This is a sidetrek for a 4th level party. Raise Brumby and Gruggle's stats, for the appropriate party level. Comments welcome on the side trek.
The Drop:
Misty, an 8 year old girl is found in any setting where there is woods, mountains, or hills near a small village. She will likely be encountered on a roadside, or just beyon the edge of the village. Misty is crying her eyes out, calling the name 'Muffins!' over and over, running back and forth for twenty yards or so.
Upon questioning, Misty will inform anyone that she's lost Muffins, her pet cat. Muffins is a tabby tom of about two years old, and often runs off into <insert enviorment> to play. But Muffins didn't come home last night, and Misty is very sad, upon the loss of her cat.
If the party chooses to look for the cat, Misty hands them Muffin's blanket, which she's clutching protectively. It smells of the feline, and has bits of fur, as well as traces of other fur of a different color. A wilderness lore check (DC 18) will learn that it is groundsquirrel fur (or rock rat fur, incase you're dealing with mountains). Misty will point in the direction which Muffins often came home from.
The plot thickens
If the party still looks, let them walk into that direction for about half an hour, before making a spot check (DC 15). They will find a dead ground squirrel (or rockrat) corpse, next to a giant footprint. A Track (DC 12) will allow one to follow the heavy footprints back to a large cavemouth.
Inside, two distinct, loud voices can be heard, as well as the occasional Yrrowl! of a cat. The voices will talk about the cat, or make jokes. If further investigating, the party will discover that the cat has found itself in the clutches of an Ettin.
Brumby and Gruggle adopted Gricklug (Muffins), and are keeping him. If the party decides to talk to Brumby and Gruggle, they will be proud of their new pet, stroking him (Hard), nuzzling the cat's terrified body, and shaking him, meanwhile the cat clutching onto giant fists out of fear.* Brumby will talk to the cat, while Gruggle will use a high pitched voice to talk as the cat ("Hi! I'm Gricklug!").
The ettin will try and grab the cat from either hand, much to the feline's protests. Muffins is not safe in the Ettin's hands; accidents are prone to happen, like what happened to Bruggy, the Ettin's Last pet. Let them mention that in context. What happened to Bruggy made them sad.
(For full effect, a plush mouse in the hands of the DM makes a perfect prop, since it's in proportion to the cat's size in relation to the Ettin).
The Ettin will have to be heavily persuaded to give Muffins up. They will bargain for babies, wyvern tails, shinies (Gems to polished rocks to tin will do), or a pretty axe for Gruggle. If the party decides to attack, Brumby and Gruggle will put Gricklug in a big birdcage attached to the roof, take up club and axe (Brumby favors a good ol' club, but Gruggle likes to cut stuff up), and fight as a normal Ettin.
Muffin, returned to Misty relatively safe and sound, will earn the party little in monitory wealth, but Misty is the daughter of an influential person in the town, a woman with political power who loves her daughter. The return of Muffins will undoubtably win the party's favor from the NPC, and lead to other things.
Brumby and Gruggle: As Ettin in the PHB, except Gruggle uses a greataxe. Raise levels in Fighter or Barbarian (with Animal Handling and Empathy for skills) to make it more suitable for higher level parties. Possible: For higher levels, have the Ettin take Monkey Grip, using a Huge axe and club.
The Drop:
Misty, an 8 year old girl is found in any setting where there is woods, mountains, or hills near a small village. She will likely be encountered on a roadside, or just beyon the edge of the village. Misty is crying her eyes out, calling the name 'Muffins!' over and over, running back and forth for twenty yards or so.
Upon questioning, Misty will inform anyone that she's lost Muffins, her pet cat. Muffins is a tabby tom of about two years old, and often runs off into <insert enviorment> to play. But Muffins didn't come home last night, and Misty is very sad, upon the loss of her cat.
If the party chooses to look for the cat, Misty hands them Muffin's blanket, which she's clutching protectively. It smells of the feline, and has bits of fur, as well as traces of other fur of a different color. A wilderness lore check (DC 18) will learn that it is groundsquirrel fur (or rock rat fur, incase you're dealing with mountains). Misty will point in the direction which Muffins often came home from.
The plot thickens
If the party still looks, let them walk into that direction for about half an hour, before making a spot check (DC 15). They will find a dead ground squirrel (or rockrat) corpse, next to a giant footprint. A Track (DC 12) will allow one to follow the heavy footprints back to a large cavemouth.
Inside, two distinct, loud voices can be heard, as well as the occasional Yrrowl! of a cat. The voices will talk about the cat, or make jokes. If further investigating, the party will discover that the cat has found itself in the clutches of an Ettin.
Brumby and Gruggle adopted Gricklug (Muffins), and are keeping him. If the party decides to talk to Brumby and Gruggle, they will be proud of their new pet, stroking him (Hard), nuzzling the cat's terrified body, and shaking him, meanwhile the cat clutching onto giant fists out of fear.* Brumby will talk to the cat, while Gruggle will use a high pitched voice to talk as the cat ("Hi! I'm Gricklug!").
The ettin will try and grab the cat from either hand, much to the feline's protests. Muffins is not safe in the Ettin's hands; accidents are prone to happen, like what happened to Bruggy, the Ettin's Last pet. Let them mention that in context. What happened to Bruggy made them sad.
(For full effect, a plush mouse in the hands of the DM makes a perfect prop, since it's in proportion to the cat's size in relation to the Ettin).
The Ettin will have to be heavily persuaded to give Muffins up. They will bargain for babies, wyvern tails, shinies (Gems to polished rocks to tin will do), or a pretty axe for Gruggle. If the party decides to attack, Brumby and Gruggle will put Gricklug in a big birdcage attached to the roof, take up club and axe (Brumby favors a good ol' club, but Gruggle likes to cut stuff up), and fight as a normal Ettin.
Muffin, returned to Misty relatively safe and sound, will earn the party little in monitory wealth, but Misty is the daughter of an influential person in the town, a woman with political power who loves her daughter. The return of Muffins will undoubtably win the party's favor from the NPC, and lead to other things.
Brumby and Gruggle: As Ettin in the PHB, except Gruggle uses a greataxe. Raise levels in Fighter or Barbarian (with Animal Handling and Empathy for skills) to make it more suitable for higher level parties. Possible: For higher levels, have the Ettin take Monkey Grip, using a Huge axe and club.
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