The endless rains of Chaac have created a realm of countless rivers, waterlogged forests and aquatic fauna. The races of the Floodplains skirmish over the ever-changing sources of food and safety. Dangerous aquatic monsters stalk the waterways, feeding on careless fishermen and sinking the floating towns of the ‘Paddlers’.
Chaac’s Realm
Chaac, the God of Rain, understands the rains potential for aid and destruction. On one hand it provides life through the growth of plants and habitats for fish, on the other hand it can wash away civilisations and cause decay.
Within his realm, Chaac has tried to create a balance of these qualities by providing plentiful resources but ensuring the population is challenged by external threats, as well as one another. The races he has created are not at peace with each other, instead they’re in a constant rivalry for resources.
Personality Traits
Chaac is a surprisingly cheerful god, despite the relatively difficult life he’s given his creations. This clash between joyful and harsh could be misconstrued as childlike naivety of what what life is like in his realm, however, in truth, it’s been well planned by Chaac to give the people of his realm an undeniable advantage in their home realm, should adjacent realms invade.
Being one of the 2 realms that have begun the Game of Gods with 3 adjacent accessible gateways open, Chaac decided to focus on the defence of his realm. He went against his instinct to make a fun, easy place to live and instead built the landscape to be truly hostile to those unsuited to life in the Floodplains. He made his occupants adaptable to the rains and able to survive the waterways in ways foreigners never could.
Chaac’s Representative
Chaac’s representative is an odd choice even by Chaac’s standards. While most Gods have chosen powerful, imposing people who radiate the power of the God they represent, Chaac decided to make his representative an inconspicuous Goblin by the name of Shaka-Grum.
Shaka-Grum usually keeps to himself. He lives as a hermit, traveling through the Floodplains in a small wicker basket, avoiding towns and cities. While in his ‘Goblin form’, Shaka-Grum looks to be an elderly Goblin dressed in ragged, faded robes with an odd ever-dripping staff. He is unpleasant to talk to at first, as he tests the temperament of those that seek him out. If a person treats the Goblin respectfully and non-hostilely he will reveal to them his true form.
When the illusion is dropped, Shaka-Grum takes the form of a huge masked goblinoid, obscured by a cyclone. It is said that when he reveals this form the sky crackles with lightning and the rains all across the realm turn into a torrential downpour. It is in this true form that Shaka-Grum possesses the powers to offer Godly gifts on behalf of Chaac.
Like all the God’s representatives, Shaka-Grum is influenced subconsciously by the Game of Gods, and will be calculated in the gifts and boons he grants. Any offering given to a mortal must also benefit the realm as a whole, either my creating a staunch defender of the Floodplains, or leading to the defeat of a powerful rival.
Mapping out the Floodplains
The Floodplains are a waterlogged mass of grassy fields, sunken jungles and numerous rivers all converging in a enormous sinkhole. The endless rain means that for most, life on the water is the only option for a sustainable life. The Paddlers build large floating towns that they row along the waterways, ever searching for the next source of fish and aquatic veg. The Sodden build urban environments on high stilts, making artificial ‘tree houses’. Beneath the rivers the Froggoth and Otterkin always remain on the move, hiding from the large beasts that stalk the waters and staying ever conscious on the surface dwellers nets.
The Floodplains has many stationary but also some moving points of interest. For ease of explanation they’ve been marked on the realm’s map but when running adventures in the Floodplains you are free to have these mobile urban environments show up wherever they are needed.
On the map you’ll find urban environments marked but along-side these, there are many unmarked dungeons, temples, Aztec pyramids and more. You are free to populate the grasslands, jungles and riverbeds with all manner of exciting locations and plot devices.
The Flooded Jungles
The flooded jungles that can be found across the southern corner of the realm are home to deadly predators, poisonous prey and horrifying undead insectoids. Similarly to the rest of the realm, the jungle floor is waterlogged and a slog to travel through, as such, many of the creatures that call the jungles home live in the treetops or beneath the water level. About 50% of the ground is submerged and creates the ideal hiding places for hungry beasts or cowering prey.
The trees in the jungle grow tall and host slick moss making them tough to climb without the proper tools. The canopy stands at around 70ft and the trees can become problematically dense in places. Visibility is low at the best of times but when the rain pours at its heaviest, it can become impossible to see more than 30ft ahead of you.
When traversing the flooded jungles many threats can arise. Below you can find a few examples of problems the party could run into:
| Encounter | Challenge |
|---|---|
| Combat | Aquatic predator attacks. |
| Combat | Treetop beasts stalk the party. |
| Combat | Undead insectoids burrow from below. |
| Environmental | The forest floor gives way to open water. |
| Environmental | Thick, sticky mud begins to trap the party. |
| Environmental | Poisonous plants block the path. |
| Social | Traveling Paddler goblins debate if the party are an easier target. |
| Social | Cautious Sodden know quicker paths through the jungle. |
Beneath the Water
Within the Floodplains, there are over 2000 rivers varying in size and hundreds of lakes and ponds. These bodies of water blend with the waterlogged grasslands creating ever shifting borders.
A menagerie of aquatic life calls these waterways home ranging from fish and amphibians, to reptiles and mammals. Not to mention countless aquatic plants both edible or otherwise. This diverse wildlife was created by Chaac to be the heart of the realm. It provides both the opportunity for sustainable life and nourishment, but also the threats that cause growth in his people and repellent for potential invaders. Through Chaac’s design, no source of food remains in one place for long. Schools of fish will migrate through the rivers, aquatic veg will float down river to fertilise new areas. This is done to sustain combat in his people, as conflict causes growth.
When the party is traveling along a river or through a lake, consider the threats they may face. Are there any large aquatic monsters stalking beneath the surface? Are there any nearby Paddler settlement that might happen to float by? Have the party disturbed a violent patch of plants that will drag them beneath the waves?
The Muddy Grasslands
While about 75% of the realm is covered by water or jungle, the remaining portion is made up of wet, sludgy grasslands. Due to the constant rain it’s faced since its creation, the grassland is a waterlogged, boggy mess. The grass has thrived in the waters growing to a comfortable height of 3ft but the ground is extremely loose. Most creatures traversing the grasslands will find themselves sinking 2 or 3 ft into the ground with every step.
This frustratingly impractical terrain has played a large part in keeping the surrounding Black Realms at bay as only creatures adapted for the landscape can traverse it without exhausting effort. While traveling on foot across the grasslands a party will only be able to move at half speed unless they have a party member who is a native of the Floodplains. During combat the grasslands count as difficult terrain.
The Floating City of Ronk’al
As the primary home of the Paddlers, Ronk’al is the most populated location in the Floodplains. More than 40,000 Goblins, Froggoth and others call the floating city their home and rely on it for food and safety. Like all Paddler settlements, Ronk’al never stays in one place for long.
It employs the usually hostile Toadgre to use their strength to row the city around the waterways in search of bountiful sources of food to harvest or smaller, ill prepared settlements to raid.
Ronk’al is a lawless home where survival of the fittest is the guiding hand, from the waterlogged slums to the dry and decadent rulers. Food sources are decimated in days, as every able-bodied person descends on the nourishment and hoards as much as they can. If not for Chaac gifting the realm with rapidly growing aquatic veg and constantly spawning fish, the city would have harvested the land in its entirety long ago.
The Paddlers make up 90% of the population of Ronk’al. They are inherently selfish and equally untrusting of friend and stranger alike. The Paddlers have haphazardly built the city from driftwood, scraps and mud. Those at the peak of the vertical city have taken a likening to repurposing Sodden homes, dragging them high into the cities peak and disjointedly fixing them to the side. It is common for entire neighbourhoods to crash against a riverbank and splinter into debris or become disconnected and get left behind. All this has resulted in a very erratic, messy city that is has no clear visual style and is constantly at risk of falling apart.
Creating Drama if Ronk’al
When looking to raise the stakes in a moment of drama, making use of the fragility of the city could be perfect. If the party is in pursuit of someone, having the chunk of the city they’re on start to detach after crashing into the riverbed could increase the danger. If they’re trying to be stealthy, a clumsy Toadgre could cause a chain reaction of debris crumbling through the area. In a fight, having the floor fall out from beneath them could raise the threat for the party and enemies both.
The Uncaring Council
The ruling class of Ronk’al care little for the masses that live there. They are just as self-orientated as everyone else. It is only their equal desire for food that causes them to accidentally support the population by guiding the city to new food sources.
The Uncaring Council is made up of the heads of the 12 noble families of Ronk’al, however, in Ronk’al the 12 noble families literally means the 12 families that live highest up the city. This means the council changes often and drastically. Rivals will detach another families home, causing it to plummet to the waters or city below, or build precarious structures at the peak of the city that risk collapsing at any moment.
Many perks await those that land themselves a place on the council, however the two primary reasons someone would want to join are control over the Toadgre and the chance to vote on the destination of Ronk’al.
Roleplaying the Uncaring Council
Everytime the party meet them, 1d4 members should have changed.
- They disagree on nearly all major issues.
- Every council member is looking after themselves.
- There are no allies between members.
- It’s not uncommon to make open threats to other members and then carry them out.
- The council doesn’t really care about any issues outside of food.
- They would happily kill or remove the general population if they had the power.
- They aren’t smart enough to think of big scale or long-term plans.
Commerce (Or lack thereof)
It doesn’t take a new arrival long to realise that Ronk’al has no shops or trade. Food is hoarded and stored by individuals upon its finding so there is nothing left to sell. Everything else is stolen or taken. Nothing is permanent in the lawless city and that includes belongings. Those that find anything ‘shiny’ or valuable will be at constant threat of death or muggings as long as it’s on display.
When entering the city an individual needs to decide whether to embrace the chaos and join in the lawless lifestyle or to hide their valuables and scavenge what they can.
Getting services performed is an equally challenging task. Many rely on threats or empty promises to manipulate others into fixing their gear or crafting an item. Businesses such as blacksmiths and taverns simply don’t exist in Ronk’al as their resourced would be ravaged in an instant.
Prior Warning About Ronk’al
Before throwing your players into a location such as Ronk’al, it’s important to give them plenty of hints and warnings about what kind of place it is. If your players aren’t prepared, this city could become a negative experience for them. Try using NPCs to tell stories or share rumours about the city long before giving the players access to it.
Stilts
Stilts houses the largest community of Sodden in the Floodplains. Over 20,000 Sodden (and other civilised folk) call this city of raised buildings and hanging walkways home. Through collaboration and fair leadership, Stilts has managed to create a place where people can thrive together and ensure a reasonable standard of life for all.
The city employs fishermen, gatherers, hunters and farmers at handsome wages to provide the required stock needed to run many profitable, government approved eateries. A strong adventurer will never lack for work as the residents of Stilts seek resources from across the realm, while fearing to leave the security of the city themselves.
This reliance on willing labour for survival has resulted in extremely reasonable and reliable payment for an individuals work. The residents are very aware that a protest or fall in eager workers could prove disastrous for all living here and is not something they are willing to risk. Payment can come in the form of money, food or assets, depending on the requested service and workers needs.
The Trusted One
In Stilts, the government takes the form of ‘The Trusted One’ and their close personal advisors. This leader is voted upon based on the key traits of trustworthiness, selflessness and charisma. They must show that they can be trusted to continue the success of the cities trade-for-labor and have a temperament people want to work for. Votes do not happen often, only occurring when the current Trusted One steps down, perishes or their chosen advisors deem then unfit to lead.
Due to their importance to the continuous prosperity of Stilts, the Trusted One is a pillar of the community, spending much of their time meeting with the general population, making contracts with adventurers and engaging in community events.
Commodities of the Stilts
Many of the services you find in Stilts are supported by The Trusted One but there are also plenty of smaller, independent shops and services available.
Government run commodities found in Stilts are as follows:
- 4 Eateries for public use.
- 1 Blacksmith/Tanner for adventurers repairs.
- 1 Research facility.
- 2 Adventurer specific inns.
- 2 Public inns.
Locations of Importance
The Docks: While much of the Stilts sits above the river, there is a designated sector that functions as the cities docks. From here, workers and adventurers come and go, delivering resources or heading out for work. The docks are heavily guarded by volunteer warriors which keep the peace and aid new arrivals in finding where they need to be.
Market District: A portion of the city has been designated as the market district. Across the hundreds of stalls and shops people sell their hunted or crafted goods. Whether it be delicious street food, finely crafted jewellery, hidden treasures recovered from lost temples or fresh hides from slain aquatic monsters, you’re sure to find something to suit your needs. The market district of Stilts has become so famous that people from across the realm will make the journey in order to trade their goods or sell their wares.
While there are a small number of constant shops, most of the market is made up of tables stalls that are free to use as needed. This means every visit to the market district is unique and has the potential to reveal something exciting.
The Compendium: Within Stilts is a guild of excitable researchers and explorers that have come together to form The Compendium. Run from a large private museum, The Compendium tries to create a comprehensive database of the sunken temples, deadly beast and errant curses of the Floodplains.
By hiring adventures and mercenaries to protect their explorers, they venture into the most dangerous locations across the realm to make detailed notes on all the mysteries and threats they can find. Through regular dungeon-delving into the lost sunken temple ruins around the realm, they collect relics and treasure which they either save for research purposes or sell in the markets to fund future ventures.
Goth’fol
Goth’fol was once a floating Paddler city, equal in size and strength to Ronk’al. Now, the collapsed city lies as an enormous pile of rotted debris and the home to thousands of giant, undead insects.
Although records are incomplete and inconclusive, it’s generally accepted that Goth’fol fell due to traveling to close to a large nest of the undead insects that stalk the jungles of the Floodplains. As the city rowed past, the Scuttlers swarmed the city, tearing the population apart. In the panic the raft city crashed into the riverbank at full speed causing the entire thing to topple over and become the site of the largest mass death in the realms known history.
The Scuttlers
‘Scuttlers’ is the commonly used name used to refer to the large, undead insects of the Floodplains. Their origin is unknown, although it is generally accepted that they were not created by Chaac but rather spawned through some failed magics or a nefarious curse.
They come in many varieties, ranging from armoured beetles, to enormous rotting spiders. They are carnivorous, highly-aggressive and intelligent enough to lay traps and ambushes.
The Compendium have been researching the Scuttlers for some time, trying to discover their origins and identify any possible weaknesses. They have a incomplete archive of the known types in their possession and may have a lead on where they were first sited.
Modern Expeditions
Recent attempts to explore Goth’fol have been met by near complete failure. The collapsed city is a ruined dungeon of crushed buildings and insect tunnels. The bits of the city that can be accessed are teeming with Scuttlers. Of the near one hundred explorers and adventurers that have entered, only a 13 have ever escaped alive. And each failed expedition has resulted in a catastrophe upon the survivors return.
Fungal Fleas: The first expedition had 3 survivors that returned healthy, only to become overrun in thousands of tiny undead fleas. They spread extremely fast and killed their host, turning them into mindless, violent undead. These fleas spread quickly through out a village, resulting in the population being totally wiped out. The village has since been cleared and repopulated by Sodden.
The Beast-Keeper: Upon their return, the 8 survivors of the second expedition began to disappear one by one. This was the result of the unknown organism referred to as the Beast-Keeper. Its origins and current location are completely unknown but it first appeared after it followed the retreating explorers to the surface and took a liking for the freedom of the realm. Now, when people begin to disappear under strange circumstances, there is always an uneasy fear that it could be the work of the Beast-Keeper.
The False Hydra: The False Hydra is more of a myth than a confirm entity. When a single survivor escaped the third expedition, he had hazy memories and gaps in his recollections of the adventure. There were sketches of him with dozens of people he didn’t recognise and enough gear at camp for many more people than just him. Yet he could only remember making the journey alone. Upon returning to society, he located the apparent relatives of those in the drawings however they too had no idea who was in the picture. This is the terrifying power of the False Hydra. Those it eats are removed from the memories of all who knew them.
Free Locations
Alongside these three main locations, there are many smaller settlements that you are free to use as needed. You can populate these villages and towns with friends or foes in order to craft the story you want.
As it stands, the current territories have the following additional free locations:
| Territory | Local & Amount |
|---|---|
| Sodden | City / 1 |
| Sodden | Town / 3 |
| Sodden | Village / 4 |
| Paddler | Town / 1 |
| Paddler | Village / 2 |
Realm Gateways
As a central square in the board, the Floodplains has four gateways to other realms. Currently, three of those are open.
Northern Gateway: Unknown
The way is shut.
Eastern Gateway: BloodFlow
Within the centre of the Floodplains is a inconceivably large whirlpool that drains the rainwaters away, preventing the realm from drowning centuries ago. A little know fact though, is that the rainwater from this whirlpool filter directly into Bloodflow. Without preparation however, the majority of people drown when sucked in. This is one of the few gateways within the realms that is one-way.
Southern Gateway: Machi Vasilikós
Beneath the waters of one of the thousands of rivers of the Floodplains you’ll find a marble archway, blocked by a mirror. If you swim to the mirror and place your hand upon its surface, the water will drain from around you and you’ll find yourself stood in the battlegrounds of Machi Vasilikós.
Western Gateway: Frostwoods
Within one of the flooded jungles you may come across a frozen over puddle. When stood upon, the ice will crack and you’ll be submerged into freezing waters but when you swim to the surface, you’ll find yourself in the Frostwoods.
Adventure Hooks
There is plenty of adventure to be had in the Floodplains, whether you’re just passing through or basing your campaign here. Here are a few adventure ideas to inspire you or get you started.
An Honest Job
The Compendium are looking for a team of capable adventures to explore some of the local sunken temples in search of answers to the realms mysteries. With a fair monthly wage and a bonus for treasure found, who could say no?
Slay the Swarm
There’s been a sudden surge in Scuttler activity in the realm. Something has been stirring them up and making them even more agitated than before. Find the cause and slay as many insects as you can while you’re at it.
Ronk’al’s Revenge
After a failed terrorist plan in Ronk’al, the Uncaring Council is on the war path. Will you help save Stilts from the Paddler’s wrath or aid Ronk’al in its siege?
Expedition 4
The lessons of the past have been ignored and a forth expedition is being planned into the hellish fallen city of Goth’fol. As hired guards you must do everything you can keep the explorers and scientists safe, or convince them to abandon this foolishness before they release a fourth catastrophe.
Treasure Hunters
Why should the Compendium have all the fun? There’s enough sunken temples and submerged ruins for all of you! Delve deep into the dangerous ruins of the fallen civilisations of history to find incredible loot and unravel the mysteries of the past.
Rescue Mission
A highly respected hero was sucked into the whirling abyss of the Bloodflow gateway. After months of mourning, you hear whispers that he survived and is trapped in Bloodflow. Time to put to together a rescue mission that will take you across the many realms of Veneon.
Final Notes
The Floodplain is the second realm of Veneon to get a full write up. This one has less important locations to make note of, as exploration plays a bigger part of the stories that are told here. That’s not to say you can’t develop your own cities and towns here and make them big aspects of your campaign! Thanks for giving this article a read, I hope you found some inspiration or at least had fun reading it! If you want to hear more about Veneon or the Floodplains specifically you can find me in our community discord, or join one of the Twitch streams where we develop this content!
Thank you for reading and may your next session be filled with glory!
Veneon Reforged 
Leave a comment