Rough Start in Waldren
Player introduction
The characters start at 5th level and as the adventure begins, they are working at the Waldren Spring Planting Festival performing one of the following tasks: baker, cook, server, barman, banker, game operator, ride operator. Weapons and armor are not worn at the festival. However because they have no long-term residence in the town, their belongings are currently stored in a tent on the festival grounds.GM material and plot spoilers below
Introduction
Rough Start in Waldren is a one-shot adventure designed for four to six, 5th level characters and Pathfinder 2nd Edition. It takes place in and near the town of Waldren located on the Plains of Premin. The plains are bordered by the Slyne mountain range in the west and the Chian mountain range in the east. Additional geographical detail about the greater plains area and the bordering mountain ranges is beyond the scope of this adventure. For some historical background on the Premin Plains, see The Plains of the Premin Continent.Overview
The adventure begins with the characters working at the Waldren Spring Planting Festival employing skills relevant to their backgrounds or chosen profession. Any open field or meadow will suffice as a combat map. Player start positions are noted as follows: Food serving personnel should start in the northwest corner of the map. Food preparation personnel should start in the northeast corner of the map. Security personnel should start in the center of the map. Administration/money handling personnel should start in the center west portion of the map. The wolves approach from the south east.
Scene 1
The day's events are in full swing as mid-day approaches. The town mayor and chief constable both make speeches welcoming the spring planting season while the children are taking part in various activities. The characters are unarmed and unarmored with the exception that any character acting in a security role is carrying a sap. As the afternoon turns to evening the sounds of children screaming and adults calling out as a pack of wolves descends on the festival grounds. The PCs as well as the attendees of the festival are caught off-guard by this attack. Only PCs that have taken on a security role as their job have a single weapon and no armor. The other PCs must use an improvised weapon available to them from their job roles and do not have their armor.
Encounter: WolvesXP Award: 60
Threat Level: Low
| Party Size | Stat Blocks |
|---|---|
| 4 | 3 - Wolf Creature 1
Wolf Creature 1 Stat Block 1 - Dire Wolf Creature 3 Dire Wolf Creature 3 Stat Block |
| 5 | 4 - Wolf Creature 1
Wolf Creature 1 Stat Block 1 - Dire Wolf Creature 3 Dire Wolf Creature 3 Stat Block |
| 6 | 4 - Wolf Creature 1
Wolf Creature 1 Stat Block 2 - Dire Wolf Creature 3 Dire Wolf Creature 3 Stat Block |
Scene 2
After the wolves are slain or driven off, the mayor thanks the PC's for their help in dealing with the wolves. The conversation between the mayor and the PCs is interrupted by the approach of the constable. The constable explains that several thefts have occurred while the wolves distracted everyone's attention. At this point, the PCs have retrieve their belongings including their armor and weapons.- Money was stolen from the ticket seller's booth.
- Four casks of ale were stolen from the cooler cave
- Various baked goods and roasted meats are missing from the food vendor area
Two human females (Lasira Human Rogue and Sirala Human Sorceror approach the mayor and constable, introducing themselves. The two offer their services to investigate the thefts. The mayor accepts their offer, turns to the PC's, and invites them to act as secondary observers. [GM NOTE: The PC's must declare the PC's findings as public or private].
The investigators discover the following clues:
Ticket seller: The ticket seller did not abandon his post, but was surprised and knocked unconscious. The ticket seller does not recall hearing any voices, nor did he see any faces. The investigators conclude that a single individual improvised the theft having taken advantage of the wolf attack. The PCs can use Perception [DC 22] or Thievery [DC 25] to confirm or dispute the investigators findings.
Critical Success: +1 circumstance bonus to Thievery checks in Scene 3 in addition to the success information. Success: The PC's believe that two individuals perpetrated the theft. One to fully distract the ticket seller and the other to assault him. Failure: The PCs agree with the investigators' conclusion. Critical Failure: -1 circumstance bonus to Thievery checks in Scene 3. Storage Cave: There were no guards at the caves, but one worker noted that there were three "toughs" hanging around the area just before the wolf attack occurred. With so many people around he didn't think it suspicious, but now has doubts. The investigators conclude that the three formentioned "toughs" took advantage of the wolf attack as a distraction to steal the goods. The PCs can use Perception [DC 20] to confirm the witness' statement. Survival [DC 18] to reveal tracks and wagon markings leading away from the festival grounds. Critical Success: +1 circumstance bonus to Diplomacy checks in Scene 3 in addition to the success information. Success: The PC's believe that two individuals and some animals were used to raid this area. Failure: The PCs agree with the investigators' conclusion. Critical Failure: -1 circumstance bonus to Diplomacy checks in Scene 3.Vendor Storage: No witnesses were found as any workers in the area were apparently distracted by the wolf attack and left the vendor area to check on their respective families. Six sets of tracks are identified by the investigators leading away from the festival area. These tracks converge with the tracks from the storage cave theft. Survival [DC 20] or Perception [DC 22]to discover only three sets of tracks leading away.
Critical Success: +1 circumstance bonus to Perception checks in Scene 3 in addition to the success information. Success: The PC's believe that two individuals and some animals were used to raid this area. Failure: The PCs agree with the investigators' conclusion. Critical Failure: -1 circumstance bonus to Perception checks in Scene 3. Award the PCs 80 xp. Award the PCs 10 xp for each successful skill check. Award the PCs 20 xp for each critically successful skill check.Scene 3
The investigators, mayor, constable, and PCs meet to discuss their findings. The investigators layout their findings and conclusion. The PCs may attempt to dispute all or some of the findings made by the investigators and provide their own conclusion. If they choose to reveal their findings as different from the investigators. Use victory point system to convince the mayor and constable of their conclusion and the next steps to take. The investigators go first and are assumed to be convincing unless the PC's can be more persuasive with Diplomacy, Bluff, or Intimidate. All DCs below are subject to the circumstance bonuses acquired in scene 2.
Investigator summary:
The ticket seller is lying and stole the money himself. The PCs can make one Perception[DC22] and one Thievery[DC20] to argue and explain the false conclusion.
The ale was stolen by mischievous teenagers to throw a party and likely could not afford to purchase the ale. The PCs can make one Perception[DC22] and one Society [DC18] to argue and explain the false conclusion.
A family or group of six individuals stole the foodstuffs, simply taking advantage of the wolf attack for cover and the tracks found from the storage areas were created after the fact to throw suspicion away from townsfolk.. The PCs can make one Perception[DC22] and one Religion[DC20] to argue and explain the false conclusion.
Critical Success: Award 2 victory points. Success: Award 1 victory points. Failure: No change. Critical Failure: Remove 1 victory point
Award the PCs 40 XP if reach 3 victory points, but will fail to convince the mayor and constable to take the lead of the investigation for Scene 4.
Award the PCs 80 XP if reach 5 victory points and will succeed to convince the mayor and constable to take the lead of the investigation for Scene 4.
Scene 4
The scene starts at the convergence of the tracks found from the two storage areas. If the PC's failed, their path is led by the investigators, who lead them on a winding trek eventually claiming to lose the tracks and leave to report back to the mayor. If the PC's convinced the mayor in Scene 3, the PC's lead the investigation to follow the tracks. A Survival [DC20] success will lead them on a path that the investigators strongly claim is false. They subsequently leave the PC's to themselves and head off in the direction they claim is the correct one. Either way the PC's, no longer accompanied by the investigators continue their tracking with Survival checks. Each check takes an hour to trace the path. Two consecutive successful checks leads them to a rough fenced area in which a poorly constructed pen containing wolves is found. An open field map with a broken/open fence will suffice for this encounter.
Encounter: Broken Wolf PenXP Award: 120
Threat Level: Severe
| Party Size | Stat Blocks |
|---|---|
| 4 | 4 - Wolf Creature 1
Wolf Creature 1 Stat Block 2 - Dire Wolf Creature 3 Dire Wolf Creature 3 Stat Block 1 - Winter Wolf Creature 5 Winter Wolf Creature 5 Stat Block |
| 5 | 5 - Wolf Creature 1
Wolf Creature 1 Stat Block 3 - Dire Wolf Creature 3 Dire Wolf Creature 3 Stat Block 1 - Winter Wolf Creature 5 Winter Wolf Creature 5 Stat Block |
| 6 | 4 - Wolf Creature 1
Wolf Creature 1 Stat Block 3 - Dire Wolf Creature 3 Dire Wolf Creature 3 Stat Block 2 - Winter Wolf Creature 5 Winter Wolf Creature 5 Stat Block |
Scene 5
After dispatching the wolves, a successful Survival or Perception check will lead them to a clearing and campsite. A group of humanoids is heard and found amid the camp along with the two investigators. If approaching cautiously, the PCs can discover that they appear to be talking in friendly, but concerned tones. If the PCs blunder into the camp or approach and confront the apparent bandits, the bandits attack and the investigators fight alongside the bandits. The camp map is a simple meadow with 3 tents and a campfire. The GM should feel free to embellish the visual scene.
Encounter: The Bandit CampXP Award: 120
Threat Level: Severe
| Party Size | Stat Blocks |
|---|---|
| 4 | Lasira Human Rogue 7 Lasira Human Rogue Sirala Human Sorceror 5 Sirala Human Sorceror |
| 5 | Lasira Human Rogue 7 Lasira Human Rogue Sirala Human Sorceror 5 Sirala Human Sorceror 1 - Henchman Creature 4 Henchman |
| 6 | Lasira Human Rogue 7 Lasira Human Rogue Sirala Human Sorceror 5 Sirala Human Sorceror 2 - Henchman Creature 4 Henchman |
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