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Message: <blockquote data-quote="steeldragons" data-source="post: 6907257" data-attributes="member: 92511">The Horror Harvest of HoargathBad LeadFang of MercyCracked RoadLeech MiningWax SealHuge PumpkinYou travel to the dale of Bowerton to partake in their annual Harvest festivities. But there is no cheer in Bowerton. “The Curse of Hoargath” lays upon the valley, they say. Crops fail. The swamp spreads. People vanish into the mists.There is a ruin, called “the Fang,” in the Fetch Drain swamp north of the village. You are implored to head north, across the fields, into the swamp. Find the Cracked Road which will lead you to the ruin. It is believed the evil of the ancient wizard, Hoargath, is rooted there.The FieldsNot far into the fog-filled fields you wade into a sprawling pumpkin patch with a huge pumpkin at its center, easily 10‘ tall and twice as wide. Huge golden blossoms and thick vines cascade from the top into the field around it.Surrounding the pumpkin are 6 missing townsfolk. They attack with farm tools (DC12 Perception roll for any character within 10‘ to notice the vines and squash blossoms coiled about -or sprouting from?!- their shoulders and necks.)The pumpkin is a Yellow Squash Creeper. Killing the Creeper releases the townsfolk from its influence.A search of the giant squash reveals a 4' tall doorway cut into the rind that is sealed shut by a disc of yellow wax stamped with the image of a fanged wolf. Breaking the waxen seal and opening the rind door reveals the majority of the pumpkin is hollow and furnished as a simple cottage. Suspended by vines and tendrils of squash growing around and through it, in the center of the hollow gourd, is the corpse of a thoroughly dead leprechaun. There is a burlap bag holding 10 giant seeds [yellow squash creeper seeds] and a small iron pot with a lid containing 200 gold coins.The Fetch DrainThe swamp is difficult terrain almost immediately upon entering it. For each hour of exploration in the swamp, roll a swamp encounter (d4). Don’t reuse results.1. HAZARD! Quicksand, 10‘ diameter2. The Leech Mines: You come to tiered paddies of muck. Two unarmed lizardmen in each paddy (10 total) periodically pull leeches out of the mire and put them in a sack. If attacked, they fight to the death. If approached peacefully, they won’t react at all.A giant leech is in each paddy section with the lizardmen and readily attacks non-reptileans entering the mire.The lizardmen are charmed. If the condition is removed, they cry “Mersssy!” before fleeing into the swamp. Established communication reveals “Mersssy” is the name of the “misstrissss in ruinsss.” They don’t know why they are mining leeches other than “for the mistress.” Any freed lizardmen can direct -but refuse to guide- the party to the Cracked Road. 3. FIGHT! 3d10 stirges4. The Cracked Road: A stretch of road spanned this swamp long ago, now broken and overgrown, but provides a usable roadway (10‘ wide, 10’ over the swamp) straight into the heart of the swamp. The road is “cracked” in several places. Roll d6 each hour of travel. Results 1-2 indicates a gap in the road. Roll d10 to determine the number of feet of roadway missing. The party must figure ways across the gaps or fall into the mire.After traveling the Cracked Road for d6 hours, it comes to an abrupt end at a mostly intact gatehouse before a leaning, curving, crumbling tower. The Fang(DC15 Perception to notice the seal of red wax over the archway’s keystone stamped with an image of a fanged wolf). In the courtyard, at the entry to the 30' tall three-storied tower, stands a hulking dark grey figure. At the Gate is a Lead Golem. 8‘ tall, chaotic evil, and made of lead offering amazing resilience against magic, but mass and density restricts speed, it always loses initiative. It will attack anyone not with its mistress. The Tower is home to the new mistress of the swamp and the Fang, the beautiful vampire sorceress, Mercy. Her coffin is not in this tower. The first floor is a laboratory, including large jars filled with giant seeds, bits of vegetation, a leprechaun suspended in liquid, and a giant leech carcass strapped to a table. The second floor is set up as half parlor-half study, richly furnished (3 golem manuals among other valuables). Mercy is here. The third floor is unused, half its roof is missing. Mercy uses this to escape (in either bat or gaseous form), if necessary.</blockquote>

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