Party: A Rose amongst the thorns

Quest: A Rose amongst the Thorns
The town of Thistleholt has been suffering from frequent goblin attacks, leaving the townsfolk in fear and turmoil. Mayor Staev Thistleton has offered 800 gold pieces for any group capable of putting an end to these raids and restoring peace to the town.
Your task is to investigate the attacks, protect the townsfolk, and eliminate the goblin threat.
reward 800 gold pieces

Quest Overview: The party is tasked with addressing the threat of goblin attacks plaguing the town of Thistleholt. Under the despotic rule of Mayor Staev Thistleton, the town suffers from neglect and corruption, leaving its people vulnerable to the marauding goblin raids. As the party delves into the mystery of the attacks, they uncover deeper secrets and unexpected alliances that will challenge their perceptions of justice and power.
Act 1: Troubled Waters
Upon arriving in Thistleholt, the party is greeted by a town on edge, its people weary from the relentless goblin attacks. Mayor Staev Thistleton, accompanied by his brutish bodyguards Hodge and Podge, reluctantly enlists the party's aid in dealing with the goblin threat.
Staev will have the party come to his lush and grand manor at the top of town. Inside 5 generations of Thistleton's portraits hang in the foyer, the house emblem a sword made of thorns with a red backdrop.
Lines from Staev "I wish to restore order and balance to my fair town, the people deserve their rest from these goblins and need to focus on commerce to bolster my... I mean the towns coffers"
"There is also a pesky Witch I wouldn't mind you quietly dispatching while you're out in the woods, careful though she is a cunning and manipulative thing... DON'T drink her tea. I'll pay you a futher 100 gold if you can confirm she's dead. If you don't have the stomach for it, I'll send my men to finish the job once the goblins are taken care of"
He will welcome them to stay in the manor with him as he doesn't see their need to mix with the "commoners". If they do they'll have the opportunity to snoop around the manor. In the study they'll discover a signet ring with a different emblem a staff covered in thorns with a river underneath it and Staev will be signing off on documentation as Stave Thistleton lord of Thornbury. Even though he is just the mayor.
There can also be a secret passage way if they pull on a wall sconse in the foyer that will lead to an old library called the Violet Thornbury private chambers of learning and stowed away in the back will be 5 portraits of halfling women and men each called Lord or Lady Thornbury of the Bramblewoods, there is a passage way that connects with the old botanists building. When they enter the old botanists building they'll see it's boarded up and abandoned. Searching the building they'll find under coverings of moss are documents relating to a Rose Thornbury.
If the party prefer to go and spend a night in the local tavern, they'll spend more time among the townsfolk who'll say that they miss Rose and how cruel the mayor is.
Before they leave there will be a boy who will ask if they're going into the woods. The boy
A young boy who seeks to deliver a gift to Rose, the party gains insight into her true nature as a healer and protector of the towns people, the boy offers Rose his favourite teddy for healing his broken arm.
Plot Twist: The party discovers evidence suggesting that Mayor Staev Thistleton's claim to leadership is illegitimate, usurping the Thornbury family's rightful rule over the town.
Act 2: The Witch of Bramblethorn Woods
Venturing into the dense Bramblethorn Woods, the party seeks out Rose Thornbury, the alleged witch exiled by the mayor.
Rose is outwardly lovely to the party and offers them a place to rest and tea and food for the evening, she will explain that the mayor's prized turkey was killed but not by her, it was a beautiful purple-featured turkey. He got mad when she discovered the corpse and started grafting a rare moss to grow in the corpse.
Rose will have a tapestry in her hut of a staff covered in thorns and a river flowing under it. She'll remark that it was in her shop in town when she inherited it, thought it looked noble and majestic so she kept it.

MAKE THE CHANGE THAT THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CORRINS STORYLINE - ADD IN THE DEMON PRINCE FROM THE 3RD LAYER AND ALSO THEN HAVE THE UWU KNIGHT AS ONE OF THE GUARDS HE HAS ENTHRALLED THAT TIES IN WITH THE QUEST SISTER ACT
Act 3: Crypts of Chaos
Guided by Rose's wisdom, the party embarks on a perilous journey into the ancient crypts where the goblins have made their lair. Within the labyrinthine passages, the party confronts cunning traps, puzzling obstacles, and fierce goblin adversaries. As they delve deeper, they uncover the sinister influence of a trapped Slaad and its obsession with purple artifacts.
Room 1: Entrance Hall Description: The entrance hall of the crypt is dimly lit, with torch sconces lining the walls. Cobwebs cling to the corners, and the air is thick with the scent of mildew. Stone sarcophagi line the walls, some cracked open and empty, while others remain sealed. At the far end of the room, a narrow corridor leads deeper into the crypt.
Encounter: Upon entering the room, the party is ambushed by a group of goblin scouts who have been patrolling the entrance hall. The goblins attack with crude weapons, seeking to defend their territory.
Room 2: Puzzle Chamber (mimic in the treasure chest - Mimic holds a key)
Description: This chamber is adorned with intricate carvings and symbols etched into the stone walls. In the center of the room, a large stone pedestal stands, upon which rests a locked chest. Surrounding the pedestal are various pressure plates and arcane runes.
Puzzle: The party must decipher the meaning of the symbols and activate the correct combination of pressure plates to unlock the chest. Failure to solve the puzzle triggers a trap, such as a cascade of falling rocks or a burst of poisonous gas.
Treasure: Upon successfully solving the puzzle, the party discovers a key.
The key has an old Aragite saying on it - "through the fire and the flames you carry on" which will lead to a key hole under the braizer that is hanging from the ceiling illuminating the room - putting the key in and turning it will lead to a treasure room.
that leads to a cache of treasures which was originally part of the crypts treasures. Including gold coins, gemstones, and magical artifacts hidden within the chest (Create something cool).

Room 3: Goblin Barracks Description: This room serves as the living quarters for the goblin inhabitants of the crypt. Crude bedrolls line the floor, and makeshift tables are cluttered with scraps of food and stolen trinkets. A foul odor fills the air, emanating from piles of refuse in the corners of the room.
Encounter: As the party explores the barracks, they are attacked by a group of goblin warriors who were resting in the room. The goblins fight fiercely to defend their territory, wielding rusty swords and spears and will repeatedly chant purple what purple do you possess we must have it (in goblin).
Room 4: Tomb of the Ancients - if they find goblins before this room they'll say the dead rise and attack - can't find more purple there. Description: This chamber is the final resting place of the crypt's ancient inhabitants, their sarcophagi adorned with faded engravings and symbols of long-forgotten gods. A sense of solemn reverence hangs in the air, as if the spirits of the dead watch over the room.
Encounter: As the party pays their respects to the fallen or they are ambushed by undead guardians who rise from their sarcophagi to protect the tomb. The party must defeat the undead foes to proceed deeper into the crypt.
Room 5: Hidden Sanctuary (found off the back of the barracks) Description: Concealed behind a false wall, this hidden chamber serves as a sanctuary for the goblin shaman and his acolytes. Crude altars adorned with bones and feathers line the walls, and the air is thick with the scent of incense.
Encounter: The party stumbles upon the goblin shaman performing a dark ritual to summon demonic forces to aid the goblins in their conquest. The party must disrupt the ritual and defeat the shaman and his acolytes before the summoning is complete.
Room 6: Chamber of Shadows Description: This chamber is shrouded in darkness, with faint whispers echoing off the walls. Strange runes are etched into the stone floor, glowing with an eerie light. At the center of the room stands an ancient obelisk, its surface adorned with swirling patterns of purple light.
Shrine: The party discovers the goblin's shrine dedicated to their dark deity—a gray Slaad imprisoned within the obelisk. Surrounding the obelisk are offerings of purple trinkets and treasures, including the coveted black book.
Room 7: Goblins' Last Stand If the party destroy the obelisk then the Goblins' in the room here are confused more so than hostile - and no longer obsessed with purple they'll be more inquisitive of the party. If the Obelisk remains then they'll attack the party.
Description: This final chamber serves as the goblins' last line of defense, with barricades of overturned furniture and stolen goods forming makeshift barriers. The air is thick with tension as the goblin chieftain and his elite guards prepare to defend their territory to the death.
Boss Encounter: The party faces off against the goblin chieftain and his elite guards in a fierce battle for control of the crypt. The chieftain fights with cunning tactics and deadly precision, using traps and ambushes to gain the upper hand. The party must defeat the chieftain and his guards to claim victory and secure the crypt.
Treasure: Among the spoils of victory, the party discovers the black book and 150 gold worth of amethyst gems, a purple leather bag and a set of purple leather armour with an arrow hole in it.
Plot Twist: The goblins' peculiar fixation on purple objects leads the party to discover the true source of the goblin attacks—a malevolent force imprisoned within an ancient obelisk.
Act 4: Shadows of Betrayal Will depend on how the party unfold the rest of this chapter.
Returning to Thistleholt, the party confronts Mayor Staev Thistleton and exposes his deceitful machinations. With the aid of Hodge, the disillusioned bodyguard, the party confronts the corrupt mayor and restores Rose Thornbury to her rightful position as the town's leader. As order is restored to Thistleholt, the party receives recognition from the Duke of the Woodlands for their role in bringing justice to the island.
Plot Twist: Mayor Staev Thistleton's treachery is revealed, leading to a showdown that tests the party's resolve and forces them to choose between loyalty and justice.

Related Session Reports

• Session 19: The Heroes Return