Keep on the Borderlands - Heroes of the Borderlands

Keep on the Borderlands. Rising from rugged crags amid a harsh countryside, the Keep on the Borderlands is a bastion of peace amid an otherwise brutal wilderness. The keep's stalwart defenders protect their community from the forces of chaos that would revel in its fall. DM Secret This is for the Dungeon Master's eyes only. Unless text appears in a read-aloud box (like the one below), don't read it to the players. Getting Started The Keep on the Borderlands Map displays all the locations characters can visit in the keep. Share this map with your players. To begin, read the following boxed text aloud: You ascend a winding road through a forested and mountainous country. Ahead, atop a sheer-walled stone plateau, looms a great and stoic keep. Armed sentries along the outer wall peer down at you, ready to welcome new heroes or repel would-be invaders. Two armed guards stand at the front gate. They hail you and motion for you to approach. The player characters start just outside the keep. The first time they arrive at the keep, the characters must proceed to the outer gatehouse (detailed later in this chapter), which functions as a tutorial with helpful sidebars. You can skip this location for subsequent visits to the keep unless the player characters want to return to it. After the characters visit the gatehouse or whenever they return to the keep, have the players choose a location shown on the map. The Keep Locations table summarizes noteworthy sites within the keep in the order they appear. Each location provides approximately 30-60 minutes of gameplay, depending on the nature of the characters' visit. Once the player characters choose a location, go to that location and review its "What You Need to Play" section. 1: Outer Gatehouse Guards vet entrants and keep watch at this gate. 2: Barn Livestock and steeds are stabled and groomed here. 3: Private Apartments These modest apartments house long-term residents. 4: Smithy A blacksmith crafts metalwork goods here. 5:...