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[Nebulous]

Adventure #1: Winterhaven

PART ONE

WIND by the FIRESIDE
(Traditional trail ballad; author unknown (but really Ed Greenwood!)

“So as you shiver in the cold and the dark, look into the fire and see in its spark—
My eye…watching over you.

As you walk in the wind’s whistling claws, listen past the howling wolf’s jaws—
My song…comes to you.

And when you’re lost in the trackless snow, look up high where the eagles go.
My star…shines for you.

You are not forsaken. You are not forgotten. The North cannot swallow you. The snows cannot bury you. I will come for you.

Faerun will grow warmer and the Gods will smile. But oh my love, guard yourself well—

This may not happen for a long, long while.”

But it is the season of Greengrass now, the 1st of Mirtul, far from the cold clutches of winter, and five heroes are escorting a single horse-driven wagon from the majestic city of Silverymoon. Their destination: the small walled hamlet of Winterhaven. The wagon driver, an ugly but amicable half-orc named Gobbo Goodnest, is taking his wares to Winterhaven to sell during the weekly Market day.



The party is going along as protection, as well as fulfilling a job for Merple the Moneylender, a Halfling businessman in Silverymoon.



The group has been hired to go to Winterhaven and map out an old crumbled keep in the vicinity, a derelict of a long lost age. Brandis Padraig, as a long time resident of Winterhaven, knows legend and rumor of this place, but has never been there. Merple only has an incomplete map of the region and would like to have updated information added to his archives. He has given the group a copy of what he has, although it is not particularly detailed or useful.

In addition, Merple has tasked them with a secondary mission; he has another employee in the region, Douvan Stahl, who was looking for the remains of a dragon’s tomb. If they can find Stahl, let Merple know if he’s alive or dead, or if he ever found the dragon tomb he was searching for.

The Heroes:

Helga Hammerhelm, female dwarf Fighter (out to prove her worth to her clan).

Eravin, male eladrin Wizard (a miraculous survivor of the Spellplague that stripped him of his former levels; he has recovered enough lore to gain 1 level of expertise)

Irann-mari, female half-elf Warlock

Ashravan “Ash,” male elf Rogue

Brandis Padraig, male human Warlord, eldest son of Lord Ernest Padraig of Winerhaven. He has not set foot in Winterhaven for several years while seeking his fortune and fame in the wider world.


The group has only known each other for a few weeks, and they know little about each other’s abilities or backgrounds, other than the obvious. Brandis Padraig has not been home for two years, and is sure that his family will be overjoyed to see him. Gobbo Goodnest chortles and talks incessantly, but abruptly stops and pulls up the reins when he spots a flicker of movement in the distance behind a clump of rocks.

“Ya see that?” grunts Gobbo.

They do indeed, and Ash the rogue tries to flank around the side. The rest of the group sees several lizard-like dog men peering out from behind boulders, not particularly trying to hide, but Ash spots a few more concealed beyond the boulders. Brandis Padraig advances, perhaps a little too brazenly, and is instantly swarmed by enraged kobolds, including a heavily armed soldier bearing a dragonscale shield! Shrieking, they duck and jab and stab at Brandis, shifting out of the way, and then a hidden slinger hurls a glob of sticky glue at his feet, anchoring Brandis to the road. He’s immediately in serious trouble.



The wizard and warlock employ their magical resources, tossing magic missiles and cursing foes with eldritch fire. Helga the fighter dwarf leaps into the fray with her battleaxe, hewing foes down in vicious chops. The dragonshield kobold blocks her attacks with advanced tactics and proves to be a worthy foe. Their blows ring off each other’s armor and steel.

Ash moves behind a kobold and tries to slit its throat, only to be rushed by a second dragonshield warrior. It is an enemy he does not wish to fight alone. Meanwhile, the kobolds have continued to dance around the mired Brandis Padraig, who is unable to escape the gluey mess entangling his feet. He is quickly bloodied, and then dips perilously close to death before the closest attackers are either killed or retreat. To his immense fortune, the kobold slinger throws several globs of burning pitch that all miss him. Had they hit, he might have died.

Brandis finally manages to escape, but has been giving tactical orders the whole time.

The first dragonshield soldier is dropped, eldritch fire exploding from his eyes after the warlock’s curse infuses his soul with dark portent. She teleports to another spot across the battlefield, powered with the death of her enemy, and targets another foe. Helga charges the remaining three enemies, ignoring their opportunity attacks, and wails on the dragonshield with a devastating Brute Strike. The soldier falls to one knee, but staggers up, still in the fight -- until Ash backstabs him. Steel hacks into the kobolds from both sides, and the slinger’s head is brutally removed from his shoulders, spewing dark blood in a wet arc.



Soon the battle is over, the dust settles, and blood begins to cool in the road. Gobbo Goodnest is ecstatic, praising the heroes and their martial prowess. Apparently, kobold brigands have been a problem on the King’s Road recently, but Gobbo had been hoping to avoid a confrontation. Still, he promises the group that Salvana Wrafton of Wrafton’s Inn will offer them room and board for free, his treat for the first night or so. They’ve earned it, no doubt.

Several hours later as dusk is crawling over the horizon, the group sees the walled palisade of Winterhaven behind the trees in the distance.



To the east though, outside the gates, they see a mournful procession of crying women in the graveyard, and a small casket being lowered into the ground. Brandis does not recognize anyone immediately, other than the priestess of Sune present for the funeral rites: Sister Linora.



“What happened here?” Brandis quietly asks once the rites are finished.

Sister Linora is pleased to see Brandis Padraig and hugs him, telling him that it has been a long while. As for the funeral, a child was killed by marauders in the outlying farms. The problem has been getting worse and worse as of recent. Sister Linora asks with some difficulty if Brandis has spoken with his family, and if he knows about…Kel.

His youngest brother, only twelve years old.

Brandis has heard nothing, and Sister Linora says that he really should find his father and speak with him. Greatly disturbed now, Brandis ushers the others toward the front gates. There are two sentries, one of whom Brandis immediately recognizes as Rond Kelfern, head of the Winterhaven Regulars, the town’s militia. They greet each other, and Rond says that Lord Padraig is either at his walled estate, or at the Inn.

Drinking. Yet again, as has been the case ever since Kel...