Welcome to Rybalka – The Red Tree GM Guide – Session 1

🧭 Welcome to Rybalka – Session 1

The Red Tree GM Guide

Welcome to Rybalka! This introductory session immerses player characters in the isolated village of Rybalka, setting the tone for the emotional and social dynamics that define The Red Tree of Grudges campaign.

If you’re just joining us, begin by reviewing the Introduction to the Red Tree GM Guide and Session 0 – Character Creation & Regional Origins.

📋 Session Prep – Welcome to Rybalka

Before running Welcome to Rybalka, please review:

• 📖 Setting 1 – Rybalka (village culture and dynamics)
• 📖 Wilderness 1 – Arctic Survival Basics (environmental and travel challenges)
• 📖 Faction 1 – The Leonid Family (key NPC relationships: Igor, Kristiane, Anastasia)
• 📌 Rybalka page on AAWGames.com

Optional but Recommended:

• 📖 Setting 2 – Rybalkan Superstitions (enriches spiritual lore)
• 📕 Rise of the Drow: Collector’s Edition (additional Rybalka context)
• 📖 DnD 2024 Free Rules (external resource)

🏔️ Session Overview – Welcome to Rybalka

This introductory session, “Welcome to Rybalka,” introduces players to Mayor Igor Leonid, wary villagers, and underlying tensions that will drive the campaign.

Tone: Calm on the surface but filled with subtle tension and suspicion beneath.

🧊 Key Information for Game Masters

Rybalka: A remote Klavekian village inhabited by Klavekian settlers and Vikmordere locals, characterized by hardship, cautious cooperation, and suspicion of outsiders.

Mayor Igor Leonid: A respected but secretive leader burdened by hidden worries. Igor secretly manages the illegal Dark Redwood Distillery and must soon inform his daughter Anastasia of her mother Kristiane’s death.

Anastasia and Inspector Dragana Kostareva have not yet arrived in Rybalka; their imminent arrival increases Igor’s urgency.

🚪 Arrival in Rybalka

Characters arrive at Rybalka either overland through arctic terrain or by ship crossing Serpent Lake. As they approach Rybalka:

• The cold is harsh and unforgiving.
• Totem poles line village outskirts; many are cracked, weathered, or spiritually weakened.
• Locals observe newcomers warily, avoiding initial interaction.

Flavor Text: “Rybalka greets you with cold suspicion. Wooden houses huddle against the wind. Villagers pause their tasks briefly to study you—then quickly return to work, expressions unreadable beneath heavy scarves.”

🧙‍♂️ Meeting Mayor Igor Leonid

Mayor Igor Leonid greets the characters early, possibly casually at The Thirsty Serpent Tavern. He appears stern yet welcoming, though perceptive characters notice subtle signs of strain.

Igor invites players to socialize—offering ale or participating in traditional axe throwing—while subtly assessing their reliability and trustworthiness. He does not immediately reveal his concerns.

GM Tip: Igor is gauging the characters, testing their discretion and capability, before trusting them with a delicate task involving his hidden operations.

📋 Sidebar: Quick Reference – Mayor Igor Leonid

• 📍 Role: Mayor of Rybalka
• 🧠 Secret: Secretly operates the illegal Dark Redwood Distillery
• 💔 Personal Stress: Must inform Anastasia about Kristiane’s death upon her return
• 🎯 Current Goal: Vet trustworthy individuals for sensitive tasks discreetly

🍺 Village Exploration and Roleplaying in Rybalka

Players freely explore Rybalka and interact with locals:

• Merchants and traders offering local goods and regional gossip.
• Residents of mixed Klavekian and Vikmordere ancestry, cautious toward outsiders.
• Villagers subtly hint at Igor’s secretive behavior and worries tied to recent troubles involving the Dark Redwood Distillery.

Encourage nuanced, immersive roleplaying rather than immediate conflict.

📌 Sidebar: Player Character Integration in Rybalka

Help players understand their characters’ standing within Rybalka’s dynamics:

• Vikmordere: Deeply familiar with Rybalka’s customs and tensions.
• Klavekian: Recent arrivals, viewed cautiously until proven trustworthy.
• Elves: Rare, often met with suspicion; advised to conceal pointed ears.
• Tieflings: Face cautious acceptance or suspicion depending on reputation.
• Dragonborn: Virtually unknown; initially viewed as monstrous until proven otherwise.
• Orcs: Common enough to be accepted, provided they avoid trouble.

📌 Sidebar: Narrative Hooks for Player Characters

Optional hooks to integrate characters into Rybalka’s story:

• Ancestral Burden: Character’s family wronged Igor Leonid, leaving a lingering grudge.
• Debt to Leonid Family: Character owes a significant favor to Igor.
• Ties to Dark Redwood Distillery: Past work, smuggling involvement, or conflict over Var’Vodakin trade.
• Guardian of Lore: Spiritual leader or scholar interested in rediscovering region’s spiritual traditions.

🗝️ Ending Session 1 – Welcome to Rybalka

After social interactions, Igor discreetly invites characters privately:

“Rybalka faces challenges that require discretion and capable outsiders like yourselves. Meet with me privately, and I’ll explain further.”

This sets up Session 2: Trouble at the Distillery.

🎯 Session 1 Goals – Welcome to Rybalka (Recap)

By session end, players should have:

• ✅ Met Mayor Igor Leonid
• ✅ Understood Rybalka’s social dynamics, suspicion, and racial tensions
• ✅ Hinted at Igor’s concerns involving the distillery and family tensions
• ✅ Received Igor’s discreet invitation for the campaign’s first mission

📚 GM Reading Checklist – Welcome to Rybalka (Recap)

Review these before running “Welcome to Rybalka”:

• 📖 Setting 1 – Rybalka
• 📖 Wilderness 1 – Arctic Survival Basics
• 📖 Faction 1 – The Leonid Family
• 📖 Setting 2 – Rybalkan Superstitions (Optional)
• 📕 Rise of the Drow: Collector’s Edition (Optional)

👉 Continue the adventure: Session 2 – Trouble at the Distillery