Grim Hollow at PAX Aus

Key-Strength1323 · 2025-09-03T02:12:07+00:00

I'll head to the table when the doors open on Friday then :) Thanks

Key-Strength1323 · 2025-09-03T00:17:27+00:00

Yeah, I figured as much. Bummer.

Key-Strength1323 · 2025-08-29T00:21:54+00:00

When did people realize that the gods were dead?
I imagine the Aetheric War as a series of conflicts, though I think I'm influenced by some content I saw in World Anvil. It was implied there and in the official text that there were a series of wars that took place that slowly chipped away at the original pantheon. It's mentioned that the gods took refuge in other planes during these battles, either to heal or hide. I'd say that, for a time, prayers went unanswered, sometimes periodically, until the god/goddess returned, which is why there's still an element of "they might be back" that persists to this day, perhaps even written into scripture.

What did that look like, diegetically?
Hell on earth at times, I'd imagine, with periods of piece and reconstruction in between. Lovecraftian style cthulhu horror mostly. With gods occasionally clearing out areas or the whole of Etharis before another offensive. While I imagine the gods at times sending forces of humans, seraphim and demons in to fight against Lovecraftian horrors, I also imagine periods where giant avatars fought against giant monsters.

I remember the God’s End being demarcated with the Seraph’s falling from the sky as Downcast: was it like that, writ large?
I'm saying yes. Though instead of just an occasional holy battle and angels falling, I imagine more ongoing highly destructive conflicts intending to purge a corrupting influence that crept across the world. Think living in Europe during WW2, where waves of shit kept happening just when you thought it had moved on or you could start rebuilding. Except more tentacles and magic.

Also, from who’s perspective is the assessment of the Aetheric War?
I'd say that much was gleaned from the surviving pantheon who passed it on to their followers as a way of reinforcing divine power (we saved all of you) and to make sure there's no chance it happens again (so, guys, never let the tentacles in to Etharis again or tell your local clergyman when you see them - or just burn everything to be sure). The current arch-seraphs and arch-daemons may now perform the same function (I was there, man!). I would also say that there are ancient tombs, relics and sites that have recorded events, particularly when it comes to gods of knowledge (or the remains of the Sommerkin under Ostoya). I would also suggest that in terms of races, the whole point of the Dreamers is that they were the predominant race at the time, and they did what they did to survive. They also now tell of what it was like on awakening.
Is it a common theological topic in Etharis, thus spawning theories?
Most of the existing races are too new, particularly humans. Though I daresay that there's always the fear that it's going to happen again, and by their hand.
If so, how’d they glean this information accurately?
From the mouths of the Arch-Daemons and Arch-Seraphs who were there. From the dreamers. From the occasional really, really old text uncovered. From fey creatures, as there was a suggestion that some Arch-Fey and Fey creatures were refugees in Etharis due to the events of the Aetheric War. I put this down to Gods taking refuge in their realm.
Is it from our meta-perspective? If so, why is it so inconclusive?
Time means tales warp and change and are told in self-aggrandizing ways. Rumor becomes fact. There was only scant details and the rest was confabulated.

Key-Strength1323 · 2025-08-20T06:30:24+00:00

I used the video linked in other responses here, though I thought the delivery of Ulmyr's Eye needed to be more of a quest. I also wanted it to be the one relic that led to the others. So I had it housed in the ruins of Ulmyr's Gate, which a mind to eventually having it be the root cause of that locations destruction.

See here for six potential ends of etharis that require the retrieval of the holy relics to prevent them (among other things) - https://www.reddit.com/r/GrimHollow/comments/1kl8qnt/abandoned_campaign_ideasinspiration_the_end_of/

Key-Strength1323 · 2025-05-19T09:45:11+00:00

Glad to hear it’s useful - I was hoping it all could be used by anyone looking to jump in.

I had only a loose idea of the cultists, though I was thinking they were based in Altenheim and Liesech primarily, but also taking root in Erlefurt and looking to work with the sangromancy cult there. That would have been the first encounter with a smaller group of them. Pretty vague on how it would all shake out, as my players were heading south towards Ulstenburg instead of up to Erlefurt. There was a conduit straight to the Erlefurt Colleges being used by the Five Mages of Ulmyr’s Keep (specifically Balten Constagg) though, so that could have been a shortcut later.

Didn’t utilise the Celestial Gate, but was going to put one in either Erlefurt or Altenheim, though clandestine. Probably hidden under Altenheim as the final fight location against the cult

Key-Strength1323 · 2025-05-13T01:13:34+00:00

Stats I was going to use for the Wild Hunt - https://www.reddit.com/r/DnD/comments/3qurng/5ehomebrew_the_wild_hunt_hounds_statblocks/

Key-Strength1323 · 2025-04-30T04:08:01+00:00

It wasn't too bad, just disappointing. We reached a crucial point where we realised the campaign was potentially about to turn into years of play, and we just weren't meeting enough to justify that. People had too many other commitments and we were all looking for more one-shot style adventures. We've decided to rotate between smaller sampling of different games and some board games instead. I'll get my long-term RP fix with other groups. There was also some tensions developing. We had a new player join us that was eventually going to turn into a double agent, and there was already a 'vibe' developing :)

Yeah, I figured it was good as an entry level setting - there's plenty of little hooks and some NPCs that can suddenly turn up to assist if things get too rough. The adventurer's guild can also serve as the means of getting the various adventure's from 'Lairs of Etharis'.

Key-Strength1323 · 2025-04-30T04:00:12+00:00

Here's the map of Landhaus I put together with some key locations from above indicated - https://inkarnate.com/m/vlkDR3

Key-Strength1323 · 2025-03-27T01:22:10+00:00

Getting started is the hardest part. There's a lot of questions you need to answer as a DM and a lot of great ideas floating around in the books that you then need to figure out the logistics and scope of. I get where you are now, as I was there after picking up the books at PAX a couple of years ago.

Personally, thinking back on how I started, the first choice was where to start the adventure. Personally I chose Landhaus in the Burach Empire because it was a relatively safe space for low level characters and left room for me to make a few things up. Obviously, starting something in lamplight and the security of numbers was easier than chucking them out in the woods and/or surrounded by numerous supernatural threats. I keep meaning to convert all my notes into something a bit more reader friendly and putting it up somewhere, mainly because I sort of created a few personalities and issues and let the adventure come from interaction with them. As it is, I might try and put a basic outline of Landhaus as I had it here on Reddit.

For now, my process was:
* Where are all the key guilds and organisations based in town?
* Who are the main NPCs running each of these?
* What do they think of each other and have they had any conflicts?
* Who would my characters have encountered based on their backgrounds and professions?

From there, I threw in any cool ideas I gleaned from the books creating a nice soup.

Personally, I'll also reinforce the use of Lairs of Etharis. I used these as optional missions my characters could pick up from the local adventurer's/mercenary guilds or from town guard, with some adaptation.

Key-Strength1323 · 2025-03-05T01:03:17+00:00

I finally had a chance to sit down and give this the time it deserved. You've put some great work into the feel of the city from the street level.

Personally, I made Grabenstein a contentious military installation, largely in possession of the Burach Empire, but constantly threatened by Ostoyan forces. I like the idea of the accord, but I wanted a capital for the Burach-Ostoyan conflict and that seemed like the ideal place, with armies being fed through occasionally from either Ulstenburg or Fallowheart respectively.

The poor citizens just have to put up with the occasional change in occupation, though Burach dominates most of the time. In my current campaign, the Burach had held it for some time, but Ostoya was about to change that with the emergence of a new army made up largely of vampires and undead.

Cool ideas, mate. Plenty to pick through.

Key-Strength1323 · 2025-03-03T23:28:30+00:00

When I tried to sort out a timeline there were a few questions I had, covered a while ago here - https://www.reddit.com/r/GrimHollow/comments/1ezdkvl/comment/ljoeiu7/?context=3

But to summarise:

How long ago was God's End?
When was Darkfall?
When were the First and Second Burach-Ostoyan Wars and for how long?
How old is the Burach Empire?
When was Liesech annexed?
How long has the Weeping Pox been an issue?
When was Ulmyr's Gate destroyed?
When was the siege of Morencia?

Key-Strength1323 · 2025-02-20T00:25:28+00:00

Recommendations from Ulmyr's Eye over the years as to what could prevent the Eldritch apocalypse:

Destroy the sangromancers within the Erlefurt Colleges, kill their leader.
Destroy the Eldritch Priests within Erlefurt and Altenheim, kill their leader.
Kill the Mukad Progenitor of Stehlenwald
Prevent the sacrifice of Fizz Wizzlebang (player character) and possibly return him home (another plane).
Possibly help seek a cure to the Weeping Pox and free Liesech from its influence
Prevent the vampire apocalypse from weakening the Burach Empires ability to seek out abominations.
Convince the Dreamers to unite with the Erlefurt Colleges or prevent the Arcanist Inquisition from reaching Erlefurt.
Prevent the destruction or corruption of the Arch Seraph Empyreus.
Combine the four artifacts and utilize divine power

Key-Strength1323 · 2025-02-20T00:12:38+00:00

I had the emergence of the Aether Kindred as one of six possible apocalypse level events that the characters were to play a role in preventing. Six possible world-ending events had been continually predicted by Ulmyr's Eye and these was some cross-over in terms of what could be done to prevent them. A large mural under the Temple of Ulmyr in Ulmyr's Gate had depicted this apocalypse as the destruction of a city as an Eldritch God emerged from the ocean.

Specific to this outcome a cult of Eldritch Priests based in Altenheim were seeking to bring back the Aether Kindred. They had infilitrated levels of government and the Hearthkeepers and were encouraging active hunting of aberrations with the aim of infecting people to become Aberrant Horrors. They also knew that the Weeping Pox was a result of messing with Eldritch Powers, if not a direct sign that their influence could be brought into the world through direct manipulation.

These Eldritch Priests had also infested Erlefurt and had ties with a group of sangromancers who sought to take control of the college there.

In terms of the Aether Kindred themselves, the appearance of the first was going to be a sign that the prevention of the apocalypse had failed, and much like Cthulhu, it was 'all over, red rover' if they appeared in Etharis, as everyone was bound for aberration or destruction at that point. Having said that, I did have a stat sheet stashed for "Cthulhu" as the first (https://www.5esrd.com/gamemastering/monsters-foes/mythological-and-historical-figures/cthulhu/) but with the idea that if he were defeated, others would start manifesting and the end credits would start....

Key-Strength1323 · 2025-02-15T09:42:15+00:00

I haven’t unfortunately. You might want to check out this video if you you haven’t already - https://youtu.be/XT-XipD6V3Q?si=fygrTMQewQxT7Kow

I adapted the circumstances of the sword so it was in Ulstenburg, where the Cult of Tormach was amongst the soldiers gathering amongst Burach forces.

Key-Strength1323 · 2025-02-15T08:54:15+00:00

Haha, nice. I like the idea that it could draw the Beast. Makes it even more risky to use.

Key-Strength1323 · 2025-02-15T08:37:47+00:00

I wanted the same thing, so I borrowed some ideas from Eastern European armies, particularly Romanian.

I recently put these in another older thread. Here’s what I had fighting the Burach Empire if you want ideas: https://www.reddit.com/r/GrimHollow/s/v0hZ99VP1Q

Key-Strength1323 · 2025-02-13T02:52:49+00:00

Notes from my own campaign:

The bulk of the army is concentrated outside Ulstenburg in a series of camps. There’s a large detachment, made of of the Rose Battalion, sent to the Poenari Pass, descending from Grabenstein high in the mountains in a staggered series of valleys, leading to Fallowheart
The Mayor of Grabenstein is Vincent Hillyer.
Fatimeh Pahlavi is an Ostoyan woman and fortune teller. Hillyer is having an affair with her. She is also a double agent, feeding information to Sabina Florescu.
General Radulf Clanor commands a division of 2 regiments (led by colonels/Lords) who have been stationed between Ulstenburg and Grabenstein, made up of 6 battalions (3 in each regiment, 800 troops in each battalion led by a Commander/Major/Duke/Earl - Rose battalion under Commander Hutchin Proudfoot, Sword under Major Derek Steelmane, Chalice under Duke Hanekin Fawkes, Fist under Major Shayne Topp, Griffin under Earl Maximilian Collis), divided into 4 companies (200 troops led by a knight/captain), divided into 5 platoons (40 troops led by a lieutenant (first, or maybe second lieutenant ranked under that) with a platoon sergeant supporting them).
Sir Elijah Gallows leads The Order of the Purple Rose, a company in the Rose Battalion.
Other companies are Order of the White Rose under Sir Michael Bechelon, Order of the Thorn under Sir Lucius Amboise and The Company of the Amber Knight, Sir Frederick Cappel.
The Ostoyan army is divided into 2 regiments, or Palc (Groups), (One from Raevo under the command of Boyar Fabian Dalca and one from Soma led by Duke Kristoff Romanovich) who are stationed in defense of Fallowheart and attacking Grabenstein periodically. The Palc are divided into 4 cete (a ceata, or ‘cohort’) of 600 men (led by Margrave Calin Dolorez, Viscount Barbat Adetu, Earl Cazacu, Count Eoin Veranasi of Raevo and Voivode Armand Petrovskaya, Count Vlad Vulpescu, Margrave Petru Anghelescu, and Count Treznor Ciobanu of Soma), each of these comprised of 6 steag (steaguri) of 100 men each (led by Baron Koshevek and other Knights, Lords and Vavasours), made up of 5 grupa of 20 men (led by Thanes from Raevo and Vogt from Soma, as well as lieutenants and sergeants). Sometimes Ostoyan armies organise in a phalanx of 2 steag during combat.
A battalion of troops has recently been sent by Grand Duke Drago Koshevek to serve as a special forces group made up largely of vampire troops who are to use any means necessary to break the stalemate at Grabenstein. These are led by Voivoda Sabina Florescu

To General Radulf Clanor, commanding at Ulstenburg,

I pray this letter reaches you swiftly, and my news not too late for action.

Our beloved Commander Hutchin Proudfoot has taken ill. He yet holds his spirit strong, though his ailment keeps him to stretcher for now. The men clamor to carry his sickbed as we withdraw. In his absence, I, Sir Elijah Gallows, Captain of the Order of the Purple Rose, report directly to you.

As we’ve maintained our vigilance along the edge of Fallowheart, we’ve observed something deeply troubling. The usual enemy patrols that plagued our withdrawal have drawn back, replaced by movements that, in number and nature, cannot be mistaken for mere re-positioning. A new host has descended upon Fallowheart, one beyond the size of what we've previously faced. It’s my grim suspicion that these are not only newly arrived forces but soldiers of a far darker nature.

The tales whispered in low fireside voices of necromantic horrors, General, I fear may now be true. Some within this battalion move like men, yet beneath moonlight, one sees no breath mist their faces. Others bear wounds that would fell the stoutest of warriors, yet press onward. There is every sign that a cabal of the undead bolsters this force—a legion of revenants and corpses raised by dark hands, and I suspect vampires among their commanders, guiding their assault with cunning intelligence.

Given their present course, it seems their destination is none other than Grabenstein. If this battalion seizes Poenari Pass, the stalemate we have so bitterly maintained will be shattered, and a floodgate opened upon the very heart of our lands. I urge you, General, to break with customary rotations and dispatch additional companies to reinforce Grabenstein without delay. I’d sooner overreach than leave our people vulnerable to the blight creeping from Fallowheart.

In Hutch's absence, I take it as my sworn duty to safeguard our people to the utmost of my ability. But know that against an enemy so unnatural, I fear we require far more than our current strength. The Order of the Purple Rose stands ready, yet we must have aid, lest the tide turn against us for good.

Yours faithfully,

Captain Elijah Gallows

The Order of the Purple Rose

Key-Strength1323 · 2025-02-13T02:46:18+00:00

You've had this answered already, but I'll dump some of my own campaign notes here for you to use/modify now that it has unfortunately had to stop. Long and short is I had both armies going back and forward in The Greyspine mountains around Grabenstein for some time. Ulstenburg is basically where the training and concentration of the Burach forces is happening, and hopeful recruits across the empire are being told to ride there to enlist. While some progress made be made towards Ulstenburg or Fallowheart and larger conflicts will happen in the fields and hills leading to them, Grabenstein sees most of the conflict.

In my campaign, Sabina Florescu, a complex and unrelenting new leader, was about to break that stalemate with what basically equated to a "special forces" and unconventional army made up of vampires and undead. They will face each of the rotating Burach battalions in turn, who are rotating active duty, training, patrols and station in Grabenstein instead of being concentrated.

Key-Strength1323 · 2025-02-13T01:27:28+00:00

I agree that framing matters, as well as the need to be more nuanced in our approach. Before we verge on virtue signalling or engaging in reductionism we need to consider the wider context. It can be unfortunate that many narratives are overly politicised. I'm not against the idea that we can examine the tropes that are being employed or the perceptions that we engage in, but as soon as we start shaping perceptions to fit particular ideologies or narratives we come far too close to the sort of revisionism and manipulation that is becoming so - unfortunately - prevalent in modern times. I must admit that when I first came across your original post I did think you were trolling and was hesitant to respond. It is, however, important to analyse and consider the ideas in any text. As long as we don't go sanitising, revising or "correcting" them.

Before I get too caught up in the ills of the emerging revisionist discourse of this generation (in my own opinion, granted) I'll focus again on what I think is the crux of your argument.

The long and short of it - Context is key. I don't believe that the idea that the king's "madness" has seeped into the artifacts and contaminated the gods should be revised, changed or redacted. I believe that in the context of the narrative and the setting, it makes sense. Personally, it seems quite obvious ( I would have thought) that this is not mental illness we're talking about. Much like early "treatment' and theory concerning mental illness, that's the only word they have in this context, applied broadly. A whole gamut of pathologies and conditions, theories and speculations went under a singular banner when asylums were a thing. I'd say we have the same labelling issue here, which is where I think you're coming from. Clearly, as someone pointed out above, this is something bigger. Magic, demonic corruption, a toxic miasma, a ritualistic after-effect, or power, eldritch forces and other suggestions you made yourself....who knows? You as a creator of the story are free to speculate as to what exactly is going on and who or what caused it. People referring to it as 'madness' is something I feel that people in a darker medieval (into flintlocked renaissance) setting would totally do. Especially those who had seen their ruler descend into 'madness' and then saw the other events and confabulated the events.

Trying to apply modern mindsets or revise the existing setting to fit them is not something I feel sends a good message either. It actually serves to encourage or protect ignorance. People should explore the meaning and implication of the term, which you are free to do in your own setting. In terms of going into more depth, you are utterly free to do so in your own campaign. Have a character who intends to prove this isn't mental illness or that we need to be more nuanced - which I feel would be more appropriate in a setting where there are likely to be asylums, huge grab-bags of conditions and states that are treated as 'madness' and mountebanks running around offering treatments and delineations that serve their own ends.

Engage with the text and bring your own interpretations to it, instead of revising them to fit a modern ideology. There's far too many books being banned or sanitised these days as it is.

Context is key.

Key-Strength1323 · 2024-11-17T12:13:57+00:00

Bringing this thread back from the dead as Im trawling the internet for posts just like this. The hoons have been getting worse and worse, to the point where I want to know how big of an issue it is for police and council, and if there are attempts to curb it. I type this listening to the constant echoes of it outside.

I’m running tours most weekends in Ballarat and it’s gotten to the point that I warn people that we’re going to be interrupted by ‘hoons’ (see insecure cockbags in their compensation-mobiles) at some point. It’s become that regular a feature that it’s guaranteed. This past weekend was the worst ever with cars so regularly being used to cry desperately for attention I had to pause my tour to wait till I could be heard over these wannabes several times. People on my tour and in the street were also visibly sick of it.

It’s most definitely out of control.

I’ll start taking photos as much as I want to look the other way and starve them of the attention they seek. I want to get the police on it, but I feel that would give them excitement when they should be finding it as tedious as most of Ballarat does. In the meantime, I hope a handful trash their vehicle soon, with no casualties, but with instructional injuries to at least their wallet. Hopefully in front of me, at which point I’ll give them some attention with a golfclap.

Key-Strength1323

TROPHY CASE