In the massive megadungeon of The Halls of Arden Vul, the Dawn Striders are an adventuring company that serves as a potential faction for players to interact with, join, or use as a narrative springboard.
Unlike the ancient, monstrous, or undead factions that live permanently within the halls, the Dawn Striders are a contemporary group of explorers and "fixers" operating in the region.
Role and Identity
The Organization: They are depicted as an established adventuring guild or company. In many campaigns, they serve as a "home base" or sponsoring organization for the player characters.
Leadership: A key figure associated with the group is Rudigar Red-Nail, a veteran who often acts as a mentor or quest-giver (appearing in Volume 4 of the setting materials).
Local Presence: They maintain a presence in the nearby town of Gosterwick. Their primary local contact is often Astableon the Scribe, a librarian/bookstore owner who uses the code phrase, "The pen marks a deeper truth," to identify fellow members.
Primary Objectives The Dawn Striders generally focus on:
Exploration & Mapping: Systematically cataloging the various levels of the Halls.
Containing Threats: They are particularly concerned with the "hopper" (Heqeti) threat and the malevolent influence of the Ziggurat.
Intelligence Gathering: They collect rumors, historical dossiers, and tactical information to ensure their agents don't go into the dungeon blind.
Narrative Function For a GM (Referee), the Dawn Striders are a "Lawful" or "Good-aligned" anchor in a very hostile environment. They provide:
A "Safety Net": A source of rumors and basic supplies.
Replacement PCs: When a character dies, a new one can easily be introduced as a "Dawn Strider reinforcement" sent from Gosterwick.
Direction: They provide hooks to specific locations, like the Tower of Madness or the Ziggurat, which helps players navigate the overwhelming scale of the megadungeon.
The Dawn Striders do not have a massive, fortified guildhall in Gosterwick. Instead, they operate with a focus on secrecy and intelligence.
Primary Contact & Base: Their local agent is Astableon the Scribe, who owns and operates a bookstore in Gosterwick. He serves as the party's handler and primary source of information.
The Code Phrase: To identify themselves as Dawn Striders (or allies), members must use the phrase: "The pen marks a deeper truth."
Services Provided: From this bookstore, Astableon provides "dossiers" of rumors, historical context, and tactical information about the halls. He is the link to the broader organization's resources, often acting as the gatekeeper for missions related to the "Hopper" (Heqeti) threat.
Relationship with the Archonteans The relationship between the Dawn Striders and the Archontean Empire (and its local representatives) is complex and defined by the "Lawful" alignment of both groups, but with different priorities.
Shared Heritage: The Dawn Striders are largely an Archontean organization. They share the Empire’s interest in reclaiming the glory of the "Golden Age" of Arden Vul and preventing ancient evils (like the demon prince Kauket) from destabilizing the region.
Operational Secrecy: Despite their shared goals, the Dawn Striders often work in the shadows and away from the direct oversight of the Drome (the Imperial government) or power-hungry Archontean lords. They believe that if the true extent of the secrets in Arden Vul leaked to certain Imperial factions, it would trigger a reckless and dangerous power struggle.
The Green Lady (Alexia Basileon): The Dawn Striders generally coexist peacefully with the local Archontean authority in Gosterwick, led by the "Green Lady." However, their mission to "Cleanse the Ziggurat" is often treated as a clandestine operation to avoid drawing the attention of rival Imperial agents who might want to exploit the Ziggurat's power for themselves.
Relationship with Other Factions The Heqeti (Hoppers): The Striders are sworn enemies of the Heqeti. They view the frog-men’s attempts to summon dark entities as the primary existential threat in the region.
The Halfling Goons/Local Thieves: While the Striders are focused on high-stakes "save the world" missions, they often have to navigate the more mundane criminal elements of Gosterwick, like the halfling "tax collectors" who demand fees from anyone entering the dungeon.
In summary, while the Archonteans provide the historical and cultural framework of the setting, the Dawn Striders provide the active "mission control" for players who want a clear objective in an otherwise sandbox-style megadungeon.
