The First Bell
The party wakes in the Culling Grounds with no memory of capture. They must survive the opening trial to learn anything about where they are or who took them.
Campaign Overview
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The party awakens in the Culling Grounds, a vast walled arena where captives are forced to fight waves of creatures for the amusement of unseen patrons. Act I covers their survival of the opening trials, the discovery that the arena's 'Gamekeeper' is merely a servant of a far greater power, and their first escape attempt that reveals hints of the true mastermind: the Architect of the Games.
Player Handout
You wake on cold stone. A voice like grinding iron echoes: 'Welcome, Champions. Survive three bells. Entertain us, and you may yet leave.' A brass bell tolls in the distance. The gates around you begin to open.
Free Act I Preview
The Culling Games
A survival-arena campaign. Act I is a free preview covering the first three trials in the Culling Grounds, ending with the party's first glimpse of the Gamekeeper and a clue pointing toward the Architect.
Adventure Hooks
The Marked Collar
Each character wears an iron collar etched with a sigil. Removing it triggers searing pain (2d6 force damage). A captured 'technician' claims the Gamekeeper's tower holds the master control sigil.
Act Structure
Act I: The Culling Grounds
Recommended level: 3-4The party survives three trials in the arena, defeats (or drives off) the Gamekeeper, and discovers the first clues pointing to the Architect, the true master of the Games.
Objectives
- Survive Trial One: The Beast Run
- Clear Trial Two: The Flooded Vault and learn the collars are scrying foci
- Face the Gamekeeper in Trial Three and secure a path out of the arena
Scene 1: Awakening on the Killing Floor
You wake on cold flagstones, iron collars snug at your throats. A voice like grinding iron fills the air: 'Welcome, Champions. Survive three bells. Entertain us, and you may yet leave.' A brass bell tolls. Gates begin to grind open.
Introduce the collars, the Voice, and the arena. Give the party 10 minutes of exploration time before Trial One begins. The Spectator's Token can be found in a supply cache here if searched (DC 12 Investigation).
Checks
- DC 12 Investigation to find the supply cache
- DC 13 Arcana to sense faint divination magic in the collars
Clues
- The collars bear the Architect's sigil
- Scratch marks near the gates read: 'THE GAMES ARE A HARVEST'
Transitions
- When the second bell tolls, Trial One begins immediately.
Scene 2: The Flooded Vault
The vault door yawns open onto black water. Somewhere below, something clicks and clatters, like a thousand dice made of bone.
Run the Flooded Vault encounter. Emphasize the rising water and the scrying sigil on the dais. This scene delivers the first hint that the Architect watches everything.
Checks
- DC 13 Investigation to open the portcullis early
- DC 12 Arcana to identify the scrying sigil
Clues
- The Architect's sigil matches the collars
- The vault was a previous trial; older champions' gear litters the floor
Transitions
- After the vault, the Voice announces the final bell: the Gamekeeper's Hunt.
Scene 3: The Gamekeeper's Hunt
The third bell tolls, and the lanterns dim to embers. Through the great gate strides a horned giant of a man, whip dragging sparks across the stone. 'You have entertained us well. Now entertain me.'
Run the Gamekeeper's Hunt as the Act I climax. Whether defeated or forced to retreat, the Gamekeeper leaves behind the iron key and the torn letter. End the session with the party standing before the open service tunnels, the Architect's name on their lips.
Checks
- DC 13 Stealth to hide in the alcoves
- DC 15 Insight to notice the Gamekeeper glancing fearfully at the sky when the Architect is mentioned
Clues
- The torn letter: 'The Architect's next collection requires ten worthy champions. Do not fail again.'
- The service tunnels lead out of the arena
Transitions
- Act II (subscriber content): the party escapes into the service tunnels and begins hunting the Architect.
Milestone: Reaching level 4 after surviving Trial Two; Act I ends after the Gamekeeper's Hunt.
Villain Character Sheets
Vaskar, the Gamekeeper
Pending
Generating character sheet.
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Vaskar, the Gamekeeper
Motivation
Vaskar runs the Culling Games on behalf of the Architect, culling captives to find 'worthy' champions. He craves his master's approval and fears being culled himself.
Personality
Cruel, theatrical, and sycophantic toward the unseen Architect. Speaks of the trials as performances.
Resources
- Barbed whip
- Three hunting hounds
- Control of the arena's gates, hazards, and bells
Battle Plan
Opens with whip pulls to isolate targets, hounds swarm, Reaping Sweep against clustered foes, retreats below half HP through a hidden gate.
Defeat or Redemption
Defeat: he retreats, leaving the service tunnels open. Interrogation: reveals the Architect collects champions from a hundred arenas and that 'the Games are a harvest.'
Running Notes
Recommended party: 4-5 players, balanced party with at least one healer
Session Zero
Discuss the survival-horror tone, character capture backstories (how each was taken), and comfort levels with body horror and desperation themes. Confirm the party has a shared reason to stick together.
Scaling Guidance
For 3 players, reduce each encounter by one creature. For 6 players, add one creature per encounter and raise the Gamekeeper's hounds to 4.
DM Advice
Keep the Voice of the Arena as a recurring narrator between scenes. Toll bells on a timer to maintain pressure. Save the Architect's true nature for Act II and beyond; Act I should only hint.
Secrets & Clues
- The collars are scrying foci; the Architect watches every trial
- The Games harvest 'worthy' champions from a hundred arenas for an unknown purpose
- The Gamekeeper fears the Architect and can be turned with the right leverage
- A disguised spectator in the stands is a potential ally (Act II hook)
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Villain Character Sheets
Vaskar, the Gamekeeper
Pending
Generating character sheet.
Premium Campaign Feature
Free campaign generations include one villain sheet. Additional villain, NPC, and player-facing module character sheets are available in premium campaigns.
Subscribe NowMonsters & Enemies
Premium Campaign Feature
Free campaign encounters use official monster sheets, plus the campaign villain character when referenced. They do not include generated custom monster sheets. Subscribe to create custom campaign monsters and enemy stat blocks.
Subscribe NowVillain Plans
Vaskar, the Gamekeeper
Motivation
Vaskar runs the Culling Games on behalf of the Architect, culling captives to find 'worthy' champions. He craves his master's approval and fears being culled himself.
Personality
Cruel, theatrical, and sycophantic toward the unseen Architect. Speaks of the trials as performances.
Resources
- Barbed whip
- Three hunting hounds
- Control of the arena's gates, hazards, and bells
Battle Plan
Opens with whip pulls to isolate targets, hounds swarm, Reaping Sweep against clustered foes, retreats below half HP through a hidden gate.
Defeat or Redemption
Defeat: he retreats, leaving the service tunnels open. Interrogation: reveals the Architect collects champions from a hundred arenas and that 'the Games are a harvest.'
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Encounters
Trial One: The Beast Run
Encounter Builder
Moderate
Suggested Level: 3-4
Gates open and starved beasts flood the killing floor. The party must survive three rounds until the second bell.
Creatures
Terrain Features
Open killing floor with scattered rubble (difficult terrain) and two raised stone platforms reachable by DC 12 Athletics checks
Treasure
A supply cache with 2 Potions of Healing and 50 gp in scattered coins
DM Notes
Wolves arrive round 1, bears round 2. Beasts are starved and fight to the death.
Trial Two: The Flooded Vault
Encounter Builder
High
Suggested Level: 3-4
A half-submerged vault crawls with undead stirred by the arena's necrotic drain. Rising water forces movement every other round.
Creatures
Terrain Features
Waist-deep water (difficult terrain), a central dais above water, and portcullis gates that open on a DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check
Treasure
Potion of Healing and a silvered dagger in a drowned chest
DM Notes
Water rises 1 foot every 2 rounds; at 4 feet, non-swimmers are at risk.
Trial Three: The Gamekeeper's Hunt
Encounter pending
Difficulty pending
Suggested Level: 4-5
The Gamekeeper himself enters the arena with his hounds to personally cull the survivors. Defeating or driving him off ends Act I.
Creatures
Encounter enemies are still being generated.
Terrain Features
The killing floor at night, lit by floating lanterns that reveal hidden alcoves (Stealth DC 13 to hide)
Treasure
Gamekeeper's iron key (opens the arena's service tunnels) and a torn letter hinting at 'the Architect's next collection'
DM Notes
If the Gamekeeper drops below half HP, he retreats via a hidden gate, taunting the party about the Architect.
Magic Items
Collar of the Champion
Completed
Collar of the Champion
uncommon
Iron collar (cursed). While worn, the wearer gains 2 temporary hit points at the start of each combat, but removing it deals 2d6 force damage. The sigil allows the wearer to hear the Voice of the Arena's announcements.
Location
Worn by each character at the start
Attunement
false
Gamekeeper's Barbed Whip
Completed
Gamekeeper's Barbed Whip
rare
Weapon (whip), rare (requires attunement). +1 to attack and damage rolls. On a hit, the target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be pulled up to 10 feet toward the wielder.
Location
Dropped by the Gamekeeper if defeated in Trial Three
Attunement
true
Spectator's Token
Completed
Spectator's Token
uncommon
Wondrous item, uncommon. Once per day, the bearer can press the token to their collar to ask the Voice of the Arena one yes/no question, which answers truthfully in a whisper.
Location
Hidden in the supply vault cache in Trial One
Attunement
false
Player Characters
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