Campaign Goal Explore and loot the Scarlet Citadel, a dungeon filled with ancient treasures and secrets

Truths about Redtower and The Scarlet Citadel

• Located on a tributary of the Templine River in southern Magdar between Peltzenheim and Schio, Redtower is an unremarkable logging settlement by itself but is better known as a launching point for adventuring expeditions into the infamous ruined castle and cave complex nearby—the Scarlet Citadel.
• An old family of sorcerers known as the Holzangers ruled over the quasi-independent region, conscripting humans, sages, and dwarves to build the massive Redstone Castle, now known as the Scarlet Citadel, over 250 years ago.
• Built as the ancestral family home of House Holzanger some 400 years ago, the castle known as the Scarlet Citadel now lies in ruins and its dark dungeon has a sinister reputation. This is very well deserved, for few return from its depths.
• Gellert the Gruesome, a powerful sorcerer, is said to dwell deep below the ruins, but no one in the nearby village of Redtower has ever seen him. Bandits claiming to work for Gellert frequently rob or extort tolls from travellers and merchants on the road between Schio and Peltzenheim.
• The Scarlet Citadel is located in the Magdar Kingdom, a place rich in traditions of chivalry and warfare, ruled by the Widowed Queen Dorytta. The Magdar fight to defend their borders to the east against the tribes of the Rothenian Plain and to the south against the Mharoti Empire.
• The Scarlet Citadel is a peculiar growth of layer upon layer of tunnels, defensive halls, hidden crypts and labs, and many secrets buried deep below the surface – its many years of rich magic interwoven with blood and betrayal. Scarlet Citadel is deadly – even the most heroic adventurers may find they need to flee to survive.
• The site of the Scarlet Citadel is potent with ley-line energy. The titanic White Road runs fewer than 60 miles to the south, and lesser ley lines crisscross the region. Over the centuries, this power brought many mages, sorcerers, dwaven ring-forgers, and ley- magic sages to the site.

Truths About the World of Midgard

• The Mharoti Empire is ruled by dragons. The dragons of Midgard have no interest in sitting in a lonely cave, counting coins. Instead, they rule vast swathes of territory and seek to conquer more with their armies of dragonborn, kobolds and drakes.
• To the west of the Magdar Kingdom are the Canton of Melana and the Republic of Triolo, two of the Seven Cities, another region where war is a way of life. Many come to the cities to earn their coin as mercenaries when the yearly raids and ambushes turn into larger battles and sieges.
• To the north, at the crossroads of the world, lies the Free City of Zobeck. It’s a city where adventurers, merchants and scoundrels from all walks of life and all nations intermingle, and a place where wondrous inventions of steam and brass are forged. West of Zobeck are the thirteen dwarven cantons of the Ironcrag Mountains, while to the east lies the ancient and mysterious Margreve Forest.
• Midgard is alive with ley line magic. Centuries ago the elves used this magic to create and sustain the shadow roads (also known as fey roads), making it possible to connect the far-flung cities and towns of their vast empire. Today, some know how to harness the ley lines to power spellcasting or for magical travel.

Your Character in Redtower

Whether native to Redtower, the White Forest nearby, or a traveler from a distant land – your journey to Redtower stems from your drive to engage in adventures beneath the ruins of the Scarlet Citadel. Perhaps you sense a great danger lurking deep within its depths. Perhaps you seek to understand the junction of powerful ley-line magic intersecting at the site. Perhaps you simply seek the treasures and mysteries hidden in the halls below! Whatever guides you to the region, you seek to join forces with your fellow adventurers to uncover the mysteries lurking beneath Scarlet Citadel.

“Pause for a Minute”

During the game, at any time, a player or the DM can say “pause for a minute” to stop the current conversation, break character, and address the situation. This can be used for anything from “I really don’t like this thing in the game” to “I don’t understand why we’re in this dungeon”. Use it freely to clarify the direction of the game and address any concerns.

Key NPCs in Redtower

So what can we do? Where do we start?