Adventures in Sundara- Where Should They Begin?

While I'm taking a break on fresh Sundara: Dawn of a New Age content this month (though Merchants of Sundara is done, dusted, and should be coming out soon!), I am putting together plans for what I want to do in the coming year with my setting. I've done location books, species books, a book on the gods, and books of factions... but it feels like it's time to finally get down to business and give you all some adventures to try out.

The real question is, of course, where in the setting would you like to explore?

And what sort of things would you like to do?

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The Trouble With Adventure Modules (Can Sundara Avoid It?)

I've been a TTRPG writer for a while now, and I've written my share of modules. From the murder mystery False Valor, to the horror movie/Beowulf mashup of The Curse of Sapphire Lake, to the spine-tingling encounters in Ghosts of Sorrow Marsh, the dark fey incursions of The Price of Iron, and even a mystery involving mad science in the Victorian Gothic system's Dreadful Tales, I'm no stranger to these bite-sized adventures.

If you've ever wanted to kick fantasy Proud Boys in the teeth, check it out!

The trouble with adventure modules is that, even though everyone asks for them, not a lot of people actually buy them when they're finally out. Perhaps the best example of this is that while The Price of Iron was part of a Kickstarter run by High Level Games, it's only sold about 5 copies after the campaign was done. Of the others, False Valor is probably the top seller, and it's moved less than 100 copies since it came out several years ago at this point.

That's not a great return on investment for the publisher, nor is it great for my royalty earnings as the creator. Still, there has been a fairly steady demand for modules from folks who do enjoy Sundara, so I figured that it would be worth at least dipping in a toe to see whether this time things would be different. Because in addition to just being a fun adventure to really bring your party together, modules would also act as ways to bring players into the setting, and to explore it from the street level instead of from the bird's eye view we usually have when we get the broad overview from a supplement.

What Part of The Setting Would You Like To Explore?

At time of writing, I've released 5 full city books set in Sundara, along with a single book of 10 smaller towns and villages scattered across the map. And while I could just look at the numbers and see which one has sold the most copies, I wanted to take a moment to ask my regular readers what they would like to see in this project.

So what would strike your fancy? Mercenaries in the City of Steel? Delving into the tunnels beneath the City of Bones? Navigating the City of Wyrms and getting involved in the affairs of dragons? Or would you like to meddle with mad scientists in the City of Sails, or enter the floating city of Archbliss? Or would you prefer something smaller scale, set in one of the outlying villages or towns that dot the map? Perhaps getting dragged out into the wilderness, or dealing with a Primquake when there's no one else around to handle the fallout?

The sky is the limit (and even that, only barely).

In addition to where in the setting you'd like to see a module, feel free to give as much input as you'd like to shape the project as I start putting my ideas together. From genre/subgenres you'd like included, to preferred level of play, to whether it should be the start of a longer-running series of adventures, or just a stand alone story, please toss your thoughts into the comments below, or share them on social media where you found this post!

And for some idea as to what these modules may be like, I talked about this a while back in an episode of Speaking of Sundara. So if you haven't kept up with that series, consider stopping by the Azukail Games YouTube channel and giving them a watch to see just what awaits you in this setting!

Locations in Sundara

In case you aren't familiar with the parts of the setting that have been released so far, consider checking out the following supplements:

- Ironfire: The City of Steel (Pathfinder and DND 5E): Built around the Dragon Forge, Ironfire is where the secret to dragon steel was first cracked. The center of the mercenary trade in the region, as well as boasting some of the finest schools for teaching practical sciences, Ironfire is a place where discovery and danger walk hand in hand!

- Moüd: The City of Bones (Pathfinder and DND 5E): An ancient center of trade and magic, Moüd was lost to a cataclysm, and then buried in myth. Reclaimed by the necromantic arts of the Silver Wraiths guild, this city has once again become a place teeming with life. Despite the burgeoning population, though, it is the continued presence of the undead that helps keep the city running, ensuring that Moüd is not swallowed up once more.

- Silkgift: The City of Sails (Pathfinder and DND 5E): Built on the cottage industry of Archer cloth (an extremely durable material used for sails, windmills, etc.), Silkgift is a place that prizes invention and discovery. From gravity batteries that store the potential of the wind, to unique irrigation systems, to aether weapons, the city positively churns out discoveries... and then there's the canal they cut through the mountains that makes them a major center of trade across the region.

- Hoardreach: The City of Wyrms (Pathfinder and DND 5E): A center of power across an entire region, Hoardreach is ruled over by a Cooperation of five different dragons. A place for refugees and outcasts of all sorts, Hoardreach boasts some of the most unusual citizens and creations from across Sundara. Infamous for their sky ships, which require the cast-off scales and unique arcane sciences of the Dragon Works to take to the air, one never knows just what they'll find in this city built atop a mountain.

- Archbliss: The City of The Sorcerers (Pathfinder and DND 5E): A floating city in the sky, Archbliss has been a refuge for sorcerers for thousands of years. It's only in relatively recent years that the city has allowed those from the ground below who lack the power of a bloodline to join them in the clouds. However, while there are certainly amazing wonders to behold, there is a darkness in Archbliss. Something rotting away at its heart that could, if not healed, bring the city crashing to the ground once more.

- Towns of Sundara: A collection of 10 towns and villages scattered across the countryside, this supplement has maps, histories, NPCs, whispers and rumors, and more which could all make for particularly good fodder for adventure modules going forward!

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