War ravages the countryside. From the far northern border walls to the walls of Rome itself, the empire is under siege and barbarians run free. No village or city is safe from the depredations of bandits or rogue militaries. If it isn’t a bandit tribe of the northern goblins, there are also the roving bands of deserters from the Roman army itself. The army is crumbling, and soldiers of the once proud force are fallen to raids on Roman towns.
No one is safe. The border walls to the north are now goblin territory. Those to the east are overrun by orcs. Xolome have come down from the southwest mountains and run wild along the coastal cliffs in the west. The roads to the Elven hills in the northeast are blocked by goblin, orc, and xolome. Rome is cut off from any outside assistance, even if anyone were willing to assist this dying giant.
Within the city of Rome, even as the empire crumbles, factional violence threatens the government. The emperor is dead, his family murdered, and dozens of pretenders vie for the high throne. Legends surround the whereabouts of young Prince Seneal, whose body was never found. Some legends state that he helped murder his family; in others, the Emperor sent him to the Elves for assistance under the old treaties.
“Rome” here is used as a stand-in for any decaying empire. You may replace it with any Rome-like empire in decline.
- The doom of Condurat
- From the chaos a prophet has arisen: Condurat, the warrior-priestess, golden-haired and charismatic. Determined to restore Rome to peace and its former borders, Condurat began her campaign by freeing Bourbon Court in the northwest from goblin control. Bourbon Court, on Bourbon Bay, is an important and strategic city.
- The player characters
- The player characters are the last remnants of the defenders of Polosita, a makeshift keep on the new northeastern border, a hundred miles from the old, walled border. A season past, the old commander shared honey wine with the new, local, commander, and the army left to aid the city of Rome.
- The siege of Polosita
- The keep is under siege by a fierce goblin tribe, and it will fall.
- The ransom of Polosita
- Polosita is not a strategic location, but the valor of her defenders has reached Condurat. Condurat, aware that the bandit army consists of many different tribes, has sent a small group of scouts to bargain with one of them for the safety of the soldiers. Condurat has met the fierce bandit-queen Dagitar-Fal and is aware of her independence and desires. Licia Pericol, her scout, brings a cask of fiery honey wine, golden and sweet with a deep…
- The tears of Rome
- Licia Pericol will guide the remaining Polosita soldiers through enemy territory, east and slightly south, then circle north and go back to the west, as this is the safest route that his men have been able to find. There may well be battles with orcs, goblins, or xolome on this journey, but Licia’s scouts should be able to keep them clear of any large groups.
