After brief introductions, I will figure out where each character is: either from Clearwater's Gate or going to Clearwater's Gate. The point will be to have them either meet on the road or, as needed, be asked to meet "incoming folks from afar."
They will spend the night about 10 miles to the South of the town at a lake. The lake is not huge, but it's several hundred feet to the other side and surrounded by coniferous trees. The road runs by it to the East, but is about 100 yds. out, and a campsite by the lake is a little trek through the trees/ not a tended trail. There is a tall tower reaching into the sky to the West, almost like a spire. Several miles away and towards the mountain range. Across the lake to the West are stone ruins. Not buildings, per se, but like a crumbled wall, or what's left of one.
At 3rd watch (somewhere in the 1-3am timeframe), whoever is on watch has a DC 15 Perception check to notice flashes of light across the lake (DC 25 to realize it is from where the ruined wall is). Within a round of the flashes (7 total; DC 12 Wisdom to get accurate count, otherwise, not notice number), a DC 10 Perception will notice the sound of splashing, almost as if something is running across a puddle.
Encounter 2 rds after splashing noise begins: 3 Plague Wolves - CR 2, NE Medium Undead, Init +2, Senses: Darkvision 60', scent, Perc. +9; AC 14, T 12, FF 12 (+2 Dex, +2 Natural); HP 18 (4d8); F +1, R +3, W +6; Defensive Capabilities: channel resistance +2, Immune: undead traits; Speed 50', Bite +7 (1d6+4 plus disease plus trip); Special Attacks: Disease (Ghould Fever: Bite - Injury, save Fort DC 12; onset 1 day; frequency 1 day; effect 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex damage, cure 2 consecutive saves; DC is Charisma based; if death by Ghoul Fever, rise as ghoul the next midnight or ghast if over 4 HD); Str 17, Dex 15, Con - , Int 6, Wis 14, Cha 10; Base Atk +3, CMB +6, CMD 18 (22 vs. trip); Feats: Skill Focus (Perception), Weapon Focus (Bite); Skills: Perc +9, Stealth +6, Survival +2 (+6 when tracking by scent), Swim +5.
If in multiple camps, split the wolves. DC 15 Wisdom check for 3rd watch folks to realize only 6 of 7 flashes means 4 wolves might be left?
If examine the crumbled wall, notice following rune/ pictograph on study:
DC 22 Arcane to know it is a specific summoning rune. If left, can be used to summon more creatures.
DC 28 Planes/ 32 Religion/Arcane to know it is rune to summon daemons or minions of daemons.
DC 33 Planes to know it is used by Archdaemons to summon lesser daemons.
Can be easily destroyed with bludgeoning weapon or destruction of surface of wall where located.
Trip to town next day is uneventful.
Things in town:
- Sunrise Inn - place to stay
- Blacksmith
- Tanner
- Mercantile
- Waterwheel on river for grinding grain and such
- Small church to Sarenrae
- Town green
Town in middle of preparing the green for a Harvest Feast and Festival. Party likely to split up at this point as Kyler's character will head to church to talk with priest, per directions.
Those not going to church should meet town leader, who also runs the Sunrise Inn. As they talk, the tax collector and 2 bodyguards arrive from Korvosa. Difficult discussion as tax collector is by the book, unforgiving, and relentless in wanting the locally collected taxes now.
The visit to the church will also be frustrating as the local priest (NPC Adept 2, not a cleric) has no idea who Kyler's character is speaking of finding. Shows the small church, and he takes care of 5 orphaned children (locals or left at church door "over the years"), all being 13 years old or younger. The youngest are in the choir, 2 oldest are down in pews standing by priest to run errands at his behest.
After exploring and meetings (town mercantile has a limited supply of 4 magic items of 200gp in value or less, so 3 potions and a scroll with 2 0-level and 1 1-level spell), that evening is the Harvest Feast and Festival, and games, food, drink, a ministral, and a wandering Varisian fortune-teller (Adept 5) are for everyone and should create ambience and friends for the PCs.
After sunset, when the village children are being taken home and some adults are getting deeper into their cups and talking local gossip and culture (the tax collector and guards are at the party and the tax collector is lording over due to his knowing his own power over these folks), a scream is heard from the church and a DC 18 Perception sees 3 shadowy shapes scrabbling at the church door/ breaking through in 1 round.
Encounter: 3 Plague Wolves - CR 2, NE Medium Undead, Init +2, Senses: Darkvision 60', scent, Perc. +9; AC 14, T 12, FF 12 (+2 Dex, +2 Natural); HP 18 (4d8); F +1, R +3, W +6; Defensive Capabilities: channel resistance +2, Immune: undead traits; Speed 50', Bite +7 (1d6+4 plus disease plus trip); Special Attacks: Disease (Ghould Fever: Bite - Injury, save Fort DC 12; onset 1 day; frequency 1 day; effect 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex damage, cure 2 consecutive saves; DC is Charisma based; if death by Ghoul Fever, rise as ghoul the next midnight or ghast if over 4 HD); Str 17, Dex 15, Con - , Int 6, Wis 14, Cha 10; Base Atk +3, CMB +6, CMD 18 (22 vs. trip); Feats: Skill Focus (Perception), Weapon Focus (Bite); Skills: Perc +9, Stealth +6, Survival +2 (+6 when tracking by scent), Swim +5.
In the church, the priest is warding off 2 wolves with one older child (girl) and one younger (youngest boy) behind him hiding under a pew. The other 3 children (oldest boy, 1 younger girl and middle boy) are in the choir with a wolf pacing and slavering around them but not attacking. The oldest boy is trying to get the 2 children hiding under the pew to come up to the choir.
When the party arrives, the priest goes down in 1 round unless they protect him. The fate of the 2 children rest with the party. The other 3 still seem protected in some way.
3 rounds after the wolves break in, a Dire Plague Wolf appears at the doorway.
Encounter: Dire Plague Wolf - CR 6, NE Large Undead, Init +6, Senses: Darkvision 60', scent, Perc. +16; AC 19, T 11, FF 17 (+2 Dex, +8 Natural, -1 size); HP 90 (12d8+24 plus 12); F +6, R +6, W +10; Defensive Capabilities: channel resistance +4, Immune: undead traits; Speed 50', Bite +17 (2d6+12 plus disease plus trip); Special Attacks: Disease (Ghould Fever: Bite - Injury, save Fort DC 18; onset 1 day; frequency 1 day; effect 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex damage, cure 2 consecutive saves; DC is Charisma based; if death by Ghoul Fever, rise as ghoul the next midnight or ghast if over 4 HD); Str 27, Dex 15, Con - , Int 6, Wis 14, Cha 14; Base Atk +9, CMB +18, CMD 30 (34 vs. trip); Feats: Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Bite, Run, Skill Focus (Perception), Toughness, Weapon Focus (Bite); Skills: Perc +16, Stealth +9, Survival +10 (+14 when tracking by scent).
The Dire Plague Wolf will fight only to get past the players and leap upon the alter, impaling itself on a holy symbol of Sarenrae's weapon, a scimitar, which is the highest ray of a sunburst over the altar. When it impales itself, the children scream in horror and the priest will cry out "No!" in a wail if he is still alive. In 2 rounds, the altar crumbles apart, leaving a hole in the floor.
2 rounds later, whether or not the players are done with the Plague wolves or not (should be as this will be round 6 or so), a DC 18 Perception check hears the sound of flesh slapping on stone coming from the hole where the altar was (shaped like a well, actually), and the sound is getting closer.
2 rounds more, Encounter: 2 Fleshdreg Swarms (Hundreds of wads of squirming flesh with flailing appendages move together out of the well in a cluster of teeth and claws) - CR 2, NE Tiny Aberration (swarm), Init +5, Senses: Darkvision 60', sin-scent (sloth), Perc. +5; AC 15, T 13, FF 14 (+1 Dex, +2 Natural, +2 size); HP 19 (3d8+6); F +3, R +4, W +3; Defensive Capabilities: swarm traits, Immune: mind-affecting effects, SR 13; Speed 30', Climb 10'; Swarm (1d6 plus distraction DC 13), Space 10', Reach 0'; Special Attacks: Arcane Bite - swarm damage is considered magical for purposes of overcoming damage reduction; Str 2, Dex 13, Con 15 , Int 2, Wis 11, Cha 2; Base Atk +2, CMB -, CMD -; Feats: Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes; Skills: Perc +5, Stealth +13.
When battle is over, as party is hashing over what has happened, they may wonder how the children in the choir were protected. The oldest boy said he was able to protect them, and then says to Kyler's character, "I am who you are searching for. I am Robinn, your Guide (or whatever Kyler calls it)."
Robinn - Oracle 3 (NPC)
End of Session.
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