KembraGM:Adventure 2
Basic Plot
The PCs are tasked to find what happened to another Forester team, the Highmount Falcons.
The Highmount Falcons
The Highmount Falcons had been assigned to track the goblin force that attacked and mostly razed a village, Shamall Glen. They found the goblin tracks and followed them, harried repeatedly. Fatigued and spent, they failed to notice the ettercap's trap and became entangled in it.
Since then, three of the members have perished. Only the ranger, Raelynn, is still alive.
Dramatis Personae
Cerdic Statochny
Cerdic Statochny is a member of the Forester Major's office. He has been tasked to oversee Forester actions related to the goblin incursions into Albain March.
He has a scar across the left side of his face and an eyepatch over his left eye.
Raelynn Fion
Raelynn Fion is the surviving member of the Highmount Falcons. She is blonde.
Order of Events
Briefing
Forester Major Carwe will brief the PCs. He will also give the PCs vials of holy water to consecrate the corpses of the Highmount Falcons should it be necessary.
Getting there
The PCs will be assigned horses so they can ride to the nearest town to Shamall Glen, Gwius Noc. Once there, they will report to a member of the Forester Major's office, Cerdic Statochny.
After reporting in, they will be sent on foot to Shamall Glen. On the way, they will be ambushed by three goblin warriors, a goblin fighter, and a goblin rogue (CR 3 encounter).
Shamall Glen
The village has been mostly burned. Some buildings are mostly intact but others are merely piles of burned wood. Some burnt animal corpses can be found but there are no humanoid corpses.
There is nothing worth recovering in the village. If the PCs decide to root around anyway, they will encounter a colony of three giant centipedes that have moved into a mostly intact building (CR 2 encounter).
Following the goblins
The PCs should have no problem finding the goblins' trail from the village. However, as they get deeper and deeper into the wood, it will become harder to track them.
Regardless of whether or not the PCs succeed, the next encounter will occur. Raelynn will be able to get them back on the goblins' trail.
The spiders
After some time tracking the goblins, the PCs will encounter a noose trap laid by the ettercap. If the PCs set off the trap or disable it, two giant spiders will investigate (CR 3 encounter).
The PCs can follow an obvious trail to a cave. Waiting for them there are the ettercap and two giant spiders (CR 5 encounter).
Inside the cave, the PCs will find Raelynn and the remains of the other members of the Highmount Falcons. If the PCs search the cave, they will also find some goblin remains, three short swords, an axe, about 20g in coins, and 50g in jewelry.
Raelynn
Raelynn is grateful for the rescue. She provides the party with a wand of cure light wounds with 30 charges left.
She is still somewhat in shock over what happened. She clings to her routine and asks the PCs to let her do so. This is her only way to stay sane.
She helps the PCs get back on track if they've lost it. She asks to help on second watch, almost insisting on it.
Second watch
During second watch, Raelynn disappears, having been abducted by Blackclaw. She screams shortly before he kills her. He cleaves off an ear and part of her scalp and leaves it for the PCs to find.
If the PCs attempt to find her that night, they will encounter a group of undead -- two goblin zombies, two human skeletons, and one goblin skeleton (a CR 3 encounter).
After defeating these, the PCs will now see Raelynn, animated as a zombie, coming towards them and attacking them (a CR 5 encounter). During the encounter, she will beg the PCs to kill her.
After Raelynn dies, Blackclaw will whisper in the ear of a PC (probably Tesni) "You're next."
Back on the trail
The PCs should resume searching for the goblins. During this phase, while trying to trail the goblins, they will be attacked four times:
- Three goblin warriors and two goblin fighters (CR 3)
- Three goblin fighters and a goblin ranger (CR 3)
- Two goblin fighters, a goblin rogue, and a goblin ranger (CR 3)
- Three goblin fighters, a goblin ranger, a goblin cleric, and a goblin bard (CR 4)
Marching grounds
The PCs will eventually come across a large clearing where a hobgoblin force has amassed with goblins at the fringes. There should be no combat as long as the PCs are careful. However, they should be seen before they leave and an alarm raised.
The chase
As the PCs leave the clearing, they are chased by the goblins and hobgoblins. Since the PCs have a lead, the ruckus behind them will fall away. However, they will have two encounters:
- A hobgoblin fighter on a wolf (CR 4)
- Three goblin warriors, a goblin fighter, and a goblin cleric (CR 3)
Showdown
After the fight with the goblins, the hobgoblin priest resurrects them using Animate Dead. A hobgoblin ranger jumps from a tree and joins in the fray (CR 5).
