Thirteen Colonies (TC) is a D&D 4E homebrew campaign. This column describes the campaign setting and occasionally references my experiences in running D&D 4E using TC.

The Final Secret

I'm going to get to the intro to Thirteen Colonies, but first I have to share a final secret about 4E that I just learned. After my experiences at Gen Con and what I've read about Essentials, my players and I agreed to switch to Pathfinder (PF) in December.

But at last night's (August) game session, the players simply said enough D&D we want PF now. While D&D is fun, it does run like a tactical minis game and the players told me that it is too repetitive. I was surprised, no, actually stunned. I'd felt that way at times as well but I didn't realize that five other players felt the same way.

So here is the final secret of 4E. It is fun. But for some, it isn't fun for a long campaign.

I believe Wizards has a feel for this concept as well. After doing one Adventure Path they dropped that format for the Chaos Scar (short encounters). The Encounters program is short as well, running just a few weeks. There was no DMG 3 this year because people aren't into Epic levels yet. 4E may be best suited to short campaigns and casual get togethers.

I haven't yet determined how switching to PF will or will not affect this column. If you have an opinion on whether you'd like more D&D or you'd prefer to read about a Pathfinder setting feel free to post it here.

Introduction

Here are several things that combined together make TC a unique D&D 4E setting:

1. Colonial America feel.
2. The Great Old Ones.
3. Ruins of Khorvaire.
4. Multi-racial.
5. Slavery and bigotry.
6. No psionics.

1. Colonial America feel

TC uses ideas from early North American history that deal with the thirteen English colonies. For example, the cities Lovecraft created are used, but with more of a 16th century feel. Cotton Mather is an NPC. And the idea of slavery is explored in a completely fictional way through the warforged (which other races, especially half-orcs, use to fight the undead rulers of the southlands).

2. The Great Old Ones

Cthulhu and his ilk exist, again more as trapping and feel than a direct translation from Lovecraft. Dagon can be found in the Monster Manual 2 and various other creatures have an otherworldly feel. Goodman Games also have Critter Cache: Lovecraftian Bestiary ,†a monster book specifically for the Cthulhu Mythos.

3. Ruins of Khorvaire

Aaron, one of the players in my game, gave me this idea when he wanted his cleric to follow the Silver Flame. I use some of the themes and ideas of Eberron (the Silver Flame's former crusade against the shifters which Cotton Mather participated in and endorsed and the warforged as slaves). However, Cthulhu rose from the waves and destroyed the continent of Khorvaire, so much of its history is lost.

4. Multi-racial

Each of the colonies is dominated by one of the thirteen races in the Player's Handbooks 1 and 2. Humans are not dominant but they do control Essex County, the colony that holds the Lovecraft cities.

5. Slavery and bigotry

The warforged are slaves. Many totally organic races feel that artificially created races are not fully sentient.

In addition, the Church of the Silver Flame, now led by Cotton Mather, is against any race they deem monsters. Of the thirteen races, the Church considers the following second class citizens at best, monsters at worst: dragonborn (dragon blood), shifters (werewolf blood), goliath (giant blood), half-orcs (orc blood), and tieflings (devil blood). These races are considered equal to each other and above the other races: dwarf, gnome, elf, halfling, and human. Eladrin are looked down on because of their "unholy travels to the Feywild". Half-elves are shunned and considered an embarrassment to the Church. Deva are an unknown quality, currently Mather's opinion tends toward monster (angel blood).

If Cotton Mather is aware of the irony that the Silver Flame is a union between a couatl and a female human, he hides it well.

A minority few of the Church are willing to openly disregard this intolerance. They must constantly prove themselves to avoid being blocked from promotion, demoted, or even defrocked.

6. No psionics

The races on the planet Kruvil have not developed psionics (Player's Handbook 3) yet. Races on other planets in the system are developing this power.

Jerusalem's Lot: An Adventure in Terror

This adventure can be used to introduce brand new characters to the world of Kruvil and the campaign of Thirteen Colonies. It was designed for seven characters, so drop out a monster or two as needed to get the right challenge and/or XP mix for your group.

Several game stats for this adventure were pulled from the free adventure (Khyber's Harvest (KH)).

Major Quest (1st level)

Break the Boone curse and save Preacher's Rest.

New Items

Tangler (from KH).

Tongueworm (from KH).

De Vermis Mysteriis (Mysteries of the Worm)

• Information on how to summon He Who Walks behind the Stars
• Explorer's Fire ritual.

Demon Dwellings by de Goudge

• Information on how James Boone summoned undead servants
• Silence ritual.

Getting Started

The adventure begins in Preacher's Rest, a sleepy little hamlet in the northern colony called Essex County. While a count ostensibly rules from the city of Kingsport, the true power in the colony is Cotton Mather, a human archbishop of the Church of the Silver Flame.

The settlement has no formal church, so a divine character might have grown up there and decided to found one, or a newcomer might have the same idea. The town also does not have a formal militia, so a martial character could decide to offer his or her services. The local wilds are not well patrolled and a primal character might take up this task. Finally, the nearby ruins of Jerusalem's Lot may hold books of interest to any arcane character who wants a better understanding of arcane rituals.

The adventure starts in the town meeting hall, with the assumption that the PCs are present (and have been in Preacher's Rest for a while). Adjust as needed to fit your own group. Charles Boone has moved into his ancestral home of Chapelwaite and the curse of his family is fated to return.

1. Town Hall Meeting in Preacher's Rest

Use the following text as a guide: The whole town of Preacher's Rest has turned out for the meeting. Autumn weather has turned cold and ugly; black clouds obscure the sun and the sky rumbles like the world ending.

The meeting takes place in Tookey's Bar, run by the halfing Tookey himself. It is standing room only and the heat of the roaring fire combined with fear turns into a stench of sweat and damp.

Mr. Thompson is a besotted and ugly dwarf but one of the richest persons in Preacher's Rest. He has the floor and his face is reddened and his voice strident with anger.

"Cursed Boone is! Cursed! We have to send someone up there to deal with him and destroy the evil!"

Mrs. Cloris, an aged half-elf follower the White takes her turn to speak. "We need to do no such thing. We must speak to Mr. Boone, ask him to see reason. Warn him. Get him out of Chapelwaite before All Hallows' Eve. We must send our best and brightest to make our case."

Thompson thunders, "Send our strongest to drive him out! I say we name the youngest. And then we vote! Vote to drive the cursed Boone out!"

Mrs. Cloris says, "Or vote to speak to him. As civilized persons do." She unrolls a scroll. "I have a list of the youngest persons in Preacher's Rest. Once I read their names, those who want to speak up can. Then we vote." She starts to read the names:

Follow Up Name off the PCs. Go around and see if anyone has questions or wants to speak. If they agree to help, then have them vote to accept a quest: Major Quest (1st level): Break the Boone curse and save Preacher's Rest.

If they refuse, you will need to devise your own skill challenge to have them sneak out of town to avoid mob justice, present their own plan, or whatever other option they want to pursue.

Mrs. Cloris explains to the PCs that Charles Boone moving back in has awakened something evil and unnatural in the ruins of Jerusalem's Lot. The curse will allow the undead James Boone to summon He Who Walks behind the Stars to return to Jerusalem's Lot and destroy Preacher's Rest.

If the PCs accepted the quest, they can approach Boone planning on using force (Mrs. Cloris advises strongly against this idea, as the ghosts of the house might rise up to protect him) or try to persuade him to spend a few days down the road in the city of Arkham.

Once Boone is gone, Chapelwaite will need to be cleansed of evil. And then, hopefully armed with additional eldritch knowledge, the PCs will need to clear out Jerusalem's Lot to save Preacher's Rest.

2. Chapelwaite Manor

Use the following description for players as a guide: Chapelwaite Manor sits on an outcropping of rock above the Atlantis Sea, a confused jumble of turrets, garrets, wainscoting, and leering gargoyles. The ancient glass has begun a slow slide downward and each window reflects distorted and fractured light. Awful imitations of Amperian statues overburden a garden run wild with red sumac, creeper vines, and tanglethorns. A grotesque sundial provides the last lunatic touch.

But the view! Miles of rolling ocean, white-capped waves, and a spreading horizon. An explorer could sail off the edge of the world, or at least it seems so from these heights.

Inhabitants

Combat stats are provided in the location these inhabitants first appear.

James Boone, grandfather and dark priest of Jerusalem's Lot, is undead and loving it beneath the desecrated church in Jerusalem's Lot.

Philip Boone is the deceased mad uncle of Charles and father to Stephen. He guards Charles as a phantom wraith Stephen Boone committed suicide, is now mutated, and lives with his daughter in the cellars under Chapelwaite.

Marcella Boone was accidently killed by her father Stephen when she fell down the cellar stairs and broke her neck. She is now mutated and living in the cellar under Chapelwaite with her father.

Robert Boone, father of Charles and brother to Philip, is deceased and also a phantom wraith.

He Who Walks behind the Stars is a terrible gelatinous worm-shaped creature that slumbers deep beneath Jerusalem's Lot, waiting to be awoken so it can devour Preacher's Rest.

Charles Boone, human gentry, moved in to Chapelwaite and activated a family curse.

Calva, Charles' female dwarf bodyguard.

Beartrap, iron defender that protects Charles.

Chapelwaite

Use any battle map you have handy of a two-story mansion or draw it out. Encounters in Chapelwaite are in two main sections: upstairs and the cellar.

A. Upstairs (900 XP)

Charles Boone spends most of his time upstairs trying to puzzle out a coded logbook of his ancestors. The PCs may arrive to negotiate with him or try to sneak in and drive him out.

Charles Boone is willing to listen to reason, but talk of an ancient evil is scoffed at. He can be won over with a 1st level complexity 5 skill challenge.

If he is ambushed in his own home, he tries to kill the PCs and will only surrender if he believes them honorable (otherwise he may try to flee if he is bloodied and not likely to win). If he fights them due to a failed skill challenge, he knocks them unconscious and leaves them in the cellar guarded by Beartrap. You'll need to devise a frantic skill challenge of attempted escape as Beartrap tries to fend off both of the cellar's residents who try to fight past him to eat the PCs.

Charles Boone: Human Noble: MM 2; p. 148; LV 5; 200 XP.

Calva: Dwarf Hammerer; MM 1; p. 97; LV 5; 200 XP.

Beartrap: Iron Defender; MM 1; p. 156; LV 3; XP 150.

If combat begins, two ancient ancestors (phantom warriors) appear to protect Charles alongside his bodyguard and iron defender.

Phillip and Robert Boone: Phantom Warrior (2); MM 1; p. 116; LV 4; XP 175 each.

Next Month

Part two of Jerusalem's Lot begins with the negotiation with Charles Boone. Or I introduce a Pathfinder setting. If you'd like, you tell me what you want to see.

Cthulhu fhtagn!
Charlie