BSO Ragnarök 1.1: The Deep Dark of Svartalfheim Introduction and Adventure Summary

Battlestorm Online Ragnarok is an unofficial, unaffiliated Open Gaming License (OGL) Dungeons and Dragons adventure designed for four-to-six characters. These player-characters are the heroes of our story. The material provided in this module series describes the villains, monsters, and dangerous situations the characters will encounter as they explore the Battlestorm Online environment.

This content is written for game masters who wish to run the Battlestorm Online Ragnarok campaign as an adventure. Original OGL monsters, magic items, and spells are published in this module series. When rules, monsters, magic items and spells from Wizards of the Coast IP are referenced, they are hyper-linked to Roll20 whenever possible. For example: Hobgoblin Warlord and Hobgoblin. Since Hobgoblin Warlord does not appear in the Roll20 Compendium, it is not hyperlinked.

The Deep Dark of Svartalfheim is the first of four modules in the larger Battlestorm Online Ragnarok adventure campaign — designed to carry the player characters from level 1 all the way to level 20. This block includes the larger campaign introduction as well as an opener to The Deep Dark of Svartleheim — which will advance the player characters from level 1 through level 5.

If you are a Battlestorm Online player — STOP READING NOW.

ADVENTURE SUMMARY

The characters log into Battlestorm Online (BSO) only to find that they are trapped in a virtual reality death game based on the world’s most widely-played RPG — Dungeons and Dragons. If they voluntarily log out, if someone tampers with their Ghost Gear virtual reality equipment in the real world, or if their avatar fails three death saves after their hit point bar drops to zero in-game, their Ghost Gear emits a strobe that triggers a lethal brain aneurism. The game’s creator — Gemu Masuta — makes a stunning announcement on the game’s first day that the characters must clear all the game’s dungeons and defeat the boss of each dungeon level in order to win the game and be freed from the deadly Ghost Gear.

The players’ lives are now spent in the virtual world layer of Midgard — the vibrant fantasy setting of BSO. Here they gain access to the safety of Home Towns, Safe Zones, Inns, Shops, Trainers, and Quest givers. They also find themselves surrounded by a hostile environment filled with deadly monsters and other hazards.

Midgard Level of the Battlestorm Campaign World. Map created by Ted Burgess.

A first wave of brave adventurers begin the quest to clear BSO by venturing out into Midgard to tackle hordes of monsters and deadly dungeons. These front line adventurers form parties, organize guilds, accumulate treasure, gain levels. They serve as protectors for less experienced or more afraid gamers who hang back — clustering in the safety of Home Towns or venturing out only when they are more certain of success. Many front liners die at the hands of monsters during the game’s first weeks — perishing to the lethal strobe emitted by the Ghost Gear after the game’s deadly monsters and traps render their avatars down to a confetti of flying pixels. Others gain power and renown.

But unbeknownst to these death game heroes, BSO is a two-part adventure series. The first part is static if stunningly dangerous and formidable — an intricate obstacle course of quests and dungeons designed to daunt even the world’s most experienced gamers. The second part is an invasion of monsters swarming up from dungeon bases that if left unchecked will ruin all player safe zones — threatening the lives of everyone in BSO.

BSO Ragnarök tells the story of those heroes who confront this second danger. For whatever reason, they held back from the initial wave of adventures. Then, after only a few weeks, they are called to action as they start to notice various strange signs. Safe zones are shrinking, monsters are beginning to wander away from respawn sites, and a bizarre star has ignited in the majestic night sky above Midgard.

Yggdrasil’s Roots and the Dark Mines of Svartleheim

At the center of Midgard sits the great tree Yggdrasil. Its trunk and branches stretch upward — supporting new levels of the Battlestorm Online campaign worlds. Within the trunk are dungeons that must be cleared in order for players to advance upward to unlock new quests, to open new levels and towns, and to reach new dungeons. Unseen below, Yggdrasil’s roots quest ever downward — extending toward four dark dungeon realms. These are Svartleheim — the mines of dark dwarves and elves, Hel — realm of the walking dead, Jotenheim — the land of the frost demons, and Muspel — a realm of terrible fire surrounded by darkness.

At the opening of this module, Yggdrasil’s first root is about to core into the dark mines of Svartleheim. This hollow root will soon pierce the mine entrance. When this happens, chaos will ensue within Midgard triggering these effects:

• First, safe zones will no longer prevent damage in Midgard.
• Second, safe zones will no longer keep monsters out.
• Third, monsters will no longer be confined to spawn sites and dungeons but will instead be able to roam freely after spawning.
• Fourth, the duergar and dark elves of Svartleheim will begin their invasion of Midgard.

This event has not yet happened. But the player characters are beginning to uncover various clues of this eminent catastrophe.

(Here ends the BSO campaign introduction and adventure summary. Up next… Ominous Signs Before the Breech Part 1 and Part 2 in which our heroes begin to experience various troubles as Yggdrasil’s roots begin to breech Svartalfheim. Find more BSO content in the Gaming Studio.)

Posted by robertscribbler on January 4, 2022

https://scribblersfantasticalworkshop.wordpress.com/2022/01/04/bso-ragnarok-1-1-the-deep-dark-of-svartalfheim-introduction-and-adventure-summary/