The Dead Keep Dev Diary #1: Life in The Dead Keep
1. What is the setting of The Dead Keep?
The Dead Keep is a remote island set in a fantasy world. It earned its name ages ago, when explorers ventured past the magical mist shrouding it to discover its maze-like ruins haunted by undead and monsters. No one knows about the rise and fall of this
civilization, but rumors about fantastic treasures and ways to gain immortality soon arose from the lucky few who came back from the journey. Then, during the following centuries, numerous expeditions tried their luck on the Dead Keep. Most of them were never heard from again, except for a few survivors coming back mauled, insane, or both.
Things have changed recently: the Patron, a wealthy man whose identity, funding, and real motives are kept secret, gathered an armada heading to the Dead Keep. The Patron welcomes anyone willing to join, as long as they follow two simple rules: obey
the Patron and give him any magical item they manage to find in the Dead Keep. In return, the Patron provides the party with shelter, food, and even gold for their findings.
Needless to say, the offer attracted a ragtag army of adventurers to the Patron, and ships keep on sailing to the Dead Keep on a regular basis. Many lost their lives in the dark, mist-filled corridors already, but a few successful parties came back with wonderful treasures and breath-taking stories.
In this game, players are adventurers, gathered as a party to explore the Dead Keep. Will they conquer it and unveil its secrets?
2. Who are the important characters?
Apart from the player characters, the Dead Keep’s VIP is the Patron. No one knows who he is and where his gold comes from. At first glance, the Patron looks like a rough but fair merchant, offering anything to his crew as long as his demands are met. However, his secrecy and deep knowledge about magic earned him some suspicion. Mundane affairs like gold, life, and death, do not matter for him. He’s all about the magical artifacts people can bring him back from the Dead Keep.
3. Are there any important locations?
The Dead Keep’s story revolves around three locations: 1- The fleet. Ships come and go as more and more adventurers are attracted to the Dead Keep and the Patron’s offering. Anyone coming back with magical items will be rewarded with food, shelter, and gold. No question asked, no discussion about the price, and no mercy for those coming back empty-handed. The Patron himself never
leaves his own ship.
2- The shores. Base camps have flourished all around the Dead Keep’s shores, hosting many adventurer parties as they prepare for their next expedition. There is no law per se, theft and murder can happen if someone is not strong enough to defend themselves, especially upon coming back from a raid, tired and wounded. However, those stupid enough to be caught stealing or worse are severely punished by other adventurers. The Patron is all about business, and keeping the business running is the ultimate law.
3- The ruins. This is where real adventure lies. Adventurers launch raids in the ruins, looking mostly for artifacts to bring back, but also for glory and secrets. What is the Dead Keep’s story? Where do those undeads and monsters come from? Does immortality awaits those daring to seize it? As the quests go on, players will venture deeper into the Dead Keep, facing greater challenges and reaping greater rewards.
4. What are the keystones elements of the narrative?
The Dead Keep’s narrative starts with simple dungeon crawling. The player characters are on a remote island, far away from civilization and its constraining laws. The initial thrill is answering the adventure’s call with friends, fighting monsters, and earning
loot.
As the story unfolds, the party goes deeper and deeper in the Dead Keep, and the initial thrill is replaced with dread. The magical mist hides grim secrets, and dark discoveries lead to even darker questions about the island’s story and the Patron’s motives.
In the end, impersonating their heroes, players make harsh decisions about the balance between freedom and security. Their decisions impact not only their own destiny, but the entire expedition and the Dead Keep as well. Available for pre-order now at https://cmon.co/dead-keep
2- The shores. Base camps have flourished all around the Dead Keep’s shores, hosting many adventurer parties as they prepare for their next expedition. There is no law per se, theft and murder can happen if someone is not strong enough to defend themselves, especially upon coming back from a raid, tired and wounded. However, those stupid enough to be caught stealing or worse are severely punished by other adventurers. The Patron is all about business, and keeping the business running is the ultimate law.
3- The ruins. This is where real adventure lies. Adventurers launch raids in the ruins, looking mostly for artifacts to bring back, but also for glory and secrets. What is the Dead Keep’s story? Where do those undeads and monsters come from? Does immortality awaits those daring to seize it? As the quests go on, players will venture deeper into the Dead Keep, facing greater challenges and reaping greater rewards.
4. What are the keystones elements of the narrative?
The Dead Keep’s narrative starts with simple dungeon crawling. The player characters are on a remote island, far away from civilization and its constraining laws. The initial thrill is answering the adventure’s call with friends, fighting monsters, and earning
loot.
As the story unfolds, the party goes deeper and deeper in the Dead Keep, and the initial thrill is replaced with dread. The magical mist hides grim secrets, and dark discoveries lead to even darker questions about the island’s story and the Patron’s motives.
In the end, impersonating their heroes, players make harsh decisions about the balance between freedom and security. Their decisions impact not only their own destiny, but the entire expedition and the Dead Keep as well. Available for pre-order now at https://cmon.co/dead-keep
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