:
- Scenario with 4-7 players are induced to form a party.
- The entry describes between 3 and 5 encounters, narrative as well as stats-wise.
- Recurring antagonist: Oni-mage Khentan Dral.
- Recurring ally/resource: Clanchief Varuuk
Optional:
- None of the encounters has a creature that is unaligned
- The entry includes advice on how to adapt the encounters to different levels
- Varuuk is a hobgoblin
- Khentan is known, but they have not yet met him.
- The scenario involves a local meeting hall.
- The scenario starts pretty local.
- The scenario includes a social encounter(#A), skill challenge (#C) and fights (#B,#D,#E)
- The scenario includes pie (one can always introduce pie if the need arises. )
- The scenario starts at 1st level (possibly 2nd to 3rd without adjustments), and there are ideas on how to continue through level 30.
- The scenario is, so far, linear.
