New Coventry. A town located somewhere between over there and around about here. A town full of people, places and stories. Depending on who you talk to New Coventry was built on everything from fertile farming land to an ancient burial ground and was founded by pious pilgrims or lizard-headed demons. Whatever the case, New Coventry has had its share of good times and bad and it sure has a lot of stories to go around.

The Living Campaign series aims to bring those stories, good and bad, to the fore. Each article will explore a new place, or a new person, or some new event that’s taken place in New Coventry. It may be something good, something not so good or just something that the good folks of New Coventry just don’t like talking about.

The setting is rules agnostic, so feel free to pick and choose whatever you like, but the general feel is 1920’s small town; don’t expect too many dragons (maybe). If you’re running short on inspiration, every so often the Living Campaign will talk about how to use its various bits and pieces.

So with that, welcome to New Coventry stranger.

Living Campaign: Campaign Adventures

This week, we won’t be delving into the town of New Coventry and looking at a new, exciting place to explore. Rather, we’ll take a step back and look at how you might integrate the living campaign setting into your own game. We’ll give be giving you a handful of adventure hooks for each piece published so far. Some will be relatively low-risk, while others might threaten the whole town!

 

Salt Lick Farm

Low Risk

Animals flock to Salt Lick Farm, this is genuine bonafide New Coventry fact. Lately however, it looks like less and less of them have been flocking to the farm. And what few do seem to be dying in the night. No sign of blood or anything, just a patch of land getting stacked higher and higher with bodies. Yippee.

Medium Risk

Every so often Officer Delaney has to head on over to Salt Lick Farm to clear out any vagrants who might have taken up residence in the abandoned buildings on the land. An easy, but annoying job that cause Officer Delany no end of grumbling. This time however he seems to have come back with barely a furrowed brow on his face. In fact Officer Delany seems to not being doing much of anything since he last went to Salt Lick Farm, other than running off into the woods in the middle of the night. I’m sure it’s nothing.

High Risk

Crthnik-Dul, The Goat Headed has woken. A horrific amalgamation of animals, he now prowls in the caves beneath Salt Lick Farm and calls through the night to the animals around New Coventry. There is no doubt that should he manage to attain full power, his terrifying, bloody form would tear Salt Lick Farm asunder; followed by New Coventry.

 

McGregor’s Boat Shed

Low Risk

The Lake Coventry Summer Race Bonanza is a highlight in the mid-year calendar as boats of all kinds take to the lake to thrash it out for the grand prize. A year of free pie at Johnson’s Eatery. Samuel Granwhiche’s boat, this year at least, is the clear front runner, having already demolished the first two rounds. Maybe his success has something to do with the ‘tune up’ he gives his boat after every round in McGregor’s boat shed?

Medium Risk

The past always comes back to haunt you. At least that’s what they say. With a little wooden dingy roaming the lake complete with headless wife and child, it would seem that phrase can sometimes be literal. New Coventry normally wouldn’t worry about a good haunting, but when its accompanied by a spate of drownings, now that’s a different story.

High Risk

Excerpt of Interview with James Pateman on Coventry Shortwave:

“Now, I can’t rightly claim to know what those boys is doing up there, but it can be good y’hear me? I told em’, told em’ right then and there. Don’t go messing with that shed I says. And they don’t listen and they just goes knocking it down anyway. Digging up all that old dirt, all them critters, all that blood. It aint right, puttin’ that all out in the air. Now them boys, well, lets just say that death’d be kinder.”

 

Mr. Mackerton’s Magical Menagerie

Low Risk

Not everything on the shelves at Mr. Mackerton’s is 100% safe. This is especially true of some of the items that he keeps in the store’s cabinets. Perhaps one of your players shouldn’t have picked up the body swapping amulet?

Medium Risk

Economically, Mr. Mackerton doesn’t have any real competition. Magical menageries are hardly a dime a dozen in New Coventry. He does however have competition of a very different kind. The Travelling Wizard Mr. Profundo has arrived in town, seeking to delight local children and adults alike. Mr. Mackerton however does not seem pleased and seems to know a little more about this Mr. Profundo than he’s letting on. After Mr. Profundo is seen heading up to Salt Lick Farm, maybe it’s time to pay Mr. Mackerton a visit.

High Risk

Mr. Mackerton prides himself on stocking the very latest in magical wonders. Latest in his acquisitions is a box of Canarian dream amulets. Best case scenario, they provide the wearer with a respite from nightmares and soothing, calming dreams. Unfortunately, some Canarain dream amulets are cursed and can catapult the wearer psychically into The Dreamlands with little to no way to return. Having stumbled upon a comatose looking Mr. Mackerton, perhaps the players are up for a trip into their own heads?

___________________________________________________________________

Here are just a few ways to incorporate the weird and seemingly innocent New Coventry locations we have discovered so far. If you haven’t yet, why not wander the rest of New Coventry and check out these other previously discovered places and people!

Introduction and Johnson’s Eatery                                        Anna Ripley

The Coventry Conversation                                                     Coventry Conversation Microfilm Archive

New Hope Housing                                                                   Cornelius Weatherhorn

Salt Lick Farm                                                                            McGregor’s Boat Shed

Mr. Mackerton’s Magical Menagerie                                    Campaign Adventures Part 1