If anyone is intrested, here are my notes for the above adventure. Its for PCs of 11-12th level (or thereabouts) who are leaving a dungeon to head back to town. It probably requires a bit of massaging to make work with your group:
Attack of the Pale Master:
As the PCs leave the dungeon (before taking a long rest) they spot (DC 15 Perception) a Kobold scout ducking down over a hill 30’ away. If they take chase or investigate they notice a small force of 4 dozen reddish hued kobolds pulling several carts laden with prone (DC 20 Perception, notes they're wounded) kobolds, eggs and gear on the other side of the hill, around 30’ from the crest. They ready for combat as the scout races back in terror squealing something in draconic (pink ones, pink ones!).
The leader rides a lion sized draconic creature with red scales; he barks out commands and the warriors line up in a defensive formation around the carts, as the others scramble to get their spears. As they race around, at least two trip over, and one runs away.
Kobold Chieftain
Small humanoid (kobold), LE
Armor Class: 18 (scale mail, shield)
Hit Points: 112 (15d8+ 45)
Speed: 20 ft.
Str
16 (+3) Dex
18 (+4) Con
16 (+3) Int
10 (0) Wis
12 (+1) Cha
15 (+2)
Proficiency Bonus: +3
Saving Throws: Str +6, Con +6, Dex +7
Resist: Fire
Skills: Intimidation +5, Athletics +6
Senses: darkvision 60’, passive Perception 11
Languages: Common, Draconic
Challenge: 5 (1800 XP)
• Brave: The chieftain has advantage on saving throws against being frightened.
• Brute. A melee weapon deals one extra die of its damage when the chieftain hits with it (included in the attack).
• Sunlight Sensitivity: While in sunlight, the kobold has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.
• Pack Tactics: The kobold has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the kobold's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
• Magic weapons: The chieftains spear attacks are magical
Actions
• Multiattack. The chieftain makes three melee attacks or ranged attacks.
• Spear: Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft. and range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage.
Equipment: Scale mail, shield, spear of returning (Kobold heirloom - only returns for those with ‘the blood of the fire dragon’, valued at 500gp) 152 gp.
Rides a
Red Guard Drake
Kobold Sorcerer. Increase HP to 54 (10d6+20), Spell DC to 14 (+6 with spell attacks), Add: Fireball, shield, hold person, slots: 4/ 3/ 2. 5 Sorcery points (Heighten spell, empower spell). CR: 3. AC 15. Scroll of fireball. Platinum nose ring worth 50gp, 15 gp. Speaks common and draconic
6 x
Kobold Dragon shields. Scale mail and shields. AC 18, +5 to hit, 1d6+3 damage (multi-attack). Range 20/60 ft. Add protection fighting style (reaction to impose disadvantage to one attack roll made by a target you can see to an ally within 5’ of you). Equipped with several spears. 1d6 gp each. Fight as a group. Resist (fire).
18 x
Kobolds. (several) Spears, studded leather + shield. AC 15, HP 10 each. Spear: +4 to hit, damage 1d6+2 range 20/60 ft. Id6 sp each. Disorganised, and fight in waves.
If questioned and talked down from combat (DC 20 Persuasion/ intimidate, grant advantage if the PCs offer to help them) the Kobolds can reveal they’re refugees from Droskars crucible (attacked by a force of ‘white orcs’), and looking for somewhere to live. They reward any healing of the wounded by gifting the PCs the scroll of fireball, and 100gp in coins.
Raid on Falcons Hollow (after PCs return to town and complete long rest)
PCs are woken (give them a long rest) by screaming outside, horns blaring. When they look outside, black fletched arrows slam into the ground, and townsfolk are running from the outer walls. Smoke fills the air, and dozens of Orcs can be seen mercilessly cutting down peasants. Obviously the town is under attack!
When they step outside, they are attacked by the following force whenever it feels appropriate:
War Ogre: As Ogre, Wears half plate (AC 16), HP 118 (14d10+42), Spd 40’, Str 21 (+5), Attack: [maul] +8, 4d6+5 damage and DC 16 Str save or be knocked prone. CR 4
Orog and 4
Orcs [ 2 x groups]. All Orogs have been blessed by an Eye of Gruumsh before the battle starts.
Tannaruuk in Half Plate (AC 16) who makes 2 greatsword attacks and one bite with multiattack leads the attack.
6
Orcs with crossbows (Dex 16, +7 to hit, 1d10+3 damage and 2d6 poison damage, AC 15)
All orcs are painted in white woad, and bear black armor, with white insignia (crossed claws, and a smaller set of crossed arms above it). Both Orogs, the Ogre and the Tanaruuk have had bless cast on them prior to the battle commencing by an Eye of Gruumsh.
After the battle, Laruel the healer, Brikinsnurd the gnome merchant, and several other NPCs from the town are reported missing.
During the battle, Allustan the NPC Wizard has the presence of mind to capture an Orog if the PCs do not.
The PCs offered chance to interrogate the Orc. DC 15 intimidate check to make it reveal (in Orcish):
• The Orcs are camping at a dwarven ruin to the NW. They cleared out a bunch of ‘blood hued rat lizards’ from the caverns beneath.
• They were ordered to get sacrifices for the pale master to complete the ritual. The ritual happens at the next midnight.
• The pale master is all powerful. He makes special orcs. Scary orcs. If the PCs describe a tanaruuk, he confirms it.
• The pale Master is the one who used his magic to push into the human lands. He opened a special door. A magic door.
• The ritual will also open a magic door. A door that will allow ‘the beast’ through. The beast will lead us to glory.
If the PCs fail to get this information, Payday (speaks Orc) can do it for them. He employs brutal torture to obtain this information though (a white-hot brand to the private regions, cutting off body parts, and worse) which he thoroughly enjoys. Roleplay the
out of it. Good aligned PCs should have issue with this (award inspiration to any that intervene)
DC 15 Int (history) reveals the Orcs carry facial scars that indicate they are ‘Raging Boar’ tribe Orcs from the Hold of Belkzen. DC 15 Int (investigation) by someone who makes this check also reveals while the Orcs carry the facial scarrings of the raging boar clan, their shields and banners show a different sigil (two crossed hands and two crossed claws; white on a black background), and the covering of themselves in white woad is an unusal tradition for the Raging boar orcs. If asked, the orcs call themselves the ‘Pale ones’.
Allustan and Gavel Thuldrin request the PCs scout out the ruins and try to stop the ritual from happening while the town waits for Eagle Knight reinforcements from the Eyrie. The PCs have just enough time to get there on horseback and stop it (they should get there by around 9pm, leaving them 3 hours to find a way to infiltrate the keep and stop the ritual before the clock strikes midnight).
On the way:
When the PCs get to Droskars cruicible, they see that there is a sizeable encampment around the keep, which has been hastily repaired. It is nighttime. The encampment features cut down trees set up as spiked palisades (with breaks in them, the Orcs haven’t had much time and have been focussing on repairing the keep), and tents pitched up all around the keep. The orcs have dug crudely concealed pits in the forest as well (DC 15 Perception to spot, Dex 15 avoids, fall = 2d6 bludgeoning and 6d6 piercing damage).
A sizeable force of Orcs has been deployed to neighbouring Silverton. Unbeknownst to the PCs this force was intercepted by a contingent of Griffon riding Eagle Knights and has yet to return to the keep. The remaining orcs have been called back to the safety of the keep.
Outpost
The only force guarding the exterior of the keep is on the main road to the keep, around 150’ from the entrance. It consists of 2 Orogs, 8 Orcs, 1 eye of Gruumsh, and an Orog Captain. Its night time, and the Orcs have a crudely constructed palisade on either side of the road, that stretches for 30’ either side, leaving a 20’ gap in the centre. Two long concealed pits (one either side) lie to the sides of the palisade, and barring the road, the whole area is heavily wooded.
Orog Captain
Medium humanoid (orc), chaotic evil
Armor Class 18 (plate)
Hit Points 126 (15d8 + 60)
Speed 30 ft.
STR 18 (+4) DEX 10 (+0) CON 18 (+4) INT 12 (+1) WIS 15 (+2) CHA 15 (+2)
Skills Intimidation +6, Survival +6, Perception +6, Athletics +8
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages Common, Orc
Challenge 6
Aggressive. As a bonus action, the orog can move up to its speed toward a hostile creature that it can see.
Brute: The Orog adds an extra damage dice when it hits with a melee weapon attack
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The orog makes two greataxe attacks.
Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: (2d12 + 4) slashing damage.
Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage.
Battle cry: (1/day): Each allied creature that can hear the Orc within 30’ of it gains advantage on attack rolls until the start of the orcs next turn. The orc then makes a melee attack as a reaction. This also alerts the keep that enemies approach.
Tactics:
The Eye casts bless (targeting the 3 Orogs and itself). The Orogs are smart enough to hang back behind the palisade in total cover and wait for the bless spell to take hold. The Orcs charge the PCs (hurling javelins if they cant close the distance). Once the Orogs are in melee, the captain uses his warcry. The Eye holds back from combat in total cover behind the palisade, to ensure its spell doesn’t drop. On its turn it moves, throws a spear and moves again behind total cover. It has enough spears behind the palisade to last it the entire combat.
If pressed by flying PCs or similar overwhelming force, they fall back to the keep, keeping to the cover of the trees as they do so.
Keep:
The holes in the outer walls have all been bricked up in the past few days, and the only way inside is through the outer courtyard. The solid wooden doors are barred (AC 15, 100 HP, Str athletics break DC 25). The outer courtyards walls are manned by 6 Orcs with crossbows (Dex 16, +7 to hit, 1d10+3 damage and 2d6 poison damage, AC 15, half cover) 3 per wall. Ladders lead to the walls from the inner courtyard, and these Orcs can be replaced at the rate of 1/ round (max 4 replacements). Each archer carries a warning horn. Bonfires light the area surrounding the keep.
3 patrols of (1 orog and 5 orcs) rise up from inside the keep to defend the inner courtyard if the door is breached, the horn is sounded or intruders make it that far. In addition, a Hobgoblin Devastator (actually an Orc) oversees the keeps defences. The devastator casts a semicircular wind wall to protect the inner keep, and (while standing behind the wall in the corridor) lobs fireballs into the courtyard. Replace fog cloud with shield, and L-bolt with wind wall. An Eye of Gruumsh stands next to him at all times. The Eye casts bless on the Orogs before they enter battle once the outer courtyard is breached, and stands next to the Devestator ready to cast cure wounds if he is injured. The Eye has his shield out at all times, and uses his protection fighting style as a reaction to protect the devastator.
In total there are 30 Orcs that guard the keep - 10 x Orc archers, 15 x Orcs, 3 x Orogs, 1 x Hobgoblin devastator and 1 Eye of Gruumsh.
If the PCs can sneak past the Orcs and enter the keep unnoticed, the Orc patrols each reside in rooms 6, 7 and 8. The Devestator and Eye sleep in Room 10, the archers rotate through area 13 when not on duty manning the walls. The Orcs (aside from the archers) are all awake during the night (the archers sleep as they are required to rotate though guard duty on the walls outside).
Inner defences
Room 16 is guarded by a Champion (with the aggressive trait) and 4 Orogs. They are under strict orders to stay in the room, and prevent a second layer of defence if the keeps guardians should fall.
Hint that the PCs to take a short rest at this point.
Dungeon level(s)
The remainder of the dungeon levels are cleared out by the Orcs, and empty of any dangers barring two rooms – One large chamber leading to the throne room (guard chamber) and the adjacent sacrifice room (where the ritual is taking place).
Guard chamber:
Dralsiflex (a large Hezrou with wickedly sharp fangs, and flickering oddly…) and 4 Hell hounds (his pets) inhabit this room. The hounds are used to the Hezrous stench. Replace fire damage and resistance on the hounds to acid (they’re abyssal hounds who spit acid and are resistant to it).
The odd flickering of the Demon, causes creatures to have disadvantage on attack rolls against it. If it takes damage, the property ceases to function until the start of the demons next turn. This property is suppressed while the demon is incapacitated, restrained, or otherwise unable to move. In addition he can teleport up to 120’ as a bonus action. His bite deals 4d10+4 damage, his HP are 186, and his CR is 10.
Dralsiflex was the victim of a botched summoning attempt by a mage many centuries ago. His odd blinking and flickering is a consequence thereof. Its driven him quite mad. The only thing he cares about are his ‘dogs’ (the abyssal hounds). If one is slain, he flies into a rage (extra bite as a bonus action, resistance to all damage) for the remainder of the encounter.
Sacrifice chamber:
The Pale master (an albino glabrezu with 50 extra HP, 1 Legendary resistance, magic weapons trait, AC 18, and pincers that inflict 3d10+5 damage. His attack bonus is +10 to hit. Increase proficiency by +1 for all other things. He can cast lightning bolt 3/day DC 16 in addition to his other spells. CR 11) and 2 Tanaruuks guard this room.
The pale master is shrouded in a continual darkness effect. He recasts it if dispelled. He uses power word stun on the first round, and melees, with his claws, while casting lighting bolt or dispel magic with his melee attacks thereafter.
When the PCs enter the room, the Tanaruks are in the process of placing Laurel on the altar. She is conscious, notices the PCs and lets out a cry, alerting the demons.
Each tanaruuk is capable of two attacks per round with their greatswords (plus a bite). They wear half plate armor (AC 16).
The tribes treasure is in this room. It’s a CR 11-16 Hoard, with additional magical items as a CR 6-10 Horde (no extra coins or other gump).
Let the Players roll the treasure. Screw it, this was a tough adventure. Hand them the DMG and let them go nuts. Plus, award them an extra 5,000 xp each for saving the town and the lives of the NPCs. Laurel also takes a romantic interest in one of the PCs (if they went out of their way to save her). They get feted with a massive party on return to the town, and statues are erected in their likeness. Make them feel good. Hand every player a beer. You want them telling stories about this adventure years from now.
If the PCs fail:
If the PCs fail to stop the ritual, a very angry CR 17 Goristro is summoned. It (along with enough Orcs and Orogs as you feel happy with to really screw the PCs over) attacks the town the following night. It is three nights until reinforcements come to save the PCs. The Goristro uses it siege monster ability to smash churches, PC residences and anything else they care about or would be hilarious to destroy. In addition, now Laurel (the healer) is dead, healing potions in Falcons hollow are much harder to find, and double in price.
Also; show them the paragraph one up so they know what they missed out on. Let them stew on it till the next session.
