Merlin, inc.

The Detective Agency with a little magic, Merlin, inc. is a d20 Modern campaign with a Pathfinder twist.  You use d20 Modern to create your character, but Pathfinder rules to do it. Written in the style of a T.V. series, the PCs are hired by Merlin to investigate crimes of a Supernatural nature.

Set in West Valley City and Salt Lake City, the Urban environment, and both downtowns are the perfect place to handle crimes from Shadowkind and to investigate cases of the Unexplained.  After all, as things get close, Quantum fluctuations the Ether bring shadowkind to our Earth and century and also magic.  It's the PCs job to investigate these weird occurrences as Private Investigators of the Paranormal (no Department 7).  The Campaign is an open ended type of show.

Formula: The characters are Private Investigators under Merlin who investigate unexplained phenomena and the Shadowkind culture in Salt Lake City and it's vicinity.

Theme: Should everyone be governed by the Rule of Law?

Tone: A mixture of The Real Ghostbusters, combined with Castle and Mr. Merlin. And, since yours truly is a Martial Artist -- with some of the Martial Arts world combined in.  There is some seriousness combined with comedy.

 Set Pieces:

Standard Optical corporate headquarters stands in for Merlin, Inc. headquarters.  Merlin, Inc. is behind Standard Optical.  It's located on 1901 Parkway Boulevard, West Valley City, UT 84119-2092.


The inside of the detective agency.

Other locations:


* Magic Shop

* Prancing Pony on Redwood Road -- the Bugbear owner is a contact. (Wendy's Restaurant is used as a stand in.)
* Draco Industries.
* The Spider's Haunt (Upscale Restaurant).
* Hunter Village -- West Valley City suburb as a home base for the PCs. 


Campaign Episodes:


Merlin Inc. 101 -- Ensemble.  Premise:  The PCs pay a visit to the nearby Prancing Pony on 3500 S. and find that the cash register's takings for the day has been stolen.  The proprietor, an elf,  hires the PCs to find the missing money.  Little do they know that Merlin the Magician, now a Detective looking into retirement, is watching the PCs. 


102 -- Focus: PC #1.


103 -- Focus: PC #2.


104 -- Continuity.


105 -- Continuity. 


106 -- Focus PC #1.


107 -- Ensemble.


108 -- Focus PC #3.


109 -- Focus PC #4.


110 -- Continuity. 


111 -- Ensemble.


112 -- Focus PC #5.


113 -- Change of Pace. 


114 -- Ensemble. 


115 -- Focus PC #1.


116 -- Focus PC #2.


117 -- Ensemble. 


118 -- Continuity.


119 -- Focus PC #3.


120 -- Change of Pace.


121 -- Focus PC #4.


122 -- Ensemble.


123 -- Focus PC #5.


124. Continuity.


125. Continuity -- Series Finale.

The Twelve Kingdoms

Twelve Kingdoms, thirteen tribes of Yisrael.

The setting of the Twelve Kingdoms of Man, is ahistorical, pseudo-medieval.  In other words, it has more to do with Gor and Conan, than it does with King Arthur or even Middle Earth.  But really, I'm not looking for an English Fuedal System.  There's other systems -- the Athenian Greeks had a tyrant, for instance (essentially a dictatorship) that was benevolent during the Age of the City State.  This man became tyrant of Athens by using a young girl and declaring himself chosen by Athena to lead the City State into a new age of prosperity.

The Tyrants were eventually put down and a Democracy set up (rabble rule).  In ancient Israel, my ancestors were ruled by David the King.  It was to be a monarchy that was set up by Yahweh, the El of Israel.  Yahweh would choose the king -- first Saul (who was of the tribe of Benjamin) and second David (who was of the tribe of Judah).  As was promised to Judah, his seed will carry the septre to the end of the World.

Setting up the twelve kingdoms in my new Pathfinder world to be like the twelve tribes of Israel, but giving each of them a different culture is the goal.  One would be based on Persia.  Another, based on Cimmeria, another full of amazons, two with fighting men, and so on (it's ahistorical, pseudo medieval, remember?  I'm just making the 13 tribes obivious!).

Secondly, I thought I'd use churches instead of Gods.  It's different, it's hip, its new.

The campaign setting might begin like this:

In the beginning of our story, the twelve kingdoms were once thirteen tribes who had four hundred years of prosperity.  First as individual tribes, then a small kingdom, then a huge empire, then the empire divided into twelve kingdoms.  This prosperity was not to last, as the kingdoms fell into decline an invasion from another world discombulated the peace and balance in the world.

Something to work on, I admit.  The invasion, of course, are orcs; which threaten humanity.  At least, humanity in the Twelve Kingdoms.  There are others, to be sure.  The orcs were released when a portal transported a raging Orc Horde into the world.  They then spread out, attacking many kingdoms as they sought a place for their own clans and tribes to settle.  The action of the Campaign Setting takes place in the Twelve Kingdoms and the rampaging orc horde with elves and dwarves in there somewhere.

However, the orcs have feeling, they have purpose, they have culture.  I talked a lot about orcs on this blog in my world.  Now it is time to dwell on human culture.

The Illithid-Terran War

INthe most ambitious science fiction campaign ever conceived, and it must stay an OFFICIAL ghost work! I hate Wizards of the Coast.

During the beginning stages of World War II, where Hitler of Germany started to take over portions of Europe, the Illithids started to expand their empire to the Orion Spur.  The Illithids find Sol and the blue green planet known as Earth.

- FIRST INVASION -

During the first air strikes in Britain, the Mind Flayers made landfall in the Orkneys and started killing people. They then invade Edinburgh and Leeds, and started killing men, women, and children; for food.  They also extradited what was left of the two populations into space.  The next day, they touch down in France and Germany and wiped out most of the population of the Rhineland.  It was on this day that the Axis Powers and the Allies became allies for it would be clear that the Illithids will destroy the population of the Earth.

Hitler, Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin, and Hirohito all combined their forces together to repel the Illithid threat.  Using just planet based forces, they stopped the first invasion of the Illithids.  The Mind Flayers fled, however the fleet was just a small task force.   It wasn't the true Invasion fleet of the Mind Flayers.  Faced with unimaginable foes, the leaders of the Major Powers worried.  What would happen now, and how they would repel the threat?  The answer came just three years later . . .

- THE ELADRIN -

Earth's mightiest hope came in the form of the Eladrin.  The Eladrin came in their ships made of plants to offer their assistance.  The Eladrin taught the people of Earth how to construct Einstein-Rosen Bridges.  With this technology, the Earthers had a chance to strike against the main invasion fleet.  The Earthers built four ships to head their invasion fleet:
* The U.S.S. Enterprise -- the first Space Carrier.
* The H.M.S. Hood -- Britain's Space Battleship.
* The D.R.S. Bismark -- Germany's Space Battleship.
* The J.I.S. Yamato -- Japan's Space Battleship.

With these four ships, and with several smaller cruisers, the Earthlings met the Illithid Invasion Force at the Planet Jupiter and managed to destroy them.  But that was only the beginning of the Terran-Illithid War. . . .

For Earth's mightiest Campaign has begun.  Not a campaign for conquest, a campaign for Survival.  It's forty years later, and new technologies have been developed - especially with Space Travel.  The Warp Drive had been perfected and Gate Travel allows the navies of the Earth to marshal their forces against the Entire Interstellar Illithid Empire.

The story of this war will be documented in pictures and I invite any and all artists to participate in the greatest Space Campaign in the Milky Way.  Render Illithid fleets, the Eladrin, the Humans, the Drow, and the Orcs and other aliens who participate in a battle royal against an evil so insidious it's hard to imagine. 

And always remember . . . . 

IN SPACE, NO ONE CAN HEAR YOU SCREAM.

Steal this Campaign Plot!!

This is a Campaign for Eberron

Notes: Not many people seem to like Eberron, and that's okay.  I like the setting, and it's the best setting I bought for 3.5.  As for 4e, I still don't have a copy of the game so sue me.

No Title Yet

Formula: The heroes deal with the machinations of the Dreaming Dark.
Tone: James Bond meets the Maltese Falcon meets 30's cliffhanger action serials
Premise: Battling the Dreaming Dark seems to be a bleak premise for the Kalashtar.  However, a man can change, but can a Quori?

Campaign Description: The heroes are based in Sharn (Sharn: City of Towers would be helpful). The adventure centers around intrigue and noir, but takes on James Bond and Cliffhanger qualities from time to time.  The heroes are expected to work for the Sentinels and/or the Kalashtar with some ties to the Houses.  Sharn's House Deneith enclave acts as the major and minor villains.  However, there are antagonists involved.

Given that this campaign is based on the T.V. series idea we have some interesting characters.

Savaran (LN male empty vessel Psychic Warrior 3): The son of Lord Kaltaresh, Savaran was banished from the Edgewalkers and tasked with an important task.  To find an artifact of Khalesh that has made its way to Sharn.  Savaran is a young psychic warrior that is driven to be accepted back into the Edgewalkers in order to protect Sarlona from the evil Adarans.  He views all Kalashtar as evil and are taught that they harbor traitorous spirits (the Kalashtar Quori).  The Artifact he is looking for is the golden egg of Khalesh.  But his feelings for the Kalashtar overrides his important duties and he will chase any Kalashtar to the "ends of the Earth."
Role: Anti-Hero.  Savaran is like Kaltaresh, someone who is generally not evil but feels that the Kalashtar are evil traitors who betrayed the Quori.  As an empty vessel and the son of Lord Kaltaresh, he is expected to "inherit" leadership of the Edgewalkers.  If it weren't that he were banished for speaking against his superior officer (which was possessed by the Dreaming Dark).  The DM should play him up as a complex young man.

Uncle Dalaskan (LG male Hashalaq Inspired Psychic Warrior 5/Seer 2): The brother of Lord Kaltaresh, Uncle Dalaskan is possessed of a Hashalaq quori that is Lawful Good and one of Kaltaresh's aides-de-camp.  He also believes that the Kalashtar are traitors who should be taken in and destroyed so that they will be reborn.  Dalaskan is supportive of Lord Kaltaresh and the Edgewalkers, and has volunteered to watch over Savaran on his journey to recover the Golden Egg of Khalesh.  He doesn't think that pursuing the Kalashtar is a good idea when the goal is to recover the Golden Egg.  His true motives, however, are to help Savaran realize his true destiny -- helping Kaltaresh become a Kalashtar for his own safety.

Role: Savaran's Guardian.  Dalaskan is actually very sympathetic to the Kalashtar cause.  However, what they did was inexcusable and he wants to see that the Kalashtar are brought to justice.  Dalaskan is a Hashalaq that is shielded by Kaltaresh in Dal Quor, but the Quori knows he can't hide forever.  If push comes to shove, Dalaskan might be forced to ask to bond to his host in the same way that the Kalashtar quori did to the Adaran monks.  But for now he is safe and he advises Savaran on his journey.


Lennora d'Deneith (NE Female Tsoreva Possessed Human Fighter 2/Rogue 3):  An agent of the Dreaming Dark in Sharn, Lennora is possessed of a female Tsoreva quori.  Although a Denieth and possesses a least Dragonmark of Sentinel, Lennora is a girl who is raised to gather information.  Lennora was trained to be seductive, and to use her feminine wiles to the best of her ability.  She can seduce, lie, and cheat to get information out of her men.

Role: Foil.

Gadson d'Deneith (CE Male Tsoreva Possessed human Fighter 3/Monk 4): Looking still in his early twenties, Gadson is incredibly vain.  He has a major mark of Sentinel, and relies on his Dragonmark more than he does on his armor.  He is typically seen in skimpy skin tight outfits as his Tsoreva quori is incredibly proud of his fighting prowess.  Gadson fights without armor and is very good at fighting without armor.  His only weakness is his incredible hubris which can be used against him by a good player.

Role: Antagonist.

Commander Kalashkarn (LE Male Du'ulora Inspired Psychic Warrior 2/Evoker 5): Savaran's Rival.  Kalashkarn is possessed by a Du'ulora quori spirit who is incredibly devious.  Kalashkarn has some psychic ability, but has turned his study to magic -- especially evocation magic.  As a wizard, Kalashkarn is mighty at fire throwing.  However, the Quori gets impatient a lot and has a reputation for being a loose cannon among the Dreaming Dark and the Quori in Dal Quor.  The evil Kalashkarn is generally self controlled except during battle where he uses his magic to strike like a blunderbuss against his opponents.  He seeks the Golden Egg of Khalesh for the glory of all Riedra and for self aggrandizement, versus Savaran's goal of returning to the Edgewalkers in honor.  Kalashkarn has a packmate homunculus as his familiar.

Role: Antagonist and Savaran's rival.

Well, how do you like it?  I wish had some players to play this.