Inisval: A Setting-Based Adventure Anthology - What makes a setting good?

 

What Makes a Setting Good?

Adventure games are about adventuring. In so far as a setting empowers that, it is good. If it makes adventuring difficult or confusing, it has taken a misstep.

That's the theory, and I'm running with it.

Lots of folks like to talk about Elden Ring, which gives a touch of lore up front, just enough to make you wonder, and then trusts you to explore and figure out that world on your own. If you want to dive into the lore, you've got to dive into the world and it's dungeons.

That is my aim.

Inisval

Three Centuries Ago

The Grey Lady lead the Fairfolk away from their home in Greymirror deep into the underworld at Fairgrave, and they have not been seen since, unless you believe old wives' tales and rumors, that is.

The land was entrusted to the King in Casarra, but it was never the same.

Three Decades Ago

Dwarves, exiles from their home in the east, founded a mountain home at Lastlight. They don't allow visitors, but from time to time they trade with us.

Three Months Ago

The Palace of Casarra was abandoned. Not a single person remains within, and no one knows where they went. Rumors abound that they followed the Fairfolk, but such a solution seems too clean, and many who have gone poking into the palace do not return. It lies abandoned still, and voiceless.

Three Days Ago

Goblins from the Ashbog struct against the town of Whitford. Though they've always been a menace, they never displayed such unified tactics before. Dozens were killed in the fighting, and Whitford now lies in ruins.

A Setting-Based Adventure Anthology

As part of the Shadow & Fae 2e Zine Project, I am planning to release an Adventure Anthology set in the land of Inisval. 

The short lore above gives enough of an overview of the world for players and GMs, and it ought to be enough to read it, then make some characters, and then drop them into the town of Ramsport and set them loose on the world and its adventurers.

It will include the following five adventures, and plenty of room to add whatever other dungeons and adventures you like.

The Ashbog 

A pointcrawl for characters of 1st-3rd level

The goblins have made some kind of pact. No one thought it was possible for them to actually get along, but here we are. And since they're not warring over the territories of the Ashbog, they've turned their eyes on human lands. The Lord Mayor of Ramsport has offered quite the bounty to anyone who can spy them out, and better, break up whatever union they've formed.

Fairgrave 

A dungeon for characters of 1st-3rd level

The Fairfolk left the world behind when they entered here, but where did they go? We call it a grave, but everyone knows the Fairfolk don't really die. It's whispered they found a new world, and they left us behind to rot in this one. It's worth taking a peek, isn't it?

Greymirror 

A pointcrawl for characters of 2nd-4th level

Before the Fairfolk left, they lived in a beautiful mountain valley crisscrossed by rivers and canyons. In the heart of it is the lake of Greymirror, and their city still stands there. It's been forbidden by the royal family for the last three hundred years, but they're not around anymore, are they? Who knows what treasures the Fairfolk left behind?

Lastlight 

A dungeon for characters of 3rd-5th level

A dwarf, bloody and scarred, stumbled into Mareton not too many days ago. He rambled on and on, according to the local vicar. Kept begging for forgiveness in some maddened state. Whatever calamity struck, it soon claimed his life as well as he succumbed to his wounds. No one's been brave enough to go and see what happened, yet.

The Voiceless Palace 

A horror-mystery for characters of any level

They're gone. All of them. From the lowliest stable boy to the queen herself, every resident of Casarra simply disappeared over night. Those who have gone to look have disappeared, but you won't. You, after all, are clever, and quick, and strong, and brave. What could go wrong?