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Message: <blockquote data-quote="doghead" data-source="post: 4086179" data-attributes="member: 8243">Adventure So Faradventure - Duvik - outline- PROLOGUE -The seed for this adventure comes from the WotC web-module, A Burning Plague. I have changed things a bit. The plague reduces Int, rather than Con. The town is a village. It is not located in a pass, so their is little through traffic. I have also zoomed out a bit, and incorporated some of the surrounding players into the drama.- SETTING -The adventure requires two competing cities within a few days travel of some mountains. I last ran this as a Living EN World (LEW) adventure, so I have used the original names here for simplicity. A map of Orrusus can be found at the Living Enworld pages.- Locations -Duvik, a small mining village set in the Stonepike Mountains. Population approx. 300 (100 young, 140 adult, 60 elderly), about 50 households. There are three mines around Duvik, a large one (20 workers - including cook, animal handlers, carpenters.) and two smaller ones (12 workers). Near the entrance to each mine there is an encampment where the workers live. [[population significantly reduced from original module (pop. 1500).]][[Given the remoteness and difficulty of life, a priest would probably have a few levels under his belt. Remove Disease is Cl 3, needs caster level 5th (once or twice a day.) So likely to be overwhelmed by number of cases. People can catch the disease after being cured.]]Orussus, a major city several days travel from Duvik. The majority of Duvik's silver trade is with Orussus. Fallon, another city also several days travel from Duvik. Fallon and Orussus are rivals.The Bainlunder Hills lie somewhere between Orussus and the Stonepike mountains.- BACKGROUND -Many years ago the village of Duvik was established by the a group of Vikian people fleeing persecution and oppression in Fallon. The village is located in a small valley, about a days travel into the mountains. The initial years of the settlement were hard. The land was tough and unforgiving. There were times when it looked like the settlement wouldn't survive. The discovery of silver in the surrounding mountains changed the fortunes of the village in more ways than one. It gave them something to trade for the things they couldn't produce themselves. It also drew the attention of the local orc tribe. The people of Duvik fought hard to protect their village and mines from the orcish raiders. But the orc tribe was strong and well established. In desperation, several appeals were made to Fallon for assistance. All were ignored. Instead it was from Orussus that help eventually came, in the form of mercenaries (adventurers) hired by the city through the Guild of Merchants. Nominally Duvik was part of the territory claimed by Fallon. So Orrusus could not risk officially supporting the people of Duvik. To do so would risk sparking a conflict beteeen the two cities which were already not on the best of terms. But the merchants of Orussus wanted access to the silver of Duvik, and the city authorities were keen to help them get it.Eventually, the orc tribe was overcome and the valley secured. The villages and the siler mines were secured, and it was to the merchants of Orrusus that the people of Duvik sold their silver in the years following.- TIMELINE -*** an orcish shaman/priest returns to the Duvik village in order to get revenge on the village. He is one of the remaining members of the tribe that once raided the village and was eventually destroyed. The orc calls upon dark forces and in return for his service, is granted the power to corrupt the waters of the valley, poisoning the minds of those that drink it, slowing destroying their ability to think and reducing them to the state of animals [ie - Int loss].*** the people of Duvik start to fall ill. The slowly become more and more beastial. Initially it is the weak and infirm that become ill, but over time, more and more people are afflicted. Initially the people of Duvik are reluctant to flee. The hesitation leads to most being infected. Eventually a few survivors do so, out into the forest or down to the village at the foothills of the mountain.[[time scale of infection - chance of infection is approx. 50%. chance of natural recovery is 25%, but can be re-infected. Life expectancy is about 8-10 days, say two weeks. If sick double in number every 2 days, then approx. 20 days to infect entire population (not including natural recovery, but also not counting re-infection). First week, 10 infected, second week 100, third week 1000. Initial symptoms are minor - absent minded, a bit moody. Then increasingly disinterested in complex tasks, lack of planning. Then focus only on immediate needs, lack restraint. Eventually, only focus on food, shelter and possibly sex (this would definitely give the game an M rating. It would also make for a nasty conclusion, with numerous unplanned pregnancies, lots of emotional scars). Eventually, the victim is reduced to 'animal' state (Int 2).So, approx. three to 4 weeks after initial infection, the villagers have been reduced to the state of animals. Most remain in the area, scavenging for food, sheltering in the buildings. Some casualties, result of fighting between victims, usually over food or shelter.]]*** a shipment of silver is late in arriving at Orrusus. The wagon drivers and guards talk of problems in the village. [[need to work out how the timing of the shipment corresponds o the the timing of the orcs actions.]]*** news of the problems in Duvik reach Fallon. Seeing an opportunity to bring Duvik under into its area of influence, Fallon sends out troops to 'assist the people of Duvik'. The troops set up camp in a village at the base of the mountains. *** a shipment of silver does not arrive at all.*** The troop commander sends a band of soldiers up into the mountains investigate. Half way up they set up a camp and send a patrol the rest of the way. The patrol does not return. The commander does not want to risk any more men, so he sends a runner to the main camp asking for reinforcements.*** a merchant sends some retainers to find out what has happened to it. The retainers return with stories of monsters and zombies infesting the valley of the Duvik village.*** the merchant sends a more robust party to investigate. its goals are to find the missing shipment and if possible, find out what is happening and deal with it.*** By the time that the party arrive at the base of the mountains, the Fallon forces have established a camp and a quarantine area. People from Duvik are being kept in isolation.- OTHER POTENTIAL PARTICIPANTS -Orc Tribe (potential resource/problem): The orc shaman has called upon forces forbidden by his people. Troubling omens (or something) brings the shaman's actions to the attention of another tribe, who send a small band to investigate. These orcs have no love for humans, but they may be willing to work with them in order to overcome the rogue shaman.Dwarf Tribe (potential resource/problem): The Stonepike mountains are largely controlled by the dwarves. As originally written, the dwarves have very little to do with the human cities. The dwarves could either be an ally, willing to help fight the orcs, or an adversary - perhaps the people of Duvik have been encroaching into dwarven territory.Bainlunder people (potential resource): One group of people the dwarves do have good relations with are the herders of the Bainlunder hills. The Bainlunder people could be useful friends to have. The have a good knowledge of the region (the best routes, hiding places etc) as well as close relations with the dwarves.- IC MATERIAL -- Initial Pitch by Ashin -"As I mentioned I am a merchant here in Orussus. I have a contract with one of silver mines in Duvik. Duvik is a village, well small town really, in the Stonepike mountains. The silver comes in from Duvik once a month. About 6 weeks ago when a shipment came in we were told there had been some illness in Duvik. Over the next few weeks, I began to hear stories, rumours of terrible things; plague, madness, monsters the walking dead, demons. So a week before the next shipment was due, I sent one of my people with a couple of stout men up to Duvik to look around, and see that the next shipment came back safely. That was three weeks ago."A few days ago I had the opportunity to talk to someone from Duvik. Apparently, many have fled the town. The persons recall of events was hazy, but in accord with the stories that I had heard. They spoke of a plague, madness, monster stalking the streets and the dead working the mines driven by devils with whips."Something is going on in Duvik. I think that that is clear enough. But I think that the stories are as much a product of the superstitions and imagination of the people as anything. Duvik is an isolated place, far from the centres of learning and politics. The people are simple folk, and superstitious. They see kobolds under the bed and elementals in the every water pool. I think the answer is more mundane than they think, but perhaps more complicated."For that reason there is something I need to do."Ashin takes a small leather tube from his belt and slides off the top third, revealing a plain iron rod. The rod is about 8 inches long and about half an inch in diameter."This is a truth rod; it prevents the holder from lying. Before we go any further, I am going to ask those who are interested to answer a simple question."Ashin holds up his hand to forestall any questions."I perfectly understand if you do not wish to do it, and I will tell you the question before asking any of you to make your decision. The question is this: Do you own allegiance or debt to the Lord of Fallon, or to any that themselves own allegiance or debt to the Lord of Fallon."If you answer 'yes', then I must ask you to leave, with my thanks for your time."Ashin give those who wish to leave time to do so. To those that remain he hands the rod and asks the question to each in turn.***"Duvik was settled about 60 years ago by refugees fleeing presecution in Fallon. The people of Duvik are mostly Duviknics, originally from the north and east of here. Their religious tenants did not match those of the people of Fallon, and well anyway, they fled into the Stonepike mountains where they settled and stayed."About 30 years ago silver was discovered in the mountains around Duvik. It was not a rich seam, but it has been a steady one over the decades. The town grew a little, and began to shake off the poverty that it had struggled with since it was founded. A few years years later, the orcs arrived. The people of Duvik banded together to defend their valley. They were hardy people, hardened further by a tough life. But they were no match for an experienced warband. The people of Duvik sought aid from Fallon, but their pleas were ignored. Orussus was also approached, and although the city did not send its militia, adventurers were hired from this very tavern to train and lead the people of Duvik. Hansforth Paltin* was among that number, and it was in Duvik that he discovered his genius for tactics that would later bring him much fame on Brentwidge Plains and at Cooramok."* Knowledge (history or local) DC 10: Hansforth Paltin is a famous ranger, many of whose early adventures began in the Red Dragon Tavern. *Ashin's eyes gleam brightly as he recounts this part of the tale, and his voice becomes noticeably more animated."Eventually the orcs were driven back and an truce made. But the people of Duvik never forgot Fallon's silence, and so they turned their backs on Fallon and their faces to Orussus for their trade."Over the last ten years, Fallon have been making overtures to Duvik, trying to bring the town into their area of influence. In response, group of merchants from Orussus has been pressing the council here to offer an alliance to Duvik. Initially the council was slow to see the need, but the tide of opinion is turning. Fallon knows this, and I suspect that the events in Duvik are in some way tied to this struggle for Duvik. I will not say that the rumours are true, but I suspect that Fallon is behind this in one way or another. A disaster offers Fallon the opportunity to make up for the persecution that drove the people out of Fallon and Fallon's failure to assist Duvik in its early years."And even if they are not behind this, then it still is an opportunity that they will be unlikely to pass up I believe."</blockquote>

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