HârnWorld
Hârn is an incredibly rich, detailed world in which to set a campaign.
It can be daunting at first, seeing over a million words of geography, history,
culture, politics, religion, economics, and everything else that makes a
believable world.
One excellent way to introduce your players to Harn is to start in remote
Orbaal. Orbaal is a wild, lonely place, even by Harnic standards. The guilds
are poorly represented, the churches even less so. The constant threat of
rebellion on the part of the oppressed Jarin against their hated Ivinian
conquerors provides an easy conflict to build a campaign around, from local
insurgencies to full-scale civil war. From Orbaal, the PCs can make their
way to the abandoned dwarven city of Kiraz, or to the living dwarven kingdom
of Azadmere high in the treacherous Sorkin Mountains.
Getting existing PCs to Harn
If your PCs are involved in a campaign already, there are a few common
ways you can get them to Harn:
Since Harn is an island, they can simply sail there, or be blown off course
by a terrible storm. After a few days in the arctic pack ice, any Harnic
port would look good... The Misty Isles are dotted with godstones left
by an ancient, now-vanished race. PCs entering a godstone emerge in a
different place, which (of course) the GM decides. On the Harn maps there
are places of mystery marked by inverted triangles.
A Critical Mission is an introductory adventure. You can bring PCs into
it by sailing into Lorkin, emerging from the godstone at Gedan, or from
either of the two places of mystery at the southern tip of the Kjenfjord.
A Critical Mission
The Setting
It is autumn in Lorkin. The air is crisp, the leaves colorful, and the
outlook bleak. The harvest was bad, and if the cruel Lord Taarbri Geldestaar
did not buy additional grain, Jarin men, women, and children will starve
this winter.
Rhys of Tellyn, a talented young Jarin harper and apprentice to the Trehaen
in Lorkin, was sent on a critical mission four days ago. Last night, a
breathless Stinky o’ Hamey came rushing into Lorkin with what might
be bad news.
The nomadic Diaffa gargun have moved into the eastern Elorna Hills, between
Lorkin and Gedan. This is the region through which young Rhys would have
travelled. He should have been back yesterday afternoon. It is true that
he might have been delayed at Gedan for any number of reasons, but the
risk that the mission was not accomplished is high. Respected Jarin Trehaen
Vryald o’ Gwaenyr requires the services of a small, skilled group
of freemen who can accompany Stinky back to his home in Fafird immediately,
and set out for Gedan in the morning. The party can expect to be challenged
by Ivinian huscarls bent on keeping the Jarin in their place. Combat with
the Ivinians is to be avoided at all costs. Once beyond Fafird, they may
encounter the Gargu-araki of the Diaffa tribe - these crafty orcs may
be slain at will, if the party can find them...
With Clan Hamey, in Fafird
Once away from busy Lorkin, Stinky chats amiably with the party until
he feels he can trust them. Then he tells them much.
Near the ancient barrows at Gedan is the secret headquarters of the Aenghysa
freedom fighters, dedicated to the overthrow of the Ivinian oppressors.
The Aenghysa must be told the following: the vessel that was to carry
grain for the winter contained little grain, but it had 30 well-armed
mercenaries disguised as sailors. Clan Hamey raises pigs and is shunned
by most of their neighbors. Only people who really like them ever visit
for long, and they are little bothered by the swaggering local Ivinian
bullies. This works out well for Stinky and his four sons, who are all
members of the Aenghysa. If their connection to the rebels were known
they would be put to death.
Into the Hills
The Elorna Hills are lush temperate rainforest, where great dark Jara
Spruce tower over steep slopes and treacherous ravines. Travel on the
ground is made difficult more by the rugged terrain than by undergrowth,
which is mostly limited to mosses and ferns. Wildlife includes deer, elk,
bear, beaver, otter, mink, lynx, and cougar. Eagles and owls are often
seen; snakes and other reptiles are rare. The Anoa tribesmen call these
hills home, and resent the periodic intrusions of the Diaffa gargun. Anoan
hunters use a green dye to stain their skins and mask body scent while
hunting. Ivinians tales of Green Demons in the thick forest are inspired
by canny Anoan hunters. Although they typically hunt alone, for the short
time every year that the Diaffa gargun are in the area Anoan hunting parties
are 4-6 adult males with up to 3 youths, based out of a simple camp that
exists only for the duration of the hunting trip. They carry shortbows
and either flint-tipped spears or hand axes gained in trade or from the
bodies of dead caravan guards.
The Anoan hunters watch other humans passing through their forest, but
seldom interfere unless the intruders are hunting or otherwise making
trouble. The Anoa consider it a grave sin to abandon an injured person
to the spirits of the forest. If the party is badly injured and likely
to be in danger, the Anoa will assist them, even bringing them to their
home and Shaman if they feel the situation warrants it. This is not kindness,
and unless the party does something special they will not be welcome back.
The Araki Plantbrothers
The Diaffa gargun are Gargu-Araki, the smallest and perhaps most cunning
gargun to be found in eastern Orbaal. The Diaffa nation lives outdoors
in nests made in ravines or other carefully selected areas. They subsist
by hunting and foraging, and are excellent naturalists. The best of these
become the plantbrothers, who range ahead of the tribe before a move,
subtly altering the local environment to draw game, eliminate other predators,
and cultivate the many poisonous plants and disease-bearing insects to
which the gargu-araki are immune.
Agfartakka is a 15-year-old plantmaster of the Diaffa Gargu-Araki nomads.
He leads 9 other younger plantbrothers in tending and protecting the important
herbs and trees of the Diaffa range. They work individually over a wide
range, sleeping in camouflaged nests in trees during the day and working
from dusk to dawn. They summon assistance or call alarm by means of an
ear-piercing screech, the sound of which carries about half a mile under
normal circumstances.
The plantmasters are not skilled warriors, and use indirect methods to
defend their wards. One tactic is to lead intruders off the known paths
and into the trackless marshes that dot the area. The light-footed Araki
can safely move over ground that sinks beneath a heavier human. Once the
intruders are isolated, the Araki harass them until they are weakened
by hunger, injury, sleep-deprivation, and disease before attempting a
kill.
Immune to most local insect-borne diseases, Agfartakka and his brothers
cultivate the mosquitoes that bring Breakbone Fever, and the ticks that
cause Yellow Wrack are distributed along the trails used by caravans.
Many local game trails are trapped with snares and nets woven from the
tough sawgrass that grows along the banks of the Anoth River. Once ensnared,
the victim is too confined to break the strands, and must await release
(unless he has an edged weapon available).
The Trap
On either side of the Elorna River, a rocky meadow about is overgrown
with sawgrass. A few twisted oaks struggle valiantly beneath the weight
of wild bittersweet vine. The path runs 40 yards through the middle of
the clearing to a ford at the river, and then beyond for another 60 yards.
It is wide enough to pass without touching the grass only if the travellers
move carefully (at half speed). Once at the ford, travellers can see that
from the ford to the far edge of the meadow, the sawgrass has a dusty
gold color. A naturalist may recognize the dangerous mold Lurishi, the
poisonous spores of which are incapacitating and often fatal. Passing
through here will require special caution to prevent rupturing the delicate
crust of the golden mold and releasing its deadly spores.
The river is low, and crossing is easy.The water is clear and fresh; this
is a good place to refill waterskins.
About 20 yards beyond the ford there is an object in the path. Those with
keen eyesight recognize it as a broad leather hat with an eagle feather
in it. Rhys wore a hat like this when he left on his mission. Rhys has
been captured by the Araki. His legs have been broken, and he is tied
to a tree on the ridge north of the ford. Rhys is set out as bait for
a local cougar, which the Araki wish to eliminate as competition for game.
Five Araki and Agfartakka watch him, fully prepared to kill the cougar.
When the party was first spotted crossing the meadow, the remaining four
of the plantbrothers raced down to watch the path. Within 5 minutes they
can be in position upwind of the hat, ready to spring their trap:
They each carry a small leather sack containing 1d6+2 handfuls of gravel.
They will throw handfuls 30 yards into the grass immediately upwind of
the party. Each handful has a 1/6 chance of striking and rupturing a growth
of Lurishi. Even if the travelers flee, when they inevitably succumb,
the Araki will capture them for use as bait, or simply consume them. If
the battle turns, the araki will flee. The local Anoa have seen this trap
before. If the party includes an Anoa guide, they can be warned of the
possibility of a gargu-araki trap as soon as they see the yellow mold
on the grass.
Rhys of Tellyn, Apprentice Trehaen
Rhys of Tellyn is a talented young harper from Arone, on the far
eastern shore of the north coast of the Anoth delta. He cleverly arranged
his accidental ‘death by drowning’ last year, and so cannot
return to his home.
Since his escape from Arone, Rhys has been apprentice to the venerable
Vryald Gwaenyr in Lorkin, the local Trehaen (master bard, Jarin loremaster).
Rhys, a wiry 19-year old from a poor family, is blessed with a fine mind
and excellent powers of observation which offset his modest physical gifts.
Once a sarcastic lad, his education under Old Vryald has matured him immensely.
He takes his new career very seriously.
Gedan and the Aenghysa
The Jarin have chafed under the oppressive Ivinian yoke for longer than
most people can remember. A rebellion 20 years ago failed, and conditions
have deteriorated since then.
Not surprisingly, resistance groups have arisen. The strongest of these
is the Aenghysa, based out of a secret site in the ancient Jarin barrows
at Gedan. From here they send out well-equipped, disciplined parties to
disrupt Ivinian trade and communications. The Aenghysa maintain an uneasy
peace with the Anoa.
Gedan is home to a significant temple to Ilvir, which houses an ancient,
mysterious godstone.
Beyond the Trap
If one or two persons get past the trap, the Araki waiting for the cougar
will assault them from their hiding places with spears and longknives.
If there are three or more in the party, the Araki will resort to their
less confrontational tactics.
If the party does not rescue Rhys, they have the difficult task of approaching
the well-guarded secret headquarters of the Aenghysa freedom fighters,
then getting to the leader and passing on the message. This is another
adventure, left to the gamemaster.
If the party rescues Rhys, he can direct them to Gedan, although he will
have to be carried. He is in great pain. He will become a loyal ally,
and can share with them all of the information found in HârnPlayer.
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