An Earthdawn® Adventure for 4-8 characters of 1st-2nd Circle.
Written by: Damon Earley
Edited by: Mike Williams
OVERVIEW
The characters may or may not have served in the forces of Throal for the war (outlined in the books Prelude to War and Barsaive at War), but either way, for the purposes of this adventure they have now been hired to serve as a roving Peace Patrol for Throal. The Diplomatic Corps created the Peace Patrols and tasked them with the duty of aiding outlying townships and villages of Throal (particularly those to the south). The tour for this group consists of passing through two villages and one town in a trip to the edge of the Servos jungle, then back to Bartertown.
The adventurers will need to settle whatever problem they find in each village before moving on to the next, and return with proof of their deeds and updated information on the townships.
SETTING THE STAGE
During the war, most of the Throalic army was gathered for the attacks against the Triumph, Sky Point, and Vivane. Because of this, the usual Peace Patrols that were maintained to keep an eye on the outlying populace of the kingdom have been practically non-existent due to lack of free soldiers. The Peace Patrols were designed by the Diplomatic Corps to give the smaller villages a form of stable protection, and it allowed Throal an easy means to collect taxes and updated information on its populous.
Most towns had a substantial enough militia that the danger from having no roving Peace Patrols was minimal; however, many small villages couldn't even boast a single Adept, let along a militia strong to protect themselves were a threat to descend on them.
As the troops returned home from the war, small units that had not seen the brunt of the fighting -- or comprised of volunteers -- were allowed to split off from the main group to check on the neglected villages of Barsaive. When groups of adventurers were encountered, some of the higher ranking members of the Throalic military with the funds to spare would also hire trustworthy Adepts, in lieu of having to send battle-weary soldiers. The characters could be marshaled by either one of these methods, and should find ways to solve the problems in the villages that they were asked to check on.
THEMES AND IMAGES
The adventurers are most likely returning from one of the more costly wars in Name-giver life that Barsaive has ever seen. While the war did not last long in relation to other wars that have raged through the ages, the effects of it are already becoming visible, even in the outer edges of Throal. Wild creatures have started encroaching on areas usually kept clear by soldiers and patrols. Villages have suffered with the absence of their Adepts and militia that went to war, either due to bandits, creatures, or the ever-present threat of Horrors. The characters should see the first signs of lack of upkeep on the roads and fields of Barsaive.
Change has hit Barsaive, and it's present from the capitol to the smallest village.
BEHIND THE SCENES
Captain Angus Thorgrim is an old, grizzled dwarf Warrior -- his thick, wiry hair looks like it could serve as a Brillo pad, and is pulled back in the back in a ponytail. His beard is just as thick, and has been parted into two braids that are wiry enough to give the impression that they could serve as melee weapons. Cap'n Thorgrim has most likely served in Throal longer than the adventurers have been alive, and knows it. This is the Captain that is in charge of this particular adventuring group, and is the one who gives them the papers and badges that make their patrol legitimate.
The Cap'n has only three orders: take care of any problems they find in their assigned patrol, note any major changes in routes or villages along the way, and keep track of their badges. The badges he passes out to the group are the ones that he and his group use in their patrols, but his duty calls him back to the capitol. He'll take it personally if those badges don't make it back to him.
The characters are supplied with standard riding steeds if they want, plenty of rations for a month, plenty of torches, a vial of oil a piece if they want, flint and steel, 100' of rope, and all the dwarf trail rations they care to carry. In addition, a Booster potion is provided for each character, as well as some of their military pay to help cover expenses for the trip -- amounting to 10 gold apiece (except windlings in the party, who can opt to allow someone else to carry their gold, or take an Elemental Air coin that's worth the same). The papers are official Throalic documents with the stamp of the King's ring, and the badges are silver circles bearing the dwarf sigil for Peace over the Throalic crest. The badges won't tarnish.
(The characters really don't want a group of higher Circle, cranky dwarf Warriors upset with them. If the characters actually bother using Item History or Evidence Analysis, each of the badges they hold are minor Pattern Items associated with each of the dwarves -- a lot of trust has been put in them for this mission.)
Travel
The patrol's journey is a pretty simple one, starting at the southwestern edge of the Servos Jungle, skirting it for a bit, then making a northeast trek towards Bartertown. For the most part, their path takes them through the plains of Barsaive. They have two rivers to cross, and the trip keeps the Servos Jungle in sight on the eastern edge of their trek (if they follow the proper path).
What would be the fun of an uneventful journey? Here are some possible encounters (in alphabetical order) to spice it up a bit:
The Caravan
At any point in the trip where it looks like the characters could use some supplies, or more Booster potions, or just a bit of rest, the characters should come across a Throalic caravan bound for Kratas. As long as they purchase something and are willing to help in the watch now and again, the characters can travel with the caravan for a day or two to rest up and heal wounds, before resuming their trip.
Crakbill Season
At some point in the adventure, the characters are going to find that the native wildlife has started to get uppity. A gaggle of Crakbills have claimed a section of road as their own, and occasionally patrol it for two-legged treats. Beastmasters and characters with tracking should have a pretty easy time of spotting the Crakbill tracks well before the group is attacked. A good Perception Test should have a decent chance of spotting them, as well. If the characters are aware that they are out there, then the Crakbills have no real chance of surprising the group. Otherwise, the Crakbills will have first go at the characters when they come erupting out of the high grass around the road.
The number of Crakbills should probably be two less than an adventuring group with front-line fighters (Warriors, Sky Raiders, Cavalrymen) -- and half the size of a group of mainly spellcasters or mid-line characters.
CRAKBILL
Attributes
DEX: 5 STR: 7 TOU: 5
PER: 2 WIL: 7 CHA: 3
Initiative: 5 Physical Defense: 7
Number of Attacks: 1 Spell Defense: 5
Attack: 7 Social Defense: 6
Damage: 9 Armor: 3
Number of Spells: (1) Mystic Armor: 1
Spellcasting: 6 Knockdown: 7
Effect: 10 Recovery Tests: 2
Death Rating: 28 Combat Movement: 60
Wound Threshold: 10 Full Movement: 120
Unconsciousness Rating: 20
Legend Points: 60
Equipment: none
Loot: Neck is worth 1d6 x 10 silver pieces (also counts at treasure worth Legend Points)
Paralyzing breath: An orange, gaseous stream that effects a single victim. The Crakbill
makes a Spellcasting Test against target Spell Defense to see if attack works. Effect
dice are then rolled for damage, minus target's Mystic Armor. If a wound is caused,
target is paralyzed, and can make a Willpower Test against 10 every round to break out
of the paralysis. Characters are stained orange for 72 hours after being successfully
hit, or until thoroughly bathed.
The Township of Rath
The township of Rath is a bustling town, made up of about 5,000 mixed Name-givers on a bridge across the branch of the Serpent River leading up to Kratas. Here, the characters can restock, re-supply, listen to rumors, and get drunk. If your characters are spoiling for a bar brawl, this is the place for it. It's also another place where they can heal up after an encounter with the Crakbills or Uthden, if necessary.
If you want to make things more interesting, have one of the character's badges stolen when they stay at the local tavern. They'd better find the thief (who's bringing it to his t'skrang boss, "Baron" Silas) and get their badge back before they return to Throal: Cap'n Thorgrim is less than understanding on that matter.
Stiletto
Windling Male 3rd Circle Thief
Attributes
DEX: 8 STR: 4 TOU: 5
PER: 6 WIL: 5 CHA: 6
Initiative: 8 Physical Defense: 12
Number of Attacks: 1 Spell Defense: 8
Attack: 11 Social Defense: 8
Damage: 7(14) Physical Armor: 3
Number of Spells: n/a Mystic Armor: 1
SpellCasting: n/a Knockdown: 4
Effect: n/a Recovery Tests: 2
Death Rating: 49 Combat Movement: 27
Wound Threshold: 9 Full Movement: 55
Unconsciousness Rating: 38 Flight: 54/110
Equipment: Windling Sword, Leather armor, anything he can take from the characters
Legend Points: For catching the windling and getting the badges back, 200.
Loot: 1 Booster Potion, 5 Throalic silvers, and the badges
Notable Talents
Avoid Blow: 3
Climbing: 1
Durability (6/5): 3
Karma Ritual: 3
Lock Pick: 4
*Melee Weapons: 3
Picking Pockets: 4
Silent Walk: 3
Surprise Strike: 3
Artisan Skill: Legerdemain 3
Troll Booth Uthden
One of the bridges that the characters need to cross is in the township of Rath. The other, if they chose to travel the few days around to it instead of finding a more difficult way across the river, has become the project of one large, grumpy troll named Uthden.
Uthden tried to do good; he really did. All his life he's wanted to be a Sky Raider. Of course, his first problem is that he's not a Highland troll, which only got him heckles and fights from the 'real' Sky Raiders. His other problem is that he's clumsy. And not just a little bit. If he didn't have magic backing his abilities, he'd have lost his sword a long time ago.
When he couldn't be a real raider, Uthden decided he'd join the army. Throal was hiring, he'd get to fight Therans, and do good for Barsaive -- become a hero, get his legend to spread, and show those Highland snobs what for. After the fourth set of rigging he accidentally destroyed, the Throalic ship gave him his pay, and set him on the path to join the ground army.
Unfortunately, Uthden lost his map. He did find this bridge, however, and has decided on a new life as a toll collector. If he gets enough money, he can BUY his own ship, and THEN show them.
The encounter starts with Uthden belligerently declaring that none shall pass without paying the toll of 10 silvers a head. If the characters pay, he'll happily let them pass.
Uthden isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer -- a successful attempt to negotiate will have pretty good effects. He's pretty easy to shame, and good role playing (if no one wants to make a Charisma test against him) could easily sway him back onto the right path. He'll even offer to join the characters on their honorable mission (it's completely up to the PC's if they allow him to join -- if they do, or at least point him in the right direction to catch up with the army, they'll have a lifelong ally).
Of course, if they try to intimidate their way past, Uthden isn't having it. He'll engage in melee. He'll only fight to take someone to unconscious, and then move on to the next target, starting with whoever tried to bully past him. Even after fighting, the characters can try negotiating at any point before giving two wounds to the troll. Uthden is accustomed to brawling, and will only start to take it personally if his life starts to look truly threatened. Once it reaches that point, he'll start Great Leaping away, and will be on the run (though easy to catch).
If Uthden wins, the characters will wake up with serious headaches on the other side of the bridge, minus the appropriate toll.
Uthden
Troll Male 3rd Circle Sky Raider
Attributes
DEX: 4 STR: 8 TOU: 8
PER: 5 WIL: 7 CHA: 6
Initiative: 4 Physical Defense: 6
Number of Attacks: 1 Spell Defense: 7
Attack: 8 Social Defense: 7
Damage: 14 Physical Armor: 3
Number of Spells: n/a Mystic Armor: 3
SpellCasting: n/a Knockdown: 8
Effect: n/a Recovery Tests: 3
Death Rating: 83 Combat Movement: 22
Wound Threshold: 12 Full Movement: 43
Unconsciousness Rating: 65
Equipment: Troll Sword, Leather armor, cooking supplies, a script proving him to be
a Throalic soldier.
Legend Points: For beating, talking your way past, or getting Uthden to join, 200.
There's no reward for just paying the toll -- that's not the stuff of legends.
Loot: 1 booster potion, 25 Throalic silvers (he just started the toll).
Notable Talents
*Air Sailing: 1
Avoid Blow: 3
*Battle Shout: 4
Durability (8/6): 5
*Fireblood: 3
*Great Leap: 4
Karma Ritual: 3
*Melee Weapons: 4
*Shield Charge: 3
Artisan Skill: Percussion 3
The Village of Lorin
Ah, the village of Lorin. An idyll little village, clustered around a beautiful lake, and just a short distance away from their old kaer, which has now become a limestone quarry. The gardens are well kept and healthy, the village looks prosperous for something its size, and the militia is near to non-existent -- a fact that has made the citizens incredibly jumpy.
There was a time when the Lorin militia was something to be truly feared, since it was mainly made up of an old adventuring group known as the Stone Hounds who had retired. However, the Stone Hounds, along with a good portion of the able-bodied fighters of the village, left to join the war against Thera. They didn't leave their village undefended -- a group was left behind to see to their safety. However, that group was conscripted a week ago to help one of the King-sent Horrorstalkers to help hunt a particularly vicious Horror (which was lurking near a village further north).
When the characters arrive, they'll probably be able to spot the lookouts, and the mass exodus they cause back to the village proper. When the characters arrive in the village, it will be to a bunch of closed windows and doors and one ancient elf propped up in the courtyard on a wooden cane -- Old Mathius.
Once it is established that they are part of the Peace Patrol (loud enough for Old Mathius to hear, which means that the small human boy that acts as his eyes, ears, and sense of direction -- Nerin by Name -- will come out to help the old man translate), then Old Mathius will ask for their aid.
If a character has Knowledge: Barsaive Heroes, Passions bless them, with a roll against difficulty 15 they can learn that Mathius is the originator of the Stone Hounds, and a high Circle Troubadour that is far past his prime. Very far. His golden years were passed in the kaer, though he still had enough time to shine when it opened back to the Scourge-torn Barsaive.
Starting a week ago, when their boys were called off to aid in the Horror hunt, people started seeing shadows moving at night around town. At first, Old Mathius dismissed it, accusing the rest of the town of being ninnies. For the past three nights, little Joli, daughter of the local seamstress, has had horrible nightmares, and odd tracks were found outside her window. Things have also started turning up missing around town, and people fear that the Horror is getting things with which to spread its mark. With that, Old Mathius reluctantly agreed that there could be a real problem, but they had no truly competent fighters left -- the sons and daughters that made up the night watch had nothing to report. Old Mathius asks the adventurers to see if they can find out the source of the shadows, and protect the village until their own people return.
The Bandits
What's happening is that a group of bandits have moved into the quarry, and are picking it clean of gear and loose stones. At night, as long as the town guard remains the inexperienced youngsters, the bandits sneak into town and steal anything they can get to easily. In an attempt to throw off trackers, they've attached metallic crescents and triangles on their boots, to make their tracks look odd and inhuman (the crescent is placed under where the ball of the foot rests, and the triangle point sharpens where the heal lands, so it looks like a rear toe). If the characters make a successful Tracking test against 15, they can track the prints back to the quarry, where the bandits are hiding. If they beat 20, the character is also aware that the tracks are doctored. For any other appropriate skill, such as Evidence Analysis, it is also a 20 to detect the falsehood.
The watch reports shadows from time to time, but when they go to investigate, they either find the tracks and scare themselves silly, or find nothing. None of the watch is older than 14, and none of them have very much combat savvy (the competent ones, the sons and daughters of the adventurers, went with the Horrorstalker). Rumors fly about the city: it's a Bloatform, no a Wormskull, no a Kreeska, no it's the Great Hunter itself that's stealing the knick-knacks of the town. The village is in a tizzy over the whole matter, and will be happy to tell the characters everything they think about the Horror that has invaded their town, now that Throal has stolen away all their protection. They'll get no useful information out of the townsfolk, except for little Joli.
Little Joli's nightmares are about bipedal creatures that move in the dark, since she saw them three nights ago. If the characters earn the shaken little girl's trust, she'll show them the crescent she found that night (the kind that the bandits use to doctor their tracks). If they show that to Old Mathius, or some of the men in the village, they'll be able to find out the iron-ore in it could have come from the supplies left in the quarry. Having the crescent will also drop the difficulty of detecting the doctored tracks down to a 10.
If the characters find out enough information, and move against the bandits that day, they'll catch them while half of them are asleep in the quarry, with two guards posted just inside the quarry entrance. If the characters do it stealthily enough, and take out the guard pair, apprehending the rest should be pretty easy. If armed characters wake the bandits, the bandits will surrender.
During the first night, a pair of bandits will sneak into town. If the characters catch them, they can still raid the quarry that night, but all the bandits will be awake. If they don't catch them, the pair will spot the characters (if they are on watch), and report back to the quarry. The next day after the bandits find out about the Peace Patrol, by noon the bandits will high-tail it for the mountains. The characters can track them if they want, but the bandits won't give up their loot without a fight.
The bandits are non-adept humans and dwarves, and will try to fight their way out in any situation where they are aware of the characters. The bandits should generally number 2 more than the characters, unless they have picked up Uthden, in which case add 3 or 4 more.
Bandits
Attributes
DEX: 7 STR: 6 TOU: 6
PER: 6 WIL: 6 CHA: 6
Initiative: 7 Physical Defense: 9
Number of Attacks: 1 Spell Defense: 8
Attack: 9 Social Defense: 7
Damage: 11/10(bow) Armor: 3
Number of Spells: n/a Mystic Armor: 2
SpellCasting: n/a Knockdown: 6
Effect: n/a Recovery Tests: 3
Death Rating: 38 Combat Movement: 40
Wound Threshold: 10 Full Movement: 80
Unconsciousness Rating: 29
Equipment: Broadsword, or Longbows
Legend Points: 100
Loot: 2d10 Throalic silver, weapon smith tools, iron-ore, copper-ore
Notable Skills
Hiding: 3
Lock Pick: 1
Melee Weapons - Swords: 2
Missile Weapons - Bows: 2
Pick Pockets: 1
Silent Walk: 3
The day after the bandits are dealt with, the Horrorstalker's party will return (sans Horrorstalker) and will take over defense of the village, to allow the Peace Patrol to continue on their way. In gratitude for their help, Old Mathius will offer the adventurers some type of reward that you feel is appropriate -- a Last Chance Salve, a Healing Potion, Old Mathius' Dagger, or your own personal Plot Hook.
WRAP-UP
When the characters report back to Bartertown and Cap'n Thorgrim, they will be paid another 10 gold for services rendered, along with a bonus 5 gold for each problem they dealt with, plus 5 gold apiece for updated information on Rath and Lorin.
In general, the characters should earn about 400 legend points apiece, with bonuses for role-playing.
Old Mathius' Dagger
Rank 1
Cost: 200
Key Knowledge: The character must learn the names and Disciplines of all the original Stone Hounds. Mathius was their Troubadour.
Effect: Add 4 Steps to the character's strength step for damage tests with the dagger.
Rank 2
Cost: 300
Effect: +1 Social Defense
Rank 3
Cost: 500
Key Knowledge: The character must discover the Name of the Horror that Mathius struck the killing blow against with this dagger.
Effect: Add 5 Steps to the character's strength step for damage tests with the dagger.
Rank 4
Cost: 800
Deed: The character must create a peace between two factions that are near or at the point of violence, who number at least 10 each (as Mathius did at the peak of his career).
Effect: Add 2 Steps to the character's First Impression talent. If the character does not have the talent, they now possess it at Rank 1, but cannot spend Legend Points to improve it.