My First Adventure For Sundara Is Finally Out!

As regular readers know, I've been putting out supplements for my own fantasy setting Sundara: Dawn of a New Age for years now. The setting is available for both Pathfinder Classic and Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition, and while I've covered species and cities, towns, gods, cults, and guilds, I hadn't actually written any adventure modules for it. Because... well, at the end of the day, adventures take more work and resources than any other kind of supplement I've made, and they almost always sell worse than anything except for tie-in fiction.

But the stars aligned, and I wanted to take a moment to tell folks about how my adventure A Night At The Slaughterhouse Inn came to be!

Also, I make certain to call it my first adventure for Sundara... Isaiah Burt actually beat me to the punch on writing the first adventure set in Sundara with The Invocation of Bael-Kharn, which I'd recommend for folks who are looking for a mid-range, level 7-8 adventure to run for folks!

And if you haven't picked up a copy yet, grab one for your table today!

But before I get into the meat of today's post, remember, don't forget to sign up for my newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.

Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!

How This Adventure Came To Be

Rather than being something that was just put together in the past few months, I actually wrote this adventure module several years ago. I won't name names for who was supposed to release it, but after inquiring as to when it was supposed to release (and then if it was supposed to release), I finally got word back from my contact that the time had expired on it, and I could place it somewhere else if I had someone who might be interested in it.

I, of course, reached out to Adrian Kennelly, since Azukail Games handles the bulk of my gaming supplements. He was definitely interested, but wanted to know if I could gear it for Sundara, rather than just releasing it as a stand-alone module. So I broke out the red pen, and added the town of Hag's End to my setting... while also taking care to file off the alignments that had been given to various characters, as that was something that I did away with back when the setting was first conceived.

Which raises the number of smaller towns in the setting to 11.

And that, as they say, is that. This adventure that was once a stand-alone piece now invites players inside my setting, and it can act as a jumping off point to an entire campaign! An oncoming storm causes people to seek shelter at the one inn Hag's End has to offer, and it's while they're within its heavy walls that they have a chance to rest, eat, and get to know the people they're trapped with. And when something bizarre begins happening, they'll have to band together... if they don't want this to be their last night at the Slaughterhouse Inn, of course.

A Challenge That I Need Your Help With!

I mentioned in the above section that adventure modules require the most work, and they typically make some of the fewest sales. It's for that reason that I had to negotiate with Adrian as to the costs of A Night At The Slaughterhouse Inn. I accepted a higher royalty rate for it than I normally get, but that was because my per-word rate for it was much lower than I would normally receive. This was doable for me because the adventure was already written, but I would not have been able to put together something this involved from scratch under those circumstances.

However, Adrian did offer me an additional incentive. You see, most adventures don't even reach Copper status (51 copies solid), much less Silver status (101 copies sold) on Drive Thru RPG. So he made me a deal... if I can get this supplement up over those humps, he'll give me a little bonus, in addition to my royalty for managing to kick those numbers up!

It's a long way to the top, but I would appreciate some help getting there!

If you're one of my regular readers, or just someone that's wondering what I'd put out for a Pathfinder Classic adventure instead of one of the other systems I've worked in, please do the following for me:

- Buy a copy of A Night At The Slaughterhouse Inn

- Rate and review it on DTRPG

- Share the adventure on your social media pages, and tell your friends about it

I've said this before, but the only way that writers of any stripe can put out new work is if people actually consume what they make. And after at least 3 years of not being able to scrape together the time, energy, and resources for modules set in Sundara, this adventure (as well as The Invocation of Bael-Kharn) is kind of a shot in the dark, hoping to hit the bullseye.

So if you're one of the folks out there who wished that Sundara would get some adventures to help give people a taste of the setting, I could really use your help now. If you're one of my regular readers who wished I'd write more adventures, don't sleep on this one. And if you're someone who wants to have a fast adventure module you can run when the power goes out and everyone wants to gather round by candlelight while there's a storm outside, this is definitely a game you should print out and keep in a three-ring binder like an old school GM would.

And if you're one of those people who has already bought your copy of this new adventure... well, consider grabbing one of my other adventure modules! There's not a lot of them, and only a few have even earned a Copper rating for sales. If I could change that for some of them (or all of them, if I want to get crazy optimistic) that would be a pretty solid achievement to skate toward the end of the year on!

- False Valor: A murdered girl might be the spark that reignites a war that's been over for nearly a hundred years... but the elves of the dark woods have long memories, and they don't reckon things the way a man would. (DND 5E)

- The Ghosts of Sorrow Marsh: An isolated town along the Old Swamp Road is beset by horrors that come when the sun sets. Mercenaries and crusaders alike have come to free the town from its fate... but will they be able to? (DND 5E)

- The Curse of Sapphire Lake: An old settlement seeks to rebuild, but they are beset by a phantom that's destroying roads, smashing homesteads, and driving off people who'd hoped to put down roots. Something from an old and terrible myth, will those summoned to the north lands be able to stop this threat? (DND 5E)

- Dreadful Tales: A collection of three short adventures, my dark little drama involves a doctor that's gone missing. The only one with a clue to his whereabouts is a scarred, violent criminal who won't say what's happened. Those who dig, however, might find the answer curdles their dreams, and keeps them awake at night. (Victorian Gothic)

- The Price of Iron: A simple job guarding a warehouse takes a dark turn when terrible fey monsters are unleashed within the structure. The only thing standing between them, and the unsuspecting city, are the ones who gave their word to stand their ground. (DND 5E)

- A Night At Breckon's Beacon: A squad went missing while out on maneuvers, lost in the rugged country along the Polymerian frontier. You and your fellow troopers are charged with finding what happened to them... but will you survive a Night at Breckon's Beacon? (Army Men: A Game of Tactical Plastic)

- Assault on Outpost 13: A dangerous scion of a crime family has been taken prisoner, and your squad is called up to help hold him until reinforcements arrive. Corruption runs rampant through the Styric Republic, though, and you will need to figure out who you can trust if you want to get out of this alive. (Army Men: A Game of Tactical Plastic)

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or the ongoing audio drama channel The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Blue Sky, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

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?

Before we get into the nitty gritty this week, don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.

Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!

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!

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or my Daily Motion channel!. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!