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ShortQuests -- individual adventure modules! An all-new collection of digest-sized D&D adventures designed to plug in to your game.

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Andur" data-source="post: 2172370" data-attributes="member: 27898">OK, Gomez, here is the basic set-up...Character's are headed (East or West) on a train.  The train comes to __________ which is an overnight stop for the train due to its need to refill on fuel, water, and sand.  The characters will soon here either from the townsfolk, or the rail employees about the big "news" that the rail payroll coach is a day late.  Since the characters have been on the train for several days, give them a reputation modifier of +10 when dealing with any rail employees, as word will soon spread that they are travelling on the train.The other big news is the sheriff is currently unavailable as he and his last deputy are guarding the jail, where they have the ________ Gang locked up.  Seems they captured them about a week ago and are awaiting a judge to get to town for a proper trial.  The sheriff lost one deputy in the "showdown" with the gang, but he and the other deputy brought in five of the toughest hombres in the gang and the region.Sooner or later, the banker (who works at the railroad owned bank) will offer the characters a sizable reward for finding the coach and getting the payroll to town.  The reward is more in proportion to the fact that without pay, the train isn;t moving and the railroad has authorized a good amount in order to try getting that train back moving with minimum delay.  Now Gomez or non-players only please...[spoiler]With some gather information checks, and general chit chat, the characters should be able to find out that the coach takes three days to gets from ________ City.  Along the way it swaps horses out at three ranches which have a contract with the railroad.  The coach doesn't leave on a real regular schedule, but through the telegraph the banker knows when the train wil arrive and when the coach will have left.  If the characters need horses, they bank will provide letters of credit to the livery to provide what they need.  They also give them a writ of execution in order to obtain the coach.The terrain will be broken flats with some badlands/foothills.  The first ranch they get to will not have seen the coach.  If they inquire/swap out horses, they will learn of a motte about 4 hours towards the next ranch, and of an old Indian Burial ground in the badlands.  By the motte a Search/ Survuval(Track) of 23 or so will show that a coach headed off towards the badlands along with over a half dozen additional horses.  A DC 30+ will show some empty casings just up a ways from the motte.The trail wil end in the badlands, but point towards a box canyon.  There will be one sentry posted, but if the characters arrive at night or early morning he will be sleeping.  There are a total of 8 2nd level tough ordinaries led by a 4th level fast ordinary.  One of them will head for a horse and try escaping the canyon on a narrow trail that leads out of the back of the canyon (Ride DC 20).  The coach will be parked in the bak of the canyon.  It takes 3 rounds for him to get to a horse, mount up and get out of the 50' deep canyon on the trail.  If the characters pursue, do opposed ride checks with the winner running and the loser double moving.  If captured he will admit he was headed to town to tell about their discovery.If the characters take a prisoners, the toughs will admit to stealing the coach and being new members of the _______ Gang.  If they capture the fast ordinary, he will try to deceive them.  He has a deputy badge on his person.  If confronted with this he will admit the sheriff is in cahoots with the _______ Gang.  If he is dead, then the characters can find the badge in a with some blood on it.  They should wonder if it is a deputy or the deputy's killer at this point.No encounters on the way back to town.  The characters should have a suspicion that al is not right back in town.  If they don't...When they arrive back in town (two days after they left if they hustled the whole time) the streets will be pretty much devoid of activity, the bank is locked and closed.  Going to the nearest saloon, they will find the sheriff, who will attempt to arrest the characters if they killed any of the outlaws and tel about it.  If they inquire to the wherabouts of the banker, the sheriff will inform he got locked up for disorderly conduct, but if they want to talk to him, he'll walk them over to the jail.In the jailhouse, the 5 members of the ______ Gang are keeping tabs on the streets.  Now, depending on what the characters do, will determine of what the showdown in town is like.  Direct challenge or polite confrontation with the sheriff will get a "high noon" challenge.  If they try busting out the banker, or assualt the sheriff, then the 5 gang members will come from the jailhouse guns ablazing.  Sheriff should be equal level to the party and a hero, minimum of 3 Fast/3 Dedicated with faith talent and level/2 +3 action points.  The gang should be party level -2 or 3, with a tough-fast combo.This should be a pretty good showdown, with a decent chance a PC might go down if they barge into the jailhouse.As a twist, you can have the deputy having found the coach and was bringing it back with a rancher posse, thus making the characters good deeds, not quite so good.  Another plot twist would be to make it appear as if the railroad was going to go back on their reward promise.After that, wrap up, give them their rewards, and adios.[/spoiler]Of course you can flesh it out how you see fit, and adjust the encounter levels to make it harder or easier as you see fit.  Hope it gives a decent idear pool if nothing else.</blockquote>

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