Low Fantasy Gaming -Temptress of the Haunted Path (Part 8)

Image by 1tamara2, pixabay

Solo Toolbox used  

Low Fantasy Gaming Deluxe Edition and various supplements (link to https://lowfantasygaming.com)
UNE, the Universal Character Generator (link to UNE at DrivethruRPG)
Oldskull Adventure Generator by Kent David Kelly (link to Kent David Kelly on DrivethruRPG )

Town and City Generator by James Embry (link to James Embry on DrivethruRPG)
Mune GM emulator (using my own modified d8 variant)

Randomlists.com for the odd random verb and other random things if I get stuck for ideas.

 

• Review the characters

My four adventures:

Canaid the Bard (click here for stats)
Pedler Glatz the Rogue (click here for stats)
Nydia Fernwise the Magic User (click here for stats)
Wren the Ranger (click here for stats)

 

The characters have discovered that they are part of a prophecy to lead a young Komtess, Arna of Writa, to find a scroll of Fire Demon in a ruined city which is located somewhere in the wilderness north of the town known as Crookedmouth.

During a search for the Komtess in the Hideous Mudflats east of Crookedmouth the characters rescued a young woman from sinking sand.  The whole party was attacked by bandits.  During the attack Banjur, a 0 level soldier loyal to the Komtess was killed and three of the characters were injured and the young woman they had rescued disappeared. 

After a night's rest at the Lord Street Tap Room Tavern I check to see if they have recovered any HP's

 

Carnaid down to 2hp (from 8) - Short Rest, 3 Will checks, passes all three. Recovers 3 hp

Pedler down to 5hp (from 8) - Short Rest, 3 Will check, passes two, Recovers 1hp

Wren down to 3 hp (from 10) - Long Rest - (needed 1 day). Recovers 3 + 2 for Con bonus = 5hp

 

• Create a strong start

Random Verbs  - Sound, Mate, Disarm.

Maybe a friend of the characters is ordered to stop by the town guard and told to disarm.  

 

• Outline potential scenes

Hiring a boat to take them north.

River journey to Woodbury day one.

Night stop over at boatman s campsite.

River journey to Woodbury day two.

Buying Supplies at Woodbury for next part of journey

 

• Define secrets and clues

Randomly got - Dangerous discovery, Betrayed from within.  

Also one of the entourage with the Komtess Arna will have a map to the location of the ruined city.

Characters will try to find out who the young woman they rescued from the mudflats is.

Can the characters learn more about the prophecy and the scroll of the fire demon.

 

• Develop fantastic locations

The boatmen's campsite.

Woodbury village.

 

• Outline important NPCs

Arna, the young Komtess of Writa

Batana, loyal maid to the Komtess,  level 0, 4hp, very handy with a crossbow.

Ulfina, made ward of the young Komtess following the execution of the girls parents.

Arnjin, warrior and champion, (Level 4), helped get the Komtess out of Writa and across the sea of Spy's to Crookedmouth.

 

Both Ulfina and Arnjin now have 12hp.

 

Carnifex the Shadow Knight.  Following the Komtess.  Assumed to be part of the rebellion against the Komt and Komtessa of Writa and a danger to the Komtess Arna.  Though he may in fact be on her side.

 

Random Names for possible NPC's

Male -

1, Sercanis. (landlord of the Lords Road Tap Rooms in Crookedmouth)

2,  Emory.

3,  Anselmo.

4,  Vorn.

5,  Eldrik.

6,  Eldavaar.

Female -

1,  Mari.

2,  Vexonae.

3,  Drusia.

4,  Celene.

5,  Tibori. (owner of a barge taking wood and other items to-and-fro between Woodbury and Crookedmouth.

6,  Yiris

 

• Choose relevant monsters

Human Guardsmen (see page 203, LFG Deluxe)

Shades (see page 212, LFG Delux)

 

• Select magic item rewards

Non at this stage of the game.

 

Additional notes

 

Distance to Woodbury from Crookedmouth - Overland 32 miles or at least 3 days travel, Up River 40 miles  or 2 days travel.

23rd of August of the year 992.  Weather:  Raining, no fog.

 

The following morning the mist had cleared but it was a grey damp day.

The whole party meet up in the morning to discuss the next step of their quest, all seem subdued.  

 

QUESTION - does the Komtess or anyone in the party know who the young woman found in the quicksand is?

Roll d8 = 8 Yes (+1 Intervention point = 2pts)

Roll d4 to see who speaks 1=Arna, 2=Bayara, 3=Ulfina, 4= Arnjin.  Roll =1 Arna knows.

verbs - Rush, contain.

QUESTION - is the young woman related to the Komtess

Roll d8 = 6 Yes (roll on table 2), Roll d8 = 7 (If)

The young woman's name is Cataline and she is related to Arna.

QUESTION - how is Cataline related to Arna?

ANSWER - Maternal Aunt (I found a random relative generator online, I forgot to note the address)

QUESTION - Is it to do with Carnifex the Shadow Knight?

Roll d8 = 6 Yes (roll on table 2), Roll d8 = 4 (as long as)

 

Arna tells the party that as she rushed into the mudflats she met Cataline, her aunt, her mother's youngest sister.  Cataline gave Arna the lost purse. It contains items belonging to her mother. Arna says that she turned to head back to Crookedmouth but got disorientated in the mist.

Ulfina scolds the komtess, saying that if Cataline is here, then Carnifex the Shadow Knight must not be far away and the komtess will not be safe here.  She adds it would have been better to let Cataline perish in the mud.

 

QUESTION - does Ulfina know why Carnifex and Cataline are a danger to Arna?

Roll d8 = 7 Yes (but)

Ulfina does know why Carnifex is a danger to not just Arna but anyone associated with her. Carnifex is a Shadow Knight and he is part of the plot to bring down Arna and her family.  Ulfina thought they were at least a couple of days ahead of Carifex  but if Cataline is here, Carnifex must be with her and it will not be long before he finds them.

She urges them to find the quickest means possible to move north and to leave Crookedmouth as soon as possible.

 

QUESTION - Is Carnifex related to Arna?

Roll d8 = 8(Yes +1 intervention point, now 3 intervention points)

QUESTION - is he related to Cataline?

Roll d8 = 8(Yes +1 intervention point, 4 points, an intervention occurs)

INTERVENTION Roll d8 = 4 advance scene.

 

Without warning there is a loud knock at the front door of the tavern,and a voice shouts out, " Sercanis.my friend, open up, we believe you have fugitives from Writa, we need them to come with us."

Sercanis emerges from the back of the tavern, walks towards the locked front door, Arnjin draws his sword but Sercanis tells him to put down his weapon, "Town Guard, leave by the back door, there are no guards there yet, head to the main market,

there are boats moored there, find Tibori, she owns a boat and will be heading back to Woodbury this morning, tell her I sent you and she will take you up river, go, NOW"

 

QUESTION - Do the party get to the marker area and the boat's without incident?

Roll d8 = 8(Yes +1 intervention point, Now at 1 intervention point)

 

QUESTION - Is Tibori and her boat at the riverside? (I think this will be likely so I roll 2 dice and take the highest number)

Roll d8 = 4 & 7, so Yes(but)

RANDOM VERBS - Applause, Delight.

 

The party quickly find Tibori's boat but there is a problem.  Even though it is a shallow bottomed boat, Tibori and her crew of two have managed to get it stuck in silt.  Her crew are unable to budge the stricken boat, much to the delight of a small crowed that have gathered in the rain to be entertained by the boat's misfortune.

 

Canaid the Bard asks Tibori if she can take them North mentioning Sercanis, Tibori throws Canaid a rope and tells her pull it along with her friends, if they can get the boat off the silt they can hitch a ride as far a Woodbury.

 

I make a Strength roll for each character. If three make the roll the boat will be free before the Town Guard turn up.

Nydia the Witch Str:11 roll 5, a great success

Wren the Ranger Str 12 , rolls 13 but she has Athletic skill so just passes

Canaid the Bard, Str 9, rolls 3, another great success.

Pedlar the Thief, Str 9 rolls 11, he didn't really put any effort into helping, letting the three girls and the crew do the work.

 

They free the boat to the applause of the rain soaked crowd and in no time at all everyone is on the river craft, its sail unfurled and they are heading slowly and cautiously out of Crookedmouth and away from the mudflats and town guard.

 

The river boat has a small cabin and Tibori lets the Komtess, her maid and Ulfina use it.  The rest of them have no option but to stay out in the rain which is getting heavier as they head north.

 

Wren asks Arnjin why the town guard got involved and knew where to find them, Arnjin shrugs and replies that he can only assume that Cataline must have had something to do with it.  His face shows signs of worry and tiredness, he seems ill at ease and his hand never seems to move from the hilt of his sword.

Non of the party notice that on the riverbank are two people on horseback who seem to be following the boat.

River journey to Woodbury day one and the camp.

 

Tibori tells the party that the journey will take two days, the unseasonable weather is slowing the journey down but they should still easily make a campsite used by fishermen and traders which is the half-way point between Woodbury and Crookedmouth.

 

CHECK FOR VOYAGE EVENT - roll d20 for voyage event given in LFG Deluxe = 3, Random Encounter.

Roll d20 on Oceans, Lakes & Rivers table = 1.  A powerful storm with strong winds and heavy rain blows in.

I roll 1d8 to see how many hours they have been travelling before the storm hits, d8 roll = 8.

QUESTION - After 8 hours travelling are they at the campsite when the storm hits.

Roll d8 = 5 Yes(And)

 

As the party nears the campsite, a violent thunderstorm hits.  Tibori and her crew of two can get the riverboat to the shore. but the heavy rain, wind and lightning combine to make it dangerous to stay aboard the ship.  there is a small log cabin a few yards from the side of the river which is used as shelter by passing boat crews and there is no option but to spend the night there.

 

DEX CHECK - the weather makes it difficult to keep a steady footing when getting off the boat, so I make a Dexterity check for each of the party.   Everyone passes except the Komtess Arna who slips as she leaves the boat.  I randomly determine that both Ulfina and Pedler are the closest to the young Komtess when she falls.

 

DEX CHECK - Both Pedler and Ulfina make a second dexterity check to see if either of them are able to stop Arna falling into the swirling waters of the river.  Ulfina fails but Pedlar rolls 1, a great success.  he scoop's the girl up and jumps off the boat at the same time, taking them both to safety.

 

QUESTION - is everything as it should be at the riverside campsite?

Roll d8 = 3 No(roll on table 2)

Roll d8 = 3 (Surprisingly)

 

QUESTION - are there any other boats at the campsite?

Roll d8 = 4 No(and)

 

Surprisingly the camp and the cabin are deserted, no boats or people and there are no signs of anyone having used it all day which is odd.  It is also odd that the party did not meet any other boats heading to Crookedmouth. There are usually two or three boats taking wood or other products from Woodbury to Crookedmouth each day.

 

QUESTION - does there appear to be anything unusual about the cabin, inside or out.

Roll d8 = 1 No (+1 intervention point, now at 2 intervention points).

 

Evening falls and the storm shows no sign of abating.  Tibori sends her two crew of the boat to make sure it does not come loose of its mooring and Pedlar goes with them.  This at least makes more room in the little cabin for everyone else.

 

In the log cabin, a small fire is lit and a meager meal is cooked from whatever was to hand.  

 

RANDOM ENCOUNTERS - I check to see if there are any random encounters overnight but nothing happened.  To make doubly certain I also ask the Oracle.

 

QUESTION - Did the night pass off peacefully?

Roll d8 = 6 Yes (Roll on table 2)

Toll d8 = 8 Apparently (+1 intervention point, now at 3 intervention points).

 

So the night at the camp passes without incident, everything seems peaceful. at least on the face of it.  Although most of the party had a restless night, their inactivity means I allow those who are still low on hit points to make 3 Will tests to see if they recover further hit points and indeed all pass at least one Will test so all recover to full hp.

 

QUESTION - Did the boat suffer any damage in the storm?

Roll d8 = 8 Yes(+1 intervention point, now 4 intervention points so roll on intervention table)

Roll on INTERVENTION TABLE = 3, entity negative.

 

QUESTION - Is the boat able to continue its journey?

Roll d8 = 5 Yes(and)

 

The river boat has suffered minor damage in the storm and has taken on a little water but it is found fit to sail.

 

As the boat is pushed off the shore and out onto the open water, two riders, a man and a woman, enter the camp.

 

Arnjin is the first to react, "Carnifex and Catalina!".

Carnifex charges his horse forward and looks like he is going to attempt to leap onto the boat but Arnjin jumps off the ship sword drawn and engages Carnifex in combat.

As the river craft puts distance between itself and the shore, Carnifex cuts down the champion, Arnjin is slain but he has allowed the rest to escape and

 

Adventure On!