Nestled between desolate, windswept hills the village of Macrimei is home to a hard people. Dung fires warm their homes built from the ruins of an ancient buried city whose remnants can be seen in the tumbled stones scattered about and the massive red-hued obelisk looming over the settlement. The Red Obelisk, said to be home to Macrimei’s god, has attracted the attentions of a band of raiders led by an evil wizard, who dwells in a mysterious black tower and seeks to uncover the ruin’s buried secrets. Now, Macrimei’s villagers live in sullen fear as the raiders capture people from the surrounding area to dig a deep pit to intersect with the ruins below.

A Village Backdrop by John Bennett.

Designer’s Note

Macrimei pays homage to classic swords and sorcery fantasy which sometimes included elements of science fiction. The nature of the ruins below Macrimei and its contents have intentionally been left vague for you to develop as you see fit. The ancient civilisation works as either one steeped in high magic or advanced technology. Anazturex, instead of an android, could be an ancient human survivor of that civilisation whose powers can easily be reflavoured as belonging to an extinct, but powerful, type of protohuman. Feel free to include bits of pieces of technology as you see fit. 

About Village Backdrops

Village Backdrops are short, richly detailed supplements that each present a single village ready to insert into almost any home campaign. Perfect for use as a waystop on the road to adventure, as an adventure site themselves or as a PC’s home, Village Backdrop present the details so the busy GM can focus on crafting exciting, compelling adventures.