Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Quickbeam" data-source="post: 545863" data-attributes="member: 635">Round #2 Battle: Quickbeam vs. arwinkBlood Sanctuary -- An adventure for characters level 9-12Ingredients:Foppish ForeignerFlying CarpetSkeletonsBrontosaurusFrozen WaterfallMagical MudBACKGROUND:The town of Shanalea rests in a valley at the base of the Hargin Hills, a chain of foothills that surround Mount Ferrwaln.  Three hundred years ago, a minor earthquake caused a shift in the Hargin Hills, which could have wiped out Shanalea forever.  A mountain stream from Ferrwaln feeds into Lake Dassir, which sits placid within the arms of the foothills.  The earthquake caused the lake to begin flowing through the hills, and streaming down towards the town below.As the water began to flood Shanalea, Heldis Sorak, a devout priest of Obad-Hai, uttered what he thought was his final prayer.  Sorak praised his god and plead for the town’s salvation.  He recounted how the town lived in harmony with nature, and how the local church had on many occasions taken in and cared for injured animals, which would not have survived the harsh winters on their own.  Sorak pledged the town’s unending loyalty to Obad-Hai, and promised that the town would always seek balance with its natural surroundings.  When he finished his prayer, Sorak stood riveted to the ground as he watched the water that rushed through the hills crystallize into a frozen waterfall.Sorak called the awe-struck townsfolk together, and explained that it was the hand of Obad-Hai that spared them.  He instructed the town that it needed to remember the day, and forever strive to maintain the favor of the nature god.  The people of Shanalea agreed to construct a sanctuary and animal refuge in the Hargin Hills, overlooking the town.Since its construction the Dassir Falls Sanctuary has been maintained as a tribute to Obad-Hai.  The temple of Obad-Hai in Grendamere, a place of considerably more note than the simple Shanalea town church, appoints one cleric from its ranks to be the keeper of the sanctuary.  Grendamere lies roughly fifteen miles north-east of Shanalea, as the crow flies, and has little contact with the town outside of maintaining the sanctuary.PC HOOKS:The party is approached by one Herdwick Cupp, a representative of the townsfolk of Shanalea.  Cupp is a foppish foreigner, raised in the far south, which gives him a bizarre accent (to be played like the art gallery assistant from Beverly Hills Cop who offers Axel a little espresso, or perhaps Martin Short’s assistant in Father of the Bride - at the DM’s discretion of course).  Cupp has very high ranks in Knowledge: Apparel, and will comment on how fabulous a particular PC is dressed, or how one of the PCs must be from a certain region based on the way he or she is dressed.  Cupp has traveled to find the party, whose feats have been heard of in Shanalea, because the town needs help.  The townsfolk have witnessed a few attacks on the Dassir Falls Sanctuary recently by an array of strange creatures and beasts, and believe that the current keeper of the sanctuary, Oseera Wilcott, needs protection.  Even worse, some locals claim to have seen the Falls "sweating" or "crying" as though the powers which hold it at bay are weakening, and the ice thawing.  He explains to the PCs that the town maintains a sacred pledge to maintain the sanctuary, and that the town would likely face destruction (by flood) if the sanctuary were destroyed.  He explains that Oseera has been able to hold the sanctuary so far, but that there is nobody in town experienced in battle to aid her.  Cupp will offer a reward to the PCs if they can find out who is behind the assaults on the sanctuary, and if they can protect Oseera and any animals she currently cares for.* The PCs will be offered their choice of animals ranging from exemplary mounts; to superb animal companions; and even some creatures that might serve as wonderful and unique familiars, in return for their assistance.  A Knowledge: Local or Geography check (DC 15) will permit the PCs to know that Shanalea’s relationship with nature has resulted in the breeding of wonderful animals. * If the PC party has a druid, the druid will undoubtedly be motivated to assist in the protection of the animal sanctuary.* If the PC party has a cleric or devotee of Obad-Hai or any other deity focused on nature, that person will have heard of the god’s feat in sparing the town, and will feel compelled to protect the sanctuary.* Clearly, the party may simply feel motivated to help protect the town of Shanalea from probable destruction as a matter of heroic principle. THE LOW DOWN:Oseera Wilcott is the current keeper of the sanctuary.  She is a human cleric who was an acolyte in the temple of Obad-Hai, but during her many years in the foothills, she strayed from her teachings.  Oseera has renounced Obad-Hai, and has for many years been “reborn” as a devotee of Nerull.  She is neutral evil in alignment, and uses undetectable alignment to prevent any skilled visitors to the sanctuary from having misgivings about her.  Oseera has become a Blood Witch (as the prestige class), and has used the blood of the animals “in her care” to power her dark spells.When the PCs meet Oseera, she will offer her sincerest gratitude for their protection.  She will acknowledge recent attacks on the sanctuary, and point to numerous animal skeletons and carcasses strewn about the sanctuary grounds, as innocent victims of those attacks.  In truth, these animal remains are the result of Oseera’s persistent bleeding of the creatures.There is a small sanctuary building, in which Oseera resides.  About 200 feet in front of this structure, the PCs will notice a brontosaurus feasting on lush vegetation.  Oseera will draw the PCs’ attention to scars on the dinosaur’s legs, and explain that this rare and beautiful creature was brought to the sanctuary after barely surviving an attack in the wild, and she is overseeing the animal’s recovery from these injuries.  The creature is relatively tame, and will not be aggressive towards the party.  It is not in an enclosure, but instead is surrounded by a border of magical mud, which has been enchanted to promote the growth of incredibly lush vegetation within its boundaries.  The mud is arranged in a rectangular pattern around the brontosaurus, and on each side of the rectangle a glyph of warding has been placed that will cast inflict moderate wounds on the creature if it touches the glyph. This has created a sort of invisible fence for the animal, and it has been conditioned not to leave its area.  The truth, of course, is that Oseera sought this huge beast out specifically for its size and generally docile disposition, and is using the animal as a blood factory.  The numerous scars on its legs are from incisions she has made, but only Heal or Wilderness Lore Check (DC 25) would reveal that the wounds are too symmetrical to have occurred in the wild.There are other animals around the sanctuary, tethered here and there.  Occasionally, Oseera will take an animal into Shanalea, and ask the townsfolk to care for it.  She explains that there are too many for her to care for at the time.  The townsfolk love to assist the sanctuary, and these visits keep them from suspecting that anything is wrong.The sanctuary compound contains a few animal pens and avian coops, designed to be used as homes for animals on the mend…almost all of which are currently empty.  There are several buildings including a medical hut, a quaint shrine to Obad-Hai, a horse stable, and the main sanctuary building itself, which is rather small.  Oseera’s quarters are located within this main building, which also houses a guest/visitor greeting room, a personal prayer altar, a bed chamber, a modest kitchen, and a cellar.  Being curious by nature (pun intended) PC’s will just have to explore the cellar at some point...especially after Oseera’s lies begin falling apart.  Located therein are various books, bowls, daggers, and herbs.  A flying carpet is spread on the floor at the far end of the cellar.  At first glance, PCs will notice numerous moths and butterflies flying over the carpet.  A spot check (DC 15) will result in the realization that some of the moths and butterflies are hovering completely motionless.  The carpet has been in disuse, and has fallen prey to moths and butterflies, which have been dining upon its enchanted fibers.  Many of the insects are dead, but are levitating over the carpet, suspended by the magic they ingested.  A cloud of dust hovers over the carpet.  The dust is the levitating remains of decayed moths and butterflies.  Any PC standing on the carpet will inhale this dust, and must make a Fortitude Save (DC 18) or levitate (as the spell) for 1d4 minutes.  The flying carpet has been at the sanctuary for many years, and was intended to be used by the keeper to make pilgrimages to the temple in Grendamere.  Oseera has not been making such journeys, and has left the carpet to rot in her cellar.  Oseera’s failure to appear at the temple of Obad-Hai was the reason that the clerics there first became concerned about the sanctuary.ENCOUNTERS:Shortly after arriving at the sanctuary (within the first few hours) an assault is staged by roughly 6-8 Mephits.  The Mephits are a combination of Earth, Air and Magma outsiders (DM’s discretion) and focus all of their collective efforts on Oseera.  In fact, clever PC’s will notice that none of the Mephit attacks occur in such a way as to even remotely threaten any of the sanctuary animals.  This is in direct opposition to Oseera’s lies about how the skeletons and carcasses came to be strewn about the area, and a major clue that their hostess is not who she appears to be.  For her part Oseera will help defeat the Mephits, but only with low level spells and intentionally poor ranged/melee attacks.  After the encounter, Oseera will tell the party that this was the most forceful attack directed at her and the sanctuary.  She will attempt to blame some rogue group of elementalists or warped worshippers of nature, who wish to wield their druidic power purely for its destructive force.Despite any suppositions the party may have about Oseera, her skill as an artful liar and magically hidden alignment, will keep her safe until the next day.  The party may sleep in Shanalea at The Frozen Falls Lodge, or accept space offered by Oseera in the loft above the sanctuary’s small stable building.  At dawn the next morning (either while the PC’s are waking up or making their way back to the sanctuary, depending on where they’ve spent the night) the clerics of Obad-Hai’s temple in Grendamere launch another assault on Oseera.  This attack force includes two priests, an elven fighter and one Large Elemental for each of the four subtypes.  As the party rushes to her defense, the priests will repeatedly beg them to stop defending Oseera – and hopefully at some point during the encounter they’ll listen!!  If not, well, then they recognize their mistake too late and some serious acts of atonement will be in order!!  However, if the group decides to listen – even briefly – one of the priests explains that Oseera has become very evil, and recounts the unspeakable acts (bleeding and slaughtering the animals) one of their emissaries witnessed almost a month ago.  At this point, Oseera uses her dark powers to animate several of the larger animal skeletons lying about, and a fierce battle is certain to ensue.CONCLUSIONS:* The PC’s help the temple of Obad-Hai restore order at the Dassir Falls Sanctuary, and someone more fitting is appointed as its keeper.  Disaster is averted, The party reaps their animal rewards is they so desire, and the town of Shanalea moves forward into the next age.  * The PC’s continue assisting Oseera, and likely defeat the contingency from Grendamere.  Without a fitting keeper in place, the shrine to Obad-Hai continues to be defouled, and the deity unleashes his fury by releasing the frozen falls to cleanse Shanalea.</blockquote>

Verification