Scenario #9: The Ruined Arvorian Outpost

 

Art by Dziga Kaiser, source

Introduction

This is a short scenario for characters of levels 2-3 that follows on from scenario #7. It is another part of my rather ambitious idea of a grand campaign based in Norwold. 

After the orcs with the green amulet  PCs are directed to a camp of lupins who have recently traded with Berresford the trapper. This is the Alvini pack, who roam not far from Barathmir in the Lothbarth forest. The leader asks the PCs to deal with an outpost of Chaotic humans who have been causing problems for the lupins. 

The outpost is led and advised by an Arvorian tasked with searching the area for eldritch crystals. She has a lead-lined chest holding several pieces. 

Her name is Althonai, 3rd level Arcane Knight F/MU

There is also a human twisted summoner, Baljoria, 3rd level, who has a small contingent of monstrous minions. 

Berresford has been captured by the chaos cultists and is being interrogated by Althonai and the senior cultist as to where he found the Eldritch crystal so they can find more. Although closed-mouth with his captors, he will be more open and talkative with rescuers once he believes he can trust them. Berresford can point them to another ruin where he found the amulet. 

Key to the map of the Outpost:

Courtyard: Empty but as PCs enter via the fallen portcullis there is a 50% chance that the archers in room #4 will be alert and start shooting arrows at them. 

1.  Entrance Hall: Here are 2 chaos soldiers and 2 chaos archers. They are standing guard around a brazier. They will attack any strangers. This room also has stairs leading up to the middle floor. 
2. Empty
3. 1 chaos sergeant + 2 chaos soldiers. They are sitting a table sharing a bottle of wine. This room also has stairs heading down into the dungeon level, but this is left for DMs to develop. If you don't want to bother with creating the dungeon level, this stairway down does not exist. 
4. 2 chaos archers. Anyone walking through the passageway from outside into the courtyard over the fallen portcullis has a 50% chance of alerting these archers who will try to shoot intruders through the arrow slits. 
5. Rubbish dump. 7 giant rats (AC 7, HD 1/2, hp 3, Mv 120', THAC0 20, Att 1 bite for 1d3 + possible disease, Ml 8, Save F1, Al N, Int 2, XP 7) have made their nest here. They will not attack humans that simply add to the dump (they know the cultists bring them wasted food) but if anyone starts poking around they will defend their lair viciously.
6. Empty
7. Abandoned smithy. Here is an old forge with anvil, furnace (now cold) and a few tools including an abandoned War Hammer +1 that also acts as a smith's hammer. It has dwarvish runes engraved into the head. However, there is also a Crab Spider (AC 7, HD 2*, hp 8, Mv 120', THAC0 18, Att 1 bite for 1d8 + poison, Ml 7, Save F1, Al N, Int 1, XP 25)  lurking in the rafters and it will attack if anyone lingers here longer than a round. 
8. Empty
9. Latrines: This filthy place is still in use by the cultists. It consists of wooden benches with bum-shaped holes carved into them sitting over two large pits of filth. The stench is horrible and anyone entering here must make a save vs poison or suffer -2 Str and -2 to saving throws for 1d4 turns due to nausea. The inhabitants of the outpost have become inured to to this initially overpowering odour. There is nothing of value here. 
10. Stables. In here are the skeletal remains of 4 unfortunate horses, plus various bits of tack and harness now decayed beyond use. 
11. 3 giant shrews (AC 4, HD 1, hp 5, Mv 180', THAC0 19, Att 2 bites for 1d6 each, Ml 10, Save F1, Al N, Int 1, XP 15) live here. They are effectively blind and sense intruders by sound. They hide among a pile of discarded furniture, most of which is worthless but there are 2 elaborately carved chairs and a table that are still well-preserved: the chairs are worth 50gp each and the table 120gp but they are bulky items and not easy to haul around. 
12. Training Room. Here are 2 chaos soldiers and 1 chaos archer, as well as wooden dummies, a straw target for archery at the west end of the room and a weapons rack with 4 spears, 3 hand axes and a barrel of 30 arrows. There is also a flight of stair heading up to the top floor. 
13. Empty
14. 2 hobgoblin mercenaries + 1 chaos sergeant
15. 4 hobgoblin mercenaries. 
    15a) corridor. This is patrolled by 2 hobgoblin mercenaries. 
16. Empty
17. 1 Chaos Sergeant & 1 female Chaos Adept (AC 5, HD C2, hp 6, Move 90',  THAC0 19, Att 1 mace for 1d6+1, Ml 10, Save C2, Al C, Int 11, XP 35, Equipment: Chain mail, mace, black robes, unholy symbol, 25sp, Spells: Darkness (reverse of Light))
18. Empty
19. Hobgoblin Leader (AC4, HD 2+2, hp 13, Mv 90', THAC0 17, Att 1 sword for 1d8+2, Ml 10, Save F2, Al C, Int 10, Equipment: Chain Mail, Shield, Sword +1). This is the leader of the hobgoblin mercenaries. As well as commanding their loyalty he also holds the gang's treasure in a chest: 4530sp, 355gp and 4 crimson spinel gems worth 100gp each. 
20. 3 hobgoblin mercenaries
21. Empty apart from food stores (boxes of iron rations and barrels of wine and beer). 
22. 4 chaos soldiers are resting here on simple beds. 
23. 4 kobolds (AC 7, HD 1/2, hp 3, Mv 60', THAC0 20, Att 1 dagger for 1d4, Ml 7, Save NM, Al C, Int 8, XP 5). These are minions of Baljoria, the Twisted Summoner in room 24 and have no treasure of their own. 
24. Baljoria the Summoner (AC 9, HD MU3, hp 6, THAC0 20, Att 1 dagger for 1d4+1 or 1 spell, Ml 8, Save MU3, Al C, Int 15, XP 50, Equipment: Dagger +1, Spellbook, Spells: Charm Person, Magic Missile, Mirror Image) + pet Giant Lynx (stats as mountain lion AC 6, HD 3+2, Mv 150', THAC0 16, Att 2 claws/1 bite for 1d3/1d3/1d6, Ml 8, Save F2, Al N, Int 2, XP 50). Baljoria has a sack underneath her bed that contains her valuables: 340gp, 1110sp, 32pp and her precious spellbook (containing the following spells: Read Magic, Detect Magic, Charm Person, Magic Missile, Hold Portal, Mirror Image, Web, Locate Object).
25. Portcullis Winch Room: 4 orcs (AC 6, Move 120', HD 1, hp 6, 5, 4, 4, THAC0 19, Att 1 spear for 1d6, Ml 8, Save F1,  Al C, Int 8, XP 10 each. Equipment: Leather armour, shield, spear, 10sp each), under control of Baljoria the Summoner. They stand guard over their prisoner, Berresford (AC 9, HD F2, hp 4 (normally 10), Mv 60' (normally 120') , THAC0 20, Att none, Ml 4, Save F2, Al N, Int 10, XP 20) who has been beaten and tortured and is currently tied up to the winch mechanism. Berresford is not in a fit state either physically or mentally and will be ineffective until he has time to recuperate. 
26. 2 Arvorian novices (AC 5, HD E1, hp 4, Mv 90', THAC0 20, Att 1 weapon  for 1d8, or 1 spell, Ml 8, Save E1, Al C, Int 12, XP 15, Equipment: Chain Mail, Sword, 15sp each, Spells: Cure Light Wounds/Darkness). These are the assistants to Althonai and are Eldritch Crusaders, so they have clerical spells, not MU spells. . 
27. Althonai the Arcane Knight (AC 2, HD E3, hp 13, Mv 60', THAC0 17, Att 1 weapon for 1d8+1 or 1 spell, Ml 10, Save E3, Al C, Int 13, XP 50, Equipment: Plate Mail, Sword +1., keys to locked boxes, spells: Darkness, Charm Person, Caustic Bolt) is the leader of this outpost. As well as her bed plus a table and chair, she has two boxes, both locked. The keys to both are around her neck. In one box is 530gp, 45pp & a non-magical silver and amethyst ring worth 400gp. The second box is made of lead. Inside there are 3 Eldritch Crystals and written instructions. Fortunately unlike the Eldritch Crystal found by the orcs in Scenario #8, these are not immediately dangerous to those handling them.  The instructions are described below after the map key.
28. Brutus the Chaos Warrior (AC 2, HD F4, hp 22, Mv 60', THAC0 16, Att 1 weapon for 1d8+2, Ml 11, Save F4, Al C, Int 11, XP 75, Equipment: Plate Mail +1, Battleaxe) is the human lieutentant to Althonai and helps her control and motivate the chaotic humans of the outpost. His gothically ornate magical suit of plate mail +1 is his pride and is crafted from Hellforged Iron. He does not bother with coin treasure - his stash underneath a loose floorboard is a silk bag containing 6 jade gems worth 100gp each. 
29. Empty
30. Empty apart from crows and ravens. 

Stats for Common Encounters in the Outpost

Chaos Soldier: AC 4, HD F1, hp 5, Mv 90', THAC0 19, Att 1 weapon for 1d6, Ml 8, Save F1, Al C, Int 9, XP 15, equipment: chain mail, shield, hand axe or spear, 2d6sp

Chaos Archer: AC 7, HD F1, hp 4, Mv 120', THAC0 19, Att 1 weapon for 1d6 or 1 arrow for 1d5, Ml 8, Save F1, Al C, Int 10, XP 15, equipment: leather armour, shortsword, shortbow, quiver + 10 arrows, 2d6sp

Chaos Sergeant: AC 4, HD F2, hp 10, Mv 60', THAC0 18, Att 1 weapon for 1d8, Ml 10, Save F2, Al C, Int 10, XP 25, equipment: chain mail, shield, normal sword, 2d4gp

Hobgoblin Mercenary: AC 6, HD 1+1, hp 6, Mv 90', THAC0 18, Att 1 sword for 1d8, Ml 8, Save F1, Al C, Int 9, XP 15, equipment: Leather armour, shield, normal sword, 3d6sp

Concluding the adventure

The written instructions in Althonai's box of eldritch crystals are in the Arvorian script, and require a Read Languages spell to comprehend. They instruct Althonai to find as many eldritch crystals and then return them to the Arvorian mine complex to the north called Iseldek's Drop to the north, to then be passed on to the City of Madness. 

If Berresford is rescued he can tell the PCs where he found the Eldritch crystal from Scenario #7 and points them to an old ruined tower of Arvorian design found on the border between the coniferous Lothbarth forest and the tundra. 

There are no strict requirements for which the PCs should visit first (Iseldek's Drop or Berresford's ruined tower) but it should lead the PCs deeper into the realm and activities of the Arvorians. 

If the PCs ask around town about the Arvorians or eldritch crystals they are met with ignorance from all except Sorsoni the Sage, who is both fascinated and concerned by both. Sorsoni has only heard a little about the Arvorians, but it is enough to scare him. He knows that they are loosely related to elves and that their civilization is at least as old as that of the elves and perhaps dates back to Blackmoor days. He also knows that Arvorians are worshippers of Chaos and are nearly always malevolent. Any knowledge beyond this is up to the PCs to investigate for themselves. 

The lupins who guided the PCs to this outpost also know something of the Arvorians, and again can guide the PCs to the ruined tower that Berresford found the first Eldritch crystal in, though they do not know about Iseldek's Drop.