This Adventure follows on from the Search for the Forest Dwarves
If by this stage the adventurers have introduced the gnome colony to the elves, and also found the hibernating forest dwarves, then Gerion will look favourably upon the party, and will take them a little further into his confidence. Otherwise, he will ask them to take on a job for him, in line with his desire to link with others across Orn.
(Alternative If he has less reason to trust them, Gerion will hire the party for payment in kind, and protective
spells will be cast around the magic carpet to ensure it will not be
stolen. The Elven Master’s wider
reasoning behind the task he offers to the players is not shared).
Gerion presides over a meeting on the platform, between a few people from the
Village Below and the Village Above.
Those present: Isadora
representing the gnome colony;
Nock; Nigel; the surviving satyr
Elpida, if she has been encountered and is in the village; Bolsano and Falco; Alain, a middle-aged, well-dressed
elf; Calador, a younger elf in leather clothes with a strange leather hat and
eye protectors; Galathon (the elderly advisor to Gerion), and two other elves.
He begins with an Introduction.
Taking as a starting place the Gith empire of Bryþnor, Gerion sets
out how that period was far from a utopia for the non-Giths who lived through
it. All other races were ostracised
and excluded to some degree. Forced to fend for
themselves on the boundaries of the world.
The last cycle saw a slow regathering of many races, and it is his
intention to see that the broad alliance of free peoples which began then continues and
develops. He is in contact, now, with
the gnome colony, and there is good news about the reawakening of the forest
dwarves. Callaghan is undertaking a
commission to explore another forest, Arden, to seek the truth of the
recent stories about a group of ‘forest ghosts’ who have taken up residence
there. (Referee’s Note: In
actuality, these are the Koboldi Liberation Front (qv) and it is the forest the characters found themselves in on the Adventure of the Dragon's Scale). Hopefully, they will provide another group of
allies.
There remains the abiding challenge of the dark creatures of the
Wyldwood, a solution for which is yet to be found. The free peoples are not yet strong enough to
challenge the Witch realm. (If the
characters have told of their encounter, the others present will suggest that
they were lucky to only meet with seemingly very weak and underpowered
witches). Other support is still needed
if they are not to dominate this cycle.
This brings the conversation to the great Ironwood tree and the rainforest
that surrounds it. Usually a source of
untamed danger, it has so far been relatively quiet. However, news has reached the village,
through Callaghan, of a new building which has been created at the foot of the
great Trunk. This needs to be
investigated, and ideally an alliance forged with those who are living there. At the worst, if this is some new kind of
threat, the elves must learn of it and how it might be countered.
Further, in a month or two, it will be the time of year when the
mists clear, and this is also a year for the running of Great Race.
This traditional competition has been run every fifteen years for over a century. It was even run, against the advice of many, during the last Major Great Winter. It is a tradition, a joy, and a tool for building friendships. An invitation to the Race may be shared with these new visitors.
The Race will take much preparation, and careful planning. And some of this has already started. As many peoples and competitors as possible must be brought together before then.
The Mission
Gerion will ask the party, with a couple of elves, to
undertake the hazardous journey to the building or fortress at the base of the Ironwood, to
invite them to form an alliance with the other free peoples, and at the very
least to consider sending a competitor to the Race, or otherwise supporting it.
If the adventurers agree to undertake this task, he will hold a separate meeting with
them, Alain and
Calador (the young female elf).
Alain is introduced as the chosen emissary of the elven people, who
has many years’ experience of negotiation and liaison. Calador is, well, a young pilot.
The Plan
Calador displays a small piece of delicate grey silk, 18 inches by 30, which she claims is
a flying carpet. Alongside this she has
several small cherrywood boxes. The
proposal is that the party fly to the Ironwood on the carpet.
The boxes each contain a number of small dried berries and dried
leaves. It is explained that these were
harvested from an example of Ribes ludens, (the Ludenberry, or the
Jester’s Bush), the previous year.
Every year the harvest from the Jester’s Bush creates a different
effect. Last year’s harvest works as
follows:
- A dried berry, if ingested, will
shrink a living creature to one tenth of their current size. In other words, a character 5 feet (60 inches) tall will shrink to 6 inches in height. Anything they are carrying will shrink
similarly. Their weight will drop
proportionally.
- A dried leaf, if ingested, will grow
a living creature to ten times their current size. Anything they are carrying
will grow similarly. Their weight will
grow proportionately.
These effects will last for a week. Risks arise when using these magical
foods. Taking two berries will shrink a
creature by a factor of one hundred, making it harder for them to breathe and
ingest food. Within twenty minutes, they
will lose consciousness and eventually die.
Taking a leaf and growing to ten
times normal size will risk broken bones and organ failure.
If a leaf or berry is divided, it will have the full effect or
none. There are no half-measures.
The idea is that the characters will shrink down by eating a
berry, so that the carpet can take them all to the Ironwood. Although there are risks in the flight, the
major advantage is that this will mean they do not have to attempt the
ground-level crossing, including 8-10 miles of extremely difficult rainforest terrain,
with its attendant risks.
The carpet can fly for up to five hours a day. It is old and frail, and has 30 hit points in
total. It is controlled through subtle adjustments to how the hem is
handled. Calador is an expert flyer.
If they are willing, each character is given eight dried berries
and eight dried leaves for the journey.
They will not be told this, but each of the elves will be given a store
of thirty of each for emergencies.
Carpet, flying.
Requires experience in its control.
Can travel for up to five hours per day.
Max speed 30’. Ceiling height 1
mile. Can hover.
Notes: When shrunken, characters can survive a fall from any
height with only 1d4 damage. Physical attacks by
the characters have ¼ effect. Spells and some magical weapons (eg a magic bow) work as normal.
Inexperienced characters casting spells with somatic components
from a travelling flying carpet do so with a 50% chance of failure due to
interruption. Treat standing on the
carpet as standing on a well-sprung bed.
Inexperienced characters using distance weapons from a travelling flying carpet do so at -2 to hit.
Alain, elf, middle-aged 7th level neutral good bard.
Alain has a small crossbow, and a short sword. He will spend much of the journey making notes. In his backpack he keeps a mandolin.
Alain will assume himself to be very much in charge of the party, and will order people around if he isn’t happy with what they are doing.
Calador, female elf, pilot, no adventuring skills (0th level everything, except flying).
She wears leather clothing, including helmet with goggles, soft leather boots and gloves.
There may be some further discussion, and the adventurers may wish to see a demonstration of the ludenberries and the carpet. Eventually, however, it is assumed they will agree.
The Journey to the Ironwood
The adventurers, Alain, Calador and a few Elven guards walk to the edge of the Taiga, around eight miles from the Great Oak.
Once the party have shrunk to travelling size, Calador will then pilot the carpet at around 300 feet, so that the ground can be seen. She will head around the shore of the Lake of Mists on the side opposite to the Wyldwood. (Note, the party can navigate using the compass from the satyr’s boat if the party have it).
This is a general sketch of the path (not to scale).
About half an hour after crossing the end of the lake, the party are attacked by four Cateagles.
Cateagle. Medium beast. Feline with large eagle wings. Details and behaviour.
Weighs 40 lbs, and has a wingspan of 8 feet. A voracious and aggressive meat eater, small, agile and deadly. HP: 18 17 19 21
The Cateagles will attack those with no or leather armour first, and attempt to drag them from the carpet.
After this encounter, as the flight continues, the land beneath the carpet will grow more hilly, and the occasional small stand of trees will be seen.
A half hour later (assuming they survive the Cateagles), the adventurers will have a close encounter with a large Skyshark that flies just 50 yards above them. The huge, grey shape will glide past silently. If they do nothing, this particular beast will not attack.
Skyshark Large beast, neutral evil. Behaviour and appearance.
HP 97
Calador will urge the characters to be quiet, and gently move the carpet lower, away from the beast.
The carpet will have reached the end of its range after five hours flight. Rather than making their way further on foot, Alain proposes the group camp before reaching the rainforest, and seek the fortress the next day. In this way the carpet will have maximum flight capacity for the exploration.
Assuming the party successfully reaches a point near the edge of the rainforest, their night may be interrupted by a chance encounter from therein (50% chance). Possible encounters:
The Ironwood Tree
She will head for the centre of the Rainforest, where the Ironwood Tree stands. A grey Trunk looms through the mist, reminiscent of the Great Oak, but the bark appears less cracked, and the Tree has much less vegetation on it. As with the Oak, it is around a mile in diameter, and has several huge roots at the base.
Callaghan said that the new building was at the foot of the Tree. Calador will circle the Ironwood, a hundred feet out, and above the Rainforest, looking for the structure.
The Fortress
The fortress can be found within an hour of searching around the
base of the Ironwood. The building can be easily spotted from the air, roughly halfway around the trunk. It is constructed of
huge beams and crude planks of freshly-cut wood, and is notable for having a cleared
area around it, 100 yards wide, which is grassy, and upon which the rainforest
does not encroach.
Much of the fortress is roofed - although different areas are of different heights. These areas are blankd out in the sketch above. The outer walls are fifteen feet high. There are two areas open to the sky - a lumber and goods yard to the far right and a pleasant-looking, grassed courtyard, accessible by two heavy-looking gates. The fortress backs on to the Ironwood.
(For a full description of Baxter’s see the separate section describing all levels of the complex. The notes below relate solely to the current adventure).
Outside the main gates to the courtyard, there is a bronze
gong and hammer. Within a minute of it being struck, the large
gates will open and Sigismund, one of the managers, will appear. Once he ascertains the
party’s intention, he will invite them into the courtyard. A fountain plays towards the back of the area,
and the walls and doors are ornately tiled. Sigismund will accept Alain's proffered credentials, chairs and low tables will be brought out, and he will ask the group if they would like something to eat or drink.
At all times there will be between 6-10 burly ‘servers’ waiting around, organising the tables and so forth.
(Sigismund is a a middle-aged, grey-haired human Bard, with training in hospitality. He will be reserved, but attentive. His servers are human, unarmed, and wear matching loose clothing. They are trained as Monks. See Personnel of Baxter's)
Food and drink will be brought out. There are strange dishes in delicate sauces, on fragile, porcelain plates, and a collection of delicious-looking cordials. Alain politely accepts a few morsels. If any of the characters try the food, they find it is amongst the best they have ever tasted. The soft drinks are delightfully refreshing.
Sigismund, with a hint of smugness, explains that Baxter's is a new, high-end dining experience, due to open in the next month or so. It will provide a unique perspective on the Rainforest and Orn, and welcome wealthy clientele from every land. Reservations are open, and tables are booking fast.
An envelope is brought , which he passes to Alain. It contains an invitation for Gerion +1 to dine at Baxter’s free of charge. The token is redeemable within the next three months.
However, as he will explain, theirs is a purely commercial enterprise, and there would need to be other incentives in any future alliance. He will pass on the suggestion to the Owner, but does not expect this to acquire a high priority. The Restaurant comes first.
Of course, if Gerion could send any foodie connoisseurs in their direction, a commission could be earned. But excellence comes at a price, and they need to focus on their core business. He will happily see the elves as potential future customers, and wish them well.
After the food and drink is finished, he moves to usher Alain and his companions out.
Combat
Should any of the characters attempt to attack Sigismund or his assistants, or if the characters attempt to enter any of the other areas of the fortress, the serving staff will endeavour to disarm them, and throw them out. If this fails they will reluctantly attack to wound or kill. If any serious combat occurs, Alain will consider using his Dimension Door spell to make an escape to the remainder of the party in the Rainforest.
Assuming the characters have survived so far, the return journey
is the next challenge. Calador will take the same route back to Bar-Alda, navigating through the mists. However, significant carpet flying time will have been used up, so the party will in all likelihood have to camp at a point en route.
When flying back, and while still above the rainforest, the party will be attacked by a
group of 12 sprites, who do not trust Baxter’s. They mourn the forest that was cleared to
establish the building, and believe the adventurers are in league with them.
Sprite Tiny Fey,
Neutral Good as 5e MM
Hit Points: 4 3 3 1 4 3 2 3 4 4
The sprites will fly alongside the carpet and seven will fire
arrows at the characters at short range.
The remaining five will only fire at those who remain active after the first volley,
focusing upon the pilot. If the sprites
can sense the hearts of the characters, they will discover they are not allied to the Restaurant, and offer friendship
instead. They will not risk their lives
foolishly in a prolonged battle.
Some time after this encounter, around three miles beyond the Rainforest, the travellers will suddenly be faced with a small Skyshark diving straight at them. It will attempt to swallow the carpet whole.
Skyshark Large beast, neutral evil. Behaviour and appearance
Armour class 17 (natural) Fly 50’ HD 6D8+10 HP 40
If the Skyshark successfully swallows a character, they will receive 1d6 damage per round unless released or some other tactic is followed. The Skyshark has no magic resistance to internal attacks.
If killed, the Skyshark will float slowly down to the ground. It will retreat if wounded over 50%.
The rest of the journey back to the Elven Village, including the overnight camp, will be uneventful, although just beyond the Lake of Mists, before they reach the Taiga, the characters may briefly see a human female in leather armour, mounted on a dinosaur, moving swiftly across the the grasslands.
It will take at least two days to return, and they will probably have to walk through part of the Taiga at the end, as the carpet will be spent. Unless they intend this to be a week-long trek, they should grow to full size for this.
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