The​ ​Curse​ ​of​ ​Drazhu
1. A​ ​disorganized​ ​mob,​ ​desperate​ ​for​ ​leadership
A​ ​campaign​ ​starter​ ​for​ ​Dungeon​ ​World​ ​(2017​ ​CC​ ​BY​ ​SA),
inspired​ ​by​ ​Jeremy​ ​Strandberg,​ ​Dirk​ ​Detweiler​ ​Leichty​ ​&​ ​Brian​ ​Holland
At​ ​the​ ​beginning​ ​of​ ​the​ ​adventure​ ​roll​ ​8d6​ ​and​ ​take
turns​ ​assigning​ ​them​ ​to​ ​the​ ​questions​ ​below.​ ​Set
the​ ​remaining​ ​2​ ​dice​ ​aside.
What​ ​happened​ ​here​ ​recently?
1. A​ ​great​ ​and​ ​bloody​ ​revolution
2. A​ ​devastating​ ​plague
3. Famine​ ​from​ ​unearthly​ ​drought,​ ​flood​ ​or​ ​blight
4. Visitors​ ​from​ ​a​ ​strange,​ ​distant​ ​land
5. An​ ​augury​ ​of​ ​coming​ ​ruin​ ​or​ ​salvation
6. The​ ​discovery​ ​of​ ​ancient​ ​ruins​ ​pulsing​ ​with
sinister​ ​power
What​ ​here​ ​is​ ​not​ ​what​ ​it​ ​seems?
1. The​ ​king​ ​is​ ​a​ ​puppet​ ​dancing​ ​on​ ​another’s
strings
2. A​ ​monster​ ​hides​ ​in​ ​human​ ​skin
3. The​ ​swirling​ ​fog...​ ​it​ ​seems​ ​alive
4. You​ ​possess​ ​a​ ​dangerous,​ ​valuable​ ​secret
5. You’ve​ ​been​ ​pretending​ ​to​ ​be​ ​aligned​ ​with​ ​the
enemy​ ​since​ ​your​ ​arrival​ ​here
6. A​ ​malevolent​ ​force​ ​has​ ​corrupted​ ​an​ ​ancient
order
Who​ ​or​ ​what​ ​is​ ​really​ ​in​ ​control​ ​here?
1. Chaos,​ ​the​ ​mob​ ​and​ ​a​ ​populace​ ​bent​ ​on​ ​revenge
2. The​ ​curse​ ​recently​ ​laid​ ​upon​ ​the​ ​party
3. Dark​ ​powers​ ​at​ ​the​ ​Crimson​ ​Temple​ ​of​ ​Krandor
4. The​ ​mysterious​ ​count​ ​who​ ​sent​ ​you​ ​on​ ​this
mission
5. The​ ​twisted​ ​lich​ ​Drazhu
6. A​ ​great​ ​evil​ ​from​ ​beyond​ ​this​ ​world
What​ ​should​ ​we​ ​be​ ​on​ ​the​ ​lookout​ ​for?
1. Roving​ ​bands​ ​of​ ​goblin​ ​bandits
2. Perdix’​ ​soldiers​ ​enforcing​ ​martial​ ​law
3. The​ ​reanimated​ ​bodies​ ​of​ ​the​ ​recently​ ​dead
4. Carriers​ ​of​ ​a​ ​nasty​ ​disease
5. Unnatural​ ​beasts…​ ​deformed​ ​by​ ​magic
6. The​ ​Cult​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Ungu,​ ​hunting​ ​what’s​ ​theirs
What​ ​here​ ​is​ ​useful​ ​or​ ​valuable​ ​to​ ​us?
2. Lossëhel,​ ​the​ ​legendary​ ​blade
3. An​ ​unlikely​ ​ally​ ​who​ ​knows​ ​the​ ​secret​ ​way
4. A​ ​favor​ ​owed​ ​you​ ​by​ ​the​ ​spider​ ​witch​ ​Florimel
5. The​ ​Order​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Silver​ ​Thorn
6. The​ ​phylactery​ ​of​ ​Drazhu;​ ​hidden​ ​in​ ​plain​ ​sight
What​ ​is​ ​about​ ​to​ ​happen?
1. The​ ​forces​ ​of​ ​nature​ ​threaten​ ​annihilation
2. A​ ​group​ ​of​ ​black​ ​riders​ ​are​ ​set​ ​to​ ​intercept​ ​you
3. You​ ​approach​ ​a​ ​mysterious,​ ​ruined​ ​tower
4. A​ ​treasonous​ ​plot​ ​nears​ ​fruition
5. A​ ​radical​ ​sect​ ​threatens​ ​the​ ​status​ ​quo
6. An​ ​otherworldly​ ​monster​ ​emerges​ ​from​ ​the
depths​ ​beneath​ ​the​ ​capitol
When​ ​all​ ​questions​ ​have​ ​had​ ​a​ ​die​ ​assigned​ ​to
them,​ ​set​ ​the​ ​two​ ​remaining​ ​dice​ ​aside​ ​and
spend​ ​some​ ​time​ ​to​ ​extrapolate​ ​the​ ​results​ ​and
flesh​ ​out​ ​the​ ​world.
Starting​ ​Disposition
Next,​ ​ask​ ​any​ ​or​ ​all​ ​of​ ​the​ ​following:
☠ Which​ ​one​ ​of​ ​you,​ ​if​ ​any,​ ​is​ ​in​ ​charge?
☠ Which​ ​of​ ​you​ ​are​ ​natives​ ​to​ ​this​ ​country?​ ​What​ ​has
become​ ​of​ ​your​ ​home?
☠ Which​ ​of​ ​you​ ​were​ ​old​ ​friends​ ​long​ ​before​ ​the​ ​rest?
☠ Which​ ​of​ ​you​ ​are​ ​clearly​ ​out​ ​of​ ​place​ ​in​ ​this​ ​land?
What​ ​marks​ ​you​ ​as​ ​an​ ​outsider?
☠ Why​ ​did​ ​you​ ​heed​ ​the​ ​call​ ​and​ ​come​ ​to​ ​this​ ​place?
Now,​ ​take​ ​the​ ​2​ ​remaining​ ​dice​ ​and​ ​total​ ​them​ ​up:
10+ You​ ​start​ ​play​ ​with​ ​the​ ​initiative—there’s​ ​an
opportunity​ ​for​ ​you​ ​to​ ​seize,​ ​time​ ​to​ ​make​ ​a
plan,​ ​and/or​ ​an​ ​opening​ ​to​ ​exploit.
7-9 You​ ​start​ ​play​ ​facing​ ​down​ ​danger,​ ​but​ ​things
haven’t​ ​gone​ ​south​ ​just​ ​yet—it’s​ ​tense!
6- You​ ​start​ ​pinned​ ​down,​ ​imprisoned,​ ​or​ ​on​ ​the
run
The​ ​GM​ ​will​ ​set​ ​the​ ​scene.​ ​What​ ​do​ ​you​ ​do?
GM​ ​Toolkit
Forces​ ​and​ ​Factions
The​ ​Order​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Silver​ ​Thorn,​ ​The​ ​High​ ​Court​ ​of
Perdix,​ ​Gogamok’s​ ​Dogs,​ ​The​ ​Apostles​ ​of​ ​Ungu,
The​ ​Fellowship​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Crimson​ ​Mantlet,​ ​ ​The
Daughters​ ​of​ ​Dust,​ ​Gary’s​ ​Boys,​ ​The​ ​Grey​ ​Minders,
The​ ​Knights​ ​of​ ​Temperance,​ ​The​ ​Black​ ​Queen’s
Cavaliers…
Towns,​ ​Features,​ ​and​ ​Ruins:
The​ ​Crimson​ ​Gate,​ ​Fort​ ​Fairweather,​ ​Iron​ ​Hand
Prison,​ ​Troll​ ​Skull​ ​Moor,​ ​The​ ​Shards​ ​of​ ​Arun​ ​Shum,
Sorrow’s​ ​Rest,​ ​Oxton​ ​Ferry,​ ​Port​ ​Refuge,
Arborhaven,​ ​Skytear​ ​Peak,​ ​Ormathon’s​ ​Rock,
Citadel​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Six​ ​Martyrs,​ ​ ​Gambruch​ ​Abbey,​ ​The
Weathered​ ​Crone,​ ​The​ ​Gully​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Lone​ ​Cavalier,
Memory​ ​Tombs,​ ​Cavern​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Black​ ​Queen…
Elven​ ​Court​ ​Names:
Calarel,​ ​Delshandra,​ ​Ellarian,​ ​Hamara,​ ​Sundamar,
Sylvar,​ ​Mordus,​ ​Banan,​ ​Eogan,​ ​Iarri,​ ​Poprement,
Saebreth,​ ​Brevon,​ ​Scathemiss,​ ​Calann,​ ​Serain,
Chald,​ ​Gwennin,​ ​Marventh,​ ​Tasgarad…
Orc​ ​and​ ​Goblin​ ​Names:
Aaz,​ ​Agog,​ ​Bozdaaz,​ ​Brikk,​ ​Buuta,​ ​Drezod,​ ​Ruqux,
Druz,​ ​Kurog,​ ​Grruzak,​ ​Gugo,​ ​Grig,​ ​Gobbog,​ ​Geggit,
Akbeg,​ ​Huss,​ ​Kersho,​ ​Ogit,​ ​Orqchozk,​ ​Ozrau,
Rmaz,​ ​Sozdoz,​ ​Sraexl,​ ​Iak,​ ​Uttiusz,​ ​Vizzk,​ ​Zothox,
Zog
Villager​ ​Names:
Kristjan,​ ​Heiti,​ ​Sten,​ ​Egert,​ ​Kass,​ ​Erko,​ ​Vosu,​ ​Vallo,
Kalle,​ ​Kotka,​ ​Valdeko,​ ​Kappa,​ ​Kardo,​ ​Sibul,​ ​Ardi,
Padar,​ ​Kaie,​ ​Flanz,​ ​Katariina,​ ​Valjas,​ ​Irma,​ ​Levandi,
Epp,​ ​Korjus,​ ​Elo,​ ​Mustin,​ ​Minna,​ ​Klavan,​ ​Dagmar,
Nurme,​ ​Katre,​ ​Ille,​ ​Looke,​ ​Liia,​ ​Soosaar…
Impressions
● Strange​ ​shadows​ ​blotting​ ​out​ ​the​ ​sun
● A​ ​blood​ ​moon​ ​huge​ ​to​ ​the​ ​horizon
● Empty​ ​streets​ ​and​ ​eyes​ ​peeking​ ​from
behind​ ​curtains
● Eerie​ ​silence.​ ​No​ ​smiles.​ ​No​ ​laughter.
● A​ ​deserted​ ​marketplace​ ​with​ ​only​ ​a​ ​few​ ​left
selling​ ​their​ ​battered​ ​wares
● An​ ​abandoned​ ​manor​ ​house​ ​lost​ ​in​ ​the
mist.
● The​ ​feeling​ ​of​ ​eyes​ ​on​ ​the​ ​back​ ​of​ ​your​ ​head
● A​ ​town​ ​overrun​ ​with​ ​wild​ ​forest​ ​growth
● Other-worldly​ ​statues​ ​circling​ ​a​ ​burnt​ ​out
bonfire
● Whispers​ ​in​ ​the​ ​night
● A​ ​corpse​ ​strewn​ ​battlefield
● Rusty​ ​chains,​ ​shattered
References​ ​and​ ​Inspiration:
● The​ ​Curse​ ​of​ ​Strahd
● The​ ​Slave​ ​Pit​ ​of​ ​Drazhu
● The​ ​Temple​ ​of​ ​Ungu
● Discern​ ​Realities​ ​Adventure​ ​Starter
● The​ ​French​ ​Revolution
● The​ ​Hound​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Baskervilles
● The​ ​Court​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Crimson​ ​King