Sunday here at last, this week even the town is randomly generated (with some notable landmarks) and then held together with gum and hope that my challenge to create something from randomly generated something’s works.
There are quite a few randomly generated things and I am not quite sure how big of a post this will be at the end of the writing session – but lets see how we go. The random traps, city ‘map’ etc. were generated in Donjon – go give them a look if you are interested!
The sleepy town of Sebluff
The costal town of Sebluff is known for it’s farms and good natured townsfolk. Predominately humans and halflings Sebluff is governed by a council of 4 elders, the 4 oldest members of the town, who call themselves the Golden Few. Each of the councilmen and women dress ornately in purple cloaks that have a golden chain around their necks that holds a quarter of a disk of quarts decorated with wheat stalks made from gold.
The population of around 500 busy themselves with fishing, farming and most importantly trading with any who bring something to trade.
There are a smattering of houses in Sebluff, most of them contain families of a few generations and as the town is a peace loving trading and farming community they have long since torn down their walls as the nearby cities and walled settlements regularly patrol the roads to ensure that their rich trading hub (Sebluff) can continue to operate without a military.
When the day of farming and fishing is over the residence of the city turn to the local entertainment to spend their hard earned silver on. A Large theatre, The Bale and Flail, famous of it’s satire and halfling run acting company is a regular venue for people to relax and enjoy the food and plays that are dished out within its walls.
The Fat Goblin, a humble gnome run tavern is situated not far from the theatre and provides visitors a room to stay and have a quite (as much as gnomely possible) meal away from the bustle of the cities other delights.
The last notable building of some fame is the Temple of Lathander where the head Priest, Phames, runs a morning mass to greet the new day as the light from the morning lord reaches the Shrine of Hily Byne, the founder of the town and first cleric of Lathander (or so the stories go).
The plot
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Over the past few months the peaceful town has seen an influx of people from the outskirts claiming that their farm has been plagued by flying wyverns that seem to breathe blight in which no matter of crop or animal can flourish. The good people of Sebluff have taken these people into their community and provided work and accommodation for the refugees.
The arrival of those who seek shelter has also seen the rise in power of a mercenary guild who has begun to hunt these beasts and keep them away from the farms of the townsfolk, for a modest fee of course.
Not long after the mercenaries entered the City the head priests sacred amulet, the holy symbol of Lathander gifted down from Hily Byne, is missing and a people in the city are becoming discontent.
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The wyvern hunting mercenaries are pretending to be farmers from near by farms and they are extorting the town for protection money for something that isn’t there.. yet.
Brother Phames has a reason for completing his morning ritual using his particular amulet. It’s an ancient ritual said to keep dragons and their kin at bay from the local lands – he has merely hidden the amulet from the public eye whilst he waits for the prophecy to come true and a beast to come forth and test the mettle of the Hunters.
The people of the hills
Sarah Lune
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Sarah has come forward with a concern – she believes that the wyvern hunters are not who they say they are. She hasn’t said this publically and has talked to the brother Phames about her concerns. She is more than likely to approach the party if she believes that they are able to help as the brotherhood of Lathander seem to have their own problems.
(see It takes a village to raise a child for background info)
Ned Talksmuch
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Ned, the son of the gnome Tavern owners Mildred and Golwinkle, talks to much… He has heard rumours that the priest has been lying to the public and is hiding something. He believes that the holy symbol wasn’t taken or stolen but it’s relinquished by brother Phames due to his misconduct.
Ned is quite overt about his dislike about the clergy but is quick to back down and make apologies if questioned.
(See It takes a village to raise a child for background info)
The Encounters
As the party arrive at the town they can see that there are several well armed mecenaries taking money and goods from a few of the merchants tents. One of them, a farmer selling corn, refuses to pay and a heated argument breaks out. Seeing the party the mercenary threatens with the removal of the wyvern hunters protection if they refuse payment tomorrow and disapears. The farmer, Sarah Lune, explains to the party member what is going on – that the wyvern hunters keep taking more and more money to keep the beasts away but she has doubts if they are even there. She seems worried as her two elderly parents approach and break down in tears, fearful that their farm will fall to the flying monsters that plague the town – reportedly.
Sarah offers the protection money to the Party members if they could stay a few days and nights at her farm to look out for the farm in case of wyvern attack – or worse.
If the party does then see encounter 1, else see encounter 2
Encounter 1
As night falls on the second night the party notice a vision of a flying creature approaching them from a small forest to the north. As it gets closer it breathes out a torrent of fire that sets the corn crops alight – But something seems off in how the fire catches the stalks as small spot fires appear sporadically rather than in a line. When the party investigates (or if they investigate the Wyvern DC12) they recognise it as an illusion and can see several features running alone the ground setting fire to the crops.
4 men and women are running along the ground with a cloaked figure chanting not far behind them away from the crops with its back turned to the party – seemingly convinced that it’s illusion will keep it safe. Once they realise the party are aware of them they will try and silence the party (kill them or knock them out…). If the party members are still alive at the end of round 2 then they will spend round 3 retreating.
If the party member capture or kill any of them before they try and escape then they will recognise one of them from the wyvern hunting mercenaries. if the mercenaries Knock them out then the party wake up in their hideout in the forest. Or if they escape but the party track them then they will find their hideout in the forest to the north under a poorly hidden staircase amongst some carved stones in the trees.
The Ruins (Den of the Cabal)
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Floor 1.
As the party enter the well lit and clean ruins they can tell someone has put a fair bit of work in making this place hospitable. Flags showing a dedication to Talmora line the walls and there is not a spec of dust or dirt on the grounds. As the party walk forward they have no idea that the mercenaries are well versed in laying traps.
- 1 – Rune of Paralyzation: DC 15 to find, DC 10 to disable; affects all targets within 10 ft., DC 10 Con save or become paralyzed for 1d4 minutes. There is a 10ft circular stone plate in the middle of this room. Anyone who steps on it will feel a jolt of lightning course through their bodies rendering them helpless.
- 2 – Chain Flail: DC 10 to find, DC 15 to disable; initiative +4, 1 attack per round, +6 to hit against all targets within 5 ft., 2d10 bludgeoning damage. There is a panel just before the trap that can disable the trap. The room that this hallway leads to has several chests lined up and looks to hold the tribute and payment the townsfolk has been giving the mercenaries.
- 3 – Falling Block (from side of wall): DC 10 to find, DC 10 to disable; affects all targets within a 10 ft long 5 ft wide rectangle, DC 14 Dex save (or strength save to stop the block) or take 2d10 damage. Either side of the walkway before you enter this hallway there are two reinforced banners that have a flat wide top. By using the tops of these the players can jam the block from closing the corridor. A DC15 Athletics check will stop the block from sealing the passage way (until forced back into its position in the wall and the trap reset). There is a pressure plate under the block that is recessed enough that the party can notice it easily enough. This can cause the block to remain hidden in the wall.
Floor 2
As the party descend the stairs they find themselves in a small hallway that has two rooms off it. There are no signs of life within these rooms just a writing desk in the room to the right and a statue to the room straight forward.
- 1 – The writing desk has a Strange looking glass built into the wood. When sitting in the chair and looking through the glass they can see that the wall opposite them (1) is an illusion and they can see straight through to the hall on the other side. If they do this without setting off any alarms or traps in the floor above they would see a few mercenaries moving to and from the pillar down the hall and an open door half way down the passage.
The statue in the room to the north (with a secret door) is a grotesque fish-person with a clawed three pronged trident. DC12 to notice that one of the tridents claws match an indent in the wall – which will cause the wall to swing inwards and surprise any mecenary on the other side of the wall. - 2 – This door is seriously locked. A really heavy locked door if the party members have alerted the mercenaries to their presence. DC20 strength check to break it down. AC20 to damage it with 20 hp. This iron banded door won’t give for many people at all. The Cultist Fanatic would have a key to this door however.
- 3 – Concealed Pit: DC 10 to find, DC 10 to disable; affects all targets entering a 10 ft. square area, DC 14 save or take 2d10 damage. The whole room is a pit trap. The lever to disable to pit trap is next to the secret door/passage to the south wall in the room and not reachable unless you skirt around a narrow (6inch lip) ledge to activate the lever. On the walls is several books and several small chests on shelves as well as wall mounted weapon and armor racks.
As for creatures. If the mercenaries were followed here (and all of them escaped or the party was captured) there should be 8 bandits, 1 cultist fantatic and 1 bandit leader in here. The bandit leader and half remaining bandits should be in the 1st floor in the large room near the chain trap and the fanatic and half bandits should be down past the locked door in the odd shaped room planning another raid.
Encounter 2
The ‘Wyvern’
On the 4th night the blight drake will appear and will be seen along the coastline near the town. IF they wyvern hunters are still alive they will flee with the loot (extorted tithes) and won’t be seen again. The party members will be requested to defend the city.
When (DM decide where) the party encounter the drake use the stat block below. The drake is likely to fight by flying over the party and breathing out acid before landing and taking to them with tooth and claw. It’s forearms also function as it’s wings.
The priest will reveal that he did not lose the holy symbol but wanted to prove the mercenaries as fake or try and lay the blame on the stolen artefact on the mercenaries. He did not anticipate the beast being as strong as it was or even real.
The outcome
The party can persue the wyvern hunters as they would set up camp in the forest hideout. The priest would offer a reward if they can retrieve the ill-gotten money and goods.
Thanks for joining for another weekend writeup, I hope you enjoyed what was thought up this week. I had a lot of fun taking the random elements and drawing inspiration from them to create an adventure that I don’t think I’ve run in the past.
As always don’t forget to have fun running your games and don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe
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