A short adventure description of a dwarf and his adopted elven daughter
written: 2003-09-11; revised: 2003-11-11
For Character Info: see Melamel and Buliwyf
A short adventure description - This is a work in progress, detailing the planned adventures and the events which happened while playing. So it is a hybrid approach between adventure outline and adventure diary.
Melamel and Bulwyf have recently wandered the world in search of adventures (and even found some). Now, while resting, they see a faintly glowing pigeon approaching… it is a creature of magic, summoned by one of Melamel’s teachers (the abbot of her monastry).
The bird manages to impart its message once before fading away: The monastry has come under attack by hordes of orcs and they are sending to all their former monks and priests for help. Unless they arrive within a few days, they will only find the ashes of their old home, as the defenders cannot hold out much longer. The journey to the monastry
The journey will be a series of encounters which aim at delaying the characters and by this way increase suspense. They even may get the impression that sinister forces are working against them… Normally, they should manage the distance in about four to five days, if they hurry. Events along the way could include: Delays
The delay should be measured by adding several hours for each incident - as much the characters need to circumvent or defeat the obstacle
- Horse: breaks a leg on perfectly clear ground. Character may see a shadow darting away from under the animal, vanishing in the bushes along the way; turns out to be a Fenry (Wolf of Dyvaal)
- Bridge: Heavy rainfall has washed a bridge away. How to cross? Use a crossing a few miles upriver
- Ferry: A ferry is just leaving as they approach a wide river. Swim? Fly? Wait a few hours?
- Rain & Fog: Speed is reduced. But then, perhaps they can ask some (elven?) mage for help?
Portents
A magic pigeon will arrive once a day, begging them to come. (Edit for more dramatic impact)
- I have dreamed you will come to us. I thank heaven for your help!
- The forces against us seek entrance to the monastry, but we still keep our ground.
- We have many wounded. Please, hurry. Jorklim waits on the highroad.
- I had a vision of dark forces fighting your return. Be strong!
- They have overun our gates. We defend the temple. If you do not come tomorrow, we will all be dead!
Encounters
- Magician: The elven mage, Falindoil Mellened, is sitting near the road at his camp fire. The heavy downpour does not touch him or his possesions, in fact the ground around him is dry and somehow protected from the chaotic weather.
- Wanted: A patrol stops the characters - they have it on good authority that those two are the well known slashers of Ulfheim, a couple of infamous robbers. Once in prison in a small town (Bringes-Stecken), the merchant who brought forth the charges against them has vanished, but still the officals hesitate to set them free (depends on conduct & bribes).
- The patrol did not apprehend the group as they escaped by help of the elven mage (air wizard). One of the soldiers made fun of Belimar, god of the dwarves (‘The only god which is smaller than his followers’) and earned a top place on Bulwyf’s very short list of soon-to-be-dead people.
- Thieves: If you are in a hurry, having someone stealing (or robbing you of) your means of transport is really frustrating.
- Call for help: from among the trees on the roadside, a woman calls for help. Following the cries, they find large footsteps of an ogre or troll leading deeper into the forest. An hour later they run into a trap… two giant enemies, one of them with an amulet of voices.
- Thieves and Ogres remained unused. Ogre ambush still has potential as a side event.
- Jorklim, a human warrior monk awaits them on the highroad, along with a couple of other fighters. Together, they will approach the monastry which is surrounded by a large horde of orcs (and worse?).
At the monastry
The trouble started, when the monks found a hidden room. It was part of the library once, containing numerous magical books which needed to be kept out of the wrong hands. Soon after it’s discovery, a disreputable persons sought to buy some of the ancient works. As the monks denied those miscreants access to the monastry, they threatened to return in force. When our heroes arrived, they found the monastry besieged by 200 orcs and several ogres, under the command of a Baalrog. A mighty battle ensued, leaving the monster hordes scattered and the demon slain. The surviving monks are thankful to their rescuers and will leave the spoils of war to them (if they help to clean up the battle field. The monastry itself took some damage, but will be repaired soon.
Spoils of war
In the Baalrog’s command tent, the adventurers will find:
- A detailed map of the monastry and surrounding lands, done by a former (or missing) monk named Werta.
- A giant flamberge, the demon’s secondary weapon. Giant sized, magic, +2;5d6 dam; curse of attract evil. 4000 gold pieces
- 2 golden chalices, magic, worth ~640gp each or more, if the activation method can be determined.
- Some food, 3 kegs of good quality wine, an expensive rug with large blood stains [if cleaned worth 1200], some stinking furs and other irrelevant stuff.
- A black crystal ball on a metal tripod (perhaps used to contact the demon’s master?)
Aftermath: Celebration
In the party following the victory, the characters will receive more information:
- Tale of hidden library.
- Abbot is interested in story of Melamel (prophecy about dwarven gods)
- Melamel did not tell of her divine vision, but showed the map from the demon’s map to the abbot.
- Buliwyf is rewarded with a keg of dwarven beer.
- He makes sure that the elven mage receives some recognition for his help. Melamel does not trust him completely, him being an elf and all…
Jokes: Buliwyf gets his traditional glass mug - The monks used it in an attempt to train him to control his superhuman strength.
Assassin!
An assassin (possessed human, green glowing eyes). He tries to abduct Melamel and sacrifice her on the altar of the monastry’s temple.
Melamel awakes, a fight ensues and her father joins the fray, awakened by her cries for help. The hooded attacker is possessed by a Hellshade, who leaves the host as he is struck unconsious. Buliwyf destroys the shade with a spirit strike. The possessed body, a monk named Tarim, is left bleeding on the floor.
The giant flamberge is recognized as a cursed item and destroyed by the monks. The abbot is unsure why Melamel was attacked by the creature. Now, she tells him of the prophecy about the hidden dwarven gods.
Asking Belimar
The monks ask Belimar for guidiance… and receive the information, that… [devine vision; Melamel: is to be the champion of Belimar; Fight in Temple of Seth] Making Plans Melamel has second thoughts about attacking a temple of Seth single-handedly. They decide to have a closer look at the things causing trouble in the neighbourhood first, like the anonymous merchant who accused them earlier. A thorough search in the monastry’s archives seems like a good idea, too.
Meanwhile in the village
People are moaning about the risen taxes and the oppressive baron. Perhaps someone should seek him out and try to reason with him?
Possible story lines.
The evil baron
Disturbing news: a herald appears and demands - in the name of Baron Urchtix - that the monks leave their mountain and thereby his lands, as the populace is “fed up with their perverted practices and evil machinations”. The herald is accompanied by a detachment of guardsmen, including none other than the blasphemer of Belimar who was noticed earlier by Buliwyf (see above).
Results of library search
- Outside intervention (…)
Searching for the Temple of Seth
Nearest major temple who is soleley dedicated to Seth lies some 300 miles to the west in a part of the Old Kingdom in a town inhabited by Ogres and Orcs, although the information about the city is severly out of date (by a couple of 100 years).
Adventure Background
Evil forces seek to prevent the monks from discovering the banished gods of the elves and dwarves. Belimar (dwarven god of smiths) tries to help.
Details of vision from Belimar
…
The ongoing campaign
The further adventures may include: Journey to where the gods are held. Freeing them. Always harried by those who stand to loose power and followers if they should succeed.