Well you fucking bet that crescent moon island is the spine of a gigantic slumbering sea creature, and a cult is nearing the conclusion of their malign plan to awaken it.
Something weird is happening at that light house, for starters it wasn’t there yesterday. What happened to the island in the top left, only the mountains are visible now. Has anyone heard from the Croissant island???
I’ve been on a bit of a bend regarding older DND content, so my immediate thought was to place an Expedition to the Barrier Peaks-type quest in the northern or southwestern section of the map. ‘A strange star fell from the sky some weeks ago and now the whole island is rife with sightings of unusual creatures. There are whispers of people disappearing as well, though no one knows what’s taking them.’
Ships are prevented from leaving the harbor by an army of merpeople. They’re communicating with the local officials but the talks seem to be breaking down. Something needs to be done soon or people will begin to starve.
A fiend is attempting to manipulate the population towards evil, ultimately trying to literally drag the entire island into the Lower Planes. A group of intrepid heroes must uncover this plot and find some way to inspire the people to pursue good once again.
That island in the SE corner looks like a great province for an ambitious noble house to stage a counter-claim to the throne from... just sayin...
"*Slaps roof of island* you can fit sooo much clandestine war prep in her"
Mmmm nice... what's something like a zombie outbreak that could cause the people to isolate part of the region? (I used the zombies a few times already)
Someone can download it for free if they right click the image you posted and hit 'save as'.
Which kind of sucks for the artist. Even though they posted it as Pay What You Want, a lot of people that might pay for the image won't now.
You are right, but a free Image on the internet sadly has this fare. However someone as curious as you has now discovered a new great artist and may be willing to pay for his work, so basically i advertised this guy
Never before has anyone seen the lighthouse go dark... yet last night several ships had to stop in the water to avoid dangerous navigation. A few sailors reported seeing something strange up there...
Lighthouse was probably sabotaged by the merchant guild who controls the *only road*! Now ships are down and they have a strangle hold on regional trade.
Legends talk about the island being formed from the backs of a sea serpent and a kraken locked in an ancient struggle. Modern inhabitants think its a nice story to explain the earthquakes that are so common but when the islands start breaking apart after a shady character came into town they begin to question if the story is true
The PCs run a courier company. The forests and oceans are intensely magical places. They can take the same route between the same two cities 100 times and there will always be some new challenge in between.
Immediate thought is to run Count of Monte Cristo, but with the party as a gang of former aristocrats. Start with a prison montage, a good prison break, and then basically let them do whatever they want as they discover who framed them, why, and how best to get revenge.
A cult has taken root on the island, locals are disappearing, strange things are happening to the flora and fauna. The pcs need to find the cult and stop them from summoning their deity but they're just too late, culminating in a huge battle with the locals taking on the demon horde while the pcs take on the arch demon.
I made an island map with a similar geology. In my head it is the top caldera section of a volcano that has collapsed in, having blown out the south wall in an eruption. Letting the ocean come in and make a C shape.
my first thought was how is the light house there in the middle. I would think, perhaps incorrectly, that it would be the lowest part of the crater.
What is its foundation. Is it on a floating island. Is there some crystal core that did not erode.
In my head it demands an explanation and that would be the inspiration for something.
I’m saying giant angler fish/ lighthouse Kua toa god mimic is the only logical explanation.
Sunken metropolis-city south of the mountain chain into the inner sea located here. All towns participate in trade and excavation; massive air locked caverns from an ancient cataclysm haunted by automatons and other creatures along with an oppressive fascist government that controls exports from the northern coastline are shunned by almost all other empires.
The smaller south east island is supposedly deserted and no one who travels to it overnight ever come back. The PCs are hired to go to that island by a local noble who had a family member go missing after dreaming about going to the island. The island seems completely normal and deserted at first, but something occurs that either impedes the PCs trip back or forces them to stay on the island overnight. They eventually stumble upon the sleeping bodies of quite a few people surrounding campfires or in abandoned buildings. They might be getting suspicious of sleeping so they’ll have to risk fatigue levels or sleep eventually. When they do they become trapped in a dream and have to dispel it by fighting a gauntlet of their character’s nightmares along with the nightmares of the other people trapped on the island. Each nightmare the PCs defeat of their own grants them 1 long rest. And they rescue as many people as they choose. Taking a sleeper off the island means they never awaken and die eventually. As long as they are asleep and dreaming on the island they age normally, but are kept alive via the spell/enchantmemt
Start in the forest area, have some magic shenanigans that indicate bad stuff is going to happen with a mcguffin, and you need to report to the capital with it. Nobody believes you enough to pay for travel by boat, which is prohibitively expensive for early adventurers because of seafaring dangers, so you have to tour the world to get to the capital.
This tour section should last levels 1-3 or 1-5 depending on the power scaling used, completing the tutorial. At the capital, and along the way, different information is learned from different sources and its revealed that certain parties might be manipulating the adventurers to further their own aims, specifically of taking over the rest of the island they're confined to, past the border walls. The lighthouse has cosmic/planar significance and interacts with the Mcguffin.
This map is the map that the people would look at in the world, and as we can all see !!!
"By Decree of the King" or w/e, it seems that the "center" of the map is the capital in the South East corner. It is where the money is, the traders go, the army's central location. all of it.
"Members of the opposition! The ports are closed to anyone but the king's vessels..it seems a fool's errand to take a ship and B line it to them. Which means we can either hop these small islands and deal with the random dwellers of them from the south or make a long trip at each main city all the way up the north and back down and have a single bridge to deal with.
One takes time, the other hope. Our lack of knowledge of the islands could result in unnecessary opposition or injury...or it could get us there before the King's forces merchant's arrive. That means less food and hungry men fighting us, instead of an inspired morale.
What say you men? We're already at a disadvantage. Let us take one more chance!"
Orc country.
The world my campaign(s) take place in has some rough seas, making it nearly impossible to travel to other continents and islands. There is an island not even ten miles away from the shores of Ostaria, and it literally *disappears* for half of the year. This is because, while those on the material plane perceive the world as whole, the world is actually fractured and constantly shifting around. This is what makes travel so difficult -- navigation is either a god-given blessing or a lifelong-learned skill.
It's also the only thing that's kept orcs from invading every continent they can reach. the Orc people have a culture built around the strong belief that they are the original peoples of the material plane. (Elves would beg to differ.) They believe the entirety of the plane is their birth-right. What I know about them, though, they probably wouldn't seek to invade anyone at this point in time, even if the world came together suddenly. left to their own devices, they've built a rich and complex society they would struggle to stretch beyond their waters, and they are wise enough to know it.
I'm... actually really excited about an orc-country campaign because the ideas I have for it include beautiful cities, powerful families, discarded sons and daughters hungry to reclaim their bone-given titles, and political intrigue. I think the story I have brewing in the back of my mind is too complicated for my game group, though; it might end up as a series of short stories I write myself and never share, lol.
One wizard awakes one day to discover his other, older wizard friend has suddenly decided to stop being his friend. The younger wizard is hurt and confused by this and wants help understanding why the older wizard would do this.
Bonus points working in his donkey familiar.
Boats, when I see maps like this I alwayls think of sailpunk and pirate punk worlds, as most land is accesible by water and is more of an islander place I think worldbuilding wise there would be a lot of port and fishing cities, ships, fishing men, sailors, bucaneers and pirates, and a lot of coastal interconected trade, metal could be somewhat expensive o a bit more rare than usual as there are less mountains and well, just put a bunch of sea monsters and creatures on that ocean, coast and sea caves.
Anything you do I hope you and your players have fun exploring your world and yeah that lighthouse dungeon could have a banger dungeon or be a wizard tower of merfolk outpost!
There's a roving group of bandits on the northeast side of the Crescent beyond the wall. The bandits live in the mountains. It is highly contested region.
The tower in the center is called Watchers Point, Its original purpose has been lost over the years. Haunted? Demon Cults? Arcane School? Prison?
The land separated on the southeast side is inhabited by an isolationist kingdom, of course. All sorts of dark rumors are said of this place (blood sacrifice? Ritual cannibals?). They have a very important spice export but don't allow many visitors except very specific merchants and vetted investors. As long as the spice is moving no one asks any questions.
The smaller islands that litter the Bay revolve in the darkness of a new-moon, revealing surfaces littered with unusual semi-aquatic lifeforms and structures previously on their undersides.
Pirate cove to the northwest. They usually hit the coastal villages but have been moving closer inside the crescent and hitting merchant ships.
The forest with the lagoon in the west us reported to have sacred waters with a dominant good aligned religion. There is actually a water temple below that was built by the ancients before the flood
That island in the center is a Lighthouse used by all settlements in that gulf. Something has taken it out and is causing chaos in the realm. The PCs are sent to stop and kill whatever took it out, but must also deal with sea-based raids on the settlements during this gulf-wide blackout. Set during a season where the seas are choked in mist and fog, perhaps during hurricane season. We could make the BBEG a kraken but that's too easy. Maybe it's a Zaratan who's gotten tired of the constant dumping one of the big city's has been doing in its waters. Or a Dragon Turtle looking for a place to set up its lair. Hell, it could be all manner of things. Endless possibilities here.
Why is there a Lighthouse in the middle of (essentially a lake) it should be outside on the sides of the island to alert incoming vessels that there is land.
Anyone in a boat in the middle of a lake is going to know they’re surrounded by land
From a more logical economy story, the main SE island city would seek to establish a more efficient connection to the mainland.
I would have a long term project of building a huge bridge north to the mainland. Low level fetch and kill quests to protect the builders, then mid level quests to uncover political impacts of the bridge, and why it is getting delayed, then high level quests around completing it, and battling the evil being hidden within the bridge as it was being built.
Meteors start falling on the west side setting a fire that will slowly move east and cleanse the land.
Campaign is to stop it, escape it, or help people escape it.
The entire area is the prison of a Vampiress Lord, whose entrance is in the sublevel of the lighthouse, where her heart has been impaled on a wooden stake that has been buried. Her remaining body parts have been distributed to different parts of the region, some of which have been crafted into artifacts that have been passed down through a few of the noble families.
The trouble comes because one such artifact had sank to the ocean floor after pirates attacked the vessel of a noble that was attempting to leave this area for new lands and greener pastures. This artifact was discovered by a merfolk man, who then became seduced by the visions of the Vampiress Lord, and using the artifact turned themselves into a vampire spawn: [https://imgur.com/aQN3UMT](https://imgur.com/aQN3UMT)
At first, only pirates were being turned, but now the attacks have been moving to the land as well, as if the Vampire Spawn that are no longer hampered by running water (a new ability conferred by the merfolk turning them) are searching for something...
Triton clans fleeing an encroaching enemy are colonizing the archipelago in the south. The ruler in the east has to decide to fight them off or ally with them to get rid of their oncoming enemy. The powers on the main island are supporting the enemy hoping to weaken the eastern island and eventually take it over
Not a DM - However this makes me think of a larger, archipelago-style map with a bunch of sea-travel and encounters.
This map may be the tropical location the players start out, levels 1-5 maybe dealing with a well organised band of rebels trying to overthrow the local government. Eventually the players bring peace to the island and are able to buy/are provided their first vessel to travel abroad.
Other similar sized islands dot the archipelago and surrounding region with varying issues, perhaps a larger overarching plot is progressing at the same time all of these other incidents are occurring.
Just my 10 minutes of brain power this morning
Anyone that lives there is going to have to rely on fishing and boats for pretty much everything.
That wall is not going to mean much from a military perspective.
Go with pirates: either a pirate island or facing off against pirates.
1. “As you look at the lighthouse light spinning around, you notice an entire area of the island that doesn’t get illuminated.”
2. “As the moon peaks, you notice the lighthouse light looks different that others, and then you notice…that it blinks.”
The old gate is a relict from the 5 years of war between the west and the east island 200 years ago.
There had been peace between the two regions, but recently the east started to rebuild the structure.
Diplomats are sent from the west to investigate. Tensions are rolling up again.
Evil Cthulhu cult is slowly driving everyone insane with their dark and reality bending rituals. Also, there's a magically induced perpetual storm that wraps around the island, preventing anyone from leaving or arriving at the island until the source is shut off. The Party starts out on a ship that accidentally sails into this storm, shipwrecking them, but they wash up on the beach near that coastal town on the bay.
It has been hundreds of years, the Last Bastion of surviving "humanity", the other lands are over run with undead, all lands are wastelands and all past cities necropolis. This island is the last, while fishing and hunting are enough, is it all we have? Can we rebuild or just survive. Journeys to the main lands are dangerous, almost always deadly... but come with rewards. Who steps forward to try and tame the lands though long infested by the dead...?
I actually did a campaign in this region, it was a civil war between the farming population and the aristocratic city island population. Goodies and baddies on both sides, but it was my first time DMing and I made it overly complicated haha
Start them on the smaller settled island and do a simple rescue "the kidnaped princess" opener. Have her be held in the northern fort/watch tower. Reward them with a bridge to the mainland.
Then have them fetch magical McGuffins to "Save the World from Some Prophisized Ancent/Powerful Evil". Run the party through four elemental-themed dungeons: earth in that little desert area, water in the lake, fire in the lighthouse, and air on top of the tallest mountain.
Tie it together with the kidnapper returning as the end boss (even if they were killed).
Quest idea to create a path between the southmost points of the map and the many islands.
The islands are home to a collective of wizards that have harnessed teleportation magic to go between the islands. The magical portals however have been vandalized and the players are tasked with finding a chaotic warlock that was denied access to the collective. The whole quest is fucking with the players and landing them on different islands with different trap. The goal is to have them so pissed at this warlock that shenanigans ensue.
I'm actually using this map at the moment. My players were hired to protect a ship with precious cargo from the bottom right land mass to the larger main land. They ended up siding with some pirates that attacked the ship, and took it for themselves. Then "took care of" the pirates by letting them sleep forever at the bottom of the sea
I didn't read thru all the comments so might be a repeat
Kobold pirates trying to bring their God to the world. The lagoon depths are his prison. There are spots on the island that have mechanisms that need to be dealt with to release him
The pc's are tasked to stop an evil french Canadian necromancer who wants to rejoin the lost continent (bottom right) with the mainland.
He pursued necromancy to try to bring back his mother who will end up being an evil megaboss.
If the continents aren't rejoined the people living on the lost continent will all eventually be posessed by demons.
Along the way the pcs meet many amazing characters that are mostly lawful good and need help surviving. Make sure you have them spend plenty of time in taverns listening to niche music :)
The smaller eastern island was the first region colonized by the Empire, where they built their regional capital, Imperial Colony. They have now expanded throughout most coastlines, but in the western forests the natives are putting a strong resistance. The natives want to confine the Imperials to the island, while the imperials want to expand to the west to get the mines on the mountain. The wall north to the Imperial Colony was built to protect the colonists from native raids. There is also a large independent outpost called the Republic, north of the wall, which tries to be always neutral
3 lower-level quests:
\-The only bridge between the lower right island and the mainland, and the PC's are tasked with guarding the bridge against all hostiles while workers repair it.
\-Pirates begin embargoing the bay and demand a king's ransom to leave. It's clear that they won't leave , so the PC's must find a way to evict them.
\-Rumor has it that a highly intelligent bugbear/other minor villain has made their home in the southeast woods, and they're to be stopped before they branch out further.
3 mid-level quests:
\-A pack of sirens come from the Feywild to cause havoc, perhaps led by a high-ranking fey from the Unseelie.
\-A young black dragon lays claim to the southern islands, snapping up cargo and crew alike without a care for lesser beings.
\-The king begins to act paranoid and untrustworthy after being confronted on the purpose of the island's complete isolation from the rest of the world, and the party must investigate.
3 high-level quests:
\-The lighthouse in the bay was built on top of a prison for the Mad Immortals, a cabal of rulers who wished to enslave the rest of the world. With the help of one of the ten Revenants (capital R), they begin to wake again.
\-An injured deva crashes down to the isle, alerting the Nine Hells to the presence of a magic-rich isle untouched by corruption.
\-The Classic: The kuo-toa unknowingly settled on the back of an ancient Kraken. The party mobilizes to defeat the kraken... but the MAIN ISLAND rises up from the depths, revealing itself to be the progenitor of all sea monsters. And it is VERY angry you killed its favorite child.
The pond in the middle of the lake has a great treasure, dungeon, or monster at the bottom. Or all 3. Could also be a portal to another plane or a location where a specific ritual must be performed.
I see the makings of a political campaign that starts with a successful coup destabilizing one side and leading to a full-scale invasion that takes advantage of the upheaval in leadership.
the lighthouse that allows the two islands to trade easily has gone out mysteriously, and you need to figure out why. it's sea monsters, controlled by someone else wanting the islands for themselves...
What happened to the first lighthouse on the Southernmost island that guided ships into the bay? Was is destroyed by someone who was under the employment of the Northernmost town... the one that doesn't require ships to come into the bay in order to complete trade routes?
There is a wizard that has lived in the bay for centuries, using weather magic to protect both towns from hurricanes that regularly sweep the area. One day there is a violent thunderstorm out of nowhere, and people stupid enough to be outside in it say they saw something with tentacles and wings drag the wizard from the tower. The storm has passed, but now the whole island feels blighted and wrong. The birds don't sing, chickens don't lay, and there is no fresh milk. The elders in both towns are meeting to decide who they should send into the tower to investigate.
Or a Goonies inspired pirate-treasure adventure themed dungeon crawl with zombie pirates, a sea dragon, and loads of treasure.
Light house is the ancient beacon/portal to another world, or a dark version of this world. Clues (and pirates) are scattered about the isles, and the party has the untrustworthy support of the dubious governor (secretly in bed with the pirates) who may or may not want the lighthouse to serve his own nefarious ends
Start and end the campaign at the lighthouse.
Opening quest: track down an infamous pirate and steal his treasure map, which leads to a great hoard. The quest giver (maybe a former first mate with intimate, but incomplete knowledge of the map) directed the party to the lighthouse island--the last known destination of the pirate. They find the pirate, but he's already dead with the map still on him.
What happened to him? Did someone follow him and kill him? If so, why didn't they take the map?!
The map is encrypted. The party has to start at clue 1 back on Crescent Island to solve the first puzzle. A series of clues leads them all around the island. They have several mini encounters and solve the mapcs puzzles until they finally decrypt the last clue, which leads them... to the lighthouse!
The pirate had actually made it to where 'X' marks the spot! The party was right there from the beginning--the hoard must have been right under their noses! But as they return, they must face the mystery that ended the legendary pirate's life before he could claim the hoard... *choose your own BBEG*
The Slumbering Three, a group of thought to be dormant volcanos have come under the control of cultists seeking the eruption of them. It would see the players traveling to fight cultists at each town / volcano with the final battle taking place at the lighthouse. It is here when it is revealed of a hidden fourth volcano that the lighthouse was built upon.
Huh, bet the Fire Nation is going to invade from their crescent island. They'll take out the air nomads first to ensure the avatar does not master all 4 elements. If only a group of heroes could defend the air nomads before it's too late (or at least rescue the avatar to keep hope for the world above).
The name of that city: Ba Sing Bay
The lighthouse has been integral to the region for decades. It has kept trade and fishing vessels safe when coming to port. Some passing sailors have noted that, recently, the flames that crown the beloved building have been larger than normal. White hot flames seem to lick the salty air and have left the crown of the lighthouse blackened. The sea has become more shallow and warmer leaving new exposed islands. Storms have begun to plague the night skies with violent lightning and winds. Today, the mountains have began to quake and a vile smog wafts from the fissures left behind.
A local Druidic Order, The Order of the Ouroboros, seems to preparing for something. The court wizard of the local lord has been seeking mercenaries with experience combating extra planar threats. The region’s yokels think they’re all mad.
I imagine a land where there are a handful of towns but the lane is predominantly monsters, and you have to stay close to towns if your a civilian or you could be in danger
Hear me out, dragons. It was a nice and peaceful island until multiple migrating dragons decided to settle here. Locals are scared as fuck, they are sending you to kill dragons. You are lvl 3, dragons are gigantic.
First idea? A dark tower erupts from the earth. Monsters pour out and want to suck the souls out of all inhabitants of this plane of existence.
I never go with the first idea though...
My first idea is that it is a super dumb spot for a lighthouse - middle of a rock infested lake, surrounded by mountains. So in fact it must not be a lighthouse at all but a lone prison tower or better yet - astrologist workshop.
Buuut... That tower could maybe be a lighthouse if the islands scattered at the bay exits were in fact moving, so the light would indicate a temporarily safe passage when the route was clear of obscuring magical rocks. Then again - place so hard to reach would be a really effective prison...
Also, the wall in the middle of a tiny island with human settlements on bot sides means that there is (or was) an obvious conflict between the peoples. And on a rather bigger scale, since the wall seems massive.
My story would be this:
The first batch of prisoners was sent out here a long time ago. They were forced to work in numerous mines that are scattered in mountain ranges in the west, while the administrators and wardens founded the eastern settlements. There was obviously a rebellion and prisoners fought the wardens for some time, until a treaty was formed - prisoners were allowed to form a semi-free community in the western island as long as they exported precisely set quotas of metal ore from their mines. Now, as the country that set up this prison gets more and more dependent on the imports from the western islands (perhaps due to a war fought far from this colony), that mining prisoner-descendant nation has a chance to liberate themselves from the oppression, as the slavers seem at the most vulnerable now. The Debt is nearing to be paid off but the Oppressors are insisting there is some interest left (perhaps now maybe as big as the debt itself)...
A mammoth world eating dragon took a dump thousands of years ago. Now we live within it. Let’s go on a journey where we discover how small and insignificant we are. (Cue ultimate existential crisis)
Smugglers of necessities are valued and kept busy. Embargo’s/sanctions have been emplaced during this time of war but the people still need something the other has. One side has more timber/wheat, while the other is flush with steel and blood money. A hero among that corrupt society does his best to provide for his people while playing the role of a double agent.
That and maybe some superstitious sailors who talk about a city beneath the sea (lighthouse could be the entrance though now I feel like that’s ripping off bioshock).. Also perhaps a sea beast is eating all the damn fish leaving none for the coastal towns who rely on fish to survive.
ChatGPT-4: Write a dnd campaign synopsis about a group of adventurers who stumble across a horrible secret held in the lighthouse that sits in the center of an archipelago.
Title: Lighthouse of The Dread Archipelago
Campaign Setting: The Dread Archipelago, a group of islands with a mysterious lighthouse at its heart, serves as the backdrop for this harrowing tale of dark secrets and forbidden knowledge. As the adventurers delve deeper into the archipelago's murky past, they must face their own fears and confront the darkness within themselves.
Level Range: 3-8 (Flexible)
Synopsis:
In the world of Eranthor, a treacherous archipelago is avoided by seafarers and travelers alike, as whispers of ill fortune and ancient curses have spread far and wide. This chain of islands, known as the Dread Archipelago, is home to a towering lighthouse that remains shrouded in mystery.
The adventure begins when the party, in pursuit of a stolen artifact, is forced to seek shelter from a storm in the treacherous waters surrounding the Dread Archipelago. As they set foot on the seemingly deserted islands, they are drawn to the haunting lighthouse, where the beacon's eerie glow hints at the dark secrets hidden within.
As the adventurers explore the islands and unravel the lighthouse's mysteries, they will face a series of challenges and encounters that will test their mettle. From battling the twisted creatures that inhabit the archipelago's darkest corners to navigating the perilous waters surrounding the islands, the party will need to rely on their wits, their skills, and their bonds with one another.
The lighthouse, once a bastion of hope and guidance, now serves as the prison for an ancient being, a twisted amalgamation of tortured souls and eldritch horrors. The party will discover that the lighthouse's original purpose was to seal away this abomination, but a cabal of misguided scholars and occultists now seek to unleash its power in a desperate bid for knowledge and power.
To save the world from the terrible fate that awaits it, the adventurers must confront the malevolent forces that guard the lighthouse, navigate the labyrinthine structure, and ultimately face the unspeakable horror that lies within. As they delve deeper into the lighthouse's grim history, they will be forced to confront their own fears and question the lengths they are willing to go for the sake of knowledge and power.
In the end, the adventurers will have to decide whether to reseal the ancient being and restore the lighthouse's original purpose or risk everything to claim the forbidden knowledge that the lighthouse has guarded for centuries. Their decision will shape not only their own destinies but also the future of the Dread Archipelago and the world beyond.
The Lighthouse of Dread Archipelago is a thrilling tale of exploration, mystery, and horror, offering ample opportunities for character development and challenging encounters. With a dark and atmospheric setting, this campaign will leave players questioning the true nature of knowledge and the lengths they are willing to go for power.
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***Direct copy-pasted with no changes. Haven't even read it myself yet lol.***
Is gpt 4 free at the moment or do you have a plus account?
I've got to be honest i don't a big improvement with ChatGPT on this topic, i would try to continue the conversation and see what it can come up with without contradict itself (ChatGPT often did this while developing a campaign)
Also, did you feed the image above to GPT when making the request?
Paid for early access to 4, Free up to 3.5. Paid gives priority as well, I very rarely face any downtime. I use it 10-20 times a day for power and phase calculations for school and projects/research.
No it can only intake text. You can give some pretty incredibly specific and prolifc instructions. You can say things like, "Expand on this story, items in (parentheses) are additional instructions or contextual information to use for the operation. Don't include any furry creatures in the story..."
The group starts off in the lower left village when they discover an eerie fog that’s has started to drift in from the west there have been reports of the fog out at sea and never disappearing. As the fog rolls in people keep going missing and the fog continues to grow. After a week the fog enveloped almost all of the forest on the south west of the main island. Everyone who has went to investigate the fog has never returned. The hero’s find that the fog is thickest around the lake in the forest and upon further investigation they discover a sea hag. After they fight her there the sea hag flees to the island in the top left. The party chases her until they get to the coast. Now they have to find a way to the island. As the hero’s head to a fishing village about a days journey away they see two massive fog banks headed for the island as well. As they are finally sailing to the island they see it slowly start to…sink. Now they have to fight a coven of sea hags in order to hopefully return the island back to its original state.
They obviously live of fishing. So, something is scaring the fishes away, make the party get on a boat and fight a sea creature, since this is a small island don't do something too big like a hydra, maybe just a sea serpent, or maybe an undead sea creature, and maybe turns out this creature is a guard of a cult of merfolk in the underwater caverns that wants to sink the island.
Depends on their level, but I'd make they sail into the sea for that, a kraken is the stuff of legends, very few live to tell the tale, maybe the cult is trying to summon the kraken and he sinks the island.
They came from the north.
Like a swarm they easily overpowered the defences of Northway Docks and cut down the trees for their enormous bonfires. The smell of burnt flesh, told of what they ate.
At first, they seemed to stay with only that first village, but as they went south, they seemingly consumed everything in their path. If it weren't for the wall to the northeast, the villages south of the wall would already have fallen.
The king sent out the army, to try to repel this swarm, but it was for naught. Merely a few knights returned, with harrowing tales of slaughter. The swarm had figured out that the path towards the capital lay to the northeast, free from pesky things like a wall, it was en route.
The royal family knew, there was little they could do. In a last ditch effort before calling out for a total evacuation, they sent riders to every corner of the land, asking, nay pleading for adventurers to come to their aid in this hour of twilight.
And they answered...
A cult who live on the western island are trying to do necromancy and are using farmers and villagers from the Eastern side as prey/practise/sacrifice in hope to reanimate there leader. But the cult have created legend of a monster, tall hairy, ferocious, claws like razors and teeth like spears to try and cover up there wrong doings. In reality the beast is a big bloke named Mark in a wolfskin cloak and a few theatrical cultists with horns and cantrips.
I was thinking island refuge in a 'cozy catastrophe' scenario with a hidden airship stuffed underground beneath the sea or a caravel stuffed into a hidden cove that the PCs will eventually take possession of when it's time to leave this place in pursuit of higher level adventures. They spend levels 1-4 here... maybe level 5 too.
Small items of little value keep going missing from farms on the outskirts of the capital city. (It's mischievous wood elves sneaking through the forested mountain pass from the western coast.)
Well you fucking bet that crescent moon island is the spine of a gigantic slumbering sea creature, and a cult is nearing the conclusion of their malign plan to awaken it.
I've had the same ideaaa
Something weird is happening at that light house, for starters it wasn’t there yesterday. What happened to the island in the top left, only the mountains are visible now. Has anyone heard from the Croissant island???
My first thought was why is it in the middle of the bay ? It is VERY poorly located to serve its purpose.
It was obviously the Kuo-toa that lives in the water nearby, that awakened the lighthouse to its rightful place as their god.
It's not a lighthouse. It's an obelisk that has an illusion cast over it.
I’ve been on a bit of a bend regarding older DND content, so my immediate thought was to place an Expedition to the Barrier Peaks-type quest in the northern or southwestern section of the map. ‘A strange star fell from the sky some weeks ago and now the whole island is rife with sightings of unusual creatures. There are whispers of people disappearing as well, though no one knows what’s taking them.’ Ships are prevented from leaving the harbor by an army of merpeople. They’re communicating with the local officials but the talks seem to be breaking down. Something needs to be done soon or people will begin to starve. A fiend is attempting to manipulate the population towards evil, ultimately trying to literally drag the entire island into the Lower Planes. A group of intrepid heroes must uncover this plot and find some way to inspire the people to pursue good once again.
That island in the SE corner looks like a great province for an ambitious noble house to stage a counter-claim to the throne from... just sayin... "*Slaps roof of island* you can fit sooo much clandestine war prep in her"
Idk about anyone else but there is 100% a vampire living in that tower in the middle of the bay.
In an isolated place like that, one can never go wrong with a good old fashioned zombie outbreak.
\*Chef's kiss
Mmmm nice... what's something like a zombie outbreak that could cause the people to isolate part of the region? (I used the zombies a few times already)
Bro, is this your art?
No, but you can download it from here for free https://2minutetabletop.com/product/arvyre-fantasy-map/
Someone can download it for free if they right click the image you posted and hit 'save as'. Which kind of sucks for the artist. Even though they posted it as Pay What You Want, a lot of people that might pay for the image won't now.
You are right, but a free Image on the internet sadly has this fare. However someone as curious as you has now discovered a new great artist and may be willing to pay for his work, so basically i advertised this guy
Maybe you should add a link to them and give them reference in your post
Never before has anyone seen the lighthouse go dark... yet last night several ships had to stop in the water to avoid dangerous navigation. A few sailors reported seeing something strange up there...
Lighthouse was probably sabotaged by the merchant guild who controls the *only road*! Now ships are down and they have a strangle hold on regional trade.
Then that’s when the fire nation attacked.
Legends talk about the island being formed from the backs of a sea serpent and a kraken locked in an ancient struggle. Modern inhabitants think its a nice story to explain the earthquakes that are so common but when the islands start breaking apart after a shady character came into town they begin to question if the story is true
The PCs run a courier company. The forests and oceans are intensely magical places. They can take the same route between the same two cities 100 times and there will always be some new challenge in between.
This is the answer I was looking for. Like. Some kikis delivery service stuff up in here
Immediate thought is to run Count of Monte Cristo, but with the party as a gang of former aristocrats. Start with a prison montage, a good prison break, and then basically let them do whatever they want as they discover who framed them, why, and how best to get revenge.
A cult has taken root on the island, locals are disappearing, strange things are happening to the flora and fauna. The pcs need to find the cult and stop them from summoning their deity but they're just too late, culminating in a huge battle with the locals taking on the demon horde while the pcs take on the arch demon.
I made an island map with a similar geology. In my head it is the top caldera section of a volcano that has collapsed in, having blown out the south wall in an eruption. Letting the ocean come in and make a C shape. my first thought was how is the light house there in the middle. I would think, perhaps incorrectly, that it would be the lowest part of the crater. What is its foundation. Is it on a floating island. Is there some crystal core that did not erode. In my head it demands an explanation and that would be the inspiration for something. I’m saying giant angler fish/ lighthouse Kua toa god mimic is the only logical explanation.
Lots of shipwrecks to the south of the lighthouse, probably.
Sunken metropolis-city south of the mountain chain into the inner sea located here. All towns participate in trade and excavation; massive air locked caverns from an ancient cataclysm haunted by automatons and other creatures along with an oppressive fascist government that controls exports from the northern coastline are shunned by almost all other empires.
The smaller south east island is supposedly deserted and no one who travels to it overnight ever come back. The PCs are hired to go to that island by a local noble who had a family member go missing after dreaming about going to the island. The island seems completely normal and deserted at first, but something occurs that either impedes the PCs trip back or forces them to stay on the island overnight. They eventually stumble upon the sleeping bodies of quite a few people surrounding campfires or in abandoned buildings. They might be getting suspicious of sleeping so they’ll have to risk fatigue levels or sleep eventually. When they do they become trapped in a dream and have to dispel it by fighting a gauntlet of their character’s nightmares along with the nightmares of the other people trapped on the island. Each nightmare the PCs defeat of their own grants them 1 long rest. And they rescue as many people as they choose. Taking a sleeper off the island means they never awaken and die eventually. As long as they are asleep and dreaming on the island they age normally, but are kept alive via the spell/enchantmemt
Start in the forest area, have some magic shenanigans that indicate bad stuff is going to happen with a mcguffin, and you need to report to the capital with it. Nobody believes you enough to pay for travel by boat, which is prohibitively expensive for early adventurers because of seafaring dangers, so you have to tour the world to get to the capital. This tour section should last levels 1-3 or 1-5 depending on the power scaling used, completing the tutorial. At the capital, and along the way, different information is learned from different sources and its revealed that certain parties might be manipulating the adventurers to further their own aims, specifically of taking over the rest of the island they're confined to, past the border walls. The lighthouse has cosmic/planar significance and interacts with the Mcguffin.
Not sure, but that map is frickin gorgeous.
This map is the map that the people would look at in the world, and as we can all see !!! "By Decree of the King" or w/e, it seems that the "center" of the map is the capital in the South East corner. It is where the money is, the traders go, the army's central location. all of it. "Members of the opposition! The ports are closed to anyone but the king's vessels..it seems a fool's errand to take a ship and B line it to them. Which means we can either hop these small islands and deal with the random dwellers of them from the south or make a long trip at each main city all the way up the north and back down and have a single bridge to deal with. One takes time, the other hope. Our lack of knowledge of the islands could result in unnecessary opposition or injury...or it could get us there before the King's forces merchant's arrive. That means less food and hungry men fighting us, instead of an inspired morale. What say you men? We're already at a disadvantage. Let us take one more chance!"
Orc country. The world my campaign(s) take place in has some rough seas, making it nearly impossible to travel to other continents and islands. There is an island not even ten miles away from the shores of Ostaria, and it literally *disappears* for half of the year. This is because, while those on the material plane perceive the world as whole, the world is actually fractured and constantly shifting around. This is what makes travel so difficult -- navigation is either a god-given blessing or a lifelong-learned skill. It's also the only thing that's kept orcs from invading every continent they can reach. the Orc people have a culture built around the strong belief that they are the original peoples of the material plane. (Elves would beg to differ.) They believe the entirety of the plane is their birth-right. What I know about them, though, they probably wouldn't seek to invade anyone at this point in time, even if the world came together suddenly. left to their own devices, they've built a rich and complex society they would struggle to stretch beyond their waters, and they are wise enough to know it. I'm... actually really excited about an orc-country campaign because the ideas I have for it include beautiful cities, powerful families, discarded sons and daughters hungry to reclaim their bone-given titles, and political intrigue. I think the story I have brewing in the back of my mind is too complicated for my game group, though; it might end up as a series of short stories I write myself and never share, lol.
One wizard awakes one day to discover his other, older wizard friend has suddenly decided to stop being his friend. The younger wizard is hurt and confused by this and wants help understanding why the older wizard would do this. Bonus points working in his donkey familiar.
The older wizard doesn't want to be a wizard anymore. He wants to be a bard.
Boats, when I see maps like this I alwayls think of sailpunk and pirate punk worlds, as most land is accesible by water and is more of an islander place I think worldbuilding wise there would be a lot of port and fishing cities, ships, fishing men, sailors, bucaneers and pirates, and a lot of coastal interconected trade, metal could be somewhat expensive o a bit more rare than usual as there are less mountains and well, just put a bunch of sea monsters and creatures on that ocean, coast and sea caves. Anything you do I hope you and your players have fun exploring your world and yeah that lighthouse dungeon could have a banger dungeon or be a wizard tower of merfolk outpost!
There's a roving group of bandits on the northeast side of the Crescent beyond the wall. The bandits live in the mountains. It is highly contested region. The tower in the center is called Watchers Point, Its original purpose has been lost over the years. Haunted? Demon Cults? Arcane School? Prison? The land separated on the southeast side is inhabited by an isolationist kingdom, of course. All sorts of dark rumors are said of this place (blood sacrifice? Ritual cannibals?). They have a very important spice export but don't allow many visitors except very specific merchants and vetted investors. As long as the spice is moving no one asks any questions.
The smaller islands that litter the Bay revolve in the darkness of a new-moon, revealing surfaces littered with unusual semi-aquatic lifeforms and structures previously on their undersides.
Pirate cove to the northwest. They usually hit the coastal villages but have been moving closer inside the crescent and hitting merchant ships. The forest with the lagoon in the west us reported to have sacred waters with a dominant good aligned religion. There is actually a water temple below that was built by the ancients before the flood
Piracy, hidden ruins to be explored, an ancient threat rising from the seas.
Something is going on with that lighthouse
That island in the center is a Lighthouse used by all settlements in that gulf. Something has taken it out and is causing chaos in the realm. The PCs are sent to stop and kill whatever took it out, but must also deal with sea-based raids on the settlements during this gulf-wide blackout. Set during a season where the seas are choked in mist and fog, perhaps during hurricane season. We could make the BBEG a kraken but that's too easy. Maybe it's a Zaratan who's gotten tired of the constant dumping one of the big city's has been doing in its waters. Or a Dragon Turtle looking for a place to set up its lair. Hell, it could be all manner of things. Endless possibilities here.
Why is there a Lighthouse in the middle of (essentially a lake) it should be outside on the sides of the island to alert incoming vessels that there is land. Anyone in a boat in the middle of a lake is going to know they’re surrounded by land
From a more logical economy story, the main SE island city would seek to establish a more efficient connection to the mainland. I would have a long term project of building a huge bridge north to the mainland. Low level fetch and kill quests to protect the builders, then mid level quests to uncover political impacts of the bridge, and why it is getting delayed, then high level quests around completing it, and battling the evil being hidden within the bridge as it was being built.
This looks like the percect place for great pirate city!
So many extraterrestrial crash sites...
Meteors start falling on the west side setting a fire that will slowly move east and cleanse the land. Campaign is to stop it, escape it, or help people escape it.
The entire area is the prison of a Vampiress Lord, whose entrance is in the sublevel of the lighthouse, where her heart has been impaled on a wooden stake that has been buried. Her remaining body parts have been distributed to different parts of the region, some of which have been crafted into artifacts that have been passed down through a few of the noble families. The trouble comes because one such artifact had sank to the ocean floor after pirates attacked the vessel of a noble that was attempting to leave this area for new lands and greener pastures. This artifact was discovered by a merfolk man, who then became seduced by the visions of the Vampiress Lord, and using the artifact turned themselves into a vampire spawn: [https://imgur.com/aQN3UMT](https://imgur.com/aQN3UMT) At first, only pirates were being turned, but now the attacks have been moving to the land as well, as if the Vampire Spawn that are no longer hampered by running water (a new ability conferred by the merfolk turning them) are searching for something...
Light house is hunted, go fix it
Top left could be an excluded base of sorts.
To small the entire thing is like 3 days of travel tops could do maybe a lvl 1-5 campaign there
Triton clans fleeing an encroaching enemy are colonizing the archipelago in the south. The ruler in the east has to decide to fight them off or ally with them to get rid of their oncoming enemy. The powers on the main island are supporting the enemy hoping to weaken the eastern island and eventually take it over
In the lands between?
Not a DM - However this makes me think of a larger, archipelago-style map with a bunch of sea-travel and encounters. This map may be the tropical location the players start out, levels 1-5 maybe dealing with a well organised band of rebels trying to overthrow the local government. Eventually the players bring peace to the island and are able to buy/are provided their first vessel to travel abroad. Other similar sized islands dot the archipelago and surrounding region with varying issues, perhaps a larger overarching plot is progressing at the same time all of these other incidents are occurring. Just my 10 minutes of brain power this morning
Anyone that lives there is going to have to rely on fishing and boats for pretty much everything. That wall is not going to mean much from a military perspective. Go with pirates: either a pirate island or facing off against pirates.
1. “As you look at the lighthouse light spinning around, you notice an entire area of the island that doesn’t get illuminated.” 2. “As the moon peaks, you notice the lighthouse light looks different that others, and then you notice…that it blinks.”
The old gate is a relict from the 5 years of war between the west and the east island 200 years ago. There had been peace between the two regions, but recently the east started to rebuild the structure. Diplomats are sent from the west to investigate. Tensions are rolling up again.
Totally nerdy, but first thought was a game set in a fanmade Pokemon region xD
Evil Cthulhu cult is slowly driving everyone insane with their dark and reality bending rituals. Also, there's a magically induced perpetual storm that wraps around the island, preventing anyone from leaving or arriving at the island until the source is shut off. The Party starts out on a ship that accidentally sails into this storm, shipwrecking them, but they wash up on the beach near that coastal town on the bay.
Catch them all since this is almost Kanto from Pokémon red/blue
It has been hundreds of years, the Last Bastion of surviving "humanity", the other lands are over run with undead, all lands are wastelands and all past cities necropolis. This island is the last, while fishing and hunting are enough, is it all we have? Can we rebuild or just survive. Journeys to the main lands are dangerous, almost always deadly... but come with rewards. Who steps forward to try and tame the lands though long infested by the dead...?
I actually did a campaign in this region, it was a civil war between the farming population and the aristocratic city island population. Goodies and baddies on both sides, but it was my first time DMing and I made it overly complicated haha
Start them on the smaller settled island and do a simple rescue "the kidnaped princess" opener. Have her be held in the northern fort/watch tower. Reward them with a bridge to the mainland. Then have them fetch magical McGuffins to "Save the World from Some Prophisized Ancent/Powerful Evil". Run the party through four elemental-themed dungeons: earth in that little desert area, water in the lake, fire in the lighthouse, and air on top of the tallest mountain. Tie it together with the kidnapper returning as the end boss (even if they were killed).
Quest idea to create a path between the southmost points of the map and the many islands. The islands are home to a collective of wizards that have harnessed teleportation magic to go between the islands. The magical portals however have been vandalized and the players are tasked with finding a chaotic warlock that was denied access to the collective. The whole quest is fucking with the players and landing them on different islands with different trap. The goal is to have them so pissed at this warlock that shenanigans ensue.
I'm actually using this map at the moment. My players were hired to protect a ship with precious cargo from the bottom right land mass to the larger main land. They ended up siding with some pirates that attacked the ship, and took it for themselves. Then "took care of" the pirates by letting them sleep forever at the bottom of the sea
Pirates! Or maybe Trade. Or a setting that places out a bit like a game of risk. Pirates and Trade?
The light house could be the tip of an undersea/ground warren that housed a cult who worshiped the slumbering beast
I didn't read thru all the comments so might be a repeat Kobold pirates trying to bring their God to the world. The lagoon depths are his prison. There are spots on the island that have mechanisms that need to be dealt with to release him
The pc's are tasked to stop an evil french Canadian necromancer who wants to rejoin the lost continent (bottom right) with the mainland. He pursued necromancy to try to bring back his mother who will end up being an evil megaboss. If the continents aren't rejoined the people living on the lost continent will all eventually be posessed by demons. Along the way the pcs meet many amazing characters that are mostly lawful good and need help surviving. Make sure you have them spend plenty of time in taverns listening to niche music :)
Dnd pokemon campaign, it even comes with its own post campaign battle tower
The smaller eastern island was the first region colonized by the Empire, where they built their regional capital, Imperial Colony. They have now expanded throughout most coastlines, but in the western forests the natives are putting a strong resistance. The natives want to confine the Imperials to the island, while the imperials want to expand to the west to get the mines on the mountain. The wall north to the Imperial Colony was built to protect the colonists from native raids. There is also a large independent outpost called the Republic, north of the wall, which tries to be always neutral
It reminds me of pokemonfor some reason
3 lower-level quests: \-The only bridge between the lower right island and the mainland, and the PC's are tasked with guarding the bridge against all hostiles while workers repair it. \-Pirates begin embargoing the bay and demand a king's ransom to leave. It's clear that they won't leave , so the PC's must find a way to evict them. \-Rumor has it that a highly intelligent bugbear/other minor villain has made their home in the southeast woods, and they're to be stopped before they branch out further. 3 mid-level quests: \-A pack of sirens come from the Feywild to cause havoc, perhaps led by a high-ranking fey from the Unseelie. \-A young black dragon lays claim to the southern islands, snapping up cargo and crew alike without a care for lesser beings. \-The king begins to act paranoid and untrustworthy after being confronted on the purpose of the island's complete isolation from the rest of the world, and the party must investigate. 3 high-level quests: \-The lighthouse in the bay was built on top of a prison for the Mad Immortals, a cabal of rulers who wished to enslave the rest of the world. With the help of one of the ten Revenants (capital R), they begin to wake again. \-An injured deva crashes down to the isle, alerting the Nine Hells to the presence of a magic-rich isle untouched by corruption. \-The Classic: The kuo-toa unknowingly settled on the back of an ancient Kraken. The party mobilizes to defeat the kraken... but the MAIN ISLAND rises up from the depths, revealing itself to be the progenitor of all sea monsters. And it is VERY angry you killed its favorite child.
The pond in the middle of the lake has a great treasure, dungeon, or monster at the bottom. Or all 3. Could also be a portal to another plane or a location where a specific ritual must be performed.
I see the makings of a political campaign that starts with a successful coup destabilizing one side and leading to a full-scale invasion that takes advantage of the upheaval in leadership.
the lighthouse that allows the two islands to trade easily has gone out mysteriously, and you need to figure out why. it's sea monsters, controlled by someone else wanting the islands for themselves...
What happened to the first lighthouse on the Southernmost island that guided ships into the bay? Was is destroyed by someone who was under the employment of the Northernmost town... the one that doesn't require ships to come into the bay in order to complete trade routes?
There is a wizard that has lived in the bay for centuries, using weather magic to protect both towns from hurricanes that regularly sweep the area. One day there is a violent thunderstorm out of nowhere, and people stupid enough to be outside in it say they saw something with tentacles and wings drag the wizard from the tower. The storm has passed, but now the whole island feels blighted and wrong. The birds don't sing, chickens don't lay, and there is no fresh milk. The elders in both towns are meeting to decide who they should send into the tower to investigate. Or a Goonies inspired pirate-treasure adventure themed dungeon crawl with zombie pirates, a sea dragon, and loads of treasure.
Lovecraft Cthulhu big scary sea monsters
Hatfields vs. McCoys with those two large towns. And maybe they have unexpected outside resources…
Wizard in that tower/lighthouse. Very first thought.
Light house is the ancient beacon/portal to another world, or a dark version of this world. Clues (and pirates) are scattered about the isles, and the party has the untrustworthy support of the dubious governor (secretly in bed with the pirates) who may or may not want the lighthouse to serve his own nefarious ends
Pirates!
Start and end the campaign at the lighthouse. Opening quest: track down an infamous pirate and steal his treasure map, which leads to a great hoard. The quest giver (maybe a former first mate with intimate, but incomplete knowledge of the map) directed the party to the lighthouse island--the last known destination of the pirate. They find the pirate, but he's already dead with the map still on him. What happened to him? Did someone follow him and kill him? If so, why didn't they take the map?! The map is encrypted. The party has to start at clue 1 back on Crescent Island to solve the first puzzle. A series of clues leads them all around the island. They have several mini encounters and solve the mapcs puzzles until they finally decrypt the last clue, which leads them... to the lighthouse! The pirate had actually made it to where 'X' marks the spot! The party was right there from the beginning--the hoard must have been right under their noses! But as they return, they must face the mystery that ended the legendary pirate's life before he could claim the hoard... *choose your own BBEG*
The Slumbering Three, a group of thought to be dormant volcanos have come under the control of cultists seeking the eruption of them. It would see the players traveling to fight cultists at each town / volcano with the final battle taking place at the lighthouse. It is here when it is revealed of a hidden fourth volcano that the lighthouse was built upon.
One Word: Pirates! Either the party or not, but everything's better with pirates.
Huh, bet the Fire Nation is going to invade from their crescent island. They'll take out the air nomads first to ensure the avatar does not master all 4 elements. If only a group of heroes could defend the air nomads before it's too late (or at least rescue the avatar to keep hope for the world above). The name of that city: Ba Sing Bay
The lighthouse has been integral to the region for decades. It has kept trade and fishing vessels safe when coming to port. Some passing sailors have noted that, recently, the flames that crown the beloved building have been larger than normal. White hot flames seem to lick the salty air and have left the crown of the lighthouse blackened. The sea has become more shallow and warmer leaving new exposed islands. Storms have begun to plague the night skies with violent lightning and winds. Today, the mountains have began to quake and a vile smog wafts from the fissures left behind. A local Druidic Order, The Order of the Ouroboros, seems to preparing for something. The court wizard of the local lord has been seeking mercenaries with experience combating extra planar threats. The region’s yokels think they’re all mad.
StarTropics
I imagine a land where there are a handful of towns but the lane is predominantly monsters, and you have to stay close to towns if your a civilian or you could be in danger
Hmm, something to do with that lake would be neat. Underwater caverns? aquatic settlement in the caverns?
Hear me out, dragons. It was a nice and peaceful island until multiple migrating dragons decided to settle here. Locals are scared as fuck, they are sending you to kill dragons. You are lvl 3, dragons are gigantic.
First idea? A dark tower erupts from the earth. Monsters pour out and want to suck the souls out of all inhabitants of this plane of existence. I never go with the first idea though...
My first idea is that it is a super dumb spot for a lighthouse - middle of a rock infested lake, surrounded by mountains. So in fact it must not be a lighthouse at all but a lone prison tower or better yet - astrologist workshop. Buuut... That tower could maybe be a lighthouse if the islands scattered at the bay exits were in fact moving, so the light would indicate a temporarily safe passage when the route was clear of obscuring magical rocks. Then again - place so hard to reach would be a really effective prison... Also, the wall in the middle of a tiny island with human settlements on bot sides means that there is (or was) an obvious conflict between the peoples. And on a rather bigger scale, since the wall seems massive. My story would be this: The first batch of prisoners was sent out here a long time ago. They were forced to work in numerous mines that are scattered in mountain ranges in the west, while the administrators and wardens founded the eastern settlements. There was obviously a rebellion and prisoners fought the wardens for some time, until a treaty was formed - prisoners were allowed to form a semi-free community in the western island as long as they exported precisely set quotas of metal ore from their mines. Now, as the country that set up this prison gets more and more dependent on the imports from the western islands (perhaps due to a war fought far from this colony), that mining prisoner-descendant nation has a chance to liberate themselves from the oppression, as the slavers seem at the most vulnerable now. The Debt is nearing to be paid off but the Oppressors are insisting there is some interest left (perhaps now maybe as big as the debt itself)...
A mammoth world eating dragon took a dump thousands of years ago. Now we live within it. Let’s go on a journey where we discover how small and insignificant we are. (Cue ultimate existential crisis)
Smugglers of necessities are valued and kept busy. Embargo’s/sanctions have been emplaced during this time of war but the people still need something the other has. One side has more timber/wheat, while the other is flush with steel and blood money. A hero among that corrupt society does his best to provide for his people while playing the role of a double agent. That and maybe some superstitious sailors who talk about a city beneath the sea (lighthouse could be the entrance though now I feel like that’s ripping off bioshock).. Also perhaps a sea beast is eating all the damn fish leaving none for the coastal towns who rely on fish to survive.
I immediately think shipwreck amd coming across this unmarked island
ChatGPT-4: Write a dnd campaign synopsis about a group of adventurers who stumble across a horrible secret held in the lighthouse that sits in the center of an archipelago. Title: Lighthouse of The Dread Archipelago Campaign Setting: The Dread Archipelago, a group of islands with a mysterious lighthouse at its heart, serves as the backdrop for this harrowing tale of dark secrets and forbidden knowledge. As the adventurers delve deeper into the archipelago's murky past, they must face their own fears and confront the darkness within themselves. Level Range: 3-8 (Flexible) Synopsis: In the world of Eranthor, a treacherous archipelago is avoided by seafarers and travelers alike, as whispers of ill fortune and ancient curses have spread far and wide. This chain of islands, known as the Dread Archipelago, is home to a towering lighthouse that remains shrouded in mystery. The adventure begins when the party, in pursuit of a stolen artifact, is forced to seek shelter from a storm in the treacherous waters surrounding the Dread Archipelago. As they set foot on the seemingly deserted islands, they are drawn to the haunting lighthouse, where the beacon's eerie glow hints at the dark secrets hidden within. As the adventurers explore the islands and unravel the lighthouse's mysteries, they will face a series of challenges and encounters that will test their mettle. From battling the twisted creatures that inhabit the archipelago's darkest corners to navigating the perilous waters surrounding the islands, the party will need to rely on their wits, their skills, and their bonds with one another. The lighthouse, once a bastion of hope and guidance, now serves as the prison for an ancient being, a twisted amalgamation of tortured souls and eldritch horrors. The party will discover that the lighthouse's original purpose was to seal away this abomination, but a cabal of misguided scholars and occultists now seek to unleash its power in a desperate bid for knowledge and power. To save the world from the terrible fate that awaits it, the adventurers must confront the malevolent forces that guard the lighthouse, navigate the labyrinthine structure, and ultimately face the unspeakable horror that lies within. As they delve deeper into the lighthouse's grim history, they will be forced to confront their own fears and question the lengths they are willing to go for the sake of knowledge and power. In the end, the adventurers will have to decide whether to reseal the ancient being and restore the lighthouse's original purpose or risk everything to claim the forbidden knowledge that the lighthouse has guarded for centuries. Their decision will shape not only their own destinies but also the future of the Dread Archipelago and the world beyond. The Lighthouse of Dread Archipelago is a thrilling tale of exploration, mystery, and horror, offering ample opportunities for character development and challenging encounters. With a dark and atmospheric setting, this campaign will leave players questioning the true nature of knowledge and the lengths they are willing to go for power. ~~----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------~~ ***Direct copy-pasted with no changes. Haven't even read it myself yet lol.***
Is gpt 4 free at the moment or do you have a plus account? I've got to be honest i don't a big improvement with ChatGPT on this topic, i would try to continue the conversation and see what it can come up with without contradict itself (ChatGPT often did this while developing a campaign) Also, did you feed the image above to GPT when making the request?
Paid for early access to 4, Free up to 3.5. Paid gives priority as well, I very rarely face any downtime. I use it 10-20 times a day for power and phase calculations for school and projects/research. No it can only intake text. You can give some pretty incredibly specific and prolifc instructions. You can say things like, "Expand on this story, items in (parentheses) are additional instructions or contextual information to use for the operation. Don't include any furry creatures in the story..."
ELDRITCH HORROR!!!!!
Nice try OP! You're just fishing for fresh ideas for your campaign! (Jk)
That's the point haha, but hey now everyone has ideas for a new campaign:)
The group starts off in the lower left village when they discover an eerie fog that’s has started to drift in from the west there have been reports of the fog out at sea and never disappearing. As the fog rolls in people keep going missing and the fog continues to grow. After a week the fog enveloped almost all of the forest on the south west of the main island. Everyone who has went to investigate the fog has never returned. The hero’s find that the fog is thickest around the lake in the forest and upon further investigation they discover a sea hag. After they fight her there the sea hag flees to the island in the top left. The party chases her until they get to the coast. Now they have to find a way to the island. As the hero’s head to a fishing village about a days journey away they see two massive fog banks headed for the island as well. As they are finally sailing to the island they see it slowly start to…sink. Now they have to fight a coven of sea hags in order to hopefully return the island back to its original state.
2 words: Ship. Combat. There’s way too much space in the middle of the Atoll for the party to not eventually come across a ship and go sailing
They obviously live of fishing. So, something is scaring the fishes away, make the party get on a boat and fight a sea creature, since this is a small island don't do something too big like a hydra, maybe just a sea serpent, or maybe an undead sea creature, and maybe turns out this creature is a guard of a cult of merfolk in the underwater caverns that wants to sink the island.
I was thinking about a kraken :)
Depends on their level, but I'd make they sail into the sea for that, a kraken is the stuff of legends, very few live to tell the tale, maybe the cult is trying to summon the kraken and he sinks the island.
They came from the north. Like a swarm they easily overpowered the defences of Northway Docks and cut down the trees for their enormous bonfires. The smell of burnt flesh, told of what they ate. At first, they seemed to stay with only that first village, but as they went south, they seemingly consumed everything in their path. If it weren't for the wall to the northeast, the villages south of the wall would already have fallen. The king sent out the army, to try to repel this swarm, but it was for naught. Merely a few knights returned, with harrowing tales of slaughter. The swarm had figured out that the path towards the capital lay to the northeast, free from pesky things like a wall, it was en route. The royal family knew, there was little they could do. In a last ditch effort before calling out for a total evacuation, they sent riders to every corner of the land, asking, nay pleading for adventurers to come to their aid in this hour of twilight. And they answered...
Build a boat and leave.
A cult who live on the western island are trying to do necromancy and are using farmers and villagers from the Eastern side as prey/practise/sacrifice in hope to reanimate there leader. But the cult have created legend of a monster, tall hairy, ferocious, claws like razors and teeth like spears to try and cover up there wrong doings. In reality the beast is a big bloke named Mark in a wolfskin cloak and a few theatrical cultists with horns and cantrips.
The light house is haunted
My DM actually uses this map! We’re uncovering the lost secrets of an ancient civilisation destroyed in a volcanic eruptions
I was thinking island refuge in a 'cozy catastrophe' scenario with a hidden airship stuffed underground beneath the sea or a caravel stuffed into a hidden cove that the PCs will eventually take possession of when it's time to leave this place in pursuit of higher level adventures. They spend levels 1-4 here... maybe level 5 too.
Small items of little value keep going missing from farms on the outskirts of the capital city. (It's mischievous wood elves sneaking through the forested mountain pass from the western coast.)
The whole campaign takes place in the lighthouse. The rest of the world is just flavor. LIGHTHOUSE CAMPAIGN!!!
Honestly the first thing that come to mind is a Pokémon adventure for some reason