LPA4 Wanusupay (Against the Gnomes)

I know the name is silly, but I am really considering calling this project “Against the Gnomes”. In an adventure that would involve the King of Ghouls, a cannibalistic ritual of epic proportions and material from the old 3.5E Book of Vile Darkness, I think the silly contrast might just be too much. What do you think?

Anyway, I want to propose a new adventure and see if anyone thinks it worthy of pursuit. Check out the adventure background below and let me know if it’s something you might be interested in. 

Note that I will be repeating this post on the Piazza to hopefully elicit more feedback  

Against the Gnomes

It is to our advantage to hate our opponent, but to our disadvantage to underestimate our opponent.

-Mokokoma Mokhonoana

As alluded to in the quote above, it is a dangerous game to play to underestimate your enemies. This wisdom is doubly true for those who think of gnomes as always being the bright and cheery folk of the wood or underground. Fools who have such limited knowledge have never met the Supay gnomes - sadistic and savage little creatures who worship a deity that cares for nothing but oblivion. 

 About

Against the Gnomes is the third adventure for the Forgotten Realms setting found to the west and south of Faerun proper known as Lopango. It is meant to stand alone and can be transported to other locations, but those locations need to be a blasted and volcanic wasteland. Its inhabitants barely eke out an existence and like the land, they can be more than just cruel. Very few folks in the whole of the world are as sadistic as the Supay gnomes. In addition to the adventure itself, this product delved deeply into the region known as Wanusupay, where further adventures can be had if the PCs are daring enough to do so. 

This product deals with issues, items and monsters that either appeared or would be appropriate for the 3.5 Edition tome known as the **Book of Vile Darkness**. Certainly the players, but even the DM might want to beware its contents!

Background

The Supay gnomes worship a deity who has long hidden from the rest of the world. In an ancient age, this deity who is also known as Supai, was once scribe to the former Lord of the Dead, Jergal in a time when that god was ascendant.  Jergal took little note of his scribe and the minor divinity abandoned his duties once Jergal passed his power onto three lowly mortals. 

Hiding in the mountains of Lopango for centuries the minor god encountered a lost and weary folk that would one day become the Supay gnomes. At the time, he thought only to feast upon their souls, but something about the gnomes’ lack of fear in the face of the god impressed the deity. Supay offered to become a patron to the starving gnomes if they would only worship him and abandon their ways. The gnomes were more eager to accept than one might expect. 

For centuries, Supai was content with his cruel and savage necromantic gnomes, but he now believes it is time to seek out more power. Another entity, the demonic Lord of Ghouls known as Doresain, has also become intrigued by the gnomes and their questionable appetites for sentient flesh. Supai, typically a jealous sort, has decided instead to be practical, and he seeks an alliance with the White Kingdom. The two have forged a pact where Doresain will supply the demonic ghouls known as maurezhi in exchange for a sacrificial feast of epic proportions. It is this event of pure carnage and cannibalism that the PCs must stop. 

Involving the PCs 

The adventure begins when the PCs are hired to investigate a kidnapping. This incident will not be detailed specifically in this book, but the victim can be any whom the DM thinks might encourage the players. Perhaps the PCs will have to travel to a new land or maybe not. Either way, what is certain is that they will be put in into terrible danger in a region from which few are known to return.

The final say for whomever the kidnap victim is can be determined by the DM, but some suggestions are listed below. 

• A player hears for the first time of a long lost cousin, sibling, aunt or uncle. When they go to visit the relative, it is reported to them that this family member disappeared a tenday past. 
• A famous explorer has disappeared into unknown lands and his or her wealthy family is offering a sizable reward for their rescue. Contact with Outer Planar entities has assured the family that the explorer still lives. 
• Bandits waylaid a caravan in which the child of a local ruler was kidnapped. When the ruler’s own bounty hunters were sent to deal with the kidnappers, they too disappeared into lands unknown. 

Depending on where the PCs begin, the journey can be an adventure of its own. Wanusupay is hidden in a volcanic region surrounded by jungle. You can find out more about the surrounding area, its deadly orc (and worse) inhabitants, and its various dangers in both the Lopango Campaign Guide, and the Lopango Campaign Companion.