Sounds kewl.
Here's the one I'm in the middle of.
The Breastplate of Renaldo
Carcossa in the Swamp
The Set up:
In the war torn Zingaran province of Iadoma, there is a civil war between rival princelings. Prince Dercado and his Company of Honor are fighting Prince Silvantes and his Justicars. [Company of Honor and Justicars refer only to the names of each Prince’s loyal followers.] The war is currently at a stalemate and recent skirmishes have been evenly matched. Both sides are desperately seeking away to break the impasse.
Prince Silvantes has sent his sorcerous lieutenant, an Ophirean named Thestimedes, to find the legendary Breastplate of Renaldo. Thestimedes, in turn goes to Kordova to hire some lackeys to get the Breastplate. The PCs are those lackeys.
The Breastplate of Renaldo lies entombed with the remains of Duke Renaldo. Renaldo lived over a thousand years ago and his reign marked a renaissance of sorts. Because Renaldo was a just and honorable rule, he was able to achieve and maintain a peaceful Zingara. All the arts flourished under his patronage, but most noticeable were the duels. The Duels were highly structure jousting and fencing matches. Everything that could be filigreed with gold and laced with silver was. Knights wore helmets with silk linings, pearl inlay, and gold plating.
The height of this style was Renaldo’s Breastplate. Created by a scholar armorer, it held certain magical properties and was the most beautiful piece in all Hyboria. Its color was silver with Gold filigree depicting a Falcon (Renaldo’s family crest) fighting a Serpent. This was compassed with gold and platinum ivy and leaves.
Note–If the players put the breastplate on, it functions like a normal breastplate. Its magical properties are only active with the proper command or when worn by a Noble of Hyborian blood. If any of the PCs are noble, it only activates with a command.
Thestimedes gives the PCs a symbolic map to the lost city of Carcossa.
I've put the map online here:
http://mountzionpress.com/raphael/Map-to-Carcossa.gif
He tells them that the distances are not right, but the directions are absolute. For instance. Even if they can see the rocky hills before they find the Face, they shouldn’t try to jump ahead.
The following info is unknown to Thestimedes:
- The Face of the River is a rock Formation. From there the PCs should head southeast.
Giant’s Boneyard is a petrified forest. It has a sprinkling of live trees amidst the fallen stone trunks.
The Pools of Smoke are steaming hot sulfur springs.
The Forest of Blood is populated with trees that have bright red leaves.
The Lost City of Carcossa
- Walled city
Metal gate
Many buildings; all point toward the temple
Temple is a square building with columns and a dome.
Renaldo’s tomb lies beneath the Temple in the royal crypt..
A Great Serpent and a family of apes roam the ruins.
I have some more info at home which describes the tomb. I am running this for 2 3rd level PCs, one of whom has never RPed before, so this is all pretty simple.
Depending on what the PCs do with the Breastplate, should they get it, could set up a long term adversary (Thestimedes, Prince Silvantes). One of them is already planning on keeping it.
Raphael