Next Gen Princes 03: Conspiracy in Glowvein
When I run modules, I like to change things. I usually see opportunities to streamline things, make things more interesting or hook in the PC backstories.
That’s how I’m treating AI-generated D&D content - like a module that I should tweak to my cold heart’s content.
Last time, I talked about the mining town of Glowvein (formerly Ironvein). Now let’s talk about what happens there.
Using AI: The Conspiracy
I asked ChatGPT for a conspiracy set in the town. It delivered:
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Conspiracy Name: The Vein of Shadows
Description: For generations, Ironvein has thrived due to the rich mineral resources in the mountain. However, recently a secretive group of residents has started hoarding the precious "Starstones" instead of using them for the annual festival or selling them for the benefit of the community. These individuals believe that the Starstones are more than just glowing rocks - they believe these stones hold a divine power that can grant its users control over the very elements.
People Involved:
Thalia Forgeheart: The local blacksmith, Thalia has begun to experiment with the Starstones, trying to unlock their rumored powers. She believes that these stones can help them make tools and weapons of unparalleled quality.
Elys 'Touchstone' Muran: As the local healer, Elys has been studying the Starstones' properties in secret, convinced that they could provide a powerful healing source.
Several Miners: A group of miners, who have discovered more about the Starstones while working, have allied themselves with Thalia and Elys. They are led by an influential miner, Rurik Ironjaw, who has a deep respect for the mountain's gifts.
The Plot: This group meets under the cover of night in the luminescent caves, performing experiments and rituals in attempts to awaken the supposed power of the Starstones. The Mayor, Yorvin Gritstone, has begun to suspect something due to the sudden shortage of Starstones and some miners' secretive behavior.
Unique Aspect: Little do the residents know, the Starstones indeed hold a secret: they are the petrified eggs of long-forgotten, elemental earth beings known as Galeb Duhrs. If the group continues their experiments, they risk awakening these ancient creatures and disrupting the peaceful life of Ironvein. On the other hand, if properly understood and respected, the Galeb Duhrs could become powerful allies and protectors of the village. It's a delicate balance that could tip the fate of Ironvein, for better or worse.
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I… really like this.
The opening mining village in Princes of the Apocalypse has a conspiracy too. Some of the villagers are secretly evil earth cultists who are evil and want to do evil things because evil is evil.
And that’s fine. The elemental cults want to destroy the world, so there’s no grey there - it’s good to establish the villains early.
But what ChatGPT has cottoned on to is more sophisticated. The terrifying thing about evil is that it corrupts. It can take good people with wholesome motives and lead them down a dark path.
Thalia wants to make better tools. Elys wants to heal folks. They’re not meaning to dabble in elemental forces that could wipe out their village - they’re just curious and driven.
Now, this conspiracy has a strong connection to the elemental theme of Princes, but no connection to the earth cult itself. That’s an easy fix. A few members of the earth cult came through a few months ago, dropping casual hints to the residents, maybe slyly adding a few copies of Dummies Guide to Elemental Magic to the temple’s library.
“What, you mean you don’t use the starstones in your blacksmithing? I bet they’d make great material - I mean, they’re obviously magical, if you can figure out how to harness the energy…”
It makes the town victims of the cult, but not completely innocent ones. The residents allowed themselves to be manipulated. This is more nuanced and satisfying than having a third of the village be inexplicably evil.
Investigative PCs should turn up a few clues of this conspiracy and the earth cult’s involvement:
Elys, Thalia and some of the miners mention a group of friendly but strange travellers passing through a few months ago. They stood out because they claimed they were tourists but Glowvein doesn’t get many tourists outside of the festivals - that and they didn’t stay at the tavern. (They slept in a nearby cave or fissure, of course.)
The temple’s librarian is confused because something is messing with her shelving system, like some books have been swapped with others. She hasn’t figured out which books are new yet - though she’s more confused than upset.
Mayor Yorvin is concerned. The mines aren’t producing stones like the used to and the villagers are tired from their late-night rituals. He thought maybe an illness was going around but Elys told him everything is fine.
The cultists examined the decorative starstones on the street to confirm they are elemental eggs. These examinations left marks that none of the locals can explain.
A group of cultists hide in the mines, trying to accelerate the “hatching” process. This should leave clues - some of the miners think it’s haunted, food has gone missing from the village, things like that. If found, they’ll fight to the death.
This gives us the three pillars of D&D - roleplaying, exploration and combat.
Using Tale Spire: More Screenshots of Glowvein
Some more screenshots of my Tale Spire WIP:
The Horus Temple. In my setting, Horus is the god of War, Justice, Fire and Power. Good luck to anyone assaulting this temple - between the fires and inner wall, you’ll blindly stumble into chokepoints. On the left are the bookshelves. The top of the image is the priest’s living quarters, hidden from view. On the right are the gaol cells.
The tavern. On the left is the main drinking/dining area. These are the rooms available for rent. Don’t like the exposed cots in the middle there? You can always sleep with the miners - that’s their tents in the bottom-left of the image.
I’ve already learned a lot from using Tale Spire. My newer sets are cleaner and more interesting. Still, this is a mining town - a bit of roughness and weirdness is authentic.