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NOW LIVE! Into the Woods--new character species, eerie monsters, and haunting villains to populate the woodlands of your D&D games.
IRON DM revival!
- Thread starter incognito
- Start date
. I'm on pins and needles already at having to face off with either one of you.
MerakSpielman, you can always get in on the home game I'm running in the Iron DM "Home Game" Revival thread. Psion and I have already posted scenarios with this ingredient list: Bones, Earth Elemental, Ghouls, Magic Key, Kuo-toa, Holy Ground. Join us!I just read through this thread. I'd never heard of Iron DM until now. This is REALLY COOL!!! I would have loved to get in on it.oh well...I'd be willing to start a petition to have an IRON DM game always going on here.
incognito
First Post
the generator:
Is highly secret - if i were to reveal its origins, someone might use it against me!
or laugh...
Another reason it remains a secret is that it is not electronic, and not entirely random, but random enough for our purposes.
MerakSpielman:
I think Quarterly Iron DM should about cover this. After all the hard work, seems like the title holder should be able to bask in the glory/brag in the sig. file for a short while!
However, keep you eye in the General Forum, for I'll run this again, if I there is anyone left speaking to me, once this round is over...
Griswold: be sure to stop by Monday before noon EST!
Is highly secret - if i were to reveal its origins, someone might use it against me!
or laugh...
Another reason it remains a secret is that it is not electronic, and not entirely random, but random enough for our purposes.
MerakSpielman:
I think Quarterly Iron DM should about cover this. After all the hard work, seems like the title holder should be able to bask in the glory/brag in the sig. file for a short while!
However, keep you eye in the General Forum, for I'll run this again, if I there is anyone left speaking to me, once this round is over...
Griswold: be sure to stop by Monday before noon EST!
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Drat, I was just about to ask the same question. It really would be fabulous to have this sort of "idea generator" for my own campaign. Perhaps you can give some sort of hint as to how it works? In payment for any hints given I offer the tidbit below:
Did anyone else notice SK Reynolds discussion of how he came up with the character concepts for "Cabal: Bonds of Magic"? He flipped through a dictionary until he found a word that inspired him. Two of the words he mentioned were "overextend" and "hole", which I found very interesting since I'm not sure I could have done anything productive with them.
the Jester
Legend
Nothing to see here...edited at author's request...Dinkeldog
Last edited by a moderator:
Wulf Ratbane
Adventurer
The Face of Evil
for 4th to 7th level characters
Mushrooms
Dryad
Hand carved pipe
Underground lake
a conflict of interest
Awakened dove - with levels of Ranger
As the trees part and you approach the clearing, the pungent, fecund smell of wet earth assails your nostrils, growing stronger as you approach a once-mighty oak. The blackened, bare-limbed tree has begun to list eerily to one side, thrusting up mounds of glistening earth like a skeletal hand clawing its way out of the grave.
DM’s Background
The ancient oak has the unfortunate distinction of not only being home to a dryad, but also of driving its roots so deep into the earth that it has tapped an underground lake that is home to a thriving colony of myconids. Spores from the colony have worked their way into the water and up through the roots, bringing dangerous hallucinogenic mushrooms to the surface. Tree, dryad, and myconids now form a crazed microcosm. There is, in fact, no evil at work here; but will the arrival of the adventurers spell doom or salvation for Nature’s innocents?
The myconid spores have instigated many interesting effects. First and formost, their rapport spores have suffused the area, making it difficult for even the dryad to resist the effects of their other spores. Most notably, she has gone quite mad from their hallucinogenic spores. Crazed, but ultimately innocent, she spends her time in varying degrees of bliss, stupor, lust, and rage.
This adventure is best for good-aligned PCs and their wisdom, judgement, and alignment will be tested. There is guidance for them here in the form of an awakened dove (Rgr4) given sentience through prolonged contact with the rapport spores. Like the party, however, the ranger-dove is likely to see a conflict of interest here: is there no way to salvage tree, dryad, and myconids, all?
Hooks
The simplest way to set this adventure is to drop it into the path of the PCs the next time they travel through the woods. You may try a similarly traditional approach by allowing the PCs to overhear a story (perhaps told by a sole “survivor” of the dryad) of a dangerous flesh-eating witch that has taken residence in the old wood. The story is vague—necessarily so as it is relayed by a dazed survivor—but if the PCs are persistent, some woodcutter will be able to direct them towards the old oak. Even if the PCs bypass this hook, you can still drop the encounter on them as they leave town.
The Approach
As the players get closer to the oak tree they may spot or hear (DC15) a white dove cooing softly in the uppermost branches. Before they round the tree they will hear the dove’s song echoed beautifully (but somehow eerily) on some kind of flute. Eventually the PCs will spot the dryad, leaning against her tree, playing on a set of ivory hand carved pipes. Even at a distance, the pipes are clearly carved from hollow bones, and as the party watches, the dryad will take her knife and absently pluck a bit of marrow from one of the pipes. Now the party may spot (DC20) two or three odd-shaped mounds, the fungus-covered bodies of other fallen adventurers. After a moment of fiddling with her pipes (and ignoring the PCs) she will call out, “Dance!” As she plays her pipes, the bodies of the fallen adventurers will rise as zombies (fungus zombies, though the PCs are unlikely to realize this-- Knowledge (nature) DC25) and begin an awkward dance.
Call to Action!
In all likelihood the PCs will be ready to act by now. Give them free reign to act as they please, keeping in mind this eventual desired outcome: At some point, the dove will fly down to distract them, calling out “Peace!” or “Flee!” as necessary (see below). Below is a list of additional events with which you can pepper this encounter:
1) The dryad will attempt to charm a PC. She may attempt this even if there is no combat, though there is no malice in her attempt—merely madness and lonliness. She’ll choose the most muscled and least armored target first, followed by any lightly armored target, then an armored target, and finally an unarmored target. The dryad will treat the encounter as a game, coyly hiding behind the tree, running, laughing and giggling. NOTE: Both the dryad and the tree benefit from protection from elements: fire—a potion-like effect bestowed on them from the myconid sovereign below.
2) The mushrooms will raise an alarm. On the first round after hostilities begin (which could even include raised voices, threats, or anything that would alarm the dryad) the myconid colony will be aware of the threat. On the second round the tree will release a cloud of hallucinogenic spores that will affect everyone within a 30’ radius of the tree as if with a confusion spell. Note: This can get deadly, fast, if the PCs attack each other. At the DM’s option, if the dryad has not been attacked, she may well try to charm hostile PCs to end any hostile confusion conflict; the mushrooms can also unleash pacification spores.
3) The dove’s animal companion will return to protect the dryad. The dove has befriended a wild boar that came frequently to the tree to nibble on the mushrooms. As a result of the dove’s guidance and the shrooms, the boar has the “warbeast” template (+3 Str, +3 Con, +1 Wis, +1 HD, +1 Spot and Listen, CR3). The boar should arrive a few rounds after combat starts (if necessary). You may also have the fungus-zombies attack, if desired.
4) The dove will intervene directly. He casts his one spell for the day, entangle, centering it on the tree so as to protect it from all sides. As stated above, the dove will call out, “Peace!” and “Flee!” He knows a few choice words in Common, Elven, and Sylvan, but for the most part is accustomed to communication through rapport spores and cannot speak. The dove will eventually flee if persistently attacked.
Ending the Hostilities
The hostilities can end in several ways. The PCs may be defeated or driven off, or the dryad may be slain, both of which could be considered a failure, and worth little XP. The presence of the dove and the mushrooms all around should convince the players that there is more at work here. By approaching peacefully the PCs should be able to search the tree and the soft ground around, which will eventually give way to a sinkhole that leads to the underground lake.
Climbing down the rotten, fungus-eaten roots of the oak, the PCs should shortly encounter the myconids. They may well choose to wipe out the myconids (and if the ranger-dove is with them it will elicit cries of sadness and pity). Granted, this is not an easy fight—the myconid sovereign alone is CR7 and he will be attended by numerous lesser myconids. Even so, unless the PCs have some means of reversing the damage done to the tree by the fungus, the dryad and her tree are likely still doomed.
The best solution revolves around the dove. If the PCs approach the myconids peacefully, they may be invited into rapport with them, so that they can more easily communicate. The myconids will make clear that they have no intention of relocating, happy as they are with their lake. At some point the dove will interject, now fully able to communicate. He will explain his existence, with only foggy memories of his happy life before with the druid, but a strong sense of having “woken up” after spending time around the mushrooms.
Leave the answer for the PC's to discover: The dove will mention his awakening almost in passing ("Tis sadness indeed to awaken to life with my beloved only to see her wither away...") With a little more probing, the PCs should find that the myconid sovereign is able to create the awaken effect through special spores.
With luck and clever diplomacy, the PCs may be able to convince the sovereign to fully awaken the oak itself. Oak and dryad may then uproot and relocate to another portion of the forest, leaving the myconids to their lake. In time, the dryad and her oak will return to health.
for 4th to 7th level characters
Mushrooms
Dryad
Hand carved pipe
Underground lake
a conflict of interest
Awakened dove - with levels of Ranger
As the trees part and you approach the clearing, the pungent, fecund smell of wet earth assails your nostrils, growing stronger as you approach a once-mighty oak. The blackened, bare-limbed tree has begun to list eerily to one side, thrusting up mounds of glistening earth like a skeletal hand clawing its way out of the grave.
DM’s Background
The ancient oak has the unfortunate distinction of not only being home to a dryad, but also of driving its roots so deep into the earth that it has tapped an underground lake that is home to a thriving colony of myconids. Spores from the colony have worked their way into the water and up through the roots, bringing dangerous hallucinogenic mushrooms to the surface. Tree, dryad, and myconids now form a crazed microcosm. There is, in fact, no evil at work here; but will the arrival of the adventurers spell doom or salvation for Nature’s innocents?
The myconid spores have instigated many interesting effects. First and formost, their rapport spores have suffused the area, making it difficult for even the dryad to resist the effects of their other spores. Most notably, she has gone quite mad from their hallucinogenic spores. Crazed, but ultimately innocent, she spends her time in varying degrees of bliss, stupor, lust, and rage.
This adventure is best for good-aligned PCs and their wisdom, judgement, and alignment will be tested. There is guidance for them here in the form of an awakened dove (Rgr4) given sentience through prolonged contact with the rapport spores. Like the party, however, the ranger-dove is likely to see a conflict of interest here: is there no way to salvage tree, dryad, and myconids, all?
Hooks
The simplest way to set this adventure is to drop it into the path of the PCs the next time they travel through the woods. You may try a similarly traditional approach by allowing the PCs to overhear a story (perhaps told by a sole “survivor” of the dryad) of a dangerous flesh-eating witch that has taken residence in the old wood. The story is vague—necessarily so as it is relayed by a dazed survivor—but if the PCs are persistent, some woodcutter will be able to direct them towards the old oak. Even if the PCs bypass this hook, you can still drop the encounter on them as they leave town.
The Approach
As the players get closer to the oak tree they may spot or hear (DC15) a white dove cooing softly in the uppermost branches. Before they round the tree they will hear the dove’s song echoed beautifully (but somehow eerily) on some kind of flute. Eventually the PCs will spot the dryad, leaning against her tree, playing on a set of ivory hand carved pipes. Even at a distance, the pipes are clearly carved from hollow bones, and as the party watches, the dryad will take her knife and absently pluck a bit of marrow from one of the pipes. Now the party may spot (DC20) two or three odd-shaped mounds, the fungus-covered bodies of other fallen adventurers. After a moment of fiddling with her pipes (and ignoring the PCs) she will call out, “Dance!” As she plays her pipes, the bodies of the fallen adventurers will rise as zombies (fungus zombies, though the PCs are unlikely to realize this-- Knowledge (nature) DC25) and begin an awkward dance.
Call to Action!
In all likelihood the PCs will be ready to act by now. Give them free reign to act as they please, keeping in mind this eventual desired outcome: At some point, the dove will fly down to distract them, calling out “Peace!” or “Flee!” as necessary (see below). Below is a list of additional events with which you can pepper this encounter:
1) The dryad will attempt to charm a PC. She may attempt this even if there is no combat, though there is no malice in her attempt—merely madness and lonliness. She’ll choose the most muscled and least armored target first, followed by any lightly armored target, then an armored target, and finally an unarmored target. The dryad will treat the encounter as a game, coyly hiding behind the tree, running, laughing and giggling. NOTE: Both the dryad and the tree benefit from protection from elements: fire—a potion-like effect bestowed on them from the myconid sovereign below.
2) The mushrooms will raise an alarm. On the first round after hostilities begin (which could even include raised voices, threats, or anything that would alarm the dryad) the myconid colony will be aware of the threat. On the second round the tree will release a cloud of hallucinogenic spores that will affect everyone within a 30’ radius of the tree as if with a confusion spell. Note: This can get deadly, fast, if the PCs attack each other. At the DM’s option, if the dryad has not been attacked, she may well try to charm hostile PCs to end any hostile confusion conflict; the mushrooms can also unleash pacification spores.
3) The dove’s animal companion will return to protect the dryad. The dove has befriended a wild boar that came frequently to the tree to nibble on the mushrooms. As a result of the dove’s guidance and the shrooms, the boar has the “warbeast” template (+3 Str, +3 Con, +1 Wis, +1 HD, +1 Spot and Listen, CR3). The boar should arrive a few rounds after combat starts (if necessary). You may also have the fungus-zombies attack, if desired.
4) The dove will intervene directly. He casts his one spell for the day, entangle, centering it on the tree so as to protect it from all sides. As stated above, the dove will call out, “Peace!” and “Flee!” He knows a few choice words in Common, Elven, and Sylvan, but for the most part is accustomed to communication through rapport spores and cannot speak. The dove will eventually flee if persistently attacked.
Ending the Hostilities
The hostilities can end in several ways. The PCs may be defeated or driven off, or the dryad may be slain, both of which could be considered a failure, and worth little XP. The presence of the dove and the mushrooms all around should convince the players that there is more at work here. By approaching peacefully the PCs should be able to search the tree and the soft ground around, which will eventually give way to a sinkhole that leads to the underground lake.
Climbing down the rotten, fungus-eaten roots of the oak, the PCs should shortly encounter the myconids. They may well choose to wipe out the myconids (and if the ranger-dove is with them it will elicit cries of sadness and pity). Granted, this is not an easy fight—the myconid sovereign alone is CR7 and he will be attended by numerous lesser myconids. Even so, unless the PCs have some means of reversing the damage done to the tree by the fungus, the dryad and her tree are likely still doomed.
The best solution revolves around the dove. If the PCs approach the myconids peacefully, they may be invited into rapport with them, so that they can more easily communicate. The myconids will make clear that they have no intention of relocating, happy as they are with their lake. At some point the dove will interject, now fully able to communicate. He will explain his existence, with only foggy memories of his happy life before with the druid, but a strong sense of having “woken up” after spending time around the mushrooms.
Leave the answer for the PC's to discover: The dove will mention his awakening almost in passing ("Tis sadness indeed to awaken to life with my beloved only to see her wither away...") With a little more probing, the PCs should find that the myconid sovereign is able to create the awaken effect through special spores.
With luck and clever diplomacy, the PCs may be able to convince the sovereign to fully awaken the oak itself. Oak and dryad may then uproot and relocate to another portion of the forest, leaving the myconids to their lake. In time, the dryad and her oak will return to health.
Wicht
Hero
It’s all about the Mushrooms
“It’s all about the mushrooms” is a 3E adventure for PCs of the 5th to 6th levels, though it can easily be adjusted for other levels, particularly the lower levels. The adventure tests the PCs wits as much as their battle prowess and at the beginning of the adventure the DM needs to stress that the PCs are not allowed to wantonly kill their opponents. The adventure is set in the Deepglade Woods, a small woods about 40 miles from a mountain range. The DM should feel free to move it to any similar forest or woods in his campaign world.
Background
The Deepglade Woods enjoy a tremendous amount of magical protection for such a small forest. Living within the woods are two powerful druids who, over the years, have worked to create a small sylvan wonderland. These druids recognize decay as a part of nature but they prefer to keep decay to a minimum and maximize beauty and growth. Within the woods are two small elven villages, many sprites, fairies and nymphs, several unicorns, and even a few treants. All work together with the druids to make their home safe and beautiful.
It was not always thus however. There was a time when the two druids, one a dryad and the other a human male, despite their mutual goals, worked against each other and the forest suffered. Their conflict of interest was of a most unusual nature. They were fighting over mushrooms.
The dryad’s tree is located at the edge of a clearing in which particularly rare and tasty mushrooms grow. The dryad, named Autumn Hue, as a youth had developed a taste for these mushrooms. Every year she harvested them and made mushroom pies, mushroom casseroles and mushroom salads upon which she would feast. The human druid, Wimbles Oakarm, had wandered into the forest as a young man and had fallen in love with Hue. As Wimbles himself was an attractive man, Autumn found his attentions desirable. The romance was for a time very passionate and it was Wimbles who trained Autumn as a druid. During this time, Wimbles built a house for himself across the clearing from Autumn’s tree. Wimbles also liked mushrooms, but the trouble did not start until he discovered that the mushrooms in the clearing could be used to brew a potion of longevity. A single dose of this potion would restore 1-4 years of a man’s life. However, a single dose required the entire harvest for a year. Autumn, who dearly loved her mushroom casseroles, mushroom pies and mushroom salads was horrified. The fighting over how to best use the mushrooms grew fierce.
Finally, the two were so mad at each other that they found themselves unable to cooperate effectively to aid the forest around them. Evil creatures were taking advantage of the distraction and were moving into parts of the woods. They had to decide, which was more important, their mushrooms or their home? Being generally wise individuals, they realized that their conflict of interests could best be solved with third parties. They developed a contest in which each side would hire adventurers and send them on an errand. The first team to complete the errand would win and the sponsor of that team would get the mushrooms that year.
This has been going on for a long time now (thanks to the potions of longevity which Wimbles shares with Autumn when he is the winning party) and the two druids have managed to settle their differences and turn their forest into a virtual wonderland of nature. This year the PCs will have the chance to compete in the competition
Hooks
There are a number of ways for either Wimbles or Autumn to acquire the PCs as their team.
1) A local village is well aware of the competition and in fact each year, the two druids advertise the competition. Locally, it is something of a festive time and any adventurers in the area will be told about it and encouraged to apply as a team in the competition.
2) A previous employer could recommend the PCs to Wimbles or Autumn and they will personally contact the PCs and offer them the Pipe of Fog” if they successfully compete.
3) Alternately, the PCs, after doing some service for the woods, is asked to participate as a team.
4) A merchant hears of the pipe of fog and pays the PCs to attempt to acquire it. This could either be done be enrolling in the competition or by trying to be a “third” team. Of course the two druids will be pretty upset by anyone who upsets their competition and thereby throws the whole mushroom issue into doubt.
5) Wimbles occassionally sells his Potions of Longevity and the PCs are commissioned quite heavily to obtain one. Wimbles agrees to sell them the potion if they win the contest for him.
The Rules of the Game
For a prize this year, Wimbles has created a Pipe of Fog. He hand-carved and personally enchanted this item. It is a long stemmed, intricate pipe, that when lit and smoked creates a constant obscuring mist around the smoker. The winning team gets to keep the item for their troubles.
The pipe has been placed in an island in the middle of a vast underground lake. In order for a team to win, they must retrieve the pipe from the lake and successfully return it to Wimbles and Autumn. Along the way, the teams must face three challenges and each other as well. However, though the two teams are allowed to attempt to hinder the other team in any fashion and may even attempt to steal the item once it has been obtained, they are absolutely forbidden to kill or bodily injure any opposing team member or any animal. Doing so causes that team to automatically forfeit the competition. They are also forbidden from stealing the two items necessary for their opponents to compete
The two druids keep a close eye on things through the use of a dove whom Wimbles has awakened. This dove, which has a few levels of ranger, both tracks the teams, answers/arbitrates rules questions if necessary, and makes daily reports to the druids. Interfering with the dove’s work is also against the rules. The dove is simply named Dove.
The course
The competition is fairly straightforward. Both teams start out in the Deepglade Woods. They must locate a family of wolves just north of the woods and manage to retrieve a key from the wolf lair (without injuring any of the wolves of course). There are two keys in the lair, but each team is only allowed to take one.
From the wolf lair, they must travel towards the mountains. About fifteen miles from the wolf lair is a tribe of ogres. The teams are allowed to kill the ogres, but it is not necessary to the completion of the competition. What is necessary is that the teams acquire one of the two maps in the possession of the ogre chieftain. This can be done through stealth, force or even through outright negotiation and purchasing the map.
Using the maps, the teams must discover the entrance to a series of caverns. These caverns lead down to a vast underground lake. The lake is about a quarter of a mile in diameter and there is a small island in the middle of the lake. Sitting on the island is a locked safe. The key from the wolf lair unlocks the safe. The PCs must figure out a way to transverse the lake to get the pipe out. Having done that, assuming they beat the other team, they must then make it back to the woods without losing the pipe.
The complications
If everything went smoothly, it wouldn’t be as much fun. There are a number of variables the DM can feel free to throw into the competition. Some suggestions are as follows though the DM may desire to throw in additional encounters (particularly within the caverns)
1) There is a “third team.” They are trying to acquire the pipe for a merchant who will pay handsomely for it. (This is assuming the PCs are a legitimate team). This “third team” has nothing preventing it from killing the PCs (but the rules do not forbid the PCs killing them either.)
2) The PCs stumble into a swarm of giant bees. The rules of the contest prevent them from killing the bees. They must figure out another means of escape.
3) A troll starts tracking the PCs and attacks them on their way to the mountains. The dove spots the troll and warns the PCs, who must then decide whether to prepare an ambush or press on and risk being attacked unexpectedly.
4) A dire boar is lairing in the mouth of the caves and must somehow be got around without violence.
5) A young blue dragon has recently taken up residence in the lake the PCs are supposed to navigate. This could be quite a surprise to the PCs and if the DM uses a dragon there, he might consider allowing the other team to cooperate with the PCs to kill the dragon (which is allowable under the rules).
The other team
The DM can comprise the other team any way he desires, but the following is suggested. It should have one cleric who makes good use of Hold Person spells and a wizard who knows the Sleep and Charm spells (and if possible dispel magic). A ranger with good animal abilities would also be a plus and finally a rogue or a rogue/fighter. The other team should be of approximately equal level to the PCs. In dealing with the wolves, they will attempt to lure the wolves out of their hole with food and then put them to sleep, allowing their rogue to slip in and get the key. They will first attempt to negotiate with the ogres and if that does not work, they will attempt stealth. To cross the lake, their cleric will employ water-walk. If they can, they will foil the PCs with dispel magics and sleep spells.
If the PCs get the pipe first, they will attempt to steal the pipe after using a sleep and hold person. The NPC wizard might even try to use charm person on one of the PCs if he gets a chance. It is a two day journey from the caves to Deepglade Woods, so the losing party has plenty of time to try something.
Completion
The first team to get the pipe back wins. If this is the PC team then they are lauded with praise and awarded the pipe. If the NPCs win, the PCs are thanked but that is all their reward. Either way, the elven villages throw great parties at the end of the contests and the PCs are invited to join in. If they won they are, of course, the guests of honor.
“It’s all about the mushrooms” is a 3E adventure for PCs of the 5th to 6th levels, though it can easily be adjusted for other levels, particularly the lower levels. The adventure tests the PCs wits as much as their battle prowess and at the beginning of the adventure the DM needs to stress that the PCs are not allowed to wantonly kill their opponents. The adventure is set in the Deepglade Woods, a small woods about 40 miles from a mountain range. The DM should feel free to move it to any similar forest or woods in his campaign world.
Background
The Deepglade Woods enjoy a tremendous amount of magical protection for such a small forest. Living within the woods are two powerful druids who, over the years, have worked to create a small sylvan wonderland. These druids recognize decay as a part of nature but they prefer to keep decay to a minimum and maximize beauty and growth. Within the woods are two small elven villages, many sprites, fairies and nymphs, several unicorns, and even a few treants. All work together with the druids to make their home safe and beautiful.
It was not always thus however. There was a time when the two druids, one a dryad and the other a human male, despite their mutual goals, worked against each other and the forest suffered. Their conflict of interest was of a most unusual nature. They were fighting over mushrooms.
The dryad’s tree is located at the edge of a clearing in which particularly rare and tasty mushrooms grow. The dryad, named Autumn Hue, as a youth had developed a taste for these mushrooms. Every year she harvested them and made mushroom pies, mushroom casseroles and mushroom salads upon which she would feast. The human druid, Wimbles Oakarm, had wandered into the forest as a young man and had fallen in love with Hue. As Wimbles himself was an attractive man, Autumn found his attentions desirable. The romance was for a time very passionate and it was Wimbles who trained Autumn as a druid. During this time, Wimbles built a house for himself across the clearing from Autumn’s tree. Wimbles also liked mushrooms, but the trouble did not start until he discovered that the mushrooms in the clearing could be used to brew a potion of longevity. A single dose of this potion would restore 1-4 years of a man’s life. However, a single dose required the entire harvest for a year. Autumn, who dearly loved her mushroom casseroles, mushroom pies and mushroom salads was horrified. The fighting over how to best use the mushrooms grew fierce.
Finally, the two were so mad at each other that they found themselves unable to cooperate effectively to aid the forest around them. Evil creatures were taking advantage of the distraction and were moving into parts of the woods. They had to decide, which was more important, their mushrooms or their home? Being generally wise individuals, they realized that their conflict of interests could best be solved with third parties. They developed a contest in which each side would hire adventurers and send them on an errand. The first team to complete the errand would win and the sponsor of that team would get the mushrooms that year.
This has been going on for a long time now (thanks to the potions of longevity which Wimbles shares with Autumn when he is the winning party) and the two druids have managed to settle their differences and turn their forest into a virtual wonderland of nature. This year the PCs will have the chance to compete in the competition
Hooks
There are a number of ways for either Wimbles or Autumn to acquire the PCs as their team.
1) A local village is well aware of the competition and in fact each year, the two druids advertise the competition. Locally, it is something of a festive time and any adventurers in the area will be told about it and encouraged to apply as a team in the competition.
2) A previous employer could recommend the PCs to Wimbles or Autumn and they will personally contact the PCs and offer them the Pipe of Fog” if they successfully compete.
3) Alternately, the PCs, after doing some service for the woods, is asked to participate as a team.
4) A merchant hears of the pipe of fog and pays the PCs to attempt to acquire it. This could either be done be enrolling in the competition or by trying to be a “third” team. Of course the two druids will be pretty upset by anyone who upsets their competition and thereby throws the whole mushroom issue into doubt.
5) Wimbles occassionally sells his Potions of Longevity and the PCs are commissioned quite heavily to obtain one. Wimbles agrees to sell them the potion if they win the contest for him.
The Rules of the Game
For a prize this year, Wimbles has created a Pipe of Fog. He hand-carved and personally enchanted this item. It is a long stemmed, intricate pipe, that when lit and smoked creates a constant obscuring mist around the smoker. The winning team gets to keep the item for their troubles.
The pipe has been placed in an island in the middle of a vast underground lake. In order for a team to win, they must retrieve the pipe from the lake and successfully return it to Wimbles and Autumn. Along the way, the teams must face three challenges and each other as well. However, though the two teams are allowed to attempt to hinder the other team in any fashion and may even attempt to steal the item once it has been obtained, they are absolutely forbidden to kill or bodily injure any opposing team member or any animal. Doing so causes that team to automatically forfeit the competition. They are also forbidden from stealing the two items necessary for their opponents to compete
The two druids keep a close eye on things through the use of a dove whom Wimbles has awakened. This dove, which has a few levels of ranger, both tracks the teams, answers/arbitrates rules questions if necessary, and makes daily reports to the druids. Interfering with the dove’s work is also against the rules. The dove is simply named Dove.
The course
The competition is fairly straightforward. Both teams start out in the Deepglade Woods. They must locate a family of wolves just north of the woods and manage to retrieve a key from the wolf lair (without injuring any of the wolves of course). There are two keys in the lair, but each team is only allowed to take one.
From the wolf lair, they must travel towards the mountains. About fifteen miles from the wolf lair is a tribe of ogres. The teams are allowed to kill the ogres, but it is not necessary to the completion of the competition. What is necessary is that the teams acquire one of the two maps in the possession of the ogre chieftain. This can be done through stealth, force or even through outright negotiation and purchasing the map.
Using the maps, the teams must discover the entrance to a series of caverns. These caverns lead down to a vast underground lake. The lake is about a quarter of a mile in diameter and there is a small island in the middle of the lake. Sitting on the island is a locked safe. The key from the wolf lair unlocks the safe. The PCs must figure out a way to transverse the lake to get the pipe out. Having done that, assuming they beat the other team, they must then make it back to the woods without losing the pipe.
The complications
If everything went smoothly, it wouldn’t be as much fun. There are a number of variables the DM can feel free to throw into the competition. Some suggestions are as follows though the DM may desire to throw in additional encounters (particularly within the caverns)
1) There is a “third team.” They are trying to acquire the pipe for a merchant who will pay handsomely for it. (This is assuming the PCs are a legitimate team). This “third team” has nothing preventing it from killing the PCs (but the rules do not forbid the PCs killing them either.)
2) The PCs stumble into a swarm of giant bees. The rules of the contest prevent them from killing the bees. They must figure out another means of escape.
3) A troll starts tracking the PCs and attacks them on their way to the mountains. The dove spots the troll and warns the PCs, who must then decide whether to prepare an ambush or press on and risk being attacked unexpectedly.
4) A dire boar is lairing in the mouth of the caves and must somehow be got around without violence.
5) A young blue dragon has recently taken up residence in the lake the PCs are supposed to navigate. This could be quite a surprise to the PCs and if the DM uses a dragon there, he might consider allowing the other team to cooperate with the PCs to kill the dragon (which is allowable under the rules).
The other team
The DM can comprise the other team any way he desires, but the following is suggested. It should have one cleric who makes good use of Hold Person spells and a wizard who knows the Sleep and Charm spells (and if possible dispel magic). A ranger with good animal abilities would also be a plus and finally a rogue or a rogue/fighter. The other team should be of approximately equal level to the PCs. In dealing with the wolves, they will attempt to lure the wolves out of their hole with food and then put them to sleep, allowing their rogue to slip in and get the key. They will first attempt to negotiate with the ogres and if that does not work, they will attempt stealth. To cross the lake, their cleric will employ water-walk. If they can, they will foil the PCs with dispel magics and sleep spells.
If the PCs get the pipe first, they will attempt to steal the pipe after using a sleep and hold person. The NPC wizard might even try to use charm person on one of the PCs if he gets a chance. It is a two day journey from the caves to Deepglade Woods, so the losing party has plenty of time to try something.
Completion
The first team to get the pipe back wins. If this is the PC team then they are lauded with praise and awarded the pipe. If the NPCs win, the PCs are thanked but that is all their reward. Either way, the elven villages throw great parties at the end of the contests and the PCs are invited to join in. If they won they are, of course, the guests of honor.
