Introduction

This blog contains background information for my D&D campaign.

The campaign is called Bludgarten and will mainly be about horror in a world where technology is starting to develop.

Some of my inspiration:
Video games: Bloodborne, Dead Space, Silent Hill. Hellboy and the BPRD comics, Lovecraft's books. Junji Ito mangas, the movies Alien and The Thing among others.
The technological side of things will be in the steampunk style.

All of the rights for the photos, images, names and documents referred to and presented belong to their respective owners.

The game will include combat but also role play, mysteries and investigations. Horror will be the main focus at the start but could evolve depending on the actions of the characters.

I already have some adventures that are ready but also some events and starter ideas that could go in various directions. Others will evolve from the events that take place in the game.

I am looking for players who want to invest themselves in a campaign full of atmosphere and who are willing to be scared themselves.

I suggest we hold games every two weeks on Friday evenings at my place.

In the next few posts, I will give more background information on the Bludgarten empire and on the city of Vilifika where a lot of the action will take place. I will also add images and information about some NPCs.

Optional rules that are used and permitted: Feats, Multiclassing, Madness, Fear and Horror, Firearms and explosives.

Classes from third parties are permitted if they fit well within the campaign world and if the player agrees to possible modifications if they are deemed necessary.

Information

Because I want to create a specific atmosphere, the PCs are all from Vilifika and are all friends with Igor von Sklar, an artist who paints (mostly portraits and landscapes) and sculpts. The PCs know of each other, having seen each other at various parties Igor has thrown. They also have served as models in his paintings, either as background characters, or as "body doubles" when nobles who requested portraits asked to look more athletic. Some PCs probably had intimate relationships with Igor.

Igor has just been released 3 months ago, from the asylum where he spent the last 5 years.

To also keep a certain atmosphere, I created a list of names that the PCs should use. Other names are acceptable if they fit the style of those found in the names list.

Noms / Names

Male	Female	Family
Aldarik	Annis	Asep
Beremud	Bastet	Aslan
Chakkal	Blixa	Asp
Dagr	Chromula	Bleaken
Dakthan	Clotilda	Chasmic
Drago	Cordelia	Claw
Ebenezer	Dagda	Corgen
Egorn	Delia	di Grimond
Elspeth	Dharma	di Grothen
Ferox	Esmeralda	di Muadh
Gerak	Espereth	di Nexis
Godraith	Glenna	di Orben
Gregor	Glisteria	di Pustula
Grendzel	Greta	di Raxxe
Grigori	Gretchen	di Velgo Doom
Grosk	Griselda	Faust
Gustav	Illyana	Frey Gloom
Hargen	Isabeau	Gorguts
Hrolf	Isabella	Grieve
Ichabod	Isold	Hargen
Igor	Jessika	Korsk
Jaffar	Jezebel	Krawlen
Jebediah	Khalida	Krone
Kang	Kishani	Kruger Lacrymosa
Klaus	Koira	Lang
Kom	Liana	Marrow
Korgen	Lilith	Mourn
Ludwig	Malasinda	Ohn
Morgan	Masidah	Orlac
Morgen	Misvet	Orlov
Murgen	Morag	Orm
Octavius	Myria	Orn
Octo	Natalia	Plagueborn
Orrik	Necrosia	Roark
Oskar	Nena	Unger
Osric	Olga	Unwern
Oswald	Orchid	Usher
Otto	Orgun	Veitch
Ovgrod	Pandora	Volkerode
Pentecost	Persephone	von Hogg
Piotr	Porphyria	von Klaw
Pulsipher	Portia	von Klove
Rasputin	Rabia	von Knecht
Sebastian	Radinka	von Kroner
Shekkad	Rebecca	von Marren
Silas	Sabrina	von Myrn
Skorgen	Sara	von Sklarr
Sweeney	Scathach	von Vool
Tabor	Senga	von Wretch
Tancred	Seskia	Vorven
Unwerth	Stielya	Wiverne
Urlach	Stigmata	Worg
Vasken	Svetlana	Wyrd
Vlad	Tatiana
Vladislav	Tituba
Volgo	Una
Vollrath	Ursula
Vorgus	Viperia
Vosculous	Vistula
Werner	Wanda
Yazod	Zenobia
Zigmar

Bludgarten

Bludgarten is a very old empire. Its borders have not changed in over 7000 years. It is complacent, decadent, and very powerful. The capital is Carcosa; it used to sit on the shore of the Halitus sea which has since turned into a desert from wasteful use. The current Imperator is Vladislav XXIII. He has been on the throne for the last 30 years.

The empire has been suffused with a new energy by the discovery of technology. Technology is recent, most advances done in the last 15 years. Electrotech and other technologies were actually discovered in the neighboring Republic of Mordavia. Blutgarten, having spies everywhere, stole the technologies from them and used its vast resources to ensure the defection of the greatest minds to develop the technologies further. Firearms, trains and factories can now be found all over the empire. Researches advance rapidly and new inventions appear regularly.

People are a bit xenophobic, considering everyone else inferior. This happens at all levels of society, both regarding other countries but also within the empire itself. People from the city look down on those who live in the country and vice-versa, while nobles look down on the common people who laugh at them. Everyone living in the city (no matter the race) considers those who live in the country (whether they are farmers, elves living in a forest or dwarves in a mountain) as primitive. Everyone living in the country considers people in cities strange. They don’t like the smells, pollution and city dweller’s attitudes.

Dwarves, elves and others who live in the city have done so for generations. There is the occasional member of a race who will leave their tribe to go to the city but they will invariably have trouble adapting and it will take them a long time be accepted. Those who have lived for generations in cities have adopted local names and customs, and abandoned their traditions.

Nobles like to show how idle they are and entertain themselves with theatre, opera, artistic pursuits, hunting and fashion. Fashion is very important and changes every few months. The current fashion for both men and women is very severe with high collars and very little skin showing.

Noble women like to show how much free time they have by walking their pets. Things went so far as walking snails but the women were too impatient and the fad disappeared quickly. Turtles are the current fashion.

Religion

The empire`s religion is monotheistic with innumerable saints, angels, demons and devils.

Theology:

The universe is composed of a primordial substance which is matter, energy, thought and soul. From that substance was born the Shaper. The Shaper started sculpting, writing, singing, painting and forming the substance into it's true forms. This is how the world came to be. Where some of the substance was evil, it became demons and devils. Where the substance was good, it became angels. Where it was neither, it became insects, animals and plants. Where it had some of both, it became various creatures and peoples.

Once all of the primordial substance has been formed as it should be, the balance will be seen and the universe will turn into it`s final form. If the balance is evil, the universe will be engulfed in eternal war, torture and death. If the balance is good, peace and beauty will reign.

Because most of the primordial substance has both evil and good or has none, the empire`s religion works to ensure the good side wins.

Organization

The religion is divided in 3 main parts: 

The Curia is the church's mind. It ensures people are aware of the religion, sending missionaries all over the world and making sure the believers hear the right sermons at the right time. There is a single office of the Curia in the empire's capital, Carcosa. 

The Anima takes care of the believer's souls by holding services and giving advice to the believers. 

The Inquisition takes care of the believer's (or non-believer's) body, making sure evil doers are punished properly and using the right procedures to strengthen believers with fasts and mortification when needed.

The Anima and the Inquisition are both more autonomous in the way they are organized and operate. There are leaders in each region or large city who take care of things.

Bludgarten Saints and Angels

There are literally thousands of saints in the Shaper religion. Some are related to locations, cities, or natural features, while others are the patron saints of professions and artisans.

Examples include Saint Vilfikius, patron saint of the city of Vilifika; Saint Amniotus, patron saint of the Amniotic Sea or Saint Tailorius for tailors.

Others are said to be very ancient gods, or the gods of other peoples that have been integrated into the religion to better assimilate their peoples. Examples include Saint Moradius, patron saint of the forge, rumored to be a dwarven god, Saint Pelorius, patron saint of light and agriculture, Saint Sylvanius, patron saint of trees or Saint Corellius, patron saint of leisure, who was a god of the elves.

Priests and clerics will often dedicate themselves to a specific saint, trying to emulate their lives and protect and nurture the domain associated with him or her.

People will often wear medals or amulets dedicated to their favorite saint. Priests and clerics will often dedicate their lives to a specific saint, trying to emulate their lives and preaching their philosophy as it relates to the Great Shaper.

There are numerous angels, serving and doing the bidding of saints. They very rarely appear as such to mortals, usually working through dreams, messages or by taking the form of a trusted person.

Demons and Devils

There are as many demons and devils as there are saints and angels. They all work to corrupt and destroy mortals, doing their best to ensure evil wins when The Shaper finishes forming the primal chaos.

Among the most powerful demons and devils, we can find Lolthex, demon queen of spiders and treachery, Demogorgex, demon lord of madness, Orcex, demon prince of undeath.

On the devil side, we have Asmodex, king of tyranny, Geryex, lord hunter, eater of flesh, Dispatex, lord of paranoia.

There are others who are said to have been gods at one time such as Banex, king of war and conquest, Tharizdex, prince of madness, Vecnex, lord of secrets, Zehirex, prince of darkness and poison.

Vilifika

The campaign will mainly take place in the city of Vilifika. Vilifika is the second biggest city of Bludgarten. It sits on the south shore of the Amniotic Ocean.

Its main industries are fishing, boat construction, technology and education. Its university attracts a lot of young, intelligent people.

City Districts: there are nine districts in the city. A short description follows.

The university sits at the center of the city in the Reading District and is surrounded by various shops and restaurants, mainly catering to students and faculty. There are also tenements in the area for them. A large park sits in the north-west section of the district, bordering the Birthing, Occipital and a small part of the Fabric districts.

Directly west of the university, is the Swampside District. The area is full of artisan shops and inns catering to the travelers that take the train as the train station is located in this district. One of the main entrances to the city is there. The area gets poorer as you move further north.

Directly north-west of the university is the Seaside District where you will find the boat yard, the main harbor with warehouses and inns catering to sailors. There are also a few cheap flophouses and brothels.

North from the university is the rich and noble section of the city. It is separated from the harbor by a cliff. The Kaiser’s castle can be found there as well as the Voivode’s and various nobles’ houses. Closer to the university, one can find higher-class bars, restaurants and a few theatres. The area is called the Birthing District.

To the east of the noble section is the religious area, called the Occipital District. The big cathedral and monastery can be found on the Occipital Promontory, which is even higher than the Birthing District. There are some cemeteries sprinkled in the district. The area is also littered with small shrines to various saints, relic sellers, divination experts and a few professionals.

South of the religious neighborhood and directly east of the university is another professional and artisan area called the Fabric District. Some inns and taverns cater to the visitors coming in from the east. The further east one goes, the poorer the businesses and housing. At the city limits, on the beach, there is a shantytown made in part of old rowboats.

The southeast is covered mainly by housing, tenements and a few artisans catering to the locals, with a red light district closer to the eastern part of the city. This is the Carmine District.

The south portion of the city is dedicated to housing, with a few stores and restaurants here and there. It is not the nicest area, as the train goes through here to the southern gate and onwards to the capital many, many miles away to the southeast. The area is called the Grey Cot District.

Finally, to the southwest, we have the Black Snow District with a railway, and many manufactures for everyday items (clothing, pots and pans, some dishware). This is also where tech items are produced. One place just opened and is making “cars”. They are extremely expensive and only 2 or 3 nobles have one for now. They mainly export to the capital and other countries. The area has a few restaurants and stores catering to the people working in the area, with some bars and taverns close to the other neighborhoods to the east and north of it. The district takes its name from the smog and frequent falls of ashes.

About a ten minutes ride by boat north of the city are two islands. The easternmost island, Ileus, holds the city prison; while the western one, Ileum, holds the insane asylum.

To the west of the city is the Jugular River. Where it meets the sea, the river becomes the Capillary Delta, each branch flowing through the Subclavian Swamp. A clan of peaceful lizardmen live in the swamp. Most prefer to live there, keeping the traditions of their clan but some of the more adventurous ones leave it to explore the city.

There have been some frictions between the city and the lizardmen clan lately, because of the pollution coming down the river from the mass production of technological items.

Interesting People

Here are some interesting people present at the art reveal.

This is Igor von Sklar the artist as he looks today, after his stay in the Ileum Asylum. Below is what he used to look like before.

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This is the Marquiset Klaus di Pustula, the nobleman who is hosting the event. He and his wife are hoping to become the talk of the season with this party.

Here is the Marquisate Cordelia di Pustula.

This is the Viscountess Espereth Mourn. She is the niece of the Marquisate, getting raised in proper manners by the di Pustula.

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This is Ichabod Klaw, Dean of the Faculty of Biology at the University.

This is Otto Vorven, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology.

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This is Greta Volkerode, Archvedunya of the Church of the Shaper.

Here is Pandora Orlov, Grand Inquisitor of the Church.

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This is Tatiana Lang, journalist at the Vilivoice.

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1. Here we have the rich couple of Ms. Bastet Grieve, who is currently pregnant, and Mr. Pentecost Grieve.

Mr. Grieve is a successful businessman and merchant who is well liked by a lot of people. He possesses a coal mine a few days away from Vilifika and a few merchant ships. He likes to import and export exotic objects from far away places.

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This is Octavius Asp, Voivode of Vilifika and of the entire Amniotic Sea region.