Lords of the Cruth Lowlands - Vaults of Pandius

Introduction
Introduction
This module is designed as a sandbox
campaign adventure for mid-Expert level
characters aiming at obtaining a fief in
Karameikos upon reaching name level. To
this end, it provides the characters ample
opportunities to explore the western
reaches of the Grand Duchy, obtain fame
and recognition from powerful political
players, and finally establish a stronghold.
Even for characters who do not wish to
become dominion rulers, the module
provides a number of adventure hooks and
patrons that can be used to drive the plot.
This adventure assume you use “GAZ1:
The Grand Duchy of Karameikos”, and my
Karameikos Companion articles. The
Dungeon Master Survival Kit can also be
useful, and is referenced to several times.
Credits
This campaign aims at covering a large
part of Western Karameikos. Thus, I have
taken advantage of previous work that
provided new locations, items, NPCs and
adventure ideas in the area. Here is a
(hopefully exhaustive) list.
The Helmet of Zirchev: Wolven Head by
Ville Ladhe
The Turnwood by Gordon McCormick
Koskatep by Francesco “Sturm” Defferrari
Riverfork Keep and Fury of the West NPCs
by John W. Biles
The Haakenberg family by Simone
“Zendrolion” Neri
Petra: Community on the Borderlands by
Sean “Yellowdingo” Meaney
The Ivanovich family from Traladara Mini-
Gazetteer by Jennifer Guerra
Achelos Outlaws and other NPCs inspired
by The Achelos Adventure, by Patrick
Sullivan
Player Character Hooks
Ideally, the player characters would start
the adventure in either Luln, Riverfork
Keep or Specularum. Characters that aim
at noble titles could, at 6th level or above,
have already good contacts with the
Karameikan aristocracy. If this is the case,
one of their contacts (preferably Lord
Alexius Korrigan, or else a member of the
Karameikos, Penhaligon, or Kelvin
families) will tell the characters that they
will stand a greater chance of obtaining
recognition from the Duke by helping a
colonization effort in the Cruth Lowlands.
They are directed to contact Lord Kaerin
Penhaligon in Nova Achelos, a new
settlement sponsored by the crown near
the ruins of the Traladaran city of Achelos.
Alternately, the characters could be
assigned by Lord Korrigan the task of
mapping part of the Cruth Lowlands
region, which would lead them, in time, to
Nova Achelos.
Clerical characters may instead be
assigned by their superiors to the Nova
Achelos mission, while military characters
starting in Riverfork Keep are temporarily
assigned to the Nova Achelos guard detail.
Other hooks include Traladaran families
that used to hold lands in or near Achelos
sending their most promising descendants
to reclaim the family lands, as well as
rumors about Iron Ring or Sons of Night
presence in the area, should the
characters be declared enemies or have an
interest in these secret societies.
Plot Overview
The adventure can then develop in several
directions. The basic plot revolves around
the consolidation of the Nova Achelos
settlement. The characters can get jobs in
cleaning out monsters from the Riverside
Slums district, then to recover specific
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