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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.
[IronDM] Iron DM Returns! Winner announced!
- Thread starter carpedavid
- Start date
carpedavid
First Post
Nifft said:
Hrmmm. Would either of the other alternates be interested in such a thing?
WinnipegDragon
First Post
See No Evil
Round 1, Match 3 – WinnipegDragon versus Stormborn
Ingredients
Cold Iron Crossbow
Sage
Elven Child-Prince
Owlbear
Hill of Bones
Blind Loyalty
See No Evil
An adventure for a party of four characters of 5th – 7th level. Some material herein is not suitable for children.
About the Adventure
‘See No Evil’ is designed to be a drop-in module, and can be played in-between other adventures, or in can be used as a springboard to a larger series of adventures.
The Kingdom of Kathloren can be substituted for any border kingdom that contains large stretched of dense, untamed wilderness. It does not require a specific realm or setting, but it does make significant use of a race that is mostly closely tied with the Forgotten Realms® setting.
Overview
Kathloren is an Elven kingdom of intrigue, bordering savage lands and rife with struggle. It is a land where one must always be wary, for a dangerous enemy moves in the shadows below. The black hand of the Drow is ever present and the resourceful and hardy people of Kathloren are always wary of their infiltrations.
Wariness is not always enough, however. Now, the Drow appear to have stolen away the heir of the King and Queen.
DM Overview
The Kathloren Queen, Hedereth has recently borne a child, but to the shock of the entire kingdom, the child is missing. Immediate suspicion falls on the Drow raiders who torment the kingdom continuously, and King Uasthelay is seeking heroes who can discover what happened to the child.
The PCs discover that the Queen may be responsible for the child’s disappearance, and upon reporting this to the King, he confides a dark secret to the party. The King was crushed by the discovery that the child has a half-Drow lineage, the result of an assault on Queen Hedereth.
The King has ordered the death of the infant, but it vanished before the sentence could be carried out. It is revealed that the disappearance is the work of a loyal and trusted confident of the Queen.
The King sends the party forth again, this time to find the child and bring it back to the Royal Cemetery, the Hill of Bones, the Queen begs them to save the child, and all the while, a third interest looks on from the shadow and plans her own destiny for the child.
Adventure Hooks
- The party may be traveling in the region of the capital city of Kathloren, Kathresh. Anyone reading a billet, chatting in a tavern, or inquiring about work will be directed to the Castle. The story of the missing child is on everyone’s tongue.
- If traveling through the forests by night, the party is beset upon by a small pack of raiding Drow. The group should be easy for the party to defeat, and amongst their belongings is a note scrawled in the Drow tongue. The note mentions something about ‘capturing the Kathloren heir at all costs’.
- If traveling the lands by day, the party is accosted by a powerful band of soldiers from the capital of Kathresh. They are made to empty all their packs and any bag or satchel large enough to hold an infant. Either by complying or through diplomacy, the party learns that the Kathloren heir is missing, and that the King seeks aid in the recovery of the child.
Kathresh
The capital city of Kathresh is deep in the heart of the Kathloren kingdom, and it is a wondrous combination of natural wood, and glistening white stone. The city looks as though it could be the most tranquil city in the world, but there is a hushed panic in the city. The elves that walk the streets and bridges watch the party with nervous eyes, and whisper behind their backs.
If the party can make a Diplomacy or Gather Information roll of DC20, one of the passer-by Elves can provide one of the following pieces of information:
- The as-of-yet unnamed heir apparently went missing the same day he was born, nine days ago.
- The Queen is inconsolable, and has been locked in her chambers since the child went missing.
- Almost the entire militia is out looking for the lost heir. If the Drow attack the city, it could be disastrous.
- A few adventurers have also ventured out to find the child, but none have been able to find him.
- One rather inebriated fellow will rant on for a while, but includes a specific story about the heir being spirited away by a flying bear.
Kathresh Castle
The castle is the largest all-stone structure in the city, and is easy to find. It is not an enormous structure, but it is well built and defensible. The guards at the gate are few in number, but they are dedicated.
If the party enquires about the missing child, the players are relieved of their weapons and escorted to a side chamber off the main hallway where they are introduced to gruff half-elf sergeant named Niersharan, who is serving as a liaison to the adventurers who wish to help in the search.
Niersharan is very much a no-nonsense type and will deal with the party as he would any other mercenary. Delivering the child to the castle will earn a reward in the sum of 10,000 gold pieces, and there is also a bounty available on Drow thumbs – 100gp for each right thumb. Niersharan seems to have a particularly strong hatred of the Drow, and as he mentions the bounty he is practically spitting with rage. Any query about this will not yield any specific information, but will confirm his absolute rage for the dark elves.
Finally, the PCs are instructed to report any other findings about the disappearance to Niersharan as soon as possible.
If there are any Elves in the party, or if a Diplomacy check of DC21 is made, Niersharan will even tip the party to a rumoured Drow raiding party operating out of an abandoned barrow to the north.
Tracking the Child
The party has a few options here:
The party can raid the barrow if they have the tip from Niersharan or by tracking in the wild until they trace Drow tracks to the barrow. The Barrow contains a small raiding party of 3 – 5 Drow, mostly Rogues and Fighters at levels 3 – 5 as appropriate for the level of the characters. If you want a tougher challenge here, replace one of the Fighters with a Drow Cleric at level 5 and several skeletons animated from the corpses in the barrow.
Searching the barrow reveals no trace of the child, but the notes that the raiding party have maintained indicate that they are also hunting for the heir. Interestingly enough, they seem to think that the child was taken out of the castle by someone from within. Finally, it refers to the child as being of ‘prophetic importance’.
If the party does not find the barrow, they can investigate the area around the castle. There are numerous things that can be discovered in and around the grounds.
- Using Gather Information at DC25, they can discover or collaborate the story about the flying bear that was seen the night of the heir’s disappearance. At least two sources will have the same story, be it guards, servants, passers-by, etc…
- A Spot check of DC23 or a Search check DC21 while examining the grounds of the castle will reveal a large print in the soil outside the western wall of the castle itself. A Ranger or Druid can immediately identify it as an ursine track, but any character can make a Survival of Knowledge (Nature) check DC 17 to identify it as the same.
- A Spot check of DC26 or a Search check of DC24 around the grounds will reveal a single vibrant feather stuck high in a tree by the western wall of the castle. It is rainbow-hued and fully the length of a grown man’s forearm. A Knowledge (Arcana) or Knowledge (Nature) check of DC25 would allow a character to guess that it belongs to an Owlbear, but the colouration is completely wrong…
- The guards on duty that night saw nothing unusual and no one was admitted on the night in question. A Sense Motive check of DC20 allows the players to realize that the guards are holding back some information. Either through Diplomacy, Intimidation, or Roleplaying the players can coax out one more detail. An elderly human woman was permitted entrance that evening on the direct order of Queen Hedereth, and escorted directly to her room. She left a short while later, but the guards assure the PCs that she did not carry the child out with her. Neither of the guards knew the identity of the woman.
Reporting to Niersharan
At this point the party should have several clues, and can report back to Niersharan. Potentially, they know that someone visited the Queen that night, the rumour of the flying bear (and perhaps some physical evidence), and that the Drow are also searching for the child.
If the party presents any two of these pieces of information, Niersharan will escort them to see King Uasthelay after assuring that they are weaponless. If they have only one such piece of information, Niersharan will accept that, and send them back on their way.
King Uasthelay
The king is a heavyset middle-aged elf with a very drawn look to his face. It is an odd contrast, and it is the result of many restless nights and much worrying. He is seated upon his throne, while the Queen’s throne is empty. Uasthelay is flanked by four guards in heavy armour with glistening halberds.
After the PCs are announced, Niersharan delivers a message in whispers to the King, who gestures his guards to leave the room, and motions the party forward. He reveals the truth behind his heir; that Queen Hedereth gave birth to a half-Drow child, the result of a brutal assault at the hands of a dark elf war band. The Queen was ambushed while traveling to a nearby country to enlist help against the underworld scourge, her entourage slain to a man, and she was raped and left for dead. The Queen was discovered by none other than Niersharan, and brought back to the castle in secrecy.
The Queen was soon found to be pregnant, but the father could not be clearly known until the child was born. Even the most knowledgeable Sage in the land, the Druid Othalu No-Eyes could not foretell the nature of the child. On the birthing-day, Uasthelay waited and hoped only to have his hopes crushed by the sight of black skin and a shock of white hair.
Against his wife’s wish, Uasthelay declared the child an abomination, and passed a death sentence to be carried out in secret. It would be announced that the heir died in birth, and the child would be buried in the Royal Cemetery on Kathloren Hill, the so-called Hill of Bones. Uasthelay cannot bear to have the bloodline fouled, and he knows his ancestors will not rest easy until the child and it’s secret is interred with them.
These new revelations, however, prove that Queen Hedereth could not allow such an act to be committed against her newly-born progeny.
The King is quick to tie together the story of the flying Bear and the blind woman. Othalu No-Eyes, Sage and Druid of the wild east forest was oft rumoured to be accompanied by a magical beast, the offspring of a common Owlbear and some fantastical fey creature. With such a beast at her command, the child could easily be removed from the castle with the Queen’s assistance.
The King summons his guards, and instructs that certain objects be brought from the armory. A short while later, the Guardsmen reappear, bearing a bundle wrapped in cloth which the King presents to the PCs. Inside is a Crossbow made of a dark metal, chill to the touch, and an elaborate quarrel, fletched with radiant feathers and bearing many arcane runes. The King explains that the Fey Owlbear is a terrible foe that is resilient to most weapons, except those made of deep-earth mined cold iron. In addition, the quarrel is specially enchanted to slay fey creatures. Without this weapon, the Owlbear is too powerful a guardian, especially with the Othalu herself to deal with.
The King sends the PCs forth, armed with their newfound weapon and a simple map to guide them to Othalu’s grove. Niersharan escorts them towards the gate but stops them halfway out, motioning them to a quiet corner. He bids them wait one day before traveling forth. He has instructions from Queen Hedereth to meet her at midnight on the Hill of Bones. His voice is strained with concern, and it is obvious that the Queen direly wishes to speak with them. Once he has their agreement (or if they leave of their own accord) he will escort them to the gates and return their weapons.
The Hill of Bones
The PCs can opt not to meet with the Queen, and if so, the party can advance directly to the next section.
If they decide to meet the Queen she appears hooded and cloaked on the slopes of Kathloren Hill. The Hill itself has a steep slope, so it is difficult to climb, but Queen Hedereth is determined and makes the ascent. Graves scatter the hillside, but only the side facing the city itself. Each marker is elaborate, and bears the carved likeness of the person interred beneath it. Some are very old, some very young. None, however, are as young as the unnamed heir.
First, she welcomes the PCs and thanks them for waiting to speak with her. She explains the unusual location of the Royal Cemetery, with the graves dug vertically so that each King, Queen, Prince and Princess of the Kathloren royal line would forever stand on their feet, overlooking and protecting the valleys and people of Kathloren. She knows that she will one day stand alongside them, as will her husband and child, but she cannot bear to think of her little one joining them so soon.
Othalu, Hedereth confirms, does have the child. It was arranged that she would take him away immediately after his birth and hide him from the expected wrath of King Uasthelay. Her companion Backu, the Fey Owlbear, would ferry him to safety and then protect him until Hedereth could affect a change of heart in Uasthelay. She confides that after the attack of the Drow, it was Othalu and not Niersharan that first discovered and healed her, and it was Othalu who then told her that she would bear a child. The Queen swore the blind sage and the young Sergeant to secrecy knowing her husband’s likely reaction, and the agreement to hide the child was struck then and there.
The Queen begs the PCs to spare the child, and to somehow help her convince the King to spare it as well. She knows that others will be hunting Othalu and Backu now, and there is no more that Othalu can do to protect him. If the child is to die, it should be at home, with her.
With that, she takes her leave with a trail of tears marking her passage.
Othalu’s Grove
At this point, if the party has not encountered either a Drow raiding party in the adventure hooks, or in the barrow, they should encounter one on the way to Othalu’s grove. The party will uncover a note in this encounter, similar to the one found in the barrow. The reference to prophecy therein will be of importance later.
Othalu’s Grove is buried deep in the wildest portions of the eastern border forests, and several hours travel from the city of Kathresh. Travel becomes difficult, but following the King’s map and some natural animal paths, they soon see a clearing in the distance and can smell and hear the sounds of a small wood fire.
Approaching the clearing, they find a toppled oak which has been gently carved and shaped into a simple shelter in front of which sits an old woman tending a small fire. Standing up behind her, and looking towards the party is a great beast that mostly resembles an Owlbear with extended feathers in a myriad of colours. If the party hangs back or just watches, she announces that Backu has already smelt them, and they had best step out of the trees.
The party can choose to parlay or attack, depending on their preference. If they choose to attack, Othalu is a powerful foe although she is hindered by her blindness and her predilection to focus of divination magic. Backu is no less dangerous, but a successful hit with the crossbow and slaying quarrel will outright kill the beast. With the two slain, the child can be recovered from within the oaken shelter.
If they choose to speak with Othalu, she will be wary of giving up the child to anyone she doesn’t know, but through Diplomacy, Intimidation or Roleplaying she can be pursued to relinquish the child to their protection. She accepts the fact that by taking the child she may have signed her own death warrant, but she intends to keep her oath to Queen Hedereth.
Should they particularly persuasive, they might even be able to convince Othalu to join them on the journey back to Kathresh.
The Return to Kathresh
Regardless of their decision and actions during their meeting with Othalu, the party should be leaving with the child in hand. Allow the party a Spot and Listen check, both against DC25 on the return voyage. A Drow party has been tracking the party and is laying in ambush.
The Drow are led by the Priestess Shadarath who directs her charges to try and capture the child. If any of the PCs speak the Drow tongue, she is heard to shout such orders to her cohorts. The Drow will fight to the death and make all efforts to capture the child.
If Othalu and Backu are with the group, they will take charge of the defense of the child, leaving the PCs free to engage the Drow Priestess.
If the PCs succeed in fighting off the ambush, the body of the Priestess reveals another note of interest. It bears a few lines of what appears to be prophecy, written in the Drow tongue:
Dark below and light above,
Blood of moon, and blood of sun,
Child unwanted, harried, hunted,
The royal bloodline now undone.
The writing is the same as the other note(s) the party has recovered.
The Child Returned
Finally returning to the castle with the child, the PCs can choose to take the heir to either the King or Queen. Regardless, the other hears of the group’s return and soon both are together in the same room as the child. King Uasthelay immediately begins the march to the Hill of Bones, with the Queen, the PCs, the guards, Niersharan and possibly Othalu and Backu in tow.
The party has a decision to make, whether to convince the King that the child should live or whether to simply turn the child over to it’s unpleasant fate. The King will not listen to reason on the way to the Hill of Bones, and his guards keep the PCs and companions at bay until they reach the hillside. It is only when he draws a blade at the hillside that his resolve falters. The PCs must speak and speak quickly.
They should have collected one or more Drow notes, which can be deciphered here (if they have not been already) and those notes may provide some insight into the Drow’s interest in the child. The King may be particularly wary of the ‘bloodline undone’ but an observant character may note that it does not specifically refer to the bloodline of Kathloren. If Othalu is with the party, she will make the observation if they do not.
At this point Roleplaying and the DM’s judgment will determine the outcome. A simple Diplomacy roll will not convince the King to keep the son of a hated dark elf. The PCs can use the Drow notes, the Queen’s emotion and Othalu’s loyalty as they see fit to meet their goal, whatever it may be.
The Path From Here
There is no right or wrong answer at the conclusion of this adventure. The Drow prophecy about the child is left intentionally vague.
If the King is convinced to keep the child, the DM is free to explore the possibilities of the Drow prophecy. The Drow certainly will continue to hunt for the child, and the PCs may become something of a retainer of King Uasthelay when needed. If the child is put to death, the Queen becomes a bitter enemy, as does Othalu and Backu.
The Drow prophecy may come to be interpreted in future adventures with the child as a cruel King who allows the Drow sanctuary in his Kingdom. Alternatively, it may reveal the child as a destroyer of the dark elves in future adventures. The DM is free to interpret the results of the module to fit his or her own campaign.
Main Characters
King Uasthelay – Male Elf Ftr3/Ari5
Queen Hedereth – Female Elf Ari4
Niersharan – Male Elf War1/Ftr4
Othalu – Female Drd7/Lrm1
Backu – Male Half-Fey Advanced (7HD) Owlbear
Shadarath – Female Drow Clr5
Ingredient Summary
Cold Iron Crossbow – The weapon given to the PCs to defeat the Fey Owlbear.
Sage – Both Othalu the Druid, and the Drow Priestess seeking the half-blood child of prophecy.
Elven Child-Prince – The unnamed heir of Kathloren.
Owlbear – Othalu’s companion, and ultimately the ‘kidnapper’ of the heir.
Hill of Bones – The Royal Cemetary on Kathloren Hill, and the final watchtower of the Royal Line of Kathloren.
Blind Loyalty – Niersharan and Othalu’s loyalty to Queen Hedereth, both figuratively and literally.
Round 1, Match 3 – WinnipegDragon versus Stormborn
Ingredients
Cold Iron Crossbow
Sage
Elven Child-Prince
Owlbear
Hill of Bones
Blind Loyalty
See No Evil
An adventure for a party of four characters of 5th – 7th level. Some material herein is not suitable for children.
About the Adventure
‘See No Evil’ is designed to be a drop-in module, and can be played in-between other adventures, or in can be used as a springboard to a larger series of adventures.
The Kingdom of Kathloren can be substituted for any border kingdom that contains large stretched of dense, untamed wilderness. It does not require a specific realm or setting, but it does make significant use of a race that is mostly closely tied with the Forgotten Realms® setting.
Overview
Kathloren is an Elven kingdom of intrigue, bordering savage lands and rife with struggle. It is a land where one must always be wary, for a dangerous enemy moves in the shadows below. The black hand of the Drow is ever present and the resourceful and hardy people of Kathloren are always wary of their infiltrations.
Wariness is not always enough, however. Now, the Drow appear to have stolen away the heir of the King and Queen.
DM Overview
The Kathloren Queen, Hedereth has recently borne a child, but to the shock of the entire kingdom, the child is missing. Immediate suspicion falls on the Drow raiders who torment the kingdom continuously, and King Uasthelay is seeking heroes who can discover what happened to the child.
The PCs discover that the Queen may be responsible for the child’s disappearance, and upon reporting this to the King, he confides a dark secret to the party. The King was crushed by the discovery that the child has a half-Drow lineage, the result of an assault on Queen Hedereth.
The King has ordered the death of the infant, but it vanished before the sentence could be carried out. It is revealed that the disappearance is the work of a loyal and trusted confident of the Queen.
The King sends the party forth again, this time to find the child and bring it back to the Royal Cemetery, the Hill of Bones, the Queen begs them to save the child, and all the while, a third interest looks on from the shadow and plans her own destiny for the child.
Adventure Hooks
- The party may be traveling in the region of the capital city of Kathloren, Kathresh. Anyone reading a billet, chatting in a tavern, or inquiring about work will be directed to the Castle. The story of the missing child is on everyone’s tongue.
- If traveling through the forests by night, the party is beset upon by a small pack of raiding Drow. The group should be easy for the party to defeat, and amongst their belongings is a note scrawled in the Drow tongue. The note mentions something about ‘capturing the Kathloren heir at all costs’.
- If traveling the lands by day, the party is accosted by a powerful band of soldiers from the capital of Kathresh. They are made to empty all their packs and any bag or satchel large enough to hold an infant. Either by complying or through diplomacy, the party learns that the Kathloren heir is missing, and that the King seeks aid in the recovery of the child.
Kathresh
The capital city of Kathresh is deep in the heart of the Kathloren kingdom, and it is a wondrous combination of natural wood, and glistening white stone. The city looks as though it could be the most tranquil city in the world, but there is a hushed panic in the city. The elves that walk the streets and bridges watch the party with nervous eyes, and whisper behind their backs.
If the party can make a Diplomacy or Gather Information roll of DC20, one of the passer-by Elves can provide one of the following pieces of information:
- The as-of-yet unnamed heir apparently went missing the same day he was born, nine days ago.
- The Queen is inconsolable, and has been locked in her chambers since the child went missing.
- Almost the entire militia is out looking for the lost heir. If the Drow attack the city, it could be disastrous.
- A few adventurers have also ventured out to find the child, but none have been able to find him.
- One rather inebriated fellow will rant on for a while, but includes a specific story about the heir being spirited away by a flying bear.
Kathresh Castle
The castle is the largest all-stone structure in the city, and is easy to find. It is not an enormous structure, but it is well built and defensible. The guards at the gate are few in number, but they are dedicated.
If the party enquires about the missing child, the players are relieved of their weapons and escorted to a side chamber off the main hallway where they are introduced to gruff half-elf sergeant named Niersharan, who is serving as a liaison to the adventurers who wish to help in the search.
Niersharan is very much a no-nonsense type and will deal with the party as he would any other mercenary. Delivering the child to the castle will earn a reward in the sum of 10,000 gold pieces, and there is also a bounty available on Drow thumbs – 100gp for each right thumb. Niersharan seems to have a particularly strong hatred of the Drow, and as he mentions the bounty he is practically spitting with rage. Any query about this will not yield any specific information, but will confirm his absolute rage for the dark elves.
Finally, the PCs are instructed to report any other findings about the disappearance to Niersharan as soon as possible.
If there are any Elves in the party, or if a Diplomacy check of DC21 is made, Niersharan will even tip the party to a rumoured Drow raiding party operating out of an abandoned barrow to the north.
Tracking the Child
The party has a few options here:
The party can raid the barrow if they have the tip from Niersharan or by tracking in the wild until they trace Drow tracks to the barrow. The Barrow contains a small raiding party of 3 – 5 Drow, mostly Rogues and Fighters at levels 3 – 5 as appropriate for the level of the characters. If you want a tougher challenge here, replace one of the Fighters with a Drow Cleric at level 5 and several skeletons animated from the corpses in the barrow.
Searching the barrow reveals no trace of the child, but the notes that the raiding party have maintained indicate that they are also hunting for the heir. Interestingly enough, they seem to think that the child was taken out of the castle by someone from within. Finally, it refers to the child as being of ‘prophetic importance’.
If the party does not find the barrow, they can investigate the area around the castle. There are numerous things that can be discovered in and around the grounds.
- Using Gather Information at DC25, they can discover or collaborate the story about the flying bear that was seen the night of the heir’s disappearance. At least two sources will have the same story, be it guards, servants, passers-by, etc…
- A Spot check of DC23 or a Search check DC21 while examining the grounds of the castle will reveal a large print in the soil outside the western wall of the castle itself. A Ranger or Druid can immediately identify it as an ursine track, but any character can make a Survival of Knowledge (Nature) check DC 17 to identify it as the same.
- A Spot check of DC26 or a Search check of DC24 around the grounds will reveal a single vibrant feather stuck high in a tree by the western wall of the castle. It is rainbow-hued and fully the length of a grown man’s forearm. A Knowledge (Arcana) or Knowledge (Nature) check of DC25 would allow a character to guess that it belongs to an Owlbear, but the colouration is completely wrong…
- The guards on duty that night saw nothing unusual and no one was admitted on the night in question. A Sense Motive check of DC20 allows the players to realize that the guards are holding back some information. Either through Diplomacy, Intimidation, or Roleplaying the players can coax out one more detail. An elderly human woman was permitted entrance that evening on the direct order of Queen Hedereth, and escorted directly to her room. She left a short while later, but the guards assure the PCs that she did not carry the child out with her. Neither of the guards knew the identity of the woman.
Reporting to Niersharan
At this point the party should have several clues, and can report back to Niersharan. Potentially, they know that someone visited the Queen that night, the rumour of the flying bear (and perhaps some physical evidence), and that the Drow are also searching for the child.
If the party presents any two of these pieces of information, Niersharan will escort them to see King Uasthelay after assuring that they are weaponless. If they have only one such piece of information, Niersharan will accept that, and send them back on their way.
King Uasthelay
The king is a heavyset middle-aged elf with a very drawn look to his face. It is an odd contrast, and it is the result of many restless nights and much worrying. He is seated upon his throne, while the Queen’s throne is empty. Uasthelay is flanked by four guards in heavy armour with glistening halberds.
After the PCs are announced, Niersharan delivers a message in whispers to the King, who gestures his guards to leave the room, and motions the party forward. He reveals the truth behind his heir; that Queen Hedereth gave birth to a half-Drow child, the result of a brutal assault at the hands of a dark elf war band. The Queen was ambushed while traveling to a nearby country to enlist help against the underworld scourge, her entourage slain to a man, and she was raped and left for dead. The Queen was discovered by none other than Niersharan, and brought back to the castle in secrecy.
The Queen was soon found to be pregnant, but the father could not be clearly known until the child was born. Even the most knowledgeable Sage in the land, the Druid Othalu No-Eyes could not foretell the nature of the child. On the birthing-day, Uasthelay waited and hoped only to have his hopes crushed by the sight of black skin and a shock of white hair.
Against his wife’s wish, Uasthelay declared the child an abomination, and passed a death sentence to be carried out in secret. It would be announced that the heir died in birth, and the child would be buried in the Royal Cemetery on Kathloren Hill, the so-called Hill of Bones. Uasthelay cannot bear to have the bloodline fouled, and he knows his ancestors will not rest easy until the child and it’s secret is interred with them.
These new revelations, however, prove that Queen Hedereth could not allow such an act to be committed against her newly-born progeny.
The King is quick to tie together the story of the flying Bear and the blind woman. Othalu No-Eyes, Sage and Druid of the wild east forest was oft rumoured to be accompanied by a magical beast, the offspring of a common Owlbear and some fantastical fey creature. With such a beast at her command, the child could easily be removed from the castle with the Queen’s assistance.
The King summons his guards, and instructs that certain objects be brought from the armory. A short while later, the Guardsmen reappear, bearing a bundle wrapped in cloth which the King presents to the PCs. Inside is a Crossbow made of a dark metal, chill to the touch, and an elaborate quarrel, fletched with radiant feathers and bearing many arcane runes. The King explains that the Fey Owlbear is a terrible foe that is resilient to most weapons, except those made of deep-earth mined cold iron. In addition, the quarrel is specially enchanted to slay fey creatures. Without this weapon, the Owlbear is too powerful a guardian, especially with the Othalu herself to deal with.
The King sends the PCs forth, armed with their newfound weapon and a simple map to guide them to Othalu’s grove. Niersharan escorts them towards the gate but stops them halfway out, motioning them to a quiet corner. He bids them wait one day before traveling forth. He has instructions from Queen Hedereth to meet her at midnight on the Hill of Bones. His voice is strained with concern, and it is obvious that the Queen direly wishes to speak with them. Once he has their agreement (or if they leave of their own accord) he will escort them to the gates and return their weapons.
The Hill of Bones
The PCs can opt not to meet with the Queen, and if so, the party can advance directly to the next section.
If they decide to meet the Queen she appears hooded and cloaked on the slopes of Kathloren Hill. The Hill itself has a steep slope, so it is difficult to climb, but Queen Hedereth is determined and makes the ascent. Graves scatter the hillside, but only the side facing the city itself. Each marker is elaborate, and bears the carved likeness of the person interred beneath it. Some are very old, some very young. None, however, are as young as the unnamed heir.
First, she welcomes the PCs and thanks them for waiting to speak with her. She explains the unusual location of the Royal Cemetery, with the graves dug vertically so that each King, Queen, Prince and Princess of the Kathloren royal line would forever stand on their feet, overlooking and protecting the valleys and people of Kathloren. She knows that she will one day stand alongside them, as will her husband and child, but she cannot bear to think of her little one joining them so soon.
Othalu, Hedereth confirms, does have the child. It was arranged that she would take him away immediately after his birth and hide him from the expected wrath of King Uasthelay. Her companion Backu, the Fey Owlbear, would ferry him to safety and then protect him until Hedereth could affect a change of heart in Uasthelay. She confides that after the attack of the Drow, it was Othalu and not Niersharan that first discovered and healed her, and it was Othalu who then told her that she would bear a child. The Queen swore the blind sage and the young Sergeant to secrecy knowing her husband’s likely reaction, and the agreement to hide the child was struck then and there.
The Queen begs the PCs to spare the child, and to somehow help her convince the King to spare it as well. She knows that others will be hunting Othalu and Backu now, and there is no more that Othalu can do to protect him. If the child is to die, it should be at home, with her.
With that, she takes her leave with a trail of tears marking her passage.
Othalu’s Grove
At this point, if the party has not encountered either a Drow raiding party in the adventure hooks, or in the barrow, they should encounter one on the way to Othalu’s grove. The party will uncover a note in this encounter, similar to the one found in the barrow. The reference to prophecy therein will be of importance later.
Othalu’s Grove is buried deep in the wildest portions of the eastern border forests, and several hours travel from the city of Kathresh. Travel becomes difficult, but following the King’s map and some natural animal paths, they soon see a clearing in the distance and can smell and hear the sounds of a small wood fire.
Approaching the clearing, they find a toppled oak which has been gently carved and shaped into a simple shelter in front of which sits an old woman tending a small fire. Standing up behind her, and looking towards the party is a great beast that mostly resembles an Owlbear with extended feathers in a myriad of colours. If the party hangs back or just watches, she announces that Backu has already smelt them, and they had best step out of the trees.
The party can choose to parlay or attack, depending on their preference. If they choose to attack, Othalu is a powerful foe although she is hindered by her blindness and her predilection to focus of divination magic. Backu is no less dangerous, but a successful hit with the crossbow and slaying quarrel will outright kill the beast. With the two slain, the child can be recovered from within the oaken shelter.
If they choose to speak with Othalu, she will be wary of giving up the child to anyone she doesn’t know, but through Diplomacy, Intimidation or Roleplaying she can be pursued to relinquish the child to their protection. She accepts the fact that by taking the child she may have signed her own death warrant, but she intends to keep her oath to Queen Hedereth.
Should they particularly persuasive, they might even be able to convince Othalu to join them on the journey back to Kathresh.
The Return to Kathresh
Regardless of their decision and actions during their meeting with Othalu, the party should be leaving with the child in hand. Allow the party a Spot and Listen check, both against DC25 on the return voyage. A Drow party has been tracking the party and is laying in ambush.
The Drow are led by the Priestess Shadarath who directs her charges to try and capture the child. If any of the PCs speak the Drow tongue, she is heard to shout such orders to her cohorts. The Drow will fight to the death and make all efforts to capture the child.
If Othalu and Backu are with the group, they will take charge of the defense of the child, leaving the PCs free to engage the Drow Priestess.
If the PCs succeed in fighting off the ambush, the body of the Priestess reveals another note of interest. It bears a few lines of what appears to be prophecy, written in the Drow tongue:
Dark below and light above,
Blood of moon, and blood of sun,
Child unwanted, harried, hunted,
The royal bloodline now undone.
The writing is the same as the other note(s) the party has recovered.
The Child Returned
Finally returning to the castle with the child, the PCs can choose to take the heir to either the King or Queen. Regardless, the other hears of the group’s return and soon both are together in the same room as the child. King Uasthelay immediately begins the march to the Hill of Bones, with the Queen, the PCs, the guards, Niersharan and possibly Othalu and Backu in tow.
The party has a decision to make, whether to convince the King that the child should live or whether to simply turn the child over to it’s unpleasant fate. The King will not listen to reason on the way to the Hill of Bones, and his guards keep the PCs and companions at bay until they reach the hillside. It is only when he draws a blade at the hillside that his resolve falters. The PCs must speak and speak quickly.
They should have collected one or more Drow notes, which can be deciphered here (if they have not been already) and those notes may provide some insight into the Drow’s interest in the child. The King may be particularly wary of the ‘bloodline undone’ but an observant character may note that it does not specifically refer to the bloodline of Kathloren. If Othalu is with the party, she will make the observation if they do not.
At this point Roleplaying and the DM’s judgment will determine the outcome. A simple Diplomacy roll will not convince the King to keep the son of a hated dark elf. The PCs can use the Drow notes, the Queen’s emotion and Othalu’s loyalty as they see fit to meet their goal, whatever it may be.
The Path From Here
There is no right or wrong answer at the conclusion of this adventure. The Drow prophecy about the child is left intentionally vague.
If the King is convinced to keep the child, the DM is free to explore the possibilities of the Drow prophecy. The Drow certainly will continue to hunt for the child, and the PCs may become something of a retainer of King Uasthelay when needed. If the child is put to death, the Queen becomes a bitter enemy, as does Othalu and Backu.
The Drow prophecy may come to be interpreted in future adventures with the child as a cruel King who allows the Drow sanctuary in his Kingdom. Alternatively, it may reveal the child as a destroyer of the dark elves in future adventures. The DM is free to interpret the results of the module to fit his or her own campaign.
Main Characters
King Uasthelay – Male Elf Ftr3/Ari5
Queen Hedereth – Female Elf Ari4
Niersharan – Male Elf War1/Ftr4
Othalu – Female Drd7/Lrm1
Backu – Male Half-Fey Advanced (7HD) Owlbear
Shadarath – Female Drow Clr5
Ingredient Summary
Cold Iron Crossbow – The weapon given to the PCs to defeat the Fey Owlbear.
Sage – Both Othalu the Druid, and the Drow Priestess seeking the half-blood child of prophecy.
Elven Child-Prince – The unnamed heir of Kathloren.
Owlbear – Othalu’s companion, and ultimately the ‘kidnapper’ of the heir.
Hill of Bones – The Royal Cemetary on Kathloren Hill, and the final watchtower of the Royal Line of Kathloren.
Blind Loyalty – Niersharan and Othalu’s loyalty to Queen Hedereth, both figuratively and literally.
carpedavid
First Post
el-remmen said:So we can expect judgments within 24 hours of the entry deadline for each match, right?
Heh. I'll do my darndest
Wulf Ratbane
Adventurer
Nifft said:
You know, I've always felt that Round 0 of the Iron DM competition was getting signed up in time. It's an event in and of itself. Teaches discipline.
And I would certainly hate to distract the judge (long may he prosper) from any real judging duties.
Wulf
carpedavid
First Post
Match 5: Nonamazing vs. howandwhy99
Ingredients
Remember, contestants:
Ingredients
- Mithril Spear
- Rosemary
- Undead General
- Krenshar
- Killing Fields
- Indecision
Remember, contestants:
- You have 24 hours from the timestamp on this post to submit your entries. If the boards are inaccessible when your entry is due, you can send a copy to garrettdm AT ameritech DOT net.
- Do not read your opponent's entry until you have submitted yours.
- Once your entry has been submitted, NO EDITING!
- You have a suggested limit of 2500 words.
- Please include a summary of ingredients at the end of your entry. See some of the recent competitions for examples.
- Above all, have fun.
howandwhy99
Adventurer
Got 'em! Thank you.
Evilhalfling
Adventurer
Finding Nightshade
Background
Years ago the Kingdom of Ibad was peaceful and happy. These things don’t last long the kingdom was overrun by barbaric humanoids leaving only a few survivors. The dryads fought to protect the last humans and in return forest was burned. There were only a few survivors among the dryads. The last dryad took the title queen, although the title has become empty with so few remaining dryads. She still has the old queens necklace, and had the second necklace remade, trying to keep her peoples traditions alive. She selected an heir who was given a silver necklace. The Bishop of Northern Ibad survived as well, and would not leave with the other survivors. Instead he buried his people then called a guardian to bury himself. The guardian was assigned long term by the gods as a mark of respect. Humans eventually resettled the area now live in the village of Cain.
Dwatharme the Queen of the Dryads is frantic. Her daughter Nightshade is away from her tree, and If she is not returned soon, her daughter will die. The arrogant daughter thought she could visit a nearby place of power – called the Sea of Souls. Dwatharme knows her daughter is not dead, but will die in between 4 and 24 hours. The Sea of Souls is only an hour away, for them. It will have been five hours before the PCs are notified/ reach the tree. Old oral legends boast of the Sea of Souls as site as a place of healing, and that the secrets of the upper realms can be learned there. This is a misconception. The Sea of Souls is a long forgotten church. It was once the home of the bishop of Ibad, there is none left of in his See (domain) alive, and so there are only souls to attend to. The church is actually still a holy place watched over by lantern archons and a hound archon, who stays in hound form. Any undead are quickly put down, and looters driven away.
Hooks
* The players are looking for the Dryad queen, as she is a bard (6th ) and has information they need.
* A forester was charmed and sent into the village demanding help, on behalf of the dryad Queen.
* The Characters are looking to visit the Sea of Souls and have heard that it is near the town of Cain, which is odd because the town is landlocked. The villagers don’t know of any sea and are barely literate. They suggest talking to the local dryad, who styles herself a queen. (they do know of a nearby haunted church, but will not make any connection)
Scene 1: The queen of the dryads.
A striking woman with regal bearing and a intricate gold necklace steps into view. Haughty and arrogant she demands that her daughter be returned. She will attempt to charm compliance rather than bargain, but if her charms are spurned she will offer to bargain- for information or possibly a wand. If the PCs appear so upset by her tactics that they will spurn the quest she will break down and cry, as she honestly loves her daughter and wants desperately for her to return.
If they agree she will step into a tree and emerge with a minute later with two broken branches – one still oozing sap, twined around the other. These are from her tree and her daughters, and will function as a wand of locate object, but do to the haste that they were grown in it only has 5 charges. (40 minutes each). Nightshade is wearing a silver necklace similar to the one the gold one worn by the queen. The queen will direct the PC’s too and old path that leads to the See – She will tell them that the path ends at the see, but not explain what it is as she has never been there. The path is 3 miles ( through trackless forest away) and the See is another 2 miles down the road. The diction of travel is SW.
Dwatharme will explain that her daughter can move between trees of the same species, as long as they are big enough for her to fit inside them. The range is up to ½ a mile and her daughter can make six jumps if appropriate trees are in the area. This ability should have allowed her daughter to make the trip quickly as it can be used 3 times per day.
On the way out of the glade the party passes Nightshade’s tree. It is surrounded by nightshade plants, growing 2 feet high The plants are a dull dark green and the large leaves spread out from the stalks. Beautifully tempting black berries cluster under the leaves, each the size of a cherry. The unpleasant bitter smell of crushed nightshade fills the air.
Hustling for 2 hrs causes 1 pt non-lethal damage, 3 hrs = +2 dmg, 4 hrs +4 dmg
w/o hustle the trip is (round trip) 5-6 hours
Slowest possible round trip 10 hours (dwarves walking)
Scene 1.5:
Ettercaps have a lair/ trap set up on the road. They are disorganized and do not respond to the players the first time. The players may notice them and respond to them if they are spotted – use enough ettercaps and spiders to provide a challenge to the party.
If the players pursue the beasts then move to scene 3
Scene 2: See of Souls –
A large graveyard covers most of a hill – trees grow among the stones, it seems peaceful
And quiet. At the top of the hill lies the foundations of a massive church. Next to the church are the remains of a statue – the last bishop. The inscription reads – I stand over the remains of my people /Behold my See of Souls. This graveyard, unlike most, is still purified. As undead that awaken are put down by the celestial guardians.
If the graves are disturbed, or the church entered a lantern archon will teleport in to warn off the desecrators. It will talk with them in a musical voice, warning not to desecrate the graves or church. If questioned it will lead them to its superior, a large dog. The dog is a hound archon named Sebastian. He will confirm the presence of the dryad several hours ago, but say that she left the grounds, looking in no particular distress, it will warn of a nest of spider creatures that hunt along the old road, and suggest that they look there. Sebastian the hound archon is a 3rd level cleric, with the natural spell feat. He keeps the graves consecrated. He will share information about the celestial realm as long as the PCs remain polite. He is arrogant and takes offense easily – the lanterns will not back him in a fight that he starts. He will bite for subdual unless PCs detect as evil.
The lantern archons will plead with the PCs to leave, as there is no talking to him when he gets like this. He will teleport away if badly injured, and the lanterns will warn that he has plenty of healing, and will return shortly. They know that the dryad was here and left along the road, but nothing of the ettercamps.
Scene 3:
Background: when nightshade was returning from the See, she was attacked by the ettercamps & spiders. She was entangled and bitten several times, failing her poison saves. She managed to wriggle free and with her dex dropping she used her last tree stride to enter a linden tree. After she had made only a few jumps the rest of the poison took effect and she became paralyzed.
The ettercamps attack the party as it returns from the See. One of the ettercamps is strangely weak (-4con), and his many pupils are strangely dilated. The fight as described, in MM, using nets and poison to disable rather than kill. Their lair is in the trees and contains several cocoons both large and small. Among the treasure, a masterwork longbow lies next to a large tree – there are signs of a struggle and the strong bitter smell of crushed nightshade. The (linden) tree is tall and has white wood and heart shaped leaves.
A moderate spot or survival check will locate a nearby large linden tree, it is 1000 ft to the NE. This tree also bears the strong bitter smell of nightshade. The checks to locate the next tree get harder, but the trees all lie in the direction of her home. The missing nymph is lying against the fourth linden tree. She is paralyzed and must be carried back to her own tree. The problem is that she has taken on some of the characteristics of nightshade plant and her skin acts as a weak contact poison. After 3 minutes of contact it causes 1d3 con damage on a DC 13 Fortitude save. The source may not be immediately obvious. It will repeat every 3 minutes.
Trouble Shooting
If the party misses some of the trail of trees the wand of location can be used to find her
In 1 hour if they stay in the right general area, 2 if they have a search pattern, 4 if they wander aimlessly.
If the party is unable to find the trail of Linden trees at all then the dryad may have taken 1 jump then used tree shape to hide, in that case she can be found by calling out and reassuring her it is safe to resume her form. (the wand will not detect the necklace in this form.
Continuing the Adventure
* The See of Souls is not what the players are actually looking for is it a red herring with the actual Sea of Souls located elsewhere.
* The haughty queen furnish bits of forgotten lore that lead to other adventures, or may reconsider her deal, and demand further services for any knowledge or magic wands.
* PC’s can talk with celestials to gain better understandings of the celestial hierarchies.
There may be some anti-humanoid weapons in the graveyard that the players will need to combat the renewed humanoid threat.
Summary Of Ingredients:
• Silver Necklace – the jewelry worn by the daughter of the queen of the dryads. Used as focus for the wand of Locate object.
• Nightshade – the daughter of the queen of the Dryads, named for the plants around her tree and the poisonous nature of her skin. The distinctive scent can be used to find her trail.
• Queen of the Dryads – Sponsor/reward for players
• Ettercap – antagonists, who captured the daughter of the queen
• Sea of Souls – misconception – See of Souls is an abandoned church (seat of a dead bishop)
• Arrogance – the daughter believing it would be safe to travel so far. And the arrogance of the queen commanding the players/ town to do her bidding. Finally the arrogance of the hound archon.
carpedavid
First Post
Round 1, Match 6: Warden vs. Mark
Ingredients
Remember, contestants:
Ingredients
- Ectoplasmic Corset
- Violet
- Famous Swordsman
- Rust Monster
- Ethereal Keep
- Pacifism
Remember, contestants:
- You have 24 hours from the timestamp on this post to submit your entries. If the boards are inaccessible when your entry is due, you can send a copy to garrettdm AT ameritech DOT net.
- Do not read your opponent's entry until you have submitted yours.
- Once your entry has been submitted, NO EDITING!
- You have a suggested limit of 2500 words.
- Please include a summary of ingredients at the end of your entry. See some of the recent competitions for examples.
- Above all, have fun.
