When a caravan of mysterious newcomers arrived in the arid quarry town of Gravelwick, they rightfully claimed an ancient burial mound as their ancestral home and built a colorful hamlet among its barrows. These "Ombruans" soon cultivated vast rows of vegetables and established a healthy trade of
garden-fresh greens for local wares.
That was two peaceful years ago. But nowadays trouble brews as unusual events are blamed on "the foreigners."
Hooks
- A PC hears of the "Ombru," veiled nomads wielding ancient druidic powers.
- PCs are attacked by (or hear of) spirit-like wolves or thorny awakened shrubs a few miles outside town.
- A friend wants a gift delivered to the gold dragon, Zuan-zhinde.
- A PC learns of an great altruist called "The Vagabond."
- The baron hires adventurers to handle unrest in Gravelwick.
Gravelwick is a bustling town whose many shops can provide most necessary services. Influential personages include:
Baron Dante Macadam (
knight)
- curt, incurious, and mainly concerned with town stability and his own coffers.
- ambivalent toward the Ombruans, but appreciates the business.
- hires/rewards adventurers as needed.
Guardcaptain Gorra Coppermaul (
veteran)
- very competent, but overly-deferential to the baron.
- likes the Ombruans, regards the Vagabond as helpful, and distrusts dragons.
- helpful to visitors who behave themselves
Important citizens:
- Castor Spring (noble), awkward but sharp-minded merchant who trades with Ombruans and Zuan-zhinde.
- Edwina Coyle-Wraithbane (priest), dour and sanctimonious intellectual who believes the Ombruans are malevolent, and the Vagabond is a rabble-rouser.
- Lady N'Drea Tolo (noble), good-natured and flighty petty noble who openly disdains the Vagabond but secretly pays him for illicit medicines for her baby's incurable colic. (The infant is a changeling!)
- Lemuel Wynryng (noble), suave businessman who covertly receives smuggled Elixir of Long-life from the Vagabond and sells it for a fat profit. (In truth, these potions induce slow undeath!)
- Trigg Riggsley (veteran), sport enthusiast and merchant who respects the Ombruans but finds their quietness off-putting.
As long as the PCs are not involved in shenanigans, they can explore without interference. Townsfolk generally appreciate Ombruan contributions, but one-third feel they are "creepy", "too secretive", or "shady foreigners." However, none honestly recalls any crimes, which authorities confirm. Poorer residents speak well of the
respected beggar called the Vagabond, a bandaged man with a long-established reputation among destitute urchins, ex-crooks, lepers and other hardship cases.
In truth, the
Vagabond is an Ombruan
wight named
Kizar, long banished from his people's caravan. He came to the barrow mound to hunt for means to ingratiate himself to locals. Years of isolated resentment have corrupted him thoroughly: the motive behind his good deeds is to raise a rebellion.
The return of Kizar's clanfolk severely limits his access to the barrows and forces him to remain inconspicuous. He quietly encourages his followers to instigate violence against the Ombruans to drive them off. Kizar's resources include:
- two loyal cult fanatic lieutenants: Brother Wilkes, who acts very agreeable but is tongueless; and Sister Caleen, who behaves meekly, but is devious.
- two dozen commoners, six cultists, and six zombies disguised as lepers.
- a small stash of druidic magics, mainly for healing and conjuration, including unique single-use potions, ointments, and scrolls salvaged from the barrow.
- a hidden tunnel to a secret chamber in the Ombruan barrow complex, which contains:
- the moldy Tapestry of Doors, a huge wall-hanging (8 ft. x 100 ft.) depicting life-size scenes of ancient Ombruan civilization on which large patches of velvety black mold fill the doorway images. An undead creature can part this mold like a curtain and step through into a distant barrow.
- Kizar uses this tapestry to plunder other Ombruan catacombs of magic, including the smuggled elixirs for personages in Gravelwick.
PCs who interview the Vagabond find him calm and amiable, if sermonizing, and excessively modest. If PCs investigate too deeply, they may be harassed, but probably not attacked outright.
The great burial mound just outside Gravelwick is now called
Greenhill for the vegetables growing upon it year-round. At the higher end of the long hill, colorful wagons and pavilions crowd the eight ancient barrows that form the Ombruan hamlet. The hill is encircled by an ancient moat, a
wide depression called Thistleditch. It occasionally floods in monsoons, but usually remains dry and impassable with overgrown with briars. Two rarely-guarded footbridges (one toward town) connect each end of Greenhill to the surroundings.
Town encounters:
- The Vagabond ministers to urchins or an invalid.
- Animated turnip greens (awakened shrubs) cause chaos in the market. (The vendor received the produce from an Ombruan named Jihan. Two helpful beggars unloaded them.)
- One night, fire erupts on Greenhill and the narrow footbridge hinders attempts to douse it. How townsfolk respond could depend on the PCs. (Eyewitnesses claim it was a dragon attack, and a couple golden scales found.)
- Beggars mob three Ombruans on the street. Ripping the immigrants' robes to expose withered bodies, they cry "Undead!" The crowd becomes agitated: their response may depend on the PCs.
- Several needle blights emerge from Thistleditch by twilight to raid the outskirts of town.
- In a shadowy place, a beggar surreptitiously deals with a hooded figure. (A cloaked footman of Lemuel Wynryng or Lady Tolo purchases a smuggled elixir from a follower of the Vagabond.)
The
Ombruans mostly keep to themselves on Greenhill. They wear undyed robes with colorful sashes and wide-brimmed hats, and always keep their eyes veiled. Their skin is cracked, scarred, and browned by long years tending crops and nurturing wildlands. They have black eyes, toothy grins, and whispery voices. Though reserved, they welcome visitors in barrow huts furnished with low tables, cushions, rugs, and wall-hangings. These furnishings conceal passages leading downward into the burial mound.
In fact, the Ombruans are undead, paradoxically cultivating the life they worship after death. Leaders of the
undead settlement are druid-themed
wights, while most are simply undead
commoners.
Abani Minda, chief speaker
- terrified that the villagers of Gravelwick are not ready to learn the Ombruans are undead.
- worries about tensions and openly engages town leaders, although she knows some don't trust her.
- skeptical of hushed rumors that the Vagabond is undead, possibly even the outcast Kiraz
- devout worshiper of nature and harvest gods.
Aba Nedju, spiritual leader
- is a druid-like spellcaster
- genuinely good-hearted and laughs easily
- has terrifying visions of a dragon, and fears it is Zuan-zhinde.
Imne, recordkeeper
- believes all Ombruans should return to "respectable" death as Longsleepers.
- once glimpsed the Vagabond, and suspects he is Kiraz the outcast.
- may scheme to goad her people to Longsleep.
Jihan, friendly trader whose flute melodies honor nature.
Ambra, talented agriculturalist who fears the villagers
The
Longsleepers are "permanently" at rest, and include the
Elders who ruled the earliest Ombruan civilization. If somehow roused, these are very powerful undead.
Ombruans speak little around outsiders, but warm to those who approach thoughtfully. They freely offer hospitality, but will never willingly acknowledge the underground barrow levels. They firmly eject snoopers on Greenhill, and respond violently to intruders caught underground.
Delving the Ombruan village
Each of eight barrows atop Greenhill conceal passages leading to two levels of interconnected tombs where the Ombruans rest, worship, and create their agricultural magics. Enchanted secret doors hide a third level where the Longsleepers rest. The complex is guarded by skeletons, zombies, specters, and wights; as well as molds, assassin vine roots, and druidic ward magic.
Kizar's secret tunnel leads from Thistleditch near the footbridge to the second level. He erected false walls, secret doors, and wards to protect his hideout and the stolen Tapestry of Doors.
Wilderness around Gravelwick
Wanderers expect typical hill encounters, plus:
- wagon train transporting stone.
- group of pushy beggars (commoners) asking for alms. (They compare PCs favorably or unfavorably to the Vagabond, depending.)
- short, intense unseasonal thunderstorm.
- fey-spirit dire wolves or bloodhawks. (These are conjured by Kizar.)
- tree blights.
Zuan-zhinde is a
recalcitrant infant by dragon standards, a (wyrmling or young) gold dragon living in a crag-top ruin one day from Gravelwick. He is the benevolent but haughty "protector of the hills, who's received gifts from renowned patrons and given audience to pilgrims."
detests condescension from those "beneath" him, and may throw a tantrum if pushed.
- angrily insulted by bribes.
- responds well to draconic scripture and lore.
- childishly curious about humanoids claiming draconic heritage, contacts, or magics.
He instinctively dislikes the Ombruans, who "stink of undeath." Emissaries of the Vagabond press him to violence, but he is reasonable under thoughtful negotiation.
If attacked, he likely retreats, by flight or a well-hidden teleportation circle rigged to disintegrate if approached without a password. His treasure is typical for a wyrmling.
Concluding developments: "What if the PCs...."
- eliminate the Vagabond? The authorities of Gravelwick and Greenhill are grateful and offer rewards. However, his cultish followers become overtly hostile.
- destroy the Ombruans? At the next full moon, one revenant per PC rises to seek vengeance.
- uncover smuggling activity? The guilty citizen or the Vagabond may offer a bribe; otherwise, authorities give a reward.
- kill or oust Zuan-zhinde? A draconic inquisitor eventually seeks redress.