-
The VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX is coming! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Rise of the Runelords 4E: Story Hour and Conversion Notes
- Thread starter Vyvyan Basterd
- Start date
Vyvyan Basterd
Adventurer
Grim News from Mosswood
The group is summoned by Sheriff Hemlock to meet Mayor Deverin and Shalelu Andosana, an elven ranger that the Sheriff calls an "unofficial member of Sandpoint's town guard." Shalelu smirks at the Sheriff's remark. Shalelu brings news of increased goblin activity in the Hinterlands. The goblins are getting bold and even attacking outlying farms. All five local tribes of goblins were involved in the raid on Sandpoint. She fears that some "big boss" has pulled the tribe together for a big plan. Sheriff Hemlock asks Shelelu to scout the Hinterlands while he takes some of his men to Magnimar to seek aid. He asks the group if they wouldn't mind maintaining a presence in Sandpoint while he's gone, since the locals have really taken to the heroes.
After the meeting is wrapped up Sahlelu asks the group to join her for dinner at the Rusty Dragon. She shares her knowledge about the five goblin tribes with the group and retires early so she can head out before daybreak.
The group is summoned by Sheriff Hemlock to meet Mayor Deverin and Shalelu Andosana, an elven ranger that the Sheriff calls an "unofficial member of Sandpoint's town guard." Shalelu smirks at the Sheriff's remark. Shalelu brings news of increased goblin activity in the Hinterlands. The goblins are getting bold and even attacking outlying farms. All five local tribes of goblins were involved in the raid on Sandpoint. She fears that some "big boss" has pulled the tribe together for a big plan. Sheriff Hemlock asks Shelelu to scout the Hinterlands while he takes some of his men to Magnimar to seek aid. He asks the group if they wouldn't mind maintaining a presence in Sandpoint while he's gone, since the locals have really taken to the heroes.
After the meeting is wrapped up Sahlelu asks the group to join her for dinner at the Rusty Dragon. She shares her knowledge about the five goblin tribes with the group and retires early so she can head out before daybreak.
Vyvyan Basterd
Adventurer
The Missing Bartender
The group awoke the next morning and noticed immediately something was missing. The wondrous aromas of Ameiko Kaijitsu's breakfast did not great them this early morning. Ameiko's assistant, an old halfling woman named Bethana Corwin, approached the heroes with a look of deep concern.
"Ms. Kaijitsu is missing. This is the first time ever she hasn't had breakfast cooking when I arrived. I got some oatmeal going so our guest's would have something to eat. I checked in Ms. Kaijitsu's room, but she wasn't there. And here bed wasn't slept in. I noticed this on the floor."
Bethana handed the group a note that she found crumpled near Ameiko's bed. The writing was a strange form of runic script, but Bethana explained that Ameiko had been teaching her and she had written the translation in common script on the back side of the note.
The note was from Ameiko's younger brother Tsuto. He wrote to his sister that he thought their father was involved with the goblins and asked her to meet him last night at midnight at their father's glassworks.
"I don't trust Tsuto, I think he's up to no good. His birth was quite the scandal around here. See, Tsuto is a half-elf, but neither of Ameiko's parents are elves. Tsuto was sent to Turandurok Academy, exiled from the family. But Ameiko would sneak out to visit him, so they stayed close. That is until 6 years ago, when they had a fight that caused Ameiko to leave Sandpoint for a year. She returned to attend her mother's funeral. Their mother had fallen accidentally to her death on the rocks of the bay from the family's estate. Tsuto showed up at the funeral and accused his father of deliberately pushing his mother over the edge. I'd really appreciate if you'd go check out the Glassworks. With Sheriff Hemlock out of town I've no one else to turn to."
The group awoke the next morning and noticed immediately something was missing. The wondrous aromas of Ameiko Kaijitsu's breakfast did not great them this early morning. Ameiko's assistant, an old halfling woman named Bethana Corwin, approached the heroes with a look of deep concern.
"Ms. Kaijitsu is missing. This is the first time ever she hasn't had breakfast cooking when I arrived. I got some oatmeal going so our guest's would have something to eat. I checked in Ms. Kaijitsu's room, but she wasn't there. And here bed wasn't slept in. I noticed this on the floor."
Bethana handed the group a note that she found crumpled near Ameiko's bed. The writing was a strange form of runic script, but Bethana explained that Ameiko had been teaching her and she had written the translation in common script on the back side of the note.
The note was from Ameiko's younger brother Tsuto. He wrote to his sister that he thought their father was involved with the goblins and asked her to meet him last night at midnight at their father's glassworks.
"I don't trust Tsuto, I think he's up to no good. His birth was quite the scandal around here. See, Tsuto is a half-elf, but neither of Ameiko's parents are elves. Tsuto was sent to Turandurok Academy, exiled from the family. But Ameiko would sneak out to visit him, so they stayed close. That is until 6 years ago, when they had a fight that caused Ameiko to leave Sandpoint for a year. She returned to attend her mother's funeral. Their mother had fallen accidentally to her death on the rocks of the bay from the family's estate. Tsuto showed up at the funeral and accused his father of deliberately pushing his mother over the edge. I'd really appreciate if you'd go check out the Glassworks. With Sheriff Hemlock out of town I've no one else to turn to."
Vyvyan Basterd
Adventurer
PART THREE: GLASS AND WRATH
Investigating the Glassworks
After a nonchalant walk past the front of the Glassworks, the group noticed that all of the windows were drawn with heavy curtains, but the hum of the furnace could be heard from outside and smoke still poured from the chimney. They decided to go to the delivery entrance, just as Tsuto had instructed Ameiko in his note. The door was locked, but Toox easily opened it with her tools. The early risers of the merchant district took note of the group and one stopped to ask what was going on. Marissa told the man that they were investigating some possible trouble for the sheriff and they needed things kept quiet. Recognizing the heroes of the raid, the man asked if he could help in any way. Marissa asked him to just spread the word to keep the area quiet and keep people away from the Glassworks.
Investigating the Glassworks
After a nonchalant walk past the front of the Glassworks, the group noticed that all of the windows were drawn with heavy curtains, but the hum of the furnace could be heard from outside and smoke still poured from the chimney. They decided to go to the delivery entrance, just as Tsuto had instructed Ameiko in his note. The door was locked, but Toox easily opened it with her tools. The early risers of the merchant district took note of the group and one stopped to ask what was going on. Marissa told the man that they were investigating some possible trouble for the sheriff and they needed things kept quiet. Recognizing the heroes of the raid, the man asked if he could help in any way. Marissa asked him to just spread the word to keep the area quiet and keep people away from the Glassworks.
Vyvyan Basterd
Adventurer
Against the Goblins
Once inside the delivery entrance, T'rune and Marissa began scouting towards the southern end of the building. This led them to a small storeroon and then the main hallway. Swift investigated the double doors to the west. Once close enough he was able to hear the sounds of high-pitched giggles, shrieks and breaking glass dampened by the loud rumble of the furnace. Swift whispered "goblins!" and passed the message quickly to T'rune. Swift flung the doors open and caught the large group of goblins by surprise. The goblns were too distracted by there destructive games. The bodies of glassworkers lie in various states of dismemberment, one goblin threw an arm into the furnace, while another poured molten glass over another corpse. In the center alcove of the room sat Lonjiku Kaijitsu, covered in sheets of hardened glass, a gruesome piece of "art" put on display.
The main part of the group took the goblins head on, while T'rune and Marissa ran down the main hallway hoping to find another way into the chamber to relieve the bottle neck where the others entered. The bottleneck helped keep too many goblins from attacking Swift directly, but those who couldn't get in threw heavy pieces of glass instead. The battle was going well and the goblins seemed ready for retreat when suddenly the door the group had not explored in the delivery room opened to reveal a stairwell to the cellar. Tsuto had been alerted by the sounds of battle and rallied the goblins to continue their attack with his aid. Tsuto was obviously a skilled archer and proved a tough opponent, but the heroes knocked him unconscious before he could route.
The adventure called for 8 goblin warriors and possibly Tsuto if the goblins could flee to alert him in the cellar. I went big again with 15 goblin cutters and two goblin blackblades. For Tsuto I used a 4th-Level half-elf ranger. I knew I had to play this encounter by ear a bit. With Tsuto separated from the goblins, encountering him alone would be no challenge. I took this in game world terms to mean that Tsuto would realize he's outmatched without the support of the goblins. If the party had taken the turn into the cellar first and met Tsuto, he would claim that the goblins were the one who murdered his father and trapped him in the cellar. He would have offered to help fight the goblins to avenge his father, only to turn on the group. That way, if the party was successful in seing through his lies they could earn an easier fight. Instead if they fell for his lies the fight takes a more difficult turn. The goblins themselves were a level-appropriate challenge so I had no worries of them being encountered alone. With the path the group did take I wanted Tsuto to be part of that fight. I rolled Intiative for Tsuto immediately and each round gave him a Perception check to hear the battle. I decided that at a minimum he would show up at the point the goblins started routing. The chance of any goblin making it to the cellar to warn Tsuto was slim and the fight was more fun with him showing up late in the battle.
Once inside the delivery entrance, T'rune and Marissa began scouting towards the southern end of the building. This led them to a small storeroon and then the main hallway. Swift investigated the double doors to the west. Once close enough he was able to hear the sounds of high-pitched giggles, shrieks and breaking glass dampened by the loud rumble of the furnace. Swift whispered "goblins!" and passed the message quickly to T'rune. Swift flung the doors open and caught the large group of goblins by surprise. The goblns were too distracted by there destructive games. The bodies of glassworkers lie in various states of dismemberment, one goblin threw an arm into the furnace, while another poured molten glass over another corpse. In the center alcove of the room sat Lonjiku Kaijitsu, covered in sheets of hardened glass, a gruesome piece of "art" put on display.
The main part of the group took the goblins head on, while T'rune and Marissa ran down the main hallway hoping to find another way into the chamber to relieve the bottle neck where the others entered. The bottleneck helped keep too many goblins from attacking Swift directly, but those who couldn't get in threw heavy pieces of glass instead. The battle was going well and the goblins seemed ready for retreat when suddenly the door the group had not explored in the delivery room opened to reveal a stairwell to the cellar. Tsuto had been alerted by the sounds of battle and rallied the goblins to continue their attack with his aid. Tsuto was obviously a skilled archer and proved a tough opponent, but the heroes knocked him unconscious before he could route.
The adventure called for 8 goblin warriors and possibly Tsuto if the goblins could flee to alert him in the cellar. I went big again with 15 goblin cutters and two goblin blackblades. For Tsuto I used a 4th-Level half-elf ranger. I knew I had to play this encounter by ear a bit. With Tsuto separated from the goblins, encountering him alone would be no challenge. I took this in game world terms to mean that Tsuto would realize he's outmatched without the support of the goblins. If the party had taken the turn into the cellar first and met Tsuto, he would claim that the goblins were the one who murdered his father and trapped him in the cellar. He would have offered to help fight the goblins to avenge his father, only to turn on the group. That way, if the party was successful in seing through his lies they could earn an easier fight. Instead if they fell for his lies the fight takes a more difficult turn. The goblins themselves were a level-appropriate challenge so I had no worries of them being encountered alone. With the path the group did take I wanted Tsuto to be part of that fight. I rolled Intiative for Tsuto immediately and each round gave him a Perception check to hear the battle. I decided that at a minimum he would show up at the point the goblins started routing. The chance of any goblin making it to the cellar to warn Tsuto was slim and the fight was more fun with him showing up late in the battle.
Vyvyan Basterd
Adventurer
Rescuing Ameiko
The group found Ameiko unconscious, but stable, in one of the cellar storage chambers. Tsuto had bound both her feet and hands, gagged, and blindfolded her. She was grateful, but distraught over the treachery of her brother. Tsuto revealed to Ameiko that him and several other mercenaries were led by Nualia, the deva daughter of Father Tobyn, and hinted that she had big plans for Sandpoint. Tsuto warned Ameiko that she didn't want to be in town when those plans came through and offered her the chance to join him and Nualia at Thistletop, lair of the Thistletop Tribe of goblins. Ameiko recoiled at the offer and slapped Tsuto in disgust. He then set his goblins upon her. She was eager to leave the Glassworks so she could warn her father of Tsuto's treachery. Celeste calmly told Ameiko how sorry she was, but the group had not arrived in time to save her father. Ameiko's throat rose with a lump and her lower lip quivered ever so slightly, but she stoically thanked the heroes for their help.
The group found Ameiko unconscious, but stable, in one of the cellar storage chambers. Tsuto had bound both her feet and hands, gagged, and blindfolded her. She was grateful, but distraught over the treachery of her brother. Tsuto revealed to Ameiko that him and several other mercenaries were led by Nualia, the deva daughter of Father Tobyn, and hinted that she had big plans for Sandpoint. Tsuto warned Ameiko that she didn't want to be in town when those plans came through and offered her the chance to join him and Nualia at Thistletop, lair of the Thistletop Tribe of goblins. Ameiko recoiled at the offer and slapped Tsuto in disgust. He then set his goblins upon her. She was eager to leave the Glassworks so she could warn her father of Tsuto's treachery. Celeste calmly told Ameiko how sorry she was, but the group had not arrived in time to save her father. Ameiko's throat rose with a lump and her lower lip quivered ever so slightly, but she stoically thanked the heroes for their help.
Vyvyan Basterd
Adventurer
Interrogating Tsuto
The group made a qucik sweep of the Glassworks to make sure there were no more goblins. They found a tunnel entrance in another storeroom in the cellar. The group handed Tsuto over to the Sandpoint town guard and decided to question him later. They were more interested in making sure Ameiko was safe and the Glassworks was secure. They also had Tsuto's personal journal to look through. They asked Ameiko to translate the jurnal for them. The journal was full of maps of Sandpoint and erotic drawings of Nualia, whom Tsuto had apparently fallen in love with. The first section of maps detailed the choices made leading up to the raid on Sandpoint. The second section of maps detailed various plans of a larger invasion. Tsuto seemed to disagree with another confirmed conspirator, the bugbear "hero" Bruthazmus. He wrote about using the tunnels under his father's Glassworks and recruiting a quasit that lived there. The last page of the journal contained another drawing of Nualia, except in this one she was depicted with demonic hands, bat wings, horns, a forked tail, and fangs. Tsuto wrote that he wasn't happy with Nualia's decision to cleanse her "celestial taint" and that the transformation of her hand, after burning her father's remains in a shrine devoted to Lamashtu, the goddess of monstrous births, displeased him.
The group went to the barracks to question Tsuto, but he refused to talk. Marissa pressed upon him:
M: "What kind of loser would work with lowly goblins against his own home, his own people?"
T: "You make the mistake of assuming this is 'my home.' These people deserve to burn and you along with them!"
M: "You're a disgrace to your family, your father. You have no honor! You are nothing but a pathetic worm that deserves nothing more than death."
T: "Kill me then. I'm not afraid," he said with a knowing smile.
M: "You'll rot here instead. And when we bring in your 'lover' you can watch her pay for her crimes before you pay for your own."
But they could tell Tsuto had some false sense of peace as he just sat cross-legged on the floor of his cell, smiling. They knew they had what they needed from his journal and decided they should investigate the tunnel under the Glassworks...in the morning.
The group made a qucik sweep of the Glassworks to make sure there were no more goblins. They found a tunnel entrance in another storeroom in the cellar. The group handed Tsuto over to the Sandpoint town guard and decided to question him later. They were more interested in making sure Ameiko was safe and the Glassworks was secure. They also had Tsuto's personal journal to look through. They asked Ameiko to translate the jurnal for them. The journal was full of maps of Sandpoint and erotic drawings of Nualia, whom Tsuto had apparently fallen in love with. The first section of maps detailed the choices made leading up to the raid on Sandpoint. The second section of maps detailed various plans of a larger invasion. Tsuto seemed to disagree with another confirmed conspirator, the bugbear "hero" Bruthazmus. He wrote about using the tunnels under his father's Glassworks and recruiting a quasit that lived there. The last page of the journal contained another drawing of Nualia, except in this one she was depicted with demonic hands, bat wings, horns, a forked tail, and fangs. Tsuto wrote that he wasn't happy with Nualia's decision to cleanse her "celestial taint" and that the transformation of her hand, after burning her father's remains in a shrine devoted to Lamashtu, the goddess of monstrous births, displeased him.
The group went to the barracks to question Tsuto, but he refused to talk. Marissa pressed upon him:
M: "What kind of loser would work with lowly goblins against his own home, his own people?"
T: "You make the mistake of assuming this is 'my home.' These people deserve to burn and you along with them!"
M: "You're a disgrace to your family, your father. You have no honor! You are nothing but a pathetic worm that deserves nothing more than death."
T: "Kill me then. I'm not afraid," he said with a knowing smile.
M: "You'll rot here instead. And when we bring in your 'lover' you can watch her pay for her crimes before you pay for your own."
But they could tell Tsuto had some false sense of peace as he just sat cross-legged on the floor of his cell, smiling. They knew they had what they needed from his journal and decided they should investigate the tunnel under the Glassworks...in the morning.
Last edited:
Vyvyan Basterd
Adventurer
Catacombs of Wrath
B1. Guard Cave
The tunnel lead on a winding northeasterly path underneath Sandpoint. The group reached a four-way intersection and decided to continue to the north. The tunnel lead to a dead-end with a secret door. Beyond the door was a cave overlooking Varisian Bay. Signs of old goblin encampment were clearly visible.
The group doubled back to check one of the side passages. Heading east they approached a side cave. Horribly deformed humanoids, hairless and emaciated lurched with an unnatural swiftness from the shadows of the cave. They lunged with three-fingered claws, but once they were on a foe their lower jaw split in half at the chin into two wretched arms ending in tiny three-fingered hands revealing an open gullet and lolling tounge. Their bite seemed to carry an assault on the senses. At least distracting, some succumbed to a full topor. The group held their ground in the tunnel and won a hard-fought victory over the horrid aberrations.
Since I had the room and didn't want to create the Sinspawn as solo creatures, I converted from 1 to 5.
Stats: [sblock]Sinspawn (5) Level 2 Soldier
Medium aberrant humanoid XP 125
Initiative +7 Senses Perception +2; darkvision, scent sin
Regeneration 1
HP 34; Bloodied 17
Resist 10 psychic
AC 18; Fortitude 13, Reflex 15, Will 12
Speed 6
Claws (standard, at-will)
+9 vs AC; 1d8+2 damage, and the target is marked until the end of this creature's next turn.
Bite (standard, at-will)
Marked target only; +7 vs Will; 1d8+2 damage, and the target suffers a -2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends) and is marked. First failed save: The target is dazed (save ends).
Alignment Evil Languages Thassilonian
Skills Stealth +10
Str 15 (+3) Dex 19 (+5) Wis 12 (+2)
Con 13 (+2) Int 10 (+1) Cha 11 (+1)
[/sblock]
B1. Guard Cave
The tunnel lead on a winding northeasterly path underneath Sandpoint. The group reached a four-way intersection and decided to continue to the north. The tunnel lead to a dead-end with a secret door. Beyond the door was a cave overlooking Varisian Bay. Signs of old goblin encampment were clearly visible.
The group doubled back to check one of the side passages. Heading east they approached a side cave. Horribly deformed humanoids, hairless and emaciated lurched with an unnatural swiftness from the shadows of the cave. They lunged with three-fingered claws, but once they were on a foe their lower jaw split in half at the chin into two wretched arms ending in tiny three-fingered hands revealing an open gullet and lolling tounge. Their bite seemed to carry an assault on the senses. At least distracting, some succumbed to a full topor. The group held their ground in the tunnel and won a hard-fought victory over the horrid aberrations.
Since I had the room and didn't want to create the Sinspawn as solo creatures, I converted from 1 to 5.
Stats: [sblock]Sinspawn (5) Level 2 Soldier
Medium aberrant humanoid XP 125
Initiative +7 Senses Perception +2; darkvision, scent sin
Regeneration 1
HP 34; Bloodied 17
Resist 10 psychic
AC 18; Fortitude 13, Reflex 15, Will 12
Speed 6
Claws (standard, at-will)
+9 vs AC; 1d8+2 damage, and the target is marked until the end of this creature's next turn.
Bite (standard, at-will)
Marked target only; +7 vs Will; 1d8+2 damage, and the target suffers a -2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends) and is marked. First failed save: The target is dazed (save ends).
Alignment Evil Languages Thassilonian
Skills Stealth +10
Str 15 (+3) Dex 19 (+5) Wis 12 (+2)
Con 13 (+2) Int 10 (+1) Cha 11 (+1)
[/sblock]
Vyvyan Basterd
Adventurer
B3. Welcoming Chamber
The group pushed farther into the tunnels, finding a chamber of worked stone. Traveling north through an ancient door, they found numerous long, narrow passageways. They continued north into another chamber that connected to the tunnel. A red marble statue of a beautiful woman, her visage twisted in rage. In the right hand of the statue was a glittering metal and ivory spear.
The original adventure called for a masterwork ranseur that as much an art piece as it was a weapon. The treasure so far had skewed heavily towards gold and not magic items, so the item found became a +1 wounding spear.
The group pushed farther into the tunnels, finding a chamber of worked stone. Traveling north through an ancient door, they found numerous long, narrow passageways. They continued north into another chamber that connected to the tunnel. A red marble statue of a beautiful woman, her visage twisted in rage. In the right hand of the statue was a glittering metal and ivory spear.
The original adventure called for a masterwork ranseur that as much an art piece as it was a weapon. The treasure so far had skewed heavily towards gold and not magic items, so the item found became a +1 wounding spear.
Vyvyan Basterd
Adventurer
B6. Ancient Prison
The group continued north and opened a door leading to an ancient prison. Cells lined the walls of the chamber 10 feet below the entrance. A rickety bridge spanned from the entrance to another passageway leading west.
The group spotted seven more sinspawn milling about lazily in the gloomy depths of the room and got the jump on them. They took positions at the stairs leading from the platform to the lower level, creating a chokepoint. But some of the sinspawn were able to climb up the structure to attack from another angle. Things were going well until Swift decided to daringly charge down the steps. He was set upon by two sinspawn immediately. He started to move slowly back up the stairs, but the spawn got the best of him and dropped him. T'rune was able to step in and protect Swift while Celeste kept him from dying.
The group continued north and opened a door leading to an ancient prison. Cells lined the walls of the chamber 10 feet below the entrance. A rickety bridge spanned from the entrance to another passageway leading west.
The group spotted seven more sinspawn milling about lazily in the gloomy depths of the room and got the jump on them. They took positions at the stairs leading from the platform to the lower level, creating a chokepoint. But some of the sinspawn were able to climb up the structure to attack from another angle. Things were going well until Swift decided to daringly charge down the steps. He was set upon by two sinspawn immediately. He started to move slowly back up the stairs, but the spawn got the best of him and dropped him. T'rune was able to step in and protect Swift while Celeste kept him from dying.
Similar Threads
