Scenario for Convention Game

[Dubgall]

Hi everyone,

I am running a Shadows of Esteren game for a convention here in Australia and have been writing a scenario. Hopefully it will be a good introduction to the game - we get a lot of people who want to try new games, and some who are new to RPGs.

This is the scenario at the moment, it is fairly short as the slot is only 3 hours. The plot focuses on combat and horror mostly, using the "Cold Lady" from Book 2 p. 166. It would be nice to show more of the world but I don't know that much about it and there isn't much time. So, I would like any suggestions or comments about ways to improve it.

Feel free to use this for your own games.


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Winter's Fury

She enters houses in the dead of night,
Walks to the infant in her icy gown,
Sucks out its life, with unholy might,
Turns it dead and stiff and then she is gone.

The Cold Lady took warmth from the baby,
She flies away to her cave as winds blow,
Singing to her oh-so-still progeny,
That remains sleeping amidst stone and snow.

Journeys in Tri-Kazel are always difficult. The distances are long, the weather harsh, and there is the constant threat of brigands, bears and even monsters. It was worth it to visit the city, and your village will be glad of the things you have bought and the news from the capital of the kingdom.

However, you have left your journey quite late, and winter has begun to close in over the mountains. Fortunately you have not far to go and you know of places along the way where you can find food and shelter. Just a few short weeks, and you will be home. As long as the rhymes and tales about the terrors that stalk these lands in winter are just fables.

A Shadows of Esteren game for 3-6 players. Shadows of Esteren is a Medieval Horror RPG set in a low-fantasy world.

This adventure is suitable for stand-alone play or can be inserted into a campaign when the characters are on a journey. The story focuses on the supernatural and horror elements of the game and is likely to be quite tragic, there is a high danger of a player character being killed.



Which Characters?

Any of the pre-made characters from Book 0 or Book 1 should be suitable. The scenario does not depend on a particular character being a particular person or having special knowledge. It may be advisable to offer starting character that can cast magic, however be careful not to make them too powerful.


Style: Supernatural, Horror, Combat, Mystery
Season: Winter
Location: The mountains of Taol-Kaer on the way to Loch Varn or similar.
Summary of the Scenario: The PCs are travelling, trying to get home before winter sets in. Near to the hamlet of Tuloth the weather worsens and they come upon the site of a massacre, and are then attacked by frightening supernatural forces. When they seek Tuloth for shelter, they are greeted with suspicion and paranoia. If they can gain the trust of some of the villagers they may be able to uncover the story of the Snow Queen. However, they will find that the Queen and Feondas are trying break into the village to destroy it. The PCs will either have to defend themselves and survive the onslaught, or will travel to the Snow Queen's lair for a final confrontation.

Stakes and Aims: The main goal of the scenario is to survive. The PCs should also wish to help the villagers if they can, and to do this they will need to destroy the Snow Queen. They may be able to find out the history of what happened, and gain some clues as to how to approach the dangers. They will most likely head to a final confrontation, if they flee instead they will most likely be hunted down.

History: When the PCs passed through on their way to Osta-Baille the hamlet of Tuloth had a Demorthen named Taelwald, his only Ionnthen was Joelle, who was talented but disliked due to being a female Ionnthen and quite timid. During the previous Spring Joelle went out with her parents one day, and they were attacked. The horribly mutilated reamains of her parents were found, and Joelle was in shock and could not talk about what happened. Taelwald took her in, however Joelle's condition barely improved and soon it became obvious to the villagers that she was pregnant. With Joelle's belly growing at an alarming rate and rumours spreading, there were harsh arguments and eventually the Anseilir Ulfric agreed to expel her from the village.

After some time the villagers began to suspect that Taelwald was helping Joelle outside the village, as he spent much time traveling to and from he sacred cave outside the village. When some villagers followed Taelwald they were attacked by a flock of ravens, and eventually the Anseilir called the Demorthen before the council. After being castigated by the council he was formerly a member of, Taelwald pronounced that the town was dead, and they would all soon be victims of the Snow Queen. He turned to leave and a warrior struck him down, and Taelwald's body dissolved into a pile of snakes that slithered into the forest (according to the accounts of those who were there). Since then there have been attacks on any villagers who have tried to leave. Those left in the Hamlet are scared, and becoming desperate.

With winter beginning, the villagers recently decided to send a party out to try to get to another town or to Osta-Baille and obtain help. The party was ambushed and only two men returned - Gevon and Cieran.



Act I - The Dead of Winter

Beginning the Game

"Your trip to Osta-Baille has been successful for the most part. In waiting for some goods you needed and making other arrangements, you left a little late for you liking and winter has begun to grip the mountains. However, you are now close to home and in high spirits. You imagine the welcome that your friends and family will give you, the thanks for the useful goods and gifts you bring, the stories you will tell and news you will catch up on."

Talk to each character around the table, ask them about their reasons for the trip to Osta-Baille and what they are bringing back to the village. Then discuss their travelling party, if they are using Caernides or other pack animals (they are not rich enough to have riding animals, and the mountains are too difficult for such beasts). Describe their journey up until now - there are perhaps a couple of weeks until they get home, and they are near to a hamlet they passed briefly on the way through (Tuloth).

After a fairly rough pass through some of the mountains, the path flattens out and winds through a Pine Forest. They will come to a glade which is now covered in snow and has an old stone chapel to one side - the only worshipping place of the one god for many miles. Those knowledgeable about travel will know that the place is only an hour's journey from Tuloth - perhaps a little more in the snow.

At the PCs enter the glade the wind will pick up, whipping the fallen snow around. An icy mist seems to rise up from the trees, closing in round them. One of the PCs trips over a mound on the path and realises it is a body covered by snow. If they uncover the body they will find it is a man appearing to be a hunter. He is naked, has marks on his face and appears to have been asphyxiated or crushed and then stabbed in the chest with a dagger.

At this point the PCs will come under attack. The scene should be confusing, the PCs will experience different things and will be split up.

- The mist will close in and the PCs will see strange shapes moving about.

- A flock of Ravens will swoop down at individual PCs and then disappear into the mists (See Antagonists) Mental check Diff 14

- One or more PCs will see a shape that appears to be a person with a woman's face. (The Snow Queen, see Book 2 p. 167) She appears angry.

- The Snow Queen will stay mostly hidden but will cast Fear on the PCs to try to make some run away. If anyone comes too close she will cast Stone Arrow and then disappear into the mists.

- If PC's run, have them make Feats checks and split them up according to their rolls. If they try to find the path, have them make a Travel (Emp) check difficulty 14. If they run the wrong way, they will most likely fall into a snow-covered ravine or run into thick brush and become lost for a time.

- A group of one or more PCs will come across the figure of a person coming towards them out of the mist, however it is featureless - although man-shaped it appears like a bundle of worms under a translucent white skin. Mental check diff 17.

- One way or another all of the PCs will eventually find the path to Tuloth, or come upon it's gates suddenly. Emphasise that they were separated for a time and some are scared and slightly injured. One or more pack animals may be missing.

They will have to bash upon the gate for some time, but eventually they wil be let into the Hamlet.



Act II - The Siege of Tuloth

Inside the gates is a circle of men with weapons draw. They will yell at the PCs to step away form the gates and lay down their arms. Once the gates are closed the PCs will see that many of the villagers are here, they appear very scared.

The villagers are very distrustful - particularly when they are told about the Feonda. Some are calling for the PCs to be thrust back out into the snow, lest they destroy the village. It is clear that the villagers know about the monsters and some have already been killed. The Anseilir (Ulfric) is calling for calm and trying to get the story from the PCs, but some of the answers may be tricky. Mentioning the woman or the fact that they were separated at some point will cause the crowd to become hostile, some may start throwing rocks. The PCs will see the man whose body they found, who appears to be a hunter. He is trying to influence the crowd against them.

The PCs can convince the villagers they they are OK somehow, or attack the man, exposing him as a Faceless Feonda.

Characters:
Ulfric - Anseilir, a large and strong man but affected by age and stress. Steadfast but xenophobic, he is terrified of Feondas and will agree to attacking outsiders to protect the village.

Nelynn - Damathir, a small woman with a powerful personality. She is resolute about doing good but people have stopped listening to her and he spends most of her time protecting the Village's remaining children.

Breithan - A headstrong Warrior, he is ready to die in defence of the village and easily swayed.

Gevon - A hunter, tall, thin and graceful with sharp eyes. He returned from trek replaced by a Faceless.

Cieran - Another Hunter who returned from the recent attempt to leave. He is a small man who is an expert at hiding and knows the wildlife of the area very well.

Aedan - The village apothecary and a gifted healer, he has kept the people healthy but confesses he does not know how the Feondas impersonate people.

Taelwald - Demorthen, Now dead - his body is just outside the sacred cave.

Joelle - Former Ionnthen, now the Snow Queen.

Brenain - Ulfric's wife, will help the PCs stay in the village great hall but she is not supposed to tell them about the village.

Spare names: Andraste, Epona


The PCs may investigate what is happening in Tuloth, but many people still do not trust them and they will only have one evening.

- When Gevon is uncovered as a Faceless, Cieran will be accused by the other villagers and possibly lynched. The PCs must try to save him, he will still be imprisoned.

- Gevon's family will be angry at the PCs and may try to stir up trouble. Gevon himself was one of those who followed Taelwald and knows roughly where the sacred cave is.

- Ulfric needs help but does not know what's going on, he wants to hunker down for the winter but supplies may be a problem.

- Nelynn knows much more, but her time is taken be watching over the children and she does not want to mix with the villagers for fear of rousing them.

- Many of the villagers know about Joelle but are covering up the fact that she was thrown out of the village and became a powerful Morcail.

If the PCs need help, at least one of them will remember Taelwald from the first time they passed through Tuloth, and that there seemed to be something troubling him and the village.



Act III

At night, at least one of the PCs has dream about coming in from the outside and gaining entry to the village. The most appropriate is any PCs that were separated from the rest of the party. They are walking through the cold night with one of the villagers they have talked to - possibly Aedan or Breithan. They come to one of the village gates and knock and it is opened by a guard who questions them. Suddenly the PC lunges forward and stabs the guard with a hidden blade, and they push their way into the village.

The PC wakes and realises something is wrong - there is a terrible wailing noise on one side of the village, but the entrance where the faceless men have forced their way in is on the other side. The PCs may realise this and try to alert the villagers, either way there will be a fight - the faceless are trying to kill Ulfric but are expendable.

The fight:
- At the front gates Joelle has summoned a blizzard and a great Feonda, however the villagers are well protected by the wall and will only be affected by Fear and the occasional Raven Attack.

- Joelle's voice may entrance the PCs who have encountered her, making them try to let in the Feonda or merely do nothing.

- The Faceless men will sneak through the village seeking Ulfric and attacking anyone they come across. If some of the PCs search for them they may come across a confrontation between a villager and their doppelganger, or even a copy of themselves.


Possible endings:
- If the Feonda at the front gate is killed Joelle will retreate, similarly if all of the faceless men are killed.
- The PCs may then go to the old Demorthen cave, where Joelle is hiding out. She cannot use the snows or raven to her advantage, but will have all her other powers and the Faceless men.
- The PCs may decided to take the villagers and make a run for it. If they make it out of the valley they will be beyond Joelle's reach and should make it back home with the refugees.

- But PC finds his own corpse and realises they are a doppelganger.



Bestiary:
Crow: Atk 6 (10), Dam 1, Def 12, Prot 0, Spd 9, Pot 1, Health 5, Can blind

Faceless Men: Atk 12, Dam 3, Def 12, Prot 2, Spd 6, Pot 3, Health 19/14/9/5, Grapple and munch

Other Feondas (Wolf-beasts?)

[Nordicfancy]

This looks like great fun!

Really nice introduction to the game. Let us know how it went.

[Dubgall]

I ran this last weekend - 3 sessions at the convention. It went very well, I think everyone who played was impressed with the game and enjoyed it. The only issue was that it was a fairly straightforward story - everyone took more or less the same path. However, that's fairly normal for a short con game.

[Kadakithis]

Which path did they take? You wrote up a great scenario for a con game, and kinda curious which way they went.

[Dubgall]

Which path did they take? You wrote up a great scenario for a con game, and kinda curious which way they went.

They all ended up finding out about the sacred cave and mounting an expedition there to find and kill Joelle. Some of them took people from the village along if they could get volunteers. I guess that is fairly obvious, but they could have evacuated the village or just said "Well, we help you and you brought this on yourselves, so we're leaving now".

[Topher]

Excellent scenario, if you create any others post them!

Do you have this in a PDF format?

I am about to start my gaming group into Shadows and starting with the Book 0 scenarios, and this would be a nice scenario to tie them back to the area once Book 3 is released, allows me to use the other scenarios out in Book 2, Tuath, and up coming Occutism books.

Thanks for the post, and I will have to remember to post back once I use it, and comment on how it worked out. (It will be a while from now being I think it will be my link back to the area)