An old friend and mentor is dead! Professor Alpon Lechfeld, formerly of the Mittermarkt Academy has died in a strange accident, under circumstances that are suspicious. His research into strange, forbidden knowledge on behalf of the Academy means that folks are gathering like vultures to see if they can pick through his inheritance for secrets best left uncovered!

His young daughter Revecca, his only living family, is expected to inherit the lion’s share of his estate, but YOU have also been named as heirs, and asked to gather for the funeral and reading of the will. The missive that summoned you also requests that you stay at the estate for a brief interval, not only to receive your portion of the inheritance, but also to protect the interests of his daughter from foul interference!

Dark clouds gather over Professor Lechfeld’s estate as you arrive, as well as over the nearby village of Cockrill’s Hill, and suspicious and hostile eyes all turn to the arriving strangers like yourself who are making their way into town...

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The game will be played using the Dark Fantasy X rules. Hardcore Mode optional rules will not be used, and no custom races are allowed. There are no other house rules in effect. Characters may pick any race or class from the book, and we will create level 1 characters at the first session together and then jump right in! If you don’t know the rules, they’re not that hard and I can walk you through it as we play.

It is expected that the first leg of the game will take place solely in the western Hill Country region of the setting. This is a frontier area like the Old West if it had been settled by Robin Hood era British. Professor Lechfeld lived on a country estate far from any major urban settlement, but the mining and farming community of Cockrill’s Hill is near his estate, and a network of connected towns and villages all within a fairly easy ride from Cockrill’s Hill makes for a small island of settled country surrounded by wild and trackless wilderness, filled with dangerous wildlife and worse.

Farther afield is the nation of Timischburg, where Professor Lechfeld used to teach before retiring recently. This nation has a dark reputation, and while never confirmed nor denied, persistent rumors that the aristocracy is ruled by a caste of vampires continue to circulate like a conspiracy theory that just won’t die…

Before play, you should pick or invent a background for your character that gives him a connection to Professor Lechfeld. Here are a few samples that you can choose from, or consult with me and invent your own!

Former Student: While the nature of some of his work was classified and considered dangerous, he also had a stellar reputation as a scholar for the academy in Mittermarkt in far-away Timischburg. Many aspiring scholars schemed to find a way to work with him on one of his many academic projects, and maybe you were one of them.

Former Hireling: Professor Lechfeld had a cadre of trusted useful people who traveled in and out of Mittermarkt and other nearby places, who used to run errands for him, dropping off suspicious packages with shady characters, or picking them up and delivering them to him. Perhaps you were one such trusted associate who helped with this sketchier side of his research.

Relative of former protege: When the Professor was younger, he had a promising academic protege who worked closely with him, and whom he treated more like a son than a student. For some unknown reason, they had a falling out and have been out of touch for some years. Perhaps you are the son or other close relative of this protege, contacted to come as part of a posthumous reconciliation of some sort.

Local Friend: While not a gregarious or overly friendly person, the Professor had made a handful of friendships with young and promising locals whom he thought had the potential to be more than rural miners or farmers. Perhaps you are one of these.

Estranged in-laws: When the Professor’s wife died, he had a falling out with his in-laws, and they have not spoken since. Perhaps you are a niece or nephew on his wife’s side, come to reconcile with your cousin (or whatever the nature of your relationship is) Revecca now that he’s gone.

Exotic Contact: While it is not impossible for there to be members of any of the standard races in Cockrill’s Hill or nearabouts, the Professor maintained contacts with other academics throughout the land. Perhaps you come from a more exotic location to pay your respects for a colleague and correspondent who you never met in person but thought you knew relatively well.

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The themes of this campaign will include horror, mystery, investigation, swashbuckling adventure, and dark fantasy. Imagine a combination of supernatural horror and fantasy, with no doubt a fair bit of dry gallows humor, not unlike the Brendan Frasier Mummy movie combined with a fantasy James Bond movie in tone. This is not a pre-written campaign, so your choices will drive the direction that it goes, and elements of your character design and background are expected to play an important role.