Genre: Horror, Survival, Mystery
Location: South of Broran Pass
This scenario was intended as a one shot for a seasoned game leader and players who are experienced at role-playing, but not necessarily the rules of SoE. Player character conflict is encouraged and players are encouraged to engage and interact in character with each other and the few NPCs in the scenario.
Summary of the scenario
The players are trapped by a blizzard in a remote Inn located high in the mountains, along with suspected murderous ruffians. Outside an unseen foreboding evil that has been tracking them and has made it to outside their door. Knock, knock! Once the action begins to heat up, the GL should elicit a vaguely reminiscent feel of "Evil Dead two".
Stakes and Goals
Regardless of the internal intrigues of the PCs, the goals for all in the scenario should be the same.
1. Uncover the villany of the Inn's residence while and bring them to justice
2. Learn of the ancient tomb hidden on this side of Broran's pass *Optional*
3. Defeat the Feondas if possible and/or escape it's reach.
Prologue
These are dark times indeed. Stories of complete villages disappearing without a trace, horrors beyond imagination and abominations ravaging the hillsides are filling the ears of the neighboring villages. These tales have now made their way to your village. A passing varigal mentioned there exists a library in Aelwyd Saogh that has vast knowledge on the Feondas. Another tale says there are weapons there imbued with ancestral spirits that drove the Feondas back in ancient times.
A decision by the elders has been made from several neighboring villages. Each will select able, albeit expendable members, of their conclave to go off in hopes of finding a way to defeat the Fenondas threat. The players are one of these select members.
The PCs should know to expect to meet others who are working towards this same goal. If they do they are to join forces and aid one another. The most likely meeting place will be either this side of Broran's pass or on the other for the lucky few who make it across. The PCs are advised to keep their mission a secret. Who knows if others are secretly in league with them. Perhaps none are...but there are tales of fellow travelers being turned, enamored or absorbed by Feondas.
Act 1: The journey
You may start the PCs much earlier if desired being called before the elders and as part of the selection process. The adventure was intended as a one or two shot, so I started the PCs at Ard Monach.
Scene 1: Gathering of supplies
The PCs are to be given a chance to interact and get into character. Their goal is of course to pass over a difficult mountain pass to the ancient capitol and back. This is what the players should gear up for. The reality of this story will be revealed in due course, and be that much more of a shock, as the story takes a brief intermission into escalation of terror. The path is rough and not suitable to horse or large wagons. A small cart is possible, but will have to be carried/pushed up at various places on the path and will slow the PCs down on their journey. All in all, getting rope, pick axes, warm gear, furs, tent etc for a high mountain climb and rations is what is needed. No doubt gambling at an illegal establishment, meeting various characters and/or getting into fights is all part of the journey while in town.
Rumors that may be of interest:
* Farmer: Its been a great season for corn. All the crows seemed to have disappear and left my corn alone
* Merchant: Lately lotsa wealth coming out of them their hills, Trappers coming in an selling jewels and more in Farl. If you find anything of value, be mighty interested if you came back this way for a good offer.
Scene 2: Foreshadow of horror
The players make their way up towards Broran Pass. Along the way, they become aware that the Feondas are very real and getting very close.
The PCs should establish their standard behavior for the trip. Who takes point, meeting all challenges of the arduous walk as they make their way along paths that have seen better days. After the third day out, the path begins to wind and becomes more steep and unkempt in many places. It obviously is used sparingly by trappers and fools and few others.
On the third or fourth night they begin to hear a strange chattering. The wind seems to carry voices at a low whisper. These voices are just below the PCs hearing threshold, but remind one of the whispers of those who have some import to tell, just before they die. Should the PCs light or add to an existing fire, the voices and the chattering will move off, eventually dying out altogether. An eerie silence will then pervade the woods for several minutes and then the sounds of wildlife will return. Hoot of an owl, howl of a coyote, etc...
This will follow them each night and should begin to unnerve them. Depending on the PCs behavior and make up feel free to add a -1 to all perception and mental resistant rolls due to lack of sleep and jumpiness until they get a good night's rest. During the daytime of course, the wildlife in the area are more than happy to make a meal of the adventures if the opportunity arises. This after all is not an easy trek, but the goal is not to kill the PCs as yet.
Scene 3: Inn Bread Hospitality
The players shall hopefully take time to get a good rest and information on the pass, before making their traversal.
Depending on their speed, they will be 1/2 day from Broran pass the evening of the 5-7th night. A sign for an Inn points off to a well groomed path to the right.
[BREAD INN - 2km =>]
The players may camp or choose to go to the inn. If they choose to camp, then increase the chattering and/or feel free to tear open their tent and begin a disorienting chase towards the safety of the Inn. The adventure is predicated on this. If they light a fire, perhaps they will be noticed and in the morn, invited to the Inn. The adventure is reliant on interaction with the people at the Inn.
Bread Inn Sign
<=======>
| INN |
|BREAD |
| {||||} |
<=======>
At the inn, the players will find the older inn keeper and his wife; Edsel & Mira Joram.
They are ever so kind and pleasant to the players, seeking to please their every needs. They have few visitors that are not trappers and love to talk and learn about the world and other travels.
Also at the Inn are two other occupants.
* Kelppe A dour Osag who drinks and does not like to talk unless it is to threaten. If asked he says he is an entertainer, but has turned his luck to trapping and selling furs
* Verner Phistle: Tri-Kazelian Trapper: Thin and tall. Not much of a talker, but happy to share in conversation if needed to help open up or learn more about the PCs.
GL Note:
All of these people are in league with each other. Secretly they are trying to discern what wealth the PCs have and if they will be missed/noticed or who knows the PCs have made it this far to the Inn.
Those who fit the profile are robbed and killed. Their bodies dumped in the tomb near the pass.
The Inn Bread History:
* The Inn was built 100 years ago and have been in the same family since
* A year ago Mari and Edsel Joram arrived at the Inn while on the lam from the law.
* The Inn Keeper and his wife took the Jorams to see a well hidden tomb near Broran's Pass.
* While there the Joram's at the instigation of Mari, murdered the original Inn Keeper and his wife and then took over the Inn.
* Their plan is to reside there and trick people to come up this way on secret retreats waylay them. Along with this take the occaissional trapper who fit the bill to fill their coffers.
* The Joram's raided the tomb and sold some of their treasures. While doing so they met Kelppe and Verner, who they illicited in their devious plan.
* The story for Kelppe and Verner is they are trappers and stay here about every 1-2 mos.
* They are headed down soon to sell their furs which are in the barn.
* The PCs are not allowed in or near the Barn. Currently there are three bodies hanging from the rafters. Recent victims - possibly some of the other travelers from nearby village of the PCs.
* There is a hidden trapdoor under some hay in the barn, where the spoils of the NPCs kill is held, until taken to be sold down the mountain.
The plan is to take the bodies the next day and dump them in the tomb, once the PCs have gone.
The Plan is to waylay wealthy travelers or trappers who:
* Have significant treasure/wealth
* Not known to be here or have no one seeking them here if they go missing
* An easy target - meaning not an army of men, or easily inebriated /debilitated
They have limited access to the right herbs/chemicals to drug people, so use this very sparingly.
The Inn itself is 3 stories. 1st floor is tavern and common room. Stairs lead up to Inn Keepers bed room at top of stairs and then a hallway with 5 rooms. Two on one side w/ 2 beds and 3 on the other with 4 beds each. There is a door and stairs to the attic. This is where Kelppe and Verner stay.
The PCs arrive at the Inn or somehow interact with the people at the Inn. Act 2: Scene 1
Depending on their behavior/wealth they may be victims now, or perhaps when/IF they return from Aelwyd Saogh.
Act 2: Horror at every corner
Scene 1: A comfortable spot to lay one's head...FOREVER
The PCs are made welcome by the inn keeper and his wife. An opportunity for them to interact with the other two guests, Kelppe & Verner, at the Inn exists as well. This is fairly open as to what occurs, The Inn Keeper and or their accomplices will certainly question the PCs to assess this however, which MAY arouse suspicions. Should the PCs not present a good value for robbery, then nothing un-towards will happen to them.
Scene 2: There's no Tomb like a Snow Tomb
Based on whether the PCs were attacked or simply left the next day, many things can occur.
The following is the flow and what happens after a night at the inn.
* The PCs leave the next day hoping to have time to make it through the pass before the snow comes.It looks like the snow may come early though so they must hurry.
* The PCs may hear someone trailing them. (The cart)
* A cart being led by Kelppe and Verner with a mule are following behind but will turn off on a stony clearing on to a well hidden path that leads to the tomb. The two are taking the three bodies from the barn and dumping them into the tomb.
* A light snow starts to come down as the PCs get closer to the pass or the Tomb. This snow and wind will FORCING the PCs to stop and either they seek shelter in the tomb if they know of it or their own camp.
* While waiting out the storm, one or more of the PCs have a dream. A silhouetted shimmering figure of the original Inn Keeper and his wife call to the PCs to avenge them. * Giving them appropriate clues about the tomb if applicable to your story and of the events of the original Inn keeper and his wife being killed. The idea is to have the PCs head back to the inn to avenge them.
The Tomb:
The tomb is a large tomb that has a small well hidden entrance under a rock outcropping. It leads into a gentle slope before it opens up into a small cave large enough to make camp. It proceeds farther back and then opens up into a GRAND HALLWAY, that has a 40' drop into a well manicured room that goes back 60' with high pillars reaching the ceiling. At the back of that room is six stone sarcophagi. Inside are skeletons, and rags, but for the most part anything of value has been looted.
There are also about 14 bodies dumped at the bottom of this drop from the Inn. At the back are tw more. The inn keeper and his wife.
Scene 3: Deadly Conclusions
The goal is to get the PCs back to the Inn to confront the villainous inn keeper and their cohorts. The Feondas has finally caught up with the PCs. It has been following them and should reach them as things reach an escalation point at the inn. Now it is up to the PCs to work with the NPCs and find a way to escape through the blizzard or to defeat the Feondas outside.
The following are the important elements for this scene.
* The blizzard means that the pass would be too treacherous to make for now.It may be safer if it does not snow more in a couple of days - this alone should drive the PCs back to the Inn.
* The PCs most likely will arrive early afternoon and apprehend, attack the Inn Keeper and his cohorts, Verner & Kelppe.
* While they are in the midst of combat or questioning their captives, the plot thickens as the Feondas arrives as the snow stirs and the wind blows outside the Inn.
Act 3: A Caw to Arms
The PCs have to choose between their captives if any and the horror outside. Perhaps a truce can be called, and thoughts as to how to kill the Feondas is formed.
Scene 1: What next:
The PCs are expected to be at the inn, either trying to learn the truth from their captives, dealing with the dead gang members or if captured, bargaining for their lives. Regardless the following events will happen at whatever time best suits your game.
* In the barn are cut ropes hanging from the rafters where the previous three victims were left until taken to the tomb and dumped.
* Below these ropes covered in straw is a trap door hiding a small treasure trove of the victims and some from the tomb.
* Under the bed of the Inn Keeper is a two handed sword and a bag with a huge red gem. The gem fits in the pommel of the sword. See below.
* The Feondas announces it's arrival by the chittering sounds and whispers of voices on the wind that sends a shiver down everyone's spine.
* Outside the blizzard allows only silhouettes to be seen of the Feondas. A large ogre like creature that seems to pulsate and has the head of a large crow.
The Feondas: Assassiner par les corbeaux
The Feondas is made up of 100's of crows who have taken a shape. An amorphous shell seems to engulf them and translucent faces of the creatures victims pulsate and push out every now and then. The creature itself best represents a large ogre shaped creature with a crow like head. The center of its body is actually a large mouth that forms when the PCs approach. If it scores 5 pts of damage it has a PC trapped partially in this mouth. 10pts of damage or more and it has swallowed them. (Feel free to adjust, but this seemed to work). Each round the player who is trapped will have horrific dreams of all the horrors they have done and/or are the cause of in their life, or have witnessed. Their mind will go in # of rounds = to their Empathy Way.
Attack: 10 - Swallow / 12-Peck
Damage: 1 - Swallow / 4 - Peck
Defense: 14
Protection: 1
Speed: 6
Potential: 1
Stamina: 11
Perception: 12
Stealth: 4
Feats: 8
Health: 40/30/20/
The creature is susceptible to Fire (Its mostly feathers) and takes 2 x damage.
It will flee - BREAK into a murder of crows, when it is down to 15 health the following round. The sound it makes is the clicking of 1000 crow beaks and the voices, the unheard pleas of its victim.
The Sword:
The sword from the tomb has writing on it from aeons ago. It provides a +2 in combat against Feondas and of course seems to sing to it s owner of their great power and invincibility. Then again, that PC was a bit over the top, so he may have just imagined it.
NPC Stats:
For stats, suggest you make them as appropriate to your PCs to give the appropriate challenge, but not so much as to make them overtly deadly should it be two against one. I had the Osag to be good with knives, esp throwing. Verner was deadly swordsman. The innkeepers were not defenseless, but more the type to ambush you in your sleep. Their true threat is to catch you unaware.
Epilogue
This is easily a TPK scenario, but their should be many ways to allow the PCs to defeat the Feondas. Including getting in league with the Inn Keeper and wife. The wife to me is the true villain, but she may also know something that will aid in the demise of the Feondas.
If helpful here is a recap of the two sessions I ran.
The first session, was only two players. A hunter and nobleman turned rogue who made their way to the Inn. While there, one of the PCs became interested in the barn (Really no idea why). The Inn Keeper and Verner raced out and strongly denied the PC entrance in the barn. This is the first time the PCs suspicions got raised. Then a dart game with Kelppe who was quite belligerent turned into a fight and the PC LUCKILY managed to hurt Kelppe. Since he was out of commission, the murderous crew were not in a position to ambush these two PCs. The PCs try to reconnitor the barn, but it was guarded that night by Kelppe. Even in his condition, they had nothing but suspicion to go on, so let it alone.
The next day, no one was very friendly and the PCs left.
The snow started to fall and they had heard something following them. They turned back to see the cart head to the tomb, and then 30 minutes later come back this way. They found the tomb as the snow picked up. They slept over night in the tomb. The ghosts of the original innkeeper visited them.
The next morn they headed back to the Inn and waylaid Kelppe in the barn and found the treasure horde. Verner suprised them, but they managed to take him down and get him to confess. They then went in and tied up the inn keeper and his wife to get their confession. While doing so they found under the bed of the Inn Keeper a great sword and a small bag with a gem. The Gem went inside the pommel of the sword.
As they continued to question the Jorams, whose cries of denial and stating that those ruffians lied if they said that the Jorams were involved...woke the other occupants in the inn.
4 other PCs were playing in the game and were newly arrived. They awoke and found two brigand like people have tied up the Inn keeper and his wife. As the arguments of who was who, (All PCs are from nearby villages on the same quest)...a chittering is heard and the wind picks up.
The window are rattling, the shutters clanging. Outside a blood curdling scream is heard from the barn. The PCs leave the Jorams tied up, but go down to close up all the shutters and bar the door.
As they do so, a shambling humanoid with his chest pecked in slams open the door. It is Verner. He is some sort of undead Feondas or powered by some foul magic. Outside one of the PCs sees a 3-4meter (12 foot) tall silhoutte humanoid bird like creature that seems to me pulsating, amorphous moving in a wide circle round the Inn.
One of the PCs snaps and it happens to be the one with the sword. He feels he is invincible. The PCs lay a trap for the Feondas. They plan to open the door (No way the Feondas can it fit in there, but they are hoping it will enter.) They have tar pitched arrows lit and several swords ready to hack it down. They open the door and the invincible PC with his newly found two handed sword charges.
Others feeling the need to protect him do the same, and others in the back fired arrows. The sword did a great deal of damage, but the third round the invincible PC was trapped in its maw. He had his sword arm free, but was greatly hampered and the dreams started to affect him. He was already somewhat unhinged. The PCs working together managed to drive off the Feondas, which broke up into a murder of crows and roosted in the trees...but made no sounds what so ever. As morning came, they began to crow and then took flight. The PCs decided to hold court and execute the Jorams. They had come up with the idea of lowering them into the tomb btw, with no way out, but thought it best to burn them alive. When they did, from the smokes the spirits of the original inn keeper and his wife rose and blessed the PCs who had the dreams and avenged them, (Gave them a +1 for rest of the week on any great chore/combat).
I did my best to make sure that they not know who the ruffians were. The other PCs or the Inn Keeper. Up until the end they had their doubts who to trust...Gentle ma and pa Inn Keeper, or the cretins who tied up this gentle couple while they are in their night shirts.
But you can still call him "Mharaigh ag Préacháin" (irish) wich sound more ancient langage. This is a great monster. I love the "bite reminds you are afraid" 